A Somewhat Secret Blog

ADA 21st Birthday Party

asomewhatsecretplace — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:50:45 +0000

Dear Friends.

Thank you to the Riot! for organizing this super fun event that took place this last Tuesday July 26th. It was so fun working with Yoshi and Jamie. We had about 30 people attend, eat cake, dr

, Serenity Ebert (left) Catherine J. H. Miller (right)

ink doubly and enjoy a wonder full discussion guided by John Agusta.

I received this picture fron the raffle winner , Serenity Ebert (left) who won the ADA symbol piñata that I made only hours before the party and panel discussion.

Thanks,

Catherine J. H. Miller

Artistic/Project Director FA Curator

OWCA Subcommittee Chair: A somewhat Secret Place Exhibision

Next Event! Free and for Kids! 7/30 Noon-2

asomewhatsecretplace — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:53:54 +0000

WHAT COLOR IS YOUR DRAGON?: STORIES AND ART FOR CHILDREN EXPLORING VARIETY

By Joy Cocoran, Photography by Jim HIll

Saturday July 30, at noon, artist and storyteller Joy Corcoran will engage children in the art of storytelling and the stories we can find in art. “Feeding Your Dragon” uses fantasy to explore human variation through the use of sight, sound, touch, and imagination. Joy will encourage children to have conversation about disability as difference, and how to feed the dragon we call fear inside of all of us. Children will experience a variety of communication styles, including American Sign Language (ASL) and braille. Children will be allowed to touch Joy’s fabric sculpture called Shared Vision — a blind goddess, Iris, and her seeing-eye dragon, Aurora. This is a part of A Somewhat Secret Place: Disability and Art which takes place at PRESENTspace Gallery at 939 NW Glisan.

Children accompanied by an adult are welcome. Cookies and tea and soy, rice and almond milks will be served.

– Joy Corcoran
http://joycorcoranstudio.com

Gallery Hours on July 26th

asomewhatsecretplace — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:21:25 +0000

3:30-6

Tonight we have an event in the gallery from 7-9.

Please join us on Tuesday, July 26th from 7-9 to celebrate the 21st Birthday of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as part of A Somewhat Secret Place exhibit. Spotlight, in association with The Riot, is sponsoring the event, which will include a conversation centered on how the ADA law, universal design, inclusion and access impact the everyday lives of people with disabilities. Cake and beverages will also be served.

T…his is a ticketed event. Advance tickets are available, two for $8, by going to A Somewhat Secret Place Facebook page. The day of the event tickets will be two for $21, suggested donation.

Panelists:
Bob Joondeph – Executive Director, Disability Rights Oregon

Dean Westwood – Director, Center on Self-Determination at OHSU

Kristi Cule – Self-Advocate, member of the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities and Self Advocates as Leaders

Meghan Caughey – Artist, Senior Director of Peer and Wellness Services, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare

Elesia Ashkenazy – Chapter and Outreach Coordinator, Autistic Self Advocacy Network

ASL interpretation will be available.

Ticket info:
( No one will be denied entrance for lack of ability to donate.)
Tickets at the door W/ FB RSVP BEFORE July 26th:
$8

Tickets at the door day of event:
$21

You can buy tickets at the gallery for $8 before July 26th.

Purchase(s) of tickets we considered donations. Donations for this event help us to afford the food and drink for this event.

Those who pledged to our Kickstarter at the $25 of more level will receive entrance w/ a +1, and no need to RSVP on FB.

Saturday July 23rd Change of Hours

asomewhatsecretplace — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 22:26:03 +0000

Just for today our hours will be 11:00-4:30. See you Monday!

asomewhatsecretplace — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:53:23 +0000

Andrea Rosselle: HEM ME IN

asomewhatsecretplace — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:38:40 +0000

Artist Andrea Rosselle writes:

“Dear Friends:

This Thursday, July 14th at 6:00, I will be giving an artist lecture as part of a group show I am in this summer. The show is called “A Somewhat Secret Place” and is currently at 939 NW Glisan in the Pearl District.

This show contains work by disabled and able-bodied individuals whose work deals with issues of disability. The show hopes to bring about conversations surrounding the role of the disabled in the art community.

My current work explores the imposition of the medical object, and experience as a medical body, upon the daily act of living. My artist lecture, Hem Me In, will be a dialogue about the medicalization of the human body within visual culture, and the role of the body as a medical object.

The show is in PRESENTspace, which is a “pop-up” gallery; a gallery which occupies unused spaces around the city. 939 is a commercial space, so don’t be fooled if you come to the address and find an alternative space- we are there just find the right door! 939 (next to 937 whose number is prominently displayed) is on the corner of Glisan and 10th.

Have a wonderful week! –Andrea Rosselle

*There will be an ASL interpreter. Please avoid bringing scented items into the space. “

KICKSTARTER BACKER ACTION NEEDED IMMEDIATELY

asomewhatsecretplace — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:54:03 +0000

We did not reach our Kickstarter fund raising goal, and that means no money for our show:(

So we have created a new Kickstarter!!! Our new goal is $1,800, which is the minimum amount we need to cover the gallery rent. Our budgetary needs are much greater. This new Kickstarter goal does not cover insurance, printing, installation of show, catering, artist stipends, chair rentals, nor wages for staff.

