Worthington's Got Talent Update!

Hi All,

Here's some exciting news about the talent competition we're hosting in the Fall.

There will be two categories of Talents that the judges will consider during the show: Singing and Other.

The event's sponsor, Worthington Realty is providing AMAZING prizes for the individuals that place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

1st = $3,000 *
2nd = $2,000
3rd = $1,000

*If the first place winner is a singer they ALSO receive one song session in a Nashville, TN recording studio.

If you were on the fence about submitting your talent, I suggest you fall on the side of submitting. You could cheat yourself out of $3,000!

Just click on the link to the April posts that's to your right and then the "Worthington's Got Talent! Do You?" post and you'll be taken to the blog post with the Talent Form. Hope to see your lovely talents in the Fall!

Schools Out For Summer Art Camps!

It's about that time (I think, high school was a few years ago...), when parents are finalizing their child care plans for the summer. While I don't know where you should keep your kids all summer (basements are cool right?), I do know what to do with them for a week.

Many studies and articles show that a learning free summer will have negative effects on your child's development. While summer is a time for kids to take a break from the classroom, it doesn't have to be a break from learning all together. In fact, it can be a time where they learn in ways school doesn't always offer.

That's where the MAC comes in.

The MAC is hosting a variety of art camps this summer for children entering first grade as well as high schoolers that children of any skill level would benefit from and enjoy.

Although all of our camps will stimulate and develop your children's creative skills and critical thinking in a fun-filled environment, each camp offers a different artistic focus and with that fosters different combinations of skills.

Allow me to introduce you to the 5 Art Camps at the MAC this summer and the many benefits they offer your children.

BalletMet American Girlfriend Adventure
For a week your child will bond with her American Girl Doll and friends over the many cultures these beautiful dolls are connected to through dance and arts & crafts.

Benefits:
-Learning about and appreciating different cultures and traditions
-Logic and reasoning
-Self confidence
-Improve memory
-Dexterity

Camp Creative
A full day camp for children 6-12 years old, Camp Creative offers participants an opportunity to explore visual, performing, and literary arts.

Benefits:
-Self confidence, especially through overcoming performance anxiety
-Self discipline and motivation
-Respecting alternative viewpoints
-Improving language and memory
-Team building
-Visual processing
-Strengthen attention skills
-Logic and reasoning

ARTventure
For children entering 1st grade all the way to 8th grade, this half day camp taught by CCAD instructors will give your child a space to engage in drawing, painting, sketch book journaling, mixed media and 3D designs.

Benefits:
-Self confidence
-Self discipline and motivation
-Developing a sense of craftsmanship
-Articulating vision
-Strengthen attention skills
-Improve memory
-Visual processing
-Dexterity

Intro to Filmmaking
From young adults entering 9th grade to college undergrads looking to develop their filmmaking skills, this one week music video class will help develop the skill set needed for storytelling through film.

Benefits:
-Accept responsibility
-Learn how to complete a task from start to finish/ goal setting
-Self confidence
-Self discipline and motivation
-Articulating vision
-Strengthen attention skills
-Visual processing

BalletMet Around the World in Dance
Ages 4-6 will spend the week learning about other cultures through their traditional dances and songs. At the end of the week the campers will put on a show for their families.

Benefits:
-Learning about and appreciating different cultures and traditions
-Self confidence, especially through performance
-Self discipline and motivation
-Improve memory
-Visual processing
-Team building

And those are the Art Camps the MAC is offering throughout the summer.

 Remember our camps aren't the only way to continue your child(ren)'s learning this summer. Sign them up for a library reading program, get them involved in a team sport, or start a family game night! There are so many fun ways to keep their brains fueled outside the classroom.

Grease Gets Inter-MAC-tive

While I acknowledge that title is a horrible pun, I will not apologize. If it's the reason you're reading these words, it did it's job.

This Sunday at 3pm the Get Reel Film Series Presents: Grease Sing-Along, a remastering of the musical-turned-movie classic that includes stylized lyrics at the bottom of the screen to help viewers like you mock Sandy with Rizzo in "Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee" or get down with the T-Birds in "Grease Lightning."

From what I understand, they not only added lyrics, but other more campy elements like birds and hearts  around characters in love, giving it a little bit of a Who Framed Roger Rabbit cartoony humor to the film.

As fun as the movie sounds, it's the least of all the fun the MAC has planned for guests this Sunday.

Before the movie plays, audience members who prepared their unique version of a hand jive will get a chance to impress the rest of the audience with their creativity and talent by performing on the Bronwynn stage for about fifteen seconds (about two rounds of their jive) while "Born to Hand Jive" plays on the speakers.

Everyone who participates will get free admission to the show and whoever is the crowd favorite gets a special to be determined prized. If you're intimidated by the idea of getting on the stage, let me set the scene for you. You won't be in front of that many people, definitely less than a hundred. You won't be on the stage for very long. Your jive doesn't have to be complicated.

I've also heard a rumor that students who recently played in their schools production of Grease will come in costume and perform a song.

It's just one more way the MAC wanted to celebrate the delightful, overly nostalgic, quaint experience of a Grease Sing-Along. So come out, show off your jive and sing along.

The MAC's Portrait Painters Group or My Farewell Before Running Away to Paris to Model

Ten days ago that title would have been a pretty funny gotcha. Today it's just okay.

