THE REAL DIRT

VIVA LE ARTE!

2011-06-14T17:28:00.004-05:00

Friends:

We stand here today at a time when the quality of art on our walls is at its lowest.

We have been convinced our walls cannot be adorned with good art by original artists. We have been led to believe original art is only the hobby of the rich and powerful. We have been forced to settle for the likes of Thomas Kinkade and the ubiquitous liquor bottle prints of Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Do we really want THIS hanging on our walls?

NO!

Do we want our walls to be homages to our love of wine?

NO!

IT'S TIME FOR A REVOLUTION!

I refuse to accept these ideals anymore, and I ask you today to join me and my co-conspirator Karen Niemeier, as we take back our walls from the oppression of the Declasse!

Join us Wednesday, June 22 at DiverseWorks, the ground zero of great art appreciation in Houston for Luck of the Draw X: REVOLUTION! #LOTDX

Art will be made available to dedicated rebels who join the cause for the low cost of $125. As your dedicated leaders, Karen and I will carefully choose each of you to choose a new piece of art for your walls. Of course, you will need to throw (down) a couple of Molotov Cocktails before you can be chosen for this great honor.

Our walls have languished long enough. The time is NOW to adorn them with REAL art by REAL artists!

The Art REVOLUTION will be Diversified!

VIVA LE ARTE!

Michael Coppens
Co-Chair, Luck of the Draw X! Revolution!

Add Art To Your Life

2011-06-03T10:48:00.008-05:00

Original artworks are the products of brilliant and focused minds and are powerful markers of time and space.

So… if you haven't started already, you're going to want to begin adding art to your life.

A good way to start collecting art is by spending about the same amount you would on a nice dinner. That way, you can always fall back on the fact that while the meal would be gone, the artwork is yours to keep and enjoy.

Once you've done this a few times, you'll discover your own reasons for continuing to acquire and collect art. Your motives will evolve and your tastes will be refined through experience and education while a personal story emerges based on the decisions you make.

You'll also see how the artwork you own becomes a part of your daily routine and adds to your life in unexpected ways. As you make your coffee in the morning, you will spend a minute or so with that painting, it's active brushwork complementing the caffeine. While you get dressed, that carefully constructed drawing will mimic the care with which you pair a shirt with your pants. As you check the time and grab your keys, that lovingly crafted work on paper will see you out the door to face the day's challenges.

Truth is that most commercial galleries don't offer too many original works of art for the price of a dinner, but wait… wait for it...

Come to the DiverseWorks' Luck of the Draw Auction! For around $100, you'll not only go home with an original artwork, but you'll be supporting Houston's vibrant art scene and also enjoy a great party. See you there!

Bryan Miller, Bryan Miller Gallery

Luck of the Draw X! Revolution! Host Committee

p.s. Art chance tickets are $100 until June 6. After that date, the price goes up to $125.

Above image is artwork by Tierney Malone. This piece will be part of the Luck of the Draw X! Revolution! Blind Auction.

It is Luck of the Draw

2011-05-27T14:10:00.015-05:00

OUR LUCK OF THE DRAW ART COLLECTION

I’m a somewhat lucky girl married to a very lucky guy. So lucky is my guy, that over the years we have developed a stellar collection of art straight from the Luck of the Draw summer auction at DiverseWorks. I’m lucky to be the public relations consultant for DiverseWorks, so husband Tommy is the art scout and stalker. I work the event. He scores the art.

Here are the artful results:

Early on, somehow this beautiful Christopher French piece was left on the gallery wall when the auctioneer randomly called our number. It lives in our family room and is appreciated daily.

Tommy got crazy lucky one year and scored two works by our good friend David McGee.

Both of these elegant pencil drawings, acquired in different years, balance each other on separate walls in the same room. I love them both.

Last year I went BIG. I saw this Ryan Geiger work in the Blind Auction and had to bid on it. This time I got lucky. I look at this beautiful painting every morning as I sip my coffee.

So when I look around my house I remember the crazy parties, the tense atmosphere and the joy of securing a piece of art that you were desperately hoping no one else got before you.

It is the Luck of the Draw – random, frustrating and fun.

See you at DiverseWorks on June 22, 6:30 p.m. But please leave Tommy alone – he’s got work to do – for us.

-Susan Schmaeling

Art works from top to bottom:

Top-Christopher French

Middle-David McGee

Bottom-Ryan Geiger

A trip down memory lane

2011-04-27T14:11:00.003-05:00

To say DiverseWorks is busy would be an understatement. We are gearing up an action-packed weekend with This Is Displacement, Thank-You Bar, Blackfish and Low Lives. But before all that happens, DiverseWorks would like to take you down memory lane with some highlights from our Gala!

The 2011 Gala was themed Retail Therapy and took place in the food court of the Shops at Houston Center (That’s right a party in a mall!) on Saturday, April 2. Everyone had a great time as the bid on awesome packages, ate wonderful food, drank quenching libations and was entertained by Jane Weiner and Hope Stone’s performance of The Cooking Show and the band Thunderpants.

Just how much fun was it…check out these videos!

DW would like to say thanks to all our underwriters, supporters, vendors, patrons and volunteers who helps us have a successful and fun Gala!

And we hope to see you at our next fundraiser: Luck of the Draw X: Revolution!

--Tracey

This is Displacement: Where it began...

2011-04-22T15:12:00.002-05:00

Emily and I met as co-workers at a very quaint and charming Native-owned, independent bookstore in Minneapolis called Birchbark Books. We quickly became friends and took an interest in each other's work. Back in 2009, she told me about her dance performance, The Thank-you Bar and her idea to put together an art exhibit as a companion piece to her performance's premiere at Out North Contemporary Art House of Anchorage in October 2009. We did fundraising that spring, but since we had such a limited amount of time to develop the exhibit and to look for funds, the original THIS IS DISPLACEMENT reflected that. It was quite small, but it had a big impact. The audience appreciated the experience of getting to view an art exhibit before being led into a theater to watch the performance. Most people seemed genuinely interested, some people said that they've never seen anything like it, and one person even said that it was the greatest art exhibit he had ever seen. At some point, other venues that were presenting The Thank-you Bar also became interested in the exhibit. All the encouragement and enthusiasm seemed to be prompting us to put the show on the road. Of course, that is what we decided to do, but first we thought is was important to expand the exhibit. We did another call for artists, and we also added a film program. At those venues that have the capacity, we are able to show THIS IS DISPLACEMENT as originally intended: in conjunction with The Thank-you Bar. In addition, we found places to show the exhibit independently.

At some point throughout this process, we became enthralled with the idea of a THIS IS DISPLACEMENT exhibit catalog. We really felt that it was important to have some sort of lasting memento of this amazing exhibit, not only for our own satisfaction, but for the benefit of those who never got to see the exhibit or for those people who love the exhibit so much that they'd like to be able to see it any time they want. Aside from the catalog's role to document and reflect upon the exhibit, the catalog has an additional element: it will also have a multi-lingual text as next to most artists' statements, there will be a translation into their Native languages. By doing so, we are encouraging the use of these languages and their revitalization. We are also redressing the effects of colonization, which displaced many Native American peoples from their cultures and languages. We are currently in the process of creating a color catalog that will include images of the artwork, film stills, a statement from each artist, and additional writing, which will be released in June 2011. Please visit us at our websites to learn more www.catalystdance.com and www.carolynleeanderson.com.

Carolyn Lee Anderson

Co-curator of THIS IS DISPLACEMENT

(above pic is Carolyn Lee

RETAIL THERAPY: Silent Auction

2011-03-17T14:53:00.005-05:00

On Tuesday, I met up with our fabulous Gala Silent Auction chairs Ana Abud and Stephen Hill to get the scoop on this year's silent auction. We have some fantastic items that could be yours if you place the highest bid...

Go local with Chef Monica Pope Gift Certificate. Four guests come to the Saturday morning Midtown Farmers Market at T'Afia, have breakfast with Chef Monica Pope, attend Monica's Green Plum Cooking School class and receive some of the Green Plum Kitchen prepared goods.

A chance to be a star in 002 Houston Magazine

Gift Certificates to Abejas Boutique, Bar Annie, Boheme Cafe & Wine Bar, Dolce Vita Day Spa, Michael Kemper Hair Salon and Day Spa and many more...

Pee Wee Herman Doll

Trip on a fabulous vacation

Guitar autographed by Madonna

and maybe or maybe not this...

Don't want to miss the silent auction? You still have time to get your table and/or tickets to the 2011 DiverseWorks Gala: RETAIL THERAPY on Saturday, April 2! For information and tickets, click HERE.

-Shawna

Shop 'Til You Drop for Art!

2011-03-07T13:01:00.001-06:00

Calling all artists! We want YOU to create an artwork to be exhibited on one of the Underwriter/Sponsor tables expressing the theme for this year’s gala Retail Therapy. You can do so much with a theme like this one with all the variety of shops and stores in the mall (think shop ‘til you drop). Even if sculpture isn’t your usual medium, this is your chance to really let yourself go creatively to create a fun, whimsical or zany piece of art!

The only constraint is that your piece be no wider than 10 inches. There is no constraint on height. Artists who create and donate a table piece will receive two discounted tickets to the event.

If you are interested in donating a piece, please contact Lan Norwood at lannorwood@yahoo.com or (832) 867-1726.

