Hooray! This is our 2009 Diorama-O-Rama poster designed by the very talented tania kaufmann!!! Please click to ENLARGE!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS

f. is for frank

Rhodes Art Installation

The Tom and Judy show

GO YOGA

nest

fourply

green PET

TONI & GUY

SHIBUI

yoga sport

PAPER NERDS

Magic Hat Brewing Company

Empire Bakery

Get Ready! Time for Diorama-O-Rama!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


ANNOUNCING
the second annual
DIORAMA-O-RAMA
fundraising art auction benefiting Resolana
Saturday, May 23 | 4 p.m. until at least 7 p.m.
F. is for Frank Studio
1216 Manufacturing, Dallas, Texas 75207
$5 admission. Free for kiddos!


WHAT IS DIORAMA-O-RAMA?
It’s a collective art happening and fundraiser where everyone is invited and encouraged to make and donate a diorama to be auctioned. Event proceeds will benefit Resolana, a Dallas-area nonprofit that assists incarcerated women through psycho-educational and creative programs that provide the skills, tools, and inner resources for self-improvement. With this support, these women are able to more successfully transition to their new lives—a benefit to themselves, their families, and communities. All dioramas created by female prisoners of the Dallas County Jail in art workshops will be on display and given to several lucky folks attending the event!

WHAT IS A DIORAMA?
It’s a three-dimensional re-creation of a scene that displays multiple objects and portrays a specific theme or moment in time. Dioramas usually bring to mind small-scale formations—as seen in museums—but dioramas can be life-size, too. Any type of interesting container adds to the unique meaning behind a diorama. The possibilities for design are limited only by the imagination, as there are no restrictions or real rules at all.

PRIZE CATEGORIES
Ten trophies will be awarded in categories that could include, but are not limited to, most rad, low rent, fluorescent, kinetic, teepee, peaceful, anarchic, illuminated, unicorn-esque, and clever. Or, whatever. It’s irrelevant. It’s about having fun, creating good karma, and raising lots of money for Resolana.

EVENT DETAILS
- $5 admission fee. Free for kiddos.
- The first 50 attendees to pay the $5 admission will receive a cool Armhole.com tote screened with an illustration by Dallas artist Tania Kaufmann—and it’s loaded with goodies from neighborhood businesses.
- Open to the public. A homemade diorama contribution is not mandatory. All are encouraged to attend and bid on dioramas created by artists and non-artists alike.
- Auction winners must pay for and collect their diorama at the end of the auction. CASH OR CHECKS ONLY!!!
- Free beer while it lasts. Tacos and palletas will be for sale.
- Have your picture taken in our life-size diorama photobooth for $5.

Diorama Pre-Registration
If you’re making a diorama, pweeze do us a favor and let us know ahead of time! Email us at dioramadallas@gmail.com. Give us your name, email/website, and cell phone number.
Pre-registration ends Thursday, May 21.

Diorama Drop Off Details
Friday, May 22 | 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
F. is for Frank Studio
1216 Manufacturing, Dallas, Texas 75207
Please have your entry ready to display and complete with all necessary supplies (battery packs, extension cords, etc).

To arrange an alternate drop-off time, contact Shannah Frank at shannah[at]fisforfrank.com or 214.749.0709

Diorama-O-Rama Event
Saturday, May 23 | 4 p.m. until at least 7 p.m.
4 p.m. Silent auction begins
6:30 p.m. Silent auction ends
6 p.m. Live auction begins
7 p.m. Awards ceremony and dance party

LIVE AUCTION MCs
Rawlins Gilliland | Writer, KERA commentator
Jeff Whittington | KERA

SILENT AUCTION JUDGES
Catherine Cuellar | La Reunion TX
Zac Crain | D Magazine
Tracy Hayes | F!D Luxe
Anne Lawrence | CADD Art Lab
Chandra North | Kim Dawson
Tina Parker | Kitchen Dog Theater
Stuart Sikes | Elmwood Recording Studios
Barry Whistler | Barry Whistler Gallery
Cris Worley | PanAmerican Art Projects
Angus Wynne | Wynne Entertainment

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER
Allison V. Smith

DJs
David Page
George Baum
Jay-Clipp

POSTER ARTIST
Tania Kaufmann

And! Thanks to our pal Amanda Pounds for our cool new logo up top! xx

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More Cool Press Coverage

Sweet write up on the KERA Art&Seek Blog!

Nice shot of the Louis Vuitton handbag diorama made by Malina Pearson and her mom Kathy.

Thanks, y'all.

Read it here.

Cool Diorama-O-Rama Press Coverage

Zac Crain over at D Magazine wrote a nice little review of our party over at FrontBurner.

Read it here.

More Cute Party Pics!

From our good friend Kathy.

Check them out!

rad!

we had a blast. go here to see holly's sweet documentation of the diorama drama and go here to see pictures taken by miss allison!

dioramas in the funnies...sweet!

DIORAMA-O-RAMA FAQs (the 411)

1. Do I have to bring a dioarama?
Dioramas are not required to share in the fun. you can just hang and admire the creations of others. Oooohhh-ah! Folks are encouraged to build dioramas, but there is no pressure!!!

2. How much does it cost to attend?

IT'S FREE! Bring some bucks to buy a diorama.

3. Where's the Diorama-O-Rama party?

Shannon's house in Lower Greenville. Since it's a house party we're not printing the address but you can most definitely email us and ask for it. Or ask your friends that know.

4. Who is invited?

YOU. Everyone should come out and party.

5. Do I need to register/rsvp?

It would be nice to know how may dioramas are coming, but it is no biggie if you just show up with a diorama that you made a few minutes before the event.
you can rsvp here: dioramadallas@gmail.com

6. Does my diorama need to fit the listed prize categories?
Nope. We might create new categories once we see your entries! NO RULES!!!!!

