Newsletter archive | Press Release 12.9.06 | Laugh Your Arts Off Comedy Night Fundraiser

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Hyde Park Arts Initiative E-Newsletter

August 2007

In This Issue
> Arts/Business Kick Off
> Monday Night Music in the Garden 2007
> 4th Annual Hyde Park ArtScene a Success
> Announcements

Arts/Business Kick Off

This year's Arts/Business Kickoff is scheduled for October 13. It will be held at the George Wright Golf Course in Hyde Park. This year's event will be combined with "A Taste of the World in Hyde Park." Watch the HPAI website for more information as the date gets closer, but save the date now!

Monday Night Music in the Garden 2007

Every Monday in August beginning August 3rd, presented by the Hyde Park Branch Library.

Think of an average Monday evening around 6:30 p.m. in August. Some images that come to mind are being squished in a crowded subway car on the way home from work. Running up and down the aisles of Stop & Shop looking for something to cook for dinner. Lingering through the streets in hopes of finding a friend to hang out with. Or lazily lounging on the couch watching reruns.

Monday evenings in August shouldn't have to look like this, and with the help of local musicians and the Hyde Park library lawn, they don't have to. Each Monday in August at 6:30 p.m. beginning August 6, the Hyde Park Branch Library and musical quintet, The Logan Squares, are offering a jazzy alternative to the Monday blues. Cool lemonade and an assortment of ballads, bop and bossa will set the tone for casual picnic dining and anything but atypical musical entertainment. The Monday Night Music in Garden will happen come rain or shine at the Hyde Park Branch Library located at 35 Harvard Ave. in Hyde Park.

Members of The Logan Squares include Bob Menapace on sax and blues harp, John King on piano, Kevin Nelson on bass, Jay Paget on drums, Ted Palashis on guitar.

For more information, contact Barbara Wicker, head librarian of Hyde Park Branch Library, at 617-361-2524.

4th Annual Hyde Park ArtScene a Success

With over 900 guests, nearly 40 artist booths, 4 local food venders and a huge stage that housed 8 stellar performances the Hyde Park ArtScene art festival is becoming more than an annual success; it's becoming a summer tradition.

Mayor Menino and wife shop with vendor Pat Tecu.

Jay Paget, Chair of ArtScene, said one of his favorite moments of the festival is when the street is finally closed and the hustle and bustle usually associated with Fairmount Ave becomes noticeably still. The artists are busy setting up, Paget said, and slowly music begins to fill the air.  

"At that point I know we've arrived and for the next four hours the street is our very own outdoor cafe, artist colony, live sound stage and public meeting plaza," Paget said.

First time participant, Antoinette Harrell of Hyde Park, was able to display her photographs and mixed media by participating as an artist vendor in ArtScene.

"It was a great networking opportunity for me," Harrell said. "I was able to talk to some of my neighbors and my relatives and people who came up to my table and I was able to do a lot of networking and ask them questions."

Visitors admire artwork displayed on the streets of Logan Square.

Harrell feels that ArtScene is great for Hyde Park because she said it gets people to come out and notice that things are actually going on in Hyde Park.

"It's Drawing attention to the art scene in Boston and specifically in Hyde Park," Harrell said. "It's letting people know that Hyde Park isn't just a quaint little part of Boston but is its own entity as well."

Harrell has lived in Hyde Park for 10 years and has been practicing her art since high school. Her expectations for the festival were simply to gain experience in working at an outdoor art festival because she had only participated in indoor festivals before.

"My experience was good and positive," Harrell said. "It was a lot of work, but I will definitely do it again next year."

Mel's Hyde Park Bike Shop performs tricks and stunts.

Maple Street Pizza, Blue Waves Fish Market, Rincon Caribeno and Dottie's Diner kept visitors fed and full until the late hours of the night with local flavors such as pizza, Jamaican meat patties, fried plantains and apple pie with ice cream.

The City of Boston Department of Arts, Tourism and Special Events provided a 16' by 16' stage that was placed in the center of the ArtScene festival arena allowing music to be heard from all corners of Logan Square. Performers included the O'Dwyer School of Irish Dancing, Julliette Cunningham, Notas de Modera, Kern and Henry St. Dic, Gabriel Mireles, Dance Academy, Mixed Emotions - Riverside Repertory Company, Bird Mancini, and the crowd pleasing Mel's Hyde Park Bike Shop who demonstrated impressively dangerous bike tricks and stunts.

A Kid's Area was set up in the Hyde Park Savings Bank parking lot which featured The Boston Society of Vulcan's, an African American group of volunteer firefighters, who helped the children create working smoke detectors. Art by chalk and face painting were also provided. Honored guests were Mayor Menino and City Councilors Rob Consalvo and John Connelly.

Two boys enjoy their freshly painted faces and the music and moves of Dance Academy.

"It's a great feeling to have all these components in one place in such a fantastic outdoor setting," Paget said. "I hope we can continue to find ways to do more for the artists and the people in our community."

Announcements

Hyde Park Branch Library

Conversation with Friends. Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Practice speaking English in a relaxed, informal setting.

ReadBoston Storymobile began Friday July 13 at 1:15 p.m. and will continue weekly until August 17, featuring professional storytellers doing dramatic readings and a free book for each child to keep.

Chess with Charley for kids and teens will take place Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m.to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. All skill levels welcome!

Extreme Teen Summer Reading Program featuring Catch the Beat. Log on at www.bpl.org/teenlounge to register and win prizes. The deadline is August 16.

Hyde Park Art Association

Monday Mornings with Paul Nolan. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Hyde Park Municipal Building. All artists are welcome and invited to come. Bring your coffee, your work, doodle or just network with artists.

Summer Art Exhibits

Department of Neighborhood Development Art Exhibit. Located at 26 Central Ave., Hyde Park, Mass. Open to the public 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Marina Bay Art (Juried) Festival. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., August 4-5. Located at 500 Victory Road, Quincy, Mass. Several HPAA artists are participating. All are invited to view the exhibit.

Summer Exhibit at the Hyde Park Branch Library, BPL. Located at 35 Harvard Ave., Hyde Park, Mass. Summer Hours through September 7, 2007 are Mondays and Thursdays 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Wine and Cheese reception will take place on August 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Hyde Park Branch Library.This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Hyde Park Library and the Hyde Park Arts Association and is open to all.

Photographs by Tommey, Senior Prom 2007. Selected works on exhibit July 12 - September 12 at Riverside Theatre Works located at 45 Fairmount Ave., Hyde Park, Mass and at www.artistatlargeinc.org. For more information contact Artists-at-Large at 617-276-361-7024 or Riverside Theatre Works at 617-361-7024.

Riverside Theatre Works

The Summer Theatre Programs Session Two, August 6 - 26 still has openings. A variety of programs are available for children ages 4 -18. Visit their website for more information: www.rtwboston.org.

Riverside Theatre Works presents "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," August 3 - 5, featuring the acclaimed music of Stephen Sondheim. Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Appropriate for ages 12 and up.

Hyde Park Open Studios

The 5th Hyde Park Open Studios will take place December 1-2,  from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Artist applications are available at: www.hydeparkopenstudios.org.

Hyde Park Artists-at-Large

Take a moment and fill out an artist questionare provided by the Hyde Park Artists-at-Large Inc. Click on this link and then click on questionare found in the navigation bar at the top of the home page.

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