Arts Archives - Page 10 of 15 - Neighborhood View

Bubbles and Books brings fun to Miller Park

June 22, 2017 annedr 0

Once a place to be avoided, Miller Park in Malden has become an oasis for family fun. This became evident on June 3 when the second annual Bubbles & Books event brought hundreds of children and their families to the park to enjoy a puppet storyteller, giant bubbles and free (gently used) books. The event was hosted by Malden Kiwanis in collaboration with Malden Reads. “It felt like Christmas in the spring!” said Erga Dormevil, a Malden resident and mother of four school-age children. She added, “A book is a priceless gift for people of all ages and this event provided families with a chance to enjoy quality time together in a beautiful park. The outpouring of support from our community in the form of book donations was both heartwarming and amazing.” Robin Jorgensen, immediate past president of the Malden Kiwanis Club and a primary organizer of the event, said, “Our first year [last year] we had a great turnout. But I think our numbers nearly doubled in size this year!” The number of book […]

Little Free Libraries “Revive” Malden’s Neighborhood Libraries

May 31, 2017 sharonsantillo 9

By Sharon Santillo An international effort that encourages citizens to set up free neighborhood book exchanges has arrived in Malden. Moreover, these “little free libraries” are bringing back a miniature version of the neighborhood libraries that the city lost beginning in the 1980s. Sparked by the non-profit organization, Little Free Library, Malden residents are creating tiny spaces where anyone passing by can take a book to read or leave a book for someone else to find. The first little free library was created by Todd Bol in 2009 to honor his deceased mother who loved to read. He built a one-room schoolhouse model and put it on a post in the front yard of his Wisconsin home and filled it with books. He shared the idea and it spread globally. Now there are over 50,000 little free libraries across the United States and in over 70 countries. Soon you will see these small libraries around Malden. Malden Arts has received a grant from the Malden Cultural Council to register 10 little free libraries in Malden […]

Arts

Second year of storytelling and stargazing on Waitt’s Mount

May 4, 2017 annedr 0

A waxing crescent moon was brightly visible, as was Jupiter and the bright star Sirius. Through the telescope, event goers to the top of Waitt’s Mount got to see the close-up surface of our moon, as well as the moons of Jupiter, and other stars. They were treated to a variety of storytelling and live, acoustic music on a beautifully windy, but warm, night in April. The second annual “Sunset, Storytelling and Stargazing on Waitt’s Mount” on April 29 proved to be a successful and delightful community event. Co-sponsored by Malden Reads and Ward 4 City Councillor Ryan O’Malley, the event celebrated a central theme of this year’s Malden Reads book selection—getting to know your neighbors and creating a shared sense of community. It featured family storytelling at sunset with professional storyteller Sharon Kennedy, live acoustic Americana music from the band “Slow Boat Home,” and local folks telling their own personal stories that were honed under the direction of Malden-based writer and spoken word artist CD Collins. The telescope was provided compliments of the North […]

For eyes and ears only

February 3, 2017 maldenmediacenter 0

The cross section between visual art and music, for classical pianist Yelena Beriyeva, is in many ways second nature. “What is in common between [visual] artists and musicians is they all get to create,” Beriyeva said. In the spring of 2016, visual artists came together to attend a performance of classical composer Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” From the artists present at the workshop, and many more, over 40 inspired pieces of visual art were born. On Nov. 5, 2016 at Jenkins Auditorium at Malden High School, Beriyeva performed the renowned “Pictures at an Exhibition” to the backdrop of all the work created from the artists using the music as inspiration. The interesting part is Mussorgsky’s piece, Beriyeva said, was first inspired by visual art. With the passing of an artist friend, Mussorgsky wrote “Pictures at an Exhibition” through the careful study of his late friend’s artwork. “[Mussorgsky] basically dedicated this piece to a friend he lost to a sickness,” Beriyeva said. “We did it in the reverse. We tried to paint based on music.” […]

Herbert L. Jackson honored through art, community and volunteerism

February 1, 2017 escorsello 0

When Martin Boyle the art teacher at the Mystic Valley Regional High School heard about the Malden Arts Switchbox Project contest to design a switch box commemorating Herbert L. Jackson, he knew the students from the Art Club would enjoy doing this public art project. A switchbox is a metal cabinet that is mounted on a concrete pad containing a controller which changes traffic signals. The students ultimately learned about Malden’s first African American councillor while working outside in the community on something that will be there for years to come. Councillor Barbara Murphy, Ward 5, had approached Naomi Brave, president of Malden Arts, with the idea and offered $500 to the winning proposal. Malden Arts agreed to pay the standard stipend for painting a box, $150, and Councillor Murphy the remaining $350, according to Brave. After Malden Arts reviewed the applications they went to the Malden Cultural Council for final acceptance with recommendations from Malden Arts. “[Ward 7 Councillor] Neal Anderson is a friend of the family and connected me with Herbert L. Jackson’s daughter and […]