Yesterday afternoon Lauren, our Director of Programming and Outreach told me the Portrait Painting group that meets every Wednesday in the lobby from 7-9pm needed a model. Their scheduled model had to cancel at the last minute.

A few hours before coming into the MAC, my evening plans had been cancelled. I've meant to visit the Portrait Painting group for a few weeks now, but something always comes up. Some might call it coincidence, others fate, whatever you call it, I was in.

The group is open to everyone. You bring your own materials and some money to pay the model. The more people that show up, the less money you have to pay. You can paint with oils, draw with pastels, pencils, charcoal. The point is to give you a space to practice your craft.

I didn't get a chance to interview Michael, the man who currently organizes/runs the group, so more extensive knowledge about the group will come in a later post. I thought I'd just share with you my brief experience as a model, what a few of the pieces look like.

Don't be surprised if you see my profile on the side of a coin someday.

Also, I'm not sure if they're still there, but many of the Portrait Painter regulars have some of their work on display at the Rivage Atlantique at 652 N. High Street. If you're interested in having a portrait of yourself or someone else, it's a good place to go see the range of artistic styles these artists exhibit, if you can't make it out on a Wednesday.

As a model I just had to sit, without moving very much, for about twenty minutes at a time (And was paid to do it!). Doesn't sound hard right? Well, except for the first session, it wasn't too difficult. The first twenty minutes, I felt very tense. I didn't want to slouch and was afraid my chin would dip while I was reading my book.

My eyes kind of hurt from the strain of trying to read while the book was at chest level and I couldn't tilt my head, so then I would stare straight ahead and just practice breathing and meditation techniques I learned last year for anxiety. Trying to be comfortable and relaxed and not move very much made the first twenty minutes feel long.

I promise I was more excited to be there than this picture would have you believe.

But I told Michael I'd try 25 minutes and see how that felt. The second session felt a lot better. I figured a way of reading my book, so I wouldn't have to worry about blocking any artists view of me (cue hair toss) while also not straining my eyes. I also decided to spend more time meditating, since I haven't been practicing as much as I told myself I would, December 31st. The rest of the sessions felt about the same.

I wish I would have taken more pictures of their art. Everyone seemed to be using different materials and truly their styles were unique. I plan on coming out and doing some sketching of my own in the future. And who knows maybe I'll get another shot at modeling.

Worthington's Got Talent! Do you?

The McConnell Arts Center of Worthington Presents: Worthington's Got Talent Sponsored in Part by Worthington Realty

That's right, the McConnell Arts Center is hosting a show of talent to rival America's favorite televised talent show.

In a community with such strong ties to the arts, I imagine there is Talent being served at the dinner table, doodling the margins of homework papers, bashing and clanging up the basement stairs, and warming up the refrigerator door of every third house on each block.

And when I say "Talent," I don't just mean a beautiful voice, or nimble string strumming fingers or smooth foot work, I mean whatever you're good at.

Did you get an A+ on a poem you wrote for school? Talent. Did your best friend's mom tell you, your stick figure dogs remind her of cave man drawings? Talent. Did you make a short video of your friends pretending to rob a bank? Talent. Did your baby sister laugh at a joke you told during breakfast? Talent. Can you juggle?!?

TALENT!

If you have a PASSION you can't help but do because you LOVE IT, this is your chance to share it with your community!

Everyone a part of the Worthington Talent Show wants to hear all about it.

Now that I've convinced you to apply, let me give you the guidelines:

- ALL ages are encouraged to apply. If you or someone in your act is a minor, you will need parental permission to participate.

- Bring your talented pets. As long as you have proof their shots are up-to-date and your skilled animal is well behaved in large groups, it's invited.

- You have to be available the day of the talent show.

Intern Talks: Melinda Rosenberg's Works in Wood Exhibit

If you've been at the MAC at all since March 7th, there's no way you've missed our current main exhibit: Works in Wood by Melinda Rosenberg. Simple, yet magnetic woodwork made from found woods like barn siding as well as pine and poplar, Rosenberg's pieces amaze me. I'll do my best to explain why after letting you know a little bit more about the artist.

Melinda Rosenberg is a Worthington resident who has shown her art in Chicago and all over Ohio. She's studied at The Ohio State University and Fu Jen University in Taipei, Taiwan where she studied Chinese Language. Based off what I've read on her website, Japanese culture influences her work, especially the use of visuals tricking the viewer's perception in order to make them stop to look again.

In the statement section of Rosenberg's website she discusses her work and inspiration in a way that is as compelling and stimulating as the art itself. She reveals the intention behind her work's "quiet yet interesting" shape and specific arrangements. Many of her pieces are part of a set and arranged with its sister pieces.

Bear Torso (2013)

When it comes to perceiving the art, the arrangement is as important as the details within each separate artwork. Rosenberg explains, "when comparing two similar things, perception becomes more acute. Differences become noticeable. The more subtle the difference, the more nagging the similarities."

It was great to read what her intentions are because even without her language and ideas to frame it, I've experienced that shift in my perception when looking at them.

Except for her more whimsical sets in the lobby (which still contain her creative use of found material, and attention to shape, texture, and color), Rosenberg's exhibit is geometric and shape driven. In some of my favorite sets, she creates sharp, uniform shapes and subtly, or not so subtly, defies them.

