May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month – Planned Parenthood shares educational materials with an exhibit table in the Avenue of the Friends

As well as our major art exhibits which are supported by funding from the Community Arts Partnership and exhibits in the display cases in the Avenue of the Friends, TCPL also makes table space available for community groups to present informational material to the community.  This table space can be reserved for two week periods on a first come, first served basis.  From May 18 through May 31, Planned Parenthood will be displaying educational materials for National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month.

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month emphasizes the importance of strong partnerships between communities and families in helping young people to make healthy, values-based decisions that promote achievement and avoid sexual risk behaviors, and promote parent-child conversations about healthy sexuality and relationships.  Planned Parenthood believes that parents can, and should, be the primary educators when it comes to these topics.  Research studies show that teens want to learn about sexuality and relationships from their parents.  However, conversations about sex can be difficult and Planned Parenthood works to support both parents and children in this sometimes challenging conversation with the provision of educational resources.

This table exhibit provides informative material from Planned Parenthood including Families are Talking, a newsletter published by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, posters and bookmarks and helpful books which may be checked out from TCPL’s collection.  To view this display at the library, check the table just inside the Avenue of the Friends beside the handicapped carts.

Community groups wishing to reserve this table space should email sgrubb@tcpl.org or call 272-4557 etc 232.

Hip-Hop: Unbound from the Underground Continues at Tompkins County Public Library at May 3 Gallery Night

TCPL continues its celebration of Hip-Hop Culture at First Friday Gallery Night, 5:00 - 8:00 PM on May 3 with two special events.

5:30 PM meet under the Ezra Cornell Portrait for a "Walk & Talk" through TCPL's current exhibit Top 2 Bottom - A Journey Through the Elements of Hip Hop Culture with graffiti artists Jay Potter and Jay Stooks.

Jay Potter, a graphic designer for Cornell Plantations, is also a founding member of Cap Matches Color which has loaned many items to the exhibit.  He will describe how a work of graffiti art is created from original concept in the artist's black book to completed work.  The example used, photos of which are included  in the display cases beneath the Ezra Cornell portrait, was painted early during Get-Up State especially for this exhibit.  Graffiti is ephemeral art however, and this particular piece was painted over during the weekend and no longer exists.

Jay Stooks, GIAC Youth Program Coordinator also loaned many items to this exhibit and will discuss some of the work contained in the exhibit cases as well as the artwork he created especially for the show.

If you are interested in Graffiti Art in all its many forms this is an event you will not want to miss.  The tour will start promptly at 5:30 PM.


At 6:00 PM TCPL is hosting local business owner Eldred Harris for a Gallery Night presentation on the roots of Hip-Hop.

A South Bronx native and member of the Ithaca School District Board of Education, Harris will present an illustrated talk "Days of F.I.R.E. and Birth of a Hip-Hop Nation." Harris grew up in the South Bronx during the early days of Hip-Hop and experienced first hand the arson that burned down abandoned buildings, as well as the high unemployment and poverty rates.  Hip-Hop arouse out of a community's refusal to be destroyed and a creative desire to survive. You will be left with a clear understanding of the importance of Hip-Hop in American Culture today.

This presentation will take place in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room in the Youth Services Department.

Entry to the Library for both these events, which take place after the Library is closed, is through the BorgWarner Program Door located behind the TCAT bus shelter on Green Street.

Top 2 Bottom: A Journey Through the Elements of Hip Hop Culture - An exhibit on display at Tompkins County Public Library, March 29 to June 14, 2013

Joe Conzo

TCPL presents Top 2 Bottom: A Journey Through the Elements of Hip-Hop Culture. Curated by Jason Otero of Art & Anthropology, this exhibit features the acclaimed work of Hip-Hop photographers Joe Conzo and Ernie Paniccioli - made possible by Cornell University Library's Rare and Manuscript Collections; a new body of work by Ithacan Jay Stooks; a showcase of early Hip-Hop memorabilia, including house party flyers, boom-boxes, mix-tapes, fashion and graffiti; materials from the collection of Cap Matches Color; and artwork created by Ithaca's youth at a special graffiti workshop. This unique exhibit will be on display throughout the Library from March 29 through June 14, 2013.

The opening reception, which is free and open to the public, will take place during Downtown Ithaca Gallery Night,  Friday, April 5 from 5 - 8 PM. 

