Sarah E. Morin's Blog, page 5
April 19, 2018
Young Indiana Poets – Submit Your Poems for Publication
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Are you living in Indiana and are you 12 to 18 years old? Please consider sending in your best poems for an upcoming anthology. Everyone who submits will become a member of the Youth Poetry Society of Indiana. The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2018. Please limit your submissions to 6 poems of up to 65 lines each. Any topic, any style, but non-rhyming poetry is preferred.
The book will be published this autumn and will be for sale on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and through many other outlets in the U.S. and around the world in softcover and ebook formats. You will retain your rights to the poem after this publication, and you may then use it however you would like.
There is NO fee for submissions, but we will not be able to pay you if you are published. Proceeds from the sale of the book will be used for book events in Indiana where you may come in person to read before an audience.
Send your poems by either email (Word documents or in the body of the email) or regular post. Please do not send handwritten works. Poems received after the postmarked date of August 31, 2018 will not be considered. With your submission, send a permission-to-publish statement signed by a parent or guardian if you are under the age of 18 (a scan attached with the email if sending electronic submissions). Send a short biography, your age, school name, and home address with your poems, and an email for your parent/guardian if they have one.
This publication is in association with the Poetry Society of Indiana, a not-for-profit organization.
To submit via email, send your works and permission-to-publish notice to: youthpsi@mail.com
Or, via mail to:
Jenny Kalahar
634 North A St.
Elwood, IN 46036
April 18, 2018
Susan B. Anthony and Rapunzel
April 18 is a special date for me. This year, it’s the official launch date of my children’s picture book, Rapunzel the Hairbrained. (I’ll actually be launching it all the way through Saturday, as part of Nickel Plate Arts Fairyville event.) But diving back into history, April 18, 1998, was the debut of Seneca, my 3+ hour musical about the American Women’s Right Movement in the 1800s. As I look in the mirror and adjust my $25 tiara encrusted with fake diamonds, I ask my reflection, “What would Susan B. Anthony say about this?”
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Let me rewind…
In 1996, when I was a sophomore in high school, I was a part of Academic Super Bowl. Teams of students studied English, Science, Social Studies, and other core subjects and then competed in a live multiple choice contest. Each year featured a different theme, from the Space Race to Black History. In 1996, the topic was Women. We were given a list of people, events, books, and theories to research in advance. One of the preliminary lists included Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Dutifully I began my research months in advance. I didn’t expect it to be more than an assignment, or that a one-year commitment would blossom into a lifelong interest.
As I read Miriam Gurko’s “The Ladies of Seneca Falls,” I was shocked at the discrepancies between my life and the women of the 1800s. Laws and beliefs that I took for granted were radical concepts for them. Married women own property? Have the right to divorce abusive spouses and retain custody of their own children? VOTE?
There was so much there in the historical record to fall in love with. The friendship and political chemistry between Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, the “noise-making twain.” Henry Stanton, the brother of the first female doctor in the US, falling in love with feminist abolitionist Lucy Stone. Sojourner Truth, a former slave who turned an anti-woman convention on its head with a short and brilliant speech challenging the notion women were weak. (“I could eat as much as a man when I could get it, and bear the lash as well. And ain’t I a woman?”) Frederick Douglass, a former slave turned abolitionist and journalist, who convinced the attendees at the first women’s right convention that they should strive for the right to vote.
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But most of all, I fell in love with Susan B. Anthony. Her unflagging effort for decades came to embody the movement. The journey against all odds and despite all exhaustion was almost Frodo-like. She was witty, she was a deft organizer, she was independent, she had her facts at her fingertips, she confronted politicians, hecklers, and opponents of her own gender. For me she was the embodiment of a smart, independent woman who dedicated her entire being to a worthy cause. I carried around a Susan B. Anthony coin in my pocket, and got annoyed when people told me she sewed the first American flag.
I’d long wanted to write a musical. In my senior year I got permission from a wonderfully supportive band director, Mr. Smith, to write and produce one about the Women’s Rights Movement. It was longer than the movie Titanic, which also came out that year. When someone in the audience commented on the length, another audience member retorted, “If you men had been quicker to give women their rights, this musical could have been shorter.”
