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New Teaching Artists joining the Young Audiences roster announced
 

Augustina Droze's mural: "Colors and Culture" in Nagpur, India, completed in 2011.

  

Dear Friends of Young Audiences:

As we move toward winter and the holiday season, and as our programs and collaborative partners continue to expand and deepen during our 50th year of service, we thought we'd take the opportunity to welcome several new teaching artists. We're very excited about the new additions, as well as the existing roster of committed, talented artists who continue to provide our arts-in-education programming.

Our new artists include several with family connections to Young Audiences.

Zuri Appleby is the daughter of music and education professionals Rodney and Linda Appleby-her father is a long-time Young Audiences teaching artist. The initial program she'll offer is "You, Me and Rhythm"; the participatory workshop builds on her own training and experience as a musician, music student and performer. Through the program, she'll engage students and children from kindergarten to high school ages in connecting with rhythms and each other, while collaborating, concentrating and expressing themselves creatively.

Rodney Taylor is married to Annette Daniels Taylor, one of Young Audiences' most popular and talented artists. Rodney's paintings are collected privately as well as held in gallery and museum collections. With his experience as a teaching artist, gained through organizations like New York City Housing Authority, U.B. Anderson Gallery, Langston Hughes Cultural Institute and Williams College, he will lead Young Audiences workshops for students of all ages in portrait painting, murals, collage and assemblage. Read more about Rodney Taylor.

Several of the new additions, while having no pre-existing relationships, are also working visual artists, eager for new experiences and connections.

Lukia Costello is a working photographer in Buffalo, providing freelance and creative services. She is known for her ability to capture emotion while documenting diverse situations. Her first Young Audiences program is "Storytelling with Portraits," geared toward older students. Teaching about the use of light, composition, setting and many other elements, Costello will engage students in seeing, looking, thinking, and feeling from the point of view of a photographer. 

Augustina Droze is an internationally recognized artist specializing in large scale murals and public art. Her upcoming projects with Young Audiences bring to the forefront several of her specific interests, namely, murals, arts education and working with youth and at-risk groups in communities.

"This my first time working with an organization like Young Audiences-I am excited about more educational programming, and more hands-on interaction with students and the community," said Droze. Our first project with together has been funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with major partners, Buffalo State College and its Community Academic Center and Buffalo Public Schools. This project will occur in several phases over the next year, and encompasses developing a mural with input from students and community members living and going to school on Buffalo's West Side-many of whom are refugees. "The opportunity from every angle for both me and the community members of all ages to learn about each others' experiences, especially the refugees', can be powerful and invigorating," added Droze. 

Another benefit of the project is the permanency and ownership that students and families may take in the project. "Aside from the children's artwork being used in the mural, some of them will have the opportunity to paint directly on the wall. When people of any age experience that contribution to the final piece, they gain a sense of pride. Murals are one of the most powerful means of telling a story-because they are so large, in the public, and meant to be long term. The West Side community is already in transition; murals can help continue that transformation and bring people together."  Further information on our West Side project may be found here.

The last new artist on the list for now is Rachel Bell. She brings a great combination of teaching experience and joyful love of music to her new teaching artist role with Young Audiences. She revels in all kinds of fun interaction with children-especially around music. Bell travels extensively as a musician and is extremely attuned to her audiences/ participants innate desire to be a "part of," and always has more then enough instruments-drums, boom-whackers, dulcimers, bells-to get everyone doing something. Bell is New York State Certified as a music teacher, and has worked in both public and Montessori schools.

In part because of the variety of programs that we offer to connect children and families with the arts in meaningful and applicable ways, Young Audiences is becoming more engaged with the public and other segments. We are very proud of this growth and commitment, and thank you, our friends, for all of your ongoing support.

Best wishes,


Cynnie Gaasch
Executive Director
Children and families created "mail art" with teaching artist Gerald Mead, about YA-WNY's 50th Anniversary, at the Albright Knox in July. This is one of the postcards that was produced at the workshop.






October 25, 2012
Other News
    
Slam Poetry
We still have room in our After School Slam Poetry program with Annette Daniels Taylor for Buffalo Public School students.  The program is open to all BPS students and will take place on Thursdays at Riverside High School.  Offered through the BPS heARTS program, the program runs November 1 through February 3.  Further information may be found here.
 Beatrix Potter
Gretchen Murray Sepik will perform her Beatrix Potter show at Buffalo's Central Library for free on Saturday, November 10 at 1pm.  Further details here.
 
 
 Our Young Audiences Goes To Town fundraiser was a great success, thank you to all in the community who joined us.  We surpassed our goals for the event and have a nice lead on creating our 50th Anniversary Innovation Fund.  Check out photos from the event and learn about our supporters, here.


 

 
 




















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