Cool Cleveland Party

4.7-4.14
Cool Cleveland Party

Cool Cleveland Interview
with filmmaker Robert Banks

Cool Cleveland: How did you get started with film? I heard it was from your dad? Robert Banks: When I was 6 years old my dad gave me an old Keystone 8mm projector, he would run films for us all the time. He had an old bookstore and he would run us old stag and porno films, and he showed me how to thread the projector. Later we got a Super 8 that was self-threading. I was recording sound off the TV, making tape loops, not knowing what I was doing. Besides that, I was learing how to play the drums, I was also playing with sound, playing with film, making sci-fi movies with second rate home equipment – that was my childhood right there. My mom hoped it would be something I would grow out of. But I would have film screenings on our back porch in the Hough area of the inner city, and I would charge 2 cents or 5 cents. I went to 55th & Superior Library, which is now a thrift store, and we would watch films there, mostly documentaries. That’s where I saw Night of the Living Dead and it scared the hell out of me. We went to the Hippedrome and my sister would let me tag along at the the old Miles Road Drive-In where they showed kung fu, horror films and blaxploitation films. That’s what I grew up on. And of course the Saturday afternoon experience with The Ghoul, SuperHost, Houlihan & Big Chuck, the old Channel 61 and Channel 43 with a show called Monster Movie. It had the best monster movies with Japanese and Italian horror films, plus 50’s and 60’s sci-fi.

How do you draw inspiration? Do you have a muse?
[Laughs.] Lately it’s just been the pains of being underprivileged in a Midwest town… Cleveland is still recovering from all the inside jokes and underdog mentality. To do edgy creative type things, it has to succeed elsewhere before it gets popular here. Personally, I don’t consider myself a local filmmaker, I consider myself an international filmmaker. I wish they wouldn’t expect from me what they expect from the Russo Brothers; they have a film deal. I’m so dedicated to the passion of doing cinema, I’d like to see people really support it as an art. I have 20 films under my belt, but there is a level of hesitation. The Harvey Pekar [American Splendor] documentary was interesting, it was a major outside film that was made with local support, as well as Welcome To Collinwood, these are all million dollar movies. We would kill to get even $100,000 to make a film. If only the “old money” would realize that this funding would go a long way. My films cost $500 to $1000 a piece. Film stock isn’t that expensive, and these films have played all over the world three times over…

Read the interview with Cleveland Filmmaker Robert Banks

Party with Cool Clevelanders

We’ve all been laying low for the winter, but now it’s time to party. You are invited to join Cleveland’s shakers and movers as we present the latest edition of Cool Cleveland’s infamous Art/Tech/Dance/7 party. We’re proud to present Downtown Underground, after work on Thu 4/29 from 4-8PM. Register here. First, find your way to the secret 3rd floor space above Phil The Fire right across the street from Gateway. Indulge yourself with an open bar (beer & wine) and delectable hors d’oeuvres from a slew of the finest Downtown restaurants. Catch the big-screen art videos and groove to DJ Anonymous. Next, join the free tour of The Pointe at Gateway luxe condos next door and dream about living right Downtown in the heart of it all. To top it off, slide down the street to Abbasso Underground Lounge at 8PM for a free after-party all night with your new friends. http://www.corpmeetings.com/register/thomas/atd7/index.html Register now, before this one sells out. And keep an eye open for upcoming A/T/D parties this year in Cleveland Heights, Lakewood, and other great underground Downtown locations. Expect nothing less from Cool Cleveland. Click here for more info and to register. Save money by paying online, then save the date!

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

People skills Speaking of the inability of leaders to work together, Mayor Jane Campbell and council president Frank Jackson need to hop into the “way back” machine and return to 2002 when the two of them pledged to work together. David Abbott, executive director of the George Gund Foundation says their issues, “should be a concern to anybody who cares about the city or region, because for us to compete in the global economy effectively we have to develop a collaborative agenda.” He also says that the conflict between the mayor and the council president are “part of the reason Cleveland has declined to the extent that it has.” Time to get over ourselves and get to work. Read more.

