Let us count the ways...

You can support DiverseWorks! We need your help!

* Donate to the DiverseWorks Annual Fund
It has been a year to remember for DiverseWorks and all our friends and supporters. In 2009, attendance at exhibitions, performing events and co-sponsored programs reached an all-time high; new co-commissioned works went on to New York with critical acclaim; Houston Press recognized Understanding Poverty as “the Best Exhibit” of 2009; and to top it all off, we were voted the Reader’s Choice for best Art Gallery. None of this could have happened without the help and commitment of friends such as you!
Houston continues to support DiverseWorks because it means supporting artists, the creative process and artistic risk-taking. What brings people back is that, guaranteed, each trip to DiverseWorks leaves you with an experience that’s provoking and memorable. But as a non-collecting institution that presents time-based art, all those experiences are ephemeral.
This year, we invite you to claim your space and say, “I was there.” For donations small and large, we’d like to acknowledge how our supporters are part of the very foundation of what we do, and of course, we’d like everyone to have some fun doing it.
Click HERE to donate to the DiverseWorks Annual Fund!

* Volunteer at DiverseWorks
As 2009 comes to a close and we head into another year, I'm sure you're already thinking about what your New Year's resolutions will be for 2010. Well, here at DiverseWorks we just want to remind you that if are planning to give back to community, DW is a great place to fulfill your resolution. Volunteers are the lifeblood of DiverseWorks, and we need your help to make sure we can provide the best programming in Houston. Volunteers help with installing exhibitions, taking tickets at performances, serving drinks, talking to patron about membership, etc.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities, please contact Tracey Morton at tracey@diverseworks.org or 713-223-8346.

Volunteer Opportunities in January
Friday, Jan. 15, 2010: The New Normal opening reception
Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 21-23, 2010: The Voyeur

*Purchase or Renew your DiverseWorks Membership
Are you thinking there needs to be something in it for me? Well, a DiverseWorks membership is exactly what that can do for you. Help support DiverseWorks with a membership! Available at different levels and different perks, we have something for everybody. From students to underwriters, we want you to be involved! Discounts to merchandise, invitations to exclusive events, free tickets and much much more are available to you with just a click. Okay. clicky clicky away. If your membership needs to be renewed or you have questions about membership, Tracey Morton can take care of all your needs and concerns, just email tracey@diverseworks.org or give us a call at 713.223.8346.

*Purchase a table or tickets and/or sponsor
the DiverseWorks Gala- Debutantes Run Wild!
What would happened if you took high-society debutant protocol, dashed with Cinderella dreams, and turned it on its big Texas hairdo? A debutant ball done up DiverseWorks style, that's what! Darling debs feel free to abandon those pearls and white dresses (cause prim and proper won't fly here); and join the DW crew as we flaunt our wild side at the greatest fundraising bash of the year -Debutantes Run Wild! (And gents, come in tux and tails, or a gown, because anything goes at a DW Gala). From introductions down a staircase a Southern Belle would fawn over, through the closing drink at the bar, the dancing and partying won't stop until the clock strikes midnight. So practice your bow, text your fairy godmother, and get ready to have a ball and help DiverseWorks raise funds for its programming season! Interested in purchasing a table or sponsoring the event, email Margaret Bott at mdbott@diverseworks.org or Tracey Morton at tracey@diverseworks.org or give us a call at 713.223.8346

*Purchase tickets to some of our upcoming performances!
Are you a performing arts lover? Need to get your love on? DiverseWorks has 2 great performances coming up in January and February! Get ready for the world premiere of Company Clare Dyson's The Voyeur! DiverseWorks is the only location in the entire country presenting this incredible installation/ dance performance by Australian choreographer of the year, Clare Dyson. Click HERE to learn more about The Voyeur as well as purchase tickets.

Purchase tickets to catch one of the country's most innovative musical groups, So Percussion. Collaborating with filmmaker Jennise Treuting, Brooklyn's So Percussion comes to Houston with Imaginary City, a music performance that captures the sounds and images of several cities emphasizing the uniqueness and commonalities between the various cities- from Treuting's home in Tokyo to the vast skies of Helena, MT; to the mountains of Denver, CO; through the heartland of Cleveland, OH and the New England landscape of Burlington, VT and to the urban jungle of Houston. Click HERE for more information or to purchase tickets to Imaginary City.

*Lend us your props for our next exhibition and performance!
Working for a non-profit, we often face challenges from time to time. Well...our latest challenge is furniture. Our upcoming exhibition The New Normal, requires furniture props as part of the installation. Plus, our performance The Voyeur requires props too!

The New Normal Exhibition Needs
January 4- February 23, 2010 (the length of time we will need these items)
Queen-size bed
desk with chair
some lamps
microwave

The Voyeur Performance Needs
January 15-January 26, 2010 (the length of time we will need these items)
Lounge chair
low stool
tall floor lamp
small desk lamp
small coffee table

If you can lend us these items, please email Jon Read at jread@diverseworks.org or call us 713.223.8346

The Wave of Activity is on the up and up

The Season is underway and now the wave of activity rises to fundraising and development. We are working day and night and would love to share this experience with one or two interns/students who are just dying to learn more about this most exciting and expanding professional field. CALL ME!! We’ll get you busy right away.

First on our agenda is the Annual Giving Fund that every non-profit organization wants and needs. This year, DW is offering a special gift to those who contribute. Just imagine walking into our facility and being able to see your name on one of the doors or windows or other place you select with the level of your donation! What is even more fun is to watch your friends grow green with envy when they see your name and know their name is not there. Oh, My! Send in your check – let us place your name for all to see.

Next, mark your calendars for the incomparable art gala – Debutantes Run Wild! What could be more fun than abandoning those pearls and white gowns to flaunt your wild side on Friday, Feb. 19th at The Bell Tower on 34th Street. Woo Hoo!

Get your table of friends together, come on down to DW one evening in January to learn to do the Texas Deep Bow from real debutantes. Then swing out at the gala and show your wild side. Could it be any more fun?! Oh yes, guess it can – artists we are honoring or no other than those wildly talented artist guys Dean Ruck and Dan Havel and one of our fav party girls Artist Molly Gochman!

If you want to know more about DiverseWorks fundraising events, just drop us a message on this blog or call me at (713) 223-8346, ext. 14.

Margaret (DeeDee) Bott
Development Director

It's about time...

Kerry the Intern Evans and Caren Shoup

It's about time...

For more to graduate! Woo-Hoo! And sometimes it felt like this day would never come.

