Art Photographer who documents American Excess visits KC - Free Presentation

"American Consumerism: Through the Lens" with Chris Jordan Friday, November 14,2008 from 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM  Kansas City, MO

Celebrate America Recycles Day by attending a presentation by internationally acclaimed artist and advocate for social change, Chris Jordan. Chris' stunning and captivating images reveal the sheer scale of our American excess. Through his art we have the opportunity to reflect on the impact of our collective consumption, and how we can take steps to reduce, reuse and recycle.

This free event is brought to you by Sprint in partnership with the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City and Bridging the Gap. We invite you to join the presentation as Chris shares and discusses the work in his series "Intolerable Beauty: Portraits of American Mass Consumption" and his latest project, "Running the Numbers." In addition, local experts will be on hand to share how you can help lessen our impact on the world around us. Afterward, meet up with Chris at The Bistro for a private reception.

5th Grade Environment Club delivers books to Gordon Parks School

Lunch time Monday November 2 the PH 5th Grade Environment Club loaded up Principle Barry White's truck with a boxes full of books they had collected and then delivered them to Gordon Parks Elementary School. Thanks to Language Arts teacher, Amy Velder and parent drivers: Reed Hickock, Bethany Humphries and Jonathan Chester most of the 15  club members were able to make trip. This charter school on Wyoming St off 39th St. draws its 225 students from all over the inner Kansas City.  Named after the famous African American photographer, artist, musician and filmmaker Gordon Parks who was born and buried in Fort Scott, Kansas the school has only been going for 10 years. While the beautiful old school building was very impressive, the eye opener for Pembroke students was the raised vegetable garden beds the Gordon Parks students tend and then they learn to cook from the produce they have grown.

The schools Executive Director, Lynne Beachner, explained the Gordon Parks program to the club members and that the books would be distributed to families rather than go to the school library.