Last year,  I , with the help of my friend Jani “Bomba” Rosado, organized the first annual Poetry in Pink event at Camaradas in NYC.  The event was a success, a showcase of talented performers and artists that came together to share their words, song, and art in the name of Maggie’s Latin Angels, my Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk team.

This year, I am trying something slightly different for the event. Being held at Society Coffee Bar on West 114th street and Frederick Douglass Blvd in NYC, on Saturday July 17th, 2010 from 3:00pm-6:00pm, the event will hopefully be just as much of a success as the first.

There is a $10 dollar door fee for all guests (the proceeds of which go to the establishment and to the cause evenly), as well as a silent auction and a raffle of various items, including artwork/jewelry by Erika Dickstein, the beautiful logo work of Kervin Ferreira, and yes… “Les Jeux,” my first book of poetry, being released around the same time as the event. The establishment was also kind enough to donate gift certificates for the raffle as well as offer $1 of every drink cost to the cause.  Not to mention, Society offers a FULL food menu with a wine and beer service as well.

It’s going to be a great event, guys!!!!

Following the event from 6:00pm-8:00pm, there will be a happy hour at 67 Orange Street, a block away from Society. There will be no performances at this location, but plenty of drinks. ;o)

Below is the FULL list of performers for the event:

Erika “Lola” Nunez
Jani “Bomba” Rosado
Venus White
Vanessa Martir
Susan Justiniano
Maria “La Escribidora” Morales
Taina La Poeta
Noemi “Siren” Soto
Angela Plugues
Carmen Mojica
Majestik Originality
Jessica Salazar
Cynthia Lee Flores
Tina Stumpf
Joseph Beckhusen
J “Isis” Rosario
Jahdi Duarte
Mark “Tearless Poet” Dews
and ME!

Photography will be by Music Looks Like This Photos and Michael Bonilla

A Special Thank You to Sarah Duffin and Society Coffee Bar and 67 Orange Street, Kervin Ferriera for the awesome 2010 logo for Maggie’s Latin Angels and Erika Dickstein for visual art contributions.

Here is the Facebook invite to the event:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=133389766678426

Here are the links to the locations:
www.societycoffee.com
www.67orangestreet.com

If you want to donate a piece of art for the silent auction, please email me ASAP at angelique_rodriguez@yahoo.com

My boyfriend hit me up regarding Dasic Fernandez, a Chilean artist who has just recently moved to the U.S.

I quickly fell in love with his amazing work, vivid and charged with energy. The blog he has IS in Spanish, but even if you don’t read or speak the language, his work speaks for itself.

Amazing photos and spray paint work often etched with political relevance in mind, I imagine this young man to have a flourishing career in the States.

Take a look at the site even if you don’t understand Spanish. His work is unbelievable. Some of his work is featured below.

For professional inquiries please email him (he reads English as well) at : Dasic7@gmail.com

(“Fuego” Spray Paint on Canvas)

(“Carmenere”- Spray paint on cancas)

This is one of my dearest friends, Erika Dickstein. She is an AMAZING artist….I truly believe in her talent.

I have HARASSED her about creating a blog that features her unique art (intensely detailed, delicate sketches she creates on POSTiT notes) and her jewelry (trendy, droolworthy and delicate bobbles). 

FINALLY…after a night full of laughs, food (lots of food…LOL) and creativity, the blog was created with a little pressure from me…LOL. It features photos of her art, her jewelry and her life. She even has a category called “The People’s PosTiTs” in which she posts readers’ photos of their OWN PosTits saying hello that they send to her via email…AWESOME idea.

Want to request a custom design for one of her PosTiTs?

Want a unique ONE of a KIND piece of jewelry?

Want to say hi via your OWN PosTiT???
Hit her up at ErikaDickstein@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @BigRedE

Check out some of her work below.  Can you believe these are done on POST-IT NOTES???!!!! Yeah…me either!

I found this amazing artist as I was looking through some of the blogs I frequent and I adore the work. The portraits are feminine , sensual and beautiful.  The shading and color, the photo-like quality of the pieces are amazing! Me likes.

