Leisa A. Hammett

Art & Soul Debuts Swarthout & Haile

There's a special little place tucked into the hip, urban environs of Nashville's 12th South district. For many, it's too well-kept of a secret. Yet, magic happens there.  Art & Soul is not your typical art studio. Take a hint from the third word in the center's name. Art & Soul is more than how-to art making. It's about going beyond the visual and taking a deep dive within. Classes, mentoring programs and co-op membership include all art forms: poetry and other creative writing, authentic voice and movement and a plethora of visual art play. And the maven of Nashville spiritual art: Art & Soul owner/founder Arunima Orr.

And, lucky me, I am a graduate of the 2003-2004 Year-long Intensive. A superb investment as I left my marriage and entered the next phase of my Life's Journey. I entered dead-sure I would reconnect with my visual art. Instead I wrote a book. And not this one, but a yet-published autism momoir.

Early December, Art & Soul, ever expanding the boundaries of its unique vision, hosted it's first art show featuring just two of its students: Toni Swarthout and Pam (PJ) Haile. The two artists' work blended well  and provided a lush visual backdrop to a warm, comfortable open, unpretentious energy not commonly found at art shows elsewhere. Here are some views from the evening:

Artist Toni Swarthout, above left, and artist PJ Haile, above right. Swarthout's paintings and Haile's sculpture with onlooker, below left. Haile's painting and sculpture, below right.

 

Warm heads, warm hearts, great art.

  Deanie & Nima, left.

Merry Christmas, Art & Soul!  

December Views: Grinning Grace

Grace grins silly at the annual Mayors Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities. Her, mixed media work, above her, was eventually purchased by Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and given to former NFL Miami Dolfin Hall of Famer, Dan Marino  who founded the Marino Foundation. Photo: Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. Pictured here at about age 8.

Something different. That's right, Dear Readers. This month, it may not look too terribly different to you, but oh, it is to me. I try to post a week at a time, but the book complicated that and I found myself more than a couple of nights before a M-W-F post dog tired and at the keyboard when sleep long ago beckoned.

I got this idea from one of my favorite blogs, Chookooloonks, who got the idea at Hippy Urban Girl. HUG's author write that the month is supposed to be about slowing down and enjoying Life. (When we know that's seldom the case.) But a band a bloggers, nationwide, if not worldwide, are signing up to kinda sign off, at least a little, this month. More photos, less writing. And, as cool, Hippy Urban Girl explains, each blogger creates their own rules as to how often they post, (I'll continue three times a week within my core themes of "Autism, Art and All the Rest of Life,") and how much they choose write. (By the time I joined this third week of the month, I had at least two time-sensitive pre-posts that will have their usual word contribution.)  

So, the above, is some GraceArt, on this Wednesday, when I typically cover Autism/DisAbility issues. We are working on our new site at the time of this writing. We're getting there....Enjoy.

And, listen or read here for a brief mother-son interview on Story Corps via NPR's Morning Edition about having a special needs sibling. Short. Grab-a-tissue-touching.

Book Signing II

Our second book signing for From Heartache to Hope was a success yesterday, Sat. December 12. A number of folks came out to Starbucks, Highway 100, in Bellevue, because of the Tennessean coverage. Several were grandparents of children locally or elsewhere who live with autism. Some were friends from other parts of town, some were friends from long ago--high school days in South Carolina. One beautiful young, single fresh-from-college graduate was the daughter of a friend from back when her mother and I were both young, single and fresh from our alma mater. Some were friends from Nashville Women Who Blog and others from a local social media site for which I am a moderator. Thank you to all who came out to support our project.

Rebekah's photos from our book will come down from Starbucks on Monday, Dec. 21. 2009. THANK YOU Starbucks, Highway 100, Bellevue! We had our signing there because the majority of our book meetings took place there. They were most gracious hosts.

Next, we'll be presenting at the Brentwood Photography Group, Tues., January 5. An honor that tickled me as much as our Nashville Scene review. The next week, Tues., January 12, we'll sign at Nashville's beloved Davis-Kidd Booksellers and then close the New Year's first month with a reception and signing at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Thurs., Jan. 28.

December (Art Friday) Views: Octogenarian Brother Mel Debuts Book @ Arts Company

Octogenarian, Nashville Arts Company staple and Marianist Monk Brother Mel, earlier this month, unveiled his coffee table book featuring decades of his prolific works of sculpture and painting. The tome is written and produced by Nashville Arts Matriarch, Anne Brown, owner, Fifth Avenue's The Arts Company.

