my name is Emery slack I self-identify as an artist I even went to art school
as an artist I even went to art school
as an artist I even went to art school but I think we are all artists
but I think we are all artists
but I think we are all artists creativity is our birthright as humans
creativity is our birthright as humans
creativity is our birthright as humans we imagine we problem solve when kids
we imagine we problem solve when kids
we imagine we problem solve when kids are five everybody draws sings dances
are five everybody draws sings dances
are five everybody draws sings dances and plays I have time a lot of people
and plays I have time a lot of people
and plays I have time a lot of people reach high school they’ve decided they
reach high school they’ve decided they
reach high school they’ve decided they can’t draw by the time many of us reach
can’t draw by the time many of us reach
can’t draw by the time many of us reach adulthood we’ve forgotten how to play
adulthood we’ve forgotten how to play
adulthood we’ve forgotten how to play our culture has relegated creativity to
our culture has relegated creativity to
our culture has relegated creativity to a select few art has become rarefied
a select few art has become rarefied
a select few art has become rarefied something seen in museums and galleries
something seen in museums and galleries
something seen in museums and galleries I find my calling and working with
I find my calling and working with
I find my calling and working with communities who want to express
communities who want to express
communities who want to express themselves through public art I find
themselves through public art I find
themselves through public art I find community with the community built
community with the community built
community with the community built Association a professional group of
Association a professional group of
Association a professional group of artists architects and builders who
artists architects and builders who
artists architects and builders who facilitate community engagement in the
facilitate community engagement in the
facilitate community engagement in the design organization and building of
design organization and building of
design organization and building of creative projects for public use such as
creative projects for public use such as
creative projects for public use such as parks playgrounds murals and sculptures
parks playgrounds murals and sculptures
parks playgrounds murals and sculptures we share recognition for the human need
we share recognition for the human need
we share recognition for the human need for connectedness and a commitment to
for connectedness and a commitment to
for connectedness and a commitment to the positive value of communities
the positive value of communities
the positive value of communities creating and strengthening themselves
creating and strengthening themselves
creating and strengthening themselves through cultural action this look this
through cultural action this look this
through cultural action this look this is the first Street mosaic project it’s
is the first Street mosaic project it’s
is the first Street mosaic project it’s on the walls of a city of Ithaca
on the walls of a city of Ithaca
on the walls of a city of Ithaca Department of Public Works facility
Department of Public Works facility
Department of Public Works facility facing the Science Center I’m on a team
facing the Science Center I’m on a team
facing the Science Center I’m on a team of artists I’ve been working with
of artists I’ve been working with
of artists I’ve been working with community volunteers to make this mosaic
community volunteers to make this mosaic
community volunteers to make this mosaic for the past three years Charles
for the past three years Charles
for the past three years Charles Eisenstein
Eisenstein
Eisenstein one of my favorite thinker says for a
one of my favorite thinker says for a
one of my favorite thinker says for a multitude of reasons we need to need
multitude of reasons we need to need
multitude of reasons we need to need each other community is a group of
each other community is a group of
each other community is a group of people who form around common needs to
people who form around common needs to
people who form around common needs to support each other in meeting those
support each other in meeting those
support each other in meeting those as you know humans are our social
as you know humans are our social
as you know humans are our social creatures and our relationships with
creatures and our relationships with
creatures and our relationships with each other are extremely important to
each other are extremely important to
each other are extremely important to our health and well-being our sense of
our health and well-being our sense of
our health and well-being our sense of well-being derives from what political
well-being derives from what political
well-being derives from what political psychologist Robert Lane calls warm
psychologist Robert Lane calls warm
psychologist Robert Lane calls warm interpersonal relationships certainly
interpersonal relationships certainly
interpersonal relationships certainly that’s what if I could college hope
that’s what if I could college hope
that’s what if I could college hope would develop when they think crews of
would develop when they think crews of
would develop when they think crews of incoming freshmen to help us mortar and
incoming freshmen to help us mortar and
incoming freshmen to help us mortar and grout in a monetized Society we pay
grout in a monetized Society we pay
