Rehab Makes Everything Better

Is that why the DA is stepping out? I think not.
Spread that bullshit thick, Chuck- 'cause I can still see through it.



Rosenthal cites prescription drugs in decision to quit DA post
via Chron BRIAN ROGERS and PEGGY O'HARE



Chuck Rosenthal stepped down as Harris County district attorney Friday after six weeks of mounting pressure and intense scrutiny brought by the exposure of embarrassing e-mails that prompted calls for his resignation from all but his closest allies.

Rosenthal, 62, said a combination of prescription drugs had impaired his judgment, and constant media coverage of his controversial e-mails — which included some sexually explicit and racist content, along with affectionate notes to his executive assistant — had taken its toll on his family.

"Although I have enjoyed excellent medical and pharmacological treatment, I have come to learn that the particular combination of drugs prescribed for me in the past has caused some impairment in my judgment," Rosenthal wrote in his resignation letter.





As recently as 10 days ago, Rosenthal publicly denied having any problems with medication to deal with pain.

At a Feb. 5 meeting with about 20 of his upper echelon administrators, Rosenthal addressed "rumors that he was addicted to painkillers" that he had heard was going around, said Julian Ramirez, a division chief.

Rosenthal said he didn't even take painkillers, Ramirez said.

Rosenthal's rapid downfall began Nov. 29, when Kelley filed a motion seeking to hold him contempt of court for deleting more than 2,500 e-mails that had been subpoenaed in connection with a federal civil rights lawsuit. Brothers Erik and Sean Ibarra filed the lawsuit against Harris County, claiming sheriff's deputies wrongfully arrested them and destroyed film in their camera six years ago after one of them photographed a deputy at a drug raid.

(some times it's the little things that count)




On Tuesday, the Harris County Commissioners Court will consider paying an outside law firm an additional $77,000 to defend him, Graham and Assistant District Attorney Scott Durfee in the Ibarra lawsuit. That would be in addition to $50,000 already approved by the court.

Meanwhile, Kelley said he will go forward with the other part of his removal petition seeking to expel Sheriff Tommy Thomas from office.

The lawsuit accuses Thomas of incompetency and misconduct, alleging he accepted benefits for his ranch from county vendors, failed to investigate the crimes and civil rights violations reported by the Ibarra brothers and gained "special advantage" for his son, Brent Thomas, when the younger man was arrested last year for possession of cocaine.

Here's a little Amy in your eye Chuck.

Frank Olson Oscillates Through the Interwebs

Haha. I wondered why this video had so many hits, and finding out that 12% of viewers are watching it on the site of equipment corp Global Industrial was frigging left field. I guess that's what happens when you tags something with the word "oscillating".



Another video from last year, when a curator at the Menil let me video Robert Rauschenberg's Radiant White from the Cardboards exhibit, is up on a lesson plan for a Dutch Correspondence School and has been viewed 22 times there (out of 1,598) by 'students'. I can't be too specific since I can't read dutch and someone who can read it and just said it was written badly. We couldn't figure out if they were supposed to make a video or write a paper or if it's just part of a badly written Rauschenberg bio. Anyone read Dutch?

Good Woman of Sezuan

Opens this weekend @ University of Houston!
Directed by Kim Weild
Music by Two Star Symphony Orchestra

This production will feature
an original score, composed and performed live by Two Star Symphony.

This collaboration marks the first time Two Star has set their music
to written lyrics. "Good Woman" is one of Brecht's less-produced
plays, with every production creating its own original score per the
playwright's request.

The Good Woman of Sezuan will have performances February 15 & 16th and
22 & 23 at 8pm, with a matinee performance Feb 24 at 2pm.

Burning Wheel Director Kim Weild has been brought in by UH to direct this
production.

Two Star is dedicated to creating original, compelling music and sharing it
with audiences outside the typical classical scene.
The group, ranging from four to eight members, writes and performs
all-original music in a variety of unusual settings. Performances
have taken place at venues across the board ranging from the
Wortham Theatre and Hobby Center to CBGBs
in New York and movie theaters and strip clubs.

Cuauhtemoc, East End, Houston

Read It; Reed It!

Studio Space for rent

---

Reply to: comm-574403625@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-02-14, 7:22PM CST


I am looking to rent out studio space at my wonderful studios. I had to get rid of all the other artists that were here before because the voices in my head told me to. They were all out to get me anyways.

I am raising a colony of fire ants in the back corner of my lot too. If you are allergic to fire ant bites then you would need to wear winter boots when walking on the property.

