“Nourished” was inspired by “Our Garden of Dreams” Dominique Moody’s fall artist project and the themes that came out of our fall community survey. In “Our Garden of Dreams”, Dominique Moody created a mobile community garden to join SSP’s fleet of mobile classrooms encouraging skillbuilding and conversations around shelter and food accessibility.
Here are the seeds that were collected through community feedback in the fall and that we are inviting artists to engage with as part of “Nourished” – our Spring Artist Project series:
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The idea of Nourishment and themes that relate to it
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Shelter and Housing
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Food, Plants, Gardening
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Intergenerational dialogue
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“Our Garden of Dreams” mobile garden structure
Nourished:
“A Compassionate Cure to Climate Chaos.”
Workshop and Art Installation curated by: Felecia “Fe Love” Lenee Williams, artist and co-founder of Compassionate ARTS in Action – JULY ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AT SIDESTREET
Photo by Paulina Truong
Felecia Lenee Williams, better known as Fe Love to her fans, is on the Leadership Teams for CompassionateCalifornia.org, and Emerging Arts Leaders/ Los Angeles. She is co- founder of the Compassionate ARTS IN ACTION and works as the Youth Program Director and Creative Strategist for the national project, Posts for Peace and Justice. Fe Love is the host and creator of the Artist Eclectic pLAygROUND, a “pop-up” event space that supports new as well as established artists and innovative entrepreneurs primarily in the Pasadena and Greater Los Angeles area. She has a B.F.A. from CalArts where she trained as an actress.
Her goals are to support youth, with a focus on health, public safety and social and environmental justice. Felecia’s recent public appearances highlighting youth include: March for Our Lives, Los Angeles; Youth Action Summit, Memphis, TN, the U.S. Human Rights Network National Conference, Atlanta, GA, and the 26th Anniversary of the American Disabilities Act at the White House. She has been in 16 films, has over 25 years of performing live on stage as a host and entertainer and in several podcasts promoting racial, gender equality and justice for all.
Project design by Tara King-Haagen, artist Fe Love
The concept and goal of the workshop series “A Compassionate Cure to Climate Chaos,” is to invite more People of Color (PoC) into the conversation about Climate Change.
However, being a person of color, I can personally attest that the issue of Climate Change was not a high priority of mine.
I’m sure most can understand why, especially when we consider the fact that Black and Brown folks are faced with what appears to be more imminent dangers within our communities. Dangers that include the ability to walk the streets without being harassed or murdered by law enforcement, or dying in a diabetic coma because you no longer have the medical resources for health needs such as insulin. Not to mention other basic needs, such as access to a good meal that includes healthy and nutritious food, or loss of shelter because the cost of living is going up due to gentrification.
It’s also very noticeable that big corporations dump their toxic waste and build factories in predominantly marginalized communities of Black and Brown people, causing the air quality to become severely compromised, which also contaminates the water, as we witnessed with the Flint Water Crisis.
So what if People of Color (PoCs) could see and understand that Climate Change is not just a “white person’s issue,” but an issue that affects all people? Particularly, when we see that the people being affected most by Climate Change are our youth and “People of Color.”
It has been said, to find the answer, you must ask the right question.
If that is true, here is my question . . .
“What happens when Black and Brown, go Green?”
My hypothesis, “A Compassionate Cure to Climate Chaos!”
Project Description:
Imagine this, in July of 2019, on Saturday mornings from 10am-1pm Arlingington Garden becomes a Therapy Lab, where Lead Compassionate Artists and Healers connect with Pasadena’s “community healers” to participate in creative experiments, compassionate conversations, restorative and meditational healing circles to document and treat their traumas caused by the social and environmental injustices they have endured living in today’s current climate.
In addition to Saturday morning Therapy Lab Sessions at the Arlington Garden, our “Community Healers” are invited to visit “Mother Earth,” in a hospice, simulated at the Alkebulan Cultural Center, in Pasadena on Saturday, July 27th from 4pm-7pm, participants are invited to share their findings, make videos testimonials and create a space that inspires compassion, prosperity, love and healing energy – so that “Mother Earth” can recover. “Mother Earth” will be portrayed by performance artist “Fe Love.”
Our “Community Healers” can hang or leave artwork that was made during the, Therapy Lab Sessions at the Arlington Gardens.
Each week we will work with lead Compassionate Artists and invite local safety and justice experts such as, Peace Officer Michelle White, to help facilitate the healing of our communities and help “create safe spaces.” We invite, youth, elders, artists, scientists, environmentalists, activists, policymakers, law enforcement to unite as “community healers” through the arts and civic engagement in hopes of discovering a “Compassionate Cure to Climate Chaos,” a chaos plaguing the city of Pasadena.
Action Plan:
Week One: July 6
Workshop Duration: 3hrs.
Intergenerational Dialogue and “Living Arts” workshop on “Safety and Justice” with Permaculture Expert, Paulina Truong, Founder of A Backyard Forest, Compassionate Arts Youth Ambassador and Lead Artist George Combs (just graduated high school) and middle school Compassionate artist Luca Ross. The community learned about composting, decorated and personalized miniature pots to take home seeded plants in rich soil from compost, “Black Gold.”
Photo by Kristina Richie
GUEST ARTIST BIO: Paulina Truong is a Vietnamese environmentalist and artist from Monterey Park. She has provided years of experience in the art department on independent films, commercials, tv shows, music videos, photo shoots, and festivals. Recently, Paulina created a project, “ A Backyard Forest,” to help teach and host demonstrations on how to design sustainable natural living ecosystems for humans to maintain effortlessly. In other words, her goal is to help make gardening and farming accessible to everyone, by teaching them how to be a “Lazy Farmer.” Paulina loves to share the benefits of composting, with her soil, she proudly calls “Black Gold.” Paulina is a graduate of Cal State Polytechnic with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing, and currently, she is pursuing her certification in Permaculture Design from Noosa Forest Retreat under the guidance of Ian Trew.
