Issue 7 • September 2018 • Facebook.com/TalkArts
IT’S ALL ABOUT
ARTS
Supporting Local Arts and Culture
Dr. Eleanor Fisher
From the Editor: Music Musings I have been married to a very talented singer, songwriter for over 34 years. He plays multiple instruments magically. He has a crooner-soft rock voice. He writes beautiful love songs that sometimes make me blush. I have had the pleasure of listening to the process of a melody becoming a full blown song with music and lyrics step by step. I have held his multiple recorded CD’s in my hands. I have no musical making genes and I have always held my husband’s talent in high regard. Music is his art to him as visual art is to me. So while I cannot play an instrument, compose a song or even carry a tune, music has been a constant in my life. Lyrics and tunes constantly float through my psyche conjuring up all kinds of life memories. I have been influenced by the likes of the Beatles, Bee Gees, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and through my children and grand children by the likes of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Prince, Spice Girls, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, etc. - way too many amazing talents to note. I venture to say that music, whether performing or listening is a very healthy behavior. Music mirrors society and gives us a universal way to appreciate and communicate feelings and life events whether upbeat or tragic. According to Get Healthy, Stay Healthy website: “People are born with the ability to tell the difference between music and noise. Our brains actually have different pathways for processing different parts of music including pitch, melody, rhythm, and tempo. And, fast music can actually increase your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure, while slower music tends to have the opposite effect. While the effects of music on people are not fully understood, studies have shown that It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
when you hear music to your liking, the brain actually releases a chemical called dopamine that has positive effects on mood. Music can make us feel strong emotions, such as joy, sadness, or fear—some will agree that it has the power to move us. According to some researchers, music may even have the power to improve our health and well-being”. In our combined lives, we share a passion for all art forms (visual and performing) and include them all in our daily activities. We purposely advocate for their visibility in any way we can. IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS
watch on www.bnntv.org www.itsallaboutarts.com facebook.com/TalkArts Twitter - @itsallaboutarts Instagram #itsallaboutarts BEYOND THE PALETTE RADIO SHOW AND PODCAST www.wbcaradio.org facebook.com/glennspalette Podcast can be heard on www.podbean.com or ITunes ROSLINDALE ARTS ALLIANCE www.roslindalearts.org facebook.com/Roslindale-Arts-Alliance-129685993761701 ART STUDIO 99 www.artstudio99.com facebook.com/Art-Studio-99-145566388819141 Twitter @artstudio99 Instagram - janice_art_studio_99 Published by It’s All About Arts Copyright 2018 - All Rights Reserved Glenn Williams - 617-543-7443 glennsmusic.williams@gmail.com Janice Williams - 617-710-3811 janice@artfulgift.com TO ADVERTISE - REQUEST OUR MEDIA KIT
Dr. Eleanor Fisher - Breaking Glass by Janice Williams
“Dr. Eleanor Ruth Fisher from Lynn, MA is an energetic beacon on the art scene. She recently lent her vivacious personality to the “Nahant Victorian Dance Weekend” with her spot-on period outfit, (including Photo Credit: Dalia Shilas, Steampunk ensemble, hat) and Photojournalist abundant sense of style and fun. She is an up and coming fine artist having just won the Don Howard Award for Mixed Media, “presented to an artist whose work shows mastery and mystery in combining a variety of media” and she also won the Peoples Award this month at Marblehead Festival of the Arts. When asked what art category she would put her work in, she replied: “I paint gardens under the sea, I paint mermaids, flowers, butterflies, fantasy pictures including some or all of the above; women of all eras, which I like a lot because this gives me an opportunity to design all of their clothes and their jewelry and their faces and their styles congruent with the place they find themselves. For instance, I painted a nightclub around the 1920s, kind of like art deco. The name of the piece is THE PLAY, so you must figure out if these six people are the characters in the play OR watching the play. Then, I create and paint automobiles. One of my pieces is a 57 Chevy with a surfboard on top and a man in the distance on a surfboard. I am greatly influenced by traveling with my husband to places. I take my camera and traveling paint set with me to record It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
