Artful Mind July 2010

THE ARTFUL MIND Berkshire Artzine

J U LY 2 0 1 0

SUE MANEY MACVEETY, Artist and Author PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIE MCCARTHY

FRONT STREET GALLERY Front Street, Housatonic, MA presents

New Work • June 19 - July 11

Marion Jansen • Richard Michaels • Jeannine Schoeffer Eleanor Lord • Joan Guimmo • Steve Porcella Marybeth Merritt • Sue Arkans • Roberta HaasIska Kenney Carol Sue Donelan • Diana Felber • Doris Simon • Nina Lipkowitz

Beautiful Landscapes, Portraits, Still Lifes, Watercolor, Oil, Pastel and Collage

July 17 - Sept 17

The Manhattan Watercolors

by Kate Knapp

Unusual perspective on Manhattan Landscape seen through the eyes of the artist.

Familiar places and unknown neighborhoods beautifully captured in the illusive medium of watercolor.

Opening Reception for Manhattan Watercolors August 14TH 3-6pm Gallery

Hours: Sat-Sun, 12-5pm, or by appointment Front St., next to the corner market, Housatonic, MA please call gallery 413-274-6607 home 413-528-9546 cell 413-429-7141

“This is a place the artist loves, and wants us to get to know, even better than we already do.”

JULIE MCCARTHY PHOTOGRAPHER from “THE HOME PROJECT”

413. 298. 3370 JWMCARTH@BCN.NET •WWW.JULIEWMCCARTHY.COM

MICHAEL FILMUS

View From Mt. Greylock, The Eastern Sky 12” x 24” Oil

413-528-5471

www.michaelfilmus.com

S C H A N TZ G A LLER I ES c o n t e m p o r a r y

g l a s s

“The Origin of Mosquitoes and other Tales”

The Art of Preston Singletary

through July 20th

3 elm street stockbridge, ma 413-298-3044 schantzgalleries.com raven steals the moon 19 x 9 x 6” WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

JULY 2010 ~ THE ARTFUL MIND • 1

GALLERY ONE

6 PILL HILL, HILLSDALE, NEW YORK HISTORIC EDGEWOOD * BUILT IN 1855

RUTH KOLBERT

Reggie Madison

Oil on Canvas

50” x 56”

Paintings of People often Life-size or larger The Barn Series - continues New Landscapes

Oil Paintings • Pastels

Work can be seen at the artistʼs studio 413-229-0380

Inquire about commissioned portraits

Park Row Gallery

Light and Astigmatism

Paintings by Roger Mason June 11- July 31 Artist reception Saturday July, 11 2010 4-6pm 2 Park Row Chatham, NY 12037 518-392-4800 Parkrowgallery.com 2 • THE ARTFUL MIND

JULY 2010

SCULPTURE BY WALTER BOELKE

NANCY WINTERS, GARDEN CHAIR WITH PANSY, W/C

Featured Artists

• Walter Boelke • Marjorie Echols • Jorg Lanzrein • Nancy Winters

Outdoor sculptures on 5 acres of Trails Sculpture, painting, photography, jewelry and ceramics

GALLERY ONE

JUST NORTH OF TRAFFIC LIGHT ON ROUTE 22 HILLSDALE, NY W.BOELKE@FAIRPOINT.NET 518. 325. 4825

S UMMER - TIME .2010. / C ALENDAR

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

BERKSHIRE ART GALLERY 80 Railroad St, Gt Barrington, MA • 528-2690 www.berkshireartgallery.com 19th and early 20th Century American & European art and sculpture, contemporary artists

BERKSHIRE ART KITCHEN CREATIVITY / CONNECTION / CHANGE 400 Main St, Gt Barrington, MA • 413-717-0031 www.berkshireartkitchen.com The Berkshire Art Kitchen is an artist-run social experiment committed to cooking up creativity, connection and change.

Our vision is to create unique opportunities for personal enrichment and positive social change through meaningful engagement in art, activism and advocacy. We invite you to join the experiment.

BAK is open most weekends Friday - Sunday 12 - 5 and by appointment or good fortune on any other day.

;Beginning July 20 – September 20 “Chihuly in New England”. This location has been one of the nation’s leading destinations for those seeking premier artists working in glass.

Spring gallery hours are daily 11 - 5

STANMEYER GALLERY 1286 Monterey Road (Route 23) • 413-854-3799 John Stanmeyer, known for his numerous photographs in Time magazine and National Geographic, is now exhibiting a retrospective of his work, shown in a newly opened gallery located in his studio in West Otis, Mass. The public is invited to view the images on weekends and holiday, or by appointment.

STUDIO21SOUTH 189 Beaver St. (Route 8), North Adams (approx 1 mi from Mass MoCA) •413-652-2141 / studio21south@gmail.com www.studio21south.blogspot.com Common Places, June 25 -July 26, a group CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY show featuring painterly interpretations of 622 Warren St, Hudson, NY • 518-828-1915 everyday scenes. Open Saturdays, 1-5, SunSummer Group Show, July 8 - August 8, 2010: day, 10-1, and most weekdays and other times David Konigsberg, Joseph Maresca, Monica Mechby appointment or by chance. ling, Shawn Snow THE ECLIPSE MILL GALLERY Core de Calla', Nicholas Contenta 243 Union Street, North Adams, MA Recent photographs by Nicolas Contenta OLD CHATHAM COUNTRY STORE CAFÉ Black and white prints shot in Italy, Spain, & Greece shown through September. 8:00 am - 2:30 pm daily Abstraction NOW, June 25 through July 18, GALLERY Opening Reception Saturday July 10th 5pm - 7pm 2010. Opening Reception: Friday, June 25, 6 Village Square, Old Chatham New York Caffe Pomo D'oro -The Train Station, 6, Depot Street, West Stockbridge, MA 01266 413 232 4616 to 8 PM. In addition to the exhibition, the Roger Mason – Day and Night. Featuring oil paintEclipse Mill Gallery is presenting a series of ings of night- and day-time scenes of Columbia HUDSON VALLEY ARTS CENTER gallery talks about abstract painting, including: Ed Carson, Sunday, County and abroad by the internationally known artist. July 2 – 28.

337 Warren St, Hudson, NY • 800-456-0507 June 27, from 3 - 4 pm. Katharine Borkowski-Byrne, Sunday, July Gallery open Tuesday – Sunday from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closing early Regional and nationally-known artisans 11, from 3 - 4 pm. Gallery hours for this show Saturday 12noon July 4). Reception to meet the artist Sunday afternoon, July 11 from 5PM 3 – 5 p.m. sharp.

JOHN DAVIS GALLERY 362 1/2 Warren St., Hudson, New York THE LENOX GALLERY OF FINE ART CHURCH STREET ART GALLERY Roberto Juarez : Summer Show: Oil Paintings 69 Church St, Lenox, MA • 413-637-2276 34 Church St, Lenox, MA • 637-9600 Michael Filmus: Opening reception, Saturday, August 7, 1-5 Significant folk art pieces. Also works by David Eddy, LAUREN CLARK FINE ART pm. Featuring artists such as Stephen Filmus along with many othPaul Graubard, Paul Jarvis and Larry Zingale.

402 Park St, Housatonic, MA • 274-1432 ers including Paula Stern, Sculpture (Fri-Mon, 11am-4:30pm or by appointment) www.LaurenClarkFineArt.com “And Now for Some Things Completely Different” New Works by WELLES GALLERY CRIMI STUDIO Richard Britell, July 10-August 2. Reception for the Artist, SaturWelles Gallery, the Lenox Library, Located 2 miles from the Ancram/Hudson exit of the Taconic State day, July 10, 5-8pm. Fine art, contemporary craft, custom framing.

18 Main Street, Lenox, MA. Parkway. • Viewing by appointment • 518-851-7904 (Business hours are Thursday-Monday, 11-5:30 and Sunday, 12-4) Featuring two groups of watercolor paintings by Robert U. Taylor July exhibition of oil paintings at Gallery at B & G Wines, Hillsfrom June 5- August 14. dale, NY. Paintings of rich color and form. Crimi studio in idyllic MARGUERITE BRIDE STUDIO setting. www.margebride.com Custom House and Business Portraits, “Local Color”, watercolor USIC THEATRE DAVID DEW BRUNER DESIGN scenes of the Berkshires, New England and Tuscany. Original wa610 Warren St, Hudson, NY • 914-466-4857 tercolors and Fine Art Reproductions. Visit website for exhibit AND ANCE New paintings by David Roth. July 10th to August 10th. The openschedule ing will be held on Saturday July 10th from 6pm to 8 pm.

ASTON MAGNA (Gallery hours are Fri, Sat and Sun 11 to 5 or by appointment.)

MORGAN LEHMAN GALLERY www.astonmagna.org 24 Sharon Road/Rt. 41, Lakeville, CT • 860-435-0898 The Aston Magna Festival celebrates its 38th year with a tasty menu DON MULLER GALLERY Exposed: Photography Group Show, July 3 - 25. Reception: Saturof 17th and 18th century music presented in the Hudson Valley and 40 Main St, Northampton, MA • 586-1119 day, July 3, 5:00 - 7:00pm. (Gallery Hours: Friday through Sunday in the Berkshires (Bard College on Friday evenings at 8pm, and Beautiful American crafts, jewelry and glass, more 11am - 5pm or by appointment) Simon’s Rock College on Saturday evenings at 6pm.

FERRIN GALLERY PAPER CITY PROJECT SPACE BACH AND FORTH 437 North St, Pittsfield, MA 80 Race St., Holyoke 426 Stockbridge Rd, rte 7, Gt Barrington, MA • 413-528-9277 info@FerrinGallery.com • 413-442-1622 Just down the road from Heritage Park and across the canal from Fri, Aug 13, 8pm: Bach and Forth. Classical Music in a night club SUSAN MIKULA: American Vale: Recent Photographs the Canal Gallery, off Dwight Street. setting: dinner, dessert & performance by the American ContemSolo exhibition of new work. Exhibition: June 26th through August "Pioneer Women & Wonderland". Over 40 talented artists from porary Music Ensemble: Bach’s Art of Fugue and Two World Pre1st.

NYC, the Berkshires and the Pioneer Valley. Opening reception mieres will be Saturday, June 19th from 5 - 8 PM, there will be a special HIGH FALLS STUDIOS performance with Karen Dolmanisth as a "Pioneer Woman in WonBERKSHIRE ART KITCHEN Route 213 High Falls NY 12440 • 845-901-8062 derland" with some special guest performance with the Mad Hatter CREATIVITY / CONNECTION / CHANGE Highfallsstudios@aol.com and White Rabbit. (Galleries will be open every Sat & Sun from 1 400 Main St, Gt Barrington, MA • 413-717-0031 www.berk“Pastels, Past and Present” by Vincent Connelly, July 10, 2010 - 4 pm until July 31.) shireartkitchen.com September 30, Reception: Sunday July 11 th, 3pm -5pm The Listening Room Series will feature live performances and open PARK ROW GALLERY jam sessions held on the First Friday of each month. The Open Jam BRILL GALLERY 2 Park Row, Chatham, NY • 518-392-4800 Session will allow members of the audience to join in and experi243 Union Street, North Adams, MA • 413-664-4353 Local Legend Roger Mason Exhibits Paintings at Park Row Gallery ment with creating new sounds together – just remember to bring Studio 109 - MIXED MEDIA Exhibition includes the abstract "Light and Astigmatism," a solo exhibition of oil paintings by your instruments! paintings of Arthur Yanoff, saturated watercolors of Nava GrunRoger Mason will be on view at Park Row Gallery in Chatham, NY feld, photographs of Roy Volkmann, assembleages of Abby Rieser, from June 11th - July 31st. Reception Saturday, July 10, 4pm-6pm, TANGLEWOOD sculptures of Jon Isherwoodand Richard Harrington and others. and the public is cordially invited to attend.

Lenox, MA June - August. Open Fridays - Sundays 12 - 6PM and by appointBoston Symphone Orchestra, July 9: Opening performance with ment.

SCHANTZ GALLERIES Mahler’s Symphony No. 2.

3 Elm St, Stockbridge, MA • 413-298-3044 GLORIA MALCOLM ARNOLD FINE ART www.schantzgalleries.com.

THE GYPSY JOYNT Upstairs at 69 Church St, Lenox, MA • 637-2400 Feature Exhibition Runs: May 20 – June 31, 2010:Continuing 389 Stockbridge Rd. in Great Barrington, MA Realistic art that never goes out of style, artwork that evokes the through July 30 “The Origin of Mosquitoes and Other Tales; the 413-644-8811 www.yallsjoynt.com mood and memories of yesterday. Rotating exhibitions of scratchArt of Preston Singletary” features the most work ever in the Mondern Honky-Tonk Band, The Sweetback sisters in concert, board by Lois I. Ryder and oils and watercolors by Gloria Malcolm gallery; “Timeless Vestiges: Artwork from the Archives of William Thurs. 7/15, 8pm, tix $15.

Arnold. Open year round.

Morris”; Continuing through August “Maestro Lino Tagliapietra”

M

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WWW.ARFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010 • 3

THE HEVREH ENSEMBLE ORIGINAL WORLD CHAMBER MUSIC Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, 270 State Road, Great Barrington, MA. Reservations: 413-528-6378 http://hevrehensemble.com / hevrehmusic@gmail.com.

On Thursday July 22 at 8 PM, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire will present a Gala Fundraiser Concert featuring The Hevreh Ensemble; a group that performs original World Chamber Music by group member and composer, Jeff Adler. The members of the ensemble are Jeff Adler- Composer, Bass Clarinet, Native American Flutes & Percussion; Judith Dansker- Oboe, Oboe D’amore, English Horn & Native American Flutes; Laurie Friedman- Clarinet, Native American Flutes and Percussion; Adam Morrison- Keyboard.Tickets: $15 in advance; $20 at door.

THE HEVREH ENSEMBLE- ORIGINAL WORLD CHAMBER MUSIC 270 State Road in Great Barrington, MA• 413-528-6378 July 22nd at 8:00 PM, Gala Fundraiser Concert featuring The Hevreh Ensemble; a group that performs original World Chamber Music by group member and composer, Jeff Adler.

Tickets: $ 15.00 in Advance / $ 20 at door.

THE MUSEUM AT BETHEL WOODS Bethel, Rte 17, Exit 104, NY • bethelwoodscenter.org The Story of the ‘60s and Woodstock. Museum located at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

WORKSHOPS & LECTURES

CHESTERWOOD 4 Williamsville Rd (off Rte 183), Stockbridge. • 413-298-3579 July 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31: Afternoon workshops and demonstrations will be held every Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. with the artists represented in the exhibition Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood 2010. Free with admission to the site; Aug. 7, 14, 21, and 28: Afternoon workshops and demonstrations will be held every Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. with the artists represented in the exhibition Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood 2010. Free with admission to the site.

EN PLEIN AIR CLASSES :: DDFA 518-828-2939 / www.ddfagallery.com Join us at Hidden Pond on Tuesdays in July, Tues. July 6 & 20 – paint with HM Saffer, II, Tues. July 13 & 27 – draw with Maj Kalfus, 9:30am-4pm • $60 per session includes lunch For more information or to reserve a space in one of the classes, call: Located in Mid-Columbia County, on a rise in a clearing surrounded by trees, Hidden Pond provides a serene environment in a beautiful rural setting just five short miles from Hudson, NY. KATE KNAPP FRONT STREET GALLERY Housatonic, MA (next to the Corner Market) • 274-6607 www.kateknappartist.com Spring and Summer Classes at Front Street studio now open for registration...Mon Wed Thurs. 9:30-1pm Landscape Class Thurs.

Please call the studio/gallery for more info Calendar: June 19- July 11 Studio Group Show, Recent Work. Berkshire landscapes, Portraits and Still Lifes July 17-Sept 17. The Manhattan Landscapes

by Kate Knapp.... Large watercolors of many different areas of NYC This Gallery is also Kate Knapp's studio so there is always a great deal of varied work to be seen. (gallery hrs: Sat & Sun 12-5, and by appt.)

LAURA NORMAN REFLEXOLOGY Stockbridge, MA • 413-854-2615 • www.lauranorman.com • classes@lauranorman.com 3-Day Introductory Foot, Hand, Ear, Face Reflexology Workshop Sat, Sun, Mon, August 28-30, 9am-6pm All levels welcome. (24 NCBTMB CE Contact Hours Available).

Experience a unique, guided, hands-on introduction to Foot, Hand, Ear and Face Reflexology. Learn powerful nurturing techniques that reduce stress, increase your energy and enhance your health and well being with the Laura Norman Method, including Laura Norman’s NEW Hand and Face Reflexology techniques and pressure points. Take your first step toward a new career in complementary healthcare or expand your current practice! Led by Master Instructor Sande Rosen. Continue on to our 12-Day Foot, Hand, Ear Reflexology Certification Training offered weekdays or weekends: Mon-Wed Sept 20-22, 27-29, Oct 18-20, 25-27 OR Fri-Sun Sept 24-26, Oct 1-3, 8-10, 22-24; 4-Day Hand Reflexology Certification, Oct 4-7; 2-Day Face Reflexology Certification, Oct 12-13. Private sessions by appointment.

