Laguna Madre Writer's Forum

I feel so honored that the poets of the Laguna Madre Writer's Forum have been willing to meet at Paragraphs for their monthly readings. Unfortunately, the Saturday morning time does not seem to work for members and others who may be interested since we have not had many attend. So, we are looking to find a better time and day on which to hold these readings.

If you have been interested in attending and just have not been able to make it on Saturday morning, please let me know if there would be a more convenient time. I really would like to see this succeed because we have some truly talented writers in Port Isabel, the Island and the Laguna Madre area.

This morning, I listened to Arturo Saldana read his poem about the a young man's search to discover himself and another celebrating a special friendship and was moved by the beauty of his language and by the depth of feeling expressed in the reading. The poet Rudy Holland Garcia writes the most exquisite love poems which bring tears to ones eyes. It is wonderful for me to have what comes close to being a private reading by these talented artists and I thoroughly enjoy the discussion which follows, but we really need to have more people to both read or listen if this is to be a successful program.

Please send me your suggestions for a better time and how we can reach an audience of both writers and those who enjoy listening to wonderful poetry. This is a great opportunity to experience the power of language and literature but we need your help to make it a success.

"Boundless" New Poetry Anthology

Don't forget to make your submission to the 2010 Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival Anthology and watch for more information about the 3rd Annual Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival (V.I.P.F.), April 22-25, 2010.

Boundless will be published this year as a perfect bound edition with an ISBN. Previous editons include poets from Texas, New York, and London. Be part of this exciting edition!

Poets do not have to attend our festival or register for our festival in order to submit for publication. (While this may change in the future, our open policy remains generous.)

Guidelines:

• Submit 1, 2, or 3 typewritten poems in a legible font.
• Poems may be of any topic, any language. (We ask for a translation if it is not in English, however.)
• 35-line limit per poem, not including title and spaces
• E-mail Submissions Only. Mailed Submissions Will NOT Be Accepted!
• E-mail submissinos to rgvipf@hotmail.com
• No previously published poems, please, except from self-published chapbooks with limited distribution.
• Do not place your name or other identifying information on the poems themselves.

Submit a cover letter that includes:

• Your Name
• Title of poem(s) or first line for an untitled poem
• E-mail address AND phone number
• A short bio – 50 words or less – focusing on your life as a writer

We strongly prefer to communicate by e-mail: rgvipf@hotmail.com
If you change your e-mail, let us know immediately.

NOTE: You must still mail your check, or money order (MADE OUT TO ART THAT HEALS, INC.), along with a SASE to:

Boundless Editorial Committee
1413 Jay Ave.
McAllen, TX 78504

An e-mail address is required for contact. If you will not collect your anthology in person, you should include a self-addressed stamped envelope (payable for $1.50).

www.vipf.org

rgvipf@hotmail.com

Presented by Art That Heals, Inc. in conjunction with the McAllen Chamber of Commerce and The Raúl Tijerina, Jr. Foundation

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

The Unnamed

By Joshua Ferris
(Reagan Arthur Books, Hardcover, 9780316034012, 320pp.)

Publication Date: December 22, 2009

I read the advanced reader copy of this book several months ago and found myself strangely moved by the story of this family. It is not a warm story and certainly not a feel good book and I admit I found it somewhat disturbing. The reviews have been mixed but it is a book that I find myself thinking about, even now, several months after having read it.

Shortly after reading "The Unnamed" I was glancing through a publisher catalog and came across another title "The Dancing Plague - The Strange, True Story of an Extraordinary Illness" by John Waller. In this non-fiction book, Waller presents several ideas as to what could cause someone to dance, without stopping, in some cases so severe that the afflicted could actually be said to dance themselves to death.

While the time period and circumstances studied in the two books are very different and one is fiction and the other non-fiction, there are some definite similarities in the way the authors look at human nature and the effect of societal norms.

Here is a trailer for "The Unnamed":



Selected by Indie Booksellers for the January 2010 Indie Next List

“Tim Farnsworth, a respected litigation attorney for a high-powered Manhattan law firm, is seized by a bizarre illness: He cannot stop walking. Whether taken as a form of mental or physical illness or read as an allegorical tale, The Unnamed is an absolutely heartbreaking story of love, marriage, family, and what it means to be successful in today's society.”
-- Joni Montover, Paragraphs on Padre Boulevard, South Padre Island, TX

Publisher Description:

He was going to lose the house and everything in it.

