More Blaffer Blah-blah

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



David L. Vollmer Joins Blaffer Gallery as Deputy Director

Vollmer, Claudia Schmuckli Appointed as Interim Leadership Team




HOUSTON, Texas (Feb. 21, 2008) - Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston, is pleased to announce that David L. Vollmer has joined the Blaffer staff as deputy director.

Vollmer, who last served as the director of the Sheldon Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute, Ind. from July 2001 to January 2008, has substantial experience that will play a key role as the museum moves forward with its long-term goals. As director of the Swope, Vollmer supervised the activity within an organization similar in size to Blaffer. Most notably, he oversaw the completion of a major facilities renovation. In his new post, Vollmer will oversee finance and administration and will work closely with the advisory board on strategic long-range planning.

Beginning April 1, Vollmer will assume the position of acting director of Blaffer Gallery. That vacancy results from the departure of Terrie Sultan, who leaves the museum at the end of March to become director of the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton, N.Y. As acting director, Vollmer will lead the museum during this important transitional phase. Claudia Schmuckli, curator, will move into the role of acting chief curator to oversee the museum's ambitious exhibition and publication schedule. In the meantime, a search committee headed by Blaffer Advisory Board emeritus Shirley Rose, Board Chair Russell Sherrill and College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dean John Antel will conduct a national search for a new artistic and administrative director.

"Terrie is leaving the museum in competent hands with David at the helm while we search for the future director," said Sherrill. "Today, Blaffer Gallery is at the best in its 35-year history, and its contributions to the arts and our community only will increase in the coming years."

About Blaffer Gallery:
Founded in 1973, Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston, was named in honor of the late Sarah Campbell Blaffer, a noted Houston arts patron and collector. Since its inception, the museum has been a vital force in the presentation and promotion of contemporary visual arts in Houston. Blaffer Gallery is located in the Fine Arts Building on the University of Houston's central campus, entrance 16 off Cullen Boulevard. It is free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Sundays, Mondays and University holidays. The museum is ADA compliant. For general inquiries, please call 713.743.9530, or visit the museum online at www.blaffergallery.org.

Media Contact:
For more information on this story, please contact Jeffrey Bowen, assistant director of external affairs, at 713.743.9528, or via e-mail at jbowen2@uh.edu.


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Alot of people are asking, will the next Director actually care about the School of Art and its students? Does anyone else here have anything to say about this criticism of outgoing Terrie Sultan? Is it fair or unfair?

This Week in Houston

Pompeii: Tales from an Eruption - Museum of Fine Arts, Houston - March 2nd
"Pompeii tells the stories of the people and cities at the Bay of Naples who perished in the devastation wrought by the cataclysmic explosion of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Bronze and marble sculptures, large-scale frescoes, jewelry, tools, table silver, gladiatorial armor, coins, and even skeletons reveal aspects of their lives and deaths. Nearly 500 objects are on view that are over 1,700 years old, and Houston is the last stop on the international tour before the works return to Italy." Does this tour have the potential of reintroducing the world to the ancients, the way it did during the 18th C. Should we prepare to rewelcome a neo-neo-post-new-wave classicism? :P



DECKING THE PATH TO BLESSEDNESS - March 1 - May2nd
Austin Artist Barry Stone Creates a Photo Installation for BBAP
"Buffalo Bayou ArtPark (BBAP) is pleased to present, in conjunction with FOTOFEST 2008, Barry Stoneʼs large scale photo installation Decking the Path to Blessedness. The work will be on view at the Sabine Street ArtPark, just west of the Sabine Street Bridge, 100 Sabine Street, from March 1- May 2, 2008. There will be a picnic reception with the artist on March 8, 2008, from 3 to 5 pm." For more visit www.barrystone.com

Three exhibitions of contemporary photo-based work from China
Opening Receptions on Saturday, March 8, 2008, 6-8 PM
"Art League Houston is pleased to partner with FOTOFEST 2008 and its Twelfth International Biennial of Photography and Photo-Related Art in presenting three separate exhibitions of works by Chinese-based artists, Sun Guojuan, Chen Lingyang and Liu Lijie, March 8 - April 19, 2008. The opening reception for Sun Guojuan: Sweetness Forever, Chen Lingyang: Twelve Flower Months and Liu Lijie: Another Episode will be at Art League Houston on Saturday, March 8, 2008, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m." Is anyone tired of the Asian-Art-In-Houston-Explosion-Thing?