immediate impressions which cannot be repeated. Returning from our trips finds me full of ideas which must be painted and glassified, or my mind will not rest. Two of my glass shard pieces represent women of South Africa. What impressed me the most in each country we visited on our camera safari were the women and their dignity”. Fisher is a self-taught artist, who’s art emerged after brain surgery. What makes Fisher a true pioneer artist is that she adds hundreds of glass shards to her paintings. Each glass shard piece glimmers with color, dimension and asserts an unmistaken personal and indelible mark. “Of the thousands of pieces of glass which I cut, with one of my 4 diamond bladed water saws, each piece must have a point on both ends. After I cut each piece with one of the saws, I use my hand glass snipper to cut small bits from the glass shards to intensify the feeling of aliveness and to create movement. Then, each piece is individually washed, and placed and then layered on the painting which shows shadows and nuances. If I am not completely satisfied with the result, I remove sections and begin again.” You really must see her work in person to appreciate this fascinating medium. Fisher is now in her fifth year of glass shard work. Fisher is a Doctor of Psychology. For many years she was a therapist in (continued)
Eleanor Fisher - Breaking Glass by Janice Williams (continued)
full-time private practice. According to Fisher, “My dreams have always been vivid, lucid, and colorful. While dreaming, I was told by the many masters, whose work I studied and learned from, that I was ready to ‘paint with glass’. Their directions were, ‘smash glasses and we’ll guide you. You are ready to paint with glass. You have learned enough from us’. That was my introduction to painting with glass”. Fisher has a beautiful studio on the third floor of her house, created lovingly by her husband Dennis - “he is my number one inspiration and next to God, my gratitude for my life and ability to create my art”. The studio is about 40 feet long and in two sections. It has a beautiful view of the ocean at East Lynn and her inspirational garden outside. Within the studio are many shelves of glass of all sorts which she gets from the factory and 4 diamond bladed water saws, a hand glass snipper along with lots of band aids and rubber finger tips. She is writing a soon to be released book about her skillful techniques (January 2019). Whenever possible, she tells people that a major life goal of hers is to help people become in touch with their unique flavor of creativity and express this fearlessly, joyfully and passionately. Also represented by Canvas Fine Arts, Fisher has recently held court with her paintings in Boston City Hall in the Mayor’s office. Previous exhibits include: T. Moser Gallery, Boston 2014 & 2016; Boston Design Center 2014; M2L Gallery, Boston 2015; Lexicon Gallery, Magnolia, MA 2014 & 2016; Marc Hall Gallery 2015; Canvas Fine Arts Gallery, Boston 2015; Maynard Art Gallery 2015; Unity Magazine, Women Edition 2016; Art New York, Pier 95, 2016. - Upcoming exhibits include a one woman show It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
at Gold Coast Gallery, Beverly, Ma, reception, Sunday Sept 23, 2-4 pm and Spring March-April, 2019, Marblehead Art Association, Exhibition in Ballroom. - More: “I love commissions as I am personally involved with creating unique pieces for individuals which will become family heirlooms”. - Contact: Eleanor’s Artistic Visions, LLC studio, with over 100 Glass Shard Paintings is open by appointment , Wednesday 1-3 and 6-8. 16 Deer Cove Street, Lynn, MA 1902, Phone: (781) 7319779. Web site is eleanorfisher.net.
An online exhibit of art work for sale based on the theme “Nature”. To purchase contact janice@artfulgift.com. Artist retains 75% of sale and 20% of magazine revenue goes to youth art scholarships.
Erica Nazzaro “Powwow Flood, West Whitehall Road” Watercolor and Pastel 12 x 15 - $300
Kerry Hawkins “spiny” Photography 7 x 7 - $40.00
Linda Cuccurullo “Going Green, Santa Monica” Photography 12 x 18 (framed 18 x 24) - $325
Mary Harman “Marine Algae” Watercolor 9 x 14 - $150
Erica Baptiste Sienna Rain Watercolor on Paper 12 x 16 - $350
Stephen Levin “Foal Foliage” Photography 11 x 14 - $360
It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
An online exhibit of art work for sale based on the theme “Nature”. To purchase contact janice@artfulgift.com. Artist retains 75% of sale and 20% of magazine revenue goes to youth art scholarships.
