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Essence of ‘play’ evoked through gaming, comedy and improv at 2012 Public Conversation

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17th Annual Public Conversation will feature Jane McGonigal, Susan Sparks and David Darling

Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012
The Toby, IMA, 5:30 p.m., Free Admission

Bestselling author and internationally-acclaimed game designer Jane McGonigal, stand-up comedian and Baptist minister Susan Sparks, and Grammy-winning cellist and former Hoosier David Darling will combine their talents for a night of conversation on the role of play in our individual and communal life. Each presenter will also provide a brief sampling of their own playful gifts. The 17th Annual Public Conversation occurs on the Spirit & Place Festival closing evening, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. The central Indiana festival begins Friday, Nov. 2.

A project of The Polis Center at the IU School of Liberal Arts-IUPUI the Spirit & Place Festival is a 10-day civic celebration designed to stimulate conversation, community building, and civic action through creative collaborations among arts, religion, and humanities. More than 20,000 central Indiana residents will be impacted by festival programs created by over 100 organizations with a special emphasis on this year’s theme, “Play.”

Jane McGonigal is a world-renowned game designer, specializing in alternate reality games. She is currently the director of games research & development at the Institute for the Future, where she is able to create games with humanitarian purposes; her #1 goal in life is to see a game developer win a Nobel Peace Prize. Her New York Times bestseller, Reality is Broken: Why Games Make us better and How They Can Change the World, explains how games connected to reality can be used to solve real world problems.

Susan Sparks has mastered the ability of combining comedy and religion. Formerly a trial lawyer, Rev. Sparks is now the senior pastor of the historic Madison Avenue Baptist Church in New York City. She is the author of Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor and has had the opportunity of spreading her trust in laughter to O Magazine, the New York Times, USA Today, etc. She tours nationally with the Laugh in Peace Tour as a professional comedian.

David Darling, is a native Hoosier. Born and raised in Elkhart, Ind., Darling graduated from Indiana State University and began teaching music in Evansville schools. He journeyed to become the principal cellist for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and was a member of the Grammy-winning Paul Winter Consort. In 2010, his compact disc “Prayer for Compassion” won a Grammy for best New Age album. In hopes of inspiring others to enjoy “free improvisation,” Darling created Music for People in 1986. The organization uses game-like methods to teach improvisation and promote music as a means of self expression.

For details on these and all Spirit & Place programs and events, visit www.spiritandplace.org.

 

Spirit & Place Festival’s Opening Features Award-Winning Hoosier Artists, French Composer

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The opening weekend of the annual Spirit & Place Festival is kicking off with five events reflecting on this year’s theme of “play.”  The weekend will feature French musician and composer Pierre Bastien, singer-songwriters Carrie Newcomer and Krista Detor, Emmy Award winner Philip Gulley, and Scott Russell Sanders, accomplished author and national winner of the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award.  The city’s largest 10-day collaborative festival takes place Friday, November 2 through Sunday, November 11, 2012.

Celebrating its 17th year, the Spirit & Place Festival is an extensive civic celebration engaging upwards of 20,000 people throughout central Indiana in dozens of programs presented by more than 100 organizations.  A project of The Polis Center at the IU School of Liberal Arts-IUPUI, its mission is to stimulate conversation, community building, and civic action through creative collaborations among arts, religion, and humanities.

Playing in the Streets
Friday, Nov. 2, 6-9 p.m.
Harrison Center for the Arts – 1505 N. Delaware St.
Free

Celebrate playful place-making on First Friday with artists, musicians, performance artists, and students from Butler University as they express the particularity and creativity of Indy’s urban neighborhoods with original creations.  See exhibits, including featured work by Harrison Center Curator Kyle Ragsdale; hear local singer-songwriters; celebrate the 20th anniversary of LISC (Local Initiatives Service Corporation); and visit dozens of booths showcasing upcoming Spirit & Place Festival programs.

Musical Machinery Workshop with Pierre Bastien
Saturday, Nov. 3, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Big Car Service Center – 3819 Lafayette Rd.
Free

Learn how to create your own mechanical instruments and orchestral contraptions in a hands-on workshop with French composer and sound installation artist Pierre Bastien.  In 1986, Bastien built a mechanical orchestra activated by electro-motors that play on acoustic instruments from all over the world.  Today, he and his musical machines collaborate with dance companies, circuses, video artists, fashion designers, and musicians globally.  Bastien will be showcased in an afternoon performance.

