the artful mind artzine october 2013

THE ARTFUL MIND October 2013

Monthly Berkshire Artzine

Since 1994

Eleanor Lord Visual Artist

Photography by Jane Feldman

To love beauty is to see light.

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Register early for November Sessions!

Gina Curo presents Massachusetts College of Art and Design at Renaissance Arts October 21st 6:15pm as a part of Renaissance Arts Center Free Educational Series. Open to Middle School and High School Students and their families.

Nov 2nd, Day of the Dead Fiesta and Costume Party.

Mask Making, Salsa Dancing, and Dance

Coming soon! The ART STORE !!

2 • October 2013

The ArTful Mind

CALENDAR OF ARTFUL EVENTS

museums & galleries

music/theatre

510 WARREN STREET GALLERY hudson, nY • 518-822-0510 October featured artist: eleanor lord

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Stockbridge, MA Violinist emily Kalish to present recital on October 27 emily Kalish will present a violin recital at 4PM on October 27 as part of the Stockbridge’s ongoing “Music on Main” recital series. She will be accompanied by pianist and composer larry Wallach.

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

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH MUSIC Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great BArrington, MA Anatomy of a Melody—Beethoven, Brahms Schoenfield”Saturday, October 19, 6 PM

DENISE B. CHANDLER FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY at info@denisebchandler.com Stockbridge Coffee & Tea, now - Oct 17, “reflections”; Steven Valenti’s Clothing for Men, now - Oct 28, “Color & form”; St francis Gallery, now - nov 18, “Color & line”; Guido’s fresh Marketplace Café, nov 1 – nov 30, “eyes On View”; St francis Gallery, nov 22 – Jan 6, “inspiration of the Spirit”.

FRONT STREET GALLERY front St., housatonic, MA • 413-274-6607 / 413-528-9546, or cell at 413-429-7141 housatonic Gallery for students and artists. featuring watercolors

by Kate Knapp (Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm or by appointment) GOOD PURPOSE GALLERY 40 Main Street, lee, MA / www.goodpurpose.org the work of ilene Spiewak, an artist and teacher at CiP, along with the work of her students at in the Berkshire Performing and Visual Arts program; through October 20

HOLLIS TAGGART GALLERIES 958 Madison Ave, nY • 212-628-4000 info@hollistaggart.com in Arcadia: Paintings by Bill Scott. The 20 works in the show are centered on the theme of what Scott (American, b.1956) calls "remembered feelings," observations and memories drawn from the world around him.

LYDIA JOHNSTON nAACO Gallery, north Adams, MA • 413-664-4003 “Scratching the Surface” features oil paintings by lydia Johnston and ceramics by lori St. Pierre at nAACO Gallery, north Adams, Massachusetts, September 26 to november 25. An opening reception will be held September 26th from 6-9 pm.

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF AMHERST 742 Main St., Amherst, MA • 413-549-5115 Gallery: no One is home: Barcodes, Suburbia and the holocaust.

Simone Alter Muri and harriet Graicerstein. Mother - daughter collaboration. Aug - Oct 25

MARGUERITE BRIDE nuarts Studios, Studio #9, 311 north Street, Pittsfield, MA • 413-841-1659 / margebride-paintings.com Original Watercolors, house Portraits, Commissions, lessons. exhibits of her winter paintings include a display at the Adams Town hall October 1 – nov 15, and a return solo at Gallery 25 in Pittsfield for all of december and a weekend holiday show sponsored by Alchemy initiative december 7 – 8 at the Masonic hall in Pittsfield. in addition Bride has 10 winter paintings on display at north Adams hospital October – April.

NEUMANN FINE ART 65 Cold Water St., hillsdale, nY • www.neumannfineart.com Vanishing America: The disappearing Commercial landscape of the 20th Century, paintings by Jeffrey l. neumann, September 7 - October 25

NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM rte 183, Stockbridge, MA .8 413-298-4100 Snow White and The Seven dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic.

Thru Oct 27. enjoy this mischievous and unique retelling of the classic Snow White tale by Adam Gidwitz

and

PITTSFIELD CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL www.BerkshiresJazz.org Oct. 11-20:A tribute to the legendary dave Brubeck

events

Claudia Sperry, Untitled, 2013, oil on canvas, 50” x 40”

"Channeling " Recent work by Claudia Sperry October 3 - 27 Back Room: "Brittany Paintings" Oxbow Gallery 275 Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA • 413-586-6300 www.oxbowgallery.org Back Room: Brian Chu,"Brittany Paintings"

SCHANTZ GALLERIES 3 elm St, Stockbridge, MA • 413-298-3044 www.schantzgalleries.com.

A destination for those seeking premier artists working in glass.

(11 - 5 daily)

SOHN FINE ART GALLERY 6 elm Street, Stockbridge, MA October 4th, 2013 - february 2014. reception: nude, Saturday, October 5th, 4:00 - 7:00. free

SPRINGFIELD MUSEUM 21 edwards Street, Springfield, MA •413-263-6800 evocative watercolors by artist Josie Vargas. The exhibit, titled fiesta: flora and fauna from Puerto rico, will be on display at the Michele and donald d’Amour Museum of fine Arts from September 10 through May 11, 2014 ST. FRANCIS GALLERY 1370 Pleasant St, rte 102, lee, MA • 413-717-5199 COlOr and line, Oct 4 - nov 18, reception: Oct 12, 3-6pm. inSPirATiOn of the SPiriT, nov 22 - Jan 6, reception dec 7, 3-6pm THE HARRISON GALLERY 39 Spring Street, Williamstown, MA • 413-458-1700 John Traynor & Susan read Cronin, October 5 - 30, 2013 (Wed - Sat 10-5:30, Sun 11-4, Closed Mon & Tues.)

THE STERLING AND FRANCINE CLARK INSTITUTE 255 South St. Williamstown, MA 150th anniversary of edvard Munch's birth with a screening of "Munch 150," part of the "exhibition: Great Art on Screen" series.

WILLIAM BACZEK FINE ARTS 36 Main St., northampton MA ph 413-587-9880 group exhibition of abstract artist titled simply, Abstraction. The show will be on display from Wednesday, October 9 until Saturday, november 9

SAMUEL DORSKY MUSEUM OF ART State university of new York, new Paltz • 845-257-3844 Studley Theater, Old Main Building - SunY new Paltz Symposium "Anonymous: A Symposium on Tibetan identity and Culture" exhibition curator, rachel Weingeist, opens the symposium at 1 pm with a gallery tour of Anonymous. At 2 pm, the symposium moves to lC 102 for presentations by Tibetan historian, elliot Sperling (Professor of Central eurasian Studies, indiana university), Kurt Behrendt (curator, Metropolitan Museum of Art), and a panel discussion with curator rachel Weingeist, and artists Tenzing rigdol, moderated by Jonathan Schwartz (director, Asian Studies Program, SunY new Paltz).

PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL October 12, 13 & 14 at the Three County fairgrounds in northampton, MA. One of America’s top-ranked shows of fine crafts, paintings and sculpture, Paradise City features 275 outstanding artists in four buildings, sensational cuisine, live music, creative activities, demonstrations and an outdoor sculpture garden. www.paradisecityarts.com or 800-511-9725.

workshops

SABINE VOLLMER VON FALKEN PhOTOGrAPhiC WOrKShOP • 413-298-4933 www.sabinephotoart.com, info@sabinephotoart.com VieW liGhT WiTh A CriTiCAl eYe October 12 and 13, 2013.

SOHN FINE ART GALLERY 6 elm Street, Stockbridge, MA • 413-298-1025 / www.sohnfineart.com “nude”, photography exhibit thru feb 2014

film

PALACE THEATRE Box Office, 19 Clinton Avenue, Albany, nY Ticketmaster : Charge-By-Phone • 800-745-3000 MOVieS: The rocky horror Picture Show, Monday, October 21st, The Birds, Monday, October 28th, An American in Paris, Monday, november 11th, The Three Stooges film fest, Monday, november 18th. national lampoon's Christmas, Saturday, October 5-8:00pm Send in your calendar submissions by October 15 for the November issue of The Artful Mind artzine!H

THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2013 •3

DENISE B CHANDLER fine ArT PhOTOGrAPhY

Photography by Denise B Chandler

Through October 17 Solo Show, “Reflections” Reception: Oct 5, 3-5pm STOCKBridGe COffee & TeA

OCTOBER 4 - NOVEMBER 18 “COLOR & LINE” Reception: Oct 12, 3-6pm ST. frAnCiS GAllerY, lee, MA

November 1 - November 30 Solo Show, “EYES ON VIEW” GuidO’S freSh MArKeTPlACe CAfe denisebchandler.com info@denisebchandler.com 413. 281. 8461

4 • October 2013

The ArTful Mind

“The universe is real but you can’t see it. You have to imagine it.

