Category: 1980s

Our Next Arts Workshop: The Staple Singers, Don Cornelius & Frankie Knuckles

6/26/2014

Friday, June 27 (4:30-5:30, 5:45-7:00 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

all ages, free & open to the public

You're invited to come to our next "Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys" workshop, when we focus on the lives and legacies of these musical legends -- The Staple Singers, Don Cornelius, and Frankie Knuckles. During this workshop we will:

Listen to and talk about music created, produced, and presented by The Staple Singers, Don Cornelius, and Frankie Knuckles. We will also watch a few short videos that involve those music icons.
Talk about the some of the cultural and political dynamics that pertain to their work (e.g. the Civil Rights movement, elements of Chicago's cultural landscape)
Create visual art and creative writings inspired by those American originals.

These arts workshops are free and open to the public, and all ages welcomed. Participants are invited to bring writing utensils and paper, although supplies will be provided if needed. Sometimes we play music and explore other art forms, so if you have a musical instrument that you'd like to bring, or if you have art supplies (e.g. colored pencils, pastels, etc.) you can bring those. The fieldhouse has an upright piano that we have using during workshops as well.

Location: Mozart Park is in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. It's on the north side of Armitage Ave. -- several blocks east of Pulaski Rd., just south of Dickens and Shakespeare Streets. Our workshop series happens in the room to the left of fieldhouse lobby; some workshop sessions may happen outside in the park, weather permitting.

Transportation & parking: Mozart Park can be reached by public transportation (such as the #73 Armitage Ave. bus, and not far from the Logan Square and Western Ave. stations on the CTA's blue line. Mozart Park has a parking lot on Armitage, east of Avers.

Registering for Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys: You can register for this workshop series at the Chicago Park District website.

Additional info: You can contact us by clicking here (if you have questions about this workshop or to RSVP). Click here to find out more about the Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys workshop series.

Links:

Our Next Workshop: The Art Ensemble of Chicago

5/12/2014

You're invited to come to our next Chicago Heroes & Arts Adventures workshop --

Monday, May 12 (6:00-7:15, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

all ages, free & open to the public

During our next workshop we focus on the Art Ensemble of Chicago. We will:

Listen to and talk about music by that legendary musical group;
Talk about how the AEC connects with other people and things (e.g. examples of its influences and who it has influenced; how it pertains other musical ensembles such as the Sun Ra Arkestra and the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians);
Talk about examples of AEC members' other artistic projects (such as Roscoe Mitchell's Nonaah and Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy);
Make music with voice, percussion and other instruments.

Location: Mozart Park is in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. It's on the north side of Armitage Ave. -- several blocks east of Pulaski Rd., just south of Dickens and Shakespeare Streets. Our workshop series happens in the room to the left of fieldhouse lobby; some workshop sessions may happen outside in the park, weather permitting.

Transportation & parking: Mozart Park can be reached by public transportation (such as the #73 Armitage Ave. bus, and not far from the Logan Square and Western Ave. stations on the CTA's blue line. Mozart Park has a parking lot on Armitage, east of Avers.

Registering for Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys: You can register for this workshop series at the Chicago Park District website.

Additional info: You can contact us by clicking here (if you have questions about this workshop or to RSVP). Click here to find out more about the Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys workshop series.

Links:

Our Next Arts Workshop: Lisel Mueller, Penelope Rosemont & Franklin Rosemont

4/12/2014

You're invited to come to our next Chicago Heroes & Arts Adventures workshop --

Monday, April 14 (6:00-7:15, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624

all ages, free & open to the public

During our next workshop we will focus on the visual art and writings of Lisel Mueller, Penelope Rosemont, and Franklin Rosemont. We will:

Learn about the work and lives of those three Chicago-based individuals;
Listen to Penelope Rosemont talk about some of her experiences writing and creating art;
Read and discuss "Monet Refuses the Operation" by Lisel Mueller, a passage from Dreams & Everyday Life by Penelope Rosemont, and "ON THE ROAD: From Maywood Rhapsodism to City Lights in San Francisco and Armitage Avenue Transcendentalists" by Franklin Rosemont; and
Create works of writing and visual art inspired by those three individuals, including exquisite corpses.

