2008 in Review No. 5: Fort Worth Hearts Art
by Steve SmithLet’s face facts: not all is well in the arts. The tanking economy is going to pose some significant funding challenges in 2009, and the arts communities caught a glimpse of the dark side with Texas Ballet Theater’s struggles this year. But at the risk of stating sounding too Pollyanna, 2008 was a actually a great year for local art. Let’s take a minute to look back at some of 2008’s highlights.
>>The Lone Star Independent Film Festival: It can be safely said that the second annual festival was a success. Maybe there was less star power, but the programming was quite good. Best of all, 2008 directors Alec Jhangiani and Dennis Bishop had a nice public fencemending of sorts with 2007 director Tom Huckabee that reflected well on everyone. Also, noteworthy among the features: the documentary Teen-A-Go-Go by local filmmakers Melissa Kirkendall and Mark Nobles.
>>The Fort Worth Opera Festival: The second annual festival was chock full of sublime moments –- from Angels in America to an un-freaking-believable Turandot to Of Mice and Men to Lucia di Lammermoor, the 2008 Festival was truly remarkable.
>>Martin Puryear Retrospective at The Modern: If you missed it, bad on you. In case you did, check out this video.
>>The Fort Worth Circle at The Amon Carter: This glimpse of art from some of Fort Worth’s all-time greats was superb. In case you missed it, check out this video.
>>FW Public Art: Thankfully, Fort Worth pays attention to esoteric things such what does the city sound like. And I for one am looking forward the Lancaster Avenue of Light (pictured below).

Just how awesome is public art in Fort Worth? Well, we’ve got tornado poles. Thanks, FW Public Art!
>>Marsden Hartley Exhibit at The Amon Carter: If not for the Fort Worth Circle exhibit, this exhibit of American Modernism would have been my favorite show at the Carter.
>>Miguel Harth-Bedoya earns a Grammy nomination: Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Music Director Miguel Harth-Bedoya was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago.
>>FWSO Plays Carnegie Hall: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. Well done, FWSO!
>>Q Cinema Turns 10: But doesn’t look a day over 8.
Tags: Amon Carter Museum, Angels in America, fw opera, FWSO, LSIFF, Martin Puryear, q cinema, The Modern




21 Comments, Comments or Pings
paul
How can you have an Art Year in Review and not mention the Impressionists exhibit at the Kimbell, what was probably their most significant exhibition ever?
Dec 29th, 2008
Steve Smith
Valid question. Three reasons. First, much like Coldplay, Impressionists generally bore me. Second, it seems there’s always a “most significant exhibition of Impressionists ever.” Like, say the Barnes Collection. Third, I saw all of these at the Art Institute in Chicago two years ago.
Dec 29th, 2008
Don Young
I know these year-end lists can’t include everything, damn it. Although it technically occurred in December, 2007, the Buzzworms in the Backyard exhibition was significant from several angles. To my knowledge there has never been a protest art show in Fort Worth. Not only was the art judged by the internationally known artist, Benito Huerta, there was a premiere performance art piece by Tammy Gomez. Most importantly, the event provided a creative outlet for socially conscious artists on a VERY timely issue that affects the entire city and region, something sorely lacking in FW. We also gave away some pretty big bucks to the top three slected artists.
It’s also significant that no other art venue would touch such a show for “political” reasons. Translation: They didn’t want to offend potential customers and donors with Barnett Shale bucks to throw around. (The same could be said for a few locally famous artists who declined to enter the show.) Such (in)actions speak volumes about the FW art scene and human nature.
Buzzworms in the Backyard initial exhibition may have been modest, but it was a success and groundbreaking on several fronts. The 2009 edition, opening January 9th, is getting national media attention and attracting more well known artists from Fort Worth and beyond. The jurors this year are the internationally recognized team of Ed and Linda Blackburn. Is that legitimate enough for you?
Fellini once remarked that, “All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography.” The creation of a pearl requires an irritation to the oyster. As “irritation” from gas drilling continues to inflict the community, I expect some big-ass pearls to be delivered to the FW Community Art Center next week.
Dec 29th, 2008
paul
Dismissing an exhibit because you “already saw it”? That’s pretty weak.
Dec 30th, 2008
Steve Smith
No, actually I dismissed it because I wasn’t that interested in it. Impressionist art, like Egyptian exhibits, are a nice cash cow for museums because they bring in a lot of people who don’t normally go to museums. That’s fine. I just don’t get geeked up about it. You may think it’s weak, but it’s a rationale. What were your top art moments this year?
