1 MONTE DE MONTEFIOREFLORESSQUARE, WEST HARLEM PUBLIC ART SUMMEREMPLOYMENTYOUTHPROGRAM2022
This mural is the final piece of an extensive redevelopment project of Montefiore Square begun over 13 years ago by NYC Parks. The Parks Department believes the mural will further activate the space and make it a more inviting place. The goal of the mural design is to visually represent the unique qualities of the local community through literal and symbolic images. To ensure that the themes of the mural truly reflect the neighborhood, CAW Youth Apprentices surveyed community leaders and local residents. After an extensive period of brainstorming, sketching and color studies, every Youth Apprentice on the team contributed ideas that were incorporated. Figurative elements include street musicians, a child smelling a flower, domino players, jazz musicians, and a young woman absorbed in a good summer book. The result is a love letter to Hamilton Heights.
About the Mural
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MONTE DE FLORES Unveiling Celebration Montefiore Square Broadway and West 137th Street Wednesday, August 10th 3:30 – 4:45 PM Will Watson, Teaching Artist Erika Sabel, Teaching Artist Assistant Liv Mourao, Teaching Artist Assistant Madeline De Leon , Teaching Artist Assistant
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Creative Art Works employed over 80 Youth Apprentices to develop and create three mural sites this summer. Projects included a vibrant exterior mural to welcome students to PS/MS 4 in Crotona Park West in The Bronx; a mural for the lobby of Bronx Family Court that speaks to equity in justice in the judicial system; and a prominent mural that spans a block and half along Montefiore Square in Hamilton Heights that reflects the energy and vitality of the West Harlem community.
ExecutiveBrianSincerely,RicklinDirector & CEO
This year, we have recruited Youth Apprentices (YAs) from all five boroughs who represent the cultural, ethnic, religious, gender, and socio-economic diversity of our city. Many of our youth grapple with extraordinary challenges in academic engagement stemming from homelessness or transitional housing, food scarcity, recent immigration, language barriers, foster care, or court involvement. Many of them face multiple challenges. Our programs provide a brave space where there is opportunity for personal growth, not because we coddle young people, but because we challenge them. Our YAs range in age from 16 to 24 and their interests include medicine, computer science, the performing arts, social work, and literature, just to name a few. While we have a number of YAs returning to us for a second or even third time, for most of them, this is their first summer job ever. And what a job it is! Not only do they earn NYC minimum wage for six weeks, they also acquire and develop transferable job and social skills, a sense of pride in themselves and their work, and a sense of ownership in a piece of art that enhances the lives of their fellow New Yorkers. The work is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. Over the course of six weeks, our Youth Apprentices must unite as a team to overcome seemingly insurmountable creative and technical challenges. Internally, they must learn to navigate differing perspectives, negotiate conflicts and build group consensus. Externally, they must balance their client’s wishes while still maintaining their own voice and artistic integrity. Our YAs develop a sense of ownership as they create their art, and that sense is amplified, during the culminating event, when each individual has the chance to tell their audience what contributions they made to the project. We hope you will share their sense of optimism and accomplishment and we thank you for attending today’s event.
FROM BRIAN RICKLIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
4 Alecia Correa Anthony Batista Boris Gonzalez KaylinTeachingErikaWilliamsSabel,Artist Assistant Wing Ching Tan Runrun ChenLiviaTeachingMourao,ArtistJoseAssistantFleitas Gavin Willis DayanaraJonathanBrooksHymanStephanie Diaz Sai Gomez
5 Amyah Adrien Aysyah Brown Carl DelosDanialSantosBrown David Tovar Izzy Brinks Kit Souvorova Lyndia GuerrierGabriela CastillaJulia TeachingWillKleinWatson,Artist Leslie Encarnacion Letizia Gomez CaraballoLindsey FloresNathan Tejeda Madeline De Leon, Teaching Artist Assistant
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Anthony Batista Anthony is a 20-year-old Hispanic male who currently resides in Harlem but was raised in The Heights with a family of seven in a single apartment. He attended high school for four years before studying for a GED while attending BCC. This is his first working experience and he has enjoyed every second of it. Aside from being able to work and pursue his passion for art, he was able to come out of his shell and make new friends. Anthony is a freelance digital artist on social media who enjoys exploring the darker, more surreal, sides of art to give viewers a picture to attach their negative feelings to. His biggest goal in life is to reach out to those struggling with mental health issues through his art and their ideas. He believes art is an amazing outlet for all kinds of emotions, and everyone should try using it as such at least once in their lives.
