February 1-21, 2009
opening reception (free admission)
Sunday, February 1, 4-7pm
AS220 Main Gallery The Paintings of Claudine DePina
Art Factory new works from the AS220 Cottage Industries
Open Window
Annapurna new photography by Remi Drozd
Youth Gallery Crazy, Sexy, Cool
new work by Kourtnie Aileru and Benito Rios
AS220 Project Space
My Pictures photography by Eric & Deb Demarko
Roger Williams School of Law is looking for artists to donate artwork for a benefit auction to support it's free legal services program. Artists set the minimum bid price & all proceeds gained from the auctioning of an artwork is split evenly between the School & artist. Art work donations are fully tax deductible and all the necessary paperwork to document your donation will be provided. Work maybe dropped off at AS220 on Saturday February 21, between 1-4 pm. The Auction will take place on February 27 at the Federal Reserve in Providence, and will include live music, food, raffles, a silent auction and a live auction. All artists are invited to attend.
Auction proceeds support law students engaging in important, but unpaid, summer legal internships serving the disenfranchised and less fortunate populations across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. With the 27 Summer Public Interest Stipends funded by the Auction last year, law students were able to:
represent people facing discrimination through the Rhode Island Commission on Human Rights.
advocate for environmental legislation in Rhode Island.
represent low-income Rhode Islanders losing homes through predatory lending and the foreclosure crisis
avocate for victims of domestic violence, and many other worthy endeavors.
If you have questions or need more information please contact Seth Aitken at ph: 508.989.8865, email: seththomasaitken@gmail.com or Marci Pereira at ph: 203.521.1529, email: marci.pereira@gmail.com.
Global Influences by Andrew Sloan & Body Painting by Paul Roustan & The Sleep Series by Adrienne Adeyemi @ AS220 Main Gallery are having a Closing Reception/ Happy Hour - 5-7pm -Friday 23, 2009. Featuring Andrew Sloan's new work inspired by time spent in Miami, NYC, London, France, Jamaica, and Providence & Paul Roustan's awesome body painting photos.
(Show closes Sat Jan 24) Chips, salsa & beer. AS220 - 115 Empire Street (Downtown) - Providence
Cruz Bermudez is a Garifuna artist from Tela, Honduras. The Garifuan are an Afro-Caribbean people with communities along the north coast of Honduras, as well as Guatemela and Nicaragua. Cruz's paintings, currently on display at the AS220 Project Space with John Kotula's work, depict life in the traditional fishing village of Miami.
Cruz paints "recuerdos", mementos: paintings for tourists to remember their vacation by. But Cruz's paintings go beyond the typical tourist art. Cruz captures the lush Caribbean light and colors in his scenes of thatched huts, men fishing in dugout canoes, and brilliant sunsets. But he also captures the grittier day to day existence of fisherman laboring with thier nets, lighting up at day's end, and the tense moments before the start of a cock fight, where a the day's hard earn cash may be at stake.
The work exhibited at the AS220 Project Space is not for sale. John Kotula borrowed the work from friends that purchased them from Cruz while visiting John in Honduras. John met Cruz while serving in the Peace Corps and the two bonded over their shared love of art making. John relates a story of visiting Cruz in his home that is filled with paintings not for sale. Theses paintings are not "recuerdos", at least not the sort tourists would want to take home. These are paintings Cruz paints for himself, and his family, and friends. Take for instance the painting depicting a teachers' strike. The National Army is out in force. Streets are closed down and barricades are up but the teachers still hold classes in the park across from the school. The teachers quarrel is with the government that has slashed their wages not with children. So they continue to teach, to strike, and work towards a better future.
Since returning from the Peace Corps in 2007, John began teaching art at the East Bay Met School and in the fall of 2008 spent two weeks in Honduras with students in a "Learn and Serve" program. Called Project Sonaguera, students met and worked with Hondurans on civic projects to improve the local community. Planning is underway for future learn/serve trips to Honduras and as part of the fundraising, Cruz has agreed to have giclee prints sold in an edition of 100 of several paintings. Profits from the sales will be shared between the artist and the East Bay Met School.
