12.31.2008

Goodbye 2008: Another "Best Of"

Here is a list of my favorite artistic accomplishments of 2008 with little order or explanation. And as you know, here at ThoughtMarker we always stick to local goods.

"Majestic Hours" by Joe Tsambiras and Sam Parker at Beep Beep Gallery, Wonderroot, "Weight" by Dosa Kim at Aurora Coffee L5P, "Murmurmur" by We Versus the Shark on Quote Unquote Records, "Neon Apocalypse" by Plastic Aztecs at Eyedrum, Judi Chicago live at Beep Beep Gallery, Era of the Stereograph live via Kirkwood Ballers Club at The Highland Inn Ballroom, "Beautiful Losers" screening at The Plaza Theater, Deerhunter at Vacation Boutique, Apparatus ATL, Noot d' Noot flyers by Squanto, Darkmeat, Record Store Day at Criminal Records, "99 Drawings" by Joe Tsambiras at Aurora Coffee L5P, "Comfort Kills Pursuit" by MICHI at Eyedrum, Cinemechanica's "Rivals" on Hello Sir Records, Burnaway.org, paintings by Steven Dixey, Youngblood Gallery's new location, house shows by The Harold Group,"The Big Haunt" from The Antiphon by Pegasuses XL on Earnest Jennings Records, HENSE and SHIE at the Highland Inn Ballroom, "Pray for ATLtis" by R. Land, Digital Arts Entertainment Lab, Epidemik Coalition's "Set it off" interviews,and Jason Travis' "Persona" diptychs at MINT Gallery

12.29.2008

Call for Zines and Books

Local artist Cristina Vidal is organizing an alternative library at WonderRoot. Here is the info:

Books, now more than ever, play an important role in our society to serve as the fundamental capsule for knowledge. Many artists have been creating zines, books, and other types of publications to inform each other of alternative ideas apart from mainstream media. I think an Alternative Library is important for our city so that we can collect these honest publications and have a source of knowledge outside of the evening news. In the next few weeks, I hope to collect donated materials for our reading room. I want the visitors to Wonderroot to feel inspired by our reliquary and have somewhere to look for source material. I hope that after seeing all of the hand-made, hand-published, and revolutionary things we can offer, people get inspired to make their own!
After weeks of collection and organization I hope we can have a huge get together to start this thing off right! All donations can be mailed to me or if you are local we can arrange pick up/drop off. Please contact Cristina at: cristina-vidal@hotmail.com.
Thank you! Vive ex libirs!
Cristina Vidal

12.19.2008

Christmas Shopping

Before you head over to Target for your last minute gifts, think about picking up some locally made stuff from locally run businesses. Youngblood Gallery has a bunch of clothes, books, art, jewelry, music, and things you've never heard of, all made by artists across the country and plenty of locals. Right down the street, Vacation Boutique has local records, cds, and even tapes, plus jewelry and vintage clothes. Beep Beep Gallery has used records as well as a show full of bite sized art perfect for gifts. For more local music, or at least locally run businesses, check out Criminal Records, or Ella Guru.

12.18.2008

"Currency: An Exchange of Ideas"

There is still time to participate in WonderRoot's January exhibition, "Currency: An Exchange of Ideas." Check out the flyer for info, or contact Curency@WonderRoot.org

12.13.2008

3rd Annual Postcard Pinup at MINT


If you are interested, you can still submit to this show. Just bring up to 4, 4x6 pieces to MINT Gallery today between 1-3.

12.12.2008

Tonight

WRAS Fest at Eyedrum.



Sideshow Improv One Year Anniversary.



Last show ever at Rabbit Hole Gallery.

12.11.2008

Kelly McKernan on Juxtapoz

Local artist Kelly McKernan, who currently has work up at Beep Beep Gallery and Youngblood Gallery, was just featured on the reader art segment of Juxtapoz's blog. Check out their post here, and check out stuff she has for sale here.