I was actually supposed to graduate this past Spring, but just a few weeks before the end of the semester, I realized that I only needed 3 more classes to get my minor in Psychology. Being so close, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make it happen. And well, things worked out wonderfully, because had I not stayed an extra semester, I would not have interned at DiverseWorks!

Through my internship here, I discovered that PR is something I'd really like to pursue. I learned that whether I like it or not, social media (I'm talking to you, Twitter!) is a key player in ensuring you get the press and coverage so vital to your organization's success. I've still got a lot to learn, but I know what skills I need to attain or enhance in order to make it in the PR biz.

I'd like to say thank you to Shawna for taking me under her wing and for just being a really funny and cool lady. And of course thank you to the entire DiverseWorks staff ---this is truly a wonderful organization, and my experience here was both educational and rewarding!

-Kerry the Intern

Things that we are thankful for....

All of us at DiverseWorks would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you have a wonderful day with lots of good food, family and friends.

Here are the things that we are thankful for...

Diane Barber
I'm thankful to be living my life doing what I love surrounded by people that I love.
Oh, and I'm very thankful for Diet Coke.

DeeDee Bott
I am thankful for the many friends of DW who give us gifts even during this weakened economy.
I am thankful for the many friends of DW who place art at the top of their priority list.

Shawna Forney
I'm thankful for my friends, family, co-workers, and the people who enjoy DiverseWorks as much as I do.
I am thankful for my kick ass job at DiverseWorks and the people who make my work visible. All of the editors, art writers, bloggers and sponsors who continue to support DiverseWorks and feel that what we do is significant.

Tracey Morton
I’m thankful to be surrounded by so many awesome and caring people (from my co-workers who keep me sane in insane times, to my friends and family who love me and my craziness)
All the individuals who continue to support DiverseWorks as members

Jon Read
I am thankful that my arm is getting better and that I work with Shawna

Sixto Wagan
Thankful for: being part of artist’s creative process, and giving opportunities for them to dream big
The support we continue to earn by doing what we do best, and not asking us to be something else

Julia Wallace
I am thankful for space heaters and for the yes men.
and for dr. pepper.
and for paychecks and family/friends , i guess.
and i am super grateful for the missionary position.

Stephanie Atwood
I am hoping to be thankful for a gold star audit I am grateful for the hard work of the board and staff

Also, as a reminder, we are closed tomorrow, Friday, November 27th and our gallery will be open Saturday, November 28th from noon to 6pm! Make sure to stop by and check out our current exhibitions- Tierney Malone's Third Ward is My Harlem and flickerlounge - Lithuania and the Collapse of the USSR.

As a Thanksgiving treat, enjoy this short video from last week's ArtCrawl performance of Third Ward is My Harlem in the Sankofa Theater.

The Idea Fund: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Proposals

Note: The injuries in this blog are fictitious, however if you want to help ease the recovery, please become a member or donate to DiverseWorks!

I thought all the injuries had healed since the cancellation of the 1-ish K, but one trip on a couple of The Idea Fund packets brought the old pain back and it was just more than I could handle. The applications, oh the applications! How they came one by one, flooding my e-mail…but it a good way.

I’m glad to report that The Idea Fund (TIF) has received more than 160 applications for the second round; and as you can see that’s a lot (the photo above shows me being attacked by work samples, which were not harmed during the altercation. Me, I'll get over my fear of large envelopes some day). But I’m working away (with the help of DW Intern Rachel Toombs) and will definitely have everything ready for the panelist who will meet on December 7 to choose the awardees.

Here’s a little background on the three panelist:

Franklin Sirmans: Served as the modern and contemporary art curator for the Menil Collection for the past three year. Sirmans is leaving the arts organization to become department head and curator of contemporary art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Ron Berry: Founder and Artistic Director of the Fusebox Festival in Austin. Fuse Box is an idea engine. A space where artists and audiences can take risks, ask questions and explore ideas together, break rules, and blur boundaries. It is a platform for visionary works, unabashed play, and new ways of engaging with our world.

Courtney Fink: Executive director of Southern Exposure, a 30 year old non-profit arts organization that supports emerging artists, arts educators, and youth artists through exhibitions, education programs, and events in San Francisco. Southern Exposure runs a re-granting program called Alternative Exposure, which The Idea Fund was base on.

TIF will announce awardees in mid-December (please do not call to check the status of your application, you will be notified of the outcome as soon as it is determined), so keep your fingers crossed.

--Tracey

Please send Del's Lemonade...

Just the other weekend, I went to beautiful Providence, Rhode Island to attend the National Arts Marketing Project Conference! DiverseWorks was the featured organization for a marketing session called Quick, Cheap and Dirty: Developing an Inexpensive Marketing Plan. I was completely nervous as it was really my first time to present in front of my peers. Sara Kellner, the former Executive Director of DiverseWorks, and myself presented ways for other organizations to maximize their marketing dollars and existing staff to develop a down and dirty marketing plan. We used our marketing plan and marketing roundtable as examples to help others. We got a lot of fantastic feedback and a chance to let others know about the amazing people and community that have assisted DiverseWorks in making our marketing more effective. H-town Represent! Anyway, I wanted to share some of the highlights and adventures from my trip with you….

OMG! Google Ad Words. That's all I'm sayin... If you aren't familiar with Google Ad Words, you must learn about it NOW.

The plenary Luncheon with Rich Mintz was truly inspiring. He works for Blue State Digital and they did online pitches and marketing for Obama for America. He really touched upon fundraising for the campaign and some of the tactics to connect with your audience. Keeping promises and following through. Moments make your programs. Test Everything you can. Build Relationships. Online is everybody's job, even yours!

Nancy Hytone Leb. She was the fantastic moderator of my session and very supportive. I hope to remain in contact with her down the road. She is a marketing specialist, strategic consultant, development advisor and meeting facilitator and most excellent person.

Printing Money: Stretching your Collateral Budget. Wendy Hower Livingston (aka @Nashergirl) from the Nasher Museum of Art and Dewey Mooring discussed the ways that they slashed $80,000 from their marketing budget. Although I couldn't identify with that type of marketing budget ( I wish!), it was very interesting on how they refigured the marketing for a Museum. From what I learned in their session - cut down on the quantity of gallery guides, revise your marketing pieces, make sure you have a good printer, spend your money on the website. I also heard about their show: Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool going to the Contemporary Arts Museum and the importance of Dario Robleto's work to the Nasher. So cool!

Check out Dewey's blog. He does marketing for various arts organizations and you might find it helpful.

