Frisbie Street Art

It didn’t rain! We actually got the clear skies and full moon we were hoping for Saturday night.

Thanks to everyone who came, including our repeat visitors who decided after Fri. night that they wanted to see the show again and bring their friends. Cool! We’re so glad you had a good time.

Thanks also to our two fantastic musicians Cara Wick and Kim Lembo.

We loved your music.

The show closes today. We’d love to see you if you haven’t had a chance to come by yet. We’re open from 1 to 5pm and we’ll have some art supplies out for kids & adults to play and create their own glow in the dark and florescent art.

Plus you’ll get to see Happy L.A. Hyder’s Pillars and watch the light shift as you move your flashlight across the photograph.

We also have a special tribute to the poet Sal Salasin by his niece Elisa Salasin.

When submitting her piece for the show Elisa wrote, “On March 19, 2009, my uncle, the poet Sal Salasin, died of lung cancer.  In his final hours of life Sal called out for hot and cold, light and dark. All of his shadows laid bare and stark – illuminating his final transition out of this world, and teaching those of us close to him how to live.”

Many people have been commenting as well about this piece by Eli Jenkins. What do you see in this one?

We have art in the kitchen by Becky Jaffe and Kristen Hoard.

And moody, mysterious photographs by Kamran Golriz.

Photographs by Courtney McCutcheon,

Styrous,

and C. Brooks

Plus a human body sculpture made from old film negatives, titled for this show: Illuminating the Shadows of our Past by Lanell Dike.

All of this to say, Come! You’ll have fun. See you later.

Our Art Show in the Dark is off to a great start with over 150 people stopping by for opening night.

Everyone has their own favorite piece/artist but the consensus seems to be that using a flashlight brings you into an active relationship with the art.

You and the artist create your experience together. What do you see?

“Using the flashlight makes you feel like you are in it.”

“Love the way these come alive with the flashlight.”

Cheryl Laube and Becky Jaffe play with illuminating shadows on the wall. Cheryl’s pieces explore concepts of beauty and being a woman, while Becky dives into mood – reflecting our shifting emotions.

A new artist to watch out for, JJ Fryzal, was a big hit with her florescent & 3-D artwork taking viewers to another world entirely.

Myles Boisen combines scary and playful, each sweep of the flashlight showing a different face.

Kristen Hoard’s metal sculptures were also a big draw for many.

And there’s more! Happy /L.A. Hyder, Styrous, Courtney McCutcheon, Elisa Salasin, C. Brooks, Mercy Calman, Lanell Dike, Kamran Golriz and Eli Jenkins. And in the backroom, Carrie-Andrea Kaye created an installation piece featuring video by Gustavo Porras.

And we can’t forget our fabulous musicians Zoe Boekbinder and Dakota Belle Witt who played despite the cold weather. A huge thanks to both of them for their music and good spirits!

The fun continues tonight starting at 4pm with music by Cara Wick and Kim Lembo. Looks like more rain is in the forecast but we have tarps & a tent up to keep you dry if you want to hang out in the backyard.

Look how much fun people are having. Come join us!

Well, we ordered clear skies, a full moon, compelling and thought-provoking art and amazing musicians to add sound to our art + community experience for the latest Frisbie St. Art Show: Illuminating Shadows.

We can’t promise the clear skies or that you will be able to see the full moon – but the art and music will be here for your enjoyment on Friday and Saturday nights. The show opens at 6pm on Friday and closes at 5pm on Sunday. Here’s the schedule:

Friday, Jan 29
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m
Show Opening
Music by Zoe Boekbinder and Dakota Belle Witt

Saturday, Jan. 30
4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Music by Cara Wick and Kim Lembo

Sunday, Jan. 31
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m
Show Closing

Please consider donating $5, $10 or more to our musicians if you want to work your generosity muscle. As you know it’s hard to make a living sometimes at what you love most. All four of these women are donating their time for the show. Donations will be gladly accepted and you can show your appreciation directly to the musicians after their sets. Thanks!

All right! That’s it. See below for more information about where to eat and drink before or after the show as well as some more information about the artists and the musicans.

We look forward to seeing you soon at Frisbie St. in Oakland! Here’s the link to Google Maps for directions.

As previously mentioned for other shows – Frisbie St. is in a fab location for eating good food. Oakland has a ton of great restaurants. Here are just a few suggestions.

We always mention our friends at Z Cafe and Bar – as they help promote our shows and are 5 min. away on Broadway. Plus the food and atmosphere are top notch. Check them out.

Pican is also on Broadway – and has been getting good reviews.

If you want something really special (i.e. for a b-day celebration for an artist named Angela Ridgeway) the new Lake Chalet is perfect.