The Vermont Studio Center is an international residency program open to all artists and writers. Year-round, VSC hosts 50 artists and writers per month, each of whom receives an individual studio, private room, and all meals. Residencies last from 2-12 weeks and provide uninterrupted time to work, a community of creative peers, and a beautiful village setting in northern Vermont. In addition, VSC's program includes a roster of Visiting Artists and Writers (2 painters, 2 sculptors and 2 writers per month) who offer slide talks/readings and individual studio visits/conferences. Applications and information available at www.vermontstudiocenter.org.
VSC Full Fellowships and a variety of special fellowships will be awarded at the February 17th, 2009 deadline, including:
General VSC Fellowships All artists and writers
Pollock-Krasner Foundation Awards
In 2009, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation/VSC Fellowship Program for visual artists of outstanding talent will support (3) 4-week residencies for domestic artists and (1) 8-week residency for an international artist.
Golden Award
(1) Open to all painters, merit-based
Zoland Poetry Fellowships
(2) Open to writers of original English-language poetry and poetry translators.
Wheels for Wheels Award
(1) Open to an artist or writer who uses a wheelchair and/or has a spinal cord injury. Kay Evans Award (1) open to all poets, merit-based; award created in honor of Maine poet Kay Evans by her friends and family.
For Application and Guidelines:
Vermont Studio Center | PO Box 613 Johnson, VT 05656 | 802-635-2727
Roger Williams University School of Law is hosting art auction on Feb. 27th to support summer internships that provide free legal services for those in need. The Auction will take place on February 27 at Conley's Wharf in Providence, and will include live music, food, raffles, a silent auction and a live auction.
The auction purchase price of all artworks will be split 50/50 between the artist and the Law school, and every piece sold is accompanied by the artists' contact & upcoming exhibition information. Additionally that information will be available during the auction to all attendees who may want to contact artists later and find out about their work. Art work donations are fully tax deductible and all the necessary paperwork to document your donation will be provided.
Auction proceeds support law students engaging in important, but unpaid, summer legal internships serving the disenfranchised and less fortunate populations across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. With the 27 Summer Public Interest Stipends funded by the Auction last year, law students were able to:
represent people facing discrimination through the Rhode Island Commission on Human Rights.
advocate for environmental legislation in Rhode Island.
represent low-income Rhode Islanders losing homes through predatory lending and the foreclosure crisis
avocate for victims of domestic violence, and many other worthy endeavors.
If you have questions or need more information please contact Seth Aitken at ph: 508.989.8865, email: seththomasaitken@gmail.com or Marci Pereira at ph: 203.521.1529, email: marci.pereira@gmail.com.
Interview with Benito Rios conducted via e-mail by AS220 Youth Gallery Coordinator Sarah Samways
1.) How did you get involved with AS220?
In order for my clinician to feel 100 percent about discharging me from the ITU (Devereux), I had to put together a plan. Not knowing exactly what to do, I made up shit in Providence and they were happy with it. Being discharged into the custody of Communities for People I had to make yet another plan to prove that I was ready to be released into society, that's when AS220 came into play.
2.) What types of things inspire your art? Why do you think that is?
Sex. It's a good thing.
3.) If you have one, what is your preferred medium?
Photography
4.) Do you plan to pursue art as a career?
Hopefully
5.) How would you describe your artwork? Why would you describe it in this way?
I try not to. For whoever the audience may be, it's their job to describe my artwork.
6.) Do you have a favorite artist (renowned or up the street)?
Alberto Giacometti
7.) How do you feel about the whole teenage angst stereotype? Does it apply to you? Did it ever?
I don't pay attention to that shit. Not enough time to spend worrying about it.
8.) If you weren't involved with art, what else do you think you'd do?
Drugs and a lot of 'em
9.) People often say, "Art is life", do you agree with this statement or do you believe art is a vehicle to get away from life, or a combination of the two?
This question has been asked numerous time by myself and I still haven't figured out my own solid answer. I guess Art is life no matter if you use it to "get away" or to send a message.
10.) Budgets in school districts across the state are being cut all the time and often the arts programs are the first to go. If you were ruler of the world (or at least Rhode Island) what would you do to remedy the situation?
If I was the ruler of Rhode Island I would make sure it wouldn't affect me by somehow stealing money or investing it somewhere. I would leave the rest to the RISD and factory living "poor" artists to protest it. Ha ha. Like they try to do everything else now-a-days.
Interview with Koutnie Aileru conducted via e-mail by AS220 Youth Gallery Coordinator Sarah Samways
1.)How did you get involved with AS220?
