LiveBliss

Bushwick Is...2009

I was wandering around Bushwick today with a canvas, Sharpies, crayons, and a desire to see how folks would respond to "Bushwick Is..." Thomas Bell and I left Spread Art around 1pm with the canvas showing the boundaries of Bushwick way back when (1800s) and the boundaries of Bushwick today. We made a few stops (a pharmacy, a laundromat, a bodega) and received great input on our journey to Maria Hernandez Park (named after a woman who was shot and killed in 1989 for fighting to rid her block of drug dealers).

In the park we were overwhelmed with kids 
and also a lot of adults wanting to participate. Among them was a veteran (Iraq and Afghanistan), whose reflections on his experience returning to Bushwick, and the words he added to the canvas ("god forgive me can you") are unlikely to leave my mind anytime soon.

After the park we made our way to Brooklyn Fireproof to share the community dialogue that had happened so far and invite further participation. Brooklyn Fireproof was a location of today's BETA spaces event, described as "a one-day festival of independently curated, collaborative group exhibitions."

The "Bushwick Is..." canvas is part of an ongoing project begun in 2006 by Erin Partridge, Thomas Bell and myself. The project aims to facilitate community dialogue and self-reflection and to document moments in time as Bushwick experiences rapid gentrification.

I will add more to this post soon, but for the photos are going to have to speak for themselves as I'm in desperate need of a good night's sleep. See gobs of photos from today here.

 

Spread Art @ Brooklyn Artillery

Last night was the opening of the Brooklyn Artillery show at Castle Braid. There were gobs of people, interesting art in a wide variety of mediums (video, installation, painting, photography, movement...), a lot of music, and I even managed to get my hands on a few pretzels (though to be fair I arrived 5 hours after the opening began, so presumably the bowl was filled many times before I came through).

I have collages, paintings, photography and mixed media work in Spread Art's exhibition space. The current show will be up for at least the next two weeks. Spread Art will have rotating exhibitions at Castle Braid through October 31st. Watch for a politically-infused "What Haunts Us?" Halloween show to close the space.

See photos of the current Spread Art exhibition here (more coming soon). Visit in person, weekends through October 31st: Castle Braid; 114 Troutman (between Central & Bushwick).

Above (Left to Right):

1) Cessation of Suffering, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
2) Waiting, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
3) Pain, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
4) Hope Remains, 30"x30", Acrylic, fabric, metal on canvas, Christina deRoos, $1200

September Concert @ Spread Art: 9/11/09

Friday night I participated in the September Concert at Spread Art. Responding to the theme and atmosphere of the the evening I made a mixed media piece out of dollar bills, thread and found  metal. Click the photo to see a larger version.

The September Concert is a series of free concerts, organized by individuals, schools, businesses, and associations to bring communities together, to reaffirm our hope for peace and to celebrate life and our universal humanity. Concerts are held in all areas of our city, our nation, and our world. It is a global day of music for peace, every September 11th.

The September Concert at Spread Art included live music by The Tronic (Thomas Bell and Gregg Jarvis), an ice sculpture by Thomas Bell...and me cutting up United States currency. 

See more photos from 9/11/09 at Spread Art here.

Friday, Sept 18th - Fundraiser for Rwandan Kids

Friday, September 18th Spread Art is hosting a fundraiser for Through the Eyes of Hope. I hope you to see you!

Through the Eyes of Hope:

"Encouraging children to photograph the world through their eyes"

VISION

• to provide photography classes as a means of art therapy to children around the world
• to allow children to tell their own stories through their photographs
• to provide a local trade to help children pay for school fees and food
• to celebrate and affirm children’s creativity by exhibiting their photographs in different venues throughout the world
• to bring awareness of different cultures to communities through the children’s photographs

July Newsletter - Summer of Art in NY

Below is the email newsletter that I sent a few days ago. Put your email in the cute little box if you would like to receive my future email updates (about art, yoga, Mexico, NY, and more) direct to your inbox.

 

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Saludos!

So the rain has (mostly) stopped in NY and it finally feels like summer around here. I'm grateful for the full creative plate that life served me in June and am excited about the artistic goodness in July & beyond.


The fun begins tonight with The Love Show at Spread Art in Bushwick / East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

Friday, July 17th - Sunday, July 29th

Spread Art & iloveyou present:

The Love Show

Love as a force of good, bad, movement, height, hate, God,
passion, destruction, construction, and oppression.

Over 20 artists working in a variety of mediums, including oil,
acrylic, wood, photography, video and more.




Opening Night: Friday, July 17th 7pm - 11pm
With music by Knight & Gale and Eastern Sweats

On View: Sat, July 18th & Sun, July  19th; 12pm - 6pm

Several pieces invite your participation, and of course there will be beer, wine, and live music to make your night complete.

Here is where you will find the love...

Spread Art
104 Meserole Street
(b/w Manhattan & Leonard)
Subway: L to Montrose or J/M/Z to Lorimer

***

For those of you excited to show & sell your latest creations, check out the Call for Participants
below for the McKibbin Street Fair on Saturday, July 25th.