Dec 30th, 2008
the paul formerly known as paul
my band “los noviembres” played the two night opening of “the impressionists” and while it was a great two nights – 900 people two nights in a row – and the show was good for the museum, i agree with steve in that; the impressionist era produced great stuff but it’s not my favorite. i found malcolm warner’s show “mirror and the mask” from ‘07 much more edgy (for the kimbell.)
my fave art happenings in ‘08 were the fall gallery night shows at art space 111 and gallery 414. the 414 offerings of elvis done up as some sort of a dark angel of a vatican mural mockup were spectacular!
also, the continued “magnolia at the modern” series of films at the modern is a fave, especially the last four or five weeks including the charlie kaufman / phillip seymore hoffman film “synecdoche, new york” !!!
Dec 30th, 2008
the Pete still known mostly as Pete, but now also sometimes as "Peter"... because L.A. ladies prefer a man with 2 syllables
Steve:
I’m glad to hear that the Lone Star International Film Festival can “safely” be called a success.
just out of curiosity, with what barometer did we measure “success” for the LSIFF this past year?
I wasn’t there, and I hope for the best, but I’d love to see someone expand this statement that it was a success.
There have been a few articles, but nothing really impressed upon me any sense that it was worth the trouble… the best of the films screened either will be or have already been shown in Dallas or even at the Modern by now (so the “films that you wouldn’t get to see otherwise” bit is less powerful).
the films were good, and many of the films had received high acclaim at other festivals. (some of them had already been screened at AFI-Dallas 8 months before)
but what other goals were there, and how were they met?
I’m not a nay-sayer, I trust it was great…
I just wasn’t satisfied after scouring the periodicals and blogs, and I would love to hear something a little more interesting than a press release.
Something that makes me proud of Fort Worth.
Tell me what I’m missing.
Let me first say that I have respect for Dennis BIshop’s abilities in producing such events, and I don’t need to hear any reports to trust that things went well on the administrative side.
I hear Orian Williams showed for a panel, which is great (we showed two films he was connected to in 2007).
Mike Price wrote a great piece explaining that the lack of star-power at 2008 was good because it allowed more focus on the films… there are two ways of looking at this and I’m somewhat ambivalent. It isn’t just “star-power” that makes the difference… it’s the atmosphere of being surrounded by industry insiders, and nothing really lends that appeal more than FAMOUS industry people.
I listened to the podcasts you posted here on W&C, and there were some vague statements of what would be accomplished.
well, were they accomplished?
did the promised celebrities show up and support the event?
did the festival help to build a film community in Fort Worth?
did the festival bring attention to Fort Worth as a destination?
did the festival develop more support for filmmakers in the region?
did the festival seem like a “festival”, or just a series of movies that showed elsewhere and might not otherwise have reached Fort Worth (which IS a great thing in itself, and the Modern does a great job of it)?
were there premiers that warranted red-carpet excitement?
I saw that the festival programming was interesting and of high quality, as it was in 2007. I had seen several of the films, and I am still catching up on others, but I think the films selected were all considered high quality and were well-received at prior festivals. That’s all I can see from here.
The parties looked run-of-the-mill, so I’d love to hear how they stood out from any other FW Arts event.
I’m presuming that there is a lot that I just “had to be there” for, but I didn’t see enough coverage after the fact to let me know how things turned out, and I hope that there is more.
I checked the LSIFF website, and it seems at least every other picture or video clip is of a staff-member or board member.
I like some of these people, and I’m so glad to see that they had fun, but I’m sure there was more and I’d love to see it.
I’m not wanting a comparison with the 2007 festival. It seems clear to me that these were two completely different events with different goals entirely. There were different personalities behind them. For instance, our mission in year one included, by necessity, building enough excitement to make year two even worth the trouble.
but I would love to see some kind of final wrap-up that shows why it would be worth traveling to Fort Worth for a 2009 festival.
I would definitely have made the trip for the 2007 festival. In fact, if that atmosphere could be repeated, I’d buy tickets to that one before any others.
Someone show me why the 2008 event would have been worth the trip to Fort Worth instead of another festival.
Pretend I’m an outsider.
Thrill me, sell it to me.
Show me how this wasn’t just a way for the staff and board to get featured in photos and video clips on the LSIFF website.
I’ll be heading back to Funkytown this fall, but at the moment, I am planning to be there for Jazz by the Boulevard. I can’t think of a reason to visit for LSIFF when I have AFI here in L.A. the week before, especially if once again most of same films will screen here first.
