Artful Mind July 2010

SUE MANEY MACVEETY, Artist and AuthorPHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIE MCCARTHY

Berkshire Artzine

THEARTFULMINDJULY 2010

presentsNew Work June 19 - July 11

Marion Jansen Richard Michaels Jeannine SchoefferEleanor Lord Joan Guimmo Steve Porcella

Marybeth Merritt Sue Arkans Roberta HaasIska KenneyCarol Sue Donelan Diana Felber Doris Simon Nina Lipkowitz

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

July 17 - Sept 17The Manhattan Watercolors

by Kate KnappUnusual perspective on Manhattan Landscape seen through the eyes of the artist.

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

Opening Reception for Manhattan WatercolorsAugust 14TH 3-6pm Gallery

Hours: Sat-Sun, 12-5pm, or by appointmentFront St., next to the corner market, Housatonic, MA

please call gallery 413-274-6607home 413-528-9546 cell 413-429-7141

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

FRONT STREET GALLERYFront Street, Housatonic, MA

JULIE MCCARTHY PHOTOGRAPHERfrom THE HOME PROJECT

413. 298. [email protected] WWW.JULIEWMCCARTHY.COM

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET JULY 2010 ~ THEARTFULMIND 1

3 elm street stockbridge, ma

413-298-3044 schantzgalleries.com

raven steals the moon19 x 9 x 6

SCHANTZ GALLERIESc o n t e m p o r a r y g l a s s

The Origin of Mosquitoesand other Tales

The Art ofPreston Singletary

through July 20th

MICHAEL FILMUSView From Mt. Greylock, The Eastern Sky 12 x 24 Oil

413-528-5471 www.michaelfilmus.com

2 THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010

RUTH KOLBERT

GALLERY ONE6 PILL HILL, HILLSDALE, NEW YORK

HISTORIC EDGEWOOD * BUILT IN 1855

GALLERYONEJUST NORTH OF TRAFFIC LIGHT ON ROUTE 22 HILLSDALE, NY

518. 325. 4825 [email protected]

SCULPTURE BYWALTER BOELKE NANCYWINTERS, GARDEN CHAIR WITH PANSY, W/C

Featured ArtistsWalter Boelke Marjorie Echols Jorg Lanzrein Nancy Winters Outdoor sculptures on 5 acres of Trails

Sculpture, painting, photography, jewelry and ceramics

Reggie Madison Oil on Canvas 50 x 56

Park Row Gallery

Light and AstigmatismPaintings by Roger Mason

June 11- July 31Artist reception Saturday July, 11 2010 4-6pm

2 Park Row Chatham, NY 12037518-392-4800

Parkrowgallery.com

Paintings of People often Life-size or largerThe Barn Series - continues

New Landscapes

Oil Paintings PastelsWork can be seen at the artists studio

413-229-0380

Inquire about commissioned portraits

MUSEUMS & GALLERIESBERKSHIREART GALLERY80 Railroad St, Gt Barrington, MA 528-2690www.berkshireartgallery.com19th and early 20th Century American & Europeanart and sculpture, contemporary artists

BERKSHIREART KITCHENCREATIVITY / CONNECTION / CHANGE400 Main St, Gt Barrington, MA 413-717-0031 www.berkshireartkitchen.comThe Berkshire Art Kitchen is an artist-run social ex-periment committed to cooking up creativity, con-nection and change.Our vision is to create unique opportunities for per-sonal enrichment and positive social change throughmeaningful engagement in art, activism and advo-cacy. We invite you to join the experiment.BAK is open most weekends Friday - Sunday 12 - 5and by appointment or good fortune on any other day.

CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY622 Warren St, Hudson, NY 518-828-1915Summer Group Show, July 8 - August 8, 2010:David Konigsberg, Joseph Maresca, Monica Mech-ling, Shawn Snow

OLD CHATHAM COUNTRY STORE CAFGALLERYVillage Square, Old Chatham New YorkRoger Mason Day and Night. Featuring oil paint-ings of night- and day-time scenes of ColumbiaCounty and abroad by the internationally known artist. July 2 28.Gallery open Tuesday Sunday from 7 a.m. 4 p.m. (closing earlyJuly 4). Reception to meet the artist Sunday afternoon, July 11 from3 5 p.m. sharp.

CHURCH STREET ART GALLERY34 Church St, Lenox, MA 637-9600Significant folk art pieces. Also works by David Eddy,Paul Graubard, Paul Jarvis and Larry Zingale.(Fri-Mon, 11am-4:30pm or by appointment)

CRIMI STUDIOLocated 2 miles from theAncram/Hudson exit of the Taconic StateParkway. Viewing by appointment 518-851-7904July exhibition of oil paintings at Gallery at B & G Wines, Hills-dale, NY. Paintings of rich color and form. Crimi studio in idyllicsetting.

DAVID DEW BRUNER DESIGN610 Warren St, Hudson, NY 914-466-4857New paintings by David Roth. July 10th toAugust 10th. The open-ing will be held on Saturday July 10th from 6pm to 8 pm.(Gallery hours are Fri, Sat and Sun 11 to 5 or by appointment.)

DON MULLER GALLERY40 Main St, Northampton, MA 586-1119Beautiful American crafts, jewelry and glass, more

FERRIN GALLERY437 North St, Pittsfield, [email protected] 413-442-1622SUSAN MIKULA: American Vale: Recent PhotographsSolo exhibition of new work. Exhibition: June 26th throughAugust1st.

HIGH FALLS STUDIOSRoute 213 High Falls NY 12440 [email protected], Past and Present by Vincent Connelly, July 10, 2010 -September 30, Reception: Sunday July 11 th, 3pm -5pm

BRILLGALLERY243 Union Street, North Adams, MA 413-664-4353Studio 109 - MIXED MEDIA Exhibition includes the abstractpaintings of Arthur Yanoff, saturated watercolors of Nava Grun-feld, photographs of Roy Volkmann, assembleages ofAbby Rieser,sculptures of Jon Isherwoodand Richard Harrington and others.June - August. Open Fridays - Sundays 12 - 6PM and by appoint-ment.

GLORIAMALCOLMARNOLD FINEARTUpstairs at 69 Church St, Lenox, MA 637-2400Realistic art that never goes out of style, artwork that evokes themood and memories of yesterday. Rotating exhibitions of scratch-board by Lois I. Ryder and oils and watercolors by Gloria MalcolmArnold. Open year round.

HUDSON VALLEYARTS CENTER337 Warren St, Hudson, NY 800-456-0507Regional and nationally-known artisans

JOHN DAVIS GALLERY362 1/2 Warren St., Hudson, New YorkRoberto Juarez : Summer Show: Oil Paintings

LAUREN CLARK FINEART402 Park St, Housatonic, MA 274-1432www.LaurenClarkFineArt.comAnd Now for Some Things Completely Different NewWorks byRichard Britell, July 10-August 2. Reception for the Artist, Satur-day, July 10, 5-8pm. Fine art, contemporary craft, custom framing.(Business hours are Thursday-Monday, 11-5:30 and Sunday, 12-4)

MARGUERITE BRIDE STUDIOwww.margebride.comCustom House and Business Portraits, Local Color, watercolorscenes of the Berkshires, New England and Tuscany. Original wa-tercolors and Fine Art Reproductions. Visit website for exhibitschedule

MORGAN LEHMAN GALLERY24 Sharon Road/Rt. 41, Lakeville, CT 860-435-0898Exposed: Photography Group Show, July 3 - 25. Reception: Satur-day, July 3, 5:00 - 7:00pm. (Gallery Hours: Friday through Sunday11am - 5pm or by appointment)

PAPER CITY PROJECT SPACE80 Race St., HolyokeJust down the road from Heritage Park and across the canal fromthe Canal Gallery, off Dwight Street."Pioneer Women & Wonderland". Over 40 talented artists fromNYC, the Berkshires and the Pioneer Valley. Opening receptionwill be Saturday, June 19th from 5 - 8 PM, there will be a specialperformance with Karen Dolmanisth as a "PioneerWoman inWon-derland" with some special guest performance with the Mad Hatterand White Rabbit. (Galleries will be open every Sat & Sun from 1- 4 pm until July 31.)

PARK ROWGALLERY2 Park Row, Chatham, NY 518-392-4800Local Legend Roger Mason Exhibits Paintings at Park Row Gallery"Light and Astigmatism," a solo exhibition of oil paintings byRoger Mason will be on view at Park Row Gallery in Chatham, NYfrom June 11th - July 31st. Reception Saturday, July 10, 4pm-6pm,and the public is cordially invited to attend.

SCHANTZ GALLERIES3 Elm St, Stockbridge, MA 413-298-3044www.schantzgalleries.com.Feature Exhibition Runs: May 20 June 31, 2010:Continuingthrough July 30 The Origin of Mosquitoes and Other Tales; theArt of Preston Singletary features the most work ever in thegallery; Timeless Vestiges:Artwork from theArchives ofWilliamMorris; Continuing through August Maestro Lino Tagliapietra

;Beginning July 20 September 20 Chihulyin New England. This location has been oneof the nations leading destinations for thoseseeking premier artists working in glass.Spring gallery hours are daily 11 - 5

STANMEYER GALLERY1286 Monterey Road (Route 23) 413-854-3799John Stanmeyer, known for his numerousphotographs in Time magazine and NationalGeographic, is now exhibiting a retrospectiveof his work, shown in a newly opened gallerylocated in his studio in West Otis, Mass. Thepublic is invited to view the images on week-ends and holiday, or by appointment.

