Art at Roots and Dreams and Mustard Seeds! (5/3, 5 to 8 pm)

Roots and Dreams and Mustard Seeds, 119 Fenn Street, will feature a half dozen artists during the First Fridays Artswalk on May 3 for one-night only, 5 to 8 pm. Artists include Marco and Maria Ortiz, Peppa and Drake, Sandra Bonilla, and Matthew Brinton. Mediums include drawings, photographs, wood burnings, small sculptural pieces, and dance.

Artist Statement for Marco Ortiz: "By touring the mountains full of all kinds of languages ​​and listening to the silence and song of the trees, the memories of our history and the burning blood of our aborigines, it is possible to remember it and with the imagination translate it into enhanced works of art.

The inspiration for my works arose from the rhythm of the flutes and drums in the INTI RAYMI written in Quechua which means "Festival of the Sun" where they distribute the smells of the Jora chicha and the pure flavor of the ancient gold that corn has always been, since those roots where the TAITA INTY is born to meet the PACHA MAMA and the beautiful colors of the rainbow shine so that the knowledge resonates in the heart and is shown in the most joyful fruits of our hands, the exuberant works of the mosaics, which can be influenced by the water of the waterfall or the strong wind of the forests, being able to draw from the depths the gifts of God, thus healing our bodies with the expression of works."

Artist Statement for Maria Ortiz: "From walking as a girl among nature, listening to the sound of the horse's horseshoes in each of its steps, art and goldsmithing was born in me! For me, art is the language of all times, where we are part of the detail of each person.

The creation of my works goes hand in hand with the brief breeze of comfort from my beloved Lord. Inspired by the nascent colors of creation, from among the trees and their roots, amber and its stones were born, which are fundamental materials for each work. My work is governed by offering my service for the good of others only in the love of our Father, translating the effort of the hands into pieces of ideas colored by thought."

Artist Statement for Peppa:

"Peppa is an interdisciplinary artist and educator whose work joins experimental video, installation, writing, herbalism, pedagogy, and community engagement. Her art offers a psychiatric survivor’s lens on medical history and healing practices. Honoring her multi-cultural heritage, Iranian diasporic experience, and family history, her work activates historical research and personal narrative to challenge frameworks of institutional care and the mental health industry. She is the founder and director of After School Art Space, an after-school art program based in relationship building and material experimentation.

For the Artswalk, I will show a series of wood burnings depicting traditional dance from South West and West Asia. I will also include some small sculptural pieces honoring traditional medicinal plants and indigenous foods from the region."

Artist Statement for Drake Reed:

"Drake Reed investigates the intersections of technology and resistance. He examines the connection of progressive movements throughout history and their proximity to state-sponsored surveillance programs and technology production. He uses interactive workshops, story mapping, illustration, and data analysis to experiment with these concepts.

For the Artswalk, I will show a selection of photographs and scanned riso prints."

Artist Statement for Sandra Bonilla:

"I have been a Latin dance teacher for 30 years. I am currently pursuing a certification with the Russian Ballet and working with a dance group at 119 Fenn Street in Pittsfield. Dance for me is a shield of protection. It is freedom. It is energy, love, and as long as I breathe, I will continue dancing. The choreography that I will present on this occasion is an Arabic tango function."

Artist Statement for Matthew Brinton:

“My artwork is strongly influenced by nineteenth-century Russian literature which I discovered while going through a life-changing event. The Russian writers had an understanding of the human condition that spoke to me when I had to reevaluate the direction of my life. I wish for my artwork to be as influential in another human being's life.

My stories interweave faith and philosophy into their plotlines. Readers are prompted to ask themselves: What happens when we die? Does God exist? Why do I exist? Can God be defined in practical terms, as the Bible presents him? I draw from personal experience as my stories explore romance, destiny, and the quest for utopia. The illustrations I create for the stories contain symbolic elements and are done in a surrealistic style.

My drawings are done in a realistic style but often incorporate a painterly and classical linear style. My drawings of landscape and still life are inspired by the sheer beauty of the subjects. My portraiture mainly consists of historical figures who have impacted my life. In my portrayal of these figures, my main focus is to capture their inner spiritual lives.”