Alecia Correa Alecia is a 22-year-old self-taught artist. Born and raised in Brooklyn, but currently residing in The Bronx, Alecia is pushing through her last year of college to pursue a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Alecia aspires to become a video game character concept designer, and uses her love of drawing to bring characters to life. In her free time, she loves to draw, listen to music, sing, cook, and play with her hamster, named Hammy.
Amyah is an almost 17-year-old growing artist and a senior at Brooklyn High School of the Arts. She is enjoying this new experience of using different art materials and the opportunity to enjoy art. Getting paid is just a bonus for her and it isn’t the only thing that allows her to come to CAW everyday. This is not only an opportunity to make a change but to make a statement. Amyah is a creative, funny, and quiet person who will get so wrapped up in her work that everything becomes a blur until she is finished. CAW offered her an opportunity not only to get better at art skills but also to make a change in a neighborhood.
Aysyah is a 16-years-old-girl who goes to Brooklyn High School of the Arts as a drama major. She has participated in SYEP for two years; however, this is her first year with Creative Art Works. This is such a great opportunity for her to connect with more artists and help her improve her art skills. CAW helped Aysyah understand and connect with the community of Hamilton Heights. Aysyah’s goals are to go to college, focus on her education, and be a successful adult. She is currently thinking of a career in playwriting, but she is not yet certain. For fun, Aysyah likes to play video games and cook.
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Aysyah Brown
Amyah Adrien
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Danial is a 22-year-old Stony Brook University graduate with a degree in studio art. Her main focus is currently digital art, but she has been doing traditional art all her life. She has done murals with the Groundswell community mural program in the past, and is excited to learn new things with Creative Art Works. She has freelanced as well. CAW has been an exciting experience that has allowed Danial to learn new techniques and meet new people. It has motivated her to try new things and embrace change as well as failure. Danial likes video games, painting, drawing, and reading in her free time. In the future, Danial hopes to either work as a freelancer in her own studio or work for a graphic design company. She has also been striving to get her work placed in galleries and to work with many more artists in the future to learn more skills.
Boris Gonzalez Boris is 18 years old and lives in Manhattan. Boris was born in Cuenca, Ecuador. He graduated high school this past June, and he will be entering his first year of college this August, majoring in computer science. He enjoys playing chess and video games, and he also enjoys going to the gym with his friends and running. This is his second year working with Creative Art Works and he has learned how to step out of his comfort zone. He hopes to visit Japan when he is older, because of its beauty and culture. One of his many aspirations is to learn to build and fix computers. He hopes to get a computer by the end of year. He also wants to visit Ecuador again to spend time with his family.
Danial Brown
David is 20 years old and is majoring in business at College of Staten Island. This is his first public mural with Creative Art Works, and he enjoys it. David has learned new skills such as color mixing, doodling techniques, the grid method, and interviewing people. These new skills helped David create a mural with his fellow teammates. David is happy he learned new skills so he can use later on in his professional career. CAW gave David enough confidence to speak to or interview anyone. He enjoyed getting to meet new people and interacting with the people in this community. David hopes one day he can own a business where he can help youth develop important skills. He wants to inspire people to be the best they can be, kind of like how Creative Art Works does.
Carl is an 18-year-old artist who will soon be a freshman at Fordham University. This is the second time Carl is working with Creative Art Works. Last year summer, he was on the animation team of CAW’s multimedia program through SYEP. CAW has given Carl the opportunity to express himself and give back to the community through art. In his free time, Carl likes to play the piano, draw, and paint. In the future, Carl would like to work on more murals.
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David Tovar
Carl Delos Santos
Gavin is 17 years old, born in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and raised in Inwood, New York. He is a rising senior at West End Secondary School on the Upper West Side. Creative Art Works has allowed him to learn more about art and express his creativity and do something good at the same time. CAW has also allowed him to work together as a team and build a community of great young artists. In Gavin’s free time, he likes to hang out with friends and play video games. He also likes to read and draw. In the future, he hopes to study acting at The California Institution of Arts In Valencia, California, and one day be a professional actor and be able to give back to his community and his family.
