Summer - It's What I Live For

What have I been doing this summer? A lot since my last post.

Courtesy of Porch Fest website (www.larchmereporchfest.org)

Larchere Porch Fest

Summer Solstice began when I rode my bike to the Larchmere Porch Fest, now in its 6 year. I’ve always wanted to attend but there were so many other events that I just ran out of time. This year, I was determined to go. I am so glad that I did.

It was a perfect sunny day when I pulled out my mountain bike, checked the tires and continued on St. Clair Avenue heading towards Euclid Avenue. I usually ride through East Cleveland when I travel to the heights - eliminating heavy traffic. I am saddened, however, at the blighted buildings that were once iconic, beautiful structures where residents couldn’t wait to visit. As I ride through East Cleveland, I try to imagine what life was like a hundred years ago when I gaze upon the peeling paint, and wood in the window frames. The roads are littered with plastic pop bottles choking the drains. It takes restraint for me not to pick it up. I continue and try not to let the trash deter me from my destination. 

I ride along Terrace Road where there are many dilapidated homes; however, a truck is parked in a driveway along side a dumpster where repairs are under way. Moreover, I see a few individuals with trash buckets and bags clearing up the trash. Things are looking up even though it has been a slow process.

My commute is close to fifty minutes traveling through the back roads; Larchmere is bustling with cars, bikes and people carrying chairs to the various venues. Luckily I came prepared with a printed out map, a must have. The way the Porch Fest works is different bands are scheduled from 1 p.m until 8 p.m. through the streets north and south of Larchmere. The first band that I saw was a “blues” band north of Larchmere - people were dancing and tapping there feet. It’s very easy to get confused where all the streets are, hence the map. 

What I enjoyed most about the festival is the diversity: young and old walking (strollers in tow), biking or driving to the many different types of music all day long. It was very relaxing and enjoyable. Not knowing the system, I locked my bike and walked to the various streets. Each porch is sponsored: Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District sponsored “Jah Messengers” Roots Reggae that was fantastic. People were sitting on sidewalks and tree lawns taking in this local talent. http://www.csucauldron.com/news/view.php/320151/Local-Reggae-Band-Heats-Things-Up

I kept thinking, I should have gotten here earlier; what took me so long to finally attend this event. Quite frankly, I did not want to leave. 

The last band I listened to was: “Fever, Fever,” alternative folk rock from Columbus sponsored by Studio Graphique. They were fantastic. There were so many people around the house that you couldn’t help but tap your feet. Not only did each porch get sponsored but the home owner provided water and light refreshments. So cool!

I walked slowly to my bike trying to listen to as much music as I could. A few gentleman asked about the schedule, “When is the next band going to play?” I told them to get a map from the information booth and go from there. The music was all around, not necessarily on Larchmere. Moreover, the event was well organized with plenty of food and music genre for everyone to enjoy. For example, I biked to E.127 and listened to “Workmen’s Circle Klezmer Orchestra” Eastern European Klezmer Music - not my taste but it’s available. 

On my way home, I couldn’t stop thinking about this festival. Excellent! If you haven’t been to Larchmere, I highly recommend it. There is a wide variety of music that will peak anyone’s interest. 

CMA - Solstice Party

Next stop, The Cleveland Museum of Art Annual Solstice Party. All I can say is it was crowded. My understanding is the event sold out in just a few weeks. If you plan to attend next year, get your tickets early. 

As I do every year, I volunteered. What I enjoy most as a “wrist band” greeter volunteer is seeing the attendees first. You get a sneak peak into the various outfits and wild shoes from platforms to elegant straps. The most outrageous was orange shorts to the ordinary by wearing jeans. This is the best “people watching” venue.

I thought the music was fun; it was geared towards a “yoga” theme for the new Yoga exhibit. The Salar System band  had two dancers displaying their flexibility and fluidity. The music reflected their Afgan traditions by using unusual instruments and spirituality. It was good. Once the band finished, I bumped into a friend that didn’t care for the music. You’re going to have that but one thing is clear - it’s music that you probably won’t hear again. That’s what makes Solstice the event of the year - a unique array of music and diverse attendees. 

As an art themed event, there were these stacked balloons with faces on them that were being passed from person to person. It was amazing to see how the balloons stayed erect for as tall as they were. There is so much energy at this party that you can’t help but get swept away.

It was enjoyable and it was good to see a few people that I haven’t seen in a while but I hate to admit that I probably enjoyed the porch fest a bit more. 

Wade Oval Wednesdays

This event started on June 11 on a perfect, cool sunny evening. The band, “Coast2Coast,” where the crowd was energized by the music. There was a diverse crowd walking around excited that summer is finally here; others were standing in the long vendor lines, Gyros or wood fired pizza; relaxing on a blanket eating sausage and grilled peppers from Constantino’s Market; drinking wine and relaxing under a shaded tree. Whatever you feel like doing, it’s available at this low key event. 

Photo by Anna Chanakas

I sat in the back with my sister’s dog, Max, that was loving every minute of his first WOW experience. He sniffed some new smells especially the sausage and peppers at the blanket next to us. Young Kids appeared out of nowhere wanting to pet Max. “He’s so cute, they all said.”

I remember attending my first Wade Oval Wednesday several years ago to a small, but passionate music crowd; now hundreds show up for this weekly free music festival. Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S Band gets a huge following year after year. If you don’t get there by 5 p.m to claim a spot, you might be out of luck. 

Nothing to do in Cleveland? Well, I just described three events out of many going on this summer. This is why I adore summer, the many free events where you can just hang out and relax in a comfortable chair or blanket. Meet friends or sit under a tree and catch up on your reading. Summer in Cleveland has events for everyone. Enjoy!

Art is all Around Cleveland

Van Gogh, Dirge: Reflections on [Life and] Death, Masters of the Violin and Organ concerts was what I experienced this week – a flurry of activity. What did I like the best? What left an impression long after I was gone? What filled me with joy? Everything I saw and heard was spectacular in its own right. That’s my unbiased opinion. 

MOCA - 

To answer the question, what left me with something to think about was definitely MOCA’s Dirge: Reflections on [Life and] Death. I volunteer at MOCA every Thursday afternoon and it has taken me two months to finally see this thought-provoking show. I hammered away on a 3x5 card a “message,” the life I led or hope to lead – how I want to be remembered long after I’m gone; videos of a woman battling cancer that I am all to familiar with; blowing onto circular mirrors as an image appears; and two lightbulbs hanging loosely on a wall. Most of the exhibits, I found engaging and left me wondering what I just experienced – about my first impression. That’s a well executed exhibit when you keep pondering what it all means. 