Although the musical was only produced for a single evening, it defined my teenage years and shaped my adulthood. It spawned an interest in history that landed me in the job I’ve had at a history museum for the past 15 years. But Susan B. Anthony and all the woman like her have become my reminder of struggle for human equality, for struggle for any worthy cause.
Then why do I write fairy tales now? Have I jumped ship for the land of Disney princesses? Have I exchanged my bloomers for a ballgown?
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I seriously wrestled with this question several years ago. Was I selling out when I donned the glass slipper? Some people today argue that fairy tales are anti-feminist. They teach girls to be, well, “girly.” To wear glitter and tulle and wait for a prince to rescue them. I would argue that some fairy tales are like this. But these are old-school fairy tales. The vast majority of fairy tale retellings today have female characters that are more empowered (some more, some less). But there are outstanding examples of fairy tales that focus on female strength of character and the power of female community. Take Shannon Hale’s Princess Academy. And even if you live in dread of someone bursting into “Let It Go,” you have to admit the movie Frozen had a lot of empowering messages for girls.
I confess, I do write fairy tales. But Rapunzel the Hairbrained, for all its long hair, is a feminist text. The first half of the poem (it’s a book in verse) recounts the classic tale. Beautiful girl locked in tower by witch, prince climbs up her hair to visit her, ticked-off witch-mom cuts off her hair and casts her out, prince and girl finally happily reunited. But the poem goes on to ask, if she’s spent her entire life thinking about her hair, would she really be prepared to rule a kingdom? And to also question, What happens in a society where we place so much emphasis on female appearance?
The second half of the book asks questions in workbook style. Is it wrong that Rapunzel thought about her looks? No. In a culture where girls and women constantly criticize their own bodies and the bodies of others on social media (and elsewhere), we need to emphasize that every girl’s body is beautiful. But beauty shouldn’t stop with the body. It should also involve that girl’s talents and (get ready for the old-fashioned word) character. In the end pages, I ask girls to write down traits that make them beautiful on the outside and the inside. We conclude with a fill-in-the blanks story in which the reader becomes the heroine of her own fairy tale, and saves a kingdom with three of her talents.
I want to thank Indiana Arts Commission for a grant that made the publication of this book possible, and especially for underwriting the costs of a workshop. Thanks to them, I’m able to deliver 5 free workshops on self-esteem to girls in grades 3-5, and hand out 10 free books at each. I’m also able to sell the book at Fairyville this week at a discounted price.
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In a few hours I’ll be holding tea parties with kids at Fairyville. I’ll be joined by teenagers in full-on fairy costumes and wings and wands. I admit there will be sparkles. And princess games. But we’ll also be working together to fix a problem (a fairy tale book has been scrambled through magic). Both girls and boys will work together to cross the dangerous briar patch (crepe paper maze) and save the day. And hopefully, at the end of the program, a few guests will take home the book and talk to their girls about beauty and talent and where their true value lies.
I’ve written a book about self-image, so I can’t help some reflections on myself at this moment. Today I put on the same queen costume I wore in a play senior year (Once Upon a Mattress), the same year I wrote Seneca. And I find, 20 years later, the dress still fits.
The dress then (third from right):
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The dress now:
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The person I was then is not so radically different than the person I am now. I am still a feminist who likes to dress up as a queen. And like my “Aunt Susan,” who as she aged trained up the next generation of feminists, my goal is to ensure the next generation of girls today learns how to value and love themselves, and to use their talents to thrive in this challenging world.
Susan, I hope I do you proud.
April 16, 2018
Press Release for Rapunzel the Hairbrained Launch
Hamilton County, Indiana. Author Sarah E. Morin will be launching her second book, Rapunzel the Hairbrained, in association with Nickel Plate Arts’s popular Fairyville event April 18-21.
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Morin has been involved with Fairyville for six years and helps run the tea parties. “I’m delighted with how much Fairyville has grown over the years. When I first started, I think a hundred people stopped by to do crafts and listen to my fairy tale poetry. Last year, around 800 guests hit the Fairyville Trail, took part Fairy Friday evening events, or pulled up a toadstool at the tea parties. Nickel Plate Arts has achieved astounding growth.”
