Meet one of our wonderful board members, Kim!

Kim Hasegawa Darcy is the daughter of two amazing educators. She grew up on two coasts as her father was a Professor in upstate NY and her mother a Professor in Seattle. She racially identifies as Japanese American and has embraced her Japanese culture and heritage into her and her family’s lifestyle. She visited Japan every year and eventually lived there while her father was a professor at Hokkaido University. As a graduate of WSU she currently serves students in the Shoreline School District as the District’s Equity Specialist centering BIPOC voices and student outcomes. She is passionate about racial equity work and is honored to serve on the Arts Corps Board. 

What made you decide to become a board member at Arts Corps?
I’ve been a donor and Tanisha invited me in.  I believe that Arts Education is KEY for students and is also a content area where funding in many districts are cut.  I wanted to promote Arts Corps for their amazing work and I’m honored to be a part of it.

What opportunities and challenges do you see ahead for those of us who care deeply about art, young people, and community? 
Funding and access!  That needs to be changed!

Has there been an artist or piece of art which has had a positive impact in your life? 
Music. I love music of most genres.  Music brings me nostalgia, memories, even the gift of youth!  It calms me on stressful days and pumps me up when I need that boost of energy.  I absolutely LOVE going to concerts – recently I have seen Janet Jackson, Madonna, Taylor Swift (with my daughter) and I will go see Peter Gabriel.  My husband and I enjoy Rock, and my daughter and I enjoy pop and Hip Hop.  

What is something that is currently bringing you joy?
Spending time on vacation with my family.  I enjoy warm sunny climates!  I love the fact that my UW sophomore still loves to do Mommy/Daughter trips.  I also love spending time with my 4y/o niece as much as I can.  

Read More

 

In Art 4 Life Summer 2023, our youth did a lot! In the course of a week, the interns worked with professional artists at Common Area Maintenance (CAM) in Belltown, learned a variety of new visual arts skills, created 5 different pieces, and hosted a showcase event for the community. It was a whirlwind of laughter, growth, and creativity. At the heart of it all were Arts Corps teaching artists Adam Collet and Arielle Labra. Adam and Arielle were the ones to plan the curriculum, lead the classes, and stand by the youth through their challenges and celebrations. We are so thankful for their work and talent! 

Now that the program has ended, we got the opportunity to learn more about these awesome teaching artist and their thoughts on the internship. 

You both have been teaching artists for Art 4 Life in the past. What made you decide to become a teaching artist? What do you like about this program in particular?

ADAM: I came to teaching late in life,  I never thought I would be a teacher, I guess I resisted the call for a long time. When my own children began school I started to see a real need for quality, relevant art education. That was the beginning for me.

What do I like about Art 4 Life? It’s a chance for students with an interest in art, that might not otherwise have access to higher level art opportunities, to work together intensively and produce a new body of work. This latest iteration of Art 4 Life was great, we were at CAM (Common Area Maintenance) for a week. We worked on book binding, zine making, poster making, collage, printmaking, stencil work, photography, and sign painting. There were probably a couple more things in there too. In the end we had an art show/book binding event to showcase all the awesome student work. Big shoutout to Arielle , my co-teacher, and Timothy and Robert at CAM, and all the CAM artists that pitched in.

ARIELLE: Growing up I lacked representation. When I was in school I didn’t have a teacher whom to look up too, not even my art teachers. So I would like to be “that” teacher for someone. I think representation is key for youth, they are trying to figure out who they are and having teachers that don’t fit the norm is key.

As to Art 4 Life, I like that it’s a very intentional program, its main focus is to expose youth to an artist work environment and teach them new art and work skills for their future careers. I think that art programs are essentials in a students life, there are so many art forms out there. I’m grateful we get a chance to show/teach different art mediums to the youth and that they get a chance to try new things.

What has been a challenge about pursuing art professionally? What has been a reward?

ADAM: Haha, pursuing creative work professionally is not for the faint of heart. There’s of a constant struggle trying to balance personal and professional goals and projects. Rewards? Peace of mind, the reward is all in your head.  

ARIELLE: It has been financially hard, teachers and artists world wide are not compensated fairly for their jobs and time. But I love sharing and being creative with others. It feels my heart with joy when I see young artist believing in their craft and trying new things.

What are some of your own creative practices?

ADAM: I’ve been taking photos for a long time now but lately (the last 2-3 years) I’ve been drawing and painting a lot more. Mostly drawing semiautobiographical short comics. Currently I’m mining a lifetime of memories and seeing how they influence the way I interpret the world. I’m also trying to assemble a box camera I picked up recently.

