*Message continued on next page LILIA GONZÁLES CHÁVEZ 1
In May, the 9th annual Arts Alive in Agriculture juried exhibition and reception showcased the bounty and diversity of agricultural products and communities in Fresno County through visual arts created by local artists As pandemic conditions improved the joy of reconnecting by creating supporting and celebrating the arts was evident in the many guests who attended This annual event is made possible by the generous donations of local agriculture companies and committed arts patrons We thank them for their continued support and encourage you to join by becoming a Fresno Arts Council member or event sponsor
Guests enjoy the art and atmosphere at the 9th annual Arts Alive in Agriculture
Another event of significance the annual Arts in Corrections Exhibition on display at Fresno City Hall throughout July featured the works of students who participate in FAC’s Arts in Corrections Program in several Central Valley correctional institutions An opening reception during Arthop recognized the students and their work, inviting family and community members to observe and value the talent and dedication of these students
S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 I S S U E 6 FRESNO POETS RISE UP: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND POETRY ACTIVISM READING AT FAC SEPTEMBER 20TH JUAN FELIPE ELEMENTARY OPENS IN FRESNO 37TH ANNUAL HORIZON AWARDS TO HONOR EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS TEACHING ARTIST WORKSHOP PREPARES ARTISTS TO BRING EXPERTISE TO LOCAL CLASSROOMS ARTS IN CORRECTIONS EXHIBITION FEATURED AT FRESNO CITY HALL A QUEEN WITHIN OPENS AT FRESNO ARTS MUSEUM PUBLIC ART UPDATES AND OPEN ARTIST CALLS AUTHOR AND FRESNO STATE PROFESSOR MAI DER VANG NAMED PULITZER FINALIST IN POETRY
As we enjoy the last bits of summer, heading back to school and into fall, I am happy to share Fresno Arts Council’s programming highlights and celebrate events and accomplishments in Fresno’s vibrant arts community With a new class of students entering the eagerly awaited Juan Felipe Herrera Elementary School a new crop of teaching artists to share their expertise with them and several public art projects in development, Fresno County’s arts scene has been as hot as its summer
One such opportunity to support our arts community is Fresno Arts Council’s upcoming Horizon Awards scheduled for Sunday October 16th in Fresno Art Museum’s Bonner Auditorium For the 37th year the Horizon Awards will honor the individuals organizations, and businesses that enrich Fresno County’s way of life through excellence in the arts Please consider joining the Horizon Circle to support the continued creation, presentation, and recognition of arts in our community We invite you to attend this annual special event
HTTPS://FRESNOARTSCOUNCIL ORG SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6 Executive Director's Message, continued FRESNO ARTS COUNCIL STAFF LILIA GONZÁLES CHÁVEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SULIANA CALDWELL, OPERATIONS MANAGER ELISA FLORES, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ERIC MARTINEZ PROGRAM COORDINATOR ANDREA MELE, PROGRAM COORDINATOR HARPREET GILL ACCOUNTANT
2
FRESNO ARTS COUNCIL (559) 237
In addition to our work in correctional institutions, Fresno Arts Council is growing Arts in Education program, providing training to local artists who wish to share th passion and skills with PK 6 students in Fresno County schools These teaching art provide weekly lessons in visual performing and media arts increasing students’ acc to high quality arts education while providing professional work opportunities for arti
Fresno’s reputation as a city of poets of the highest caliber continues to grow with the recognition of local poet and Fresno State professor, Mai Der Vang, as one of three finalists for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for her book, Yellow Rain Additionally, Fresno s current Poet Laureate, Megan Anderson Bohigian, is bringing some of Fresno s finest poets together for a social justice and poetry activism reading here at the Fresno Arts Council gallery on Tuesday September 20th We invite you to attend this event
1245 VAN NESS, FRESNO,