STUDIO21SOUTH189 Beaver St. (Route 8), North Adams(approx 1 mi from Mass MoCA)413-652-2141 / [email protected] Places, June 25 -July 26, a groupshow featuring painterly interpretations ofeveryday scenes. Open Saturdays, 1-5, Sun-day, 10-1, and most weekdays and other timesby appointment or by chance.THE ECLIPSE MILLGALLERY243 Union Street, North Adams, MAAbstraction NOW, June 25 through July 18,2010. Opening Reception: Friday, June 25, 6to 8 PM. In addition to the exhibition, theEclipse Mill Gallery is presenting a series of

gallery talks about abstract painting, including: Ed Carson, Sunday,June 27, from 3 - 4 pm. Katharine Borkowski-Byrne, Sunday, July11, from 3 - 4 pm. Gallery hours for this show Saturday 12noon -5PM

THE LENOX GALLERYOF FINEART69 Church St, Lenox, MA 413-637-2276Michael Filmus: Opening reception, Saturday, August 7, 1-5pm. Featuring artists such as Stephen Filmus along with many oth-ers including Paula Stern, Sculpture

WELLES GALLERYWelles Gallery, the Lenox Library,18 Main Street, Lenox, MA.Featuring two groups of watercolor paintings by Robert U. Taylorfrom June 5- August 14.

MUSIC, THEATREAND DANCE

ASTON MAGNAwww.astonmagna.orgTheAstonMagna Festival celebrates its 38th year with a tasty menuof 17th and 18th century music presented in the Hudson Valley andin the Berkshires (Bard College on Friday evenings at 8pm, andSimons Rock College on Saturday evenings at 6pm.

BACHAND FORTH426 Stockbridge Rd, rte 7, Gt Barrington, MA 413-528-9277Fri, Aug 13, 8pm: Bach and Forth. Classical Music in a night clubsetting: dinner, dessert & performance by the American Contem-porary Music Ensemble: Bachs Art of Fugue and Two World Pre-mieres

BERKSHIREART KITCHENCREATIVITY / CONNECTION / CHANGE400 Main St, Gt Barrington, MA 413-717-0031 www.berk-shireartkitchen.comThe Listening Room Series will feature live performances and openjam sessions held on the First Friday of each month. The Open JamSession will allow members of the audience to join in and experi-ment with creating new sounds together just remember to bringyour instruments!

TANGLEWOODLenox, MABoston Symphone Orchestra, July 9: Opening performance withMahlers Symphony No. 2.

THE GYPSY JOYNT389 Stockbridge Rd. in Great Barrington, MA413-644-8811 www.yallsjoynt.comMondern Honky-Tonk Band, The Sweetback sisters in concert,Thurs. 7/15, 8pm, tix $15.

WWW.ARFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010 3

Core de Calla', Nicholas ContentaRecent photographs by Nicolas Contenta

Black and white prints shot in Italy, Spain, & Greece shown through September. 8:00 am - 2:30 pm dailyOpening Reception Saturday July 10th 5pm - 7pm

Caffe Pomo D'oro -The Train Station, 6, Depot Street, West Stockbridge, MA 01266 413 232 4616

SUMMER-TIME.2010. / CALENDAR


THE HEVREH ENSEMBLEORIGINALWORLD CHAMBER MUSICHevreh of Southern Berkshire, 270 State Road, Great Barrington,MA. Reservations: 413-528-6378http://hevrehensemble.com / [email protected] Thursday July 22 at 8 PM, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire willpresent a Gala Fundraiser Concert featuring The Hevreh Ensemble;a group that performs original World Chamber Music by groupmember and composer, Jeff Adler. The members of the ensembleare Jeff Adler- Composer, Bass Clarinet, Native American Flutes& Percussion; Judith Dansker- Oboe, Oboe Damore, English Horn& Native American Flutes; Laurie Friedman- Clarinet, NativeAmerican Flutes and Percussion;AdamMorrison- Keyboard.Tick-ets: $15 in advance; $20 at door.

THE HEVREH ENSEMBLE- ORIGINALWORLD CHAM-BER MUSIC270 State Road in Great Barrington, MA 413-528-6378July 22nd at 8:00 PM, Gala Fundraiser Concert featuring TheHevreh Ensemble; a group that performs original WorldChamber Music by group member and composer, Jeff Adler.

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

THE MUSEUMAT BETHELWOODSBethel, Rte 17, Exit 104, NY bethelwoodscenter.orgThe Story of the 60s and Woodstock. Museum located at the siteof the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

WORKSHOPS & LECTURESCHESTERWOOD4 Williamsville Rd (off Rte 183), Stockbridge. 413-298-3579July 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31:Afternoon workshops and demonstrationswill be held every Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. with the artists repre-sented in the exhibition Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood2010. Free with admission to the site; Aug. 7, 14, 21, and 28: Af-ternoon workshops and demonstrations will be held every Saturdayfrom 2 to 4 p.m. with the artists represented in the exhibition Con-temporary Sculpture at Chesterwood 2010. Free with admission tothe site.

EN PLEINAIR CLASSES :: DDFA518-828-2939 / www.ddfagallery.comJoin us at Hidden Pond on Tuesdays in July, Tues. July 6 & 20 paint with HM Saffer, II, Tues. July 13 & 27 draw with MajKalfus, 9:30am-4pm $60 per session includes lunchFor more information or to reserve a space in one of the classes,call: Located in Mid-Columbia County, on a rise in a clearing sur-rounded by trees, Hidden Pond provides a serene environment in abeautiful rural setting just five short miles from Hudson, NY.

KATE KNAPP FRONT STREET GALLERYHousatonic, MA (next to the Corner Market) 274-6607 www.kateknappartist.comSpring and Summer Classes at Front Street studio now open forregistration...Mon Wed Thurs. 9:30-1pm Landscape Class Thurs.Please call the studio/gallery for more info Calendar: June 19- July11 Studio Group Show, Recent Work. Berkshire landscapes, Por-traits and Still Lifes July 17-Sept 17. The Manhattan Landscapesby Kate Knapp.... Large watercolors of many different areas ofNYC This Gallery is also Kate Knapp's studio so there is always agreat deal of varied work to be seen. (gallery hrs: Sat & Sun 12-5,and by appt.)

LAURANORMAN REFLEXOLOGYStockbridge, MA 413-854-2615 www.lauranorman.com [email protected] Introductory Foot, Hand, Ear, Face Reflexology WorkshopSat, Sun, Mon, August 28-30, 9am-6pmAll levels welcome. (24 NCBTMB CE Contact Hours Available).Experience a unique, guided, hands-on introduction to Foot, Hand,Ear and Face Reflexology. Learn powerful nurturing techniques thatreduce stress, increase your energy and enhance your health andwell being with the Laura Norman Method, including Laura Nor-mans NEW Hand and Face Reflexology techniques and pressurepoints. Take your first step toward a new career in complementaryhealthcare or expand your current practice! Led by Master Instruc-tor Sande Rosen. Continue on to our 12-Day Foot, Hand, Ear Re-flexology Certification Training offered weekdays or weekends:Mon-Wed Sept 20-22, 27-29, Oct 18-20, 25-27 OR Fri-Sun Sept24-26, Oct 1-3, 8-10, 22-24; 4-Day Hand Reflexology Certification,Oct 4-7; 2-Day Face Reflexology Certification, Oct 12-13. Privatesessions by appointment.

PAULAGOTTLIEBSUMMER CLASSES andWORKSHOPS413-634-0066 [email protected] Painting All Levels, Mon 1-3 pm ,July 12 - August 2at the Cummington studio; Also: at the Becket Arts Center,Becket MA, Thurs July 8 - August 26 1:15-4:15 pmhttp://www.becketartscenter.org/ 413-623-6635Watercolor Workshop/Retreat for Women: August 17, 18, 19,10am - 4pm, $325; Painting the Landscape on the Summit of Mt.Greylock Septr 18 10am-4pm, raindate Sept 19

SABINE VOLLMER VON FALKENPHOTOGRAPHYWORKSHOPS413-298-4933Sabine offers outdoor workshops for the advanced amateur photog-raphers in June. Sabine offers Magic Outdoor Workshops at Dawnand Dusk, September 25, October 3, 10, 17- sundays

SPECIAL EVENTS

MUMBET DAYAugust 21, 2010The Ashley House, Ashley Falls, MAIn Collaboration with The Trustees of Reservations, Elizabeth Free-man Center, African American Heritage Trail & The MarketplaceCome celebrate Sheffields local Heroine, Elizabeth MUMBETFreeman. Mumbets Walk to Freedom, A Re-enactment with Co-authors Jana Laiz andAnn-Elizabeth Barnes of AFREEWOMANONGODS EARTH The True Story of Elizabeth Mumbet Free-man, The Slave Who Won Her Freedom to benefit The ElizabethFreeman Center

Deadline for calendar listings: JULY 15 for August

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[email protected]

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010 5

Believing nothing. O monk, merely becuase youhave been told it.-Siddharta Gautama

MICHAEL FILMUSIn the early morning, from the summit of Mt. Greylock, welook to the eastern sky. There, just over the horizon the firstrays of sunlight fan out striking white clouds and turning themto gold. As the sun rises the clouds disperse and our attentiondrifts down to the rolling hills of the Berkshires.Michael Filmus has painted the Berkshire landscape for manyyears. He has exhibited his work in one-man shows at the Berk-shire Museum in Pittsfield and at the Welles Gallery in Lenox.In New York he has been represented by Hirschl & Adler Gal-leries and David Findlay Jr., Fine Art. Filmus works are in nu-merous private and public collections including the Art Instituteof Chicago and the Butler Institute of American Art. Michael Filmus may be contacted in the Berkshires at 413-

528-5471 or through his website www.michaelfilmus.com

KAREN ANDREWSINNER VISION STUDIO

Inner Vision Studio is one the Berkshires few true artist-owned galleries offering a delightful range of photography, wa-tercolor, drawing and giclee prints by local artist KarenAndrews. Unlike commercial galleries, in which artists tends topeg themselves to a particular medium and style, Inner Visionexpresses the full range of one artists creativity, from MagicalRealist Housatonic Hand-Painted series, to her FeminineViews of the Mechanical World photographs to her deeplyspiritual landscape photography such as The Enchanted ForestSeries. A prolific watercolorist, landscape photographer and artist of

many moods, styles and mediums, Karen blends the contempo-rary with the traditional. She employs sophisticated composi-tions with surfaces that virtually sing and dance with color,gesture and movement. You will find award-winning photo-graphic prints which may appeal to the summer visitor wantinga remembrance of this beautiful and sacred land. Or you mayencounter some of her more recent experimental drawings, andbe invited in to experience her sometimes edgy creative process.Whatever the medium, whatever the style, Karen Andrews andInner Vision Studio will help you feel more alive!Inner Vision Studio - located just north of West Stockbridge

center, at Furnace Road, corner of Cone Hill Road, go 1 milenorth on Swamp Rd from West Sockbridge Center, take left atCone Hill Rd, 2nd left onto Furnace Rd. Look for colorful bluebuilding on the right. Galleryhours: open in the summer everySat and Sun, 1-5 pm, or by appoint-ment. 413-232-4027.