PROJECT AUDIENCE-
a pilot program that can develop and change the way we engage with audiences. Compared to sites such as Amazon and Yelp, audiences can recommend performances and exhibitions to others and review the show. Check out the site. http://www.projectaudience.org/

Also, I went to a roundtable discussion called the Ipatron: Audience Mobile Phone Trends and Study Results moderated by Ron Evans. WOW! I recently bought a smart phone and it's changed my life. This session was very cool. The results and the future of mobile phones are just crazy. Only a few arts organizations have taken the leap to creating an app for your phone or creating a website that is for mobile phone users. I think we will be seeing more and more of these things in the future. They have a great site too with lots of information. http://groupofminds.com/arts-marketing-articles

Last but not least, this isn't marketing related but if you get the opportunity to visit Providence, make sure you do 3 things.

1. Visit the RISD museum. A beautiful space and the coolest conference room EVER!

2. Eat dinner at Al Forno. Best meal of my life. Hands down! O-M-G!

3. Visit Waterfire. A tradition of the town and come on, THEY LIGHT THE RIVER ON FIRE!

Check out some of the pics from my trip.

Also, I want to make mention of these people. All of them in a big part (besides the staff of DiverseWorks) have shaped my marketing practices and were mentioned in our presentation. People like Lendre Kearns and Keith Gulla took the DiverseWorks staff on a marketing retreat to help us really evaluate what we were doing and we have since carried on that tradition. I'm so grateful to the participants of the 25th Anniversary Marketing Roundtable - Lindsay Kayser, Monica Danna, Matthew Wettergreen, Philip Beck, Kellye Sanford, Phillip Marshall, Tom So, David Cobb, Sarah Schellenberg, Tracey Morton and Jason McElwheenie. Thanks Everybody and Special Thanks to Sixto Wagan and Diane Barber for being so supportive, being free thinkers and not being afraid of change.

Shawna Forney
Public Relations & Marketing Manager
DiverseWorks

P.S. Please send me Del's Lemonade. I miss you sweet little delicious, natural, tasty lemonade from Rhode Island.

Mark your calendars!

Here's what's on my plate right now---I have started working with Shawna on a marketing plan for So Percussion's performance at DiverseWorks next year. I am very excited to be entrusted with such a project, which I know will double as a great opportunity to learn more about the world of PR.

I had never heard of So Percussion until a few weeks ago, but after reading up on them via their website, I must say I am quite intrigued. Below I posted a video from a past performance to give everyone an idea of what the So Percussion experience is all about.

-Kerry the intern

Day 3 - Now That I'm by Myself... I'm in a Video by Myself Contest

Due to inclement weather, Culture Collision has been canceled. And while the rain may have washed out the gathering at Bayou Bend, it hasn’t stopped our Now That I'm by Myself... I'm in a Video by Myself Contest... just changed it a little. Instead of coming by the DiverseWorks booth at Culture Collision to record your piece, please submit your piece to the Web (YouTube, blogger, whatever) and send a link to tracey@diverseworks.org. Be sure to put “Now That I'm by Myself... I'm in a Video by Myself Contest” in the subject of the e-mail. We have also extended the contest to Saturday, Oct. 24.

So take those great video ideas you were gonna bring on Tuesday, record ‘em and post ‘em on the Interweb and send a link to tracey@diverseworks.org for your chance to win a DiverseWorks goodie bag and a gift certificate for Correlli's !

--Tracey

Day 2- Now That I'm by Myself... I'm in a Video by Myself Contest

We really want you to come to Culture Collision on Tuesday, October 16th at Bayou Bend Collection & Gardens! The DiverseWorks staff has created 3 more videos to inspire you to come to our table and compete in Now That I'm by Myself... I'm in a Video by Myself Contest. The winner of the contest will be announced on October 22nd and will receive a gift certificate to Correlli's and a DiverseWorks goodie bag.











Shawna

p.s. Please make sure to come to Je me laver, Je regarde moi-même tomorrow at DiverseWorks! Rachel Cook has invited an amazing group of local and regional artists to discuss the use of self in video/performance work. Jenny Schlief, Erick Michaud and Robert Boland will be here! It starts at 11am. Audience participation is welcomed!

Now That I'm by Myself... I'm in a Video by Myself Contest

Inspired by our current exhibition, "Now that I'm by myself," she says, "I'm not by myself, which is good," DiverseWorks is hosting a contest for Culture Collision on Tuesday, October 13th from 6-8pm at the Bayou Bend Garden and Collections.

We are inviting people at Culture Collision to come and shoot a short video with our FLIP video cameras!

The Rules for the contest
*You have to be in the video by yourself
*Your video can be no longer than a minute

The winner of "Now That I'm by Myself... I'm in a Video by Myself Contest" will be selected by the DiverseWorks staff. The winner will be announced on October 22, 2009. Winning entry will be announced through the DiverseWorks website, email and blog.

Winner of "Now That I'm by Myself... I'm in a Video by Myself Contest" will receive a gift certificate to Correlli's and a DiverseWorks goodie bag.

Some of the DiverseWorks staff have created videos to inspire YOU to come to Culture Collision. Check them out....





Shawna

A Disaster Begins

Volunteers helping us with the installation of "Now That I'm By Myself..."

A Disaster Begins
We had our premiere performance of the 09-10 season this weekend! The piece, A Disaster Begins, dealt w/ a turn of the century writer's reaction to the hurricane that destroyed Galveston TX in 1900. The one-act/one woman play is rich in subtext, which addresses the upheaval in her personal life among other topics. Veanne Cox's acting was fantastic as she took the audience through this comical tragedy.

I am so glad we haven't had any hurricanes this season!!

We have lots coming up in the next few weeks and I'm recovering from my own disaster (stupid broken arm!!), so I'm going to need your help! This week I need painters to prep. The theatre for our next performance is Heaven, which runs Oct. 16 and 17th. And, Starting on Oct. 27th we begin the strike of "Now that I'm By Myself…"in the main gallery to make way for our next show, Third Ward is My Harlem, by Tierney Malone. So if you are available anytime in late Oct. to early Nov. let me know!

Contact Jon at: jread@diverseworks.org
Or call 713-223-8346

Just call me, grasshopper

Hello! My name is Kerry, and I am interning at DiverseWorks through the fall/winter. I am a student at the University of Houston- Downtown, earning my degree in Communications (and graduating this fall, FINALLY!). A few semesters ago, I took a Public Relations writing class and thought, "Hey, this could be for me!". My internship at DiverseWorks will definitely help me figure that out since I am working closely with the awesome Shawna Forney, the Public Relations & Marketing Manager for this wonderful organization.

Before I even started my internship Shawna drafted an itinerary, and I am very excited about all the things she has planned for me. I feel through my internship at DiverseWorks, I will attain a remarkable understanding of PR and how vital it is to an organization's success. In return, I hope that I prove to be a useful asset to DiverseWorks, and if I want to do that, I guess I better start by making Shawna happy and up my tweets on Twitter!!

