Flint author and arts activist Chris Ringler recently published his second book, This Beautiful Darkness. This Beautiful Darknessis a series of short stories that are dark and show the monsters hidden in our society.
This image is used with permission from the author Chris Ringler.
From a father teaching his son the art of killing to the demons trapped inside a haunted bed. This Beautiful Darkness has 13 stories that show the darkness in humanity. These are the kinds of stories that stay with you, and haunt you. This is a must read. Ringler is a self published author, so you can purchase his book through him via his MySpace, Amazon, or https://www.createspace.com/3386414. Ringler recently made This Beautiful Darkness available for Kindle, which is a wireless reading device distributed by Amazon Digital Services.
Ringler fell in-love with writing as a teenager, thus spawning his first book Back From Nothing in 1999. He has also been published inBare Bone 6, 7, and 9 and Cthulhu Sex magazine, and has completed writing a children's series and novel. Ringler has also received honorable mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror twice.
Who doesn't enjoy a good scary story now and again? But what if these stories are fact? The documentary The Haunting Truthdiscusses such stories in Oakland County and was made by Davison-based film maker Jeff Jones. Jones spent over a year compiling information on popular tales in Pontiac, Romeo and Addison Township, where he found the most paranormal activity.
On Nov. 21 I was able to see the documentary at Cranberries Cafe. I was pretty impressed that Jones was able to get multiple accounts on hauntings and paranormal happenings in these areas. Instead of regurgitating legend, like many documentaries do, he had eyewitnesses coroborate the stories.
This film has peaked my curiousity of haunted places in the area. Who knows, maybe this writer will find herself at Dunn's tomb this weekend.
Soon Detroit won’t be the only ones having ghoulish fun. Wolfman Mac’s “Chiller Drive-In” will “hopefully” be syndicated on WNEM (TV Channel 5) in Flint said Mac Kelly, who plays the host Wolfman Mac.
“I'm hoping that MyTV 5 picks us up soon.” Kelly said, “Last I heard we were just waiting for a time slot. Stay tombed!”
“Chiller Drive-In” currently is showing in the Detroit area on WMYD (TV Channel 20) on Saturday nights at midnight and is somewhat of a tribute to horror shows of the past like Elvira, the Ghoul, and Sir Graves Ghastly featuring horror and sci-fi B-movies of the past.
“We're sort of a sitcom that takes place at a drive-in in the town of Hauntington Heights,” Kelly said. “Think of a cross between Herman Munster and Tim Allen.
“My werewolf character owns a run down drive in where all they have in stock are really bad monster movies.”
Kelly started doing the show after growing up watching Elvira, the Ghoul, and Sir Graves Ghastly.
“I love those old monster flicks in a bad way.” Kelly said, “I knew when I was a kid that I had to do this.”
The show first started on cable access, then moved to the network affiliate within months of airing. The actors on “Chiller Drive-In” don’t get paid for their roles. They do it because it is something they love.
“Syndication is a blessing, really the result of a child hood dream coming true,” Kelly said. “We've yet to make any money on this show, that'll happen, but we really love what we're doing here.”
The premise of the show is that Wolfman Mac, who has been around since the 1930s, has been searching the world over to find a place where he can share his love of B-movies. One fateful night while being chased by angry villagers, Mac comes across an abandoned drive-in and his new cohort and co-host Boney Bob.
“Chiller Drive-In” is known for showing movies such as “Wasp Woman,” “The Devil’s Hand,” “Night of the Living Dead” and “Spider Baby.” During these movies there are small skits performed by Wolfman Mac and the rest of the cast.
“While those movies are playing, there's always some calamity of some sort going on that Wolfman Mac has to deal with.” Kelly said, “Boney Bob is my ever-scheming side kick, always looking for a way to make a fast buck, usually using Wolfman Mac's monster card and maxing it out.”
In October 2008, “Chiller Drive-In” was voted Best Local Television Show (other than a newscast) by the Metro Times annual Best of Detroit issue, and in May 2009, Real Detroit Weekly named the show Best “Retro” Local TV Program and “the ONLY good reason to eschew the bar scene on Saturday nights!” For more information and schedules for Wolfman Mac’s Chiller Drive-In go to www.chillerdrivein.com.
Local artist Stephen Vincent is incorporating his macabre art work into the holiday season with his zombie nutcrackers. The Nutcrackers stand at about 8in tall and sell for $30 not including shipping.
Vincent also makes such horrific delights as painted suits and zombie tote bags. When asked what his favorite medium is to work in, Vincent said "Right now I would have to say acrylic paint on whatever I can slap paint on. That includes suit coats, shoes, bags, or canvas."
And what influences Vincent's art? "Well most of my horror art is influenced by old E.C. and EERIE comics and probably all those damn zombie movies I watch." Vincent said.