Opening and Reception for Transformational Light,
new works by Christopher Talbot
Opening reception is March 8th, 7 – 9 pm, with the show running through April 12th.
"Talbot's new body of work explores the transformation between day and night. The narrative suggested in each scene takes place under the subdued light of evening, while exploring the stereotypes of rural life. The color and beauty of light experienced as night approaches is an important part of the work. Multiple artificial light sources are added to each scene to build a contrast to the color of ambient light, and to add to the theatrical nature of the photographs." For more info, visit www.gallery1724.com




Lawndale Art Center - March 7 – April 12, 2008
In conjunction with FOTOFEST2008
Opening Reception Friday March 7, 2008, 6:30-8:30 PM
Artist talks at 6:00 PM
Artists influde: Hana Hillerova , Chuy Benitez , Adam Schreiber , William Stewart , Lynne McCabe. Visit: http://www.lawndaleartcenter.org/



Core at 25: Milestone Anniversary for the Artists’ and Critics’ Residency Program at MFAH Glassell School - 2008 Core Artists in Residence Exhibiton
March 7 through April 18, 2008
Core Artists: Mequitta Ahuja
William Cordova
Kara Hearn
Andres Janacua
Lauren Kelley
Nicholas Kersulis
Sergio Torres-Torres
Jeff Williams

The Glassell School of Art is located at 5101 Montrose Boulevard, and is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Everythings Cool - Aurora Picture Show
Saturday, March 8, 8pm
Sunday, March 9, 3pm
"A documentary about global warming in the wake of the chasm between scientific understanding and political action in the U.S. Come help discuss and create the political will and social movement to move toward a clean energy economy."
Does anyone else remember when Al Gore used to look like Superman? Now he's more like Lex Luthor, if he'd just lose the hair.


APERTURA-COLOMBIA
March 8 - May 18, 2008
Station Museum of Contemporary Art
"The works of art in this exhibition go beyond simple reportage or exposé. They document the events and emotional turmoil caused by terror, exclusion and loss. They demonstrate the artist’s ability to come to grips with the violent modern history of Colombia and transform this history into a positive source of truth and regeneration."

Did I miss anything? Post the info as a comment.

Eifler's Projects Gallery

All Third year MFA candidates at the University of Houston are required to put together a small show in the Small Projects Gallery on the 4th Floor of the School of Art. This is where the thesis defense takes place. Here is the work of Jane Eifler:

(click images for larger reproduction)






























It's hard to tell from my images, but on some of the drawings there is a plastic film laying over the paper. The paper works are collages, drawings, and paintings. The plastic causes an interesting shift in the imagery, especially when the artist adds some sort of clear medium to distort the original image further. There is a fair amount of breathing room created, and it allows the viewers eyes to walk around the composition. These drawings are the working material for her larger paintings. Eifler's larger paintings though are the antithesis of these works. They lack the strong variety, space, and air created by the smaller works. Rather they tend to create a wall, making it difficult for the viewer to find an entrance into the work. To see Eifler's larger paintings, stay posted for info on the MFA Thesis show, as well as future Projects Gallery material.

During the show, Eifler's fellow candidates celebrated by engaging in their Group925 collaborative mess:











Check out some of their earlier and later works by visiting http://www.group925.org

SOB Statement of Intent

The blogger you have come to know as B.S. has now been violently overthrown by me, your humble S.O.B. As of today I will now carry on all the Houston Art Talk-Crap in my own brilliant fashion. You will notice many differences, mostly fantastic and utterly enlightening. For those of you who don't, consider yourself rather slow.

Don't worry, I plan on this being a smooth transition. Think of it sort of similar to when:

Val Kilmer took over Batman from Keaton
Alan Arkin as Clouseau over Peter Sellers
That guy that became the lead singer of Van Halen after Hagar who had previously replaced Lee Roth, and had that '80s hit "More than words".... Yes... THAT guy...




I think you understand now the magnitude of my coup. Oh, and one more thing, being that I know very little about Houston for the most part, or its Art scene, compared to the wealth of B.S.'s knowledge,... Well, hello.

Shit and Death Like That

Seth Alverson


Dean Sullivan


Fréderic Fleury


Irana Douer


Mark Hesterlee


Mark Hesterlee


Matt Lock


Ola Vasiljeva


Patrick Phipps


Stéphane Prigent

@ Domy through March

Death And Shit Like That

mixed photos by me (drunk) and Russell

Poll Results: Self Flagellation Wins!

