2018 Closing Reception, Nov 6

Well, it was a great summer for art in Kansas City: the inaugural Open Spaces festival, First Friday’s, and Napoleon hung out at the Nelson-Atkins. Art in the Loop also provided opportunities for people to get outside and interact with some really great public installations and performances.

We hope you were able to see and hear the artists and performers we were so lucky to have in our program this summer. We would like to invite you to join us as we walk down memory lane with the artists, sponsors, and organizers who were instrumental in making the fifth year of our summer program a huge success.

The closing reception will take place Tuesday, November 6th from 6p – 8p at the Kansas City Public Library, Central Library, Helzberg Auditorium, 14 W. 10th St. 

Be sure to vote before you come to the party!

Click here to RSVP

/by

Get to know the artist: Megan Karson

Megan Karson is a young, quiet, intriguing, multi-talented, unassuming redhead. She makes monsters and draws creepy, weird, metamorphic creatures you expect to see under your bed, or in a petri dish. She tells me she is afraid of monsters, is afraid of strangers, but yet, here we are, talking about her gigantic soft-sculpture that KC went crazy for over this summer. You know who it is, you know its name, you’d know that big, red grin anywhere, it’s [drum roll]…….The Stranger on the Train.

After getting to know her, it appears Megan’s approach with her Stranger was to conquer a fear, even if that goal was subconscious. By combining two things that give her goosebumps, she was actively attempting to make the uncomfortable….less uncomfortable. As with caricature, when something is exaggerated to the point of being laughable, much of its power is diminished. By giving the Stranger giant, concentric eyes, a huge, red, smiling mouth, four arms with glittery gold nail polish, and lots of little boobie-babies, Karson’s monster became less of a nightmare and more of a fun phantasm. The Stranger was easy to laugh at, appreciated taking selfies with everyone, and encouraged strangers of the human variety to reach out and speak to each other. The Stranger opened up an easy, fun, way to communicate, to laugh with each other, to forget social anxieties and make a new friend. (The Stranger was also great at welcoming out-of-towner’s to our interesting, beautiful, funny city.)

Q: Describe your Art in the Loop project
Megan: My goal was to create a big, weird thing for people to interact with, and feel silly in a playful environment.

Q: What other disciplines do you work in?
Megan: Other than soft sculpture, I work a lot in film photography and illustrations. The Stranger happened because I like to do illustrations of silly and weird things, and I started making my drawings 3D. This has made me want to make more large stuff, but I don’t want to work myself into a box; like ‘I only make monsters,’ but the larger scale is definitely appealing.

Q: What inspires/influences you in your artistic practice?
Megan: Nature, animals, plants, but seen in a different way. I like the pretty freaky stuff, things that are in nature that are weird; like microscopic sea-organisms that up-close look like monsters. In my photography work, I do a lot of portraitures; the variety of types of people in the world is very intriguing to me. How different we all are, and also how similar at the same time.
For the Stranger, I had been working with StoneLion Puppet Theatre, making really large puppets for them and had been thinking about how we interact with things that are a human-scale. It seems people are more connected to things their size, they feel more lifelike and relatable. I had been working on this funny drawing of this monster guy and decided to see what would happen if I made it human-scale. It’s the largest thing I’ve ever made.

Q: Have you always been into monsters?
Megan: I was really afraid of monsters as a kid, I was scared of everything as a kid. I’d watch E.T. and get nightmares, that movie was terrifying.

Q: When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
Megan: My whole life. I’ve been drawing since I could hold a crayon, my grandma kept everything. There’s a painting I did when I was little, like 5 maybe, that she kept. It’s of sea creatures with big, funny faces. I’ve been putting funny faces on things forever it seems.
Being an artist is all I ever thought I would do in my life, that or take care of animals at the zoo. Making isn’t really a choice, it is something that is compulsory, there are things inside that have to come out, and making art is the best way for that to happen, for me.

