may 3, 2012 BY Grand CenterArt and Life NewsletterArt WalkVisionary Awards
New Faces, New Places
- The International Photography Hall of Fame (IPHF) with a collection of 6,000 historical cameras and 30,000 images has announced its move from Oklahoma City to Grand Center! The IPHF exhibition space will be housed above Triumph Grill with some additional space for off-site storage in the Grove. The IPHF will also enjoy a host of speakers, classes and special exhibitions. Plans are to open in 2013.
- The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis announced their new director, Lisa Melandri, who will join the organization in August. Melandri is moving to St. Louis from California where she has served as deputy director of the Santa Monica Museum of Art.
May Daze
May is a very active month in Grand Center! We’ve shared most of this event news with you before but now that we all have turned a page in our calendars, here are a few of the “not to miss” things to see and do this month:
Annual Spring Art Walk – Friday, May 11 from 5 to 9 p.m.
Navigate the purple path – a 1.5 mile trail leading to the museum and gallery exhibits, street performances and live music. Opening exhibitions and other highlights include:
- Great Rivers Biennial 2012 at the Contemporary Art Museum, identifying emerging and mid-career artists working in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area.
- Hidden in Plain Sight at the Bruno David Gallery, where artist Bunny Burson’s work draws inspiration from a collection of letters written by her grandparents to her mother from 1939 - 1941.
- Analog at the Kranzberg Arts Center (entrance north of Craft Alliance) - a collection of original paintings with 2D/3D mockups representing works that is currently or had previously been exhibited in a museum or gallery setting in an effort to blur the line of where the idea of ‘art’ begins ends and at times even functions. Curated by The Transients, an art collaborative.
- Dark Girls at the Portfolio Gallery - a photography exhibition that focuses on the “dark girls” in our world and shows the beauty that is often overlooked.
- Music in Strauss Park:
o Aaron Kamm and the One Drops from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
o Farshid Etniko from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
- Collect passport stamps from each location, six or more entitle you to discounts at participating restaurants and venues.
- Check out the new, colorful café tables and chairs in Strauss Park!
A Chromatic Confluence
Lucy Begg and Robert Gay, artists and principles of Thoughtbarn, an Austin-based collaborative team with backgrounds in architecture, furniture design and art, are creating a maze-like installation consisting of 20,000 feet of multi-colored string at Grand Blvd. and Samuel Sheperd.
Special for the Art Walk, youth musicians from Orchestrating Diversity will be positioned within the alcoves and eddies of the installation, bringing the visual art to life through music. This new temporary public art installation, funded through a special grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, will remain up through June.
Tenth Annual Grand Center Visionary Awards
We’ll be recognizing six outstanding women for their contributions to the St. Louis art community on Wednesday, May 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. For more information or tickets, contact Marcia Quint: Marcia@grandcenter.org.
- Major Contributor to the Arts: Kim Eberlein
- Outstanding Arts Professional: Sara Burke
- Successful Working Artist: Con Christeson
- Outstanding Arts Educator: Lois Ingrum
- Emerging Artist: Gina Alvarez
- President’s Award: Susan Uchitelle
Mark Your Calendars
- St. Lou Fringe Festival – June 21 to June 25
The first St. Lou Fringe Festival will take to the streets, theaters and fringes of Midtown and Grand Center. Visit www.stlfringe.com for more information.
- Thursdays @ The Intersection – June 28 through October 4
Fifteen weeks of music in Strauss Park, in partnership with 88.1 KDHX.
- Dancing in the Street – Saturday, September 29
St. Louis’ largest outdoor dance festival takes place in Grand Center!
Connect With Us
Be sure to “like” us on Facebook at Grand Center Inc and “Follow” us on Twitter @grandcenter.
apr 19, 2012 BY Grand CenterDancing in the Street Festival
Grand Center Inc. invites individual dancers and dance troupes to apply for the sixth annual Dancing in the Street Festival, held Sept. 29 on outdoor stages in Grand Center.