"Introvert" currently on display at Youngblood Gallery

12.10.2008

Chris Devoe / Rachael Spiewak benefit at Highland Inn

Thursday, December 11th at Highland in. Info copied from Creative Loafing:

Local bands and DJs are coming together to raise funds and awareness after a Dec. 3 home invasion in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood rattled both the community and Atlanta music scene.
On Thursday night at 9 p.m. at the Highland Inn Ballroom on North Highland Avenue, the Gaye Blades — which includes members of the Black Lips — and Noot d’ Noot, along with a “special surprise guest,” will headline a night of raffle giveaways to benefit local musician and DJ Chris Devoe and community activist Rachael Spiewak of SoPo Bicycle Co-op. Guest DJs will also spin records throughout the night.
Criminal Records, Youngblood Gallery, Sweetgrass Salon, Charis Books & More and other local businesses are contributing items for the raffle.
“Our tagline for the event is ‘It’s a neighborhood watch,’” says Suzy Moran, one of the fundraiser organizers. “We want it to be a benefit [for the victims], but also a way for the community to come together.”
Organizers are requesting a $5 donation at the door to help the victims.


From Rachael on how to help if you can't make it out:

If you can'​t come by and you'​d like to donat​e to a good cause​,​ there​'​s the:
Repla​ce Chris​'​ Stuff​ Fund
You can send check​s to him at my addre​ss:​
Chris​ Devoe​
c/o Racha​el Spiew​ak
1089 Blue Ridge​ Ave Apt 1
Atl, GA 30306​

OR

You can give to my chari​table​ organ​izati​on of choic​e,​ the East Atlan​ta Kids Club. The Kids Club provi​des FREE year round​ activ​ities​ for our kids in East Atlan​ta,​ and those​ kids need our suppo​rt.​ The Kids Club is on the front​ lines​,​ provi​ding love,​ atten​tion,​ and resou​rces to those​ kids and their​ famil​ies daily​ in order​ to build​ a promi​sing futur​e with them.​ That'​s a criti​cal part of what'​s going​ to turn the world​ aroun​d.​ You can give onlin​e HERE.

OR

You can skip the cash trans​actio​n part and learn​ more about​ what you can DO. Check​ out Men Stopp​ing Viole​nce,​ Proje​ct South​,​ Raksh​a,​ SPARK​ Repro​ducti​ve Justi​ce Now, the Georg​ia Innoc​ence Proje​ct,​ Queer​ Progr​essiv​e Agend​a,​ Femin​ist Women​'​s Healt​h Cente​r,​ South​ern Cente​r for Human​ Right​s,​ DeKal​b Rape Crisi​s Cente​r,​ Chari​s Circl​e,​ South​erner​s on New Groun​d,​ or any other​ local​ socia​l justi​ce organ​izati​on whose​ missi​on is to undo a globa​l histo​ry of syste​matic​ viole​nce.​

12.09.2008

(Disabled But Able to Rock) Another busy week...

full of benefits, fundraisers, group shows, and events. Not to mention all of the great shows that are already up around town that you may have missed (at Beep Beep Gallery, Youngblood Gallery, WonderRoot, Alcove Gallery, East Atlanta Tattoo, and so on).

First up is Wednesday, December 10th at the Five Spot. "Disabled But Able to Rock"

Come support Danger Woman in a fund-raising event for her very own documentary, "Disabled but able to Rock," produced by Blake Myers, the story of Atlanta's own real life singing super hero, Danger Woman. Performing tonight will be Danger Woman and the Danger Force Band. Sass Parilla, the Singing Gorilla, will be the MC of the evening and the reverend Suzie the Floozie will also give a sermon preaching the goodness of Danger Woman. All of this and a few short clips from the documentary are bound to put your life on the edge.

12.05.2008

Thank you.

