Press release:
DeWayne Barton’s “The Art of Resilience” art opening, book release and poetry reading will be Friday, November 13, at 6:30 pm at the YMI Cultural Center, 39 South Market Street. Barton’s work focuses on justice issues for people and the planet, as well as strategies for creating vibrant, healthy, sustainable communities. That evening will also be a book release and poetry reading for Barton’s second book, Return to Burton Street.
Barton is known for combining his creative practice with community activism.His mixedmedia, foundart installations have been featured at Duke University, Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of African American History and Culture, Upstairs Gallery, August Wilson Museum as part of Affrilachian Artist Project. He has been working collaboratively with other community members on public art initiatives including the Hillcrest Community Mural Project, sculptures and black history paintings at the Burton Street Peace Community Peace Gardens, a mural of E.W. Pearson at the Burton Street Community Center, and a new mural at the Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center.
The show will also launch Hood Huggers International, Barton’s organization which offers sustainable strategies for building support pillars for systemically marginalized neighborhoods, providing a framework for community capacity building while increasing the effectiveness of existing service programs. These strategies incorporate the arts, environmental education and social enterprise. Proceeds from the show will go to support Hood Huggers.
Barton is cofounder of theBurton Street Community Peace Gardens, and serves on the African American Heritage Commission, CoThinkk, and the Neighborhood Advisory Board. He is also the cofounder of Green Opportunities, a job training program designed to prepare area youth and adults for “greencollar” careers.
For more information, go to hoodhuggers.com.
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