There were many pieces I liked a lot. The piece, “Untitled (Face in Dirt)” where the artist, David Wojnarowicz buries his AIDS-stricken body in dirt as his expression looks uncomfortable, and in pain. His struggle with AIDS is felt as I gaze into his face where I get the sense that hope is fading away. He is in a “stand-still” with his mortality where no matter how hard he tries, death is looming. I also felt that life has similar, confining struggles as you work as hard as you can, as you try to get ahead or get noticed; sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. Moreover, the piece is about death but it can be viewed how life is a continuous challenge and you have to make the best of what what “cards are dealt.” 

Another photograph, there is a sign in the foreground that says, “ You’re still alive.” right in front of a vertical metal fence that leads your eye into rows and rows of headstones. My impression is that life it tough but you need to make the best of it because what is the alternative – Death? Life is precious no matter what crap you have to deal with. That was a “wake-up” call for me since I’ve experienced the pain and agony of my mother battling cancer. Through her pain she said to me quietly, “What did I do to deserve this?” My father, who died of a heart attack, brought on by his diabetes, he expressed to me, “If you have your health, you have everything.” I’m paraphrasing as his words entered my mind over and over throughout the years.

My father was so right on so many levels that I never thought about it until I lost my mother years later. Now, I believe in a healthy lifestyle eating vegetables and exercise to control the things I can. You only have one life so I choose to preserve mine.   

The Pedro Reyes installation was equipped with a large black mat where the artist instructed visitors to lay down and think about their life then formulate a “message.” Then the visitor takes two cards and hammers out their message using heavy iron letters – you can hear the noise reverberating throughout the galleries. The message that I hammered onto the 3 x 5 card, “A Big Heart” was a saying someone said to me once. With all my volunteer work helping residents in the homeless shelter to tutoring GED students, I am filled with joy when I can help a single person achieve a goal or put a smile on their face. By doing that, I have a purposeful life.

I have to think back to what my mother always taught me, put a smile on your face and be nice to people. It’s not an act – I like meeting new people and finding out what makes them “tick.” Thanks Mom for making me the person that I am today. 

Next to the Reyes piece, a video installation of Hannah Wilke, she places her body boldly in front of visitors to visualize her life with lymphoma – very difficult to watch. You can quickly see the hair loss as strands of hair limply hang there where you just want to shave it off. Her naked body with bruises and bandages where needles pierced her skin filling her body with poison. The description above, I saw my own mother’s body wither away to nothing – skin and bones that I don’t wish upon anyone. I didn’t watch a lot of the videos but I got the sense of her struggle – I give her credit for documenting the process. For me, memories flooded to my mother’s battle where she did what she needed to do and ultimately her body gave out! I admire her strength along with everyone else to survive.

Lastly, the mirror series by Oscar Muñoz, “Breath” where visitors breathe on a mirror and an image eerily appears. The dead, lost souls appear for a spit second where their life is embraced and remembered. How many people have we lost to natural disasters, illness, and/or accidents – someone’s sister, brother or spouse. Life and death should be celebrated even for a brief instant. Everyone is important to someone out there.

MOCA’s show excellent where you might have to experience more than once.

Van Gogh - Cleveland Museum of Art

Van Gogh was excellent as well. As I wrote in a previous blog, I attended a lecture right before the exhibit opened and his brilliance amazed me even more. I also attended a second lecture about his “repetitions”  where the artist fine-tuned his craft. For example, the painting he created from life had quicker brush strokes than the repetition; the repetition, therefore, was created in a controlled environment of the studio. Van Gogh allowed himself to explore details that were missed on his original. How the conservator and curator learned conclusively which one was the original and the “copy”  or “repetition” that Van Gogh called them. This was achieved through x-rays. I listen to this lecture and I was bothered with the extent of all these “x-rays.” I know deep down that it doesn’t ruin the paintings but do we really need to know every aspect of the creative process an artist endures – I think not. 

The process was interesting nevertheless. In the exhibition, the curator and/or conservator do not know how Van Gogh created his repetitions. Through the x-ray process, they didn’t see any charcoal markings to suggest transposing exactly from one painting to the next. They were amazed by the accuracy of each “repetition” as a computer generated line drawing showed the original painting was not far off from the “repetition.” Fascinating but for me, the accuracy doesn’t change my view point about Van Gogh’s brilliance. I love that he explores unusual color choices: using oranges, yellows, blues, and purples in his faces – impressionism. The thick globs of paint or quickly getting an idea on canvass with loose brushstrokes. I love them all. 

My two favorites were the ones that the Cleveland Museum of Art owns - The Large Plane Trees and the Cyprus Trees (painted from life). My only criticism concerning the exhibit was the quantity – there wasn’t more Van Gogh’s to see. However, stellar quality that is worth a trip to the Cleveland Museum of Art. 

Two wonderful exhibits in Cleveland, Ohio by two world class institutions.  

Van Gogh’s Brilliance

Brochure produced by The Cleveland Museum of Art

Computer problems and projects, I have not been writing my regular blog posts. Life has gotten in the way. Now that I had the pleasure of being in the audience for the “Van Gogh: The Face in the Mirror” lecture, I’m ready to delve in. My reason for signing up for the Van Gogh lecture is my love for the painter – his bold brush strokes and unorthodox color choices. The Cleveland Museum of Art owns three Van Gogh’s and I love staring at them whenever I walk into the Contemporary Galleries. Therefore, I can’t wait to see Van Gogh Repetitions exhibit on view until May 26, 2014.

Friday’s lecture solidified for me why Van Gogh was an important painter. Lecturer, Shackelford described how Van Gogh painted many self portraits during his career that were different – not repetitions that the Cleveland Museum of Art show will focus on. Van Gogh painted his portrait using many different colors – the hues red that reflected his red hair color and shallow, yellows that reflected his illness. Most of his portraits were painted as a mirror image; hence, Van Gogh had his pallet in his right hand and painted with his left. Therefore, Van Gogh did not reverse the image; he kept it as is while he painted himself. I never thought about the “mirror image” as the reverse of what was real – Van Gogh was right handed.

I learned something new while I listed to Dr. Shackelford’s lecture.