Give me a reason to believe, Steve-O…
Jan 5th, 2009
the paul formerly known as paul
concerning lsiff ‘08 – i too keep seeing this manufactured and false dilemma of celebrity vs. quality as referenced here -
http://www.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=7399
and here – http://fwweeklylsiff.blogspot.com/ particularly this post
- http://fwweeklylsiff.blogspot.com/2008/11/brief-words-on-parties-celebritydom.html
harry dean stanton, martin sheen, john hawks, t-bone burnett, robert rodriguez and bill paxton? all attendees of the ‘07 lsiff. let’s see, i’m pretty sure they are famous because they all have done some SERIOUS work! are we not going to invite fw natives betty buckley or mike judge simply because they had the misfortune of being “famous.”
when we screened “roadracers” at the rave after the embargo party the movie didn’t start ’til 1:15 am. people drove from downtown to the rave at ridgemar mall at that time of night and they were rewarded – happily i might add – by a very enthusiastic robert rodriguez with a 1 hour Q&A and a completely off the cuff lecture on the making of the film. the place was absolutely packed right ’til 3:15 am. that’s EXCITEMENT!
i rooted for the success of this year’s festival even though people like the fw weekly’s anthony mariani went out of their way to take shots at locals johnny reno and t-bone burnett http://www.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=7305 is this the community working together for a better festival? no just a lame attempt to seem cool by dissing successful musicians who’ve actually worked in the film biz.
if lsiff feels they need to focus on quality then fine. but to use it as an excuse for a drab affair is way to obvious.
Jan 5th, 2009
Mariani
I agree with Paul and Pete: LSIFF honchos either need to start bending over backward to get some at-least-B-list stars in town for the fest or get C- and D-listers here and force them to perform sexual favors for, give back-rubs to, or otherwise avail themselves socially to willing attendees.
However, the main reason I’m writing here now is that – once again – something I’ve penned in the Weekly has been grossly mischaracterized by a W&C regular and I must come to my own defense.
Paul says, “people like the fw weekly’s anthony mariani went out of their way to take shots at locals johnny reno and t-bone burnett.”
First, unless Paul’s a mind reader, how does he know when somebody goes out of his or her way to do something? Secondly, a “shot,” to me, is a personal attack, something like, “Johnny Reno talks funny” or “T-Bone’s sideburns are uneven” or whatever. In the column to which Paul refers, I say NOTHING of the sort. All I say is that, basically, T-Bone et al. are great, but they’re not my speed and that young local bands should be incorporated into LSIFF festivities for reasons that should be painfully obvious to anyone who wasn’t born during the Eisenhower administration and who lives, works, and/or plays here.
Paul also says, “Is [one of Mariani's columns] the community working together for a better festival? no just a lame attempt to seem cool by dissing successful musicians who’ve actually worked in the film biz.”
Yes, the Weekly was one of several LSIFF co-sponsors, but we Weekly journalists — and journos everywhere — are NOT cheerleaders. Journalists are PART of their communities, not OF them, an important distinction.
Anyway. As you all were.
Jan 7th, 2009
James M. Johnston
Can’t a film festival just show really awesome films and bring the community together around celebrating film as an art form without feeding into celebrity worship? It seems everyone is implying that we as a community are too shallow to support a film festival unless some celebrities show up. As for me, all a successful film festival needs is great films and free booze. I can do without the celebrities.
Jan 7th, 2009
the paul formerly known as paul
anthony writes – “I agree with Paul and Pete: LSIFF honchos either need to start bending over backward to get some at-least-B-list stars in town for the fest” –
a – listers, b – listers, whatever, as long as they have done good / interesting work.
anthony, you then mention that lsiff might try giving “back-rubs” as incentive to c – and d – listers. hmmmm, do you mean sort of in the way that fw weekly music writers eric griffey, ken shimamoto, jeff prince, caroline collier, and steve seward all had their respective bands rivercrest yacht club, pfffft / stoogaphilia, rodriguez prince, proud warrior and darth vato nominated for fw weekly music 2008 awards? if so, lsiff will certainly know where to take lessons. (and I wonder then, are you referring to those bands as c- and d- listers, maaaan what a pal anthony)
the first phrase you take issue with – “out of the way.” – to me it means an unnecessary detour. it’s MY opinion you took an unnecessary detour from your main message of building up bands playing the ‘08 lsiff by taking shots at two musicians whose performance at the ‘07 lsiff most people were ecstatic about.