Raw Edge - Group 2 (2012)

The piece at the bottom of this set, is one of my favorites, mostly because it bothers the crap out of me. The symmetry of the reddish barn siding, the strip of poplar, and two black triangles is disturbed by the jagged edges thrusting from the side. While my desire for symmetry is flared, I love that raw edge and how the asymmetry strikes me.

Rosenberg does beautiful things with texture and color. In the arrangement below there are so many different textures, patterns, shapes, and details going on. Far from overwhelming or overstimulating me, the display simply captivated me with the many ways she constructed a book's cover spread like wings, the pages fluttering.

Books 1-9 (2012)

This exhibit is my first experience with woodworking as an art form and I'm hooked. Her pieces are disruptively simple and fully engaging. If I had the hundreds of dollars necessary to keep one in my home I would.

Sunday, April 14th, 2-3pm, she will give an Artist Talk that is FREE to the public. I want to hear more of what she has to say about her works shape, arrangement, and what she hopes the viewers notice.

I Wish I Was At The MAC: MUV-ing Along

This weeks event is the Thursday Night Concert Series: The James Gaiters MUV-Ment. Like all our TNCS events it'll begin at 8pm and you can buy your tickets here or at the door.

Before I continue, I have a confession to make:

I know next to nothing about jazz music. Last month, I got the bright idea to post an interesting and fun jazz fact on our twitter page each day of Black History Month. It was difficult, not because there wasn't any interesting facts about jazz, but because there were too many.

You could say jazz to 100 individuals and they might all have a different idea of what that word means. As a fledgling listener, I can't define the entire genre for you; but thanks to a few of my jazz enthusiast friends, I can give you a better understanding of free jazz, which seems to be the kind The James Gaiters MUV-Ment plays.

One friend give me this:

"Telling a story is hard. We've all got that one friend who tells amazing stories! I mean about anything, getting groceries, eating potato salad, and POW normal stuff becomes out of f**king control. That's really all there is to jazz, besides practicing 7-8 hours per story."

Translation:

Being a good freestyle jazz musician is like storytelling in that you pluck out the notes of a song/chord/melody and use them to play the music the way only you would and it makes your listeners feel and understand you. Just like a good storyteller takes the instances of their day or knowledge and rearranges or reforms it in their voice to capture our attention and wonder.

You have to love what you do and practice a lot to tell a story in any form.


*disclaimer: Eddie Bayard (MUV-Ment member) is not featured in this video, sadly*

That's the music you can look forward to on Thursday.

From what I've read about the band, both James Gaiters and saxophonist, Edwin Bayard are influenced by saxophone legend, and free jazz pioneer, John Coltrane. Gaiters and Coltrane definitely share a similar musical background.

Both grew up in spiritual music homes. Gaiter's mother was a concert pianist and organist for the church where his father was a pastor. Coltrane's father played multiple instruments and both his grandfathers were leaders of a church. Both men submerged themselves in jazz, but connect their spirituality with their music.

While jazz may be their home, like most legendary Jazz musicians I read about last month, both men have played and written music for many other genres. James Gaiter Jr of The James Gaiter MUV-Ment has played gospel, classical, country, rock, folk, and blues.

It's hard to put a finger on Jazz. Even one of my friends who deemed it one of his favorite genres had a hard time telling me what it was that makes Jazz so different from other genres. He kept coming back to a word I've often scene connected to Jazz: Soul.

Not to say other genres of music don't also contain a piece of their composer or translate feeling. There's something in the way Jazz goes for the throat. There's just something about Jazz.

I Wish I Was At the MAC: Stringing You Along

Hey Readers!

I apologize for last week's silence. I spent my interning hours making a map for a cool brochure we're making for the public art in Worthington. I plan on writing a blog post about it when we get an idea of what it'll look like.

I heard 70+ people made it out to the Get Reel Film Series @ the MAC Presents: Beasts of the Southern Wild. I watched it for the first time last week and loved it. I'm going to have to watch it again to get the symbolism between the aurochs and Hushpuppy's adventure/journey or just to emerse myself in the collage of colors, lights, and kooky drunks that make up the whimsical island called The Bathtub.

This Friday at 7:30pm, a couple of musicians, the wildly talented guitarist Richard Smith and his wife, classically trained cellist, Julie Adams will perform at the MAC. Before I go into their musical endeavors and lists of accomplishments, let me tell you how sickeningly sweet this couple is. (Think eating an entire Easter basket of Cadbury Creme Eggs sweet.)

Richard Smith is a British, child prodigy guitarist who's avoided taking lessons or reading sheet music.

Julie Adams is an Ohio native, classically trained cellist who doesn't feel comfortable off the page.

He got started in country music via Chet Atkins.

She was classically trained at Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Cincinnati Conservatory.

Together their musical stylings span folksy genres to classical and pop.

They're "musical bad boy" meets "classical girl next door." Is it just me or are there hundreds of movies made around this concept every day?

I imagine their first meeting was the musical equivalent of "You've got your peanut butter in my chocolate!" "No you've got your chocolate in my peanut butter!" Hahaha, instantly in love and now traveling the world playing music together.

And the music is why you should come to the MAC Friday.

Richard Smith is the real deal when it comes to child prodigy. It took him less than a day, as a left-handed five year old he learned how to finger pick the chords and & melody to a Chet Atkins song on his dad's right handed guitar. Within six years he played ON STAGE with Chet in front of a thousand people. He was eleven and playing complex songs from memory!

