Shrub Oak Custom Framing wishes to announce “Actualizing” an exhibition of original art, limited edition giclees,

and limited edition prints by local artist Toni Quest aka “TQ” in the DeWindt Gallery at Shrub Oak Custom Framing

from September 20, 2009 through October 23, 2009.

A Peekskill, NY resident “TQ” is a self taught painter, a sculptor, a published poet, a teacher and in 2007 became host of her own talk show.

Toni’s award winning painting “ in Us” was licensed for the book cover of “View from the Middle of the Road, Volume II, in Us”, an anthology of the work of three African American poets including a selection of poems by “TQ”

In May of 2006 before his passing, the legendary soul singer James Brown was honored by the Visual Soul Project.

Toni was one of a select group of artists chosen to participate.  Her two portraits of James Brown were exhibited at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum in Augusta, Ga. as part of the celebration. Both portraits will be shown during “Actualizing”.

“TQ” was honored as a leading new artist by the Westchester Arts Council with a subsequent display of her art in the Young Emerging Artists exhibition in June of 2006.

Ms. Quest holds a BFA in Communication Arts and is currently a full time graduate student working towards a master’s degree in adult education and training.

Artwork and poetry have given Toni spiritual insight and the strength to overcome the physical and attendant emotional limitations of Multiple Sclerosis and post-trauma stress disorder. Utilizing her communications and artistic training Toni  teaches others techniques she’s developed as part of a methodology to help them overcome physical limitations, injury, and the effects of post-trauma stress disorder (PTSD).

“TQ” hopes to “provoke thought and inspire communication about our relationship to others and the world around us”. 

Stop by and view “Actualizing”.  We believe you will share our enthusiasm for the delightful brilliance of the art of

Toni Quest.

Preview at www.screamingwoman.com

RSVP 914.962.6969

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Symposium:

Synergies between Science, Spirituality, Environmentalism & Art – Creating a Better World

Tuesday, 23 June 2009, 7 pm Panel Discussion,

reception with panelists & their projects on display following.

In concert with RAW EARTH: art exhibition of paintings by Maggie Cousins,

on exhibit through June 30^th, 2009

At: Lolita bar, 266 Broome Street @ Allen Street, NY 10002/

Tel. 212.966.7223/www.lolitabar.net/lolitabar@earthlink.net/Hours: Seven days a week, 5 pm – 4 am

Press Inquiries: heidirussellpublicist@gmail.com or 646.272.8879

The Lolita Bar is excited to present a symposium with distinguished and talented panelists engaged in the disciplines of science, environmentalism, spiritualism, and the arts.  Heidi Russell, a fine art photographer and Globalist, conceived and organized this event. Her goal in offering this symposium to the local community is to promote the discourse that is growing between professionals within the fields of science, spirituality, and environmentalism who view the arts and artists of all disciplines as partners. Through their discussion, the panelists will show how collaboration bridges discovery, understanding, and sustainable development.  This symposium will educate, inspire, challenge, and invite you to become engaged in the current world-dialog of science and art collaborations within our world-community at-large.

Symposium participants and bios following…

Interviewer: Toni Quest - Artist, Teacher, Poet and Internet Radio Show Host

Event Facilitator: Jerry Kajpust - Communications Specialist and Coach, Writer

Panelists:

Maggie Cousins - visual artist who combines her fascination for volcanoes and her strong spiritual connection to the Earth and its energy

Chief Dayo - spiritual leader, artist, environmentalist

Amy Chase Gulden - visual artist who is interested in art making processes that are collaborative

Miranda Loud - performing classical musician and passionate advocate for sustainable living

SiddharthRamakrishnan - neuroscientist with a background in computer science, environmentalist, artist

Merri Rosen - neurobiologist, who was inspired to her current career through her lifetime hobby of music

Panelist Bios, Websites/Links:

Maggie Cousins is a visual artist who expresses her vision through painting and works on paper. Her dramatic use of color and texture have their origins in graphic design. Maggie’s subject matter combines her fascination for volcanoes and her strong spiritual connection to the Earth and its energy.  Ms. Cousins’ work has been shown in galleries in the UK, Holland, and the US.  In 2006, Maggie was nominated and accepted as a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.  In 2008 Maggie was selected as the only painter to be shown at a UK/US creative excellence event at the Rainbow Room, Rockefeller Center, an event hosted by the British Consulate and his royal highness Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.  Her next body of work focuses on pen and ink drawings that invoke both macro and micro representations of birth, destruction and rebirth, continuing her interest in strong visuals and spiritual themes.  You can view more of Ms. Cousins’ work at www.maggie-c.com.