PAULA GOTTLIEB SUMMER CLASSES and WORKSHOPS 413-634-0066 paula@paulagottlieb.comwww.paulagottlieb.com Watercolor Painting – All Levels, Mon 1-3 pm ,July 12 - August 2 at the Cummington studio; Also: at the Becket Arts Center, Becket MA, Thurs July 8 - August 26 1:15-4:15 pm http://www.becketartscenter.org/ 413-623-6635 Watercolor Workshop/Retreat for Women: August 17, 18, 19, 10am - 4pm, $325; Painting the Landscape on the Summit of Mt. Greylock Septr 18 10am-4pm, raindate Sept 19

SABINE VOLLMER VON FALKEN PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS 413-298-4933 Sabine offers outdoor workshops for the advanced amateur photographers in June. Sabine offers Magic Outdoor Workshops at Dawn and Dusk, September 25, October 3, 10, 17- sundays

SPECIAL EVENTS

MUMBET DAY August 21, 2010 The Ashley House, Ashley Falls, MA In Collaboration with The Trustees of Reservations, Elizabeth Freeman Center, African American Heritage Trail & The Marketplace Come celebrate Sheffield’s local Heroine, Elizabeth MUMBET Freeman. Mumbet’s Walk to Freedom, A Re-enactment with Coauthors Jana Laiz and Ann-Elizabeth Barnes of “A FREE WOMAN ON GOD’S EARTH” The True Story of Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, The Slave Who Won Her Freedom to benefit The Elizabeth Freeman Center Deadline for calendar listings: JULY 15 for August WWW.artfulmind.net

artfulmind@yahoo.com

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THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010

MICHAEL FILMUS

VIEW FROM MT. GREYLOCK, THE EASTERN SKY, 12 X 24”, OIL

FRONT STREET GALLERY

KATE KNAPP, NYC 32 EAST VILLAGE SNOW, WC, 22 X 30”

During July at Front Street Gallery, see new work by Marion Jansen, Richard Michaels, Jeannine Schoeffer, Eleanor Lord, Joan Guimmo, Steve Porcella, Marybeth Merritt, Sue Arkans., Roberta Haas, Iska Kenney, Carol Sue Donelan, Diana Felber, Doris Simon, and Nina Lipkowitz.

June 19 - July 11 see beautiful landscapes, portraits and still lifes in watercolor, oil, pastel and collage.

July 17- Sept 17 see “The Manhattan Watercolors” by Kate Knapp…unusual perspective on Manhattan landscape... seen through the eyes of the artist. Familiar places and unknown neighborhoods beautifully captured in the illusive medium of watercolor. This is a place the artist loves, and wants us to get to know, even better than we already do.

Opening reception for Manhattan Watercolors is August 14, 3 – 6 pm.

Summer Classes at Front Street studio open for registration – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:30-1 pm. Landscape classes are held on Thursday. Call the studio/gallery for more information. This is also Kate Knapp’s studio so there is always a great deal of varied work to be seen.

Front Street Gallery, Front St., Housatonic, MA - Gallery Hours: Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm or by appointment; call gallery at 413-274-6607, home at 413-528-9546, or cell at 413-429-7141.

KAREN ANDREWS INNER VISION STUDIO PRAYER BOWL

Inner Vision Studio is one the Berkshire’s few true artistowned galleries offering a delightful range of photography, watercolor, drawing and giclee prints by local artist Karen Andrews. Unlike commercial galleries, in which artists tends to peg themselves to a particular medium and style, Inner Vision expresses the full range of one artist’s creativity, from Magical Realist “Housatonic Hand-Painted” series, to her “Feminine Views of the Mechanical World” photographs to her deeply spiritual landscape photography such as “The Enchanted Forest Series”.

A prolific watercolorist, landscape photographer and artist of many moods, styles and mediums, Karen blends the contemporary with the traditional. She employs sophisticated compositions with surfaces that virtually sing and dance with color, gesture and movement. You will find award-winning photographic prints which may appeal to the summer visitor wanting a remembrance of this beautiful and sacred land. Or you may encounter some of her more recent experimental drawings, and be invited in to experience her sometimes edgy creative process.

Whatever the medium, whatever the style, Karen Andrews and Inner Vision Studio will help you feel more alive!

Inner Vision Studio - located just north of West Stockbridge center, at Furnace Road, corner of Cone Hill Road, go 1 mile north on Swamp Rd from West Sockbridge Center, take left at Cone Hill Rd, 2nd left onto Furnace Rd. Look for colorful blue building on the right. Gallery hours: open in the summer every Sat and Sun, 1-5 pm, or by appointment. 413-232-4027.

In the early morning, from the summit of Mt. Greylock, we look to the eastern sky. There, just over the horizon the first rays of sunlight fan out striking white clouds and turning them to gold. As the sun rises the clouds disperse and our attention drifts down to the rolling hills of the Berkshires.

Michael Filmus has painted the Berkshire landscape for many years. He has exhibited his work in one-man shows at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield and at the Welles Gallery in Lenox.

In New York he has been represented by Hirschl & Adler Galleries and David Findlay Jr., Fine Art. Filmus’ works are in numerous private and public collections including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Butler Institute of American Art. Michael Filmus may be contacted in the Berkshires at 413528-5471 or through his website www.michaelfilmus.com

“Believing nothing. O monk, merely becuase you have been told it.”

-Siddharta Gautama

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THE ARTFUL MIND

JULY 2010 • 5

The Artful Mind • July 2010

JAMES AUGUST WEBER PROFESSIONAL WOODWORKER WWW.BERKSHIRECONTRACTOR.COM

Sue MacVeety, Author and Artist photographed by Julie McCarthy

IS183 Water-Colorist, Mel Stabin Kimberly Rawson 9 Roger Mason, Artist Stephanie Campbell 14 Planet Waves Astrology Eric Francis 18 Bob Crimi, Artist Harryet Candee 22

Greater Backfish Roundup Bob Balogh 26

Architecture & Arcadia Stephen Dietemann 27

THE ARTFUL MIND

www.artfulmind.net

No matter what goes on in our life, we will always have our Art to keep us going.

PUBLISHER Harryet Candee COPY EDITOR Marguerite Bride PROOFREADER: Rae A. Eastman & Deborah Davis ADVERTISING AND LAYOUT DESIGN Harryet Candee

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND MONTHLY COLUMNISTS Bob Balogh, Harryet Candee, Stephen Gerard Dietemann, Eric Francis, Nanci Race, Kimberly Rawson PHOTOGRAPHERS Thaddeus Kubis, Julie McCarthy Sabine Vollmer von Falken DISTRIBUTION R. Dadook, John Cardillo

120 PIXLEY ROAD, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 01230

HARRYET@ARTFULMIND.NET WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET 413-528-5628

Deadline for the AUGUST issue is JULY 15, 2010

FYI: ©Copyright laws in effect throughout The Artful Mind for logo & all graphics including text material. Copyright laws for photographers and writers throughout The Artful Mind. Permission to reprint is required in all instances

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Our Art....Our way

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

James August Weber, a professional woodworker since 1976, has had an eclectic variety of experience. Boat building, silo construction, gazebos, decks, porches, barns sheds, as well as dozens of custom homes and structure renovation, you name it and Weber has probably done it.

Teaching Furniture Design and Building in Poughkeepsie, New York led Weber to open a successful shop and retail gallery on Martha’s Vineyard which he operated from 1979 until moving to the Berkshires in 1986. Working on the Vineyard also provided an opportunity to work on the interior of many fine sailing vessels.

In the Berkshires, Jim learned the craft of the Timber framer, building post and beam homes and log timber homes, as well as common methods of “stick framing”, while applying the skill of the fine woodworker artisan.

“Our current undertaking is a custom home on Blunt Road in Egremont, MA. It was designed in our office, and is scheduled for completion this summer. Please contact me to have a look around. I love to talk shop!”

You may have seen Weber as “the guy with the whistle” that leads the Berkshire Bateria Samba drummers, but he also leads his crew of experienced artisan builders.

Through the J.W. Construction, Webber has been offering his General Contracting and carpentry services in the Berkshires for over 20 years.

J.W. Construction: James Weber: 413-528-6575, website: www.berkshirecontractor.com

DAVID KONIGSBERG,ROAD TO SPENCERTOWN MIXED MEDIA ON PANEL, 16.5 X 18

CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY SUMMER GROUP SHOW

An exhibition of new works by David Konigsberg, Joseph Maresca, Monica Mechling and Shawn Snow comprising the Summer Group Show will take place at the Carrie Haddad Gallery. The exhibit runs from Thursday July 8 to Sunday, August 8 with a reception for the artists on Saturday, July 10 from 6 – 8 pm. The public is invited to attend.

David Konigsberg is a conceptual realist. For this exhibit he offers two distinct views: very large paintings noting the small details of daily life, and small paintings of the big dramatic Hudson Valley farming landscape. In the still life painting “Ebenezer Whites”, a bunch of harvested white onions on a platter, a kitchen knife and a patterned tablecloth are seen from the cook’s viewpoint, a familiar little moment in the kitchen.

The opposite play of unexpected scale occurs in “Across Route 9”, a small landscape depicting a very low horizon line with furrowed fields, and a big sky of fluffy, hovering clouds. The finishing glaze gives these oil paintings on panel a wash of light and depth. This is David Konigsberg’s fourth exhibit at the gallery. He divides his time between Brooklyn and Ghent, NY and will be donating a percentage of his proceeds to the Columbia Land Conservancy.

Joseph Maresca returns to the gallery after his recent exhibit of exquisitely detailed film scene interiors. Like Konigsberg, he easily transitions between very small and very large canvases, by reversing the scale and painting large, almost Fauvist, landscapes. He paints these new works with bold, diagonal slashes of color and refers to the process as “the idea of sewing, of weaving colors together”. The paintings are a textured, prismatic latticework that leads the eye into the wetlands and forests, the view lines along the Hudson River. The large scale painting “Sunshower” weaves light and vivid colors in a way that feels saturated and brilliant, like a summer day after the rain.

Joseph Maresca has had a long career in the both the decorative and fine arts and lives in Rhinecliff, NY with a view of the Hudson River from his studio.

With her love of classical sculpture, Monica Mechling creates an elegant feminine world out of clay. For this new series of gunmetal grey figures with wrapped torsos and “false faces”, the medium is a type of resin clay that sculpts beautifully. Mechling states, “The clay guides me as much as I guide the clay”. The “Kabuki-like” serene heads have been blackened with graphite which is suspended in an acrylic medium, painted on, fired, and then burnished.

Mechling’s figures are disarmingly beautiful and struggle to free themselves from society’s expectations. Monica Mechling lives and works in Hudson, NY. Shawn Snow’s abstract paintings draw the eye into his world of erosion, rust, detritus and decay. “Using oil stick, encaustic, and various resins, oils and glues”, says Snow, “develop resonant surfaces both visual and tactile”. The canvases are transformed into planes of oxidizing metals, or weathered slabs of stone. Again the eye sees something other than the paint on canvas, something older, deeper, more ephemeral, a depiction of lost time in the weathered tones of the natural world. Shawn Snow has exhibited with Carrie Haddad for fifteen years and lives in Troy, NY. Carrie Haddad Gallery, 622 Warren Street, Hudson, NY. The gallery is open from 11-5 daily during the summer. For directions or more information call the gallery at 518-828-1915 or online at www.carriehaddadgallery.com

RICHARD BRITELL, MANHATTAN BRIDGE (DETAIL), SCOTTY (DETAIL), AND SOUTH OF FRANCE (DETAIL)

LAUREN CLARK FINE ART NEW WORKS BY RICHARD BRITELL

JULIANNE D. BRESCIANI, VOLLMER VON FALKEN

JULIANNE D. BRESCIANI GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPH BY SABINE

Alford resident and avid gardener, Julianne D. Bresciani, has combined her love of flowers, gardening, and yoga into a meditative art form of garden photography. While she claims to have known nothing about gardening when she first began her garden journey, a friend describes her as “a mid life flower child”.

Most, if not all of the flowers that she photographs come from Julianne’s garden. They have been planted in seed and root and bulb form and tended to by the artist herself. Ms. Bresciani states that her garden has seen her through many seasons of her life and has fed her soul on a very deep level. She is happiest working in her garden!

Her love for flowers became a passion. Ordering her seeds in January, planting seedlings, planting the garden, tending to them in the early morning hours or the late evening hours and enjoying enormous bounty with and from them whether inside the garden or not. Her photographs invite the viewer to be touched by the generosity of nature and signs most of her work “from the heart of my garden, to the garden of your heart”.

Ms. Bresciani’s background was in fashion and merchandising with degrees from Marymount College, Arlington, Virginia in 1968 and The Tobe Coburn School for Fashion in New York.

She later went on to complete studies for social work and has a masters degree from New York University in Social Work. Ms. Bresciani has a private physcotherapy practice in New York where she continues to work with people on a part time basis.

She divides her time between New York and the Berkshires.

Julianne has shown her work at Coppertops, The Lifebridge Sanctuary, and The Capitol Arts Network; also at the Berkshires Arts Festival in 2008 and The Lenox Garden Club tour that same year. Her work was at the One of a Kind Gift Show & Sale in New York this past winter and can be seen in the windows of Guido’s this May and June. She will be exhibiting at the Douglas Flackman Gallery of Fine Art in Great Barrington this July.

Her work includes plexi mounted pieces as well as fine art pieces, cards, calendars, and custom contemporary wedding invitations.

Julianne Bresciani - www.julianneb.com. Seen by appointment. The artist can be reached at 413-528-3720 or 212-7523344.

Lauren Clark Fine Art presents “And Now for Some Things Completely Different”, from architecture to animals, from miniatures to the life sized figure, an exhibit that revisits all of the subject matter of R. P. Britell’s long and complicated career.

A Statement from the Artist: A one person show almost always consists of a group of works that are related in terms of style, size and content. When I taught painting in college I would sometimes say to my students, “Since you will want to have a one person show, try to imagine what your show might look like. Picture a room full of your paintings, would they be large, or would they be small, would they be full of saturated color, or would they be monochrome? Would they be landscapes, or still life, figure or abstraction? Would they he hard edged, or soft and blended?

Would they be cheerful and optimistic, or full of dread?”

When Lauren Clark invited me to do a one person show with her for July, I had to put this question to myself, and this was my answer. I wanted my show to consist of pictures that were large and pictures that were small. I wanted some to be cheerful, and some to be full of dread. I wanted to have figures, landscapes, and still lifes. I wanted pictures that were full of color, and pieces that were monochrome. If there were going to be figures I wanted some to be beautiful and some to be ugly.

I did however have some criterion in mind, when choosing individual pieces. My first rule of thumb is to ask myself what a certain picture might symbolize, or signify. If I can answer this question then I do not do that image. If I have no idea at all why I want to do a work, but, nevertheless very much want to do it, then I know that image is to be part of my exhibition. So, here is a set of works, tied together by only one criteria, which is that I do not know why I did them.

“And Now for Some Things Completely Different”, July 10August 2. Reception for the Artist, Saturday, July 10, 5-8pm.

Lauren Clark Fine Art is located at 402 Park Street (Route 183) in Housatonic, Massachusetts. Business hours are Thursday through Monday from 11:00 until 5:30 and on Sunday from Noon until 4:00. For more information call 413.274.1432, or visit the website at www.LaurenClarkFineArt.com

NEUMANN ART AND THE SOCIETY FOR COMMERCIAL ARCHEOLOGY JEFFREY NEUMANN

The Society for Commercial Archeology is a national organization devoted to the buildings, artifacts, structures, signs, and symbols of the 20th-century commercial landscape.

The purpose of the Society is to recognize the unique historical significance of the 20th-century commercial built environment and cultural landscapes of North America. The SCA offers publications, conferences, and tours to help preserve, document, and celebrate diners, highways, gas stations, drivein theaters, bus stations, tourist courts, neon signs, and a lot more: www.sca-roadside.org . The following is reprinted with permission from an article by Douglas Towne in the Spring 2010 edition of the SCA Journal.

While most SCA members battle the blight of big box retail outlets with a digital camera, Jeffrey L. Neumann uses a tool from an earlier era. Skilled with a paintbrush using either oils or watercolors, Neumann executes his paintings of post World War II architectural vernacular to, as he notes, “provide opportunities for our youth to experience the rich tapestry of 20th Century roadside America through preservation and education.”…

Examining the weathered clapboards of Neumann’s “The Lobster Pot,” one can almost get a whiff of the salt air and visualize the little tin containing melted butter that will be sitting on the dinner plate next to the steaming crustacean.

Neumann’s nocturnal renderings of establishments like the Tic Toc Lounge powerfully convey the beauty of the neon-lit façade yet capture the slight hesitation that invariably strikes us when we think about walking through the entrance of an unfamiliar place at night. It’s a little rush of adrenaline that I can’t seem to get when opening the door of a corporate chain.

Jeffrey L. Neumann’s studio and gallery is at 65 Coldwater St., Hillsdale, NY. Open Tuesday – Saturday 10 - 4 and by appointment. 413-246-5776, www.neumannfineart.com

JULY 2010 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

THE ARTFUL MIND • 7

AARDENBURG IMAGING & ARCHIVES

THE ART CONSERVANCY TYPICALLY DAMAGED PAINTING

The Art Conservancy is a full service studio specializing in the preservation and restoration of oil paintings. Whether on canvas or solid supports, The Art Conservancy has over thirty years of experience in repairing the damage and deterioration wrought by accident or the natural progression of age. We work to first address issues of stabilization and structural repair, such as tears and rips in the canvas, split or cracked damage to solid supports, and chipped, tented or flaking to the paint layer. Secondly, we carefully remove any layers of surface contaminants and discolored varnishes. Each work of art requires optimal restoration for maintaining historic and esthetic value. Our expertise is the execution of optimal and appropriate restoration.

The Art Conservancy has received commissions from numerous museums, art galleries, historical societies, and private collectors for preserving their most treasured art. If your art is in need of assistance, The Art Conservancy can help. We adhere to the professional standard and practices of the American Institute of Conservation. We offer museum quality work, affordable pricing and individual service.

