October Events at Tillie's

October 08 Events at Tillie’s of Brooklyn

248 DeKalb Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11205

718 783-6140

www.tilliesofbrooklyn.com

Music

Friday October 3

8 p.m.

The Akaliko Group

Danny Wolfe, drums

Pascal Le Boeuf, keyboards

Kristian Baarsvick, saxophone

Dion Kerr, bass

Energetic, freewheeling new jazz with indie overtones led by Danny Wolfe, a recent graduate of the University of Miami who has played with the group at such NY venues as Pianos, the 55 Bar, and Brooklyn’s Blue Monday. See www.myspace.com/nedzflow or www.dannywolfemusic.com for more information.

Cover: $5; $3 with student ID

Friday 10/10

David Aaron’s Short Memory

8 p.m.

An excellent ensemble fronted by composer, arranger, and saxophone player David Aaaron, who has performed at the Knitting Factory, Lincoln Center, The Bottom Line, and the Apollo theater, among others. He also composes and arranges for a variety of film, theater, film and modern dance projects. See www.shortmemory.org for more details.

Cover: $5; $3 with student ID

Tuesday 10/14/08

Rolie Polie Gaucamole

4:30 p.m.

Frank Gallo and Andrew Tuzhilin bring a fresh new sound to kids’ music (acoustic folk funk). The well-written songs are enjoyable for both kids and adults. Last year the duo opened The Green Meadow Festival for Tom Chapin. They play private schools, other festivals, and regular programs for public libraries in New York and Rhode Island. Their first appearance at Tillie’s in August was a solid hit and now they have a regular slot on the second Tuesday of the month.

Most appropriate for children from ages 1 – 7.

No cover.

Salon Series

Monday 10/6/08

7:30 p.m.

Faren Simonoff and Cheryl Paradis

Tackling College Admissions: Sanity + Strategy = Success

Paradis and Siminoff offer parents a step-by-step method of assessing their teens’ challenges in searching for the right college. The book includes teen surveys to determine which challenges parents must confront with their teens before beginning the college search.

The authors not only offer simple questionnaires that help parents assess their teens, but also hone in on the right schools and keep their own unrealistic expectations in check. When it’s time to enter the admissions race, the authors help parents:

  • Work with their teens to put together the best college list.
  • Use the application and interview process to effectively “market” students.
  • Motivate teens to overcome hurdles in the process.
  • Come to terms with hopes and fears about college admissions.
  • Keep a sense of humor and inner calm during this stressful time.

Cheryl Paradis has more than 20 years of experience as a clinical psychologist, and is an associate professor of psychology at Marymount College. Faren Siminoff is an associate professor of history at Nassau Community College and also an attorney. Both are Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill moms who have successfully assisted their teens in navigating the college maze. They will take questions from the audience at the reading and offer advice to parents whose children are getting ready to apply to college.

No cover. Books will be for sale.

Wednesday 10/22/08

7:30 p.m.

Bernard Marsh

Great White Way, Great White Lie

A veteran of stage, screen and television whose film credits include “The Cotton Club,” and Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X,” and who appeared on Broadway in “Eubie,” “The Tap Dance Kid,” and “Ain’t Misbehavin,’” Bernard Marsh documents the long-fought and ongoing battle for equity for people of color in the theater arts in this volume. He will read from the book and take questions.

Marsh earned a B.A. in Theater and Labor Relations from SUNY and has taught tap and jazz dance for many years. Currently he also teaches “Acting as Therapy for Senior Citizens” and is a co-founder and resident director of the Living History Theater Group, under the auspices of the African Atlantic Genealogical Society. His performing, choreography and directing have been seen all over the world.

No cover. Books will be for sale.

Art

“Faces of Tillie’s”

Photographs by Bill Kontzias

10/27/08 – 11/29/08

These fifty portraits were taken over the course of the summer in front of Tillie’s. A professional photographer and Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute, Bill Kontzias was struck by the variety of the Fort Greene street scene and the store’s customers, and sought to capture “a time and space to reflect on contemporary life in the neighborhood.” As the glamorous 1940s portrait of Tillie looks out onto the cafe from her framed place high above the coffee machines, he wanted to look around and make a photographic record of what he saw as he lounged at the corner of DeKalb and Vanderbilt Avenues during the summer of 2008.

