So much freaky art it’s scary!

That’s right, folks.  Tonight marks the end of yet another Halloween season and the beginning of another hot weekend of art to keep you warm during this brisk seasonal transition.  To end this Halloween with a BANG, be Bill Davis’ guest and visit The Basement tonight at 9pm to listen to some real undead Hard Rock Zombies!  I can’t think of a better way besides watching old Halloween movies with your friends as you all ‘Flick or Treat’ thru the night than dressing up and throwing down with the Hard Rock Zombies (I hear Easy E is going to be there too).  In fact, I’ve heard from some of the Hard Rock Zombies today saying that ‘somebody better dress up like an air conditioner because they are going to melt faces!’ 

So if the sun doth rise tomorrow and you still have your face and wits intact, I have a plethora of events to fill out the rest of your weekly schedule.  I will first jump ahead to Thursday, November 3rd.  If you are itching to get out of town for your kicks, you can drive to Austin Peay State University’s Downtown Gallery (116 Strawberry Alley) in Clarksville, TN to catch the opening reception for Extensions of a Point: Amanda Dillingham and Ben Vitualla.  This Thursday, from 5-8pm at said location, the two Nashville artists will be there to display their latest work and answer any questions you may have at the moment.  As most of you know, Ben Vitualla, on top of being an artist, is also a key component of Blend Studio– which just so happens to also have an opening reception taking place this weekend too.  This Saturday, as part of the First Saturday Gallery Crawl, you can venture into Blend from 6-9pm and talk to Ben again about the exhibition called This is Not a Feminist Theory on Motherhood: by Carrie Ruckel.  Ben is very cordial and a super nice guy.  He can offer you insight more so on the featured artist, Carrie Ruckel, than on Motherhood, but I know it will be a good time.  And speaking of motherhood, you can also check out some interesting tidbits about art, motherhood, and technology at the Sarratt Student Center Panel Discussion on BioMedical Ethics at 5pm with an opening reception for Take Care: Biomedical Ethics in the 21st Century following.  Many of the contributing artists Kristina Arnold, Monica Bock, Sher Fick, Annette Gates, Jeanette May, Lindsay Obermeyer, Sadie Ruben, Libby Rowe, and Adrienne Outlaw will be present and showcasing their art on the subject matter.  BUT, I digress.

This Thursday, November 3^rd, before I get ahead of myself as usual, marks the monthly Hillsboro Village Art Walk from 5-8pm.  At Fire Finch you can find work by Marisa Ray.  At Hot & Cold you can find work by Eliza Hemmings.  At Fido you will find the work of Jim McGuire and Lindsay Shepherd.  At other shops you stumble around you will also find fascinating works, but I am most looking forward to Zeitgeist this coming week for a few personal reasons on the side.  First, Zeitgeist welcomes the San-Francisco based artist and illustrator Ward Schumaker.  Schumaker has assembled a selection of his Geography works on paper and handmade/handbound books for his second solo show at Zeitgeist.  The work strives to offer a platform of free association with thought and emotion combined with Schumaker’s familiar light, deft touch with inks and skeins of delicate washes on paper. Secondly still at Zeitgeist this Thursday night, in correspondence with the Hillsboro Village Art Walk from 5-8pm, I and others will be on hand handing out the latest issue of the regional art publication called Number:  Because Lain York and Zeitgeist Gallery has been such a strong advocate for the publication in the past, I couldn’t think of a better time and spot to unveil the most recent issue to the masses of Nashville in person.  Number: 69 includes a fresh collection of reviews, interviews, and retrospective art stories written by and about some of the most cutting edge artists in the tri-state region.  It is not only back on track with a printing schedule right on time, it is also FREE!  So get your butt on over to Zeitgeist on Thursday night and get yourself and your friends a copy to see what it’s all about!

And once you’ve made an effort to pick up the new issue of Number:, you might as well go check out something else new and fresh in town close to downtown.  For one night only, this Saturday, November 5th, marks the One Night Only Exhibition: featuring the Fine Art of Solomon Behnke and Paul Fly.  From 6:30-10pm at West Light Studios (162 Rosa Parks Blvd.), food, wine, music, and tons of art will be provided and on display from some very talented artists new to town.  Serendipitous and ironic how both Number: and Solomon have arrived at the same time to Nashville from their recent Memphis base together in sorts.  I am excited about both if you can’t tell.

