Of One Mind
Documentary series, Of One Mind, features the pairing of artists who share common ground.
Screened on Saturday, January 28th, 2017, from 1-3 PM at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center
The documentary, produced by Starlight Studio artists and filmmaker Kevin Kline of Squeaky Wheel Film and Media Art Center, consists of four short episodes that feature conversations between Starlight artists and artists from the community who share common ground. The pairs: Chace Lobley and Kenneth Payne, Debra Wicks and Ani Hoover, Kimber Rodgers and Amanda Besl, and Jeremy Pratt and Kevin Kline, discuss their work, interests, and how art affects their lives, and view of the world.
According to Kevin Kline, director of education at Squeaky Wheel Film and Media Art Center, "We at Squeaky Wheel have been lucky enough to work with the staff and artists at Starlight on this great project that simply aims to show the equal and free platform that the practice of art provides to all. We are always honored to be able to teach and share the media arts with Starlight Artists so they can use the democratic and expressive abilities that this medium provides so as to amplify their own unique voices."
John Massier, Hallwall’s exhibition curator, sets the stage for each short doc by describing the artists’ work and the ways in which it overlaps. Massier is fitting for this role as he knows the Starlight artists well. The two agencies are close, both figuratively and physically. According to Massier, “We’ve always loved having Starlight situated across the street from us, particularly since Starlight artists regularly cross the street to check out our exhibitions. Which is another illustration of their high level of enthusiasm for art and art-making. I was called once to cross the street because a Starlight artist wanted to show me a work they’d done based on work they saw at Hallwalls two years earlier. It impressed me that the work had such resonance for them and that they took such inspiration from it.”
In addition to the featured artists, several Starlight Artists also served as crew members for the film, a role that served to teach them new skills, as well as, about their fellow artists. According to Andy Calderon, “It was a beautiful connection of artistic intellect. A meaningful connection that was a learning experience. I didn’t know how to use a video camera before and now I do. I learned that Kimber, who usually seems pretty quiet, was great at story-telling and fairy tales. It was cool getting to know someone more as a person. Some of the artists had dark sides but it comes through their artwork brilliantly. Their work comes out like WOW. It’s a delicate process and I thought it was cool to learn more about our friends that we see every day.”
Starlight staff member Dave Coleman will facilitate a panel discussion immediately following the screening. The panel will include all of these community artists: Payne, Hoover, Besl, and Kline, along with Starlight artists Lobley, Wicks, and Pratt. Massier, Calderon, and crew members Sheila Bush, and Angela Robb will also participate.
Funding for the documentary was received from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; administered by Arts Services Initiative of Western New York.Click the links below to head to Vimeo to view our documentary series, Of One Mind, featuring the pairing of artists who share common ground.
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