Thank you Carnegie Hall for inviting Marissa Molina and Randy Mason to present the Freestyle Five workshop last week for the NeON Arts Summer Showcase event. Special thanks also to NYC Department of Probation, NYC Mayor’s Fund, and NYC Council Member Bob Holden for supporting Thrive Collective as a NeON Arts provider in Jamaica, Brownsville, and the South Bronx last year. 📷 @pleiaprinsass @speeklyfe
Five words, five minutes, high five!
The 15-minute workshop featured both hip hop lyrics and visual arts. Participants came up with 5 words to either use in a rhyme, poem and/or drawing and experienced how seemingly small ideas, when developed can grow into great works of art:
- 5 Min. Demonstration: Teaching artists use 5 random words from the audience to create short rhyme and marker sketch on chart paper.
- 5 Min. Participation: Participants use same 5 words to create short rhyme or drawings
- 5 Min. Presentation: Teaching artists present how improvisational art, short rhymes, drawings and ideas – when developed – can grow into larger, greater works of art that transform spaces, communities, and people. Participants share their work and take aways.
Presentation
During the celebration event, one of Thrive’s students Eric Khan shared this about his experience with our NeON Arts program in Jamaica, Queens:
“Seeing the transformation from scrubbing blood off of the concrete floors, to scrubbing brand new paint onto concrete walls…there is hope!”
On Instagram he elaborated further:
This truly was an amazing experience! Growing up in South Jamaica, Queens, New York – there’s not really much inspiration out there. A young man from Queens that just wants to see the best for his home and his neighborhood to be brought to fruition. The influencing is typically negative, drugs, guns, and violence. Now we’ve put up this wall mural that promotes hugs, fun, and demotes silence. @minhafofa @tunamelt.nyc @peacheeblue and all the other amazing people at @nycthrive thank you for such an amazing opportunity and experience!
So blessed to be a part of the dream of a life-time. Since I was a young boy, I dreamed of being able to present something, whether music or art – related; at the amazing @carnegiehall
Finally, at the age of nineteen, God had blessed me with this opportunity to present at the world-famous music and arts venue, one of the (if not the) best venues in the world. This partnership with @nycthrive @firstchurchjamaica @tunamelt.nyc @minhafofa @peacheeblue and several others – and painting of the Jamaica Queens wall mural ‘Tree of Life’ was such a blessing, and has touched many in my community. All glory be to God! This truly was an amazing night which I will never forget! Follow your dreams!!! The neighborhood has literally gone from scrubbing blood off of concrete floors, to scrubbing brand-new paint on walls that motivate, cultivate, and encapsulate the rich history of art, music, and performing arts that is embodied in Jamaica, New York.
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