Starting Artists, Inc.

Welcome

Welcome to the new Starting Artists blog! Read below for the most recent posts and please contribute feedback, ideas, and comments.

ABOUT STARTING ARTISTS:

A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Starting Artists, Inc. (SA) benefits under-served teenagers in Brooklyn, NY through hands-on training in the arts and entrepreneurship.  SA's free after-school classes in media arts and business prepare and inspire youth to create arts-based enterprises.

Visit us at www.startingartists.org.

Help SA win a grant from Chase Community Giving

Vote for Starting Artists, Inc. on Facebook before December 11!

  

 

Chase Community Giving is donating $5 million to charities.  

YOU can help SA be one of them by 

voting for us on Facebook!

The charity that receives the most votes will win a $1 million grant. Five runners-up will receive $100,000. 100 finalists will be awarded $25,000. The first round of winners will be announced on December 15, but voting ends on Friday, December 11 so vote today!

Three Simple Steps:
#1) Visit the Chase Community Giving Facebook Page.
#2) Become a fan.
#3) Search for "Starting Artists, Inc." and cast your vote!

And while you're on Facebook, become a fan of the Starting Artists page and see all of the latest news, photos, and videos from SA.

Thanks and happy holidays,
Marisa & Lacey

P.S.  In order to vote, please become a fan of Chase Community Giving.  When you do, administrators can track your votes, and you have the opportunity to spread the word about the program and share with your Facebook friends.  Chase Community Giving has no direct tie with Chase mail or email campaigns, so you won't get spammed!

Me (Marisa) on Millionaire

So, my fifteen minutes of fame ended up being approximately four and a half minutes as a contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which aired last week across the country.

Although I'm not happy with how it went, I'm glad that I had a chance to mention Starting Artists on national television (I've already gotten emails from viewers who Googled SA and found our site!) and to give Meredith Vieira an SA t-shirt designed by starting artist Emerson.

Enjoy the video and if you're disappointed with the outcome, please consider consoling us at SA by making a donation through the Support page on our website.

Thanks for watching!

Marisa

Matt Lambert At Starting Artists!

Film director Matt Lambert was here at Starting Artists showing some of his work on Tuesday, which intrigued many of us.  Matt came to Starting Artists to help us think of ideas to create videos for the Human Rights Watch Youth Producing Change Film Festival! He showed us a variety of short films on human rights. Some of the videos he showed were artistic, political, and some were comical, but their points were very serious.   My favorite was related to how the economy is dwindling little by little; other videos were based on the lack of human rights in other countries. We also viewed some other videos on Amnesty International.

 "Matt's Playlist of inspiration videos"

Matt helped us brainstorm ideas for the film festival coming up.  My group is doing a video on how few women's rights are in Afghanistan. Other ideas include education in other countries, the environment, and voting rights.

The workshop was fun as well as educational, and the videos Matt chose were VERY (!) abstract and different from a lot of videos I've ever seen before. If you're interested in viewing some of Matt Lambert's work click here!

I'm looking forward to seeing many more videos when he comes back to Starting Artists soon.

CLICK HERE FOR MATT'S VIDEO PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE!

Don't sign out after reading, 

Adam (Student here at SA)

Brooklyn Utopias? Teen Art Show Opening @SA!

Students, parents, volunteers, and supporters enjoyed artwork, food, friends, and fun at the Brooklyn Utopias? Teen Art Show Opening at SA's Gallery on Thursday, November 12th.

Congratulations to all of the participating artists for an incredible show!

Artists
Sapphire Beckford
Lizzie Boone             
Marisa Catalina Casey
Adam Diaz         
Chris Eccles 
Ashley Ferris                    
Isabel Flores
Mark Gonsalves
Katherine Gressel              
Marielis Gumbs
Shareen Jallad            
Justice Jimenez
Howard Kanner         
Darren Keelen
Duncan McInnes          
Bjorn McMillan
Tryphena Moodie         
Monica Palmer
Shianne Peeples        
Kadeem Rhoden
Ian Robinson            
Chandani Smith
Jauhara Smith          
Hector Texis
Deshawn Watts                 
Cheyenne Wesley
Malissa Williams

Utopias? Workshop Artists
Susan Handler Konvit
Jess Levey
Triada Samaras
Adam Taye

Enjoy more images at SA's Flickr Page!