grout in a monetized Society we pay people to meet many of our needs our
people to meet many of our needs our
people to meet many of our needs our cooking our childcare gathering our food
cooking our childcare gathering our food
cooking our childcare gathering our food making our clothes and our entertainment
making our clothes and our entertainment
making our clothes and our entertainment the people who deliver these goods and
the people who deliver these goods and
the people who deliver these goods and services are often seen as
services are often seen as
services are often seen as interchangeable with enough money we
interchangeable with enough money we
interchangeable with enough money we don’t really need anyone without needing
don’t really need anyone without needing
don’t really need anyone without needing any one we lose natural community
any one we lose natural community
any one we lose natural community isolation is the unintended consequence
isolation is the unintended consequence
isolation is the unintended consequence of many of today’s modern conveniences
of many of today’s modern conveniences
of many of today’s modern conveniences how can we connect with awareness of the
how can we connect with awareness of the
how can we connect with awareness of the personal and societal benefits of being
personal and societal benefits of being
personal and societal benefits of being engaged in community many people are
engaged in community many people are
engaged in community many people are finding diverse ways to cultivate
finding diverse ways to cultivate
finding diverse ways to cultivate connection focusing on interdependence
connection focusing on interdependence
connection focusing on interdependence rather than independence whether it’s
rather than independence whether it’s
rather than independence whether it’s community supported agriculture or meal
community supported agriculture or meal
community supported agriculture or meal trained local alternative currency or
trained local alternative currency or
trained local alternative currency or clothing swaps cohousing or car shares
clothing swaps cohousing or car shares
clothing swaps cohousing or car shares people are developing creative ways to
people are developing creative ways to
people are developing creative ways to acknowledge and grow these peer-to-peer
acknowledge and grow these peer-to-peer
acknowledge and grow these peer-to-peer support networks community built public
support networks community built public
support networks community built public art is an upstream approach to personal
art is an upstream approach to personal
art is an upstream approach to personal and public health it’s a concrete way to
and public health it’s a concrete way to
and public health it’s a concrete way to make choices about the design of your
make choices about the design of your
make choices about the design of your local environment and it’s a way in
local environment and it’s a way in
local environment and it’s a way in which you personally can engage I’ve
which you personally can engage I’ve
which you personally can engage I’ve been using mosaics to work with groups
been using mosaics to work with groups
been using mosaics to work with groups who want to collaborate to change their
who want to collaborate to change their
who want to collaborate to change their built environment that’s Charlie up
built environment that’s Charlie up
built environment that’s Charlie up there on the ladder he’s the town
there on the ladder he’s the town
there on the ladder he’s the town supervisor of Richford New York he’s
supervisor of Richford New York he’s
supervisor of Richford New York he’s worked in the building trades for
worked in the building trades for
worked in the building trades for decades his wife Vicki leads a local
decades his wife Vicki leads a local
decades his wife Vicki leads a local Girl Scout troop he makes most of our
Girl Scout troop he makes most of our
Girl Scout troop he makes most of our concrete she spearheaded
concrete she spearheaded
concrete she spearheaded volunteer coordination for generations
volunteer coordination for generations
volunteer coordination for generations of Richford residents lined up in the
of Richford residents lined up in the
of Richford residents lined up in the town hall during an April snow storm to
town hall during an April snow storm to
town hall during an April snow storm to make handprints in Clay
make handprints in Clay
make handprints in Clay I love how accessible how fundamental
I love how accessible how fundamental
I love how accessible how fundamental clay is it’s the earth itself in molding
clay is it’s the earth itself in molding
clay is it’s the earth itself in molding clay we get a very direct experience of
clay we get a very direct experience of
clay we get a very direct experience of shaping reality bringing something new
shaping reality bringing something new
shaping reality bringing something new into being it doesn’t matter your age or
into being it doesn’t matter your age or
into being it doesn’t matter your age or your skill level you can make a mark and
your skill level you can make a mark and
your skill level you can make a mark and clay and probably enjoy the tactile
clay and probably enjoy the tactile
clay and probably enjoy the tactile nature of doing it like PJ here and with
nature of doing it like PJ here and with
nature of doing it like PJ here and with the help of his parents made hand and
the help of his parents made hand and
the help of his parents made hand and feet prints each tile is unique and
feet prints each tile is unique and