Yet another one night only painted installation art event called the Installation Show, part A will be taking place with a few familiar local artists traveling out of town to No Egrets Tattoo Studios (1128 College Street, Clarksville, TN).  It is there where 7 talented visual artists (Brandt Hardin, Jeff Bertrand, Ricky Cavaness, Charles Bennett, Mike Coriatty, Chadd Spann, and Jay Mean) will bring painted installation and art while 2 talented DJ’s set the good vibes for your hearing and viewing pleasure.  Each artist will hang a few of their art pieces on a wall with empty white spaces separating them all in between.  Then each artist will grab a brush, paint or can and install paint onto the empty spaces between each art piece while bridging a flawless story board which will flow from one work of art to the other.  At the end of the night the artists will take down their original pieces and leave the empty spaces on the new mural for all those to see in person.  It should be an awesome trip.  There will be cupcakes, and Anjeanette Illustrations will also be on site with her photo booth handy too.

Back to Nashville on Saturday night, there are ample amounts of other shows opening in The Arts Company, COOP Gallery, twist, and others around downtown.  I suggest you park close to some of the events mentioned above and drop in for the opening receptions and artists alike.  I will give you more insight into some of these shows next week when I drop back in this thing but I don’t want to throw so much at you all at once to flood your memories of what and when everything is going down this weekend.  That said, you should definitely stop by Tinney Contemporary as it blows up a party for The Man Who Shot Rock.  Although the exhibition runs through mid-November, Saturday, November 5th, is the only time you will catch the internationally recognized photographer and musician Jonathan Postal playing with his band at the gallery!  If we’re lucky he might even bring his dog, Hank Williams IV! 

So that is a solid week of art and Nashville fun in a Halloween hand bag for your delight.  Do with it what you will.

Happy Halloween!

much love,

chUck

The Super Bowl weekend of Scare

Bwahahahaha!  It is finally time for all the zombies, mummies, vampires, and other fantasy characters from the movie “The Monster Squad” to break out and have fun this weekend.  I’m personally still on the fence for my dress code this weekend, but much like the art scene around town this week; I have a few ideas that appeal to me at the moment.

But enough about myself; how about we just talk about art for a minute here?  First, I’d like to let you in on a cool show of a different sort that is off the beaten trail.  “Four Feet Under” is a show beside a show mixing art and theater and everything Halloween.  I went to it last Friday night, but I had to leave before the theater started.  While briefly stopping by the Street Theatre Company (1933 Elm Hill Pike) to see Dustin Dirt’s latest art, I was fascinated by the black/white canvasses filled with original zombies, werewolves, and frankensteins dressing the walls.  Last week has passed, but this weekend will have the same line-up and opportunities for you to enjoy the art and the Halloween-themed “Macabaret.”  This Thursday-Saturday the show starts at 8pm and Sunday, October 23rd, is at 5pm.  I would encourage that you get there 30 minutes before the show in order to fully check out Dustin’s art.  It is well worth the trip and you can find more details for tickets HERE.

Before I get ahead of myself and look to far into the weekend, you should know that tomorrow, October 25th, from 10-11:30am, there is a can’t miss lecture/performance at Vanderbilt Divinity School (Art Room; G-20) if you can find a way to get out of work for a minute or two on a Tuesday.  Halloween and religion seem to go hand in hand anyways, right?  It will be at Vandy where you will find the pastor, poet, and lecturer Reverend Yvonne Gilmore-Essig.  I will let her music and words speak for herself, but I just think a little religion and art mix can’t hurt to counterbalance all of the rest of our undead fun to be had this week (and month for that matter).  Side note, if you can’t make to Vanderbilt during the day, you might be able to find some sort of religious experience that night at 8pm if you dare to venture over to the Cannery Ballroom to see How I Became the Bomb’s tribute to Hall & Oates followed by CHROMEO and their Night Falls Tour!  Need I say more … I will.

Then, by the weekend, before the dress-up parties begin, you might feel the urge to check in with a psychic to make sure your future is good to go.  Lucky for you, Meg and Bret have invited the noted psychic Carole Kennedy for the 5th year in a row to give intuitive readings and answer your questions.  For adults 18 and up only, please make reservations via call or email to take part in the fun at Art & Invention (615-226-2070 or artandinvention@earthlink.net).  The fun will take place Friday (3-6pm), Saturday (10am-6pm), and Sunday (noon-5pm). And if you are a girly girl and are wondering if great, homemade jewelry will be in your future, Meg and Bret are at your service this weekend again.  Same bat times and same bat channels, Art & Invention will proudly open their doors for a jewelry trunk show with local artist Liorah Johnson.  With 15 years of designing and manufacturing eclectic jewelry by hand, Liorah has sold her work in various boutiques and galleries around town and beyond.

