Featured Artist on Ebru Television

Ebru Television a new television network available in approximately 8 million households throughout the country featured my work in their show called Blank Canvas. On the show they interview and display the work of artists, as they are considered the keepers of culture, history, and tradition.

The mission of Ebru Television is to continually educate, inspire and entertain viewers of all ages through original first-rate programming in the sciences, sporting events, fine arts and every aspect of culture. They strive to foster understanding among all people through intercultural dialogue and mutual respect, thus promoting peace and diversity in the U.S. and throughout the world.

"Building A Creative Life as a Teaching Artist"

Panel Discussion presented by the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation and Moore College of Art and Design
Friday, March 19, 2010, 6:00-8:00pm
Moore College of Art and Design, 20th Street and the Parkway

The Bartol Foundation and Moore College of Art and Design presents New Emerging Talent (NET) Nights to connect students and graduates of local art and design colleges to network with each other and with creative leaders in our community. Presenters include Barbara Bickart (filmmaker), Beth Nixon (visual artist.), Michelle Angela Ortiz (visual artist), and Alex Shaw (musician).
The conversation will be with a range of working artists to learn how their role as an arts educator enhances and sustains their creative lives. The panelists will share their paths to becoming teaching artists, strategies for securing teaching artist positions, resources to build your skills as an educator, and their reflections on how they integrate their lives as educators and artists. The program is free but registration is required, click here to register

Leeway Foundation Media Luncheon

I will be a panelist for the Leeway Foundation Media Luncheon on Thursday, March 4 12-2pm.

Other panelists include poet Ursula Rucker (ACG ’08, LTA ’08), Rev. Beverly Dale (ACG ’06, ‘08), bex* (LTA ’09), and former panel reviewer Margie Strosser, a writer and producer who will moderate the discussion.

To rsvp go to http://leewaymedialuncheon.eventbrite.com/

Las Gallas participating in Philagrafika 2010

SAVE THE DATE: Friday, April 9th, 2010

"Lo Que Aparece y Desaparece"

Las Gallas Exhibition at Taller Puertorriqueño

I am working with fellow Las Gallas members, Julia Lopez and Magda Martinez, on creating visual and literary works for our upcoming exhibition"Lo Que Aparece y Desaparece" at Taller Puertorriqueño as part of Philagrafika 2010. Click here to stay tuned for more details of our work in progress and the exhibit.

Recipient of the Transnational Grant from NALAC

The National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC) awarded me a Transnational grant to complete the second phase of the "El Viaje" project. "EL Viaje" brings together a part of the emerging Mexican community in South Philadelphia to give them a voice to tell their stories. In August 2009, artist Nora Hiriart Litz completed the first phase of the project by offering the families intensive workshops. The workshops incorporated writing, painting and printmaking techniques along with video testimonials of their journey. The first phase was sponsored by the Leeway Foundation.

In July 2010, both Nora and I will be connecting with the Philadelphia participants’ families that reside in Mexico. Through intensive workshops the families in Mexico will be fully engaged in creating art works, sharing stories and responding to the work created by their families in Philadelphia. We will also be connecting with artists from La Semilla Proyecto de Creatividad Infantil S.C. from Mexico to help in engaging the communities in creating public works with positive messages. For more information visit the "El Viaje"project blog.

Residency in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico: 9/28-10/13/2009

The United States Embassy selected me for the second time to conduct a series of workshops on urban art and recovery of public spaces, this time in Juarez, Mexico. During my two week residency, I conducted four intense community building workshops with local artists and community leaders.

Fellow member of Las Gallas and writer/ actress , Julia Lopez conducted writing workshops that informed the content of the collaborative mural design. The writings and images created during the workshops reflected the participants' response to the floods that destroyed their homes in 2006 and their reaction to the waves of violence occurring their colonias in Juarez. I directed the community and local artists in the creation of the 17'x180' mural that was completed in eight days. From grafitti artists to grandmothers, a total of 80 participants worked diligently in creating the collaborative mural which depicts the themes of destruction, renovation, violence, change, power, unity, liberty and future. During the residency, we were honored to have the U.S. Ambassador Carlos Pascual to visit and see the positive work that the community had created.

The mural entitled "El Nuevo Camino, La Alianza de Fe, Amor y Paz" stands as a testimony that in the midst of destruction and violence the people of Juarez are committed to creating social change through the arts.

*music from Mercedes Sosa

"This We Believe" Citywide Mural Dedication

The "This We Believe" mural dedication at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia was a success. The mural was installed temporarily and was up for two weeks. Singers from Singing City filled the space with their voices and participants from the community meetings were present to see the mural completed.

Be sure to check out the audio mural stories collected by WHYY that inspired the content of the design. Go to audio mural 1 and audio mural 2