Everyone knows the best things in life are mixed: mixed drinks, mix tapes, mixed berry pie, Chex mix, etc. So this Wednesday night don’t miss your opportunity to mix things up.

From 7:30 to 9:30 pm First Person Arts is bringing you a mix of outstanding artists. Our recipe for a fantastic evening is pretty simple: combine four artists: one muralist, one performer, one writer, and one photographer, add an audience and voilá! You have an exhilarating evening of art.

Each of our artists bring something different to the table. Willis Humphrey spends his time creating incredible murals all over Philadelphia. Charlene Kwon has written a memoir about her mother’s mysterious disappearance that combines graphic art and prose. Betsy Herbert, an improv actress, shares her short stories with us. And last but not least, RA Friedman will be talking about Tsirkus Fotografika a non-profit public arts project that infuses communities with creativity. He creates his art using obscure photographic methods to capture his intriguing images.  And he has a projector named Boris.  Need I say more?

The synopsis:
WHO: Four amazing artists and First Person fans.
WHAT: a showcasing and discussion of memoir/documentary-based art
WHERE: 601 S. Broad Street at the Philadelphia Arts Bank.
WHY: art is good for you
WHEN: 7:30 to 9:30 on Wednesday October 14th (doors at 7:00)

ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producerevent/55122?prod_id=5528

The finished mural

Pedro Ospina opening art supplies for the children.

It is a rare moment when an entire class of five-year olds looks up and listens with intent, awed expressions. This was the scene outside of the Welcome House this morning as artists Betsy Casanas and Pedro Ospina began to explain their project to the children of CHAD, the Charter School for Architecture and Design. It’s no surprise that the children were so enraptured. They will be creating the art alongside the artists. The plan is to create art that reflects the people of Love Park through multimedia installations using sculpture, drawing, and text.

Its only day three of the Welcome House, and the evolution is already beginning. Its hard to imagine that just yesterday the house was an interpretive dance studio for Nicole Bindler & Liza Clark, who spent the day moving in reaction to what they saw and felt. Even before that, the inside of the cube was covered with transparent velum sheets which artist Anna Moblard Meier divided into squares, filling each one with a different portrait of the people and things she saw in the park. Today the evolution continues, bringing in more people to interact with the art, and transforming Love Park.
Make sure to take a look at the Welcome House each day, and become a part of the transformation.

The Welcome House on Tuesday October 6th

For some of us, “extreme walking” is going ten blocks in the city without a cup of coffee. For others like Todd Carmichael, it’s walking across Antarctica. Impressed? So were we, and so was the Philadelphia Inquirer. Just yesterday they wrote a brief story about his spectacular feats.

It seems that most people know Todd Carmichael as the founder of La Colombe Coffee, a renowned coffee shop and coffee supplier based in Philadelphia; but to us, he is a man of extremes. When he’s not working on his successful business, he can be found trekking across the globe in attempts to conquer ‘the last of the geographical challenges.’

Those of us who want to know a little more about the man behind the mission are in luck. Todd is giving a presentation all about his adventures on Friday, November 6th at the Painted Bride as part of our very own First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art. His stories reflect over a decade of self-sufficient travel and a passion for social and ecological causes.

Or, if you are like some of us less adventurous types who debate the pros and cons of getting up off the couch for some Ben and Jerrys (pro: ice cream, con: getting up,) you can read the article online. Just click here.