Tea Party, Yellow Springs-style

On Saturday evening, August 28, Chris Shaff (top photo, right), owner of Asian Collection, hosted "Tea in the Garden" behind his store at 309 Xenia Avenue.

From 6-9 p.m., there was a quiet but steady stream of tea enthusiasts of all ages enjoying a perfect summer's evening and garden setting, conversing and drinking jasmine and Vietnamese tea. The free event was so successful that Chris wants to do it again this Saturday, Sept. 4, same time, same place.

photos by Susan Gartner -- August 28, 2010

House for Sale: 6637 Sterling Drive, Enon, OH

House for Sale. $114,900. New electric service, newer windows and roof, new cherry cabinet kitchen with travertine tile floors, new stainless steel appliances, new ceramic tile in bathrooms, new frieze carpet, paint, light fixtures. Wood-burning stove in family room. Patio, fenced yard with shed, large two-car garage with openers. New landscaping, whole house fan, ceiling fans. For more information, contact Joanne Augenstein (937) 546-6292

video by Susan Gartner

Painting (and smoking) like Pollock

On Saturday, August 21, 2010, Getaways for Women creator and Jafagirl ("Just Another Flippin' Artist") Nancy Mellon (in blue t-shirt) hosted a "Paint Like Pollock" workshop as part of her "Getaways for Women: Wild Women Event."

Participants Lori Tuttle, Susan Gartner, Thasia Herbert, Judy Rizzo, Jeannene and Daria Schaffnit met at Brother Bear's Coffeehouse to watch a short video on the life of American painter and abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock. They then gathered under the carport next to "would you, could you" In A Frame to experiment with various Pollock-inspired techniques including flinging, dripping, pouring and spattering. Jafagirl and PLP assistant Corrine Bayraktaroglu chronicled the event and kept participants in the mood with candy cigarettes from Sugar Cubes.

For more information about Nancy Mellon's Getaways for Women and upcoming events, visit www.getawaysforwomen.com

photos by Susan Gartner -- August 21, 2010
posted to A Yellow Springs Blog -- August 24, 2010

Village-wide Block Party August 21-22

The 2nd Annual Village-wide Block Party, sponsored by the Yellow Springs Human Relations Commission, took place August 21 and 22 at eighteen locations throughout the town. HRC presented each neighborhood effort with a $20 gift certificate from Tom's Market to be used towards food and drinks. Local band The Undercovered performed at the Meadow Lane block party and Stafford Street residents set up a livingroom in the middle of the street complete with carpeting, sofa and chairs. Next year: Block Party Wars

photo and video by Susan Gartner -- August 21 and 22, 2010
posted to A Yellow Springs Blog -- August 23, 2010

Third Friday Fling in downtown Yellow Springs

On August 20, the Yellow Springs arts community was in full swing for Third Friday Fling. Various galleries and shops extended their hours into the evening and exhibited works from local artists.


Whimsical "yard art" made from repurposed china and ceramic dishes created by Dayton artist Jenn Mullins lines each side of the walkway leading to Urban Handmade, 241 Xenia Avenue.


Painter and ceramic artist Geno Luketic (right) talks with guests at his artist reception at "would you, could you" In a Frame, 113 Corry Street.



Village Artisans Gallery, 100 Corry Street, held an art opening for the show "Extending Our Boundaries," featuring Beavercreek artist Leah Grommon (in red dress), who works with oils, acrylics, and knits, and longtime villager and water color artist Sue Brezine (explaining water color technique to guests).



Cincinnati photographer Matt Vant, stands by his work, "Bird's Eye View," at the artist reception for the group exhibit, "People, Places and Things," at Yellow Springs Arts Council's new gallery and meeting space, 309 Xenia Avenue. The exhibit also features ceramic boxes by fellow Cincinnati artist John Mason, vintage dress designs by Dayton artist Tracy McElfresh, and paintings by Dayton artist Patrick Mauk.

photos by Susan Gartner -- August 20, 2010
posted on A Yellow Springs Blog -- August 21, 2010

Compact Theater for the Easily Distracted

The 10-Minute Play Festival: Compact Theater for the Easily Distracted debuted Saturday, August 14 at the Corner Cone Soft Serve Playhouse located at the corner of Walnut and Dayton Streets in downtown Yellow Springs. Ninety plays from all over the country were submitted with nineteen selected to be performed at the fest. Although a downpour cancelled the second showing, the noon performance went off without a hitch and a new village theater was born.


