"A Ripple of Change" at PS/MS 4 Crotona Park West by Creative Art Works

1 A RIPPLE OF CHANGE BY THE PAINTING PRODIGIES PS/MS 4 CROTONA PARK WEST PUBLIC ART SUMMEREMPLOYMENTYOUTHPROGRAM2022

The goal of this mural was to create a welcoming work of art that reflects the diversity and energy of this vibrant neighborhood. Images include a hand holding a seedling, representing growth and evolution; and faces of young people from many cultures at play, representing a wish for peace and unity. The far end of the mural is anchored by an image of a hand holding a globe, symbolizing both the gift of education the school wishes to give to its students as well as a reminder that the future belongs to our children. Other elements include an olive branch; a sparrow, which is native to North America; and flowers from all over the world. This is our second mural on the PS/MS 4 campus; elements from the first mural are quoted in the second one, such as the raised hands and faces from many cultures.

A RIPPLE OF CHANGE Unveiling Celebration PS/MS 4, Crotona Park West 1700 Fulton Ave, Bronx, NY Wednesday, August 10th 11:30 – 12:45 Ignacio Marino Larrique, Teaching Artist Vickie DeJesus, Teaching Artist Alejandra Mandelblum, Teaching Artist Assistant Nicole Bowden, Teaching Artist Assistant Vic Ingram, Teaching Artist Assistant

About the Mural

FROM BRIAN RICKLIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ExecutiveBrianSincerely,RicklinDirector & CEO

Creative Art Works employed over 80 Youth Apprentices to develop and create three mural sites this summer. Projects included a vibrant exterior mural to welcome students to PS/MS 4 in Crotona Park West in The Bronx; a mural for the lobby of Bronx County Family Court that speaks to equity in justice in the judicial system; and a prominent mural that spans a block and half along Montefiore Square in Hamilton Heights that reflects the energy and vitality of the West Harlem community.

This year, we recruited Youth Apprentices (YAs) from all five boroughs who represent the cultural, ethnic, religious, gender, and socio-economic diversity of our city. Many of our youth grapple with extraordinary challenges in academic engagement stemming from homelessness or transitional housing, food scarcity, recent immigration, language barriers, foster care, or court involvement. Many of them face multiple challenges. Our programs provide a brave space where there is opportunity for personal growth, not because we coddle young people, but because we challenge them. Our YAs range in age from 16 to 24 and their interests include medicine, computer science, the performing arts, social work, and literature, just to name a few. While we have a number of YAs returning to us for a second or even third time, for most of them, this is their first summer job ever. And what a job it is! Not only do they earn NYC minimum wage for six weeks, they also acquire and develop transferable job and social skills, a sense of pride in themselves and their work, and a sense of ownership in a piece of art that enhances the lives of their fellow New Yorkers. The work is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. Over the course of six weeks, our Youth Apprentices must unite as a team to overcome seemingly insurmountable creative and technical challenges. Internally, they must learn to navigate differing perspectives, negotiate conflicts and build group consensus. Externally, they must balance their client’s wishes while still maintaining their own voice and artistic integrity. Our YAs develop a sense of ownership as they create their art, and that sense is amplified, during the culminating event, when each individual has the chance to tell their audience what contributions they made to the project. We hope you will share their sense of optimism and accomplishment and we thank you for attending today’s event.

4 THE PAINTING PRODIGIES

Antonia resides in Highbridge in The Bronx and is a rising senior at Park East High School. Antonia likes to indulge in many interests, priding themselves in bettering their skills. The Arts as a whole has always played a huge part in their lives. From attending Dance Theater of Harlem, to practicing a variety of dance styles, to taking acting classes, to drawing in and outside of school. They also like to read and write. Once Antonia graduates high school, they would like to major in creative writing, and eventually be the author of and illustrator of their own books. Antonia loves using their imagination towards a creative output. Since Antonia wants to incorporate art into their adult life, being a youth apprentice at Creative Art Works is a great start. Learning how to not only paint on a larger scale but articulate their ideas to a group of individuals has been a valuable experience.

