One of the busiest days in WNBA offseason history saw five teams combine to make five trades involving seven players and five draft picks on Wednesday, highlighted by 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Natasha Howard heading to the New York Liberty and the Dallas Wings landing the No. 1 overall pick.

Defending champion Seattle was at the centerpiece of everything. The Storm lost two key contributors to their 2018 and 2020 title teams while reshaping the roster with a focus on younger talent that also involved the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury -- nearly half the league's teams in all.

What does it mean for the Storm's championship chances, New York's hopes of surging to the playoffs and everyone else? Let's break it down.

Added: Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Katie Lou Samuelson, 2022 second-round pick (from Dallas), 2022 second-round pick (from New York), rights to Stephanie Talbot

Lost: Natasha Howard, Sami Whitcomb

I wrote last fall that free agency and the salary cap would be tougher obstacles for the Storm than any team they faced en route to their second championship in three years in 2020. That proved the case. The Storm have now lost two of the five starters from the title teams plus a key reserve, with Howard and Whitcomb following Alysha Clark (who signed with the Washington Mystics as an unrestricted free agent) out of Seattle.

There's no doubt that hampers the Storm's chances of making it three championships in four years. Clark and Howard were key anchors of the WNBA's best defense. (Seattle allowed nearly four fewer points per 100 possessions than any other team last season.) Clark was the lone unanimous selection to the 2020 All-Defensive First Team.

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According to lineup data from WNBA Advanced Stats, the Storm's defensive rating was 5.5 points per 100 possessions worse with Howard on the bench, the biggest differential among the team's starters. Take both Clark and Howard out of the mix and their defensive rating dropped to fourth in the league.

Seattle has also lost important floor spacing. Clark led the WNBA by making 52% of her 3-point attempts during 2020 while Howard was a rare stretch 5 whose seven 3-pointers last season were more than newcomer Candice Dupree has made over the past 11 seasons (she's 4-of-37 in that span). And Whitcomb's 32 3-pointers ranked second behind Riquna Williams among players who started less than half of their games.

Presumably, the Storm are hoping Samuelson can replace some of that shooting. A 42% career 3-point shooter at UConn, where she played alongside new frontcourt-mate Breanna Stewart as a freshman, the No. 4 pick of the 2019 draft hasn't been nearly as accurate in two WNBA campaigns. She shot 28% from beyond the arc while playing sparingly for the Chicago Sky as a rookie, and while she earned more playing time with the Wings last season, her 3-point shooting wasn't much better (32%). Given that lack of production, it's surprising that Samuelson netted the No. 1 pick (along with a 2022 second-rounder), albeit in what's considered a weak draft.

Herbert Harrigan is another intriguing option for the Storm to fill the void at forward left by Clark's departure. The No. 6 overall pick last April was on the fringes of Cheryl Reeve's rotation in Minnesota despite shooting an impressive 42% on her limited 3-point attempts (14-of-33).

In time, Talbot could be part of that equation, too. Before deciding to sit out the 2020 WNBA season, Talbot was a career 35% 3-point shooter in three seasons with Phoenix and Minnesota. Because Talbot's contract expired while she was on the suspended list, she can negotiate exclusively with Seattle as a free agent when she returns to the league -- which presumably won't be until after competing with Australia in the Tokyo Olympics if they're held.

At 23 (Samuelson) and 22 (Herbert Harrigan), respectively, the newcomers join a young Storm core that also includes Stewart (26), All-Star shooting guard Jewell Loyd (27), point guard Jordin Canada (25) and centers Ezi Magbegor (21) and Mercedes Russell (25). Importantly, they also come with cheaper rookie contracts that will make it easier for the Storm to manage the cap going forward with several of those players due for raises in 2022.

Canada and Russell can be restricted free agents if they don't reach extensions to their rookie contracts by May 15. Stewart is also a possible extension candidate, eligible to bump up her contract to the supermax level ($228,094), while an extension is unrealistic for Loyd because rules limit her salary in the first year of an extension to a 20% raise from the current $121,500. By playing out her contract and re-signing as a free agent, Loyd would be eligible to make the supermax.

It will be interesting to see how Seattle's frontcourt rotation shakes out next season. Dupree said in her introductory news conference that coach Dan Hughes indicated she'll play regularly with Breanna Stewart. Those two could play together at forward, sliding Stewart out to the wing, or in smaller lineups with Stewart at center and one of the other newcomers alongside Dupree at forward.

However that works, Seattle no longer looks like the prohibitive favorite to repeat as champions because of the losses in free agency. This reminds me a bit of the offseason following the Storm's 2004 championship. They lost starters Sheri Sam and Kamila Vodichkova and reserve Tully Bevilaqua in free agency, replacing them with younger talent. Seattle still won 20 games but was upset in the opening round of the playoffs by the more experienced Houston Comets.

As in that case, the Storm must hope that extending their window to contend throughout the primes of Loyd and Stewart is a better option than maximizing their chances of winning with 40-year-old Sue Bird at point guard.

Added: Natasha Howard, Sami Whitcomb, No. 6 pick

Lost: Kia Nurse, Megan Walker, No. 1 pick, 2022 second-round pick, rights to Stephanie Talbot

The 2020 season couldn't have been any fun for New York, which went 2-20 in the "Wubble" in Bradenton, Florida, to set a league record for fewest wins in a season while narrowly avoiding the worst winning percentage in WNBA history. (Tulsa went 3-31 in 2011, a .088 winning percentage narrowly worse than the Liberty's .091 mark.)

The payoff for all that losing came when New York won a second consecutive draft lottery. Without a Sabrina Ionescu-level talent available in this year's draft, the Liberty decided to parlay that pick into arguably the most valuable player to change teams so far in 2021. No, Howard's rsum isn't nearly as distinguished as that of former two-time MVP Candace Parker, but at age 29 Howard is likely to play a bigger role in New York's long-term future than the 34-year-old Parker will with Chicago.

If you were constructing a center for Liberty coach Walt Hopkins' five-out offense in a lab, she might look a lot like Howard -- a reasonable 3-point threat (she hit nearly one a game in 2019, albeit at 31% accuracy) with the ability to roll to the basket and finish.

In particular, Ionescu should benefit from Howard as a pick-and-roll partner. Howard shot an effective 64% on pick-and-rolls last season, per Synergy Sports tracking, putting her fifth among players with at least 20 such shot attempts. She was even better in 2018, leading the WNBA by shooting an effective 71% on pick-and-rolls after accounting for the additional value of 3-point shots.

Granting they rarely got the benefit of playing with Ionescu, whose season was ended after three games by a severe ankle sprain, New York's primary post players shot an effective 48% (Kiah Stokes) and 27% (free agent Amanda Zahui B) off pick-and-rolls in 2020. Zahui B's mark was worst in the league among players with at least 20 shot attempts.

Much was made of Howard's numbers being down in the Wubble -- not just as compared to 2019, when she averaged a career-high 18.1 PPG as a go-to option with Stewart sidelined by injury, but to 2018 when she played a more similar role. That was largely a function of Howard getting a late start to training camp.

