Sweep Dreams

Think you need to go to Canada to learn how to curl? Think again.

The first sentence on the liability waiver at the Chicago Curling Club states, "I understand that curling is a sport played on ice — a hard and slippery surface." When I showed up for my Learn 2 Curl lesson hosted by the club in Northbrook, Ill., about the only thing I understood about this commonly misconstrued sport was the "ice" part.

Some might associate curling with our neighboring nation to the north — Canada. While 90 percent of worldwide curling participants are from Canada, as reported in The Seattle Times, the sport has gradually swept across the globe since it gained Olympic status in 1998. According to the Chicago Curling Club brochure, curling now has more than 1 million participants in 35 countries, including 20,000 in the U.S.

Founded in 1948, the Chicago Curling Club (CCC) is one of only three curling facilities in the greater Chicago area, and out of these three, the CCC is the only one devoted specifically to curling. During the curling season — November through March — the club offers Learn 2 Curl lessons for those who want to learn the game. Requiring only a pair of sneakers and as much balance as you can muster, the $20 lesson is taught by United States Curling Association (USCA) certified instructors.

Stan Slabas, a U.S. Curling Association certified curling instructor, explains proper technique to a Learn 2 Curl student. Photo by Elizabeth Noel.

Some compare curling to shuffleboard on ice, but according to Dave Haverick, the coordinator of Learn 2 Curl, it is much more like chess or billiards. Fortunately for me, speed and strength are not big factors in curling. Unfortunately for me, finesse and balance are. "It is all about technique," said Haverick. "It is about what kind of skill you have."

While curling, which began on the frozen rivers and lochs of Scotland in the 1500s, is too detailed to fully explain in 800 words or fewer, here are the basics: The aim of the sport is to slide the 42-pound granite stone across a 146-foot rink of pebbled ice and land it in the target, or "house." Two sweepers brush the ice to direct the stone or make it go farther without touching it. Each competitive game consists of 10 ends (which are like innings in baseball) while recreational games are usually eight ends. In each end, teams of four throw eight stones, with each participant throwing twice.

The term "curling" comes from the curl the stone will have based on the turn of the stone, which helps curlers determine where they want the stone to lie. Whichever team has the most stones closest to the center of the target after each end scores a point.

To throw the stone, participants wear a Teflon-bottomed shoe called a "slider" to glide across the ice. "What most beginners tend to do is push the stone," said instructor Stan Slabas. "But you're just supposed to let it go." Since letting go of the stone usually resulted in a complete loss of balance in my case, Slabas advised that the sliding foot be directly behind the stone. Of course, with the many different techniques and tips to remember, this simple task was not as easy as it looked.

The Learn 2 Curl lesson began with a short video giving some background on the sport and some light calisthenics. The instructors then split us into teams of four, taught us the basics of throwing the stone and sweeping and let us practice. Finally, our newly acquired skills — or lack thereof — were tested in a scrimmage against another team of newbies.

Of course for me, the lesson also had another prominent element — falling. "It's cold, it's slippery — sometimes that combination can be bad," warned Haverick. "But we have had no fatalities this year," he jokingly boasted. Though falling did not hurt, it did vex my persistent instructor who decided that I would be his "project" and fruitlessly attempted to make me fit for the 2014 Olympics.

For those who don't think that curling is a real workout, think again. The stretching and balance required to throw the stone could give a yoga class some competition. And as for cardio, in a game of eight ends the average person will sweep vigorously for two miles. 
While providing good exercise, curling could be the winter sport equivalent of tennis or golf.

"The sport can be enjoyed at any age," said Haverick. The age range of the participants, about 30 Chicagoland dwellers, varied greatly. I, a 21-year-old, was welcomed onto a team of 65-year-olds who had known each other for more than 20 years. 
Curling is a very social sport, created and known for its friendship and camaraderie. Before and after a match, opponents will shake hands and wish "Good curling" to one another.

Following the lesson at the CCC, we gathered in the social hall to mingle, snack and sip Labatt beer. This tradition, called "broomstacking," usually involves teams buying rounds for their opponents after a match and was probably where I displayed the most skill in the curling realm.

The Learn 2 Curl sessions for 2010 are currently fully booked. "It gets crazy this time of year, especially with the Olympics," said Jenny Hulk, who helped organize the event. But don't get discouraged, curling cravers. The club's Web site offers a waitlist option, and many other events throughout the year.

