intersections project kate brandes katebrandes.com and...
TRANSCRIPT
SpecialthankstotheArtsCommunityofEaston
fortheirsupportofthisproject.
IntersectionsProjectby:
KateBrandes
katebrandes.com
and
LaurenKindle
laurenkindle.com
Intersections:TheStreetPortraitSeries
Easton,Pennsylvania
Ajointprojectbyartists:
LaurenKindleandKateBrandes
Intersections:TheStreetPortraitSeries
Easton,Pennsylvania
Ajointprojectbyartists:
LaurenKindleandKateBrandes
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ThestorybehindtheIntersectionsProject:
Intersectionsareformedwhenpathscross.Itcanbeastreetcornerorariverconfluence.Itcanbethelivesoftwostrangerswhopauseintheirdaily
journeytotalkandlistentooneanother.Sometimes,it’sanintersectionbetweentwoartists.
LaurenKindleandKateBrandesbeganworkontheirIntersectionsProjectwiththeStreetPortraitSeriesfromfallof2015throughearly2016.Forthisseries,theypaintedstrangersinEaston,Pennsylvania.Everyweek,Kateand
Laurenvisitedordinarystreets,oftenoverlooked,andmetpeoplethattheymightnothaveotherwise.LaurenandKatepaintedtheirportraitsandtalked
tothemabouttheirlives.
Duringthisproject,theyfoundthatartcanbreakdownthewallsthatkeepusseparate.
Theyalsopaintedsomestreetscenes,and,inadditiontothepersonalportraits,Katecreated"interviewportraits,"whichrepresentshervisualsenseofwhatpeoplehadtosayaboutthemselves.
ProceedsfromthisprojectweredonatedtotheEastonLibrary,acentralhubforcommunityintersectionsandstories.
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KateBrandes
LaurenKindle
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Nelson
Attheintersectionof10thandNorthamptonStreets,outsideofNoto'sDeli,wemetNoslen,who
preferstobecalledNelson.He'sanartistandshowedussomeofhisartworkonhisphone.HewasborninPuertoRico,but
attheageof14,leftbecausehisfamilyfelthewasindanger.HewasputonaplanetotheUnitedStates.Awomanwaspaidto
accompanyhimontheplane,butabandonedhimattheairportwhentheyarrived.NelsonhaslivedinEastoneversince,andhas
struggledonhisown,withoutanysupport."Nobodyhelpsme,"hesaidmorethanonce."Ihavetohelpmyself."
Lauren'sPortraitofNelson
Kate'sPortraitofNelson
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Kate'sInterviewPortraitofNelson,anartist
tryingtofindhiswaythroughlife.
PaintingasceneinfrontofNoto'sDeli
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Gena
OutsideoftheQuadrantBook
Storeon3rdSt.,Genatalkedtousaboutpartsofherlifewhichwere
filledwithsadnessandviolence.AndyetGenaradiatedgratitudeandjoyforbeingalive."Istillhavelove.”--Gena
Lauren'sPortraitofGena
Kate'sinterviewportraitofGena,who
"stillhaslove." Kate'sPortraitofGena
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Ana
OnSouthSideattheCoinLaundry,neartheintersectionofBerwickandValleyStreets,wemetamanandawomanandtheirgranddaughter,Ana.
Ana’sgrandparentstoldusthattheirthreegrandchildren(Anaandhertwoschool-aged
siblings)liveintheirhousejustdowntheblockfromthelaundromat.Anaagreedtositforourportraitandhergrandparentsgavepermission.Shedidn'tsayawordthe
wholetime,butsatcalmly,gazingatus,andsmilingeveryonceinawhile.
"Abuela!"wastheonlythingweheardhersay,afterwefinishedpainting,assherushedtositonhergrandmother'slap.Theolder
womanspentalongtimefussingoverhergranddaughter,brushingandbraidingher
prettydarkhair.
Lauren'sPortraitofAna
Kate'sPortraitofAna
Kate'sinterviewportraitofagirl
emergingwithinthespiraloffamily.
