MAY, 2023 - 518 PROFILES MAGAZINE

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PUBLISHER / FOUNDER

Stephanie Sittnick

COPY EDITOR

Elisabeth Allen

WEBMASTER

Tony Graveheart

ADVERTISING SALES

Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Sales ( 860) 227-8199 advertising@518mag.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Carol St.Sauveur Ferris, Karen Richman, Rona Mann

Chandler Stevens, Lawrence White, Kirsten Ferguson, Alan B. Richer, Crystal Cobert Giddens, Nellie Ackerman-Vellano, Kristina Watrobski

Chef Armand Vanderstigchel

Welcome the gorgeous month of May! The Sun is warming, the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and the gardens are growing. May is a month worth celebrating. We all begin to venture outdoors and take in that warm fresh air. It’s the time to indulge in sweet treats at your favorite Ice cream shop and enjoy outdoor dining at your local restaurant with friends and family.

In this issue we have some absolutely amazing artists that turn their en ergy into something beautiful. They use it to fuel their creativity and make work that resonates with all of us.  We hope they will inspire you with their passion, their dedication, their expertise, and most of all, their commitment to their talent.

As always, our goal at 518 PROFILES, is always to focus on the good, the beautiful and the positive by publishing stories with heart and soul. We strive each month to deliver authentic and unique content about creative people and inter esting destinations. Enjoy!

Stephanie Sittnick Founder / Publisher

Constance Kheel, Artist The More You Study Her Paintings, the More You See pg. 4

This Mission Statement is Real! How LARAC Enriches Its Communities pg. 14

Nancy Magnell: Luminescent Artist of the North Country pg. 24

Mostly Modern Projects

Summer fun just got bigger and better in Saratoga Springs, New York pg. 34

Sweet Nostalgia pg. 42

The Prom: A Beloved Rite of Passage

LIFEspa pg. 44

Spring/Summer Acne

Culinary Brew & Wings Destination: pg. 46

Buffalo, NY (Birthplace of the Buffalo Chicken Wings) - Part One

May Events pg. 48

Events throughout the Capital Region

The Laffer Gallery

Constance

Gallery Hours: Thursday - Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Constance Kheel, Artist The More You Study Her Paintings, the More You See

by Carol St.Sauveur Ferris

There are those who have a difficult time un derstanding and appreciating abstract art. In fact, you often hear them say, “I could do that.” Well, no, you probably can’t. Not unless you’ve gone through years of learning the fun damentals like scale, perspective, color, mediums, abstraction, realism, and everything in between. These are the essentials in every artist’s toolbox regardless of their personal style, and when creating, their work utilizes every bit of that tool box and more.

Every abstract artist begins their work with intention and through their own very personal process, creates works of art that express that intention. The finished piece is left for us to

study, interpret, understand, and hopefully appreciate. And perhaps, come away better for it. Connie Kheel is an abstract artist whose process is both inventive and creative on its own and whose results leave you with much to contemplate and appreciate the longer you spend time with it.

Kheel was born in New York City and was one of six children. She admits to being artistic for as long as she can remember and in love with horses. That love of horses inspired her creativity and not surprisingly became her primary subject matter in all her drawings and paintings right up until college. Then, at Bennington College,

Kheel was introduced to a completely new way of painting, and life changed.

Bennington’s fine art curriculum included fig urative drawing and abstract art unlike anything she had done before. Kheel happily took as many classes as possible to immerse herself in abstract art; yet she initially declared English as her major, a more traditional course of study, but quickly realized that painting was her true calling and switched over to art.

Her deep dive into abstraction came about because of an instructor’s suggestion that she and her classmates pick an artist to study and then imitate everything that the artist did. Kheel chose Franz Kline, an American abstract expressionist who painted large black and white abstracts and was known as an action painter be cause of his brushstrokes and the way he used the canvas. She absolutely loved all of his work and painting in that style. But more than that, the creativity and sheer physicality of the process energized Kheel, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that abstract painting was going to be her life’s work.

Upon graduation in 1967 with a BA in art and sculpture, Kheel followed her heart and moved to Germany with her future husband for several years. There, she promptly got a studio and continued to explore abstract painting and honing her style. But it wasn’t until they returned stateside that she pursued it in earnest. In 1970 a beautiful farm in Northern Rensselaer County, New York, not far from the Bennington countryside that in spired her during her college years, be came home, and it has been ever since.

A Breeze from Buskirk, 48” X 60”, Acrylic on Canvas

A magnificent piece of property, Kheel’s new homestead included several outbuildings and a barn. A perfect barn for her studio. She reno vated that barn to include white walls that rise high up to the roof line, exposed beams, and clerestory windows on one side. Together these elements provide unimpeded and sacred studio space for her creative energy while the business side of being an artist has its own space

dictate how many pieces will be in a particular series. There can be as few as eight and as many as twenty as a result.

Once the supplies are on the premises, Kheel cuts, stretches, and attaches each canvas onto wood frames then places them on the floor that she covers with plastic. An assortment of buckets filled with gorgeous hues of acrylic paint stand by. And because acrylic is a solid-bodied paint, she thins it out with water and medium so it will pour easily. Then the creative process is ready to begin.

There are no drawings or layouts done in advance nor prepping of the canvas itself. Kheel grabs a bucket of paint, pours a small amount on a canvas and spreads the paint to cover it completely. She does this for each one using a different color every time.

“I alternate between painting shapes or pouring paint on each canvas. One day painting shapes, the next pouring paint. This goes on for months.”

re quire much more support for the tilting process so Kheel hoists the canvas onto a unique easel that she designed and engineered for herself. It enables her to manipulate it much more easily.

“I’d say that it is like a very heavy-duty easel that is made to hold paintings that measure four to six feet. The parts include the stand and a large piece of plywood against which paintings can sit. The innovative design feature is that the plywood is attached to the stand in such a way that it can be rotated like an up right Lazy Susan. In theory, I could rotate my painting 180 degrees, but that’s only in theory. In fact, I can only rotate them about 45 degrees left or right.”

in a lovely loft office overlooking the studio below. The layout, look, and feel are perfect.

