A NEW CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY & STUDIO
Opens in Plymouth Township, MI.

ART & IDEAS
15095 Northville Rd.
Plymouth, MI
(in Provincetown Center)
734-420-0775
www.artandideasgallery.com

“Art & Ideas” takes position that art will always transcend a “bad economy”

A new art gallery and teaching studio is holding its grand opening Dec. 5, 2009, in the midst of troubling economic times. Yet this has not deterred Art & Ideas Gallery and Studio’s director and owner, Mike Tolinski, and its artist-in-residence, teaching artist Shaqe Kalaj. The gallery, located just north of Plymouth’s Old Village, will be showcasing over 40 of Kalaj’s drawings at this first opening, which will be followed periodically by new openings and shows of Kalaj’s work throughout 2010.

At Art & Ideas we believe that art is a transformative agent that is needed in our society. It contributes to well-being and societal relationships in multiple ways through every stage of life. To this end, we offer workshops, classes, lectures, and events in the community to contribute to this social change.

GRAND OPENING
Reception: Saturday, December 5, 7-11pm
1st showing

Dreaming Identity
by
SHAQE KALAJ

DEC 5 – JAN 14
artist talk 7:30pm, music 8pm

Dreaming Identity consists of 44 ink drawings. The artist poses the questions, “Do we live in our dreams? Does our sub-reality, what we dream of, venture into our daily reality?” These ink drawings take us into a world where houses are piled onto each other and human figures are meshed into their environment. Come see the work and hear the artist speak about these works that have escaped the dream world and entered our living world.

Poster Contest Celebrating the 20^th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990.  The Federal law requires equal opportunities to employment, state and local government programs and services, goods and services of businesses, transportation and telecommunications.  In the years since the signing of the ADA opportunities and access for people with disabilities have improved around the country.

Theme:  How the ADA has Changed the Face of Your Community

1^st Prize: $300 Gift Card

2^nd Prize: $200 Gift Card

3^rd Prize: $100 Gift Card

Due: January 15, 2010

Poster Contest Rules:

1. Posters may range is size from 8.5”x 11” to 18” x 24”
2. Posters can be done vertically or horizontally.
3. Poster must be related to theme of the contest.
4. Any medium (crayons, markers, etc.) may be used on the poster.
5. Pictures or other flat materials may be mounted to posters, if mounted securely.
6. Posters cannot be 3-dimensional.
7. All ages are welcome to participate.
8. Be aware of copyright protection. Posters must be original work.
9. Each submission  MUST contain the following information on the back of the poster: Name, Address, Phone Number, E-mail, Hometown, and Name of Local Newspaper

Mail ALL Poster Entries to:

DBTAC: Great Lakes ADA Center

1640 West Roosevelt Rd., Rm 405

Chicago, IL. 60608

Questions?  Call Allison at 800-949-4232 (V/TTY) or by email at aestoner@uic.edu

 Visit www.adagreatlakes.org to find out more about us and the ADA!

VSAMI has put together a blog tailored to the interests and needs of artists with disabilities, living in Michigan.  To check it out visit: http://vsamiartists.wordpress.com/

Cheryl Vatcher-Martin is quite busy in October and November.  The author of four books has accepted offers to conduct signings throughout Michigan.  Vatcher-Martin is the author of:

Friday, October 16, 1:00pm @ Brighton Borders – The author’s two illustrated books (Haiku for You, The Cornstalks are Whispering) will be available.  Storytime with the author begins at 1:00pm, followed by a book signing. 

Saturday, October 17, 2-4:00pm @ Southgate Borders Express – Located in front of Southgate Mall

Sunday, October 18, 1-3:00 @ Westland Borders Express – Located inside Westland Mall, next to Hallmark

Sunday, October 31, 1-3:00pm @ Livonia Borders Express – Located inside Laurel Park Mall

 Saturday, November 7, 1-3:00pm @ Saginaw Barnes & Noble

Sunday, November 15 @ Ann Arbor Barnes & Noble – Times to be Determined

Saturday, November 21 @ Monroe Borders Express – Times to be Determined

Go to one of these stores and support our local VSAMI author and artist, Cheryl Vatcher-Martin

Youth Leaders for Literacy Grants Available to Young Volunteers Who Inspire and Encourage Reading Deadline Extended: October 30, 2009

Youth Service America is partnering with the National Education Association to once again offer Youth Leaders for Literacy grants to children and youth, ages 5-25, who offer innovative ways to increase literacy skills and appreciation for reading among their peers. Youth Leaders for Literacy will award 30 young people from across the U.S. each with $500 grants and $500 in books from the Pearson Foundation. Youth can submit their applications through October 30, 2009.

