Sunday/Long Weekend Roundup and Summer Reading

What a gorgeous weekend, beautiful out every single day – from Facebook I can tell there was gardening, cottaging, relaxing, Criminal Minds marathons, BBQs and fireworks – sounds about right for May 2-4.

Last week – what went on?

Sheep Nation, Princess Aduwuaamban, and advice from the Lang Sisters – another fabulous salon at Pentimento Gallery

Info from the OAC – Reduction Policies and Compass Grants

Long Weekend! – some bits and pieces about upcoming workshops and things to read.

Most folks who know me know that I read a lot, and I especially love reading in the summer on the balcony. And most of my book-lovin’ friends usually look to each other for recommendations. With this, I bring to you a PSA – Summer Reading. If I read anything really good, I’ll post it and would love if you would share suggestions there as well.

Coming up tomorrow – fundraising gone wild! – a PSA link to every indie go go and crowdsource and go fund me campaign that folks I know are working on.

Sheep Nation, Princess Aduwuaamban, and advice from the Lang Sisters

Friday night I headed east to Pentimento Gallery for one of John’s fantastic every-so-often salons. I love going to them, there’s always a great art show on the walls, and interesting entertainment and people to meet.

Davide Luciano’s Sheep Nation is the current gallery exhibit at Pentimento – models made up as sheep to demonstrate the followers in society.  What I really thought was interesting was that he made up the models and wouldn’t let them look in the mirror til it was done – the images are their first reactions to themselves as sheep.

For the rest of the truly marvelous evening – a Cape Breton fiddler, a reading from Victoria Ward’s Little Red Riding Hood Manifesto, a great short film, Prom Storm (as always) by Kirsten Johnson, all held together by Bridgette Gall our host who effortlessly distracted us from tech set ups with impromptu soft shoe routines, and childhood stories about the Lang Sisters, who grew up down the road from her. As children, the Lang Sisters had wonderful advice on how to handle a bully that did not end with violence, but the self-confidence to know you could handle it yourself.

You know those emails you get every so often from a deposed princess in a country that is torn with strife and civil war and her husband or father is held captive and if you’ll just send your bank account number they will give you a share of the millions they will not lose if you help? Most people delete. Kirsten Johnson responds. When you tell someone “I listened to someone read emails out loud on Friday night” you would not expect the shrieks of laughter and applause this correspondence created.

We were also treated to two fifths of a jazz duo, one of whom is heading back to Korea soon.

I have saved the best for last  – as did John  – the final offering was a chat with Dr. John Nash, who is a research geonomicist (I don’t think that’s a word, but you get the idea). Ending the evening with a science guy was FASCINATING. John says he wanted to have someone where you learn something, and get answers to questions you might have from someone who really knows the answers.  We talked about e coli, and germs in animals vs germs in people and believe it or not, it was possibly the best part of the evening.

All in all, it was a wonderful evening, a proper salon and congrats to mein host – I will ALWAYS be back for things like this. Below is a deliberately fuzzy picture of my favourite piece from Sheep Nation – if you look closely, you can see they’re all reading the same latest greatest improve your life detox book that is advertised in the bus shelter. And I LOVE that her nails are did.

 

Sunday Roundup – May 12

What an excellent week of art and people. What else?

Quick Post – running out the door on Monday so there was just time for this.

Bits and Pieces Tuesday – exactly that. And congrats to this year’s Harold recipients!

See What You Made Me Do!! – email from an artist who attended a workshop I did, and the results.

Am pleased to pieces to let you know that Pax Christi Chorale sold out their concert last week – and received stellar reviews as well. It was a delight to work with Jennifer Collins (their General Manager) and I’m so glad all our work paid off!

I caught the Saturday matinée of Pamela Sinha’s Crash yesterday at Passe Muraille – if you’re reading this before 2 pm go get a ticket. It’s riveting, heart wrenching and triumphant.

Whatever you do today, do it well.

See What You Made Me Do??

ordinarily a disconcerting subject line in an email but this time it made me smile. I mentioned last week I did a workshop with some amazing artists at Gallery 1313 , and yesterday received an email from one of them.

Hi Sue;  I am so thrilled with the invite video I was able to do so quickly, inspired by you. Please have a look.  Love the fire. Tell me what you think.  much better than the usual with a pic or two.

Here it is. Well done Susan!