Morin’s writing career has also grown side-by-side with Fairyville. “It fits me perfectly. I write unruly fairy tales – classic tales with new twists. I am extremely grateful to Nickel Plate Arts and [Director] Aili McGill for the opportunity to partner with them. In 2015 I launched a twisted version of Sleeping Beauty called Waking Beauty at Fairyville. It’s a novel for teens and adults. I specifically wanted to write a fairy tale for children next.”
The result is “Rapunzel the Hairbrained,” a picture book for elementary grades. The first section puts a new spin on the classic tale through bouncy rhymes and lively illustrations. The second half features discussion questions that challenges girls, with adult mentors or without, to consider what traits girls should really value in a world where so much emphasis is based on appearance. At the end, readers write a fill-in-the-blanks fairy tale starring themselves and their unique talents.
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“It’s meant to be funny, but it’s also meant to challenge,” says Morin. “Rapunzel is raised to think of nothing but her hair, so it’s hard for her when suddenly she’s supposed to rule a kingdom after she marries her prince. She’s completely unprepared. What happens when we raise girls in our own society to only value their looks? My book encourages girls to value both their outer and inner beauty.” The book and its themes will be explored this summer at Page & Stage Drama-for-Literacy Camp at Logan Street Sanctuary and hour-long interactive workshops Morin is hosting around the county for girls in grades 3-5. The first five of these are free thanks to a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission.
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The grant also helped Morin hire an illustrator, Taylor Lucas. “I was immediately drawn to Taylor’s style,” says Morin. “It’s sleek, whimsical, and most importantly, it doesn’t speak down to fifth graders, the oldest grade I am targeting. Taylor was a joy to work with. He often had ideas of his own that were better than the instructions I could give. For me, a good illustrator doesn’t just do what the author tells them. They interpret the words into images with skill the author doesn’t have.”
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Lucas will be joining Morin as part of the Friday events on April 20, 6-9p, when they teach guests to put their own unique twist on fairy tale plots and character design. They’ll be selling and signing copies of “Rapunzel the Hairbrained.” The book is available on Amazon.com but will be discounted as part of the Fairyville event.
The book is only one part of Fairyville, which includes Aili McGill’s own children’s book, “The Owl and the Pussycat Went to Sea,” a special appearance by comic book artist Stuart Sayger featuring his winged wonders, fairy music, fairy houses along a trail in downtown Noblesville, crafts by Caravan Classes, and tea parties. The theme of this year’s tea parties is “Fixing Fractured Fairy Tales.”
Morin explains the premise, “The idea is I am Queen Sarah, an expert on fairy tales. I will be reading the guests a new book I have written, “Rapunzel the Hairbrained.” Real live fairies join us for snacks, a craft, and to listen in, because of course, fairies love fairy tales. However, they notice there aren’t any fairies in Rapunzel. So they sprinkle a little fairy dust on a book of fairy tales. But instead of just adding fairies, now all stories are mixed up. Together with the guests, we have to sort them out so everyone gets a happy ending.”
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The tea parties are offered April 18, 19, and 20 at 2:30p and 4:30p, and April 21 at 10a, 12p, 2p, and 4p. Tickets are $10 for non-members or $5 for members and are available at http://nickelplatearts.org/signature-events/welcome-to-fairyville/ or by calling 317-452-3690. Tea party participants and those who attend the Friday evening event will receive $2 off the retail price of Rapunzel the Hairbrained and a $20 coupon for Page & Stage Summer Camp, a drama-for-literacy camp which will feature fairy tales.
Learn more:
Order Rapunzel the Hairbrained on Amazon.com.
Nickel Plate Arts website: http://nickelplatearts.org
Sarah E. Morin’s author website: https://sarahemorin.com/
Taylor Lucas’s artist website: http://taylor77902.wixsite.com/cyancityzone
March 13, 2018
Rapunzel Proof Copy and CreateSpace
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Whew! After wrestling with CreateSpace for a few weeks, Rapunzel the Hairbrained is uploaded! I am now awaiting my proof copy. You always think the book is edited perfectly, but pesky little grammar boogers always sneak in. Pray I find them before I order my 200 copies for the book release next month! A large percentage of these will be distributed for free at my workshops for girls. Thanks to a generous grant from the Indiana Arts Commission, I will be able to deliver 5 workshops for absolutely free during April, May, and June. Ten girls will also receive a free copy of the book.
