Public Art Training Camp 2024

Six sessions designed to empower artists and cultural workers wanting to enter the field of public art.

Artists maintain expansive creative practices, toggling between various types of creative labor in both the public and private sectors. It’s imperative that artists develop holistic strategies to navigate these sectors with confidence and clarity.

Public Art Training Camp 2024 features sessions that are practice-oriented and applicable to different aspects of an artist’s trajectory. Whether you’re looking to refine your studio work, engage in public art projects, or write compelling artist statements, this year’s comprehensive approach provides the tools and insights needed to succeed.

Join us to build a thriving and impactful artistic practice that resonates with and benefits you.

Register now

Agenda

All sessions will be held online via Zoom.

Each session will be structured with the following format unless noted otherwise: introductions, first half of guest speaker’s presentation, break, second half of presenter’s session, Q + A, Shiftworks survey.

Thursday, September 26, 2024

4:00–5:30 PM ET

Doing All The Work
David Bernabo (Pittsburgh, PA)

Local artist David Bernabo’s sustainable and impactful multidisciplinary art practice began 20 years ago, influenced by Pittsburgh’s punk scene. His DIY approach to artmaking led to numerous successful projects, and lessons in being adaptable, open, and curious. For this session, Bernabo will share his methods for starting and maintaining an independent art career while balancing a full-time job. Topics that will be covered in Bernabo’s talk include: networking, finding opportunities, “real talk” about how projects happen, self-study, risk-taking, and keeping an open mind. The session will conclude with Bernabo discussing his latest endeavor, Bright Archives, an independent archival production house created with archivist Katherine Barbera, and the importance of preserving and documenting one’s own artistic oeuvre for future work.

This session is geared toward artists at any stage in their career who are considering an independent practice, or enhancing the one that they have.

This session will be recorded and shared with participants on October 18, 2024. The session will be viewable until January 18, 2025.

About David Bernabo

David Bernabo is a musician, artist, and independent filmmaker. He currently plays in the bands Watererer, How Things Are Made, and Else Collective. His film work documents studio practices of composers and artists, western Pennsylvania food systems, and histories of iconic arts institutions like the Mattress Factory. He is most noted for Moundsville, a documentary co-directed with former Wall Street Journal writer John W. Miller, which screened on PBS for three years, and the biographical documentary Just For The Record about avant-garde composer “Blue” Gene Tyranny. He has exhibited 2D, video, and installation art at SPACE, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Miller ICA, and 707 Penn, and he co-founded and co-curated the Lightlab Performance Series (2013-2019) with taylor knight and anna thompson of slowdanger.

He is a founding partner at Bright Archives, an independent archival production house. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University. www.davidbernabo.info.

Thursday, October 3, 2024

4:00–5:30 PM ET

Public Art: Proposal to Installation
Kenseth Armstead (Brooklyn, NY)

Kenseth Armstead, award winning artist and NYC Commissioner for Public Design, will guide artists through the process of developing site-specific public art projects. Participants will gain insight into the relationships necessary for successful public art projects, including community outreach and partnerships; presenting to boards and in public hearings; and working with fabricators, engineers, and architects. Artists will learn how to strengthen their concept development and proposal structure, and will be provided with resources for finding and applying for temporary and permanent public art opportunities.

This workshop is tailored to serve artists new to public art, as well as public artists looking to grow their practice.

This session will be recorded and shared with participants on October 18, 2024. The session will be viewable until January 18, 2025.

About Kenseth Armstead

Kenseth Armstead has created provocative conceptual art for three decades. His work has been included in
pivotal explorations of history, American culture, ethnicity, and institution defining moments. Selected historic exhibitions which include his work are: Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary Art at the Whitney Museum of American Art; It’s Happening! Celebrating 50 Years of Public Art in NYC Parks, Central Park, NY, NY, Presented by NYC Parks, Art in the Parks; Race in Digital Space at the MIT List Visual Arts Center; Veni Vidi Video at the Studio Museum in Harlem (their first video exhibition in 2003); Open House: Working in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Museum; “Edited at EAI”: Video Interference at Electronic Arts Intermix (celebrating 45 years of their award winning collection); Modern Heroics, 75 years of African American Expressionism at the Newark Museum.

Thursday, October 10, 2024

4:00–5:30 PM ET

Introduction to Community Art
Katherine Miranda (Bronx, NY) and Maya Marie S. (Brooklyn, NY)

Community-based public art can be a difficult arena for an artist to navigate, especially with no prior experience. It also can have various models of community participation based on the parameters of the project at-hand. Bronx-based artist Katherine Miranda will share his experience creating the project “Foodprints: Soul of Food” with Deep Routes, a Brooklyn-based educational food-specific organization, during their Create Change Fellowship hosted by The Laundromat Project. Joining Miranda for the talk will be Maya Marie S., Deep Routes’ founder and lead facilitator.

