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Black History Month Visual Art Show
Photos by Nerea Blanco
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Artist in Residence: Camille Hoffman
By Kayla Salters (2/16)
What better way of learning different ways of doing art then to actually have a real artist teach you? Camille Hoffman is an ‘artist in residence’ who was hired by the Yale Office of New Haven and State Affairs, which is designed to bring communities of New Haven together with Yale to build partnerships, aid communities experiencing difficulties, and educate the minds of young students in New Haven. Camille Hoffman received her BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts), in the Community of Arts and Painting in California College of Arts, and her MFA (Master of Fine Arts), in painting and print-making at Yale School of Art. This young woman has been to many places educating people about art and participating in the community. She has received countless scholarships from Yale University, and her work has been shown in exhibitions worldwide. She also participated in the Jerome Project; a 2015 Summer Apprenticeship Program at Artspace in New Haven. There, Camille was a facilitator (a person who helps people have an understanding of the work they’re doing, but doesn’t take a particular side in the group discussion), and worked with lead artist Titus Kaphar, hip-hop/cool/playwright Aaron Jafferis, and serious, yet funny director/actor Dexter Singleton. She worked with a group of students focused on painting, drawing, and other areas of art. Based on what I’ve learned from being with her at ArtSpace, Camille has a bubbly personality; she has the biggest smile, hug, and overall personality! She is willing to help anyone in need, whether it be just listening to their passion for art, being someone to lean on for help, or anything they need. Camille’s way of making art is very interesting; she is into history, time, and things that are sacred. She also likes to go to the Dollar Store to purchase different materials for her work, which is creative and inspiring for those who assume that you have to buy expensive materials to create art. |
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Founder of 4 and Up in our Midst
By Dante Frazer Over the course of this week I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Michael Howard, the founder of 4 and Up, an organization dedicated to foster care. He is also a visual arts teacher at Co-op. Here’s the interview: Dante: At what age were you adopted? Mr. Howard: I was adopted at the age of 4. Dante: Do you remember your adoption? Mr. Howard: Yes, I remember it vividly. Dante: Have you ever met your biological parents? And if so when? Mr. Howard: I met my mother when I was 21 and I met my father at around 24. Dante: What made you want to meet your biological parents? Mr. Howard: It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but I felt like I had to close a chapter in my life and meeting the people who created me would help me close that chapter. Dante: How did your adopted family feel about you wanting to see your biological parents? Mr. Howard: They are 100% supportive throughout all my endeavors in life; when I graduated from high school my biological grandmother and biological sister Jessica came to my graduation. Dante: How many siblings do you have? Mr. Howard: 3 older sisters and 2 younger brothers. Dante: Were your other siblings put up for adoption? Mr. Howard: Some were put up for adoption and some weren’t and that’s the part that made me feel neglected because I was one of the children who was put up for adoption while some of my siblings stayed with our biological parents. Dante: Do you hold any hostility because of the circumstances that you were put in? Mr. Howard: In the last 2-3 years I became less hostile to my biological parents. Dante: This whole time you and I have been talking about the topic of kids…would you ever want kids? Mr. Howard: Eventually, but I’m not at that stage in my life for them because they are a lot of responsibility and I want to be the best parent I could ever be. Dante: Is 4 and Up a for-profit organization? Mr. Howard: It’s a nonprofit organization. Dante: What made you want to start your own organization? Mr. Howard: I was giving a speech at Wilbur Cross High school last year and when I was finished two young ladies were inspired by my speech and offered to donate a bunch of stuff to a foster care agency that I was a part of at the time and it was the genuine generosity and kindness of those students that actually inspired me to start my own organization [to donate needed goods to foster care]. Dante: What was the first donation you received? Mr. Howard: 3 boxes of clothes, gifts, and gift cards. Dante: How many donations have you gotten this year? Mr. Howard: Over one hundred boxes of donations and next year I would want to donate two hundred boxes. Dante: Are there any final words you would like to say? Mr. Howard: I’m very thankful that I was adopted at the age of 4 because if I would have stayed in foster care then who knows where I would be today. I could have been in jail or even worse, I could be dead. Dante: Thank you for taking time to interview with me and be so open and honest. Mr. Howard: It was my pleasure. |
By Mr. Wajnowski
On Tuesday February 2nd from 10AM-1PM, the East Rock 8th graders will be hosted by our Peer Leaders. The visit is intended to offer the East Rock students a chance at working with the Peer Leaders in a variety of social and academic workshops. The peer leaders have been preparing workshops based upon the needs expressed by the 8th graders. During the visit, we would like to tour the school in small groups(6-8 students) led by peer leaders to help the 8th graders get accumulated to a high school setting. If you are interested in having a small group of 8th grade students observe your 6th period class (Not mandatory and would not be longer than 5 minutes!) please email one of us and let us know. |
Another Fabulous Fashion Show
By Kayla Salters 1/15/16
Cooperative Arts 2016 7th Annual Fashion Show was put together by the Visual Arts teacher Ms. Lee. Altogether, there were eleven designers: Shea Alexander, John Cain, Dominique Fredricks, Araziel Jackson, Danielle Kelley, Luciana Massaro, Shakira McLain-Russell, Janasia Minor, Sarah Ngongi Wumba, and Rayvon Taylor.
