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We Care Arts

Arts & Drafts is the summer festival you never knew you needed!

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Can you believe it’s August already? I know, me either. Back to school time is around the corner. This is the point in the year when you have to ask yourself if you’ve really made the most of these fleeting summer months. If you’re in need of a rockin’ outdoor party with sweet bands, hot BBQ, root beer floats, tasty brews, with a kid zone  – without going far from home – you’re in for a treat this Saturday. The cynic might say “Well that sounds like any other festival…” Actually, no – on top of all that – there is a tattoo convention indoors too! Whoa!
The We Care Arts annual Arts & Drafts Festival is a true entertainment extravaganza! Join the party from 2-10pm on August 3rd at the We Care Arts Berkeley Studio at 3035 Wilmington Pk in Kettering. All ages welcome! $10 at the door or pre-sale. Check out all the fun and special treats in store for festival goers below. Plus! All proceeds directly go back to We Care Art’s mission to turn disabilities into possibilities!

A variety of regional acts are performing at We Care Art’s Arts & Drafts Festival on August 3, 2019.

For Music Fan’s listening pleasure:

* 2pm – Doug Hart – longtime staple in the Dayton Blues community
* 2:40pm – Woodsii – a California girl who will steal your heart!
* 3:30pm – Christopher Heider  – a Dayton guitarist and Arts & Drafts enthisiast
* 4:30pm – Nasty Bingo – a special set from this outstanding folkadelic four piece
* 5:35pm – Founding Fathers – an innovative alternative band from Cincinnati
* 6:45pm – isicle – our “in between sets” DJ performs a live looping set to get ya movin’
* 7:30-9:45pm – Wolf Moon Revival – takin’ it home with blues rock for your soul
Plus we have Zac Pitts from Sound Valley as our emcee and Brad Denson rockin’ sound!
Thinking about getting a tattoo? Get one on site! Yes really!
* Dustin Clark, Artie Perkins, and Jenny Reeves from Truth & Triumph
* Blake Moran and Natasha Woolley from Unfiltered Ink
* Cody Torres from Blue Byrd Tattoo
For the Thirsty & Hungry, we are thrilled to serve Dayton’s best:
*Craft Beers & non-alcoholic beers from Warped Wing Brewery
*Cocktails using Dayton made Buckeye Vodka – with an *exclusive* Arts & Drafts drink: The Dayton Mule – featuring Warped Wing ginger beer with Buckeye Vodka!
*Food from Bricky Barrels Smoked BBQ – featuring a memu of smoked bbq ribs, pulled pork, chicken, hot dogs, smoked cheddar Mac and cheese, coleslaw and baked beans and more!
*We Care Arts will also be selling Philly Pretzel Factory and homemade root beer floats featuring Warped Wing root beer and Fox & Hound ice cream!

Wild Hearts African Zoo is bringing an animal or two for kids to check out at the Arts & Drafts Festival on August 3, 2019.

For the Kiddos:
*Wild Heart African Farm will be stopping by with a special animal! Adorable!
*Prime Time Party Rental has generously donated a load of games to play.
*Our new Programming Director Caitlin Cartwright will be face painting too!
HOW TO GO:
  • The We Care Arts annual Arts & Drafts Festival  from 2-10pm on August 3rd
    • Address: 3035 Wilmington Pk in Kettering.
  • Parking is available in nearby lots or residential streets.
    • Going to drink? We encourage you to get a ride, Lyft or Uber on your way!
  • All ages welcome!
  • $10 at the door or for pre-sale click here.

Run, Stroll & Roll to support We Care Arts on August 3rd!

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Whether you are an active runner, a walker, or in a wheelchair – you are very welcome to join on this year’s Run, Stroll & Roll 5k on August 3, 2019. This special 5k event benefits We Care Arts, a local nonprofit that  believes in the healing power of creating and producing art that transforms physical, developmental and mental challenges into a future rich with possibilities!

This 5k is fully accessible and intended for all levels of physical ability. All participants will receive a hand-crafted, one of a kind medal, created by one of the client artists, and an exceptional “swag bag” filled with goodies by event sponsors. Each 5k participant bag also includes a voucher for one free admission to the Arts & Drafts Festival event held later that same day. Top male and female in the 5K receive a hand-painted mug!