So far, I have learned how essential it is for a non-profit such as DiverseWorks to get as much press coverage as possible, for it is key in sustaining their role within the art community, as well as their importance to the art community. I have also received a much needed tutorial in Photoshop and just recently, I overcame my fear of the paper cutter! Progress!

I am looking forward to the next few months and feel so lucky that I found an internship that will give me real hands-on experience, as well allow me to work with some really great people!

-Kerry Evans

(aka @brambleon)

Today's Weather: 73 degrees, Sunny. Outlook: Grim.

The Yes Men aren't known for subtlety. Case in point: this past Monday's spectacle involving the release of a "special edition" of the New York Post, distributed throughout Manhattan and online, focusing on the effects of climate change. Intended as a call to action, the elaborate (and very convincing) publication was accompanied by a group action in which co-conspirators donned absurd, climate controlled, inflatable suits, aptly named SurvivaBalls, for a "product demo" in the East River. This stunt, scheduled one day before the start of a United Nations joint session expected to focus heavily on climate change, landed yes man Andy Bichlbaum in jail.

It's an interesting time to be an artist in the United States. Coincidentally, this latest bit of performance art by The Yes Men just so happened to occur when the right vs. left cultural divide seems to be growing again. Could it be that the culture wars are heating up? I thought we were past all that but if you've been trolling the newsfeeds this week you might have noticed that everyone from relatively obscure bloggers to Sean Hannity to Glenn Beck seems to be sniffing around for some evidence of a national propaganda campaign orchestrated by the NEA in support of a radical left agenda. Insert eyeroll here.

Still, it's worth noting that The Yes Men seem to be in full recruitment mode. This Saturday in Liverpool they'll be taking their progressive training, brainwashing and indoctrination program (wink wink) across the pond as part of the Abandon Normal Devices festival. The workshop, "How to be a Yes Man," promises to expose the tricks of the political artist/activist trade as practiced by some of the boldest, brashest, wittiest, funniest, and most effective hellraisers the art world has ever seen. SIGN ME UP! Let's hope Andy is out of jail by then. Let's also hope I don't end up on some crazy watch list for attending something so, well, subversive.

DiverseWorks audiences may remember The Yes Men as part of Thought Crimes: The Art of Subversion, presented in the main gallery in 2005. They'll be returning to DiverseWorks in April for the retrospective exhibition Keep It Slick: Infiltrating Capitalism With The Yes Men. That is...if they can stay out of trouble that long.

Diane Barber
Co-Executive Director/Visual Arts Curator

Herding Cats & Giant Wedding Parties

"Now that I’m by myself," she says, "I'm not by myself, which is good" is the title to the upcoming exhibition that I curated, and it is a mouthful. Let’s start with some background. I pulled the title from an article in Fader magazine I read about Santi White or Santigold as she is known now. In the article she talks about the transition of going out on her own and performing solo instead of with her band. It jumped out at me as the perfect title to explain so many things, both personally for me, and this universal feeling of aloneness and not-aloneness that we are swinging in and out of constantly. I have always been drawn to phrases that you can pull apart the layers of meaning inside of them, and when taken out of context can become a signifier for a whole range of emotions.

In thinking about artists I wanted to include I went through a whole range of ideas and mediums. As I was filling the space in my head with potential works I realized it was becoming jumbled and was losing the sense of urgency and layers that the title had. Finally I settled on a smaller number of artists, four to be exact, and decided to have each artist show a number of works in the space. I was also struggling with the layout of the show. I wanted there to be a large sculptural element something specific and ambiguous at the same time. Then I realized maybe it could be just a platform or a stage that would serve as a viewing area and a central vantage point for the exhibit. I also realized the videos themselves would act as sculptural elements in the space. I never really thought about the show as medium specific, although it is primarily a video show with a conceptual connection between the works. I like to think of the artists in the show as placing table settings for a dinner party, and how each individual or rather each work will be talking to the work next to it or the one across the room.

Lately curating has felt a little like herding cats, or organizing a giant wedding party, but we are in the last week of installation and the most exciting part is when the space comes alive after each work has been placed and they get to talk to each other in the space. I get goose bumps on my arm thinking about it because the show itself has been inside my head for so long and finally it will all come out this Friday night, so come see for yourself!

-Rachel Cook
Curator of "Now that I’m by myself," she says, "I'm not by myself, which is good"


"Now that I’m by myself," she says, "I'm not by myself, which is good"
September 11-October 24, 2009
Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, Noon to 6pm.
Free Admission

DiverseWorks
1117 East Freeway
Houston, TX 77002
713.223.8346
www.diverseworks.org

New Season brings thoughts of last year

Was it just a year ago that Hurricane Ike made its presence felt? The floods, the devastation, the lack of electricity; the loss of homes and trees; lives forever changed...

I guess it was about two or three years ago in January when I saw a works-in-progress version of NY playwright Ain Gordon's "Storm Show" as it was called then. The changes Hurricane Katrina made on Houston's population and on the psyche of all living on the Gulf Coast were still very present for me, so of course I was interested in a work that was about the devastating hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900. I thought, that this could be a really great way to bring up so much that Katrina had stirred up - art inspired by history commenting on current issues, perfect. I didn't realize how relevant it would be.

"Storm Show" was scheduled to happen last year in partnership with Stages Repertory Theatre. Like many events last year, we had to reschedule, and so the world premiere for will happen October 1-3 at DiverseWorks. Looking back, I'm kinda glad that the show didn't happen last spring. My psychological and emotional state were still deeply affected by Ike. I don't think that I could have handled that show, or really participate in a dialogue that the show would have generated.

In a couple of weeks, Ain Gordon and the superstar actresss Veanne Cox will be coming to Houston to premiere the play, now called A Disaster Begins. I'm hoping that an entire year can help me realize how lucky I was. The devastation and havoc generated by Ike does not compare to the difficulties and devastation of the 1900 hurricane. But I believe that the play will be a springboard to talk about many other similarities of the times - an era of "change" fills the air, a lurid fascination with disaster and spectacle, a time of rebuilding.

I hope that y'all can join us October 1 - 3 at DiverseWorks to see one of the shows. I hope that we can have a talk-back or discussion after the show where we can address some of the conditions that we have faced in the past year, and some of the other ideas generated from the play.

Also, many of you attended Jonah Bokaer's Invention of Minus One, the first event of last year's performing season. He performed DW's stage and the docks across the way, and this year he's the featured choreographer in a NYTimes Magazine photo spread that starts the fall season. There's also a video.

