The next event in the Racine Public Library's "BONK!" performance series will take place on Saturday, March. 28 at 6 p.m. This month's BONK! will feature performances from writer Valerie Laken, visual artist Tina Ullrich, folk-hop recording artists Melissa Czarnik and Eric Mire, and the music of Folkswagon.
Created to expose the public to both local and nationally recognized artistic talents, the series showcases poets, writers, musicians, film makers and all sorts of talents in between. A completely free program, this series is located in downtown Racine at the Blueberries restaurant, 418 Sixth Street, which offers food and drink to be purchased at the events. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with seating available on a first come/first served basis. Each BONK! event features a short question and answer session with the artists.
Author Valerie Laken has lived and worked in Moscow, Prague, Krakow, Madison, and Ann Arbor. She received an MA in Slavic Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, the Chicago Tribune, and Michigan Quarterly Review, among others. Her honors include a Pushcart Prize, the Missouri Review Editors' Prize, two Hopwood Awards, and an honorable mention in the Best American Short Stories. Her critically acclaimed first novel, Dream House, was inspired by her own experience buying and remodeling a home in which a murder had occurred. Laken is currently an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where she teaches Creative Writing.
Visual Artist Tina Ullrich graduated with a B.F.A. in Sculpture from Swain School of Design (New Bedford, MA) in 1977. She is currently a full-time student in a doctoral program for clinical psychology at the School of Professional Psychology, Spalding University, Louisville, KY and was recently awarded her masters. Ullrich has fully integrated her psychology interests into her art, specializing in blind contour portrait drawing. She is currently developing a new and unique model called Visual Artifacting. Ullrich will share the playful and scientific exploration of blind contour portrait drawing and has compiled a slideshow of her own portrait-making over the last three decades. The slideshow will be exhibited in the gallery area, throughout the evening. Melissa Czarnik is a burgeoning poet and emcee hailing from Milwaukee, WI. Czarnik recently released her first solo album, Strawberry Cadillac in the Summer of 2008. The album is the product of a year long project which focuses on issues of social justice, relationships, and the struggle that goes along with the two. Mixing her interests in poetry and Hip Hop, her song diversity exemplifies a strong influence of artists such as Lauryn Hill, Ani Difranco, and French songstress, Edith Piaf. Her style is a powerful mix of poetry, precise delivery, and conscious content in a voice that ranges from sweet and playful to in your face and commanding. The music that backs her up is the product of producer Eric Mire. This Milwaukee recording artist mixes hip-hop, folk, and soul in his latest self-titled album, eric mire (released Summer 2007). A classically trained pianist and composer, self taught acoustic guitarist, electric bass player and hip hop producer, Eric draws upon his broad musical talents to create a unique and infectious rhythmic sound. Eric is the Student Services Manager and Recording Instructor/Engineer at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.
Folkswagon first sprouted in November of 2008 as a six-piece band playing what has been referred to as folk n'roll, or Midwestern hippie music. Members include: writer, singer, guitarist Rachelle Laundrie; fiddler Bill VanOfferen; bass guitarist John Jacob; drummer Russ Weller; lead guitarist Brent Mitchell, and vocalist Susan Laundrie. The band hosts open mic nights at McAuliffe's on the Square every Thursday night at 9:30.
Local artists and performers are encouraged to consider sharing their talent/craft with the community via the BONK! series. For more information on how to participate or to view past performances please visit http://bonkperformanceseries.wordpress.com. You may also contact the Racine Public Library at 262.619.2571, Becky Spika at becky.spika@racinelibrary.info , or Nick Demske at nick.demske@racinelibrary.info.
Created to expose the public to both local and nationally recognized artistic talents, the series showcases poets, writers, musicians, film makers and all sorts of talents in between. A completely free program, this series is located in downtown Racine at the Blueberries restaurant, 418 Sixth Street, which offers food and drink to be purchased at the events. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with seating available on a first come/first served basis. Each BONK! event features a short question and answer session with the artists.
Author Valerie Laken has lived and worked in Moscow, Prague, Krakow, Madison, and Ann Arbor. She received an MA in Slavic Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, the Chicago Tribune, and Michigan Quarterly Review, among others. Her honors include a Pushcart Prize, the Missouri Review Editors' Prize, two Hopwood Awards, and an honorable mention in the Best American Short Stories. Her critically acclaimed first novel, Dream House, was inspired by her own experience buying and remodeling a home in which a murder had occurred. Laken is currently an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where she teaches Creative Writing.
Visual Artist Tina Ullrich graduated with a B.F.A. in Sculpture from Swain School of Design (New Bedford, MA) in 1977. She is currently a full-time student in a doctoral program for clinical psychology at the School of Professional Psychology, Spalding University, Louisville, KY and was recently awarded her masters. Ullrich has fully integrated her psychology interests into her art, specializing in blind contour portrait drawing. She is currently developing a new and unique model called Visual Artifacting. Ullrich will share the playful and scientific exploration of blind contour portrait drawing and has compiled a slideshow of her own portrait-making over the last three decades. The slideshow will be exhibited in the gallery area, throughout the evening. Melissa Czarnik is a burgeoning poet and emcee hailing from Milwaukee, WI. Czarnik recently released her first solo album, Strawberry Cadillac in the Summer of 2008. The album is the product of a year long project which focuses on issues of social justice, relationships, and the struggle that goes along with the two. Mixing her interests in poetry and Hip Hop, her song diversity exemplifies a strong influence of artists such as Lauryn Hill, Ani Difranco, and French songstress, Edith Piaf. Her style is a powerful mix of poetry, precise delivery, and conscious content in a voice that ranges from sweet and playful to in your face and commanding. The music that backs her up is the product of producer Eric Mire. This Milwaukee recording artist mixes hip-hop, folk, and soul in his latest self-titled album, eric mire (released Summer 2007). A classically trained pianist and composer, self taught acoustic guitarist, electric bass player and hip hop producer, Eric draws upon his broad musical talents to create a unique and infectious rhythmic sound. Eric is the Student Services Manager and Recording Instructor/Engineer at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.
Folkswagon first sprouted in November of 2008 as a six-piece band playing what has been referred to as folk n'roll, or Midwestern hippie music. Members include: writer, singer, guitarist Rachelle Laundrie; fiddler Bill VanOfferen; bass guitarist John Jacob; drummer Russ Weller; lead guitarist Brent Mitchell, and vocalist Susan Laundrie. The band hosts open mic nights at McAuliffe's on the Square every Thursday night at 9:30.
Local artists and performers are encouraged to consider sharing their talent/craft with the community via the BONK! series. For more information on how to participate or to view past performances please visit http://bonkperformanceseries.wordpress.com. You may also contact the Racine Public Library at 262.619.2571, Becky Spika at becky.spika@racinelibrary.info , or Nick Demske at nick.demske@racinelibrary.info.
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