The Artful Mind July 2021

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JULY 2021

THE SOURCE FOR PROMOTING THE ARTS SINCE 1994

THE ARTFUL MIND

Alex Kamaroff Glendale Brook Studio, Lenox MA Photography by Tasja Keetman

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The Fine Art of Printing Fine Art. · Giclée and Photo Printing · Digital Reproduction of Paintings · Photo Restoration and Repair

“The prints have amazing clarity and are absolutely beautiful reproductions of the original works.

Clients are amazed with the quality.”

– Virginia Bradley

Playa Santa 22 — Virginia Bradley

Drop-off & Pick-up Available in Great Barrington, MA and Millerton, NY Studio located in Mount Washington, MA l berkshiredigital.com l 413 · 644· 9663

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Carolyn Newberger DRAWING from LIFE: THE NUDE as MIRROR and MUSE Galatea Fine Arts, Boston, MA October 1 - 31, 2021 First Friday Reception: October 1, 6 - 8pm

460B Harrison Ave., #B-6 Boston, MA 617-542-1500 www.galateafineart.com

cnewberger@me.com www.carolynnewberger.com 617-877-5672

Woman with Red Hair 2019 watercolor and charcoal 22 x 15 inches

“Renaissance” Oil on Canvas 36 x 48” i2021

Ghetta Hirsch website:

www.ghetta-hirsch.squarespace.com instagram: @ghettahirschpaintings

2 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

Text or call : 413. 281. 0626

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MATT CHINIAN American Social Realism

#1758 Cumby's Greenwich 2021 13 x14

Contact /studio visits: mattchinian@gmail.com THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 3

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ARTS CALENDAR JULY 2021 ART

FILM

ARGAZZI ART 22 MILLERTON RD, LAKEVILLE, CT 860-435-8222 Suzanne Onodera paintings, thru July 15

BERKSHIRE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL WWW.BERKSHIREJEWISHFILMFESTIVAL.ORG COLT RD, PITTSFIELD, MA / 413-445-4872 Mondays, July 5 - Aug 9: July , 4pm: A Crime on the Bayou, 8pm: Mr. Jones; July 12: 4pm: Schocken: On the Edge of COnsensus, 8pm Michael Tilson Thomas: Where Now Is; July 19, 4pm: Soros, 8pm: Shalom Taiwan; July 26, 4pm: Magic Men, 8pm: ‘Til Kingdon Come.

CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY 622 WARREN ST, HUDSON, NY 518-828-1915 New Work:Alaina Enslen, Jeanette Fintz, Anne Francey, and Jenny Nelson, thru Aug 1.

DAVID RICCI FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY @BERNAY FINE ART 296 MAIN ST, GT BARRINGTON, MA. Summertime, thru June 11 FRONT STREET GALLERY 129 FRONT ST, HOUSATONIC, MA 413-274-6607 FRONTSTREETALLERY@AOL.COM Featuring watercolor and oils by artist Kate Knapp, Landscapes and still lifes

MUSEUMS Nina Lipkowitz: Recent Works on Paper July 2 - 25

510 WARREN STREET GALLERY 510 WARREN ST, HUDSON, NY 510WARRENSTGALLERY@GMAIL.COM / 518 - 822 - 0510

BIDWELL HOUSE MUSEUM 100 ART SCHOOL RD, MONTEREY, MA 413-528-6888 Museum, gardens and trails; In the Shadow if the Founders: Greatest Generations in American History with John Demos, July 10, 10am-11am

HIS DAUGHTER PALOMA CONTEMPORARY GALLERY OF ART & OBJECTS 26 Church st, Lenox, MA / 413-551-7500 Ongoing exhibit.

SCHANTZ GALLERIES CONTEMPORARY GLASS ART 3 ELM ST, STOCKBRIDGE, STOCKBRIDGE, MA 413-298-3044 / SCHANTZGALLERIES.COM OPEN BY APPOINTMENT Exhibiting works by 60 artists

CHESTERWOOD CHESTERWOOD.ORG 4 WILLIAMSVILLE RD, STOCKBRIDGE, MA / 413-2983578 Tipping the Ba;ance: Contemporary Sculpture by John Van ALstine; artist’s Talk July 9, 5-7pm

JANET PUMPHREY GALLERY FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY 17 HOUSATONIC ST, LENOX, MA / 413-637-2777 JANETPUMPHREY.COM A photographic gallery showcasing the work of photographer Janet Pumphrey andother artists.

SCULPTURENOW THE MOUNT 2 PLUNKETT ST, LENOX, MA 413-358-3884 / SCULPTURENOW.ORG Juried exhibition of 30 contemporary, large-scale, outdoor sculptures by regional and internationally recognized artists. Thru Oct 13

LAUREN CLARK GALLERY 684 MAIN ST, GT. BARRINGTON, MA 413-528-0432 LAUREN@LAURENCLARKFINEART.COM Regionally and internationally recognized artists of fine art and contemporary craft in all media. Also, custom framing

CLARK ART INSTITUTE 225 SOUTH ST, WILLIAMSTOWN, MA / 413-458-2303 / CLARKART.EDU Groundwork, thru Oct. 17, outdoor exhibit; Erin Shirreff, Remainders, thru 1.2.22; Claude & Francois Xavier Lalanne, Nature Transformed, thru 10.31.21

SOHN FINE ART 69 CHURCH ST, LENOX, MA 413-551-7353 / SOHNFINEART.COM Thru July 25: FUTURITY * renewed or continuing existence

MATT CHINIAN STUDIO/GALLERY 138 W. MAIN ST #1011, CAMBRIDGE, NY 518-708-0759 / HTTP://WWW. MATTCHINIAN.COM/ Art collection of local painter, plein air landscape, taking photos while painting. Also, check out Cambridge Valley Fine Art tour and Art Essex Gallery PLEIN AIR WATERCOLOR PAINTING IN THE GARDEN BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN 5E STOCKBRIDGE LEE RD, STOCKBRIDGE, MA / BERKSHIRES.ORG Wed. July 14, 10am-1pm SALEM ART WORKS 19 CARY LANE, SALEM, NY / 518-854-7674 INFO@SALEMARTWORKS.ORG Sculpture park, and cultural events, exhibitions, educational workshops, and artist programs.

4 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

ST. FRANCIS GALLERY 1370 PLEASANT ST. ROUTE 102, SOUTH LEE, MA Ongoing exhibit.

DANCE ELLEN SINOPOLI DANCE COMPANY ELLEN@SINOPOLIDANCES.ORG / 518-527-7008 2021 Summer Outdoor Performance Series: Troy, NY, In front of Weathered Wood on 2nd Street among Danny Killion’s distinctive reclaimed wood sculptures with live music by guitarist Maria Zemantauski July 30 JACOB’S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL 258 George Carter Rd, Becket, MA 413-243-0745 / jacobspillow.org Commemorating the opening of Jacob’s Garden, July 10; Eastern Woodland Dances, July 17; Ballet Hispanico, july 14-18; Brian Brooks / Moving Company, July 21-25;

MASS MOCA 1040 MASS MOCA WAY, NORTH ADAMS, MA / 413662-2111 / MASSMOCA.ORG James Turrell, Nicholas Mosse and William Burke, Lapsed QUaker Ware, thru Oct 22; Glenn Kaino, In the Light of A Shadow, Thru 9.5.22; Richard Nielsen, thru 21; Northern Berkshire Art Outside, now on view, and much more, check out the website.

NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM 9 RTE 183, STOCKBRIDGE, MA / NRM.ORG 413-298-4100 Enchanted: A History of Fantasy Illustration, June 12-Oct 31 (online) Visit website for details on guide lines for visits to the museum

MUSIC BERKSHIRE BUSK! JULY 2 - SEPT 4, FRIDAY AN SATURDAY NIGHTS, 68:30PM Berkshire Busk! is a new 10-weekend summer event in Great Barrington, MA, where street performers (“buskers”) will perform in designated areas in the early evenings of Friday and Saturday. The locations span one end of downtown to the other, and we invite you to experience a new kind of immersive arts

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experience. The buskers we are inviting to participate will be diverse in age, race, gender, skill, and genre -- from jazz, rock and folk bands, to classical music, spoken word, dance, jugglers and more.

HELSINKI HUDSON 405 COLUMBIA ST, HUDSON, NY INFO@HELSINKIHUDSON.COM / 518-828-4800 Crystal Bowersox, Thurs July 16, 8pm; Helsinki Open Mic, every Tues 7-11 HUDSON HALL 327 WARREN ST, HUDSON,NY WWW.HUDSONHALL.ORG Marilyn Maye & Friends, cabaret in historic opera house. July 1, 7pm.

MASS MOCA 1040 MASS MOCA WAY, NORTH ADAMS, MA / 413662-2111 / MASSMOCA.ORG BAN ON A CAN LOUD weekend 2021, July 20-31.

TANGLEWOOD 297 WEST ST, LENOX, MA / 617-266-1200 TANGLEWOOD.ORG Saturday monring rehearsals, July 10, 10:30 am, Simon, Sibelius and Dvorak; Yoga on the lawn, Sat mornings, 10-15-11:15am, in collaboration with Kripalu Center fro Yoga & Health. July 11, 2:30: Tanglewood Music Center Chamber Music Concert; July 11, 2:30: Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons conducts; July 16, 8pm: Apollo’s Fire, Jeannette Sorrell, Artistic Director; July 17, 2:30pm: Tanglewood Family Concert, Byron Stripling con

ducts "American Melodies" with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. July 23, 8pm: Boston Pops Honoring John Williams. See website for more performances and educational masterclasses available; James Taylor, Aug 31, 8pm.

SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY 70 KEMBLE ST, LENOX, MA / 413-637-3353 SHAKESPEARE.ORG July 2021: King Lear; Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey, see website

TANNERY POND CONCERTS 2021 CONCERTS: SAINT JAMES CHURCH, 117 HUDSON AVE, CHATHAM, NY 888-820-1696 / INFO@TANNERYPONDCONCERTS.ORG Inbal Segev, & The Aizuri Quartet, July 3, 6pm; Steven Banks, classical saxophone & Xak Bjerken, pianist, July 17, 6pm. see web for more.

