Episode 136: A Conversation about CORE

Welcome back to Artbeat Radio! in this episode, EPI student Carlos Arredondo will ask EPI art instructors Dezcjon and Marissa some questions about the most recent exhibition, the CORE show. The CORE show was a big deal for EPI service users; it was the first show for those who are participating in in-person services to get to work with their peers and instructors on all pieces together in person. Collectively, both in-person and virtually, EPI submitted a total of eight pieces for the show. We hope you enjoy listening to Carlos Arredondo interview Dezcjon and Marissa on the CORE show process. Collaborators on this episode: service users Greco Ancona, Carlos Arredondo, Emilio Lopez; staff Dezcjon, Marissa, and Morgan. *Intro music by Artbeat Radio staff* Music, stories, and more! You’re listening to Artbeat Radio, a program by Able ARTS Work. Morgan: On this episode of Artbeat Radio, EPI student Carlos Arredondo will ask EPI art instructors Dezcjon and Marissa some questions about our most recent exhibition, the CORE show. Carlos A: How did you and my peers decide what projects we would work on? Dezcjon: So with the CORE show we, me and Marissa, we went about giving the clients creative control being this was one of the first shows we got to prepare for in person. We wanted to see what they were interested in showing and expressing. So we sat down with them [for] about a week just brainstorming on pieces they wanted to continue to work on; like some pieces from before the pandemic we hadn't got to finish, as well as new ideas. And just some collaborations too, like some clients wanted to work with friends they hadn’t seen in a while. Marissa: We decided first by making.. We worked as a group and then we asked the students what they want to decide as the title and the theme for that show. Carlos A: Tell me about the final pieces that [were] accepted? Dezcjon: It was cool to see some of the final pieces come together. The students knew what they wanted in mind. Some like Carlos, Carlos A., made it clear he wanted to work with Carlos C. They collaborated together to make artwork called "Sunshine and Flores.” It started off with a piece Carlos C. did back in 2018 using some yellow and red paint, making a very warm background, but it looked like he hadn’t finished it maybe. So Carlos [A.] had saw that and was asking about the upcoming show and if he could work with Carlos C. And they ended up making "Sunshine and Flores” which has the warm sun rays, some yellow and reds, look like probably by hand, smeared in the background, and then Carlos A. came back with some acrylic paint markers and created a very happy sun with some cool blue flowers at the bottom. And it was cool to see pieces like that come together. Another final piece that was cool to see come together was Mr. happy face by Greco. Greco was very hyped to create a solo piece for the show. And he was one of the clients who actually got to visit the gallery with me during the pandemic and he expressed how much he enjoyed being there. And when I asked him about you know, what kind of stuff he wanted to show in the new gallery space he expressed you know, he wanted to show something that showed how happy he was to be back at program with his friends. Which ended up with him coming up his piece Mr. Happy Face. Which, the background he painted with some green paint and blue paint with brushes, and then he actually used paint markers for the orange spots. And then as far as his smiling happy looking character Mr. Happy Face, Greco drew him out with paint markers and then added the details like his hair and smiling face last to make it pop. Marissa: The final title of [one of] the show [pieces] that was accepted was “The Red Jelly” by Daniel and [in collaboration with] his family. The family decided to draw what they [all] want and they asked Daniel first, and the(continued)