The Peace Builders of P.S. 119, The Magnet School of Global and Ethical Studies

EXHIBITED AT www.gallerythe.org
May 21, 2008 through September 14, 2008
Work by: 
P.S. 119 The Magnet School of Global and Ethical Studies

As the Director of Education for a Contemporary Art Gallery I find
tremendous meaning in authentic and inspired partnership with schools.
As soon as I walked through the doors of P.S. 119 I was hit by the
friendly and colorful banners naming the schools main philosophies:
PEACE, LOYALTY, RESPECT, COURAGE!  To name a few.  Everyone 
greeted me with a smile and a handshake and even hugs!  From the 
custodian to the purchasing secretary, from the front desk guards 
to the inner administration offices, students, parents and teachers...
everyone was friendly and curious about what I might be doing there!  
The school wanted to know how could we as contemporary artists help 
them to deepen their mission with the students. I am so deeply honored 
to call this school a BRIC Rotunda Gallery partner!  We dream big 
together.  We see things through together.  One of my mentors Maxine 
Greene, the philosopher in residence at Lincoln Center said: "Imagination 
opens up intellectual possibility."  What they are doing at P.S. 119 is 
innovative and revolutionary.  They are helping to inspire active, 
creative and empathetic citizens of the world.  I have selected art works, 
poetry and photos to give the public a flavor of this special place.  
There is a depth in the collective of PEACE BULIDERS at P.S. 119. I am 
happy to have been named a Peace Builder myself.  I have selected works 
from this school because the world needs constant inspiration to imagine 
itself as a better place for the future of our children.










DISTANCE MADE GOOD

EXHIBITED AT www.gallerythe.org
November 12, 2004 through January 24,2005
Work by: 
Meridith McNeal, Laura Hewitt, Shari Lee and Iva Hladis


distance made good, navig.  1.  the distance between a point where 
an object has been and a point where it is at present, measured 
along a rhumb line connecting the two points.  2.  the wayfarer 
uses a dead reckoning system to determine her course.  
3.  inspiration determines the rhumb line and dead reckoning system.


I come from ocean people.  People who for generations made a life in, 
on or next to the sea.  Considering this, it’s not surprising that I 
chose nautical language to describe something as elusive as inspiration. 
The term distance made good has to do with measuring and reflecting 
upon one’s course.

The single most extravagant vision I recall from my childhood home was 
our view of the Atlantic Ocean.  Sunset Hill was the name of our perch 
and  each and every night over martini’s and Ray Price my Mother would 
extol the virtues of our particular location.  How lucky we all were to 
witness such a spectacle as an ocean and all its changing moments of 
light, pattern and mood.  Our proximity to this vision created something 
deep and lasting inside each of us kids.  Something I have come to 
understand as inspiration.  Inspiration is the thing that some simply 
possess and others spend a lifetime searching for.

As distance is the extent or amount of space between two things, the 
artists in this exhibition traverse (meta) physical distance through a 
variety of mediums to realize their inspiration.  Long term collaborative 
communication, contemplation, moving the image up from the wilderness of 
the sub-conscious and provoking pen to paper, brain to cyberspace, needle 
to thread, bone to feather.  In the end when the work arrives to the 
realm of public viewing and truly inspires another, the artist has at 
last made good the distance.

Distance Made Good is a vehicle for collaboration: exhibition, performance, 
spoken word and small press publication. The window/virtual space of 
www.gallerythe.org is our first stop.  In January we will open the next 
incarnation of this journey with an exhibition, a performative event and a 
small publication.






DISTANCE MADE GOOD
continues @.


January 12 - February 13 2005
Opening Reception Sunday January 16 4-6pm
Performance/ Reading January 23 4-8pm





The next exhibition is in the works for DISTANCE MADE GOOD.  The beautiful
Fading Ad Art Gallery is the location-a-saurus for both the exhibition 
and afternoon of spoken word/performance by some amazing people who will be
gathering on what will be a cold cold January afternoon in Bushwick Brooklyn....
where Sir Frank Jump Alot (Gallery Owner, Elementary School Teacher of the 
highest degree, Incredible Artist and Musician...I'm sure there's more...) 
is heating up his particular corner (in this case Myrtle and Bedford Avenue 
with Chinese Restaurant in between)  with his gigantic heart and particular 
ways in the world!

Sending love in this holiday moment and hoping you are inspired and keeping 
the flames of hope and desire well in place.

Hawley in Brooklyn