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. 

Art Looping on Independence Weekend

By Guest Blogger, Jessica Graae

Pulling into Toscana’s parking lot at 5:42, I was lucky to get the last seat on the Art Loop bus. Most of us aboard were new to Wilmington's Art of the Town experience and were happily chatting as our guide/driver, Shawn, wove his way from Trolley Square to downtown Wilmington. He made sure we had plenty of time for exhibit-viewing and that we got to each destination on the Loop. Great job, Shawn!

At Gallery 919 Market, Peter Kaplan’s photography demanded attention with its bold, daring hues. A renegade, Kaplan related how his persistence has paid off, as he gained special access to the Statue of Liberty, becoming the preferred photographer of Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Foundation. Though many of his photographs are shot from dizzying heights, he is fascinated by detail: April, 1938 is a close-up of The Statue of Liberty’s toe with the date carved in it. Other notable pieces include aerials of the Golden Gate Bridge, for which he was named the official 50th anniversary celebration photographer.

For information on his upcoming book America From Above, see http://www.peterbkaplanstock.com/.

Our bus reached the Delaware Art Museum just in time for us to hear Ne Ne Ali, the eleven-year-old headliner of YouthSpeaks! A brilliant and insightful young poet, Ali stunned the audience with her wisdom, words and grace. Her social commentary included an observation that MTV and BET were “trying to raise her.” Through her dynamic verse, she reminded us that the spoken word is virtuous, can lead to reading and free thinking, and can guide away from negative stereotypes.

For information on Ali and to hear her poetry, see www.myspace.com/neneali. Be sure to visit!

Mining Our Young Poetry "Gems"

By Guest Blogger, JulieAnne Cross

I admire those who are willing to mine that precious element that is youth talent. There is an individual whose work with young people always blows my mind: a gentleman named “iz the truth”, whom I know from activities that “stimulate the minds and expand the dynamics of thinking” for all ages of people who live, work and play in Wilmington. He, along with Fridam Marley, is the force behind YouthSpeaks! The program celebrates the creative spirit of young Wilmington poets and spoken-word artists and organizes events for artists 21 and under.

This Friday, July 3, from 6:00-8:00pm, the Delaware Art Museum hosts 11-year-old Bronx poet Ne Ne Ali, the headlining artist for a YouthSpeaks! event featuring many young Wilmington-area spoken-word artists. Ms. Ali is well-regarded for her passion for the healing power of words and her ability to deliver mind-blowing, standing ovation-garnering performances.

This free event runs concurrent with Art on the Town, so you can take advantage of the Art Museum’s other free offerings, as well as the free Art Loop afterparty, re:Fresh. July’s re:Fresh is hosted by nearby Toscana Kitchen+Bar, and YouthSpeaks! organizers will be on hand to celebrate what I’m sure will be a stupendous success.

http://grandgood.com/2009/02/15/ne-ne-ali-11-year-old-spoken-word-poet-delivers-impromptu-performance-video/

See www.delart.org/prog_events/fam_youth/index.html