Issue 23 • January 2020 • Facebook.com/TalkArts
IT’S ALL ABOUT
ARTS
Supporting Local Arts and Culture
STAN EICHNER
In This Issue Cover Story – Photographer Stan Eichner Heralding Earth’s Beauty for Future Generations by Janice Williams Artist Stephanie Silvi - 3-D RESIN-ANCE by Curt Naihersey eARTh Watch – Artist Lisa Goren and Photographer Matt McKee Film Review- MARRIAGE STORY by G. D. Spilsbury Meet the Artist – Joel VanPatten Tess McColgan’s January To Do List Poetry – “A Pool of Poppycock” by Curt Naihersey and “Gifts” by Joan Selmer-Larsen (compiled by Curt Naihersey) Local Music Scene by Perry Persoff Afterland – “The Holy Ruse” Part One by Edward Morneau Special MIT Endicott House Centre Cuts Salon and Spa Horizon II Exhibit at Square Root, Roslindale
Published by It’s All About Arts Copyright 2020 - All Rights Reserved Glenn Williams - 617-543-7443 glennsmusic.williams@gmail.com Janice Williams - 617-710-3811 janice@artfulgift.com TO ADVERTISE - REQUEST OUR MEDIA KIT ALL ADVERTISING REVENUE GOES TO THE IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS YOUTH ART SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. MORE It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
2020. 2020.
2020
As we enter a new decade, my wish list: • World Peace • Civiity and Compassion for All • More Mental Health Services for All • More Opportunities and Appreciation for Artists (especially writers) • Global Action for Climate Control IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS www.itsallaboutarts.com facebook.com/TalkArts Twitter - @itsallaboutarts Instagram #itsallaboutarts ROSLINDALE ARTS ALLIANCE www.roslindalearts.org facebook.com/Roslindale-Arts-Alliance-129685993761701 ART STUDIO 99 www.artstudio99.com facebook.com/Art-Studio-99-145566388819141 Twitter @artstudio99 Instagram - janice_art_studio_99
HORIZONS II art exhibit at Square Root Caffe 12.27.2019 - 2.7.2020 On the Wall
Katherine Freiburger Alan DeMola
Karen Zanes
Liz Nania Tamara Safford
On the Columns
Matthias Lupri
Mary McCusker
Reception Tuesday 1.14.2020 6-7:30pm
2 Corinth Street Roslindale, MA 02131 Curated by: http://www.itsallaboutarts.com It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
Stan Eichner – Heralding Earth’s Beauty for Future Generations By Janice Williams The more I get to know Stan Eichner, the more I admire not only his talent but his vision for people and the environment. Eichner born in Washington DC and now living in Somerville, MA, is a focused and skillful photographer as well as a supporter of the
Sunrise Movement, a youth climate activist group. He shares the group’s passion and its critical message. Using his photography as a social statement is part of a lifetime devotion to helping others. According to Eichner, “My images advance an appreciation of the profound beauty of the world and underscore the critical importance UN NY Climate Summit of protecting our planet Sept. 2019 from thoughtless destruction, especially the current climate change crisis. As part of climate change activism, I was honored to have a half dozen of my photos used in support of the Sustaining All Life (SAL-UER), effort at the Climate Change Conference in San Francisco in fall 2018”. More recently he headed up a team of photographers at the UN Climate Summit in NYC this past September. Landscape/travel photography has been a true joy for him, taking him to such varied destinations as Cuba, Ireland, Chile and Scotland. As diverse as those locales are, one commonality has been the physical challenge of waking up hours before sunrise to be in place It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
before the first rays of dawn appear, but always followed by the incredible excitement of seeing the sun break through the clouds revealing a landscape that had only moments ago been shrouded in dark clouds. Each time it’s been a revelation Tatio Geysers, San Pedro, Chile reminding oneself why it was so worth the effort of traveling in the dark cold weather awaiting the arrival of the sun. As a retirement present, he bought himself a Cannon EOS-RP, the smallest full frame mirrorless camera. The smaller size and weight enable him to navigate tough terrain, despite his disability. He’s able to process his photos in his home office/studio and print up to 8 x10 there, using a commercial lab for larger prints. Prior to his work as an artist, Eichner was a civil rights attorney focusing on advancing the rights of people with disabilities. He was Director of Litigation at the Disability Law Center. DLC works on behalf of individuals with Little Boy and Mother, disabilities to Cienfuegos, Cuba ensure that they have the rights and supports necessary to be fully integrated members of the community. Its mission addresses: special education, rights
Stan Eichner – Heralding Earth’s Beauty for Future Generations By Janice Williams continued
of individuals in facilities, access to health care, voting rights, discrimination as a result of disability, and access to government services. Last month, Eichner won his first photo contest sponsored by East Somerville Main Streets (ESMS), resulting in his image being on the cover of their 2020 calendar and four months within the calendar. In support of the work of Sunrise Movement, he also photographed the march and the Statehouse rally at the December 6 Climate Strike. An admirer of Ansel Adams, Gordon Parks and Dorothy Lange, Eichner has an affinity for capturing iconic scenes of people and places. Eichner says, “My first photos were taken in junior high school when I took pictures of national parks out west. I’ve done photography off and on, but in 2012, I showed my photography in Somerville’s Open Studios (SOS) and I’ve participated in SOS every year since then”. Images from his recent photography trip to Scotland as well as photos from his trips to Chile, Death Valley, Ireland and New England will be featured in SOS 2020 which takes place the first weekend in May. Eichner participate in many local exhibits and has been seen in multiple places in Roslindale, Boston and Somerville. Glenn Brittle Isle of Skye, Scotland
Sunrise Isle of Skye, Scotland
Contact: Website: staneichner@smugmug.com; email: staneichnerphotography@gmail.com It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2020
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 3-D RESIN-ANCE by Curt Naihersey !
