The You Will Rise Project is returning to Cornell University for a powerful art installation and workshop series April 8-12, 2019. Four visiting artists – Aaron Anderson, Melissa Forman, Michael Jewell, and Briden Schueren – will be conducting presentations and interactive workshops with student groups around the theme of wellness, utilizing the transformative power of creative expression. They will be creating a large installation in Rose House throughout the week, and everyone is invited to stop by and help. Hands-on workshops at Cook House, Bethe House, Keeton House, and Becker House will produce smaller installations to be displayed at each site as well. A VIP & Student Reception to unveil the completed Rose House mural will be held Friday, April 12 from 4:30 – 6 pm at Rose House Dining Room.

EVENTS

InnerState: Art-Making WorkshopS

Join visiting artists from the You Will Rise Project for a hands-on workshop where you will create a collaged self-portrait that represents a road map of your life. No artistic experience necessary for this relaxed, creative exercise that will explore how artists can use symbolism to express a wide range of concepts. Upon completion, all works will be pieced together into a larger collage that represents the interconnected nature of all things.

Monday, April 08, 2019	6:30PM-7:30PM	Cook House Common Room
Monday, April 08, 2019	5:00PM-6:30PM	Rose House Common Room
Tuesday, April 09, 2019	5:00PM-6:00PM	Bethe House Dining Room Stage
Tuesday, April 09, 2019	7:00PM-9:00PM	Keeton House Lobby
Wednesday, April 10, 2019	7:15PM-8:15PM	Becker House Common Room

You Will Rise: Visiting Artist DiscussionS

The arts play an important role in helping us connect with a deeper sense of ourselves as individuals and as a society. Meet four professional artists who utilize their creativity to make an impact in their personal work and collectively through their organization the You Will Rise Project. You Will Rise empowers people who have experienced bullying to speak out creatively through the arts by hosting workshops and exhibitions, creating public art, and publishing works online. Meet these four inspiring artists and learn more about the transformative power of art through their work.

Tuesday, April 09, 2019	6:00PM-7:00PM	Bethe House Dining Room – Reserved Table
Wednesday, April 10, 2019	7:00PM-8:00PM	Cook House Professor Apartment (Cook 101)
Saturday, April 13, 2019	4:00PM-5:00PM	Rose House Common Room

About the Artists

 

Aaron Anderson

Aaron Anderson is a graphic designer and a fine artist. He attended Columbus College of Art and Design, where he received his BFA in Advertising and Graphic Design in 2011. He is currently in the design field, and is hosting an art class called “The Joy of Arting” in Central Ohio. He is also a director for the You Will Rise project.

Aaron always felt he was different growing up and, over time, found out just how different he was. Being gay and an artist might seem to go hand in hand, but things are not always so pleasant through childhood. He was bullied all through school, but through art, he has found himself and gained confidence as well as his calling in life. Making art can be a powerful experience and it has the ability to help yourself and others as well. Helping others has been a long-time goal of his through his own art and the work he does through the You Will Rise project.

Check out Aaron’s website: aaronbydesign.me

 

Melissa Forman

Melissa Forman spends her time creating a richly visual world filled with characters created from an opulent, mysterious, and often eerie imagination. Her lovely, idealized figures seem lost in their own worlds, drifting between the 16th, 18th, 19th and 21st centuries. Melissa has been drawing and painting commissioned portraits since she was 14. She attended the Columbus College of Art and Design and graduated with a BFA in 2002. She now lives and works in Cleveland, Ohio. Her personal work has been shown in galleries around the world, from New York City to Seattle to Los Angeles to Berlin, Germany to Bristol, England.

Check out Melissa’s website: melissaformanstudio.com

 

Michael Jewell

Michael Jewell is an associate creative director with strong conceptual, strategic and problem-solving skills and a storyteller who is passionate about coming up with ideas and bringing them to life. There’s a diversity of style in his work because every project points toward its own visual direction and he enjoys the process of discovering the distinctive voice of an idea rather than assigning it a predetermined style.

Check out Michael’s website: michaeljewell.com

 

Briden Schueren

Briden’s artistic exploration began in the rural Pennsylvanian town of Cooks Forest, with his grandmother Norma, a painter. From his grandmother, he learned to convey complex emotions through deliberate brushstrokes and color usage. As a child, Briden struggled with a learning disability, resulting in his struggle to connect and socialize with other children. These early adversities became a source of strength because exploring textures and media allowed him to express his emotions and connect with others. His broad body of work boasts both unique textures and mixed media used across the entire collection. Being born a female-bodied person, the challenges, obstacles, and personal reformations have been abundant, leading to the happy person he is today. Often he credits his ability to create and explore through art as a practice as having saved his life. Briden sees his work as having the power to help others in a similar way. “I share my art because through this experience my life has been forever changed, and I want to encourage anyone who will listen, to find their creative facet in life for themselves, to find what allows them to express their truth, as art has changed my life for the better.”

Check out Briden’s website: thatguysart.com

 

About the You Will Rise Project

The mission of the You Will Rise Project is to provide a multimedia showcase for people of all ages who have been bullied to share their stories through the arts. Submissions can include visual art (paintings, drawings, sculptures, videos, etc.) as well as poetry, song lyrics, short stories, or other creative expressions that best capture their personal experiences. The You Will Rise Project asks only that contributors be truthful and real. No corrections or alterations will be made to the works that are posted on the site.

By giving visitors the opportunity to view these creative works, we hope to educate, instill pride, generate positive feedback, and provide online resources – all for the purposes of supporting, inspiring creative productivity, fostering respect for cultural and sexual diversity, and improving the quality of life for those who have been or are currently being bullied.

The You Will Rise Project was started by Linda Regula and Paul Richmond, two artists who were bullied as kids and who now use their visual voices to speak out about this horrific issue.

Learn more: youwillriseproject.com

 

#YouWillRiseCornell

Artists Melissa Forman and Paul Richmond from the You Will Rise Project visited Cornell University October 4 – 8, 2014 and created an art installation in Flora Rose House. They teamed up with Cornell students to create a powerful art piece that raises awareness about the multi-faceted issue of bullying. While on campus, the artists also hosted workshops, trainings, and presentations that wove together their commitment to art and activism.

Learn more at youwillrisecornell.com