CorkStop Studios artist wins major award

Congratulations to Xenia Madison, one of CorkStop Studios artists who won the artists entry for the 24th Central Coast Wine Classic 2008. Her winning painting - "Open to this Moment" will be etched on a 9 liter Salmanazar bottle of a limited edition, locally produced Cuvee. The actual painting will be on auction at the same event on July 12th, 2008. This is a huge charity event which typically raises over $700,000 for charity annually.

The Nose on Your Face: Faces and Souls in August Sander's Germany (lecture)

Date: Thursday, May 29, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium
Admission: Free; reservations required. Call (310) 440-7300 or visit the Getty on the web at http://www.getty.edu/visit/events/gilman_lecture.html

Is the face truly a window onto the soul? Can we change ourselves by changing the appearance of our faces? Does our modern obsession with faces—from Botox to face transplants—have historical precedents?

Come learn about these topics from one of the world's authorities on identity, stereotyping, and the history of cosmetic surgery, Sander Gilman. Author of Making the Body Beautiful: A Cultural History of Aesthetic Surgery, Gilman traces our fascination with faces today back to the early 20th century, when German photographer August Sander set out to chronicle and catalogue the soul of his nation by taking pictures of social types and collecting these pictures into a collective portrait, which is the subject of the current exhibition August Sander: People of the Twentieth Century.

Find out more at the Getty's website

DR. STEVEN KURTZ CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES!

On April 21, Federal Judge Richard J. Arcara dismissed the government’s entire indictment against Dr. Steven Kurtz as “insufficient on its face.” If you're not familiar with this one of the more puzzling pursuits of the US DoJ here is how it all began:

In May 2004, the Joint Terrorism Task Force illegally detained artist and SUNY Buffalo professor Steve Kurtz of Critical Art Ensemble (CAE). They seized documents, computers, and equipment used in four of CAE’s projects, including scientific equipment used to test food for the presence of genetically modified organisms. The seized materials included a project that was to have been part of an exhibition and performance at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) and three other projects that had been safely displayed in museums and galleries throughout Europe and North America. The New York State Commissioner of Public Health determined that the materials seized by the FBI pose no public safety risk. All of the materials are legal and commonly used for scientific education and research activities in universities and high schools, and are universally regarded by scientists as safe. Nevertheless, today Steve Kurtz and Robert Ferrell, Professor of Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, face a possible 20 years in prison in what has become increasingly clear is a politically motivated attempt to silence an artist and scientist whose work is critical of government policy.

Read more about it here.

CorkStop Studios May 9th open house was a full house! Scott McMillin, our guest artist from LA. arrived with his entourage of friends, which alone made for a fun and stimulating time. Around 150 people came through over the course of the weekend and we recieved some great feedback.

Tom Harrington from Morro Bay took the time to email us after the show with this... 

"I thoroughly enjoyed the show last weekend. A real step in the quality of the art chain whether in this county or elsewhere".

Taste of Humanity

CorkStop Studios artists have donated 3 paintings in a strong show of support for Women 4 Women. Their fundraiser event "Taste of Humanity" will be held on Thursday evening, May 22, 2008, at the oceanfront Del Mar Powerhouse Community Center, from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

Founded in 1993, Women for Women International helps women in war-torn regions rebuild their lives by providing financial and emotional support, job skills training, rights awareness and leadership education and access to business skills, capital and markets. Through the program, women become confident, independent and productive as they embrace the importance of their roles in rebuilding their families, their communities and ultimately, their nations.

Anne Stahl has donated 'Rye' a painting from the grass series to be auctioned off at a fundrasier event for Women for Women.