Our Lives as Sacred Story with Carrie Newcomer
Saturday, Nov. 3, Noon–2 p.m.
Christian Theological Seminary, Room 166 – 1000 W. 42nd Street
Free; on-line pre-registration encouraged

Conversation, exploratory writing, and individual and group experiences surround the playful beauty and sacred meaning of life in a hands-on workshop led by Indiana singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer.  Newcomer has been described as “a soaring songstress” by Billboard, a “prairie mystic” by the Boston Globe, and Rolling Stone has said that she “asks all the right questions.”  Writers, songwriters, and “creatives” of all types and skill levels are welcome.

Musical Machinery Performance with Pierre Bastien
Saturday, Nov. 3, 3-5 p.m.
The Indianapolis Public Library, Central Library – 40 E. Saint. Clair St.
Free

Music and mechanics collide when experimental instrument builder and sound installation artist Pierre Bastien presents a unique performance that blends live trumpet sounds with screen projections of on-site, mechanical sound sculptures he has constructed.  His work is described as “a timeless sounding orchestra, conjuring ancient traditions in its surprisingly sensuous music.”  Bastien will also lead a morning workshop on building mechanical instruments.

Miracles, Myths, Lyrics & Lies
Saturday, Nov. 3, 6:30-8 p.m.
Christian Theological Seminary – 1000 W. 42nd St.
$20 adults; $15 students/seniors (cts.edu/events or at the door)

Singer-songwriters Carrie Newcomer and Krista Detor and writers Phil Gulley and Scott Russell Sanders will weave story and song together in a harmony that explores the playful side of spirituality.  These four award-winning Hoosier artists will share humorous essays, tall tales and tender songs that blend whimsy and wonder with mystery and merriment in a performance that is by turns romantic, spiritual, and hilarious.  Call 317-931-4224 for more information.

For more information on Spirit & Place programs and events, visit www.spiritandplace.org.

 

Anthony Snape at Lazy Daze Coffee House July 27

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Australian pop-rock artist Anthony Snape will perform at Lazy Daze Coffee House July 27 at 7 p.m. Anthony co-wrote and recorded the Sydney 2000 Olympic games theme song, his songs have been on NBC (The Biggest Loser) and ABC programming nationally, he is recognizable as a featured performer in the recent PBS Special “Tommy Emmanuel & Friends,” and has been praised by former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi as “totally unique” with a “voice [that] was so on the money.”

Lazy Daze Coffee House is located at 10 S. Johnson Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46219

Flava Fresh VIII

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FLAVA FRESH VIII! 2011 – 2012 Annual Juried, Presentation Series of Fine Contemporary Art; comprised of three scheduled group exhibitions. Indianapolis, IN. Begins July 1, 2011 and runs consecutively through mid-January 2012. Featuring Local, Regional and National Visual Artists working in diverse disciplines and genres. Free! and Open to the Public!

2011 – 2012 Exhibition Presentation Series Schedule:

1st Exhibition: July 1 – 28, 2011: The Indianapolis Arts Garden located in the Circle Centre Mall, downtown INDY at the intersection of Washington and Illinois Street’s. On view during regular operational hours; Monday through Saturday, 9am. – 9:30pm., and Sunday’s, Noon – 6:30pm. FREE & Open to the Public! INFO: www.indyarts.org/artsgarden.aspx , 317-624-2563 , URBANEDART@aol.com .

2nd Exhibition: August 5 – 26, 2011: Gallery 924. The Arts Council of Indianapolis’ new commercial non-profit gallery located 924 N. Pennsylvania St. This presentation is a ‘themed’ FLAVA FRESH VIII ! exhibition entitled, “TRANSCENDENCE.” Artists’ Reception on First Friday, August 5, 2011 from 5:30 – 9:00pm. FREE & Open to the Public! INFO: 317-631-3301 , http://www.indyarts.org/ , URBANEDART@aol.com .

3rd and Final Exhibition: D. DELREVERDA-JENNINGS PRESENTS FLAVA FRESH VIII ! September 1 – January 14, 2012: The Indianapolis Marion County Public Library (IMCPL)_ North College Ave. Branch, located 4180 N. College Ave.
ARTIST’S RECEPTION and AWARDS held on Friday, October 14, 2011 from 6:00 – 8:30pm. Artwork on view through 1/14/2012. FREE & Open to the Public! INFO: 317-275-4320 , http://www.imcpl.org/ , URBANEDART@aol.com .

