Key West Literary Arts Scene

2007-10-11T18:49:00.000-04:00

Expose Yourself
at the Florida Keys Community College Library/Gallery
Second Annual Fantasy Fest Photography Exhibit
Gala Masquerade Reception
Thursday October 18th 5-7 pm

Start your Fantasy Fest off right with

*Body Painting with Tony Gregory
*A Royal Appearance by Mitch Jones MissSouthermostGay.com
*Costumed Revelers cavorting to a RetroDiscoElectroFunkadelic Soundtrack
*Exotic Edibles
and the Infamous
*Wall of Shame: Home to Embarassing photos from Fantasy Fests Past.

Wear a costume or risk being costumed by the Wall of Shame design crew

I Can Fly by Deb Kik

Events This Week

Thursday, October 11 Artist Demo - Key West Artist Rick Worth will demonstrate acrylic painting at the first membership meeting of 2007-08 season. Free and open to the public. 1 p.m. Key West Art Center, 301 Front St., Key West. 294-1241. keywestartcenter.com.

Saturday, October 13 Artist Reception – Key West “Ropa Vieja.” New work including wood carvings by Andy Thurber. Reception 6 - 9 p.m. Gallery on Greene, 606 Greene Street, Key West. 294-1669.

Key WestDesnudo produtions "La Squishy Femme." Painting and photographs evoking feminine sensuality. 6-9 p.m. Gardens of Alexander's Guest House, 1118 Fleming St. markyp@markypierson.com

Tuesday, October 16 Writer’s Group – Key WestThe Writer's Den. Group critique session meets Tuesdays. All levels and all genres welcome. 7 - 9 p.m. Blue Mojito Bar & Cafe at the Hyatt, 601 Front St., Key West. Validated Parking. Contact Nina Aviles at ninaaviles@yahoo.com for details.

Thursday October 18th Gala Masquerade Reception for the Fantasy Fest Photography Exhibit
Florida Keys Community College Library/Gallery 5901 College Road Key West FL for more info call 305 809-3194

Enjoy!

2007-09-27T14:41:00.000-04:00

You have only three weeks to get into shape for Fantasy Fest and the Gala Masquerade Reception for our Library Gallery photo show. Fortunately you've already got a few opportunites this week to practice your party skills.

Lon Michels, adjunct professor of Art at FKCC, is celebrating his birthday this evening with a shindig at the Tropic Cinema. Art Behind Bars celebrates their birthday with their time honored art auction and party at the Pier House this Sunday, and it's not even October yet...

All this party practice doesn't leave you much extra time, so we've repackaged some of our most popular classes into what we're calling a "mini-mester" . Starting next week you can take

History of Art, Ancient to 1400

Online with Kate Miller

Beginning Acrylic Painting
with Lon Michels

or learn to search like a librarian with Juana Careaga's Internet Research class.

Here's a complete schedule for the minimester and as always you can register online.

Events this week
Thursday September 27th
Lon Michels celebrates his birthday and the release of the documentary about his artwork, Gods and Butterflies Tropic Cinema 6:30-8:00
Sunday September 30th
Art Behind Bars celebrates their 13th birthday Pier House 8-10 more info
call 305 304 4772 or artbehindbars.org
October 1
Submission deadline for The Miami Herald Art Basel edition E-mail entries to artpaper@MiamiHerald.com; or by mail to Miami Herald, Art on Newsprint, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami , 33132-1693. For details check the video on uvu
Sculpture Key West 2008--Artist Application Deadline is Approaching! Call for entries for the annual juried contemporary sculpture exhibition held at two historic locations on the tropical island of Key West, Florida: West Martello Tower and Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. Mary Ceruti, Director of the New York SculptureCenter, will head the jury panel. Get your application here http://www.sculpturekeywest.com/artists-app.htm

Enjoy!

2007-09-13T11:53:00.000-04:00

How to become a literary poseur without even trying
Pierre Bayard a Paris professor, has come up with one of the best book titles of the year, How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read. Now what English comp student wouldn't want to snap that up ?
Trouble is, the book doesn't even come out in the US till the middle of October. But that hasn't stopped anyone from taking his advice and talking about his book which they haven't read.
The New York Times started the US buzz back in February with a generally positive review. Bayard was just encouraging intimidated potential readers to get over their guilt trip and engage with the social conversation that a good book stimulates.
The Brits took a more anthropological stance in the Times review.
" (W)e like our intellects to be approachable, unpretentious, fancy-a-pint-down-the-pub types." So what's the point of faking it? Only the French are snobs enough to care about having a literary conversation in the first place.
You can check out more reviews of the book at complete-review.com , where the US reviewer managed to get a quote from the actual book (could it be they actually read it?) "Most statements about a book are not about the book itself despite appearances, but about a larger set of books on which our culture depends at that moment. It is that set, which I shall henceforth refer to as the collective library, that truly matters... "
Alas, the reviewer takes a less salutory spin than the New York Times, concluding, "outside tiny isolated groups (high school sci fi nerds,NYC 'literati', etc.)most Americans are unlikely to find that they are not taken seriously if they are unfamiliar with certain books: there simply are no more canonical texts..."