Thanks to those of you who came out to WonderRoot last night. Thanks to Jtrav and Sealions who are playing tonight at Lenny's. Lindsay Appel who also has a great show up at Radial right now. EVEREMAN who left goodies all over the place. I got to meet artists Jenny Young, Kelly McKernan, and Andrea from Plastic Aztecs (who's show at Eyedrum is awesome and comes down Sunday.) Andre Paraguassu played a great set as well as Era of the Stereograph.

If you didn't make it out, please stop by WonderRoot over the next couple of weeks and let me know what you think.

12.01.2008

Indie Wednesday at Parkgrounds

If you've never seen Fake Wood Wallpaper's "Bloodcar", then I'll see you at Parkgrounds this Wednesday.

11.30.2008

Art and Music Curated by ThoughtMarker

This Thursday, December 4th we celebrate ThoughtMarker's 2nd full year of existence with a hand picked art show and music at WonderRoot. If you have not been to WonderRoot's community art center yet, this is a perfect excuse to check out it's facilities.

I asked artists of my favorite shows of the past year to contribute work to the exhibition. Included are pieces by Lindsay Appel, Steven Dixey, Evereman, Sunni Johnson, Dosa Kim, Michi, Sam Parker, Shaun Thurston, Jason Travis, Joe Tsambiras, and Jenny "Bunny Buns" Young. This work was shown over the past year in alternative spaces and galleries including Youngblood Gallery, Beep Beep Gallery, Aurora Coffee, MINT Gallery, Eyedrum, Foundation One Gallery, and others.

Come by early for the reception from 7-9. It's free and we'll have some refreshments, you can meet some of the artists, and check out WonderRoot if you haven't yet. Or come a little later for the concert in WonderRoot's performance space. It costs $5, gets started around 9:30 and we'll have music from Olympus Mans (Athens) Andre Paraguassu, Sealions, and Era of the Stereograph. The art will be on display throughout December so if you can't make it out to the opening, stop by at some point. I promise you this art and WonderRoot are worth the trip.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the blog over the past two years and everyone in Atlanta for being creative by making and doing stuff around town. A big thank you to WonderRoot for hosting the event and Haveyouheard.net for help regarding booking bands.


11.28.2008

Black Friday

Go buy some art. And go see "Majestic Hours" at Beep Beep Gallery. The show is amazing and this is your last chance to see it.

11.26.2008

WonderRoot T-Shirt Design Competition

WonderRoot T-Shirt Design Contest

Who can participate? Anyone.

When is the deadline? December 3.

What kinds of designs? 1,2,3, and 4-color. Front, back, front and back. Whatever you can think of.

What if I want to use the WonderRoot logo? Click here to get an .eps version of the logo.

What do you get for participating? The winner will bask in the glory of having their design chosen by WonderRoot and worn around town. Also, you will get a t-shirt for yourself and a three month membership to the WonderRoot Community Arts Center.

How do I submit my design? Please send it to wrtshirt@wonderroot.org. Please send a .jpg file and have an editable file available if your design is chosen.

What if I have questions? Email info@wonderroot.org.

11.21.2008

Thanksgiving Artstravaganzas Part Two!

"Fun Art Time" is the newest, and long awaited, showing from local artist Squanto, and it opens at the MINT Gallery this Saturday at 8pm. There's not much I can say to describe Squanto's work that hasn't been said before: Read a comparison to The Wizard of Oz's transition to technicolor from Creative Loafing here, a personal account that just scrapes the surface of Squanto's perplexity at Art Relish, a visit to Squanto's lair with plenty of quotes from Ben Grad at Burnaway, an all business press release type description of the show at MINT Gallery's site, and a whimsical, dream fueled prophecy of what awaits you from Noot d'Noot (who will perform in some capacity at the opening) on their blog.

There is also all sorts of info and colorful things to look at on Squanto's blog. Here are some flyers and the only image you'll get of the teepee before the show:



11.20.2008

Thanksgiving Artstravaganzas Part One

Click on this picture to read the fine print. Saturday November 22nd at WonderRoot.