Over the season's first 10 games, Howard averaged 10.7 points per 40 minutes on 36% shooting. During the final 12 games, those increased to 22.5 points per 40 minutes on 62% shooting, better than her marks in 2018 (20.7 points per 40 minutes, 55% shooting). And on-off data suggested Howard was as important as ever to the Storm's defense. She was my pick to repeat as WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. (Howard actually got just one vote, third among Seattle players behind Clark and Stewart.)

I'm also intrigued to see what Whitcomb can do in a larger role. Only once in her four-year WNBA career, in 2019, has Whitcomb averaged better than 20 minutes per game. She should have more opportunity with the Liberty, who badly need her energy and floor spacing.

With the additions of Howard, Whitcomb and 2020 Most Improved Player Betnijah Laney, plus Ionescu back on the court, there's a path for New York to go from 2-20 to the playoffs. I'm not sure building that quickly around Ionescu was ideal. Thanks to their plethora of 2020 draft picks, however, the Liberty could afford to add salary aggressively.

The Liberty also limited the downside of this deal by sending Phoenix's 2022 first-round pick -- instead of their own -- to the Storm, meaning if things go south and New York ends up in the lottery again, it won't be costly. So in a draft lacking sure things, adding one via trade was a reasonable move.

If you thought Dallas had a lot of first-round picks last year, when the Wings drafted No. 2 (Satou Sabally), No. 5 (Bella Alarie) and No. 7 (Tyasha Harris), just wait until this April. After snagging the top pick in Wednesday's deal, Dallas suddenly has the top two selections as well as the Nos. 5 and 7 picks. No team in WNBA history has ever made the first two picks in the same draft.

Between now and the draft, the Wings will surely hope to convert some of those picks into either veteran talent or future draft considerations. After all, Dallas can't keep more than 12 players on the roster and the Wings already have 11 players under contract before adding all of this year's picks.

Nonetheless, this felt like a deal Dallas couldn't turn down. The Wings are relatively flush at the forward spots with a re-signed Allisha Gray, the newly extended Kayla Thornton, Sabally and Alarie. Dallas now gets to control the draft, and if the Wings are fond of Texas center Charli Collier -- the No. 1 pick in ESPN's post-lottery mock draft -- moving up assures they can draft her.

From Minnesota's standpoint, this is relatively quick to deal away the No. 6 pick of last year's draft. However, Herbert Harrigan was going to have a tough time finding minutes after the Lynx added Natalie Achonwa, Kayla McBride and Aerial Powers in free agency.

With Achonwa and Sylvia Fowles at center, Damiris Dantas likely moves back to power forward on something close to a full-time basis after starting at the 5 in Fowles' absence last season. That pushes Napheesa Collier to the wing more frequently, where Minnesota adds McBride and Powers to fellow holdovers Rachel Banham and Lexie Brown.

Besides Herbert Harrigan, the odd player out will almost certainly be veteran guard Odyssey Sims. In order to sign Powers to a protected contract, the Lynx will need to move one and create additional cap space. Since the Herbert Harrigan deal doesn't accomplish those goals, Sims will likely still be on the move.

Added: Kia Nurse, Megan Walker

Lost: No. 6 pick, 2022 first-round pick

Because Phoenix has three stars making the supermax (Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi), plus guard Bria Hartley at the lower max, staying under the salary cap while filling out the roster will remain a tight squeeze for the Mercury. That made it important for Phoenix to get two 2021 contributors in exchange for first-round picks this year and next.

Phoenix is gambling that Nurse can return to the form she showed in 2019, when she was chosen an All-Star based on averaging 13.7 PPG on league-average efficiency. Forced to create too much of her own offense last season after coming back from an ugly-looking ankle sprain in the season opener, Nurse struggled badly in terms of efficiency, making just 24% of her 3-point attempts and 31% of her 2-pointers. She rated a win below replacement level by my metric.

There's no reason to think Nurse has suffered any loss of skill, so I expect her to bounce back. At the same time, her 35% 3-point shooting in 2019 now looks like an outlier relative to the rest of her career. Overall, Nurse is a 30% career 3-point shooter in the WNBA, a level at which teams will happily help off her to double-team the Mercury's stars.

Shooting is also a major concern for Walker, the No. 9 pick of last year's draft. Pressed to stretch the floor in the Liberty's offense, she shot 6-of-43 (14%) from 3-point range, the second-worst accuracy in WNBA history for a player with at least 40 attempts. Walker was a 40%-plus 3-point shooter at UConn, so there's a good chance she improves on that going forward.

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What Wednesday's blockbuster WNBA trades mean and how they impact each team - ESPN

AJ Media Editorial Board| Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Continuing growth to the south and west of Lubbock has led to the rapid expansion of nearby Lubbock-Cooper and Frenship school districts. While expansion is great, it brings a set of unique challenges as facilities feel the stress.

Frenship officials addressed the matter in the Nov. 3 election with the approval of a $300 million bond package that includes the construction of a second high school. Lubbock-Cooper, also facing significant student growth, announced a similar approach earlier this week.

The districts board of trustees approved an ambitious $420 million bond package that includes a second high school, third middle school and sixth elementary school. The item will appear on the May 2 municipal elections. Early voting is scheduled to start April 19, and the last day to register to vote is April 1.

The numbers make a persuasive case for Lubbock-Cooper, which has been one of the fastest growing districts in the state for years. Superintendent Keith Bryant said in our story enrollment is up 33% over the past five years alone, and 45% growth is projected over the next 10 years, according to figures from the district. The district expects to increase from its current 7,100 (approximate) students to 10,500 in the next decade with high school enrollment expanding from approximately 1,800 to 2,400 students.

As any facility planner can testify, theres only so much room before maximum capacity is reached. Getting in front of that is what Lubbock-Cooper, like Frenship, is planning to do.

Our growth shows no signs of slowing, Paul Ehlers, president of the Lubbock-Cooper board, said in our story. It is the responsibility of the LCISD Board of Trustees to thoroughly assess the needs of the district and remain proactive.

Student growth is one important metric. The other is tax impact. Bryant said in our story there will be no direct tax increase associated with the bond. The district will use tax revenue associated with new growth to fund the project. Over the past two years, the district has lowered the tax rate 13 cents from $1.54 per $100 property evaluation to $1.41.

The districts approach also calls for bonds to be issued as funds are available. Projects will be prioritized beginning with the second high school, which officials hope opens its doors by the fall of 2023. It would have, according to officials, its own athletic facilities and is to be located near Woodrow Road and Quaker Avenue. The plan calls for it to be built in phases with it opening to freshman and sophomores to begin with and juniors and seniors following the next year.

If the projected growth continues, the new middle school would open at the start of the 2026-27 school year with the new elementary targeted for the beginning of the 2027-28 academic year.

Besides the big-ticket items like new schools, the package addresses other equally pressing needs such as HVAC and roofing improvements and athletic additions at existing campuses, according to our story.

