Delray Newspaper | July 2019

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Arts Garage holds Spellbound fundraiser (9) Work on your summer body (20) Learn about StrawFish (34) The Ray headed to Delray (39)

DELRAYNEWSPAPER.COM JULY | 2019

Live painting, fundraising during Arts Warehouse Monster Drawing Rally & Art Throwdown By: Jan Engoren Contributing Writer

By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor

It started with four blank canvases in the middle of the room. Little by little those white canvases began to take on color and the detail of their creator.

Two Delray Beach city employees resigned on June 5 as an investigation into their office’s distribution of grant money began.

Billed as ‘part performance, part artwalk, part artist throwdown and part art sale,” the Monster Drawing Rally and Art Throwdown at the Arts Warehouse in Artist Alley on June 7 was all that and more.

Director of the Delray Beach Neighborhood and Community Services Department Michael Coleman and his assistant director Jamael Stewart resigned from their positions. They both began working for the department in 2015. The Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics, the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office and the Palm Beach County Office of Inspector General will look into grant distributions, according to interim city manager Neal de Jesus.

Inspired by San Francisco artist-centered nonprofit Southern Exposure, the event was created to bring local artists and art appreciators to the arts district for a night of creating, appreciating and collecting art, all in a fun environment.

The Neighborhood and Community Services Department is responsible for overseeing code enforcement, neighborhood safety and sanitation. [CONT. PG 2]

“This is an opportunity to raise awareness and funds in a fun, interactive setting and to see the artists create live works of art,” Arts Warehouse Director Jill Brown said. “It’s fun and accessible and people can purchase original art at affordable prices while supporting the local artistic community and the Arts Warehouse and artist services/programs.” The Arts Warehouse is an arts incubator with many artists’ residences, including local artists Agata Ren and Colleen Thompson, who specializes in custom pet portraits. While DJ Al Johnson pumped out the beats, the four throwdown artists Gregory Dirr and Peggie Batia Lowenberg of Boca Raton, Eric Karbeling of Miami and Brazilian artist Luciana Boaventura, of Delray Beach picked up their paint brushes.

Two Delray employees resign as investigation of grant monies begins

Arts Warehouse artist in residence, Colleen Thompson, posing with one of her pet portraits. Photo by Jan Engoren.

During a 90-minute painting frenzy, audience members milled about and a dozen or so drawing artists lined the perimeter of the room. Delray Beach residents Gabe and Car-

ol Wong were among those minglers, along with filmmaker Damian Fitzsimmons, owner of Brave Man Media. Fitzsimmons will have a studio in the building

Your stay includes private beach club

[CONT. PG 2]

Delray’s Director of the Delray Beach Neighborhood and Community Services Department Michael Coleman is one of two employees who resigned as an investigation into the department began. Photo courtesy of city of Delray.


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