next, the phrase “taking shots” – no one involved took offense at your description of the night at embargo as a night of “blues rock” (a phrase you used three times) because it was so laughably off the mark. it was so off the mark that it was obviously intended as an insult and so none was taken. but “shots” were definitely still taken. maybe if you had gotten off your barstool and come up front – for you did say in your ‘07 “hearsay” wrap-up “The music sounded good, I think, but I was too, too distracted by the perpetual commotion to pay serious attention” – http://www.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=6459 you would have had a different (more informed) opinion. Maybe as Chris Bellomy says here – http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2296&hl=anthony+mariani
you were showing your “trademark laziness.”
so, we do have a different definition of “taking shots” and i grant you that in our earlier go around on the esteemed w&c – http://westandclear.com/2008/06/20/curtain-call-weekend-entertainment-roundup-2/ i took a shot at you and i meant it. when i see hypocrisy, if i have a clear aim, i’ll take a shot. and i do thank you for commending me on my accuracy – calling me a “sharpshooter” or something like that heehee!
see there, no offense. and that’s why i had no problem encouraging people to go to lsiff ‘08. but who wants to “go out of their way” to promote a local event if someone in the local press goes out of their way to take shots at you? no thanks.
and finally, no one expects you to be a “cheerleader.” instead, it seems to be you that is more worried about it – “Not to sound like a cheerleader, but” – http://www.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=7005
Jan 7th, 2009
the paul formerly known as paul
james, it’s a false dilemma.
just because celebrities show up doesn’t mean any worship has to take place.
again, is there a threshhold of public awareness that can’t be crossed before someone is denied a film showing. what if one of those talented / knowledgeable celebreties genuinely wants to conduct a clinic / forum / lecture?
i’ll go to see what i can learn from anyone, famous or not, as long as i respect their work.
Jan 7th, 2009
the Pete still known mostly as Pete, but now also sometimes as "Peter"... because L.A. ladies prefer a man with 2 syllables
James,
as a direct answer to your question:
the Modern already does that every weekend. Additionally, until this past year, Christopher Kelly programmed a great festival at the same venue.
Both stand as a testament that a small segment of Fort Worth’s population will gather together to celebrate the art of the moving image. Usually the same segment, every time.
As I understand, something is in the works to make it possible to see a great indie movie any day in Fort Worth…
It has it’s place, and I enjoyed taking part in that community, as I now do here in Los Angeles (my favorite art-house here is also owned by Cuban, just like my favorite in Dallas, as well as Magnolia which screens at the Modern… but I still cheer for the Spurs).
Q Cinema does the same, with an express purpose of presenting films that represent a certain community.
James, my friend, I know you can do just fine without the celebrities… but you know as well as I do that an expensive festival in Fort Worth probably won’t.
I didn’t ask “where are the celebrities?”. If your mission doesn’t require them, then let them stay at home.
to paraphrase, my questions were:
So what are the goals of the festival? and
Were they met in 2008?
What need does it fill (better than others), and why should it survive?
the same questions are asked and answered of ALL non-profits.
So if we are “safely” calling Lone Star a “success”, then by what criteria?
there seem to have been a few more tickets sold/given out… enough to account for the excitement expected after the 2007 event? probably. was it the marketing that accounts for the increase? if there was a lot of marketing, then i’m sure it helped. There was also a full year to prepare, so I’d almost say that selling only 2000 tickets more (if that is the accurate number) is actually stunted growth, considering that we had barely any time for marketing the first year.
I know it was well-run. There were more staff, and they had a full year to prepare, and they are competent and professional. But that shouldn’t earn you a cookie, that should be a presumption… “well-run” isn’t the type of external goal I’m referring to.
If it merely shares the same goals as the Magnolia at the Modern series, then it is not a necessary expense, and donors may do well to give their money to Imagination Celebration, or some other worthwhile arts program that is a treasure to Fort Worth.
If the only goal was to screen some great films (a worthwhile endeavor), then mission accomplished!
How much does that really need to cost?
and further, does that mean that it can stop now since Fort Worth will have an Art House by the end of the year?
However, if there was a desire to bring attention to Fort Worth and cultivate a film community, then how would we rate the success in that area?
If there was a desire to generate excitement beyond what exists on a normal weekend in Fort Worth, was that achieved by the festival for anyone other than film-enthusiasts? was it achieved for the film enthusiasts?
If one of the goals is to make people thirst for the next year’s event, did the excitement of 2008’s festival create that longing?
