The Plowhaus Artists Cooperative Fundraiser this Saturday

I saw via the Interweb that the Plowhaus Artists' Collective is having a fund-raiser this Saturday at the Alley Cat Lounge and Tex-Mex Grill.

Excited as always Dear Listener to explore the aesthetic of whatever new town I'm in I sped over to the Plowhaus Gallery on East 17th to see what art was cooking and to speak to the locals about the scene here.

As per usual I didn't check the opening hours of the venue, so like my 'I Dream of Weenie' and 'Craft Fair' experiences I found myself outside of a locked building, alone.  I've really got to do better planning.

Turns out the Gallery is only open on the weekends.  But, they do have a sign on the door with names and numbers of people to call and open the place up if you really want to see the art inside; what a great idea!  Kinda like doctors on call.  Art doctors on call! 

Anyhew,  I didn't want to bother anyone so I didn't ring; just wandered around a bit.

The shot above is the gallery's back door; off an alley way on the side of the building.  I, like you I suspect, was intrigued by that drainage pipe sticking out of the chain-link fence.

I especially like that 'goo'/sealant around the hinge.  Good stuff.

Well, not many adventures to be had that day at the gallery am afraid - I'll do my best to attend the fund-raiser; I don't know these Plowhaus folks but the idea of an Artists' Collective sounds interesting and God knows the world needs art now more than ever.  If you're in Nashville this Saturday why not go out and show your support?

The Plowhaus Artists Cooperative presents
A Fundraiser at the Alley Cat Lounge and Tex-Mex Grill

I leave you with the fellow below - spied on the Plowhaus' alley wall.  Have a good day everyone!

(Special thanks to Beth Seiters, whose blog 'Drawing the Void' alerted me to Saturday's activities).

Today's Miscellaneous Photos of Nashville

What trip to Nashville is complete my friends without photo taking of the famed Parthenon of the South?  Why it's no trip at all, that's what.  So to 'tick the box' on my stay here I present the photo above.  I know it's a bit kitschy...I blame the Craft Fair.

As to the photo below.  I wandered over to Elliston Place after visiting the Parthenon.  It was quiet.  That's what I noticed, the quiet...and also noticed that the building below seems to be a combo hospital and dry-cleaners. 

Handy.

It's October My Friends, AKA Where to Buy a Pumpkin in Nashville

There I was walking this very eve in the West End of Nashville, (aka 'WhiteyTown'), when I heard my Southern Lady Friend, whose hand I was gripping at the time, shout out: "Pumpkins!"

And in truth there were pumpkins.  In the back of some guy's car.  He sped off and we continued on.

A few minutes later a car pulled over, (no it wasn't an Italian guy trying to sell a Black Man leather coats:  ((strange aside:  every black guy I know in the U.K. has had at least once, if not many times, a car stop them while they were walking, and the driver, usually an Italian, tries to sell them leather jackets...why, why?  No one knows))), anyway a few minutes later a call pulls over and it's none other than the young man pictured above.

Turns out he knows a guy who knows a guy - long story short the young man, Daniel Pierce, spent today harvesting the very pumpkins that filled both his back seat and boot.  Hearing my Southern Lady Friend's expression of delight over the famed Halloween Treat he had turned his car around and was now offering us a pumpkin for only Five US dollars. 

What's that you say.  Five US dollars?  That can't be.  For a quality pumpkin? 

Yes, only five dollars.  He picks them himself you see, so he's passing the savings on to you! 

If you're in Nashville and in need of a Halloween pumpkin you could do a lot worse then give Danny a call; here's his Cell:

615-522-1909

And his email:

[email protected]

He seems like a nice guy.  We had an ice-tea and chatted about Nashville, and being in the Biz I told him I thought he had a great voice.  And of course, this being Nashville, Danny's also a voice over artist!  He's got that 'In A World' voice - you can hear it here:

http://voice123.com/dannyhall

And of course on his myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/depthpersuasion

OK, right, now off to carve the sucker.

TACA Craft Fair, Centennial Park Nashville

Went by Centennial Park yesterday for the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists 'Crafts Fair'. 

Of course I didn't really do any research regarding not just the crafts on display, but the actual opening hours and date of said fair.  Needless to say it doesn't open till today so was not able to peruse the doubtless wonderful items on sale and display. 

Well at least I took the above photo. 

Anyhew, if you're in Nashville over the next couple of days and need 'craft-type items' you know where to go.

Harold Perry Searches for Civil War Artifacts, Nashville Tennessee

Harold Perry of Perry Tile Company searching for Civil War artifacts in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Remember, when in Nashville, for tile, it's Perry Tile; (they do both Tile and Marble, 11 years experience, (615) 582-8778, references available upon request).

(Disclaimer: I have not had the opportunity to make use of the services of the Perry Tile company yet, but I would recommend them, if not for their tiling expertise, then for Harold's colourful stories about his time with the metal detector.  If you see him, ask about either the '40-Ruby Ring' or 'The Secret of the Conquistador's Cave'.