Brother Mel with The Fiance, signing our copy. Photo: Leisa A. Hammett

Brother Mel flanked by his sculpture and hot-off-the press book and The Arts Company Gallery owner and Nashville Arts Matriarch Anne Brown. Photo: Leisa A. Hammett

Shown, left, one of 250 wall sconces, each unique and holding Brother Mel's new book, also made their debut at the Dec. 5 event. At $250 total for both the book and the sconce, Brother Mel fans got a heck of a deal. (The Fiance and I included.) Photo: Leisa A. Hammett

And no Nashville art opening is complete without arts scene regular, Miss Sheryl Sunshine--artist, art teacher and avant-garde fashionista--above, who, this night, tucked her long, wavy blonde mane beneath a Thai handmade silk and knit cap.  Photo: Leisa A. Hammett

The Arts Company gets my thumbs up for one of Nashville's best art galleries. Brown has a keen eye for exceptional talent, including an increasing number of photographers, both local and otherwise.

The Original Toughest Critic

Image & post, copyright: Leisa A. Hammett

While Nashville Scene, the snarliest of local papers, gave our book a review* that perfectly captured the intent of our project, over the Thanksgiving holiday, I faced the toughest critic of all. My father.

As the rest of our family--my two siblings, The Fiance and a brother-in-law--scurried about preparing presents, turkey and dressing, Daddy hunched his Parkinson's-riddled frame deep into an upholstered chair in my older sister's great room. As I spied him turning the last page, I raised my voice to a level deafening to others but barely audible to his aged ears: "Well, Daddy, what did you think?"

He snapped the hard cover shut and placed it on the table beside his chair and then turned his magnified bespeckled gaze on me:

"Well, Leisa. I like it. But, that's just my opinion. I don't know if others will like it or not....The important thing is if you can sell enough to pay your expenses."

I cracked a wry smile and assured him that in our first two weeks off the press, we'd gone beyond paying the printer bill.

And this, dear reader, is why my life was enriched so greatly by spending two decades of it in therapy. (One of my best investments of time, money and energy ever. Seriously....)

Bless Daddy's little Depression-era heart. Mine has grown strong and I know now only to laugh. Shake my head. And to let it go....Except to snatch it back for fodder here....

*Our review is not online, but it's scheduled to post soon on our website, www.fromheartachetohope.org, soon.

Black Friday SHOUT OUT to Local Stores Carrying Our Book!

 

For 25 years I've been attending book signings and hearing other authors speak about their books and the too-often hair yanking processes of birthing them. Six years ago, I transitioned into serious notetaking as a future author and began networking more one-on-one, naturally using the Law of Attraction to bring authors into my sphere, resulting in some special friendships. Now, CHECK! I've joined their ranks and am getting to flesh out all that advice and parse it into my own experience.

Amidst it all, things are changing in the publishing industry. As I write. Like every nanosecond seemingly. Quite disturbingly so. Some local stores that had a history of local author support have gone seriously corporate on their policies. But, here's a SHOUT OUT to two independents and one national chain who, locally, agreed to carry From Heartache to Hope: Middle Tennessee Families Living with Autism. While the Autism Society of Middle Tennessee reaps the most profit from direct sales: www.tnautism.org or www.fromheartachetohope.org, I realize some of you, understandably, will want to patronize mortar and brick--although, note that books can be purchased directly from ASMT--East Nashville--or Fields Publishing--Bellevue--without incurring shipping fees.

I am grateful to Nashville favorite, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, started by two social workers Thelma Kidd and Karen Davis who had an insatiable appetite for books. A few years back, larger independent Joseph Beth bought out the chain and has honored its hometown traditions, including its loving kindness shown its local authors.  

Here's our book on the shelves of Davis Kidd. Woo-hoo! Mark your calendars for our book signing there on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m.!

 

And beautiful, quaint downtown Franklin (Williamson County) bookseller, Landmark Booksellers: A handful of Williamson County families are featured in our book. 

And national chain store Borders Westend location ordered 20 books and promised an endcap! Local photographer extraordinaire Jerry Atnip told my photographer/book collaborator, Rebekah Pope and I that  Borders Westend had the best photography book selection in town. We're among greats! We are also grateful to Borders Brentwood and Cool Springs for also purchasing 10 per store.

Thank you, Davis-Kidd, Landmark Booksellers and Borders from the bottom of our book team's hearts for supporting our cause and making available our book through your wonderful stores. 

If you are in Nashville reading this on Friday, look for coverage of our project in The Tennessean's "Davidson A.M."

Happy Black Friday to All! Woo-hoo!