Once you imagine it you can be realistic about reproducing it.”

-Alexander Calder

FRONT STREET GALLERY

Kate Knapp , Fish

Painting Classes on Monday and Wednesday mornings 10 - 1pm at the Studio and Thursday mornings 10am - 1pm out in the field.

Open to all.

413-274-6607 413-429-7141 (cell) 413-528-9546 Gallery Hours: Saturday and Sunday 12-5 or by appointment FRONT STREET, downtown HOUSATONIC, MA

The ArTful Mind OCTOBer 2013 •5

THE ARTFUL MIND

artzine

October 2013

“The joy of the mind is the measure of its strength.”

-Ninon de L'Enclos

THE MUSIC STORE

COLLINS/EDITIONS formerly BERKSHIRE DIGITAL

Eleanor Lord, Painter Photography by Jane Feldman Lydia Johnston / Oil Paintings Harryet Candee...8 Eleanor Lord / Painter Harryet Candee ...12

Planet Waves for October Eric Francis.....14 Simply Sasha Sasha Seymour......15

Architecture & Arcadia Stephen Dietemann..... 19 Contributing Writers and Monthly Columnists Eunice Agar, Richard Britell Stephen Gerard Dietemann Eric Francis, Sasha Seymour

Photographers Stephen Donaldson, Lee Everett, Jane Feldman, Sabine Vollmer von Falken, Cassandra Sohn Publisher Harryet Candee

Copy Editor

Marguerite Bride

Proofreader Amy Tanner

Advertising and Graphic Design Harryet Candee

Box 985, Great Barrington, MA 01230 artfulmind@yahoo.com issuu.com/theartfulmindartzine 413-528-5628 All submissions for November due :: October 17, 2013 (email or call)

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. In any case the issue does not appear on the stands as planned due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, advertisers will be compensated on a one to one basis. Disclaimer rights available upon request.

Serving the Art community with the intention of enhancing communication and sharing positive creativity in all aspects of our lives.

6 • October 2013 The ArTful Mind

After seven years of working for artists and photographers as Berkshire digital, we have changed our name to collins|editions. We are a fine art reproduction service that offers the highest quality digital photography & reproduction of paintings as well as Giclée printing on archival papers and canvas with sizes up to 42” x 90”. Artists & photographers use us to create limited editions of their images. Private collectors and galleries use us to document their collections.

Whether the reproduction needs are for archiving, printing, books, magazines, postcards or internet use, Bd adheres to very strict color controls along with delivering stunning detail by using either a large format camera with a Better light™ digital scanning back for making giclee prints as well as the best dSlr cameras for publication & internet uses. in addition to the photography and printing services, collins|editions also offers graphic design, enabling clients to create show announcements, post cards and brochures.

The website, www.Collinseditions.com has a complete overview, lots of information and pricing.

The owner, fred Collins, has been a commercial photographer for over 30 years having had studios in Boston and Stamford. he offers 20 years of experience with Photoshop™ enabling retouching, restoration and enhancement.

The studio is located in Mt Washington but dropoff and Pu can be arranged at other locations.

Collins|editions studio, 220 East St, Mt Washington, Massachusetts; 413-644-9663, www.Collinseditions.com

As the Berkshires anticipates its Autumn Symphony, we at The Music Store again prepare to celebrate the summer season’s coda at the end of the railroad Street extension in Great Barrington.

We continue to offer some extraordinary instruments this year: for travelers, the incomparable Composite Acoustic Cargo guitar: made of 100% carbon graphite, in one piece, this pint sized guitar offers full-sized acoustic sound and professional grade electronics for the perfect gigging and traveling instrument in an almost indestructible body - aptly called the forever Guitar! And for the performer, try some of its bigger cousins. excited by the uKulele CrAZe? We offer one of the largest selections in the northeast, with many tonewoods, shapes and sizes of acoustic as well as acoustic-electric instruments.for Guitarists seeking unique handmade premium instruments, The Music Store offers guitars by American luthier dana Bourgeois as well as Steel and classical guitars by irish luthier John Beckett. instrumentalists in search of the unusual will find the unique dr. easy’s Sonic Boxes - cigar box guitars made from recycled ingredients and vintage cigar boxes, the Serenity Bamboo flutes - cane and walking stick flutes which are handmade in Stockbridge, fluke and flea ukuleles - handmade in Sheffield, Catania Thumb Pianos, Gourd Pianos, fishtix and Catspaws - handmade in Pennsylvania, and a host of other varied and exciting instruments for musicians of all ages and abilities.

Music Store customers enjoy fine luthier handmade classical and steel string guitars as well as new and used guitars from other fine lines including Alvarez, Avalon, Breedlove, Composite Acoustic, fender, loar, luna, recording King and Takamine. Acoustic and electric guitars from entry to professional level instruments are available. famous named 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. 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 symphonic performer.

Children’s instruments, as well as a fine line of international percussion including Middle eastern and handmade African instruments along with many choices of industry standard drum heads, stands, 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 lowden and Takamine guitars.

The Music Store, 87 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, Massachusetts; open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 to 5, Fridays from 10-6, Saturdays 10-5 and on Sundays from 12 to 5. Call 413-528-2460 or visit us on line at themusicstoreplus.com

JOHN LIPKOWITZ

FIVE LOCAL LIONS neuMAnn fine ArT

BASAlTiC Bird CliffS, JOhn liPKOWiTZ

Ken YOunG, A fiSherMAn’S dreAM

This group show running through november 2 at neumann fine Art features new work from the stellar stable of talent represented by the gallery. All of the five artists live with a 30 mile radius of hillsdale, nY. Ken Young, who previously showed his Warren Street, hudson oil paintings in a two-man show called The Power of Place, departs from the city to paint the country with three beautiful rural landscapes done in his more traditional style and one stunning piece entitled fisherman’s dream done in the “rainy windshield” style of his previous show of urban landscapes. ron Goldfinger is showing two new examples of the exquisite still life paintings he is known for; however he breaks some new ground in this show with his large marine-themed oil -on- panel painting entitled rock harbor.

Prolific hillsdale painter h.M. Saffer offers four spectacular new paintings in his signature pointillistic and colorsaturated style. h.M.’s european and Asian influences come together in the large oil-on-panel paintings Provence lavender and Colour of Winter. he also interprets some local scenes with his other- worldly treatment of Muted Birches and Orchard on route 9, in which the lavender silhouette of the Catskill Mountains seems to effervesce from behind the riotous pink flowers of an apple orchard in full bloom.

Jeffrey l. neumann’s ongoing exploration of the American roadside continues with his oil paintings rio Grande Motel, the imposing nocturne of the 48”x72” drifter Motor lodge, and a large iris print of Chicopee’s royal Café gleaming in the blackness of a quiet summer night. neumann is also showing a rare figurative painting from his 1997 Mississippi delta series: Juke Joint Kiss. neumann reworked the dancing couple in the dim light of Clarksdale’s legendary red’s juke joint in 2013, making the lighting even more atmospheric.

Master furniture artisan Joel Mark has added a large glass-inset living room table that is as graceful and airy as it is solid on its walnut legs. An elliptical glass-topped coffee table with a minimalist–modern walnut base that would feel equally at home in a new York penthouse or a Berkshires retreat is one of Joel Mark’s new additions to his line of museum quality furniture. Also new for this show is an assortment of elegant exotic wood serving trays of that make perfect wedding or housewarming gifts. neumann fine Art is always featuring an affordable selection of antique Persian area rugs from donald McGrory Oriental rugs. They are the perfect complement to Joel Mark’s original furniture designs and the art that can add beauty to your home.

Neumann Fine Art, 65 Cold Water Street, Hillsdale, NY. Gallery hours are Thursday - Sunday 11 - 4 and by appointment: 413-246-5776. For more information visit www.neumannfineart.com

SiMPSOn WiTh MeGAPlAneT

PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL COLUMBUS DAY WEEKEND

The Boston Globe declared it “Wild and Wonderful”, the Hartford Courant called it “a Mecca for Art lovers” and AmericanStyle named it the #1 Art and Craft Show in America. The Paradise City Arts festival in northampton marks its 19th year as new england’s premier showcase for fine and functional art, with a breadth of exhibitors and activities that will keep you enthralled and entertained all weekend long! it’s also American Craft Week, which brings together organizations from all fifty states in recognition of the countless ways handmade objects enrich our daily lives and contribute to our national aesthetic and economy. Paradise City is proud to be a Celebration Sponsor of American Craft Week.