I like to play cards and read mysteries. If I sound like you type of person come rent some space from!!!

I also have a bff who lives close to Onion Creek that needs to rent space to an artist. I think she is a lesbian but she is not a good kisser.

Just drop me a line and ask for Mary J

Friday Morning Cartoons (Cartoons Under Sheets)

A little Katy Heinlein for ya!

Hike (detail), 2008


Nuisance (detail), 2008


Ceremony, 2008


In and Out, 2008


Unknown Pleasures


Unknown Pleasures (detail), 2008


untitled (test #1), 2007


untitled (test #2)


Conveyor, 2005








Prop, 2001

If you're a slacker who wear flip-flops and goes to UT check her out in Austin at W&TW Root Beer Float Emporium.

Jeez, What's Worse?

East Texas, the land of Texas Chainsaw Massacre,
seems to have a bit of a PR problem of their own making.

So who's worse?

Bad Houston

A man who tried to run over his girlfriend during a Valentine's Day argument was struck and killed by oncoming traffic in north Harris County as he fled from deputies on foot across Interstate 45 on Thursday night.

The 25-year-old man, who has not been identified, was wanted on charges of aggravated assault with a vehicle after he tried to run over his girlfriend at an apartment complex in the 15300 block of Ella Boulevard.

Bad Dallas

Fort Worth man killed in dispute over loud music

Rosier called police at about 2 a.m. to complain about loud music from a party at Eckenrode's house next door. A responding officer told Eckenrode to turn down the music, drove down the street and parked to complete some paperwork.

A few moments later, one of the partygoers ran up to the officer's patrol car and said there had been a shooting. When the officer returned, Rosier was standing over Eckenrode's body with a shotgun.

Merry Lupercalia!

Natalie Dee needlepoint by Tish


Lupercalia was an annual Roman festival celebrated on February 15. Because Lupercalia has some connection with fertility it is like an early version of a Valentine's Day holiday. Lupercalia was named for the naked male priests called Luperci. Lupercalia involved not only fertility, but also purification rituals, and was celebrated to honor a god the Romans themselves were unsure of, but who was called "Lupercus" by the Augustan era. The pastoral god Faunus was also worshiped. The Luperci sacrificed a goat and possibly a dog, and offered sacred cakes. The Luperci donned goat skins or goat skin loincloths and ran through the streets of Rome striking people or just women with strips of goat to make them fertile. Pope Gelasius I (d. 496) (or Felix III - late 5th century) is thought by some to have turned the February 15 Lupercalia purification festival into the festival of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.
via about

Join Or Die

Sarah Krusleski will be delivering a weekly list of exhibits and highlights to the Art History Association through their facebook page. We have 40 members and we're growing!

Email arthistoryass@yahoo.com to be added to the mailing list.

Right click to save as and download,
Fill out this survey and email it to the AHA.

All jpegs will be posted on b.s. Houston!

Buffa-LOVE Sean

A short story in seven emails. Happy Valentine's Day.



From: A.
Date: Feb 12, 2008 10:11 PM (EST)


Dude, I had no idea Robyn was single. I've been a fan of her work, then I find out she's a Stern Fan and SINGLE! Hook me up I'm 39, Respectful nice looking and would treat her like a lady. A.
631 X0X X5X0

On Feb 13, 2008, at 10:13 AM (CST), B.S. wrote:

go fuck yourself long island cocksucker- who the fuck are you?

From: A.
Date: Feb 13, 2008 7:51 AM (EST)


Wow, where did that come from? I'm a professional man who admired Robyn's work then heard her on Stern and want to correspond with her. I thought perhaps you could pass my message to her.
Regards,
A.





From: buffalo sean
Date: Feb 13, 2008 6:14 AM (CST)


sometimes i email before i have coffee- it sounded very howard stern drooly of you to come on so forceful. i do not believe Robyn is single. i do apologize for losing my coffeepot. i will pass on your message, but consider writing another first.

sean






From: A.
Date: Feb 12, 2008 8:11 AM (EST)

Thanks Sean,
I realize this is a stretch but I'm an assertive person and I found that in life you have to take chances. When I look at some of Robyn's paintings I relate. Sometimes it brings me back to childhood, sometimes I identify with the mood. The reason I'm reaching out is I'm at a stage in my life where I'm enjoying the finer things life has to offer. There was something about Robyn. It would be nice to email or talk that's all. Anyway, I don't want to bore you it's 9:30 NY time and I'm finished with my coffee. :) Thanks for emailing me back. You page is fun to navigate. You seem like a cool dude.
regards,
A.

