Gossip: Sages Entertainment, Tim Nelsons efforts and Project Upcycle – Foster’s Daily Democrat

Sages Entertainment expands offerings

When New Heights dissolved in the fall, it wasn’t just the children who found themselves “without place.” Its instructors lost jobs they enjoyed, and counted on as well.

Wayne Moulton had worked 16 years for the after-school and summer program, “So yeah, it was kind of a shift up,” Moulton says. “It was very unexpected from an employees standpoint. We found out (shortly) before its dissolving.”

Moulton and Kali Moulton, his wife, are balloon artists, magicians and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts And Math) educators. The two run “Sages Entertainment,” and have long been independent contractors.

Since New Heights closed, they’re working to expand the business.

“The ballon art and magic piece we were already expanding. But now we’re expanding the STEAM work with schools, libraries and museums,” he says. “STEAM might be computers, robotics, any sort of technology, 3-D printing, coding, or app development. We also offer cartoon classes; my wife is a cartoonist and artist by trade.”

The goal is to grow the business overall while maintaining the New Heights’ mission “to provide engaging hands-on educational experiences for all.”

“I wanted to continue the work I did there, and working with youth,” he says. “I needed to find a way to make that work.”

The couple plan to get more involved with after-school programming and museums. There’s magic classes, but with a twist; life skills through performance “so not only magic – but how to hold a conversation and interact with people.”

Their experience includes team-building with corporate organizations, which again they’ll expand on. Ditto, working facilities for elders. In addition to entertaining, they also bring balloons and magic to restaurants, kids’ nights and the like, and they create decor for events.

You can find them next performing at Fox Run Mall where they’ll entertain for free on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For info, check out www.sagesentertainment.com.

“It was a big blow to the community – New Heights dissolving,” he says. “But I’m optimistic.”

Spreading the word about fellow artists

Film composer, musician and sound designer Timothy (Tim) Nelson is appealing to area creators and art supporters to help spread one another’s work. “It’s a call to support,” Nelson, a founding, former member of Thanks to Gravity, says.

It started with an initial call to musicians on his personal Facebook page for all to better utilize individual friends and other musicians to gain broader exposure of their own and others’ work. Nelson invited all to post samples of their work to his page, which given his job, is visited by directors, filmmakers, animators and other professionals.

That was followed by similiar calls directed at artists in other disciplines. In less then a week, more than 100 artists from filmmakers to jewelers, prop and puppeteer makers, animators, craftspersons, fine artists and others posted on Nelson multiple threads.

The reason to encourage this practice is simple. When an artist posts on their private or musician page, they tend to reach the same, limited number of people. In addition, Facebook wants artists to pay to promote posts on their musician page to connect with additional people, with little return, he says.

A way to improve exposure at no cost is actively cross-listing with other artists and supporters.

Part two of the practice is artists reposting a similar invitation to their own page to keep it going, moving art from site to site, enhancing everyone’s profile.

While people happily shared work to Nelson’s page, few had reposted the call by the time of the interview with him, defeating the intent.

“Somehow we need to get this across to people. They need to pick up their banner and post this on their pages or it doesn’t continue, it dies right there,” Nelson says. “It’s an opportunity for people to see their work that aren’t the same people all the time.”

When Nelson was queried about his motivations, he took the time to reply, adding people are smart to question intents on social media. In response, he wrote a lengthy explanation of the proposal’s aim.

“My intent behind these posts was simply to allow creative people to reach a larger audience than they would by posting on their own pages,” Nelson wrote. “Some … who responded have work for sale and this might mean a few more transactions for them. But I also had in mind the larger community of artists who might wish to find collaborators or simply those who might enjoy checking out the work of creative people they didn’t previously know about.”

The hope is more artists will see the benefit of helping one another out. No new organization, no new page, just an ongoing sharing of each other’s work.

As to his own art, Nelson, who no longer performs publicly, frequently collaborates with the Quay Brothers, award-winning filmmakers and animators, and others.

He’s currently working a feature film with the Quays, “but I can’t say anything.” Hopefully he’ll be back soon to enlighten us, and hopefully have a smashing update on the arts community promo effort.

For more info on his art, see timothynelsonmusic.com or check out Nelson’s FB page.

Call for designers for Project Upcycle

3S Artspace has posted a call for designers for its third annual signature, fast-paced, sustainable fashion design challenge known as Project Upcycle, a design competition.

“The flow of Project Upcycle will likely match last year’s cadence with a special VIP event on the Thursday evening where designers meet models, pick their first clothing inspiration piece, … and models get their first taste of walking the runway,” Marketing Manager Sara O’Reilly says. “This is year three and our excitement for this event just continues to escalate! We’re so proud, along with partners Recovergirl and Goodwill Northern New England, to continue supporting emerging designers and helping build awareness about sustainable fashion in the Seacoast and beyond.”

New England students, the self-taught, designers and aspiring designers (ages 18 to senior) are welcome to submit applications.

The eight participants will both create and make the look from supplied, upcycled clothing and fabrics, so sewing skills are required. Event cash prizes are First Prize, $1,500; Second Prize, $1,000; and Third Prize, $500. New this year will be an additional award for the Audience Vote’s winner.

The event will take place March 26 to 28, 2020. The finale is the “Project Upcycle Runway Event” on Saturday, March 28.

The deadline to is Jan. 10, 2020. For applications, visit www.3sarts.org/gallery/project-upcycle-2020-call-to-designers.

Jeanné McCartin keeps her eyes and ears open for gossip at [email protected].

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