There was a great article in the New York Times last Friday about a group in the Fort Greene neighborhood called Brooklyn Cohousing.  They were able to purchase an unbuilt condo development based on a rehabbed church property with a 7500sf central courtyard. 
They intend to turn it into a green, sustainable community with individual, fully equipped apartments as well as common space where members of the community can gather to share meals, gardening, and childcare. 
It looks like a great project and they are actually on track to move in early 2010! 

Hey y’all, check out Thea Liberty Nichol’s thoughtful review of our current show, Philip Dembinski’s Nothing Just Happens/Along The Boulevards, at ArtSlant, and then come see the show for yourself if you haven’t already!

Please join us for a screening of single channel art works from the collection of Jefferson Godard on November 6th at 7:00.  Artists included in this screening will include Guy Ben-ner, Kate Gilmore, Jeroen Nelemans, Michael Phelan and Carlos Rigau.  The works shown will focus on themes of the body and struggle, humor and simulacra.

Jefferson, a native of Miami, FL and architecture graduate, came to Chicago 3 years ago and continued to develop his passion for art, video and the city.  Now stationed in Lakeview, he continues to collect video work and is actively involved in the Chicago arts scene.  In January, he will take some of the works from his collection to Berlin, where he is mounting a show titled "Our Great Show" at Nice and Fit Gallery.

7PM Thursday, November 6th
LivingRoom Gallery
1530 W Superior St
312.226.3020

This American Life did another great show on explaining our current economic crisis.  It’s more then just the sub-prime mortgage crisis and they break it down for you.
 
You can listen to it at their website www.thisamericanlife.org.  It’s episode 365. 

If you missed the original episode in May on the sub-prime mortgage crisis click here to listen to it.  They are both really well done.

Obamathon Salon: A Progressive Fundraiser

You don’t want to miss this fist bump worthy day of progressive activities to support the Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Sunday, Baracktober 12th, 2008

Part One: 12PM - 5PM at LivingRoom Gallery, 1530 W Superior St, Chicago, IL 60642

The party will then progress to:

Part Two: 7PM - 11PM, $10 suggested donation at 1732 N Humboldt Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647

A fun filled afternoon at LivingRoom Gallery will feature interactive games, music and energetic political debate, as well as sale and silent auction of handmade crafts, artwork, and vintage pieces.  Highlights include:

-Jewelry and handcrafted items by local crafters including: Kiku, glean design, I’m Smitten, Dollybird Designs, Owly, Dovetail, Stylish Girl, Flapper, Handmaid, Girl With A Hook, & Formoda;
-Artwork by Alana Bailey, Jason Lazarus, Bill Gerhard, Dan Wang, Anders Nilsen, & Dan Grzeca;
-Other unique objects include a solar powered handbag from Noon Solar, toys from Shawnimals, books from the people who bring you Found magazine, & shirts from Imperfect Articles;
-Goods & Services include haircuts and color from the folks at Art + Science, and massage from SheehyBodyworks, City Provisions, Chicago Green Grocer, Habit, Lula Cafe, & Chicagoland Bicycle Federation.

Interactive games and activities at LivingRoom Gallery include photo ops with a life-sized Barack Obama cutout, a pin-the-lipstick-on-the-pig contest, & bake sale including yummy items from sugarkist, tinycakes, and more!

Later in the evening the Obamathon Salon will progress to Humboldt Park and will include home-pressed grape juice cocktails, a bonfire and live music and dancing with Lawrence Peters Outfit, DJ Jacob Ross and DJ John Corbett.

Come on out and buy something beautiful, have a great time, and help us raise money for the next presidential duo Barack Obama & Joe Biden.

The hosts and contributors of Obamathon Salon are Chicago artists, musicians, business owners and community organizers.

All monies raised at this event will be donated to the Obama campaign.  We will accept cash, check, or credit card (via direct donation online at www.donate.BarackObama.com).

For more information email Annie or call 312.226.3020.

On October 4th from 10AM - 3PM the Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) will be having their 2008 Illinois Solar tour.  There will be over 200 homes involved statewide.  To find out more information CLICK HERE to visit their website.

Also, yes there is more, Congress is hopefully about to pass an expanded federal tax credit for residential homes who install a solar power system.  The new credit would cover 30% of the systems cost.  CLICK HERE to read an article in today’s Chicago Tribune and keep your fingers crossed.

This is someone’s home in Manhattan!  Click Here to read this wild real estate story in last Sunday’s NY Magazine.  A photographer bought this abandoned bank building in the Bowery in 1966 and has lived there ever since, after restoring it. 

Wow, that’s a project!