Pop-up store expands hours till Christmas

December 21, 2016 annedr 0

Have you been to Malden’s Pop-up Artist Marketplace? If not, be sure not to miss out on seeing a remarkable collection of artwork and crafts from over 52 artists displayed in an artfully designed retail space, which literally “popped up” on December 9th! The pop-up marketplace at 480 Main Street in Malden will be open December 21 – 23 (Thursday – Friday) from noon – 8pm and Saturday, December 24 from noon – 5pm. Many of the participating artists will be present at the store on Thursday, from 6 – 8pm for a public reception. The store holds handmade and artistic treasures for sale that include woodworking, pottery, paintings, jewelry, clothing, CDs, books, candles, cards and many other items, all from local artists and crafters from Malden and beyond. Items run from very high end to very affordable. The pop-up store has become not only the place to shop for gifts and special items for sale, but a place to mingle with other people who are interested in art and creativity. Performances for local artists […]

Malden “Pops Up” for the Holidays

November 29, 2016 captainfuture 0

There’s a new pop-up shop opening for the holidays—Malden’s own “Local Artist Marketplace” featuring handmade crafts, artwork and artisan specialties. The initiative is called “Malden Pops Up!” and the community-based organizers extend an invitation to their grand opening on December 9, 2016 at 480 Main Street. The storefront is in a high traffic area, just around the corner from the Malden Public Library. This remarkably collaborative effort involved citizen artists and city officials working with the owner/developer of 480 Main Street to support the local arts community and make this creative activity possible. According to Ose Schwab, “Chief Instigator” of Malden Creates, LLC, one of the team’s organizers, the plan was a grassroots initiative. “It began with an email from local artist Lisa Sears, who saw a clipping in the Observer about the empty commercial space at 480 Main. She shared it with her artist friends and suggested how nice it would be to have an art center or gallery there.” The idea resonated with other arts activists and was floated to Ryan O’Malley, City […]

Arts

Malden Reads 2017 Book Pick is “A Man Called Ove”

November 4, 2016 annedr 0

“The city that opens the same book closes it in greater harmony.” – Mary McGrory, American journalist With this quote at the center of its philosophy, Malden Reads is pleased to announce the 2017 selection for the popular “One City, One Book” program: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Ove is a curmudgeon of the highest order. He believes in order, rules, and principles. To say that he is set in his ways would be a gross understatement. As the story opens, Ove is fifty- nine years old, forcefully retired, bitter, alone and unsure how to fill his days. More than anything, Ove longs to leave this life of “posers” and rule breakers and to be reunited with his beloved and deceased wife Sonja. Behind the cranky exterior there is a story that gives meaning to his sadness. And when a young couple with two young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a funny and heartwarming tale of unexpected friendship, seeing beyond the obvious exteriors […]

Artist Youngsheen Jhe unveils the “Truth of Life” at MATV

October 21, 2016 neighbormedia 0

Boston-based artist Youngsheen Jhe is intrigued by mannequins. These lifeless figures are juxtaposed with the daily life of real humans in nearly every painting featured in this exhibit. Jhe, a South Korean native, says, “My work derives in part from my first experience as a foreigner in the United States.” The mixing of inanimate models with the modern life of people reveals insights into the human condition on a number of levels. The artist adds, “I have a strong desire to describe the unfiltered story of everyday humans.” In exploring her subject matter, it’s the similarities between these two forms that often appear, both haunting and ironic, or at times, peaceful and contemplative. Jhe’s paintings have been widely exhibited in the Boston area and New York City. The MATV Gallery at Malden’s Media Center is pleased to display the stirring art of Youngsheen Jhe in the exhibit “Truth of Life” through November 4.

THE BAD ROOM: Residential hauntings in Malden and Somerville

October 19, 2016 neighbormedia 0

As the author of seven historical-based ghost books including “13 Most Haunted Crime Scenes Beyond Boston,” I hear all sorts of stories about alleged hauntings throughout New England. One of my readers, Michael Marciello, reached out to me about a haunting from his childhood home in Malden. As a kid, he called the off-limits haunted bedroom “the bad room.” I got chills as he recounted tales of his father being pinned to the bed by an unseen force and sounds—he later described as evil and potentially demonic—echoing from a room that was unoccupied … at least by the living. His mother ended up putting a lock on the bedroom’s door so he and his siblings would stay away from the paranormally active first-floor room.”It was always so cold,” he said, recalling the inexplicable temperature fluctuations in the bad room. “We thought it was an animal,” he said, claiming that he would smell sulphur which is an indication of an evil entity. When I posted Marciello’s account on social media, sociologist Michelle Willms talked about her […]