Move4ART

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:   G. Sierra Khan                  857.333.3513 Street Pianos Boston 2016 kicks off at City Hall Plaza at 3 p.m. Friday, 23 September 2016 “to celebrate the artists who created the pianos and the organizations that have stepped up to host them.”  Mattapan Cultural Arts Development (MCAD) will follow-up with an opening reception of its own in Mattapan Square starting at 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of River St. and Blue Hill Avenue (near the Mattapan T Station.   Weather permitting, our performance showcases this weekend include the ‘Beantown Jazz Extension’ on Saturday, 24 September starting at 3 p.m., and the ‘Gospel Fest’ on Sunday, 25 September at 4 p.m. Additional information about this weekend’s schedule will be posted @ArtsMattapan on Facebook and Twitter as details become available.  ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: G. Sierra Khan              857.333.3513 MCAD brings Street Pianos Boston to Mattapan          Mattapan Cultural Arts Development (MCAD)is bringing the Street Pianos Boston Festival to Mattapan Square this year. The street piano MCAD is hosting was painted by Marjorie Saintil-Belizaire of K. Fine ArtsStudios .  It will be located at the southeast corner of River St. and Blue Hill Avenue (closest to the T Station) thanks to CelebritySeries Boston ’s Street Pianos project.    MCAD--a network of artists and arts organizations invested in making art happen in Mattapan—will program certain hours of poetry, performance and “Play Me, I’m Yours” to call attention to this temporary installation. Track #StreetPianoMattapan between 9.23 and 10.10.2016 for program schedules and updates. Photo credit: Robert Torres/Celebrity Series Boston

by Marjorie Saintil-Belizaire      A lifetime of working with steel drums creates a unique palette for Jeffrey Bernard’s artistic talents and designs.  Whether it’s abstract, realistic or fantasy imagery, Jeffrey creates works of art utilizing the colors and characteristics of steel that evoke awe and wonder.  His unique style blends Folk Art with cultural Haitian traditions.  He sculpts his pieces out of metals using an artistic touch of chiseling, hammering and shaping.      Jeffrey Bernard was born and raised in Croix-des-Bouquets, (northeast of Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince) to a family of metal sculptors. His older brother taught and encouraged Jeffrey to learn metal working at the young age of 8.  He apprenticed with his older brother until he was proficient enough in metalwork and craftsmanship to market and sell his own metal artwork.          Jeffrey creates his artwork using l...

The Mattapan Arts Council has lately been entertaining the idea of curating an exhibit of Haitian art at the State House this May.  The call for submissions will be posted online soon.   In the meantime, if you're interested in volunteering to assist we'd appreciate hearing from you.  Don't hesitate to email us directly via move4ART@gmail.com or poke us  if you just can't contain your excitement.  Will say more later.

The City of Boston is quite aware that there is a network of artists and arts organizations invested in "making art happen in Mattapan." Mattapan Cultural Arts Development (MCAD) has been back and forth with the Boston Arts Commission over a public art installation announced by Mayor Menino in September 2009.   In addition, MCAD has met with  Julie Burros , the City's Chief of Arts & Culture, participated in BostonCreates, and is otherwise known to the City's arts establishment.  So it's startling that we're just finding out about Mayor Walsh's Fair Housing Arts Contest .  This is particularly stunning given the current challenges the Mattapan community's facing around the issue of "fair" (as in, "affordable") housing. Yikes!