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Yellow Springs Street Fair is Coming!

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Street Fair is Coming!

Plans for summer events are really brewing around Yellow Springs.  The Chamber is full of signs ready to go out and huge maps of booth positions.  Artists are dropping in with questions.  You can feel the energy in the air.  Street Fair is coming June 11th 9 a.m.-5 p.m.! Everywhere I turn, artists are working feverishly to get a booth full of pottery, sculpture, paintings, hand-crafted clothes, bags or unique jewelry ready for you.

One of my favorites is Jennifer Float’s booth with her colorful and whimsical paintings.  Jenny is a happy painter.  She has a very high “Awww” factor.  Everyone smiles when they see her work.   For the last 2 months, every time I see Jenny shop sitting at Village Artisans (an artist co-op in Yellow Springs) she has half-done canvases stacked on every surface and a brush in hand.  Jenny doesn’t do much sitting when she shop-sits.

So, you probably know about Street Fair, but do you know about some of the other cool events being planned for this summer?  On June 17th, the Friday after Street Fair, is Yellow Springs’ Art Stroll from 6-9 p.m.  One of my favorite shows is happening that night.  Every 2 years is the Miniature Show at “would you could you In A Frame,” at 113 Corry Street. This year, fifty-two artists have created over 100 pieces of fabulous, tiny art. Included are 3-D works, paintings, embroideries, encaustics and more, all no larger than 3 inches x 2 inches.

Art by Lance Rudegeair

The new gallery in town is Springs Gallery in King’s Yard, 220 Xenia Avenue. It will have its Grand Opening celebration during Art Stroll.  I’ve already had a peek inside and  loved the art.  Many of their artists will be present at the opening.

The Yellow Springs Arts Council Gallery, 309 Xenia Ave. is having a great reception that will include art, live music and belly dancing.

Also on Art Stroll night, the Art’s Council in partnership with the Jafagirls is going to have a truly disgusting, Interactive Public Art Project at the Art Park at 100 Corry Street. The world’s first Traveling Gum Wall will be there. This summer and fall the Traveling Gum Wall is going to be popping up all over town, serving as a fundraiser for the Arts Council.  Gum is sold for a buck a piece.  You buy the gum, chew, chew some more, squish it onto the Gum Wall, and then sign the back.

Whoops, almost forgot, the Gum Wall will be at Street Fair too at the Arts Council’s Oasis,  309 Xenia Ave.

Much more is going on during Art Stroll, Art Sale at Village Artisans, live music, beer making demo, wine tasting, Free Art Friday,….

Maybe I better explain Free Art Friday.  It’s a movement around the world to leave art on the streets for anyone to find and take home. It’s been a while since the Jafagirls of Yellow Springs have done a Free Art Friday. But the word is out, Friday the 17th there will be art for the finding.  (Check the trees!)

Quick run down of other offerings for the summer:  Twice a month, 1st and 3rd Saturdays, will be “Dance Piazza” with DJ Juju at the Art Park, 100 Corry Street.

From 7-8 p.m. there are dance instructors to show steps to anyone who wants to join in.  From 8-10 p.m. It’s an international Dance Party with DJ Juju.

Here is a list of the styles of Dance taught for the first hour of each Dance Piazza. The last  two hours dance any which way you please!

  • JUNE 18 – International Folk Dances with Miami Valley Folk Dancers
  • JULY 2 – Bhangra (Punjabi Folk Dance) with Karanvir Singh
  • JULY 16 – Swing Dance with Jill Christie of the Dayton Ballroom Dance Club
  • AUGUST 6 – Mexican Folk Dance with Nuestro Orgullo youth dance troupe
  • AUGUST 20 – Flamenco Dance & Guitar with Mariya Tarakanova & Brent Del Bianco of Flamencotalk
  • SEPTEMBER 3 – West African Drum & Dance with BabaaRitah Clark
  • SEPTEMBER 17 – Appalachian Clogging & Old Time Music with Rick Good (formerly of Rhythm in Shoes) & Friends

July brings : The Cotton Club” a YS Kids Playhouse jazz musical and  the “Yellow Springs Experience.” July 15th –17th three days and nights filled with the “Cirque Carnival,” Live music and Dance, Wellness and Spa Sessions, Nature Hikes and Art Workshops.  Woo hoo!  Tell you more about that later.

See you in the Springs!

Local rocker returns to play First Friday show

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Although she has performed live shows in cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Alicia Grodecki says her favorite city to play is her hometown – Dayton.

Lucky for her, with two upcoming shows – First Friday @ 5 on June 3 and a slot at Canal Street Tavern June 18 – her band, Vanity Theft, will get to perform in the city she says is a great place for music.

This week, I talked to Grodecki about Vanity Theft’s new album, touring and the unbelievable experience she had in the recording studio.

“People call us a more badass version of The Killers, except girls,” she says of the band’s sound. “[When asked to describe it] I usually tell people to go listen to it.”

“Get What You Came For,” the latest from Vanity Theft, is a hybrid of dance and pop, with a little electronic feel and attitude. The songs cover a variety of topics ranging from relationships to growing up to just having a good time.