As soon as I entered the black box theater, two ushers were standing at the door to welcome you. As you entered through the doors, the sounds of clubhouse music flooded your ears and made you want to dance. The lights were up and you could see the stage that the models would strut across. The seats were arranged in an organized fashion, and there were designated chairs for the designers and audience members, camera crew, etc. I mean, it felt like I was at a real fashion show!
Joey Abate, Alisa DeJesus, Sumiah Gay, and Jayvar Gray, made excellent hosts because of how fashionably they were dressed, and because of the satirical quips they made about the models.
There was a slideshow in the beginning showing how hard the artists had worked; from designing the clothes, to laughing, to helping one another complete their projects.
Then, it was time. The models began strutting around, showing off the messenger bags, and accessories, t-shirts collections, shirts and tops, cardigans, jackets, skirt collections, ensembles, capes, and even ponchos. All of the models turned to each side, looking into the faces of the audience members, doing swirls and large steps to better show off the work that the visual artists had done.
Many of us in the audience forgot about time; many of us were so hypnotized by the vibrant colors, and the fierce personalities of the models that we didn’t even realize we were in school. When Ms. Lee walked across the stage at the end, we were snapped back into reality. It was over. We were thanked for our support and we went to lunch.
For me, talking to the designers and Ms. Lee to put together the article was amazing! Many don’t realize that so much work goes into creating designs and how anyone can make something out of nothing. Those eleven designers worked so hard to create the thirty nine pieces in such a short amount of time. Of course, saying they were nervous about presenting their work is an understatement. But they appreciated all of the support that Co-op friends, family, and staff gave to them because it made them feel confident in their work, and in that, they have inspired us to never give up and aspire to be creative. Good job designers!
Cooperative Arts 2016 7th Annual Fashion Show was put together by the Visual Arts teacher Ms. Lee. Altogether, there were eleven designers: Shea Alexander, John Cain, Dominique Fredricks, Araziel Jackson, Danielle Kelley, Luciana Massaro, Shakira McLain-Russell, Janasia Minor, Sarah Ngongi Wumba, and Rayvon Taylor.
As soon as I entered the black box theater, two ushers were standing at the door to welcome you. As you entered through the doors, the sounds of clubhouse music flooded your ears and made you want to dance. The lights were up and you could see the stage that the models would strut across. The seats were arranged in an organized fashion, and there were designated chairs for the designers and audience members, camera crew, etc. I mean, it felt like I was at a real fashion show!
Joey Abate, Alisa DeJesus, Sumiah Gay, and Jayvar Gray, made excellent hosts because of how fashionably they were dressed, and because of the satirical quips they made about the models.
There was a slideshow in the beginning showing how hard the artists had worked; from designing the clothes, to laughing, to helping one another complete their projects.
Then, it was time. The models began strutting around, showing off the messenger bags, and accessories, t-shirts collections, shirts and tops, cardigans, jackets, skirt collections, ensembles, capes, and even ponchos. All of the models turned to each side, looking into the faces of the audience members, doing swirls and large steps to better show off the work that the visual artists had done.
Many of us in the audience forgot about time; many of us were so hypnotized by the vibrant colors, and the fierce personalities of the models that we didn’t even realize we were in school. When Ms. Lee walked across the stage at the end, we were snapped back into reality. It was over. We were thanked for our support and we went to lunch.
For me, talking to the designers and Ms. Lee to put together the article was amazing! Many don’t realize that so much work goes into creating designs and how anyone can make something out of nothing. Those eleven designers worked so hard to create the thirty nine pieces in such a short amount of time. Of course, saying they were nervous about presenting their work is an understatement. But they appreciated all of the support that Co-op friends, family, and staff gave to them because it made them feel confident in their work, and in that, they have inspired us to never give up and aspire to be creative. Good job designers!