WILLIAMSTOWN THEATRE FESTIVAL 1000 MAIN ST, WILLIAMSTOWN, MA 413-458-3253 / WTFESTIVAL.ORG Outside the Main: Celebrating the Black Radical Imagination: Nine Solo Plays, July 6-25, 8pm; Outside at the Clark, World Premier Musical, Row, July 13-Aug 8, ( The Clark Art Institute); Outside Around Town, World Premier Immersive Theatrical Experience, Alien/Nation, July 20-Aug 8, Williamstown, MA

SUMMER STOCK BARRINGTON STAGE COMPANY 30 UNION, PITTSFIELD, MA / 413-236-8888 BARRINGTONSTAGECO.ORG Chester Bailey, thru July 3; TeensAct! theatre program ages 12-14; Eleanor, July 16-Aug 1; Aaron Tveit, July 19; Jeff McCarthy: I Promise You a Good Ending, July 24; Boca, World Premier Play, July 30-Aug 22; Andy Warhol in Iran, Aug 15.

BERKSHIRE THEATRE GROUP SOUTH ST, PITTSFIELD, MA / 413-997-4444 BERKSHIRETHEATREGROUP.ORG Thru July: Located at the Unicorn in Stockbridge, MA: The Importance of Being Earnest; Michael Fabrizio; July 31, 7pm; The Wisard of Oz, at the Colonial in Pittsfield, July 23-Aug 12.

SHARON PLAYHOUSE 49 AMENIA RD, SHARON, CT 860-364-7469SHARONPLAYHOUSE.ORG America’s Sweethearts, July 3; Dancing Dream, Sat July 10; Motown Under the Stars, July 24; Cacophony Daniels, July 17; The Emerald Trio, July 24; Carter Calvert, July 30; see website for Summer youth theatre To have your calendar listing included in the August issue please send to: artfulmind@yahoo.com Deadline is the 5th of the month prior to production.

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FRONT ST. GALLERY

THE ARTFUL MIND SUMMER TIME IN THE BERKSHIRES

JULY 2021 ARTS CALENDAR JULY ...4 VIRTUAL GALLERY FINE ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERY ...12 ART STUDIOS YOU CAN VISIT ...20 DON GUMMER / SCULPTOR PHOTOGRAPHY OF DON GUMMER BY EDWARD ACKER INTERVIEW BY H CANDEE KATE KNAPP

Painting classes on Monday and Wednesday mornings 10-1pm at the studio in Housatonic and Thursday mornings 10am - 1pm out in the field.

Also available for private critiques. Open to all.

Please come paint with us!

Gallery hours: Open by chance and by appointment anytime 413. 274. 6607 (gallery) 413. 429. 7141 (cell) 413. 528. 9546 (home) www.kateknappartist.com

Front Street, Housatonic, MA

...26

A REVISIT WITH ARTIST ALEX KAMAROFF ...32

INTERVIEW BY H. CANDEE

BOBBY MILLER / PHOTOGRAPHER INTERVIEW BY H. CANDEE PHOTOGRAPHY BY

SAM BACKHAUS

...38

RICHARD BRITELL / FICTION SOMETHING FOR OVER THE COUCH Publisher / Harryet Candee

CHAPTER 2

...48

Copy Editor / Marguerite Bride Third Eye / Jeff Bynack Advertising and Graphic Design / Harryet Candee Contributing Writers Richard Britell / Mike Cobb Photographers Edward Acker / Tasja Keetman / Sam Backhaus ADVERTISING RATES for VIRTUAL GALLERY and Display please call 413 - 645 - 4114 artfulmind@yahoo.com issuu.com

/ instagram

FB Open Group: ARTFUL GALLERY for artful minds The Artful Mind Box 985

Great Barrington, MA 01230

YFI: ©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. All commentaries by writers are not necessarily the opinion of the publisher and take no responsibility for their facts and opinions.

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THE ARTFUL MIND

JULY 2021 • 7

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MARY DAVIDSON

Carolyn M. Abrams

Abundance oils/ cold wax 12 x 12” Stamped Abstract Series #23 Acrylic 40 x 32 inches

wwwdavidsondesigncompany.net Studio appointments: Call 1-413-528-6945 Keith and Mary original artwork for sale Studio/gallery, South Egremont, MA

Sharon Guy

Www.carolynabrams.com http://www.healing-power-of-art.org/carolyn-mabrams/ Www.facebook.com/CarolynmAbramsArt

ELEANOR LORD

Summer Paradise, oil on panel, 12 x 9”

sharonguyart@gmail.com (941) 321-1218 http://www.sharonguyart.com

8 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

Landscape in pastel

www.Eleanorlord.com

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Mark Mellinger Paintings - Collage - Construction

Icelandic geothermal

100 North St Pittsfield #322

914. 260. 7413

2021 acrylic on canvas

markmellinger680@gmail.com

MORGAN BULKELEY

New Work September 10 - October 23, 2021

Howard Yezerski Gallery 460 Harrison Avenue (Unit A16) Boston, MA

www.morganbulkeley.com Two Wounds Oil paint on gessoed, carved wood, 2021

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A STUDY IN SILENCE WATERCOLOR AND CHARCOAL

CAROLYN NEWBERGER Carolyn Newberger is an award-winning artist and writer whose love of the figure is a natural extension of a career in psychology.

Her concern for people and their challenges informs her art, whether it be in the studio with a model or in the concert hall capturing a musician or dancer in performance. Her drawings express the essence of her subjects, with their rhythm, flow, character and intensity.

Carolyn Newberger - www.carolynnewberger.com

FRESH START, OIL ON PANEL, 6 X 6”

MATT CHINIAN I am a realist. I paint what I see and depict places and objects with asimple understanding of light and shadow. My subjects are taken from daily life, things I see in passing, things I’m drawn to; they are commonly overlooked. I try to unlock patterns and relationships that depict their beauty and uniqueness. I do not seek to judge but offer up these images for your consideration. mattchinian.com

SHARON GUY CONNECTING WITH NATURE I am constantly seeking to capture the natural beauty of wild places, and the creatures that reside there. My art is an expression of my experience of nature, which is both ordinary and sublime. I enjoy painting the dramatic seascapes and clouds of the southeastern states and the New England coast. My work is in private collections in the United States and Canada.

Sharon Guy - sharonguyart@gmail.com; 941-321-1218; http://www.sharonguyart.com

A true masterpiece does not tell everything. — Albert Camus

Krista Larson / Sophie Digard / Johnny Was / Biya / Robin Kaplan / Alquema Injiri / Raag / Yavi / Yoshi Yoshi / Nuno / Epice / URU / CP Shades Letol / Flora Wear / Debbie Harper Jewelry / Mieko Mintz Piero Guidi Bags / Parker Blue / Annie Turbin Controfigura / Bee Bowen / Dressed to Kill TM Collection / Prairie Underground Wallace Sewell / Shandell’s Viviana Uchitel

8 Railroad St. Great Barrington, MA / 413-528-8555 karenallenfiberarts@gmail.com / www.karenallen-fiberarts.com Monday - Saturday 10-6 / Sunday 12-5

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DAVID HAGERTY, LOOKING FOR MOBY DICK, PHOTOGRAPHY

ROSE TANNENBAUM CHATHAM GARDEN IN JULY, TRIPTYCH

THE GUILD OF BERKSHIRE ARTISTS A WHALE OF A SHOW! The Guild of Berkshire Artists is mounting its first in-person show in two years at Arrowhead, the bucolic home of Herman Melville in Pittsfield. The show will take place outdoors under a large white tent – think white whale! — on Saturday and Sunday, July 24 and 25, from 10 am to 5 pm each day. There will also be a reception on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. The location is Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA. The show is free and open to the public.

In making this announcement, the Guild’s President Margie Skaggs said: “Arrowhead represents the intersection of the arts, culture and landscape of the Berkshires. Our Guild’s visual

artists have gained inspiration from Herman Melville, as he spun his tale of the great white whale while gazing from his studio at the snow-covered eminence of Greylock Mountain.”

Approximately forty artists from among the Guild’s more than 170 members will be exhibiting works in oil, watercolor, acrylics, sculpture, stained glass, ceramics, mixed media and wood working. As appropriate for a show at the iconic Arrowhead, several pieces will have a nautical theme, while others take their inspiration from the lush Berkshires landscape.

During the pandemic, the Guild had a number of virtual on-line shows and one major in-person

outdoor show, entitled Six Feet Apart, Zero Degrees of Separation, which ran during October in cooperation with the innovative TurnPark Art Space in West Stockbridge. Margie Skaggs added, “This new Guild event, following the long period of isolation, feels like a coming-out-party where we will joyously partner with Arrowhead to mount this public exhibition of our artwork.”

Guild of Berkshire Artists - or links to show see: www.BerkshireArtists.org

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VIRTUAL ART GALLERY FINE ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY JULY 2021

CAROLYN NEWBERGER

SHARON GUY

CAROLYN M. ABRAMS

MARK MELLINGER

BRUCE PANOCK

Carolyn Newberger, Wisdom of the Body watercolor and charcoal, 22 x 15”, $1800.

Buying art is a sound investment and a lifetime of enjoyment!

For art sales contact artist directly or Go to: The Artful Mind on issuu.com for live links to each artist To show your art on a gallery wall: email: artfulmind@yahoo.com Visit FB: ART GALLERY for Artful Minds

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CAROLYN NEWBERGER

Kneeling Man, charcoal on paper, 24 x 18”, $1200

A Woman in Thought watercolor and charcoal, 23 x 14” $1400

A Study in Silence, watercolor and charcoal, $1200

CONTACT: www.carolynnewberger.com cnewberger@me.com 617-877-5672 Commissions Upon Request THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 13

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SHARON GUY

Summer Paradise, oil on panel, 12 x 9” $350

Fresh Start, oil on panel, 6 x 6” $105

Maine Rocks 12 x 12” oil panel $400

sharonguyart@gmail.com (941) 321-1218 http://www.sharonguyart.com 14 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

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CAROLYN M. ABRAMS

Abundance oils/ cold wax 12 x 12” framed in black wood frame $400

Fragility Oils/cold wax 8 x 8” framed in black wood frame $350

Perfectly Imperfect oils/cold wax 8 x 8” framed in white wood frame $350

In Her Hands oils/cold wax 8 x 8” framed in black wood $350

Studio open by appointment or by chance Www.carolynabrams.com http://www.healing-power-of-art.org/carolyn-mabrams/ Www.facebook.com/CarolynmAbramsArt THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 15

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CLAUDIA d’ALESSANDRO

Berry Blues

Billowing Blues

Birch Ripples

Summer Daze

https://www.dalessandrophotography.com 413.717-1534 16 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

On the Hill

Purple Martin Blues

"July's 'Moody Blues' in the sky, water and on land make our summertime blues truly delicious."