Earlier this year, the band piled in a van and played shows across the United States and Canada, promoting the new album.

“There are an infinite number of ‘best’ things about touring,” says Grodecki. “We see so many people and travel. The bottom line is we get to do what we love every night.”

She does admit being on the road has its downside. “It’s hard being away from home. You miss your family. Our longest van ride was 48 hours straight, but it’s always worth it when you get there.”

Vanity Theft will continue to tour during the summer, including a spot at the Summerfest music celebration in Milwaukee. Grodecki just found out the girls will be opening for Taking Back Sunday, one of their favorite bands.

“I freaked out,” she says. “It’s crazy.”

Playing alongside Taking Back Sunday is not Vanity Theft’s only brush with fame. Elton John was in the studio below them while they recorded their most recent album. The girls were not able to meet him because of his high level of security. But, Grodecki says, he cracked the door and they were permitted to sit outside the studio and listen to him sing.

Even after traveling the country, Grodecki says there is nothing like playing in Dayton. She notes the strong sense of community the city exudes. “It feels good to come home and show everybody what we’ve been doing.”

Dayton natives kick off First Friday concert series

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I hesitate to discuss the “edginess” of all-girl bands because I find myself stumbling along the fine line of making clichéd gender comments and completely disregarding the abnormality of an all-female group in the music industry.

After listening to Vanity Theft, however, I am convinced to make an exception. Want to hear it for yourself? Check out Vanity Theft when they return to Dayton to perform at the RiverScape MetroPark Pavilion as the first band in the First Friday @ 5 concert series.

According to their website, the Dayton natives spent five years booking their own tours and propelling themselves into the Midwestern music scene. Their loyal fan base reflects their hard work; in 2009, a grassroots effort won them the local-band slot in Cincinnati’s Warped Tour lineup.

Vanity Theft’s sound is a descendent of The Donnas’ legacy — assertive, sassy, girl rock. While the band was the only all-female outfit of the 227 selected to play in Cincinnati’s 2009 MidPoint Music Festival, they held their own and ended up filling the room. The girls haven’t relented yet — the New York Post described its live shows as being “eardrum-slobbering.” Yes, that’s a compliment.

While recording its October 2010 EP, “Anatomy,” the trio met former Disney child star Lalaine. (You might remember her from her the tween show “Lizzie McGuire.”) When the band needed a new bassist, members auditioned Lalaine and the four instantly clicked.

This February, Vanity Theft released their new album, “Get What You Came For.” The songs I sampled from the album (you can stream a few tracks here) definitely lived up to the band’s no-holds-barred reputation. With lyrics like, “Maybe I don’t want you for your mind; Can’t decide,” Vanity Theft makes it clear they are in control. And maybe, based upon its success already, that’s how it should be.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOPQS_EbHqQ’]

The concerts are part of the First Friday events and will feature additional bands on August 5 and September 2. The concession will be open and beer will be sold from 5-7 p.m. The concerts will wrap up in plenty of time to head to the galleries and other arts venues taking part in the First Friday art hop. The First Friday @ 5 summer concert series is presented with additional support from Heidelberg Distributing, the Oregon District Business Association, Clear Channel Dayton Radio and Culture Works.

Las Americas Extends Hours, Hosts Live Music

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Las Americas signLas Americas Caribbean Cuisine has extended its hours, and the restaurant now is offering entertainment and a special menu during First Fridays.

The historic Oregon Arts District restaurant, 524H E. Fifth St., now is open until 10pm on Friday and Saturday evenings. Las Americas specializes in authentic cuisine that features the aromatic spices and flavors of Puerto Rico, home country of owner Dolores Quinones, as well as Cuban and Spanish dishes.

On First Friday, Las Americas has started offering special menu items, as well as live music. During the next First Friday on April 1, Armando Garcia will perform.

“Featured is a very special troubadour performer, Armando Garcia, a most talented singer, guitarist and performer ― what a combination,” Quinones said. “Armando delights in bringing guests a serenade right to their table that will be one of the highlights of their visit to Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine.”

April First Friday special menu items will include off-the-grill pork chops with pineapple mojo, tilapia tacos topped with Las Americas’ own un poco picosita white sauce, colossal shrimp with green peas over white rice, and a beef empanada platter with arroz con gandules and yucca salad, along with special appetizers and desserts.

Regular menu items, which range from $4 to $10, also will be available. Those include soups, salads, wraps, quesadillas, mofongos and nachos ― many of them vegetarian. Desserts include flan and tres leches, and the restaurant offers a variety of non-alcoholic drinks, such as nectar juices and Puerto Rican coffee, pocillo.

Las Americas is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 am to 5 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 10 p, and Sunday it offers a special brunch menu from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 937-266-3086 and follow Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine on Facebook for more information.

Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine started as a popular vendor at the PNC Second Street Market. Quinones expanded and moved to the Oregon Arts District in 2010, adding new menu items to customer favorites from the Market.