FRONT STREET GALLERY

During July at Front Street Gallery, see new work by Mar-ion Jansen, Richard Michaels, Jeannine Schoeffer, EleanorLord, Joan Guimmo, Steve Porcella, Marybeth Merritt, SueArkans., Roberta Haas, Iska Kenney, Carol Sue Donelan,Diana Felber, Doris Simon, and Nina Lipkowitz.June 19 - July 11 see beautiful landscapes, portraits and

still lifes in watercolor, oil, pastel andcollage.July 17- Sept 17 see The Manhattan Watercolors by Kate

Knappunusual perspective on Manhattan landscape... seenthrough the eyes of the artist. Familiar places and unknownneighborhoods beautifully captured in the illusive medium ofwatercolor. This is a place the artist loves, and wants us to getto know, even better than we already do.Opening reception for Manhattan Watercolors is August

14, 3 6 pm. Summer Classes at Front Street studio open for registration

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:30-1 pm. Landscapeclasses are held on Thursday. Call the studio/gallery for moreinformation. This is also Kate Knapps studio so there is al-ways a great deal of varied work to be seen. Front Street Gallery, Front St., Housatonic, MA - Gallery

Hours: Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm or by appointment; callgallery at 413-274-6607, home at 413-528-9546, or cell at413-429-7141.

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

PRAYER BOWL

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

6 THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

JAMES AUGUST WEBERPROFESSIONAL WOODWORKERWWW.BERKSHIRECONTRACTOR.COM

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

Teaching Furniture Design and Building in Poughkeepsie,New York led Weber to open a successful shop and retail galleryon Marthas Vineyard which he operated from 1979 until mov-ing to the Berkshires in 1986. Working on the Vineyard alsoprovided an opportunity to work on the interior of many finesailing vessels.In the Berkshires, Jim learned the craft of the Timber framer,

building post and beam homes and log timber homes, as well ascommon methods of stick framing, while applying the skill ofthe fine woodworker artisan.Our current undertaking is a custom home on Blunt Road

in Egremont, MA. It was designed in our office, and is sched-uled for completion this summer. Please contact me to have alook around. I love to talk shop!You may have seen Weber as the guy with the whistle that

leads the Berkshire Bateria Samba drummers, but he also leadshis crew of experienced artisan builders.

Through the J.W. Construction, Webber has been offeringhis General Contracting and carpentry services in the Berkshiresfor over 20 years.

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

IS183Water-Colorist, Mel StabinKimberly Rawson 9

Roger Mason, ArtistStephanie Campbell 14

Planet Waves AstrologyEric Francis 18

Bob Crimi, ArtistHarryet Candee

22

Greater Backfish RoundupBob Balogh 26

Architecture & ArcadiaStephen Dietemann 27

PUBLISHER Harryet Candee COPY EDITOR Marguerite Bride

PROOFREADER: Rae A. Eastman & Deborah Davis

ADVERTISING AND LAYOUT DESIGNHarryet Candee

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND MONTHLY COLUMNISTSBob Balogh, Harryet Candee, Stephen Gerard Dietemann,

Eric Francis, Nanci Race, Kimberly Rawson

PHOTOGRAPHERSThaddeus Kubis, Julie McCarthy Sabine Vollmer von Falken

DISTRIBUTIONR. Dadook, John Cardillo

120 PIXLEY ROAD, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 01230

[email protected]

413-528-5628 Deadline for the AUGUST issue is JULY 15, 2010FYI: Copyright laws in effect throughout The Artful Mind for logo & all

graphics including text material. Copyright laws for photographers and writersthroughout The Artful Mind. Permission to reprint is required in all instances

The Artful Mind July 2010

Sue MacVeety, Author and Artistphotographed by Julie McCarthy

Our Art....Our way

www.artfulmind.netNo matter what goes on in our life,

we will always have our Art to keep us going.

THE ARTFUL MIND

CARRIE HADDAD GALLERYSUMMER GROUP SHOW

An exhibition of new works by David Konigsberg, JosephMaresca, Monica Mechling and Shawn Snow comprising theSummer Group Show will take place at the Carrie HaddadGallery. The exhibit runs from Thursday July 8 to Sunday, Au-gust 8 with a reception for the artists on Saturday, July 10 from6 8 pm. The public is invited to attend.

David Konigsberg is a conceptual realist. For this exhibithe offers two distinct views: very large paintings noting thesmall details of daily life, and small paintings of the big dra-matic Hudson Valley farming landscape. In the still life paint-ing Ebenezer Whites, a bunch of harvested white onions ona platter, a kitchen knife and a patterned tablecloth are seen fromthe cooks viewpoint, a familiar little moment in the kitchen.The opposite play of unexpected scale occurs in Across Route9, a small landscape depicting a very low horizon line withfurrowed fields, and a big sky of fluffy, hovering clouds. Thefinishing glaze gives these oil paintings on panel a wash of lightand depth. This is David Konigsbergs fourth exhibit at thegallery. He divides his time between Brooklyn and Ghent, NYand will be donating a percentage of his proceeds to the Colum-bia Land Conservancy.Joseph Maresca returns to the gallery after his recent exhibit

of exquisitely detailed film scene interiors. Like Konigsberg, heeasily transitions between very small and very large canvases,by reversing the scale and painting large, almost Fauvist, land-scapes. He paints these new works with bold, diagonal slashesof color and refers to the process as the idea of sewing, ofweaving colors together. The paintings are a textured, pris-matic latticework that leads the eye into the wetlands andforests, the view lines along the Hudson River. The large scalepainting Sunshower weaves light and vivid colors in a waythat feels saturated and brilliant, like a summer day after the

rain. Joseph Maresca has had a long career in the both the dec-

orative and fine arts and lives in Rhinecliff, NY with a viewof the Hudson River from his studio.With her love of classical sculpture, Monica Mechling

creates an elegant feminine world out of clay. For this newseries of gunmetal grey figures with wrapped torsos andfalse faces, the medium is a type of resin clay that sculptsbeautifully. Mechling states, The clay guides me as muchas I guide the clay. The Kabuki-like serene heads havebeen blackened with graphite which is suspended in anacrylic medium, painted on, fired, and then burnished.Mechlings figures are disarmingly beautiful and struggleto free themselves from societys expectations. MonicaMechling lives and works in Hudson, NY.

Shawn Snows abstract paintings draw the eye into hisworld of erosion, rust, detritus and decay. Using oil stick,encaustic, and various resins, oils and glues, says Snow,develop resonant surfaces both visual and tactile. Thecanvases are transformed into planes of oxidizing metals, orweathered slabs of stone. Again the eye sees somethingother than the paint on canvas, something older, deeper,more ephemeral, a depiction of lost time in the weatheredtones of the natural world. Shawn Snow has exhibited withCarrie Haddad for fifteen years and lives in Troy, NY.

Carrie Haddad Gallery, 622 Warren Street, Hudson,NY. The gallery is open from 11-5 daily during the sum-mer. For directions or more information call the gallery at518-828-1915 or online at www.carriehaddadgallery.com

DAVID KONIGSBERG,ROAD TO SPENCERTOWNMIXED MEDIA ON PANEL, 16.5 X 18

JULY 2010 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND 7

JULIANNE D. BRESCIANIGARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Alford resident and avid gardener, Julianne D. Bresciani, hascombined her love of flowers, gardening, and yoga into a med-itative art form of garden photography. While she claims to haveknown nothing about gardening when she first began her gardenjourney, a friend describes her as a mid life flower child.

Most, if not all of the flowers that she photographs comefrom Juliannes garden. They have been planted in seed and rootand bulb form and tended to by the artist herself. Ms. Brescianistates that her garden has seen her through many seasons of herlife and has fed her soul on a very deep level. She is happiestworking in her garden!Her love for flowers became a passion. Ordering her seeds

in January, planting seedlings, planting the garden, tending tothem in the early morning hours or the late evening hours andenjoying enormous bounty with and from them whether insidethe garden or not. Her photographs invite the viewer to betouched by the generosity of nature and signs most of her workfrom the heart of my garden, to the garden of your heart. Ms. Brescianis background was in fashion and merchandis-

ing with degrees from Marymount College, Arlington, Virginiain 1968 and The Tobe Coburn School for Fashion in New York.She later went on to complete studies for social work and has amasters degree from New York University in Social Work. Ms.Bresciani has a private physcotherapy practice in New Yorkwhere she continues to work with people on a part time basis.She divides her time between New York and the Berkshires. Julianne has shown her work at Coppertops, The Lifebridge

Sanctuary, and The Capitol Arts Network; also at the BerkshiresArts Festival in 2008 and The Lenox Garden Club tour thatsame year. Her work was at the One of a Kind Gift Show & Salein New York this past winter and can be seen in the windows ofGuidos this May and June. She will be exhibiting at the Dou-glas Flackman Gallery of Fine Art in Great Barrington this July.Her work includes plexi mounted pieces as well as fine artpieces, cards, calendars, and custom contemporary wedding in-vitations.Julianne Bresciani - www.julianneb.com. Seen by appoint-

ment. The artist can be reached at 413-528-3720 or 212-752-3344.