This is also the last weekend to see all of the art around town that end their run during the month of October.  There is a plethora of superb art showing downtown around the Arcade and on the East side of town at the places I usually shine lights on that are waiting for you to see before they make room for November shows.  Don’t miss out on a chance to take advantage of all ofNashville’s talent.  Even if you have to drop by the galleries in between Halloween parties, I’m sure you will find that every single gallery owner that I know will love your attendance-regardless if you are a zombie, werewolf, vampire, or some cool costume we’ve never seen before.

That said, I also want to remind you that on the real date for Halloween, you will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Hard Rock Zombies live and alive.  Similar to checking out Here Come The Mummies a week or so ago at Live on the Green, Monday, October 31st, from 9-midnight, at The Basement, you will discover and celebrate Halloween in style with Bill Davis, Tony Weeks, and other Hard Rock Zombies.  Don’t think it is worth the trip?  I saw these guys and more dressed up in Halloween garb about 3 years ago atThe 5 Spot and people are still talking about that performance!  That’s all I need to say about that.

Good luck out there trick and treating yourself to tons of Halloween fun aroundNashvillethis week and weekend.  Now that my schedule is set, I need to find the perfect low-budget costume.  So I have to go now, but thanks for stopping by and sharing with others.

much love,

chUck

The Hunt for Undead October

 Tonight, tonight, tonight …. whoa-ooooOOOOh!  That’s right; more mummies are coming your way tonight. Tonight, Dr. Lawrence Berman of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts will drop by the Parthenon to discuss the newly conserved and restored contents of Tomb 10A from Deir el-Bersha (about 175 miles south of Cairo in case you are like me and didn’t know before this).  The presentation will begin at 7pm, with a reception following right afterwards, and admission is FREE (but reservations are required- call 862-8431).  The title of this Parthenon Symposium is called A Complete Cosmos: the Tomb of an Egyptian Governor and Its Secrets.  Not bad for a random Tuesday night without much else going on, eh?

Speaking of something else that isn’t bad at all; how about a lunch time reminder about the great food and fun always present at The Family Wash.  This Thursday night, October 20th from 8:30-11:30pm, you can drop everything else in your schedule. TiVo your favorite television shows, and join me and others to enjoy a cold pint, a hot shepherd’s pie, and the original musical stylings from The One and Only Bill Davis. 

And if you aren’t feeling the cozy food, music, and company to be found at The Family Wash on Thursday night, and you feel like dancing and mingling with the rising creative stars of the arts in town, you are in luck.  Thursday, October 20th, 8-11:30pm, Raw Artists Nashville will be presenting their next show called Pulse at Mercy Lounge.  It is their last showcase of the season and they plan on making it a big one after teaming up with Lotus Energy Drink.  Not only is there going to be stellar music, fashion, and art all around, there are several prizes to be given to those who attend and participate in RAW’s theme of a Black & White Masquerade.  Check out the following:  most creative mask-prize valued over $250 and best dressed duo-prize valued over $400.  Side note, Black and/or White Cocktail Attire & Mask will be required to enter and plain masks (limited in quantity) will be available at the door for those of you who need them.

Whether you stay close to home at The Family Wash or dance the night away at the Mercy Lounge party by dressing up and throwing down, both places make it is a perfect start to another superb weekend of art surrounding Nashville.

If it’s a haunting fun time that you crave, The Hermitage is answering your call.  Throughout October, The Hermitage has a special lantern-lit, guided journey on a ghostly 90 minute tour of the mansion, Rachel and Andrew’s tomb, and the First Hermitage farmhouse.  But to take it to another level, on October 22nd and 29th at 5:30pm,  The Hermitage will have eerie candlelit garden paths to the Jackson family graveyard where grieving spirits will hold you spellbound with ghost stories, haunting hayrides, kids of all ages posing for scarecrow pictures, and much more food, fun, and family festivities than you can handle.  It is the 11th annual Hauntings at The Hermitage and with the help of their NEW outdoor Halloween theatre in the mansion backyard, it looks like it will be the best … and most spooky too!