The rare pleasure of a bath, the copper pots hanging above the kitchen island, his family-again he would lose his family. He stood inside the house and took stock. Everything in it had been taken for granted. How had that happened again? He had promised himself not to take anything for granted and now he couldn't recall the moment that promise had given way to the everyday.

Tim Farnsworth is a handsome, healthy man, aging with the grace of a matinee idol. His wife Jane still loves him, and for all its quiet trials, their marriage is still stronger than most. Despite long hours at the office, he remains passionate about his work, and his partnership at a prestigious Manhattan law firm means that the work he does is important. And, even as his daughter Becka retreats behind her guitar, her dreadlocks and her puppy fat, he offers her every one of a father's honest lies about her being the most beautiful girl in the world.

He loves his wife, his family, his work, his home. He loves his kitchen. And then one day he stands up and walks out. And keeps walking.

THE UNNAMED is a dazzling novel about a marriage and a family and the unseen forces of nature and desire that seem to threaten them both. It is the heartbreaking story of a life taken for granted and what happens when that life is abruptly and irrevocably taken away.

Atlantic Brass Quintet at SPI Convention Center

The Atlantic Brass Quintet

Thursday, January 28, 2010, El Paseo Arts Foundation will host the South Texas Premiere Performance of the Atlantic Brass Quintet. Their concerts have been described by critics as

“Less like a staid occasion where the music sits politely on stage and more like a party that wants you to come aboard.”

Widely acclaimed as one of the world's finest brass ensembles, the Atlantic Brass Quintet has been heard in 48 of the United States and more than a dozen countries across four continents. They perform a unique repertory spanning Praetorius, Bach and Stravinsky, and the brass music from the streets of Brazil, Cuba, the Balkans, and New Orleans.

Winner of six international chamber music competitions, the Quintet's distinctive sound, impeccable ensemble, stunning virtuosity and warm, inviting stage presence have won praise from scores of critics.

Highlights of their busy concert schedule include performances at Carnegie Hall, The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, the Fleet Boston Celebrity Series, and the White House. The quintet is also active on the international scene, with performances the last two seasons in Italy for Palladium Musicum, in South Korea for the Jeju Summer Band Festival, in Taiwan for the Hsing Tien Kong Culture & Education Development Foundation, and for the National Concert Association in Panama.

The individual members of the quintet bring a wealth of talent and experience to the ensemble.

Louis Hanzlik (trumpet) is based in New York City, where he is active as an orchestral player, chamber musician, and educator. Mr. Hanzlik performs with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Orpheus. In addition, he serves as co-principal trumpet with the Riverside Symphony (New York), IRIS Chamber Orchestra (Memphis), and is a member of the orchestra for Broadway’s Mary Poppins. As an educator, Mr. Hanzlik is a trumpet instructor and chamber music coach at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Seth Orgel (French horn) is Assistant Professor of Horn Louisiana State University and has degrees from Northwestern University and Louisiana State University. After spending more than ten seasons with the Syracuse Symphony horn section, he moved to Boston to pursue and active freelance career including shows, jazz orchestras, orchestral, and chamber work. Orchestral credits include the Chicago Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Filarmonica de Caracas, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic, and currently principal horn with the Baton Rouge Symphony.

Tim Albright (trombone) lives in New York City where he enjoys a diverse career as a sought-after chamber musician and a cutting-edge jazz artist. He is a regular member of many New York ensembles including Argento New Music Project, Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, and the Riverside Symphony. Mr. Albright is also a long-standing member of renowned saxophonist Steve Coleman’s group, Five Elements, widely considered one of the most challenging gigs in jazz. He can be heard on numerous recordings and has toured extensively throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the U.S. He is also frequently heard in the orchestras of current Broadway shows.

John Manning (tuba) is a founding member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet and serves on the faculty of the University of Iowa. Mr. Manning received his music degrees from Boston University and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has also served as principal tuba of Air Force Band of the Golden West, the Albany Symphony, the Vermont Symphony, and the Shirim Klezmer Orchestra. Professor Manning has served on the faculties of Boston University, Boston Conservatory, and the University of Massachusetts, and has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Andrew Sorg (trumpet), a member of the Triton Brass Quintet, is filling in for Alex Holton for this performance. Mr. Sorg is an active freelancer in the Boston area and has performed with various orchestras such as the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, the Indian Hill Symphony, Emmanuel Music of Boston, the New Bedford Symphony, the Berkshire Symphony, and The New Hampshire Symphony.

The Atlantic Brass Quintet can be heard on recordings from Summit Records, Solstice, and Crystal.Their website, www.atlanticbrassquintet.com features selections from their music.

