Trailer for Maria Voisin video

Friends, my latest video "The 48 Hour Dance Project" is nearing completion and will air on URTV next week. The video follows local Latin dance choreographer Maria Voisin and 5 dancers as they rush to complete a dance piece in 48 hours. I will be screening a rough version of it at Bobo's Gallery and Wine Bar on Lexington Ave. in downtown Asheville on Tuesday April 28th at 9:00. Following the video will be a live performance by Voisin's all women's dance group, Dulcinea

Benefit for Michael Folliett

The rods in this poster were put into Michael's neck.

My friend Michael Folliett crashed his bike and broke lots of parts in his body a couple of months ago. Don't worry, he's gonna be fine, but his health care costs are through the roof. This Sunday night there will be a benefit to offset some of the expenses incurred by the incident. The goal is $500 - so he can start by paying off the bill for the ambulance. (!!!!)
The event will happen at Tressa's. I'm excited about this because I've never hung out there and I've lived in this town for almost six years. There will be live music and a silent auction. (I'm donating a painting.)
Michael Folliett taught me how to use Final Cut Pro, so I owe all my video editing expertise to him. He also teaches at ABTech and produces a show called The Wallpaper Project for URTV Asheville. A few years ago he was awarded a grant from the Media Arts Project to develop a youth education program in media content analysis and media production.
For more information about this event, or to donate something please call: 828-230-4793
The night begins at 8:00pm.
There is a suggested donation of $7 (go on, just give $10, what the heck.)
Tressa's is located at 28 Broadway.

Elisa Jimenez rules!

Eliza Jimenez and her models: Fall 2008

I attended a discussion with Eliza Jimenez yesterday afternoon at the Arts Council as part of the week's HATCHfest events here in Asheville. At some point I couldn't hold back from telling her how much I loved her in Project Runway - A show she called a "conceptual art performance." Then I asked her a question about her process and how she works one on one with a client. She proceeded to pull out a piece of material she had stained and infused with oils and essences and all sorts of wonderful stuff. She gracefully clipped the material with holes, and knotted some loses ends all the while quipping about the false myths perpetuated by the fashion industry. We all looked on thinking WHAT is she making? When she held up the finished product it appeared to just have holes and some lose cords of fabric, but when she put the piece on, it was stunning. She showed us all the different ways to wear it. Then she took it off and twisted it into a ball and looked at me and I heard her talking about how the keeper of this piece is coming into a dawning of a new era....I saw her walking towards me with the piece, and I watched as she gave it to me, We kissed cheeks and hugged. One of the most brilliant things ever.
Here's the thing - I do not consider myself a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination. But I am fascinated at the creative process and how, for artists like Jimenez, Life IS the creative process. Her spiritual, personal, creative and political experiences are all woven together and nothing is disconnected from anything else. It's a very beautiful and inspiring way to see a life lived.

My new magical garment

I really believe that if you do something with genuine love, the universe will reward you." ~ Elisa Jimenez

Rolling Credits

Now that I've been making video projects I've come into a whole new appreciation for the end credits. It feels so good to sit there in the afterglow of the movie watching all the names meditatively scroll by. It's a great testiment to all the folks behind the scenes that manifest the magic of the movie. Why do people get up and leave? I sometimes do that I will admit, but I always want to just sit there and let the movie complete itself. Sometimes I get self conscious that people will think I'm weird for hanging out til the bitter end. I want to see the lion roar, and read the copyright year and wait til the lights go back on. Wipe away tears and blow my nose. And always after a great movie I'm at a loss for words. Its too much to begin talking about it right then and there. I need at least an hour and a double whiskey before I can really process.
I love watching movies in movie theaters. I like to get there about 15 minutes early and wait in anticipation and finish all the popcorn before the trailers start. I love trailers. Even the bad ones.

TRIIIBE

This video is so great and needs no explanation. It was created by TRIIBE, a collective founded in 2006 by performance artists (and identical triplets), Alicia, Kelly and Sara Casilio along with photographer Cary Wolsinki. They create, present and document political and social commentary performance and tableau art
Check out more of their performances on their website: www.triiibe.com.

•S•a•m•p•l•e•s•

Aluminum Foil

Lace Plaster

There's a very unique art exhibit at FLOOD Gallery in the Phil Mechanic building right now.
Three artists are displaying their interior decorative painting styles. When I heard about this I thought it sounded like something I'd see at a home furnishing show - not very arty or expressive. But actually there's something about the simple block samples hung sparsely on the walls that lends itself to a greater concept - though I'm not sure the artists intended for this effect.
It's a dissection of sorts, an objectification of the modern home, modern trends, and how quickly they date themselves. As individual pieces, some of the samples are actually pretty cool. A 24" x 24" faux granite painting on board hangs beside a faux marble sample. There's crushed aluminum, gold leafing, and an entire room painted in shades of blue. I think its supposed to advertise the creators' expertise in interior painting, but I like the fragmented sensation it all lends.
www.philmechanicstudios.com