#ArtInPublicLife

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Reflection on Renée Neblett Talk

Reflections on “Building Kokrobritey” 

Renée Neblett’s talk on her work and mission with the Kokrobritey Institute was deeply moving. As someone who is passionate about sustainability and its connection with the arts, I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about eco-conscious art and design initiatives. I am a current fashion design student at MassArt, entering my final year. My approach to my studies has been hyper-focused on sustainable alternatives to the negative global impact of the fashion industry. I know that Ghana has been overwhelmingly impacted by imported second hand garments and textile waste, so I was curious to learn what the Kokrobitey Institute is doing to alleviate this issue. 

The talk was eye-opening. Ms. Neblett has built an innovative educational program that trains community members, amplifies their creativity, lifts up local traditions, cherishes ancestral knowledge, and prepares the next generation of Ghanaian creators and changemakers. Kokrobitey takes trash out of the streets and landfills and transforms it into furniture, clothing, jewelry, home decor, and more. Advertisement banners become satchels and pouches, glass bottles become earrings and construction supplements, denim jeans become tapestries and furniture upholstery, and much more. With a sewing studio, a glass kiln, a woodworking shop, a medicinal and nutritional garden, all in a self-constructed building, Kokrobitey is an innovative example of holistic environmental sustainability, such that we should all strive to achieve within our own communities. 

I was deeply inspired by this talk and the discussion afterwards. I look forward to learning much more about the Kokrobritey Institute and how I may someday be able to transform my vision for a cleaner, more just fashion industry into a broader positive movement to protect the environment and the culture that kept us near it.

— Heily Rivas, Fashion Design ‘24 – CACP Radical Welcomer/Office Assistant

Please check out the links below to learn about Renée and the African Renaissance. Other videos and information are available by visiting the Kokrobitey Institute website.African Renaissance. Other

.

https://twyg.co.za/renee-neblett-on-why-we-need-an-african-renaissance-in-fashion/#:~:text=Social%20activist%20and%20founder%20of,Awards%20on%2017%20November%202022.

#sparctheartmobile #CultivatingRelationships #ArtInPublicLife #ArtAndDesign #IgnitingArtAndDesign #Collaboration #KokrobiteyInstitute #RenéeNeblett

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Join us for Jazz on the Green

Saturday should be a beautiful day to paint with sparc! and listen to Jazz!! You're invited to The Makanda Project’s final concert of the summer. Join sparc! the ArtMobile for an open air painting studio during the annual September Makanda Ken McIntyre birthday celebration. 

Jazz on the Green will be held at the First Church in Roxbury, 10 Putnam Street, Roxbury (rain location: inside church) - 1pm-4pm 

Jazz on the Green (2019) featuring guest artist Robert Murrell. 

At intermission there will be poetry by Vanessa Silva and a performance by student vocalists from the Butterfly Project. The music program will consist entirely of McIntyre compositions, including some of Makanda’s more recent “discoveries” as the ensemble continue to explore his large body of unrecorded work, and continue becoming more and more impressed with his brilliance as a composer. 

Jazz on the Green (2021)  featuring guest artist and former sparc! Team member Beatriz Whitehill

This event is for all ages and stages. Materials provided by sparc! 

Jazz on the Green (2019)  with community member and her wonderful painting

#sparctheartmobile #CommunityArt #Art&Healing #JoyMaking #OurCommunity #MakingArtTogether #ArtForAll #ArtHeals #ArtInPublicLife #IgnitingArtAndDesign #Roxburylove #TheMakandaProject

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Boston Children’s Museum: You, Me, We!

Do yourself a favor and visit the exhibit “You, Me, We” on view at the Boston Children's Museum. This exhibition showcases the work of Roxbury Youth Programs teens who created self-portrait collages in a sparc! workshop last summer. This workshop was organized in collaboration with The Diahann Project who made the stunning portraits of the youth. Each artwork uses the portrait as a foundation for embellishment with markers, gems and collage materials that spoke to each teen’s identity. 

We love these artworks and our partnership with Roxbury Youth Programs! We are so thrilled that the public gets to enjoy them too. The exhibit is up through December!

Slideshow from our workshop

Boston Children Museum Hours: 

7 days a week

9am–12pm and 1:30pm–4:30pm

All visitors receive $1 admission during the Sunday afternoon timeslot, 1:30pm–4:30pm. Online Reservations Required.

#sparctheartmobile #CommunityArt #TeamWorkMakesTheDreamWork #CultivatingRelationships #ArtInPublicLife #Roxburyyouthprograms #BostonChildrensMusuem

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sparc! Artist Stephen Hamilton In Conversation

Last week's sparc! Creative Spaces held a conversation with artist Stephen Hamilton that was insightful and powerful!