Participating Artists:

Walter ‘Lobyn’ Hamilton, Dana Rae Roudebush, Nicole D. Powell, Carl Hazelwood, Peter Tendai Rujuwa, Deloris ‘Lodi’ Drane, Michael Evans, Meg Rainwater, Derrick Carter, Paula Tracy, Jerome Neal, A. Tony Melendez, Mike Graves, Tasha Vaden-Beckwith, Ibou Ibrahima Ndoye, Walter Johnson, Anthony Radford, DeAnna L. Cannon, Heath A. Holland, Phillip Chestnut, Catisha Coates, Jerome W. Chambers, Jeana M. L. Ouattara, D. DelReverda-Jennings _ Founder~Independent Curator.

Sponsors:

The Arts Council of Indianapolis ~ Indianapolis Arts Garden ~ Gallery 924. / The Indianapolis Marion County Public Library (IMCPL). / PRIZM The Artist’s Supply Store. / The Great Frame UP. / Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff. / The Indiana Herald Newspaper. / MELANGE. / URBANE D’ART Inc.

INFO: URBANEDART@aol.com

2011 Meridian-Kessler Home & Garden Tour

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Meridian-Kessler Home & Garden Tour
Celebrates “Real Homes. Real Neighbors. Real Ideas.”

INDIANAPOLIS—The Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association (MKNA) celebrates its 38th annual Home and Garden Tour, Saturday and Sunday, June 18 and 19, 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The tour is one of the oldest tours of vintage homes in Indiana, offering a view of unique architecture, innovative interior design and recent renovations.

Homes on Tour
The tour features 8 homes and gardens in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. Tour homes are selected for their interior and exterior design as well as their distinguishing architectural elements. Proceeds from the tour support MKNA and its revitalization efforts.

Real Homes. Real Neighbors. Real Ideas.
The theme for this year’s tour honors the authentic character of this historic neighborhood.
• “Real Homes” celebrates what makes this tour unique and features how people actually live.
• “Real Neighbors” emphasizes the personal connectedness neighbors enjoy in Meridian-Kessler. Walking to dinner, to school, to shop, or to play are just a few of the reasons people love being a part of this neighborhood.
• “Real Ideas” highlights one or two original ideas featured in each home. The ideas may relate to décor, renovation, storage, or some creative use of space. Home tour attendees may find ideas that are inspiring, creative and practical.

Tickets
Tour tickets can be purchased the day of the event for $15 at any tour home. Presale tickets are available for $12 online at www.mkhometour.com or by visiting any of the following starting June 1:
• The Fresh Market – 54th and College
• G. Thrapp Jewelers – 56th and Illinois
• The National Bank of Indianapolis – 49th and Pennsylvania
• Taste Café & Marketplace – 52nd and College
• Paradise Café & Bakery – All six central Indiana locations
A good place to start is the home of Jody and Fritz Lamprey at 4560 Broadway Street.

About Meridian-Kessler
Originally on the outskirts of the city, Meridian-Kessler became a highly desirable neighborhood in the early 20th century. The area is home to many historic properties, including large estates as well as smaller bungalows and cottages. The home and garden tour was created in the 1970’s to promote the history, beauty and unique architecture of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is bordered by Kessler Blvd. to the north, 38th St. on the south, Meridian St. on the west and the Monon Railroad line to the east.

Q Artistry presents A Christmas Qarol Cabaret

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Q Artistry presents

A Christmas Qarol Cabaret
at the Historic Irvington Lodge
December 17 & 18 at 8pm

Join performer/composer Ben Asaykwee as he brings his annual Christmas Cabaret tradition to Indianapolis! Asaykwee and special guests guide the audiences through this raucous Christmas spectacular with comedy, music, and all your favorite holiday tunes.

Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/134922
Senior / Child $12.00
General Admission $14.00

Goodwill Shop & Hop

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Nine more days until our big Goodwill Shop & Hop. Thrifty Decor Chick and I have been working hard to make this event amazing. We still have some more spots to fill. In case shopping with us isn’t enough for you how about a little swag?

Each shopper will receive a SUH-WEET Swag Bag stuffed with over $100 worth of merchandise courtesy of: 3M, Gorilla Glue, Dischangers, Behr, Mod Podge, Eclectic Cabinet Knobs and Decor

So if you are in the Indianapolis area or are willing to drive come join us. It is going to be so fun and that super SUH-WEET swag bag will help you fix up your Goodwill finds to have a prime location in your home. Click here for more information.