“Life begins again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
We welcomed autumn in with a swirl of exciting events, inspiring sessions, thoughtful planning, and the joy of making art with our vibrant AYB community. Also this week, AYB’s favorite band released their first single, link at the bottom of this recap!!
Friday evening we celebrated the opening of our exhibition Read Between The Lines at The Gallery at 180 Franklin Avenue. There were about 300 attendees including most of the artists, many AYB staff and community members, family and friends.
The space is very conducive to this type of event, we set up refreshments in the back studio space, we had an impromptu talk, with the exhibiting artists sharing insight into their work. A perfect scenario for that sort of sharing surrounded by the art. Our guests got comfortable in the salon area and we utilized the long table for a pop-up jewelry sale as a mini fundraiser and hands-on art activity of bracelet making. The mood was joyous and exuberant! The work was deeply admired and inspiring - leading to many spirited conversations. I am certain there will be new AYB participants in future programs thanks to their introduction to our work at the opening.
Evelyn shares: “I had a wonderful time reconnecting with so many people at the opening on Friday. It was a beautiful reminder that I'm part of this large, varied, growing community, and I feel very lucky and grateful. So special, too, that each artist present got a moment in the spotlight during your remarks-- another sign of how each individual is known and valued!”
If you missed our Art Words pop-up bracelet fundraiser, there are still a few handmade bracelets left featuring the Art Words: draw, shine, gouache, realism, lyrics, yellow, inspired, paper, artist, chiaroscuro, indigo, paint, oil paint, landscape. Suggested donation $15 plus postage, or pick up in person during Tuesday night Advanced Studio. Email us at frida@artyardbklyn.org to get yours today!
This week in AYB Advanced Studio on zoom ART YARD Artist Karla Prickett presented a session inspired by artists working in the environment.
Karla writes: “Our theme "Literacy" brought to my mind the words translation and interpreter. I selected examples from career works by three living environmental artists: Patricia Johanson - NY; Andy Goldsworthy - Scotland; and Patrick Dougherty - NC.
During my career, I had the honor to facilitate projects for Johanson and Dougherty here in Salina, KS and, spent an afternoon in Kansas City observing installation of Goldsworthy's Walking Wall.
Connections to place and community are obvious in all three artists' works. Whether referencing history of place, correcting ecological issues within infrastructure, or setting natural materials in city hardscape - they invite humans to interface with the natural world. The language exists within the experiences .
The lesson prompted such thoughtful responses! Travis' drawing reminded me of a page from a book of botanic illustrations and echoed his observation of Dougherty's sculptures made of hard branches while achieving soft fluid lines.
Ed's Kansas habitat drawing really brought the rural landscape of Kansas in focus with storm felled trees, tumbleweeds and leaves. He captured the essence of Johanson's work - designing a sculptural installation integrating natural materials while providing needed shelter for animals.
Delphine left us anticipating the completion of her "climate fair" inspired work!
Vera's drawn path of stones crossed the crease between two pages of drawing paper, bringing to mind Goldsworthy's progressive hand-built stone wall, crossing a street before climbing the landscape.
Mich received many compliments on their portrait calling question and disruption as a mushroom grows outward from the human face.
I love Meridith's preliminary sketch (done in class) in its updated state as a fabulously completed watercolor of the garden outside her back door! It is a most pleasant place to encounter nature in contrast to the surrounds of built environment!
Simone's super creative and colorful depiction of bunk beds headed to alternative dimensions spoke to the environmental issue of population density of NY.
Neah's beautiful minimalist drawing of an intersection of streets served as metaphor to the crossroads encountered in life.
I liked the color and narrative in Lila's dream imagery and reference to Goldsworthy's moving wall. Her drawn interior becomes reflection of self - a central flowing river with lotus and frogs leads to a red escape door as it moves thru "vines of life" draped walls.
The giant mushroom trees in Cammi's drawing protect and provide needed shade for the insects depicted below their protective umbrellas.
Focusing on natural materials, Adji speaks to place and culture with a wonderful drawing of a traditional African mask. She described how masks are made from many textures found in native plants and trees - an interaction with the spirits of the land.
Kevin drew inspiration from the concept of constructing architecture around existing landscape rather than planting landscape after structures are built. His drawing depicts a mature existing tree incorporated into the exterior landscape of a newly built structure.