Finally celebrated local poet teacher and activist Juan Felipe Herrera the 21st US Poet Laureate, was honored with a new elementary school in Southeast Fresno named after him As one of FAC s core services, we administratively coordinate public art projects in Fresno County In this issue of Artwell you will find several public art project updates and calls for artists Fresno Arts Council is proud to contribute to the aesthetic appeal and celebration of our city and county by developing and supporting public art installations
The Fresno Arts Council (FAC) is a private 501(c)(3) non profit organization established in 1979 under the name of “Alliance for the Arts" by local artists, art organizations and interested individuals who wished to create a voice for the Central San Joaquin Valley Today the FAC serves as the official State Local partner to the California Arts Council as designated by the county board of supervisors By Memorandum of Understanding, the FAC serves as the local arts agency for the City of Fresno, tasked to support and promote the arts industry and to Enrich Our Community s Way of Life Through the Arts and acts as an umbrella agency for artists and art organizations from all cultures and disciplines through advocacy education programs and services We are a non profit organization managed by a volunteer board of directors The FAC solicits support from foundations government and corporate funders membership dues and private donations We are located at 1245 Van Ness Avenue in Downtown Fresno, and the office is open to the public during weekdays from 10:00AM to 2:00PM, and by appointment ABOUT US Arts Alive in Agriculture, May 2022
The exhibition runs through January 8, 2023
This summer Fresno Art Museum launched another in a string of high impact proje the third in a series supported by the McClatchy Foundation with major sponsorship from the Lamborn Family and JP Lamborn Company: “A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes ” explores symbols of feminine identity, notions of beauty, and concepts of womanhood by investigating and challenging seven archetypes through experimental fashion and artistry
Fresno’s Arthop remains a source of talent and joy for the city; as in person events return, we welcome several new venues to this monthly program You can find an updated map and brochure on our website and in official Arthop venues We look forward to revealing the 2023 Arthop Logo which will be selecte Revel in the arts, Lilia Gonzáles Chávez Executive Director 9734 CA
With the upcoming influx of local and state arts funds, we anticipate the expansion of t program and the increased impact of the arts on our youngest generations
History
In 1980, the FAC received a grant from the California Arts Council (CAC) to provide technical and administrative assistance to various arts groups in Fresno County Within a year the purpose of the FAC expanded to sponsoring and encouraging cultural education and creative activities as well as serving as the umbrella unit for all county arts organizations, in such areas as legislation education and community awareness of the arts
The Arts in Corrections program transitioned into modified programming using educational correspondence packets and creating original content, produced in part with teaching artists, for instructional videos Lessons are completed remotely by students at some of the six facilities hosting our Arts in Corrections programming and returned to our arts providers at the end of the month for review; other facilities have returned, or plan to return soon, to in person arts instruction For more information, contact Eric Martinez, Program Coordinator
Please visit https://fresnoartscouncil org for updates and announcements
We rely on individual, organization and business membership dues, as well as event sponsorships as an integral part of our funding Be an advocate for the arts in Fresno County by becoming a member of the Fresno Arts Council today
In the mid 1990s, the City of Fresno passed Arts to Zoo a measure collecting 001% of sales tax for cultural organizations The money was distributed for a year and a half before the tax was declared illegal In 1998, the remaining money was given to the FAC and the Fresno Regional Foundation for distribution In 2010, the FAC completed redistributing those funds annually to arts and cultural organizations In 2015, with support from former Assemblyman Henry T Perea, the FAC established the Rural Access Fund
