From envisioning symbolic architecture, to creating a site-specific mural and installing our latest exhibition Reading Music the AYB Advanced Studio artists have had quite a week. Likewise, AYB in the school has been slaying their dragon paintings, learning more painting techniques for still life and begun a new cycle on puppetry! Plus art to see, a great opportunity for artist and AYB will guide painters of all ages at Brooklyn Seltzerfest.
Karla writes: “I have always been in love with architecture. My grandfather was an architect who leaned as an apprentice in the early 1900’s. As a grade school age child, his studio was like a candy store in my eyes! I knew artwork was something I wanted to do from age 5. Architectural drawings are intriguing to me and are the inspiration behind much of my own studio work.
With literacy as a theme, I chose Architectural Narrative as my lesson topic. The three architectural masterpieces: the Jewish Museum Berlin, Sydney Opera House (Australia), and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA.
Jorn Utzon, continued by Peter Hall, Sydney Opera House, Australia
Architectural narrative is the story a building tells through its design, materials, and purpose. This narrative isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a thoughtful process that ties architecture to its environment, history, and the people who use it. — Much like a novel or film, architecture has the potential to evoke emotions, shape experiences, and create meaning…connecting people on a deeper level. A strong narrative also provides solutions to real-world challenges such as sustainability or community needs.
Symbolism plays a vital role in architectural narratives, allowing buildings to convey deeper meanings and evoke emotions. These symbols may be expressed through specific design elements, materials, or spatial organization. The lesson provided examples of two styles of architecture - Deconstructivist and Modern Expressionist. Using symbols, artists were asked to create a work that imagines an architectural structure itself or design an architectural element which could be incorporated into the architectural narrative of a place.
Meridith declared her piece a tribute to our shared love of a great cup of Oslo coffee! She transformed her Bialetti coffee maker into a two-story coffee house. The imagined experience of visiting this architectural wonder certainly invited the coffee lovers in the group! I just want to go there!!! This could be a great illustration for a book!!!! What a creative and quite feasible concept!! Meet you at the center table out front!!!
Lila’s spiral stairway amid home décor elements drew many compliments and comments. Several expressed how interesting these stairways seemed but how climbing or descending the stairway was quite scary or uncomfortable! A wonderful drawing! Lila will be starting new work next week and will have to take a break from AYB. She will be missed! Best wishes Lila!
Travis pulled nature and structure together in a great imaginative drawing inviting the viewer to a journey into the unknown!! I liked the motion and the color in this work!
Adji’s Eye/Window is a concept that could be applied within architecture and bring much discovery in visual dimension. Her “windows to the world” symbolism would offer many applications.
I would love to see Rashida’s drawing when completed! The Japanese garden is full of symbol and a story waiting to be told! The structure and organization of the elements is great and the depth draws me into to place! Meridith noted that the drawing called to mind the water garden at Wave Hill, Bronx.
Rashidah Green, Symbolic Architecture (in progress) and water garden from Wave Hill field trip
Richie really drew inspiration from the Jewish Museum Berlin image examples and the narrative of the place. His comments about not really connecting in general with architecture as art/narrative broadened his scope of experiencing architecture in new ways! His drawing not only referenced interaction within architecture, but also the emotion of the interaction.
The colors in Ed’s work were super! The stoop of an English rowhouse tells a story of living in crowded conditions through symbol and composition! One common door split vertically in two colors – each side a separate address. I imagine the challenges of sharing and yet maintaining individuality behind this door!
Vee – the clay bench or table becomes an architectural element in form and function!
I (Karla) wanted to create a work referencing emigration. So many emigrants arrived in NY Harbor via boats and are the core of this country. And, throughout our country’s history boats were often at the center of the stories of those seeking a better life or those forced to live in oppression. The drawings are from a 1920’s book about making toy boats. The erratic web between the boats symbolizes the frantic and frightening twists, turns and emotions of leaving place….possibly a drawing of an installation within architecture or an aerial drawing of an institution presenting this country’s history on this subject.
Thanks to all for a great class, thoughtful compliments and comments, and great responses to the lesson!!”
The folks at BWAC asked us to curate an exhibition about music for the gallery which we use as our studio. Reading Music is an exhibition by AYB artists that examines ways to capture the energy and feeling of music in visual art. Expanding on our Year of Literacy theme, the works here explore the connection between the worlds of music and art, showing how one can inspire and inform the other.
