AnythingArts.com Newsletter - artists supporting artists

Thursday, January 6, 2010

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From Machetes to Pencils: The Art of War-affected Children in Africa with JODY LYNN McBRIEN,Ph.D. Lecture and Art Exhibition

There are 37 million refugees and internally displaced people in the world today, just under half of whom are children and youth under the age of 18. Most of them live in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Only about half of these children have the opportunity to attend schools, and most of those schools are poorly equipped. Computers and internet service are rare; indeed most students have no textbooks; and teachers, earning the equivalent of $25 US or less/month (some have not been paid in months), must resort to rote repetition methods, as their students cannot review material from texts. Some children have been born in camps; others have fled from war or been themselves kidnapped and forced to become soldiers before escaping.

In this exhibit, drawings made by children in a Ghanaian refugee camp, in Darfur, and in northern Uganda offer glimpses into their lives, from the terror they experienced to the hope that remains. A couple of the students are highly skilled artists, but most drawings are average or even simple. Each drawing and painting tells a story rarely told or understood in the U.S. As we worry about our own troubled economy, it is important not to lose sight of the forgotten and misunderstood people whose lives have been destroyed by terror and war, and who live in destitute poverty, with inadequate water, food, shelter, health care, and education. ACS is proud to present an evening lecture and children's art presentation on war-affected children living in Buduburam (Liberian refugees in Ghana), Darfur (displaced people in Sudan), and Gulu and Lira, Uganda (returned child soldiers in the aftermath of war). Artwork will be for sale; proceeds will be sent to the child contributors.

(** Editor’s note: because we are loving the ease of pinching event info directly off of our AnythingArts.com calendar, and doing it with regularity, from now on “AA.com” will be the notation for all such plagiarized material.)

Just Opened
[ brassy broads ]

Florida Studio Theatre presents “Brassy Broads - the Next Geberation." This sassy and brassy revue is a tribute to the divas of the American stage and screen. Three sizzling and vivacious ladies take the lead to perform iconic numbers like "The Rose," "In the Mood," "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend," and more! Featuring songs old and new from the dames Sophie Tucker, Mae West, Ethel Merman, Carol Channing, Bernadette Peters, and Bette Midler. The show was developed by FST Artistic Director Richard Hopkins, resident pianist Jim Prosser and book and bridge material by Sarasota playwright, Larry Parr. Call 941-366-9000 for tickets and info.

Through January 16
[ dame edna ]

The Golden Apple Dinner Theatre welcomes Michael L. Walters as Dame Edna, the character he has been delighting audiences with for over a decade. Call 941-366-5454.

January
[ exhibit and reception ]

This month, Island Gallery West features the watercolors of Dee Pastorius. The public is invited to an opening reception on Friday, January 14, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the gallery, to enjoy fine art, free refreshments and meet some of the co-op gallery's 29 local artists. A longtime member of Island Gallery West, and a signature member of the FL Suncoast Watercolor Society, Pastorius' exhibit, entitled "Floats and Boats" runs through the end of the month.

January 4 - 23
[ pretty ]

The FSU/Asolo Conservatory presents “Reasons to be Pretty," by Neil LaBute, in the Cook Theatre (with only 161 seats, it is a very intimate setting). This scathing, dark comedy by one of today’s most celebrated authors, explores our culture’s fixation on surface beauty. When a young man makes a casual comment about his girlfriend’s appearance, he finds himself in the midst of a storm that threatens to destroy not only their relationship—but also his friendships with his co-workers. Call 941-351-8000.
(Tuesday January 4 is Pay What You Can Tuesday and audience members can pay whatever they are comfortable with- day of purchases only) (Photo by: Frank Atura)

January 5 – 23
[ lemon bay playhouse ]

Lemon Bay Playhouse presents “Catch Me If You Can”. Written by playwrights Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, the play enjoyed a successful Broadway run in 1965 staring Tom Bosley and Dan Dailey. Steve Credeur directs the LBP production. The comedic whodunit tells the story of an advertising executive whose honeymoon is interrupted when the bride disappears. Another young lady shows up and insists that she is the missing wife and a bogus priest backs up her story. A local detective is assigned to the case and the laughs begin. Call 941-475-6756.