A location photographer for over 20 years, Bill has done commissions for many major publications and corporations. He apprenticed with Francesco Scavullo and Bill King and specializes in fashion photography as well as people and portraits. Scavullo once advised him: “My dear William, be a photographer. Don’t look back, don’t look forward – look around.” He offers the faces of Tillie’s faces in this spirit.

Bill Kontzias has lived in Clinton Hill for over 30 years.

Reception

Tuesday 10/28

7 –9 p.m.

Open Mic

Thursday 10/9/08

Thursday 10/23/08

8:00 p.m. sign-up

8:30 performance

Host: Nick Noir

All poets, writers, comedians, rappers, singers, songwriters and musicians are welcome!

No cover.

For additional information call Patricia Mulcahy at 718 783-6140 or see www.tilliesofbrooklyn.com. Directions to the store are listed on the site under “Getting Here.”

First Friday @ RePop: 9/5 (my photography!)

This First Friday will feature my photography!  Mostly of the neighborhood, with a few more favorites thrown in.  Hope you can make it!

RePOP is pleased to announce our next First Friday art exhibition featuring the photography of Robin Lester.

Robin is the critically acclaimed author of the Clinton Hill Blog and her work is an incredible expose of the neighborhood she documents.

"I'm continuously awed by the things I walk past daily -- their shapes, colors, varied meanings.  My camera helps me freeze these places in time, allowing me to reflect on the brightness and beauty right in front of our faces in every day life.  Most of the images in this collection are of things I've noticed in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, my home for the last four years.  Others have been taken while traveling to new and exciting places. Every moment is an adventure if you're looking through the right lens."

Opening will be Sept. 5 from 7:30 - 11 PM with white wine, beer and festive snacks served, so join us at the shop for an evening of art, mingling and merriment.

RePop 68 Washington Ave. bt Flushing and Park

Public Art and MARP

(A quick cut-and-paste before I head to Richmond for the weekend.  This event, happening today, sounds very cool.  MARP is slated to be woking on a number of public art projects!) Myrtle Avenue Public Art Program presents:

Saturday, August 30, 2008, 12-3pm

During Ingersoll Family Day

Ingersoll Houses, Myrtle Avenue between Prince & Navy

The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership (the Partnership) and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) have collaborated to inaugurate the Partnership’s new Myrtle Avenue Public Art program this Saturday, August 30, with the 11-month installation of pieces from the internationally-known Tree Hugger Project (www.treehuggerproject.com) on NYCHA Ingersoll housing development grounds near Myrtle and Prince.  The Partnership’s new Myrtle Avenue Public Art program is an effort to bring public sculpture, art installations, studio art, and creative street furniture elements to the public spaces and sidewalks of the 20-block retail district, increasing access to art for the entire community.  The sculpture installation at Ingersoll will include an opportunity for community members to participate in the building of Tree Hugger figures as part of Ingersoll’s annual family day celebration. Both the Partnership and Ingersoll Tenant Association invite all local residents to join the celebration, and welcome the Tree Huggers to our community during the community build, which will take place from 12:00pm – 3:00pm that day.

Tree Hugger Project artists Wiktor Szostalo and Agnieszka Gradzik will be installing a total of four pieces on Myrtle Avenue as a part of their ongoing public art project that combines environmental sculpture made of natural, found and free materials such as twigs, vines and tree branches with a simple environmental message. The Project is an ongoing work of Environmental Art designed to help us re-discover our relationship with nature at a very personal and intimate level. The focus on the stewardship of public space demonstrates that standing up for the environment can be done in a fun and non-political way, and that contemporary art can be entertaining and make a difference in how we view our world. Community participation in the construction and installation of the Tree Huggers helps to highlight the role that we all can play as stewards in our very own neighborhood, reminding us that we humans are still very much a part of our natural surroundings.  The Tree Hugger Project has been brought to cities and parks all over the world as a way to bring attention to the environment and to bring communities together, and Myrtle Avenue is excited to be part of this international movement.

These art installations are part of the larger Myrtle Avenue Arts & Enterprise Initiative which represents a multi-faceted effort to establish the retail corridor as an access point to visual art and cultural activities for community members of diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The Tree Hugger Project serves as a kick-off for the Partnership’s new public art program, launching both an open call for proposals for additional temporary sculpture pieces for locations along Myrtle Avenue as well as a request for sponsors to support future artists and their installations. Seed funding for the new program was provided by the Lily Auchincloss Foundation and Myrtle’s Business Improvement District.

