"Lets get married old world style."
What is is ain’t exactly clear.
Video: Mandy on the Street – Mt. Ashland Expansion | DailyTidings.com.
Around 200 people take the streets of Ashland Oregon last Tuesday August 16th around 6 pm and not a word gets printed in the Ashland Daily Tidings. When called and asked why the protest was not covered, a Medford Mail Tribune receptionist said that folks gathering to protest in Ashland is such common place that they need not cover it.
Thank you Mandy for covering it.
There seems to be an unseen force at hand here in Ashland politics and it is not pretty.
It seems like the Ashland council, half of whom have been elected by the LAV PAC funded largely by members of the chamber of commerce, are more interested in the fleeting chance that cutting down old-growth will make them a few bucks. It is obvious where the council is going…
The mayor banged his gavel several times after concerned citizens went one second over their 3 min. and yelled “that is enough. your time is up! ” At least 30 folks signed up to speak out against the expansion. Councilor Silbiger also made disparaging looks and rolled his eyes as citizens spoke.
We will gather once again at city council chambers August 30th at 6pm and those of us who did not speak will get to have our chance.
Regardless or not if the council listens.
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Letter at Length | DailyTidings.com.
Read this letter at length and get a new perspective on the state of Ashland and the debate about public versus private uses of public land.
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So as some of you know Eric Navickas has made the news again. During a peaceful protest on June 28th Eric was assaulted by Ashland Police officer Perrone. About 40-45 other Ashland community members took to the streets to protest the possible Mt. Ashland expansion approved by the US Forrest service. This expansion could mean clear-cutting in our watershed, destruction of endangered pacific fisher habitat, damage to sensitive wetlands as well as costly sediment removal in our watershed.
In the pouring down rain Navickas lead the protesters chanting and holding signs taking up one lane of traffic; as protests have done in the past with no trouble. When the police ordered the protesters off the street, about half of the protesters remained, sticking by their First Amendment rights. Angry police Perrone then pulled up along side Eric, beeped the siren of his police car and while blocking a lane of traffic threw Eric on the cop car (with out reading him his rights or placing him under arrest). A member of the crowd chanted “You are Wrong!” and others filmed the event. The cop eventually released Eric and walked the other way. You can see the youtube video here
The remaining protesters then joined hands and continued to march. Another cop was able to handle the situation peacefully. He calmly talked to the remaining protesters and allowed them to continue their destination, Evo’s parking lot. There they turned around and returned to the plaza via the sidewalk. Two cop cars then remained in the street blocking a half of block of traffic for another 10-15 minuets. If blocking a lane of traffic really was an issue, why did they put the protesters and others in danger by creating such a scene??
But the saga does not end there…. Then the police chief Terry Holderness (who was not at the protest) turned to the video on to the D.A. and on 2 news channels declared Eric of criminal mischief. Eric who was using his first amendment right to speak out against the proposed Mt. Ashland Expansion, sticking to the protest protocal that both MArtha Bennet ( the city manager ) and police chief Terry Holderness had approved for pasts protests. There are 2 witnesses to vouch for this verbal agreement.
This brings me to the fishy-ness of this altercation… MArtha Bennet the city manager was on vacation on June 28th and did not return until July 5th, After the police chief presented the video to the D.A.
Whenever MArtha goes away she puts her powers in the hands of the Police Chief Terry Holderness. Do you think a cool headed and smart city manager would approve this sort of thing??
So now that Eric has been charged with police interference and disorderly conduct does not mean that he was wrong. The issues are still at hand and the protests and actions will still continue. If you would like to be put on the action alert email list email me at amyfolkdesigns@gmail.com.
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Sid Deboer’s Bottle Recyling Was a piece we had in our last show “Readymade in a Capitalist State”. We wanted to present found works of art that show class differences in Ashland Oregon.
The bottle recyling, signs from Ashland homeless, and a bed covered in colorful newspaper ads and black and white foreclosure notices were featured in the show as well.
Artists Amy Godard and Eric Navickas continue to make social and political art in their studios in Ashland and you can reach them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/madashellgallery
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Mary Perry Stone – Working For a Just World at the MAda Shell Gallery First Friday May 6th, 2011 5 -9 pm
Mary Perry Stone (1909-2007) was a Works Progress Administration (WPA) artist during the 1930’s. She worked as a sculptor and as a teacher in New York City. She was a part of the New York art scene in the 1930′s where she began to paint her “protest murals”, which would then become the vast majority of her work. She said once that she had never been interested in being commercial; she felt very lucky to have been able to paint what she wanted rather than having become a commercial artist.
