CricketToes

Sita Sings the Blues Brilliantly

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! That is the only word worthy enough to describe Nina Paley's masterpiece Sita Sings the Blues. Truly, it is among one of the finest animated films to come along in an extraordinarily long time.

Utilizing a remarkable variety of animation styles and techniques, Sita Sings the Blues is a melding of the ancient Indian tragedy of Sita and Rama, as told in the epic Ramayana, and the story of a modern-day marriage breakup. Also, it's funny!

The entire 82 minute film can be viewed on the Reel 13 Blog and I highly recommend that y'all get yourselves a bottle of your favorite liquid and watch it.

For those needing a little nudge, here’s the trailer:

Due to copyright issues over the songs used in the film, Paley has faced a lot of hardship in her effort to get it released commercially. You can help get Sita out of copyright jail by donating here or at her blog.

Link to Official Website

(via Drawn!)

Hidden River Art Festival Calling

The folks at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Brookfield, WI have issued a call for artists to participate in the 4th Annual Hidden River Art Festival, September 18–20, 2009.

The juried show and sale will include 80 Wisconsin artists working in the mediums of Painting and Drawing, Photography and Digital Art, Printmaking, 2D Mixed Media, Sculpture and 3D Mixed Media, Decorative and Functional Arts, and the always mysterious Other.

The rules are simple if relatively lengthy and are available on the downloadable application. There's one that states, "Images that include the name or likeness of the artist are not acceptable for jurying," which I don't really understand, but there's plenty in this world that defies my comprehension, so c'est la vie.

Anyhoo, the festival will be held rain or shine at the Wilson Center's Ploch Art Gallery and will sprawl out onto the Mitchell Park grounds. Those artists showing in the open air will be provided with shelter under ginormous tents so their work and they themselves won't get soggy.

The nonrefundable early application fee is $33.00, with a deadline of 5PM on Friday, March 27. The equally nonrefundable final application fee rings in at $45.00 and must be received by 5PM on Monday, April 20. Should you manage to impress the three-member juror panel enough to be accepted, there's a $198.00 booth fee.

Three swanky awards will be handed out on Saturday, September 19:
1. Joanne Johnson Best of Show - $1,000.00 and option for an exhibit in the Wilson Center's Ploch Art Gallery
2. Jurors' Choice - $500.00
3. People's Choice - $250.00

For a festival, those prizes are nothing to sneeze at. Plus ya get to show and sell your work to masses, so why not apply, eh?

If you have questions, contact Jena Lee, Studio Programs Coordinator, at 262-781-9470 X5023 or email jlee at wilson-center dot com.

Now it's all up to you, kids. Good luck and good showing!

Link (Thanks, Jena!)

It's a Move-A-Rama for Sign-A-Rama

Though Cricky's known this juicy bit o' intel for awhile, we've just been cleared to inform you that our good buds over at Sign-A-Rama of Milwaukee have officially announced that they're moving from their longtime home on Water Street to bigger and better digs at 272 N. 12th Street, just off W. St. Paul Avenue.

Sign-A-Rama has been serving the business and creative communities with signs, banners and graphics of all kinds for seven years. They even do small lamination jobs for anyone and everyone.

While the building is situated in a neighborhood with a definite industrial park feel, it also offers the sign makers with the funny name a drive-in garage where they can more easily pursue the art of their extraordinary vehicle wraps. Ya know those fancy graphics you see on cars and trucks all over town? Well, they're the ones responsible.

The move is set to take place over the course of this weekend. After that, they'll be ready for whatever you can throw at 'em.

Check out their new website.

UPDATE: Sign-A-Rama has provided us with a map to their new location (click on it for a better view):

(Thanks, Bradd!)

The Rules of The Art Game

Last week, incoming Executive Director of the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) Melissa Musante posted a call for submissions on the org's listserv for the July 25, 2009 local Artist Marketplace Day at the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM). According to her message, MARN will have only two booths at the event, therefore, the selections will be made by jury.

Sounds pretty okay so far, right? Well, besides the requirement imposed by MARN that artists must be dues paying members to qualify--hmm... pay to play, anyone?--MAM's got a whole lotta rules that you've gotta abide by, so if ya like the security of structure and being told what to do, you're the perfect candidate! Everyone else, it appears, can bloody well bugger off.

Yes, yes, I understand that it's MAM show and they can make as many rules as they like, and I have no problem with the majority of 'em, but I find this one to be particularly vague and dictatorial:

"The art must be professional quality work not made from molds or commercial patterns or anything considered commercial such as t-shirts."

Professional quality work, good. Not made from molds or commercial patterns or anything considered commercial, not so good. Plenty of artists--from the most traditionally trained to the self-taught--have used molds and/or mass-produced patterns in their work, often as a commentary on capitalism/commercialism run amok. From the way this rule is written, one can only surmise that artists who employ these techniques--and maybe these themes--are not welcome. Perhaps a rewording is in order.

On the other hand, what the hell do I know? I'm just an art freedom lover who loathes being told what I can and cannot do.