ARIELLE: Being curious, drawing everything, and keeping an open mind! I always take photos of where I go and whatever catches my attention when I’m walking. I always carry a little sketchbook and pencil with me because you never know when you will find something to draw.

What was one of your favorite moments during the internship?

ADAM: We did some linocut printmaking and seeing the students turn a slab of nothing into beautiful works of art was fantastic. Watching them pull those first prints, it was like watching a magic show. That, and giving them the cameras and toy cameras to take photos. It was very cool to see how they decided to document the work that was happening.  Lastly, maybe just seeing everyone so motivated. We had a couple 15 minute breaks built into the schedule everyday but more often that not students would just keep working. Everyone was just so focused and productive. 

ARIELLE: The students faces when they saw their final projects. They worked so hard to make it happen and it showed in their piece.

Do you have other projects coming up, or anything you would like to share?

ADAM: Nothing I want to mention, don’t want to jinx it.

ARIELLE: I’m slowly but surely diving more into tattooing and just moved into a new studio, so my summer project is to make the place look nice and get new clients!

 

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Adam Collet has been taking photographs and making art since childhood. Adam went to school in Seattle, also attended Seattle Central Community College and the UW where he earned a BFA in Photography. In 2008, he began teaching and passing on an interest in art and design to the next generation. Still living in Seattle with wife, children, and cat.

Besides Adam’s photography and illustration work he’s also a Teaching Artist specializing in Visual Art with a focus on integrating Art and STEM disciplines. In addition to Arts Corps, he’s taught classes, and online content for King County Library System; Seattle Public Library; stArt Exploring, a project of Sound Transit; Seattle Parks and Rec; High Point Neighborhood House; Yesler Terrace, Youth Tutoring Program; Family Learning Program; and various schools in Highline and Seattle Public Schools.

Recent projects include Essentially Seattle – photographing essential workers for City of Seattle/SPU, from the Office of Art & Culture; Public Art Program – photographing publicly sited artworks for City of Seattle, from the Office of Art & Culture. Ethnic Artist Roster, Seattle; Creative Advantage Arts Partner Roster, Seattle; ShoreLake Artist Roster, Shoreline.

 

Arielle A Labra Campos (She/Her/They/Them) is a Queer Latinx artist born to Immigrant parents in Zimbabwe. Moving to South America at the age of 5, living in Chile and Argentina before moving to Seattle in 2018. From an early age, Arielle has explored different art forms to express and find herself. Growing up, they would spend their school breaks at their grandparents beach house in Chile. In summer playing with the waves, the sand and seashells, and in winter Arielle would fill her time with drawings, paintings and crafts. She is inspired by the feeling of belonging and her long-life connection to the sea and their creatures – utilizing blue and purple colorways, and detailed lines and dots to bring her illustrations to life. Her art often combines the creatures of the surface (humans) with oceanic themes. In her work, Arielle brings together elements that sometimes looks like they don’t belong together, bringing harmony and balance to it.

Read More

This summer, Arts Corps is partnering with CAM for the Art 4 Life Summer 2023 internship! It has been such a delight to work with this talented, receptive, and kind group of artists in our journey to create a program in which teens can learn, experiment, and have fun as they get exposed to the world of professional art. CAM is not only a group, but also a space designed to foster creativity and collaboration, and we can’t wait to spend some of our summer there. Get to know CAM a little better by reading below and seeing just a few photos from the very many cool things that they do. 

What is CAM and what do y’all do? How did you come together?
CAM, short for Common Area Maintenance, is a gallery and open-format artist studio located in downtown Seattle. Our mission is to foster meaningful relationships with our member artists and the greater Seattle arts community through creative collaborations and resource sharing. In 2015, we first came together with the idea that creative spaces can be sustainable while remaining wild and rooted in exploring anti-capitalist methodology – both serving as a public benefit and a place to grow in one’s personal practice. One way we foster a sense of wildness in the space is by inviting our artist members and non-members alike to contribute to the curation of shows and events completely free of cost. These shows are also open to the public without any admission fees. So it might be of little surprise that one of CAM’s core values is financial accessibility. From the beginning, we’ve been dedicated to providing affordable space for artists to work and exhibit – and we are thrilled to announce that we have recently transitioned to a sliding scale rent model for our artist members, further enhancing our commitment to financial inclusivity.

