Urban Art Retreat to Conduct Ongoing Workshops

N. Lawndale residents who would like to participate in creating a quilt about the history of N. Lawndale African American people are welcome to register with URBAN ART RETREAT for a group workshop to create a very artistic quilt along with others in a group setting.

We will share African American History of N. Lawndale and you are welcome to bring info. about the neighborhood. Together we will create some artistic 6"X6" squares to become part of a larger quilt endeavor. Family trees, civil rights scenes, famous people who lived here, and familiar scenes from the neighborhood will be just some of the subject matter for the quilt pieces created at UAR for this community-wide historical project!

We will be working in mixed media. Adults can participate on Saturdays from 11-2p.m. 

and youth can participate as part of our Sat. youth program from 1-4 on Saturdays. No experience is needed. It is free to participate. And you can do something worthwhile and participate in your own community!  

If you have a group of youth or adults who would like to schedule a day/time at UAR just 

for your group to create quilt squares under the direction of an artist, please send your info. to our email address. 

To RSVP, please send an email to contact@urbanartretreat with your name & number, 

plus what day you plan to attend.

thank you, Dianna

Dianna C. Long

The URBAN ART RETREAT

1957 S. Spaulding Ave. 

Chicago, Il. 60623

Dianna@urbanartretreat.com

www.urbanartretreat.com

(773) 542-9126

Gathering Intel for the African American Heritage of North Lawndale

Thanks to everyone who was able to participate in our online discussion to gather information on the African American heritage in North Lawndale. Please note that it's not too late to participate. As we think about sharing our experiences in North Lawndale, I'd like to ask a few questions. Feel free to answer as many as you'd like.

1. What are your strongest memories of North Lawndale?
2. What are some of your family traditions?
3. What activities do you remember from your block club?
4. What did you like about the parties?
5. Are there people who stand out in your mind that should be honored? If so, who? (they don't need to be famous)
6. When I mention North Lawndale, what images do you see (don't hold back)
7. Are you willing to share pictures, poems, websites, or anything that we can post onto the blog?

Check out http://northlawndalequilting.blogspot.com and provide feedback as to what you would add or improve.  You may post comments or send e-mails to valeriefleonard@msn.com.

Partners: Art Forward, Better Boys Foundation (BBF), Historic K-Town, North Lawndale Historical and Cultural Society, Urban Art Retreat

Help Us Preserve the African American History of North Lawndale

Help us to capture the African American heritage of North Lawndale. Please suggest links to websites featuring African Americans from North Lawndale, videos, articles, pictures, poems, oral histories etc. Feel free to submit your own material by e-mailing Valerie F. Leonard at valeriefleonard@msn.com.Not only will you help preserve history, but your stories can inspire the development of quilts depicting the African American culture in North Lawndale.

Pictures From Planning Meeting July 13, 2011

Notes From Planning Meeting July 13, 2011

Quilting Project Meeting Notes 7-13-11

Join the Project Planning Team!

Dear Friend of North Lawndale:

You are invited to participate in the North Lawndale African American Heritage Quilting Project as a member of the project planning team.  If you have quilting experience, this would entail providing technical assistance in the development of workshops on quilting techniques and the heritage of North Lawndale.  If you don’t have quilting experience, this would entail assisting with overall project coordination and planning, community outreach and marketing and logistics planning.

The North Lawndale African American Heritage Quilting Project will engage North Lawndale residents in the research of the history and culture of African American residents and express their findings in a community quilt. Subject matter can include family trees, family traditions, poems, stories, famous quotes, neighborhood traditions, church  or organization traditions, famous people from North Lawndale, North Lawndale icons, the relationship between  African American and Jewish experiences in North Lawndale; the Civil Rights Movement; the  African influence in Mexico; the Migration of African Americans from the South, etc.  We will involve residents, block clubs, schools, senior buildings, churches and nonprofit organizations in the project. The number of quilts we produce is dependent on the number of people we get to participate in the project.  Lead organizations include the Better Boys Foundation (BBF), Historic K-Town (prospect), Lawndale Historic and Cultural Society and the Urban Art Retreat.  We are fortunate to have connected with local professional quilt artists and visual artists from the West Side and Quilters from the the Fernwood United Methodist Church, and Oakdale Church to lend their expertise as well.

Our first work group meeting will be on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 6:00, at the Better Boys Foundation (BBF) on the corner of 15^th Street and Pulaski in Chicago.  We will discuss project structure and division of labor moving forward. I have attached a copy of the project structure for your convenience.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at valeriefleonard@msn.com or  773-521-3137.  We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

               

Sincerely,

Valerie F. Leonard

Project Manager

Participation Letter-Project Planning Team

North Lawndale Quilting Project Structure