Category Archives: Art

Independence Day 2012

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Here some ideas to celebrate Independence Day:

Best fireworks for kids: First, if you can’t wait until tomorrow (or want the kids to see the fireworks and sleep in the next day), don’t be uppity and head out to Garner tonight. Their fireworks are earlier, the symphony is playing, and it is probably less crowded than “The ‘Works” in Raleigh tomorrow. Garner Independence Day Celebration, 5p-8p, July-3rd.

Best neighborhood parade: If you’re lucky enough to live in University Park, you have your very own Independence Day Parade right in your heighborhood. Firetrucks and Locopops; need I say more? University Park Independence Day Parade, 9:45am, July-4.

Best children’s parade: A bit out of the way, but specifically dubbed a children’s parade: Wake Forest Independence Day Children Parade, 10:30am, July-4.

Best parade that includes a splash-down from a fire truck: The Apex festivities include karaoke, inflatables and street performers in the morning and end with a parade and an opportunity to “cool off under the spray of the Apex Fire Department’s fire hose“. Town of Apex Olde Fashioned Fourth of July, activities 9a-12p, parade 12:00pm, July-4.

Best “let’s turn Independence Day into a three-day-festival”: As every year, Durham is hosting the Festival for the Eno with tons of activities. Festival for the Eno. Wed July-4, Sat. July-7, Sun. July-8.

And of course, there is also the Independence Day Celebration of the City of Raleigh which, following the overall trend, has moved from the fairgrounds to downtown and will take over Fayetteville Street and surrounding areas. Everything will be there, from a Reading of the Declaration of Independence to Arts Vendors to Circus to Music to Beer Tasting to, of course, at the end, Fireworks. This year, the Rotary Club will release 100 firefly lantern as a special treat at 9:30pm just before the fireworks. The ‘Works, 11am-10pm, July-4.

Also note that while the downtown museums (Science, History, Marbles) are open, the Art Museum is closed.

Fireworks Finish Up Raleigh Wide Open by abbyladybug, used under the CC BY-NC license

 

Shakori Hills Festival (4/19-4/22 2012)

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Shakori Hills (2008)

If you’re one of those folks who used to go to festivals in the BC era (Before Children), this is the season where you start thinking back to the good old days of outdoors live music, bonfire-roasted marshmallows, beer spilled on your sleeping bag and not-finding-your-tent-anymore at three o’clock in the morning. But we’ve grown up, moved on, and little kids and rowdy festivals don’t mix well. Or do they? If you want to  Continue reading →

ClydeFEST (4/5/2013)

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The original article below is from 2012; everything should be the same in 2013 except for the new date Apr-6 and some minor corrections.

Chatham Orange (oops) County does have its share of eclectic characters, and Clyde Jones is one of them. Clyde however, has the pretty unique distinction of having his own event, that annual ClydeFEST which is held for the 11th time in 2012 12th time in 2013. If you’ve never heard of Clyde, here an (older) video about him:

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/8196961]

As you can see in the video, ClydeFEST is not some high-brow art happening. This is an event for kids! The website of the Chatham Arts Council who organizes this event annually says that “ClydeFEST is an all day Kids’ Carnival Folk Art Festival of Art, Games, Music, Magic, Clowns, Hula Hoops, Local Food, and loads of other fun and excitement.” In addition, there are several performers scheduled on the stage, and food and drinks for several vendors will not be in short supply either.

ClydeFEST takes place in Bynum; Bynum is where 15-501 crosses the Haw river, and once you’re in Bynum, you can’t miss it. To get there, take 64 West and then 15-501 North, or 40 West and 15-501 South.

First Friday (Fri 4/6/12)

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Karolina Sobecka, Sniff. Courtesy of the artist.

Karolina Sobecka, Sniff. Courtesy of the artist. (Currently on Display at CAM Raleigh.)