Meet 275 outstanding painters, sculptors and master craft designers from nearly 30 states. Take in Philip Jacobs’ spectacular glassblowing demonstrations, check out the enchanting special exhibit of magical, mysterious and make-believe art in “hocus-Pocus!”, and create a fantasy creature of your own with ceramic sculptor Alan Bennett. dine on sensational cuisine by northampton’s best chefs under the festival dining Tent. Catch the excitement of live performances by nationally and regionally acclaimed musicians like roger Salloom, the new england Swing and Soul Orchestra and the Valley Jazz divas. Bid on hundreds of beautiful items donated by Paradise City artists in the Silent Art Auction to benefit WGBY, Public Television for Western new england. no wonder Boston Magazine declares, “The Paradise City Arts festival has a vibrant soul that many similar exhibitions reach for but never attain... a unique visual arts institution!”

Paradise City Arts Festival, October 12, 13 & 14, at Northampton’s 3 County Fairgrounds, 54 Old Ferry Road off Rt. 9. From the Mass Pike, take exit 4 to I-91 North to Exit 19. For complete show and travel information, and discount admission coupons, visit www.paradisecityarts.com or call 800-511-9725.

John lipkowitz, a retired new York City attorney with his wife nina has traveled widely to many parts of the world during the past fifteen years. now living in Great Barrington they continue traveling, most recently to iceland and Greenland. An ardent photographer, John has exhibited his work at Art on Main at Barnbrook Gallery, the Berkshire Gold and Silversmith and Bard College at Simon’s rock all in Great Barrington as well as other locales in the area. A founding member of 510 Warren Street Gallery in hudson, John will be the its featured artist during november 2013, exhibiting photographs of iceland: land of Contrasts.

Geologically the newest of nations, iceland was volcanically “born” about 16 million years ago and continues to form from several volcanoes classified as active. Just south of the Arctic Circle, iceland is home to several glaciers and the second largest ice cap in europe. Melting glaciers and abundant rainfall produce dozens of waterfalls spread around this island country. Although the growing season is short, more than two months of constant daylight during iceland’s summer enable continuous growth and resultant lush vegetation. iceland is literally powered by underground geothermal steam and hot water, some of which reaches the surface as interesting and colorful mineral deposits and mud pots. during October, John will have continuing exhibits of his iPhone photo constructions in the nature of two dimensional photographic collages at both Art on Main at the Barnbrook Gallery in Great Barrington and at 510 Warren Street Gallery in hudson. if you have time, check out this leading edge technique.

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.

-Victor Hugo The ArTful Mind OCTOBer 2013 • 7

works? Tell me a little about it's history and goals.

Lydia: nAACO Gallery is a beautiful gallery run by two artists. it features up to forty, primarily regional, top notch fine artists, all of whom have been juried in, working in a variety of contemporary two-dimensional and three-dimensional media.

Too many galleries tend to pigeon hole their artists, wanting them to keep producing over and over whatever is selling, not realizing that if you keep pressuring for the same thing the work becomes stale. This gallery is different, it encourages the artists to grow and create, and they understand the whole creative process, as they too, are artists. They display each artists work as a cohesive group, spend lots of time at the end of each month rotating the artwork, painting walls specifically for the art, etc. The end result is a gallery that shows its fine art to its best advantage. nAACO Gallery presents featured exhibits in the front hall of the gallery, usually with one 2d artist, often a painter, and one 3d artist, in this case a ceramicist. The remaining two halls of the gallery are filled with work representing all of its member-artists. for me, this is ideal, at all times during the year i always have paintings on display. it's a thrill to have the featured show, but that only happens once every year and a half!

The gallery opened in 2009, originally as a cooperative gallery as part of downStreet Art (a seasonal public art project in north Adams) but has operated as a year-round gallery ever since. At this point however, just about everything is done in the gallery by one couple. nestor Valdes is the host, greeting the public and managing the art sales. Colleen Williams acts as the gallery curator and artist liaison.

LYDIA JOHNSTON

lydia Johnston, Breeze Blowing Through

Oil PAinTinGS Interview by Harryet Candee

Harryet Candee: You must be feeling great about seeing your work in public. Have you worked on pieces specifically for this show?

Lydia Johnston: it's always great to have your work seen by others. i have been working on pieces specifically for this show since March, which means that none of these paintings have been seen in public yet. nAACO Gallery likes to have a cohesive group of paintings for their shows. The common element for my work is my vibrant use of color and the distinctive way i apply my paint. i started with a pair of paintings, one with flowers against an arched wall, the other with flowers against a building, and went from there. With this group i wanted the sense of an up close element from which you look out across an intriguing landscape.

There are two more pieces with arched walls, and two with flowers on posts or a trellis. And then i moved to the perspective of looking out a window by setting one thin vertical strip and a wider horizontal band across the bottom. This then took me to experimenting with vertical and horizontal strips, not as formal windows, but as design elements that separate you from the landscape. in these paintings i was overlaying printed patterns. Suddenly some of the printed patterns evoked an urban sensibility that i loved. So i explored in that direction. With each new painting i like to continue to experiment and explore new ideas. i have learned it is best to follow where the painting wants to take me, rather than trying to stay within a tight theme.

8• October 2013 The ArTful Mind

Lydia, you are sharing the exhibit with a ceramist by the name of Lori St. Pierre. How do you feel your art and her art complement and contrast each other?

Lydia: i think it will be great fun to see lori's bowls and my paintings together as we have both been exploring patterns and carved marks in our work. We are using different tools, as clay needs something firm to imprint the patterns and canvas needs something that gives to lay down the printing, but we are exploring similar patterns. lori made new texturing tools for this show, from carved wood to plaster moulds which she has been using to imprint designs on her ceramics. At the same time, i have been making lots of rollers to print different patterns on my paintings. i have been using a leather puncher and exacto knife to cut into foam sheets, which i then adhere to pieces of foam noodles, the kind kids use for swimming. The noodles have a hole down the center that takes a thin PVC pipe that acts as a handle. With these, i am then able to roll the oil paint onto the surface of my paintings. in addition to printed patterns, lori carves lines into her clay bowls, and i am using the edge of my shapers to carve lines into the paint on my work, so this complements each other. As to contrasts, my work is full of vibrant color and lori mostly uses earth tones, which makes for a great pairing.

Lydia, please share your thoughts on the NAACO Gallery where you are presently showing your work. I understand it is a cooperative space. Can you describe how the gallery

How did you get to where you are now in terms of your style?

Lydia: Originally i worked in textiles and my art was all about color and pattern and movement. When i switched to oil painting, my work changed from purely abstract to expressing landscapes. i was resistant at first, but i remember the wise advice from an artist friend, to just go with whatever wanted to come out. i have lived in Vermont for years surrounded by the most beautiful meadows and pastures, forests and mountains. i have fully absorbed this landscape, and so that was what my paintings were about. But i have never been interested in realism and details of a specific place. My paintings were impressionistic, evoking the sense of a place without all the details. i do all my work in my studio, but the inspiration comes from what i see and experience outdoors, which is then processed from within. from my impressionistic meadow paintings i moved to a series of flowers in a vase paintings. i was still painting flowers, color was still the main emphasis, but division of space became an important design element, i often had a separate left panel, and i began to incorporate printed patterns.

My new work is looser now, moving towards abstraction while retaining a sense of place. You see land, water, sky, yet none of it is spelled out. i want things to remain ambiguous, i want you to use some of your experiences to interpret the scene, which allows you to connect in a more profound way. i have continued to add printed patterns, and now carved lines as well. i don't want my paintings to be viewed as just another Vermont scene, i think these new elements add excitement to my paintings.

H: Do you foresee a direction from this point where you would like to be with your art in the future? l: i think my work will continue to become more abstract, but i don't want to lose all sense of place. Mostly i just want to play with color and design, and not get all caught up in the details. not that my paintings are realistic, but i still often get caught up in the business of creating a sense of space and dimension. in some of the paintings in this show, i wanted the left panel to appear as up front, from which you look out across the main part. That then dictated all kinds of constraints to make one part come forward and the other be set back. And then the main part needed to have depth to it, so the back part would appear to recede. i am beginning to move to a place where all of that is more ambiguous, maybe a part that you expect should come forward, actually recedes. i love it when that ambiguity exists. it makes you keep coming back for another look. That's where i think my art will be going in the future.

How does your artwork challenge you? Does it overlap in your normal daily life outside the artist studio?

Lydia: At times it takes over everything, especially when there is a deadline like this show. normally i like to work in my studio during the week, and then spend a lot of time outdoors on the

weekends. The outdoor time is my recharge time. But when i have an upcoming deadline, i find that i have no time for anything else.

