By Mabel Pais

THE NEWARK MUSEUM

Community Day: Art Extravaganza

Saturday, May 15, 10:30am – 8pm EST, FREE

newarkmuseumart.org/community-day-art-extravaganza

Forget everything you thought you knew about art!

Today we are going to dive into all the wacky, unique, and wonderful ways people create. Delight in an artist who makes masterpieces out of pancake batter, step into the world of illusion makeup, or even try your hand at making unconventional art of your own. Enjoy a virtual walk-through Newark looking at incredible wall murals. You will walk away from this event finding art everywhere in brand new ways!

All programs are on the following platforms unless otherwise noted:

Community Day: Art Extravaganza

10:30am – Let’s Get Messy

Have you ever wanted to make art with food? Join educators from the Children’s Museum of Manhattan as they show you how to create an edible portrait! Spend 45 minutes getting messy and having fun, while making art using items from around your house. Register at eventbrite.com/e/lets-get-messy-registration-149734386581

12pm – Painting with Pancakes

Sizzle sizzle, art comes to life on the pancake griddle! In this event, you can bet we will be playing with our food. Watch an artist from Dancakes create art using pancake batter. Dancakes is the premiere pancake art company filled with friendly, interactive, and very talented pancake artists. Register at eventbrite.com/e/painting-with-pancakes-registration-149736789769

2pm – Dress Like A Work of Art

Some artists paint on a canvas, but Ariel Adkins paints on her clothes! Enjoy this virtual experience where Ariel takes us through her unique process of creating outfits that completely mimic a work of art or natural surroundings. Some of her colorful, one-of-a-kind creations include a jumpsuit of Claude Monet’s “Waterlilies” and a skirt of “The Ten Largest” by Hilma af Klint.

Find Ariel on Instagram @artfullyawear and don’t miss this artful experience. Register at eventbrite.com/e/dress-like-a-work-of-art-registration-149738406605

4pm – Video Drop: See It To Believe It: Makeup By Marissa

You won’t believe your eyes. Artist @makeupbymarissaa shows you how she creates an illusion out of her looks inspired by The Newark Museum of Art’s collection. Watch as she turns her face into a work of art!

 7pm – Murals in the Brick City

Experience a virtual tour of a variety of murals across the City of Newark. Your knowledgeable guide from Have You Met Newark (haveyoumetnewark.com) will dive into the history of each mural, discuss the subject and meaning, and interview some of the talented artists behind the works. They’ll also share some tips for visiting the murals on your own in the future and where to grab a bite, a drink, or shop after. Register at eventbrite.com/e/murals-in-the-brick-city-registration-149727564175

FROM NJPAC

REGINA CARTER: Listening Party

 May 15, 2021 @ 2 PM, Free

Have you ever heard a performance or recording that had such a profound effect on you, you listened to it over and over again?

Regina Carter hosts an afternoon “listening party” featuring the faculty of NJPAC’s Geri Allen Jazz Camp and the music that holds a special place in their hearts. Hear what recordings, musicians, soundtracks and concerts grabbed hold of them and wouldn’t let go—leading them to the engaging world of jazz and improvisation.

Hosted by Regina Carter (violin), Artistic Director of Geri Allen Jazz Camp

Featuring esteemed Geri Allen Jazz Camp faculty members:

Carla Cook (vocals)

 

Marion Hayden (bass)

 

Allison Miller (drums)

 

Ellen Rowe (piano)

 

Bruce Williams (saxophone)

 

To register, visit eventbrite.com/e/listening-party-with-regina-carter-registration-152879599999

AND

VALERIE SIMPSON: Music, Mentors & Motown

May 18, 2021 @ 7 PM, Free

THE BRILLIANT SINGER-SONGWRITER ON HER LIFE

AND THE WOMEN WHO HELPED SHAPE IT

 

JOIN VALERIE AND NJPAC PRESIDENT & CEO JOHN SCHREIBER for an hour of words and music

Valerie Simpson, of the songwriting, producing, and recording duo Ashford & Simpson, brought a string of timeless hits to the world, from “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” “I’m Every Woman,” and, of course, “Solid.” From the 1960s to the present day, Simpson has not only performed and recorded her own work but written songs for Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, and many more. Valerie’s work has had an outsize influence on the world of music for decades.

But who influenced her?

Join Valerie and NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber for an hour of words and music that will focus on the iconic women who made Valerie the genre-defining artist she is, including Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, and Cicely Tyson. Valerie will share her memories of them, and of her decades in the business, including her time in Motown and her performing career with her husband and musical partner Nickolas Ashford.

This virtual conversation with music is part of a new series at NJPAC: Every month, a special guest visits our virtual theater to talk about their own favorite artists — and share a few indelible songs. NJPAC’s John Schreiber joins our featured guest in a wide-ranging discussion, taking a deep dive into timeless music and tales of the legendary artists who brought it to life.

To RSVP, visit njpac.tfaforms.net/145?id=a2F4o000000dlHSEAY

FROM NEWARK ARTS

HARRIET TUBMAN MONUMENT: Final Designs

Submission Deadline: May 24, 2021, Free

“The monument will serve as encouragement to our present and future generations, allowing them to draw inspiration from the artists who will put a modern view on Ms. Tubman’s life and works.” – Mayor Ras J. Baraka

 The City of Newark held a national open call for artists for a new monument honoring Harriet Tubman, the heroic abolitionist who made Newark an important stop on the Underground Railroad as she personally led enslaved African-Americans out of the South to freedom. The monument of Tubman will be installed in downtown Washington Park to replace the statue of Christopher Columbus that was removed in the summer of 2019.

Five finalists were announced in March 2020, each of whom was commissioned to create a conceptual design for the new monument.

In October 2020, the City of Newark announced that it will install the new monument. The City will also rename Washington Park to Tubman Square in 2022 when the new monument will be installed.

The winning design will be selected by a jury of art experts, historians, and community stakeholders led by the City of Newark’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Director Fayemi Shakur. The jury members’ names and bios can be found at drive.google.com/file/d/18X93zkdwqXaCs91l5FGbgLRcdWZoFNsb/view

To read about the 5 finalists, their designs and websites, visit storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/45af9aea62184a4290d1a7d6d50e71f6?mc_cid=020af718be&mc_eid=01b11e6403

Enjoy viewing the designs and submit your comments about the 5 designs by May 24, 2021, for the jury to consider during their review, at

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/45af9aea62184a4290d1a7d6d50e71f6?mc_cid=020af718be&mc_eid=01b11e6403

BEST PRACTICES: PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR ART

May 18, 2021 @ 5 PM, Online Workshop, Free

 Learn the best practices to photograph your artwork with any type of camera. This webinar will introduce you to techniques you can apply using both natural and artificial lighting sources. Anthony Alvarez and Colleen O’Neal will walk you through some of the common pitfalls and easily avoidable mistakes made when photographing artwork. Technical aspects of post-production will also be introduced such as color balance, cropping, and sizing images for social media and submissions. This workshop is open to all levels and will be followed up in the summer with a workshop designed for advanced photographers to home in on the art of art copy. Learn more about the studio, visit newarkartistdatabase.org.

Register at newarkartistsdatabase.org/events/best-practices-photographing-your-art-with-anthony-alvarez-colleen-oneal/?mc_cid=020af718be&mc_eid=01b11e6403

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, and Health & Wellness)