Rising Star Althea Harper Will Hit the Runway with Original Designs and Help Judge Costume Contest

Dayton-born clothing designer Althea Harper was drawn to fashion at an early age. And on Saturday, October 31, this 24-year-old “Project Runway 6” contestant will be drawn back to Ohio as celebrity judge and featureddesigner for Columbus’ second annual HighBall Halloween.

This fashion-focused extravaganza will feature an 80-foot runway, professional models, live entertainment and a costume competition for fashion designers. Adults, children and pets will also compete for prizes, bragging rights and a moment in the spotlight. The theme for this year’s festival is “Cirque.”

A Young Designer Hits her Stride

Althea Harper is no stranger to visionary fashion design. “As a student, Althea was always thinking way beyond her skill set and pushing herself,” recalls Margie Voelker-Ferrier, professor and coordinator at University ofCincinnati (College of Design Art Architecture and Planning). “I think Althea has a beautiful aesthetic … she always makes women feel beautiful and elegant.”

The Project Runway judges clearly share Voelker-Ferrier’s view. As of this writing, Harper has edged out nineother contestants to reach Round 9 of the show. She’s won one of the weekly challenges, and she’s never been among the bottom three.

High-Powered Judges at HighBall Halloween ‘09

This year, Harper and her former professor will join a roster of industry professionals to help judge yourHalloween costume at the HighBall Halloween Costume Contest.

Do you have what it takes to make the HighBall runway?

Thousands will try. 40 will make it. One will win HighBall Costume of the Year. Come at 9:30 and show

Contest categories are:

• Best Celebrity Lookalike (sponsored by the Arena Grand Movie Theatre)
• Cirque Fantasy
• Best Tag Team (for teams of two or more people)
• Best King and Queen (drag, that is!)
• Simply Fabulous!

For more information about the costume contest, HighBall Halloween, and Althea Harper, visit HighBallHalloween.com.

blog content provided by Christa Sidman

Althea Harper

Althea Harper

A couple days ago I received an invitation to Mahan Gallery’s March art opening. My eyes popped when I opened the envelope. The featured artist: Ric Ocasek. My first thought was: “How many Ric Ocasek’s can there be?” A product of the ‘70s and ‘80s, I immediately associated R.O. with the Cars, even hearing a bit of “Just What I Needed” in my head. It couldn’t be the same guy. And yet, when I turned the invitation over, there was the confirmation. Step One… I immediately called and rsvp’d. Step Two… I pondered why Ric was dabbling in art. I wondered how many people would show up purely because of the fanboy effect, and how many would be there for the art. That led me to a question of celebrity and commercialism versus authenticity. So before I dug myself a deeper hole, I called Jacquie Mahan (gallery proprietor) and scheduled a chat on the subject.

And I was glad I did.

We sat at Jacquie’s desk (pure white, blending in with the white exhibition walls) at the back of the gallery. Before jumping in to the obvious questions I thought I’d start with a bit of focus on the gallery itself.

JA: What is your philosophy about art and your gallery?
JM: I want to keep it real. Accessible. Honest. We are a highly contemporary gallery. We take a lot of risks and they usually pay off.

JA: So it’s not always a formal or traditional installation?
JM: We do feature traditionally hung shows, but it’s also fun to do something non-traditional. Artwork doesn’t have to be so serious. Sometimes it can be really fun. We support young artists as well as high-profile artists. In June we have an exhibit with the architect, George Acock.

JA: How serious are you about the gallery experience?
JM: I take artwork seriously, but I don’t take myself so seriously. I’m always open to learning, to hearing new ideas, and to experiencing. I think Mahan Gallery stands out with a very different gallery formula in Columbus. There are a lot of “art shops” out there filled with pieces to sell. Our gallery is attention driven. We embrace a theme. Make it intense. Make it an experience. We want the gallery to be a destination apart from other galleries.

JA: Give me an example of “experiential.”
JM: One of my favorites was our Maya Hayuk installation. Maya is from Brooklyn and has been to Columbus several times. She came to do a solo show at our gallery. We gave her the entire space. She simply took over. Paintings. Photos. She even painted pieces directly on our walls. Not on canvas, on our walls. It was completely immersive. If you didn’t see it at the gallery, you wouldn’t see it anywhere else. When collectors entered the door, they could instantly feel the art. There was even an opportunity to take self-portraits with the art via a ripcord - camera mechanism Maya installed. Fully engaging. It was a risk. And we liked taking it.

