Arts DEVO

I’ll be the judge of that At times, Arts DEVO’s own private arts fetishes break free from the Energy Dome to make a mess all over this page. Like last week, when I made the call for some “slightly off (or completely messed-up) representations of pets, people, clowns or some combination of all three”—basically, art that spoke specifically to me and probably only me. And, to my surprise, you responded! Thank you!

I am a man of my word, so the winners of the first-ever Arts DEVO juried art show of fun, new, funky art are printed right here for all of us to enjoy:

Second runner-up: “Pacific Grove, 2,” by Joe DiMaggio. I’ve regularly communicated with DiMaggio (publicist for Chico State’s School of the Arts) for nearly a decade, and I forgot how dark and fun his digital photo collages are. Visit DiMaggio’s online gallery (www.nine9nine9.deviantart.com) for more.

First runner-up: “Twisted Pooches,” by Paula Beehner. The empty eyes (and one swirly tongue) of these ghost dogs make me want to sleep with the lights on. Visit Paula’s Photo Art (www.paulasphotoart.com) and see Beehner’s extended portfolio (including an un-twisted version of the pooches).

Best of show: “BFF,” by Sea Monster. What can I say about this lovely clown, wearing her desires all over her face? Christine “Sea Monster” Fulton has painted this “spechill” for this exhibit, and I couldn’t be more pleased. Visit Fulton online (www.seamonsterart.com) and look up Sea Monster on Facebook to enjoy more of her twisted beauties.

DEVOtions

•Buy a donut, build a truck Arts DEVO’s favorite local donut shop, Donut Rising, is going mobile. I just got word from co-owner Gabrielle Leavy-Obeng that the 1008 West Sacramento Ave. location isn’t working out, so they are going to try to move operations into a food truck. To kick-start their new plan, the shop is hosting a two-day fundraising party March 30-31, with a live DJ and food, including plenty of donuts. (Bacon-topped, maple-glazed, sweet-and-salty O Canada Bar, here I come!)

•Where’s Mer? Sigh. Mer is gone. Well, not gone from Chico yet, but CN&R Managing Editor and friend Meredith Graham has left the paper and soon will be leaving the country with her husband Josh (and two of their four dogs) so he can work on becoming a serious badass at a pastry school in the South of France. It’s hard to feel anything but excitement for their new adventure (in my dream vacation spot!), but I am going to seriously miss my friend always sitting just 20 feet away from me, giggling at every single funny thing, listening to my complaints, and editing the airheadedness out of my copy.

Bon voyage, mes amis!

Thankfully, though, the transition is being made smooth by the glorious and timely return from maternity leave of my other gal pal, Melissa Daugherty, who moves to Mer’s desk from her old news editor post. I just hope that I don’t scare her away by hollering out AP-style questions over 7 times a day. (Or is it, “more than 7”? Or, maybe “over seven”?) Hey, Mel!