Bongo Boy Rock'n Roll TV Show Visits duCret

In they rolled right off the street, with video cameras and technical TV production  equipment in tow. We're talking about the relatively newly formed and super cool Bongo Boy Rock'n Roll TV Show, of course. After a sit down interview with duCret Director Frank Falotico, TV show host Wayne Olivieri toured through the school grounds. Frank described several iconic artists who had studied at duCret throughout it's eighty-five year history. Notable artists, events and even a scandal belong to the flavorable history of the school. Scandal? In the very early years, the school was suddenly challenged when the originating founder, Marjorie Van Emburgh stuck to her guns about using nude figure models so her students could learn how to draw the human form. Puritan community uproar caused a scandal that landed front page news coverage which spread to reach NYC newstands in the 1930's - at a time where public nudity was an abominable sin. Fast forward a few decades and traditional figure drawing is acceptably synonymous with the nude figure.

The school holds alot of interesting tidbits like that, including the possible existence of ghosts; however, anyone who attends the school would wager that at least they're the friendly, artsy kind...if they do indeed exist. Currently duCret hosts many 3-D living type artists, including loft artists such as Charles Sabba, NJ's notorious NJ police sergeant/Gardner Art Heist investigator and  the accomplished landscape artist Gerry Heydt.  Both artists run occasional workshops throughout the tri-state area and both are members of the esteemed Salmagundi Club in NYC. Certainly the ecclectic blend of past artists and emerging artists does cause occasional intrigue - enough to draw TV into the picture. Last year Parthenon Entertainment filmed a Comic Con model posing at Open Studio, where several musician groups schedule in to play on the Fine Art Floor. Cake Boss TV show still employs three duCret grads. So natch, it was just about time for another TV show to wander onto the duCret scene.

Bongo Boy Records, who houses the Rock'n Roll TV show by co-producers, Monique Grimme and Gar Francis, was formed in April of 2010. It endeavors to move emerging artists up the ladder to success; via it's TV show. That powerful combo of an indie record label, a TV show and the internet's flaming social media platforms has the company rapidly scaling NJ's success ladder. Each monthly episode airs 6 days a week, 60 x per month on 8 different Channels - so far.  As all artist's know; the line between musicians and painters, TV and movies is actually non-existent, since all color and sound originates from the same cosmic vibrations of the One. Anyone at duCret's Tuesday night Open Studio, where live musicians and artists abound will adamantly attest - duCret is one big happy family of multi-talented artists - both emerging and accomplished! duCret School of Art warmly welcomes like-minded Bongo Boy Rock'n Roll TV show into the family fold. Just released - the new Bongo Boy Rock'n Roll TV Show featuring duCret!

Top Image: TV host Wayne Olivieri and duCret Director, Frank Falotico. Right. Image: artist, Jerry Heydt. Bottom Left Image: Wayne Olivieri, artist and duCret alumni, Brian Townsend, Frank Falotico and Producer, Monica Grimme.

2nd Year Student on 2nd Children's Book

Christina Ross probably doesn't even tip 90 pounds on a weigh scale, and that's with a heavy winter coat, metal belt and boots loaded onto her tiny frame. But packed into this petite, artistic soul's body is the spirited power of the elephant Goddess known as Ganesh.

Quiet and unassuming when she first arrived, Christina has managed from within just one year at the school, to produce her first children's book, 'We Can Count'. Now in her second year, she has already begun to work on the second book of a series of children's books she has in mind. In the short time that she's been with duCret, Christina has caught the eye of a board member, who's personally taken her under his wing at his printing company in Clinton, NJ.  She can often be found hunkering down over a digital screen in the MAC Lab. She's also become much more vocal, upbeat and flavorful in general, which is a common thing that happens to artists when they begin to truly find themselves and their place in this world. It's not surprising then, to learn then that she already has printed business cards and is scouting locations to be able to introduce her new book to K-12 schools and elementary circles of the local area.

Though she created her books from what she learned in graphic design classes, she's also actively developing her foundation level art skills in Life Drawing, Airbrush, Silkscreen and Water Color classes. Years two and three at duCret are where many individuals begin to blossom into their long held dreams, for it is the gift of 'time' that an artist gives to oneself, which can turn a rather opague vision into a 3D living reality. In the first year at duCret, sometimes it's hard to see where everything is going to lead.  Plunging onto the dark abyss of the unknown can deter alot of people from doing what they really want to do. That's just life in general. But artist's seem to be born with an extra gene that surfaces as a relentless echo within. The internal voice never dies. No matter how one might ignore the urge to create, the need to do so always seems to swing back to center focus. Artists must do what they must do. Christina, heeding her inner call to create, was wise enough to give herself time to try out being a 'real' artist. In year two, it is clear that she's on her destined path. Click here to contact Christina.