The Buzz: local artist in SFMOMO show, Petaluma’s first Pride parade, more – Petaluma Argus Courier
Petaluma photographer Lew Thomas opens new exhibit at SFMOMA: It’s not as if Petaluma art fans needed another reason to take a trip down to the city, where the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art offers a steady stream of enticing new exhibitions of art in all its forms. But with the January opening of a show called “Thought Pieces,” featuring work from the 1970s by Petaluma’s own Lew Thomas, we’re guessing a few more locals will be venturing south out of curiosity and support. The exhibit, running until August 9, also includes work by photographers Donna-Lee Phillips and Hal Fischer, with whom Thomas collaborated often in the 70s. At the time, according to SFMOMA’s online description of the “Thought Pieces” show, Thomas was on an intentional quest to disrupt traditional ideas about photography, which he believed had been held back by “mystical thinking and emotionalism” since the 1940s. Inspired to practice photography in a way that was rooted in conceptual art and contemporary philosophical notions, he teamed up with Phillips and Fischer to test and investigate the limits of the relationship between photography and language. The trio often exhibited works together, also writing about each other’s photography in books published by the imprint they established, NFS Press. The SFMOMA show reunites Thomas, Phillips and Fischer’s work for the very first time in many years.
West Side Stories story-slam event moves to Hotel Petaluma in April: After over five years — most of them spent in the atmospheric but small environs of Petaluma Portworks — Juliet and Dave Pokorny’s popular monthly West Side Stories storytelling show/competition is moving to bigger digs. Beginning on April 1, the wildly successful homegrown Moth-esque showcase will take place the first Wednesday of every month at Hotel Petaluma. Thanks to The Shuckery, the move brings the added attraction of beer and wine, which will be available right inside the performance area in the hotel Ballroom. In West Side Stories, willing attendees throw their names in a hat (figuratively) for a chance to tell a 5-minute true story matching the theme of the month. For years, the series has sold out every month, and with the movie downtown, to a larger space, Dave Pokorny expects to finally be able to expand the show’s audience numbers. Fittingly enough, the final show in the Portworks had as its theme “A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step.” WestSideStoriesPetaluma.com.
Petaluma Pride event planned for September: An alliance of local folks, with umbrella support from the Petaluma People Services Center, have announced plans to hold the first-ever Petaluma Pride event on Saturday, September 26. “We are working closely with the city council and other key community members on some really exciting details,” organizer Hanan Huneidi told The BUZZ. Also currently on the organizing board are Sara Jordan, Caitlin Quinn, Zahyra Garcia and Ricardo Gutierrez. According to Huneidi, plans for the daylong celebration include a nighttime parade, with more details set to be announced soon. “Our intention is to include as much cross-sectional representation on our planning committee and sub-committees as possible,” said Huneidi. “We intend to involve our community’s youth in the planning process as well. We have reached out to the Queer Student Union at the Petaluma Santa Rosa Junior College, and have a youth liaison on board who will be helping us organize HS/MS student involvement.”
‘Petaluma Conversations’ series continues at Petaluma Library: After establishing itself last year, the popular weekly discussion series “Petaluma Conversations” is up and running again at the Petaluma Regional Library, 100 Fairgrounds Drive. Held Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. sharp, the moderated, small-table discussions generally introduce two topics, and then guides participants through a process known as “intentional listening.” The series was created in order to bridge gaps of connection and understanding between those with differing views, and hopes to draw folks from across the political spectrum. Past topics have included “SMART Train and Measure I” and “How does Political Correctness affect you?” There is no charge for participation is free, but organizers ask that attendees RSVP to reserve a seat at a table. The series runs through March 26. To learn about upcoming topics and RSVP, visit Aqus.com/talk.
(Have an idea for a good, funny, interesting or informative BUZZ item? Drop a line to Community Editor David Templeton at [email protected])
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