Stephanie Silvi’s paintings have a surprising use of lines and color that add depth to her pieces. Her paintings are deceptively simplistic, but upon closer examination one can see the many layers revealing a three-dimensional effect. Thickly coated with a resin that gives her pieces a dream-like quality, she has created a forest of splendid paintings, as well as decorated glasses, pitchers, and vases. With a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, she has been featured in many private and corporate collections like Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA, Novell Corporation, Provo, VT and the US Embassy in Kampala, Uganda. She has also exhibited at Ellis Gallery, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh,
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
(both in Pittsburgh, PA), and Atlantic Gallery, New York, NY. She is currently associated with corporate art programs such as The DeCordova Museum, Erdreich White Fine Arts and Boston Art, and has appeared on WCVB’s Chronicle in an episode about her studio at the Norwood Space Center, a refurbished suburban warehouse collective created for artists and the community. She currently shares this space with her sister, Michelle, who creates clothing/textile designs (www.amishadesign.com). Sisters doing it for themselves, indeed!
!
Stephanie has tried to support herself on art alone, but finds that a tough challenge. A day job provides her with the balance to live and create. The world of an artist is i so l a te d a n d g r u e l i n g - a n d o fte n demoralizing - but having a suitable, affordable, dedicated space has given her the energy to burst forth with her colorful
! !!
________________________________________________________________________________! It’s All About Arts Magazine
January 2020
artwork. As she notes: “I was looking at live-work spaces in Boston and it is outrageous…also very hard to find. A smaller place here is a no-brainer for startups. No freight elevators, plenty of parking, walk right in, and get to work, which is huge.”
provides. We have one of her captivating pieces hanging in our kitchen luminescent! We just had to chat:
!
I started using the resin in college. Experimented a lot with layering and different techniques. Now, many years later I’m still using the resin and layering and hopefully have created a more unified portfolio over the years.
Stephanie’s paintings abound with color and motion. Aided by masking tape, the artist creates thin, vertical bands of color that overlap and dance before viewers’ eyes. The resulting dynamism creates a visual depth that makes the work seem as sculptural as it is painterly. In her smaller pieces, Silvi uses layers of resin between paint applications, increasing the work’s seemingly three-dimensionality. Layers of lines, overlap, intertwine, and make waves across her pieces. This provides us with contemplative art for viewing. Her colors project a welcome and vibrant energy but also allow for a slow and calming curiosity.
!
Although lovely from across a room, close up and from the side you can see the depth of her patience and precision in her strategy of where and when she lays line and color. The result is space for light to weave in and out and expand our view of the delicate complexity Stephanie’s art
!
1. When and how were you prompted to create art? When did you decide to pursue your current techniques? My high school art teacher Diana Hampe convinced me to apply to art school. I always had a passion for it, but never thought that I could make any money at it or that anyone would want to own something that I created. I applied to a handful of art schools and went to the one that gave me the most money. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I think I got pretty lucky. I was scared and intimidated as hell, but it only made me grow.