As an artist, my work always overlaps into my life outside my studio. The hours actually spent applying paint to the canvas is only a small part of what it takes to complete a painting. Creativity is a process that needs space and time to develop. All of our life experiences filter into the process. A lot of the process is internal, and that doesn't take place in the studio while painting. i often find the night a very productive time for processing ideas, some of it takes place while i am asleep, and some of it keeps me wide awake! i often find myself wide awake at night coming up with all kinds of exciting ideas to try out the next day, and then by the time i get up in the morning i am too tired to try them out. i have learned that this is just part of my process. i have also found that when i am out being physically active, my mind is busy problem solving on my current painting. i keep a bicycle trainer in my studio, and usually get on it towards the end of the day. i place the pieces i am working on in front of it, glance up at them after twenty minutes or so, and often find incredible insights jumping out at me. My paintings have many layers to them, and oil paint needs a bit of time to dry between each layer. So i often want a way to gain insights as to how the piece is working more quickly than just walking away for a few days. especially when there is a deadline.

Your art which you describe as evolving over the past years, is now more abstract while retaining a sense of place.

“Scratching the Surface”, the title of your show illustrates this description. Can you elaborate a little further into the title you gave it?

Lydia: i chose “Scratching the Surface” as the title for this show because it captured the main element that is common to both lori St. Pierre's ceramics and my oil paintings, the printed patterns and carved lines. i loved this title because it also implies that we are digging deep, we aren't just staying on the superficial surface.

And i always like to find a title for a show that catches your attention, makes you wonder what you might find, peaks your curiosity.

Lydia, which painting is your favorite? Tell us about it. Why do you feel especially close to it?

Lydia: This is like being asked which one of your children is your favorite, you love them all. “Breeze Blowing Through”is probably my favorite right now. usually my favorite is my newest piece, and this was the last to be finished! This painting is large, 36” x 36”, so really best seen in person. Printed grid patterns are visible in the main part, and i love how they appear amongst the bright colors. i love how lush impressionistic flowers on the trellis on the left side work with the much more abstracted main part. i love how the carved lines in the sky give a sense of breezes blowing through. for me, they bring the piece alive. And when i come up close, i love to get lost in the details of this intriguing landscape.

So this is my favorite for now. i figure it's a good thing if my newest is my favorite of the moment.

“Gotham One”is another favorite in this group. This piece is quite different from my previous paintings. i didn't start out intending to paint a city scene. i was experimenting with some of the print rollers i had made with lots of different sized holes in it, and suddenly i was seeing city buildings with lit windows. i love it when i am applying paint wondering what is going to emerge and suddenly i see a place. Then i continue forward developing that idea. This has so much mystery to it, the way some of the printed patterns are seen and then lost up in the sky. And i loved how the sky worked with the angled markings from the tools i am using. This is achieved by laying down multiple layers of paint, then carving through to ones below.

What else occupies your life these days? Do you have a family life?

Lydia: Spending time with my most supportive partner, Tom, my garden, and spending time outdoors, either on our tandem bike or hiking or sea kayaking. i have two children both of whom are grown up and living elsewhere, but i love keeping in touch with them and what's going on in their lives. They are often called upon to title a new painting or give feedback on newly finished pieces. i tend a big garden. i like to grow flowers, although this year they are a totally overgrown tangle. My vegetable garden is a pri-

lydia Johnston, Gotham One

ority for me. This summer has been a challenge to keep on top of it. even just keeping up with picking the produce has become a challenge, i go out to get a zucchini to find they are all overgrown monsters, the same with cucumbers and green beans. But i love having all the fresh food, and i enjoy the time at the end of the day puttering around in my garden. i also grow greens, lettuce, arugula, and kale all winter in my attached greenhouse. So tending plants is a year round endeavor.

Lydia, what do you think makes your work unique and stand out from the other artist’s work?

Lydia: i think what makes my work stand out from others is the distinctive way i apply paint and the glowing colors i like to use. for a number of years i have been working with wide color shapers instead of brushes. They are silicone tools that allow me to apply the paint somewhat similar to a palette knife, but they also allow me to push and pull the paint in a way not possible with a palette knife. Besides scraping back the paint to create interesting shapes and expose underlying colors, i have been carving marks into the wet paint with the edge of these tools, as well as printing patterns on the surface. These markings are unique to my work.

As to my colors, i like to apply multiple layers of oil paint, using both transparent and opaque ones to achieve a richness and depth. i love to lay down jewel tones as a first layer, print patterns over them, then let them dry, so the next layer can partially cover them, while letting parts peek through. it takes time to wait for these layers to dry, but the results are worth it and sets my work apart.

If I was able to grant you three wishes, what would you want them to be?

Lydia: Three wishes for my art would be, first, to have my artwork in a museum. Second, to be represented by a gallery with the budget to properly promote their artists. And third, to slow down the drying of oil paints when i want to keep working on a given layer, and to speed it up when i want to be on to the next one, all at a moment's notice. Often i find myself at the end of the day with the light failing and too tired to continue, but i am not ready to stop in the midst of what i am painting, knowing that i will have to let it dry fully before i proceed. Oil paints get to a sticky point when they start to dry, and when that happens, you just have to leave them to fully dry before proceeding. My wish would be to make that decision at the end of the day as to whether i want the drying to start or have another day in the wet fluid stage.

“Scratching the Surface”, showcasing twenty of my paintings, will be on view from September 26th through November 25th at NAACO Gallery located at 33 Main Street, North Adams, MA. The gallery is on the corner of Main Street and Route 8/Marshall Street, diagonally across from MASS MoCA. Gallery hours: Monday, Wednesday thru Saturday 11-6 pm, Sunday 12-4 pm, closed Tuesday. For more information, call 413-664-4003 or visit www.naacogallery.org or www.lydiajohnston.com b The ArTful Mind OCTOBer 2013 • 9

Roosters! Chickens! Exquisite Watercolor Pen & Ink Florals! IPaintings! nina lipkowitz, a peripatetic painter, potter, sculptor, yoga teacher has ongoing exhibitions at 510 Warren Street Gallery in hudson, nY. in 2013 nina's mixed media, watercolors have been on exhibit in group shows at 510 Warren Street Gallery in hudson, nY; Sanford Smith Art Gallery and Art On Main-Barnbrook Gallery in Great Barrington, MA; front Street Gallery in housatonic; and in Pittsfield at the lichtenstein Center for the Arts and her iPaintings; Meditations in light & Color were featured in a one-woman show at the Works Gallery, Madison Avenue, nYC. To learn more about nina’s art, visit www.ninalipkowitz.com. future exhibits at 510 Warren Street Gallery include: October - eleanor lord., Pastels; november - John lipkowitz, photographs of iceland: land Of Contrast; december - nina lipkowitz, iPaintings: Meditations in light & Color.

510 Warren Street Gallery -510 Warren Street, Hudson, NY. Gallery hours: Friday & Saturday, 12-6 (First Saturday, 12-8) and Sunday 12-5 or by appointment: 518-822-0510.

Email: 510warrenstgallery@gmail.com; Website: 510warrenstgallery.com

BOXFREE WEB DESIGN

Websites have amazing potential as blank canvases, ready to show the world who you are and what you represent.

Sadly, far too often, this is not the case - being that most websites today are nothing more than cookie-cutter imitations of the ones next door. Templated blandness. What waste! i believe that each website should be a unique statement, filling that blank canvas with something that sings of the person it represents. That’s why at Boxfree i design websites using code from the ground up, never fill-in-the-blank templates. i design a site that expresses your vision. When you use Boxfree to design your website, it will be your website and yours alone. Check out some of my work samples at boxfree.us and see if you don’t agree.

Boxfree also specializes in adding animations to existing sites. The web is a wonderful venue for movement, but all too often it is only used to portray static pictures that express no vibrancy or action. Animation changes that. i take your existing website and add motion to it, giving it the vitality it deserves to make it jump out at a visitor and grab their attention.

My rates are extremely reasonable. You’ll be amazed at how inexpensive it can be to bring your tired site to life through animations, or design a new site from the ground up.

Mention that you found me through The Artful Mind and get 10% off your design.

I look forward to working together.

Steven May - info@boxfree.us

The observation of nature is part of an artist’s life.

It enlarges his from knowledge keeps him fresh, and feeds inspiration.”

-Henry Moore

SUPPORT THE PHYSICAL WORK OF MAKING ART ShArOn True On PilATeS APPArATuS

ShArOn True

regular exercise is an essential component of optimal health and functioning. Conscious exercise with Sharon True, owner of WholePerson Movement, takes exercise to a whole new level. in the personalized one-on-one workouts she creates in her Pilates studio she guides her clients to become masters of their own body movement. They learn to become conscious of the inner experience and process of doing an exercise, as well as of its precise outer form. Conscious exercise workouts stretch and strengthen muscles, promote concentration, reduce stress, and deepen understanding of the body.

