Ipaintmymind One-Pagers
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WE ARE IPAINTMYMIND Because Art Has The Power to Change Lives IPaintMyMind’s mission is to transform people & spaces by connecting artists, businesses & communities through art. Whether loaned art, purchased art or murals & installations, we’re reimagining access to the arts in a way that connects & uplifts. By leveraging our permanent art collection & curation skills, we create opportunities for artists to earn, for businesses to get art & give back & for communities of all kinds to be supported & engaged through art experiences. Shared Walls™ is our hallmark rotating art subscription program which leases our permanent collection to businesses & turns that revenue into FREE art exhibitions, curriculum, & artist workshops for schools, parks, libraries & community centers! We believe that art does more than beautify, it changes us. We also believe that a truly equal society provides creative inspiration & opportunities to everyone, no matter what neighborhood they’re from. By creating connections through art, we ignite creativity, purpose & good will - together. ipaintmymind.org OUR COLLECTION Browse Our Permanent Collection Online ipaintmymind.photoshelter.com SELL YOUR ART Submit Your Artwork Beginning our relationship with you the artist, by saying, “We think your art is amazing & we’d love to tell a broader audience about your work” is a pretty good place to start. What’s more, we purchase your art in an effort to give everyone, no matter where they’re from, greater access to art by presenting it in businesses & schools, libraries & community spaces. We're here to PROMOTE your work, COLLECT your work & HELP YOU SELL more of it – all while bringing it to communities that otherwise would go without art exhibitions or programs. The fact that your art will inspire kids all over the city is amazing & we hope you join us in taking a stand for equal art access. When it comes to your work with IPMM, there are no exclusive agreements, just support. Be sure to check out the other resources under the Artists tab on our website! GUIDELINES: You must have a website with your portfolio that’s easily accessible. You must also have prints available for purchase, or have the ability to create prints quickly. We accept submissions on a rolling basis but due to quantity of submissions, we are not able to reply to everyone. ipaintmymind.org/submissions VOLUNTEER A New, Creative Way To Give Back IPaintMyMind is currently looking for volunteers to join our mission to bring inspiring to creative experiences to communities throughout Chicago & beyond. We believe that inspiring creative moments get us thinking about ourselves and the world in new ways. These moments change the future for the better. Volunteer to contribute to our mission of making art accessible to all communities. Take a stand for creativity, equality, and collaboration, today. THE IDEAL VOLUNTEER: This volunteer opportunity is perfect for the aspiring young professional who is looking for a way to give back. Successful volunteers will receive a letter of reference and contact that can be used for future resumes. The type of person who would be a great fit for this role would ideally possess the following skills, experience and abilities: Integrity & great communication. You are someone who does what they say they will do. Passion and interest around equal access to the arts. Very strong reading & writing skills, bilingualism is a huge plus! Has extensive experience with the skill they’re offering. ipaintmymind.org/volunteers WHAT TYPE OF ARTIST ARE YOU? by Evan La Ruffa Some would argue that art itself defies categorization. Artwork is intensely personal and many artists hesitate to be grouped with other artists, whether because of aesthetics or the perception that doing so makes it easier to pigeonhole one’s work. Categorization, however, is a method the human mind uses to make sense of the world. The art market, for better or worse, relies on categories and defining yourself as an artist can boost your career. At the end of the day, do you want people interested in the aesthetics or topics you address to find & love your art? What type of artist are you? Writer and cartoonist Scott McCloud has drawn four types of artists according to the goals they strive to achieve through their work: A FORMALIST is interested in examining the boundaries of a particular art form. They stretch and explore the limits of a medium or genre, stress-testing it, turning it inside-out, and pushing it into bold and untried directions. These artists exist on the cutting edge and outside of formal restrictions. Formalists are trailblazers, tinkerers, and innovators pushing limits toward the deeper meaning of art itself. A CLASSICIST is an artist who focuses on beauty, craftsmanship, and mastery. They prioritize the aesthetic experience of art over all else, its ability to affect an audience and deliver an emotional experience. For a Classicists, perfecting the craft is what produces the most effective form of their art. An ANIMIST'S goal is to convey a message as directly as possible. The content of the art, the story it tells, is the what determines how the work is crafted. An ICONOCLAST is interested in portraying the experience of life in as raw and authentic a way possible. They see art’s contribution as holding a mirror to reality and exposing its often hard and painful truths. They do not pander, comfort, or sugarcoat. Artistic integrity is critical. Things like beauty, craft, and narrative are secondary to the pursuit of reflecting true human emotion. These are far from the only different artistic styles or approaches, but they do help us understand where we’re coming from. Labeling your artistic style may feel like denigrating your art’s potential, but exploring classification can offer important self-reflection, a crucial step for artists looking to professionalize their work. It all comes down to what you want to do and how you want to spend your time. That doesn’t mean having a strategy for connecting with people who love your art is some type of compromise. Taking some time to think about your goals as an artist may be just the thought experiment you need to connect with the next great opportunity. THE BENEFITS OF ARTS EDUCATION by Evan La Ruffa Most would agree that arts education is a good thing. The benefits of arts education, however, have been under scrutiny since the US started to fall behind much of the world in skills that seem most applicable to working in a modern economy, like science, technology, engineering, and math. When administrators attempt to improve school curricula, they grapple with what to omit so to make room for more modern subjects. For the sake of our children’s’ futures and financial well being, should arts education be scrapped entirely? There are at least two great reasons not to end arts education. One is that arts can be a respite for creative-minded students who struggle with the rote and analytic parts of a curriculum, which can empower them to stay invested in school and not drop out. The other is that art breeds special skills – creativity, self expression, production ownership – that are hugely applicable not only in other subjects, but in modern industries that increasingly reward innovators. Let’s look at even more reasons: Why is arts education important? Arts improves overall scholastic achievement: According to Americans for the Arts, young people who participate in the arts for about nine hours per week, “are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.” Arts education helps improve skills that are crucial for general school performance, like creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and learning skills. The old mode of teaching one method to find one correct answer is increasingly out of touch with both education standards and our modern workforce. This makes arts education more relevant than ever for modern students. According to The Education Fund, “…several recent studies have concluded that the creativity and innovation utilized in the artistic process will be highly valued by employers in the United States in the coming years as we continue to shift into a global economy.” Compelling children to think creatively now will help those skills come more naturally in their future careers. Arts education improves cultural understanding: Inherent in art education are lessons on varied cultural expressions. Diverse classrooms are likely to breed cultural artifacts that can be taught and discussed in a comfortable and protective setting. Arts education not only makes for better students and workers who are better prepared to succeed in a modern economy, but it helps make better citizens who value societal differences and seek opportunities to expand that appreciation wherever they may find it. 9 ARTISTS TO FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM by Evan La Ruffa For those of us who curate, Instagram is a lot of fun. We recently took a deep dive to cull some of our favorite Chicago-based artists with a solid presence on Instagram, and who are dedicated to their craft. Illustrators, tattooers, designers, and more. Enjoy this list, there’s a lot of good stuff you won’t want to miss! 1. Kevin Coval – @kevincoval Founder of Louder Than A Bomb, a poet, an organizer, and a creative beacon for our city, Kevin is proof that hustle & vision are great assets. His feed gives a glimpse into all the cool stuff happening throughout Chicago. 2. Michelle Wanhala – @mwanhala Modern, bold & playfully Picassoesque. Mix that with a street sensibility and a tattooers sense of design.