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Thursday, May 12, 2016

Celebrating Asian American Heritage Month with KC Artists Heinrich Toh & Hyeyoung Shin

KC Artists Heinrich Toh & Hyeyoung Shin
KC Artists Heinrich Toh & Hyeyoung Shin
Join GUILDit in celebrating Asian American Heritage Month with these dynamic cross-cultural artists at the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City!

GUILDit - FREE forums where art & biz fuse >> presenters >>

Heinrich Toh's mix-media works on paper
-recipient of an ArtsKC Inspiration Grant
-teaches in Kansas City

He'll share his insight on his various lines of revenue, including 12 years of art fairs, representation with galleries and new series of workshops he teaches in his print studio in the crossroads. Click here for more info

Hyeyoung Shin is the Assistant Professor of Print Media at UMKC Art Department.
-recipient of an ArtsKC Inspiration Grant
-teaches in Kansas City

Her art, at times combines drawing/prints, book art, installations, and performance.
She will share how she obtains residencies and develops various art formats to effectively interact with the audience. Click here for more info

KC Artists Heinrich Toh & Hyeyoung Shin
Thursday, May 19 at 12 PM - 1 PM
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
4801 Rockhill Rd,
Kansas City, Missouri 64110

Sunday, February 07, 2016

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 2016

year of the monkey 2016
Year of the Monkey

Also known as the Spring Festival, this year, Chinese New Year - The Year of the Monkey - begins on February 8th and lasts until Jan 27th, 2017. The festivities usually start the day before the New Year and continue until the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the new year.
This is a time to wish for peace and happiness. Gong Hey Fat Choy means "wishing you to be prosperous in the coming year."
Chinese New Year officially falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. From late January to mid-February, Korea, Vietnam, Japan and other countries celebrate Lunar New Year.

Lion Dance performance celebrating  Chinese New Year 2016 at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.


12 animal signs forecast for 2016 Year of the Monkey

What you need to know about the Year of the Monkey


Chinese New Year 2014

Monkey Image by Angelus - Creative Commons license

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

THAO'S LIBRARY Award-Winning Documentary


This year, 2015, marks fifty years since the first US combat ground forces landed in Vietnam and forty years since the fall of Saigon. 


Thao, a young a 24-year-old Vietnamese woman, is among the Vietnam War's uncounted casualties.  Despite her disabilities, a victim of Agent Orange, Thao had set up a makeshift library for children in her village. And then she is introduced to a woman from New York and both lives are changed forever.

THAO'S LIBRARY,  an Award-Winning documentary opens October 16th in AMC Independent Theatres Nationwide including Kansas City's AMC's Town Center 20! 

Click here to watch the trailer and for more info about the film.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Kodo Performing in Kansas City

Kodo, the Legendary Japanese Taiko Drumming Ensamble from Sado Island, Japan, will be performing an all new show exploring the limitless possibilities of the traditional Japanese drum. 

Kodo strives to both preserve and re-interpret traditional Japanese performing arts.


"In Japanese the word "Kodo" conveys two meanings: Firstly, 'heartbeat' the primal source of all rhythm. The sound of the great taiko is said to resemble a mother's heartbeat as felt in the womb, and it is no myth that babies are often lulled asleep by its thunderous vibrations. Secondly, read in a different way, the word can mean "children of the drum," a reflection of Kodo's desire to play the drums simply, with the heart of a child." 



Tuesday, February 24, 2015
at the Lied Center of Kansas.  


Enjoy this video "Kodo - Live at the Acropolis"


Are you familiar with this Ensemble? Have you seen them perform? I would love to hear from you!

Visit Kodo's Webpage to learn more!
Image:  Kodo - Yatai2" by Don France 
Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Moving From Emptiness A Film

Moving From Emptiness, The Life and Art of a Zen Dude

 “Healing and heart opening… Like media as medicine.”

"This TRAILER is for the 69 minute feature documentary film: "Moving From Emptiness: The Life and Art of a Zen Dude" featuring Zen calligraphic artist Alok Hsu Kwang-han. Playful. Profound. Meditative and deeply healing, this film is a transformational experience."


"My house burned down
I see the moon
Now paint"
 ~Alok

Moving From Emptiness, The Life and Art of a Zen Dude is showing in Overland Park, KS at the Glenwood Arts Theater Oct. 24-30 – 4:15 daily

For more info go to Zen Dude Movie

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Royals Right Fielder Nori Aoki

Norichika Aoki on April 26, 2014.jpg
Royals Right Fielder Nori Aoki
Congratulations to the Kansas City Royals for making it to the World Series!
Kansas City is not alone in loving this team. The whole country has fallen in love with the Royals according to Hampton Stevens article in The Atlantic
"The Kansas City Royals' Huge Appeal!"
Newspapers from Seattle to Washington, D.C. have dubbed KC “America's Team.” Even overseas, The Independent (UK) noted that America is "falling in love with the Royals."
Part of that appeal is Norichika Aoki, the Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the *pennant-winning* Kansas City Royals.

Born in Japan, he played for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball before coming to the U.S. to play for the Milwaukee Brewers. Aoki is one of only four players to amass 200 or more hits in a single season in Japanese professional baseball.

On December 5, 2013, the Milwaukee Brewers traded Aoki to the Kansas City Royals for Will Smith. And we're happy he is here!

"Nori"Aoki, No. 23 right fielder, helped take the Royals to the World Series!

Aoki Saves The Royals  
10/2/14: Nori Aoki makes two fantastic run saving plays in the sixth and seventh innings of Thursday nights game against the Los Angeles Angels, one on a backup catch to Lorenzo Cain and another on a great recovery in the outfield. The next inning, with two outs and a runner on third, Aoki tracked a fly to make the diving catch.
  



"One of the best things about watching Aoki play is -- as tired as the cliche may be -- the joy he has on the field."  ~Cy Brown

Aoki celebrates With Fans
Watch as Aoki teases the fans after their winning game and tosses his jersey into crowd.
Oct 15, 2014


A few career highlights and awards
  • 2× NPB All-Star Game MVP (2006 Game 1, 2009 Game 1)
  • 6× Golden Glove Award (2006–2011) 
  • 7× NPB All-Star (2005 - 2011)
Are you an Aoki fan? 
I would love to hear from you in the comments below!
Click here to read more about Aoki.
Click here to read more about the Kansas City Royals



Nori Aoki Posters, Jerseys,
Signed Baseballs, Gifts







Image of  Nori Aoki on April 26, 2014 CC BY-SA 2.0 Keith Allison on Flickr

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Living with the Spirits

Living with the Spirits: Decorating Homes in Traditional China
at the Nelson-Atkins Gallery of Art

Laurence Sickman, the former curator and director who started the world-renowned collection of Chinese art at the Nelson-Atkins Gallery, acquired this collection of popular prints that is currently on display in Gallery 222. While living and studying in China from 1930 to 1935, he decorated his own home with the colorful prints. This installation re-creates the decoration of a traditional Chinese home.

The description of this exhibit says that during festival and seasonal occasions in China, family members select brightly colored prints to display on their doors, windows, walls and furniture. It states that these prints, called New Year Pictures (nianhua), heighten the cheerful holiday feeling.

A New Year Picture is a form of Chinese colored woodblock print, for decoration during the Chinese New Year Holiday, then later used to depict current events.

January 31, 2014–July 20, 2014
Gallery 222 -  Admission is Free

Image:  New Year picture/ Unknown, before 1900 public domain because its copyright has expired.

Happy Chinese New Year