 Chief Dayo, the founder and executive director of Global Foundation for Environmental Management (GLOFEM) and the Center for Spoken Words Performing Arts, have lived in the America for thirty years. He was born into the Yoruba tribe, and in his adult life, was initiated as a chief of the Yoruba tribe and a priest of the Yoruba religion, a practice focusing on the worship of energies known in Yoruba, as orisas, the seeking of guidance through divination, and the seeking of natural healing methods through this divination with Ifa. Chief Dayo has been very active in carrying on the Yoruba tradition both in places where it is commonly practiced such as Nigeria and the Caribbean, as well as in America, where it is not as common. In 1977, while in Nigeria, Chief Dayo founded the Obatala Cultural Center, a center with the purpose of further developing Yoruba music, dance, and art. In 1987, he coordinated the Conference of the Sons of Ifa in New York City, a conference for Yoruba priests and priestesses. Chief Dayo has taught classes on Yoruba language and divination throughout the Caribbean as well as at the Caribbean Cultural Center in New York City from 1981-1983. He continues to teach these classes, at the Center for Spoken Words Performing Arts.

Chief Dayo received a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in Construction Management, and a Master of Science degree in Urban Environmental Systems Management from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Chief Dayo is a drummer and he has performed at many venues in the United States, including the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. and the Museum of Natural History in New York City, as well as many colleges across the country. Chief Dayo is also an artist and an environmentalist. For contact and more information about Chief Dayo go on to the sites below.

www.glofem.org

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/hybrid-lounge-chief-dayo/2764130949

WWW.ILEORUNMILA.ORG

http://www.sacredifajourney.com/press_room.html

Amy Chase Gulden - Is a visual artist who is interested in art making processes that are collaborative, involve her as a facilitator, and are not fully under her control. She has been collaborating with molecular biologist, Dr. Kristin Baldwin, and a micro organism, E. coli bacteria, to generate living, growing paintings that can be replicated indefinitely or immortalized by printing onto paper.  The team’s work was recently exhibited at the Serrano Contemporary gallery in Chelsea in a show entitled Growing Impressions. 

Ms. Gulden is the New York regional director for Visual Thinking Strategies, a research-based, learner-centered, art-viewing method used by museums and schools.  She is also senior researcher at the School Works Lab through which she has worked on federally funded arts education research studies, and serves as researcher, faculty and facilitator for numerous initiatives of the New York State Council on the Arts.  She is passionate about documenting teaching practices and student learning in the arts, as a way to capture, reflect on, and share effective practices with teaching communities.

For more information: amychasegulden.blogspot.com

Jerry Kajpust has been in coaching, training and development for over twenty years focusing on improving communication skills in sales, presentations, leadership and management development.  He excels in the area of organizational and time management skills both on a personal and organizational level.  He is a freelance writer with his most recent focus on artists.

For more information, coachingandpersonaldevelopment.blogspot.com

Miranda Loud is a performing classical musician and passionate advocate for sustainable living. In 2005 she founded the non-profit, Rialto Arts – Where Nature Takes Center Stage, and has been hailed by the Boston Globe as “creating a new genre for classical music.” Her most recent performances have received widespread acclaim from audiences and critics and have included From Trumpets to Trunks: Elephants and Organs; The Song of the Earth - a concert of Mahler's Das Lied von derErde collaborating with Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots. Her latest multi-media performance, Buccaneers of Buzz: Celebrating the Honeybee, won a Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is starting to tour.   She received her M. Music from Eastman School of Music in Organ Performance and Literature and has studied voice with Herbert Burtis, Pamela Dellal, and Carol Mastrodomenico.

For more information: www.rialtoarts.org

As a self-taught artist, Toni Quest engages in art to express her feelings genuinely and with impact. The canvas has been a vehicle for her to discover feelings that linger deep within. She became an artist in 1994 after surviving a head on auto collision. Her multiple injuries left her head spinning, her boyfriend bolting, and her heart and soul screaming. While recovering at home in much physical and emotional pain, she began painting faces giving birth to her Screaming Woman® series.

Although most of her work has been portraiture, TQ also brings her same spirit to other subjects and incorporates it into her teaching by sharing with her students the techniques she used to teach herself. By exercising her artistic abilities, she was able to heal herself from post-trauma stress disorder, deal with physical and emotional pain, and combat Multiple Sclerosis.