LAUREN CLARK FINE ARTNEW WORKS BYRICHARD BRITELL

Lauren Clark Fine Art presents And Now for Some ThingsCompletely Different, from architecture to animals, fromminiatures to the life sized figure, an exhibit that revisits all ofthe subject matter of R. P. Britells long and complicated career.A Statement from the Artist:

A one person show almost always consists of a group ofworks that are related in terms of style, size and content. WhenI taught painting in college I would sometimes say to my stu-dents, Since you will want to have a one person show, try toimagine what your show might look like. Picture a room full ofyour paintings, would they be large, or would they be small,would they be full of saturated color, or would they be mono-chrome? Would they be landscapes, or still life, figure or ab-straction? Would they he hard edged, or soft and blended?Would they be cheerful and optimistic, or full of dread?When Lauren Clark invited me to do a one person show with

her for July, I had to put this question to myself, and this was myanswer. I wanted my show to consist of pictures that were largeand pictures that were small. I wanted some to be cheerful, andsome to be full of dread. I wanted to have figures, landscapes,and still lifes. I wanted pictures that were full of color, andpieces that were monochrome. If there were going to be figuresI wanted some to be beautiful and some to be ugly. I did however have some criterion in mind, when choosing

individual pieces. My first rule of thumb is to ask myself whata certain picture might symbolize, or signify. If I can answerthis question then I do not do that image. If I have no idea at allwhy I want to do a work, but, nevertheless very much want todo it, then I know that image is to be part of my exhibition. So,here is a set of works, tied together by only one criteria, whichis that I do not know why I did them.And Now for Some Things Completely Different, July 10-

August 2. Reception for the Artist, Saturday, July 10, 5-8pm.Lauren Clark Fine Art is located at 402 Park Street (Route 183)in Housatonic, Massachusetts. Business hours are Thursdaythrough Monday from 11:00 until 5:30 and on Sunday fromNoon until 4:00. For more information call 413.274.1432, orvisit the website at www.LaurenClarkFineArt.com

NEUMANN ART ANDTHE SOCIETY FOR COMMERCIAL

ARCHEOLOGYThe Society for Commercial Archeology is a national or-

ganization devoted to the buildings, artifacts, structures,signs, and symbols of the 20th-century commercial landscape.The purpose of the Society is to recognize the unique histori-cal significance of the 20th-century commercial built environ-ment and cultural landscapes of North America. The SCAoffers publications, conferences, and tours to help preserve,document, and celebrate diners, highways, gas stations, drive-in theaters, bus stations, tourist courts, neon signs, and a lotmore: www.sca-roadside.org . The following is reprintedwith permission from an article by Douglas Towne in theSpring 2010 edition of the SCA Journal.

While most SCA members battle the blight of big box re-tail outlets with a digital camera, Jeffrey L. Neumann uses atool from an earlier era. Skilled with a paintbrush using eitheroils or watercolors, Neumann executes his paintings of postWorld War II architectural vernacular to, as he notes, provideopportunities for our youth to experience the rich tapestry of20th Century roadside America through preservation and edu-cation.

Examining the weathered clapboards of Neumanns TheLobster Pot, one can almost get a whiff of the salt air and vi-sualize the little tin containing melted butter that will be sit-ting on the dinner plate next to the steaming crustacean.

Neumanns nocturnal renderings of establishments likethe Tic Toc Lounge powerfully convey the beauty of theneon-lit faade yet capture the slight hesitation that invariablystrikes us when we think about walking through the entranceof an unfamiliar place at night. Its a little rush of adrenalinethat I cant seem to get when opening the door of a corporatechain.

Jeffrey L. Neumanns studio and gallery is at 65 ColdwaterSt., Hillsdale, NY. Open Tuesday Saturday 10 - 4 and by ap-pointment. 413-246-5776, www.neumannfineart.com

JEFFREY NEUMANN

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

JULIANNE D. BRESCIANI,PHOTOGRAPH BY SABINE VOLLMER VON FALKEN


AARDENBURG IMAGING & ARCHIVES

Aardenburg Imaging & Archives, founded in 2007, is locatedin the historic Hyde House in Lee, MA. AaI&A primarily con-ducts research and real-world aging studies on the permanenceof digital print media in collaboration with photographers andprintmakers around the world. Photography and printmakinghas been a passion of AaI&As director, Mark H. McCormick-Goodhart, for over 40 years. Mark is a materials scientist, andhe was formerly the senior research photographic scientist forthe Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC from 1988-1998before returning to the private sector to continue preservationresearch on digital imaging technologies.My family moved to Lee in 2007. The Berkshire Mountains

are breathtaking, and there is clearly a vibrant community forboth the performing and the visual arts. Although much ofMarks work is scientific in nature, Mark is also an avid photog-rapher and printmaker. In 1996, Mark co-founded Old TownEditions with partner, Chris Foley, in Alexandria, Virginia. Ilearned digital fine art printing in its early and formative stageswith IRIS 3047 printers and the emergence of Gicle printingfor artists. Collaborating directly in the digital printmakingprocess with other artists has made me a better photographerand printmaker. To my surprise, it has also made me a betterscientist. Because the research at AaI&A encompasses state-of-the-art

digital printing technologies, the company maintains a smallprint studio with modern wide-format inkjet printers. Theseprinters need to be used frequently in order to keep runningsmoothly. In order to accomplish this objective Mark has re-cently decided to offer the excess capacity of these amazingprinters at reasonable rates to local artists wishing to create dig-itally mastered prints, paintings, and photographs. If you are aphotographer or an artist looking for digital print output of thehighest quality and/or want to learn digital imaging and printingfrom an expert, please contact Mark.

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

BERKSHIRE DIGITALEntering its fifth year of business, Berkshire Digital is an

art service that offers very high quality digital photography ofpaintings as well as Gicle printing on archival papers andcanvas. Artists & photographers use BD to create limited edi-tions of their images. Private collectors and galleries use BDto document their collections. Whether the photography needsare for archiving, printing or internet use, BD adheres to verystrict color controls along with delivering stunning detail byusing a large format camera with a Better Light digitalscanning back for photography and Canon printers usingarchival pigmented inks for prints.In addition to the photography and printing services, Berk-

shire Digital also offers graphic design, enabling clients tocreate show announcements, post cards and brochures. Thewebsite has a complete overview along with prices.Owner, Fred Collins, has been a commercial photographer

for 30 years with studios in Boston and Stamford. Fifteenyears ago, he began working with the software manipulationprogram Photoshop and gradually added extensive retouch-ing capabilities to help with his clients needs. His wife Alisonowns The Iris Gallery, located in Great Barrington & Boston.

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

THE ART CONSERVANCYThe Art Conservancy is a full service studio specializing in

the preservation and restoration of oil paintings. Whether oncanvas or solid supports, The Art Conservancy has over thirtyyears of experience in repairing the damage and deteriorationwrought by accident or the natural progression of age. We workto first address issues of stabilization and structural repair, suchas tears and rips in the canvas, split or cracked damage to solidsupports, and chipped, tented or flaking to the paint layer. Sec-ondly, we carefully remove any layers of surface contaminantsand discolored varnishes. Each work of art requires optimalrestoration for maintaining historic and esthetic value. Our ex-pertise is the execution of optimal and appropriate restoration.

The Art Conservancy has received commissions from nu-merous museums, art galleries, historical societies, and privatecollectors for preserving their most treasured art. If your art isin need of assistance, The Art Conservancy can help. We adhereto the professional standard and practices of the American In-stitute of Conservation. We offer museum quality work, afford-able pricing and individual service.In addition to our work with paintings, The Art Conservancy

also offers assistance in the preservation of works on paper,such as prints, lithographs, etchings and watercolor, and the re-pair of three dimensional objects of art, from antique fishinglures, to painted furniture.Owner and lead conservator, Craig Kay, has over thirty years

experience as a painting conservator, having owned and run stu-dios in Westport CT, Kauai HI, Nantucket MA, and now in theBerkshires. All consultations are free of charge.The Art Conservancy, 130 North Egremont Rd. Alford, MA,

01230. 413-528-2452, [email protected]

TYPICALLY DAMAGED PAINTING

Summer Group ShowDavid Konigsberg Monica Mechling Joseph Maresca Shawn Snow

July 8 Through July 5

Reception for the artists on Saturday, July 10 from 6 8 pm. The public is invited to attend.

Carrie Haddad Gallery 622 Warren Street, Hudson, NY.

Hours: open daily 11 a.m. - 5p.m Thursday through Monday 518-828-7655 www.carriehaddadgallery.com

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

JULY 2010 THE ARTFUL MIND 9

IS183 ART SCHOOL OF THE BERKSHIRES

By Kimberly RawsonThose of us who piled in to Pittsfields East Coast Refinishing

facility in March for IS183s Radioactive Bodega, the artschools annual fundraising gala, wont soon forget the sheerenormity of the industrial space where the party was held. Thatnight it was fantastically decorated and filled with hundreds ofcostumed partygoers bedecked in creative interpretations of apost apocalyptic world, one more over-the-top than the next,pulsing dance music by DJ BFG and writhing go-go dancerssuspended in cages. Recently I returned there to meet with MarkHanford of the artists collaborative Group W to learn moreabout him, Group W, and the upcoming IS183 welding work-shop hell be teaching at East Coast Refinishing this summer.By day, the place is all business and seems even more enor-

mous than I remembered. In fact, the 28,000-square-foot build-ing truly is massive, with walls as high as 300 feet. A gargoylewith sinister, glittering eyes crouches on the roof, observing myarrival. As Hanford had previously instructed, I enter through aside door adorned with a memorial wreath of plastic flowers anda ribbon stating Our Hero. I tentatively step inside, wheremusic is blasting from a powerful stereo system, and allow myeyes to adjust to the dark, cavernous space. Hanford approacheswith a warm smile, shakes my hand, offers me a beer, and asmysteriously as he appeared hes gone, fading into the shadowsof the buildings interior gloom.While I wait, I take in my vast surroundings. There are work

spaces lit by pools of stark industrial lighting. Men are workingon a motorcycle in an 800-square-foot paint booth. A pile of im-possibly dense and heavy steel panels is neatly stacked by door,destined, I later learn, for use on armored vehicles. In one cornerlarge urns and iron gates that probably once graced a gilded-ageBerkshire cottage await a much-needed East Coast facelift. A1957 Thunderbird is casually parked to one side, soon to be re-stored to its former glory days. And there are these amazing mu-rals on the walls. One is by Jay Tobin, a 10 by 20 foot frescocalled Nightshift, which has been compared to the work ofEllsworth Kelly. On an adjacent wall is the mural entitledLabor Days, a moving testimonial to the workers who builtPittsfield, by FX Tobin.In 1999, the late Pete Melle, his wife, Claudia, and their son,

