On Customers Calling For Goods

Charleston, Miniaturized

Shrinking Nashville was so much fun, I had to try it with Charleston. Okay, that and it was a nice excuse to get out on the roof on a cool, autumn afternoon. :)

Artwalk

Go here for more info.

LOLCATS, Charleston Edition

Mr. C, the Taylor Books shopcat.

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ArtWalk Website

The folks at the Purple Moon have generously put together a website for the monthly ArtWalks. For those of you who live under a rock haven't been to an ArtWalk, they're lots of fun. You start at any of the galleries around 5:00 on the third Thursday of each month, and you walk around to the rest of them during the next two hours, eat gourmet noshies, drink wine, and meet the artists who exhibit in Charleston galleries. Very fun.

The new website is here: http://www.charlestonartwalk.com/index.htm and will be added to the Carpe You Some Diem sidebar, also.

Peace Crane Project

I took these photos at the debut of the Peace Crane Project, an art installation by Amy Williams at Taylor Books in Charleston WV. Some of these cranes were folded and strung by my students, and I think there ended up being over 1,500 cranes at the last count (although there were plenty more made after the official count!) These photos don't do the exhibit justice -- you really have to be there to get the full effect. The strings of cranes are literally all around you as you walk around the store, and there are larger cranes dangling from strings here and there. And if you think about it, each crane stands for a wish for peace -- for this war to come to a peaceful conclusion. Soon! It's a beautiful exhibit, in every way.

Diego and Frida

Check out the Diego Rivera/Frida Kahlo collaboration at Taylor Books:




















photo by Amy Williams

Local artist Amy Williams made Frida, Charly Hamilton made Diego, and photographer Mark Wolfe took the creepy cemetary photo in the background. The exhibit debuted at this month's Art Walk last Thursday, but will be up until the end of the month. It's in the Annex Gallery front window, to the left of the Taylor Books storefront.

Collaborations make me happy. :)

Ghost Sign

Another Charleston ghost sign. This one's beside Food Among the Flowers.

Building and Sky

Another shot of the building in yesterday's post.

Building and Sky

Robert C. Byrd Federal Building

McFarland Street

The WV Capitol Dome , Charleston WV

I'm liking the new paint job on the dome. :)

Masonic Temple #2

This is a close-up of some beautiful carved stone on the Masonic Temple in Charleston WV, which is now home to the Charleston Ballet. I love this building. It looks like a huge wedding cake, with all the gorgeous carved stone features all over the building like icing flowers on a cake.

Mortar Man

This little guy is tucked between some bricks and concrete between two buildings on Capitol Street in Charleston, WV. Do you know where to find him?

Apparently, he was lost for a while. Some renovations were being made to the building and a worker chiseled him out and took him home. So many people complained that the worker brought him back and put him in his rightful place, peeking out over all the busy people walking around below on Capitol Street.

Art makes life so much more interesting. You might have passed the Mortar Man a million times and not have even noticed, but once you know he's there, your daily walk to get coffee seems a little more magical.

Charleston Art Walk -- Thurs Oct. 19

Charleston's October Art Walk will be Thursday, October 19, from 5-8 PM. This event is a great way to get out and see local art and maybe have a snack and a beverage as well. This looks to be a pretty good show, with works by Steve Payne, Amy Williams, Kemp McElwee, and other well-known local artists.

Peace Vigil Art

Because Photoshop filters are a quick-fix for really bad photography. :)

Stop The Hate

Yesterday was the annual "Stop The Hate" rally in Davis Park (across from the BB&T building, Charleston, WV.) I've been to all sorts of rallies, but this one was about the most touching thing I've ever seen. It started off with a prayer service, but with prayers given by representatives of the Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Hare Krishna, Hindu, Quaker, Christian, B'hai, and Zoroastrian religions. Each representative in the "Circle of Faiths" said a quick prayer for peace (some in song or poem form) and it was truly beautiful!

The Rev. Mel Hoover did a dramatic reading of some of Nelson Mandela's writing, and then the audience took part in a "Unison Reading" -- a group recitation of a statement declaring all people of all faiths, sexual orientation, gender, and heritage as one.

I went there to see the art, to be honest. I had no idea what the rally was about. A friend heard about my Pinwheels for Peace fiasco, and said he could use them for this event.

The park was decked out in butterflies (to represent growth -- the idea came from Mandela's speech that was recited in parts throughout the service) made by local school children. There was also a "wall of remembrance" (top photo) that attendees could add to throughout the evening. The entrance to the park was lined with "Peace Pinwheels that my students made -- each with a message of peace written on it.

There was also music -- Laurel Dennie, Mark Davis, Jack Kennedy, Ron Sowell, and the Voodoo Katz performed tunes that were both touching and entertaining at the same time. I especially enjoyed the song "Verbanna Bridge" by Laurel Dennie.

Unfortunately, the rain came, and I had my two youngest with me, ages 1 and 4. We had to beat feet to get back to the car without getting drenched, so I didn't get to see the end of the service. If I hadn't had them there, I would have stayed in the chilly rain just to be there. It was that awesome! Just the synergy of having a park full of people (it was packed!) wanting the same thing, and standing together as one to promote peace was simply amazing.