New Season brings thoughts of last year

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Volunteers needed at DW!

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

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

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

Hope to see you at DW soon!!

--Tracey

Houston Press 2009 Awards

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

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

best art gallery
DiverseWorks

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

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

House of Mind - Pat Graney Company

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

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

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

best dance performance

The Invention of Minus One - Jonah Bokaer

House of Mind - Pat Graney

The Convenient Woman- Teresa Chapman & Leslie Scates

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

Lila Kanner of Artadia talks...

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


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

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

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

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

Positive Press for $TIMULUS...

Read Douglas Britt's article from The Houston Chronicle.

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

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


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

From the desk of DeeDee Bott....

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

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

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


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

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

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

See you in September.
DeeDee

Lazy days of summer best spent at DW

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

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

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

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

--Tracey

$timulus artists featured on 29-95.com

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