The evening of art begins at 6:30 p.m, with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and art exhibit by the Laguna Madre Art League. Lights go up on the concert stage at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $25 per person and $20 for El Paseo members. Tickets are available at the SPI Visitors Center, Paragraphs Book Store, Designer Consigner, the Port Isabel Library (cash or check only), and online at www.elpaseoarts. For additional information, call 956-943-4700.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this incredible group.

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" in SPI

El Paseo Arts Foundation is bringing another evening of fun to South Padre Island by hosting the Camille Playhouse Production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. After the hectic pace of the holiday season take an evening off, and just sit back and enjoy this delightful musical comedy. It should be a wonderful evening to share with friends and family.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at the SPI Convention Center.

The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and Laguna Madre Art League Exhibit.

Curtain goes up on the show at 7:30 p.m.

Charles Schultz tickled the funny bone and tugged at the heartstrings of America for decades.

His musical, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, is a delightful romp through the cartoon pages of “Peanuts”, tied together as a day in the life of Charlie Brown. This revised version, presented on Broadway in 1999, adds new songs to the wonderful original numbers such as “Happiness” and “Suppertime”.

This is a rare gem of a show for all ages!

For youngsters and teens, watching You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown provides a chance to see the beloved cartoon characters come to life. For adults, watching the show is like running into the old gang, the kids we haven't seen for years. They haven't changed much since the late '60s. They're still obsessed with all the insecurities, doubts, and outright paranoia that childhood is heir to, and watching them brings back familiar, funny memories.

The Camille’s director, Ben Agresti has assembled a wonderful cast to portray Charles Schultz’s famous characters: there’s poor Charlie Brown and his sister Sally, Snoopy battling the Red Baron, Lucy in all her regal splendor, Linus and his blanket, Schroeder and his piano, and the Little Red Haired Girl.

Tickets are available at the SPI Visitors Center, Paragraphs Bookstore, Designer Consigner, and the Port Isabel Library or you can purchase tickets with a credit card online.

For additional information, call 956-943-4700.
Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy this charming musical with friends and family.

The End of an Idea

Thanks to Seth Patterson for the below post and video. It puts the implosion of the OTSPI in perspective with the bigger issues of coastal development and does so beautifully:

Developer's insatiable need to build bigger and taller has finally caught up with them on South Padre Island. On Saturday December 12, 2009, Ocean Tower Condominiums was imploded.

This thin strip of barrier island simply could not support a 31 floor tower such as this. During construction, when the clay bed on which it sat began to shift under its weight, the building's foundation cracked, causing the tower to lean. Irreparable, this marked the tallest concrete building, to date, to ever be imploded.

The Implosion of Ocean Tower from Seth Patterson on Vimeo.

Leonardo Nierman’s “Labyrinth of Dreams”

I know that many of us that move to South Padre Island mourn what we perceive as a loss of the availability of "art" and "culture". What I am continually reminded of when I receive updates from www.artsRGV.com is the vast quantity of great events, exhibits and performances that take place within an hour or two of the Island. Unfortunately, I have yet found time to take advantage of much that is available, but the opportunity is there.

So today when I received this in my email inbox I thought I would share. It sounds like a fantastic art exhibit and it will be at the International Museum of Art and Science until April, 2010 so we have plenty of time to make the trek to McAllen.

The International Museum of Art & Science is pleased to introduce the upcoming exhibit, Labyrinth of Dreams by artist Leonardo Nierman on display at IMAS from December 10, 2009 to April 11, 2010. This exhibit will host a compilation of paintings, tapestries and several immaculate sculptures in a prominent collection of contemporary Mexican Art.

Celebrated artist and sculptor Leonardo Nierman grew a deep appreciation for painting in the 1950s after his short lived calling as a violinist in his early years.

"Labyrinth of Dreams represents a lifetime adventure I have experienced during my whole life trying to solve the puzzles represented by fantasies and memories of my dreams. I hope that every painting, sculpture and tapestry will become a window through which the viewer can penetrate and hopefully share my world and dreams,” states Leonardo Nierman.

This rhythmic collection of sculptures and paintings speaks volumes of Nierman’s musical passion. Nierman attributes his studies of the Psychology of Color and the Harmony of Form in Space as playing an instrumental role in shaping his artistic voice and interpretation.

“I feel that music is a perfect vehicle to liberate the soul from the anxieties of life, experiencing the joy of enjoying the memories, colors and sounds floating in the universe. The work of many artists deals with the conflicts of the human race in everyday life. I personally prefer that my art will stimulate the relation of man with the stars and with the poetic elements that may give us the appreciation of the great miracle of having being born,” states Leonardo Nierman.

