Nourished (2019)
About Nourished: In Nourished artists were invited to explore the theme of nourishment as it applies to the body, creativity, shelter, nature, identity, and community. Inspired by artist Dominique Moody’s piece “Our Garden of Dreams”.
Roles & Formations in Nourished:
Yoli curated Nourished as the Community Outreach & Artist Projects Manager at Side Street Projects. In each residency, Yoli supported the artists in developing and sharing their projects to support the underserved communities of Pasadena, Altadena, and Los Angeles County and nurture their growth as artists.
Ofelia Marquez: Clipped Ears Don’t Serve A Weeping Wolf, Sang The Coyote To The Blood Moon
“Clipped Ears Don’t Serve A Weeping Wolf, Sang The Coyote To The Blood Moon” by artist Ofelia Marquez explored the Coyote and its symbolic connotations as trickster in Native American culture and its latinx term used for those who help undocumented people cross the border from Mexico to the U.S.
Through the course of the residency, Ofelia created a coyote mask that was then animated during a live performance by artist Von Curtis in the closing celebration for the project.
Ofelia through out the residency also hosted a series of woodblock printmaking workshops for local Altadena and Pasadena community.
Felecia “Fe Love” Lenee: A compassionate Cure to climate chaos
“A Compassionate Cure to Climate Chaos” hosted by culture worker Felecia “Fe Love” Lenee brought together healers, artists and Pasadena/ Altadena community members to explore the injustices people of color experience in our social and environmental climate.
As part of her residency, Fe Love hosted and organized Compassionate Therapy Labs at the Arlington Garden in Pasadena where participants got to connect with local artists and “Community Healers” using creative experiments and compassionate conversations to hold space for the traumas people of color endure living in today’s tumultuous world.
Culminating in a Closing Celebration at The Alkebulan Cultural Center, Felecia portrayed "Mother Earth" in an interactive performance, in which attendees were invited to share ideas, make videos testimonials and create a space that inspires compassion, prosperity, love and healing energy - so that “Mother Earth” can recover.
In 2021, Felecia “Fe Love” Lenee transitioned from this earthly plane. May she rest in power and the peace and community safety she dedicated her life to prevail!
Jason Kartez: Mobile graphics Lab
Mobile Graphics Lab was a project by artist Jason Kartez. The Lab is a completely portable teaching station and comics classroom. The first project of the Mobile Graphics Lab was organizing a community created cookbook. The project retools the idea of cookbooks and intergenerational dialogue by using comics as a medium to share knowledge about food and culture. Whether new recipes or old recipes handed down for generations, the mobile graphics lab helped participants exchange and share their cultural heritage and history through food and comic books.