The room was filled with community artists and friends who came to learn about Stephen’s international travel experience to Nigeria and The Founders Project, his signature series of paintings which utilize weaving, carving, dying and painting.

Thank you, Stephen. Your weaving of traditional African storytelling and art with the empowerment of local youth has made this community stronger. Thank you @bplgrovehall for collaborating on this informative cultural event!

Be sure to go check out the sparc! Creative Spaces Chain Link Gallery featuring his work on 48 Geneva Ave! 

#sparctheartmobile #CommunityArt #JoyMaking #OurCommunity #CultivatingRelationships #ArtInPublicLife #ArtAndDesign #IgnitingArtAndDesign #Collaboration #GroveHallLibrary

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Roxbury Sunflower Project 2023 Launch

Join sparc! in celebrating the 2023 season with the Roxbury Sunflower Project launch on Sat. May 27th from 10:30am- 1:30pm at the Grove Hall Public Library (41 Geneva Ave, Dorchester)! 

Pick up your FREE seeds with care instructions and get Kids Kits for the young gardeners in your life. Activities will include making sunflower crowns with sparc! the ArtMobile. Help beautify our neighborhoods with color, radiance, and vibrancy; plant sunflowers - everywhere! Plant by June 30th for best results! Then tag and upload your process photos to instagram or follow and upload on our tumblr blog at www.roxburysunflowerproject.tumblr.com

#RoxburySunflowerProject #sparctheartmobile #Roxburylove #Roxbury #RoxburyRadiance #CommunityArt #JoyMaking #ArtInPublicLife #IgnitingArtAndDesign #Collaboration

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2022/2023 sparc! Team

Big Shoutout to our 2022/2023 sparc! Team!

Big hugs and thanks to our awesome students each of whom brought their unique ideas, talents, and perspectives to our team. We always say that “MassArt students are the engine that drives sparc!” and it’s true! This group of warm, dedicated, loving humans helped bring sparc! programs to life - from Community Painting in Grove Hall to Printmaking in the MassArt cafeteria and everything in between!!

We are excited to continue making art and connections in and with our many communities alongside these students next semester!

#sparctheartmobile #OurCommunity #MassArt #MakingArtTogether #ArtForAll #TeamWorkMakesTheDreamWork #CultivatingRelationships #ArtInPublicLife #ArtAndDesign #IgnitingArtAndDesign #Collaboration #CACPOfficeHappenings

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In Conversation with Artist Stephen Hamilton this Thursday

Join MassArt's sparc! the ArtMobile for a conversation with artist Stephen Hamilton (@theartofstephenhamilton) on Thursday, May 25th from 5:30-7:00pm at the Grove Hall Public Library (41 Geneva Ave, Dorchester)! Come learn about this international artist who was born and raised in Dorchester, MA.

Stephen's work from "The Itan Project" is featured in our newest Creative Spaces Chain Link Gallery on Geneva Ave. The current display features youth from Roxbury and Dorchester cast as African deities and royalty. 

Stephen’s work focuses on the aesthetics, philosophies and key symbols inherent throughout West Africa and the Diaspora. He strives to create a dialogue between contemporary Black cultures and the ancient African world. Through visual comparison of shared philosophies and aesthetics ubiquitous among Black peoples he seeks to describe a complex and varied Black aesthetic.

Check out this video to learn more about the Stephen and his studio process. Published by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

#sparctheartmobile #CommunityArt #OurCommunity #ArtInPublicLife #ArtAndDesign #IgnitingArtAndDesign #Collaboration #GroveHallLibrary #GroveHall #MassArtAlum #Youtube

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This Saturday!

sparc! the ArtMobile will be at the festival from 1-3pm! (4/29)

Come create with us!

For free tickets to the Boston Comics in Color Festival go to comicsincolor.org

#sparctheArtMobile #Comicsincolor #CommunityArt #ArtInPublicLife #ArtAndDesign #IgnitingArtAndDesign #Collaboration

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sparc! Creative Spaces Chain Link Gallery: Comics in Color Festival

Attention all comic lovers! sparc! the ArtMobile in collaboration with Boston Comics in Color (BCIC) and Roxbury Community College (RCC) just installed a new Chain Link Gallery highlighting featured artists for the upcoming Comics in Color Festival.  

Check-out the awesome artwork on Columbus Ave. at the corner of Cedar Street!

The Boston Comics in Color Festival is a family-friendly event for all ages focusing on creators of color and stories by and about people of color. This free event will take place on April 29th, 2023 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center on the campus of Roxbury Community College (RCC) from 10am to 5pm.

