It has been a strange, stressful time for all of us, in and out of the arts community. ArtsGreensboro has continued to lean in to assist artists and arts organizations in navigating this unchartered water. We are so proud of the artists and groups who have jumped in to provide virtual performances, online classes, and other creative happenings via social media, Zoom, and so many other platforms. All of us have learned new things over the last seven weeks, but there is one clarion voice in all of this, we are here today, and we are here to stay. The arts of Greensboro are strong!
I can never resist a good story. As a child, I would spend hours adventuring through time and exploring fantasy lands cuddled up with a good book. As I grew older, I realized my passion for sharing and discovering stories through movement to music. Dancing has become a chance to test the limits of my imagination while embodying and experiencing beautiful and timeless melodies. I can use my imagination and share my artform in a world where ballet is my paint, the stage is my canvas, and my body is the paintbrush. Performing in Greensboro Ballet’s The Nutcracker in 2019 was one of my most memorable experiences. As the Dew Drop Fairy, I envisioned myself traipsing through the meadows and soaring with the butterflies as I danced to Tchaikovsky’s brilliant score.
ARTIST IN FOCUS
BY LAUREN DORN, DANCER
My time as an artist with Greensboro Ballet has led me to great memories both offstage and on. Seeing the audience grow and change over the past few years has inspired me to continue pursuing this beautiful art form. As a part of Greensboro Ballet, I get to share my love of dance with the diverse local community. Watching the gaze of wonder when I show a young dancer my pointe shoes or the heart-warming smile of one of the many regular performance attendees is so worthwhile. The warm welcome and appreciation from the community audience constantly reminds me of why I continue to make dance a part of my life story.
To learn more about Greensboro Ballet, visit greensboroballet.org.
PhotoS courtesy of Greensboro Ballet
ARTS HAPPENING
BY CORRIE LISK-HURST, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT CENTER FOR VISUAL ARTISTS
At CVA, our focus is always on connecting, engaging, and empowering local artists and art-lovers. Until recently, most of that work has happened in our gallery and classrooms; while we have had ideas about increasing access to the visual arts using digital media, we lacked the bandwidth to execute. Enter COVID, and suddenly – with gallery, classrooms, and studios closed – we’ve got an unexpected opportunity to jump in and stay vital to this wonderful community.
As soon as our doors closed (temporarily, of course!), we began scouting Instagram and Facebook and sharing resources, studio tours, and more with our virtual community. We re-tooled our e-newsletter to become a weekly source of inspiration, activities, and an art showcase. Our Artrepreneurship professional development series with Dr. Jennifer Reis of UNCG shifted to Zoom. Right now, I’m incredibly excited about the virtual classes we just launched (using Zoom!, YouTube, and SawyerTools) and the upcoming virtual gallery exhibition set to open soon, Maggie Fickett: Living in Plein Air (Artwork Archive is an amazing resource!).
Working at home, we’ve had time to learn from experts, watch tutorials and webinars, and play with a variety of technologies. And we’ve prioritized figuring out what our community needs and wants from us – in terms of exhibitions, education, support, and access to visual art. Digital tools have empowered us, enabled us to stay focused, and given us creative inspiration to deliver on our core mission efficiently, even in a very difficult time.
To learn more about CVA programs, please visit greensboroart.org or contact them directly at info@greensboroart.org. Follow CVA online at Facebook @CVAgreensboro and Instagram @centerforvisualartists
AG MAKING IT WORK
By: RYAN DEAL, CHIEF CREATIVE ECONOMY OFFICER FOR CITY OF GREENSBORO
Creative Greensboro is pleased to be partnering with our good friends at ArtsGreensboro to bring you the Greensboro At Home Arts & Creativity Guide. The guide is a daily digest published Monday through Friday afternoons on each of our Facebook pages and is a complete resource of virtual arts & culture programs and experiences provided by Greensboro based artists and organizations.
We know the stay-at-home situation is challenging. Many have been called on to take on home-schooling of your young people, some are navigating unexpected periods of unemployment, or just tough times at work.
No matter your situation, we believe that arts and culture are a salve for our time. We want you to know that even the doors to our community’s most well-loved arts and culture buildings are currently closed, artists and creative leaders in this community are still working hard to connect you with experiences that will help you imagine, explore, reflect, heal, and maybe even provide a moment or two of laughter and levity.
Be sure to check the guide every week day for new experiences that will be added. If you’re an artists or creative leader hosting an at home concert, a guided visual art activity, or any other type of arts and culture experience, there is a link provided so you can have your program included in the directory as well.
Please continue to maintain physical distancing. Make sure to keep your hands washed and keep them away from your face. But equally important Greensboro, stay creative. We look forward to seeing you in person very soon.
To view the daily Greensboro At Home Arts & Culture Guide online, or to submit your event, please visit artsgreensboro.org.
MY ART STORY
BY TAMMY LARRICK, FIBER ARTIST & ELEMENTARY ART TEACHER
Change. Not my favorite word in my vocabulary. Millis Road Elementary School has been my constant for over ten years. I don’t have a job. I have a calling. When the orders to close school doors came, my classroom moved from a physical space to a virtual space. The mixture of crayons and tempera paint giving the elementaryart room that great art smell is gone for now. I was met with the arduous and overwhelming task of teaching online. Everything around me settled when I refocused my mind. My setting may have changed, but my “why” hasn’t. Just before the stay-at-home order, my students were studying fiber art and their various global and societal impact throughout cultures and history. My second and third grade students were specifically learning about Guatemala and their tradition of making worry dolls. Worry dolls are traditionally made by children from sticks, string, and fabric. Children tell their worries to the dolls, place the dolls under their pillow, and the dolls
do the worrying while the children sleep. While this project was physically interrupted, it could not be stopped. I opened it to the entire school on Canvas, our distance learning platform. I tell them in my instructional video, “I can’t think of a better time to make a worry doll than right now.” Although we are not together in the art room, we continue to use art to unite our world. Art has the power to calm, heal, and unite. Let THAT be the lesson we learn.
ArtsGreensboro is dedicated to elevating the arts by creating awareness and promoting the vibrancy of our city; amplifying the impact the arts have in building strong and thriving communities for all citizens; and supporting arts organizations, artists, and teachers through grants, shared services, and technical assistance. For more information visit artsgreensboro.org
Ways to Give:
Text ARTSGSO to 44-321
Give online at artsgreensboro.org
Mail a check to: ArtsGreensboro PO Box 877 Greensboro NC 27402
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