Tag Archives: Arts

Aussie Transplant Finds New Roots

via-tania

I interview many musicians who visit the States from foreign countries and then find themselves wanting to stay and plant their music roots. For Tania Bowers, aka Via Tania, Chicago was the perfect place to let her music career grow.

From a Working Holiday to a Mainstay

Article Originally Published for ChannelOne.com, June 2010

“Chicago is like cement,” said Tania Bowers, a Sydney native who performs as Via Tania. “Once you get here, you stay.” In 1999, Bowers visited the U.S. from Australia to spend time with friends in Chicago. Since then, her “temporary working holiday” has turned into her new life in America as recording artist Via Tania.

“I think it’s more creative to have a slightly different name. It’s me, but not necessarily me,” she explained. “If you remove the ego, I’m producing this stuff, but only because it’s coming from somewhere else — another channel.” Adding, “I wanted a name that was really honest.”

Just last October she released her last album, Moon Sweet Moon a collection of electro-infused songs mixed with the acoustic sound that has defined her solo career — so far. After playing in a band named SPDFGH, a chemistry term, with her sister Kim Bowers and friends for seven years, she started a new project.

“I was pretty young,” said Via Tania in a phone interview before heading to Finland to work on her next album. “I think I was 15 or 16. We started to play at schools and battle of the bands.” By the time she was 21-years-old, the band broke up and she began recording at a friend’s makeshift studio. “I didn’t want to play loud music for a while. I wanted to play something really different,” revealed Via Tania, “that felt more quiet and acoustic.”

Songs like “Wonder Stranger” and “Fields” epitomize this melodic melancholy. Yet, for her next album, which she hopes to complete by the fall, she’s broadening to incorporate dance and DJ remixes. “I really like collaborating.” She said. Via Tania’s perpetual creative freedom and movement to new music genres keeps her inspired. Recently she played a show at Millenial Park with electronic band, The Books. “I’m super into The Books right now,” said Via Tania as she also listed several Ethiopian and Malian bands as her list of favorites.

“People want to get and hear personal and honest music,” shared Via Tania as she discussed her fascination with infusion music from North Africa. We can’t wait to see which new music territory we’ll find Via Tania next.

To find out more about this artist and listen to her music, visit Hear It Now.

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Brooklyn Bridge Park Events Tonight

The Brooklyn Bridge

There are many great things about living in Brooklyn, including the expansive new waterfront park spanning the river’s edge overlooking downtown Manhattan. As new segments of the park open over the coming months and year, events will be held to celebrate this beautiful new addition to the vibrant community.

The Park By Christa Fletcher

Festivities will kick off tonight at the Sunset Swing event from 6-9 p.m. on Pier 1, the newly opened section of the park. For details, check out Sunset Swing. Later, you can join the after party at the Galapagos art space. Organized by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Junior Committee, a group dedicated to reaching out to professionals in their 20′s and 30′s.

This later event, the Twilight Swing, A Sunset Swing After-Party Event begins at 9 p.m. You can purchase tickets online or at the door for $25 and $30. Admission to the event gets you two drinks, hors d’oeuvres, dessert and entertainment.

I hear there’s a aerial act you won’t want to miss. Plus, if you’ve never been to the park, you should check out both events to experience the fun and excitement of Brooklyn Heights and the DUMBO area.

View from the Heights Promenade By Christa Fletcher

Over the course of the summer there are many activities like Movies with a View and group exercise on Pier 1.

I’ll be heading down to Galapagos tonight to check it out the Twilight Swing Event, for sure. For more information about the fundraiser, visit the park’s website or head down tonight. See you there!

GALAPAGOS ART SPACE
16 Main Street, DUMBO
Thursday, June 3, 9 p.m.

If you cannot attend the events, but would like to donate to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, please visit their website www.brooklynbridgepark.org.

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Daphne Willis Networks in Nashville

Before starting out on a six-hour drive to Nashville, Tennessee from Chicago a couple of weeks ago, Daphne Willis told us about her budding career and how much she enjoys creative pow-wows with other artists and songwriters. “I’m going for a week,” Willis said of her trip to Nashwille, “We meet up, make demos and keep writing all the time. It’s the only way to improve.”

On these writing trips Willis becomes inspired and connects with other musicians, “I’ve grown relationships with a great network of people,” she added. When it comes to writing song lyrics, she’s also a “people person.” “I try and write about how we deal with struggles and how we find meaning,” Willis seemed to think aloud. “Everyone wants to be happy.”

For Willis, happiness has been music since she began playing the piano in first grade. She later moved on to the saxophone and guitar. Now she’s 22 years old and releasing her album, What to Say, a melodic mix of music that will linger in your head, connecting you to Willis. And, if you need more, she’ll be touring throughout the year and is very active online. “It makes it easy to connect, that’s why I write, to let people reach me.”

For more about Daphne Willis, hear it now: http://www.channelone.com/music/daphne-willis

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Closet Conniption

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Image by Zebra With A Camera

Hell lurks in the depths of my closet.

At least once a week I find that everything in my closet looks terrible on me and nothing will do. I suspect it’s either a demon who alters clothing with a jinx, or some inner monster determined to ruin my morning.

Either way, you know what I’m talking about — when all your clothes seem like they don’t fit even though neither you, nor the clothes are different — and you have to change multiple times to discover that you do, in fact, look fine.

I could talk about how women face body and confidence issues in front of the mirror and how we suffer from the pressures to look good. Even though these claims are true, there are a few easy ways to combat these problems so you can keep your sanity until gender bias and the subjugation of women’s bodies end. (Ha!)

Until then, avoid purging the contents of your closet with an exorcism, or shouting how much you hate the “candy man” three times in the mirror, by following some tricks I use when I can’t stop fussing with my outfits.

Now, it goes without saying that most of us, myself included, do not have the wardrobe or beauty staff of Sarah Jessica Parker or Chloe Sevigny.  We cannot look stylish by merely walking through our closet and stumbling out in couture. So, we have to work with what we have.

For starters, we should lift the curse of blaming our bodies. Translation: cut the crap. We need to stop giving ourselves such grief and select simple pieces that make us feel good. One of the worst parts about mornings with a closet conniption is the negative feelings we experience while looking in the mirror.

So, what’s my first trick? Stop being so mean to yourself. Embrace what you look like instead of being so hypercritical.

Tip number two: Figure out which aspect of your clothing choices you don’t like. Has something changed about your garments? Should they be ironed? Do you need to do laundry? These are some of the questions you can ask yourself to understand why you are having trouble, instead of asking yourself, “Does my butt look fat in this?”

This morning, for me, it was the weather change. I paired several different skirts with a green and white short-sleeved blouse, but the multiple iterations looked frumpy. Since the clock was ticking, I abandoned my original inspiration and wore a black pencil skirt and paired it with a long-sleeve red and white striped shirt.

By balancing my desire to wear a skirt with a long-sleeve, the transition from being covered in warm clothes, to bare legs seemed to work better because there was less skin and more of a classic shape.

When I was done, I gave myself some credit, instead of insulting my appearance, which brings us to the next tip: Once you are dressed, don’t think about what you don’t like about your clothes, compliment what you like about yourself in them.

Pin point what you like and then find a way to enhance that part of your look.  Feeling good about one’s self is the best way to overcome those mornings when you feel like a Ms. Hyde ready to attack yourself.

As for tangible ways to keep the gateway to the underworld from becoming your closet, I recommend organizing your clothes and jewelry in categories that will make it easy to piece together outfits. Lifestyle Expert Susan Matthews uses a dress form to organize her bling. When you organize your clothes, notice the different fabric types in your wardrobe. It’s fun to mix and match textures to create an interesting palette.

Also, in between seasons, adding a scarf is a fun way to add some style without much effort. As mentioned in MegHibberd’s Blog, a circular scarf is great because there are no loose ends to deal with, making it a little effort with a lot of style gain.

When you’re not in a hurry, I recommend finding inspiration. There are many ways to cultivate your look when you are not heading out the door. Why not create your own fashion with this new tool that allows you to design your own tees?

Or, you can check out one of the numerous fashion blogs, that show you how to mix and match different pieces you own. There’s an eclectic array listed at the ModCloth Blog. For a quick fix, there’s always the “Look of the Day,” a hot spot where InStyle Magazine editors search for fashion finds.

Style on!

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Mothering Movie Stars

HOLLYWOOD - MARCH 07: (EDITORS NOTE: NO ONLIN...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

If you watched the Academy Awards on Sunday, you may have noticed the resounding success of women in film and the collective mothering of young actresses like Carey Mulligan and Best Picture and Director winner Katherine Bigelow, by other ladies in the industry. Yet, the most beautiful display of compassion and mama-she-power was Best Actress winner Sandra Bullocks’ acceptance speech after winning the Oscar for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy, a passionate, real-life Southern mother in The Blind Side.

In case you missed it, she accepted the award on behalf of her counterparts and in honor of  “the moms who take care of the babies and the children, wherever they come from.” She also thanked her own mother, who died of cancer in 2000, “for not letting me ride in cars with boys until I was 18.”

Bullock’s exquisite speech was a moving mix of humor and grace reminding us all of the importance of support, love and nurturing by and for women.  And I think it’s also important to mention that Bullock has held many feminist roles, with The Blind Side as the perfect example of a person who strives to promote equal rights among people.  Now, you’re probably thinking, wait a sec, she helps a disadvantage boy — not a girl — how is that a feminist role? Feminism is about creating equality among all people, not raising either gender above the other. In this case, it was about a determined woman who saw a boy who needed a family, so that’s what she provided.

This year’s Academy Awards was filled with a mix of talent whether the stars, producers and directors were men or women. Though Katherine Bigelow is only the first to win the award for Best Picture, she has now paved the way for women to be considered as equals in that category.  Despite people’s dislike of the word “feminist,” by selecting a woman who deserved the award, the Academy made a feminist decision.

If you didn’t catch it, Barabara Streisand’s role as a presenter for Best Picture was no accident. In 1991, there was much controversy over Barabara Streisand’s Oscar snub for her film The Prince of Tides.  Many thought the film should have won and that she didn’t receive an Oscar because she is a woman. I’m not an Academy insider, so I do not know the real reason why she didn’t get it, but I can say you that it’s disgraceful that Bigelow is the first woman director to win for Best Picture.

On the up side, within the film industry there seems to be a lot of comraderie among women.  From Bullock’s speech — as she individually complimented the qualities of the other nominees (including Meryl Streep‘s ability to kiss (LOL) and Carey Mulligan’s grace) — to Oprah’s phenomenal introduction of Gabourey Sidibe — feminism was alive and well-dressed in Hollywood.

Many of the nominated films featured a wide variety women characters outside of the typical gender stereotypes — some are powerful, creative and revolutionary — Julie and Julia, The Young Victoria, Coco Before Chanel, The Blind Side, Music By Prudence and the Princess and the Frog — while others are deeply affecting like Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire and An Education.  Each brought a new view of what it means to be human, to have the strength to survive despite the challenges gender creates. And, what a gift that the women in them are equally as powerful, affecting and revolutionary.

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