On Feb 13, 2008, at 10:13 AM, Sean Carroll wrote:

Hello Robyn, this guy created a myspace to try and talk to me- to talk to you.

Whatever his motivations are I don't really care- at least there's a compliment in there.

Sean






On Feb 13, 2008, at 10:13 AM, Robyn O'Neil wrote:

Jesus, looking at that first message from this guy....he was straight up trying to use you as a dating service! Buffa-LOVE Sean?

And all in time for Valentine's Day.

Soso

** Any artists interested in a free website design from a student? **

Reply to: comm-573287868@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-02-13, 6:30PM CST

Hi,

I'm a student/webdesigner interested in building my portfolio. I'm applying for work soon so I need to have nice sites to show future employers. If you have some great art projects together and need a website, please let me know.

I need creative control over the designs I do for free in order to save myself as much time in the process as possible. It will be a great 3 to 4 page website to show your images, contact information, biographical information, stream music or video(optional), and anything else you need displayed on the web. It will represent you and your project(s) well.

Please be able to handle the domain name & hosting.

Let me know if this offer interests anyone.

Thank You

Andy's An IT Monster

Andy Balajadia is a good IT guy.
Traffic at the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston website has increased 600%
since he took over and revamped it.

Now they're tops on 'CAMH' google searches again,
retaking the crown from the Center for American Mental Health.

Seen above, on a plane, second from left, with his band Nothus Tex.

Mesopotamian Riches

Donny George Youkhanna,
former director of the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad,
is now a visiting professor at Stony Brook University.

Donny and his family had to flee violent Iraq and have settled on bitchy Long Island.

Youkhanna, former director of the Baghdad Museum, lectures at 7 tonight on "The Looting of the Baghdad Museum: A Loss of a Nation's Memory," at the University of Houston's Hilton Hotel, 4800 Calhoun.

The event is sponsored by the Archeological Institute of America-Houston and the UH art history program. Tickets are $10-$20; call 281-497-7382 or visit AIA-Houston.com. Scratch that- students are free- everyone must have a student ID they can dig up, sob story they can tell or sneakers to don to jet in the rear entrance or side hall. Free event.

Sittin' On A Bench On Saturday

So my friend Bryce is doing this thing called The Bench

where we all meet at this bench

at 1421 Marshall from 7-10pm this saturday (the 16th)

and hang out.

i'm pretty excited about it.

here are some flyers he made:

And I hear there is going to be a crazy after party.

plus i'm planning on going to the midnight showing of harold and maude at river oaks that night, you should do that too... its a great flick.

thanks julia!

That Sounds Alright.

Houston Key To Unlocking A Texas Win

Greater Houston holds more than a quarter of the total Texas delegates that Democratic contenders Clinton and Obama will be fighting over.

Two forces, other than whatever magic the candidates themselves can bring, will shape the outcome--and no, one of them is not the Latino vote.

The first shaping force is Houston herself, which is the second-most ethnically diverse city in the country.

Only the five boroughs of New York have populations who have come from a larger number of different places around the world.

The University of Houston is the most culturally diverse school in the nation.



There has been a population explosion in Harris County since the 2000 Census, which is the last complete study of its demographics.

It's an especial wild card because the Chairman of the Democratic Party in Harris County said at the County Kickoff on Saturday that he is expecting at least 230,000 voters on March 4th, an increase of almost 200,000 since the 2006 elections.

Lemonade Joe

Lemonade Joe

Art History Association Films You Should See

Friday, February 15^th

5-7 pm

Superstitious Studios

2121 Congress Street

Houston, Texas

The American Wandering Club, Art History Association, Association of Student Sculptors and L. Balli present the first in a series of films celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the Prague Spring. Our first screening will be held at Superstitious Studios, 2121 Congress Street, Houston, Texas. This Friday, February 15^th at 5:30 pm, we will bring you Lemonade Joe, a side-splitting farce of old Westerns made a decade before Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles.

Future events this spring will showcase Věra Chytilová’s 1966 Daisies, The Fireman’s Ball by Milos Foreman and the short film stop-motion animations of Jan Svenkmajer. An important part of 20^th century dissonance, the Czech New Wave film movement of the 60s is a beautiful example of politics, humor and intellectualism in harmony.

Yes, if you’re a fan of westerns, new wave, surrealism, or old Warner Brothers Looney Tunes, check out Lemonade Joe. In this scattershot comedy set in an Arizona town of the Old West it is impossible to tell whether director Oldrich Lipsky is being serious or not. This is definitely one for the “I have never seen anything quite like that before” category.

