UP FRONT NEWS

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Reader Note: Some of the images in this newsletter can be enlarged by simply clicking on the picture.

Visiting Cartoonist at DIVA. Ken O'Connell, former head of the University of Oregon Art Department, shared the work of his students with visiting cartoonist Scott McCloud as they toured the The Art of the One Page Comic exhibit currently at the DIVA Center.    Scott McCloud is a cartoonist and a leading popular scholar of comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium. He is best known as a comics theorist, following the publication in 1993 of Understanding Comics, a wide-ranging exploration of the definition, history, vocabulary, and methods of the medium of comics, itself done in comics form.                Photo: Ken O'Connell and Scott McCloud ››››

Eugene Lawyer/Cartoonist Addresses Copyright Issues. Keith Aoki is the Philip H. Knight Professor of Law at the University of Oregon School of Law, where he has taught since 1993 and specializes in the area of intellectual property. Aoki has taken his love of illustrating comic books and teamed with colleagues James Boyle and Jennifer Jenkins to produced an informative guide to copyright law for documentary film makers. A press release reads, "A documentary is being filmed. A cell phone rings, playing the "Rocky" theme song. The filmmaker is told she must pay $10,000 to clear the rights to the song. Can this be true? "Eyes on the Prize," the great civil rights documentary, was pulled from circulation because the filmmakers’ rights to music and footage had expired. What’s going on here? It’s the collision of documentary filmmaking and intellectual property law, and it’s the inspiration for this new comic book. Follow its heroine Akiko as she films her documentary, and navigates the twists and turns of intellectual property. Why do we have copyrights? What’s "fair use"? Bound By Law reaches beyond documentary film to provide a commentary on the most pressing issues facing law, art, property and an increasingly digital world of remixed culture." This is available online as a Free Download book.

Click on map to enlarge

Eugene's Downtown Cultural District. Eugene is sprinkled with arts organizations, exhibition spaces, performance venues and arts-related businesses, creating a foundation for an arts district in the city's core.    In a 2002 Eugene City Club online article DIVA Board Member Carolyn Kranzler described a survey of arts-related entities of that time in downtown Eugene. Accompanying the article was a map that visualized art activities in an eight-square-block area, from Third Avenue south to Eleventh Avenue and from Lincoln Street east to High Street. Five arts-related categories were identified and located on the map.    The broad groups illustrated included: 1) art galleries, art of a different kind, art and something else, jewelry design and photography; 2) architects, landscape architects and designers; 3) art support, art supplies and framing, music support and arts organizations, including nonprofit organizations; 4) venues for music, dance and theater, 5) historic buildings and museums, and 6) "outdoor" art, including sculpture installations and murals.     Although the map would look different today, it remains relevant. Kranzler notes,"About 200 sites within this central city area were identified that are involved with the arts in some way. This is an astounding number, and it strongly suggests that we have an arts and entertainment district in place at this time in our city center." Read Article.

Becky Guy prepares DIVA fund- raising letters for mailing.

DIVA Needs Your Help. The Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts Center is located in the heart of Eugene's Cultural District. Its mission is to encourage and facilitate making our city's downtown a destination for visual arts activities for residents and  visitors alike by bringing together civic leaders, business leaders, arts organizations, artists and community members in a dialogue to spur focused action toward a vital and profitable city center.       To make this mission a reality we are conducting our spring fundraiser. We will be mailing and emailing our friends to help us continue to provide the quality and quantity of art programs you enjoy. Please give generously.  You can send your contribution to DIVA at 110 W. Broadway, Eugene, OR  97401 Or, you can also make your payment to DIVA by submitting the online PayPal donation form. Once you submit your general information you will be taken to a secure form at paypal to enter your credit card information. You make what we do possible! Thank you!!

Thanks Volunteers! DIVA would like to thank volunteers Alegria, Lucy Crawford, Dana Hannon, Elissa Tree, and Elaine Yost for all their time spent folding, stuffing, and licking to help us get this mailing out - we couldn't have done it without them!!!