Dayanara Brooks was born and raised in New York City, representing the sisterhood through street art. Daya is a proud graduate and has been progressing quickly on their journey to becoming an established digital and traditional multimedia creator. Daya interned for CAW in the spring of 2021, and again for the animated storytelling block later that summer. They have been hard at work at this year’s mural site with the help of their fellow apprentices and passionate teaching artists. When Daya is not illustrating on Clip Studio, they spend most of their free time thinking up and writing their own stories and characters. Their mind is always active when it comes to thinking of new abstract ideas. They are always eager to learn and improve on their skill set, and thanks to CAW they will always be shaping the canvas that is their future.
Gavin DayanaraWillisBrooks
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Gabriela is a 16 year old who lives in Harlem. She is an upcoming junior at Urban Assembly Gateway for Technology. She plans to graduate and work in the fashion industry. This is her fifth job but her first time working with Creative Art Works. She enjoyed collaborating with her peers to make the mural design and volunteering with supplies. She knows that everyone she works with at CAW is very creative and kind. Also, she enjoys drawing and is always happy to learn new art skills. Gabriela likes to play music to feel more connected to her artwork and her peers.
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Gabriela Castilla Izzy Brinks
Izzy is from Manhattan and currently attends the college program at Bard Queens. This is her first year working with Creative Art Works, but in her free time she has always enjoyed photography, film, and various mediums of physical art. She also enjoys dying her hair, playing guitar, and finding new artists to listen to. This year with CAW, she hopes to gain a rewarding and enriching artistic experience while improving technically and engaging socially.
Julia is 17 years old and has always had a passion for art and musical theater. Julia is heading into her first year at CUNY Queens College and is majoring in elementary education. She aspires to have a career as a teacher and plans to continue her skills in performing arts on the side. Creative Art Works has helped Julia bring herself out of her comfort zone and experiment with art by learning different techniques in blending and how to have more confidence when painting.
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JonathanKleinHyman
Jonathan is an aspiring artist aiming for big things. Currently attending City College of New York, he has gone on to display enthusiasm and initiative, learning and acquiring many new skills. He has always shown interest in illustration and animated media, and so enrolled at CCNY to fulfill a dream of creating animated works and works in design that will inspire others and make a long lasting impact. He began his artist journey in high school, and since then he has improved significantly. He has been on demon time since then because he had to get better before he started his college career. So, now he is not an “aight artist,” he is an “alright we heard you artist”. This is his second experience with CAW and he has enjoyed this opportunity to work with others and gain experience while working on the creation of murals.
Julia
Kayla Newton
Jose is a 20-year-old aspiring artist and a high school graduate. He has been practicing his art skills and CAW has given the opportunity to show his skills to the public. Jose’s goal is to work in a chosen career that would give him a comfortable life in the future.
Jose Fleitas
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Kayla’s favorite form of art is graffiti. She loves to draw to help clear her mind. She has developed a love for art since the pandemic started. Creative Art Works has strengthened her confidence in art, and the program taught her how to scale properly depending on the piece. Her goals are to be one of the first successful entrepreneurs in her family, working with CAW again to impact communities around the city, and she desires to continue exploring art, soon making it one of her streams of income.
Leslie is 19 years old and lives in The Bronx. She recently graduated from the notorious Inwood Early College and is trying to find her passion during this short summer break. She is a very open-minded individual who likes to spend time teaching herself important history lessons that were glossed over in school in order to be well-informed on current social issues that strictly pertain to the less fortunate in every sense. She also likes philosophy and is trying to broaden her vocabulary. Her short term goal is to become a human encyclopedia. Her long term goal is to become a criminologist. Fun fact: she does not have a favorite color. Leslie Encarnacion
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Kaylin Williams Kaylin is 20 years old. She grew up in The Bronx with her small family. Dissatisfied with her only work experience as a cashier in retail, she wanted to change that and sought work in the arts and so took the opportunity to attend the CAW Summer Youth Employment Program. This came with a lot of growth and experience, and Kaylin was able to come out of her shell and make use of her talents and hobbies. She is learning new things and meeting new people. After the program, Kaylin will be able to put her work skills and talents to better use for the people in her community. A goal in her life is to make use of the drawings and art that she makes instead of keeping it to herself. She hopes to make others happy with her own creation. Kaylin recently moved to Harlem with a friend. Before that, she attended Bronx Community College.
Kit Souvorova Kit is a hobbyist artist and patterned Converse enthusiast from Brooklyn who enjoys working with oil pastels and experimenting with textures in art. She has a preference for traditional art mediums. Kit is studying human biology at Hunter College, with plans to go into the medical field after graduation, while maintaining an art practice. This is Kit’s second year working with Creative Art Works, and has given her the opportunity to focus on improving technical skills, as well as the opportunity to meet other like-minded artists and creatives. Kit has also taken the opportunity to learn about, and work on, design and such related skills in the process of designing and painting murals during both years with CAW, with plans to apply that knowledge to future projects.
