Clayton Center 09-10 Season Launched

Season Graphics for The Clayton Center

The 2009-2010 Clayton Center performing arts series launches Saturday October 17th with two back to back performances by Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. This marks the second season that Skaggs and his bluegrass troupe have performed at the Clayton Center. With a full stage of uber-talented musicians, he always puts on a great show and leaves his audience always wanting more.

Killer Creative Group designed the season’s graphics including banners, posters, direct mail and the season playbill, the cover of which is shown above. The design features images of some of the artists scheduled to appear this season, and meshes well into the Center’s continued branding and website with its theme of Small Town. Big Time.

Check out the full season:

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Saturday, October 17, 4pm and 8pm

The Spencers: Theatre of Illusion Sunday, November 15, 4 PM

Dr. Etta (Family Specialist)   Friday, January 22, 8 PM

Destino Saturday, February 13, 8PM

Blues Bash V: Soul Mates featuring Eric Bibb and Ruthie Foster
Friday, February 26, 8 PM

John Pizzarelli Friday, March 26, 8PM

Mike Farris & the Roseland Rhythm Review Saturday, April 10, 8 PM

Tickets, Subscriptions and Information: (919) 553-1737 or theclaytoncenter.com

Moving Midway and the Southern Plantation

Moving Midway Plantation

Moving Midway is a poignant 2008 film that chronicles the rediscovery of filmmaker Godfrey Cheshire’s ancestral past encompassing a former Southern plantation near Raleigh, North Carolina. When Cheshire returns to North Carolina from New York, he finds that urban sprawl and a shopping center is creeping up on Midway Plantation, originally built in 1848. His cousin and current owner Charlie Silver proposes a controversial move: to uproot and move the family home several miles to escape the encroaching sprawl.

In the process of learning about the history of Midway, Cheshire enlists the help of history professor Robert Hinton, himself a descendant of former slaves at the Raleigh plantation.

As the film chronicles the physical moving of the home across several miles to its new location, it simultaneously chronicles a new discovery and reconciliation of a rich history and heritage, including the new discovery of at least 100 African American cousins that Cheshire and Silver were not previously aware of.

Moving Midway will be screened this Saturday at the North Carolina Museum of Art, part of a 2-day series on The Southern Plantation Revisited, which also includes a screening of Gone With The Wind and a concert of Piedmont blues featuring Algia May Hinton, herself a Midway descendant.

Raleigh Designers Downtown Market and Joan Jett Saturday

Saturday July 11 is shaping up to be a good Saturday here in Raleigh, starting with a return of Designers Downtown Market, on the 500-600 block of West Street from 9-3. Started in 2005, this semi-annual event has grown to a local Raleigh favorite, this time around featuring 46 talented crafters, artists, designers, photographers and artisans selling their wares in a small tent city next to Ornamentea. If you get the munchies, concessions will be available from Queenie’s Weenies and LocoPops.

Then head on over to Moore Square for Raleigh Downtown Live, with legendary rocker Joan Jett & the Blackhearts headlining, and The Bleeding Hearts playing a total of five sets. The Raleigh Bud Light Downtown Live series is free and always draws a good crowd. Full schedule:

2:00pm- Doors open
2:30-3:50pm – Panyelo
3:50pm -The Bleeding Hearts
4:15-4:45pm – Schooner
4:45pm -The Bleeding Hearts
5:10-5:40pm – The Beast
5:40pm- The Bleeding Hearts
6:05-6:35pm – Violet Vector
6:35pm- The Bleeding Hearts
7:00-7:30pm – The T’s
7:30pm- The Bleeding Hearts
8:00-9:00pm – I Was Totally Destroying It
9:40-11:00pm – Joan Jett

Artsplosure festival returns to downtown Raleigh

Artsplosure '09 returns to Raleigh May 16th & 17th

Returning for its 30th installment to downtown Raleigh is the Artsplosure festival, a two-day smorgasboard of people-watching, sights, sounds, and tastes. Artsplosure ’09, centered around Raleigh NC’s Moore Square and City Market, will feature over 170 visual artists, selling fine art paintings, photography, jewelry, pottery, crafts–you name it. Expect a crowd of around 80,000 to stop by the two-day festival that will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 16 & 17.

When you’ve had a chance to browse all the artist’s wares, check out some of the exhibits and performance artists (while you enjoy the tastes of all of the food that will have a little something for everyone). Don’t forget to bring a blanket to hang out at Moore Square and enjoy the live music performances, including Buckwheat Zydeco and the Big Bad Voodoo Daddies. 

Artsplosure is truly one of the most popular all-ages annual events that makes Raleigh such a great place to live. Now get out there and enjoy it!

Raleigh Artist Jason Craighead Launches Website

Raleigh artist Jason Craighead

After years of having his work available for viewing online solely through gallery websites, artist Jason Craighead of Raleigh, N.C., has just launched his own website: www.jasoncraighead.com.

The new website features a continuous slide show of the artist’s recent works on the landing page, along with notices of current and upcoming exhibitions. The muted background suggests the “passionate and emotionally charged evolving exploration of line and space” that Craighead says defines his current work.

From the landing page, visitors can click on “works on paper” and “works on canvas and panel” to see more available paintings. The new website’s “contact” page features the galleries that represent the artist — including Somerhill Galllery in Durham, Broadhurst Gallery in Pinehurst, Anne Irwin Fine Art in Atlanta, Georgia, and Bucks Gallery of Fine Art in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

The site also features an “about the artist” page that offers more detailed background into the evolution of a painter who has become well known in the North Carolina art scene. The page includes listings of group, two-person and solo exhibitions, publications where Craighead’s work has been featured, select public and private collections, and his professional experience serving as a juror for art exhibitions and as a member of the Public Art Committee for the City of Raleigh Arts Commission until 2011.

Jason Craighead’s next major exhibition of his work will be a solo show at Somerhill Gallery in August. More details will be available this summer at www.somerhill.com. For more information on the artist and to see his most recent work, go to www.jasoncraighead.com.

Raleigh Designers Downtown Market Returns March 21

After a solid weekend of monsoon rain postponed the original date, Raleigh NC’s Designers Downtown Market is rescheduled to return on March 21st on the 500-600 block of West Street. Started in 2005, this semi-annual event has grown to a local Raleigh favorite, featuring more than 40 talented crafters, artists, designers, photographers and artisans selling their wares in a small tent city next to Ornamentea.

Scheduled to run from 9am-3pm, come out and check out the funky art wares, prints, crafts, jewelry and more offered by local creative artists and designers — every show is different and there is always a great energy when you go.

Hillsborough St Renaissance March 14th

Promising a full day of arts, bands and live music, a fashion show, food vendors, and demonstrations of green and sustainable technologies (including an alternative fuel vehicle showcase), the Hillsborough Street Renaissance is scheduled Saturday March 14th from noon to 10pm.

As a celebration of the kick-off of the planned and much needed 2-year redevelopment of Raleigh NC’s Hillsborough Street, for the first time since its original construction in 1792 the street will be closed off for the festival between Gardner St. and Logan Ct. Proceeds from the event will support sustainable and community development.