With the holiday season upon us, it is time to announce the fourth annual Old Home Night at the Beachland Ballroom on Friday, December 22. Hosted by Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu, Home & Garden), the night will feature California Speedbag, Home & Garden, The Kidney Brothers, Where To Now, and readings by Cleveland’s own Mike DeCapite and New York City’s Janice Johnson. California Speedbag is one of the triumphs of the Cleveland music scene. Originally formed in the mid-eighties from the wreckage of the pioneering Kneecappers, Dr. Bloodmoney, and Neptune’s Car, they were documented on Smog Veil’s Fire of Misery CD, and are widely-beloved, deeply-grieved, and resurrected with a vengeance after the death of front man Gary Lupico - a ferocious reminder that you can’t keep a good band down.

Location

I met a few days ago with Ed Hauser - the "Citizen Hauser" who single-handedly saved Whiskey Island for the public - to see what he's been up to for the past few months. In brief, besides helping save Northeast Ohio from ODOT and their foolish pursuit of their ill-conceived Innerbelt Bridge and Trench plans, and continuing to single-handedly challenge the Port Authority's ongoing attempts to destroy Whiskey Island, Ed is taking next steps in his one man, multi-year battle to save the remarkable National Historic Landmark Coast Guard Station, at the tip of Whiskey Island, at the mouth of the Cuyahoga, designed by J. Milton Dyer, also architect of Cleveland City Hall. Ed mentioned to me he in the process of pressuring the city of Cleveland Law Director Robert Triozzi to seek a court order to force the city to comply with its own landmarks-preservation law, which requires owners of city landmarks to keep the properties secure and water tight, and, if the city fails to act responsibly and lawfully, Ed intends to file a citizens lawsuit against the city. Today, the Plain Dealer picked up the scent of the story, and shared some of the sad commentary of some of those related to the sorry state of this landmark, and the declining historic integrity of this city.

Tonight, 1300 Gallery wrapped up five years of transforming the visual arts scene in Northeast Ohio, with a classic showing of hallmark works of passionate visual expressionists Derek Hess and Bask, ending an era of hosting some of the coolest exhibitions and parties in Cleveland history, and doing that just right.

I have been following this fascinating debate in the pages of the New York Times, the PD and on CASE Daily (CASE's online newsletter). About 2 months ago I also attended a CASE physics department symposium where Kate Jones-Smith and Ellen Landau were the guest speakers on this subject. That afternoon Jone-Smith and Landau captivated a large audience of scientists and art historians -- a group that does not often come together on this campus! On this debate I side with Jones-Smith and Landau. I think the Pollocks are real and I hope I get to see them in person someday. Fractal or not, seeing Pollock's drip paintings is an experience like no other.

read on ...

Case Western Reserve University physicists refute analysis of Jackson Pollock's paintings

Courtesy of Alex Matter

Zygote Press, Inc. is Northeast Ohio's only non-profit cooperative fine-arts printmaking facility. In its tenth year, Zygote is located with other arts organizations and businesses in Cleveland's Quadrangle neighborhood, a developing arts district complete with galleries, restaurants and exciting new live-work possibilities for artists and other members of the creative community.

It is always a pleasure and privilege to see the Cleveland Orchestra perform at Severance Hall, but their presentation of Gustav Holst's "The Planets" was unique and special. This is a great creative set of compositions, being composed in 1914-1916 as highly expressive, at times avant-garde voyages to each of the planets known at the time, long before man had physically probed space, and no man has probed space more aptly than did Holst. And, I doubt any men and women could probe the complexities of these compositions more ably than does the Cleveland Orchestra.

One of NEO's most striking and fascinating galleries, Convivium33, is featuring, as its first anniversary showing, Evolution 1964-2006, an exciting retrospective of the work of globally appreciated mixed-media artist and Case University art professor Christopher Pekoc, curated and catalogued by prolific author and Case art history professor Henry Adams, delivering an inspiring and intriguing experience for all visitors. From Professor Adams' writings about the show: “There’s something dark, tough and roughly textured about Pekoc’s work that captures the creative essence of Cleveland”... “His imagery is both repressed and intensely sensual.” I like those thoughts about Pekoc and Cleveland and this show very much.

