Right after you stop by Kinetic on October 1st to view the amazing Kinetic-themed art exhibit and pick up your Kinetic zine, we recommend heading over to the Music City Building (1011 West First Ave) to experience Terrain.

If you’ve never experienced Terrain before, I’ll use the words of the creators themselves:

We began Terrain two years ago, not knowing how it would resonate with audiences. We had a vision, though — for an event that would combine a juried art show of rising artistic talent, exhibitions of non-traditional art forms and performances by the area’s top bands.

There was a gap, we felt, between Spokane’s art establishment and the vital young artists in the area. The two were running in different circles, doing similar work to ensure the cultural vitality of the region, but they weren’t working together. They didn’t even know each other.

The dream was to put young artists and experienced industry professionals in the same room — to connect them, and to start the conversation. Terrain would be an art exhibition and a networking function — a debutante ball at a rock concert.

It worked.

The first year was a bigger success than any of us could have reasonably expected. In a single evening, with a tiny budget and a huge hope for the cultural future of Spokane, we had introduced more than 2000 people of all ages to the young creative undercurrent of our vibrant community.

Then it worked again.

Last year we wanted to ensure the artists we showcased got to know each other and the establishment types we sought to connect them with originally, so we held an artists reception the night before. With so much focus on that, we hoped to attract as many people to the event as the first year. We got a thousand more. In seven hours, 3100 people experienced Terrain 2009.

Year after year we take careful precautions to ensure a thoughtful and serious show. All art is juried by a handpicked group of individuals around the local art world. We are aligned with the Spokane Arts Commission and the Fall Visual Arts Tour. We promote it like a rock concert with flyers, handbills and an intensive word-of-mouth campaign.

For two years, Terrain has been something that Spokane needed, and it needs to happen again.

If you’d like to submit work to the Terrain show, visit www.terrainspokane.com. Terrain is a juried event, therefore all submissions MUST be received by Friday, September 10th, 2010. Artists will be notified by Friday, September 17th if they are chosen to participate.

Editor and photographer Michael McMullen has used the magazine to cover a wide range of Spokane artistry: everything from First Friday highlights to local musicians and interviews with local creatives.

Though this issue does’t cover First Friday, there’s plenty of good stuff inside, including a shout out from RiverSpeak.

Enjoy!

Remember way, waaaaay back when we asked you to design a “Spokane Has Art” postcard as part of our April Creative Challenge? We asked and you delivered, and now we’re delivering (postal-service-style) right back to you.

At the Sustainable Uprising event on Main Street September 11th, find the RiverSpeak table and get a set of eleven locally-designed, locally printed “Spokane Has Art” postcards for only $3. Proceeds go to support RiverSpeak’s work in the community.

The artist is printed on the back of each postcard, and they are totally mailable (with a stamp, of course). Send them to friends in neighboring towns to let them know that Spokane has art, and lots of it!

If you haven’t been down to Object Space gallery, it’s worth the tour. While still in the remodel stages, the little nooks and crannies lend themselves to the creative imagination. Already, some artists have claimed studio spaces, including one named Jerry who uses paint straight from the tubes, Van-Gogh-style.

Known for featuring cutting edge art connected to local culture, the gallery hosted the retro-punk reunion last year for alternative-scene Spokanites to reconnect with their roots. Even Councilman Jon Snyder brought down boxes of punk memorabilia for the show.

Owner Bruce Hormann is now jump-starting local participation in art with $10 figure drawing classes every Thursday with live models. Where else can you get serious drawing classes for that price?

Hormann also wants to fill the calendar with a show happening every month, and is looking for artists wanting to show (hint hint). A special feature of the remodeled gallery is ample access to electricity on the east wall, where tech-savvy artists can plug-in for art outside the canvas. If you’re interested in studio space, they’ve got that planned, too, as the remodeling moves on.

Object Space promises to be a hot stop for art in the International District for years to come. Stop on by to check the place out, or to take advantage of those Thursday drawing classes.