Moreover, Van Gogh’s inspiration for his self portraits with easel was from Rembrandt’s self portrait as he stood by an easel. Rembrandt’s version was soft and used a brown pallet, while Van Gogh’s bold colors immediately awakens the viewer attention. Van Gogh’s other inspiration for his “dot” brush strokes is similar to Seurat’s pointillism. And what I already knew is that Van Gogh painted himself due to the expense of using models – it was easier to paint yourself in the mirror and experiment with different colors and brush strokes.

Shackelford’s lecture also introduced other paintings from Van Gogh such as his “Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin” in two versions (this is in the exhibit). One version is brightly painted with orange, blues and bright green where the other version is muted – using brown tones. For me, I prefer the brighter version where I can see Van Gogh happily mixing these colors and excited by his subject. Moreover, I love the “sunflowers” for the same reason – the vibrant yellows take over the canvas and you’re instantly propelled into the painters thinking process. Van Gogh draws you into his subject matter no matter what.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is fortunate to have “The Large Plane Trees” where this subject matter has been repeated. I love the dominance of the trees in the blue, purple and maroon brush strokes in the bark that makes Van Gogh brilliant by using unorthodox colors, in my opinion. If you look close, you can see tiny “red diamonds” where Van Gogh painted on a table cloth with this pattern. Again, his funds were limited –hence canvases are costly.

When I do my pastel drawings, I integrate Van Gogh’s ideology when I use purples and reds in my plants–experimenting with color to create a “stop and stare” for the viewer. He is a step above other artists when he uses a “swirling method such as ‘Starry Night.’” Moreover, that is what draws me in, a new paint stroke, thick use of paint that is almost a glob onto the canvas or color choice. Van Gogh is a master.

After Shackelford’s lecture, I am even more in awe with Van Gogh for his creativity – constantly trying to improve himself. He created these repetitions so he can learn by doing – it was his creative process to become a better painter. In his process, all of his versions are elegantly and beautifully painted.

I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Cleveland Museum of Art to distribute the audio guides. It was the first Saturday for the Van Gogh exhibit and it was crowded. As I stood by my perch, I can see the four repetitions of Van Gogh’s “Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin” and they are all remarkable in their own right. You can see the bright colors from a distance where I just stood and stared. Van Gogh’s brilliance will always be cherished by me. The museum owns three, where I wish we had more but the pieces are stellar.

If you love Van Gogh or not, you will be in awe as you gaze upon his brilliant canvases. I’m looking forward to seeing the show, alive and in person.

Hank Willis Thomas - What a Creative Talent!

Photo from twitter #gbcma - Thomas taking a photo of audience before his talk

One of my favorite places to visit is the Cleveland Museum of Art. As I have written in so many posts, I volunteer for various posts including the first Friday MIX events and new exhibit openings, just to name a few. Yesterday was different. I visited as a patron to listen to the talented photographer, videographer and conceptual artist – Hank Willis Thomas discuss his work. He began his talk by pulling out his smart phone and told the audience to do the same. “I want to take a photo of you, the audience taking a photo of me on stage.” Please use the “hashtag, #qbcma and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, then forget what I just said, Hank eloquently said. I was very impressed; he’s a dynamic speaker and a very confident artist where his work comes from many directions and mediums. It is hard to exactly pin down what his work is – what I love most is how intelligent his ideas are that keeps the viewer constantly thinking.

My favorite Hank Willis Thomas’ work, however, is his video installation, “Question Bridge.” Recently, I posted a tweet informing my followers that I am volunteering at the Transformer Station and there is a good crowd listening to “Question Bridge: Black Males.” A few days later, Hank Willis Thomas “favored” my tweet. How cool is that! As I listened to his talk, I found out that’s one of his favorite collaborative pieces as well. It is hard to describe how powerful this work is – a black male asks a question then a diverse group of black males respond to the question. It cycles between different males that either respond or ask deep rooted questions.These males are diverse within the black male community and they deliver these answers that you wouldn’t think they would say. It will blow you away as you listen to the responses.

Thomas showed the “Question Bridge” as part of his talk where the question was something about being imprisoned; I can’t remember the exact question. The answer came from a gentleman who was in prison and the response blew me away. He talked how everyone is in prison in some way or another. He talked about his situation that he didn’t have self esteem, therefore, he did bad things. Hence, what ultimately landed him in jail. Some people are in prison within themselves where they lack confidence or let others persuade you from doing what you know deep down is wrong. I am paraphrasing but ultimately that is what I got out of his response – a profound, powerful statement.

Another question that I remember at the Transformer Station installation is “What does it mean to be a man?” a young boy asked. Again, the answers were diverse depending on age, educational background and circumstances of the respondent. I only listened to twenty minutes and I will stop back and listen to the entire 3-hour loop.

The other dynamic piece at the Transformer Station is the role of African American males in sports. Thomas played with the idea of large companies making an exorbitant amount of money using male athletes by selling sneakers, for example. One photograph is a male basketball player hanging by a noose. Obviously the noose is slavery but today’s basketball is using these athletes to make money – a ton of it. That is what I got out of the photo – enslaving athletes to a degree to sell “stuff.” Michael Jordan was it for Hanes® and LeBron James for that matter, Nike®.  It’s images such as these that keep you thinking about society, pop culture and how we’ve evolved from the 1960s Civil Rights Era to President Obama’s election. We’ve come a long way but I think we have a ways to go. Hank even mentioned in his talk, we aren’t black and white any longer – what about other people such as Asians and Hispanics – we are all more a coffee color. 

The other installation piece is the “Truth Booth” that has been traveling around Cleveland where you answer the question, “What is Truth.” Most recently, the booth was in Afghanistan and a girl talked about how bad it is in her country; how nobody cares (I am paraphrasing). Genius installation in how we can bring everyone together on a global scale. What are the issues people are struggling with or what is on their mind as they walk into the booth? I haven’t walked in yet. I keep racking my brain what I want to say; I don’t want to sound stupid. Quite frankly, I’m shy and I’m not sure what I really want to say. Will I do it before the exhibit leaves on March 9, stay tuned?

At the end of the lecture someone said that I though was an interesting take on Thomas’ work, “It is about people.” Very astute – what are black males thinking in Question Bridge? What are we thinking – truth! How advertising is taking advantage of black athletes, and the conversation goes on and on.

The Hank Willis Thomas show is at the Transformer Station until March 8, 2014 and the “Unbranded” series at the Cleveland Museum of Art until March 9. I highly recommend seeing both.