JOY. Pure & Simple

copyrighted photo: Leisa A. Hammett

What are you feeling today? Me, I'm feeling JOY. And, sure, it's a bit of the assumably obvious--I've reached a milestone achievement in my career as a writer with the publication of my first book. But, it's more. And then, less than that. It's actually just Pure. And, Simple...Pure and Simple Joy. It began when I got up in the dark at 5:15. (Remember, I rise at this hour because of my daughter's high school hours. Not my usual preference.)

The crescendo built as I rounded corners from bedroom to great room, my bare feet cushioned by the carpet. My pajama clothed body appreciating the steady, comforting warmth greeting me this and each morning via my new heating unit. I was Up. I was Alive. The Light of the day was coming soon. I knew behind the shades, the Fall Color still graced a smattering of spine-ly reaching limbs and blanketed the ground beneath. Winter, I knew, was coming. The thought of this and all the accompanying sensory bounty brought forth JOY in my spirit from within. (Yeah, that sounds cliche, but it is how I felt this morning and feel as I write this now.)

And then, clutching the steering wheel, on the road to High School with Grace, as I dove deeper into this Happy Emotion I knew that I was Happy that Winter was coming. And not just because I like Winter. It was because Winter symbolizes something special to me.  Another Winter is coming, signifying a significant passage in my Life. Another Winter that I have survived and maneuvered emotionally and physically through and from Divorce.To me, Winter signifies gestating, surviving and bursting through from Grief. I'm approaching Winter Number Seven since I divorced. Each Winter brings Affirmation and Renewal of the Strength of Spirit that ushered me through to Joy.

I Am Grateful....

Closing here with this piece of beautiful wisdom from someone whom I know that has experienced significant upheaval and loss in his life in the last few years. He writes (bold facing mine): "I have been practicing [Buddhism] for around 15 years, and try not too see loss. There are always gains that one must find. If we can achieve happiness during adverse times, then it is so much easier to appreciate the times filled with less adversity. In this life of subsequent ones. Grief is sometimes difficult, and I have likened to living with chronic pain."

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I am Grateful for Your Readership! If you are in Nashville, watch for our book's Davidson A.M. coverage in The Tennessean on Friday--the biggest newspaper day of the year. WOOT!

 

Week's End

Sunday's Book Launch was a success.  Approximately 75 people turned out for our first book signing and photo exhibit for From Heartache to Hope: Middle Tennessee Families Living with Autism at L.Greer Gallery.  Mistakenly, I thought this week would be slower: 

Photo courtesy of Massood Taj

Wednesday night, we migrated down the street to The Loveless Motel and Cafe's new Loveless Barn. The occasion was the also new live Music City Roots. The night featured my Carolina cousin, Americana rising star, Angela Easterling. Click here for more on Angela. And I'll do cuz justice with some more deserving coverage, but for now, I'm posting this image from her performance:

 

Apparently, this picture was captured as I spun the camera from horizontal to vertical. My art teachers always said the best art is usually a mistake. I say this photo is a lot like my week. My month. My fall. 

So, maybe I need a mobile like this, spotted in the parking lot of Bruegger's today, to transport me to and fro:

Yours truly intends to get back on schedule and in your inbox Monday morning. Bright and early. Thanks for hanging in there.  When you click "open," there will be a surprise waiting....

Artrageous '09: A Sweet Time

"Nashville, It's not just in Africa, it's here; it's in your school; it's on the street; it's the person you could be behind in the grocery store. They could have AIDS and you would never know it." 

Nashville CARES, ShareListenHelp.org 

The cause is a serious one. The subject of the annual fundraising function for the cause of AIDS (Nashville CARES) means Nashville's biggest Art Event of the Year: Artrageous. Which then means: a Rockin' Good Time. This year's theme, a take off on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Ten galleries composed the night's tour. Being the PR Gal that I am, I made the rounds to all of them Thursday and Friday asking gracious gallery owners to put out our book's postcard flyers. Our Book Launch was Sunday--the next day. Coverage coming soon. Highlights of the Artrageous route included:

The eclectic Finer Things Gallery, which had a blasting-ly great funky jazz-like band:

Tinney Contemporary Gallery, which had one of the tour's strongest shows. Tinney is on it's third reincarnation, but this one looks to have stuck. Talented hometown curator John Reed is bringing strong, solid, notable work to the Fifth Avenue of the Arts venue. Plastic Surgeon and photographer David Teplica, MD, MFA's body of work at Tinney is fascinating and evocative and worthy of some serious press. (I'm game!)This is the one show I'd urge anyone who loves art and photography plus science to go see before it ends on November 28, 2009.