Dancers and dance companies can submit an application, including a DVD of a recent performance through the May 18 deadline. Participants will be notified of their acceptance by June 30. To submit a performance application, please contact Amy Johnson at 314-289-1517 or ajohnson@grandcenter.org. Submission forms may also be obtained at www.grandcenter.org. All applications will be reviewed by a selection panel.
Hosting approximately 15,000 visitors each year, Dancing in the Street is one of the largest outdoor dance festivals in the region. Last year more than 1,000 dancers from 65 local and regional dance companies captivated audiences on four outdoor stages and on the streets of Grand Center. The juried street festival embodies the beauty, art and athleticism of dance, incorporating a variety of styles from traditional ballet to hip-hop and more.
apr 10, 2012 BY Grand CenterArt and Life NewsletterArt WalkVisionary Awards
New Faces, New Places….New Things to Do
- No Name Comix – has started a weekly comedy showcase at Dooley’s Underground Bar on Thursday nights. For more info, check out the No Name Comix Facebook page.
- Lindy Hop St. Louis – is beginning weekly social swing dancing lessons in the Grand Hall in the Grandel Theater on Tuesday nights (begins April 3). Lessons are from 6:30 to 8:30 and a social dance night with live music this week by Miss Jubilee follows from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Check out www.Lindyhopstlouis.org for more details.
- Karaoke 4A Cause – Vito’s Sicilian Pizzeria & Ristorante will be hosting a charity event each Friday beginning April 13. You guessed it! You get to pay to sing for a cause! And be sure to bring your friends along to “vote” for you with their dollars, too. For more information on how you/your charity can register to sing, email Jessica.M.Lafata@gmail.com.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Catch the 2012 Redbird Fever….at the Field House Pub & Grill. Sponsored by the Grand Center Community Building Task Force, you are invited to watch the Cardinal’s home opener against the Cubs on Friday, April 13. Gather with your Grand Center neighbors between
3 – 6 p.m.; enjoy ½ price appetizers and $1 off all drinks! Go Cards!
Annual Spring Art Walk
We hope you’ll stroll, meander, walk, trot or saunter to the annual Grand Center Art Walk on Friday, May 11 from 5 to 9 p.m. Beyond gazing at the incredible art at the museums and galleries, several which are hosting opening receptions for their latest exhibitions that night, there are other “not to miss” things to see and do:
- Follow 1.5 miles of purple tape on the sidewalks, guiding you to ALL of the museum and gallery locations, some are temporary just for this event;
- Listen to live music in Strauss Park:
o Aaron Kamm and the One Drops from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
o Farshid Etniko from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
- Collect passport stamps from each location, six or more entitle you to discounts at participating restaurants and venues;
- Be sure to visit the new temporary public art installation at Grand & Samuel Shepard, titled “A Chromatic Confluence” - 20,000 feet of multi-colored string in a maze-like installation. Special for the Art Walk, youth musicians from Orchestrating Diversity will be positioned within the alcoves and eddies of the installation, bringing the visual art to life through music.
Pull Up a Chair
The Grand Center Community Development Task Force came up with the idea of placing tables and chairs in Strauss Park so Grand Center, Inc. did some “on line shopping” to find a colorful array of café tables and chairs that will be arriving in time for the spring Art Walk. This new seating arrangement will encourage informal get-togethers, a picnic lunch with friends or colleagues or just a quiet place to read a book. Can’t wait!
Mark Your Calendars
- Fringe Festival – June 21 to June 25
The first St. Louis Fringe Festival will take to the streets and fringes of the Locust Business District and Grand Center. More details next month.
- Thursdays @ The Intersection – June 28 through October 4
Sixteen weeks of music in Strauss Park, in partnership with 88.1 KDHX.
- Dancing in the Street – Saturday, September 29
St. Louis’ largest outdoor dance festival takes place in Grand Center!
Grand Bridge Update….Ongoing
The work on the Grand Bridge is progressing but is a little delayed! The latest news is that one lane in either direction will open at the end of June, with the balance of the work being completed in November/December.