Transformer Station
http://transformerstation.org/

Cleveland Museum of Art
http://www.clevelandart.org/events/exhibitions/hank-willis-thomas

Out and About Town

My problem is I can’t say, No! “Do you want to volunteer for the Cleveland Museum of Art’s monthly MIX event?” “Sure,” I say. I’m glad I did because it was a fun event. Thank goodness I got “wristband” duty where you check everyone’s ticket and making sure they are wearing a “wristband.” As I mentioned many times before, I like being at the check in table so I can see all the people attending the event. I ended up seeing friends I haven’t seen and I was thrilled by the diverse crowd. There were some grumbling when the scheduled DJ Rekha was stuck in New York due to the blizzard we had a few days before. It couldn’t be helped. Through the cold and snowy conditions, the event was very crowded – a success.

My usual job at MIX is patrolling the escalators in making sure that everyone who passes has a wristband and not taking drinks into the galleries. You would think that museum goers would understand that you can’t drink amongst artwork that is worth millions. I heard that at the Annual Solstice Party that people think since they are a donor they are excused. “No, sorry.” The artwork is still worth a lot of money no matter what your donor status is.

After my shift, I met up with friends and danced for over an hour to “Bollywood” music. It’s not something I gravitate towards but it was thrilling to see people dancing. The DJ was good on such short notice. As an added bonus, the atrium had this giant disco ball cycling around as it projected different colors along the 1916 building. The next MIX event is February 7, 2014 around the creativity theme.

Believe it or not, one of my favorite things to see at the museum is the weekly flower arrangement that the Women’s Council creates. Every time I stop by, it is breathtaking and different every time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a duplicate arrangement or floral choice. I stand in wonderment how creative these women are to display such beauty.

Even though I can’t utter the word, No, I’m happy to help out at the world renowned institution such as the Cleveland Museum of Art.

When I’m not volunteering, I attend gallery openings.

Photo courtesy of Cleveland Print Room web site

The Cleveland Print Room Vivian Maier: Out of the Shadows
January 10 - February 23, 2014.

My favorite event this week was the “out-of-this-world” photography by Vivian Maier at the Cleveland Print Room. The compositions and light and dark contrasts were captivating. I walked around numerous times to get the full affect of photographs that were not seen until 2007. Maier was a nanny by trade; she shot thousands and thousands of rolls of film during her spare time (100,000 to be exact) – not a professional photographer but I could see her passion through her viewfinder.

I was impressed by the simplicity of her subjects. For example, there was a portrait of an older women wearing a hat, and an outfit right out of the fifties – dressed up walking along the downtown streets. No expression just a person living the simple life like we all try to do.

My favorite was a ticket counter all in shadow where you can barely see a women behind a metal cage. Brilliant use of shadow and composition where you say to yourself, “What’s going on here?” Another photograph showed an explosive view of downtown with all the signs and activity then as you look closer, there is a strand of pearls on a mailbox. Wow! The photographer saw something unusual or nostalgic about that subject and shot it. I didn’t see the pearls at first. The strong use of shadow and sparkling lights drew me in. Similarly, a photo of a table and the viewer (camera) looks up to an old pay phone. It’s quiet but says a lot. It’s ordinary scenes that draws the viewer in through point of view and explosive light and dark.

Honestly, all the photographs drew me in for one reason or another – if it wasn’t the composition or the expression on the subjects faces. That’s what black-and-white photography does for me, it takes out all the complexity and simplifies it by grey tones and black. I don’t know anything about Vivian Maier but I now know how much the simplicity of life was her inspiration. Things we take for granted - a walk around the neighborhood and the beauty that’s there.

I can’t say enough about this show. Check out the web site, there is a documentary film, “The Vivian Maier Mystery” shown at four venues.



Cleveland Print Room
http://clevelandprintroom.com/

2013 - A Year in Review

The lake is frozen. Clumps of sand, dirt and debris is mixed into the giant waves that have crystallized; time has stood still. I stood looking at my lake in wonder – this is why I live so close, to see nature up close and personal. A large body of water iced to the horizon line – an eery quiet over took me as I reflected back to 2013.

I ran through the snow piles and icy path as nature surprised me again. It wasn’t too cold as I headed down to the lake. Just last week the waves lapped onto the shore, not today as clumps of ice stopped the waves right in their tracks. Too early for the ice to appear? Not necessarily, it’s January 2014 after all. My mind wandered in what I accomplished or didn’t – volunteering is what I did mostly and reignite a weekly blog on art shows I attended. Nothing earth shattering, just living a modest life and doing interesting things around Cleveland.

Nothing to do? Well, I disagree.

Senior Games

I had a joyous time volunteering for the Senior Games this past July and August. I was a score keeper for horseshoes where I learned quickly that it’s a challenging event. There are two competitors that throw several rounds of horseshoes up and down the field. I started scoring around 10 a.m. and I wasn’t even done by 12:30 p.m. What was so thrilling about the games was how appreciative the contenders were. Every shift I participated in, I got a kind “thank you” for my time.

One of my favorite events was the Women’s hammer throw. If you want to see real athletes, just watch these women throw these hammers. It is a shot put at the end of a wire handle. My job was to retrieve the hammers to the contenders. They were heavy; I can’t image trying to throw it at a decent distance. One women, however, said, “I hope to see you throwing the hammer at the next Senior Games.” What a nice compliment! These athletes were class A in my book.

The other thing I did was ride my bike to as many volunteer shifts that I could. I biked along Euclid Avenue to Case Western Reserve for “horseshoes;” I biked downtown, took the shuttle bus to Baldwin Wallace University and walked to the Berea Fairgrounds for the “hammer throw”; biked to the new Convention Center for the athlete check-in. In total, I biked four times out of five for my shifts. That is my 2014 New Year’s resolution - biking more and using my car less.

I look forward to the 2014 Gay Games this August – I plan on biking there as well.
www.gg9cle.com

New Promotion for CIFF - courtesy of CIFF

Cleveland International Film Festival :  March 19 - 30, 2014
http://www.clevelandfilm.org

It seems so long ago that the festival was at Tower City. I say the same thing every year – maybe I will skip my volunteer stint this year. In actuality, I volunteered for more shifts this last year than previous years. I want to warn you; once you start going down to the festival, you will be wanting to see more and more films. This year I stood in more lines and was not able to see films that were on standby. That is, in actuality, a good problem to have – too many people wanting to see International Films that most likely you will not see anywhere else. No brainer there.