Closer Look writer Elizabeth Noel poses with curling instructor Stan Slabas. Photo by Elizabeth Noel.

Neither the U.S. men's or women's curling teams are expected to medal in Vancouver this year, but we can take comfort in the fact that my team of curling novices at Learn 2 Curl won 3-0 in our scrimmage against other first-timers. While some may not hold these accomplishments at quite the same level as the Olympics, I still think I have bragging rights. Although I doubt I will make an appearance in Sochi, Russia, in 2014, I did have two hours of fun and a new experience and I also got to meet many new curling buddies. Besides, there's always 2018, right?

Originally published in the Loyola Phoenix on February 24, 2010. Link here.

Ghana Save The World

Loyola grad Agnes Ntow tells Closer Look why she wants to be Miss Ghana.

Agnes Ntow did not grow up playing dress up and wearing tiaras. She has never been in a beauty pageant. In fact, until a couple of years ago, she had never heard of Miss Africa USA. So how did she end up on an eastbound plane, heading to Atlanta to represent Ghana in the Miss Africa USA semi-finals? She Googled it.

"I didn't know anything about pageants, and I knew there was a Miss America," said Ntow, 22. "So my sophomore year, I searched Miss Africa, and here I am."

Ntow (right) stands next to Nelly Mbambo, a representative of Malawi, at the Miss Africa USA 2010 Semi-Finals in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of Agnes Ntow. 

Agnes Ntow graduated from Loyola in August 2009 with degrees in communications and black world studies. Currently, she is in Atlanta giving speeches, answering questions, attending balls and making proposals in hopes of making it to the Miss Africa 2010 finals in July. She has spent months preparing, being fitted for dresses, writing speeches and making trips to Kinko's in order to print endless copies of pageant speeches and paperwork.

"You see this?" she said, holding up a scribble-filled steno pad that contains her preparation notes and rough drafts. "This is not a competition where you can just sit and look pretty. They're gonna pick your brain and see why you want to do this and how much you want it. You just have to be prepared with answers."

The pageant, which is for first generation or African-born women in the U.S., is focused on beauty for humanity. According to the pageant's official Web site, its goal is to project a positive image of Africa and advocate for the needy, which is what interested Ntow.

The first member of her family to be born in America, Ntow still considers herself Ghanian. When she was two, her family moved back to Accra, the capital city of Ghana, for four years. She started her schooling there. "To me, it was home,"she said on her experience growing up there.

According to Ntow, Accra is similar to the cities in the U.S. — bustling, lively and developed. But villages like Kpando — where her parents grew up — are underdeveloped. Ntow's main priority is to help bring growth to these areas. 
Ntow says that her parents came to the U.S. looking for a better life, but debates whether or not they are truly happier here. "When you're down there, you think, ‘Oh, when I go to America, I'm going to be riding in a Benz,' " she said with a laugh. "No. You're going to be riding on the CTA just like everybody else."

The Ntows moved back to Bolingbrook, Ill., in 1994. Agnes was six and in the second grade, and said she had trouble fitting into American culture. "One time I was playing tic tac toe and lost, so I said the ‘s' word," she said. "I didn't understand why my teacher was yelling at me! My cousins in Africa would say it jokingly and it wasn't looked at as negative or taboo."

She eventually got her bearings here, but Ntow never lost touch with Ghana. "My parents did anything and everything to keep the Ghanian morals and values in the house," she said. "So although we left there, we really never left. It's still a big part of us." The family has been back to visit twice, and Agnes plans on returning this March.

Ntow auditioned for Miss Africa USA in August 2009 because she felt it represented something substantial — that it was a chance to make a difference. "I feel like it's my duty to go back and help those who are unfortunate like my parents were, without making them leave their homeland," she said. "Let me take what I've learned here and go back and develop my country. Whatever is here we can take down there and develop the country. This pageant will help me do that."

She plans on using the pageant for fund-raising. "I want people to know that I am Africa," she says. "I want them to know I am credible, and that if they gave money for my ideas, I would know exactly what to do with it and what to put it towards."

Ntow hopes to someday put money toward a community school in Kpando. There is already a program in place that is attempting to build the school, and Ntow wants to help equip it with books, scholarship money, clothes, shoes and even computers. She also wants to add a recreational center. "This will build a community with more jobs and places to hang out, so after school we don't just have to go to the one person's house who has a TV," she says. "Everything is in Accra, but not everyone can get there. We need it to be more accessible."

