Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Featured Muralist: KARLISIMA




Karlisima has created the first major mural in Washington DC to include President Obama, standing with the 10 most recent presidents of the United States. The mural, beginning with President Dwight Eisenhower in chronological order all the way to Obama, is now on display at 1967 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC at the Mama Ayesha’s Restaurant.

Washington, DC artist Karlisima has created a 60’ x 25’ mural for the community which will educate and delight generations to come. Working nonstop for months, the artist unveiled the presidential mural in January. This historical mural is funded by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Mama Ayesha’s Restaurant, the ANC (The Adams Morgan Advisory Neighborhood Commission) and Private Sponsors.

The mural is being unveiled at President Obama’s Historical Moment: The first African-American President ever elected in the History of the USA. The mural also includes major D.C. landmarks such as the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol and Washington Monument, giving the mural a look of DC's largest postcard on a wall.

The 60’ x 25’ Mural was unveiled on Monday January 19th 2009, prior to Obama’s inauguration. The Mural is now available for Public viewing anytime at the Mama Ayesha’s Restaurant, location outside restaurant wall, at 1967 Calvert Street NW, Washington DC, 20009 by the Duke Ellington Bridge.(www.mamaayesha’s.com)

Creating a mural of this magnitude takes the support of many segments of a community and the dedication and vision of the artist to contribute to and enliven a space for its citizens. The subject matter and theme of this mural are relevant to the times. There's also a surprise element in the mural for the future. You won't want to miss seeing this beautiful new creation to DC's Public Art feasts.

Karlisima would like to thank the Art Initiative of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities:
“The P.A.B.C. initiative (Public Art Building Communities), has allowed me to make a bridge between the community, the Restaurant Mama Ayesha’s, the arts and all the people who have made this mural a reality. This could not be done without the support of all the community and the help of the DC Commission and the Restaurant and all the entities who funded the project. I hope that this mural will become a teaching tool of the History of the Presidents for schools, children and the public in general. This is a gift to the City of Washington DC to celebrate this historical moment in American History and will remain open to the public to see for generations to come. This is fulfilling the idea that mural art is available for the public and for the masses.”

You can see more work by Karlisima at
www.Karlisima.com

Contact Press Coordinator: Mayamerica Cortez
703-731-9841

Mural location:
Mama Ayesha’s Restaurant (by the Duke Ellington Bridge)
1967 Calvert Street NW
Washington DC, 20009
(www.mamaayesha’s.com)

Graffiti: Art or Crime—a Discussion with Philadelphia Mural Arts

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 7:00 P.M.
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA

PARKWAY CENTRAL LIBRARY, SKYLINE ROOM, 4TH FLOOR
1901 VINE STREET

As part of the One Film program on Basquiat, sponsored by the Free Library of Philadelphia, Jane Golden, Director of the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, will explore the complex issues that arise when classifying graffiti as crime or art and how Philadelphia's own Anti-Graffiti Network provided the beginnings of the Mural Arts Program and the beautiful artwork enjoyed by Philadelphia citizens today. Call the Free Library at 215-567-7710 for more information.

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This I Believe: Essay by Jane Golden

WHYY's This I Believe is a weekly series of radio essays by some of Philadelphia's most influential leaders in politics, the arts, business, civic involvement and even public gardening.

For the past 20 years the presence of large scale murals has changed the city's urban landscape. One artist and community organizer is behind the effort of transforming more that 2,700 walls into murals and that's Jane Golden. This is her story for WHYY's This I Believe series.

Listen to an .mp3 recording of Jane's essay HERE.

Jane Golden Receives Prestigious Hepburn Medal

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7 , 6:00 - 9:00 P.M.
THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER
INDEPENDENCE MALL
525 ARCH STREET
COST: $50.00

The Mural Arts Program's executive director, Jane Golden, will be the recipient of the prestigious Hepburn Medal from the Katharine Houghton Hepburn Center at Bryn Mawr College, to be presented on February 7th at the National Constitution Center: "The Hepburn Medal honors Jane Golden's extraordinary contributions to civic life in Philadelphia, PA through the Mural Arts Program. Her tireless efforts to use public art to build community, engage at-risk youth, beautify the city, and crusade for social justice set an inspirational example for young women everywhere."

