Marwen

2011 Greeting Card Collection

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT:    Brandon Hayes/Marley Kleiman

                        312.944.2418 ext. 236                       

        bhayes@marwen.org

                        (Media inquiries only)

 

MARWEN ANNOUNCES 2011 GREETING CARD

COLLECTION DESIGNED BY STUDENT ARTISTS

 

***Marwen Student Design Chosen for Emanuel Inaugural***

 

***All Proceeds Benefit Marwen Programs***

 

(Chicago, IL – June 15, 2011) Marwen announces the twelve designs in the 2011 edition of its line of student-designed greeting cards, the Marwen Made ’Em Collection. One of the designs, “Falling for the City” by Aurora Grajeda, was used by Mayor Rahm Emanuel as the basis for his inaugural logo, “Chicago Together.” The designs are the work of Marwen students from every corner of Chicago, and—in their depictions of cityscapes, animals, toys, and the natural world—they reflect the youthful exuberance of young artists. Marwen Made ’Em greeding cards are available at Marwen.org or at Marwen’s River North location at 833 North Orleans Street. The cards cost $20 for a box of twelve; all proceeds benefit Marwen's free programs to educate and inspire Chicago's under-served youth through the visual arts.

 

Each year, ten Marwen students participate in “Design to Print,” a career-preparation course under the guidance of teaching artists Kelly Kaminski (Grip Design) and Angee Lennard (Spudnik Press), each student is required to present four ideas as preliminary sketches to a client critique panel, which then chooses one design for each student to take to completion. This year’s panel included Alisa Wolfson (Leo Burnett USA), Meghan Hurley (Whole Foods Market), Bruno Rohner (Rohner Letterpress), and Marwen’s executive director, Antonia Contro. The students, who are compensated for their designs, gain valuable professional insight into working within specific parameters for a client and seeing their work through to completion. Additionally, the students create an edition of ten signed and numbered screen prints of each design, which are also available at Marwen.

 

About Marwen

 

Founded in 1987, Marwen is a nonprofit organization offering free, arts-based youth development programs for under-served Chicago students in grades 6-12. In a typical year, students from 54 of the city’s 57 zip codes and from more than 220 schools travel to Marwen, where they take classes designed and taught by practicing artists. Marwen is located at 833 North Orleans Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610. The phone number for general inquiries is 312.944.2418. Marwen is online at http://www.marwen.org

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The 2011 Marwen Made ’Em Collection

 

“Falling for the City” by Aurora Grajeda

(The basis for “Chicago Together, the theme of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Inaugural Celebration)

“With great detail, I am an artist who makes an environment a creative one. I often set my goals to reach a high point of happiness with my art and make it appeal to others as well.”

 

“Dream Away” by Lilly Kustec

“Art for me is a form of expression and an escape from reality into a world that I have the power to create. One day I hope to become a graphic designer and start my own advertising firm.”

 

 “Strings Attached” by Demetrio Mascarenas

“I find inspiration in the quirks, oddities, and otherwise unique qualities of my friends, family, and the world around me. Art is one of the biggest parts of my life, and I hope that my interest in art will extend to the edges of the universe.”

 

“Chicago Soundwaves” by Carlos Avila

“As an artist, no matter where I go and no matter what I do, I want to show people my artwork around the world. I can describe my thoughts through my art better than I can with my words.”

 

"Puddle Trouble" by Kahari Blackburn

“My goal as an artist is to find a niche that fits my style artistically and to bring that back in a new way to the cultures I grew up in, like skateboarding and graffiti.”

 

“Uplifting” by Gabriel Anaya

Marwen has expanded my knowledge of art forms and techniques. I would really like to continue screen printing and possibly design clothing.

 

“Attached/Ears” by Henry Novak

“As a kid, I always thought elephants and mice were similar because of their ears. I drew on that innocence to create a simple, but meaningful design. I want to continue to make art and be able to make a career out of it.”

 

“Melody of the Mind” by Lee Kintner

“Music has a large impact on my art, as do the works of Tim Burton and Maurice Sendak. I hope to become an illustrator and a graphic designer.”

 

“Summertime Seeds” by TreManda Pewett

“I wish to inspire young people to express themselves no matter how they feel. I think art is a wonderful way to be original.”

 

“Camaraderie” by Caroline Lopez

“I find inspiration in the unexpected. My goal as an artist is to present these unexpected elements creatively and visually. I hope that I succeed as an expressionist in my art.”

 

“Giraffe” by Vivien Wise

“I will be going to art school and I hope to be a working artist. I like to work in fibers and alternative photography.”

 

“Happy Rhapsody” by Wil Torres

“I wanted to incorporate my love of music with the idea of the city because they both give me inspiration. The theme for my design is joy and celebration, and I portrayed it with the bright colors of the lines, the skyline, and the dancing saxophone player.”

 

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