Marisa

Brooklyn Utopias Opening PLUS Halloween Photos!

Hello starting artists,

We have TWO fun and exciting things to share with you today!

ASP Halloween Party Photos are now on Flickr!

SA was thrilled to open its doors on Friday, October 30 to Afterschool Program students for what we're sure was the best party of the year.  Costumes, candy, face painting, temporary tattoos...and best of all, ROCK BAND!  We rocked out to both Beatles Rock Band and classic Rock Band and, as the photos show, we could definitely take this show on the road.

 

Justice shows his Halloween spirit!

Visit our Starting Artists Flickr page to see all the Halloween photos.

And don't forget...Brooklyn Utopias? Student Exhibition opening reception is TOMORROW, 11/12/09!

You heard about it before, and now it's time to attend the exciting culmination of the Brooklyn Utopias? series of art exhibitions and programs at Starting Artists, Inc. with the Teen Art Exhibition.  The show features student artwork created both independently and in conjunction with Brooklyn Utopias? artists.  We're pleased to invite the entire SA community to the Opening Reception on Thursday, November 12 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm.  The Teen Exhibition will give voice to teens from across Brooklyn and raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities that Brooklyn faces.

 

Chandani, working hard on a Brooklyn Utopias? submission

Thanks for reading!

Lacey, Program Coordinator at SA

"Brooklyn Utopias?" at Starting Artists update!

Come check out the Brooklyn Utopias teen art show opening night this coming Thursday evening, Nov. 12, 6-8pm @ Starting Artists, 211 Smith St!!

"Brooklyn Utopias?" is a series of art exhibits and public programs inviting artists and youth to respond to differing visions of an ideal Brooklyn.

This includes two group shows of over 30 professional artists at the Old Stone House (Sept 15-Oct 31) and the Brooklyn Historical Society (Oct 2-Jan 3). To engage Brooklyn teens in responding to the exhibit theme, we're holding a teen "Brooklyn Utopias?" show at Starting Artists' gallery, open to all Brooklyn middle-high school students.

In addition to giving a series of workshops at SA led by "Brooklyn Utopias?" artists and curator, we reached out to middle and high schools all over the borough, to open the show to as many local youth as possible and hopefully get them involved in SA in the process too. At the Urban Assembly School of Music and Art, an arts-based high school in Downtown Brooklyn,  one photography teacher led her whole class in photographing “Brooklyn Utopias” and brought students to SA to edit their work.  

The workshops and artist talks at SA inspired students to get more involved. First, "Brooklyn Utopias?" artist Triada Samaras and her colleague Susan Konvit gave a presentation on how art can be a vehicle in political activism, and invited students to decorate respiratory masks protesting pollution on the Gowanus Canal.

Second, artist Jess Levey had students project images of what they’d like to see in their neighborhoods onto their own bodies, leading to a series of photos of wildlife, trees, and vegetation overlapping human silhouettes.

Third, artist Adam Taye brought in typewriters and a stack of old New Yorker magazines and taught students how to erase and re-type cartoon captions relating their own thoughts to appropriated imagery.

These artist-initiated projects inspired other SA students to tackle such topics as “green building” and recycling, the influence of big box stores on local communities, and the branding and commodification of Brooklyn artists. From printing out buttons with artsy Brooklyn slogans to sending simulated messages in bottles down the Gowanus’s murky waters, the students working on the “Brooklyn Utopias?” teen art show have engaged with some of the most critical issues facing their communities today.

 

Katherine Gressel, Curator

Brooklyn Talents - Brooklyn Utopias

BROOKLYN UTOPIAS?