Leonardo Nierman, by the late 1950s had set an impressive platform of exhibits both domestically and internationally at a time when the art of Mexico was undergoing a period of drastic change. Like many leading Mexican artists, Nierman consolidated his international reputation before receiving full recognition in Mexico.

The International Museum of Art & Science acknowledges Tele-mundo and the Mexican Consulate in McAllen for their invaluable support in helping increase cultural awareness of the work of renowned Mexican artists.

For more information, please call IMAS at (956) 682-1564

December Events at Paragraphs

December is a busy month for everyone and we have a full calendar of events at Paragraphs.

To start things off the Laguna Madre Writers Forum will be having their December get-together this week, on Thursday evening beginning at 7:00 p.m. Bring a poem, a song, a play, a story, and yourself.

Then on to the week of December 14, when we have something going on every night, so even if you forget exactly what is scheduled - just stop by, say hello and enjoy that night's activities.

December 14 - 7:00 p.m. - Play Readers Anonymous will have their last meeting of the year. We will be finishing the play "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder.

December 15 - 6:00 p.m. -There will be a power point presentation of Fahrenheit 451 by a staff member from UTB TSC with discussion following. At the end of the evening we will have a drawing for Fahrenheit 451 T-shirts and distribution of Endowment of the Arts literature in English and Spanish.

An inexpensive mass-market paperback edition of the book by Ray Bradbury can be purchased prior to or at the event and the purchase will include a free readers guide published by the National Endowment for the Arts.

December 16 - 6:00 p.m. - Mikaya Heart will read from and sign her latest book, My Sweet Wild Dance.

The book, which is in the running for a Lambda Literary Award, begins with her experiences growing up in rural Scotland and ends with her experiences learning to kitesurf in various countries around the world.

Don’t miss your chance to meet this unusual author! Reviews say: “Ms. Heart is skilled at dancing her own sweet, wild dance, and the path that her adventurous spirit has forged through the jungle of life is an inspiration to all of us.”

December 17 - 6:00 p.m. - We will have a Children's Story Hour which is being held as part of the 12 Days of Christmas sponsored by the SPI Business Community and in conjunction with SPI Jolly Days. Griff will be reading a story and inviting the participation of his audience, whether young or old.

Our holiday hours are:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 10-6
Wednesday and Friday 10-8
Sunday 12-4

Each Friday in December and continuing through Epiphany we will have happy hour with egg nog or other refreshments. And to make your holiday shopping less stressful we can help you find the perfect selection for anyone on your list plus we offer free gift wrapping.

Sting - If on a Winter's Night

Sting’s latest album, If On a Winter’s Night… released on Deutsch Grammophon, debuted at #6 on Billboard’s Top 200 and #1 on both the Classical and Seasonal charts. The album presents an arc of songs that conjure the season of spirits, featuring a collection of carols, lullabies and hymns spanning the centuries, resulting in a haunting, spiritual and reflective musical journey. In collaboration with esteemed producer and arranger, Robert Sadin, Sting is joined by friend and long time colleague, guitarist Dominic Miller – and an ensemble of three remarkable musicians from Northern England and Scotland: Kathryn Tickell (fiddle and Northumbrian pipes) Julian Sutton (melodean) and Mary MacMaster (metal string Scottish harp). Additional guest artists include Vincent Ségal (cello), Daniel Hope (violin), Chris Botti (trumpet), Ibrahim Maalouf (trumpet), Stile Antico (vocal ensemble), Cyro Baptista (percussion), Bijan Chemirani (percussion) and the Webb Sisters (vocals).

I have been enjoying this Christmas release from Sting the past few days. It is one of the December selections from NPR Discover Songs available at independent bookstores, including Paragraphs.

Play Readers Anonymous

It is that time again. The days seem to be fly by and another month has passed so it is again time for anyone interested in reading from or learning more about plays to join us at Paragraphs, for the Play Readers Anonymous group.
From the El Paseo Arts Foundation newsletter:

The Play reading group meets again on Monday, November 9, 2009, 7:00 p.m., at Paragraphs on Padre Boulevard. This month we'll be finishing up Noises Off, a hilarious farce and starting the Thornton Wilder's classic American play about life, love and death in Our Town. Everyone is invited to attend. if you don't want to read aloud, you can just listen and enjoy. it's a great way to meet other folks who enjoy theatre. No charge -- no commitment -- just a good time.