Many Moons Festival 2010 with Abisola...

Last Sunday, my niece Abisola and I hit the road for a day at Towson University's Asian Arts and Culture Center and its fifth Many Moons Festival. The festival was an all day affair (11 a.m.-6p.m.), with programs, performances and hands-on activities scheduled throughout the center.



Auntie and Abisola



What an adventure!!! There were a bazillion things to do. After we viewed the featured exhibition, Interconnected: New Works by Yuriko Yamaguchi, and enjoyed a sampling of Asian cuisine in the Crossroads Marketplace, Abi tried to do all of them. 

First, she tried her hand at fruit carving. With a few instructions and a little help from Noknoi Zerfas, she carved a rounded cantelope half into a flower.

          

 

Next, she decided to give silk cord knotting a try. With the help of a festival-goer who knew a little something about the art, she managed to pull off (pun intended) two double coin knots, quite nicely.

 

Then, it was on to the making of dough figurines with Hui Jen Hsu.

Satisfied with her girlie bear, Abisola moved on to papermaking with Gretchen Schermerhorn of Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center.



If a few of the Shizumi Kodomo Dance Troupe (SKDT) members had not come into the crafts area, Abisola would have given straw weaving, Japanese doll making, origami, bead craft, and kite and shuttlecock making a try.

But - since she is a 10-year student of dance, the craftmaking came to an abrupt end when it was time for the troupe's performance.

 

 

Abisola especially liked the fact that SKDT is a multicultural children's dance troupe that performs authentic Japanese cultural dance, which was formed by artistic director Shizumi higeto Manale for the White House Millennium Celebration.

When the troupe's last dance was done, so was I. Although I was exhausted, I must admit, "A good time was had by all!"

Cheers,

Jannette

A few of the faces at "The Art of Mosaic" opening...

The opening for "The Art of Mosaic" attracted some folks who I had not seen for years. Janet Johnson, a friend since the early 1990s when I was most active in the BMA's Joshua Johnson Council, was one of the first people that I encountered amongst the throng gathered to support and enjoy the art, camaraderie and refreshments. The good news is that when you run into old friends after long periods of time, it's as if you just saw each other a day or two before.

That's the way things work in Baltimore. At least, that's the way they always seem to work for me.

When I saw Sharon Bunch there, I was reminded that we should not put things off. For years, she and I planned to get our two big, black dogs, Presley and Oji, together. Alas, it was not to be. Presley, Sharon's beloved Bouvier des Flandres, passed away last year before meeting my Newfoundland, Oji.

It was equally great to see Carla Wills back in Baltimore co-producing the Michael Eric Dyson Show for Public Radio WEAA-FM. As I recall, Carla introduced me to Sharon, years ago.

Martina Callum M.D., a proud East Baltimore native who returned to her hometown a few years ago and is an avid art collector, was happy to share the opening reception at her alma mater (MSU) with neighbor and Penn Lucy Neighborhood Association President Angel Entner. A woman who knows what she likes, the good doctor added two new pieces to her collection before leaving the gathering.

Carrie Powell, another appreciator of the arts, was there to support her friends, Charles and Elizabeth Hawkins, the artists.

When the reception ended, everyone agreed that it had been a tremendous success, and a good time was had by all.


Ask the Bassman...

Cheers,

Jannette

Let's start with "The Art of Mosaic"...

Smooth Jazz

For many years, WEAA - 88.9 FM has been my favorite station for jazz and talk. Now, the Morgan State University-based, public radio station has added visual arts to its mix, and I recently attended an opening reception held in WEAA'S Artist Gallery.

"The Art of Mosaic," an exhibition of skillfully crafted tile and mixed-media mosaics by Baltimore artists Charles and Elizabeth Hawkins opened in late August and will grace the studio’s walls throughout the month of September. Well worth a trip to Northeast Baltimore and WEAA's third floor gallery in Morgan’s new Communications Center, the collection's artful array of colors and textures evoke a spirit of movement and sound.

Charles and Elizabeth Hawkins

Happily married for 37 years, neither Charles nor Elizabeth Hawkins has a background in art. The talented couple just works well together. She is a 37-year veteran teacher in the Baltimore City Public School system, and he is a recent UMMS Anesthesia Department retiree, with 40 years' service, and a member of a popular Baltimore musical group, the Spindles (formerly Frankie and the Spindles).

The couple’s foray into mosaic tile artistry began with a “WOW-factor” project for a newly enclosed porch at their home, another of Charles’ projects. Delighted with the finished product, and with the encouragement of family, friends and admirers, the two have been working away, cracking tiles in their basement studio every since. They describe their work as "Art That Will Crack You Up and Give You a SMILE."

Scent of Flowers

WEAA's Artist Gallery is open and available to visitors interested in viewing their work through September 30, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Additional images of the couple’s ceramic artistry can be found at http:/ooohlalamosaictile.com/.

Also, if you follow this link, http://picasaweb.google.com/jjwit1/SlideShow?authkey=Gv1sRgCLmX_PutoPuvlAE#, you can check out a little slideshow that I put together on a Web Album.

Enjoy,
Jannette

I Bow to Thee Mother




3 Times A Lady

 



Vintage Madame

  






African Queen

  


King Tut



Dizzy






The Weight of the World