Tenth Annual Grand Center Visionary Awards
The Grand Center Visionary Awards recognize women for their contributions to the St. Louis art community. We hope you’ll join us on Wednesday, May 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall as we salute the following women and their contributions to the enrichment of our community:
- Major Contributor to the Arts: Kim Eberlein
- Outstanding Arts Professional: Sara Burke
- Successful Working Artist: Con Christeson
- Outstanding Arts Educator: Lois Ingrum
- Emerging Artist: Gina Alvarez
- President’s Award: Susan Uchitelle
For more information, contact Marcia Quint at Marcia@grandcenter.org.
mar 30, 2012 BY Grand CenterArt WalkDistrict Developments
Installation timeline set for “A Chromatic Confluence,” slated for the northeast corner of Grand Boulevard and Samuel Shepard Drive
Work begins May 2 on the temporary public art installation “A Chromatic Confluence” in Grand Center and is expected to continue through May 9. The piece will remain on view through June at the corner of Grand Boulevard and Samuel Shepard Drive. Principals Lucy Begg and Robert Gay with the Austin-based creative enterprise Thoughtbarn will be in St. Louis at that time to manage the installation.
The installation is a required test run and final step in establishing a district policy regarding temporary public art, an initiative made possible through a special grant bestowed to Grand Center, Inc. by the National Endowment for the Arts. The policy establishes an operating framework that will help encourage future installations and allows for opportunities for artists and discovery by visitors.
Because of the scale of the piece and volume of materials – nearly 20,000 feet of multi-colored string – Thoughtbarn and Grand Center, Inc. have enlisted the help of student and professional volunteers with Grand Center Arts Academy and Craft Alliance.
The piece will be a maze-like installation filling a 25-65 sqaure-foot space. With multiple paths in and out, the piece is designed to entice visitors to hesitate, detour, linger and/or meander through the art. As they walk through, visitors may experience a mesmerizing, constantly shifting pattern of colors and texture. Pockets and eddies formed by the string create moments of pause and opportunities for converation. The piece also will be lit at night, adding to the colorful landscape of neon signs in the district.
Highlighting the interactive, exploratory nature of the piece, several mini-performances are being arranged through Orchestrating Diversity. The first performance will take place during the Art Walk in Grand Center on May 11, where members of Orchestrating Diversity’s youth orchestra group will perform within the various “rooms” of the sculpture.
The formation of the temporary public art policy and artist-selection process has been a year in the making. Grand Center Inc. formed an advisory committee to draft the policy and to conduct a national call to artists. Grand Center Inc. engaged St. Louis-based Via Partnership, national consultants in public art, to lead the advisory committee. The ability to demonstrate several criteria was crucial in selecting the artist. The criteria included scale, day/night visibility, interaction, appeal to both pedestrian and car traffic, and of course, the overall scope of the piece.
Led by Meridith McKinley of Via Partnership, the advisory committee includes art authorities from within the Grand Center district and the St. Louis art community at large: (alphabetical order by institution)
- Dominic Molon, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
- Boo McLoughlin, Craft Alliance
- Meredith Malone, Kemper Art Museum
- Marilu Knode, Laumeier Sculpture Park
- Francesca Consagra, The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts
- Roseann Weiss, Regional Arts Commission
- Tricia Paik, Saint Louis Art Museum
- Olivia Lahs Gonzales, Sheldon Art Galleries
Thoughtbarn, headed by principals Lucy Begg and Robert Gay, was selected based on its presentation of previous large-scale public art installations that met the criteria for this project. Thoughtbarn is comprised of a collaborative team with backgrounds in architecture, furnitute design and art that brings a unique skill set to projects of this nature.
The site at Grand and Samuel Shepard currently hosts “E-scaping the Grid,” an art installation completed in 2005 by Michael Oliveri. With the new policy in place, Grand Center hopes to reignite the original intention for the site to host rotating public art exhibits on a regular basis.
