Artist Square: Stifle It

The Dallas Observer blog, Unfair Park, notes that the trouble between the Dallas Symphony and the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts over the sounds of Annette Strauss Artist Square has now become the Annette Strauss Artist Square Sound Mitigation Plan. Which is being discussed today by the city council.

Basically, Artist Square is tucked very compactly between the Winspear Opera House and the Meyerson Symphony Center along Woodall Rogers. But the band shell is more or less aimed at the Meyerson. So the DSO wasn’t keen on all that amplified music headed their way.

The new plan is the result of City Manager Mary Suhm trying to resolve the dispute: The DCPA’s contract always stipulated it must avoid “noise pollution” and “respect” the Meyerson, and the DCPA has claimed it can do so with fancy hi-fi equipment dampening things. The DSO vehemently disagreed — so much so, they even got a Dallas Morning News editorial taking their side. So Suhm hired three outside acousticians (Artec Consultants, Kirkegaard Associates and Sound Space Design) to come up with some answers/suggestions.

And the trio pretty much sides with the DSO as well. All of their recommendations have to do with muffling the sound from Artist Square (either technologically or structurally — put up “barrier walls intended to reduce low-frequency subwoofer sound”). In addition, they would require Artist Square not to schedule any amplified attractions during events by the DSO, Dallas Wind Symphony, Turtle Creek Chorale and so on. There are further restrictions suggested on sound levels even during standard work days as well as amending the Artist Square’ Use Agreement to increase administrative and design controls.

About the only thing the DSO has to do is get its Use Agreement amended (along with the DCPA’s) to forge a joint scheduling plan for future seasons.

Everybody play nice now.

Image from musictimes.com

The Nasher Inspires an Emotional Testimony

Guest blogger Gail Sachson owns Ask Me About Art, an educational service, is Vice-Chair of the Cultural Affairs Commission and a member of the Public Art Committee.

Celebrating the Nasher family and the fifth anniversary of the Nasher Sculpture Center, architecture critic David Dillon, joined by Nancy Nasher, led a discussion at the Center Saturday afternoon. The packed house was enthralled to learn of the meetings, musings and modifications Ray Nasher went through to build NorthPark Center, the Nasher Sculpture Center and the Nasher Museum at Duke University.

We learned that Ray was pragmatic and patient. We learned that he loved to be involved in every aspect of the building process, always challenging his team to think with creativity and originality. But as much as he loved creating the structures, we learned that it was the sculpture gracing those buildings that excited him even more. And perhaps even more than the art itself, he enjoyed sharing it all and inspiring people he knew and people he didn’t know.

He didn’t know Yvonne West. But she feels as if she knew Ray. Yvonne, a Tarrant County College student , was in the audience Saturday. She took the train to Dallas from Ft. Worth. She had never been to the Nasher before. She had never been to a sculpture museum before. As a matter of fact, she came somewhat reluctantly to fulfill a homework assignment.

Not able to drive since suffering a seizure in January, Yvonne’s medical problems are forcing her to change careers. The train ride gave her ample opportunity to dwell upon what she could do, who she could be. She found the answer at the Nasher.

So moved by the art, Nancy’s personal stories of her father’s wish to inspire, the wonder of the space and the experience of being part of the energized audience, Yvonne felt she had to speak up. David called upon her for the last question from the audience.

With the audio guide still around her neck, Yvonne stood up and and exclaimed with great emotion, “This has been a blessed day!” The audience listened wide-eyed. As a minority student, she said, she had never experienced such a day! She had no idea such joy could exist in an art museum, and she knew she wanted to be part of it. She would study art.

Yvonne West is just one of the multitude of people who will be Ray Nasher’s legacy. Her testimony left the audience of Duke luminaries, art collectors, art supporters and architects visibly moved. Ray would have been proud. It was a blessed day indeed!

Veterans Get Armchair Arts Tour of Dallas

Guest Blogger GAIL SACHSON owns ASK ME ABOUT ART, an education service and is Vice-Chair of the Dallas Cultural Affairs Commission and a member of the Public Art Committee.

With generous donations from the Fisher House Foundation of New York and several local donors, including T Boone Pickens, the Dallas Fisher House was dedicated on Oct. 23 as a FREE facility, providing a warm home in which Veterans can rehabilitate with their families.