In addition to our work with paintings, The Art Conservancy also offers assistance in the preservation of works on paper, such as prints, lithographs, etchings and watercolor, and the repair of three dimensional objects of art, from antique fishing lures, to painted furniture.

Owner and lead conservator, Craig Kay, has over thirty years experience as a painting conservator, having owned and run studios in Westport CT, Kauai HI, Nantucket MA, and now in the Berkshires. All consultations are free of charge.

The Art Conservancy, 130 North Egremont Rd. Alford, MA, 01230. 413-528-2452, craig@nantucket.net

Aardenburg Imaging & Archives, founded in 2007, is located in the historic Hyde House in Lee, MA. AaI&A primarily conducts research and real-world aging studies on the permanence of digital print media in collaboration with photographers and printmakers around the world. Photography and printmaking has been a passion of AaI&A’s director, Mark H. McCormickGoodhart, for over 40 years. Mark is a materials scientist, and he was formerly the senior research photographic scientist for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC from 1988-1998 before returning to the private sector to continue preservation research on digital imaging technologies.

“My family moved to Lee in 2007. The Berkshire Mountains are breathtaking, and there is clearly a vibrant community for both the performing and the visual arts”. Although much of Mark’s work is scientific in nature, Mark is also an avid photographer and printmaker. In 1996, Mark co-founded Old Town Editions with partner, Chris Foley, in Alexandria, Virginia. “I learned digital fine art printing in its early and formative stages with IRIS 3047 printers and the emergence of Giclée printing for artists. Collaborating directly in the digital printmaking process with other artists has made me a better photographer and printmaker. To my surprise, it has also made me a better scientist”.

Because the research at AaI&A encompasses state-of-the-art digital printing technologies, the company maintains a small print studio with modern wide-format inkjet printers. These printers need to be used frequently in order to keep running smoothly. In order to accomplish this objective Mark has recently decided to offer the excess capacity of these amazing printers at reasonable rates to local artists wishing to create digitally mastered prints, paintings, and photographs. If you are a photographer or an artist looking for digital print output of the highest quality and/or want to learn digital imaging and printing from an expert, please contact Mark.

Aardenburg Imaging & Archives, Hyde House, Lee, MA. 413-243-4181, www.aardenburg-imaging.com

Summer Group Show

Joseph Maresca, Marsh Fall, 48 x 60 inches oil on canvas

David Konigsberg Monica Mechling Joseph Maresca Shawn Snow July 8 Through July 5

Reception for the artists on Saturday, July 10 from 6 – 8 pm.

The public is invited to attend.

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Carrie Haddad Gallery

622 Warren Street, Hudson, NY. Hours: open daily 11 a.m. - 5p.m Thursday through Monday 518-828-7655 www.carriehaddadgallery.com

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010

BERKSHIRE DIGITAL

Entering its fifth year of business, Berkshire Digital is an art service that offers very high quality digital photography of paintings as well as Giclée printing on archival papers and canvas. Artists & photographers use BD to create limited editions of their images. Private collectors and galleries use BD to document their collections. Whether the photography needs are for archiving, printing or internet use, BD adheres to very strict color controls along with delivering stunning detail by using a large format camera with a Better Light™ digital scanning back for photography and Canon™ printers using archival pigmented inks for prints.

In addition to the photography and printing services, Berkshire Digital also offers graphic design, enabling clients to create show announcements, post cards and brochures. The website has a complete overview along with prices.

Owner, Fred Collins, has been a commercial photographer for 30 years with studios in Boston and Stamford. Fifteen years ago, he began working with the software manipulation program Photoshop™ and gradually added extensive retouching capabilities to help with his client’s needs. His wife Alison owns The Iris Gallery, located in Great Barrington & Boston.

Berkshire Digital, Mt Washington, MA, (413) 644-9663, www.BerkshireDigital.com

IS183 ART SCHOOL OF THE BERKSHIRES

MARK HANFORD Wizard of Molten Metal

By Kimberly Rawson Those of us who piled in to Pittsfield’s East Coast Refinishing facility in March for IS183’s Radioactive Bodega, the art school’s annual fundraising gala, won’t soon forget the sheer enormity of the industrial space where the party was held. That night it was fantastically decorated and filled with hundreds of costumed partygoers bedecked in creative interpretations of a post apocalyptic world, one more over-the-top than the next, pulsing dance music by DJ BFG and writhing go-go dancers suspended in cages. Recently I returned there to meet with Mark Hanford of the artists’ collaborative Group W to learn more about him, Group W, and the upcoming IS183 welding workshop he’ll be teaching at East Coast Refinishing this summer.

By day, the place is all business and seems even more enormous than I remembered. In fact, the 28,000-square-foot building truly is massive, with walls as high as 300 feet. A gargoyle with sinister, glittering eyes crouches on the roof, observing my arrival. As Hanford had previously instructed, I enter through a side door adorned with a memorial wreath of plastic flowers and a ribbon stating “Our Hero.” I tentatively step inside, where music is blasting from a powerful stereo system, and allow my eyes to adjust to the dark, cavernous space. Hanford approaches with a warm smile, shakes my hand, offers me a beer, and as mysteriously as he appeared he’s gone, fading into the shadows of the building’s interior gloom.

While I wait, I take in my vast surroundings. There are work spaces lit by pools of stark industrial lighting. Men are working on a motorcycle in an 800-square-foot paint booth. A pile of impossibly dense and heavy steel panels is neatly stacked by door, destined, I later learn, for use on armored vehicles. In one corner large urns and iron gates that probably once graced a gilded-age Berkshire cottage await a much-needed East Coast facelift. A 1957 Thunderbird is casually parked to one side, soon to be restored to its former glory days. And there are these amazing murals on the walls. One is by Jay Tobin, a 10 by 20 foot fresco called “Nightshift”, which has been compared to the work of Ellsworth Kelly. On an adjacent wall is the mural entitled “Labor Days,” a moving testimonial to the workers who built Pittsfield, by FX Tobin.

In 1999, the late Pete Melle, his wife, Claudia, and their son, Ben, purchased this formerly vacant building, where in days past Lipton Energy had fabricated huge steel holding tanks, and established East Coast Refinishing to refurbish gigantic industrial equipment as well as large metal art objects. (The refinishing business now includes welding, cabinetry and stripping enterprises.) Several years later, Pete, a patron of the arts, offered the space to a group of artists that included his brother, Mike, for the construction of a theatrical set. Seeing the positive interaction between the after-hours artists and East Coast’s workforce and the harmonious effects of artwork in the work environment, East Coast invited the group of artists to use the facility as a group workspace and thus Group W was formed.

The group, which have been meeting there on Wednesday nights since 2005, was coined “Group W” by Hanford as an umbrella term for Welding on Wednesday, when he began teaching his fellow artist the skills needed for “Industrial Strength Art.” The

five founding members of Group W are Mark Hanford, Mike Melle, Bill Tobin, FX Tobin and Jay Tobin, plus visiting artists Larry Carroll, Mike Clary, Jerid Hohn, Nicole Peskin and Jesse Tobin.

The Group W core members are lifelong residents of Berkshire County who, forty years ago as art students, became committed to aesthetic exploration and free expression. Much of their work continues to reflect a sense of brash and often brazen experimentation. They have singly and collectively shown in galleries in the Berkshires, Baltimore, and Los Angeles, frequently collaborate on theatrical constructions, and assist each other in the craft and assemblage of larger pieces. In their own words, “Group W is an art collaborative founded on the principles of artistic exploration, media experimentation and commitment to form.”

Hanford returns with our cans of beer and I am immediately charmed by his sincerity, brevity, sense of humor and dedication to his art. “I come here to relax after a stressful day. I can bang on a piece of steel and decompress. Sculpture is my alter-ego and it’s apart from what I do for a living. I can make ‘it’ work for ‘me’,” he laughs. Each of the Group W artists has a day job and Hanford’s is as field services engineering manager for GL&V, an international manufacturer for pulp and paper making machinery. His work takes him around the world, erecting factories in places like Indonesia, Korea, China, India, Ecuador, Spain, South America, Russia and Canada. He’s also a volunteer fireman for the town of Becket, where he lives with his wife of 37 years, Theresa. They devote most of their time to their four lovely grandchildren, he says proudly.

“As a kid I never had time for art, though I did make some sculpture in the 1970s. My introduction to metalwork was in the Navy in the late 1960s, when I started welding. I was a welder at Beloit Jones, where I also taught welding classes and was a supervisor until 1985, when I went into field service. And then, between work and family life, I didn’t have time for art either, but now Billy, Jay and Mike [members of Group W] can help me with something I dropped years ago,” Hanford says.

In 2005, Hanford showed his first work of art, “Air and Water,” composed of I-beams, welded steel tanks and flowing water, in Group W’s debut exhibition at East Coast Refinishing which was attended by about one-thousand people. It’s still his favorite piece to date, partly because it was fun to build, and he’s proud of the fact that all the tanks, old fire extinguishers, came from the fire department. Hanford’s sculpture is masculine, kinetic, and often has a humorous or sardonic subtext. His works include “Anti-tank 1” and “Anti-tank 2” (his first sculptures, influenced by his time in the Navy), the four-foot-tall “Black and Blue”, “Arterial Bleed”, and a current work, “Amber Waves”, a composition of wheat-like metal spikes that, when moving, make musical, brushing sounds, reminiscent of a wheat field in the breeze, if the grain was made of metal. In the past three years he’s created six sculptures, more, he says, than he’s made in his entire life. Nearing retirement now, this is what he wants to do going forward: art and metal.

Hanford has sold a number of his works, including a sculpture of an unlikely pairing, “Gator with Poodle,” which now re-

sides with a couple from Boston. When asked to describe his methodology, Hanford says, “I’m a welder who prefers to work with steel sculpture. My favorite materials are mild steel and stainless steel and I particularly like to make kinetic sculpture.

My work is strong, rooted in technique. I am most interested in the technique. I like to illustrate the art through craft.

“What I like most about working in this medium is the way steel forms. I can turn it into something totally different. My art isn’t ‘in your face’ art. It’s kinetic and fun. The biggest challenge for me has been to learn composition. It’s a constant battle but I get a lot of help from the Group W guys who guide me in form, color and composition. I don’t have a formal art education so Group W has been a school for me. It’s not a four-year-school, but it’s my school. You start hanging around artists and you start to act like them and see the way they see. As an engineer I have to work with a blueprint and follow certain dimensions but as an artist I can work more intuitively,” Hanford notes.

He finds inspiration in diverse places. “I see structures, bridges, buildings and monuments that I like and I to try to duplicate them in a sculpture form—even a section of a highway bridge is an inspiration to me because I can see it turned around and painted. Many of my ideas come from things I’ve seen around the world, especially in the Indonesian islands, such as stone carvings of deities and rice paddies.”

As we chat, another member of Group W arrives. Mike Melle, by day a mail carrier in Richmond, is an artist who creates marble sculptures, paintings, and wood, wire and straw figures. Melle confides that “Mark is the heart and soul of Group W. He makes things happen and keeps us sane.” Hanford is married to Melle’s sister. “We’re stuck together,” Melle laughs. I get the sense that East Coast Refinishing turns into a giant clubhouse on Wednesday nights, as both a hangout and a haven for Group W artists. “The Group W guys are all pals who go back forty years, through good times and bad. Art has been in our lives constantly. The fact that my brother Pete let us use this space was a turning point. We finally had a place to make things,” Melle notes. Pete Melle passed away earlier this year and clearly his presence is deeply missed by the Group W consortium, which is in the early stages of planning an exhibition in his honor, tentatively slated for next spring.

Figuring the guys would probably like to get back to their projects, I ask one last question about Hanford’s advice for a sculptor just starting out. “Whether you’re 18 or 80, my advice is to do as much as you can as quickly as you can. If you have an idea, build it. It’s not going to get built if you don’t just jump in,” he says. At IS183 Art School’s Introduction to Welding Class, which Hanford is co-teaching with Group W’s Bill Tobin, a retired teacher, it’s evident to me that aspiring welders will have the opportunity to learn with a master. There’s a good reason his Group W buddies call him “the resident wizard of molten metal.” I take my leave and pass again by the crouching gargoyle, which now seems much less scary.

IS183 Art School’s Workshop “Introduction to Welding” with Mark Hanford and Bill Tobin will be held July 28 to August 18, in four consecutive Wednesday night sessions, from 6 to 9 p.m., at East Coast Refinishing, 4 Industrial Drive, Pittsfield. The tuition is $200, plus a $122 materials and equipment fee. This beginner’s workshop introduces students to oxyacetylene cutting and plasma cutting, stick welding basics, and automatic welding (wire feed) practices. The class will be led through health and safety instruction and will practice the basic techniques on scrap metal (provided) and will then work on a practice project of their own. Students must be at least 18 years of age, wear work boots, long sleeve cotton shirts and denim long pants. Safety glasses, ear plugs, and welding gloves will be provided. The course is limited to a maximum of six students.

For more information and to register for the workshop call 413-298-5252, e-mail info@is183.org or visit IS183 Art School online at www.is183.org IS183 Art School encourages people of all ages, means, and skill levels to enrich their lives through hands-on experience in the visual arts, with year-round programs in ceramics, painting, drawing, photography, fiber arts, sculpture, and mixed media.

Located half-way between Great Barrington and Pittsfield at 13 Willard Hill Road in Interlaken (a village of Stockbridge), IS183 offers weekend workshops for adults; Young Artist programs during school vacations and in the summer; birthday parties; custom classes; and private lessons. Classes are held during the daytime, evenings and weekends, for all levels from absolute beginners to professional artists. Needs-based scholarships and work-exchange opportunities are available.

Kimberly Rawson is a writer, editor and communications strategist who lives in Pittsfield, Mass.

JULY 2010 THE ARTFUL MIND • 9

Richard Savino Musician

St. Cecila

Interview by Harryet Candee Images provided by Robert Savino and Aston Magna

Harryet Candee: Richard, you have a very impressive resume in music. Lutenist, guitarist, artistic director, professor, lecturer, accompanist… how do you mesh them together?

Richard Savino: My, when you list them as such - it does seem like quite a lot…and you seem to have missed being a single father to a 7-year-old, a very active girl! But, kidding aside, all of these activities overlap into an integrated artistic/musical life.

Obviously, when one has this many diverse activities, life has to be managed and compartmentalized. I only wish that I could do all of them at once!

The one thing someone who might be reading this needs to understand is that many of my academic pursuits and areas of research overlap, as do my activities as a soloist and accompanist.

Tell me about your growing years and learning to appreciate music.

RS: I like to say, I grew up in a Martin Scorsese movie….a large, all-Southern Italian family (initially Brooklyn/Little Italy based) who moved to another all Italian neighborhood on the south shore of Long Island…. I had quite an intense youth. My Italian ties are still quite strong and I have dual US/Italian citizenship.

But my immediately familial environment was very musical.

Four of my siblings are, or have been, professional musicians at one time in their lives.

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THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

I initially started on trumpet, but then on February 9th 1964, at the ripe age of 8, my world changed. I saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show and the next day I put the trumpet in it’s case forever. Now, don’t get me wrong - I loved the trumpet. My father played a bit and I loved Louis Armstrong, Al Hirt (I was a bit too young for Miles at that time) but I wasn’t exactly a “marching band” kind of guy, which is what the school pushed on me. (Ask anyone who knows me, this condition still persists to this day…).

I loved the guitar for many reasons other than the obvious one (note the screaming girls who followed the Beatles). It is an instrument of intense beauty and warmth. It can play melody, harmony, solos, it can accompany, and it is portable.

Throughout junior and senior high school I played lots of electric & quasi-folk guitar. By the age of seventeen I came under the influence of Frank Zappa, John McLaughlin and Robert Fripp, to this day, three of my favorite guitarists. During this time, I was also composing quite a bit, and put together a group to play my own compositions. During summer 1974 we had the chance to perform a few times at the legendary club the Bitter End on Bleeker St. in Greenich Village (up the block from where my mother was born) opening for the group Fred (a unique jazz-fusion group that I still revere…). For an 18-yearold, this was a great experience.

After that, I went to study music at SUNY Stony Brook where I was introduced to an incredible group of musicians. At that time the faculty consisted of Charles Rosen, Gilbert Kalish, the Beaux Arts Trio, and so many others. But the person who most influenced my development was classical guitarist Jerry Willard.

Jerry was the perfect teacher for me. In addition to playing the conventional classical guitar repertoire he could also play piano works by Gershwin, Joplin and Mozart. He is also the person who introduced me to two of the most important composers for the lute: John Dowland and Francesco Da Milano.

He let me follow my own path, something that many teachers don’t tolerate. This allowed me to find my own voice.

I then went on to study with numerous other great teachers such as Oscar Ghiglia, Eliot Fisk and eventually had a few private and master-class lessons with the great Andres Segovia.

Now during this time I also began my own individual study of period plucked instruments like the lute, theorbo, baroque and early 19th century guitars, which have more or less become my primary instruments (although I still adore the traditional

Spanish classical guitar.)

In the late 70’s and early 80’s, if you studied these kinds of period instruments you were expected to reject the modern classical guitar and cut off your right hand fingernails. There was a kind of dogma associated with the movement that didn’t mesh with my personality. I also knew from my own research that “performance practice” in my area was not so rigid.

So, again, I essentially followed my own path and took some lessons with harpsichordist Albert Fuller and violinist Jaap Schroeder, both of whom I met through Aston Magna!

Were you giving concerts at an early age?