Loveless Cafe, off Highway 100: Where to Go for both Ham and Jam

Had a craving for biscuits last night.  Found myself driving aimlessly on Highway 100.  Luckily I came across the Loveless Cafe.  Did some research on the web today and found out it's quite the famous place but I didn't know it last night.  Just wanted some biscuits. 

Boy were those biscuits tasty, and so was the fried okra and pulled pork.

Afterwards went next door to the Ham and Jam store.  Some places have Ham.  Some places have Jam.  But only Ham and Jam has both Ham and Jam.

The staff, like just everybody I've met so far in Nashville, was extremely friendly.  Joanie, Courtney and Callie, (pictured above), were more than happy to answer all my Ham and Jam related questions and, in fact, will be making a cameo appearance on an upcoming show.

Actually when I think about it, most of the items at Ham and Jam were actually Ham related.  For instance, notice the Bacon-themed Plasters and Wallet modelled by the lovely Callie below.

Even if you're not in the mood for Ham-themed novelties I heartily recommend the Loveless Cafe.

If only for the biscuits.

(P.S. If you do go to Ham and Jam please say hi to Joanie, Courtney and Callie for me.  They were so nice and put up with my antics far longer than most people do).

The New York Times on East Nashville - The New Greenwich Village?

I find the creation of "perceived reality", (perceality?), through modern electronic media fascinating.

Three weeks ago when I came to visit from Belfast I had never heard of East Nashville - now it seems everywhere.  The New York Times has just weighed in and called it the 'New Greenwich Village'. 

Actually, that's not true.

In local author Ann Patchett's article, musician Todd Snider describes East Nashville as being the closest he'll get to his fantasy of the famed New York neighbourhood.  But, by creating a 'stripped of context' pull-quote/strapline from Todd's comment, (if he even said it - how do we know?), one begins to create the 'reality' of such a thing. 

Other blogs, (consisting perhaps mainly of bot farms dedicated to making money through Google Ads),  will pick up on this post and disseminate the idea of 'East Nashvillage'. 

Rather than being a 'living machine' for the the quick spread of 'truth' as some Internet Utopians in the 90's, (myself among them), predicted, the Interweb allows for the real-time manufacture and dissemination of narrative fantasies presented and consumed in place of actual 'facts on the ground' reality.

If the people reading this have ever listened to the Show they know that Belfast has the world's largest ex-pat Moroccan community, (outside of Africa), in the world; with over 70 Mosques in South Belfast alone.  Because I commented on this fact in several shows, (not sure which ones, maybe this one, or this one, or even this one), I STILL get requests from mainstream media to talk about the impact of Islamic culture in Belfast.

Except, the thing is.  I made it up.  The show is a construct, a meditation on reality and fantasy and what drives a fantasist to live his life as art.  But, if people start to believe in the specific 'facts' you are presenting, and miss the larger message you're trying to get across, what are one's responsibilities, what does one do?

I ramble on in such a way because my natural inclination is take the techniques I developed in Belfast and apply them here in Tennessee. Rather than simply reporting on what I see around me here, why not implement Phase 2 of LTA and promote Nashville, East and West, North and South, Yankee and Southerner, 3 Meat and Veg and Provence Bread eating as the place to be?  As the New Greenwich Village of our time? 

Something for me to think about. 

OK, enough rambling, it's Sunday morning and I'm off to visit the local Iraqi diner for a classic 'Baghdad Breakfast'. 

Oh, didn't you know?  There's plenty of great Iraqi retaurants here; after all Nashville's got the largest Iraqi refugee population in the United States!

Update 23rd September 2007: I found out tonight from an unimpeachable source that Nashville actually has the largest Kurdish community in the United States!  So perhaps doing the show while in the U.S. there is no need for fantasy or exaggeration.

(Special thanks to everybody at yesterday's East Nashville 'Hoop-Jam' for letting me take their pictures.  That's Sunny at the top of the post, of Hooprama - why not give them a call and learn to hoop?  Better for you than sitting around blogging).

Would Be a Great Halloween House

Strange

OK, I've never posted Black and White photos on this blog before because I've never taken Black and White photos before. 

But after 2 1/2 weeks in Nashville this is in fact what has happened.  I have no explanation for this.

William Hanging out in East Nashville, Tennessee

East Nashville's not just for Hula-Hoopers Dear Readers. 

Many other things go on there as well.  While strolling there this eve I was most blessed to have had an informative and enlightening discussion with William, the man pictured above.  I had not seen or spoken to him before, yet somehow he seemed to know my business.

William swore me to secrecy regarding the contents of our discussion yet, take it from me, there was a lot of truth in it.  In his own words William is 'International'.

I can say no more, (though I feel 'this' more and more each day).

Oh, and if you are interested in more hula-hoop action there's another 'Hoop-Off' this Saturday outside of the Art & Invention Gallery from 11am till 1pm.  Click here for the Google Maps location.