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The great part about night classes are that they allow you to schedule around your work, especially for grad students.  So even if you missed last Tuesday’s senior thesis lecture from Aaron Belz, you can still study under his tutelage this Thursday for a night class of sorts filed under the course name of Observable Readings.  This class session we’ll be taking notes on a more Socratic style, under the title “Eight Kates: Colby, Marvin, Ford, Greenstreet, Peterson, Pringle, Schapira, Lederer”.  According to Prof. Belz:

Kate Colby, Cate Marvin, Katie Ford, Kate Greenstreet, Katie Peterson, Kate Pringle, Kate Schapira, and Katy Lederer will fly to St. Louis and read together on one unprecedented occasion!!
Okay, so it’s not entirely unprecedented. You may remember the Ten Jens, The Five Aarons, and maybe even the Three Stephanies. But who knew there were so many Kate poets?

For those who have missed Observable Readigns in the past, here’s a copy of our notes.  You may not get any academic credit hours, but the course won’t cost you a dime.  As for the classroom, show up at the Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood around 8pm if you want to be marked as in attendance this Thursday, April 3rd.

Although we’re all busy working on our thesis papers, even in the midst of APA-style reference building you’re going to want to step outside a bit this final essay season.  One such opportunity for a disertation of a thesis lecture of sorts will come from Aaron Belz, who will be giving a reading of his work on Tuesday.  This super-senior of the St. Louis literary scene, if you consider the Regional Arts Commission a school of sorts, will be giving a reading this upcoming Tuesday April 1st starting around 8pm.  His course, Observable Readings, has become a real fixture of the literati scene around town. Here’s how a much more capable writer, Mr. Belz himself, described why you should attend his lecture:

The show is free, and there will be wine. Free wine. Wine for which you will not have to pay. In little clear plastic cups!!

To those of you who are or might be attending my reading at Regional Arts Commission next Tuesday evening: I’ve accepted a position at a college in L.A. and will be moving out there in July. This might be the last time I get to see some of you in a while, so I hope you’ll come let me shake your hand and raise my eyebrows at you in a slightly creepy way. Remember - the reading is free, and so is the wine.

So besides the free beverages for persons of age to consume such beverges you’ll be served with readings of prose, poetry, and reading from The Bird Hoverer that have brought this writer critical acclaim.  And acceptance into school.  So if you’re looking to increase your graduate promises, you should be there too.  Or just because you’re not a slave to your studies this semester, free as bird.

Attention students of school, be you undergraduate, graduate, or still in high school (sorry doctors to be): You probably already have your own domain name, but now interactive media and animation students have their own festival.  Introducing the first annual Kinematifest, in which a Webster University chapter of SIGGRAPH have organized a juried collection of 2D and 3D animation, sequential art, digital compositions, and Interactive media.  Yes, that could mean you might submit your website (provided you’re still a student).

Although submission deadlines are fast approaching, the festival is on track to begin the weekend of May 2-4 at Webster University.  Since students for all schools are invited, there will be networking opportunities scheduled that weekend for students from various campuses (and off campus).  Of course all films will be screened on Webster University, most likely in the Winifred Moore Auditorium.  Check their website for further details, since it’s probably worth the LOL animation on the index page alone.

Tonight, I had the pleasure of seeing Body Worlds 3 at the Science Center for the second time. After my first visit, during which I awkwardly tried to sketch some of the pieces (do I even refer to them as that? I guess it’s better than calling them corpses) I agreed with many of my friends in one respect - as interesting as it was, I probably wasn’t going to come back.

The first time I went, the place was crowded, photography wasn’t allowed, and although the people monitoring the exhibit repeatedly told people that they were free to move about, and that they weren’t in a line, I nonetheless received several dirty looks from people in the crowd who seemed to think that they were. On top of all that, the frat-boy idiots who entered ahead of me seemed more interested in giggling and pointing at the genitals of each person (loudly at that) than in actually looking at anything.

Why would I possibly want a second round at that? Well tonight, the Science Center hosted a special event - Body Worlds Artists Night! The admission was reduced, there were far less people meandering about the exhibit, and the good people at the Science Center encouraged all mediums to be brought and used - As I sat down (in the optional chairs they provided) to sketch out one of my favorites, the star warrior (a winking corpse with alternating bands of skin, exposed muscles, and bones) I found myself in the company of people using charcoal, pens, pencils, and even some setting up portable easels and painting. Live nude models patrolled the grounds as well, stopping and posing near the sculptures for 25 minute intervals, allowing people to compare the inner, and outer structure of the human body - not to mention the surreal spectacle of a bunch of naked people striking bizarre poses next to skinless corpses.

The best part is, that due to the success of the exhibit, the Science Center will be hosting a second Artists Night, on Tuesday February 19 from 7pm until 9pm. Tonight, I just walked in (and thanks to my art teacher, got in free) but if you want to reserve tickets ahead of time, you can here. Whether you’re a seasoned artist, a beginner, an amateur, or just someone looking for something different to do on a Tuesday night, this was a great time - although, as the last of us filed out of the building, I couldn’t help but notice how creepy that display is at night.