Ntow (left) smiles for the camera alongside Nykita Garnett, representing Liberia, at the Miss Africa USA 2010 Semi-Finals in Atlanta over Valentine’s Day weekend. Photo courtesy of Agnes Ntow.

Agnes Ntow is competing against 75 other women. She will be in the spotlight and under the radar for two days. So how does Ntow, a first-time pageant participant, keep her cool?  

"Here's my secret," she said. "No matter what I do, I always pray beforehand. If I've got God and a good cause that I'm passionate about on my side, who's against me?"
Ntow does not know if she will win the pageant, but she knows it will be beneficial regardless. "To me, the main thing is not just the crown and the title," she says. "It means that no matter how far you get pulled away from your home country, you still have that relation. You still are able to do something."

Agnes Ntow has big plans ahead of her as she hopes to become the Oprah Winfrey or Tyra Banks of Africa someday. She insists on completing this mission whether or not she is crowned Miss Africa USA 2010. So keep an eye out, because one day you may be Googling her.

Originally published in the Loyola Phoenix on February 7, 2010. Link here.

Satisfy your sweet tooth

Read about Sweet Miss Giving's: the bakery behind the tasty (and charitable) treats in Rambler Room.


The silent battle can be seen every day in Rambler Room and Market 820. "To get a cookie, or not to get a cookie?" students debate as they stare down chocolaty chunk goodness. 

Fortunately, there is now a reason for Loyola students to feel good about succumbing to the power of sweets. Sweet Miss Giving's, a not-for-profit bakery that seeks to both employ and donate money to homeless and HIV/AIDS-affected people in Chicago, now supplies baked goods for sale at Loyola. 

With the motto "Unquestionably kind, unreasonably good," Sweet Miss Giving's (SMG) sells high end sweets and gives more than half of its profits to the Chicago House, an organization that provides housing for the homeless and those with HIV/AIDS.

All in a day's work -- Interns (from left to right) James, Rosalind, Angel and Patrick at Sweet Miss Giving's (SMG) bakery make fresh-baked goods in the SMG kitchen. The interns participate in a job program that allows them to bake goods for charity while also getting back on their own two feet after being homeless. Photo by Alicia Ramirez

The bakery is the brainchild of Rev. Stan Sloan, the CEO of the Chicago House. He was looking for a way to use business to benefit the organization when he encountered Stephen Smith, who was then a community organizer working on a family homelessness campaign. Though Smith didn't have any baking or business experience, Sloan knew he was the man for the job. "[Sloan] is a wonderful, wonderful man," said Smith.  "He is also one of our favorite taste testers." One can imagine what a coveted position that must be.

The bakery's staff consists of formerly homeless adults who need work experience. "Our interns have been on the job market and can't get a second look because they don't have a first job," said Stephen Smith, the chief executive of SMG. "This is that first job." 

The interns, who all come through the Chicago House, must go through a training program for six weeks to acquire skills that will not only help them perform their bakery job, but that will also be necessary when they look for jobs after their internships. They learn everything from production and packaging to delivery and customer service. If they can make it through the training, they are given a six month paid internship at the bakery.

Macer, an intern at SMG, wraps the cookies that make their way to Loyola's Rambler Room and Market 820. Photo by Alicia Ramirez.

Jason Durham, 28, has been working at the bakery near the North/Clybourn Red Line stop for more than eight months. Durham, who swears by SMG's blueberry muffins, has been a professional staff member at the bakery since graduating from his internship two months ago. He is currently working at the factory, but will be going into customer service when a new SMG storefront market opens up at Ogilvie Station (located at 500 W. Madison St.) on Nov. 12.  

Previously a maintenance worker at a McDonald's in Kalamazoo, Mich., Durham had never had any baking experience. He had been back in Chicago for a year, living in a crowded studio apartment with his mom and sister, which he said prevented him from getting the right amount of rest to make a living.

It was then that Durham met Sloan, who saw that Durham was stressed. Sloan introduced Durham to Chicago House and got him an apartment. Durham now lives in Uptown instead of staying in "the hundreds," located on the South Side of Chicago. "It's quiet where I am now," says Durham. "And I thank Reverend Sloan for that."

Durham added SMG helped him turn his life around, and that he can see himself doing something like this for the rest of his life. "There are no words for it," he said. "This is like heaven-sent to me."