Her incredible studio notwithstanding, Kheel is surrounded by beauty everywhere she looks. She gets to drive in the countryside to see and absorb the ever-changing textures, colors, and movement found in nature. She loves the old buildings that dot the landscape as well. This quintessential, bucolic setting consistently in forms her work.

“It’s hard to explain how nature and historic structures influence my paintings but there’s no doubt that they are my inspiration.”

Kheel’s process is incredibly time-consuming at every turn, so patience and commitment to her vision are key. Between the basic logistics of planning and ordering supplies, waiting for deliveries, preparing and setting up the canvases, then actually creating the pieces, it can take up to a year to complete one series. But the results have always been worth it and energize her to move on to creating the next one.

Her individual canvases are typically large in scale, measuring approximately 54” x 54” with some measuring up to 102” x 108”. Their sizes, combined with her available studio floor space,

Incredibly, this deliberate process means she will pour and spread more than 30 thin layers of paint on each canvas creating unique textures and patterns. Kheel accomplishes this by tilting the canvas from side to side. Some large pieces

She will also remove the painting and turn it completely upside down then reposition it back onto the easel. It’s a very messy, timeconsuming, and laborious process that requires some real muscle to do. Fortunately, her days of horseback riding developed the strength and endurance to manage the physical challenges.

Bedding Planes, 54” X 54 “, Acrylic on Canvas

A Breeze from Buskirk, 48” X 60”, Acrylic on Canvas

Kheel will work on her canvasses no more than three to five hours a day. The results from brushed and poured color and shapes will lead her to each successive step. But while the mechanics are always the same as she moves along through the series, Kheel’s process is fluid allowing for unplanned colors and textures that may take a piece in a different direction.

When asked if she has a preconceived idea of what a painting will look like, be it colors, shapes, or textures, she answers no. She has no idea at the beginning so she just gets started. But Kheel does know that she does not want

the color palette to be the same from piece to piece so she tries to push each one in a different direction.

“Each painting develops its own history of shapes and colors. But the size of the paintings (all being the same size for each group I’m working on), influences the imagery. So, in that way, they do relate to each other. By the time I’ve decided that a painting is finished, I will have applied well over 30 layers of paint waiting to be brushed into geometric shapes, or poured, tipped, and coaxed into thin layers across each canvas.”

Besides her exceptionally large abstract pieces on canvas, Kheel paints smaller abstracts on canvas and paper as well. The extensive process is the same and the results are equally unique. Rounding out her body of work is a pastel se ries on paper that is a bit of a departure from her paintings, both in color and texture, but equally nuanced and filled with movement. It’s called the Susie Series and is one of a kind. Kheel also works in other creative mediums including photography and architectural restoration but always finds her self coming back to painting.

Kheel’s resume speaks to how much her work is appreciated and in demand. She was a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship grant and her work has hung in more than thirty solo and group exhibitions. Many pieces hang in both public and pri vate collections across the co n tinental United States and beyond as well.

Now in her 70s, she shows no signs of stopping and according to Kheel, this is one of the best of times for her creative pursuits because there are no family responsibilities anymore. Painting is now more than ever an essential part of her life to which she always looks forward.

“Painting does nourish me, and I am compelled to do it. The creative process is a necessity in my life.”

An exhibition of her work will open soon at The Laffer Gallery in Schuylerville, New York on May 13th and run through June 18th. You can also view more of her paintings by visiting www.constancekheel.com.

Intelligence, 48” X 60” , Acrylic on Canvas

Tendril Series #2, 37” X 34” , Acrylic on Paper

Reflection Series #27, 16 1/2 “ X 13 1/2 “, Acrylic on paper

S HO W S JUNE 8 -23 Arthur

Robert Paterson Composer • Artistic Director Victoria Paterson Violinist • Executive Director

This Mission Statement is Real! How LARAC Enriches Its Communities

by Rona Mann

“A community united by the ideals of compassion and creativity has incredible power. Art of all kinds can lift a community.”

...Former Maryland Governor, Martin O’Malley

Th e governor said a mouthful when he uttered the words above. He also echoed the mission statement of an organization that has encouraged and empowered the quality of life through art in the region, in Warren County and in Washington County. This is what LARAC (Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council) is and does, and this is their story.

Since 1972 LARAC has functioned as a nonprofit art organization bringing events and pro grams in all the arts to the region so the populace can learn, enjoy, immerse themselves, and partake in the arts because art acts as a col lective memory of society, and LARAC’s goal is to enhance that society.

When you speak with Philip Casabona, Executive Director of LARAC you find yourself all at once caught up in his contagious enthusiasm, not just

for the organization but for the mission of bring ing art to the people of the communities they serve and meeting them where they are. Casabona has been with LARAC for nine years, starting out as a volunteer, then as a part-time employee, then as a full-time employee, and now as Executive Director. He is also the curator of the gallery and director of the very famous June Festival now in its 52nd year.

Working side by side with Casabona is Alyssa Shiel whose title of Community Outreach and Grant Director belies the many tasks and responsibilities that come with her position. Working closely with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) she ap plies for funding and then working with a host of panels, awarding community arts grants to organizations and artists the panels deem worthy of funding. Just recently she and the panels had the monumental task of sorting through requests totaling $166,000 from local artists, schools, and organizations and then whittling the re-granting process down to the $83,000 granted LARAC by NYSCA, almost half of what was requested. “It’s competitive,” Casabona says, we have panels in both Warren and Washington counties so we repeat this process twice, and it’s never easy.”

LARAC maintains two separate galleries. Within their building on Lapham Place next to City Park in downtown Glens Falls the LARAC Lapham Gallery hosts seven separate shows a year featuring local and regional artists as well as national talent. Five of these shows, according to Casabona, feature the work of two to three

Executive Director, Philip Casabona & Community Outreach and Grant Director, Alyssa Shiel

themed Juried Art Competition. Six weeks prior to the Holiday Season LARAC holds its annual Holiday shop while the LARAC Gift Shop is items, pottery, food, and books.