Images are 24x36, on Canvas: $299

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MARK MELLINGER

Chukchi Sea Collage on paper. 14" x 20" $280

Debris Collage on paper. 18" x 14". $280

CONTACT:

914-260-7413 markmellinger680@gmail.com Sentinel

Wood construction. 60" x 20" $550

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Isolation Body and Soul

For this body of work, everything starts with the search for shapes and patterns in the landscape. When I get back to the computer I then mask out what doesn’t add to the subject. This could take days of effort. When the shapes and patterns have revealed themselves, Then I begin thinking about the background, the colors and the textures.

It all evolves….or fails magnificently. —Bruce Panock

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BRUCE PANOCK

Female, Male, Creation

It is Darkness, It is Death

Each image is part of a limited edition.

There are several sizes available.

Each piece is priced according to size.

Images are unframed and printed on Hahnemuhle archival papers.

CONTACT: www.panockphotography.com bruce@panockphotography.com 917-287-8589 THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 19

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ART studios

to visit

CAROLYN M. ABRAMS Www.carolynabrams.com Brunswick,NY Open by appointment or by chance

CHRISTOPHER R. MALCOMSON 302 530 7160. TEXT, PHONE OR EMAIL TO ARRANGE A VISIT. CHRISMALCOMSON@MAC.COM WWW.CHRISMALCOMSON.COM

MATT CHINIAN Contact /studio visits: mattchinian@gmail.com

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GHETTA HIRSCH www.ghetta-hirsch.squarespace.com Instagram@ghettahirschpaintings

MARY DAVIDSON www.davidsondesigncompany.net Studio appointments: Call 1-413-528-6945 Keith and Mary original artwork for sale.

Studio/ gallery, South Egremont, MA.

ghettagh@gmail.com Please text or call 413-281-0626

Open Studio every Thursday from 11 to 3 in July

OPEN STUDIO Event July 10, 11 and August 13, 14 12.00-18.00 234 Long Pond Rd, Gt Barrington, Virginia Bradley William Casper, sculpture and Chris Malcomson

Watch these artists work at their passion.

Become inspired.

VIRGINIA BRADLEY virgbradley57@gmail.com

virginiabradley.com

Learn about their art through discussion and demonstration.

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Myla J. Blum

Art Show

Presents “Feeling Free” A display of fine art in mixed media

Join us SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2021 3 - 6pm A garden Afternoon Tea and Reception for Artist Myla J. Blum at Pleasant and Main Cafe and General Store 1063 Main Street • Housatonic Massachusetts 22 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

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MYLA BLUM, MIXED MEDIA (CROPPED) 18X24” 2020

LOVE NEST 11X14” MIXED MEDIA

CAROLYN M. ABRAMS

CATENA 7

VIRGINIA BRADLEY CATENA 7 The Catena Series: an alchemical discovery of related moments in disconnected times.

Catena 7 began with intersecting bio-morphic forms that were reminiscent of a planetary landscape – a cross between Helma af Klint and Yves Tanguy. After 6 months of work the painting was still treading water - without a destination in sight.

So, the electric sander was added to the conversation and I excavated back to the early layers of the work. What emerged was my long-standing interest in Magic Realism merging with the original bio-morphic tantric form. For me, the final image becomes a magical island where Gabriela Garcia Marquez’s Fermina Daza and Florintino finally land together (Love in the Time of Cholera).

The Catena Series began in July 2020 and Catenae 5, 6 and 7 into their final form in February 2021. I had been considering how the pace of life has changed since the onset of the Pandemic. At moments time seems to stand still and at other moments it races by. In my study of music and ancient texts I came upon the word Catena, which refers to related moments or an interlocking chain. Catena spoke to the chain of chemical reactions and physical engagements that are the continuum of my painting and life.

The alchemical transformation of materials is the basis of my painting practice. This experimental process is driven by a questioning search for meaning and beauty in our human existence. The studio becomes a kitchen laboratory where I experiment with alchemical recipes; new, ancient and imagined. This search has become even more significant during COVID Pandemic. The painting process has become a beacon to search for stillness and stability. virgbradley57@gmail.com virginiabradley.com

Carolyn Abrams grew up in Brunswick, NY well known for its rolling hills and amazing light and sunsets. Her work is an exploration of the wisdom of art that she finds as a passionate artist.

Intuition has always guided her in her exploration of the spiritual and physical worlds. An enthusiastic learner, new techniques and unique art materials drive her work to best express this passion for creativity in her ethereal and peaceful natureinspired paintings. Most recently her work with oils and cold wax have provided the perfect medium for expression. From the natural world that surrounds the area in which she lives, to the bell that is rung by a lyric or poem, each work reveals the elements of impressionism and abstraction.

Feelings of hope and harmony are ever present in her work which attracts many of her collectors to follow her on her journey.

Carolyn M. Abrams www.carolynabrams.com; Facebook www.facebook.com/CarolynMAbramsArt

MYLA JILL BLUM EXHIBIT: FEELING FREE Join us Sunday, August 1, 2021, 3 - 6pm for a Garden Afternoon Tea and Reception for Artist Myla J. Blum at Pleasant and Main Cafe and General Store, 1063 Main St., Housatonic, MA.

Meet the artist and enjoy the delightful refrefreshments served by cafe owner, Craig Bero.

Myla Jill Blum, native of Pittsfield and now “snowbird”, started painting when she moved to Florida 22 years ago. Even before then she dabbled a little here and there with painting.

Always creative, Myla now enjoys painting “outside” the lines and pushing herself with color, medium and boundaries.

She is grateful for all the support and “nudging” to finally “do something” with her art.

Myla Jill Blum - mileamin49@aol.com

Offering private cooking nutritional consultations and the 21 day restorative cleanse

www.elixirgb.com

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BERKSHIRE DIGITAL Since opening in 2005, Berkshire Digital has done fine art printing for artists and photographers. Giclée prints can be made in many different sizes from 5”x7” to 42”x 80” on a variety of archival paper choices. Berkshire Digital was featured in last Summer’s issue of PDN magazine in an article about fine art printing. See the entire article on the BerkshireDigital.com website.

Berkshire Digital does accurate hi-res photoreproductions of paintings and illustrations that can be used for Giclée prints, books, magazines, brochures, cards and websites.

“Fred Collins couldn’t have been more professional or more enjoyable to work with. He came to my studio, set everything up, and did a beautiful job in photographing a ton of paintings carefully, efficiently, and so accurately. It’s such a great feeling to know I have these beautiful, useful files on hand anytime I need them. I wish I’d called Fred years ago.” ---- Ann Getsinger We also offer restoration and repair of damaged or faded photographs. A complete overview of services offered, along with pricing, can be seen on the web at BerkshireDigital.com Another service offered is portraits of artists in their studios, or wherever they would like, for use in magazines, as the author’s picture in a book, websites or cards. See samples of artist portraits on our website.

The owner, Fred Collins, has been a commercial and fine art photographer for over 30 years having had studios in Boston, Stamford, and the Berkshires. He offers over 25 years of experience with Photoshop, enabling retouching, restoration and enhancement to prints and digital files. The studio is located in Mt Washington but drop-off and pick-up is available through Frames On Wheels, 84 Railroad Street in Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-0997 and Gilded Moon Framing, 17 John Street in Millerton, NY (518) 789-3428.

Berkshire Digital - 413 644-9663, or go online to www.BerkshireDigital.com

DYLAN W. KUBIS, PLUM ISLAND THREE

24 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

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DYLAN W. KUBIS There have been many influences in my life: the imagination of Walt Disney, and his greatest accomplishment Disneyland, the landscape photographer Ansel Adams, filmmaker, Tim Burton and my Dad, who helped me write this narrative.

During my younger years my family and I traveled across Europe and the United States. This exposed me to the beautiful creations of art, and architecture; classic, impressionistic designed landscapes we viewed also impacted my special vision.

I started Inspirational, Sensational Photography (ISP) as a tool, a creative tool to allow me to share my special needs vision with you. My photographic visions are based on my creative spirit, and my desire to enlighten those that question people with special needs. People like me are creative, we can express creative thoughts, in words, paintings, drawings, design, and yes, like me photographs. We are creative souls just like you.

The photograph of the Cardinal has special meaning to me. My older brother Sebastian passed away a few years ago. He was always symbolized as a Cardinal and it seems nearly every time I am out creating artful photographic images, my brother’s spirit joins me.

Lastly, I am ready to assist the many online and print based publications to expand their stock libraries, create images for editorial use, assist the many regional companies to find the creative art that will inspire and motivate their employees and drive new business (via their advertising to a national and worldwide audience).

Are you interested in purchasing new art for your home, based on a theme that you develop? Well, I am the one you should call first.

My images are offered as custom-made prints, screen savers, images that can be added to tshirts, merchandise and much more.

Reach out to me Dylan at Dkubis@gmail.com; view my latest images on Instagram @DWKPhotos. My website and Facebook marketplace will be ready later this month.

Email me to access to my e-commerce sites.

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.

—Henry David Thoreau

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GHETTA HIRSCH Today I have decided to show you four images of my slow painting process so you can see how a blank canvas can take life before your eyes.

For me, painting a landscape is only the image of the thought that is in my mind. The title solidifies itself as I move on with the painting. I am inching my way on a 36 x 47” canvas. Most of the time people wonder why a painting is not finished yet? They ask me why does it takes so long to paint a sketched image. It is not enough to make a drawing of a spot I discover. It is important for me to decide why I want to paint this place.

Once I have started the painting and the goal becomes clearer, I live with the design and the colors in my mind night and day. The emphasis is not in the result I will obtain but, in the process, and the step-by-step exploration of my initial motivation. Where you see a developing painting, I see a solidification of a thought pattern. My mind proposes a color, a brushwork, a composition, a design and my hand tries to express the feeling behind it. I slice, add or change until the day comes when this painting is what I see in my artist brain.