JA: So let’s talk about Ric. How did you get him to make his first gallery appearance at Mahan?
JM: It’s funny. People are going to think it’s only because he’s my father-in-law, but that’s not the whole story. It took years to gradually convince him to take this step. Yes, I had an inside track, but the biggest factors were probably the quality of our gallery, including our website, and his trust in how we would handle the installation. In the end, he decided to let us install the exhibit.

JA: So you made a proposal to Ric and here we are.
JM: Not nearly. It took five years of putting seeds out there. I saw Ric’s work for the first time on a beach trip. My husband Adam said: “You have to go see my dad’s work. It’s really cool.” From that point I began telling Ric: “You’re really good at this. You should share it with others.” We never went much deeper than that, and I decided not to push it. I just kept putting it out there. One day Paulina said: “You should talk to him about an installation.” She’s the one who really gave me the signal to make the ask. So I broached the subject. Ric simply said: “When are we having a show?” I said 6 months. “Okay. How many pieces?”  I suggested 50 - 150. Ric responded: “I’ll send you more.” That was about the extent of the conversation once we got over the hurdle of having the exhibit. So it was a lot of being patient. A lot of saying the right things at the right time. And having no ulterior motives. When he picked Mahan I was really happy, but if he had picked somewhere else I still would have been happy to see the works finally displayed.

JA: So here’s the rub. Is this really about an artist or an insanely famous guy?
JM: This installation is about the person. When it all gets peeled away, (the rock icon, my father-in-law, Adam’s dad, Paulina Porizkova’s husband) what’s left is some amazing artwork. The artwork speaks for itself. Ric’s work is really personal. It’s real. He makes his work for himself and by himself. Being around him at family functions I watch how he works. He sits by himself and starts creating. He’s no longer in the room. He’s by himself. I see that zoning out in Adam as well. I find the work very vulnerable. It’s a self-portrait. Think about it. If you made something never intending for others to see it, you make it real. You make it the way you want it to be. You’re not thinking about how others will react.

JA: So what is Ric’s inspiration?
JM: Ric views his work as a visual form of his music. He calls it the visual noise going on in his head. That’s where the name of the exhibit came from: Noise Colored Party. There is a rhythm and a tempo to every thing you will see.

JA: And what can we expect from Noise Colored Party?
JM: Ric works with markers, pen, and pencil on paper… some even on his letterhead from Elektra Records. There are also photographs, paintings and paper collages.

JA: Is there a theme or message in his work?
JM: Ric is very abstract. You can’t sum him up. His work is what it is. You can’t say it means anything specific… it means everything. If anything, it’s a stream of consciousness show. It’s a product of what people do when nobody’s looking. He’s really being himself.

JA: So this is a big deal for him to take this step with Mahan?
JM: It really is. It shows how paralleled he is. Keeping to himself all these years and now opening up to share his work.

JA: Did he have specifications about the installation?
JM: He said: “Make the installation look like music.” There will be 171 pieces for the show, maybe 175 if we get the four additional paintings I would like to include. The whole place will be totally saturated in crazy drawings.

JA: Will the works be for sale?
JM: Yes.
Photographs $800 - $1,200
Drawings $800 - $2,200
Paintings $2,500 - $5,000

JA: How is Ric feeling about his decision now that the opening is less than a month away?
JM: He is taken aback that people are interested in the pieces. He’s flattered that people like them so much. I don’t think he gives himself credit for his talent. To him, this is his knitting. Paulina is a knitter. She knits every night. I like sewing. We all have creative outlets. His is art.

JA: So what’s left to be done for the installation?
JM: Tons! We pick up the framing supplies on Friday. We will be building new frames for every single piece. Ric is a perfectionist. Each work is float mounted and placed on tiered matting. We will be working nonstop March 1 - March 5. It will take a really long time, but it will be totally worth it.

JA: How has the community reacted to news of the debut?
JM: I think people of the 80’s, people who love his music are particularly excited. They have an affinity for him, they relate to him, they want to know more about him. There has been a lot of support and expectation.

JA: One last question. How did Mahan Gallery end up in Columbus… in the Short North?
JM: I have family here. But that’s not enough. More importantly, Columbus is a viable community. I came to the SN because the rent was cheap. I liked the area. I liked the mix. I felt grateful to get established. There was no other choice. I wouldn’t have thrived the same way anywhere else… it’s a community where we keep it real.

