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(08/01/05 3:18pm)
One of the many thrills of Bloomington life is surely the annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival which draws talented musicians from around the globe to the city each September. This event unites community members, students, and area residents in downtown Bloomington for several evenings packed with world music, culture, food, and various other forms of \nentertainment. \nThis year the festival is scheduled for Sept. 22 to 25, marking the 12th anniversary of the event in Bloomington. The official Lotus Web site deems the event, "An exciting weekend celebration of the beauty and diversity of world cultures, through music and the arts." \nBut a festival such as Lotus, run by the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation, Inc., a non-profit agency, could never be produced without the generous help of volunteers from the community. \n"The smooth operation of the festival is dependent on volunteers," said Patrick Coad, festival volunteer coordinator for the Lotus Festival. "... They are an integral part of the process and help to make it fun for everyone involved while at the same giving back to the community."\nThe Lotus Festival welcomes anyone who has an interest in volunteering at the festival to come to a meeting for new volunteers that will be held on Aug. 27 at the Monroe County Library Auditorium from 10 a.m. to noon. The meeting will address many frequently asked questions and will provide other information to volunteers. Additional information about volunteering can be found on the festival's Web site www.lotusfest.org. The Web site provides \nvolunteer and festival background information and provides a schedule of the entertainers set to perform. \nIn addition to its Web site, Lotus has a booth set up at the Farmer's Market, on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon in the Showers Building parking lot. \nThe deadline for the first round of applications is Aug. 15. Applications are available online via the Web site. Those interested should attempt to complete applications by that date because they will receive first priority for position assignments. The volunteer branch for Lotus has an e-mail for contact, volunteer@lotusfest.org, in addition to a volunteer hotline at 337-0417 for more detailed information. \nThose who choose to volunteer will be required to attend a training session on either Sept. 15 or 17 at the Monroe County Library.
(07/28/05 3:59am)
Art and music lovers came out by the hundreds Friday night to the IU Art Museum for an evening of live music on the Sculpture Terrace. The cost-free event was the last of four performances in the Jazz in July series put on by the museum and other sponsors. Friday night featured the swing and acoustic jazz band, Hot Club of Naptown, a popular Bloomington band which was featured two years ago in the series. \nOther bands that were featured this July included: Harpist Jan Aldridge Clark, an IU Music School graduate who played contemporary smooth jazz, Charlie Smith Project, a guitarist from Indianapolis who presented a combination of jazz standards, original pieces and pop classics, and Monika Herzig Acoustic Project, an internationally recognized jazz musician who preformed original standards and personal arrangements.\nThe assistant director for external operations at the IU Art Museum, Jo Anna Davis, explained why the museum feels it is important to put on an annual event like Jazz in July.\n"It's a really good way for those who aren't able to get to the museum during the year to get a glimpse of the gallery and to hear music ... it's a great way that students as well as community members can come together and enjoy both art and music." \nIndeed both turned out in large numbers Friday night to see Hot Club of Naptown packing the terrace and filling nearly every seat. Many enjoyed the drinks and food served at the event as they tapped their feet along with the music -- frequently applauding for jazz solos. As the sun set over the event, the band played songs ranging from jazz standards like as "I'm beginning to see the light" to pieces by the groups musical inspiration Django Reinhardt. \nCarolyn Dutton, the band's violin player, appeared to be the spokesperson for the group during song transitions -- giving musical history on their various pieces and interacting with the audience. Although many of their pieces were instrumental, guitar and mandolin player David McCarty showcased his rich jazz voice on several numbers, as did guitar player Steve Hawkins. In shades and a hat, Bass player Joe Toole kept his cool and a steady rhythm throughout the performance.\nThe group's CD, All Swings Considered, was mentioned by Strings magazine as one of the "Best CDs of 2004". \nThe IU Arts Museum will be presenting the photography of Art Sinsabaugh in October in the exhibition, American Horizons. To find out more about events coming up at the IU Arts Museum, visit their Web site at www.artmuseum.iu.edu.
