Back of the House

Raleigh, NC: May’s 1st Friday Gallery Walk and the PBaRt 3rd Annual Street Festival : Part Deux: Les Saltimbanques de la Rue West Martin !
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For me the best part of the whole 1st Friday Gallery Walk and PBaRt Street Festival (not counting the beer of course !!) was the early evening performance of Cirque de Vol, showcasing their airborne and acrobatic talents as well as Raleigh’s self-proclaimed “open-source circus troupe” — circusSPARK — finishing the night by presenting their Burning-man inspired techno fire performance. They kind of inspired me to want to play with fire !
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Diego and Lola were so inspired by Cirque de Vol and circusSPARK that they acted on their 1st Street Performance !

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http://backofthehouse.tumblr.com/post/22550479364

Raleigh, NC: May’s 1st Friday Gallery Walk and the PBaRt 3rd Annual Street Festival, part 1
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PBR I salute you !
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For this 1st Friday Gallery walk I wanted to write so much about it, but did not really found a way to give this event the justice it deserved. So after much time sitting in front of the computer, I just gave up and let the Designbox website explain it for me:
“Paul Friedrich and Designbox present the 3rd annual PBR-inspired art show, aptly named “PBaRt Show 3,” on Friday, May 4, 2012. This year’s event will utilize the 300 block of West Martin Street between Dawson and Commerce, and promises to be even bigger and better that it’s past incarnations. Participating venues include Brewmaster’s Bar & Grill, Designbox, The Visual Art Exchange & 311 Gallery and Designbox … The Raleigh Warehouse District’s newest and, perhaps, most peculiar block-party will start at 6pm and is FREE and open to the public. The NC State radio station, 88.1 WKNC, has planned a fantastic line-up of local Raleigh bands, including: Oulipo (Indie-psychedelic-pop band) at 7pm and Baobab (Tribal-electro-folk band) headlining at 9pm. … Throughout the evening: In between each musical act you can enjoy an eclectic line-up of circus performers, including aerial and fire dancers. Raleigh’s newest creative movement studio and circus school, Cirque de Vol, will showcase their airborne, acrobatic talents at 6:30 and 8pm. At 8:30pm, Raleigh’s self-proclaimed “open-source circus troupe” — circusSPARK — will unleash their Burning-man inspired fire performance. In addition to the art show, circus entertainment, and live music, there will be a free photobooth, Klausie’s Pizza food truck and chocolate tastings by Elemental Chocolate. Brewmaster’s Bar & Grill will be serving food and drinks until 2am. This event was sponsored by PBR, Designbox, Brewmaster’s Bar and Grill, circusSPARK, VAE, Yelp, VAE, Circue de Vol Studios”

Cirque de Vol showcasing some of their street performances.
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Diego, Carrie and Lola enjoying the street performance
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Congratulations to Sarah and Jack for one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen: Max .. talk about a Trophy Baby !
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Lola wondering through Gracelee Lawrence’s installation at Visual Art Exchange’s The Cube
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The crowd at the Food for Thought exhibition at Visual Art Exchange
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As part of the Bread Exhibition at Visual Art Exchange, there was a performance in bread making.
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As part of the Bread Exhibition at Visual Art Exchange, freshly made butter !
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Outside of Visual Art Exchange: An installation inside a POD
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Inversed shadows video installation in the alley way.
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Artist Jason Craighead, like always playing it cool.
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The PBaRt exhibit at Design Box featuring works by Mark Elmore, Rafael Vargas, Victor Knight, Paul Friedrich, Artie Barksdale, Eric Knisley, Sean Kernick, and Pete Sack.
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Food Truck Action: Klausie’s Pizza, pizza does not get any better !
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311 West Martin Street Galleries
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The latest thing in Raleigh: Trolley Pub!!! A movable bar that is a pedal-powered, eco-friendly, pub-crawling trolley for up to 14 people at time. The Trolley Pub is powered by YOU and your fellow pedalers.
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The best way to finish a 1st Friday Gallery walk: The Art of Cool Project at Flanders Gallery.

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Check out the 2nd PArt of this entry: circusSPARK playing with Fire !!! ..CLICK HERE

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http://backofthehouse.tumblr.com/post/22481367842

Pinestraw Question Mark, at the Living Arts College in Raleigh, North Carolina

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Following my obsession of creating Question Marks around the World, I created this one a few weeks ago made out of Pinestraw bales at the Living Arts College in North Raleigh.

Here are some of the images of the making of it:

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http://backofthehouse.tumblr.com/post/18291810385

Chipolopolo Yo ! Paintings to Remember the 1993 Zambia National Soccer team air disaster.

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Almost 20 years ago the whole Zambia soccer team died on a plane crash off the coast of Gabon. The plane stopped in Libreville, Gabon to refuel on their way to Dakar to play Senegal in a 1994 World Cup qualifying match.

I was so affected by this tragedy that I immediately went to the studio and created the “Chipolopolo Yo !” series to commemorate them. In these 3 paintings, so special to me, I ended up creating something very strong which defined my artistic path for years to come.

Last week the Zambia national team came back to Gabon and just a couple of miles away from where the 1993 perished, they beat in a major upset the mighty Ivory Coast to win the country’s 1st major trophy: The African Cup of Nations.

Bravo Zambia !!! CHIPOLOPOLO YO !!!!

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Chipolopolo Yo! #1

1993, 80” x 72”

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Chipolopolo Yo! #2

1993, 80” x 72”

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Chipolopolo Yo! #3

1993, 80” x 72”

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