2014 IMA Winner for Maria The Mexican Album Art!
Super duper excited to learn that I won the 2014 Independent Music Award for Album Art for my work on Maria The Mexican – Moon Colored Jade! Press release below:
THE 13TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED Willie Sugarcapps, Vienna Teng, Valerie June, The Bankesters, Pete Seeger, The Soul of John Black, I See Stars, Rabbit Rabbit, Sultans of String, Elizabeth Mitchell, Marcio Novelli and Fanfara Tirana Meets Transglobal Underground Are Among The 13th Independent Music Awards Winners
Vienna Teng Wins Four Categories and Pete Seeger Is Honored For Previously Unreleased Track
Fan Online Voting Will Determine The 13th IMA Vox Pop Winners
June 3, 2014 – Willie Sugarcapps, Vienna Teng, Valerie June, The Bankesters, Pete Seeger, The Soul of John Black, I See Stars, Rabbit Rabbit, Sultans of String, Elizabeth Mitchell, Marcio Novelli and Fanfara Tirana Meets Transglobal Underground are among the exceptional self-released and independent label talent named today by Music Resource Group (MRG) as the judge-determined Winners of The 13th Independent Music Awards (The IMAs), the influential international awards program for independent bands and fans.
The veteran artists and rising stars named as 13th IMA Winners in more than 80 Album, EP, Song, Music Producer, Music Video and Design categories were winnowed from thousands of submissions from around the globe, and were determined by a panel of influential artists and music industry executives.
Among the noteworthy achievements of the 13th IMA program, Vienna Teng was named the winner of four categories, the most any artist has received in a given year. The self-proclaimed “chamber folk” artist was honored in the Adult Contemporary Album, A Cappella Song, Social Action Song and Pop Song categories.
Mree, who bills herself as an emerging, experimental folk artist, and who is currently entrolled at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, received top honors in the Music Producer category for her sophomore album “Winterwell.” The judges cited the sophisticated soundscapes that cushion the songs among the reasons for honoring the album’s overall production.
The unique pairing of Fanfara Tirana Meets Transglobal Underground was awarded Best Short Form Music Video for its whimsical, stop-motion video for the song “No Guns To The Wedding.” This collaboration between members of the Albanian military brass band (Fanfara Tirana) and the British dance pioneers (Transglobal Underground) was also honored for top World Beat Album.
In the IMA Long Form Video category, Marcio Novelli was named winner for the documentary “Marcio Novelli Presents Walking Proof,” a film that shows the process of recording his debut album “It’s Not An Excuse, It’s A Reason.”
A full list of all the 13th IMA Winners appears below.
Artist bios, as well as music and images for all winning and nominated Albums, EPs, Songs, Design and Music Videos available at: www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/13th/Album
Known for championing original work by artists who follow their own muse, The IMAs provides Winners with performance, promotion and distribution opportunities that will place them in front of music supervisors, talent buyers, record label executives, and most importantly, fans worldwide.
“While the number of outlets that promote new, independent music continues to grow, audiences that frequent these are splintered and don’t coalesce into a critical influencing group that artists once depended upon to achieve mainstream success,” said Martin Folkman, Executive Director of The Independent Music Awards. “The IMA program goal is to gain exposure for extraordinary self-released and independent label artists and their recent recordings.”
The 13th IMA Judging panel featured exceptional recording artists including: Ann Wilson & Nancy Wilson of Heart, Chiddy Bang, Suzanne Vega, G. Love, Sharon Jones, Laurie Anderson, Jim Lauderdale, Krewella, Shelby Lynne, Joshua Redman, Lunice, Chris Wood & Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers, Hudson Mohawke, Raul Midon, Melissa Auf der Maur, Aoife O’Donovan, Judy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Meshell Ndegeocello, Arturo Sandoval, Band Of Skulls, Adam Agee, Dennis Diken, Nathan Currin, Lindz West of LZ7, Ben Bruce of Asking Alexandria and Jonathan Steingard of Hawk Nelson.