What Else Do You Do?

Masturbate- 44%

Reading and/or Writing- 11%
Making Music- 11%

Cry- 7%
Watch Sports- 7%

Go to Church- 5%
Go on Howard Stern- 5%

Cook and/or Eat- 3%
Clean and/or Renovate- 1%
Exercise- 1 vote

OMG you guys and girls, all you do is sit at home and whack it! Whoo hoo! It is nice to see that writing and reading as well as making music are the most popular things to do besides beating the meat (or pie).

Secondarily, watching sports and bawling your eyes out seem to be two polar opposites that are equally as popular as each other. Good grief.

Equal in the polls and also equally polarizing is the third tier- going on Howard Stern or going to church.

Cooking, cleaning and exercising bring up the rear with a low outcome- the Ron Paul of What Else Do You Do?

Shuck and Jive

Communications and Marketing Manager

The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) seeks a Communications and Marketing Manager for a full-time, exempt position. The Communications and Marketing Manager is the Museum’s principal contact with the media and is responsible for marketing, advertising, media relations, and public relations planning and implementation. The Department of Communications and Marketing aims to enhance institutional positioning, media visibility, revenue, and audience.

The Communications and Marketing Manager’s general duties include, but are not limited to: conceiving and executing public relations, advertising, and marketing plans for the Museum and its exhibitions and programs; conceptualizing, writing, and editing speeches, news releases, and advertising copy; developing marketing and public relations budgets and overseeing department expenditures; servicing sponsors and partners with regard to public relations needs and requirements; and representing the Museum at community and industry meetings.

Specific duties include: serving as a spokesperson and responding to inquiries from the media; editing a quarterly promotional publication; hiring and managing relationships with consultants, designers, and other external contractors for special projects; pitching stories to the media; orchestrating special marketing events, including the monthly Steel Lounge party series and the annual Museum District Day; carrying out advertising campaigns; training and preparing colleagues for media appearances; traveling to regional and national meetings and media appearances to promote the Museum and plan for future exhibitions; maintaining files, archives, and mailing lists; and overseeing the Museum’s website.

The Communications and Marketing Manager is the sole full-time employee of the Department of Communications and Marketing and reports to the Director.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a related field (communications, marketing, journalism, art history, etc.) and an interest in contemporary art, as well as 3+ years experience in an integrated communications position, preferably with a non-profit organization. This individual will possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, the ability to extrapolate essential information from verbal and written formats, the ability to read and analyze reports and budgets, and computer proficiency with multiple applications including Microsoft Office programs.

Salary commensurate with experience.

Interested candidates should submit a letter of application, resume, and three writing samples by March 10.

Director’s Office
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
5216 Montrose Blvd.
Houston TX 77006

E-mail: bliss@camh.org. The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston is an equal opportunity employer.

Reggie From the Bench sez:

Hey

And on top of the party,,

We are going to have another one!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This time for leap year>>>>>>>>EL Topo

The top!!!!!!!!!!

Feb 29....................7-10pmm at Street Level

(shout out for the name KESH

drink, and thug out!!!!!!!!

Reginald

PS::::::::::: New bangers, cliffhangers and beats are coming,,,,,,, Street Level

Here We Go!

Director, Blaffer Gallery, Houston, TX

Posted: 2/15/2008

Closes: When filled

Summary of Responsibilities: Blaffer Gallery seeks a creative artistic and administrative director of this mid-size, non-collecting contemporary art museum on the campus of a large urban research university in a major American city. The museum presents six to eight exhibitions per year with accompanying publications, and provides a broad range of educational outreach programs for adults, college, and high school students. The Director sets the goals and objectives of the museum program, oversees the annual budget, supervises a staff of twelve full-time and 30 part-time employees, guides the Board of Advisors and liaisons with the University-wide administration and Board of Regents. Director is responsible for fundraising, the oversight of scholarship and research, policy recommendations, budgeting and administration, and long-range planning. Director is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston, an endowed cultural entity established for the creation of interdisciplinary projects among Blaffer Gallery and the Schools of Art, Creative Writing, Music, and Theatre. Reports to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Required Qualifications: The successful candidate will have: an advanced degree in art or art history; excellent communication skills; substantial curatorial and administrative experience; demonstrated success in the area of major gift solicitation, ideally in a capital campaign context; proven ability in the solicitation and administration of public agency funds; demonstrated effectiveness in working with various constituents, board, and artists; and wide-ranging knowledge in modern and contemporary art. Salary commensurate with experience; excellent benefits. The University of Houston is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. Minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Compensation: Salary commensurate with experience

How to apply: To apply please send vita and references to: Selection Committee, Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston, 120 Fine Arts Bldg., Houston, TX 77204-4018 or visit the UH employment website at https://jobs.uh.edu. Review of applications will begin on March 31, 2008. Blaffer Gallery

Who Should Be the New Director of the Blaffer?