11 year old Smith Playing with Chet Atkins 

Smith appears to have a natural talent for playing by ear. For most songs after one listen he can play it on his guitar. Many of the musicians he grew up loving and playing consider him their hero. I'll say that again: the people who wrote the songs he plays look up to him!

He's that good.

Smith's primary style is finger picking and he's won awards for his skill and was even inducted into the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame in 2009. However, since his childhood he has branched out to flat picking and excelled in that music styling as well.

"Pickin' In The Park" Dortmund, Germany

In playing with his wife, Smith raves about the diversity she exhibits. Not only does Adams play her cello traditionally, but also as a bass. Sometimes she can lead the music, but also play counter melodies and harmonies for Smith's guitar. This diversity enables them to play all of the genres they love: country, blue grass, jazz, pop, and classical.

From what people who have seen them perform before tell me, it's the kind of music you fall in love with.

I Wish I Was At The MAC: World's Longest Mousetrap

No, the MAC has not thrown away the arts in favor of becoming the next Ripely's Believe It Or Not! This week it's hosting the Worthington Community Theater's production of The Mousetrap, a murder mystery play that is the Godfather of ALL murder mystery shows.

Written by Agatha Christie, this play is the longest running show (of any kind) in the history of British Theater. (and probably entertainment in general, although I can't fact check that claim) As someone who likes symmetry, I think it's fitting that a show with a historically long run is being put on by one of the oldest Community Theater's in Central Ohio.

The show will run from Thursday through Sunday (March 14-17), playing at 7:30pm Thursday-Saturday and 2:00pm on Sunday. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students (That's so reasonable!) and can be bought at the MAC or through a link on the event's page.

Without giving too much away, here's the story:

There is a murder in London. Four strangers check into the same hotel run by a young couple. They are snowed in. A stranded, strange man arrives. Then a detective on skis. The London murderer may be on his way to the hotel. Someone dies. Maybe the murderer is already here...

My reasoning for wishing I could see this play (and hooray! Maybe FOR THE FIRST TIME I can actually go to an event I write about! Wonders of Wonders!) is simple: I spent two weeks straight playing the Simpson Clue boardgame as a kid.

Murder mysteries are just fun. Why do you think this show is over sixty years old and still going strong? Or why there are so many other variations on the same whodunit? theme? Agatha Christie made a career off of writing them.

Instead of giving you a list of why I'd like to go, I'll give you a list of interesting facts about this play because there are a lot of them.

The Mousetrap Fun Facts:

1. Has a "Twist Ending"
I'm not going to say Christie invented it, but the play has done great PR for the concept. Although there's a small section dedicated to the ending on the Wikipedia page (why try and ruin it for us Wiki!?), I did my best not to read it. Audiences are traditionally asked to not reveal the ending/murder's identity after leaving the show and I would hate to blurt it out on here before you've even gone to the play.

2. It's a Play, Based on a Short Story, Based on a Radio Play, Based...

No really. Agatha Christie wrote a radio play titled "Three Blind Mice" (in honor of Queen Mary's 80th birthday.) That radio play inspired Christie to write a short story of the same name, which laid the groundwork for her to create a longer stage production.

2.5 Extra Fun Fact
Christie requested that the short story, "Three Blind Mice" that inspired the play, not be published as long as the play ran in London. In 1950, it was published in the US in Three Blind Mice and Other Stories, but to this day, it has not been published in the UK.

3. Transforming Three Blind Mice into The Mousetrap
When Christie created the stage production of "Three Blind Mice", a stage play of the same name had already run, prior to World War Two. It's said, Christie's son-in-law, Anthony Hicks suggested she title it "The Mousetrap" after Act III scene II in Hamlet, which is what Hamlet tells another character the name of his play is (it's really The Murder of Gonzago) because it's meant to trap the conscious of the King.

4. It's The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Agatha Christie gave the rights to the play to her grandson, Matthew Pritchard for his 9th birthday. His birthday was about a year after the performance's premiere, Oct. 6, 1952. He's had sole rights to this play (and it's royalties) for sixty years. Best. Birthday. Ever.

5. They Can't Make Everything into A Movie
In the mid fifties a producer, John Woolf, bought the rights to make a film based on "The Mousetrap," under the condition that he wouldn't start production until six months after the show was no longer performed in London. Sixty years later and it doesn't look like we'll be seeing the film version for a while.


6. It's Based on a True Story
Albeit, loosely based, in my opinion. In 1945 a young boy, Dennis O'Neill died while in the foster care of a farming couple. His foster father called a doctor saying Dennis was having a fit. When the doctor arrived he found Dennis in terrible condition and already dead. Dennis was malnourished and badly bruised. It's believed he died of cardiac failure caused by his weakened body not withstanding his foster father's abuse. His foster parents were found guilty of manslaughter through willful ill-treatment, neglect, and exposure likely to cause suffering and injury. This case caused an overhaul in the foster care system in the UK. I'm not sure what aspects of The Mousetrap it inspired, but I admire that Christie made sure it's a story not easily forgotten.

Come out and watch this entertaining play with an incredibly rich history. Maybe, I'll see you there.

Last Snow Day

If you're at work, I'm sorry. I won't talk about how I haven't left my couch all morning. What I will talk about is a video I found that has a great, creative idea for what to do with our last big snow (Hopefully).