Judith Sweeney “ Colors Over Bog at Broadmoor” Photography - Framed & Matted -18 X 24 - $125
Lisa Walker “Prelude Square Plate” Ceramics 9 x 9 - $30 Other sizes available
Ruth LaGue “Northern Lights” Acrylic 9 x 9 $250
Jaina Cipriano “Untitled” Photography 11 x 17 - $125
Steve McKenna “Oak on Fire” Wood Sculpture $1900
Dennis Stein “Cloud Abstract 2” Photography 12 x 12 - $125
Janice Williams “NH Sunflower” Digital Photo Print 8 x 12 - $100
Janice Williams “Fish Go Round” Mixed Media 20” round - $150
Janice Williams “Winter Tree” Mixed Media 36 x 36 - $400
Judith Sweeney
It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
An online exhibit of art work for sale based on the theme “Nature”. To purchase contact janice@artfulgift.com. Artist retains 75% of sale and 20% of magazine revenue goes to youth art scholarships.
Carla Carey “Pamela’s Planter” Oil 25 x 36 - $1400
Jamie Cascio “Convergence” Digital Photography 12 x 18, $150 (Karekare Beach, New Zealand)
Gary Duehr “Peacocks” Pigment Print 18 x 24 - $450.
Dr. Elisa Adams “Ptewani, White Buffalo Woman” Calcite Sculpture 20h x 22w x 8d - $8800
Jon Seiff “On the Bayou” Photography 11 x 14 Framed $65
Heather Cochran “Shop Local” Digital Photo printed on cardstock 8 x10 - $50
Stan Eichner “Smokey Mountain Foliage” - Photography 18 x 22 - $155 - Framed 27 x 33 - $475 - Framed
Valerie Mine “Pretty in Pink” Pastel 12 x 12 - $200
Dina Gardner “Cape Cod Estuary” Pastel 11 x 14 - $400
It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
Beyond The Palette Art and Education Talk By Glenn Williams It’s here, the days are approaching, and very soon we all will be battling traffic impacted by yellow school buses. There will be extra groups of children gathered on sidewalks, crossing between the lines, renewing friendships and comparing vacation time conquests. Though our attention will turn toward the youngsters returning to school with first day photos and brand new backpacks, there’s a smaller group of participants we often forget; the teachers. As the art teacher, I have already been preparing for this day a month and a half. I spent the two weeks after everyone left school inventorying paint, brushes, colored pencils, crayons; well you get the picture. Not to mention moving all the furniture out of my room to allow maintenance access to thoroughly clean away any evidence of the previous year’s activities. The month of August was spent reviewing my colleague’s lesson plans in search of opportunities to incorporate my art classes. My school’s curriculum is designed around STREAM. We intertwine our lesson plans to incorporate science, technology, religion, engineering, the arts, and mathematics; hence the acronym STREAM. The student’s creative abilities will be polished during the
development of mechanical drawings discussed in science and engineering classes. The ability to create accurate plans is something immediately connected to visual arts. Precise measurement of these blueprints and their mathematical equations connect students to the geometry they’re learning across the hall. The discussion of color management is built around the percentages of blue and yellow that are infused to create green. Suddenly, the language used in math class and art lessons become universal. Technology and art become apparent when designing websites or creating images for content. Illustrators produce the substance needed when writing code and the most productive place to season this skill is the art class. Symbolism is the study of the messages portrayed by some of the greatest artists from across the world. Paintings depicting religious events and historical occasions will be discussed in social studies classes, and where better to foster these abilities than the art room. This year I will have over 200 students who will draw, paint, sculpt and produce works that will challenge their critical thinking. They will travel from class to class armed with the knowledge that their education has relevance and a connection. As educators, we live for that ah-ha moment; when one of our students recognizes our point. What is becoming a very close second for me is when they acknowledge something relevant from art class they can apply in another room. This is called continuous education. More at facebook.com/glennspalette
SAVE THE DATES Visit Glenn and Janice at Art Studio 99 for the annual Roslindale Open Studios Oct. 20 and 21, 11am to 5pm artstudio99.com roslindaleopenstudios.org It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
BEYOND THE PALETTE
with Glenn Williams ARTS EDUCATION ROCK & ROLL
Arts educator, arts promoter and singer, songwriter, Williams can be heard weekly spinning tunes and talking about arts and education. Listen on BNN Radio: WBCA 102.9 FM (Mondays 7-8 pm) or streamed live on wbcaradio.org and at Beyond The Palette podcast at Podbean or ITunes.com.