The epic battle between capitalism and communism is set up as a small town war over lemonade and whiskey. Shot in 1964, Lemonade Joe is a quirky precursor to the tongue-in-cheek comedies that flourished before the Prague Spring on 1968, when the Russians clamped down on a growing liberalism exemplified by a poetic interpretation of the French New Wave of Truffaut and Godard.

Too clean-cut, supercilious twit Joe is so vain he’d stop a fight to check himself out in the mirror. He falls for beautiful Winnifred, who alternates between gazing longingly in Joe’s direction and being in distress. The two are terrorized by Horace Badman, a true villain of the old school, twirling his moustache, wearing black, kidnapping girls, and shooting down the law in cold blood.

This movie is completely mad, right from the start. There are a lot of musical numbers, most of which are great fun, particularly when Horace sings about the joys of being a villain and shooting people in the back.

The entire film is shot in black and white, but tinted with color gels, creating a variety of bright colorful tints to match the story, including blues for night and red for love scenes. Of course, the majority of the film is in bright lemonade yellow, it lends a sepia tone photograph feeling to the Trigger Whiskey Saloon. Lipsky also makes a lot of use out of double exposures, most noticeably in a scene where Joe rides through desert passes, while the scenic background varies from the Pyramids to the Parthenon. From the cold confines of Soviet East Europe, why not dream a little?

email arthistoryass@yahoo.com for more information.

Bullshit on Television

So after a message on youtube and a few traded voicemails I met Bart + Ned at the corner of Montrose and Bissonett to talk about flashmobs. Not that they're new or anything, but we talked about a lot of the 60s performance reproductions and new ideas as well. The pillow fight wasn't new by any means but whatever. It was fun.

They'll cut whatever the hell I said and whip it into a frothy meringue. Airs on Fox February 20th. Digital clip soon after.

Happy Shiny Death

YAR! sez:

So I am very pleased and proud to announce that my first attempt at curatorial control will unveiled at Domy on Friday the 15th. There are 10 artists in the show including Houstonians such as myself, Mark Hesterlee and two of my favorite local artists Patrick Phipps and Seth Alverson, and also people from France, England, Argentina, Amsterdam, Florida and Massachusetts. If you are in Houston Friday night then please grace us with your presence. It will be awesome, I swear.

Tejas Politicos

everyone needs a cowboy hat, right Phil?

Dueling blogs! Texans for Hillary v. Texans for Obama

ummm... Texans for Hills seems like a dead site...

Hillary goes from El Paso to Brownsville then on to Corpus Christi and San Antonio, worries about the battle after the polls close.

Catholic Hispanics vs. Hillary in San Antone.

Will Clinton's anti-cowboy hat stance effect her campaign in Texas?

Clinton asks from El Paso, "Que quiere?"

Jimmy from South Houston needs help.

Obama's radio ad en espanol.

No tickets for the Austin debate.

Texas, the eyes of Democrats are upon you.

Cuestionan salida de hispana como directora de campaña de Clinton.

"Texas is very, very important to us," says the Baptist minister from a neighboring state attempting to pull an upset.

UPDATE:
James Carville sez: "She’s behind. Make no mistake. If she loses either Texas or Ohio, this thing is done."

It's The Pollution That Makes My Eye Wander, Eyes Water

Untitled, MasTaPiannis

Houstonist Photo of the Day

Sage is Good in Stew

What is it about lists that make list-writers smarter than the average bear?

Who cares, read EZimmerman's neighborly advice, from Austin to Houston over the white picket fence on a sunny afternoon while drinking a High Life and ignoring the half-mowed lawn...

1. Quit whining about the NEA. It’s a carrot on a stick, and four years ago they showed us the stick. The amount of gelt the NEA hands out is so paltry, its like pouring a martini over an iceberg.



2. Get the fuck out of school and start your grad work in life 101–its this really bitchin’ independent study deal where you get a job and support yourself while you also work hard at building a body of work.



3. Don’t hang your work in clubs. If bar owners think you are a genius let them buy some of it so they can bask in it full time.



4. Don’t have five shows a year in the same city.



5. Shut off MTV and read some books.



6. Xerox this one to your brain: any art-related job at the beginning is a good job; i.e. illustration, installation, etc.



7. Get paid. Intern, unless you are getting paid something is another word for chump.



8. Don’t harbor the illusion that artists are more important to the world than waiters, cops, sales people, and guys with squeegees.