Sticking with the outdoor theme on Saturday, October 22nd, I defer you to a nice stroll at Cheekwood’s Botannical Garden.  Cheekwood is opening its Visions of the American West: Masterworks from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.  The 200 piece exhibition at Cheekwood marks the exhibition’s first venture away from its home in Cody, Wyoming.  Containing Western Art, pieces from the Plains Indian Collection, various antique firearms of the Wild West, and relics displaying cowboy life, women of the Wild West, and the entire story of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, this exhibition is sure to captivate art and history lovers in a similar way that the original Buffalo Bill Wild West Show wowed audiences in Nashville over a 100 years ago in person.  Visions of the American West is open during regular hours at Cheekwood and will run through March 4th, 2012.

Then on Sunday, The Marnie Sheridan Gallery on The Harpeth Hall School campus is presenting their juried art exhibit on the theme of HOME in style with an opening reception from 3-5pm.  Twenty-five Tennessee artists have interpreted what HOME means to them through photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture and mixed media.  With styles ranging from realism to folk art, abstract to conceptual, 50 percent of proceeds from sales will be donated to the local organization Matthew 25 (which helps homeless men find hope, help, and housing).  The show runs through December 14th at The Marnie Sheridan Gallery, and I’m looking forward to seeing A Sudden Shift in the Wind (a painting by local artist Lori Anne Parker).

So with that said, enjoy your week and weekend ahead … with the living and the undead.

Be well and be yourself.

much love,

chUck

A musical sandwich of art for your creative hunger

Starting today (actually last night), there is a jam-packed weekend of events around Nashvillethat will keep you smiling through the scary month at hand.  I won’t beat around the bush, when it comes to frightful fun to be had this month, my advice is that if you can’t avoid them … join them like we did at the Nashville Zombie Walk last week.

Tonight, combining art with music, per usual, the Frist Center is making an appearance at Live On The Green.  Specifically, the Frist Mummy (from the latest Egyptian exhibition at the Frist-who you can actually follow on Twitter HERE) is going to be dancing in the crowd to support his people.  Here Come the Mummies is hitting the stage at the FREE concert at 9pm.  But the art doesn’t stop there my friends.  My friend, Jon Shearer (husband of local artist and marathoner Sarah Shearer), and his friends and band calledEastern Block will be opening for said Mummies at 6:45pm.  It is the perfect storm of art, music, mummies, Halloween, and a good time had by all.  I hope to see you there.

If you are not there dancing in the crowd, I’m sure you are at the latest opening reception and artist’s gallery talk tonight from 5-7pm (gallery talk at 6pm) at the Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery/Cohen Memorial Hall.  Last night they opened the much anticipated Mama/Reciprocal Energy exhibition from Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons which runs through December 8th of this year, but tonight marks the next big thing called Polar Probings: Sculpture by Gabriel Warren.  This show will also be running through December 8th of this year.  The thing that drew me into Gabriel Warren’s masterful creations was that he creates sculptures using natural ice formations as source materials to reflect the beauty of natural sources from which they emerge … simple yet striking.

Friday, the Frist is pulling back the art around town full circle yet again.  Tomorrow, at 6pm in the Frist Center Auditorium, seating is first come, first served for the FREEand open to the public performance art piece called Journeys: a Performance by the aforementioned Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons.  Using her body, voice, and surrounding space, Campos-Pons will expand on the ideas about dislocation that she explores in the accompanying exhibition of her work, Journeys, in the Frist Center Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery.  And if you want to make a full night of Friday and backtrack again to Vanderbilt University from the Frist (I just now realize I’m making you turn your attention like a tennis match), there will be a great performance from the Jazz phenomenon and virtuoso pianist of Alfredo Rodriguez at 8pm.  Rodriguez will be performing in a trio with Francisco Mela and Peter Slavov.  Tickets for this performance are on sale now at the Sarratt Box Office.

Then, you might wake up Saturday early (probably not as early as I will as you’ll see in the extra things below) and want to reacquaint yourself with the East side of town and the artwork that makes it.  If you do, I suggest that you head over to Bryant Gallery to see them proudly present Relique: an exhibition by Gary White.  White, at only the young buck age of 24, brings a very complex background and intricate abilities to creat emotionally mature clay pieces with immediate impacts on the viewers.  White holds a BFA fromWatkins College of Art and Design and a ton of raw talent primed for you to start taking notice on the spot.  The opening artist reception is this Saturday, October 15th, from 5-8pm at Bryant Gallery.  Join other locals as they relish the Relique.