Personally, I don't give a darn about the canon. What worries me is the ever expanding pile of books that I know I'll never get to read. So I'm sticking with Nancy Pearl's rules for when to give up on a book.
1) If you're 50 or younger, read 50 pages. Time is limited, and books are nearly infinite.
2) If you're over 50, you have even less time. Subtract your age from 100, and read that many pages.

Events this Week

September 18th Lettie Nowak begins her second oil painting class. 6-8 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays through October 4th. For more info contact Lemonade Art Studio
September 20th Walk on White - all the usual suspects...

Events to plan for

September 20th Submission deadline for Florida Keys Community College Library/Gallery Fantasy Fest Photo Show. Send jpegs of submissions to lori_kelly@firn.edu
September 30th Art Behind Bars 13th Birthday Party at the Pier House. For more information or to donate an item for the auction call 305 304 4772. for more info artbehindbars.org
October 1 Submission deadline for The Miami Herald is accepting applications for images to be printed in their December 5-9th Art Basel edition. E-mail entries to artpaper@MiamiHerald.com; or by mail to Miami Herald, Art on Newsprint, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami , 33132-1693. For details check the video on uvu
October 1 Sculpture Key West 2008--Artist Application Deadline is Approaching! Call for entries for the annual juried contemporary sculpture exhibition held at two historic locations on the tropical island of Key West, Florida: West Martello Tower and Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. Mary Ceruti, Director of the New York SculptureCenter, will head the jury panel. Get your application here http://www.sculpturekeywest.com/artists-app.htm

Enjoy!

2007-09-06T09:16:00.000-04:00

Expose yourself at the Florida Keys Community College Library/Gallery

it's our first official "call to artists" of the season...

Photographers, costume designers and all round revelers are invited to submit their artwork for inclusion in the second annual Fantasy Fest show at the Florida Keys Community College Library/Gallery.

Please submit jpeg photos of work to be considered to lori_kelly@firn.edu by September 20th. Works chosen by the jury will be featured at an all star reception Thursday October 18th, 5-7 pm.

Any work not chosen by our esteemed jury is welcome on the famous "Wall of Shame", home to random pictures of unfortunate costume choices and embarrassing excess. For more information contact Lori Kelly at 305 809 3522.

Been living under a rock somewhere and have no idea what we're talking about? Check out Connie Groth's online Fantasy Fest photogallery.

Events this week

Saturday September 8th New Art South Florida reception for Monroe County artists Leo Gullick, Richard Haden and other recipients of the 2006 Florida Cultural Consortium Fellowships 7 to 9 pm at MOCA Goldman 404 NW 26th St Miami FL, Admission by donation , RSVP 305.893.6211 check the MOCA website for more info.

Auditions for Nutcracker Key West Tennesee Williams Theater on the FKCC campus. 10:30-6 for more info call 305 294-2943

Events to plan for

September 18th Lettie Nowak begins her second oil painting class. 6-8 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays through October 4th. For more info contact Lemonade Art Studio

September 30th Art Behind Bars 13th Birthday Party at the Pier House. For more information or to donate an item for the auction call 305 304 4772. for more info artbehindbars.org

October 1 Submission deadline for Art Basel The Miami Herald is accepting applications for images to be printed in their December 5-9th Art Basel edition. E-mail entries to artpaper@MiamiHerald.com; or by mail to Miami Herald, Art on Newsprint, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami , 33132-1693. For details check the video on uvu

October 1 Application Deadline for Sculpture Key West juried site-specific work, limited artist assistance available. Special funding opportunities for large-scale works exceeding 100 feet. Application fee $25. Applications and more information are available online http://www.sculpturekeywest.com/

Enjoy!

2007-08-30T08:47:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone

who braved thunderstorms to attend the Thinking in Three Dimensions opening yesterday. The chapbooks on display, a collaboration between Key West High School Students and Sculpture Key West, drew some interested viewers.

But the surprise hit of the show were the new gallery pedestals delivered this week by local wood artist Jimmy Wray. We're going to have to choose some pretty flashy artwork to outshine those pedestals.

Library News
Gavin McKeirnan, of Librarians a Go Go fame, has transferred to the new Instructional Technology Department. She's busy working with Julie Bailey to drag us into the 20th century and can now be contacted in our spanking new technology center at
Gavin McKeirnan, Manager
gavin@firn.eduKey West Campus Room A210
ext. 139 (on-campus)305-809-3130

Events this week
September 4th Women on Film Festival First of a three night film festival at the Tropic Cinema 416 Eaton Street. Get your tickets now at http://www.womenonfilmfestival.com/ since they sold out last year.

September 5th Women and Words Round Robin Poetry reading featuring local literary luminaries like Sheri Lohr, Rosalind Brackenbury and FKCC professor EJ Miller Laino at Voltaire Books, corner of Eaton and Simonton.

Events to plan for
September 30th Art Behind Bars 13th Birthday Party at the Pier House. For more information or to donate an item for the auction call 305 304 4772.