Exclusive Pop-Out Pendant coming to DW

2011-02-11T16:01:00.005-06:00

Hello, my name is Tracey and I'm addicted to jewelry.

Ask anyone here at the DiverseWorks office and they'll tell you I love jewelry. Now maybe not on the same level as Imelda Marcos loves shoes, but it's pretty close. I have tons of necklaces, rings, earrings, etc. And I'm always browsing the Web for more. So when the opportunity arose to work with Texas jewelry designer Melissa Borrell, I jumped at the chance to work with her on creating something awesome for DiverseWorks Artspace. Behold the Pop-Out Jewelry Collection exclusive DiverseWorks pendant! (See above.)

The pendant was inspired by the DW logo and is available in black, red and stainless steel; and will retail for $30, with all the proceeds benefiting DiverseWorks.

This is an exclusive item created by Borrell in collaboration with DW and there will be a limited supply of pendants available at DiverseWorks and www.diverseworks.org very soon.

In fact, you are looking at the first buyer of the pendant. (Now just which color do I want? Or should I just buy one of each!) For more information just contact me (tracey@diverseworks.org).

Join us as we honor 2011 TIF Grantees

2011-01-31T16:37:00.002-06:00

It's finally here! The Idea Fund reception honoring the latest recipients will be held this Wednesday at The Eldorado Ballroom (2310 Elgin St., 77004) from 6:30-8:30p.m. There will be complimentary food and drinks provided by Cabo and Real Ale Brewing Co.

So come by Wednesday night to meet the newest grantees and enjoy free appetizers and beer!

--Tracey

Industry Night

2011-01-24T13:53:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow night kicks off the first ever Industry Night at DiverseWorks!

Dear Art Community and for those people who love all things arty. This night is just for you. We are inviting artists from all disciplines and those who work in the arts to stop by and enjoy a tasty drink at our happy hour from 6-8pm. Bring your business card and receive exclusive drink specials for one night only (or at least until our next Happy Hour on May 17). Plus, if you are a DiverseWorks member you can enjoy those perks too!

The idea behind Industry Night...
The idea came about as a way to show our appreciation for the arts community in Houston. We live in a spectacular city full of arts and culture and what better way to give back then to host a happy hour just for you! Our hope is that it will be a chance for artists/ art groups to meet one another, an opportunity to plant the seeds for potential collaborations, and a chance to catch up with old friends.

The Extras...
Plus, our good friend Graham Gaskill will be DJing, Oh My! Pocket Pies! Food Truck will be here and Saint Arnold Brewing Company & Whole Foods are supplying the drinks!

Thanks to CultureMap and KUHF (88.7FM) for their support.

-Shawna

Thomas Kinkade: A Primer

2011-01-13T13:38:00.005-06:00

It is estimated that one in twenty American homes contains a product adorned with an image by Thomas Kinkade. If that’s true then Kinkade, the self-professed Painter of Light, is onto something. No matter what you think about the work, there are LOTS and LOTS of people who gravitate towards Kinkade’s highly romanticized, gauzy depictions of serene landscapes, country churches, quaint cottages, and NASCAR tracks and they've collectively spent more than 4 billion dollars scooping up Kinkade merchandise over the past two decades. It’s often said that taste in art is subjective. But this isn’t really about art. It’s about commerce. Kinkade operates completely outside of the arts ecology--eschewing galleries for franchised storefronts in malls, replacing retrospective exhibitions with programs on QVC and the Home Shopping Network. Such is the nature of Kinkade’s thoroughly modern marriage of creation and consumption.

DiverseWorks takes a look at this phenomenon with the help of Houston-based artist Patricia Hernandez. Parody of Light, which runs from January 14-February 26^th in the main gallery, dissects Kinkade’s corporate empire using humor and wit with a heaping helping of irreverence thrown in. Mimicking the display techniques used in Kinkade's "Signature Galleries" and recreating the suburban home environment of an imagined Kinkade collector, Hernandez sheds light on the strategies, methods and savvy use of marketing and mechanization that have propelled Kinkade to billionaire status and earned him the mantle of "America's most collected living artist."

-Diane Barber

2010-2011 TIF Grantees

2010-12-10T18:03:00.003-06:00

DiverseWorks would like to congratulate all the awardees of the Round 3 Idea Fund. Let's hear it for:

2011 The Idea Fund Grantees and their Projects:

ArtScouts Houston (Elaine Bradford, Emily Link, Dennis Nance, C.H. JoAnn Park) – Nohegan East: An art-making weekend retreat with a focus on community. (Houston-Pearland)

Boozefox (Drew Liverman, Jules Buck Jones, Michael Phalan, Scott Eastwood) – Battleship Earth: A large sculpture/watercraft resembling an iceberg, which will be “driven” around Lady Bird Lake over the course of one or more days. (Austin)

Nathaniel Donnett – What’s The New News?: A project that will challenge, respond to, and juxtapose, the way we read the news and how rap and poetry interprets it, the differences in generations when seeking information regarding issues and current events specifically in Houston’s Third Ward. (Houston)

David Feil, Amye McCarther – Andrus Studios Archive: An artist-volunteer run archive of a collection of audio reels from Andrus Studios, an independent, progressive and artist-directed recording studio owned and operated in Houston by Walt Andrus from 1964 to 1971. (Houston)

Christine Foerster – Fish.taco.ponic: A fully functioning aquaponic greenhouse to be built, maintained, narrated and exhibited in collaboration with students and community members of Segundo Barrio, El Paso. (El Paso)

GENDER book creators(Boston Bostian; Mel Reiff Hill; Jay Mays) – the GENDER book(let): A colorful, highly-illustrated resource, short in length and with detailed real-life experiences, the GENDER book serves as a starter manual that presents the beautiful diversity of gender. (Houston)

Leila Grothe, Cynthia Mulcahy – Square Dance: A Community Project: This project proposes art as social practice in the form of an outdoor seasonal community dance at the new Trinity River Audubon Center in Dallas. (Dallas)

Buster Graybill – The Progeny of Tush Hog: This project will document the offspring of Tush Hogs, a hybrid species of Minimalist sculptures and deer feeders discovered near Marfa, TX, as they continually adapt and migrate towards the urban centers of San Antonio and Houston. (Converse, TX)

Andy Rihn – Texas’ Longest Hammer Choir: To make a slow rolling short film of an event consisting of 500 people hitting hammers together across abandoned railroad tracks, filmed from a custom-made railroad cart that houses the soundtrack musicians, propulsionists and film makers. (Austin)

The Rio Grande Collective (Mattie Matthaei, Eileen Torpey, Bett Williams) – The River is the Road Festival: Our project is a street festival and a site specific video art installation in the historic Sacred Heart Chapel currently under restoration by the Texas Historic Commission. (Marfa – Ruidosa, TX)

A MUST READ....

2010-11-12T17:25:00.003-06:00

So I'm constantly on the lookout for blogs that excite me, bloggers who love art, and bloggers who blog consistently. Well, my most recent discovery is Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then. Donna K, a movie star, or what I like to think of as the star of the film, Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then, has been blogging about filmmaker Brent Green and her adventures over the last year as they have taken the film and exhibition around the country. It's been entertaining to read about their last 2 weeks in Houston. It's a must read!

If you haven't seen the film, Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then, you can catch Brent Green and Donna K along with Drew Henkels, Brendan Canty and John Michael Swartz, performing tonight and tomorrow night as part of Cinema Arts Festival Houston at Frenetic Theater. It's your only chance to catch the film with a live soundtrack.

If you miss the performance, you can still catch the film at DiverseWorks. It will be running in it's entirety in the exhibition through Dec. 18.

Shawna

PILOT (FX) at DiverseWorks

2010-11-03T10:47:00.001-05:00

Greetings DiverseWorks, all the way from Nigeria!

GONZO247 dropping in once again.

Super excited to show the 2nd installation of Grandalism featuring PILOT(FX). Adam Socie aka "Pilot" grew up in Pasadena, Texas just south of Houston. He started painting at the age of fifteen. Now at the age of thirty he is a member of the world famous FX crew, one of the top graffiti crews in the world...

"I no longer paint because I can, I paint because I can't stop." - Pilot

Come out to DiverseWorks, Friday night 6-9pm, to catch the unveiling of PILOT's sophisticated spray-paint based artwork! Watch the video for more entertainment.

GRANDALISM Featuring PILOT(FX) from GONZO247 on Vimeo.

http://www.aerosolwarfare.com

Three times a charm: I survived TIF deadline

2010-10-19T15:41:00.004-05:00

It's over yet it has begun.

After spending the past two months answering the same question for the 100th time and frantically sending out e-mails, I have survived another Idea Fund deadline which was for our 3rd round!

Fortunately for all the applicants, your work is done since the deadline was Friday, October 15. But my job is just starting, and hopefully with some help, we will be able to process the more than 250 proposals in time for the panel date of December 1.

Applicants will be notified about their status (if you got a grant or you didn't) by the second week of December. (Oh the number of late nights will be lengthy.)

So here's to hoping TIF makes your holiday wishes come true!

--Tracey

Rowers Wanted

2010-10-01T13:52:00.006-05:00

You know how you have all the intentions of doing something, and then life gets in the way? I guess sometimes that it works out for the better.

