breakarts.rachel

Census of the Senses

2008-08-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

To see more check http://www.censusofthesenses.blogspot.com/
Much love and thanks to the children in el Pital, el Colegio, Elly and Rob from Un Mundo, Break Arts hearts and the wonderful and ever amazing Amanda Lichtenstein.

2008-08-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

Complete and Divine

2008-08-24T17:13:00.000-07:00

Kuiperfest offered a revival of spirit, sharing the arts at their finest in a place both intimate and pristine. http://kuiperfest.com/

My time at the Ruin Residency was beyond blue, beyond good. My senses were awakened by the faint chatter of birds and fed by almonds, olives and vino tinto.

PM Dawns

2008-05-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

Is it in the essence of atomic energy? An element of ephemera?
Particle monologues continues like the laundry we hang to dry in the spring breeze, arriving like a special delivery package to those who find them. On June 13th, in an exhibition entitled "Walls of Hope", Particle Monologues will begin a journey from the MOCHA in Oakland California to Stockholm, next to Buenos Aires then San Salvador, alas, returning to Oakland sometime next year. This exhibition invites artists and agitators exploring the practice of art as intervention and community change fodder specifically recognizing that communities that have been torn apart during war can be reunified through the process of art-making and that all people have the right to make art.
http://www.mocha.org/exhibits/index.html

The Ruin

2008-04-19T11:00:00.002-07:00

This is were I will be this June, The Ruin Residency in Northern Spain. The month long residency; solar energy no running water, olives & sunshine, will end at the Kuiperfest: objects at the farthest reaches. www.kuiperfest.org

breakarts.rachel: BiblioBuro

2008-04-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.marisajahn.com/

BiblioBuro

2008-04-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

Marisa lifelong adoration for bookmobiles began in Dallas, Texas where an impressionable visit arrived at her elementary school's rotunda. Since then, as an artist, writer, curator and inventor, Marisa has inspired experimental bookmaking projects that build literacy and forge joyful story telling, both true and fictional. After a bookmaking extravaganza in El Pital, where over 62 original works were written & bond, Marisa returned with BiblioBurro. Biblioburro is a mobile bookmaking unit, fulled by pure horse power and replete with saddle bags and a sombrerro wearing Guacho. More to come about this Shada/Jahn, Break Arts & Un Mundo collaboration to come but until then remember to tell stories, not only to friends but to strangers too!

Arriba las MUJERES

2008-01-31T10:27:00.000-08:00

Brittany Atkinson, CSH AP Art

Arriba las MUJERES
Las Secretas de Nuestras Aguas Dulce

Caleb Duarte & I made these fashionable, political and extremely versatile bags in Mexico to sell in efforts to support the building of a library and development of art programs in El Pital, Honduras.
100% of proceeds will used to purchase books, art supplies and teaching tools.
Please contact me if you'd like to make a purchase, just 20$!

Special thanks to Caleb Duarte, Convent of the Sacred Heart,
The Mural Music & Art Project, Cathedral Elementary & Pond: Ideas Art & Activism

Making a Place for Storytelling

2008-01-31T09:22:00.001-08:00

This February artist, Marisa Jahn, will be in El Pital offering Literacy and Bookmaking Workshops. Marisa is a remarkable artist, educator and activist who has offered her support to community building projects in El Pital for several years. This visit will coincide with school and library building efforts. It is our hope to set up future student and artist exchange projects that inspire creative action and awareness in the community. More storytelling soon... www.marisajahn.com www.unmundo.org

Arte En Las Calles 2008, Mexico City

2008-01-31T08:54:00.000-08:00

Talleres de Arte Visual y Teatro:
Vegetable Box Boundaries

Talleres de Musica: Tin Can Rhythm

Un Celebracion de Arte & Amistad: Eye Contact

on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6WbHlbCuKk

el hombre con mascara

2007-10-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

In August artist Caleb Duarte and I visited El Pital, Honduras. We left the Bay Area with overstuffed packs barely containing all of the arts supplies, musical instruments and beautiful children's books generously donated by our friends from the Mural, Music and Art Project, Clif Judy, Les Dewitt and the Armenta and McIntire families.

This two week project was designed with the intention of supporting the current efforts of the community's school and library development projects. Caleb and I had the opportunity to work with the school administration and teachers as well as spend time with many families and of course, all of the children. With the assistance of high school students Caleb painted the new logo designed by the school Principal, Oscar Gomez. Between organizing for the future and numerous river explorations, we led percussion music workshops, and made time for group storytelling, drawing and face painting.

