RARE by F.S. CHARLIE cordially invites you to an intimate gathering of mingling and fundraising to benefit Art for Progress. Join us in the ultra stylish AVA Lounge for an artist showcase, auction and other surprises.

With your support, 100% of ticket proceeds will be donated to the 501 (c)3 non-profit, Art for Progress which will help fund educational workshops for children in under-served communities in NYC.

DATE: Sunday, May 19, 2013 – (6:00 PM – 11:00 PM)

VENUE: AVA Lounge- 210 West 55th Street, 14th Floor (PH) NYC 10019 21+ |Stylish Attire | Cash Bar

Artwork Showcase Feat: Juan Manuel Pajares and Art Off Paper

Funk, House & World Music with Special Guest DJs:

Nickodemus (Turntables on the Hudson), Freqnik (Freqnik & WDRE) Robert Lux

Sponsored by Pureology and Redken

LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE:

$20.00 (thru May 11th), $30.00 (thru May 18th), $40.00 (Door/Day of)

Interestingly, Jansen was also born 26 weeks premature. That’s not a typo, and makes him a miracle of modern medicine. He also lost his birth mother early in life.  He sometimes is frustrated by the superficiality of high school social dynamics as a result of his deeper perspective on life and his slight physical differences, but I feel that if more of the students at school would take cues from Jansen about what is really important, they would learn a lot about how to be a more completely realized person in adulthood rather than focusing on the priorities usually held in highest regard in high school like popularity, fashion and acting cool.

Sherif spent most of the first several weeks of the semester playing a D chord rather roughly on the electric guitar. Although I continuously suggested that he learn another chord, he continued to focus on the D chord, lifting one finger at a time to hear the variations. Since he seemed to derive such joy from that one chord, I encouraged him to listen to the tone of the strings and demonstrated to him that there were different sounds that could be evoked coaxing them out of the instrument rather than hacking at the strings. Sherif has since developed his D jam into a more coherent developing piece, and after I lent him one of AFP’s classical guitars, he recently exchanged it for an electric guitar and is avidly practicing at home. Sherif fulfilled his arts requirements last semester, but continues to come by the music room at every opportunity and is a regular participant in the Tuesday afternoon student/faculty jam, playing drums, guitar, and occasionally gracing the microphone with his own inimitable brand of freestyle rapping/storytelling. Ever the eager student, Sherif has become among the most dedicated and capable music students at Humanities, and never fails to crack me up.

Christian Tapia was also a student in my music class at Humanities Prep last semester, and also, despite his having already fulfilled his arts requirements for graduation, is constantly coming by the music room to continue his musical development. He had been trying to learn piano since a year before the AFP program started. He reportedly would visit the music room every day and be kicked out, often receiving detention as a result. he was even told by the former dean of his middle school, “If you don’t know how to play, then don’t play.” Upon recognizing Christian’s enthusiasm and drive last semester, I lent him an AFP digital piano, and he reports to me regarding his progress on a daily basis. Among the most diligent and focused music students in the school, Christian now participates in the Tuesday jam every week as well, introducing new songs every week that he is working on learning. Lately, he has been focused primarily on developing original compositions. well as developing original compositions. Christian is also a participant in the NYPD Explorers program for high school students.

Please enjoy some examples of student artwork from the AFP visual arts program at Landmark High School.

Until Next Time

-Barry Komitor

The Humanities music program, led by teaching artist and musician Barry Komitor, has added an after school student/faculty jam on Tuesday afternoons to two regular classes per day, enabling students to apply the knowledge and skills they develop during school music classes. In a dynamic group environment, they learn an entirely different set of skills and considerations. The group has learned “Zombie” by The Cranberries, and “Twist and Shout”, among other songs, and has regular blues and freestyle jams. Komitor also teaches drums after school at Quest 2 Learn on Mondays, and has begun offering guitar and piano lessons after school three days a week, subsidized by grant monies thanks to the Sansom Foundation.  These lessons are to serve students from former AFP programs in the Bronx and Brooklyn, which lost support or funding, including: Christopher Columbus High School Campus in the Bronx (which comprises Bronxdale High School and Pelham Prep as well as the Collegiate Institute for Math and Science [CIMS], all providing students that are participating) and The Academy for Conservation and the Environment in Canarsie, Brooklyn. Lessons are available one of the days to students from the Humanities program as well. Students from different schools and communities have recently begun to stop in on each other’s lesson times and exchange information about what they have learned. It’s pretty cool…

Komitor and AFP would like to extend special thanks to drummer Mike Severino for donating a variety of instruments including the vintage 1970′s Slingerland drumset used in the Quest classes and by the Hudson rock band.

Sansom Foundation grant funds have also enabled AFP to loan acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, violins, and bass guitars to several students who have shown dedication and perseverance, and we plan to acquire a variety of new instruments in the coming weeks, depending upon what this semester’s new students are interested in learning.

The Baldwin music program, taught by mandolin player and singer Elio Schiavo, leader of the bluegrass band Six Deadly Venoms, began this January and serves students who have been redirected from other high schools for disciplinary reasons. Thus far they have been doing stellar work, meeting during school four days a week as well as after school two days. Schiavo also leads the after school rock band program at Hudson on Wednesdays and teaches guitar after school at Quest 2 Learn on Thursdays. The Hudson rock band recently played three songs, which were the highlight moment of their school dance; playing two Ramones songs and “Use Somebody”, by Kings of Leon.

