we’re here today to show you how we use art to build community there are two
art to build community there are two
art to build community there are two vital ingredients in this journey me the
vital ingredients in this journey me the
vital ingredients in this journey me the self and we the collective so let us
self and we the collective so let us
self and we the collective so let us start at the base at the self now on a
start at the base at the self now on a
start at the base at the self now on a day to day we all go through so many
day to day we all go through so many
day to day we all go through so many challenges we all have fears but once
challenges we all have fears but once
challenges we all have fears but once those fears turn into barriers then it’s
those fears turn into barriers then it’s
those fears turn into barriers then it’s a concern and it leaves you questioning
a concern and it leaves you questioning
a concern and it leaves you questioning your existence like you I judge myself I
your existence like you I judge myself I
your existence like you I judge myself I don’t want to be too exposed I don’t
don’t want to be too exposed I don’t
don’t want to be too exposed I don’t want to be vulnerable I don’t want to be
want to be vulnerable I don’t want to be
want to be vulnerable I don’t want to be vulnerable it is true
vulnerable it is true
vulnerable it is true 7 5 7.5 billion of us we do lead very
7 5 7.5 billion of us we do lead very
7 5 7.5 billion of us we do lead very different lives now imagine I was stuck
different lives now imagine I was stuck
different lives now imagine I was stuck in a room with 20 other people it was a
in a room with 20 other people it was a
in a room with 20 other people it was a really really tight room and I didn’t
really really tight room and I didn’t
really really tight room and I didn’t know anyone around me and everyone
know anyone around me and everyone
know anyone around me and everyone around me is basically a stranger and
around me is basically a stranger and
around me is basically a stranger and then there’s just 7 meter blank canvas
then there’s just 7 meter blank canvas
then there’s just 7 meter blank canvas right in front of me with paint brushes
right in front of me with paint brushes
right in front of me with paint brushes and paint palettes and there were so
and paint palettes and there were so
and paint palettes and there were so many emotions going on and I didn’t even
many emotions going on and I didn’t even
many emotions going on and I didn’t even have enough personal space the only
have enough personal space the only
have enough personal space the only personal space I had was the 10
personal space I had was the 10
personal space I had was the 10 centimeters between me and the person
centimeters between me and the person
centimeters between me and the person next to me I mean I don’t I don’t even
next to me I mean I don’t I don’t even
next to me I mean I don’t I don’t even know what’s going on but I knew two
know what’s going on but I knew two
know what’s going on but I knew two things is that one I had to paint
things is that one I had to paint
things is that one I had to paint something on this and two I needed to
something on this and two I needed to
something on this and two I needed to interact with these people
interact with these people
interact with these people I literally have sweat rolling down my
I literally have sweat rolling down my
I literally have sweat rolling down my head and my anxiety rises and I just
head and my anxiety rises and I just
head and my anxiety rises and I just feel really uncomfortable we do lead the
feel really uncomfortable we do lead the
feel really uncomfortable we do lead the same lives we do lead different lives
same lives we do lead different lives
same lives we do lead different lives but we all experience the same feelings
but we all experience the same feelings
but we all experience the same feelings of fear of anxiety of disempowerment I
of fear of anxiety of disempowerment I
of fear of anxiety of disempowerment I mean right now I’m actually wondering
mean right now I’m actually wondering
mean right now I’m actually wondering what you guys are all thinking and I’m
what you guys are all thinking and I’m
what you guys are all thinking and I’m sure after this I’m going to analyze
sure after this I’m going to analyze
sure after this I’m going to analyze every single part of the talk and see if
every single part of the talk and see if
every single part of the talk and see if I’ve done it in its perfection and if
I’ve done it in its perfection and if
I’ve done it in its perfection and if not I’ll criticize myself this happened
not I’ll criticize myself this happened
not I’ll criticize myself this happened there was so much distance between us we
there was so much distance between us we
there was so much distance between us we were all pushed out of our comfort zones
were all pushed out of our comfort zones
were all pushed out of our comfort zones and the worst realization was that we
and the worst realization was that we
and the worst realization was that we were so close to each other yet we were
were so close to each other yet we were
were so close to each other yet we were miles apart so the question is how do we
miles apart so the question is how do we
miles apart so the question is how do we break barriers between ourselves and the
break barriers between ourselves and the
break barriers between ourselves and the collective we’ve been exploring communal
collective we’ve been exploring communal
collective we’ve been exploring communal arts for over three years now my sister
arts for over three years now my sister
arts for over three years now my sister and I come from a background that’s a
and I come from a background that’s a
and I come from a background that’s a bit familiar to so many people we’re
bit familiar to so many people we’re
bit familiar to so many people we’re third culture kids originally from one
third culture kids originally from one
third culture kids originally from one from somewhere grew up somewhere lived
from somewhere grew up somewhere lived
from somewhere grew up somewhere lived somewhere else we’ve lived everywhere
