2023 MLK Jr. Youth Program

215 E Foothills Parkway,Fort Collins CO 80525

14 January, 2023

Description

Anthony will direct participants to explore how they feel or how they want others to feel about freedom, equality, and social justice within the confines of Dr King's message within his “I have a Dream'' speech. As well as how they see it translate in society today. Using paint, canvas and various art materials the goal is to create a mosaic that expresses individual creativity as a collective to convey a message of unity. Each individual will have the freedom to express themselves on their own piece of canvas that will be added to and join with others canvas to create a mosaic that represents King’s dream that one day little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. The workshop will take place at the Fort Collins Foothills Mall Jan 14-15 time 11-3:00 Saturday Jan 14 Time: 11-3:00 Sunday Jan 15 Time: 11-3:00 This workshop is open to All Youth, and teens, ages 9-19 especially Black/African American and those within the BIPOC multi-racial community. Anthony Gipson Artist Statement The Efilaf art department was created for me to express myself whether it be via fashion creations or traditional art projects. The word Efilaf is actually the word FA-LIFE backwards which is an acronym “For all living in fragile environments” so it goes backwards because you want to change these situations into more positive ones. My sociology degree provides a very objective outlook for me because I’m aware of the constant manipulation individuals are consumed with everyday. To create opportunities for other people to understand how to be freely expressive is almost necessary for everyone once we start identifying how much we are influenced by the environment around us; good or bad. Being raised by an artist my childhood always included art. But when I use the word art I don’t mean any art specifically. Anthony received some traditional art tutelage from time in colleges ( Malcolm X Jr. College and Concordia University where he earned a BA in Sociology) But he mainly credits most of his art development to his mother who is a formally trained/self taught artist. He also believes the variety of artists he has encountered over the years doing art shows with his mother constantly inspires his work.