GUEST ARTIST BIO: George Combs Jr. is a recent graduate of Pasadena High School, class of 2019. In high school heplayed basketball and football, while participating in the Visual Arts and Design Academy at Pasadena High School. George has been a Youth Ambassador of Compassionate Arts since 2015, facilitating “ compassionate conversations” and creative collaborative art with the community and law enforcement in Pasadena, Los Angeles and Sacramento. He also enjoys working in the community at special events and festivals with the Armory Center for the Arts and Artistic Art Journeys.
Week Two: July 13
Workshop Duration: 3hrs.
Co-creating with Universe: What Nourishes My Mind, Body, and Spirit?
Workshop and guided meditation to move through our trauma and paint “Our Guardian Angels,” in honor of those that have crossed-over to the other side of the veil. This workshop will also be a reminder as to how gardens and connecting to nature can be also be used as a sacred place to heal and nourish our spirits. We have asked Compassionate ARTS Council Member and Lead Artist, Robin Powell to lovingly co-facilitate this workshop.
GUEST ARTIST BIO:
Robin E Powell a.k.a SoulArtistRobin
Robin E Powell a.k.a SoulArtistRobin, is a colorist painter, muralist and mosaicist who is a conduit for sacred, inspired Healing Art. She receives Artistic downloads through meditation, dreams and visions, then translates them into colorful, healing, high-vibe art. Robin is a Detroit native who grew up in the perfect arena to be influenced by SOUL. At the age of seven, she began drawing classes at the Detroit Institute of Arts and has been creating her Soul Art ever since. She has studied in Los Angeles at Otis College of Art and Design, Studio Arts, and Pasadena Community College but ultimately she is influenced by Divine.
Currently and previously: Director @ PaintandMeditate.com
Lead Compassionate Artist @ PostsforPeaceandJustice.org
Fine Arts Instructor @ Mission Renaissance Fine Arts
Week Three: July 20
Workshop Duration: 3hrs.
Co-Creating with the Planet: What Sustains My Mind Body and Spirit?
Workshop participants learn how to design a more eco-friendly lifestyle, as we create art pieces found from the natural environment. Co-taught by Compassionate ARTS Council Member and Lead Artist, Tara King-Haagen.
Co-Creating with the Planet: What Sustains My Mind Body and Spirit?
Tara at the Getty in front of her artwork.
Workshop participants learn how to design a more eco-friendly lifestyle, as we create art pieces found from the natural environment. Co-taught by Compassionate ARTS Council Member and Lead Artist, Tara King-Haagen.
Tara King-Haagen, is the Creative Director of Earthtribe and Earthtribe Academy. She is an International Marketing and Branding Professor at the Arts Institute and FIDM in Los Angeles. She has 20 years fashion experience, specializing in developing and delivering courses in fashion branding as well as freelancing as a Life-style and Life Design Consultant.
Tara has worked in Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, America and South Africa. Having a vast experience and international background, she has evolved her art to support individuals and communities teaching ways to become eco-friendly and sustainable, by “Living a Life of Excellence.”
Recently, Tara’s green sustainable artwork was shown at the Getty, where she currently designs teaching art packages for ages K-12.
Her motto in life:
“Make it beautiful and make it count!”
Samples of Tara’s art:
Week Four: July 27
Workshop Duration: 3hrs.
“A Sacred Door to A Secret Garden” and a “Posts for Peace and Justice” inspired by the conversations.
Specs: Veranda 4 in. x 4 in. x 6 ft. White Vinyl Square Fence Post
And
Wooden 4 in. x 4 in. x 6 ft. Pressure-Treated Cedar-Tone Moulded Fence Post
“Life Doesn’t Frighten Me, and Neither Does Climate Change” – A Post for Peace and Justice workshop focusing on a “Compassionate Cure to Climate Chaos”.
During the workshop attendees will participate in discussions around climate change and community access while painting “A Sacred Door to A Secret Garden” and a “Posts for Peace and Justice” inspired by the conversations.
This will be lead by the founder of SeaChanges, a project using science and art to educate around ocean and water issues. Kira is also Co-founder of Compassionate Arts, promoting community, environment and civic engagement issues.
Photo: Kira and Fe Love presenting Compassionate ARTS in Action, at the California Vision 2020 Conference, Sacramento, CA.
Kira Carrillo Corser’s work is based in promoting hope, while helping give communities the tools for a visual voice for issues. She has a Masters in Fine Art and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism including 10 years at PBS, 5 books and numerous publications and over 25 awards. She is a California based artist known for social and environmental justice projects while combining photography, painting, video and installations with community and civic partnerships.
Her work has been on national broadcasts with President Clinton and President Carter, in the Oceanside Museum and the Museum of Monterey, the National Steinbeck Center. She taught at CSU Monterey Bay for 8 years, and was Arts and Education Director for Monterey County, and Creative Catalyst for the San Diego Foundation Initiative. Sites showing her artworks/projects include: EarthWays Foundation, The Carter Center, Center for Civil and Human Rights and the Smithsonian.
Kira is Co-founder of Compassionate ARTS in Action with Felecia (Fe Love) Lenee Williams in Los Angeles. They have facilitated youth and community workshops promoting safety, justice and environmental issues in 5 cities in California, plus Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Washington DC. Kira also co-founded the Posts for Peace and Justice Project with Lisa Parsons from One Billion Rising Atlanta, participating in projects in 5 states.
Links to 4 Corser websites are:
http://www.postsforpeaceandjustice.org
http://www.compassionatearts.org/
http://www.seachanges.org/
http://www.kiracorser.com/
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