January 6
[ ekphrastic poetry ]

Fifteen Sarasota poets, inspired by the paintings, sculptures and textile designs of Art Center Sarasota’s current exhibition entitled “The Fiber of Our Being”, have responded with over 30 original poems. Each poem is based on one artwork. Join ACS for a live poetry reading as the writers deliver their poems alongside the visual artworks that served as inspiration. Time is 5 – 6:30 p.m. Featured poets include: Ralph Barnes, Katherine Murphy, Peter Bergas, Shirley Boeheim , Irene Williams, Cork Hassel, Frances Balter, Daria Vrabec , Lyn Stefenhagens, Linda Parks and Marie Davids, as well as Joanna Hapner’s poetry students from Booker Middle School. Call 941-365-2032.

January 7 exhibit opening
[ natural connections ]

“Natural Connections: Expanding the Vision of the Natural World” is an exhibit of paintings, drawings and photographs by Deborah Ross, Olivia Marie Braida, Susan Coffey, Diane Harm, Susan Hubbard, Leslie Nicks, Leslie Ramsey, Julia Rega, and Cerise Terry. The exhibit is in the Museum of Botany & the Arts at Selby Gardens through February 21. A meet-the-artist reception is January 13 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Call 941-366-5731.

Museum of Botany & the Arts at Selby Gardens

January 7
[ watercolorist ]

Elaine Charney, award-winning watercolor painter, is the Bolivar Art Gallery’s featured artist during January. At the January 7th Reception, Elaine will talk about her art background, beginnings, and beyond, from 6 -8:30 p.m. Call 941-366-1649.

January 7
[ sunshine state films ]

The South Florida Museum, Bradenton (home of Snooty) presents the Sunshine State Film Series. The first film of the year is “The Greatest Show on Earth." The film was partially shot in Sarasota in 1952 and starred Charlton Heston, Dorothy Lamour,Cronel Wilde and Betty Hutton and notable Sarasotans like Lou Jacobs. For more information, call 941-746-4131.

January 8
[ art in unusual places ]

Saturday mornings mean Farmer’s Market time in downtown Sarasota and Bradenton. Both downtowns have lots of fresh food vendors and more and more artists showing, and selling, their work. Check out the websites for information on both.

January 8
[ itzhak ]

Like Cher, Madonna and Prince, Itzhak Perlman really only needs one name to be recognized. The famed violinist returns to Sarasota with the Perlman Music Program and takes the stage at 5:00 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House. Advance tickets are on sale now. Call 941-955-4942.

January 8
[ she’s still cute ]

The doors open at 8:00 a.m. for the Sunshine from Darkeness 2011 Journey to Wellness Symposium. This free community education program includes 1976 Olympic Champion Dorothy Hamill. The program starts at 9:00 a.m. and was standing room only last year. Anyone with concerns about mental illness, friends and family, should attend.

Will you be my mommy and daddy?

“Brownie” is at the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Animal Services aka THE POUND. She is a lab mix and about 3 years old, very sweet and loves to take leash walks and sit on benches with people, she’s house-broken and learns very quickly. She’s been at the shelter for many months and is stressed out and looking for a nice home. Can you help? Brownie’s ID number is A264675. Call 941-861-9500 to save Brownie from the inevitable and save your self in the process.

January 10 & 17
[ two different things ]

Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning continues it’s Monday Music series with Sarasota Orchestra conductor. Leif Bjaland, on January 10 and Robert Levin, Artistic Director of the Sarasota Music Festival on January 17. Check the SILL websites for the full calendar of events. All Monday Music events are held at SO’s Holley Hall, at the Symphony Center. Call 941-365-6404 for more information.

January 13 and 14
[ wezel purple ]

The Color Purple comes to Sarasota's Purple Cow. It’s a soul-stirring musical based on the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the moving film by Steven Spielberg. It’s the unforgettable and inspiring story of a woman named Celie, who finds her unique voice in the world. Nominated for eleven Tony® Awards, The Color Purple is a landmark theatrical event, a celebration of love, and a Broadway phenomenon. With a joyous Grammy®-nominated score featuring jazz, gospel and blues, The Color Purple is capturing the hearts of young and old, and uniting audiences in a community of joy.