Ben, purchased this formerly vacant building, where in dayspast Lipton Energy had fabricated huge steel holding tanks, andestablished East Coast Refinishing to refurbish gigantic indus-trial equipment as well as large metal art objects. (The refinish-ing business now includes welding, cabinetry and strippingenterprises.) Several years later, Pete, a patron of the arts, of-fered the space to a group of artists that included his brother,Mike, for the construction of a theatrical set. Seeing the positiveinteraction between the after-hours artists and East Coastsworkforce and the harmonious effects of artwork in the workenvironment, East Coast invited the group of artists to use thefacility as a group workspace and thus Group W was formed.The group, which have been meeting there on Wednesday nightssince 2005, was coined Group W by Hanford as an umbrellaterm for Welding on Wednesday, when he began teaching hisfellow artist the skills needed for Industrial Strength Art. The

five founding members of Group W are Mark Hanford, MikeMelle, Bill Tobin, FX Tobin and Jay Tobin, plus visiting artistsLarry Carroll, Mike Clary, Jerid Hohn, Nicole Peskin and JesseTobin.

The Group W core members are lifelong residents ofBerkshire County who, forty years ago as art students, becamecommitted to aesthetic exploration and free expression. Much oftheir work continues to reflect a sense of brash and often brazenexperimentation. They have singly and collectively shown ingalleries in the Berkshires, Baltimore, and Los Angeles,frequently collaborate on theatrical constructions, and assisteach other in the craft and assemblage of larger pieces. In theirown words, Group W is an art collaborative founded on theprinciples of artistic exploration, media experimentation andcommitment to form.Hanford returns with our cans of beer and I am immediately

charmed by his sincerity, brevity, sense of humor and dedicationto his art. I come here to relax after a stressful day. I can bangon a piece of steel and decompress. Sculpture is my alter-egoand its apart from what I do for a living. I can make it workfor me, he laughs. Each of the Group W artists has a day joband Hanfords is as field services engineering manager forGL&V, an international manufacturer for pulp and paper makingmachinery. His work takes him around the world, erecting fac-tories in places like Indonesia, Korea, China, India, Ecuador,Spain, South America, Russia and Canada. Hes also a volunteerfireman for the town of Becket, where he lives with his wife of37 years, Theresa. They devote most of their time to their fourlovely grandchildren, he says proudly.As a kid I never had time for art, though I did make some

sculpture in the 1970s. My introduction to metalwork was in theNavy in the late 1960s, when I started welding. I was a welderat Beloit Jones, where I also taught welding classes and was asupervisor until 1985, when I went into field service. And then,between work and family life, I didnt have time for art either,but now Billy, Jay and Mike [members of Group W] can helpme with something I dropped years ago, Hanford says.

In 2005, Hanford showed his first work of art, Air andWater, composed of I-beams, welded steel tanks and flowingwater, in Group Ws debut exhibition at East Coast Refinishingwhich was attended by about one-thousand people. Its still hisfavorite piece to date, partly because it was fun to build, andhes proud of the fact that all the tanks, old fire extinguishers,came from the fire department. Hanfords sculpture is mascu-line, kinetic, and often has a humorous or sardonic subtext. Hisworks include Anti-tank 1 and Anti-tank 2 (his first sculp-tures, influenced by his time in the Navy), the four-foot-tallBlack and Blue, Arterial Bleed, and a current work, AmberWaves, a composition of wheat-like metal spikes that, whenmoving, make musical, brushing sounds, reminiscent of a wheatfield in the breeze, if the grain was made of metal. In the pastthree years hes created six sculptures, more, he says, than hesmade in his entire life. Nearing retirement now, this is what hewants to do going forward: art and metal.Hanford has sold a number of his works, including a sculp-

ture of an unlikely pairing, Gator with Poodle, which now re-

sides with a couple from Boston. When asked to describe hismethodology, Hanford says, Im a welder who prefers to workwith steel sculpture. My favorite materials are mild steel andstainless steel and I particularly like to make kinetic sculpture.My work is strong, rooted in technique. I am most interested inthe technique. I like to illustrate the art through craft.What I like most about working in this medium is the way

steel forms. I can turn it into something totally different. My artisnt in your face art. Its kinetic and fun. The biggest challengefor me has been to learn composition. Its a constant battle butI get a lot of help from the Group W guys who guide me in form,color and composition. I dont have a formal art education soGroup W has been a school for me. Its not a four-year-school,but its my school. You start hanging around artists and you startto act like them and see the way they see. As an engineer I haveto work with a blueprint and follow certain dimensions but as anartist I can work more intuitively, Hanford notes.

He finds inspiration in diverse places. I see structures,bridges, buildings and monuments that I like and I to try to du-plicate them in a sculpture formeven a section of a highwaybridge is an inspiration to me because I can see it turned aroundand painted. Many of my ideas come from things Ive seenaround the world, especially in the Indonesian islands, such asstone carvings of deities and rice paddies.

As we chat, another member of Group W arrives. MikeMelle, by day a mail carrier in Richmond, is an artist who cre-ates marble sculptures, paintings, and wood, wire and straw fig-ures. Melle confides that Mark is the heart and soul of GroupW. He makes things happen and keeps us sane. Hanford is mar-ried to Melles sister. Were stuck together, Melle laughs. Iget the sense that East Coast Refinishing turns into a giant club-house on Wednesday nights, as both a hangout and a haven forGroup W artists. The Group W guys are all pals who go backforty years, through good times and bad. Art has been in ourlives constantly. The fact that my brother Pete let us use thisspace was a turning point. We finally had a place to makethings, Melle notes. Pete Melle passed away earlier this yearand clearly his presence is deeply missed by the Group W con-sortium, which is in the early stages of planning an exhibition inhis honor, tentatively slated for next spring.

Figuring the guys would probably like to get back to theirprojects, I ask one last question about Hanfords advice for asculptor just starting out. Whether youre 18 or 80, my adviceis to do as much as you can as quickly as you can. If you havean idea, build it. Its not going to get built if you dont just jumpin, he says. At IS183 Art Schools Introduction to WeldingClass, which Hanford is co-teaching with Group Ws Bill Tobin,a retired teacher, its evident to me that aspiring welders willhave the opportunity to learn with a master. Theres a good rea-son his Group W buddies call him the resident wizard ofmolten metal. I take my leave and pass again by the crouchinggargoyle, which now seems much less scary.

IS183 Art Schools Workshop Introduction to Welding withMark Hanford and Bill Tobin will be held July 28 to August 18,in four consecutive Wednesday night sessions, from 6 to 9 p.m.,at East Coast Refinishing, 4 Industrial Drive, Pittsfield. The tu-ition is $200, plus a $122 materials and equipment fee. This be-ginners workshop introduces students to oxyacetylene cuttingand plasma cutting, stick welding basics, and automatic welding(wire feed) practices. The class will be led through health andsafety instruction and will practice the basic techniques on scrapmetal (provided) and will then work on a practice project of theirown. Students must be at least 18 years of age, wear work boots,long sleeve cotton shirts and denim long pants. Safety glasses,ear plugs, and welding gloves will be provided. The course islimited to a maximum of six students.For more information and to register for the workshop call

413-298-5252, e-mail [email protected] or visit IS183 Art Schoolonline at www.is183.orgIS183 Art School encourages people of all ages, means, and

skill levels to enrich their lives through hands-on experience inthe visual arts, with year-round programs in ceramics, painting,drawing, photography, fiber arts, sculpture, and mixed media.

Located half-way between Great Barrington and Pittsfield at13 Willard Hill Road in Interlaken (a village of Stockbridge),IS183 offers weekend workshops for adults; Young Artist pro-grams during school vacations and in the summer; birthdayparties; custom classes; and private lessons. Classes are heldduring the daytime, evenings and weekends, for all levels fromabsolute beginners to professional artists. Needs-based scholar-ships and work-exchange opportunities are available.

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

MARK HANFORDWizard of Molten Metal

10 THE ARTFUL MIND JULY 2010 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

Harryet Candee: Richard, you have a very impressiveresume in music. Lutenist, guitarist, artistic director, pro-fessor, lecturer, accompanist how do you mesh them to-gether?Richard Savino: My, when you list them as such - it does seemlike quite a lotand you seem to have missed being a singlefather to a 7-year-old, a very active girl! But, kidding aside, allof these activities overlap into an integrated artistic/musical life.Obviously, when one has this many diverse activities, life has tobe managed and compartmentalized. I only wish that I could doall of them at once!The one thing someone who might be reading this needs to

understand is that many of my academic pursuits and areas ofresearch overlap, as do my activities as a soloist and accompa-nist.

Tell me about your growing years and learning to appre-ciate music.RS: I like to say, I grew up in a Martin Scorsese movie.alarge, all-Southern Italian family (initially Brooklyn/Little Italybased) who moved to another all Italian neighborhood on thesouth shore of Long Island. I had quite an intense youth. MyItalian ties are still quite strong and I have dual US/Italian citi-zenship.But my immediately familial environment was very musical.

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

I initially started on trumpet, but then on February 9th 1964,at the ripe age of 8, my world changed. I saw the Beatles on theEd Sullivan show and the next day I put the trumpet in its caseforever. Now, dont get me wrong - I loved the trumpet. My fa-ther played a bit and I loved Louis Armstrong, Al Hirt (I was abit too young for Miles at that time) but I wasnt exactly amarching band kind of guy, which is what the school pushedon me. (Ask anyone who knows me, this condition still persiststo this day).