Q: What did you hope people would gain from interacting with your piece?
Megan: I hope that people leave the streetcar with a funny experience, an unexpected happy moment to share with their friends.
I’ve been discouraged lately, the fire and losing all my supplies and all that, I keep asking myself ‘Why do I make art?’ and when I think about people, and how they spend their days; going to work, sticking to a schedule, all that, it makes me really wonder what else is out there? And what I keep coming back to, is that there is so much out there; new experiences, new ideas, new people, new ways of looking at the world and unexpected ways people experience their world.
There is something about art and music that brings you out of yourself and shows you how others live and feel. This idea of new encounters, this is what is important to me, and to share, and to give people an experience they do not have every day. Public art allows interaction with objects, with ideas, with other people. I have a pretty intense case of social anxiety, and art is an easy way to open up a conversation with a stranger. I’m so uncomfortable around strangers, I push myself to interact with others, and many other people experience that as well. In my photography work, I do a lot of street photography while I travel, and the camera allows people to start conversations by asking what I’m doing, or I ask if I can take their picture.

Q: Did the public response to the Stranger surprise you? How does it make you feel, as an artist/creator, to know your work as generated this kind of overwhelming response?
Megan: It’s funny, I kind of don’t even think about it [The Stranger] unless someone else brings it up, or I see it pop up on Instagram. I made it in my bedroom, and it was just kind of looming over me, in a way, all the time, until it went away to the streetcar to live its life.
Just to see people’s faces light up – that’s why I do it. People get really excited, joyful feelings, and that is what makes doing anything, especially making something, totally worth it. The Stranger, and KC’s reaction to it, it’s been a good reminder of why I do what I do. Sometimes I feel burnt out, I do make other things, but I’ve been making monsters for 8 years, and people love it. Recently, because of the fire, I’d been feeling really discouraged and disheartened, I wanted to give up and quit art. But this experience and knowing how much love the Stranger has had from the community, makes me want to push harder, and not give up. To build bigger and continue doing my passion. I want to continue enjoying the day, the moment, the reality of what I’m providing for other people.

Q: What is the Stranger’s fate once the summer program has ended?
Megan: Oh man, I don’t know. I feel like it needs to exist in the world still. I’d love to sell it or auction it off. I’d love for it to go to a local organization where it can continue to bring happiness to people.

Q: What has this experience working with Art in the Loop taught you as a working artist?
Megan: I just make stuff, I don’t know how to talk about it with people, and this experience has really helped me with that. Most of my stuff is niche work, it appeals to a small group of people, and working with Art in the Loop helped get my work out there to a larger audience and to see the appreciation people have for what I do. It has also made me realize that is possible to go bigger, and not be afraid; bigger audience and bigger works.

Q: What is your next move?
Megan: Well, for the month of October, I am the featured artist at the Leedy-Voulkos. The Stranger will be there, along with its’ little friends, the smaller monsters. Come say “hi,” take a monster home with you!

 

Check out Megan’s soft-sculptures this coming First Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6, at the Leedy-Voulkos, located at 2012 Baltimore Ave.

Artist Megan Karson rides the rails and speaks with interested people about her soft-sculpture, Stranger on a Train.
Photo courtesy of Deisy Garcia.

 

 

/by

KC Streetcar Holiday Jam

We had soooo much fun having musicians play onboard the KC Streetcar this summer, so much, in fact, the streetcar wants to keep it going!

KC Streetcar recently announced their Holiday Jam, inviting local musicians to apply to play on-board, or at a streetcar stop this holiday season, kicking off the week of Thanksgiving and going through mid-December. You can play “Frosty the Snowman” if you really want to, but playing holiday music is not mandatory, play anything as long as its family-friendly!

You can get all the details and learn how to apply at the KCStreetcar’s website here. The application deadline is Friday, October 19.

/by

Time is running out!

Have you noticed a suspicious lack of blog post emails from Art in the Loop recently? Curious as to why we have not been blowing up your inbox with really cool artwork and free events?  That’s because as fall approaches, our summer art program begins to close.