I'll be posting more about the upcoming Performing Arts Season soon.
-Sixto

Volunteers needed at DW!

DiverseWorks is gearing up for its 2009-2010 and we need your help! If you have always wanted to volunteer at DW, now is a great time. Volunteers always have a lot of fun helping out at our events, and you can, too!

Here is just a short list of volunteering duties:
*Installing art for exhibitions (working up-close and personal with artists)
*Serving drinks at our bar
*Talking to patrons about becoming a DW members
*Answering patrons’ questions about the exhibition and facilities

So come on and join in on the fun. To learn more about volunteering, please contact Tracey Morton at tracey@diverseworks.org or 713-223-8346.

Hope to see you at DW soon!!

--Tracey

Houston Press 2009 Awards

Hey Everybody! It's that time again! The Houston Press Best of Houston Awards 2009! Please vote for DiverseWorks! We have 3 potential categories- Best Art Gallery, Best Art Show and Best Dance Performance. In the poll, there are no suggestions- just fill in the blank. We have provided you with some suggestions from this last year's season. (All being DiverseWorks related, of course!). Please, pass it on to your friends!

http://polls.houstonpress.com/polls/hou/bestof2009/

best art gallery
DiverseWorks

Best art show ( so hard to decide...but pick one!)
Understanding Poverty, Curated by Clint Willour, Photography by Ben Tecumseh DeSoto and Words by Ann Walton Seiber

Thrive-Curated by Mary Ross Taylor, featuring …Mary Jenewein, Kelli Vance, Lauren Kelley, Rachel Hecker, Elia Arce, Laura Bennett, Ellen Berman, Suzanne Bloom, Joanne Brigham, Kathy Hall, Roberta Harris, Charles Mary Kubricht, Lynn Randolph, Debra Rueb, Toby Topek, Kelli Vance, Dee Wolff

House of Mind - Pat Graney Company

Solution- Curated by Janet Phelps featuring Christopher K. Ho, Nina Katchadourian, My Barbarian, Michael Waugh, Jeffrey Gibson, Jeanine Oleson, Joseph Smolinski

New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch - Organized by Austin Museum of Art, Featuring Yoon Cho, Meggie Chou, Ali Fitzgerald, Alyson Fox, Buster Graybill, Jules Buck Jones, Baseera Khan, Andrew Long, Kurt Mueller, Museum of Natural Artificial Ephemerata, Jill Pangallo, Scott Proctor, Matthew Rodriguez, Shawn Smith, Xochi Solis, Sarah Sudhoff, Raymond Uhlir, Stephanie Wagner, Rebecca Ward, Eric Zimmerman

$TIMULUS- Artadia Awardess of 2008: featuring Katrina Moorhead, Katy Heinlein, Floyd Newsum, Stephanie Toppin, Delilah Montoya, Lynne McCabe, Lauren Kelley, Dawolu Jabari Anderson, Mequitta Ahuja, El Franco Lee II

best dance performance

The Invention of Minus One - Jonah Bokaer

House of Mind - Pat Graney

The Convenient Woman- Teresa Chapman & Leslie Scates

Thanks so much for your support!! DiverseWorks Loves you!!

Lila Kanner of Artadia talks...

Above Pic: $TIMULUS opening reception! From left to right, BACK ROW: Floyd Newsum, Lynne McCabe, Katrina Moorhead, Ute Zimmerman FRONT ROW: Stephanie Toppin, Lauren Kelley, Delilah Montoya, Katy Heinlein, Diane Barber, Lila Kanner and Dawolu Jabari Anderson and son.


We are very honored to work with formidable DiverseWorks to present the third exhibition of Artadia Houston awardees. It’s a great pleasure to work with the entire fabulous DiverseWorks team and we think the show $TIMULUS is really terrific and note worthy for the great breadth of the work in the show, and the range of styles and perspectives shared by the artists on view.

It’s been wonderful to read the positive press the show has received so far, and we hope everyone will make time in their busy summer schedule to check out $TIMULUS before it closes on Saturday, August 15th.

Diane and I dreamed up the show title together one afternoon this spring– we were trying to find the right tone to bring needed attention to the artists’ exciting work, the awards program with Artadia, and also appropriately nod to the current economic crisis and how important funding is for the arts – now more than ever.

Working with DiveseWorks for more than five years has been a great privilege and we’re looking forward to a bright future of collaborating more together in 2010 and beyond. Thanks for reading … and GO SEE THE SHOW BEFORE AUGUST 15th!

Positive Press for $TIMULUS...

Read Douglas Britt's article from The Houston Chronicle.

Listen to a radio interview of Stephanie Toppin & Katy Heinlein on KUHF's (88.7FM) The Front Row with Bob Stephenson.

Read Nancy Wozny's interview with Floyd Newsum on 29-95.


-Lila Kanner
Executive Director
Artadia: The Fund for Art and Dialogue
http://www.artadia.org/

From the desk of DeeDee Bott....

Above Image: The crowd at Luck of the Draw 8: When Art Attacks!

We are still excited about the fantastic art all those who partied at our Summer Auction Luck of the Draw: When Art Attacks took home with them. The party was hot – isn’t it always in July in Houston – but the haute crowd was the best ever and they clamored for the art, the Dripping Springs Vodka, Cullinaire Catering’s Mexican treats and the yummy trays from Whole Foods. Oh my, we really thank each of you who were sponsors, who came to the party and bid. All together, you made a great summer for DiverseWorks.

Since fun and entertainment wrapped around art, artists, collectors and friends is the spirit of DiverseWorks, we could not wait too long before heading off toward another event. Mark your calendars now for Saturday, September 26th from 11am to 1pm. when Discovery Green Park, under the imaginative direction of DiverseWorks will be transformed into the 1 (ish) K: Xtreme Meander & Paint-A-Thon.


Above Image: Last year's 1(ish)K at DiverseWorks

We will all take a laid-back walk along the Bill and Andrea White Promenade in the the 1 (ish) K: Xtreme Meander. Elite and Masters Level competitors will scramble across the demanding one-kilometer (or so) course in a test of strength and endurance to raise money and awareness for the non-profit art center, DiverseWorks. As well, each team can also create a piece of art with the help of one of Houston’s favorite artists during the Paint-A-Thon.

We’ll have prizes for costumes, and foto-finishes and there will be rehydration stations filled with sweet treats and spirits. Let us know and we’ll send you a list of sponsor benefits. Remember, a team of 40 can sign up at the same time and get their tickets for $40 instead of $50 for individual tickets.