October 1 Submission deadline for Art Basel The Miami Herald is accepting applications for images to be printed in their December 5-9th Art Basel edition. E-mail entries to artpaper@MiamiHerald.com; or by mail to Miami Herald, Art on Newsprint, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami , 33132-1693. For details check the video on uvu

October 1 Application Deadline for Sculpture Key West juried site-specific work, limited artist assistance available. Special funding opportunities for large-scale works exceeding 100 feet. Application fee $25. Applications and more information are available online http://www.sculpturekeywest.com/

2007-08-22T15:47:00.000-04:00

Remember a few weeks back we found this mystery painting hanging in the library?
Nan Klingener came by to check out our Mystery Art display in the Library Gallery and immediately identified it as a Gregory Valdez. Apparently Elizabeth Bishop wrote an essay about him while she was in Key West and helped promote his career with galleries in New York.

What a great historical and literary connection!

I found this watercolor hanging in the faculty hallway. Looks like it was signed Thoms, and I thought it might be student work.
But Nancy thinks it's from Walter Thoms who used to design all the posters for Goombay. She's passed the word to exiles Ann Boese and Donna Smith in Savannah and they're going to confirm and perhaps track down his daughter who might still be living here.

Friday morning we're inviting staff, faculty and the extended FKCC family to add their institutional knowledge to the mix and review the collection as part of our Fall kick off. If you want to contribute your expertise stop by soon, because we're putting everything back in the closet in preparation for our first "real" art show of the year.

Thinking In Three Dimensions is a fertile mix of artists from Sculpture Key West and Key West High School artists, writers and photographers. Chapbooks and photographs will be featured in the Library/Gallery from August 20th through October 1st.

We're having a little party Wednesday the 29th at 5 pm to celebrate our first official show of the year, so do stop by. You know it won't be the same without you.

Events this week

Thursday August 23 Visual Arts Networking Session - Local Arts leaders plot and plan 5-7 pm at Studios Key West 600 White St. 296-0458

Following the 7:30pm showing of Becoming Jane, Jane Dawkins, author of Letters from Pemberley and More Letters from Pemberley will discuss the life of Jane Austen and sign copies of her books. Tropic Cinema 416 Eaton Street http://keywestfilm.org/

Friday August 24 Naturalist Expressions in a Time of Global Warming. Three Naturalist Art Photographers: Tara Candra Bolt, Joe A. Frankie and Nancy Forrester - Exhibiting recent innovative works on canvas, tile, paper and digital media through October 1st. The Gallery at Nancy Forrester’s Secret Garden, One Free School Lane, 500 block of Simonton St. Key West. 294.0015. nfsgarden.com.

Saturday August 25 Key West Writers Guild Kellys Caribbean Bar, 301 Whitehead St. 10 - 12 296-3646

Sunday August 26 Monica Haskell ( who knew? ) sings the standards with Larry Smith at the Wine Gallery Bar, Pier House 9 pm

Events to plan for
October 1 Application Deadline for Sculpture Key West juried site-specific work, limited artist assistance available. Special funding opportunities for large-scale works exceeding 100 feet. Application fee $25. Applications and more information are available online http://www.sculpturekeywest.com/

Enjoy!

2007-08-15T11:09:00.000-04:00

They say everyone has their own unique organizational style.

Steven, our library specialist, describes his style as OCD symmetrical, as evidenced by his total redesign of our work space. By next week he'll have everyone tucked behind clean, well lighted desks with ample storage capacity.

Everyone that is, but me. I'm sticking with my archeological organizational style. All my piles are organized by strata ; earlier things towards the bottom, later things on top. It drives Steven, and most card carrying librarians, crazy but I know where everything is.

I got some reinforcement for my non-Dewey tendencies this week from no less than David Weinberger, Harvard Scholar and author of Everything is Miscellaneous: the power of the new digital disorder. He goes beyond gee whiz Internet hype to think about why human beings like to put things in categories and how we are adapting to this new disorganized fluidity.

Linnaeus, the father of scientific taxonomy, organized all possible smells into only 7 categories (fragrant, goaty, ambrosial, foul, nauseating, aromatic and garlicky, in case you are interested) and we celebrate him as a founder of scientific method. His categories seem absurdly reductionist now that we can slap multiple keywords into any search. But what does that change say about how humans do science, or how we think logically?

You can listen to smart folks like Jimmy Wales from Wikipedia and Craig Newmark of Craigslist discuss these topics and more in podcasts about the book.

Mad Scientist Art

There are a slew of new books and articles out on Ernst Haeckel. What with the Nazi connections, the fraudulent science and the creationist credos, he's tailor made for the gossip that passes for cultural criticism.

But the re-issue of his book Visions of Nature is worth spending some time over. With replicas of his working notes, full color prints and loads of scholarly commentary, the book is a fascinating look at a time when visual reproduction was scientific fact. Haeckel fudged many of his illustrations, sometimes to reinforce a theory, other times to highlight aesthetic similarities. Although we may no longer count his taxonomic illustrations as scientific fact, they're influencing artists from Issey Miyake to Taxidermia Wurzeltodensis. And they're darn pretty, in a rather creepy way.

