Deadline Extended for the Decatur Postcard Project: April 6

Send us those great images for the 2012 Postcard Project!

Last year we thought it would be fun to create a set of postcards that represent the many aspects of Decatur. The project turned out so well, we’re doing it again!

So, all you local artists, both self-taught and pro – if you have an image of Decatur that you would like to see mailed across the country and around the world – send us your work. A jury will select several new images to represent Decatur in a set of classic 6 x 4 tourist cards, to be stamp-ready in May 2012.

Think retro (Greetings from Decatur, Georgia!) or classic, or abstract and modern – we want a range of artistic views in a variety of media. Your submission can be a photograph, a drawing, or any kind of creative media.

Entries will be judged by a jury of local artists and community leaders, who will meet and select the 2012 images for a set of classic tourist-style postcards. Each artist selected will receive a $150 honorarium and a credit line on the reverse side of his/her printed card. The cards will be unveiled at the 2012 Decatur Arts Festival poster unveiling on May 3.

Please note:

• The image will be scaled to fit on a 6 x 4-inch card.
• Please submit a high resolution JPG or PDF file. We can accept files up to 10 MB in size.
• Larger files should be submitted on CD. Files smaller than 500K will fall short of the resolution
  needed for quality printing results.
• Recognizable close-ups or portraits must include a signed release granting permission to use
  the person’s likeness.

Submissions are welcome from all ages, preferably current (or past) residents of Decatur. Detailed instructions for artwork submission can be found in these documents:

Guidelines for the Decatur Postcard Project (.doc)
Artist Release Form (.doc)
Model Release Form (.doc)
Model Release Form for Minors (.doc)

Deadline for submissions: April 6, 2012

Email digital files to decaturpostcards@gmail.com or mail images on CD to Decatur Arts Alliance, PO Box 401, Decatur, GA 30031. Include cover sheet found within the guidelines document.

The Decatur Postcards Project is sponsored by the Decatur Arts Alliance, the Decatur Downtown Development Authority, and the Decatur Tourism Bureau and is spearheaded by Moira Bucciarelli. For more information email decaturpostcards@gmail.com.

Be a Part of ArtWalk 2012

Calling all Decatur retail and restaurant owners:

On Friday May 25, Decatur hosts the largest, single-night art experience with city-wide art show openings and receptions that are free and open to the public in conjunction with the 2012 Decatur Arts Festival.

Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of it. Go to the Decatur Arts Festival website for more information and to download the application form.

February Arts Update: All You Need Is Love . . . and Art

As we enter the middle of February, a winter’s chill has fallen on our small city of Decatur. Fortunately, it appears doubtful this chill had much effect on the little, thick-thighed, cupids with their arrows of love as they flitted around our wonderful restaurants and shops on Valentine’s Day.

If you had been fortunate enough to be out and about on Valentine’s Day you might have heard the low humming of the cupids’ rendition of “All You Need is Love” as they swooped and aimed at unsuspecting victims. Now, it isn’t really in the nature of the Decatur Arts Alliance to challenge the musical genius of the Beatles and even much less so to challenge small, armed, baby-like, winged creatures swooping out of the sky but we must disagree. For we know that from the caves of Lascaux to Hirst’s The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living humankind has needed to create, view, and analyze art.

Therefore we firmly propose to you, in disagreement with both the Beatles and all cupids, that, All you need is love . . . and ART.

With that proposal in mind we hope you will find something you need in our February offerings.

What Is Your Most Iconic Image of Decatur?

Here’s your chance to share your creativity with the community. Enter your art in the 2012 Decatur Postcard Project.

A jury of local artists and community leaders will meet in March to select up to ten images of Decatur for a set of classic tourist-style postcards You may be asked to bring in your original work. Each selected artist will receive a $150 honorarium and a credit line on the reverse side of his/her printed card, along with the satisfaction of having printed artwork that will travel the world. Two categories are open: student and adult. Find the guidelines and application on a separate blog post here.