I could tell you that the title of the following painting in progress is “Mason Hill” where it was first sketched. But it will not be that. I know that it is more than a beautiful location to me. It is an expansive view of what possibilities are opening for all of us after Covid. It does not have its final title as it is not finished and signed yet.

So, enjoy my baby steps and I will soon show you the end product! And if you cannot wait for it to be finished, come and look at the process in my Studio!

Ghetta Hirsch - studio is opened for visitors Thursdays from 11 to 3. Text or call 413-2810626. Visit my images on Instagram@ghettahirschpaintings, or visit my Website: Ghetta-Hirsch.squarespace.com.

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ON THE HILL

CLAUDIA d’ALESSANDRO MOODY BLUES

A HEAVY WEIGHT

Life on earth began in water: the deep blues, a fertile ground for the origins of all living things.

Every summer brings out the best of blues. In clear skies and broody storm fronts, in warm ponds, and even in some of our favorite ripening fruits July showcases her simmering summertime blue palette.

This summer, perhaps because I am past my prime or perhaps because we are emerging from the fears and tragedies of the Covid-19 pandemic, the poignancy of July’s richness seems particularly moving to me. I sense the impermanence of life at its fullest and its richest, and feel wistful in the knowing that it cannot last.

Still, while FEELING blue is an occasional inevitability for most of us, I am always cheered and inspired by the reflections of almost every mood in summer’s blue spectrum. Despite the well-known meaning of the summertime blues, I cannot help but take joy and delight in the many forms and flavors of July’s extraordinary ‘Moody Blues.’

Nature’s images remind me of the magnificent beauty that surrounds us - the mighty power of the natural world which we inhabit.

Air, earth and water serve as my canvas. I hope that you will share my appreciation for summertime’s ‘Moody Blues.’.

“Claudia’s photography touches our souls with deep joy!” ~ CHR “She sees with her eyes and feels with her heart.” ~ DKAH For more information on purchasing these, or other prints, please email me at: cdalessandro26@gmail.com visit me at https://www.dalessandrophotography.com, or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cdalessandrophotography/ and on Instagram as: dalessandronatura Don’t forget to mention The Artful Mind for Preferred Customer pricing!

Cheers to all for a safe, healthy and inspiring early summer!

BRUCE PANOCK

JAANE DOE

PHOTOGRAPHY

SUMMER SCHEDULE

I have been a student of photography for more than 20 years, though most intently for the last five years. I am primarily a landscape photographer. Recently my photographic voice has migrated to the creation of work with reference to other art forms, notably encaustic painting and ancient Chinese and Japanese brush painting and woodblock art. My intention is to create with viewer a moment of pause and reflection; a moment to digest the image and find their own story in the art.

Each image is part of a limited edition. There are several sizes available. Each piece is priced according to size.

Images are unframed and printed on Hahnemuhle archival papers.

Bruce Panock bruce@panockphotography.com

Singer/Songwriter Jaane Doe is excited to make music again!

Summer Concert Schedule 2021 July 16th BERKSHIRE BUSK 6:00 - 8:30 pm July 30th Gt Barrington Summer Concert Series 5:30 pm August 5th Winsted CT Friends of Main Street August 7th Lee Farmer's Market August 13th BERKSHIRE BUSK 6:00 - 8:30pm Jaane Doe - for additional concert info visit: www.facebook.com/JaaneDoeMusic, www.jaanedoe.com, https://jaanedoe.hearnow.com

If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.”

—Marc Chagall THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 25

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DON GUMMER SCULPTOR Interview by Harryet Candee

I recently watched The Art of Don Gummer, a new documentary video by Wolfran Hissen. Don, I like your unpretentious way in which you express technical explanations and interpretations you give, and I think this informative video catches up to where you are now.

You’re comment while standing next to sculpture, Climbing was interesting. You say, “To go down is like death to me. It works. It struggles then it reaches its end point.” I am wondering, your explanation regarding Climbing, refers to not just the sculpture, but to life; maybe your life?

DON GUMMER: I think all art in general refers in some way to the artist’s life. I’d rather see my life where I’m climbing, not descending.

Your three-dimensional sculptures seem to be smaller at the base and larger at the top. Can you tell us about this and how it relates to the laws of balance?

I like the feeling of growth in my sculptures. Growth usually implies that something ascends and/or gets larger. The balance is an inherent aspect 26 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

Photographs of Don by Edward Acker

of the overall sculpture. And you need a sense of balance when you make large vertical sculptures that tend to be larger on the top.

I also noticed, that a common characteristic in your three-dimensional sculptures is that they will have all curves and rounded edges, or, straight with sharp corners and angles. Is there a feminine / masculine element that you consciously plan?

I never think about gender when I’m working, but in general, if I’ve done a piece utilizing mostly curves, I will be inclined to do the next one with straight lines and angles, just to mix it up.

I find it easy to imagine many of your sculptures becoming beautiful life-size homes and living spaces if they were made on a very large scale. Thoughts?

There’s an obvious architectural element to much of my work. I imagine projecting into spaces I’ve made. Many things start out as houses or enclosed spaces and then I open them up.

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Thoughts in Revolution, 1990.

Painted wood, 83 x 99 x 12 in. Collection of the artist.

Photo: Douglas Parker

House of Ideas, 2008. Stainless steel, 96 x 33 x 32 in. Private collection.

Photo: Russell Williams

From video, The Art of Don Gummer by Wolfran Hissen.

What mental process takes place when starting the preliminary stages of a new project? How you go about deciding on materials to work to use?

My mental process is related to my history of working. The materials have to be weather resistant and don’t need maintenance, durable. I like some things that are bright and have lightness. I like the sun reflecting on stainless steel. Sometimes I combine stainless steel with stone or bronze. It’s a marriage of something from the past that I try to add something new to. There are certain directions I’ve gone in, and then I pick up a thread I’ve dropped and want to explore.

How do you get from the idea you have in mind to the finished product? Does it differ if the sculpture is small or large scale?

Some ideas begin with a drawing, and then a larger drawing is required and then you jump into a three-dimensional rendering. But sometimes, I start without drawing. I start by starting: Putting two things together creates a beginning; Continued on next page...

The Optimist, 1998. Cast stainless steel, 85 x 63 x 50 in.

Permanent Installation at the Ohio Valley Art Center, Henderson, Kentucky Photo: Don Gummer

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 27

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DON GUMMER

Photograph of Don next to “Twins 3”, painted Aluminum, 8’ x 6’ x 36”

Figure Eight, 2012. Stainless steel on concrete base, 110 x 42 x 38 in.

Collection of the artist. Photo: Russell Williams

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Photo: Edward Acker

Mondrian, 2014. Painted aluminum and stained glass, 132 x 96 x 44 in.

Collection of the artist. Photo: Russell Williams

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Two Stars, 2021. Oil on wood, 44 x 68 x 9 1/4 in. Collection of the artist.

Photo: Don Gummer

Form and Void, 2020. Bronze on concrete base, 102 x 51 x 37 in.

Collection of the artist. Photo: Russell Williams

adding a third provides a direction. There’s no real difference whether it’s large or small, though a larger piece requires more of a commitment.

What prompted you to work with complimentary colors in stained glass for Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie sculpture?

I was inspired by the grid of New York City, and the painting of Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie, which has the same colors – red, yellow, blue. The sculpture’s underlying structure is based on a haiku structure – 5, 7, 5.

How relevant to you is the relationship between your sculptures and their surrounding environment?

If I’m doing a site-specific sculpture the site is quite relevant. If not, placement becomes an important aspect. I consider the architecture near the sculpture, and I get clues from the architecture more so than from nature.

What were some of the reasons you moved from making wall reliefs to three-dimensional standing sculptures?

It’s actually the opposite. I started with large-scale architectural sculptures when I was at Yale. Then, when I moved to New York City, I created wall reliefs because I wanted to make something I could sell, put in a box and ship. Later, when I moved to California, a friend introduced me to a foundry and I went back to large-scale sculpture.

experimented with figurative pieces.

What are you working now?

I’m continuing working on wall reliefs, and have just started to make small-scale sculptures using sheet metal, something I haven’t done in over 50 years!

Aside from creating art, what gives you meaning to your life?

First and foremost, family gives meaning to my life. I have two grandchildren, and a third on the way, and one of my daughters is getting married, so this is a wonderful time in life, seeing my children creating their own families. Keeping up with friendships, traveling, reading and sports also bring me great pleasure.

Looking back on the year 2020, a year like no other, have you learned anything new?

I consider myself a stoic person, and this past year, being in the middle of New York City in the middle of the pandemic, hearing the sirens wail every few seconds, I appreciated how important it is to be able to maintain your equilibrium, and carry on and not be dragged down by whatever is going on outside, whether that’s a pandemic or something else. Stoicism has its upside.

Thank you, Don!

How has your work been influenced by events of this past year 2020?

This past year was a time to step back and reflect on my art as well as the business of the art world. The foundries were closed, and altogether I felt free to pursue any artistic direction. I decided I wanted to return to doing things myself, instead of leaving much of the work to the foundry, and work on a smaller scale. I returned to the craft and went back to painting.

I made more wall pieces, for the first time in probably 20 years, and even

Don Gummer’s sculptures are at Springfield Museums, Springfield, MA. 21 Edwards St, Springfield, MA / info@springfieldmuseums.org Constructing Poetry: Sculptural Work by Don Gummer will be on view through September, 2021.

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 29

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KATHI RILEY LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST Kathi Riley, LMT is a Licensed Massage Therapist who uses the energetic systems in and around the body to heal common aches and pains from the holistic viewpoint, bringing harmony to body, mind and spirit. Energy medicine naturally calms the nervous system, releases tension and activates your healing throughout your body.

Some of the common ailments that respond well to this work are bone misalignment, muscle tension and range of motion issues. It is also beneficial for recovering from the stress of big changes such as divorce, life stage transitions or the loss of your loved one.

Kathi Riley at Rhythms Massage and Energy Work Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Road, Lenox. Bookings are by appointment only. Call or text 413-822-2292. www.RhythmsMassage.net.

TERREL BROUSSARD FOOD AS MEDICINE In last month’s column, I mentioned the need to be persistent and consistent with certain foods and herbs in order for them to have an effect on the human body. Once accumulated these nutrients can have an anabolic reaction, leading to the growth of healthy tissues and positive changes in the body. Similarly, unhealthy foods and practices accumulated by the body can lead to negative changes.