RS: Not classical concerts, but I played in pop, fusion and folk bands.

Do you ever get stage fright performing in front of a large audience?

RS: It depends on how you define stage fright. Am I excited?

Absolutely. A bit nervous? Of course. But I try to redirect much of this into my lust for making music.

I am wondering about your lectures. Please tell me some of the topics you speak about, and what have been some fascinating facts you have explored and talked about.

RS: With regard to my lectures (as well as programming) I love the idea of an interdisciplinary perspective and have been highly influenced by Albert Fuller and Charles Rosen: two very different people, but two remarkable musicians.

The topics tend to gravitate toward my logical interests: guitar and lute studies, Spanish & Latin American music from the 17th – 19th centuries and Italian women artists and composers from the 17th century.

As a professor, what are your strengths that you find help your students with their music studies?

RS: First, I’m not a coddler, I am very direct, very New York.

Not mean, but I do not subscribe to this newer concept that everyone is special. Not everyone is brilliant and not everyone is cut out to play concertos, solo recitals, or accompany. I do inject my teaching with a lot of humor and content (be it a course, individual instruction or a coaching). But within this “methodology” I try to ascertain what it is that the particular student has to offer and communicate to them that they must pursue this with passion and commitment.

I also tell them to not follow this path unless they cannot live without it and to be prepared to live as a true Bohemian. “Be careful what you ask for, you might actually get it” is a common ritornello in my teaching.

A lot of people have a romanticized vision of what it is to be an artist or a musician. While it is a richly rewarding life, it can also be quite demanding. We are not civilians, we have odd hours, work on the weekends, we have to practice, etc…

I think you are a music-scientist. Do you think there is a connection between music and science?

LOL…well maybe a mad scientist… Of course there is a close connection between the two. Galileo’s father and brother were both professional musicians, as was Da Vinci. There are many other examples, but I wouldn’t put myself into this category.

The first thing I did with my chemistry set as a kid was to make gunpowder and proceed to blow up my father’s picnic furniture.

Needless to say, he wasn’t amused.

Do you compose music?

RS: Many of the Spanish and Latin American pieces that I record and perform are preserved in manuscript fragments. As a result I have to reconstruct a bit of this music.

I also get to improvise when playing continuo.

Which one of your teachers made the most impact on your enlightenment in music, and why?

RS: The founder of Aston Magna, Albert Fuller. He had an imagination that was remarkable. He saw connections between art, literature, social sciences and music that stimulated my growth as an artist and musician.

Is coming to the Berkshires again this summer exciting for you? What makes this Aston Magna program special, and different for you this year?

RS: I am always excited to come to the Berkshires.

While I have lived in California for some time, my heart still resides in the Northeast (and Italy…)

I love working with Dan Stepner and all the Aston Magna musicians and staff. They are all wonderful and special people and they have afforded me the opportunity to create dream programs.

of programs is that of familiarity. The names Goya, Gentileschi and Caravaggio are known to many, yet most composers from the same cultural milieu as these artists are, for the most part unknown. It is my intention to draw listeners into these concerts by creating a more familiar point of reference, and again, one that stimulates multiple senses.

How do you think the past has effected today’s music sound?

With regard to how the past effects today’s music: I would have to say that one of the most important developments in the history of western music occurred at the turn of the 17th century.

This was the development of “functional” harmony. Although it has been expanded upon, and there have been attempts to eradicate it from musical practice—yet it is still here; in classical music, jazz, pop, hip hop, etc…

Tell me about your musical style?

RS: With regard to “my” style, I would have to say assertive. I guess that this is an extension of my New York/Italian psyche.

I want to study the classics in music, and when I read about all the titles, styles, vocabulary, symbols, references to so much in history, it’s overwhelming! Where do I start?

RS: For the uninitiated I would initially suggest taking a basic music appreciation course at a local college. Music is language with its own syntax, grammar and dialects. Now, one need not be a master of these to simply enjoy the sonic sensation of listening, but I feel that familiarity does contribute to a greater appreciation of the art.

I would also suggest just reading a good music appreciation textbook and listening to the accompanying cds.. Listen, by Joseph Kerman, is quite good.

But to address another point, I feel that our culture (the United States) has dropped the ball on one of the most important

Does the audience necessarily need a background in 16th and 17th history to understand the connections you are making?

No, absolutely not. Of course any degree of knowledge helps illuminate certain connections between time, place and art, but the point of these “multi-media” concerts is to stimulate the senses, to offer a visual feast that compliments the aural sensations of the music.

The other issue that I am hoping to address with these kinds

What period in the history of music do you least like, and why?

RS: I really don’t click with extreme atonality or severe serialism. I love Berg and Stravinsky’s approach, but for the most part those styles are a little too dry for me.

I have always admired David Byrne for his rather eclectic, avante garde style of music. What is your opinion of his music?

RS: I think that David Byrne is fantastic, and for the same reasons! But to be more specific, there is a sense of subtlety, refinement and craft to his work.

With regard to non-classical artists, I also really enjoy David Bowie, Robert Fripp, Dylan, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Duane Allman, Elvis Costello, Lennie Tristano, Yes, Peter Gabriel, the Beatles, Santana, Ralph Towner.

Getting back to the Aston Magna upcoming concert… It sounds like it will be a very dramatic performance. What inspired you and your cohorts to come up with this particular program? And, I was also wondering, do you think audiences in USA are much different from the ones in Europe?

RS: As I mentioned earlier I find an inter-disciplinary approach to the arts to be incredibly fascinating.

In the late 70’s there was a BBC program called Connections that was created by science historian James Burke, it completely captured my imagination. After that I attended an Aston Magna Academy, which further reinforced this pre-occupation. These were certainly early inspirations for this kind of programming.

Yes, the audiences are different; In general, the audiences in Europe are younger. The reason is that most people are educated about music at an early age, and going to a “classical” concert is considered to be an important cultural experience.

In our culture, one of the saddest things that I have witnessed over the past few years is the dismissing of an appreciation of high art as some kind of elitist folly.

What are your life’s goals and aspirations?

To continue to play music and celebrate life…

Ars longa. Vita brevis.

I am curious to know what went on in Artemisia’s life that made it so violent? And -What did Artemisia hear?

RS: Artemisia’s life is very well documented and there have been a number of historical novels written about her. But to answer your question, as a teen a colleague of her father’s, Augustino Tassi, raped her and when she (and her father) reported the crime she was subject to the most humiliating questioning and torture by the church authorities. The truth to her claim was determined by the fact that her story never waivered. All of the information regarding the trial and her treatment is preserved in the Vatican archives.

She also had a rather difficult relationship with her father, Orazio Gentileschi (an outstanding painter in his own right). Artemisia was an extremely talented painter and this threatened him.

She received coveted commissions and eventually went on to achieve a remarkable degree of independence in her life. In addition she traveled widely and became friends with a number of notable musicians including Francesca Caccini and Nicholas Lanier.

What is the connection between her art, Goya’s art, and the music that will be played?

RS: There really is no direct connection between Artemisia Gentileschi and Francisco Goya, but they were both exceptionally gifted painters who were very influenced by musicians and often-depicted music-making in their works. They also both lived through periods of extraordinary historical significance. The former through the early 17th century post reformation period of the Catholic Church, and the latter through the final stages of the Spanish Inquisition, the Enlightenment and the Napoleonic invasion of Madrid.

tation, it was like meeting a Bodhisattva.

And yes, I too have always loved his music.

Tell me about your family. Do they support and share your dreams?

RS: Mostly, it is my beautiful seven-year-old daughter, Maria Luisa. She is totally into it. She plays violin, is a great singer, and a fabulous Flamenco dancer.

What quote do you hold close to your heart?

RS: One of my own. When people ask me how I am doing I respond: “Better than yesterday, not as good as tomorrow.”

And one of my all-time favorites is by Keith Richards: “If only Mozart has a better drummer.”

That one always puts a smile on my face.

I love that one, too. What would you say to Vivaldi if you had one very special opportunity?

RS: I think that I would be too much in awe to say anything.

I would most likely just want to watch and listen to him play in the flesh.

Artememisia Gentileschi - Self-portrait as a Lute player

aspects of human existence, the arts. When I was a child most public schools had music programs, and they weren’t watered down to only pop styles. I love rock music, but that was the music of the streets in my lifetime. There has to be more. Just think; in the late 50’s the CBS network broadcast Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts during PRIMETIME! Now we have all these reality shows and things like “Everybody’s Got Talent.” Well, I’m sorry, not everyone has talent!

Was it difficult to study with Segovia? What kind of teacher was he? I love his Latin guitar music. I can hear each string so clear.

It was a joy to study with Segovia, intimidating, but joyful nonetheless. More than learning technique or musical interpre-

In a nut shell, why go to hear, and see the concert, “What Artemisia Heard” at theAston Magna Festival?

It is a feast for the eyes and ears. The music is sublime, the art -spectacular.

Sonatas for Baroque Guitar Ludivico Roncalli: Capricci Armonici (Bergamo, 1692) available on Dorian Records, www.dorian.com & go to ~

www.astonmagna.org for a complete concert schedule.

JULY 2010 ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND • 11

THE HEVREH ENSEMBLE

ORIGINAL WORLD CHAMBER MUSIC

On Thursday July 22 at 8 PM, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire will present a Gala Fundraiser Concert featuring The Hevreh Ensemble; a group that performs original World Chamber Music by group member and composer, Jeff Adler. The members of the ensemble are Jeff Adler- Composer, Bass Clarinet, Native American Flutes & Percussion; Judith Dansker- Oboe, Oboe D’amore, English Horn & Native American Flutes; Laurie Friedman- Clarinet, Native American Flutes and Percussion; Adam Morrison- Keyboard.

The Hevreh Ensemble was formed in 2001 when oboist Judith Dansker invited a group of acclaimed musicians to perform a special Selichot concert for Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Based in New York City, the members have performed concerts at such venues as: the National Yiddish Book Center- Amherst, Massachusetts, The Northampton Center for the Arts, Arizona Jewish Historical Society, The Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, Harlem School of the Arts, New York City, Synagogue for the Arts, New York City among many others and are currently Ensemble in Residence for Hevreh of Southern Berkshire.

The members of the ensemble have honored by and affiliated with organizations such as: The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Alice Tully Hall (Lincoln Center), Carnegie Recital Hall, The Library of Congress (Washington, DC), Merkin concert Hall (New York City), The Blossom Music Festival-Cleveland Orchestra and Hofstra University, among many others.

Hevreh Ensemble performances have been called “spiritually uplifting” and: “strikingly original”. The ensemble will travel to Eastern Europe in September 2010, where they will present concerts in Prague and Poland. They have also recently been invited to present concerts for the Segal Centre in Montreal and are currently planning a collaboration with the Brooklyn College Academy in New York, where they will present concert and workshops for students from the BCA World Ensemble. They have also been invited to present concerts for the Hofstra University Emily Lowe Art Gallery in conjunction with two upcoming art exhibits: “Soweto” The 30th Anniversary of the Uprising” and an exhibit by Holocaust survivor and painter Yonia Fain.

Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, 270 State Road, Great Barrington, MA. http://hevrehensemble.com, hevrehmusic@gmail.com. Tickets: $15 in advance; $20 at door. Reservations: 413-528-6378.

TANNERY POND CONCERTS

“A one-of-a-kind collaboration was established when renowned classical flutist Paula Robison, whose exquisite, elegant artistry is celebrated worldwide, joined forces with acclaimed Brazilian musicians, consummate guitarist Romero Lubambo and percussion wizard Cyro Baptista. Conjuring up a sizzling night at Rio’s famed Carnaval, this unique and entertaining mix of classical, jazz and folk is a joy to the senses.

Traditional Brazilian compositions on the style of “choro”and jazz standards are merged with a samba groove and exotic bossa to form spicy new arrangements and compositions. The program also includes music scored specifically for this accomplished trio, who captures the magic of yesterday and the invention of tomorrow. This delightful Brazilian chamber music ensemble has recorded two discs, “Brasileirinho”, and “Rio Days, Rio Nights” and have performed innumerable concerts. Audiences are always delighted to hear Robison, Lubambo and Baptista’s repertoire, rich in melody, harmony and rhythm. It superbly manages to be earthy, happy and elegant at the same time.”

In conjunction with the celebration of the Shaker Museum and Library’s sixtieth anniversary, Darrow School is mounting an exhibition of contemporary and archival photography called, “Visions of Mount Lebanon.” Works of approximately thirty local and national photographers will be on view at the Joline Arts Center. The Tannery Pond Concert audience is invited, before the concert, from 6pm - 7:30pm, to view this excellent exhibition. As before, just get a numbered card and you will not lose your place in line for the concert if you are back when we open the doors at 7:30. Concert begins at 8PM. Thanks to our wonderful new caterer, Rebecca Joyner, you are now able to order a delicious, nutritious, well-priced, picnic. Call her a few days ahead to give her time to prepare.

Tannery Pond Concerts, 2190 Dublin Road, Richmond, MA, 917-921-1112, www.tannerypondconcerts.org, lteicholz@tannerypondconcerts.org

BERKSHIRE ART GALLERY

Louis Jacques Vigon (1897-1985) was a member of L’ Ecole de Rouen. The artists of the School of Rouen combined the qualities of the Impressionists and the Fauvists with their own originality, a talent being appreciated only in the last few years with the backing of the Wally Findlay Galleries. This unique group of artists, generally born between 1849 and 1898, shared a passion for Rouen and the surrounding Normandy landscape.

The Berkshire Art Gallery is featuring Vigon’s painting of the Place du Tertre. During his long and successful career, Vigon painted throughout France and, of course in Paris. His painting of two people walking past each other on the wet winter pavement of the square in Paris’ XVIIIth Arrondissement is located in the heart of the city’s elevated Montmartre quarter. Vigon was an ardent colorist, mixing the light of French Impressionism with the ferocious colors and bold brushstrokes of the Fauves, characteristics that distinguish his paintings.

Another featured French painting in the gallery is Le Cirque

by Swiss born Robert Boinay (1918-1988) who came to Paris in 1950, studied at the Beaux-Arts School, and remained there as a second generation member of the School of Paris. Boinay made many stops on the itinerary of French modernism, from impressionism to abstraction. Clowns await the entry into the Big Top of a mounted cowboy swinging a lasso in Boinay’s Le Cirque, a work that transitions between 1950s figuration and colorful abstraction.

Museums with works by Vigon and Boinay include the Museum of Modern Art, Paris, the Nantes Municipal Museum, Rouen Museum and the Museum Jurassien, etc.

Berkshire Art Gallery, 80 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, MA. Parking for customers is available in front of the Gallery.

Hours are noon to 5pm, Saturdays and Sundays, or by appointment or chance. For information, contact Jack Wood, 413-5282690, or visit www.berkshireartgallery.com

“Each man insists on being innocent, even if it means accusing the whole human race, and heaven.”

-Albert Camus

“...one of the finest and most charming private galleries in New England.”

THE LENOX GALLERY O F

F I N E

A R T

p a i n t i n g s • d r a w i n g s • w a t e r c o l o r • s c u l p t u r e • m i x e d m edia works • pastels • portrait commissions

12

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010

69 Church Street, Lenox, MA 01201 • (413) 637-2276

over twenty-five artists • on two levels

open year round - call for hours

SCHANTZ GALLERIES WILLIAM MORRIS

Continuing through July 30 “the Origin of Mosquitoes and Other Tales; the Art of Preston Singletary” and “Timeless Vestiges: Artwork from the Archives of William Morris” will be on display at the Schantz Galleries in Stockbridge, MA. The Origin of Mosquitoes and other Tales, features the most work ever in the gallery by Preston Singletary. Singletary, a Native American of the Tlinkit People, creates unique sculptures which are informed by the stories and images of his people and their tradition in art. Preston has taught, lectured and exhibited internationally since 1989, and is well known and respected for his impressive glass forms utilizing the layering and etching techniques which he developed. Singletary’s work can be found in many collections and museums, including the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY, the Ethnographic Museum, Stockholm, Sweden, Heard Museum of Art, Phoenix, AZ, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA, The Museum of Natural History, Anchorage, AK, and at Schantz Galleries in Stockbridge.

“Timeless Vestiges: Artwork from the Archives of William Morris” - at the age of 49, Morris retired from working in glass in 2007 and a great loss was felt in the contemporary art world. No longer can we anticipate what he would rediscover next. William Morris had the ability to connect us to the past in the same way the early peoples connected to the natural world through creating images of the creatures and environments that surrounded them.

William Morris Morris’ work has been strongly influenced by his interest in archeology and ancient pagan cultures, and addresses the timeless relationship between humans and their environment. His work evokes images from a time when man was more in tune with nature, and is subliminally suggestive of ritual significance. Various works such as the Medicine Jars, Artifact Vessels, Suspended Artifacts, and Idolo’s illustrate symbolical, mythological influences. He also acknowledges the influence of Italian artists who have shared their knowledge of techniques for crafting glass, so essential to the realization of Morris’ ideas into form.

Another unique aspect of William Morris’ glass art is his treatment of surface texture, achieved by various techniques such as sprinkling powdered glass and minerals onto a blown surface, etching, and acid washing to achieve “ancient” and textural diversity. As well as a master glassblower, William Morris is considered to be a revolutionary and provocative artist, whose work goes beyond mere craftsmanship to touch the souls and primal consciousness of it’s viewers.