January 13 – 30
[ BIG ]

“Big; The Musical” comes to The Players stage. You know the movie, you know the fun... check it out, get your tix now. You might even get the chance to play the big floor keyboard you play with your feet! 941-365-2494.

January 14 opening
[ angry men ]

The Asolo Repertory Theatre presents “Twelve Angry Men," on stage, not in the bathroom. The strong drama about a jury deliberating a verdict is time tested. Call 941-351-8000.

January 14 - 16
[ darkness on the edge of town ]

(AA.com) “George Friedrick Haas’s “In iij. Noct” offers the NMNC audience an experience of sensual immersion: sitting in the center of a completely dark space, the audience is surrounded by the intrepid musicians of the JACK Quartet. The music, derived in part from music by Renaissance composer Carlo Gesualdo, takes an unpredictable course, with the audience following entirely through the sense of hearing. The Los Angeles Times called the JACK Quartet’s performance of this work “a revelatory romp in the dark.” JACK’s performances at New College will help inaugurate the school’s new black box theater, located in Hamilton Center. While at New College, the JACK Quartet will work with students and NMNC Director Stephen Miles on a new experimental composition.” Call 941-487-4888.

January 14 – 16
[ it’s a clay date ]

Tim Ludwig is exhibiting his pottery creations at Carla’s Clay, including a reception on January 14 from 6 – 9:00 p.m. Then, on January 15 & 16, Tim will present a workshop demonstration on the techniques he uses in his vessel creation, including painting and stains. Call 941-359-2773.

Jaunary 15
[ all aboard ]

(AA.com) “Join historian, Sue Blue - narrator, on this informative, fun two hour tour of historic downtown Sarasota. Tours depart from the Crocker Memorial Church at 10:00 a.m., returning at noon. Tickets: $25.00 per person. Reservations are a must. Call 941-364-9076 to reserve your seat.”

January 15
[ guitar ]

The Guitar Sarasota concert series starts with young Croatian guitar virtuoso ROBERT BELINIĆ. Robert Belinić won the Young Concert Artists European Auditions in Leipzig, Germany, and was the first guitarist ever to win the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York in 2002. Belinić made his debut in New York sponsored by the Claire Tow Debut Prize and his Washington, DC debut at the Kennedy Center sponsored by the Alexander Kasza-Kasser Prize. All four concerts, in the series, are at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Sarasota. For tickets and information, call 941-360-7399.

January 18
[ opera guild ]

The public is invited to the General Meeting of the Sarasota Opera Guild 9:45 a.m. Coffee and rolls will be served. After a brief business meeting, professional singers from the Sarasota Opera will perform selections from opera and musical theater.

January 19
[ an affair ]

“Keys to a Grand A-Fare” is a fundraising event featuring dinner, a series of musical surprises, a silent and live auction, and other live entertainment. All proceeds benefit the Artist Series of Sarasota’s Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $100 per person. Contact event chair Janice Landauer for more information; 941-371-1566.

January 19
[ town hall meeting ]

The 2011 Sarasota Town Hall Season kicks on with Greg Mortenson at the Van Wexel. This is a long paragraph, but worth it: Greg Mortenson is co-author of The New York Times bestseller, Three Cups of Tea. The book has sold over four million copies, been published in 45 countries, and been a New York Times bestseller for almost 200 weeks since its 2007 release. Mortenson has dedicated his life to promote education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Surviving in 1996 an eight-day armed kidnapping by the Taliban in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province tribal areas, and in 2003 escaping a firefight with feuding Afghan warlords, Mortenson has, as of Fall 2010, established over 165 schools in rural, and often volatile, regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan and running five dozen more schools in refugee camps, displaced regions and tents in areas of conflict, which provide education to over 68,000 children, including 58,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before. Mortenson is the co-founder of the Central Asia Institute (ikat.org) and founder of Pennies for Peace (penniesforpeace.org) and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in both 2009 and 2010. (Town Hall is the major fundraiser of the Ringling College Library Association and the leading lecture series in the state of Florida. It supports the Verman Kimbrough Memorial Library and the students of Ringling College of Art and Design. RCLA is the largest cumulative donor in the College’s 75-year history, having provided about $6 million to fund student scholarships and the purchase of books, periodicals, research materials, hand-made artist books and online services.)