The Art Museum of the University of Houston
120 Fine Arts Building
Houston, TX 77204-4018

is this houston?

I met the cell phone photog blogger, isthishouston, when he screeched to a halt in front of our house to pull over and take a couple pics of our sign war. This dude drives friggin' everywhere. He must deliver maps to convenience stores or something. Check out his top 10 from 2007 HERE.

Cirque Du So Gay

THE GENDERMYN WANT YOU!!!!!

We are having a new member meeting Monday March 3, 7-9 PM at Montrose Counseling Center 401 Branard Street Houston, TX 77006.

If you are interested in being a part of Gendermyn, whether it be performing on stage or regulating all the backstage going ons...this is the place to be Monday night. Don't be shy, it doesn't matter if you have never ever in your life done drag, if you are interested in genderfucking, we want you there...

We will post with the rest of the details. Send us a message if you are interested in coming on Monday. We would love to have you. Look out for another post with the rest of the details.

Can't wait to meet you!!!!!

xo,
Your Gendermyn

Do Something About It!

Katrina left 100,000 New Orleans residents permanently displaced in Houston, Texas. Join Rice University in celebrating our new cultural addition as well as the stories and lives that have been changed forever in Louisiana and also here in Texas. Live webcasts will be broadcast, link HERE.

Tuesday through Thursday, February 28
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Grand Hall RMC/Ley Student Center
Rice University
6100 Main St

Yesterday's speaker was Michael Dyson, a Georgetown University professor and the author of Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster.

Mayor Bill White and historian Douglas Brinkley, author of The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, will speak Wednesday night. White received a John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage award for his leadership in organizing help for evacuees after Katrina.

Stephen Klineberg, a Rice sociology professor, and Carl Lindahl, a University of Houston English professor and folklorist, will speak Thursday evening. Klineberg's research on social change, public opinion and new ideas of race and class in the past two years in Houston sheds light on transformations in this city since Katrina.

Dr. Lindahl directs the oral history project "Surviving Katrina and Rita in Houston" in partnership with Pat Jasper. A squad of volunteers, who are primarily survivors of both hurricanes, were trained to interview other survivors in order to create a comprehensive collection of narratives of those who sought shelter in Houston.

Friday, February 29
Katrina: Evacuation and Inspiration
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

As a finale to this series, we invite Houston and New Orleans to share an evening of art, food, music, and refreshments in honoring the evacuee community, including transplanted artists, musicians, entrepreneurs and community leaders. This event will take place at the Rice Media Center.

When the Levees Broke will be screened:

Friday, February 29
7:00 p.m.When the Levees Broke – Part I
8:15 p.m. When the Levees Broke – Part II

Saturday, March 1
7:00 p.m.When the Levees Broke – Part III
8:15 p.m.When the Levees Broke – Part IV

Angler Artist Hopes to Overcome Chauvinistic Bass Fishing World

This shit is funny- and it's from Shreveport.

Wong hopes WBT win helps art career

Flounder Fishing With Judy Wong

You might call her Louisiana's First Lady of professional bass fishing.

But you can also call Judy Wong the 2008 Women's Bassmaster Tour champion.

Like most of the 100 women competing on the WBT, which just completed its second year, Wong isn't yet reaping eye-popping monetary rewards. Unlike Bassmaster Classic winner Alton Jones, who pocketed $500,000 for his victory, Wong earned $10,000 in cash and a Triton boat.

Not that Wong's complaining, because she isn't the type. But she isn't blind to the realities when she sees men garnering up to $600,000 from sponsors, while the top women anglers struggle to make ends meet and are often lucky if they have a boat sponsor.

"I just wish BASS had picked us up earlier in my career," said the 55-year-old Wong. "With Academy Sports on board, I see women's bass fishing continuing to grow and good things will come from that."