I do commend the festival’s staff in accommodating as many people as they did. They staggered the times as well as possible to eliminate a “crowd jam.” For example, the “Anita” film featuring Anita Hill, who was in attendance was sheer chaos. It was in two theaters and nobody was listening to directions on which theater to enter. As a volunteer, I try to take shifts that are more crowd crazy so when I decide to see a film, I won’t be struggling to find a seat.

The two films that I loved were, “ Pieta” (South Korea) and “Laurence Anyways”(Canada); they stuck with me well after they were over.  

The Cleveland Museum of Art: MIX and Summer Solstice events
http://www.clevelandart.org

The problem I have when I volunteer is I can’t say “No!” I am the type of person who genuinely likes to help. I need “x amount” of people to help at this event – I’m there. I favor the museum parties for the people I see that I haven’t seen or I see Cleveland residents that I probably will never see. The MIX event is attracting more young professionals and families that are interested in art and the social fabric of our city. Kudos! We are privileged to have a world renowned museum that is “free.” During some of my volunteer shifts, the “out-of-towners are amazed that it’s “free.” I have a few friends that have yet to see the new atrium or visit the museum after its eight year long expansion. If you haven’t been to the museum in a while, you are in for a treat.

My favorite volunteer shift was “gift wrapping.” For the holiday season, this year the museum offered free gift wrapping for anyone who bought a gift from the museum store.  I was in heaven. Again, I met a few Greek people and old friends that were just happy to have a gift wrapped by an enthusiastic volunteer. I hate to pat myself on the back but my gift wrapping was better than most. I was brought up to do your best when giving something to others; furthermore, as a graphic professional, presentation is everything.

I highly recommend the always anticipated Summer Solstice event on the fourth Saturday in June. It always sells out so get your tickets in advance.


The Transformer Station - West 29th Street - Hank Willis Thomas thru March 9, 2014
http://transformerstation.org

I had the privilege to be one of the first volunteers for the first opening of a west side contemporary gallery – the Transformer Station on February 1, 2013. A reconverted space into a cutting-edge photo gallery with such exhibits as Todd Hido and the Fred and Laura Bidwell Collection of contemporary photography; currently they are exhibiting the Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with the Cleveland Museum of Art. I met so many interesting people that attended during my shift – Kent State, Oberlin College, Director of the Akron Museum, writer from the New York Times, Jim Rokakis, etc., etc., etc.

My favorite event at the Transformer Station was the Ohio City Stages concerts - five concerts on five Wednesdays in July. If you do anything this summer, I would highly recommend you pencil this event into your calendar and/or smart phone. They took this giant stage, parked it on Church and W 29th street and played diverse, contemporary music. After the concert, they projected contemporary films behind the gallery on an outdoor screen. I hate to say it, less crowded and better than Wade Oval Wednesdays. My understanding is they are going to extend the concerts to other areas of the city as a Community Outreach initiative.

As a summer person, my most active month was June when I attended the Garden Walk, the Waterloo Arts Festival on the last Saturday in June and the CMA’s Summer Solstice Party.

Drawings

Pastel Drawing by Toni - copyright 2013

After twelve years in my basement, I finally put together my drawing table. I illustrated my sister’s house, elephants, tomatoes, grapes and wild flowers that I gave as gifts; I didn’t do as many as I first envisioned but five drawings are five more than I’ve done all these years. I hope to do a few more in 2014.


In closing, I didn’t have a lot of income during 2013 but I volunteered my time and energy by helping many individuals find their way at museums; my computer lab work at the Homeless Shelter and seeing the beauty in Cleveland as I rode my bike mile after mile. Get out of your comfort zone and do something positive for 2014. Forget about those ridiculous resolutions that you will never keep and do something that you are passionate about.

PechaKucha at Cleveland Museum of Art

Screen Capture from PechaKucha web site

It’s PechaKucha Night at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s MIX Event. What’s that, you might ask? It is creating a presentation using 20 slides that cycles every 20 seconds. The trick is to choreograph your presentation so the correct slide is in sync with your talk. I did it once but not in front of hundreds of people that normally attends PechaKucha.

I did a small version in front of 50 people that was just as stressful (Mine was about my artistic ability that could have been more focused instead of adding my education). The trick is to be interesting and have a focused theme to your presentation. Regardless if your presentation is fantastic or not, the crowd always claps and cheers. Nothing is worse than standing in front of a crowd and be engaging and entertaining.

I have seen good ones and fair ones; I hail the presenters for standing there and talking to strangers about their passion, business and artistic prowess. One of my favorite venue was in the Warehouse District’s Hoyt block on West 6 in an architectural hideaway - first event in ten years. I remember one guy talked about printing and Thomas Mulready of CoolCleveland delivered the best presentation. It was several years ago and I still remember his confident delivery. I was blown away as I listened among the discarded boulders, and broken-down seating. That was my first one.

The Cleveland Museum of Art’s atrium is a stellar place to have PechaKucha because it holds thousands of people. It always brings in the crowds for whatever reason.  Currently, the atrium has the Ai Weiwei Zodiac heads (huge bronze sculptures of the Chinese cyclical year) that is a wonderful backdrop. Moreover, your slides are viewed high above the audience on the old 1916 building – how cool is that? There isn’t a bad place where one can’t hear or see the slides.

Since I was volunteering, I was only able to see two presenters. Tom Lix from Cleveland Whiskey showed his new business venture – brewing whiskey in Cleveland. He said that Cleveland is the perfect place to start a business. Yeah! He boasted that he was selling 1000 bottles of whiskey when he first began shipping the product; now, it’s well beyond that. Moreover, Cleveland Whiskey will be selling a Christmas flavor that is currently being shipped. What I liked about Tom’s presentation: the photos with the fermentation tanks; his staff wearing Christmas hats that were eagerly packing the Christmas whiskey; and the product itself, a beautiful clear bottle with “Cleveland” typography printed vertically (I always notice graphically pleasing products); Tom exhibited humor when his slides didn’t coordinate exactly with what he was saying. He spoke casually and his passion was easily seen how much whiskey and Cleveland means to him.

Next, Jack Ricchiuto spoke about the meaning of happiness. One statistic struck me, Harvard graduates achieving professional success as it turns out, a good percentage weren’t happy. As Jack spoke, I thought what makes me happy. Obviously having money adds to the ability to afford things that can make you happy. For me that would be the ability to travel and spend money on frivolous stuff – an avant-garde, one-of-a-kind outfit, for example. However, I’ve also found out that you don’t have to spend much money to be creative and essentially be happy.