TEEN ART EXHIBITION

@ STARTING ARTISTS

           The Brooklyn Utopias? Teen Art Show invites Brooklyn middle and high school students to represent their own visions, dreams, and goals of Brooklyn.

           The Brooklyn Utopias? Teen Art Show will be on view at Starting Artists, Inc. from Nov 12-Dec 31.  The celebration opening will be on Thursday, Nov 12, 2009 from 6-8pm.  Neighborhood community is invited to attend!

          If you're a student who wants to submit your artwork, you must fill out a Guidelines & Submissions form (available here)  drop it off or mail it with your artwork to Starting Artists.  All submissions must  be received by 6pm on Thursday, Nov 5, 2009 to:

ATTN: Marisa Catalina Casey 

Starting Artist,Inc.

211 Smith St.

Brooklyn, NY 11201

         Visit the free Afterschool Program at Starting Artists for Brooklyn Utopias? workshops and mentoring!  FREE, drop-in Afterschool Program meets Mondays-Thursdays 3-6pm.  At SA, students get the opportunity to work with Brooklyn Utopias? artists or to work on their own Utopias projects.  Visit www.startingartists.org for more information, and check the "Calendar" section for special Utopias workshop listings.

SA students visit the Brooklyn Utopias? exhibit at 

the Brooklyn Historical Society

Thanks for Reading : Quon (Intern at Starting Artists)

SA blog is now on Facebook!

Good news!

Now the Starting Artists blog is linked to our BRAND NEW Facebook fan page via the NetworkedBlogs application.  Every time we post things here, they will update our Facebook fan page as well.  That means YOU can check our news and blog every time you're checking in with your friends.  Isn't that great?

Become a fan of Starting Artists on Facebook!

Creative Entrepreneurs Club - RFP!

Request for Proposals

The Creative Entrepreneurs Club (CEC), a project of Starting Artists, Inc., announces pro bono design services to benefit small, start-up, and grassroots nonprofit organizations located in Brooklyn, NY.

See: www.startingartists.org/CEC.html for details and  application.

The CEC is an opportunity for teen designers with experience in illustration, graphic design, photography, video, animation, and branding to use arts and business skills to benefit their community through donating their creative services. 1-2 grantees will be selected to receive a creative project free of charge each school semester while CEC student leaders earn stipends for their work.

How to Apply
Brooklyn-based nonprofit organizations (501c3 status not required) with budgets under $500,000 are eligible to apply.

1.    Fill out the application, attaching any extra pages as needed.
2.    Propose a creative project (for example your organization may need a new brochure designed) and explain how it will help your organization to better serve your community.
3.    Attach an FY09 budget and up to 5 pieces of marketing materials.
4.    Mail, email: CEC@startingartists.org, or drop off the application.

Applications are due by Monday, November 16th at 6:00pm to:
Starting Artists, Inc.
211 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Hours: M-TH, 10am – 6pm

Animation Nation

Good Morning Starting Artists:

I don't know about you, but I LOVE animation.

I've been getting more into it lately since we've been experimenting with several different types of animation at SA. I'm amazed at how technology has improved to enable artists to create new worlds full of moving images.

SOME OF MY FAVORITES:

Performance Art by Natasha Tsakos, who is using technology to bring theatre to the next level (see image above). I showed this video to students during a Brooklyn Utopias workshop as we discussed how art, in this case animation/video installations, can move people to social and political action.

BLU's MUTO Video, which inspired several new hand-drawn animations by students, like the homage video by Emerson on SA's Student Video Page.

Sia's Breathe Me Music Video, which includes incredible stop motion effects that inspired students like Eliza, Nevada, and Mark to create their own stop motions on SA's Student Video Page.

Beatles Rock Band Animations that blend archival images with 60s inspired graphics and, of course, Beatles Music. The images are so engaging it's hard to concentrate on playing the instruments!

You can even try out playing Beatles Rock Band at the Starting Artists Halloween Party on Friday, October 30th from 4 - 6pm at our 211 Smith St. storefront.

Check out more links to videos we like on the left sidebar.

Get inspired. Get creative. Get to work!

Marisa