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5 Feb 10
Ashley the Filmmaker
...has
been talking about “History of Made Up Things” for a long time, but the brat never told me anything about what her pet project short film was going to be about until
the screenplay was finished. Now that the film is shot, cut and ready to hit the festival circuit, I’m glad that I got
to see my sister’s film before the masses.
 What has cautious, fading supermodel Alex Montgomery (Eli Jane) gotten herself into when she meets a mysterious appointment? Ashley Eberbach’s “History
of Made Up Things” traces two characters’ intentions and the tension between them. Initial conflicts lead up to
a single moment - as con-man (Kent Karson) searches for that one iconic photograph that might just go down in history. Watch a trailer for "History of Made Up Things" online, at www.burnoneproductions/films.html Ashley the Fashionista... 
...also produces a line of Detroit-inspired graphic t-shirts, hoodies and
cotton pants. She recently shot a photo campaign for her clothing line in downtown Detroit with collaborator Kayvon Esmaili, an LA-based photographer and actor. Ashley and Kayvon handed out free t-shirts of Detroit locals and asked them to
pose in their every-day environment. She hopes that the photos will encourage other filmmakers and photographers to shoot
in Detroit, by “serving as a gallery about Detroit in LA,” she says. Burn One Productions LLC will donate
5% of sales to Urban Farming, a Detroit-based non-profit. View “Detroit Project”
online, at www.burnoneproductions.com/dtown.html
12:38 pm est
4 Feb 10
Who's saving Michigan?
 www.letssavemichigan.com is challenging Michigan to take an active role in pulling ourselves out of the muck that many of us find ourselves in.
Here are some links that might encourage you to listen, participate and do. LSM has lots of things for you to sign, read,
learn, and make happen. I'll make it easy for you. Start off by doing one or all of the following; 1) PLEDGE AND IMPROVE MICHIGAN Join www.letssavemichigan.com now, and "take a pledge and begin moving our state in the right direction. We've
developed six ways for you to support your local community, help make the state greener, and push for the political change
our state needs. Make a pledge now and encourage your friends and family to join us." 2) SHARE YOUR MICHIGAN STORY "What do you love about Michigan? What would you change? We're hoping to put your stories to good use here on
the site, so fill us in on what's happening in your area. Or tell us about the cyclists in Grand Rapids. Send a photo of your
favorite chef in Ann Arbor. Or tell us how your city council missed a chance to make Michigan a better place. We want to know."
3) CONNECT www.letssavemichigan.com twitter.com/letssavemich www.facebook.com/LetsSaveMichigan 4) LISTEN to "The Prosperity Agenda," a new radio show hosted by Dan Gilmartin, the executive
director of the Michigan Municipal League. The show airs the last Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. on WJR - 760 AM.
11:49 am est
Call for Submissions: Crazy Wisdom Community Journal
 If you are a holistic practitioner, author, workshop leader, teacher or event planner living in the Ann Arbor area who
is participating in something NEW, the Crazy Wisdom Community Journal would love to hear about it! I am collecting submissions for the May - August "What's
New in the Community" column - UNTIL MARCH 1st, 2010. Read the Crazy Wisdom Community Journal online Visit Crazy Wisdom Bookstore online HOW DO I SUBMIT? Please email submissions to communitynews@crazywisdom.net by March 1st, 2010. Submissions should include the following; 1) Please write a brief statement (two paragraphs
will do) describing your new business, offering, or event. Tell me about how it relates to Crazy Wisdom's body, mind and spirit
theme. If we choose to include you in the column, I will follow up with additional questions and write the final text. 2)
Feel free to submit additional information as email attachments (three max; optional). 3) Make sure to include your
contact information, including your phone number, mailing address, email address and website address. 4) Please THINK
AHEAD about which photograph of yourself you would want us to publish. Photos must be 300 dpi resolution or high to publish.
I will collect photos in early March. *Please note that the "What's New" column is part of the editorial (not
paid-for advertising) part of the journal. The editors may or may not include your story.