facebook.com/glennspalette
A LITTLE HELP
www.janicebiz.com • 617-710-3811 • janice@artfulgift.com
It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
FABIOLA R. DECIUS
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by Curt Naihersey
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Teens WRITE was a three-month program that met weekly, April through July 2018, in which urban students, ages 13 to 17, wrote, revised, casted, directed, and produced original plays culminating in a Ten-Minute Play Festival. Led by Fabiola R. Decius, a local Boston playwright, teens learned the basic elements of playwriting, how to critically respond to other’s work in a positive and reassuring setting, steps in rewriting and revising, criterion for auditioning and casting a play, and directing techniques. Additionally, teens learned to demonstrate a general understanding of theater-related jobs with guest appearances from local directors, actors, dramaturges, stage managers, and
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theater designers (set, costume, and sound). >> Teens WRITE was made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' Creative City Program, with funding from the Barr Foundation and with additional support from the Boston Foundation. We joined in the culminating Teens WRITE project, a Ten-Minute Play Festival on July 14 @ Riverside Theater Works in Hyde Park, which included: PLAYWRIGHTS and PLAYS: (in performance order)
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Aliya Jackson - "I Am Who I Am" Amiyr Ahmad - "Pressure" Carolyn Parker-Fairban - "When This Track Plays Out" Fabiola R. Decius - "Free Before Eleven"
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Shauntae Piper - "The Lottery" Tyler Scoby - "This Small World of Mine" Victoria Marcano - "What Was Left”
It was a packed audience of adults and youths who witnessed some inventive and difficult subjects, handled with an earnestness and a curiosity that belie their ages. With that in mind, consider how vocabulary and use of grammar naturally grow and become more refined as you get older, as youths begin to see things from a more mature perspective. And, since very few people become excellent writers overnight, expect the process to take many years. Teen writers should view their youth as a time to lay the groundwork for later writing endeavors. If you’re a young person with a passion for writing, then you should write. You should write like crazy! Here are some ideas to get you (as well as me) started: • Write something every day • Read every book you can get your hands on • Carry a journal with you everywhere to jot down ideas • Take courses - either through your high school, community college, or online - that will help you refine your craft • Attend local readings, plays, and book signings • Find a critique partner and swap work with them • Submit your work to magazines that are specially geared toward young writers • Join (or start) a writing club at your school • Volunteer to write/edit for the school newsletter or magazine [that’s what I did - ed.]
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Remember that even most writers have day jobs, so make sure you study the right subjects to help you establish a career
I certainly hope that nobody would discourage young people from putting pen to paper, but sometimes we adults think we’re giving kids a reality check, and it ends up coming across in a discouraging manner. Rarely do we know what we want out of life in our teens, so if you are blessed enough to know, take the opportunity and go for it! The only caution that I make is: don’t get discouraged by criticism. I know that the first critiques I got as a teen had me re-evaluating my dreams right through high school and college. Be strong, know that you need critiques, and never quit – if you keep going you won’t fail. “Life experience” isn’t everything; the younger ones will gain it whether or not they want to. Just don’t expect to have a commerciallyviable story/novel written in the latest teeny slang filled with whatever fadchasing is happening at the moment. Get the Craft well under way as soon as possible. When a writer has a decent foundation in Craft, he can not only express himself well, but also present a fundamentally-sound product. Only when the Craft is utilized to the best
It’s All About Arts - September 2018
can any artistic ability or talent shine out its best. Creativity and talent belongs to all ages, not just the elders. Youths have plenty of time to worry about rejection and critique – don’t worry about it! Go write something great. Just write - write with abandon! Don’t think about your audience because this may be the one time you can write completely for yourself. Keep writing… don’t look at “rules” and “tips” right now, just let your voice develop. It all comes down to practice and commitment. If there are any teens reading this, I’d very much tell them to start writing. NOW. Like one of the people at the post-show discussion commented: there’s no reason teens should lose ten years just because they don’t have life experience. Within those years of constant reading and writing, they will vastly improve and thus increase their chances.
and encourage and motivate, but I do all of that in multiple settings. I serve as a mentor at work, church, in my neighborhood, and with younger family members.
I recently sat down with Fabiola to discuss her visions:
Another person who was influential on my writer’s journey is Playwright Amy Herzog. I took Playwriting with her in my sophomore year of college and Advanced Playwriting in my junior year. Although at that time I was only a novice to playwriting and the world of theater, Amy reinforced that I had a unique voice that needed to be shared with the world. She served as mentor after graduation and wrote recommendation letters in support of my graduate school study. Amy realized that I had potential as a writer and helped cultivate that as a potential career path. Thankfully I believed Amy, which is part of the reason I am where I am today as both a writer and a mentor to the next generation of writers.