Therefore, if you have not yet seen with your own two eyes all the fabulous and diverse works of art by local artists that Art in the Loop has had placed around Downtown KC all summer, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE!!!!! You best get out there and see them before they’re gone!

The Stranger, by Megan Karson, hangs out with Emily Evans-Sloan’s yarn-bomb piece at 4th & Delaware

SlinkyBall by Denise DiPiazzo, located in West Terrace Park for one more week!

 

Time is running out to find all the words on KC Word Plays! search, located at the KCStreetcar Library SB stop, 9th & Main

/by

KCStreetcar Music Series: Noah Davis, Wed., Aug. 29

Noah Davis’ father knew what was good. He raised his young son on classic rock and soul; timeless performers such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Curtis Mayfield, and Neil Young. As a multiracial kid, Noah’s father taught him the importance of seeing beyond the surface, and instead, recognizing that significance comes from substance. This philosophy is one Noah has applied to his entire life and musical career, maintaining the idea that music should not just entertain, but speak to and heal hearts, souls, and minds.

Come meet Noah, who is a super nice guy and a great musician, play his soulful, classic-rock and psychedelia-influenced original compositions on-board the KCStreetcar, Wednesday, August 29 from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.

For more information about Noah, his music, and upcoming performances check out his website here.

/by

House of Alter: Pop Up PARTY, Friday Aug. 24

Alter Art just wants to have fun.

With you. And everyone in KC.

Alter’s Pop-Up pARTy is a chance for you to start the weekend with the unexpected. Shake off the workday with a spontaneous and inclusive dance party! If you’re not a dancer, stay and watch performances by local, eclectic artists. This exploration of nightlife during the afternoon encourages riders to interact with their neighbor, break down social barriers, and start the weekend with a fun, relaxing and positive experience.

If you’re not totally sure what to expect from Alter, that’s OK, in fact, that’s normal. Come find out what it is that they do, they’ve invited you and the whole city to come party with them at Union Station this Friday, August 24, from 5 – 7 pm. Be there or be square y’all.

This party is free and family-friendly; there will be no red solo cups. For more information about Alter Art Space and links to their social media click here.

 

/by

Music Series: They Call Me Sauce

Sauce is the moniker of KCK native and local hip-hop artist Royce Handy. Like many kids, Handy would get in trouble and often found himself grounded at home, and he used that time to read and write. He discovered an affinity for language, and specifically the inherent rhythm of putting words together to create narratives and poetry. Over time, Handy learned to create beats for his words. This talent combined with the knowledge and experience of growing up on both sides of State Line and witnessing violence first-hand culminated in Sauce’s message: violence is not necessary. 

Sauce takes his music and his positive message to anyone who will listen. He is a non-violence advocate for the city and has volunteered with churches, schools, and urban youth organizations, as well as organizing anti-violence protests in the community. Providing soulful & empowering tunes, Kansas City native, Sauce, guarantees a live performance that will inspire any & everyone.

Catch Sauce’s inspiring performance Wednesday, August 22, from 11:30  am – 1:30 pm at the Metro Center KC Streetcar Stop, 12th & Main Street, near Plowboys.

For more information, albums and performances, check out Sauce’s Facebook page.

/by

KC Streetcar Music Series: Pink Royal, 8/15

Pink Royal has a sense of humor.

They like to use phrases like “musical sexiness,” and “dance groovability,” and, my personal favorite, “we rock so soft,” to describe the lush, ambient, synth-pop melodies they create while simultaneously making fan-girls swoon. As the band states on its website, “imagine Muse, MGMT, and Radiohead had a steamy musical orgy with Stevie Wonder, and Pink Royal was born 9 months later”.

Come find out what all those adjectives add up to sound like when Pink Royal plays onboard the KCStreetcar on Wednesday, August 15, from 11: 30 am – 1:30 pm. They’ll be playing on the first northbound car to leave Union Station after 11:30 am.  Follow Art in the Loop on Facebook and Instagram at @artintheloop to find out which car they’re on.

