Looking Back And Forth LWH, Woman’s Hand, Mating Game And More

 

By C.S Gilbert

 

Culture Vulture has in the past slobbered happily over the collaboration of Bobby Nesbitt, Carmen Rodriguez and the Little White House. Even more happily, the past sometimes becomes the future. The sellout show from this season’s Little White House Living Room Series is coming to the Middle Keys. “Thanks for the Memories: a Salute to the USO” is will be presented by Marathon Community Theatre on April 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets are a modest $25.

 

 

Call the MCT Box Office at305.743-0994 or visit www.marathontheater.orgfor secure online ticketing, they tell us.

 

 

On the subject of the Little White House, our coverage of the museum’s elevation in historic status to Site of National Historic Significance stated that Key West now had two such sites. We may have sold the city short, according to a letter from Bill Porter, who with Bill Verge are co-fathers of local maritime history. “I was reading your online article in Konk Life today about the Little Truman White House receiving its recognition as a Site of National Historic Significance, and where you then go on to say KW now has two National Historic Landmarks, when actually I believe there to be a third — namely the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Memorial Museum. Knowing how much you loved the Mohawk when she was here, you would find an exclusive and I believe rare story from Bill Verge about how Ingham became a National Historic Landmark (NHL) and then was actually moved from Charleston to Key West.” An intriguing story indeed — stay tuned.

 

 

From a Woman’s Hand, the annual juried show at SoDu Gallery that benefits Womankind, seemed smaller this year but winners in each category were of especially high quality. There was Tropical Kitty, M. Ann Lynch’s first place in painting and drawing and Jenni Gerste’s Parrotfish Underwater, which took first in the jewelry category. And while neither photographed well, both the Best in Show, Elizabeth DeVries probably yard-long construction, Hogfish (the restaurant, not the critter), and the first place in fine craft, Margo Ellis’s fabric assemblage Ice in My Drink were impressive, as was the first place in photography, Maureen Venti’s La Madirugadora. But what claimed the lion’s share of attention, based on pure originality if nothing else, was the top prize in sculpture: Lesley Salinero’s nicely-detailed, four-foot (possibly five-foot) seahorse made entirely of wine corks and titled Wine by the Sea.

 

 

Opening the same night but happily still on display at Frangipani till the end of the month is Paul Carmichael’s latest collection of photography, The Mating Game, capturing another up-close-and-personal series of portraits of birds, most from the Everglades. This collection took four trips over two years, he said, and the use of some very powerful lenses, to say nothing of heroic patience. That patience has paid off, though: The show has been immensely successful, artistically and financially. Advance notice: Next up is a new exhibit of Irene Stanton’s wood assemblages opening May.

 

 

HiPsO Facto returned to Walk on White last week and we were sorry to miss it; buzz has it there were some boffo numbers, including (especially?) Mary Kay Lee. These mini-concerts have certainly been a highlight of many Walks on White in the past. And we’re pleased that both Coffee Mill Dance Studio and the KW Contemporary Dance Company will, due to the insecurity of Harris School being up for sale, remain in their longtime home in the old Coffee Mill, just below White St. The dance troupe is appealing for support: “Please visit our website to donate via PayPal. Or snail mail to Key West Contemporary Dance Co. c/o The CoffeeMill Dance Studio, 916 Pohalski St., Key West, FL 33040. Without you, we’re nothing more than a really good idea,” says immensely talented founder and artistic director Kyla Piscopink.

 

 

Alert from the totally twisted (and I mean that in a good way) Jonathan Woods. “On Thursday, April 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., I will be discussing, reading from and signing copies of my new book of noir crime stories, Phone Call from Hell & Other Tales of the Damned at the reception for New Works at Lucky Street Gallery, 540 Greene St. Joining me at Lucky Street Gallery will be two of the current resident artists at TSKW: Tony Eprile, who will read from either his award-winning novel or his memoir in progress and singer/songwriter ellen cherry (as her stage name she uses all lower case), who will sing a selection of her songs.” Future alert: “On Monday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m., Jessica Argyle and I will discuss and read from our respective new books, Phone Call from Hell and No Name Key, at The Studios of Key West. A Q&A and book signing will follow the discussion and reading.” Stay tuned for a review of Phone Call.

 

 

 

That’s all for now. Gotta fly!

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