“The development of this policy and this initial installation creates a framework that we hope will encourage a new era of temporary public art in Grand Center,” McKinley said. “With the Grand Center district planning process in development, the timing of the NEA grant to develop a temporary public art policy couldn’t be better. Over time, visitors to Grand Center can expect to see a changing visual landscape that will engage them in different and interesting ways.”
mar 20, 2012 BY Grand CenterArt Walk
The world-class art museums and galleries of Grand Center are opening their doors for the annual spring Art Walk in Grand Center, 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 11.The Art Walk in Grand Center features more than a dozen museums and galleries – several of which are hosting opening receptions for their latest exhibitions – lively entertainment, music, and one of the first opportunities to view the forthcoming temporary public art installation, “A Chromatic Confluence,” at Grand Boulevard and Samuel Shepard Drive.
The museums and galleries of Grand Center feature art from some of the region’s most renowned art institutions and brilliant artists from around the world. Visitors to the Art Walk will be issued “passports” upon which they may collect stamps at each museum or gallery. Those with six or more stamps will find discounts at participating district restaurants and venues. A complete list of those participating will be available onsite.
To ensure no one misses an exhibit on their must-see list, visitors can follow the “Purple Path,” constructed of more than 1.5 miles of purple tape, guiding visitors to the various museums, galleries and entertainment throughout the district and Saint Louis University.
The centerpiece of this year’s Art Walk will be the temporary public art installation titled “A Chromatic Confluence.” Designed by the Austin-based creative enterprise Thoughtbarn, the installation is constructed from over 20,000 feet of multicolored string and will be a maze-like structure with multiple paths in and out. Filling a 25-by-65 square-foot space, the piece will also be lit at night, adding to the colorful landscape of neon signs in the district. Special for the Art Walk, members of the youth orchestra group from Orchestrating Diversity will be positioned within the alcoves and eddies of the installation, bringing the piece to life through music.
More live music fills the air in Strauss Park where Aaron Kamm and the One Drops take the stage from 5 to 7:30 p.m., followed by Farshid Etniko from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Outside the Sheldon Art Galleries, John and Tino Covelli, a father/son duo, perform their brand of experimental jazz from 5 to 9 p.m.
More than a dozen galleries and museums are participating in the Art Walk this year. The opening receptions of some fascinating exhibits are conveniently scheduled this evening, including those at the Contemporary Art Museum and Bruno David Gallery. Participating museums and galleries include:
- Arthur & Helen Baer Visual Arts Galleries, featuring a selection of images from the PPRC Photography Projects
- Bruno David Gallery, opening night of HIDDEN in plain sight by Bunny Burson
- Cardinal Ritter Gallery, featuring the Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School Spring Fine Arts Festival
- Craft Alliance in the Kranzberg Arts Center, featuring the 2012 Artist-in-Residence Exhibition
- The Contemporary Art Museum, opening night of The Great Rivers Biennial 2012
- Grand Center Artist Studios, featuring exhibited work in the hallways by The Upstairs Artists
- Museum Of Contemporary Religious Art, featuring The Papercut Haggadah by Archi Grant
- Pace Framing/The PSTL Window Gallery, featuring Here I Am by Larry Krone
- Portfolio Gallery, opening night of the exhibition Dark Girls
- The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, featuring In the Still Epiphany, curated by artist Gedi Sibony
- Saint Louis University Museum Of Art, featuring Providential Journey: The Art of Brother Mel and Warhol’s Polaroids A Method
- The Sheldon Art Galleries, featuring eight exhibitions
- A temporary installation by The Transients, located at 519 N. Grand Blvd., adjacent to Craft Alliance.
- Grand Center Arts Academy, displaying students’ art work, giving tours of their new building, presenting a select group of talented singers and instrumentalists, and including a performance by Dan and Ted Rubright with their guitar-percussion duo, The Wire Pilots, from 6 to 6:50 p.m.