Submission deadline: Monday, March 26, 2012

Get Art Grown in Our Own Backyard at HomeGrown Decatur

There is always something interesting to see at HomeGrown. It is Decatur’s artist cooperative market providing local artists, artisans, and craftspeople a venue for showing, selling, and demonstrating their work.

Visit homegrowndecatur.com and check out what’s fresh off the easel, hot out of the kiln, or straight off the sewing machine . . . .

The Hornet-Who-Stings-Like-Fire, the Leopard-of-the-Terrible Teeth and Ananse, the African Spiderman

Presented by the Blackfriars of Agnes Scott College

In this adaptation of the most popular of all African folk tales, the wily trickster Ananse the Spiderman weaves a web of adventures in the jungle and the sky. Fantastic fables featuring characters such as God of the Sky, the Leopard-of-the-Terrible-Teeth, the Hornet-Who-Stings-Like-Fire, and the Fairy-Men-Never-See are brought to life by actors playing both humans and animals. The performance features singing, dancing, drumming and storytelling, providing a bridge from West Africa to Agnes Scott’s Winter Theatre. Fun for all ages (with a special emphasis on the younger ages).

Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, 9:30 AM-10:30 AM
All Seats: $5 (free to Agnes Scott College students); Tickets available at the door
Reservations: 404-471-6248; group reservations and information: 404-471-6250

Beat the Drum Loudly: Drumming Classes at DrumRise

Even if you’ve never touched an instrument before . . . even if you think you’ve got no rhythm, YOU CAN learn to drum. A drumming class is a great way to reduce stress, have fun, relax and re-energize all at the same time! Drumming in a group has even been shown to positively affect your immune system. Drumming is good for you and fun for the whole family. Weekly classes are open to adults, teens 14+, and kids 11+ when accompanied by an adult. Drumming is a terrific activity for families to participate in together! And it’s never too late to start. For more information: www.drumrise.net.

Calling All Artists: Submit Your Work by Feb. 10 for the Fine Arts Exhibition

The opening reception of the Decatur Arts Festival Fine Arts Exhibition.

The Decatur Arts Alliance invites artists working in all media to participate in the Fine Arts Exhibition at the 24th Annual Decatur Arts Festival. The exhibition is a juried multimedia presentation that contributes a fresh and unique perspective to the festival every year.

Call for Entries to 2012 Fine Arts Exhibition (PDF)

The Decatur Arts Festival draws approximately 60,000 people to downtown Decatur for a celebration of the arts that includes a juried Artists Market, Children’s Festival, New Dance, Literary Arts, Performing Arts Stage, and a Concert on the Square, as well as the Fine Arts Exhibition. This large audience represents a broad spectrum of knowledge and appreciation of the arts, and the Fine Arts Exhibition addresses this spectrum with a diversity of styles and media. Works selected for the show reflect a wide range of artists’ experiences and viewpoints, with excellence as a common thread.

Exhibition Location
The exhibition will be in the Dalton Gallery at Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Ave., Decatur, GA 30030. The Dalton Gallery is in the Dana Fine Arts Building. For directions, visit www.agnesscott.edu.

Receptions
The opening reception of the Fine Arts Exhibition is Tuesday, May 22, from 5 until 7 pm, in conjunction with the Decatur Business Association monthly meeting. The exhibition closes with a “Last Call” party on Sunday, June 3, from 4 until 6 pm. We encourage exhibiting artists to attend both of these functions.

Eligibility
Artists are invited to participate in a juried exhibition of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works. Artwork will be chosen from submitted entries by a panel of three jurors on the basis of creative excellence and quality of execution. The Decatur Arts Alliance and the Dalton Gallery may reserve the right to refuse to hang any work that, upon arrival at the Dalton Gallery, differs markedly from the images submitted or does not, for any other reason, meet the DAA’s standards of excellence.

All works must be original and completed within the last two years. The sponsors are the final authority on eligibility. Works to be hung must be ready for hanging with any necessary hardware in place. Artwork must fit through a standard door.

