CALL FOR ENTRIES – Lakes Area Arts League Announces The Art of Flight: Nature & Man-Made Flying Machines

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2009
Contact: Andi Foster, LAAL Publicity
foster_andi2@hotmail.com - 936.590.0298 cell

Center, Texas - The Lakes Area Arts League announces an open call for entries for the upcoming The Art of Flight: Nature and Man-Made Flying Machines photography competition. The photographs will be displayed at the Center Municipal Airport located at 397 FM 1656 in Center, Texas during the 6th Annual Center Fly-In event on Saturday, May 23, 2009, which is sponsored by the City of Center and Shelby County Chamber of Commerce.

The photography competition is open anyone in the following divisions, Under 12, Ages 13-17 and Adult.

Images created in any form of photography will be accepted (film, digital, unaltered, digital manipulations, etc.) in either monochrome or color associated with the overall “flight” theme. Categories include Nature (birds, butterflies, insects, etc.) and Man-Made Flying Machines (airplanes, helicopters, hot-air balloons, hang gliders, etc.).

Participants may enter up to three (3) images with a nonrefundable entry fee of $5.00 for one image, $10.00 for two images or $12.00 total for three (3) images. The registration form, entry fees with photographs must be either be postmarked by or delivered to the LAAL Art Center located at 305 Nacogdoches Street, Center, Texas between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2009. No email submissions or CDs will be accepted.

Specifications:
· All work must be the original work of the photographer and executed in a professional manner.
· Original work only that has not been previously exhibited in any local competition within the last three years will be eligible.
· Exhibited work will be available for sale unless the artist designates certain entries NFS.
· All photos must be properly framed and wired for hanging, no saw tooth hangers will be accepted.
· Photograph size - minimum 8”x10” - maximum 11”x14.”
· Overall Framed work of each photograph must not exceed 320 total square inches (16”x20”).
· Plexiglas™ on shipped work, hand delivered work may use glass.

Cash awards and ribbons will be presented to First Place- $100, Second Place -$50, and Third Place -$25 for the Overall Best of Show for both the Nature and Man-Made Flying Machines categories. Ribbons will be awarded to the People’s Choice Award in both categories. Award ribbons will be given for the Pilot’s Choice Award for the top Flying Machine photography and a ribbon award for the Director’s Choice Award for the top Nature photograph.

To obtain an entry prospectus and registration form, please either email your request to laal@ndemand.com or contact LAAL Exhibits Committee Karen Thompson, 936.590.0070, Carolyn Lamb, 936.598.2421, or Andi Foster 936.590.0298.

The Center Fly-In is an annual held at the Center Municipal Airport in Center, Texas welcoming visitors and aviators to enjoy a day filled with family fun, music, and flight related events! Past fly-ins have included airplane exhibits, hot-air balloon rides, Young Eagles Flight offering free flights to children, glider contests, skydiving demonstrations, hobby remote airplanes and helicopter demonstrations, food booths, and a children’s activity area. For more information regarding the 6th Annual Center Fly-In for 2009, please contact Pam Phelps, Executive Director, Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, 936.598.3682.

The Lakes Area Arts League is a non-profit organization established to promote interest and knowledge of all areas of the visual and performing fine arts through education and appreciation while enhancing the culture and tourism of the community and surrounding areas.

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Homegrown and Homemade to perform April 11 at Historic Shelby County Courthouse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2009
Contact: Thomas Morrison
936.488.1041
homegrownandhomemade@gmail.com

Center, Texas - Homegrown and Homemade is a music series that will highlight local Shelby County guitar-pickers and songwriters. Spanning many different styles, ages and musical influences, five musicians have been picked to showcase in 2009 include Colby Miller, Thomas Morrison, Tim Hopkins, Grant Harris and Danny Paul Windham. In an intimate setting, each songwriter will share the stage and highlight a handful of songs that were hand-written in and about Shelby County.

Colby Miller started playing guitar and writing songs in 2003. With influences like Dave Matthews, Bob Schneider, and Amos Lee, his unique musical style has captured and kept the attention of ears from across the country. Miller is continually acclaimed for his imaginative lyrical writing, refreshing vocal tones and seamless relation between performance and expression. Songwriting is Miller's first musical love. Having penned nearly 100 songs, he has become comfortable in his role as an author of many themes, including songs about love, fear, hope, friends and family. In the only songwriting competition he has entered to date, The Nacogdoches Americana Music Festival New Traditions Song Contest, Miller won 3rd place and was invited to play at the annual event in 2008. After graduating from Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU), Miller moved to Magnolia, Texas to marry his long-time sweetheart and begin a career in computer marketing, though he continues to grow and learn through his music.