Also happening on May 11 in Grand Center:
- Memphis, 8 p.m. at the Fox Theatre
- Music of Led Zeppelin, 7:30 p.m. at Powell Hall
- Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, 8 p.m. at the Black Rep/Grandel Theatre
- Rounding Third, 8 p.m. at HotCity Theatre/Kranzberg Arts Center Studio
- Dafnis Prieto Trio, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Jazz at the Bistro
- The Art Walk in Grand Center is free and open to the public.
mar 5, 2012 BY Kelly WeberVisionary Awards
Gina Alvarez, Sara Burke, Con Christeson, Kim Eberlein, Lois Ingrum and Susan Uchitelle named the Grand Center Visionary Honorees of 2012.
Grand Center Inc. and presenting sponsor Brown Shoe proudly present the 2012 honorees of the Tenth Annual Visionary Awards, which recognizes outstanding women in the arts who, through their talent, dedication and vision, keep the arts alive and the St. Louis community thriving. The visionaries of 2012 are Gina Alvarez, Sara Burke, Con Christeson, Kim Eberlein, Lois Ingrum and Susan Uchitelle. The ceremony will be held May 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd.
Grand Center’s Visionary Awards is one of the most prestigious recognitions in the local arts community. Over the past nine years, more than 50 women have been recognized from all parts of the community, including such accomplished women as Nancy Kranzberg, Carol Staenberg, Jill McGuire, Kim Massie, Noemi Neidorff, Joan Lipkin, Barbara Harbach, Ashley Tate, and Jessica Hentoff. The nominations gathered from the community started with a simple question from Grand Center Inc.: “Have you been inspired by a woman in the arts?” The response brought forth a talented roster of visual artists, musicians, dancers, educators, writers, philanthropists and arts benefactors.
“This event carries such meaning for us in the arts community,” said Marilyn Sheperd, vice president for development at Grand Center Inc. “Day in, day out, these women work tirelessly for the betterment of the arts, and we’re the ones who reap the rewards of their work. Whether it’s from the comfort of our theater seats or the enjoyment of a culturally rich community, we appreciate what they do. This night is about pausing just a moment to say ‘thank you.’”
The 2012 honorees were chosen by a selection committee comprised of fellow distinguished women in the arts and in the community, including former honorees. This year’s committee was chaired by Roseann Weiss, 2009 honoree and director of community art programs and public art initiatives at the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission; and Cheryl Walker of Bryan Cave LLP.
The 2012 honorees are, in alphabetical order:
● Emerging Artist: Gina Alvarez, visual artist, printmaking, ceramics and fabrics.
● Outstanding Arts Professional: Sara Burke, choreographer, dancer, instructor, photographer, author and arts diversity consultant; founder and director of the City Studio Dance Center.
● Successful Working Artist: Con Christeson, co-founder and managing artist of the community collabARTive at Peter & Paul Community Services.
● Major Contributor to the Arts: Kim Eberlein, philanthropist, arts advocate and board member of numerous arts organizations in St. Louis.
● Outstanding Arts Educator: Lois Ingrum, photography instructor at the St. Louis Art Museum, Ranken Tech, North St. Louis Art Council and the Public Policy Research Center at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.
● President’s Award*: Susan Uchitelle, educational consultant and founder of the Confluence Academy Charter Schools in St. Louis.
*Selected by Grand Center Inc. Board Chairman Ken Kranzberg and Grand Center Inc. President and CEO Vince Schoemehl.
Grand Center Inc. created the Visionary Award in 2002 to highlight and honor the wide-ranging work of women artists and arts leaders in the community. In the process, the organization also utilizes the annual awards ceremony to raise funds to support Grand Center Inc.’s arts programs.
The Tenth Annual Visionary Awards, sponsored by Brown Shoe Company, will be held May 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. Tickets and corporate sponsorships to this always-memorable event are open to the public and available through Marcia Quint at Grand Center Inc. 314-289-1583 or marcia@grandcenter.org.
