All posts tagged: Michael De Feo

Electric Windows 2010; Street Arts and Community

Sure, there are a lot of things wrong with our country these days. People are hurting financially, are losing homes and jobs, feeling insecure – and obstructionists fight against every possible people-centered bill that comes up in our legislative branch. Our sad legacies of racism and classism are stoked to pit us against one another rather than moving toward an equitable future for everyone. If you were to never go outside and only gathered your news from Yeller TV you might get the worldview that we are in an intractable war with one another.  But the State of our Union is on Main Street, not cable.

Main Street in Beacon, NY for example. Electric Windows, the Street Art event put together by the tireless duo Dan and Kalene (owners of the Open Space Gallery) and three other friends, is a prime example of what’s good in our country these days. Appreciation for the creative spirit that lies inside each person brought together a large and a very diverse group of people to this small town on Saturday. Music (live and DJ), street dancers, screen printing on your clothes… Folks were moved, changed, challenged and inspired by the art being made in front of their eyes: Unrestricted, unfiltered and in direct contact with the artists that were creating it.

The day was glorious not only because of the low humidity and breezes up the Hudson Valley but mostly because we had the opportunity to witness the faces of delight of the community while watching the artists do what they love to do most: Paint.  Saturday was important to America not because Chelsea Clinton was getting married a few miles north of Beacon but because a whole town literally opened its doors to everyone that wanted to come and make and experience art: Free of charge and uncensored.

We love art and artists of course but when we see people actually enjoying it and supporting it in a respectful and festive environment we are reminded once again that the stories that we are told about ourselves on TV are not often real or true. We are better than we are being told we are. We need to do a better job at getting the word out and at making sure that the good stuff gets reported.

Chris Stain (© Jaime Rojo)
Chris Stain pays homage to the workers. (© Jaime Rojo)

Chris Stain. It looks beeter sitting down. (© Jaime Rojo)
It looks beter sitting down. (Chris Stain) (Elbow Toe on the door from last years event) (© Jaime Rojo)

Kid Zoom
Kid Zoom installed probing eyes in the windows of a building. (© Jaime Rojo)

Two generations admiring the work of Elbow Toe
Two generations admiring the work of Elbow Toe (© Jaime Rojo)

Cern discussing what's next. (© Jaime Rojo)
Cern discussing what’s next as the canvasses cascade down Main Street. (© Jaime Rojo)

And when one needed a quiet brake from it all this bucolic site was just a mere feet away. (© Jaime Rojo)
If you needed a quiet break from it all, this bucolic site was just a mere feet away. (© Jaime Rojo)

Anera and PeruAna Ana Peru prepping for their installation. (© Jaime Rojo)
Anera and Peru Ana Ana Peru prepping for their installation. (© Jaime Rojo)

Chor Boogie
Chor Boogie flew in from the west coast to participate. He’ll be in NYC this week. (© Jaime Rojo)

Gaia (foreground) and PaperMonster (background) and a striking pose. (© Jaime Rojo)
Gaia (foreground) and PaperMonster (background) and Kim striking a thoughtful pose. (© Jaime Rojo)

Gaia and Papermonster pieces almost finished. (© Jaime Rojo)
Gaia and Papermonster pieces almost finished. (© Jaime Rojo)

JC2 Army of One. (© Jaime Rojo)
JC2 Army of One. (© Jaime Rojo)

Michael DeFeo piece goes up first. (© Jaime Rojo)
The Michael DeFeo piece goes up first, causing an eruption of applause from the crowd on the street. (© Jaime Rojo)

Peat Wollager eyes. (© Jaime Rojo)
Peat Wollaeger brought inflatable versions of his signature eye to hang. (© Jaime Rojo)

An attentive art fan with Ron English piece on the background. (© Jaime Rojo)
An attentive art fan with Ron English piece behind her. (© Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato. (© Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato. (© Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato's piece goes up. (© Jaime Rojo)
Joe Iurato’s piece goes up. (© Jaime Rojo)

Measure Twice! Skewville. (© Jaime Rojo)
Measure Twice! Skewville. (© Jaime Rojo)

Skewville (© Jaime Rojo)
Skewville (© Jaime Rojo)

Logan Hicks. (© Jaime Rojo)
Front seats to watch Logan Hicks at work. (© Jaime Rojo)

Sailor Hicks. (© Jaime Rojo)
Sailor Hicks takes his puppet for a march up the tracks. (© Jaime Rojo)

To read BSA interview with Dan and Kalene go here:

http://www.brooklynstreetart.com/theblog/?p=12873

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Fun Friday 07.30.10

Fun-Friday
Fun Friday 07.30.10 on BrooklynStreetArt.com

Last Chance to see “Radiant Child” Movie this Weekend at Film Forum

A gem of a film, isn’t that what those old timey movie reviewers used to say?  The previously unseen footage of Basquiat shot by his friend Tamra Davis in his studio is probably the most revealing about his short personal history, his meteoric rise, and wild free child within. Less illuminating is some of the self- aggrandizing by those who now lay claim to his history. Equally it is an indictment of a society dealing with it’s legacy of racism, and the misplaced value given to critics with personal agendas. Nonetheless most viewers will understand intuitively the work for what it is and focus on the Brooklyn guy who made it cool to be outside.