When Mayor Daley snipped the ribbon more than a year ago, nobody knew the success that would come out of SMG, given the state of the economy. "We picked the absolute worst time in the last six years to open a bakery," said Smith. "Truthfully, we've been doing really well." He add SMG sold six times as much last month than it did in January.

"Everyone here works insanely hard," said Smith. "Whether it's our interns who work for six weeks without pay to learn this, or our professional staff who could be working at some high end restaurant with a bigger pay check, everyone is making some sort of sacrifice to be here."

Although now students might not have to debate whether or not to get a cookie, they might take some time in deciding which kind. If you need advice, Stephen Smith says the German chocolate brownies are "unreal." No matter the flavor, your cookie could do a lot more good than you might think.
 

 Originally published in the Loyola Phoenix on November 10, 2009. Link here.

Celtic Culture

Closer Look gets a glimpse of the 13th Annual Chicago Celtic Fest.

Approaching Jackson and Columbus Avenues this past weekend, ears rattled with the drone of bagpipes, nostrils filled with the scent of hearty shepherd's pie and toes tapped to the beat of a traditional jig. No, St. Patrick's Day did not come six months early this year.  It was the 13th Annual Chicago Celtic Fest taking over Grant Park. 

A drummer waits for his bagpipe band's performance at the Chicago Celtic Fest. Photo by Chase Difeliciantonio.

Every year since 1997, the Celtic Fest has served to celebrate and educate the public on Celtic culture. Last year, eight inches of rain inundated the festival, causing events to be canceled.  But this year Mother Nature complied, giving Chicago a warm, sunny weekend and allowing "good craic," (the Irish term for fun) to be had by all.

The Celtic Fest celebrates the cultures of the modern Celtic nations in the Celtic League (a political and cultural organization) — Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man.  The League was well-represented this weekend with food, shops and more than 100 free music and dance performances.

At an event where even the Port-O-Lets are kelly green, the Irish culture certainly had a home. Irish brogues mingled with Midwestern twangs as the two cultures united. 

The Rebecca McCarthy School of Dance was one of many Irish step-dancing groups that performed at the festival.  This young group, with its members ranging from ages seven to 17, hopped and kicked their way through several jigs. But the Irish are not the only participants in the Celtic Fest. "More Irish turn out, there are more Irish bands on the schedule, but we aren't an Irish festival," Erin Bauer, the festival manager, said in a September 11, 2009 Chicago Sun-Times article. The other Celtic countries held their own and represented their cultures as well. The Chicago Tafia Welsh Society lured people to learn about Welsh culture with pictures of Catherine Zeta-Jones and offering chances to win a vacation to Wales.  "Just don't tell me mum I'm giving plane tickets away," said the colorful Welshman working the tent. "I just told her I couldn't go visit because I couldn't afford one meself!"

Scotland showed off its muscles with the Scottish Heavy Athletics Competition.  This event, featuring hammer and stone throwing, and weight throwing for distance and height, lasted both Saturday and Sunday. Though Celtic Fest-goers were encouraged to watch, the athletes advised them not to try these strenuous activities at home for fear of hernias.
Just a stone's throw away from the Heavy Athletics, one could see huddles of men jokingly doing calf raises in preparation for the fourth annual Men in Kilts Leg Contest.  Over 40 kilted men joined in and unabashedly flashed a little kneecap in hopes of winning the grand prize, two airline tickets to anywhere in the U.S.

And if any participants forgot their traditional Celtic apparel, the Kommando Kilts shop sold quality kilts, complete with appropriate accoutrements.  Shoppers could browse through a sea of plaid and find belts, sporrans (fur pouches), and Gillies, (a type of Scottish leather shoe) to complete the perfect ensemble. Whether it was because of its casual kilts or because its name alluded to what men choose to wear — or not wear —  under them, Kommando Kilts seemed to be constantly bustling.

The last big event of the festival was a free concert by Gaelic Storm at the Petrillo Music Shell on Sunday night. The band, which has a song featured on the Titanic soundtrack, drew a large and rowdy crowd.  With Bono and the boys playing across the park at Soldier Field, Gaelic Storm used their humor to compete.  "We are officially the band with the longest spoon solo in a song," boasted the band's lead singer, Patrick Murphy. "Take that, U2!" 

Everyone knew the Celtic weekend was over when the Guinness stopped flowing at 9:15 p.m. on Sunday.  The crowd reluctantly shuffled home, or at least to the nearest pub. Though their kilts may be stowed, Celtic culture fans await next September, with the sweet hum of bagpipes still ringing in their ears.

