Quick Update!

Hello everyone! The past few weeks have been very busy and filled with great news. If you have been checking in to my Ponder Tree Facebook page, then you will be up to date with my news, so I encourage you to like it if you haven’t yet!

• Editing in progress: Deep Roots II – Days and Nights on the Farm (Meei Ling)
• Birthday gift from Jeremy by Miss Holly Bliss!
• Editing video for Temple Contemporary (Temple University’s Art Gallery)

First of all, “Deep Roots II – Days and Nights on the Farm” on October 6th and 7th were amazing. (See “Deep Roots I” here.)”Deep Roots II” was a multi-media art installation by Meei Ling in collaboration with Weavers Way’s Mort Brooks Memorial Farm and their Farm Festival and in conjunction with the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours(POST) and lighting designer Jackson Kay. The key messages of this event were to raise awareness and appreciation for the farmer and for the gifts of nature and the danger that they’re in, such as bees. Also a key theme was collaboration.

I am passionate about all of these messages but collaboration, I feel, was what made this event so amazing. Meei Ling collaborated with many people… from light designer Jackson Kay to Farmer Rick, farm educators to high school students, Anna the director of POST to photographer Sang Cun and myself, the videographer. This amazing collaboration resulted in a great turn out of people, an amazing art installation that everyone enjoyed and learned from, many became interested about becoming a part of Weavers Way Co-op

and we met new friends while eating and enjoying music. It would have been impossible if it wasn’t for everyone collaborating in the name of something they believe in…

Secondly, Jeremy got me one of the most amazing gifts ever… A portrait of me by Miss Holly Bliss! She did an absolutely amazing job and I will soon be sharing photos of it. It is a collage full of such meaningful things that Jeremy and I share. Thank you to the both of you…

…

And Finally, I have started working for Temple Contemporary (Temple University’s Art Gallery) editing the videos of their weekly events. So you’ll get to see what cool things take place there and you might even want to attend some of their events afterwards…

That is all for now, and following this post I’ll share some images of the news I have told you about! Thank you and stay tuned!

Covering “Kids These Days” Opening Night!

Here are some photos and still shots from videos I took of “Kids These Days” Exhibit organized and produced by Kit Zauhar and friends, all teenagers. These pictures are of the opening night, Friday, August 31, 2012.

I had an amazing time! I loved meeting all of the artists and had fun interviewing everyone, including Kit’s parents and sister. I am very excited to share the videos soon. For now check out the photos I took and consider stopping and seeing the exhibit yourself! Tomorrow is the last day and it will be open from 5-8pm.

See the full album on Ponder Tree’s Facebook Page.

All images were shot by me, Michelle Saul-Yamasaki. NOTICE: Please give credit for the images if you are going to use them by saying “Photo by Michelle Saul-Yamasaki/Ponder Tree” … Thank you…

www.kidsthesedaysart.tumblr.com
Article I wrote about the exhibit:
https://pondertree.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/kids-these-days-support-leading-creative-teenagers/

“Kids These Days” Support Leading Creative Teenagers!

“Kids These Days” is a non-profit exhibition opening tomorrrow at 6pm Friday, August 31st through Sunday September 2nd featuring art by leading, creative teenagers! And on the opening night there will be food, live poetry and a CAPA (Creative And Performing Arts High School) student performance at 7pm.
LOCATION: Indy Hall in Old City, 22 North 3rd St (1st floor) Phila. PA 19106.

Kit Zauhar, a rising senior from Central High School, came up with this great idea of having an art gallery by teenagers. Kit said, “I came up with this idea by having too much time to myself and thinking about all the wonderful galleries I got to visit during the summer and how I have all these ideas and talented friends and we just all need motivation to make something great. ” Most of the artists involved will be rising seniors from Central High School unless otherwise stated below. She said, “We started this project at the beginning of August though I’ve had and been developing the idea for quite some time.” She says that for supervision, there really ins’t any. She and her friends are doing everything with some help from their parents and a few people from the Indy Hall gallery space.

And because there is still time, consider donating to these seriously leading, creative teenagers. She said, “None of the artwork will be sold, and there is no one pocketing anything from this. It’s a collaborative project done by some really creative and driven adolescents that just want to be heard. We’ll have a donor poster featuring everyone who contributed, so it’s a great way to advertise a local business or just show your appreciation for art!” Here is Kit’s video where she tells you about the exhibition and how your contribution would be extremely helpful to them.

Their goal was to reach $350 and they are at $410 now! But the more they raise the more they have to work with, such as more food for the visitors, better decorations and equipment to display their multi-media artwork. You can find the link to donate on their Tumblr Page: http://kidsthesedaysart.tumblr.com

When I learned about this I was so impressed and inspired by what they were doing. Not only where they wisely using Tumblr and PayPal to raise awareness and funds, but they were also working on displaying their artwork at a gallery for people to see and hear what they have to say. From that moment they have had my support and I encourage you to support them by donating and/or going to their (free) exhibit! I also encourage you to support other teenagers who need a little motivation to do great things like this.

Spread the word. Ponder Tree and Gladhappylove will be featured on the donor poster, join us!

WHAT: “Kids These Days”

WHEN: Opening at 6pm on Friday, August 31th through Sunday September 2nd

WHO: FEATURED ARTISTS: 
Gabby Richardson (video and sketch), Hillary Do (photography),
Assoummou Diby (painting), Sophia Gluskin-Braun (video),
Talia Charme-Zane (video), Jared Dobkin (audio installation), and
Aaron Jefferson (photography)  (Villanova).
And live performance on the opening night will be by Nayo Jones (CAPA).

WHERE: LOCATION: Indy Hall in Old City, 22 North 3rd St (1st floor) Phila. PA 19106.

www.facebook.com/PonderTree

I am also working hard on my multi-media production Facebook page www.facebook.com/PonderTree ! Make sure to like it and keep up with all of my projects… it means the world to me! Thank you!

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