Friday, March 30, 2012

The Artist Series Presents BILL COSBY April 29



Description: Bill_Cosby_1
SUNDAY, APRIL 29th at 2:00PM
TIMES-UNION CENTER – MORAN THEATER

Bill Cosby’s humor centers on the human condition, family relationships, and the evolving roles of men and women.  Without resorting to gimmickry or low-brow humor, Cosby has touched generations of Americans with his unique brand of comic brilliance.  Don’t miss the chance to experience this one performance of iconic comedy!

Bill Cosby comes to Jacksonville’s Times-Union Center – Moran Theater on Sunday, April 29th at 2:00PM.  Tickets start at $42.00.  Discounts are available for groups of 10+ by calling (904) 632-3228 or groupsales@fscj.edu.

One of America’s most prolific comedians of all time, Cosby has dazzled generations of fans with his comedy routines, also captured on his iconic albums and best-selling books such as Fatherhood and the groundbreaking The Cosby Show.  His comedy transcends age, gender, and cultural barriers.
Cosby broke television’s racial barrier with a role in I Spy, becoming the first African American to costar on a television series and win three consecutive Emmys for “Outstanding Lead Actor” in the dramatic series.  The veteran comic hosted the Emmy-winning cartoon Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, which began airing in the 1970s and was made into a film in 2004.  The show, based on Cosby’s childhood in Philadelphia, was designed to educate and entertain.

The former Navy serviceman’s illustrious list of accomplishments includes roles on the children’s educational show Electric Company, and creating and producing the Emmy award winning Little Bill, which is based on his bestselling book series.

Perhaps Cosby’s greatest contribution to American entertainment and culture is The Cosby Show, about a close-knit, upper class black family.  Cosby said his intent was to portray an American family. Time magazine called the show “an encouraging sign of maturity in matters of race.”  The Cosby Show dominated the #1 spot for years, earning nearly unanimous critical praise. 

In June 2010, Bill Cosby and JELL-O reunited to bring about smiles.  JELL-O and Cosby launched the brand’s most ambitious campaign in years – Hello JELL-O – to once again bring moments of happy to people, every day, everywhere.  Cosby served behind-the-scenes as an executive producer on the integrated effort and helped produce a spot within the new trademark focused campaign by selecting the best giggle in America.

Additionally, Cosby hosted The Bill Cosby Show, “OBKB,” a series of 10-minute webisodes presented by JELL-O.  “OBKB” is the language of the Mush Mouth character from “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids” and it is his expression for “OK.”  “Bill-B Cosby-B” interviewed kids between the ages of 6 and 11, mining spontaneous and unexpected comedy from their responses. 

For his philanthropic efforts and positive influence as a performer and author, Cosby was honored with a 1998 Kennedy Center Honors Award.  In 2002, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor and the 2009 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.  On April 6, 2010, he was honored by his own hometown with the Marian Anderson Award.  He is the first lifelong Philadelphian to receive this award given to individuals who have helped change society through their art and the courage of their convictions.

Tickets for Bill Cosby in Jacksonville start at $42.00.  Discounts are available for groups of 10+ by calling (904) 632-3228 or groupsales@fscj.edu.

To order by phone with Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover call
The Artist Series Box Office at (904) 632-3373
(toll-free outside of Jacksonville 1-888-860-BWAY)

Tickets are also available online with Instant Seat Selection by visiting the
The Artist Series’ website: www.artistseriesjax.org

Gordon Meggison and Reddi Arts Present: A Watercolor Workshop Cafe!


This one day only (May 12 Saturday (9:45am) 10 am -5:30 pm ) This Cafe / Workshop is designed to inspire your enthusiasm for watercolors, and introduce exciting new challenges to take your watercolors to the next level! (Space limited to 6 artists.) Join us in a one day watercolor workshop designed for the student who has had at least some experience, not necessarily advanced, so that by the end of the day we can have a couple of small 10"x 14" watercolors ( or larger size of your choice) and some exercises that give your watercolors a boost , with important principle skills that will apply to every watercolor painting you do in the future. (Some aspects of this rough itinerary are subject to change as we progress depending on the timing of each event.) Cafe Workshop Price $100. (call Reddi Arts John (904)398-3161 ext 319) 

Arrive: 9:45 am to set up 6 people maximum, 4 people minimum 10:00 -11:45am -Demonstration - A warmup that lends itself to include color theory, composition, drawing, the application skills such as brush control, washes, wet on wet, specialty techniques, moving toward learning the basic and important ways to achieve luminosity and richness in your work, while creating a charming abstraction-leading to.......