3
Today, the FAC continues to innovate new grant making opportunities for local artists, including the Fresno Arts Safety Net Fund (FASNF) and FAC Cares, both in response to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic that started in Spring 2020 Arts programs and cultural activities attract industry and other businesses to a community, resulting in growth and economic progress but it takes support from private and public sectors, and people like you, to create and foster this creative activity
The Fresno Arts Council provides and advocates for local arts programming and services as well as employment opportunities for working artists to both teach and create original artworks in the Fresno County area
Fresno Arts Council provides Arts in Education programming for county K 8 schools In June 2022, the program certified several new teaching artists to work with Fresno County students, helping them to meet Common Core and Arts Education standards through arts education programming Each year, Fresno County’s Poetry Out Loud™ contest selects a winning student to represent area high schools at the California State Poetry Out Loud competition For more information contact Andrea Mele Program Coordinator
In addition, the FAC coordinated and disseminated information concerning the arts: Beginning in 1991, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the FAC hired folklorist, Amy Kitchener, who developed our program of folk arts locally and created performances and exhibits with local communities The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) was formed under our guidance as its own organization under the leadership of Kitchener
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6 Teaching Artist Workshop at FAC, June 2022 OUR WORK BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELLEN ARMOUR, PRESIDENT LAURA E WARD, VICE PRESIDENT OLGA GUTIERREZ DE NUÑEZ, TREASURER KAREN TAKEDA SIMPSON, SECRETARY SHIRIN ASSEMI JULIA COPELAND HARPREET GILL ZIANG HER BRUCE KALKOWSKI SAL LUCATERO TIFFANY MANGUM JEFF MEACHUM JULIAN RAMOS JOLENE TELLES THOMAS WHIT ELLIS ADVISORY BOARD JOYCE AIKEN COKE HALLOWELL JULIE LINXWILER JERRY PALLADINO JEFFREY T ROBERTS QUENTIN E SANFORD
On Thursday May 26 Fresno Arts Council presented the 9th Annual Arts Alive in Agriculture Juried Exhibition in The Barn at the San Joaquin River Parkway Trust and Conservation Center Arts Alive in Agriculture is a celebration of our agricultural industry through the visual arts with the intent to promote and encourage creative perspectives on our intimate relationships with food production here in the Central Valley Visual art submissions were solicited and accepted through a juried application process Thirty local artists showed their agriculture themed work in six categories: Agricultural Landscapes, People and Agriculture, Machines and Technology, Documentary Photography, Manipulated Photography, and Sculpture, Assemblage, and Found Objects In each category, cash prizes were awarded to first and second prize, as well as honorable mentions
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARTS IN CORRECTIONS ARTS IN EDUCATION ARTHOP TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPS CITY AND COUNTY CONSULTANT FOR PUBLIC ART HORIZON AWARDS ARTS ALIVE IN AGRICULTURE JURIED EXHIBITION FISCAL RECEIVERSHIP CITY OF FRESNO POET LAUREATE POETRY OUT LOUD Winners join FAC Board
The “Arts Alive in Agriculture” show is very important for an artist to have a vehicle to express the San Joaquin Valley’s agriculture scene a boundless source of material for any artist,” said Freitas “The task of arranging this art for a one day show is astonishing
Entertainment was provided by jazz musician, Benjamin Boone and his band This annual event would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors many from the agricultural industry that this exhibit celebrates A full list of winners is available on our website as is a catalog of the show’s featured pieces Please contact the artists directly if you would like to purchase their artwork In 2023, Fresno Arts Council will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Arts Alive in Agriculture The call for art submissions will be posted this Fall For more information about sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, please contact Program Coordinator, Andrea Mele President, Ellen Armour, front row, third
