The African American Artists Collective of Kansas City will be in residency at Charlotte Street Foundation’s Capsule performing arts space throughout the month of December to round out the year of 2018. Throughout the entire month, AAAC will host over 30 events that span across forms of art practices for artists and patrons in Kansas City. AAAC’s mission is to support African American artists in the Kansas City region locally, regionally and nationally.
The month-long residency at Capsule (located at 1664 Broadway Blvd, KCMO) will include a multitude of various activities for artists to network, learn and collaborate together. From December 1, 2018 through January 3, 2019, you can attend the following events detailed below:
Mike Toombs: African American Ornament Project
Dates: Saturday, Dec 1 (11 AM – 2 PM) | Thursday, Dec 6 (5 – 8 PM)
Michael Toombs will facilitate an African American ornament making workshop, the workshop will be $25 per participant a 90-minute workshop with all materials supplied. Ready prepped blanks will be supplied and some suggested design concepts to work. Towards the end of the event, light snacks will be distributed to music. The materials supplied will be African mud cloth and beads, all high quality items to assure a high end result. Each participant will receive one kit for their $25, any additional ornament kits are $25.
Clarissa Knighten: Let’s Link Together
Dates: Wednesday, Dec 5 (12 – 2 PM) | Thursday, December 13 (6 – 8 PM) | Thursday, December 2o (12 – 2 PM)
Clarissa Knighten, Creative Designer of Rissa’s Artistic Design, will help you design your own chain link necklace in this intimate workshop class that allows 6 participants each session. The workshop is for adults and requires a fee of $30 to participate. No prior jewelry making experience is required and all materials will be provided for the sessions!
Michael Patton: Great African American Poets, Dunbar, Cullen, etc.
Dates: Saturdays, Dec 8, 15 and 22 (10 – 11:30 AM)
Michael Patton will work with class sizes of six participants to analyze and write about the works from great African American poets! A book list and writing materials will be distributed by Michael for the poetry workshops.
Tyrone Aiken – Discussion, Dance Performance and Talk Back
Dates: Monday, Dec 3 (6 – 8 PM) | Saturday Dec 8 (6:30 – 8:30 PM) | Saturday, Dec 22 (2- 3:30 PM)
On December 3 from 6 – 8 PM, join Tyrone Aiken, Chief Artistic Office at Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey for a discussion on race and diversity impact people of color creating art. Defining Artists of Color in Post Racial Colonial America will be hosted at Capsule in the Crossroads District of Kansas City. Come with an open mind, open heart and an opinion. Know that all opinions matter but not all are true to others. Attendance is FREE and all ages. Donations are also accepted.
A Dance Performance and Talk Back takes place on Saturday, December 8 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Capsule and is hosted/choreographed by Tyrone Aiken. Dancers involved are Kennedy Banks, Trey Johnson, Abram McNeal, Elaina Page and Christopher Peacock. The performance has a $10 suggested donation, with donations being $5 for students and seniors with ID.
Last but not least, Tyrone Aiken will be hosting a movement workshop titled Developing Your Voice on December 22 from 2 – 3:30 PM. Ages allowed at 16 and up and the cost to participate is $10. Participants are encouraged to wear clothes they are comfortable moving in and will be asked the following questions:
– What us your creative process?
– What do you want to communicate?
– What is your vision and how do you get that started?
Jason Piggie: Digital Filmmaking and Photography Workshops
Dates: Tuesday, Dec 4 (5 – 8 PM) for photography workshops
Dec 10 (5 – 8 PM) | Dec 12 (5 – 8 PM) | Dec 14 (5 – 8 PM) | Dec 15 ( 5 – 8 PM) for filmmaking workshop
Dec 29 (6 – 9 PM) for night digital photography workshops
Jason Piggie will be hosting several workshop sessions for artists looking to get more experience within the realm of photography and videography. The photography workshop is a basic digital photography workshop that instructs attendees on how to capture great images! The max number of participants for the photography workshop is 15. The fee for this workshop is $25.
The digital film workshop is a course that spans over four sessions. There are 7 spots available for this class. and the fee for the course is $25.
The night digital photography workshop is a class for night photography. This workshop will cover how to shoot photos in low lights situations, and what kind of equipment will be needed to take successful night photos. There are 15 spots available to RSVP in this workshop and the fee to participate is $25.
Taylor Brown: The Tradition and Making of African Head Wraps
Dates: Monday, Dec 17 (6 – 8:30 PM) | Tuesday, Dec 18 (6 – 8:30 PM) | Wednesday, Dec 19 (6 – 8:30 PM)
Join artists Taylor Brown and Kayla Hansley (Back Naked) as they explore womanhood through African textiles. The Back Naked duo will host a live exhibit as they examine the black experience through African textiles. How and where did the head wrap originate? Is it mostly religious or tradition? How do head wraps function in American culture? How do head wraps relate to the banning of natural hair? You can learn all about this topic in these sessions. Fee to participate is $10.
The Newtons: Painters
Dates: Thursday, Dec 13 (1 – 3 PM) | Friday, Dec 14 (1 – 3 PM) | Saturday, Dec 15 (6 – 8 PM) | Sunday, Dec 16 (1 -3 PM)
Joseph “Aeonja” Newton, Jr. will be hosting a small pop up gallery that includes works in process, works on display, Facebook live digital painting and select prints for sell. Joseph is an acrylic and digital painter who will take part in an artist-in-residence process during these dates and times. The event is free and open to the public.