9. There is a word for a person who hands you his/her slides at someone else’s opening, and that word is “asshole.”



10. Don’t resent your friends when the catch a break, its catty.



11. Get good slides.



12. Check the attitude at the door; really, no shit, i don’t care if you’re some over-looked fountain of brilliance.



13. Don’t let a bad review fuck you up. At the outset of your career you’re like a rookie pitcher, the first couple of years critics are going to light your ass up just for snicks. Besides, they write for each other anyway, and remember, opinions are like assholes: everybody’s got one and the other guy’s sticks.



14. Don’t marry another artist; one of you will wind up sticking your head in the oven.



15. Work hard. Everyone who has ever made it in the racket has worked hard, whether you like them or not.

list written by Tony Fitzpatrick, whoever that is- thanks!

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

OBSESSIVE, COMPULSIVE, AWESOME

Frequent collaborators Arthur Bates and Christopher Cascio bring their style to ArtStorm in the upcoming exhibition Obsessive, Compulsive, Awesome. Combining meticulous pen and ink drawings and detailed graphic paintings they got really high and tried to synthesize fine art and design. The artists are also Wicked Poseurs.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2008 from 7- 10 PM, free beer and popsicles.

work on view through March 22nd...

Sweet Silkscreen, Wang.

We have a limited number of silkscreen posters available. Come see someone from Sharks and Sailors to get one. The posters will be a few bucks.

10" x 24" signed and numbered by artist David Wang.

Montrose Livin'

Dear TALA Artists and Friends,


The Museum of Printing History has space available for artist studios!

Please contact Ann Wright at 713-647-8400 or htrealty@att.net

Carl Sesto, Ordinary Events, 1995


Production, Not Reproduction: Offset Printed Artist Books
through March 22

Lecture by Tony White, Friday, February 22, 2008 at 6:30pm

and... Visual Voice: the Poster Art of Finn Nygaard
through April 10

Visit their new shows and check out the studios!

5 Dollar Bill

Nance Street Studios is a new and emerging artist-
run gallery nestled in the Warehouse District of Houston, Texas.
As part of its mission to outreach to the entire Artists’ Community
and be part of the art-making process as well as the art-seeing
process, Nance Street Studios is hosting its first Drawing
Exhibition.

We are seeking artists to submit entries of
experimental drawing.

The show will open Friday, March 28th
and run for three weeks.

The gallery will accept entries no later than March 3rd and will
be juried through March 10th at which point letters of acceptance
will be emailed to prospective artists.

For a fee of $5, artists may enter up to 7 works represented accurately by digital color images.

IMAGE SPECIFICATIONS:
JPEG
no larger than 300 dpi
Label file with artist’s name and title of work (example: Henry_Untitled.jpg)
Print artist’s name and email address on cd

Accompanying CD of Work:
Please provide a slide list with title, dimensions, and media as well as
personal contact information.

We will not accept works in other formats other than jpeg or missing
information. NO EMAIL SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Curators reserve the right to reject works not accurately represented by
submission images.

All work must be exhibition ready.

Check or money orders
only. Make checks payable to Holland and Tucker. The gallery does not insure
artwork.

Artists are responsible for shipment of artwork. Please send the
completed entry from, CD, entry fee and a self addressed stamped envelope for
return of CD to:

Drawing Show
Nance Street Studios
1707 Nance Street
Houston, TX 77020.

Please send questions to circledamage@mac.com

Print This

Nothing to do tonight?


The Tunick installation in Bruges, May 2005


Free Movie Pass to In Bruges
PRINT THIS

via Ernie the Schmooz

Try To Not Die

burn stencil on wood

silkscreen on wheatpaste

Give Up
don't give up on the blog

Sweet.

Dude, No Way.

Donald Judd, 1 Cavalry Row, Marfa, Texas, 2012

Not that the Trans-Texas Corridor doesn't already suck, but now it's being bashed for potentially destroying Marfa and the Chinati Foundation. Good Grief. Lets finally get some traction on those RICK PERRY IS GAY rumors. The Republicans'll impeach him if they're ever in session. This whole thing is his big-fat-contractor-kickback baby.

Actual gay pride support rally in Austin based on a rumor about Governor Perry.

Brooklyn, Texas Fundraiser

Texas Firehouse, residents of Brooklyn, Texas (population 7 to 10) ask for your objects and things in a touching salute to MILFs everywhere.

Unlike Chelsea, we actually do want to show your art!

