Upcoming Events!

October 25, 2008 - Cleanup day at La Reunion TX site. 9am - 12pm. Wear sturdy shoes, long pants and a smile on your face. The site is so lovely in the Fall! Sign up with Scott Nance if you are interested. scott.nance.monkey@gmail.com

November 6, 2008 - Launch of Make Space for Artists : Design-a-Studio at the Dallas Museum of Art. 7pm. Location in the DMA is TBA. Real life artists, students, lovers of art and designers at heart will be encouraged to go to the DMA Tech Lab and design a studio using Google Sketch Up. Program closes with a winner's ceremony and prize money presentation in February 2009.

November 8, 2008 - Art Chicas Unidas 2008. Evening reception 4:30 -- 6:00pm. This is our beloved Fall program piloted and funded last year by Dallas Women's Foundation. We team small groups of girls with a mentor artist for a day-long workshop at the LRTX Gallery. That evening there's a reception to display the fruits of their labor. Proceeds from sales get re-invested back in to the program for next year. Presenting partners include: Dallas Art Dealers Association, Deaf Action Center of Texas and Girl Scout of North East Texas. Sponsors so far include Central Market. Please let Lisa Taylor know if you are interested in helping out or sponsoring a girl to go through the program for $50. info@dallasartdealers.org

November 13, 2008 - HATCH. Presented by La Reunion TX and Texas Next Top Designer. A one night only "pop-up store" at the LRTX Gallery, located at 2129 Farrington in Dallas, featuring designers in all media. Think furniture, clothes, paintings, trinkets, etc all hand crafted and home grown. Music, food, drinks! A good time is guaranteed for all! $10 admission. Proceeds go to La Reunion TX and Texas Next Top Designer. For more info, email Jamie Baker - baker18@swbell.net

La Reunion TX advisor David Hopkins is awesome

Remember that Free Comic Book day in Craddock Park and Zeus Comics we participated in last May? And how advisor David Hopkins moderated a panel discussion? Well, check this out! He's being praised for doing a great job. Thanks David!

Mentor Madres - Sponsor a girl today!

Our second annual Art Chicas Unidas program is just around the corner - November 8. This is our collaborative Fall program with Girl Scouts of NorthEast Texas and Dallas Art Dealers Association. ACU is an art and education program with high school aged girls and professional women artists. Our pilot program last year was funded by Dallas Women's Foundation. This year, we're engaging professional women in all walks of life to "sponsor a girl" and become a Mentor Madre. For only $50 you can take care of the supplies and expenses of one girl going through our day-long program in our Design District Gallery, located at 2129 Farrington Street.

WHAT IS IT - ART CHICAS UNIDAS
Small teams of high school aged girls will work with professional women artists selected by jury and create one of a kind art works based on materials from our 35 acres site in Oak Cliff. The finished art works will be on display that same evening and all proceeds from sales go back into the Art Chicas Unidas program. What makes this program unique? This year we are working with Deaf Action Center, socio-economically challenged schools as well as girls that are getting the full art experience like at Booker T. We engage all walks of life and backgrounds and introduce new skills and interests, from photography to guitar to encaustic.

We will honor our Mentor Madres this year with your names across our invitational postcard to the reception. Even if you can't make the reception November 8, please support this program today. Download the form and mail or email back. Deadline Oct 18 to be on the card! Don't delay!

art%20chicas%20mentor%20madre%2008.pdf

WHAT IS IT - LA REUNION TX
La ReUnion

A recap : Open House - September 27, 2008

Scott Nance - our point person for all things on the site in Oak Cliff will be contributing as guest blogger on the La Reunion TX weblog. Look for info on clean-up days, the site in general. Welcome Scott!

On Saturday, September 27, La Reunion TX launched their inaugural fundraising campaign at their World Headquarters located at 2129 Farrington by hosting an Open House. Wow! What a beautiful event. A large and lively crowd filled the room to view enlargements of a few of the 68 architectural renderings collected during the international search for the building design for the residences and campus. Guests enjoyed music from keyboardist Neeki Bey, a delectable spread provided by Oak Cliff's newest restaurant sensation, Bolsa, and drinks provided by Dry Soda Co.

La Reunion was able to begin funding thanks to numerous donors who generously gave $2430. A particularly stunning way to help out is by purchasing the newly published book Make Space for Art containing all 68 architectural bids. This book is a feast for the eyes and was premiered at the Open House as part of the fundraising effort.

Please continue to help us raise the money needed to reach our next goal and kindly spread the word to you friends about this magnificent project!

