Thursday, October 25, 2007

november @ thump

First Friday Art Walk: Friday, November 2 (and continuing throughout November)

ART: Mark Bernahl's "Altered Books" and Artists Local 101's "Altered Stations"

Local artist Mark Bernahl displays his "Altered Books" this month. "I started sculpting into books partly because I am color blind and this limited the type of art I can make," Berhahl explains. "Plus, I always strive for making art that is beautiful and unique."

Bernahl says it takes him approximately a week to carve one of his book sculptures. He chooses the images he carves from the title or the pages in the book. "When I see any book the first thing that comes to my mind is what sculpture is already in it, and can I get it out."

Bernahl's "Wishes" installation has become a fixture at the downtown Bend coffeehouse, and continues to hang from the ceiling because it has been so well received. "When I started making art I could not afford traditional art materials and framing my art was not an option," says Bernahl. "So I started making art that did not have to be framed. This led me to making art in non traditional ways."

Before moving to Bend eight years ago, Bernahl studied architecture in Colorado and Illinois. He is actively involved in Artists Local 101 and recently presented a seminar, "Artist Portfolio on the Web," at the Deschutes County Public Library in Bend.

Read more about Mark Bernahl.

ART: Artists Local 101's "Altered Stations"

Artists Local 101 is a "hard-working band of art rebels dedicated to instigating and promoting contemporary and outsider art in Central Oregon, taking art out into the streets, and providing opportunities for artists and the community to experience art in the everyday."

During November, the group members put their own unique spin on the elaborate alters lovingly constructed to honor passed family and friends during Mexico's traditional celebration, Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Entitled "Altered Stations," each artist creates a personal shrine or alter which is on display at various locations. We
will have at least one of them here, as well as maps for self-guided tours of the other works.

Read more about Artists Local 101.

Sunday, November 18, 1:30-2:30pm

CUPPING: Coffee Tasting

Our cuppings are meant to be fun - not wine tasting snobbery. Although it is serious business, as you can tell from this description by the aptly named CoffeeGeek.com:

"Taste can be a very fleeting sensation, and in the span of microseconds many flavors will wash across the palate at the same time. The challenge is to become skilled at noticing, identifying, and describing those flavor sensations in a way that is meaningful to you.

"A wide range of vocabulary can be used to describe the tastes found in coffee. Descriptors range from the familiar (chocolatey, sweet, fruity) to the conceptual (clean, vibrant, sturdy) to the wildly esoteric (summery, racy, gentlemanly). I've heard coffees compared to Kevin Costner, Honda Accords, and cold winter nights.

"What matters is that the description is purposeful and attempts to communicate the essential nature of the coffee using language that people can relate to. Taste can be a very personal experience, and memories of tastes that you've experienced in the past form the background against which new tastes are evaluated and understood."

Read more about cupping.

thump coffee is located at 25 NW Minnesota Ave. in downtown Bend.
Please visit thumpcoffee.com or call 388-0226.

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