Originally published in the Loyola Phoenix on September 22, 2009.  Link here.

Social Networking: Your Digital Business Card

In an age where an agent’s friend request can turn into a client and a Tweet can promote a property, social networking is taking over the real estate market. Though social networking exists in the virtual realm, it has become a real part of everyday business. Today, more than ever before, Realtors are using these networking tools to make their business grow. We spoke with four Chicagoland Realtors who have social networked their way through the industry, and turned this fad into a profit.


Social networking can be simply defined as the use of a Web site to connect with people. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, the more business-oriented LinkedIn and various blog sites can be used to keep in touch with old friends, make new ones or organize events. However, the use of social networking for strictly business purposes is also increasing. According to the Pew Research Center, 28 percent of social networkers use these sites to make new business contacts or promote themselves.

The real estate market is not exempt from this online onslaught. In this struggling market, gaining clients through social networking has become an important part of the industry. “Social networking is a new way to generate leads,” says Matt Pittman, a real estate agent with RE/MAX Achievers in Lombard. “It is the easiest and quickest way to get a business going.” Pittman uses Facebook, LinkedIn, Craigslist, MySpace and Twitter to promote his business and find clients.

Getting involved in Social Networking
Realtors can get involved in social networking in different ways and for different reasons. Pittman began using social networking to promote his band and says it was easy to transition into real estate. “When I got into real estate about five years ago, I focused on those people that I was already in touch with,” he says. “I sort of flipped a coin and said, ‘Hey, I’m in real estate if you know anyone who is interested.’”

Kimberly Adams of Dream Town Realty started using Facebook simply for social purposes. “My initial interest was just staying connected with friends,” says Adams. “From there it just seemed to be a natural progression into being more professional.” Adams now uses her Facebook site and the Chicago Agent networking site (ChicagoAgentMagazine.ning.com) to get in touch with potential clients.

Others, like Yvonne Rusin, an agent for Coldwell Banker in Wheaton, have geared their social networking efforts toward business from the beginning. “My phone began ringing non-stop; I couldn’t do it anymore,” says Rusin. “I needed something else out there, and it has become an excellent, viable tool.” Similarly, Judy Pettas, an agent for Premier Properties Chicago, has been using Facebook and LinkedIn to grow her business since one of her clients sent her an invitation to the sites two years ago.

The Tools to Gain Clients
Regardless of how they got into social networking, the results for these agents have been the same: Social networking has led to more clients. “Social networking has worked phenomenally for me,” says Pittman, who attributes more than 60 percent of his business to Facebook and MySpace. “Your social networking sites serve as reminders to people that you are in this business.”

Adams considers her social networking site to be her “business card with legs.” While her Facebook site is there to serve as a reminder, it also actively promotes her. “I have a client who was a Facebook friend of a friend,” she says. “She would see the nice comments and accolades that my clients would give, and decided she wanted to do business with me.” Judy Pettas also finds many referrals through networking. “I gain a lot of buyers because they are looking to connect with people who know what they need,” she says.

Don’t Overdo It
One of the keys to turning social networking pages into a virtual client base is to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Primarily, experts agree that when it comes to social networking and business, sometimes less is more.

“If you have a good listing, post it, but don’t put up 10 a day,” advises Pittman. “People will spam you.” He believes that bombarding a Web page can overwhelm clients and cause them to quickly turn away.

Instead, Pettas recommends using the page as a vehicle to answer questions and present a level of comfort and openness. “There is a fine line between being pushy and being available,” says Pettas. “Before you do anything drastic, just let people get to know you.”

Rusin was initially turned off by the lack of organization of sites like Facebook and other social networks. Though she has now become accustomed to the site, she still suggests keeping it simple. “Sometimes it looks like people threw up all over the page,” she says. “There is definitely no table of contents, so to speak, but I still try to keep it as neat as possible.”

Privacy and Professionalism
Along with organization and simplicity, these agents also keep in mind that professionalism comes first. “Think once, twice, three times before you post,” warns Pettas. “I always wonder when I post a blog if there is another angle that I am not seeing.”

Mixing business with social networking can create a gray area between what is personal and what is professional. However, these agents have found different ways of controlling and monitoring their sites to maximize their privacy.

