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Drama and romance in San Quentin

Special to MoreMarin by Arnulfo T. Garcia and Fernando Lemus, San Quentin News

Inside the walls of San Quentin, there was an unusual announcement over the intercom, "The Protestant chapel will be open for Shakespeare after dinner, all are welcomed to attend!"

Joan Baez to rock Marin with youth musicians

With a nod to the iconic 1969 music festival, Woodstock, Fairfax (with its own distinct hippie vibe) will be the setting this weekend for Kidzstock. And one of Woodstock's star performers will be the headliner at Saturday's event.

Folk singer-songwriter Joan Baez will join dozens of Marin youth musicians, to perform at the day-long music festival as a fundraiser for Cascade Canyon School in Fairfax. Cascade Canyon School is a small, private K-8 school with a progressive curriculum. According to the IJ, Baez' granddaughter just happens to be a first-grader there.

The one day music event features several of Marin's most musical rock and folk performers including Matt Jaffe, an extremely talented singer-songwriter who we've featured often in MoreMarin. 

Details:

• Kidzstock, a benefit for Canyon Cascade School
• Saturday, June 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Canyon Cascade School at 2626 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Fairfax
• Festival goers are encouraged to carpool and use the shuttle
  
• Tickets are $25 for adults; $10 for kids 17 and under 

Chalk up another Italian Street Painting Festival

Where will you find the Mona Lisa, a portrait of President Obama and child's turtle painting all featured side by side?

At the Youth In Arts (YIA) Italian Street Painting Festival of course!

Each year, kids and adults converge to transform the street into a riot of chalk-colored masterpieces based on traditional Italian street painting. This year's 17th annual street painting fest is happening this coming Saturday and Sunday in downtown San Rafael in front of the Mission. The event, sponsored by YIA, is free to everyone.

"This year's theme celebrates "our beautiful earth" said Miko Lee, YIA Executive Director. "You'll see that in our featured artwork, a 24-foot circular piece representing the four elements."

In addition to the art, will be continuous all-day music on two stages with everything from swing to Italian party music. In keeping with the Italian theme-- food from Il Davide, San Rafael Joe's, Frantoio, Vin Antico and Il Fornaio.

Buoni periodi! (That's "good times" in Italian...)

Details:

• 17th Annual Youth In Arts Street Painting Festival 
• Saturday, June 12 and Sunday, June 13
• 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  
• Fifth and A Streets in downtown San Rafael

Rocking the town for Haiti

Efforts to rebuild Haiti are barely underway, as the poverty-stricken region struggles back from a catastrophic earthquake earlier this year. A quarter of a million people lost their lives and nearly a million made homeless. Homes, businesses and civic buildings, including most of the schools in the area, collapsed.

In Marin, a group of youth musicians have answered the call to help.

The project called Youth The Rock Rebuild, is holding a series of concert fundraisers to help fund new shelter and schools in Haiti. Their first concert, held at the end of January, played to a sold-out crowd at the Masonic Temple in Mill Valley. They managed to raise $11,000 in donations.

Film Night In the Park -- Fun, fabulous and free!

Where else can you enjoy cult classics like The Blob and Jaws along with coming-of-age classics like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and 16 Candles?  Or weird classics like Napoleon Dynamite and The Big Lebowski? Or just plain classics like Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window and Notorious? 

Or maybe you prefer more recent blockbusters like Johnny Depp in Alice In Wonderland or the ground-breaking Avatar? 

All these films, and many more wonderful offerings, are going to be featured for the 2010 Film Night In the Park movie series which takes place annually in Marin and San Francisco.

Things kick off on May 21 in San Anselmo with Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. The movies continue weekly through the end of September and are free, free, free!

World premiere gala opening for Touching Home

Movie star Ed Harris will walk the red carpet Thursday night with two West Marin lads for the world premiere of the film, Touching Home which stars Harris in the lead role.

Logan and Noah Miller--twin brothers who grew up in West Marin and Fairfax--wrote, produced, directed and starred in the film which depicts the emotional roil and toil of growing up with their alcoholic father. The film garnered rave reviews when it debuted at the San Francisco Film Festival in 2008. MoreMarin reviewed the film two weeks (see post below).

Tonight's sold-out event begins with red-carpet walk at 6:30 p.m. followed by the film screening and a Q&A with Harris and the Millers.

Touching Home is being distributed by Marin's California Film Institute, CFI Releasing. It makes it's theatrical debut Friday, April 30. It will be shown in Sacramento, San Francisco and of course, here in Marin County in San Rafael. You can follow the film on Facebook.

