Last week I was interviewed by Gary Axelbank for The Bronx Buzz at Bronxnet TV. We talked about "Eggie's Adventures at Poe Cottage" and it was as always a pleasure to chat with Gary for a little bit! So many things happened last year. Many good things, many bad things, but let's focus on the good ones. Here are some highlights of the past 365 days:
- I self-published my first Children's Picture Book, Eggie's Adventures at Poe Cottage, thanks to the New Work Bronx Council of the Art grant and a successful Kickstarter campaign. Grateful to everyone who believed in my crazy dream! - I was back at the Bronx Library Center with an in-person exhibition after months of being closed, with the presentation of my book in Spanish. - I went back to Uptown Grand Central to paint another mural. This year I wanted to center my mural in a positive image, uplifting message. In works of Dr. Maya Angelou: "Be a Rainbow in Someone Else's Cloud" - I successfully painted over 10 community fridges n the past 2 years. I am so proud of our Bronx Community that really worked to share and make sure everyone has food on their table. - Not only I repainted the Friendly Fridge Bx when it broke down this past summer, but I got to paint a mural in the empty business behind it. Community and business collaborating to change the way we do things. - I created the logo for the 2021 Boogie Down Boogaloo, an annual event created by the Boogaloo Project, bringing cultural and artistic significance of the genre of music known as Latin Boogaloo. - I was part of Art Time, a docu-series produced by BxArts Factory and Bronxnet. I was the March episode, where I talked about my journey as an artist and I explained how to create potato stamps. - I had the privilege of creating images for the Pepatian Bronx Artists Now website. I made a map where you can find all the locations they have hosted their annual showcases. I also created three images based in the conversations during three panels with international artists and curators. - It was the first year I was able to finish #inktober and I did it combining prompts from two different lists. I did it using my iPad and Procreate, also a first time! - I was invited to paint live during the virtual fundraiser A.R.T.E. hosted at the beginning of the year and the painting was sold at an auction. - I was part of Process -> Project: What Comes Out of our Sketchbooks, an exhibition at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL), Curated by Rejin Reyes, part of the Southeast Queens Artists Alliance, together with a great group of artists with my sketches from #Greenthumbproject. Since May 2020 The Friendly Fridge Bx Has been helping the community by having free food available 24/7. If people has something to share, they leave it there, if you need something, you can get it. It mutual aid at it's best. Last week, the owner of the space hosting the fridge told them they could paint the gates because it is going to be closed for a little while. We did give it a clean up and a bright new look! It is located at Broadway and 242 Street in the Bronx. Guess who’s going to be at La Marqueta this December 18th & 19th.
Join us the last weekend before Christmas as we celebrate the best food, makers and music from across East and West Harlem. This year we’ve expanded to include family friendly activities at the Urban Garden Center and more vendors than ever in the stalls at La Marqueta. - DJ’s Ted Smooth & Stormin’ Norman will be holding us down again on the 1’s & 2’s and there will be plenty of hot foods and warm sweets to keep the chill off as you shop our makers plaza for unique holiday gifts. - Be sure to bring your wallet, your appetite, and your friends, and come celebrate with us while supporting small and local businesses. - Don’t wait in long lines! Free “Priority Access” tickets are available right now on EventBrite so click on this link https://bit.ly/3olHiFy to get your tickets now. - The Harlem Night Market is brought to you through partnerships with Uptown Grand Central, TBo Harlem, New York Economic Development Corporation, Union Settlement, & New York City Councilwoman Diana Ayala, in addition to, support from Ponce Bank, Urban Garden Center, Qupey, Shop Harlem Made and El Museo. - Proof of vaccination and ID are required to enter. Face coverings must be worn at all times when not actively eating or drinking. - Saturday, December 18, from 4pm to 9pm Sunday, December 19, from 3pm to 8pm La Marqueta 1590 Park Avenue (115, 116 and 117 Streets) New York, NY 10029 For the past four years I have been collaborating with a Spanish non-for-profit organization Art i Més, from Gandia, Valencia, for their bi-annual publication ContArte. I created several of their cover illustrations and I also illustrated many of the wonderful stories. Through their writing workshops they bring the community together, an intergenerational space that gives a voice to anyone who wants to share it. They pick a specific theme to create those stories, they work during five months, weekly, to help each other so they can publish two compilations a year. But not only they publish the books, but put together several reading events, partner with a local radio to air the stories made into audiobooks, and give all their earnings to another local non-for-profit that helps kids with terminal illnesses. Un tren de cuentosHuellas de diez ciudadesUn universo de historiasPatitas con AlmaLast October, like I've done for the past few years, I commited to create one drawing a day during Inktober. This year I wanted to do something different, and instead of using traditional inking tools, I decided to go with my iPad and Procreate. As a twist, I combined prompts from two different lists: TheyDraw and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. This past year, besides self-publishing my first children's book, I decided I wanted to push harder into my illustrator career. Networking, learning and mingling with other illustrators is something important. So far it has been a nice road, I am hoping to continue bettering my style, improving my portfolio and with that, my chances to make it!
Join me and the Bronx Library Center, right across the Poe Park, where the Poe Cottage is located, for the exhibition of the Spanish version of my children's book "Las aventuras de Eggie en Poe Park. La Casa Museo de Edgar Allan Poe" We will have a reading and a Q&A after.
Come to the 4th floor and read the book that will be exhibited at the Puerto Rican Heritage Collection and Gallery, together with some of the images used for the promotion of the kickstarter. If you come to the opening I will have a surprise for you! Exhibition open from November 1 to November 30. Opening Reception - November 5 from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Closing Reception - November 30 from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Location Bronx Library Center 310 E. Kingsbridge Road Bronx, NY, 10458 Give the gift of reading! And be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud, like Maya Angelou said. If you want your copy of “Eggie’s Adventures at Poe Cottage” you better get it now! Just a few hours left to pre-order to get your bundle before the holidays. Rendition to the mural I did during the summer for Uptown Grand Central
I got the tote bags yesterday! They are looking great. I hope you like them. If you didn't select one during your pledge but you want one, you can do it either, changing the pledge or through the add on option once the campaign finishes and you finalize your order. Stay cool everyone! Kickstarter campaign is almost over! Get your book now! Bronx Bound Books is a bookstore on wheels aka a bookmobile. It is in the making, and will travel the streets of The Bronx to bring literature to the people. Bronx Bound Books is leaving no community behind. It will be a mobile bookstore able to travel throughout the borough. Especially to neighborhoods where it may be needed the most.
It has been years already, I met Latanya when she was part of the advisory committee of BxArts Factory. SInce then we have collaborated many times. When I was about to launch this Kickstarter campaign I wanted to include the opportunity of people giving back. There is a pledge where you can donate 15 books to Bronx Bound Books and that is accompanied by a book reading and a workshop. I am going to send them 10 books from the donations I got without a pledge, so follow my lead and help them get some Holiday reading books for the Bronx kids. |
I am a...Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Educator, Community Activist... ARTIST! All Images COPYRIGHT © 2008-2024, are property of Laura Alvarez Fernandez. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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