This October Visual Arts Tour, RiverSpeak needs your help creating energy–kinetic energy–to move forward in Spokane.

As a jump-start for our re-designed website (still in the oven), our October 1st and 2nd display “Kinetic” will feature art based around the theme of kinetic energy or motion–whatever that invokes for you. A Kinetic zine will be available featuring illustrations and writing by local creatives, with all proceeds going to support the continued functioning of RiverSpeak. We’re excited about what you can create. Submissions are needed no later than Saturday, September 11th.

TO SUBMIT

ART FOR DISPLAY: All art relating to the theme of “kinetic” is welcome. There is no fee to submit; if your piece sells during the Visual Arts Tour, we humbly ask for a 25% donation to RiverSpeak, so we can provide similar events to the community in the future. Just email us your name, the best way to contact you, and about the medium/size of your piece; if you have an image you can send us, all the better. We’ll notify you of the drop-off day (receipts provided on drop-off). Pieces MUST be ready to hang. Sculptures and pottery are welcome.

WRITING: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction…it’s all welcome in our zine! Your piece must simply relate to the theme “kinetic.” Limit 1500 words or 2 poems per person, please. If you wish to illustrate your own writing, you may do so (see instructions below). Just make a note of it when you send us your work via email or our Kinetic zine upload page. File types doc, rtf, or txt are all okay. Sorry, no docx.

ILLUSTRATIONS: To submit illustrations, simply send us a BLACK & WHITE OR GRAYSCALE digital image (200 dpi or greater) via email or our Kinetic zine upload page.We’re not printing in color, so make sure your image is grayscale. Limit 2 illustrations per person.

MUSICIANS/PERFORMERS: Kinetic will not have a performance show or CD, but only because a huge, awesome performance event is taking place that same weekend:  Terrain, a local arts and music bash that we hope you’ll consider participating in. We are looking for a few musicians to play live acoustic music during the art exhibit, though. Just email us if interested.

We’re excited to see the energy you create around the theme. Remember, submissions are due September 11th!

Patronizing the Bird’s Nest Zine Library (with evidence of your quest) is RiverSpeak’s August Creative Challenge. Trek on down to the Community Building (35 W Main) and on the third floor by KYRS, take a photo of yourself at the zine library WITH your Bird’s Nest Zine Library card AND a zine you like. If you want bonus points, take a picture of you with your card and a zine you made or are featured in. Get creative, and we’ll post the shots online after the due date of August 20th. Email your pictures to riverspeak.net(at)gmail(dot)com.

The zine library is open these hours:

Thursday       2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Friday             1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

The Bird’s Nest Zine Library takes volunteers and homemade zines for its collection. Don’t be shy–drop by!

Story Walk is a project organized by friends who want to share stories, build community, and encourage folks to look at places in Spokane in new ways.

Please join us for a walk throughout downtown Spokane as we share roughly a dozen stories about local places.  Learn about what makes each place personally, socially, and/or historically significant to each story-teller.

Meet at the Community Building, 35 W. Main, at 3 p.m. on August 15, and pick up a story book/zine. This event is a free and we welcome folks of all ages!

More information:

website: storywalk.forsleepwalkers.com
email: storywalk@gmail.com
facebook: facebook.com/pages/Spokane-Story-Walk/131548280194380

Sustainable Uprising is the featured event for the Eco-Generation track of Sustainable September. It’s a one-of-a-kind street fair for young people featuring the best in local music, upcycled fashion, hands-on art, and products from local vendors. The event directly follows the Main St Fair on Sep. 11, 2010 from 8-12 pm, and is looking for art vendors with appeal to youth (13 to 30+).

Being an art vendor at Sustainable Uprising simply requires a $10 fee, and tables can be provided if needed. To apply to be an arts vendor at Sustainable Uprising, contact Taylor Weech at Community-Minded Enterprises.

Sustainable Uprising is also looking for locally/community produced videos that can be projected on buildings and walls without sound during the event, like virtual decorations. If you have made a film relating to sustainability (or just something that looks cool), let Taylor know!