Find out more about this rad band on their website.

/by

Get to know the Band: Hammerhedd

 

 

Normally if you hear screams coming up from your basement, its cause for concern. But for Bridget and Luke Ismert, it’s just a normal Tuesday night.

Bridget and Luke are the parents of Henry, Eli, and Abe, the three burgeoning rock stars who have garnered national attention with their heavy metal band Hammerhedd. Henry, 16, plays guitar; he’s got the long hair necessary for some heavy headbanging, and well on his way to mastering Slayer’s Tom Araya’s legendary metal scream. Eli, 14, tells that drum kit who’s boss (hint: he definitely is) while encouraging the insane rhythm his younger brother, Abe, 11, keeps steady while he seriously shreds that bass, all while looking very nonchalant and cool.

Hammerhedd recently played a very loud show outdoors at Union Station, attracting a lot of attention from passersby. It was particularly amusing to watch the faces of people walking by, hearing the insane riffs and technically advanced compositions, and then realizing the band was not mid-30s bearded men, but clean-cut adolescents. The surprise people feel when seeing and hearing Hammerhedd play comes not from their age, but more from their age combined with their undeniable talent and dedication to their craft; they take their music seriously and expect their audience to as well.

At Union Station, Hammerhedd played the entirety of their forthcoming debut EP Essence Of Iron, due out in the fall of 2018. After their insane 2-hour set, they still agreed to have a conversation with me, because hey! they’re young and full of energy.

Tell me a little about yourselves, your interests, etc.
Henry: We just like to do things other kids do, hang out with our friends, sports.
Abe: I like baseball.
Mom: You guys play a lot of ping-pong too.

How did you guys get started playing music?
Eli: Around five years ago our uncle let me try out his drum set and I loved it.
Henry: Our dad has a band too, they don’t like play around, but jam together and stuff. I started on the guitar because it seemed like the obvious choice.
Abe: They both [his brothers] played something, so I played bass.

What kind of music do your parents listen to? Are they influencers on your musical taste?
Abe: Dad’s whole family plays music.
Henry: Dad is into Metallica, he likes other stuff too, like us. But he thought we’d really like them and Led Zeppelin and Rush.
Eli: Mom doesn’t really get into the heavy music as much.

What are your favorite bands?
Henry: Gojira! They’re awesome. Gojira, Metallica, Exodus, Meshuggah, Havok.
Eli: Gojira, Metallica.
Abe: The Avett Brothers.
Mom: Abe’s not our metal fan.

What kind of response do you get from the community and your neighbors?
Abe: Our friends come over, see our equipment, and they want to play.
Henry: Our neighbors love it.
Eli: Yeah, they’re pretty cool.
Mom: The way our houses are positioned the sound doesn’t travel very much, but we did move their space into the basement so they could play as loud as they wanted without disturbing everyone.
Eli: We have an 11-9 rule, we don’t play after 9pm, that’s just rude.

Tell me about your new EP, Essence of Iron.
Eli: We decided to do it on our own, it was our idea.
Henry: We had been making a bunch of songs, these are the ones we liked the best.
Abe: We had been doing covers at gigs, and people always ask if we play any originals, so now we do.
Mom: It has been a long, expensive, and educational process. Dan Whitmer is the sound engineer, he has been really helpful.
Henry: Yeah, Dan has all the connections and is very knowledgeable. A shout-out to Josh Cole, who did the mixing, and David Sanchez from Havok. It was really cool, we opened for Havok, and he reached out to us and asked if he could help us with an EP.

Are you guys nervous for the release?
Henry: I feel pretty good about it. Someone posted a video of us performing our new stuff, and it already has over 3 million views.

What are you going to do with those fat paychecks that come rolling in?
Eli: Haha, no idea.
Henry: Organize a world tour, Asia first. Oh yeah, and new instruments.
Abe: Save it for college, and I want a batting cage.