Local Artist makes good
Congratulations to Connie Groth winner of Double Exposure's photo competition. Check out her award winning photo entitled "One Perfect Day" on her web gallery http://cjgroth.photoworkshop.com/

Events this week

Thursday August 16th

Walk on White Studios Key West features sculpture in the garden with Jim Racchi and Barbara Vogel. Wave Gallery showing beach pictures by Pat Payatt.

Friday August 17th

Grant workshop for visual and media artists on applying for $15,000 South Florida Cultural Consortium fellowship. 1 p.m. Gato Building Conference Room, 1100 Simonton St., Key West. RSVP 295-4369.
Jane Newhagen signs her new book 'Sand Dollar" at SoDu Gallery 1100 Duval St. 6-8 pm

Sunday August 19th

Out of the Book a short film series on writers and their works featuring David Black in a dramatic reading of Ian Mcewan's On Chesil Beach. 4:00 pm Sponsored by Voltaire Books and the Tropic Cinema. for more info 305 422 4183.

Events to look out for

Thursday August 23

Visual Arts Networking Session - Local Arts leaders plot and plan 4-6 pm at Studios Key West 600 White St. 296-0458
October 1 Application Deadline for Sculpture Key West juried Site-specific work, Limited artist assistance available. Special funding opportunities for large-scale works exceeding 100 feet. Application fee $25. Applications and more information are available online http://www.sculpturekeywest.com/

Ongoing Michael Shields wants all and sundry to know that his blog is up and running at http://javalounge.blogspot.com/.

2007-08-09T09:01:00.000-04:00

I spent this week poking in closets around campus doing an Art Inventory. Over the years generous philanthropists have donated significant pieces, talented faculty have produced beautiful work, and miscellaneous stuff has been left in studios after semesters end.

And you know librarians - we can't let good stuff go unorganized, so we decided to document the aesthetic riches of FKCC. We'll be putting the highlights together as a self guided Art tour of the campus, but for now we're just trying to figure out some of the surprises we found.

Like this little oil painting. Ernie from Art Behind Bars told us it was Cuban , and the label says it used to hang at the Old Cave Bar. But other than it's bar provenance, it's a mystery. But I suppose that's true for a lot of people in Key West.

There's no question it's Tennessee Williams in this photograph.

We hear the gentleman is Tennessee's partner, but who's the mystery woman ? A few folks guessed retired faculty secretary Lois Kline - but she's far too young.

If you would like to take a guess at any of our mystery Art work we'll be featuring bits and pieces of our "permanent collection" in the Library Gallery starting August 23rd. Stop by and give us your curatorial expertise.

Suggested Readings

Leigh Smith, Dean of Business emeritus, sent congratulations and added his bit to Jerry Cash's retirement reading list - Glen Renard's The Disappearance of the Universe. "It's a little different and slightly controversial, but it stimulates your neurons in ways you don't expect"

More Neuron Stimulating...

We've ripped our regular class schedule apart to offer new classes at times that work for working people. Jay Gogin has stepped up to work weekends and offer Beginning Ceramics on Saturdays. Kate Miller is offering Mixed Media on Tuesday nights. Lon Michels brings a completely fresh style of acrylic painting to Saturdays.

On the literary tip Terry Ansbro is exploring Women in Literature on Tuesday nights, Edgardo Alvarado Vazquez is offering Visions of El Dorado: Paradise as seen through Literature and Cinema online to fit your schedule, and newly published author Daniel DiStasio is offering a Fiction class on Tuesday nights.

These classes are filling up quickly, so jump on it. Lots of FKCC staff are signing up, and if we can find the time - you know you can.

Contact instructors for more information or register online.

Events this week
Saturday August 11th One Night Stand Watch local theater artists emerge from their 24 hour captive creat-a-thon, wipe their bleary eyes and put on a play. Studios of Key West 7 p.m.
Tickets 8$ 600 White Street. More info call 296-0458

Monday August 13th Michaels Shield's Salon at the home of Joyce Stahl, 727 Eaton Street.

Events to plan for...
Next Friday August 17th

Grant workshop for visual and media artists on applying for $15,000 South Florida Cultural Consortium fellowship. 1 p.m. Gato Building Conference Room, 1100 Simonton St., Key West. RSVP 295-4369.

also on the 17th Jane Newhagen signs her new book 'Sand Dollar" at SoDu Gallery 1100 Duval St. 6-8 pm
Thursday August 23 Visual Arts Networking Session - Local Arts leaders plot and plan 4-6 pm at Studios Key West 600 White St. 296-0458

October 1 Application Deadline for Sculpture Key West juried Site-specific work, Limited artist assistance available. Special funding opportunities for large-scale works exceeding 100 feet. Application fee $25. Applications and more information are available online http://www.sculpturekeywest.com/

Enjoy!

2007-07-18T19:19:00.000-04:00

See the beatific smile on our Random Reviewer this week?
That's the look of a soon to be free man.