I want to make clear the high amount of work is not because of CreateSpace particularly. It’s just that this is my first time self-publishing on my own. I have been partially aware the intensity of the self-pub process through Lulu, the printer Alys and I use to print the anthology, The Polk Street Review. But I openly confess Alys does most of the work taming Lulu – I mainly edit the Word file and pick prizes.
I will wait til the book is out there before I make a final judgment call on CreateSpace, but here are a few thoughts I have so far, if anyone is considering this site as a printer.
1.) The process is tedious, but thorough.
I knew there were a lot of tiny details in preparing a book for self-publication. But–just wow. There are a LOT of details! Some things I thought about–choosing a good font, for example. Did you know font varies from genre to genre? (I picked Garamond.) But others issues I didn’t think of until CreateSpace prompted me. For example, the margins on the right and left sides of the page will not be symmetrical. Whichever side is closest to the spine needs more space, because part of the page will be swallowed up in the binding. I actually only discovered this because I downloaded a template from CreateSpace. But was the info there? Yes. You just have to be patient slogging through it all.
2.) Searching for help on a topic doesn’t always give you advice from CreateSpace itself, but from its users.
About 75% of the time, when I searched for an answer, it took me to a discussion thread from users. I did appreciate the insights of people like me. A lot of times they gave me things to consider the official CreateSpace folks might not have. For example, I am more apt to trust advice from users on how to price my book or whether to use CreateSpace’s free ISBN vs paying for one offsite. However, sometimes I just wanted a short answer, and reading through thread after thread took an annoyingly long time. Nor did I always know which user’s advice to trust, as different folks might advise exactly the opposite thing. This was especially confusing when choosing a publisher name on my copyright page.
3. Some parts I thought I had to have done by now could have actually waited.
For example, you can register your copyright up to 90 days after you publish. Technically, you don’t have to register your copyright at all. Your work is protected in theory right from the start. I chose to register my copyright because it would put me on better legal grounds in the unlikely event I ever needed to prove ownership. Plus, it only costs $35, so why not?
4. Be prepared to upload. And reupload.
I greatly appreciate that after you upload your interior, CreateSpace automatically scans it for the most obvious issues. For example, if any of your text or images fall outside of the safety zone, CreateSpace notes the page the issue occurs on so you can adjust it. Then you upload it again. CreateSpace also converts a Word doc into a pdf for you, and that conversion by itself caused some problems. I have a fill-in-the-blanks section at the end of my book, and the text boxes that were perfectly positioned in Word showed up a good half-inch higher on the page when converted to a pdf. But this step, though it took many uploads, was a huge advantage. It helped me foresee and correct problems now rather than later.
So far I have been reasonably pleased with CreateSpace. I’ll keep you updated as the finished product reaches my hands!
January 31, 2018
Book Launch – The Polk Street Review
of our 2018 edition of
The Polk Street Review!
Saturday, Feb 24, 6pm
Logan Street Sanctuary, Noblesville, IN
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Alys Caviness-Gober and I edited the book, which includes over 100 individual works of prose, poetry, and visual artwork. When I say “we,” it means I helped, and Alys did the bulk of the work, especially preparing it for publication through Lulu! Great work, Alys!
Our event on February 24 will include live performances and a chance to get your copy of PSR signed by the contributing artists.
My short story, Candy Crush, is among the selections. It is the half-true, half-imagined story of a 4th grader who hides Valentine’s Day candies in the desk of her true love. But I won’t tell you which half is true!
A little about The Polk Street Review
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The Polk Street Review is an anthology of short stories, poems, art, memoirs, and non-fiction. All authors have a connection to Noblesville, Indiana – either they are from Noblesville or they are writing about Noblesville.
