Bicycle Stories Collaboration Project

From artspace:

Dear Artists,

artspace is collaborating with Richmond Young Writers in a project called "Bicycle Stories." artspace is pairing professional artists with young writers to illustrate their short written pieces about bicycles.

The stories and artwork will be displayed in the Plant Zero Hallways Project Space from September 18 through October 18, 2015. The opening will correspond with a closing event for the August/September artspace gallery exhibitions and is the day before the World Bike Races will begin in Richmond.

We are planning a meet up with the Young Writers on Saturday, August 8, 2015 to determine which artist will illustrate which written piece.

If this sounds interesting to you, please contact the gallery by email: artspaceorg@gmail.com or call (804) 232-6464. Feel free to share with other local artists you think might want to participate.

Thank you,
Dana Frostick
artspace President

The curious case of Vocal Fry

A while back I wrote about the hypnotizing voice of the new NPR ads voice over person, and even postulated what the owner of that melodious voice would be like (somewhat like Parmigianino's Madonna dal Collo Lungo).

Of course, several of you constant readers researched the issue and identified the voice in question, and not surprising (at least to me), she is almost exactly as I described her, based on her voice. She is also a vastly talented actress, by the way.

Case closed; listen to her amazing voice here.

However, in the process of obtaining that last unrequested bit of information, I've also discovered the uniquely young American female phenomenon of "vocal fry", and now I'm afraid that my radio listening habits have been profoundly affected.

If you don't know what vocal fry is, I would recommend that you avoid finding out. If you can't resist, then click here.

Now I hear it everywhere! Especially with younger NPR female correspondents, and it has somewhat affected my listening ear, as I tune to detect it.

Another interesting voice in the air is that of WMAL's Maria Leaf. While the NPR ad voice over person is generally anonymous and her voice is a like a drink of 100 year old port, Maria Leaf's recognizable 150 MPH voice is like a high dose of caffeine mixed with a lot of enthusiasm for the job!

Her voice wakes you up! The manner in which she drags the "L" in the station's call letters (WMAL) at the end of her reports is a thing of beauty, as is when she pronounces the name of traffic guy Matt DeFazio... she drags "De Faaaaazio" as a sport announcer would describe an amazing B-ball three-pointer!

Listen to Maria here.

If you can't resist the vocal fry challenge, then see the below video.

SOFA Chicago

The biggest thing in the 3D art fair world is SOFA... they're the ABMB of the art object universe... and in 2015 they've decided to take on the big boys and girls of the art fair circuit and "add" 2D art to their offerings.

And guess who is a "plank owner" in the first SOFA Chicago that allows paintings and photographs and prints and such other 2D work?

We are!

See ya at SOFA Chicago!

New Hamiltonian Fellows

From Hamiltonian:

As we conclude our seventh year of artist-centric programming, Hamiltonian is proud to announce the five new, distinguished 2015 Hamiltonian Fellows to join our five existing fellows.  We are thrilled to introduce:

• Kyle Tata (BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art)
• Nara Park (MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art)
• Christie Neptune (BFA, Fordham University)
• Jim Leach (MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art)
• Rob Hackett (MFA, University of Maryland)

The 2015 Hamiltonian Fellows were selected from a pool of 144 very promising artists. The External Review Panel, comprised of seven acclaimed art professionals, caucused together and evaluated every application based on criteria regarding artistic merit and relevance to today's art world.  We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the panelists for their generosity and enthusiastic support of this endeavor:

• Camilo Álvårez - owner, director and curator of Samsøñ Projects 
• Dadi Akhavan - art collector and patron
• Brian Dailey - artist
• Joyce Yu-Jean Lee - artist and Hamiltonian alumna
• Susan Main - artist and curatorial consultant at VisArts at Rockville
• Sanaz Mazinani, artist, curator and educator
• Mika Yoshitake - assistant curator at The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Artwork by all five new fellows will be on view in the debut group exhibition new.now., opening at Hamiltonian Gallery on Saturday, September 19th from 7-9 pm.  

Artists: Wanna tour the new Artomatic building?

Wanted to share with you the news about the New Carrollton site for Artomatic 2015 partnership with the Maryland National Capital Parks and Planning targeted for October.

AOM has some tours of the building coming up this Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The tours are an opportunity to see the space "before" it is turned into a full blown Artomatic which is planned for this October.

Location
8100 Corporate Drive, Hyattsville, MD 20785 
10 minutes walk from the New Carrollton Metro
Lots of parking 

Dates and Times
Thursday the 16th ­ 6 to 7 pm 
Saturday the 18th ­ 10 11 am 
Sunday the 19th ­ 10 ­ 11 am

Lisa Gold to depart from WPA

Letter from the WPA's Lisa Gold:

7.14.15

 

Dear Friends,

 

I want to share with you the bittersweet news that I will be leaving WPA in a few weeks.  

 

Over the past 6 years, I've had the great fortune to meet and work with so many talented and generous people. WPA has been such an important part of the contemporary art landscape in DC and you have all contributed in myriad ways to its success. I'm very proud of what we've accomplished and the course we've set for the organization. I know you'll join me in ensuring that WPA's growth continues well into the future with your ongoing support and participation.

 

At the end of August, I will take on a new challenge as the Director of Public Engagement at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. You can be assured that I will be a fixture at WPA events and I hope you will visit me at the Hirshhorn in the fall.

 

For now, please join me for one last hurrah on August 15 to watch one of my favorite WPA events--the SynchroSwim. Come say goodbye at the Capitol Skyline Hotel pool on Saturday, August 15 at 5:00 and enjoy some of DC's most entertaining performance art then stick around to celebrate this fantastic adventure with me.

 

I thank you all for the incredible experiences that WPA has given me over the years. I look forward to witnessing the next chapter in WPA's storied history.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa Gold

Executive Director

 

Porn in Word Girl?

There we were, my son and I watching one of his favorite PBS cartoons - Word Girl - when the opening credits showed up...

WTF? Is it me, or is the "World's Best Dad" sporting a world class boner?