Check out some other eating options in this blog post from Living in the O – Beck’s keeps us up to date on Oakland happenings. Thanks!

Frisbie St. is a drug and alcohol free community space. For libations there are many options. Here are a few of the closest – located just up Broadway a few blocks (less than a mile.)

Franklin Square Wine Restaurant & Bar
MUA Restaurant & Bar
Shashamane Bar & Grill
Luka’s Taproom and Lounge

Enjoy!

We have a lot of great artists in the upcoming show and if we get a sec in between getting ready for the opening we’ll write more about them.

For now, check out this great post on Postdiluvian by Michael Singman-Aste about Mercy Calman. You’ll see her work at the show this weekend.

“Mercy and I got to talking about her process. Although she shoots digital and her photos have a distinctly tweaked appearance, there is no post-processing. Mercy creates all ”effects” under natural, ambient lighting at the time the photo is shot: She dips her finger in water to create a ripple. She holds up a brightly colored sheet to alter the hue.

Calman came upon this process by accident, noticing the unexpected color in her photographs of flowers and realizing that it had been influenced by the bright clothing she was wearing when she took the shot.”

Get ready! The flashlights are here. Free for the Illuminating Shadows, Art Show in the Dark – while supplies last.

Coming up soon, only nine more days to wait: January 29, 30 or 31.

This is post for everyone in the HarriOak neighborhood – or anyone who wants to attend one of the free community events listed below.

All events will be held and hosted by the First Christian Church – 111 Fairmount Avenue (up the hill from the Grocery Outlet, at the corner of Fairmount and 29th.)

And if you’re not religious, don’t worry about proselytizing – the pastor, Sandhya Jha, is not focused on conversion but on creating inclusive community and peaceful, safe neighborhoods.

Plus, the church building is just cool. Built in 1928, it’s 82 years old and full of Oakland history. Sandhya gave me a tour and there are fascinating stories and mysterious nooks and crannies.

Thursday, January 21, 7 PM: The Congregation: A Reader’s Theater
Come to a dramatic reading of scenes from The Congregation, a new screenplay by Writer/Director Robert T. Fields. Enjoy the story of a typical (or not-so-typical) church wrestling with issues of judgment, compassion, family tension, and figuring out how to make love matter more than “keeping up appearances.” Excerpts from the new screenplay will be “test run.”

January 28, 7 PM: Community Movie Night!
Bring the family for popcorn, soda and a viewing of “The Garden,” a documentary about a community garden in South Central Los Angeles. Afterwards, learn about People’s Grocery and other efforts to “Green” our city!

February 4, 8 PM: PEACE TALKS: A spoken word event
Come for spoken word poetry on the theme of violence, peace, and the pursuit of a just and peace-filled city.

February 11, 7 PM: SAVING PARADISE: *How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire* Hear internationally acclaimed author Rita Brock speak on her most recent book. “For a thousand years, Christians did not depict Jesus dead. Why not? And what happened that crucifixion eventually took center stage and became the core of Christian faith?”

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible!

Peace,
Sandhya Jha
Pastor

Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at Frisbie St. for our upcoming Art Show exploring shadow & light on January 29, 30 & 31. Here’s a link to the show schedule & exhibiting artists.

Making Sacred Masks to Keep New Years Resolutions
led by Nicki Koethner

Sunday, January 17
1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
at Frisbie St. Art in Oakland, CA
$45
Please R.S.V.P to lanell (at) frisbiest.com

Reflecting on the past year we will be focusing on the positive, letting go and releasing the negative influences and setting intentions for the year to come.

Making masks is an ancient tradition practiced in many indigenous cultures. Using mask-making techniques, you will create a replica of your own face to decorate and explore.

What will your mask reveal to you? What lost parts or new energies might emerge? What will the mask reveal about who you are in yourself today? What new energies do you want to bring into your life?

In this workshop we will be using guided meditation, movement, writing and music to enter a space in which we can be guided by our intuition to create a mask of our face with plaster to release what is no longer needed and set intentions for the year to come. Come explore and be surprised.

Nicki Koethner is a Multimedia Artist, Expressive Arts, Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in spirituality, creativity, sexuality, attachment, trauma and parenting. She is a modern-day mystic who facilitates expressive arts experiences for people to connect with their souls.

She has given Expressive Arts workshops and performances in NY, the Bay Area and in Germany. She is the Executive Co-Chair of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association and is on the Board of Bodytales.

Frisbie St. Art Days take place at 204 Frisbie St. in Oakland, CA.

The video is 4 min. – the leather mosaic took 600 hours. Amazing piece of art honoring four Oakland police officers by Philip Long.

(Poster Design by Eli Jenkins)

Thanks to everyone who submitted their artwork for our upcoming show. We had some great stuff to choose from. Here’s the line up of artists. Spread the word and see you at the end of January.