As a student of herbal medicine, I remember taking a walk through the neighborhoods of Silver City, New Mexico with a teacher who was introducing us to different plants that were growing through cracks in the pavement, randomly and wildly climbing fences, overtaking abandoned yards, and pretty much thriving in any place that humans allowed. These were referred to as weeds by most, however, my instructor

made it clear that the plants he referred to should be revered as medicine.

Milk thistle is a perfect example of one person’s poison being another person’s medicine. It is considered a noxious weed because it can kill cattle if eaten in large amounts, however, when ingested by humans over long periods of time, it has been proven to protect the liver and is known to have positive effects on the heart, skin, and kidneys, as well as aiding digestion.

The key to milk thistle’s magic is a constituent known as silymarin. And like with every magic trick, the beauty (or in this case, the value) is not in what you’re doing, but how you’re doing it.

The most effective way to extract silymarin from milk thistle seed is with alcohol. My process is to collect organic milk thistle seed and extract its medicine using organic alcohol. Once this is done, I remove the alcohol and replace it with organic vegetable glycerin. My final product is an organic, glycerin-based milk thistle tincture.

When producing herbal medicine, I try to use organic or wild-crafted products whenever possible. I feel it is also important to eliminate the ingestion of alcohol by substituting it with glycerin when it “makes sense”, for instance with milk thistle and other formulas, like my Immuno Umph!, Relax and Recover, and Lion’s Mane.

In this day and age, we are conditioned to reach for immediate gratification. Vitality is not achieved in this way. It is a journey. One that can start in your own kitchen. Ayurvedic philosophy is the oldest form of practiced medicine in the world, and many of its remedies can be found in the kitchen, growing in your own backyard, or even, growing between the cracks of pavement.

Be well and heal thyself!

Terrel Broussard- Ayurvedic Practitioner, Herbalist, Bodyworker; 413-329-5440

The Reach of Kindness | by Julia Grey

Available as a fine art print at: www.priscillafowler.com

www.xgender.net Julia Grey 30 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

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PAWNS The Magic continues ...

PAWNS is currently traveling the Independent Film Festival Circuit and has garnered Official Selections in Cannes, Prague, Rome, and the U.S. PAWNS is a WINNER of World Fest Houston International Film Festival, Accolade Film Awards, Roma Short Film Festival, and the NewYork Tri-State Film Festival.

Pawns, a musical short is the Directorial Debut of Elizabeth Berliner, Starring Singer Songwriter Jaane Doe .

To know more visit: www.jaanedoe.com https;//issuu.comtheartfulmindartzine/docs/artful_mind_august_2019 www.facebook.com/JaaneDoeMusic

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A Revisit with Artist

ALEX KAMAROFF GLENDALE BROOK STUDIO / LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS Interview by Harryet Candee

Harryet Candee: It’s like Before and After that we visit one another again after such an unforgettable year. This Summer we will be welcoming back enthusiastic people seeking fun things to do and see in the Berkshires. Glendale Brook Studio on Church Street in Lenox, along with many other galleries, shops and restaurants reopening may find it to be like an overdue explosion! Are you ready and looking forward to welcoming all this back?

Alex Kamaroff: Yes! Now that more cultural events like Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow and the theatres are opening back up, things can only get livelier. It has already begun before the Summer. So yes, we are looking forward to a busy Summer.

What were some of your plans that were interrupted over this year that you can now resume?

I thought that when the cultural world of the 32 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

Photographs of Alex by Tasja Keetman

Berkshires closed it’s doors last Summer, it was very sad. Now that things have started to lift, I believe little by little we’ll be back to our old ways.

My wife and I are both fully vaccinated. The first place we went to was New York City. All the restaurants there now have outdoor dining.

We visited our old haunts. Things are beginning to look up.

We bought a one-bedroom co-op in New York City that needed complete renovation, but the work couldn’t be done and we couldn’t move in because of the pandemic It’s just now being renovated, at long last. I cannot wait to use it when we are in the city. As much as we love the Berkshires, New York is a big part of our lives.

I never stopped going to restaurants during the pandemic.

Now that you can meet visitors at Glendale Brook Studio once again it’s also the familiar

time for you to enjoy giving those hands-on demonstrations that I know have always been well received before the Pandemic hit. Once again you are now able to give people the chance to understand the mysteries of the hard-edge technique and style that you have mastered over the years. While being surrounded by an audience you enjoy many things such as the chance to explain how certain famous artists influenced your thinking on creating art. Despite this naturalness of wanting to do demonstrations, I wonder if it is also a great way to help sell your art?

For helping in making a sale? Nahhh, I doubt it ever did, but I love demonstrating my technique to an audience. I’ve had artists ask me to teach them how I make a perfect circle. It took me a few years to master that technique. Now it’s second nature to me. We weren’t able to do demonstrations during the pandemic, but we always got a crowd when I did them before. Children

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Alex Kamaroff, Mindful Journey 2, 24 x 36”

love to watch me more than adults. Sometimes I’ll even let them put the tape down onto the canvas. If I like what they did I’ll actually use it and block out the image. Then I apply the paint inside the area they taped.

I have a hair dryer I use to speed up the drying.

Then in a few minutes I rip off the tape and reveal a perfect hardedge figure. I love to see their faces when I do this.

Alex, do you think that the Pandemic influenced or changed you as an artist?

The pandemic had no effect on my ability to paint, but that doesn’t mean I’m not surprised every time I walk into my gallery. I can’t believe I did all those finished, hanging canvases.

I paint alone, either in my basement studio or in the gallery. The pandemic hasn’t had much effect on either of those places.

Artists always seem to be able to look back to

the first enlightening moments when they conclude that it’s time to turn into a creator, some kind of artist. We are born artists and creators, but we just don’t know our potential or when and if to start the art journey. But that special moment of realization of knowing that it’s time— is all but fun and fascinating!

Entering the world of making art is a gift.

What do you remember from this time in your life?

Funny you should ask. Ten years ago, I was walking along my land with an old plywood board and a can of green paint and some old stiff brushes. As a lark, I dipped a brush into the paint and made a Jackson Pollock look-alike painting.

Voila! Thus started my career. After doing about two dozen of them I threw all but two away and then it dawned on me. Why not put down tape and see what happens. What happened was a minor miracle. I was hit with instant karma. My next stop was the art store

where I bought heavy acrylic paint, brushes, and enough tape to go to the moon and back again.

I began to paint. And with each painting I began to learn. Over the years I honed my technique perfectly until I couldn’t stop painting. I must have done hundreds of paintings. I threw out a lot at first, but here’s a funny story. My friend and I had loaded a bunch of my paintings destined for the garbage dump. Before getting rid of them we stopped at Koto, a sushi restaurant in Pittsfield. Noticing some empty walls, I offered them three paintings that looked like chop sticks on a soy sauce bowl. They gave me fifty dollars each for them and to this day those paintings are still there. Now that I was getting paid, I figured that made me a professional!

And now for something to make you really laugh.

The people in my town of Middlefield think I’m going to be famous one day. They believe my Continued on next page...

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 33

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ALEX KAMAROFF

Alex Kamaroff, Diurnal-motion, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36”

Alex Kamaroff, Waving Goodbye, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36”

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Festival, acrylic on masonite, 47”, Photograph of Alex by Tasja Keetman

paintings will be worth millions. Really, I kid you not. All the paintings I threw out at our local garbage dump were swooped up by my neighbors. Whenever I would visit a nearby home there would be some lousy painting I threw out hanging on their wall. Go figure!

What inspires you to paint?

When I need inspiration, I look at the paintings of such notable artists as Kandinsky, Goren, Mondrian, Nagi, and many others. People are always commenting on how similar my paintings are to these great artists. Picasso put it best.

“Good artists copy, but great artists steal.” I let myself be heavily influenced. And customers love it. If you like Matisse, say, but you can’t afford a real Matisse, try a Kamaroff. It will give you the same style and feel and it won’t cost you a gazillion dollars.

Are you at all influenced to paint from what you see outside your window, you know, the beautiful Berkshires?

Not at all. I paint in the basement of my country home. Many of my ideas come to me in my sleep. I’ve been known to spend the whole day down there without ever seeing the sun. When I’m on a roll, look out. On the other hand, my home is under the longest water fall in Massachusetts, Glendale Falls. It forms Glendale Brook, the watershed for the Westfield River which flows across the way in front of our house. (That’s why I call my business Glendale Brook Studio.)

When I go outside, I love to walk around our land and soak up all that beauty. But does it get into my work? No. My work is mostly geometric and orderly. Nature is neither of those elements.

How do you decide what to paint, Alex? Were the last few paintings you created at all similar to one another?

The only way any of my paintings are similar is that they are all done with tape. My last three are as different as night and day.

How I decide on what to paint depends on my mood. Sometimes I draw a huge circle and color it in with orange paint. Then I’ll draw lines within the circle. Other times I’ll paint a dreamscape. I’ll place lots of different images all over the canvas as the mood takes me. Then there’s perhaps a bird that I’ll draw and block in many colors to bring out the intensity. I never really know what I’ll do next. The trick is to put something down on the canvas and let it evolve.

I’m always evolving. I spent ten years honing my technique. I’m a hard-edge abstract painter.

Continued on next page...

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 35

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Alex Kamaroff Bird in Flight

That means, I use all kinds of tape to paint within the lines. I draw with 1/8 inch tape. I lay down images and block the outline around the edges of the thin tape in order to stay within the confines of the symbol I’m painting. It’s time consuming, but the results are a perfect edge each time.

Your grandmother supported your appreciation for art when you were young. Did she go with the flow or try to figure you out?

My grandmother had no idea of how I was being inspired and influenced with art. She had no particular interest in art. She would sit patiently outside and wait for me while I ran around inside a museum.

When I was a little boy, growing up on Long Island, my grandmother would meet me at Penn Station (you could do that in those days) and take me wherever I wanted to go. There were two places where I always wanted to go—the 36 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

Natural History Museum with the dinosaurs, and the Museum of Modern Art. Why would a little boy want to go to MoMA? I don’t know, but I did. The first time I went, at age five, I got hooked, and I never got unhooked.

