The Colors of Queens

THE COLORS OF QUEENS

QUEENS COUNTY FAMILY COURT

THE COLORS OF QUEENS

Unveiling Celebration

Queens County Family Court

151-20 Jamaica Avenue, Queens, NY 11432

Tuesday, August 15

12:30 – 2:00 PM

Amrita Singh, Teaching Artist

Becky Schuman, Teaching Artist

Ryan Davis, Teaching Artist

Alejandra Mandelblum, Teaching Artist

About the Mural

The four panels featured in the waiting areas of the third and fourth floor of Queens County Family Court were created as part of a Creative Art Works (CAW) Public Art Youth Employment program. Twenty-five Youth Apprentices collaborated with individuals who worked in the courthouse to envision joyous scenes that felt specific to the colorful Queens community. Through each of these vibrant panels, we follow families from day to night as they transform their neighborhood and the larger natural world into an inclusive home for all. Viewers are encouraged to spot familiar faces sprinkled throughout the panels, which serves as a reminder that we’re all connected. From the historic Rufus King Park to the very steps leading into the building, The Colors of Queens truly shine bright!

FROM KAREN JOLICOEUR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Over the course of the past two short months, Creative Art Works has engaged more than 110 Youth Apprentices (YAs) in the creation of seven works of public art under the tutelage of 16 phenomenal teaching artists and our dedicated staff. These include murals for three sites in Manhattan, one in the Bronx, and two in Queens, and the installation of an ambitious oral histories project in East Harlem.

It has been a joy to witness the evolution of skills, relationships, and of the artwork itself! From their initial introductions through the development of initial concepts, presentation of designs, subsequent revisions, and ultimate execution, our YAs have had a mammoth amount to learn—and to do—in mere weeks. This is especially impressive considering the “firsts!” For most of them, this was their first time working with CAW, and for a third it was their very first job. A surprising number have never dug this deeply into visual art before, or been called on to make a public presentation.

The daunting process demands and develops patience, resilience, and creative problem solving. We are so proud of them coming through with flying colors!

Our team at Queens Family Court has heard from judges, clerks, and administrators about the important work they do, and has met with design professionals to evaluate the opportunities and challenges presented by this unique interior space. They have endeavored to respectfully represent the diversity of challenges and joys families experience here, as well as the diversity of the people and families themselves, to create a dynamic reflection of the Borough of Queens. Our hope is that the artwork uplifts the families who transit these spaces as well as those who work here.

Sincerely,

Karen Jolicoeur Executive Director

Back row, left to right: Cindy Li, Junying Tong, Jatái Cunningham, Anasia Omesuh, Teaching

Middle row, left to right: Gen Bueno, Isabelle Shentu, Zimeng Yang, Krys-Janiyah Nathaniel, Johnson, Ayesha Mamun, Valerie Vergara, Samuel Zapata, Teaching Artist Amrita Singh

Front row, left to right: Teaching Artist Becky Schuman, Nahefa Ahmed, Tiana Leung, Nafiyah

Teaching Artist Alejandra Mandelblum, Khristian King

Nathaniel, Siobhan Simpson, Alexandra Kikolski, Morgan Braxton Mehakpreet Kaur, Prisye

Nafiyah Rahima, Lesly Deleg, Stephany Chhann, Kael Michel, Fahad Chowdhury

Nahefa (she/her/hers) is a rising freshman at Hunter College. She developed her love for art after seeing her best friend’s doodles in 4th grade, art being seen as nothing but a school subject before. After honing her skills with help from her best friend and countless other artists, she began exploring different forms of art, from sculpting to jewelry making. Outside of art, she loves astronomy, reading books, and fashion. Her current career goal is to become an aerospace engineer. Although her career path diverts from her artistic passions, she prefers art to be done for fun rather than obligation so she’s looking forward to working as a YA for Creative Art Works.