The second smaller, but not insignificant gallery, the LARAC Mountain Gallery is located at 21 Bay Street, just across the park from the carriage house that houses LARAC and the Lapham Gallery. Although smaller in size than the Lapham Gallery, the Mountain Gallery still manages to schedule eight exhibits each year plus they also have a Members Show during the holidays. This gallery is maintained and curated by part-time employees, Diane Swanson and Kori Albrecht.

LARAC Mountain Gallery

Annual Holiday Shop

The centerpiece of the year for LARAC and about 15,000 other folks has to be The June Festival. Started in 1972 it was begun even before LARAC had a building and was mounted by the founding members. “At that first festival,” Casabna recounts, “there were only about eight artists setting up card tables and displaying and selling their art.” Now, 52 years later, The June Festival has become one of the most highly anticipated events and is the largest juried art show in the region. Approximately 165 artists juried from all over the country dis play every kind of art over a two-day weekend in downtown Glens Falls. It has had the biggest positive impact for an event on the local economy and has operated consecutively for all 52 years. Only in 2020 at the start of the pandemic did the festival be come virtual, but those artists were right back outside in 2021 and even a virus could

not keep the people away. This year The Annual June Arts & Crafts Festival will be held June 17th and 18th once again in City Park right in the cen ter of downtown Glens Falls and featuring everything from fine art to woodworking, homemade foods, candles, sculpture, and more. Food concessions and live musical entertainment complete this exciting picture.

Want more? LARAC’s got more. This tireless handful of arts lovers is planning a first time ever one-day event on August 5th called Forty Under

Photo Credit Evan Kaye

40 strictly open to young up-and-coming artists of all stripes all under the age of 40. “It will cost the artists significantly less to enter and exhibit,” Casabona said, but what it will do is encourage young people to begin to exhibit their art.” This event will also be in City Park and free to the public.

“The non-profit world is a passion project,” Casabona adds. “In a world with so much crazy today, art is a luxury, but supporting creativity adds

to a loving and caring society. It’s really all about design, and design in art spawns creative thinkers.”

So, what does art do for the community? Public art reflects a community and its surroundings working to cultivate a cultural identity by setting the community apart and attracting people to its uniqueness such is done with The June Festival each year. Art binds people both to place and to each other. Art strengthens a community’s character because it

The 52nd Annual LARAC June Arts & Crafts Festival - Photo by Realize Brokers

brings the people of that community together physically and culturally to share the experience of art. Thus, art tells a community’s shared story and should never be minimized, sacrificed, or forgotten. Advocating for art, hosting exhibits and festivals, offering opportunities to new and es tablished artists to present their work and grow within the or ganization, holding grant seminars, involvement in arts and education through children’s programs...it’s all here. ”All under one umbrella of creativity,” Phil concludes.

This is LARAC, what it is, what it does, and what it will continue to do for all the years to come. Get to know them.

More information? Interested in membership? Log onto: www.larac.org or call (518) 798-1144

Nancy Magnell: Luminescent Artist of the North Country

By Lawrence White

“It was not that the jagged precipices were lofty, or that the encircling woods were the dimmest shade, or that the waters were profoundly deep; but that overall, rocks, wood, and water, brooded the spirit of repose, and the silent en ergy of nature stirred the soul to its inmost depths.”

Artist, Thomas Cole, Hudson River School

Saratoga Springs born and raised fine artist, Nancy Magnell, is an in spired perfectionist. She may work on a piece for days, or even weeks, only to find that it is not up to her standards so she will simply erase it and start all over. “I really don't have a process,” she tells me. “I don’t even take notes on how I achieve the effects that I do. I just feel it as I go along and work until I am happy with the result.”

Nancy was born in Saratoga Hospital as the youngest of six children and was educated at Dorothy Nolan Grammar School and Saratoga High. She first knew of her talents when as a young girl her father, Charles Magnell, complimented her drawings and encouraged her to expand upon her obvious talent.

“At that time, my father was in the antique business. He would take the older frames to a painter named Veronica Nemethy who specialized in restoring them. When I was about 18 years old, I was mostly drawing faces and scenes from magazines and attending art classes in high school; but at my father’s request, Veronica took the time to give me lessons and teach me how to paint.”

“When I had enough finished paintings to display, I signed up for Saratoga Springs Art in the Park. A woman from Valley Artisan’s Market in Cambridge saw my work and suggested it would do well at the market. I applied and was juried in as an artist and sold all my paintings. It was an amazing sensation.”

Years later, after selling a series of landscape paintings to Steven “Sully” Sullivan the owner of Olde Bryan Inn Restaurant, a friend told Nancy of glass painter Ulla Darni’s artwork. Coincidently, artist Celeste Susany had a few of her hand-painted chandeliers in her Broadway gallery, and they fascinated Nancy.

“I could not believe what I was seeing,” Nancy tells me with a sense of awe. “They were much more beautiful in person than any of the photos I had seen. Looking at the light as it passed through the painted glass was incredible. It was like stained glass but in an entirely different medium. I thought, oh my gosh, I must do this.”

“After that, I would paint on windows, lampshades, ceiling fixtures with frosted glass, anything I could find. I practiced and failed and practiced and failed and practiced and failed until I got a feeling for it. That is how I learned the process of glass painting, specifically reverse glass painting.”

The Miriam Webster Dictionary defines reverse glass painting as, “the art or method of painting on the back of a glass panel in which the details are done first so that the finished work may be seen correctly from the opposite side.”

When I ask Nancy what fuels her drive to create, she responds, “Talent is important, but I believe that painting on canvas and painting on glass can be taught and learned. It is all about how much you want it. How hard you dedicate yourself to studying and practicing. I have been doing this for a long time and I am still learning new techniques and methods every time I work which keeps it fresh and exciting.”