somewhere else we’ve lived everywhere
somewhere else we’ve lived everywhere but we’ve noticed something very
but we’ve noticed something very
but we’ve noticed something very familiar with everywhere that we went is
familiar with everywhere that we went is
familiar with everywhere that we went is that it lacked the glue that glue that
that it lacked the glue that glue that
that it lacked the glue that glue that binds us as a community that sense of
binds us as a community that sense of
binds us as a community that sense of responsibility and concern for one
responsibility and concern for one
responsibility and concern for one another and this is something that we
another and this is something that we
another and this is something that we wanted to face we wanted to change this
wanted to face we wanted to change this
wanted to face we wanted to change this and so with the amalgamation of
and so with the amalgamation of
and so with the amalgamation of community and arts we thought that we
community and arts we thought that we
community and arts we thought that we can help those community so let’s start
can help those community so let’s start
can help those community so let’s start by analyzing community now the
by analyzing community now the
by analyzing community now the definition of community is a place
definition of community is a place
definition of community is a place inhabited by people that share common
inhabited by people that share common
inhabited by people that share common interests living interdependently but
interests living interdependently but
interests living interdependently but for us it was so much more than that
for us it was so much more than that
for us it was so much more than that not only do we live in a particular
not only do we live in a particular
not only do we live in a particular place share common interests living
place share common interests living
place share common interests living independently interdependently but
independently interdependently but
independently interdependently but there’s this sense of community this
there’s this sense of community this
there’s this sense of community this concern and consideration for one
concern and consideration for one
concern and consideration for one another regardless of where you’re from
another regardless of where you’re from
another regardless of where you’re from and what age group you belong to that
and what age group you belong to that
and what age group you belong to that didn’t matter what what mattered is
didn’t matter what what mattered is
didn’t matter what what mattered is accepting our differences and
accepting our differences and
accepting our differences and celebrating our similarities so how do
celebrating our similarities so how do
celebrating our similarities so how do we build such a community one that’s
we build such a community one that’s
we build such a community one that’s connected and one where we feel a sense
connected and one where we feel a sense
connected and one where we feel a sense of belonging there’s so many ways
of belonging there’s so many ways
of belonging there’s so many ways Karen Kearney from Syracuse cultural
Karen Kearney from Syracuse cultural
Karen Kearney from Syracuse cultural workers actually wrote an entire
workers actually wrote an entire
workers actually wrote an entire manifesto on how to build community in
manifesto on how to build community in
manifesto on how to build community in 1998 guys its 2017
1998 guys its 2017
1998 guys its 2017 I don’t see it happening on a wide scale
I don’t see it happening on a wide scale
I don’t see it happening on a wide scale so but here are a few things maybe to
so but here are a few things maybe to
so but here are a few things maybe to spark your imagination turn off your TV
spark your imagination turn off your TV
spark your imagination turn off your TV instead of being told what to do and how
instead of being told what to do and how
instead of being told what to do and how to feel why don’t you go out there and
to feel why don’t you go out there and
to feel why don’t you go out there and explore what makes you passionate or
explore what makes you passionate or
explore what makes you passionate or what what makes your heart beat because
what what makes your heart beat because
what what makes your heart beat because Paul nipkow and all the inventors off of
Paul nipkow and all the inventors off of
Paul nipkow and all the inventors off of the television we’re not watching
the television we’re not watching
the television we’re not watching watching it when it got invented share
watching it when it got invented share
watching it when it got invented share what you have because it’s temporary
what you have because it’s temporary
what you have because it’s temporary share what you have because we do have a
share what you have because we do have a
share what you have because we do have a lot more than we need there’s a proverb
lot more than we need there’s a proverb
lot more than we need there’s a proverb by axil Mundi that says whatever you
by axil Mundi that says whatever you
by axil Mundi that says whatever you keep to yourself is lost and whatever
keep to yourself is lost and whatever
keep to yourself is lost and whatever you share is yours forever
take responsibility the same when we
take responsibility the same when we take responsibility for our families we
take responsibility for our families we
take responsibility for our families we need to take responsibility for our
need to take responsibility for our
need to take responsibility for our communities and and ask questions
communities and and ask questions
communities and and ask questions because there’s no two place no two
because there’s no two place no two
because there’s no two place no two people ever standing in your place at
people ever standing in your place at
people ever standing in your place at the same time nobody sees things through
the same time nobody sees things through
the same time nobody sees things through your eyes your perception is yours and
your eyes your perception is yours and
your eyes your perception is yours and therefore the questions that you have
therefore the questions that you have