I love how simple this idea is, especially because you can do anything you want with it. It literally turns the snow into one huge, temporary, canvas!

Think of the possibilities. Hippy Snowman, Police Officer Snowman, Anybody Snowman! Or the fun designs we'll be drawing with chalk this weekend, after the weather gets in the fifties. The idea behind this video is a great way to interact with your family and friends in the snow.

If you don't have a bunch of empty spray bottles laying around, think of what you could do with a water bottle with the cap off, or a hole cut into it.

Here are a few other common household items you can turn into your snow-brush:

1. Old dish sponges
Instead of putting the water-dye mixture in a spray bottle, put it in some bowls, or buckets. Then soak the sponge in a color and do something funky with it on the snow.

2. Loofas
This item could work in the same way the sponge would, just a different texture/design element to try out, if you've realized you've had your loofa for to long.

3. Watering Can
Like the spray bottles it could both hold and dispense the paint, albeit in a less controlled fashion.

4. Fruit & Vegetables
You could cut an apple in half, cut out chunks of it to make a design. That could also be down with a potato, or onion. Take a stick of corn, dip it in a bowl or glass of dyed water, then roll it across the snow.

Also try: artichokes, carrots, radishes, beets, bananas, or orange peels.

5. Q-tips
For the little details, or pointillism snow art.

6. A stick
Just break off  a piece, dip it in your dye water and start sketching the next Snowa Lisa.

7. Paint brush
I bet it would work just as well, if not better than a stick.

Mix the water and dye to whatever ratio you like best or have enough dye for grab some craft "tools" and get out in the snow and play today!

I Wish I Was At The MAC: Fast Forward Edition

This is a low key week at the MAC, event wise. Instead of discussing an event I'd like to attend this week, I'm going to tell you guys about the feisty duo kRi & hettie who will perform in the Bronwynn Theatre at 8pm next Friday, March 8th.

kRi & hettie are a Folk duo that bares their soul with the hope of uplifting yours. Founded in 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky, they sound as if they've played together for much longer. It might have to do with whole-heartedly embracing themselves and their voices that translates into seasoned confidence as well as an entertaining and inspiring show.

After skimming through my internet finds on them and watching some hilarious and/or invigorating videos on Youtube, here are the reasons why I'm sad I'll miss their show.

1. Two words: Spoken Word.

I'm a big fan of performance poetry. Going to open mics around Columbus and experiencing out of town features was an obsession of mine last year. When I read that spoken word is a big part of their music, kRi & hettie got my attention. Their sound is very much Ani DiFranco, 90s-coffee-shop soul, which I like.

The majority of each song is spoken word, which highlights that the words, and their meaning, are the important part. Hettie's warm guitar playing is like a chaser to help the lyrics go down smooth. It conveys the mood the words open you up to.

2. They Conspire to Inspire

On their Facebook page, they promise "Uplifting Music that is Medicine for the SOUL."

We all get bogged down with monthly payments (cars, mortgage, rent) jobs we hate, or love but stress us out, kids to pick up or clean up after, school work to finish, chores to do, friendships and romances--it's all a chaotic mess. Sometimes it's energizing and gives us a glow for this life we live and love, but sometimes it clouds our vision and we get lost.

The goal of their music is to defog our windshield eyes and remind us of the joy we experience in each living breath. This journey of continuously finding and being ourselves.



3. Sense of Humor
These women are funny! They have a song about cats that I thought was hilarious, but don't feel comfortable talking about because we are a family establishment. Click this link if you want to listen. I encourage you to listen to both, but it's the second song that starts at 04:55.

Not only do they sing funny songs, but their stories and personalities in between songs are just as exuberant and silly. It's obvious they're having fun on stage and want to connect with you.

4. They're Comfortable in Their Skin
I might love them the most for their self love, especially because it feeds everything else on this list. Both women are personable and genuine. Watching them feels like hanging out in their living room after a night of drinking and dancing or an summer evening on their back porch. They're happy with themselves and in the truest form of kindness, they just want to share that love with their audience and help them feel it too. They're here to be themselves and have fun and encourage you to do the same.

Combine all of the above and you've got a hell of a show.

I Wish I Was At The MAC: Ray Charles Tribute

The event I cannot attend this week, but you should, is the Thursday Night Concert Series presents: Ray Charles Tribute Band with Roger Hines.

The concert is part of the MAC's Black History Month celebration. Other events (past and to come) include: Art Off the Square's drumming circle with Freda Abbott-Ayodele and Yvonne Mumin before the Get Reel Film @ the MAC presented the documentary Give Me The Banjo last Sunday, and tonight at 7:30pm Worthington Kibourne High School Jazz Ensemble and Thomas Worthington High School Jazz Band, and the Grace Polaris Jazz Ensemble all perform different songs from big band, swing, and bebop jazz genres.

But this Thursday a band whose mission is to bring the joy of Ray Charles live performances is playing at the MAC.

If you click here, you'll be taken to a short article that highlights Hines's relationship with Ray Charles and why he felt compelled to form the tribute band. Many variations of Hines's fateful call from Ray Charles's road manager asking him to join their tour can be found on the internet, so I'm not going to talk about that. Instead I'll provide a list of reasons why I'd like to be there.

