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What could possibly be fun to do this weekend? Well, I'll tell ya.

7/15/2010

Hey-O! It's time for the Killer Roundup. Spread the word!
To see daily A & E updates on midcoast Maine, follow The Killer Convo on Facebook and Twitter.

Already it's the ides of July and as I'm swimming in an absolutely uncrowded Maine cool, clear lake on a sunny day looking up at the mountains, I'm thinking....what I wouldn't give at this moment to be stuck in a sweaty subway in a city listening to some nose breather next to me. Right?

At The Killer Convo, I try to find the most interesting, fun-fun-fun things for you to do and see each weekend (no garden tours, no baroque concerts--I said fun!!) So this weekend it depends on whether the weather will cooperate, but not to worry. We've got indoor and outdoor fun things to do. Let's get started.

Thursday, July 15, 2010
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Lincoln Street Center
Paddy Mills will be playing tonight. He's done some great song work on the soundtrack of Maine Buggin's DVD. As a songwriter, Paddy has a knack for the overlooked. He knows that common sense is not so common, and simple truths are not so simple. With a hitch-hikers heart and a back pack full of notebook philosophy, Paddy leaves you grinning like you've just been let in on a secret -- one that you might just have known all along. Hear Paddy at http://paddymills.com/

Friday, July 16
2:00-4:00 pm
The Maine Windjammer Association will host the 7th Annual Maine Windjammer Parade past the Rockland Breakwater on Friday. Geared for both spectators on shore and windjammer guests, the event will provide close-up views of the entire fleet as it sails by the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. Festivities include tours of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse (contact Friends of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse at 207-785-4609). For more information, call 800-807-WIND

Friday, July 16
5:00-8:00 PM
Party in the streets! Don’t miss the Belfast Gallery Walk on Friday, July 16th! Come to town from 5-8PM to visit the 19 participating galleries and studios and listen and watch musicians, dancers and performers in the streets. There will be live performances on the streets and around town adding a lively and festive atmosphere to Belfast's Downtown. Performers for the 16th will include musician Scot Cannon, dancers Helena Melone and Shana Bloomstein and performer Beverly Mann. For more info: http://www.artsbelfast.com/

Saturday,July 17
7:00pm & 9:00pm shows
Has anyone seen Bob Marley live? He is hilarious. He'll have you not only laughing but going "oh my god, that is so true" during his act.

National comedian Bob Marley will have you rolling on the floor with his bust-a-gut routines about life in Maine, marriage and kids, and more! Don’t miss this highly entertaining show filled with real Down-East humor from Maine’s most-loved comedian. STRAND THEATRE 345 MAIN STREET ROCKLAND, ME (207) 594-0070 www.RocklandStrand.com.
7pm (all ages show) & 9pm (21+ show)- Tickets: $25/reserved seating

And what if it rains?
You've always got the movies. The Reel Guy, a Maine film critic analyzes and comparing films, genres, and the industry in general and posts regular reviews of new releases in theaters and on DVD. Here's his take on what you should see in blockbuster films and from Waterville's Maine International Film Festival this week. Click here.

Oh and lastly--if you missed my Spotlight On Artists piece, check out poetic photographer Anna McEnulty--she won the "How Well Do You Know Midcoast Maine" photo quiz and you can too!

If you have an event you'd like to see mentioned in the Killer Convo, fan me on Facebook follow me on Twitter or email me directly.

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A Shot In The Spotlight: Meet Poetic Photographer Anna McEnulty

7/12/2010

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Meet Anna McEnulty, photographer and winner of The Killer Convo's "How Well Do You Know Midcoast Maine" quiz. She identified correctly that the this picture was Miller's Lobster Shack. Wanna play too? If you win, you get a spotlight on your artistic business or creative endeavor. So, here we go. Anna, meet everybody. Everybody, Anna.

Q: How long have you worked at being a photographer? Tell us one crazy thing you've done just to get the perfect shot.

