B-DAY BIKES // Red Hook Crit Photo Exhibition at Our Birthday BBQ!

Photo of the Red Hook Crit by Ed Glazar.

In addition to the great food, screen printing, live music, a VJ battle and various workshops happening at our Birthday BBQ this Saturday, you'll also get to check out an exhibition of photographs from the Red Hook Criterium; an intense cycling race that takes place in the cold, dark night of Red Hook each year. We spoke with Red Hook Crit founder David Trimble to get the inside scoop on the race and the exhibition.

It all began when Trimble decided to throw a birthday party in 2008. "Being a bike racer and having many bike racing friends I knew they wouldn't come out unless there was a shot at personal glory," he says. "Living in Red Hook at the time, I designed the format to be short, intense and above all else: spectator friendly."

From there things took off. "The first year Kacey Manderfield surprised all the boys to win," Trimble says. This March Dan Chabanov became the first two-time champion. Each year the crowd has tripled, and competitors have gone on to excel in the cycling world—every winner has turned pro.

That's no surprise considering the challenges of the Red Hook Crit. "The race takes an equal combination of skill, fitness, and bravery," Trimble says. "The riders that succeed in this race are experienced in multiple forms of cycling. This year's winner Dan Chabanov is a bike messenger, a pro cyclocross racer, and an elite level road cyclist."

And while elite cycling is at the center of the event, it's also attracted many talented photographers. "It's dark and the streets are really rough...this makes it visually exciting," Trimble says. "The amount of photographers who come out to document the race is substantial. I'm always blown away by the technical skill and different styles of the photography. This year I wanted to celebrate that."

The exhibition features work by renowned professional photographers including Ed Glazar, Marco Quezada, Kate Lacey, Jeremy Harris and Fred Askew. Check out the Red Hook Crit website for more info and a few photos, and see them all at 3rd Ward this Saturday!

-- John Ruscher

3RD WARD B-DAY // Get Briana Auel's Limited Edition 3rd Ward Birthday Print This Saturday

Briana Auel's screen print design.After featuring 3rd Ward member Briana Auel, a talented and award-winning designer and illustrator, in our inaugural Member Group Show earlier this month we thought, "Why not ask her to design a screen print for Saturday's Birthday BBQ?"

Much to our delight she said yes, so make sure to bring along your shirts, totes and the like to get her special edition screen print on Saturday!

You can check out other great designs by Auel, including prints, pillows and t-shirts, at her Broken Heart Social Club Etsy store and on her website. And, for the absolute latest, follow her on Twitter!

"Broken Heart Social Club and the art/design/illustration that I create are a direct representation of who I am as a person," Auel tells us. "A bike lover. A music devourer. An envelope pusher. A PBR drinking, whiskey swilling sailor-mouthed lady. I tend to create things that push comfort levels, but I soften the vulgarity through the pastel palette I often use. I love juxtaposition and I love the element of surprise."

Auel recently moved to Brooklyn from Minneapolis, so look out for much more from her in the future. "I'm often spotted cruising around BK on my bike with my white maltese pup, Cricket, slung across my chest in a sack," she adds. "If you spot us, say hello!"

3rd Ward's Birthday BBQ is this Saturday from 2-8pm and, in addition to Auel's awesome screen print, there will also be cheap delicious food, workshops, VJs, live music, a photography exhibition and more. And it's free! See you there!

MakerBot Make-A-Thon // Photos are Up!

Thanks to everyone who came out to Makerbot Make-A-Thon. We had a great crowd of industrial designers, hackers, kids, teachers, and the technologically curious. See below for a couple of our favorite pics and check out the 3rd Ward Facebook Page or Flickr to see the whole album. 

Plus, learn more about MakerBot and its far-reaching applications in this New York Times article.

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

© Liz Clayman

BIRTHDAY BBQ BITES // Chef Eric Sherman Unveils Saturday's Menu!