Gen (they/them) is a 17-year-old graduate from Manhattan Early College for Advertising. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Gen has been a part of a very diverse community which has shaped them to be open minded and creative. Gen’s main passion is music from piano to bass to guitar to–one day–the drums. Gen has been playing different instruments from the young age of 5 years old. Gen is also an avid reader and baker, reading all different sorts of books and baking all different sorts of sweets. Coming fall, Gen will be moving to Oregon to study neuroscience at Reed College and gain real life experience that builds off of their work as Youth Apprentice and mural artist.

Nahefa Ahmed

Gen Bueno

Morgan (she/her/hers) is an ongoing senior at The High School of Art and Design involved in multiple extracurricular activities: photography classes, volunteering for nonprofit organizations, managing school sports teams, and taking business and money management classes. When opportunities present themselves to her, she takes them, grasping whatever knowledge, skills, and experience that presents itself. Her goal is to continue working in graphic design; learning about the histories, cultures, and styles to develop her own artistic skills. Morgan’s dream is to help her friends and community that have pushed her to keep working harder. She hopes to develop her skills as a YA to inspire people to embrace their creativity and show them that art isn’t just a hobby, it’s a part of our everyday lives.

Stephany (she/her/hers) is a recent graduate from the Fashion Institute of Technology, having earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration. She enjoys drawing her favorite things, as well as playing video games in her free time. She has had experience in working with a variety of media for different art projects, being known as a “jack of all trades” by some of her peers. As a person, she is known to be very calm and easy to talk to.

Stephany’s goal is to have a career in the field of art that makes her happy. If she could, she would like to combine her love to draw and video games together into a longtime career and she’s looking forward to sharing her artistic interests with her teammates in Creative Art Works.

Morgan Braxton

Stephany Chhann

Fahad Chowdhury

Fahad (he/him/his) is an easy going, creative soul, and he considers himself as a sort of post-burnout gifted kid. He has made his peace with imperfection and learned to sidestep the stress headaches inherent within overachieving after years of falling prey to all that is Stuyvesant High School. Nowadays, you can find Fahad curled up around a book, drawing, or playing tabletop RPGs with his friends. Fahad is a golden retriever kind of person in that he craves praise and is a people pleaser above all. His experience with CAW has leveled up his art skills because of the daily practice and exposure to so many new ideas and art styles from his peers. Fahad plans to go into the publishing field as a literary editor, and is going to college to earn a BA in English literature for that dream. For now, he contents himself at tapping away a few hundred words at a time on a novel. He dreams of a day far off in the future where he can snuggle up near a fireplace in a grand library in his own home.

Lesly Deleg

Lesly (she/her/hers) is 17 years old and an incoming senior at John Bowne High School. She was born on May 6, 2006 in Queens, New York. Her parents are from Ecuador, so she speaks Spanish and English. Lesly cannot live without music and enjoys different genres of music. She likes watching international shows in her free time and she also likes to take her dog out for a walk when she can. She loves nature and taking walks because it relaxes her and it’s peaceful for her. Lesly loves meeting new people and learning all about art as a YA for Creative Art Works. One day she hopes to be successful and continue working as a helping guide to anyone who needs it.

Jatái (she/her/hers), is a recent graduate from Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, and will be attending St. John’s University this fall. She plans to study psychology and pursue therapy later in her career. Jatái is an army brat and has lived in various states, giving her the ability to connect with different people. Her friends would describe her as creative, outspoken, and kind-hearted. Having battled with mental health, adversity, and other hurdles she has turned towards art as a form to express herself and show others they aren’t alone regardless of what makes them unique. Working as a therapist who can change lives for the better, as well as owning her own gallery where people of all types are represented, would be her greatest dream. Creative Art Works is the first step into her first professional art direction, helping her perfect her communication skills with clientele as well as developing project concepts.

Prisye (she/her/hers) attends Townsend Harris High School as a part of the Class of 2024. Her passion for the arts started at a young age. Driven by a love for learning and for music, she’s picked up three instruments and is a self-taught drummer and guitarist. She’s also spent time developing her skills in computer-aided design and has dabbled in data analysis as an aspiring STEM major. In the future she hopes to continue in a musical direction while making advances in the world of science. Prisye looks forward to gaining work experience as a YA, as well as building off her natural leadership skills while designing a mural for Creative Art Works.