I had been meaning to blog about the Universes residency here at DiverseWorks. Speak about how the show Ameriville was going to bring down the house – politically, artistically, and with the insightful energy of the company. Add in ideas about how Universes was going to be working with students from area high schools and Meta-Four Houston, the teen spoken-word crew that represents H-Town at Brave New Voices. Highlight that DW was awarded a Community Fund grant from National Performance Network that would allow for some of the Universes crew to work with students at MECA. (We’ll soon post video and pics from those events, so you, too, can see how awesome they were.)

After last night’s show and Q & A session, I have much more to say, or maybe be a bit smarter about what I should say.

Diane and I saw an excerpted version of Ameriville at the NPN Annual Meeting in Knoxville, and realized that it would be a great companion/extension to the Before (During) After exhibition that looks at how Katrina and other disasters have affected artists and their creative process. When Diane saw the show in New Orleans, and saw how the audience reacted and took it all in, it was clear that Ameriville needed to be part of the whole B(D)A and Under-Standing Water experience.

Let’s be clear. This is not a show about Katrina. This is not a show about New Orleans. Mildred talked about how, as the mouth of the Mississippi, New Orleans is the repository for all of America. The show takes on that metaphor and speaks about “America” in the past five or so years – the fear mongering, the panic, the lack of clarity and justice. This show uses Post-Katrina New Orleans as a lens to address ideas – post-September 11 culture; health care; environmental conservation; homelessness and a host of other issues – to examine what has happened to community in 21st century America.

What has always been important about Universes – at least to me, is that the actual show is only half of the experience. The real art is the conversations that are catalyzed by the performance, so that the ideas don’t just exist on stage, but happen in the post-show Q&A, in cars & bars afterwards, and in the minds of people much later. Ameriville does what good theater always does – makes audiences think, feel and get energized about life and what is happening around us.

When asked what the company was hoping to accomplish, they talked about “wanting to bring the unity back into community,” and encouraging people to be part of the solution they want to see. In the words of the show, “Everybody Row.”

I hope people come to see the show tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 to join the ride. Buy tickets here.

Opening Reception of Graffiti Art Foundation

2010-09-30T14:57:00.003-05:00

Howdy folks,

Its GONZO247 coming straight to you from Aerosol Warfare Gallery! Looking forward to the next Grandalism with PILOT(FX), to show off his exquisite and eye pleasing graff art! You will not want to miss him! If you'd like to get a sneak peek at what PILOT, myself and other local graffiti artists are doing with their skills catch the opening reception for "Graffiti Art Foundation" at Aerosol Warfare Gallery, Oct. 2nd, 2010 from 7p - 11p. The image included is only a taste of what you'll see!

This Oct. 2nd event is merely a kick-off to a much bigger and much anticipated event, Graffiti Gala Houston (GGHTX), planned for sometime in 2011. Our friends here at DiverseWorks have committed with a full force of support! Come out, enjoy the art, learn more about GGHTX and schmooze.

See you all at the next Grandalism opening, Nov. 5th! - GONZO

Artists in image are PILOT(FX) and MEENR.

Gonzo247

ARE YOU READY FOR TRUE PASSION?

2010-09-16T17:08:00.004-05:00

Come As You Are: HOUSTON! opens at DiverseWorks this weekend!
Jonatan Lopez gives us a preview of his work, Latin Lover Conservation, in the performance showcase.

The Latin Lover Conservation is a performance art piece and a social experiment. LLC, globally supports the efforts to better the lives of Latin Lovers and preserve their culture by auctioning their romantic services to our community at selected art events.The funds collected would be used primarily to provide them with affordable living and ease college tuition costs. These young Latinos are a talented and passionate kind. Their place in my performance as conceptual/commercial art does not only objectify them but it dignifies them too. They are sculptures to me. The world must enjoy them as the enjoy the world. Please feel free to interact with them and set the highest bid to win “A Date with a Latin Lover” as you help us preserve this peculiar species. Because without Latin Lovers , there would be no True Passion.

Come As You Are: HOUSTON!
September 17 & 18, 2010, 7:30pm
DiverseWorks ArtSpace
Tickets are $5.00 and a reception and discussion will follow the performance.

Thanks to our sponsors! Living Mosaic, Muffin Man, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, t'afia, Transgender Foundation of America, Whole Foods!

Come As You Are is supported by the National Performance Network, Arcus Foundation, and The Theater Offensive.

Grandalism "History & Style"

2010-09-08T12:24:00.002-05:00

GONZO247 gives you a cliff's notes version of some history and a little 411 on what to expect on opening night at DiverseWorks.

Grandalism "History & Style" from GONZO247 on Vimeo.

Join us Friday, Sept. 10, 6-9pm for the opening of Grandalism!

Shawna

Grandalism

2010-08-18T15:24:00.004-05:00

(Here's a little sneak peak)

Howdy party people! GONZO247 in the DW House! I'm excited to partner up with DiverseWorks this coming season for GRANDALISM, an 8-week long art exhibiton series.

Starting this September, DiverseWorks dock will be the backdrop for a rotating series of large-scale works by some of Houston’s most accomplished and sought after street artists. Every 8 weeks, a new artist reveals Grandalism, showcasing the raw talent and innovation of the city’s freshest and most prolific urban artists, selected by GONZO247, one of Houston’s most notable street art legends.

Grandalism explores the combination of street art’s traditional large scale format, its “grand” reaction from the public, and sometimes its unappreciated label of vandalism.

GONZO247 of Aerosol Warfare & PR!MO of Shoot. Edit. Sleep. collaborate once again...Check out the first Grandalism video!

Gonzo247

Bring on the bright ideas

2010-08-11T16:49:00.002-05:00

Attention all Texas-based artists: The time has come to bring on the ideas! The Idea Fund is gearing up for its third round.

Just in case you don't know, The Idea Fund is a re-granting program administered through Aurora Picture Show, DiverseWorks ArtSpace and Project Row Houses, and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, that provides cash awards to Texas-based, artist-generated or artist-centered projects that exemplify the unconventional, interventionist, conceptual, entrepreneurial, participatory, or guerrilla artistic practices that occur outside of the traditional frameworks of support. Each round, TIF awards 10 projects $4,000 ($3,500 for the awarded project, plus $500 seed money for future work) and this year one of the grants could be yours.

To learn more about the grant, including where to get an application and how to apply, please visit The Idea Fund's Web page or attend one of the following information sessions:

Wednesday, August 25 at 6:30p.m.
DiverseWorks ArtSpace, 1117 East Freeway, 77002

Wednesday, September 8 at 1p.m.
Aurora Picture Show, 1524 Sul Ross, 77006

Wednesday, September 15 at 1p.m.
Project Row Houses, 2521 Holman, 77004

Thursday, September 30 at 4p.m.
Information session webinar

--Tracey

Queer Junction

2010-08-06T11:48:00.003-05:00

Last week, Blake Smith, one of the coordinators for Come As You Are: HOUSTON, told you about the performance showcase coming up on September 17 & 18 at DiverseWorks. This week we have a video performance sketch from one of the artists in the show, Daaimah Mubashshir.

Daaimah's work combines spoken narratives, experimental sound, video images and culturally based movement rituals. She is passionate about telling stories that use humor and characters to explore culture and customs. Her own story as a young woman raised in a Sunni Muslim home and her subsequent coming out as a member of the queer community deeply inform the stories she feels need to be told. This artistic inquiry, utilized for Come As You Are: HOUSTON! deals with the movement of Salah (Islamic prayer) as Queer action (Queer as a verb) and the act of being Queer (adjective) as reaching towards spiritual purity or holiness..

Make sure to follow Daaimah's blog The Fixed Eye to see what she's up to and to learn more about her performance at DiverseWorks.

-Shawna

Hi! I'm Blake

2010-07-29T14:38:00.003-05:00

Hi! That's me.

Hi! I'm Blake and I have had the awesome experience of working as a production intern at DiverseWorks since September '09. Currently, I am working as Coordinator for the upcoming performing arts show, Come As You Are: HOUSTON!

Come As You Are was a show originally created and produced by The Theater Offensive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Inspired by the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, Come As You Are aims to investigate and celebrate queer sex, the diverse range of queer sexuality and the moral values underneath. The movement is not just about gay rights, but about inspiring queer people to express themselves and come together as a diverse community. Come As You Are is now a national project that gives grants to theaters so that they may create their own local, original production about queer sex.

Sixto and I talked about goals for Come As You Are: HOUSTON! He knew that he wanted to showcase short original works about queer sex and identity by Houston artists. He also wanted the show to be representative of our diverse queer community, particularly for it to be multi-gendered and multi-generational. With these goals in mind, Curators Chuck Jackson, Grayson Jacobs, and myself began searching for artists. Chuck, an English professor at University of Houston downtown, wrote an awesome open call to artists and we did our best to get the word out. We were so thrilled to find that we had an overwhelming response from Houston artists!

Check out the Come As You Are: HOUSTON! artists:

Chicago's Daaimah Mubashshir and Brooklyn's Michael Harren, both highly involved in Houston's queer community in the '90s, return now as established artists for Come As You Are: HOUSTON! Mubashshir utilizes traditional Muslim movement to identify queer sex as a holy experience; Harren couples Brahms on keyboard with a stories of how sex changes as he matures. Together, Daniel-Kayne and Michael Clay also take on highly-contrasting themes, placing the subject of queer sex with war and the country music medium.

