Art Talks Brooklyn + Rob Jennings + Martina Fiserova + Lijie @ The Way Station

7:45pm- Art Talks Brooklyn
An informal speaker series highlighting the importance of Brooklyn art initiatives and how they positively impact our community. Monthly, we invite three speakers, each allotted 15 minutes, to talk about their organization’s history, mission and creative public programming.

A great opportunity to get involved in your community and network!

Terry Greiss, Irondale Ensemble Project, Executive Director/Actor
We are a theatre. We create plays and make theatre as a creative team.

We start with a difficult and challenging source –perhaps a classical text filled with heightened language and epic themes, or a piece of completely non-theatrical material or a timeless children’s classic. Then we turn it on its head, and then work like crazy to make it come alive for a contemporary audience willing to hop on the train and accompany us on the journey.

To help support this work and expand our reach to a wider audience, we offer focused creative learning projects, based on and growing out of the core creative work of the company, serving schools, community organizations and all kinds of individuals.
http://irondale.org/

Rusty Zimmerman, The Free Portrait Project: Crown Heights
Portrait Artist to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Rusty Zimmerman, is painting a portrait of a place through its people by giving FREE portraits to residents of Crown Heights, Brooklyn for one year. Zimmerman will paint 200 residents from June 2015 through May 2016, working with local galleries to display the work as it emerges, show the entire collection in 2016, and give the paintings to their subjects at no cost.

This community arts initiative will be crowd-funded with a Kickstarter campaign, launching on April 17th, with a goal of $48,000 to fund the work for an entire year. Zimmerman is working with elected officials, Community Boards and neighborhood associations to maximize outreach and community involvement.

In partnership with:
Community Board 8, Community Board 9, Brooklyn Borough Hall, The Office of City, Council Member Laurie Cumbo, The Crown Heights Mediation Center, The Crow Hill Community Association, The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, The Brooklyn Community Foundation, along with numerous local merchants, artists, and galleries.

www.rustyzimmerman.com
www.facebook.com/freeportraitprojectcrownheights

Urban Bush Women, Nathea Lee, Managing Partner
Founded in 1984 by choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Urban Bush Women (UBW) seeks to bring the untold and under-told histories and stories of disenfranchised people to light through dance. We do this from a woman-centered perspective and as members of the African Diaspora community in order to create a more equitable balance of power in the dance world and beyond. As UBW celebrates its 30th Anniversary year, we continue to use dance as both the message and the medium to bring together diverse audiences through innovative choreography, community collaboration and artistic leadership development.

https://www.urbanbushwomen.org

9pm- Rob Jennings
Genre: pop/rock/folk
For fans of: The Beatles, The Beach Boys

Rob Jennings is a 24 year old Solo artist from New Jersey currently playing in NYC. Rob is an Indie Rock artist with a talent for melody and harmony. He has played at Pianos, Rockwood Music Hall, Sidewalk Cafe, The Rock Shop, etc. He also just finished a residency at The Bowery Electric in NYC.

“As if his musicianship wasn’t enough, Rob’s voice might be the highlight of the entire project.” -Handclap Movement

“his sound goes down like butter.” - The Deli Magazine

www.soundcloud.com/robjenningsmusic
www.facebook.com/robjenningsmusic
Twitter: @Rob_Jennings
youtube.com/robjenningsalbum
robjennings.bandcamp.com

10pm- Martina Fiserova
Genre: folk jazz
For fans of: Joni Mitchell, Suzanne Vega

Unusual chord voicings and interesting harmony combined with intimate yet emotional performance brought to you by an experienced singer/guitarist/songwriter. Originally from Prague, Czech republic, Martina is now based in New York City finishing an eponymous record of her original material.

“Her voice is graceful, and her phrasing and delivery are right on tempo.” - James Nadal, All About Jazz

“Her biography is impressive. (...) Jazz pop? Folk jazz? Either way it’s cool, and if this is the sort of stuff she is capable of writing then I hope there is more on the way.” - Tony Emmerson, Prague Jazz Blogspot

http://martinafiserova.cz/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8ml8b8s8K8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZr0Re7U0Fg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmsQwmkSu84

11pm- Lijie
Genre: Dirty soul pop
A mix of dirty pop/rock and soul, Lijie’s music is a blend of smooth soulful vocals, electric guitar, and melodic pop hooks.

“(The Music Maker is an) …easy-listening, ambitious effort that demonstrates both here impressive vocal range and

disciplined focus on her own ideas…” – Seattle Weekly

“She is a devoted, passionate and extremely talented singer/songwriter and musician…” - FOX 25/MyFoxBoston.com

iamLijie.com
youtube.com/lijie