Wednesday, August 6, 2008 6-8 PM at Intermedia Arts 2822 Lyndale Ave. S, Minneapolis MN 55408 $2 suggested donation for pizza This monthly gathering is the spot for creative young voices! A place for young writers (ages 19 and under) to meet other youth writers, workshop their writing, work with local artists, participate in public literary readings and have fun! Grab your notebook and head over to Intermedia Arts to find out what Young Writers! is all about.

Rudy Fig, a 20 Under 20 artist, asked me to pass along info about her opening on Friday night at the AZ Gallery. Check it out.

Round-a-bout Opening reception Saturday, August 9; 6-8pm
Join MCBA in celebrating the work of their teen artist co-op! Round-a-bout features the work of advanced By Design artists Angela Elizabeth Bandoli, Abby Kallas, Aubree Mease and Shannon Lee Turner, plus the recipient of the inaugural By Design Teen Fellowship Anna Renken. Each artist explores a circular pattern: some in format, like a scroll that reads in either direction; others in theme, like lessons learned in vicious cycles. Round-a-bout will be on display from August 9 through September 9, in Open Book’s Cowles Literary Commons.

Super Person You : August 4th - 14th
Days & Time: Monday thru Thursday 10am - 12 pm
Ages: 8 - 21
Have you ever imagined yourself at a superhero? Do you want to learn how to draw an anime or manga character? In this class you will learn how to develop the character of a superperson and express that character on paper using anime manga and comic techniques.

Free Wall Fundamental : August 4th - 15th
Days & Time: Monday thru Friday 4 - 7pm
Ages: 13 - 21
Do you want to have the freedom to paint on outdoor wall? This will allow you to independently practice your craft of aerosol art.

All interested students must attend an entrance interview with the lead program instructor. Call 612-588-1148 to schedule your 1/2 hour appointment on one of the following days.

Registration Dates:
Tuesday, July 22nd(4:00 - 7 pm)
Wednesday, July 23rd (4:00 - 7 pm)
Thursday, July 24th (4:00 - 7 pm)

Check out http://www.juxtaposition.org for more info or call (612) 588-1148

This is the time of the year when WACTAC sorts through the a huge number of applications. This year’s batch of apps was quite impressive…so impressive that it made me dig through the archives. Here are some of my all time favorites.

Eric Luken, WACTAC 1999-2000

Shannon Joyce, 2005-2006 WACTAC member.

Blue Delliquanti, WACTAC 2006-2007 (you can see Blue’s full application here)

Laura Gantebein, WACTAC 2005-2006

There are a ton of art related projects/protests scheduled for the Republican National Convention in Saint Paul on September 1st through the 4th. A bunch of activities are being planned at theunconvention.com

One project is being organized by artist Sharon Hayes. Hayes is asking for 100 volunteer performers to recite (as a chorus) a 10-15 minute text about love, politics, gay power, and gay liberation (written by Hayes) over a period of approximately two hours. The performance will take place in a public space in proximity to the Convention.

If you are interested, submit the following information by email to rnc@creativetime.org:
1. Contact information: Phone (home/cell) & e-mail address
2. Do you have any additional resources that you would like to bring to the project?
3. Are you affiliated with any organizations that would be interested in spreading the
word?
4. Do you have any technical or stage management skills?

For more information about the project, click here.

Next week, we get the pleasure of meeting artist Tomas Saraceno. This will be the first of several visits to Minneapolis for Tomas. During his residency, he hopes to work on his ongoing Museo Aero Solar project, a solar-energy balloon made of reused plastic bags. Check out the video below and if you want to get more info click here.

SOO VISUAL ARTS CENTER
CALL FOR TEEN ARTISTS
1ST DEADLINE: JULY 31st 2008

Guidelines can also be found here.

Soo Visual Arts Center is looking for committed and focused artists between the ages of 15-19 for a new exhibition program we will be starting in early 2009. This is an opportunity to exhibit your artwork in the Toomer Gallery at SooVAC. We are interested in artists working in all mediums: sculpture, painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, etc.

HOW TO APPLY:
Please email the following to info@soovac.org:

1. 5-10 JPEG images of your work, details can be included (NO larger than 500k per image). Please contact us if you are interested in sending video pieces.

2. Image list including title, medium, date and dimensions in .doc or .rtf format.

3. Contact information including your full name, age, address, phone and email.

If you have any questions please call 612.871.2263 or email info@soovac.org.
*If you do not have access to email we will accept all the above information on a CD by mail, please include a SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope/make sure you have enough postage) if you want the CD returned:

Soo Visual Arts Center // 2640 Lyndale Ave. South

…and the Top 3 20 Under 20 Artists are

1st Place: Jess Nelson

2nd Place: The Velveteens

3rd Place: Sarah Beth Ryther

Thanks to all of the 20 Under 20 Artists! Check out more photos at the Walker’s flickr site.

Every Thursday, the Minnesota Museum of American Art is hosting a great series called “Patio Nights” that feature local bands on a beautiful terrace overlooking the mighty Mississippi. Check out the stellar line up. The best part: it’s all ages!