Aaliyah Cooper Aaliyah is 18-years-old. She grew up in The Bronx with a single mother and was the youngest of six siblings. She always strives for success. Aaliyah recently graduated from Bronx Leadership Academy II and will be attending Howard University in the fall, majoring in human performance for sport medicine. In addition to being a Physical Therapist after graduation, Aaliyah wants to be an event planner to show off her creativity. In her spare time, she likes to do creative things like painting, editing, styling outfits, and more. In her junior year and throughout senior year in high school, Aaliyah worked at a company called Accenture as a Community Outreach and Events Coordinator. She helped coordinate events and programs and reached out to people in the office. This is Aaliyah’s first time working with Creative Art Works and she has learned how to make her creative vision come to life.

Antonia Kubanik

Angel Cruz Angel Cruz is currently a junior at Inwood Early College. He grew up in Manhattan. He likes to play football, shoot pool with his brother, and play chess and other games. His pool rivalry with his brother is intense, and they always go after each other's neck. This is his first time working with Creative Art Works. He plans to use the money he earns from this job to get the PC that he has always wanted, because he plans to go pro in Rocket League. Angel started this job with no painting skills, but he quickly picked up how to use a brush properly. He picked up several other skills as well. For instance, he knows how to communicate with other people and not be socially awkward. He also made a new friend; his name is Zach and he also plays Rocket League. His friends know him as being a tryhard in video games and being a fast learner.

Amiel Agyemang

Amiel graduated high school in 2019 and is now a student at Stonybrook University, majoring in economics. He was born in Brooklyn but grew up in Italy and now resides in The Bronx. Amiel likes to help the people around him succeed. He likes to play basketball and football, and watch movies. Working this summer with Creative Art Works taught Amiel that a mural can convey different meanings, both literal and symbolic, to every individual, depending on their point of view. Murals can also bring a community together through the story, beliefs and ideas being told through it. He hopes this mural will enrich a community and give students at PS/MS 4 a sense of hope for the future that they deserve.

Calvin Andre Jean-Charles

Calvin is a young man from Central Harlem who graduated from Urban Academy Laboratory High School with interests in computer engineering and arts. Calvin worked on an art project for his high school, based on swords from his favorite game series, Xenoblade Chronicles. He worked on this piece for one and a half years with help and guidance from his art teacher, who Calvin greatly appreciates for her kindness and support.

Calvin is skilled with computer hardware, and built his own computer by himself at age 17. He also helped build computers for his high school’s film editing class just out of pure interest and joy. Calvin wants to pursue being a Computer Hardware Engineer as a career. While working with Creative Art Works, Calvin developed a set of skills that would be valuable to have in any work environment, including cooperating, clear communications, and focus.

Brealavon Pullar Brea is a high school student at Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy. She was born in Harlem, but currently lives in The Bronx. This is her first art job and first job with Creative Art Works, which has been an excellent experience so far. Brea never really considered herself an artist, because she often compared her work to others. However, with the help of her supervisors, she’s learned to be more confident in her work. The best thing she experienced from her summer job was bonding with her co-workers, learning new art skills such as brush techniques, and the supportive and kind supervisors she had, especially her supervisor Vickie De Jesus. Brea’s goal is to be a future hairstylist and entrepreneur in the beauty and fashion industry. She loves going out to have fun with her closest friends and thinking about the future lifestyle she wants for herself.

Bryanna L. Phillipps Bryanna L. Phillipps is a seventeen year old from Chelsea in New York City. She is currently enrolled at Lorge High School in Manhattan. She has been involved in activities like painting, basketball, and air hockey. She has always had a passion for music, because it helped her to calm down and to express herself. Her grandmother is a big part of her life and she has been her role model. She was given the opportunity to use Access VR, which helped her decide what career she wanted to have as a dream job. She wants to be an orthodontist because she would love to make braces for people. Her dream is to be able to afford things for her mother and spoil her. This is her first experience with Creative Art Works. She has learned time management and how to communicate with co-workers and has bonded with her team.

