Books We Are Reading

Read Across Lawrence Book
A Handmaid Tale by Margaret Atwood
A Handmaid's Tale is the current choice for The Read Across Lawrence Book.
A Handmaid's Tale is set in the near future in the Republic of Gilead, a theocratic military dictatorship formed within the borders of what was formerly the United States of America.  A Handmaid's Tale explores themes of women in subjugation and the various means by which they gain agency. 

According to the Lawrence Public Library's website, the library will be passing out copies of this book on January 30 starting at 6:00 p.m..
Many discussions about the book are in February.
Here are a few key dates:
Margaret Atwood at the Kansas Union February 2, at 7 p.m.
Nerd Nite February 11

Too busy to read this book or simply want to cheat?  Read the Spark Notes here: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/handmaid/

PBR Book Club Pick:
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
The PBR Book Club reports on their website that they are "going back to their roots" and "back to pretentious reads"  for their January book pick.  It is difficult to give a brief synopsis of Bone Clocks.  Like many PBR Book Club picks, it is complicated and ambitious.  The New Yorker describes Bone Clocks this way:  "Mitchell has written a theological novel of sorts, in which human beings are mere pawns to be used by his feuding immortals."

Art Town Talk

From Around Town

The city of Lawrence is seeking to fill the position for a new director of Arts and Culture.  After a mere three months, Christina McClelland has resigned.  According to a Lawrence Journal World article from December 30,  McClelland states that she will rejoin her husband in Denver. Will the city of Lawrence hire locally this time?

Ladybird Diner has reported an update to Larryville Artists on the missing or stolen salt shaker. One of two characters from the movie Up,  the salt shaker has not been found or returned.  Via Twitter, @ladybirdiner writes "Think she's a goner. Shopping for a stand-in wife to help him pass the time "

Many local residents expressed disapproval of the theft on social media. Most heard comment "Who would do that?"

Part of a set of salt shaker that is at Lady Bird Diner

Pic of "stand-in-wife"

from @Ladybirddiner

The Lawrence City Commision will approve or deny a proposal from The East Lawrence Neighborhood Association regarding  ELNA's role in participation in the 9th Street Corridor Project. ELNA outlined specifics of the participation in a letter to the commision in December.  ELNA will re-submit the proposal to the commission after clarification of items.
After the initial letter was submitted to the city commision, eitorials in the LJ World and eyewitnesses reports to recent City Commission meetings indicate turmoil and rifts between the stakeholders in the 9th Street Corridor Project. 

Things we are loving right now

Tonja Torgerson Vice III

Serigraph

2014

We love the current series of silk screen prints titled Vice by Tonja Torgerson.  The Vice series, still in progress, reflect an art nouveau poster style.  

We chatted with Tonja in the print studio of the Lawrence Arts Center where she is the current printmaking artist in resident.  She told us that she is originally from Minneapolis and Minnesota, but has been in many locations in recent years. 

Our staff researcher found this interesting interview Tonja gave last year with Forget Good Magazine: 

I think of my work as a blend of figurative, street art, and traditional printmaking practices.  Printmaking has historically been a means for sharing art and images with the greater populace, so printmaking has continually been used as a means for street art.  

Look for more of Tonja's work at Wonder Fair Gallery and in an upcoming June show at LAC.  See her website here:  http://tonjatorgerson.com/category/art/

Tonja Torgerson Vice I

Serigraph

2014

Photos we are loving

Jen Young's purple Ursula crown

selfie

Detail from Leslie VonHolten's new house

New Direction for The Larryville Chronicles

A huge development has hit Lawrence in the past 24 hours.  The famed @larryvillelife has announced a metamorphosis for his blog The Larryville Chronicles.  Read his latest blog post here: http://larryvillechronicles.blogspot.com/2015/01/out-with-old-and-in-with-new.html
The Larryville Chronciels has consistently reported on LFK events since April of 2008.

The post titled Out with The Old and In with The New explains the new direction for the blog.  There will be fewer reports about weekday and weekend events.  Future posts will have a more "critical" lens approach.   We will also hear less from Chip, although surely he will have some cameo appearances in the future.

Change and progress are good things.  @Larryvillelife explains "Yes, it's kind of nice to have the same material and photos here as a more permanent 'museum' for LFK's joys and pains, but we're finding it more pain than joy to invest the time in that."

We look forward to seeing the new blog format for The Larryville Chronicles in upcoming weeks. 

Photo of Wayne Propst from an August 2010 Larryville Chronicles post 

Mystery at Ladybird and Upcoming Events

Ladybird Cafe

We need all the luck we can get, so on January 1 we went to straight to the source by ordering Hoppin' John at Ladybird Diner. 

A present mystery shrouds the Ladybird.  A beloved salt shaker is missing.  Part of a set depicting two characters from the movie Up, the shakers show the two characters kissing when placed together. The diner reported the missing salt shaker on Facebook on December 30.   We will follow through with this mystery, and report back with any updates. 

Hoppin' John special on January 1

Part of a set of salt and pepper shakers.  

Dean Monkey at the Replay Friday
One of our favorite bands, Dean Monkey and The Dropouts will be playing at the Replay on Friday starting at 10 p.m.   Will they be playing doo-wop?
Other bands on the bill are Arc Flash and The Sharp 9.  More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/772991802756558/?notif_t=plan_edited

Thieves Guild Monday
The first session of the 2015 Thieves Guild Drawing will be Monday at Fatso's.  Live models pose in costume for a mere $5.00.  Bring sketch pads and drawing supplies.

More information for this event can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/573590612785868/?pnref=story

Karen Matheis: Blue January Series

Karen Matheis Blue January Series

A new series of paintings by Karen Matheis "Reflect the stillness and silence of a January morning after snowfall."  The series is called Blue January.   Colors include bright blues and subtle violets.

We went to Matheis' studio to look at her new work, and discuss upcoming projects.  She is busy with new paintings, some of which are large, over five feet.  We see a palette with many shades of white and strips of paper with hues of purple and pink.  She told us she is experimenting with the possibilities of glazing color over parts of her canvas.  " I am layering bands of misty color. This process is time consuming, but the effects are magnificent."

More of her work can be see here: http://www.woodcuts.org/

Karen Matheis  Blue January Series

Karen Matheis Blue January Series

Make that coffee strong

It's a spanking new year. Time to wake-up and smell the coffee.  So, we've made a big pot of coffee.  Strong.

Roll up your sleeves Larryville. The boxing gloves are on. We're ready to fight those colds and clean the clutter from our desk.  Ready to get to work,  crunch extra sit-ups, and tackle that big reading list.

Happy New Year,
from the humble correspondents of Larryville Artists
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New Year photos we love:

From Lori:  "This year, I resolve to learn the behind the back shot."

Traditional mochi, Japanese rice cakes served during New Year.  

photo taken in Okinawa by Jackie