Asphalt Arts is a collaboration between ArtsWork: The Kax Herberger Center for Children & Arts, a program of the ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts and the Drop in Center of Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development. The Tumbleweed Drop in Center in downtown Phoenix, AZ provides basic needs and services for homeless and at risk youth in the Phoenix community. The Asphalt Arts partnership with community based artists at Arizona State University brings a wide variety of arts programming into the center.

If you are a young person between the ages of 18 and 24 in Phoenix, interested in receiving services through the DIC, you can find us at 902 N. 5th Street, Phoenix AZ 85004 or call for more information at (6020 462-5611. If you are interested in more information about the arts programming that happens in the center, please email us at asphaltarts@gmail.com

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Event Videos now posted!

Click HERE to see awesome footage from the Embracing Life event. Good times!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Gumby's adventure into the community

Here is a spoiler for our event Friday November 4

More artwork


Robert represents Asphalt Arts!


Robert with his work


Aries

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Ariel

Ariel was nice enough to let me photograph her creating signs for our event. These signs will allow the community to really think about the issues the clients are addressing.

Gumby's Work in Progress

Gumby is creating a large piece for the event next Friday. It's looking good!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Obstacle Course

Many of the clients made drafts of the obstacle course. I'll give you a sample but the final is a secret!

Tumbleweed Art Gallery

Sean, an ASU Art student, is helping create the backyard space for the Embracing Life event. This past week, he worked with the clients to decorate the gallery walls. It looks great!



Making some Boxes

The Embracing Life event is almost here!

The front porch will be decked out with colorful boxes representing those that have past away and other important issues the clients want to share.

Take a look at some of the handywork below...

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Stage 1 in progress

Clients (and Leslie) spray paint boxes that will be decorated to display those people in our lives we are remembering and celebrating. Stage 1 of Embracing Life








Mike's finished product!

Check out the September First Friday movie below created by Mike.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Success!

First Friday was a success! I will be documenting the whole experience this Tuesday with the clients. Stay tuned!

Our next event will be Friday October 7.

Here are some photos of the event....

Joseph sharing his poetry
Melissa and people of the community deciding what to write for the mic
Community members filling out prompts that express why they celebrate life

Pictures of the Wall Mural

A beautiful work in progress....

Every Tuesday and Thursday, clients decorate candles that express obstacles they have or want to overcome, what and who inspires them in life and what they are achieving for themselves. Some have expressed themselves through words while others have masterfully decorated their candle with symbols and other drawings.




Tuesday, August 30, 2011

First Friday Event!

This Friday, September 2nd from 6pm-9pm....


Celebrate and embrace life by sharing inspirational stories of loved ones and past life experiences. Connect with the community in an exploration of how we all can achieve our ideal selves. This project is part of a larger installation that will be showcase on the First Friday event in November. Come out and see what we have been working on and help us generate new material. 


Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Alesha's Poetry Videos

In the final weeks of this year's residency, Alesha created some amazing videos out of her poetry.

This first one, "I Hate the Way I Love You" deconstructs a relationship - the good & the bad:



The second video is a piece to honor soldiers, and the sacrifices they've made.



And this last one was made in secrecy, as we set up for our final First Friday event, as a thank you to the artists in residence! Thank you Alesha!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Asphalt Arts Comes to First Friday!

This Friday, Asphalt Arts will be outside the Drop in Center (corner of 5th St & Garfield, downtown) presenting an open mic as part of First Friday. Clients, ASU artist volunteers, professional poets and community members will take to the stage to write and share their own original work about living in Arizona, as part of ASU's Centennial Project. Join us between 5pm and 9pm, this Friday May 6!

A Love Story in Poems: Beven's Project

Over the past two weeks, Beven enlisted other clients to help him realize his vision for his poetry. He took four poems he'd written, that together told a story and cast Robert and Alesha in the major roles, with Lady Fame running the camera. We recorded Beven reading the poems, and then he directed his actors to act out the story for us. We generated a ton of footage in the center, then edited it all together. Check out the finished product below:

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Definition of a Dream

Definition of a Dream performed April 1-3 and was a tremendous hit. First, we took the show to Fiesta Inn in Tempe, to perform at ASU's Artswork Symposium.






That night we premiered the show at the Phoenix Fringe Festival, with a show at Modified Arts. We had a great cast. and a terrific audience. Check out the clip below!


The show got better every night. Here are a few great moments from Sunday night's show:








More video, including full runs from three different shows, are available on our YouTube Channel, http://www.youtube.com/tumbleweeddicphx

Friday, April 8, 2011

Compu

Compu is the name given to the DIC computer today by Hector. See how fashionable he made him/her...




Hector's Tumbleweed Dog/Cat

Great drawing by Hector that he shared with us!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Definition of a Dream - Coming Next Weekend!

Get your tickets now! Definition of a Dream tickets are on sale (along with all other shows from the fringe festival) at the Phoenix Fringe website www.phxfringe.org! Don't miss this opportunity to see this powerful original production starring Tumbleweed clients!

Remember, our shows are next weekend at Modified Arts (407 E. Roosevelt Ave) on
Friday, April 1 at 5:00pm
Saturday, April 2 at 5:30pm
Sunday, April 3 at 8:00pm




Last minute glimpses into the rehearsal process

As we gear up for our performance next weekend, here are a few photos representing the hard work and creative energy being put into the process.


Publicity Shot outside the Library
Publicity Shot #2

Script writing as an ensemble

Cast members preparing for their entrances

Staging the opening sequence of the play
Scene between mother and daugher

A still image sequence, based on Chelsea's monologue
More from the opening sequence

Fame, fortune and skateboarding!