by Frank Martin III
“Art is where I have courage and each day is my masterpiece…” This sentiment, printed on the sculptural assemblage, which is a major visual element of the conNECKtedTOO installation at the Cannon Street Arts Center, speaks of, or rather, “demonstrates” with eloquence, the importance of self-expression and the confidence that active creative participation may infuse within individual artists. The quote, provided by a young, local poet, Nyla Heyward, is integrated within the sculptural art installation at Cannon Street. Heyward’s succinct phrasing perfectly explains the intrinsic power of personal expressiveness as a means of supporting identity construction, the development of self-awareness, and a willingness to take risks that may transform private realities as well as public social interaction. This category of insight, and its association with the concept of “connection” seems to be an important component for the underlying motivation suffusing the entire collaborative enterprise of conNECKtedTOO.