(Still from movie is courtesy of Coming Home movie trailer)

Touching Home arrives home

Touching Home, a feature length film written, produced, directed and acted by twin brothers Noah and Logan Miller from West Marin, is a gem of a movie. It is based on the real-life story of the Millers and their deeply flawed father, Daniel Arthur Miller--a homeless, alcoholic gambler who died in jail at the age of fifty-nine.

Marin cartoonist wins Pulitzer Prize

Mark Fiore, an editorial cartoonist whose animated cartoons appear in SFGate, has won the Pulitzer Prize. The 40-year-old Fairfax resident was the first online artist to win the prestigious journalism prize since they were created in 1922. Here's the full article in SFGate-- and here's one of Fiore's animated cartoons. You can view more of his creations on his website here.

Earth Day and art, all in one

Earth Day is just around the corner--April 22. Here's an idea to celebrate the day in an artful way! 

The Marin Arts Council (MAC) is sponsoring a new exhibit, called "Where You Are" featuring works inspired by environmental issues. The exhibit, at the Marin Community Foundation (MCF) offices, features the artwork of several artists, and the support of several earth-friendly organizations including Cool the Earth and State Coastal Conservancy.

There will be a reception for the show at MCF on Earth Day to kick the whole thing off. The reception is set for 4:30 to 7 p.m.at 5 Hamilton Landing, # 200 in Novato. 

(Photo shown is taken by Richard Lang, entitled "Strew of plastic detritus, Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore.")

Details--

• Exhibit "Where You Are" runs from April 22 to July 15
• Marin Community Foundation, 5 Hamilton Landing, #200, Novato
• For more information, contact MAC at 415-459-4440.
  

May the force be with you...in a sitcom cartoon?

Lucasfilm has announced it will create an animated "Star Wars" sitcom.

Yes, you read that correctly--a sitcom. 

Details are still being worked out, but it won't be a spoof according to the creative consultant on the project, Seth Green. The series will be 'character-driven' and the series won't exceed half-hour installments. There will be no cross-overs from 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars', Lucasfilms' current action cartoon.

According to this Variety article, the show which still in early development, will be produced outside the U.S. but not necessarily at the Lucasfilm Animation location in Singapore.

Hot cooks with cool books

Alice Waters and Anthony Bourdain. Both are famous for food, but that's where similarity ends.

While Waters conjures images of blissfully simple fare using fresh, organic ingredients, Bourdain slams us with spice, both the kind you sprinkle on your dish and the kind that comes out of the mouth. He's as hot as she is cool.

The woman who started the California cuisine and the guy you don't want to miss in No Reservations will be paying a visit to Marin courtesy of Corte Madere's Book Passage. The Cooks with Books author events are extremely popular.

So popular in fact, that the Bourdain dinner in honor of his newly released tome, Medium Raw, scheduled for the evening of June 17 is already sold out. You can hope for the best and leave your name on the waiting list, or you can attend his SF event earlier in the day, which is still available. 

Alice will be pitching her new book The Green Kitchen: Techniques to Learn By Heart on May 2 and that event also still has space available. Details about both events--and other Cooks with Books author appearances--here.

Marin's red carpet Oscar evening

It was quite a night for The Hurt Locker, Sandra Bullock and Jeff Bridges and a lot of Marin turned out to watch the festivities in spectacular fashion at three separate Oscar celebrations!

Welcome to the red carpet, Marin-style!

(check out all the photos in our photo album here!)

At the Lark Theater's 6th Annual Awards Night Party, the invitation was to show up in Hollywood Glamour or PJ-Casual. We didn't spot the casual, but there was plenty of glamour at the nearly sold-out event. 

Over in San Rafael at the Smith Rafael Film Center--and the only officially Academy-sanctioned event in Marin--attendees munched on box lunches while watching the telecast on the big screen and on smaller screens in the lobby.

And up in Novato at the Marin Country Club at the annual Gala Night in Hollywood sponsored by Rotary Club of Mission San Rafael and Madison Company Realtors, the theme was glam, glam, glam.

All three events were non-profit fundraisers for the Lark Theater, the Smith Rafael Film Center and for Operation Tooth Fairy.

6 authors for 5 bucks-- such a deal!

Readers, writers, wanna-be writers and anyone else who appreciates good writing and the spoken word might want to head over to Sausalito on March 11.

On the second Thursday of every month, the folks at Studio333 present another installment in their literary series, "Why There Are Words", a gathering of published and upcoming Bay Area writers. The writers all read prose selections from their works, and each reading event has a theme-- March 11's is "Breaking Away." There is a requested donation of $5 at the door.