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

Throughout junior and senior high school I played lots ofelectric & quasi-folk guitar. By the age of seventeen I cameunder the influence of Frank Zappa, John McLaughlin andRobert Fripp, to this day, three of my favorite guitarists. Duringthis time, I was also composing quite a bit, and put together agroup to play my own compositions. During summer 1974 wehad the chance to perform a few times at the legendary club theBitter End on Bleeker St. in Greenich Village (up the block fromwhere my mother was born) opening for the group Fred (aunique jazz-fusion group that I still revere). For an 18-year-old, this was a great experience.

After that, I went to study music at SUNY Stony Brookwhere I was introduced to an incredible group of musicians. Atthat time the faculty consisted of Charles Rosen, Gilbert Kalish,the Beaux Arts Trio, and so many others. But the person whomost influenced my development was classical guitarist JerryWillard.Jerry was the perfect teacher for me. In addition to playing

the conventional classical guitar repertoire he could also playpiano works by Gershwin, Joplin and Mozart. He is also theperson who introduced me to two of the most important com-posers for the lute: John Dowland and Francesco Da Milano.He let me follow my own path, something that many teachersdont tolerate. This allowed me to find my own voice. I then went on to study with numerous other great teachers

such as Oscar Ghiglia, Eliot Fisk and eventually had a few pri-vate and master-class lessons with the great Andres Segovia.Now during this time I also began my own individual study

of period plucked instruments like the lute, theorbo, baroqueand early 19th century guitars, which have more or less becomemy primary instruments (although I still adore the traditional

Spanish classical guitar.)In the late 70s and early 80s, if you studied these kinds of

period instruments you were expected to reject the modern clas-sical guitar and cut off your right hand fingernails. There was akind of dogma associated with the movement that didnt meshwith my personality. I also knew from my own research thatperformance practice in my area was not so rigid.So, again, I essentially followed my own path and took some

lessons with harpsichordist Albert Fuller and violinist JaapSchroeder, both of whom I met through Aston Magna!

Were you giving concerts at an early age? RS: Not classical concerts, but I played in pop, fusion and folkbands.

Do you ever get stage fright performing in front of alarge audience?RS: It depends on how you define stage fright. Am I excited?Absolutely. A bit nervous? Of course. But I try to redirect muchof this into my lust for making music.

I am wondering about your lectures. Please tell me someof the topics you speak about, and what have been some fas-cinating facts you have explored and talked about.RS: With regard to my lectures (as well as programming) I lovethe idea of an interdisciplinary perspective and have been highlyinfluenced by Albert Fuller and Charles Rosen: two very dif-ferent people, but two remarkable musicians.The topics tend to gravitate toward my logical interests: gui-

tar and lute studies, Spanish & Latin American music from the17th 19th centuries and Italian women artists and composersfrom the 17th century.

As a professor, what are your strengths that you find helpyour students with their music studies?RS: First, Im not a coddler, I am very direct, very New York.Not mean, but I do not subscribe to this newer concept thateveryone is special. Not everyone is brilliant and not everyoneis cut out to play concertos, solo recitals, or accompany. I doinject my teaching with a lot of humor and content (be it acourse, individual instruction or a coaching). But within thismethodology I try to ascertain what it is that the particularstudent has to offer and communicate to them that they mustpursue this with passion and commitment.

RichardSavino

Musician

Interview by Harryet CandeeImages provided by Robert Savino and Aston Magna

St. Cecila

JULY 2010 ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND 11

I also tell them to not follow this path unless they cannot livewithout it and to be prepared to live as a true Bohemian. Becareful what you ask for, you might actually get it is a commonritornello in my teaching.A lot of people have a romanticized vision of what it is to be anartist or a musician. While it is a richly rewarding life, it canalso be quite demanding. We are not civilians, we have oddhours, work on the weekends, we have to practice, etc

I think you are a music-scientist. Do you think there is a con-nection between music and science?LOLwell maybe a mad scientist Of course there is a closeconnection between the two. Galileos father and brother wereboth professional musicians, as was Da Vinci. There are manyother examples, but I wouldnt put myself into this category.The first thing I did with my chemistry set as a kid was to makegunpowder and proceed to blow up my fathers picnic furniture.Needless to say, he wasnt amused.

Do you compose music? RS: Many of the Spanish and Latin American pieces that Irecord and perform are preserved in manuscript fragments. Asa result I have to reconstruct a bit of this music.I also get to improvise when playing continuo.

Which one of your teachers made the most impact on yourenlightenment in music, and why?RS: The founder of Aston Magna, Albert Fuller. He had animagination that was remarkable. He saw connections betweenart, literature, social sciences and music that stimulated mygrowth as an artist and musician.

Is coming to the Berkshires again this summer exciting foryou? What makes this Aston Magna program special, anddifferent for you this year?RS: I am always excited to come to the Berkshires.While I have lived in California for some time, myheart still resides in the Northeast (and Italy)I love working with Dan Stepner and all the Aston

Magna musicians and staff. They are all wonderfuland special people and they have afforded me the op-portunity to create dream programs.

I am curious to know what went on in Artemisias lifethat made it so violent? And --What did Artemisia hear?RS: Artemisias life is very well documented andthere have been a number of historical novels writtenabout her. But to answer your question, as a teen acolleague of her fathers, Augustino Tassi, raped herand when she (and her father) reported the crime shewas subject to the most humiliating questioning andtorture by the church authorities. The truth to herclaim was determined by the fact that her story neverwaivered. All of the information regarding the trialand her treatment is preserved in the Vatican archives. She also had a rather difficult relationship with her

father, Orazio Gentileschi (an outstanding painter inhis own right). Artemisia was an extremely talentedpainter and this threatened him.She received coveted commissions and eventually

went on to achieve a remarkable degree of independ-ence in her life. In addition she traveled widely andbecame friends with a number of notable musiciansincluding Francesca Caccini and Nicholas Lanier.

What is the connection between her art, Goyasart, and the music that will be played?RS: There really is no direct connection betweenArtemisia Gentileschi and Francisco Goya, but theywere both exceptionally gifted painters who werevery influenced by musicians and often-depictedmusic-making in their works. They also both livedthrough periods of extraordinary historical significance. The for-mer through the early 17th century post reformation period ofthe Catholic Church, and the latter through the final stages of theSpanish Inquisition, the Enlightenment and the Napoleonic in-vasion of Madrid.

Does the audience necessarily need a background in 16th and17th history to understand the connections you are making?No, absolutely not. Of course any degree of knowledge helpsilluminate certain connections between time, place and art, butthe point of these multi-media concerts is to stimulate thesenses, to offer a visual feast that compliments the aural sensa-tions of the music.The other issue that I am hoping to address with these kinds

of programs is that of familiarity. The names Goya, Gentileschiand Caravaggio are known to many, yet most composers fromthe same cultural milieu as these artists are, for the most partunknown. It is my intention to draw listeners into these concertsby creating a more familiar point of reference, and again, onethat stimulates multiple senses.

How do you think the past has effected todays musicsound?With regard to how the past effects todays music: I would

have to say that one of the most important developments in thehistory of western music occurred at the turn of the 17th century.This was the development of functional harmony. Although ithas been expanded upon, and there have been attempts to erad-icate it from musical practiceyet it is still here; in classicalmusic, jazz, pop, hip hop, etc

Tell me about your musical style?RS: With regard to my style, I would have to say assertive. Iguess that this is an extension of my New York/Italian psyche.

I want to study the classics in music, and when I readabout all the titles, styles, vocabulary, symbols, referencesto so much in history, its overwhelming! Where do I start?RS: For the uninitiated I would initially suggest taking a basicmusic appreciation course at a local college. Music is languagewith its own syntax, grammar and dialects. Now, one need notbe a master of these to simply enjoy the sonic sensation of lis-tening, but I feel that familiarity does contribute to a greater ap-preciation of the art.I would also suggest just reading a good music appreciation

textbook and listening to the accompanying cds.. Listen, byJoseph Kerman, is quite good.

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

aspects of human existence, the arts. When I was a child mostpublic schools had music programs, and they werent watereddown to only pop styles. I love rock music, but that was themusic of the streets in my lifetime. There has to be more. Justthink; in the late 50s the CBS network broadcast Leonard Bern-steins Young Peoples Concerts during PRIMETIME!Now we have all these reality shows and things like Every-

bodys Got Talent. Well, Im sorry, not everyone has talent!

Was it difficult to study with Segovia? What kind ofteacher was he? I love his Latin guitar music. I can heareach string so clear. It was a joy to study with Segovia, intimidating, but joyful

nonetheless. More than learning technique or musical interpre-

tation, it was like meeting a Bodhisattva.And yes, I too have always loved his music.

What period in the history of music do you least like,and why?RS: I really dont click with extreme atonality or severe serial-ism. I love Berg and Stravinskys approach, but for the mostpart those styles are a little too dry for me.

I have always admired David Byrne for his rather eclec-tic, avante garde style of music. What is your opinion of hismusic?RS: I think that David Byrne is fantastic, and for the same rea-sons! But to be more specific, there is a sense of subtlety, re-finement and craft to his work. With regard to non-classical artists, I also really enjoy David

Bowie, Robert Fripp, Dylan, Screamin Jay Hawkins, DuaneAllman, Elvis Costello, Lennie Tristano, Yes, Peter Gabriel, theBeatles, Santana, Ralph Towner.

Getting back to the Aston Magna upcoming concert Itsounds like it will be a very dramatic performance. Whatinspired you and your cohorts to come up with this partic-ular program? And, I was also wondering, do you think au-diences in USA are much different from the ones in Europe?RS: As I mentioned earlier I find an inter-disciplinary approachto the arts to be incredibly fascinating. In the late 70s there was a BBC program called Connections

that was created by science historian James Burke, it completelycaptured my imagination. After that I attended an Aston MagnaAcademy, which further reinforced this pre-occupation. Thesewere certainly early inspirations for this kind of programming. Yes, the audiences are different; In general, the audiences inEurope are younger. The reason is that most people are educatedabout music at an early age, and going to a classical concert

is considered to be an important cultural experience. In our culture, one of the saddest things that I have

witnessed over the past few years is the dismissing ofan appreciation of high art as some kind of elitist folly.