Jerry Cash, FKKC's Vice President of Academic Affairs/Provost is retiring in just a few weeks and we could wax nostalgic about the many years of heartfelt, compassionate service he gave to our college. Or we could tell you all about his plans for that lovely property in Carolina, or those stained glass classes he's going to teach.
But we're librarians - we've got to know.

Now you've finally got the time... what are you going to read?

Jerry says he's got a few shelves of seafaring fiction to get back to, and he's planning on working his way through one of those 100 Best Books You Really Should Feel Guilty About Not Having Read lists.
I don't know about you, but if I was gifted with enough time to read anything I wanted, the last thing I'd want is a list of Shoulds. So in an effort to save him from that fate, we pulled together the pile of books you see on the right.

Here's our Jerry Cash Will Just Love Stretching Out in a Hammock and Reading This Book list...

The Tattoo Artist by Jill Clement
Kris says its an awesome read
No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
Quirky, neurotic and slyly charming
The History of Love by Nicole Kraus
Circuitous, sweet but not sappy
Finding Bin Laden by Robert Diveley
For that FKCC local author touch
Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart
Gavin says it's hilarious
Mud-Pi Dilemma by John Nance
Inspiration for getting back to creating in clay

Have any other inspiring books suggestions for Jerry? Drop me a line and I'll add to the list next week.

Events this week

Thursday, July 19th
Walk on White - Wave Gallery features Julie Jennings and Patricia Long

Friday July 20th
Lorian Hemingway Short Story competition reception. Casa Antigua 314 Simonton 8 pm

Harry Potter Release Party Voltaire Books 330 Simonton 11:30-12:30

Sunday, July 22nd
Green Parrot's Sidewalk Art Festival and "Pig-Off" with celebrity chef and potter Jay Gogin
601 Whitehead St. 1-7pm

Tuesday July 24th
Hooray for Hollywood - Fundraiser for the Tropic Theater featuring Bruce Moore and Bobby Nesbitt
416 Eaton 8 pm

Enjoy!

2007-07-12T12:33:00.000-04:00

FKCC Library Gallery gets a facelift...

or at least a few new faces.
Aficionados of the 801 might know her better as Tina, but around FKCC, Vogue Vernon Davis is the new front desk face at the library. Vogue designs our fabulous displays and provides an all around scholarly air to the place.

You might have also heard that we have a new president, Dr. Jill Landesburg-Boyle, but it's a stretch to call her a new face. She's quickly becoming familiar to anyone who reads the local papers.
Seen here with the Citizen's Mandy Bolen,
Dr. Jill is on pace to surpass Tom Oosterhoudt as the islands most photographed human being. Give her a month or two and she's sure to pop up at your board meeting or gallery opening. She's been here less than a month and we've already got a new balanced budget, a new strategic plan and $200,000 in new donations.

And now for an impossible to resist invitation...

You can be an important part of our new strategic plan. The Library/Gallery and Literary Arts Blog is developing a community board to increase the reach of our gallery shows and public programs next year.

We're looking for folks who are too creative to sit through a Roberts' Rules of Order meeting but who want to preserve, challenge and expand our local literary arts scene. If that sounds like you, please contact me by phone at 305 809 3194 or email . Don't worry, if you don't have time to contact me, I'll track you down....

So what's new on the local literary arts scene? Let me repeat myself in case you missed it... Less than a month, new strategic plan, new budget etc. etc. etc. If you think anyone around here has had the time to drop by galleries, you are so wrong!
I've been out of the loop, so you probably know more than I. Email and fill me in on all your new projects and we'll spread the word.
In the meantime, here's a few online additions that have crossed my monitor....

Nancy Klingener has a chatty new blog . You'll have to RSS this one, since she updates it daily. Don't know when she finds the time. I can't even manage to check her blog daily, much less crank out witty and urbane prose on a daily basis. But then, she's a professional.

On the non-professional but creative side, Karla Malsheimer is running a new FKCC My Space page. For those of us too old to have grown up with My Space, you need to check this out.

Most My Space pages look like randomly glitzy design disasters to my ancient eyes. By comparison, Karla's FKCC site is remarkably spare. But regardless of its low key design, it's drawing crowds in droves. She's already got over 500 people who have asked to join the site, including the cast members from Real World Key West.

And it's not just a social network. Karla sends regular updates about the college to all the members, and news travels a lot faster through MySpace than it does by email. I hate to break it to those of you who are justly proud of keeping up with your grandkids, but this blogging thing is already passe'.
sigh...

The college also has a new website with sparkly new graphics and chatty stories about of student success. It's actually a good read.

Events this week

Saturday, July 14 "Art on the Porch." Special exhibitions by artists from this co-op.10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Bougainvillea House Gallery, MM 53.5 bayside, Marathon. 743-0808. bougainvilleahousegallery.com.

Sunday, July 15 - Friday, July 20 Auction preview exhibition of specially created waterproof art and musical "instruments" by the artists of the gallery that were showcased at "Rock the Reef,” the Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival. Live auction July 20 opens at 6 p.m. with bidding starting at 7 p.m. Artists in Paradise Gallery, 221 Key Deer Blvd. 872-2411. lowerkeyschamber.com.

Enjoy!