Reasons Why I Want To Go:

1. The Musicians Are Talented

Again, Hines you can google and will find lists of musicians he's played with, places he's taveled, festivals he's performed at, the whole shebang. The other musicians take a little more digging, but from what Youtube's told me, they're stellar and they've dedicated most of their life to their instruments and jazz music.

2. They Love What They Do

This might sound like a given or something you can say about every musician--and you're right. But for me, their passion for jazz and specifically Ray Charles's music, is a musical love I haven't experienced before. I've spent a few hours each week googling jazz music and musicians for Black History Month jazz themed tweets on the MAC's twitter and based on my findings jazz is distilled emotion. When a musician plays, the listener might as well be taking straight shots of emotion. There is something raw in their playing even when it isn't improvised because what the music makes everyone feel is of upmost importance. I expect this spirit and energy in their music Thursday.

3. Ray Charles Performance Legacy

Spirit and energy are what Ray Charles was known for during live performances. Heel kicking, key-slapping, head thrown back JOY is his thing. During songs his audience would absorb his excitement and joy causing a positive feedback loop where their excitement would make him even more energetic and visibly excited, in turn making their hearts warm and sun-shiny until they supernova-ed and set the stage on fire (basically). Ray Charles wanted everyone to feel as good as he felt while he played. The Ray Charles Tribute band isn't just about skilled performances of well written songs, it's about sharing Ray Charles energy and performance style with anyone who's loved it or is open to hearing it.

4. "The Genius"
I've known of Ray Charles and his music since I was fourteen when I saw a trailer for Ray. I'm sure many of his songs have been used in a number of TV shows or movies I've watched. But before this month, that was about it. If you don't know much about him besides what I've just told you, look him up! Man is cool. Did you know he basically created Soul music?! That he's written music in almost every American genre! (jazz, soul, country, blues, bluegrass, gospel,  rhythm and blues, etc) And probably fused it with some other genre. He was an incredibly prolific songwriter and insanely good.

An opportunity to not only listen to his music, but performed live, by musicians who love this music and the man who wrote it, is something worth getting excited about.

Click the link on "Ray Charles Tribute Band with Roger Hines" for more information on the event and a link to buy pre-show tickets.

Have a good winter-weather week guys!

I Wish I Was At The MAC: Murder at 777 Evening Street

It might seem strange to wish I was at the scene of a murder, but when it's well written and acted, who could resist? For two and a half hours every Sunday the past four weeks, John Ondo taught his students about filmmaking while crafting their very own short film. The students range from fourteen year olds to adults, all interested in different aspects of what it takes to create a compelling story via film.

This Sunday, their film makes its debut before the Get Reel Film Series presents Give Me The Banjo; a comprehensive look at a quintessential American musical instrument, the banjo, from its African roots to contemporary jazz and into the 21st century. 

John Ondo, the class instructor as well as President and Director of Ondo Media, was kind enough to answer a few questions about the film and Intro to Filmmaking class. 

What can you tell us about the film's plot? And how did the class come up with the idea?

Murder at 777 Evening Street is a classic whodunnit. Set at the McConnell Art Center, the story begins with a priceless vase that has been stolen and two security officers who have been murdered. The story unfolds as the detectives try to solve the crime. I wrote the main script, but then the class in a  collaborative effort made changes to it to make it their own.

How collaborative was the class? Was each student given a specific job or did everyone play some part in each aspect of developing and filming?

The class was designed as a overview of filmmaking. Students have been a part of everything from helping to shoot, edit and write and several students had acting roles as well. It's difficult to get too in depth in creating a  short film  in just 12 hours of class time.  I've spent many hours in preperation and editing during the past weeks so we can discuss each stage on Saturday. We will go in-depth with 2 new classes starting this spring which anyone can sign up for. First we will have a 3 week class focusing just on editing followed by a 3 week class to go in depth on shooting video with a digital SLR camera. And we will be offering a week long class for high school students this summer. We believe the MAC can become the place in central Ohio for students to learn and grow in the art of filmmaking.

John showing his students camera techniques 

Could you share one of your favorite moments teaching this class?

 I've enjoyed having some great local directors, actors and writers come into the class and share about filmmaking each week, but shooting the primary story with our volunteer actors  and students in just 6 hours took some real teamwork, and I was so proud of how everyone pitched in to make it all look amazing.

 In your experience, what do students usually gain, after taking this class?

I hope students leave this class and know that they have the basic tools now to create a compelling story and shoot and edit a short film that the whole world could potentially view via the Internet. I'm very excited about the stories the next generation of filmmakers are going to tell.

Can't make the film's premiere? An encore showing is in the works, potentially for next Sunday and the full film will be posted on the MAC's Facebook page, once it's no longer showing in the Bronwynn Theatre. 

Watch a sneak peak of the film here:

http://vimeo.com/59188026

I Wish I Was at the MAC: Been There, Done That Edition

Look at us, it’s only the second post of this weekly installment and we’re already growing and changing. The 1-day painters class I planned to write about was canceled due to lack of interest, (guess I should have written about it sooner because it sounded fun) so I’m going to talk about something I have experienced (yay) that relates to an event this Thursday I can’t attend (boo).

If you’ve been to the MAC at all since January 10^th, you’ve probably noticed the new art in the Corridor Galleries (along the halls in the basement, first and second floor). The artist, Beverly Darwin created these masterful pieces of art. Masterful is no understatement either. I’m not sure how long Darwin has been painting throughout her life, but she just received her BFA from the Columbus Collage of Art and Design in 2010.

