Friday, February 27, 2009

Stand Among Friends Raising Money and Awareness Through 'Food, Friends & Fine Wine' Benefit

BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Stand Among Friends, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting opportunities for people with disabilities, will hold its ninth annual benefit, entitled "Food, Friends & Fine Wine," tonight at the Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton. Pompano Beach-based Cash4Gold.com, America's #1 buyer of precious metals direct from the general public, has underwritten the event as its title sponsor.

The "Food, Friends & Fine Wine" event will feature 400 wines from the 2nd Annual American Fine Wine Competition and a gourmet dinner prepared by the renowned Chef Bart Messing. There will be both a live and silent auction, and performance artist Bran Olsen will entertain guests with his "Art in Action." More than 100 guests are expected to attend.

"We are so grateful for the tremendous generosity of Cash4Gold and our other sponsors," said Stand Among Friends President and Founder Shawn Friedkin. "Without them, this event, and our ongoing effort in aiding people with disabilities, would simply not be possible."

"I've known and admired Shawn and his work for years," said Cash4Gold President Howard Mofshin. "Cash4Gold CEO Jeff Aronson and I are proud to support Shawn and his team's great work at Stand Among Friends."

Friedkin has experienced first-hand how frustrating it can be for people with disabilities to access the information and resources available to them. A few years after becoming paralyzed in an accident in 1992, Friedkin created Stand Among Friends, which has created outreach programs, an intensive practical research program, an educational television show, and informational programs for the disabled. Since its inception, the organization has raised significant dollars in support of these programs, which include topics such as Employment for People with Disabilities, Disability Sensitivity, and Injury Prevention for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury.

About Stand Among Friends

Stand Among Friends, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was formed to promote opportunities for people with disabilities. Stand Among Friends was formed in 1997 by Shawn Friedkin who, after being paralyzed in a car accident, was frustrated with the lack of information and resources available to people with disabilities. Stand Among Friends has collaborated with Florida Atlantic University to create the Center for the Study of Neurological Disabilities on FAU's campus and a program that promotes employment for graduating disabled students. The organization regularly airs an educational television show entitled "Life Without Limits," and has completed exercise studies for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injuries. Please visit standamongfriends.com or call (561) 297-4400 for more information or to make a donation.

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Cowboys and Cowgirls Come Out For the 6th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering

CARTERSVILLE, Ga., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 6th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering, hosted by the Booth Western Art Museum and presented by Comcast, happens March 12-15 at the Booth Western Art Museum.

The weekend kicks off on Thursday, March 12, beginning at 5:00 p.m. with a Meet the Artist Reception for Contemporary Visions of the West: The Art of John Nieto. At 7:00 p.m. featured artist John Nieto presents highlights of his career and shows examples of his work in the Booth Theatre.

Friday evening, March 13, at 7:00 p.m., experience The End of the Trail Supper and Concert, which includes a barbeque dinner served on the Booth Museum grounds amongst wagons gathered to compete in the Southeastern Chuck Wagon Cook-off. Musical group Call of the West will entertain guests around the campfire.

On Saturday, come out early as teams of cooks prepare beans, meat, potatoes, and dessert just as they did on the cattle drives of the late 1800s in the Annual Southeastern Chuck Wagon Cook-off. Throughout the day, musicians from around the Southeast compete in banjo, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle contests at the Grand Theatre. Saturday evening, featured entertainer R.W. Hampton, one of the leading Western entertainers in America today, performs at the Grand Theatre in downtown Cartersville.

A host of family activities and entertainment is on tap throughout the weekend, both inside and outside the Booth Museum. Children's activities, an adult cowboy poetry writing workshop and the Georgia Youth Cowboy Poetry Contest all take place within the Booth Museum Saturday and Sunday. Visit www.boothmuseum.org for a complete schedule.

Cowboy Church is held in the Booth Theatre on Sunday morning. This is a non-denominational church service with Western flair and free for everyone. Following the service, top cooks from around the southeast compete in the Dutch Oven Cooking Contest on the Museum grounds. After the judges have sampled entries, cooks will serve samples to the public.

Booth Western Art Museum

The Booth Western Art Museum is an 80,000 square foot museum located in Cartersville, Georgia, where guests are invited to explore the American West through contemporary Western artwork. The Museum also houses a Presidential Gallery, Civil War art gallery, and Sagebrush Ranch. To learn more, visit www.boothmuseum.org.

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National Hispanic Cultural Center Presents Annual Women & Creativity Celebration

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) is proud to present the 5th year of Women & Creativity, a celebration promoting women in the arts. This festival is sponsored by Mark Pardo Salons and runs throughout March.

