World Record Talk Show Goal: Mike Anderson Thinks Big

Mike Anderson on the set of The Not So Late World Record Show

Here he is at hour seven.

A desk is Mike Anderson's new home for the next few days as he attempts a 66 hour talk marathon on The Not So Late World Record Show. The classic talk show format is in place, but the steady stream of guests and the sleep deprivation is a recipe for a trippy surreal scenario. Many people wonder just how long Anderson can maintain sanity under his set conditions.

We visited the set of The Not So Late Show at 3:30 am when the show is seven hours into its stint.  At least ten audience members are required as part of the rules of the show. Some of the audience doze on couches and chairs, others wander to a food table near the back of the room.

Preparations for this event were made weeks in advance and included booking a round the clock audience who attend in four hour shifts. A small crew of people orchestrate cameras and commercials, and a producer checks on batteries in Anderson's microphone and to see if the host needs food or water.

We observe Anderson's technique as he converses with everyday Lawrencians. He draws interesting insight from the mundane. Amazingly, his questions and responses are still spot on after hours of constant banter with guests. Pizza Shuttle delivery people talk about bowling, members of a book club talk about what they read, and a traveler talks about the Czech Republic.  A staff member from Larryville Artists makes a guest appearance and chats about the art scene in Lawrence.

On a commercial break, Anderson confides to our staff that he is worried about preserving his voice for the duration of the show.

As we leave the studio, we encounter people who are part of the next shift of audience members.  They just might witness the undertaking of a world record.

These people stayed up all night waiting for their shift as audience members

Exploring TIme in Hitting Home

Betsy TImmer

Stories

Found frame, paper, clay, paper, paint, wood

Betsy Timmer explores time in her new show Hitting Home at The Lawrence Arts Center.  The exhibition includes media materials  that are found in a residence including textiles, piled on one another,  a mop molded dress, manipulated ironing board covers, and small cube-like houses.

We asked Timmer to describe her present work.  "These days, I feel aware of time passing.  I am sensitive to how I spend my time and what I put my energy to.  For example, I have small children, and I see how they change everyday."

TImmer has chosen creative ways to explore time. Façade has stratums of cloth and other materials that are layered like sediment. They are packed together with a house shaped box on the exterior.

Betsy TImmer

Façade

mat board, paint, wood, vintage textiles, found objects

Most of the pieces in the show are made with whites with touches of grey. We asked TImmer about her neutral color palette choice.  She tells us she prefers whites as they show dirt and decay easily.

The show will be up until August 23 in the LAC front gallery.
Her Insight Art talk will be July 14 at 7p.m.

Artist Betsy Timmer

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Tall Grass, Deep Water
Here are some pics from last night's opening Tall Grass, Deep Water at The Lawrence Arts Center.

two people stand in front of Pam Sullivan's Sea Light

Two people in front of Chris Wolf Edmond giclée print on cotton Color in Bluestem

Success with Guerrilla Gardening Day and Color Inspirations

Guerilla Gardening Success!

Seeds spread on Guerrilla Gardening Day are blooming into flowers all over Lawrence.  One area of sunflowers planted by this group can be seen by the North Lawrence bridge. We don't know exactly who these mystery seed bandits are, but they are making Lawrence more beautiful!

Color Inspirations

We were curious about color inspiration for artists,  We decided to investigate. We talked with Lawrence artist Karen Matheis to see what her color inspirations are.  She told us that she used the colors found in a set of mid-century coffee cups for one of her recent landscape paintings.  "The Earth tones were perfect!"  In another landscape painting, she used colors found in nail polishes. 

Mid-century coffee cups

Karen Matheis: View of Lake

Nail Polish

Karen Matheis,  untitled

See more of work by Karen Matheis at http://www.woodcuts.org/

Cold Pressed Coffee Art

As you sip your iced coffee at The Bourgeois Pig and Henry's, check out the art that is on display. These two local coffee houses have art shows on exhibit that use non-traditional media in a fun and playful way.

Henry's
Kristen Shuler uses embroidery to depict body parts including the stomach system, gallstones, and lungs.  She works as a Medical social worker at a community health clinic.. Through her work teaching health literacy to families living with chronic illness, she finds inspiration for her hand stitched anatomical designs.  Her work has been featured in articles in Smithsonian Magazine and cover art for RadioLab.  
Check out her website at : http://www.heypaulstudios.com/

Kristin Shuler Dimensional Lung

Patron at Henry's sporting an incredible red purse

Bourgeois Pig

Marie McKenzie is a local artist with a sculpture and painting background.  Her latest series uses wood grains to show the terrain of environments.  Her artists statement includes a description: "Tactile and textural, my recent wood sculptures highlight the earth's ever-changing surface. "

Marie McKenzie Canyon Series

drinking coffee with MeKenzie's art in the background

Best Drawing Event: Monday Nights at Fatso's

Photo by John Clayton

The Fourth of July and the American spirit lingered at Fatso's last night when models for the Monday night drawing sessions pulled out the stops with USA apparel for the event Red White and Drew .

The themed drawing sessions by The Thieves Guild every first Monday of the month include special music, costumes, and sets appropriate to each month's theme.  

Artworks from those attending these sessions are now on view at The Phoenix Gallery. Each artist brings their unique style to the drawings, paintings, and photographs that are exhibited.  Check this show out if you are downtown. 

Jen standing in front of a painting by Leo Hayden. 

Photo by Leo Hayden

Members of the Thieves Guild