Ohio’s mediocre knowledge economy The Milken Institute, a Los Angeles-area think tank backed by former junk bond king Michael Milken, has released a survey ranking the states best positioned to take advantage of a high-technology economy. The survey says there’s a link between how well a state scores in the index and its per-capita income. The researchers contend that the more a state invests in technology and develops technology businesses, the better off its citizens will be. “If they don’t become part of the knowledge economy, they risk some very large dislocations among their population,” says Ross De Vol?, director of regional economics for the Milken Institute. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4708885

Welcome (back) to the culture wars Wanna see what happens when a city council controls funding for the arts? Take a look at the Know Theatre Tribe in Cincinnati. Last summer, they did Corpus Christi, a controversial play about a group of gay men who gather to role-play and celebrate the story of Christ, with a gay man named Joshua playing Jesus. The results: record-breaking box office with more than 1,000 people attending and 20,000 postcards plus a flurry of email from religious conservatives. Needless to say, the troupe was excluded from the $60K grant made to the owners of the theater for capital improvements. http://www.cincypost.com/2004/04/01/arts040104.html

Downloads don’t hurt music sales according to a study by Harvard Business School and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. “The economic effect is also small. Even in the most pessimistic specification, five thousand downloads are needed to displace a single album sale.” Why are sales down? Could it be the crappy music they’re trying to sell? See Wired here.

Why do we fund our schools unconstitutionally? As good as the comeback story orchestrated by school CEO Barbara Byrd-Benett has been, it risks being overshadowed by next year’s projected deficit. The triple threat of decreasing state aid, lower property tax revenues, and increased funding for charter schools is making it difficult to maintain the momentum the school system has been gaining in the last few years. And this Fall, they ask the voters for a critical school levy. Read more and more.

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

Online ads growing Companies will spend an estimated $2.7 billion in local online advertising this year, according to recent research. Local advertisers in 210 direct marketing areas wrote $2.1 billion worth of checks to Internet media businesses last year. That’s an average of $1M per local marketing area. http://www.alwayson-network.com/comments.php?id=3527_0_7_0_C

A bridge to our future Finally, the Detroit-Superior (Veterans Memorial) Bridge, an underused six-lane bridge linking downtown to Ohio City, will be converted to a four-lane road, freeing up more space for walkers, joggers and bicyclists – making Cleveland a little more pedestrian friendly. Local art genius Don Harvey was commissioned to design interactive art stops along the bridge, measuring the water temp of the Cuyahoga, the intensity of the sun, the strength of the wind, and the vibrations of the beautiful bridge. Kudos to Cleveland Public Art’s Lillian Kuri for having the guts to fight hard for this legacy. Read more

Only 20% would recommend NEO A recent Gallup poll reveals 2/3 of Northeast Ohio workers are either “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” from their company’s work. Workers who aren’t engaged lack confidence in their company’s future, seldom recommend its products, and carry work stress into their personal lives. Thse employees are prone to quit and have a poor opinion of their community and its economic prospects as well. What’s the antidote? Leaders should focus on strengths. Employees who said their bosses did that were 13 times more likely to be engaged than unhappy workers busy broadcasting their misery. What do you suppose the media’s role is? Read more

Progressive, NatCity & MBNA are top performers Progressive (with their “clever marketing”) tops Business Week’s annual list of the top performing companies of the S&P 500. National City moved up to #2 among banks (from #11) and #90 overall (from #156). Companies are graded in eight categories of financial performance which assess growth in sales, profits and return to shareholders. National City scored highest in one-year profit growth, net margin and return on equity categories. MBNA comes in at #19. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/04_14/B38770414bw50.htm

NightTown is best jazz venue: Downbeat Making the top 100 list of jazz establishments in the nation, and as the only jazz venue in Ohio on the list, this award reminds us that Cleveland’s a major player in the world of jazz. http://www.downbeat.com http://www.nighttowncleveland.com

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

Regional approach in Summit Officials from Sagamore Hills Township, Northfield Center Township and Northfield are considering merging their fire departments if it results in lower costs and better service. You can bet Cuyahoga will be watching. Read more

Lake visions A better look at the lake is what Melinda Huntley and others at Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Inc. are trying to do. Instead of having motorists drive along federal and state roads along the Lake Erie Circle Tour [which sometimes isn’t near the lake!], the trail will direct them to Downtown streets and other byways that hug the lake, providing a welcome and magnificent view for commuters. Read more

What gives? If you can’t get rid of the previous administration’s appointees, do away with their positions and call it “cost savings.” What is Lakewood’s Mayor Tom George is trying to pull? Read more If George were able to demonstrate how such moves were making Lakewood City Hall more efficient, he might be able to pull it off. He has yet to show how his assault on the civil service system will save money or promote better government. Read more

Google launches Gmail This is serious. Google is taking on MSN’s Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail with its own free e-mail system. They’re bringing their own brand of targeted text ads [as opposed to untargeted annoying image ads] to support the 1 gig of inbox they’re offering. That’s 250 to 500 times more storage than their competitors are offering. http://biz.yahoo.com