Where: Myrtle Avenue near Prince Street (adjacent to the community center)

Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008

Time: 12 pm - 3 pm

Price: Free, with free food and drink from the Ingersoll Tenant Association’s annual Family Day for those who come

Organization Hosting Event: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, Ingersoll Tenant Association, New York City Housing Authority

Website: www.myrtleavenue.org

Contact Name: Meredith Phillips Almeida, Director of Community Development

Phone: 718-230-1689

Fort Greene: Moving Towards a Bookstore

I heard about the potential plans to open a bookstore in the 'hood months ago.  Now, a local advocacy group is working with BK Library Power Up winner Jennifer Stockton Bagnulo to make this happen here!

FORT GREENE INDIE BOOKSTORE INITIATIVE

Press Contact: Steve Sachs, fortgreeneshopping@gmail.com

Bookstore Entrepreneur Plans a Store in Fort Greene; Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative to host Bookstore Kickoff Event on September 16

Last year the Fort Greene Association's retail committee surveyed 380 locals about their shopping preferences. 75 percent of respondents (281) cited bookstores as a category in which they wanted more choices.

To meet this need, the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative (FGIBI) embarked on a campaign to find an independent bookstore. After months of talking with Brooklyn-based bookstores, the group met Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, a Brooklyn entrepreneur who won the 2007 Brooklyn Public Library PowerUp! Competition for her business plan to open a bookstore in Fort Greene.

To raise community awareness and rally support for Jessica's independent bookstore, FGIBI is hosting an event in Fort Greene at the Cumberland Greene (237 Cumberland Ave) on September 16, 2008 from 7pm to 9pm. The event will feature local Brooklyn authors. Complimentary beer, wine and hors d'oeuvres from local businesses will also be served. RSVP required; email rsvp_fortgreeneindie@hotmail.com to be added to the guest list.

About the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative

The Fort Green Indie Bookstore Initiative (FGIBI) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that seeks to attract small business owners to Fort Greene to open a bookstore and other stores in response to the community's needs. The group also encourages current retailers to open new businesses locally and seeks to help local residents open their own businesses.

To contact the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative, e-mail fortgreeneshopping@gmail.com.

About Jessica Stockton Bagnulo

Jessica has worked in New York City independent bookstores for the past eight years, and is currently the events and publicity coordinator at McNally Jackson Books in Manhattan. She is active in numerous book industry organizations and is often called upon to speak and write about independent bookselling. Her business plan for an independent bookstore in Brooklyn won the grand prize in the 2007 Brooklyn Public Library PowerUp! business plan competition in January 2008. She lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and blogs at www.abookstoreinbrooklyn.blogspot.com.

To contact Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, e-mail booknerdnyc@earthlink.net.

Live Music at Le Grand Dakar

This month... Infrequent Seams will resume in full force tonight, beginning a First and Third Thursdays schedule at Le Grand Dakar in Brooklyn.

And, next week, on Wednesday, a group of musicians from Germany, Sweden, Taiwan, India, Scotland, Kosovo, Serbia, Mexico, Colombia, and USA, will perform. We've been working together at Art OMI, a musicians residency upstate near Hudson.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 (8:00 pm - 11 pm) Artists from Music OMI Residency present an evening of improvised and semi-composed music www.artomi.org Ivo Bol, electronics + laptop + samples Vlady Bystrov, saxophone + electronics + clarinet Ziggy Campbell, guitar + laptop + electronics Julianne Carney, violin Monika Heidemann, voice + compositions Jasna Jovicevic, soprano saxophone + flute Udo Moll, trumpet + laptop

Thursday, August 21, 2008 (8:00 - 11 PM) Infrequent Seams Series::A new twice-monthly series of edgy, creative music, co-curated by James Ilgenfritz and Julianne Carney Pete Robbins Group James Ilgenfritz / Chris Welcome / Mike Pride Ideal Bread: Josh Sinton, music of Steve Lacy

Le Grand Dakar Restaurant www.legranddakar.com 285 Grand Avenue @ Clifton Place (near Lafayette), Clinton Hill, Bklyn. G train to Classon Avenue – head north on Lafayette, turn right on Grand; C to Clinton/Washington – head north on Washington, turn right on Lafayette, right again on Grand.

