All posts tagged: Alison Buxton

Welling Up a Little? That’s the Street Art “Community” Feeling

May 24, 2010 Artists, NYC, Queens

Welling Court Mural Project Opens Over the Weekend in a Queens Community; Many Street Artists Contribute

There can be a bit of grand posturing around the word “community” especially by people (or corporations) who spend more time chasing the Gravy Train than climbing on the Love Train. And swimming in an acid-tongued media landscape that keeps saying we’re are a giant polarized society simply bubbling with animosity, you could be forgiven for not leaving your house, let alone breaking bread with your neighbor who is different.

JMR (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

New York people prove that lie to be wrong every day – we are a hugely diverse lot- our different mother tongues alone could lick a frosting bowl the size of Shea Stadium. And yet mysteriously all of us weird different kinds of people are all getting along with each other day after day – sometimes we even enjoy each other!

Dan Witz (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Toof from Burning Candy Crew (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Welling Court Murals, a project with Street Artists in a neighborhood in Queens, New York, came to fruition on Saturday and the results were as colorful and eclectic as we are. While the people on the block barbecued and danced and played games, kids chased each other and rode their bikes and took many pictures of Street Artists doing their thing on the walls- spray cans, paint brushes, wheat paste, and markers busy.

Ron English, Darkcloud, Celso and Deeks (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Saturday was the “show day” for this project that the folks at Ad Hoc Art, with Alison and Garrison Buxton at the helm, have been “community organizing” for a long time. However, by no means is it the end of the project, as new friendships and alliances were forged and a neighborhood has a new panoply of street art to look at, ponder, and hopefully be inspired by.

Clint (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Welling Court Mural Project was one of the most cohesive “community” events we’ve seen in a long time. Street Artists plus an engaged neighborhood of very nice people… delicious home-made foods, music from Latin America and India/Pakistan, adults, kids, painting, asking and answering myriad questions, posing for pictures in front of pieces — all proving again that the arts can bring people together. A sincere “Thank you” to Ad Hoc and Allison and Garrison and all the artists for putting your best out there for others to share.

Gaia, PMP, Leon Reid (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Michael DeFeo doing a little inside joke on that Banksy character (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

M-City (detail) (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Nineta, Chris Stain (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Overview with Michael DeFeo, Royce Bannon. Matt Siren, Robots, Burning Candy and Too Fly (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Remi/Rough and Stormie Mills in their first ever New York piece (detail) (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Lady Pink, Cycle (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Swoon (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ron English (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Veng RWK (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Tristan Eaton (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Welling Court Artists include: Alice Mizrachi, Beast, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, Celso, Cern, Cey Adams, CR, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Daryll Peirce, Don Leicht, Ellis G, Free5, Gaia, Garrison & Alison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JMR, John Fekner, Lady Pink, Leon Reid, Matt Siren, M-City, Michael De Feo, Mr. Kiji, Pablo Power, Peripheral Media Projects, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Remi/Rough, Ron English, Royce Bannon, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Sweet Toof, Swoon, TooFly, Tristan Eaton, and Veng RWK.

Vinny Cornelli: Jef Aerosol in Bushwick

January 26, 2010 Artists, Brooklyn, NYC, On the Street

Photographer Vincent Cornelli was out on a legal wall tour with international stencil artist Jef Aerosol this Saturday; With a name like Aerosol, you don’t invite photographers to watch you work otherwise. The sunny January afternoon pretty much blew Vinny’s mind, and he writes here about how he got such rockingly cool pictures:

On Saturday, I had the privilege of showing Jef Aerosol around the streets of Bushwick, Brooklyn. I think the day was the perfect example as to why the Street Art Movement is so special…and it is deserving of capital letters. Encounters such as these are not only incredibly rewarding and inspiring, but they foster an intimate connection between you and a city that is changing right in front of you. It was one of the greatest of days

Skewville and Aerosol © Vincent Cornelli

When I met Jef, I was photographing the front door of Eastern District/Ad Hoc Gallery. It was a warm greeting, with instant recognition of the other before exchanging “hellos.”

I’m not sure which direction you’re going, but I’m headed up. © Vincent Cornelli

Everything from start to finish breed this notion of connectedness – from Eric of Eastern District giving us a ride to Veng’s wall; to catching up with Ali and Garrison of Ad Hoc, listening to their exploits up and down the eastern side of the US; to Veng offering up a nice piece of real estate on a wall he often works with.

Fast Action: On foot while texting…sort of like walking and chewing gum, but this guy makes it look so cool. © Vincent Cornelli

It was also quite nice to have company from Stephan Missier and Becki Fuller, two great street art photographers who were around for a better part of the day. It was a day where everyone just seemed to fit so well with one another.

Becki Fuller at work © Vincent Cornelli

Jef taking it all in; the street art textures on this popular Brooklyn shack. © Vincent Cornelli

Jef and I spoke briefly of this sense of community, and family. He mentioned what a great feeling it is to be able to travel the world, always having another artist, gallery, blog or photographer willing to show you their city.

