Happy Spring (and No April Fool's)

Spring Greetings to one and all...

Cannery Works updates are rolling out nice and smooth on the calendar's quarters. The last was right before the New Year, and this one's right on time, coming up on the beginning of April. Brings back some of the old time "Quarterly Magazine" essence that I remember hearing about when I was a kid. A slower pace, and one that suits me just fine. Can't do the daily updates, and I don't begrudge anyone who can. Can't Instant Message. My cell phone went through the washing machine a few months ago (some would say not by accident). It lived to tell about it, but just the other day it finally died and I'm not too sorry about it. I find myself not rushing out to replace it right away. It's now a first class voicemail number, and for the moment that'll do just fine.

Mel and El won a Bistro Award for their song "FAGNET" and as the original producer - who helped put the show together and launch it, getting it on its feet and making sure it was pointed in the right direction - Cannery Works couldn't be happier. Mel and El have worked so hard to make their show all that it can be, and have been so classy and professional all the way through -- this is a great development for them. Next Monday, April 7th, they'll perform the number at the Awards Ceremony, at Gotham Comedy Club, and I'm so glad they'll get a chance to spread their love and magic to an establishment audience.

One of the many goals we have at Cannery Works is to help artists get their projects off the ground so well that they fly on their own. We want them to succeed and not need Cannery Works anymore. It's a sad thing, in some ways, like if you raise your children right, they don't need you anymore, at least not in the same way. But if you give them love, support, and the freedom to go out into the world on their own, the hope is they'll succeed, and come back and visit and be nice to you. Apropos that, Cannery Works is talking to Mel and El about taking their unique brand of comedy, story-telling and lyric-writing and working on a show for kids. New theater for 2008 is just around the corner....

Tim Briner today arrived in Boonville, California for the final town of the six state/cross-country journey. What started in Missouri, then went on to North Carolina, New York, Indiana, and most recently Texas, is now coming to a close in California. Tim hit the road back in July/August 2007 and will be wrapping up principal shooting in mid-May. He's met so many great people, and has had so many great adventures, and I've now had the privilege of seeing several of the photographs, which are stunning. I'm really pleased with the efficiency of Tim's itinerary, the focus of his work, and the spirit of the journey. I'm excited about the final book, and the gallery and museum showings. There's plenty of work still to come. My hope is that after this project is all said and done, Tim will be known as a photographer of record, someone the art world will have come to know through his excellent, distinct work, and with that success he'll be able to give something back to the next photographer or visual artist to come through the Cannery Works process.

On a personal note, I will miss the phone calls I make as artistic director, when I get in touch with various people in the Boonville communities prior to Tim's arrival. I get to talk with newspaper people, radio people, Chamber of Commerce folks, hotel desk clerks, Mayors, Sheriffs, Development Directors, and people at the local gas station sometimes, too. I've had my own great window view of new people and places, and it's opened up my appreciation and understanding of the world quite a bit, I'm glad to say.

Plenty of projects brewing for the upcoming season - some are just seedlings for now, some are showing some early fruit, but there'll be plenty of time to let you know what's happening in the next blog and newsletter. In the meantime, we wish you peace and good art always. If you have something on your artistic mind, let us know. We do care!

A NOTE OF CONGRATULATIONS for Cannery Works' Technical Director, Daniel Tsadok, who just got accepted to New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program.

Thanks always for your belief, support, and good wishes. Please send in a donation when you can - $100.00 goes a long way to help us continue the work at hand.

With warm regards and thanks for reading,

Spencer Chandler