Jef Aerosol

Jef Aerosol doing a tribute to Basquiat in Brooklyn earlier this year (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Don Pablo Pedro this Saturday at Pandemic

“Fuck Don Pablo Pedro” is the second solo show for this talented Bushwick painter tomorrow and is sure to be fun, colorful, libidinous, and nauseating.  Pandemic Gallery

Don Pablo Pedro Poster (© Jaime Rojo)
Don Pablo Pedro Poster (© Jaime Rojo)

Faile in Lisbon (Video)

Brooklyn Street Art duo Faile recently took their sculptural installations to an earlier classical period of the Biennial Portugal Arte 10. The pop culture influences are re-contextualized, as they say….

Electric Windows Tomorrow in Beacon New York

Take the Metro North about an hour up the Hudson to see 30 Street Artists painting live. Is there more to say?

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Read about Electric Windows HERE.

A book signing of “Street Art New York” by Jaime Rojo and Steven P. Harrington will be in the Open Space Gallery from 2 pm to 3 pm.

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Buxtonia at “Electric Windows”, Ad Hoc in the House

Garrison and Alison Buxton, known together as Buxtonia, continue to carry the spirit of Ad Hoc wherever they are. See them at Electric Windows Saturday. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Garrison and Alison Buxton, known together as Buxtonia, continue to carry the spirit of Ad Hoc wherever they are. See them at “Electric Windows” Saturday. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Among the many street artists flooding into Beacon for Electric Windows on Saturday will be a couple almost all of them know for their dedication to building and maintaining the community. Godparents to a street art gallery/collective/community in Bushwick, Brooklyn at a crucial time for Street Art in the mid 2000’s, Garrison and Alison Buxton are now on the road across the country 6 months a year continuing their collaboration with the Street Art community.  It was a good five year run at Ad Hoc, the gallery, which officially closed late last year, having given many a street artist their first show while creating a sense of connectedness between Street Artists, Graff writers, photographers, screen printers, and social activists who all responded to the high vibrational pull Alison and Garrison created.

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For the For the Buxton’s it was never about the hype. She’s full of industry and energy and organizing, while he’s full of a youthful wonder about life and loves to talk with you about social/spiritual movements. Together they have traveled a lot in the last 9 months across the States participating in art shows, re-connecting with friends, teaching screen printing, painting walls, organizing exhibitions, and discussing plans for a sustainable living project at their Vermont farmhouse, an old Buxton family homestead from the 17 & 1800′s.  Amazingly, the Buxtons have recently learned that their old homestead was also where one of their favorite modern art forms, screen printing, was brought to life by a man named Harry Shokler, who lived and worked at the home & studio for over 40 years.  Shokler is referred to as father of contemporary screen printing, a seminal figure in bringing screen printing from the world of industrial application to being accepted and recognized as a distinct fine art form. When you speak with either one of them for more than a few minutes you’ll learn they both sincerely believe we are here to share, learn, and teach lessons to each other and that now is time to do so.

Saturday Garrison and Alison will be making art at Electric Windows, and talking to friends about how to bring about the better world that is possible.

Brooklyn Street Art: How long has Buxtonia been working as an entity?
Garrison Buxton: I actually used Buxtonia as the title of my first website in like 2002/3.  Alison and I have referred to it as a state-of-being for years, with our first Buxtonia mural manifesting in Peru in 2008.  It has been coming into being for a while now and it seemed natural that we start referring to the works we did together as such.  We did Buxtonia murals with Broken Crow in Minnesota in 2009, and with NOLA Rising in New Orleans in 2010.

Unified Love Movement, by BuxtoniaThe installation for Unified Love Movement included a structure that arched in four directions and cast light from the center that emulated the patterns in their paintings on the ceiling. (Buxtonia)

Our first gallery work that I currently recall using Buxtonia was in October 2009 for an installation we did in Oklahoma called:
Buxtonia {Garrison & Alison Buxton}, Unified Love Movement

 

Installation from "Unified Love Movement" by Buxtonia, a commentary on belief systems, beauty, and global awareness of spiritual themes.

Installation from “Unified Love Movement” by Buxtonia, a meditation and commentary on the worlds’ major belief systems, their interconnectedness, and a global awareness of spiritual themes.

