Meet the artists of "Transformation" & "Pioneers of Bushwick" by Daryl-Ann Saunders

*SPECIAL EVENT - ARTIST TALK* 
SAT JUNE 23rd AT 1PM (SEATING BEGINS 12:30)

Diana Jones Center and RBSCC invite all to view the current exhibitions and meet the talented artists of "TRANSFORMATION" and "PIONEERS OF BUSHWICK", curated by Daryl-Ann Saunders.

Location: Diana Jones Senior Center, 9 Noll Street at the corner of Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn.
Map HERE. Check the facebook event & RSVP HERE.

SAT JUNE 23 2012, 1PM
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
NO CHARGE
REFRESHMENTS
AIR-CONDITIONED

ARTIST SPEAKERS:
Ken Butler transforms objects into functional hybrid instruments and artwork. NOTE: He is performing this Sunday at Northside Festival in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at 3pm! Ken on facebook.

Andy Monk's recent plaster/ matchstick series represent floor plans of his former residences, etc. They are composed of thousands of matchsticks and are transformed, through burning, to leave behind the scorched remnants of memory. Andy on facebook.

Lavinia Roberts' work, as a playwright and creator of soft sculpture/ masks, is transformed from words/ object into social commentary. Her short play, Moment, is at the East Village Theatre Festival in June/July. NOTE: Catch today's performance, Sat 3/16 at 3pm ("EVA" on the calendar)! Lavinia on facebook.

Daryl-Ann Saunders' ongoing "Pioneers of Bushwick" photo portraits & text are on display at 3 locations in Bushwick. One of numerous objectives is to share stories of long-time Bushwick residents, thus transforming them from strangers to neighbors. Daryl-Ann on facebook.

Note: Exhibit artwork also by Corinne Beardsley and Michael Feld who will not be present at the artist talk.

Announcement: "POB" Artwork At 3 Locations in Bushwick

      Pioneers of Bushwick: Enduring Portraits of Dignity      
Portraits by Daryl-Ann Saunders
Words by Bushwick Residents

Whew, what a tornado of activity during the last few weeks! I framed previous and new "Pioneers of Bushwick" images for two different venues and I'm so happy with how the final pieces look. With text, they're currently on display at three locations in Bushwick throughout the summer. Dates, times, events are indicated below. Stop by! Tell me what you think! (And kindly share the link of this page with your facebook friends). For periodic updates, subscribe on the upper right of this page.

• WYCKOFF HEIGHTS MEDICAL CENTER

12 canvas photographs with adjacent text
24/7, through Jan. 31, 2013
Wykcoff Heights Medical Center
374 Stockholm Street 
(bt Wyckoff and St. Nicholas Avenues)
Brooklyn, NY 11237 - ground floor, main hallway
Take L train to DeKalb stop, hospital is on the corner.

• DIANA JONES SENIOR CENTER

17 canvas photographs with adjacent text with "Transformation" exhibit
M-F 8am-3pm, through July 27th, 2012
Diana Jones Senior Center
9 Noll Street at Bushwick Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11206 - lower level
Take J/ M/ Z train to Myrtle Ave & Broadway stop, walk 5 minutes

*Special Event: June 23rd ARTIST TALK, open to the public. Join us!
1pm-2:15pm: Artist talk for Pioneers of Bushwick and Transformation exhibit. Curator/ Artist, Daryl-Ann Saunders with Ken Butler, Andy Monk and Lavinia Roberts.

• SWEET & SHINY

1 canvas photograph (group show)
daily till 6:30pm through July 24th, 2012
Sweet & Shiny Cafe (wonderful cupcakes!)
214 Knickerbocker Avenue
(bt Jefferson & Troutman Streets)
Brooklyn, NY 11237
Take L train to Jefferson Street stop, walk 2 blocks

2nd Opening Reception | feeling like "Queen For A Day"!

One exhibit. Two receptions. Nutty, right?