Earnestly, Nancy continues, “In the end, I am creating these pieces for me, for my ethic, not someone else’s. It must be my vision, what I want it to be. That is why these pieces take so long to create. I am not a productionstyle artist just whipping stuff out.”

The Laffer Gallery in Schuylerville represents Nancy’s artwork. Eric Laffer, the gallery owner, puts it this way, “Nancy's unique application of the Hudson River School aesthetic to the reverse painted glass medium brings an enhanced sense of depth and mood to the traditional landscape so that one feels pulled through the connected vistas of her portraits of nature as through the unfolding events of a story. Her subtle manipulation of light and color creates a sense of drama and suspense that makes these works recognizably emotional and personal. The viewer cannot help but feel that he or she has been lent an intimate glimpse into the metaphorical

dream world of Magnell’s mind, where each monument and passageway in nature is a life event, a lover or a family member trying to take form as part of the terrain.”

Nancy currently shares a home in Saratoga Springs with her sister, Kje lene. Her studio is in the house as well. When I ask Kjelene her im pressions of Nancy’s career in the arts she responds, “Nancy started drawing when she was about six years old. Our father inspired her, and I think it is wonderful that she listened to him and has ended up building a career and has flowered into such an extraordinary artist.” Kjelene continues, “I am so proud of her. She never gave up. Art is a force within her. The only frustration I experience is when I see a piece that I think is amazing, but it is not up to her standards, and she erases it. That used to drive me crazy, but now I accept it as part of her process.”

Nancy’s studio is a unique design. Because her artwork is both reflective and translucent, she has two setups with which to work. She uses a large standard easel for the canvas paintings and a unique self-designed light table set up for the translucent chandeliers and sconces. The room is small but well-lit with thick curtains to cover the large window for light

control. She has a sizable storage area in the basement for supplies in cluding various paints, unique lampstands, and the elements for restoring antique frames that she prefers for her paintings.

The light table she designed and built provides illumination at the ideal angles and intensity with no glare so that she can work with glass easily and comfortably with minimum eye strain. The design allows light to come from the rear and beneath the glass pieces, with an anchor on the surface to hold them in place.

Nancy tells me, “I love going to thrift stores, antique shops, and garage sales to look for old and interesting frames and other things I need for my studio or to help in some way with my artwork.”

She continues, “I must be challenged. If I am not feeling challenged, I get bored. It is not about the money, even though perhaps it should be. That is just who I am and that is what my artwork reflects. What is im portant to me is that I create artwork that reflects my inner inspira tions and generates enough income so that I can leave a valuable portfolio for my son, Nicolas. My family is the most important part of my life. The fact that they love my artwork and support and encourage me validates what I am doing and is the anchor of my creativity.”

“I have clients who have been collecting my work for many years. They write and call me to offer congratulations on my work and my career. I appreciate it very much, but I don’t feel special. I am just an artist trying to survive in this world.”

“I would not have made it without the people who have supported me by collecting my artwork through the years. It is interesting that the demographic buying my artwork includes both the younger generation as well as seniors who have a great appreciation for the classic style I use.”

One client recently commissioned 20 lamps from Nancy for a hotel, and another commissioned several lamps, sconces, and chandeliers for a large home he restored. “I love those kinds of personal connections,” she tells me. “The awareness that my artwork will be part of their lives for generations gives me a wonderful sense of fulfillment.”

As we end our conversation, I ask Nancy about her great est inspirations and influences. Without hesitation, she tells me, “The Hudson River School Artists are an enormous inspiration. Artists such as Thomas Cole, Fred erick Church, Albert Bierstadt, and Julie Hart Beers

are all great inspirations. Their work has survived the test of time and remains a high-water mark in the history of art. They are a central influence in my personal development as an artist. Their vision will live forever, and that is something to aspire to.”

Then, in a moment of reflection, Nancy adds, “But my greatest inspiration

re mains my father, Charles. He was the gateway to my creative spirit, and that spirit is in every piece of art I cre ate today.”

Artwork, commissions, inquiries www.instagram.com/nancymagnell/ www.facebook.com/nancy.magnell.5 www.nancymagnell.com www.thelaffergallery.com

Mostly Modern Projects Summer Fun Just Got Bigger & Better in Saratoga Springs

by Carol St. Sauveur Ferris

With the pandemic in the rear-view mirror and life slowly get ting back to normal, more good things are coming to Saratoga Springs, New York this summer, and bringing one of those good things to the area is Mostly Modern Projects (MMP), the non-profit organization founded by celebrated violinist, Victoria Paterson and Du Pont award-winning composer, Robert Paterson. It’s their 4th year here, and the excitement is building.

The Patersons’ unflagging commitment to education and musical excellence across classical and opera genres is undeniable, and their mission to “support the performance and creation of contemporary music through lively in-person programs, with robust educational outreach initiatives” is evident with every innovative new project they bring to the masses.

As the name suggests, there are multiple projects. And they’re mostly modern. Currently, the roster of projects includes:

• Mostly Modern Festival - a three-week festival held every year in June in Saratoga Springs, New York

• Mostly Modern Festival | The Netherlands - a two-week festival held every April in Zeeland Middelburg, The Netherlands

• Mostly Modern Pops - a year-round series of performances of contemporary pop music in public spaces throughout New York City and upstate New York.

Why the Mostly Modern moniker for most of their projects? It’s simple. The Patersons are two phenomenally talented musicians who are passionate

about music, specifically classical music, and are driven to share their vision and modern interpretation with audiences in multiple forms and settings. For Saratoga Springs and the surrounding areas, that means Mostly Modern keeps getting bigger and better!

But it comes as no surprise that for some people, the prospect of sitting through an opera or a classical music concert will make them groan. Through MMP, the Patersons are turning those groans into bravos by making it fun for all ages along the way. The operas and concerts they bring to the public are written by composers who don’t wear white wigs, ruffled ascots, waistcoats, and breeches. They’re written by 20th and 21st century living, breathing individuals who are making what was once viewed as a rarified world accessible and fun for everyone.