Who needs Conscious exercise? Artists whose art-making process involves doing painful repetitive movements are one group of people who can benefit from True’s Conscious exercise approach to Pilates workouts. for them, True teaches specific therapeutic exercises that promote comfort and healing, and coaches them in finding internal support and other strategies for reducing pain when creating in their art form.

More broadly, Conscious exercise empowers people to make the most of the body they have. This includes individuals who currently enjoy active lifestyles, such as performers, athletes, gardeners, and those who love all the outdoor activities that the Berkshires has to offer, and who want to maintain or expand on their physical fitness through a challenging Pilates workout. it also includes individuals who are confronted with impediments to their enjoyment of movement, such as injury or chronic pain, stiffness, difficulties with balance and coordination, or lack of body confidence. Sharon True welcomes the opportunity to find a way to help your body function at its best, no matter what age or condition it is in now.

True is a registered somatic movement therapist, certified laban movement analyst, and a certified Pilates instructor. She has been teaching Pilates-based workouts for over 15 years, first at Canyon ranch in the Berkshires and then in her own fullyequipped Pilates studio in Great Barrington. These years of teaching, together with her commitment to continuing her own education, give clients the benefit of a vast array of experience to effectively address their goals and concerns. She is an expert partner and guide in the discovery of an exercise program that works and is a pleasure to do.

Act now to make the most of the body you have with a Conscious Exercise workout.

Contact Sharon True at sharontrue@roadrunner.com or phone 413-528-2465, 9am-9 pm.

A most wonderful place to meet, eat and drink!

10 • October 2013

The ArTful Mind

RTE 20, NEW LEBANON, NEW YORK

Photo: Jane Feldman

NINA LIPKOWITZ

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH MUSIC ViOliniST MiriAM fried

Close encounters With Music opens the 2013-2014 season with “Anatomy of a Melody—Beethoven, Brahms and Schoenfield”. in a musical conversation stretching across three centuries, a tune from Viennese operetta surfaces in a Beethoven piano trio and yet again in a newly penned piece

by American composer Paul Schoenfield. Both will be heard at the opening concert of Close encounters With Music, the Berkshire’s preeminent chamber music series, on Saturday, October 19, 6 PM at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center.

Beethoven’s Trio in B-flat Major (nicknamed "Gassenhauer Trio") spins out variations on a theme from Joseph Weigl’s popular 1797 “l’amor marinaro,” and sets the stage for the newly commissioned piece by Schoenfield, Shaatnez, which incorporates the same theme. ending the program, the heavenly Brahms Piano Quartet Opus 26 is as close to symphonic scale as you get in chamber music. With its drama and gypsy vigor, it delivers an enthralling range of emotions. featuring violinist Miriam fried, violist Paul Biss, pianist renana Gutman, and cellist Yehuda hanani, the evening provides enduring classics with a contemporary twist.

Since the inception of the Commissioning Project in 2001, CeWM has worked with the most distinguished composers of our time—Schoenfield, Osvaldo Golijov, lera Auerbach, Jorge Martin, John Musto, and robert Beaser— to create important new works that have already taken their place in the chamber music canon. A new work by Paul Schoenfield is cause for classical music aficionados to rejoice.

Performances are supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Close encounters With Music concerts are broadcast on WMhT-fM, and weekly broadcasts of “Classical Music According to Yehuda” are broadcast on WAMC northeast radio and at www.wamc.org.

Tickets, $45 (Orchestra and Mezzanine) and $25 (Balcony), are available at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center box office, 413.528.0100; through Close Encounters With Music at 800-843-0778; or by emailing cewmusic@aol.com.

Subscriptions are $225 ($195 for seniors) for a series of 6 concerts, and include a free subscribers-only exclusive event. Visit www.cewm.org

SABINE PHOTO ART

The Artful Mind showcases sabine’s work since 1994, the very beginning of the monthly Berkshire Artzine. Still young at 20 something, sabine's studio has become a brand for contemporary, unobtrusive, relaxed photography in the european style. did you have a “sabine” experience? it might be just the time for you to book your first sitting. every master of photography has a gift for seeing the world in a particular way. hers are picking the subject matters, the subtleties of lighting and the nuance of background, also her eye for detail which concludes to the result of timeless imagery.

Assignments are tailored to meet her client’s needs- a remembrance for a special event of a life time or a logo image to create an authentic professional online presence. it is to no surprise that she is a sought-after documentary and editorial photographer with the talent of bringing introspective to the art of people photography. She is the interviewer, provoker and image-maker.

Photographic workshops are scheduled for this Autumn: VieW liGhT WiTh A CriTiCAl eYe explore the beautiful light of the Berkshires by taking a weekend photography workshop. in this workshop participants learn how natural light can create drama. designed for serious learners who are interested in improving their artistic eye. All participants are asked to bring a digital Slr camera. event dates: October 12 and 13, 2013.

Photo Art and Book Signing by appointment “WOOdlAnd STYle” and “ Shell ChiC “, published by Storey Publishing, author Marlene h. Marshall, all photography by sabine can be purchased from your nearby book stores.

Signed fine art prints are directly available through sabine’s studio.

Sabine is a member of The American Society of Media Photographers asmp.

The international Center of Photography iCP and the Wedding Photojournalist Association, WPJA. For more info please contact Sabine Vollmer von Falken Photography Studio www.sabinephotoart.com, info@sabinephotoart.com, 413-298-4933.

MARGUERITE BRIDE WATerCOlOrS

not that she wants to encourage winter, but it is true that it is Marguerite Bride’s favorite season to capture in a painting. exhibits of her winter paintings include a display at the Adams Town hall October 1 – nov 15, and a return solo at Gallery 25 in Pittsfield for all of december and a weekend holiday show sponsored by Alchemy initiative december 7 – 8 at the Masonic hall in Pittsfield. in addition Bride has 10 winter paintings on display at north Adams hospital October – April. looking for a thoughtful, creative and cherished gift for the holiday gift giving season? Consider a painting of a home, favorite scene, barn, business, just about anything.

Personalized gift certificates are created and it is always a great time planning and working with the artist in designing your heirloom. fine Art reproductions and holiday cards of all of Bride’s original paintings are always available directly from the artist.

Marguerite Bride, NUarts Studios, 311 North Street, Pittsfield, Studio #9, by appointment. Call 413-442-7718, or 413-841-1659 (cell); website: margebride-paintings.com, email: margebride@aol.com.

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

-Victor Hugo

The ArTful Mind OCTOBer 2013 • 11

From series April in Paris by Eleanor Lord

“My ideas come from looking and living in the Berkshires -such a beautiful natural world around us! I like to work on site and also work from photos I take of places I know. When weather interferes, I enjoy working at Front St. Gallery in Housatonic, MA. working on a portrait or still life. At home I have a small studio room where I paint.”

ELEANOR LORD PAinTer

inTerVieW BY hArrYeT CAndee PhOTOGrPAhY Of ArTiST BY JAne feldMAn

Tell us a little about your past, before your arrival to the Bershires. i grew up in West hartford, CT. in a typical middle class family.

After getting a masters at Columbia’s School of international Affairs, i worked for a new York bank which ended after six years, i then married and moved to the Berkshires.

When did you realize you were a dedicated artist? i loved to paint from my earliest memory but just as a fun past time. About 20 years ago i started to take it seriously and was encouraged by one of my daughters who was taking art classes.

Tell me about your recent travel experience outside the USA. You must have brought back with you many ideas to put on canvas. last April i traveled to europe with my partner and her daughter.

The trip seemed especially precious since i’m in my ’80’s (though in good health). Our week in Paris especially struck me as magical -- such a beautiful city and such fun to walk everywhere --enhanced by frequent benches along streets and parks

12 • October 2013 The ArTful Mind

From series April in Paris by Eleanor Lord

and great sidewalk cafes. upon our return i felt impelled to create some pastel paintings taking off from photos i took. Voila! “April in Paris”. The series isn’t a tourist guide. it’s just my take on being there one week in April 2013.

Eleanor, how do you feel about receiving criticism on your art work? i take criticism seriously, especially when i think it is appropriate and thoughtful.

What are the top rules to follow in terms of painting? use lots of contrast and be aware of basic construction of the space, balance and tension. listen to your feelings and go with it.

Front Street attracts artists who like an intimate, salon setting for studying art. It’s relaxing and inspiring for all levels.

You are also involved with the 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson, New York, a co-operative gallery. Are there more venues you are currently involved with? i also exhibit occasionally at housatonic Valley Art league shows. i organized monthly hVAl shows at Td Bank on Main St. GB for several years.