In collaboration with more than 35 arts organizations, artists, writers, and independent business owners, this celebration features more than 50 events and exhibitions at venues throughout Albuquerque (http://www.itsatrip.org) and Santa Fe such as the National Hispanic Cultural Center (http://www.nhccnm.org), 516 ARTS, Harwood Art Center, Explora, Georgia O'Keefe Museum, and the Lensic Performing Arts Center, as well as many other partners.

Events in the Women & Creativity 2009 celebration are filled with renowned musical and comedic performances, workshops, classes, and lectures, all honoring the creative efforts of women in a multi-dimensional manner. This festival encourages public participation on many levels. Similarly, it aims to recognize and celebrate the creative women within our community and the artistic and imaginative spirits within each of us.

Highlights include:

  • Chicana Badgirls: Las Hociconas, this exhibition explores three generations of Chicana artists and includes installation, video, performance art, as well as disobedient takes on traditional crafts and art forms. January 17-March 21; 516 Arts www.516arts.org
  • Peek-a-Boo - Performances that bring to life a hilarious and magical world, which delights tiny children and provokes reflection in teenagers and grownups. March 7; 2pm; National Hispanic Cultural Center www.nhccnm.org
  • Marga Gomez, "Long-Island Iced Latina" - this comedic act begins as a hilariously dark memoir of Gomez as the only brown girl in a white high school and morphs into an "intoxicating manifesto for Latinos who can't speak Spanish, suck at Salsa, and suffer from Blonditis." March 13th; 8pm; National Hispanic Culture www.nhccnm.org
  • Performing Arts of Spain Series: Margarita Escarpa, internationally renowned guitarist Margarita Escarpa performs and teaches the Spanish Culture through music. March 20; 8pm; National Hispanic Cultural Center www.nhccnm.org
  • Beginning African Dance Classes, experience the excitement, joy and healing of African Dance. Throughout March; 5:30pm-7pm; Maple Street Dance Space www.maplestreetdancespace.com
  • Explora, features various performances by influential women throughout history such as Elizabeth Blackwell and Christa McAuliffe. Throughout March; 2pm-3pm; Explora! www.explora.us

Various venues throughout the region will showcase an array of work done by local women artists in celebration of Women and Creativity.

Find a complete calendar of events at www.nhccnm.org.

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Thursday, February 26, 2009

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra National City Superpops Series Friday/Saturday March 13/14 Concert Presents Downtown Diva Starring Petula Clark

Pop icon will fill the Schuster Center with a host of major hit songs 8 p.m. each evening

DAYTON, Ohio, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 8 p.m. in the Schuster Center, DPO Music Director Neal Gittlemanand the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra welcome legendary pop vocalist Petula Clark.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031015/DPOLOGO)

Born with "a voice as sweet as chapel bells," Petula Clarkfirst broke into the limelight during World War II, when -- as a child -- she entertained the troops both on radio and in concert. She is said to have performed in over 200 shows for the forces all over England before the age of nine and, by war's end, Petula Clark had become known as the British "Shirley Temple." Tony Hatch visited Petula in the early sixties in Paris. The result was a new song, Downtown. Petula recorded it, and the rest is music history. She has never stopped recording -- 50 plus years, over a 1,000 songs, and still counting! DPO fans can expect to hear such hits as l Know a Place, My Love, A Sign of the Times, and Don't Sleep in the Subway.

Petula's conductor and pianist, Kenny Clayton, is a legend in his own right. He will conduct and play on the second half of the program.

The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra is the largest and oldest performing arts organization in the community. Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra performances are made possible in part by Montgomery County and Culture Works, the single largest source of community funds for the arts and culture in the Miami Valley. Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra receives partial funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and from the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency created to foster and encourage the development of the arts and to preserve Ohio's cultural heritage. Funding from the Ohio Arts Council is an investment of state tax dollars that promotes economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohio residents.

ADDRESS: Performance Place at the Schuster Center ~ 109 North Main Street # 200 ~ Dayton, Ohio 45402

Webpage: http://www.daytonphilharmonic.com

Full release: http://daytonphilharmonic.com/content.jsp?articleId=1738

    CONTACT: Joe Aiello
    Communications Manager
    937-224-3521, x-113
    Mobile: 937-673-3112
    fax: 937-223-9189
    jaiello@daytonphilharmonic.com
    www.daytonphilharmonic.com

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Famed Etch A Sketch(R) Artist Unveils Barack Obama Masterpiece Honoring Black History Month

The Ohio Art Company(R) and George Vlosich III present sketch of the first

African American president of the United States

BRYAN, Ohio, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ohio Art Company, creators of the world famous Etch A Sketch, today unveiled an awe-inspiring sketch of President Barack Obama in celebration of Black History Month. Created to honor the country's first African American commander in chief, the masterpiece was sketched by famed artist George Vlosich III and features Obama's face alongside the presidential seal with a vision of the American flag and Abraham Lincoln in the background.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/NY75459)

Known for his extraordinary talent producing masterpieces on the Etch A Sketch, Vlosich created the work of art in advance of the presidential inauguration and upon completion, graciously accepted the invitation for it to be displayed at D.C.'s MANIFEST HOPE event. The brainchild of street artist and creator of the Barack Obama HOPE poster, Shepard Fairey's MANIFEST HOPE event showcased a diverse array of the nation's most talented artists whose work celebrated President Barack Obama.