2007-02-03T10:34:00.000-05:00

It's your big chance to help choose the new president of FKCC.

We're down to six candidates, and the Board of Trustees has scheduled intensive interviews next weekend, February 10th and 11th. You can sit in on any of the interviews, chat with the candidates at a public reception, and then give the Board your final opinion at a public forum Sunday evening.

If you work for FKCC, you can't go anywhere on this island without someone cornering you with their detailed prescription for what kind of "outside the box, visionary leadership" is needed to turn our campus into the shining educational institution that we deserve. But unless you are willing to drive all the way out to the Isle of Stock and actually show up in person, it's all just meaningless cocktail chatter.

Besides, I got a sneak peek at the menu for the Saturday reception, and the food alone makes it worth the trip. So come on out for some smoked salmon cheesecake, the best sunset view on the island and a chance to do your bit for our educational future.

Here's the official schedule:

Interviews
Saturday February 10, 2007
10:00am Dr. Landesberg-Boyle
1:00 pm Dr. Lars Hafner
3:00 pm Dr. Debra Daniels

Saturday Public Reception for all candidates
6:00 pm in the Fountain Courtyard

Interviews
Sunday February 11, 2007
10:00 am Dr. James Martin
1:00 pm Dr. Kerry Youngblood
3:00 pm Dr. Jeff Allbritten

Sunday Public Forum with the Board of Trustees
6:00 pm in the Board Room

On campus this week

Ceramics students are hard at work putting the finishing touches on your personal plate for their upcoming Mud Pi dinner on Sunday the 18th from 4-7. In an especially auspicious celestial convergence, this year's dinner falls on the traditional Chinese New Year of the Pig, so of course Jay is roasting a pig or two for some pan asian stir fry.

The Mud Pi dinner is always an unbeatable deal - only 25$ for a great meal and you get to keep the plate. But this year they're upping the ante and providing not only plates, but hand made cups and a complimentary glass of champagne. You can pick up tickets from any ceramics student, or call 809-3223 for more info.
Sharon Farrell's Current Events class hosted a lively discussion when Sgt. Patrick Hernandez, local Army Recruiter, came to speak about Iraq. Topics ranged from current policy, to that classic ethical dilemna - "is it a lie to tell my wife she doesn't look fat in those pants?" Next week the class will follow up the discussion with a visit to the library, where Juana will show them how to use our newest database, CQ Researcher, to find pro and con research about the war and other current controversies.

Professor Farrell will also be participating in a lecture in honor of the birthday of Jose Marti on Monday February 12th at 7:00 in the library. Spanish Professor Alvarado-Vazquez will be discussing Marti's essays and poetry, and Professor Farrell will contribute a historical perspective. The lecture is open to the public as the final installment of the Book Arts lecture series.

Events this week

Saturday February 3rd
Reception for Janet Mueller's new show A Bond Between Odd Balls, from 4-9pm at Key West Fine Art Photography and Printing's Gallery 007, 7007 Shrimp Road, Stock Island, FL See http://www.janetmmueller.com/ or call 293 9335 or 292 3295 for more info.

Monday February 5th Friends of the Library Lecture Series 2007. Author Robert Richardson on his biography of William James. 6 p.m. Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St., Key West. 292-3595

Wednesday February 7th The Studios of Key West presents Robert MacNeil on Artist Communities in the United States. Made possible by a grant from the Florida Humanities Council. Free. 7 p.m. Armory Building, 600 White St., Key West. 296-0458. tskw.org

Java Studios presents the film Sherrybaby at the White Street Deli and Cafe Courtyard 1019 White St. 7:30 pm

Saturday February 10th Public reception for the FKCC presidential candidates 6:00 pm at the Fountain Courtyard, FKCC campus, 5901 College Road. for more info call 809 3203

A Valentine's Love Concert with Master Pianist and Steinway Artist, Franko Richmond and Guests Singers, Tom Luna, Vicki Roush, Nulita Loder; NY bassist (of the Ahmad Jamal trio) James Cammack, drummer/percussionists Matthew Watson & Carlos Villegas 8 pm at Tennessee Williams Theatre. Tickets $55, $35, $20 at TWFACbox office 296-1520 or online at KeysTix.com

A Big Event for a Small Island, a benefit to support the Pigeon Key Art Festival at Marathon Community Park 10 am-5 pm Saturday and Sunday. for more info call 305 289-0025

Sunday February 11th Public Forum with the FKCC Board of Trustees - 6:00 pm in the FKCC Board Room 5901 College Road for more info call 305 809 3203

Dedication of the Tropic Cinema's Frank Taylor Cinematheque and the Shirrel Rhoades' Marilyn Monroe Photo Collection Free and Open to the Public Tentative Schedule 4:00pm Champagne Reception and Ribbon Cutting with Curtice and Adams Taylor, 4:30 Film: Making of the Misfits (60 min RT) (Introduced by Director Curtice Taylor), 5:45 Unveiling of the Marilyn Photo Exhibit with Christopher Peterson as Marilyn

Monday February 12th
Jose Marti: his literary and historical legacy a lecture by Professors Sharon Farrell and Edgardo Alvarado-Vazquez at 7:00 in the FKCC library. Free and open to the public.