Jatái Cunningham

Prisye Johnson

Mehakpreet (she/her/hers) recently graduated from Richmond Hill High School. She received a Certificate of Advanced Achievement in Arts, which speaks to her passion and determination in pursuing her interests while challenging her abilities. She has been involved in various community-based events, jobs, and activities that include the Member of Young Leaders Unite, a Member of Arista National Honor Society, a Mentor in Peer Connections Mentorship Program, and as an intern assistant at The Unique Organization. She achieves her goals by self-learning, remaining focused, showing initiative, and setting reminders. Mehakpreet has also taken each and every opportunity, including her time with Creative Art Works, to interact, communicate, learn, and grow as an artistic individual.

Khristian (he/him/his), is 16 years old and a junior at Repertory Company High School For Theatre Arts located in Manhattan. Khristian likes to make music and act in his free time. He is well-versed in technology since the age of seven. In the future, Khristian plans to be an actor or singer. Khristian often listens to music from different genres, countries and cultures. Khristian ran track and field for one year but still wants to do it if he doesn’t continue into performing arts. Khristian is looking forward to practicing his documentation and photography skills while supporting his peers as a YA for Creative Art Works.

Mehakpreet Kaur

Khristian King

Alexandra (she/her/hers) is a rising senior residing in Queens, NY. She is passionate about art, specializing in black and white cartoons. Alexandra also enjoys immersing herself in writing and literature. She is hardworking, passionate, and willing to try anything; these attributes contribute to her good work ethic. Alexandra hopes to use her art skills to inspire and empower her community in Queens as well as abroad, and that’s why she’s excited to be a mural artist for the Queens Family Court as a YA for Creative Art Works. In the future she plans to go to college and pursue a career in the medical field.

Tiana Leung

Tiana (she/they) is an 18-year-old digital artist based in Queens, NYC. She is a graduate of Frank Sinatra High School of the Arts and a freshman at Baruch College majoring in psychology. She is a brilliantly creative individual with her Myers-Briggs test being INFJ. Tiana pursues all fields of art such as dancing, learning music, painting and photography. She uses her talents to pave a way for herself and hopefully one day for the larger Asian community. As a YA for Creative Art Works, Tiana aspires to be someone who isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd and inspire others her age to do the same.

Alexandra Kikolski

Cindy (she/they) is a student from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. She was an instrument major who has since switched to visual arts. She would participate in other outside activities such as going to Key Club and other clubs. She has had artistic ability since she was in preschool. She wishes to go to college to receive an associate’s degree to become a registered nurse and later a radiology nurse. She also hopes to get a side job as a comic book artist or author. Cindy’s excited to combine all of her interests in designing murals as a YA for Creative Art Works.

Kael (any pronouns) recently graduated from Richmond Hill High School as a part of the class of 2023, currently entering Queens College as a freshman. Having a passion for the arts, they’ve been making small animations and learning how to play the piano, striving to one day become a video game composer/freelance 2D animator. Kael is looking forward to building their artistic skills as a YA by helping design murals for Creative Art Works, gaining both work experience and learning leadership skills in the process. The designing of the mural has been an experience he will never forget, it has pushed him to be more creative and to work as a part of a team, and it’s been a wonderful time so far.

Cindy Li

Kael Michel

Ayesha Mamun

Ayesha (she/her/hers) is an 18-yearold senior in high school. She likes to draw and listen to music. She is studying digital design, science research, and journalism. She enjoys learning new things and skills. She loves fashion and her favorite part of it is putting outfits together. Ayesha adapts to changes and new environments quickly so she’s excited for the mural design process as a YA for Creative Art Works.