Stone’s art has been shown in numerous group and solo exhibits in museums and galleries in New York, California, and Oregon. These include the Schneider Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Carnegie Hall, and Rockefeller Center. She was one of 40 women on the New York Federal Arts Project where her first assignment was teaching art to children in Harlem. Mary also did sculpture for the WPA, but the work that was not commissioned was seemingly tossed in the East River when the Project ended in the early 40s.
Today her Daughter Ramie Streng holds the Mary Perry Stone collection and has chosen work for the show that reflects the horrors of social injustice and the importance of the labor movement. She will also be donating two pieces of art by I.W.W. artist Van Wingerden for a silent auction to raise money for a Wobbly Free Speech Monument in the Siskiyous.
The gallery show is a part of a larger event organized by Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice (SOJWJ). First Friday May 6th, 2011 from 5 -9 on the Plaza in Ashland there will be reenactments of Wobbly speeches made 100 years ago, as well as protest music. SOJWJ is currently campaigning for a Wobbly Free Speech Monument in the Siskiyous which commemorates the 100 year anniversary of when railroad workers took to direct action and demanded workers rights. Facing hostile crowds, threats of violence, and blizzard conditions, these workers of conviction voluntarily crossed the Siskiyous on foot from Ashland into California to support their fellow workers in Fresno.
Mada Shell Gallery is located above the Plaza in Ashland Oregon at 27 1/2 N. Main.
For more information call Amy 541-482-2969
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From 5:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. May 6th, 2011, the MAda Shell Gallery in Ashland, Oregon will feature the art work of social-protest artist, Mary Perry Stone. The exhibit entitled “Mary Perry Stone – Working For a Just World” and is being held in connection with a Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice campaign for a Wobbly Free Speech Memorial. Original work by Richard Van Wingerden (1893-1969) a member of the I.W.W. will be auctioned to support the campaign. Other events taking place on Ashland’s plaza plans to include authentic Wobbly soap box speeches performed by Scott Fife, Jay Mullen’s Wobbly Walk Through the Siskiyous, Mark Ross performing IWW songs & tales as well as Patrick Dodd performing original labor songs.
Mada Shell is located upstairs on the plaza at 27 1/2 N. Main in Ashland Oregon. For more info email brain@mind.net
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The back door of my studio/gallery faces towards GTO way and I guess it is the perfect place for the penis painter.
The penis painter strikes again.
Later I found out that this penis painter is showing his work all over town.
Eric and I just watched a film that will be playing at the Ashland Indie film fest. It is called “Exit Through The Giftshop.” It comes highly recommended and tells the tale of Contemporary art, ALT art and street art. And has some great footage of Obey and Banksy and Swoon. Check it out if you can. It is playing Friday at 12 I think.
But you can watch it for free online.
The “Exclusion Zone” proposed by Ashland’s City Council is a clear example of how not to address a community controversy and complicated social problem.
We are a community with a history of creative problem solving, outreach, collaborative thinking, and inclusion. Targeting the homeless, through tougher rules and heavier-handed enforcement is divisive, polarizing, simplistic, and an example of policy rooted in intolerance. We cannot beat the homeless into going home to their beds, we cannot beat chronic alcoholics into ending their addiction, and we cannot beat disenfranchised youth into putting on ties and finding jobs.
There are better solutions and we can find them but it is up to us as citizens to become engaged and speak out.
Please join our MARCH to demand inclusive solutions to homelessness and poverty on Tuesday, April 5 starting at 5:30 on the Ashland Plaza.
Art as Protest
Ashland's proposed Exclusionary zone is fascistic in nature.
Art as protest
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Tagged Ashland City Council, Ashland Oregon, Exclusionary zone, homelessness, march, protest
Last night when I arrived at the gallery Eric had just washed the window that had said Puppet Theatre. He gave me a tragic look and said “it is over”. The Fire marshal had come by to inform us that our maximum occupancy is 5 people. They saw the flier and saw we were going to host some musicians and cracked down.
Needless to say we were bummed.
No more puppet shows and no more craft fairs. No more loud rock n roll.
After contemplating the fact that most Galleries go over their occupancy every First Friday, I came to the conclusion that they can not exclude us from hosting art events. As long as we are smart and well hung.
Mada Shell will only continue to host critical content art. Art that is not beauty, whimsical, kitch or merely for pleasure. Art that has critical content, art that makes you deeply aware of your own human condition. Art that is altered.
We will continue to work on puppets. But this time we want to take it to the streets and go more political. Also we are still working on the Bremen Town Musician puppets to take to schools.
Don’t forget in times like these you must be MAda Shell !
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