6/5 Awesome Snakes - The Talkers - The Vignettes (featuring WACTAC alumna Erica Qualy!)
6/12 Davina and the Vagabonds - Spaghetti Western String Co.
6/19 Best Friends Forever - Switzerlind
6/26 STNNNG - His Mischief
7/3 The Battle Royale - We All Have Hooks For Hands
7/10 Gospel Gossip - First Communion Afterparty
7/17 Mark Mallman - Down and Above
7/24 Kid Dakota - Story of The Sea
7/31 Off With Their Heads - The Deaf
8/7 Dance Band - Mel Gibson and the Pants
8/14 Vampire Hands - MC/VL
8/21 Storyhill - Mighty Fairly
8/28 One For The Team - Now, Now Every Children

Every Thursday June - August 2008
7pm - All Ages
$7 / $5 for MMAA Members

June and August Monthly Pass - $24
July Monthly Pass - $30

Most of time I am a little apprehensive to share skate videos with non-skaters simply because what impresses most skaters doesn’t impress the general non-skateboarding public and vice versa. Anyway with the use of green screens, you are bound to impress both skaters and non-skaters alike. Check out this video (via theberrics.com) If you like it go to alexismilant.com. Enjoy.

Here’s a really great community art project by Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada that was recently posted on wooster.

This project reminds me of Harrell Fletcher’s “These Fine People (1998)” and “Some People…’(1998). Check it out below.

We are looking for 8 new WACTAC members for the 2008-2009 school year. Print out the application below, answer the questions, and send it to Walker Art Center, c/o Teen Programs, 1750 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55403. Deadline for submissions is Monday, June 30.

A direct link to the WACTAC application can be found at http://teens.walkerart.org/wactacapp

Louise Parker

Amy Tromiczak

Abraham Pineda Fisher

Vaski

Tyler O’Neill

The Velveteens

Loud +2

Phonetic One

Lady Lit

Misha Kahn

Saturday May 24 - July 8, 2008
MODERN RADIO’S 9 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
First Amendment Arts
1101 Stinson Blvd, Basement rooms A & B
Northeast Minneapolis (612) 379-4151

Grand opening Saturday May 24, 6-10pm
All Ages
Free admission 6-8pm // $5 from 8-10pm

This show marks the opening of events for the 9 year anniversary celebration of Twin Cities record label, Modern Radio. Starting at 6pm, the First Amendment Arts gallery will be featuring posters, flyers, photos, records and artwork from the history of the record label, home to rock groups STNNNG, The Plastic Constellations, Vampire Hands, Signal to Trust, and many others.

Local photographers Carl Wedoff, Adam Bubolz, Sharyn Morrow and Greg Schaal will display photographs covering nine years of live rock shows in the Twin Cities and beyond. Also on display will be screenprinted concert posters from Aesthetic Apparatus, Burlesque of North America, Tom Stack, Dan Black/Landland, Neil Fasen, and several othes. The gallery is set to celebrate the creative people behind the last 9 years of this Twin Cities record label, and it wouldn’t be a First Amendment gallery opening without some live entertainment!

Performing at the celebration will be Togetherness, featuring photographer Carl Wedoff (also of Malachi Constant). Togetherness play catchy and carefree Euro synth pop. Also performing are The Carrots, straight out of Austin, TX. Carrots bassist Chris Lyons is also is well known for his Gene Defcon project which released a 7″ on Modern Radio, not to mention their releases on K, Retard Disco, and Lookout! The Carrots play ’50s girl group / soul-influenced pop. The show will be rounded out by local DJ Jonathan Ackerman of the Moon Goons crew, so dancing should definitely be happening.

We have been so busy planning and hosting our 20 Under 20 exhibition that we haven’t had time to plug the By Design exhibition of high school artists at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. By Design is a really awesome program where you can learn a variety of artistic processes that relate to making books - printmaking (screenprinting, letterpress, and more), paper making, and other great things that you could only get your hands on through MCBA.

So after you check out their exhibition, consider applying for the By Design program. Over and out.

I am extremely saddened that one of my favorite artists of all time died today. Robert Rauschenberg was a pioneer, a visionary, and one of the greatest artists of the last decade. Throughout his years, Rauchenberg pushed the definition art and blurred the lines of the categories that separated painting, sculpture, and dance. In memoriam, take some time and check out his prolific body of work that spans over 60 years. Here’s an article in today’s NY Times.

This June, Story Board's On-Location Academy (OLA) will offer a mini-film camp to students interested in film production. Students contemplating a college education in filmmaking, a career in the industry, or want to receive hands-on experience on a film set should apply for this unique opportunity.

Click here for more info or go to The Storyboard website.

I can’t believe I am recommending Cold Case, but you should watch it on Sunday. Check out the email from Lenne Klingaman, a former WACTAC member.

Hello to all, friends new, old, and soon to be!
So I'm sure you all thought I wouldn't actually remind you, but yes, I have suppressed my nervousness (long enough to compile this massive email list) and am tying the proverbial "string" 'round your fingers. My television debut (read: tiara, '80's prom dress, and running blue eyeliner) is indeed this Sunday, April 27th, 2008, on the good network of CBS.