I was excited when, after the 2007 festival, there appeared to be an increase in attendance at the Modern film screenings. I wouldn’t attribute it to the festival directly, and it’s purely anecdotal (I’ve never seen any stats) but there appeared to be a stronger desire in the community to see significant films that aren’t in wide release. That series was already doing quite well, anyway, and is a wonderful part of the FW Arts scene.
It gave me hope that some enterprising and wonderful team may see a growing community of film-enthusiasts and open an independent art-house for film… anyone?… anyone?… perhaps a venture like this one: http://westandclear.com/2008/07/08/amy-mcnutt-james-johnston-planning-art-house-theater-for-near-southside/
also: http://bconfusion.blogspot.com/2008/07/visit-to-st-louis-and-springfield-mo.html
***By the way, friends, I WILL be flying home to the Fort for the opening weekend. James and Amy are awesome, and that will be an event worth attending***
If there’s going to be an independent cinema in Fort Worth, then it will be far more successful if the local populace is chomping at the bit for more indie films, and still reeling from the exciting time they had at a recent festival…
in your research, I’m sure you noted the spiked attendance at local indie theaters after successful festivals.
You are correct that it is meaningful to “bring the community together around celebrating film”…
But will LSIFF thrive at its high expense without a level of excitement that engages a much wider audience?
the booze helps. heavy marketing helps.
so does the presence of well-known industry successes (or you can call them celebrities). especially if you say they’re coming.
They are just a necessary, and a very beneficial element to a good festival. No festival survives without bringing in recognizable people that the community desires to see and learn from…
not only because they are “famous”… the folks we’re talking about are recognizable to folks outside the film world because of their success.
Nothing lends credibility to a festival like the presence of important people… They wouldn’t show up at an event that wasn’t important… So, what does it mean if they don’t?
I know Van Cliburn was there. Sputnik Sch-putnik, we’ve got “The Texan who conquered Russia”….. but, not a filmmaker. Celebrity? yes. Responsible for ending the Cold War? in a way, maybe.
Able to tell you about how the film was made? not so much.
I feel like I’d be kicking my own ass if I had somehow missed some moments of the 2007 festival, with or without celebrities (oddly, in each case, it was a word spoken by, or a song performed by a “celebrity” that made the moment memorable).
Same with AFI, both in LA and Dallas (Michael Cain is a visionary, just like Tom Huckabee).
on the smaller scale, I would have been very disappointed last month if I hadn’t attended a screening of Bruce Campbell’s new film and engaged in the Q and A (I know, my b-movie geekosity is showing). It was worth the drive, the money, the fantastic feats of parking prowess, and the time. Otherwise, I could watch the movie on DVD, eat some fatty foods, and cry myself to sleep because I wasn’t cool enough to be at the event.
on the other hand, I have never been to Telluride, but I’d give my left arm for a chance to attend that fest.
From afar, I don’t feel the same way about 2008’s LSIFF. maybe I would if I were in Fort Worth and couldn’t make it to the Modern, had not the means to drive to Dallas, and didn’t know how to operate my dvd player.
again, I’m assuming that every goal was met, and that it was fantastic. But their website doesn’t make it look all that exciting. Not even to me.
I would love to hear more. That’s all I’m asking for.
and I only ask because of all the glowing reports that fail to detail anything but the quality of the films themselves. Films which, for the most part, are still showing within driving distance and even right there in Fort Worth. It’s definitely worth going to the screening if the filmmakers are there. Were they?
When The Citizen opens, won’t most of these films be showing on a weekly basis right there in near-southside?
That would render what I’ve seen of LSIFF2008 irrelevant to some degree.
What need will there be for LSIFF at that point, if The Citizen is showing all of the high-quality indie films with the gusto that I know its owners can muster?
I’m not seeing any reason to believe that there should be an LSIFF in 2009…
but one last time: I’m not implying there isn’t a reason — I just haven’t seen one reported…
and for the benefit of the festival itself, somebody please show us how amazing the festival was.
if it failed to be worthwhile in any way other than showing great films, then that’s what it is. Embrace that.
Make it your goal to simply show great films.
If the star-power doesn’t matter, than neither should the excessive parties… for the same price as renting the City Club for one party, you could have screened that full program a second time. For the price of the awards ceremony at The Renaissance you could have produced 2 indie films… you could have bought a Sony Z-1 for an aspiring group of filmmakers…
James, would you go see the movie without the party?
