Holiday Gift Idea: Gummy Greeting Cards

One of girlShow’s Atomic Pink (2009) artist, Jenice Johnson, is now selling Gummy Greeting Cards via a PayPal requested donation of $3.50. Please send this post to everyone you know and support one of our most amazing photographers in the Dallas area! It’s super easy to order. Just take a gander at the following images and see which one you like. Then just click the PayPal donation link below to purchase! And you don’t need PayPal to do this at all. There is a place at the bottom of the PayPay page that directs you to how to pay without an account. Drop Jenice a line at artsbyjphotography at gmail dot com and tell her which one you would like and feel free to email her if you also have any questions!

Gummy Lights

Snowglobe Gummy

Gummy Free-For-All

Gummy Gift

Atomic Pink – All Girl Show August 7th & 8th, 2009

By Lizette Sinclair

ArtLoveMagic never ceases to amaze the public with its outstanding venues of visual arts, performing arts, poetry and more. Inside the Mokah Bar in Deep Ellum, the arts came alive and electrified the very air we inhaled. It was wall to wall talent with some of the best female artists in Dallas, which turned out to be a weekend of sensory stimulation.

Photo by Justin Nygren

As you walked into the building, you were greeted with the pink haired, gas-masking wearing icon of the All Girl Show, Femme Magnifique! The stark white walls hid behind the collage of artwork submitted by the artists. From modern impressionism to the wickedly abstract, you knew this night was going to be absolutely Girltastic!

Phot by Eddie Walker

The crowd gathered while you made your way through the artistic endeavors of these talented women.. As you reached the main area, you were treated to live performances, where the music sauntered and gathered the illustrious ambience of the night.

What made it a special treat, was that one of the artists was celebrating her birthday. Happy Birthday Shelly Pinder.. I also had the opportunity to visit with Shelly and her mischievous gothic style art. I was particularly impressed with her devilish rendition of Alice in Wonderland. I think Lewis Carroll would approve.

Photo by Dee Hill

It was a delight to see the fabulous Riki Johnson and her slew of positive female brew-ha-ha. I could tell you all day about her work, but there are certain words that describe it completely…Exotic, Sultry, Femininity Defined, Strength and last, but certainly not least, Woman!

Photo by Scott Dorn

Everywhere you looked, there was art to see, so many genres, so many styles. There was something for everyone. What made it so unique from other art shows, is that the live music exhilarated the whole experience and brought you within the motion of the artistic process.

On the other side, was the beautiful work of Michelle McSpadden. Her creative outlook on Christianity and the vivid abstracts made that whole side of the room come alive. Her section was a hustle and bustle of onlookers and buyers all night.

Photo by Jenice Johnson

An especially wonderful treat was the beautiful vocals of Jamie Reeves. She’s young, talented and has a voice on her that demands attention. Her fresh, new age rock was a highlight of the night. This is a name to remember, because I know, you’ll be seeing more of this young woman!

I know I’ve told you about Deb Driscoll before and believe me, when she took the stage and sang her beautiful love-jazz songs, I still remained impressed. She has the perfect bluesy style voice that swarms the audience and encompasses them completely.

Photo by Will Deniger

I want to also note that ArtLoveMagic was in for a treat themselves that night. I met a unique man named Justin from Global Reality. He was filming the entire show and it was being streamed live. People from New York to Australia were engaged in the autonomy of the night’s events. That was over a hundred and fifty thousand people experiencing art in motion. You can visit the show yourself at www.justin.tv/globalreality.

Yes, ArtLoveMagic is one of the best artistic groups in Dallas. Their hard work and dedication to the craft of artistic development always brings the whole idea of art and creative thinking to the forefront. If you haven’t been to one of their shows, I highly recommend that you do. Just imagine being surrounded by color, light and love all at one time. It’s the ultimate soul-soothing experience.

Photo by Nicki Rodriguez

girlShow photos by Will Deniger

Will Deniger (who recently shot our Art & Coffee event) also posted some great images from girlShow.

Good crowd shots are tough to get, but Will posted this great one of the packed girlShow lounge.