Krys-Janiyah (she/her/hers) is 17 years old and began her pursuit of art at the age of 8. She was born in Queens, but spent most of her childhood in Long Island before moving back to Queens. Although she took a two-year long hiatus from art when she was around 10 years old, she enthusiastically jumped back into her passions. Krys started painting seriously to build her art portfolio in her junior year in high school and she’s been excelling immensely since then. Krys also has experience in ceramics, and she is excited to learn more as she progresses in her artistic career. Krys is very thankful to Creative Art Works as a way to put her name out there and to gain experience for her professional artistic career.

Krys-Janiyah Nathaniel

Anasia Omesuh

Anasia (she/her/hers) recently graduated from New Visions Humanities IV. During her senior year, she founded and ran an artistic workshop that allowed children in homeless shelters to hand-sew stuffed animals. She is studying biology at Buffalo State University. Anasia hopes to become a pediatric dentist in the near future. Her longtime goal is to open a nonprofit that provides lower-income families with free dental care. She is determined to achieve her goals and hopes to use her time at Creative Art Works as a stepping stone to her goals.

Michael (he/him/his) is 17, and he is a creative individual with a passion for art, his favorite medium being pottery. He is always trying to learn new techniques and styles. Fishing, hiking, and camping are all things he also enjoys and these activities also serve as inspiration for some of his paintings. He also enjoys woodworking, drawing, and painting, and he hopes to bring his artistic skills to the design process as a YA for Creative Art Works.

Michael Schoenberg

Nafiyah Rahima

Nafiyah (she/her/hers) is a senior in high school. She presents as outgoing and actively participates in group work. She enjoys drawing and reading dystopian novels, like The Maze Runner series by James Dashner. Nafiyah has a liking toward hands-on activities that allow her to use problem solving skills to get to an end point. During her sophomore year of high school, Nafiyah took a ceramics elective class and has since loved playing with clay. Her hobbies in art allow her to maintain her creativity and passion for the arts which she is excited to explore as a YA with Creative Art Works.

Isabelle (she/her/they/them) is a rising senior at Bronx Science in New York. Since she was young she found a passion for the arts. She learned three instruments and likes to draw in her free time. Art has become a major factor in Isabelle’s life, and she loves to express her creativity in different situations. She joined Creative Art Works in order to get experience in a field she would like to continue in the future. When she grows up, she hopes to pursue a job in accounting and keep art as a major part in her life, whether it be drawing or performing.

Isabelle Shentu

Siobhan (she/her/hers), also known as Shay Simpson, has spent a majority of her 16 years of life using her art as a way to express the different emotions and thoughts she has experienced. Throughout her life she has experimented with different art forms including digital art, graphite art, and acrylic painting. In 2021, Siobhan created the alias on the social media platform, Instagram, known as “Cyanide.” Under this name, she has created and posted multiple pieces of art. Some of these pieces include “Evolve,” “Don’t Think. Ever.” and “C3 the Soul Eater.” She hopes to venture into using materials she’s never used such as spray paint to experiment with her style. Shay hopes to practice her craft while working as a YA in CAW so that she can build a successful career for herself.

Arianna (she/her/hers), recently graduated from Cardozo High School. Arianna was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in Jamaica, Queens. She is a very open-minded individual, open to exploring and creating, and has been involved in many activities such as script-writing, storytelling/directing, and drawing/ painting. Arianna is a detailed-oriented person and she tries to be as positive and soft-hearted towards others. She can also be very private, secluded, and mellow at times as some people would describe her as “down to earth” due to her calm, carefree, and positive attitude. Arianna greatly appreciates the opportunity Creative Art Works gives to expand her knowledge and network for a greater future.

Siobhan Simpson

Arianna Tucker

Junying (she/her/hers) is currently a rising sophomore studying finance, accounting, and management information systems at Binghamton University School of Management. As the president of both Student Government and Key Club in her high school years, she grew a strong commitment to service and has a natural ability to inspire others. Although Junying is currently working two jobs as a barista and waitress, she continues to develop her hobbies and interests. Junying loves to play video games and paint during her free time as a form of stress relief. She chose Creative Art Works because she wanted to use her art to inspire and motivate others. In the near future, Junying hopes to study corporate or criminal law and become a lawyer.