The young Gendermyn utilize acrobatics and comedy to delve deep into the rarely spoken of sex lives within the genderqueer community, while Joe Watts of the pre-AIDS generation wrote a heart-felt traditional monologue about the unique experience of one transsexual woman.

The works of Julia Wallace and Jonatan Lopez are highly interactive, allowing the audience to actively participate as part of their performances.

Nancy Douthey as well as DumpTruck explore brief moments that highlight the quirkiness and fun within queer sex.

It has been so cool to be a part of this project from the very beginning and have the chance to work so closely with the DiverseWorks staff. As a transgendered person who has not lived in Houston very long, DiverseWorks has been a fantastic place to work! After working with the artists and Curators in this show, as well as Houston community organizations like the Transgender Foundation of America and HATCH youth, I feel more and more like I am finding my place in Houston and becoming part of an amazing community. I hope that everyone that comes to this show leaves with that same feeling!

Join us for a provocative exploration of queer sex through performance art! Each performance will be followed by a Q & A with the artists and a reception.

Date: Fri. & Sat., Sept. 17 & 18, 2010
Location: DiverseWorks
Time: 7:30pm

Also, check back on our blog later to see posts from some of the artists in the show!

-Blake

What the National Performance Network has meant to me

2010-07-14T10:29:00.006-05:00

The National Performance Network celebrates 25 years this year. DiverseWorks is proud to be one of the 69 National Performance Network partners across the U.S. who are dedicated to connecting today's artists with contemporary artists of all ages and cultures.

Sixto Wagan, Co-Director and Performance Arts Curator of DiverseWorks, has a long history with NPN and tells you what it means to him...

Him. I nominate him. We always talk of bringing younger people to the table, and he’s an artist, of color, and you’re queer, too, right?

Olga Garay, then director of cultural programs at Miami-Dade Community College, stated those words during that Southern Caucus Regional breakout at the Seattle Annual Meeting in 1997, nominating me to what would soon become the NPN Board of Directors. At first I didn’t realize how much these words would change my life. I was supposed to be teaching high school English and doing this performance art thing as a cool side gig, right?

Prior to that Annual Meeting, the National Performance Network was just this cool group that helped to pay for my first gig as a performing artist in the School’s OUT: The Naming Project residency with Mary Ellen Strom and Barbara Bickart at DiverseWorks in Houston, Texas. So I had already experienced NPN’s ability to affect lives through art, and all of that personal transformative stuff.

Click HERE to keep reading...

Summer Auction Success!

2010-06-30T16:55:00.002-05:00

Well, the Luck of the Draw has come and gone and what a party. With the support from our awesome chairs (Doug Parker and Karen Niemeier); our super host committee (Fernando Aramburo, Tara Conley, Michael Coppens, Shauna Curtis, Monica Danna, Trevor Eade & Stephen Hill, Jeremy Keas, Marshal & Victoria Lightman, Alex Martinez, Lan Norwood & Brian Vezey, Christina Solis, Kim Stoilis, Mark Sullivan, Amy Tanner, Sarah Walters, Josh & Tina Zulu); our rockin’ sponsors (13 Celsius; Barr/Hill Studios; BoyarMiller; The Chocolate Bar / CANDYLICIOUS; CultureMap; Darke Gallery; Dolce Vita Day Spa; Rodney Honerkamp; Kent & Sussex Enterprises LLC; Lake House Waterside Cafe; Portia Leyendecker; Morris Architects; NX Media; Poparazzi's Gourmet Popcorn; Pivot Point Advisors; Real Ale Brewing Co.; Russo Services Inc.; Kellye Sanford & Fritz Lanham; Bob & Lane Schultz/ RHS Interests; Sign-O-Rama; Sprinkles Cupcakes; Terrazas Investments/AskChuy.com; vitaminwater; Lillian & Bob Warren; Tria & Winston Wood; Zulu Creative); artists; volunteers and patrons, DiverseWork was able to raise more than $30,000 for programming.

I just can’t say if enough: Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Couldn’t make the event, you can browse event photos on our Flickr page, and read all around it on PaperCity's and CultureMap's Web sites.

Right now, DiverseWorkers are getting ready for our 2010-2011 season with a members only Sneak Peek on Tuesday, July 13 from 5:30-7p.m. Want to see? Well you need to be a current member (Not sure about your membership status, check with me – tracey@diverseworks.org.) or you can come the day of the event and sign up for a DW membership.

Thanks for all your support and I hope to see you next season

--Tracey

Luck is what happens when...

2010-06-14T12:44:00.001-05:00

Luck. We're all envious of it. But a wise man once said, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

Well friends, I'm preparing you for your opportunity.

Diverseworks 9th Annual Luck of the Draw is upon us, and it's your chance to be lucky. Two hundred Art Chance ticket holders will go home with a piece of contemporary art created by locally and nationally known artists, some of whom have exhibited at DiverseWorks ArtSpace over the past several years. And the best part? You'll get these one of a kind art pieces at a fraction of the price. Why? Because Diverseworks believes in art BY the people, FOR the people. (Pssst. That's you, people.)

By purchasing an art chance ticket, you'll be entered into a random numbered drawing to make a mad dash for your one of a kind art piece. So put on your fastest kicks, and line up, because when you're number's called, you're up. Make it a good one.

Option one is sold out. Damn my luck. Well, your luck. And only a few Option 2 tickets remain, which will inch you up in the line between #6-#20. All other art chance tickets 21-200 are available now. What's your lucky number?

If you aren't up to the challenge of the art scramble, no worries. You're invited to watch as your friends claw each other's...um...politely select their works of art. Party only tickets are available for $25.

Act quick, or your luck my run out.

Good LUCK, and see you at Luck of the Draw on June 16th!

Monica

Monica Danna (Also known as Cosmopolitician) is on the Luck of the Draw 9: The Musical! Host Committee.

Dang! Diane Barber gives us the scoop on Luck of the Draw 9: The Musical!

2010-06-10T19:38:00.008-05:00

We know that you have been following the list of artists closely to see if one of your favorites is donating to to the auction this year. Well, here's your chance to get the inside scoop from Co-Director and Visual Arts Curator Diane Barber. She walks us through some of the art for the Blind Auction as well as some of the pieces for the Luck of the Draw 9: The Musical. Whoa!

Tickets are still available! If you haven't bought your tickets, go to www.diverseworks.org or call us at 713.223.8346.

Shawna Forney
Public Relations & Marketing Manager
DiverseWorks ArtSpace

Doug & Karen Want You to Sing!

2010-06-03T15:36:00.002-05:00

Every fantastic event needs a leader and DiverseWorks is thrilled to have J. Douglas Parker and Karen Niemeier co-chairing Luck of the Draw 9: The Musical! They help with all aspects of the event and it is with their support that will hopefully make it the biggest and the best Luck of the Draw yet. In fact, here's a word from our Co-chairs to get you excited about the event.

Plus, Luck of the Draw 9: The Musical! falls on Mr. Parker's birthday! Bring Presents. hee hee hee

Shawna Forney
PR & Marketing Manager
DiverseWorks ArtSpace

Join us at the Luck of the Draw

2010-05-26T14:44:00.003-05:00

Just in case you haven’t heard, DiverseWorks’ summer auction – Luck of the Draw 9: The Musical will be held on Wednesday, June 16 at our gallery (1117 East Freeway, Houston, 77002). This year we are going Glee-fully silly with the theme and hope you will join us.

“First 5” Art Chance Tickets are SOLD OUT and there are handful of “Top 20” Art Chance Tickets priced at $250 (these babies guarantee your number to drawn #6-20). However if you are looking to drop a little less dough, be sure to pick up an Art Chance for $100. But act fast because after June 1, these tickets go up $125 (So buy today and save $25!)

General admission tickets are $25 and all ticket holders can enjoy the food and drinks provided by The Lake House Waterside Cafe, Poparazzi’s Gourmet Popcorn, Sprinkles Cupcakes and Real Ale Brewing Company.

**All art chance tickets include admission – one ticket=one body.**

Still not sure about participating: Well, pictured above is a sample of of what’s up for grabs (Thanks Chalda Maloff).

To purchase tickets, just visit our Web site or call Tracey Morton at 713.223.8346.

Hope to see you there!

--Tracey

Dancing Muse

2010-04-27T21:37:00.005-05:00

Wanted to share this article with y'all from Bomb Magazine online. Many of the DiverseWorks dance junkies should remember Michelle Boule who danced in Donna Uchizono's Approaching Green and Miguel Gutierrez and the powerful People's Difficult Bodies at DiverseWorks a couple of years back. Last year she performed with that same show with MG&PP at Austin's Fusebox Festival (going on now! check it out.) She also has danced in Deborah Hay's work If I Sing To You that I saw at the 2008 Melbourne Festival.
In all of these works (and in real life), Michelle is outstanding. I love how in the article she talks about her own growth through others' work, the intersections of dance/theater and developing her own choreographic voice.
Can't wait to see what she's up to next.
-Sixto

Thinking Big & Planning Accordingly

2010-04-27T18:55:00.000-05:00

We’re thinking big and planning accordingly. DiverseWorks has recently launched a strategic planning process that will chart the organization’s course for the next three to five years. With financial support from the Houston Arts Alliance and the Andy Warhol Foundation, DiverseWorks has hired Callahan Consulting for the Arts to facilitate a planning process that is national in scope. This process will involve input from staff, board, artists, funders, audience members, and collaborative partners in an effort to focus the organization’s energies around mission-driven goals and plans for managed future growth. What this really means is that we get to set aside time to really talk about what we do and why we do it. DiverseWorks was founded to serve artists. 27 years later, service to artists remains at the core of what we do. We’re excited about what the next 27 years holds for our organization, for the arts in Houston, and for our national cultural growth and evolution. We see this strategic planning process as a time for both introspection and serious brainstorming regarding DiverseWorks’ role in the national arts ecology. We’d love to hear from you regarding things you love about DiverseWorks, things you would like to see more of, or things you think we could do better. Let us know what you think. Believe me, we’re listening.