The IMA Judging panel was also comprised of record label executives, club and festival talent buyers, music journalists, film & tv music supervisors including: Terry McBride (Nettwerk Music Group), Kevin Lyman (Vans Warped Tour), Hillary McAndrew Plate (Lincoln Center), Alan Light (Live From The Artists Den), Anthony DeCurtis (Rolling Stone), Jason Olaine (Jazz At Lincoln Center), Evan Schlansky (American Songwriter), Delphine Robertson (Playtone Productions), Benji Rogers (PledgeMusic), Bruce Iglauer (Alligator Records), Bob Ludwig (Gateway Mastering), Dalis Allen (Kerrville Folk Festival), Megan West (SoundCloud), Lydia Hutchinson (Performing Songwriter), Anne Saunders (Falcon Ridge Folk Festival), Billy The Kidd (Clear Channel), Sara Beesley (Joe’s Pub), Maria Mar (95.9 The Rat), Kath Borer (The Music House For Children), Patrick MacIntyre (Ironwood Stage & Grill), Paul Oveisi (The McKittrick Hotel), Art Szabo (The Starlite Room), Todd Pinnell (Tattoo Rock Parlour), Steve Silman (The Railway Club), Eugene Haslam (Zaphod Beeblebrox), Mads Black Just-Olesen (Littlefield & Spike Hill), Edan Wilber (Death by Audio), Erika Nichols (The Bluebird Café), David Jemilo (Green Mill Jazz Club), Hunter Rodgers (Cain’s Ballroom), James White (Broken Spoke), Annie Lawlor (Buddy Guy’s Legends), Daniel Gallant (Nuyorican Poets Café), David Kelleran (Coco66), Jo Bennett (Bush Hall), Luke Rinaldi (Rosemount Hotel & Railway Hotel), John McCooke (The Good Ship), Matthew McLean (Doug Fir Lounge), Kimberley Galceran (FBi Social), Sarah Whitby (Fly By Night), Sean Hitchings (93 Feet East), Colin Wesh (Ginglik), Vis the Spoon (Rhythm Factory), Luke Della Santa (The Standard), Daniel Michael (HQ Complex), Tim Carroll (Black Bear Lodge), Kylie McDowell (Beach Road Hotel), Patrice Lovelace (The Underworld), Tim Frank (Hard Rock Café), Kevin Hoskins (Rock Shop), Mitch Exton (Alhambra Lounge), Jessica Darlow (ARTRAGE), Jack Clover (Slaughtered Lamb), Kwenya Carreira (Marula Café), Alvaro Villacis (Wurlitzer Ballroom), Immy Doman (Green Note), Risa Tabatznik (Green Note) and Mark Ellicott (Heaven).
Fan Online Voting Will Determine The 13th IMA Vox Pop Winners
In addition to the judge-determined winners announced today, music fans from around the world have until midnight Friday, July 18th to champion their favorite Nominees and determine The 13th IMA Vox Pop Winners by voting online at: www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/13th
The fan-selected Winners will benefit from additional marketing support from The Independent Music Awards. To date more than 25,000 music fans have cast their votes in support of their favorite 13th IMA artists.
Artistry Has Its Awards
For more than a decade artists and labels from around the world have found new fans and prominence through The Independent Music Awards.
Produced by Music Resource Group, publisher of the popular industry contact database The Musician’s Atlas, The IMAs uses its unrivaled access to performance, promotion and distribution to connect Winners and Nominees to new audiences and revenue opportunities.
The program receives submissions from artists previously on major labels as well as self-released and indie label talent from more than 70 countries on six continents.
Submissions for The 13th Annual Independent Music Awards are currently being accepted at www.TheIndependentMusicAwards.com/submit.
Program details available at www.TheIndependentMusicAwards.com
The 13th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners:
Album Categories Winner Winning Album Adult Contemporary Vienna Teng Aims Alt. Country Robert Moses and the Harmony Crusaders Self-Developing Country Americana Willie Sugarcapps Willie Sugarcapps Bluegrass The Bankesters Love Has Wheels Blues Scarecrow Devil & Crossroads Children’s Music Elizabeth Mitchell Blue Clouds Compilation Various Artists New Arrivals: Vol. 5 – Artists For Hurricane Sandy Relief Concept Katy Carr Paszport Contemporary Christian / Gospel Hilary Weeks Say Love Contemporary Classical Alejandro Escuer Flying: Music For Flute and Electronics Country Natalie Howard Under {Love’s} Umbrella Dance/Electronica Audego Beneath the Static and the Low Eclectic Youth Lagoon Wondrous Bughouse Folk/Singer-Songwriter Valerie June Pushin’ Against a Stone Funk/Fusion/Jam Robert Walter’s 20th Congress Get Thy Bearings Indie/Alt. Rock Dovetail Mount Karma Instrumental The Claudettes Infernal Piano Plot…HATCHED! Jazz Instrumental Petr Cancura Down Home Jazz With Vocals Ararur Ararur Latin Eliana Cuevas Espejo Live Performance Wertico Cain and Gray Sound Portraits Metal/Hardcore I See Stars New Demons New Age Darlene Koldenhoven Tranquil Times Pop Kelley James The Pattern Transcending R&B/Soul Tarrus Riley Mecoustic Rap/Hip-Hop Relic (aka Rel Mccoy) Miles to Go Rock / Hard Rock Midnight