As is custom for anything owner Bill Bennett exhibits, Bennett Galleries, had a strong show. It included Nashville favorite Trevor Mikula with some always bold but seemingly bigger works, plus the lush and haunting mixed media on wood by Charlotte Terrell who creates an ethereal quasi-abstract effect depicting scenes from nature. Bennett also had the bestest eats with mini-Chinese take out boxes from PM plus tiny veggie sushi rolls.

Noteable, as always, the Matriarch of Nashville Arts, Anne Brown, ever so cleverly kept with the night's candied theme with Red Hots from scoops dished out at the door into eager palms of patrons to red hot cinnamon Absolut martinis plus palate pleasing samples of new Nashville Chocolatier Olive & Sinclair. The work, as to be expected at Brown's The Arts Company, was spiced with plenty of visual sweets at every turn in the Art Garage and throughout the two-level store. Of note: Bob Schatz's new book on architecture. I am amazed at this Nashville-photography staple's diverse portfolio. And an all around nice, gentle-spirited gracious guy. (He signed his new book at Davis-Kidd while we signed ours at L. Greer Gallery Sunday. I hope his turnout was a grand as ours.)

Also a tour highlight, again this year, was Samantha Richter's small, intimate but seriously talent-packed photography gallery--Nashville's only. Richter Gallery of Photography is tucked into the back of Corzine & Co. Richters Jewelers in Green Hills. This year, Richter went avant-garde with fun, fascinating and fantastical photography series, The Queens by Swiss duo Alex and Felix. Petite and warm, Richter has an exceptional eye for talent and displayed it lushly about the store adjoining her small space. Richter Gallery is a must see any time of year.

And last, The After Party the evening of fun ended on a high note at the Limelight. Here's some of the night's human-and-other eye candy:

      
                   Photos: Leisa A. Hammett. I had way too much fun compiling these. I'll add another montage on a typical Art Fridays post soon. 

Artrageous Redeux

Our book designer Mary Sweeney; publisher Tim Fields; Trickett Honda's Reed Trickett, ASMT Director Amanda Peltz, project originator, coordinator and author--moi.

Clever copy was intended. Virtual stacks of posts are ready to be published. Only, they ain't about Art. And I didn't do my homework. Waited until the last minute. And this post is supposed to be about Artrageous. Thursday found me flittering about town to half of the galleries that will be featured on this year's Artrageous. Friday I'll take the other half on. And then Saturday night The Fiance and I'll dress up in some Willy Wonka-ish garb and we'll attend the real shindig. Thursday and Friday featured gallery visits were to deliver postcard publicizing our book and our upcoming signings and exhibits, starting with Our Book Launch, Sunday, Nov. 15, 3-5 p.m., L. Greer Gallery, Edge Hill Village. (You're invited.) At 10, Thursday, part of our book team gripped and grinned with Reed Trickett, owner of Trickett Honda in Rivergate who made a generous gift to our book project to help with expenses incurred and to purchase one book per family featured in it. One badly needed manicure later (afterall, I will be signing books Sunday,) plus a sit-down interview with The Tennessean AND a evening speaking engagement and here I am....(We also scored an absolutely fab review in The Nashville Scene today.Not available online, apparently.)

So, I'm resurrecting this from LAST YEAR. Bone tired and behind, I'm calling it quits. For Thursday night and launching Friday's post. Ciao!

Last year's blog Artrageous coverage:

Art-rage-ous. Think about it, said Jeff Rymer of the self-named gallery. When the Nashville CARES Middle Tennessee Aids support and education charity benefit was birthed 21 years ago, there was rage against the plight of the disease swiping precious lives. Now, it's more like Out-rage-ous Good Time while drinkin' Absolut and viewing Fine Art. And a grand, good time it was. It's the one time that this straight gal sees gays so outwardly celebrating in such great numbers within the mainstream of this city. Tasseled dragqueen flappers. Pinstriped fadora-ed gangstas. The theme at this year's was the Roaring 20's. It roared. And the art. The art's all still up there and out there for those who didn't catch the event's Van Gogh busses. And it's worth seeing. Some of my night's faves:

...The rest here.

Plus my City Paper coverage.

More to come.But, first I'll leave you with a taste of this year's Artrageous with the Steven Frenkel's "Relocation Specialist," showing at the uber cool Finer Things Gallery on Nolensville Road. I'd say Frenkel's work, below, is a little bit like my Thursday! And maybe all of my life right now.