 

BSA: Your work is layered and multi-dimensional – can you describe a typical process you two go through in creating a piece?
Garrison Buxton: Firstly, we come up with what the vision of the piece is, laying out and building the compositional aspects like imagery, arrangement, aesthetic, layers, and forms.  After we have that in mind, then comes breaking it back down to the base and working up each of the aspects.  Construction, Deconstruction, Reconstruction, on and on…  After priming, we start out with washes and/or gradients to unify the background, then we build out light & dark areas based on the piece’s color palette.  Once the background is built up, we then use layers of stencils to create textures and develop areas of light & pattern.  We incorporate screen printing as well, either directly on the surface or via collage.  Using hand painting and drawing helps to bring in the upper layers.  Certain aspects are predetermined, like a border design, but building up the stencils and textures is a very participatory and engaged process.  The action of assembling the pieces to the puzzle encourages reflection, dialogue, and feedback.  It is a dialogue with all of us, humans, materials, and the voice of the work.  We change with each other.  Every piece is that moment’s exploration into human interaction and relationship.

A mechanized hand combines industrial revolutionary diagrammatic style with a surreal quality of modern possibility. From a mural done with NOLA Rising (Buxtonia)

“Resistance is Fertile”; a mechanized hand combines industrial revolutionary diagrammatic style with a surreal zeal of modern possibility. The piece repositions the struggle of the worker in a future context. From a mural done with NOLA Rising (Buxtonia)

BSA: Where do you draw upon for inspiration thematically?
Garrison Buxton: The core of it for me would be that we are all part of the same thing, the singularity and inherent oneness of existence.  Until we truly get that, we are not making real progress.  There is a lot of misery being generated by the intention of a select minority on this planet enabled by the masses of under-informed.  Most days, the urgency of our times inspires me to maintain a sense of peace in a world run by sociopaths gone utterly mad.  I have a hard time believing that we are destined to go out this way, like a stupid rampaging beast, smashing to bits anything and everything in our path as we careen over the cliff.  Another world is possible in every instant.  The power to share, to contribute, to change is abundant and always around us.

Brooklyn-Street-Art_Nola-copyright-Buxtonia

BSA: For both Willoughby Windows in Brooklyn and Welling Court Queens also participated as artists. What about being in these group shows is gratifying to you?
Garrison Buxton: Bringing creativity and beauty to people directly is very fulfilling.  It is one of the most unfiltered ways to bring art to a culture largely starved of non-corporate, non-advertising-generated media.  One of the fundamental aspects of street art is the democratization of public space.  Maybe it is all an illusion, but it is fulfilling to believe in the power of art to create, inspire, and plant seeds of observation as well as shared experience.  People relating to one another is what will get us to the other side.  People fearing one another will not.  Relating comes when people take the time to simply do it, relate.  Seeing the direct results of these art projects has been profound and definitely inspires us to keep taking things to the next level.  The bonds that result from bringing generations of different peoples together for a celebration of the human experience are so strong.  Together we can do amazing things.  I have seen it.

BSA: What are you planning to show the people at the Electric Windows show?
Garrison Buxton: We have been working with a figure, Metatron, for a while now.  Metatron is typically depicted as a eye with wings.  The Electric Windows piece is going to have a small flock of Metatrons flying up on the horizon with rays and shapes of light emerging from behind.

Is the loosest of senses, Metatron is the messenger of the divine, translating the beyond-human transmissions to be human-comprehensive.  I believe we are all Metatrons, our own divine messengers, and that we all transmit this divine information to our selves and each other.  When we are still and listen to that part of us that existed before we can remember existing, the knowledge we seek is there.  We are all self contained enlightenment, divinity, god, whatever you want to call it.  How to illustrate that is the never ending pursuit.  It has become important for us to focus on sending positive transmissions. We aim to send a net positive charge into the matrix.  The grid is cracking.  It needs all of our help.  This piece depicts the strength of coming together and building something with a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Brooklyn-Street-Art_Garrison-3-Quote

BSA: How has your life changed for both of you since leaving Ad Hoc?
Garrison Buxton: For clarity’s sake, we never left Ad Hoc, as Ad Hoc Art still exists as an entity and we are still doing art events and projects like the previously mentioned Willoughby Windows and Welling Court projects as well as currently featuring many AHA artists with us in a screen printing project at SummerStage in Central Park through September.  The mission of Ad Hoc Art is to promote awesome work made by badass human beings.  We’ll keep doing that as long as we can, in myriad manifestations, which is the method to the madness.  On the front burner is a fall/winter tour where we will be working with artists across the country, many of which we worked with at Ad Hoc, as well as artists we have worked with since then.