The 5k starts at 8am, with participant registration beginning at 7am. Race Day sign up will be available at the registration tent on the Kettering Rec Center parking lot side of Indian Riffle Park, 2900 Glengarry Drive in Kettering. Sign up for the race here:

How To Go?

August 3, 2019. Check-in at 7am, RUN, STROLL and ROLL begins at 8:00 am! Registration and parking on the Kettering Recreation Complex side, 2900 Glengarry Drive, Kettering, Ohio

Registration fees
June 1 through July 26, 2019
$30 (shirt included, save $5 and select no shirt)

July 27 through race day 
$35 (shirt not be guaranteed)

$15 Fun Run, Stroll, and Roll

Sign up or get more info here: https://5kwecarearts.itsyourrace.com

Awards
Each participant will receive a hand-crafted ceramic medal created by the clients at We Care Arts and a free entry to We Care Arts ARTS and DRAFTS celebration that evening. Below are two examples of the unique medals participants will receive.

 

We Care Arts presents Debut Gallery Show!

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Calling all art lovers! The local nonprofit, We Care Arts, is hosting it’s first ever gallery show White Knight this Friday June 14th from 6-8pm at their Berkeley Center studio location at 3035 Wilmington Pike in Kettering. Kick off the weekend with exclusive art pieces, online bidding, a gallery shop and more! Not only are you getting original and unique art, you are supporting an impactful area nonprofit. All proceeds will empower artists to achieve their goals.

We Care Arts believes in the healing power of creating and producing art that transforms physical, developmental and mental health challenges into a future rich with possibilities. Since 1983, We Care Arts has been providing a caring and safe space for artists to engage in artistic exploration as they work through life’s challenges.

This debut dual exhibition show and reception will feature two Dayton-based artists, Teresa White and Mitchell Knight, from We Care Arts. Teresa White is a sculptor from Dayton, OH.  She enjoys creating whimsical animal shapes, drawing inspiration from colors and forms in nature. She finds happiness in the process of developing each piece and sharing her art with others. Mitchell Knight is a painter from Dayton, OH.  He graduated from Chaminade Julienne High School.  Mitchell enjoys art because it allows him to focus on what he is creating and enjoy that moment.  Mitchell specializes in abstract paintings on canvas, and is inspired by the lines and shapes found in art by Paul Klee. 

Both artists attend programming at We Care Arts where they have developed collections.  Teresa’s unique ceramic pieces have become quite popular at the studio.  Mitchell creates modern acrylic paintings that have been quite popular among buyers. Mitchell also currently has a piece on display in the VSA Ohio’s Accessible Expressions Ohio statewide exhibition for 2019.

Art by Mitchell Knight created at We Care Arts – Berkley Studio

How To Go?

Friday June 14th from 6-8pm

We Care Arts is located at 3035 Wilmington Pike in Kettering, OH just south of Dorothy Lane and across from Eudora Brewery.

Parking is available in the back of the studio. 

This is a free event, open to the public!

Can’t make the gallery?  View/Shop the collection online – https://one.bidpal.net/wecareshow/welcome

If you would like to see more about We Care Arts, please visit them online at wecarearts.org and follow on social media. 

For gallery information, you may contact Rebekah Orr at [email protected] or by phone at 937 252 3937.

    

 

 

 

Toxic Brew 5th Anniversary/Block Party

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Toxic Brewery Unveils the Grapefruit Yoga IPA at the Night Market this Friday June 12th

Toxic Brew Company opened the first craft brewery in Dayton, Ohio in June of 2013 after Dayton saw a 52 year beer drought in the city. In celebration of their 5-year anniversary, Toxic Brew Company, which is located at 431 E. 5th St., will be closing down Jackson St. next to the brewery to raise funds for We Care Arts from 1pm to 8pm on Saturday, June 9th.

“This year we want to make it more than just about the beer,” owner Shane Juhl says. “We have teamed up with a lot of great folks to bring in street vendors, food trucks, animals, live painting events, bands, DJ’s, and giant-sized outdoor games just to name a few.” We Care Arts is a local charity that believes in the healing power of creating and producing art that transforms physical, developmental and mental challenges into a future rich with possibilities. Located at Berkeley Center, 3035 Wilmington Pike, Kettering, OH, it’s a place where people with disabilities learn independence and build self-esteem. Those with emotional, mental and/or physical disabilities can come to the facility and create artwork which fosters confidence and empowerment.