It is my hope to support this three year school redevelopment plan through the introduction of artists, architects and activists to contribute and collaborate in a sharing skills and interests with those of the community members. In the next visit in February, Marisa Jahn and members of the Paper Picker Press will work with the youth in creative writing, bookmaking and design projects. Caleb Duarte hopes to return during his summer break from SAIC to create a land sculpture commemorating the community founders and together we plan to build a more permanent presence of artists in the Cuenca for the future.

Interruptions: PEACE

2007-04-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

"We aren't in Berkeley now, are we?", remarked the school Janitor as he watched the class climb trees and hurl lassos attached to metal sculptures over the out of reach tree branches. "Nah!", explained Amatullah, "we're just installing our artwork about peace here in Oakland." The Street Art class completed their third installation of the Interruption series: PEACE. The installation coincided the schools' Violence Prevention Week. One of the sculptures lasted over 24 hours, hanging above the reach of even the tallest 8th grade students.

Interruptions: HARMONY

2007-04-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

LOVE lasted 14 hours, from 6:00pm to 8:15am. HARMONY just a little longer, a pair of notes withstanding 15 hours. Student interviews reported that 90% of students, parents and teachers that saw the installations described them as “weird”, “gay” and “dumb”. When I asked what we should do in terms of the projects' future a unanimous, “just keep doing it,” sounded. With brazen intent and constant chatter we began to make PEACE.

Interruptions: LOVE

2007-03-13T22:42:00.000-07:00

INTERUPTIONS is a three part installation designed by the Urban Arts Public Art class to promote to LOVE, PEACE, and HARMONY. The goal of the project is to diversify the landscape with provocative installations and then investigate how these actions alter interactions that take place within the school community.

Building an Equation for Educational Justice

2007-02-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

The goal of this six-week course was to engage students in the research, design and fabrication of a multiple wall mural for Sacramento High School (SHS). Research was informed by themes that related to the mission of SHS’s School of Math, Engineering and Health Science. In the final week of the program students compiled their research and artwork under the guidance of professional artists to create the final composition. The mural was then installed during five days of rigorous painting.

The project build upon the idea that the students would drive the ideas that would then be transferred into a cohesive visual design. Building upon the skills and interest of each students, a powerful creative collective was formed wherein each participant had the opportunity to explore new areas while focusing on his or her primary interest. Due to the vast opportunities that mural making invites, student had the opportunity to work as writers, painters, researchers, designers,and builders; forming a cohesive production team.

The five-wall mural filling the MEHS Atrium presents a multi layered visual equation for educational justice. A vibrant colore scheme of cherry red, adobe orange and cerulean blue invites the viewer to circulate through the space reading the writing on the walls. The three focal walls depict parts of the entire equations which speaks of the students view of a path towards educational justice. The three levels of meaning painted on the walls includes a dynamic cityscape, posterized portraits of students and an equations that unites and reiterates the compositions message.

The cityscape sets the backdrop for each central image. Located in the three focal walls are large portraits representing MEHS diverse student body. Their poses depict the three fundamental actions needed to build an equation for educational justice: action, listening and speaking. Beginning on the northerly wall, freshman Karina Munez and sophomore Katerhine Chou, posed speaking the Epictuetus quote, “only the educated are free.” During the research phase of the mural this quote was translated into twelve languages spoken at the school.

Written in large stencils is the equations :
EDUCATION = FREEDOM

Moving east, Senior Willie Jones, represents listen as he tells the story of the obstacles of urban education while on his way to study law at a four-year university. In an interview discussing the dismal numbers of students from economically disadvantaged zip codes that attend four-year universities Willie voiced, “I will be a positive statistic.” Surrounding his image are words written by MEHS students in their college entrance essays sharing hope beyond obstacles. The equation on this wall was written by the students after and inspired interview with Hope Inc. CEO, Kevin Johnson.
hope + work > the sum of all obstacles

On the third wall, Junior Donald Huff is captured in action. Using body language and music, this composition acknowledged and values multiple intelligences while inspiring dynamic movement. Written on the wall is the a translation of a quote by Martin Luther King Jr.:
The FUNCTION of education = teach/think (intensive and critically)

Edna Brewer Photography

2007-02-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

read faces. capture essence. speak eyes.

Welcome to Oakland

2007-02-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

Edna Brewers' empty halls invite exploration by the fresh lens held by new photographers.
Looking closely at texture, angles and light, we investigated the schools vacant halls and passages.

2006-12-27T10:43:00.003-08:00

breakarts.org is officially up- replete with spelling errors, yet full of budding ideas and last years projects! we invite our friends, fellow artist, educators and cultural agents to join us in extending opportunities for creative investigations championed by youth and their communities.