So, I’m assuming that you are referring to how have our lives changed since moving out of Bogart St, yes?  That question is an expansive one, so many changes happening in so many ways.  Like any era in a relationship coming to a close, it is largely in how one perceives it. Boiling it down, there are times we’re missing the great times, all the magic; we’d wish we were still making a difference in the Bushwick hood and wonder if there were somehow an angle we didn’t think of that could have kept the hull together.  Then we quickly remember how working 18 hour days for years takes it toll, how there were days of stress and frustration, and how five years flew by in the blink of an eye and I hadn’t seen some good friends in years.  Overall, we are much healthier and happier and realize we are blessed to have the opportunities that we have and don’t look back.  There is so much to be accomplished now, more so than ever.  We are still working crazy hours, but in a way that serves us better and is sane.  We are operating at a more tenable, sustainable pace, training and running with a marathon mindset for a race of enduring as opposed to the frenetic burst of the 100 yard dash.  Short term focus will not get us to the other side.  Thinking beyond ourselves will get us there.

Some things we are loving: working our own creative endeavors/projects; less daily stress; the ability to be more dynamic and mobile (we’ll be on the road about six months of the next year, taking art love coast to coast and doing projects with people in places we never had time to visit before); more time to be human; & more time to work on altruistic projects.  Basically, we have a lot more time to take care of ourselves, spiritually, mentally, and physically.  As everything emanates from within, if the core is not stable, all that comes out contains that fundamental lack of stability.  In taking time to be, we saw an immediate and direct positive return which correlates directly with overall happiness.

BSA: Any advice for people who are planning to go to Beacon for the show?
Garrison Buxton: Bring sunscreen and drink lots of water.  Beacon is a nice lil’ town and the show is going to be awesome event.  Open Space again delivers a solid roster of fun.  We are excited to be working with some of our favorite partners in crime and a whole slew of new peoples.  Plan on staying late Saturday night if you like to dance.  Bring clothes if you’d like to have them printed.  We are going to be screen printing live and dropping some brand new images that Saturday.

We love you.

Brooklyn-Street-Art_ali+G_Minneapolis-copyright-Buxtonia

Electric Windows will feature Buxtonia, BoogieRez, Chris Stain, Depoe, Elbow Toe, Mr Kiji, Michael De Feo, Peat Wollaeger, Rick Price, Ron English, Big Foot, Cern, Chor Boogie, Chris Yormick, Elia Gurna, Erick Otto, Eugene Good, Faust, Gaia, Joe Iurato, Kid Zoom, Logan Hicks, Lotem & Aviv, Paper Monster, Ryan Bubnis, Ryan Williams, Skewville, and Thundercut

A book signing of “Street Art New York” by Jaime Rojo and Steven P. Harrington will be in the Open Space Gallery from 2 pm to 3 pm.

Some things we are missing: seeing all the wonderful people that were a part of our Bogart St. existence, from the daily regulars to the stroll-ins showing up from all over the world to check out what was going on; all the wonderful things that can happen with having a space, like supporting and fostering community, facilitating people relating with one another, and providing a platform for diverse creative forms to manifest.  It was a true pleasure to see all of the things that came out of having that space, a true nugget of fun, and a moment in time I wouldn’t trade for anything.  We learned so much and met so many phenomenal people from all walks of life.  Literally a life altering experience.

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Electric Windows: Thundercut and Street Art in “North Brooklyn”

Electric Windows: Thundercut and Street Art in “North Brooklyn”

Together with new neighbors and old friends from back in the city Thundercut are steadily creating a cultural festival built around one of their first loves: Street Art.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-copyright-Thundercut-Electric-Windows-2008_crowd

The Street Art couple known as Thundercut are not the first Brooklyn artists to head to Beacon, New York, a picturesque phoenix on the Hudson River 59 miles north of Grand Central Station. Kalene Rivers and Dan Weise are just two of the most visionary and fun to talk with.

Once a town known for it’s hat making, Beacon (pop. 16,000) had a reputation as a sketchy drug and crime ridden place when Dan and Kalene were growing up in the Hudson Valley during the 80s and 90s. When the Dia Arts Foundation (also of Dia:Chelsea in Manhattan) renovated a 34,000 sf former factory in Beacon to create Dia:Beacon and to house a collection of Warhol paintings, hulking Richard Serra sculptures, and fluorescent Dan Flavin monuments, among other post 1960 art, interest grew in the town and an artist community largely from New York began to blossom. Many of the original artists who had brought a bohemian caché to rundown neighborhoods like Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Red Hook in Brooklyn relocated to Beacon as their neighborhoods blanded in the mid 2000s. Much like those original artist enclaves, Beacon has become home to artist collectives, house parties, and experimentation.

Tina Darling poses in front of her work at Electric Windows (all photos courtesy and copyright of Thundercut)

Tina Darling poses in front of her work at Electric Windows (all photos courtesy and copyright of Thundercut)

While DIA was an important catalyst when it opened in 2003, Dan says the new residents brought a creative community that grew organically in it’s own direction.