(06/16/05 12:27am)
The Rosemary P. Miller Gallery located in Bloomington's John Waldron Arts Center has been home to many fascinating local art exhibits over the years. From paintings to sculptures, photography to fiber arts, the gallery has been a platform for every type of artistry to be displayed.\n"Carved in Stone" is the latest exhibition to grace the Miller Gallery. This show features contemporary stone carvings from more than a dozen artists around the United States as well as exhibits by well-known local carvers.\nMiah Michelson, director of the gallery, spoke with enthusiasm when describing the gallery's current art exhibition.\n"We've had a phenomenal response, and the highest visitor turn-out of any exhibit we've had here," Michelson said. "Some of the finest stone sculptures in the country are in this exhibit."\nCarved in Stone, a first-time exhibit, is debuting in correlation with the 9th Annual Limestone Sculpture Symposium -- an event which celebrates limestone's role in south central Indiana by gathering artists together to share and study with other carvers.\n"This is an art form that people feel is indigenous to the area, it represents the region and displays raw materials that come from this area ... The stone is primarily Indiana Limestone," Michelson said.\nSeveral of the exhibitioners are presenting their work for the first time. Many other carvers, however, are veterans in the field. Pricing of the artwork ranges with respect to that, anywhere between $300 and $10,000.\nThe highest-priced piece comes from artist Dale Enochs, who worked with limestone to create "From the Heart." This piece is a larger than life bust which captures human beauty on limestone. The bust features a heart, which appears to beat out of its chest. Stemming from the heart are large ventricles, while engravings of veins fill the heart itself. The craftsmanship of the piece is extremely detailed as its entirety, with the exception of the heart, is decorated with etchings, appearing to suggest the detailed lines of human skin.\n"Introspection", a piece by Alison Helm, incorporates stone in a different light. This sculpture stands on metal legs and features materials including stainless steel, glass, and marble. Visually stimulating from all angles, this piece features soapstone and has a different feel than the surrounding works.\nReligious sculptures are also displayed in the exhibit. "Why Have You Vanished", by artist Ned Cunningham, is a large eye-attracting stone sculpture which depicts Jesus on the cross. Terence Lankford also carved a religious creation called "Jung's Heron," a stone slab, which is engraved with the words "Explore Daily the Will of God." The words, surrounded by etchings of a dragonfly, a background of rocks, and water are bold and simplistic. This piece demonstrates that simple can also be visually appealing.\nStone lovers and art appreciators can visit this exhibit until June 25.\nThe John Waldron Art Center gallery hours are Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 5p.m., and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 334-3100.
(05/26/05 2:15am)
Picking a favorite art form might be simple for some, but IU professor Bronislava Volkova prefers to collaborate and combine multiple aspects of art. Her concept of blending artistic platforms led to the creation of a 2003 multimedia extravaganza titled "Entering Light," in which Volkova shared her poetry while simultaneously incorporating dance, music and art.\nAfter the success of her 2003 show, Volkova is back at it again in 2005 working with fellow Bloomington artists on their latest multi-media event, "Born Out of Darkness," which was preformed in the John Waldron Arts Center's Rose firebay room on Wednesday evening. Volkova, a Czechoslovakian native, exile poet and professor of Slavic languages and literature at IU, says although she mainly considers herself a poet, she also concentrates on collage art, artistic directing, and artistic collaboration. She recognized her passion of art and language at the age of nine. It was then she began writing poetry and learning different languages -- eventually becoming fluent in Russian, English, German, and Spanish -- in addition to her native tongues of Czech and Slovak.\nVolkova attended her primary and secondary schooling in Prague, and received her masters in Spanish and Russian. She described her college experience as "a fascinating education." Her college career took place during the height of communism and Volkova was asked on numerous occasions to join the party. \n"You could collaborate, or expect to be a taxi driver," she said. \nMost people complied, she said, but Volkova refused to participate -- and left Czechoslovakia soon after receiving a doctorate in Slavic and general linguistics in 1970. For leaving her communist country, Volkova was exiled for 15 years. She immigrated to the United States in 1976 due to a "combination of political exile and a job." In 1982 she began her work at IU as a visiting professor. By 1987 she had written her first book in the area of linguistics and semiotics called "Emotive Signs in Language." It wasn't until 1997 that she published her next book, "A Feminist's Semiotic Odyssey Through Czech Literature."\nIn addition to her books, Volkova has been published in journals, done poetry readings, and given multimedia performances, which she calls her "newest venue." \n"When you have creative energy and once you have produced something, you want to share it with someone else," she said. \nAlthough Wednesday's multi-media event primarily focused on the poetry of Volkova, it also included collage work that she created.\n"I started doing collages intensely in 2000," she said.\nThe collages acted as the background not only for Volkova, but also for the dancers and musician involved. Bloomington artists notably contributing to this production include choreographer Scott Jones and pianist Hakan Toker. Jones, a dance performer in the 2003 event, choreographed this year's dance group from Windfall. Jones is a local freelance artist, costume designer, choreographer and was formally a benefit coordinator and a member of the Windfall board of trustees.\n"The evening is first and foremost a poetry reading, but it is also an event in which art forms can complement one another," Jones said.\nJones and Volkova were introduced in 1997 by then -- Windfall director Steve Garnier who Volkova credits with introducing her to the idea of a multimedia event. Jones and Volkova have been collaborating ever since. When Toker was added to the mix, the three became a dynamic trio.\n"Once we started collaborating, we began to understand each other -- we have a very good flow of energy. We have a nice give and take," Jones said.\nToker, a Turkish born pianist, is a local composer-improviser and IU graduate. He currently plays in a Middle Eastern band called Salaam, and also gives solo performances, in what he calls "audience interactive, cross-cultural, improvisational piano recitals." Although classically trained, Toker often likes to play jazz and central Asian music, as well as experimental improvisation.\nDescribing his role in the multi-media performance, Toker said, "My job is to under-paint the atmosphere without getting ahead of it."\nHe described the positive impact this type of collaboration has on his artistry.\n"Working with other artists is a good healthy challenge that will surely benefit me in my solo performances," he said.\n"Born out of Darkness" will be performing tonight at 8 p.m. in the Rose Firebay Room of the John Waldron Arts Center. Tickets are $5.\nThis group will also be performing June 17th at the Indiana Arts Center in Broad Ripple. For more information on this or any other upcoming performances contact: 339-3618.