Featured Instructors in September

Pyramid is lucky to have two esteemed book artists and papermakers coming from out of town this September to teach workshops. 

Bea Nettles is teaching Triple Accordion Collage in the books studio on September 15th. Bea has been exhibiting and publishing her autobiographical works since 1970. Since that time, she has had over fifty one-person exhibitions. Her images are in numerous collections including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Canada, the Phillips Collection in Washington DC, and the International Museum of Photography at the Eastman House. Her artists’ books can be found in special collections libraries at universities including Yale (Beinecke), Washington, and Virginia. She taught photography and artists’ books from 1970-2007 at Rochester Institute of Technology, Tyler School of Art, and the University of Illinois where she is currently Professor Emerita. Nettles continues to lecture and teach workshops internationally. www.beanettles.com

About the workshop:

Triple Accordion Collage: Sunday, September 15, 10-4

Description: This intermediate structure is versatile and is especially suited for landscape imagery. It lends itself well to the use of collages. Three accordions of varying widths are sewn together and will be housed in clothbound covers. Participants should come prepared with a variety of papers to fold and items to attach.

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Jiyoung Chung is teaching Joomchi and Beyond in the paper studio September 20-22. Jiyoung is an internationally exhibiting artist, painter and freelance writer who has developed an innovative method for bringing a traditional Korean method of papermaking called Joomchi into contemporary art forms. Jiyoung has been featured in American Craft magazine and has taught workshops around the country including at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, the Rhode Island School of Design, and Penland School of Crafts. She has work in many collections including the Museum of Art and Design in New York. www.jiyoungchung.com

About the workshop: 

Joomchi and Beyond: Friday-Sunday, September 20-22, 10-3:30

Description: Joomchi is a unique Korean traditional way of making textured handmade paper by using water, and eager hands. This workshop offers participants the opportunity to become acquainted with its history, practice and role in Korean society, as well as the hands-on techniques and reinterpreted adaptations into contemporary art form. Joomchi creates strong, textural and painterly surfaces by layering and agitating Hanji (Korean mulberry papers). Its usages are diverse and it can be incorporated into surface design, collage, new way of drawing, wearable, unconventional body ornament or sculptural object: 2-D & 3D either functional or fine art oriented.

Artist residency: Winston Harris

Collaborating music with art

Winston Harris is working on etching and screen printing projects at Pyramid Atlantic through Pyramid’s artist residency program.

Winston has his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his master’s degree in printmaking from Howard University. 

Winston (right) and Ana Parrodi, Pyramid Atlantic intern, both prepare the inked-up plexiglass before printing.

The etching project is called “Midnight Jazz Hour” because the pieces are based off of sketches Winston made while at a jazz show.  He is using a process called dry point.

Winston chose etching for this project because he thought that etching would leave the best impression for this project.

He is also using water-based inks.

The images drawn based off of the jazz music were etched onto the plexiglass plates with an etching needle and prepared with ink before being printed.  

Winston's project with the silkscreen is titled "American Made." 

Winston has been involved in different exhibits, one being "Influence over Time" and "Printmaking in 3D."

Visit Winston's website at: http://winstonharris.carbonmade.com

YES Program displays art

This Friday, the Youth Empowerment Skills program displayed their artistic abilities.  The theme of the program this year was social injustices with a focus on teen homelessness.  

The YES program had been working on their works all throughout July until that point.  Much of the art was printed on commercial items, such as T-shirts and hats, to make a statement on homeless injustices on such consumer items. 

Pyramid collaborated with the Gandhi Brigade and SSTCI for the exhibit. The exhibit also presented a documentary on teen homelessness, which interviewed different homeless teens.  Each teen had a unique and heart-wrenching story to tell about how they got into their situations and how they are working to improve their future.

Through the collaboration of art, film and first-hand accounts, all working on this project were able to spread awareness that this is a problem -- even if it is not an issue that is well known.

The leaders of the exhibit from all sects were proud of the success of their interns and volunteers.

Beer Pong in the studio

Pregame with Pyramid

The studio was filled with merry beer drinkers Saturday for the Pregame with Pyramid fundraiser.  The event was a Beer Pong tournament. Around 10 teams participated.  Pabst Blue Ribbon donated the beer pong geer for the event and Fire Station and Pete's Pizza donated the food.  Around 35 people attended to eat, drink, dance to music, screen print T-shirts, and (of course) compete in the Beer Pong tournament.  The winners of the tournament were Emerson Babington and Conor Bronsdon.  They have the opportunity to continue onto the D.C. Beer Pong Final Four during D.C.'s Beer Week.

Pregame with Pyramid this Saturday

Pyramid Atlantic Art Center is hosting the ultimate summer experience, including Beer Pong, music, food, prizes and screen printing. 

“Pregame with Pyramid” will be from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3 in the art center’s Georgia Avenue parking lot.

The Beer Pong competition will select four tournament winners to compete in the Beer Pong Final Four during D.C.’s Beer Week in August.  Also at “Pregame with Pyramid” are all-you-can-eat-and-drink options, a silent auction and printmaking event T-shirts for the first 50 attendees.

“It's an exciting fundraiser because it will draw in a younger crowd to the art center,” Chelsey Anderson said.

“Perhaps in their victories and defeats, they will stumble upon something else that Pyramid has to offer them.”

 Tickets are $5 before 7 p.m. and can be purchased at the door.  Proceeds from the tournament benefit Pyramid’s arts and arts education programs for people of all ages.

The Pyramid staff hopes to continue this event yearly. All are welcome to attend; however, beer is only available to those of legal drinking age.

“We hope to introduce young people to Pyramid Atlantic but also to just celebrate our community and our organization,” Anderson said.

Youth Empowerment Skills Program fights against teen homelessness

Students participating in the Youth Empowerment Skills Program are focusing their artistic talents this summer on social injustices: teen homelessness.  They have been educating themselves on the different ways that these teens lose their homes.
In the media, teen homelessness is portrayed in different ways; YES has been exploring the different stereotypes portrayed by the media, along with digging deeper.  What we've found is that there are different dimensions to homelessness, in general.  In many cases, a homeless person is in their unfortunate situation for reasons that they have no power over.
YES has been studying how this misrepresentation has come about, and taking it into their own hands.  YES visited Shepherds Table, has been designing and chalking murals, designing and screen printing T-shirts, making pins and hats, and more.
The YES program is learning how to use the power of art to make changes and educate others through creative expression.

Pyramid Atlantic participates in D.C. Folklife Festival

Members of the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center community participated in the Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity section of the 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

This year, the Will to Adorn program focused on the various ways African Americans express their individuality through different art forms such as dress, music, hair, dance, poetry, athletics, and more.

Pyramid Atlantic had volunteers and staff participating in various crafts and activities.