Sister Bad Habit

The LaZoom krewe loves Asheville and is grateful for the support from our community.  To say thanks and kick off their fourth season, LaZoom is offering a Ride Local special from April 15-30^th.  Asheville residents can ride the purple comedy and performance bus for just $10.

“Blah, blah, blah,” said Sister Bad Habit, turning to the bar tender, “I’ll take another India Pale Ale.”

Also for the month of April, LaZoom is partnering with Asheville Vaudeville, a variety entertainment group which includes surprise acts such as: stilt walkers, contortionists, knife throwers, comedians, puppeteers, accordion players, and more!  Asheville Vaudeville donates 33% of their proceeds to MANNA Food Bank.

Surprise acts will be revealed on the day of each bus tour over the LaZoom Facebook page, search: LaZoom Comedy Bus.   Asheville residents: reserve now as seats sell out fast at www.lazoomtours.com or call 828-225-6932.

Crowd Favorite: Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s “Family Tree”

Music Video Asheville 2010 was a great success!  Erin Scholze posted a great summary of the results on her blog, DreamSpider, including the winning videos!

MVA 2010 Results

In it’s third year, MVA is an event developed by the Future of Asheville Music (FoAM, a networking group for musicians) to encourage creative collaborations between area film makers and musicians…and, the best part is: not all musicians and film makers are professionals.  Every year a number of new musicians and film makers are chosen for MVA.  So, videos are screened in advance folks.

For instance, this is the song we all left singing in 2008–made by a high school brother/sister duo:

You’re also sure to see videos from your local favorites and likely walk out with some new bands to check out live in the area…and some film makers you may want to hire for your next project.  Folks, they roll out the red carpet.  Come check it out.

Big Tip: if you are planning to go, get your $5 ticket in advance.  The event sells out every year.  How to do that?  More details here at Erin Scholze’s Dream Spider Blog.

Graphic Designer/Musician/Creative Force, Jenny Greer of SoundMind Media and Jen and the Juice is the driving push behind this event.  In fact, it’s highly likely that you will find Jenny at the root of much of the creative music events and projects in town!    She’s seen here, in her patriotic wig, with some of the 2009 MVA committee:

2009 MVA Krewe

In the first two-hour meeting, many were still unsatisfied with the District Attorney Ron Moore’s response to what many feel was a harsh sentence for Peterson in comparison to the firefighter who shot the biker and was sentenced, with a much lesser sentence, on the same day.

A second meeting, which I could not attend, was held on February 19, and David Forbes of the Mountain Xpress does a nice job summarizing the issues and some of the responses to social injustice in our “justice” system.  Read his article here.

Thank you to Jason Sandford at the Mountain Xpress for this story.

I hope to see you all at this free film screening and donation-requested workshop this Sunday and Monday.  For those of you who believe we need to support development of a “whole community” here in Asheville, where all are included, welcome and supported, please join us.

When Chris Mueller-Medlicott joined a unique Durham theater group in 2005, it sparked a major breakthrough.

Richard Reho, director of the Community Inclusive Theater Project, invited the young man with cerebral palsy to take part in a production. The experience brought Mueller-Medlicott new friends and a new voice, in the form of an assisted-typing method that helped him communicate.
“In the context of the theater group, he just blossomed, and he found a way to communicate,” says his mother, Polly Medlicott. Her son wound up becoming co-director of the project. “It was just an amazing experience for him in what turned out to be the last year of his life.”

Learn more about the documentary film that came out of this experience as well as when and and where the film is being screened for FREE in Asheville (hint: it’s March 7 at 7 p.m. at Jubilee).  More of this story here.

The Bountiful Cities project is now accepting donations of handcrafted birdhouses, bat houses, birdbaths, and yard art for its 8th annual birdhouse auction!

Deadline for submission is May 1st. This year’s auction will be held on May 15th at 307 Flash Studios (behind the Rocket Club in East-West Asheville) and will be emceed by Jen Lauzon of LaZoom Tours!

Submissions can be dropped off at Short Street Cakes, 225 Haywood Rd. in West Asheville; or at Honeypot at 85 N. Lexington Ave Downtown. Artists most fill out submission form at drop off location. Submissions will be displayed and juried: prizes will be awarded for the top three birdhouses.

For specs on creating birdhouses for specific species of birds.
The mission of the Bountiful Cities Project is to create, on urban land, beautiful community spaces which provide food in abundance and foster a learning environment for social justice and sustainability. Ashevillebcp@gmail.com 828.257.4000

You are invited to attend the 4th annual “A work of heART” opening reception celebrating art by differently-abled adults. Outsider, visionary, and folk art created by the students of Open Hearts Art Center will be on display throughout the month of March.

Due to inclement weather the Arts Council has graciously offered to hold another opening reception for those who could not make the last event.
Join Open Hearts staff and students for another Opening reception on Friday March 5th from 5:00pm-8:00pm at the Asheville Area Arts Council Front Gallery, 11 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC.

The exhibition will run from February 12th -March 31st and will feature art from students of Open Hearts Art Center, as well as an individual show by Merlin Strivelli in the back gallery.  11 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC.

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Open Hearts Art Center is a non-profit inclusive art education program located in the vibrant arts based community of Western North Carolina. We are dedicated to serving adults with a variety of challenges which include but are not limited to, developmental, mental, physical and emotional disabilities. These unique individuals are able to reach their full potential through creative techniques such as, music, drama, dance, creative writing, painting, ceramics and animal therapy. Through the arts a challenged individual may: discover new ways in which to express their selves, gain self-confidence, and raise awareness of their individuality.

Watch the trailer:

A New Kind of Listening is the story of a visionary director, a one-of-a-kind theater group, and a young man who could not speak, yet found the voice he had been looking for all his life.

After the screening, the local organizers will be collecting information of those interested in being part of a larger community arts and ability initiative.  Playback Theatre and NC Stage Company are both on board and we hope you will join us also.  A workshop, “Connecting Authentically to People Who Live with Disability” will be held on March 8 from 7-9 p.m. at Jubilee as well.  A $10 donation is recommended and please contact Polly Medlicott to reserve your space, medlicottpolly@yahoo.com.

Just back from New Orleans, and having stayed in the Ninth Ward, near St. Claude Ave., I’m keen on Loren Schwerd’s exhibit and am planning to get out to Hendersonville to see it.  Mourning Portrait, above, is made from human hair extentions found near the St. Claude Beauty Supply after Katrina.  “Hair acts as the central metaphor to evoke a sense of intimacy and absence, and speaks to the racial politics that have paralyzed the city’s recovery effort,” says the press release for the exhibit.

Rebecca Sullock, A&E Editor at the Mountain Xpress offers great information about Mourning Portrait, an exhibit at the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design.

What is the CCCD you ask?

The CCCD is an interdisciplinary, and internationally respected, center for craft in Hendersonville.  They provide major scholarships, study the economic impact of craft in our region, are supporting the development of a craft text book, and much more…like my friend Katie Lee is the Assistant Director and I would pretty much put bets on anything she is involved in.  If this cool exhibit doesn’t make you want to make the trip out there, the beautiful trails on the property might.  Go for the afternoon, take a walk in the woods on the grounds and then stop by the beautiful (and intimate) gallery.

More from Mountain Xpress here.