A new meeting!

[Tove evs]

Hi!
ok,
I have been wating for myself to start to make things happen quickly.
it doesn't seem to work.
I still want to paint over the cafe with some nice color, ( that sounds wierd, my english isn't the best: paint the wall behind the kitchen I mean) I still want to have new wonderful different kind of chairs to the cafe.
And it would be wonderful if I could stop stealing flowers all the time, but it is hard
but maybe it would be nice with another front of house meeting really soon.

So I suggest: a front of house meeting at 6 pm? on monday?

and it would be so much nicer with another color than grey. Maybe?
ok, see you soon, hear from you soon talk with me soon about how we can make the cafe look more freindly, nicer, fantastic, spring feeling welcoming and awsome and everything else we want.....
see you!
Tove

[stephengoodall]

sorry, i can't make it today.

I wouldn't be much use anyway as i have injured my painting arm. Will be able to do some stuff once it is back in action.

Stephen.

[Susana]

Hi. Sorry I missed the message. I was wanting to take part...

I agree with the chairs needing to be changed somehow: new ones or a new make-up on them... how about doing some re-upholstering?? or just 'customising' them, i.e. sewing in bits of fabric here and there, covering the backs with t-shirts that we would stapple in , doing some painting or drawing on them... or get some from Gumtree..

Ideas....

[mirja]

Hi all,
I've been putting out calls for 'long-distance' artwork for the gallery and got contacted by a muralist from New York. She runs a community/activist muralist workshop and works around US and world.
She was suggesting a mural as an exhibition piece, she would supply a design or work with us on it, and we would paint it. Her work looks great, so i thought to rather ask if she would be interested to design a professional mural for the back wall of out cafe/venue space and she sounded interested. I now need to know if this is something we as forest would like to pursue, so that i can tell her for sure that its on. In visual arts committee meeting we were all ok. She will be very busy in the summer and in the autumn working in India on a mural that has to do with the Bhopal disaster. It would be sometime after this. But she would like to start on it now, asap. I would love to hear from you guys... what should I tell her?
Here is a couple of links:
www.artmakersnyc.org
http://www.loveanddissent.com/eventi.html
hers is the work 'Things fall apart', this is at an italian social/cultural activist venue.

pls let me know soon if you can..., she is leaving for italy on friday...

[mirja]

so, sorry, i did not make clear - hers is basically a plan for line design, so its very doable, and we would take it on ourselves to have an 'action day'... a ;workshop' or such, and get this done together... thats part of the idea... she will not be there, but there can be other works of hers possibly exhibited at the same time. Its just, if we want to do this... i think its a great opportunity for us, they have through the workshop done a lot of murals and just published a book on mural art in New York City. She would get from us our inputs , wishes if we have some, she can read a lot about us on the website - who, what, why... and this would be reflected on it, while also having a kind of political/radical slant.
What you all say?

[scoutwinter]

a mural sounds great
I'm not sure what the name of the artist is, or which murals they were responsible for on the websites you linked to?
sounds interesting though...

[martinmckenna]

i say go for it

martin

[stephengoodall]

aye it looks really good i think- go for it.

A0 project is taking too long for me to organise using the time i have but will approach a few people for some work and maybe we could get them put up elsewhere.

[martinmckenna]

am sure we can put them somewhere . the more visual material we have the better .

martin

[nix]

no!!!

please!

let us still do the A0 project, please!

If Stephen has not got time to do it. I will.

I have drawn my proposal and just haven't had time to scan it.

there are plenty of other mural spaces all over the building.

the A0 will/do work very well on that wall.

let us keep the art on the main wall of the cafe fluid and changing. let us get the walls of the whole building flowing with art. please.

and thank you.

[martinmckenna]

the problem with the everchanging a0 is getting the energy to keep that way . if someone has it then that will be great . but a good mural although static can be ever changing too if its clever . the gift that keeps giving . the mural project also needs energy from us to make it happen .

just because something changes all the time does not mean its a good thing , it could just be a succession of shit .

this meeting should discuss what is the best way forward . each project should judged on it merits . please do something about the wall !


martin

[nix]

the problem with the everchanging a0 is getting the energy to keep that way . if someone has it then that will be great

i have that energy.

I can get the A0 up by Wednesday 13th if this meeting sees fit.

I think the mural from New York is a great Idea, and am up for helping with it. I think it would look great an the wall going up the stairs to the hall.


thanks!

[amelia]

[quote="martinmckenna" but a good mural although static can be ever changing too if its clever . the gift that keeps giving .

I have no comment on the plans there, I respect your decision but I gotta say, what a great, concise, descriptive, and convincing sentence. I had never much been into murals as they stay the same, but I see that they needn't... Thats all I have to say.

[stephengoodall]

The main problem with the A0 project the last time we did it was the sustainability.

Basically, it was hard to keep getting quality submissions to the inbox. I think it will require people to approach people who they know are good for submissions in order to get enough to be going on with.

I still have enthusiasm for the A0 project its just it is slow going for me to do it on my own at the moment due to other commitments. Good to hear that you're up for helping to make it an actuality, Nix. (http://theforest.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=6334I posted a submissions poster here and can send you the login details for the email account.)