Call For News Items. As a weekly newsletter we accept notices of art, film, and other events of interest to our readers. Special attention is given to news of DIVA Members who may have an exhibit, a film screening, installation, or other event at the Center or elsewhere. Our deadline is Thursday of each week for publication on the following Monday. Send news content to:

Board Member Receives Award. Jerry Ross Studios, 2740 Onyx St. in eugene, has won an arts and graphic design competition in Milan, Italy, that is sponsored by the group, Ceasare Figerio. The organization presents annual awards in art, literature and music. Jerry Ross studios has been in business in Eugene for 30 years, specializing in portraits on commission and fine arts landscape paintings and graphics. To learn more about this long-time DIVA Board and founding member visit the Jerry Ross Studios online. Source: Register Guard.

Photo Exhibit at the Schnitzer Museum of Art. The photographic work of Christopher Burkett is now on exhibit at the Photography at Oregon Gallery on the University of Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. The exhibit, "The Salton Riviera" is on display through Sunday, June 25th. Museum admission if $5, adults; $3, seniors (62+) and high school students. Free to museum members; UO students, faculty, and staff, and children 13 and under. More Information.

New Zone Gallery. An exhibit of work by 30 of the art collective's members focus on the theme "Women by Women, Men by Men". Show runs June 2 - June 30. Learn More Online.

This month we recognize Dana Hannon for her contributions as a DIVA Volunteer. You can find Dana at the Center on Tuesdays where, as a gallery host, she greets visitors and makes them feel welcome with a friendly smile. Dana is always welling to help with center tasks and we appreciate all her hard work!     The Center is always looking for those who want to become involved as volunteer staff. Gallery set-up and installation, front desk staffing, and assisting with media art events are just some of the possibilities for those who want to participate. Call or write  and volunteer today! College Internships are also possible options for participating at the DIVA Center.

	June 2, 2006

THIS WEEK AT DIVA

GALLERY EXHIBITS

MEDIA ARTS AT DIVA CENTER - COMING IN JUNE!

See: Media Arts Calendar

Eugene Noisefest 2006 - June 16-18. More than just a "noise" event. It includes many music fringe genres and sub-genres; drawing artists from as far as LA and BC. Also Video art will be happening every night. See Media Arts Calendar for full lists of visiting artists. June 23, CARTUNE XPREZ - A multimedia performance art collective Time: 8:30 PM Admission: $5.00 General - $3.00 Student with School I.D. June 28 Emily Hay & Marcos Fernandes Summer 2006 West Coast Tour Time: 8:00 PM General Admission: $5.00. Student with School I.D. Card: $3.00.

WEB SITE ART EXPLORATIONS

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Royal Photographic Society. Chartered in 1853, the Royal Photographic Society is one of the world’s most renowned photographic organizations and counts among its members both amateur and seasoned photographers of all ages and backgrounds. Throughout the course of an average year, the Society sponsors 250 events across the United Kingdom, including workshops, lectures, as well as other activities through some of its overseas chapters as well. Visitors to the site can learn about joining the Society and also learn a bit more about some of their educational opportunities. One feature of the site that is worth a look is their official online forum, which offers visitors the chance to submit questions about photography equipment, the history of photography, and of course, any number of “how-to” type queries. Not surprisingly, the site also contains a “Portfolio” section that contains photograph portfolios created by Society members and posted online here. Visit Site. (Source: Scout Report)

SwarmSketch. Like a smart mob, SwarmSketch communicates online to bring people together to complete a task, in this case a collective sketch. Currently, the swarm is sketching a map of New Zealand. At the site, visitors contribute a short bit (100px) of line, and then have the chance to vote on whether existing lines should be darker or lighter. SwarmSketch has been running since September of 2005, so there are lots of past sketches to browse, on a wide variety of topics from the Rwanda Genocide to the World's Ugliest Dog. One of the site’s best features is the animated viewing of the history of each sketch - individual users can only contribute a small piece of line, so the pictures grow bit by bit, without a single sketcher dominating the composition. You can also sign up for an RSS feed, to be notified on what the swarm is drawing today. Visit Site.