I've worked on and off as a photographer for the past five years or so. I sell prints, postcards, and notecards of my images regularly. Recently I've been focusing more time on more commercial work. I think the most crazy thing that I've done recently to get the perfect shot was to go up three times in a little Cessna airplane in order to get a picture of Matinicus Island for a local book cover. We circled the island many, many times to try to get the right image. It was a pretty intense feeling, being so isolated between the sky and the water. Luckily all the pilots that I worked with were very wonderful and understanding regarding getting me in proper position for the shot.

Q: Every artist I know has the "jobby job" to pay the rent and bills while making art on the side. What is yours how to you motivate yourself to find the time to create?

In the summertime, my job consists of running a small campground in South Thomaston. During the winter months, I do tax accounting. For entirety of the year, I'm a stay at home mother to two little girls under the age of five. Photography is a way for me to feel complete as a person. I do not feel happy unless I have an outlet for my creativity. My motivation to create is that I want to be able to share with others how I see the world, and I want to be a complete person for my children. I aim to do something artistic every single day, even if it is just daydreaming and planning future shoots.

Q: So many familiar midcoast vistas have been covered and photographed by artists both here and from away. How do you find unique subject matter and manage to keep your images fresh?

When I wander around the Midcoast, I try to find photograph opportunities that others have overlooked. I explore places that are off the beaten path and aim to keep my compositions simple. I believe that simplicity in photography adds a bit of elegance and try to keep all the elements in my work harmonious. I also aim to capture a moment in time rather than focus on the generic iconic images of the Midcoast.

Q: You do portraits as well as landscape and conceptual photography. What is your favorite to work with?

The choice between portrait, landscape, or conceptual work is a hard one for me. I aim to treat all my work with the same idea, which is to promote the inherent beauty that I find in the scene. Portraits are wonderful to do because I love working with different personalities and judging how to best bring out inner beauty. Conceptual shots allow me a greater freedom, to compose images as if they were poetry. Landscapes are very popular in that they showcase the natural wonders which surround us all. I would say that my preferred genre of photography to take would be the one which incorporates aspects of all three types.

Q: Without giving away secrets, do you work with traditional lenses? Or do you like to experiment with computer manipulations of your originals? Which is more fun?

I do generally take my original images with traditional lenses. Lately I've been working with a Nikon D40. The transition to digital has been a bit of a learning curve; I am still refining my technique in order to achieve the same effects that I could create when I was shooting with film. I do experiment with different techniques involving filters, fog on the lens, and shooting through objects when I'm going after a specific feel in my piece. My post processing consists of using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS4, but I don't like to rely on them to fix errors in judgment from the original images. I prefer to compose in the camera. However the computer is a nice way to augment an original image, to add to it tones which I feel enhance the vision that I am trying to present. I definitely would say that the thrill of composing and shooting an image is definitely more fun than the post processing of it. There is nothing that beats the feeling of having the shutter click and just knowing that you've got a great shot.

To see a gallery of Anna's work go to: www.annacecile.com

To participate in these corny quizzes so you get a shot at the spotlight, fan The Killer Convo on Facebook.

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July 4th Weekend Pow! Zing! (Fireworks & Much More)

7/1/2010

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Already the ides of July and as I'm swimming in an absolutely uncrowded Maine cool, clear lake on a sunny day looking up at the mountains, I'm thinking....this sucks. I wish I were stuck in a sweaty subway in a city listening to some nose breather next to me.

Oh, by the way, I was told this week that the title "Killer Convo" is off-putting to my audience. Because it implies that I've killed you with my words. Does anyone feel strongly about this? Did anyone alert Roberta Flack?

So this weekend it depends on whether the weather will cooperate, but not to worry. We've got indoor and outdoor fun things to do. Let's get started.

