A Photographer's State of Mind
On view: February 15 - March 15, 2025
Opening Reception: Saturday, Feb. 15, 2-6pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, March 1, 4-6pm
Closing Reception: Saturday, March 15, 2-6pm
Exhibiting artists include Carl Broady, Howard Cash, Rudy Collins, Melanie Hill, Debbie Jackson, Glenda Jones, Malique Payne, Kenya Smith, and Michael Yeboa.
Angst
On view: March 20 - April 19, 2025
Opening Reception: Thurs., March 20, 6-8pm
Closing Reception: Sat., April 19, 6-8pm
Curated by Destiny Jones
Exhibiting artists include Lauren Caminero-Susana, Emelin Peralta, Jahzeel Peralta and Leonie Smith.
Angst is the cost of living. A feeling that is familiar to everyone, anxiety. It creeps into all our lives at some point and can shape our reality. Acknowledgment of mental health struggles are not afforded to women of color who live with anxiety due to societal pressures and standards. I want women to feel validated and seen when expressing themselves. This exhibition puts together four artists who have deep connections with their bodies, using them to depict scenarios of unease using surrealism. The depictions of their emotions portrayed as realistic or a cartoonish manner offering silliness while exploring heavy topics of the human condition. The women in this show bring their individual expressions of angst in the form of emotional realities, physical symptoms, and day-to-day life.
Lauren Caminero Susana utilizes painting, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking to explore relationships between the body and mind. Influenced by themes such as grief & loss through the passage of time she uses self portraiture and depictions of the body to capture the displacement of not feeling here nor there. Her current work focuses on her struggles with identity & self acceptance as she continues to deal with the sudden death of her mother as a teen.
Emelin Peralta explores navigating emotions during different stages of her life. “The human body reacts to your emotions, things that can not be seen, they can only be felt.” Using painting and drawing, she mainly works with self portraiture to convey invisible emotions. Her use of symbolism, romanticism, and abstract expressionism can be seen throughout.
Leonie Smith focuses on forging the gap between past and present using real and imagined scenarios. Utilizing printmaking, painting, and drawing, she uses aspects of childhood memories in humorous or creepy ways. “I move through the world as someone who deals with anxiety, my work is a reflection of scenarios both lived and imagined as a form of escapism.”
Jahzeel E. Peralta uses sculpture and drawing to create her sculptures that embody the emotional and mental battles that “go unheard of but speak loudly in silence.” The interweaving grotto and monumental scales are monoliths, juxtaposed with niche sceneries. They combine to create the narratives of life, death, fear, anxiety, and the transcendent merit of life.
Destiny Jones is a multidisciplinary Bronx based artist, curator, and teaching artist. My art forms range from printmaking, ceramics, photography, and digital art. My work centers black feminism, identity, and growing pains, with a focus of intersectionality exploring the issues of the past that continue to perpetuate the modern world.
Drawn to Life
On view: January 9 - February 8, 2025
Opening Reception: Thurs., January 9, 5:30-8pm
Artist Talk: Thurs., January 9, 6:30-8pm
Closing Reception + Workshop: Sat., February 8, 2-7pm
Curated by Ruddy Mejia
Exhibiting artists include Debbie Ali, Sakura Abdel-Rahman, Edwin "Enoch" Sanchez, Ivan Velez Jr.
Workshop on Comics, Character Design & Drawing with Ivan Velez Jr.
February 8, 2-4 PM workshop & Closing talk 4:30-5:30pm
Unleash Your Creativity and Bring Your Characters to Life!
Dive into the world of comics and character design at the Drawn to Life workshop! Whether you're a beginner or looking to level up your skills, this hands-on session will guide you through the fundamentals of creating compelling characters and dynamic stories. Learn how to turn your ideas into illustrations that tell a story, from sketch to final design.
The workshop is free! All materials provided; no previous experience necessary!
Workshop Highlights:
Comics 101: Discover the basics of comic book storytelling, from panel layout to visual storytelling techniques.
Character Design: Learn how to create unique, memorable characters with personality and depth.
Drawing Techniques: Step-by-step tutorials on sketching, inking, and adding details.
Interactive Practice: Guided exercises to help you put theory into practice.
Feedback & Support: Get personalized tips and advice from experienced instructors to take your drawings to the next level.
Who Can Attend:
Artists of all skill levels!
Aspiring comic book creators and character designers.
Anyone with a passion for drawing and storytelling.