J. Gary Thompson (left) and Troy Lindsey struggle to find topics to talk about in Matthew Haldeman's Two Person Conversation.


Jane Mowder (left) and Kristina Kopf play two ostracized office workers who find something in common in People Like Us by Chris Shaw Swanson.


Elderly couple Jennifer Bryant and Jeff Lucas are baffled by an unexpected guest played by Jason Sine in Dean Bevan's Grim Reaper, directed by Jennifer Bateman Gilchrist.


A man with no feelings falls for a girl with no taste at a support group for the sensory deprived in Arthur Jolly's The Four Senses of Love performed in a reading with Max McConnel and Jill Summerville.


Richard Payton (left) and director Bailey Boudreau clash over wording (and politics) in The New Sign by K. Biadaszkiewicz.


First-time director Lindsey Leist plays the lead in Disgruntled Tiny Tim , a play by Francesca Sanders, with worried parents Mr. and Mrs. Cratchett, played by Skip Leeds and Amy Dobyns.


Ron Siemer, Jerry Buck, and Walter Rhodes share a laugh in Virgil Hervey's Parking Spaces, a play about two old guys who explore life, death, and sex as they park cars on a slow day at the Greene County Fair.


Director Stephen Woosley and Jessi Biggert accidentally discover a shared love of fashion in The Comfort of Cole Hans by Henry Meyerson.


Playwright/director Allie Persinger is a disillusioned college student chastising fellow student Kenny Ruth for texting during class as professor Phil Duffy looks on in Persinger's play, More Vibrancy.


photos by Susan Gartner -- August 14, 2010
posted to A Yellow Springs Blog -- August 15, 2010
posted to Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch -- August 17, 2010

Portrait

photo of Yellow Springer Denise Cupps

photo by Susan Gartner -- August 8, 2010

What summer is all about...

Perfect temps made for a perfect summer's evening on Saturday, August 7. Villagers gathered on the lawn at the Yellow Springs United Methodist Church for their Annual Chicken Bar-B-Q. Joe Thieman from Dayton entertained on his accordion in front of Sam & Eddie's Bookstore while Swing Shift (band members Larry Gault on bass, Steve Benson on drums, Randy Kubulius on guitar, and Michael Hitchcock on mandolin) performed at Corry Street Plaza.

photos by Susan Gartner -- August 7, 2010
posted to A Yellow Springs Blog -- August 8, 2010

The roar of the crowd, the smell of the ice cream

Top photo: Phil Duffy of Centerville and playwright/director Allie Persinger of Washington Courthouse rehearse "More Vibrancy" at Antioch Amphitheatre in preparation for the upcoming 10-Minute Play Festival: Compact Theater for the Easily Distracted. The Fest will have two showings, noon and 4 p.m., on Saturday, August 14 at the Corner Cone Soft Serve Playhouse, corner of Dayton and Walnut Streets in Yellow Springs.

Bottom photo: Local actors Ron Siemer, Jerry Buck, and Walter Rhodes rehearse "Parking Spaces" as playwright/director Virgil Hervey looks on.

For more info, visit http://cornercone10minuteplays.blogspot.com

photos by Susan Gartner -- August 5, 2010
posted to A Yellow Springs Blog -- August 7, 2010

10-minute plays in rehearsal: A geek tragedy

Playwright/director Bonnie Spitzkeit goes over lines with actors Jennifer Gilchrist and Claire Cappel in her play, "Aunt Tinomy: A Homophonic Geek Tragedy with a Happy Ending" at Corner Cone Soft Serve Playhouse.

The 10-Minute Play Festival: Compact Theater for the Easily Distracted will be presented at two showings, noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 14th. For more info, visit http://cornercone10minuteplays.blogspot.com or click here for past articles.

photo by Susan Gartner -- August 3, 2010
posted to A Yellow Springs Blog -- August 4, 2010

House for Sale: 250 Orton Road, Yellow Springs, OH

$269,000 For more info, contact Craig Mesure at (937) 708-0559 or (937) 426-6060 or craig.mesure@coldwellbanker.com or visit http://www.craigmesure.com

video by Susan Gartner