10:44 am est
17 Dec 09
MAKING MICHIGAN
 I've been blogging about
businesses and organizations in Ann Arbor that give my city her character. A variety of people from all over Michigan are
contributing "MAKING MICHIGAN" blogs to www.letssavemichigan.com To start things off, I wrote about the People's Food Coop, located in the Kerrytown neighborhood of downtown Ann Arbor, and the truth behind 826michigan's Robot Supply and Repair, on Liberty Street. This photo pictures 826michigan's holiday window display, courtesy of 826michigan.  Let's Save Michigan is
collaborating with the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) on a poster contest. Artists, illustrators and the graphically inclined are invited to submit poster designs that "inspire Michiganders
to revive their state." Submit your designs before February 15th, online at www.letssavemichigan.com. Finalists will be featured in an exhibition in the spring, and award money will be given to the winner ($1000) and runner-up
($250). Check the website for full submission guidelines.
1:17 pm est
11 Nov 09
Shrinking cities and playing catchup
 I want to highlight an
interview I had with Dan Kildee, the creator of the Genesse County Land Bank, a few weeks ago. He has some unique - and sometimes
controversial - thoughts on how "shrinking cities" can make them healthier places. He also explains how the Land
Bank is changing the landscape in and around Flint, Michigan - by obtaining and managing residential and commercial properties,
creating green spaces and growing urban agriculture, and developing the physical design of the area in order to lift the city
out of economic muck. Link to "Shrinking
in the Name of Renewal: An Interview with Dan Kildee" letssavemichigan.com
October 30th, 2009
12:55 pm est
9 Nov 09
Mummies and Synesthetes
 For Halloween, I paid a visit to the "Mummy
Museum," which many know as the U of Michigan's Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. It seemed rather fitting. The Kelsey's
new wing is allowing the museum to reveal many more treasures from its massive collection of ancient and medieval artifacts.
Find out how the "Kelsey Museum's
expansion moves more treasures out of storage"
on www.annarbor.com Also for
www.annarbor.com, my piece on Graceann Warn investigates the artist's sensory and emotional response to art. As a synesthete,
she associates numbers with colors, colors with emotions - an interesting detail about her artistic process. She also tells
about her use and love of encaustic painting, a technique that combines wax and pigment. Read more about "Trusting the senses: the art of Graceann Warn" on www.annarbor.com photo credit Angela J. Cesere for www.annarbor.com
4:11 pm est
31 Oct 09
Happenings
1:36 am edt
20 Oct 09
Japan's first outdoor art fair draws inspiration, artists from Ann Arbor event
Yokohama, Japan will
host the nation's first open-air art fair. The event's creator was inspired to plan the event after attending the Ann Arbor
Street Art Fair, in 2008. Not only is the Yokohama art fair the first of its kind in Japan, it aims to change the climate
of art in town and across the nation. It should be a unique experience for locals and participating artists alike. A dozen
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair artists are participating in the event, including last year's featured artist, Julie Fremuth. I
think it's a positive story about sharing ideas across the ocean, and how art can shift culture. Read
how "Japan's first outdoor art fair draws inspiration, artists from Ann Arbor event"
11:48 am edt
Notes on Walkability from a Walker
 Living in a walkable neighborhood is a priority for me and many other Ann Arbor residents. Walking,
biking, and utilizing mass transit saves people money, supports a green lifestyle, frees up roads, and keeps people healthy
and in shape. Beyond those benefits, walking gives me great enjoyment and makes me feel better connected to people and places
in my town. I shared some of my personal thoughts on walkability and public transportation with www.letssavemichigan.com.
My new blog captures my own subjective experience - more so than any of my formal news articles. Please consider leaving comments
on Let's Save Michigan's page. I'd be interested to hear your own stories about walking, riding the bus, biking - or even
how much you love your
car. What do you think? Read and comment on "Notes on Walkability from a Walker"
11:44 am edt
5 Oct 09
Event Preview: Ann Arbor Art Walk O9
Washtenaw County's annual two-day Ann Arbor Art Walk is getting bigger every year. The 10th installment will run Friday, Oct.