The exhibition also includes Resonating Chamber, a mural created for this exhibition by Advanced Studio artists Keenan Conley, Neah Gray, Mich Goenawan, Adji Ngathe Kebe, Mia Lew, Xingze Li, Elizabeth, Morales Romero, Maria Polanco, Ed Rath, Jacob Rath, Ajani Russell, Liana St. Bernard, and Grace Webb working with Evelyn Beliveau that explores how sound and space interact. Using the shapes of musical instruments with resonating chambers, like lutes, the mural looks at how sound fills a space and how visual art can mirror that experience. The piece uses gradients and brushwork to evoke the movement of sound waves, drawing from instruments from all over the world to show how music connects us all.
Evelyn reports: “On Tuesday, Advanced Studio artists created and installed Resonating Chamber, a site-specific piece designed for the exhibition Reading Music at BWAC. This piece explores the importance of voids and edges that is common to both visual art and music, considering how sound fills space and using gestural brushwork as a metaphor for the vibration of sound waves. The work is composed of 102 brush-and-ink drawings on mixed-media paper.
We took as our starting point the contours of musical instruments with resonating chambers, hollow spaces where sound vibrates and grows. Looking at instruments from around the world, we simplified the forms to include just the outer silhouette and the shapes of any openings in the instrument. Each participant made between 3 and 12 pencil sketches, with one musical instrument per sheet.
After the pencil sketches were completed, we switched to India ink and brushes. For each sheet, participants chose among six treatments of crisp edges and loose brushwork. For example, in one scheme, brushwork is dense and bounded at the outside edge of the silhouette, then loosens into rhythmic, free mark-making as the artist works toward the inside of the shape. In another scheme, the lefthand edge of each shape is crisp, and the brushwork expands freely to the right. The velvety black ink provides sharp contrast and a direct link to the movement of each artist’s hand in the areas of freer brushwork.
We worked on two sizes of paper—14” x 11” and 7” x 10”—in a specific ratio chosen for the size of the wall panel at BWAC. When it came time to assemble the piece, we started by attaching two 10” x 7” sheets to each 14” x 11” sheet, creating a 14” x 21” unit. These units were assembled into seven columns, each five units high, in alternating orientations (placement of the smaller sheets to the right or left of the larger sheet) to create a rippling rhythm across the wall.
Teamwork was key to the installation of the work; participants pitched in to perfect the alignment and surface quality of the work. When we took a step back, the effect was striking. I was overwhelmed by the work these artists put in to bring Resonating Chamber to life.”
A busy week for Evelyn who was off to Jersey City the next morning to continue their dragon project at AYB Art Matters at PS 17!
Evelyn summarizes what ensued: “At PS 17, we have started using watercolor paints in the final stage of our Meeting a Dragon project. Due to a scheduling change this week, Dennis, Leo and I (Evelyn) saw only our Grade 4 and Grade 6 classes. These students eagerly dove into the new medium.
So far, students have created pencil underdrawings that incorporate a dragon inspired by historical artwork from cultures around the world, people showing a range of reactions through pose and facial expression, and settings that include foreground, middle ground, and background.
During class on Wednesday, we introduced some tips and tricks for painting in watercolor: slow and careful work, just enough water to make the paint flow (but not so much that it soaks the paper), letting each area dry before painting next to it, and always rinsing the brush between colors. We also advised students to choose contrasting colors for the dragon and the background so that the dragon will pop out.
We can see that students have taken these instructions to heart in the careful blending and precise brushwork they are using. The vibrant colors they’ve chosen are a fitting match for this project’s fantastical theme.”
Dennis adds: “Teaching Artist Marina Soliman brought our afterschool group up a notch from previous still life drawings - this week, Marina showed them (step by step) how to create beautiful watercolor fruits. While our afterschool group varies by grade level, all are greatly interested in learning - some have advanced skills, some trying their best, but all determined. Marina demonstrated drawing shapes for kiwis, oranges, strawberries, and watermelon slices - and discussed light, reflection and shadows.
Students used the wet-on-wet technique which resulted in soft and gradient effects.
An excellent group - and seems to be growing by word of mouth - each week, a new student joins! Marina was assisted by Leo Emabat - a terrific team.
