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Taliesin Thomas is Mixin' It Up :
International Gravitas Blends with a
Passion for Upstate
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I first met Taliesin Thomas at one of my side projects, ARTS BAR, a pop up cocktail bar at the Arts Center in Troy. She was rolling with Ali Hermann, a Troy based mixed media artist that night. TT is larger than life and unforgettable. Since that fateful meet we have spent many late nights discussing esoteric philosophies of arts and culture, and the value proposition of Upstate NY. You may recognize her as an occasional guest writer here at ACE! When she recently scored a gig with Hyperallergic to cover the Hudson Valley art scene, I knew it was time to give her a formal introduction.
"I interface with a range of colleagues in various sectors of the international art industry, including ongoing dialogues with artists, curators, museums, galleries, organizations, auction houses, art storage facilities, and shipping companies as well as special areas of research and writing as it relates to our projects. From my desk in Troy, I oversee the movement of artworks from our collection to get them around the globe...simultaneously engaging with the local and regional arts scene in the most meaningful ways—I feel constant gratitude for this professional connectivity." Taliesin Thomas PhD : Founding Director, Collections Manager, Writer and Philosopher
Corey Aldrich : Senior ACE! Contributor
Image: Provided
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Bryan Hamill's CIRCUS : DIY Print Space Seeks Mission Oriented Partnership | |
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I first heard of Bryan Hamill at a meeting with Michelle Toch Dinsmore at Overit Media. We were planning the kick off of the rebranded First Friday in Albany last year. Part of the initial rollout was a FF show at her space including Abe Farraro and this "cool super connected guy doing amazing print stuff connected to the skateboard scene..." I came to find out, Bryan is all that and so much more, bringing a passion for craft and creative community to the Arbor Hill neighborhood in Albany. After a successful grand opening last year, he was notified that the space he occupied was no longer going to be available. So what is now to come of this community driven arts / maker space and its specialized equipment? We have an idea...
“I started releasing prints under the banner of Pepper Spray Press, where I've been fortunate to work with legends such as Daniel Johnston, Dave Navarro, Laura Albert (the author behind JT LeRoy), Al Diaz (former artistic partner to Jean Michael Basquiat), and many others. The more I fell in love with printmaking, the more I wanted to share the amazing skill with others. The idea of a community print shop and art space formed.” Bryan Hamill : Founder and Shop Manager at Circus (Power Through Paper)
Corey Aldrich : ACE! Senior Contributor
Image: Provided
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FREE TICKETS : SPAC Does a Double Dip
BalletX and Grammy Winning
Percussionist of the Year Zakir Hussain
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NEXT UP: Don’t miss 2024 GRAMMY® Award Winner and DownBeat's 2023 "Percussionist of the Year" Zakir Hussain!
WHAT: TISRA - Zakir Hussain with Debopriya Chatterjee and Sabir Khan
WHEN: Saturday, March 23 at 7pm
WHERE: Spa Little Theater | 19 Roosevelt Drive | Saratoga Springs NY
Order the FREE tickets by using offer code: ACE24 at checkout. Click on box below.
Join us at SPAC for Indian music icon and "percussionist of the year" Zakir Hussain -- fresh off his THREE GRAMMY® Award wins including Best Global Music Album and Best Global Music Performance! This special performance will showcase rich folk and classical traditions from Zakir's unique trio, TISRA featuring Debopriya Chatterjee and Sabir Khan. Comprised of tabla, sarangi, and bansuri, TISRA combines Indian classical music and the rich rhythm repertoire of Punjab.
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FIRST UP: Join SPAC for a thrilling, contemporary ballet experience like no other with BalletX! Known for creating new ballets that are “fresh, inclusive, and connect to what people want” (Philadelphia Citizen), BalletX will grace the Spa Little Theater stage for two special performances. The innovative troupe will showcase works by leading choreographers including Jorma Elo, Jamar Roberts, and Jennifer Archibald as well as a special collaboration with the students of the Skidmore College Dance Department.
What: BalletX
When: Saturday, March 16th at 7:00 PM | Sunday, March 17th at 2:00 PM
Where: Spa Little Theater | 19 Rooseveldt Drive | Saratoga Springs NY
Order the FREE tickets by using offer code: ACE24 at checkout. Click on box below.
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PLEASE NOTE:
If the code does not work, it means the tickets are already spoken for! Also, if you recently have secured free tickets please allow other folks to get a chance this go round, we like to share the love!
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INSIDE ACE! | CREATING A NEW PATH | |
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Busy bee over here, all I have to say is events are back in style for 2024 and man its keeping me busy! Finally decided to do a deep dive on a NYC transplant who's name you may recognize - Taliesin Thomas PhD. We hired her to do a couple of multi-part series on public art and the impact of AI on creativity. She recently locked in a gig at Hyperallergic to cover the Hudson Valley art scene which frankly, is super cool! The next highlight, Bryan Hamill of Circus (Power Through Paper) has created a diverse creative community vibe in Albany but finds himself unexpectedly without a home. Drop in, read about it and then...think of how we can take advantage of this energy and redirect it somehow so we don't lose this vibrant creative scene.
SPAC is back with a double dip, including Ballet X and acclaimed percussionist Zakir Hussain. Limited numbers on these per usual, grab them while they are hot!
On a sad note, some of you may know Nick Nealon (Nicky Lightz) passed away on Valentines Day. Over the last 10 years he has been a constant feature in the arts and theater scene of the Capital Region working with basically a who's who are individuals and institutions to provide creative lighting and sound for small and large productions. Frequently, he did this at little or no cost to help keep these scenes alive. RIP my dear friend, you are missed already by so many.
Finally, have job listings or interesting tid bits to share about the state of our creative economy or the next best thing I don't know about yet? Hit me up!
Corey Aldrich
ACE! : Executive Director
E: hello@upstateace.org | W: upstatecreative.org | SOCIALS: @upstatecreative
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REGIONAL & BEYOND :
NEWS / OPPORTUNITY
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Capital Region Job Opportunities | |
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Fisher Center at Bard : Various Including Box Office Supervisor, Assistant Orchestra Stage Manager | Production Crew Members for the Summer Season including: Audio Engineer, Development Intern, Dresser, Electrician, Spiegletent Host, Stagehand (Bard Music Fest), Carpenter, Sticher, Wardrobe Supervisor (LUMA Theater), Wardrobe Supervisor (Sosnoff Theater)
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ACE : Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy
For inquiries, hot tips or requests: hello@upstateace.org
web: upstatecreative.org
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