A Blue Christmas

The MAC's cool yule

Comments (0) Thursday, Dec 9 2004

12/11

Mark Andresen

Pollyanna Perez

More About

Tired of hearing that same damn Christmas song come out of your worn 1988 Oliver & Company McDonald's limited-time-only ornament? Does your Christmas spruce need a little artsy juice? On December 11 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the eighth annual Blue Yule at The McKinney Avenue Contemporary has all of the designer one-of-a-kind items to allow for the "This ain't your grandpappy's Christmas tree!" kind of gloating we all enjoy during this time of year. Artists from the metroplex and beyond will have their creations donated, displayed and sold with all proceeds going to The MAC and its arts proliferation mission. The fee of $10 per person covers food, cocktails and entertainment, as well as an opportunity to bid on items ranging from skin-care products to dinner at local restaurants. If you've lost faith in the Martha Stewart empire and your arts and crafts skills disappeared as quickly as the glue you ate in kindergarten, this is an excellent opportunity to give your Christmas celebration a personal touch. Volunteers and handcrafted items for the event are needed and appreciated. Visit www.the-mac.org. --Jonathan Freeman

Art on the Verge
12/8

I haven't seen this year's full group show exhibit d.verz: fluxus, which runs Thursday 8 p.m. to midnight and Saturday 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Plush, 1927 Commerce St. But based on last year's show, you should show up to see how these five artists can use their mediums to stimulate (using everything from pen and ink to bronze and steel to video and sound). One image from last year's show sticks with me: a portrait of a skinny dude, sitting on a tub, wearing his skin-tight sleeveless Alabama concert shirt and a pair of tighty-whities, tipping back an enormous adult beverage. Now that's art. Or, possibly, my dad. Call 214-498-5423. --Eric CelesteEight Is Great
12/15

In numerology, the number eight can indicate independence, a competitive spirit, a practical approach toward life. In typology, it can stand for the suffix "ate"--as in "L8er, dude." In Avril Lavigne songs, it connotes a certain suburban street cred, i.e., "Sk8er Boi." In the Super 8 art show on December 15, eight delineates the size of the various media presented: All ceramics, textiles, photographs and paintings must be 8 inches by 8 inches. That specificity helps evoke the show's retro-supermarket theme, in which all items on display are uniform in size. Sounds arty, doesn't it? Well, that's what they do at the Oh6 Art Collective, a group of local experimental and alternative artists, co-founded by Kirsten Macy and Pollyanna Perez. Super 8 is the collaborative's second show for member artists, and it's a one-night-only affair. A reception with music will last from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Kennedy Gallery at South Side on Lamar, 1409 S. Lamar St. E-mail Pollyanna Perez at pollyanna@oh6.org. --Sarah Hepola