11.19.2008

Lindsay Appel's Photography at Radial

Radial Cafe is hosting a reception for the photography of Lindsay Appel that hangs on its walls from now through December. The reception will take place this Thursday, November 20th from 7-9. Lindsay is one of my favorite artists that I discovered over this past year and I'm excited to see what she has been working on.

11.13.2008

Neon Apocalypse

This Saturday November 15th at the Eyedrum, Plastic Aztecs present "Neon Apocalypse", an installation of artifacts from the near future. The reception is a long, daytime affair, from 1 in the afternoon to 8pm. You may have read about the project in the most recent issue of FALSE Magazine and there is a bunch of info and images at the Plastic Aztecs website.

Small and Cheap

11.11.2008

Fundraisers!

Support your local non-profits that support your local art.

Don Hertzfeldt at Midtown Arts Cinema

There are still tickets left for tonight's "Evening with Don Hertzfeldt" at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema presented by ASIFA Atlanta. The event will comprise of animator Don Hertzfeld showing some of his older work and a brand new film "I Am So Proud of You" on 35mm.

TUESDAY, November 11th 9pm

11.10.2008

New SOPO Bikes Tee

Epidemik Coalition, who ThoughtMarker recently collaborated with, is putting out another tee through their PROCESS line. This time its for Sopobikes and in true EC fashion, you've got to come by El Bar to get your hands on one. This Thursday night, the party starts at ten, tees are $15, and music provided by Cristo Disco.

11.07.2008

ME/WE @ Aurora Coffee Friday

THOUGHT MARKER EXCLUSIVE!!!!

Zarlacc and Harrison Keys

Shaun Thurston and Michi

Stephanie Howard and Metatronic

Mike Germon and Born

This Friday, November 7th is the opening for "Me/We" a collaborative show where each piece is started by one artist and completed by another. You can preview all of these gems here.

7-10PM

Aurora Coffee
468 Moreland Avenue
Atlanta, Ga 30307

11.03.2008

Vote.




Barack Obama x Z-Trip x Shepard Fairey x Fresh Pressed from Barack On! Obamathon on Vimeo.

The long awaited "Majestic Hours"

There has been a ton of well deserved hype for the upcoming collaboration between local printmaker/wheatpaster/illustrator Joe Tsambiras and local tattoo/graffiti/etc. artist Sam Parker. It's called "Majestic Hours" and you might have read a great interview with the artists at BurnAway, seen the video made by Bean on Beep Beep's site, or checked out their myspace page.

The show opens this Saturday, November 8th at Beep Beep Gallery, from 8-11.
But wait... there's more!

If you want to get your hands on a copy of the "Majestic Hours" book, with a whole bunch of images from the show before Saturday rolls around, ThoughtMarker can hook you up!

What world renowned artist, at the age of seventy-five, proclaimed himself to be, "Manji, Old Man Mad about painting"?

On Thursday I'll pick one commenter at random who posts the correct answer. So leave your email address in case you win. For everybody else, pick up a copy at the opening this Saturday.

Majestic Hours



Above: cover for "Majestic Hours" book

11.02.2008

Busy Week

There is a lot of cool stuff going down in Atlanta this week. It starts off with Raymond Carr's "Ninja Puppet Extravaganza" at Eyedrum this Monday through Wednesday, shows starting at 8pm. Then on Thursday, November 6th, Travis Smith (Mr. Purty) opens "The Square Show" at San Francisco Coffee's Poncey Highland location. Opening goes from 7-10pm. On Friday, there are two openings in Little Five points. "The Knife Trade" opens at Southern Drawl (inside of The 5 Spot) at 7-10, and "ME/WE 2" opens at Aurora Coffee from 7-9. As if that wasn't enough, on Saturday, Beep Beep Gallery opens it's newest collaborative exhibit "Majestic Hours." I'll post more details and flyers as the week continues. Also, don't forget to vote on Tuesday!


