For breakfast, a little coffee, a little art

Last year the Independents Coffee Cooperative asked me to curate a benefit art show about coffee. They were looking to help the Peruvain farms that they work with, and had seen the success of Screens 'N' Spokes the year before. As an avid coffee drinker I jumped at the opportunity. Last June the first Beans and Screens art show opened at Mugshots, and in two weeks we'll open with an entirely new set of Coffee inspired art work at Green Line Cafe on Locust Street.

This year, nearly 20 artists from around the country (including S'N'S friends strawberryluna, Mark Forsman, Greg Pizzoli and Mike Munter) took on the subject of coffee and their relationship to it. Sometimes benevolent, sometimes more sinister coffee plays a role in their everyday lives, and they've put that role to paper. You can see most of the prints at the new blog they just started up: http://www.beans-n-screens.blogspot.com.The Cooperative will have copies of each print for sale at the opening and beyond.

Beans and Screens Opening Reception
June 26th
Green Line Cafe
4305 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA

A few morsels

Since Jess announced that we were coming back last week, I thought it only fair that I drop a few morsels of info on Screens 'N' Spokes 2009.

I'm really excited about this year's contributing artists. We've worked with a lot of great people over the past two years, and in 2009 we'll be partnering with some of our old friends, and a good many new ones as well.

Last year we were all over Philadelphia, from South Street to Fairmount, Manayunk to Ardmore. This year, since we are on the move, we'll be hosting shows only at our old friends Mugshots. But fear not, there will still be lots of opportunity to check out Screens 'N' Spokes in person. During the month of August you'll be able to find us at Mugshots Fairmount. Then in September we'll climb the wall to Mugshots in Manayunk. Again this year the shows are leading up to the main event, Bike MS: City to Shore. Team Screens 'N' Spokes will take to the road October 3 and 4, and we're always looking for more people to ride with.

In other news, we're hoping to unveil the official Screens 'N' Spokes website in 2009. It'll be you're one stop shop for all news and info about S'N'S, Bike MS, Screenprinted art, and all of our artist friends. We're just beginning to develop it, but I'll post more about it as we move forward.

Finally, keep your eyes peeled. We're going to be doing some pretty sweet giveways in the not too distant future. More info to come on the blog, and on the e-mail list. If you haven't signed up, and would like to, shoot us an e-mail.

Screens 'N' Spokes returns!

The time's almost here, folks - keep your eyes peeled for new prints coming in the next month or so!

The theme 0f the art prints this year will be "The Tour" or "The Move" to "Join the Movement." It relates to the MS150 bike tour, or to the music tours that gigposters memorialize...and how these come together to join the movement to end the devastating effects of Multiple Sclerosis.

Perhaps it is therefore appropriate that Sam and I will be making a big move of our own - we are leaving New York City for Durham, NC - we're going to graduate school! Sam will be a MBA student at Duke's Fuqua School of Business and I will be studying public policy at Duke's Sanford Institute.

Again, sit tight...it's gonna be a busy summer!