Highlighting Houston's Diversity One Video at a Time
This is my favorite weekend of the year and I am kicking it off by watching Michael Jackson’s This is It. As so many others will, Mr. Jackson will serve as the basis for my Halloween costume this year, which will also include his friends Elizabeth, Liza, Macauly, Madonna, Justin, Lisa Marie and Blanket. Hope to see you out!
Check out one of our favorite videos on KHR featuring Sheyla Jackson Lee eulogizing Michael.
A beautiful video about The City of Houston.
From the YouTube page, “Video of the shipwrecked passenger/cargo steamliner City of Houston. She wrecked in a storm near Frying Pan Shoals in 1878. She was carrying a load of cargo and passengers from New York to Galveston, TX. They were part of the western settlement.”
Can you guess where this was shot? Clue: it is in Houston!
Thanks, Ted for the tip.
Smooth Few Films give us a new webisode of their series, Web Zeroes. The guys have done a great job of polishing the series – GoDaddy to the rescue. Looking forward to new episodes.
Join the Lawndale Art Center for their annual Dia de los Muertos celebration. From their site:
Gala and Retablo Silent Auction
Friday, October 23, 2009
Artist, Member and Sponsor preview 6-7 PM
Gala and Silent Auction 7-9 PM
Event Chairs
Michelle Aviña and Steven Hempel
Admission: $40 per person
$30 for Lawndale Members
Available at the door, by calling 713.528.5858
or email askus@lawndaleartcenter.org
The festivities begin with a silent auction Friday, October 23. The auction of retablos, created and donated by nearly 300 Texas artists, feature contemporary interpretations of this traditional, devotional art. Guests will also enjoy Día de los Muertos exhibitions in the Cavnar and Mezzanine Galleries which feature the works of Houston school children.
Music from Mr. Bristle and friends. Tasty tidbits and libations from Mission Burrito, Tacos A Go-Go, Raven Grill, Tart Cafe, Brasil, The Chocolate Bar, Saint Arnold Brewing Company and El Milagro Tequila.
For ticket information, call 713-528-5858.
Houston Comedian, Writer & Ethnic Chameleon, Al B, wrote and directed Comedy Work Out featuring Reverend Bart & G.W. Boles. On his YouTube page, Al writes “To all the vaudevillians of time past, thank you for the good times and the laughs. And to the funny people of times to come, keep working on your craft.” To learn more about what’s going on in Houston comedy, check out his blog.
Houston video artist, Jenny Schlief, has an opening at The Joanna this weekend. I got a chance to hear her talk about her work at Diverseworks over the weekend and am looking forward to seeing her new stuff. The work draws attention to the fine line between childhood innocence and the reality of adulthood. On her YouTube page, Jenny writes about Girlstar – 2007, “Spent the night in a hotel and then woke up to perform this video where I jump on the bed singing ‘whatever’ to children’s songs.”
Check out her show at the Joanna this Saturday, October 17th at 6:00PM.
Houston Arts and Media gives us a little Houston history for this Tuesday.
AIGA Houston (American Institute of Graphic Arts) screens Beautiful Losers at Domy Bookstore tonight.
From the Domy site:
“BEAUTIFUL LOSERS celebrates the spirit behind one of the most influential cultural moments of a generation.
In the early 1990s a loose-knit group of likeminded outsiders found common ground at a little NYC storefront gallery. Rooted in the DIY (do-it-yourself) subcultures of skateboarding, surf, punk, hip hop & graffiti, they made art that reflected the lifestyles they led. Developing their craft with almost no influence from the “establishment” art world, this group, and the subcultures they sprang from, have now become a movement that has been transforming pop culture.
Starring a selection of artists who are considered leaders within this culture, Beautiful Losers focuses on the telling of personal stories. It speaks to themes of what happens when the outside becomes “in” as it explores the creative ethos connecting these artists and today’s youth.”
Our favorite neighborhood was named one of the 10 greatest neighborhoods in the US by the American Planning Association.