Artists, Educators, and Urban Farmers
Promote A Culture of Peace and Unity

Sunday June 14,
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Paseo Prairie Garden
Intersections of Kedzie, Milwaukee Avenue, and Diversey
(Across from the Logan Square Centennial Monument)

Armed with brushes, paint, and canvases, 20 Chicago artists unite with urban
farmers, Avondale School, and community leaders to promote a culture of peace
and unity through live open-air painting. The event is part of a CeaseFire
campaign.

"We are inviting youth and families to paint in the garden collectively or
individually around the theme of 'Plant Peace, Harvest Justice,'" says Paseo
event organizer Noah Swinney Stein. The twenty artists, joined by students from
Avondale Elementary School, and the public, plan to paint live for five hours.
The goal is to inspire residents to embrace the arts; kids to explore art
related careers and promote their vision of world peace. Organizers hope that
besides promoting peace, the event serves as an economic stimulus for the
struggling northern Milwaukee Avenue corridor.

"These events are much more than live art shows," says Logan Square
based artist Victor M. Montañez. "What we are promoting is that participation
and process are equally as important as product. If we want to promote peace,
or economic revitalization, it is imperative that we do it as a collective,
while taking up individual responsibility."

Serving as a metaphor for collective engagement, will be a large painting made
during the event. Collective painting is a major departure from the typical
notion of an artist working in solitude and with complete control of the
artistic process and product. At Paseo Garden, anyone can join in.

In Chicago, like in other major urban cities, artists are often credited with
ushering in gentrification. As artists move into neighborhoods, developers and
trendy businesses soon follow, turning blighted areas into lucrative real estate
hot spots. The resulting neighborhood displaces the poorest of residents, which
often includes the working artists.

Montañez believes there is an alternative. 'We are already rich; Our wealth is
our culture. We can turnaround our neighborhoods by promoting local talent and
local businesses without pushing out the existing storefronts, the poorest of
residents, and working artists."

The Paseo event is one in a series of art related events in Logan Square. Two
more live painting events will take place: Sunday June 21st at the Logan Square
Farmers' Market and on July 18 at Unity Park. They will be followed by a three
day Arts festival in the first weekend of August, complemented by four Saturday
summer music sessions at the Logan Square centennial monument and several open
studios in October as part of Chicago Artists month.

"These are opportunities to bring people together as artists and neighbors. We
are working collaboratively to create art that is reflective of our values,"
says artist Abdi Maya. "This is not a one-time event. We are life long artists
and active participants in our communities."

The Paseo Garden and Farmers Market Live Art events are both funded by ALSO,
(Alliance of Local Service Organizations, La Capilla del Barrio (the
Neighborhood Chapel,) The Chicago GEAR UP Alliance (Gaining Early Awareness and
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), and Blick Art Materials Lincoln Park
Store. The two events are part of A CeaseFire campaign.

Friends Of the Parks, GEAR UP, and BLICK, fund Unity Park's Art in The Park
program. All events run from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Event Sponsors include Alderman Rey Colon, State Senator Iris Martinez, Logan
Square Chamber of Commerce, Chicago ARTillery, New Wave Coffee, Milwaukee Avenue
Arts Festival, N.A.I.L.S., and Summer Sessions on the Square.

Sunday, June 14, participating artists include:
Ann Cibulskis, Alexandria Cmaylo, Liz Farias, Tracy Kostenbader, Charlie
Lindsey, Abdi Maya, Chrystal Mcgrew, Helem Maya, Rene R. Montañez, Victor M.
Montañez, Benjamin Osbourne, Thomas Plum, Camilo Q. Quintana, Franklin Riley,
Eddie Rogers, Lizette Salgado, David Spjut, Erica Swinney Stein, Noah Swinney
Stein, and Rocio Urbano,

Contact: Victor M. Montañez
Cell phone: 312-405-7660
E-mail: Rebelx69@...

Noah Swinney Stein
Cell phone: 312-208-4888
E-mail: noahmstein@...

Abdi Maya
Cell phone: 312-814-6278
E-mail: fuerzamaya@...

Tracy Kostenbader
ARTillery contact
E-mail: tracytoast@...>