The session will highlight how artists can engage communities that they’re not a part of by working with and listening to people who have already established trust within their own communities. Miranda will talk through his methodology of how he intentionally developed his project that worked in tandem with Deep Routes’ Juneteenth Jubilee. He will also share how artists can work with communities by lending their artistic abilities to the people, resources, and organizations already serving their communities; supporting the work that is already in progress.

This session is geared toward artists at any stage of their career exploring various approaches to community engagement.

This session will be recorded and shared with participants on October 18, 2024. The session will be viewable until January 18, 2025.

About Katherine Miranda

Katherine Miranda (they/he) is a Latinx non-binary multidisciplinary artist. Interested in the innate way familial and communal stories are connected to ancestral lineages; Miranda’s artistic practice is one that is deeply rooted in the idea that our histories hold both value and power. Using discarded objects, most notably Café Bustelo, they create work that acts as an homage to their family, community and ancestry.

Miranda has been awarded several residences and fellowships including the Governors Island Residency with BronxArtSpace (2023), the Create Change Fellowship with The Laundromat Project (2023), the Artist in the Marketplace Fellowship with the Bronx Museum (2022) and the New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowship with Wave Hill (2021). They received their BFA from Macaulay Honors at Brooklyn College.

About Maya Marie S.

Maya Marie S. (she/her) is a Black farmer, chef, writer, and foodways educator from Baltimore, MD (Piscataway, Cherokee, and Lumbee lands) with roots in the Southern US who’s called Brooklyn, NY (Canarsee, Lenni Lenape lands) her home for over 10 years. She’s invested in creating accessible spaces for Black and brown people to learn about food and health that center their personal stories and food traditions while reconnecting with the earth and each other. She’s the founder and lead facilitator of Deep Routes, which is an educational project that uplifts the foodways of African and Indigenous diasporas via workshops, educational publications, and media.

Thursday, October 24, 2024

4:00–5:30 PM ET

Mastering Muralism: Art, Community, and Collaboration
Max Gonzales (Pittsburgh, PA) and Shane Pilster (Pittsburgh, PA)

Join long-time collaborators, muralists, and friends Max Gonzales and Shane Pilster for a session on mural-making best practices. 

Discover the distinctions between street art, graffiti, style writing, and muralism, and gain insights into the practical aspects of art commissions. Gonzales and Pilster will share their experiences with creative control, budgeting, and the client-artist relationship, emphasizing professional integrity.

Learn about the tangible aspects of mural creation, from conceptualization and mock-ups to budgeting for time, materials, and travel. Understand the labor-intensive nature of muralism and its public setting, where varied reactions add to the vibrancy of the art form.

This talk will highlight the collaborative strengths that drive their projects, showcasing how teamwork enhances creativity. With a focus on design, mock-ups, and real-world challenges, Gonzales and Pilster aim to inspire and educate aspiring artists. 

This session is geared toward artists at any stage of their career who want to learn more about the mural process. The guest presenters encourage participants to bring any and all questions – even the most challenging. 

This session will be recorded and shared with participants on November 22, 2024. The session will be viewable until February 22, 2025.

About Max Gonzales

Max Emiliano Gonzales, also known by their artist name “GEMS”, can be classified as an activist, art educator, muralist, graffiti writer, curator, and much more. Originally from the Southwest side of Chicago and raised in Latino communities, Max brings a unique perspective to Pittsburgh and their Garfield community.

Max was brought to Pittsburgh in 2012 to attend Carnegie Mellon University’s Fine Art program on a full-ride Scholarship. By 2016 Max had graduated with honors, secured multiple positions with the University, and was arrested as Pittsburgh’s most wanted graffiti artist. Rather than let the notoriety of their graffiti identity dwindle, Max has gone on to develop a career from it as a practicing artist, muralist, curator, and art educator.

Max has presented as a guest artist, lectured, and run workshops at locations including The University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Winchester Thurston High School, Pittsburgh CAPA, Propel Schools, The Carnegie Libraries, Youth Places, Assemble Pgh, and The Environmental Charter School. Max is also a member of Hemispheric Conversations Urban Art Project, the Uptown Arts Council, and the Maxo Vanka Educational Programming Committee.

Lately, Max has become most well known for their spray paint Murals and community-driven Mural events. As a full-time muralist, Max wishes to use their identity and vast knowledge of the arts to serve the public and brighten the walls of any community they may be invited into.