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[ voice and speech training ]

John Burr offers voiceover and speech training at his new studio in Sarasota. Whatever your needs, with his many years of experience, John can help you develop into a world-class voiceover talent or public speaker. Check out John's website for the details.

January 6 – February 10
[ pastel class ]

Art Center Sarasota is offering “The Joy of Pastels with Nancy Goff”, a 6-session workshop. “This class enables the artist to do pastels from photographs. Students are encouraged to work from photos with strong contrast. Light and shadow are what it's all about. What to look for, establishing composition, and how to apply pastels are all part of the program. Goff teaches students how to make paintings come to life by building colors on a dark surface. Her method is direct and her enthusiasm for the pastel medium is contagious.” Call 941-365-2032for info on this and many art workshops at the Art Center.

Beginning January 8
[ authentic voices ]

Authentic Voicework is a beginner class for singers and first-time singers alike for the purposes of opening the door into new creative territory through the voice. This course utilizes breathwork, Classical Voice technique, tension relief in the body-mind and spirit, and games to stir the creative juices and open new doors. Authentic Voicework harbors a safe creative space for allowing this experience. 11am-1pm @ Ionie’s Wellness Center, 1241 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota, FL

January 9 & 10
[ auditions ]

January 9 & 10 at 7:00 p.m. at Lemon Bay Playhouse for “Dearly Departed." Call 941-475-6756.

January 11
[ learn to drum ]

Learn to drum with a workshop by Jeff Hanna of The Rhythm Inlet. No musical experience needed. Learn how to properly swing the double-knobbed stick, called a tipper, to play exciting "jiggity jig" rhythms on the "Bao-rahn" or "Boh-rahn" (both are correct), the flat, round frame drum of the British Isles. They’ll also cover how to play the The Bones, a folkloric percussion instrument (once actual rib bones, now also in wood). Instruments provided. Call 941-966-5800.

January 12
[ doll workshop ]

Beads, F.O.B. teacher and artist, Ellen Solomons, is offering a special 3 day workshop to teach students how to create their own beaded art doll. Students will learn how to build an armature as well as advance their techniques as they design a one of a kind art doll. Call 941-921-0871.

January 13
[ free improv jam ]

6:30-8:30 pm: The Lazy Fairy Improv troupe is hosting an Improv Jam. If you’ve played improv before or not, we just want to play and have fun. Christine Alexander & Catey Brannan will head up the fun. No experience necessary; encouraging support and instruction. Takes place at Sarasota’s HuB, 1421 6th Street in Sarasota. RSVP email lazyfairyimprov@gmail.com.

Start January 15
[ writing workshop ]

Join Ronni Miller, author of “Dance with the Elephants: Free Your Creativity and Write," and director of Write It Out invites you to express yourself through memoir, fiction, non-fiction, poetry and more. Workshops designed for beginner through advanced. Next workshop begins on the 15th, so check it out. Call 941-359-3824.

January 19 – March 30
[ have pen, will travel ]

The Players Theatre is offering an 8-week intermediate/advanced playwriting class, with Players artistic director Jeff Kin. To register and get more information, call 941-365-2494.

Thursdays, January 20 - February 24, 2011
[ improv workshop ]

Ever watch actors creating improv comedy and wonder if you could do it? The answer is, you can. There are techniques behind the seemingly spontaneous bursts of on-stage hilarity. These improv techniques can be taught—and Christine Alexander & Catey Brannan will be happy to do it for you. They will lead a six-week, beginner’s improv workshop, at The HuB, 1421 Blvd. of the Arts, in Sarasota. The workshop will cover the basic rules of improv, scene work techniques, and stage presence. Classes are every Thursday, 6:30-9 p.m. $179 per person, 18 and over. Space is limited to 15 students.

Auditions
[ pick me, no me ]

Be sure to check the audition pages of local theaters to make sure you don't miss anything (click the theater name): Florida Studio Theatre • The Players Theatre of Sarasota • Manatee Players • The Golden Apple • Island Players • Asolo Repertory Theatre • Venice Theatre • Lemon Bay Playhouse

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