Located at the Dallas Veterans Administration Medical Center in South Dallas, the 21 bedroom house is one of 42 throughout the world. The Houses serve those who live more than 50 miles away and are being treated as inpatients or outpatients in a hospital setting. In all probability, these military men and women will not have the opportunity or health to see much of Dallas, so appreciation is given to the art on the walls, which offers a tour and a taste of Dallas, without even having to leave the facility.

The bedrooms, hallways, kitchen and community rooms are filled with the black and white photographs of Plano photographer Daniel Bowman Ashe. Because Ashe wanted his art to aid in the rehabilitation process, he searched for scenes around Dallas which would provide STRENGTH, COMPASSION and yes … ESCAPE.

He chose subject matter which has local and/or historical meaning. Thus, on one wall, hangs a Miro spotted at The Nasher, several Pegasus themes abound, the Majestic Theater and a multitude of Fair Park sculptures. For those familiar with our local artistic and cultural attractions, it can be a delight to spot a detail of a sculpture and know where it is, for others, labels identifying and locating would be helpful … perhaps to help plan for the next more ambulatory visit to Dallas. Ashe’s idea is good. If the Veterans can’t get to the art, let’s bring the art to them.

Make Space for Artists Launches at the DMA

La Reunion TX and the Dallas Museum of Art launched their design competition “Make Space for Artists: Design-A-Studio” on Thursday night inside the tech-savvy Center for Creative Connections (C3). Competitors from any corner of the arts can submit a plan for their ideal 16 cubic foot studio now through Feb. 12, 2009.

About 40 people shuffled into the C3 Theater for a video overview of the competition and its driving force, the North Texas arts residency La Reunion TX. Then the DMA’s Nicole Stutzman led the group into the Center’s Tech Lab. Design materials of every kind were available inside the lab, including decidedly low-tech paper and pencils. Nicole encouraged participants toward Google Sketc and will conduct workshops for that software on Nov. 13 and Dec. 11 during C3’s Open Lab nights.

Tyler Fields in the Tech Lab

“This is not as intimidating as I thought it would be,” said Tyler Fields, above, on his first attempt at Google Sketch-Up. Tyler’s art is software design, so his goal was to fit three team members - a designer, a developer and an idea man (which is Tyler) into that 16 by 16 foot space. “You don’t move until you’re sitting in each other’s laps.”

Photos by Jerome Weeks and Betsy Lewis

Make Space for Artists: Design-a-Studio

Guest blogger Sarah Jane Semrad is Executive Director of La Reunion TX.

Collaboration. It’s not just a way to generate ideas and maximize resources… For La Reunion TX, it’s a way to create focus group! Please join us Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Center for Creative Connections as we present to North Texas “Make Space for Artists : Design-a-Studio” at the Dallas Museum of Art. Remember Make Space for Art? That’s the international juried architecture program La Reunion TX held last year and the beginning of this year. We received 68 awesome sustainable ideas from 19 countries of what we should build on our 35 acre site in Oak Cliff. We took one component of the winning entry - from Dallas’ own Bang Dang - and created a spinoff to “design-a-studio”. We’re curious: What does a painter need in her studio? A photographer? A dancer? A writer? A geek writing code? How can we dream - design - create - build a place on 35 acres in Oak Cliff that satisfies all those needs?

Old skool pencil and paper entries are welcome, and those who fancy themselves remotely tech savvy are encouraged to use the free software program Google Sketch Up. My 9-year-old Eva plays with it all the time. It’s really easy! And fun! Free Google Sketch Up workshops are slated throughout the program, which wraps Feb. 12. We’ve poked around on the Internet - nothing has been done like this before as far as we can tell.

Join La Reunion TX, The Dallas Museum of Art and community partner Corgan MediaLab as we launch this innovative program next week. We’ll begin with a brief program and video in the C3 Theatre and then have a tour of the Tech Lab space. And if you’re an artist (working in any media) in North Texas, be sure to submit shots of YOUR studio space to the Online Artist Studio Tour that Art&Seek is hosting in conjunction with Make Space for Artists.

Come one, come all. The Make Space for Artists: Design-a-Studio program is open to artists, students, musicians, lovers of art, designers, architects and anyone interested in learning a new skill on the computer. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top entries at an awards ceremony in February.