Location: Mozart Park is in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. It's on the north side of Armitage Ave. -- several blocks east of Pulaski Rd., just south of Dickens and Shakespeare Streets. Our workshop series happens in the room to the left of fieldhouse lobby; some workshop sessions may happen outside in the park, weather permitting.

Transportation & parking: Mozart Park can be reached by public transportation (such as the #73 Armitage Ave. bus, and not far from the Logan Square and Western Ave. stations on the CTA's blue line. Mozart Park has a parking lot on Armitage, east of Avers.

Registering for Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys: You can register for this workshop series at the Chicago Park District website.

Additional info: You can contact us by clicking here (if you have questions about this workshop or to RSVP). Click here to find out more about the Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys workshop series.

Links:

Surrealism: Here & Now -- review by Janina Ciezadlo

Carlos Cortez-Inspired Arts Workshop at Mozart Park

4/1/2014

You're invited to come to our next Chicago Heroes & Arts Adventures workshop --

Monday, April 7 (6:00-7:15, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624

all ages, free & open to the public

We will look at the graphic work of Chicagoan Carlos Cortez, the Mexican/German/American poet, artist and labor activist. Cortez made prints following the tradition of the Mexican printmaker Posada, honoring his International Workers of the World fellows, Lucy Parsons (activist wife of Albert Parsons, the Haymarket Martyr) and others.

He supported, as a member of the Board of Directors, one of the oldest publishing companies in Chicago: the Charles Kerr Press. He was also involved with members of the Chicago Surrealist Movement. We will look at his art, his influences and learn some of the fundamental printmaking techniques he used to produce his images.

Location: Mozart Park is on Armitage Avenue in Logan Square -- several blocks east of Pulaski Road, just south of Dickens and Shakespeare Streets.

Contact us by clicking here -- if you have questions about this workshop or to RSVP. Thanks!

Links:

Nelson Algren-Inspired Arts Workshop at Mozart Park

3/28/2014

You are invited to come to our next Chicago Heroes & Arts Adventures workshop --

Monday, March 31 (6:00-7:15, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624

all ages, free & open to the public

During this workshop, inspired by the great Chicago writer Nelson Algren, participants will:

Learn more about Algren's work and legacy;
Read passages from Algren's poetry and prose, and several letters from Simone de Beauvoir to Algren;
Watch and discuss several video clips: part of Studs Terkel's 1975 interview with Algren; a clip from The Road Is Nothing, the End Is All; and Willem DeFoe reading "The Lightless Room," a short story by Algren; and
Creatively explore Algren's work through creative writing and visual art.

Location: Mozart Park is on Armitage Avenue in Logan Square -- several blocks east of Pulaski Road, just south of Dickens and Shakespeare Streets. There is street parking by Mozart Park, and a parking lot is on the east side of Avers.

Please contact us by clicking here -- if you have questions about this workshop and/or if you would like to RSVP. Thanks!

Links:

Our Next Arts Workshop: Ed Roberson & Sun Ra

2/18/2014

You're invited to our next Chicago Heroes & Arts Adventures workshop --

Monday, February 24th (6:00-7:15, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624

all ages, free & open to the public

During this next workshop, we will focus on the work and legacies of Ed Roberson and Sun Ra. Ed Roberson is an amazing Chicago-based poet, and Sun Ra is a pioneering instrumentalist, composer and bandleader whose dynamic vision has exploded conceptions of music, space and identity. We are delighted that Ed will be joining us at the workshop.

After growing up in Birmingham, Sun Ra moved to Chicago where he developed key aspects of his musical approach, including his iconic Egyptology-suffused space persona. Sun Ra later lived in Montreal, New York City, and Philadelphia...but Chicago and Sun Ra have a special connection.

This workshop will include the following:

Ed Roberson will read a selection of his poetry.
We will discuss one or two of Ed's poems.
We will listen to several songs by Sun Ra and his Arkestra.
We will write poetry and create visual art inspired by Ed Roberson and Sun Ra.

Location: Mozart Park is on Armitage Avenue in Logan Square -- several blocks east of Pulaski Road, just south of Dickens and Shakespeare Streets.

