Culture

Painting for Pride (And Trash) in Oval Park

Tristan Walker, 7, along with more than a dozen other kids and several parents and aunts, were in Williamsbridge Oval Park on Saturday, April 28, doing their best to keep their park clean and beautiful by painting garbage cans with colorful designs and constructing holders for dog waste bags.

Bronx Stars Recognized By Mind-Builders

Alimi Ballard, has co-starred in Hollywood’s hit television show “Numb3rs” and the hit movie “Fast Five,” but he got his inspiration to act as a teen in the Bronx at Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center. At age 16, with his childhood friend Gilbert Glenn Brown, he toured New York City high schools, elementary schools, libraries and local theaters performing in plays with positive themes.

Bronx Notes: Paint Williamsbridge Oval Park on Saturday

On Saturday at noon, the Friends of Williamsbridge Oval are holding a painting party in Oval Park and everyone is invited. They will be painting trash barrels with cool designs and constructing holders for dog waste bags. The Friends say “This is your chance to get involved, contribute to the park and meet great neighbors.”

Bronx Notes: Israel Independence Day Festival

The public is invited to the biggest NYC festival celebrating Isreal Independence Day, Yom Ha’atzmaut, Thursday, April 26 from 4 to 8 p.m. at The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, 3700 Henry Hudson Pkwy. E. (Netherland Avenue). Enjoy food, music, rides, and much more. In case of rain, the festival will be held indoors. For more information, call (718) 590-6116.

Model Tyson Beckford Joins Bronx Walk of Fame

Bronx-born Tyson Beckford, 41, one of the world’s most famous male models, will be inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame this spring. He rounds out a quartet of Bronxites that will be etched into borough history on May 20 during the grand finale of Bronx Week. The other honorees are jazz musician Valerie Capers, cinematographer Sol Negrin and hip-hop legend Fat Joe.

Bronx Notes: Julia Alvarez at the Bronx’s ‘Big Read’

The public is invited to the Bronx Council on the Arts’ free “Big Read in the Bronx 2012” on Wednesday, April 25 from 6 to 7 p.m. at 2700 E. Tremont Ave., near Westchester Square. Excerpts from Julia Alvarez’s novel, “In the Time of Butterflies,” will be read, and copies of the book will be given to all.

Video: Bronx Artist Barbara Korman Talks About Her New Work

Last week, we published a piece about Barbara Korman, a prolific, award-winning Bronx artist who lives in Bedford Park. She only recently began showing her artwork in the Bronx again after being absent from the Bronx art scene for more than a decade. (Many people will tell you there was no Bronx art scene until recently as several organizations, big and small, have started to collaborate on large-scale exhibits.) In this video, Korman talks about the process involved in creating her new nature-inspired installation pieces, which created using the branches of downed tree limbs.