Entry deadline: applications must be postmarked by Feb. 10, 2012.

Call for Proposals to Create Benches in Memory of Alma Fleetwood

Beloved Decatur Resident, Employee and Volunteer

Memorial Benches

The City of Decatur, the Decatur Arts Alliance, and the Decatur Downtown Development Authority are spearheading the effort to build two benches to commemorate Alma Fleetwood. Members of the community donated the money to be used to build the benches as a tangible reminder of the life of Alma. One bench will be put on the square in downtown Decatur. The other bench will be installed at Roy Moss Park in College Heights where Alma lived for many years.

The benches must be made out of a durable, low-maintenance material that will stand up to hot summers and rainy winters for many years. Whether you design with wood, metal, or stone, we invite you to submit a bench proposal. A jury will convene to select the two benches to be built.

Proposal form (PDF)

Bench specs (PDF)

Bench Guidelines

• All artists and community members may submit proposals for the benches. We ask that all proposals involve a creative touch reflecting Alma and be durable and low-maintenance.
• There is no cost to submit a proposal. The winning artists will receive $1500 each to cover the cost of materials to build their bench. The City of Decatur will cover the installation costs.
• The benches in the City of Decatur measure six feet. Please see the attached page for more information on the measurements.
• Proposals must be mailed to the Decatur Arts Alliance by November 21, 2011. With each proposal, include your name, address, email, and telephone number. Please address envelopes to Decatur Arts Alliance, PO Box 401, Decatur GA 30031.
• The jury will make their decision by December 15, 2011. Artists will be contacted by the end of December with the results of their proposal. The benches will be installed in April and will include a commemoration honoring the memory of Alma.

Alma’s Story

Ask anyone what they remember most about Alma and the answer will be “her smile.” Alma Fleetwood was a long-time resident of the City of Decatur. She worked for the City of Decatur, first as a crossing guard at College Heights Elementary School and later as a supervisor of the downtown parking program. She was well-known for her compassion, her love of people and her willingness to give of her time and her talents to her community. She was a leader at College Heights Elementary School PTA and in the College Heights Neighborhood Association. She served on the board of the South Decatur Community Development Corporation and was one of the biggest fans of the Decatur Bulldogs.

Alma never met a stranger and made everyone she met feel like they were her best friend. If you ever tried walking with Alma anywhere in Decatur, you knew it was going to take twice as long because she stopped to talk to everyone she met. From three-piece-suit, professionals to street people and community characters, Alma treated everyone with respect and compassion and knew their life story. She embodied what we all think about when we talk about sense of community and the Decatur way of doing things. And, Alma had a wicked sense of humor! She always had her joke of the day and you could hear her laughing and talking the minute she entered a building.

The idea of honoring Alma’s memory by creating and placing benches in two areas of the city in came out of our sharing stories of Alma. Alma was all about encouraging positive communication and enjoying people. These benches will allow her spirit to continue by providing a place for people to take time out of their day to stop, rest, enjoy our city and talk with friends. We’d like to think of Alma sitting on these benches and taking delight in observing people walking by and listening in on their conversations. Keep this spirit of Alma in mind when you create your design and help us honor her memory in a lasting way.

Decatur ArtWalk and Wine Festival • Nov. 4 and 5

Decatur ArtWalk • Nov. 4 • 5-10 pm • Free and open to the public

Decatur Wine Festival • Nov. 5 • 1-4 pm • $35 tickets

Join us for the Decatur ArtWalk this Friday evening, November 4 from 5-10 pm. 18 participating shops, galleries and restaurants in downtown Decatur are featuring local artists’ works. You can find a list of participants at www.decaturwinefestival.com under the ArtWalk tab.

This Saturday November 5 is Decatur’s 10th Wine Festival. This is the Decatur Arts Alliance’s one annual fundraiser. Proceeds from the festival go to the Decatur Arts Alliance and all the art events that take place throughout the year. To purchase tickets and browse this year’s wine list and see participating restaurants go to www.decaturwinefestival.com.