2. When you’re creating, what comes first: the colors - the size - a feeling or a memory? Is it intuitive or academic? I almost always create paintings that are square and make them in multiples at one time. Color plays a large role in every painting. Nothing is ever planned. It is all about process, intuition and visual appeal. 3. Who do you look towards for inspiration and influence? The obvious would be all the great 50’s color field painters, i.e. Newman, Kelly, Davis…etc. I’m also a big fan of Cy Twombly. The best part about having a studio in a building like The Space Center is that the other artists around you are very
! !!
________________________________________________________________________________! It’s All About Arts Magazine
January 2020
influential. We all are creative in different ways and motivate each other. 4. How much time do you spend working on your art? How many hours between painting and then coats of resin? I try to spend as much of my free time making art as I possibly can. It’s difficult balancing a paying job and what I really want to be doing which is making art, but you have to make a living.
I do have a couple small shows so far in 2020. One group show at the RSM Gallery @ 80 City Square in Charlestown (January 23 - May 11). [https://rsmus.com/events/ artgallery.html] I will also be showing at Percival Brewery at The Space Center, most likely in July, and also, at our annual group show again next December.
There is a minimum of 12 hours between a coat of resin and another layer of paint. A painting will typically get about 5 layers. 5. Do you have any habits or rituals that help you prepare for a week of art? What do you do to relax? What do you do to “center yourself” if you get thrown off balance? I get thrown off balance and distracted very easily. I usually can work if there are people in the studio, but sometimes you just have to shut the door and really get focused and let yourself get entangled with what’s going on inside your head.
Dave (dad) and Stephanie Silvi
6. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists? I guess one thing I would say is get yourself in a situation very early on where you are the small fish in a big pond. That’s the only way to grow. It’s okay to dream big and be a little scared. Just go for it. 7. What are your future plans? Any upcoming shows or exhibits? One thing I desperately need to work on is the marketing end of being an artist. I am seriously lacking in that aspect and will try to correct that asap.
! ! ! ! ! !
BEE HERE NOW!
! !!
________________________________________________________________________________! It’s All About Arts Magazine
January 2020
The Little Lending Art Library at Art Studio 99 in Roslindale Looking for donations of art books (especially for kids), art magazines, poetry, etc. Drop by at 99 Belgrade Ave., Roslindale or email: decoupagejan@gmail.com for pickup.
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
... E A
R TH
W A T C H ...
LISA GOREN
I’m glad to see that my pieces are part of the attempt to make an impact – however you can – on the minds of people who need to move our planet to a safer environment for all of us. “Arctic Ice #4” I’ll admit that even though my work is all about the frozen areas of the planet, Climate Change came to me, not the other way around. When I was in Antarctica in 1998, there was a small rumbling of a discussion of some warming but it wasn’t any kind of focus. I only wanted to be an adventurer, paint the ice, and live the books I’d read as a child. In terms of climate, we were more focused on the ozone hole (a reminder that when governments work together, we can reverse the damage we’ve inflicted on our environment). In the spring of 2015, I was offered the chance to apply for a show in Paris that would accompany the Climate Conference (COP 21). I believe I was offered this chance because someone saw my article in the New York Times (http://nyti.ms/1PAO5mr) that had just been published a month earlier in March (and was also available in Europe). Thrilled beyond measure to have been accepted, I had to pack up my work unframed (they would frame it there) and send it to France. The show, “Gaia, les femmes et l’ecologie” (Gaia, women and the environment) was hung at La Maison Bleu, Porte Monmartre – a highly visible location during the Climate Talks. It’s only four years ago, but it seems like a lifetime has passed. I’m really pleased that the curator, Julia Rajacic, continues to find places for our art and keeps pushing for art’s place in climate discussions. This month, Julia has been able to connect the 2015 Gaïa exhibition with a study of scientific research on Art and Climate change. My work, and those of 7 other artists from the show will be featured along with artists from other major shows at Museum of modern art of Paris, Grand Palais, and Palais de Tokyo. This study, conducted by two scientists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Laura Kim Sommer and Christian Andreas Klöckner, has been recently published on Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts by the American Psychological Association. It investigates the capacity of artwork related to climate change to raise awareness in audiences. I’m especially pleased that the findings indicate that showing the beauty of the region can be as effective as showing the alarm. One of my goals in my paintings is to It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
More About Lisa bring these awesome places of the planet to those who can’t get there and to make them care about saving such majesty. To be included in this article is an incredible honor. Here are some quotes from the study: « Based on the clusters of artworks and, accordingly, the reactions of the participants, we suggest that activist art including environmental art should move away from a dystopian way of depicting the problems of climate change, toward offering solutions, and emphasizing the beauty and interconnectedness of nature. The use of dystopian elements to initially catch attention, but with the remaining solution focused and hopeful, may be even more promising in encouraging action. Moreover, it is important to move out of the institutional space of museums into the public, in order to reach out to a bigger audience, and to avoid the connotation that art is something reserved for the educated part of the population. It is not enough to simply show the problem in an aesthetic way, but according to characteristics of the awesome solution, it is essential to create a personal connection to the causes and consequences and offer solutions. “Painting things black” and inducing fear is also not the best way to go, since it induces more fear, which reduces motivation (O’Neill, Hulme, Turnpenny, & Screen, 2010). Artists can be positive and it is essential to bring together natural, social sciences and humanities, since “we cannot detach the stories we tell about climate [change] from the stories we tell about societies” (Hulme, 2009, p. 33). Finally, we cannot change our cultural environment to be more sustainable, without being personally engaged.» Here is the link of the publication: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/aca/. Here is the link to the curator’s article about the publication: https://www.juliarajacic.com/2019/12/11/ga%C3%AFa-exhibition-included-in-a-scientific-research-on-art-and-climatechange-alongside-other-major-shows-at-museum-of-modern-art-of-paris-grand-palais-and-palais-de-tokyo/
... E A
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
R TH
W A T C H ...