The Arts Council treats all art with reverence The council works tirelessly, seemingly effortlessly behind the scenes cataloging each piece creating a stunning brochure, gathering sponsors, arranging for food, drink and music, for patrons and artists alike Hats off to the Fresno Arts Council ”
from left 4
Local art experts, Virginia Patterson, William Raines, and Elena Harvey Collins served as judges They selected Rick Freitas’s painting, “A Long Time Coming” as Best in Show, and event sponsors awarded Joe Del Bosque’s “Westside Sunset” photograph the Farm Favorite award In an interesting coincidence, Joe Del Bosque was also one of the subjects in Frietas’s painting, which depicts President Barack Obama’s visit to Del Bosque’s farm and the media frenzy that surrounded the event
Arts Alive Celebrates Valley Agriculture in Juried Exhibition
This year’s reception featured passed appetizers by The Gastro Grill and Señor Aji, wine tasting courtesy of O’Neill Vintners, and beer tasting by Tioga Sequoia
Juan Felipe Herrera Elementary Opens in Fresno
A Call for Social Justice and Poetry Activism
FRESNO ARTS COUNCIL SPONSORS
On Tuesday September 20 from 6:00 7:30PM the Fresno Arts Council and Fresno s Poet Laureate Megan Anderson Bohigian will host an evening of Poetry Activism focused on social justice issues at the Arts Council Gallery Bohigian says, "the readings mark a unique situation in this country, and in our city, in which we are impacted by a tsunami of circumstances that feel “beyond our control” and are human caused What is impacting you? What issue keeps coming knocking in the wee hours? Time to write, time to share, time to call out and stand against social wrongs gun violence, school shootings, racism, the Supreme Court’s war on women and marriage equality and other LGBTQ+ gains, treatment of those experiencing homelessness, police profiling and brutality, poverty, climate change and its consequences, Ukraine, the nuclear threat and there are more Each reader will have a few minutes to explain the issue and its impact and to read their work two shorter poems or one longer poem The event will also feature light refreshments and music by Evo Blustein
On August 15th, Juan Felipe Herrera Elementary School opened its doors to its first class of students The school, named after the 21st United States Poet Laureate (2015 2017) and Fresno State emeritus professor of Chicano and Latin American Studies who was born in Fowler and who coordinates the Laureate Lab Visual Wordist Studio in the Fresno State Library offers project based STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum in a dual immersion format The campus in Southeast Fresno at Church and Willow Avenues features vibrantly colored buildings, playgrounds, classroom garden spaces, and murals, as well as a health center that is open to the surrounding community
The school’s opening was celebrated on August 22nd with speeches and dedications by Herrera district officials, students, staff, and community members The elementary school serves preschool through sixth grade students, and will be led by Principal Miguel Naranjo, Ed D
5
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6
Photo: herrera fresnounified org
Fresno Poets Rise Up:
Fresno's Poet Laureate, Megan Anderson Bohigian, Hosts Reading at Fresno Arts Council Gallery
Sponsors: $500 and above Contributor: $100 and above 37th Annual Horizon Awards to Honor Excellence in the Arts SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6 2021 Horizon Awards honorees 6
The Horizon Awards is an event honoring individuals, organizations, and businesses that have made significant contributions toward the enrichment of life in Fresno County through excellence in the Arts The Fresno Arts Council has organized this event since 1984 to provide recognition to the Fresno community dedicated to excellence in the arts We invite you to be a member of the Horizon Circle and demonstrate your support and appreciation for the outstanding individuals of our community who go above and beyond for the Arts Each year we take time to recognize those artists and individuals who dedicate themselves to the arts Please consider joining a distinctive group that demonstrates their support of the arts by being a part of the Horizon Circle of donors We all love to be entertained and challenged to think in new ways when exposed to the arts, and while it appears that the arts magically occur, we know that they require financial support to produce Throughout Fresno County, with sheer grit, our Arts Community relentlessly struggles to create and present works Join the Horizon Circle to support our local artists and arts programs Please contact eric@fresnoartscouncilorg to join We look forward to having you join us in honoring artists and supporters of the arts on October 16th at 3 pm at the Fresno Art Museum’s Bonner Auditorium Tickets are available via Eventbrite
