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QC10222015

42 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • OCTOBER 22, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com THE COURIER/Photo by Angela Matua A nonprofi t organization is transforming an Astoria wall with art. ONSITE DOCTORS • EYE EXAMS • CONTACTS • 1 HOUR SERVICE • VISION PLANS ACCEPTED • SUNGLASSES • LOWEST PRICES $99 DISPOSABLE CONTACTS Includes: EYE EXAM, 2 Boxes of Lenses Clear Soft brand clear spherical Lenses/ *Contact lens fi tting additional. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. Some restrictions apply. See store for details. Expires 11/30/15 2 PAIR OF EYEGLASSES $99 Includes: EYE EXAM, Frames & Lenses Select frames with clear plastic, single vision lenses+/- 4 sph., 2 cyl. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. Expires 11/30/15 NO-LINE BIFOCAL EYEGLASSES $99 Includes: EYE EXAM, No-Line Bifocal Lenses & Frame Select frame with select clear plastic no-line bifocal lenses +/- 4 sph., 2 cyl up to 2.50 add. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. Expires 11/30/15 $100 OFF A FREE Pair of Sunglasses or Spare Pair Includes FREE EYE EXAM st Second pair frame from select group with plastic, single vision lenses ‘+/- 4 sph, 2 cyl. Dilation & contact lens exam additional. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Expires 11/30/15 of the 2013 THE QUEENS QueensCourier.com Place FLEX SPENDING Use it or lose it! QC QC QC QC Amazing Fall Savings! BAY TERRACE SHOPPING CENTER 211-51 26 AVENUE • BAYSIDE, NY 11360 718.631.3699 *FREE Eye Exam with the purchase of glasses. Contact Lens Exam and fi tting add’l. *See store for details. buzz Astoria mural depicts iconic neighborhood landmarks BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@queenscourier.com/@AngelaMatua Astoria residents walking by the underpass on 25th Avenue and 48th Street will soon see a drastic difference from the graffi ti-heavy blue wall. 501 (See)(Streets), an organization that beautifi es walls across New York City, transformed an old Astoria wall into a bustling scene depicting iconic landmarks like the Hell Gate Bridge, Air Line Diner and residents dressed in old-school garb. The organization was founded by Noah Sheroff in July 2014 after he graduated from New York University with a master’s degree in public administration. Sheroff, who grew up in Bellerose, wanted to start his own organization and after seeing the work of several street art collectives like 5Pointz and The Bushwick Collective, he was inspired to bring this art to neighborhoods across the city. “It tends to be benefi cial to residents, businesses, and generally an effective graffi ti deterrent,” Sheroff said. “People have tendencies to think that artwork belongs in certain communities. That’s why were trying to go through the communities to show that whether it’s Bellerose or Rosedale or Astoria or Woodside or Middle Village to Whitestone, it can fi t anywhere.” Sheroff has worked with accomplished artists to bring murals to neighborhoods like Flatbush, Brooklyn, Fordham, Bronx and recently completed a mural at the 110th Precinct in Elmhurst. Though Sheroff does not do any of the artwork, he has a rotating list of artists who specialize in portraits, landscapes and more. He also works with specifi c community groups to brainstorm ideas for each mural. Councilman Costa Constantinides worked with Sheroff to make the mural a reality and visited the site to check on its progress. “It was great seeing 501 (See)(Streets) beautifying our neighborhood,” Constantinides said. “This mural will leave a long-lasting and colorful piece of art in a residential area.” Artist, illustrator and painter Kenji Takabayashi is the artist behind the Astoria mural. Takabayashi, who grew up in Ozone Park, graduated from the High School of Art and Design and began to do grafi tti on subways and buildings around the city as a teenager. His work got him noticed by Time Inc., where he became a photographer and began displaying his artwork in galleries. An art director for Major League Baseball for 28 years, Takabayshi quit last year to do graffi ti full time. Sheroff said he wants to expand his organization’s work to include more neighborhoods in Queens and eventually the tri-state area. The name behind the nonprofi t, in addition to being a play on the term 501(c)(3), is meant to inspire civic engagement. “The goal is to eventually get people to pay attention to what’s going on in their community, especially locally,” Sheroff said. “I think this art is something that is unfortunately undervalued but it’s really, really benefi cial to the community.”


QC10222015
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