Decatur ARTS Live! At Fifth Avenue Academy this weekend…

Decatur ARTS Live
Decatur’s Performing Arts Festival, Especially for Families!
Saturday, August 27
9:45 am – 3 pm

Improv comedy, African dance, storytellers, jugglers, string quartets and MORE, all under one roof! Decatur ARTS Live is a full-day performing arts festival that will feature over 30 performers on four stages, hands-on crafts, and artist workshops. The doors open at 9:45 am; everyone who enters by 10:15 am is entered into an exclusive raffle drawing for a birthday party for 20 at Leapin’ Lizards, so come early to win. We will also have exciting raffle drawings for several high-value gift baskets.

The event is appropriate for K-5th grade students, and the entire greater-Decatur community is invited. This is the second year hosting Decatur ARTS Live at the 4/5 Academy, but this year it will all take place inside the brand new 4/5 Academy at Fifth Avenue (FAVE), giving guests an opportunity to check out the brand new school if they haven’t seen it yet.

Decatur ARTS Live is a partnership with FAVE and Young Audiences Woodruff Arts Center, the leading provider of top quality, arts-in-education programming for schools and youth organizations all over Atlanta. Decatur is lucky to have dozens of Young Audiences’ professional artists at one time visit the brand new 4/5 Academy for this incredible festival.

This is The Academy at Fifth Avenue PTO’s major fundraiser for the year. Money raised by the PTO goes to support cultural arts programs and academic enrichment at FAVE. Advance sale tickets are discounted to $10 for adults, $5 for children, or $20 per family, and they may be purchased online at www.FAVEPTO.org. On the day of the event, tickets will be $15 for adults, $8 for children and $25 per family. There will be family-friendly food available for purchase in the school cafeteria.

Get a look at the NEW 4/5 Academy at Fifth Avenue, and bring the arts to your family, too!

For more information, contact Michele Hillegass, michele@favepto.org.
Visit our http://www.favepto.org/events/decaturartslive

Display Your Work at the Clothesline Show!

We provide the clothespins, you provide the art!

Saturday, Sept. 3 • 5-8 pm
At Sammiches n’ Stuff • 515 N. McDonough St. next to City Hall [map]
In conjunction with the Decatur Book Festival

Hang your work, get exposure and feedback, and network with other members of the Decatur Arts Alliance Creative Resources Registry. Not an artist? Come in and check out the work on display by local emerging artists!

Special Fine Arts Exhibition
All weekend long • Sept  3-4
At Sammiches n’ Stuff • 515 N. McDonough St. next to City Hall

Take a break between book signings and enjoy work by prominent local artists on display while browsing the work hanging on our clotheslines.

Call for Artists: Oakhurst Arts and Music Festival!

Visit the Oakhurst Arts and Music homepage to download the 2011 Artist Market Application.

Deadline: August 12, 2011 (postmark)

Boardman and Peek –an upcoming public art event on the square!

After the fourth of July holiday, come to the plaza in downtown Decatur to enjoy another free public art event brought to you by the Flux Projects–the same group who sponsored Lima Lives!  Here are the details:

FAV (flute and video)
A visual concert by Amber Boardman and Jessica Peek Sherwood
Thursday, July 7, 9:00 pm
Old Courthouse Square, beside the gazebo in Decatur

FAV is a visual concert that brings together the animation of Amber Boardman and with a live solo flute performance by Sonic Generator’s Jessica Peek Sherwood. Through this collaboration, Boardman and Sherwood aim to redefine both the traditional concert experience and public art performance by combining music, video, and electronics in unusual settings.
More info at www.fluxprojects.org

About Flux Projects….

Flux Projects supports artists in creating innovative temporary public art throughout Atlanta. The organization produces new platforms for artistic experimentation that engage a broad audience in their daily lives, beyond the walls of traditional arts venues. We challenge artists to make exceptional, surprising work that inspires Atlanta and fosters an awareness of the richness and diversity of the city’s creative culture.