image c/o Curves, Patterns, and Pins

2012 is supposed to be a big year with possibly some big changes, namely the predicted apocalypse and train wreck of a presidential election. So why not make a change in your life by trying something that you haven’t done before? After all, if the earth is going to end this year, now would be time to pick up something that you’ve always want to try. Check out these great spots that teach classes that you’ll actually want to take:

3^rd Ward- This multifaceted art space has been a mecca to young creative people in Brooklyn with its eclectic mix of classes ranging from personal interest (Bike Maintenance, Rooftop Beekeeping 101) to professional development (Online Marketing Strategies, Setting Up E-Commerce Sites) and much, much more. Get inspired by checking out their “New Year Resolutions” classes that include Introduction to Upholstery, Learn the Guitar, and Intro to Web Design: HTML/CSS. The courses are pricey, but this would be a great way to spend your extra holiday cash, especially if it leads to a new career path!

The Brooklyn Kitchen- This foodie-haven is known for its wide array of classes that can teach you everything you need to know about the culinary world, and a few things that you don’t really need to know (but it’s pretty cool if you do). Their class calendar is almost filled up for the month of January, but there are still a few good classes with space in the beginning of February that cover topics like baking savory pies and brewing your own beer. Who knows- maybe one of those will turn out to be your life calling. The world always needs more pie and beer, amirite?

The Society for the Advancement of Social Studies (SASS)- Do you enjoy drinking alcohol, clever humor, and learning about history? Well friend, it’s high time you started waving your nerd flag proudly by attending one of this group’s educational and entertaining lectures. On the first Tuesday of each month, the brains behind SASS present a lecture at Public Assembly on “a different historic topic that you probably knew at one point but don’t remember anymore.” The best part? There will be themed drinks specials, so you can leave feeling smart and buzzed. There next lecture is TONIGHT, JANUARY 3^rd at 7pm on the apocalypse and other fun doomsday topics. For more information, check out the event page here.

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Death by Audio. Photo by Maximus Comissar

You know how there was that one time? That your friend dragged you to that random warehouse party you’re pretty sure was somewhere in Bushwick but can’t be positive because your recollection of how you got there or how you left is kind of hazy? But all you know is that when you were there there was a zip line, and maybe some fire eaters, and quite possibly a trailer? As we all know, Brooklyn is full of “underground” spaces like that — everything from night clubs to DIY classes to make-you-own-liquor factories. And as anyone who’s lived here long enough knows, these places are so transient once you’ve been to a place once you maybe have a 50-50 chance of ever finding it again.

Well one woman, long time Williamsburg resident Oriana Leckert, has taken it upon herself to chronicle them, one crazy space at a time. You should really check out her blog, Brooklyn Spaces, which chronicles the many many many creative ways Brooklynites are, well using their space. Full of gorgeous photos and in-depth profiles on the history of each space, her site will let you see what you’ve been missing, or maybe evern finally figure out the name of that place you stumbled into in a drunken late-night stupor.

We sat down with her to see what she’s seen, what she loves, and what her website is all about.

Breuckelen Distilling Co. Photo By Maximus Comissar

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‘Dreams were made for Mortals’ was a one day group show held on Sunday July 24th at St. Vitus Bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

Curated by Karlynn Holland
Hosted by David Castillo, Samantha Marble, and St. Vitus Bar

Artists the displayed works (some of which is included in the video below): Mick Barr, Lee Bartow, Dallas Erl, Jamie Foster, Grey Heart, Karlynn Holland, Suren Karapetyan, Victoria Lui, Gerry Mak, Samantha Marble, Nicholas McMaster, Brian Montuori, Angela Nacol, Nicholas Palmirotto, Owen Rundquist, Sierra Seip, Nathaniel Shannon, Nikki Sneakers, Erin Utzig, Justina Villanueva, George Wilson

On a random meandering through the hood Friday night, we were charmed by a little light show emanating from Ventana244. The boutique art space located on North 6th is currently hosting Intensity, an interactive project experimenting with sound, poetry and movement.

One of the featured artists, Tisch student Mimi Yin, combines her professional software experience with dance training  in ‘Hangman’s Jig.’ Light bulbs move mechanically to specialized algorithisms creating a shadow dance party. Yin hopes to expand the piece to a larger performance art production.

Check out Yin’s work as well as the others (one of which involves screaming at a very timid tree) at Ventana244 now.  The show runs until July 10.