My joys as I’ve expressed on many blog posts stems from being in my garden and knowing how to grow flowers, plants and have a thriving garden. Many times I’ve planted a dried up plant that I didn’t know would survive. I’ll never forget, I bought this plant from Aldi’s consisting of two long sticks where the leaves had fallen off. Furthermore, it sat idle for the longest time; I firmly believed it was dead. My neighbor said, “Oh, just give it time, it’ll grow.” I’ll be damned; this plant not only survived but I have to trim it three times a year because it won’t stop growing. It is those little things that gives me purpose.

Volunteering at the homeless shelter’s computer lab where I can “make someone’s day” by being friendly and caring. Many times I have “topics of the day” where I get residents to discuss current events – what’s important to them. I believe that it gives them a few minutes to “forget” where they are and focus on something else.

Lastly, I enjoy attending events where I can be myself and meet new people. Interestingly, I am an introvert but I do get my energy by being with people for a short time. Hence, that is why I am currently volunteering at the Cleveland Museum of Art not listening to the majority of the presentations; I’m busy making sure visitors find what they’re looking for and just being friendly.

As a friend of mine eloquently stated, “When you are on your deathbed, the last thing on your mind is work!”

PechaKucha at Hoyt Block
http://www.pechakucha.org/cities/cleveland/events/50b3ff71f3b43bdb0b0006d4

Summer Mode

I’m having the Fall Blues. I realize as I’m sitting here gazing out into the blazing hot sun that summer is practically over. It doesn’t seem so as the temperature will reach 90 degrees today on September 10. Even so, I crave the sunshine and activities that summer brought this year. It seems like I keep revisiting all the things I was able to do and some that I completely missed. Summer is the time of year that I wait for all year long. Summer is just too short.

This summer I tried to ride my bike to some events but I wasn’t as successful as I should have been. I rode to a few of my Transformer Station volunteer shifts on Saturdays, the Garden Walk and the Larchmere Arts Festival in early July. I could have done more to reduce my car emissions and get exercise to boot. I guess it was better than nothing. I find excuses that I need my car to transport my computer or I need to go to the grocery store. On a positive note, I am seeing more bike riders traveling to their destinations. I am also seeing more cars getting angry that cyclists are clogging their precious streets. Please share the road. Like it or not, there are more cyclists opting to pedal than operating a vehicle. Get over it!

I did walk down my street for the North Collinwood free concert series that began in early June until August 30. There was Eighty’s music and blues; there were local bands and some from New York. Local residents gathered along with others from other neighborhoods listening to fabulous tunes and gazing out along Lake Erie. The sunsets are different every time – the sky glows in brilliant orange and red; other times there is a thin pink line along the horizon. The clouds interrupted the sun. That is what makes living along the lake so special. These unexpected pleasures.


Transformer Station

The Transformer Station in July was the place to be. There were five fantastic concerts at the same caliber as the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Solstice Party. The first night, a husband and wife team (Amadou & Mariam) performed an Afro-pop sound that reached well beyond West 29 and Church. The first night was a hit-or-miss that maybe a few residents will patrol the street just to see what band will be performing. Some thought it would be some local talent. To everyone’s surprise, the performers were outside the U.S. playing on a giant stage. The word-of-mouth of these stellar performances got out that by July 31, people couldn’t wait to experience these concerts. I’m still thinking about them; I hope they will add more in 2014. Pencil it in!

Not only were there free concerts all over the city, but art. I mentioned the Transformer Station with Todd Hido’s, Silver Meadows retrospective that highlighted photos and characters that made you think – what is going on here? Winter scenes and women in stiletto heels. Every time I walked through the door, I saw something that sparked a new thought.

Cleveland Print Room

Recently, I headed out to Cleveland Print Room to view these beautiful black-and-white portraits that were amazing. The photographer used FILM and took the time to “look” at his subjects. I was struck by how clear his images were. I felt immediately immersed into the culture and country sides of Africa and Asia. One of my favorite images was an intimate view of a woman (the wrinkles and blemished skin) dressed in black where the hard work she endured was easily seen - her eyes a metaphor into her soul. She reminded me of Greek widows in Greece dressed head-to-toe in black. You can feel their every day struggles – their expressionless faces. Eyes piercing the photo paper. I didn’t know them but I can emphasize with them.



Carrie Mae Weems

The Cleveland Museum of Art has a retrospective of Carrie Mae Weems on view until September 29. Again, I love black-and-white photographs and Weems has a brilliant array that boldly addresses race, gender and class - the clarity alone transports you into the artists viewpoint. Her “coffee table” series makes you think: what it’s like to live in poverty; raising a child and reflecting on choices you’ve made. A woman is sitting at the “kitchen table” where everyday things happen – she is helping her daughter with homework; she is arguing with her husband or significant other. It’s mundane scenarios where discussions and “real life” happens at the kitchen table.

My favorite, however, is the black-and-white video titled: “Cornered.” There are two video screens that are hung in a corner where the 1960s Boston riots are happening. I like the concept of polarization where neither side is listening. The riots occurred because schools were forced to desegregate - forced busing. This continually happens today when everyone talks and/or shouts. You do feel “cornered” where you don’t know where to go.

Everyone can’t wait to wear their fall clothes consisting of turtlenecks, closed-toe shoes and wool pants. No thank you. Just give me my sandals and sundresses, please!

Fall Events

Ingenuity Festival - September 20, 21, and 22.

http://ingenuitycleveland.com

Sparx City Hop - Saturday September 21, 11am until 9PM

http://www.downtowncleveland.com/events/sparx-city-hop.aspx

Chalk Festival at the Cleveland Museum of Art - Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22
http://www.clevelandart.org/

Cleveland Botanical RIPE Festival - September 21 and 22
www.cbgarden.org

Italian Cultural Gardens Opera and Ohio City Stages

I, like many people in Cleveland, have not patronized the Cultural Gardens along Martin Luther King Blvd. This Sunday, however, I had the opportunity to hear Opera Per Tutti at the Italian Gardens to hundreds of other Clevelanders. This is a free cultural offering, “Opera in the Italian Garden.” The roads were full of cars parked haphazardly as people walked toward the fountain entrance to hear Italian Opera. I was just as excited to listen to Opera again where I’ve listened to many performances at the Palace Theater. I’ve attended: The Magic Flute, Tosca, and Rigoletto to name a few. I can’t really explain why I love it but the performers ability to hit those high notes - gives me chills.

