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News & Notes: Game night, lectures, auctions, Kickstarters

By Barry Johnson
November 7, 2013
Culture, News & Notes

A few of us here at ArtsWatch are aware that this is Game Night. Go team!

On the other hand, games aren’t for everyone, and it’s entirely possible to be thinking “Go team!” with one small part of the brain while listening deeply to the World Premiere of the full orchestral version of Kenji Bunch’s “Supermaximum” at the Portland Youth Philharmonic tonight under the baton of music director David Hattner. Yes, the brain is that elastic. Amazing. And that’s not the only way to engage with the arts tonight, because this is also First Thursday. Sometimes we loll between galleries and sometimes we seek refuge from the storm. I think this one’s going to be the latter.

But one way or another, we have a side of arts news to deliver today, stormy weather or no…

Speaking of tonight: “Unclad,” the Portland State University School of Architecture’s 2013-2014 International Lecture Series, is bringing architect/urban theoretician Ellen Dunham-Jones to the Shattuck Hall Annex for a 6 pm lecture tonight. Dunham-Jones co-authored “Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs,” which deals with a problem every American city faces: Somehow making the vast investment in suburbs work in the future that is tumbling our way. You can see her TED talk, if you are indisposed, but a fuller exposition is always in order!

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Eva Speer is part of Disjecta's art auction.

Eva Speer is part of Disjecta’s art auction.

Alert: We are entering the time of the Benefit Art Auction.

Here are two that have crossed the ArtsWatch desk recently, and we’ll keep you abreast of others that pop up.

1. To benefit White Box exhibitions and educational programming, the University of Oregon gallery in the White Stage building, 24 NW First Avenue, Portland, is offering all 64 of the Craig Hickman prints from the current exhibition. You can view the prints here, eventually.

Bidding will begin at 5 pm tonight (November 7) and continue until 6 pm November 23. As usual, The highest bid placed on a print closest to the closing date and time will be awarded the piece. The winning bids will be charitable donations and are tax deductible.

2. The Disjecta art auction, its 7th annual, is November 16, and the roster of artists involved is too lengthy to list here, but they are listed on the site. OK, OK, here are the first 10 names on the list:

Delaney Allen
Corey Arnold
Hayley Barker
Avantika Bawa
Mike Bray
Wayne Bund
Ben Buswell
Vanessa Calvert
Calvin Ross Carl
Lea Cetera

You can preview the work that will be available from noon-5 pm November 8-10, or by appointment through November 15. The auction begins in earnest at 8 pm on November 16.

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brainfood 2Let’s move along to Kickstarters! I know, maybe you’re experiencing a little Kickstarter Fatigue by now? But it’s an excellent way, still, to help innovative projects in the arts get out of the artists’ minds and into the public sphere!

1. Know Your City: Formerly known as Prince, I mean, Dill Pickle Club, Know Your City is dedicated to the proposition that more we know about the history of Portland, the better, whether it’s to guide our future plans or celebrate something cool. The group wants to open a kiosk in Ankeny Alley, primarily aimed at visitors to Portland, to sell tickets to tours and publications, and provide information about independent businesses in the area. As of today, KYC was about a third of the way to its $10,000 goal with 20 days left in the campaign.

2. Destination DIY: Actually, I fibbed a little: This is an indiegogo campaign that Destination DIY founder Julie Sabatier has started to keep her splendid radio show, which is gathering some great momentum, going in 2014. Specifically, Sabatier will spend the money on studio time, audio equipment, an independent editor, freelance producers she wants to showcase, original music, and a new and improved website. That’s a lot for the $20,000 Sabatier wants to raise. She has 28 days left, and has just started, really, with about @17,000 to go.

3. Brain Food Deck/Right Brain Initiative + AIGA: We only have a matter of hours to push this one across the finish line, and less than $200 to go! It’s a deck of card, designed by Portland graphic designers, each with a different idea to spur creativity for kids, parents, and teachers. And maybe writers! Brain Food cards have been beautifully and originally designed by ten local illustrators, volunteering their time: Josh Balleza, Allison Berg, Halle Cisco, Melissa Egan, Jamie Letourneau, Forrest Martin, Sara Sjol, Jenny Tiffany, Tom O’Toole and Brooke Weeber. And the idea is to give the cards to teachers in the 44 schools that Right Brain serves, along with anyone else who wants them. Good idea!

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