21 August, 2018
Creative Circles –Art for All!, in partnership with HCA, presents:
Artist Talk, Demonstration, and Art Exhibit with
Alex Dunn and Brandon Rhoads
on Thursday, September 20, 6:30-8:30 PM
at Hopkinton Center for the Arts (HCA), 98 Hayden Rowe St.
Artists Alex Dunn and Brandon Rhoads will present an artist talk and demonstration Street Dreams. A body of Alex and Brandon’s latest work, Street Dreams, will be on display at the HCA (Barn Loft Gallery) between 9/20/2018 – 10/16/2018.
The Exhibit Street Dreams
The phrase Street Dreams attempts to capture the paradoxical beauty and grunge of street art and graffiti. Often viewed as a lower form of art or simply a criminal act, street art is actually the manifestation of competing clashes amongst class, race, gender, culture, and of course all the politics that follow. Counter to the mainstream interpretation of graffiti, the word “dreams” in the show title represents the way in which graffiti artists are often trying to beautify or resurrect the life of a neighborhood and counteract the ugliness of a delipidated space in the street. Many street artists view their work as a public service or donation to the community, which can now be verified by the monetization of street art in the real estate market of expensive neighborhoods like Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint Brooklyn, and San Francisco.
With roots in graffiti culture, Alex and Brandon’s Stencil Art pieces feature Boston Sports Legends, Film Icons, Musicians, People with Disabilities, and everyday people, all in an attempt to unveil the robust layers of local culture. All the pieces are original designs, hand cut, and hand sprayed.
Come to explore and learn about the two great artists who will share their creative process and show you how their art elicits raw emotion and energy which motivates people to feel connected.
About the Artists:
Alex Dunn is the Director of Marketing and Communications for Easter Seals Massachusetts and former Director of the adult day program for the Respite Center in Hopkinton, MA. He has used art therapy and art as a vehicle for advocacy and inclusion having started a very successful arts program at the Respite Center in collaboration with the HCA. This program, originally called “Art Is Voice” in 2015, sought to feature artists with developmental disabilities in local art venues, eventually landing a 3-month series the prominent space of the Boston Public Market. He is thrilled to be using art as a form of advocacy and often donates art to fundraisers for other nonprofits such as the MS Society, Easter Seals Massachusetts, and Haymakers for Hope.
Brandon Rhoads is the Owner of Two39Designs. A husband, a father of two beautiful little girls, an IT professional, a student, and an artist. He loves making people happy, just the way you're happy when you have a home-cooked meal that your mom or dad used to cook when you were a child. The thing he most loves about art is that you can take a person or thing that has affected one’s life and put it on a canvas for that person to reflect upon every day.
About Creative Circles: Creative Circles consist of six programs a year, offered during the months of February/March, April, May, September, October, and November. The mission of this volunteer organization is to host artists’ talks that build a strong and inclusive community through the arts – sharing contributions, inspiring one another, and growing together as human beings, artists, and community.
Please, join us on Thursday, September 20th, from 6:30- 8:30 pm for this inspiring artist talk and demo!
Let’s celebrate, together, the creative spirit in our community! Inviting friends of the community arts with hosts Cynthia Franca and Geri Holland. All are welcome. $5 donation at the door appreciated. Free for students with ID.
To reserve a seat email creativecircles.art@gmail.com
More information about this program and the artists: www.creativecirclesart.com/speakers