“The people that have moved here have a very DIY spirit and have created something very special that continues to reinvent itself each year,” says Dan. In addition to Dan and Kalene opening their own gallery, Open Space, which shows fine art by many friends and artists in the street art scene, they recount inititiatives by neighbors who organize live concerts, have annual open studio events, host drawing nights at home, and began non-art related groups like soccer and ping pong clubs. Open Space itself has hosted a series of comedy nights that play to packed houses.

Says Dan, “If someone sees something missing in the community, they try to make it happen.”

Begun as a place to house their graphic design business, Open Space took root as a gallery and a community gathering spot. Explains Kalene, “We are both very passionate about giving something back to the community, from bringing new artists to show in the gallery, to organizing events like Electric Windows, these are things that we think are great and we are excited to share them with the town.”

Brooklyn-Street-Art-copyright-Thundercut-Electric-Windows-buildingWithLift

Which brings us to the third year of Electric Windows, a project that fills the eyes of a moribund electric blanket factory with new canvasses painted live on the street by artists while the public mills about. Now in it’s third year, with thirty artists, three buildings and live performances, EW is organized with their neighbors Jon Miles, Jeff Ashey and Nicole Romano.  With support from the mayor, a grant from the county arts council, donations from businesses of supplies and money, and even neighbors who are opening their homes to house the visiting artists, Electric Windows is thoroughly a community celebrating the creative spirit and the talent of Street Artists. The artists are traveling from Australia, Portland, San Francisco, St Louis, Milwaukee, New Jersey, and of course, Brooklyn without compensation and are all doing it for the love of the project.

Thundercut at work against a backdrop of lush Hudson Valley trees (© Thundercut)

Thundercut at work against a backdrop of lush Hudson Valley trees (© Thundercut)

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Brooklyn Street Art: How did the Electric Windows project first develop?
Dan Weise:
The Electric Windows building is what we see when we look out of the windows of Open Space. It is a beautiful turn-of-the-century factory building which, when we first got the space, still had the partially broken glass windows in the frames. It was a postcard for urban decay and having just moved up from Brooklyn, felt like home. Shortly after we opened the gallery, the owner removed all the glass and installed grey plywood window protection in its place. This was far from an improvement in our opinion, so we started discussing what could be done to bring life back to the building. This is when we began seriously talking about the idea of “Electric Windows”.

Our neighbors at the time, an art store named Burlock Home, really loved the idea and were on board to help make it happen. The four of us teamed up and put the whole project together in three months.

Elbow Toe returns this year to Electric Windows (© Thundercut)

Brooklyn Street Artist Elbow Toe returns this year to Electric Windows (© Thundercut)

BSA: This year features 3 buildings, instead of one.  Do you have enough artists?
Kalene Rivers:
We are excited about expanding the project to include more locations in the same area and all surfaces are accounted for. Everyday we think about how lucky we are to know so many incredibly talented artists and we just keep meeting more and more. Not only are they talented but they are amazing friends willing to donate their time and talents to events like Electric Windows for the love of making art and supporting positive projects.

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BSA: Street Art is normally associated with large metropolitan areas. How does Beacon fit in to the equation?
Dan:
Historically, Beacon was a town of manufacturing and the evidence still remains. There are some really phenomenal factories here in town, some vacant, some in the process of renovations and others like the Nabisco Factory, which now houses DIA, have been transformed into something new. I think this helps bring a bit of an urban feel to a quaint little upstate town. Also, when we moved up here we realized that not many people even knew about Street Art. This being the something that we are both very passionate about we wanted to open the gallery and share this world with people beyond the Bronx. Open Space Gallery was formed, Electric Windows was conceived, and slowly the infiltration has begun!

Alison from PMP shows kids how to screenprint (© Thundercut)

Alison from PMP shows kids how to screenprint (© Thundercut)

BSA: Would you say most of these artists are Street Artists? Or are there also graffiti artists, fine artists….
Kalene:
I would say that most of the artists are Street Artists but there certainly is a good group of graffiti and fine artists in the mix. Of course the first people we think to invite to the project are friends. Being involved in the Street Art scene for seven years means that these are the people we know best. However, it is wonderful to work with a variety of people from different backgrounds. The artists have to be able to paint big and fast so our selection of qualified participants is pretty limited to a certain kind of artist.