I support the proposal to do the mural on the way up the stairs and have the A0 project on the main cafe wall, if the A0 is something that can be made to happen sooner rather than later and that folk other than myself have the sustainable energy to continjue to seek out decent submissions to keep the stuff good.

If we are proceeding with the A0 project, we need to come up with a process for considering the applications and a way of figuring out how we decide what is a yes and what is a no.

[martinmckenna]

with the old a0 project i use to surf myspace and art review looking for stuff. it was fun . i perfered that to submissions . also there is some stuff in the tk box i think would be better suited to the a0 project .

martin

[mirja]

OK, i was not aware of the A0 project is destined for that wall, it has not been discussed much in the vis.com.meetings, so i have been ignorant...

This designer that contacted us has a pretty long track record and she is interested in an exhibition, im not sure if she is interested in the hallway space. So, what about the space in the front room - its smaller and opposite the gallery and would also house the radical library if/when that happens?
That might fit nicely... this woman has a really interesting history as well, apparently she was one of the original civil rights Freedom Riders in US and got arrested for it, so its like a bit of living history ( i googled, i admit). Her design was contemporary so i was surprised... Her name is Janet Brown-Reinitz, you can find her on web ( there is a great pic of her from 60's) . I think it would be very interesting to have a work as a collaboration with her.
The colours of her last designs are subdued so i dont think it will give headaches... She was toying with an idea of various political/social activist topics/scenes seen through a strong growing forest - literal but i think might look really good life-size and make the front room seen larger, like sitting in a landscape...But she would probably let us look at a couple of ideas, and have an input as well

anyway, i need to write to her today so please let me know what i can suggest to her...!

[stephengoodall]

im not sure if she is interested in the hallway space.

You could always ask her whether this would be suitable- it is still a fairly prominent space esp. during the festival.

If it is not enough space she could consider doing the stairway down to the basement as well ..

I'm not sure what the current status of the plans for the front room/radical library are. Perhaps Pming joey pesticide would yield results?

[mirja]

ahhh...whats pming?

[swithun]

PM is private messaging - like email, but on the BB (bulletin board). If you can find a post from the person you want to PM, then there should be a link near their name on the left hand side, with the letters PM, that will let you compose a message to that person. Or, near the top of the page, there will be something saying '0 new messages'. Click on that and you get into the PM section.

This message was brought to you by the letters P and M, and the number 0.

[scoutwinter]

I think it would be amazing to have a big gorgeous mural on the front room wall above the existing book shelves. the AO's on that wall could be moved to the wall shared with the gallery.
When is the next front of house meeting? Joey finishes exams on tuesday I think. I'm around & keen to get the books happening too. Also I would love to help paint the mural.
If we measure up the wall & send dimensions with a photo will that be enough? Can she design a mural for that wall - it's not flat - that will work ok?
I think it's a great idea

[Joey Pesticide]

I don't think some things not changing is anything to be scared of. Some things are nice, and stay nice for a really long time. People like them and become attached to them. It can be frustrating when one is enjoying something really nice and then it is turned all grey and two days later is replaced by, in the words of Martin, a succession of shit. Something like a mural, providing a theme and banner to hold up, could work well, especially if it is instantly obvious when people walk in. There is a mosaic in the Cowley Club in Brighton, big and colourful and done by children and adults, with the words "mutual aid and cooperation", and smiling happy people (it was the inspiration for REM). It is constant and doesn't look old and isn't replaced by a succession of shit, quote again.

I think a mural would be good, if it meant a lot and was able to be long lasting...maybe with some words because five words can be worth a thousand pictures.

Sorry to ramble...library procrastination makes me want to contribute.

xxx

[scoutwinter]

is there a theme in mind already?
I like the portrait-style stuff, the murals of people gardening etc. but I'm not really interested in a coffee shop scene...

[Joey Pesticide]

I think a forest theme...due to The Forest name...would be super cool. But, yes, I think maintaining a good social activism, community, welcoming theme is really important...and I think some carefully chosen words.

[stephengoodall]

To pitch in my 2 pence:

I would be wary of a theme that was too literal, i.e. Forest, coffeeshop, because, i think those particular themes have a potential to come across the wrong way, similarly, a theme that is too political in a confrontational sense could have an undesireable effect.

The Forest is a thriving creative and imaginative community, why not reflect this? Magda's mural that used to go down the stairs was always one of my favourites and that had very unusual but intruigingly uncanny subject matter.

For example, something like the stuff Ian Stevenson creates would be cool. Not sure how much room there is to decide the theme though- mirja- does the artist already have something in mind?

[nix]

So..

are we on for the A0s???

shall we do it?

when IS th FOH meeting?

yay!!!

you are all so lovely!

[nix]

Hello!!!

so when is the FOH meeting???

and..


aftr much thought and discussion...

the mural would be great in the main cafe space..

what about above the bar? and spreading left and right..

there is a lot of room thre and it would be good to have something vibrant there!\

[Tove evs]

Hi,
now I´m back on the bb board....
What has happened with this discussion, will we get this women from london to do a mural (spells?)
on the wall in the cafe?
I belive it´s to ladte for me to make a comment on this, but I would think it would be super if something
actually happened with the big white wall in the cafe and I would happiely help in as many way I can.

