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Illustrating Public Paint Day, folk music at People’s Light, and writing with Chet’la Sebree
The Weekly Roundup, July 21, 2021
Kyle V. Hiller
Alright, y’all. In the spirit of newness, it’s only right that the “weekend roundup” gets a coat of fresh paint like the rest of the BSR website. Instead of compiling longer lists of events, I want to focus on a few every week, and I want to look beyond simply the weekend. Some of the best days of my life have been on Tuesdays, and there has been so much I haven’t posted on these roundups because they landed on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. In an effort to be more respectful of the whole week and to spend more valuable time discovering new events, organizations, and artists, I'm switching up the roundups to feature a handful of curated highlights infused with a little personal flair. Consider these roundups as a chance to connect with me, your associate editor at Broad Street Review.
Speaking of paint, let’s talk about Public Paint Day. Then, let’s get into some dope folk music at People’s Light and exercise our right to write with Chet’la Sebree.
Public Paint Day and Celebration
When: Wednesday, July 28, 5-8pm
Where: Clark Park, 4300-4398 Baltimore Avenue
Take a trip to West Philadelphia’s Clark Park on Wednesday, July 28 at 5-8pm for an evening of painting and celebration. Morris Home and Mural Arts Philadelphia are teaming up and inviting the public to help paint panels of two new murals honoring trans and nonbinary Philadelphians.
If you’re worried about your painting skills not being up par, don’t worry! It’s paint-by-number style! (Also, maybe let’s make doing art unabashedly regardless of skill level or expertise a more normal, regular thing?)
The free event also has performances, family-friendly art activities, resource tables, Narcan training, and food trucks slated. Fans of the Cake Life Bake Shop on Frankford Avenue ought to seek out some treats, especially if you haven’t been out that way in a while.
The artists featured are Ali Williams (she/her) and Kah Yangni (they/them). The two have led workshops at Morris Home, billed as the only residential recovery program in the country to offer comprehensive services specifically for the trans- and gender-nonconforming community. Williams is a Philly-based artist and public muralist with a robust, colorful portfolio, and Yangni is an illustrator making art about justice, queerness, and joy. You may have seen their art around the city—and also at the top of this very post. Yup, that featured image is their work!
Williams’ mural will be installed at Philly AIDS Thrift in Queens Village, and Yangni’s will be installed at Cake Life Bake Shop in Fishtown. Get out to Clark Park if you can—even if you don’t want to paint, there will be plenty of ways to support and to have fun. Be sure to check give Williams and Yangni a follow on Instagram, too.
Folk Weekend with People’s Light
When: Saturday, July 24, 1pm
Where: People’s Light drive-in parking lot; The Glen, 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA
I’m going to be honest here, folks: I don’t know much about folk music. Can someone school me? I haven’t made it very far past Janis Joplin and Carole King, and I don’t know, I’m trying to get outside my comfort zone with the music I listen to (which I’d argue is actually pretty diverse, especially for a hobbyist DJ like myself).
Also, sidebar: I was last-Saturday-years-old when I found out that Carole King wrote the theme song to Gilmore Girls. For context, that theme gets stuck in my head about every ten days or so.
No matter where you are on the folk spectrum, whether you’re like me and are curious or you’re an enthusiast who knows all about it, People’s Light’s Folk Weekend is for you. Catch some sunshine (weather willing) on Saturday, July 24 for a day of performances from Patty Larkin, Jeremiah Tall & the Lore, and Amythyst Kiah. I’ve picked out a few of their songs that I thought were pretty dope. I really dig Black Myself, obviously.
Jeremiah Tall’s Moonlight sounds like it would be the theme song to the Ramen Western television show I’d want to write. (What is a ramen western, you ask?)
Jeremiah Tall’s Moonlight sounds like it would be the theme song to the ramen western television show I’d want to write. (What is a ramen western, you ask?)
Open Arms (Don’t Explain) by Patty Larkin is also a banger.
All-day passes are $175 per day, per vehicle up to 5 passengers. Sure, that may sound steep, but if you and your pals split the bill, it’s about $15 per performance. I think the performers deserve that much, right? You can find out more info about the artists, vehicle protocol, scheduling, accessibility, and all that good stuff here.
Seriously, though. Someone email me their favorite folk songs/albums/artists.
Wilmington Writers Conference
When: Saturday, July 24, 10am-1pm
Where: Streaming online
Fellow writers! If you need a jolt in your writing, then the fifth annual Wilmington Writers Conference might be the spark you need. The free virtual edition streams to the WiFi waves on Saturday, July 24 from 10am-1pm. Hosted by the Delaware Art Museum, this year’s guests include award-winning poet Chet’la (that’s pronounced SHAY-la) Sebree, who will read from her new book Field Study.
Sebree’s collaborative work with photographer Shannon Woodloe Mistress will also be available at the Museum’s store for the local folks looking to support Sebree in all the ways. You can also buy it online, too (but be sure to support indie bookstores—they can’t send their former CEOs to space).
The conference will feature a keynote speech from Sebree, a conversation with Museum employee and Brevity Bookspace owner Saliym Cooper, and a writer breakout session. You’ll have to register online beforehand.
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