Company Logo/or Private Donor recognition prominently printed on all printed material & press pkg Full Page ad on Program back cover (1 only) Company Logo/or Private Donor on FAC Website and Facebook page Sponsor Screen at the Event 8 tickets to Horizon Award Ceremony Company Logo/or/ Private Donor recognition on Program and all printed materials Company Logo/or/Private Donor on FAC Website and Facebook page Logo on Sponsor Screen at the event 6 tickets to Horizon Awards Company Logo/or/ Private Donor recognition on Program Company Logo/or/Private Donor on FAC Website and Facebook page 4 tickets to Horizon Awards Company Logo/or/ Private Donor recognition on Program 2 tickets to Horizon Awards
Investor:
Patrons:
Horizon Circle Donor Opportunities $2000 $1,000 and above
IN PARTNERSHIP
SUMMER2022 ISSUE 6
Our newest cohort of teaching artists includes specialists in drawing and painting, illustration and animation, mixed media storytelling, ceramics and sculpture, theatrical performance, puppetry, dance, costume and fashion design, West African drumming, and mural design and painting
Teaching Artists are not usually credentialed teachers, but instead are dual career professionals who possess expertise in their artistic discipline and the ability to engage students in grade level arts learning Teaching Artists work in tandem with classroom teachers to plan a sequence of lessons that help students meet standards and develop skills and confidence in visual, performing, and media arts, while establishing a foundation for lifelong art appreciation
DEC 31, 2023 REVIEW GUIDELINES AND SUBMIT BY OCTOBER 31, 2022 7
This June, Fresno Arts Council certified thirteen new teaching artists to work in Fresno County PK 6 public schools For twenty one hours over five sessions, professional artists developed their teaching skills, including class management and student engagement, navigating and teaching to California Common Core and Arts Standards, and arts lesson planning Fresno Arts Council’s training was developed in partnership with Fresno County Office of Education to prepare professional artists to supplement students’ current art curriculum provided by their multiple subject teachers
If you are interested in bringing teaching artists into your school, classroom, or community space or are interested in future teaching artist trainings, please contact Program Coordinator, Andrea Mele at andrea@fresnoartscouncil org
Teaching Artist Workshop Prepares Artists to Bring Lessons to Local Classrooms
SUBMISSIONS FROM ARTISTS, ART GROUPS AND ART ORGANIZATIONS TO EXHIBIT ARTWORK AT ONE OF TWO FLOORS
FAC OPEN CALLS FAC GALLERY: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING AN ARTHOP FEATURED ARTIST IN OUR GALLERY IN 2023,
Teaching Artists present their certificates PLEASE COUNCIL WITH HALL, IS NOW ACCEPTING FROM JANUARY TO
THE FRESNO CITY
“Fresno Arts Council is proud to certify these new teaching artists, whose genuine passion for sharing art with students is now complemented by their demonstrated knowledge of teaching artist best practices,” said Executive Director, Lilia Gonzáles Chávez “Arts Education is a right for all students and we look forward to helping this cohort find opportunities and placement in Fresno County classrooms, where they will undoubtedly make an impact ”
Teaching Artist Brandy Medina said, “I joined the Teaching Artist workshop because I enjoy instructing others and passing along my knowledge I have already started to implement [the tools I was given] in my current position as an instructor at Milan The learning atmosphere, my group of peers, and great instructors, all left me feeling excited, motivated, and eager to begin my journey as a Teaching Artist!”