The fine people at Cold Case gave me a job... where I act...and then get paid!

I play a nanny, a disgruntled, lonely, slightly off nanny. The experience was a delight.
So feel free to watch this Sunday, I believe at 9 pm, but "check your local listings" as they say. Enjoy. And thank you friends and family for being the best support group a girl could ever ask for.
XOXO,
Lenne

WHOSE PISS IS THIS?
Grand opening Saturday April 26, 7-10pm
Runs April 26 - May 20th at First Amendment Arts.
No cover / all ages

First Amendment Arts
1101 Stinson Blvd Basement A & B Minneapolis MN
(612) 379-4151

You’ll be asking “Whose piss is this?” when you see Aesthetic Apparatus urinate all over your idea of “art” and their professional careers in one fell swoop.

Minneapolis' very own, and very loved/ignored bestest graphic design buddies and printmaking powerhouse, Aesthetic Apparatus will be presenting “WHOSE PISS IS THIS?”, a collection of brand new prints, slightly-not-as-new prints, books and other crap, Saturday, April 26th at First Amendment Gallery. Plus crackers, cheese, grocery store cake and music provided by local rocksters Everybell and Whistle and Birmingham AL’s Wildcat Revival.

AESTHETIC APPARATUS BIO: Often considered Minneapolis’ best totally unknown design super team, Aesthetic Apparatus was founded around 1999 in Madison, Wisconsin by Dan Ibarra and Michael Byzewski as a fun side project from their “real” jobs. Over the years their limited edition, screen printed concert posters have secretly snuck into the hearts and minds of a small, rather silent group of socially awkward music and design nerds. Now, Aesthetic Apparatus is a full time, full-fledged, insanely unstoppable, and occasionally award winning design mega-studio. They will break your heart and drink your blood.

This interview with stencil artist extraordinaire Broken Crow is the 2nd in a continuing series that features Twin Cities-based artists. After you are done watching Mr. Grider talk about his life, stencils, and day jobs, be sure to check out our first interview with Burlesque of North America’s Mike Davis.

DEADLINE HAS PASSED!

CALL FOR ARTISTS (19 AND UNDER)!

Are you sick of the only bonuses of your teenage years being driving, R-Rated admissions and legalized lung-cancer? Well, we have the solution. '20 Under 20' is a competition for artists, filmmakers, dancers, graffiti writers, spoken word poets, musicians etc. Over 100 selected artists representing a variety of media will compete in two showcases at the Northern Warehouse in Lowertown Saint Paul on Saturday, May 10 and the Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art in on Saturday, May 17.

At these two showcases, a panel of celebrity judges and the audience will select the top 20 artists to be featured in a final showcase at the Walker Art Center on Thursday, June 12 at 7 PM.

So if you are into it, submit your work. Think of it as a chance to show the world you're more than a shopping demographic. Think of it as a party. Think of it as a great 'extra curricular' application filler. 20 under 20 is brought to you be the Walker Art Center Teen Arts Council, creators of Hot Art Injection and Below the Belt: Battle of the Underage. So you know it won't be too corny.

Submit your artwork by sending your name, phone number, email address, and a link to your Myspace page, Youtube, JPEG file, etc. to teenprograms@walkerart.org by Monday April 14th. Participants must be 19 years or younger on Monday, April 14.

Check out teens.walkerart.org for updated information about 20 under 20. If you have any questions or want further information please email teenprograms@walkerart.org or call 612-375-7683.

PCTV is looking for new students to participate in the Spring 2008 after-school program. The Spring program begins on April 9th and will run until June 6th. PCTV offers training programs in Video, Film, TV Production, Photography, and Web Design/Animation. All programs are free and transportation is provided for youth in the S. MPLS area. Programs are provided M-F from 4-6 PM.

PCTV is located at 3901 Chicago Ave., S. in MPLS (in building attached to church on 39th St. & Chicago Ave.). Call (612) 821-3938 or e-mail pctv@mtn.org.

The above photo of Skullphone’s reported billboard hack ended up being a paid for ad (as reported by Wired Magazine). I guess it pays to do your fact checking before reporting.

Many museums, including the Walker (check out the images below), have bought billboards to place art on. I have to admit, I’m not bothered by him paying for it. Does it bother you? Do you think it’s still art of it’s paid for commercial space?

Read the rest of this entry »

During the run of WACTAC’s Hot Art Injection IV at the Soap Factory, several WACTAC members got the opportunity to meet artist Alexa Horochowski and her pimped out low rider bed.

This April, Alexa will be teaching a workshop here at the Walker for high school students (ages 15-19), based on sampling from popular 70’s and 80’s album covers. Check out the flyer for more info and then sign up (space is limited to 15 participants) by emailing teenprogams@walkerart.org.

Over the last 5 months WACTAC has been working with artists Matthew Bakkom and David Bartley to amass a collection of objects that speak to corruption. We will be unveiling the collection on Thursday, April 17 at 5:30 PM. Come and check it out.