Valerie (she/her/hers) is 16 years old and an incoming senior at John Bowne High School. Valerie was born of Mexican-born parents and grew up bilingual. She enjoys strawberry ice cream, listening to music, and watching international T.V. shows. The Perks of Being A Wallflower is her favorite book as it explores the importance of mental health. Valerie aspires to be a successful attorney who protects the rights of children. She believes that through studying psychology, sociology, and brain development, that she’ll be one step closer to properly taking care of a child’s needs. Valerie can’t wait to bridge her interests in becoming a lawyer as well as practicing her art skills as a Creative Art Works YA and create murals.

Junying Tong

Valerie Vergara

Zimeng (she/her/hers) is from John Bowne High School. She likes to listen to music and she also plays badminton in her free time. She is from China, and she’s been here almost a year. Zimeng is working on learning English and is a little bit shy. After these few days of study, she has a very strong opinion. Of course, she also likes art. She was drawing in China, although it is very different from art here due to culture and is sometimes challenging. In the future, her first goal is to learn English then enter a college. The people and the environment here at CAW are very harmonious and she likes it!

Rebecca (Becky) is a painter, activist, and teaching artist. She received her BA in studio art and environmental studies and sustainability from Drew University in 2021. Since then, she has worked as an environmental educator and nature preschool teacher, and as an elementary school art teacher.

Outside of work, Becky is an animal rights and environmental activist, and has frequently organized events and volunteered with groups around the New York Metropolitan area. Her paintings are reflective of her activism, and have been featured in various group shows, as well as in collaboration with animal sanctuaries. Going forward, she hopes to pursue her MFA and continue teaching and painting in celebration of socially-engaged art.

Zimeng Yang

Becky Schuman, Teaching Artist

Samuel (he/him/his) is currently in 11th grade at Newcomers High School. He’s lived in Colombia for 13 years. He’s practiced two sports including soccer and volleyball. Due to injuries he’s returned to drawing, his favorite being landscapes that remind him of home. He has also studied architecture for two years in Colombia. He feels proud of himself since he didn’t know anything about English when he first moved to the U.S. Now he has improved his skills and he hopes to learn more in his time at Creative Art Works to further his dream to be an architect.

Amrita Singh, Teaching Artist

Born in Tamil Nadu, India, and raised in Hyde Park, Chicago, Amrita is a writer/director who holds an M.F.A. in Filmmaking from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she later served as Adjunct Faculty and taught Location Sound. As an instructor for South Asian Youth Action, Amrita teaches interactive filmmaking and photography workshops to elementary school students hailing from immigrant communities who attend PS 124 in Queens. Her graduate thesis short film “Winning in America” screened at several Academy-Award winning film festivals, including The Chicago International Film Festival, LA Shorts International Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, before making its online premiere with Short of the Week. In addition to developing a feature film set in the small town of Nagercoil, India, with the NYU Production Lab Development Studio, she’s directing and animating a mixed media short documentary about her grandmother in collaboration with Still I Rise films.

Samuel Zapata

Ryan Davis, Teaching Artist

Ryan has worked for Creative Art Works as a Teaching Artist in Residence, a Teaching Artist, and Teaching Artist Assistant. He frequently works with Youth Apprentices from Queens Community Justice Center, leading programs in mural painting and digital art. Ryan has worked for many New York community art programs, including The International Print Center New York (IPCNY) and The Door, in The Bronx. He also works at Wave Hill in Riverdale as the Family Art Project Weekend Coordinator. Prior to moving to New York, he developed a community mural project at Sowers Academy Elementary School as the recipient of the Palmer Travel Scholarship. Before that, he was an Assistant Instructor at Young Artists at Work in Toledo, Ohio.

Ryan received his Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis on painting at Ohio University. He maintains his practice primarily in screen-printing and collage and has exhibited his work in New York at IPCNY and internationally in Spain and Italy. He currently lives in Brooklyn.

