It's a new year full of big changes. The MAP has been making
positive, constructive changes, though some have been difficult and unexpected.
We've been working hard for the last six months to get organized so that we can
grow and be an even stronger resource for the Media Arts Professionals in
western North Carolina.
As a result, we have a new Interim Director, Taylor
Barnhill, whose focus for the next four months will be to create a development
and strategic plan for the MAP. Taylor comes to us from a long history of
non-profit management. He most recently was the Executive Director of
Southwings, a conservation organization that uses volunteer pilots and small
aircraft to protect the natural resources and ecosystems of the Southeast.
Aside from successfully managing non-profits, Taylor is an architect working on
green-built and sustainable designs. He has also produced news pieces and
documentaries for local public radio. We are very happy to have him at the
helm.
We would like you to welcome our 6 new board members: Paul
Dezendorf, Meegan Kelly, Ron Gordon, Hilary McVicker Margaret Marchuk, and
Gordon Smith. They come from a variety of backgrounds with concentrations of
Marketing, PR, Fundraising, Development and Community Activism. They are a
powerful group of people and we are excited to see what they can bring to the
MAP. You can view everyone's bios here.
As we move into 2009, the MAP will be offering more
opportunities for you to get involved with, connect to and give input on the
functions of the MAP. Please join us as we create new opportunities, goals, and
directions.
Film Screening: Soul's Journey: Inside the Creative Process
posted: January 14, 2009
The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design
will host a film screening at the Fine Arts Theatre in Asheville, NC
on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 at 7:00 PM giving the public an opportunity to preview two
hours of the series.
Admission is $5, free for students.
The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design
(CCCD) will host "Soul's Journey: Inside the Creative Process" Jan. 23 - April
25, 2009. This exhibition features 22 accomplished contemporary object makers
living in the Southeast - from Virginia to Florida - and working in
ceramic, fiber, glass, metal, and wood. The exhibit developed from is a
six-part documentary series (of the same name) illuminating the creative
process through an intimate view of these working artists told largely through
their own words.The film was conceived
and produced by David Hutto, Vice President for Technology at Blue Ridge Community
College, and videographer Chanse Simpson.
The exhibition complements the documentary,
showcasing significant works by established and emerging artists,
representative as much of the ethnic, gender and geographic diversity as the
area's creative tradition and cultural heritage.
Additionally,
CCCD will host a reception in their gallery on Friday, February 20, 2009,
giving the public an opportunity to meet some of the artists who attend.
The Center for Craft, Creativity
and Design is an inter-institutional center of the University
of North Carolina, located 5 miles
west of Hendersonville at 1181 Broyles Road adjacent to the UNC Asheville
Kellogg Center. Gallery hours are Monday thru Friday from 10-5pm. Visitors are invited to walk the Perry N.
Rudnick one-mile nature and public art trail following a visit to the
exhibition in the Craft
Center galleries. For more information see www.craftcreativitydesign.org or call 828-890-2050
Heather Lewis : COTTAGE/INDUSTRY
posted: January 12, 2009
New art work and
installations
Opening Reception
Friday 23rd January, 6.30 (includes a talk by the
artist)
Holden Gallery, Warren Wilson
College,
701
Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa, NC 28788
Exhibition runs January
19th through February 28th
Gallery hours 9.30 – 4.00pm Mon –
Thu
1.00 – 4.00
Sundays
The
work is conceptual with a strong visual (though not always material) presence,
subverting conventional assumptions of skill, perfection or precious materials.
In this way it questions perception of the art object's value.
The
exhibit will feature an enormous shadow; a coin-operated light painting that
invites the viewer to draw on the wall; and the reflections of numerous mirror
circles. Alongside these are various installations including a collection of
glowing, imperfectly molded wax bottles; a painting (displayed as a coffee
table) that bears the scars of a gravel driveway; and three plastic tubs of
recycled cartons lit by cheap Christmas lights.
Questions and Answers for the RFP
posted: January 12, 2009
Q. Is your proposed timeline set in
stone?
A. You may propose your own timeline
and please respect that we are trying to get this done in a timely manner.
Please include the necessary milestones.
Q. Any objections to developing site
in Rails and using Radiant as the CMS?
A. No
objections. You may propose any platform
Q. Since we are a virtual company, we
often work with designers who live all over the country. Would the designer
also need to reside in a WNC country or is it sufficient that our firm is based
in Asheville?
A. It is sufficient that your firm is based in
Asheville but
preferable that the whole team reside in WNC.
Q. How much of the design elements,
such as shapes in the banner, or color preferences, should carry over into the
new website?
A. None need to. We are
looking for a whole new look and brand identity.
Q. Is the immediate objective to
serve WNC?
A. Yes. Our
current membership is based largely in Buncombe County,
but the objective is to serve the entire WNC region.
Q. Will the website moderator be
solely in charge of moderating content?
A. Yes, in the beginning, although it should be possible to extend the
platform to user moderation based on a history of credibility.
Q. What level of ecommerce
functionality is expected in phase 1?
A. Payment for membership and ability to accept donations. A simple
integration with Paypal or similar would be sufficient.
Q. For MAP board to communicate
privately via the web site, is this expected to be something such as private
forums? If so, what level of administrative privileges are expected for
MAP staff members - e.g. create and delete entire forums - entire threads?
A. This is not critical, but we think the community (as well as the MAP
board) would find it useful. This may be a phase 2 component where we would
have the ability to create privately shared discussion space, which can be used
by the board and others for private discussions.
Q. When registering for the site,
users are required to create a basic, free MAP membership. Does this
registration need to integrate with an existing membership database? Y
A.Yes.
Q. Is the current membership database
expected to migrate to the new site so that existing users automatically become
users of the new site?
A. Yes
Q. Should the site functionality,
including blog and forum posts, media distribution and other user features
integrate with existing social network services and functionality such as those
of Facebook and Flicker?