For more info on Stephen Vincent you can visit his Etsy.
I remember 3-years-ago how fun the art scene in downtown Flint was. Art Walk was always fun and the galleries were full, but there were small indie shows as well that brought in tons of people. Granted I can be some what biased in this, given that I have helped put together a good portion of indie shows myself. But it makes me sad that the art scene is so cliche and not at all what the artists in the city deserve. Not everyone wants to be a part of the bigger galleries, or sometimes they aren't able.
I am definitely not knocking the major galleries, because lord knows I appreciate them and what they are doing for the community, but I miss the grittiness of those indie shows. I miss the feel of those shows. You could tell that the people involved put everything they had into making something different, yet respectful, than the norm.
I wish the artists in Flint would stop for a moment, and think about those little shows and what they meant for artists who couldn't get their work out there, and how some of these indie shows helped them get where they are, how they helped them get noticed.
I will never give up my passion for these shows, cause I have been the one putting them on, and I have been the one getting their work out there because of them. So, artists in Flint, here is your chance, lets kick it old school and do what we do best; keep the arts alive, and give 'em one hell of a show!
"Few things are as heart wrenching as watching someone you love die but I can tell you that watching someTHING you love die can elicit similar pain and heartache. It is torture to watch something you worked on and poured your passion into as it dies, worse when you see it dying but can’t stop it.
For me right now that THING is community art and it is dying…but it doesn’t have to."
On Dec. 5 the Holiday Baar Bazaar will be at the Majestic Theater in Detroit. With 36 vendors thus far, patrons will be able to find handmade items, crafts, records, movies, comic books and books, jewelry, vintage and new clothing, just to name a few of the wares that will be available and to make great Christmas gifts.
The event goes from 8p.m.-2a.m. Anyone who is interested in vending is asked to email Beth Nixon, one of the masterminds behind Baar Bazaar at bethany@rewarevintage.com.
Wanna see pictures from previous Baar Bazaars? Visit Flickr.
Buckham Gallery in downtown Flint has been one of the major staples of art that I can remember. The gallery was established in 1984 by a group of artists who felt that Flint needed a space for serious artists. But as of late, the gallery has been suffering, trying to keep it's doors open.
Buckham Gallery is an artist run, non-profit organization. Over the past 25 years, the gallery has depended on monies coming in from grants, donations, and dues from members. In this time also, the gallery has been host to hundreds of shows, poetry and performance art events.
Part of the problem this year for the gallery is that the State of Michigan has done serious budget cuts, cuts that leaves Buckham almost $15,000 short of what they get each year. That $15,000 only covered approximately one-third of their annual expenses.
Sam Morello, Buckham Gallery's treasurer told the Michigan Times (a student publication at UM-Flint) “We used to receive a good deal of money from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and it is the same department of the state of Michigan government which has been cut.”
Many other art organizations are also feeling the pinch of funds being cut in Michigan, but have managed to stay afloat. With the economy in the state that it is in, art sales and membership have been at an all time low. Buckham has seen dark days, and hopefully they will put through these.
Buckham Gallery is located at 134 1/2 W. Second St. in downtown Flint. Business hours are: Wed. thru Fri. 12-5p.m. For further information on how you can contribute to Buckham Gallery email the General Manager Jennifer Sikora @ manager@buckhamgallery.org.
I attended the Creative Alliance event Voices today and it wasn't bad. My original fears of the event being too long were unfounded. I arrived around 6p.m. which was about 4 hours into the event, with another 3 to go, but it was still going strong with a full house.
There was art and short stories and poems along the walls at Red Ink in downtown Flint. In one of the larger back rooms of the venues, writers were able to share their portion of the event at an open mic where they performed music, spoken word, read poetry and short stories.
Given that this was a 7 hour event, the crowd "was pretty consistent" said Glen Birdsall, a poet from Flint.
I was impressed that the event had such a large turnout, but in the half hour I was there the MC kept the show rolling in such a way that I wasn't sure who was starting and who was finishing.
Over all any free events in the city are great, but it's even better when it's a free event and a fun event that is well put together.
The Flint Creative Alliance will be holding it's annual event Voices tomorrow (Nov. 15)from 2-9p.m. at Red Ink - Flint located in Downtown Flint. This free event pairs up a writer and an artist and the duo make an art piece that incorporates the written word along with a visual art piece that compliment each other.
The first part of Voices passed on Friday when artists put their work up for the Nov. Art Walk, which is the second Friday of each month. With an opening reception on Art Walk Friday and the actual event on Sunday, I am excited to see how the Voices event has evolved. Voices is about bringing different artists together, but also tomorrow writers of short stories, spoken word, and poetry will get up in front of patrons and read their works. I like the way that this has been set up in the past, people can look at the art while the writer reads the companion piece, it's a very fun event.