About Shane Pilster

Shane Pilster is a dynamic creative force, skilled in artistry, muralism, curation, and graphic design. He merges graffiti and urban arts with a strong dedication to community engagement, taking on roles as an educator, advocate, and mentor. Shane uses graffiti to amplify the voices of marginalized groups, sharing his expertise to empower individuals to use art for personal or societal change.

Originally from Santa Cruz, CA, Shane has been rooted in Pittsburgh since 2004. He initiated the Graffiti Art Program at Rivers of Steel (Carrie Furnaces) in 2013 and co-founded HCUAP, collaborating with impactful nonprofits like Hip-Hop On LOCK and The YMCA. His portfolio ranges from local projects to partnerships with national corporations such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Verizon.

With over two decades of spray painting experience and fifteen years of engaging with youth and the public, Shane has contributed to numerous public art installations and workshops. He continues to refine his craft alongside fellow artist and mural partner Max Gonzales.

In Shane Pilster’s career, you’ll find a blend of artistic skill and a commitment to nurturing creativity and social change within communities, leaving a lasting impact through vibrant expressions of art.

Thursday, November 7, 2024

4:00–5:30 PM ET

Workshop: Artful Balance
Leslie Roybal (Boston, MA)

Join professional dancer and life coach Leslie Roybal for an immersive workshop on how to balance wellness, self-care, and your art practice. Roybal will lead participants through a series of exercises designed to help each person assess where they are in their creative endeavors. The exercises will consist of reflective writing and discussion to help attendees understand how different aspects of their life and work intersect. Attendees will come away with actionable suggestions on how to best move their artistic practice forward in ways that are personally satisfying and in alignment with their goals.

This session will be a workshop consisting of exercises led by the guest speaker. Attendees are expected to bring a notebook and writing implement. We ask that registrants be certain that they can attend this session and engage fully with their cameras on.

This session will not be recorded.

About Leslie Roybal

Leslie Roybal (Co-Founder, United Flamenco) has enjoyed a professional career as a performing artist, spanning over 25 years in both the contemporary dance and flamenco forms. She performed internationally with The Metropolitan Opera, Pasión y Arte, A Palo Seco Flamenco, Entreflamenco, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana and in the New York Area and New Mexico tablaos. Over the past 7 years, her work has been dedicated to providing essential support to artists through coaching, mentorship, and production support. She envisioned and created events and programs such as the Flamenco Certamen USA, an international competition for rising artists, and Evolución, a multi-tiered framework of support for dancers at all stages of their journey. Leslie is a certified NLP Practitioner and her coaching, mentorship and leadership has empowered hundreds of rising artists to grow in their practice.

Thursday, November 14, 2024

4:00–5:30 PM ET

Workshop: Crafting Your Artist Statement
Christina Berke (Los Angeles, CA)

An artist statement is more than just a description of your work; it’s a window into your creative process, vision, and purpose. It sets the stage for how your audience will interpret and engage with your art. Whether you’re preparing for a gallery show, a grant application, or simply refining your artistic identity, a strong artist statement is essential.
Join writer and educator Christina Berke for a 90-minute live workshop that will explore the art of crafting a compelling artist statement. This session will cover the purpose of artist statements, look at artist statement samples, and generate ideas based on guiding questions. Participants will walk away with the start of a draft of their own artist statement. There will be time reserved for questions and optional sharing.

This session will be a workshop consisting of exercises led by the guest speaker. Attendees are expected to bring a notebook and writing implement. We ask that registrants be certain that they can attend this session and engage fully with their cameras on.

This session will not be recorded.

About Christina Berke

Christina Berke MFA M.Ed. is a Chilean-American writer and educator based in Los Angeles. She was the 2022 Katharine Bakeless Nason Contributor Award Recipient in Nonfiction at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. Her fiction manuscript based on her maternal family’s history living through the 1973 coup won Honorable Mention for the 2022 Miami Book Fair Emerging Writers Fellowship. A former Managing Editor for Black Mountain Institute’s award-winning literary magazine, Witness, she now reads memoir for Split Lip Magazine. Her writing has been supported by the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Bread Loaf, the Kenyon Review Teacher’s Workshop, VONA, Tin House and elsewhere. She’s been awarded residencies with Hedgebrook, Vermont Studio Center, Storyknife and Ragdale. A former middle school English teacher, Christina is an Adjunct Professor of English and teaches creative writing classes online and within her community.

Registration

The registration button below will redirect you to Eventbrite where you will complete your purchase.

Public Art Training Camp 2024 is sponsored by

Duolingo logo