FILM REVIEW by G. D. Spilsbury MARRIAGE STORY
Marriage Story, written and directed by Noah Baumbach, stirs a lot of thoughts for audiences. It gives a realistic depiction of a youngish couple with a child going through divorce. Adam Driver plays the husband Charlie, a rising-star, theater director in New York, and Scarlett Johansson plays his wife Nicole, a talented actress in his plays. Laura Dern plays Nicole’s tough L.A. divorce lawyer. Released by Netflix, the movie is billed as a drama/comedy, but there is no comedy in this film’s sad, realistic portrayal of two decent persons’ drifting apart, with one of them deciding to leave. After the separation, horrendous acrimony slowly builds until a final, emotional blow-up shatters everyone—the couple and the audience. Whose point of view tells this story? The man’s or the woman’s? Or, was the take-away for a man watching this film different from the take-away for a woman? Having thoroughly experienced the couple’s feelings, I, a woman, left the theater wondering if a man had experienced the characters’ heartbreak differently from me. I felt it must be so, for the film’s point of view lacked clarity. I called a friend, a male and a millennial psychologist, and indeed his take-away was wholly different from mine.I identified and sympathized with Nicole’s stunted potential in a marriage where she served her rising-star husband, who loved her and their family life, but had no true interest in her “being,” who she was, as his passion and focus were totally on himself and his work and ambition. Everything else was rote for him and done according to the book of what was right and currently “enlightened,” such as how to be a good father, a considerate household partner, and a good, fair, and beloved director to his troupe. When, as happens in long marriages, Nicole lost interest in sex, Charlie found sex with the stage manager of his company. No, he didn’t
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
love her, he just needed that kind of intimacy and ego-gratification. He is god in his world. But the affair isn’t why Nicole leaves. She leaves because at age 40ish, she realizes she isn’t fulfilling her own life, her own gifts, her own passion, and she will never be able to if she stays with Charlie to serve his life and his success, which includes receiving a MacArthur grant for $600,000 to further advance his talent. Moreover, his new play is going to Broadway. His power and recognition are only going to keep growing while she stays as she is—his dependable wife, his actress in second place, his competent family partner, his solace and safety when home in the nest she provides. As in all marriages that begin in the mid-twenties, the partners evolve with time and their risk of not evolving together is high. Charlie and Nicole clearly love and care about each other, but the marriage is over for Nicole if she wants to live, if she wants an authentic, fulfilling life. She returns to her mother’s home in L.A. when a pilot TV series offers her a role. She takes their son Henry along. It’s not certain the show will take-off, so the trip is presented as short-term to see what happens. Once there, however, life feels so good to Nicole—her true identity is able to emerge, not only as an actress free from the shadow of her husband’s greatness, but also as a future director herself, which is her dream. Henry also loves living in L.A. with Nicole’s active, extended family life that (Continued)
Marriage Story Film Review by G. D. Spilsbury (Continued) includes cousins. The only problem is, Charlie’s life is in New York, so that his career and ambition become bombed by Nicole’s decision to remain in L.A. when the pilot succeeds. But it’s not just the pilot that makes her stay. It’s her good feelings about herself, about having a meaningful life, her right just as much as his. In L.A., she’s not Charlie’s appendage anymore, which was fine in her twenties when she worshiped him and came under his wing, but it’s not fine now in her maturity. She has her own developed talent, equal to his when freed from its cage. My male