Seasonal décor spotted in Brooklyn, endorsed by AYB Year of Literacy!
On Monday in Advanced Studio on Zoom AYB Artist Jane Huntington introduced us to the work of her friend Claudine Anrather in a session titled “Portraiture in Memoria and Protest”.
Jane summarizes our session: "We began with a discussion of Claudine’s background growing up in Vienna and being influenced by the museums, overall ambience, and artists such as Gustav Klimt and Egon Shiele. We dove into her “Self Portraits as Archetypes” series where she discussed her symbolic use of flowers, animals, and local iconic sculptural edifices found on the sculpture there. Figures that figured into her self-representation include Kali, the Hindu goddess frequently depicted as either the goddess of destruction, or benevolent mother who protects her devotees and children from mishaps and misfortunes.
The assignment was to work from a photograph, depicting someone you’d like to memorialize. Several students chose to remember their grandmothers. Adji did a pencil drawing of her grandmother wearing huge stylish sunglasses surrounded by orchids.
Lila did a digital collage of her grandmother, an avid gardener, surrounded by flowers and butterflies. A yellow-orange glow symbolizes both her Grandmother's religious devotion and the esteem Lila holds for her grandmother.
Travis’s pencil and magic marker shows her grandmother feeding a flock of birds while her scarf wraps around a tree, arms lifted in praise. Everything, including the tree, is exuberant and joyful.
Ed, who normally does not work from photographs, did a pencil drawing of Siah Armajani, a teacher who has been a life-long inspiration. That Siah is giving the side eye, is quite humorous given that he didn’t like being photographed and Ed doesn’t like working from them.
Meridith painted Ruth Asawa Life’s Work a book whose cover features a spectacular photograph by Imogene Cunningham. As seems evident in the detailing, Meridith continued working on her detailed piece after our session. The image captures the artist at work on one of her iconic hanging woven sculptures. Meridith explained that she is so inspired by Ruth Asawa’s work as an artist, educator and community activist that without having known her, she considers Asawa a sort of mentor.
Vera did a drawing in oil pastel of recently deceased ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, in mid jump.
Karla, pulling through her vast treasure trove of imagery, did a collage using a closed eyed drawing of a little girl in a red hooded coat.
Karla writes, explaining her work in greater detail: “Thank you Claudine and Jane for the wonderful lesson. The stories everyone shared about their portraits were beautifully drawn heartwarming tributes! I think I veered from selecting a photo of someone to reacting to the statistics Claudine presented while showing her portrait works. An image of innocence and loss was all I could focus on - discrimination that forgets beginnings, re-defines existence, and takes away the future. I created my piece with acrylic, child’s cut-out paper doll drawing and hooded coat, paper illustrations.”
I (Jane) painted a couple of B&W watercolors of my mother, from a photograph taken on her honeymoon.
On the eve of the eve of Halloween AYB Artist Jules Lorenzo presented Advanced Studio in person at BWAC with a sensational seasonal session on Monsters in YA fiction.
Jules wins a prize for managing to get a projector to work and make use of the screen in our studio space! Her PowerPoint was packed with information and examples including historical paintings and drawings by Bosch, Bruegel and Goya. With a nice survey of artists known for monster renderings in young adult fiction including Tim Jacobus who creates art for the popular series Goosebumps.
Jules provided written stories and song lyrics as inspiration, but also left room for artists to imagine their own titles as we created cover illustrations for books about monsters. We were to include text in our work, many people creating spooky fonts to better portray the mood.
We welcomed Greta Geary and Gibson Bracken, good friends of Abriel (bob) visiting from Salt Lake City, Utah! They fit right in and we encouraged them to join our Monday zoom sessions once they are back home.
In keeping with the Halloween inspired seasonal theme we enjoyed pasta with roasted squash, pumpkin donuts, apple cider, orange wine and Halloween candy!
We are thrilled to announce that AYB has been selected to adjudicate works submitted to Region-at-Large of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. We are particularly pleased as the aim of the award is to identify and celebrate the next generation of young artists!
You never know where you might find an interesting art exhibition!
AYB Artist Eden-Nicole Moore and I ran into each other while out running errands. We extended our stroll in order to chat and enjoy the lovely afternoon and came across the Haunted Art Gallery, a public exhibition along a fence on Waverly Avenue.
We really enjoyed the eclectic seasonal exhibition. The Halloween Candle piece is really accomplished and includes text, Pam Flemming’s mixed media Radiating Skeleton on red painted wood is charming, and Ozzie’s Two Ghosts penned on cardboard delighted us. From the whiff of oil paint emanating from the Ghost in Landscape piece indicates a very new piece. Our only complaint is that we would have loved some labels indicating the artists names.
The AYB Art Words Benefit is next Friday November 8, 6-9pm at The Gallery at 180 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn. Do you have your tickets yet?
We have promos to incentivize your support:
Spring for the Art Patron ($250) level ticket and you will win a Shrimp Chips pillow featuring art by Abriel (bob) Gardner and three AYB Art Words handmade bracelets!
For Art Angel ($500) level ticket and wins a Jack’s Coffee tote featuring art by Jules Moriah and four AYB Art Words handmade bracelets!
Shrimp Chips pillow featuring art by Abriel (bob) Gardner & Coffee Tote featuring art by Jules Moriah
Jules, Liv and Gem making bracelets & a pile of Art Words bracelets
🧡👻🎃
On view at BWAC in Salon des Refusés 2024 through December 2024:
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