At the same time, Teaching Artist/Muralist Gia Guttierez continued with the mural in the library - adding details to the 'learning tree'. Everyone who passes by ooohs and aaahs over it. Excellent work, Gia!
We had a bit of a class schedule change on Wednesday so Leo and I had the opportunity to (finally!) sit down together to discuss the upcoming Women's History Project. Once the school provides us with the women who will be honored, Leo and I will decide on designs which will be reflective of each person. We will create 24" diameter disks which will be adhered to the floor (location of the event TBA) - a student will be in costume and be prepared to give a short speech and/or answer questions from visitors - when a visitor asks a question, the student will step on the disk (!!!!!) and start the presentation. Leo and I are thinking of coating the disk with a heavy fixative or maybe light varnish - or maybe nothing (depending on the type of paint we'll use). More to come on this project as it progresses.”
Dennis writes: "At PS 6 in Jersey City, students learned about various types of puppets - many from literature or film or television - to prepare them for a special project.
Teaching Artist Lionel ("Leo") Emabat created a fantastic lesson in WAYANG puppet making - an ancient Indonesian (originated on the island of Java) form of puppet theatre.
Leo showed a slide presentation of hand puppets, rod puppets, marionettes, shadow puppets - and ultimately Wayang puppets in greater detail.
He discussed the most famous (no doubt) puppet of all - PINOCCHIO. Of course students knew the Disney version but were thrilled and inspired by the images of Pinocchio by Enrico Mazzanti (from 1883) as well as other more contemporary versions. Of course, they all knew the Muppets, and one or two knew Lamb Chop (probably because little Lamb Chop is now the #1 selling dog toy!) but - figures - I was the only one who knew who Howdy Doody was.
Wayang puppet, Pinocchio by Enrico Mazzanti, Muppet Vulture, Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen
Students learned about side profiles - and were asked to create a full page (9x12) character in side profile with limbs (either connected to the body of the character - or separate).
The students jumped right in with their first drafts, in pencil, and will continue in further lessons to add color (brush tipped marker), cut, assemble, and attach limbs for their final pieces. Leo will create a 2D puppet theatre for exhibition purposes - most probably in the Indonesian style.
Leo was assisted today by the excellent Amiya - both having magnetic personalities, which kept the students totally involved.
Students share their puppet drawings
Well -since nobody knew who Howdy Doody was, I guess I won't bother asking if any of them know Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen - let alone Paul Winchell with Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff!!!!"
Other Art News
We encourage you to apply to have your work included in Valley Cottage Library's third annual Banned Book Trading Cards project!!
Last week when I saw Patti Smith she mentioned Herman Melville’s classic Moby Dick as a rousing tale, as an evocative symbolic narrative, and as a good example of the hard work it takes to create a work of art.
While I am a prodigious reader, I had not read the novel. I began asking everyone if they had – so far, out of about 50 inquiries, only Ed Rath and Dennis have! Both are big fans. This week Dennis went to see and loved the opera Moby-Dick at the Metropolitan Opera through March 29, 2025. The Metropolitan Opera commissioned artist Cy Gavin to make a painting on view inside and reproduced as a sixty-foot banner for the front of the theater.
AYB Board Member Cecile Chong shares her latest curatorial effort! A Silence So Loud an installation featuring works by artists Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Johann Diedrick, Jeremy Dennis, and Sim Chi Yin on view at Tiger Strikes Asteroid (TSA-NY) in Brooklyn, New York, co-curated by Tao Leigh Goffe and Cecile Chong. Part of the curatorial vision of the two NYC-based artists who collaborate under the name Broken China, the group exhibition is the first of an ongoing series of multi-sensorial activations on the topic of what colonialism fractures.
AYB Artist Gem Mercado invites us to their upcoming choir concert! Gem writes: “Here’s the ticket link for my choir concert -- there’s a discount code for $5 off at FF5OFF!
I (Meridith) will be showing my series of seltzer paintings originally created for my exhibition Fizz at The Brooklyn Seltzer Museum at Brooklyn SeltzerFest 2025 (Industry City, Five Two A Event Space, 33 35th Street, Brooklyn) Sunday March 16th from 11am-5pm.
AYB will have two tables near my artwork at which we will work with Seltzerfest guests of all ages who would like to paint their own seltzer bottle watercolors! If you would like to help run the art making tables, send me an email.
🧡💜💛🩵💚🩷❤️💙
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