See you in September.
DeeDee

Lazy days of summer best spent at DW

First of all, the DiverseWorks staff and I would like to thank everyone who came to our Summer Auction (Luck of the Draw 8: When Art Attacks!) and the $TIMULUS opening! Both events were really great and we appreciate all the support.

We are busily working on our upcoming 2009-2010 season, and are trying to take a small break during the month of July (our offices are closed Mondays and Tuesdays until Aug. 3). So if you are on summer vacay and need a place to get away from the Houston heat, drop by DW as see our latest visual arts exhibition: $TIMULUS . It’ll be up until Saturday, Aug. 15. (Our gallery hours are the same, Wednesday-Saturday, noon-6p.m.)

Also, if you are a current DW member and Trekkie, please RSVP for Aurora Picture Show’s event, Not So Final Frontier , this Saturday, July 25, at 7p.m.

Have a great summer and hope to see you soon!!

--Tracey

$timulus artists featured on 29-95.com

Read Floyd Newsum's interview on 29-95. Come see his work and the work of the other recent Artadia awardees at the opening this Friday, 6-8pm.

Summer Auction Deal To Die For

Have you been dragging your feet like a zombie about buying your Luck of the Draw Art Chance ticket? Well, good for you because starting today (June 18), if you buy an Art Chance either at the $125 or $250 level online, you will receive an invitation to the Summer Auction Preview Party, Tuesday, June 30. This means you will be one of the first people to scope out the art selection (including this awesome piece right here) before anyone else. Plus if you purchase your tickets now you won’t have to wait outside in the heat to purchase your tickets at the door.

This offer is valid from Thursday, June 18 to Thursday, June 25. When you purchase before June 24th 25th, you will receive an invite to the preview party through e-mail so please make sure to check your e-mail. For more details, please contact Tracey Morton at 713.223.8346 or tracey@diverseworks.org.

20 to Watch: Yoon Cho

Check out this video on Yoon Cho, one of the 20 to Watch that opens this Friday.

20 to Watch: Meggie Chou

check out the video on Meggie Chou, one of the 20 to Watch, which opens at DiverseWorks on Friday. Opening is from 6 - 8 pm on May 1.

Culture Cocktails at Beaver's

We had an amazing turnout at the Culture Cocktails event at Beaver’s last night (Thanks to the gang at Beaver’s and Spacetaker). If you came out and joined us, thanks so much for supporting DiverseWorks! No only did we have some really great food and drink specials, we also raffled off some great prizes.

If you were unable to join us at last night, no worries; just be sure to drop by DW next Friday (May 1) between 6 and 8 p.m. as we host an opening reception for our latest visual arts exhibit: New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch.

Hope to see ya there!!

--Tracey

More Love and Happy Thoughts on Leigh Boone....

Leigh Boone and Rachel Hewlett at the Understanding Poverty Opening Reception on Friday, September 19, 2008

A little less than a year ago, DiverseWorks was invited by Houston Center of Photography Director Madeline Yale to collaborate on SPIN, an annual event hosted by HCP in partnership with other Houston arts organizations. Planning meetings for SPIN were always fun and involved lunch--punctuated with heavy doses of laughter--over at HCP with Madeline and staffers Leigh Boone, Rachel Hewlett, Jason Dibley, and Katherine Yzaguirre. Leigh was the Martha Stewart of the bunch (I’m sure she’d freak out at that comparison but its true) and it wasn’t unusual for her to contribute some delicious, homemade something-or-other to the meal that she had made that same morning. It was impressive! And Leigh was so organized! We joked about her “Event Flow action chart” that laid out every task to be done on the day of the event. My favorite line item was: 12:45pm – Clear gallery floors for deep clean at 1pm – ALL HANDS ON DECK. I actually called her at 12:45 that day to tease her a little bit and ask her if she was on task. Of course she was and we had a good laugh. My interactions with Leigh always left me energized, inspired, and really grateful to have a job that allowed me to consistently work with such incredible people and have so much fun doing it.

Madeline, Leigh, Rachel and Jason were a team in the truest sense of the word and it was clear to me that they all shared a respect and affection for one another that extended far beyond the walls of HCP. In fact, HCP was often represented in pairs around town. Leigh and Rachel typically made the rounds together. I remember a particular visit they paid to DiverseWorks to attend our re-scheduled season opener a week after hurricane Ike hit Houston. I was nervous that attendance would be low and that the mood would be impacted by the trauma of the previous week. Rachel and Leigh showed up early with their wide smiles and contagious laughter and set the tone for what turned out to be a wonderful night.

Leigh's death has hit us all particularly hard. It's impossible to make sense of the fact that an amazing young woman with so much ahead of her can be so suddenly and tragically taken away. No one can ever say though that Leigh didn't leave her mark on everything and everyone she came in contact with. She was beautiful and funny and warm and powerful and talented in so many ways and she leaves behind a long list of family members, friends, co-workers and colleagues who will forever remember the way she could light up a room. All of us have lost much with the passing of Leigh Bess Boone. May she rest well and know that she was loved and admired. And she will be missed.

Diane Barber
Co-Executive Director & Visual Arts Curator
DiverseWorks

Yo Quiero Fresh Art @ DiverseWorks

The last few weeks have been really crazy, Michelle Ellsworth's The Objectification of Things, The FireSale Gala and I just wanted to make a quick mention about the Happy Hour that we had a few weeks ago.

The Fresh Arts Happy Hour, Yo Quiero Fresh Art, came and went but it was a fantastic time! Lots of new faces were here at DiverseWorks as well as many long time supporters of the Houston Arts Community!

I had the pleasure of meeting Mary Vaughan, the new Public Relations Coordinator at Talento Bilingue de Houston, Kristy Phillips from Emperial, Lori Freese from Freese Media Group and lots more.

It was great to see Sean Boyd from Opera in the Heights, Lindsay Kayser from Mercury Baroque, Leigh from Dominic Walsh, Crystal Benavides and Jerome Vielman from the Houston Arts Alliance, Jennifer Decker from Mildred's Umbrella, Meredith from Broadway Across America, David Lake, John Devine, Jenni Rebecca Stephenson from Spacetaker, Amber Raley from KTRU, David Tong, Jennifer Watson, Karen Niemier and Erin Nies.

Plus, Angie Smith talked to me about a new website for artists that will be launching soon. Stay tuned for more details!

In case you missed the event, here is a little recap...

Here are some pics taken by EMG Images
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emgimages/sets/72157615832812944/

Plus, here is the performance of Michelle Ellsworth at the Happy Hour!


Special Thanks to Mandy Graessle, Executive Director of the Fresh Arts Coalition! She put together a fantastic event! I know she couldn't have done it without the help of Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Zapp's, Dish Houston, Tequila Distinguido, Houston Modern Luxury, and EMG Images.