friend’s take-away was different. He saw Charlie as the victim of Nicole’s manipulations. She left New York knowing her L.A. stint was going to be permanent. She tricked him, and now has the child legally in L.A. causing a custody suit. Her character was shallow while his was deep. Not only that, but Adam Driver was a far better actor than Scarlett Johansson. And Nora, the aggressive L.A. lawyer, was creepy, hideous—he shuddered just remembering her. I want to pause here and say that Nora, portrayed as L.A.’s toughest, man-gouging divorce lawyer for women, also affected me as a female viewer. She’s groomed pejoratively: slinky, skin-revealing clothes (like a gross sex object), long blond hair incongruous with her aging face, and a fake way of communicating with her new client, all saccharine in order to win her business. Why was Nora presented this way? Perhaps to mock L.A./Hollywood culture when it comes to divorce, for Charlie’s L.A. male lawyer is even worse. These characters are driven by money and how much you can get from your future ex-spouse; no concern for damage done to children and the parents in such an antagonistic, bitter, and volatile tug of war. It’s crass and tragic. But there’s more to consider. Everything that spouts from Nora’s smart, fighter lips about the double standard is true. Who is listening to her? Perhaps some members of the female audience. I heard her and as a result, overlooked her unappealing traits because she spoke the truth about male-female relationships and how society condones men and condemns women in It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
the same situation. My male friend couldn’t tolerate her, and because of her money-grasping and exterior traits, he felt even more that Nicole was a conniving manipulator and Charlie a victim. Again, the film’s point of view comes up. Was everything Nicole said to Charlie about her deepest feelings and why she was leaving, and Nora’s pronouncements about the double standard, part of the script for the truth they told or part of the script to mock women in favor of Charlie the battered hero? It would be interesting to set up a poll to compare the male and female responses to this movie—and I welcome hearing from you. The film ends nicely, because Nicole and Charlie are able to go back to their original, honest and caring roots and dump the lawyers in their divorce. And Charlie accepts the reality that Nicole is not coming back and figures out a way to make fruitful changes in his professional life in order to be near his son. But what is the film’s point of view about that, about Charlie making changes to accommodate the divorce? My point of view is: good solution. My friend’s point of view might be: she forced him to wreck his career, give up his New York life and passion. Nora the lawyer might say: This film perpetuates the way society has always viewed women as demons; it upholds the superior integrity and value of men. And the film? We don’t leave the theater knowing the film’s point of view, but my closest guess is: Charlie’s beleaguered treatment deserves our support. Hopefully it’s a wrong guess.
G. D. Spilsbury is the author of five books and publisher at Bergamot Books (bergamotbooks.com). Her film reviews are archived at gailspilsbury.blogspot.com. Her fiction podcast set in Boston, titled Red Line, can be found on iTunes or at redlinepodcast.com.
... Meet the Artist ... What kind of art do you do? I am a contemporary realist oil painter. I focus on expressive-figurative work as well as cityscapes primarily. How long have you been doing it? I have been an oil painter since 2010 when my mother was dying from Alzheimer’s. Prior to that I was always more of an illustrator focusing on sequential art. I could draw before I could talk or so they say... Where is your studio located? My studio is in Nashua NH.
Joel VanPatten
Are you self taught or did you go to art school? I am a self taught oil painter primarily but have taken a few classes here and there. My latest class was with Stuart Ober at the New Hampshire Institute of Art but I have no “formal” training.
