We started the week on an introspective and thoughtful note in Advanced Studio on zoom making vision boards with AYB Artist Abby Johnson.
Abby sums up: “Monday’s project on vision boards was a perfect way to wrap up the year. Through this project AYB artist had the opportunity over zoom to reflect and manifest.
It is important to have a plan or some things & goals to look forward to. What better way to do so with a visual presentation to hold ourselves accountable? The vision board project gave us the opportunity to incorporate motivational aspects of literature as reminders for ourselves. We had the freedom to use musical lyrics, inspirational quotes, poems, books and more. There was also free range to use any material we wished as vision boards are a collage of material, images, drawings, and words.
The art work of Cindy Briggs and Andi Garbarino were used as inspiration for this project, as the two both had similar sentiments regarding the importance of vision boards and art. Overall, though I’m not at all surprised, ART YARD artists executed this project seamlessly as everyone immediately jumped right in.
Vision boards by Cindy Briggs (left) and Andi Garbarino (right)
The work certainly speaks for itself! However, I am a bit shocked at how quickly we were able to incorporate so much in one piece. I feel that everyone’s art takes the viewer through a maze of the artists’ past, future, and present which is super fun. I’m so grateful that everyone was open enough to share parts of their lives and bond over the project.
In AYB Advanced Studio In-Person this Tuesday, we concluded my two-part lesson on drawing and painting Abstracted Letterforms (begun a little over a month ago) with AYB Artist Evelyn Beliveau. We had a full house, with a mix of participants returning from part 1 and participants new to the lesson. With a bounty of food due to a mix-up about the date of next week’s potluck, everyone was in high spirits.
Evelyn writes: “Those new to the lesson got a crash course on what they missed in part 1: the underdrawing. Everyone chose a letter of the alphabet from the set of 3-dimensional particle-board letters we’re using, plus a 6x8 inch canvas panel and a pencil. Each artist set up the letter at their work station at an angle such that they could see multiple sides of the object, and began a contour drawing (just lines, no shading). I asked everyone to “zoom in” on the letter so that it would intersect at least two sides of the panel, in order to activate relationships between positive and negative space.
As everyone got settled in, we did introductions and heard about the various ways each participant found out about AYB—such as friends of friends, the TikTok phenomenon, or parents/lifelong participation—providing a wonderful snapshot of this growing community. I then set the tone for the session with the two guiding questions from last time: What happens to our perception or reading of a letter when it is taken out of the context of forming a word? What can a letter “mean” on its own? We also examined work by artists Nicolette Reim and Joe Wardwell, who both make use of letterforms as abstract compositional elements in different ways; in Reim’s work, letters are divorced from the function of forming words, while in Wardwell’s work, stenciled phrases at different scales create layers of detail.
Installations views: Nicolette Reim (left) and Joe Wardwell (right)
Those who finished their drawings moved on to painting in acrylic with a limited palette, after I demonstrated some techniques. Each artist chose two colors of different values—one much darker and one much lighter than the other—and mixed a range of values by using different ratios of the two chosen colors. Looking at the letterform as it rested on the table, they identified the darkest shadows and began to paint, moving from dark to light. With a quote from my professor and mentor Mark Wethli, “Your brushstroke is your signature,” I encouraged everyone to use lively and specific brushwork in every part of the painting, including areas of “filling space.” Slow and exacting moves are necessary in small spaces, as you get close to the contour lines of the underdrawing, while the larger areas are a chance to play with more energetic brushwork and texture.
The paintings display a range of bold color and different approaches to composition, blending, and texture. Certain letters were more recognizable, while others became primarily abstract shapes due to cropping. Ambiguous scale led to comparisons to architecture, especially in Ajani’s “Z,” with a landscape-like effect in the background due to a judicious use of water to thin the paint.
Liv’s “O” drew comparisons to the Everything Bagel from the film Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) or an ambiguous spatial phenomenon.
I noticed a resonance between Shellorne’s paint-handling and the still life paintings of Giorgio Morandi.
We noted the precision and smoothness in Asiana Billie's “V,” Jacob Rath's “N,” and Mich Goenawan's “K,” and the delightful texture and personality of brushwork in the Elizabeth Morales' “M,” Camille Opp's “X,” and Chace Mondesir's “C.”, Mia Lew's “W” was compared to skin or fire due to the use of warm colors and the marbled, organic brushwork. The commonalities provided by the shared font of the letterforms (curved serifs, etc.) create a through-line among the varied and lively group of paintings.”
Adji Kebe did great work correcting difficult perspective as she worked on her "A", Ed Rath's "E" looks monumental (and how about that yellow!?), Leah Eliopulos's "H" in burnt umber has heft, Abriel (bob) Gardner's "G" is very active and Meridith McNeal's "L" is for Lola, of course.
What We Are Reading
While teaching Montessori school this week Jacob Rath came across a calendar book of animals Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!: An Animal Poem for Each Day of the Year, selected by Fiona Waters and illustrated by Britta Techentrup (Candlewick Press, 2021). Jacob sent this page view on December 10th. Although it is aimed at a pre-k – 2nd grade reader, I fully appreciate the poem and the lovely artwork!