The authors, many of them award-winning, are selected based on writing excellence for original fiction. The published authors will have books available for signing. The organizers note that while Why There Are Words is not a poetry reading, there are poetry reading events at Studio333 as well.

Interested writers can submit their works for future readings; you'll find more information here.  The Why There Are Words reading takes place on Thursday, March 11, at Studio333, 333 Caledonia Street in Sausalito. The event begins at 7 p.m.

And just a quick note-- the Marin Arts Council is taking nominations for the Marin Poet Laureate for 2010-2012. The deadline is March 1.

Witch apprentice program accepting applicants

Interested in becoming a witch? Always been intrigued by Pagan and Shamanic rituals? Well, now is your chance.

West Marin's most well-known Shamanic priestess and witch Cerridwen Fallingstar, is accepting interested applicants for her one-year Shamanic Apprenticeship program, "A Year and a Day", which will begin in late March or early April. The program includes elements ranging from how to create ritual space to creating magic to exploring reincarnation.

Fallingstar is also a celebrated author, having just finished her amazing novel, The Fox Sorceress the first in the White as Bone; Red as Blood two-part series. The second book, The Storm God is due out in May. Last year, we profiled Fallingstar at her home in West Marin after the release of The Fox Sorceress and found her to be exceptionally dedicated, interesting, and funny.

If interested in pursuing your inner witch or secret shaman, please contact Cerridwen by email.

Marin History Museum takes possesion of new Music Center space

Smiles all around despite the gloomy weather on Thursday morning, as the Marin History Museum took official possession of the new 7,200 square-foot space that is to become the Marin History Music Center this fall. Building owner David Pugatch presented museum Executive Director Merry Alberigi with a ceremonial key while San Rafael Mayor Al Boro and project partners looked on.

The spacious, empty former discount clothing store will be completely transformed over the next several months into a state-of-the-art music exhibition, performance and educational space with the long-anticipated Marin Rocks as the kick-off exhibit.

It hasn't been an easy process getting here, and there is still a lot to do before Marin Rocks opens to the public next Fall.

"It took us awhile to find the right space and so we had some stops and starts," says Chief Curator Dawn Laurant, "But we wanted to make sure it was something we were happy with and serves the exhibits and programs. We're thrilled to be in San Rafael on 4th Street!," she adds.

The museum will rent the space which will be converted to house interactive displays and archival items.

"We'll be renovating the space so that it is all [up to] archival and American Association of Museums standards," continues Laurant.

The museum is still accepting historical and archival donations from the community for the Marin Rocks Exhibit, and Laurant says that more items will allow them to recycle exhibits and "keep things fresh." 

In fact, getting to this point in the process, has been a community effort. The museum has held various fundraising events, and those along with a multi-million dollar benefit concert from Metallica have been a big boost for the project. But Laurant concedes fundraising is still a necessity and "we really need the community to continue to support us."

(Pictured at top left to right - President of MHM Board of Directors Carleton Prince; Mayor Al Boro; MHM Exec Director Merry Alberigi; Tom Renshaw-nephew of David Pugatch and building manager; MHM Chief Curator Dawn Laurant; building owner David Pugatch; Jerry Suyderhoud- Broker,Orion Partners, Ltd.)

Marin teen finalists to perform in Poetry Out Loud competition

Finalists from Marin County high schools will compete this weekend, for a chance to represent Marin in statewide competition for "Poetry Out Loud."

The prestigious annual national competition, features poetry presented through spoken word and performance, and encourages high school students from across the country to battle it out for cash prizes and national recognition. The winner of this weekend's regional competition goes on to statewide competition and that winner moves on to the national round. The national competition program was created by the National Endowment for the Arts. Marin's local competition is sponsored by Marin Arts Council.

Spoken, performed poetry, also called "slam poetry" has gained widespread popularity in recent years, as a way to engage young adults to read, write and appreciate poetry.

This weekend's competition will be held at 142 Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley on Saturday, February 6 from 11: 00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event is free to the public.

Stones guitar and Airplane violin added to Marin Rocks exhibition

An electric guitar signed by all the Rolling Stones and a violin--hand-painted and signed by the Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick--were just donated to the Marin History Museum's (MHM) Marin Rocks exhibit by Ross residents John and Maria Pitcairn

The instruments will join other rock and roll artifacts and collectors items in the upcoming exhibit.  Marin Rocks, an interactive exhibit which details the heady days of rock and roll in the North Bay, is part of the new Music Center in downtown San Rafael scheduled to open in Fall 2010. The exhibit will combine state of the art visual presentations featuring historical film and video as well as other displays.