Exhibition at Clinton Hill Gallery

What: Art Exhibition - "Portraits in Blue - Exploring the Relationship of Visuals and Jazz", part of the 8th Annual JVC Jazz Festival, produced by the Clinton Hill Art Gallery and IAM Inc. (Incorporation of Artists on the Move). Featuring 30 artists at the first/only Brooklyn location to host the artwork of the festival.
Where: Clinton Hill Art Gallery, located at 154a Vanderbilt Avenue in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn
Time: Gallery summer hours: Friday 3-8PM, Saturday 2-8PM, and Sunday 12-3PM. This exhibition will be displayed until the end of August.

This event is free to the public.

Contact: 718 852 0227 or 718 857 0074

August Events at Tillie's

(a little late!)

August 08 at Tillie’s of Brooklyn

248 DeKalb Avenue

Brooklyn NY 11205

718 783-6140

www.tilliesofbrooklyn.com

Music

Seven Sessions with Nick Noir

Friday

8/1/08

8//15/08

8/29/08

7 p.m.

No cover

7 Summer Sessions will feature the best acoustic talent in NYC showcased at Tillies of Brooklyn in fort Greene during select Friday evenings in August and September 2008. Each evening will be themed and feature several artists’ performances. Planned evenings include: New York Muse; Spoken Word and Song; Political Satire; Alt Percussion; Cupids’ Corner, Love Songs; Jazz/Folk Fusion; and Emerging NYC Poets.

Seating is first come, first serve.

Nick Noir, the host of 7 Summer Sessions, has released over 22 recordings in various genres and on different recording labels. The prolific artist / producer's most recent, released on May 6 2008, is titled The Ultimate Most Relaxing Classical Chill in the Universe, for orchestral samples & synthesizers, on Denon Records/ Savoy. Nick Noir recently completed recording 13 Sonnets (lyrics by W. Shakespeare) set to alternative folk music, available this summer on Dark Celebrity Records and on Itunes. For more information see: www.sevensessions.com or info@sevensessions.com.

Friday

8/22/08

Chris Norris and Perpetual Motion Machine

8 p.m.

High-energy original compositions from progressive jazz band based in Melville, Long Island.

Chris Norris, sax

Andrew Ahr, guitar

Chris Davison, drums

Bob Dzieman, bass

Cover: $5; $3 with student I.D.

Art

The Exposure Project

8/18/08 – 9/20/08

This collective composed of Ben Alper, Anastasia Cazabon, Eric Watts, and Adam Marcinek showcases a diverse array of emerging photography. Since forming in 2005, The Exposure Project has released two self-published books, hosted several exhibitions throughout the greater Boston area and created a online photography blog dedicated to expanding the discourse of contemporary photography. The Exposure Project showcases the work of its members as well as projects from numerous photographers and will release its third self-published book this August in conjunction with the show at Tillie’s. The new issue will include photographs by Ben Alper, Anastasia Cazabon, Lauren Edwards, Kate Emerson, Adam Marcinek, Fran Osborn-Blaschke, Justin James Reed and Eric Watts. In addition, Jörg Colberg (founder and editor of the Conscientious blog) has written an illuminating forward to accompany the photographs.

For more information see www.theexposureproject.com or www.theexposureproject.blogspot.com

Reception

Monday 8/18/08

7 – 9p.m.

Open Mic

Open Mic will be suspended until mid-September.

For more information call Patricia Mulcahy at 718 783-6140 or mail@tilliesofbrooklyn.com.

Brooklyn Urban Arts Market: EVERY OTHER SUNDAY ON MYRTLE!

The new Brooklyn Urban Arts Market will take place every other Sunday (until Sept. 21) on Myrtle between Emerson and Hall. There'll be vendors, live music, DJs and seemingly cool people. If this is going to be anything like the Afro-Punk festival (the event is organized by Afro-Punk, BAM and MARP), it's going to be mad cool. MARP is also doing drawings to win a shopping spree on Myrtle!

Here are some related links with more info:

Gallery Space on Atlantic

There's a gallery right next door to Frank White on Atlantic (at St. James):

Anyone ever been inside? What's the story?

Brownstoner hypothesized yesterday that Atlantic may gentrify before Fulton Street.  Veeeeery interesting.  Could it happen?  Methinks not without some traffic calming measures and a renovated median (which could be very pretty!).