Along the lines of workshops, a reminder that I am part of a great one next week:

Technological Innovation: On and Off the Stage

Date: May 17, 2012
Time: 3 pm – 5:30 pm
Location: Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Ave. Suite 400 (The Innovation Lab)
Speakers: William Yong (Artistic Director/Choreographer, Zata Omm Dance Projects), Julian Sleath (Programming Manager, City of Toronto – Special Events), Sue Edworthy (Principal, Sue Edworthy Arts Planning)
Description:
As technology moves ahead at light speed, how do we keep up!? This unique and innovative workshop explores the many possibilities of opening the technological realm in the arts – both on and off the stage.  Beyond Facebook and Twitter, propel your project to the next level of innovation by integrating new and exciting marketing strategies in your work. Don’t fight technology, use it to your advantage and be creative in your administration.
Additionally, discover the endless possibilities of using technology in your craft as stages become research labs with installations, video projections and other dynamic interactive technologies. Participants will learn the ups and downs of technology, hear from experts in their field and will get a Papertronics Lunar module to make and take home.
Curious to find out more? Come check out this interactive workshop and walk away with dynamic tools to integrate in your practice, whether it be in the office or on the stage!

Sunday Roundup – May 6

Lots of things to write about last week – let’s get to it.

Rules of Engagement  Audience development and nobody’s coming and when they do they aren’t behaving in a “traditional” manner.

Corporate Sponsorship interesting discussion and article via LinkedIn about whether or not dislike for corporate sponsorship turns off the corporate tap.

Visual Resumes – a program that turns your resume info almost into a timeline of your career path. Still on the fence, but some seem to like it. I might take it in addition to a traditional resume, but not instead.

Social Media for Artists at Gallery 1313 – a great workshop where we proved that you don’t always need internet for the social part of social media.

Glamourpuss Fridays – paperwork day.

It’s lovely outside, all spring-like. Go and enjoy it!

 

Social Media for Artists at Gallery1313

Workshop last night courtesy of Gallery1313 a little gallery on Queen West just east of the library. There’s consistently interesting work in there – go check it out.

I met with nearly a dozen artists last night – painters, sculptors, photographers to talk about using social media to expand their reach and increase their profile.

They were without question, a fantastic group of people. At the top of the night we had some minor tech glitches meaning no internet for a social media workshop, which is a little like having a cooking class without any food. It was taken care of by Ozana and Phil with aplomb and style and thank you both so much.

Here’s what was interesting – if we’d had internet immediately, we would have plunged directly into the presentation. As it was it gave us a chance to talk – to embrace the social part of social media and find out who was there and why and much more about them than just their names.

I think as a result we had a wonderfully open discussion, a real back and forth about who was doing what, who was using which tools for what means, and who had no experience at all. Because we got so very into it, it was a conversation, not a presentation and that’s what I always hope for. Ideas were shared, some sites I didn’t know about are now on my list, and I think people enjoyed themselves.

It was more of a facilitation than a presentation – at one point we threw the powerpoint out the window (not literally) and focussed on specifics – showing then how to create a page, the targeting ability of a Facebook ad by creating one, a discussion about what is a “like” what is a “friend” what is a “tag” and does anyone ever sell art on LinkedIn? Here’s a great example of an artist blog, here’s a YouTube video of someone’s work, know how important it is not to have just a great image, but a quality properly sized version of that image. That even if you think your target market is “everyone” – you do have a way of narrowing that down to people who are genuinely interested.  At one point someone asked how late I was willing to stay to keep discussing these things, and we did run a bit late. Because we were genuinely involved.

In short – I’m looking forward to connecting with these artists again, seeing their work and talking to them.

Many thanks again to Phil, Ozana, Gallery1313, and all the participants for their time and enthusiasm – it was an excellent way to spend a dark and rainy night.

What My Clients Are Working On

Fewer blog posts from me indicate that my clients are keeping me busy doing stuff with and for them. Who are they and what are they doing?

Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund – is putting the final touches on a new microsite for 2012, and organizing roundtable discussions all over the province to introduce the OCAF program to folks who have not yet applied to it.

Creative Trust continues to work on PAON roundtables and e-blasting info out to you about our sector.

“Some Assembly Required” is a film and photo exhibition by Lisa Wegner, opening at Artscape Triangle Gallery on April 26th.

VIsual artist Drew T. Nelson continues in his creation of amazing paper cut projects – “We Rode The Streetcar Together, Once” is a memoryscape devoted to that Toronto icon, the streetcar.

Filmmaker P. Marco Veltri is nearly done casting his latest short film and is readying to shoot.

Michael Healey’s Proud has a venue, (Berkeley St.) and a director, (Miles Potter) and fundraisers happening across Canada, and is over halfway to its fundraising goal.

Sheep No Wool Theatre Company is preparing for the Edward Bond Festival – a one time only two-week event happening in June and devoted to an investigation of his work and ideas with events all over the city. Website and Facebook page coming your way.

Pax Christi Chorale has a new Facebook page and is gearing up for their concert “The Kingdom” at Koerner Hall in May.