Bite into goodness with chef Eric Sherman this Saturday!In case you hadn't heard, 3rd Ward is celebrating five years of innovation, creation and inspiration with our Annual Birthday BBQ this Saturday, May 21, from 2-8pm!

Admission is free and will feature demos and workshops, a VJ battle, a photo exhibition, live music and, of course, some cheap and tasty eats.

Chef Eric Sherman will be whipping up the food, and we caught up with him to ask a few questions about his work and Saturday's menu (with everything well-priced under $8).

"When I was a kid I hated mowing the lawn, and my mom hated cooking dinner, so we switched," Sherman says, describing his path to chefdom. "Over the years, I picked up family recipes, honed my technique and let my passion for the most beautiful and delicious ingredients lead me to create meals for the people I care about. For me, cooking has always been about the experience. Finding amazing raw ingredients, preparing and then enjoying them with great company."

Well then, Eric. Consider yourself in great company this Saturday. 

For your appetite-whetting pleasure, we've got the menu and Sherman's take on each of his delicious dishes.

"Nachos Gringos" - Homemade Tortilla Chips with Vegetarian Black Beans, Spicy Citrus Crema, Cotija Cheese and Pickled Jalepenos; option to add on Chili-braised Berkshire Pork Shoulder

Nachos Gringos is kind of a joke because a friend of mine went into our favorite authentic taqueria and figured that they only made this plate of nachos for us (gringos) when he and I came in. So in an attempt to clarify, he asked for nachos, you know, 'nachos gringos.' They are homemade chips, topped with vegetarian black beans, citrus crema, cotija cheese, and pickled carrots and jalepenos on top.  This is not gloopy Cheese Whiz nachos.  Much more of a traditional Mexican take on a very much gringo-fied American bar snack. Meatify your nachos gringos experience with red chili-braised berkshire pork shoulder.  It is spice-rubbed and slow braised for 8 hours, for melt-in-your-mouth meaty goodness. Ole!

Polish Kielbasa on Pretzel Roll with Beer-Braised Onions and Mustard Array

Kielbasa with beer braised onions on a pretzel roll is a straightforward approach to sausage. In fact, it's a riff on the classic beer brats from Wisconsin. Grilled smoky sausage, soft and savory malty onions and mustard, served on one of my favorite breads, pretzel bread. Its a hot dog bun that tastes like a pretzel.  Brilliant!

Portugese Chorizo with Sweet and Sour Figs on Parkerhouse Roll

Spanish tapas-inspired chorizo with sweet and sour figs is a dish that I have been fine tuning for this summer season. Portugese-style chorizo is roasted and then mixed with figs in a sweetened, sherry vinegar sauce. The garlic and smoky paprika-laden pork is lovely with the sweet and sour notes of the fig, as well as the pleasant contrasting texture of the fig itelf.

Carrot Dogs [Vegan] on Potato Roll with Herb Aioli, Anise Pickled onions, and Mustard Array

Carrot Dogs are a summertime vegetarian favorite.  They are actually vegan (without the aioli), and delicious. Someone (albeit rather inebriated) actually mistook it for a real hot dog once!  The carrots are gently braised with olive oil and herbs and then finished on the grill.  People always ask me for the recipe...

Q&A // WSJ Information Architect Luke Miller lectures this Thursday at 3rd Ward

On Thursday, May 19, Luke Miller, lead Mobile and Emerging Technologies Information Architect at the Wall Street Journal, will be presenting a lecture about the field of information architecture (IA) right here at 3rd Ward.

It'll run from 7:30-9:30pm and it's totally free! Just make sure to RSVP and reserve your spot. To give you an idea of what Miller will be talking about we asked him a few questions.

3rd Ward: What is information architecture?

Luke Miller: The way I usually describe Information Architecture is by comparing buildings and applications/web sites. All require hard labor, by construction workers in one instance and coders in the other, and all require an aesthetic touch by a designer. But before any of this can happen they must first be architected--that includes how to get around, making sure people are satisfied and impressed, and also what to do when you are lost.

