Christina Cultural Arts Center Hosts Grammy Nominated Duo, Local Artist Exhibit to Open Season

This post content comes from a release from Christina Cultural Arts Center...

On Friday, October 5, as a part of Art Loop Wilmington, Christina Cultural Arts Center (CCAC) will host an artist reception for local artist Stephen Kingsberry and his exhibit, “Burden of Palestine,” from 5:00 to 8:00pm.

Kingsberry’s love for art was reinforced after visiting Palestine in 2017. Kingsberry was moved by the oppression of the Palestinian people and wanted to express the emotions that consumed him on the trip.

Visual Artist Stephen Kingsberry
presents his exhibit, "Burden of
Palestine," opening October 5 at CCAC.

“The exhibit seeks to inform people about the struggles of the Palestinians living under occupation,” Kingsberry said. “I want to express what I have witnessed through the lens of art while helping to promote peace.”

Additional exhibit pieces promote the rich beauty, heritage and traditions of Africa and its people throughout the world. A Gallery Talk will be led by Mike Abel of Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights on Friday evening at 7:00pm.

“We are excited to show Stephen’s compelling copper pieces in Christina’s Edward Loper Sr. Gallery,” said Executive Director H. Raye Jones Avery. “It’s an exhibit that will undoubtedly draw strong responses from viewers and, hopefully, stimulate conversation and action.”

Also this weekend, Christina begins its live music series on Sunday, October 7, at 3:00pm in the intimate setting of its Clifford Brown Performance Center. Opening Night of Live @ Christina features the Christina debut of two-time Grammy® nominated jazz/R&B duo, The Baylor Project — Jean Baylor and Marcus Baylor. 

Jean and Marcus Baylor perform at CCAC on October 7,
opening the Live @ Christina series. Photo by Deneka Peniston.

Tickets for the performance are $25 until September 29 and $35 thereafter. They can be purchased at ccacde.org.

As the children of Pastors, Marcus and Jean Baylor's musical roots were planted deep within the church, and it was there that the road was paved for the influence of gospel, blues, soul and jazz to make its mark. Their debut CD "The Journey", released on their own label, Be A Light, topped the Billboard Jazz Chart at Number 8 and a year later garnered 2 Grammy® nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance.

The engagement of The Baylor Project is made possible through the Jazz Touring Network program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Christina has become known for its intimate performances by acclaimed jazz and R&B artists, and Live @ Christina continues with an appearance on Friday, November 2, by five-time Grammy® nominee, pianist Christian Sands.

ABOUT CHRISTINA CULTURAL ARTS CENTER

Christina's mission is to make all genres of arts education and experiences accessible to all, but most especially low-income communities. Christina is celebrating more than 70 years of delivering impactful arts experiences and education to the community. Christina faculty provide arts learning in such diverse areas as music, dance, visual art, drama, martial arts, early childhood arts education and youth violence prevention. One of the hallmarks of Christina is its annual presentation of intimate live performances of local, regional and internationally known artists in its own Clifford Brown Performance Space. 

For more information, call 302.652.0101 or visit ccacde.org.

Summertime Art Looping in the City

By Guest Blogger, Ken Grant
Ken Grant has worked in Delaware media, politics and marketing for 25 years. He and his Lovely Bride enjoy Wilmington's arts and culture scene as much as they can.

Pablo Picasso said, "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls."

Wilmington offers that opportunity to "wash the dust off" and appreciate new perspectives every month through the city-wide Art Loop (aka Wilmington's Art on the Town).

July's Art Loop featured more than a dozen exhibitions at places as varied as government buildings, restaurants and community outreach centers. The work displayed is just as eclectic --- from photographs focusing on compartmentalization (Joe Natale at the Grand Opera House, above left) to large murals exploring questions of space, dimension and emotion (Ken Carley at Connections West End, above right).


"Art is not a handicraft," argues Leo Tolstoy, "it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced."

Artist Michael Silva (left) uses acrylic, oil and wood burning to transmit his experiences of beauty at the leasing office of 2nd and LOMA, while Jo Worme (right) experiments with a variety of canvases, including boards, to show her ability to capture the feeling of creativity and action at Film Brothers Movie Co-op.

In addition to interesting and engaging visual arts, venues like the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts and LOMA Coffee featured live music throughout the evening.

President John F. Kennedy said, "If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him."

The arts, business, non-profit and government communities in Wilmington have demonstrated a commitment to provide artists in the area with the platform to share their considerable talent. It's now up to us, as a society, to do our part. You can start by taking a few moments to simply gaze at the work being created; you just might find the dust of daily life being washed off your soul.


The Wilmington Art Loop is normally held the first Friday of each month. 
 
See www.artloopwilmingtonde.com. 

