CAFE Grants for the Arts: Encouraging Artistic Endeavors

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From D&B Strategic Marketing

To say chalk artist Chris Monaghan and guitarist Michael Harrington were thrilled when they found out that they were each receiving a Chelsea Area Festivals & Events (CAFE) $1,000 grant, well, that’s an understatement.

Monaghan immediately applied when CAFE decided to provide the grants as an extension of their mission to enrich Chelsea, and the surrounding communities, by promoting the presentation of and participation in quality performing and visual arts throughout the year.

Chalk Artists, Chris Monaghan on his 3-D chalk skateboard drawing.

Then came the explosion of ideas.

“My mind immediately went into overdrive,” he said.

“Originally, I had intended to offer chalk art classes and demonstrations through the public libraries and schools.”

But COVID-19 had other ideas, so his creative brain found another good idea.

He kicked off the “Fun2Chalk" YouTube channel to encourage kids to develop their chalk art skills and learn about something in the process.

“This seemed like the best option allowing people to access it from home,” he said.

Monaghan began filming “Fun2Chalk” at the Wings Farm in Dexter during Halloween.

“We learned about how the pumpkins grow and the activities available to people when they visit a pumpkin patch. The video then transitions to how to draw jack-o-lanterns using chalk in the driveway."

The CAFE grant allowed Monaghan to hire professional voice-over talent, get the necessary supplies, and handle post-production activities. He said the “Fun2Chalk” videos are scheduled for release throughout 2021.

“Street art is a very social activity but it also could be viewed as a great outlet for people to be creative during the lockdown,” Monaghan said.

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Guitarist Michael Harrington was “surprised and shocked” when he learned that he would be receiving the CAFE grant to help fund recording sessions celebrating American jazz guitarists of the 1930s.

Michael Harrington of Fun on the Frets performing at Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights.

Harrington, who is a long time fan of Django Reinhardt - one of the most famous early jazz musicians — credits fellow guitarist Brian Delaney with introducing him to the lesser known American jazz guitarists.

“Even relatively knowledgeable modern guitarists typically have rarely, if ever, heard much of this groundbreaking music,” said Harrington, “because the bulk has languished on rare shellac 78 rpm recordings, mostly owned by record collectors.“

He and Delaney - who is also a composer and founder of the Royal Garden Trio — decided to record their own collection celebrating the beginnings of jazz guitar.

“The idea of recording duets in the early jazz guitar style sprouted from both playing live and listening to lots of early jazz guitar duet recordings from the 1930s — Eddie Lang and Carl Kress, Eddie Lang and Lonnie Johnson, Carl Kress and Dick McDonough,” said Harrington.

He added that due to COVID, the recording process has been slower than they had hoped.

“With our safety and health as the primary concern, we are pre-arranging most of the music remotely so that we can eventually record and work out everything together in the same space. We're hoping to get most of the recordings finished by fall of 2021.”

The 10-song recording project will include material from a wide-ranging repertoire of both white and Black artists from the dawn of jazz guitar, Harrington said, and will include two original compositions, including the Chelsea-based "Clocktower Stomp.”

“We’re excited to offer “Clocktower Stomp” to Chelsea Area Festivals & Events for use in future event promotion.”

This is the second of two articles showcasing the contributions to the arts culture in the Chelsea area by artists and performers that received grant funding from the Chelsea Area Festivals & Events.

For more information about Chelsea Area Festival and Events visit www.chelseafestivals.com.

Photos: D&B Strategic Marketing

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