SAT June 16: Flux Projects adds a special event to this Saturday's walk.

Saturday, June 16: Flux Projects collaborates with the Westside for a Special Art Walk. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: special event: Brad Downey / Portrait of My Father *10 am to 2 pm Aerial Project *2 to 3 pm Meet the Artist, Q & A with Debbie Michaud, Creative Loafing Arts & Culture Editor at Room & Board, 1170 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, 30318 www.fluxprojects.org/portrait Artist Brad Downey looks to the sky for his first project in Atlanta. Portrait of My Father, an aerial banner, will be visible throughout the city. The project will feature a cloud taken from an old photograph of Downey’s father piloting an airplane. As Downey explains, “even today when I think of my father I imagine him somewhere in the clouds looking at vast landscapes imagining how slow the rest of the world is moving... The portrait is not just the cloud but also the plane and the pilot.” Presented in conjunction with the Westside Art Walk. ATLANTA CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER *11am-12pm Event 535 Means Street NW, 404.688.1970 www.thecontemporary.org, Open 11am–5pm Members free, General admission $5, Students $3, Seniors $3 *Event: Curator Tour: Stuart Horodner ACAC Artistic Director Stuart Horodner leads a tour and discussion of the current exhibition. Exhibition on view: Painters Panting draws its inspiration from Painters Painting, a 1972 documentary examining American art movements from Abstract Expressionism to Pop. This exhibition features 7 painters (David Diao, Craig Drennen, Saul Fletcher, Alex Hubbard, Judy Ledgerwood, Chris Martin, Jennifer West) addressing conditions of exhaustion and desire; using aspects of art history, music, Shakespeare, and the decorative; and making photographs, films, and videos that express the joy of studio experiments and collaborations. Final week! Closes June 24. Image: Jennifer West, Lavender Mist/Pollock Film 1 (70mm film leader rubbed with Jimson Weed Trumpet flowers, spray-painted, dripped and splattered with nail polish, sprayed with lavender mist air freshener), 2009, 70mm film leader transferred to digital video, No sound, 46 seconds, Courtesy the artist and Marc Foxx Gallery, Los Angeles {Poem88} *1pm, artists In Kyoung Chun, Ryan Coleman, and Helen Ferguson Crawford speak about their work 1100 Howell Mill Road Suite A03 White Provision Building www.poem88.net, hrs: Wed-Sat, noon to 6pm; by appointment 404.735.1000 For our summer exhibition, {Poem88} presents Living Color Redux: a second look at the formal aspects of color expressed in the work of David D’Agostino, Ryan Coleman, In Kyoung Chun, Helen Ferguson Crawford, Ryan Nabulsi, and Drew Tyndell. In both non-objective and representational works, these artists rely on the relationships of color and form in vibrant, luscious, meditative and even mysterious ways. While many of the artists may initiate the work as an exploration of landscape, there appears to be an organic devolution into something entirely without form or only loosely hinting at form. Each artist uses their own strategy to arrive at a unique balance between luminosity and chroma through assorted media including assemblage, camera-less photography and more straightforward painting. (image courtesy of Helen Ferguson Crawford and {Poem88}). ADDITIONAL GALLERIES OPEN FOR VIEWING>>> Emily Amy Gallery 1000 Marietta Street NW, Suite 208 www.emilyamygallery.com, tel 404-877-5626, hrs 11 – 5pm Emily Amy Gallery is pleased to present our first solo exhibition for Massachusetts-based painter, Bernd Haussmann. The show, entitled Darwin’s Coral, will include new works in a variety of media and in an assortment of sizes, ranging from small intimate works on panel to large abstract canvases. The show’s title is a reference both to the broader concept of evolution and the natural world that is so critical to Haussmann’s work and process as well as to the more blatant patterns that often appear in this new series. In addition to the new collection of paintings that will be on view, there will also be several short films broadcast during the show that will allude to the elusive yet familiar natural world. Fall Line Press 1000 Marietta Street, Ste 112 www.falllinepress.com, tel. 404-885-1080, hrs. 11-5 The Fall Line bookstore has added several titles by local artists including Beth Lilly and Laura Noel. Stop in to see the latest titles, and look through our photo book reference library for your summer inspiration. Jennifer Schwartz Gallery Self Time[d]: Photographs by Heidi Lender 1000 Marietta Street, Ste 112 www.jenniferschwartzgallery.com, tel. 404.885.1080, Tues- Sat 11AM - 5PM Leaving behind the publishing universe, Heidi Lender picked up a DSLR and never looked back. Self Time[d] features work from three series: Once Upon, Green Dress and She Can Leap Tall Buildings. Heidi appears as the model in all three series in various dress to convey a story. Witty and beautiful, all the images in the exhibition examine wardrobes and surrounding spaces as a reflection of who we are or who we purport to be. OCTANE Glyph 1009-B Marietta St. (404) 815-9886 www.octanecoffee.com Open 8am – 11pm In Mike Germon's new body of work "Glyph", the usual state of his collages, often small and dense with religious and scientific references, is abandoned for larger, more graphic compositions. This small collection of new pieces reflects a fascination with typography and geometry that hasn't yet had the proper forum for exploration in previous work. Germon holds a BFA in Fine Art/Digital Media from The University of Georgia and is currently the gallery manager for MINT Gallery. Check out more of his work at www.MikeGermon.com Sandler Hudson Gallery 1009-A Marietta St NW Atlanta GA 30318 tel 404-817-3300, hrs Tues-Fri 10-5, Sat 12-5 http://sandlerhudson.com/ Sandler Hudson Gallery is pleased to announce a solo exhibit for Katie Walker entitled: If Walls Could Talk. Katie Walker describes her work as a calculatory process; where the dialectic, energy and the opposing forces are complete to her. Walker manipulates her paintings to build a language of personal imagery that is aesthetically pleasing, thought provoking and at times, humorous. She works primarily with acrylic on canvas, paper and wood. Katie Walker lives and works Greenville, SC.