Individual ticket prices are as follows:
- Arts Patron ($125): Listing in program book, cocktail party, reserved seating at awards ceremony, and dessert reception
- Arts Supporter ($55): Cocktail party, open seating at awards ceremony, and dessert reception
mar 1, 2012 BY Kelly WeberArt and Life Newsletter
Tenth Annual Grand Center Visionary Award Honorees Announced
The Grand Center Visionary Awards recognize women for their contributions to the St. Louis art community. Each year the honorees are selected by a committee comprised of fellow distinguished women in the arts, including former honorees. This year’s committee was chaired by Roseann Weiss, 2009 honoree and director of community art programs and public art initiatives at the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission; and Cheryl Walker, of Bryan Cave LLP.
We hope you’ll join us on Wednesday, May 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall as we salute the following women and their contributions to the enrichment of our community:
Major Contributor to the Arts: Kim Eberlein, philanthropist, arts advocate
Outstanding Arts Professional: Sara Burke, choreographer, dancer, instructor and arts diversity consultant, founder and director of the City Studio Dance Center
Successful Working Artist: Con Christeson, co-founder and managing artist of the community collabARTive at Peter & Paul Community Services
Outstanding Arts Educator: Lois Ingrum, photography instructor at the St. Louis Art Museum, Ranken Tech, North St. Louis Art Council and UMSL
Emerging Artist: Gina Alvarez, visual artist, printmaking, ceramics and fiber art
President’s Award: Susan Uchitelle, educational consultant and founder of the Confluence Academy Charter Schools in St. Louis. The President’s Award is the only Visionary Award that is selected by the Chairman of the Board and the President & CEO of Grand Center Inc. Susan is being honored for her leadership role in establishing the Grand Center Arts Academy.
Congrats, Kudos and Bravo!
Several of our district partners have recently received a special award or recognition. Please join us in congratulating:
- The Sheldon Concert Hall – received the Missouri Arts Council Arts Award for 2012 Arts Organization of the Year. The Missouri Arts Council Award honors individuals and organizations that have made “profound and lasting contributions to the cultural and artistic climate of the state.”
- Emily Rauh Pulitzer – a 2011 National Medal of Arts award recipient, presented by President Obama at a special ceremony at the White House in mid-February. The citation reads “…..for her contributions as a curator, art collector and philanthropist. Mrs. Pulitzer has dedicated herself to connecting art and viewers through her generosity in caring for well-established institutions like the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, the Harvard Art Museums, and the Museum of Modern Art; as well as having the vision to create a new destination in St. Louis with the founding of the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.”
- St. Louis Symphony - received two local Addy® Awards which recognize “excellence in creative advertising” from the American Advertising Federation for their “brandumentary” and their corresponding 60-second television spot. Captured during the STL Symphony’s electrifying performances of Carmina Burana in 2011, the award-winning “brandumentary” may be viewed at www.stlsymphony.org/story.
New Faces, New Places
Midtown Back & Neck Center has opened at 3141 Locust St. Suite 200. Terence Crowley (married to Rachel Crowley from Hotel Ignacio) is the Chiropractic Physician/Owner. You are invited to an Open House on Friday, March 9 between 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.midtownbnc.com
Art Walk
Mark your calendars and plan to stroll through the art at the annual spring Art Walk through the Grand Center district on Friday, May 11. More details in next month’s newsletter.
Strings Attached
Through a special grant received from the National Endowment for the Arts, Grand Center Inc. is in the process of developing a policy for temporary public art in the district. The process has been led by Via partnership, with an advisory committee including art curators and experts from within Grand Center and the St. Louis art community at large. The grant requires a “test” of the policy so in early May, a temporary piece of art will be installed on the northeast corner of Grand Blvd. and Samuel Shepard.
Designed by Austin-based creative enterprise Thoughtbarn, A Chromatic Confluence will be a maze-like installation constructed of over 20,000 feet of multi-colored string and filling a 25-by-65 square foot space. With multiple paths in and out, the piece is designed to entice visitors to hesitate, detour, linger or meander through the art – day or night.