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Audy
IntheCenterSquare,nearthefountain,wemetAudy,whoseemedtoknoweveryonethatpassedby.HewasborninLebanonandcametoEastonin
hislatetwenties.He’sbeensingleallhislife,butneveralone,sincehe’ssurroundedbyfamilyand
friends.Hetakesspecialprideinhisfamilyandcommunity.Whenaskedifhehadanything
importanthewantedtoshare
withtheworld,hesaid,"Lifeisshort.Gambleineverysinglesecondofit!"
Kate'sPortraitofAudy
Kate'sinterviewportraitofAudy,whois
deeplyrootedintothecommunity.
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Lauren,paintingAudy
Lauren'sPortraitofAudy
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Albert
WemetAlbertatWawaonCollegeHillattheIntersectionof
HighandCattellStreets.
Albert,whoworksatWawaandholdsanotherjobasacook,
isalsoanartist."Ifyou'reacollegedrop-outlikeme,"hesaid,
"youusuallyendupinthefoodserviceindustry."Hewasborn
andraisedinEaston.Althoughhe’slivedacoupleotherplaces,
includingAustin,TX,hecamehometoEastontotrytofind
hisway.
Alberthasthephrase,"C'estLaVie"tattooedincursiveacross
hisneck."Itwasoneofthethingsmygrandfatheralwaysused
tosay,"heexplained."Afterhedied,meandmybrothergotit
tattooedonourselves."
“Tomorrowisanotherday.Ilivebythat.”
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Lauren'sPortraitofAlbert Kate'sPortraitofAlbert
Lauren'spaintingofScully's
(acrossthestreetfromWawa.)
Kate'sinterviewportrait.Apaintedtopo
mapofEaston,sinceAlbertdescribed
cominghometoEaston,butstillfinding
hisway.
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Marge
Onarainyday,atthelaundromatnearNorthamptonand
14thstreets,wemetMarge,anemployeeatthe
laundromat."I'llbe83nextmonth!"sheannounced."On
Christmasday!"
MargehaslivedherwholelifeinStockertown,andhas
workedfornearly60years:20atthelaundromat,34at
TatamySportswear,and4atDunkin'Donuts.
Shecomesfromalargefamily."Ihadsevenbrothersand
twosisters,butfourbrothershavepassed.Theyallhad
cancer."
Shelivesalonewithnochildrenorpets.Sheenjoys
makingpersonalconnectionswithpeoplewhocomeinto
thelaundromat.Herotherlifepleasuresincludethegame
showchannelontelevisionandlisteningtomusic.Her
smilelightstheroom.
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Lauren'sPortraitofMarge
Kate'sPortraitofMarge
Kate'sinterviewportrait-Winter
Light.Forawoman,bornon
ChristmasDay,whodescribed
herselfasfiery.
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Jason
InCenterSquare,wemetJasonfromAlabama,whohasbeautifuleyesthat
crinklewhenhesmiles.AlthoughJasonishomeless,he'splantedrosesoutsideofthetent,wherehelivesbytheriver.
PeopledrivingbywaveandcallouttoJason.HecomestotheCircleeveryday,rainorshine,andtellseveryonewhopassesby
to"haveablessedday."Hewantstomakepeoplehappyandbringthemoutofsadness."Godislove,"Jasonsaid."Godkeptmealive."
Kate'sinterviewportrait
oftheAngelofthe
Circle.
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Lauren'sPortrait
ofJason
Kate'sPortraitofJason
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Robin
WemetRobinatthePostOfficeonFerryStreet."Ienjoymylife.WhenIwake
upinthemorning,IappreciateeverymomentIhave.Everysecondofeverymoment.It'sagift."
Robinisdrawntomountainsandwaterandlovestrees.She’dliketoliveinatreehouse.She’spartiallyblindandcan’tseewellenoughtodrive,butmissesdrivingbecauseshe’dliketovisitthemountains.Shealsodoesn’tliketodependonpeople.