Modern Dallas dot Net

We're one of the beneficiaries for their One Year Celebration this upcoming Friday, October 3. Visit ModernDallas.net for all the details.

Art Chicas Update....

This year the program is going to be spectacular. We have a home in the Design District to host the event, we have an inspiring natural setting from which to spark our ideas - whether they me music, collage, or poetry. Save the date. November 8, 2008. Open to girls 8-12 grade.

Call for artists here - FINAL%20call%20for%20artists%202008.doc

Adult mentor application here - FINAL%20Artist%20Application.doc

Student application here - FINAL%20Student%20Application%202008.doc

Video by Rob McCollom and Open House invite

Enjoy the video. Then come learn more at our Open House on Saturday, September 27 from 5-7PM. The event is "come and go" - no program, just swing by, say hi and have a bite to eat from Bolsa -- Oak Cliff's newest hot spot. Musician Neek Bey will be performing throughout the evening and large scale boards will be on display from our Make Space for Art international architecture program. (Thank you Corgan Media Lab for the printing!) We're launching our Inaugural Fundraising Campaign that night and would love for you to participate!

LRTX Gallery
2129 Farrington Street
Dallas, Texas 75207

Also -- be among the first to hear about an exciting collaboration between La Reunion TX and the Dallas Museum of Art launching in November! Come by and say Hello! Be the first to hear about all the exciting collaborations cooking in the LRTX kitchen*!

(*Not an actual kitchen. A metaphorical kitchen. Seriously.)

Second Annual Art Chicas Unidas - Call for Artists!

Who: La Reunion TX teams up again with Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas and Dallas Art Dealers Association to produce Art Chicas Unidas, a program to engage artists in the Dallas area to become involved in the artistic development of high school girls. Women artists, minority artists and artists working in all media are encouraged to apply.

What: Artists will lead teams of 5 girls in a day long project (9am – 3pm) with the goal that the girls co-host an exhibit showing an artifact they have created. The plan this year to create works directly inspired from or using materials from our 35 acre site. Think dirt, limbs, found materials, poetry inspired from the site etc. Get creative!

An evening reception will be open to their families and public at the end of the day long workshop at La Reunion TX’s gallery located at 2129 Farrington Street in Dallas. During lunch, members of DADA will lead a demonstration of the real-life essentials of how to create an artist portfolio including an artist statement, a bio, and an exhibition resume along with examples of their work. The La Reunion TX artist selection committee is made up of Dallas area arts professionals who will choose artists for this program.

When: Artists interested must complete the application (word file below), required digital portfolio with a $20 processing/background check fee and return to La Reunion TX by Sept. 30.

Mail proposals to:
La Reunion TX
2129 Farrington Street
Dallas, Texas 75207

Important dates:
Sept. 30: application deadline
Oct 10 (?): interviews for selected artists and their proposal
Oct 15: artists notified of acceptance (or not)
Oct. 20: materials list due
Nov. 8: workshop date

Stipend: Chosen artists will each be paid a $225 stipend for their time and planning of the day-long workshop. A materials budget of $75 is available for each chosen program.

For more information, please contact La Reunion TX Executive Director Sarah Jane Semrad at sarah@LaReunionTX.org or DADA Executive Director Lisa Taylor at info@dallasartdealers.org.

Fall%202008%20Art%20Chicas%20Application.doc

Show Pony Show

The cool kids at the Show Pony Show have selected us to be the beneficiary of their raffle! Head over to the Continental Lofts (3311 Elm, Deep Ellum) on Sunday from 11-7. Explore the works of local artists and craft gurus. Visit our booth and bring your old electronics for DonateIT. Everyone is talking about it!

And here's the Channel 8 piece that aired.

Enjoy! And thank you to all who responded to the piece.

Yes, watch the news! On occasion, there is good news to share!

LRTX world headquarters received a call Monday from News 8 Daybreak anchor Cynthia Izaguirre. She had heard about the La Reunion project from an old mutual friend of ours and wanted to do a story! We talked about different aspects of what we're doing programatically and she settled on filming the site and featuring Tree Carving. I got on the line with a handful of the artists who participated at the February event and lo and behold they could make the filming and be interviewed!

We filmed for 3 hours on Tuesday morning. It was hot, humid, sticky but joyous for this kind of exposure. Cynthia is a delight to work with and very funny. We had a marvelous time and we are looking forward to the story airing tomorrow (Friday) at 10pm.

where life and art unite

Quoted from this essay by Andrew Taylor:

"Over the two arts conventions I've just marshaled through, one particular comment has been bouncing around in my head more than others. It was said during one of the many AmericaSpeaks caucus sessions in Denver, that gathered groups of 8 to 10 cross-disciplinary participants to talk about larger, common issues of performing arts policy.

