Each school year at RAW brings new and returning faces to all of our groups. As a high school sophomore, Ava Ludwig is now in her third year as a RAW artist, having started as a middle schooler in “Studio Time 2” and in the inaugural middle school film group.

“At school, I had seen the same people every day, so going to Studio Time 2 and Real to Reel helped me broaden my horizons and meet new people that I wouldn’t have normally met. Both of these groups, especially Real to Reel have helped me prepare for high school in too many ways to count. I’d say they’ve helped me with my social skills the most” says Ava, as she thinks about the impact her group has had on her as she transitioned from middle to high school.

Ava’s first appearance in a RAW film was a music video remake for a Paramore song, a band that influences her. “I remember the first real film that I was tremendously proud of was my music video for Paramore’s song ‘Ignorance.’ As I look back at it now, I can see many things that I should’ve done differently, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It has definitely inspired me to keep making films.”

Ava is easily recognizable – with ever-changing hair colors and facial piercings, she’s hard to ignore when you see her in

RAW ART WORKS

RAW’s films. She’s perhaps most recognizable for her role in a music video remake of Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis’ song “Same Love,” a song about gay bullying and intolerance, which received significant local press. Lynn’s Daily Item featured Ava, with her long pink hair, in an above-the-fold front page news story earlier this year.

“The Macklemore video is, in my opinion, one of the best films I’ve made at Real to Reel. I believe it’s my best work because the message truly spoke to me, as it did to everyone in my group. It was also a lot of fun to film and edit. Justis and I had put at least 20 hours of editing into it to make it the best it could possibly be. Mary Lambert (the female vocalist in the song) even tweeted us about it! The response at school was amazing. A lot of students, and even teachers would come up to me and tell me that they loved the video, and that we did a great job, which, for me, made me even more proud of it.”

Ava reflects on what she has learned at RAW and in film school, and has already started to form her college plans early on in high school: “Before I started going to film school, I never knew film would be such a big part of my life. My plans for school are to graduate, and go to college for film. I eventually would like to become an editor for a major film of some sort. As for upcoming films, I have two

A Newsletter from Raw Art Works

Fall 2013

I AM.

films that I am hoping to do in the future, one being a documentary about my mom, the other you’ll just have to wait and see!” Ava will be one of the many RAW artists lucky enough to take advantage of Project Launch before her senior year, as the college-readiness and one-on-one mentoring program is now expanding to include juniors in RAW’s 25th anniversary year.

“I AM SO HAPPY TO BE A PART OF RAW AND REAL TO REEL, I HAVE MET SO MANY FRIENDS THAT HAVE NOW BECOME FAMILY TO ME. RAW HAS ALSO HELPED ME TO REALIZE WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE, WHICH I AM AND ALWAYS WILL BE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR.”

WE CONNECT In one of our longest standing collaborations, RAW was excited to once again work with youth at Cobbett Hill, a nearby public housing development. RAW and Cobbett have been working together since RAW first opened our doors in Central Square in the mid-1990s.Led by art therapist Alison Miller, a RAW alumna and three of our paid teen mentors, RAW Chiefs, Cobbett youth were visited by Van Go, a mobile art program that brings our painted van full of supplies to their site. The kids work on art projects together for five consecutive weeks over the summer - in some weeks, 30 kids would participate!In week two, Cobbett kids witnessed an unfortunate act of violence in their community during a Van Go session that left many of the kids feeling angry and confused that no one stood up for the victim. In response, Alison crafted a project for week three that addressed the issue head on.

“We Stand For” was a project where the kids used chalk paint, a mix of crushed chalk and

water, to paint on the sidewalk outside of their building and fill in a large statement that said “We Stand For…” The kids, ages 4-13, were asked to work together on artwork that would make the entrance to their building feel like a welcoming place. They wanted the entrance to make a statement of ownership,

The elementary school artists in RAW’s summer group “Artful Afternoons” are little kids with big perspective! Led by art therapist Laura Menucci, these artists, ranging from grades one through five were introduced to the complex, sometimes abstract concept of perspective drawing.