What are some of CAM’s creative guiding principles? 
CAM embraces a set of creative guiding principles that revolve around the belief that artists thrive not in isolation, but through collaboration and generous mutual support. In order to foster such an environment, we uphold values of care, flexibility, affordability, accessibility, and unwavering commitment to our labor. Additionally, we cherish joy, play, and celebration – which historically often leads to a lot of karaoke parties!

What role do you think youth arts education has in our Seattle art community? 
We believe that youth-centered education mirrors our aspiration to see all people thrive within the arts and develop a creative voice. More specifically, we trust that youth arts education is the foundation for the next generation of voices in Seattle’s leadership. It provides the material that guides a culture towards radical action, through the lens of self-expression, empowerment, and creativity. We want Seattle’s youth to take over our jobs!

What is something you are excited for in our Art 4 Life program? 
The energy and creative power of young people is unparalleled, so we’re excited to share in that creative space together, while learning from the brilliant teaching artists at Arts Corps. Our time together in preparation has already been so inspiring and we can’t wait to continue – Multi-generational making and sharing is really fun! Another important aspect of this program is the opportunity we have to share with young people that an arts career is a tangible life choice. This feels quite powerful as most member artists at CAM didn’t see that modeled for them in their youth and had to discover or invent their own path. This is a chance to show students that the opportunities to create never stop.

 

Read More

Tell us a little about Lil Woody’s and your story! How did you decide you wanted to open a restaurant? How did you get started?

I traveled a lot when I was working in music and I would always come across these cool little burger joints in the cities where we toured. Seattle had some good burger spots but nothing like what I was seeing on the road. So in 2011, we created our first Lil’ Woody’s on Capitol Hill with a lens on music, clothing, community and collaborations. We really just wanted to create a place where we wanted to eat that also uplifted our friends and neighbors who were doing creative things.

In our 12th year of business, we now have four burger joints in Seattle: Capitol Hill, White Center, Ballard and T-Mobile Park.

We also have a couple of new spots opening up, one on Microsoft Campus and one at SeaTac Airport. 

We’re so grateful that people like what we do and that the creative collaborations keep coming.

The Arts Corps’ burger name is “Rise & Bloom”. How did artists and arts education play into your own rising and blooming as a youth?

Kate Becker. The Redmond Firehouse. I was a young alterna-teen and that’s where I went to All Ages shows, got inspired and realized I wanted to work in music and other creative projects. I started out working at Easy Street Records as a teenager where I worked for almost a decade. I also interned for Matt Vaughn during the Gruntruck years, and worked for his parents doing stuff for a Vancouver Industrial band called Econline Crush. 

Then I started promoting nights at local clubs (Yo Son) and showcasing a bunch of local hip hop shows, did a stint managing local bands (Band of Horses, Sera Cahoone), started a record label (Under the Needle), opened some nightclubs (War Room) – worked hard, met a ton of creative people, learned a lot.

How does creativity come into play in your work?

Mostly around finding new people with whom to do creative things and collaborating with other creatives. There are always at least two points of view, two ways of looking at how to accomplish the same goal, and the outcome is often really different than I might expect going into it. So I try not to go into collaborations with restrictions or expectations – I stay open-minded and ready for a better idea to emerge out of the process, something better than what either of us might come up with on our own.

Creativity also comes into play when problem-solving. If I can get a real grasp on the issue we’re trying to solve, there is always a way to resolve it that serves everyone involved. I’ve learned not to force things, to take a deep breath and some space, and let the solution come. That’s all an essential part of the creative process too and it’s also good business.

Read More

You started as a student in Print 4 Life, the screen printing program that Arts Corps T.A. Greg Thorton leads. Can you tell us about your experience in the program and how it impacted you?

My name is Maryem Weini and when I was around the age of 16 years old, I was a bad kiddo. It was then that I first met Claire, who worked at the King County juvenile detention center. I was on probation when we first met, and she told my probation officer that she was trying to help young youth like me fix their lives and get off probation. Claire shared with my probation officer that her husband Greg [Thorton] was starting a program called Print 4 Life. I wasn’t trying to do any of that around that time, but I had to so I could get off probation. As I started Print 4 Life, I met Greg and he introduced me to screen printing. Honestly, I was so confused on what I was supposed to be doing.