The Visual Arts program at Landmark High School, in it’s 5^th year, has continued to evolve and expand as well. Here is a contribution from Art Teacher Paula Walters Parker:

“Right now at Landmark things are going well. The school is changing, and the students are more invested in their work. Just walking through the halls feels different. We have beautiful artwork from our students hung on the walls; we have real learning in the classrooms, and we have more students that are more dedicated to the artistic process. Last year we had students’ work displayed in the AFP shows; we had students apply to a PS art competiton, and we also went on trips to galleries and the Guggenheim Museum.  We even had a student who was accepted in Pre-college Academy Program at Parsons/The New School!

This year we continue to work on artistic discipline while exploring more inspirational aspects of what the city has to offer. We have gone on small inspirational trips to galleries in Chelsea while building an on-line gallery for the school. The students are learning from the visits what it takes to run a gallery, and taking the information back to school to help them create the first official on line Landmark Arts Gallery.

In class we are working toward student-inspired projects. We have a short time-span but we are working diligently towards this goal. In the process we are careful to arm the students with the artistic knowledge, skills and discipline it takes to accomplish such an ambitious project. We teach basic techniques and create exercises to build line quality, patterns, compositional elements as well as exploring knowledge of color theory; then the students create the masterpieces.

We continue to help the students applying for scholarships and internships as well.

The students have created some great photography, watercolor landscape paintings and still life paintings, as well as Sumi ink drawings, celebrity portraits and mix medial paintings, and there is more to come;)”

-Paula Walters Parker

Parker also teaches elementary school visual art at Quest 2 Learn

Michael Alan will be showing over 20 new and old works, drawings, paintings and prints for Auction in the project space of NOoSPHERE Arts On Saturday, January 19th at 7pm.

The goal of the exhibition is to raise funds to help Alan who has been struggling physically with 2 major injuries in the last year. One of those injuries occurred as a result of a serious car accident in June 2012. Sales on works and donations from friends, family and all attending will be a good starting point to help Alan move on from these hard troubles, and get him the help he needs.

It’s been an uphill battle after unsuccessful spinal surgery, dealing with permanent nerve damage and a serious brain injury. This benefit will hopefully allow some relief for Alan by raising money towards his outrageous medical bills, and getting better medical attention than what he has received.

We hope to see you on January 19th. You can help make 2013 a better year for the New York-born and raised, wild child artist Michael Alan. This show is made possible by the help of NOoSPHERE Arts, a fun non-profit artist space in the Lower East Side.

Special Thanks to Klemmens Gasser and Tanja Grunert for their support and concern. Special Thanks to Frames and Framers of Short Hills and Printmor for their help and donations.

This show will run through Feb 24th and will change every other night. Michael will reside there at night drawing his heart out marathon style with the inner mantra of Get Strong, Get Better! The back room acts as a room of recovery through art, and a change of energy as the new year is upon us. its is part of the 2-year anniversary show of Nosphere arts, in the main room.

It’s been a very busy year for AFP. In March, we leased the Armory on Lexington Avenue in partnership with Fountain Art Fair to produce one of the largest art exhibitions in NYC during Armory Week. This past summer we hosted AFP’s first annual 3 day music & art festival- Brooklyn Beat Festival and then launched a 3 month series of music & performance art at the same venue.

In November, we were thrilled to host Michael Alan’s “Living Installation” and work with his crew of incredible artists. The show was a great success, and we look forward to working with Michael in the future.

To round out the year as we began, “What’s Your Religion” opened on Friday night at Gallery Bar. As mentioned above, the exhibition will run through January 3rd.

AFP’s Art Education Program continues to grow and flourish. We are currently working with 5 schools and hundreds of students providing music, visual art and theater classes. We just received this new promotional video that was created by Jewel Fiore, a college level film student.

As of January 1st 2013, AFP will no longer charge a fee for artist memberships. Applications will still need to be approved, but memberships will be free of charge upon approval.

Group Art Show.  Opening: Friday, December 14^th, 7PM – 10PM

The exhibition runs through January 3^rd

“What’s Your Religion” delves into the broad perspective of what motivate/inspires people to approach life in a certain way. The artist’s perspective can be personal or just a general perspective on the topic. Is it religion or faith that leads the way? Is it money, power, fame or being of service to others?  What’s Your Religion?

Featuring artwork from Ted Barr, Jef Campion, Hunter Clarke, Bill Claps, Pablo Damas, Lance Dehne, Carmen Ghecca, Berette Macaulay, Juan Manuel Pajares, Jeanne Wilkinson and Kristina Zallinger

Gallery Bar
120 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 529-2266

The show itself tells a lot about the man. Given his physical state and the demands of the show, it’s clear Michael is a giver and a fighter. The show on November 9th was 8 hours long with a short break after a 4 hour stint. As people came to the door and were greeted by the lovely Caridad Sola, they were asked to pay $20 if they were not on the guest list. There were very few names on the guest list for this show.  Many who might have expected to be on the guest list responded, “I’ll pay the $20 to support Michael.”

To our surprise, Michael contacted us a few days after the show and said he wants to do another show on November 24th. He was so pleased and energized by the last show that he wants to do it again. We’re proud to be part of the show again. Below are some great shot’s from the show and you can view a fantastic video that captures the essence of the performances.

photos courtesy of Joseph Meloy