On Feb. 9, the spirit of the Himalayas will come alive at UC Davis. Nepali poet and author Yuyutsu Ram Dass Sharma will hold a poetry reading and workshop from noon to 2 p.m. in 126 Voorhies. The event will primarily concentrate on his new book, Way to Everest, a collection of his poems and photographs by Andreas Stimm about the culture of the Himalayan Mountains.

Born in Punjab, Sharma grew up in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he was touched by the Himalayan spirits at a very young age.

“When I was seven years old, I was told that a spirit [would] visit me,” Sharma said. “The spirit would shake me, and I would shake all around the street. In the village I was so famous – everyone thought I was a god. Even my own grandfather would bow to me.”

Embarrassed by his power as a child, Sharma said he did not cultivate his relationship with the gods and goddesses for many years. Now he is trying to revive the spirits again through his poetry.

“When I grew up, I realized how terrible I was, how I forgot everything,” he said. “And somehow, the power of the goddess came through poetry. And now I can write poetry, it shakes me, the goddess comes and possesses me even now.”

Sharma, who has published eight poetry collections and translated several Nepali poetry anthologies, writes primarily about the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal – home of the world’s tallest peak, Mount Everest.

But for Sharma and the Himalayan people, the Himalayas are much more than a geographical formation. To them, they are a place of great worship, where humans can be close to the gods and goddesses of their culture.

“The Western world wants to conquer the mountains. It’s not like slaying a bull,” Sharma said. “It’s worshipping the mountains. It’s saying, ‘Goddess, I am coming to you.’ The mountains are our family members.”

In his workshop, Sharma will share Himalayan music, poems and photographs from his new book about the culture, mythology and issues concerning the Himalayas and its people. He will also invite participants to write their own poetry and discuss the rich culture of his homeland.

The event is sponsored by Poets & Writers, Inc. and the Center for Arts & the Muse at the university.

Rebecca Morrison, UC Davis alumna and published poet, met Sharma through a mutual friend. She invited him to speak at UC Davis as part of his North American tour.

“We hope to sponsor more literary and artistic events at UC Davis in the future,” Morrison said.

University Writing Program and technocultural studies professor Andy Jones is looking forward to welcoming Sharma to UC Davis. He hopes the event will increase student interest in poetry, creative writing and photography through Sharma’s unique perspective.

“From my point of view as a teacher, this is a very exciting event,” said Jones, who also organizes Poetry Night at Bistro 33 and hosts KDVS 90.3 FM’s “Poetry and Technology Hour.” “He’s going to be talking about the relationship between photography and the poems that he writes, as a poly-literature and culture.”

Jones believes Sharma’s visit is a good opportunity for UC Davis to learn about and experience a fascinating culture.

“He’s a voice that is difficult to encounter even on a college campus,” Jones said. “Nepal has a rich written culture, a rich musical culture, and obviously a rich religious culture. These are not topics that are often taught at UC Davis or any other university.”

Jones also said the event will reflect the diverse community principles of UC Davis.

“It provides a chance for a campus that cares deeply about our principles of community and celebrating diverse voices,” he said. There is certain to be no shortage of cultural celebration at Tuesday’s event. For Sharma, the culture of the Himalayas is never far away. Despite his travels, he says, he keeps the spirit of his homeland close by.

“Even in my book about Europe and America, there is a lot of the mountains. My world, my gods and goddesses, my celestial beings are in that,” he said. “I carry my cultural backpack with me.”

ROBIN MIGDOL can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

On Wednesday night at 8, I was fortunate enough to enjoy an eye-opening (hence the title) and truly touching THIRDeYE Festival at the Wyatt Theater.

While I completely respect the chosen theme of death for this year’s production, I will not lie when I say that it was unexpected. It took some adjustment before I could appreciate the different approaches to the topic.

The Blue Jay’s Song, the first play presented that night, was without question the hardest to digest. Daniel Jordan’s script, while deeply moving and partially disturbing, called to attention a subject that I for one do not like to be reminded of. An abusive father and a mother abandoning her son as a child, effectively ruining his life as a young adult, was quite difficult to watch. This is a testament to the quality of the actors and actresses, who were truly amazing. And, I really have to mention how brilliant a concept it was to have three different actors flawlessly play the same young man at the same time.

Even though I appreciate the depth and the courage to delve into such a sensitive subject, I have to express that I personally felt a twinge of discomfort, which was probably the intent of the writer and director. To that I say, well done. It worked.