I first heard about Polk Street Review from some local writing groups, when Bill Kenley and Kurt Meyer, authors, were publishing the first edition in 2011. I submitted “Eulogy for a Slinky” that first year, and in later years some short stories. PSR gave me some of my first publication credits as an adult, which was a huge asset when I was searching for a publisher for my novel Waking Beauty.
What I remember most about the first year of PSR was the book launch. Man, those people know how to throw a book launch! Logan Street Sanctuary was packed to the gills, as writers read short excerpts they had submitted. There were drinks and laughter and a palpable sense of community. Writing can be a lonely profession, so it was nice to connect and celebrate.
Over time, Kurt and Bill’s personal writing careers took off, and they no longer had time to juggle the PSR as well. That’s when my artist friend, Alys Caviness-Gober, stepped in and offered to make PSR a signature event of Logan Street Sanctuary with me as her loyal lackey. It was important to all of us to keep PSR going. It offered local writers a sense of community and a broader audience. So in 2016, Alys took charge of the publication. I can never say no to Alys, so I got involved as a contributor, judge, and coeditor.
We launched our latest edition on February 25, 2017, to a sold-out crowd of artists, writers, and musicians. The theme was, fittingly, Journeys and Transitions.
Visit our page on Logan Street Sanctuary’s website as an LSS signature event.
Follow us on Facebook.
January 28, 2018
Cover Reveal
My illustrator, Taylor Lucas, has been hard at work the past five months sketching and inking Rapunzel the Hairbrained. Ready for the big cover reveal?
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Taylor was a joy to work with. You should check out his artwork on his website. We emailed back and forth about a dozen and a half times to really hone in on the details of the final product. Surprisingly what took the longest – for me at least – were the words on the cover! What font is readable yet whimsical, and will stand out from the background?
Other than Rapunzel herself, perhaps my favorite part of the cover is the curvy purple shape behind our names – looks like a lock of hair! On the back cover (left as you look at it now) you will see a dangling vine that is a running theme in the interior illustrations. The color scheme throughout heavily features purples, yellows, greens, and a hint of red.
This is the first time I have collaborated directly with an illustrator. I’ve worked with local artists for ekphrastic poetry. That’s how I met my good friend, Alys Caviness-Gober. She painted Marilyn Monroe inspired by one of my poems. And Aili McGill drew an illustration for a short story I wrote about Snow White’s dwarves in the Old West. But thanks to a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission, it took it altogether to the next level to work on an entire book with an illustrator.
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The extent of my art training was middle school standard art classes. Sometimes I found myself unable to see the same nuance Taylor did, or having an opinion about the artwork but lacking the vocabulary to describe it. But at the same time, it was a lot of fun to make the attempt! Taylor had to put up with me emailing him comments like, “Fewer of those circle things.” I learned a lot from him as an artist – what he valued in making an illustration functional. He did a lot to instill movement into the storyline.
Right now IÂ am working on the second section of the book, which will include discussion questions and activities to help young readers analyze the story and consider what they traits they should truly value in themselves.
Rapunzel the Hairbrained comes out in April 2018.
November 22, 2017
New Poetry Anthology Published!
I’m an officer of Poetry Society of Indiana, a wonderful and supportive group of poets across the state. Each year we sponsor a contest with over 25 categories. But for years, we did nothing with these poems after the awards ceremony at our Fall Rendezvous. “What a loss!” we thought. “More people should read these poems!” So beginning last year, we’ve been publishing the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each category.
Our 2nd edition of Ink to Paper is now on Amazon. Read student poets, senior poets, from all across the nation and writing in many forms from free verse to haiku.
I have two poems in this book, but I’m happiest to boast about my friends who made this book possible. David Allen was our contest director, and Jenny Kalahar published it through CreateSpace. And at least 5 Noble Poets (my local group) are featured as winners herein.
(Oooo, I got to use the word “herein.”)
I recommend self-publishing to other large poetry clubs. It’s a great way to feature your writing, appreciate the styles of others, and bond! PSI is now on our 3rd book in just over a year.
Congrats to all!
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September 29, 2017
Illustrator Announced!
At last, Iâm ready to unveil the illustrator for my forthcoming childrenâs picture book, âRapunzel the Hairbrained!â I was fortunate to have several dozen artists apply for the work, some amateur, some with several book credits already. Most were from Indiana, but a few were international submissions. A special thank you to the middle school and high school students who applied. That takes a lot of courage â keep at it!
