meredith cutler :: arts marketing :: artist

The day we've all been waiting for is finally here. No matter what side of the fence you sit on, or how many electoral votes your state boasts, (mine: 4 big, fat whoppers) it's high time we squeezed this vote out and moved on with our lives.

There was a white powder scare over in East Providence that shook things up for a little while, but the poll scene over on my side of town is very quiet, except for an unseen catcaller who yelled to me from a row house window to "Vote Obama, Honey!" I waved congenially in his general direction. Then an art car full of hipsters wearing cat masks drove by waving signs reading "Cats for Obama"...ahh, Providence.

Hopefully by tomorrow we will have a better hint as to the fate of our disturbed nation. Until then, I'll be gathering with friends and neighbors to break bread and turn water into wine, waiting for our miracle.

Until then, here are a few amusing objects d'art I found on Etsy that will probably be sold while we bite nails and watch exit polls. Enjoy!

Images: (clockwise, from top left) "Van-Go-Bama" by orangyred, "Tofu for Obama Plush" by ChrisCreatures, "Election Fraud T-Shirt" by fatamerican, "Excited Voter Squid" by cleodee, "American Vice President Wrestling Middle-Weight Championship Poster" by yeehaw, "The Voodoo Sarah Doll" by Chellboy, "Vote for Peace" by alexandernash1, "I Voted Art Button" by a4ds.

It's Halloween, and I'm not at all dressed to impress this year, I must admit. This old, New England house is drafty, and my costume chest is full of flimsy fare, so I'm just rattling my bones this all-hallows eve. If suffering the unseasonable chill in the great outdoors is more to your liking, The Steelyard is hosting its annual, Live Molten Metal Iron Pour tonight - with pre-pour, all-ages festivities to start at 6pm.

The denizens of the Iron Guild are promising to dump red hot, molten iron on various seasonally appropriate icons (like zombies!). I can see the sparks flying now! Hot cider and snacks will be available by donation, and live music by local rockers Animal Hospital will follow the pour, which is scheduled to run from 7-8pm. If you arrive early, be sure to peruse the ceramics sale - all proceeds from the sale go to benefit the ceramics department and resident artists.

The Steelyard is located 27 Sims Ave. Providence, RI 02909

What a week, folks. I've been home with the plague, it's supposed to rain buckets tonight, and I'm already wearing fingerless gloves in the house. Ah, well, maybe I'm just getting old...tomorrow is my birthday after all. Hopefully, "Sun-Day" means that the sun will reappear and dry things up to crackly autumn goodness.

Rain or shine, YES Gallery + Studio in Warren is one spot to check out. Artist Tom McAleer will be giving a plein air painting demonstration tomorrow, Sunday, October 26th, from 2-5pm. During the demo, Tom will be painting a portrait of the historic gallery building (which once housed renowned illustrator David Macauley's studio!)

While you are there, check out Pure/Play, the current exhibition featuring paintings by McAleer and Douglas Desjardins. As additional incentive, 5% of exhibition proceeds will go to benefit the John Hope Settlement House, which provides social services to families in Providence, RI. YES Gallery + Studio is a tax free zone.

YES Gallery + Studio is located at 146 Water Street, Warren, RI 02885

Perhaps you were one of the thousands of revelers who made it up to Somerville and Cambridge this holiday weekend to stomp and sweat to the collective din of brass, reed, percussion and activism that is the annual HONK! Fest. If you weren't, don't fret - Titubanda, the legendary 35-piece brass, percussion, reed and dance band hailing di Roma has one more day of local parade action in store for us.

Above: Titubanda performs with swirling, whirling audience participation at Providence's Kennedy Plaza - October 13, 2008.

While they may be swathed in woolen scarves and coats, as our crisp New England October climate feels like arctic ice to our Mediterranean friends; (case in point: my brother-in-law vacillated between the ubiquitous speedo and baffling winter garb while visiting us in AUGUST) however, cold fingers will not stop the hot music!

Join Titubanda today at 7pm for a joyous parade, beginning at Fulton Hall (corner of Hope and Benevolent), and heading down College Hill to RISD's Market House Square for an 8:30pm concert. From traditional popolo village songs, to "avant-guard jazz via Latin American rhythms and Arabic melodies", Titubanda will leave you crying "Bis!"

Today I'm thinking about...supplies. I spent a good part of my day exchanging community-building ideas with a very large group of Providence arts community stakeholders - a forum which required supplies like: sharpies, kraft-paper, coffee, pushpins, sketchbooks...which led to more socializing (requiring supplies like beer and bar snacks).

If you think about it, most activities require supplies of some sort, so why not get them from a source you can feel good about? As part of my "if you can't make it yourself at least buy handmade" mission, I'm participating in an Etsy community supply sale this week with crostini*VS. Head over to Etsy, and search "Team ESST" for creative supply deals from fellow artisans and craft suppliers.