An Art Exhibit This Weekend

Event Flyer

Moonlight and Mangos will be exhibiting her work at the CASK Visual Art Center this Saturday, January 10 from 6 PM to 9 PM. This exhibition will be in memory of those who lost their life five years ago during the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. Attendees will have a chance to purchase the artworks, and 50 percent of the proceeds will go to Haiti Relief Fund, Inc., a foundation to wich the Moonlight and Mangos artist is a vice president. Please see the flyer for more info.

Mark your calendar!

Photo provided by Moonlight & Mangos

The Artist behind Moonlight and Mangos has been very busy wearing many hats, including working for the Nassau County government and preparing for the upcoming Tuesday November 4th election.
The four days leading to the election will be the busiest as The Artist will be managing the Get out to Vote initiative for the re-election campaign of Haitian-American NYS Assemblywoman, Michaelle Solages. This initiative aims to encourage NY residents in especially Elmont and Valley Stream to vote and become more involved in their community's decision-making process.
"It's important to vote," said The Artist. "If people don't get up and vote, they will never get what they deserve."
"People count on us to not vote so they can stay in power," she added. "You can't complain [about your situation] if you don't do something."
The Artist is in charge of coordinating with volunteers and paying workers to make phone calls for the election. Moreover, she is currently looking for poll workers for 2Pm-9PM and 3PM-7PM shifts. The salary is 10/hr. If you are looking to make extra cash and help out an important cause, please get in touch with her at (516) 244-9560.
She also works as the director of Creative Art Space for Kids, a non-profit art center for kids located in the Long Island area. There, you will also find her paintings along the walls for purchase.

"I have been selling a lot of paintings," said The Artist who explained that despite her busy schedule, she always manages to find time to paint. 

There will be an Open House for the Creative Art Space for Kids on November 16th. On December 6th, The Artist will have an Art Exhibition also at the Creative Art Space for Kids. This exhibition will be a celebration of her birthday and a ground to raise money for Haiti Relief Fund, an organization where The Artist serves as Vice President. 34% of the proceeds will go to this organization. 

She further explained that wearing very different hats makes her more creative. 

"This is just the beginning," she stated. "I have no limit." 

She is now working on putting together an art book and a collection of her writings. 

I plan to see all of you at those events. The Creative Art Space for Kids address is below. ;)

CASK Creative Art Space for Kids
48 Atlantic Ave Lynbrook NY 11563

Photo provided by Moonlight & Mangos

Photo provided by Moonlight & Mangos

Stones on the Ocean Presentations

The Flyer of the NYPD event on Oct. 23rd. Courtesy of Luca Guardabascio

This upcoming week, Luca Guardabascio will be very busy presenting his new book, Stones on the Ocean: The story of Giovanni Esposito and Joe Petrosinoi, in Michigan. He will be a speaker at the XIV Week of Italian Language in the World event by Wayne State University on Wednesday Oct. 22nd.
The next day, Thursday Oct. 23rd, Guardabascio will be presenting at the New York Pizza Depot (NYPD) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As quoted by David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, Guardabascio's book covers a topic that despite its prominence has not been covered a lot: The great Italian migration.

Moonlight and Mangos on Communication Corner Part Deux

On this second episode of Communication Corner, the Moonlight and Mangos artist chatted with Gail Lewis on what inspires her to paint and on her work as an art teacher in the 5 Start Sports and Entertainment Academy. Viewers had a chance to see the artist in action as she dedicated the rest of the episode to painting alongside Lewis.

Moonlight And Mangos on Communication Corner

The artist behind Moonlight and Mangos, Jessica Mitchell, stopped by Communication Corner to chat with Gail Lewis about her artwork and the role of emotions in her pieces. The different pieces varying from canvas painting, bottles to 3D art lit the Queens Public TV studio with their vibrant and sparkling colors. Lewis and Mitchell went around the room discussing the different pieces that were present and represented only a small sample of the more than 250 pieces Mitchell has in her catalog.
They talked about the recurring theme of moving forward in life seen in her art, the message of positivity she is promoting, the different things she incorporates in her work and the story behind each work. They also talked about her moonlight collection and her similarity to Jean Michel Basquiat.
Please view the video!

Moonlight and Mangos and Her Projects

Listen to Moonlight and Mangos talk about her art and upcoming projects by clicking here to be directed to the radio interview. Moreover, her art will be auctioned this Saturday Feb. 15th at the 11th Annual Elmont Online taking place at Adelphi University at 5:30 pm. Her TV appearance will soon be available for viewing.

2014 Benefit Concert featuring Moonlight and Mangos' s Artwork

Photo by Sabine Cherenfant
This Sunday Feb. 2nd, Moonlight and Mangos' s artwork will be featured in a benefit concert at the Elmont Memorial High School. Please click here to be directed to the page to RSVP and attend this event. 

Art Show Fundraiser Feat Moonlight and Mangos This Weekend

8 of Moonlight and Mangos's pieces of art will be for sale at the From Here To Haiti (FHTH) Art Show Fundraiser this Saturday and Sunday at 1 to 6 PM. 30 % of the money will go to the FHTH nonprofit organization. Be there!!!