Friends of the Library Lecture Series Playwright A.R. Gurney shares on his career in New York theatre and around the world. 6 p.m. Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St., Key West. 292-3595.

Wednesday February 14th
John Martini, Lost and Found (sculpture) and Carol Munder, Portraits and Anecdotes (photogravures), Wednesday, February 14, 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Lucky St.

Planning Ahead
Key West Art and Historical Society is offering an adult class in basic printmaking beginning Saturday, February 17th 2007. Instructor Giovanni Novara, a local artist and printmaker and member of the Venetian engraving school “ Bottega del Tintoretto” will instruct adults in the art of relief printmaking. Students will meet for four subsequent weekends beginning Saturday, February 17th thru Sunday, March 11th 2007 at Fort East Martello Museum, 3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard, from 10:30 to 1 pm. The course includes 8 sessions for a total cost of $120 not including supplies. For more information or to register please contact Suzanne Pereira, Education, at (305) 295-6616 Ext 27 or by email: spereira@kwahs.org

The deadline for applying for The Fourth Annual Key West Writer’s Guild $2,000 Award has been extended to March 10. . The complete application and instructions are posted on http://www.keysarts.com/. (Select “Links and Grant Information,” and then scroll down the page to the “Local” section.

Enjoy!

2007-01-27T12:22:00.000-05:00

We had some fun responses from last weeks call for cutting edge cultural events for the Keys.

Arlo from Studios of Key West says we should hook up with free103.9, an online radio station from NYC. "They make use of the airwaves from a pirate-radio aesthetic point of view. The "audience" is anybody with a radio-- you tune around the dial and find all sorts of far-out experimental music, yoga classes, talking, whatever, for as long as the "performance" lasts.
Imagine broadcasting stations set up all over KW-- at the Armory, at the college, from the top of the lighthouse (the transmitting stations are very mobile, little more than a laptop and cell phone), from somewhere in the backcountry, from the Parrot, etc... It would be really cool."

When I checked them out at http://www.free103point9.org/ they were rockin a catchy little tune called I'm a Pretzel on a Stealth Mission to Kill the President, alongside a healthy dose of ambient sound scapes. Just what we need to shake up our Buffet addled local music scene.

Diane from Lucky Street has some site specific suggestions. "Christo could wrap the Jabour site? Wisteria Island? Tank Island? every T shirt store on Duval? A really really good Szechuan / dim sum restaurant? A really rich person to buy and restore Valladares book store?"

I'm not sure if T shirt store beautification or decent Szechuan are in the offing, but I hear a brave soul is opening a new bookstore on the corner of Eaton and Simonton. Keep an eye on the window for opening dates, or check the lobby of Tropic Cinema. Rumor has it they're going to do a cooperative display of cinema and art books. Could one hope they'll even have comfy chairs and good con leche??

Nan Klingener added some interesting fodder to the discussion about a Kitsch Free Key West in her article about the current Seward Johnson exhibit at the Custom House. You can read it in the latest Solares Hill (warning, it's a honkin big PDF file of the entire paper, so it might be faster to just walk down to the corner and pick up a paper copy. No hurry, we'll be here when you get back...)

We honor people who are brave enough to be creative on our small island, and that means their work is rarely criticized, especially in print. Now that doesn't mean we don't talk about them like a dog. Over the past week I've gotten two paper copies, and an email link to the negative critique of Johnson's Corcoran show. But I was amazed to see it mentioned in a local paper.

Bringing the negative review up, and allowing Mr.Johnson to make his rebuttal, (he loves tweaking the effete sensibilties of the art elite by producing art that is appreciated by normal folks) brought a class consciousness to the whole Art vs. Kitsch discussion. And it will probably generate more interest than a positive puff review. Attendance at the Corcoran doubled after the Washington Post's piece.

The exhibit is at the Custom House thru June and FKCC and K-12 students get in free with student ID, so you can check it out and let us know what you think. Or you can just stay home and hone your aesthetic skills with this handy dandy quiz

This month we've been building support for our efforts to bring quality artistic and literary programming to the Keys with our annual Library/Gallery membership drive. If you've already received your invitation in the mail, thank you for responding. If not, here's Gavin with an online chance to join.

It's time for our annual membership drive!

Dear Friend of the FKCC Library & Gallery:
It’s been a phenomenal year for the FKCC Library & Gallery as we’ve hosted the rebirth of curriculum based, Keys-quality exhibitions and programming for our students, staff and community. While the College enters a new and exciting chapter, the FKCC Library & Gallery is pivotal in establishing new relationships, cultivating existing ones, and remaining a cultural heartbeat in the unique setting of the Keys, bridging the campus and the community.

It’s incredible to reflect upon the 2005-06 season here at the Library & Gallery - so much has happened in a short amount of time! So many talented and creative people have graced our space (and the cyber-space on our blog) to help us present breathtaking exhibitions and innovative program series, to inform one another and to share and learn together. Here are just a few highlights:

LIBRARIANS A GO-GO AGAIN
The 2nd Annual Benefit for the FKCC Library – Spring 2006
The Librarians a Go-Go fundraisers for the FKCC Library are increasingly successful and popular each year. This past year’s event featured a live, hilarious auction of local artist-made librarian glasses modeled by local celebrities. These fundraisers have enabled the Library to develop its collection and raise the money necessary to provide quality, Keys-cultural programming.