_________________________

Noise Colored Party

Ric Ocasek

Solo Exhibition

March 6 - April 25, 2009
Invite-Only Reception: Fri., March 6
Gallery Hop: Sat., March 7, 6-10p

Mahan Gallery • 717 N High Street

So the juggling continues. HighBall is rockin’… some major stuff to talk about later on that front. We’re down to 5 weeks and counting. So what should I talk about? The Short North Gala of course! I haven’t brought that one to the front blog-burner as yet… and it’s just 2 weeks away!

Last year we introduced the Short North Gala to celebrate the lighting of the High Street arches. Remember when the arches were just architectural background? Okay, that’s a different story. So the gala was an instant sell out and we immediately decided it HAD to be an annual event. But, as with any launch, we learned some things that will make year 2 an even greater experience. Less time between courses. More time for after party. Recognize award recipients all through the evening. Order more wine!

So here we are in round two. Where to start? Well, it’s a culinary thing. It’s a spirit thing. It’s a Short North thing. And the whole thing takes place at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Sunday, October 12. Start with cocktails in the courtyard at 5:30, dinner at 7:00, after party at 9:00. In between? One heck of an incredible foodie experience. Rosendales. Rigsby’s. Hyde Park Steakhouse. Athletic Club of Columbus. Union Cafe. Marcella’s. Martini. basi italia. Haiku. Jeni’s Ice Creams. Yep. A phenomenal course from each and every one of them.

The spirit part… We’re dedicating the evening to our two luminary award recipients, Maria Galloway (owner and founder of pm gallery - 28 years in the making) and John Allen (owner and found of the Short North Tavern - 27 years in the making). We’re also recognizing the behind-the-scenes contributions of four great “Unsung Heroes”: Tray Hunker, Greg Maynard, Christie Nohle and Katie Reider.

The theme is the “Glow of Success.” Corny but true. It’s a nod to the arches, and a nod the amazing accolades the district has received over the last year, including: Gallery Hop—Best Art Event in the State per Ohio Magazine and the Expy Award from Experience Columbus for contributions to the visitor experience in our fair city.

Our event chairs (Joe Spinelli, Xenia Palus and Jeni Bauer) have been working their little tushes off getting the details together. Add to that Joe Baer’s creative team from ZenGenius and you have the makings for one unforgettable evening. By the way, ZG is working with the constraint that all color in the room’s decor has to be chemical or electric. That’s all I’m sayin’ ’bout that.

If you would like to get your ticket before the event is sold out, drop me a line and I’ll send you an invitation. That sounds so used-car-salesman, but I know you’ll have a fabulous time.

Ciao for now.

ja

It’s becoming obvious to me that blogging about the Short North is going to be more challenging than I had expected. Turns out that with all the projects and tasks at hand, taking a break long enough to write about them isn’t so easy. There’s always the option to go do one more something and write about it a bit later. Unfortunately, “a bit later” becomes considerably later, becomes oops I forgot. This past week is a perfect example. HighBall has been barreling along full-steam. Meeting after meeting. Lining up bands. Getting permits for street closures, sound variances, alcohol sales, bagging meters, and half a dozen other required officiallities. Then there’s event insurance. Staging. Lighting. Recruiting fashion designers. Creating flyers, table tents and advertisements. Talking one-on-one with area businesses about the logistics. And, of course, courting sponsors. Thank goodness for committees and great volunteers who help lighten the load.

But at the end of the day, HighBall is one of half-a-dozen such projects underway in the Business Association of Columbus’ most hyper-active destination. The Short North Gala arrives October 12. The next issue of the Short North Visitors Guide is due out in December. We’re working on our plans for the holidays… which, of course, includes Holiday Hop. We’ve partnered with the city to address aggressive panhandling. We’re working with the downtown community to add way-finding signage to the area. You know, it’s really amazing how much great stuff bubbles up to the active list here in the Short North… and before you know it, another 80-hour week sneaks up on you.

So finding a few minutes to talk about it, isn’t as easy as I expected. That’s cool. There are little spics and specs here and there. There are moments waiting for meetings or the occasional solo lunch. There’s enough time to reflect. I know I have to work on the discipline factor, and take advantage of the snippets. It is doable.

Sitting on my patio watching the Sunday sun rise over the Short North Kroger happens to be a great little moment. Puck is squirrel hunting. The traffic is picking up. Laptop on lap. Battery only partially charged. Ah, that’s good; forces time limits. Looks like the district was hit with more Skully’s and Obama flyers. Mental note, take those down when we head out for our morning constitution.