Time changed and I started to get more and more engaged in screen printing. I felt so much LOVE, SUPPORT, and MOTIVATION. I can honestly say that if I had never had this opportunity to feel so much LOVE from somebody, I wouldn’t be the same person I am today. During Print 4 Life, Greg and Claire showed and gave me SO MUCH!!! Print 4 Life impacted me by showing me a different path in life. I’ve grown so much and my art has also improved a lot. I LOVE making shirts now. Screen printing was an amazing experience which I needed in my life.

Now you’re a classroom assistant! What made you decide to take on this role and come back to a classroom?

I LOVE KIDS!!! Having this AMAZING spot in life where I get to call myself Miss Maryem, an after school visual arts teacher’s assistant, makes me get out of bed everyday to come see all these natural born artists. Coming back into a classroom is different now because I’m the teacher’s assistant, getting everything set up and ready to go. It’s great just sitting next to all the artists, and viewing their work makes me feel strong everyday because I’m sharing the strength with them.

What have been some challenges that you’ve faced as a faculty? What have been some rewarding moments? What is something you’re excited for?

To be honest, I haven’t really faced any challenges while working as a faculty member that I haven’t been able to overcome. One of my most rewarding moments is staying with Art Corps, from being introduced when I was a bad kiddo at the age of 16 to this strong motivated woman who’s 22 years old- it’s been a strong 7 years. What I’m most excited for is to actually become a visual arts teacher, not just the teacher’s assistant – not that I mind being an assistant, because this is giving me the foundation to actually become that teacher.

Arts Corps is kicking off a fundraising season we’re calling “Rise & Bloom.” It’s taking the place of a single annual gala that we called “Festa.”  What does the theme mean to you?

Rising up everyday to face challenges daily. While facing challenges in life – both now and later – people can carry motivation, success and ambition in a little or big way which will help them keep striving to become that flowery bloom.

How can we nurture young people so that they can RISE & BLOOM as their true self? What role do you think art education has in this nurturing?

By encouraging their young hearts, minds and acknowledging their success small and big. Arts nurturing their young minds gives them an avenue for self experience.

What are some of your own creative practices and current projects? How can people support you?

I love coloring, drawing and working on puzzles. A current project I’m working on is my second lesson plan for one of my visual art classes where I’m getting mentored by Greg. Also people can keep supporting me by just being great!!!!!!

Read More

Eris, you’ve been part of the Arts Corps community for a while in various ways! Tell us about your journey with the organization and what it was that made you come back?

Finding Arts Corps was a bit of a journey in and of itself. At the time, I was getting my degree in Positive Youth Development at Highline College. I wasn’t in the degree with the goal of starting non-profit work. The larger goal was to get my Master’s in library science, but I felt the degree was relevant and interesting, so I went for it. I was also 19 at the time, which was wild, being a youth and studying about… well, myself. The more I learned, the more I became invested and passionate about community work. 

In the second half of the program, you have to find a place to intern. They just kind of unleash you and say, “Reach out!! Do your best!!” I was so nervous and lost, I just started looking for places that focused on art and music, since those are things I personally enjoy. When I reached out to Arts Corps, they immediately responded with such interest and enthusiasm. I tend to believe I’m imposing on people a lot, but from the beginning, the folks at Arts Corps saw things in me that I had never thought of as valuable and that continues to be a big reason I keep coming back.

I learned one of my biggest life lessons during my time as an Arts Corps intern. When you’re young, there’s a lot of mystique around working, especially around being a “professional.” It’s like being an “adult,” you don’t really know what to expect, but there’s a lot of grandeur spun around it while growing up. What coming into Arts Corps taught me is that the world is just made up of a bunch of people trying their best to get stuff done. Whether you’re a CEO or in customer service, it’s not really any different. There’s no secret code or revelation; we’re all just people doing our best. 

When it came to staying on as a classroom assistant and teaching artist, or coming back to be a program manager, my reasons were always the same. Regardless of what I was learning about myself, what I wanted, or who I wanted to be, Arts Corps had my back. The folks here have always been there for me, cheering me on, and believing in me more than I believe in myself. And hey, they do awesome work. They’re giving something to the world that it really needs: A place to do art and feel loved. Not just to the youth, but to the staff, too. Every day when I come home, I find myself thinking “Wow, I’m so very blessed that my life led me to Arts Corps.”

How did your experiences at Arts Corps prepare you professionally? How did they connect to your journey outside the organization?