3W: How has the field of information architecture changed with the emergence of mobile and other new technologies?

LM: Even with the emergence of these new interaction models the same pillars still hold true: always be aware of the users' context and keep things simple. You will hear the word optimization a lot these days and all that that means is to use the content you have and transform it based on the context of the situation your users are in. 

3W: What are some examples of great information architecture in action today? 

LM: Anytime the user doesn't have to go hunting for a button or function, thats an example of a job well done. Currently, I am dealing with mobile situations a lot and some of my favorite examples can be found on lovelyui.com.

3W: How did you get started in the field of information science and information architecture?

LM: In college, I was an English major and studied epistemology—why we know what we know. In graduate school, I studied how we know what we know—HCI, UX, information architecture, multimedia interactivity, & visualization. I've always had an interest in the way people come to understand the things around them--wanting to be a part of that learning process was how I got involved.

3W: Where do you see the field headed in the coming years?

LM: For practitioners I see the need for IAs to learn prototyping to get their concepts across, static wireframes just won't cut it anymore. For newbies in the field, get involved with Natural and Vocal User Interfaces (NUIs & VUIs). Death to the mouse & keyboard!  

DAYTRIP // Lobby for Payment Protection with the Freelancers Union on Tuesday

If you're a freelancer or know one, chances are pretty good that you've either experienced or heard a horror story about lost wages. Right now, freelancers have to go through the time-consuming and costly process of literally suing to get the pay that they deserve. The Freelancers Union, however, is trying to change that, and you can help!

Tomorrow, May 17, the union will be leading a lobby day to support the Freelancer Payment Protection Act, which would allow freelancers to submit a lost wages claim before the Labor Board rather than suing. They are organizing a day trip to Albany to address the legislature directly, and they want you to come along!

Transportation, breakfast and lunch will be provided, and the trip will depart at 7am Tuesday morning. Here's a little more info from the union:

The purpose of the trip will be to bring freelancers and other concerned people to representatives and senators offices, to make their voices heard and support the legislation. The Freelancers Union will prepare everyone and it will be a good day of citizen action with your fellow freelancers.

You can sign up for the trip by contacting Kaitlyn Newman at 718.532.1515 ext. 784 or knewman@freelancersunion.org or going to this website.

MAGAZINE LAUNCH // Outpost Journal: Profiling Creative Scenes In Small Cities

In New York City—and at 3rd Ward in particular—we have virtually everything we need right at our fingertips. In many smaller cities, though, creative scenes are thriving without such plentiful resources. That's where the new biannual non-profit publication, Outpost Journal, comes in. Each issue of Outpost will profile a different urban locale, investigating its creative hotspots, movers and shakers and more.

"Without over-romanticizing a 'small is beautiful' concept, we do firmly believe that smaller cities (as well as smaller neighborhoods in larger cities) can be fertile ground for testing new ideas in art, activism and lifestyle," Outpost founder Manya K. Rubinstein tells us. "But living in an 'Outpost' has a cost to it as well...how can artists and activists living 'out there' capitalize on the organic networks that already exist in order to make productive connections with artists and activists elsewhere? In addition, how do they get the notice they deserve for their work (and the possible economic opportunities/access to larger markets that can come with notice) not just in their own region, but also back in the main centers of art and commerce?"

Outpost's mission, she says, is "to create an experimental solution that bridges some of these gaps."

The journal's inaugural issue, due out this coming fall, will delve into the riches of Pittsburgh. "It is an incredible city, especially in regards to its arts ecology," Rubinstein says. "It is home to major cultural institutions like the Warhol Museum and the Mattress Factory (among others), full of beautiful and relatively cheap housing stock, a thriving DIY, crafting, printmaking, literary, filmmaking, performance and artistic community, a great art school and an incredible array of arts-based non-profits."