therefore the questions that you have are catered to your eye and to what it
are catered to your eye and to what it
are catered to your eye and to what it sees so truly there is no wrong question
sees so truly there is no wrong question
sees so truly there is no wrong question big extra and share because we all love
big extra and share because we all love
big extra and share because we all love to eat so consider your friends so
to eat so consider your friends so
to eat so consider your friends so consider the ones that don’t have as
consider the ones that don’t have as
consider the ones that don’t have as much as you do and share it share it
much as you do and share it share it
much as you do and share it share it around share it everywhere and share
around share it everywhere and share
around share it everywhere and share your skills in this day and age we need
your skills in this day and age we need
your skills in this day and age we need to have a lot of skills to succeed and
to have a lot of skills to succeed and
to have a lot of skills to succeed and some people have very different ways of
some people have very different ways of
some people have very different ways of doing the same thing so why don’t you
doing the same thing so why don’t you
doing the same thing so why don’t you thrive in something why don’t you take
thrive in something why don’t you take
thrive in something why don’t you take on a skill that you are really
on a skill that you are really
on a skill that you are really passionate about and share it with
passionate about and share it with
passionate about and share it with somebody and in return you’ll receive a
somebody and in return you’ll receive a
somebody and in return you’ll receive a knowledge full of skills so you see the
knowledge full of skills so you see the
knowledge full of skills so you see the two main ingredients still remain me the
two main ingredients still remain me the
two main ingredients still remain me the self and we the collective so now that
self and we the collective so now that
self and we the collective so now that we’ve covered the social aspect we’d
we’ve covered the social aspect we’d
we’ve covered the social aspect we’d like to discuss with you guys what we
like to discuss with you guys what we
like to discuss with you guys what we use
use
use to bind community which is art so how do
to bind community which is art so how do
to bind community which is art so how do we use arts as a tool to build community
we use arts as a tool to build community
we use arts as a tool to build community so we’re back in this room that
so we’re back in this room that
so we’re back in this room that Christina was freaking out in and the
Christina was freaking out in and the
Christina was freaking out in and the heat is rising still don’t know what to
heat is rising still don’t know what to
heat is rising still don’t know what to do
do
do until they tell us that there’s a theme
until they tell us that there’s a theme
until they tell us that there’s a theme they revealed that the theme was growth
they revealed that the theme was growth
they revealed that the theme was growth and that we needed to express this
and that we needed to express this
and that we needed to express this through paint i sat back and reflected
through paint i sat back and reflected
through paint i sat back and reflected on what growth actually means to me and
on what growth actually means to me and
on what growth actually means to me and what kind of barriers do I have to break
what kind of barriers do I have to break
what kind of barriers do I have to break within myself to achieve growth and
within myself to achieve growth and
within myself to achieve growth and while I was starting to feel comfortable
while I was starting to feel comfortable
while I was starting to feel comfortable at the thoughts and which made me feel
at the thoughts and which made me feel
at the thoughts and which made me feel more comfortable in the room I still
more comfortable in the room I still
more comfortable in the room I still couldn’t I still couldn’t get around to
couldn’t I still couldn’t get around to
couldn’t I still couldn’t get around to painting until I heard the musician in
painting until I heard the musician in
painting until I heard the musician in place in music and when I got relaxed I
place in music and when I got relaxed I
place in music and when I got relaxed I just dipped the paint brush in paint and
just dipped the paint brush in paint and
just dipped the paint brush in paint and from the moment the paint brush touched
from the moment the paint brush touched
from the moment the paint brush touched the canvas I surrendered completely to
the canvas I surrendered completely to
the canvas I surrendered completely to my hands and their movements I felt
my hands and their movements I felt
my hands and their movements I felt completely liberated that I can tell a
completely liberated that I can tell a
completely liberated that I can tell a story without words that I can paint
story without words that I can paint
story without words that I can paint patterns without a particular structure
patterns without a particular structure
patterns without a particular structure I was so freed by my own confinement I
I was so freed by my own confinement I
I was so freed by my own confinement I was so comfortable really I was ready to
was so comfortable really I was ready to
was so comfortable really I was ready to paint the whole canvas until I heard a
paint the whole canvas until I heard a
paint the whole canvas until I heard a really really disrupting sound and
really really disrupting sound and
really really disrupting sound and almost it actually almost sounded like
almost it actually almost sounded like
almost it actually almost sounded like the musician fell asleep I looked around
the musician fell asleep I looked around
the musician fell asleep I looked around and everybody started moving and though
and everybody started moving and though
and everybody started moving and though apparently was our cue to move on to the
apparently was our cue to move on to the
apparently was our cue to move on to the next scene when I moved to the seat next