“I have felt that my privacy is limited,” says Pittman. “But at the same time, I have control of how much information I share.” For Pittman, the discrepancy between these public and private spheres is especially challenging because his social network pages are not specifically tailored to real estate. “I might have pictures or something that people think a Realtor shouldn’t have up there,” says Pittman, who also uses his page to continue to promote his band. “But at the same time, if someone doesn’t want to work with me because of my picture, we most likely would not work well together anyway.”

Adams, on the other hand, keeps her profile solely focused on real estate. “I don’t put anything personal on my profile — relationships, where I went for dinner last night,” she says. “It is strictly things like what is happening now in the market and seminar information, just real estate. I monitor who I accept as friends and am very cautious.”

Some agents, like Pettas, include both personal and business information on social networking sites. However, she is careful to use the controls on Facebook to monitor what certain people can see on her page. “The different controls make it possible to hide things, so a potential client won’t see what my old high school friend wrote on my wall,” she says. Pettas says she is still more careful with what she posts than her friends who aren’t in the business.

The option of a closed profile, which only opens the page to those who ask to be invited, is also an option for those concerned with privacy. Rusin uses a closed profile to keep her Facebook site more like business on referral. Her page serves as a network only for people who know her in some way, and is only open to those who ask to be invited. “This way, I can put out more personal information, like pictures of my friend’s wedding,” she says. “And of course, I got ‘Happy Birthday’ all over the place!”

Age is Just a Number
Though some fear that the social networking is just for the young crowd, experts urge agents of all ages to reconsider. Twitter and Facebook users range from 10 years old to 80 years old, and agents endorse participation in social networking regardless of age. “Well I’m amost 50, I can say that!” says Rusin. “This is just what we have to do, and it was easy for me.” Pettas agrees. “I was around when people would come in to ‘look at the books,’ and I’m still on Facebook.”

These agents not only believe that social networking is an acceptable business tactic for all ages, but they believe that it is essential. “In this business, you have to change with the times to be successful,” says Adams. “That younger person is our next client.” Pittman also agrees: “Anyone who thinks social networking is just for young people is missing out big time.”

Social Networking is Here to Stay
Though the media and sites may change, social networking has lasted this long, and does not appear to be fading away. According to the experts we spoke with, using social networking sites for business may be a new development, but it will only become more common and more important. “This is the way the consumer is demanding service,” says Pettas. “Anyone who does not become an integral part of this is writing his own pink slip.”

“Just like the computer itself, social networking is here to stay,” says Adams. “It will continue to evolve and refine itself, and it is only going to get bigger. It will be interesting to see where this will go.” 

Originally Published in the March 15, 2010, issue of Chicago Agent Magazine. Link here.

Injurious art - back and bad as ever

After nearly 40 years, Bodyspacemotionthings by Richard Morris returned to the Tate Modern in London.  Despite strict safety procedures, the returning interactive exhibit has proven to be just as risky.

When it was originally exhibited in 1971, the response to the interactive display was widely described as "pandemonium."  Despite sustaining many minor injuries - splintered bums and small flesh wounds - the 2,500 visitors ran wild.  The curator closed Bodyspacemotionthings after four days because the overly excited public was literally trampling the exhibit and tearing it apart.

Visitors clamber up the large props of the 1971 Bodyspacemotionthings. This wooden piece was the source of many of the splinters that kept the first aid staff tweezing.

This time around, it appears the art has fought back.  After its wild first run in the '70s, the Tate decided to undertake several safety measures.  Even with disallowing use of several of the more dangerous installations, and informing visitors of safety issues, injuries proved to be inevitable. According to theGuardian, 23 people were injured in just one week. Doling out cuts, rope burns, head injuries, and bruised ribs to the interacting audience, the exhibition seems to have done far more damage to the public than vice versa.

Today's visitors experiment with the tube at the 2009 exhibition. The tube is meant to make you aware of your own movements.

The exhibit was originally meant for a four-day run during the May bank-holiday weekend, but it was extended two extra weeks because of popular demand.  Eventually seen by 340,000 people, the exhibition's mean reputation apparently did not make it unpopular.

Sources:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/jul/12/tate-modern-robert-morris-injuries;

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/news/tate-rebuilds-installation-that-left-the-biggest-impression-1663392.html

Originally published on the website of Circa Art Magazine on July 15, 2009. Link here.

Public school teacher wins BP Portrait Award

Many say that their children are their greatest inspiration. For some artists, this statement holds true on several levels.  We've heard of Joe Dunne, winner of the Davy Portrait Awards in November for  an oil painting of his 15-year-old, Cara.  In recent  news, it's Peter Monkman being recognized for a portrait of his preteen.  Monkman, a public school teacher, won the BP Portrait Award on 16 June for an oil painting of Anna, his 12-year-old daughter.