I was something of a maniac as a kid, and it’s a wonder I never got into trouble. But I was too caught up to even think of it. I was always transfixed inside an art museum. To her or others, it might have been tedious or overwhelming. To me, it was Eden.

You’ve sold a lot of work over the years.

Where is your art work hanging and what feedback have you received that you truly loved hearing?

By now, I have sold to people all over the world.

One couple in Israel told me they hung my painting next to an original Mondrian. That was quite a compliment!

My art is also now hanging in many places in

the Berkshires, such as in Pittsfield, MA. How long on an average does it take for you to complete a painting?

ALEX: Most of the time I can do a painting in about five days. It’s the larger canvases that take time. But they are also the best ones. You can do so much more on a large canvas.

Is there a thinking process you go through when it comes to coming up with titles for your work?

Believe it or not, I let my manager at my gallery name all my paintings. Once in a while I’ll come up with simple titles like CIRCLE # 5 or DREAMSCAPE or MINDSCAPE. Sometimes I’ll steal a title from my artist friend. She uses the same titles constantly over and over again and simply changes the number. Her paintings will simply be MINDSCAPE 29, MINDSCAPE 30 and so forth. A lot of the twentieth century

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Alex Kamaroff, 7727, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48”

artists used numbers, like Pollock’s composition # 5. What’s in a name? The painting speaks for itself. I just sign them on the back and date them. My wife thinks the titles should be more fanciful, like Watermelon Transfigurations in Topeka on a Cold Day. What does that mean?

Who knows? Tell you what—if anyone buys a painting, they can name it whatever they like!

Visitors to Lenox peruse down the street curious to see all that the town offers. They stop at the Glendale Brook Studio large window on Church Street and see art on the walls, and in most cases your there busy doing your thing. What usually goes on for you and for visitors when they enter the gallery?

For the past three years I was almost always at my gallery, painting by the large picture window. People came in, curious to see my technique. I let my manager size up the customer.

Usually, she gets them into a lively talking

mood. The sale begins when they start asking about prices. Then the bargaining starts. Many customers go out to think it over with a coffee break. I’ve even allowed people to take a painting home to see if it fits the wall space they have in mind.

What do you really look forward doing in the Summer of 2021?

I hope to be painting back at my gallery this Summer. Summer in the Berkshires is a sacrosanct time. We never let it go to waste, even though it always seems to fly by. My wife and I already have tickets to different plays and concerts over the Summer months. It will be wonderful to be able to host barbecues again and to go out with people. I’ve made new artist friends through The Artful Mind, and I’m looking forward to meeting more. I commissioned a painting by an artist featured in The Artful Mind magazine. Thank you for the opportunity. I’d

like to maintain a growing community of artists in the Berkshires.

Thank you, Alex.

Come by and visit Alex’s gallery in Lenox.

There is so much going on around this town to explore and enjoy. glendalebrookstudio.com 27 Church St., Lenox, MA 413-551-7475

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 37

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BOBBY MILLER PHOTOGRAPHER INTERVIEW BY HARRYET CANDEE

Harryet Candee: Congratulations on your upcoming photographic exhibit in Hudson, NY where we will be able to see photographs from your book, “Fabulous! A photographic Diary of Studio 54”, printed in 1998. I hope many old and new faces show up to congratulate you and enjoy the photographs! Where and when is all this taking place for you?

Bobby Miller: It opens June 19th at ARTsee at 529 Warren Street in Hudson NY and will be up until August 30.

Are these photographs for sale? And can you tell us about some of the faces seen in those photographs?

Yes, all the prints are for sale. They encompass a variety of folks like Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, Elton John, Martha Graham, Gloria Swanson, Olivia Newton John, Christopher Reeve, Christopher Walken, Divine, Halston, Little Edie Beale, Edgar Winter, Mohammed Ali, Yul Brenner and Donny & Marie Osmond just to name a few. Plus a lot of personalities that 38 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

PHOTOGRAPH OF BOBBY BY JOHN LECLAIRE

were popular at the time like Roller Rina, Potassa & Mira & Matthew who I always refer to as the original club kids.

What encouraged you to take photographs and then make a book on the infamous ground-breaking underground night club in Manhattan, Studio 54?

My mother had been a hobby photographer and was actually quite prolific and I was encouraged by that to take photographs. Having moved to NYC in 1973 and meeting a lot of photographers at the time, it seemed like a great idea to begin to take photos wherever I went. I had my first show as a photographer that year after taking pictures at Studio. I had taken a shot of the people on the other side of the velvet rope who could not get in and decided to have a show where they could see what they were actually missing.

Were you a patron of Studio 54, or were you solely there as a photographer? How did you

get passed the bouncers the first time you went with intentions of using your camera, or was there no issue, or, who did you know?

When Studio opened I took my camera with me and stayed for 3 years. The bouncers were great to me from the first moment I arrived at the velvet ropes. I was blonde and 21. It wasn’t until 1998 that I opened the archives and decided it was time to publish this body of work.

Of all the people that frequented there, were you able to make real friendships? With whom for instance? I know many friends of yours from the Studio have passed on, sadly to say.

I made many friends of which I am still in touch with today. Sadly as you say many are gone now but luckily, I have huge archives of them all. I did publish a book called “ Forget Them Not” with portraits and stories about many of the great people that have left us.

Were people courteous to you when you set

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Bobby Miller

your camera in their direction, or had you experienced a few times a real challenge? Is there a story behind that you can tell us?

I was timid at first and would only take pictures when they weren’t looking at me. Then one night while I was shooting in the press pool of about 12 photographers, and we were all facing Elizabeth Taylor and some other stars, Dustin Hoffman suddenly grabbed me and made me change places with him. I was the only one that got the shot of Dustin Hoffman and the press pool while the next day there I was in the photograph with Liz and the other stars. Thanks Dustin for that. It gave me a new sense of fearlessness that allowed me the courage to look anyone straight in the eye as I took their picture.

It made me realize that the majority of getting a great shot is the relationship that you create with your subject. The camera is just a recording device.

Elton John at Studio 54, NYC

I wonder, can you tell us a Studio 54 story that may never have reached the public from knowing? It’s safe now to tell.

One of the first things that I committed to as a photographer was to never publish a bad photograph of anyone. It makes them feel bad and you get a reputation as an inconsiderate person and a bad photographer. So even though I have photos of some really famous people looking really bad or drunk, I will never show that work. There is a saying about Studio 54 that if you were there you don’t remember it, but I have total recall and remember everything, even things I would like to forget. I am sure those that make some public mistakes would like to forget that they ever happened as well.

There are other photography books by other authors/photographers on Studio 54, can you tell us what makes your book stand out more then the others?

My book is the only one that is in black & white.

People think of color and glitter and glamour when they think of it but as a photojournalist I thought showing black & white gave the subject a documentary-like edge to the book, along with the stories that I wrote inside the book.

What challenges did you find that may or may not have been resolved that you and others face within this industry? Which of all the books was the most enjoyable to produce from start to finish? I love the book, The Puppetry of Basil Twist!

Yes, I love Basil’s book. It was a project that he asked me to help him with as a catalogue of most of the productions that he created. While I did shoot many of the photos in that book, there are photos by other photographers included. Basil is a genius and I was thrilled to be a part of that project. As for self-publishing, havContinued on next page...

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Bobby Miller

Bobby Miller, Christopher Walken

ing had the experience of being published by a huge publishing house for my first book and all the challenges that come with it, not all positive, I decided to check out the new world of Printon-Demand. It is not only a greener way to publish since there are no mass pressings of a book that might end up in the sale bin of a discount bookstore. Print-on-demand only prints what is ordered and paid for in advance by the customer so there is no waste. You simply go to their website, download their software and cut & paste your text & images into the program. You have to be sure to edit correctly and then you have 15 days to order one copy. Then you can set the price of your book yourself. Unfortunately the cost of each book makes it prohibitive to make a profit and the majority of the money goes to the publisher. I wish there was a more profitable way to make books that way but sadly there isn’t.

40 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

What areas of work, including acting, literary, visual art, do you still consider yourself to be a student or a Master?

Everything that I have done in my life happened in a natural order. Being an autodidact I have taught myself how to do most of the things that I have in my arsenal. I started as a hairdresser at 15 years old, then I learned make up artistry.

After moving to NYC in 1973 I began working with fashion photographers, I would finish the hair & make up and then stand behind the photographer to study how they worked. That led me into photography. Because I did hair & make up for fashion & print, it followed that I would do the same for stage, film & TV. Happily I met so many terrific actors and artists who were willing to sit for me. People are always asking who haven’t I photographed. I can think of a handful that I missed and would love to get them in my studio. I consider myself a student of many things and a master at a few more. I believe that

we all can always do better if we try. Having an interest in all of life provides me with opportunities that fulfill my desire to grow.

I was hoping you would fill us in on the ways of the path that lead you from one amazing career into the next?

Welcome each day as a new opportunity to embrace all of life. My guru Hilda Charlton taught me that there are no problems only opportunities. I look for new moments to learn new things.

Be interested in life. Try to serve others and make each day count.

Is there a story you can share with us about being the recipient of a Jackie 60 Lifetime Achievement Awards, and the NYC Glamie Award. Were you surprised to have received these awards?

The Jackie 60 Lifetime Achievement Award was created by the founders of the great alternative

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Bobby Miller, Wigstock Birds of a Feather

night club “ Jackie 60” in NYC from 1990 to 2000. It was a performance space that hosted many different theme nights and encouraged the development of new artists. Every year they would honor the work of the artists that had performed that year. Along with those awards, they would honor someone who had been on the scene for many decades and who had done something to assist in the growth of the scene at large. The NYC Glamie Awards was an award show that acknowledged the work of the drag community , go go boys & girls & DJs and club promotors of the time. I believe I won for my hair & make up work.

At this time in your life you may have nailed your approach to living well—a life of substance. Can you share with us some of the ways you take an approach to life?

There are two ways to move through life I feel.

The first is to have a bad attitude and be negative

and judgmental to others. It leaves you without friends and suffering soon follows. The second way is to open new windows and doors, be positive and expect abundance to follow. The tools of “ Non-reaction and quick adjustment” have led me to a life of calm equanimity. Don’t gossip about others, it will not add an extra moment to your life. If you see someone in need, reach out and offer a hand. You will have made a friend for life. Do not go to sleep before reviewing your day and asking if you could have done better. Relive it in your mind and correct your bad behavior and then let it go. Learn to forgive others and to ask for forgiveness as well. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Remember all of the little sayings that our mothers and grandmothers taught us and be brave enough to use them without being embarrassed.

