Raw Dog Screaming Press, in association with Morgantown Poets, will be hosting a book release party Friday May 25 from 7 – 9pm at Monongalia Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Based in Baltimore, MD, Raw Dog Screaming Press is dedicated to putting into print the highest quality literature from the fringe, featuring the best in bizarre, surreal, and experimental writing. USAToday.com listed them among the Top 10 indie releases of 2011.   

Michael A. Arnzen, author of the offbeat poetry collection The Gorelets Omnibus, and Jason Jack Miller, author of the West Virginia-based novel Hellbender, will be joining the publisher to read their work. A limited number of Raw Dog Screaming Press books will be available for purchase.  

Morgantown Poets is an informal not-for-profit, all-volunteer community group that meets from 7 – 9 pm the third Thursday each month at MAC, providing literary enthusiasts in north-central West Virginia the opportunity to express themselves, share their work, network, and to connect up-and-coming writers with more established authors. New writers are welcome.

Join on Facebook by entering “Morgantown Poets” in the search or join the mailing list at morgantownpoets@gmail.com. Follow on Twitter (@MorgantownPoets) or watch videos of past events on the Morgantown Poets YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/MorgantownPoets).

Kappa Pi International Honors Art Fraternity

Davis Gallery

May 4 – June 2

WVU Students from the Eta Lambda Chapter showcasing prints, photography, drawings, paintings, and sculpture.

Opening Public Reception

Friday, May 4, 7 – 9 pm

Zuletzt by Leslie Coffman

Davis Gallery

May 4 – June 2

A mixed media exhibit including sculpture, paintings, and prints by Leslie Coffman.

Opening Public Reception

Friday, May 4, 7 – 9 pm

Field Notes From Grief: The First Year

Benedum Gallery

May 4 – June 2

March, mixed media by Claudia Giannini

Field Notes From Grief: The First Year is a unique collaboration of author Judith Gold Stitzel and artist Claudia Giannini and is based on the private journals Judith kept during the year after her husband's death. Judith and her husband had been married for forty-seven years.

 Public Reception

Friday, May 11, 6:30 – 9 pm

Artist's talk, reading, and book signing 7 – 8 pm

www.fieldnotedfromgrief.com

Doddridge County natives, DC Grass will make their debut at Monongalia Arts Center’s Tanner Theatre Saturday, April 28 at 8 pm.

The group generally plays traditional bluegrass while incorporating different elements of blues, jazz, honky-tonk, and folk. Group members include Josh Powell on Mandolin, John Marshall Johnson on stand-up bass, Dave Swallop on guitar, and Christopher Harnett on banjo.

Admission is $10. Tickets may be purchased by calling (304)292-3325, emailing info@monartscenter.com, or at MAC’s Lobby desk.

Kickstart HOLLOW: An Interactive Documentary from Elaine McMillion on Vimeo.

The Project:

Hollow is an interactive documentary and community participatory project that focuses on the lives of residents in McDowell County, West Virginia. Hollow combines personal portraits, interactive data, participatory mapping and user-generated content on an HTML5 website designed to address the issues stemming from stereotyping and population loss in rural America. Community members will take part in the filmmaking process by creating their own documentary portraits and balloon maps. Hollow strives to bring attention to issues in rural America, encourage trust among the community and become a place where users can share ideas for the future. 

Background:

National media portrays the residents of Southern West Virginia the way they perceive them, instead of how the community see itself. This constant flow of images depicting only poverty, drug abuse and unemployment have an effect on the way the community sees themselves and limits their capacity for action and empowerment. Hollow will provide the McDowell County community a chance to express their own ideas in a project that addresses universal issues seen across rural America. This is not our interpretation of Southern West Virginia but instead a project "for the community, by the community" and a unique chance to be part of future improvement.

http://www.hollowthefilm.com/

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elainemcmillion/hollow-an-interactive-documentary