"Changeling 2" by Peter Monkman. Image held here.

Monkman has done several portraits of Anna as she has grown up.  This year's edition, titled Changeling 2, earned Monkman the £25,000 prize.  While Dunne told Culture Northern Ireland that his Portrait of Cara was meant to show his youngest child's "quiet and reflective temperament," Monkman aimed for something a bit more surreal.  According to the Guardian, Monkman meant for his portrait to be "a little spooky" rather than sentimental. The portrait represents the changes and problems that come about when children grow into teenagers.

Monkman is the arts director at Charterhouse School, a well-known public school in Surrey.  On the school's website, Charterhouse Headmaster Revd John Witheridge expresses his excitement for Monkman.  "This is a remarkable achievement," Witheridge states.  "And our pupils are very fortunate to be taught and inspired by him."

But don't let the schoolteacher title fool you - Monkman's class syllabus includes much more than fingerpainting.  Witheridge asserts that the work standard in the school's art department is "extraordinarily high."  With his own studio in the school, Monkman and his works have a powerful presence there.

So how does Monkman's miniature muse feel about her father's award winning portrait?  "[Anna] is one of my greatest critics," Monkman told theGuardian. "And she did tell me I got certain things wrong."

Though he spends his days teaching children, it appears Monkman is not afraid to learn from them either.

Sources: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/jun/17/bp-portrait-award-winner;http://www.charterhouse.org.uk/news/cultural/peter_monkman_wins_BP_portrait_award.asp;http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?art_id=2369

Originally published on the website of Circa Art Magazine on June 24, 2009. Link here.

Still immodest at 100

Hans Erni at the unveiling of his mural. Image held here.

We're somewhat used to the idea of artists working on into a ripe old age, with Louise Bourgeois being the best-known example. News last week, though, of an even older, still-active artist: Hans Erni, a Swiss abstract painter, celebrated his 100th birthday in February, but he is far from slowing down.His most recent work, a 60-metre mural along a wall of a UN building in Geneva, was unveiled on 6 June.

The mural has proven that with age does not necessarily come modesty:  Erni had to modify his mural by painting clothes on some of the brawny, originally nude males.  According to the Boston Globe, UN spokeswoman Marie Heuze stated that, if left in its original state, the mural might shock some viewers.

An earlier work by Hans Erni that represents his motto, 'panta rhei', which means 'everything flows'. The painting is displayed at the Hans Erni Museum in Lucerne. Image held here.

Born in 1909 in Lucerne, Erni started painting in his 20s.  Eight decades later, he has compiled countless works of art, from paintings to frescos to postage stamps.  The highly regarded artist now has a retrospective of his work on display in Lucerne - a big birthday present from the Museum of Art Lucerne that runs through October.

After eighty years of artistry, the unfading Erni still paints every day.

Sources:http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2009/06/06/100_year_old_swiss_artist_unveils_mural_at_un/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Theater+and+arts+news; http://www.swisster.ch/en/news/exhibition-honours-100-years-of-hans-erni_121-1787641

Originally published on the website of Circa Art Magazine on June 17, 2009. Link here.

Gerrard a hit at Venice

Though John Gerrard's collateral exhibit for the 2009 Venice Biennale, titledAnimated Scene, is a boat ride away from the rest of the event's exhibits, the recent good reviews it has received assure that the distance should not keep viewers away.

John Gerrard: Oil Stick Work (Angelo Martinez / Richfield, Kansas), 2008, Realtime 3D projection, 4.5m x 6m

The Guardian has placed Gerrard's high-tech, virtual image display on its 'don't miss it' list for this year's Biennale, averring that it is "certainly worth the trip."

Animated Scene, which features true to life landscape images that Gerrard fabricated using game-design software, has collected much positive feedback.  "The projected landscapes that [Gerrard] is showing are more compellingly real than any art you're likely to have seen," says Blake Gopnik of the Washington Post.

The display, which features images capturing the movements of a Texas dust storm, mechanized life on a pig fattening farm, and a man slowly and methodically painting his barn with an oil stick, are open to the public until September 30.

Sources: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2009/jun/09/venice-biennale-art;http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/08/AR2009060803818.html?sub=AR

Originally published on the website of Circa Art Magazine on June 17, 2009. Link here.