The group was bemoaning the disconnect between the professional arts and civic life, evidenced by their tenuous support in city councils, state budgets, and federal policy. And then one participant said this:

''We need to stop making the arts so special.''

The participant didn't mean it in a snarky way. He had just realized the strange and often self-produced gulf between creative expression and everyday life. Art shouldn't be an experience we reserve for sacred and exceptional moments, he said. It should be an expected and completely normal part of everything we do.

There has been a perceived strategic advantage, at least in the past decades, in promoting the arts as separately important to community and society -- a unique and specialized form of expression that demanded special protection and focused support. But the group was coming to realize the downside to that strategy, which is to disengage creative expression (particularly professional creative expression) from the everyday, the expected, the assumed, the obvious.

Art and artistic expression shouldn't be the jewelry of society, it should be part of the blood, part of the muscle, and part of the bone. When our strategies set us apart from the world so that we can be separately admired, supported, and valued, we shouldn't be surprised when we are perceived as separate.

As John Dewey wrote more than 70 years ago:

As long as art is the beauty parlor of civilization, neither art nor civilization is secure."

News from a Tree Carving artist - in Zimbabwe

Tyler Sharp is one talented photographer and really, a jack of all trades. He participated in the Tree Carving we did back in February and spearheaded the artistic direction of our display at NorthPark for the AIA Retrospect show back in April. Now we can live vicariously through his lens and stories as he travels the world this summer.... Here's news from his latest email. (I got his permission to repost):

"Hello to all, I am writing from Zimbabwe while I can, as yesterday they cut the main phone, cell and internet lines country wide, probably to suppress news coverage. I got here two days ago, right during these elections, and they gave me quite a difficult time at customs. They thought that I was a journalist with all of my cameras, and wouldn't let me go through unless I had a letter inviting me to the country, which I obviously did not have. My options were to leave it at customs, in a "locked" safe, or pay a $1500 deposit fee to take it with me. Here is the catch though, when I came to pick up my deposit afterwards, they were to pay me in Zim dollars (which ends up being trillions of dollars). No joke, I have a 5 billion dollar bill in my hand right now, and gazillion is an actual form of currency here. Pretty crazy that I am a gazillionaire here, literally. Impressed ladies? I would be...Anyways, 5 billion dollars is about one dollar here, so I am a $1000 millionaire. Long story short, some of my friends talked the customs guys down to $200, and I got my video camera back. But they have come by the lodge a few times to check on the camera to make sure it is still here and I am not doing guerilla journalism. Little do they know that I have like 4 cameras!!! Hahahah!

One of the more intense moments was when I was sitting in the house of 25 Zanu PF (Mugagbe supporters). They were all wearing Mugabe shirts and bandanas, and had banners all over the walls. I was there as a guest and listening to these traditional spiritual Mbira players, who are helping spread a message of cultural redemption. Pretty cool, but still tense. I was imagining in my head what would happen if I had brought a camera in there, and whipped it out and started taking pictures of all of them. Things would have gotten violent quickly, and I would not be writing this email. But needless to say, I took no camera, and took no pictures. I have seen the world wonder that is Victoria Falls, wow. Truly powerful and awe inspiring. I woke up at 5.30 the other morning and went to the top of the Zambezi River to film and photograph the sunrise at the top of the falls. (Pictures on Flickr, and video to come when the internet is not sabotaged for political reasons). Yesterday I jumped headfirst off a bridge, and plunged 111 meters into a gorge where the Zambezi comes out ( it is about 350 feet, long way down). It was amazing, and am going back to do it again, but backwards this time. I have a friend whose uncle owns this lodge ,and all of his friends run all of the tourist stuff here, so I have been rafting, bungeeing, walking with lions, and feeding rhinos for free. He has taken me to all of the local spots, which are not many, and have met people from all over the world. I feel so plain with no interesting accent, but try to make up for it with photographs and stories, kung fu also. Most people here have never seen Kung Fu. We go on a fishing trip tomorrow on the Zambezi River, and then into camp in Botswana for 3 weeks, where there are thousands of elephants. There literally was an elephant crossing sign on the main road, but I couldn't take a picture because there were police around, and they would take my camera.