What is your biggest challenge as an artist? I would say the bizarre balance of having one foot in the day-job corporate “real world” but also another firmly planted heavily in this art subculture and trying to play both roles there and still finding time for it all including being a father and a husband. Who is your favorite artist? Historically I would have to say my fellow countryman Vincent Van Gogh. Currently I really like Casey Childs, Valerio D’Ospina, Mark Lague and always amazed at the works of Roberto Ferri (our own modern day Caravaggio). Do you have an exhibit coming up? Currently I am worked on juried acceptance into Copley Society of Art which is the be held in January and I working on a body of work for some pending shows in the greater Boston area later this year, TBD. “Hand in the Bush” 24” x 24” oil on panel (2019)
MORE ART... Facebook.com/joelvanpattenart Instagram @joelvanpattenart www.vanpattenstudios.com artvanpatten@gmail.com It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
T
ess’s January To-Do List Do Something Artful Today Lowbudget Records Beatles Tribute Friday, January 3rd, 7:00-11:00pm The Square Root, 2 Corinth Street, Roslindale, MA Ten years ago, Roslindale’s foremost indie label, Lowbudget Records, released “Across Their Universe - A Tribute to The Beatles” to great acclaim. Late last summer, they released the 2-CD “Across Their Universe 2 - Another Tribute”. After a long and winding wait, twelve acts will be performing their versions live at The Square Root, Roslindale’s finest hot spot for local music. The night will be filled with joyous singing & playing of those glorious tunes by Bird Mancini Band - Dalia Davis - HeartSoulVoice Ensemble - The Junk Dealers - Kenny Selcer - Mr. Curt - Paul McDonough & Sean Yadisernia - Random Access Memory - Terry Kitchen - The Trap Dorz - The Unknowns - Yucca Flats and the Feral Cats. Roll up - roll up and come together. $10 cover at the door. For more info, visit: www.lowbudgetrecords.com
SoWa First Friday Friday, January 3rd, 5:00-9:00pm 450 & 460 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118
On the First Friday of every month, the artists, galleries, shops and showrooms of the SoWa Art + Design District open their doors to the public for an evening of art, culture and inspiration. Meet the artists in their element, view the latest gallery exhibitions, shop small, and dine at one of SoWa’s world-class restaurants. SoWa First Fridays are family friendly and free. Plenty of parking is available. Visit their website for more info:https://www.sowaboston.com/calendar/sowa-first-friday
Wearable Art and the Wow Factor January 8 - February 27, Opening reception: Saturday, January 11 5 - 8pm Mother Brook Arts and Community Center, 123 High Street, Dedham, MA Curated by Dawna Davis, an exhibit from designers who push beyond the usual. A vibrant display of fashion that has to be seen to be believed. The participants include Carol Bugarin, Anna Comella, Dawna Davis, Nathan Evans, Liliana Folta, Kristina Goransson, Lloyd Hall, Terri McEleney, Philip Sawyer, Jenifer Stark, and Sara Tchen-Susman. Look sharp!! Learn more here: https://motherbrookarts.org
Do Something Artful Today
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
Tess’s January To-Do List (continued) Do Something Artful Today Lilac Sunday T-Shirt Competition at the Arnold Arboretum Design Submissions Due: January 15th Send digital files of your design to: arbweb@arnarb.harvard.edu The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University invites artists of all ages to submit their designs for Lilac Sunday 2020. Lilac-themed t-shirts have been a tradition at Lilac Sunday for many years, and continue to be a highly anticipated and popular memento of this event. Digital files of all designs are due by email to arbweb@arnarb.harvard.edu by email by January 15th. Read about guidelines and more on their website: https://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/news-events/lilac-sunday/lilac-t-shirtcontest/ Child’s Play at the Society of Arts + Crafts Exhibit open through Saturday, January 18th 100 Pier 4 Blvd, #200, Boston, MA 02210 Child’s Play offers a look at the protected bastion of childhood through the eyes of adult artists working in contemporary craft. This exhibition features works that explore the duality of play and seriousness across mediums. Toys, games, and kinetic objects featured in this show express a childlike sense of play at first glance, but reveal sinister undertones upon closer inspection. While sober considerations arise in this show, the works remind viewers to harken back to the days of yore and consider life (and art!) with a child’s delight. Read about the artists and gallery hours on their website: https://www.societyofcrafts.org/exhibitions/current-exhibition/child-s-play
Terence Blanchard, Featuring the E-Collective at Berklee Saturday, January 18th at 8:00pm Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115 Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective thrive off the mixture of Blanchard’s acumen and the innovations of four young musical pioneers: guitarist Charles Altura, pianist Fabian Almazan, bassist David “DJ” Ginyard Jr., and drummer Oscar Seaton Jr. While recording scores for Spike Lee’s Inside Man and Kasi Lemmons’s Talk to Me, Blanchard and Seaton first dreamed of a band that layered grooves teeming with funk, R&B, and blues. Years later, that dream came to fruition, forming the foundation for the E-Collective’s signature sound. Visit the event page & buy tickets here: https://www.berklee.edu/events/terence-blanchard-featuring-e-collective
