Anna Arnold ART Journal 2008 (Passport Project Community Murals, Ingenuity Fest)
Anna at the Ingenuity Fest on July 25, 2008
Ingenuity Fest, Community Murals, July 25-27 Cleveland, Ohio 2008
Hi, it's Anna Arnold here and welcome to my online diary! You probably haven't heard from me in awhile because I have been fortunate to be busy as an artist over the past two months. I have resigned from my position as art instructor in recreation with the City of Cleveland and about to start graduate studies in Art Education at Case Western Reserve University next month. Just recently, I was hired by Chloe Hopson, Founder and Director of the Passport Project , a dynamic grassroots non profit arts organization in Cleveland to be one of the artists to work on community murals with the public at the Ingenuity Festival in downtown Cleveland on July 25 and 26. The weather was perfect and it was such a fun and charged up environment with thousands of people expected. It was wonderful to be apart of the energy and joy of life and to help people have a litttle fun. I had the opportunity to work alongside artists Hector Castellanos Lara and Julie Barcza . Ben Gunter from Passport Project was site coordinator for the murals at the Festival. He's creative, dedicated, has an easy manner and a quick sense of humor. He was very encouraging, bought us food and water, stayed with us and made certain we had what we needed. When he arrived on Friday he had to assemble three large easels to hold the 4' X 6' panels that we painted on. He got right on that job with volunteers from the Passport Project performers who were there and got it done for us.
The 6 panel murals we created with the public will be permanently installed in the Community Garden at Passport Project (12801 Buckeye Rd.) very soon.
People I haven't seen in years stopped by to catch up or discuss future projects. I have a feeling I am going to be back in demand for commissions, art shows and teaching gigs very soon. I am visible again. In sight, in mind. So, I have to find a way to keep up safely through exercise and nutrition and periods of rest.
Drummers kicking festivities off on Friday evening! Boooomm!
Is it more lucrative for stiltwalkers during all of the summer festivals?
Robots created in an engineering summer camp for City of Cleveland kids
Blaine helping with the sketch on Friday evening and people can't wait to get started and...
...keep going
Hector Castellanos Lara working on his mural. Hey, the feet of the people behind the board look like they are part of the painting!
Finished mural created by dozens of people on Friday night. We generated alot of excitement and enthusiasm from the public with this project. I can envision it becoming a much more prominent part of the Festival in 2009
That's me with Hector and the first mural on Friday night
I arrived early and had an opportunity to look around the festival a bit before my starting time on Saturday. This is from an installation about the war in Iraq inside of a theater on Saturday. We had to get on our knees and peak under the curtain to see what was going on and the unsensored news and images that are hidden from us by the media. Very powerful.
Ceiling in the darkened theater lobby
Quiet moment in the lobby
Ben Gunter IV, performer and onsite manager of the community murals at the Ingenuity Fest for Passport Project
Ben being interviewed by Ingenuity Fest video crew
When I arrived on Saturday afternoon, Hector's group were already at it. Vivid!
Working on a mural of Julie Barcza's bold flowers
Another look at Mural 1 photo by Hector Castellanos Lara 2008
Xan Underhill, multi talented artist and performer and has trained with Cirque de Soleil
Believe it or not, this is the inside of the most fabulous porta potty I've ever seen. It's provided by BP, is air conditioned and has running water. Ha!
Stopping to capture some of the action around me photo by Hector Castellanos Lara 2008
Mural 3 was started randomly
Before...
...attemping to bring it back
Mural artists and volunteers bringing it back to life
...and after the touch up
Zeno the robot from Hanson Robotics of Dallas is a prototype and one of 3 in the world. He has artificial intelligence and will be capable of learning, storing knowledge and conversing among other incredible things. He will be ready for the public in 2010.
Unwinding with Ben and Julie, art educator and one of the community mural artists
One last look and I'll let you know when the murals will be installed in the Passport Project Community Garden soon!
Oooh girl! Where do I start! I think I just sat here and read everything. What a fantastic journey! I didn't know we had Xan, Julie (Barcza), Hector and many others in common.
It is wonderful to see the many faces of Anna Arnold... muggin' for the camera, the dancing Anna (ole!)I didn't know about the Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Puddle of Mud,hip hop dance club Anna.
Another face that came jumping out at me was a direction in your work I hadn't seen before. Very exciting!
It is something when it "really hits you"especially after being so single mined. I started to tear up when I read your experience of tears of joy. Congratulations on your dreams staying alive. Your dream is awake! You are in graduate school! I am so happy for you and very proud!
Tears of celebration. I had several moments like that during the DNC. Especially Hillary losely quoting Harriet Tubbman: "If you hear the dogs, keep going.
If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.
If they're shouting after you, keep going.
Don't ever stop. Keep going.
If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.
Even in the darkest of moments, ordinary Americans have found the faith to keep going."
Let this be your call to arms with paints and cameras and word, clay and blogs and heart, patiences, and power and the creative power of God flowing through you.
Tell Sandy Noble and Rob Bernetich hi.
I really dig the dark side of James Dean, the growing pepper in the table top garden,trippy self portrait among many others.
Man! I love your comments. I started posting because I want to take everybody on my journey with me. You know, in a way all of these web journals and places like Facebook have brought many of us together and allows us to share things that we normally wouldn't. In some ways, we get to know each other on a deeper level. About Obama, can you believe we witnessed that in our lifetime? It just hit my heart Thursday night. I absolutely love that quote from Hillary quoting from Harriet Tubman. That is powerful and I want a copy of it to uplift me when I am writing and studying for class. I am so ready for this, Cav!
Thanks for the compliments on the art and photos. "The Darkside of James Dean" is a true collaborative drawing with Lance Vernon. We work on these pieces at the same time. We've made about 200 drawings since 2005. Here's more about us and our work
http://annaarnold.bravehost.com/annaarnoldlancevernoncollaborations.html.
You have always been so supportive and kind.
Anna
Bravenet Blog 
Blog Community
Get a Free Blog
Manage your Blog
bravenet.com