Article on Aton

 

Click here to read an interview of Aton with Kreyolicious, in which he
promotes his comic book on the first Haitian Superhero. Make sure to read our article on the superhero, who is no longer named Aton: The Demi God, but Djatawo. The name Djatawo is made of two names Jah, which is a biblical name for God, and Tao, which means path from the Chinese religious tradition Taoism.

Upcoming singer/songwriter Sahri Theodore talks about her first EP

Photo provided by Sahri

With her first EP out TODAY, Sahri Theodore's (artistically known as Sahri) love for singing started a long time ago when she was just a little girl. She made friends and family members her audience and her home her stage. In 2009, she recorded her first songs and started working on her first EP two year later.
"The dates have been pushed back a lot of time,"explains Sahri. "I wanted to make sure everything was perfect."
After going through several titles for the EP, Sahri decided to name it "Notes".
"Every song tells a true story, whether mine or someone else's," Sahri explains regarding the reason for choosing this title. She often writes notes on her phone after listening to friends' stories or overhearing others' stories.
"It starts as a subject and becomes a whole song," she explains.
In addition, "Notes" stand for musical notes.
It will contain songs ranging from Pop to R&B with a little bit of soul.
"I want it to have... [at most] 10 songs," explains Sahri. Among the songs that will be part of the EP are "All of You," "In Lve," "She Isn't Me" and "Would You."
Sahri does not put herself in any category as an artist.
"I sing a little bit of Pop... some R&B," she says. "It depends on how I feel about the song."
Growing up, Sahri listened to French and Spanish singers, her mother's favorites. She was only exposed to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston as American singers because they were the only ones her mother listened to.
"It's really Whitney Houston who started it for me," she states.
As a kid, she often interpreted Houston's songs. With a much spikier voice then, it was easy for her to sing her songs.
Nowadays, Sahri's vocal range is high.
"I can hold a note for a long time," she explains. She displays this ability in "All of You."
Sahri's goal is to become a better singer than her idol Beyonce.
"Your goal should always be [to be]better than the person you look up to," she explains. "Therefore, I want to be better than [she is]."
"I want to have enough impact that I'll be remembered long after I'm gone."

New post by Marlie Decopain

Make sure to visit Marlie Decopains's newblog post on what inspired her to create her latest piece, "In the wing."

Make sure to also browse the blog to discover her journey as an artist and her pillow cover collection, "Anew," which is available on etsy.

Jerry Laraque: Every Rap Song Is A Page of A Diary

Photo provided by Jerry Laraque

Tall, calm with a keen knowledge of Hip Hop, Jerry Laraque (Jey) is a rapper with a mission. Through his raps that he deems "more like a hobby," he relates his life and the social life in Haiti.
"I rap about everything that strikes me," said Jey. He embarked in this journey in 2002 when his friend, The Maestro, also known as T-Ansyto Mercier, established his record studio. Soon after, Jey had turned the studio into his second home. Everyday after school and work, he would come in to work on new records. By 2013, Laraque had recorded more than 20 songs.
He released about six songs, including the hit song Konpran mwen, found in the Envazyon mixtape by The Maestro and Aton.
He later joined Trafik, a rap band founded by The Maestro and comprised of Kadafi, Sila and Mad-C. With them, he released another successful song, titled Ke Solid.
Nonetheless, because of personal issues, he had to stop rapping for a while.
"[Going to the studio after work] was a sacrifice,"explained Jey.
Moreover, his band, Trafik, dissolved after the 2012 Haiti earthquake. Many of them left the country.
Eventually, Jey returned to the music scene. He is now working on a project, titled JeyDay, with Freday, another rapper. They are working on an album together and already have five songs ready.
"Before, I only recorded with T-Ansyto," said Jey. "[T-Ansyto] is now working on multiple projects; therefore I now work with multiple producers, which is good for my style. My style is more of a party thing."
He has also been featured in five commercials in Haiti.
"I've done commercials for Access Haiti, Toro (an energy drink) and King Cola," said Jey.
"I want to thank everyone who supported me, especially my mom and brothers," he added.
As an advice for all aspiring rappers, he concluded they "must strive and rap with love."

Jasmine Tate performs tomorrow

Jasmine Tate peforming at 720 Cafe

After a successful concert at the Second Annual Rock All Night Tour (R.A.N.T.) on the 10th, Jasmine Tate will be performing again tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Grove City as an opening act for David Wade. Click here for more information on this event.
At the R.A.N.T. event last Saturday, she performed along with six other artists at the 720 Music, Clothing and Cafe venue. Overall, 50 bands were in attendance and performed in neighboring venues. Tate gave away t-shirts and CDs to the audience to help them connect with her music.
On August 31, Tate will be performing at the Wick'D Conference in a Navajo Reservation in New Mexico.
She will be in Grove City on Sept. 13 and 21 for respectively her EP/CD release and a fashion show.
Stay tuned for more info!