feet prints each tile is unique and recognizable to its maker trace made the
recognizable to its maker trace made the
recognizable to its maker trace made the trace made the jumping trout and the
trace made the jumping trout and the
trace made the jumping trout and the fawn Piper and Dara made the hawk Joslin
fawn Piper and Dara made the hawk Joslin
fawn Piper and Dara made the hawk Joslin made the Fox together these distinct
made the Fox together these distinct
made the Fox together these distinct tiles combine to create a more complex
tiles combine to create a more complex
tiles combine to create a more complex overall composition what a wonderful
overall composition what a wonderful
overall composition what a wonderful metaphor for the way individuals formed
metaphor for the way individuals formed
metaphor for the way individuals formed community each voice is important
community each voice is important
community each voice is important together much greater complexity is
together much greater complexity is
together much greater complexity is possible when communities have a chance
possible when communities have a chance
possible when communities have a chance to shape their built environment they
to shape their built environment they
to shape their built environment they see their own ability to affect positive
see their own ability to affect positive
see their own ability to affect positive change right where they live when people
change right where they live when people
change right where they live when people get together to create physical
get together to create physical
get together to create physical real-world structures to meet common
real-world structures to meet common
real-world structures to meet common needs they build bonds of human
needs they build bonds of human
needs they build bonds of human connection it’s empowering and that has
connection it’s empowering and that has
connection it’s empowering and that has ripple effects through the individuals
ripple effects through the individuals
ripple effects through the individuals involved the larger community and the
involved the larger community and the
involved the larger community and the physical space last year I was invited
physical space last year I was invited
physical space last year I was invited to work with the girls at the Mariposa
to work with the girls at the Mariposa
to work with the girls at the Mariposa Center in Cabarete Dominican Republic
Center in Cabarete Dominican Republic
Center in Cabarete Dominican Republic the Mariposa foundation works to end
the Mariposa foundation works to end
the Mariposa foundation works to end generational poverty by investing in the
generational poverty by investing in the
generational poverty by investing in the lives of girls in meeting their goal of
lives of girls in meeting their goal of
lives of girls in meeting their goal of empowering girls they knew that
empowering girls they knew that
empowering girls they knew that community built public art is a powerful
community built public art is a powerful
community built public art is a powerful tool for social change including heal
tool for social change including heal
tool for social change including heal increased awareness attitudinal change
increased awareness attitudinal change
increased awareness attitudinal change more diverse and increased civic
more diverse and increased civic
more diverse and increased civic participation movement building and
participation movement building and
participation movement building and policy change to name a few
policy change to name a few
policy change to name a few how does it work first the people who
how does it work first the people who
how does it work first the people who participate experience the validating
participate experience the validating
participate experience the validating and often rare opportunity to see their
and often rare opportunity to see their
and often rare opportunity to see their ideas directly shape public discourse
ideas directly shape public discourse
ideas directly shape public discourse and design volunteers engage their own
and design volunteers engage their own
and design volunteers engage their own creative nature manifesting ideas into
creative nature manifesting ideas into
creative nature manifesting ideas into reality is empowering and highly
reality is empowering and highly
reality is empowering and highly practical with a wide range of
practical with a wide range of
practical with a wide range of applications a sense of pride and
applications a sense of pride and
applications a sense of pride and stewardship remain once the project is
stewardship remain once the project is
stewardship remain once the project is complete secondly the act of making art
complete secondly the act of making art
complete secondly the act of making art together builds human bonds it takes
together builds human bonds it takes
together builds human bonds it takes trust to be creative with each other and
trust to be creative with each other and
trust to be creative with each other and builds trust the finished artwork
builds trust the finished artwork
builds trust the finished artwork reflects the identity of the community
reflects the identity of the community
reflects the identity of the community that made it and there’s a sense of
that made it and there’s a sense of
that made it and there’s a sense of belonging in the physical space and
belonging in the physical space and
belonging in the physical space and within the group of people who changed
within the group of people who changed
within the group of people who changed it