Make sure to check out what's happening at Fresh Arts!
http://www.fresharts.org/main.asp

Shawna Forney

A nurtured soul gives DW Gala

My first experience with any form of charitable donations was selling Girl Scout cookies as a child. My girlfriend and I would jump on our bikes and go door-to-door, spitting out the same lines over and over to every person that would listen. We had it all planned out, every question answered, every smile choreographed…we had our game faces on! We had a number of instances where we stood with a shut door in our faces, and an often gentle “no thank you”. In those times, it didn’t faze us; we’d jump right back on and head to the next door. Being from the neighborhood I was from it took many doors knocked on till we found our first donation. Not too many people could afford the many amounts of cookies we aspired to sell. Nonetheless we managed to be top sellers in our troop, and had plenty of extra cookies to give to those “that might buy next year,” in hopes that they truly would.

Now co-chairing a charity gala for the first time, for Diverseworks, I’m knocking on people’s doors asking for surprisingly the same thing. Instead of donations for cookies, I’m asking for donations for nurtured souls. One of the first meetings we had with the gala committee, we all sat brainstorming, learning where each of us could really contribute. One of the questions that came up was “What makes Diverseworks what it is today?” The best answer, and one that has kept ringing in my brain every time I ask someone to give of themselves for this gala, came from DeeDee: “We nurture souls.” From that moment I really felt like I was in the right place. A place, where no question is dumb, no idea is absurd, no thought is stupid, and no answer is wrong. As a dancer myself, had someone not given me the opportunity, the tools, and a venue to showcase it all in, I would not be the ‘nurtured soul’ I am today. That is exactly what I said when I confronted Rockets star player, Dikembe Mutombo to donate a “star date” with him. In talking to him about all his charitable involvements, he has helped fuel me to knock on another door.

The gang at Diverseworks has shown me the power of an opportunity. I’m so thankful for the opportunity they have given me in co-chairing my first charity event. I’ve learned how hard it is to ask someone to give in such a trying economic environment. But I’ve also learned how rewarding it is to hear stories of how Diverseworks has marked someone’s life, and the absolute sincerity in their voice in, “How can help, what can I do, how much do you need?” It has given me the chance to help give back my opportunity, and nurture another artistic soul.

Call for Compost

Please contribute compost for Monumental Compost Heap, an artwork by Christopher K. Ho for our next exhibition, Solution. Feel free to bring garden compost to the opening reception of Solution or to DiverseWorks during gallery hours, Wed.- Sat. , Noon to 6pm, March 6 - April 18, 2009! For more information on this project, please contact Diane Barber at 713.223.8346 or dbarber@diverseworks.org

Monumental Compost Heap, a compost heap with a perimeter made of recycled pallets, the footprint of which recalls the Sam Houston equestrian statue at Hermann Park. 

Marlo the Intern

At the beginning of January this year, I was faced with a tough challenge: finding an internship in one week that significantly relates to my future career goals. I am only a senior in high school, but I knew since age 4 or 5 what I wanted to be.

My grade depended on finding this internship, but I felt that finding an internship that was worthy of my time was a higher priority than my grade. Alas, I set out on my extensive search, not knowing nearly the vastness of opportunity I was getting myself into.

To put myself into context for you, I live in the suburbs, born and raised on the East edge of Katy—a spread of cookie-cutter neighborhoods that used to be nothing but a giant field less than 20 years ago. Sure, I figured I knew what Houston had to offer, I mean, my mailing address says I live in Houston; I had been downtown a time or two more than most people at my 2,000-student, windowless public school, but to say the least, my eyes had been sewn shut by my conservative residential life for the first seventeen years of my life. I chose to take this “Professional Advancement through Career Education” class through Miller Career Center because I knew it was time for me to be released.

Once I began looking for a gallery to intern at, I was utterly astounded at the magnitude of art and art-related organizations, galleries, societies, and businesses in Houston that I never knew existed. After blindly sending out about 80 emails to begin my task, I started making visits to this master list of galleries that I had compiled (this process is still ongoing; I hope to visit them all by the end of the year). DW caught my eye right away, & I arranged an interview with Tracey one weekend during a Craft Attack. I instantly fell in love with the people and the atmosphere there, and suddenly my great search didn’t seem so hard at all. I had liked other galleries I visited, but with DW, I felt a greater sense of belonging and everything just seemed to fall into place.



-Marlo Weekley 02/26/09

Scott Turner Schofield on House of Mind

Hey again y'all,

I write you from the couch in Pat Graney's House of Mind, which is also running here at DiverseWorks. I feel so at home...

If you haven't seen House of Mind, it is an arresting work of art. You walk in to (award winning choreographer) Pat Graney's mind, in the shape of a home constructed just for the space here at DiverseWorks. I call the piece "arresting" because every time I walk through its space on the way to the theater, I am stopped by the feeling of home that runs so thick through the place. It could be my home, but I know it is not my mind or my memories. I want to stay in the beautiful lighting, lounge on the comfy couch, listen to childhood memories and look up the skirts (remember going department store shopping with mom...?) I love how art finds the most basic sites of connection inside every viewer.

Pat Graney is also directly responsible for my show, Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps. I met Pat in 2005 at the National Performance Network Annual Meeting. She offered to mentor me for three years, to show me the ropes of being and becoming a professional artist with a lifelong career. I only hope to emulate Pat's process and success. The Pat Graney Company spearheaded the effort to commission Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps, bringing in Sixto from DiverseWorks and Melissa from 7 Stages to support it, too.

It feels so very right to give my show its Texas premier here among Pat's things. I hope you will come through Pat's House of Mind to my Fort of Gender this Friday and Saturday. All you need to bring is yourself, Pat and I will do the rest.

Hope to see you!
Scott Turner Schofield

--
Scott Turner Schofield
www.undergroundtransit.com

A Message from Scott Turner Schofield

I'm having such a great time here in Houston!! Thanks to DiverseWorks' former intern Julia, I have been speaking over at the University of Houston every day.

Tuesday I spoke to the Arts majors about being a professional artist, and we did a workshop on making performance for social change. They inspired me with their sculpture and their visual approach to telling stories...I'm just so wordy. The coolest part about it was sharing my process: I educated them about the difference between sex, gender, and sexual orientation (and they educated me with the many unique words Houston has for those concepts...!), but the connection between the raw materials of my work (theory & experience) and theirs (materials) and how they all come together as art was clear and easy.