Link

Related:
MARN Names Melissa Musante as New ED

Nectar of the Fruity Gods

Great Lakes Distillery, Wisconsin's only craft distillery to poke its head out of the smothering sand of Prohibition, announced yesterday that it's introducing the first three of who knows how many Artisan Series fruit brandies: Kirschwasser, Grappa and Pear Brandy Eau-de-Vie. Fruity boozers rejoice!

Distilled in micro batches, each packs an 80 proof punch and are traditionally consumed pre- and/or post-feast, but, hey, once you buy a bottle it's yours, so you can drink it anytime ya want--ah, sweet freedom.

These German, Italian and French inspired brandies are available for purchase as of this week.

Link (via Milwaukee Business Journal)

Related:
Uncover the Still, Johnny, and Let the Booze Run Free!
Attention Boozehounds: GLD's Rehorst Citrus & Honey Vodka Available Today

Workaday Slaves/Artists Invited to Meeting

Anne Katz of Arts Wisconsin will be holding a dialogue on budget and advocacy in Milwaukee at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts tomorrow, February 24, from 3:30PM to 4:30PM.

If you happen to have that hour free between slaving your life away for The Man, RSVP by sending an email to the Cultural Alliance’s Denise Lubotsky dlubotsky at culturalalliancemke dot org ASAP.

Link

CoPA Celebrates Its B-Day with Bloody Bidding Combat

Milwaukee's Coalition of Photographic Arts (CoPA) is holding a silent auction at The Armoury Gallery, 1718 N. 1st Street 3N3, on Saturday, February 21. Harmlessly entitled 4 FOUR IV! The CoPA Birthday Party Pin-Up Show, the name belies what's sure to be a devastating scene of fine art bidding slaughter.

On the block are photographic prints donated by CoPA members and the proceeds go to benefit the CoPA Photographic Educational Grant. Brave and valiant bidders will have from 6PM to 9PM to battle each other in the hopes of walking away victorious, art in hand, leaving their opponents to lick their wounds and whimper in disappointment. Let the carnage begin!

(Thanks, Cassandra & Jessica!)

Codebreaker Video Awarded Blogosphere's Holy Grail

Two days ago, local retro/electro band Codebreaker and videographer Erik West hit the viral Internets™ big time when none other than Boing Boing's Xeni Jardin--the high priestess of dorkish übercool--picked up on and posted their "Fire (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" video for the whole world to witness.

Directed, shot and edited by freelancer West--with a little help from Jeff Thomas--the video is in complete contrast to the song's hot topic, beat and rhythm as it features compiled footage of the snow storms Miltown has recently enjoyed:

Pretty sweet, right? All the cars, buses, snowplows, trucks and planes look like wee toys. And, say, isn't that the side entrance and taxi stand of the Pfister Hotel?

Job well done and a hearty congrats to ya, kids!

Link to Boing Boing post

Get Your National Condom Week Party Supplies

In case you hadn't heard--though there's really no doubt ya have seein' as you're all kinds of smart--a very special celebratory time began on Valentine's Day and runs all the way through this Saturday, February 21: National Condom Week. It's a whole week dedicated to honoring the unassuming yet extremely important product that helps people stay healthy and 95-98% baby free.

If you haven't got all your party supplies yet, don't panic! Just head on over to Milwaukee's own Tool Shed, 2427 N. Murray Avenue, where they've got high quality, low priced condoms of all types, textures, colors, flavors and sizes, including vegan latex dental dams and condoms. Buy in bulk to save money and maybe even your life. All hail the mighty sheath!

When you do stop in at Tool Shed, don't expect to see owner and Shepherd Express columnist Laura Anne Stuart 'cause she's taken her show on the road to Southwestern Minnesota State University and Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota to spread the word about sexual health and safety. But she'll be back just in time for Saturday's benefit event for the Broad Vocabulary cooperative, featuring feministing.com writer Jessica Valenti who'll discuss the new anthology Yes Means Yes! Visions of Female Sexual Power & A World Without Rape. It all starts at 7:00PM and there's a suggested donation of $10, so saddle up and support the cause!

Link (Thanks, Laura!)

Related:
Give Thanks for with Your Help Broad Vocabulary May Live On!
RIP Broad Vocabulary

A Voice Emerges for WPCA

As a part of her new position of PR/Marketing/Membership Coordinator at Walker's Point Center for the Arts (WPCA), local artist, educator and deep thinker Dorota Biczel Nelson has started a blog to keep everyone informed of the numerous exhibitions and events scheduled at the center. WPCA's executive director Gary Tuma will also be blogging, but so far it's been all Biczel Nelson.

To date she's posted a summary of the January 27 listening session held at WPCA, which was sponsored by Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) and the Cultural Alliance of Greater Milwaukee, and a very compelling item about artist and Tory Folliard Gallery director Richard Knight's upcoming two-day only exhibition, March 6 and 7.

Though the chances of Biczel Nelson's posts developing an opinionated slant are slim to none--surprisingly, that's not usually what PR folk do--her insights on art and her firm grasp on the issues facing the artistic community are a welcome addition to the blogosphere.

We greatly encourage all you Cricky readers to check out WPCA's blog, add it to your bookmarks and/or subscribe.

Link (Thanks, Dorota!)