Do Something Artful Today
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
Tess’s January To-Do List (continued) Do Something Artful Today Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the MFA Monday, January 20th, 10:00am-5:00pm Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Avenue of the Arts, 465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115 For the past 18 years, Citizens Bank has sponsored this free event at the MFA to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. making it possible to offer admission to the MFA’s galleries, live performances, talks, tours, art-making opportunities, and more. The event and all of the day’s activities are free & open to all. Learn more about this event on the MFA website: https://www.mfa.org/event/community-celebrations/martin-luther-kingjr-day ICA Play Date: We Belong Saturday, January 25th, 10:30am-4:00pm Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA 02210 On the last Saturday of each month, the ICA is taken over by kid-friendly happenings and fun & the ICA invites families to engage in creative activities together and explore the museum. The day’s events include book readings, casual tours, and pop-up talks. Admission is FREE for anyone 17 & under and during this event, up to two adults are admitted free of charge with a child 12 or under. Learn more on the ICA website: https://www.icaboston.org/events/ play-date-we-belong
ABOUT Tess McColgan
Tess McColgan has been working for Roslindale Village Main Street as their Program Manager since April 2018. In this role, she plans community events, uses marketing to promote local businesses, and supports the projects of volunteer-led committees. Coming from a large family full of artists & musicians, she’s always had an enthusiasm for local art, and in October 2018, Tess started as Glenn William’s co-host for the It’s All About Arts TV show until its final episode in June 2019. In her free time, she continues to seek out local art, learns new crafts, explores museums, practices yoga & gets out in nature as often as possible. Tess Photo: Bruce Spero Photography at brucespero.smugmug.com
Roslindale Village Main Street
www.roslindale.net RVMS was established in 1985 as one of the first urban Main Street Programs in the nation, with the help of then City Councilor Thomas M. Menino and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Today, Roslindale Village is a thriving commercial hub, with free public wifi in Adams Park, and a fabulous Farmers Market. And, there are now 20 Main Street Districts in the City of Boston. We are proud to have been the first one!
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
A POOL OF POPPYCOCK
!
You got an old bike and I got a new software program We set up a few rules about what we need at this juncture Just like the ole days ‘cept now it’s a different situation We are retired and Life plays on without restrictions. And we’re still in love Always in love Never without love A refreshing love
!
We have the same dreams and share pure speculation Insights can alter but integrity must remain The morals of our parents are engrained in our marrow If we outlast the years and endure future pain. And we’re always in love Still deeply in love Never without love An unending love
!
It’s a pile of possibilities… It’s a pool of poppycock… Chin up! Fellow travelers Let’s open Pandora’s box!
!
Here on this planet, life in Boston can sustain It’s home and it’s family, a grace that we won’t resist The future is awesome, we just need more time to survive Get a grip on this story with a determination to exist. Of course we’re still in love An always refreshing love It’s true - all you need is love Just say it - the word is love!
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Hmmm… Do you think this is really a song??
- Curt Naihersey
!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
!
It’s All About Arts Magazine
January 2020
GIFTS
!
I came across a treasure while cleaning today,
a pile of socks in disarray -
It filled me with wonder but a sense of dismay - for they were all singles, spread every which way. But it made me think of all the Christmases before this. When a new pair of socks was a special gift. So I had an idea to untangle this pile! And place them under the tree (again) with a smile. As long as they’re wrapped and have a colorful bow, Would he ever suspect, would he ever know? Cause my husband never digs to the bottom of the drawer, He only wears two pairs, which he leaves on the floor. And I always wash them and put them back - So he doesn’t really know that he has a whole stack. I’ve learned to recycle as the years accumulate. There are so many ways to save - and to celebrate. I resurrect the old, and re-fashion all my stuff, (For as long as we have love, we always have enough). So I think I will wander through the house today, And seek treasures that are surely tucked away, Then wrap them up with minimal fuss, For gifts that once were, still are, to us.
! !
!
- Joan Selmer-Larsen
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
!
