Category Archives: Shadow Art Fair

68 hours in Manzanita…. The Monkey Power Trio’s 24th day as a band

By Mark | November 24, 2018

The weekend of October 20 marked the 24th meeting of my one-day-a-year pseudo-band, the Monkey Power Trio. For those of you who might not be familiar with our origin story, it all began back in 1995 with a promise between old friends one hot, summer afternoon in Brooklyn. Without much in the way of any […]

Also posted in Art and Culture, Mark's Life, Monkey Power Trio, Uncategorized | Tagged 1995, aging, alimony, ankles, appendix, bonfires, cancer, Carroll Gardens, Cheez-Its, Cleveland, contemplating the end, crumhorn, Dan Richardson, Dave Miller, Death, divorce, drinking, fire, fleas, fog, Hasil Adkins, Hazel, ironing board, Jeff Kay, jellyfish, Jody Bleyle, laughing, Low Sack, Manzanita, Matt Krizowsky, mayonnaise, McMenamins, meteor shower, Mike Bell, napping, naps, Newton High School, nicknames, Oregon, Oregon Historical Society, Pacific Ocean, Pantless, Pantless Dan, Pear Hawthorn, Pete Holmes, Portland, pranks, recording, recreational marijuana, Reno, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, scallops, Scrabble, Señor Wences, Skull Island, The Ballad of Christian Wolfcock, The Sand Flea, timber, trumpet, wills | 12 Comments

If we hadn’t killed the Shadow Art Fair, this is what it would have become

By Mark | August 20, 2015

Thank you, Banksy, for keeping the dream alive with Dismaland. And, no, I don’t really think that my Shadow Art friends and I could have pulled off anything this ambitious. I do think, however, that this was the direction in which we were trending… dark social commentary. I recall several meetings, for instance, where we […]

Also posted in Art and Culture, Uncategorized | Tagged Banksy, Black Mirror, Dismaland, Hitler, social commentary | 7 Comments

After a long, successful run, Ypsilanti’s SPUR Studios to close in July

By Mark | May 7, 2015

It just became official that SPUR Studios would be closing on July 31, after six years in operation. Launched during the summer of 2009 by James Marks, the founder of Ypsilanti screen printing shop VG Kids, the constantly buzzing hive of interconnected studio spaces has served as home for dozens, if not hundreds, of local […]

Also posted in Art and Culture, Ypsilanti | Tagged Chris Sandon, DIYpsi, Gallery 555, James Marks, Spur Studios, Steve Emshwiller, studio space, VG Kids | 8 Comments

Ypsi Book Co-op meeting tonight at 7:30

By Mark | December 1, 2014

Several months ago, our local used bookstore, Cross Street Books, was shut down by the City for various code violations. This led to a spirited conversation here on the site, during which almost everyone, regardless of how they felt about Cross Street Books, seemed to agree that, in order to have a thriving downtown, Ypsilanti […]

Also posted in Special Projects, Water Street Commons, Ypsilanti | Tagged Ben Miller, Black Stone, books, business ideas, business models, co-ops, cooperatives, Cross Street Books, independent bookstores, Retail, Richard Murphy | 17 Comments

Underground Press art show “In Print” opens Friday at U-M’s Work Detroit gallery

By Mark | January 9, 2014

This Friday night, January 10, U-M’s Work Detroit gallery (3663 Woodward Avenue) will be unveiling a new, two month-long exhibition on the artwork of the underground press. The exhibition, called In Print, was curated by Andy Gabrysiak. Following is our conversation. MARK: I’ve read the Metro Times piece and listened to the interview on WDET. […]