How to pack for an outdoor painting trip 12:00 - 1:30am- lunch CAFE Demo at restaurant (restaurant  is subject to availability) It is designed to be a precursor for taking your art out of the studio.  (In the future I am looking for a select group to plan trips abroad for plein aire work, this is the beginning of that!) We will eat at a local restaurant with the artists (us!) painting there! ( restaurant location possibly European Street Cafe, Pizza Palace, or Taverna to create a European Ultimate Cafe experience!

1:45 pm- return to Reddi Arts- ( Optional depending on the weather and our feeling by consensus! ) DEMO  of easel watercolor painting to use wet on wet techniques to create rich soft luminous compelling paintings, the kind you might use on location ( working from photo provided by Gordon Meggison ) 2:30 - 5:00pm -Students will begin to paint from the demo to recreate the same effect ( working from a photo provided by Gordon Meggison ) 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm - wrap up, and a discussion re-examining everything covered for the day, and a group photo. 

"Some of the best moments in my life were when I took the time to sit down, capture the essence of a place in a deftly executed watercolor, that captured my fleeting impression and feeling of a place, be it a village in France or a beach in Florida. Life is to be savored, and this is my favorite way to do it, a morning watercolor followed by a nice meal in a cafe, followed by another watercolor.  It's the closest thing to heaven that I have found!  The only thing better is doing it with friends. I am always in search of the Ultimate Cafe!"

Gordon Meggison

COME JOIN US to search for the  "ULTIMATE CAFE Experience!" May 12 Saturday 10 am -5:30 pm

For Questions call Gordon (904)739-0251 or call John at Reddi Arts (904)398-3161 ext 319  Links: for Lists of Materials go to Host site below or Watercolor Workshop Cafe (May 12 Saturday (9:45am) 10 am -5:30 pm )

Friday, March 23, 2012

5th Annual Spoken Soul Festival | Celebrate Women Artists | March 31



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South Florida Celebrates Female Artists with the 5th Annual Spoken Soul Festival Taking Place During Women's National History Month and International
Support Women Artists Now Day

The Three Day, Spoken Soul Fesitval Aims to Celebrate, Inspire and Empower Women Through the Arts Showcasing over 15 South Florida Artists and Community Service Art Initiative

The Fifth Annual Spoken Soul Festival sets to celebrate female artists during National Women's History Month and International Support Women Arts Now Day (SWAN Day) from March 30 through April 1, 2012. The event is one of 55 international events that celebrates women artists on the last Saturday of Women's History Month and is organized by WomenArts, a worldwide community of artists and produced locally by South Florida art advocates.

Spoken Soul Festival's mission is to produce an annual festival that will help advance the careers of a variety of women artists including poets, fine artists, photographers, filmmakers, and designers. Spoken Soul Festival features three events: SWAN Community Program, SWAN Spoken Soul Showcase Vol. 5 on SWAN Day, and the Vanessa Baez Memorial Women's Brunch.

On Saturday, March 31, Miami's art community will embrace the female creative spirit showcasing over 15 artists including music, poetry, art and design at the beautiful Moore Space in the Design District.

"The Historic Moore Building in the Miami Design District is the perfect venue for this year's Spoken Soul Festival. Now in it's fifth year, the Festival has grown exponentially, expanding its reach and supporting some of the best women artists in Miami. We are pleased to provide such a venue in support of Spoken Soul Festival this year as in years past so that the Festival can continue to grow and have a positive impact on Miami and beyond," said Tiffany Chestler, Curator and Manager of The Craig Robins Collection.

Spoken Soul Showcase Vol. 5 will take place on Saturday, March 31, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Moore Space located at 4040 NE 2nd Avenue, Suite 200 in Miami 's Design District. The event is free for both participating artists and the public and will be hosted by Chanel, Clear Channel radio personality for 9.39 MIA and MEGA 94.9.

"This is my favorite event of the year! It's such an honor to be a part of Spoken Soul Festival and SWAN Day. Every year there's a new group of talented women that leave me in awe," said Chanel. 

Singers such as local favorite Antonia Jenaé, top selling poet, Haiku Death Match Miami Champ 2011 and featured author of Hialeah Haiku, Elena Santayana, NFAA's YoungArts star visual arts discipline coordinator lonijae (Loni Johnson) along with emerging DJ, photographers, and designers are set to blaze The Moore Space with talent, grace, color, and living art. 