Heather Pinson with The Antz Marching Band

Photos by Stacey Fortuna of Heather Pinson performing with Antz Marching band. Click here to read about this artist.

Photo credit: Stacey Fortuna

Photo credit: Stacey Fortuna

Photo credit: Stacey Fortuna

Photo credit: Stacey Fortuna

World Premiere of Sunrise and Life and Love Album Cover

Album cover by Sarah Hout

Check out Jasmine Tate's album cover and the official video of "Sunrise,"and don't forget to back her Life and Love project on kickstarter. There are 15 more days to go. Share it with your family and friends to help her reach $20, 000 by Saturday July 20th at 11:59 p.m.

Brand new superhero from Haiti is coming your way

Aton, also known as Anthony Louis-Jeune, just finished putting together his work for a Haitian comic book superhero.
This dream, which has been in the making since he was a child and a comic book junky, came into effect just recently when he started attending school. He used a class thesis as an opportunity for him to give life to the superhero, Aton: The Demi God.

Aton: The Demi God

Along with his girlfriend, Cindy Ramirez Torres, who is a fashion designer, Aton worked on creating a futuristic suit for Aton: The Demi God.
The suit, as Aton envisioned it to be, is heavily influenced by the Egyptian, Taino and Haitian cultures.
"I didn't want a superhero like the other ones [I worked on]," Aton explained. Unlike his other superheroes, such as Eklatman, Aton: The Demi God wears a specific costume, has moral values, and fights for human rights.

Guardian of the Solar Disc and Superman- Save the Earth

In addition, Aton combined his story to one of his previous works, which is "Foula Wouj" (Red Scarf).
"I created a character to make [Foula Wouj] more powerful," he said. He wanted to include a hero to this story.

"Foula Wouj"/"Red Scarf"

Aton is planning on promoting the superhero in Haiti in the near future. He is currently working on a three minute video, in which Aton: The Demi God will tackle environmental issues, and an album, with each song representing a chapter of the comic book.

Aton:The Demi God for Mental Liberation Movement

Preview of "Night of the Spirits"/"Lanfenwe" from the comic book

Kosmo: Guardian of the Superhero

Pittsburgh emerging designer: Beth Shari

Beth Shari, former Point Park University graduate with a degree in technical theater and an emphasis on costume design, opens up about her passion for designing.
With her main aspiration being lingerie designing, Beth also designs ballroom dance costumes, and designs for theater.
"Silk and Satin are great for my vintage inspired designs," she explains. "They hug the body well."
However, she does not only limit herself to these two fabrics.
"I'm definitely a fabric junky," she says.
It is a lovely recreation for her to visit a fabric store and explore new materials for her designs.
"Things will inspire me by what I touch," she explains.
Occasionally, Beth also works on other concepts to create. For instance, she recently designed the bridal dress for a friend's beach wedding, and worked on a client's daughter's first communion dress. Right now, Beth has only a handful of clients who are all located in Pittsburgh.

To collect more clients this summer, she plans on hosting a fashion show in which she will show 10 pieces of her lingerie designs.
"We're thinking some time in July," she states regarding the date for the event. For now, she is working with a location to host it.

Aside from designing, Beth finds herself busy with other projects.
"I do several different things," she says.
She has been doing her one-woman show, Carousel of Costumes~Variety Show, for the past three years. She entertains at private parties or senior facilities by dressing up as different characters, such as Betty Boop, Marilyn Monroe and Mae West, and interpreting them (dances and sings like them).
She also does face painting at KinderCare facilities in the Western Pennsylvania, and at different festivals during the summer. She has created her "Pixie Painter" character for these events.
"Each thing has its own joy," she affirms. For example, Beth enjoys bringing good memories to the seniors.
As of now, Beth works at home. However, she hopes to grow her designing company in the future.
"I would like to be designing for Christina Aguilera," she jokes. "I would like to be established enough where I would have a nice clientele and do what I love."

Photo provided by Beth Shari

Photo provided by Beth Shari

"Serve" Special Needs Program

Photo provided by Heather Pinson

Reminder: Heather Pinson will be performing Saturday, April 20th with The Fabulous Gunslingers at the St. Richard's Church Community.

APRIL 20TH - BENEFIT FOR “SERVE” SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAM ST. RICHARD’S CHURCH COMMUNITY ROOM 3841 DICKEY ROAD GIBSONIA, PA. 15044 7PM - 11PM $15 DONATION TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR FOOD, ADULT BEVERAGE, SILENT AUCTIONS, CHINESE AUCTIONS AND 50/50 RAFFLE MUST BE 21 YEARS OLD AND HAVE ID ALL PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE “SERVE” SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAM

Follow Heather Pinson and Her Band

Heather Pinson performing with The Fabulous Gunslingers

Find out where and when Heather Pinson is performing with The Fabulous Gunslingers by visiting this website.  

A compilation of Aton's works

Here is a compilation of some of Aton's works. In this video you'll get to know more about his style. You may notice that some of these drawings are in their early stages.