Being at Arts Corps taught me a lot about what work is involved in running a non-profit. But, honestly, I think the best thing it did was give me standards! Standards on how to treat each other, on how to uplift those we work with and for, and what it really means to be an “equitable” and “anti-racist” organization. The short time I was gone, I started to see very quickly that not everyone sees the world like Arts Corps does. I was taught here that honesty, bravery, accountability, love, and the desire to grow are the true pillars to being a “professional.” Outside of Arts Corps, I ran into a lot of places that seemed to believe being professional means keeping your head down and your heart closed. People think those systems exist for safety and comfort, but all it’s keeping safe is the system of power itself. Arts Corps taught me that being an “artist” (which is really just being “human”) is all about challenging those systems of power. 

What is something you are looking forward to in your new role as Program Manager?

I just really enjoy the logistics of it all. Someone reminded me we needed to figure out food for a class, and I immediately got excited to plan it. Making connections, providing folks with information, keeping everything together with duct tape and staples if you have to — it’s all so satisfying when you know what you’re doing. I’m looking forward to learning more and more so I can confidently claim I know what I’m doing! Then I’ll be able to reach that most satisfying place, where even if I have 10 different projects to juggle, I know exactly what’s happening in each one, and can leap right into whatever needs to happen next.

Everyday though, I’m just excited to help people. As a kid, whenever I came up with a new answer to “What do you want to be when you grow up?” my parent’s follow-up was always “How does that help people?” It was drilled into me that what you do to make money should always help people somehow. So, unless I’m being of service to someone, I don’t really feel that I’m working at all. In that way, I’m looking forward to becoming more capable, so that everyone around me can think: “Whenever I need help, I know I can rely on Eris to be there for me.”

What are some of your personal creative practices? What do you like about them?

I like to enjoy a lot of different art forms! I draw, write, dance, video edit, and I recently began my journey in cosplay, which involves a lot of types of sewing and fabricating. I’ll be learning to craft armor with foam this year, for example. There’s little I feel I’ve mastered, but that’s alright, since art is about expression and enjoyment rather than perfection. I can be satisfied with things like sewing and video editing as long as I get to see my artistic vision become tangible. Then I can say I’ve learned something new.

The one thing I try to “perfect” is singing! Music has been in my life as early as I can remember, whether played by friends and family or just on the radio in the car, and singing has always been a part of that. You don’t need any special tools to do it, you just need to raise your voice and go for it! It’s something that’s incorporated throughout the day for me. It could be singing in the car, or while cleaning, or in the grocery store, or anywhere really. Breathing, being loud, and letting the world hear you, there’s nothing else really like it. Singing with others is also a really special experience, which I do mostly in the Level Up! Vocal Ensemble (LU!VE) which I help run in Seattle. These days I’m simply grabbing any performance opportunity I can find and have time for, so I can keep sharing that love for music with other people.

What opportunities and challenges do you see ahead for those of us who care deeply about art, young people, and community?

The main opportunity I’m thinking about these days is the potential to integrate nonprofits in with our local library systems more. Local libraries are nuclei of community, but I haven’t heard of any non-profit so far consistently partnering with them. I’d really like to see organizations turn to librarians to discuss how we can connect and deliver what our community members need. If more of us can walk hand-in-hand when it comes to programming, our net of supporters will become tighter-knit, and more and more people will be served and uplifted.

I find I can’t really speak on challenges, though. A challenge is just another thing to get done, right? I mean, sure, I could write a paragraph here about the fact arts education still isn’t properly funded, the need to restructure the education system to improve the lives of both teachers and students, the effect on youth of growing up in a world where privacy doesn’t exist, or the rise of puritan politics, but what would be changed by that? 

I simply choose to believe in my heart that there is a world where everyone has the opportunity and time to enjoy art. One where everyone loves each other and grows closer because of it. Where everyone values each other and what we have to say. If I work a little harder, and talk to more people, and spread the word, that world is going to exist, it’ll get a little closer. Will there be challenges? Probably. When those eventual challenges appear, we’ll just roll up our sleeves and climb over it. And then one day, on the other side of those walls, that world will become real.

It’s a new year! As we move into 2023, what are some things that you are holding onto or reaching toward?

Last year, my goal was to do everything!! I wanted to push myself to try things I’d never done before, take risks, and never say no. I grew a lot and found a lot of awesome opportunities. I definitely don’t want to let go of that mindset. At the same time, trying to manage everything is exhausting. So I’m learning, now that I’ve piled on so much, how to carefully set some things aside. In 2023, I want to keep up on pushing myself, but also to focus on learning how to pace myself for the many more years of exploration to come.

Read More