leaves lasting impression on local artist By George White
Self-taught artist Gary Gresko, 78, now of Barefoot Bay, lived in Woodstock, New York for a couple of years with no idea that as of Aug. 15 to 18, 1969 he would be near ground zero for the establishment of the Hippie era and the rise of the American Counterculture movement. What was originally billed as “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music,” became the Woodstock Rock Festival on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in the White Lake area of Bethel, New York, 40 miles southwest of Woodstock. A crowd estimated at 400,000 to 500,00 saw 32 acts despite sporadic rains. “Everybody was all excited because part of it was a craft festival. It totally got out of hand immediately and they had to move it. It would have flattened that town,’’ Gresko said. But by the time people started arriving a couple days ahead of the concert, the fencing, gates and ticket booths still weren’t ready and it became a free event. Highways and local roads came to a standstill as many concert-goers simply abandoned their cars and trekked the rest of the way on foot. “We were right in the thick of it. We left the car and were carrying all this stuff. When we got there, there was no food except I remember they dropped oranges from a helicopter,’’ he said. “Although the crowd at Woodstock experienced bad weather, muddy conditions and a lack of food, water and adequate sanitation, the overall vibe was amazing and calm with no fights. Most took it as an opportunity to escape into music and spread the message of unity and peace,” Gresko said. “It was a sign of the times. It was one of those events that change history. It was about peace and love, I think we need again,’’ he said.
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It was a sign of the times. It was one of those events that change history. It was about peace and love. - Gary Gresko
Among his prize possessions all these years: A framed original Woodstock poster, still in good shape. Around 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15, Richie Havens took the stage as the first act and played an energetic 45-minute set, later admitting that some songs were made up on the spot. “Richie Havens set the tone for the whole thing, he sang ‘Freedom,’ ” he said. Jimi Hendrix was the last musician to perform at Woodstock. Rain delays prevented him from taking the stage until early Monday morning and by the time he went on, the crowd had thinned to around 25,000 people. Gresko was there. “There was just so much to it that you couldn’t absorb it all,’’ he said. The lasting impact of Woodstock was a pivot from the established rules to a greater acceptance of creativity and counterculture in all its forms, including large abstract public art, which Gresko made a career out of, most recently in Stuart, he said. “After Woodstock, people started to get free enough to get out of their uniforms and express themselves. Our mindset changed. I’m not surprised that it’s had a lasting impact because it wasn’t a fad. We crossed a line,’’ he said.