Jane Crow by Rosalind Rosenberg captures the extraordinary life of Pauli Murray, a trailblazing activist and lawyer whose work laid the groundwork for both the civil rights and women’s movements. I (Meridith) was particularly struck by Murray’s unyielding determination in the face of systemic discrimination, both racial and gender-based. From being rejected by law schools to challenging segregation in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, she pushed back against every barrier with an unwavering commitment to justice. The idea of “Jane Crow” that she advanced with Eleanor Roosevelt’s support—linking race and gender oppression—resonates deeply today, as does her groundbreaking work influencing figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It was interesting that Abby mentioned Eleanor Roosevelt as an inspiration during Monday's Zoom session on vision boards—Roosevelt's support of Murray is a fascinating example of the interconnectedness of their activism. Murray’s life story, her courage in the face of adversity, and her conviction in fighting for what’s right left me feeling inspired and moved. Her legacy is a reminder that progress is often propelled by those who challenge the status quo, and I was especially struck by how her personal struggles with identity mirrored the broader fight for equality. It's a powerful book that sheds light on a remarkable individual who, despite facing so many obstacles, was instrumental in shaping the freedoms we often take for granted today. I listened to the audio version from the Brooklyn Public library, it is well read and I recommend it!
Book covers
In The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin (Atria, 2024) is a biography of Judith Jones, who as I (Meridith) learned from the book is a legendary editor whose influence on both literature and food writing is immeasurable. Her legacy, particularly in the food world, is nothing short of transformative—she was the visionary behind the American publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the cookbook that brought French cuisine into American homes. What I loved most about this biography was not only the recognition of her brilliant editorial work, from launching The Diary of Anne Frank to shaping the careers of Julia Child, Edna Lewis, and Madhur Jaffrey (my very favorite World Vegetarian, as well as her excellent Climbing The Mango Trees: A Memoir of Childhood in India (Vintage 2007)), but also the rich portrayal of her personality and her friendships. Even in her later years Judith remained active, involved, and intellectually sharp. Again, I listened to the audio from BPL, my only complaint is the tone of the reader often made me thing disaster was about to ensue, which made me anxious as I listened!
Other Art News
You have one more day to catch AYB Artist Ed Rath’s gorgeous solo exhibition Nirvana/Urbana at NohoM55 Gallery (548 West 28th Street, Chelsea). Ed Shares a video walk through of the exhibition:
AYB Artist Shellorne Smith shares her latest series of paintings on the theme of water: Getting water at a public pipe, Water doesn’t always flow, and A beach in Antigua shown in that order below.
Shellorne Smith, Water Series, 2024
Last week Dennis reviewed Pets and the City on view at The New York Historical Society through April 20, 2025. It is interesting how each of us see artwork through our own lens. We know Dennis is a dog person, and I (Meridith) am a cat person, so that provides a view point.
My favorite artworks on view include Hayden Haynes gorgeous Seneca decorative hair comb (2023), Canadian paper dolls from 1855, L.J. Roberts embroidery of Hadley Raysor Smith with Sparky and Ziggy (2017), Jesse Tarbox Beals silver print photo Grace Godwin’s Garret, Greenwich Village (1917-18), and the classic Harold Roth photo of Lower East Side Stable (1946). Shown in that order below:
My bugaboos include an over hung installation which did not give individual works their due. In some cases it included what I felt was lackluster presentation – for example, Martha Coopers excellent photographs were mounted on foamcore and hung too high for me (at 6’ tall) to see properly. I also felt that it was unnecessarily “kiddie friendly” with monitors playing Sesame Street and photo op areas with badly cut out animal drawings. In my opinion one should never dumb it down - kids will get the art!
I agree with Dennis that it is a show worth seeing!
In this AYB Year of Literacy, music, particularly lyric writing has been a wonderful inspiration for classes. Plus we had the great pleasure of hearing AYB artists Gem Mercado, Jules Lorenzo and Liv Collins perform live original music at our benefit.
AYB Artist/musician Gem Mercado shares an enthusiastic review of singer songwriter Katie Gavin: “After an impulsive purchase from a friendly Reddit user (who thankfully wasn’t a scammer), I had the privilege of seeing Katie Gavin perform at the Bowery Ballroom as part of her What A Relief tour. For those who might not know, Katie Gavin is the lead singer of MUNA, the iconic queer powerhouse band that’s been making waves in the indie-pop scene for several years now. At the end of October, she released her debut solo album, What A Relief, and has since been touring the country, performing the album in its entirety.
Where MUNA’s strengths lie in their synth-driven pop anthems, Katie’s solo work strips it all down to its rawest form, making her own way in the folk singer-songwriter realm. Her predominantly acoustic production, joined with her deeply resonant lyrics, create a hauntingly vulnerable intimacy that echoes universally. The last three months have been particularly rough on me, and What A Relief has been like a warm hug from an old friend, one I visit daily. The album’s honest and unfiltered energy had struck something deep within me, and seeing her perform it live was a thought I had been fantasizing about since its release.
As soon as she took the stage and started singing, the audience became so deeply engaged in a way I haven’t encountered in nearly 20 years of concert-going. Bowery Ballroom provided a perfectly intimate setting for Katie to connect with every single person in the room. There were moments when it seemed as if we were all a part of something greater– moving, crying, and singing as one. Her voice, paired with her storytelling, brought up a mix of heartbreak, nostalgia, and the ever-present ache of growing pains. Though most of her lyrics are profoundly emotional, she managed to balance the heaviness with her effortless, silly humor, leaving me unsure of the true source of my tears.
Experiencing that moment in time with Katie and the genuinely beautiful people around me felt like the perfect release I’d been craving for a while now. The range of emotions shared in that room was exactly what I needed– a sentiment that seemed to resonate with everyone present. Our time together left me with a sense of gratitude and hope for the future. As the show came to an end and I made my way to the train, I couldn’t help but recall the closing lyrics of the final track.”
And I’ll find my way,
because I was given today.
~ Katie Gavin
Katie Gavin performing. Photos by Gem Mercado.
💗💛🧡💜💙❤️
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