Champagne

 

Self-Portrait

Ian Schwartz was born in New York City, raised in Brooklyn. Throughout High School at the Yeshivah of Flatbush (Class of '02), Ian worked on seasonal displays and school events, including the annual New York City Salute to Israel Parade, acting as student CO-chairperson of the project in his junior and senior years, contributing to their awards for outstanding presentation, both years. He also participated in the Summer Arts Program at the Jewish Museum in NYC in 2001, where he experimented with New York City Transit "Metrocards" in collages and as mosaics, adding to the many reasons why his pledge name is "Transit". He exhibited a selection of his works following the program. Ian was invited back to the Jewish Museum to act as a Junior Docent the following fall.

Ian pledged AEPi Phi Theta in Fall 2002, participating in some of the chapters most impressive projects, including a 4 ft high Chanukah candelabra made of wood and beer bottles. This past year, Ian worked part time at Yeshivah Sha'are Torah in Brooklyn, instructing a weekly after-school club in woodworking. Ian is now a Senior at Brooklyn College, majoring in Studio Art and Judaic Studies. His experience there includes Drawing, Painting, Linoleum and Wood Cuts, Etching, Sculpture and Fusion Arts.

Ian's works are usually either self portraits, abstracted landscapes or abstract works based on tangible objects. "Scenes of nature amaze me. The tranquility of the vast spaces that remain uninhabited by humans is a true sign that only something greater than man could have created such a masterpiece. Man was granted free will, and his actions are based on his perception of the world and everything within it. So too, one's imagination is a mental outlet for his perception of ideas that sometimes cannot be expressed with words. When these ideas are put into forms of art, the light of universe beams down upon it, giving it a spectrum of colors, sounds, tastes, scents and textures. These features can be enjoyed by all 5 senses simultaneously."

Ian is now serving his second term as exchequer at Phi Theta, Brooklyn College.