Grand Bridge Update
The work on the Grand Bridge is progressing but is a little delayed! The latest news is that one lane in either direction will open at the end of June, with the balance of the work being completed over the summer/early fall.
Connect With Us
Be sure to “Like” us on Facebook at Grand Center Inc and “Follow” us on Twitter @grandcenter.
feb 29, 2012 BY Kelly WeberArt WalkDistrict Developments
Grant supports development of policy for temporary public art plus spring installation.
Thanks to a special grant bestowed by the National Endowment for the Arts, Grand Center Inc. has developed a policy regarding temporary public art in the district and is testing the new guidelines with an initial installation. The policy establishes an operating framework that will help encourage future installations, allowing for opportunities for artists and discovery by visitors. The first installation – which debuts in May and remains on view for six weeks – serves as a required test run for the policy.
Titled “A Chromatic Confluence,” the piece will be installed at the northeast corner of Grand Boulevard and Samuel Shepard Drive, serving as the centerpiece for the annual Spring Art Walk in Grand Center on May 11.
Designed by Austin-based creative enterprise Thoughtbarn, “A Chromatic Confluence” will be a maze-like installation constructed from over 20,000 feet of multi-colored string and filling a 25-by-65 square-foot space. With multiple paths in and out, the piece is designed to entice visitors to hesitate, detour, linger and/or meander through the art. As they walk through, visitors may experience a mesmerizing, constantly shifting pattern of colors and texture. Pockets and eddies formed by the string create moments of pause and opportunities for conversation. The piece also will be lit at night, adding to the colorful landscape of neon signs in the district.
A year in the making, Grand Center Inc. formed an advisory committee to draft the policy and to conduct a national call to artists. Grand Center Inc. engaged St. Louis-based Via Partnership, national consultants in public art, to lead the advisory committee. The ability to demonstrate several criteria was crucial in selecting the artist. The criteria included scale, day/night visibility, interaction, appeal to both pedestrian and car traffic, and of course, the overall scope of the piece.
Led by Meridith McKinley of Via Partnership, the advisory committee includes art authorities from within the Grand Center district and the St. Louis art community at large: (alphabetical order by institution)
- Dominic Molon, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
- Boo McLoughlin, Craft Alliance
- Meredith Malone, Kemper Art Museum
- Marilu Knode, Laumeier Sculpture Park
- Francesca Consagra, The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts
- Roseann Weiss, Regional Arts Commission
- Tricia Paik, Saint Louis Art Museum
- Olivia Lahs Gonzales, Sheldon Art Galleries
Thoughtbarn, headed by principles Lucy Begg and Robert Gay, was selected based on its presentation of previous large-scale public art installations that met the criteria for this project. Thoughtbarn is comprised of a collaborative team with backgrounds in architecture, furniture design and art that brings a unique skill set to projects of this nature.
The site at Grand and Samuel Shepard currently hosts “E-scaping the Grid,” an art installation completed in 2005 by Michael Oliveri. With the new policy in place, Grand Center hopes to reignite the original intention for the site to host rotating public art exhibits on a regular basis.
“The development of this policy and this initial installation creates a framework that we hope will encourage a new era of temporary public art in Grand Center,” McKinley said. “With the Grand Center district planning process in development, the timing of the NEA grant to develop a temporary public art policy couldn’t be better. Over time, visitors to Grand Center can expect to see a changing visual landscape that will engage them in different and interesting ways.”
The design team will be returning to St. Louis in late April for the installation.
feb 1, 2012 BY Kelly WeberArt and Life Newsletter
New Faces, New Places
- The next time you stop by Hotel Ignacio, be sure to meet their new General Manager,
Stacey Howlett, formerly of The Chase Park Plaza;
- Just opened, Hamburger Mary’s Bar and Grille, a national burger chain that originated in San Francisco, at 3037 Olive St.; and
- Diablitos Cantina at 3761 Laclede Ave., by the same folks who own Café Ventana and Sanctuaria.
