Lorain: Portrait of a City Project
The Lorain: Portrait of a City project is a two-year program that features both traditional and non-traditional “portraits” of Lorain. The program emphasizes arts-based storytelling related to the history of Lorain, its’ people, and the community with a public art component highlighting and celebrating the work of the project and its participants.
An arts education/enrichment project, the focus is on working with local artists that teach and mentor high school and college artists apprentices in the creation of a work of art that tells the story of Lorain. The “portraits” created as part of Lorain: Portrait of a City projects and programs utilize traditional and experimental media, including painting, photography, video, murals, gallery installations, projection, and fashion. Throughout the creative process, participants are challenged to consider what constitutes a portrait and how we honor and express the essence of Lorain. Apprentice participants will also create related independent art projects under the guidance of the mentor/teaching artists.
Lorain: Portrait of a City Youth Programs
Start W/Art
FireFish Artist Board Member Jeff Pye and the Start W/Art program focus on creating painted portraits of notable people from Lorain for the “Lorain: Portrait of a City” project. Local student artists collaborate with Lorain artists to create these portraits and then select noteworthy citizens of Lorain to highlight in their portraits.
Watch a video here about the Start W/Art Youth Program.
Jason Molina “Ohiya” Song Mural
FireFish Artist Board Member Daisy Goddard lead a collaboration of local artists to paint song lyrics from the Jason Molina “Ohiya” song in the 5th Street Alley. The project engages art students from the Lorain City Schools and Lorain County Community College in the creation of related activities and programs geared to youth and in the painting of the mural.
Carida Cira Diaz Studio Visits and Activities
As FireFish artist board member Carida Diaz creates a series of work related to the reinvention of the city as well as herself, she provides insight and direction to Portrait of the City student artists as they create their art.
City Symphony Cinema Photography
Including the work of student art apprentices collaborating with him, FireFish Artist Board Member Hiatt Hernon creates a short black and white “City Symphony Cinema Photography” video focusing on a day in the life of Lorain. The video premieres on Friday, September 2nd during the Fire It Up! Broadway Block Party and stays open thru the festival.
Additional Community Youth Programs
Community Gardens
Working with community youth and organizations, FireFish Artist Board Member Josh Biber plants and maintains several pollinator gardens in downtown Lorain designed to attract birds, bees, and people. Community garden workdays will take place once a month during the summer coinciding with Main Street Lorain’s Sweep on the third Saturday of the month from May thru September.
Puppet Making Workshop
Designed to create large-scale puppets and lanterns that look like local flora and fauna, community workshops for youth and their families led by Ryan Craycraft and Laura Dahle and community artists. These puppets will lead and light the procession to the “Burning of the Fish” at the FireFish Festival and will also be on view as they are built at events in Lorain County all summer long.