My friends know I like to be crafty. Hell, it’s in my blood. Whether its buddies insisting on feeding me with beers in exchange for sewing on a button or two or whipping up a new dress for myself, I love to say “Thanks, I made it.” For years, I’ve been a regular drifter, sometimes poster on Craftster, Etsy, Instructables, BurdaStyle…trust me, the list goes on.So between Mardi Gras stints, I’m hoping to substitute one holiday’s celebration for an early nod to another at Indie Valentine this Saturday. It’ll be a good chance to check out some creative locals and get away from both the drunks in Soulard and cheesy Hallmark cards that seem to take over the holiday. Needless to say, I’d like to check it out after my disappointing lack of attendance at the Rock N’ Roll Craft Show a couple months ago…In case you’re too drunk from the Fête events to make it (don’t forget, they’ll have a bar at the craft show too!) and can’t make it, here’s a mini-mix to craft to (while or while not on the juice).Lo-Fi Mellow Mode - A SideSew What - Secret Saturday Neutral Milk Hotel - Everything IsFlight of the Conchords - If You’re Into ItJeffrey Lewis - Back When I Was 4 (YouTube Link) You’re Feeling Poppy? - B SideScissors for Lefty - Next to ArgyleThe Sewing Circle - Apparition Over NurembergArt Brut - Pump Up the VolumeBlank Canvas - Contained But Not ControlledOf Montreal - Art Snob Solutions 

I have never had a huge urge in my life for politics. Sure, I don’t discount debates or look down on its importance in our world, I’m just not one for incessantly arguing topics with firm minds. So, while Matt checks out his mock-caucus at the Royale tonight, I thought I’d offer an artistic alternative (yet still keeping with the political theme).

Enter George Caleb Bingham and his painting “The County Election.” The exhibit shows the make-up of the entire painting through preliminary sketches. The website even has a neat game to match the preliminary sketches to the elements in the final product. Art in politics, politics in art!

George Caleb Bingham: The Making of “The County Election” is located in the Cohen Gallery (313) and runs until March 9th.

For all those looking for a last minute Wednesday night activity, Legacy Books and Café in the Loop is hosting a (presumably free) showing of No Volverán - The Venezuelan Revolution Now! Tonight at 7pm. After the screening, a panel (including Webster University’s resident socialist political science professor Dan Hellinger) discussion will follow.

However, for those not interested in an evening of modern socialist theory, swing by meetup.com to find out what else might be happening in the city tonight.

Saint Louis International Film Festival

November 8-18 2007

‘Nuff Said.

http://www.cinemastlouis.org/fest.html

(Check your local listings)

See you here, there, everywhere.

This Saturday, Star Clipper will host an evening with three legendary (legendary if you’re in to that sort of thing) cartoonists: Peter Bagge, Jim Blanchard and Johnny Ryan. The three are the creators of Hate, Trucker Fags in Denial and Angry Youth Comix, respectively.

If those titles don’t sound appealing or familiar, it’ll help to know that Bagge is most famous for his character Buddy Bradley (pictured above) who appeared in Hate. Bagge has also drawn comics for MAD and the Weekly World News.

Bagge is legendary, but Blanchard and Ryan both deserve serious credit for their outstanding work. The cartoons the three produce are often cynical, abrasive, sarcastic and grotesque. They’re also hilarious. (But, obviously not for everyone)

The evening starts at seven and will be a gallery reception of sorts, with the cartoonists showing off drawings, paintings, books and toys.

Star Clipper is located in the Delmar Loop, just west of Rag-O-Rama.

While we may have written about this film festival a little earlier, we can’t emphasize enough how large the Filmgate Int’l Student Film Festival looms on our film-geek calendar.  Featuring films from around the world and in our own backyard, this 2nd annual film festival shows the best in student film work available, probably for the first and last time you’ll ever be able to see the films.  Our friends from the Webster Film & Video Society will be on hand to organize this start of the fall season in the Webster Film Series.

It all goes down this Friday-Sunday, August 17-19, with each 2+hour film programs starting at 8pm (except Sunday, which starts at 2pm).  Each film will be screened in the Winifred Moore Auditorium at Webster University, with tickets selling for only $4 (and cheaper rates for multi-day passes).  You can start exploring the films program schedule on the festival’s website, to help sort out which films you’re interested in seeing.  And after you view the films, you’ll be able to rate and review the films you watched and share them with your friends.

I am keenly aware that more than a couple readers might hear “student film” and run away.  But to be sure there would be films people actually want to see, I participated in a selection panel for the narrative film category (although there will be documentary and animation/experimental films as well).  Here’s a few mostly incoherent notes I managed to write about these films selected, for you to use/decipher (after the bump):

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