Ok, here's the scoop-
We want you to have a GREAT time in 2008, so in order to do that, we need you to help us out a little.
We're gonna throw a fund raising party in early March. At this party we are going to have a silent auction and we're asking you, your mom, your friends, their friends, etc. to submit a small piece for said auction.

We're thinking we'll start every piece at $20 and hopefully that will lead to wild bidding driving the price up.


If you submit and your piece sells, we'll split the sale price with you, OR you can be super cool and donate all the proceeds to us, in which case you'll get a little special something from us.


...I wonder what it is?


Submit something other people would want, but that you aren't afraid to sell for $20.


Also happening that night-

Special Performance by Jeff Thompson
Multimedia Musical Performance by Terrible Eagle
Dance Party with some real special guest DJs...

So holla at us. We want you. And your mom. And her friends.



The Texas Firehouse is located in a 150 year-old historic firehouse in Long Island City, New York, just across the river from Roosevelt Island and Manhattan (best rooftop BBQ view in town). Housing studios and shop space, the Texas Firehouse is transformed for one night into a gallery and performance space.

Shows are curated by Firehouse artists and are generally group shows around some curatorial theme (archives of past shows can be found to the left). In addition to artwork, each show usually includes at least one performance artist(s) and one band (and free-flowing beer, of course). via site

Doug Young

Mailable Art Submissions receivable at:

THE TEXAS FIREHOUSE
Brooklyn, Texas
36-29 Vernon Blvd.
Long Island City, New York 11106


internetable submissions accepted at: mail@texasfirehouse.org

Professional Photography Afterschool Teachers Wanted NOW!

Reply to: job-570873157@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-02-11, 5:15PM CST


Wanted: People with a Photography background with Teaching experience to teach in an Houston Area After-School Program. I REPEAT Traditional Photography Background.... Not graphic design nor Digital Photography! Those are an added bonus, but the children will be learning classic techniques/lessons.

Hours 3:00-5:30 P.M. & 1:15-3:15 P.M.

Days: 2-3 Days per week

Starting: AVAILABLE NOW!

Please do not apply if you have A CRIMINAL HISTORY.
Please send examples of you work & Resume. We will be conducting interviews this weekend & next week. Send your availability.

IH Photography

Location: Houston Area
Compensation: $15-$20 per hour

shawnonymouser sez:

Come by Saturday night if you can and feel free to share the flyer as you wish...It is a show - really more of a celebration - to introduce Jennifer Pod and I as a dynamic heART duo moving forward. Like Doppelganger artists.





will be fun and heARTy!

thanks,

Shawna

So This is It

The lull before the storm... just like today's weather.

One opening this weekend at HCP on Alabama, one opening at Domy.

One museum opening at the Menil.



Why the rest and relaxation?

Kelly Flynn, President 1 + President 2, 2007
from International Discoveries @ Fotofest

Galleries and museums are gearing up for the Fotofest Biennial, stockpiling wine and cheese for the 7th and 8th of March and continuing through the month and into April.

There will be 114 openings at 114 locations in Houston-
including museums, non-profits, alternative spaces,
commercial galleries, retail and corporate spaces
and artists' studios.

Billed as "[the] first international Biennial of Photography and Photo-related Art in the United States", Fotofest was founded in 1983 by documentary photographers and journalists, Frederick Baldwin and Wendy Watriss, and European gallery director, Petra Benteler. The first biennial was held in 1986 and eleven consecutive Biennials have been held every two years since.

In 1989 Fotofest extended invitations to Czech and Slovak photographers to exhibit in Houston, and provided the artists with materials to complete their projects in the post-Communist era. Organizers met with Vaclav Havel and dined with the newly elected democratic government. Subsequent biennials have focused on Russia, the Middle East and this year's spotlight on Chinese artists.

opening night at Warehouse Live, 2006

Artist Board members include the members of MANUAL- Ed Hill and Suzanne Bloom, as well as HCP exec Allison Hunter, Galveston Art Center curator Clint Willour, senior CAMH curator Lynn Herbert, director of Community Artists' Collective Michelle Barnes and Diverseworks director Diane Barber. Kim Davenport of Rice Gallery, Dan and Joe Havel, Rick Lowe, Debbie Riddle, and university museum directors Alvia Wardlaw and Terri Sultan are members of the Community Board.

In the meantime I'll keep up with the punk rock shows and outsider alternative spaces, as well as artist profiles and calls for entries. Guess I'll have to clean the house on weekends.

Old People, New People