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BSA: What’s your favorite part of the event?
Dan:
Well, after we stress out for months planning and trying to take care of all the details, it is great to look up and see it all in action. Music filling the air, fumes wafting by, people admiring the amazing murals being created, children laughing and dancing. That is when it feels like it has all been worth it. But the event is just the beginning once the crowds leave and the art has been installed the projects gives back to the community, to visitors and to us each and every day.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-copyright-Thundercut-Electric-Windows-Building_02

Returning Artists for Electric Windows: Buxtonia, BoogieRez, Chris Stain, Depoe, Elbow Toe, Mr Kiji, Michael De Feo, Peat Wollaeger, Rick Price, Ron English

New Artists for 2010: Big Foot, Cern, Chor Boogie, Chris Yormick, Elia Gurna, Erick Otto, Eugene Good, Faust, Gaia, Joe Iurato, Kid Zoom, Logan Hicks, Lotem & Aviv, Paper Monster, Ryan Bubnis, Ryan Williams, Skewville, Thundercut

Daryll Peirce at Electric Windows (photo © Thundercut)

Daryll Peirce at Electric Windows (photo © Thundercut)

This year’s event, which includes two days of preparation by the artists, a one-day exhibition and street fair, music and dancing by M*POWER ELITE TEAM, live screen printing by Buxtonia, and an Open Space after-party, is expected to draw approximately 5,000 people to Beacon’s Main Street corridor.

The line-up of live music at ELECTRIC WINDOWS includes: Ben Neill, Aabaraki, Hart Costa, DJ Birds in the Building, DJ Bobby Collins, DJ Krisis, Dr. Ambassador, Gold Monkey, and Scambler Seequill.

See Chor Boogie's "Romanticism" and other works by Electric Windows at Open Space online by clicking this picture.

See Chor Boogie’s “Romanticism” and other works by Electric Windows artists at Open Space online by clicking this picture.

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Electric Windows Beacon

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Electric Windows (Beacon, NY)

Participating artists include: Avic Tchernichovski, Big Foot, Buxtonia, Cern, Chris Stain, Chris Yormick, Depoe, Elbow Toe, Elia Gurna, Ellis G, Erik Otto, Eugene Good, Faust, Gaia, Joe Iurato, Mr Kiji, Logan Hicks, Michael De Feo, PaperMonster, Peat Wollaeger, Rick Price, Riiisa Boogie, Ron English, Ryan Bubnis, Ryan Williams, Skewville, and TC.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Electric Windows 2

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Welling Up a Little? That’s the Street Art “Community” Feeling

Welling Court Mural Project Opens Over the Weekend in a Queens Community; Many Street Artists Contribute

There can be a bit of grand posturing around the word “community” especially by people (or corporations) who spend more time chasing the Gravy Train than climbing on the Love Train. And swimming in an acid-tongued media landscape that keeps saying we’re are a giant polarized society simply bubbling with animosity, you could be forgiven for not leaving your house, let alone breaking bread with your neighbor who is different.

JMR
JMR (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

New York people prove that lie to be wrong every day – we are a hugely diverse lot- our different mother tongues alone could lick a frosting bowl the size of Shea Stadium.  And yet mysteriously all of us weird different kinds of people are all getting along with each other day after day – sometimes we even enjoy each other!

Dan Witz
Dan Witz (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Burning Candy
Sweet Toof from Burning Candy Crew (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Welling Court Murals, a project with Street Artists in a neighborhood in Queens, New York, came to fruition on Saturday and the results were as colorful and eclectic as we are. While the people on the block barbecued and danced and played games, kids chased each other and rode their bikes and took many pictures of Street Artists doing their thing on the walls- spray cans, paint brushes, wheat paste, and markers busy.

Darkcloud, Celso and Ron English
Ron English, Darkcloud, Celso and Deeks (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Saturday was the “show day” for this project that the folks at Ad Hoc Art, with Alison and Garrison Buxton at the helm, have been “community organizing” for a long time.  However, by no means is it the end of the project, as new friendships and alliances were forged and a neighborhood has a new panoply of street art to look at, ponder, and hopefully be inspired by.

Clint
Clint (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Welling Court Mural Project was one of the most cohesive “community” events we’ve seen in a long time.  Street Artists plus an engaged neighborhood of very nice people… delicious home-made foods, music from Latin America and India/Pakistan, adults, kids, painting, asking and answering myriad questions, posing for pictures in front of pieces — all proving again that the arts can bring people together.  A sincere “Thank you” to Ad Hoc and Allison and Garrison and all the artists for putting your best out there for others to share.

