Masque of the Yellow Moon

Yes day four of my personal 21 day blog-a-thon! and still going strong. What a great day today has been. It would have been easy to go print some t-shirts or work on something else, but OMG exciting stuff. Began the day at Lux, they really great espresso on the rocks and brioche filled with black berries, No pic because I ate it (YUM.) Ran in Taz and we had a quick talk about before my meeting with Jody Crago a Museum Director in Chandler. We talked for quite a while about the stuff he cool stuff he is planning and the intersections of stuff I am doing with AZ History and building community. I mentioned Masque of the Yellow Moon and that in 2011 it will be celebrated at Trunkspace and Chandler.

This summer I went to DC and one mission was to locate via Library of Congress the only copy of Frede Grofe and his piece call Valley of the Sun Suite that is catalog in a library. Now before I even went Matt Heil found and online version, Yuri recently found a copy hereI think the link to the piece is dead now ….

I just found a copy at lastfm and here is a free link for it here.

So there will be a recreation of the MYM next Spring on Grand Ave and very likely in Chandler!

For those that made all the to the end I offer this pic of a ticket stub from MYM the last it was presented 1955. This came from my friend Donna who I met during the Heard POP Art show. We recently met at Copper Star and gave this stub from went she went to go see her brother perform.

Masque of the Yellow Moon and Donna's brother

Trading one dark room for another

Tuesday night I enjoy the diversion of reviving a decreasing art form in the digital world. Working with negatives from the early 50′s to print photos thorough a dark room class at Phoenix Center for the Arts. Here are a few latest successes.

circa 1951

This is 50′s Phoenix! a slight scent of mafia still lingering on the red flocked wall paper. Last night I traded my tuesday night ritual for Radiate Phx, normally I would have done both, but that additional manhattan put the kibosh on that. We met at Durant’s which is celebrating 60 years of business. It’s a great networking mixer with some many diverse folks and bartenders that make mean drinks, free pour. With the air of old deals that were made there I am sure new deals were discussed among the crowd. Mine included PK, Phx design week, my art work, business ventures, and how the Valley is a so just do it type of place.

Here is a pic I took after remembering I had my camera!

Jim, John, and Seth @ Radiate Phx

Thanks to Linda and Yuri I am reading The Saga of Jack Durant by Mabel Leo. This is day 3 of the 21 day challenge. Going strong am I

POP Art not POP Tarts @ the Heard

A while ago I received a phone call from the Heard Museum, about performing a Retro Spectacular during third Friday for the POP Art show. Kate Crowley from the Heard introduced me to the exhibit and fell in love with the exhibit. It brings the art/ fashion/ jewelry into a modern context and compares POP artist like Warhol and Litchenstien to contemporary Native artist. Fast forward to 3rd Friday at the Berlin and a packed house filled to standing room only.

Here is brief recap of the the show:

Walked in wearing a Keith Haring track suit. I must say that I had worn the jacket before, think that the pants were a bit over the top, but it felt amazing to be enveloped in Haring graffiti. Jumping feet first in to the mural that he painted in downtown Phoenix on the boarded up windows of a Woolworth’s.

We talked about Warhol and Lonesome Cowboy a movie he filmed at Tucson Studios. Jumped from his Kachina painting to something from my own collection

to one of my current passions Masque of the Yellow Moon that will be appearing with more information and really cool developments

Montgomery Stadium @ Phoenix Union H.S.

There will be more on the MYM coming. Some really cool developments!

My night with a goat and turning new leaf

I spent Sunday night with a goat @ Mabel’s in Scottsdale. Now before you say that’s a Packer hangout, remember I am sports challenged.

On Main St. & Goldwater

They hosted a premier party for the new season of Mad Men. The main bar was full of period aficionados dress to the nines. We were escorted to a bookcase that was a secret door opening on to a private lounge. Where the adorable Steve Farley and his wife Kelly Paisley and I dined on some amazing food. Especially like the ice cream sandwich.

Steve Farley and Marshall Shore

Kelly Paisley of course being in hot pursuit of saving Beefeater’s asked to speak the manager and told Mickey how much we liked the place and learned of it’s former life as a Packer’s bar. We learned that the goat, or patron saint and image heavily repeated was found during the removal of the sport memorabilia.

So there you know how I spent the night with a goat. I also alluded to a new leaf. While catching up with Kelly and Steve I realized how much is going on in adventure filled life. Cut to a recent event where I was talking with Tony Arranaga the lightrailblogger and lamenting my lack of blogging. He mentioned it takes 21 days creates a habit, so I challenging myself to blog for 21 days and create a habit.

Coming this Thursday

Marshall Shore: Retro Spectacular “Sign of the times” A brand new show on Thursday, 7p @ Phx Metro Retro

My life on the screen

My life on the screen.

Recently I appeared on PBS Antiques Roadshow in the feedback booth with my friend Jenny. I took my Dad’s senior cords from 1959, they had never heard of the fad before. I think they are a fine example of late 50’s folkart. Here they are.

Front of my Dad's Senior cords from 1959

I presented at Phoenix’s First PechaKucha, 20 slides x 20 seconds each. Title: Bursting Off the Shelf: Interior Design for Information Access. It was a sold out crowd and a wide diverse group of presenters. Used my Flip camera to record the presentation and here is the link to Vimeo. Enjoy!

PechaKucha Phoenix from Marshall Shore on Vimeo.

What did you miss at the last Marshall Shore: Retro Spectacular

What did you miss at the April, Marshall Shore: Retro Spectacular?

Sun City Celebrates 50 years. I highlighted that on Sunday, May 16th you can join the Sun Cities and I for a theater presentation of a woman portraying his secretary and birthday cake.
http://www.suncity50thanniversary.org/

Midcentury living in the “West most Western Town” in Scottsdale

Thompson Rock garden is a Sunny Slope paradise that is folk art sculpted from rock, concrete and other items. I had pleasure of meeting the woman who lives there now, she opened the gate allowing for a close up view.

She introduced us to her friend Gus and his amazing Building Material Museum + garden. His Family move in Sept. 1929 and began building his amazing collection in the 50’s

Boojum Tree, which is a fantasy place that evokes old Mexico and a hidden jungle atmosphere.

Come one… come all…

You will not believe your eyes or ears at the next amazing Marshalll Shore: Retro Spectacular. April brings us two special presentations! Come learn about the Thompson Rock Garden, Building Materials Museum, and the Howdy Dudettes? To Many things to mention here.

Be sure to attend!

Show preview!

My day began with lunch Los Reyes De La Torta in Sunny Slope with the delightful Christina Plante. Coffee was nice displayed on arrival with the wafting scent of cinnamon. YUM The hongas (mushroom) quesadilla was tasty and large. Paul enjoyed the leftovers and NOW wants to go! We made our to view the Thompson Rock Garden from the inside with Miriam the current own of the 50 year old garden. When Miriam mentioned that her friend Gus had a great collection. Now to find something more fantastic there was bit of a drive. Most shocking was the coming to a culda sac and continuing on. We arrived at Gus Building Material Museum. My jaw dropped and I got to touch a medallion from the old Fox Theater in Downtown Phoenix.
The day did not end there. We made our way to the Boojum Tree, a complete out of Valley experience into the wild of a tropical paradise. See and hear more stories attend either show on Thurs April 8 or Fri. April 9th

2 shows in April to Celebrate Spring!

The Valley’s funkiest Information Curator will take armchair tourists on a rollicking illustrated ride through the Valley during its midcentury heyday.
This live presentation celebrates unique people
and architecture in a theatrical blend of images and storytelling