Interested? Help launch Outpost Journal by contributing to its Kickstarter campaign.

Curious about what you'll be able to find in the journal? Click "more info" for Rubinstein's descriptions of some features from the first issue. 

• "Secretly Famous," a profile of the most famous artist in Pittsburgh you never heard of, as told by his collaborators and acquaintances.
• Artist profiles of some of Pittsburgh's finest.
• A peek into some of the city's entrepreneurially focused arts-based youth programming and a story on the Waffle Shop, an experimental reality TV show cum Waffle House.
• Stories about punk houses, an artist collective practicing "deconstruction" in Braddock, PA, and a piece on adaptive reuse projects in Churches all across the city.
• A piece on a cardigan sweater we commissioned a local crafter to make for an 11-ft statue of local hero Mr. Rogers on Pittsburgh's North Shore.
• Native son Girl Talk's picks for his favorite spots in town.

--John Ruscher

DRINK-N-DRAW SPOTLIGHT // Scott Schultheis' Anthropomorphic Portraits

A portrait from Schultheis' "Receptions" series.Every Wednesday evening people flock to 3rd Ward for Drink-n-Draw. One of those people is Scott Schultheis.

Why does he come? "I come for the beer," he says. "Duh! Exercising life drawing skills doesn't hurt either—it's an all around great time."

"I make collages paintings and drawings about what makes people tick, what drives us to pursue the things we do and sell the things we do," Schultheis tells us. "This is a broad narrative but I'm illustrating it to prompt further introspection rather than arrive at definitive answers. Semi realistic, macabre, surreal, precious and absurd—these are the words I think about while I'm making work."

Right now Schultheis is working a series called "Receptions," which features "anthropomorphic, strange 'portraits' of these familiar but unnamed sculptural blobs." He's works out his studio in Bay Ridge through a Chashama Visual Artist Residency and also bartends at Bobo in the West Village. In the fall he'll be heading to Philly to get an MFA at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Slap your computer monitor and give a Scott a hi-five!

For now though, you can see his work in "Convergence," the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition's Spring Pier Art Show in Red Hook. The show is open on weekends from 1-6pm through June 12. 

We'll conclude with one more fun fact from Schultheis: "You know I really like you if I'm making Challah French Toast with bananas and a lil orange spiked maple sizzurp."

--John Ruscher

WEEKEND WORKSHOP // Take the "Starving" out of "Starving Artist"

If you could use a reminder that “creative” and “broke” need not go hand-in-hand, we have just the set of tools you need.

This Saturday, May 14, head to The Art of Money: Personal Finance Resources for Artists, a FREE workshop held from noon to 5pm at the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation in Brooklyn (1368 Fulton St at New York Ave).

This one-day event, organized by NYC’s Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Consumer Affairs Office of Financial Empowerment, is specifically designed for artists and arts administrators from all disciplines.

Highlights include:

• a free, confidential, one-on-one consultation with a financial counselor
• tips on how to learn how to access and use credit, reduce existing debt, and plan for the ups and downs of erratic income
•  advice on how to navigate home ownership and the mortgage process (Yes, we’re talking to you about owning a home in NYC, the place where all your dreams are supposed to come true!)

After patting yourself on the back for spending a Saturday so responsibly (remember Woody Allen’s observation that “Eighty percent of success is showing up”?), kick back at the Networking Reception in the Skylight Gallery from 5-7pm.  

Space is limited! RSVP to rsvp@culture.nyc.gov.

 --Cara Cannella

Member Group Show // Photos Are Up!

Thanks to all who came out to support our Members for our first ever Member Group Show! See below for some selects from the night and visit the 3rd Ward Facebook page  or Flickr to see the entire album.

If you didn't make it out for the opening, you can still swing by and see all of the work!  Our lobby is covered floor to ceiling with work from our Members until May 22!