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1. Please give us some of your background - personally and academically. Do you consider yourself a teacher or a writer??
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I graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a Bachelor of Arts and received a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Lesley University in Stage and Screen Writing. As someone who loves working and interacting with youth, people often consider my role as that of a teacher, but I prefer labeling myself as a mentor. Typically when one thinks of a teacher, they think only of someone who provides instruction in a classroom or schooling institution, however, I don’t want to limit myself to just those places. As a mentor, I do teach; I share my knowledge and resources, provide advice and guidance,
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Primarily though, I am a writer. I have always been a writer, even at a young age. I would journal every day and hone in on my craft, but it wasn’t until years later that I realized the magnitude of my writer’s journey from a child to an adult. A distinct memory of mine is from fifth grade with a teacher named Ms. Bynoe who had daily writing prompts on the chalkboard. After reading a few of my assignments, Ms. Bynoe called me out as a writer. As a matter of fact, during my elementary school graduation, Ms. Bynoe recognized me in front of my peers with a Creative Writing award. That particular moment has stayed with me.
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My plays include Haiti Chérie, Final Verdict, Bus Stop, In Sync, Ice Cream Bucket List, Date Night Surprise, Chicksmas, Draped in History, Man of the
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House, and Fighting Forgiveness, which have been produced and/or developed at Bryn Mawr College, Lesley University, Wellesley University, the Boston Public Library, Our Voices Festival, Fade to Black Festival, the Roxbury Repertory Theater, Controlled Kaos Productions, the Office of War Information (Bureau of Theater), and the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) Plaza Theatres.
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2. How did you conceive this project? Tell us about getting the funding to proceed. Did you feel it necessary to include the stipend/certificate as incentive?
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Teens WRITE (Writing, Reading, and Investigating Theater Everywhere) was conceived late last summer after attending a Creative City grant application workshop as part of the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA). During this workshop, I learned about the application process and other logistical information for the Creative City grant program, but the aspect that was most intriguing was that they provide funding for artists to create projects of all disciplines in the city of Boston. It was at this time that I realized I could get the financial support I needed to merge my passion for writing and for working with youth, and hence Teens WRITE was formed. The grant application process was tedious, but all of the planning in the beginning stages from outlining each week’s lesson, budgeting, and connecting with community partners, including the Hyde Park branch of the Boston Public Library, Riverside Theatre Works, and The Fairmount Grille, made it that much easier for Teens WRITE to fully come to fruition.
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I had my entire budget expenses pretty much allocated, and I felt that it was very vital for the teen playwrights and actors to each get a stipend and certificate of completion at the end as an incentive. As the primary artist, I set aside funding for myself, but I also paid guest teaching artists including a playwright, dramaturge, actor, director, sound designer, and costume designer. However, this project required a three month commitment from the playwrights and a one month commitment from the actors, so I felt it only right that they get compensated for their time and efforts too. I also wanted to set the foundation for these teens to believe in themselves and know that they can get compensated for their art.
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3. How did you approach the youths to consider their circumstances and translate that understanding and eagerness into an ambition? How did they learn to cope with the world experience they sought to portray?
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In all honesty, my approach to the youth was to let them write what they know. I encouraged them to write about the issues that mattered to them the most, whether it is social, political, or even personal. However, I had no idea that the teens would grasp an understanding of the world as they see it and then translate that into their scripts. Week after week as I read the initial drafts of the teens’ plays, I was in awe of their writing and in particular the topics that they chose, including the stigma of men wearing makeup, relationship breakups and separation, drug dealing, friendships gone awry, alcohol abuse, and gun violence.
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The teens coped with the world experiences they sought to portray in a It’s All About Arts - September 2018
very mature and articulate manner. During each writer’s workshop, the teens had an opportunity to receive feedback from their peers and also ask questions about their script. I was impressed at the level of understanding and expertise that they had about their topics. In fact, I gained new perspectives on some of these topics. It was inspiring to see the teens use this project as a platform to express their viewpoints on various social and community topics.
feedback on their peer’s work, and surprisingly after a few weeks, some of them began to speak up on their own.
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Over the course of Teens WRITE, the writers developed a rapport with each other, and once the actors were involved in the process, that rapport only strengthened. I noticed that by the end of the program, the teens had a level of confidence in instructing the actors in what to do and even how to maneuver on stage.