MassArt’s sparc! the ArtMobile will present their popular Create Your Player activity from 1pm-4pm led by our awesome student team. Artward Bound will also be on hand to share information about the MassArt program that supports Boston High School Youth in arts education.  

Boston Comics in Color Festival  will include special guest speakers; panel discussions with working artists and writers; workshops on comic art and writing; live art demos; and an artist alley for comic creators to share and sell their books, materials, artwork.For free

tickets and more information go to comicsincolor.org

#sparctheArtMobile #Comicsincolor #CommunityArt #ArtInPublicLife #ArtAndDesign #IgnitingArtAndDesign #Collaboration

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DJ Kit @ Grove Hall in Color!

DJ Kitz @kitznervassor has been our source of uplifting music at the Grove Hall in Color events. We are happy he will be Djing again at this years Grove Hall in Color/ Back to School event on September 10th from Noon - 5pm

When asked what we have to look forward to on September 10th he told us-

“We want to do an intergenerational playlist -  taking music that's been sampled in later generations AND also playing the original. I plan to showcase how music borrows, celebrates and pays homage to previous generations and HOW what we do now also matters. I think it highlights how what we do lives beyond our generation, it transcends time.”

Last Year There were a few kids that came up as we were closing and wanted to play with the equipment and learn how to use  the DJ equipment. It’s not really that accessible. You don't go into a school that has a music program for DJs or producers so having kids do live mixing at the event was a highlight . It’s important to acknowledge some of the talented  voices that aren’t recognized within a community and uplift them..

We can't wait to hear the tunes played this year that will keep us moving and dancing through the September 10th Celebration.

#sparctheartmobile CommunityArt Art&Healing JoyMaking OurCommunity MakingArtTogether ArtInPublicLife IgnitingArtAndDesign

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BPL @ Grove Hall in Color

Let’s meet some of our amazing partners for Grove Hall in Color Back to School! The Boston Public Library and more specifically the Grove Hall branch has been a long term partner. The children and teen librarians, Angela and Celia, are committed to expanding youths' access to books, art, and learning. 

For our back to school event last year they were able to donate the book Dear Martin by Nic Stone to sparc! the ArtMobile’s ART2GO Knapsacks. This made our giveaway even more expansive! This year the Library will be handing out lots of books for all to take home!!

We are excited to be partnering with Grove Hall Library again for our September event. 

See you all on 9/10/22 from 12-5 (Flyer down below)

#sparctheartmobile CommunityArt ArtAndHealing JoyMaking OurCommunity MakingArtTogether ArtInPublicLife IgnitingArtAndDesign

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GROVE HALL IN COLOR - BACK TO SCHOOL

We are so thrilled to welcome everyone back for another community celebration in Grove Hall’s Art Mecca! 

Here are a few highlights from last years Grove Hall in Color to get us excited for all the festivities on September 10th 2022!!  

 Beatriz of the sparc! team makes sure everyone has the support they need to utilize form and color to express themselves.

Apex and Sobek – Our sparc! the ArtMobile truck became a work of art under the creative spell of Super Sobek and Apex. Two community artists committed to sharing the power of street art and graffiti.

Boston Fire Department – Kids had a blast sitting in the driver’s seat of one of our City’s Fire Trucks. They even got to meet a fireman, ring the truck’s bell and get their own BFD hats.

To end the day what could be better than bubbles…

#sparctheartmobile CommunityArt ArtAndHealing JoyMaking OurCommunity MakingArtTogether ArtInPublicLife IgnitingArtAndDesign

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JOIN US FOR A COLORFUL AND EXPRESSIVE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION!!

SAVE THE DATE!!! Grove Hall in Color - Back to School 

We are so excited to be back this Sept with our 2nd edition of Grove Hall in Color - Back to School! For ALL Ages and Stages!

This community celebration lifts up all learners - our young people going back to school this fall as well as intergenerational learning and youth success in the Grove Hall Art Mecca on Geneva Ave. We will bring together neighbors, friends, family, and community to create, learn and find our joy. 

This event features music for the soul, educational games, wellness practices, food, crafts, vendors and more.

See you September 10th from 12-5pm on 48 Geneva Avenue, Roxbury/Dorchester line, Grove Hall (the vacant lot across from the Grove Hall Public Library) 

This event is supported in part by the Cummings Foundation, Greater Grove Hall Main Streets, Blick Art, and MassArt's Center for Art and Community Partnerships 

#sparctheartmobile CommunityArt Art&Healing JoyMaking OurCommunity MakingArtTogether ArtInPublicLife IgnitingArtAndDesign