As for New Zealand and Australia, I will sum it up briefly. Here are some key points: Got stuck in a snowstorm on the top of the mountains from Lord of the Rings, and thought I was going to freeze to death. Had to dig a hole and cover myself in dirt to stay warm and dry, which I did not. Swam with salt water crocodiles, ran away when we saw them coming in the clear water. Stayed on a private aboriginal beach in the Northern territories, and killed a shark and a crab with a spear ( I ate them for dinner). Did a front flip into a buffalo mud hole, and ate insects. Got screamed at in the middle of the night by a possessed aboriginal spirit while I was sleeping, no joke, scariest thing I have ever seen. He was a human, but was possessed and wandering around at 3 am by himself, and screamed in my tent. Moving on, saw a cane toad smoke a cigarette, and then eat it (lesson to all you littering smokers, eat it). Got bit by 6000 ants, they nest in trees, and fall out when you drive by them, and attack. I hate them. Wandered Brisbane by myself for 5 days, got out drank by two Irish girls. Got a swedish massage from a drunk Swedish guy named Gus (it was actually just elbows in my back), who loved Taco Bell and KFC. Funny man, bad masseuse. Watched 25 movies in my hotel room and on the plane, including Burt Reynolds and Dolly Pardon in Chicken Ranch twice. Why? Managed not to sleep at all on a 14 hour plane flight after I had two hours of sleep before. Stayed one night in Johannesburg, managed not to get robbed or shot. Now I am in Zimbabwe, but I love it. I am coming back. There are not more elephants anywhere else in the world than where I am right now. And I hopped (HOP!) back and forth across the border from Zambia and Zimbabwe numerous times yesterday. 4 countries come together Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, pretty amazing.

Anyways, here is a link to where I have posted photos. Some may already know this, some may not, but either way, here it is. I wanted to do more with web, blog and video, but things hardly ever work out the way you want. I will try to post video soon, but that depends on how modern this country wants to be. Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tylersharp

Please feel free to write me back, as I have hardly heard from anyone, and let me know how your lives are going. I will respond when I can, but would love to hear what is going on in the other side of the world.

Sorry for the lack of intimacy in this letter, but I haven't had many chances to write.

Hope all is well, cheers from Zimbabwe!

Tyler Sharp (more affectionately known as "Kiwa" here, which means white man. Charming)."

take care of yourself Tyler! We'll see you when you get home.

Touching Base

It's been quiet over here for a number of really good reasons.  Many exciting announcements are in the works and if you're not already signed up on our mailing list, please do so at www.LaReunionTX.org.  Thank you and we'll be back very soon.  

Tree Carving Update

Brad Ford Smith's tree in winter above.  His tree in summer below.  Enjoy!

Clean-Up Day tomorrow (Sat, May 10)

Please email Sarah Jane if you'd like to head out to the land and help clean-up!  We'll be clearing some brush, clipping loose limbs, stabilizing the bridge, and picking up trash.  With 10-15 folks, we can knock it out in no time.  9:30-12:30.  We'll have water, gloves and trash bags on hand.  Wear sturdy shoes and long pants.  Email Sarah Jane at sarah@LaReunionTX.org for directions and confirmation.  Thanks ya'll!

Thanks ya'll

Thank you to all who made it out this weekend!  Jim Sargent made such a compelling argument for energy efficiency.  There's pretty much no excuse to have a home or office or building that's a gas guzzler.  It's ineffective and downright scandalous with petroleum prices soaring and the R-word being thrown around.  Bamboo floors are fantastic but at the end of the day, if your building is burning an alarming amount of coal to keep the a/c on, well, that's a problem.  A commitment to conserving energy is a priority to La Reunion.  

Moving on, CAPE was awesome.  La Reunion advisor David Hopkins facilitated an amazing panel discussion and LRTX had a booth with a coloring book comprised of local artists contributing a page for kiddos to color.  Loads of people were at Craddock Park for the Free Comic Book Day events.  We met tons of interesting people and had a marvelous time.

Behind the scenes?  Lots of wonderful stuff is brewing!  After an active Spring, we are getting ducks in a row for sharing the ideas we received through Make Space for Art with the community.  Thank you for your continued support.

Jim Sargent's Energy Efficient Remodeling Class

Jim Sargent is the preeminent "green" builder in the country. His work has been honored with the U.S. Department of Energy Gold Award, and his colleagues in the National Homebuilders Association named him builder of the year. Lucky for us he lives right here in North Texas (Waxahachie, to be precise). Even luckier, he has graced La Reunion's advisory board with his wisdom. Luckiest of all, he will now share that wisdom with the public to benefit our upstart artist residency.