Through her art, TQ bears her soul as well as her affinity to the collective consciousness of human kind. Her intent is to provoke emotion and thought, thus inspiring constructive communication about one’s relationships to others and the world around us.   More information: www.screamingwoman.com

SiddharthRamakrishnan is a Neuroscientist currently working in the field of Bioelectronics at Columbia University in New York. During his PhD he studied pattern generating networks in snails and how they were modulated to elicit various behaviors. As a postdoc at UCLA (2006-09) he studied the development of neurons in the zebrafish brain. This was accompanied by a fascination with the living world and the beauty in its conception and patterning. His collaboration with artist Victoria Vesna was recently presented at the Shanghai International Art/Sci exhibition. He has lectured on art and science and their cusp with culture at UCLA. He is working on a documentary with Mr. Ted Owens (Syncronous Design) on green buildings and environmental health.

Siddharth's passion lies in the integration of diverse fields and what is born at the juncture... Through art and literature he hopes to bring in more access to science especially for children.

Merri Rosen is a neurobiologist, who was inspired to her current career through her lifetime hobby of music.  She was originally driven to the study of neurobiology by a curiosity for why musicians often hear music differently than untrained people.  She now studies the neural perception of birdsong and other animal communication.  Specifically, she examines how animals perceive their own species’ calls and how the brain encodes those signals.  She strives to incorporate a musical awareness into her approach, as unraveling the neural circuitry that encodes natural sounds must be constantly informed by the complexities and patterns in the world around us. Merri is currently finishing her postdoctoral research at New York University and will be starting her own laboratory next year at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine.

For more information, www.cns.nyu.edu/~merri/

Lolita bar has been supporting emerging artists through providing exhibition space for eight of their nine years of establishment.  Lolita combines exhibition space within their venue to generate an atmosphere for patrons that encourages appreciation for art and open discourse about creative expression.  Lolita also hosts many special events including live music, readings, and private parties in their cozy eclectic lounge decor and private meeting room in the basement area.

CONTACT: info@screamingwoman.com

                    OR 914-739-9560

     On June 5, 2009, Toni Quest will share her artistic and spiritual journey in a live interview with Rebbekah Lynn White, on Heal Yourself Talk Radio (http://www.healyourselftalk.com/) and WBNW, 1120 AM Radio in Boston, MA.

     Artist and poet, Toni Quest, cured herself from Post-Trauma Stress Disorder. Using her paint brush to 'scream' for her, she reveals herself honestly and genuinely through self-portraiture. She calls it 'Self-Actualizing Portraiture'.

     Currently a full time graduate student, Quest has created an instructional design which utilizes Self-Actualizing Portraiture to help returning war veterans and others who are suffering from the symptoms of PTSD. Quest's website, www.screamingwoman.com, features many of her paintings, including Giclee prints.

On July 3^rd, in recognition of Independence Day, Lillian Cauldwell, President and CEO of Passionate Internet Voices Talk Radio, interviewed Toni Quest.

In this introspective and revealing interview, TQ discusses her Neo-Americana art series and her views on being American.

Click here:

http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-LillianCauldwell.htm

and scroll down to

July 3 SPECIAL PROGRAMMING.

Toni Quest is a self-taught artist, poet and teacher currently residing in Peekskill, NY. For more infomation contact info@screamingwoman.com or call 914-739-9560.

Artist and poet Toni Quest will exhibit paintings from her Neo Americana and Screaming Woman (TM) series at the John C. Hart Memorial Library. Selected new paintings, including her most recent self-portrait titled Me Myself and Eye, will be featured as well. The Exhibit runs through November 28, 2007. An artist's reception and poetry reading is scheduled for November 17 from 2-4 p.m. The John C. Hart Memorial Library is located at 1130 Main Street, Shrub Oak, NY.  For more information email info@screamingwoman.com or call 914-739-9560.