My only concern with the event tomorrow is that it is roughly 7 hours long. The stretched out time span makes it more open for people to attend, but also may be longer than some people want to hang out. Some patrons may not want to stay around for the entire event. Hopefully the Creative Alliance has a schedule of events and schedule of who is reading so people attending have a better idea of when to be there so they don't miss the author they intended to hear.
Photo taken by Stitch and acquired through Creative Commons License at Flickr.com
The Flint Public Library hosted a free concert tonight bringing in Ann Arbor local band Light in August. Light in August is away from my comfort zone of music, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really liked them. If I were to give them a label or music genre to fit into, I would say that they are Indy and Earthy all wrapped into one. When I first heard them play tonight I thought to myself, "This music would be rad in a Wes Anderson film."
The band brought in a descent sized crowd given that there wasn't much publicity surrounding this free concert. I think that if the library would have gotten the word out more, that there would have been a significantly larger turnout, seeing that Flint is a large college community and did I mention the event was FREE?
Light in August just had a great feel to them. I don't think you can go wrong when you have a flute player in your band. I think that the flute player really gave the earthy feel, but without the cliche flute sound. The flow of the sounds came together in a way that was both haunting and invigorating, I found myself completely wrapped up in the music and moving my legs to the beat. I certainly hope to see this band in Flint again soon, or I may just have to make a special trip to Ann Arbor or Detroit and throw down $5 for one of their CD's.
To hear Light in August check out their MySpace page.
Churchill's Bar and Grill is the home of the Punk Rock Rummage Sale, a free event in downtown Flint. Photo taken by Sarah Razak, acquired through Creative Commons License through Flickr.com.
The Punk Rock Rummage Sale popped up once again at Churchill's Bar and Grill in downtown Flint on Nov. 7. Founders Chris Ringler, Justin Zeglevski, Beth Nixon and Glen Birdsall once again have brought awesome music and hard to find items, best of all, it was free to come to.
The Punk Rock Rummage Sale was modeled after a similar event that Nixon has been a huge part of called the Baar Bazaar. Ringler, Zeglevski and Birdsall had previously been the sole group that put together the Guerilla Art Shows just down the street at 625, and decided that the shows weren't what they used to be and wanted something different. They came together in May of this year and did the first Punk Rock Rummage Sale, which brought in over 100 people. The show was free to the public and offered live music, hard to find collectibles and handmade crafts.
The show this past weekend offered all the same fine wears, but this time had the infamous DJ Michael A (Absher). Many people made their way through the event finding vintage clothing, DVD's, toys, and handcrafted jewelry just to name some of the radness of the night.
The group has decided to not make the shows a regular event in downtown Flint so that when they do come together it is something new and fresh. "We don't want people to get tired of us," said Ringler. "It's important to have a fresh and fun event."
The Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) has something great to offer college students in the Flint area. Free memberships.
The FIA allows area college students a free membership via it's Web site. Students are able to get their colleges login and password and enter it at the Web site to print out their membership card. If students don't have their login and password they can email Valerie Shook at vshook@flintarts.org.
An FIA membership includes benefits such as:
Free Wi-Fi in the cafe, library, and student lounge.
Free admission to ALL exhibitions and lectures.
Discounts to weekend art house films and special College Town film nights.
Discounts in the cafe featuring Starbucks® beverages.
Discounts in the museum shop including art supplies. (This is great for students interested in art)
Invitations to special College Town events.
Weekly FIA e-newsletters.
Announcements of upcoming exhibitions and lectures.
For more information about a free College Town membership at the FIA visit: http://flintarts.org/membership_collegetown.html
Hello all out there in the blogosphere world! My name is Amanda Emery and I am going to be telling you all about the rad art scene in the downtown Flint area. Not just the major galleries, but the small indy shows as well. Flint has always been rich in the arts, whether they be musical or physical.
I remember when I first became involved in the arts in Flint, I was the ripe old age of 13 and I would come downtown to the Local 432 and listen to local bands. I believe that my love of music and art really started there. As I got older I began to become more involved in other arts in Flint as well.
I have helped put together small indy art shows in downtown, as well as help out and be a part of shows in the bigger galleries.
The point of what I want to tell you here, is that Flint might hit some hard times, but the arts have always stayed strong. The Local 432 is making a comeback, some major galleries maybe struggling, but they are managing. And every now and again, people take the initiative to find a space, and put on a rad as hell show of their own. What I am gonna do is bring you some pieces of all of it.
I am a journalist and a photographer. I am also an artist in the Flint area. I love taking pictures and writing, but also have a pretty serious cheese cake addiction.
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