His work can be found in the permanent collections of museums throughout the world, including the American Craft Museum, Corning Museum of Glass, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

“Maestro Lino Tagliapietra” Continue through August and beginning July 20 – September 20 see “Chihuly in New England” Schantz Galleries, Elm Street, Stockbridge MA. This location has been one of the nation’s leading destinations for those seeking premier artists working in glass. Spring gallery hours are daily 11 - 5 For more information, call 413-298-3044 or visit the website at www.schantzgalleries.com

FACULTY ART EXHIBITION IS 183 ART SCHOOL

The original artwork of professional artists who teach at IS183 will be on view at the art school in Stockbridge from June 21 through October 8. The Faculty Art Exhibition at IS183 Art School is free of charge and is open to the public on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends by appointment. The works of art displayed in the show will be available for purchase and a portion of the proceeds will benefit outreach efforts at the non-profit school. Later in the summer, the public will have the opportunity to meet IS183’s talented faculty at a wine and cheese reception on August 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. The reception is free of charge.

The Faculty Art Exhibition@ IS183 Art features more than 25 artworks by 19 faculty members, many of whom are recognized worldwide. Showcasing the skill and creativity of the artists who teach at IS183 the exhibition includes usable art, such as unique and finely crafted ceramics, to artworks including spectacular pastel and oil paintings, sculpture and photography, often with a Berkshire theme and point of view.

Participating Artists are Timothy Heffernan, Dennis Fougere, Kim Waterman Yura Adams, Leslee Carsewell, Fay O’Meara, Wednesday Nelena Sorokin, , Nancy Magnusson, Bob Green, Jeff Zamek, June Parker, Karen Arp-Sandel, Cassandra Sohn, Nancy Castaldo, Linda Clayton, Jason Houston, , Located half-way between Great Barrington and Pittsfield in Interlaken (a village of Stockbridge) IS183 Art School encourages people of all ages, means, and skill levels to enrich their lives through hands-on experience in the visual arts, with yearround programs in ceramics, painting, drawing, photography, fiber arts, sculpture, mixed media. IS183 also offers weekend workshops for adults; Young Artist programs during school vacations and in the summer; birthday parties; custom classes; and private lessons. Classes are held during the daytime, evenings and weekends, for all levels from absolute beginners to professional artists. Needs-based scholarships and work-exchange opportunities are available.

For more information, enrollment fees, scholarship opportunities, faculty bios, or to register for classes, please call 413-2985252, e-mail info@is183.org or visit us online at www.is183.org

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BARBARA & JOSEPH FIDDLERS TWO

...now residing in the beautiful Berkshires, will bring the melodies you love“from Broadway to Vienna” to your special event.

Enjoy “magical” renditions of show tunes, Gershwin, Porter, Italian, French, Viennese favorites... and your guests’ requests!

Perfect for your ... *Home Entertaining *Formal Dinner *Gala Event *Civic/Business Function *Wedding!

For information & brochure, please call

(413)458-1984

Fiddlers Two is a unit of The Black Tie Orchestra JULY 2010 ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND • 13

Article by Nanci Race Photos by Julie McCarthy

Artist and Author SUE MANEY MACVEETY

14 • THE ARTFUL MIND

JULY 2010

Artist and author Sue Maney MacVeety gives credence to the conviction that the Berkshires in Massachusetts have some of the finest artists in the country. One has only to visit some of the Berkshire County galleries, libraries and even storefronts to view breathtaking work including Sue’s watercolors. Not long ago I was able to reconnect with Sue and have a chat with my old friend. We sat at her dining room table and after reminiscing about our now grown children who attended school together, we talked about her painting, children’s books, and her life as an educator of young children. She told me about her marriage to her husband Bob and that at one time she played in his band Berkshire Bateria Escola de Samba. I was surprised to learn that she learned to play agogo bells, tamborim, (a small, round Brazilian frame drum of Portuguese and African origin) and surdo( a large bass drum) eventually becoming lead two surdo player. She has also found time to take Spanish classes and her instructor and good friend Valerie Zantay translated Singing Sea into Spanish.

Sue, a baby boomer born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has always been very busy teaching and raising a family but now that her children are gone it seems she’s even busier. Her water colors are striking and her children’s books are not merely educational but they’re fun for children to read. Her illustrations bring the books to life. Sue’s art has progressed over the years and she is considered one of the finest multimedia artists in the county and beyond. However she is still much grounded in reality with chickens, horses, a garden, and her dog Sam, in residence. She’s come a long way from the girl who walked out of her last class at Boston University in Massachusetts to move with her husband Bob to a farm in the country. The couple had no house or jobs and a baby on the way but they made it. Over time her love of animals developed into her first book, Helper Cow inspired by Jasmine the family’s pet cow. Jasmine, hand raised by Sue’s daughter Jessica taught the family patience and was an inspiration. Two weeks after the book was complete and published 17 year-old Jasmine passed away. Firmly entrenched in the Berkshire’s country lifestyle, Sue is dedicated both to her students and her art.

Raised in Southport, Connecticut, Sue’s parents are a juxtaposition of the East and West coasts. Her mom instilled Sue with a love of life from her Iowa background, while Sue’s dad, and east coast businessman taught her to enjoy carpentry, ice skating, skiing, and snowshoeing. Her extended East coast family is also known for their love of water, which was useful when Sue’s husband Bob took her snorkeling on a trip to Grenada for their 30th wedding anniversary. The trip was the inspiration for her second book, Singing Sea.

I came away from my meeting with my old friend with a deeper appreciation and a greater understanding of this fascinating woman who pushes through life’s obstacles determined to make her mark on the world and leave something for posterity. She has traveled extensively from a young age with her parents including, Canada, Mexico, Florida, California, New Mexico, every state in New England and myriad others. She is rich in life experiences from traveling and daring to be adventurous with life. She brings expertise, compassion, and practical knowledge to her classrooms. Sue’s artistry is a gift to residents of the Berkshires and visitors who have the opportunity to look closely at a landscape or a depiction of an animal rendered

by Sue MacVeety.

Nanci Race: As a teacher with a busy lifestyle, how do you get time for your art?

Sue MacVeety: It’s really hard because I teach full time for the Berkshire Hills School District in Great Barrington, Massachusetts in an integrated pre-K class at Muddy Brook Elementary School. I also teach parttime at Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington teaching classes at night. So, Sunday morning is my art time. It’s sacred. I make sure I paint every Sunday and on Monday night I take a three hour class.

Being in early childhood with three, four, and five year olds, I finger paint, have the easel and watercolors out, and do collage and things every day. Art is a real part of my life. But it’s really hard to find the time to put into it that’s I’d like I’ve always taught or had a side job or substituted for the school district and this year I’m not.

NR: Is watercolor the only medium for you?

SMcV: I do watercolors and pastels and I do a lot of pencil drawings but that’s it for now. I usually do quarter sheets of 140 lb or 300 lb cold press. The largest size I do is a half sheet. I did one whole sheet size for my granddaughter; a sea, mermaid-type scene. It was fun but I prefer the smaller size. I can take that size almost anywhere. If I’m traveling I can go in the woods or I can go on an airplane. I’ve made my own paper with the kids in school but I haven’t water colored with it.

I’ve done collage with it; cut it up after I’ve made the paper and I’ve made it with flower seeds in it and given it to people so they can plant the whole piece of paper. It’s a lot of fun. I also do some mosaics with glass, pottery. The mosaics are pretty abstract but when I paint it’s chickens or landscapes. There are a lot of chickens in almost every piece. I have a chicken coop outside and I’ve raised chickens since the 70s and I love chickens.

As a matter of fact I have baby chicks in my classroom and we’re watching them grow up. The children let them sit on their arms and we’re having fun with them. I love their personalities and I live to sketch them and try to paint them.

NR: How hard is that to paint a chicken? They don’t exactly sit still and pose for you.

SMcV: They don’t sit still so it’s really hard. Sometimes I’ve gone out when it’s getting dark and they’re roosting so I can do some sketches or I take lots of photographs and then I’ll sketch from there. I also like to paint cows, oceans, boats, trees, I love to paint trees.

There is a tree outside my kitchen window and the women in my art class will say, “Don’t tell us you’re doing that tree again.” I’ve painted it every season in every color. It’s a tree that I’ve known since my childhood so I paint it over and over again. I’ve painted it with a full moon, with fall foliage, with spring foliage, and it’s different every time. And it’s changed over time.

NR: Have you ever thought of transferring your painting into a landscape quilt or something along those lines?

SMcV: I haven’t but right now what I do is scan every painting and put it on a disc then I make postcards or note cards. I send them to my kids to show them what I’ve been up to lately. I do prints. Sometimes when I go to a coffee shop people will say they prefer to hang prints rather than original art. Then if it’s on a disc that makes it simple. I’ve done beach bags with some of the quilting and I’ve done T-shirts but I haven’t done quilting. That could be interesting.

LANDSCAPE BY SUE MACVEETY. WATERCOLOR

NR: If you have to stop painting for awhile can you just get back into the painting or does it take some time or a specific ritual for you to continue?

SMcV: A lot of times I hang them up and they’re not finished.

Sometimes I have four or five paintings at once because I don’t have the patience to wait for them to dry. I started four in one day and didn’t finish any of them. I’ll keep going back and picking at them until they’re done in my opinion. If I start to get angst about them or they start to get overworked I know they’re either need to be put away or they’re finished. If I have someone come in and say, “Wow, that’s great I want that one.” Then I go “Okay,” sign my name, it’s done.

NR: Do you dream in color about painting?

SMcV: I do. And I dream about painting—bits and pieces. A lot of times I dream about a painting I’m working on and I’ll work something out in my dream then I’ll go do it. I’m extremely visual so I remember everything vividly—the colors and the lines and then I can go work on it. I have a dream book that I write things in but I haven’t written anything about painting.

NR: In addition to everything else you’ve has some books pub-

SUE MACVEETY, WATERCOLOR

lished. Tell me about your books.

SMcV: The first I published was Helper Cow. It took five years to write, have it illustrated, and get it published. I was naïve enough to think that once I got one book published I would have my foot in the publishing door. The publisher was a very small company in South Carolina and they did one promotion at a bookstore in Albany, New York and after that I was on my own.

I did 42 events that friends and family helped to set up. I sold 4,000 copies of Helper Cow, but they told me I needed to sell 2,000 in a month to get re-published. It was a Vanity Press and I had backers to do it. I tried the big publishers first and they asked, “Who is your publicist?” When I tried to get a publicist they asked, “What did you publish?” Then they asked, “Who is your agent?” So I tried to get an agent and they asked, “What have you published?” So, it was really difficult and I was working full time. Singing Sea came out in 2005. It’s translated in English and Spanish. My son Max did the cover illustration and I pastels inside. They are pretty primitive drawings but I tried it out on the kids in my classroom before I had it published and children like that kind of art; lots of bright colors and simple forms. So, I’ve published two books and I have seven more.

One is ready to go with illustrations and I’m working on the illustrations for the rest. Right after I published Singing Sea I decided I wanted to refine my artwork and I started studying with Pat Hogan taking watercolor classes. With Marlene Marshall I started doing some bits and pieces mosaic work, which is a lot of fun. Before that I had only done collage on paper at school at work. I’ve also started studying with a woman named Lois in Ashley Falls, Massachusetts. I just try to make the time for it. My kids are grown and out of the house so I don’t have to worry about them at this point.

NR: You are married to a man who has also been involved with children for many years.

Does that make your marriage easier to sustain because you have that commonality in addition to your feelings for each other?

SMcV: We have been married since 1973. He works for Childcare of the Berkshires and has a daycare at Muddy Brook School in Great Barrington. We thought maybe we could carpool but there’s only one day a week we can do that. Our hours are so different. We may see each other out on the playground or in passing on occasion but we don’t see each other as often as we’d like.

Continued on next page...

JULY 2010 THE ARTFUL MIND • 15

Sue MacVeety

had a kiln here at the house and we used to make things all the time, fire them, and glaze them. That was part of our life back then that we could do together. But we didn’t paint together.

Now we do. When we get together my daughter, granddaughter and I paint together. I miss my children terribly but they’re gone but not forgotten. I call them a lot and email them. They try to come home twice a year and I try to go see them once a year.

Max is in California and my daughter is in Nevada and that makes it hard.

NR: As a teacher do you find yourself in the position of mentoring people?

SMcV: I gladly have friends over and we paint together and we do things together but no formal lessons at this point. My neighbor Ann Douglas illustrated Helper Cow. I sometimes go over to her house and she’ll show me new techniques that she learned and we’ll look at each other’s art and that’s so helpful. Last summer I had a group of women come over and we did linoleum block printing. We did printed T-shirts and it was a lot of fun doing something like that informally. Then at the end we all had a T-shirt.

NR: You said that your husband Bob was the catalyst for your

ive. He gives me gift certificates for holidays and things to JWS Art Supply store. He is financially and emotionally supportive.

Whenever I have an opening he goes to the opening.

NR: Are you intrigued by any other art forms?

SMcV: I would like to start doing some stone work; stone walls or stone structures. I’ve never learned to do that. I would like to do a type of sculpture type. I would also like to do more drawings. I don’t think you can draw enough and my drawing skills can always improve. I think that will help my painting too.

NR: Many people plod along year after year without wanting to move forward with their creativity. You don’t strike me as someone who would get into a rut and remain stagnant. What is your goal for the future? How do you plan to change it up and keep it fresh.

SMcV: I’m totally hyperactive. I’ve been that way all my life; doing ten things at once. I think as far as the education piece, teaching the little kids and teaching at BCC has helped to keep that fresh. I’ve also started to have the children of my first class of children when I started teaching years ago and that’s an interesting place to be in. It’s a stepping stone. We trust each other; they know who I am and what they had in school and that helps.

SUE MACVEETY

NR: How does he feel about your art and your books?

SMcV: He’s very supportive. He was the one who gave me the first series of lessons with Pat Hogan, which was very nice. Pat is located in Great Barrington and she teaches at Community Access to the Arts (CATA). Since I’ve been an adult I’ve always done art on my own although my aunt, who is now deceased was a really good watercolorist. My dad is a wood carver. He makes really beautiful three dimensional fish or fruit or wall plaques. He’s been carving for many years. So I have artistic people in my family. I’ve always been drawn to it but when I was raising my children I never took the time to formalize it.

The sad part is that when I was growing up I had all this art around me and didn’t really pay attention to it. My grandmother made quilts but I felt like I didn’t want to do it with her. My mother is a very accomplished cook. But now I feel like I can start doing things for me.

NR: Apparently you’ve passed on your artistic ability.

SMcV: Yes my son Max who is also very supportive of my art and my writing. He and my husband Bob are both musicians and my daughter was hired by companies to create windows in department stores. So she has an eye for floor arrangements and she was trained for that in college. It’s really fulfilling that my children are doing this. They are also great at critiquing my work in a good way. They might say, “This shape doesn’t look right or you need to use more color here or whatever.” Both of my children did a lot of pottery when they were going through school and our kids studied pottery a little bit in college. We

SUE MACVEETY, COLLAGE AND WATERCOLOR

art classes but at this stage what does he bring into your art life?

SMcV: As you can see my kitchen is my studio. I hang everything here between the kitchen and dining room on the beam up there and we’ll sit and look at it and he’ll say, “You need to change this or that’s not centered right,” or, “I really like the way that turned out.” His constructive criticism is very support-

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In the GALLERY : JULY ... Works on paper by Sue MacVeety // Ken and Debra Story, woodburnings // Thomas Parker, Photography

16 JULY 2010

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

I think you have to keep bringing things to it and reading and traveling and be open to new things and ideas otherwise you do get burned out and you don’t want that. Bob and I try at least twice a year to go someplace other than the Berkshires. I bring all my art materials. I draw and sketch and paint the entire time.

Then I bring it back. I also have photographs to do more and build on that. So if it’s an experience of being on a tropical beach or in the desert or something like that it helps because it’s new colors and new ways to look at things. I also think that to take workshops and to see other people’s art is helpful as well.

And for the future I plan to teach art classes to the little ones. I don’t have any plans to teach adult classes at this time. I feel at this point I’m still at the stage where I’m taking a lot of workshops and classes. Another thing that I do is in connection with Christina Barrett. She went to school with our kids. Unfortunately she had ovarian cancer. To make ends meet she painted flower pots and sold them. Her flower pots have started to deteriorate. So, her mom and some other friends have given me some flower pots and some photos of some pots and I’ve been painting them. Some of them will be in my Stockbridge show in honor of Christina who passed away but her flower pots will live on. I think with art that’s a kind of neat thing. Like my grandmother. Her quilts will live on.

Sue MacVeety’s watercolors can be seen at the Housatonic Valley Art League member show August - September. For more information call 413-274-3809 or www.hvart.org Her work can also be seen at the Stockbridge Library 46 Main Street, Stockbridge, MA through July. For more information call 413298-5501, email info@stockbridgelibrary.org for hours and directions. Rouge restaurant, 3 Center St. West Stockbridge, MA For more information call 413)-232-4111. Her work can be seen there through the summer. And original prints for sale at The Berkshire Gold & Silversmith, 152 Main St, Gt, Barrington, MA

CONTRAILS 30X19 INCH ARCHIVAL PRINT CONTRAILS FROM U.S. PLANES AS THEY BOMB THE TALIBAN FRONT LINES NEAR KUNDUZ IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN ON THE FIRST DAY OF COALITION ACTIONS TO DRIVE OUT THE TALIBAN, A WAR WHICH CONTINUES TODAY. BARBARA AND JOSEPH —FIDDLERS TWO—PERFORMERS FOR MANY YEARS AT THE WALDORF-ASTORIA HOTEL IN NYC. SEEN ABOVE AT A WALDORF NY’S EVE CELEBRATION

THE ELEGANT STROLLING VIOLIN DUOBARBARA AND JOSEPH FIDDLERS TWO

After enjoying a long, successful multi-field musical career in New York City, Barbara and Joseph-Fiddlers Two recently moved to Williamstown, MA in the beautiful Berkshires, where they now continue to perform as a strolling violin duo. Fiddlers Two will perform for a personal party of two people enjoying a candle-lit dinner at home or in a hotel suite; stroll through a hospitality suite or cocktail party for hundreds of guests; “bring the music” to guests’ tables during dinner – and also play guests’ requests.