By Sunday, you might be remembering the fond memories you made with the Mummies on Thursday night.  That is precisely why the Frist Center is having their very own Egypt Family Day.  FREE again to get in on Sunday, October 16th, from 1-5:30pm, you and all of your friends can visit the Frist and enjoy a day of discovery and creativity filled with ancient art, stories, music, and folk dancing.  Whether you want to hear the story of an Egyptian Cinderella, make an amulet, try on a pharaoh’s headdress, and sculpt a mummy mask, you can do it all and more at the Frist this Sunday day just in time to take a road trip over to Columbia, TN by 6pm to hear Matt Urmy at RPM live music nights! Urmy has played at the Frist a couple of times, and is yet another local talent that you shouldn’t make excuses to miss.  It will be a limited seat show so you’ll need to RSVP your spot at kimjameson@me.com pronto.

Now, before I go for now … I will cut and paste below two important events and deals that I wrote about last week.  Seriously, take note of the below and if you think that it applies to you and/or your creative friends, feel free to pass it along.  Thanks as always for dropping by and taking the time to feel the pulse of Nashville’s heART.

Be safe, be kind, and no need to rewind … be yourself as you were, busy but happy.

much love,

chUck

————————————————————————————————

First, I want to tell you that recently I was fortunate to be asked to take on the position of Editor for the regional art publication called Number.  Most of you reading this are already very familiar with the quarterly art publication based out of Memphis that covers art in the TN, AR, and MS tri-state area and is distributed way beyond its coverage.  I am very excited about the publication growing in numbers of coverage, writers, distribution, and issues in the near future.  That in mind, like Nashville’s heART, it takes a village to make such goals a reality.  So I am going to help build this village by allowing you the opportunity to spread the word that Number is ready to help regional artists, galleries, museums, and art lovers get their own message to the public.  You have two simple options to advertise your name and your artwork.  At a mere donation of $50, you as an artist can have YOUR NAME and contact information (address, website, phone, and email if you so choose) included in the next 4 issues (Number: 69-72).  Or, if you or your organization would like a regular ad, please see this link for more instructions to find quarter page ads for a mere $165 or bigger space for a little more money-www.numberinc.org/advertising.shtml.  Email any questions or thoughts of how Number can help you help art at ads@numberinc.org.  Any way you look at it, this is going to progress coverage for you and for Number.  Like I said, this art game is a team effort.  I’m glad to help anyway I can.

Second, I am wearing another hat this weekend on October 15th.  I am helping coordinate the volunteers for the Nashville Ultra Marathon.  It is an extraordinary event where people from all over the country are coming to Nashville yet again to run over 30, 40, and some over 50 miles in one day!  Anyone who has volunteered at the Music City Marathon or Half Marathon know from experience that the runners need and appreciate your help.  That written, I have never seen any runners who appreciate and are so grateful to the volunteers as those in the Ultra Marathon.  If you help volunteer (meaning cheer the runners on and pass out refreshments and directions), you receive a FREE t-shirt designed by local artist Andee Rudloff and FREE snacks while helping.  You can find out more information and sign up TODAY to help volunteer at www.nashvilleultra.com/volunteer.  No running is required!  I repeat, NO RUNNING is required to volunteer!

October’s second week’s second post!

This may scare some people out there in a very good way, but I felt the need when I woke up today, after talking about art and having fun at the Nashville Scene’s Best of 2011bash last night (congrats to all of the winners last night, especially Mark Sloniker taking the piece of the cake in Best Local Author and Best Visual Artist!), to spit out a few more things your way that are going down this weekend.

But, before I get into those few things that will do good for you, let me shine the light on a few things that you could do good by helping and sharing with others…

First, I want to tell you that recently I was fortunate to be asked to take on the position of Editor for the regional art publication called Number.  Most of you reading this are already very familiar with the quarterly art publication based out of Memphis that covers art in the TN, AR, and MS tri-state area and is distributed way beyond its coverage.  I am very excited about the publication growing in numbers of coverage, writers, distribution, and issues in the near future.  That in mind, like Nashville’s heART, it takes a village to make such goals a reality.  So I am going to help build this village by allowing you the opportunity to spread the word that Number is ready to help regional artists, galleries, museums, and art lovers get their own message to the public.  You have two simple options to advertise your name and your artwork.  At a mere donation of $50, you as an artist can have YOUR NAME and contact information (address, website, phone, and email if you so choose) included in the next 4 issues (Number: 69-72).  Or, if you or your organization would like a regular ad, please see this link for more instructions to find quarter page ads for a mere $165 or bigger space for a little more money-www.numberinc.org/advertising.shtml.  Email any questions or thoughts of how Number can help you help art at ads@numberinc.org.  Any way you look at it, this is going to progress coverage for you and for Number.  Like I said, this art game is a team effort.  I’m glad to help anyway I can.

