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Contra Costa Marketplace - March 2016

11. Visual Arts: “We Are Richmond” Project Manager: Erick Morales This is a mural project designed to project unity, freedom, and family/neighborhood unification. Artist Erick Morales began mural painting in Guatemala, and came to the US in 2002. His goal is to inspire youth and elders to celebrate life through his mural. He will target youth not currently participating in other youth programs. The theme of the mural is to reflect Richmond as a city of diverse cultures, ethnicities, colors, foods, and music – and celebrate them all. He hopes his project will create unity, discourage racism, and bring people together. 12. Visual Arts: “Young Designers Group” Project Manager: James Shorter Project manager, James Shorter and his team of artists will offer the opportunity for youth 15-20 years to join their Young Designers Group workshops. Areas of focus will be: design & apparel; photography & video; spoken word & public speaking; and drawing & painting. The goal is to create future artistic business professionals by introducing youth skills in photography, videography, painting, drawing, poetry, fashion design, and more. Upon completing the workshop, participants will present what they have learned at a celebratory community event. 13. Visual Arts: “Organic Shapes Wall Art” Project Manager: Ronald Blodgett This is a mural project consisting of organic shapes and pastel colors that will adorn the outer walls of the Bayview Library and surrounding brick wall. A portion of the mural will include a positive quote written by artist Ronald Blodgett, and its style will complement the existing mural in the Youth Computer Room in Crescent Park’s Multi-Cultural Center, entitled “We’re the Future”. Blodgett hopes his project will reveal the hidden talent of Crescent Park, and he believes that culture is the sum of positive expression of thought, love and art. 14. Literary/Performing/Media Arts: “Digital Storytellers” Project Manager: Kevin Holmes The mission of Digital Storytellers is to engage under-served youth in becoming a generation of inter-culturally informed, technologically skilled, outspoken and creative leaders. They will do this by learning how to harness the power of media through innovative tools in writing, choreography, poetry, art, and video. Participating schools will be Richmond and Kennedy High Schools, Making Waves Academy, and RYSE Youth Center. Students will work with artist mentors during workshops over a four-month period. A project showcasing youth will be written, choreographed, and created by youth. 15. Visual Arts: “An Installation on Wheels: Cinco de Mayo Floats” Project Manager: Rebeca Garcia-Gonzalez The goal of this project is to acquaint Richmond families with the arts by having them design, create and install a float for the Cinco de Mayo parade. Local families will be recruited to attend a once-a-week class over ten weeks. They will learn the history of the holiday, and will receive instruction in collaborative design, drawing, construction, budgeting, and use of materials. The bilingual class is free to the families, and offered at two locations: The Latin Center, and Richmond High School. Teens will earn community service credit, and the float will use recycled materials. 16. Visual Arts: “Inner Peace – A Richmond Community Mural Project” Project Manager: Ross Holzman This will be a large-scale community mural project at a prominent location in downtown Richmond. It will engage people on the street and invite local groups and prominent members of the community to the process of creating an “Inner Peace” mural together. This will be an organic process where participants will “freely express themselves” on the wall. The question: “How do we create peace?” will be asked before painting begins. Painting instruction will be provided. 17. Literary: “The Richmond Anthology of Poetry (RAP)” Project Manager: Daniel Ari The RAP project will be a vehicle to presenting, publicizing and preserving the voices of Richmond’s poets. Through the art of poetry, an art form that can create soulful connections between people whose lives may appear very different, 56 MARKETPLACEcontracosta.com march 2016


Contra Costa Marketplace - March 2016
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