Spin Don’t Let Me Sleep Soundtrack / Cast Recording San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus I Am Harvey Milk Spoken Word Various Artists Action Moves People Tribute Album Chris Kelsey & What I Say The Electric Miles Project World Beat Fanfara Tirana Meets Transglobal Underground Kabatronics World Traditional Various Artists Delicious Peace: Coffee, Music & Interfaith Harmony in Uganda Song Categories Winner Winning Song A Cappella Vienna Teng “The Hymn of Acxiom” Acoustic Lu Flur “Future Tides” Adult Contemporary Sophie Koh “I Understand” Alt. Country Sven Curth “If Yer Tryin’” Americana Devin Jake “Anywhere Bound” Bluegrass Pete Seeger “Fly Around My Blue-eyed Girl/Cripple Creek/Ida Red/Old Joe Clark” Blues Root Doctor Featuring Freddie Cunningham “Baby, You’re Bad” Children’s Music Helen Austin “Colour It” Contemporary Christian / Gospel Joshua Aaron “You Are Holy” Country The Carper Family “Foolish Ramblin’ Man” Cover Maddy Rodriguez “Some Nights (Cecilia) – (orig. by fun. / Simon & Garfunkel)” Dance/Electronica Audego “Liar” Eclectic Rabbit Rabbit “After the Storm” Folk/Singer-Songwriter Sam Sallon “You Are Home ” Funk/Fusion/Jam Uli Geissendoerfer’s Colors “3-41” Holiday Nancy Beaudette “Silence Tonight” Indie/Alt. Rock Ginger and The Ghost “The Mark of Hearts” Instrumental Sultans of String “Josie” Jazz Instrumental André Vasconcellos “Samba da Esquina” Jazz with Vocals Rozina Pátkai “El Hombre Que Yo Ame (The Man I Love)” Latin Yolanda Duke feat. Arturo Sandoval “Contigo En La Distancia” Love Rocket & The Ghost “Gold” Metal/Hardcore They Might Be Zombies “A Dying Voice” New Age Sonaljit “Dreaming the Afterlife” Pop Vienna Teng “Level Up” R&B/Soul The Soul of John Black “Higher Power” Rap/Hip-Hop Sarkodie “ Illuminati” Rock / Hard Rock Classick “This Heart” Social Action Vienna Teng “Level Up” Spoken Word Fold feat. Mr Gee “Salvation” Story Jean Rohe “Umbrella” World Beat Alex Boyé “I Am Gold” World Traditional Akshara “Mohana Blues” EP Categories Winner Winning EP Dance/Electronica Flow Zen Together Again EP Eclectic In One Wind Lean Instrumental Eugene Levitas with Chen Zimbalista Levitation Jazz Jon LaTona Introducing….. Jon LaTona Live Performance Volodja Balzalorsky Karol Szymanowski: Violin Sonata in D Minor – Volodja Balzalorsky Live in Concert – EP Pop Lu Flur Floriology Rock Highasakite In and Out of Weeks Roots/Country Billy Woodward The Beast in Me Urban Tuan X A Tale of Two Cities EP World Natty Out of Fire Music Producer Category Winner Winning Work Music Producer Mree Mree – Winterwell Design Categories Winner Winning Work Album Art Angie Pickman Maria the Mexican – Moon Colored Jade Album Packaging Hui-chen Huang & Szu-wei Cheng / Keystone Design Co. Taiwu Children’s Ancient Ballads Troupe & Daniel Ho – To & From the Heart Artist Concert Photo David Simchock Ozomatli – LEAF Festival (May 2013) Artist Publicity Photo Jared Robinson Bastard Poetry Publicity Photograph Music Website Ilusha Tsinadze & Melanie Ida Chopko www.jeanrohe.com Poster Tony Halchak The Badlees – Epiphones and Empty Rooms Promo Poster Swag Tony Halchak The Badlees T-Shirt Video Categories Winner Winning Video Long Form Marcio Novelli Marcio Novelli Presents Walking Proof Short Form Fanfara Tirana meets Transglobal Underground “No Guns To The Wedding”
I’m excited to bring my paper cuttings to the Omaha Public Library’s Michael Phipps Gallery for the month of April for a solo exhibition. I’ll have lots of new work on display, including all 26 of my alphabet animals, some of my shadow puppets, my animations, and even quite possibly an interactive zoetrope that I’m putting the finishing touches on and testing out later. The opening reception is Saturday from 2 – 5. Hope to see you there!
I am completely surprised and honored to have been nominated for the 2014 Independent Music Awards for my paper cut album art I did for Maria The Mexican’s 2013 release Moon Colored Jade.
My friend, studio assistant (she’s a huge help to the ol’ Rural Pearl), and artist Laura Engelhardt has been working her fingers to the bone organizing an art auction to benefit her sister Sara’s family as Sara undergoes treatment for her 3rd round of cancer. I’ve got a piece in the auction, and there are over 100 other works from supporting artists! They’d appreciate any support you could give – even if its just sharing this info to get the word out. You can view the works online, bid in person or by phone, ask questions, pledge monies, etc. The works are all on display at Yeldarb Gallery in Topeka, KS, and a great time to stop by would be this Friday during the First Friday Art Walk. You can find more info at the following link: 
Lantern Journal, Volume II, Issue 4 – Winter 2013, with my work, Winter’s Reason, on the cover, out now: http://lanternjournal.org/category/v2i4/