Edythe Boone and Anat Ronen Bring Beauty to Politics in Their Murals

Anat Ronen's paints a picture of Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Photo Credit: University of Houston.

Muralists are artists who have been dedicated to telling stories of communities and historical figures for centuries. Muralists have also been tagged with the responsibility of being a voice for the unheard. Edythe Boone is an artist who has made an impact in the United States for generations.

Edythe was apart of a 1995 project where she and six other women banded together to create the multicultural mural, Maestrapeace. The mural was painted on the first all women-owned community center in the U.S., The Women’s Building in San Francisco.

A New Color is a new documentary about Edythe. The documentary emphasizes her role in the community and how her life has been catapulted into U.S. politics because of the death of her nephew, Eric Garner. Eric’s death in 2014 was the catalyst for the I Can’t Breathe campaign.

“You can’t change your beginnings,” said Edythe, “but you sure can put a nice, beautiful ending to the story.”

Edythe, a native of the Harlem borough in New York City, NY, was also known for being an arts advocate who painted murals against drug trafficking overnight in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information on Edythe Boone, visit anewcolordocumentary.com.

Maestrapeace mural at the San Francisco Women's Building, Eastside corner. Photo credit: Artists of the Maestrapeace Mural.

Anat Ronen, an artists located in Houston, TX, has a long list of paintings and murals. Anat’s chalk on concrete artworks have been seen at charity events as well as Houston’s annual Via Colori. The Via Colori Street Art Festival is a two-day, outdoor festival that celebrates art, music, and family. The festival raises money for The Center for Hearing and Speech.

The annual Via Colori Festival takes place in Downtown Houston at Hermann Square at City Hall. The festival is free to attend and will take place Saturday, Nov. 19th from 10am to 6pm and Sunday, Nov. 20th from 10am to 5pm.

"Are We Free?" mural painted by Anat Ronen. Photo credit: Anat Ronen.

Anat paints her creations depending on the need of her customer. Nevertheless, she adds her own spice to artworks. The mural, “Are We Free?” is painted on The Mullet graffiti showcase building. The painting shows an American bald eagle trying to fly with a shackle weighing down one of the bird’s legs. This political mural speaks to the vices of the human race. The mural represents how humans in today’s society are not really free because we are bound to houses, cars, money, phones, and other electronics. The mural seeks to question how free the human race really is and if a person is truly able to make independent decisions about life.

For more information on Anat Ronen, visit www.anatronen.com.

Patricia Gras and Her Passion for Music Uplift the Community

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Musician, journalist, producer, and author, Patricia Gras, discusses helping the Houston community through her music. Created by: Victor Media Productions.

Patricia Gras is an Emmy Award-winning producer and journalist who stays busy. In addition to having 29 years of experience in broadcast journalism, she is also an author and musician. Patricia has given college students the opportunity to experience live production and gain interview techniques by offering internships.

As any media communications college graduate knows, experience is an extraordinary part to show on one’s resume when looking for employment. Patricia not only gives students hands-on experience in their field, but she prepares them for life. Former interns have gone on to become TV directors, video production operators, journalists, and filmmakers. The multilingual talent has made it her mission to make a positive impact in the Houston community.

Barandua began in 1992 performing Latin and Folk music. Since then, Patricia has formed Blu International Duo. The band sings their tunes in Spanish, French, Italian, and other languages. She can be seen singing and playing the acoustic guitar, drum, and tambourine among other instruments. Patricia sees her performances as more than just entertainment.

“My purpose is to serve the community with uplifting vibrations and bringing joy to other people,” said the passionate Patricia.

Patricia is also apart of a three-woman podcast called Programa El Factor M. The women cover many subjects ranging from movie reviews to controversial topics such as feminism in today’s society.

Patricia debuted her newest web series this year. The show is called Passion Time with Patricia Gras and features many notable professionals such as Lisa Falkenberg, the Houston Chronicle’s first Pulitzer Prize – winning journalist. Patricia’s show, Passion Time, uncovers the origins of accomplished professionals. She begins each segment with the question, “How did you find your passion?” This introduction leads guests on the show to tell their stories and gives viewers exclusives to the way they think and the way they live their lives. To view more of the show visit lovesmartlivingmedia.com.

Patricia’s production company, Love Smart Living Media, will be leading a video storytelling workshop on Saturday, June 11, 2016. The workshop will begin at 9am and end at 5pm. Literal Magazine will be organizing the event at 5325 Renwick Drive. To RSVP or for more information, email info@literalmagazine.com or patti@lovesmartlivingmedia.com. The cost for the workshop is $189, but students will receive a discount. Attendees at all skill levels are encouraged to attend and should bring a video camera, iPad or computer, and notebook. Free snacks will be provided.

Minority Arts Organizations Receive Grant Money for Projects

Houston is aware that more focus needs to be placed on its growing arts community. Minority communities such as the African American and Latino communities have received less grant funding in the last year, according to LA Times writer Mike Boehm. In Latino and African American communities, box office receipts were lower than mainstream company revenues in 2013. The article speculates that these low-income organizations struggle the most with funding. Being in the know is a major key to receiving adequate funding for projects. Some organizations have found their funding through different routes.

Created By: Zondra Victor. A display of the box office revenues for African Americans and Latinos compared to other mainstream organizations in the U.S.

The Huffington Post has a sub site called HuffPost Black Voices. On April 20th, an article entitled How Artists Are Using Row Houses To Empower Citizens In Houston was posted from the Huffington Post’s Arts & Culture category.

Writer Priscilla Frank tells the history of the Project Row Houses located in Houston’s Third Ward. Rick Lowe is one of the founders of the 22-shot gun-house art project that began in 1993. In 2014, the artist won a MacArthur Foundation genius grant that gives recipients $625,000 over a five-year span. Despite all of the accolades, Lowe stays grounded in his commitment to keep Houston’s history alive in addition to showcasing the evolution of the world through the eclectic talents of the exhibited artists. Project Row Houses hold a special unspoken power within its sculptures and multimedia art.

The Project Row Houses Shattering the Concrete: Artists, Activists, and Instigators exhibit began its showing on March 26th. It will be available until June 19th. Project Row Houses is located at 2521 Holman St. and admission is free.

Certain schools are being proactive and taking initiative in order to fund arts programs such as the one at St. Agnes Academy. The all girls school is raising $20 million dollars to pay for the construction so that they could save their $12 million dollar grant money for programming. The expansion will create more parking spaces as well as studios and theaters for the student performers. St. Agnes Academy is now undergoing construction for their new facilities.

Houston Art Showcase is available for student artists and art professionals who need more knowledge about funding for arts programs. Angela Smith’s article, The Art Issue: How to Write a Proposal (& Get Funding) in the Arts, discusses what she learned at a workshop she attended with Fresh Arts. Smith shares tips on what to include in grant letters in order to receive the most sufficient grant awards possible for workspace. There are four main concepts that should be included in a grant letter: concept, budget, what artwork will be included, and whether it fits within the organization’s mission. To learn more about this school, visit www.st-agnes.org.