Ever since Sugar City shuttered its gallery, studios, and performance space at 1239 Niagara Street (due to the pandemic), I have been keeping my eyes open for other DIY art collectives to pop up. I recently learned about Slime Shack, thanks to Sara Heidinger (SH Photography) who came across the group of artists when she was photographing for the UB Arts Collaboratory. Sara told me that Slime Shack was composed of a “group of guys, and the art space that they created, who were curating events and helping young artists.” The effort is being headed up by JC Mwibanire and Eric Hennings Jr. (aka Skate).
According to Sara, the operators of Slime Shack are based out of a house (including a makeshift music studio) in the University District, but one of their objectives was to take their artists to the street, to give them public platforms where they could make names for themselves.
The purpose of the event is to shed light on the local street art scene while building a bridge between Buffalo artists and their community.
One of their first coordinated public appearances is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 19 (Juneteenth) at the New England grocery store (115 Englewood Avenue at Eley Place). From 1pm to 4pm, 7 artists will be “live painting” on canvases as a way to “create waves and make themselves heard.” The event follows in the footsteps of a pop-up on Hertel Avenue, where the collective hosted a fashion-related event.
“This is a new generation of artists,” Sara told me. “This is a way for them to get a voice and figure out a path. They have access to a sewing room, podcast equipment (and other resources) – they are holding each other up by using and sharing their skill sets.”
As for the artists participating in Saturday’s event, they are as follows:
Joel Shackleford 31
Dominican born Buffalo raised
@joelfrombuffalo
Patrick Nossavage 21
Niagara Falls, NY
@pndesignco
Jessica Saddleson
Buffalo NY
@armcandy716
Demetrius J Hall 25
Buffalo NY
@nuwaufro
Martel Bolden 25
Detroit born and raised
@most_puissant
HONCH, 25
Born and raised in the Bronx, NY
@dt.honch
Aristine Stephen Figueroa, 42
Bronx n.y.
@universitytopaz72
About the Slime Shack: A Multi-Disciplinary Art Collective
The Slime Shack was created out of necessity as a safe haven for the flourishing creative culture in Buffalo, NY. Over the years we have opened any doors we’ve had to anyone in need of a space to create or express themselves. Music producers and engineers, fashion designers, videographers and photographers, graphic designers, rappers, singers, and painters have all called the Slime Shack home at one time or another.