Afro-Punk TODAY

Yeah, it's a little late.  But better late than never, and it's a gorgeous day outside!  (My excuse for slacking?  Friday was my 30th birthday.) DJs, food, demonstrations, fun up on Clinton Ave:

AFRO-PUNK BLOCK PARTY Sun, July 13, 12—8pm (Clinton Avenue between Myrtle and Willoughby)

The 4th Annual Afro Punk Festival parties its way to a close…on Clinton Avenue

Afro Punk, BAM and MARP have come together again to organize the 2nd annual Afro Punk Block Party, bringing the best underground local artists and artisans, tasty treats from local food favorites, and family-friendly activities directly to Fort Greene and Clinton Hill for an all-day, all-out neighborhood celebration! Not the usual street fair, there’s enough in store to entertain all day. Make sure you find time to check it out, this is definitely an event not to miss!

Here’s just a sample of what you can expect:

Live Music all day

Kudu, J*Davey, The Carps, The Caesarz , DJ Rich Medina, The Dustbin Brothers

Family-friendly fun

-        DIY T-shirt screen printing is back by popular demand! The folks from Afro Punk will help kids make a statement by offering a quick screen-printing lesson. (All day)

-        Local artist Derick Cross will also be on hand for free facepainting (1pm-6pm)

-        Healthy Kids Van – NYC Public Advocate’s office is brining their mobile Community Healthcare Unit, complete with important information for parents and games for kids. Come spin their giant prize wheel and get free stuff like hats and waterbottles! (12pm – 3pm)

-        Brooklyn Botanical Garden will be on site to teach us how to compost.  Put those food scraps to good use and reduce your garbage footprint! (12pm-5pm)

-        BikeNY is offering free bike safety classes for youth! More information and registration (not required) is available here.  Please bring your own bike if you’d like to participate! (1pm-4pm)

Local Dish

Homemade sweet treats by The Bakery (their peach cobbler is one of our favorites!)

Tamboril puts a Nuevo Latino twist on Latin favorites

Restaurant New Orleans brings their delicious crab cakes and vegetarian red beans

DIY Fashion, Accessories and Artisan Merchandise

Buy direct from some of the hottest, edgiest DIY designers! We’ll have clothing and accessories for adults and kids alike. Or, beautify yourself with stuff from some of the neighborhood’s best all-natural product-makers, like Karen’s Body Beautiful.

For more info, visit www.afropunk.com and www.bam.org.

July Events @ Tillie's

Note: Pay special attention to the reading on Tuesday, July 15, where Tillie's owner Pat Muncahy reads her published account of getting the lease at the Tillie's space! July 08

Events at Tillie’s

248 DeKalb Avenue Brooklyn NY 11205 (718) 783-6140

www.tilliesofbrooklyn.com Music 7 Summer Sessions

A Showcase with Nick Noir

7/11/08

7/18/08

7 p.m.

No cover

7 Summer Sessions will feature the best acoustic talent in NYC showcased at Tillies of Brooklyn in fort Greene during select Friday evenings in July, August, and September 2008. Each evening will be themed and feature several artists’ performances. Planned evenings include: New York Muse; Spoken Word and Song; Political Satire; Alt Percussion; Cupids’ Corner, Love Songs; Jazz/Folk Fusion; and Emerging NYC Poets.

Seating is first come, first serve.

Nick Noir, the host of 7 Summer Sessions, has released over 22 recordings in various genres and on different recording labels. The prolific artist / producer's most recent, released on May 6 2008, is titled The Ultimate Most Relaxing Classical Chill in the Universe, for orchestral samples & synthesizers, on Denon Records/ Savoy. Nick Noir recently completed recording 13 Sonnets (lyrics by W. Shakespeare) set to alternative folk music, available this summer on Dark Celebrity Records and on Itunes. For more information see: www.sevensessions.com or info@sevensessions.com.

Friday

7/25/08

8 p.m.

The Bob Trio

Oscar Penas

Oscar Penas, guitar

Brian Landrus, woodwinds

Bridget Kearny, bass

This drum-less jazz group was founded in Brooklyn in 2008. The members of the group met in Boston in 2005 while studying at the New England Conservatory. Their goal is to swing as hard as possible so that the listener doesn’t notice the lack of drums. The combination of three musical personalities presents a continuous flow of always-fresh musical interaction. See www.oscarpenas.com for additional information.

Cover: $5, $3 with student I.D.