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4. How closely did you monitor their progress? Did you notice through your weekly meetings or did some visions come in one fell swoop? Were you focusing on the craft or the expression?
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I monitored the teens’ progress on a weekly basis. After each session, I wrote reflections on that particular week’s lesson and/or writer’s workshop. I made notes on the questions they asked, the comments they made, and general observations as to who was the most vocal and those who didn’t speak up. In an effort to have everyone’s participation, I often called on the teens who were a little more reserved to provide input and
With Teens WRITE, I was more focused on the expression of writing rather than the craft of writing. Of course, I provided the teens with a writing template and a formatting guide. We discussed the importance of their stories having a beginning, middle, and end. We also discussed the importance of telling a story through the use of dialogue only and how to incorporate conflict within the story and show a character’s motivation. However, I also understood that this was the first time that many of these teens were attempting to write creatively, so to speak, and I didn’t want to hinder them by belaboring the craft of playwriting. Should any of them decide to further develop their writing, I have provided them with a few resources on the craft of writing, but over the course of Teens WRITE, I simply wanted them to focus on telling a story in the best possible way that they could.
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5. Sometimes adults think giving kids a critique check ends up coming across in a discouraging manner. How did you approach that scenario?
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In approaching how to provide constructive feedback to the playwrights, after their writer’s workshop I gave each of them written feedback on their scripts
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via email using Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process. This widely recognized method has four steps, in which the writer, or any artist for that matter, receives statements of meaning, which are positive words of affirmation regarding their work. Next, the artist asks questions about their work and then the responders follow up with questions of their own. The final step is when the responder asks the artist for permission to share an opinion. I find that using this four step process is an effective way to receive and provide critique in a positive and reassuring manner, and it provided a format in evaluations that the teens understood.
he was prepared with data was truly remarkable.
6. I asked this question at the festival about recognizing the difference between thought and action - creating a scene that explains and illuminates. In the post-show discussion, some of the youths were able to explain their intention quite distinctly. Was this a difficult transition for the kids?
8. Many of the teens were making their first foray into writing & acting. At the festival, I detected some participant’s enthusiasm whilst others were a bit demure. Was there a distinct difference between the writing and the acting - how did you handle that internal desire to “say something” versus the inclination to “strut the stage”?
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You’re right, in that the teens were able to explain their intentions quite distinctly. I’m not sure how they were able to do this, but they did it with such ease and I was in awe. For instance, one of the playwrights, Amiyr Ahmad, wrote a play on drug dealing and during the post-show discussion, he indicated that this play stemmed from a personal experience his father endured years ago (he was set up in a drug transaction). As a result, Amiyr’s father was incarcerated for many years. Amiyr then proceeded to give statistics on drug trafficking charges for black men in comparison to white men, and how black men were often charged more frequently and given more prison time. I had no idea that Amiyr had this wealth of information on this particular topic, and the fact that
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7. This premise all comes down to practice and commitment. How do you perceive inspiration & creativity??
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I believe inspiration and creativity are interconnected. I usually get inspired by some of the simplest things like overhearing a snippet of someone’s dialogue, an image, a news article, a quote, music, nature, etc. However, my creativity only comes into play when I use my source of inspiration and expand upon it in a unique and often meaningful way.
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There was a distinct difference between the writing and the acting. During the first few weeks, I believe many of the writers weren’t confident enough in their writing yet and the process, and as a result, some of them held back and were shy. However, by the time we got to the acting auditions, about two months in, the writers developed a significant level of poise and were able to direct the actors. They felt comfortable verbalizing their exact vision for their play, and although I made minor suggestions here and there, overall, the playwrights had to find their voice and all of them did. Similarly, even some of the actors were a bit more reserved than others, but when it came
It’s All About Arts - September 2018
time to perform on stage and the lights were on, they immediately immersed themselves into the roles they were playing.
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For many of the teens, this was their first time writing and acting, but they came to it with open minds and hearts. They dissected and internalized what they learned, and as a result, they were able to put on an incredible culminating TenMinute Play Festival, but the best part is that it was all captured on video, so they can relieve the experience whenever.
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9. I was personally thrilled by your endeavor. Will you continue with this program? What’s next as a mentor?? I know you are a playwright - more plays from you??