The production’s mood seemed to progress from dark to light through the night. The second play, Fools Afloat, quenched a much-desired thirst for humor. The loss of a distanced father, while still a deeply moving and shocking idea, was treated with less severity and more humor, a much-appreciated relief for me. Cameos by Hitler and Hemingway were the source of this humor – bravo to actors Ryan Geraghty and Christopher Mantione for their wonderful interpretations of these historic figures.

The last production, Empty All the Boxes, was the best in my opinion. Jazz Trice, author and lead in the play, obviously put his heart and soul into the writing and the performance. I bet he has a sister in real life, because the brother-sister dynamic was uncannily familiar. Sophiana Carrell, who played the sister Nicki, was brilliant and had me laughing the whole time.

What was so fantastic about Empty All the Boxes was not how funny it was or how delicately it treated the subject of death, but rather how appropriately real it felt. While watching the play, the audience wasn’t just watching – they were the characters. We had all been there, had that relationship with mom, dad, sister and brother. It felt completely natural.

This is not to say humor is the only measure of how successful a play can be. Instead, the balance of humor and sensitivity creates the feeling of a true telling of life. Maybe because I’ve had the privilege of laughing and crying multiple times to assume that it is the natural way of the world, but I felt that Empty All the Boxes gave the most real interpretation of how humans deal with death and the reality of death.

I know that this is probably the trickiest subject to get right, especially since there really isn’t any “right” way to deal with death, or even recreate it on a stage. Since it is such a touchy subject, it helps to be able to relate to the characters the audience is watching. Fools Afloat and Empty All the Boxes worked better on me than The Blue Jay’s Song did.

However, I applaud everyone who worked on this festival, as each production was a true showcase and testament to the enormous amount of talent UC Davis’ drama department holds. I honestly feel honored to attend the same university as students who have the capacity to create productions with such a powerful effect on their fellow students.

BRITTANY PEARLMAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

After suffering heavy losses in recent budget cuts, UC Davis design students still manage to rank highly among industry competitions.

Christina Johnson, senior design major, recently ranked runner-up in Project OR, a design competition sponsored by the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The three-day competition showcased the nation’s top handpicked design students as they spent three days creating an original garment prototype that was both performance and eco-friendly. The garment also had to be appropriate for the outdoor industry, meaning it had to be appropriate for activities such as hiking or skiing.

Johnson was chosen as a representative of UC Davis after the organizers of Project OR reached out to the design department looking for participants.

“They asked me if UC Davis would like to participate in the January challenge,” said Susan Avila, associate professor of the UC Davis Design Program. “I consulted with Adele Zhang, who teaches our beginning and intermediate fashion design courses, and together we came up with a short list of six excellent students.”

Shortly after Avila organized a “sew-off” where students had three hours to create an outdoor appropriate vest with nothing but what they found in sewing lab. Johnson emerged as the winner.

“I got picked to go and they put me in direct contact with the Project,” Johnson said, “[The Project] sent me the flight and the hotel confirmation. Then they were just like ‘bring your sewing supplies and be ready to go.'”

After arriving in Salt Lake City, Johnson and four other competitors had a day to design their individual garments. Once the drawings were complete, the designers had two days to collect materials from the participating supplier exhibitors. This left the remaining 48 hours to put together their pieces at their workstations.

A film crew covered the fast paced competition, mirroring the popular television series Project Runway.

Although Johnson was ultimately bested by Philadelphia University’s Faith Anderson, Johnson’s design was purchased by prAna, one of the judging companies.

prAna, which makes sustainable clothing for yoga, rock climbing, travel and outdoor adventures, approached her after the competition with an offer to buy and purchase her design. Johnson said that she is most likely going to accept the offer.

“The most memorable moment was right after they told us to put the scissors down,” she said. “We were finally done – it was such a relieving moment and we were all so proud of what we had accomplished in such a short amount of time.”

Johnson’s success can be attributed to her history with fashion alteration. Her parents own a bridal alteration shop, so she learned how to sew at a really young age. The puzzle-like aspects and the precise science of engineering a garment attracted Johnson to design. When she got to UC Davis, she knew that she was going to major in something that she really loved doing.

“Christina is a student of mine, [and] she does very good work,” Avila said. “She also has a lot of interesting design ideas that you don’t see every day.”

Kim Bui, a junior sociology and psychology major, is Johnson’s roommate. She also praises Johnson for her design abilities.