Toxic will also be highlighting multiple local and independent street vendors this year which include Mike’s Bike Park, Salon Noir, Reclaimed Bell, Luna Gifts and Botanicals and more.  For entertainment, Dayton’s own NightBeast and Tino will perform beginning at 6pm. There will also be DJ sets throughout the day by Scratchmatic, Fatty Lumpkin, and DJ Nicky-T. You won’t have to go far for food as The Oregon District boasts some fantastic restaurants and the Drunken Waffle food truck will be on site. Craving something sweet? Look no further than Gypsy Lane Dessert Studio.

In addition, Toxic Brew has partnered with Dayton Sportical, Dayton’s adult sports/social group, to bring in outdoor games like cornhole, giant Jenga, and more. There will also be face painting for children and other live art demonstrations as well as pups to pet thanks to AdoptAPit Rescue.

 

 

Top Ten for Dayton Visual Arts, 2014

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10418433_10154296147210506_6873008819514318165_nFor the second year in a row, Shayna V. McConville, Cultural Arts Manager for the City of Kettering, has put together and shared with us her look back at the best of 2014.  We hope you enjoy it!

Another year of amazing art exhibitions, artists and events!  Although I couldn’t make it to everything and even putting this list together was challenging because of the many, many terrific activities of 2014, this does offer a glimpse of a great year of creativity in Dayton. Enjoy!

The Motel Beds and We Care Arts
January 18
Yellow CabIMG_3441

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We Care Arts, a nonprofit organization supporting artists with disabilities, and The Motel Beds, a Dayton-based rock/indie band, collaborated on an art/record series that would in turn support the WCA mission. WCA clients created 500 unique LP covers for the release of the Motel Beds’ “These are the Days Gone By.” A fundraiser, live performance and exhibition, the record release/art exhibition celebrated the musical and visual community in an accessible, meaningful evening, celebrating so many things that are great in Dayton.

Benjamin Entner and Steven H. Silberg
April 21 – May 16, 2014
Rosewood Gallery

entner_Colossus

The artwork of Benjamin Entner and Steven Silberg were refreshing examples of artwork not meant to hang on a gallery wall or sit on a pedestal. Entner’s singular piece Colossus was a larger-than-life, realistic inflatable black marker drawing of the artist, the figure’s feet crushing against one gallery wall and his head another. Floor to ceiling, the sculpture’s unexpected scale was awe-inspiring, as was encountering the subject himself, clad only in socks. Silberg, on the other hand, works primarily with the pixel, transforming vernacular pieces of technology into interactive artworks. When a viewer entered the gallery, a video camera activated and recorded movements throughout the space. These movements were translated into layers of color and form on a projection, thrown onto a large gallery wall. The longer the visitor was active in the space, the more complex the composition became, capturing layers upon layers of imagery. Read more about the exhibitions here.

Migiwa Orimo, Adornments
Dayton Art Institute’s Experiencenter
May 10, 2014 – April 12, 2015

Ordinary household items find transformation into beautiful, fancy objects, in the series Adornment. Migiwa Orimo, an artist known for her work exploring humanity and narrative through thoughtful, carefully constructed installations and paintings, created a subtle and exquisite body of work with these altered, everyday objects. Tassels, gemstones and ribbons adorn gloves, mop head yarn and mirrors; a carefully constructed cape and a banner; all pieces perfectly neutralized in immaculate white and frames.Architecture Week Kettering Art Tour
May 12, 2014

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AIA Dayton celebrated Architecture Week 2014 with many activities, including a night of contemporary art and mid-century modern design. Organized by AIA member and artist Terry Welker, the private mid-century home of painter Susanne Scherette King was opened to participants, with architectural details, period furnishings, and her own contemporary paintings on display. Following King’s home, Studio 4095 at Town & Country Shopping Center, one of the first suburban shopping centers of its kind in the US, highlighted both the revitalization of an older Kettering landmark as well as the artwork of painter Ron Rollins and sculptor Terry Welker. Read more here.