What are your lifes goals and aspirations?To continue to play music and celebrate lifeArs longa. Vita brevis.

Tell me about your family. Do they support andshare your dreams?RS: Mostly, it is my beautiful seven-year-old daughter,Maria Luisa. She is totally into it. She plays violin, isa great singer, and a fabulous Flamenco dancer.

What quote do you hold close to your heart?RS: One of my own. When people ask me how I amdoing I respond: Better than yesterday, not as good astomorrow.

And one of my all-time favorites is by KeithRichards: If only Mozart has a better drummer. That one always puts a smile on my face.

I love that one, too. What would you say to Vi-valdi if you had one very special opportunity?RS: I think that I would be too much in awe to sayanything.I would most likely just want to watch and listen tohim play in the flesh.

In a nut shell, why go to hear, and see the concert,What Artemisia Heard at theAston Magna Festi-val?It is a feast for the eyes and ears. The music is sub-

lime, the art -spectacular.

Sonatas for Baroque GuitarLudivico Roncalli: Capricci Armonici (Bergamo, 1692)

available on Dorian Records, www.dorian.com

& go to ~www.astonmagna.org for a complete concert schedule.

Artememisia Gentileschi - Self-portrait as a Lute player


THE HEVREH ENSEMBLEORIGINALWORLD CHAMBER MUSICOn Thursday July 22 at 8 PM, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire

will present a Gala Fundraiser Concert featuring The HevrehEnsemble; a group that performs original World ChamberMusic by group member and composer, Jeff Adler. The mem-bers of the ensemble are Jeff Adler- Composer, Bass Clarinet,Native American Flutes & Percussion; Judith Dansker- Oboe,Oboe Damore, English Horn & Native American Flutes; Lau-rie Friedman- Clarinet, Native American Flutes and Percussion;Adam Morrison- Keyboard.

The Hevreh Ensemble was formed in 2001 when oboist Ju-dith Dansker invited a group of acclaimed musicians to performa special Selichot concert for Hevreh of Southern Berkshire inGreat Barrington, Massachusetts. Based in New York City,the members have performed concerts at such venues as: theNational Yiddish Book Center- Amherst, Massachusetts, TheNorthampton Center for the Arts, Arizona Jewish Historical So-ciety, The Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, Harlem Schoolof the Arts, New York City, Synagogue for the Arts, New YorkCity among many others and are currently Ensemble in Resi-dence for Hevreh of Southern Berkshire. The members of the ensemble have honored by and affiliated

with organizations such as: The Juilliard School, ManhattanSchool of Music, Alice Tully Hall (Lincoln Center), CarnegieRecital Hall, The Library of Congress (Washington, DC),Merkin concert Hall (New York City), The Blossom Music Fes-tival-Cleveland Orchestra and Hofstra University, among manyothers. Hevreh Ensemble performances have been called spiritually

uplifting and: strikingly original. The ensemble will travel toEastern Europe in September 2010, where they will present con-certs in Prague and Poland. They have also recently been invitedto present concerts for the Segal Centre in Montreal and are cur-rently planning a collaboration with the Brooklyn College Acad-emy in New York, where they will present concert andworkshops for students from the BCA World Ensemble. Theyhave also been invited to present concerts for the Hofstra Uni-versity Emily Lowe Art Gallery in conjunction with two up-coming art exhibits: Soweto The 30th Anniversary ofthe Uprising and an exhibit by Holocaust survivor and painterYonia Fain.Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, 270 State Road, Great Bar-

rington, MA. http://hevrehensemble.com,[email protected] Tickets: $15 in advance; $20 atdoor. Reservations: 413-528-6378.

THE LENOX GALLERY

69 Church Street, Lenox, MA 01201 (413) 637-2276over twenty-five artists on two levels open year round - call for hours

O F F I N E A R T

paint ings drawings watercolor sculpture mixed media works pastels portrai t commissions

...one of the finest and most charmingprivate galleries in New England.

BERKSHIRE ART GALLERYLouis Jacques Vigon (1897-1985) was a member of L Ecole

de Rouen. The artists of the School of Rouen combined thequalities of the Impressionists and the Fauvists with their ownoriginality, a talent being appreciated only in the last few yearswith the backing of the Wally Findlay Galleries. This uniquegroup of artists, generally born between 1849 and 1898, shareda passion for Rouen and the surrounding Normandy landscape.The Berkshire Art Gallery is featuring Vigons painting of the

Place du Tertre. During his long and successful career, Vigonpainted throughout France and, of course in Paris. His paintingof two people walking past each other on the wet winter pave-ment of the square in Paris XVIIIth Arrondissement is locatedin the heart of the citys elevated Montmartre quarter. Vigonwas an ardent colorist, mixing the light of French Impression-ism with the ferocious colors and bold brushstrokes of theFauves, characteristics that distinguish his paintings.Another featured French painting in the gallery is Le Cirque

by Swiss born Robert Boinay (1918-1988) who came to Paris in1950, studied at the Beaux-Arts School, and remained there asa second generation member of the School of Paris. Boinaymade many stops on the itinerary of French modernism, fromimpressionism to abstraction. Clowns await the entry into theBig Top of a mounted cowboy swinging a lasso in Boinays LeCirque, a work that transitions between 1950s figuration andcolorful abstraction.Museums with works by Vigon and Boinay include the Mu-

seum of Modern Art, Paris, the Nantes Municipal Museum,Rouen Museum and the Museum Jurassien, etc. Berkshire Art Gallery, 80 Railroad Street, Great Barrington,

MA. Parking for customers is available in front of the Gallery.Hours are noon to 5pm, Saturdays and Sundays, or by appoint-ment or chance. For information, contact Jack Wood, 413-528-2690, or visit www.berkshireartgallery.com

TANNERY POND CONCERTS

A one-of-a-kind collaboration was established whenrenowned classical flutist Paula Robison, whose exquisite, el-egant artistry is celebrated worldwide, joined forces with ac-claimed Brazilian musicians, consummate guitarist RomeroLubambo and percussion wizard Cyro Baptista. Conjuring upa sizzling night at Rios famed Carnaval, this unique and en-tertaining mix of classical, jazz and folk is a joy to the senses.Traditional Brazilian compositions on the style of choroandjazz standards are merged with a samba groove and exoticbossa to form spicy new arrangements and compositions. Theprogram also includes music scored specifically for this ac-complished trio, who captures the magic of yesterday and theinvention of tomorrow. This delightful Brazilian chambermusic ensemble has recorded two discs, Brasileirinho, andRio Days, Rio Nights and have performed innumerable con-certs. Audiences are always delighted to hear Robison,Lubambo and Baptistas repertoire, rich in melody, harmonyand rhythm. It superbly manages to be earthy, happy and ele-gant at the same time.In conjunction with the celebration of the Shaker Museum

and Librarys sixtieth anniversary, Darrow School is mountingan exhibition of contemporary and archival photographycalled, Visions of Mount Lebanon. Works of approximatelythirty local and national photographers will be on view at theJoline Arts Center. The Tannery Pond Concert audience is in-vited, before the concert, from 6pm - 7:30pm, to view this ex-cellent exhibition. As before, just get a numbered card andyou will not lose your place in line for the concert if you areback when we open the doors at 7:30. Concert begins at 8PM.Thanks to our wonderful new caterer, Rebecca Joyner, you

are now able to order a delicious, nutritious, well-priced, pic-nic. Call her a few days ahead to give her time to prepare. Tannery Pond Concerts, 2190 Dublin Road, Richmond,

MA, 917-921-1112, www.tannerypondconcerts.org, [email protected]

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

-Albert Camus

JULY 2010 ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND 13

SCHANTZ GALLERIESContinuing through July 30 the Origin of Mosquitoes and

Other Tales; the Art of Preston Singletary and Timeless Ves-tiges: Artwork from the Archives of William Morris will beon display at the Schantz Galleries in Stockbridge, MA.The Origin of Mosquitoes and other Tales, features the

most work ever in the gallery by Preston Singletary. Single-tary, a Native American of the Tlinkit People, creates uniquesculptures which are informed by the stories and images of hispeople and their tradition in art. Preston has taught, lecturedand exhibited internationally since 1989, and is well knownand respected for his impressive glass forms utilizing the lay-ering and etching techniques which he developed. Single-tarys work can be found in many collections and museums,including the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY, theEthnographic Museum, Stockholm, Sweden, Heard Museumof Art, Phoenix, AZ, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, Seat-tle Art Museum, Seattle, WA, The Museum of Natural His-tory, Anchorage, AK, and at Schantz Galleries in Stockbridge.Timeless Vestiges: Artwork from the Archives of

William Morris - at the age of 49, Morris retired from work-ing in glass in 2007 and a great loss was felt in the contempo-rary art world. No longer can we anticipate what he wouldrediscover next. William Morris had the ability to connect usto the past in the same way the early peoples connected to thenatural world through creating images of the creatures and en-vironments that surrounded them.William Morris Morris work has been strongly influenced

by his interest in archeology and ancient pagan cultures, andaddresses the timeless relationship between humans and theirenvironment. His work evokes images from a time when manwas more in tune with nature, and is subliminally suggestiveof ritual significance. Various works such as the MedicineJars, Artifact Vessels, Suspended Artifacts, and Idolos illus-trate symbolical, mythological influences. He also acknowl-edges the influence of Italian artists who have shared theirknowledge of techniques for crafting glass, so essential to therealization of Morris ideas into form.Another unique aspect of William Morris glass art is his

treatment of surface texture, achieved by various techniquessuch as sprinkling powdered glass and minerals onto a blownsurface, etching, and acid washing to achieve ancient andtextural diversity. As well as a master glassblower, WilliamMorris is considered to be a revolutionary and provocativeartist, whose work goes beyond mere crafts-manship to touch the souls and primal con-sciousness of its viewers.His work can be found in the permanent

collections of museums throughout theworld, including the American Craft Mu-seum, Corning Museum of Glass, Los Ange-les County Museum of Art, MetropolitanMuseum of Art, New York, and the Victoriaand Albert Museum.Maestro Lino Tagliapietra Continue

through August and beginning July 20 September 20 see Chihuly in New Eng-land

Schantz Galleries, Elm Street, StockbridgeMA. This location has been one of the na-tions leading destinations for those seekingpremier artists working in glass. Springgallery hours are daily 11 - 5 For more in-formation, call 413-298-3044 or visit thewebsite at www.schantzgalleries.com