 

OPPORTUNITIES (New and Continued Listings)

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Deadline: June 15 - Women’s Vision Film Grants Available. Film Action Oregon (formerly the Oregon Film & Video Foundation), in collaboration with The Faerie Godmother Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation, announces the creation of The Women’s Vision Film Grants, a new program to support female filmmakers in Oregon and SW Washington.  This year Film Action will award a total of $10,000 and the deadline for applications is June 15, 2006.
      The Women’s Vision Film Grants will support female filmmakers who tell engaging stories that increase social awareness and tolerance, both within and beyond our immediate communities.  Eligible projects must be directed by a woman and must include at least two women in key roles – producer, writer, cinematographer or editor.  The grant funds will be awarded either to a single documentary or narrative work or distributed amongst multiple applicants. Ellen Bergstone Beer, Executive Director Film Action Oregon: or

Deadline: June 15 - Submissions to Join a Roundtable Discussion. The Flow Conference (Oct. 26 -29, 2006; Austin, TX) -- a series of roundtable discussions with topics created by Flow (http://www.flowtv.org)columnists, organized around the future of television and media culture -- is now accepting submissions to join a roundtable. Deadline for submission is: June 15, 2006.
      The goal of the Flow Conference is conversation. There are no plenary sessions and participants are asked to submit short position papers (not full-length essays). We want to promote discussion amongst scholars, members of the media industries, media activists, fans, and policy-makers over crucial issues related to television and media.
      For the list of roundtable topics, please visit the conference website at: http://www.flowconference.org. To join a roundtable, submit a 250 word abstract identifying the roundtable in which you want to participate and detailing your response to the topic statement, and a short bio, to: .

Deadline: June 30 - Call Artists. Jewelry and art work will be featured in this years Food for Lane County’s Auction/Fundraising Dinner in September will feature jewelry in the silent auction. Deadline for submissions: June 30, 2006. An option in lieu of full donation of art is a split 40% to FOOD for Lane County, 60% to the artist. Of course your donation of showcase jewelry would be tremendously appreciated as well. Your work will be featured at our invitation-only fundraising dinner/live auction in September. This is the largest fund raising event in Eugene. Your submissions may be taken either to FOOD for Lane County, 770 Bailey Hill Rd., Eugene. Or please contact Susan Klein at 513.5314 for a pickup of your piece or pieces. Please include your name and suggested prices for your jewelry. Questions? Call Terry Kirby at , email: for details. Or e-mail

Deadline: June 30 - Film Submissions. The Portland International Short Short Film Festival is currently seeking submissions for its 2006 festival. Now in its fifth year, PISS Fest! showcases films from around the globe that run the gamut of themes and styles—from the dark and avant-garde to the hilariously absurd—with the only common thread among them being running time: ten minutes or less.The deadline for entry is June 30, 2006, late entry deadline is July 14, 2006. Entry form and more details can be found at http://zonkerfilms.com.

Deadline: July 1 - Annual Artists' guidebook sees applications. Oregon Crafted, a nonprofit organization promoting cultural tourism, has issued a call to artists wishing to be included in the second edition of the group's annual guidebook. Artists should contact Oregon crafted at or to request an application packet. Deadline is July 1

Deadline: July 14- Call for Submissions. The Portland International Short Short Film Festival is currently seeking submissions for its 2006 festival. Now in its fifth year, PISS Fest! showcases films from around the globe that run the gamut of themes and styles—from the dark and avant-garde to the hilariously absurd—with the only common thread among them being running time: ten minutes or less. The deadline for entry is June 30, 2006, late entry deadline is July 14, 2006. Entry form and more details can be found at http://zonkerfilms.com.