Influenced by their very own city, the artists created collaged perspective pieces of Central Square in Lynn, RAW’s home since 1994. The group was presented with historic photos of the area in hopes of evoking new ways of looking at something familiar – a task reflected in their art pieces, which were created using different tones and patterns of cut papers.

While working on their pieces, the kids were asked to think about how they could personally make their community a better, healthier place and how adults could help them meet their mission. Their answers ranged from concerns about recycling and

I CREATE.

that it is a place where kids live and where violence is not tolerated. While working on the art piece, they were asked to think about the things in their lives that they stand for, and would stand up for their friends for if they ever found themselves in a similar situation.

trash: “Save sea life by picking up trash at the beach” and “encourage people not to litter,” to concerns about education: “Give more homework so that kids do better in school,” and even a first-grader’s perspective on staying healthy in the summer: “Give everyone free lemonade to stay hydrated.”

The artists were thrilled when they learned that their work would be framed and displayed at the Lynn Museum this winter. Look for an invitation online and via e-mail – our artists would love to

It’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of 2013 – a year that has marked one of our most exciting milestones – our 25th birthday!

For the past 25 years, we have worked together with RAW’s staff to create a culture of belonging for youth in Lynn and beyond, and we are so thrilled to be able to spend this year celebrating all of our kids achievements with you. What started as a small vision of working with fi fteen or so teens back in 1988 has become an amazing reality of working with over 1200 youth each year. We could have never imagined working with a staff of nineteen, six of which are RAW alumni.

RAW’s outward gratitude to our community continues far beyond the holiday season - we are incredibly thankful for the support that friends like you have shown us over the past quarter century. Quarter century! We still get giddy when we think of that!

As you may have heard, RAW has the exciting opportunity to expand into 2,500 square feet right next to our current building, which will gain 170 new kids access to RAW’s programs. The space expansion will allow RAW’s kids to gain a much more full experience through a better equipped fi lm school, a college readiness program that extends to high school sophomores, a new language and literacy program, and a new space dedicated to community-minded programming.

When you have a moment, please head over to www.rawartworks.org/ignite. On this page, you’ll have the chance to meet four RAW alumni who embody RAW’s mission to ignite the desire to create and the confi dence to succeed. You can also scroll deeper in the page to learn about all of our new initiatives in more detail.

For this opportunity, to work with more kids in even deeper and more meaningful programming, we are so thankful to you and your continuous support of our work. We could NOT do what we do without you!

Mary Flannery, FounderKit Jenkins, Executive Director

MESSAGE FROM MARY AND KIT

The concept was challenging for such a wide range of age, but the kids were focused and worked cooperatively with each other toward the same goal. After the art making, the kids gathered on the front steps to proclaim what it is they stand for individually and as a group. At the end of the project, each kid put their foot in the chalk paint to literally leave their footprint next to their work.

THEY LEFT THE SESSION FEELING EMPOWERED TO CLAIM THEIR SPACE AND STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

Raw Art WorksBoard of Directors

Mary Flannery, FounderKit Jenkins, Executive Director Bruce Herring, ChairJason BaletsaMatthew Ecclesiastre*Moe KelleyEden MilroyStefanie MuscatMario RicciardelliBobbye Lou SimsErin van OtterlooKatie Woodward

RAW Staff

Mary Flannery, FounderKit Jenkins, Executive DirectorSara Barrientos*Jason CruzMasiel Encarnación*Padriac FarmaChris GainesTanisha Garner*Tracie HinesErin McCarthy*Laura MenucciAlison Miller*Shelby MorrisonKathleen Mulvihill

Newsletter Fall 2013www.rawartworks.org

RAW ART WORKS37 CENTRAL SQUARE, LYNN, MA 01901

––––––––––––––––NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATIONUS POSTAGE PAID

LYNN MAPERMIT NO. 16

––––––––––––––––

SAVE THE DATE!

RAW’s Annual BashSaturday, May 3

Annual Exhibit OpeningThursday, May 8Rain Date: Thursday, May 15

Alex NorbyBruce OrrPeter Pa*Kathe SwabackElaine Ventola

*We are thrilled to have alumni on our staff and board!