Saturday

7/26/08

8 p.m. Indoda Entsha Percussion Ensemble

A very popular drumming ensemble inspired by the rhythms of Africa, composed of local performers and musicians and led by E. Preston Riddick. Crowd-pleasing, intricate and stirring music that always has the audience keeping the beat in unison.

Cover: $6

Art Rural Haiti Art Project

July 14th – August 16th 2008

The Rural Haiti Project is a U.S. based youth leadership organization that aims to empower children to become leaders and builders of their communities by conducting programs for low-income, at-risk children in rural areas of Haiti. The project fosters children’s civic, social and intellectual development and promotes community engagement and development.

The Project explores creative ways to engage children at an early age to create and understand their own visions, to identify the positive aspects of their communities as well as recognizing the problems that their country faces. The Rural Haiti Project started in 2006 with a summer workshop entitled “Imagine your Environment” in Sibert, Plaine du Cul de Sac. Local horticulturists, teachers and specialist on reforestation were invited to share their expertise.

James-Herve Sabin has a Bachelor of Architecture from New York Institute of Technology and a Master of Architecture From Pratt Institute. He attended planning courses on infrastructure of cities in developing countries at Columbia University. James-Hervé has worked with the NYC HPD developing housing prototypes, housing research and urban design.

For more information, see www.ruralhaitiproject.org Salon Series

Tuesday 7/15/08

7:30 p.m.

BROOKLYN NOIR 3: NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH Edited by Tim Mc Loughlin and Thomas Adcock

This latest installment in the award-winning Akashic Noir Series features original true-crime stories set in the Borough of Kings. Akashic Books launched the series in 2004 with BROOKLYN NOIR, quickly recognized as the best collection of Brooklyn fiction ever published. In BROOKLYN NOIR 3, the borough's criminal legacy is explored through the lens of nonfiction--and once again, truth proves stranger than fiction.

Editors Tim McLoughlin and Thomas Adcock join contributors Patricia Mulcahy, owner of Tillie’s, as well as Robert Knightley, Reed Farrel Coleman, and Jess Korman to read from their contributions to the anthology.

Books will be for sale. For more information see www.akashicbooks.com.

Open Mic

Thursday

7/10/08

7/24/08

8 p.m. sign-up

8:30 performance

No cover

Host: Nick Noir

Open to all rappers, singer/songwriters, comedians, and others. Come and try out your new material in a friendly, supportive venue.

For more information on any of the above, call Patricia Mulcahy at (718) 783-6140 or see www.tilliesofbrooklyn.com.

New Art Gallery!

When I posted about the SONYA stroll recently, I included a photo of a small sculpture that I purchased there four years ago. Word about the post made it back to the artist, Kathy Stecko, who was delighted! She reached out to tell me about a new art gallery in the area called I.O.I. (Items of Importance), located on Fort Greene Place and open since November. Stecko, who participated in the gallery's first show, will also be showing there again in September! More info on I.O.I. shows is listed here.

First Friday at RePop: June 6

FYI, RePop has a new website design!! FIRST FRIDAY art reception JUNE 6: Photography by Matias Aguilar

matias.jpg

You are cordially invited to view the raw and heartthrobbing photography of Matias Aguilar on June 6 from 7:30 - 11pm.

Meet the artist, enjoy refreshments as you view his work as well as a 10% discount on all RePOP goods.

SECOND FRIDAY IN JULY

july.jpg

. As America celebrates Independence Day on July 4, RePOP's usual First Friday event has been moved up a week to accomodate the BBQ parties we all would rather be at! So remember to join us all on July 11th for our next Art Party featuring the collective work of Taibi and Katalan Foisey

Taibi creates mixed media works comprised of a variety of materials, most of which she has rescued from garbage piles and collected over time. Some of the things she collects include plastic "sell by" tags from bread bags and labels from food packaging. in short, the excess of daily consumer life. She is drawn to intense pattern and color and especially enjoys day of the dead shrines and psychedelic poster art of the late 60's/early 70's.

As a teenager Katelan and her cousin took road trips with no destinations. They wound up at truck stops, coffee shops, graveyards and the occasional prison. Through these trips she learned the art of collage. picking up whatever scraps she could find and pasting them into journals. Her first job was an in-house project for Hallmark Inc.