next scene when I moved to the seat next
next scene when I moved to the seat next to me and I sat down and I looked at the
to me and I sat down and I looked at the
to me and I sat down and I looked at the painting before me I couldn’t make sense
painting before me I couldn’t make sense
painting before me I couldn’t make sense of it and it was then and there that I
of it and it was then and there that I
of it and it was then and there that I realized that this activity was much
realized that this activity was much
realized that this activity was much more than self-expression I was there to
more than self-expression I was there to
more than self-expression I was there to break my own barriers and express myself
break my own barriers and express myself
break my own barriers and express myself but I was also there to observe someone
but I was also there to observe someone
but I was also there to observe someone else’s expression and even if I didn’t
else’s expression and even if I didn’t
else’s expression and even if I didn’t understand it I needed to accept it and
understand it I needed to accept it and
understand it I needed to accept it and I also had to build upon their work and
I also had to build upon their work and
I also had to build upon their work and so the evening went hours and hours of
so the evening went hours and hours of
so the evening went hours and hours of painting we swapped we swap places we
painting we swapped we swap places we
painting we swapped we swap places we built on each other’s lines we even
built on each other’s lines we even
built on each other’s lines we even tried to reason with each other what is
tried to reason with each other what is
tried to reason with each other what is what is
what is
what is this weird like stick figure plant
this weird like stick figure plant
this weird like stick figure plant looking thing is this your growth
looking thing is this your growth
looking thing is this your growth amazing inspiring and so collaboration
amazing inspiring and so collaboration
amazing inspiring and so collaboration and that that was the whole purpose of
and that that was the whole purpose of
and that that was the whole purpose of this activity it was to create something
this activity it was to create something
this activity it was to create something together and achieve something together
together and achieve something together
together and achieve something together and I was only able to do that when I
and I was only able to do that when I
and I was only able to do that when I broke my barrier and took an initiative
Jackson Pollock says it doesn’t matter
Jackson Pollock says it doesn’t matter what goes onto the canvas as long as
what goes onto the canvas as long as
what goes onto the canvas as long as something’s being said we created it a
something’s being said we created it a
something’s being said we created it a unified art piece painted by one painted
unified art piece painted by one painted
unified art piece painted by one painted by many I get it now
by many I get it now
by many I get it now I had to go through a process of self
I had to go through a process of self
I had to go through a process of self acceptance and build the walls that I
acceptance and build the walls that I
acceptance and build the walls that I broke I built around myself in order to
broke I built around myself in order to
broke I built around myself in order to contribute to something greater the
contribute to something greater the
contribute to something greater the session ends and people have big smiles
session ends and people have big smiles
session ends and people have big smiles on their faces
on their faces
on their faces and they don’t seem like strangers
and they don’t seem like strangers
and they don’t seem like strangers anymore to me I feel more connected to
anymore to me I feel more connected to
anymore to me I feel more connected to them especially that one lady who walks
them especially that one lady who walks
them especially that one lady who walks in with a big frown on her face and then
in with a big frown on her face and then
in with a big frown on her face and then leaves a session really happy and joyful
leaves a session really happy and joyful
leaves a session really happy and joyful and we actually exchanged numbers so
and we actually exchanged numbers so
and we actually exchanged numbers so she’s a really nice lady and it just it
she’s a really nice lady and it just it
she’s a really nice lady and it just it just shows you that when we work
just shows you that when we work
just shows you that when we work together we really can build a positive
together we really can build a positive
together we really can build a positive community built on pure intentions and
community built on pure intentions and
community built on pure intentions and acceptance of one another and so we came
acceptance of one another and so we came
acceptance of one another and so we came up with our own formula to build
up with our own formula to build
up with our own formula to build community and that self expression don’t
community and that self expression don’t
community and that self expression don’t overthink Plus art don’t be arrogant
overthink Plus art don’t be arrogant
overthink Plus art don’t be arrogant plus collaboration don’t judge science
plus collaboration don’t judge science
plus collaboration don’t judge science communication and that is community and
communication and that is community and
communication and that is community and that is what we need and that is what we
that is what we need and that is what we
that is what we need and that is what we do so we are here today to show you how
do so we are here today to show you how
do so we are here today to show you how we use art to build community so let’s
we use art to build community so let’s
we use art to build community so let’s let’s use it thank you thank you
man amazing tell you guys one more run
man amazing tell you guys one more run applause please for black canvas
applause please for black canvas
applause please for black canvas community Wow
community Wow
community Wow [Applause]
”
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