Alejandra Mandelblum, Teaching Artist

Alejandra is a muralist, multidisciplinary artist, and Teaching Artist with a history of working in underserved communities. Prior teaching experience includes work with Zen Creative Kids in NYC and the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services in Brooklyn. From 2009 to 2015, she served as the Founder and Creative Director of Mandelblum, a contemporary fashion brand for women. She earned a BA in Fashion Design from Centro de Formación Artística Brivil, in Venezuela. She is a working artist for Moonglitch Murals, Fat Cat Fab Lab NYC, and Studio 3D. Alejandra’s personal art often explores themes of dislocation and nostalgia for a homeland in a perpetual state of political upheaval. She has exhibited her work at the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling, in Harlem; Arte Galeria Forjadores de Mexico, in Mexico City; and Gowanus Open Studio, in Brooklyn.

A Bird's Eye View

Queens is “The World’s Borough,” so this panel represents Queens as one giant park where all the people of the world come together to live their lives in harmony. A family of birds looks down upon families playing and picnicking around the Rufus King Manor Museum. (The birds make an appearance in another panel as well.) Food trucks represent the fact that Queens has the best food in the world. The Unisphere, possibly the best-know Queens landmark, is visible in the distance. A rainbow represents the ethnic, racial, and sexual diversity of Queens.

Unisphere

Seen on the horizon in the previous panel, the Unisphere takes center stage in this one. The Unisphere was originally constructed to embody the theme of the 1964 New York World's Fair, which was "Peace Through Understanding.” In that spirit, the Youth Apprentices wanted to show diversity and community using a multitude of people from different ethnicities, races, genders, and religions.

The four murals each represent Queens at different times during a single day – morning, noon, afternoon, and night.

Celebration

While the feeling of this mural is unmistakably joyful, the artists intentionally left the action open to interpretation. The people in the painting might be celebrating an adoption or a reunification. The use of bright colors, especially at the foreground, is intended to underscore the joy that this community feels when experiencing a happy moment at the courthouse. The birds depicted in the first mural appear again in this one, hidden in the trees looking at this courthouse celebration.

Light in the Darkness

The final mural in the series celebrates the inclusive ethos of Queens County Family Court. A samesex couple is depicted joyfully holding onto their newly adopted child. They are the light shining bright at the end of the day. Their faces and posture radiate love and unity. Behind them, fireworks illuminate the city skyline, the iconic Queensboro Bridge, and a bustling halal food truck. The mural seamlessly blends the multiculturalism of Queens together with the power of love and acceptance.

About the Public Art Youth Employment Program

Public Art Youth Employment Programs give teens and young adults full-time summer jobs and part-time jobs after school to create large-scale public art and multimedia projects. Youth Apprentices are guided by professional teaching artists from the initial concept development through client presentation, to the final edit and public unveiling or premiere. Along the way, they gain tangible employment and life skills such as leadership, teamwork, responsibility and the power of taking initiative. They are empowered by the enduring accomplishment in their work of art and its positive impact on the community.

About Creative Art Works

Creative Art Works (CAW) is a 37-year-old nonprofit that empowers young people through the visual and multimedia arts. Our programs equip children, teens, and young adults with essential tools and skills; connect them with community, academic success, and career opportunities; and inspire them to reach for new possibilities. Working in underserved neighborhoods of New York City, in public schools, recreation centers, foster care facilities, parks, juvenile justice settings, and in the remote environment, CAW provides dynamic creative youth development for those who otherwise lack access. Our programs build confidence, unlock a love of learning, and teach valuable technical and socialemotional skills while creating profound connections between our young constituents, their art and their communities. www.creativeartworks.org

Creative Art Works’ Public Art Youth Employment program receives support from the Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, the Find Your Light Foundation, The Leroy and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President.

Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation

ARCHITECTURAL METAL & GLASS

The team mascot, named Phoenix, represents everyone in the community of Queens County Family Court artists. Their ambiguous portrayal is intended to invite the viewer to see themselves in Phoenix. Art by Shay Simpson.