Diane Barber
Co-Executive Director & Visual Arts Curator
DiverseWorks ArtSpace

Dreaming of Texas

2010-04-20T11:37:00.003-05:00

Dreaming of Texas 19 April 2010

The idea of Texas has been firmly etched in James and my memories since 2005 when we began talking and thinking about Westerns. It seemed to occupy a space in both our minds and it seemed so familiar….heat, long shadows, cowboys and fake blood. Despite never having set foot in the US, let alone Texas we made a show about Westerns, or rather, a show about the memory of an imagined Western.

The first word of the piece is “Texas”. Every time we perform the piece it’s in Texas (where else could it be?!), so we wondered what would happen when we did it in Texas for real. In the show Texas has always been a faraway TV screen, in the same way the blood is made from ketchup and the scenes are generic and the guns are just the audience making gun shapes with their hands and shouting ‘peow’. Now the eruption of the Icelandic volcano has stopped us travelling I can really feel the 3000 miles between us and the real thing (if, in fact, it is real. All my favourite Westerns were filmed in Spain, masquerading as the Wild West).

It seems ironic that we were/are so close to performing in Houston and Austin, but we can’t quite make it over- first our visas didn’t arrive in time, then the Icelandic volcano stopped all air travel in and out of Europe- so Texas is still on the horizon but all we can do it imagine how it is, and we imagine it to be hot, dusty, all the men are cowboys or undertakers or bartenders or law men. We keep drifting into Westerns.

So we’re still here, on the other side of the Atlantic with our suitcases packed, trying to get to the place we’ve been thinking of for so long, waiting. Maybe Texas is destined to be only a memory for us, but I hope not. We want to say “Texas” at the start of the show and mean it for real this time.

-Gemma (pictured above)

Action Hero is Gemma Paintin and James Stenhouse. They are UK based artists making performance. www.actionhero.org.uk

2010-04-08T09:40:00.002-05:00

Hey Folks,
The Yes Men are coming!! That's right, the fly in, all that's wrong w/ the world's, ointment will be setting up shop(for five weeks) at DW...
And we need your help! We need 3 male Mannequins ( which are not easy to come by apparently). Oh, and with heads! If any of you have any leads PLEASE contact Jon: jread@diverseworks.org

Also.. We are having a painting party on April 18th+19th. Its going to be a blast. Trust me! We'll be painting the entire from black to white.
There's nothing like it. Again, if you are interested, drop me a line.
Xoxox-Jon

Jon Read
Operations Manager
DiverseWorks

Crusade against shyness leads intern to DW

2010-03-29T15:28:00.004-05:00

This week, we'd thought we'd let our interns blog. So here's what one of our interns, Abi Semtner, has to say.

So I’m sitting here trying to think of what to write because I’ve never done one of these things. Ridiculous…I know.

Being an artist is hard work. Recently I’ve been struggling with going in a new direction with my own artwork. Partly because some teachers have pushed me towards it and partly because I know I need to. That’s what this is all about right? How boring would it be to do the same painting your whole life!?! I’m realizing how important connections and experiences are to my own work. People connecting with other people, and mainly me connecting with other people (I’m trying to stop being such a painfully shy person). Since I started interning at Diverseworks I've been able to define the new direction I want to take in my artwork easier. A performance by a group called SO Percussion at Diverseworks really brought this idea home for me. See how Diverseworks has already helped in my crusade against shyness! The performance brought me to tears. Seriously!

I guess you could call it their closing piece; it involved one of the four members Josh Quillen making connections with certain audience members. It’s hard to explain but Quillen ran to these certain audience members and politely asked them to yell “I Love You Jason” as loud as possible to try and get Jason Treuting (another SO Percussion member) attention. While said audience members were trying to profess their love the other three members (Jason Treuting, Adam Sliwinski, and Eric Beach) were only paying attention to the piece they were playing that gradually got louder and louder and louder. So if you can imagine an audience yelling at the top of their lungs (which did happen because Quillen eventually recruited the whole audience) at one performer “I Love You Jason”, it was kind of an epiphany for me. How often do I ignore possible connections? So thank you Diverseworks and SO Percussion!

Abi Semtner is a graduate student, studying painting and drawing at the University of Houston.

DiverseWorks members do it at DW

2010-03-23T14:34:00.004-05:00

DiverseWorks members do it with style, contemporary flair and more importantly they do it at DW. What you might ask? See amazing programs, support an fixture in the Houston arts scene and, of course, have a ball. Where else can you get up close and personal with an elephant, be openly invited to peek into a room, get all dolled up for Debutante Ball and see dancing zombies? At DiverseWorks that's where. So if you are a current member, thanks for all your support and we love to see your happy mug around DW. Not a member or you have let your membership lapse, we'll let me make it easier for you
(just click here.)

Much Love,
Tracey

It's all about the video...

2010-03-16T16:38:00.009-05:00

Host PJ Chavez of PantsuitLand

Wow. It's been a few weeks since our last post. Yikes! Sorry for the lack of posts but it's been a crazy couple of weeks at DiverseWorks with the Debutantes Run Wild Gala, Allison Hunter's Zoosphere and Kelly Richardson's Twilight Avenger. The staff of DiverseWorks has been busy but hopefully we will return to a more steady blog schedule very soon.

Recently I have been trying to investigate which artists and art organizations have been using video/social media in an interesting and creative way. My focus over the last few weeks has been primarily on You Tube/Vimeo. However, I am discovering more and more avenues to share your work (For example, The Yes Men On Babelgum). Although there is lots of research to be done, I figured that I would share some of my favorite discoveries.

Michelle Ellsworth -Hamburger Sex

Michelle Ellsworth has performed at DiverseWorks a few times and most recently with The Objectification of Things. Maybe you remember "Can I give a Shout-out to Carbon?"Probably one of the wittiest performers that you will ever see, Michelle Ellsworth created this video for her performance and it still makes me giggle. Please be advised-If you are a vegetarian or vegan, this might be a little unsettling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja6AXwkaio0

Dance Theatre Workshop- Twitter Choreography
DTW creates a video every few weeks with themed choreography from Twitter suggestions. On Tuesdays, they ask for the suggestions, then they pull together the responses, find an awesome person(Ursula Eagly, Gang Dance, Ashley Tyler and many more) to perform them and film it.
http://www.dancetheaterworkshop.org/blog/2010/01/20/twitter-community-choreography-20-part-1/

Creative Time's Holiday Message
Creative Time joined forces with a great young magician named chris k to create this video/trick. It's a creative fundraising technique to raise money for Creative Time. I would love to know how much money they raised.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttmtu0prHKg

Live! from PantsuitLand
I'm not sure if this visual /performance piece is still happening but I always enjoyed it. The host PJ Chavez (in real life artist Jill Pangallo) takes this piece around to various art events and interviews attendees.

http://vimeo.com/glasstire#3099435

Zoe Juniper-the Devil you know is better then the devil you don't

Performing artist Zoe Scofield and visual artist Juniper Schuey posted small clips of their work online. I saw a performance by Zoe Juniper at the National Performance Network conference in Seattle a few years ago and I still think about it. The video does not do justice to how beautiful this performance was but it is a lovely reminder.

http://www.youtube.com/user/zoeandjuniper#p/a/u/1/-vWK18HbbY4

Also, lots of museums are adding fantastic online content and I especially enjoyed The Walker Art Center's video selection. They recently posted a lecture featuring Houston architect Blair Satterfield and Minneapolis architect Mark Swackhamer as well as a discussion between choreographer Morgan Thorson and musician Alan Sparhawk on their Heaven collaboration.

Please feel free to share some of your favorites too.

Shawna Forney

Public Relations & Marketing Manager
DiverseWorks

Dan Havel & Dean Ruck talk DiverseWorks

2010-02-17T15:45:00.003-06:00

Dean Ruck and Dan Havel in front of their installation Inversion at Art League Houston

As part of this year's Debutantes Run Wild! Gala, we are taking the time to honor a few of those in our community who continue to support, present and create art. It's these people along with many others who continue to inspire and make Houston what it is today. Dan Havel and Dean Ruck have a long history with DiverseWorks and we are very proud to be honoring them at this year's gala. Plus, it's Dan Havel's Birthday so what better way to celebrate then to be honored! Havel and Ruck took some time out to talk about DiverseWorks and the gala, check it out…

Shawna Forney
Public Relations & Marketing Manager
DiverseWorks

February Fun

2010-02-05T14:42:00.005-06:00

The Bell Tower on 34st. Street

More people are dancing into the gala and surrounding activities. We are really excited about your response to the Debutantes Run Wild! Gala! on Friday, Feb. 19th at The Bell Tower on 34th Street. Paul Mitchell Products staff will be on hand to give you a Deb upsweep and make-up during the gala.