With Mostly Modern Festival’s (MMF) much-anticipated return to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, there will be concerts, operas, and musical performances at the amazing Arthur Zankel Music Center held over three consecutive weekends for the public, while classes will be held throughout campus for lucky students and faculty.

This summer Caffé Lena will again be hosting the festival’s kickoff per formance on Thursday, June 8th from 7 – 9 PM, and it promises to be a fabulous concert for the performing opera singers, instrumentalists, and audience as well. Following MMF’s kickoff, there will be ten additional concerts at the Zankel happening

Victoria and Robert Paterson

every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday over the next three weekends, beginning June 9th and running through June 23rd.

Surprise pop-up concerts are also slated to happen across Saratoga Springs to give unsuspecting residents and tourists a taste of what they

may be missing if they don’t attend the performances at Zankel Music Center. There will be one pop-up per week happening at places like Northshire Bookstore, Saratoga Saddlery, Congress Park, and the Saratoga Visitor Center, with more locations to be determined. The pop-ups are fun for everyone and free!

The education piece of the MMF provides students with a unique op portunity to mingle with acclaimed professionals who are sharing their expertise and wisdom as members of the faculty. This incredible faculty is comprised of 40 professional singers, composers, and conductors

Performing at Saratoga Saddlery

Performing at Congress Park

from around the world. At last count, there were approximately 120 students between the ages of 18 and 80 expected to attend as well. The student breakdown is estimated to include 15 singers, 30 composer students, 6 conductors, and 60 instrumentalists who will be learning and participating in the festival’s unique curriculum. That’s an awful lot of talented individuals in one place at one time!

The student curriculum itself is a unique and balanced mix of creative, technical, and practical classes. Classes like composing for percussion, writing for the voice, a masterclass in how to perform comedy, a sem inar for composers on how to write for the harp, and career reali ties to name a few. Students will come away with an expanded creative vocabulary and practical career advice from the best and the brightest during those three weeks.

If you are planning to go the festival, you will not be disappointed no matter which concerts and performances you attend. But you just might want to consider clearing Sunday, June 18th on your calendar so you can attend In Real Life & Four New Mini-Operas at Zankel Music Center. The show presents a delightful selection of four new mini-operas com posed by participants of the Modern Vocal Projects (MVP) program, the newest addition to Mostly Modern Projects (MMP).

The pieces to be performed in Four New Mini-Operas include world premieres of:

• Pulse: The story of Rachel Wilson consoling her best friend, Mina, who is in mourning after the death of her son. Rachel shares how a stranger saved her life and helped her move forward. Gaston Gosselin, Composer and John de los Santos, Libretto.

• A Manic Proposal: In this piece, a couple is consumed by anger, bit terness, and desperation and forced to confront their horrible new reality. There is no turning back. Marco A. Jimenez, Composer and John de los Santos, Libretto.

• Apple A Day: Taking place sometime in the future, Xupedno is an extraterrestrial health supplement that is the sole form of nourishment for the majority of Earth’s population, leaving a teenage boy terrified and wondering if his parents are still human after their prolonged use of the drug. Jacob Richter, Composer and John de los Santos, Libretto.

• Scarves: In hopes of escaping her traumatic past, a young, queer, trans woman embarks on a meditative journey looking for a more compassionate world and a love greater than what she has ever known. Zola Saadi-Klein, Composer and Libretto.

After a short intermission, Robert Paterson’s opera titled, In Real Life follows. The original opera was written and arranged by Paterson and scripts and lyrics were written by librettist David Cote. It was commis sioned by the Austin Chamber Ensemble in Austin, Texas for its 35th anniversary season, specifically for a soprano and pianist in 2016. Part two of In Real Life followed when Paterson and Cote composed and wrote a song cycle for a baritone and instrumentalists. And for the finale to In Real Life, they composed and wrote Extraordinary, for both a soprano and baritone, accompanied by instrumentalists as well. It was first performed online in 2020 via YouTube because of the pandemic.

With some creative license, In Real Life depicts the trials and tribulations of online dating, and as we all know, online dating is not for the faint of heart!

In Real Life 1, songs for soprano and chamber ensemble depict the online profiles of five different women.

• A Regular Woman is the story of a woman who specifies exactly what she’s looking for in the perfect man.

• Late Bloomer is a sweet portrayal of a woman who discovers her taste in men has drastically changed now that she is in her 40s.

• Anastasia is the story of a Russian lady who speaks broken English and is looking for a husband.

• Collateral is the heartbreaking story of a war widow who considers dating again.

• Rewind is a look into the life of a recent 35-year-old divorcee who feels awkward to be dating again.

In Real Life 11, songs for baritone and chamber ensembles, depict the online profiles of five different men.

• No Frog is about a guy who thinks he’s a real player in the singles world and embellishes his profile, but the truth slips out.

• Sola Fide is a more serious example of singles when a veteran of the war in Afghanistan must explain his tattoos and face his unseen emo tional wounds.

• Die with Me is the story of an older gent looking for one last fling before he goes.

• Still Vamping sees a gay man looking back at his romantic history.

• Nice-Plus is about a regular guy whose secret passion comes to light.

And lastly, Extraordinary, a song written for soprano, baritone, and chamber ensemble is a single story of hope. The vocalists sing the story of a man and a woman who finally connect online and arrange for their first date during Covid. Their date is awkward, humorous, and sensitive at the same time...and quite relatable for many.

According to Victoria, “It’s all about connections. How do we connect as humans and have a community? How are we navigating relationships in this day and age?”

According to Robert, these three pieces demonstrate beautifully how much mostly modern operas and classical music speak to the general population. “They’re very accessible. They’re almost like watching episodes of TV shows. We want people to feel like they’re seeing live television.”