Third on Third
Front Street

Rediscovering a place lost in the busy hum of a city is an exciting moment, particularly when it’s assets and vitality are brought into focus by a fresh, timely resurgence of activity. This is the beauty of the monthly Third on Third events, taking place both in an outdoor market on Third Street and also the Front Street Warehouses. With studios open to the public, the third floor of Front Street is suddenly a lively, creative place, allowing access to established and new artists and gallery spaces. Spearheaded by Peter Bekendorf of the Collaboratory, Third on Third is creating a new momentum for this arts destination.HWD Regional Sculpture Competition
August 25 – September 26, 2014
Rosewood Gallery

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Featuring sculpture by artists from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, this year’s HWD Regional Sculpture Exhibition was an incredible variety of materials, techniques and concepts. Particularly interesting where the sheep rug, bear skin, aviation inspired sculptures and the use of common materials transformed into dense, lovely sculptures. Read more about the exhibition here.

Variations on Likeness: Keliy Anderson-Staley, Glenna Jennings, Julie Jones and Daniel McInnis
September 5 – October 18, 2014
Dayton Visual Arts Center

Daniel J. McInnis, "Geoffrey and Kristen, Chicago," 2012, analog chromogenic print

A curated selection of photographic portraiture including tintypes, installation, and large format pieces, the exhibition was thoughtfully selected and interesting in content, technique and formats. Anderson-Staley’s tintypes were mesmerizing visions into the faces of people from around the country, through the use of an intimate, romantic process; McInnis’ large format portraits captured individuals and couples in their own environments in great detail with clarity and vulnerability. Read more about the exhibition here.

Mary Ellen Croteau and Locked-In
Yellow Springs Arts Council Gallery
October and November 2014

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Chicago-based artist Croteau inspired many artists and visitors this fall with her installations created from found plastic objects. Collecting thousands of bottle caps and disposable shopping bags, Croteau has built new worlds out of plastic waste, drawing attention to the excessive materials utilized for each installation. Bottle cap paintings and recreations of a corral reef out of woven plastic bags were exciting and easily translatable to DIY art projects (although perhaps not at the same level of Croteau’s mastery). As Croteau’s exhibition came down, “Locked In” began. Three artists were selected to live in the gallery space with the following rules: 3 Days Locked In to Create an Art Installation, 3 Art Tools Each, 3 Boxes of Unknown Stuff to Work From, 1 Videographer 24/3 Filming It All. It was an unusual premise with incredible negotiations, ideas and processes, resulting in a successfully unique experiment. Read more about Croteau’s exhibition here.

Dick Black Estate Sale
October 24 – 25
Dayton Visual Arts Center

For over five decades, Richard Black churned out illustrations, graphic designs, paintings and drawings as a prolific artist and arts educator. When he passed away early in 2014, he left behind a massive collection of thousands of artworks. A weekend sale purged this collection—walls were filled from floor to ceiling with paintings, tables were layers deep in illustrations and sketches, and portfolios were bulging with graphic design work. The sale was a remarkable event, an uncurated view into the reality of an artist’s lifetime of production. Oddly, we were witness to work that was never meant to find an audience alongside work that put Black on the national art scene. The display of the bad, mediocre and the gems made this artist suddenly vulnerable but also allowed us a deeper understanding of his world.4th Annual Art Off
November 14
K12 and Tejas

An annual fundraising event for the K12 and Tejas scholarship program, Art Off was a lively, participatory event featuring artists of all ages. Painting over the course of a few intense hours, spectators watched and even voted for their favorite artist. Finished pieces were auctioned off, with an elementary school and high school “artist” taking first and second place for their innovative, unexpected and passionate paintings. Proclaiming this as the “Iron Chef” style battle for visual artists, the energy, variety of skills, diversity of participating artists and clear passion for art made this event dynamic and celebratory.Bonus Picks:

Beth Holyoke
Dayton Visual Arts Center
January 17 – February 28

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Whimsical, funny, dramatic and sincere, Holyoke’s ceramic portraits touched upon a multitude of ideas of self, ethnicity, origin and color. A part of the REACH conference, which explores cultural similarities and differences, Holyoke’s work was a testament to the diversity of humanity, beyond her masterful ceramic techniques. Read more here.