The entrance to the event was away from Martin Luther King Boulevard, up a hill. This was the perfect venue, high above the gardens was majestic. Chairs were set up in front of this giant fountain where you can feel the mist just as the wind floated past you. There was free wine samples - Italians and Wine is definitely one and the same. Stone fired pizza was also available for purchase. It was the perfect evening - the temperature was in the low 80’s unlike the sweltering heat we had for six days.

The performances were fantastic. The program included arias from Carmen, La Boheme, Tosca and Romeo and Juliet where the high notes where not in short supply. There were two Sopranos, two Tenors along with one Baritone, narrated by Jan Jones. The sound quality was exquisite with a new speaker technology system - you can hear every breath and note. There wasn’t a bad seat but we chose to sit towards the front in the seats provided.

Historically, in 1930 the Italian Cultural Garden hosted the San Carlo Opera sixty-eight years ago at its lower level amphitheater. Opera originated in Italy at the end of the sixteenth century. My first opera was Rigoletto where I remember thinking - how great is this. My sister and I saw many thereafter when Opera Cleveland was here. We were both hooked. They sing in Italian but the audience gets a brief translation in English high above the stage. You get used to it. The performances and orchestral music definitely stays with you. 

The performance lasted over an hour and a half where audience members gleefully clapped and hung on every note. I’ve forgotten how much I enjoy the Opera. It’s one of those things; you either love it or hate it. I don’t think there is a neutral stance.

As I’ve said on many posts, there is so many free summer events going on in Northeast Ohio; it is a matter of searching these events out. Find what you are interested in and go for it.

Visit “Italian Cultural Gardens” on Facebook

Also, the Cultural Gardens will have the 66 Annual Old World Day, August 25, 2013
www.clevelandoneworldfestival.com

I just learned about this event at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Opera Per Tutti will perform at Arts in August in Tremont’s Lincoln Park
Saturday, August 17, 2013, 7pm
www.operapertutti.org

Ohio City Stages in Ohio City

If you enjoy the Cleveland Museum of Art Solstice Party with that eclectic, funky beat then I highly recommend attending the last concert at The Ohio City Stages. This is a collaboration between The Cleveland Museum of Art and Transformer Station presented by Charter One Bank. This massive stage sits between W 29 and Clinton. My understanding is: the stage folds up; slides into a semi; parked on the side of the road; then it’s pulled out again for the next concert.

The first concert was well received because the residents followed the music. There’s no bad seat - the music resinates throughout Ohio City.

All I can say, I’ve attended every concert and each performance is different in its own right. There was an African-pop beat; Romanian gypsy brass including tubas; elegant acoustic guitars and Moroccan using unique instruments - represented the past four weeks. Some people bring chairs but you don’t necessarily need them, everyone is on their feet and dancing. That’s right.

Following the concerts, there are outdoor films - Bellwether, a project of the museum’s Contemporary Arts Society. Films that you probably won’t see anywhere else

The last concert is on July 31 featuring “Novalina” contemporary Latin music - I will not miss it.

http://www.transformerstation.org/Events/

June Festivities - 2013

June was a whirlwind of activity and these are just a few activities I did on the last weekend of June.

Waterloo Arts Fest

Belly dancers, stilt walkers, crafts food and music playing at five stages and much more lined Waterloo Road this past Saturday for the Eleventh Annual Arts Festival in North Collinwood. I road my bike and maneuvered my way through the bustling activity. This is another one of my favorite summer events that is right in my backyard. Moreover, I enjoy experiencing the diverse crowds, the art displayed (Rust Belt artists), musical talent and white tent merchandise for sale. I fondly remember not too long ago walking the deserted street patronizing a vintage clothing shop (no longer there) and a coffee house; this festival has definitely come a long way.

As I mentioned, the festival had five stages that housed a variety of music. There was a stage in a sculpture garden where you can sit and relax away from the street. Last year at this location I listened to the band, The Commonwealth, where I stood not wanting to move as I listened. They’re a young band that exploded with a cool, different rhythm - a toe tapping beat where my toes keep tapping. Remembering them as I looked at the schedule, I told my friends that we need to listen to this group. I’m not sure they understood my excitement to listen to them again; they liked them as well.

As we walked through the crowd, I remembered that we didn’t see any art. My sister and I walked up a flight of steps to see the Rust Belt Artists from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. The dilapidated building housed several rooms of art; one painting that I really liked was a brightly painted orange and red canvas displaying a large hat and fashionable, tight-waisted dress. It was simply illustrated but caught my attention with the bold colors.

You can still see a glass pane with “Appointments” stenciled across the bottom, which one can visualize was a doctor’s office. The rooms were small with paneling on all the walls, as patients sat and waited. As my sister said, this old building has so much possibilities; just knock down a few walls and they can become great living spaces.

I realize that the Waterloo Arts Fest is right around my neighborhood but it has come a long way to being a well attended event.The music was fantastic especially at the Beachland Stage (Beachland Ballroom); another band that was good, “So Long Albatros,” where I stood in awe by the drummer’s performance. Food trucks, art, kids crafts, what more is there for a summer festival destination. If you haven’t attended before, it is the last Saturday in June.

The Commonwealth Band
http://thecommonwealth-music.bandcamp.com/album/emerald-city-blues


Waterloo Arts
www.waterlooarts.org


Pompeii Exhibit

After several months at the Cleveland Museum of Art, I finally attended the Pompeii Exhibit. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. The exhibit opened with Andy Warhol’s screen print of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius - one canvas in color and another in black and white. They were simple but dramatically represented the eruption. I can’t even imagine what that was like - panic and fear that you were not going to get out alive.

As my sister astutely pointed out, the theme of the exhibit was not a series of images about this tragedy but how artists interpreted this event. There were series of paintings where several artists showed how residents of Pompeii gorged themselves with food delicacies and fine clothing. Did they deserve this untimely death?

The exhibit entrance displayed a body cast in plaster (I think) that we’ve all seen before but another artist created a series of the same dog sculpture sixteen times. Interesting and eerie at the same time. The entire gallery housed the dog in a fetal position. You realize instantly the destruction of life but animals were also lost.