"Five previously unseen candid photographs of Marilyn Monroe have now been released, with limited edition prints being distributed to select galleries throughout the United Kingdom.

The photographs are not posed, and capture the star in her most private moments- in bed, on a plane and in front of a mirror. Only 495 prints of each photo have been made, making them very exclusive.

The photos are were unveiledfor the first time today at a Marilyn-themed event at the Meller Gallery in Witney, Oxfordshire. They will be available only until Christmas."

Read the full article here: http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/862

Opening Friday, December 8, 6-9 pm

Through December 23rd

Zygote Press Website

Gallery hours:

Location

Leave 'Em Wanting More #1 "Please God Save Us From Your Followers." Final show at the 1300 Gallery featuring Derek Hess and Bask.

Cleveland knows Derek Hess, but they have never seen this before.

Location

Leave 'Em Wanting More #2: 1300 Gallery celebrates the second to last installment of "Leave 'Em Wanting More" on December 8 with art by David D'Andrea, Stephen Kasner and Douglas Utter.

D'Andrea, a freelance illustrator in Portland, believes in the tradition of the "memento mori" and uses this visual reminder of the transience of life on earth in his work. D'Andrea, "seeks to perpetuate the avowal that is death and in turn catharsis to create archaic crests for modern battles of loss, love and hopeless abandon."

Location

Shopping at Heights Arts Holiday Store supports local artists and the local economy, and provides unique gifts for your friends, relatives, or yourself.

Jon Abrahamson, Ambiente, Todd Anderson, Judith Angelo, Pamela Argentieri, Anna Arnold, Herbert Ascherman, Jr., Kris Barnes, Peter Billington, Dana Bjorklund, Cathie Bleck, David Brichford, Ann Caywood Brown, Craig Bungo, Gail Burdick, Catherine Butler, H.C. Cassill, Janet Century, Wendy Collin Sorin, Rene Culler, Bonnie Dolin, G.M. Donley, Kathryn Ellis, Gene Epstein, Betsy Fallon, Gretchen Gaede, Susan Gallagher, Joann Giordano, Zach Gorell, Marge Grevatt, John Gulyas and Maryann Posch, David Hagen, Joel Hauserman, Matthew Hollern, Margaret Kimura, Anne T. Kmieck, Ursula Korneitchouk, Tomasz Kowalczyk, Jean Kubota Cassill, Laura Kulber, Joanne Laessig, Andrea Leblond, Joan Lederer, Rick Lewin, Nancy Markham, Tobi Mattes, Susan McNamara, Shannon Morris, Robert Muller, Lynn O'Brien, Melissa O'Grady, Susan Prendergast, Debbie Apple Presser, Quandle Qadir, Robert Raack, Jeanne Regan, Jennifier Rohrer, Michael Romanik, Debra Rosen, Ann Rosmarin, Viktor Schreckengost, Patricia Schneider, Susan Skove, Steve Sorin, Susan Squires, Ellen Strong, Mark Sudduth, Anne Taylor, Jeremy Tugeau, Douglas Max Utter, Vivian Vail, Rafael Valdivieso, Roger Warner, Roy Woda, Theresa Yondo, Brent Kee Young, and Paula Zinsmeister.

Cleveland Public Library's Staff Chorus will perform the free and open to the public 10th Annual Holiday Concert on Friady, December 8, 12:00 Noon in the auditorium of the Main Library's Louis Stokes

Location

1st Anniversary Exhibition - Convivium33 Gallery at Josaphat Arts Hall in cooperation with the Bonfoey Gallery presents: CHRISTOPHER PEKOC- EVOLUTION 1964-2006

Christopher Pekoc, whose mural Night Sky in the main hall of the downtown Public Library is a Cleveland landmark, will be staging a major retrospective [that charts the technical and expressive evolution of his work over the last four decades and that highlights the ways in which photography has remained a constant creative stimulus for his work.] The exhibition, at Convivium33 Gallery in Cleveland will feature over 40 years of work as well as major pieces that have not been seen in decades, such as his grand-scale Kent (State) Triptych, based on his eyewitness experience of the shooting of unarmed student protesters by the National Guard in 1970.

