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Another Decade is About to End

Dear Reader,

It just struck me that another decade is about to end. Tonight we’ll have the last round of First Friday art openings of the decade in downtown Indianapolis.

After a decade of reviewing gallery shows for NUVO, I still get excited about going out and finding something new and unexpected. Tonight I’m excited about seeing Blasko Artist/Satch Artist at Circle City Industrial Complex, Localized: Creative Impressions of Life in Garfield Park Arts Center, and David Lanch: Visions from Another World at Tube Factory artspace. 

My favorite exhibition of the year was Circles: The Renaissance, The Rebirth, The Remix at Gallery 924 in October.

But there were certainly other contenders, like Alicia Zanoni’s Nice Weather We’re Having, at Harrison Center, a solo landscape show that worked on many levels. Her landscapes not only seemed to communicate interior moods but also current environmental turmoil. Apocalyptic foreboding can also be found in the work of artist Nina Elder, an Albuquerque-based artist whose exhibit The Score is on view through Dec. 8. This was, it just so happens, the latest article that I’ve published in NUVO.

Elder received funding to create her artwork, which focuses on the monuments of Indianapolis, from the IUPUI Arts & Humanities Institute (IAHI), where I’m currently working as a research assistant. The exhibition is partly an outgrowth of IAHI’s desire to build bridges between IUPUI and the surrounding communities. Certainly another expression of that desire is their collaboration with Kheprw Institute, where Maurice Broaddus, author of Pimp My Airship and many other works, is a volunteer. I had the privilege of writing an article on him this fall for NUVO. Like my fellow NUVO writer Seth Johnson, I find myself wearing many hats these days. (I’m also a graduate student in the IUPUI English Department).

I have to say that I’m impressed about the mixture of writers that NUVO has brought in over the past six months or so. If you value the increasing diversity of voices that NUVO is bringing to your newsfeed, why not make a contribution? 

I also want your input on what stories you think I should cover in 2020. 

Have a healthy and happy holiday season, everyone!

Dan Grossman

Greetings faithful newsletter subscribers,

It’s me, Seth Johnson, back with another update on my many adventures.

It’s been quite a while since I last spoke with you, which means there’s a lot to catch up on. Rather than giving you the entire rundown, I’ll cover a few of my favorite recent articles.

Yesterday, I published a story on Indianapolis rapper Willis, who dropped his latest project, Welcome to the Universe, on Friday. In the story, Willis talks about his approach to new projects, saying he treats every new album like it’s own movie, in a way.

This story on Willis serves as an example of the local profiles I write. In the last month or so, I’ve also written profiles on Indy soul artist Dorsh and Indy emcee Kid Quill, and will have more coming out soon on Okara Imani, Skypp and Wolfi. If there are other types of music stories you’d like me to pursue, feel free to let me know using this interactive poll, where I ask you the reader to help steer my music coverage in 2020.

As you may also know, I have many other passions outside of music, including comedy and Pacers basketball. Since the start of the Pacers season, I’ve written two installments of my Home Dipo column, which intermingles player quotes with my own personal analysis. This week, I’ll be attending key home games against the Clippers and Celtics, and I invite you to come say hello if you spot me in the Bankers Life Fieldhouse press box.

In terms of comedy, I also recently had the pleasure of chatting with Indianapolis comedian Ryan Niemiller, who finished third on Season 14 of America’s Got Talent. Ryan and I connected on a personal level, being that we both live with impairments. That said, I think the interview makes for a unique look inside his road to stardom.

Lastly, I’ll remind you that you can support NUVO by purchasing a membership or simply donating to our cause as a locally driven media outlet. All of your contributions directly fund reporting from myself and fellow NUVO writers, who greatly appreciate your gracious giving.

I think that’s about all I have to share with you for now. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday season. Get out there and enjoy a live performance or two before we meet again!

Cheers,

Dan Grossman update: Jim Powell, Dave Eggers, Rabbi Sandy Sasso

Hi everyone,

I feel like I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole. That is because I recently read Alice in Wonderland for a class in children’s literature for a graduate-level course in English at IUPUI. You think about the book differently when considering its meaning from a Freudian perspective. But I’ve also had time to write some articles for NUVO. My most recent article, sadly, noted the passing of Jim Powell, the founder and longtime director of the Indiana Writers Center. He was also a beloved creative writing instructor at IUPUI.