See ya November 6!

Architecture For The Birds

Guest blogger GAIL SACHSON challenged you to identify this detail of the facade of an architectural delight last week.

And the answer is … THE TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER, just 8 minutes South of Downtown Dallas. The new building, which seems to fly in the air and whose windows could be the eyes of a bird, was designed by 2006 AIA Gold Medalist Antoine Predock.

It is the first LEED-certified building constructed by the City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department. The Center and its 120 acres offers four hiking trails, nature clubs, birding classes and family programs, such as “How to Raise chickens in Your Backyard,” which I attended. (You have no idea how many Dallasites are raising chickens!) Ask your child to take you there this weekend! It’s probably where you’ll want to plan his next birthday party!

Where Are These Windows Which Offer A Bird’s Eye View?

Guest blogger GAIL SACHSON challenges you to identify this detail of the facade of an architectural delight. Where is it? The answer on Monday:

Legacy Books May Be the Coolest New Bookstore. Ever.

We just got back from a guided preview tour of the new Legacy Bookstore, opening (a “soft launch”) in the Shops at Legacy in Plano this weekend. The Grand Opening will be Nov. 7, followed by a week of special events and author appearances.

Masterminded by Teri Tanner, a publishing industry vet, and designed by Deanne Teeter of Morrison Siefert Murphy, Legacy Books is 1) a real, live, major independent bookstore in North Texas. If you’ve ever been to the Tattered Cover in Denver or Elliott Bay in Seattle, you know what this means. Yes, there are some independents hereabouts but 2) not this handsome, this smart. And 3) not on this scale, with this ambition. The American Booksellers Association says that the 24,000 sq. ft. retailer is the largest new bookstore “in memory.”

To give some idea of the thinking behind Legacy: Along with the sizable cafe and children’s section on the first floor, there is a 300 sq.-ft demonstration kitchen — for visiting chef-authors to show off their talents. Legacy may be the only bookstore with a six-burner stove top and Wolf oven in it right out front - with a video camera trained on them. That way, if crowds can’t get up close when Stephen Pyles flips his crepes, they can watch the flying food on flat screens throughout the store.

And unlike the majority of bookstore cafes, Legacy’s can serve beer and wine. If only it were closer to where I live: You couldn’t pry me out of the place.

Legacy Books is airy and open with tremendous amounts of natural light. But for all of the store’s sleek modern looks — [Read more →]

Sir Norman Foster Finds Work

It seems that British architect Norman Foster doesn’t have enough to do, now that his design for the Winspear Opera House is going up. He’s just been hired to re-do Manhattan’s great Beaux Arts landmark, the New York Public Library — as part of a $500 million renovation of the building, and a $1.2 billion update of New York City’s entire library system

[Foster is] to create a new circulation library in a space below the library’s Rose Reading Room and overlooking Bryant Park that now houses seven levels of stacks and a basement…

The area, which now measures 1.25 million cubic feet, will be completely reconfigured, with new rooms for children and teenagers and numerous computer work stations. The stacks are to move to an existing three-acre storage area beneath Bryant Park that is also to be renovated. Work is expected to be completed by 2013.

In addition to his new, entirely-from-scratch projects, like the Winspear, Foster has become known for “inserting contemporary designs into historic buildings”:

He has designed glass-enclosed additions to the Reichstag in Berlin (1999), the British Museum in London (2000) and the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in Washington (2007). This is also not the first time that the architect has tackled a New York City landmark. His 2006 Hearst Tower project on Eighth Avenue at 57th Street in Manhattan involved planting a glass-and-steel tower atop a six-story Art Deco base dating from 1928.

A New Role for Lively at DCPA

The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts announced today that CEO Bill Lively will transition into a new role — president of the Center’s Endowment Trust. The move, effective Jan. 1, will keep Lively as the Center’s chief fundraiser while allowing for a to-be-named CEO to take over the day-to-day operation of the Center. That hire is obviously going to be a big one, as the new CEO will have a lot of say into the Center’s direction going forward. DCPA says that it has hired an executive search firm to interview candidates.

UPDATE: It should be noted that the driver of the action here is Lively being named the full-time president and CEO of the Super Bowl XLV host committee. You can read more about that appointment here.