What Defines a Community Artist?- Ale N.

           Community art to me is essentially creating art with others who have similar interests or share something in common with me that is important in defining a particular community or group. I think that community artists should aim to incorporate others in their practice or otherwise, make something as a gift to the community if it is to be a public piece: If not a gift then a statement on behalf of a larger group of individuals.

            I do not personally consider myself a community artist yet. But being in this class is preparing me for the potential work that I will do for my own hometown when I go back. I think that the work we’re about to do on the school is going to benefit the community immensely because we will be involving the youth and allowing them to develop an open mind, ready to accept other perspectives and allowed to consider other alternatives to the goals that have been set for them. I hope that as community artists, we truly do give these students a chance to explore their power and ideas. All children should be allowed to step beyond their surroundings. 

I am from the suburbs of Austin, Texas. My neighborhood is very white, everyone is pretty friendly, the neighborhood requires our lawns to be kept, most moms are far too involved in the PTA, everyone plays sports and is in a never ending competition. I wasnt very inspired to create art in this environment. Althouh i grew up drawing with my grandpa and uncle, i didn't feel encouraged to do art in school.In 8th grade I made one of my better decisions in life and transferred to the fine arts magnet school closer to down town. Mccallum was incredibly diverse unlike my previous schools where everyone looked and acted the same, yet everyone got along much better. It was not free of racial and class tension- the stereotypes ran deep- but on an individual level everyone was pretty nice to each other.
Austin is an interesting place. It is definitely a hippie town at the core, but the suburbs are growing fast and it is still in the middle of Texas and has still been governed by George w bush and Rick perry for way too long. Just about everyone I know, myself included, has some old, crazy, racist, conservative, member of the NRA and the tea party grandfather. Although it can be really upsetting to hear the old people make absurd statements, it is a great place to see the new generation of thinking overcoming the old. It is truly an inspiring environment.

-Shelby

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1eCdo4/flavorwire.com/95618/miranda-july-makes-art-that-requires-people

I love this.

-Amelia

The Upper Middle Class White Kid

Liz Miller here, from a small town in Frederick County called Middletown, founded 1767. It's a small historic farming town. There's a main street, a couple restaurants, some gas stations, school, a neighborhood and the rest is farmland, where I live. I'm not a farm kid persay, I just live in the middle of a field between two farms. Sometimes there may also be cows in my driveway if they get curious enough.

My high school was 98% white. I never had any "black friends" and it probably explains why I'm blundering over racial lines and feel really uncomfortable with the talk of racial tension. It makes me feel like I've done something wrong, like it's my fault that I never had much contact with kids of other racial backgrounds. Even now, writing this, I keep questioning if my wording is offensive. It's very new and weird for me to have to question at every turn if this is racially offensive and having to hear about the segregation in this city over and over every week.

On some notes I have issues connecting with the people we're meeting every week. I hear their stories, I make art about it, and I sympathize but I came from an upper middle class family. The most trouble we had was when we were having our house built and had to stay in a camping park for a week or two. I just don't know how to fully help them, I feel. I want to know more but at the same time I feel awkward about connecting with them.

At the moment I don't know how to describe my art making process. It's so radically different now than it was just a month or two ago. I'll update the world when I know what the heck I'm doing.

-Liz Miller

My Background

Anthony Grago

Regular Life

I grew in a city
my shames in my pity
for those who scorn
will be burned
for the others
regular life
is earned

Is there nothing more
than the homeless and poor
I pride in my family
for being my dawn
AND NOW I AM MANLY
MY FAMILY IS gone.

Baltimore Child Abuse Center

http://www.baltimorechildabusecenter.org/

The Baltimore Child Abuse Center is an organization that opened in 1987 to help the growing number of cildren that were being sexually abused, but nothing was being done about it.

This organization provides the children with medical treatment and counseling. They are also working towards ending the abuse for other children. -Susannah

Food in Baltimore!

Below is a video we ( Hallie and Allie)  made about food access issues here in Baltimore, enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlR1V1FiAxo