Find more work by the artist on

www.krislewisart.com

I have the ultimate pleasure of being close friends with Mr. Elstabo Aviles and the honor of being one of his subjects for his art (please see poetry postings “I am Art (Sublime)” and “Shedding Skin”). 

I am ALWAYS on him about being less cryptic with his target audience and how his fans need somewhere to really connect and know more about what he does, how he does it, and what it all means to him.

I FINALLY convinced him to create a blog in which he can share his process, his creative inspirations, sneaks peeks of upcoming work AND where his work is being featured. So far, it’s been coming a long great. 

Please take a look at the blog, y’all. It’s some awesome stuff on there!

SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS!!!!

30 artists were given blank female busts and told to create something.

January 29th, 2010, will be the closing event for a two-month tour and it proves to be an amazing event. With pieces ranging from science fiction to erotica (*covers eyes* LoL)…and with artists that range from a tattoo artist, graffiti artists, mixed-media artists and a toy designer, I am excited to see what they have to offer.

Fortunately, I have the honor of knowing some of the artists personally and I can vouch for their talent. Absolutely stunning work. Each artist has their own unique and distinctive style and it is sure to be a hot event. Really looking forward to it.

Cypha Taino Management and PushArt Management , two phenomenal artists rep businesses have collaborated in handpicking artists and in hosting the event.  During the process, PushArt’s Craig Smith passed away and the show has become a tribute to him. (RIP)

Pieces range from $200 USD- $5000 USD

THERE IS NO COST TO THE EVENT.

I’ll be there.

For any business inquiries, please contact:

Frankie Velez, founder of Cypha Taino Management: velez.frankie@gmail.com

PushArt Management: PushArt@verizon.net

It was a surprise when a friend of mine called me asking me if I’d like to join her for the preview showing of “County of Kings,” written and performed by Lemon Andersen.  Produced by Academy-Award winning Spike Lee, the award winning Culture Project, Steve Colman and Jayson Jackson, in part with the Public Theater, the show is a representation of a man-child finding his way in the twisted roots of inner city NYC. Almost like a modern day version of “The Alchemist,” Lemon weaves in and out of drama, poetry and hip hop, almost painting the stage with his experiences and the relationships that led to the fulfillment of his own destiny.

I almost forgot it was just him alone on the stage and was so involved in the story, I found myself laughing and crying with each wave of the story. A fantastic performer, Lemon stayed so true to his character that even when a fly happened to land on his face, he kept spitting out his lines, never lifting a hand to swat the pest away.

Now, to me, that’s a true performer.

Inspired by the show,  I wrote the following piece. It does his story NO justice, but is my tribute to him.  I applaud him on his maturity, his vulnerability, and his intense dedication to the project. It was an honor to sit in that audience, and if you readers get a chance to see the show, do so!!!!! It was phenomenal.

!!!!SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS!!!!

Follow County of Kings on Twitter: @countyofkings23

“County of Kings”
!!!!SIX WEEKS LIMITED ENGAGEMENT!!!!
Tuesday through Sunday
@ The Public Theater
425 Lafayette Street
(ONE block away from the 6 train Astor Place station)
Tickets available online at www.publictheater.org
or via phone (212) 967-7555

Read this awesome article on Lemon from the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/theater/27sont.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=lemon%20andersen&st=cse 

His mother cried for him…
Her fingers molded him from the clay of her own soul…
Her own good intentions…
Her own love.

Each petal exactly like her own,
she smiled as his arms wrapped around her roots…
She revolved around her suns…
and died with their love on her eyelids.

Little man-child with big aspirations
of a nothing they told him he was worth…
what can you do if you hold out your hand
to feel the breeze of the world walking by?

He grew…
Despite the demons of his anguish
and the bravado of his youth…

He grew…
Amidst the cold gray of another winter gone…
Making gold out of concrete…

He made moves…
and she wept for her sun…
who never saw his own brilliance…
until a mic turned on.

Flourishing despite the rubble…
Learning from the past…
Pushing through the anger…
He grew….
Spread his word…
So no one would forget…

So the next would not be alone.

