With the help of Jorge Cordero, a fellow High School of Art and Design graduate, we not only gained approval for our project but found an artist/instructor who had already earned the respect and awe of the student artists.
James Harrington is a native of New York City whose work brilliantly explores the people and locales of this amazing place. His study of art began at HSAD in Manhattan and continued at the Art Students League of New York and at Queens College. He learned from such legendary people as Irwin Greenberg, David Leffel, Sherrie McGraw and Harvey Dinnerstein before earning an MFA degree at Queens College in 2004.
James would draw on all that learning when he agreed to lead our team at Andaz. Not only would he guide the intrepid young artists who were carefully selected for the project, he would also contribute his own original art work to the hotel.
But there was a catch, an unexpected challenge that would quickly reveal James’s true colors.
Our original concept called for blackboard surfaces upon which images would be created using chalk. Unfortunately, chalk is dusty and smears easily, rendering it impractical for this environment.
So we created an alternative surface that looked like a blackboard — and then reached for a new product called Chalk Ink ® (http://www.chalkink.com/ChalkInk.com/Homepage.html). When applied, it has that great, textured chalky look (without the dust) and comes in a wide variety of colors.
But Chalk Ink works like a paint pen, which means it can drip before setting and properly drying. The young artists, which were working on large, irregular-sized walls, struggled with the new medium — and were surprised when James did too.
A lesser artist might have been embarrassed or made excuses. James used the ordeal as a unique teaching moment.
“No matter how good or experienced you are there will always be challenges. New mediums are invented and it takes time to figure them out. What I liked about the Chalk Ink experience was it showed that we all — student and teacher — have struggles. And each day we have to make a fresh start and face the daunting nature of being creative in new, often demanding ways.”
The Chalk Ink pens, which are a remarkable new tool, also meant more time would be needed to create each masterpiece. Since the nibs, or points, are small, filling in large spaces with one color was labor-intensive. The artists developed a new appreciation for the bold strokes of a wide paint brush!
However, the original art now showing at Andaz 5th Avenue is remarkable for its fluidity, creativity and ardor. It clearly demonstrates our original concept while also showcasing a new medium that we hope will inspire other New York City “chalk” artists.
Regina Rubino