Successful projects will be youth-led and address an established literacy need in the applicant’s school or community. The projects will follow the framework of YSA’s Semester of Service initiative, launching on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in January and culminating on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25. An activity should also occur during the NEA’s Read Across America Day on March 2. Begin the application by completing the eligibility quiz at: www.cybergrants.com/ysa/yll/quiz

Echo Theatre New Play Contest for Female Playwrights Deadline: September 30, 2009

Echo Theatre in Dallas, TX, is seeking full-length plays by female playwrights. The winning playwright receives $500 and a 2010 Workshop Presentation of her script by Echo Theatre. Selected finalists will be featured in a 2010 staged reading series. Playwrights must be female; entries must be in English and unpublished at time of submission. No restrictions on cast size or production requirements. No musicals or children’s shows. www.echotheatre.org/content/bigshoutout.php

Mind the Gap Productions Seeking Scripts Deadline: September 30, 2009

Mind the Gap Productions is a new theater company aiming to bridge the gap between the collegiate and professional theater community by supplying new artists an opportunity to hone their skills and make viable, long-lasting connections within the Chicago theater scene. It is seeking scripts for the first season, which will begin in February. No restrictions on play length, cast size, number of previous productions, or nationality of the playwright. All submissions will be considered for production and reading series. Plays with more manageable budgets will receive more consideration for production. Include resume and/or cover letter with submission. NOTE: E-mail submissions only: mindthegapproductions@gmail.com. http://mindthegapproductions.wordpress.com/

PlayPenn 2010 Looking for Playwrights Deadline: September 30, 2009

PlayPenn 2010 is seeking playwrights to participate in its conference in Philadelphia. Selected playwrights will have the opportunity to work with a director, dramaturge, and professional Philadelphia-based actors before and during the conference for a public staged reading at the end of the conference, which is intended to be part of the development process for selected plays. PlayPenn will provide travel for casting for both writer and director, travel to and from the conference, housing, per diem, and a stipend. Only one submission per playwright. www.playpenn.org

Columbia (MO) Public Art Project Deadline: October 1, 2009

The city of Columbia, MO, seeks an artist or artist team to create new site-specific, original, public artwork(s) for the Fifth and Walnut Streets parking garage. Works in a variety of durable media and forms will be considered. Artists should submit qualifications only, not a design proposal. Applications must be submitted electronically via CaFE (Call for Entry) at www.CallForEntry.org.

There is no charge to apply and use of the CaFE site is free. Applicants need only register at the site. www.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=384

Charles Hamilton Houston Memorial Public Art Project in Virginia Deadline: October 1, 2009

The city of Alexandria, VA, seeks to commission public art for the new Charles Houston Recreation Center. The purpose of the project is to honor and memorialize Charles Houston and to recognize the historical importance of the former Parker-Gray High School, Alexandria’s first African-American high school. The project’s overarching theme is education and civil rights. Three finalists will be invited to submit proposals. http://alexandriava.gov/arts

Film Independent Accepting Applications for Directors Lab Deadline: October 5, 2009

Film Independent is accepting applications for its ninth Annual Directors Lab. Sponsored by Kodak, the Directors Lab is an intensive eight-week program designed to help directors who are prepping feature-length narrative films. The lab takes place in Los Angeles each winter. The primary focus of the lab is on learning to work with actors and the rehearsal process. Fellows go through a mini-production, learning how to break down a script into a shot list, collaborate with cinematographers, and construct a scene in the editing process. A secondary goal of the program is to help advance the careers of lab fellows by introducing them to established film professionals who can advise them on both the craft and business of directing. http://filmindependent.org/content/directors-lab

Public Art Project in Prince George’s County (MD) Library Deadline: October 9, 2009

The Art in Public Places Program is pleased to announce a national call for proposals for an interior public art installation in the South Bowie Branch Library in Prince George’s County, MD. Download the application and check out previously commissioned works at the link above. www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/Government/AgencyIndex/CentralServices/art.asp

Calls for Women Artists or Women/Men Collaborations Water/Eco Exhibit Deadline: November 2, 2009

The organization Women and Water Rights is searching for women and women/men collaborative teams for its upcoming exhibition, Women and Water Rights: Rivers of Regeneration. This unique and exciting project is scheduled to take place at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery of the University of Minnesota from February 23–March 25, 2010. There are calls for all media juried art and video and postcard art for placement on http://womenandwater.net.

in the news

Artist Mark Bradford, USC’s Elyn Saks Win MacArthur Grants A Los Angeles artist who specializes in incorporating found objects into his pieces and a USC law professor whose battle with schizophrenia has informed her advocacy for those with mental illness are among the 24 winners of this year’s “genius” grants from the MacArthur Foundation. Mark Bradford, Elyn Saks and 22 other winners will each receive $500,000 over the next five years to spend any way they please. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-macarthur22-2009sep22,0,7608103,full.story

To the northeast that is.  VSA arts of Michigan is beginning a district in northeast and invites you to participate in the planning session.  Come one come all!

The bus: Before

And the fun begins!

Even the clowns came out to paint!

And then the elephants wanted a turn…

The bus: After

 

 

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible: the students, their teachers, Van Andel Arena, the circus, and of course, the elephants!