Sheseesherselfasthelisteningearsofpeopleonthestreet.Robinlikestoattend
churchandisstilllookingforonethatrepresentsallcultures.She’salwayslovedpearlsandshawls(chiffon).She’sbeenaveganfor3years,
forhealthandspiritualreasons.Morningishersacredtime.Shewakesupat3or
4."There’safreshnessatthattime.Inthequiet,Godcantalktoyou.”
“Don’trushthroughlife.You’llmisssomanythings.”
Robin’sInterviewPortrait–she
describedherselfasthePearlLady.She
worethemonherearsandaroundher
neck.Partofherbeautyformedfrom
adversity–justlikeapearl.
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Kate'sPortraitofRobin
Lauren'sPortraitofRobin
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Santos
WemetSantosatthelaundromatonCollegeHill,nearthe
intersectionofMonroeandCattellstreets.
Santosisafriendlyman,notafraidtostrikeupaconversation.
He’sanimmigrantfromCostaRica,whoprefersrollinghillsand
farmstodowntown.Perhapsbecausehegrewupinthejungle,
withsnakesandcoffeetrees.
"WhatwineistotheItalians,coffeeistousinCostaRica."
Hesaidhe’s,"homesickeveryday,everyyear.Foreverysingle
immigrantinthiscountry,it'strue.Weallleftsomethingbehind."
"Yourjobdoesn'tdefineyourperson,asahumanbeing.My
experience—beingHispanicandanimmigrant---youseehowthey
treatyou.Peopleshouldrespecteachother,ashumanbeings,no
matterwhatyoudoforaliving."
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Kate'sinterview
portraitofSantos.As
animmigrantfrom
CostaRica,hespoke
aboutisolation,
amalgamation,and
assimilation.
Lauren'sPortraitofSantos Kate'sPortraitofSantos
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Kathlene
WemetKathleneinthelibrary.Shehastwosons,ages16and19.She
andherhusbandarebothNewYorkCitynatives,butmovedto
Eastonmorethantenyearsago,attractedtoitsculture,affordability,
andproximitytoNewYork.Theybothusedtoworkinthefilm
industry,butaftermovingtoEaston,Kathlenestartedherown
businesstohelppeopledeveloptheirwellnessgoals.Shespeaks
passionatelyaboutflavor.Kathleenalsolovesbirdsandthecolorred.
“Livinginthemomentisthemostimportantthing.Lifeisfleeting
andchangesmomenttomoment.Havingsomethinglikethis(sitting
forourportrait)isonesideofthespectrum.Whoknowswhat
happenswhenIleavehere.”
Kathlene'sInterview
Portrait-anabstract
paintingofflavor.
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Lauren'sPortraitofKathlene
Kate'sPortraitofKathlene
Lauren'sPaintingofacartinthe
library.
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KateBrandesisawriterandwatercolorartistinterestedinthe
confluenceofstoriesandvisualart,oftenthroughthelensofthenaturalworld.She'sdrawntotheideaofhowplaceshapesa
person'sworldview.TheStreetPortraitSeriesoftheIntersectionsProjectallowedconnectionsbetweenartistsandstrangers,anexperiencethat,forKate,accentuatedoursharedhumanexperience.
LaurenKindleisanoilpainterdeeplyimmersedintheprocessof
learninghercraftandseekingtodevelopherownvoice.SheoftenpaintsinthechiaroscurostyleoftheOldMastersthatsheadmires,
butalsodabblesinothermethodsofpainting,astheinspirationstrikes.Sheisdrawntotheideaoftryingtograsptheintangibledesiresthatarisebetweentwopeople,orforcertainbelovedobjectsandplaces.ForLauren,“Intersections”hasbeenawaytoexperienceArtasCollaboration,asacatalystforconnectingwithotherpeople.
SpecialthankstotheArtsCommunityofEaston
fortheirsupportofthisproject.
IntersectionsProjectby:
KateBrandes
katebrandes.com
and
LaurenKindle
laurenkindle.com
Intersections:TheStreetPortraitSeries
Easton,Pennsylvania
Ajointprojectbyartists:
LaurenKindleandKateBrandes