I actually found about about AS220 through a google search. I was researching after-school programs at the time because I tired of being a hermit and Broad Street Studios sort of just popped-up. When I initially signed up for BSS, Merari was the coordinator at the time and when I told her how I found out about the program she was like "Wow. Really? That's a first."
2.) When did you first encounter photography?
I went to the South Side Boys and Girls Club when I was a kid. Well, my mother basically put me and and my brothers in daycare there (don't be mistaken, it was and after-school supervision program!), but anyway, they had an art class that I attended faithfully. It was more about sketching and painting but I remember this one particular assignment where I had to draw from a photograph. It was of a woman's eyes that had gems as tears. I absolutely swear to you, I was mesmerized by this photograph. I was more interested in learning how the photograph was created rather than the actual assignment at hand. I mean I drilled Ms. Sharon, my teacher, with photography questions. I think she was overwhelmed, but what can I say? I was an abrasive child.
My family is also big on photos. At family functions flashes are constantly going off and I am surprised that I am not completely blind by now (knock on wood!). I mean my relatives actually have arguments over who is entitled to which photo or who it belongs to. They even swipe them from each other.
3.) What types of things do you like to photograph? Why?
When I first started out, portraiture was my thing, especially when it conscerned my culture. Now, and it seems like it came out of nowhere, landscapes and nature shots are my new craze. The photographs still have relevence to my culture. I go to various reservations and photograph their lands.
4.) Do you plan to pursue photography as a career?
Um..... well I really want to pursue print journalism within the music industry. If I can fit photography into that mix, great! But if I can't, then I'll just do it for me.
5.) How would you describe your artwork? Why would you describe it in this way?
I believe my work has a tendency of being very critical. When I photograph people, it is on a conscious level. For example, I did a series entitled "We Are Still Standing." My intentions of those particular photographs were to change perconceived notions about what the modern indian should look like and break through stereotypes. Now on the other hand, when I photograph landscapes I tend to concentrate on the "small things" in nature that people have forgotten about or take for granted. My landscape photography still has relevence to my culture also. I like to compare and contrast my images of reservations and of the city.
6.) Do you have a favorite artist (renowned or up the street)?
My favorite photographer is Dorothy Houng. Although, she often does work for magazines and campaigns, her work still has that sort of rawness to it. Locally, I would have to say my favorite artists are my friends, Benito and Jonilka. Their portraits are fly. Sometimes I get jealous and wish some of their stuff was my own, but don't tell them that, their heads will blow up.
7.) How do you feel about the whole teenage angst stereotype? Does it apply to you? Did it ever?
Personally, I think it's a bunch of bull. I mean, yeah, yeah, teens do go through some emotional phases but that is just a side affect of puberty. I believe it all depends on the individual and their particular personality. You see, some teens handle the trials of life triumphantly, while others..... well they just sit around feeling sorry for themselves and won't get off their behinds and suck it up. Don't get me wrong, I'm not Iron Woman and I do have a heart but I've learned "life isn't fair, get over it and move on!" and "Who cares what people think anyway!?! They aren't living your life, the only person you have to please is you!" Honestly, yeah, I did go through the whole teenage angst bit when I was like 13 for like two seconds, but in my opinion, I was just vulnerable because my body and mind was out of wack while going through hormonal changes. I have been picked on all my life for my height and size and that was when it just finally got to me.
8.) If you weren't involved with art, what else do you think you'd do?
Quite frankly, I have no clue. I have always been involved with art whether it was through music or writing. My mother always encouraged it and never let me quit.
9.) People often say, "Art is life," do you agree with this statement or do you believe art is a vehicle to get away from life, or a combination of the two?
I believe that statement holds truth. No matter how much of a square someone is, through birth, love, lust, work, dreams, goals, achievement, etc., people have made choices that have formed their lives and lifestyles; even if it wasn't on purpose. Art equals creativity and people have created their own lives. If that makes any sense to you.
10.) Budgets in school districts across the state are being cut all the time and often the arts programs are the first to go. If you were ruler of the world (or at least Rhode Island) what would you do to remedy the situation?
I would create more safe spaces that are easily accessible where the materials and resources are available to all students to be creative and uncensored. That's how I was able to get into what I'm doing today and I love it. I never had the money to pursue art on my own and I am grateful for the people and organizations I was able to go to.