Speaking of creative writing, I recently had a chance to interview Dave Eggers, author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and many other books. He is also founder of the literary journal McSweeney’s and director of numerous nonprofits.

The nonprofit 826 Valencia that he co-founded – which supports literacy programs for under-resourced youth – was of particular interest to me. The idea to create this organization came about after he and his friends talked to under-resourced, overstressed school teachers in the San Francisco Bay area. 

“They often had too many students on any given day to give each student the individualized attention that they needed,” Eggers told me. “And they just kept saying ‘If I could only clone myself. I couldn't reach all of the students I needed to give them all the time that they deserve.’ And so we got it in our heads that maybe we knew a lot of writers, editors, interns, and graduate students that had expertise in the written word and flexible hours. Maybe that could become the clone army these teachers were talking about: We could give the one-on-one attention that the students needed under the direction of their regular teachers. And so that really has been the guiding principle from the beginning.” 

Eggers is coming to Indianapolis on Feb. 29 – a talk titled “The Future of Youth Writing” – sponsored by the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. 

I also have an article coming up detailing the exhibition and performance at the Jewish Community Center on February 20 titled Religion Spirituality and the Arts: The Story of Jonah. The series of events is sponsored by the IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute (where I work as a research assistant) and directed by Rabbi Sandy Sasso. In preparation for this article, I had a wide-ranging conversation with Sasso, who is a noted children’s book author.    

So I’ve got a lot on my plate, but I want to take the opportunity to pass that plate to you, dear reader, because NUVO needs your support. I also want you to send me some ideas here about what you’d like me to write about in the coming months.

And please check out our new writers and photographers and follow them, or follow all of us, through our daily newsletter.

Best wishes,

Dan

Music

Hey there newsletter crew,

Seth Johnson here with an update on my NUVO adventures. It’s been a while since we last spoke, yeah?

As you might have guessed, I’ve been busy writing all sorts of stories on music, comedy and the Indiana Pacers over the last few months. Rather than touching on all of them, I’ll provide you with a quick highlight real.

Like always, I’ve split my music coverage between local and touring acts, having some great conversations with each. In the local artist category, a few of my favorite recent chats were with esteemed singer and winner of The Voice Josh Kaufman, pop artist Wolfi and R&B rarity Okara Imani. As for touring acts, I’ve very recently written pieces on Nashville rock trio Joseph and Los Angeles indie-pop band Saint Motel as well.

I’ve been quite fortunate to chat with some comedy stars as of late, in large part due to Indy’s new Helium Comedy Club. Since the beginning of 2020 alone, I’ve spoken with Eric Wareheim, Kevin Nealon and Maria Bamford, which is quite a surreal list for me to even type. That said, I had excellent conversations with all three of these individuals, and I’d encourage you to check out my stories when you have the time.

Last but not least, I will briefly touch on the Pacers, who are currently on All-Star break. All things considered, the Pacers are standing firm at this point in the season at a record of 33-23. Since Victor Oladipo’s return, however, the team has struggled a bit to find its footing. This said, I’m waiting a few more games post-Victor return to write my next installment of the Home Dipo, in hopes of getting a fair sample size to analyze.

In addition to my next installment of the Home Dipo, another story you can be on the look-out for in the next few weeks is a profile on Indy-based producer/rapper Fresh Duzit, who recently scored a platinum hit for his production work on NLE Choppa’s song “Camelot.” Additionally, I recently interviewed country music superstar Justin Moore, who is headlining Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Feb. 28. While a little bit out of my typical wheelhouse, I really enjoyed my conversation with Justin and am excited for you to read it as well.

Before I leave, I’d like to thank all of you who contributed to my previous reader pool, asking for your input on music coverage in 2020. I will certainly take all of your answers into consideration! This said, I’d like to get some more input from you. As we enter the year’s warmer months, what outdoor concerts and music-related events are you most looking forward to? This will help me to better focus what concerts I preview and review in 2020.

Thanks as always for your continued support of NUVO. Please know that any and all donations and membership funding go directly towards storytelling from myself and other faithful NUVO writers. And please consider following your favorite writers and topics using the follow button and signing up for the Daily Update newsletter so you don't miss any stories.

Until next time,

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You where opted into our Weekly newsletter when you subscribed to one of our other newsletter lists. If you do not wish to receive our best trending stories from each week please unsubscribe using the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of his email.

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You were opted into our weekly newsletter when you subscribed to one of our other newsletter lists. If you do not wish to receive our best trending stories from each week please unsubscribe using the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of his email.