I mean, look at it!

"Eye of God"

The subjects in Darwin’s art are inspired by places she’s traveled. Big Ben, Chinatown, desert landscape, and even Columbus all grace the MAC’s walls. Similar to our Main Gallery artist, Christine Guillot Ryan, Darwin is interested in the “symbolic, emotional, and psychological fragments” that we use to interpret our surroundings. Darwin uses mixed media to show the symbols and fragments she associates with the places she’s traveled.

"Romance Language"

Most media she includes give us an insight into how she sees these places in a subtle or clever (sometimes both) way. For example, "Western Sentinel, Colorado." In the painting of a fire hydrant amidst dry grass, matches are incorporated into the blades of grass, highlighting their flammability and relationship to the fire hydrant beyond location.

"Western Sentinel, Colorado"

In other paintings the connection is less clear, or harder to explain.

I’ve looked at her artwork a lot this past month. I go out of my way to walk down certain hallways just to look at some of my favorites and initially absorbing the vibrant, realistic images filled my belly with light. (total artistic review term right there) But honestly, since this exhibit and Fairytales & Finance have been on display, I’ve wondered: Is it possible for the stomach to release endorphins? Because that’s what it feels like when I look at their art.

"Desert Reef"

And if I wrote this review a month ago it would be titled: BELLY FULL OF LIGHT with just the images of her artwork between images of my smiling face. Looking at art can do that to a girl.

A month later, I’ve built up some immunity to that overwhelming feeling. It was fun while it lasted, but now my less fried brain can look at the media Darwin includes in each piece and interact with it. Instead of being blown away by her talent, I look at the details she’s added and wonder, “What does that mean?” Why use fabric there instead of paint?

"Moored, BVI"

And I don’t always have an answer, but it’s a fun idea to explore. I like what Darwin and Ryan are asking of us when they present their mixed media art with the question of fragments and perception and how they combine to make up our reality. 

I’ve read that one of the most important things art is supposed to do is change the way we see. I think that’s what’s happening when I look at Darwin’s art now and that’s kind of cool.

Whether you’ve already seen some of her work, or haven’t, or would like to meet Beverly Darwin and ask her what’s with those clown fish in the desert, come to the reception this Thursday from 5-6:30pm.

P.S. I apologize for the late post, adding as many photos as I did overwhelmed the wifi and made posting a much slower process than I would have liked. 

I Wish I Was At The MAC...

Each week, usually on Mondays, I will post about events happening at the MAC that week I would go to, if I didn't have a job that requires me to work weekend evenings.

Until I become wittier, this post's title will be "I Wish I Was At The MAC..."

In this week's installment, our blogging hero's bellydancing watching dreams are dashed by the evil pizza delivery job.

That's right, bellydancing.

This Sunday from 7:30-9:30pm, beautiful, confident women dressed in rich, bright fabric, with heads and necks covered in jewels will dance to energetic, capturing music. Need I say more?

Seriously, while writing out the reasons I want to go to this event, I couldn't get passed: It's so cool!!!

It seems self-explanatory. What else is there to say beyond bellydancing?

The word conjures up energetic music that gets under your skin and makes you want to move your hips, arms, and feet in ways your brain cannot comprehend.

But, if you really need more convincing, just ask Shakira's hips because they don't lie. And if that wasn't enough, keep reading.

After watching the Shakira video, I'm going to assume you like bellydancing or any sort of dancing that  involves the hips and or torso making serpentine movements and move onto what makes this event especially special.

Not only is this a chance to watch world renowned professional dancers get their groove on, but also members of our local bellydancing community. I'm not sure who those people are, but it fills my heart with community love to imagine Columbus dancers performing in Club Bellydance's show and loved ones watching their friend/family-member/significant-other doing their thing on stage.

Based on the event page for the show, Club Bellydance will bring new, experimental dance moves and choreography to the Bronwynn Theatre. Their performance on Sunday could be completely unique to the MAC or a first look at routines no one else has seen.

They describe this tour as different from their larger productions, with a move towards an "intimate" "club style setting." As engaging as I'm sure their larger shows are, I imagine this performance to be even more hypnotizing and thrilling than if I were to see a larger show from the balcony of a theatre. Also, the music will be even more likely to make you want to get up and get down!

There you have it, an awesome show I'm incredibly excited for, but cannot attend.

 If you'd like to buy tickets in advance, click here and order them through the MAC's website.

After attending the show please leave a comment telling me your favorite part, or post pictures, videos, and more thoughts on the MAC's Facebook.

Finally for those of you still not convenced, watch this video.

 

Things Could Get Weird

 In my first official meeting with Jon Cook to become an intern here, he explained what the MAC is and what is done here. Amid the children’s painting classes, local band concerts, and BalletMet taught tap, he mentioned Art Off the Square, an arts administration internship the MAC offers.

When he told me that they give a small group of high-schoolers a budget to create their own programming once a month, I was sold on this place. Maybe I’ve spent too much of my life on Facebook, but I’ve never heard of an internship like this and thought it was way cool it existed.

Art Off the Square is my favorite program to tell my friends, family, and fellow bus riders about, when they ask me about my internship. “I intern at an arts center that is totally engaging our youth!” (Is 22 old enough to start using the phrase “our youth”?)