THE ANNUAL FKCC ART FACULTY EXHIBIITION, 2005-06 – Summer 2006
Featuring FKCC art professors Kate Miller, Lynne Bentley-Kemp, Roberta Marks, Joseph Kukella and Jay Gogin, this showcase of FKCC’s talented faculty was not only a tribute to the style and techniques our professors employ but a superb recruiting tool for students. The image above is a detail of Kate Miller’s commanding About to Happen.

THE FIRST ANNUAL FANTASY FEST EXHIBITION – Fall 2006
How is it possible that there’s never been a formal tribute to Key West’s most infamous festival? Like or love it, Fantasy Fest is a part of what makes the Keys community so unique. We decided to honor the wacky tradition this year with an exhibition of photographs, mostly submitted by our patrons, to honor past years of Fantasy Fest. The Wall of Shame is sure to become an annual highlight.

THE ART OF THE BOOK: A CELEBRATION OF THE BOOK ARTS - Fall 2006
The overwhelming popularity of our multi-event series that celebrated the book as a work of art this fall is a true testament to the college and Keys community’s desire for a variety of professional, collaborative and interdisciplinary events. The books arts series featured an exhibition of artist’s books; a panel discussion with local bookbinder Bob Muens, James A. Findlay, Librarian, Broward County Library's Bienes Center for the Literary Arts and Arthur Jaffe, Ario S. Hyams Professor and Curator, Jaffe Collection at Florida Atlantic University; a presentation on creating your own artist's book by professor Kate Miller; and a lecture on the history of the book by professor Joseph Kukella. The first in what we hope continues to grow as a signature FKCC Library & Gallery series, The Art of the Book bridged leading artists and professionals in the field from FKCC, the Keys community and beyond.

The FKCC Library & Gallery’s community-relevant exhibitions, programs and information push the boundaries of conventional cultural offerings and continue to bring the world to the Keys by collaborating with renown artists, educators, experts, and local and national organizations. Our blog, The Key West Literary Arts Scene (http://kwlitarts.blogspot.com/), remains an innovative factor in the changing arts and cultural landscape of the Keys, combining technology, personalized information, and your submissions to interactively reach the community.

We’re on a mission to bring you cutting-edge program services in an academic and casual environment. We appreciate your support and hope you’ll help continue to contribute to the fun and eclectic learning community we’ve developed together. The Keys are unique—the FKCC Library & Gallery and your support of it are just more reasons why they are.

Sincerely,

Gavin McKeirnan
FKCC Gallery Committee Chair

Just print out the form below and mail it to

FKCC Library/Gallery 5901 College Road, Key West Fl 33040

===========================================================
Help continue our cultural and educational commitment to you and the Keys community.

Membership Levels
$10 Individual
$25 Family/Nonprofit
$50 Donor
$100 Patron/Corporate
$500 + Benefactor

All contributions to the FKCC Library & Gallery are tax deductible as permitted by law. Membership is yearly.

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Phone Number: __________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________

Yes I’d like to receive regular FKCC Library & Gallery email updates and program news. Here’s my email address: _______________________________________

No thanks. I’m not interested in email updates at this time.

Please make checks payable to the Florida Keys Education Foundation (FKEF)
and add “Library” in the memo.

Amount enclosed: $_______________________

THANK YOU for your support.

Events this Week

Saturday, January 27 Anne McKee Artist's Fund Auction. $20 includes food and bar. 6:30 p.m. East Martello Museum, 3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West. 295-8383.

Saturday - Sunday January 27,28 Key West Art Center presents 22nd Annual Key West Craft Show. Jewelry, fabric, sculpture, glass, wood, ceramics and more. Free. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Corner of Whitehead & Caroline Streets, Key West. 294-1241.

Sunday January 28 Reception for artists Steve Lohman and Jennifer Strachan, 4-6 pm at Nancys Secret Garden end of free School Lane off the 500 block of Simonton.

Monday January 29 Michael A Palmer Opening Reception Gingerbread Square Gallery 5:30-8:30 pm 1207 Duval for more info call 405 296-8900 or www.GingerbreadSquareGallery.com

Friday February 2 Project Lighthouse Art Show featuring work by Tim Marshall Curtis and the youth served by the Florida Keys Children's Shelter program. 418 Eaton Street. for more info call 305 292-0999
Lower Keys Artists Juried art show 7:00 pm at Artists in Paradise Gallery, in the Winn Dixie Shopping Center on Big Pine Key.

Saturday February 3rd Janet Mueller Reception for new exhibit of contmeporary paintings Bond Between Odballs at Key West Fine Art Photography and Printing 0077007 Shrimp Road, Stock Island, from 4-9pm See http://www.janetmmueller.com/ or call 293 9335 or 292 3295 for more information.

Enjoy!