Please contact us by clicking here -- if you have questions about this workshop and/or if you would like to RSVP. Thanks!

Links:

Margaret Burroughs-Inspired Arts Workshop

2/13/2014

You are invited to come to our next Chicago Heroes & Arts Adventures workshop --

Monday, February 17 (6:00-7:15, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624

all ages, free & open to the public

Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs was an amazing visual artist, curator, educator and community organizer who founded the DuSable Museum of African American History. We will dedicate this workshop to Margaret Burroughs' life and legacy, as well as creative responses to her work. Also -- celebrating Margaret Burroughs' work is one way to celebrate Black History Month!

This workshop will include the following--

We will look at and talk about several examples of Burroughs' artwork, and talk about her legacy in Chicago and beyond.
Participants will write poetry and create collages inspired by Margaret Burroughs' artworks.

Location: Mozart Park is on Armitage Avenue in Logan Square -- several blocks east of Pulaski Road, just south of Dickens and Shakespeare Streets.

Please contact us by clicking here -- if you have questions about this workshop and/or if you would like to RSVP. Thanks!

Above: artworks by Margaret Burroughs, courtesy of the South Side Community Art Center

Links:

Fred Anderson-Inspired Arts Workshop at Mozart Park

2/1/2014

You are invited to come to our next Chicago Heroes & Arts Adventures workshop --

Monday, February 3rd (6:00-7:15, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624

all ages, free & open to the public

We continue our arts workshop series at Mozart Park with a session that focuses on the music and legacy of the great saxophonist Fred Anderson. We will talk about some highlights of Anderson's life and music, and then watch part of the music documentary Timeless: Live at the Velvet Lounge (Delmark, 2006). Then workshop participants will create collages that are inspired by Anderson's music.

Fred Anderson was an inspiration to generations of musicians -- through the music he created, as well as thanks to the legendary Velvet Lounge which he ran for several decades until he passed away in 2010.

This workshop is all ages, free and open the public. Arts supplies will be provided. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Fred Anderson Trio performing at the Abrons Art Center, during the 2009 Vision Festival. Fred Anderson (tenor saxophone), William Parker (upright bass, kora), Hamid Drake (frame drum). Photos by Peter Gannushkin, used with permission.

Our Inaugural Arts Workshop Session: Gwendolyn Brooks & Ekphrastic Poetry

1/24/2014

Monday, January 27, 2014
(6:00-7:15, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)

Mozart Park Fieldhouse
2036 N. Avers Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

free and open to the public, all ages

You're invited to come to an ekphrastic poetry writing workshop inspired by Gwendolyn Brooks -- the inaugural session in the Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys series at Mozart Park.

This workshop will include the following:

We will read and discuss "The Chicago Picasso," an ekphrastic poem by Gwendolyn Brooks. We will also read and discuss a few other poems by Gwendolyn Brooks.
Each participant will select a reproduction of an artwork in collections at the Art Institute of Chicago and Museum of Contemporary Art. Then each participant will write an ekphrastic poem that is inspired by that artwork. (Reproductions of artworks will be provided.)
Participants will share their poems with others in the workshop.

These arts workshops are free and open to the public, and all ages welcomed. Participants are invited to bring writing utensils and paper, although supplies will be provided if needed. Sometimes we play music and explore other art forms, so if you have a musical instrument that you'd like to bring, or if you have art supplies (e.g. colored pencils, pastels, etc.) you can bring those. We often use an upright piano during workshops as well.

Location: Mozart Park is in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. It's on the north side of Armitage Ave. -- several blocks east of Pulaski Rd., just south of Dickens and Shakespeare Streets. Our workshop series happens in the room to the left of fieldhouse lobby; some workshop sessions may happen outside in the park, weather permitting.

Transportation & parking: Mozart Park can be reached by public transportation (such as the #73 Armitage Ave. bus, and not far from the Logan Square and Western Ave. stations on the CTA's blue line. Mozart Park has a parking lot on Armitage, east of Avers.

Registering for Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys: You can register for this workshop series at the Chicago Park District website.

Additional info: You can contact us by clicking here. Click here to find out more about the Chicago Heroes & Arts Journeys workshop series.

Links: