A New Web Home

Have you heard? The Contemporaries are getting a new home! Well, not a home per se. A new website. But you could make it your home page. So there's that.

Rumor has it that the website will go "live" this week!

{Um, what does that term even mean? What was it before it was "live?" Dead? Sleeping? Considering I am very tech-illiterate - I usually have more than 1 failed attempt to log in to blog each time -I'm guessing that some guy out there with a MacBook Pro could explain it. But, for now, I'll just go with it.}

So the new website is going to be resurrected, alive, whatever! I harassed the webmaster for a sneak peak and finally got the secret password to check it out early.

And let me tell you, it looks awesome!

Of course, I immediately searched for pictures of me. Sadly, there were none. I was, however, relieved to see that the picture of me in the giant oyster pot was not on the website. There are just some pictures that don't need to be repeated.

There is a link to the lil' ol' blog here, so that was pretty exciting.

But there is other great stuff that doesn't necessarily revolve around me.

There is a lot of great information on how to join, how to get involved, when the fun parties are, and what other cool stuff coming up. I got giddy reading that the Wine 101 class will be in January.

{At the wine series last year, there was an empty chair beside me, but they poured wine in those glasses anyways. Doubling up on my share of wine may not have been one of my best ideas ever, but it was most certainly fun!}

The Art Collecting 101 class looked pretty useful. Maybe someone could explain to me how to get started buying art. Without taking out a loan or looking like an idiot. {Although, the Contemporaries' Artist of the Year event always has a good selection of art. Maybe I should there... Debi Schadel, the chair of the event, throws a heck of a party so it'll be fun collecting art, too!}

Here's the link, just remember it's not "live" yet!

http://columbiacontemporaries.cyberwoven.com/

So, feel free to send me flowers, chocolate and money to bribe me for the password to get a sneak peek! Or, you know, just wait a couple days and see it then!

Enjoying Art and Parties,

Mary Douglass

Columbia Contemporaries

{And, yes, I had to Google "screenshot" to even figure out how to get that image! Somewhere my Computer Skills teacher from high school is shaking her head.}

Contemporaries' Artist of the Year!

I am not an artist. At all. I've been known to doodle little stick men and hearts on scrap paper, but I'm pretty sure no one is going to offer me money for these pieces of "art."

I am also not independently wealthy. Yet.

So if I want to put something on my walls (besides the ginormous television my husband bought right before we got married when he knew I would veto that purchase), I need to find good-looking art from artists before they are discovered. The phrase "before they are discovered" can also be translated to: affordable.

Funny story - When I was a kid, my mom saw a colorful painting of a Gullah scene at a local beach shop. She liked it, but didn't have the $100 that day to get it. It was a Jonathan Green, before he was discovered. Needless to say, his paintings sell for much more than that now. Sigh.


Photo from jonathangreenstudios.com

So now I'm very interested in any opportunity to see some art, especially from local artists, and I always make sure to bring my checkbook with me. 'Cause you just never know.

So...This Thursday (May 13th) will be the 6th Annual Contemporaries' Artist of the Year! It will start at 7pm and have a DJ, open bar, Anna Cline catering, break dancers and, of course, a silent auction for 125 pieces of great art! As an added bonus, all the art starts below $300!

Did I mention the whole event is FREE?! (Well, if you're a Contemporaries member. $30 if you're not. But go ahead and join. We have a lot of fun events and you'll make your money back real fast!)

There's more details on the CAY website: www.cayevent.com

Can't wait to see you there! And be smart and take my advice about bringing some cash...just in case.

Enjoying Art and Parties,

Mary Douglass
Columbia Contemporaries

Inside Information

Want to hear my first impressions of how the Chihuly chandelier is looking so far???

Check it out here on CMA's blog!

See everyone Wednesday night at 5:30 for the Annual Meeting!

Enjoying Art and Parties,

Mary Douglass
Columbia Contemporaries

We Want YOU!

At our Annual Meeting (THIS WEDNESDAY! 5:30PM!!), we will be talking about some upcoming positions on our board. Our Fearless Leader Ryan will give details about time commitments, what is required and exactly how much more people will respect you for being on the Contemporaries' Board (that last part is a joke. Kinda. People will be impressed.)

Fearless Leader Ryan will also be asking for volunteers to dust the new Chihuly chandelier.

Things to be considered for this position:

1) The chandelier will be hung from a second story beam, so agility and no fear of heights is a must. Acrobatic experience preferred.
2) This art ain't cheap. So you'd have to be prepared to delicately dust all 800 pieces.


Totally joking. But doesn't it make you wonder how the thing will get cleaned??

Maybe FLRyan will answer that at the meeting, too...

Enjoying Art and Parties,

Mary Douglass

Our Meetings Are More Fun Than Your Meetings

I don't know what you do for a living, but if your job is anything like mine you probably have meetings. Boring meetings. Really boring meetings with someone taking minutes and someone inevitably dozing off (um, usually me. Don't tell my boss, okay??)

Now, imagine that meeting around Happy Hour time. With beer and wine. And cool people. And 800 pieces of glass being assembled around you.

Much better right??

Yes, well, that's a Contemporaries' meeting. Of course it's cooler.

As you know (or not, but you will soon), the Contemporaries have commissioned a really amazing chandelier by world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly (commissioned - meaning we raised a whole lot of money and we get to keep it. Forever!). It's kind of a surprise what ours looks like, but here's another one of his signature chandeliers:



Amazing, right??

What's really neat is the chandelier will be arriving in a whole lot of cardboard boxes and will be assembled on site. And that site is our lil' ol art museum. And, turns out, 800 pieces of glass is pretty heavy. Like 2000 pounds heavy. Don't worry, they've reinforced the beam that the chandelier will hang from. Whew...

And our topics are way more interesting than the ones you're talking about at work. We'll be talking about our upcoming parties (Black & White Ball, Contemporaries' Artist of the Year), what big piece of art we should buy next (Art Acquisition), and how people who don't know anything about art can start learning about art (Contemporaries 101 Series).

And maybe there will even be a standing ovation for the blogger. [cough, hint, cough] Or just a free drink.

Um, upon further research, everyone gets free drinks. Ah, well.

Can't wait to see all our friends there!

Enjoying Art & Parties,

Mary Douglass
Columbia Contemporaries

Oyster Roast - By The Numbers

I now present to you The Contemporaries' Oyster Roast...By The Numbers

350 - Number of good looking, hard working, ready to party young professionals who attended

26 - Number of new memberships made in one night!

20 - Number of bushels of oysters steamed and quickly devoured

45 to 60 pounds - How much a bushel of oysters weighs (Did you already know that? I sure didn't. Had to Google that one!)

4 - People who commented on how funny I look in a ginormous pot (see previous post!)

3 - Hours of Art Partying!

1 - Number of oysters I ate. I tend to get really chatty at big events and not eat...Happen to anyone else?

And, now, some pictures:




Told you we were planning on a big crowd! Look at all those pots!



My mouth is literally watering as I look at this picture.



Crowd Picture. I'm not very tall so it's not a very good picture. Ah, well.




Hungry crowd! That guy in the green shirt really looks like he knows what he's doing, doesn't he?



Isn't the front of the museum pretty?



I'm not really sure why you would spray water on oysters. To clean them? Cool them off? Obviously I was not in charge of cooking.



The Beer Truck. That went home empty.



Our Youngest Contemporaries' Member. Cute, isn't he? Also sort of looks like the E*Trade baby. But where was that milk-aholic, Lindsay??



A pretty pink sunset over a really fun oyster roast!



Done.

Enjoying Art and Parties,

Mary Douglass
Columbia Contemporaries

As if you need another reason

I know you are just completely convinced to come to the Contemporaries' Oyster Roast TOMORROW (5:30pm) after reading yesterday's post.

But just in case you're not 100% sure, I'd like you to know:

We're planning on a big crowd. A REALLY big crowd!

Here is one of two pots that will be used:



After taking this picture, I realized you may not realize how ginormous it is without any point of reference. So I took this picture:



And I'm 5'2" and 100 and [mumble, mumble] pounds!

Hope you're hungry!

Enjoying Art and Parties,

Mary Douglass
Columbia Contemporaries