Deadline: July 15 - Call to Artists 2 Exhibit Maud Kerns. Maude Kerns Art Center is proud to announce its 2007 - 2008 Call to Artists. Our center is Eugene's original non-profit community center for the visual arts. The Center has over 50 years of history in Oregon. We are a member-driven organization with over 500 members. The gallery offers 8 juried exhibitions annually, drawn from national and international submissions.

Deadline: July 31 - Call To Artists. Artists are invited to donate artwork to the Eugene Glass School's 7th Annual Art Glass Auction & Benefit, 7 October.  This is the school's largest and most prestigious fundraising event of the year, catering to hundreds of local, national, and international glass artists and collectors.  With the publication of a full-color auction catalog, an artist's work will be seen by over 2,000 artists and collectors. More Information.

Deadline: August 1 - Call For Articles. "Music, Sound, and the Moving Image" will be the first international scholarly journal devoted to the study of the interaction between music and sound with the entirety of moving image media film, television, music video, advertising, computer games, mixed-media installation, digital art, live cinema, et alia. To be published by Liverpool University Press and co-edited by Anahid Kassabian (Liverpool University) and Ian Gardiner (Goldsmiths College), the journal will be truly interdisciplinary, inviting contributions across a range of critical methodologies, to include musicology and music analysis, film studies, popular music studies, cultural theory, aesthetics, semiotics, sociology, marketing, sound studies, and music psychology. It is hoped that the journal also will provide an important focus for the similarly diverse and expanding community of media music scholars.
      The journal will be published twice a year, beginning January 2007, and its first issues will be open, embracing this diversity of topics and approaches. As it progresses it is intended that themed issues, under a guest editor, will alternate with open issues,
perhaps encouraging writers to explore areas under-represented in current literature. The editors welcome contributions offering the broadest interpretation of the journal's title, not only seeking to build upon the existing scholarship on film music and film sound, but also to challenge its theoretical assumptions, and to extend its boundaries to include the full variety of moving image media and traditions. Submissions for the inaugural issue should be e-mailed, by 1 August 2006, as Microsoft Word documents to: Enquiries or requests for style guidelines should also be directed to this address.

Deadline: October 2 - Call for Oregon Bluebook Photographs. The State Archives, which publishes the Oregon Blue Book, is seeking color photos that represent some aspect of the state to grace the cover of the 2 edition. The contest is open to all amateur photographers who are Oregon residents, and photographs must be taken in Oregon. For full details go to the Blue Book web site.

Deadline: October 31 - Call to Artists: Lane Community College is accepting submissions from sculptors to participate in the 2006 Pacific Northwest Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition. Fifteen works will be selected for exhibition to take place throughout the 2007 spring term, showcasing the Eugene Oregon campus. Lane Community College may use this exhibition to select or commission a sculpture for purchase. More Information

Deadline: May, 2007 - Community Arts Grants are available each year for individuals and groups producing arts projects and programs that benefit the City of Eugene and its residents. These grants are made possible with funds from the City of Eugene Room Tax Fund. More Information.

OPPORTUNITIES AT DIVA (New and Continuing Listings)

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Drop-In Figure Drawing At DIVA. There are weekly drop-in figure drawing sessions at the DIVA Center. Working from models, these sessions help the individual improve drawing techniques. Instructor John Holdway will be on hand to assist and coach. Warm up exercises will include gesture drawing. The sessions meet on Wednesdays from 6-9 PM. The cost is $10.00 per session. Next session, June 7.

Drop-In Art Skill Shop At DIVA. The Free, drop-in art skill shop for downtown street youth now meets on Tuesday from 4-7:00 PM. DIVA and the Lane Arts Council is pleased to co-sponsor these free activities for street youth in downtown Eugene. Projects include bookmaking, block printing, zinemaking, collage, and more. This skill shop is offered as a collaborative project of DIVA, the Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts, Lane Arts Council, and Looking Glass Youth and Family Services, with support from Lane County Department of Health and Human Services, Eugene Rotary Club and the City of Eugene. The project partners intend for these skill shops to offer alternative activities and social opportunities for youth.