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The artist I will be collaborating with for my Indiana Arts Commission grant isâ¦
Taylor Lucas!
While there were many artists I would have been delighted to work with, I knew the moment I saw Taylorâs work that he would be able to capture the style I was going for. Because my book is geared for 3rd-5th graders, the top end on ages that might read a picture book, I knew I had to tread carefully. The moment my readers felt the pictures were too babyish theyâd tune out. At the same time, it was also important the pictures my colorful and kid-friendly. Taylorâs characters are sleek, stylish, whimsical, and carry great nuance of expression. Both kids and adults will enjoy looking at the pictures.
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I met Taylor face-to-face this week to review details at Starbucks (me â maple pecan latte, him â caffee mocha). Although we had an efficient and productive meeting, I took some time to ask him a few questions about himself. So meet Taylor Lucas:
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Taylor is a student at the Art Institute of Indianapolis. He is a well-rounded artist who creates not only visual art but music. (He narrowly chose visual art over music composition. As someone with a music composition degree myself, I would say he should have chosen composition, except obviously I benefited from his other decision!) He plays keyboard. You can listen to some of his music on his website.
His favorite show to binge watch is Lost, but when it comes to art, he is inspired by Disney. His favorite animated film is Pixarâs The Incredibles. (Good choice!) He is also inspired creatively by his fellow students at the Art Institute of Indianapolis. Taylorâs dream after graduation is to become an independent animator.
Taylor describes his art:
Right from the get-go I produced music. I was interested in how each instrument related to another. I wanted art and music to coincide perfectly. Most of my art is inspired by a song. It gives me inspiration for an environment or character. My strength is taking a theme and adapting it to a medium.
This explains a lot! Check out this piano roof:
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Taylor adds:
I try to keep every element unique. So for example when I am drawing a hat I really think about how it fits the character.
At the end of the meeting Taylor showed me a sketch of a character idea he had for Rapunzel. I loved it â especially her facial expression. But Iâm not giving away the details yet â look for a character reveal later this fall.
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What Iâll be doing in the meantime is developing the final pages of the book, which will include questions and activities to widen girlsâ definition of self-worth. The point of âRapunzel the Hairbrainedâ is not that caring about your hair is bad, but that itâs not the only or most important part of your life. We all have other traits and skills we should develop and take pride in. The grant will allow me to develop a workshop for 3rd-5th graders and take it on the road this spring, with 10 free copies of the book for each group. If you know a group in central Indiana who may benefit, contact me.
I left Starbucks inspired by Taylorâs works and excited to create, which is of course the best kind of meeting between creative folks. This could be the beginning of a beautiful collaboration.
Visit Taylor at http://taylor77902.wixsite.com/cyancityzone.Â
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September 24, 2017
Nickel Plate Arts Awards
Last week my husband and I were honored to attend the Nickel Plate Arts 5th Anniversary Party. Nickel Plate Arts is an arts organization in Noblesville, Indiana. They support a variety of arts along the old Nickel Plate Railroad. Their main campus houses a number of artists’ studios, but they also feature monthly exhibits and host events that feature musicians, actors, writers, and other creative artists.
My favorite event is Fairyville, an event where the community makes tiny fairy houses for display and I get to lead tea parties with teenagers assisting as “real fairies.” My husband Spike and I are also hosting Superhero University for the first time October 7. We get to be sidekicks! In an exciting script, kids go through a number of activities to learn to be superheroes, then we confront a supervillain. I am currently working on my costume – can’t wait!
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Picture courtesy of Nickel Plate Arts
At the Anniversary Party, we got to mingle with lots of other artists and community leaders. I was delighted to see Sue Payne there leading a felting activity. Sue is my longtime partner in crime at Conner Prairie, where we work together to lead the youth spinning teams. Â I organize, and she does everything else! By coincidence I also got to sit by Alys Caviness-Gober, my partner in crime at Logan Street Sanctuary.