Now, Katelan makes a living pasting and painting for clients such as The Grammy Awards, Out magazine, The Progressive and many others. Her collaged portraits and ruminative mixed-media paintings have graced the pages of Scholastic Books and the walls of Young & Rubicam. Ensemble Studio Theater even had her work grace their stage. Katelan's art can currently be seen at The Ohio History Museum. During the Summer and Fall of 2008 she will be showing in both Harlem and Europe. She also designs and illustrates for Constellation Magazine.

Katelan still takes trips with no destinations and throws the fragments in her journals. In her spare time she reads tarot, practices reiki and poses for pictures.

Community Mural Painting at Tillie's

Last year, I interviewed local artist Ellie Balk as part of the "Personal Profiles" series (which will hopefully be resurrected soon -- if you have any ideas on what you might like, please email me!). She mentioned how she hoped to work with Tillie's to create a community mural -- a map of the neighborhood on which all local residents would be invited to paint a dot on the location where they lived, illustrating how close we all really live to one another and how much the neighborhoods nearby are connected. After many long months of working with Landmarks and raising money and applying for grants, Ellie is ready to begin! tillies-mural-for-sonya-web.JPG

Save the date, as the main citizen participation day will be Saturday, June 21.

Here's the info from the press release:

Tillie’s of Brooklyn is proud to announce the painting of a community mural on the Vanderbilt Avenue side of the store, now an empty brick wall at the corner of Vanderbilt and DeKalb Avenues in the Fort Greene section of the borough. Partnered with the newly created SONYA Mural Arts Project, artist Ellie Balk will paint a 9’ circle map of the neighborhood on the wall starting Friday evening, 6/13. Over the course of a week Balk and a crew of volunteer artists from the area will paint the map on the wall. On Saturday, June 21st from 12:00 p.m. to 6 p.m. the public is invited to participate by putting a dot in the spot where their home is located. Tillie’s will serve refreshments on 6/21 at the dedication ceremony.

South Of the Navy Yard Artists (SONYA) has partnered with Ellie Balk to create the SONYA Mural Arts Fund, which will be used to create and implement murals and public art projects that support the youth and neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The initial goal is to raise $5,000 towards the completion of its first project and the development of future murals. The public is invited to make tax-deductible donations by visiting SONYA's website: http://www.sonyaonline.org/ and clicking on "donate", then noting "Mural Arts Fund" under the special instructions, so that the funds can be allocated properly.

Artist Ellie Balk, a neighborhood resident and artist who specializes in community-based projects, explains: “The goal for the Tillie's Community Mural is to unify and bridge the varying aspects of the local community, giving all people a sense of connectedness. The mural will go up at the point where our neighborhoods meet, at the corner of Vanderbilt and DeKalb: Tillie's has become a home base for many Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill residents.”

With fiscal sponsorship and support from SONYA, this mural has been funded through a grant from the Puffin Foundation and with generous support from the Society for Clinton Hill. It is also supported by: the Landmarks commission of NYC; the Community Board of Kings County; building owner Danny Browne; Tillie's owners, Patricia Mulcahy and Amos Yogev; and many enthusiastic community members. Says SONYA’s president, Kathleen Hayek, “We are excited about the Tillie’s Community Mural and would very much like it to succeed and be the catalyst for many more mural projects within our community.”

To learn more about Ellie Balk’s projects and background as a mural artist, see www.elliebalk.com. For all other inquiries contact Patricia Mulcahy at 718 783-6140 or at mail@tilliesofbrooklyn.com.

tillies-painted-sketch-for-sonya-web.JPG

TONIGHT: Film in Fort Greene Park

Rooftop Films is an organization dedicated to showing independent films in unique outdoor locations throughout NYC. While their summer season officially kicks off June 6, tonight's warm-up film will be shown in Ft. Greene Park at 9pm: This Saturday, May 31st, at 9:00pm we will be holding a free screening of the film "At the Death House Door" in Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn.

The film: Pastor Carroll Pickett oversaw 95 executions at a Texas prison, but the experiences changed his views forever. The makers of "Hoop Dreams" examine this contentious issue through the story of this unique anti-death penalty activist. The filmmakers (Steve James & Peter Gilbert) will also be in attendance for a Q&A after the screening.

The film was reviewed in this week's TimeOut Magazine and sounds really interesting. Sorry for the late notice!

NOTE: Raindate is June 6 at 9pm. These thunderstorms are supposed to continue all day, even though the sun is out now.