A Bayside-based artist was recently awarded an art grant for works she created when the city was on pause during the pandemic.
This past weekend, Clare Stokolosa showed the paintings from her “Colorful Creations” exhibit at Long Island City’s Collective Paper Factory Hotel. The Sept. 18 show was made possible by the $5,000 grant she received as part of the NYC Artist Corps, a $25 million investment in NYC-based artists to help them bring creative programming and engagement to audiences.
I’m thrilled to share that I’m officially part of the #CityArtistCorps! Thanks to @nyfacurrent, @NYCulture, @MadeinNY, & @QueensTheatre for this $5,000 grant–I’m looking forward to sharing my work with you. Stay tuned for up coming exhibit. pic.twitter.com/W2GGj0hTgp
— clare stokolosa (@clarestokolosa) August 4, 2021
Stokolosa painted the “Colorful Creations” collection as part of her social media series called “#StayAtHome,” which was born after her art studio shut down. The collection is composed of still-life paintings of healthy, fresh food and colorful and interesting organic shapes that she documented in daily videos.
“The pause in 2020 led me to a new beginning as an artist. New York shut down in March. My art studio closed. Now what? I carved a little studio space in my apartment where I continue to paint, capturing my thoughts and process on video,” she said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Gonzalo Casals announced the City Artist Corps program back in May 2021. To date, over 3,000 multidisciplinary artists have received these grants, funded in collaboration with the New York Foundation for the Arts and other local partners.
Those interested in viewing “Colorful Creations” can do so on Stokolosa’s website at clarestokolosa.com.