No doubt this concert will be unforgettable, but if it doesn’t work with your schedule, you must plan to attend one or more of the others. They will be fun and so worth it. Not to be forgotten, there will be the everpopular MMF sippy cups available for purchase again this year at the bar during intermission where you can also enjoy wine, beer, and snacks.

Though quite an undertaking, the Patersons and everyone at MMP continue to make mostly modern music the language of life in the 21st century by telling incredible stories that teach, comfort, and give meaning to our days. Their hope is that you will take the time to visit the festival and experience it firsthand, and they are certain you’ll be glad you did.

For detailed schedules and information visit: https://mostlymodernfestival.org/concert-calendar

INSTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT>>

The Prom: A Beloved Rite of Passage

by Karen Richman

Growing up, I always swore I would never, ever say those things my mother and father had said to me.

You know what I mean. The “when I was your age I...” and “we never did it like that when we were young.” But that’s a great lie we all tell ourselves because as each generation ages and looks at the ones coming up, we can’t help but be a bit surprised, mystified, and downright shocked at the way things are today versus how they were when “I was your age.”

Take the prom, for example. It was always a wonderful and much-anticipated rite of passage for every gen eration, but in the ‘60s when I went to the prom, the emphasis was on the prom itself...not on tanning beds, hair salons and spas, limos, after-parties, false eyelashes, high priced photo shoots, and perhaps long weekend getaways.

Ours was pretty simple...think “Grease” or “West Side Story,” minus the violence. It was a dance in the

school gym. Horrors! You mean you didn’t go to a country club or a fancy hotel with a ballroom? Nope. We were there in the gym...the same gym where we played dodgeball, learned basic gymnastics, and sweated in our Keds. But now it was gussied up for the evening. A prom committee came earlier in the day and hung crepe paper from the backboards and hoops, blew up balloons, and somehow affixed some lanterns and special lighting to make it look like… .well, a more “special” gym. The committee even talked the cantankerous janitor into spraying some industrial stuff that would get rid of most of the sweaty gym smell.

Getting ready for the prom was fairly simple as well. The boys would rent tuxedos from the local men’s shop, not unlike today; but...and this is a big but... they didn’t ask what color their date was wearing so they could match it with a red satin vest or blue cummerbund. They asked their date the color of her gown so they could buy a simple wristlet corsage

that wouldn’t clash with the dress itself, borrowed some money from their folks and maybe the car as well, and that was that. The girls al ways had a tougher job, picking out just the right dress (strapless not allowed!) and then going to the local shoe emporium, finding white satin heels that didn’t hurt too much, and having them dyed to match the dress. Some young ladies could afford to have their hair done, others got together in groups and did each other’s hair and makeup, borrowed some of their mother’s jewelry, and poof! They were Cinderella, ready for the ball.

Prom food was also simple. The big deal of the day and a fixture at almost every prom or party back then was Wise Potato Chips with Lipton Onion Dip. There were several stations of that, along with soda, some other junk food items, and colored napkins to match the crepe paper on the basketball hoops. Kids today would roll their eyes and perhaps stage a protest march over the abject simplicity of it all, but we thought ourselves very grown up indeed.

There was the usual coronation of the prom king and queen, a little-anticipated event because just about everyone knew in advance it was going to be the football star and his date, the perfect little blonde cheerleader who didn’t sweat. Of course, you may recall the infamous prom queen, “Carrie” from the movie of the same name, but that’s for another column, and ours is a family publication.

When the prom was over (that meant the football coach had spun the last 45 of the night), some went home (yes, really). Some went to the local ice cream shop for hot fudge sundaes, or to a house party, and some canoodled in the backseats of cars and said “long goodnights.” Yup, that was prom night. We looked forward to it, loved it, and never once thought ourselves deprived.

It is now estimated that the average cost of going to the prom is somewhere in the range of $700-$2000, with partygoers here in the Northeast on the high side of that equation. As toundingly, the price of the average prom gown is between $100-$600! With the high price tag also comes social media peer pressure tar geting those who simply can’t afford it.

I wonder, when today’s kids look back on prom night 30 years from now will they even remember what they wore, or who their date was? As for me,

I’m glad I grew up when I did, enjoying the simplicity of that long-ago special night, danc ing to scratchy 45s that often repeated or skipped, jitterbugging with whatever-hisname-was amid the colored crepe paper, at a time I was sure nothing again would ever taste as good as Wise Potato Chips.

Nothing ever has.

Spring/Summer Acne

Crystal Cobert Giddens, LE

The days are longer, the birds are finally coming out of hiding and the flowers are starting to bloom. Dare I mention that spring is finally here?

While many of you noticed extremely dry skin (and lips) this past winter, there are many more of you that are worried about your skin getting ready to flare with your annual spring or summer breakout. It’s a real thing, and it has a real name: Seasonal Acne.

Seasonal Acne is when your already temperamental skin decides to flare up during seasonal changes or is triggered by particular weather, especially warmer days and increased humidity.

Seasonal Acne is indiscriminate and can hit during any season, but most sufferers report that their summer breakouts are the worst. Acne is caused by several things but the perfect storm is usually a set of triggers that can set oil glands into working on overdrive. This oil combines with skin cells that goop up the pathways in your hair follicles. This “goop” clogs up your pores and traps bacteria and debris that your skin is trying to shed. Once this happens, you wind up with redness and inflammation. Take all of that and throw in some family heredity, the wrong products, stress and possibly hormones and you may find yourself with a full blown acne breakout.

Other triggers can be a lack of Vitamin D and Zinc, a change in your environment, seasonal stress, eating things that cause inflammation AND skincare that’s too heavy or not appropriate for the warmer months.

The best thing you can do is to try and PREVENT your summer flare up. This includes following a lighter skincare routine, changing some habits and getting a little help from a skin specialist.

Your skin needs very different care in the spring and summer months. May is the perfect time to transition from a cold weather routine to a warm weather routine. Look at your moisturizer. Is it light weight or is it a heavier, possibly oil based moisturizer?