Meanwhile, Wong knows her competitive days are numbered, so she's preparing for life after rods and reels. An accomplished wildlife artist (she graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in fine arts), one of her works will be the featured art at the 2008 Bass Unlimited banquet and fundraiser on April 11. Currently the most recognizable face in women's bass fishing, that piece might receive a record bid when it's unveiled on April 3.

"Winning the WBT has been good timing for my art career, because it should help it sell better," Wong said. "I want to paint and get my work out there while people still recognize me."

Usually coming straight from a tournament, Wong is known to pull her boat into the Houston cemetery where her father is buried to meet with her family on Easter.

"My dad died young but he loved to fish, so I'm sure he'd get a chuckle out of that," Wong said. "I also know that he would be proud of where I'm at right now."




Using bass fishing to help your art career? Now that's coming at it sideways!

Dude, watch that fishing video, it's funny shit.
Skip a minute or two in to avoid boat advertisements.

This'll Be Sweet.

Jane South is a sweet beer drinkin' girl who I was glad to meet last year when I worked at CTRL for a minute. Really, a nice person- who also happens to be obsessively drawn to little cut paper objects and subverting grinding wheels of capitalism as smashable folly. Her machines are terribly fragile, and it would take an incredible effort to preserve them for a lifetime, but hey- that's the game, right?

John Sparagana is probably a cool dude, too. Looks like woven work after his crumpled paper phase. It's always degraded imagery with him, so process oriented!

South Sparagana
(sounds like a band at SXSW)


Opening Reception: Friday, February 29, 6 - 8 pm
Exhibition continues through April 5


y mas- Finesilver and Inman (Inman has Demetrius Oliver) throwing down on the block too.


Totem, Demetrius Oliver, 2006

Southmore Warehouse Search

"people have been asking me about the situation so i thought id send an update. spread the word

"so we had a location picked out on polk street and have been working on negotiating a lease, but it is not going well. we initially had our hearts set on a location near classic southmore, but it is looking like this may not be possible. the reasons are as follows:

"- the land value of the warehouse district is going up due to recently completed and currently planned developments, such as the new soccer stadium, which will take up 5 downtown blocks. based on my conversations with landlords and real estate people it looks like property owners are beginning to be reluctant about leasing to people like us (i.e. people with no money). theyre all looking for long-term investments

"-the person who owns the polk location is a total flake and will not respond to phone calls or emails. it requires weeks of constantly bugging the man just to accomplish what would take any normal person 5 or 10 minutes. several other people have had this experience; popular explanations include drug and alcohol addiction. i speculate that he simply doesnt need the money as he already owns half of downtown

"- our budget is very, very limited. several places were ruled out because rent was too high

"- the fire marshall is cracking down on code compliance in this area. supper happy fun land (only 6 blocks away from the spot we wanted) was told two weeks ago that they couldnt have shows until the building was brought up to code and was fined a ridiculous amount. they are spending the money to fix everything, but this would be way out of our price range. if this happened at polk street that would be the end of it.

"it sucks but i think the best course of action is to give up on the warehouse district and find somewhere slightly outside of downtown, perhaps 5th ward or telephone/lawndale areas where we can find something that will last longer. keep an eye out - the more people working on this the better. this will happen"

Vaginas Only

The Community Artists' Collective
Open Call for Women Artists from across the greater Houston Area.

Of Women: Art Exhibition
Due Date for Entries: Wed 03/19

Internet Checklist Available at www.thecollective.org/


Submissions must be postmarked or emailed with completed form by Wed. 03/19

Email to
Submit@thecollective.org

or Post to
Community Artists' Collective
p.o. 88308 Houston, Tx 77288


Artwork in all media will be considered and must be submitted in as .jpg or .mov files

Postal mailed application:
Images may be submitted on CD or 4x6 photo
must have the name of the artist, title, and checklist #
CD labeled with artist's name.

Application should include:

1. 6 images max; may include 2 close up details
Title, Medium, & Size/Dimensions


2. Resume & Biography

3. Brief Artist's Statement

Due Date for Entries: Wed 03/19
Accepted entries will be notified via email/phone call by Sat 03/29
Of Women art exhibition opens Friday 04/11
Artwork should be delivered Fri - Sat from 12-5pm or by appointment.

any media may be submitted

Community Artists' Collective @ Tea Room Gallery
Midtown Arts Center
1413 Holman
Houston, Texas 77004
713-523-1616

www.thecollective.org

Community Artists' Collective
p.o. 88308
Houston, Tx 77288-8808

Seven Days Away

Nick Anderson