Wednesday I had the privilege of speaking to the first LGBT Studies class in Texas! Even cooler, two other professors brought their students to pack the classroom. I love teaching Trans 101 at colleges: students are so interested to learn about new concepts, especially when it's a real person and a real, everyday experience that they may have never encountered before. I guess that's what college is for.

Tonight I will be speaking with GLOBAL, U of H's LGBT and Allies student group. More on that to come.

Sixto and I talked last night about how my work has so much education in it, but still manages to be good art. I don't want you to think that you're going to hear a lecture at my show...far from it. There's better lighting and nudity...oh, and aerial acrobatics. The greatest accolades I have heard about this show from its audiences have been 1) that they feel connected to a transgender story through their own experience of being a man or a woman; and 2) that they could listen to the stories all night. Sorry, there are 127 stories, but you only get 8 or 10 in a night. Of course, you can come back a second time to hear even more....

I hope to see y'all very soon!

Scott Turner Schofield
http://www.undergroundtransit.com/

House of Mind. House of Mind.

House of Mind. House of Mind.

Memories: What are they really? a collection of passed experiences or the very elements of the soul? How do we process this "stuff"? What happens when these flickers of existence begin to fade? Would we even know or feel the lack? And most importantly, what happens when you make large scale, multi-media performance out of the idea of memory loss at Houston's coolest art space?

Answer: I get busy...

This feels like the biggest thing we have ever done, and if you are familiar with DIVERSEWORKS you know what a bold statement this is (everything w/ do is ambitious.). We have broken our own rules this time. The Pat Garney's Company has taken over the entire building, using the gallery as a stage and the theatre as a gallery (sort of...) Here is a basic breakdown:

2 tons of sand
10,000 books
1,000,000 buttons (well, maybe not that many.) 100's of miniatures 1000 ft of cable A bunch of state of the art stuff that I couldn't begin to understand.
An arsenal of glue guns, drills, and saws And the best crew that I've ever had the privilege of working with!

Anyway. YOU SHOULD come check this out!!

- Jon Read

The storm before the show

Traditional there is calm before a storm, but the flurry activity surrounding the production of Pat Graney’s House of Mind has me forgetting what calm felt like.

The Graney crew, and DW staff, volunteers and interns (and you know who you are) have really been working their butts off to bring House of Mind to life. In case you haven’t heard, Pat has taken over the entire DW space with her visual/performing arts gem. I’m not kidding. The hallway to my office is even in the act.

Reservations for the performances, Jan. 30 & 31 and Feb. 5-7, have been quickly filling up. (Hint, hint: If you want to see this awesome show, get your reservation in today –713-335-3445)! And tonight, we are going into to overdrive to make sure everything is in top shape for the press preview/3D event.

Wanna know just how expansive and impressive this show is?...Come check it out for yourself.

--Tracey

Idea Fund annouces 2009 Grantees

I hope everyone had a great holiday and a Happy New Year.

On Monday, Jan. 5, 2009, The Idea Fund panelists gathered to select grantees for the 2009 The Idea Fund grant (a re-granting program that awards projects exemplifying unconventional artistic practices that fall outside the traditional frameworks of support). It was a difficult task, but the panel of 6 (Diane Barber – DiverseWorks; Long Chu – Writers in the Schools; Ashley Clemmer Hoffman – Project Row Houses; Mary LeClere – Glassell School of Art, MFAH; Mary Magsamen – Aurora Picture Show; Sixto Wagan – DiverseWorks) were able to pick 10 out of 127 proposals.

“The caliber of the projects submitted for this first year of The Idea Fund confirmed what we already knew: we have an extraordinary wealth of talent and creativity in Houston,” said Diane Barber, Idea Fund panelist and Co-Executive Director of DiverseWorks ArtSpace. “The Idea Fund is structured to provide artists with quick access to substantial financial support for projects that might not otherwise have access to funding. DiverseWorks, Aurora Picture Show and Project Row Houses have always recognized the impact that projects of this nature have on the city’s arts ecology and we are confident that the range and ingenuity represented in the 10 projects selected for funding this year will help to make 2009 a year for artistic firsts in Houston. We’re eager to see the projects realized.”

Here are the award recipients and a short description of their proposals:

Kevin Curry: Curry is a nationally-exhibited artist who was raised overseas (Puerto Rico, South Africa, Australia) and exposed to multiple countries and cultures. His proposal, Housewarming, consists of an oversized quilt that will cover a house in Houston, metaphorically and physically embracing of the present by the past.

Mary Margaret Hansen: A visual artist who favors photography, Hansen has had work shown at FotoFest and is a community leader serving as a board member and committee chairperson for American Leadership Forum. Her project titled Second Seating will be an installation creating fantasy dinner tables from a variety of products manufactured in or shipped from Houston’s East End.

Kara Hearn: Hearn is an interdisciplinary artist who is currently in her second year as a Core Fellow at the Glassell School of Art at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. She plans to create a 30-minute narrative video that is based on the dreams and nightmares adults have had about being in high school.

J. Hill: A multidisciplinary artist, Hill participates in traditional gallery exhibits and community-based projects using various materials and strategies. Hill’s The Welcome Wagon will be a dynamic setting for collecting and distributing local culture consisting of a bicycle with a specially outfitted trailer reminiscent of a common cottage porch.

Ayanna Jolivet McCloud: McCloud acts as an artist, curator and collaborator on a range of projects. Her exhibition, Screwed Anthologies, will be a disjointed mix of videos and sound art inspired by “chopped and screwed” music.
more


Cody Ledvina and Brian Rod: Ledvina and Rod plan to use the funding to continue a project they started in March 2007,The Joanna, an experimental exhibition space created as an open platform for emerging artists and curators.

Benjamin Mason: Benjamin Mason is a Houston-based artist who helped start Workshop Houston, a non-profit that offers creative, technical and academic resources to youth in the Third Ward. His project will be to create an art space within a King's Market stall aimed at bringing art into a more accessible and comfortable place.

Zach Moser: Born and raised in the Bayou City, Moser plans to construct a series of small sailboats with students to be sailed and rowed throughout public waters in Houston

Kelly Pike, Sasha Dela and Kara Hearn: This collaborative of filmmakers will be applying the funds to launch the inaugural issue of The Buffet, a DVD publication sourcing Houston artists to create a portrait of where they find themselves now as Houstonians, artists, Americans, a community.

Ariane Roesch and Sasha Dela: Acting as co-directors, this duo will use the funding for SKYDIVE, a collection of exhibition space, The Free School for the Arts and an online venue of writing and Web-based projects.

Congrats to all the grantees and thanks to all the applicants for making The Idea Fund a great success!

*Note: The Idea Fund will be awarding grants for 2009-2010 so keep dreaming up those awesome ideas!


--Tracey