User talk:Ricardocoke

February 15, 2006, issue of U.S. 1 Newspaper When a Chair Is Your Canvas by Cassidy Enoch-Rex

One of the artists participating in the event, Ricardo Coke, is a native of Colon, Panama, who came to the states when he was two years old; his father worked as an artist as well as a mechanic and contractor, his mother now runs a private school in Panama. Coke has lived in New Jersey for the last 26 years and currently resides in Trenton. He supports himself with his art and has taught art for the past five years with various organizations, hoping to inspire children and keep the local art scene alive and thriving.

Coke also teaches art to the children in the Trenton After School Program. “For me it’s a reward to tap into their minds openly through art. I’m happy to be able to teach art, to open a different channel of communication with students that allows them to be more confident and perceptive to their evnironment.”

“Calypso,” the chair Coke created for the fundraiser, retains its functionality. It is painted black with the exception of the seat, on which there is a colorful, linear, abstract composition in primary colors with black and white. Coke says: “Inspiration is a beautiful thing. Often times I find that music inspires me to paint. The expressions captured on that chair are calypso — a music and dance of passion, freedom, and life.” Coke is a musician himself and studied Jazz at William Patterson University in Wayne, New Jersey from 1996 to 2000. “Most of my art is inspired by music and scenes of everyday life. I do a combination of abstract, surreal, and a little bit of symbolism. I try to concentrate on the more positive aspects about life and what life is about.”

TRENTON -- Using art as an outlet to relieve pain and struggle, several area youths involved in a program called T.I.L.T. (Teen Independent Living Training) collaboratively painted a canvas entitled, "Transformation of Pain," which was unveiled in City Hall Thursday afternoon.

Ricardo Coke, a Trenton art teacher who oversaw the project, said most of the students had no prior experience with art and were proud of what they were able to create. Coke spoke to an audience of nearly 50 people Thursday, explaining the significance of the painting and its symbolism. "The fire represents wisdom and life," Coke said.

"The center symbol was an old African symbol representing love."

"It is all aspects of life that culminate the human experience," he added.

John Morton, a life skills coach,also assisted in the project and used the event as an opportunity to call on citizens to reach out to the city's youth.

"People talk a lot about the robbing and the killing, but most of these kids just want love," Morton said.

http://www.albuscav.us/yogavayu.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3hjj6r46X0 www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3hjj6r46X0] http://app.rutgers.edu/Downloads/CommunityProjects05-06.pdf http://www.flickr.com/photos/albuscavus/390740784/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3hjj6r46X0 http://albuscav.us/streets2k5/artistsbyvenue.html