FRIDAY, March 30, 2012
SWAN Community Program Benefiting The Safespace Foundation
SWAN Community Program is a special invitation only, community service event that empowers young girls and women through the arts. The SWAN Community Program 2012 beneficiary is The Safespace Foundation, a non -profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to the advocacy of domestic violence victims and survivors.

All teaching artist interested in volunteering please email dm_spokensoul@yahoo.com.

SATURDAY March 31, 2012 6pm - 10pm
SWAN Spoken Soul Showcase Vol. 5 | SWAN Day
15 South Florida women artists will be showcased, celebrating women artists on SWAN Day, an annual event that take place on the last Saturday of Women's History Month (March).

The Moore Space | Miami Design District
4040 NE 2nd Avenue - 2nd Floor
Miami, FL 33137

SUNDAY April 1, 2012 11:30am - 2:30pm
Spoken Soul Festival's Closing Special Event
8th Annual Vanessa Baez Memorial Women's Brunch
"Celebrating Everyday Women with Extraordinary Courage"
Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence at The Safespace Foundation

Mister Collins | One Bal Harbour Resort
10295 Collins Avenue
Bal Harbour, FL 33154

Price: $40 per person. Includes brunch.

Valet Parking: $5 with Restaurant Validation
Guest Speaker: Elena Linares of RazzleDazzle Barbershops

Spoken Soul Festival was inspired by a call for support by WITASWAN (Women in the Audiences Supporting Women Artists Now) and WomenArts, a non-profit arts service organization dedicated to helping women artists all over the world. SWAN Day has officiated itself as the female artists holiday with over 700 SWAN events in 21 countries around the world. WomenArts has recognized SWAN Day Miami as one of the top five SWAN events worldwide, considered one of the largest and most effective in training and supporting the participating women artists.

"I am honored and humbled to work with such an amazing production team, to feel the embrace of such a supportive art community and to be surround by to much inspiring talent,"said Deborah Magdalena, critically acclaimed actress, spoken word artist and Spoken Soul Festival founder.

Since its launch in March 2008, the festival has been awarded proclamations from the City of Miami Beach, Miami Dade County and the City of Miami as well as a City Of Miami City Seal. Featured artists have been commissioned or featured for shows during Art Basel Miami, Gibson Guitar Showroom, Hardrock Café Las Vegas, New York Fashion Week, featured in Women of The World Poetry SLAM and Gen Art's Fresh Faces Miami as a result of theirexposure.   
  
More information at www.spokensoulfestival.com.  


Tuesday, March 6, 2012

WATCH OFFICIAL COSMIC OPERA ACT 1 RECAP VIDEO



“Axwell was happy to oblige the seemingly limitless energy of the crowd with a set that lasted over two hours. The performers also proved exceptional; many of the dancers interspersed throughout the audience would often stop to chat with partygoers to get their take on the experience, and they stuck around for as long as was needed to get the full story.”
- Billboard

"The show has become a full-blown laser spectacular to the point where one feels like they're in the movie Tron. Five vertial cannons onstage explode with bursts of smoke. A circular white scree behind Axwell's DJ booth projects at different times: swirling, multicolored objects of varying shapes and sizes, the cosmos, and shimmering stars. Occassionlly, Axwell raises his hands high in the air like an electro conductor, basking in his power over the crowd." 
- Newsweek: The Daily Beast

The show was exceptional overall and its success will surely keep the growing trend of EDM-centric concerts moving forward. The combination of pulsating beats, compelling visuals and captivating performances came together for a one of a kind experience. Six hours of wall to wall entertainment that entertained everyone in attendance. It combined the energy of a rave, with the elegance and artistic touch of a classic opera."
- Guest of a Guest

“The crowd, which took the notion of dressing "theatrically" in directions that involved tuxedos, tuxedo T-shirts, pacifiers, Technicolor wigs, and outfits that glowed under the spitting lasers, took on an anticipatory air every time any of the DJs threw up their hands in anticipation of the drop and, subsequently, went bonkers on cue."
- The Village Voice

"Equally unexpected was the imitation snow that fell from the ceiling for a fleeting moment at the end of Axwell's final song... it invigorated the crowd after nearly six hours of dancing."
- Rolling Stone

"The stage looked like it was plucked straight from the phatom of the opera. The DJ booth looked more like church organs, ready to bellow out the loudest chords at any given moment. Behind the booth, a beautiful backdrop that looked more like a Broadway set than a stage for an Axwell concert. The phantom himself would have approved."
- Elektro Daily