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2012 Westside Arts District, All rights reserved. You were added to this list because you opted in to our mailing list. Our mailing address is: Westside Arts District WAD c/o {Poem88} 1100 Howell Mill Road Suite A03, White Provision District Atlanta, GA 30318 Add us to your address book

Beer News

www.hopcitybeer.com

Shipyard Chamberlain's Pale Ale    

Red Hare Long Day Lager

He'Brew Hop Manna 

Help Us Help Others!

In June, our charity partners are the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and Sweetwater Brewery! Sarting June , every growler fill of Sweetwater 420 will donate $.99 to the UCR! Drink to Give!

!!!Tasting Events!!!
Wednesday, June 6th- Shipyard Tasting at Octane Coffee (5:30-7pm)
Saturday, June 9th- Red Hare Early Release of the Rabbit's Reserve Saison (12-2pm)
Wednesday, June 13th- Anderson Valley Tasting at Octane Coffee (5:30-7pm) 

First Look: The Optimist, west Midtown | accessAtlanta

http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-restaurants-food/first-look-the-optimist-1452309.html

The Optimist, the third restaurant from Ford Fry of JCT Kitchen and No. 246, offers a fresh daily catch of sustainable seafood simply prepared in the kitchen’s wood-burning ovens and grills. The name refers to a small sailing dinghy, and the casual fine dining concept conjures up coastal fish camps, oyster bars and beach vacations.

Enlarge photo

Becky Stein, SpecialSoft shell crab cioppino featuring a garlicky tomato broth, potatoes, clams and corn at The Optimist.

The look: Situated in an early 1900s building on Howell Mill Road, at the nexus of booming west Midtown, the design by Smith Hanes ranges from the raucous to the understated. The surfboard-shaped Oyster Bar near the entrance is inspired by the wild styles of Venice Beach. The elegant hangarlike main dining room features shades of white and wood under soaring steel trusses and an exposed plank ceiling.

The scene: At dinner one evening, there was that unmistakable new restaurant buzz of anticipation in the air, as small crowds gathered around the dining room. 

At the wide, walnut-topped cocktail bar, a woman regarded the smoked salmon and caper berry garnish perched on the rim of a pink gin martini named The Truth as We Know It.

The menu: Executive chef Adam Evans mingles familiar seafood dishes with a variety of modern touches. Wood-roasted Florida grouper ($26) is topped with smoked Vidalia onion and served in a bowl of horseradish broth. Duck fat-poached swordfish ($24) comes with pickled sweet peppers and crispy pancetta. At lunch, soft-shell crab cioppino ($18) is a melange of garlicky tomato broth, potato, corn and clams.

The drinks: Beverage director Lara Creasy put together a wine list drawn from coastal regions around the world and chose draft beers from American craft breweries in port cities such as Baltimore, Boston and San Diego. The Oyster Bar features a daily punch with seasonal fruit and “oyster backs” ($5) made to pair with raw bar specials. Recently, the Sea Grass mixed Bison Grass vodka, Dolin Blanc vermouth and fresh tarragon.

The extras: Outside, look for a patio with cafe-style seating under an awning, and coming soon, a two-hole putt-putt golf course.

Dining Out

The Optimist, west Midtown

Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Oyster Bar: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays; 3-11 p.m. Saturdays; 3-10 p.m. Sundays.

914 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-477-6260, theoptimistrestaurant.com.

Midtown West Neighborhood Makes the Final Four

I know this is a little past due as far as posting goes - but I just found out about it but I think it's worth a post!

CURBED CUP 2011

Curbed Cup 2011 Atlanta: The Final Four

The Curbed Cup, our first annual award to the Atlanta neighborhood of the year, kicked of with 8 'hoods vying for the prestigious fake trophy. Here is the updated bracket with the Final Four. Voting for the next round pairing begins after the holidays, get ready!

Well, it was a week of spectacular contests, with come of Atlanta's most treasured neighborhoods fighting each other tooth and nail for (virtual) possession of the (fake) trophy. The week started with East Lake trouncing the lone suburban interloper Sandy Springs. This was followed by quiet, mellow Candler Park getting nosed out by the upstart food and decor magnetMidtown West. Wednesday will forever be a day of infamy...Decatur and Inman Park were engaged in a pretty close match before Inman Park mobilized its legions and delivered one of the biggest beat-downs ever seen on a Curbed site pole anywhere. Finally, yesterday, Virginia Highland scored a surprisingly handy victory over its conjoined sibling Midtown, and our final four was determined. Everyone go rest up over the holiday weekend, and when we return next week, we'll witness the next round of eliminations as we move into the championship round and the awarding of the coveted Curbed Cup 2011 to Atlanta's Best Neighborhood. Merry Christmas!