Lubbock-Cooper is the fastest growing school district in our region and one of the fastest growing school districts in the state, Bryant said in a news release. This proposal was carefully developed to address current and future enrollment.

The districts dramatic and sustained growth requires it to be proactive in responding to the expectations of families drawn by its reputation for excellence, and this bond package is a thoughtful plan to get in front and stay in front of a demand that shows no signs of slowing anytime soon.

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Our view: Cooper officials trying to stay in front of growth - LubbockOnline.com

The ambitious undertaking in the traveling exhibition Black Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem to summarize the prodigious achievements of artists of African descent over the last century astounds in its impressive displays.

There is the larger-than-life oil canvas portrait of Kevin the Kiteman, a 2016 work by Jordan Casteel, set against a rich, lushly textured representation of a Harlem street that evokes joyful contentment. Chakaia Bookers 1995 sculpture of rubber tires and metal, Repugnant Rapunzel (Let Down Your Hair), challenges the viewer to contemplate the moral and ethical implications of an industry that historically has exploited the labor of young African people. Kerry James Marshalls 1986 Silence is Golden, a work of acrylic on panel, riffs convincingly on the themes of Ralph Ellisons 1952 novel Invisible Man. The stunning shimmering effect of Mickalene Thomas Panthera, a 2002 work of a panther rendered in rhinestones on acrylic and a birch panel, resonates as an expression of the strength and beauty of the Black woman. Black Righteous Space by Hank Willis Thomas is a 2012 video installation, which immerses the viewer in a visceral historical counterpoint incorporating elements ranging from the Confederate flags stars and bars to the Pan-African tricolor flag of black, red and green, along with the voices of black cultural leaders.

At the center of the installation is a microphone for exhibition visitors to answer the call and voice their own response. Kehinde Wiley, who was commissioned in 2018 to create the official portrait of former President Barack Obama, references an 18th-century French tapestry to create his own Jacquard tapestry with The Gypsy Fortune-Teller. Wiley, of course, is well known for depicting subjects in contemporary outfits and fashion, who historically have been excluded from representations in the elaborate, ornate backgrounds of classic art media and aesthetics.

The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is the fifth of six U.S. destinations to host the traveling exhibition, thanks to the efforts of the American Federation of Arts and the Studio Museum in Harlem. The exhibition will be at the UMFA through April 10. UMFA and the Smith College Museum of Art in Northampton, Massachusetts, are the only two college-affiliated institutions in the traveling tour. UMFAs presentation of the exhibition also is supported by the universitys Black Cultural Center.

The Studio Museum is currently closed to the public as construction proceeds on its new home in Harlem. The museums previous homes have been in a second story loft and a 100-year-old building that housed variously a bank and a furniture store. Its new home will be the first facilities designed for the institutions specific mission and needs, since it opened in 1968. The Studio Museums new home, designed by architect David Adjaye, will be located on Harlems most iconic thoroughfare: West 125th Street. Choi, in an interview with The Utah Review, says that as construction continues, were deepening our roots and partnerships in the Harlem community as we think about how we will broaden our programming, education and engagement.

With 100 works from nearly 80 artists dating to the 1920s, Black Refractions is a magnificent and generous sampling of the Studio Museums expansive collections representing not just acquisitions but also works of many artists who have developed their creative expression through artist residencies at the institution. The residencies have been instrumental to the museums development since its earliest days.

For pandemic-weary individuals who might be thirsting to travel to iconic institutions in the nations art landscape, Black Refractions truly brings the experience handily to the doorstep for UMFA patrons, students, artists, teachers and art enthusiasts. Take, for example, Glenn Ligons 2007 work of PVC and neon, which had graced the Studio Museums lobby up until its closing for construction of its new facilities. Give us a Poem (Palindrome #2) is an homage to Muhammad Alis famous response to a students request for a poem during a 1975 Harvard University appearance. That poem was me, we, now preserved in flashing neon lights as a wonderfully relevant signal to guide the viewers journey through the Black Refractions exhibition.

The traveling exhibition was curated by Connie Choi, the Studio Museums associate curator, who worked with UMFAs Whitney Tassie, a senior curator and curator of the museums contemporary and modern art collections. Rather than organize the works in galleries by chronology or media, Choi wisely anchored the exhibition on multidimensional perspectives that command the viewers attention to consider the deeper implications and themes of artists of African descent as adding to and broadening the history of the American art experience. The narrative and aesthetic emphases on display dramatically pinpoint what it means in fulfilling the expectations and elucidating results of diversity and inclusion.

Perhaps the best way to take in the exhibition is to first stand at the entrance of a section of gallery space and scan it in its entirety to appreciate the generous scope of the works being shown. Then, the viewer should take the time to absorb and engage with specific works in each space. An excellent feature that every exhibition visitor should check out is the set of audio responses to specific works presented throughout the galleries, as recorded by various Black leaders, creative producers and professionals in the local community.

The themes emerge in layers. There are works, for example, that reframe stereotypes and empower anew the subjects of the piece not just in gender identity but also in terms of class, history and sexuality. One fascinating area of distinction concerns abstract and representational expressions. Forms, media and materials were not always being explored solely for the purposes of skill and technique but the abstract works also could address the same social, political and cultural critiques and concerns that animate the inspirations behind some of the exhibitions representational works.

In fact, the title of this current exhibition reflects upon the legacy of the Studio Museums founding and in part some of the controversy and negative feedback that arose during the institutions first solo show. For that first exhibition Electronic Refractions II, the museum selected Tom Lloyd, an African-American sculptor who worked in light. The Queens native already had established a solid, visible reputation for his abstract electronic constructions of aluminum, lightbulbs and plastics laminate. However, the Studio Museums opening with the Lloyd show left some in the Harlem community disappointed because they had hoped for work that was specifically representational and relevant to the contemporary voice during the most dramatic, consequential moments of protest and calls for social justice of the time.

One of Lloyds works was Moussakoo, a configuration of animated colored lights that have been programmed in diamond-shaped sections and can be arranged in various patterns. The effect is like watching the urban landscape dynamism in terms of the citys nightlife and business activity, jazz and other musical nightclubs, traffic signals and marquees of a citys theaters. The Studio Museum acquired the work in 1996 after Lloyds death but three of the four original motors for its programming were lost prior to then. Meanwhile, William T. Williamss 1969 screen prints are compelling additions to the abstract works featured in the show. Evocative of geometric images important in the artists life (the urban vibe as well as the craft excellence of his grandmothers quilts), the prints were part of Williamss Diamond-in-the-Box motif series, where he placed a diamond shape in a rectangle, which then is refracted and cut through with straight and curved bands of color.

In representational works, the shows curatorial objectives raise other fruitful areas that demand more than passive viewing for the arts beauty of form, color, media and technique. Artists reposition how progress and societal advancement should be defined for the benefit and impact of the Black community and what would be the real possibilities of sincere efforts for diversity and inclusion that involve comprehending the multifaceted dimensions of the Black experience in the general American society as well as their own neighborhoods. Marshalls Silence in Golden is one example.