Letizia Gomez Caraballo
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Letizia is 17 years old. She was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and moved to the United States last year in October. She recently graduated high school from Inwood Early College for Health and Information Technologies and is aspiring to go to college and major in graphic design and illustration. She finds enjoyment in drawing and digital design. She’s looking forward to her future, and getting a cat and a couple of tattoos (even if it means upsetting her Dominican parents). This year, she started her first job at Creative Art Works, and finds her job and coworkers to be amazing and very lovely. Within CAW, she’s developed her social and art skills, and couldn’t be more grateful to have this as her first job.
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Mya Gomez Mya is 16 years old and an upcoming junior at high school for Environmental Studies. Besides being an artist, she enjoys playing with her dog and spending time with her friends. In upcoming years she plans to major in medicine. This is her first year working with Creative Art Works as well as her first job. The experience has been challenging yet exciting. She has learned to become less distracted and more engaged. CAW has shown her that art is everywhere you go.
Lindsey Flores Lindsey is 17 years old. She went to Inwood Early College for Health and Information Technologies for high school. She’s going to begin her studies soon at BMCC and major in liberal arts. She’s aiming to graduate with an associate’s degree. Working with Creative Art Works has been a great experience so far. She loves the supportive environment and the new skills she is picking up through this job. She also loves the impact we have already made on the community. Lindsey didn’t know what she wanted to pursue as a career, but CAW has inspired her to look for careers in the art field.
Nathan Tejeda
Lyndia Guerrier Lyndia is a 16-year-old aspiring neurologist and one of the young artists who helped create this mural. She lives in Brooklyn. She is currently enrolled in high school and is working toward getting her associate’s degree as well as her Adobe Photoshop Certificate. She enjoys reading and listening to music in her free time.
Nathan is 17 years old, born in The Bronx and raised in upper Manhattan. They graduated high school from New Heights Academy Charter School and plans to attend St. Lawrence University. Working with CAW allowed them to express themself and further delve into their interests in the arts. They have had an interest in using art as an expression in all different forms, such as dance, musical theater, singing, poetry, and writing; so, getting to try out a bigger form with new materials would add to their life filled with cool experiences. Nathan hopes that they can use this experience to help them choose a major in college and to find new ways to portray stories that others can read visually.
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Runrun Chen Runrun will be a senior at FIT majoring in illustration starting this fall. She enjoys doing ceramics, and creating traditional and digital arts. She admires the pastel color palette, the beauty of nature, and especially rococo-style paintings. The impact CAW has on Runrun is that when she walks past any mural, she becomes more aware of their messages and stories. Creating a mural is a new experience for her. It’s also an opportunity to train her artistic vision and thinking. It motivates her to step out of her comfort zone, improve her communication and teamwork skills, and accumulate more knowledge. Runrun has the ability to remember specific details. For example, when she met an elementary school friend with whom she had no contact after graduation, she remembered her friend’s social media avatar instead of her name.
Sai SophiaGomezZorrilla
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Sai is an optimistic and video-gameloving artist. They aspire to promote all kinds of art as authentic and valued styles. Additionally, they are very interested in the earth, from the mixed blues of the ocean, to the vibrant neons that lay against the dark violets of the sky. Astrology is a big part of their life. They take part in the study of tarot and the arcane forces that drive the world of divinity. They joined Creative Art Works in hopes of creating a positive impact in the world around them and to help their peers better improve their work efficiency by lending a helping hand at any time they need.
Sophia is an upcoming senior at Aaron High School. She was born in New York and lives in Manhattan. This is her first time with CAW and first mural experience. The best thing about her summer job is that she gets to develop new skills, as well as interact with others who share similar interests in art. Sophia spends most of her time with family and learning new hobbies. Ever since she was young, she loved to learn new things and help others learn them as well. She has recently been learning new languages and has an interest in forensic science. Sophia’s goal is to pursue a career in language and/or forensics.
Stephanie is 18 years old and grew up in Washington Heights. She is a student at Lehman College who is pursuing a bachelors in social work. She hopes to one day receive her doctorates in this profession. She loves to branch out in her creativity through different forms of expression, such as dance, the written word, etc. This is her first year at Creative Art Works and she can say with certainty that this is one of the best experiences she’s had alongside some of the best people she’s ever encountered. She hopes to see those she has worked with prosper and obtain what they hope and dream for. Mark her words, she will be a future cat and lizard mom.