Myles Boisen
C. Brooks
Mercy Calman
Lanell Dike
JJ Fryzel
Kamran Golriz
Kristen Hoard
Happy/L.A. Hyder
Becky Jaffe
Eli Jenkins
Carrie-Andrea Kaye
Cheryl Laube
Courtney McCutcheon
Elisa Salasin
Styrous ®

Illuminating Shadows is a group exhibition of art exploring shadow and light. The show will take place in the dark, with artwork illuminated by viewers with flashlights.

One weekend only, this three-day art event at Frisbie St. in Oakland, CA includes live music on Fri/Sat and interactive art activities on Sun.

Friday, Jan 29
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m
Show Opening, Live Music

Saturday, Jan. 30
4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Live Music

Sunday, Jan. 31
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m
Show Closing

Curated by Lanell Dike, Becky Jaffe and Carrie-Andrea Kaye.

Frisbie St. Art is located at 204 Frisbie St. in Oakland, CA.

Hello all you art + creativity = community lovers. As 2009 ends and we welcome in 2010 I just want to say a huge thank you to all of you for supporting Frisbie St. this year and making this new alternative art space in Oakland come alive.

It was fun to get a letter from Google in the mail a few weeks ago telling us that we’re a “Favorite Place.” Between July 1 and Sept 30, Google users found Frisbie St. Art 3,104 times and requested driving directions 234 times. Cool!

I thought they sent these letters out en mass but while looking for a picture for this blog post I found out that only, “100,000 businesses were identified as Favorite Places, representing less than 1% of the 28 million U.S. businesses. We believe that our standards for selecting businesses are as selective or more selective than other companies which have run similar initiatives.”

Wow. Even more cool. Do you think Google can tell that beyond the numbers what really makes Frisbie St. special is each and every single person (that means you) who comes to spend time in community with other people who care about art + creativity?

Google sent a “Favorite Place” decal we can put up in our window – look for it during the next Art Show or Art Day.

Courtesy of artist Scott D.S. Young – thanks Scott!

The end of the calendar year offers a perfect time for reflection and setting intentions for 2010. Come join us at Frisbie St. on Sunday, Dec. 27 from 1 to 5 pm as we create visual journals for new beginnings.

We will be drawing inspiration and ideas from Jennifer New’s book, Drawing from Life: The Journal as Art and I Live Here by Mia Kirshner, J.B. Mackinnon, Paul Shoebridges and Michael Simons.

This is a free event and basic collage supplies will be provided. Bring your own blank journal or purchase one from Frisbie St. for $5.

Create your “new beginnings” journal with pictures, drawings, words – gather photos and other things from your life to layer onto the pages. We will work on the journal cover and the first few pages and then talk about our hopes and intentions for 2010.

If you are more of a computer person and have a laptop – bring it and create a journal blog. Check out artist Bridget Conn’s “Musings” for inspiration. We’ll go over the basics of how to set up a blog.

Please R.S.V.P to lanell (at) frisbiest (dot) com.
Frisibe St. Art Days take place at 204 Frisbie St. in Oakland, CA.

Dear Friends,

Edythe Boone, distinguished painter & muralist, art teacher to hundreds of the Bay Area’s children, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, and all around community treasure was hospitalized on December 3rd with a painfully acute spinal condition.

While the diagnosis and treatment plan are, as yet, unclear—it is certain that Edy is unable to continue working at this time. Because of this we are approaching you for a financial contribution to assist her urgent survival needs, help her healing, and warm her holidays.

Edy’s contributions to enrich the cultural life of the Bay Area are enormous, yet, in too many ways she is one of our unsung (s)heroes. As one of the 7 Maestrapeace muralists she has given us the majestic San Francisco Women’s Building mural on 18th Street between Valencia and Guerrero.

Edy’s mural art can also be seen in S.F.’s Balmy Alley and in the East Bay. Most recently, Edy led a youth program in creating an incredible musical mural in Berkeley. Edy’s distinctive canvasses have been displayed throughout the area and have been reproduced as cover art for publications such as: “Voices of the Dream-African-American Women Speak”(Chronicle Books). And she is a dedicated arts educator.

For those of you who know Edy or have yet to meet her, we ask that your holiday spending include making as significant a contribution as possible. Anything you can give will help. We are reaching out to our communities of artists, educators, friends and believers in social justice. We thank you deeply for your generosity and support for our treasured sister, Edy Boone.

Please mail your checks by January 15st.
Checks should be made out to Edythe Boone and mailed to:
Edythe Boone Support Fund
c/o Juana Alicia
2016 Ninth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710

- from: Juana Alicia, Miranda Bergman, Kim Anno, Jane Norling, c.j. grossman, Marlene Tobias