If we do not reach our new goal we will not receive any of the pledged money, Kickstarter Backers will not be charged and we will not receive any money for our exhibition.

If you have pledged to our old Kickstarter we are requesting that you switch your pledge to our new Kickstarter:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/owca/a-somewhat-secret-place?ref=live

Thank you for your continued support and goodwill.

The artists, writers and performers of A Somewhat Secret Place

asomewhatsecretplace — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:59:45 +0000

Who is to be represented at the exhibition?

Since this project began, this has been the question on everyone’s minds. Now we know!

Last night we held a fundraising event at my home and we announced those accepted to be in the show.

We are blessed to have the art of: Andrea O. Rosselle, Carmen Papalia and A.J. Iving, David Kidd, Erik Ferguson, Evan Shefleck, Gavin Eveland, Gwenn Seemel, Heather Zinger, John Kelting, Joy Corcoran, Molly Garmire, Pat Krishnamurthy.

During the nights of the 9^th and the 30^th we will enjoy the writing of: Arwen Bird, Carmen Papalia, Charles King, Howard Edelman, Jody J. Ramey, Emilia Murry Ramey and Nathan Say. Writers will only read once, so please do keep up on the developments here and on our twitter and FB for the dates and titles of readings.

On the night (6-9pm) of the 9^th guests will enjoy a performance by Carmen Papalia and A.J. Iving and a dance performance by Yulia Arakelyan titled “My Birth Place: Part 1”. Yulia does not typically perform in art spaces so this is a unique setting for her dance.

During the night of the 30^th Elie Charpentier will not only perform the work accepted into the show, but she will play a full set. We hope that you will stop in for the music and stay for the art and conversation.

Cool event!

asomewhatsecretplace — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 16:58:52 +0000

Hi friends,

I want to tell you a little bit about The Portland Blind Cafe™ where I periodically work as a blind host in the dark.

The Portland Blind Cafe is “An Award Winning Community Awareness Concert & Dinner In The Pitch Dark!” But it is much more. It is blind and sighted staff and volunteers getting together to make a community building dinner. I have worked as a server and host for the past two Portland Blind Cafe dinners.

This is the third Portland Blind Cafe, and I have to say is the best. The past two nights have been very fun. During the past two nights, I have danced with our cook, a volunteer, another blind host Jim Jackson and the president of the OWCA. In between dances, I have enjoyed guiding people in the dark, teaching them how to eat and learning about my fellow servers blind experiences.

The creator of the event Rosh is a big supporter of this project and he himself even pledged in the name of the Blind Cafe. Also,The Portland Blind Cafe is letting us (the OWCA) collect donations for A Somewhat Secret Place: Disability and art.

The event travels from city to city. They will be back in October for the fourth Portland Blind Cafe!!!!!!!!

Please see info below,

Catherine

Last day!!! June 4th 2011

@ Tabor Space / Mt Tabor Presbyterian Church
5441 Belmont Ave.
In beautiful South East Portland, OR
6:30PM Check In / 7PM Seating

“Friday is SOLD OUT! Sat. 3 Tickets Left – Get on the waiting list (see below on right side of page) for our next Portland Blind Cafe coming Oct. 2011.

“What a wonderful event – we had a lovely evening last night at The Portland Blind Cafe. You and your team did an excellent job, food was delicious, music touched the heart, and the sense of community created in such a small space of time was remarkable. Thank you!”

- Moira | Portland Blind Cafe Guest (from last night June 2nd)

Come Dine & Experience A Concert In The Pitch Dark!

The Portland Blind Cafe is a mind bending / heart opening experience where the audience will dine, particpate in a Q & A with their blind wait staff and enjoy a concert of orginal music by Rosh & One Eye Glass Broken…all in the pitch dark!
A delicious vegatarian* meal will be prepared with love to delight your senses by Portland’s own Chef Ivy Entrekin and our lovely volunteers.
Your heart and mind will be opened as you embrace the poetry of Rick Hammond, celebrate and explore spacial awareness & darkness with Gerry Leary, while indulging in ‘unencumbered music listening’ without the distraction of visual conditioning, social etiquette & your cell phones!
This is NOT just a another dinner in the dark…it’s a community experience where people connect, learn and grow from working together to participate in something greater than themselves. The Portland Blind Cafe is designed to help you feel more alive, awake, present and connected to your world. “

Blind Cafe Video

A Somewhat Secret Place’s Kickstarter New Backer Reward

asomewhatsecretplace — Sun, 29 May 2011 20:34:25 +0000

Today we updated our Kickstarter with a new reward at the $25 or more level. This means that if you are signed up to receive a reward at a pledging level higher then this you now are going to get this backer reward too!

Pledge $25 or more

All the above and an invitation (w/+1) to panel discussion celebrating the 21st anniversary of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) on Tuesday, July 26. See our FB for more info.

For more information about the event please see our FB.

To pledge go to

http://kck.st/f2iosg

We do hope to see you there.