Monday, July 27, 2009

Awesome coverage by Single Barrel Detroit of the 'dAP Summer Festival!

http://metrotimes.com/blog/reckless.asp?month=7&year=2009


This is per Travis Wright and Single Barrel Detroit!
YAY!

Post festival wrap up, 'dAP 3rd Annual Summer Festival!

So what happened exactly?!
This year’s ‘dotte Arts Project Third Annual Summer Festival was well received by artists, musicians and patrons alike. Four days of fun in the sun on the old theatre lot on First and Elm.
“This was the first year at this location,” says Aimee Rodriguez, co-chair of the ‘dAP, “which always creates new strengths and weaknesses in the layout. Overall we felt as though our visibility with the main fair was much better this year. "

To start with right on the corner there was a huge 15 foot tall sculpture by Mark Bommarito made of gas station signs which shouted to passersby, "We're here!" The sculpture was a welded, contemporary art sculpture crowned by a pump nozzle that tempted fate and defied destruction when an apocolyptic thunderstorm hit on Saturday morning.
Throughout the week there was live painting by Jeremy E. Hansen, he started his mural Wednesday night and continued through the rest of the festival inviting artists and patrons alike to partake in it’s creation.
Dennis Jacobs was on site on Friday and Saturday showing his skills of collage and stencil painting. On Friday he painting a huge mural which took the entire day but drew crowds of people to enjoy and learn the way he makes his paintings.
There was a full schedule of music with a last minute change on Friday from Manna & Quail to The Silent Years. This was the first time The Silent Years played for Downriver and they were well received by young and old alike. The Silent Years finished off the set with sparklers, super fantastical! Charlie Slick tossed the glitter & bubbles and spread the love of Wyandotte and Michigan on the ole theatre lot!





Dan Miller showed off not only his fine dressing ability but his cool calm country crooner skills on Saturday night to close out the show with almost all the members of Blanche. “People came up to me throughout the entire set asking me how we got them and I referred to The Crofoot but also to Dan Miller’s desire to support the arts and emerging arts.” What an honor!
All of the power for the stage was provided by the sun and wind via a truck with solar panels and wind turbine from Cresit Energy of Wyandotte. www.cresitenergy.com
The grass lot was full with over 30 artists selling their wares with everything including painting, pottery, jewelry, mixed media and more.
BMX Stunt Show featured at first only a handful of stunt riders but as the show and the weekend progressed more of Ron Thomas’s friends joined him to join the cause of raising money and awareness of the scholarship that Rise Above Entertainment is offering BMXers and Skateboarders, the first of it’s kind anywhere. People came from all over to see these guys do some amazing things!
The Roosevelt High School Art Club were throwing paint at t-shirts to raise funds for their program. The shirts were provided by www.detroitmfg.com .
We had such a great time and hope to spread the joy and art of the ‘dotte Arts Project for years to come!!!!!!!!!

Monday, June 29, 2009

Super Stellar Summer Festival Line UP!



Music Schedule 09 the ‘dotte Arts Project Summer Festival!
Wednesday: July 8th

5pm As of Now
6pm The Set Up
7pm Santos
8pm Hiding in Thailand


Thursday: July 9th
5pm Handgrenades
6pm Jura
7PM Howard Glazer
8PM Dune Buggy Attack Battalion


Friday: July 10th
8-8:45 Manna & Quail

7-7:45 Daniel Zott

6- 6:45 Silver Ghost
5-5:45 milieu

4- 4:45 Charlie Slick

3- 3:45 Port to Port

2- 2:45 Oscillating Fan Club

1- 1:45 Back to the River, Back to the Forest


Saturday: July 11th
8-8:45 Dan Miller (of Blanche and Goober & The Peas)

7- 7:45 Frontier Ruckus
6 6:45 Misty Lyn and the Big Beautiful

5- 5:45 Tone and Niche
4- 4:45 Charlene Kaye

3: 3:45 This Is My Suitcase

2: 2:45 Scarlet Oaks
1: 1:45 Petal Shop

Thursday, June 25, 2009



Why the heck should you go to Wyandotte?
The ‘dotte Arts Project presents its third annual summer festival July 8th-11th.
The ‘dotte Arts Project, the ‘dAP, is cooking up another stellar festival of emerging arts and art demonstrations during the Wyandotte Street Art Fair, July 8th- 11th. The festival will be on the old theatre lot at First and Elm.
The City of Wyandotte provides its own power, has an extensive recycling program and is soon to be home to four windmills. To continue in the self-sustainable spirit of Wyandotte our music stage is solar powered for the second year! Equipment provided courtesy of Cresit Energy of Wyandotte. Last year the ‘dAP stage was run completely by solar power which saved not only energy but the city thousands of dollars in money for electricity to run the music stage. The batteries ran on stored power one of the days which was stormy and overcast for most of the day. The ‘dAP is honored to showcase such a forward thinking company with products that work so well! For more information go to http://www.cresitenergy.com/