Materialized
October 27 – December 7
Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries at Wright State University

Featuring 58 artists incorporating three-dimensional printing into their artwork, this exhibition was a glimpse into the present and future of this tool.Deco Japan
November 15, 2014 – January 25, 2015
Dayton Art Institute

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A traveling exhibition featuring the decorative arts from an era marked by cultural shifts and Western influence, Deco Japan brought another world to life through prints, textiles, ceramics, metals, jewelry, painting and sculpture.

We Care Arts Cookie Walk This Saturday

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WCA-CookieWalk-Dec2014We all want fun, festive cookies for holiday parties and to bring as hostess gifts when visiting for the holidays.  But sometimes finding the time to shop for all the ingredients, find the time to bake and then decorate all those cookies is just impossible.  Don’t fret, just plan on heading to the We Care Arts Cookie Walk  this Saturday starting at 10am.  You’ll have the opportunity to stock up on holiday cookies while helping We Care Arts raise much-needed funds for their  programs.

How does it work?
Thousands of the most gorgeous, bite-size, melt-in-your-mouth cookies will be arranged on long tables. At the start of the cookie walk, you will receive a food service glove and a bakery box. Proceeding along the cookie tables, you select as many cookies as you want, in as many varieties as you want. At the end of the walk, your
box (or boxes!) of cookies is weighed. The cost? Just $7 per pound.

How can you help?
Please consider helping  by donating home-baked cookies for our event. The guidelines for donations are as follows:
1. Please contact Pat Maple at 252-3937 or [email protected]g to confirm your donation to the Cookie Walk.

2. Make your cookies extraordinary! This is an event where people can purchase homemade cookies that they normally would not make themselves. Ethnic or unusual ingredients, dipped cookies, or a variation on an old favorite are big sellers. We also welcome diabetic-friendly cookies as well as bite-sized bar cookies.

3. Homemade candies and snacks are also accepted.

4. Please include a 3×5 card with the name of the cookie and listed ingredients to inform persons with food allergies. This card will be set out with the cookies, so please print! Also specify on your 3×5 card if the cookie is diabetic friendly or sugar-free. (If you wish to be contacted for donations for next year, please fill out the form below and return it with your donation.)

Cookies must be delivered to We Care Arts, 3035 Wilmington Pike, on Friday, December 5, between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM.
We Care Arts is grateful for any participation you can offer. The Cookie Walk will help raise funds and awareness of We Care Arts while providing a fun (and yummy!) event for the community during the holiday season.  Please call We Care Arts at 252-3937 if you would like to volunteer to work at the Cookie Walk. Thank you!

Motel Beds Celebrate New Album, New Record Deal With A Special Twist

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Ian Kaplan, drummer for the Dayton rock band Motel Beds, is sitting at one of the tables near the bar area at South Park Tavern with myself and the band’s manager, Dave Obenour.  The establishment has a pretty decent crowd on this night, even with snow blanketing the city.  The mix of classic rock along with some other genres is blaring through the speakers.  The superior collection of beers and their fantastic pizza once again gives the patrons the feeling of ecstasy and fulfillment.  To those who come here frequently, it’s just another night.  While sitting at our table, Kaplan leans his back on the column that is positioned right behind him. While I was drinking one of the assortments of MadTree Brewery that South Park Tavern has on tap and Obenour was taking in his beer of choice, Kaplan slips on a glass of water with a lemon floating around with the ice cubes.  It seems that he is savoring this evening at the tavern.

In all actuality, this evening at the tavern is probably a nice break from the chaotic road that Kaplan and his other band mates (Tommy Cooper, Darryl Robbins, PJ Paslosky, Tod Weidner) have been traveling on.  For starters, the group re-released their 2011 album Sunfried Dreams on vinyl for the first time in July from Brian Candy Creative and threw a vinyl release party at Blind Bobs.  In August, two huge events took place: the band signed a deal with Misra Records and played at the Fraze Pavilion located in Kettering, Ohio.  This Saturday, Motel Beds will be releasing their first album under the Misra Records label These are the Days Gone By and will be playing a show at Yellow Cab.