Ernie Paniccioli

At 6:30 PM the unique opportunity is offered to attend a panel discussion about the exhibit featuring Conzo and Paniccioli and moderated by Dr. Sean Eversley Bradwell, assistant professor, Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity at Ithaca College. The discussion will take place in the Library's BorgWarner Community Room.  Special guests will include Hip-Hop Founder Afrika Bambaataa, and pioneers such as Grandmaster Caz, JDL, Crazy Legs, Popmaster Fabel, Charlie Ahearn, Buddy Esquire, and Mare139.

Part of  Unbound from the Underground - an Ithaca Community Celebration of Hip-Hop Culture, this exhibit has been made possible by the generous support of Art & Anthropology, Cornell University Library Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cap Matches Color, Sellco, Highway Hi Fi, and with grant support from Tompkins County Tourism Program, New York Council for the Humanities, and the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County. 

For more information about TCPL's events at this weekend's celebrations go to tcpl.org/events-exhibits/hip-hop/

Graffiti Art Lab - March 23, 2013, 1:00 - 3:30 PM

Tompkins County Public Library 

presents 

Graffiti Art Lab – A Graffiti Workshop for Kids ages 8 to 14 

Saturday March 23, 1:00 – 2:30 PM, 

in the BorgWarner Community Room

Local graffiti artists will introduce young artists to the world of graffiti, explaining different techniques from choosing a “name” to creating a style of writing, to producing a finished piece of artwork.   Finished pieces of graffiti will be included in the forthcoming exhibit “Top 2 Bottom – a Journey Through the Elements of Hip-Hop Culture” which will be on display at the Library March 29 through June 14.  

This exhibit is part of “Hip-Hop: Unbound from the Underground – An Ithaca Community Celebration of Hip-Hop Culture."   The Graffiti Art Lab is intended to introduce younger members of the community to this art style which grew out of the culture of Hip-Hop, and to give a greater appreciation for the wonderful work that will be created at “Get-Up State” – three days of live mural painting taking place April 5 through 7 on the Cornell University Press Building at 770 Cascadilla Street.

Registration is required for the workshop as numbers are restricted.  Please call 607 272-4557 ext 232 or email sgrubb@tcpl.org with kids' names, ages and contact information.  If a large number register a second workshop will be scheduled from 3:00 to 4:30 PM on Saturday, March 23.

Get-Up State - 3 days of Live Mural Painting featuring some of the world's best Graffiti Artists April 5 - 7, 2013

Tompkins County Public Library, with the generous support of Ironlak AVT Paints, is proud to present Get-Up State - Three days of live, mural painting, featuring some of the world's finest graffiti artists April 5 - 7.

World-class guest artists include:

Bates AIO;  Nicer TATS;  Bio TATS;  BG 183 TATS;  Doc TC5;  Sye TC5;  Dero TC5 FC TFP FX;  Mare 139 CIA ROC STARS;  Wane COD;  Luze FC;  Python XMEN BAD;  Art Child BTX;  Vins EOS FC;  Zone WST;  Stae 2 WST;  Seter GFR;  Mast TGE;  Skam KAOS INC;  Slon AK YNN;  Range FUA;  Zoner FUA;  Snoe FUA;  Cruk FUA;  Bones FUA;  Tomb DBM;  Rapes DF ATT;  Enue COD;  Crazy Apes;  Pure TFP;  and more!

The mural painting will be taking place on the stark Cornell University Press Building at 770 Cascadilla Street, Friday through Sunday. Limited on-site parking is available. The nearest TCAT bus on Friday and Saturday is #13 which leaves Seneca Street/the Commons on the hour and stops at Cascadilla and Third Street.

Spectators are strongly encouraged to watch what promises to be an amazing display of talent from some of the best artists on today's graffiti scene. All wall space is reserved and visitors are requested to respect guest artists and their working space. 

Witness firsthand this incredible showcase and see just how far graffiti has come since the early days of Hip-Hop and how incredible an art form it is.

Visit the Get-Up State Facebook page for regularly-updated information.

Part of "Hip Hop: Unbound from the Underground," this event is coordinated by Cap Matches Color and made possible with the generous support of Ironlak AVT Paint, the guest artists, Writers Bench, Cornell University Press and grant support from the Tompkins County Tourism Program. 

For more information about other TCPL events that are part of Unbound from the Underground visit tcpl.org/events-exhibits/hip-hop.

Hip Hop: Unbound from the Underground - An Ithaca Community Celebration of Hip Hop Culture April 4 - 7, 2013

Tompkins County Public Library is excited to announce its partnership with Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections and other community groups to offer Hip-Hop: Unbound from the Underground - An Ithaca Community Celebration of Hip-Hop Culture, April 4 through 7.