Auction items such as trips to Hawaii and artwork by well-known Houston artists including photographs by Andy Biggs and Frank White and paintings by Howard Sherman, Aaron Parazette, Nicola Parente and others you all know. The auction also has a 4-day Trophy Hunting trip for Beceite Ibex in Barcelona, Spain; a weekend at a private Bay home in Rockport; a wine tasting led by Houston Chronicle’s wine writer extraordinaire Dale Robinson, a Dolce Vita Day Spa certificate and even an Andy Warhol T-Shirt from The Nasher Museum of Art and lots more.

Less than two weeks to go, and the reservations are coming in fast. Buy your tickets now to reserve your spot!

The most fun that will be going on in Houston in mid-February will be happening through DiverseWorks. So, keep checking back.

Margaret (DeeDee) Bott
Development Director at DiverseWorks

GET YOUR BID ON!

2010-02-01T16:29:00.002-06:00

AUCTION, AUCTION, AUCTION! We are all now well versed in what to expect at gala & charity auctions....but have you ever been to a Diverseworks gala? Expect the unexpected, and dress to impress! Our auction in the past has proved to stand up to the same wacky expectations as our gala and our outstanding guests. We've had trips to Marfa, a smart car for a day, Reverend Butter Ice Sculptures, sports memorabilia, and "Star Dates" with ballerinas, ball players, and politicians! This year look for the daring, bid on a tattoo sitting, or the not so daring, a Henna artist sitting. Go green with David Morello's 2 hour design time, 2 45-gallon live oak trees, and planting included! Take a trip out of town with 3 of your buds, to Bay Flats Lodge, with 2 guided fishing trips. Don't forget the best part of the auction is the ART itself. Add to your own personal art galleries and bid on the outstanding art donated to us by local and international artists. This is just a small mention of what you will find in our auction. The best part is all of what you bid goes to Diverseworks and it's amazing artists they support! So put on your party dress, practice your curtsy, grab your saved stash of cash and GET YOUR BID ON!

Sarah Walters
Auction Chair
Debutantes Run Wild! Gala

(Above pic of Sarah Walters at last year's FireSale Gala!)

Debutantes Run Classy!

2010-01-20T14:23:00.007-06:00

10 Debutantes from 10 different cities, all appearing in Houston at the Shamrock for something called (officially or unofficially) the Givenchy Ball... It was an added attraction for the customary Opera Ball given to benefit/celebrate Houston Grand Opera, and I trapped myself into representing Houston.

Two seasons before, I had been delivered reluctantly to the hallowed rite of Houston society’s most precious passage, the debutante Presentation Ball of Allegro... I had argued for months with my parents over the fact that this was not part of my great plan for life (I believe the words ‘not wanting to be sacrificed on the altar of society’ was my mantra)... refusing to be one until my father explained the theory of paying for my last year of college (as in, he wouldn’t if I didn’t). This logic proved eventually to be convincing, as my degree was to be my ‘road to freedom’... so I learned the St. James court bow (years of ballet at Miss Fanthom’s), practiced walking and smiling (a summer spent at Miss Kennerly’s Finishing Ranch... are we seeing a pattern here?) and made it through the overwhelming sense of ‘Here I Am! Ta-Dah!’ I was too shy to enjoy.

Two years later, out of college and working in New York, I was chosen to represent Houston at the aforementioned Opera Ball, the reason being that I had sung HGO chorus for several seasons besides being a deb. My job was swiftly going nowhere, so I thought I’d talk Walter Hoving, President of Tiffany’s (my boss in NY at the time) into allowing his jewelry from the newly-opened Houston store to be shown with the gowns... and my selling point was that one of the debs for this event was Tricia Nixon’s new sister-in-law, Mary Ann Cox. I accepted the ‘gig’, Tiffany’s backed out and I went to Houston on my own dime. Houston Grand Opera held a Tiffany Ball several years later. So much for the world of finagle and job-enhancement...

The Givenchy gown I wore to the ball was my mother's... spectacular, covered in beads and quite heavy. The gown for the runway (ah, yes, there was a runway) was more demure... Hairdressers had been sent down by Givenchy to coif us a la runway-style, and my look went from the mod ’60’s Vidal Sassoon look I had acquired in NY to something with pigtails out of Hansel/Gretel, but quite chic for the dress, apparently. My mother wore the ball gown herself several times, I wore it once again years later until my sylphlike self of the ‘Twiggy’ years began to resemble a normal person’s...

The society articles in those days, written by Beverly Maurice of the Chronicle, Betty Ewing of the Post, were often filled with lines like: ‘adrift in a sea of white chiffon’... and this ball in particular had attention to details like Faberge-style antique cigarette cases, decorator Harry Rice’s ‘fantasy forest of twinkling white willows’... I think creating images of society’s elite and their resplendent lifestyles was all part of society page erudition of the times. Truthfully... I had a good time (escort: longtime friend Paul Kelly), though my shoes hurt and my hair hurt and the dress was... very heavy.

Thanks for asking me to submit something for Debutantes Run Wild!, it makes me feel life comes full circle once in awhile.

-Diana Linder
Protocol Committee
Debutantes Run Wild!
(pictured above)

Countdown to the DiverseWorks Gala!

2010-01-14T13:54:00.007-06:00

Hi I’m Patrick Keegan, and my wife Tracey and I are counting the days till February 19, when the 2010 DiverseWorks Gala, Debutantes Run Wild Gala! will unfold. We are excited to serve as co-chairs of the DiverseWorks annual gala and are focused on engaging more of our friends and other young professionals with the boundary breaking art space. We were introduced to DW through the annual Luck of the Draw summer auction; and we went home with some great art – and had a ton of fun. Our exposure to DiverseWorks fun and slightly raucous fundraisers lead me to serve as last year’s gala Silent Auction chair; and to accept the top hat as the gala co-chair with my wife this year. We are gathering our friends to purchase several gala tables (which start at $2,500 and up); and are psyched to bid on blue-chip art items at the Silent Auction including works by Aaron Parazette; Allison Hunter; Howard Sherman; Wendy Wagner, Frank White; and more. All proceeds from this annual fundraiser benefit and support DiverseWorks slate of outstanding exhibits, performances and programs. I plan to don an extravagant tuxedo complete with top hat; while Tracey is planning on wearing a sleek white gown to the party. But no matter what you wear, plan to be at the most playfully irreverent gala in February. Join DiverseWorks supporters at The Bell Tower, 901 West 34th Street, 77018 (HOT LINK: thebelltoweron34th.com on Friday, February 19 at 7:30 PM to midnight. Practice your curtsy; and we’ll see you there.

(Above pic: Patrick & Tracey Keegan)

Check out the Debutantes Run Wild! Gala Facebook Fan Page!

2010 Idea Fund Grantees Reception

2010-01-08T16:29:00.002-06:00

Join us as we celebrate the 2010 The Idea Fund grantees at a special public reception and presentation on January 27, 2010, 6-9pm at Diverseworks. The Idea Fund is an innovative re-granting program for Texas-based artists, administered through Aurora Picture Show, DiverseWorks Artspace and Project Row Houses, and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. If you would like to attend, please contact Tracey Morton, 713-223-8346 or tracey@diverseworks.org.

2010 The Idea Fund Grantees and their Projects:

Bill Davenport: Bill’s Junk: A store where art, craft, nature and salvage are reconciled under the umbrella of commerce. (Houston)

Victor Payan and Sandra "Pocha" Peña: Rudos y Tecnicos: “Rudos y Tecnicos” incorporates a subversive “by any memes necessary” approach to guerrilla art interventions that explores latent historical and cultural conflict zones, while providing catharsis, participation and humor. (San Antonio)

Wura-Natasha Ogunji: one hundred black women, one hundred actions: 'one hundred black women, one hundred actions' is a performance of critical actions, gestures and movements from 100 black women around the world. (Austin)

Erin Elder, Nina Elder and Nancy Zastudil: PLAND (Practice Liberating Art through Necessary Dislocation): PLAND is an off-the-grid program that supports the development of experimental and research-based projects in the context of the Taos mesa. Houston is the host city because of its investment in sustainable building practices and alternative architecture, as well as its connection to radical, experimental, participant-based projects. (Houston)

Brett Koshkin: The Bayou City Soul Project: The Bayou City Soul Project will tell the story of Houston soul music. The scope of the project will include an audio documentary that includes oral first person narratives, sound clips and a historical narration. (Houston)

DumpTruck (Cory Wagner and Mat Wolff): How to make art in Texas and The Waiting Room: A collaborative video project comprised of interviews and performances featuring artists, curators, collectors, educators and other members of the Texas art community. Within the structure of the interview series, DumpTruck will present short video and/or documented performance works titled The Waiting Room. (Houston)

Mick Johnson: (v) = variable: (v) = variable addresses the re-use of existing architectural structures as temporary exhibition spaces. It intends to bring the collaborative effort of curator, artist and community closer together. (Houston)

Sketch Klubb (Seth Alverson, Jason Colburn, Rene Cruz, Russell Etchen, Sebastian Forray, Lane Hagood, Cody Ledvina, Nick Meriwether, Eric Pearce, Patrick Phipps, J. Michael Stovall, David Wang): Nerd Garage Sale: Sketch Klubb intends to publish a third book and celebrate the publication with an event called the Nerd Garage Sale which will take place in a public venue. Sketch Klubb intend to encourage drawing and other creative acts at some of the booths in the Nerd Garage Sale to facilitate a dialogue within the community. (Houston)

Potter-Belmar Labs (Leslie Raymond and Jason Jay Stevens): Panorama Marfa: As part of a larger body of work reinterpreting the traditional panorama and cyclorama forms, this multiple-screen, live cinema performance in Marfa will include video shot in the West Texas landscape along with an original score. (San Antonio)

Monica Henderson: Festival of African American Film: Film screenings of and discussions about works of little-known directors of color who celebrate life via honest, insightful, non-typical views of the struggles and accomplishments of people of color. (Houston)

Let us count the ways...

