Mary Chang, Visual Artist
Mary Chang is an interdisciplinary artist who works in the visual arts, printmaking, theater and movement art forms. She attended School of Visual Arts and took classes at Cooper Union. It was not until the age of 37 that she committed herself to studying theater and was introduced to acting coach Anthony Abeson, who became a mentor and friend.
“I was always appreciative of the wonderful teachers to name a few: the late Bobbi Troka (linkletter technique) and Ada Brown Mather (RADA).”
During the late 1980’s to mid-1990’s Mary began her theater experience working with La Mama Experimental Theater as part of the tech crew for Andrei Serban’s and Elizabeth Swados Fragments of a Greek Trilogy that toured Italy.
During the early 1990’s Mary joined Immigrant’s Theater Project an ensemble of actor and writers who collectively co-wrote Immigration Office, an original play. She was part of ensemble of actors and writers with Werk Theater of Basel Switzerland under the direction of Walter Riedweg where she co wrote, performed and toured the project In-Ter-View. Mary worked as an actress with Iranian director Amir Naderi’s in the ?lm Manhattan By Numbers shown at The New Directors Film Festival (MoMA) and the Lincoln Center Film Festival.
In 2001 Mary returned to painting…it had been quite some time since the the early 1970’s. Mary states “The line of distance between my process in theater and painting are one in the same, my tools Interchange”. Her painting have exhibited at Washington Project for the Arts, St. Joseph’s Alumni Gallery, Restoration Skylight Gallery,Rush Arts Gallery, Robert Lehman Gallery at Urban Glass, MoCada,Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts, Graphias, Casa da Gravura, Sao Palo, and various cultural centers and galleries throughout the tri-state area.
TATIP Work:
Mary Chang is new and beginning teaching artist with TATIP. She has been interning at PS 84 in Williamsburg with Felipe Galindo and Phyllis Capello.
“I have always wanted to teach and authentically share my work in a meaningful way, TATIP has deepened my perspective on teaching and connecting to myself in order to connect to others”
Through TATIP, Mary has also had the opportunity to intern at PS 130 with Wingspan Arts under mentor Teaching Artist Justin Doro, as well as at Citizen Schools at the Renaissance School Of the Arts as a Volunteer Head Teacher in the after school program.
Mary states that TATIP ‘s experience over the past seven months has created an excitement through experiential learning, discovery and reflection process. The opportunity to dig deeper in order to do this work.
“I am grateful. I look forward to working as a teaching artist. My TATIP experience brought a major awareness straight to my emotional core. In the learning, discovery and reflection process there lies the opportunity to dig deeper in order to do this work. The lens of perception opens and thus begins some of the critical thinking, this builds the senses and forms spaces to examine. TATIP for me has everything to do with consciousness that goes beyond the teaching material and then becomes the teaching material, the current that moves through the work travels within me.”
Most memorable TATIP moment:
“The most memorable moment in my TATIP experience would be going to my first Saturday workshop. I recall entering the space settling in and looking around taking in the setting, the energy. I was very excited and knew something very special was about to take place. Patti Chilsen, Katie Rainey, Karla Robinson, Scott Lilly and Heidi Miller were there to greet and begin the work. Graffiti boards were on the walls, we were asked questions to consider and answer, affirmation “I have a Voice” so powerful and reinforcing to our mental and physical being. The introduction of each member , immediately I felt this safe space that is so often mentioned during the course of our work. I felt as though I was in a lab of examining, discovery and rediscovery. I was present and open, safe and accessible.”
Find out more about Mary here:
Check out Mary’s Lesson Plan she presented with her partner Emmanuela Soria-Ruiz.
Interested in TATIP? Find out more about our 2017-18 Program!
See more of our 2016-17 Graduates in the 2017 TATIP Anthology!