Another is a work from Wileys early period when he was an artist in residence at the Studio Museum at the turn of the millennium. His oil canvas painting from 2001, Conspicuous Fraud Series #1 (Eminence), already suggests the well-developed focus of his later works, which would be acclaimed and acquired by major museums. The mans hair becomes the decorative motif and backdrop in Wileys signature interpretation of the portraiture style, as the hair twists and extends across the entire canvas. Meanwhile, the figure commands a larger-than-proportional space in the paintings composition. Likewise, there are more than a few works in Black Refractions that speak expansively to what encompasses Harlem as a community, a theme integral to the Studio Museums own position as a nexus for artists of African descent and as a cultural, entrepreneurial anchor in Harlem.

Indeed, the artist residencies at the Studio Museum have become effective launch pads for the careers of many participants who have used their opportunities to experiment, test and prove their expressive capacities in the visual arts. One significant epiphany in assessing the impact of the residency program at the Studio Museum is how so many artists have astutely appropriated elements of modernism and reinvigorated aspects of portraiture, for example, and other representational styles, mainly because they speak so clearly to the sociopolitical and sociocultural relevance at the current time. So many pieces in the exhibition capture the essential subtle balance of timeliness and timelessness that makes the art as transcendent as it is transformative in perspective. Casteel, for instance, had no formal art training when she entered Yale Universitys master of fine arts, with a predominating interest in portraiture. When a jury acquitted George Zimmerman in 2013 for the murder of Trayvon Martin, the news inspired her to adapt portraiture to telling stories of Black men that rebuke racist stereotypes. Moving to Harlem in 2015 to start her residency at the Studio Museum, Casteel said in an interview that Harlem was the only place [in New York] Ive ever felt at ease. There she met street vendors and neighborhood residents such as the kiteman, who is featured in the large portrait included in Black Refractions.

Casteels predecessors in the residency program also had set their own bars for challenging the conventions and traditions that have been part of the usual art history canon. Thomas, the artist who created Panthera, also went to Yale and developed a style that blends classical elements with pop culture aspects in portraying Black women and Black feminism. This includes a commissioned portrait of singer and songwriter Solange Knowles. In a Smithsonian magazine interview, Thomas said, Whats happening in art and history right now is the validation and agency of the black female body. We do not need permission to be present. Incidentally, she also was the subject in a portrait by Wiley.

William T. Williams, whose prints are featured in the show, conceived the Studio Museums residency program, which includes studio space, a stipend and an exhibition. Choi says the 11-month program allows artists coming out of schools with their college degrees to experiment and make work they have never made before. The open studios are integral to the museums programs and the residencies introduce artists to many avenues in the art world understanding how museums are run, making connections with private collectors and galleries, organizing shows and situating themselves as they see fit in the larger art world.

Many of the alumni in the program, as already noted, enjoy impressive careers including artists whose works are not featured in this traveling show. Wileys traveling exhibition A New Republic was seen in seven major museums and received tremendous reviews. A 2012 mixed-media painting by Njideka Akunyili Crosby (The Beautyful Ones, depicting the artists older sister) commanded a $3.1 million bid at a Christies auction in 2017.

UMFAs hours are Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the first hour each day reserved for seniors and high-risk individuals. Gallery capacity is limited and visitors are required to reserve tickets in advance, including for free first Wednesdays and third Saturdays. Visitors are also required to wear face masks and to maintain social distance from other household groups in the galleries.

Works from Black Refractionswill be on view not only in the museums first-floor temporary exhibition galleries but also on the Highlights Wall in the museums lobby and in second-floor galleries devoted to modern and contemporary art. A new installation of UMFA contemporary works also focuses on racial and gender inequities.

UMFA is offering various events connected to the exhibition, with advanced tickets required. As part of the museums Sight and Sound Series, a free March 3 event, beginning at 6 p.m., will feature DJ Amir Jackson from Ogden, Utah, who will present several generations of soul, jazz and other musical styles, as inspired by works in the exhibition. A two-part ACME session on March 25 and March 27 will include the screening of Charles O. Andersons critically acclaimed dance theater project(Re)current Unresta meditation on the American Dream and Black nihilism, with Anderson and dance artist Alexandra Barbier leading the March 27 followup workshop.

Major support forBlack Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlemis provided by Art Bridges. Sponsorship for the national tour provided in part by PURE. Support for the accompanying publication provided by Furthermore: a program of the J.M. Kaplan Fund.

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UMFA presents magnificent, generous traveling exhibition Black Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem, covering century of...

If youre going to do something that feels utterly filthy and wrong, its always good to believe youre only following instructions. This is what I mutter to myself as I manipulate half a pat of room-temperature butter into a creamy overcoat for a raw chicken. I am only caking on the dairy fats because a cookbook has told me I must. I squeeze over the juice of a lemon, season liberally with salt and pepper, bang it into a hot oven and wait.

Cookbook titles tend towards the functional. Its the food of this, or the book of that. And then theres the best cookbook title of all time: Roast Chicken and Other Stories by Simon Hopkinson, with Lindsey Bareham. The second half of that sentence is perfect, for all recipes are indeed a story. The ingredients are the beginning. The method is the middle. We all know the ending. The best of those stories promise a better life. And then there is roast chicken, one of those tales that people like me love being told time and again.

When the book was first published in 1994, it was a much-adored volume by a young chef with a cult following, but it didnt exactly trouble the bestseller lists. Lancashire-born Hopkinson had cooked professionally since he was 17, and served time as an Egon Ronay restaurant inspector before becoming head chef of Hilaire on Londons Brompton Road. There, he was talent spotted by the late Terence Conran for the 1987 opening of Bibendum, a wealthy mans grandiose take on the best of French bistro food: oysters on the half-shell and snails in garlic butter, steak au poivre, rabbit with bacon and mustard sauce and a killer chocolate mousse. I wrote most of the recipes for the book at Terences house in Provence, while we were preparing to open Bibendum, Hopkinson says now.

During his time at Hilaire, Hopkinson had become friends with the Evening Standard restaurant critic Fay Maschler, who was also then writing recipes. She asked Hopkinson to stand in for her on the column, which led to him acquiring first an agent, and then a book commission from the ever-astute Jill Norman of Penguin. But I was busy opening the restaurant, Hopkinson says, a little sheepishly.

In the early 90s he admitted to his friend Lindsey Bareham, the food writer and one-time restaurant critic for Time Out, that he wasnt getting anywhere with the much-delayed volume. I told him he had to write it, because we all wanted his Bibendum recipes, Bareham says. I offered to help and a deal was done. He came to my house three times a week. Id sit at my computer and hed sit next to me. Wed chat and Id write. Then wed cook and eat. The result is an elegantly compact volume with around 40 ingredients, listed in alphabetical order. Under A theres anchovy, asparagus and aubergine, while C belongs to ceps, chocolate, cod and of course, chicken. There are half a dozen recipes or so for each, which lean heavily towards a rugged French repertoire.