“She’s the designer for our apartment,” Kim said. “She is just amazing at sewing, and she makes all our costumes for us when we go out. She just has this amazing way of making everything flow together.”

Unfortunately, the program that Johnson was so excited to join is not doing well at UC Davis. With cuts to fundamental classes, such as the introductory sewing class now offered only during the summer, Johnson hopes that Davis gets good press for its design students as department alumni excel in their chosen fields.

Johnson’s future plans include working at her parent’s alteration store, but she also aspires to make custom clothing. She doesn’t rule out designing and selling more outdoor style clothing, and hopes to make it for at least a couple of years.

ANASTASIA ZHURAVLEVA can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

In California, prisoners, the arts and UC Davis have two things in common: the ubiquitous presence of budget cuts and license plates.

Never mind the budget cuts for now. It’s a lesser-known fact that California license plates are manufactured at Folsom State Prison’s license plate factory, where inmates laminate, print and press over 50,000 plates daily. Pretty neat, right?

They’re hardly artistic, but one particular plate design relates to both California art and UC Davis history. This plate, which the DMV simply names “Art Council,” features an iconic California label – three palm trees on the left of the letters and digits. Wayne Thiebaud, a celebrated California artist and former UC Davis professor, is the designer.

In addition to making you look like an In N’ Out loyalist, the revenue from these special license plates are the main source of funding for the California Arts Council – the state’s art advocacy agency. They cost $50 for random digits, and $98 for a personalized plate, providing 60 percent of the agency’s funding.

But in the midst of budget cuts, deciding where to first cut funding typically leaves art programs shorthanded. Whether it’s the slumbering economy, the outlaw mentality of the Internet or general wanton disinterest, the future looks uncertain for the art world.

The California Arts Council itself faces serious problems, as it has the lowest per-capita budget for a state arts agency in the nation. These problems aren’t restricted to the agency itself, either – other major California arts icons are suffering as well. The LA city council is currently debating a proposition that would cut funding for its municipal arts agency. The LA Opera scaled back its 2010-2011 season, and the esteemed Pasadena Playhouse recently shut its doors after years of financial difficulties.

And if anyone hasn’t noticed, UC Davis itself – which houses Thiebaud’s original work – cut many of its art-related programs. The UC Davis textiles and clothing department – which is as much of an arts department as it is science – nearly faced the budget axe earlier this school year. Nature and culture experienced similar treatment. The University Writing Program cut classes. Even MUSE, the section you’re reading now, used to be an eight-page tabloid-style pullout.

That’s why it came as an enjoyable surprise when Margrit Mondavi pledged $2 million in fundraising towards the new UC Davis art museum. If all goes according to plan, UC Davis artistic legends such as Robert Arneson, Roy De Forest and Thiebaud himself will finally have a home in the pretty end of campus adjacent to the Mondavi Center.

But even though Margrit Mondavi’s $2 million donation helped to kick-start movements toward the new UC Davis Art Museum, another $28 million is needed to fulfill the donation goal.

UC Davis needs a concerted effort toward reinstating the arts. Our existing programs are exceptional, for the most part – our Mondavi Center is renowned by critics and performers. The pledge towards a new art museum is a step in the right direction, but the process is so speculative even at this point that it’s uncertain if we’ll ever see the museum for years to come.

California art, in general, needs public involvement. The closing of the Pasadena Playhouse brought an end to a California theatrical icon. The California Arts Council itself has a smaller budget than Los Angeles’ own municipal arts agency, which also faces impending cuts. As much of a low priority these departments might take, this is an issue that cannot be shelved for later consideration.

Simply buying a fancy “Arts Council” license plate would suffice. Even if it makes you look like you eat cheeseburgers every day.

JUSTIN T. HO would like to remind potential donors that the Art Museum is still looking for a multi-million dollar donation to reach its $30 million initial goal. You’ll even get the museum named after you. If you’re interested, also consider electronically sending the money to arts@theaggie.org.

MUSE profiles the work of local artists whose art is displayed at two downtown Davis cafés. Check out our article next week for a continuation of the series.

Carol Trieste

Water glistening next to rocky slopes and evergreen trees. A dappling of pink leaves amongst blinding yellow foliage. Prayers blowing in the wind. These are just a few of the images currently adorning the walls at Crepeville on 330 C St.

Featured in the paintings and photographs are typically scenes of nature and the outdoors that contribute to a tranquil café ambiance. There are, however, no strict limitations as to what kind of art can be displayed.

Two of the artists currently featured are Carol Trieste of Suisun Valley and Erin Gardner of Davis.

