Art @ Work in DC

This month, I had the pleasure of participating in a number of workshops facilitated by Albus Cavus at the Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery, part of the Smith Center for Healing & The Arts, in Washington, D.C. Albus Cavus -- a collective of artists who work to strengthen local communities through public art -- partnered with the gallery to bring empowerment and healing to a community affected by today's economic uncertainty. Hanging from January 13th through February 18, the Art @ Work exhibit features works from over 40 local graffiti-style artists who often collaborate with Albus Cavus, including Peter Krsko, Decoy, Jazirock, Chanel Compton, Aniekan Udofia, and Ben Tolman. Each piece is a unique commentary on the feelings behind the current US financial and unemployment situation.

The works covered a variety of urban art styles:  

To further bolster the connection between art and the local community, members of Albus Cavus led three onsite mural workshops in line drawing, stenciling, and painted collage. Over three weeks, the gallery was transformed into a working studio while more than 50 DC-area residents collaborated on a community mural. Like the exhibiting artists, we also reflected on and discussed our experiences in the current economic climate.

In some respects, life in the northern VA suburbs of DC has fared better than other areas of the country. Still, the ripple effect can be felt here. This past October, The Soundry -- the gallery/studio/cafe/boutique where I'd spent a lot of time over the past few years -- shut its doors. Our community lost a unique place for emerging artists finding their voice; for those artists to work on creative collaborations alongside more experienced artists until the wee hours; for young musicians looking for a place to rehearse; and for the public to finally learn that art isn't all about stuffy still lifes and landscapes. I'm coming to realize that, for me, art -- much like life in general -- is about risk. It's about putting yourself out there, pushing yourself to test the boundaries of your creativity, and then pushing through them. To express. To learn. Perhaps, even, to heal.

My recent mixed-media "Baby Canvases"

Sometimes, though, you can do all that -- and even more -- and still get knocked off your feet by the unexpected or the inevitable. That's what I was thinking the other week in the Stencil Workshop. So because of that, and the current unemployment rate of around 8%, I chose to work on an 8 Ball stencil. So many people these days seem to be behind the 8 Ball.

Others chose to incorporate different symbols. We also collaborated on a large stencil of Uncle Sam, and painted it to resemble the color of money.

Uncle Sam, first layer

Next layer

Community mural in progress

The following week, in the Painting and Collage workshop, Chanel Compton encouraged us to draw on our own neighborhood experiences in putting together a mini collage painting of our hometowns.

The base of my collage, inspired by life in NYC

My finished project

We then used collage and painting techniques to add neighborhood scenes to the community mural.

Mural in progress

The community mural will be unveiled tonight at the Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery, 1632 U Street NW, Washington, DC, 20009. Afterwards, it will be donated to a DC-area school or community center as part of Albus Cavus' Open Walls project.

I'MPOSSIBLE -- Street Art Meets the Gallery

DC street artists gathered at The Soundry Friday night for the opening of I'MPOSSIBLE, a show highlighting the works of Matt Riegner. Inspired by old school hip-hop, funk, and electronic culture, Riegner meshes graffiti and gallery art in bold bursts of color, strong lines, and stencil work. Other area graffiti artists donated works for a silent auction benefiting creativity-based programs of Albus Cavus.

A look at selected works in the exhibit:

Collaborative work between Matt Riegner & Pore

Collaborative work between Matt Riegner & Ivan Collich

I'MPOSSIBLE will run through June 10th at The Soundry.

Ready, Set, Spray!

As expected, it was another great night of art, indie music, improv, and dance at The Soundry. But Art Carnage - Urban Edition took creative chaos to new levels with DC members of Albus Cavus, a collective which aims to strengthen communities through public art projects and creative collaboration.

Albus Cavus members trucked in plywood walls and quickly set to work painting murals in the driveway. Over the course of the evening, they and other DC-area graffiti and street artists added their own contributions. ViennaPatch ran a great article on it on May 5th.