Do you want a reliable recipe for a delightfully traditional pork terrine? Or a salade nioise? Or petit sal aux lentilles? Its here. While at Hilaire, Hopkinson had got to know the revered food writers Elizabeth David and Richard Olney, dishes from whom are also included. As a result, it acts as a golden thread, pulled through the post-Second World War history of encouraging food in Britain. Henry Harris worked with Hopkinson at Hilaire and was his head chef at Bibendum (before opening his own much-loved French restaurant, Racine). Its simply the most important cookbook of the last 25 years of the 20th century, Harris says. Many people had been doing their twists on these dishes. Simon restored them to their original selves. Bareham agrees. Simon likes doing dishes over and over again. They may not be original to him, but he perfects them.

There are no glossy pictures, just sweet, delicate paintings of ingredients by Flo Bayley. The tone is set by Hopkinsons introduction. Buy wine to go with food. Come home. Have a glass of wine. Cook the food and eat with more of the wine. Like the recipes themselves, he makes everything seem very straightforward.

In 2005, Waitrose Food Illustrated magazine ran an informal poll of cooks and food writers to find the most useful cookbook of all time. Not the best, says journalist William Sitwell, then the magazines editor. The most useful. The result made newspaper headlines. It wasnt something by Jamie, or Gordon. The list was topped by Roast Chicken and Other Stories, pushing Delias Complete Cookery Course into second place. Nine years after publication the book became a massive bestseller, knocking Harry Potter off the top of the Amazon charts. It contains recipes for food you really want to eat, Sitwell says now. And the book isnt overly beautiful so you dont mind getting it stained.

I ask Hopkinson about the butter-caked roast chicken recipe, loosely based on that used at LAmi Louis in Paris. Well, that amount of butter was a feature of the time I wrote it, he says. I use much less now. Instead of the 110g in the book, its a mere 75g. Ive applied the full amount. It produces a lovely bird with crisp, bronzed skin and a fabulous buttery, lemony gravy. I also make his onion tart, which demands the sweating down of four large onions for well over an hour. It is a meditative process. The sweet, sloppy oniony mess is then mixed into a savoury custard. Hopkinson allows for additions, so I add a dollop of Dijon, a little grated parmesan and chopped flat-leaf parsley. A quick trip through the oven and I have a deep-filled, soft and extremely comforting tart.

I also make the Saint-Emilion au chocolat, which Hopkinson credits to Elizabeth Davids French Country Cooking. Its meant to be a dark chocolate mousse, layered with fragments of brandy-soaked amaretti or macaroons, but I can find neither. I think of calling Hopkinson, but I cant bring myself to admit my failure, so try boozy layers of madeira cake and broken chocolate-chip biscuits. The squares of cake float to the surface. I am ashamed of my handiwork. Then again it does taste fabulous. Its a thing. If just not the thing. It does need Chantilly cream, or equivalent. The equivalent is Tesco Dairy Spray Cream. Were in lockdown. Dont demand an apology. Ive had the roast chicken. This dessert is just one of those other stories.

Roast Chicken and Other Stories by Simon Hopkinson with Lindsey Bareham is published by Ebury at 22. Buy a copy for 20.02 from guardianbookshop.com

Cardiffs Matsudai Ramen, by self-taught ramen geek James Chant, has expanded distribution of its kits across the UK. There are four freezer kits including the vegan tantanmen, the shoyu and miso versions at 7.99 each. The fresh ramen kits, which include the sunset red tonkotsu and the new wave shoyu, cost around 20 for two servings, plus 6.95 for UK mainland delivery (matsudai.co.uk).

The shuttering of the restaurant industry has obviously had a massive impact on the network of companies supplying them: sauce-it.net is a new website aiming to hook consumers up with those suppliers. A series of virtual food halls contain stalls from seafood companies, Spanish produce suppliers, cheesemongers and so on. You can shop across them all into one basket. The user interface is a little complex, but the range is huge and by shopping there youll be helping struggling suppliers. Visit sauce-it.net.

A number of restaurants have branched out into merchandise as a money-making venture aimed at loyal customers who want to go beyond the joys of just eating the food. Now a website, LDNFoodMerch, has brought together these products from various London restaurants: you can get the Forza Win T-shirt, the Bao candle and a bunch of rather witty posters from Maxs Sandwich Shop, among other things. All revenue goes direct to the restaurants, visit ldnfoodmerch.com.

Email Jay at jay.rayner@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @jayrayner1

Originally posted here:
How we all fell for Simon Hopkinson's lovely tale of roast chicken - The Guardian

Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown on comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at rundown@multiversitycomics.com.

In case you missed it, Marvel announced X-Corp, a new X-Men series by writer Tini Howard and artist Alberto Foche. Plus, we have an exclusive look at next weeks Cable #8, from writer Gerry Duggan and artist Phil Noto.

Cover by Darick Robertson

DC is bringing back a classic Batman title with the return of Legends of the Dark Knight. The series will be available in 10-page digital chapters, beginning April 2, and will be printed as 20-page physical comics beginning May 18 (thus printing two digital chapters per physical issue). The first story will be written and drawn by Darick Roberston (The Boys, Hellblazer: Rise and Fall), and focuses on a new villain supplying Gothams villains with deadly chemicals. Future issues will feature Becky Cloonan, Stephanie Phillips, Matthew Rosenberg, Brandon Thomas, Cian Tormey, Giannis Milonogiannis, Dike Ruan, and more. The first issue of the series will also feature a card stock variant cover by David Marquez, as well as incentive variant covers by Riccardo Federici and Francesco Francavilla.

In other Batman news, DC has retitled an upcoming miniseries from writer Tom Taylor and artist Andy Kubert. The book, originally called Batman: The Dark Knight, will instead be published as Batman: The Detective. While there has not been any official reason given for the change, this new title does distinguish the series from any previous work. DC has never published a series called Batman: The Detective, whereas they have used Batman: The Dark Knight on many occasions, including a pair of books by David Finch. Most famously, The Dark Knight title is associated with the work of Frank Miller, who used the naming convention on The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, and The Dark Knight III: The Master Race. Batman: The Detective is set to come out on April 13.

DC Comics will honor their first Black superhero this June with the release of Green Lantern: John Stewart A Celebration of 50 Years. The book will be a 368-page hardcover collection of various comics that prominently feature John Stewart, including issues of Green Lantern, Justice League, and Justice League of America. In addition, the book features a series of essays talking about the significance of John Stewart, which will be written by John Ridley, Geoff Johns, actor Phil LaMarr, and John Stewarts original co-creator Neal Adams.

Marvel has announced the full new roster for the Guardians of the Galaxy team through the cover reveals for issues #13-15 of the current series. Doctor Doom, the Super-Skrull, Mantis, and two iterations of Quasar will join Star-Lord, Groot, Nova, and the rest of the current team. Marvel previously announced that Wiccan and Hulkling will be joining the team beginning in issue #13, which doubles as a 175-issue celebration for the beloved space franchise. With all of the new roster additions and the existing members, the Guardians of the Galaxy will now feature 17 members as they protect space in their roles as deputized heroes of the Galactic Council. Writer Al Ewing and artist Juan Frigeri will usher in this new era beginning April in Guardians of the Galaxy #13, with covers by Brett Booth.