Chris is from Washington Heights and is currently attending City Tech. He previously went to a Christan youth retreat which challenged his previous plan for the future, which was just to make money. Chris believed in himself and decided to push for a better career path as the youth retreat went on. He became very passionate about technology and gathered courage to implement his ideas for the future. His ideas began to evolve into critical thinking about society. Chris wants a safer world regardless of cybernetic or physical setting. At Creative Art Works, he learned how to communicate effectively as a leader.

Christopher Taveras

David Gomez David is a 20 year old illustrator from Coney Island, Brooklyn. He is studying Illustration and comics at SUNY. He has attended events like Comic Con and Comic Arts Brooklyn as a vendor in “artist’s alley”. Graduating high school in the beginning of a global pandemic left him unsure of what to pursue in college, but by working with Creative Art Works, he decided to continue his studies in the field of art for good. He likes cooking, camping, and animation.

Dariel A. Fernandez Dariel is a Dominican-born resident of The Bronx attending A. Philip Randolph Campus High School in the lively village of Harlem. As an upcoming senior, he spends his time training to be a model linemen on the Varsity football team, the Randolph Cougars, the same team he helped get to the Public School Athletic League Cup Finals in 2021. In honor of this achievement, the team earned the right to paint a mural in the school weight room. Dariel took it upon himself to add a street scene to it. With years of doodles under his belt, he was able to express all of the wonderful places Randolph students were familiar with. The project took a lot of hard work, but it was worth it when Creative Art Works took notice. Now, with his team, he has helped create a mural for PS/MS 4 that will be here for countless years, and, in the process, he learned the value of community.

Erin is a vibrant non-binary artist from Washington Heights. When in high school their art style started to develop into an edgy/ anime style inspired by queer artists in the punk scene. With every challenge they faced along the way, they developed a sense of perseverance. Through the Creative Art Works program, Erin started to work with paint, which they were not familiar with. There were a lot of challenges faced: with color theory, rain, and coworkers, but it did not stop them from enjoying and learning the new techniques that they now implement into their own art.

Erin Hernandez

Darieli resides on Valentine Avenue in The Bronx. She is in her junior year of high school, studying Sports Career. She was born in the Dominican Republic and came to live in the United States when she was 12-yearsold. Now, at 16 years of age, she is living her first experience working in the arts. She found the mural process a lot of fun. Her dream since childhood has been studying international business. She likes business because it is always interesting for her to deal with people and associates. She likes to be independent, knowing how to earn things through her own effort. Darieli’s plans are to finish high school, go to university, and study the career that she has dreamed of so much.

Darieli Polanco

Joshua Grant Joshua was born and raised in The Bronx. He is 18 years old and is going into his senior year of high school. Josh loves to play video games but he loves to hoop even more. While growing up, josh’s dream was to be a videogame designer, because he wanted to bring the same joy he gets from playing games into designing his own games for kids all over the world could enjoy. As he got older he changed his ambition; now his dream is to become a sports journalist. Josh is a really good public speaker and can formulate his ideas really well. Working with Creative Art Works is a new experience for him, but it has been great and really fun. Josh is not really an artistic person but with the guidance of the amazing people from CAW he will definitely get better.

Genny Poalasin

Genny is 20 years old and lives in Washington Heights. She previously worked with Creative Art Works in 2017 on a mural at Louis D. Brandeis High School. Coming back to CAW gave her the ability to showcase her previous skills again five years later. Since her last job with CAW, she has graduated High School and is currently in her second year at Stony Brook University. She enjoys travel, playing volleyball, and volunteering at her local hospital. She has enjoyed making new friends and learning from her Teaching Artists.

13 Spanish Harlem. He attends Landmark High School where he plans on playing on the varsity basketball team. Growing up in New York was very influential in his development, as New York is a mixing pot of many different personalities, ethnicities, and cultures, which can impact how a person thinks and acts. One of the best experiences Jaylen had with Creative Art Works was being taught by Ignacio, who’s wisdom and experience was nothing short of bottomless. Jaylen’s career goal is to be a professional basketball player, and this program brings creativity and a new perspective that can positively affect the way he plays the game.