Do you ever feel under pressure having to paint just to make a minimum for an upcoming exhibit? Does it take away any of the pleasure of the creative process? i am motivated to paint for my enjoyment and the challenge that always is there. for this “April in Paris”show at 510 Gallery in hudson, i felt pressured to do enough art in a limited time frame. i just want to present the best of what i can do. for this show, i chucked one painting though i had spent much time on it.

What do you find appealing about spending time painting at the Front Street Gallery? front Street is more of a personal place for me. i paint there twice a week and get inspiration by working along side others.

“I think that looking at other artist’s work is useful.

My techniques really have developed.

I think every medium is challenging and each has it’s advantages. For me, soft pastels are a sure fire because of the intense color. A drawback is that mixing colors can be a challenge.””

April in Paris by Eleanor Lord

Eleanor and Margaret

photo by Jane Feldman

“I realize that any site that includes water, moving or still, always interests me. I’m also drawn to color so I especially love spring and fall.”

At the Place de L’Oeon by Eleanor Lord

“I regard Kate Knapp as a mentor, and a very gifted one. I started painting in watercolor about 20 years ago with other teachers. Then, I found Kate. She encouraged me to try other mediums. I tried oils. Now I’m happy using pastels, despite the fragility and messiness.”

How do feel about the artists’ market these days? Is it discouraging to make art for galleries than it is to do commissioned pieces? i try not to let the gallery scene disappoint me. i’m lucky not to have to earn a living through painting. i’ve found commissions can be tough.

Do you have a presence on the internet?

One of my daughters made a website for me but i have neglected it. i don’t have an ipad or smart phone or even a cell phone at the moment.

Have you ever given time to a particular cause or activist committee?

Through the years i have been a strong activist for women’s rights and the fight to end violence against women. i no longer serve on boards or hit the streets but i am able to give financial help to organizations such as the elizabeth freeman Center in Pittsfield.

I can picture your home being a wonderful and visually pleasing kind of dwelling. I imagine a lot of art work hanging on

your walls. Have you lived in the same place for a long time? i do enjoy having paintings on our walls, by me and by others.

Twelve years ago we moved into this cozy new house. We’ve sinced downsized. it’s a lovely spot and we have great neighbors.

Aside from painting, what are some of your other passions? i enjoy playing the piano. i love classical music, especially now Brahms piano music. i try to practice every day, and occasionally take lessons in Pittsfield. i think my enjoyment of the piano and listening to music has an effect on my painting. i love to read. Mostly non-fiction. i love art galleries, music concerts and dancing. The summer cultural scene is quite exhausting!

What are you grateful for in regards to your learning experiences with art? fortunately, i’ve never been subjected to a “that’s wrong” teacher or a “do as i do” teacher -- lucky me.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

Eleanor Lord in Paris

Matisse and Cezanne for their landscapes, degas for his portraits and Modigliani for his nudes. Well, i was just in Paris!

What for you makes life truly worth living?

My family and friends make me happy. in addition, being able to use my individual skills.

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world, where would it be? i love best living right here in the Berkshires. So much art to paint and music to hear.

What is one of your favorite quotes you would like to share?

Kate Knapp says it all the time: Painting is just one color next to another color!

Through the month of October, Eleanor’s work can be seen in her exhibit at 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson, NY. She is a member of 510, so you can ask to see her work anytime the h gallery is open.

The ArTful Mind OCTOBer 2013 • 13

Planet Waves

Aries (March 20-April 19)

Others will have little choice but to deal with the fact that you cannot be anyone but yourself. now, from one point of view, is it really possible to ever be anyone but yourself? Yet we all know how much faking so many people do. You’ve even done a little yourself every rare once in a while. You can count on opening your mouth and saying exactly what comes to mind, and trusting that the results will sort themselves out. i suggest you notice what you say to whom. rather than being far flung and out of control, you’re being more precise than you may think. it just may take you some time to have respect for your own point of view, especially if you manage to send out some ripples or have a few objections sent your way. Pay attention to who says what; notice who is turned on by your outbursts of authenticity. The one thing that nobody can complain about is that you’re getting a lot done. i suggest you engage that fully, and focus an agenda of everything you want to get done for the rest of the year (assuming you’re on such a schedule) and set about doing it sooner rather than later.

Get a solid start on every project; get your research and your facts together; make progress while there’s progress to be made.

Taurus (April 19-May 20)

You could set free an enormous amount of passion, of creativity, of karma — perhaps all three. This is less likely to happen following a conscious plan on your part, but is more likely to follow the path of one thing leads to another. Taurus is often described as a reserved sign, and on the surface it may seem to be that way.

Yet right below your exterior is an ocean of energy; you know it and so does everyone around you. in some ways it’s amazing that you manage to keep yourself contained — though for the next few weeks, i don’t suggest you try too hard. rather, do what you can to sense where you’re experiencing a buildup of energy. Vital force is vital force, though it takes a number of forms, and can be directed many different ways. You might think you’re experiencing anger when you’re really feeling the drive to connect. You might think you’re experiencing fear when you’re experiencing desire. if you can pay attention to the content of your feelings below the form they seem to be taking, it’ll be easier for you to use your energy productively and avoid a mishap — such as directing your emotions in a direction that might not be appropriate.

You still have the power of choice, and with it the ability to access wisdom — which will become stronger the more you use it.

Gemini (May 20-June 21)

October 2013

Maintain your boundaries, especially at work. You may not be able to mind your own business but it will be helpful if you give the impression that you’re doing so. rather than asking questions, listen to what people say. You’re likely to find that people voluntarily tell you everything you need to know. All you’ll have to do is assemble the pieces, though be aware that on any matter of real significance, this could take until the second week of november.

That’s when the forthcoming Mercury retrograde ends. Mercury, as the planet associated with Gemini, has personal relevance to you. Apart from the usual de rigueur stuff about making commitments or major purchases, the movements of Mercury are closely related to information coming to the surface of consciousness.

Because this Mercury retrograde is in Scorpio, that relates to what is concealed below the surface. The retrograde is about going deeper, though there will be bursts of revelation both around the 21st of this month and the 11th of next month. i suggest, therefore, that you not finalize decisions, plans or even opinions about pending matters until you’re fully informed. What is brewing looks important enough to take seriously. This astrology could represent an opportunity, the solution to a problem, or an insight about a health matter. Most notably, it represents the emergence of a currently concealed option you will be happy to have available.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Take advantage of unusual developments in your professional life to stake out new territory. Your chart has been pointing you in the direction of new horizons for a long time. By that i don’t mean a change of career but rather the exploration of your talent. i also mean establishing yourself on a new level as a respected member of your profession, and one known and valued for what you do.

This is a sensitive phase, and rather than being about guaranteed achievement, it’s a time to preserve what you’ve gained, build on your achievements, and notice the specific opportunities that are available to establish yourself. You may notice some contrast between what you’re capable of and what others are capable of — which is not an invitation to be competitive. rather, you’re at a phase of your work where teaching and learning are emphasized strongly. Stabilize yourself and build your confidence by both working with a mentor and taking one or two people under your wing. The process of developing your own talent will be greatly enhanced by engaging with the skills, ideals and approach to life that others use. Your professional success depends less on your standing out than it does on making yourself an integral part of what you do — what you might think of as your inner reputation as opposed to your outer one. As you’ll see, the two are related.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)

14 • October 2013 The ArTful Mind

You may think it would be wonderful if you could resolve that tension between dreaming big and wanting a perfect sense of security about the future. At the moment there is plenty of it — the bigger your vision, the less ‘safe’ and stable you may feel.

Yet much as an electrical battery depends on those two polarities holding a charge, you are depending on this tension. in physics it’s called potential difference — with voltage. i suggest you work with the seeming contradiction between the way things are and the way things could be; between having your life be good enough and taking a risk to create something better.

Much of this is in the realm of developing ideas that may ‘threaten’ your old ideas, or the mental patterns of the people around you. This, too, will present you with a form of tension that you can work with as a source of energy. At the same time, you seem to have no shortage of creativity and

by Eric Francis

drive to move your ideas and plans forward. here is the thing i would caution about: When you shake things up, that can come back to you as self-doubt, and in a weird way, as guilt. i suggest you proceed with the feeling that you’re entitled to express yourself as you are called to do, and to work with the formula “improvement is a form of necessary change.”

