Ten underserved youth from Andy Street in North Long Beach will learn to paint self-portraits with local artist Gregory Dane Sabin during the Andy Street Community Association (ASCA) youth art studio experience this month.
ASCA is a nonprofit organization, whose members include many of the residents, property owners and businesses of the Andy Street community, once considered a dangerous area of Long Beach. The nonprofit seeks to empower communities to grow and improve, as well as nurture community collaboration.
“We were looking for someone with expressive portrait experience to work with the kids for this project,” said ASCA Executive Director LaVerne Duncan, in a statement. “Considering Gregory’s recent exhibit of Long Beach opinion leaders, he seemed the perfect fit.”
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Under Sabine’s instruction at his studio, two morning studio sessions will guide the students through the process of using a photograph for reference, with the resulting self-portrait paintings to be shown at the upcoming Black History Month celebration at The Expo Arts Center in February.
“Having ten kids in the studio at one time to produce a self-portrait is going to be a fun challenge,” said Sabin in a statement. “When LaVerne approached me about this opportunity I jumped at the chance to work with the kids.”
The self-portraits will be on display Thursday, February 2 through Saturday, February 4. The Black History Month celebration is free to attend and open to the public.
For more information about ASCA, visit the website here. For more information about Sabine and his work, visit his website here.
The Expo Arts Center is located at 4321 Atlantic Avenue.
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