#1 vegetarian ballpark Cleveland Indians fans with discriminating palates will be happy to hear that Jacobs Field has been voted the number one vegetarian ballpark in America. Not only did the Jake take this year’s veggie MVP Award, it also won honors for Rookie of the Year, never having made the list until this year. The Indians have finally beaten out divisional rivals Chicago and Minnesota, who placed seventh and ninth, respectively. Cleveland’s winning meatless crowd-pleasers include veggie wraps, crêpes, pierogies, bean burritos, knishes, veggie sushi, veggie burgers, fruit cups, and salads. A new local company, Johnny Applestix, offers oversized, tart apples that are freshly sliced, coated in a light batter, flash fried, tossed in a secret blend of sugar, cinnamon and spices, and served hot with a choice of dipping sauces. Owners Anthony Dellamano and Mark Kuperman, tested Kuperman’s original recipe while graduate students at the nationally recognized School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Next Monday, they debut at Jacobs Field, and later this summer they open in area shopping malls. http://www.peta.org/news/NewsItem.asp?id=4133

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

“A remarkable level of inactivity” is how the PD’s editors describe the Cleveland Public Schools panel monitoring the $1.5 billion school building project. By overloading the public with information they’ve produced themselves they hurt their own credibility. Getting an objective party to audit their progress would be a good start. Read more

Call for entries The 2nd Annual Juried CSU Alumni Art Exhibition is proud to join with the Edge Art Gallery in honoring alumni with talents in the fine and functional arts. Alumni are invited to submit one to three works in any medium by Wed 5/5. For info 241-7120 or email luthcampmin@csuohio.edu

Phatbot hijacking Hackers are using peer-to-peer networks to remotely take over innumerable “zombie” computers. It’s the latest technique used by hackers to send spam and launch denial of service attacks that bring down websites by flooding them with traffic. http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994799

Regionalism roundup Suburban leaders love the idea of working together to save money on fire protection and other services. Read more As various groups think about reforming Cuyahoga County government, the editors at the PD advise dusting off the ’96 report of the Barber Commission, named for retired John Carroll University political scientist Kathleen Barber, who spent 14 months soliciting expert testimony, studying local governments around the country and holding sparsely attended public meetings on the subject. Sound familiar? Read more. Barber was part of a recent City Club panel discussion that included County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones and Peter Harkness, the editor of Governing Magazine, which covers trends in state and local government. Harkness stressed that the best government model can be ruined by “bad chemistry” – the inability of leaders to work together. He also noted that “bad structure can be overcome by good chemistry”. Sounds like better government through chemistry. Read more.

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

Open Air in Market Square Ohio City Near West development corp announces that Open Air in Market Square will once again take place every Saturday from 5/29 thru 9/4. For a total of 15 Saturdays, Market Square Park, across the street from the West Side Market, will host dozens of local vendors selling an eclectic mix of art, collectibles, imports and hand-crafted items from 10AM to 4PM. Open Air in Market Square will also feature a wide variety of entertainment, including old favorites as well as new talent from the greater Cleveland area. If you would like more information about Cleveland’s only urban outdoor market, please contact Dan Musson at 781-3222 or check out http://www.openairinmarketsquare.com

Call for participation In collaboration with the trolley tours of Art Space Cleveland, Art on Wheels, Inc. is proud to present the 2nd annual “Crooked River Arts Fest”. Artist’s personal showcases and other festivities will be held on 6/19 from noon- 6PM at their studios on the west bank of the Flats. Call early and reserve space to sell and display your work. Call 941-7643 or email carolina@aowinc.com

Destiny or luck? According to a writer who worked at W. W. Norton & Company, a literary work’s longevity is based on “unliterary accidents” affecting its survival. Most work, by no fault of its own, will simply not make it. http://www.bostonreview.net/BR25.2/bissell.html

Victoria Karnafel R.I.P. Anyone in the arts in Cleveland knew Victoria Karnafel and was touched by her kindness, her dedication, and her talent. A talented actress who worked with many local companies, her last performance was with the Charenton Theather Company’s Spoon River Anthology. Her firm VK and Associates coordinated fundraising for Dobama Theather, West Side Community House, Merrick House, and the Northeast Ohio Breast Cancer Coalition. She will be missed. Read more

36th Vermeer confirmed Long suspected to be a fake, the 10″X8″ Young Woman Seated at the Virginals will go on the market as a rare authenticated Vermeer, with the expectation of fetching over $5.5 million. According to Sotheby’s Old Masters specialist Gregory Rubinstein, who researched the picture for over 10 years, “I was intrigued by the painting. There was something magical about it, and there were areas, particularly the white skirt, which looked exactly like Vermeer.” See The Daily Telegraph here.