The unique violin duo of Barbara and Joseph provides an elegant presentation of show tunes, the great American standards and romantic continental songs that creates the perfect mood for gracious dining and intimate conversation. Their repertoire of more than a thousand songs “from Broadway to Vienna” includes some of the world’s most requested music.

Visitors from around the world say: “I haven’t heard anything like Fiddlers Two, anywhere.” “Such imaginative musical arrangements.” “Sheer magic!” “At times, sounds rich as a string quartet.” “Velvet to the ears.” “Amazing how you know what to play, when to play it and how to play it!”

Barbara and Joseph have entertained at some of the finest hotels, restaurants and country clubs. They have appeared on radio, film, recordings, TV commercials, and were featured nationally on The Regis Philbin Show. They were staff members of The Radio City Music Hall Symphony Orchestra and The American Symphony Orchestra, and have played under the batons of Leonard Bernstein and Leopold Stokowski at Carnegie Hall and at Lincoln Center. Barbara and Joseph have also shared stages with Tony Bennett, Victor Borge, John Denver and have recorded with Frank Sinatra.

Fiddlers Two has been heard in a wide variety of settings: from the top of Windows On The World, to a yacht "down below" passing by the Statue of Liberty - to The Museum of Natural History "under the whale"! Some typical engagements: The Boardroom of The American Stock Exchange, Le Perigord Park, Maxim’s, The Metropolitan Museum, 21 Club, The Quilted Giraffe, Union League Club, Westchester Country Club. They were also featured entertainment at the Garden City Hotel (for six months) and at the Sheraton Centre Hotel (held over for one year).

Barbara and Joseph have performed at many prominent special events, including: the wedding reception for Mr. & Mrs. Rodman Rockefeller, Brenda Vaccaro’s wedding, parties for Madeline Kahn and Lili Tomlin, receptions for Princess Diana and Princess Grace of Monaco, and Frank Sinatra’s 75th birthday dinner. Also at events for Presidents Johnson, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. Fiddlers Two “sets the tone” for many types of special events, from a corporate Awards Dinner, elegant dinner party or after-theatre supper, to a family birthday or anniversary celebration.

For booking information, please call: (413) 458-1984.

STAMEYER GALLERY

John Stanmeyer, known for his numerous photographs in Time magazine and National Geographic, has opened the barn doors of his Otis studio for the public to view a retrospective of his work. The gallery is open weekends and holidays, and by appointment.

In over 60 countries, Stanmeyer has witnessed and documented many of the most pressing issues of our time: social inequality, healthcare, hunger, HIV/AIDS, natural disasters, poverty, war and conflict. Albeit brief, this exhibit is a retrospective of his work that spans nearly 20 years. He chose his farm in the Berkshires to show his photographs as a means to engage discussion and to promote change. With what occurs in the Afari region of northeast Ethiopia, in Lenox in western Massachusetts, or in the village of Herat in southwest Afghanistan, Stanmeyer brings home the message that we are all interconnected in a global society where issues in our own backyard can touch others’ lives in profoundly unique and unexpected ways.

Stanmeyer was a contract photographer with Time Magazine for over a decade and began working closely with National Geographic magazine in 2005. He is a founding member of the renowned New York-based photo agency VII. Stanmeyer based himself in Asia for 12 years and is one of the leading social documentarians, having witnessed many of the world’s major historical events. He has received numerous awards in photojournalism including the prestigious Robert Capa Gold. In 2008, he was honored with the National Magazine Award for his in-depth essay on the global Malaria epidemic. Stanmeyer also travels worldwide for other publications such as GQ, Vanity Fair, Paris Match, and German Geo. He spent seven years documenting an in-depth photo essay about the impact of AIDS throughout all of Asia.

This fall, he will release his book “Island of the Sprits”, a five-year documentation on Balinese spirituality.

Stanmeyer has been exhibited at the International Center of Photography in New York City, the La Louvre and Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, Scavi Scaligieri in Verona, WAR Museum in Dubrovnik, the Triennale in Milan, Noorderlicht in the Netherlands, the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles, the National Geographic Gallery in Washington, DC, TUFTS University in Boston, the United Nations in NY, four exhibitions at Pour Visa l’Image in Perpignan, France, among other locations.

He moved back to the United States from Indonesia nearly two years ago and lives with his wife, Anastasia, a writer and organic farmer, and their three children in the Berkshires.

Stanmeyer Gallery, 1286 Monterey Road (Rt. 23), Otis, Mass. 413-854-3799; anastasia@stanmeyer.com

DON MULLER GALLERY

For the third year in a row, the Don Muller Gallery has been named one of the Top Ten Retailers of American Craft in North America by Niche Magazine, one of the highest marks of distinction in the American craft industry.

More than 18,000 craft artists from the United States and Canada are polled each year and nominate over 700 galleries, retail stores, and museum shops. Criteria for selection include: treating artists with courtesy and respect; paying on time; promoting and marketing American crafts; giving back time and energy to the craft community; mentoring emerging artists; and maintaining an inventory that is at least 85% American craft.

Don Muller Gallery was honored to be named among the top galleries in the United States, and is particularly proud to achieve such an award for owning and operating a business in downtown, Northampton, Massachusetts, for over 25 years.

Being one of the top 10 galleries in the nation is a real tribute to past and present employees and all of the artists that have been represented through the years.

The gallery has also announced the launch of their new website. The site features the work of many artists in jewelry, glass, wood, fiber, and more; it includes a tour of the gallery, a description of their services, and an introduction to the gallery staff. The site was produced by Positronic, a web development company based in Northampton.

Don Muller Gallery, 40 Main St, Northampton, MA, 413-586-1119, www.donmullergallery.com Open Mon–Wed, 10-5:30, Thurs–Sat, 10–9, Sunday 12-5pm.

All Things Musical

Music Store The

on Railroad Street

Unusual Instruments Fine Instruments Accessories

Crystal Flutes

Orchestral & Band Instruments

More than 100 guitars in stock Classical, Folk, Electric, Handmade

Something for Everyone - All levels, All budgets!

Open Daily Except Mondays

NOW ON ~

87 RAILROAD STREET, Gt Barrington 413-528-2460 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010 • 17

June 2010

by Eric Francis

Ancient Quantum Healing “THE LUMINOUS ENERGY FIELD CONTAINS A TEMPLATE OF HOW WE LIVE, AGE, HEAL AND MIGHT DIE.” -Dr. Alberto Viloldo

Masterʼs of Education, Certified by Healing the Light Body School of the Four Winds Society to practice Luminous Healing & Energy Medicine. Macrobiotic counseling is also available when appropriate.

For information or to schedule a session please call: 413-446-5712

18

THE ARTFUL MIND JUNE 2010

Nixsa M. Mills 231 Hartsville NM Rd., New Marlborough, MA

THE ART OF LAURA NORMAN REFLEXOLOGY

Laura Norman is happy to be back in the Berkshires, and she’s offering a number of hands-on, experiential classes in the ‘Art of Laura Norman Reflexology’ in Stockbridge, Massachusetts from late August through October. Laura is the internationally-renowned Reflexologist, educator, and author of the best-selling book Feet First: A Guide to Foot Reflexology, published in several languages with half a million copies in print worldwide.

As Laura says, “Reflexology is both an art, and a science, that promotes healing, is profoundly calming and soothing, improves circulation, eliminates toxins, increases energy, and balances and strengthens the body.” Laura Norman’s Holistic Method of Reflexology, the result of almost forty years of helping clients and training Reflexologists, goes well beyond traditional Reflexology to address each client’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. Laura Norman Reflexology empowers you and those you touch…personally and professionally.

One of her graduates, a ballet instructor, said of Laura’s unique Method, “Laura Norman Reflexology sessions are like performing an elegant dance.” Laura and her experienced training staff are truly passionate about Laura’s holistic Method covering Foot, Hand, Ear and Face Reflexology, and are eager to pass on their knowledge to those who come to learn.

Remember the best teacher you ever had? The teacher who nurtured your curiosity and understood your learning style? Experience the same one-on-one support from the moment you walk in the classroom on a beautiful lake in Stockbridge. Max, a former house painter, said, “On the first day of Laura’s 3-day Intro, after only a few minutes, my instructor Sande had me working hands-on with one of the other students. By the end of the day I was working on my friends and family!” Max completed the Intro, enrolled in Laura’s Program, and will soon graduate as a Certified Reflexologist.

Another Laura Norman graduate, Natasha, spoke for many when she said, “When you see your first client leave your office feeling free of the stress and pain they brought with them, relaxed, refreshed and energized after just one session, you understand why Laura Norman’s Method of Reflexology is studied and practiced all over the world.”

3-Day Introduction to Foot, Hand, Ear and Face Reflexology August 28-30; 12-Day Professional Reflexology Certification Sept 20-22, 2729, Oct 18-20, 27-29 (Mon-Wed) OR Sept 24-26, Oct 1-3, 8-10, 22-24 (Fri-Sun); 4-Day Hand Reflexology Certification October 4-7; 2-Day Face Reflexology Certification October 12-13.

Laura

SHARON TRUE ON PILATES APPARATUS

ERIN BURCH, PT BODY WHISPERER

OLD INJURIES NEVER DIE Old Injuries never die. I have had this experience in my own body, as well as observing it in countless others. I used to work in an outpatient clinic and people would come to me with neck pain. As part of the history and intake process, I would inquire if there had been any neck trauma (car accident, fall, etc). It was evident by the visible distortion in their neck that something; some force had disrupted it. After much questioning, it finally dawned on them that in fact, they were in a car accident…. “but that was 20 years ago!”

The assumption is that once the acute phase of pain of a trauma has passed, the problem has been resolved, and perhaps in a small percentage of cases, that may be true. However, in my experience and observation this has not been the case. When the small bones of the neck, for example are shifted out of their original position, by the forces from an accident or fall, this creates an unnatural “fit” between the joints therein. The body works amazingly hard to protect us from pain and so goes immediately into compensation. This compensation works subtly throughout the body, taking a little from here and a little from there, until it can no longer accommodate the distortion. In the meantime, inflammation continues at the original site. This process can take a couple of decades for the body to run out of the available “slack”, and pain may resurface at the original area or at some other location.

This all may seem like bad news indeed. However, the good news is, that armed with this information, awareness, and connection to one’s body, as well as intelligent intervention, a great deal of pain can be understood, relieved and potentially avoided.

Erin can be reached at 413-528-1623, cell: 201-7877293

WHOLE PERSON MOVEMENT

Sharon True, the owner of WholePerson Movement, is a certified Pilates instructor and registered somatic movement therapist who has been developing her expertise in movement since the early 1980s. She considers the creation of workouts for her private clients to be an artistic enterprise, using her discerning eye to see how to sculpt a client’s muscles and to balance the forces that pass through joints and bones, much as a sculptor or an architect must do with their materials.

What makes this artistic enterprise especially compelling is that “the materials” talk back! They have unique fears and desires, and their muscles, joints, and bones have histories that are part of the mix. Sharon True looks at the big picture and crafts a workout that addresses the specific needs and desires of each individual. True says, “I’ve been teaching Pilates workouts since 1996, and I still find plenty to interest me. I think it’s because there’s no limit to human variety, and the Pilates apparatus allows for a lot of flexibility in how it’s used.”

What takes place in a WholePerson Movement workout?

According to True, a first-time client can expect a personal interview about what they want to accomplish, pertinent medical history, and a discussion of what kinds of activities they engage in, or that they wish they could engage in. A general discussion of lifestyle is also included. Then True introduces a few of the basic principles and exercises of Pilates and the somatic approach she uses. Finally, her clients have an opportunity to experience some of the Pilates apparatus, which might look a little daunting but actually feels great to work out on, even for beginners.

Interestingly, the initial signs of improving strength and fitness can be missed at first, but soon clients realize that their body confidence has increased, and they are accomplishing things they couldn’t do before, without even thinking about it.

Moving feels easier and more comfortable. From there, more and more challenges can be introduced, according to the desires of the client.

True also teaches Pilates mat classes, currently at three locations in the Berkshires: Simon’s Rock College and Berkshire Fusion Yoga in Great Barrington, and Kinesphere Studio in Lee. Her mat classes emphasize principles that can be applied to many other activities, and address common problems like poor posture, low back pain, shoulder issues, and lack of flexibility and balance.

SHARON TRUE , M.A., C.M.A., R.M.T. Reflexology, 413-854-2615,

Norman

Somatic Movement Therapist and Certified Pilates Instructor

WholePerson Movement Mat Classes

Mondays 6:30 - 7:30 PM Kinesphere Studio • 66 Main St, Lee, MA Tuesdays 5:00 - 6:00 PM Kilpatrick Athletic Center, Simonʼs Rock College 84 Alford Rd, Gt. Barrington, MA Thursdays 5:15-6:30 Berkshire Fusion Yoga, 965 South Main St., Great Barrington

WholePerson Movement Private Sessions

Personal training in a quiet country setting featuring the Reformer and other Pilates-designed apparatus

All WholePerson Movement Classes:

• Increase strength and flexibility • Improve posture, balance, breathing, body awareness • Improve comfort, ease, grace in moving • Reduce lower back and other chronic pain • Reduce risk of re-injury from sports or occupation

Call for more information

413.528.2465

ARTFULMIND@YAHOO.COM

THE ARTFUL MIND JUNE 2010 • 19

WALTER BOELKE GALLERY ONE

The Berkshires have been home and studio for Walter since he returned from Europe in 1969 and settled in the picturesque village of Hillsdale, N.Y. Born in New York City, Walter’s first experience with art began at age 12 when he took classes with Will Barnet at the Art Students League. College years and a stint in the air force as a Navigator brought Lt. Boelke to New Mexico where he began painting the desert and traveled to Mexico to attend art classes in Guadalajara. That experience convinced him that he wanted to pursue a career in art.

Walter graduated from Columbia University with an MFA and won a Fulbright Fellowship to study art in Munich. He spent 6 years at the Art Academy and received a diploma as Master of Sculpture. During this time he was able to travel to all parts of Europe which gave him an extensive background for the Art History and Sculpture classes which he taught for the past 40 years as Professor of Art at Western Connecticut State University.

Boelke sees his work as a culmination of years of study and teaching which has led to a series of works that focus on specific themes. One of these is the Trojan Horse, which has formed the basis for many pieces in bronze, steel, and mixed media paintings. These works are really an effort to harmonize the elements of oil paint, found objects and welded steel. “I dig into the surface of a painting trying to create a new way of looking at things” he says.

Gallery One, Hillsdale, N.Y. Hours Fri to Sun. 11AM to 4 PM 518 325 4825

STUDIO21SOUTH

studio21south presents Common Places, June 25 -July 26, a group show featuring painterly interpretations of everyday scenes.

This is a show for anyone who’s ever been transfixed by a commonplace view: the play of light through a kitchen window or across a half-fallow field, the arrangement of boots in an entryway, or even the mesmerizing glare of an old-time burger joint.

Each artist in the show brings a slightly different perspective to the theme.

Although Bob Lafond paints in pastel, his colors are anything but “pastel”. Bright, saturated colors dominate his compositions of roadside scenes, many from Hancock and Williamstown.

Henry Buerckholtz can usually be found in his Greenwich Village studio, but has found a trove of inspiration on his frequent visits to the Pioneer Valley. Of note are his paintings of Mayval Farm in Westhampton. While hardly idealized, a mood of quiet lyricism manages to penetrate these honest, frank depictions of a working farm.

Julia Morgan-Leamon and Thor Wickstrom are local artists who, coincidentally, both also have shows at the Becket Art Center this summer. Ms. Morgan-Leamon’s domestic interiors are both airy and evocative. As an artist, she is interested in how gestures of ordinary life are often so much more than what they seem; daily routines form the connective tissue between self, memory, dream, and even social awareness. Mr. Wickstrom is dedicated to the practice of painting on-site, outdoors. Besides his landscapes in and around North Adams and Williamstown, he is showing several lively pieces of a bright commercial strip in Northern California.

Located in an historic mill loft, studio21south is an exhibition space featuring realism and formal abstraction, at studio21south, 189 Beaver St. (Route 8) in North Adams, approximately 1 mile from Mass MoCA. Open Saturdays, 1-5, Sunday, 10-1, and most weekdays and other times by appointment or by chance. 413-652-2141, studio21south@gmail.com, www.studio21south.blogspot.com

20 • THE ARTFUL MIND

JUNE 2010

THE MUSIC STORE

As the Berkshires’ summer symphony reaches its pinnacle, we at the Music Store celebrate our second summer in our new location, at the end of the Railroad Street extension in Great Barrington. Acclaimed as one of the area’s best music stores, The Music Store specializes in fine, folk and unusual musical instruments, accessories, supplies and music motif gifts.

The Music Store offers music lovers and musicians of all ages and abilities a myriad of musical merchandise that will help them illuminate the longest winter night and enliven the shortest day. Music lovers and professional and amateur musicians alike will find an exciting array of both new and used name-brand and hand-made instruments, extraordinary folk instruments and one of the Northeast’s finest selections of strings and reeds.