Thomas Morrison, a life-long resident of Center, has only been away from Shelby County for four years at Texas A&M University, in College Station. While attending Texas A&M, Morrison earned degrees in both Marketing and Finance and was introduced to the wonderful new sound of Texas music that is rarely found on pop radio. Influenced by artists like Steve Earle, Guy Clark, Randy Rogers, Robert Earl Keen and Ryan Bingham, Morrison has a very “Texas” sound that is unpolished and uncomplicated. Realizing his love for music and performing, Morrison has been known to write many songs a week. A very prolific songwriter, Morrison also enjoys sharing his music with anyone who will listen. Still living in Center, Morrison works for Port-A-Cool, LLC and looks forward to any opportunity to share Texas Music with an audience.

Tim Hopkins is relatively new to the songwriting club, but has cranked out some tremendous tunes. Hopkins’ songs are crowd-pleasing, upbeat and very genuine. Painting a beautiful image of small-town life, Hopkins touches on topics ranging from high-school aged activities to finding faith in small country churches. After one listens to any song from Hopkins, you cannot deny that his major influences are Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams Jr. Heavily influenced by gospel music, Hopkins creates a unique sound that fits into any southern atmosphere. Also a Center High School graduate, Hopkins has spent several years in Dallas, but has returned to Shelby County to raise his two little girls with his Shelby County wife. Hopkins works for Shelby Savings Bank and leads the music for McClelland Baptist Church.

Grant Harris will surprise you! His earthy, roots music is very unique. Pulling the most empathetic qualities from Americana music, such as Slaid Cleaves and Townes Van Zandt, Harris’ music will stir you. His personal songs are descriptive and emotional as good folk music should be. Harris offers an original take on songwriting and will be a pleasure to experience. Harris, a Timpson, Texas native, now lives in Nacogdoches, Texas. After graduating from SFASU with a Political Science degree, Harris now works as an Account Manager for The Blood Center of East Texas.

Danny Paul Windham needs no introduction in East Texas, as his “larger than life” presence will hold your attention in any size room. Windham knows country music as he has been playing it longer than the other four participants have been living. Playing with bands from the time he was in college, Windham has traveled around the state and country sharing his own homegrown music that he calls “country as a dirt clod.” A true gem of Shelby County, Windham and his band, The Pine Hill Revue, will break into song at the drop of a hat. As a local dentist, Windham and his wife, Sally, are well known. They have also entertained the county for years as musical coordinators for the East Texas Poultry Festival. Original influences like David Allan Coe and Willie Nelson, Windham’s repertoire has grown over the years to include works of Rodney Crowell, Chris Knight, Todd Snider, Monty Montgomery and Robert Earl Keen. With a playlist that goes for miles, Windham can crank out any tune that can keep a party alive. His personal songs are the true crowd pleasers as they touch on topics we all can appreciate and relate to as Shelby County citizens.

The Homegrown and Homemade performance will be held Saturday, April 11, 2009 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Historic Shelby County Courthouse on the downtown square in Center, Texas. Advance tickets are $5.00 per person and $10.00 at the door at show time. Tickets are available at Austin Street Marketplace, Attoyac River Gallery and Mill Creek Gallery; all businesses located on the downtown square. Proceeds will benefit the Lakes Area Arts League.

For additional concert information, contact Karen Thompson 936.590.0070 or Thomas Morrison via email at homegrownandhomemade@gmail.com.

Please visit the website www.myspace.com/homegrownandhomemade to check out samples of the songs by Homegrown and Homemade.

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Neuville to present Hand Building Clay Demo at LAAL March ArtShare

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2009
Contact: Andi Foster, LAAL Publicity
foster_andi2@hotmail.com
936.590.0298

Center, Texas – The Lakes Area Arts League announces the monthly ArtShare program will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the LAAL Art Center, 305 Nacogdoches Street, with a Hand Building Clay demonstration presented by Donna Neuville. The public is invited to attend.