"We've had the honor of working with George since he was 11 years old - not long after he drew his first masterpiece featuring the U.S. Capitol Building on his mother's old Etch A Sketch from the 1960s," says Martin Killgallon, Senior VP of Sales and Product Development, The Ohio Art Company. "We are thrilled that George has chosen the Etch A Sketch on which to display his amazing portrait of our country's new president as we commemorate Black History Month," he adds.

"I've always acknowledged that art is a God-given talent," says Vlosich. "I am so proud to be able to use my talent to honor Black History Month and celebrate the country's first African American president," he adds.

A virtual gallery featuring photos of Vlosich's creations along with images of his Barack Obama sketch which took approximately 100 hours to create can be found on his website, www.gvetchedintime.com. Visitors to the site can also view a remarkable video of Vlosich creating a sketch of Barack Obama that is currently available in celebration of Black History Month.

About Ohio Art

Creators of the famous Etch A Sketch drawing toy, The Ohio Art Company remains one of the world's most widely recognized toy companies since its establishment in 1908. The Ohio Art Company is committed to developing toys that encourage creativity and learning while providing hours of enjoyment, encouraging self-expression and promoting positive development. The company also proudly markets specialty toys including K's Kids(R), a line of toys specially developed for babies and toddlers. Visit the Ohio Art website at www.ohioart.com.

About George Vlosich III

Since 1989 - at just ten years of age - George Vlosich III has been perfecting his talent on the Etch A Sketch. Each is an original, one-of-a-kind work of art that takes approximately 70-80 hours to create and upon completion, is preserved to stand the test of time. Vlosich has etched many of the world's greatest athletes and celebrities and his work has been described as "the one continuous line that continues to amaze the world." Vlosich is proud to have paved the way for others to follow in his footsteps and possesses an uncompromising passion to take his etches to places no one ever thought possible. Visit Vlosich's website at www.gvetchedintime.com

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Lost Photos of the Young Beatles and Rolling Stones (1964-66) to Debut at New NYC Gallery

NEW YORK, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Forty-five years after The Beatles and The Rolling Stones first came to America, an extraordinary collection of "lost" photos of the young bands has just been discovered. The 3500 photographs -- extraordinary, intimate and unpublished -- were taken by Bob Bonis, their U.S. Tour manager, during their first U.S. tours (1964, 1965 and 1966) and document perhaps the most critical point in their careers: coming to America.

The Bob Bonis Archive of photographs is now exclusively represented by the Not Fade Away Gallery, which has announced its first show, "The British Are Coming: The Beatles and The Rolling Stones 1964-66," to inaugurate the Gallery, March 4-April 14. The Not Fade Away Gallery is located in New York City at 901 Broadway, 2nd floor, at the corner of 20th Street.

The Gallery's first exhibition will feature 50+ images of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones that establish the unparalleled access and close friendship Bob Bonis (1932-1991) had with the young men who became the most significant rock musicians of the 20th century. Revealing a private, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the early days of rock 'n' roll, the photos show the boys in candid, intimate shots on stage, in rehearsal, in concert, backstage (tuning up, waiting to go on stage and clowning around), dressing and relaxing, on vacations or en route to shows or cities, getting haircuts, bowling, recording in the studio, at press events and just hanging around being themselves.

"The discovery of so many never-before-seen photographs of the two most influential bands in rock history, captured at the most pivotal time in their careers, is a once-in-a-lifetime event," says Larry Marion, founder/director of Not Fade Away Gallery (http://www.NotFadeAwayGallery.com) and an acknowledged expert in the field of music memorabilia. "In more than twenty years as a rock 'archeologist,' I've never come upon a discovery of this magnitude -- thousands of extraordinary unpublished photographs of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones -- young, innocent and unguarded. This is likely the largest single trove of such important unknown photographs ever uncovered."