Tickets are $50 and will benefit a special internship for a Bryn Mawr student to work with the Mural Arts Program. Please RSVP to Lisa Zernicke at 610-526-5068. Checks should be made out to Bryn Mawr College and mailed to: Lisa Zernicke, Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010. For more information, visit http://www.brynmawr.edu/hepburn/medal.shtml.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Writing on the Wall: Graffiti Artists Add Color to D.C. Streets

By at thehoya.com
When asked where to find the best graffiti in D.C., Roger Gastman, author of Free Agents, a book about D.C. graffiti history, gave simple advice: Ride the Red Line. Catch the next GUTS bus to Dupont Circle, hop on the Metro in the direction of Glenmont, and grab a window seat. After Union Station, the Metro primarily runs on elevated tracks. The graffiti is clearly visible from the tracks in colorful patches on rooftops and on the sides of buildings. Past New York Avenue, the graffiti presence really asserts itself.
Read entire article at The Hoya

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Featured Muralist: PEPE PIEDRA

Catching the American Dream

a new mural by Pepe Piedra
13' x 32'

Artist, musician, art instructor, Pepe Piedra at work on "Catching the American Dream," mural
on Georgia Ave. in Washington, DC.


For more information and to commission a work,
Contact the artist (202) 271 - 6746
Email

"Yes We Can," Mural by Pepe Piedra

These beautiful murals by Pepe Piedra are a project to change the environment of the Sun Rise Academy. The murals provide the students with a warm and educational environment which helps them to know and better understand their lives through history.

The name of the central panel is "Yes we can" showing the process of a young kid breaking the chains of the ignorance through education, jumping the barriers in the river of life and getting to the highest levels of status as Barack Obama did it.

Yes We Can, (detail) central mural panel, 10' high x 15' long, by Jose Piedra



The second panel is about Family, showing the simple life of a black family living in freedom through education. Reading as the key to improvement, shows the wise black man with a book and his wife taking care of the child. The size of the murals are 10' high x 15' long.



"This is my contribution to the community as a Immigrant Artist, helping young people understand the meaning of Immigration in these times of change and hope in this Country of Immigrant people," says Jose Piedra.
Pepe Piedra, (artist, muralist, musician) is creating a third panel which is going to be a Civil Rights wall. Stay tuned for pictures when they become available. Pepe finds inspiration as a painter and musician. He is an art teacher most recently at "Henson Valley Montessori School" in Temple Hills, Maryland.

Contact Pepe Piedra to commission a mural or a painting,
and arts education services at 202.271.6746
You can see more of the artists work at
http://www.pepepiedra.com

About the artist:

Pepe was born in Casma - Peru, a town at north from the capital, Lima. Piedra has been drawing since his childhood and playing the drums since he was a teenager.

Graduated from the school of Fine Arts at 1987, he is a profesional artist and paints with surrealistic style with oils, acrylics and mixed media techniques.

Pepe Piedra became a pretty famous name in Peru once he started playing with Tierra Sur, a really popular reggae band. But before that, he has been playing with several groups and one of the most famous folklore bands in Peru, Yawar. Later he moves to Washington DC - USA and founds in 1998 the RAYMI Band fussioning latin-folk rhythms with Rock and Reggae.

In 1984, he started teaching art at Summer Camps in Trujillo (Peruvian North Cost), then he moved to Lima (Peruvian Capital) where he continued to teach. At present he is teaching artists to be in his Blue Moon Studio School in Washington DC Area and creating murals in the Washington, DC area. In October 2008, Piedra worked with Washington, DC artist & muralist Anne Marchand on the Prism Mural in Crystal City, VA, which was commissioned by the Crystal City Business Improvement District as the first in their series of Art Walls.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Conquering a Community Mural

Art Calendar Magazine Article on Meg Saligman's Community Murals By Kim Hall

Philadelphia artist Meg Saligman shares how creating some of the nation’s largest and most famous murals with so many people can have an impact far greater than a single artist could accomplish.

For more information about current and upcoming projects from Meg Saligman visit www.megsaligman.com

Art Calendar Magazine