Something about these blue stockings made everything look even better. © Vincent Cornelli

While heading back to Eastern District /Ad Hoc Gallery for a couple other stencils, we had to say hello to these 2 ladies, and the photographer who was shooting them on the streets of Bushwick. Jef received a friendly Brooklyn welcome. © Vincent Cornelli

Veng, Becki, Stephane, and me looking on at the very personable, warm and talented Jef Aerosol. © Vincent Cornelli

Out of body, out of mind. © Vincent Cornelli

© Vincent Cornelli

I dunno, it breathes “Rock Star” to me. © Vincent Cornelli

I felt so comfortable with Jef that I even asked him for some thoughts on a couple larger life-changing decisions in my own life. I thought the perspective he offered was quite spot on. He is a warm, witty and well-spoken man, confident in his outlook and mindset. It shows in his detailed and carefully placed stencils, and in his smile.

– Yup, i think we’re done here. Super dope, Jef…you the man. © Vincent Cornelli

“But Jef, what is the meaning behind all of your red arrows?” © Vincent Cornelli

********************

“All Shook Up”, the debut solo New York show by Jef Aerosol will open this Friday at Ad Hoc/Eastern District in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Read more about the show HERE.

See Jef’s BASQUIAT STENCIL from last week HERE.

See how he made his 5-layer JAY-Z STENCIL for the show HERE.

See more of Vincent Cornelli’s photography and artistry HERE.

“I think it gives Brooklyn a kind of twist”; Willoughby Windows through the eyes of Brooklyn kids.

January 25, 2010 Artists

The Willoughby Windows Project, curated by Ad Hoc Gallery last summer was a big hit that helped revitalize a downtown block.

A developer who bought the block had made it look ugly by kicking out the mom-n-pop businesses that made their living there, so the street artists made it look super cool by putting art in the windows.

These four talented and insightful Brooklyn students in 4th,5th, and 6th grades made an excellent documentary about the project and it’s impact on the people they met who passed the windows. It is very funny and entertaining. Oh yeah, it’s educational too.

Brooklyn Friends Student Documentary Fall 2009 from Samuel Bathrick

The team really studied the topic and explained why they did the project. Here are some quotes from the documentary, to give you a flavor:

“We decided to make a documentary film about the different stores and that had art in them.”

“We had some questions and we wanted to find out what the general public thought about the art.”

“Personally I think the stores closed because of the economy.”

The documentary includes discussion about the project, how it came about, and interviews with people on the street. Garrison Buxton of Ad Hoc, and one of the featured artists in the project Dennis McNett, are also interviewed. The whole documentary was edited by the class instructor, Sam Bathrick.

Three cheers for after school programs! Three cheers for teachers! Three cheers for these amazing students!!

See a previous post on the Willoughby Windows Project

Willoughby Windows Walkby – Street Art on Display in Downtown Brooklyn

July 14, 2009 Artists

It’s a great idea to go window shopping these days —as opposed to actual shopping.

Since 70% of the American economy is fueled by shopping instead of manufacturing, we’re all supposed to be doing our patriotic duty accordingly. But sometimes the wallet is bare, bro. And sometimes the local dollar doesn’t stay local.

In yet another case of Street Art improving a community, the Willoughby Windows project in downtown Brooklyn officially opened this weekend with 17 artists, babies, scooters, costumed dancers, a sidewalk DJ, and inquisitive mildly bewildered citizenry slowing down to peek through the glass into artists’ clever minds.

Artist Logan Hicks leans into his multi-layered screenprint piece depicting crowds of New Yorkers on the street. (photo Steven P. Harrington)

A stupendous animal centric 3D installation utilizing the full space of the display window by print expert Dennis McNett can only be appreciated fully in person (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Garrison and Allison Buxton; anchors and visionaries, bring Willoughby Windows to Brooklyn (photo Steven P. Harrington)

In a joint effort with Ad Hoc Gallery and the local BID (Business Improvement District), Garrison Buxton and Allison Buxton and all the Ad Hoc interns have worked tirelessly for a few weeks with artists to install this show behind glass and to revive a moribund block in this sector of retail Brooklyn.

A detailed storyline from Cannonball Press also features a giant old -style cash register (not pictured) that reminds you there once were real businesses and customers here (photo Steven P. Harrington)

At the very least, it’s not so friggin depressing to pass this block on the way to work. At most, it can inspire creative impulses and conversations. Friday’s opening featured many children, gawking families, kooky creative types, chalk games on the side walk, even a feeling of “community”. Huh.

Willoughby Window gazer (photo Jaime Rojo)

In a window display case that featured bagels and home-baked goods, the late afternoon shadows slide across photographs of shadow-tracing by street artist Ellis G. (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Ironically a neighbor to bailout-happy JPMorgan Chase, whose skyscraper casts a shadow over this district of mom and pop businesses displaced by developers, the Willoughby Windows Project gives creative stimulus to the community with a fresh way to think of the shop window.

Stencil artist Chris Stain invokes the imagery of Brooklyn neighbors (photo Steven P. Harrington)

Josh MacPhee brings his Celebrate People's History poster series to this window, creating a patchwork of text and images (photo Steven P. Harrington)

In the wake of boom-era blustery press conferences and erect Powerpoint bar-graphs that fell limp, this project doesn’t bring back the businesses or feed their families, but it does invite a conversation about what a locally created economy means to the people who live here. Pedestrian? Yes, actually. Moribund? No way.

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