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

Burn your writing! If you’re tempted to burn your writing, you aren’t alone. The Czech writer Franz Kafka wanted his manuscripts burnt after his death in 1924. His wishes were not granted, and 74 years later an international argument over his works is causing more angst than a Kafka novel. http://www.textkritik.de/rezensionen/kafka/proc_03.htm

Lead Chicken Award: Major Cleveland Painting The lead chicken was a mid-20th century award bestowed by artists to fellow artists during the time when Abstract Expressionism replaced realism as a cannon for art. During this phase, many artists teaching at the School of Art discovered that if they didn’t embrace the new non-representational styles, they were excluded or rejected from the juried shows. See the exhibit, Lead Chicken Award: Major Cleveland Painting, exploring the new, radical styles affecting the politics of art making in Cleveland by artists who were given the award over the course of 23 years, currently on view at the Beck Center for the Arts. http://www.clevelandartists.org

Finale The final performance of The Cleveland Chamber Symphony was fitting for a champion of contemporary American music. The 40-member symphony played the diverse repertoire with technical skill and keen appreciation for music of our time. One of only three orchestras in America that specializes in contemporary music (the others are in Boston and New York), the Cleveland Chamber Symphony has enriched the arts community, cultivated a loyal following and won numerous prestigious awards. The PD’s Wilma Salisbury says it best, “The university’s deplorable decision to discontinue the ensemble deprives Northeast Ohio of a cultural jewel that will be sorely missed.” Shame on CSU for allowing politics to kill this great Symphony. Read more.

Massachusetts tries to ban gay marriage After their State Supreme Court handed down an historic ruling that changes the definition of marriage from “one man and one woman” to “two people,” Massachusetts lawmakers narrowly approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages while creating civil unions. Now the amendment must get a second majority vote in the legislature in 2005, and then be approved by voters in 2006. The only snag: all 200 members of the legislature are up for election this November. http://www.gaypeopleschronicle.com

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

Cool Cleveland This Week
4.7-4.14

Send your cool events to events@coolcleveland.com

University Circle Volunteer Fair Volunteering offers innumerable opportunities for personal growth and enrichment. Many people don’t know how or where to get started, but University Circle provides an incomparable variety of options for people new to volunteering as well as those looking to try something new Wed 4/7 6:30-8PM. Call 707-2847. Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Bld in University Circle. http://www.cbgarden.org

Portals from Everywhere honoring the late sculptor David E. Davis. When the artist died in 2002, he left a scale model of his last outdoor sculpture Portals from Everywhere; students from the Cleveland Institute of Art used Davis’ design to fabricate the sculpture, and students from the Cleveland School of the Arts photographed the process, with Archive artists supervising and critiquing the project. The finished sculpture and associated photographs will be on view Wed 4/7 at 5PM. Artists Archives of the Western Reserve 1834 E. 123rd St. 721-1827.

Exclusive Screening of Blue Vinyl With humor, chutzpah and a piece of vinyl siding in hand, award-winning Blue Vinyl sets out in search of the truth about vinyl, America’s most popular plastic. The film focuses on a decision to “re-side” a house with vinyl, which turns into a toxic odyssey that most ordinary homeowners would never dare to take. An eco-activism doc and a rollicking comedy rolled into one, it’s garnered “Best Documentary” & “Best Research” Nominee for the 2003 Emmy Awards. The timing for this screening is critical, as the green building movement is growing rapidly and the vinyl industry has been busy checking its marketing plan to verify that vinyl is a ‘green building’ material. Catch the first and only scheduled screening in Cleveland Thu 4/8 at 7PM. CWRU Strosacker Auditorium on the Case campus, off of Adelbert Rd between Euclid and Circle Dr. http://www.buckeyesustainability.org

By The Bluest Of Seas Two young sailors, shipwrecked on an island in the Caspian Sea, join the local fishing kolkhoz and fall for the same woman in this poetic Boris Barnet romance that’s a favorite of French filmakers Jean-Luc Godard, Thu 4/8 at 9PM. Call 421-7450. Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, 11141 East Blvd. http://www.cia.edu/cinematheque

Halim El-Dabh World-renowned composer and Kent State University professor emeritus Halim El-Dabh will present a concert of new works in collaboration with his student Charles J. Coven. Hear selections of from the Kent Camerata, the Kent Bassoon Ensemble, the Graduate Woodwind Quintet, and the President’s Quartet, as well as double bassist Bryan Thomas, clarinetist Dennis Nygren, harpist Amanda Micucci and belly dancer Emilie Watt Thu 4/8 at 8PM. University Auditorium at Kent State University. http://www.kent.edu