it
it Eisenstein says intimacy comes from
Eisenstein says intimacy comes from
Eisenstein says intimacy comes from co-creation not Co consumption thirdly
co-creation not Co consumption thirdly
co-creation not Co consumption thirdly there’s a change in perception among the
there’s a change in perception among the
there’s a change in perception among the people who visit visitors get a sense of
people who visit visitors get a sense of
people who visit visitors get a sense of wonder and joy at the beauty created by
wonder and joy at the beauty created by
wonder and joy at the beauty created by a group of people with the will and the
a group of people with the will and the
a group of people with the will and the power to transform their environment
power to transform their environment
power to transform their environment socially physically and even politically
socially physically and even politically
socially physically and even politically it’s inspiring to witness a space
it’s inspiring to witness a space
it’s inspiring to witness a space transformed by the people who use it
transformed by the people who use it
transformed by the people who use it there’s a sense of respect for the art
there’s a sense of respect for the art
there’s a sense of respect for the art and the artists that usually protect
and the artists that usually protect
and the artists that usually protect this kind of public art from vandalism
this kind of public art from vandalism
this kind of public art from vandalism watershed wall is made up of tiles
watershed wall is made up of tiles
watershed wall is made up of tiles contributed by every school in the
contributed by every school in the
contributed by every school in the Attica City School District it’s mounted
Attica City School District it’s mounted
Attica City School District it’s mounted in an alley on the wall of a parking
in an alley on the wall of a parking
in an alley on the wall of a parking garage it’s been up since 2010 and it’s
garage it’s been up since 2010 and it’s
garage it’s been up since 2010 and it’s never been vandalized there’s an
never been vandalized there’s an
never been vandalized there’s an awareness
awareness
awareness everyone is a stakeholder in this kind
everyone is a stakeholder in this kind
everyone is a stakeholder in this kind of public space Lili yay the barefoot
of public space Lili yay the barefoot
of public space Lili yay the barefoot artist says art is a human right
artist says art is a human right
artist says art is a human right engaging our own creative nature gives
engaging our own creative nature gives
engaging our own creative nature gives us the power to transform reality and in
us the power to transform reality and in
us the power to transform reality and in doing so with others we foster
doing so with others we foster
doing so with others we foster relationships which are the most
relationships which are the most
relationships which are the most important thing we can cultivate as
important thing we can cultivate as
important thing we can cultivate as human beings they strengthen our
human beings they strengthen our
human beings they strengthen our communities and give our lives meaning I
communities and give our lives meaning I
communities and give our lives meaning I want to encourage each of you to reclaim
want to encourage each of you to reclaim
want to encourage each of you to reclaim your creative birthright and make
your creative birthright and make
your creative birthright and make something beautiful with the people in
something beautiful with the people in
something beautiful with the people in your community reclaim public space with
your community reclaim public space with
your community reclaim public space with collaborative Testaments of roots what’s
collaborative Testaments of roots what’s
collaborative Testaments of roots what’s the need in your community it might be
the need in your community it might be
the need in your community it might be making public space more useful
making public space more useful
making public space more useful beautiful or safe perhaps at a park or a
beautiful or safe perhaps at a park or a
beautiful or safe perhaps at a park or a playground a bus stop or a traffic
playground a bus stop or a traffic
playground a bus stop or a traffic intersection or a vacant lot you can
intersection or a vacant lot you can
intersection or a vacant lot you can exercise your power to affect change
exercise your power to affect change
exercise your power to affect change with the help of your community for the
with the help of your community for the
with the help of your community for the benefit of all strong healthy
benefit of all strong healthy
benefit of all strong healthy communities foster health and well-being
communities foster health and well-being
communities foster health and well-being among people creating community built
among people creating community built
among people creating community built public art is a dynamic way to activate
public art is a dynamic way to activate
public art is a dynamic way to activate warm interpersonal relationships and
warm interpersonal relationships and
warm interpersonal relationships and positively impact your physical
positively impact your physical
positively impact your physical environment please
environment please
environment please tap your own creative nature to reshape
tap your own creative nature to reshape
tap your own creative nature to reshape the public sphere thank you
the public sphere thank you
the public sphere thank you [Applause]
”
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