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Slice of Life: Alex Goldstein, keeper of D.C.’s graffiti art scene

By WTOP Staff

Hoai-Tran Bui, special to wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Art in D.C. isn’t known for being particularly daring or avant-garde. But if you look beyond the shiny veneer of the Smithsonian art museums, you’ll find a small gallery nestled in the back alley of 8th Street on Capitol Hill.

The gallery, called The Fridge, is quite easy to overlook unless you’re a member of the graffiti and street art community. Throughout the years, The Fridge has become the unofficial center of the graffiti art community and a space for performance artists to explore their creativity.

Owner and founder Alex Goldstein sits in a corner of his gallery. He smells like the strong coffee he gulped down to keep awake in the aftermath of inauguration day celebrations, and his face is mostly hidden by his thick black glasses, checkered cap and bristly beard.

As soon as he starts talking about his gallery — a passionate project that turned into a real financial venture — he becomes as warm and welcoming as the art that hangs on the walls.

What made you decide to start a graffiti art gallery?

Yeah, it was a crazy idea I had. I guess I’ve been working with street artists, graffiti artists and doing art myself for a very long time. Honestly, over 20 years, you know, in my life. I’m 41 now. I don’t know. It’s something I’ve always wanted to have. I felt like D.C. had a lot of pop-up galleries, things that would come up for a week or two, and then they would go away. It seemed like there was a demand. It seemed like street art was getting trendy enough that it could work, and here we are.

I mean this place is kind of more like a pop-up gallery than it is — I don’t want to say real gallery — an established gallery.

And you mean that because of the variety of programming?

The variety of programming, the space, the style.

Yeah, I mean, I put a lot into it when I first came. There wasn’t even dry wall. It was just bricks, a garage door. Certainly wasn’t up to, you know, getting through inspection for events. So I had to do some things to make it legally feasible, but also to make it into what I feel is a classy space.

Yeah, it’s a small space, but it’s very welcoming. It brings in that street art feel you want in with graffiti art.

I think so. I mean, it’s a bigger space than people think. We have a second gallery in the back that used to be my apartment when I lived here for the first three years, including the one-year renovations I did. Then in late 2011 I was able to move out into a real apartment so I didn’t have to live with my work anymore. So that marked a change with me in a lot of ways — in the way The Fridge was being run and kind of the role in my personal life as well because it was really my life 24/7. And that’s what I think made us explode on the scene because I was always here, always doing it.

What kind of events do you do? I know you’ve done some live painting.

We do some live painting events. Over the years we’ve done, we’ve had over 1,000 artists in this space. It’s a lot — I mean visual artists, dance, theater. And even one-night art shows or live art events. This has become the home of a pretty burgeoning live poetry scene.

Are you preparing for an event right now?

No, that was from a DJ event. We rent the place out for private events. So, for example, on inauguration night, there was a private rental here, and I DJ’ed. So that’s my DJ equipment.

Oh, so you DJ as well?

Occasionally. I don’t as much anymore. But yeah, I have a large collection of vinyl records that I love to play around with. I probably have 4,000 vinyl records. Way too many.

What’s your favorite kind of music?

Phew, that’s a tough one.

I know that’s hard asking a musician what’s their favorite music!

Yeah, it’s — I guess R&B and soul. Jazz I guess. And that leads into all kind of music. I like electronic music — not necessarily hard electronic music, but stuff from the

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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