FACULTY ART EXHIBITIONIS 183 ART SCHOOL

The original artwork of professional artists who teach atIS183 will be on view at the art school in Stockbridge from June21 through October 8. The Faculty Art Exhibition at IS183 ArtSchool is free of charge and is open to the public on weekdaysfrom 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends by appointment. Theworks of art displayed in the show will be available for purchaseand a portion of the proceeds will benefit outreach efforts at thenon-profit school. Later in the summer, the public will have theopportunity to meet IS183s talented faculty at a wine andcheese reception on August 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. The receptionis free of charge.The Faculty Art [email protected] IS183 Art features more than

25 artworks by 19 faculty members, many of whom are recog-nized worldwide. Showcasing the skill and creativity of theartists who teach at IS183 the exhibition includes usable art,such as unique and finely crafted ceramics, to artworks includ-ing spectacular pastel and oil paintings, sculpture and photogra-phy, often with a Berkshire theme and point of view. Participating Artists are Timothy Heffernan, Dennis Fougere,

Kim Waterman Yura Adams, Leslee Carsewell, Fay OMeara,Wednesday Nelena Sorokin, , Nancy Magnusson, Bob Green,Jeff Zamek, June Parker, Karen Arp-Sandel, Cassandra Sohn,Nancy Castaldo, Linda Clayton, Jason Houston, , Located half-way between Great Barrington and Pittsfield in

Interlaken (a village of Stockbridge) IS183 Art School encour-ages people of all ages, means, and skill levels to enrich theirlives through hands-on experience in the visual arts, with year-round programs in ceramics, painting, drawing, photography,fiber arts, sculpture, mixed media. IS183also offers weekend workshops for adults;Young Artist programs during school vaca-tions and in the summer; birthday parties;custom classes; and private lessons. Classesare held during the daytime, evenings andweekends, for all levels from absolute be-ginners to professional artists. Needs-basedscholarships and work-exchange opportu-nities are available.For more information, enrollment fees,scholarship opportunities, faculty bios, orto register for classes, please call 413-298-5252, e-mail [email protected] or visit us on-line at www.is183.org

Party MusicExtraordinaire!

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*Waldorf-Astoria Hotel*Windows On The World

TThhee EElleeggaanntt SSttrrooll ll iinngg VViioolliinn--DDuuoo

BARBARA & JOSEPHFIDDLERS TWO

...now residing in the beautiful Berkshires,will bring the melodies you lovefrom Broadway to Vienna

to your special event.

Enjoy magical renditions of show tunes,Gershwin, Porter, Italian, French, Viennese favorites...

and your guests requests!

Perfect for your ...*Home Entertaining

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For information & brochure, please call(413)458-1984

Fiddlers Two is a unit of The Black Tie Orchestra

Barbara and Joseph Fiddlers Two performers for many years at the

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in NYC. Seenabove at a Waldorf NYs Eve celebration.

What I have set down in a moment of ardor I must then critically examine. Sometimes I must do myself violence before I can

mercilessly erase things thought out with love.-Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

WILLIAM MORRIS


Article by Nanci RacePhotos by Julie McCarthy

Artist and author Sue ManeyMacVeety gives credence to the convic-tion that the Berkshires in Massachu-setts have some of the finest artists inthe country. One has only to visit someof the Berkshire County galleries, li-braries and even storefronts to viewbreathtaking work including Sues wa-tercolors. Not long ago I was able to re-connect with Sue and have a chat withmy old friend. We sat at her diningroom table and after reminiscingabout our now grown children who at-tended school together, we talkedabout her painting, childrens books,and her life as an educator of youngchildren. She told me about her mar-riage to her husband Bob and that atone time she played in his band Berk-shire Bateria Escola de Samba. I wassurprised to learn that she learned toplay agogo bells, tamborim, (a small,round Brazilian frame drum of Por-tuguese and African origin) and surdo(a large bass drum) eventually becom-ing lead two surdo player. She has alsofound time to take Spanish classes andher instructor and good friend ValerieZantay translated Singing Sea intoSpanish.

Sue, a baby boomer born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, hasalways been very busy teaching and raising a family but nowthat her children are gone it seems shes even busier. Herwater colors are striking and her childrens books are notmerely educational but theyre fun for children to read. Herillustrations bring the books to life. Sues art has progressedover the years and she is considered one of the finest multi-media artists in the county and beyond. However she is stillmuch grounded in reality with chickens, horses, a garden,and her dog Sam, in residence. Shes come a long way fromthe girl who walked out of her last class at Boston Universityin Massachusetts to move with her husband Bob to a farmin the country. The couple had no house or jobs and a babyon the way but they made it. Over time her love of animalsdeveloped into her first book, Helper Cow inspired by Jas-mine the familys pet cow. Jasmine, hand raised by Suesdaughter Jessica taught the family patience and was an in-spiration. Two weeks after the book was complete and pub-lished 17 year-old Jasmine passed away. Firmly entrenchedin the Berkshires country lifestyle, Sue is dedicated both toher students and her art.

Raised in Southport, Connecticut, Sues parents are ajuxtaposition of the East and West coasts. Her mom instilledSue with a love of life from her Iowa background, whileSues dad, and east coast businessman taught her to enjoycarpentry, ice skating, skiing, and snowshoeing. Her ex-tended East coast family is also known for their love ofwater, which was useful when Sues husband Bob took hersnorkeling on a trip to Grenada for their 30th wedding an-niversary. The trip was the inspiration for her second book,Singing Sea.

Artist and Author SUE MANEY MACVEETY

JULY 2010 THE ARTFUL MIND 15

I came away from my meeting with my oldfriend with a deeper appreciation and a greater un-derstanding of this fascinating woman who pushesthrough lifes obstacles determined to make hermark on the world and leave something for poster-ity. She has traveled extensively from a young agewith her parents including, Canada, Mexico,Florida, California, New Mexico, every state inNew England and myriad others. She is rich in lifeexperiences from traveling and daring to be adven-turous with life. She brings expertise, compassion,and practical knowledge to her classrooms. Suesartistry is a gift to residents of the Berkshires andvisitors who have the opportunity to look closelyat a landscape or a depiction of an animal renderedby Sue MacVeety.

Nanci Race: As a teacher with a busy lifestyle, howdo you get time for your art?Sue MacVeety: Its really hard because I teach fulltime for the Berkshire Hills School District in GreatBarrington, Massachusetts in an integrated pre-K classat Muddy Brook Elementary School. I also teach part-time at Berkshire Community College in Great Bar-rington teaching classes at night. So, Sunday morningis my art time. Its sacred. I make sure I paint everySunday and on Monday night I take a three hour class.Being in early childhood with three, four, and fiveyear olds, I finger paint, have the easel and watercol-ors out, and do collage and things every day. Art is areal part of my life. But its really hard to find the timeto put into it thats Id like Ive always taught or hada side job or substituted for the school district and thisyear Im not.

NR: Is watercolor the only medium for you?SMcV: I do watercolors and pastels and I do a lot ofpencil drawings but thats it for now. I usually doquarter sheets of 140 lb or 300 lb cold press. The largest size Ido is a half sheet. I did one whole sheet size for my granddaugh-ter; a sea, mermaid-type scene. It was fun but I prefer the smallersize. I can take that size almost anywhere. If Im traveling I cango in the woods or I can go on an airplane. Ive made my ownpaper with the kids in school but I havent water colored with it.Ive done collage with it; cut it up after Ive made the paper andIve made it with flower seeds in it and given it to people sothey can plant the whole piece of paper. Its a lot of fun. I alsodo some mosaics with glass, pottery. The mosaics are pretty ab-stract but when I paint its chickens or landscapes. There are alot of chickens in almost every piece. I have a chicken coop out-side and Ive raised chickens since the 70s and I love chickens.As a matter of fact I have baby chicks in my classroom andwere watching them grow up. The children let them sit on theirarms and were having fun with them. I love their personalitiesand I live to sketch them and try to paint them.

NR: How hard is that to paint a chicken? They dont exactly sitstill and pose for you.SMcV: They dont sit still so its really hard. Sometimes Ivegone out when its getting dark and theyre roosting so I can dosome sketches or I take lots of photographs andthen Ill sketch from there. I also like to paintcows, oceans, boats, trees, I love to paint trees.There is a tree outside my kitchen window andthe women in my art class will say, Dont tellus youre doing that tree again. Ive painted itevery season in every color. Its a tree that Iveknown since my childhood so I paint it overand over again. Ive painted it with a full moon,with fall foliage, with spring foliage, and itsdifferent every time. And its changed overtime.

NR: Have you ever thought of transferring yourpainting into a landscape quilt or somethingalong those lines?SMcV: I havent but right now what I do is scanevery painting and put it on a disc then I makepostcards or note cards. I send them to my kidsto show them what Ive been up to lately. I doprints. Sometimes when I go to a coffee shoppeople will say they prefer to hang prints ratherthan original art. Then if its on a disc thatmakes it simple. Ive done beach bags withsome of the quilting and Ive done T-shirts butI havent done quilting. That could be interest-ing.

NR: If you have to stop painting for awhile can you just get backinto the painting or does it take some time or a specific ritual foryou to continue?SMcV: A lot of times I hang them up and theyre not finished.Sometimes I have four or five paintings at once because I donthave the patience to wait for them to dry. I started four in oneday and didnt finish any of them. Ill keep going back and pick-ing at them until theyre done in my opinion.

Artful Mind July 2010

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