These are thing things I am marketing and PR-ing and building pages and sites and analyzing ticket sales and audiences and media lists and opening night invites for.

Three other companies and I are awaiting results of Compass grant applications.

And Gallery 1313 and I are doing a workshop on Social Media for Visual Artists. Details on that next post.

I feel quite privileged some days.

I’m also at things like APASO participating in fantastic sessions, and presentations like Counting New Beans and I’m off to the Small Business Arts Forum next week.

So there you go. They’re an extraordinary group of people doing extraordinary work. And it’s Friday so – well, it’s Friday. Off you go!

 

 

 

 

About Red.

The colour red and I have had a special something since I was three years old and needed my hats to be red, my boots, my everything. My mother didn’t understand. Last year I found a children’s’ book called Red Is Best in which Kelly”s mom doesn”t understand about red. Sure, the brown mittens are warmer, but the red mitts make better snowballs. And the red boots aren”t just for rain; they take bigger steps in any weather. And, yes, a red cup does make a difference… juice just doesn”t taste as good in a green one. No doubt about it, red is best.

I gave it to my Mom last year. She now gets it. Sort of.

And last night I went to see Red at Canadian Stage – and indeed – Red is best.

This is not a review, that’s not what I do here but you MUST go and see it.  Jim Mezon can be described no better than a bear on that stage – he is brilliant.  The discussion, the debate, the argument had between Rothko and his assistant about just what red is – is brilliant. And the canvas priming scene is amazing. Half the audience burst into applause. This should tell you something – if an audience is applauding a base coat – you need to see this show. I was enthralled.

I see a lot of finished art – in galleries, on friend’s walls and we talk a lot about art, and usually of the finished variety. To sit and listen to a conversation about why art is, who art is, can you get it, can you not, where are lives and how is changes – incredible. The program is a truly rich source of information, things to think about

I absolutely loved the show  – granted when I read the program after and saw that Kim Collier was at the helm I thought, “of course.” I’m going to buy the play – there was too much wordplay last night that I want to re-read so I can absorb it.

Go see. And yes I am wearing my cheerful red hat today – because Red is Best.

““`

Sorry I have to re-post this – but it’s too important not to:  A Message From Friends of the Arts

Sunday Roundup – October 30

It’s Hallowe’en weekend and folks are out being their Halloweeniest. What else is going on?

Let’s Not Talk About Branding, Let’s Make Art Instead  – a reminder that if you need to make some art and not be distracted by the excruciating minutiae of day-to-day  living, Artscape Lodge is available for you to hunker down and get some work done. Also if you feel the need to participate in someone else’s process, TPM has Buzz going on all this week.

Yesterday I Did Not Weep For the Future  – I chaperoned a field trip on Thursday – a group of talented, thoughtful young people from Jarvis Collegiate to the Applied Arts Expo.

I’m working on a marketing plan today for my business, it’s due on Wednesday for Entrepreneuse School, and since it’s cool and grey outside and I am locked in Gandalf style battle with a dreadful cold, no better day to do it. I hope everyone’s Hallowe’en is fantastic tomorrow whether you’re at a party in a cat costume or shuttling small trick or treaters around, or simply waiting in a pumpkin patch, hoping for something great.

 

 

Yesterday I Did Not Weep For the Future

Or at least as much as I am wont to.  As I mentioned, I went along as a chaperone/supervisor person for a Jarvis Collegiate student field trip. My friend Meghan was taking her Grade 11/12 art class to the 2011 WINNERS EXHIBIT + CREATIVE SCHOOLS EXPO by Applied Art Magazine.  It was being held for the second year at Artscape Wychwood Barns so off we went.

There were fifty of us and we made out way by TTC to the Barns, got there, got settled and got our assignments (well, I didn’t get an assignment but I took one anyway). I did a couple full tours of the building for the students and we all seemed to have a great time. I forget that teenagers when hanging around of their own accord are high energy and – well – really LOUD. I am more that sure I was too, but good Lord.

These were great students. When they were on the tour, they listened, they asked intelligent questions, they cheered at the elements of LEED certification the Barns has. Several asked how they would get to live there. Others asked about volunteer opportunities at the Stop.  I had a really good time with them.

Here is our assignment:

Part A – View the Award exhibit and answer the following:

Which piece do you wish you had made and why?

Which piece do you wish you could take home and why?

Part B – Tour the Barns

Which do you think is the most interesting building and why?

Imagine you are a professional artist. Would you want to live and work at the Barns? Why or why not?

What was the most interesting part of the “green building” features and why?

I am going to ask Meghan to forward me any good answers. These young men and women really impressed me. Smart, clear spoken, interested in learning new things. I stand by my post title.

Here are some cellphone pictures.

 

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