Are you going to send a copy of the Essence of Iron EP to Metallica?
Henry: That’s a good idea!!
Eli: We should!

Is music something you want to continue to pursue through life?
Eli: Oh yeah, definitely.
Henry: Yeah, but with the same people. I want to play with my brothers.
Mom: They play off each other so well, almost like how twins communicate, anticipating each other. I think at this point it would be strange for them to not play with each other. It’s great too, I mean, anything that they want to do together.

So can we talk about the Ellen show and the other national opportunities that you as a family decided to turn down?
Henry: It all started when we played outside on the Plaza and someone posted a video on YouTube. It’s had over 22 million views since then, and when my mom’s friend called and told us about it, it was crazy.
Eli: Hahaha, yeah you [Henry] came in the house screaming.
Mom: It was insane, and shortly after that is when the national programs began calling. I feel like everyone thinks I hate Ellen because we didn’t let them perform on her show. I love Ellen, she’s great, and it was really the only show we seriously considered. But you have to understand as a parent how surreal it is to see your young children all over the internet. I was afraid for awhile we were going to have people coming up to our door, so we kind of hunched down at home and did other things. They are kids, and sometimes I think people forget that and that they do other things besides play music together. We have a daughter too, and she just kind of got thrown into the craziness of it all.
Eli: Everyone would have seen it too if we had gone on those shows. If we had done it and saw it now, I’m sure we’d be cringing.
Abe/Henry: Yeah, for sure.
Mom: They didn’t want to go on a contest show, that’s not the kind of band they are. They want to be taken seriously, this is what they want to do in life. When Ellen called, we considered it, we really did. That opportunity I was all for, but in the end, we decided against it, and in retrospect, I think we made the right choice.
Henry: When it happened though, it was awful. I wanted to go on TV and play.
Mom: They were mad. Their dad and I spent a lot of time considering it and questioning if we had made the right choice.
Eli: We weren’t ready, I’m glad we didn’t do it.

What was it like at school after the YouTube video came out?
Abe: A lot of people saw the first video; my teacher at school put the article from the newspaper up on the wall in our classroom, so embarrassing.
Eli: Henry and I watched it in class, it was brutal.
Mom: Their age group isn’t really into what they play, especially a few years ago when it all began.

If you could open for any band, who would it be?
Henry: Gojira!
Eli: Powertip
Abe: Avett Brothers

Any advice for kids who want to be musicians and do what you do?
Abe: Don’t take lessons.
Mom: Some kids need lessons, it’s different for everyone.
Henry: Pick up an instrument; never listen to the radio, its all garbage. Hollywood and the radio, all garbage.
Eli: If you really like what you play, you’ll do it, and get good at it.
Mom: Get a friend and jam.

For more information about Hammerhedd, performance dates, and their debut album, Essence of Iron, check out their website here.

Hammerhedd

/by

Mundo Nuovo to Perform on KC Streetcar, Wed., 8/8

Combining both Spanish and Haitian-Creole language, Mundo Nouvo means “New World.” This ensemble looks to source its material from the roots of Afro-Caribbean music with special emphasis on Cuban and Haitian traditions. At its fullest, Mundo Nouvo operates as an 11-piece Salsa Orchestra that plays the dance halls for crowds that love the timeless groove of guaracha, merengue, mambo, etc.

For KC Streetcar, Mundo Nuovo will perform as a trio on Wednesday, August 8, 11:30 am-1:30 pm onboard KC Streetcar.  The performance will start on the first streetcar leaving Union Station after 11:30.  Follow @artintheloop or @kcstreetcar on social media to learn the vehicle number.

/by

StoneLion Puppets at City Market August 8th

Local puppetry theater StoneLion Puppets is at it again!

They’re bringing their fabulous, fibrous friends to the KC Streetcar City Market Stop for a fun, free, and freewheelin’ afternoon performance on Wednesday, August 8th from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. You’re welcome to join the puppets on stage for a performance, or just sit back and enjoy.

