Drastic Times Call for Drastic Measures

This morning as I was hitting the alarm clock for the second time, it occurred to me that one day I might have to do something drastic to wake myself up. I keep my alarm clock across the room so that I have to get out of bed to turn it off but sometimes it takes me a while to finally make it up and out for the day. Haven't we all been there? When the day for more drastic measures comes I'll probably have to get a Clocky. See the video below, it's crazy. They are available at Target and Amazon.com to name just a few places. Good luck getting up and being in a good mood after chasing this around the room!

Communication Arts Advertising Competition

Deadline: June 2, 2008

Enter the most prestigious competition for creativity in advertising, the 49th annual Communication Arts Advertising Competition. Any advertising project printed, published or aired for the first time between June 3, 2007 and June 2, 2008 is eligible. Selected by leading creative directors, art directors and writers, the winning entries will be published in the December 2008 Advertising Annual. Over 70,000 copies of the Advertising Annual will be distributed worldwide, assuring important exposure to the creators of this outstanding work.

For more information check out the Communication Arts website.

Deep Ellum Association Mural Project - Competition

RE*COV*ER, a mural series competition project sponsored by the Deep Ellum Association embraces the new and changing face of Deep Ellum’s future. The theme, “RE*COV*ER,” speaks both to the recent history of the Deep Ellum tunnel and how artists have traditionally played a key role in the development of the neighborhood.

The first phase of the mural series, painted last year, is located along Elm Street and honors “Music Legends” with a connection to Dallas. The second installment of the Re•cov •er Deep Ellum Mural Series will encompass Main and Commerce Street and is not limited to any specific theme. Submissions for consideration may include people, places, or events. The costs of paint for the murals will be sponsored by the Deep Ellum Association, The Deep Ellum Foundation, property owners and private donations.

The competition is open to all Texas artists, designers, students, teachers and community groups. Either working individually or in teams, they are invited to submit mural designs that honor the artistic roots of Deep Ellum. A panel of judges and community leaders will select ten images for the public murals on Main, Commerce and Canton Streets. The competition will be conducted in collaboration with local galleries, the Dallas Arts Magnet School and the Society of Figurative Arts.

From May 8th to May 16th Studio Fling will host an exhibition of the submissions for public comment opportunity with an artist reception on May 8th from 7-9pm sponsored by The Mozzarella Company. A panel of judges including local gallery owners, property owners, and neighborhood affiliates will choose five muralists from the submissions to compete on Deep Ellum walls.

On May 16th, during a benefit for the Deep Ellum Association, the five chosen muralists will be announced at Club Dada. At Club Dada guests may enjoy one last look at the submissions and enjoy music by Paul Slavens, Mike Graff, and Roy Ivy.

A special ceremony to celebrate the winning artists and unveil the second phase of the murals on May 24th, at The Prophet Bar in Deep Ellum, with special entertainment from Lovie and The Happy Bullets and a champagne toast. Three top prizes will be awarded that evening: $1000 for first place, $500 for second, and $300 for third.

The Re*Cov*Er mural series competition will be held annually and murals will be on display for a period of up to one year. For more information please contact Alison Welsh at 214.939.5255 or savedeepellum.org.

Gitana Productions - Darfur Project

Photo by:  Gina Bramucci

Between May 23 and June 8, 2008, Gitana Productions, one of my clients, will present nine performances of Complacency of Silence: Darfur, a full-length original play created using documented and conducted interviews. The production will use music, dance and drama to explore the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan. The crisis is one of the worst human rights and humanitarian crises of our time. The UN estimates that since 2003, more than 400,000 men, women and children have died as a result of the conflict and over 2 million of the region’s 7 million citizens have been displaced. Since many of the displaced are farmers they can no longer feed their families. Most of the victims are women and children. Complacency of Silence: Darfur will not only put a human face to this modern day genocide, but will also explore the deeper issue of why we commit, tolerate and ignore atrocities, particularly in Africa.

For more information go to:  gitana-inc.org