Location

I was very please to be contacted, last month, by the editor of Cleveland Magazine and told they were writing a feature article on the remarkable St. Josephat Hall, home of the spectacular Convivium33 Gallery, which had just hosted a show of the great work of old family friend Clarence Van Duzer, and that the magazine would like to use in their article some of the photos and collages I had posted to REALNEO about that show. Well, the Cleveland Magazine article featuring all that, "Angel Investor" is in the December issue, now out, and very exciting.

Ceramist Gina DeSantis will be showing her great work in this holiday art sale. The other artists? I'm not sure who they are but I am expecting good things. Supposedly this is a member's only event. I can't imagine they would turn anyone away who wants to buy art and maybe a drink or two. Any Realneo members who are interested please contact me and I will forward you an email that will get you in.

Location

Attention!!  LADIES!!!   This is It!  Dec 1st, 2nd, 3rd,  Cine Hypo Films and Attic Photo will be selling a large  variety of vintage and retro costumes and clothes for the holiday open house at the Tower Press Building.  Doors open Friday at 6:00 pm in suite #102,  in  my studio space.  
Clothes and shoes will be on sale from $5.00 to $45.00.  Pass the info to your friends. These are the clothes and shoes that have been used in a variety of the films and photos of mine.  Now they are for sale!  Please forward this to all that might be interested.  

Location

Attention!!  LADIES!!!   This is It!  Dec 1st, 2nd, 3rd,  Cine Hypo Films and Attic Photo will be selling a large  variety of vintage and retro costumes and clothes for the holiday open house at the Tower Press Building.  Doors open Friday at 6:00 pm in suite #102,  in  my studio space.  
Clothes and shoes will be on sale from $5.00 to $45.00.  Pass the info to your friends. These are the clothes and shoes that have been used in a variety of the films and photos of mine.  Now they are for sale!  Please forward this to all that might be interested.  

Location

Attention!!  LADIES!!!   This is It!  Dec 1st, 2nd, 3rd,  Cine Hypo Films and Attic Photo will be selling a large  variety of vintage and retro costumes and clothes for the holiday open house at the Tower Press Building.  Doors open Friday at 6:00 pm in suite #102,  in  my studio space.  

Location

Wow -  I just realized Pere Ubu is in town tonight for a concert promoting their rave new album, "Why I Hate Women" - 10:15 PM at the Beachland Ballroom, with the New Lou Reeds opening at 9 PM. I had seen a glowing review of the new album in CoolCleveland this week but didn't notice about the show, which is a must see.... wee need a better way to spread word about arts and culture in NEO. Luckily, there was a feature in the Plain Dealer Friday section today, which gives the new album huge props too.

Location

ArtCraft Building is holding their 18th Annual Open Studio Holiday Sale, featuring the work of over 60 resident and visiting artists at 2570 Superior Avenue, with secured parking in the rear. Sat 12/2 noon-7PM and Sun 12/3 noon-5PM.

Location

This should be a great, quirky, unique show for holiday shopping (I quote ceramist Gina DeSantis here). I went last year and it was my favorite of the holiday art sales. It is also one of 1300 Gallery's last events.

Location

I was at the Cleveland Institute of Art today to review the subtle "Home House Show" of green affordable housing and noticed across the street the extravagant, stony Cleveland Museum of Art expansion is really taking shape. While not scheduled to open until Summer 2008, contractors are already adding the skin to the East Wing and it is now possible to visualize what the finished product will look like. Most visually dominant, the surface of the addition is covered in marble that is similar to the light gray of the original 1916 Beaux-Arts building, transitioned with horizontal thin dark gray lines in a pattern lifted from the more recent 1971 Breuer addition, and the new structure is overall very much in that modern, brutal style. Still to come is all the glass, which should give the structure greater lightness. I now look forward to the end result.

As part of the "Home House Project," the Cleveland Institute of Art will host a panel discussion on "Sustainable, Affordable, Innovative Housing Design in Cleveland." Participants will include Cleveland City Planning Director Robert Brown; developer Nathan Zaremba; Columbus architects Beth Blostein and Bart Overly; and Jeffrey Bowen, director of the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity.

Location