If You Paint It, They Will Come
EVERYTHING IS DESIGN
The Renaissance School of the Arts Mural Team Visits the Museum of the City of New York for Inspiration
Text and photos by CAW Youth Apprentice Aaron Castillo
Today the Multimedia Team joined the Youth Employees from Renaissance School of the Arts on a field trip to The Museum of the City of New York. CAW Teaching Artist Assistant Kito Kirtley said she wanted her students to be encouraged to make art of their own. She also wanted them to examine how artists use patterns and colors to send messages with their art, so they might use some of those methods in their own Mural.
Marvin Smith developing ideas from one of Paul Rand’s works.
One of the exhibitions was called Everything Is Design: The Work of Paul Rand. Paul Rand was a graphic designer who revolutionized the way American advertisers used images to communicate. CAW Youth Apprentice Marvin Smith was looking at a picture of what seemed to be an atom painted in orange and black. Marvin said that the image reminded him of power and energy. He added that he felt like Rand wanted to give all of his viewers power. Marvin decided to recreate the atom image in his notebook, which makes me believe that he is interested in power.
Alex Matos, left, and Asli Lazaro researching the lives of hip hop artists Joe Joe Conzo and Martha Cooper at the Exhibit, Hip Hop Revolution at the Museum of the City of New York.
Upstairs in the exhibit Hip-Hop Revolution I came across Apprentice Alex Matos, who was researching the life of artists Joe Conzo and Martha Cooper. Alex told me that Conzo was born in New York and went to South Bronx High School. He said that Conzo became famous despite having been a poor student, and that inspired Alex to never give up.
FIELD OF DREAMS
CAW Helps Harlem RBI Express its Ideals
"Field of Dreams," a mural designed by CAW and painted by Harlem RBI Participants.
In 1991, a group of volunteers transformed an abandoned, garbage-strewn lot into two baseball diamonds for the youth of East Harlem. Since then, the “Field of Dreams” has become a hub for neighborhood activity, and the focal point of Harlem RBI, a nonprofit that offers local youth opportunities to play, learn and grow.
This spring, Creative Art Works partnered with Harlem RBI to create a large-scale work of public art that celebrates the “Field of Dreams” and the role it plays in the Harlem community. Two 6’ x 8’ canvases express RBI’s core values of Teamwork, Respect, Diversity, Promise, Effort, Integrity and Fun.
CAW Teaching Artist Jessie Novik is leading a team of eleven young artists, most of whom have grown up in RBI’s weekend and after-school programs and consider each other family. The work will be unveiled to the public on August 14th as part of a larger RBI celebration.