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)

Treat joint finances and ‘permanent’ commitments with more care than usual. i don’t mean hesitancy — i mean scrutiny. inaccuracies that slip into the mix, whether intentional (deception) or seemingly unintentional (overlooking details) or careless (skipping over due diligence) will cause problems in the future, so there is an added necessity to proceed with impeccability. With Mars soon to be in your sign that would not normally be an issue, though an opposition to neptune is saying that your mantra needs to be ‘reality check’. Check the facts, investigate your doubts; if everything seems perfect, get another opinion; if you find a problem, solve the problem and then find two others to fix. The heart of the matter, however, is how you handle negotiations with close partners. This is especially true if you don’t know they’re negotiations. however any time there is an agreement on the table, especially if it involves money, pause, remember that you’re actually in a negotiation-commitment process, and then invoke your ‘reality check’ mantra. You need to take your time discerning the motives of the people around you. even if your intuition gives you good information, make sure that you back it up with evidence collected from observation over time. When you’re dealing with neptune, which you are at this time in your life, taking careful, dated notes is one of the most useful ways to stay awake.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)

An eclipse in your opposite sign Aries will give you a new perspective on a relationship. it’s like a veil will be pulled back allowing you to gaze into the unknown. The underlying reality is different than the one you can see under normal circumstances.

You have experienced plenty the past couple of years that you don’t fully understand, spread throughout a diversity of situations.

They all have something in common, and this is what i suggest you look for when you have those momentary opportunities to peer beyond the facade of existence. What you learn will help you sort out the issue of what you seem to want versus what you seem to get. You will feel better taking even small steps in this direction; i can offer you a clue — what you (really) want is unlikely to be the standard scenario of a comedy ending in suburban marriage. You have something edgier in mind; something more creative; something with more potential. Along the way, i suggest you evaluate your experiences not on whether they add up to your fantasy but rather how you feel about yourself. each experience you have with another person has a way of influencing your inner relationship. This has nothing to do with the storyboard of expectations — it’s all about the real chemistry that you share with others, which in turn shapes your life and your experience of living.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) Consider any and every change you’ve avoided making the past few years. Consider everything that’s stuck in your life, the places you experience boredom, and the ways you want to break free.

Make some notes on all the promises you made with yourself about what you would be doing by the time you reached your current age. Astrological influences are gathering that may incline you to catch up on everything, all at once. i don’t recommend that as a method. Saturn is still in your sign; as much as that is reputed by astrologers to represent something that will not move, in fact Saturn never stops moving, and is your most dependable longterm influence when it comes to making real changes. Saturn’s presence is about focusing your energy and directing your passion in a way that’s directly integrated with that elusive thing known as logic. if you set out to accomplish a longterm goal, you need to be willing to take the necessary actions on the days that you don’t feel like doing it; on the days when that particular goal is not high

on your priorities. This is a form of discipline that’s not inherent in your emotionally dominated sign — though i suspect it’s a personal goal for you to be able to focus on this. You now have an incentive. i’ll remind you in a month, but please don’t forget.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) You seem to be pursuing some recognition or success, which you’re associating with money. is this a valid connection? What if you considered the participation-visibility aspect of your work as one idea, and the business success as another? i know that the two are often conflated — for example, fame (a form of participation, based on acclaim) is associated with fortune (financial success). They’re not the same thing, on any level. Acknowledgement for what you do, and the opportunities that opens up, is its own critter. Along with this you may include the integrity you put into your work, the message, and the ways in which you grow as a result of expressing yourself. Success in business is not assured from any of this, nor is it a matter of luck. it’s a matter of careful planning, conscious decision-making, a learning process and the careful choice of partners. looked at this way, it’s clear why scrambling up these two kinds of success ladders doesn’t work so well. no matter how well-known a person is, no matter how well respected, that does not ensure or even hint at cleverness when it comes to handling money and business arrangements.

And, sadly, skill with money is often associated with lack of integrity — that is not inherently true. Take these two sides of the equation separately and you will make a lot more progress — of the kind known as maturity.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) it will be a good idea to step back from the festivities, the fuss and the fireworks that develop later in the month and into early november. You’re focused on certain specific tasks right now, and you know you’re operating within the constraints of time and resources. Your astrology suggests you have enough of both, but

not if you squander them on a drama that, in the end, you will discover had nothing to do with you. There are many ways to use the substantial astrology that’s rapidly approaching — astrology that will grant you visibility, the potential to meet new friends, and most of all, that will focus your sense of purpose. Therefore, start with purpose, which is similar to intent, and then rather brutally, evaluate every situation on whether you think it will advance your cause or work against it. As the next few weeks develop, this will be especially true of social situations, in which i would include parties, partying, going out and mindless diversion on the internet. Alternately, the environment you’re in is very well suited for establishing your reputation based on real accomplishments, developing working relationships with people and carving out your special niche in the culture. Some of this is subject to serendipity and synchronicity; none of it is casual or haphazard.

The temptation to be popular is more likely to work against you than it is to help. Therefore, keep your focus.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

You may be thinking: is this all some kind of test of character, or of my integrity? i don’t know if it’s a test, but you may be experiencing the consequences aspect of life more than you’re experiencing its promise or potential. They are all related. All consequences are results, and what they are results of is, precisely, some form of potential. This works for ‘good’ things and for ‘bad’ things. The law of cause and effect is in action all the time. The difference between a sleeping person and an awake one is consciously using causes (motives, intent, decision) to get an effect (a result of some kind). This implies becoming conscious of all the superstition that is used as a substitute for good, old-fashioned karma. You are moving into a time of increased power of manifestation — what some astrologers might call success, but i think it’s edgier than that. Your choices will get results, though those results are the product of something. You are also living with the effects of what you have created — and the astrology i’m describing will grant you extra power to make adjustments to what cur-

rently exists. This will be especially true if you develop your understanding of how things got to be the way they are. And once you arrive at that understanding, consider it a rough draft and go deeper. Cause and effect are never separate, which is an idea that could save the world.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) You would be amazed, if you could see the truth, the extent to which your choices today are based on beliefs that are many years or many generations old — and which are no longer applicable to the world in which we live. Some of these may masquerade as traditions, respect for the way things are done, morals, ethics and ‘fundamental values’. i suggest you put the lot of it up for evaluation. it’s impossible to question a belief unless you know you have it, so the first step is knowing what it is you think is true.

Then take the next step and evaluate why you think it’s true.

Question every assumption until it’s a habit, which may lead you to reject assuming anything at all. The very most important thing you can question is anything — anything and everything — taught to you by your parents. Questioning it does not make it, or them, or you, wrong — rather, it’s that once you start clearing the clutter, you will discover windows and doors, and the light and fresh air they allow into your awareness is known as a vision. i don’t mean this as a metaphor, but rather as a direct idea: what has the strongest potential is what you can actually see, and visualize, down to the details. Visualizations might ‘come to you’ or you might construct them like a draftsman makes a drawing. either way or both — have at it.

Read Eric Francis daily at PlanetWaves.net.

Simply Sasha

by Sasha Seymour

I love Autumn! The smells of the season, such as the scent of drying leaves in the cool crisp air combined with the indoor scents of apples and cinnamon, truly make this time of year unique. I had a fantastic time researching recipes for this October issue, and I am sharing with you one of my favs! This recipe is for two servings, but you can double it or even triple it to serve the masses!

Apples and Squash and spice, oh my!

1 medium acorn squash 1 medium tart apple, chopped 1/4 cup golden raisins 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1 Tbsp brown sugar 2 tsp butter

1. Cut squash in half and discard seeds 2.Place squash cut side down on a microwave safe dish, and add 2 inches of water to the bottom of the dish 3. Microwave on high, uncovered, for about 11 minutes or until almost tender; drain 4.Combine apple, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar, and fill the squash bowl with this combo 5.Dot with butter and microwave 6-8 minutes longer, until squash and apples are tender.

Enjoy!

The ArTful Mind OCTOBerr 2013 • 15

Contact The Artful Mind if you want to share an artistic idea or plan.

Hesitate not...we will help get the word out! artfulmind@yahoo.com issuu.com Face Book and word of mouth!

FRONT STREET GALLERY KATe KnAPP, flOrAl

KATe KnAPP

Pastels, oils, acrylics and watercolors…..abstract and representational…..landscapes, still lifes and portraits….a unique variety of painting technique and styles….you will be transported to another world and see things in a way you never have before…. join us and experience something different.

Painting classes continue on Monday and Wednesday mornings 10-1:30pm at the studio and Thursday mornings out in the field. These classes are open to all...come to one or come again if it works for you. All levels and materials welcome.

Classes at front Street are for those wishing to learn, those who just want to be involved in the pure enjoyment of art, and/or those who have some experience under their belt.

A teacher for many years, Kate Knapp has a keen sense of each student’s artistic needs to take a step beyond. Perfect setting for setting up still lifes; lighting and space are excellent.

Kate Knapp’s paintings are also on display at 510 Warren St. Gallery in hudson, nY. Please stop by to see all the many works of art by exceptional artists.

Coming soon to front Street Gallery – Front Street Gallery – Front Street, Housatonic, MA. Gallery open by appointment or chance. 413-528-9546 or 413-429-7141 (cell).