It is official! VSAMI – GR fall programs start this week. Here is a sneak peak of what we have coming up:

Start with the Arts/ Art Explorations for Early Childhood
We are thrilled to be starting this pilot program with three of our early childhood special education preschools in Grand Rapids: Ken O Sha at Wellerwood, West Leonard and Ridgemoor. Children between the ages of 2-6 years old will explore pottery, puppetry and creative movement with VSA over the next 24 weeks.

Graduated Art: Art Explosion! And *NEW* Graduated Art: Bookmaking
And for adults, our immensely popular Graduated Art classes are back! These classes are open to any adult over the age of 18 that wants to flex their creative muscles and have a lot of fun.

These classes explore the visual arts with adults. In “Art Explosion” students engage in several projects over the course of the semester. And this semester, we are also offering an advanced class, which will explore the art of “bookmaking.”
These classes start the week of September 30, so there is still time to register. If you are interested, contact Katie at #885-5866 or vsaprogram@iserv.net.

Art& Mentoring/ Art Explorations for Transition Students
The school year is kicking off with a special tour of ArtPrize 2009 for our transition students.

After than, different classes will participate in: drumming, pottery, photography, painting, and music. Whew! That is a lot of creative energy.

Very Special Choir
For adults, our fantastic choir is back. Rehearsals start on Thursday September 24, 2009, at Kuyper College’s Dan Vos Chapel.

And meet our new choir director is Erinn Epp. Erinn is a certified music therapist, having studied music therapy at Wilfrid Laurier University (Ontario, Canada) and New York University. She has worked as a music therapist and educator with people aged 0-103 in a variety of educational, healthcare, and community settings. While living in Princeton, New Jersey, she was a founding member of the music therapy department at Westminster Conservatory, providing music therapy services to individuals with special needs in the context of a community music school. Erinn is also a registered Music Together teacher, and has combined music therapy techniques with the Music Together curriculum in her work with people with autism, developmental delays, attachment disorders, and hearing impairments. Originally from Canada, Erinn has lived and worked in many diverse locations across North America. She is excited to be in Grand Rapids, helping to bring the joy of music participation to people through the VSA. Erinn is also a pianist and vocalist, and loves to perform as well as teach. She lives with her husband and daughter, a very noisy toddler.

Interested in more information about the choir, contact Katie at #885-5866 or at vsaprogram@iserv.net.

International Young Soloists Award

Call for Entries

Since 1984, the VSA arts International Young Soloists Program has been seeking to identify talented musicians who have a disability. The VSA arts International Young Soloists Award is given annually to four outstanding musicians, two from the United States and two from the international arena. The award provides an opportunity for these emerging musicians to each earn a $5,000 award and a performance in Washington, D.C.

U.S. APPLICANTS: All VSA arts United States affiliates implement their own International Young Soloists Award programs. Applicants must send their entry materials to the appropriate address for their state, found here .

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: All applicants from outside the United States should submit their application form, biographical description, and recording to:

VSA arts International Young Soloists Award
818 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 600
Washington, D.C. 20006

Applications in English

Click to download the 2010 application guidelines

Click to download the 2010 application for individual musicians

Click to download the 2010 application for ensembles

Woody Miller from www.thedetroiter.com was kind enough to include this article about one of our recent projects in which we partnered with Howe Elementary in Dearborn.  To see the online article click here.

Students from Howe Elementary in Dearborn work with Mexican artist, Demetrio Aguilar, to create murals for their school

VSA arts of Michigan-Dearborn and Howe Elementary School celebrate the efforts of Howe students and Mexican artist, Demetrio Aguilar, in creating murals for the school. A dedication and celebration ceremony will occur at Howe Elementary, 18000 Oakwood, Dearborn, Michigan, on Wednesday, September 23 from 6-7pm. This event is free and open to the public.

Howe Elementary art instructor Kate Blair took the initiative to provide her students with a more diverse learning experience that was about more than playing with crayons or clay. Inspired by the work of ceramic artist, Demetrio Aguilar of Oaxaca, Mexico, Blair invited him to be an artist in residence in her classroom. Using the idea of self and the core values identified by Dearborn Public Schools, students worked with Aguilar to create self portrait ceramic tiles that would later be used to create a mural for the school. This project was completed in the spring of 2008 and the fruits of their labor is now available for all to appreciate. This project was made possible by funding from the Dearborn Community Arts Council, the Dearborn Education Foundation, and The Dearborn Rotary Club. In-Kind support was provided by an anonymous donor.

VSAMI is a member of the international network of VSA arts, an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. VSA arts was founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith, and has been designated by the U.S. congress as the nation’s coordinating agency for arts programs for people with disabilities. VSA has 52 affiliates in the U.S. and over 55 international affiliates, and annually serves millions of people worldwide.

VSA arts of Michigan supports its programs and services across the state through grants from national VSA arts under an award from the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education; the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs; and through contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals.

For further information, please contact Kate Blair by phone 313-872-7000 or email at blairm@dearborn.k12.mi.us.