The first opening reception for Pioneers of Bushwick: We Call It Home was on Feb. 23rd and was highly exclusive (dawling) for Center members, etc. only. The second reception took place the following evening and was joyously open to the riff-raff public. Yes, skies were stormy but the Sangria and snacks were in abundance and very much enjoyed by everyone.

The Director of Diana Jones Senior Center, Narcisa Ruiz, introduced me to the clamoring audience. Ok, ok . . . semi-clamoring. :-) I described the perseverance of residents that lived through Bushwick's ups-and-downs since the 1970s. I felt tremendous pride introducing the Pioneers to give their own perspective. To wrap up the talking, representatives from the Brooklyn Arts Council and the NY Department of Cultural Affairs enthusiastically spoke about their programs and support for creativity in the urban landscape.

(l to r) Sandra Christian, Narcisa Ruiz             Photo by Marilyn Stern

I was very pleasantly surprised to be presented with a beautiful wood plaque by the center Director. In addition, several of the Pioneers presented me with flowers and, well, I felt a little choked up with emotion. There I was with flowers in one arm, plaque in the other  . . . it felt like Queen for a Day and the only thing missing was the crown! How am I supposed to maintain my NY crust if people are going to be all thoughtful and everything?? Sheesh. Anyway, it made me smile a lot and all evening.
 

(l to r) "Pioneers" Lucy Mendez, Angel Mendez, Blanca Irizarry, Aida Irizarry and Ana
Nieves look on while a plaque is presented by Narcisa Ruiz to Artist Daryl-Ann Saunders.

Photo by Giuseppe Bergami

Thanks go out again to all the Pioneers that attended, the representatives from Brooklyn Arts Council (Kathleen Christie) and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (Kristin Sakoda, Danai Pointer and others), Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council and Diana Jones Center staff (Sandra Christian, Arlene Suero, LuLu). Your enthusiastic embrace of this project has meant the world to me. And thank you to my friends, "new friends" and colleagues for braving initial bad weather to share this with me. It was so great to see your smiling faces! (And special thanks to MS).

The exhibit is open to the general public through April 27th, M-F 8am-3pm at Diana Jones Senior Center, 9 Noll Street (corner of Bushwick Avenue) in Brooklyn, NY. It's super easy by subway - - the J/M/Z to Myrtle Avenue at Broadway and then a 5-minute walk. Links to additional info and directions are under "PAGES", the section at the top of the right menu. Please stop by and don't forget to sign the guest book! Enter your e-mail on the upper right of this page to receive periodic blog updates.

1st Opening Reception | DNAinfo.com Article

"Since they arrived in Bushwick from Puerto Rico more than five decades ago, 61-year-old Aida Irizarry and her 80-year-old mother, Blanca, have watched the neighborhood evolve".

So begins "Photographer Captures Pioneers of Bushwick's Past", Meredith Hoffman's February feature article on DNAinfo.com about the Pioneers Of Bushwick: We Call It Home exhibit at Diana Jones Senior Center. I give Meredith my sincere thanks for her persistence. I was a pain to get hold of several days before the exhibit - on the run with final preparations.

Me and Narcisa Ruiz (Center Director) with some of the "Pioneers of Bushwick"

(l to r) Avellar G. Hansley, artist Daryl-Ann Saunders (rear), Linda McKinley, Center Director Narcisa Ruiz (rear), Aida Irizarry, Robert Camacho (rear), Blanca Irizarry, Ana Nieves (rear), and Elizabeth Colon. Out of view on the right: Jose Colon, Lucy Mendez, and Angel Mendez

Photo by Meredith Hoffman, DNAinfo.com

We had two receptions for the exhibit - - a private one for Center members and then one the next day for the public. As guests of honor, the "Pioneer" participants were invited to both.The afternoon event was nicely packed, representatives from the sponsoring organizations attended and spirits were high.