7. So what's the sched?
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
3 Doors open...drink beer, eat food, hang with sweet folks...
3 to 6 p.m. Dioramas are registered and placed on display
6 p.m. Diorama silent auction begins
8 p.m. Diorama silent auction ends
8:30 p.m. Diorama award ceremony
ALL DAY Dance party!!!

DIORAMA-O-RAMA

hooray! here is the sweet flier designed by the super sweet will bryant! click on the image above to ENLARGE!!!

A SOMEWHAT SHHH RELEASE...

a diorama necklace...

INTRODUCING
our first ever
DIORAMA-O-RAMA
Silent art auction and Fundraiser
Saturday, June 14 | 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. | Shannon’s House
(ask around cuz if you can easily find out where it is, you’re invited)

R.S.V.P. YOUR PARTICIPATION | DEADLINE: JUNE 6, 2008
dioramadallas@gmail.com
(pretty please r.s.v.p on time. mwah...)

Diorama-O-Rama is a collective art happening and fundraiser. Everyone is invited and encouraged to make and donate a diorama to our silent auction with 100 percent of the proceeds going to our Dallas friend  who, for many months, has been displaced from working and living in his Oak Cliff home and is instead living in Bethesda, Maryland, where he is undergoing cutting-edge treatments to kick some cancer butt!

What is a diorama?
It’s a world in a box that’s made however you like. There are no size restrictions, no theme restrictions, and no real rules at all. All dioramas will be displayed outside, so come prepared if your diorama requires special supplies (battery packs, extension cords, etc) for display.

PRIZE CATEGORIES
Diorama prize categories could include, but are not limited to: most rad, low rent, olfactory, fluorescent, kinetic, fancy pants, likely to succeed, green (your interpretation), edible, popular, derivative, French, peaceful, anarchic, illuminated, unicorn-esque, nautical, OG, OMFG, doughnut shop-ish, glam rock, and so on. Whatever. It don’t matter. Lets just have fun while creating some good karma and raising lots of money.

EVENT DETAILS
This event is open to anyone who wishes to make a diorama or just kick back with our keg of beer, music, bug spray, sunscreen, and nice people. Potluck BBQ contributions are appreciated. Kiddos are absolutely welcome! There will be DJs and bands—names to be announced! If you have any questions email the Diorama-O-Rama contacts.

TIME TABLE | SATURDAY, JUNE 14
3 to 6 p.m. Diorama dropoff @ Shannon’s
6 p.m. Diorama silent auction begins
8 p.m. Diorama silent auction ends
8:30 p.m. Diorama award ceremony
ALL DAY Dance party

NON JUDGEMENTAL JUDGES
Allison V. Smith | Photographer
Rawlins Gilliland | Local writer/NPR Commentator
Christina Rees | Road Agent Gallery
Cynthia Mulcahy | Mulcahy Modern
Diane Sikes | Dallas Contemporary
Zac Crain | D Magazine
Danette Dufihlo | Conduit Gallery
Sarah Jane Semrad | La Reunion TX
C.J. Davis | Good Records
Ryan Abbott | Armhole.com
Gretchen Bell | Dolly Python
Brian Gibb | The Public Trust

FUNDRAISER FACTS
Free to enter. Free to attend. Homemade dioramas are not mandatory to attend. All auction winners must pay for and collect their diorama by the end of the party. All entries will be photographed and posted on our Diorama-O-Rama blog. This is the first of many charity Diorama-O-Rama events to come. If you have space you’d like to donate for our future fundraisers, holla back.

LINKS/BLOGS OF INTEREST
Diorama-o-Rama Dallas

DIORAMA-O-RAMA CONTACTS
Shannon Driscoll Phillips
Holly Jefferson
Jennifer Dunn
Tish Brewer

lakehill prep does the diorama

recently, during the intermission of a fantastic performance of the wizard of oz, we stumbled upon a flock of dioramas. have a gander, be inspired!

diorama inspiration...

see some amazing diorama creations here...

diorama lounge video

go here to see a video about the diorama lodge...

nutshell studies of unexplained death

Frances Glessner Lee (1878–1962), a New England socialite and heiress, dedicated her life to the advancement of forensic medicine and scientific crime detection. In 1931 Mrs. Lee helped to establish the Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard, the only such program then in existence in North America. From that time on, she became a tireless advocate for forensic science.

In 1943, Mrs. Lee was appointed captain in the New Hampshire State Police, the first woman in the United States to hold such a position. Around the same time, she began work on the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death—a series of eighteen miniature crime-scene dioramas for student analysis. The Nutshells allowed Mrs. Lee to combine her lifelong love of dolls, dollhouses, and models with her passion for forensic medicine. She originally presented them to the Harvard Department of Legal Medicine; later they came into the possession of the Maryland Chief Medical Examiner's Office. Erle Stanley Gardner, the writer best known for creating the Perry Mason mysteries, and Mrs. Lee's close friend, wrote that "A person studying these models can learn more about circumstantial evidence in an hour than he could learn in months of abstract study."

dahy-uh-ram-uh

according to dictionary.com a diorama is:

1.	a scene, often in miniature, reproduced in three dimensions by placing objects, figures, etc., in front of a painted background.

2.	a life-size display representing a scene from nature, a historical event, or the like, using stuffed wildlife, wax figures, real objects, etc., in front of a painted or photographed background.

3.	a spectacular picture, partly translucent, for exhibition through an aperture, made more realistic by various illuminating devices.

4.	a building or room, often circular, for exhibiting such a scene or picture, esp. as a continuous unit along or against the walls.

but most of us think of making scenes in a shoe box, hobby lobby, or the natural history museum when we hear the word diorama.