KaymarieBrownCasul

Rodriguez Kaymarie was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico but then moved to Texas when she was nine and lived there for seven years before moving to New York, where she finished highschool. She’s class of 2022 and soon will be attending Hostos Community College where she’ll pursue her career in nursing. Kaymarie loved playing sports throughout high school, such as track, volleyball, soccer, and basketball, but basketball has always been her favorite. She was the point guard of the Evander Child’s School basketball team. Kaymarie is a bubbly, active, and talkative person. She is very loving and loves to care for people, which is why she wants to become a doctor to help cure others.

Jaylen

Nasir Williams Nasir is a 17 year-old from Harlem who goes to Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Art. Nasir first became interested in art thanks to an artist he met on Deviantart. Fascinated by her artwork, he decided to become an artist and has continued to draw to this day. Nasir plans on becoming a Professional Artist/Freelancer. Nasir loves to draw, play video games (Mostly Nintendo), eat food, listen to music, and browse Social Media. This is Nasir’s first experience at Creative Art Works. He learned that painting a mural requires teamwork, effort, and some really deep planning.

Keyana Clark Keyana just graduated from Evander High School (Bronx Lab). She was born in Pennsylvania but moved to The Bronx when she was six-years-old. She played sports and practiced dance when she was 15. Keyana is now 18, and has a one-year-old daughter. It is sometimes hard to balance work and spending time with her daughter, because her daughter is still a baby and always wants her mom. This is her first year as part of a Creative Art Works summer youth employment team, and she enjoys it, because it takes her out of her comfort zone. She didn’t know how to feel about it at first, but she likes it, because it is a learning experience for her and it helps boost her confidence when it comes to her art and her ideas. She also met some new friends while working with CAW. Keyana is proud to be a part of the CAW experience, because now she can bring her daughter to this mural and show her what she created.

Nicole is a 16 year-old from The Bronx who attends New Heights academy. Throughout her life, she has had many different hobbies due to her exploratory spirit. She has participated in basketball, lacrosse, taekwondo, and gymnastics. This is her first professional art job. She has met people from all different backgrounds and made new friends. Nicole has found out that she has very steady hands and is also excited to learn how to draw. She definitely has more confidence in herself and her artwork after working on this project. Nicole now feels like she and her coworkers have become like a little family. Her personality makes her unique, because she’s very adaptable to other people from different backgrounds. Her dream has always been to be a surgeon or an FBI agent. To make her dream come true she would like to study forensic science, psychology, or neurology.

Nicole Marie Alexandra Mercedes

Mikayla Lewis Mikayla is a 17 year old from the Dyckman neighborhood of Manhattan. She graduated from High School for Environmental Studies, and plans to study psychology at Borough of Manhattan Community College in the fall. Mikayla’s hobbies are drawing, playing video games, and practicing guitar. She is inspired by the idea that when you want to do things yourself but it’s proving to be difficult, it’s okay to accept or ask for help. This is her first time working with Creative Art Works and, so far, it is going well. It takes hard work but that’s to be expected. Her career goal is to be successful while also helping other people. This mural project is giving her the experience of helping the community

Sitan Keita

Sitan is currently attending her sophomore year in the Borough of Manhattan Community College.

Omar Lashin Omar is a senior at Park East High School. He is the school photographer and participates in the National Honor Society and the Community Service Club. Omar wants to become a photographer or journalist to pursue his passions in current events, writing, and taking photos; all things he considers himself to be talented in. The best thing about Omar’s job was connecting with his community in The Bronx while simultaneously developing new connections and skills in mural making. He has more confidence now because he’s able to work on large scale art, which has challenged him since he was a child. Omar’s uniqueness is shown through his willingness to try anything in order to reach new heights and versatility. Omar has experienced a variety of cultures through his Puerto Rican and Egyptian heritage and combined that with his vision for himself to become a compassionate and well-rounded facilitator.

Keita has had many opportunities and job experiences in previous years, such as community service, working as a volunteer in a nursing home, and assistant coaching a high school soccer team where she won a Most Valuable Player award. Five years from now, Keita sees herself being a full-time pediatric nurse in a clinical setting. It’s been a dream of Keita’s ever since childhood to help her neighborhood and community to become a better environment for future generations growing up. She hopes one day to make a difference.