FILL OUT THIS FORM AND SEND SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK TO ELISA FLORES@FRESNOARTSCOUNCIL ORG ARTHOP AT CITY HALL: THE FRESNO ARTS
1, 2023
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6
Arts in Corrections Exhibit Featured at City Hall for July Arthop
Painting teaching artist, Gema Lopez, attended the event with her family “The AIC Show is a positive experience for everyone ” she said “Viewers are always so impressed with the students art skills and the power of their words Students are excited and eager to participate and happy to hear about the positive responses to their work "
Poetry teaching artist, Sally Vogl, said, “Preparation for the exhibit involved a new poetry form each week, to give each student an opportunity to express himself, maybe even to excel The students understand that this exhibit honors them and that their poems matter As teaching artists, if we value our participants as human beings and validate their art and writing, then we have done our job Many of the artworks are available for sale, with proceeds donated to the Marjoree Mason Center in Fresno at the discretion of the participants A online exhibition is available on our website If you are interested in purchasing artwork from this exhibit please call the Fresno Arts Council at 559 237 9734 to complete your purchase If you would like to learn more about the AIC program please contact eric@fresnoartscouncil org Fresno Arts Co
On Thursday, July 7th, during Arthop, Fresno Arts Council presented the Arts in Corrections Exhibit and Reception at Fresno City Hall Works on display were created by students participating in the Arts in Corrections program at local correctional institutions Arts In Corrections (AIC) is a statewide program designed to prepare incarcerated individuals for success upon release, and courses cover many fine arts disciplines With the support of the California Arts Council (CAC), through a contract with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), the Fresno Arts Council has delivered art services to correctional institutions while providing work opportunities for local professional artists since 2014 The Fresno Arts Council currently employs 19 teaching artists across seven institutions in California: Avenal State Prison; Corcoran State Prison, Substance Abuse and Treatment Facility, Central California Women’s Facility Pleasant Valley State Prison; and Kern Valley State Prison Teaching artists cover many art disciplines and included in the exhibit were pieces from our poetry drawing and oil & acrylic painting classes
AIC instructors attended the exhibit and reception, during which Songwriting instructor, Omar Naré, played “Now that I’m Home,” the original song his students wrote A person who learns to write a song learns to tell the truth," said Naré "T person of the heart That s the value of A teach "
8
The exhibition features more than 100 articles of fashion, photography, and videos presented in a dramatic gallery design that explores seven archetypal personality types, including Mother Earth, Sage, Enchantress, Explorer, Heroine, Magician, and Thespian Derived from recurring motifs in myths and fairy tales of world literature, these archetypes are used to help unpack our understanding of the visual symbolism of female identity
A QueenWithin:Adorned Archetypes, Installation View,Fresno ArtMuseum, 2022. Photography: Joshua White
Fresno Art Museum’s newest exhibit, “A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes” opened July 30 This large scale exhibition, curated and designed by MUSEAA and produced and toured internationally by Barrett Barrera Projects, is presented by The James B McClatchy Foundation with major sponsorship from the Lamborn Family & JP Lamborn Co
“Fashion is art in motion that speaks to all generations and cultures,” Fresno Art Museum
"A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes" Opens at Fresno Art Museum
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6
Photography:InstallationAQueenWithin:AdornedArchetypes,View,FresnoArtMuseum,2022.JoshuaWhite Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton White floral platform heelsSpring/Summer 2011 Courtesy ofBarrettBarrera Projects & RKLConsultingPhoto:CarmodyENCHANTRESSSarah Exhibition explores new femininity and storytelling in boundary pushing fashion.
Executive Director Michele Ellis Pracy says “A Queen Within is the type of high impact, high end exhibition that Fresno deserves ” The exhibition will remain on view through January 8, 2023 For more information, please see the full press release from the Fresno Art Museum All photos and exhibit information courtesy of Fresno Art Museum 9
A Queen Within investigates symbols of womanhood and challenges conventional notions of beauty with experimental gowns, headpieces, and jewelry by boundary pushing fashion designers and artists including Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Chromat, Studio Roosegaarde, Gypsy Sport, Maïmouna Guerresi, and Iris van Herpen
upholdings net
Housing Development 10