Pick of the August Art Loop

Two DE Arts Info bloggers, Margaret Darby and Holly Quinn, hit the Loop this month:

Holly says: If you follow local music in Delaware (or if you follow this blog regularly), no doubt you've seen David Norbut's work. This month, Poppcock Tattoo at 115 W 8th Street in Wilmington hosts a selection of his photography, with a focus on his Western series of landscapes, nature and portraiture -- with a couple of his stunning live band photos in the mix, as well as a video incorporating a larger selection of photos. Norbut has a great eye in any location, not least of all the sweeping, sometimes weathered beauty of the American West, leaving me wanting more.

While Poppycock was hopping, people wall-to-wall, The Chris White Gallery at Shipley Lofts was considerably more quiet. The work in Anti-Subliminal, a group show featuring multimedia work by artists including Jesse Jynch, John Durandetta, Herman V. Brandt, Bresnow, and Brandon Cash, brought together illustration, photoshop and graffiti art, with an installation piece by 3EYES highlighting the show. 

Yakime Brown

Margaret Says: Holly’s venture into Poppycock Tattoo to see David Norbut’s photography and wanting more made me conscious of Michelle’s admonition that we should find some new venues….which I tried to do.  I started on Lower Market to see what the LOMA Coffee House was doing – a few works by Catherine Mulrooney were all I could see from the street and earsplitting music coming out of an electric guitar and enhanced by the guitarist’s plananx of bass pedals.  Didn’t dare enter as I didn’t have my earplugs on me, but it was obviously happening.  Went to Dimensions and Co. by Ace to see a few Underground Comixxx by Jabar Brown, who was by himself eating pizza out of a box and chatting on his cell phone….Venture Creative Marketing Group was firmly closed – unlike the framer next door who tried to call to find out if Venture was going to open later.  But it was all happening at 919 Market, so it was worth hiking up the hill – hearing more earsplitting music from the Queen (holding my ears even a full block away where we encountered a hip guy asking us where the music was coming from)….and walking into 919 to find a great party going on!  A big cake, lots of snacks and lively art by Yakime Brown – a friendly guy in a porkpie hat who strode right up to say hello.  It was fun telling him which pieces I liked best and hearing how he felt about those same pieces.  His textures are shiny, acrylic paint for the most part – either done in an explosive circle, seemingly shot from a cannon or made into flowerlike petals with his palette knife.  Yakime Brown also has a considerable variety – with some pieces of staid stripes in a flat mode.  Originally from Brooklyn, Brown has been living in Bear for the past few years and has quite a following.  AND it seems that the new curator of 919 is ready for things to hop.

And, there was new life in the DCCA with the completion of the Movable Feast project by interns  Jung-A Woo and Hoyun Sun.  When I arrived, teenagers from the Latin American Community Center and their teachers were buzzing around outdoor tables cooking on hotplates to show what they had learned about food and culture .  Woo and Sun had a film loop explaining the project and the kids photographs and art were displayed in the DCCA lobby.  But the real fun was watching the poise and pride of the kids as they prepared and served foods they had learned about during the six-week project. 

My conclusion is that you can always find new surprises in the Art Loop.  Can’t wait for the next one because, like Holly, it left me wanting more.

Pick of the July Art Loop

The first stop was at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts where very few studios were open. The Annual Members’ Juried Exhibition was still worth the visit. My favorite of the Duets (partnered works by each artist) was a large object photographed into the sun by John Schlesinger of Philadelphia. I had not consciously looked for its partnered work and it took me a long time to realize that a lone Styrofoam cup with holes burned in microcrystalline wax was the ‘large object’. Perspective made the cup look gigantic in the photograph and created the intriguing pairing.


The charcoal drawings by Edgar Jerins (top) in the Beckler Family Members’ Gallery were captivating. Jerins’ drawings are rich, real and full of detail and perspective that make you feel you are in the picture with the people he portrays. You can almost hear some of them sigh.


The artists in residence, Jung-A Woo and Hoyun Son, who had each studied at the Chicago Art Institute, presented their plans for a five-week project in residence with the DCCA, the Latin American Cultural Center, and the Delaware Horticultural Center. Their Movable Feast – a study in food and culture – will explore how food affects culture and art. They will show the final product at the August Art Loop.


The Louis L Redding Gallery had lively and imaginative portrayals of African American life and music by Michael Angelo Wallace, a native of Philadelphia. With vivid colors, Wallace goes from almost cartoon-like images of church to Biblical exegeses and back to cubist and surreal images doubling as outlines musical instruments (Ornithology, lower image). Top that off with cool jazz in the background and delicious snacks by Copper Café and my hat goes off to Jeni Barton for planning a great evening.