The life story of Jack Kirby has been dramatized in King Kirby, a new audio drama podcast that launched this week. The podcast is based on the 2016 play of the same name by writers Fred Van Lente and Crystal Skillman, who also wrote this new adaptation. Steven Rattazzi stars as Jack Kirby, with actors Amy Lee Pearsall, Joseph Mathers, Timothy McCown Reynolds, and Nat Cassidy rounding out the cast in supporting roles as Roz Kirby, Joe Simon, Martin Goodman, and Stan Lee. The series follows Kirbys early days as a child in the Jewish Ghetto of New York Citys Lower East Side, through to his time serving in World War II, and pioneering the medium of comics with the creation of Captain America, the Avengers, the X-Men, and more.

The Vault Comics series Vagrant Queen has been adapted into a series of audiobooks from GraphicAudio. The series is written by Magdalene Visaggio with art by Jason Smith and was previously adapted into a television program on the Syfy channel, which ran for one season in 2020. Vagrant Queen follows Elida, a former child queen who was driven from her throne, and now fights for her life as revolutionary forces hunt her down. The first audiobook, Vagrant Queen and the Bezoar King was released today, while the second, Vagrant Queen and a Planet Called Doom, will be released on April 21.

ShortBox will be publishing a new story titled Gristle by Lily Blakely. The story focuses on an isolated and increasingly paranoid woman and a mysterious, fleshy plant. ShortBox is an independent comic book publisher that publishes their books through a mail-order service facilitated by Patreon. Gristle will be appearing in issue #13 of ShortBox.

Finally, Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter announced this week the passing of her husband Robert A. Altman. The couple were married for 37 years and had two children together, Jessica and James. He was 73 years old. Altman was a lawyer and video game executive, who co-founded ZeniMax Media, the parent holding company for Bethesda Studios, best known for the Fallout and Doom video game franchises.

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The Rundown: February 12, 2021 Multiversity Comics - Multiversity Comics

In the latest This Week at Bungie blog post, the Destiny 2 development team clarifies its plans for the expansion of the Cosmodrome experience.

This week Bungie launched the second season of Destiny 2 Year 4. It's called Season of the Chosen and brought with it much anticipated features. A fan favorite system from last summer, Umbral Engrams, have returned and they tie into the new activity, Battlegrounds. This is a new playlist activity that sits alongside Strikes. Speaking of Strikes,three have been added this season with one of them being brand new. The other two are there to flesh out the Cosmodrome experience. While this is great news for veterans, Bungie recently clarified the future of this zone.

Cosmodrome was added to the game in Destiny 2:Beyond Light and accompanied Europa, a new zone. In the reveal stream, the studio also announced that future expansions will always feature never-before-seen zones such as Europa. In addition, areas from the Destiny Content Vault also have the potential to return. Cosmodrome was one such zone, and the studio had initially planned to expand the this destination to roughly match its statefrom Destiny 1.

RELATED: Destiny 2: Are the Scorn Returning?

However, the dev team'sgoals have changed since them, andit apologized for not updating the community earlier. Long story short, with the addition of The Devil's Lair and the Fallen S.A.B.E.R. Strikes, the team feels that Cosmodrome has enough content to stand on its own as a zone. Thus, they have halted the process of unvaulting any more Cosmdrome content to be brought into Destiny 2.

While massive add-ons like the Plaguelands were likely never going to happen, some of the possible additions were the remaining original patrols spaces, the subsections of Cosmodrome added in Destiny 1 Year 1 DLCs,and the colony ship that The Taken King players got to explore. In the end, these were deemed not vital in telling the story of the Cosmodrome and most importantly, having a fulfilling New Light experience.

Right now, the team is focusing on bringing back the Vault of Glass and fleshing out the upcoming destination of the game's next expansion,The Witch Queen. They believe that the community values new experiences more, thus, resources have been shifted to developing new areas rather than preparing Cosmodromecontent for Destiny 2. This doesnot mean that noother Destiny 1 content will return to Destiny 2. The team still thinks thatbringing content from the vault is a good way to add variety to the live game. Thus, beyond Year 4, more of the Destiny classics may make a comeback.

Destiny 2is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

MORE:Datamined Destiny 2 Cinematic Shows Zavala at His Most Vulnerable

Source: Bungie

Genshin Impact: How to Take Picture of Suitable Viewing Spot (Iron Ingot Meets Ziwei)

Link:
Destiny 2 Focusing on Witch Queen Content Instead of Expanding Cosmodrome - GameRant

Two-story Cliff May-designed homes are like unicorns, and usually not in the good way. Theyre rare enough; Cliff May expert, resident and Realtor Doug Kramer estimates there are about a dozen scattered around the 700-home Cliff May Ranchos neighborhood in East Long Beach in a tract east of Studebaker Road and north of Spring Street. But as a rule, theyre fairly unappealing, bordering a time on being an eyesore.

The problem with adding a second story to Mays original sleek and invariably one-story designs is theyve usually been done on the cheap and quick, with a contractor working without an architect and just slapping a generic rectangular top to the home, which, while, yes, it provides additional space to the original, it generally results in a dogs breakfast in terms of appearance.

So botched were most add-ons that the neighborhood succeeded in banning second-story additions in about 2008, according to Kramer. And with the Cliff May mania continuing to drive up prices and with owners anxious to improve their Mid-Century Modern homes, its unlikely that anyone will monkey around with any sort of additions that will detract from the ideal floor plan.

But there is at least one exception to a two-story Cliff May that was done beautifully with no aesthetic mortal sins. It is the one at 3110 Pattiz Avenue in the southeastern corner of the estates.

The house is listed by Nate Cole of Unique California Properties for $1.495 million. And, while purists might bristle at a two-story Cliff May as a contradiction in architectural terms, the home nevertheless takes the style literally and figuratively to a whole new level.

Mays ranchos are typically built low, with the homes floors level with the outside ground. Interiors are marked by post-and-beam construction and a liberal use of floor-to-ceiling glass that makes you wonder if he had stock in Windex.

The floor plans are wide open and most bedroom windows have expansive views of the yards that surround the homes. What we think of as a backyard is the front yard of the homes, with privacy offered by fences blocking off view from the street, making the main yard its own private courtyard and, especially in the Southern California climate, it serves as perfectly acceptable additional living space and can easily handle a few dozen people for an outdoor party or barbecue.

The homes in Rancho Estates sprung up like futuristic mushrooms in the post-war era, with the houses all built between 1952 and 1954. The tract was originally called Lakewood Rancho Estates, until the area was annexed by Long Beach in the summer of 1954.

The homes were initially inexpensive, selling for about $12,000, and easy to build, yet definitely unique enough to attract a certain buyer hankering for a real California vibe, though some detractors are put off by the lack of a raised foundation and near-complete lack of insulation. Their indoor-outdoor feel can make for chilly winters and scorching summers, though many homeowners have added interior insulation, as much to baffle the sound between rooms as for climate comfort, and most have installed air-conditioning with the decrease of that cost since the 1950s.