Okay, here’s the real blog posting. Let’s call it “The Short North Spark”

I started the Short North blog with a bent toward the behind-the-scenes work we do at the Business Association. Now I’m realizing it’s also a great place to share the behind-the-scenes work the various district personalities do to make the Short North so special.

Friday night I received a call from Christie Nohle, owner of Urban Gardener. Christie was teaming with Larry Totzke, president of the Italian Villlage Society for a movie night fundraiser in Christie’s parking lot. The feature: Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. Larry had borrowed the SNBA’s information tent earlier in the day for the gig, but it hadn’t quite registered with me what he was planning.

Around 7:30 (yes, a bit later than I was expecting to be at the office on a Friday), Christie called to “reserve” my projector as a backup in case hers wasn’t strong enough. “No problem,” I agreed. About half an hour later, a second call from Christie: They had started the pre-movie cartoons. All was fine. “What are you and Frank doing? Come join us!” If you know Christie, you know how her voice can carry excitement and a sense of expectation and wonder. “It’s going to be so much fun!” So okay, Frank and I opted to cruise on over to Urban Gardener’s parking lot for a Friday night movie. Why not?

When we arrived, Larry and his wife Sylvia were serving up samples of Italian Village Society wine they had made at Camelot Cellars. The SNBA information tent was their distribution hut. Christie had brought out every chair she stocked in her business. Tall ones. Low ones. Metal ones. Cloth ones. The seating was as eclectic as the 30 or so neighborhood supporters who had shown up for the evening.

Frank and I tossed our $5 suggested contributions into the collection pot and grabbed our bags of popcorn, beverages, bags of candy AND Medco gifts (travel office supplies and sorta fun band-aid dispenser). Good lord. When did $5 ever get so much value? We perched atop a couple of patio bar stools and settled in. As the night progressed it got cooler. We considered sneaking out to warm up. Christie got wind of the issue and ran inside to snag a bright red jacket for me to cut the chill. Crisis averted. The movie was quite enjoyable (the black and white images playing off the textures of the brick wall added a ghostly, surreal sense to the storyline), but I was more caught up in WHAT was going on.

My neighbors were investing their time to create community. It wasn’t just happening, as so many would like to believe is the way of the world… things just magically happen. It was being created. And it took commitment, effort and time. And it touched my heart.

Larry. Sylvia. Christie. Running around picking up tents. Setting out chairs. Spreading the word. Making wine. So many little details. So much time. They probably raised a few hundred dollars on Friday for the Italian Village Park. But far more than that, they created a wonderfully experiential Short North moment. It was after work hours for everyone. But Christie was still setting out chairs for her neighbors. Larry was still pouring samples of wine and welcoming new comers. And Frank and I were absorbing the wonderful fruits of their extra labor, following what was probably an 80-hour work week for each of them. 10:00PM Big rounds of hugs. Helping hands to load equipment into cars. And we were off to the next Short North stop. Completely re-energized and inspired to do our parts the next time.

And as I finish this entry, the sun has fully risen and the entire area is buzzing with energy. Sunday mornings aren’t really as sleepy as everyone would have you believe.

Realization. It’s been another special moment for me in the Short North.

Now it’s time to take Puck on that morning constitution and do a little district clean up. Taking time for community isn’t always on the clock. Sometimes it’s not really work at all. Sometimes it’s an investment in the quality of life we each desire… and well worth the time to reflect upon.

Ciao.

John

Now that Art al Fresco has made a successful debut, the Short North is turning its focus to the next big thing… HighBall Halloween: A Masquerade Party on High Street. On Wednesday, Sept. 10 we’ll unveil the full details during the event launch at Skully’s Music Diner, but right now the development committee is debating some of the key aspects. Charly Bauer (Jeni’s Ice Creams) wants to see “fabulous” costumes at every turn and an outrageous diva-emcee like Nina West. Dawn Friedman agrees that the “wow factor” should be off the chart if it’s going to be worthy of Short North status, but thinks there has to be a twist to the event. Ryan Morgan thinks inviting Columbus’ couture fashion designers to create original costumes for a Project Runway-style fashion showdown would get juices flowing. Walker Evans wants to see high-profile prizes for the best, most creative, and most outrageous costumes. The next meeting, tomorrow afternoon, will iron out the details.

There are also many logistics questions to answer by Wednesday. What part of High Street will we close for the masquerade? Should we have bands or DJs? Dancing or parades? Beer or wine!? Who gets to be the Joker!?

More to come…