Organizers Seeking Artists for 'Art Soup' Night

With less than a month remaining until NELA Art holds Highland Park's first Art Soup Night--an evening dedicated to injecting a quick shot of income to one local artist--the event's organizers are still looking for a few more creative folks to sign on the for the competition.

As previously, Highland Park's Art Soup night is the brainchild of Highland Park resident Anthony Deptula, who had seen the quick turnover fundraising method in action in the Midwest.

From Dodson's Blog:

Here’s how it works. $10 buys soup and a vote. The soup is offered by Ba chef James Graham, and the diners see presentations of works in progress by artists. The presentations might include videos, trailers, animation, slide shows, puppets, opera, staged readings, singing, dancing, pie charts, puppets, or fireworks. No Power Points, that’s a promise. After the presentations, the soup-eating audience of judges votes on their favorite, and the winner pockets the grant. The amount of the grant depends on the number of soup eaters. Winners are expected to provide an update of their progress at a subsequent Soup LA.

"I was working on filming a documentary in Detroit last year and I went to a soup, and people really seemed to respond to it," said Deptula, an Ohio Native who recently moved to Highland Park after living in the Pico/Fairfax section of Los Angeles. "I think it's going to create a sense of community, that's what I like about it."

According to NELA Art Director Cathi Milligan, who is helping to organize the the inaugural Art Soup, a few local artists have signed up for the fundraiser--scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 21--and a few more were sought before the Saturday, January 7. deadline.

"We are looking for art projects of any kind: readings, films, documentaries, sculpture, graphics, performance art, installation, plays, knitting, music, dance," Milligan wrote in the most recent NELA Art newsletter.  "If you think your art is not appropriate, you are probably wrong."

Those looking to apply are encouraged to e-mail NELA Art at artsoupla@gmail.com for more information.

Milligan declined to get more specific when asked how many artists were actually sought, but said she hoped to keep the event short and sweet.

"We definitely want to start small," Milligan said. "We don't want to this to turn into some drawn out event."

Moving Beyond Saturdays

Milligan--who took over NELA Art  after longtime director Brian Mallman resigned in October--said the upcoming Art Soup will hopefully be the fist of many, and a sign of things to come for NELA Art.

"This goes to what Brian said his goal was before he resigned, to make Northeast L.A. an arts destination every day of the week, not just one night of the month," Milligan said.

Milligan said collaborating with Graham, a culinary artist, is a logical step in NELA Art's progression.

"He has participated in similar events when he was running The Grill in Tuscon and he really liked the idea of it," Milligan said. "People will also get an early chance to see what's going on inside his restaurant."

While Ba's opening date remains a vexing mystery to local foodies, and admittedly, Graham himself, "Art Soup" night attendees will get a chance to whet their appetite on two soup offerings.

"I am excited about soup night, and I plan to do two things; one vegetarian, potato and leek perhaps, and one not: Mulligatawny maybe," Graham said.

Graham added that, once Ba's doors are open, he intends to continue bringing his culinary talents to NELA Art.

"I intend to participate in art events as much as I can, you can expect events but not exhibitions," he said. "We have commissioned an artist to make art for our walls, and it will be a permanent part of the decor."

Art Soup LA will have its first micro-grant soup event Saturday January 21, 2012 at restaurant Ba, 5100 York Blvd in Highland Park. Admission for patrons is $10, which buys them soup prepared by Ba chef James Graham, and a vote for the best presentation of an art project in progress. The winning proposal takes home the cash grant for the evening.