The Mid-Century mania has driven prices up in the estates in recent years, with people buying the homes as much for art as an abode. In the 1990s, when standard tract homes on the west side of Studebaker were selling for around $250,000, the Cliff Mays were fetching a similar price. But in just a few short recent years the homes in the Ranchos have been regularly commanding prices, starting in 2018, of over a million dollars, $200,000 or more than their neighbors across Studebaker.

The Pattiz Avenue home looks exactly like you might imagine a two-story Cliff May would look with careful attention to Mid-Modern detail. It has maintained the sleek, horizontal lines and capacious overhangs, and its easy to imagine even Cliff May giving it a begrudging approval.

Rancho specialist Kramer gives it a qualified OK. I think as far as second-story additions, its as good at keeping with the style you can get, and the owners did a fabulous job with the interior.

Cole, not surprisingly, doesnt disagree.

Its one of the few two-story ranchos thats done really well, he said. The top floor matches the post-and-beam architecture. It looks beautiful, with redwood-stained exterior and dark-brown finish.

The three-bedroom, three-and-a half-bath home has been thoroughly upgraded by the current owners, with an all-new kitchen and appliances as well as renovated bathrooms. The main floor has three bathrooms and two main bedrooms at opposite ends of the house. The two-story entry foyer and family room leads to the upper level, with its own lofted living/sleeping area, a kitchenette, a sunny bedroom, full bath, and a view balcony. Behind the house is a solar-heated lap pool.

People in the neighborhood really get attached to these houses, said Cole. They move in because they like the house, first, and then their kids like their school and make friends in the neighborhood and eventually the owners become hesitant to leave.

But because the potential inventory of 700 is so big, and perhaps because some of the older residents are suddenly finding themselves perched on a million-dollar nest egg, there are usually a couple of Cliff May models for sale at any one time.

Right now, theres a cluster of three for sale: Coles listing at 3110 Pattiz Ave.; a new listing by Kramer, a three-bed, two-bath home at 3126 Volk Ave. listed at $1,125 million; and a three-bedroom, two-bath model at 3032 Shipway Ave., listed by Dan Mullin of RE/MAX Estate Properties at $1.15 million.

See the original post:
A $1.495 million two-story home in the Ranchos is an eye-catching rarity - Long Beach Post

Following the weekend, we now have a better idea of what to expect in the next expansion for Final Fantasy XIV. DubbedFinal Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, it continues the narrative of the MMORPG directly afterShadowbringers. There is certainly a lot of content to look forward to, and you can get the full details with our handy guide. However, before all of that new content arrives, there is still the matter of actually prepping the stage. This will come in the form of patch 5.5, otherwise known as Death Unto Dawn, forFinal Fantasy XIV.

We already knew that the patch would arrive on April 13, but there were no further details. Now, Square Enix has furnished us with said details. Patch 5.5 for Final Fantasy XIVwill be broken up into two different parts, of which the second half will arrive in May. ThroughoutDeath Unto Dawn, there will be new Main Scenario Quests added. These willpave the way for Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker.

The first half of patch 5.5 will also see the arrival of the third chapter ofYorHa: Dark Apocalypse.

The dungeon Paglthan will be part of the new story quests. You can try to complete this by using the Trust system, or with your own party. Furthermore, all level 70 dungeons will be made available in Explorer Mode. Basically, you can enjoy marveling at locations without enemies.

As part of the Explorer Mode addition, players can also use any instruments of choice as part of performance actions. Changing instruments during performances will also be possible. Additionally, Square Enix will add a new mystery musical instrument sometime during Patch 5.5 for Final Fantasy XIV.

The Sorrow of Werlyt and Save the Queen questlines will also get updates. A new zone, Zadnor, will also be added.

Players can expect new trials as well. The Cloud Deck Trial will introduce the Diamond Weapon, and is available in both normal and extreme difficulties. There is also the new Unreal Trial. The primal that will be featured is still unknown at this time.

Finally, the relic weapons will receive their final upgrades. We will likely see an increase in item level cap alongside the additions. Death Unto Dawn will also bring with it some general tweaks for jobs, new mounts, and new custom deliveries.

For just the first half of Patch 5.5 for Final Fantasy XIV, this is already quite substantial. We can expect even more story content when the second part arrives.

Originally posted here:
Final Fantasy XIV patch 5.5 will prep the stage for Endwalker expansion - PC Invasion

By Dave Skretta| Associated Press

The Kansas City Chiefs were so confident in their Super Bowl-winning roster from the 2019 season that they did everything they could to bring it back intact, signing quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive tackle Chris Jones to huge deals and reworking other contracts to make the numbers fit in the salary cap.

It almost worked, too. The Chiefs made it back to the big game before injuries along the offensive line, mental mistakes and a near-perfect performance by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their season one win short of a repeat.

Now, the Chiefs will have to take a much different tact if they want to make their third consecutive Super Bowl.

While their core group is signed for the next several years, the Chiefs have a raft of important contributors that are due to hit free agency. That includes wide receivers Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson and four of the five offensive linemen that started in the Super Bowl. As well as the defense, including eight players that were regulars or starters this past season.

"Like all teams, we'll get busy here going down the road," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday. "We'll still have a good core of players coming back. We'll have some additions. No team stays in the same in today's NFL."

It was clear in a 31-9 romp by the Buccaneers that the status quo probably wouldn't work anyway.

The Chiefs managed to hide their many shortcomings while winning a franchise-record 14 regular-season games and then beating Cleveland and Buffalo in the playoffs. But those issues were on stark display Sunday night: a makeshift offensive line pounded by the Tampa Bay pass rush, their own pass rush never getting pressure on Tom Brady, their secondary struggling against the Bucs wide receivers and their linebackers constantly out of position or slow to make plays.

"Every year is different because of your cap situation and what you have and what you need," Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. "We always have a couple different road maps to get where we want to be. We'll have some tough decisions to make trying to keep as many players on this team intact. Every year is different. Every year is unique."

BIG NAMES, BIG HOLES

Mahomes will have wide receiver Tyreek Hill, tight end Travis Kelce and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire at his disposal next season. But the big names are surrounded by some big holes that Kansas City will have to fill.

Watkins only had 28 catches for 421 yards and two touchdowns during another injury-filled season, and Robinson slowly lost playing time to Byron Pringle, who is a restricted free agent. That leaves Mecole Hardman, who has plenty of limitations as a wide receiver, as the only viable No. 3 pass-catcher heading into next season.

Offensive linemen Mike Remmers, Stefan Wisniewski and Andrew Wylie were supposed to be backups, but each played in the Super Bowl because of injuries. Now, all three are free agents along with center Austin Reiter.

DEFENSIVE SITUATION

The reason that Brady dominated the Chiefs defense in the Super Bowl was twofold: their inability to generate pass rush he was pressured four times on 30 drops compared to 29 pressures on 56 drops for Mahomes and shortcomings among the cornerbacks when it came to covering deep downfield.