Gia, PMP, Leon Reid
Gaia, PMP, Leon Reid (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Michael DeFeo
Michael DeFeo doing a little inside joke on that Banksy character (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

M City (detail)
M-City (detail) (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Minetta, Chris Stain
Nineta, Chris Stain (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Overview with Royce Bannon. Matt Siren, Robots, Burning Candy and Too Fly
Overview with Michael DeFeo, Royce Bannon. Matt Siren, Robots, Burning Candy and Too Fly (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Remi Rough and Stormie Mills (detail)
Remi/Rough and Stormie Mills in their first ever New York piece (detail) (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Lady Pink, Cycle
Lady Pink, Cycle (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Swoon
Swoon (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ron English
Ron English (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Veng RWK
Veng RWK (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Tristan Eaton
Tristan Eaton (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Welling Court Artists include: Alice Mizrachi, Beast, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, Celso, Cern, Cey Adams, CR, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Daryll Peirce, Don Leicht, Ellis G, Free5, Gaia, Garrison & Alison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JMR, John Fekner, Lady Pink, Leon Reid, Matt Siren, M-City, Michael De Feo, Mr. Kiji, Pablo Power, Peripheral Media Projects, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Remi/Rough, Ron English, Royce Bannon, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Sweet Toof, Swoon, TooFly, Tristan Eaton, and Veng RWK.

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JMR’s got his Piece done for the Queen’s Wall

No, not Queen Elizabeth, – it’s the borough of Queens this time.
Ad Hoc Art,
with the Queen Alison Buxton and her ever-loyal servant Garrison at the helm, are putting together a very fun and expansive show on the walls on Saturday.
We know the list, and there are a couple special guests, so don’t miss it.  It’s kind of far, but it will be worth it when you get there.

I dunno, I want to try something new.  How about pink highlights? (JMR) (photo © and courtesy Jim Rizzi)
I dunno, I want to try something new. How about pink highlights? (JMR) (photo © and courtesy Jim Rizzi)

Welling Court Artists include: Alice Mizrachi, Beast, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, Celso, Cern, Cey Adams, CR, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Daryll Peirce, Don Leicht, Ellis G, Free5, Gaia, Garrison & Alison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JMR, John Fekner, Lady Pink, Leon Reid, Matt Siren, M-City, Michael De Feo, Mr. Kiji, Pablo Power, Peripheral Media Projects, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Remi/Rough, Ron English, Royce Bannon, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Sweet Toof, Swoon, TooFly, Tristan Eaton, and Veng RWK.

Read more about Welling Court Mural Project HERE

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“I think it gives Brooklyn a kind of twist”; Willoughby Windows through the eyes of Brooklyn kids.

The Willoughby Windows Project, curated by Ad Hoc Gallery last summer was a big hit that helped revitalize a downtown block.

A developer who bought the block had made it look ugly by kicking out the mom-n-pop businesses that made their living there, so the street artists made it look super cool by putting art in the windows.

These four talented and insightful Brooklyn students in 4th,5th, and 6th grades made an excellent documentary about the project and it’s impact on the people they met who passed the windows. It is very funny and entertaining. Oh yeah, it’s educational too.

Brooklyn Friends Student Documentary Fall 2009 from Samuel Bathrick

The team really studied the topic and explained why they did the project. Here are some quotes from the documentary, to give you a flavor:

“We decided to make a documentary film about the different stores and that had art in them.”

“We had some questions and we wanted to find out what the general public thought about the art.”

“Personally I think the stores closed because of the economy.”

The documentary includes discussion about the project, how it came about, and interviews with people on the street. Garrison Buxton of Ad Hoc, and one of the featured artists in the project Dennis McNett, are also interviewed. The whole documentary was edited by the class instructor, Sam Bathrick.

Three cheers for after school programs!  Three cheers for teachers!  Three cheers for these amazing students!!

See a previous post on the Willoughby Windows Project

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“Limited Run 3” Print Show at Open Space in Beacon, NY (Brooklyn North)

Limited Run 3, a group exhibition of prints and zines at Open Space Gallery in Beacon, New York.

Limited Run 3
Open Space’s 3rd Annual Print and Zine show

December 12th – January 31st
Opening Reception: Saturday, December 12th – 6PM – 10PM
Music by Knox Robinson

Open Space
510 Main Street
Beacon, NY
845.765.0731

www.openspacebeacon.com

Hours:
Thursday – Saturday 12 – 6pm
Sunday 12 – 4pm
Second Saturday Hours – 12 – 9pm
or by appointment

Limited Run 3 features prints and zines from:

28cents
Alex Lukas
Alex Purdy
Andy Rementer
Anna Crotes
Bill McRight
Bryce Edwards
Buxtonia
Chris Kline
Chris Whetzel
Christine Seymore
Dan Funderburgh
Elbow Toe
Eugene Good
e-IttyBittyPress
e-Leighwells
e-sugarloop
Garret Morin
Greg Pizzoli
Iminent Disaster
Jim Datz
Justin Fines
Landland
Luke Ramsey
Mark Price
Michael De Feo
Mike Perry
Wayne Pate
Rick Price
Roxy Johnson
Sesame Letterpress
Skewville
Wonting
Yellena

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Willoughby Windows Walkby – Street Art on Display in Downtown Brooklyn

It’s a great idea to go window shopping these days —as opposed to actual shopping.