Trieste, who began with a solo show at the Sacramento Crepeville before getting her artwork displayed at the Davis Crepeville, enjoys landscape painting.

“I am completely gaga about the change of seasons,” Trieste said. “Nothing sets me in motion more than the orchards in bloom or a raging field of yellow mustard.”

As a girl, Trieste took family road trips from Brooklyn to their upstate New York farm. It was on these trips that Trieste drew inspiration, looking out the car window and beholding a diverse array of landscapes.

After becoming a part of the ’60s artistic and cultural revolution in Greenwich Village, she earned a scholarship to study oil painting at New York University. Since then, Trieste has lived in many countries including Spain and Morocco – even opening a solo show in Torremolinos, Spain.

Her work has been displayed at the Pacific Design Center, the Armand Hammer Museum and Culture Center, and New York Art Expo.

Trieste speaks of her travels with much enthusiasm and fond recollection.

“I love to travel; my sport is looking at new places,” Trieste said. “In Morocco, every shop is a study in arts and crafts. In Italy, everything is art: every doorknob, every hinge, every sculpting. And in Watsonville and Vacaville the fields of flowers bloom.”

Trieste did not allow an unfortunate experience that occurred in the mid ’80s to extinguish her optimism and her drive to paint. After a fire destroyed 16 years worth of her work at her home in Malibu, she has since worked hard to recreate her artistic portfolio.

“I’ll never stop,” she said.

Erin Gardner

Erin Gardner shares the Crepeville walls with Trieste. Her photographs display vibrant autumn colors and brilliant scenes from nature.

Gardner, who had lived in Davis for about 26 years, happened to be in Crepeville one day when a man sitting near her caught a glimpse of her photographs.

“I’d been looking through them on my laptop,” Gardner said. “He suggested that I talk to the Crepeville management about getting them on display.”

A month later, Gardner went back in to Crepeville and finally gathered the nerve to ask. The manager said he liked her work and that she could put up five of her photographs in the restaurant. It has since then expanded to an entire wall.

“This is the first and only place I’ve ever shown my work, and it’s been such a luxury to have a whole wall to myself.”

Gardner said that her art process is quite sporadic. Instead of seeking out places to take good photographs, she prefers to capture the natural beauty that she discovers unexpectedly. One of the aims of her photography, she declared, is to preserve fleeting moments and beautiful intricacies.

“When you are out in the world, or even in your own backyard, there are so many gorgeous places and moments,” Gardner said. “We can only linger on a scene for a short while before moving on to the next thing.

“To remember it all would be impossible, but taking photographs helps to keep it alive. It’s as close as I can come to never letting those sights and feelings go.

“Being able to share them has been a wonderful experience for me, and I’m glad that they’ve found a temporary home on the walls of Crepeville.”

Ciocolat

Ciocolat is home to many photographs: of human expression, of the abstract, of nature. The faces of children: sullen, happy, giddy, contemplative. A puddle reflecting a teenage girl wearing blue jeans and standing underneath branches of autumn leaves. A wooden paper clip standing on its hind legs on charcoal-colored carpet. An expanding tunnel of polychromatic light with an indecipherable purple object at the end of the tunnel.

Kate Hutchinson, owner of Ciocolat, is in charge of what art goes on the walls. Hutchinson said in an e-mail interview that she looks for art that fits in with the atmosphere of the café. It also must cater to her eclectic taste.

She requires that all art be framed when it goes up on the walls, and said that if an artist is interested in displaying art in other venues around town he or she can contact the ArtAbout coordinator at the Downtown Business Association. Sales of art are modest at Ciocolat, Hutchinson said.

“An artist usually sells one or two pieces in the two month time span that the art is up. Sometimes, however, there are customers who remember art from a couple of shows ago that will make purchases at a later date.”

Current artists include winners of the Davis Teen Photo Contest put on by the City of Davis. Entries were accepted from students at Davis schools in grades 7 through 12.

“I found out about the contest through the Davis Enterprise, which published an article about the competition,” said Lilian Krovoza, first place winner of the color division of the contest and a junior at Davis Senior High School.

Krovoza said that the picture turned upside down is of a puddle with the reflection of her friend Drew Kelly. She captured the photo in the hallways of Davis Senior High School.

“I was headed to my photography class when I noticed a particularly reflective puddle underneath some beautiful trees,” Krovoza said. “Immediately I asked Drew to come pose as my model.”

