Neighborhood Magic 2015 - 2016
Supported by Beverly Arts Alliance
Neighborhood Magic, 2015 – 2016
Participants: Sue Delves, Audrey Peeples, Stephen Thomas, Norma Flynn, Judie Anderson, Lendon Sadler, Phil Carlin, Bob & Connie Ratzel
Choir: Richard Blakeney, Michael Lee Bridges, Jeremy Lee Harris, Jessica Kearney, Clee McCracken, Sojourner Zenobia, Emilio Rojas and Farida Weller
Stewards: Amy Sayre Baptista, Cameron Clayborn, Allen Conkle, Duff Norris, CV Peterson, Jenna Perlstein, Kevin Sparrow and Lauren Steinberg
Videographer: Laura Moore and Jamie Gannon
Neighborhood Magic was created by Carron Little for the neighborhood of Beverly, Chicago supported by Beverly Arts Alliance.
The pink triangle was a secret sign…
Excerpt from Poem for Lendon Sadler entitled An Immaculate Conception by Carron Little
Neighborhood Magic Participants
Neighborhood Magic I
Neighborhood Magic was a civic engagement project created for the Beverly Art Walk on October 3, 2015 supported by Beverly Area Arts Alliance. It took five months to realize. We put an ad in the local paper and invited people over the age of seventy to participate in the project. The participants were informed of my intention as an artist that I would compose poetry inspired by an oral history interview and I would work with a choir to compose the poetry into song. In addition I worked with Dave Barsotti to build eight sculptural post boxes that I designed inspired by each person’s story. These sculptures were installed in locations selected by the participants that were seminal to their life history in that neighborhood. For the Art Walk on October 3, 2015 the eight public art sculptures were installed in outdoor locations and the participants, choir and public traveled to each location on a trolley bus. Each person shared their story after the choir had performed their choreo-poem.
Big thanks to the Beverly Arts Alliance, Monica Wilczak, Sal Campbell and Susannah Papish, all the phenomenal participants who engaged in this project: Lendon Sadler, Judie Anderson, Phil Carlin, Sue Delves, Bob and Connie Ratzel, Norma Flynn, Audrey Peeples, and Stephen Thomas. And a special thanks to Ridge Historical Society for being a central location for the public to engage with the performance.
Ridge Historical Society
Neighborhood Magic II
In 2016, from April 8 to May 8, Ridge Historical Society invited me back for part II of the civic engagement project. The public were invited to post their important life moments into the sculptural mail boxes located in the garden of Ridge Historical Society. Carron Little composed poetry inspired by the important moments and mailed the poetry directly to people’s homes. At the opening on April 8, Carron performed several poems she had written for Neighborhood Magic in October 2015. She also had a solo exhibition in the Ridge Society where her Painting Backwards Series and costumes were on exhibit. Part way through the project a screening of Neighborhood Magic was shared along with new poetry that had been mailed to the public. Then on the finale weekend we had a garden party in amongst the sculptures. At this event poetry and songs were shared by Carron and previous Neighborhood Magic participants got up and shared stories and songs too on May 8, 2016.
Big thanks to Edris Hoover for all her support in making this happen. Also big thanks to SAIC print shop for printing such a delicious publication that was released in conjunction with the exhibit. And many thanks to Susannah Papish for writing the foreward and ongoing support of the Beverly Arts Alliance. This project was supported by a DCASE grant.
Montgomery Community College, Maryland USA
Neighborhood Magic III
In 2019 I was invited to be an artist in resident at Montgomery Community College for one month to work with students to create interactive public performances for their annual Spring Art Walk. I installed four of the neighborhood magic sculptures and attached QR codes so people could listen to the poem for each person connected to each sculpture.
I performed a new public performance work If my body were you on April 10, 2019 on the Germantown campus. This residency also included lots of additional lectures and workshops throughout the course of one month for different classes on both campuses.
Big thanks to Montgomery Community College for supporting this project and a special thanks to Amanda Miller, the artist in residence coordinator. And a very special thanks to my Washington D.C. family who let me stay for one month in their warm home, I am forever grateful!