Butterfly Gardens is the first ever permanent, supportive housing development in Clovis California Based on a nationally proven model the 75 unit development will prioritize robust social services and a high quality living environment for vulnerable residents, including individuals with disabilities and at risk of homelessness The property will feature 24 hour live in support staff who will provide access to job training, mental health services, and will work collaboratively with local agencies to ensure a healthy and safe community for both residents and neighbors With the foundation of secure housing Butterfly Gardens will offer a space where Clovis residents can flourish
A review panel will narrow submissions and choose the final art to be included in this project
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6
The Fresno Arts Council recently closed its call seeking individual artists and/or artist collectives to submit proposals for two murals of approximately 100 sq ft each to be painted or installed on the interior corridor of UPholdings's Butterfly Garden housing development in Clovis
The call specified that proposed concepts and designs should be uplifting and empowering and portray the feeling of a welcoming home and a sense of community This project calls for an installation that is some or all the following: inviting, comforting, joyful, creative, durable, low maintenance, and imaginative
UPHoldings is a national affordable housing development and management company, with properties in California, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio The company partners with community nonprofits and social service providers to create, operate, and sustain high quality affordable housing that supports their "mission of providing housing for the most vulnerable residents in the community" (upholdings net) Upholdings is currently developing several affordable housing properties in Central California counties, including four in Fresno “Fresno is my home. I started my career in the arts, my Dad is a local artist, and I believe in the power of community and neighborhoods so it just made sense to include the Fresno Arts Council and its network of artists in helping create a vibrant and welcoming community environment at Butterfly Gardens,” said UPHoldings Co owner and Principal, Jessica H Berzac
Additional project information including site pictures and space dimensions is available here
About Butterfly Gardens: Mural Project Underway at Butterfly Gardens
Selected as Broadband For All Billboard Artist
Emily Ann Mealer
One (1) Grand Prize: $600 cash No other prizes awarded See guidelines and submit here contact Elisa flores@fresnoartscouncil org Fresno Arts Council Seeks Submissions for 2023 Arthop Logo August 31, 2022
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6
Fresno artist, Emily Ann Mealer, submitted designs for the Broadband Middle Mile Initiative for the California Democratic Party Rural Caucus Two designs were selected by a review panel and are installed on several West Fresno County billboards
ArtHop brochure ArtHop vinyl window clings Fresno Arts Council website Official Fresno ArtHop Facebook Page Official Fresno Arts Council Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media
“Working with the Fresno Arts Council and the California Democratic Rural Caucus on this project was a great experience," said Mealer "I’m so glad I had the chance to collaborate on a project that has had such a positive impact on our community ”
The designs are reflective of the California Democratic Party’s investments in rural communities to bring affordable high speed broadband service to where it is needed the most, as specified by the Call for Artists distributed by Fresno Arts Council
The Fresno Arts Council would love to see what you can come up with for next year ' s Fresno's ArtHop logo, so show us your creativity One winning design will receive a $600 cash prize, and will be used for all official ArtHop promotional materials for 2023, including but not limited to:
Questions?
11
Deadline:
The proposed concepts and designs should be reflective of Fresno’s and/or the Central Valley’s rich and diverse community The design should portray the feeling that “you have arrived in Fresno” It is suggested designs complement the existing mosaic mural which is across from the parking garage, on the main terminal to give the sense that the artwork was always intended to be there This project calls for an installation that is some or all the following: welcoming, bold, iconic creative durable low maintenance imaginative and reflective of Fresno A review panel will narrow submissions and choose the final art to be included in this project
Mauro Carrera
August
The call to artists specified that “proposed concepts and designs should be reflective of Fresno’s and/or Central Valley’s rich and diverse history and the High Speed Rail project s connection to such history the region possibly including but not limited to themes such as jobs increased mobility economic growth and clean transportation Carrera is an experienced muralist with ties to Fresno, and several Fresno murals bearing his signature His proposed design speaks to the proposal’s themes as well as to his lifelong connection to and appreciation of Fresno s communities It features vibrant rays of color emanating from the horizon line where a shadowy Fresno skyline rests under a starry cosmos, and from which a highspeed train departs The mural design will also include elements that reference the community s history and the neighborhood
Photo: Mauro Carrera
Selected as High Speed Rail Authority China Alley Muralist