It’s All About Arts Magazine
January 2020
THE LOCAL MUSIC CORNER - Perry Persoff
! NEW PLANS FOR THE NEW YEAR: Happy New Year and Good Mid-Winter* to you! *Yes, I don’t know why this is often considered “MidWinter,” since it just became Winter on Dec 21st. Shouldn’t “Mid-Winter” be more like late January? Then again with our weather, the Boston area “MidWinter” would be about the first day of Spring, late March. But I digress…
So as we are heading into the real winter, I am reminded of something that occurred to me on our last snowfall. The snowfall made me think of a February 2018 drive through Melrose on a clear night with gently falling snow. I had Jennifer Kimball’s Avocet CD playing in the car. The album absolutely enhanced the magical feel of that environment. Jennifer is no stranger to enhancing the winter magic with her music. For many years she has had her “Wintry Songs in Eleventy Part Harmony” project that always shows up at the Holidays. She gathers up some of her music making friends and they put on wonderful vocal spins on Holiday and Winter related songs, both live and on at least one record. How many years has she done Wintry Songs in Eleventy Part Harmony? Glad you asked! Among Jennifer Kimball’s plans for 2020 are making another album with the Wintry Songs in Eleventy Part Harmony group, and releasing it for their 10th anniversary shows next December. She would also love to do a Summer Songs in Eleventy Part Harmony project. Maybe that will be on the 2021 docket, as she says the record
would take up a lot of time. And this Spring, she’ll be doing some touring with husband Ry Cavanaugh. Jennifer says that Ry will have a new record out - of his Dad’s songs. Watch for tour dates from March-June. In the meantime, you can hear Jennifer sing on some of the latest Session Americana album Northeast, an album of songs written by New Englanders with guest vocalists from the Greater Boston and New England music community. **************************** Speaking of the Greater Boston & New England music scene in general - and Session Americana in particular - Dinty Child, one of Ry Cavanaugh’s musical mates in Session Americana, will release a new solo album on January 17th, called Lucky Ones. Watch for a CD release gig to go with it shortly… **************************** Another Session Americana mate branching out for a side project is vocalist/ harmonica jammer Jim Fitting. Jim has teamed up with Billy Conway and David Champagne to make a record. They will also be doing at least one show together (Jan 19th at Club Passim in Cambridge), and I hope a few more. Does that trio sound a little familiar? It’s the surviving core of the band Treat Her Right. >> Funny how Session Americana used to be the “side band.” In the last ten years or so, Session has become the main band. And suddenly you have a few side projects from Session Americana members. Life is funny sometimes… ****************************
! !!
________________________________________________________________________________! It’s All About Arts Magazine
January 2020
I am only now realizing I have all these Session Americana links. One of the guest vocalists on the new Session album Northeast is finger-style guitar picker Zak Trojano. In the last couple of years, Zak’s voice has become a solid part of his musical arsenal. I loved his 2018 solo album Wolf Trees. One of Zak’s best recorded vocal performances is the job he does on the late Bill Morrissey’s “You’ll Never Get To Heaven” on the new Session Americana album. >> For the new year, Zak is working on a new instrumental record, for release he says “hopefully sooner than later!” Then once that’s done, he’ll buckle down to work on a new “singer songwriter” record. ****************************
not think of those two in the same sentence. And yet…it’s a combination that works really well. I love when that happens (i.e. - when an unlikely combination turns out great). At last word, Jesse may do a few shows here before heading to Europe. Wouldn’t that be something if it’s just Jesse and Duke on stage? If that happens, I sure want to be there. **************************** Whether it’s at any of these shows or some others, I hope we see each other at many a great live music event in the new year. Success, good times, and great music to us all in 2020.
!
I think Session Americana is one of the few bands that pedal/lap-steel/dobro guitar secret weapon Michael Bean has not gigged with - although I could be wrong. You may have seen or heard Michael as part of Chris Hersch & The Moonraiders, Susan Cattaneo Band, Tom Haggerty Band, Frank Drake, and many others. Michael is planning on taking a break from his hired hand work for much of 2020…to work on his own music. Whether singles or albums, that should be interesting to watch out for and hopefully hear. **************************** I recently noted that Quincy’s Jesse Ahern will be heading out on tour in February in Europe with the Dropkick Murphy’s and Frank Turner. But Jesse’s recently recorded a few songs with Duke Levine on six string guitar. Jesse has that rough Woody Guthrie-meets-Joe Strummer sound and vibe. My initial inclination is to
from all of us @ ! IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS!!
!
! !!
________________________________________________________________________________! It’s All About Arts Magazine
January 2020
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
Afterland by Edward Morneau (Continued)
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
Afterland by Edward Morneau (Continued)
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
Afterland by Edward Morneau (Continued)
It’s All About Arts Magazine January 2020
Join us at the Mansion, for some outstanding upcoming events!
Writers’ Retreat Weekend
January 18 - 19, 2020
Writers Workshop with Hank and Paula as your personal mentors. This exclusive workshop will focus on honing your opening pages, strengthening your plot, polishing your writing, and pitching your work.
Valentine’s Weekend
February 15 - 16, 2020
This Valentine's you deserve a romantic evening away with the one you love. Escape the bustle of the city, in the old world charm of the MIT's Endicott House Mansion. Enjoy the culinary creations of Chef Edward Cerrato and apres dinner drinks by the fire.
Jane Austen Afternoon Tea
March 7, 2020 Celebrate your favorite author for a delightful afternoon tea at our lovely turn-of-the-century estate. Invite all your friends for a wonderful day, as "one cannot have too large a party."
Advance Registration Required: mitendicotthouse.org/themed-events