He raised his arms like lotus petals…
like rays of sun…
He stood, proudly in her presence…
smiling…
still hugging his roots.

A lotus in the courtyard.

While perusing Etsy.com  (it’s one of my favorite guilty pleasures), I searched for watercolors, and in the middle of a myriad of watercolored cats, clowns and fish, I found this amazing Italian artist named Vincenzo Rizzo. I love the way he uses the paint to depict different emotions in his subjects. I adore it.

According to his Etsy profile, Vincenzo received a degree from Italy’s Academy Belle Arti, and has been featured in exhibitions and shows across Italy since 1996.  He is currently collaborating with the Laboratory of Art, Teknemata.

Check out his Etsy page:

 http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6879293 

“I love fashion and art and how it has become my life. It’s about taking risk and not letting anything get in the way. My clothing is a vision and my art is an emotion I’m trying to show the world. I will never stop pushing the envelope. I feel there is no resting point in the field of fashion and art. Make your dreams a reality and inspire the world.”-Ivan Orama

Born and raised on Long Island, NY, Artist/Designer Ivan Orama started working as a graphic designer at the young age of 16, and would soon work for numerous media firms until the age of 19, when he would land a job at a national magazine coordinating photo shoots, constructing layouts, and creating a fashion section for the magazine.

Wanting to embark on a new chapter in his life, Orama took his vision to New York City, resigning from the magazine position after two years.  He obtained positions at both GIANT magazine and Kai Kuhne Clothing as an intern.  Despite the financial struggles of internship, Orama took it all in stride and stayed focused on his goal. He credits GIANT magazine with teaching him structure and simplification in his designs and Kai Kuhne with exposing him to the intricate world of high-end fashion, all concepts and ideas that could only lead to his success in the fashion industry.

At Kai Kunhe, Orama learned about all the facets of their business structure and put in many late night hours to learn about technique, layouts for high-end fashion shows, program designing, promotional materials, and model fittings. All of these things helped hone the creativity and drive of Orama’s ultimate goal of creating his own line and after dedicating eight months of being a key member on the Kai Kunhe team, he decided to move forward with his dream.

He began by creating a website to display weekly shirt designs and by January 2009, Orama held his first team meeting, consisting of 20 members. This team would go on to help make Ivan Orama Clothing a distinct brand name when a couple months after that first meeting the very first Ivan Orama fashion show took place in New York City. Now, Orama is gearing up for the biggest show he has done to date and expects it to be an experience no one will forget. He promises that through his work, he will show the world that life is about taking risk and struggling to accomplish your highest dream. His dreams are still what guide him and in his own words “are worth more than words could explain….nothing can stand in the way of my vision.”

Check his line out @ www.IvanOrama.com

Here are some prime pieces in his collection:

SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS!!!!!!!

I’ve posted about UpScene Clothing before but I wanted to put forth info on their new spring ’09 collection being sold at the following locations:

 WEST NYC Boutique @ 147 West 72nd street

Heart Art Store @ 132 West 18th street

Here are just some of the images from their Spring ’09 Look Book:

The spring collection, described by co-founder Sean McKenzie:
“Upscene is aware of the many changes of our society’s landscape since our previous season. Without going into detail about the negative, we wanted to pay homage to our hometown that’s been hit hard during rough times. Understanding that NY is international grounds and all is effected by our reactions, we wanted to interject energy into our latest collection. To give NYers and others across the globe a reason to look up.

Stay UP NY! displays vibrant colors and thought provoking themes that would make anyone proud of their own resilience. Adding both style and substance to the streetwear game, look for this collection to be a window to the future of Upscene.”

SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS & ENTREPRENEURS!!!!!

Interested?