The mural s estimated completion date is 31 2022
As the selected artist for the Chinatown Alley HSR mural Carrera said I continue to sit and try to imagine how everyday life was in Chinatown generations ago I also ask myself how the people in our city can develop a collective sense of confidence and faith in the regeneration of our Chinatown District The greater theme for the upcoming Chinatown mural will be Past Present Future While I don t have direct answers to my latter question I know the arts will always be involved in such efforts With this mural I hope to contribute to our collective imagination of what our Chinatown and other barrios can aspire to be, and for us to imagine ourselves as part of that change ”
Fresno
“A new public art piece at Fresno Yosemite International Airport celebrating our community and region will be enjoyed by the nearly two million annual travelers that pass through our airport and their friends and family who arrive to greet them,” said Director of Aviation Henry Thompson “We value our partnership with the Fresno Arts Council and their expertise in helping us procure a unique art piece that will insert life into the parking structure and transform the space ”
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6
The Fresno Arts Council is seeking individual artists and/or artist collectives to submit proposals for a public art piece of approximately 390 sq ft to be painted/installed on the exterior of the Fresno Yosemite International Airport parking garage
A review panel for the High Speed Rail China Alley Mural project selected Mauro Carrera’s submitted design proposal for a mural project to be installed on the exterior wall of the CA High Speed Rail Authority building located on the corner of Tulare Street and China Alley in Chinatown Fresno
The deadline for submissions is September 16 2022
12
Call to Artists: Public Art Project Yosemite International Airport Parking Garage
Photo: Andre Yang Mai Der Vang is the author of Yellow Rain and Afterland, winner of the Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets, longlisted for the National Book Award in Poetry and a finalist for the Kate Tufts Discovery Award
The recipient of a Lannan Literary Fellowship, she served as a visiting writer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago Vang earned degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University She teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Fresno State
In this staggering work of documentary, poetry, and collage, Mai Der Vang reopens a wrongdoing that deserves a new reckoning As the United States abandoned them at the end of its war in Vietnam, many Hmong refugees recounted stories of a mysterious substance that fell from planes during their escape from Laos starting in the mid 1970s This substance, known as “yellow rain,” caused severe illnesses and thousands of deaths These reports prompted an investigation into allegations that a chemical biological weapon had been used against the Hmong in breach of international treaties A Cold War scandal erupted, wrapped in partisan debate around chemical arms development versus control And then, to the world’s astonishment, American scientists argued that yellow rain was the feces of honeybees defecating en masse still held as the widely accepted explanation The truth of what happened to the Hmong to those who experienced and suffered yellow rain has been ignored and discredited
Mai Der Vang, an Assistant Professor of Poetry in the Creative Writing MFA Program at Fresno State was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry on May 9th, 2022 Her book, Yellow Rain (Graywolf Press), features “documentary poems examining the biological warfare that threads through the wars of the Hmong, acknowledging those who perished and the trauma of those who survived in lyrics of witness that defy erasure” (Pulitzer org)
Author and Fresno State Professor, Mai Der Vang, named Pulitzer Finalist in Poetry
In an article by Jefferson Beavers for Fresno State News, Vang said, “To even think that a daughter of Hmong refugees, who was born and raised in Fresno, can be part of shaping the present and future of literature in this country both astounds and inspires me,” Vang said “For me, this means the work of Fresno writers, the lineage of Hmong poets and the stories of ancestors will continue to reverberate and be shared ”
Integrating archival research and declassified documents Yellow Rain calls out the erasure of a history the silencing of a people who at the time lacked the capacity and resources to defend and represent themselves In poems that sing and lament, that contend and question, Vang restores a vital narrative in danger of being lost, and brilliantly explores what it means to have access to the truth and how marginalized groups are often forbidden that access Graywolf Press
Recent and upcoming public events include a virtual conversation with Pulitzer winner for Poetry, Diane Seuss on August 16th, a workshop and reading as part of the 26th Annual Tuolumne Meadows Poetry Festival, September 20 21 in Yosemite National Park, and a reading at the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust's Respite by the River on September 15th For more information, please see the full announcement from Fresno State 13
SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 6
14