The signing of Motel Beds to Misra Records is one of the recent big splashes for the label.  Leo DeLuca, who is part of the folk rock band Southeast Engine, took over the company in 2010 from Cory Brown.  Brown, who is owner of Absolutely Kosher Records located in Emeryville, California, signed Southeast Engine while he was running Misra.  When DeLuca took over, he operated the label in Durham, North Carolina till 2012.  At the time he decided that it was time to pack it up and move back to his hometown, Dayton.  DeLuca has signed R. Ring, which features The Breeders’ Kelley Deal and Ampline’s Mike Montgomery, and also has released the debut album from Crooks on Tape (which includes Brainiac’s John Schmersal).

“I have talked to Leo a couple of times over the past couple of years”, Kaplan said on the beginning of Motel Beds being signed on to the label.  “I think he saw the momentum building and he said let’s try this out.  We were very flattered.”

These are the Days Gone By will consist of 10 songs that the band has previously released over the years, along with two never-before-released tracks.

“With us getting signed with Misra and us being together for 10 years, Leo wanted to put out a ‘retrospective’ of sorts”, explained Kaplan.  “We thought that this would be a good introduction for people who don’t know us yet.”  These are the Days Gone By has been remastered by Carl Saff,  who has helped master albums by Guided by Voices, Dinosaur Jr. just to name a few.  Another new wrinkle to the album, Weidner went back and added bass parts to the songs.  For fans that have come to know and love the band, they will be thrilled to have this as part of the already impressive catalog that the band has released.  For folks that will be hearing the band for the first time, they will be experiencing the band’s eclectic blend of surf rock to the hypnotic lo-fi play.  The songs are quick in time with most not going longer than 3 minutes, but leave a long-lasting impression that make you continue coming back for more.  To most around the Dayton area, Motel Beds is one of the premiere bands that give outsiders an inside look at just how good our scene is here.

The first 500 LP’s released will have a little something distinctive.  Each of the album covers has been individually hand-painted by the artists at We Care Arts, which is located locally in Kettering, Ohio.  We Care Arts is a non-profit organization that helps emotionally, mentally and physically disabled adults and youth achieve greater personal independence. To do so, We Care Arts provides a variety of art classes and experiences.  They also promote the artist’s individuality, self-esteem, community skills, and ability to focus, life skills, responsibility, confidence and job skills.  Extensive training is provided for each artist in a creative area appropriate for his/her interests including painting, pottery, computer art/design, jewelry making and sewing.  Through the creation and sale of their individually crafted items, artists are able to affirm their self-worth, take steps back into the mainstream of society and receive a supplemental income. We Care Arts provide all training and materials to artists and a portion of the proceeds of all sales is returned to the artist. The remainder goes back to program funding.

Portions of the sales from These are the Days Gone By will be donated to We Care Arts.  The band posted on their Facebook page recently some of the covers that will be gracing the cover, and the response was incredible.  “We are getting interest from all over the United States and we even had someone from Europe wondering how they could get their hands on one of them”, Kaplan revealed.  This past Sunday, the band, along with Obenour, went to We Care Arts to check out the album covers and filled the sleeves.

The Motel Beds plans for 2014 as of now include performing at their second South By Southwest Music Festival between March 11-16 in Austin, Texas.  They will be also performing at the Nelsonville Music Festival in Nelsonville, Ohio on the weekend of May 29-June 1.  Motel Beds also plan on playing some other shows on top of those two festivals.  Most importantly, their second album under the Misra label will be started.  “We have been writing for over a year already”, Kaplan stated.  “We really want to keep our hand close on this next one and really knock it out of the park.”

Before the shows start to come, before the chaotic rush begins again, Kaplan was able to take a deep breath and relax for a second on this cold and snowy evening at South Park Tavern.

And that was plenty good for him.

Motel Beds will be releasing a soft, limited release of These are the Days Gone By and will be playing alongside Good English and Smug Brothers at Yellow Cab this Saturday night.  Doors open at 7pm, with the show starting at 8pm.  To purchase your tickets early, click on this website:  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/546766.