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Stephanie Diaz
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Wing Ching is a 16-year-old high school student. Her experience with Creative Art Works is positive, with many activities that helped her learn more about art techniques that can be used in murals. She learned about the work that Creative Art Works does and what their impact is on the community through murals. She learned about colors, griding, painting, and other things. CAW impacted Wing Ching by helping her learn more about art and improving her way of thinking. Some fun facts about her are that her favorite color is purple, her favorite animal is a cat, and one of her hobbies is reading. Her goals are to improve her art and learn as much as she can this summer. She aspires to work hard and do well in the mural.
Wing Ching
Tan
Livia Mourao, Teaching Artist Assistant Livia is a Brooklyn-based artist and the founder of Na Gaiola Projects, a mural service within Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Brazil (www.nagaiola. com). In 2021, Livia was awarded a CAC Art Grant by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Prior to that, she worked as a painter and color specialist for Jeff Koons from 2005 to 2021 and was featured in various galleries in the USA and Brazil. Livia joined Creative Art Works as a Teaching Artist in 2022, leading students in creating two stairwell murals at PS 192 in Harlem. Livia has a BA in visual arts with specialization in painting from the Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais (UEMG), Brazil. Her work has been featured at Guignard Gallery; Savassi Gallery; and Liberty Plaza/Urban Art, in São Paulo. Group exhibitions include Mark Borghi Fine Art in Manhattan and Shoestring Studio in Brooklyn.
Madeline De Leon, Teaching Artist Assistant Madeline, or “Maddie” for short, is a visual artist born and raised in NYC. Maddie is a former youth apprentice and has been working with Creative Art Works since 2016 and worked her way up to Teaching Artist Assistant in 2019. She specializes in illustration, graphic design, comic book making, and character design. Most of her work centers around mental health awareness, self-love, celebration in diversity, Afro-Latinx culture, and individuality. Maddie graduated with honors and holds an AS in animation and motion graphics, and will soon graduate with her BA in digital art. Aside from visual arts, Maddie’s hobbies include playing bass guitar, singing, writing and learning music, along with playing video games and dancing. Maddie is also known as the metalhead who loves pro wrestling and puns!
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Erika Sabel, Teaching Artist Assistant Erika, known to her students as Riki, is a Brooklyn-based visual artist and arts educator. She holds an MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art and a BS in studio art from Skidmore College with a minor in environmental studies. Before joining CAW, Erika worked as a teaching artist at the Children’s Museum of the Arts in NYC, The Tang Teaching Museum in Saratoga Springs, and the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. She is interested in creating a learning environment that is supportive, kind, and inclusive. Her approach to teaching hinges on visual thinking strategies and inquiry-based pedagogy with an emphasis on contemporary artists and artworks. Erika’s personal art practice is grounded in drawing and painting, but she likes to dabble in all the mediums including installation, sculpture and ceramics. You can view her portfolio at:www.erikasabel.comWillreceivedhisMFA from The Maryland Institute College of Art LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting in Baltimore, MD, and his BFA from the Indiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis Herron School of Art and Design in 2011. Will has been a keynote speaker for youth and community engagement opportunities with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, the Maryland State Education Association, the Maryland Institute College of Arts Community Arts Virtual Power Speakers Series, and Stone Quarry Arts Park, in Cazenovia, NY. Will is a Leslie King Hammond Graduate Fellowship recipient and has been featured in group exhibitions at Sperone Westwater, Black Wall Street, and Pepco Edison Place Gallery. His exhibitions include: Ed Vaire Gallery, a solo presentation of the works created during his residency on Governor’s Island, summer 2022, and at the NADA House.
Will Watson, Teaching Artist
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About the Public Art Youth Employment Program
CAW’s Public Art Youth Employment programs are made possible by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council and by these generous supporters:
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Bridge to FoundationWork
About Creative Art Works Creative Art Works (CAW) is a 36-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 social-emotional skills while creating profound connections between our young constituents, their art and their communities. www.creativeartworks.org
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.
Creative32 Art Works is a 501(c)(3), EIN #13-3638436 Copyright © 2022 Creative Art Works. All rights reserved.520Eighth Avenue, Suite 201A New York, NY 10018 646.424.0392 www.creativeartworks.org caw4kids @caw4kidscreativeartworks.nyc Follow us!