First Friday is always a good idea to expose to the kids to some art and downtown happenings. Born Digital (including the digital dog pictured on the left) is still up at CAM, I wrote a review about it last week. There is a high school art project on display at VAE, that could be interesting: Students from Garner High School created an art project in one of those movable storage container (PODS) and it is sitting outside VAE in a parking space. (Upcoming First Fridays will feature different schools in the same space.) The main highlights are two events that are probably too close together time-wise to catch both:

First, Invisible is doing a performance at CAM at 7:30p. I’ve seen the Greensboro-based group once live in concert, and it is mesmerizing for the young and old. My best description would be ‘steam punk synthesizers’. Think an old piano triggering little hammers that bang on found objects. Amazing to see and hear. They will perform The New Obsolete. (Below is a video of an older project.)

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/18959055]

Second, Morning Times is hosting the Morning Times Market (many artists, including Johnny Swank who I like), and the Pickle Mamas will be “fire hooping” with the Raleigh Drum Circle. It is schedule at 8pm, so you probably have to make up your mind: Warehouse District or Salisbury and Hargett. Either way, the kids will enjoy it. (No rain expected, but dress warm enough the be outside.)

Born Digital @ CAM & Toys @ History Museum (3/2012)

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Born Digital @ CAM, 1/28-4/30

Born Digital is a feature exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum and is on display during February, March and April 2012. This is partially an ‘interactive exhibit’, and visiting with a young art lover requires close supervision; I recommend 1 adult : 1 child so that it is enjoyable for everybody. (You, the child, and other visitors.)

Daniel Rozin, Snow Mirror, 2006. Courtesy of the artist and bitforms gallery, New York.

Daniel Rozin, Snow Mirror, 2006, silk, projector, video
camera, custom software, computer. Edition of 6, 1 AP.
Courtesy of the artist and bitforms gallery, New York.

There are several pieces than can appeal to a very young child, and I’d like to mention two of them. Snow Mirror by Daniel Rozin creates a mirror image of the observer, but only if you are still for a few seconds – every movement translates only into blurred snow. My son liked how his ghost-like mirror image appeared out of nothing, and I was impressed that he recognized himself despite the grainy image.

Scenocosme : Gregory Lasserre & Anais met den Ancxt, Akousmaflore, 2011. Courtesy of the artists.

Scenocosme : Gregory Lasserre & Anais met den Ancxt, Akousmaflore, 2011,
Sensitive and interactive musical plants. Courtesy of the artists.

Another piece that is suitable for closely watched little fingers is Akousmaflore by Scenocosme (Gregory Lasserre & Anaïs met den Ancxt). Plants that are connected to a built-in music system react to touch and play a more or less excited bird sounds. It feels like you’re touching a tree, and somebody high above starts fussing at you. We both had a good time with this.

Toys, Toys and more Toys! @ NC Museum of History, until 4/15

Do you want to show your children what you played with when you were little, but you no longer own a Rubik’s cube? Are you curious what your parents played with when they were little? Check out the exhibit about toys old and new at the history museum.

This exhibit has been there quite a while, but it will end in two weeks so use your chance and go see it! This facebook album gives you some impressions.

Art and Music in Durham (3/18/12)

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No sunny Sunday this weekend, so why not head out to Durham for a half day of art and music. The Nasher Museum of Art has a free family day on Sunday 12pm-4pm. No specifics are given for this coming Sunday other than the date – you might want to call ahead. Kids activities are for ages 3-12, but all kids are welcome.  A children theater group is scheduled for 1pm.

Parents – use the opportunity to at least catch a glimpse of the current Calder exhibit!

BigBangBoom (c) BigBangBoom

Big Bang Boom

When you’re done with the museum and getting hungry, head over to Broad Street Cafe where Big Bang Boom is performing children’s music at 4:30pm. Big Bang Boom is “a power pop trio that writes and performs parent-friendly children’s music” according to the Broad Street Cafe website. No admission is charged, but please be courteous and show your appreciation by purchasing their food and drinks.

Both Nasher Family Day and Broad Street Cafe Kids are recurring events to keep in mind for future Sundays…