One of our greatest joys at Thrive Collective is empowering local artists to live their dreams while they create beauty collaboratively with the world around them. Consider Nico Collazo, teaching artist and art director for “Dream Walls 2.0” at PS/MS 34 this year (2017), and his fiancee Cynthia Dunston.
In 2014, Nico was a student volunteer. Last year, he was a maniacal intern, trekking to ten mural locations in four boroughs for opportunities to work with legends like Crash, DAZE, Sonic, Marie Roberts, and our own Sam Wisneski. This year Nico started as an apprentice and quickly emerged as a teaching artist at two schools this spring.
Perhaps most significantly, Nico was charged with leading the ten year refresh of our very first School Murals project in the Lower East Side, under the watchful eye of Jeremy Del Rio and his entire family who live across the street from the school, work as a teacher at the school, and even pastor a church that meets at the school.
Even more stressful, he had to help facilitate the work of legends like Duro CIA, Â Toofly, Claw, Lorena Barrezueta Carlo, and Kekoa, while designing the “Be the Change” wall with his students. And he crushed it. All of it. And we are proud. And his filmmaker fiancee returned to school so we can hire her too. You both rock, and you take cute photos!
Enjoy photos of Dream Walls 2.0 here.
Murals Portfolio
Here is Nico’s portfolio of school and community murals that he has art directed, project managed, assisted, or co-facilitated as a teaching artist since 2016.
IS 117 / TYWLS: The Importance of Daydreaming
After-School (Bronx 2020) More DetailsMS/HS 141: A Wrinkle in Time
After School (Bronx 2020) More DetailsUnion Settlement: Lamar Gibson Memorial
Summer Intensive (Manhattan 2020) More DetailsUnion Settlement: RIP Lamar
Summer Intensive (Manhattan 2020) More DetailsNYCHA Stapleton: Flowers of Our People
Intensive (Staten Island 2020) More DetailsHopes and Dreams
Event Mural (2019) More DetailsPS/IS 30: Opportunity
After School (Brooklyn 2019) More DetailsPS/IS 30: Resilience
After School (Brooklyn 2019) More DetailsMS/HS 141: Tiger Pride
After School (Bronx 2019) More DetailsBCMS/PS 298: Live Well
In-Class and After School (Brooklyn 2019) More DetailsMake Space for the Arts
Summer Intensive (Bronx 2018) More DetailsDo You Love It (2.0)
Corporate (Manhattan 2018) More DetailsBring Art Back – Mott Haven Collection
Summer Intensive (Bronx 2018) More DetailsIS 123X: I Am the Bronx
In-Class Workshop (Bronx 2018) More DetailsIS 123X: Bronx Legacy
In-Class Workshop (Bronx 2018) More DetailsWalton Campus: The World We Make
In-Class & Weekends (Bronx 2018) More DetailsPS 327: Soaring High
After School (Brooklyn 2018) More DetailsI Am Harlem: Past, Present, Future
After School & Intensive (2017) More DetailsCreator
Event Mural (Manhattan 2017) More DetailsDance. Thrive. Chill. x Burton NYC (2017)
Event Mural (Manhattan 2017) More DetailsCreate! Harlem
Summer Intensive (Manhattan 2017) More DetailsPS/MS 34: Dream Walls 2.0
After School (Manhattan 2017) More DetailsGrand Street: Rooted
Accredited Elective (Brooklyn 2017) More DetailsHolidays Thrive
Intensive (Manhattan 2016) More Details- 1
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