People in Passing a collection of documentary style street photography depicting rhythm and energies of the city environment, relationships between people and the city, and the disassociation that results creating a culture of passers-by. Make it out to the opening reception with artist Greg Ruffing Thu 4/8 fom 7-9PM; call 390-6329. Talkies Film & Coffee Bar, 2521 Market Ave. 696-FILM. http://www.talkiescoffee.com/home.html

Talalay Lecture Series with distinguished speakers from a variety of disciplines who share their perspectives on how visual arts and contemporary culture engages each other. Stop in to hear Thelma Golden, one of the most vibrant, renowned and controversial curators of her generation. New York’s Village Voice says she’s “fast becoming recognized as one of those pivotal figures…in African American life.” Golden operates at the nexus of contemporary art, popular culture and social discourse; hit the discussion Thu 4/8 at 7PM. Call 421-8671. MOCA, 8501 Carnegie Ave. http://www.MOCAcleveland.org

Beyond the Surface is an exploration of paint, texture and surface; stop in and get acquainted with the newest gallery that’s committed to original, fine art by living artists with a special focus on the creative community of Northeastern Ohio. Opening reception is Thu 4/8 from 4-8PM. Relax in a warm natural environment to view works and ask about Thrive’s consulting services. Call 479-0303. Thrive – An Artspace, Galleria, 2nd floor, 1301 East 9th St.

Free Will and Wanton Lust Forget strange worlds, magical houses, and corrupt politicians, this play gets into family struggles with a glitzy mother and her mirthless son, who’s not quite sure which side of the closet door he’s on. And let’s not forget Tony, Mom’s boyish lover who makes Claire feel young again with his “fountain of youth.” So where does Philip’s fiancée Vivian fit in? And what about Claire’s husband? Confused? Intrigued? Welcome back to The Liminis! Opening night is Fri 4/9 thru 5/8 at 8PM. Call 687-0074 The Liminis, 2438 Scranton Rd. in Tremont.

Michael Lotenero See his new works of expressive mixed media on paper. His recent projects include a multimedia installation with filmmaker Jose Muniain (a finalist in the D.C. Independent Film Festival) and several collaborations with reknowned designer David Carson for the upcoming Book of Probes by Marshall McLuhan and a series of surf related work for the international publication Big Magazine. Exhibition opens Fri 4/9 with a reception from 6-8:30PM. Bockrath Gallery, 2026 Murray Hill Rd. 721-5990 http://www.bockrathgallery.com

Tale of the Emerald Bird An adventure story that’s a CPT classic performed by a select ensemble of teens from CPT’s Student Theatre Enrichment Program. A princess risks everything to find the emerald bird with a healing song for the Empress who falls ill. Bring the family to see extravagant puppets and beautiful costumes Fri 4/9 at 7PM. For tickets, 631-2727. Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave. http://www.cptonline.org

Way of the Cross Join the Cleveland Catholic Worker Community and the Cleveland Nonviolence Network for their annual Good Friday prayer walk. During this prayerful experience, reflect on the trial and execution of Jesus finding resonance and relevance that’s applicable to challenges today. Fri 4/9 noon to 3PM. Public Square in downtown Cleveland.

Faces of the Street: Bombay 50 photographic portrait studies taken in India by freelance photographer Christopher Thield. Show is on view now Fri 4/9 11AM-7PM through 4/26 at the Edge Art Gallery. Call 241-7120. 1844 Euclid Ave.

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

Back 2 Front Got a jones for funk, house, bugaloo, hip hop and live bands? Make it out to Wish for two floors of maxed out music, free drinks and free admission before 11PM on Sat 4/10. Wish, 621 Johnson Court in the Warehouse District. 902-9474. http://www.nittygrittycleveland.com

The WIVES Foundation promotes women’s issues and various education services. If half of all marriages end in divorce, what does the future hold for a majority of married Clevelanders? Join the seminars “What Women Need To Know About Divorce,” meeting every month on the second Saturday, including this Sat 4/10 9AM-12:30PM. April’s topic: What can women do now to prepare themselves for divorce? This meeting will address planning for the future, helping women demystify the steps toward reaching an equitable settlement, and to help women through the legal, financial and emotional aspects of divorce. Proceeds benefit The Domestic Violence Center. April’s session will be held at the Brecksville Public Library, 9089 Brecksville Rd in Brecksville. Pre-register at 440-243-6153. http://www.wivesfoundation.com

Illusive Celebration: Laos & Cambodian New Year A big night for the AZN Massive one year anniversary; explore two rooms laid out for partying pleasure with DJs Prodigy P from Dallas, Heartbreakk from Detroit, and hip hop flava from Philly with DJs Sensei and KB. Get all-out krunked Sat 4/10 at Karma. Call 781-2500. 2000 Sycamore St in the Powerhouse.