16 • October 2013 The ArTful Mind

PITTSFIELD CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL

A tribute to the legendary dave Brubeck is one of the marquee events at the Pittsfield CityJazz festival, Oct. 1120, a signature cultural event of the fall foliage season in western Massachusetts. in addition to the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, the lineup includes the rising tenor saxophonist Geoff Vidal; a "jazz crawl" spotlighting local musicians; and a new entry in the Jazz Prodigy series, alto saxophonist Zoe Obadia, who was named Outstanding Soloist at the 2013 essentially ellington festival at lincoln Center.

Sponsored by Berkshires Jazz, inc., the festival kicks off on friday, Oct. 11, with the jazz crawl, which continues through the Columbus day weekend.

The headline weekend opens on Oct. 18 with Geoff Vidal’s quartet, in the intimate performance space at Baba louie’s Backroom. After several years touring and performing out of new Orleans, Vidal arrived in nYC and became a tenor-of-choice for a host of notable bandleaders, and appears in some of the city’s most prominent clubs.

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet (Oct. 19) features two members of one of America’s most accomplished musical families, dan Brubeck (drums,) and Chris Brubeck (bass and trombone); guitarist Mike deMicco and pianist Chuck lamb complete this dynamic quartet.

Many concerts and performances are free, thanks to underwriters including Greylock federal Credit union, the Berkshire Bank foundation, Jamey Aebersold Jazz Books, Td Bank, and others.

Pittsfield City Jazz - Schedule updates and box office at www.BerkshiresJazz.org.

ST. FRANCIS GALLERY line And COlOr deniSe B. ChAndler, CAMden ArCAdiA liOnS

during October, St. francis Gallery will feature an exhibit entitled “Line and Color,� once again demonstrating the wealth of creativity and energy that exists in this area. The artists in this show have used these simple ideas to create works that pass on their sense of the world they see and its wonderful nuances. Visitors coming to this show will enjoy this collection, a rich tapestry of shape, form, balance, movement, stimulating and calming hues, refreshing combinations and juxtapositions.

These multiple representations, often of similar subject matter, will stimulate your creative mind to see and envision more of your own world multiplying the effect of these creations.

Art like most new ideas in any field often carries the mislabel of being “frivolous decorations,� but as most creative ideas it is one that often leads to internal growth and the emergence of deeper discovery and fascination.

Many new artists will join the ranks of former presenters and echo their talents. Those varied and multiple presentations in an already magical gallery space will give this multidimensional experience a must to see event.

St. Francis Gallery, 1370 Pleasant St., Rt. 102, South Lee, next to the Post Office and Fire Dept. Gallery hours are Friday through Monday 11am to 5pm. Call or email for appointments at other times. 413-717-5199, St.francisgallery102@gmail.com.

DENISE B. CHANDLER fine ArT PhOTOGrAPhY

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.

-William Blake denise Chandler can only be described as an alive, passionate, energetic photographer who doesn’t follow the rules. her excitement and discovery begins with the small details we often overlook to the varied and marvelous patterns in our everyday world that are not noticed. She “instructsâ€? us how to see‌color, shape, form‌using her camera to expose the beauty that she envisions so that we can see more‌and often never in the same way again. Shimmering and static patterns, colors, the air swollen with mysterious shapes and movement, all are captured in an extraordinary composition.

These silhouettes of the “familiar� become fantastic abstracts exquisitely printed and framed as beautiful reminders and works of art.

Chandler will be exhibiting all new works in several area venues throughout the end of the year‌you may view her work at: Stockbridge Coffee & Tea, now - Oct 17, “reflectionsâ€?; Steven Valenti’s Clothing for Men, now Oct 28, “Color & formâ€?; St francis Gallery, now - nov 18, “Color & lineâ€?; Guido’s fresh Marketplace CafĂŠ, nov 1 – nov 30, “eyes On Viewâ€?; St francis Gallery, nov 22 – Jan 6, “inspiration of the Spiritâ€?.

Chandler is a lifelong resident of lenox, MA and shares her home and studio with her husband, richard, and their 3 english Springer Spaniels‌nevica, luna & Okemo. She is a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and has completed a residency program at Maine Media Workshops & College and is continuing her training with Master photographers.

Denise B. Chandler Fine Art Photography - www.denisebchandler.com or e-mail her at info@denisebchandler.com

When a woman is talking to you, listen to what she says with her eyes.

-Victor Hugo

18 • October 2013 The ArTful Mind

The Architecture of Change When i arrived at Cornell university in the fall of 1971 as a freshman in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning i was one of about one hundred men looking out over the sea of young faces jammed into the first year drafting room, you could easily assume that the class consisted only of men. in fact, however, the architectural school that year deigned to admit seven women.

Architecture, like engineering and many other fields of study, was still considered ‘man’s work’. A quick glance at an architectural magazine of the time highlighted few if any projects by women. As was the case with the abstract expressionist painters, men were the exclusive rulers of the culture’s esthetics. it had been almost exclusively the domain of men for many centuries prior and few saw any change coming anytime soon. But, of course, they were all wrong. Bob dylan noted that the times were changing and he wasn’t alone.

Many people, most notably Betty freidan, were aware that the world of male privilege was neither desirable nor sustainable.

But the 60’s challenged virtually every prior assumption about how the world should be structured. The old joke is that if you remember the 1960’s you weren’t there, but the truth is that the ones were ridicule those times – notably the right wing here – were existentially threatened by the challenge to the status quo and male domination of that time. My theory is that the right wing — notably the talk radio personalities still blabbing away — are the remnants of those who would retain the pre-1960’s status quo: unquestioned patriarchy (did father

Architecture & Arcadia Stephen Gerard Dietemann

really know best?). even worse, add in the tendency of many so-called mainstream religions to glorify the suppression of women, and you have a seriously imbalanced culture.

The result of this scholastic imbalance, like any imbalance, was distortion…and problems. in college it made sure that we focused on work exclusively and unhappily given a work load that demanded we virtually never leave the drafting room. China would be well advised to study the result of that situation: young men without even the possibility of finding romantic partners are nothing if not destructive. Cornell quickly figured out that the increase in dormitory vandalism was inversely related to the number of women in the building.

Mot importantly, women were not being allowed to add to the ongoing debate about what architecture is and how it responds to the whole culture. All architecture is a reflection of the culture that produces it and a culture that ignores 50% of its members always suffers.

There’s still bad news and good news here. first the good news: women make up about 50% of the enrollees in architecture schools today. Some of the most innovative architects – or ‘starchitects’ – are now women including Zaha hadid, denise Scott Brown, eva Jiricna among many others. The bad news is that many of the women who complete architectural training either do not enter the field or not for long. The AiA noted that only 13% of its members are women, and women still largely work for other firms. in a profession where you need to establish and identity of your own as a min-

imum requirement for recognition, this means most women remain anonymous. Of course this is all also true for men, but it is more of a problem for women. in short, progress is being made, but slowly. As Gloria Steinem so poignantly observed: men are simply architects but women are still ‘women architects’. That’s a problem. ~Stephen Gerard Dietemann architect aia

Be like the bird who, pausing in her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing she hath wings.

-Victor Hugo

SHARON TRUE, M.A., C.M.A., R.S.M.T.

Somatic Movement Therapist and Certified Pilates and Pfilates TM (Pelvic Floor Pilates) Instructor Private, Conscious Exercise Workouts for all ages and abilities featuring fully-equipped Pilates studio in a quiet, country setting in Great Barrington

Classes at Kilpatrick Athletic Center (KAC) at Simon’s Rock College

Pilates Mat Class Beg/Int. Tuesdays 5-6:00 PM Pelvic Floor Fitness Class Beg/Int. Wednesdays 6-7:00 PM

sharontrue@roadrunner.com

The ArTful Mind OCTOBer 2013 •19

Nina Lipkowitz, Cock Of The Rock, 16” x 20”

NINA LIPKOWITZ

Roosters! Chickens! Florals!

Exquisite Watercolors!

510 Warren Street Gallery, Hudson, New York 510warrenstgallery@gmail.com

510warrenstgallery.com

Hours: First Saturday of the month, 12-8pm.The rest of the month: Friday & Saturday 12-6 and Sunday 12-5pm or by appointment

518-822-0510

Color and Line

October 4 - November 18, 2013

Inspiration of the Spirit

November 22 - January 6, 2014 3-6 pm

St. Francis_postcard_front 7/23/13 12:26 PM Page 17, Artist Reception: December

1370 Pleasant St, Rte. 102, Lee, MA Next to the Fire Station

413 - 717-5199

Open Friday - Monday 11am - 5:30pm & by Appt.

20 • October 2013 The ArTful Mind

www.saintfrancisgallery.com