Ventana244 –  244 North 6th Street (Between Roebling and Havemeyer)

Graphic designers Two Arms Inc. just released the first prints in a new series called the Brooklyn Neighborhood. At this point they’ve only finished Greenpoint and Williamsburg, but we like what we’re seeing so far!

Each poster features places and things that are characteristic of the neighborhood, so naturally the Williamsburg poster has The Domino Sugar Factory, bikes, The Williamsburg Bridge, sleeve tattoos . . .

Check it out below.

c/o Buzz Feed

image c/o ArtBlogNYC

Bushwick can’t have all the fun.  Luckily, Northside Open Studios joins the 2011 Northside Festival to showcase over 150 artists throughout Williamsburg and Greenpoint.

For a full schedule, visit the Official Northside Open Studios Site.

Here are some picks for your cultural consideration:

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image c/o The Indypendent

Although my experience of the venue was less anarchist and more casual DIY fun, Alternet provides an intimate portrait of the 13 Thames lifestyle.  The “punk house in deep Bushwick, [where] a collective of punks lives a communal lifestyle that shuns government greed, while their music and art blast government corruption” made news last year when police raided the space.

According to the Alternet author:

At 13 Thames, one might meet a Trinidian black metal kid who grew up in Bed-Stuy, a punk rock woman mechanic who worked for six years at a law firm, a dreadlocked community gardener, or an interestingly “off” German man. They come together to accept people that society fails and rejects, and they pride themselves on open-mindedness. And then they party – often with a conscience. They throw film screenings, noise, metal, and punk shows, art galleries, showcasing whatever parcel of the underground they deem cool enough.

This is pretty bohemian though. Read the whole story at Alternet.

Last night I attended the Inflatable Sculpture Show @ 3rd Ward. I was curious to check out the show mainly because of the Air Bear sculptures built over the subway grates a couple years ago that swept across the Internet.

The sculptures at the show last night were produced via the inflatable sculpture class that 3rd Ward offers for people who want to learn the tricks of the trade. There was certainly some interesting pieces at the show, although what I missed was the incorporation of motion that was present in earlier pieces like the Air Bear and other subway grate sculptures.

There was one standout piece from the show, a hybrid cross between an inflatable sculpture and projected light art. Looking forward to seeing what the next round of students produce.

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It sounds as ambitious as Sufjan’s former 50 states project, but James Gulliver Hancock is is drawing every building in Manhattan. Here’s more about his project: [via]

HOBBY: James Gulliver Hancock, Drawing All Of the Buildings in NYC from Harvest on Vimeo.

Trying to decide whether you wanna leave your house today or not? The weather’s actually quite nice, so turn off Season 4 of whatever you’re ‘trying to catch up on’ and go check out some art & music.

Stroll over the bridge & catch Abrons Art Center: Henry Street Settlement’s open studios today, with works themed around René Daumal’s novel Mount Analogue: A Novel of Symbolically Authentic Non-Euclidean Adventures in Mountain Climbing. Yep. That means the one and only cult classic (based on Daumal’s book), Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Holy Mountain, will be screening at 7pm.
Exhibition 12-9p, free, 466 Grand St (Manhatten)

If you need a different kind of insanity, or the snow is making you too lazy to leave the hood, get your fix at Rabid Hands’ Sequence of Waves. With performances and ephemera throughout the day, this convent at 21 Monitor St will have an electric gamelan orchestra, a giant zither connected to a mural, and a (Parts + Labor)-curated ‘House Show’ (whatever that means).
2-9p, free(?)
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If you wanna get a little daytime dancing in, hit up this chip music event off Graham:
“The biggest I/O dance party yet will feature five chip musicians performing dirty, lo-fi dance music from 6-10p whilst four visual artists project motion graphics on every surface of the venue (audience included).”
Can’t argue with that.
26 Bushwick Avenue, 6-10p; $5

…and later tonight…

A new space in town, Good Units (356 W. 58 St) launches off 2011 with the re-up of DARK DISCO (remember them?). I hear to expect crazy art installations, pretty people, and lots of debauchery.

Love or hate post-dubstep, d’n'b, & the sounds of sister London, their diffusion into the world of music is undeniable. Burial to James Blake, we are seeing electronic music that constantly reinvents itself and for that I have to give credit. Tonight two of the leftfield’s maestros, Jakwob and Falty DL, should give a pretty good idea of where its heading .
Oh yea, and Blaqstarr plays a live set.
$15 if you buy online, $20 door