Ninja Puppet Extravaganza



This Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday! (November 3-5) Shows start at 8.
featured music DJ Rene Dellefont, and the Sealions

Ninja Puppet Productions and MINT team up with the Eye Drum to bring Atlanta
The Ninja Puppet Extravaganza -

Get ready to expose yourself to this showcase of puppetry, film, music, and still art from all around Atlanta that will change you brain. This The Ninja Puppet Experience will be the launching pad for several new emerging artists, as well as a spectacular venue for several ventures of the craft. This year we are taking the experience to the next level by inviting some of Atlanta's hottest DJ's and bands to come blow up the spot. There is literally no other showcase like this anywhere (that we know of. we honestly haven't been everywhere in the world to verify that). So take it in, and witness The Ninja Puppet Extravaganza.

NinjaPuppet.com
MintGallery.org
EyeDrum.org

10.31.2008

Thieves play Beep Beep Closing

This Saturday, Beep Beep Gallery will close its current exhibit "New Faces" featuring some great portraits from locals that hadn't yet shown at the space. Performing will be a blues/country/creepy violin music outfit by the name of Thieves. I caught a couple of songs by Thieves the other night at Kirkwood Ballers Club and while still a little rough around the edges, they have a great mood and sound that will play well in the tight space of Beep Beep. Check out some of their music on Thieves' myspace page.

1800 Tequila Essential Artists Series

1800 Tequila has selected only a handful of artists to start their "Essential" campaign off with limited edition, custom designed bottles. Locals Dosa Kim and Urban Medium are among these hand picked artists who's work you can also find on billboards around Atlanta. Find out more about 1800 Tequila's search for 1800 "Essential" artworks at 1800tequila.com

10.29.2008

Election: Cring of the South

The real election to pay attention to this year isn't for President, it's for Cring of the South. A new spot on Edgewood called Art Department Gallery is hosting the head to head battle between Tindel and Michi this Saturday.

Check out what the pundits at Burnaway.org have to say.

10.28.2008

10.26.2008

Weekly Street Art: Evereman Public Service

Local street artist Evereman recently posted pictures from a public bench repair project that he took on here in Atlanta. Check out his site to see how he took this neglected bench and replaced it with a fully functional Evereman bench.
Before:

After:

10.22.2008

Le Flash

Le Flash is some sort of event that has been cooked up in conjunction with Atlanta Celebrates Photography and The Castleberry Hill Art Stroll. There is a huge mess of information to wade through about this event. I know this much: it's at Castleberry Hill and it's next to Castleberry Hill in Cleopas Park, there will supposedly be a marching band and fireworks at some point, it goes from 7 to midnight this Friday, October 24th. For any other details, test your luck at leflashoct24.blogspot.com, leflash-atl.com, or acpinfo.org.

Here is where I tell you murky detials about the things I actually know about:

Bean Summer has a show featuring a slew of videos that I guess he is doing for every day of the month. You can check them out at his youtube page here. This has something to do with a show at Get This! Gallery that is part of Le Flash.

Epidemik Coalition is moving its interactive studio project "The Wall" out of their space and into Art House Gallery for the evening. Click here to learn more about how "The Wall" combines "multiple existing technologies to put the power of large-scale public imagery into the hands of the local community."

Political Mass

411 Harold Street in Chandler Park is the home of quarterly, themed art show/house parties with kegs of beer and really good food including amazing grilled chicken wings. This Friday, The Harold Group presents "Political Mass" as well as DJ sets by Zano and DJ Dookie Platters. If that isn't enough to get you out of your house, here is the flyer and accompanying video.

The Harold Group Presents 2008 Presidential Debate

Art and Music Curated by ThoughtMarker


I've got some great art lined up, stay tuned for more info.

Weekly Street Art: Stop Sign Edition

Usually, the things that people write on stop signs are either obvious or just stupid. Local photographer Bobb Lovett just sent me the this exception.