Erin Childs, a senior, got her photographs displayed on the Ciocolat walls after winning first place in the black and white division.

“My photography teacher from the previous year had told me about it,” Childs said. “I’d also entered last year and won first, so I thought I might as well do it again this year.”

Childs said that the photograph she took was of her friend’s little sister and that she got to take it in the photography studio in downtown Davis.

“I chose her because she is literally the easiest little girl to take pictures of,” Childs said.

Visit Ciocolat for more information on getting your art displayed.

ELENI STEPHANIDES can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Artist: Outputmessage

Album: Autonomous

Label: Output Noise

Rating: 4

Bernard Farley, better known as Outputmessage, has been making his name in the DC music scene for the past few years. After being featured on Idol Tryouts: Ghostly International Vol. 1 (2003) and Vol. 2 (2006), Farley became heavily involved in various new projects including two DJ nights called Marquis and Flat Out!, a collaboration with electronic pop group New Models and a disco-house outfit, Dmerit, consisting of Micah Vellian and himself. URB Magazine also described him as “the good parts from Kraftwerk, Aphex Twin and New Order” in their Next 100 Top Artists list in 2006.

Since the release of his first singles early last decade, Outputmessage has brought listeners exciting electronic albums and remixes. Autonomous continues this trend by featuring more pop elements in addition to the incorporation of his own voice for the first time.

Give these tracks a listen: “I Remember ft. City Rain,” “Prelude”

For fans of: Aphex Twin, Autechre

-Simone Wahng

Artist: Lil’ Wayne

Album: Rebirth

Record Label: Cash Money

Rating: 1

For an artist that’s seemingly been featured on every hip-hop track since 2007, Lil’ Wayne is surprisingly able to make progressively worse and worse music. With his generic auto-tune vocals and poorly thought out raps, this cross-over rock-rap album belongs less on someone’s iPod and more in Sparta’s pit of death.

While many artists such as Public Enemy and Jay-Z took the same cross-over route, their albums managed to obtain some success because they used aspects of metal to compliment the hardness of the rap genre. The music that Weezy uses, on the other hand, barely falls into the pop-rock genre – making his scratchy vocals sound out of place and awfully basic. The 12 overly produced tracks only leave behind a whirlwind of disappointed fans and disgusted music critics. Rebirth is devoid of any musical merit, and shows how much Lil’ Wayne is out of his element when it comes to anything outside of emceeing.

Give these tracks a listen: “Runnin,” “Paradice”

For fans of: Kanye West, Ke$ha

– Anastasia Zhuravleva

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Corinne Bailey Rae

The Sea

EMI / Capitol

Rating: 3

Corinne Bailey Rae’s sophomore album is just what its title implies. It’s softer and smoother, and like most second albums, it explores a more emotional and deeper level of the artist.

Rae wrote all the songs, providing listeners with unique melodies that have a jazzier feel, which may or may not be to your liking. This album is not as generic or pop-oriented as her previous one. This could be seen as a generally respectable direction to go in, except that her voice isn’t distinguishable and her eccentric style is hard to really grasp.

This CD is great for homework: it has nothing to distract you, but provides soothing, quiet tunes. If you really try hard to pay attention, as if this was your homework assignment, then the lyrics are pretty and sweet. I’m just not sure it’s worth the work required to decipher them.

Give these tracks a listen: “Paris Nights/New York Mornings,” “Feels Like the First Time”

For Fans Of: Lily Allen, Sia

-Brittany Pearlman

The Album Leaf

A Chorus of Storytellers

Sub Pop

Rating: 4

If some musician’s music can be classified as a self-portrait, The Album Leaf’s music is a beautiful landscape painting. If not edgy, Album Leaf’s songs are soft and soothing. They don’t strive to make you dance, nor do they incite mosh pits. Rather, the cathartic instrumentals are the defining ingredient of their music. From start to finish, the song names read like chapters in a book that portray man’s path through life using the metaphor of naturalistic forces. The album’s first chapter begins with “Blank Pages,” and ends with “Tied Knots” – an appropriate way to end the album, because it is simultaneously melancholic and hopeful.

A Chorus of Storytellers is the kind of album that stands as an art form in its entirety. It is not just a compilation of singles, as no song stands out as the strongest. Still, the blending of all the tracks to make a single entity may be what makes the album so cohesive and beautiful.

Give these tracks a listen: “Summer Fog,” “Until the Last”

For fans of: Bloc Party, Red House Painters

– Eleni Stephanides