GREEN SPACES LIVE PAINTING

I recently got a call from Josh over at GreenSpaces Colorado to request live painting on a youth night aimed at youth awareness and workshops. The SoulAju Youth Jam is an event geared towards high school students, but is open to young people of all ages. College students are encouraged to attend. The purpose of the event is twofold: 1) to create a safe, fun, and dynamic environment that brings together youth from across the city for a night of art, entertainment, and community education; 2) to get young people of diverse backgrounds interested in green activism and sustainability issues. The event will feature art and entertainment by internationally recognized spoken word artist The Original Woman, poets Ara Cruz and Jozer of Café Cultura, Hip-Hop artist and producer DJ Cavem, local women’s Japanese drum group Mirai Daiko, and Hip-Hop/Neo-Soul fusion duo Molina Soleil & Aju, who will be releasing an album with DJ Icewater later this month. Workshops will be facilitated by permaculturist and activist Shannon Francis and educator and environmental activist Neambe Leadon, among others. The event has been organized by Molina Soleil & Aju and Josh Watkins. Josh is a local youth advocate and organizer who works with Flobots’ Fight with Tools organization and Challenge Day Denver. In addition to Green Spaces, other event organizers include the Woodbine Ecology Center, Challenge Denver, and Blue and Yellow Logic.

With multiple workshops and focus groups in attendance the night was a great success and will surely produce more exhibitions at GreenSpaces. The live painting I put together was from sketchbook ideas and concepts, and strangely enough as I was working through the piece an attendee who was speaking with me told me to research The Fourth Estate, by Guiseppe Pelizza da Volpedo, that my piece reminded her of the Volpedo painting. When I got back home I looked up the piece and Twilight Zone jingle was going off in my head a bit. It was very inspiring to see this piece and see the direction my painting was taking without having any knowledge of the Fourth Estate. I will post the final painting in a few days. For more info and insight into how we can all be more earth friendly visit Green Spaces on 26th and Walnut or visit the site.