Physical activity causes more sweating. Sweat can mix with dirt, debris and oil/sebum and create a slurry on the surface of the skin. Athletic wear, sports bras and leggings can cause friction and hold onto that perspiration mixture and stimulate body acne. Body acne is almost always worse on the back, shoulders and chest during the summer months, so try to remove your workout wear as soon as possible and shower.

You’re tired and ready to crash…do you cleanse your face or go to sleep and deal with it in the morning? Any oil, sweat, makeup and environmental pollutants you picked up during the day are now sitting on your face.

You have dinner and go about your night, but your skin still has the day’s stuff sitting there inviting the pimples to come on in. In a perfect life, you would come home and do a quick, light cleanse and then go about your night until you’re getting ready for bed. I haven’t met anyone with a perfect life so…. unless you worked out, do a night time routine like this:

Have you ever heard of Double Cleansing? Cleanse your face with a cleansing oil or milky cleanser (oil breaks down oil right?) Then a foaming cleanser to remove any residue on your skin. Remember to include your face, neck and chest and be gentle. Over scrubbing can actually stimulate your skin into producing more sebum.

I like probiotic cleansers because your skin has a microbiome like your gut. You want to preserve and feed the good bacteria on your skin to help preserve the lipid barrier that protects you from the environment. Use your foaming cleanser after your cleansing oil and rinse well.

Then tone (levels out your pH) and moisturize. Or ~ rinse, tone, serum, moisturize, depending on your skin. Now would also be the time that you could use certain topical preparations that help reduce inflammation, reduce bacteria or control excessive sebum production.

I usually recommend using a mild exfoliant twice a week, after you double cleanse and before you use your serums and creams.

What if you or your child goes from work/school to the gym or soccer or another activity that produces sweat and sebum? Do you cleanse your face or remove makeup before you work out or they play ball? You should, but most people don’t. So, this is probably a lifestyle change: try to clean your skin as soon as possible. Waiting can allow that pimple causing stuff/slurry on your skin to create problems. Take some gentle, non alcohol wipes with you or rinse your face with tepid water and pat dry. You can cleanse when you get home. Remember, we’re talking about prevention here.

Find a good skin care specialist that knows how to recommend products, suggest lifestyle changes and develop a treatment plan for your type of acne. Over scrubbing and picking your skin can make your or your loved ones acne worse or even cause scarring. I know my mom used to pick at my shoulders and I have the scars to prove it. There are many professional treatments available from facials, to peels, to light therapy and even IPL to help reduce or even eliminate acne. Remember, prevention is key.

Crystal Cobert Giddens FACES of Saratoga 518-396-7403

Culinary Brew & Wings Destination: Buffalo, NY, USA (Birthplace of Buffalo Chicken Wings) -

by Chef Armand Vanderstigchel

What I comprehended many years ago, I have re-confirmed again today - travelers across the globe are contagiously catching on to Buffalo, NY as the uncrowned queen of American cities and a mecca for great food, brew, and their great invention .... Buffalo Wings!

Buffalo is a second home for me as author of the nationally published “Chicken Wings Across America - 150 ways” (Kensington Publishing). In early 2000 I received an unexpected call from a renown Buffalo Food broker executive Drew Cerza who was hatching a plan to organize a Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo. Drew was picking my brain and gathering spiritual sup port to pull off this daunting task. Two years later I find myself standing next to him in Rockefeller Plaza, New York, cooking on “THE TODAY SHOW” a dish called Buffalo Chicken Wings in promotion of the festival launch. This was the beginning of many more future appearances promoting the festival on local and national television.

From 2002 on, every Labor Day weekend I would be taking the yearly road trip to the mecca of Buffalo Wings in concurrence with the wildly successful National Buffalo Wing festival held in Coca Cola field

Part 1

baseball stadium, home of the Bison’s and now held in Highmark sta dium/Buffalo Bills since 2021.

In 1998 before this yearly adventure, I had made my first visit to Buffalo while writing and researching my book “Chicken Wings Across America”. The drive from New York City to Buffalo is a lengthy seven-hour road-trip (from Albany 4 hours) of infi nite highway dashing past rolling farmland with intermittent rest-stops. A sigh of relief is accredited, when you finally hit the tolls near the Buffalo Airport and gladly donate to the NY thru-way authority a hefty coin when coming from NYC. Once entering the suburbs of Buffalo, statues in honor of the American Buffalo (Bison) are proudly displayed on every turn.

Buffalo is a town with many bars and breweries, es pecially on CHIPPEWA STREET which is the offi cial party central for the thousands of students who descend upon the city’s colleges every year seeking refuge in this distant and isolated city.

Buffalo is a self-reliant city with a theater district, a necessity being 7hours away from NYC, if one is seeking a nightlife, the arts and culture. Famous local artists are the Goo Goo Dolls and the late Rick James.

The wing king, Drew Cerza with Joey Chestnut eating champ

Downtown Buffalo was once the symbol of prosperity in early 1900 due to the connection of New York’s seaboard and the Erie canal which was the busiest inland seaport.

The Anchor Bar, nestled on a corner of Main Street is artfully decorated with painted murals showcasing its claim as the birthplace of the mighty Buffalo Wing. I had a meeting set up with gracious owner Ivano Toscani, who successfully took over the reins after original owners Dominic, Ter essa, and Frank Bellissimo.

Frank Bellissimo, who founded the bar with Teressa in 1939, told everyone that the invention involved a mistake—the delivery of chicken wings, in stead of necks, which the family typi cally used when cooking up their signature spaghetti sauce. To avoid wasting the wings, he asked Teressa to concoct a bar appetizer - the re sult was the Buffalo Wing as we know it today.