Keep your eyes open as the puppets have a tendency to wander around the city and ride the KCStreetcar. This event is free and family-friendly.

/by

Get to Know the Artists: Michael Elwood, Annelise Kinney, & Daniel Rawlings

 

The creators of Busy Bead Maze, a large-scale outdoor installation evoking nostalgia for those recognizable fixtures in pediatrician’s offices, are a trio of current Kansas City Art Institute students: Michael Elwood, Annelise Kinney, and Daniel Rawlings.  Annelise is beginning her senior year, Michael and Daniel are juniors, they are all working towards their BFA in sculpture.

Their piece has had a little bit of a rough summer; because of the nature of the piece, and it’s placement in West Terrace Park, people have been climbing on the art and subsequently it has suffered multiple breakages. While frustrating, the artists recognize the learning opportunity this presented and have made the necessary changes to their design. The ironic part of the whole situation, according to the artists, is that while the need for repair is frustrating, the whole reason it broke in the first place is that people were playing on it. It’s hard to be upset with the public for enjoying something you made to the point of destruction, even if there were signs asking y’all not to climb on it.

We met at Union Station in the middle of July (because they have really good A/C) to discuss their piece, their future as artists, and what they have learned this summer.

Q: Please describe your project
Annelise: Our project for Art in the Loop is a large-scale installation playscape.
Michael: It’s designed to bring the community together for play.
Daniel: We wanted it to spark the youthfulness in people.

Q: What inspired/influenced you for this particular project?
A: Michael and I both have depression and were thinking about what we needed as individuals. We have found that physical activity, especially doing something playful, has been really helpful for working through things like anxiety and depression. Performing actions, moving items around, it acts almost like a meditation, a healing process for us.
D: The installation evokes the nostalgia for those toys in doctor’s offices, they’re a distraction from whats bothering you. So the toy and our piece both act as distractions, but also, because of the physicality and the repetitive motions, it is a subtle relief from the struggle.
A: Yeah, people always tell us ‘This reminds me of those toys when I was a kid at the doctor.’ It creates an emotional response.
M: This project for Art in the Loop is actually the second installment of the Busy Bead Maze. The first was on the KCAI campus, and we put it there to remind students who were stressing out about finals and their projects to take a minute to play and relax. It went over with the students really well, it had a following, people were emotional about it, and we wanted to bring it to a wider audience.

Q: How does this work tie into the current Art in the Loop theme of “KC Plays!”?
A: It’s an open, inviting game, in a safe space. The KCAI installation was there for students, this one is open to the public in a park, and the hope is that people will come out on their breaks and relax a little before going back to work.
D: It’s a simple way for people to have fun, the act of moving a bead along a pipe, its fun and simple. Also, the texture of the beads is a pleasant surprise.
M: And ya know, the doctor’s office thing; the nostalgia the installation brings to people.

Q: What do you hope people gain from interacting with your project?
D: Again, our original intention with the KCAI installation was to encourage students to take a moment to relax and invite playfulness into their day. With this one in West Terrace Park, because of where it is located, we are hoping to light that fire of childhood in adults who maybe work office jobs, and that playfulness is a break from the mundane.
A: Do you ever feel like you are living in a cloud? Hopefully, our piece in the park can help break people out of their daily clouds by inviting them to play, relax, and be in the present moment.
M: Getting out of that mindset of repetition and mundane routine, and be able to appreciate a more impactful and aware nature.

Q: What kind of feedback have you received from the public in regards to your current Art in the Loop piece?
M: Mostly appreciative, people really seem to love it. Seeing someone play on and with it really sticks to you. At KCAI I once saw a little boy and his mother walking by the campus and the kid literally stopped and ran right to it. That moment of excitement for him and that excitement is transferred to us. Parents think it’s great because its based on thought and creativity.
D: At KCAI it kind of became like a recognized ‘hang-out spot’ for students.
A: When we removed the KCAI installation, a bunch of freshmen were sad it was going away, they had grown attached to it, gotten used to its presence and the mental release it allowed. They even helped us remove it. State Street gets to see this new one [at West Terrace Park] every day. People seem to form this ownership with it because it kind of becomes a symbol of the neighborhood. When we get that kind of response it reaffirms to us that it was worth it to make it, to go through the struggle of repairing it. People like it so much they break it, they really do care about our creation.