2009-12-18T12:06:00.003-06:00

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

2009-12-10T18:55:00.002-06:00

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...

2009-12-02T14:56:00.002-06:00

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....

2009-11-26T18:47:00.002-06:00

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

2009-11-12T17:58:00.014-06:00

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...

2009-11-10T18:26:00.004-06:00

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!

2009-10-22T12:01:00.007-05:00

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

2009-10-12T16:59:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-09T15:54:00.008-05:00

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

2009-10-08T18:08:00.005-05:00

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

2009-10-06T17:21:00.004-05:00

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

2009-10-01T15:29:00.001-05:00

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.

2009-09-23T14:27:00.006-05:00

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

2009-09-16T10:15:00.003-05:00

"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

2009-09-13T10:02:00.009-05:00

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!

2009-08-21T17:28:00.001-05:00

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

2009-08-12T21:35:00.001-05:00

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...

2009-08-11T18:44:00.006-05:00

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....

2009-08-03T13:43:00.005-05:00

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

2009-07-24T15:18:00.002-05:00

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

2009-07-14T15:42:00.002-05:00

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

2009-06-17T16:44:00.006-05:00

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

2009-04-29T12:50:00.005-05:00

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

20 to Watch: Meggie Chou

2009-04-29T12:45:00.005-05:00

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

2009-04-24T14:10:00.002-05:00

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....

2009-04-16T13:25:00.010-05:00

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

2009-04-01T12:16:00.005-05:00

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

2009-03-19T13:19:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-28T18:44:00.003-06:00

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

2009-02-26T16:21:00.003-06:00

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

2009-02-20T16:59:00.002-06:00

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

2009-02-20T16:55:00.002-06:00

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.

2009-02-13T18:53:00.002-06:00

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

2009-01-29T13:57:00.005-06:00

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

2009-01-09T13:38:00.003-06:00

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

New Year Performances Around the clock

2008-12-31T13:37:00.006-06:00

Happy New Year everyone!
There's so much to be thankful for that happened in 2008 - an incredible end to DW's 25th Anniversary; a terrific start to the new 2008-2009 season; a full staff!; and so much more.
Though DiverseWorks is closed for the holidays, I'm sure that many of you can't get your performance on, so I encourage you to check out these sites that are doing 24 hours of live performance via the web:
Miguel Gutierrez's Freedom of Information that was featured in the New York Times yesterday. It's an incredible vision of artists across the US organized by Miguel Gutierrez in response to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. DW followers might remember Miguel's Retrospective Exhibitionist and Difficult Bodies that were co-commissioned by DiverseWorks, Dance Theater Workshop and National Performance Network that was performed at DiverseWorks a couple of years back (mirror, candles, books, exposed bums, "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush...). Miguel has set up the premise, but each of the dancers are interpreting it in their own ways, including Houston's Daniel Adame.
However, if you're not able to get to that site today, you can check out 24hours24artists.com to see Jump-Start Performance Company's 24 hour online performance festival starting 9 pm January 2, 2008. Every year Jump-Start celebrates it's anniversary with a big blowout Performance Party on the first Saturday in January. This year the Performance Party is going global with "24 Hours 24 Artists" - a marathon webcast featuring performers from all over the world including Houston's Elia Arce; upcoming DW performer Michelle Ellsworth; and a host of others. Should be a great online show! (gotta love good Internet content!)
and for those of you who are dying for a live performance, you can join me tonight at Zilkha Hall for Ars Lyrica Houston's BACHANALIA 2008-2009 tonight starting at 9pm. There's a party afterwards with champagne, goodies and a silent auction! There might still be tickets available!
Just wanted to share some performance options with you until you can join us for Pat Graney's House of Mind Jan. 30 & 31, Feb. 5 - 7, 2009 7:30 pm!

The Office Party, DW-style

2008-12-19T12:48:00.002-06:00

I have a confession: I’m usually not a big fan of office holiday parties. Don’t get me wrong, they’re great and everything, but they always seem awkward. Like the one party I attended while working at Mervyn’s that was held at this odd little reception hall. It was OK, but I didn’t stay too long because I had a final exam the next day. Oh, who I’m I kidding, I stayed until midnight, and my manager wasn’t too happy because she let me out of work early to go home and study, not party. And I avoided them at the Chronicle because they were always held when I was working, and it’s kinda hard to work and party. But I digress.

So imagine my surprise when I found myself having a blast at the DW office holiday party on Wednesday. We had all sorts of great food: tamales, cappuccino cheesecake, an awesome meat and cheese lasagna created by yours truly, and drinks. We watched Diane’s favorite holiday movie, Polar Express. It was awesome. But the best part was the Bow Hunt.

It’s kinda like an Easter egg hunt but with bows hidden all around the DW facility. (Bet you can’t do that in your office) I scoped out a couple as I walked into the facility, trying to get an edge on the competition. And I was determined to win, but sad to say I was no match for Sixto. He is obviously a Bow Hunt Champion…but there is always next year.

--Tracey

DW heads to NPN Annual Meeting

2008-12-10T15:56:00.006-06:00

I'm thrilled that I'm headed off to Seattle for the National Performance Network's Annual Meeting. It's the one gathering of professionals that I constantly look forward to, even after 12 years.

For all those who don't realize what the National Performance Network is, you need to check out their website to find out all the amazing things that they accomplish. NPN is one of the reasons DW has been able to sustain and expand our performing arts programming over the past 15+ years. By raising funds to help subsidize our residencies, NPN has matched our fundraising efforts for certain performance programs. We're doubly excited that DiverseWorks has been selected as part of the Visual Arts Network of the NPN (supported by one of most favorite foundations: The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts). This means we'll be able to enrich our visual arts residencies, extending the possibilities for community connection and further development.

The annual meeting means that I get to see some of my dearest friends and closest collaborators across the country. Not only will we be hanging out with our buddies at On The Boards, but I'll be hanging out with friends from REDCAT; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts; Maggie Allessee National Choreographic Center at FSU (who will be hosting Morgan Thorson in residency for Heaven, a work DW co-commissioned with PS122); Dance Theater Workshop who commissioned House of Mind with us; Walker Art Center who presented Claude Wampler right after we did last year; Miami Dade College Cultural Affairs the other co-commissioner of Michelle Ellsworth The Objectification of Things (coming to DW in March); 651 Arts who supported Jennylin Duany whom we presented last season; and loads of artists and other great people to share ideas with, think about "big issues," and (perhaps most importantly) realize that we're not the only ones facing these issues.

The most exciting thing, is that we (Diane, Jon, Shawna and I) will be able to see Pat Graney's House of Mind in Seattle. This will be the first time that all of the elements will come together, and we can't wait to be bringing this to Houston in January/February. (read about the process in seattle!) We'll also get to see Scott Turner Schofield, The Suicide Kings, Zoe Scofield/Juniper; Holcombe Waller; Carpetbag Theater and a host of other amazing artists.

and... one of our own will be performing in Seattle! The Wiggins perform Dec. 13th @ 8at the VERA Project. w/ HAWNAY TROOF and more! you've got to check it out!
stay tuned for pictures and updates!

Hello Again!

2008-12-05T10:50:00.004-06:00

It is I julia the intern, blogging from DiverseWorks once again.

Well I everyone at Diverseworks had a lovely little vacation for Thanksgiving (except mine was full of preparation for finals!)

And we returned to find millions of idea fund applications pouring in our mailbox. The envelopes were all sorts of interesting shapes and sized. How exciting! I can't wait to see who gets the funds. I am sure its going to be some interesting stuff.

The thrive opening was huge and amazing.

Elia Arce was inside this big cacoon for almost the entire time, there was constantly this huge crowd waiting for her to pop out, but she just stayed in their meditating. i loved it.

And seeing Rachel Hecker feed her water through the small air hole was pretty great too.

And of course it was cool to see Kelli Vance show some of her paintings, since she was recently going to school at University of Houston and thats where I go to school! go UH painting department, yeah!

And everyone else was amazing too... It really is interesting to see this group of Houston women artists, If you fall in that category you must see this show, and you should read Mary Ross Taylor's writings about it.

Lets see, in other news I am excited to get to go to the Thrive REMIX, on the ninth. It sounds really tasty.

And I get to help with a DiverseWorks artist workshop Saturday morning. The one that all of those artists had to apply to be a part of? I am pretty happy about that. Have I said how awesome it is to be an intern at DiverseWorks and that all art school students who like good art should do it?? Because yeah. its great.

