BACA meeting, Fenty might show

Once again, like every first Monday of the month there is a BACA (Bates Area Civic Association) meeting 7pm in the basement cafeteria of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church at the corner of Q & 3rd. Jim Berry says that Mayor Fenty will make a quick appearance. Also on the schedule is someone from KIPP to talk about their interest in the Cook School. Last time the KIPP person did not show.
I’m just happy there are two parties interested in the school. One being a collection of arts folk, called FLUX, the other KIPP. I have concerns about both. The question I have about the arts group is how open they’d be with the surrounding area. There are about two places with artists down in the Hanover region of the TC and they periodically open their doors. Would this be another art fortress, and I completely understand the need for closed doors, or would the doors open more often for regular exhibits and performances? With the KIPP school the problem is traffic and the attraction of students from all over the city. P Street can be tight already, add that to the Armstrong charter school and other KIPP school on P.

In search of a Happy Hour


Guess what? There is a dress code at Corduroy. I suspected as much when I called up Jimbo and suggested we head over and check out the happy hour. Jimbo was quite casual, sporting shorts, sandals and a tee. Jim had quite a bit of news, which you can read over at his blog, and so we talked about that on our way over to 9th Street.
Heading down 9th we stopped by the Long View Gallery. The cool painting in the window, of the flag wrapped like a bag (see pictured), just hung today, already sold. There is another blog posting about the opening for the artist Richard Currier, by Shaw Rez. The opening is this Friday, but I’ve already now seen it. I like the style and Drew mentioned that some of (or one of) Currier’s is in a museum somewhere. Oh, and there were two happy pooches in the gallery. Almost everytime I’ve been to Long View there is a canine in the house.
Anyway, we gave our reviews and said our goodbyes and continued on to Corduroy. And then we discovered the dress code. Shorts were a no-no. I didn’t even consider Jim’s shorts, I thought the sport sandals would be the deal breaker. The maitre’d asked if Jim lived close enough to change, but we decided to just come back another day. And I do hope to come back another day an try out their happy hour. That day, someone will be wearing pants, and maybe close toed shoes.
As I mentioned earlier, I suspected there was a dress code so I had a plan B. Vegetate also has a happy hour, so we turned northward on 9th. Mini-veggie burgers are good. So are the accompanying fries.

End of Nature Art Show at Warehouse


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Originally uploaded by In Shaw

Friday went to see the art work of friends and neighbors at the Warehouse Theater on 7th. The theme was to have artists think about “THE END OF NATURE”. I kind of like Artist Ira Tattleman’s view of it that there is no end of nature, nature fights through the sidewalks. In his piece, which I think (I didn’t take notes) was titled “The band played on” incorporated I.V. tubes and other medical items to denote illness in either our world or nature (once again, if I had notes…).
Tom Drymon took up one whole room for his “We All Fall Down”. I can’t remember the text of how the installation related to the theme, but I do know he was a N.O. Katrina victim and one of the photos in the piece was damaged by the storm waters.
Anyway, the pictures I took of Tom’s & Ira’s pieces are in the Flickr tag group EndofNatureArtShow. Shown here are two pieces I really liked and would consider buying, as they were actually in my price range.

What do artists need?

A comment back on one of the empty schools posts, has got me a wondering. We talk about creating spaces for artists, arts districts, etc. but that got me to wondering about what exactly do artists (and what kind of artists) need. Individual artists, groups/companies of artists, professional and amateur artists, what is it that they need? ‘Cause I don’t want to assume too much.
First, I started thinking about what kind of artist. Visual arts? Performing arts? What do dancers need? I know certain dancers need a space with a sprung wooden floor (concrete flooring is bad for the knees). I know there are several musicians in the neighborhood at various levels (music teachers, band members, amateurs, etc). In the visual arts range there are two artists (with day jobs) on my block. Lastly, I know of one actor/waiter, I’m going to gather there might be more hiding amongst us.
Second, what do these people need? Practice space? Work space? Exhibit space? Performance spaces? And follow that up with how would the spaces be provided?
Anyway, just wondering out loud. But if you are an artist of any sort feel free to comment and say what you need. As a crappy flute player, I need instruction, and neighbors tolerating the sound of scales played over, and over, and over again.

When Historic Districts Attack- The 4th Amendment

File under WTF?
Thanks Ray for pointing out an article in the Washington Times (as I hardly ever read that paper) of a couple who won a lawsuit against the DC government for a raid on their home, unlawful seizure of papers from said home, regarding perceived Historic Preservation violations.
A little Google search regarding the saga reveals differing opinions on if the couple actually did the HPRB dance correctly, which is not the matter that makes me fearful, it was the police raid of their home that concerns my little libertarian heart. The portion of the 4th amendment the violation in this is “no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
According to the lawsuit [pdf] a March 26, 2003 warrant was issued to search the home of Ms. Elkins and Mr. Robbins, but the warrant didn’t say anything about seizing papers or the like. The next day DC’s finest and DCRA “officials went throughout the home (including the
bedrooms of sick children home from school), opening drawers, observing, and taking photos.”
Seriously, this is just supposed to be about exterior crap, not worthy of a f*ing raid. One of the few things I agree with the pro-Historic District people on is that HDs are about the outside aesthetics of house, and what can be observed from the street, etc, etc. However, this, is something else. Investigate the case for yourself, decide if DC went too far a violated a family’s privacy and order.
On the bright side, Ms. Elkins, an artist, has turned her experience into art.