 

Second, I am wearing another hat next weekend on October 15th.  I am helping coordinate the volunteers for the Nashville Ultra Marathon.  It is an extraordinary event where people from all over the country are coming to Nashville yet again to run over 30, 40, and some over 50 miles in one day!  Anyone who has volunteered at the Music City Marathon or Half Marathon know from experience that the runners need and appreciate your help.  That written, I have never seen any runners who appreciate and are so grateful to the volunteers as those in the Ultra Marathon.  If you help volunteer (meaning cheer the runners on and pass out refreshments and directions), you receive a FREE t-shirt designed by local artist Andee Rudloff and FREE snacks while helping.  You can find out more information and sign upTODAY to help volunteer at www.nashvilleultra.com/volunteer.  No running is required!  I repeat, NO RUNNING is required to volunteer!

 

Now back to the local art fun ongoing this weekend and running, you should check out the latest big step for the Frist Center for the Visual Arts into the future and the past at the same time.  Specifically about the now and future, theFrist is incorporating some major fun social media networking for the current exhibition, Tracey Snelling’s “Woman on the Run” (on view at the Frist through February 5th, 2012).  By mixing video, photography, architecture, and 3-D story telling, the exhibition offers clues that conspire to draw viewers into action and encourages them to piece together the disconnected story of what just happened.  Over the next few weeks, YOU are encouraged to be a part of the story by helping to make a unique story about the story of the“Woman on the Run.”  You can do so by elaborating on the many twists and turns of Veronica and Victor Hayden’s relationship by participating in the “Woman on the Run”: A Novella project.  You can go online by clicking HERE to help Veronica assume new identities, find clever places to hide out, and/or answer specific questions about the exhibition.  If you help, you might get a REWARD!  That’s right; there will be prizes for creative and clever responses.  Prizes will range from a “Woman on the Run” comic book, Frist Centerpasses, or an invitation to a special evening at the Frist.  The Frist is making a collective effort to engage the public in person and online with activities by the fans, for the fans.

 

Speaking of the Frist, it has also opened its next big exhibition this Friday, October 7th, in that of Egyptian Treasures.  In the Ingram Gallery, “To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum,” presents more than 100 objects from the Brooklyn Museum’s collection of Ancient Egyptian art.  It explores ancient Egyptian beliefs about life, death, and the hereafter-including the process of making mummies and the stories behind Egyptian funerals.  Talk about perfect timing for the Halloween Season!  Side note, the Frist is also opening“Egypt and the Creation of Desire” in the Education Gallery at the same time.

Then, outside of Downtown, across the river, remember that it’s the 2nd Saturday of the month-meaning that it is time for the next Porter Crossing Arts Market yet again!  Featuring more and more stunning jewelry designers, couture clothing designers, and a wealth of local artists, Porter Crossing Arts Market is a great way to spend an afternoon sipping on spiced apple cider and shopping to your Nashville heart’sdesire.  You can find all of this fun right beside The Family Wash on Porter Road from noon-9pm.  Did I mention that entrance to this party is FREE and indoors if the weather goes bad?  It is.

 

And last, but certainly not least, I have just been informed that Saturday marks the big Nashville Zombie Walk of 2011.  As official participants of World Zombie Day, this Saturday, October 8th, the living undead will begin gathering at 3pm and walking at 4pm.  Whether you want to participate or just wait and watch (like me), the walk will begin at Riverfront Park and the rest of the route can be seen HERE.  On top of people just dressing up and having fun, there is a good purpose to all of this happening.  The Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee will be collecting non-perishable food items.  They will take pretty much anything and any amount of items, but the most needed items are: peanut butter, canned tuna, canned fruits, rice, beans, macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables, and canned meats.  AND, if you can’t make it to the walk to donate, theSecond Harvest Food Bank has mad the option available for a “Virtual Food Drive.”  Here is the link:vad.aidmatrix.org/vadxml.cfm?driveid=5445.