National Guard Brings Blow Up Obstacle Course to Co-op
Strings Takes Their Concert to Next Level: A Multi-art Performance
By Nerea Blanco
The “Moondance” String Orchestra’s annual Winterfest concert was brilliant. The concert took place Thursday, December 3rd at 6:30pm in the Main Stage Theater. Of course, the string orchestra is always great, but this year their show was a little different. Mr. Neumann did an amazing thing with the strings concert, which was to blend the music of the strings with some of the various artistic talents Co-op has to offer. When the band (who usually performs with the strings orchestra) decided to do their own show, Mr. Neumann and the strings students wanted to do something to make their show more diverse, which the band’s presence usually does. So they included work from several arts. The students from Photography, AP Studio Art, Creative Writing, Senior Theatre and Senior Dance classes all got to contribute to the show. Different art pieces were projected onto the stage during the songs “My Favorite Things” and “Moondance”. Theatre students read the creative writers' poems prior to “Moondance” and during their “French Folk Carol," and read “The Night Before Christmas”. And before the song “Charms”, they showed a clip from the movie W/E (which the song is from), and the dancers danced during that. The combination of the arts with the strings orchestra was really interesting, and contributed so much toward making the show extra beautiful. “The initial idea was to make the [strings concert] stronger, but it evolved into something much better,” said Mr. Neumann. He also stated he wants concerts in the future to also involve different arts besides the strings, and maybe center them around unique new themes. All in all, it was very new, different, and amazing. ✮✮✮✮✮ If you missed it, make sure to attend the spring show! I’m sure it will be even better! |
Volunteers Get a Warm Day for "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts"
By Ms. Wetmore
Nurse Harris' Community Service Group and Ms. Sapienza, Ms. Wetmore, and Mr. Wajnowski's Super Saturday AP Session teamed up for "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts". Thirty students and ten teachers, staff, parents, and friends came together to make hundreds of sandwiches and snack bags! They had boxes and boxes of toiletries, coats, gloves, hats, socks, clothing, shoes, snow pants, hot cocoa, and soup! Students sorted all the items, prepared bags, and made lunches. Everyone walked over to the Green to distribute the items to the homeless. They brought giant coolers of hot water so the students could prepare cups of hot cocoa and soup. The most heartwarming part was the charge given to the students by Ms. Harris. She asked each student to engage with one person on the Green and to ask their story. Ms. Harris said, "No one is homeless by choice. And everyone out there has a story to tell." Every student connected with at least one person! I am positive every single student was transformed by the experience. It was a wonderful event to be a part of. We then returned to Co-op to have lunch together and debrief our day. Lunch was generously donated by our community neighbors: Subway, Insomnia Cookie, and Jeera Thai. |
Congratulations to Everyone Who Participated in 'The Crucible'!
By Nerea Blanco-Torgerson
Co-Op’s annual all-school play, 'The Crucible,' was a big hit. It ran from November 19-21, with 4 shows total, selling out the 2:30 Friday performance, and the 6:30 Saturday performance. 'The Crucible' was written by Arthur Miller in 1953. It is a fictional story that dramatizes the Salem witch trials that took place in Massachusetts during 1692 and 1693.
The emotion the actors put into playing their parts was truly riveting. The lighting, with its flashes and projections, really helped accentuate the meaning of the play, while the off-stage singing and dialogue helped give the production that unique Co-op touch. The play brought out the connection between the witch trials and current issues such as ISIS and the Black Lives Matter movement. The projection of images depicting scenes from the news was a brilliant addition to an already brilliant play.
So, congratulations to the cast and crew of 'The Crucible' on a marvelous production! ✮✮✮✮✮ (If you didn’t see it, sorry, you really missed out on a great show!) But don’t just listen to me, read the tweets above; it seems all those who went to see the play are raving about it!
Co-Op’s annual all-school play, 'The Crucible,' was a big hit. It ran from November 19-21, with 4 shows total, selling out the 2:30 Friday performance, and the 6:30 Saturday performance. 'The Crucible' was written by Arthur Miller in 1953. It is a fictional story that dramatizes the Salem witch trials that took place in Massachusetts during 1692 and 1693.
The emotion the actors put into playing their parts was truly riveting. The lighting, with its flashes and projections, really helped accentuate the meaning of the play, while the off-stage singing and dialogue helped give the production that unique Co-op touch. The play brought out the connection between the witch trials and current issues such as ISIS and the Black Lives Matter movement. The projection of images depicting scenes from the news was a brilliant addition to an already brilliant play.