Who is responsible for helping you find peace, restoration, relaxation, and free time

to smile and laugh at yourself and the world?

I have been blessed to meet and know some amazing and enlightened people. Spiritual Teacher and Healer Hilda Charlton taught me to love above all else and that a life without service to others is at best only partially full. Indian Swamis like Satya Sai Baba, Ramana Maharshi Yogi and the great sage of south India, Yogi RamSuratKumar, each taught me something that I incorporated into my everyday life and practice. Meditation and Yoga keep me balanced and whole.

You have been through some high point experiences in life. For examples, The World Trade Center going down that fateful September day, also, prior to that, the introduction to the World Wide Web and social media.

The CELL PHONE. Aids epidemic causing the downfall of all the openness that was hapContinued on next page...

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Bobby Miller

Bobby Miller, Grace Jones

Bobby Miller, Donny and Marie Osmond 42 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

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Bobby Miller, Happy Andy Warhol

pening, other things occurred, I am sure, but as of late, there was the Political chaos of 2020 and the Covid Pandemic . You lived through so much historical shit! Am I missing anything? How were you affected by some of these traumatic things, and how has this helped to shape your life as we speak today.

Well had I not be under the spiritual umbrella of such a divine being as Hilda Charlton, I don’t know how I would have survived. Having buried an entire generation of friends during the AIDS crisis, caring for and counseling too many to count, I bring this experience into the Covid pandemic. Had I not gone through the 80s & 90s in NYC with the HIV crisis I might not have the strength that has served me during this current epidemic. As for politics, I grew up in Washington DC and learned at an early age the politicians are duplicitous to say the least and after witnessing the insanity of the last administration I refuse to take part in discussions about it. Like

a silkworm, work quietly and with commitment towards your goals. Don’t waste energy on debate, know the truth and be committed to that truth.

I think you might be totally bored off your ass living in Great Barrington… Photographing birds, trees and racoons—a highlight, an utter thrill, just kidding. Now that you are residing in the Berkshires, what plans might you be working on? Does your partner love it here as much as you do? Why did you leave Provincetown, MA for here?

I am never bored wherever I am because I see beauty in everything. I spent 40 years in the city and did everything I wanted to do. I welcome the relaxed beauty of these surroundings. Plus my husband of 21 years makes every day a joy and has never raised his voice once to me in all these years. We left Provincetown because I decided I didn’t feel safe with the rising ocean

levels and the possibility of stronger storms due to global warming. I have a great childhood friend who has lived in the Berkshires for the past 32 years and I never get to see her. There is a lot of catching up to do. So it was time to head for the hills so to speak.

What is your connection to photographer, Mapplethorpe? I do love his work, though considered to be disturbing.

Robert was a friend and colleague. I did hair & make up for his book “ Lisa Lyon” and modeled for him myself in the photo of “ Larry kissing Bobby” which hangs in the Guggenheim and other museums around the world. Robert’s work speaks for itself but I have my own issues with some of his work. But I defend him as an artist as we should all be censorship free in my opinion. If you don’t like something don’t look at it, just don’t try to control what others can see.

Continued on next page...

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Bobby Miller

Bobby Miller, Dustin Hoffman

Bobby Miller, Mohammed Ali

What musicians have you spent time with because you love then them so much? How about Pearl Jam and Joan Jett?

Both Joan jett and Eddie Vedder of Pearl jam were so kind to me. I am on an album with them and a few dozen other performers called “ Home Alive” that set up a fund to assist people who needed to be escorted home from a nightclub or bar after the rape and murder of Singer Mia Zapata in 1993 in Seattle. All of the Northwest bands took part. It is still going on today.

Did you personally know Wigstock Bird of a Feather? Christopher Walken? Halston?

Karen Allen?

The photograph “ Wigstock Birds of a Feather” were two East Village performance artists that I knew, Dick Darling & Diandra Peek”. I did not 44 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

know Christopher Walken but I love him and his work. I knew Halston casually because he was at Studio 54 every night like I was and I was invited to his drag party for the staff of Studio 54 at his beautiful home in Manhattan. Karen Allen is a friend that I have know since our early teen years growing up together and we have worked together on film projects.

Did you enjoy the artwork of Andy Warhol?

Pop art was fun art, such a world.

I loved Andy. He was a kook and he stole a lot of ideas from many people. But he was always sweet to me and he came to my first photo exhibit “Heartfelt”, which was in NYC at The French Jean Store where I hung large prints from the ceiling like a hall of flags and then invited me to bring my work to the factory. When I did

and saw how he expressed interest in my work, the late Ronnie Cutrone who worked for Andy, pulled me aside and told me to take my portfolio and run for my life because Andy would try to use my work in his silk screen art which Ronnie actually made. I did as he suggested and never went back to the factory again.

Oh, tell us about the craziest experience you ever had thanks to a work-related connection?

I studied Photography with Lisette Model at The New School in NYC. She lived nearby and I would often walk her home and carry her bags, she was 79 when I met her and I did not know who she was before I signed up to her class. Ben Fernandez who was the head of The New School’s photography department had come to

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Bobby Miller, Oliva Newton-John Bobby Miller, Bobby Miller

my exhibit and told me that I should come study with her. I later found out that she was also the teacher of Diane Arbus who was my favorite photographer for many years. Not a funny story but one that brought me much happiness.

Okay, so tell us what your childhood life was like? We can hone back and see you from a different light now!

I am the middle son of American working-class bikers, a rug rat as they say. We grew up in PG County Maryland. I left home at 15 and went to San Francisco in 1967 to find Love & Peace & Rock and Roll. I lived there until 1970 when I returned to DC and I still hated it so I moved to London in 1971 at the beginning of the Punk period. I cut off my waist length hair and got a mohawk. Returning to the states in1973 I quickly moved to NYC . The rest is, as they say, history.

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

You can see all of my books on https://www.blurb.com/b/3774079-fabulous-aphotographic-diary-of-studio-54-redux-b. Also I am on Facebook, Instagram at #bobbymiller1908 and I have a BlogSpot page as well http://bobbymillerphotos.blogspot.com. There

video interviews and recordings of my Spoken word performances on You Tube as we. Or just google Bobby Miller Photographer & Poet.

Can you sum up our interview with some poetic words that seem appropriate and fun?

Love Poem Walking down memory lane, heading to Studio 54, though impossible today since its gone.

Has anything yet taken its place? Or even remotely taken its place? Your book is priceless in my eyes. It is the key to a part of NYC city history where so much for its’ people to be born and continue to survive in today’s subcultures and lifestyles. Thoughts?

After Studio 54 I thought it was over. Then I moved downtown and found a life and scene at that time that taught me about performance art, poetry slams and underground nightclubs. That lasted until 911 when I left the city for Ptown.

There is art everywhere as there are artists everywhere. The internet has made the world more assessable so now I can stay in touch with friends and colleagues the world over. And at this very moment there is an underground scene of new young artists who are carving out their own path towards fame and fortune. Unless you look for such things and know who these people are, it may seem as though there is nothing going on. But there are always new artists in every media coming up. It all depends on the waters in which you swim.

Love is so powerful.

It can move mountains, it can heal, it can reach across time.

It is ever-present in the heart, and is always at the ready, waiting to be experienced.

One need only call it forth to witness it's great power.

-Bobby Miller©1988 Of course, you MUST be a Gemini!

Actually a triple Gemini to be exact.

PS: Never miss out on Love.

Thank you, Bobby!

Thank you Harryet!

THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 45

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TURNPARK ART SPACE PRESENTS VICTOR ROMANUL

51 PARK, WATERCOLOR

MARGUERITE BRIDE COMMISSIONS Is there a special occasion in your future? Anniversary? Wedding? Graduation? Retirement?

Selling a home and downsizing? A custom watercolor painting of a wedding venue, a home or other special location is a treasured gift.

Now is a great time to commission a house portrait or business or your favorite scene captured in a watercolor. Paintings (or even a personalized gift certificate, then I work directly with the recipient) make a cherished and personal gift for weddings, retirement, new home, old home, anniversaries…..any occasion is special.

Commission work is always welcome. And businesses get to use their painting in promotional purposes as well.

A very personal type of commission that has been becoming more popular….paintings of your wedding venue (church or other stunning setting, for example, the “Mount”). Or a “special” location that is meaningful to the bride and groom.

Perhaps a gift certificate to the bride and groom for a painting of a special scene from their honeymoon? Visit my website for info about an alternative wedding guest book as well.

Be in touch …it is guaranteed to be a fun adventure!

Marguerite Bride – Home Studio at 46 Glory Drive, Pittsfield, Massachusetts by appointment only. Call 413-841-1659 or 413-442-7718; margebride-paintings.com; margebride@aol.com; Facebook: Marguerite Bride Watercolors

TurnPark Art Space, the former marble quarry turned sculpture garden and recreational center in West Stockbridge, MA will present longtime Boston Symphony Orchestra member Victor Romanul in a performance of music for solo electric violin as LUNAMOR, Saturday, July 3 at 9:00PM. The program will feature digital projections by local artist Joe Wheaton.

A violinist who has been performing professionally since the age of seven, Romanul has been intrigued by the possibility of amplified playing ever since seeing Joe Venuti and Stephane Grappelli perform in clubs with microphones in his youth. Two years ago, he finally fulfilled the dream of owning his own electric violin during a visit to North Carolina to the only store in the country dedicated exclusively to electric bowed instruments. After trying a wide range of electric violins for two days straight, Romanul found his match.

The July 3 program will include music of Paganini, Vieuxtemps, Wienawski, Sauret, Ysaÿe, and Bach.

TurnPark Art Space is located at 2 Moscow Road in West Stockbridge, MA. The Park is open from 10AM to 5PM daily, Wednesday through Monday.

KATE KNAPP, THE GARDEN BY THE STREAM, OIL

FRONT ST. GALLERY 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. Private critiques available.

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. Perfect if you are seeking fresh insight into watercolors, and other mediums.

Front Street Gallery – Front Street, Housatonic, MA. Gallery open by appointment or chance anytime. 413-528-9546 at home or 413429-7141 (cell) www.kateknappartist.com

Art is unquestionable one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colours flowers, so does art colour life.

