Your Art Makes the World A Better Place by Stephanie Galloway
People often wonder what they can do to make a positive difference in the world. One way to make the world better is sharing art! Art can bring a smile to people’s faces and let them know that they are loved! When someone finds your art on Free Art Friday it lets them know that someone cares about them.
You taking the time to make a piece of art for them to find shows them that they are worthy of your time. This act of kindness is so much bigger than just one person and the grandness of its impact can be felt by the entire world!
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Stephanie Galloway
Stephanie Galloway is from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has been writing poetry since she was a child and still loves to explore the magic in words and their power to touch others deeply. She taught art to children as the Children Zone Leader of the Rail Yards Market and is the founder of Free Art Friday Albuquerque. Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as Multimedia Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
Albuquerque is a medium-sized city with small town sensibilities. You start seeing the same faces over and over again. Many of the faces in Albuquerque belong to talented artists of all mediums. Living with and around artists (painters, musicians, actors, writers, photographers…) for these last several years has allowed me to “discover” a fascinating link between them: the ability for their work to transcend the everyday tasks demanded of us by our current economic system (work, pay bills, uhm work some more, bury somebody and work some more).
For those unfortunate folks who work somewhere that is not contributing to their happiness, the arts can provide an escape, a refuge from their daily “reality.” But can the arts “create” reality or better put change our current paradigm from a “war-based” one to a “peace-based” one? The power of Art Therapy is well documented. But for folks who are not “conscious” of their affliction, the arts also have great power.
We have all been immersed in a good book or movie. Similarly many works of literature inspire, rejuvenate and/or promote motivation. Just as advertising/marketing pros capture our minds through carefully crafted uses of words, colors and memes, we can as a global society capture the power of the arts to move us towards a peaceful future.
At the core of war is fear. The way I see it, sociopath leaders create the conditions for war and rush to use the tools of communication to convince us that war is ok, acceptable, necessary even vital to our survival. War is only necessary for their survival. The answer to war comes in breaking down walls created by fear. Grammy Award winner Omar Akram (Afghani American) explains that he plays instrumental music so his art can be communicated to everyone regardless of culture, nationality etc.
The key is “Arts Immersion Therapy.” Arts Immersion Therapy is not covered by your health insurance but it is available right outside your door. It involves visiting the wonderful galleries, independent book stores, local music venues, local watering holes and eateries that provide a space for the arts. Unfortunately too much of our “national” media are focused on war – Corporate TV/Film. Avoid those and visit small local movie houses, and live-theatre venues. Your support of the arts has reciprocal benefits: the dollars spent in a local establishment will allow that establishment to pay artists to display their work and in turn benefit society and move us in a positive direction.
“We often think of peace as the absence of war, that if powerful countries would reduce their weapon arsenals, we could have peace. But if we look deeply into the weapons, we see our own minds- our own prejudices, fears and ignorance. Even if we transport all the bombs to the moon, the roots of war and the roots of bombs are still there, in our hearts and minds, and sooner or later we will make new bombs. To work for peace is to uproot war from ourselves and from the hearts of men and women. To prepare for war, to give millions of men and women the opportunity to practice killing day and night in their hearts, is to plant millions of seeds of violence, anger, frustration, and fear that will be passed on for generations to come.” Thich Nhat Hanh
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Art Speaks Through Anonymity by Stephanie Galloway
It is easy to get caught up in ego when it comes to a desire to be recognized for our art and get caught up in the race to become known and famous. In this process of art getting attached to a name we can forget that art takes on a life of its own independent from the artist.
It is not that the artist is not important. The artist is a necessary vessel which creativity pours through and makes art possible. Artists are super heroes and sometimes a secret or anonymous identity is needed to remind us that the act of making art and the art itself is what makes the artist!
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Stephanie Galloway
Stephanie Galloway is from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has been writing poetry since she was a child and still loves to explore the magic in words and their power to touch others deeply. She taught art to children as the Children Zone Leader of the Rail Yards Market and is the founder of Free Art Friday Albuquerque. Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as Multimedia Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
When someone finds a piece of art that was shared by an artist on Free Art Friday and gives it a place in their home it is a true honor. Our daily living space is meant to be a colorful place that inspires us and nurtures creativity.
One of the purposes of art is to help create sacred space. Having art on our walls reminds us that art holds a very important place in our daily functions. Art helps us to process our interactions with the world and makes us all feel more at home. Happy Free Art Friday!
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Stephanie Galloway
Stephanie Galloway is from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has been writing poetry since she was a child and still loves to explore the magic in words and their power to touch others deeply. She taught art to children as the Children Zone Leader of the Rail Yards Market and is the founder of Free Art Friday Albuquerque. Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as Multimedia Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
Ignorance has a voice
and its loud and full of hatred
Small minds spouting small minded words as though some untapped fountain has been unearthed
again
As though the illusion of racism, sexism, homophobia truly exists and the only way “to do away with the evils” is to lose our humanity.
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Community Publishing is committed to providing a digital platform for local artists of all mediums through the creation of multimedia eBooks, while promoting literacy in our community. Community Publishing uses a “ground up” approach which emphasizes an all-encompassing collaborative method.
The idea of helping to support local arts while promoting literacy was sparked after a meeting with one of the giant publishing house out of my hometown, NYC. Their “offer” to me as the Author of my bilingual-multimedia Children’s Book, Princess Marisol & the Moon Thieves, was roughly a drop more than an insult (5%) and better than nothing: or so I thought. In my mind the top-down approach, where a big publishing house would distribute my books everywhere seemed like the logical path to proceed. After conversations with Co-Founder Yvette Sandoval, and Music Director Matias Pizarro, it was decided that we would do it ourselves and Community Publishing was born!
