RIP Raritan River Art Walk

I recently heard the news that the Raritan River Art Walk caught the buff because the city of New Brunswick is no longer supporting Albus Cavus's project there. Very sad indeed. It got me looking thru my flickr set reminicing.  Here's a slideshow of some of my favorite flicks I took there over the years. If you like the work, remember all this is now buffed out thanks to the city New Brunswick, let them know how you feel about it, SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS

Below is an example of the SAGE works done there...  Many of these walls below were still running, until the buff I'm assuming.  Still haven't made my way over to see for myself.  When I do...:) it won't be sad, just a new begining!

"Highland Sentinel"

The sound of rattling paint cans invaded the pastoral landscape of Hopewell, New Jersey this past weekend as S.A.G.E. Collective completed a commission for The Highland Design Farm. Artist/designer Sean Mannix commissioned "Highland Sentinel" after seeing KASSO and LUV 1 working on the "Buddah Barn" just down the road from his converted farm. Formerly a working chicken farm, the buildings have been converted into a collection of artist studio spaces and we were asked to work on the large exterior wall of what was once a two story chicken coup.

Inspired by an old drawing of Sean's and his beautifully machined designs we put together loose plans for an abstracted face amongst a background of gears and wires. The painting took place during the Hopewell Tour Des Arts, a two day open studio tour in and around Hopewell Township. Mother Nature cooperated by providing two amazing days for painting (not a cloud or drop of rain in sight) and once we rescued KASSO from the wilderness on Saturday morning we got to work laying out the wall.

DELVE handled the nose, mouth & chin while KASSO scaled the ladder to lay out the eyes, forehead and abstract designs to the right of the head. LUV 1 went to work on a background of stained glass, abstract shapes & wires while Lank brought large gears from the background to the foreground and filled the deep space with an amalgamation of smaller gears. The two day process was a true collaborative effort, bouncing ideas around and amassing the artwork in a freeform and organic way, resulting in an amazing production.

The visitors to the farm, most having never seen a mural put together quite this way, enjoyed the show and were full of questions that we were happy to answer. Special thanks have to go to Sean and his family for providing unparalleled hospitality and fully supporting our vision for the wall. Check out the photos and enjoy video!

-Lank

Ackryte - Realize EP

My man Ackryte's album drops today,  check it out the cover features mine and Delve's section of the abstract wall painted at Terracycle Inc. Ack's beats are classic chopped up chilled out funky soulfull hip hop...don't sleep.  Here's a flick of the whole wall...LUV1

Portrait of Aliscia "Lizzie" Ball...Trenton, NJ 2010

This is the 6th wall in the CITY OF ANGELS series. The portrait is dedicated to the memory of Alisica Ball, who's parents, Melinda and Jim Gallo, started a wish fund sponsored by ONE SIMLPE WISH www.onesimplewish.org/ in her name to foster creative projects and programing for foster, impoverished and at-risk children and their families.

I had the privlege of working with Melinda and Jim as an art instructor for "Lizzie's Art Spark" a 10 week art program where I worked with inner city middle school students and taught foundations of art. It was a honor to work with the Gallo's and ONE SIMPLE WISH and hopefully many more projects will bloosom from this program and the spirit behind it!

For more info of about Aliscia "Lizzie" Ball and "lizzie's wish", visit this link:
www.onesimplewish.org/lissieswishshop

video of the production of Lizzie's mural: www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=542024362506

peace.

Will Kasso

SAGE at the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster, NJ

sushi!, originally uploaded by el U Vee 1.

Delve, Kasso, and Luv...SAGE Collective at the Somerset Art Association, http://www.somersetart.org/ soon to be renamed the Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ. We painted 5 8ftx4ft wood panels that will be turned into a makeshift wall this week for display outside the gallery for the next three months. If you're in the area, go check it out!