Robert is 20-years-old and is about to start his junior year at CUNY Lehman College. Coming from Honduras, he is pursuing a career in social work, so he might help provide solutions to the issues that marginalized groups face every day. Robert feels that working on a mural on an elementary school could influence the next generation fighting for equity. Robert used to be an intern at a non-profit organization that advocates for disability rights. Through his experience with Creative Art Works, Robert learned how the creative process can be both messy and fun. He has gained more confidence and pride for his previous artwork. Robert’s diverse background, his eccentric personality, and offbeat approach to art makes him a distinctive individual who always puts fresh perspectives on the table, while still finding ways to aid communities of color and looking for the results.

Talynn Lalondriz

Robert Thompson

Talynn is a 16 years old girl from Inwood. She is a junior at Inwood early college and is considered a student athlete. She is considered the middle child out of 5 children. Talynn plays volleyball and softball. Her positions for softball is 3rd base, shortstop, and pitcher. For volleyball she is able to play every position. Her hobbies are dancing, partying and sleeping. Talynn’s awards that’s she received for school were best attendance, creativity, student athlete, MVP for volleyball, and an award for softball. As a child her nicknames were Lynn so that’s what she goes by. Ever since she was a kid Lynn wanted to be either a dancer, pediatric surgeon or a FBI agent. Lynn loves to try new things and to always be outside doing something.

Violet is from 129th Street in Harlem and attends Satellite Academy. Violet’s mother has had the greatest impact on who she is. Violet has had struggles in the past, but they have improved recently, and that is why she decided to join this program, so she could show her mother that her hard work is starting to pay off. Violet has made a lot of new friends and she has enjoyed working with everyone. Violet never really considered herself an artist, because she often compared her work to others; however, during her time with Creative Art Works, she's learned to be more confident in her work and to be more comfortable. She also learned that it's okay to take risks, because they might just lead you into something as great as this.

Violet Lajara

Tamea graduated from high school this year and will be attending college in the fall. She intends to pursue a major in education. She enjoyed her experience with Creative Art Works even though she didn’t have any previous art experience. Over the summer, she discovered that making art is so much more than drawing or painting. She loved working as a team and is proud of the mural her team created. In her free time, Tameia

Tamea McPhee

19 Zakaria Tarik Zakaria is 17 years old and lives in Inwood, in Upper Manhattan. He is a senior at Manhattan Village Academy. This is his first public mural with Creative Artworks. He enjoyed coming up with ideas and designing the mural. He also enjoyed supporting his community through art. He hopes the mural will show the students of PS/MS 4 that their voice matters. In his free time, Zakaria enjoys playing sports, specifically soccer andherfootball.momlived up the street, she wanted to keep her memory alive. She knows her mother is looking over her and wants to show her that her hard work is starting to pay off. She enjoyed working with the Creative Art Works team for the first time, because it allowed her to be her best self through tough times. She never really considered herself an artist; however, through this program, she's learned that, with practice, anyone could be an artist, which made her more confident in her work. She also learned that it's okay to make mistakes, because it helps grow as a person and create something as beautiful as this mural. Tynasia wants to be a veterinarian when she graduates from Lehman High School.

Tynasia Culver

Ignacio Marino Larrique, Teaching Artist Born and raised in an art gallery and frame store in Montevideo, Uruguay, Ignacio was introduced to visual arts from a very young age. Ignacio is a multidisciplinary artist and a third-generation frame master with vast knowledge in visual art, animation, and architecture. He currently specializes in large scale murals that focus on community portraits and environmentalism. He has created artworks for brands such as Facebook and The Ford Foundation, as well as for different communities in Europe and the Americas. Most recently, he won a competition to paint a 4,000 square foot site-specific mural across a two-story building along Washington Avenue in the heart to Miami Beach. The mural is a tribute to 20th-century celebrities who have contributed to the identity of Miami Beach. Ignacio sees himself as a community enhancer.