9, from 5 - 10 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 10, from noon - 5 p.m. The event features open houses at local galleries, exhibition
spaces, and working artist studios; and kickoff parties in each of the event's seven distinct areas - in Ann Arbor (four different
areas), Ypsilanti, Dexter and Saline. For my annarbor.com preview of the event, I spoke with planners about how Art Walk
has grown over the last ten years, and how the event's goals fit into a broader mission of cultural development in Washtenaw
County.
Discover Washtenaw County's creativity at the 10th annual Art Walk. Image credit: "Circle 5" digital print by father and son Paul and Charlie Hickman
12:21 pm edt
29 Sep 09
Let's Save Michigan, already
 I'm writing for a new website, www.letssavemichigan.com My first blog includes
an interview with ArtPrize - Grand Rapids planner Bill Holsinger
- Robinson. The city-wide event is happening in Grand Rapids, MI right now. You all still have a chance to visit and vote
on your favorite artworks. Holsinger-Robinson helped make the decisions that went into hosting what they are calling "the
world's largest art prize," (heck, they're giving away 500,000 green ones). The event was thought up by Rick DeVos, CEO
of film website www.spout.com, entrepreneur, and member of the well-known, perhaps high-profile, DeVos family - who contributed
the prize money. If the event is a success, it is predicted that Grand Rapids will benefit from it long after the 1,262
artists from around the world pack up shop, when it concludes October 10th, 2009. I picked out 6 "words of advice" from our conversation.
They outline some of the practical, and not so traditional decisions that happened before planners set the event off on her
maiden voyage. Read
"How to plan the world's largest art prize" at www.letssavemichigan.com
1:09 pm edt
18 Sep 09
Face to Facebook
 Ice covered Kentucky in late January 2009, causing massive
power outages, downing trees and wires, and ravaging the landscape, during what was deemed “The Storm of the Century.”
The city of Madisonville, located in Hopkins County, was hit hard. The county’s approximate 46,500 residents were left
without basic services, and vast numbers lived in this darkness for weeks. As soon as he got cell phone reception back, Madisonville Mayor Will Cox began using his Facebook account
to reach out, by posting status updates and responding to direct messages from his iPhone. His proactive use of wireless technology
in response to the crisis led to him being honored with a VITA (TM) Wireless Samaritan Award by The Wireless Foundation and
The Wireless Association® in June. Read my article in the Review to hear this unusual tale of
ice, blackouts, and how to use Facebook in an emergency.
1:57 pm edt
Muskegon 2.0
 Muskegon,
Michigan’s downtown website, exemplifies how a crisp, user-friendly web interface with dynamic, up-to-date content,
and the utilization of multimedia and social networking features can help cities achieve their promotional goals. As the web
is reaching its maturity, it is critical for cities to harness its power and take advantage of the opportunities that it creates
for reaching internet users and keeping their attention. The website is run by Muskegon Main Street, a non-profit that set up the
site after being designated as a Michigan Main Street program by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority five years
ago. It features updated news stories on what is happening downtown, a downtown blog, links to subscribe to a biweekly email
newsletter, a live downtown development webcam, a regularly refreshed events calendar, an interactive map, and links to external
social networking sites, including YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook. Read
my article in the Review to find out how Web 2.0 is working out for downtownmuskegon.org
1:52 pm edt
8 Sep 09
What's New in the Community?
The September - December
edition of the Crazy Wisdom Community
Journal has hit stands. My
contribution, the "What's New in the Community" column, includes interviews with holistic practitioners, therapists,
instructors, and workshop leaders in the Ann Arbor area.