"Maria and I have had a long term interest and love for music," said John Pitcairn. "We are thrilled to be able to offer these artifacts to Marin Rocks as we appreciate the importance and value of the music that has been part of Marin  County’s history. We are pleased to be making a contribution towards honoring this legacy."

The Pitcairn's are pictured above at left, with Dawn Laurant, the MHM Chief Curator and Merry Alberigi, Executive Director for MHM.

Two well-known female authors in Marin in January

Fiction fans of Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) and Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler's Wife) may want to check this out.

Both authors will be in Marin on the same day, Wednesday January 27, at two separate Book Passage-sponsored events. 

Top 10 relationship movies in 2009

Musings by Dr. Michelle Gannon: Psychologist, Wife and Mother

I often get asked, "Did you see this movie?" or "Can you recommend a good relationship movie?"

I love going to the movies. Many of us are eager to see movies that demonstrate more healthy and realistic relationships. I appreciate films that are entertaining, moving, and normalize relationships rather than glamorize them. Thank you for all of your suggestions.

Here are my Top 10 Relationship Movies of 2009 in no particular order. I saw most of them at movie theaters in Marin or San Francisco in 2009, but they should be available on DVD now or soon. Please let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Marin Focus: Fitness instructor, dancer and shamanic cheerleader Rana Stewart

By Joan Lisetor

If your life lacks luster, find Rana and try to stay near her for long enough to be showered with the creative sparkles of love that exude from her pores. If you're taking yourself too seriously, find Rana to receive her raucous humor as she praises your finest attributes with irreverent sarcasm. If you're down in the depths of it, crying in uncertainty of how to be with this overwhelming challenge called life, find Rana and allow her to hold your sorrow as she sings the soothing tones of angels.

Local sculptor's works in new exhibit at MarinMOCA

The Marin Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is featuring the works of longtime Novato resident and sculptor, Gary Marsh during the month of December.

Marsh joins ten other artists in a new exhibition entitled, Contemporary Concepts in Clay and Glass which runs until December 28 at the gallery based at Hamilton in Novato. MarinMOCA selected the artists from a membership of 500 artists from the California-based Association of Clay and Glass Artists.

Marsh's art uses high-fired clay which employs painting rather than glazing.

"I seized this invitation as an opportunity to show my newest works which are studies in form and surface treatment," said Marsh.

The exhibit runs through December 28. For more information, check MarinMOCA's website here.

Marin Focus: Inspiration from metal and poetry for jeweler Kate Ellen

"The trained hand does not forget its skill, nor can we lay the precision and speed aside: strength we have, and courage in the acetylene will."

The diminutive, dark-haired jeweler Kate Ellen recites the line from poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, from memory.

"Metal itself is inspiring, adds the twenty seven-year-old jewelry designer,  "It is a really weird property--it is really strong and it's also malleable. If worst comes to worst, and I blow something, I can melt it down and then it becomes a raw material again."

The dichotomy of fine poetry and hard-edged metal, is the inspiration for this artisan's totally hand-crafted and completely unique jewelry designs.

Calling all poets!

The Marin Arts Council is now accepting Marin Poet Laureate nominations for poets in Marin, until February 10, 2010. According to the posting, the 'person nominated, must have contributed to Marin County's poetic
community, must have written poetry of merit and should be comfortable with public presentation and interaction'.

The Poet Laureate works to promote poetry, initiate dialogue between poet and community, encourages writing, creates new works and represents Marin in the wider community among other things. Marin's current Poet Laureate, Albert Flynn DeSilver, was the first person to become Poet Laureate in 2008. He created the Marin Poetry Chair (shown at left) project during his tenure.

The Marin Poet Laureate will serve for two years- 2010 to 2012. The Marin Arts Council is expected to name the new Poet Laureate in April, 2010.

(Photo of Marin Poetry Chair is courtesy of MarinPoetryChair.org)

Marin Focus: Actor (& storyteller) Phil Sheridan

By Joan Lisetor-

He falls to the ground, victim of a heart attack. The medics arrive.

"Good God, get him to a hospital, quick..."

There are helicopters overhead, sirens, flashing lights, breaking glass.

Historic wooden boat center celebrates the new and the old

"Western christening started with the Norse and when they launched a long boat, they used to do a human sacrifice and put a little blood on the bow. We checked with Sausalito City and they kind of frowned on that so we're doing the more updated version."

Forgoing the blood for the bubbly, the speaker christened and launched the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center's newest wooden boat, the Lightly Salted. The 12-foot Norwegian sailing pram was designed and built entirely by hand from students at the Spaulding Youth Boat Building Program at the Center in Sausalito.

(Click to enlarge photos, and see all the photos in the photo album here.)