Music Store customers enjoy fine luthier handmade classical guitars, the peerless Irish Avalon steel string guitars, the brand new Baden Pantheon USA guitars as well as the handmade Badens including the USA Handmade Bourgeois/Pantheon Baden and guitars from other fine lines including Avalon, Rainsong and Takamine, as well as Alvarez, and Luna and from designers including Greg Bennett.

Acoustic and electric guitars from entry to professional level instruments are available. Famous names including consignment Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch and Fender guitars and basses join less-well known brands which appeal to those seeking high quality but are on tight budgets, providing any guitarist a tempting cornucopia of playing possibilities. A wide variety of Ukuleles (including the Connecticut made Flues and Fleas) join banjos, mandolins and dulcimers as well.

Unusual instruments are also available, including the Connecticutmade Fluke and Flea Ukeleles and the peerless and lovely Stockbridge-made Serenity bamboo and walking stick flutes. New and used student orchestral and band instruments are available, including violins from $159 to $3000. An extensive array of international strings and reeds provides choices for the newest student to the symphony performer. Children’s instruments, as well as a fine line of international percussion including Middle Eastern and hand made African instruments along with many choices of industry standard drums, stands, heads and sticks, as well as tuners, forks and metronomes can be found as well.

All new instruments are backed by The Music Store’s lifetime warranty which provides free set-up and adjustments on any new instrument sold. For repair and restoration and maintenance of fine stringed instruments - guitars, banjos, mandolins and the like - The Music Store’s repair shop offers expert luthiery at reasonable prices on instruments of all levels, as well as authorized repairs on Warwick Basses, and Lowden and Takamine guitars.

Those in search of the perfect present for music lovers will find a treasure trove of gift favorites such as bumper stickers (“Driver Singing,” “Go Home and Practice,” Tune it or Die” and more), tee shirts, caps, scarves, miniature musical instruments and instrument magnets, nightshirts, music motif mugs, socks, totes and ties. Small bronze and metal musician statues and cuddly ‘Music Lover’ stuffed animals, whistle pops and earrings add additional possibilities to gift giving customers.

A proud server of the community for over nine years, The Music Store’s warm and friendly staff are available for help in tuning, stringing or instrument repair. Help in choosing tuners, capos, mutes shoulder rests and strings is as happily given as help in selecting instruments themselves. Since our mission is to support and encourage our musical community, consultation and advice are always free.

Professional musicians seeking the finest or unusual strings or accessories are welcome to call in advance. We will make every effort to satisfy the need!

For capos to kazoos, guiros to congas, rainsticks to violins, bows to bodhrans, mandolins to ukeleles, strings to reeds and rods, sticks and earphones to microphones and stands, local artist’s CDs and harmonicas to picture frames and scarves, music motif ornaments and more, The Music Store is the place to be.

The Music Store, 87 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, Massachusetts, open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 to 6, and on Sundays from 12 to 5. Call 413-528-2460 or email us at musicstr@bcn.net. And look for us on Facebook at The Music Store Plus for special tips and events!

We at The Music Store wish you peace and harmony throughout 2010.

MYRON SCHIFFER FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

Established as a pianist and teacher in the Berkshires since the late 60s, Myron “Mike” Schiffer has an established history of exploring the avant garde. Prior to living in the area, Schiffer lived and worked in New York City, studying jazz piano with John Mehegan and Hall Overton as well as playing, teaching and hanging around the fringes of jazz.

Fascinated with music and the visual arts since childhood, Schiffer enrolled in fashion photography at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Working in black and white at the time, he was most notably inspired by Richard Avedon’s fashion photography. Once introduced to color, he was deeply moved by the mystical color fields of Georgia O’Keefe and Mark Rothko and considers this work his strongest influence.

Now that he’s entered his ninth decade, he’s fulfilling his dream of indulging his interest in photography which he started to explore in the 1970s. For the last year he’s been busy exhibiting his work at galleries, frame shops, Kimball Farms retirement community, Castle Street Café and in the North Adams Open Studio show.

His current work is a minimalist expression of color, light and space, also revealing a strong influence of contemporary music. Schiffer’s graffiti and urban “Street Art” follow along the same lines, capturing accidental and found images.

After a five month run, his Castle Street Café exhibit is taking a break until it reopens with new work in the fall. This show will feature more canvases from his “Motion Capture” series.

His website showcases an ever-expanding gallery of this series and others such as Urban Scenes, Found Textures, Street Art, Graffiti, and Jazz Musicians.

A small selection of Myron’s miniatures can also be seen at the Red Lion Inn Gift Shop in Stockbridge, MA.

MARGUERITE BRIDE WATERCOLORS

July offers a busy exhibit schedule for everyone in the Berkshires. Marguerite Bride’s watercolors will be on display at both the Becket Arts Center and Berkshire Arts Festival (Insider Gallery Show) through July 5. Following that, she will be exhibiting at the Church on the Hill Art Show the weekend of July 24 – 25 (Booth #19 on the Sunset Street side). On August 7, she will be at the Stonington Art Festival, in Stonington, CT. With summer now well underway, it is time to start planning for the fall and holiday season.

Don’t wait until the last minute to plan that special gift for the holidays. Commissions booked by October 31 are guaranteed to be completed by the holidays. Now is really a great time to get the process rolling. Visit the House Portrait info section on my website for all the details and to see plenty of homes already painted.

Also, for those interested in watercolor lessons, Bride will resume teaching in September, so be in touch and reserve your time before it is all booked up. See the Watercolor Lesson page on the website for more details or call and request them by mail.

Lessons take place in her studio at Art on No, 311 North Street in Pittsfield. With “open studios” during Pittsfield’s Third Thursday events, stop by and tour the artist studios and “Upstairs Gallery” representing 17 artists, or call Bride anytime to arrange for a private tour.

Marguerite Bride, Art on No, Studio 5, 311 North Street, Pittsfield, MA. Call 413-841-1659; margebride@aol.com; www.margebride.com. Studio hours by appointment.

SABINE PHOTO ART

Whether it’s an amicable groom, an observant guest, a family gathering, or a tree house, Sabine Vollmer von Falken is in rapport with her subject. In the European photographic tradition, her true talent and interest lays in photographing real people and locations. The results are natural and direct, capturing the emotion of the moment or the mood of the environment.

Sabine specializes in young children at play and creating a photographic record of their growth. A master of the subtleties of lighting and the nuance of background, her eye for detail provides photos to be treasured for a lifetime. It is to no surprise that she is a sought-after wedding photographer, as well.

Sabine’s photo studio and gallery is located in Glendale, Massachusetts. She captures portraits there or on location.

Each photo is tailored to meet her client’s needs—a blackand-white remembrance for a special occasion or a logo image to create an authentic online presence.

Her photographs have been published in a variety of magazines and books. Her latest book Woodland Style will be published by Storey Publishing in August, author Marlene H. Marshall. Other volumes include Full of Grace: A Journey through the History of Childhood, Making Bits & Pieces Mosaics and Shell Chic.

A member of the American Society of Media Photographers, the International Center of Photography ICP and the Wedding Photojournalist Association WPJA, Sabine offers outdoor workshops for the advanced amateur photographers in June. The dates are: June 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Sabine Vollmer von Falken, 20 Glendale Road, Glendale, MA, 413-298-4933; www.sabinephotoart.com, info@sabinephotoart.com

Myron Schiffer - for more information contact the studio at 413-637-2659 or visit www.myronschiffer.com.

A Gala Fundraiser: Featuring The Hevreh Ensemble

“Original World Chamber Music”

Jeff AdlerComposer, Clarinet, Native American, FlutesBass & Percussion Judith Dansker- Oboe Oboe D’amore, English Horn & Native American Flutes Laurie Friedman- Clarinet, Native American Flutes and Percussion Adam Morrison- Keyboard

THURSDAY JULY 22ND 8:00 PM

Hevreh of Southern Berkshire ~ 270 State RoadGreat Barrington, MA Tickets: $ 15.00 in Advance / $ 20 at door.

SPONSORING ORGANIZATION: HEVREH OF SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE RESERVATIONS:

413-528-6378

Hevreh.temple@verizon.net

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

THE ARTFUL MIND JUNE 2010 • 21

ROBERT U. TAYLOR Interview by Harryet Candee

Robert Taylor, your watercolor exhibit at the Welles Gallery in Lenox has been up now since, June 5, how has it been going for you? I think people must leave the gallery feeling that they were in Greece and in the Berkshires at the same time. The colorfulness of your work alone, can make the outside of the Gallery in Lenox look dull and bleak!

RT: Well, the sign over the door certainly adds color to the building. So far it’s been going pretty well – almost 25% sold, and lots of favorable comments. There seems to be a bemused interest in the radically different subjects – the landscapes of the Berkshires juxtaposed with the literarily slanted subjects in Greece.

Are you in love with color more than landscape sometimes?

RT: I guess really that subject matter affects and influences me first; it’s unique and different look, it’s balance, its lights and darks. Color is the matrix in my mind into which all this fits; and even if others don’t see color there, I do, and choose to emphasize or even overemphasize it. There is great joy in color, the act of painting makes me happy, and so an emphasis on color will always be present.

What mediums have you explored over the past years?

RT: The medium I most like to paint in, watercolor, appeals to 22 • THE ARTFUL MIND JUNE 2010

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

me because it is fast, it won’t let you linger over it, and also because of the danger. Watercolor is as dangerous as stone carving, because you cannot make a mistake. Once the color or wash is down, it’s done for good, you can’t change it. With oils, or acrylic, or gouache, or whatever, you can always fix it, but not this medium. So it is kind of like juggling – you have 45 seconds to get the sky down, after that it’s too late. I really like the danger in it.

I have explored many media, but almost always within the design context – whether stage or film scenery; from scrims, fabrics and gauzes, foam and sheet plastics, textured substances, mirrors, cement, I could go on and on. Also I have spent a good deal of the past 15 years working intensively in Photoshop, which I have used often for detail and texture in 3D animation.

This may have influenced my attention to detail in my paintings, as the ability to blowup in a computer in order to work closely with it, has made me more aware of detail. I think that often artists get so interested in the “forest”, the gestalt, of a painting, that they forget the “trees”. A landscape can exist within a few inches of pebbles sticks, water and plants. I like to notice this in paint, I pay attention to it – particularly the subtleties of color and shade and reflected light on a wall, or tree trunk, or under a stone. I want to show it, and make others aware of its presence.

How does this wrap around your childhood?

RT: My childhood was spent in Virginia, where my family and its antecedents have lived since 1710. My home then (an enormous Charles Addams Victorian hulk, with numerous rooms and fireplaces with hidden doors, a many roomed unlit stone dungeon-like basement, and a terrifying attic with the all-important cupola, trunks, and dead flies) was in the Shenandoah Valley, between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghenies, so I have been absorbing landscape for a long time. My grandparents, having spent some time in Asia, had acquired much Chinese and Japanese items, art, etc., so that at a very young age I became fascinated by the Asian use of line and color. I remember when I was about 11 or 12; I wished that I had a big book that would describe all of this Asian art and symbology that I admired. But this was before the days of giant coffee table art books; so I made my own. I still have it; a huge book of scrapbook paper pages, on which I hand copied art, glued pictures from Life Magazine, and elaborately typed out or hand wrote info from other books on the art, styles, mythology, and meaning of Chinese and Japanese art.

I also knew, from maybe 6 or 7 years old, that I wanted to be an artist; I was good at it, my parents encouraged it, and that was the only track I have ever travelled on. I had no idea where it would lead – from classical art training to stage design to TV and feature film design to computer and architectural design, back to painting. But there was never any doubt in my mind as to what I was going to do with my life.

My family moved from Virginia to Swarthmore Pa. in my mid-teen years, where my formal education was spent at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (where for the first year you were not permitted to paint; only to copy in charcoal the Academy’s huge collection of full scale Greek and Roman sculpture plaster casts, and life drawing – the end result was that you emerged being able to draw anything), and the University of Pennsylvania, where I became obsessively involved with the University Theater. I acted in and designed every play and musical they did, for three years; so simultaneously becoming a set designer. I discovered that more people want to be actors (and for that matter, painters), than want to be set designers, so I went for set designing after college. Also, to be a painter, you have to sit in a room day after day painting pictures – theater had more interaction with people, and so was a lot more fun. I continued to paint, both in watercolor, but mainly in oils – in a sort of Dali-esque magic realism violently colored world, with touches of Ivan LeLorraine Albright (remember him?) But that took too much psychic energy, which I needed for set design work – one must make a living. I went on to Yale, studied under Donald Oenslager, one of the last courtly and noble designers of the early 20th century, who lived in a 300 room heavily curtained 5th Avenue apartment. I learned a lot from him, as you had to crank out one set design every week for his criticism; so you learned to put together research material, think fast, eat mallomars and don’t sleep, and especially, paint fast.

A painting can, more or less, exist on its own without a requisite back-story. But a Set Design must reflect and include the entire culture, sensibility, psychology, and personalities of the characters in the drama, together with the Director’s ideas about all of the above, the Designer’s style (if any), the space in which the drama will be staged, and the physical necessity of moving efficiently in that space, All of this I came to think about instinctively, and that attitude has, I believe, transferred to some of my painting (certainly the Greek ones).

What have you learned about human nature through your art?

RT: I cannot say that I have learned much about human nature through my art – I certainly have through set design, though.

As a painter, I much prefer natural scenery – easily traced to my love of Chinese and Japanese painting (which I trained myself to do when I was much younger; copying paintings and calligraphy using the tools of the Asian artist). The Chinese scholarpainters since the Han dynasty, generally kept people out of landscapes, believing they were not essential to the broad presence of the natural world depicted in art, and would only be intrusive.

Were your teachers big influences for you?

RT: The question of who have I learned from has a mixed answer. I learned how to think about art from my time at Yale as a designer. I learned style and line from the Chinese masters of the Sung, Ming and late Qing dynasties. I learned color from Hokusai and Hiroshige, just about everyone in the Momoyama Period, Kawasi Hasui from the Shin Hanga period, and Jack Kirby of Marvel Comics. Also I am naturally attuned to color from just looking around. I learned technique in two ways one from, probably, Velasquez (greatest painter who ever lived), Gruenwald, Sargent, Childe Hassam and others; and the other - well I’ll just tell the old English lawn joke: Visitor to old gar-

dener on Ducal Estate lawn – “My good man, how do you get your lawn to look so beautifully even, rich and green?” Old gardener to visitor – “Well, we mows it and rolls it, and we rolls it and mows it… for 300 years.”

Just keep painting and you pretty much pick up technique naturally.

When you have completed a painting, what thoughts go through your mind?

RT: Honestly, I look at it for maybe one or two days to see if I like it. I usually like a painting when I start it. In the middle, I am sure that I have screwed up somewhere, and then at the end I sort of like it again, maybe. Also, set design training helps here, I know when it’s done; when, as I used to say to my film set build crew, “OK, walk away.” Generally I decide that I really like it after two days, and then immediately forget it and move on to the next one. It is the act of painting that is the important part, the process of becoming something from nothing. The finished work, to me, is what’s left over.

Where do you think you want to go with your art ?

RT: I have no idea where I will go next; I want to see what’s over the next hill, so I can paint it.

The best part is that I don’t know what it is yet, but that I know it’s there.

Are you fond of antique objects?

RT: Antique objects. Well, I love – and collect – Chinese and Japanese paintings, old Chinese but recent Japanese ceramics and objets d’arte, Chinese old jade, and Chinese scholar’s painting equipment. Also, old books(really old books, art books, well bound literature of authors I really like), Roman and Greek rings, Byzantine crosses, and other unique stuff I won’t go into now.

As far as antique places; that’s easy. Cape Sounion head, southeast of Athens, where the great temple of Poseidon stands high above the Aegean, where, if you lie quietly in the sea below, you can hear the god breathing. Likewise, at the ruins of the house and treasury of Atreus at Mycenae, the hair on the back of your head rises.

There is a terror there. And the view from Delphi, down the olive tree covered slopes to the Sea of Corinth is one of the great landscapes of the world. Understand that what is important there is not just the place, spectacular as it is by its natural

self; it is what happened there over the long centuries, the interaction of humans and the place itself, that makes it powerful. That is why the Caribbean, though certainly beautiful, holds no attraction for me, as it has none of this history, or these echoes and unseen presences.

Please describe your house to me.

RT: My present house I built 16 years ago, after spending 25 years in Manhattan, then moving up to the Berkshires. I love the land, surrounded by century old white pines and wild cherry. The inside reflect both myself and my wife Margaret; our tastes pretty much exactly coincide (except perhaps for my predilection, unless checked, for overloading a room with stuff.). We have an enormous kitchen, which encompasses an eating area with heavy Norman table at one end, and a small living area (but with very large fireplace) at the other end. That, could have possibly have been the whole house, as we spend a lot of time there. On reflection, it is hard to describe one’s house without sounding vain; someone else has to do it for one. It is sort of like describing ones-self for an online dating site (well, I’m 6’ tall, 46 chest, wavy hair, love dogs, like sports, build gliders, am romantic yet reserved…ack).

Do you like to paint with the music playing?

RT: The thing about music is this. Go back to Q7.

When you play a piece of music (or listen), that is the work of art When you finish it, there is nothing left. Your hearing it or doing it is the art part. When I finish a painting, I finished it. Now we move on.

When I was young I remember I painted a manic roiling oil portrait of the Biblical Solomon, while I listened to Bloch’s Schelomo (cello & orch.), and I really liked to paint stuff to Gliere’s Ilya Mourometz symphony. I thought that was way cool. Also, I should mention, I play jazz piano pretty well, used to play Highland Bagpipes and Sitar (sold it.. how long can you be a hippie?) Anyway, painting is a form of (really slow) music. Since I do both, I don’t see much difference between’em, except at the end of one, you have a thing to look at.

