Arts

Pop-up store expands hours till Christmas

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 […]

Arts

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

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.

Profiles

Malden High School welcomes Principal Ted Lombardi

During the early spring of 2015, Lawrence High School Principal Ted Lombardi was strolling down his school’s empty hallway when his phone received a SchoolSpring alert of a high school principal opening. Lombardi appreciated these alerts not as a job search, but as an administrator’s news feed of job transitions in the state. This alert plucked a familiar chord since Lombardi vaguely knew Malden High School’s Principal Dana Brown.   Lombardi flagged a fellow educator who knew the Malden School District very well.  “Did you know that Dana Brown is leaving Malden High School?” The quick reply, “yes, he decided last year”, resonated with Lombardi. Lombardi continued on for another thirty feet down the hallway, when he heard the fellow educator banter,  “You are going to apply for that position, right?” Lombardi stopped in his tracks and spun around,“I don’t know. I haven’t updated my resume in a decade.” Lombardi thought to himself, “ I love Lawrence and plan to continue working here for years.” Lombardi has been teaching or leading at the Lawrence Humanities […]

News

Weaving culture, beauty and business: Fallou’s African Braiding Salon

Growing up in Senegal, Farma Fallou would not have guessed that an everyday activity — braiding hair in the local style — would become the foundation of an American life for herself and the family she would one day have. But since her arrival in the U.S. in 2001, she has built a braiding company that has sent two daughters to college and earned her a respected place in Malden’s business community. Today, the owner of Fallou’s African Braiding Salon in Malden, Massachusetts sees a dozen or more clients each week and employs her daughters, a niece, and other skilled hair braiders part-time. “I am very grateful, and bless God every day,” says Fallou. The salon at 14 Irving Street, just off Main Street in Malden Square, is a long room with four chairs for customers and more for family members and friends to keep customers company. It is common for customers to bring a husband, mother, or friend along, as most braided hair styles take several hours to complete. Every chair has a sight line to the television where, […]

Featured

Expert Larry Cultrera discusses Malden-area diners

Larry Cultrera, author of two books on classic diners, said it was love at first sight when it comes to his life-long passion. “The writing was way down the road from my initial interest,” Cultrera told What’s New Malden. “I was interested in diners from the time I was a little kid, probably four or five years old. My dad told me about diners, that they are actually pre-fabricated restaurants. They look somewhat like railroad cars but they’re not railroad cars or converted railroad cars.” Cultrera, who grew up in Medford and is currently living in Saugus,  said he would love to spot diners when his father drove him around the Boston area. “I noticed all of the diners that we had at that time in the ’50s and early ’60s,” he recalled. “And as time went on they started to disappear. By 1980 I was getting into photography and I started photographing diners as a documentation type of a thing.” Over the past 36 years, Cultrera photographed more than 800 diners. The 63-year-old author […]

Featured

Farewell to Malden High’s principal Dana Brown

Malden High School’s outgoing principal Dana Brown was selected as the Massachusetts Principal of the Year by the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association (MSSAA). Here’s an excerpt from a press release from MSSAA: “This program annually recognizes principals who demonstrate exemplary skills in instructional leadership, supporting a safe learning environment and fostering a collaborative culture of decision making among members of the school community. Mr. Brown will receive the 38th Bertram H. Holland Award at the annual MSSAA Leadership Institute at the Hyannis Resort and Conference Center on July 27, 2016. Mr. Brown has created a collaborative culture at Malden High that bases all decision-making on a simple question; “Is it good for students?” Youngsters come to Malden High with a variety of learning styles. In addition, some come as parents, part-time workers or newly immigrated. Attending to all students takes creativity, hard work and patience.” –MSSAA For just a few moments, I waited in the Malden High School Boyle conference room for Principal Dana Brown to arrive. The stark walls, devoid of distractions, shared […]

Arts

“Inside Malden” interviews musician Peter Moore

When asked what a song about Malden would be, singer songwriter, producer, performer Peter Moore gave the perfect answer, “It depends on who asks for it.” Peter Moore is as versatile, creative, edgy, and adaptive as artists get… able to bend styles, experiment with sound, inject quirks, and apply variety to the need. He intrigues listeners whether singing on stage with Blue Man Group or performing with his current rock band Count Zero, producing a kickstarter-funded rock opera, Heterotopia, writing songs that were picked up by video games such as Rock Band 2 or Guitar Hero, or songs like Hire a Bird that rail against the destruction of the earth and reach the Top 500 Songs of All Time on Boston radio station WFNX. There is no doubt, Peter Moore could provide a number of songs for Malden in styles to suit our colorful demographic makeup and sensibilities. His voracious creativity and addiction to keeping himself and the audience curious and intrigued is what keeps him out of any one category. Yes, he writes pop […]

Featured

SEBIO featured on “Release The Sounds”

It’s a new month, which means Release the Sounds is featuring a new local band. For May, we have SEBIO in our studio. SEBIO (SEE-be-oh) is a four-piece band that has been together for just over a year but they sound like they’ve been together since high school. Stephan Nordgren is the driving force behind the currently-available EP, In Hardwood Groves, writing and playing the instruments in the recordings. James F. Forbes, the guitarist, met and connected with Stephan in a Craigslist transaction that went very right for once (details in the episode). James brought bassist, Erica Belden, and drummer, Brett Pieper, into the mix to round out the performing lineup. Their atmospheric and driving set takes us on a continuous journey of peaks and valleys which finally concludes with a chugging, anthemic climax. The chemistry of the band is undeniable on stage and off. We find out more about them in a fun curbside interview in the May edition of Release the Sounds. Up next for SEBIO is some quality time writing and recording. […]

Featured

Trail of Gears: Winslow’s journey to bike to the sea

The Pacific Ocean loomed just over the Santa Cruz Mountains about thirty miles away in California. Growing up in San Jose, Steve Winslow yearned to ride over the mountains to the coastline, but it never happened.  Later in 1989,  as a married couple, Helen and Steve Winslow moved from the bicycling nirvana of Davis, California to Malden as a most convenient place to commute to work in Boston.  Winslow recalls, “I remember trying to bike up Washington Street to Melrose and it was horrible.” The Winslows were appalled by the local horrendous biking conditions and the resulting lack of cyclists. It was time for change in their new community. Winslow explored the abandoned railroad bed running through Malden.  He followed it to where he could smell the salt marshes of Revere. Winslow reflects,“We are really close to the ocean and wouldn’t it be great to bike to the beach!” This would be such an easy and fun ride with a total elevation of 108 feet. But, the virtual challenging mountains of Malden, Everett, Saugus and […]

Arts

Young, a luthier in Malden, creates musical magic

When walking through the front doors of 190 Main Street, one is greeted at the intersection of two worlds: A wall display of shiny guitars in varied sizes and styles and a workbench with tools that mend and build guitars. This is the studio of R. Jeff Young, known as RJ, who is a certified Luthier (maker of string instruments, particularly guitars) as well as a teacher and performer. His music workshop contains a wealth of information and experience. After a tour of his studio, we got to ask a few questions about his career of guitar playing, repair and building. Growing up in New Jersey, Young had an older brother who influenced his interest in learning to play. Young graduated to formal lessons followed by excursions to Spain where he became enamored with flamenco music that he still favors this day. His musical interest has taken him around the world to study and play along well-known musicians. Young is a student disciple of Mario Escudero, a Spanish flamenco guitar virtuoso recognized among the best […]