That leaves the Chiefs searching for upgrades to edge rushers Alex Okafor, Tanoh Kpassagnon and Taco Charlton while also having to replace fellow free-agent defensive backs Bashaud Breeland, Charvarius Ward and Daniel Sorensen.

CAP CRUNCH

The Chiefs are nearly $12 million over the salary cap headed into next season, and nobody knows quite what the 2021 cap will be given the COVID-19 pandemic that affected the league's bottom line. In other words, they will likely need to rework several contracts or cut some big-name players to save some money for next season.

Left tackle Eric Fisher, who tore his Achilles tendon in the AFC title game and may not even be ready for next season, would be an obvious choice; cutting him ahead of the final year of his contract would save about $12 million in cap space and cost only $3.1 million in dead money.

WELCOME BACK

The Chiefs should get some help from guys that were injured or opted out of this past season. That includes left guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the trained physician who opted out to help COVID-19 patients in his native Canada, and third-round pick Lucas Niang, who also opted out. Both of their losses were sorely felt in the Super Bowl.

Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz also should be back from a back injury that ended his season, while running back Damien Williams is expected back after his opt-out though cutting him would save about $2.2 million in cap space.

FEELING DRAFTY

The Chiefs will draft late in each round, and they also traded away their sixth-round pick, putting the pressure on Veach and his staff to unearth some overlooked gems that can plug some of their holes at relatively low costs.

They did a good job last year: Second-round pick Willie Gay Jr. developed into a solid linebacker, fourth-round pick L'Jarius Sneed was easily their best cornerback and fifth-round pick Mike Danna provided some nice depth on the defensive line.

View post:
Chiefs head into offseason with core intact, plenty of holes - Blue Springs Examiner

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As a program administrator at Denver Public Art, Brendan Picker juggles funds, fabrication and artists visions to realize major public-art projects, managing all the necessary moves leading to an eventual unveiling. But in his spare time, Picker also curates the Storeroom, a walk-by installation gallery in an East 17th Avenue storefront window, where he gives local artists, perhaps lesser-known than those creating major public art with big-city dollars, free rein to use the space as they please.

Given some free rein of his own, Picker helped organize the exhibition Queer City of the Plains An Artistic Look at Denvers LGBTQ+ History at the McNichols Building in 2020. Thats evidence of his big heart and inherent love for artists and their missions the unmeasurable qualities that make Picker a good public servant.

Beyond his educational background in fine arts and community planning, what makes Pickers world spin? He has plenty to say about that as he answers the Colorado Creatives questionnaire as part of our regular series highlighting luminaries in Denver arts and culture.

Brendan Picker (right) and Kevin Daly on a hike near Aspen.

Courtesy of Brendan Picker

Westword:What (or who) is your creative muse?

Brendan Picker:My father, Sebastian Picker, is an artist, and I guess you could say his work is a muse for me. Theres art that is beautiful and masterfully done, and then there is art that is also a commentary on our place on this earth, whether its social or political or simply trying to open our eyes to something hidden yet profound. You could say my fathers work falls into the second category, and thats the kind of work that really inspires me.

What makes public art good art?

Good public art creates moments to stop, think and feel something unexpected. If people notice the work and feel something, good or bad, and proceed to think and talk about it, thats when you know a public artwork is successful (i.e., not only if people like it).

Picker visiting Mesteo/Mustang", by Luis Jimnez, at Denver International Airport.

Courtesy of Brendan Picker

What are some of your favorite and least favorite examples of public art?

I love Nicholas GalaninsShadow on the Land in Sydney. And Truth Be Told, by Nick Cave, at the Brooklyn Museum. Both pieces use art as a vehicle for commentary on and critique of current socio-political events and issues. And locally, Ive always loved "Mesteo/Mustang," by Luis Jimnez, at Denver International Airport. Its so full of energy, and really embodies the West for me. Plus, according to my own criteria, its probably one of our most successful artworks in the public-art collection. Its certainly either loved or hated, which is not a bad thing.

Denver (or Colorado), love it or leave it? What keeps you here or makes you want to leave?

Love it. I know its clich, but I love being close to the mountains and the sky. After growing up in New Mexico, those things are important to me. I love the citys (and states) vibrant and diverse art and music scenes. And generally, the folks Ive had the honor of working with have been smart and passionate about what they do, but also laid-back and not pretentious about it. Lastly, I met the love of my life, Kevin Daly, here. How could I leave?

Courtesy of Brendan Picker

What's the one thing Denver (or Colorado) could do to help the arts?

Im actually really proud of all the support Denver and Colorado were able to offer artists during this pandemic in the short term with artist relief grants. In the long term, however, we need to provide more affordable artist housing and studio space. I think offering subsidized housing options to artists could go a long way in furthering arts and culture in the city and beyond. This is crucial. Im also interested in how a 1 percent for art ordinance for private development (i.e., not just city construction projects) might increase opportunities for artists. Several other cities in the country have such an ordinance; maybe its time Denver pursues one?

Who is your favorite Colorado Creative?

Leah Brenner Clack is a powerhouse and has worked tirelessly to push for more grassroots arts programs and opportunities in Boulder. My colleague at Denver Arts & Venues, Lisa Gedgaudas, is another powerhouse. The work she has done for the Create Denver program and especially music advancement in the city and beyond is so inspiring. Also, David Moke is always a true collaborator and innovator. Lastly, a big shoutout to all the public art and museum volunteers and docents across the state. These folks share their time and knowledge to make art more accessible for all.

Portal Brujeria, by Jasmine Dillavou, at the Storeroom until March 30. Up in April: Moe Gram and her Every Human!" display.

Courtesy of Brendan Picker

What's on your agenda now and in the coming year?

Managing about fifteen different public-art projects, in all different phases of the process, from writing RFQs(requests for qualifications) to guiding the selection and approval process and helping the artist realize the project on the ground. I also plan on continuing to curate about four exhibits a year at the Storeroom, a storefront window for art installations next to the Vine Street Pub. I am also on the board of the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art and am serving on the Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion Task Force. Finally, my agenda includes camping trips, travel, attending art exhibits and live music shows. Well see what the future holds (fingers crossed!).

Courtesy of Brendan Picker

Who do you think will (or should) get noticed in the local arts community in the coming year?

There are so many amazing artists (its impossible to list them all!) in and around Denver right now, and thankfully, a lot of them are getting noticed, including Adri Norris, the Museum for Black Girls, Frankie Toan, Moe Gram, Kalindi DeFrancis, Steven Frost, Raafi Rivero, Tya Alisa Anthony, Esther Hernandez, Brian Corrigan and I really want to see PlatteForum get some recognition for the incredible work that comes out of their youth and artist-in-residency programs. Getting our young people involved in art and social activism is always a worthy endeavor!

Follow Denver Public Art on its website, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.

Keep Westword Free... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Denver with no paywalls.

Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

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Brendan Picker of Denver Public Art and the Storeroom on Curating in Denver - Westword