Narcisa Ruiz, the Center's Director, launched the event with a rousing introduction about the project and the Center's growing positive role within the community. After that, we were delighted to present each "Pioneer" in attendance with a Certificate of Recognition.

Thank you to all the Pioneers that attended, the representatives from Brooklyn Arts Council (Ethany Uttech), the NYC Department for the Aging (Gail Evans), Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council and Diana Jones Center staff (Sandra Christian, Arlene Suero, LuLu) for contributing to a great afternoon. And plenty of food! More to come in the next post about the evening reception.

The exhibit is open to the general public and can be viewed M-F 8am-3pm through April 27th at Diana Jones Center, 9 Noll Street (corner of Bushwick Avenue) in Brooklyn, NY. It's easy by subway - - the J/ M/ Z to Myrtle Avenue at Broadway and then a 4 block walk. Links to additional info and directions are under "PAGES", the section at the top of the right menu. Stop by and don't forget to sign the guest book! Enter your e-mail on the upper right of this page to receive periodic blog updates.

Press Release: Pioneers of Bushwick exhibit

Hello, I'm excited to share press release information below about my upcoming exhibit and opening reception. Please come on by February 24th from 5-7pm and say hello!!


PLEASE ~
Subscribe to this blog (see right menu)
RSVP to the reception on face book
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact - Center: N. Ruiz, 718-782-3601 | Artist: D. Saunders, das@PioneersOfBushwick.com, 646-808-6035

“PIONEERS OF BUSHWICK: WE CALL IT HOME”

A photography exhibit by Daryl-Ann Saunders

Feb. 23^rd through April 27^th 2012, M-F 9am-3pm

PUBLIC RECEPTION: Friday, Feb. 24^th from 5-7pm

For general public (incl. seniors & families, Pioneers of Bushwick participants, city agencies, media)

PRIVATE RECEPTION: Thursday, Feb. 23^rd from 1-2:30pm (begins promptly at 1pm)

For seniors, Pioneers of Bushwick participants and city agencies only

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pioneers of Bushwick: We Call It Home is an exhibit featuring photographic portraits of long-time Bushwick residents by Daryl-Ann Saunders, presented at the Diana H. Jones Senior Center, located at 9 Noll Street between Bushwick Avenue and Stanwix Street in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY 11206.

Through Space for Art, a city art residency program matching artists to city senior centers with workspace, Daryl-Ann Saunders created a small “pop-up” photo studio at the center. There she began creating studio portraits and collecting written text of Bushwick residents that have lived in the neighborhood since the 1970s and still live in Bushwick today.  Many center members are included in this collaborative effort. 

The Bushwick-based artist explains, “Bushwick’s most difficult decades of the 1970s and 80s were marked by arson, crime, drugs and gang activity. The Pioneers of Bushwick project commemorates residents that persevered, raised families and contributed to a rich historical tapestry throughout those times and up to its current resurgence. Their contributions will now be in evidence within Bushwick history. As this artwork is viewed by community residents of varied ages and cultures, it is hoped it will stimulate dialogue, not just about Bushwick and its history, but also about aging, self-worth, human value and experience.”

Ms. Saunders is a professional and fine art photographer. Her images have been published worldwide, is exhibited regularly and held in the collections of Pfizer, Inc., General Electric as well as other collections, public and private. For more information about the artist and her projects, visit: www.DASfineart.com and www.PioneersOfBushwick.com.

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Project/ exhibit space, senior participation and staff support has been generously donated to the Pioneers of Bushwick project by Diana H. Jones Senior Center and their sponsor, RidgewoodBushwick Senior Citizens Council. The organization seeks to promote the well-being of community residents who are 60+ years of age through nutrition, recreation, social services and educational programs.

This exhibit is sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by the Brooklyn Arts Council, Inc.(BAC). The Space for Art program (now SPARC) was initiated by the Brooklyn Arts Council in partnership with New York City Department for the Aging and the Department of Cultural Affairs.