So should we arrange a really proper front of house meeting? When? next week?
I will be in tomorrow, saturday, the whole day.

I will get better on this internet bb board.
ok see you!
Tove

[nix]

Hello...

I can meet Tove or anyone on saturday during the day .. But I will not be in forest. I will be 2 mins down the road at Solidarity Goods, 35 Guthrie st.

or come to a meeting if it is on Monday. (then I am off till the following Tuesday)

I plan to hang some A0 posters on Monday. (Including the submissions poster)

If no-one objects.

I will PM steven asking for the contacts/gubbins from last time.


thanks.

[Tove evs]

hi nix,
I saw you running around
no meeting...
anyway it will be perfect with something happening on the wall.
have a nice evening and see you soonish!
Tove

[mirja]

hi all,

my suss of the mural project is:
i'm getting a general feel that there is some support for this.
The muralist ( not from london but new york) is in italy now but she will be in contact after 8th june or so when back from her trip. She does want to do this, she likes the idea that no money is involved, but people. Her work is not 'celebratory' (as she says) so i'm not worried about having to deal with 'cafe-scenes'...whew. It might be more political than we like - or , what you think, is this possible? As she is an activist, her one suggestion was -hilariously: "What about the theme? Could it be generally political - a little Bhopal, Darfur, Palestine, water boarding, riot police etc. seen through an otherwise pristine forest? Suggestions welcome." So as you can see, it's not really 'literal' . Personally, I like a 'general political' idea, as I feel that our space- and the people - are very open and tuned to the wider world in a kind of general activist way, but this might not be everybodys feeling about what we need for the space. Having seen her mural style, i think it would look really good, interesting and pack the punch. But to my mind it all is about how it actually will in the end look like. Is it something that we all think would be interesting to look at for a long time? And, this will in the end depend on us, our opinions and suggestions for the piece.

So, practically, we would think of wall suggestions - what we would like to offer for this - , and get to her some pics and measurements. ( I can do this once I know what wall/s would be available) She will then work WITH us - meaning she will do some designs, based on our suggestions, or ideas of her own, we have a meeting and see what we think, and let her know what we like or do not, and perhaps also have some further suggestions. she will provide more design and we will approve what we want and then she will work with us on the details of the actual execution. we will have a date set out to do the mural collaboratively, we will document this for her. so the project is about the production of this mural for us, with us and by us.

Tove... should we talk about this in a frontofhouse meeting? let me know when its planned...i will be gone for a week from wednesday but will be around after that.

[scoutwinter]

hmm. fascist behaviour (torture etc) screened by a forest? Some people would love that!
I love the idea of forest theme. But I guess I would rather it was an inspiring artwork rather than a depressing one. I know that images of tragedy and horror can shake some people into action, but others will just go somewhere else to drink their coffee if it bothers them. I dunno.
Let's talk about it. When is the next FOH meeting?

x

[emi]

mirja, do you have a link of the muralist's work? to get a general idea?

[dan]

hey dudes make sure you talk to the muralist and all crew about longevity of the mural and are clear that there's the chance it won't be up more than a year (or whatever timelength is decided). We had a Zapitista mural on the stairs once and no time length was decided. So the Forest Working Group decided it should go after a few months and the Zapitistas were really disappointed. So Clarity is Key!!

D xx

[Tove evs]

Hi!

What about a meeting the 1 of Juni?
I will be here on the morning and help out with the cleaning, and we could have a meeting at 7 pm?
hear from you soon!
Tove

[mirja]

Hi emi, there are links above on my mail of 5th may.

the muralists personal work is featured on the italian website, and she runs the muralist organization in brooklyn, ny.

[Shannon]

The work is great. But she will just supply the design and Forest crew will have to paint it - is that right?

[scoutwinter]

http://www.theforest.org.uk/bb/viewtopi ... =15&t=6467
Minutes from tonight's meeting.

Decision regarding the mural - to approach the artist to see if they're interested in the window wall. Some kind of design incorporating the shutters would be great, and if possible the animals that Faith painted. This will make the mural a centrepiece in a prominent position of the cafe, as well as painting over the dirty shutters, and avoid conflict with the A0 project.

We also decided that we would rather not have images of torture or violence but that we love the forest theme. It was suggested that perhaps local tree species could be used (or at least realistic tree species). The political content of the mural could be positive rather than critical?

Tove is going to follow this up with Mirja and the artist. It would be great to know if they're interested by the next meeting - monday 6th june 7pm in the action room.

[amelia]

Sounds great everyone, but yeah, nothing upsetting in it. I want to look around and be inspired and happy and relaxed. There are enough places to see stuff that provokes or upsets, an eating homey place is not for this I feel. I look forward to seeing it. Nothing too hardcore or action based too - love the foresty, gardeny, folk at cafe's ideas etc. Sounds a bit like a Monet's picnic concept but cutting edge modern.