So, congratulations to the cast and crew of 'The Crucible' on a marvelous production! ✮✮✮✮✮ (If you didn’t see it, sorry, you really missed out on a great show!) But don’t just listen to me, read the tweets above; it seems all those who went to see the play are raving about it!
Creative Writers Perform at Metamorphosis 2015 Showcase
Congratulations on a Great Coronation Ball!
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Titus Kaphar Visits Co-op
Nerea Blanco-Torgerson
On September 15, 2015, Co-op’s visual artists flood into the lecture hall, preparing for the arrival of world-renowned artist Titus Kaphar. With art in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), exhibitions in New Zealand, and a movie on the way, Titus is quite the success. You could tell the students were excited to get this opportunity to be in the same room as Titus. One student exclaims, “I want to sit in the front so I can be closest to him.”
After everyone is seated, in walks an unfamiliar person, who I assume is Titus. He’s wearing a white button-up dress shirt with a purple and black bow tie, a grey hoodie, black jeans tucked into dark green leather boots, and a caramel-colored homburg hat. He steps into the front of the room, and everyone starts to quiet down. Once everyone is silent, he introduces himself.
“I hated high school,” he begins.
He tells us about the struggle he had, and the horrible way he was treated in school. “Teachers would tell me to drop out,” he said. And they discouraged him because he wasn’t good at reading or writing. He later found out in college that he is dyslexic, and learned strategies to help. I listen intently to Titus talking about his past, waiting for the moment he’ll reveal when he got into art. This wasn’t until he got to college.
Titus reveals why he went to college, which is actually a funny story. A girl that he was interested in (who is now his wife and mother to his two sons) is the whole reason he went to college. She said she would only date someone who had a good future (and that meant going to college), so he did. He didn’t know what he wanted to go for, so he just took his required classes. Inevitably, one of those was an art history class.
“I loved that class, and I was even good at it! I got a B, my first B!” He told us. This is what started his career as an artist. So he began taking different art classes. The pieces he created were influenced off other artists, and he was confident in them. This was until the professor told Titus that he was not impressed; they were not a statement of Titus himself, as an artist. Then, he got a huge inspiration. His history professor, a middle-aged white woman, skipped a section in the curriculum. It was a section on black history. For a project, Titus took his class to what was called the “black gallery” at his school. It was a room where the windows were boarded up with pieces of wood, and the whole room was painted black. His project was a presentation, so he presented.
He put a desk in the middle of the gallery with a single light shining on it. When they got there, he pulled out the book and plopped it on the table. He ripped out every single page, except for the section the teacher wouldn't teach. The class just watched him silently. He didn’t expect this, and it got him angry. So he raised his hand, hoping someone would say something, or respond to this. They kept silent. Uncertain about how to take this, he made an impulsive decision. Titus got so mad, that he grabbed the book, and hit it against the wall. But the wall he hit wasn’t a wall, it was a boarded up window. He hit it so forcefully, that the board broke, and so did the window. The book fell out the window.
When the school officials were dealing with the issue, they found the proffesor at fault for not teaching the section. And then, she was fired. This is when he really began connecting his art with real-world racial and political issues.
Fast forwarding, he applied to Yale multiple times, never giving up, until he finally got in. He struggled in their art department; his professors wouldn’t talk to him about the politics of his artwork. His artwork started becoming more unique, as he started to actually change the canvas he would paint on.
“I was trying to express these real, hard ideas. I wanted to do something that was physical, so I started cutting into the paintings.” Titus told us. Shredding, submerging in tar, ripping, crumpling, covering the canvas with other materials--he was doing so many different things. His paintings show black people in history, without objectifying them. He manipulates classical imagery, almost introducing us to an alternate version of the historic scenes he portrays. He made one of Jesus on the cross, but the body of Jesus is cut out, and behind it you see the face of a black man, looking back at you. The way he deals with the paintings is almost sculptural, a unique take on the themes he is trying to portray, and that’s what has gotten him far in the art world.
The last thing he talked about was the advice he would give to young artists. Here are some direct quotes I found really helpful and appealing:
“I like to give myself the space to change my mind.” (In his art, he always creates a whole piece, he doesn’t stop or leave anything blank. If he doesn’t like it, he will just paint over it later.)
“The work gets better because I’m willing to open up and just let stuff happen.” (After learning new things, or listening to advice, he keeps an open mind for his art.)
“I will have multiple works in progress at once, or else I’ll feel pressured.” (If he’s stuck, he’ll work on something else until new inspiration comes. So he makes sure he’s always being productive, always working on something.)
“Keep pushing, even after you’ve turned in assignments.” (Titus says to go back to art that had a deadline after it’s been graded or turned in if you don’t believe it was properly completed. Deadlines can rush you and you might not be done. It’s your art, you can always change it, even if it’s just for yourself.)