Artist, Poet, Author, Toni Quest was the exclusive guest of  Dr. Niama Williams  host of the Poetry Corner radio talk show. The in depth interview was conducted on March 13 on internetvoicesradio.com. Quest discussed  and read selections from the recently published book View From the Middle of the Road, Volume II. Dr. Williams and Quest also explored the creative process of writing and creating visual art. To hear this inspiring interview in its entirety, log on to http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-Niami.htm  or copy and paste the link into your browser; then scroll down to find the audio stream labeled Toni Quest. Dr. Williams, an award winning author, holds a doctorate in African American literature and a masters degree in professional writing.  To read more about Dr. Williams’ extensive background go to http://internetvoicesradio.com/us.htm and scroll down.  Internet Voices Radio, www.internetvoicesradio.com, is a public radio station founded by Lillian Cauldwell.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

01/16/2007  

Artist and Poet, Toni Quest will be hosting the OPEN MIC Poetry Reading at Antonia Arts' Studio 2, on Friday, February 2, 2007. Toni Quest will also be exhibiting her paintings at Studio 2 from Feb 2 through Feb 15. Artist's reception will be Saturday Feb. 3 from 4-6 p.m. She will also sign the recently published anthology, View from the Middle of the Road, Volume II, (PRA Publishing). Toni Quest is know for her 'Screaming Woman'(TM) portraits which she began painting in 2004. As a self-taught artist, Toni Quest was named one of Westchester 's 'Leading New Artists', featured in  WAC's Young Emerging Artists exhibition. A selection of her poems are published in the anthology, View from the Middle of the Road, Volume II, U.S. in Us ' (PRA Publishing); her award winning piece, 'U.S. in Us' is featured as the cover illustration for this book. Ms. Quest is one of the selected artists to participate in the 'James Brown, Visual Soul' exhibition in Augusta, GA ; her vibrant portraits of James Brown were included in the May exhibiton and celebration. Her James Brown portraits are currently on exhibit at the VARGA Gallery in Woodstock, New York . Ms. Quest teaches an art course called 'Self-Actualizing Portraiture - Painting from the Inside"; currently she is teaching this course to gifted high school students.

For more information contact Toni Quest, 914-739-9560 .

Four African-American Poets Explore American Life

MARTINEZ, GA – View from the Middle of the Road, Vol. II – in Us showcases the unique voices of African-American poets living the American experience: Makal Ani, Lucinda Clark, Toni Quest and Robert Ward.

For the past 19 years, Lucinda Clark, President of Phoenix Rising Art Enterprises, Inc., has worked with budding authors and artists, publishing and bringing the work o these talented newcomers to the public. In this second gorgeous anthology of poetry, Clark showcases her own work and the poems of three new poetic voices. Makal Ani, a South Carolinian, speaks from the heart about love and faith; Robert Ward, a North Carolinian, uses rhythm to explore his thoughts on spirit and memory, while Toni Quest, a New Yorker whose artwork adorns the anthology’s beautiful cover, ‘trips the light fantastic’ with her playful poetry.

This sterling compilation offers a fresh poetic view on what it means to live in . Each poet represents a different state on the east coast, and is given a section in the book to share views on love, life, spirit and even death. This is a feast of poetry and a wonderful gift for anyone who loves being the first to discover new talent. 

Purchase View From the Middle of the Road Volume II:

Toni Quest shows her work at the Varga Gallery in Woodstock, NY. The Ultimate Art Experience group exhibition features the work of twenty artists selected by artist and gallery owner Christina Varga. Pictured here, Toni Quest with Christina Varga and artist Bruce Anderson. Call Varga Gallery for more information 845-679-4005 or visit www.Vargagallery.com.

Young Emerging Artists, Toni Quest and Amy Miller, discuss 'Sing To My Kiss', by Quest. Arts Bash fund raiser is sponsored by the Westchester Arts Council. The YEA show will continue through July 29.

(White Plains, NY) -- A warm summer night, food, fun and fabulous art set the scene at the Westchester Arts Council's annual ArtsBash party! This arts extravaganza will feature cuisine prepared by eleven of the county's leading chefs, live music, open studios and a special preview of the exhibit YEA! Young Emerging Artists. Featured Artists include, Toni Quest, Amy Miller, Chris Burns, Tom Sanford, and more. ArtsBash 2006 will kick off at 6 pm on Friday June 9. The festivities take place in the spectacular Grand Banking Room of the Arts Exchange, 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains, and spill out onto Mamaroneck Avenue. Tickets to see and be seen are $100; to order tickets or for more information please call 914-428-4220 x273.

Peekskill artist, Toni Quest was chosen to participate in the James Brown 50th Anniversary Visual Soul Exhibition during May, 2006 in Augusta, GA. As an official 'Visual Soul' artist, Quest painted two portraits of the Godfather of Soul which were exhibited at the Lucy Craft Laney Musem in August, GA.