The location and high profile of the Anchor Bar helped catapult the tasty appetizer to a national scale. The rotation of sports teams visiting the city and the Anchor Bar helped spread the word around nationally. The “Wall of Fame’ in the dining room is plastered with 8x10 autographed pictures of visiting celebrities and sports stars. A noticeable photograph of famous health fitness guru Richard Simmons writes - “Go to health.” Many have laughingly perceived it as “Going to hell,” in terms of the fried hot Chicken Wings.

Anchor Bar owner Ivano is sitting at the bar and greets me with warm Buf falo hospitality. “Let me give you a tour behind the scenes!” he beckons as we walk into the L-shape kitchen. On the elongated side of the kitchen is a battery of fryers for the Chicken Wings, while the smaller section is designated for the Italian dishes as a reminder of the bar’s Italian heritage. “Here in Buffalo, we fry the wings naked with no flour or breading. Then we toss it in a mixture of Franks RedHot and Margarine,” Ivano claims while pointing at the cook preparing a fresh batch of wings. “In that corner, do you see those boxes”? We ship wings across the country he explains while walking to the back to show the special walk-in fridge storing thousands of Chicken Wings which are trayed in perforated pans to remove excess water to produce a crispy wing and save the fry oil from being rancid due to too much moisture. After the quick tour we have lunch in the rustic dining room as we try Buffalo Wings and local stuffed hot Italian Long Peppers. This memorable re search visit would not be my last since exciting developments were im minent...a future Buffalo Wing Festival in honor of this national beloved appetizer.

To be continued.

Ivano Toscanini

MAY EVENTS

May

1 - June 4 Schenectady

Behold! The D&D Search and Find Adven ture Art of Ulises Fariñas. A unique behind the scenes look into the process of creating a very detailed search and find ad venture book featuring countless tiny il lustrations! Original artwork is on display, plus signed copies of the newly published book are available for sale for you to take home! Fun for all ages! On exhibit through June 4, 2023. Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery, 160 Jay Street M • Schenectady, New York 12305

May 1 - 13 Clifton Park

The Blooming Artist welcomes the Oakroom Artists to our gallery. The group exhibition, featuring works of various mediums & styles, remains until May 13th. Please visit us TuesdaySaturday. To learn more, please contact us or visit our website. The Blooming Artist Gallery & Instruction, 675 Grooms Rd, Clifton Park, NY. 518-280-4928 contact@thebloomingartist.gallery www.thebloomingartist.gallery

May 6 Saratoga Springs

Art Class At Soave Faire! “Intro to Sketching” with David Sokol. Fantasy artist sketching

“Dwarflord” $35.00, sketching supplies pro vided, 5 spots available, call to reserve your spot! May 6th from 11am – 12:30pm.

518- 587-8448, Soave Faire, 449 Broadway Saratoga Springs

May 1 - 13 Glens Falls

The Tom Myott Gallery is showing the latest artwork from Master Pastelist, Dave Francis Along with Dave's colorful pastel drawings depicting antique toys and fantasy compositions, he will showcase his most recent pen drawings of Megalithic cities and castles. The exceptional detail in his latest work is inspiring. The Tom Myott Gallery Suite 102, located at 71 Lawrence St. Glens Falls, NY.

May 3-June 3 Lake George

“Seeing Through Times,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Martin Weinstein. For a time, Martin Weinstein was an abstract painter, until he came to a point of transition while searching for ways of painting that would satisfy his love of the visible world. This search gradually led him to a technique of painting on layered inter locking sheets of clear acrylic panels. Through this process a single work is composed of several distinct painted views of the same location at different times, often a combination of different lighting related to distinct weather or seasonal changes. His unique approach captures the essence and experience of a place, often the landscape near his home in NY’s Hudson Valley, revealing a deep connection with its history, personal memories, as well as the joy of observing the natural world. May 3 – June 3, 2023. Artist’s Gallery

May 10 Saratoga Springs

Andrew Duhon. There’s something warm, earthy, confident, and yet worldweary about singer-songwriter Andrew Duhon’s voice and his musical sto rytelling. If you need a couple of artistic benchmarks as parameters, think the everyman swagger of Jim Croce’s “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and the plaintive beauty of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery.” While you’re at it, throw in the downhome funkiness of New Orleans and the unvarnished soulfulness of Mississippi’s Delta blues. 7pm (doors @ 6:30 pm) Tix: $22-$25. Caffe Lena, 47 Phila St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

May 13 Schuylerville

A day of Fun for Everyone at Old Saratoga Mercantile. Saturday, May 13th, 11-am-3 pm. Live Music by Annie in the Water. Food by The LAN Chef. Free Admission. Events for kids and food tasting. Family Friendly Fun. Note: No parking at event. Shuttle Bus from corner of Route 29 & Burgoyne Road Schuylerville, NY.

May 16 - June 24 Glens Falls

Birds in Mythology

Watercolor batik on Ginwashi

Paper by Jacky Touba, Ph.D, & Chip carving on bass wood Den nis Wilson. This show is at NCA's 2nd Floor Gallery at City Hall, 42 Ridge St, Glens Falls

Reception: Saturday, May 6, 4 - 6 pm. Courthouse Gallery, 1 Amherst Street, Lake George, NY May 26 Glens Falls

May 5 - June 2 Albany

Albany Center Gallery (ACG) presents the 2023 Mohawk-Hudson Regional Invitational (MHRI) exhibition, featuring the work of 4 regional artists: Tania Alvarez, Geneve Brossard, Melinda McDaniel, and Rita MacDonald. The Artists’ Reception will be held on Friday, May 5, 2023, from 5 - 8 p.m. The 2023 MHRI is free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, Noon to 5 p.m. http://albanycentergallery.org

Opening of Show IV: SUNY Adirondack, featuring works from SUNY Adirondack

Students. Friday, May 26th | 6pm - Location:

LARAC Mountain Gallery, 21 Bay Street, Glens Falls. This show will be on display from May 26th - June 28th. Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Saturday, 10am - 3pm. The LARAC Mountain Gallery 2023 exhibition season is proudly sponsored by SUNY Adirondack.