On September 15, 2015, Co-op’s visual artists flood into the lecture hall, preparing for the arrival of world-renowned artist Titus Kaphar. With art in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), exhibitions in New Zealand, and a movie on the way, Titus is quite the success. You could tell the students were excited to get this opportunity to be in the same room as Titus. One student exclaims, “I want to sit in the front so I can be closest to him.”
After everyone is seated, in walks an unfamiliar person, who I assume is Titus. He’s wearing a white button-up dress shirt with a purple and black bow tie, a grey hoodie, black jeans tucked into dark green leather boots, and a caramel-colored homburg hat. He steps into the front of the room, and everyone starts to quiet down. Once everyone is silent, he introduces himself.
“I hated high school,” he begins.
He tells us about the struggle he had, and the horrible way he was treated in school. “Teachers would tell me to drop out,” he said. And they discouraged him because he wasn’t good at reading or writing. He later found out in college that he is dyslexic, and learned strategies to help. I listen intently to Titus talking about his past, waiting for the moment he’ll reveal when he got into art. This wasn’t until he got to college.
Titus reveals why he went to college, which is actually a funny story. A girl that he was interested in (who is now his wife and mother to his two sons) is the whole reason he went to college. She said she would only date someone who had a good future (and that meant going to college), so he did. He didn’t know what he wanted to go for, so he just took his required classes. Inevitably, one of those was an art history class.
“I loved that class, and I was even good at it! I got a B, my first B!” He told us. This is what started his career as an artist. So he began taking different art classes. The pieces he created were influenced off other artists, and he was confident in them. This was until the professor told Titus that he was not impressed; they were not a statement of Titus himself, as an artist. Then, he got a huge inspiration. His history professor, a middle-aged white woman, skipped a section in the curriculum. It was a section on black history. For a project, Titus took his class to what was called the “black gallery” at his school. It was a room where the windows were boarded up with pieces of wood, and the whole room was painted black. His project was a presentation, so he presented.
He put a desk in the middle of the gallery with a single light shining on it. When they got there, he pulled out the book and plopped it on the table. He ripped out every single page, except for the section the teacher wouldn't teach. The class just watched him silently. He didn’t expect this, and it got him angry. So he raised his hand, hoping someone would say something, or respond to this. They kept silent. Uncertain about how to take this, he made an impulsive decision. Titus got so mad, that he grabbed the book, and hit it against the wall. But the wall he hit wasn’t a wall, it was a boarded up window. He hit it so forcefully, that the board broke, and so did the window. The book fell out the window.
When the school officials were dealing with the issue, they found the proffesor at fault for not teaching the section. And then, she was fired. This is when he really began connecting his art with real-world racial and political issues.
Fast forwarding, he applied to Yale multiple times, never giving up, until he finally got in. He struggled in their art department; his professors wouldn’t talk to him about the politics of his artwork. His artwork started becoming more unique, as he started to actually change the canvas he would paint on.
“I was trying to express these real, hard ideas. I wanted to do something that was physical, so I started cutting into the paintings.” Titus told us. Shredding, submerging in tar, ripping, crumpling, covering the canvas with other materials--he was doing so many different things. His paintings show black people in history, without objectifying them. He manipulates classical imagery, almost introducing us to an alternate version of the historic scenes he portrays. He made one of Jesus on the cross, but the body of Jesus is cut out, and behind it you see the face of a black man, looking back at you. The way he deals with the paintings is almost sculptural, a unique take on the themes he is trying to portray, and that’s what has gotten him far in the art world.
The last thing he talked about was the advice he would give to young artists. Here are some direct quotes I found really helpful and appealing:
“I like to give myself the space to change my mind.” (In his art, he always creates a whole piece, he doesn’t stop or leave anything blank. If he doesn’t like it, he will just paint over it later.)
“The work gets better because I’m willing to open up and just let stuff happen.” (After learning new things, or listening to advice, he keeps an open mind for his art.)
“I will have multiple works in progress at once, or else I’ll feel pressured.” (If he’s stuck, he’ll work on something else until new inspiration comes. So he makes sure he’s always being productive, always working on something.)
“Keep pushing, even after you’ve turned in assignments.” (Titus says to go back to art that had a deadline after it’s been graded or turned in if you don’t believe it was properly completed. Deadlines can rush you and you might not be done. It’s your art, you can always change it, even if it’s just for yourself.)
The Elizabethan Club of Yale University awarded a $100 essay prize to Gianni Elcuri.