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The Teens WRITE project was a labor of love, but I enjoyed the entire experience. I have had many people inquire as to when the next phase of this program will begin, and some have even made suggestions for having this program for younger kids or older adults. It is exciting to see the impact that Teens WRITE has had, and without a doubt I will continue on with it. As a matter of fact, I am looking into receiving funding and grants from other organizations to initiate the next chapter of Teens WRITE.
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As for what’s next as a mentor, I have informed the teens that I am a resource for them should they decide to continue on with their writing and acting. I have offered to provide them with information about writing opportunities, acting auditions, discounted theater tickets, recommendation letters, and more. I hope that many of them will take me up on my offer and stay in contact with me
as I would like to see what’s in store for them in the future.
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I dedicated the first half of this year to Teens WRITE, and as a result, my writing was put on a temporary deferment. Now that this initial stage of Teens WRITE has concluded, I can focus all of my attention back on writing, revising, sending scripts to theater festivals and competitions, and producing new work. Some of my upcoming projects include two ten-minute plays, “Draped in History” and “King’s Mentality”, which will be showcased in Stoughton as part of the Revolution To Inspire (RTI) Empowerment Center’s grand opening, scheduled for Saturday, September 15, 2018. In addition to writing these scripts, I will be involved in every aspect, including selecting the actors, directing, and then producing the plays.
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A few of the participants from Teens WRITE will appear during a live taping for IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS, a BNN-TV cable show, on Monday, September 17, 2018 from 6 to 7 p.m., so be sure to tune in.
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I will also be serving as the Assistant Producer to the 12th Annual Our Voices F e s t i v a l o f B o s t o n A r e a Wo m e n Playwrights, on Sunday, September 30, 2018 at Wellesley College, in the Ruth Nagel Jones Theatre.
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If anyone is interested in keeping up with Fabiola and Teens WRITE, please feel free to email teenswrite18@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @WordsWithFab.
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Group photo: Adeline Berberi Individual photos: Maureen White
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It’s All About Arts - September 2018
! Word Dust !
Let all the words out They have been bottled up too long And want to earn their keep Take the safety latches from the doors Dismantle the No Exit signs For exit they must Before the words shrink and shrivel And wither to dust
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Let all the words out No matter meaning or just gist They must earn their keep While they travel past the mist and fog Confused, bewildered, misunderstood For exit they must Lest the world pay no attention And decay til dust
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Let all the words out They want their voices to arise And keep the roof overhead Til safe exit will be achieved Assembled, on a one way street When passage is sought For worlds beyond comprehension And the dance with dust
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- Sasja Lucas
I’m a Perpendicular
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there is a spine inside me seeking a paradise undefined the animal i am hides and seeks the moral sea that swirls and devours sparks
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i am a cipher of innocence a conduit of memory of whispers and splatter of stitches and matter between elegance and terror
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i am loyal and frictionless in the stillness of love love love i see there is also darkness without small rations of hope a strangling feeding on fear swallowed whole
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i am a perpendicular stretching for the sun bathing in the glow in a battle of wills and won’ts
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i am a figure of speech reaching up to the sky following stems of thought the impossible beanstalk that will always grow
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- Curt Naihersey
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Thank You Vistaprint
Local Massachusetts Small Business Owners win Contest To Receive Vital Cash To Grow Their Business Three Massachusetts small business owners are celebrating a big win this week, after landing their share of a $20,000 prize from Vistaprint. Joe Murphy and Carol O’Connor of Boston, Laura Hatziandreou of Bedford and Janice and Glenn Williams of Roslindale will all receive funding to purchase crucial items that will have a large impact on the future growth of their businesses. They were selected from hundreds of applicants for the Vistaprint Wish Program, which invited small business owners nationwide to apply online to secure funding for vital items on their ‘wishlist’ that would help them push their business to the next level. Overall, eight small business owners based in Massachusetts, Texas and California were selected to receive a share of the funding. Janice and Glenn Williams, who own and operate Art Studio 99 in Roslindale, were the third business owners to receive funding through the Wish Program. As well as running an art studio, Janice and Glenn have also been producing a live weekly television show for over 20 years and started It’s All About Arts Magazine as an addition to the show. It’s All About Arts showcases local works of arts and culture. They will use the Vistaprint funding towards hiring more writers for the magazine and developing its youth art scholarship fund. “We are very excited to grow and develop our magazine and generate more ad revenue towards our youth scholarship fund,” says Janice.
It’s All About Arts Magazine September 2018
Gallery SITKA Yana Filkovsky-Saito
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