Here is the track listing for These are the Days Gone By:

1. These are the Days Gone By

2. Ocean Flows

3. Skymade Suit

4. Cactus Kiss

5. Surfjerk

6. Valentimes

7. Lights On

8. Western Son

9. Tropics Of The Sand

10. Sunfried Dreams (alternate version)

11. I’ve Been Waiting

12. Smoke Your Homework

Motel Beds ‘These are Days Gone By’ Vinyl Pre-Release show

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Motel Beds 'These are Days Gone By' Vinyl Pre-Release show

The fantastic Motel Beds are presenting a rare opportunity for Dayton and Miami Valley music fans on January 18th (doors open at 7pm and show starts at 8pm sharp — so get there early)!

In conjunction with We Care Arts and Misra Records, The Motel Beds invite you to join them as they review their musical career with friends and musical allies Smug Brothers and Good English at an All Ages show at the Yellow Cab building on Saturday, January 18!

The ‘Beds are doing what we call a soft, limited release of a retrospective that they are titling after one of their best songs, “These are the Days Gone By.”  500 hand-painted LP covers will be available at the show.  The artists at We Care Arts who will receive a portion of the proceeds — created the unique and distinctive covers (some of which you can see on the poster to the right).  This is a soft, pre-release — meaning you cannot get this anywhere else — for the first 500 LPs and only the first 5oo; they’ve all been hand-painted by the artists at We Care Arts (“changing disabilities into possibilities”) you can learn more about WCA at their website – http://www.wecarearts.org/.  The album will be released internationally later in 2014 on Misra Records.

According to the band, “These are the Days Gone By” is a collection of Motel Beds singles, outtakes, and live favorites that represent the history and development of the band. The songs have been remastered by Carl Saff (Dinosaur Jr, GBV, etc) and include added bass parts by local Dayton music legend, Tod Weidner.  This is a musical experience not to be missed!

BIO FOR MOTEL BEDS “THESE ARE THE DAYS GONE BY” (courtesy of The Motel Beds)

MOTEL BEDS are a rock & roll band from Dayton, Ohio – a delightfully detached underdog city nestled in the heart of The Heartland. Seasoned veterans, Beds have worked alongside local music advocates Kelley Deal (Deal duets on the lusciously hushed “Tropics of the Sand”) and Robert Pollard (guitarist Derl Robbins has recorded Guided By Voices). Allies aside, when it comes to rock & roll, The Motel Beds speak for themselves.

“These Are the Days Gone By” reveals the fruits of Beds’ labor these latter years. The album is an electrifying collection of “hits,” remastered by Carl Saff (GBV, Dinosaur Jr., etc.) and featuring added bass parts by new(est) member and local ace Tod Weidner. Over a 12-song cycle, the proficiency with which Tommy Cooper and P.J. Paslosky (Motel Beds’ core songwriting duo) augment a solid hook is clearly set on display.

While “Days” largely finds Ian Kaplan at work as one of the finest rock drummers around today (not an embellishment), Beds demonstrate their versatility with two never-before-released tracks: a poppier version of 2011’s “Sunfried Dreams” and a beautiful acoustic cover of Matthew Sweet’s “I’ve Been Waiting”; the latter proving Paslosky to be much more than a rock vocalist. In addition to recording Motel Beds in a visionary manner, guitarist Derl Robbins adds his own unmistakable style and sound.

True to Dayton (see GBV’s “Propeller”), the first 500 LPs are all one-of-a-kind. Each cover was individually hand-painted by the artists at We Care Arts: a non-profit dedicated to “changing disabilities into possibilities.” A portion of the proceeds from these first 500 will go to benefit WCA.

In his glowing review of “Dumb Gold” (2012), AllMusic Senior Editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted, “[This] is an album that deserves to break them out of the Rust Belt and onto the larger stage; it’s one of the best straight-ahead indie rock records of 2012.” “Days” takes all of “Dumb Gold’s” assets – song writing, hooks, musicianship, energy and ups them ad infinitum. It’s a remarkable rock record and one that finds Motel Beds carrying the torch for Dayton, Ohio’s independent music scene.

Track List:

1. These are the Days Gone By
2. Ocean Flows
3. Skymade Suit
4. Cactus Kiss
5. Surfjerk
6. Valentimes
7. Lights On
8. Western Son
9. Tropics Of The Sand
10. Sunfried Dreams (alternate version)
11. I’ve Been Waiting
12. Smoke Your Homework

Cross posted at Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative

We Care Arts Celebrates 30 Years

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busyin the studioThirty years is a remarkable amount of time.  In a culture where TV shows are cancelled almost as soon as they begin, and businesses rise and fall with the latest trend, commanding longevity in an ever-changing world means you know how to leverage good fortune, anticipate change, and strategize for the future.