The Lost Film Fest and Robotnicka land in Cleveland for a night of innovative, underground multi-media video and aural appropriations. If you like culture jamming, pie fights, riot porn, and hate George W. Bush with a passion, you’ll love this event. It’s a traveling festival of truly independent/anti-authoritarian/anti-corporate/grassroots/DIY media. You’ll dig Robotnicka’s sound that’s likened to throwing Devo, Joy Division, Stereo Totale, and Crass in a blender. Also check out experimental multi-media audio collage by locals The Button, and the schizophrenic sample manipulation of 9 Volt Haunted House, this Sun 4/11 at 9PM. Pat’s in the Flats, 2233 W. 3rd at the bottom of Literary Hill in Tremont. Call 621-8044 and visit http://www.lostfilmfest.com http://www.robotnicka.org http://www.pressthebutton.com http://www.9VHH.com

Rehab Mondays An easy fix for your toughest day of the week, chill and unwind to the best lounge and downtempo from a rotating list of guest DJs while enjoying luscious martinis to take the edge off Mon 4/12 at 9PM. Call 621-7907. Spy, 1261 West 6th St. http://www.spycleveland.com

Complete bicycle maintenance Now that the weather is beautiful, get a head start on bicycling basics. Become a skilled amateur bicycle mechanic through demonstrations and hands-on practice. Discover the mechanical intricacies of your bicycle, learn how to perform adjustments and overhauls including “breaking,” cleaning a chain, adjusting derailleurs and brackets, wheel truing and more Wed 4/13 from 7-9PM. Garfield Park Nature Center, Center, Garfield Park Reservation, 11350 Broadway Ave in Garfield Heights. Call 341-3152. http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com

Send your cool events to events@coolcleveland.com

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left.

The How of WOW!
Conversations with the muses of Cleveland’s creatives: Daniel Dove

What is it about your new direction that attracts you to it?
I’m attracted to this imagery, at least the mall, because I’m so alienated by it. Like a lot of contemporary artists, I feel that a mall is all about compelling desire, using beauty and design to stimulate desire regardless of need, which is a kind of desire that I generally feel alienated from. The mall is a massive gathering of various attempts to embed some sort of transcendence into consumer products, and it effectively becomes a manipulative surface of advertising instead of an architectural structure, which is an interesting tension.

How do you think your process is changing?
For the last few years, I’ve been dependent on photographic sources to form the source of my paintings, and what I can see happening in the future is moving away from dependence on photography towards working more intuitively, and more from direct observation. I think when you work in an intuitive fashion, when you get away from strict realism, it involves a lot more judgment on the part of the artist and a lot fewer solid, readily available criteria exist. So you have to develop your own rules and parameters. It involves being a lot more responsive to what you’re seeing in front of you, or to your senses and ideas about what you’re trying to make visible…
Read the How of WOW! by Jack Ricchiuto

Cool Cleveland Commentary: Combovers, Corvettes and Cleveland
Cleveland’s Mid-life Crisis

Cleveland celebrates its 208th birthday this year… you could say that Cleveland is middle-aged. And like guys of a certain age, Cleveland is up to its thinning hair in a mid-life crisis… Several strategies (more like symptoms, really) have emerged for dealing with mid-life crisis. Chief among these are the Comb-over, the Corvette, and the urge to blow off your marriage and start dating waitresses from Hooters. While widely practiced, these strategies don’t solve the mid-life crisis so much as they reveal the asshole within… Of course, the Comb-over and the Corvette and the rest are indications of a powerful desire to relive the past. Memories are fine and wonderful things, but memory can blind you to the fact that in the years between twenty-five and your first set of bifocals, you gain wisdom and experience, which can then be applied to things like not repeating decades worth of bad judgment and spectacularly stupid mistakes. And this is what Cleveland must avoid. Having reached middle age, Cleveland must accept that the world has changed, muster up its blue collar work ethic, act on the wisdom and experience it has accumulated, and get busy kicking ass and taking names. It’s not about trying to turn back the clock – that’s a comb-over. It’s about seeing the world as it is now, and putting in the necessary work to take advantage of the opportunities this new world presents…
Read Bob Rhubart’s commentary