Multimedia Children’s Books
Community Publishing now has 3 multimedia children’s books published and are weeks away from our 4, Janie & the Hummingbird. We have several more multimedia children’s books planned for 2016 and a non-children’s book production run, including the long-anticipated Grand Fantastic Life of DJ Flo Fader for 2017. Our books are produced by a team of community folks including Authors, Music Directors, Audio Engineers, Voice Actors, Animators, Illustrators, Graphic Editors, and Translators.
Utilizing the multiple-media promotions approach, Community Publishing has a following locally, coast to coast, and internationally. In my opinion though, nothing can replace the good ole’ fashioned face to face approach. When I read my books to kids, I see their faces light up with excitement, and hearts fill up with motivation! It is with that in mind that we have teamed up with the ABC Library (Albuquerque/Bernalillo County) and the Nob Hill Growers Market to bring Children’s Books at the Park.
Art/Literature/Music
Children’s Books at the Park will feature Local Authors and personalities reading children’s books provided by Community Publishing and the ABC Library. Additionally local musicians will be on hand to play and local artists will be on hand to lead the children in coloring activities (when applicable).
The Nob Hill Growers Market is a lovely open-air market on Thursday evenings from late Spring to early autumn, from 3-6:30 pm at Morningside Park on Lead & Morningside SE. Depending on the time of year, you’ll find a variety of fresh vegetables, seasonal fruit, local butter, honey, eggs, French breads and pastries, and often gluten-free pastries and cool drinks and popsicles. Locals and visitors alike enjoy our friendly vendors, frequent musical guests, and our park setting with plenty of shade and a fun playground. They accept accept Debit/EBT, WIC, and Senior Nutrition vouchers!.
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Live every day as if it were the last,
Because before you know it, time goes past,
And life’s just not that long.
Tell all you love that you love ‘em so,
Because even if you do, you might not know,
And one day we’ll all be gone.
Taste the wind, don’t let it blow on by,
Sing songs of love, let the music get you high
And when it’s said and done, you know the sun’ll shine on.
Learn all you can from the folks you meet,
Though they might be strange and sleep on the street,
But in some ways we all are wise.
Give all your thoughts a fighting chance,
Ask your fears and doubts, “Would you like to dance?”
And open up your eyes.
See the world, and let the world see you.
Take the time to love the things you do,
And you’ll hear it when you’re spirit starts to rise.
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Seth Hoffman
Community Publishing has published a Multimedia Book (available in digital and print editions) written and Illustrated by Seth Hoffman titled, Janie and the Hummingbird. Seth is a musician, artist and educator based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Follow his adventures here every Tuesday. Seth returned from a 6 month assignment on a Fulbright Scholarship in Wellington, New Zealand. Read all about his adventures in pursuit of learning/teaching about the integration of the arts into the classroom HERE.
I have been doing Free Art Friday Albuquerque for three years and in that time I have been touched by the stories people have shared about how they found the art and what meaning it had for them. People have found art on their way to work, in a grocery store parking lot, in a tree in the park and many other public places. I often hear that after someone finds a piece they are inspired to make art to share too.
Galleries have a place in the art world too but what about people who want to share their art but for whatever reason do not have access to a gallery to show their art.
Arts for Sharing
Free Art Friday is a way for any artist to share their work with their community. I think that in this way it gives something to the artist and the person who finds it. We are all artists and there is a power in sharing something handmade that makes one feel like they are an important part of the city they live in.
A public setting provides the perfect backdrop for all this to occur in. Art has the power to touch lives and connects us all in a human way like nothing else can and to be part of that process is a true gift!
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
One of the most powerful memories I have from my childhood is visiting art museums and seeing public art in the form of murals and sculptures. I remember going home and making art pieces that were inspired by what I saw.
Now as an adult being an artist is still a big part of my life. I credit the art I encounter as a child as the main reason behind my decision to be an artist. In a similar way, when you leave your art in a public space for Free Art Friday you never know who you are inspiring to make art too! Art is how you see the world and that is a gift that can be passed down to future generations and live forever! Be eternal, make art! Please check out some more of my Free Art Friday articles here. Thank you for supporting local arts!
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Stephanie Galloway
Stephanie Galloway is from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has been writing poetry since she was a child and still loves to explore the magic in words and their power to touch others deeply. She taught art to children as the Children Zone Leader of the Rail Yards Market and is the founder of Free Art Friday Albuquerque.
Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as Multimedia Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
Spring is here and more people are venturing outdoors to enjoy the beauty in their surroundings! They are looking at the blooming trees and the flowers coming up from the ground. A perfect time and place to add some of your art work into the mix.
While there eyes are enjoying the majestic visions part of that vision will also be the art you put out for Free Art Friday! What a great place for art to be, among the flowers and trees that make people happy ☺ So please share your art today!
Please check out some more of my Free Art Friday articles here. Thank you for supporting local arts!
*****
[contact-form to=’communitypublishingabq@gmail.com’ subject=’Subscriptions’][contact-field label=’Enjoyed this article? Type in your email address to receive similar articles, no ads, no spam, no charge!’ type=’email’/][/contact-form]
Stephanie Galloway
Stephanie Galloway is from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has been writing poetry since she was a child and still loves to explore the magic in words and their power to touch others deeply. She taught art to children as the Children Zone Leader of the Rail Yards Market and is the founder of Free Art Friday Albuquerque.
Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as Multimedia Books while promoting literacy in our communities.
Curated by Mary Ann Gilbreth, Ed.D., Department of Teacher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy, at the University of New Mexico. This collections includes the work of her students from several of her Reading Methods Classes, promoting cultural diversity in the classroom.
know that they are loved! When someone finds your art on Free Art Friday it lets them know that someone cares about them.
Alex Paramo