Mostly I gravitated towards the sculptures - a nude, young man bronze carrying a shovel with an artifact in his right hand. The artist eloquently displayed the possibility of grave robbers; however, it’s doubtful this occurred since the young man was nude. Still, it gives the viewer pause to think about this period.

I enjoyed the exhibit but my absolute favorite room was an entire room of Rothko’s. I peacefully sat and looked back and forth at Rothko’s large canvases - brushstrokes in dark colors. Blocks of colors where you wonder what was he thinking as he took brush to canvas. For me, it was time well spent thinking about artists’ interpretation of a period frozen in time and how we deal with death and destruction.

The Cleveland Museum of Art

The New North Wing Now Open - Japanese and Korean Art, plus Textiles that has not been seen in eight years. Walking along these galleries during the Solstice Party, I instantly thought, there are so many unfamiliar pieces I don’t remember. One of my favorites is the "Portrait of the Zen Master Hotto Kokushi," a weathered wooden piece where a seated monk meditates with his eyes closed with his hands turned upward in his lap.


www.clevelandart.org


The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival

The Two Gentleman of Verona was presented at Wade Oval.

http://www.universitycircle.org/locations/cleveland-shakespeare-festival

Summer in Cleveland

Free Concerts

Technically summer hasn’t officially started but I’ve attended a few things going on around town. For one, the free concert series at Wade Oval had a good crowd in spite of the threatening heavy gray clouds overhead. The band, "The Chozen Few Band," wasn’t deterred either. Around my North Collinwood neighborhood, we have free concerts along the Lake. Honestly, I considered not attending because the cool breeze was too cold to sit by the lake. What can I say; I’m a freeze baby and probably the rare few that likes it hot? Since the sun came out, I decided to walk the block and a half. A less than normal crowd but everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. The band, Lost State of Franklin will be performing at Wade Oval this week (last night).

While listening to the band, I was infatuated by this dog that kept running down to the lake to retrieve this stick she found. The routine was: she threw down the stick; Her owners threw it down to the lake (there was a hill from where I sat to the Lake’s edge); she enthusiastically ran to retrieve it. She did it about three times. She rested for a bit; then the cycle repeated. I couldn’t stop myself from watching her. She wasn’t exactly the most agile of dog breeds but she kept running up and down this hill like it was nothing.

The Convention Center

I rode my bike downtown to attend the opening of the Cleveland Convention Center. Honestly, they did a fantastic job. The inside was contemporary with clean silver signage; the bench seating had plugs along the front and sides for your electronic devices. The bench seats’ fabric had a repeating pattern of our historic bridges in earth tones. The interior was spacious with many meeting rooms with all the current technologies; I just learned this center is the most technologically advanced. The Ballroom was huge; it overlooked the Amtrak Train Station. This was the first time I was able to see it at eye level. Everyone standing in front of the large windows were probably thinking the same thing.

What I enjoyed most was how the old Mall C was re-envisioned with green space that was sorely needed downtown. They added contemporary metal benches where you can sit comfortably looking out along the lake and view Browns Stadium (First Energy Stadium). Many onlookers had their camera’s set and gazed off into the distance. I’m sure the benches will fill up during lunch with people craving the view or people just milling around. I was impressed with this space.

Bonfoey Gallery

As an art lover, I try to visit as many openings as possible. The Bonfoey featured artist, Joseph O’Sickey, that beautifully captured landscapes using watercolor and oil. I was most impressed with his watercolors because it is a medium that I cannot do very well. God knows, I’ve tried. What I admire most about his watercolors is they’re simply interpreted without much detail such as “Four Sailboats Near Land.” Moreover, you can still see the faint pencil lines as he meticulously worked on the composition, visualizing what inspired the artist. Seeing the care and skill he took in creating these landscapes. Next to the watercolor, a dynamic, bold colorful piece that reminded me of Matisse hung there as I wondered how differently he interpreted these patio scenes.

The Bonfoey played a video of O'Sickey where I learned how he met his wife (love at first sight) and began his career in watercolors. Furthermore, it was his obscure watercolors that eventually awarded him admittance to the Cleveland School of Art (now Cleveland Institute of Art). Just like another artist I adore, Schreckengost (an industrial designer and artist that created the vibrant Jazz Bowls), O’Sickey also chose to stay in Cleveland and paint. Art openings and galleries, I learn about artists that I probably wouldn’t have known before.

Bonfoey Gallery until July 13, 2013

http://www.bonfoey.com/OSickey.html

Sound Installation: Forty-Part Motet at The Cleveland Museum of Art

I initially heard the Forty-Part Motet played on WCPN Around Noon that just gave me chills coming out my radio. I couldn’t wait to listen to this piece in person. There are forty mounted speakers (hence the name) arranged in an oval where each speaker represents a choir member in the Reid Gallery (Italian Baroque Gallery). Honestly, I didn’t know what this piece represented when I walked by earlier in spring as the installation was in progress. My favorite art pieces are those that have a well thought out concept that keeps my mind going, what the artist is trying to say. Hence, I want to discuss this art with others.

This work by Janet Cardiff did not disappoint. I walked up the steps and I instantly heard the music. Standing right inside the gallery, I was awestruck by the clarity of the choir. I first walked around to each of the speakers to see if I can distinguish between any of the voices. I couldn’t until the piece ended; I can hear quiet murmurings and breathing. The artist recorded each choir member separately even during breaks.

This is a piece that everyone must experience. It will undeniably take your breath away. As I sat and listened to it twice, I watched patrons walk around and sit; children running up to each speaker not fully understanding it. I was in my own little world with this majestic sound surrounding me, comforting me as I listened. I didn’t want to leave. This piece will forever be imprinted in my mind. I’m sorry that I missed Ms. Cardiff’s other piece, “The Paradise Institute” at MOCA. This piece, however, has been extended until July 7, 2013.

http://www.clevelandart.org/events/exhibitions/forty-part-motet
Lastly, I went to a talk at Sims Park Beach in Euclid about shale rock. I learned how different each beach looked by the wave deposits. Sims park had rocks that washed up on the beach whereas Euclid Beach did not. Plus, Sims Park had sand with a purple tint from other minerals that wash up.  I never thought about it until the presenter mentioned it.

Sims Park in Euclid - Moss Point
http://bluestoneheights.org/bsh/?s=moss+point

This past week has been filled with discoveries and knowledge that I love. Cleveland provides so much richness in culture and art. Summer has begun and there is much more for me to explore.