Celebrating their 30-year anniversary, We Care Arts, a Kettering non-profit that teaches art to people with disabilities, has succeeding in doing just that, and their place in the artistic and special needs communities continues to blossom.

“What we do here is very important to a lot of people,” explained Shari Hignite, the program coordinator for We Care Arts.  “Without us, many of our clients have nowhere else to go. Many of them have tried other agencies or methods to help them, but they have not had any success.  Art is a powerful tool, and our programs help them in ways that nothing else will.”

In 2012 alone, We Care Arts served about 900 clients across four counties in more than a dozen creative fields including woodworking, painting, knitting, sewing, and jewelry making.  These are awe-inspiring statistics, considering how they modestly began in a closet attached to the Rose E. Miller Recreation Center’s wood shop to accommodate two clients (one of which was taught by We Care Arts’ executive director, Terry Schalnat).

long view of studioFlash forward three decades.  We Care Arts experienced a rapid-fire expansion that included adding a gift shop, changing locations, and developing nearly two dozen outreach programs to aid as many demographics as possible.  And they are still expanding.  “We’ve been at our Wilmington Pike location for nine years, and it’s amazing how we are already busting at the seams,” said Brenda Thieman, We Care Arts’ bookkeeper.

During We Care Arts’ 30 years, the staff has witnessed radical transformations–mentally, emotionally, and spiritually–in many of their clients from their newfound sense of pride and self-worth.

“We have had so many people come through our doors broken, in mind and spirit,” mentioned Hignite.  “They come to us at their lowest low; at the beginning of the rebuilding process.  We provide them with advice, encouragement, and the tools to start moving upward.  Many of our clients have gone on to college, gotten jobs, started families, mended fences, left their abusers, and improved their lives.”

Considering the outpouring of inspirational stories, it’s no wonder that We Care Arts is celebrated by the citizens of Dayton.

“I think if we can continue to provide the community with a safe place for people, then we have met our goals,” offerlincoln park (1)ed Hignite.  “What we do here is very important to so many individuals, yet it is really simple.  We are kind. We are supportive, encouraging, loving, and caring.  It is amazing what people can do when given the right tools and a little encouragement.”

Hignite mentioned that We Care Arts has several new programs in the works.  They currently teach one class at each school they serve, but they have been asked to do more, in addition to piloting initiatives at other schools.  They are also thinking about creating more programs for nursing homes.

To supply their massive reach, We Care Arts is always in need of donations, both monetary and in-kind, and they also rely upon the dedication of sundry volunteers who help in-class, serve on committees, man the gift shop, and organize fundraisers in tandem to a variety of other duties.  But one of the best ways to contribute to this organization takes very little time.

“What I hope for the most is that more people become aware of us and visit our gift shop,” mentioned Hignite.  “When people purchase something made by our clients, it lifts them more than anything else. It is a validation that they are worth something.”

The gift shop certainly has something for everyone and every budget, offering paintings, comic books, household items, coffee mugs, baby blankets, cards, painted wine glasses, and more.  They also strive to offer a wide array of seasonal items, especially for Mother’s Day and Christmas, which are some of their busiest times in-store.

In talking with the We Care Arts’ staff, their passion for their vocation is evident, and it is certainly one of the driving forces behind We Care Arts’ success.

“This is the first job I have ever had that I love getting up to go to,” exclaimed Thieman.  “Even when I have a bad day, I can take a minute to just visit with a client, and my spirits are lifted.”

Echoing the comments of Thieman, Bruce Rill, a tenured instructor at We Care Arts, offered these parting words:

“Art has great value in the lives of all human beings, no matter where they are in life,” he explained. “We are blessed to use our gifts, all the while learning from others.”

We Care Arts will have their Garden Party fundraiser on Saturday, May 4th.  For more information about their programs and upcoming events, visit www.wecarearts.org or call 252-3937.  We Care Arts is located at 3035 Wilmington Pike, Kettering, OH, 45429.  Their gift shop is open Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.