My (Karla) piece is a collage on handmade paper with colored paper, ink jet prints, alphabet block illustration from old publication. I recently read that 2/3 of the bird population could be threatened with extinction if global warming is not addressed immediately. I feed and enjoy birds in my backyard everyday. I used images of several species in the piece and created a visual habitat where most are only 2/3 visible to symbolically represent a dwindling population. Wanted to capture some of the woven lines and movement in Dougherty’s sculptures.
Karla sums up: "I really enjoyed all the artwork images and dialogue created from the lesson's look into the life's work and contributions of three important environmental artists of our time.”
Liv and I traveled together to Red Hook to carry supplies and refreshments for AYB Advanced Studio in person at our studio at BWAC.
It was with a sense of nostalgia and glee in which we worked with ART YARD Artist Ajani Russell to creat illustrations for Shel Silverstein poems. Ajani began by reading several poems out loud. Then we were given a choice of a dozen printed Silverstein poems to read, contemplate and respond to.
Ed responds Colors (read by Ajani above).
Liv, who incorporated the poem text into her piece, explains: “When I read the poem about the stars being dull it resonated with me as someone who isn’t from New York. Back when I was still living in Connecticut, I would get home late every night, park my car, and as I’d walked inside I would stare at the stars and name the constellations in my head. Now that I live in New York that’s something I don’t get to experience anymore as the stars appear dull here due to light pollution. Every time I go back to CT I can literally stay outside and stare up at the sky for hours!”
Cheala, attending Advanced Studio for the first time, chose the same poem.
AYB Advanced Studio in progress. (use arrows to scroll through images)
Fallin Up inspired Ajani’s animated black and white drawing and Cammi’s delicately painted levitating mango and Shellorne’s glowing sunset over the sea.
Shellorne Smith, Falling Up
Gem, Mich and Elizabeth responded to Underface.
Adji painted a response to Silverstein’s poem The Worst.
Assata illustrated a combination of both Falling Up and Somebody Has To with a very Brooklyn vibe!
Neah beautifully captured The Homework Machine!
On Wednesday AYB Managing Director Dennis Buonagura was in Jersey City getting things rolling for AYB Art Matters School Partnership at PS 17!
Dennis reports: “In preparation for our upcoming programming cycle at PS 17, one of our partnership schools in Jersey City, I met with Dr. Brower, the school's principal, together with Mr. Bernero and Ms. Campbell (Assistant Principals) and Nicole Manzo, Principal Clerk (the organizer - and our excellent point person!) on Tuesday.
Dr. Brower orchestrated a tremendous renovation of the school's massive library - and he'll set up a gallery space to be used by all art programs presently at the school. Additionally, he asked for a mural to cover the corner walls (nearby to where exhibits will take place). Our AYB 'muralist' Giannina Gutierrez will design and execute this project - as she did last year for an outdoor mural at the school. BTW, Dr. Brower showed me photographs taken of students (I believe as part of a Verizon campaign) with the mural as a backdrop - those photos are fantastic!
During the meeting, ideas for the mural were tossed about. The most agreed upon words were: abstract, colorful, literary-based, and large. Now it's up to us to develop a design for the school to approve.
Additionally, we discussed lesson plans (under our theme of literacy) for the 4 classes and after school group we conduct. When bringing Art Yard Bklyn into the school system, it becomes my job to bring lesson plans that meet the school's requests and fit them into our theme. Sometimes an easy task, other times NOT SO EASY. Here's a hint: Dr. Brower would like to see some lessons based on the works of Keith Haring .
Thinking cap ON!”
Other Art News
Congratulations to AYB Artist Rachael Wren who has work in Shifting Horizons, a group show about our changing landscapes, curated by Laurie Riccadonna at the Dineen Hull Gallery in Jersey City. The show runs from September 16 to November 4, 2024.
I (Meridith) am pleased to have a piece (I made in a zoom session lead by Maraya!!) included in the eleventh annual Small Works exhibition at Main Street Arts in Clifton Springs NY, juried by Bradley Butler. On view November 2–December 21, 2024
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 2, 2–6 p.m.
We have new Redbubble Items to celebrate the opening of Read Between the Lines. Proceeds support AYB programs! Artwork featured by Abriel (bob) Gardner, Jenn Dodson and Jules Lorenzo.
AYB’s favorite band Joopi has released their new single Buggy Bye-Bye!!!!
Lead by AYB Artists Jules Lorenzo and Liv Collins, we’ve been listening to this non-stop and now you can too on Spotify or Apple Music!
Keepin’ it crisp!
🍂 🍁 🧡
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