Q: What inspires/influences you in your work as an artist, in general?
A: Art therapy is the direction I’m going, making is very therapeutic.
M: Annelise and I both are working towards art as social practice. For me, it’s about finding the moment. The peacefulness, guiding the piece, and the piece guiding you at the same time, losing yourself in your work. That is the moment I live for.
D: I’m inspired by the act of creating, by the wonder of the audience. Before I began working as an artist, I was very much in the routine. Then I found sculpture and everything changed for me, I’ve become invested in creating ways to get people out of that routine.

Q: What has this experience of working with Art in the Loop taught you as an artist?
A: Well, public art is different than gallery shows. When you put things in a white-walled space, that setting can be limiting; working outside, in a public park setting, allows the art to be more accessible. This experience has helped me understand myself more, why I like to make. You don’t know where or what you want to be until you go out of your comfort zone, and while the project was familiar, it was definitely a different experience. Doing this project for Art in the Loop was the hardest thing we’ve worked on. It helped me to explore the medium and define myself while still in this safe zone as a student.
M: The chance to work outside and on a large-scale was really freeing and the unexpected nature of the art and the location was fun.
D: I learned all about the struggle of public art, and trying to control the people and what they do with your piece.
A: When we got the picture of it being broken, and it was instant dread. But we thought, no, this means people have loved it, like really really loved it, so intensely it broke. And fixing it is useful, teaching us lessons about what to do differently next time.
M: It has been really rewarding for us. I think we all learned that there are some things we will do differently next time. We had a difficult location for our piece, but it’s shown me a lot of what public art is, and the difficulties that come with it. I’d love to continue working with public art and continue putting myself out there, making mistakes, figuring it all out. This was a huge learning experience.
A: This was the largest, most intense, professional experience I’ve had.
M & D: Yeah, for sure.

Q: What is your next move?
M: As a group, we are moving the original Busy Bead Maze from the KCAI campus to Cornerstones of Care, which is going to keep the work alive.
A: Cornerstones of Care is a facility in Midtown that helps kids with rough home lives. They house them, feed them, educate, help them deal with the trauma they’ve had. We reached out to them about installing the original piece into their new sculpture garden.
D: Other than the Cornerstone stuff, we are getting ready for school to start and getting back to our individual work.
M: I’d like to experiment more with 3D modeling and rendering, see what I can make.
D: In my individual practice, I miss the musical aspect of my creativity, so I’d like to incorporate that back into my visual work.
A: While I really enjoy working with people and the opportunity to think outside the box, I’d like to do a solo show of my more personal work. It’s ceramic creature…vessels…its hard to explain right now, but it is intended for display in a public space. It’s very different work from what we did with Art in the Loop.

Q: Who is your favorite artist?
A: Louise Bourgeois. She digs in deep within herself in her work. Her practice is therapeutic and she’s a teacher; she talked about space in a way, with a sensitivity that I identify with.
M: Louise Bourgeois. I love her as well! In her work, you can see the progress she has in her work, as a person. Her life experience is directly related to her work, it is raw and honest. I really enjoy her Insomnia Drawings, you can feel emotions through it that are difficult to process. She revisits old subjects a lot, works through stuff, it’s beautiful.
D: Louise Bour….haha just kidding. Frank Gehry. His architecture is akin to artwork, they’re more artistic spaces than buildings. He challenged what architecture was, and turned it into what he wanted it to be.

 

You can see Busy Bead Maze in West Terrace Park, at 8th & Pennsylvania, now through September. Please remember not to climb on the sculpture. For more information about the artists and Art in the Loop, click here.

Please do not climb on the sculpture

 

/by