Live art demonstrations including some great works such as a huge mural by a myriad of artists. The Henry Ford Pottery and Ceramics club will be throwing pots and making other ceramic objects during the festival. Children will be invited to make shirts on site too!
Mark Bommarito sculpts with found objects and the objects he found for this outdoor sculpture are gas station signs. He created it as a social commentary about our oil appetite and what it’s doing to our foreign relations. It’s going to be 15 feet tall!
The City of Wyandotte provides its own power, has an extensive recycling program and is soon to be home to four windmills. To continue in the self-sustainable spirit of Wyandotte our music stage is solar powered for the second year! Equipment provided courtesy of Cresit Energy of Wyandotte. Last year the ‘dAP stage was run completely by solar power which saved not only energy but the city thousands of dollars in money for electricity to run the music stage. The batteries ran on stored power one of the days which was stormy for most of the day. The ‘dAP is honored to showcase such a forward thinking company with products that work so well!

The Roosevelt High School Art Club, Alumni and Tawnya Au, the art teacher in charge of it all, will be working with kids of all ages to paint t-shirts. Part of the proceeds for this will go to help the arts at Roosevelt High School. “It really makes us happy to do this”, says Jeremy E. Hansen, co-chair of the ‘dAP, “because it melds with our mission to promote and proliferate the arts of Wyandotte.” Robert Stanzler is a man who supports the arts and is doing it in a big way by donating all the shirts and the silk screening of the design on them. He is the person in charge of Detroitmfg.com .
Friday and Saturday there will be a full schedule of stunt bike riding by Ron Thomas. Ron Thomas attended Roosevelt High School is now a professional BMX stunt rider and owns Rise Above Entertainment. Thomas will be performing on Friday and Saturday at 1pm, 5pm and 8pm in the ‘dAP area.
The best part of the festival are the over 30 emerging artists selling their wares. This is the highlight and purpose of our festival to promote emerging artists. Many of these artists are beginning their art careers and some of them are on the cusp of hitting the scene in a major way. The work varies from low brow to traditional with a mixture of jewelry and some funky craft making in between.
“We strive to embrace the arts at all levels,” says Aimee Rodriguez, co-chair of the ‘dAP, “One of the best ways to ensure that art continues in any community is to sell their work especially the work of artists who are just now trying to figure out what they want to do.”
The music stage is going to feature some of the best local acts that metro-Detroit has to offer. The headlining performance will be Dan Miller (of Blanche and Goober in the Peas). Some other great highlights include Silver Ghost a side project of ex- guitarist and vocalist of the Von Bondies, Marcie Bolen. Also included are some acts more local to Downriver including Hiding in Thailand, Dune Buggy Attack Battalion and Jura.
The music line up varies with the Friday line up being that of a more rockin’ nature and Saturday will feature a indie, folk, bluegrass feel. The Friday and Saturday line ups were set up by The Crofoot which is working with the ‘dAP on many projects to come. Go to http://www.thecrofoot.com/ .
2009 is the first year the ‘dAP is going to have an artist create the t-shirt design. We are proud to announce that the first design will be created by Audrey Pongracz. Pongracz is on fire this year being voted Best Local Artist by Real Detroit Weekly and she was also elected one of Six Artists to Watch Under 30 by the Metrotimes. Pongracz started her art gallery career at River’s Edge Gallery in Wyandotte. She continues to show at River’s Edge Gallery and at 323 East of Royal Oak.
Pongracz has shown with the ‘dAP since its inception in 2007. She is extremely supportive of the ‘dAP and the ‘dAP mission to promote emerging artists.
We are honored to feature her design this year. The squid is a cephalopod that inks to protect itself from predators which is similar to what many artists do when they paint or create. The image created features a squid is hugging the ‘dAP as a submarine. We hope artists continue to embrace the ‘dAP because we certainly embrace and want to help them!

This year the ‘dAP will prove to top its first two years with vim and vigor July 8th-11th at the corner of Elm and First in downtown Wyandotte during the Wyandotte Street Art Fair.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

2009 t-shirt design by Audrey Pongracz



2009 is the first year the ‘dAP is going to have an artist create the t-shirt design. We are proud to announce that the first design will be created by Audrey Pongracz. Pongracz is on fire this year being voted Best Local Artist by Real Detroit Weekly and she was also elected one of Six Artists to Watch Under 30 by the Metrotimes. Pongracz started her art gallery career at River’s Edge Gallery in Wyandotte. She continues to show at River’s Edge Gallery and at 323 East of Royal Oak.
Pongracz has shown with the ‘dAP since its inception in 2007. She is extremely supportive of the ‘dAP and the ‘dAP mission to promote emerging artists.
We are honored to feature her design this year. The squid is a cephalopod that inks to protect itself from predators which is similar to what many artists do when they paint or create. The image created features a squid is hugging the ‘dAP as a submarine. We hope artists continue to embrace the ‘dAP because we certainly embrace and want to help them!
Thank you Audrey the design is beautiful!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Deadline Extension and Festival News!