WCLVnotes This is Holy Week and Passover. And WCLV 104.9 observes both with significant broadcasts. On Thursday at 9:00 PM, WCLV will air Raisins with Almonds, a two hour celebration of things Judaic. Created by the late Rita Jacobs Willens in the late 70s, this montage/documentary (in the words of the Armstrong Award) “captures the essence of the struggles and joys of Jewish-American culture”. It is an engrossing broadcast; one that reaches the heights that radio can achieve but seldom does. On Good Friday at 8:00 PM, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion by Apollo’s Fire, soloists and Apollo’s Singers will be heard in their March 2003 Severance Hall performance, a broadcast that WCLV is also distributing nationwide. a Cool Cleveland partner http://www.wclv.com

Instant Karma
Quik reviews of recent events

Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening in your world. We’d love to hear from you. Wanna write for Cool Cleveland? Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

KM Cluster @ NASA Glenn 4/2 The initials KM stand for knowledge management. Before you tune out because KM seems like another corporate buzzword, think about something one of the presenters said, “KM is getting the right info to the right people at the right time”. KM Cluster is a worldwide knowledge management community, but it took the organizers of KM Cluster Cleveland 3 years to bring an event here. Even so, it’s happening at the right time. Presenters from different organizations around the Greater Cleveland area engaged a small but lively group in a dialog about Communities of Practice and Learning Communities in and across organizations. Communities of Practice are networks of people within, and sometimes outside of an organization that come together around a particular topic to collaborate, innovate, address challenges, share ideas and create new information and knowledge around it. As Cleveland stands on the verge of being better connected, with information and knowledge flowing freely to the right people, I expect KM Cluster Cleveland to be one of the emerging platforms where people from inside of organizations come together with the creative independent contractors to do the things this area needs done to stick a fork in the QC — collaborate, innovate, share ideas, and tackle challenges. They’re planning their next event for sometime in July, focusing on something we’re hearing more and more of in the media — social network analysis. Cool Cleveland will keep you posted. Even if I’m not at the next one, I’m confident there’ll be a couple of Cool Cleveland readers there. One of our readers told me, “In a way, Cool Cleveland is doing exactly what a Community of Practice does. It “drives information around'”. Not to mention, it’s our “social network” of readers that helps us stay on top of the right info. from Cool Cleveland Information Officer George Nemeth george@coolcleveland.com

Construct Femininity: Femininity Construct @ B.K. Smith Gallery 4/2 The implication of covert observations adds an interpretive layer to the photographs that question positions, status, and objectivity of women in modern society. The content exposes pop culture’s support of male dominant, female degrading attitudes held by advertisers, causing the eye to focus on the subject of the painting, refocus, digest the degrading image and then look past the condescending misogynist statement to refocus on the actual woman…
Read DJ Hellerman’s review

Five Guys named Moe @ The Beck Center 4/4
This lively, entertaining show plays sort of like a Funky Eye for the Stiff Guy, with five flourescent, hyperactive funk soul brothers named Moe offering a psychic makeover for a rumpled radio listener. Featuring a CD’s worth (26 songs!) of Louis Jordan’s best tunes (Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby, Caldonia, There Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens) sung loud with sharp choreography (by director Martin Cespedes), and backed up by a crack band of trumpet, trombone, reeds, drums and stand-up bass led by music director David A. Williams, the Beck Center pulled off an amazing feat by getting the mostly elderly, mostly west-side, mostly white audience to sing along, clap along, and even join a conga line throughout the theatre and up on the stage! The organization is being rewareded with packed houses (catch the show on Thu 4/8, Fri 4/9 and Sat 4/10 if you can get seats), and the audience is being rewarded with some of the finest and most satisfying entertainment around. http://www.lkwdpl.org/beck/

Peter & The Wolf @ Severance Hall 4/3 You gotta love it when the Cleveland Orchestra opens the doors to Severance Hall to people under the age of 85. Not that they do it very often. But Peter and the Wolf, written by composer Serge Prokofiev in 1936 as a commission for Russia’s Central Children’s Theatre, is the perfect introduction to the symphony orchestra for youngsters… Of course, it’s always the exception that proves the rule, and one of the lasting impressions of seeing so many young people having fun in Severance Hall was that Clevelanders are rarely allowed to do this. One wonders how we expect our kids to grow up to become Orchestra patrons if they (and other young people under retirement age) aren’t encouraged to enter the sacred Severance Hall more often…
Read the review of Peter and the Wolf

Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write

On Martin Luther King Boulevard & CMA & Wade Park Lagoon Thoughts and remembrances of the park-like settings and grounds of the Cleveland Museum of Art, the lovely Wade Park Lagoon, Martin Luther King Blvd and the many nationality gardens there — all now in a state of neglect. I daydream about restoring the area to its once glorious beauty. As I read about the plans for the revitalization of University Circle and housing in the area, I often recall how Wade Park Lagoon was a center for social activity every day of the week, and especially on Sundays, when people from everywhere would stroll around the lagoon — often in their “Sunday finest,” after church. The swans were gorgeous then. At that time, the front door of the Art Museum was open as the main entrance, and people gathered on the steps and throughout the lagoon area. It was so lively! Now that the back door of the Art Museum is its entrance, it is so like that CMA addition: sterile and boring. To have that front door open again would be so grand! OK, on to MLK Blvd. This was another area where people strolled and relaxed, especially on Sundays, in the nationality gardens. It was wonderful. Now we only see occasional joggers and dog walkers using the sidewalks. The City of Cleveland’s Forestry Department made MLK (then Liberty) Blvd a showplace, with tree plantings and carefully groomed lawns and sidewalks; and the nationality gardens were gloriously well-maintained. I envision some sort of annual “festival,” whereby various organizations compete for awards for beautification of the Lagoon and the gardens along the Boulevard. I envision various landscapers “adopting” various portions of MLK and its gardens, showcasing their fantastic work in competition with one another. If they poured half as much energy and $$ into MLK and Wade Park Lagoon as they do into the Home & Garden Show, they’d really have something spectacular and lasting! I believe that this would be an important draw to bring more folks back to the City, to University Circle, and to the institutions around University Circle. Perhaps “Parade the Circle” a mostly CMA event, could be expanded to a much larger geographic area, encompassing all of Univ Circle and MLK. from Cool Cleveland reader Kathryn L. Ryan irishgrl@ameritech.net

On Cleveland’s Cultural Gardens I have been reading your column. I hope that sometime in the near future you would be willing to spread the word about the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, a tremendous but long neglected community asset. The Cleveland Cultural Garden Federation has adopted a very ambitious program to rehabilitate and expand the Gardens. In addition, we are seeking to establish the Gardens as the National Peace and Cultural Gardens. We have the full support of several historians in and outside of Ohio for this designation. Their opinion is that the Gardens are a symbol of world peace and cultural preservation that have no peer in this country and whose message will always be relevant. The idea has been well received and support is growing. Our most recent endorsement is from Governor Taft. We are now in the process of obtaining support from other key politicians in Ohio, and identifying someone to sponsor legislation in Washington. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand the impact that this designation would create for University Circle, the City of Cleveland and the region. What we need now is to get the message out to the community. I hope you can help. from Cool Cleveland reader George Parras parrasmd@core.com

On Cool Cleveland I’ve just recently gotten familiar with Cool Cleveland and have to say I’m enjoying myself. The quality and coverage of subjects are very entertaining and I expect to return to your website regularly. I am an abstract oil painter, and though I do not show much in Cleveland, my website might provide nice grist for the Cool Cleveland mill. Check it out sometime. from Cool Cleveland reader James Morana www.jimmorana.com

Top 5

We use IdeaStar.com tools to track which articles were clicked the most. Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) Cool Cleveland interview with Councilman Zachary Reed “Kinsman is falling apart, but ten to twenty thousand people come down Kinsman Road everyday. Kinsman, and thus Mt. Pleasant, is a strategically placed battleground well worth fighting for.” Newsletter/CouncilmanZacharyReed

2) Toby Lewis leaves Progressive Corp We’ve known for weeks, but now it’s public. Peter Lewis’ successors were unable to find a place for ex-wife Toby Lewis’ groundbreaking art collecting program. Read more

3) BP Tower bidding Minshall Stewart, who owns The Tower and Galleria at Erieview, offered a smart plan to turn it into a convention center, he’s now bidding on the BP Tower and recently tried to buy Shaker Square. Read more

4) Cable cars & SK 8? rinks & housing on the Lakefront It’s Mayor Campbell’s flagship program: re-develop our region’s biggest underutilized asset. Read more

5) Peter B. Lewis drops off CMA board After 7½ years, Lewis has stepped down as a Cleveland Museum of Art trustee, severing one more tie to Cleveland. Read more

Cool Cleveland spreads across NE Ohio and we have our readers to thank; everyone’s directing their friends and people they know over to CC.com. If you know anyone who’d benefit from CC and doesn’t receive it yet, tell them to visit http://www.coolcleveland.com (and check out the new site) or have them send an e-mail to signup@coolcleveland.com

Hard Corps deliver the goods gathering events and content that positively affects Cleveland. Big thanks to Jack Ricchuito, DJ Hellerman, Tisha Nemeth, Deb Remington, Bob Rhubart, George Nemeth and all our contributors collaborating to bring you quality content. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Are you ready
to let loose?

◄ For your free subscription to Cool Cleveland, complete the form at left. (:divend:)

Post categories:

Comments are closed.
[fbcomments]