Vickie DeJesus, Teaching Artist Assistant Vickie, who creates art under the alias Lola Lovenotes, is a NYCbased muralist and visual artist, as well as a freelance director and curator. She has painted murals for the Bushwick Collective, the Emmy-nominated show Project Runway, and The Meadows Music and Arts Festival. Lovenotes strives to inspire and connect to the communities in which she grew up by creating artworks that are charged with her emotional and spiritual vision of the world; while incorporating symbolism related to themes of nature, heritage, social justice, and inclusion, usually involving feminine figures and fantastical scenery. She is passionate about using her platform as a muralist to shine light on important social issues. She teaches street art workshops to youth in marginalized communities. After graduating from City College with a degree in Studio Art, she went on to join Escape Artists Collective as an art director and assistant curator.

Alejandra

Mandelblum, Teaching Artist Assistant Alejandra is a multidisciplinarymuralist,artist, and Teaching Artist with a history of working in underserved communities. Prior teaching experience includes work with Zen Creative Kids in NYC and the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services in Brooklyn. From 2009 to 2015, she served as the Founder and Creative Director of Mandelblum, a contemporary fashion brand for women. She earned a BA in Fashion Design from Centro de Formación Artística Brivil, in Venezuela. She is a working artist for Moonglitch Murals, Fat Cat Fab Lab NYC, and Studio 3D. Alejandra’s personal art often explores themes of dislocation and nostalgia for a homeland in a perpetual state of political upheaval. She has exhibited her work at the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling, in Harlem; Arte Galeria Forjadores de Mexico, in Mexico City; and Gowanus Open Studio, in Brooklyn.

Nicole Bowden, Teaching Artist Assistant Nicole Bowden feels fortunate to spread her love for art to the bright, young, eager minds in her community. After graduating from the High School of Art and Design, Nicole spent two years studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design before transferring to the Fashion institute of technology where she acquired her bachelors in illustration. Before joining CAW, Nicole worked for Groundswell and Voice’s Her’d, which she says was invigorating and pushed her out of her comfort zone as an artist. She currently provides illustrations for a science blog. Nicole’s hobbies include learning web development, figuring out new drawing software, watching movies that stimulate her imagination, running around in nature, and eating too many sweets. Nicole maintains her own artistic practice. You can view personal portfolio at: www.nickybowden24.artstation.com

Vic Ingram, Teaching Artist Assistant Vic is a digital artist, painter, muralist, illustrator, and art educator based in Brooklyn. She has worked as a graphic designer for major apparel retailers in addition to projects for musicians, start-ups, and nonprofits. Other notable works include public mural installations throughout Brooklyn, including the 2019 Underhill Walls installation, and the 2020 Wall of Justice in Gowanus. Before coming to CAW, she worked as an instructor at Columbia University’s Double Discovery Center. She also worked as a Media Arts specialist at at Promise Academy I, where she created and implemented curriculum in graphic design and digital art for middle school students. Vic received her BA in Visual Arts from Columbia University and is currently pursuing a Masters in Art Therapy from the School of Visual Arts.

Creative Art Works (CAW) is a 36-year-old nonprofit that empowers young people through the visual and multimedia arts. Our programs equip children, teens, and young adults with essential tools and skills; connect them with community, academic success, and career opportunities; and inspire them to reach for new possibilities. Working in underserved neighborhoods of New York City, in public schools, recreation centers, foster care facilities, parks, juvenile justice settings, and in the remote environment, CAW provides dynamic creative youth development for those who otherwise lack access. Our programs build confidence, unlock a love of learning, and teach valuable technical and socialemotional skills while creating profound connections between our young constituents, their art and their communities.

Public Art Youth Employment Programs give teens and young adults full-time summer jobs and part-time jobs after school to create large-scale public art and multimedia projects. Youth Apprentices are guided by professional teaching artists from the initial concept development through client presentation, to the final edit and public unveiling or premiere. Along the way, they gain tangible employment and life skills such as leadership, teamwork, responsibility and the power of taking initiative. They are empowered by the enduring accomplishment in their work of art and its positive impact on the community.

About the Public Art Youth Employment Program

About Creative Art Works

www.creativeartworks.org

CAW’s Public Art Youth Employment programs are made possible by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council and by these generous supporters: Bridge to FoundationWork

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