Mario and crew hold down the fort.

Great live set by Haley and Amanda.

Mama Nye admires a new piece of jewelry that Keena made for the show.

The Mokah gallery.

photos by Will Deniger

new girlShow images from Dee

Dee Hill recently posted these new images from girlShow 2009.

Jamie Reeves on mic check. her set blew everyone away.

Jennifer Shipley. Big canvas. Big color.

Carissa spins. Kind of like a DJ, but with yarn.

A design from our first ever fashion show.

The fashion show was a big hit. Must’ve been like 200 people who stopped what they were doing to watch the models and designers.

Carolyn Collins’ photography was projected huge against a wall, above paintings by Riki Johnson.

Fear no hawk.

Beautiful eyes.

girlShow 2009 ATOMIC PINK Photo-Ink Challenge Wall was…

Thank you, photographers, for capturing/documenting my Photo-Ink Challenge wall at girlShow ATOMIC PINK! Thanks to the girlShow producers for making this happen and to Mimo and his crew at Mokah for letting us ‘play’ in their beautiful space. Thanks to the ROCKIN’ volunteer angeldudes who setup & managed the interactive wall (and carefully preserved every square inch during teardown for future exhibit)… and a special thank you to all the amazing girlShow ATOMIC PINK attendees who shared their voice on my largest wall of thought-provoking photographs to date!

So very many incredible perspectives were shared by so many… and this is what it’s all about. An open forum dialogue of thoughts, dreams, ideas, inspirations, passions, nightmares, etc. can only lead to a better understanding of those around us.

I’m printing copies of all the photographs everyone shot of the Photo-Ink Challenge wall and sending them to my niece, Morgan… since this all began with my photo/poetry blogs years ago… which started as a result of my e-mailing Morgan images and her replying with her poems, thoughts, etc… which led to a dynamic expressive arts program for inner-city, at-risk and homeless youth.

The night had just begun and already people were revealing their thoughts about the fragile strength of human life… (photo courtesy Eddie Walker)

By the end of the night, the wall was full of dialogue (both written and drawn) sparked by the images captured in the photographs… (photo courtesy Nicki Rodriguez)

And though the wall was completely covered in ink, people still found space to continue sharing their thoughts… (photo courtesy Dee Hill)

I’ll keep shooting… (photo courtesy Nicki Rodriguez)

… you keep inking. (photo courtesy Scott Dorn)

I’ll resume my Photo-Ink Challenge blogs later this week on myspace, and I invite you all to join in with your words, drawings, songs, whatever. In the meantime, you are welcome to start sharing your thoughts right now on what I formerly called Photo/Poetry blogs (which never have an expiration date) at blogs.myspace.com/beazers (photo courtesy me!)

If you missed this outstanding live art/performance weekend in Deep Ellum… we have more… MUCH more to come!!! Go to artlovemagic.com and scope out the Dallas art scene that does more than just please the eyes and ears.

Peace and smiles,
~Carolyn

(just had to throw in this lovely shot by Nicki Rodriguez)

post by Carolyn Collins

Nicole’s pics

As I’m typing this, we’re sitting in the artlovemagic offices doing the wrap up on girlShow. Everyone is truely thrilled about how it came out. In many ways, this was one of our most successful shows ever.

Here is a roll of photos by one of girlShow’s producers, Nicole Rodriguez.

Haley and Amanda rock the lounge for girlShow.

Jenice Johnson ran the photo booth at this event. She invited our attendees to get free portraits. You can see the results of her shoot here.

girlShow was our first show with a spa (this is what happens when you fill the production crew with females). Here, henna artist Heidi Wunder works some art on skin.

girlShow was packed out. Mokah’s huge auditorium was filled with artists and stage performers.

Our interactive art display allowed attendees to add images and words to photographs by Carolyn Collins.

This was the first major artlovemagic show that the three founders, Justin, Mike, and Dave didn’t have much input on. Here they pose with Atomic Pink’s inspiration Jen Shu.

post by Michael Lagocki
photos by Nicole Rodriguez

girlShow photo party

So many incredible images were taken at girlShow, we can’t keep up. Here’s a roll of some amazing images taken by one of our very favorite photographers, Dee Hill.