Third Fridays in Yellow Springs

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On Third Friday, there was a fiddler playing in the moonlight in the first garden of Alan Macbeth’s fantastical building on Xenia Avenue in Yellow Springs. On the side of the building is a beautiful, warm mural of an African woman and her child. To get to the Yellow Springs Arts Councils Gallery you pass under the swooping brick arch and enter by the fountain. There is another garden in the back with tables and chairs to sit and enjoy this enchanted, peace filled space.

The show I came to see was a whimsical combination of Sharon Mohler’s sculpted miniature stories in the round and Karen Russell’s colorful textile quilts and paper art. For a month beforehand Karen had been reporting on face book about how she just couldn’t stop herself making these gorgeous tiny paper boxes. It was amazing to see the final results when she put them together. Sharon’s tiny sculpted stories are heart warming; they are frozen moments from “three generations of memories.” She calls them Sharon’s Songs. On her web site she says: “Life has been a bumpy road for me, but it has never been dull. I am blessed with a good memory. I can remember things that happened when I was only two years old. So these works are called my “songs” because they are the ballads of my life.” Sharon once told me that in her home she has stacks of hatboxes everywhere, lovingly filled with these sculpted stories.
Sharon and Karen’s work will be up at the YSAC Gallery through October 31st
Since there are 2 artists they decided to have 2 receptions. So you have a second chance on October 15th, this coming up Third Friday to meet the artists and see their work.

On my way back to visit some of the other art receptions on Corry and Dayton Street, I was pulled in by the joyful live music cascading out the open doors at the Emporium. I stood on the sidewalk and watched the musicians laughing and jamming together with people of all ages dancing in the glow of the Emporium’s golden light. Right in front, two little bitty girls were gyrating like mad. The Emporium holds a wine tasting with live music every Friday night.

Across the street on Xenia Avenue, there were drums being played and Soul Fire Tribe, the fire dancers of Yellow Springs, were dancing and whirling fire sticks and hoops. I can’t just walk by when they are performing, I had to stop and join the crowd ooohing and ahing.

September was a perfect Third Friday Fling. But if you missed that one there is a very special one coming up October 15th. Two times a year, Yellow Springs puts on an art stroll. (I know that sounds confusing, the September Third Friday that I just described sounds like an art stroll. Third Fridays often have art receptions but usually not to the degree that Art Stroll Night is dedicated to them. There is added effort for all the businesses/galleries and restaurants in town to have new art, live music and great food. Plus many more people come out to see the art and chat with each other. It’s sort of the friendly super bowl of Art Strolls for Yellow Springs.) Traditionally all the spots with a reception that night have balloons out front.  Also traditionally Art Stroll is from 6-9 p.m. but it often goes on later.

This year Art Stroll is in memory of a beloved Yellow Springs artist who passed away this past year- Eddie Eckenrode. At Sam & Eddies Open Books, 232 Xenia Ave. (one of my favorite Yellow Springs’ shops for getting unusual cards and birthday presents,) there will be an Art Reception to celebrate Eddie’s new permanent collection, in the upstairs gallery. On display will be an amazing collection from and history of an Ohio artist’s life.

I’ve got to let you know right now that I am not going to cover all the places with receptions, new art up or wine tastings and live music for Art Stroll. I can’t, you’ll just have to come and discover them yourselves!

But I’ve got to tell you about 2 of the art receptions because I am completely biased about them.

The first one is at the Village Artisans at 100 Corry St. Village Artisans is a Co-Op of 20 local artists. I have happily been one of them for 6 years. We are oil, acrylic and water color painters, potters and wood turners, carvers and inlay artists. We work with stones, gourds and precious metals to make jewelry, ornaments, bowls and drums. We are calligraphers and philosophers, textile artists that quilt and embroider and sew and make fabric bowls and wall art. We work with cameras and computers and stained glass. We make books and author books. And pretty much everyone makes cards. (I sure hope I didn’t forget anyone!)
The Village Artisans is putting on the Dare 2B Square show for the month of October. All the art is 12”X12” and is being sold for $100.00 our reception is on (I bet you guessed it) Art Stroll, October 15th from 6-9 p.m. We have over 20 extra artists from this region that are being showcased and then there is the home crew from Village Artisans who are also well represented. And if I do say so myself it is a great show. Come talk to the artists and enjoy our wine and cheese and other goodies.

The other reception that I am totally biased about is at “would you, could you In A Frame” 113 Corry St. The “Stitch Gasp” show is going to be totally weird and totally wonderful. The artist is Corrine Bayraktaroglu aka Jafabrit, (and my Jafagirl art partner.) She has been on an artistic journey from oil paint to graffiti art to stitched art that is fascinating. At her reception on Art Stroll night you will get to see all the stages from art journals to paintings to glorious hand stitched art. Besides, you’ll get to hear the stories behind the art. Stories told in a delightful, non-reverent British way. It will be fun, I promise you.
Art Stroll in Yellow Springs, 6-9 p.m. October 15th- Be there or be square. (Where have I heard that before?)