Here's the skinny: Sargent is expert in zero-energy construction, which results in utility bills of $1 a day or less. At his May 3 Green Building and Energy-Efficient Remodeling class at 9:30am, he'll spend a couple of hours teaching homeowners (or people who want to build low-impact, high-performance homes) how to maximize the energy efficiency of their structures. Then, he'll spend a full hour answering your questions.

HERE'S HOW TO PRE-REGISTER
The cost of the class is $65 if you pre-register via PayPal, and you can easily recoup that expense in energy savings at home. Plus, 100% of the proceeds benefit La Reunion, as Medical City is granting us free use of their "City Hall" conference center in Care Tower E (off Merit Drive) and Sargent is volunteering his time. Please spread the word, as space is limited. Sign up now and save $5, as walk-up registrations (space permitting) are $70.

You can always email or call Sarah Jane at sarah@LaReunionTX.org if you have trouble.   469/951-7323. 

Oak Cliff Earth Day - bring your old 'puter equipment

Sunday, April 20. 11 - 5. Lake Cliff Park at Zang + Colorado. Come one come all and bring your old cell phones, pagers, computers, and cartridges. Our buddies at DonateIT will be on hand to accept these items. By recycling them, you contribute to a cleaner planet and help us earn a little money. You see, there are precious metals and all sorts of bits that can be salvaged from these items.  So come visit our booth with your loot! 

Upcoming Events!

Mark your calendars now! La Reunion TX celebrates 2 years with several opportunities to connect and learn more.

--> AIA Retrospect at NorthPark

When: Thursday, April 3, 2008, 6:30pm

Where: NorthPark Center

Cost: $15 at the door.

LRTX will have a display in Retrospect -- the annual AIA Dallas event at NorthPark Mall. Artists Tyler Sharp, Molly Sharp and Kevin Obregon have collaborated with architects from PerkinsWill led by Sean Garman to construct a super cool display to show off the winning entries from Make Space for Art. Thank you to Artizen for the prints and Green Living for the stains on our amazing display. Display up through April 20.


--> Oak Cliff Earth Day

When: Sunday, April 20, 2008 from 11am-5pm

Where: Lake Cliff Park at Zang and Colorado

Cost: Free

LRTX will have a booth at the second annual Oak Cliff Earth Day! We love this annual family friendly event. Stop by and say hello.


--> 'Make Space for Art' Discussion

When: Tuesday, April 29 from 6:30-8:30pm

Where: Cunningham Architects 918 Dragon Sreet in the Design District

Cost: Free

Dallas Architecture Forum presents a panel discussion

Catherine Cuellar, LRTX President
Sarah Jane Semrad, LRTX Executive Director
Bang Dang, First Place Winner of competition
Mark Gunderson, moderator and competition jury advisor

An international architectural design competition was held earlier this year to solicit ideas for housing an arts residency program on a 35 acre site in Oak Cliff -- near the original La Reunion site. 68 entries from 19 countries
were received and First Place went to Bang Dang of Dallas.

The Panel will discuss the history of La Reunion -- both the 1855 original and the current arts-related incarnation -- as well as the details of the competition whose jury included Rick Lowe of Project Row Houses inHouston, Dr. Rick Brettell, Louise Harpman, Associate Dean at UT Austin School of Architecture, Max Levy, FAIA and Mark Gunderson, AIA.


--> Green Remodeling/Building for Home Owners

When: Saturday, May 3, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: Medical City Dallas "City Hall" Conference Center in CareTower E, 7777 Forest Lane, Dallas (parking is in Care Tower E, located off Merit Drive)

Cost: $65 - $70

Whether you want to remodel your present home or build a new home, renowned green builder Jim Sargent's class is the best place to start. This seminar will consist of 2 hours of green building explanation and 1 full hour for your questions. Specifically designed for home owners wishing to remodel for energy-efficiency or for those planning to build a green home in the future, this seminar gives home owners the knowledge they need to go green. Learn what to do to make your home more energy-efficient and when and why to do it. Registration is $65 online or by check in advance to La Reunion TX, 4848 Lemmon Ave., PMB 100-117, Dallas, TX 75219. Registration at the event is $70.


--> Free Comic Book Day

When: Saturday, May 3, 10:00am -- 6:00pm

Where: Zeus Comics - 4411 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas 75219 & Craddock Park next door to the store

Cost: Free

LRTX is a presenting partner with Zeus Comics for their 4th annual CAPE (Comics And Pop Culture Expo) in coordination with Free Comic Book Day. Free Comic Book Day is a national event where participating retailers promote the industry and encourage new readership. CAPE is the largest Free Comic Book Day event in the country with over 80 professional comic book creators in attendance. LRTX will be facilitating the event's panel discussion on writing comics.