Thanks, Dee for sharing such amazing images. girls like you are why we do this show.

girlShow rocked.

Wow. I mean wow.

Photographers are editing, writers are writing. I know there will be a ton of articles and images coming your way from girlShow across the next few days, but here’s the skinny:

ArtLoveMagic’s first two night event, girlShow2009, was an unqualified success. Friday night was crowded, Saturday night was packed. Around 700 attendees between the two nights. New experiments like the spa and the fashion show went off without a hitch.

The girls were brilliant.

More pics and stories coming your way fast, but I wanted to share a few images right away (shouldn’t I be asleep?).

Enjoy.

photos by Jenice Johnson
post by Michael Lagocki

The Unjust ‘Just’ (or, Why You Are An Artist Too)

On this, the eve of our annual all-female-artist blowout, there are creatives across the Metroplex priming canvases, tuning strings and loading their cameras. Costumes are being meticulously groomed, poems and songs rehearsed, and bodies stretched and strengthened in preparation for the sensory banquet that will be girlShow 2009. Each and every woman has honed her craft and earned her place in this year’s event.

Tonight’s entry, however, is not for them. Tonight’s entry is for you women who are reading this who don’t self-identify as artists. Yes, you may have a deep appreciation for the performers you’re coming to see this weekend, but when someone asks you whether you too are an artist, your reply will include an insidious four-letter word: just.

Though we’re slowly unlearning the habit, many of us — even those with numerous degrees, stunning intellectual prowess or noteworthy accomplishments — tend to play down our strengths… and especially in the presence of others whose talents we admire, our speech can be utterly rife with the self-abasing “just” — as in, “Oh, I can’t paint or anything; I’m just an accountant,” or “I’m just a stay-at-home mom.”

Tonight I’m delighted to inform you that, of all the women I have met in my life, I have never met one who was “just” anything… and I can say with certainty that you are no exception. You are a work of art, and you too are an artist.

I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people. –Vincent Van Gogh, a guy who cut off his ear for the love of a woman and also painted some stuff

You may spend your waking hours under the unforgiving glare of fluorescent lights, but consider that every smile you offer your coworkers is a glimpse of a beauty that transcends the drudgery of their tasks, and paints their day in a slightly warmer hue.

It is not that I feel the study of great art should be put aside, but simply that I feel it may be helpful to consider some of the possibilities all of us have of really living artistically. –Edith Schaeffer, author

I’m a disaster with a paintbrush, and behind the lens of a camera I’m a hack documentarian at best. Am I any less an artist? Hardly! My artwork can bring both laughter and tears to just about anyone who gets to experience it. My latest masterpiece was forty-one weeks in the making and took thirty-three hours of blood, sweat and tears to produce. (As I type this she’s sitting in my lap, finishing her bedtime bottle.) My work may not hang in a gallery, but it’s art I display with pride.

Less than twenty-four hours from now, the year’s largest gathering of female artists in Dallas will begin. I hope you’ll come, not only to see and hear the offerings of some incredibly talented performers, but to finally throw off the shackles of the unjust “just” and tell (or discover!) your own answer to the question, “What is my art?”

girlPower.

Mama Nye
Co-Producer
girlShow 2009

surrounded by girls

It’s great to see this show really taking form. Last night, we had our gallery opening to preview the art that will be hanging on the walls at girlShow. It was crowded and you could feel the enthusiasm surrounding this particular production in the air. girlEnergy.

The women producing and performing in this show have taken the artlovemagic model to a new place. There’s a lot to girlShow that artlovemagic has never done before: a two night production, hand made merchandise (you should see the jewlery and screen printed tees that will be available), roaming musicians on the streets Friday night, over 50 total performers connected to a single event.

Hats off. girlShow 2009 was planned faaaar in advance. We scheduled the date almost a full year out and put the production team in place months and months before the first ads went out. So pleased to see that our instincts were right and that this show is taking the organization to new places.

girlsRock.

post by Michael Lagocki