Thursday, July 15, 2010
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Lincoln Street Center
Paddy Mills will be playing tonight. He's done some great song work on the soundtrack of Maine Buggin's DVD. As a songwriter, Paddy has a knack for the overlooked. He knows that common sense is not so common, and simple truths are not so simple. With a hitch-hikers heart and a back pack full of notebook philosophy, Paddy leaves you grinning like you've just been let in on a secret -- one that you might just have known all along. Hear Paddy at http://paddymills.com/

Friday, July 16
2:00-4:00 pm
The Maine Windjammer Association will host the 7th Annual Maine Windjammer Parade past the Rockland Breakwater on July 16 from 2 - 4 pm. Geared for both spectators on shore and windjammer guests, the event will provide close-up views of the entire fleet as it sails by the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. Festivities include tours of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse (contact Friends of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse at 207-785-4609). For more information, call 800-807-WIND

Saturday,July 17
7:00pm & 9:00pm shows
Has anyone seen this guy live? He is hilarious. He'll have you not only laughing but going "oh my god, that is so true" during his act.

National comedian Bob Marley will have you rolling on the floor with his bust-a-gut routines about life in Maine, marriage and kids, and more! Don’t miss this highly entertaining show filled with real Down-East humor from Maine’s most-loved comedian. STRAND THEATRE 345 MAIN STREET ROCKLAND, ME (207) 594-0070 www.RocklandStrand.com.
7pm (all ages show) & 9pm (21+ show)- Tickets: $25/reserved seating

And what if it rains?
You've always got the movies. The Reel Guy, a Maine film critic analyzes and comparing films, genres, and the industry in general and posts regular reviews of new releases in theaters and on DVD. Here's his take on what you should see in blockbuster films and from Waterville's Maine International Film Festival this week. Click here.

July 16
2-4 pm
The Maine Windjammer Association will host the 7th Annual Maine Windjammer Parade past the Rockland Breakwater on July 16 from 2 - 4 pm. Geared for both spectators on shore and windjammer guests, the event will provide close-up views of the entire fleet as it sails within a stone's throw of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. Spectators may view the Parade of Sail from anywhere along the mile-long Breakwater. Immediately following the Parade, many of the windjammers will anchor next to the jetty inside Rockland Harbor for the evening. Festivities include tours of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse (contact Friends of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse at 207-785-4609). For more information, call 800-807-WIND

Thursday, July 15, 2010 Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Lincoln Street Centerhttp://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130701960294914As a songwriter, Paddy has a knack for the overlooked. He knows that common sense is not so common, and simple truths are not so simple. With a hitch-hikers heart and a back pack full of notebook philosophy, Paddy leaves you grinning like you've just been let in on a secret -- one that you might just have known all along. Hear Paddy at http://paddymills.com/

Dates and Times: July 17, 7:00PM-8:00PM; (7:00pm & 9:00pm)

National comedian Bob Marley will have you rolling on the floor with his bust-a-gut routines about life in Maine, marriage and kids, and more! Don’t miss this highly entertaining show filled with real Down-East humor from Maine’s most-loved comedian. STRAND THEATRE 345 MAIN STREET ROCKLAND, ME (207) 594-0070 WWW.RocklandStrand.com.
7pm (all ages show) & 9pm (21+ show)- Tickets: $25/reserved seating

What Should New England Cinephiles see this week? The Reel Guy, a Maine film critic analyzes and comparing films, genres, and the industry in general and posts regular reviews of new releases in theaters and on DVD. Here's his take on what you should see in blockbuster films and from Waterville's Maine International Film Festival this week. Click here.

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What could possibly be fun to do this weekend? Well, I'll tell ya.

Hey-O! It's time for the Killer Roundup. Spread the word!To see daily A & E updates on midcoast Maine, follow The Killer Convo on Facebook and Twitter.

A Shot In The Spotlight: Meet Poetic Photographer Anna McEnulty

July 4th Weekend Pow! Zing! (Fireworks & Much More)

The Killer Convo

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Hey-O! It's time for the Killer Roundup. Spread the word!
To see daily A & E updates on midcoast Maine, follow The Killer Convo on Facebook and Twitter.