 

Now I need to do some other things, but please share the links and stories above to people and artists that can benefit from the exposure and experiences.  Thanks for doing your pART!

much love,

chUck

Let the Halloween fun begin!

Hello again.  Before I get started for this week’s highlights around Nashville’s art world (at least in my humble opinion after being sent various press releases and email notifications from galleries and artists themselves…call note-if you know of interesting events going down around town, by all means send them my way), I’d like to invite you to one of my favorite spots to have dinner to listen to one of my favorite local bands all at the same time.  Yes, they are at it again.  The Smoking Flowers, comprised of stellar musicians surrounding Scott and Kim Collins– one of the most authentic Nashville married musical duo since Johnny and June, is playing at The Family Wash (trust me, get a pint and shepherds pie) this Thursday, October 6th.  The show begins at 7:30pm, is FREE of charge (tips in the hat always accepted), and wouldn’t you know this time around is a special early dinner acoustic show at that!  What a treat!!

Speaking of Thursdays and parties, it’s that time of the month and year for that matter to celebrate Octoberfest in Hillsboro!  This Thursday, October 6th, from 5-8pm, everyone is invited to this special edition of the Hillsboro Village Art Walk.  Per usual, you can expect the Hillsboro Village Art Walk receptions, shows and events inside the various shops and restaurants to bring their A game.  This time around is not different.  You can park for FREE after 6pm behind Cornerstone Financial on 21stAvenue, choose your DD and then begin your walk by choosing from several Octoberfest beers offered at either Sam’s Sports Bar & Bosco’s Brewery (did I mention there will be karaoke and live Polka music?).  Then stroll on over to all the other shops and eateries.  Artwise, I’d run over to Clothing Xchange to see artist Tordy Clark’s work beside pumpkin hors d’oeuvre’s and pumpkin decorating contests (side note, Craftsville will be on hand helping everyone make Halloween Ghosts to take home).  I love this time of year!  You can then get your eyes on the prize at See Eyewear where artist Cory Basil is back again and will offer you art, fruit, and wine.  Over at Provence, artist Kay Ramming will show some of her latest and greatest photography beside the band Hot Club Time Machine sampling some hot tunes and some fall oatmeal brown sugar and cinnamon bread and sweet potato pecan bread desserts.  Down the street at Hot & Cold, artist Kelly Kerrigan heats up the walls beside some very unique, give it a chance after you hear this, beer ice creams (tasty Rockmill Golden Ale with apricots and cherry lambic sorbet and alcohol-free version of German Coffee).  Need I say more?  Seriously, the entire neighborhood will be hopping for Halloween with art, spirits, food, and more every where you turn.  But before you get back in your car, be sure to drop by Zeitgeist Gallery to check out the latest from two art icons in Kurt Wagner and Wayne White.  You’ll thank me for all of the above later.

Then when the weekend comes around, you should not expect a grand sort of exhibition openings (that happened last weekend).  What you can expect is a lot of great art at every gallery and shop around town for you to see in person.  Example:  in the rear gallery of Tinney Contemporary, behind “The Man Who Shot Rock: Works by internationally-recognized photographer and musician Jonathan Postal,” you can check out the amazing exhibition “Highway of Sight: Americana artist Steve Forbert’s.”  This particular exhibition is a mind-bending photographic journey of a superb photographer while touring as a musician on the road across North America.  I am not being completely biased by saying that every single gallery across the city has some spooky good art on its walls at the moment that deserve your attention. 

Now, I need to get back to my horror movie marathon of a month that my wife is finally starting to catch on that will never fade away.  In fact, as you can see from the picture to the side here that she has finally come to terms with ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ beside me and the dog on the couch.  Happy Halloween month and thanks for helping to spread the word around town about Nashville’s heART!  It takes a village.

much love,

chUck

ps- And speaking of villages, I am coordinating the volunteers for the Nashville Ultra Marathon that is going down just around the corner on October 15th.  It is truly amazing to witness and help; speaking from someone who has volunteered the past few years for it, ran in several marathons, and finished a full ironman last year (you can read that story HERE).  If you would like to be a part of it, get a FREE race t-shirt, and help people to the finish line after 30,40, and 50 miles in one day, please click the link right here and join our volunteer team today! The link is www.nashvilleultra.com/volunteer.  Thank YOU for helping spread the good palabra.