The street fair is presented by AKA Potion, a great cafe in Bushwick / East Williamsburg that is known for its strong support of local artists. The fair is coming up soon, but there are still opportunities to get involved.

***

Beginning in August, Thomas Bell and I will be curating the walls of the walls of Mojito Loco,, a fabulous restaurant and bar with inspirational mojitos and a mouth-watering latin fusion menu (including lots of vegetarian options). Watch for upcoming information about the first show: Spread Small Works.

***

Looking ahead to September, I'm working with Spread Art to host an exhibition / fundraiser for Through the Eyes of Hope, a nonprofit founded in 2006 by photojournalist Linda Smith to provide photography classes to kids in Rwanda. Click here for a sneak peak at the children's beautiful images.

Through the Eyes of Hope continues its program in Rwanda and has expanded to additional locations, including the Bronx. As Through the Eyes of Hope grows, they remain true to their mission to encourage children to photograph the world through their eyes.



***

Yep, a lot is on the horizon...and it comes on the heels of many fabulous things that just happened, including two days of Creative Kids on Bedford, as part of Willilamsburg Walks.

On Saturday, June 27th and Saturday, July 11th I was on Bedford Avenue with tons of art supplies to facilitate kids and adults letting their creativity flow. Both afternoons were incredibly inspiring and liberating in the way that only making art with kids can be...as they have yet to form rules or judgments about what art is.

Read more & see additional photos of Creative Kids on Bedford here.


***

Also in the just finished stage is the Summer Group Show at Spread Art. A group of artists representing a wide range of mediums displayed their take on "Improvisation." The Tronic provided live sonic variations on the theme.





















All in all summer in NY continues to unfold in ways that inspire and surprise me. There is a lot more to share, including overdue stories from spring in Mexico. Keep an eye on the Live Bliss blog for upcoming posts on the Primavera Parade in La Manzanilla (lots of kids in butterfly & Tiger costumes), plus observations about my transition from Mexico's Pacific Coast to New York's hippest borough (Brooklyn).

Hasta pronto,   
Christina

P.S. As always, please let me know what's new in your world and feel free to forward this email along to others who might be interested.

A whole lotta love at The Love Show last night

The Love Show last night was packed. It was hot, humid, and eventually rainy, yet people continued to arrive and stayed until the end to enjoy great music, good company, and most importantly to absorb over 20 different artists' take on "Love." Below are photos from the evening.

If you didn't have a chance to stop by last night, you still have time to catch some love. The Love Show is on view for one more day - tomorrow (Sunday 7/19) from 12pm - 6pm.

Many thanks to Jethro of iloveyou for curating such a fabulous show.

The Village Voice and I say Spread Art is the place to be this Friday

This week's Village Voice highlights The Love Show, opening this Friday at Spread Art, among its picks for the weekend. How sweet is that? 

Mark your calendar to help Spread the Love this Friday at 7pm by enjoying (and...hint, hint...buying) art, meeting the 20+ included artists, giving props to Jethro of iloveyou who curated the show, plus (of course) enjoying cold beer and hot music.

Here is what the Voice has to say...

The Love Show

Date/Time:Fri., July 17, 7:00pm

Price: free

I HEART LOVE

Group show displays affection, in general.

BY ARACELI CRUZ

What is love, and what does it look like? Spread Art Gallery asked artists throughout the country to submit their ideas of this complex sentiment, whether it be "love as a force of good, force of malice, force of height, of hate, a force of God, creation, destruction, oppression" and on and on. Twenty artists and designers were chosen to be a part of The Love Show—including our very own art director, Ivylise Simones—which includes a variety of mediums such as oil, acrylic, wood, photography, and more. Tonight's opening party includes a set by Knight & Gale and Eastern Sweats.

More Art with Kids = More Fun

I was back on Bedford Avenue today making art with kids as part of Williamsburg Walks. Thomas Bell and I packed gobs of art supplies onto the Spread Art & Live Bliss art cart and wheeled it through Brooklyn, from Bushwick to Williasmburg.

As soon as we were set up we had lots of art partners, some of whom were return collaborators from a couple weeks ago when we were on Bedford. With stickers, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, glitter, pattern scissors, shells, string, and ribbon, we created a variety of colorful (and sometimes messy) wearable art.

Most of the kids that visited the Spread Art & Live Bliss booth have lived less years on the planet than they have fingers on their hands, which means they aren't concerned with questions like: "Is this art or craft?" and/or "Should I price my work based on time spent or materials cost?" It is pure fun for fun's sake, and the enthsusiasm the kid's bring to: 1) drawing on a sticker, 2) putting it on their shirt, and 3) showing the world, is absolutely contageous.

If you know of an upcoming private or public event that could benefit from a kid's art setup like this send me an email. Adding yoga and/or music to the art projects is also an option.

Below are photos from the day. Enjoy!