What’s your opinion of the selling market in the art world today?

RT: First of all, I should say, “I hate Art”. What I do is paint. I don’t think much about buying and selling in the art world. I guess I pretty much don’t

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THE ARTFUL MIND JUNE 2010 • 23

like the fact that, with a great many exceptions, I should add, you appear to have to have a gimmick or hook (half a cow in formaldehyde, wrap up stuff in cellophane, glue smashed cups to canvasses, dig holes in the ground, cover yourself with chocolate syrup, etc.) to make it in the big time. Or just be nuts.

This may sound like jive, since I just went on a long rant about the act rather than the finished object as art. But believe me, it ain’t the same. If you had written, or play, “’Round About Midnight”, you got a great piece of music at the end, that others can play and improvise on. If you are Velasquez and you paint “Las Meninas”, you got a seriously great painting when you finish. Don’t get me started.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

RT: Oy. Hmmm. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey..- hands down the greatest author. He got to it before anyone else did (honor, freedom, feminism, friendship, love, good eats, whatever), and is still the best. I still like Pope’s thundering translation, though it be dated. Psappho’s lyrics - still, even up until today, with what little is left, the greatest poetess. Robert Graves – for his determined digging in ancient rubble so it should live again.

Izaak Walton (and Beatrix Potter) - they give you peace in (even) your time.

How does your spirituality fit into the scheme of things when interacting with your art?

RT: I have a built in knee-jerk DNA embedded suspicion of words like “spirituality”, probably from reading too much Voltaire, Mencken, William Seabrook, et alia, even, God save us, Hitchens. I think that the act of doing art is the inflow of

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“spirituality” (whatever that is), just as hitting a long drive way past center field, or jumping off a diving board for the first time, suddenly playing chords you didn’t know you could play; all of these are the sudden and fleeting presence of the god. The Greeks, recall, had a clutch of goddesses just for this; they knew they were out there. The Muses, who could come, not necessarily (or ever) when called, and push something out of you that you did not expect, always in a moment or period of high focus and concentration. Recall Hoffman’s Muse, at the end of the Opera, “Tales of Hoffman”.

I’m a little bit into Shinto, here, where everything is sort of alive, and periodically one might encounter a piece of this everything, that seems more alive, more sacred, that hums in the back of the neck, which one instinctively recognizes. I recognize it in the lithos of Goya, in sudden strangled bits of Lennie Tristano’s piano playing, in Hendrix’ “All Along the Watchtower”, in a golden lacquer screen by Korin. Back in the Sung dynasty, Chinese scholar officials would stop and solemnly bow before a great Tai-Hu stone in the Emperors garden. Not because it was a god, or avatar of a god, or any of that, but because the stone outranked them, and was, on some other plane, a wiser being.

On the other hand, when asked what some of my laws of nature are; I can only reply from direct personal experience. They might not work for you. They are: You never have the right tool to do the job You never have enough tools “ Never pick a fight with your bathroom.

We learn from each other, yet, we all want to share some-

thing Unique we have within our selves. It’s almost hard to be unique these days with art. What are some of your thoughts on this.

RT” Unique? I don’t know exactly. I think perhaps this. We can only express our art externally, through the one way that is unique to each of us. I cannot suggest to you that you should paint, or sculpt, a little bit differently this way or that (unless you ask me, because you are perhaps unsatisfied with what you did) – because the way it comes out is who you are.

Hokusai, the great Japanese print maker, said before he died, “If Heaven had only granted me five more years, maybe then I could have become a real painter.” Hokusai was surely unique, yet he searched further even with his last breath. I paint the way I do because it is who I am; I like painting like that, with those colors, that composition, that group of brush strokes, that darkness and light contrast, etc. As the old Tarot Card readers used to say about one’s fate – it is a combination of fate vectors all working at the same moment to produce a certain action that you will perform, are fated to perform, because of these fate vectors pressuring you. Whatever I do, whatever you do, at whatever moment, will always be unique to you; because 23 or 45 or 68 years of “fate” (and style, and taste, and sense of humor, and will power) vectors that are your own life and experiences, will make it so.

Architecture & Arcadia

Unsafe Places

We seek safety. Confronted with a world increasingly defined by its dangers, we tend to isolate, to attempt dominion of the variables we fear are beyond our control. This isolation is increasingly evident in the form of ‘gated communities’, ‘industrial parks’, ‘outlet villages’, and, less obviously, the ‘privatization’ of many formerly public activities, characterized by the exponential growth in the purchase and construction of private pools, exercise facilities and equipment and transportation; this is surely the golden age of the single-driver automobile. We are gathering less frequently, in both smaller numbers and only, whenever possible, among those ‘like us’. These things can be seen in light of the larger trend away from participation in ‘civic society’ in favor or going it alone or as close to alone as we can get. Increasingly the ‘safe places’ we seek are more often fortress than forum.

Ironically, while we must have some degree of safety to function there is significant danger in seeking too much ‘safety’.

Politically it is axiomatic that the vitality of our democracy depends on the sharing of the talents, energy and resources of all.

As discussed in previous columns the ‘Balkanization’ of the activities comprising our lives - shopping, living, working, even worshipping - limits the necessary friction that results from participation in a multifaceted, multicultural society. It is easy to delude one ’s self into believing that the world is just like you are if no one is ever allowed to challenge that belief. Democracy is by its nature an occasionally messy and uncomfortable business, but it must be so. The price of forgoing true democracy’s occasional discomfort (or of assuming that everyone has the same opportunities and thus should be just as content as you are) has a name — revolution — and that is a far messier business. Often it is the most privileged and talented who choose to isolate and this is especially detrimental.

Abraham Lincoln warned about having, “a house divided against itself� in the context of slavery, but any major societal divisions born of iso-

Micro

lation and self-delusion is equally destruction to the democratic union.

Equally importantly, we are by nature a gregarious animal. The ancient proverb is correct: “One man is no man�. Tellingly, a baby isolated from human contact will not simply be stunted developmentally; he or she will die, even if otherwise cared for with adequate food and liquids. Nature does not tolerate excess safety; in fact, it is designed to prohibit it. We must seek food and mates, but the price is increased exposure to a wide variety of dangers.

Architecturally, I have envisioned the representation of the archtypically unsafe ‘safe’ place as a room without doors or windows, silent and dark. In a short story I wrote several years ago I described the discovery of such a room. In the story the protagonist, a widow long married to an architect, is looking at the house plans while attempting to renovate her home a year after her husband’s death: â€œâ€Ś as she looked carefully at the drawing she saw that something appeared to be wrong with the plan. Near the center of the first floor her husband’s precisely drafted lines ended, replaced by numerous hesitant lines, some drawn and erased many times each a fraction of an inch apart as if he were trying to reconcile conflicting information. Then, as if finally accepting his measurements he again drew dark, steady lines. She understood immediately why he had hesitated. Those last lines revealed the unmistakable presence of a room located nearly in the middle of the sprawling floor. A small room, no more than six foot by six foot, but a room nevertheless. A room she had somehow never noticed before.

How could she - they - have been unaware of such a room? The possibility filled her with both wonder and fear. This room was situated right between the staircase and the back of the kitchen, enclosed by walls she had always assumed to conceal nothing, simply wood, lath and plaster. Confused, she walked downstairs past the small finished family room and through the door used to access the older part of the basement. Light cast from the single suspended light bulb provided enough illumination to make her certain that there was no access, no floor panel, leading to this room from below. A few quick measurements on the second floor told her that this room was located below the landing at the top of the stair. Standing beneath the brass chandelier suspended above the landing it suddenly occurred to her that not only was there a room, but this room had no entry or windows.

No entry or exit. No light. Inside she imagined only indecipherable, muffled sounds alternating with absolute stillness.

Existing apart from night and day, oblivious to spring’s emergence or winter’s retreat. Beyond the reach of man’s many transgressions and occasional triumphs. Sealed against the turbulent flow of molten metals far below the surface, or the vast streams dragging life through the canyons of the oceans.

Immune to the moon’s pull or the fragrance of a lilac just outside the window.�

Last month I described my temporary refuge, my momentary ‘safe place’. But one must eventually leave such a refuge, or be trapped forever. Both societally and personally, excessive safety often demands a fearful price.

End

Stephen Gerard Dietemann TAM, July, 2010

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THE ARTFUL MIND JUNE 2010 • 25

Greater Backfish Roundup

OBITUARY

Professor Paul Pogeybait, 54, is dead and nobody is saying anything different. The Cracklefoot, Massachusetts native is registered now as being legally dead. He is numbered with the dead.

He is no longer among the living. For all intents and purposes, his life has been extinguished. As far as anyone can tell, he exhibits no life or spirit. In other words, it’s fair to say that Professor Paul Pogeybait was alive, but he is alive no longer.

However, the whereabouts of his dead body is unknown. Which means he is presumed dead, but given the circumstances leading up to his probable demise, you would have to say that Professor Paul Pogeybait could not possibly live to see another day.

Just yesterday, Professor Paul Pogeybait ascended into the heavens against his will and got up too high in the sky, up there where gravitational pull doesn’t work anymore. So, he could not fall back to the pavement and splatter into a chunky sauce version of himself and without question a dead version of himself.

No, Professor Paul Pogeybait had pretty much advanced into the frontiers of space on a one-way ticket, a reluctant passenger, held captive by a winged beast that once lived as a caterpillar on Professor Paul Pogeybait just above his upper lip. Matter of fact, Professor Paul Pogeybait encouraged the caterpillar to serve as his fake moustache.

But how could he predict that the caterpillar would morph into a supersonic butterfly?

It was just an ordinary banded woolly caterpillar, about as common as a bleach-blonde cougar on a Friday night at the honky tonk. A banded woolly caterpillar, black and orange and fuzzy, clinging to Professor Paul Pogeybait’s skin, right below the nose, where Professor Paul Pogeybait should have been able to cultivate a real moustache, but he could not manage to grow enough hairs. Only nine on each side. And nine on each side is only good for a baseball game.

Being a self-ordained professor, Professor Paul Pogeybait needed that moustache as much as he needed to be seen in the coffee shop reading important authors. That is, pretending to be reading while petting his fake moustache. Like real professors do. The world knew him as the professorial type, right there

alone at a back table of the Cracklefoot Coffee Lounge in downtown Cracklefoot, Massachusetts shuffling reading material by really, really deep thinkers like Jasmyne Cannick and Berry Craig and Natalie Davis and Tom Degan and Jerry Drucker and Robert Fuller and Tom Hall and Lydia Howell and Robert Illes and Charley James and Sharon Kyle and Diane Lefer and Bob Letcher and Linda Milazzo and Walter Moss and Margie Murray and Georgianne Nienaber and John Peeler and Donna Perdue and Dick Price and Anthony Samad and Norman Solomon and Linda Sutton and Michele Waslin and Ron Wolff.

But Professor Paul Pogeybait’s only academic credential came from the University of Wannabee, which made him as real a professor as his moustache, which was no moustache. It was a caterpillar.

A caterpillar that eventually did what a caterpillar is supposed to do. It turned into a butterfly. After long months attached leech-like to Professor Paul Pogeybait’s face, right there under his nostrils, playing the part of a stylized cluster of facial hair, living on all the nutrients it could get by gently sucking Professor Paul’s blood.

And that blood in the bloodstream, that fluid in the mammalian circulatory system of Professor Paul Pogeybait, ran wild in his veins carrying the deposits of his steady diet of Cocoa Puffs, beef jerky, moon pies, cheese nachos, Hawaiian Punch, Marshmallow Fluff, peanut brittle, jelly doughnuts, caramel popcorn, root beer floats and Girl Scout cookies. An over-treatment of an energy source to the furry parasite insect primed for transfiguration. High octane propellant for the new butterfly to go where no butterfly has gone before.

Yet it was unable to disengage from the host. Once a moustache, once a caterpillar, now a butterfly, its physical attachment to Professor Paul Pogeybait may have led to emotional attachment.

Or was it the other way around?

Nevertheless, the butterfly was stuck, right there in the middle of Professor Paul’s mug. Right there in the middle of nature taking its course, that is, precisely when the butterfly’s instinctual drive for a maiden voyage could no longer be contained, and, ready or not, Professor Paul Pogeybait was along for the ride.

Launch, liftoff and liberation were okay for a couple of amateurs. To the casual observer, it looked like a tiny kite with a bulky tail rocketing upward. Yes, upward indeed, toward certain disappearance and nothingness, and maybe a last gasp teachable moment for a counterfeit professor.

Professor Paul Pogeybait, dead at 54. He was a Red Sox fan.

LOST & FOUND

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The village of Slapdash, Massachusetts has lost its color. Not a trace of ROY G BIV in sight. Somehow the little settlement tucked away in the Berkshires has mysteriously changed into an entirely black and white environment, reminiscent of old movies from the 1940s like Citizen Kane.

But how can this be, Rosebud? What strange force of nature, or otherwise, is capable of eliminating all primary colors from a village?

Well, it happened in broad daylight. There was no shortage of luminosity. The morning sun was splashing all over Slapdash without fanfare or threat, until, all at once, its golden light inexplicably changed to a harsh white. And the people, places and things below abruptly turned achromatic.

Elsewhere, in neighboring Backfish and Cracklefoot, a normal yellow sun is beaming down and bringing out all of the colors of the rainbow. No hitch, glitch or switch. No one in shock screaming: “Oh, my god.” Up and down Berkshire County there are no reports of other towns losing their color. Only Slapdash is stuck in black and white.

Right now, the visual effect throughout the village is like an animated version of Diane Arbus’ photo album. A stark, grayscale milieu.

Nervous townsfolk are asking: did a disgruntled former resident sneak around under the cloak of darkness and install a space age light filter somewhere? Or did that same disgruntled

former resident use an elaborate suction device to swallow up all of Slapdash’s pigmentation?

Maybe he poisoned the village with a bleaching agent that changed the whole shebang to black and white. And maybe this person, this disgruntled former resident of Slapdash, is getting even for having been betrayed and run out of town by villagers he thought were his friends. Or quite possibly he is getting even with the charlatans who plagiarized him Those pretentious, notalent trust fund babies who ripped off his original prose, poetry and performance pieces and called them their own and took all the credit. Hmmmm.

Contrary to the local paranoia, that guy is not responsible for Slapdash losing its color. That guy is dead. Found dead about a month ago, slouched in a booth at the Neighborhood Diner in Great Barrington, cup of coffee on the table and the Berkshire Eagle in his lap. Cause of death: too much of this and not enough of that. He’s been interred at the Old Water Street Cemetery for a few weeks now with an airtight alibi.

So, with that guy ruled out and no one else to point the finger at, the Slapdash hierarchy has petitioned the governor and the governor wants Slapdash to form a committee, which they’ve already done. The usual suspects have been rounded up, those five or six people who like to be in charge of things and see their names in the paper, and they are calling themselves the Slapdash the Lackluster Committee. Their goal is to scrutinize the inscrutable problem at hand, namely that their village has lost its color.

Still, everything within the town limits is taking place strictly in black and white. Somehow Slapdash, population 888, has become achromatized. And a good percentage of the population happens to be women, who slavishly paint their lips and nails red as a matter of ritual. Now, however, they are trapped in a freakish realm of colorlessness where their applied lipstick and nail polish translate as black, giving them a decidedly Goth look. Decidedly an improvement for some.

George Miskar’s lime green El Camino is suddenly a dusky shade of slate.

The elderly Mr. And Mrs. Biggs have always had two tabby cats: one orange, the other gray. Now they can’t tell which is which. Which is addling the wits of Mr. Biggs and causing Mrs. Biggs to feel flummoxed. At their advanced ages, they are now considering a session with a marriage counselor. Maybe even a deep breathing lesson up at Kripalu.

Placid Dave, who lives in a teepee over on Slapdash Trail, is complaining that his LSD isn’t working right. “Wow, man,” said Placid Dave. “I mean, like, I’m getting all these salt and pepper hallucinations every time I drop a tab. Where’s my polychromasia, man?”

The artist community, renowned for saturating their canvasses with bold coloration to mask their scarce talent, worry that they will be forced to paint like Franz Kline. Most of these artists are equally worried that they will have to identify Franz Kline.

In the meantime, Slapdash remains devoid of color. The landscape and the populace are ashen and shaded and smoky and mousy looking. If you turned on the TV in the 1950s, all the programming back then pretty much looked like the current state of affairs in Slapdash. Black and white and variations of gray.

But, trying to identify cause or culprit is a ponderous waste of time. It amounts to metaphysical neuralgia. So, let us trust that Slapdash will ignore the black and white and work within the paradigms of those variations of gray. Day or night. Rage or reverie. Sacred or profane. Color or no color, relatively speaking. As usual. As always.

MYRON SCHIFFER

"Neon Whale Tail" from the "Motion Capture" series.

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s good, but could you make the following changes?

we'd like to use arial font throughout. bold type can stay as it is.

can "an exhibition space.." be placed slightly lower and smaller? please put the "artists interpret...." bit in italics remove "GPS", just address.

"Hancock Barns" R.H. Lafond... italics and justify left please. that's all! thanks!!

thor and jaye - Show quoted text -

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LAUREN CLARK FINE ART presents

“And Now for Some Things Completely Different” New Works by

Richard Britell July 10 - August 2 Reception for the Artist Saturday, July 10, 5-8pm.

LAUREN CLARK FINE ART 402 PARK STREET, HOUSATONIC, MA 413.274.1432

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