Since 70% of the American economy is fueled by shopping instead of manufacturing, we’re all supposed to be doing our patriotic duty accordingly. But sometimes the wallet is bare, bro.  And sometimes the local dollar doesn’t stay local.

In yet another case of Street Art improving a community, the Willoughby Windows project in downtown Brooklyn officially opened this weekend with 17 artists, babies, scooters, costumed dancers, a sidewalk DJ, and inquisitive mildly bewildered citizenry slowing down to peek through the glass into artists’ clever minds.

Artist Logan Hicks leans into his piece comprised of collaged crowds of New Yorkers on the street. (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Artist Logan Hicks leans into his multi-layered screenprint piece depicting crowds of New Yorkers on the street. (photo Steven P. Harrington)

A stupendous 3-D installation of printing expert Dennis McNett (photo Steven P. Harrington)
A stupendous animal centric 3D installation utilizing the full space of the display window by print expert Dennis McNett can only be appreciated fully in person (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Garrison and Allison Buxton, anchors and workhorses in the Brooklyn
Garrison and Allison Buxton; anchors and visionaries, bring Willoughby Windows to Brooklyn  (photo Steven P. Harrington)

In a joint effort with Ad Hoc Gallery and the local BID (Business Improvement District), Garrison Buxton and Allison Buxton and all the Ad Hoc interns have worked tirelessly for a few weeks with artists to install this show behind glass and to revive a moribund block in this sector of retail Brooklyn.

A highly detailed storyline from Cannonball Press (photo Steven P. Harrington)
A detailed storyline from Cannonball Press also features a giant old -style cash register (not pictured) that reminds you there once were real businesses and customers here (photo Steven P. Harrington)

At the very least, it’s not so friggin depressing to pass this block on the way to work.  At most, it can inspire creative impulses and conversations. Friday’s opening featured many children, gawking families, kooky creative types, chalk games on the side walk, even a feeling of “community”.  Huh.

Willoughby Window gazer (photo Jaime Rojo)

Willoughby Window gazer (photo Jaime Rojo)

In a window display that once featured
In a window display case that featured bagels and home-baked goods, the late afternoon shadows slide across photographs of shadow-tracing by street artist Ellis G.  (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Ironically a neighbor to bailout-happy JPMorgan Chase, whose skyscraper casts a shadow over this district of mom and pop businesses displaced by developers, the Willoughby Windows Project gives creative stimulus to the community with a fresh way to think of the shop window.

Chris Stain's stencil invokes imagery from his working-class roots (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Stencil artist Chris Stain invokes the imagery of Brooklyn neighbors (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Josh MacPhee

Josh MacPhee brings his Celebrate People's History poster series to this window, creating a patchwork of text and images (photo Steven P. Harrington)

In the wake of boom-era blustery press conferences and erect Powerpoint bar-graphs that fell limp, this project doesn’t bring back the businesses or feed their families, but it does invite a conversation about what a locally created economy means to the people who live here.  Pedestrian?  Yes, actually. Moribund? No way.

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Willoughby Windows presented by Ad Hoc

Ad Hoc Art presents Willoughby Windows

Friday, July 10th, 2 – 7pm = Ad Hoc Art presents “Willoughby Windows”

An ambitious creative venture featuring 14 storefronts on an entire block of downtown Brooklyn which will highlight installations by 15+ artists. The opening will be a street party on Friday, June 19th, from 2-7pm. Some of New York’s artistic finest will be representing to the fullest.

Confirmed participating artists include:

Cannonball Press (Mike Houston & Martin Mazorra)
Chris Stain
Cycle
Dennis McNett
Ellis G
Gaia
Greg Lamarche
John Ahearn
Josh MacPhee
Lady Pink
Logan Hicks
Carlos Rodriguez {Mare139}
Michael De Feo
Morning Breath
Nathan Lee Pickett
Tom Beale

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Quick Shot – The Anonymous “Piece Process”

Durn, it was awfully crowded over there on the isle of Manhattan last night,

but it was totally worth it if you took the time to peel people off the wall and take a gander at the art (pardon me Martha, mind the elbows, Elbow-toe). The show has the goal of drawing connections between the processes and techniques employed by well known names from the 70’s/80’s and the emerging crop of wild-eyed beasts today. Shockingly, the similarities were readily apparent, and that was somehow reassuring in a crazy mixed up world like ours. …Not to mention that this show brings you into the backroom, the studio, the cramped apartment, to see the doodlings, the lists, sketches, and planning that artists employ when they first conceive of their pieces. This is an educational show, and a kindly revelation.

There seemed like a hundred pieces or more – we show only a smattering here; all courtesy Anonymous Gallery.

[svgallery name=”Piece_Process_Anonymous”]

Anonymous Gallery

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