Alright, thats all we have for today, check us out later for more REAL DIRT from the bowels of Houston's own, DiverseWorks!

P.s. just to remind you guys of what I said last post....

I NEED YOUR EVENING SHOES AND BOOKS!!!
We are going to need 4,000 books and huge pile of high heels!
So clean out those closets and make room for some sexy NEW shoes.
get rid of all those pesky books, its all about the internet now anyways.

anyone? anyone?

email me! julia@diverseworks.org

p.p.s. I know its a little off topic, but dont you just LOVE money??

From the eyes of a DiverseWorks Intern:

2008-11-12T16:16:00.001-06:00

Hey hey hey!

My name is Julia Claire Wallace and I am currently interning at the amazing and wonderful DiverseWorks, an experience that has so far been very rewarding! Usually I hate working, ESPECIALLY without getting paid, but for DiverseWorks I don't mind so much.They are paying me pretty well in interesting experiences.

One of the most exciting things I have gotten to work on is the upcoming Pat Graney exhibition/performance., House of Mind (coming in late January). She flew in last weekend and we had a planning meeting. It is going to be an extraordinary event. I am thrilled to be able to work with her, ESPECIALLY because she is a fan of some of the art I am involved with. ( If I am working for free, I am at least going to do some self promotion!) Here is a gorgeous pic she gave me from rehearsal:

Isn't it beautiful? I can't wait to see what she does with the entire DiverseWorks space.

In the meeting we found out that we are going to need about a million books and evening shoes to make the show happen, so start us a pile! clean off those bookshelves! clean out that closet! And send me an email me (julia@diverseworks.org) if you have any ideas on how i can attain a large amount of either of these things.

Anyway! I keep hearing about this Thrive show that's coming up as well, and as a Houston Artist of the woman kind, I am thrilled to see what this lovely collection of ladies are giving to us. PLUS, the beautiful Elia Arce is involved, and I am one of her hugest fans!

Another thing I have been working on is planning some things for Jonah Bokaer to do while he is town. I arranged for him to teach some workshops at a couple of Houston schools as well as an open to the public workshop here at DiverseWorks! I am excited to have this opportunity, and all you readers out there should be too! It will be on the evening of November 18th. Come!

Alright, that is all this week of THE REAL DIRT, stay tuned next week for more exciting tales from the inner workings one of Houston's favorite ArtSpaces.

tales of a artspace operations manager: Part 1

2008-10-24T15:45:00.002-05:00

Ok! We got lots of stuff coming up in my department.. Next weekend is the closing of Ben DeSoto's: Understanding Poverty... This show has had a fantasic run(dispite being delayed a week due to our old friend IKE) and gave DW a chance to work other great non-profits like S.E.A.R.C.H. Spacetaker and Health Care for the Homeless(who will be having a small receiption in the gallery on 10/28 4pm to 6pm.. all are welcome.)

Up next is THRIVE(opening on Nov. 14th).. The work is already starting to come in and Im pretty excited. Today I met w/ one of the artist, Elia Arce, to go over some details of really cool performance she'll be doing the night of the opening opening!! I dont want to give it away, but its different from anything I've worked on before( and trust me, that's saying something!!)

As always, there is way more work then we can handle(16 artist!!) so if you want the chance to help out(and get an insder point of view of how these shows are put together), please drop me a line: jread@diverseworks.org

Also remember, in the black box theater, we have Catastrophic performing: THE STRANGERER. Which I will be attending tomorrow(I hope). This runs through the 8th, so get you tickets ASAP

Stay tuned to THE REAL DIRT!!!

and don't forget to VOTE!!

Piece of paradise at DW

2008-10-17T18:29:00.003-05:00

Hello! My name is Tracey Morton and I’m one of the latest additions to the DiverseWorks staff. I have been with the organization for six months and have worked my way from Volunteer/Intern/Consultant (or VIC as I called myself) to contract worker to full-fledge staff member with a snazzy title — Administrative Manager.

I first came to DW because I wanted to get back into PR (my actual bachelor’s degree study) after working five years at the Houston Chronicle. I really fell in love with Houston’s art scene and wanted to work for art space, a year later, here I am.

Working here is awesome, I have met so many great artists and have learned so much about our city’s flourishing art community, but I have to admit, one of the sweetest things I have gotten from working at DW is one most probably take for granted — I have my own office. To some, this is nothing, but for me, with my past life of shared cubicles, or no desk at all, this is major.

Wanna see what it looks like? Take a tour with me:

--Tracey Morton

The Day of Lists

2008-10-09T14:03:00.004-05:00

Today has been a day of lists. To-do lists. Board of Director's lists. Works in the Exhibition lists. Artists in the Show lists. Income and Expense lists. iPod Playlists (after all, making lists requires good tunes).

Yesterday Rachel Cook sent me a link to an amusing article by Jennifer Allen called Unsung Heroes. http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/unsung_heroes/ The article provides a snapshot of the life of a gallery assistant and illuminates the random and often absurd nature of that particular line of work. Rachel said it reminded her of her days working at DiverseWorks where every project involved a scavenger hunt for some must-have item required for the execution of a particular work of art. Anyone who has ever had the good fortune of working for an arts organization knows that there is a certain quirkiness about the work that we do. It's so much fun, I sometimes feel guilty for getting paid to do it.

During my time at DW, I've worked with hundreds of artists on countless projects and have fielded some pretty unusual requests for materials to be used in those projects. Last year as we were preparing for our 25th anniversary season, the staff thought it would be fun to assemble a list of some of this stuff. It's a fascinating and funny list--a long line of strange ingredients that, in the hands of the right person, can transcend its original function to become a fantastic work of art. So today, on this day of lists, I present the Partial Record of Random Stuff Used by Artists in Exhibitions at DiverseWorks Over the Last Ten Years list:

sod
52 pop tarts
2000 hot dogs
a barrel of flour
100 gallons of peanut butter
2 ton cement horse
car engine
ping pong table
100 white weather balloons and 1 red one
11,000 feet of black tie wire
4 rolls of reflective tape
20,000 feet of fishing line
car airbags
styrofoam
paper snowflakes
10,000 plastic butterflies
astroturf
a saddle
pantyhose
a purple monkey
toy fire engine
a working coke machine
a 10'x70' sheet of paper
a pallet of oranges
helium
50 lbs. of onions
bales of hay
a bowl of matches
an ambulance (with a crew)
a pulpit
glitter
the contents of a small apartment
surveillance cameras
wooden fruit crates
36 tvs
7 old bedspreads
40 lbs of raw cotton
a baby pool full of jello
5 gallons of tumeric
enough crushed cigarette packs to make a 4 foot pile
disco ball
a barbershop choir
25 mixed breed dogs (it was for a video shoot so don't freak out)
a kindergarten class with teacher
a garage band
a mariachi band
gallon of ketchup
yoga instructor
6 members of falon gong
a block of butter measuring 2'x2'
8 4'x8' sheets of steel
bubble machine
confetti
mustard
pigeons
red, orange, yellow and brown duct tape
40' table covered with newspaper stacked 2" thick
3 rottweilers (which we couldn't find so we used dobermans instead)
cowboy costumes for said dogs
dehumidifier
saurkraut
a 10' stack of pillows
garbage bag of stuffed animals
polar bear costume (serious, not smiling)
old wooden boats - real ones
a wall-mounted water fountain
toy machine guns
tree trunk
cake icing
25' boomerang shaped rug made of black astroturf
canoe
bull horn
dog food cans

And yes, as a matter of fact we DO call that art. I love my job!

Understanding

2008-10-02T16:06:00.004-05:00

Howdy. Welcome to The Real Dirt, DiverseWorks’ weekly blog. You’ll get the skinny from a different staff member each week – sharing stories, ideas and opinions on the “inner workings” of DW.

This season is starting off not like we planned. The entire staff at DiverseWorks is pretty good at “going with the flow” and “enjoying the process,” but Hurricane Ike tested all of that. We’re lucky, don’t get me wrong - no one hurt, no particular damage to the space or to our respective homes – with only some of the staff suffering from the lack of electricity (happy to report that the entire staff has electricity, though it took 15 days for some).

Right before the hurricane, we hung Ben DeSoto’s Understanding Poverty exhibit on poverty and homelessness in Houston over the past 20 years. While we worked with Ben to make this exhibit happen, we knew it was a topic that is “of the moment,” little did we know how clear that moment was going to hit home.

Each day I come to work, I have the opportunity to look at the photographs and absorb the stories. It reminds me how completely lucky I am. I have my partner Matthew, my family and my friends who helped out throughout the 11 days without electricity. Our home had turned into a big, messy closet I didn’t want to go into. I admit that I was a wreck without that place I could call Home, without that sanctuary. It was hard for me to think beyond that day because of uncertainty, exhaustion and the dissolution of my routine. So many people I know – artists, administrators, creative types – all live on a paycheck -to-paycheck existence. We’re living on just this side of “not making it” – and “making it” is now completely redefined (I so live in a world of luxuries).

It’s exciting to be part of an exhibition that so fulfills our mission; Ben’s Understanding Poverty isn’t about politics, isn’t just about the striking photographs - it inspires questions, engages ideas and has changed my daily life. The exhibit tells many stories, but the one that continually comes home to me is about generosity.
-Sixto