- As of April 30, John Armstrong will be resigning as the Managing Director of HotCity Theatre. Bess Moynihan has been promoted from Production Manager to the new Managing Director for the organization.
Brews News
The January/February issue of Draft magazine highlights the “new beer scene” in Saint Louis….the article gives a big shout out to Urban Chestnut Brewery (3229 Washington Ave.) and our “beer and barbeque” neighbors, Pappy’s (3106 Olive St.) and Buffalo Brewing (3100 Olive St.). Congrats to all for helping St. Lou be part of the “scene”!
Arts Leadership and Management Academy
The Arts and Education Council has announced the creation of the Arts Leadership and Management Academy (ALMA). This new program is in collaboration with the Nonprofit Services Center and being funded by Wells Fargo Advisors. The first workshop, “Financial Leadership for the Arts” is on February 8, space is still available but you do need to register.
To learn more, visit www.keeparthappening.org.
Calling Art Judges
The VA St. Louis Health Care System is seeking “arts experts” to serve as judges for their Veterans Creative Arts Festival. This is a talent competition that takes place in February in the categories of visual arts, dance, drama, music and creative writing. A separate email will follow with more details. In the interim, to learn more contact Laura Anson at laura.anson@va.gov. What a great opportunity to lend “your expert opinion” to a wonderful program!
Grand Bridge Update
The work on the Grand Bridge is progressing! The latest news is that one lane in either direction will open at the end of May, with the balance of the work being completed over the summer.
Plush Happy Hour
The Community Building Task Force is planning another neighborhood get-together this month at the new Plush nightclub/bar/restaurant on Locust. The tentative date is February 29 – details and confirmation to follow in a separate email.
Thursdays @ The Intersection
The calendar tells us it’s February but the temperature tells us it’s May so it’s not too soon to share some exciting news about this year’s Thursdays @The Intersection schedule. This summer music series in Strauss Park is in its third year – and we’ve made it bigger and better. The dates are June 21 through October 4 – 16 weeks! The music will start at 5 p.m. (an hour earlier) and go until 8 p.m. We are also excited to announce that once again, our programming and media partner is 88.1 KDHX. More details in coming months.
Connect With Us
Be sure to “Like” us on Facebook at Grand Center Inc and “Follow” us on Twitter @grandcenter.
jan 29, 2012 BY Grand CenterVisionary Awards
10th annual Visionary Awards recognizes contributions of women in the arts
Have you been inspired by a woman in the arts? This is the question raised by Grand Center Inc. every year in preparation for the annual Visionary Awards, which recognizes the outstanding contributions of women in the arts. To make this event possible, Grand Center calls upon the public to help acknowledge these visionaries in the St. Louis region – the artists, advocates, teachers and philanthropists – who keep the arts alive and our communities thriving.
Nominations are open through Jan. 27, and include the following categories: Major Contributor to the Arts, Outstanding Arts Professional, Successful Working Artist, Outstanding Arts Educator and Emerging Artist. Grand Center especially encourages nominations that represent women from diverse disciplines and backgrounds.
Over the past nine years, more than 50 women have been honored, including such accomplished women like Kim Massie, Nancy Kranzberg, Jill McGuire, Juanita Hinshaw, Noemi Neidorff, Lee Nolting, Susan Slaughter, Ashley Tate, and Jessica Hentoff.
“We are so excited to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of this special recognition event,” said Marilyn Sheperd, vice president for development at Grand Center Inc. “St. Louis has so many talented women that have contributed to the arts in many significant ways, and the annual Visionary Awards allows us to honor the selected women at a beautiful and festive occasion.”
But their well-deserved recognition starts with simple a nomination from those whom they inspire. Nomination forms and instructions can be found online here or by contacting Marcia Quint, 314-289-1583 or marcia@grandcenter.org.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary, event organizers have selected a theme of “Putting it Together,” which, as Sheperd states, “speaks to how the process of creating art comes together – bit by bit, piece by piece – until a meaningful work of art or experience is created for all to enjoy.”
The 10th Annual Visionary Awards will be held May 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd.
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