For over forty years, the negatives and slides were safely stored away unbeknownst to anyone but Bob Bonis' family. Bob's son Alex recently unearthed them and brought them -- along with his father's collection of memorabilia from his Tour Manager days -- to Larry Marion for appraisal. In fact, the photos were at the bottom of a duffel bag of memorabilia -- brought out almost as an afterthought. Now, Alex Bonis is one of the partners in Not Fade Away Gallery, which will begin to make these images available for exhibition and for sale as museum-quality fine art photographic prints (both black-and-white and color), in extremely limited editions, printed on era-appropriate paper, utilizing traditional photographic printing methods.

A private man, Bob Bonis never sought publicity and wasn't interested in pursuing attention based on his past exploits. He started out as a New York City talent agent in the late 1950s and through a series of unremarkable circumstances, he came to hold an extraordinary position at a pivotal time in rock history -- U.S. Tour Manager for both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones during their first U.S. tours in 1964 and continuing through 1966. Since his personal passion was photography, he took his camera along wherever he could and took photos of everyone he worked with -- capturing incredibly intimate photos that the world is about to see for the very first time.

In addition to more than 3,500 photos he took of The Beatles and The Stones, Bob photographed Simon & Garfunkel, The Hollies, Cream, The Lovin' Spoonful, Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra and many of the jazz greats he worked with. Not Fade Away Gallery has upcoming shows of these photographs scheduled for the coming year.

The extraordinary private moments Bob Bonis captured are now available for all fans and collectors of music and fine art photography to see and experience at Not Fade Away Gallery, honoring the life and work of Bob Bonis.

     "The British Are Coming: The Beatles and The Rolling Stones 1964-66"
     Not Fade Away Gallery, 901 Broadway (at 20th Street)
     March 4th-April 14th
     All photographs by Bob Bonis, copyright 2009 by 2269 Productions, Inc.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

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Epson Introduces New Signature Worthy Reproduction Fine Art Papers

New Epson Papers Bring Advanced Reproduction Technology to Fine Art Market

LONG BEACH, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson America today expanded its line of professional media solutions with new Signature Worthy(TM) Hot Press and Cold Press Papers designed for use with Epson's award-winning printers. Offering advanced reproduction capabilities for the fine art market, the new Hot Press Bright, Cold Press Bright, Hot Press Natural, and Cold Press Natural papers are poised to redefine fine art reproduction.

"The new series of Epson fine art papers were inspired by the hand craftsmanship of artisans who developed the first watercolor papers, and were vigorously tested to ensure prints have the highest print quality with consistency roll-to-roll and sheet-to-sheet," said Jeff Smith, product marketing manager, professional imaging, Epson America. "In combination with Epson professional printers, these new Signature Worthy fine art papers deliver the industry with reproductions that are the closest thing to an original piece of art."

Optimized for use with Epson inks, including new Epson UltraChrome(R) HDR ink technology found in the Epson Stylus(R) Pro 7900 and 9900, the new Signature Worthy Hot Press and Cold Press Papers yield richer blacks, smoother tonal transitions and an expanded color gamut to produce the most advanced fine art prints. The Hot Press papers offer a smooth surface and Cold Press papers offer a textured surface. In addition, Hot Press and Cold Press Bright offer a bright white point, while the Hot Press and Cold Press Natural offer a warm white point.

The new Hot Press and Cold Press papers enable artists to achieve a certain look and feel in order to convey their final vision. For Timothy Greenfield-Sanders' traveling exhibition, "The Black List," organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the new Epson Hot Press Bright paper, combined with the Epson Stylus Pro 9900 printer and UltraChrome HDR Inks, played a big role in helping him create a successful exhibition highlighting the "stories, triumphs and joys of black life in the United States."

"The paper a photographer chooses for an exhibition really makes a difference in the overall effect of prints," said Greenfield-Sanders, leading portrait photographer. "When using the Epson Hot Press Bright Fine Art Paper with the Epson Stylus Pro 9900, I was able to achieve new levels of extreme detail and sharpness, along with superb skin tones in my recent exhibition The Black List. The look, the touch and the feel of the prints on the Epson Hot Press Bright paper was irresistible."

More information regarding Greenfield-Sanders' The Black List and the impact of Epson's fine art printing solutions on the traveling exhibit is available at Epson's Focal Points Web site.

Availability

The new Signature Worthy Hot Press and Cold Press fine art cut sheet papers will be available in late April through authorized Epson Professional Imaging resellers; Hot Press and Cold Press roll papers will be available later in 2009. For more information on Epson's complete line of professional media, visit www.proimaging.epson.com.

About Epson America Inc.

Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography, and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transactions terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

Note: Specifications and terms are subject to change. Epson, Epson Stylus and Epson UltraChrome HDR are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corp. Signature Worthy is a trademark of Epson America Inc. All other product brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these trademarks.

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