DC street artist Alicia Cosnahan, aka Decoy, and Albus Cavus founder Peter Krsko

Yep, that's me. Admittedly, I felt a bit out of my league here, since I'm used to working on smaller surfaces (and not usually with spray paint), but it was a fun experience!

It was great meeting such talented people dedicated to improving the community through public art projects. Having grown up in Queens, I'm well aware that many people view graffiti in a negative light, looking at it as evidence of gangs, or that a neighborhood is going downhill. Just last week my father called me to complain that someone had tagged his fence yet again. And yes, when it comes to personal property, that remains an issue. However, why not use street art  -- and much of it truly is art -- to our advantage as a creative outlet through which to beautify and unify local communities? Honestly, I'd rather look at a brightly colored mural than an abandoned building or a crumbling brick wall. The more young people work together and take ownership of a creative project, and the more they invest themselves in it, the less likely they are to deface it. I applaud Albus Cavus' efforts in bringing public art to local communities. Albus Cavus founder Peter Krsko was recently featured in an interesting DC Double Lives article, explaining how the organization came about, and what it's trying to accomplish.

This Friday marks the opening of Matt Riegner's solo show, I'MPOSSIBLE, at The Soundry, from 7 to 11 p.m. Local artists will be donating works for a silent auction at the show, to benefit Albus Cavus. I'll be donating two works:

Graffiti Reef: Sunrise Under Nassau

12"x4" graffiti fusion collage painting

Graffiti Reef: Exuma

12"x4" graffiti fusion collage painting

Music in the studio this week: Reggaeton, My Chemical Romance (saw them live at the 9:30 Club last night in DC. Awesome show, but that's for another post!)

Urban Carnage!

Get ready to shake your cans, folks -- Art Carnage is going urban this Saturday night at The Soundry!


This month's indie adventure will feature over 15 artists and craft vendors celebrating graffiti, urban, tattoo, and pop culture. Just a sampling of the lineup: Ivan Collich, Sticky Comics, UC Studios, Melanie Newlon, Underground Tree Projects, BrigaBauble. In case that's just not enough for you, how about four hours' worth of continuous entertainment? Live music, performance art, rap, poetry slams, burlesque, hula hoopers, and belly dancing brought to you by Belladonna, The Neon Rush, and Kym Spins, to name a few. Plus, The Improper Imps of Improv will find out what happens when they step blindfolded and barefoot onto a stage with 200 loaded mousetraps. Did I mention that all of this creative chaos was absolutely FREE? (Well, after you fill up your tank at $6.04/gallon to drive here.)

Here's a look back at February's Art Carnage:

The sibs from Ten East Read. They'll be back this time, too, selling their awesome handprinted textiles.

Deb's erotic art

Natural bath and body products -- including the MAN line -- from Herban Lifestyle

Interactive performance art by Cloudism. (Um, I don't know, either, but where else could you find Zorro carrying around a mannequin torso to be tagged?)


Here's the part I'm looking forward to MOST of all. Drumroll, please....  Albus Cavus, an international collective of artists that creates interactive public art projects with local community involvement, will be sponsoring the event. The organization, with branches in CA, DC, and NJ, will be bringing in walls for LIVE graffiti demos at Art Carnage by local artists! Not exactly sure how they're going to do that, but it's definitely something to check out!

I've been busy making a slew of new Area 718 notecards, along with some more graffiti fusion headband designs, to feature at the event. Here's a peek at two of the backgrounds for the notecards:

Member artist Matt Riegner will also be at this month's Carnage, gearing up for his solo show, I'MPOSSIBLE, to hit the walls of The Soundry on May 13th. In line with this show, Matt and several local artists will give back to the community by donating their works to a silent auction. Forty percent of the proceeds will go to fund Albus Cavus' creativity-based programs here in the DC metro area.  I'll be mixing up some special 3-D graffiti fusion for the auction, so stay tuned!