By Gregg McQueen

Location, location, location.

Long the battle cry of real estate professionals, the limited availability of local and accessible space within which to paint, plié and ponder has also been the bane of artists everywhere – and no more acutely than uptown.

Until now.

Since its founding in 2007, the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA) has supported countless uptown artists with programming, resources and monetary grants.

One thing the organization could not offer before was dedicated arts space.

In April 2021, NoMAA moved into a new headquarters, located on the top floor annex of the United Palace in Washington Heights.

The space at 4140 Broadway includes four studios, two of which have sprung dance floors and mirrored walls for dance groups, with all featuring a Bluetooth sound system.

It marks the first time NoMAA has possessed its own studio space to offer to the public.

Read more: New look at NoMAA | Manhattan Times

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The post New look at NoMAA | Manhattan Times first appeared on Washington Heights, Inwood & Harlem Online | The Uptown Collective.

* This article was originally published here

By Sherry Mazzocchi

Painter Valeri Larko extracts pristine beauty from urban landscapes.

“I see beauty in things that other people might overlook,” she said.

Larko paints en plein air, which means she works outside, on location, to capture the Bronx’s rugged beauty. Larko’s work is currently on display at Sugarlift, a gallery under the High Line; the exhibit is titled “Hidden in Plain Sight.”

A keen observer, Larko focuses on light and shadow, whether the subject be graffiti-covered buildings or the soaring sculptural qualities of train trestles. In the latter, a viewer might be excused for thinking they see the underpinnings of an imaginary universe rather than Secor Avenue.

Her vision of the Bronx hovers somewhere between Magritte and Hopper. Skies are typically cloudy blue and vistas are free of people and trash. Yet the densely detailed paintings don’t gloss over harsh environments. Instead, they are celebrated and uplifted through an exploration of light and shadow. There is something almost nostalgic in Larko’s work. With her command of color saturation, she conjures a Bruckner Boulevard that is oddly reminiscent of 1950’s California.

Read more: Making it Plein | Bronx Free Press

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The post Making it Plein | Bronx Free Press first appeared on Washington Heights, Inwood & Harlem Online | The Uptown Collective.

* This article was originally published here

McConnell’s remark about African Americans vis-a-vis Americans wasn’t a mistake; it was a Freudian slip.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 22, 2022

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The post The Tweet of the Week: #Facts first appeared on Washington Heights, Inwood & Harlem Online | The Uptown Collective.

* This article was originally published here

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A post shared by KIPP WHMS Cheerleading (@kipp_whms_cheer)

Aight y’all this week, all of us together, got 2 train stations Uptown cleaned up. So now let’s use that People Power to get these young Uptown go-getters to the Cheerleading Nationals in February. Click link below to make it happen.

Donate Here: Meet the Monarchs: Let’s Get These Uptown Girls To The Cheerleading Nationals

Donate Here: Meet the Monarchs: Let’s Get These Uptown Girls To The Cheerleading Nationals

We invite you to subscribe to the weekly Uptown Love newsletter, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter & Instagram or e-mail us at UptownCollective@gmail.com.

The post Meet the Monarchs: Let’s Get These Uptown Girls To The Cheerleading Nationals first appeared on Washington Heights, Inwood & Harlem Online | The Uptown Collective.

* This article was originally published here

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A post shared by Radel Ortiz (@radelortiz)

A little hump day humor never hurt nobody. Check out this hilarious clip courtesy of Radel Ortiz and company on what happens when a distant relative from the Dominican Republic ends up staying in your apartment. How many of y’all can relate?

We invite you to subscribe to the weekly Uptown Love newsletter, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter & Instagram or e-mail us at UptownCollective@gmail.com.

The post Hump Day Humor: Dominicans Be Like first appeared on Washington Heights, Inwood & Harlem Online | The Uptown Collective.

* This article was originally published here