In this edition, the "What's New" column features information
about two new comprehensive holistic health centers in Ann Arbor; an interview with Jewel Heart's founder Gelek Rimpoche on
the occasion of his 70's birthday; insights from storyteller and author Rafe Martin; and the story of Ypsilanti-based community
garden project Growing Hope. The "What's New" column also features profiles of new and established practitioners
and businesses working in holistic-oriented fields. In addition, you will find brief announcements of new businesses, offerings,
events, classes, and workshops that interest our readers. New and established holistic practitioners, instructors, and event leaders
who have something new planned for January - April 2010 are invited to submit story ideas to the "What's New in the Community"
column. Please email me for more information about submitting a story idea. Read
the Crazy Wisdom Community Journal
12:04 pm edt
31 Aug 09
Layers: the art of Judith Jacobs
Ann Arbor artist Judith
Jacobs' digital fine artworks are inspired by pop culture and street culture. She creates artworks from a variety of sources,
including photographs; image files given to her by friends; and scans of things like newsprint, comic books, or the odd piece
of detritus that she finds on the street.
With a background in printmaking, collage, and painting, Jacobs ended up discovering Photoshop
about 10 years ago. Now she plays around with scanners and inkjet printers to create her art. Read my recent annarbor.com article on Judith Jacobs - featured in the Sunday print edition. photo: Melanie Maxwell
10:59 am edt
21 Aug 09
Fragments: the artworks of local ceramist Yiu-Keung Lee
 Local ceramist Yiu-Keung Lee creates challenging assemblage sculptures and wall artworks. Lee's personal memories, interactions
with his wife and three daughters, and his sense of the environment around him continually inform his art. Working in
clay, porcelain, stoneware, and terra cotta, Lee transforms symbols from his life into beautiful, intriguing artworks. His
assemblages mix together depictions of different objects and forms. He likens this to the nature of memory, "which is
fragmented and without time," he says. Read my recent article on Ann Arbor artist Yiu-Keung Lee - featured in the Sunday print edition. photo: Melanie Maxwell
11:33 am edt
Redesign brings new life to the old Ann Arbor Art Center
 If you've strolled by the Ann Arbor Art Center lately, you've seen major changes to the building's design. a peek in the
windows on Liberty or the Ashley Street side allows passersby to watch students taking art classes or artists working away
on pottery in the center's ceramic studio spaces. Perhaps you've wandered into the gallery shop through the newly opened back
door or noticed kids filing in and out of summer camp. You may have even popped in to ask - when did the Art Center
start doing all this stuff? The truth is that the center has offered classes, studio space, and social service programs
for a long time - beyond being a gallery shop and exhibition space. One of the aims of the Art Center's recent consolidation
and redesign was to make this more obvious and visible. Read my recent annarbor.com article on the Ann Arbor Art Center - featured in the Sunday print edition. photo: Lon Horwedel
11:26 am edt
26 Jul 09
Jen on Ann Arbor dot com
 I'm freelancing for annarbor.com, the reincarnation of the Ann Arbor News. So far, I've contributed two arts & entertainment articles - more in the works.
Sign up on the site to leave comments and follow me. Or click your mice on one of the following links to view my stories.
The photo above pictures the fabulous Elizabeth DellaRocco and Curtis Sullivan of Vault of Midnight. click comments to read and leave 'em
7:59 pm edt
8 Jul 09
Saugatuck - Douglas, Michigan's Art Coast
 Saugatuck - Douglas, Michigan
is well-known as "Michigan's Art Coast." My recent article for the Michigan Municipal League's magazine, The Review,
explores the history of the area as a destination for artists, and highlights its growth as a top midwestern tourist destination.
It also touches upon how a strong art scene contributes to Saugatuck - Douglas's identity and popularity as a tourist spot. Link to "The Best of Both Worlds: Michigan's Art Coast"
6:54 pm edt
Funky Ferndale, Michigan
 My exploration of Ferndale for the Michigan
Municipal League's The Review magazine is available online. Read about how art, culture, and entrepreneurship contribute
to the city's character. We all have an intuitive sense of what makes a downtown hip and attractive, but have you ever tried
to put it into words? Consider this my attempt at describing why many people like Ferndale, Michigan. Link to "The Spirit of Ferndale"
6:45 pm edt

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