I would….
so I guess the parties are only significant if they serve a purpose.
did they?
the festival is only relevant if it meets its stated goals.
what were they? and did it?
btw, James and Amy, I’d kiss a cow on the lips if you’d open a Spiral out here in lala land…
Jan 8th, 2009
urbndwlr
James,
I agree. While the presence of a herd of the most important industry players would be cool and could possibly signal that the festival has become a “must attend” for people who follow the festival circuit, it is absolutely a worthy mission for the festival, particularly in its first few years, to focus primarily on providing excellent content. I hope the LSIFF staff resists the temptation to emphasize recruiting big names to attend, and focuses on providing great, intellectually stimulating content as it did this year. I expect that the festival will walk before it runs, which is logical. I’ve become a fan and am looking forward to the 2009 festival.
Jan 8th, 2009
the Pete still known mostly as Pete, but now also sometimes as "Peter"... because L.A. ladies prefer a man with 2 syllables
the two aren’t mutually exclusive, urbndwlr.
but if there are no celebrities, there need not be parties at the Renaissance and City Club where only board members and their friends are invited… use that money to support the filmmakers.
If you have those parties, it should be because it benefits the festival in some way, usually because of “who” attends lending credibility and star-power. Again, the only photos of party-goers on the site feature the staff themselves. By my count, nearly every other photo or video clip is of a staff or board member. LIke they threw the party for themselves. That doesn’t help propel the status of the event at all.
of course, that’s just my two pesos.
Jan 8th, 2009
Mariani
(I apologize in advance for eating up any more comment space here, but … )
First, Paul, re: Music Awards. You forget that every year many Weekly employees who perform solo or in bands do NOT get nominated, and if you can argue convincingly that said ‘08 Weekly-affiliated nominees should not have made the cut, then by all means …
We just don’t see any reason why musicians who happen to work at our paper should be penalized for being good musicians vis a vis the annual Music Awards. Plus, to ensure that we’re not playing favorites, you’re more than welcome to count all of the ballots yourself next year.
Secondly, “shots†v. “no shots,†“blues rock†v. “rock.†It doesn’t matter. The point is that LSIFF needs to incorporate some of town’s great young bands into the mix. You can keep Johnny and T-Bone, even have them headline your biggest party night. Just don’t make them the WHOLE show. I don’t know how I could be clearer.
Lastly, my “trademark laziness†has earned me four Lone Star Awards over the past couple of years here at the Weekly and has helped me get published in The Village Voice (during the Christgau-Eddy era), The Oxford American (annual Music Issue), Vibe, The Weekly Standard, Salon.com, Architecture (where I once served as assistant editor), The Art Newspaper (London), and a half-dozen other national and international magazines that ACTUALLY PAY (and well) for REAL writing. Forgive me if I don’t lose sleep at night over what you or any other blog-comment-leaver thinks of my work ethic.
Jan 8th, 2009
Steve Smith
A gentle reminder to everyone — let’s talk about the festival and not take shots at each other. Thanks
Jan 8th, 2009
Kevin Buchanan
I tend to be of the same mindset as JMJ – put together a kick ass film event and worry about the celebs later.
Jan 8th, 2009
jeff prince
Hey Paul, the name of my band is PrinceRodriguez, not Rodriguez Prince. I had to win a coin flip to get my name first, so don’t forget it.
While I think our band is pretty damn good, I admit I was surprised by PrinceRodriguez’s nomination for a Music Award in 2007 since we play the clubs rather sparingly these days. But I had nothing to do with our nomination and I don’t know who nominated us and I didn’t even know we were nominated until I read it in the Weekly. I was even more surprised that the band actually got quite a few votes. However, I wasn’t surprised at all that we lost out to Maren Morris or Brad Hines or whoever it was.
Jan 8th, 2009
Steph
The Fort Worth Circle exhibit at the Carter was AWESOME! It introduced me to Bror Utter whose work is just right up my alley (loved his painting “Trio”), and many other amazing artists I’d never heard of before! They should make the Circle part of the permanent collection.
Jan 8th, 2009
the paul formerly known as paul
i also enjoyed the fort worth circle exhibit though i skipped the guided tours which in this case i kinda wish i hadn’t.
i think the amazing writer dave hickey – “air guitar” / head of the art dept. at unlv (and who i was lucky enough to write a song with when i was a 25 year old lad) came and did a lecture on this show. i missed the lecture because of teaching obligations. but between conversations with him and thie circle show i’m reminded that in many important ways fort worth just may have been a a much more “edgy” town in the past than it it is now.
anyone interested in dave hickey’s work, here you go
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Hickey
Jan 8th, 2009
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