This four-day celebration, featuring events on campus and throughout the community, will include exhibit openings, gallery exhibitions, panel discussions, film screenings, concerts and three days of live, mural painting by some of the world's finest graffiti artists. 

TCPL will launch its participation with the April 5, 5:00 - 8:00,  opening of  Top 2 Bottom - A Journey Through The Elements of Hip-Hop Culture. Curated by Jason Otero of Art & Anthropology, this multi-media exhibit features the work of acclaimed Hip-Hop photographers Joe Conzo and Ernie Paniccioli, a new body of work by Ithacan Jay Stooks, a showcase of early Hip-Hop memorabilia including house party flyers, boom-boxes, mix-tapes, fashion and graffiti, materials from the collection of Cap Matches Color; and work created by Ithaca's youth at special graffiti workshops.

The opening, being held during Downtown Ithaca Gallery Night, will include a rare opportunity, thanks to Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, to hear from Conzo and Paniccioli, as they join moderator Dr. Sean Eversley Bradwell, assistant professor, Center for the Study of Culture, Race and Ethnicity at Ithaca College, for a lively panel discussion, at 6:30 in the BorgWarner Community Room.  Special guests at this panel discussion will include Hip-Hop founder Afrika Bambaataa and pioneers such as Grandmaster Caz, JDL, Crazy Legs, Popmaster Fabel, Charlie Ahearn, Buddy Esquire and Mare139.

TCPL, thanks to the generous support of Ironak AVT Paints, will also celebrate Hip-Hop with Get-Up State - Three days of live, mural painting featuring some of the world's finest grafitti artists.  During three days, April 5 through 7, these artists will transform the Cornell University Press building from dull grey to brilliant color and life.

Visit this blog often for updated information, or check out tcpl.org/events-exhibits/hip-hop/, TCPL's Facebook page, or the Library Calendar. 
  
Major sponsors of TCPL's events include the Tompkins County Tourism Program, New York Council for the Humanities, Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, Ironlak ATV Paints, Cap Matches Color, Art & Anthropology and Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.

For information about all of the events taking place during the weekend celebrations, visit  Unbound from the Underground.

Call for Artists

David O. Watkins, Curator, and TCPL seek artists to participate in an exhibit Through Their Eyes: Grandparents and Grandchildren to be displayed at Tompkins County Public Library July 26, through September 14, 2013:

How artists see their grandchildren or their grandparents - in reality or abstraction, photographs, or any artistic medium - is the focus of this exhibition.  We are looking for exceptional and unique images, portraits, and visual representations of grandchildren and grandparents. 

We will not accept professionally taken portraits (portraits taken by a 3rd party), photographs taken by parents or friends, or work not produced by either the grandparent or grandchild as the intent of this show is to explore the special relationship grandparents and grandchildren share.  The goal is to explore how this relationship can be represented visually.  All mediums except video are eligible. Photographs, paintings, drawings, collage, sculpture and soft sculpture are all acceptable.

Artists interested in participating in the show should contact David Watkins at dow1@cornell.edu  by May 31, 2013.

Please submit the following information digitally by email, or saved on a CD and mailed to David Watkins at 201 Hillview Place, Ithaca:

•    Name, Address, phone, email address, website
•    Up to 6 digital images – jpg at 150 pxi – clearly identified with    Name of Artist and title or # of piece
•    If work intended for the show is not yet complete, send a full description and samples of previous work.
•    List of works including title, medium, size, and price if for sale.

All digital images submitted must be jpegs at 150 pxi, between 800 and 1200 pixels on the long side, and labelled with the artists name and title/number of piece for example “grubb-grandad-01.jpg.”

Artists and artwork will be selected to ensure a balance between the different media and to clearly reflect the theme of the show. The Curator’s decision is final. Up to six pieces may be selected from the work of each artist.  Sculpture must have its own stand or be suitable for displaying on magazine racks in the North Reading Room at the Library.  Artists will be notified whether or not they have been selected by June 15.

Selected artists will be asked to submit an artist’s statement for inclusion in the show brochure. Details regarding delivery of work to the Library and the hanging of the show will be sent when artists are notified of their inclusion in the show. 

Artists will have full identification, their subjects will only be identified by the title of the piece of art.

For further information please contact David Watkins at dow1@cornell.edu or Sally Grubb at sgrubb@tcpl.org.

This exhibit is made possible by grant support from the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County.