However, I had yet to attend any of their programs. Fearing I’d start to look like one of those people who always wear band t-shirts for bands they’ve only heard on the radio, I decided the next third Sunday of the month I had free, I would go.

That was last Sunday.

Three of the five interns hosted a laid-back, and at points musical, theatre improv group. I was fifteen minutes late, (I had no idea where they were meeting, maybe something to advertise on the website AOS peeps.) but walking in, I found a decent sized group, maybe twenty, of high school, middle school, elementary school students, and even some parents, in the basement dance studio.

Let me just say, I’m incredibly bad at improv. I am a goofy, fun-loving person, but acting scares me. Too much pressure to be funny, or believable, and yet--I did enjoy myself. Some of the early games reminded me of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (For the record, one of the interns had never heard of Whose Line, I almost freaked out.) In the game two people read from the page of a play and the other person was suppose to respond to it, in their situation in a way that made sense. That's not at all what happened, but it was interesting to watch none-the-less. 

After that, we played a handful of games similar to charades and then apparently an Improv staple, “Honey, I Love You.” In which one person has to walk up to someone and make them laugh or smile by asking the question “Honey do you love me?”

The most successful “Honeys” were the ones willing to cut loose, or who knew their friends really well. One of the girls sang pop songs off key to get the person to crack a smile. Some of the participants were just really good at not smiling, which was a double-edged sword because if they didn’t make you smile, you had to walk around trying to make someone laugh.

After that game they played a similar one, where everyone but one person lies on the ground with their eyes open, pretending to be dead, while one person tries to make them smile or laugh and once someone laughs they’re no longer dead and help make other “dead people” laugh. The event kind of dismantled into groups of friends singing pop songs (I call them “pop songs” because I didn’t recognize some of them. So yes, 22 is old enough to start saying “our youth.”)

Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun, myself included. Afterwards I talked to Delany and Angie, two of the interns that set up the event, they said they were happy with it.  When I asked them why they chose this event and what they hoped participates would get out of it, Delany replied, “I just like being completely weird and hoped people would break out of their shell and have fun.” Angie explained they thought it would be a fun, laid-back way to get their friends involved with Art Off the Square and it was their best turn out yet. 

They both agreed this is an event they’ll host again. Next time I’ll commit to being a little weirder. 

Welcome to the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center’s Blog

Hello there. Welcome to the MAC’s maiden voyage into the blogging frontier. You might roll your eyes at my word choice, but creating this blog for the MAC makes me feel like an enthused explorer a la Lewis & Clark, discovering new ways to communicate, while also experiencing the world of blogging from the canoe rather than the riverside (did I take the Lewis & Clark analogy too far?) So who is this overly excited person blabbering her rudimentary knowledge of Lewis & Clark instead of describing the MAC or its blog?

My name is Jordan McFall and I’m currently a writing intern at the MAC. In my time here I’ve worked on press releases, Facebook posts, Twitter tweets, and whatever words Executive Director, Jon Cook asks me to whip up. I’m a budding writer and I look forward to sharing my experiences and enthusiasm for the MAC and everything it does with you.

If you didn’t find this blog through our Facebook, Twitter, or maybe even our website, I’m impressed and curious as to how you found it, and you’re probably wondering what this “MAC” place is and if it has anything to do with apple products. (It doesn’t.)

The MAC is the McConnell Arts Center of Worthington, Ohio, a community arts center that provides the local community with opportunities to interact with art in a number of ways. The building, once a decrepit, semi-abandoned high school, was lovingly restored in 2009 to the beautiful, sophisticated, and modern home of the arts it is today.

Visitors can view local artists’ exhibits in the main gallery, take a painting class in the painting and drawing classroom upstairs, learn tap in the basement dance studio, bring their children to a stop motion class in the digital media room, or watch a film, musical performance, or play in the Bronwynn theatre. There are so many programs to participate in and always something to experience here.

The icing on this delicious artisan cake is that 90% of what fills this space comes from the local community. The instructors, art exhibits, and musical artists all live within the Columbus area or have connections to Worthington. And when we bring in someone from outside the community, you know they’re stellar at whatever they do.

So what is this blog?

This blog is one big experiment.

I’m not afraid to admit that because the MAC is an innovative, unique, artistic, ballsy place and as an intern here, I’ve decided to take a risk too. In the past three years, the MAC has received strong patronage from its local community, mostly made up of families, both just starting and well established ones as well as older, possibly retired men and women.

We love our community and everyone who supports us, but the twenty-somethings living in Clintonville and closer to OSU’s campus, as well as high schoolers in the area who either don’t know we exist, or aren’t aware of the many amazing events and programs we have, are missing out.

I’m hoping this blog, coupled with a different approach to our social media outlets will help the MAC reach out to these audiences. If this audience is anything like this twenty-two year old, recent college grad, they’ll find the MAC as inspiring, and thrilling as I do.

Also, in my research in how a blog such as this one should look, I found other community art centers and their blogs. I would love for this blog to become a way to interact with these centers and discuss what programs and exhibits they host, what challenges they face as well as share our experiences with them.

I want to learn more about what community art centers in America are doing and share with them what we’re doing because it’s all pretty cool, in my opinion. However, that’s a pipe dream we’ll get to farther down the road.

Right now this is blog is a way to interact with an audience we seemingly don’t have much communication with. 

Keep an eye on this page because who knows what this blog will grow into.