Check out UpScene clothing at the below links:

www.upscenities.com

www.myspace.com/upsceneclothingnyc

Follow them on Twitter @UpsceneNYC

& their Facebook group page:

http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?id=826688544#/group.php?gid=32503231095

As described on their blog www.upscenities.com :

“Through the community of open minded individuals Upscene was born. They were determined not to live by a set of standards created by the controlling society around them but rather by the idea of freedom of self expression. “Livin Above The Scene” means just that, no matter where you are, what you wear and who you may be, you are you. Anyone who recognizes that is a part of the Upscene Lifestyle. “

I have known these gentlemen since highschool and I am so proud of their accomplishments and of their ambition to create something so unique and hip. They are having an event this  Sunday…and if ur a sneaker fiend (I know many of you are….LOL)… and if you like to be up to date on all the latest in NYC urban culture, peep my boys and support their work!

SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS!

Upscene will be on hand at this event selling our spring / summer 09 collection Stay UP! NY. The event is a convention of many hip hop, art and streetwear brands that is not to be missed. Right in the heart of the city midtown, Manhattan. Admission is $10 advance and $12 at the door. Hit us up with an additional questions at info@upscenenyc.com.On April 26, DeadStock Kicks is hosting a Day of Hip-Hop; including a talent showcase for independent and up and coming music artists, spoken word, dance competition, a live photo booth and exhibitors showcasing their best sneakers and clothing/toy lines. There will also be a live auction of rare and exclusive items related to the sneaker world. DeadStock Kicks is auctioning off their very own 2006 MTV VMA AF1 sneaker, autographed by celebrities such as Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, and Paris Hilton. This day is all about embracing the entire sneaker culture in one event.

I posted an entry about [sculptor/ artist] Dave Cortes a while back and was recently invited to his release party being held at Solefood NYC. If you’re into comic book style art and more importantly…into supporting NYC artists… please attend this event. I’ll be there!!!!!

If you’re interested in his work or want more info…check out the links on the flier below!!

SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS!!!!!!!!!!

I met Elstabo Aviles at a poetry reading a while back , through a mutual friend.  A cool dude and a great artist, he recently came out with a book of paintings called “Elstabo Avile’s Spanish Fly Series” which he describes as “A collection of portrait paintings celebrating the Puerto Rican Women of my life.”  It is an awesome collection of work that shows Puerto Rican women as they really are… different shades and shapes and all beautiful!!!!

 [Applause]

Check out one of the pieces from the book below entitled “Nancina”. DopE!

If you ever get the chance, check out his Erotic Series… it makes even me blush like a school girl…LOL. He even did me as a Super Latina…levitating my life around me… Check me out! LOL!

;o)

If you’re interested in Elstabo’s work and want to see more (or buy that amazing book)…check him out on …

www.elstabo.com

Support Local Artists!!!

I was introduced to Dave Cortes’ work “Pugzee Redhook,” through a friend and promoter for the arts, Frankie Velez. He handed me a sticker of the above, and I was immediately in love.

I am definitely going to invest in a Pugzee collectible… yep yep…

SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS!!!!!!!!!!!

“Mahina Movement is the phenomenal 3 women trio who combine poetry and song to create passionate music tied to flesh and bone, straight from the heart. Mahina Movement’s extraordinary melodies tell stories of the personal and political wrapped with courage, strength and awareness of human struggle and connection. 3 voices and one guitar blend into a powerful force, mixing folk, rock and rhymes in English, Spanish, and Tongan simmered with indigenous roots and culture. Mahina Movement’s rare sound and vision not only creates a raw, fierce artistic “movement” combining traditional and contemporary poetry, music, painting, theater, and ritual but also, is constantly generating a strong, steady “movement” for community—consisting of radical love, unstoppable activism and ruthless compassion.

Based and consistently building and creating in New York City, Mahina Movement not only lives in New York but also makes sure to contribute their multi-talents of creativity and organizing in a place they call home. Having deep roots from all over the world—Mexico, Ireland, Tonga and Africa—Mahina Movement consists of a Musician from Hollis, Queens; a Dancer from Texas and a Painter from Utah. Together, they have carved and crafted a world of musical and artistic possibilities, running outside of boxes and crossing borders and limits. They have combined their skills, cultures, ancestors, stories and languages to reach the masses and ignite inspiration in the face of resignation and cynicism.”