The deadline for artist application has come and gone but we are still allowing artists to apply. The location for the summer festival (July 8th-11th) is going to be on the old theatre lot this year between Oak and Elm and on First Street. We have just about filled up our big tents but have tons of room to take up the huge lot.
We have some really great things cooking up to help the festival be as awesome as possible. This year the music absolutely rules so far we have confirmed The Scarlet Oaks, Silver Ghost, milieu, Charlene Kaye and Frontier Ruckus! We're awaiting the arrival of other contracts and once those come in I'll let all of you know. One thing I can say for sure is that these line ups are not to be missed!
Our t-shirt this year won't be just the 'dAP logo but an artist design by an artist handpicked by Jeremy and Aimee. Our choice for the first artist to design the shirt is Audrey Pongracz! Pongracz was recently in the cover story of the Metrotimes that honored their pics for one of six artists to watch under 30 years old! YAY Audrey. We are really excited to get her back every year, she's been with us since the beginning! So it's only fitting that she be the first artist featured.
I'll post pics of the designs once I get them!
More updates to come!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Our newest Call for Artists! Thanks Everybody!

We are now looking for artists for the Wyandotte Street Art Fair! We are looking for forward thinking artists and crafters. Our goal is to funk up one of the largest and oldest art fairs in the state of Michigan!
Continuing in the spirit of both River's Edge Gallery and Biddle Gallery (two of the longest standing for profit art galleries in Michigan), the purpose of the 'dotte Arts Project, the 'dAP, is to help make Wyandotte a venue for the arts of metro-Detroit. We have artists from all over but our focus is on metro-Detroit. Some of these artists are self taught and others are graduates of our local art schools and community colleges. Please enjoy everything the 'dAP area has to offer including photography, jewelry, painting, sculpture, pottery, printmaking, film making, craft making and more.
Each year the 'dAP pushes the envelope with the artists shown, artist installations and the music performed. We intend to reach deeper and deeper into our communities to reach the art that is not only awesome but relevant to all of us.
Jeremy E. Hansen and Aimee Rodriguez, Co-Chairs of the 'dAP, take seriously their committment to emerging arts year after year. "Detroit and its' surrounding communities are often ignored on the list of art happenings on the national map," says Rodriguez," but the truth of the matter is that ours is a community of artists that is just as talented as all the rest. The best way to prove it is to show it and that's what we want to accomplish. The more art happenings we have the more art ready the public becomes and the more artsy the area becomes to the national stage!"
The 'dAP not only shows during the Wyandotte Street Art Fair they have also branched to additional shows throughout the year in galleries and other places throughout metro-Detroit. This is done to spread the good word about Wyandotte and all of Downriver. Keep an eye out for them! "I have grown up all my life Downriver and love it," says Rodriguez,"we have a primarily hard working blue collar community. Some view that as something bad for reasons beyond my understanding. Some think we are devoid of creativity, this is simply incorrect. Our arts community is just as vibrant and encouraging as all the others!"
Many of the children of these blue collar workers are attending art schools such as Wayne County Community College, Henry Ford Community College, Wayne State University and College for Creative Studies! Each of these colleges and universities specializes in a vibrant arts program. These are the artists that make up a large part of the 'dAP. The 'dAP is for artists who are working towards an art career. It's not for people who travel the country year round hopping from one art fair to another to make their living. These are people who are staying in this community and want to support their local art community just as much as they need the support from their community.

I had an awesome time and was so thankful to all of the artists who were putting themselves out there for us. We really appreciated it. The art was awesome too! I did not see one person selling one thing that was cheap or crappy and that is a testament to the talent I see out of each of you. When I was working at the silent auction table the people in the Pike Room were asking about all the work. The people who came there to just see the bands were bidding. The caliber of the work offered was so great for such a tiny venue. Since everyone gave me their info in advance I was able to spread the good word. I got to speak about each of you. But as always there is always at least one person who asked if I made all of it. HAHA! I giggled as I always do and told him about you all in the Ballroom. He ended up winning a bid and buying some stuff as well. He was so proud of his purchase and said he never saw anything like what we did before!Thanks for all the donated items too! They were amazing and everyone who came by it was extremely complimentary about it. Dan McGowan of The Crofoot was so impressed by the work displayed! He was so proud to have each of you there. He also hopes that the music going on downstairs last night will not deter you from doing another event that won't house a dance party down on the first floor!Each of you brought your lamps and I was so thrilled once everything was set up how ambient it all was. You guys did such an amazing job with your preperation and also the flexibility of each of you in that space. I cannot say enough how impressed I was! I love that some of you used the window sills and the bar and the chairs. Great show!
The music was beyond awesome! Tone & Niche started out the show and were totally amazing. Frontier Ruckus was just so phenomenal and Misty Lyn and The Big Beautiful closed out the show most sweetly. Look for these bands to be at our Summer Festival! DJ Bouget brought on the funk look for her at some of the openings at River's Edge Gallery!
And now that you all are thinking about what festivals you are going to be in please keep the 'dAP part of the Wyandotte Street Art Fair (July 8th-11th) in mind. The application is on http://www.wyandottestreetartfair.org/ It is one of the biggest art fairs in the state of Michigan! We are so fortunate to get a space to share with artists and crafters of our choosing to showcase art from around here, amidst a backdrop of national art fair artists. Thanks for being a part of it all!