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Alys and I work together to produce NICE (Noblesville Interdisciplinary Creativity Expo) and The Polk Street Review. NICE features art inspired by classic literature, and Polk Street is an anthology of works by Noblesville writers/artists or about Noblesville.
Spike and I also invited our parents because we were up for one of the awards that evening – Arts Entrepreneur. Besides the things I have mentioned above, Spike has started a new theatre in town, Page & Stage Theatre Co. This past summer he ran drama workshops out of Logan Street Sanctuary, everything from auditioning to Shakespeare. We plan to expand the children’s summer drama camp in 2018 and eventually put on full productions for adults as well.
It was an honor to be nominated. We walked away with a Dali-inspired melting egg sculpture (hilarious!) and a door prize painting.
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We didn’t win, but I couldn’t be happier with who got the award in our category – our friend John Gilmore, founder and visionary of Logan Street Sanctuary. John bought a barracks-turned-church in the heart of downtown Noblesville about 5 years ago with his own money. His dream was to create a venue where excellent musicians from all over the country could perform in Noblesville but also make a little money. Spike and I both serve on the board with him. He brings in a lot of talent and has some of the most musician-friendly policies around. He is also a superb musician in his own right. Check out this song by his group, Noble Roots.
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Congrats, John! John is a humble guy and we were lucky we convinced him to show up to a fancy shindig, but I think he was happy to be recognized for his hard work. And congrats Alys, who assists him with this mission.
Other winners include:
Emerging Artist of the Year – University High School student Noah Laramore
Emerging Arts Champion of the Year – Brittany Mayfield
Artist of the Year – a TIE! Christine Merchent AND Rodney Reveal
Patron of the Year – The Legacy Fund
So why have evenings like this? To dress up in sparkly dresses? (Well, that’s a good reason, too. The Nickel Plate President Aili McGill had the BEST glitter dress.) What I got out of it was the chance to gather as a community and verbalize:
We support art here.Â
The world of art can feel fragmented. Maybe you’re a budding artist and you are just starting to feel out how the art world works. Maybe you’re afraid no one likes your offbeat style and are struggling to find your audience. Maybe you have no artistic talent but you want to be inspired by someone local, someone real you might actually run into at Walmart. Maybe you’re a musician but you have no idea how to connect to painters, actors, and dancers. At events like this, we get to say we care about art. We get to find each other, and connect.
Congrats, Nickel Plate Arts, for a great event and an evening of connection.
August 31, 2017
Nickel Plate Arts Awards
I was delighted and surprised to receive an email last week telling me my husband and I have been jointly nominated for a Nickel Plate Arts Award. Nickel Plate Arts is a not-for-profit arts venue in Noblesville, Indiana, where we do much of our creative work. Evidently, someone has nominated us for the Arts Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Neat!
I especially like that our mysterious nominator sees my husband, and me as a creative team! Awwwwwww… And here we’ve only been married 6 weeks! But our artistic collaborations date all the way back to my freshman year of college, 19 *cough* years ago at Butler University. He directed the Greek tragedy, Oedipus at Colonus, and I wrote the incidental music for it. I had the biggest crush on him…
We’ve already reserved 5 tickets (with our parents) for the awards event on Saturday, September 16th from 6-9pm. Evidently we get live music, dinner, drinks, activities, and interactive art activities.  Now THAT’S an awards ceremony!  Anyone can purchase a ticket to join us. More info on the Nickel Plate website.
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We’re honored to be in the company of many talented artists and arts organizations. I know several of them and they deserve the recognition!
Emerging Patron of the Year:
Norm Eden
Brittany Mayfield
Blackhawk Winery
Patron of the Year:
The Duke Energy Foundation
The Legacy Fund
Emerging Artist of the Year:
Noah Laramore
Andie Zelaya
Tyler Law
Artist of the Year:
Jim Beitman
Christine Merchent
Kay Simmers Richards
Jan Snyder
Debby Bauman
Sarah Albert
Rodney Reveal
Arts Entrepreneur of the Year (new category!):
Sarah E. Morin-Wilson and Paul Spike Morin-Wilson
John Gilmore
Beth Wood
Caravan Classes
Congrats to all the nominees!
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Image courtesy of Tanya3597 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