—John Lubbock

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ELIXIR Greetings friends of Elixir!

I am writing this in early June.

Last week I was supposed to take my granddaughters on our first of the summer beach trips to the North Shore.

It was 50 degrees and raining all weekend, so we had a cozy Konkapot Cottage visit with lots of card games, many pots of steaming tea and talks with the usual antics of 2 young teenagers, and a few meanders through the forest where one of them spotted some delicious Pheasant Back mushrooms!

This weekend we did not plan on going to the beach after deciding to give it a few weeks and it has been instant summer with ninety-degree days!

Thankfully, we have a pond & lake nearby to cool off in.

It has been a surreal transition from having a cafe in downtown Great Barrington to now doing private cooking and deciding what else to put on my plate of offerings as I move forward. As I catch my breath, I know that one thing that Elixir will offer now in addition to private cooking, is more instruction. You can go to the website to check in for some of the classes I will be offering including nutrition, cooking, macrobiotics, herbal preparations, energetics of food, juicing for various conditions and more.

There is an abundance of wildcrafting to be done now and I am happy to share the experience of creating foods and medicines from our own backyard with you.

Health and well-being consultations are another continued offering. Do you have a condition that you want to heal or work on, or have not had positive results with even though you have been working on it? I can assist you with making the right choices of foods, herbs, and lifestyle adjustments to get you closer to your optimal health.

Meanwhile, let’s all soak in the vitamin D while we can, immerse ourselves in the local lakes and ponds, hike through the incredible lush forests and hills of our beautiful Berkshires, and be THANKFUL that this is where we are fortunate enough to live.

Looking forward to hearing from you, cooking for your special occasion or your daily needs, seeing you at my classes, and/or helping you find optimum health & well-being SOON! ELIXIR - Nancy Lee; 413-644-8999; www.elixirgb.com; organictearoom@gmail.com; facebook: elixir; instagram: elixirtearoom

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MARK MELLINGER ABSURDIST ARTIST STATEMENT My work explores the interconnectedness of Bauhausian sensibilities and Trobriand Island chants. With influences as diverse as Noble Sissle and Shemp Howard, new insights are created from both mundane and transcendant dialogues.

Ever since I was a child I have been disturbed by the essential ephemarality of space/time. What starts out as circumlocutory vision soon becomes corrupted into a hegemony of greed, leaving only a sense of ennui and little chance of a new paradigm.

As spatial miasmas become transformed through emergent Unabhängigkeitserklärungen, the viewer is left with a catafalque for the prognostication of our future. www.markmellingerart.com markmellinger680@gmail.com

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Kathi Riley Rhythms Massage and Energy Work Phone or Text 413-822-229255 By appointment only 55 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, Ma 01240 www.RhythmsMassage.net THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2021 • 47

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Something For Over The Couch Part 2 THE SUBSTITUTE’S BOOK REPORT My first commissioned painting, for over my brother’s couch in his new apartment, was finished. I was confident he would like it, but taking it down from my easel and hanging it on the wall, I encountered an unexpected problem.

My painting was not flat. The bottom right corner stuck out from the wall a full three inches. If I pushed the offending corner against the wall, the top left corner would become the problem corner. What could one do in such a situation? This is what I did. I took the canvas off the wall, propped it against my foot, and began twisting the stretchers, stopping just short of cracking them. This made no perceptible difference.

I could think of no solution for this problem, but there was a solution living in a nearby town. The solution was a middle-aged woman, the wife of a brain surgeon, who had become bored with her life. I did not know this woman and had never met her, but one day about a month previous to the completion of the couch painting, she showed up as the substitute teacher for art class in my high school.

I have not mentioned that I was taking art in my junior year. I did not mention it because up until that time it did not matter to me at all. No art was being created in the art class. The teacher who taught art had been in the position perhaps as long as the school had been in existence, and over the years she had lost interest in art altogether. She did not even say anything to the students and she did not take attendance, but spent the day looking at magazines as if she were at home in her living room.

On the tables there were cigar boxes full of the stubs of old crayons, and the forty minutes of art class consisted of crayon wars. Everyone in the room, armed with handfuls of crayons, would throw them singly or in handfuls at each other. I said ‘everyone,’ but I was not involved in the crayon wars, because I would be seated in the back of the room doing homework. Later in the year, going through the storage in the back of the art room I came across some watercolor paper and paint sets, and so I set to work on my little watercolor abstraction activities. No one bothered me as I sat absorbed in doing art in the art room, and hardly ever was I struck by any crayons.

48 • JULY 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND

This happy state of anarchy came to a halt one day when our teacher did not appear, and ten minutes into the war of the crayons the principal himself entered the classroom. Ignoring the chaos in the room he solemnly announced, “Mrs. H. is not going to be here today, and she is likely to be absent for a considerable time.” He said the words ‘considerable time,’ in a peculiarly soft tone. To this information he added that a substitute would be coming for us later in the week and until then we should continue on our projects, gesturing to the crayon boxes.

The following day, a substitute did arrive, but we took no notice of her because she seemed to be some random person who was walking around the art room as if she had become lost.

Finally, after several minutes she summoned the classroom to attention, introduced herself and then said, “I will be your substitute, as Mrs. H. will be absent for… a considerable time.”

This substitute pronounced the words ‘considerable time,’ in the same subdued tone the principal had used, and so it became evident that it was death they were talking about. A littleknown, strange, old woman’s death. A person the students had been tormenting for years was going to die, and her death would usher in certain lifealtering possibilities.

Hanna was the first name of the substitute art teacher, and the class, having no idea what she was going to be like, was hesitant about launching into any crayon activities all at once.

She suggested that we resume whatever art project we were working on, and so everyone began to doodle on some available pieces of manila paper with the crayons and I resumed work on my watercolor abstractions.

The new art teacher did not copy her predecessor’s behavior. She did not begin looking at magazines but instead she would stand behind each student for some period of time, and then ask obscure questions and wait for an answer. These questions were very upsetting for my classmates, who had no idea how to respond to interrogations about their crayon drawings.

“Is it a car or a truck you are drawing?”

“It’s a truck,” someone would say, as if it could be the wrong answer.

“Why a truck?”

“I like trucks?”

“Why do you like trucks?”

These innocent and obvious inquiries seemed somehow to be probing for something personal, and after some of these questions my classmates became obstinately silent.

The class ended and she asked everyone to remain seated, although the bell had rung.

Then, in a very serious tone, she gave us a homework assignment. This was her ssignment. “Read a book about an artist and write a book report and submit it for a grade in one week.”

I do not know if it was the times we found ourselves living in, or simply the strangeness of the weather that week, but the homework assignment created an effect like a bomb going off somewhere in the distance. The effect was felt after the first few seconds of shocked silence, when someone named Anthony said, “Substitutes are not allowed to give assignments.” He said this with an air of certainty, as if you might find it on a plaque in the hall somewhere.

This was followed by his friend Raymond who said, “Assignments are not allowed in art class,” using the same tone as Anthony.

I would like to note here that Raymond and Anthony always sat next to each other in the art room. It was Raymond’s habit to rephrase and repeat anything Anthony said. Perhaps you know the type. They were certainly the type to protest any imagined injustices, but they did not have the imagination or the energy to take any action, so

organizers sprang up as if out of nowhere. Opposition to art assignments spread throughout the school, and students who had never signed up for the class were moved to say things like, “What next, final exams for recess? Term papers for the study hall?”

It was felt that something had to be done, and several of my classmates organized a protest and picketed the school the following morning with signs.

It was a small protest, carried out almost as a joke, and involved only a few boys, the ones who created the greatest amount of disruption in the art class. They were not serious about their protest and were probably just looking for an opportunity to march around carrying signs like we kept seeing in the news so often at that time.

I remember one sign that I thought was very smart. It said, “We draw the line, No art class assignments!”

I said to the boy with the sign, “That’s a smart pun.”

“What’s a pun?” he replied.

“You know, when you say two things at once, like ‘artists draw lines,’ and ‘draw the line… ’” “Artists don’t draw lines, they paint pictures with paints,” he said.

Have you ever tried to compliment someone, and it turns into an argument unexpectedly? I guess one should never compliment strangers, regardless of one’s good intentions.

I felt sorry for the art substitute, and I imagined that the principal, becoming aware of the mistake she had made, would probably have one of those little talks with her that people have to listen to, which contain three apologies followed by a reprimand. But I was mistaken. That morning when we arrived at the art class the substitute was not in the room, and the vice principal, not the principal, was lounging in a chair behind the desk. He was rapping a pen on the desk and looking down. It was one of those pens that you click to make the point retract. Every three taps of his pen, he would do a harder tap, which made a click sound as the point retracted. Then after a pause he would repeat the tapping pattern.

Why is it possible to recall such a trifle, which happened so many years ago? It’s because what happened next was an unexpected penultimate moment in my life at that point, and so in retrospect I often recalled the scene and its prologue.

The substitute entered the room and the principal walked to the door and greeted her and then, turning to the class, said, “This is your teacher, so do what she says.” Of course the significance of the moment had to do with it being the vice principal, whose job consisted of discipline, reprimands, and expulsions, and so it was obvious that his presence was intended as a warning.

All of this surprised me, but it was the substitute herself that shocked me the most because she was filled with such rage that she couldn’t speak, and had to attempt a few times to calm herself down before she managed to utter a word.

Finally she said, “Art… art is the most important subject you will ever have the good fortune to study.” This statement, which at the time seemed to be completely out of proportion and some sort of a reaction to a perceived insult, turned out to be absolutely correct.

She seemed to be a person who was very serious about art, and so I thought perhaps she would know what to do with warped paintings.

RICHARD BRITELL FOR PART 1 SPAZIFINEART.COM (SHORT STORIES)

tam NO BLEED marks july 21.qxp_Layout 1 6/30/21 9:10 PM Page 51

EDWARD ACKER PHOTOGRAPHER

Time Flies D Get Pictures EdwardAckerPhotographer.com 413-446-8348

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ANTHONY NORDOFF

“Renewal”, 2021, Pastel on paper, 22 x 30”

Renewal Liquid color Rises through stem to bud, Opening flower. Sun fragrance, Perfume of joy, Cascades into our hearts Warming our smile.

Summer!

See more art at: www.anthonynordoff.com