Neuville currently teaches Art I and Art II at Center Middle School where she has been an art instructor for the past four years. Previously, she taught art at the primary level with CISD for three years and at Mineola Elementary School for ten years. Her educational background includes obtaining her degrees in M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Art Concentration and B.S. in Education from the University of Texas in Tyler. Neuville currently serves on the LAAL Board of Directors and Education Committee.

ArtShare was organized by the Lakes Area Arts League to encourage participation and create interest in the arts through presentations and demonstrations by artists exchanging ideas, networking and sharing creative talents and exploring various art techniques. ArtShare hosts monthly art demonstrations and presentations on second Tuesday evenings, September though May.

Details for participating in the ArtShare 2008-2009 program with either giving an art demonstration or sharing your artistic talents can be obtained by contacting ArtShare Coordinators, Delbert Beckham, 936.598.7859 or Tresa Konderla, 936.590.9968.

The Lakes Area Arts League is a non-profit organization established to promote interest and knowledge of all areas of the visual and performing fine arts through education and appreciation while enhancing the culture and tourism of the community and surrounding areas.

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Mayor Windham proclaims March as National Youth Art Month at annual ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2009
Contact: Andi Foster, LAAL Publicity
foster_andi2@hotmail.com
936.590.0298

Center, Texas – The Lakes Area Arts League joins hundreds of arts organizations and communities across the nation in celebrating and recognizing National Youth Art Month during the month of March. National Youth Art Month is an annual observance each March emphasizing the value of art education for all children, encouraging support for quality school programs and providing a forum for acknowledging skills that are fostered through experience in the visual arts that are not possible in other subjects offered in the curriculum.

Everyone in the community is encouraged to support in what has become one of the country’s most recognized annual celebrations for the youth participating in art and humanities programs. Students, parents, teachers, and art supporters joined Mayor John Dean Windham, City of Center, as he presented the National Youth Art Month proclamation at the annual ceremony held during the opening reception for Youth Art Month (YAM) Shelby County on Monday, March 2 at the Lakes Area Arts League (LAAL) Art Center.

The YAM Shelby County art exhibition showcasing the talents of area students will be held through Friday, March 20, 2009 at the LAAL Art Center, 305 Nacogdoches Street, Center, TX, one block from the historic downtown square. Gallery dates and times include Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The exhibit will be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The public is invited to attend and the exhibition is free. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the People’s Choice ballot by voting for their favorite artwork on display during the exhibition.

Youth Art Month was created in 1961 by the Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI), a non-profit association of art and craft materials manufacturers, in cooperation with the National Art Education Association (NAEA). In 1984, ACMI created the Council for Art Education (CFAE) to administer the national Youth Art Month program and encourage funding for the program. Current members of the Council include: ACMI, which provides all administrative support and the majority of funding for National Youth Art Month; NAEA, whose members carry out local Youth Art Month activities and whose state affiliates help fund state Youth Art Month programs; The SHIP, a group of art materials exhibit the annual NAEA Convention; and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, a volunteer organization dedicated to community improvement through volunteer service. Other involved organizations include the Association of Crafts & Creative Industries, Hobby Industries Association and National Art Materials Trade Association.

For details regarding the current YAM Shelby County student art exhibition or learning how to participate in YAM 2010, contact YAM Coordinators Donna Neuville 936.598.3278, Nancy Dickerson 936.598.7335 or Carlene Higgins 936.554.5095.

Donna Neuville currently teaches Art I and Art II at Center Middle School where she has been an art instructor for the past four years. Previously, she taught art at the primary level with CISD for three years and at Mineola Elementary School for ten years. Her educational background includes obtaining her degrees in M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Art Concentration and B.S. in Education from the University of Texas in Tyler. Neuville currently serves on the LAAL board of directors and Education Committee.

Nancy Dickerson presently teaches Art I, Art II, PreAP, AP Studio Art and creative writing at Center High School. She has taught private art lessons and is involved in an internet Artist Trading Card forum. Dickerson is also a teaching consultant for the National Writing Project and presents writing-based workshops for school districts. She holds a BA in art and English from Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) and has taught at Center High School for 27 years.

Carlene Higgins began teaching art at Center Intermediate School in August 2008. Higgins graduated SFA in 2004 with a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science degree with double majors in Fine Arts and Drafting. Her special interest includes Raku ceramics and creates original artwork at her home studio.

The Lakes Area Arts League is a non-profit organization established to promote interest and knowledge of all areas of the visual and performing fine arts through education and appreciation while enhancing the culture and tourism of the community and surrounding areas.

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