Above: The cart is packed & ready to leave Spread Art in Bushwick

Above: En route...

Above: As soon as we got set up we were greeted by the familiar smiling face of a girl who made art with us when we were on Bedford a couple weeks ago.

Above: A new face who assured me she is 7, although her sister was convinced she is actually only 4.

Above: Thom helping a girl put on the wearable art she created.

Above: This is the moment the top was taken off a glue stick and things got consequently got very messy and glittery.

Above: Thom adding some color to the street.

Above: Packed up and ready to roll back to Spread Art.

Call for Participants! McKibbin Street Fair! Saturday, July 25th!

Collaging on Bedford: Join me this Saturday!

This Saturday from 12pm - 6pm I'll be on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (said to currently hold the title to "world's neighborhood most densely populated with artists") with collage materials and a whole lot more. Why? Because it will be fun!

I hope to see you on Saturday. If you can't make it but are interested in learning about future events like this (or booking you own), send me an email.

Creative Kids on Bedford!

Saturday, June 27th
12pm - 6pm
Bedford Avenue, between North 6th & North 7th
L train to Bedford

Facilitated by Christina deRoos / Live Bliss & Spread Art

Join us for a playful, creative afternoon of collage and bookmaking outside on Bedford Avenue, in the heart of one of the world's most inspiring neighborhoods!

Kids of all ages will enjoy mixing and matching images, adding color and text, and ultimately exploring the stories to be found their creations. Participants will be invited to display their work for the afternoon as part of an on-site exhibition that will develop and evolve throughout the day.

All necessary supplies provided, but feel free to bring along your favorite art and craft materials.

Whether you are a kid, have kids, or are a child-less adult who wants to collage in a collaborative atmosphere where age is irrelevant, I hope to see you on Saturday!

Email for more information, or call Christina: 347-526-2737

Part of Williamsburg Walks (follow the link to the left to see more of the day's activities).

June 7th, 11th & Beyond...Collaborations w/ Spread Art

I've been back in NY a few weeks now and am beginning to find my art groove along with my yoga bliss. Thanks in large part to Thomas Bell, founder of SPREAD ART, I've got a ton of projects on my creative calendar (its called a creative calendar not because it tracks art stuff, but because I usually need to be really creative to get everything done on time).

Below are details about happenings at SPREAD ART in June, beginning with "Improvisation," the '09 Summer Group Show that I'm a part of along with photographer's Irina Adam and Phil Petrocelli and 7 other artists.

"Improvisation" opens Thursday, June 11th at 6pm.

If you are around NY I hope to see you so we can improvise conversation over a glass of wine or a latte while looking at a fabulous selection of painting, collage, photography, mixed-media work, and more.

SPREAD ART is located in Bushwick/East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at 104 Meserole Street (b/w Manhattan & Leonard). Take the L to Montrose or the J/M/Z to Lorimer.

More details about "Improvisation" are on the flyer below, which features one of my photographs (left) and an image of Phil Petrocelli's (right). Click the image for a larger view.

Prior to June 11th, how about coming to aka Potion on Sunday, June 7th at 4pm for the simultaneous opening/closing event for "The Art of Letting Go" during Bushwick Open Studios?

"The Art of Letting Go" is a collaborative mural performance led by Thomas Bell that includes myself as well as Katharine Ng, Avoid Pi, Heather Garland, and more. The image at left is a "work in progress" view from very early on. Artists have continued to add, subtract, and layer over one another's work.

Note: Don't be late for the opening/closing or you just might miss it.

In addition to the Sunday, June 7th  simultaneous opening/closing event at aka Potion (248 McKibbin Street; L to Morgan) at 4pm, "The Art of Letting Go" will be on view:

Thurs June 4th: 7am-11pm
Fri June 5th: 7am-11pm
Sat June 6th: 8am-11pm
Sun June 7th: 8am-5pm+/-

The full announcement for SPREAD ART events in June is below, and as you will see there are a ton of things happening, including music, art, and - beginning next week - I'm teaching yoga Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays at 6:30pm.

Click the images below to view them larger size.

A lot of work is going into SPREAD ART to get it ready for a summer of creative fun. I'm doing what I can to help out, and at the moment that means less time updating blogs and websites and more time painting walls and laying floors. I have many posts I'm itching to add from my last couple months in Mexico, including photos from the kid's Spring Parade and an adventure to milk cows.

Please check back periodically for updates and don't get confused when there are NY stories mixed with Mexico stories. Posts are likely to be as jumbled as a lot of my thoughts these days. Thankfully a few things remain constant whether I'm in La Manzanilla or Bushwick, such as my ongoing desire to learn to dance.

This morning I met a neighbor who offered to take me with her for a night of salsa just down the block from SPREAD ART., That, along with her immediately teaching me the basic step for Bachata, made my morning. I've got plans to recruit her to teach salsa at SPREAD, but I'll save that idea for a future post. For now its back to work on preparing for everything that's already on the creative calendar...