See www.WilmingtonDE.gov/artloop
See www.mangeloart.com
See www.jerins.com

Fresh Thymes Joins the Loop

Fresh Thymes Art Show Program

Fresh Thymes on Lovering Avenue in Wilmington shared some of their creative eats at the Bite of the Fringe in September -- now they've jumped into the Arts scene full-on, as they hosted their very first Art Loop show on October 1st. Featured was the painter/printmaker Nicole Kristiana FitzGibbon, who showcased her series of fantastical creature prints. Some of the wildly-patterned animals come from fantasy, others are fantastical versions of real animals, from cats and rabbits to an anthropomorphic frog to gryphons and dragons.

The prints are made using a modern printmaking style, a combination of hand painting the outlines and colorful patterns separately, then combining them using a computer. Each detail is a small part of a larger intricate pattern, in a collage of brushstrokes.

In addition to the prints on the wall, all of the pieces can also be printed on a microfiber handbag, and samples of the custom-made bags were also on display. The bags, as well as a large selection of prints, are available in FitzGibbon's Etsy shop.

As for the space, Fresh Thymes is a charming little cafe with bright walls and great fresh food -- no doubt, the free hors d'oeuvres were part of the attraction.

First Friday at Fresh Thymes is a hit -- according to the artist's blog, the show at has been extended through November 30. And if you're disappointed about missing the opening, she'll be back for an encore First Friday at Fresh Thymes on November 5th.

Fresh Thymes Cafe
Lincoln & Lovering
Wilmington

Spooktacular Rocks

The Art Loop came smack in the middle of the Fringe Wilmington festivities on Friday, making it almost more art and weirdness than we could handle -- as if! We took a detour from the downtown activities to check out the Talleyville Frame Shoppe & Gallery's "Spooktacular!" Halloween Art Show featuring spooky art and live music. It was well worth it -- this show wound up being one of the highlights of the weekend.

Coffin Fly at Talleyville Frame Shoppe & Gallery. Photo: Holly Quinn

The mood was relaxed, the art intense, including Newark-based artist and children's book author Kristen Margiotta's distinctive paintings of big-eyed characters and horror icons such as the Mad Hatter and, my favorite -- Vincent Price holding his own head on a platter;  Ric Frane's paintings of horror movie monsters paired with pinups, including the devilish "Self Portrait with Mate;" and Pinup model and glitter artist Asia "The Glitteress" DeVinyl's tryptich of glittery, glamorous and creepy pieces; Wendy Mitchell's wicked mixed-media art; Stephen Blickenstaff's colorful, comic-style paintings; and Kevin Herdeman's mixed-media monster art that not only puts the frame into consideration, it completely incorporates it.

In addition to the art on the walls (plus all the other cool art, cards and jewelry the shop carries regularly) the opening featured Coffin Fly, a trashabilly trio out of the University of Delaware. After a minor delay, they kicked into their set, and I'm sure glad I caught it! Ghoulish lyrics and rockabilly beats complete with stand-up bass and washboard. For those who follow Delaware's underground music scene, this band is one to watch.

"Spooktacular" runs through October 28. The show is brought to you by the minds behind this year's multi-artist Zombie A Go-Go Rock 'N Roll Art Show -- we hear that another ZAGG is planned for late winter/early spring '11, so keep an eye out.

Talleyville Frame Shoppe & Gallery
3625 Silverside Rd.
Talleyville Center

August Art Loop at the DCCA

Entering the Dupont Gallery I at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts on August 14 gave me a jolt. Having read the excellent notes written by Assistant Curator Susan Isaacs should have cushioned the shock but the seven stark graphite and gouache works of Zoë Charlton’s Imitation of a Life left me breathless.

Perhaps it is because Charlton has captured the good and enchained it in evil – as often happens in life. She has taken a loop from a 1934 film Imitation of Life directed by John M Stahl which is a scene in which a successful black businesswoman comes to find her daughter who has run away and is trying to pass as white. Charlton has put a Ku Klux Klan hood on the daughter’s head.

So is this an imitation of success? When the tearful mother tries to woo back her daughter to ‘black’ life, is it begging her to fail?

The seven works seem also quite stark – all on creamy white paper with no frames, the graphite figures of naked women seem indefensible – vulnerable – enslaved to the unseen evil powers that have made them toys of their masters. The occasional spots of color are mocking accessories to the crime.

If you need a lift when you leave the Dupont I, visit the Fractious Happy installation by Heather Harvey in the Constance S and Robert J. Hennessy Project Space or just wander the halls and acquaint yourself with works of the studio artists who are the mainstay of the DCCA – or come back on September 4 and see the brilliant colors of a Ken Mabrey or a fanciful construct by Jane Quattarone.

Read excellent curator notes by J Susan Isaacs and find out about future exhibits and dates : www.thedcca.org