Chronogram January 2023

Colborn Bell’s home, the former Sacred Heart of Jesus church, sits on a hillside in the hamlet of Wilbur in Kingston. Built in 1884 to serve the local population of bluestone masons, carpenters, and shipyard workers, the church overlooks Feeney’s shipyard. A former owner refurbished the church’s locally sourced red brick walls and replaced the asphalt roof with metal and added copper gutters.

photo by: Maggie Marguerite Studio

Instead of traditional wedding invitations, the couple sent out Ticketmaster-style concert tickets, admitting invitees to their October 8 nuptials at Lagrangeville’s Mid County Rod and Gun Club. Morey threw a pre-wedding bridal shower on Mercury ’s birthday (September 5), where friends served “Fred Tea Mercury Bohemian Raspberry” tea and gave out wooden spoons engraved with “ We will crock you” and “I want to bake free” to guests.

Largely a DIY affair, Morey and Mulligan relied on a few close friends and family to create the magic of their one-of-a-kind wedding. A recording of Mercury ’s piano and vocals, along with the live-recorded uproar accompanying the “Somebody to Love” track, called attendees to attention and began the ceremony with the line, “Are you ready? Are you ready brothers and sisters?” The bridal party walked down the aisle to the tune of “Somebody to Love.” The ring bearers were all dressed in Mercury ’s iconic white tank top, stonewashed jeans, pyramid studded belt, and Adidas Samba sneakers worn during his Live Aid performance. The flower girls also wore colorful Adidas Samba sneakers, with the oldest dressed in a copy of Mercury ’s yellow leather biker jacket and strewing matching yellow guitar picks instead of flowers. Mulligan also wore Freddie Mercury-inspired attire, including Adidas Samba sneakers, “Show Must Go On” Freddie Mercury socks, a pyramid studded belt, and a Freddie Mercury tie from Ireland.

Dreamer’s Ball

After the ceremony, guests were greeted to the reception with a glass of champagne and a sign quoting Mercury: “May you all have champagne for breakfast.” The reception’s decor and food played homage to Queen, down to the smallest details. Guests were directed to their seats with a seating chart based on the Live Killers album cover with all the table names and numbers arranged based on the album’s list of tracks. “ The seating chart included a table set for our late parents,” says Morey. “ We had a Bavarian pretzel and bread station titled 'Another One Bites the Crust' and a cheese station titled 'You Say Smile, I Say Cheese,'” recalls Morey. The couple also had a “Donut Stop Me Now” donut station as well as a chili station, Mercury ’s favorite, prepared following the chili con carne recipe provided by his longtime personal assistant Peter Freestone. “Our chili pot sported the 'Under Pressure' decal featuring Mercury and David Bowie,” adds Morey. The cake stand also quoted Mercury with a banner saying, “Let them eat cake, she says, just like Marie Antoinette.” Each table included a golden glitter Queen crown as centerpiece, and each place included a silverware rollup held together by a bicycle bell, as well as a “Bohemian Rhapsody” lyric card and the statement—often quoted by Morey ’s late mother Shirley: “If you don’t sing, you can’t be trusted.”

However, the highlight of the reception—and a surprise for Mulligan planned by Morey—was a performance by the Queen tribute band, Queen Flash. “ The wedding would have been unique enough without Queen Flash, but I wanted to push this over the top,” says Morey. “Live music is usually a big hit at weddings and for a Queen-themed wedding, aside from securing Queen themselves, I knew I had to bring in the best.” The Montreal-based Queen Flash is headed by Mercury impersonator Jonny Zatylny who explains they had never performed at a wedding before. Among other hits, the band performed their own versions of “Bicycle Race” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” “Performing at a Queen-themed wedding was quite unique, to say the least,” says Zatylny. “ We met so many great people and enjoyed ourselves very much. It was a kind of magic.”

Radio Gaga

“As cliche as it sounds, our wedding really was the best day of our lives,” says Morey. “Everyone embraced the theme and the magic of the event was created.” Two days after the wedding, the couple was off on their honeymoon in Montego Bay, Jamaica. It was time to finally relax, so they went out to a local BBQ restaurant to eat jerk chicken wings and listen to reggae music played from a local radio station. The day also happened to be the 41st wedding anniversary of Morey ’s parents. In the middle of lunch, unexpectedly, the radio became full of static and we heard a familiar voice deliver the famous line, ‘Mama, just killed a man.’ Then there was another brief moment of static and the reggae music ensued,” remembers Morey. “Mark and I just looked at each other in disbelief. ‘Did you just hear that?’ We both asked each other.” The two took it as a sign of love and support from those passed on. “If you set the table for them, they will come.”

legislature in making unique provisions for people who had previously been convicted of certain marijuana-related offenses was to acknowledge that we are reversing course on the infamous Rockefeller Drug Laws and giving those who were marginalized a fair chance to be fully returned to society. While I understand and sympathize with the plaintiff with a Michigan conviction, we do not have control over other states’ laws. I am confident that the carefully drafted, deeply debated, and broadly accepted legislation will stand the tests of litigation.”

Gail Hepworth, CEO of Hepworth Farms, an organic produce farm in Milton that harvested 30,000 pounds of marijuana this past growing season as part of the state’s cultivation pilot, has a measured outlook toward the situation. “We were really looking forward to working with some of the applicants in the Hudson Valley and it is gonna slow us down because the rollout is going to obviously be hindered. We do believe it’s going to straighten itself out, but in the meantime, of course it’s very disappointing, especially since the lawsuit is so flawed and I think that they won’t win,” Hepworth says.

She still plans to work to fill future orders for dispensaries unaffected by the suit but says there were roughly 100 products she won’t get to sell to local dispensaries, from gummies to topicals and everything in between. Being that Hepworth Farms finds itself navigating cannabis’ federal status on a day-to-day basis, she almost finds the suit’s premise funny.

“It’s difficult enough to operate in such a big industry only in your state. However, a person who got arrested in Michigan on a federal charge can also disrupt our business. The irony does not escape me,” Hepworth says.

Saugerties-based cannabis entrepreneur Rueben Lindo, CEO and founder of Blackmar Farms, is more alarmed by the situation. He also consults for other cannabis businesses, one of which, has had its license thrown into limbo. “The delay will set us back in securing product for local dispensaries in the Hudson Valley. I think that’s where were gonna see an issue because there’s not gonna be enough product for the 36 dispensaries that they’re rolling out,” says Lindo, referring to the initial round of dispensary licenses issued in November.

As a result of the delays and problems caused by the lawsuit, which, like Holland he believes lacks merit, he isn’t sure that the OCM’s goal of 150 dispensaries is going to be met next year. “I’m not a fortune teller,” he says.

Buzzkill

The Hudson Valley’s entire future in the industry could be at risk, now that future dispensary licensees are behind schedule on sourcing products for sale, losing first-mover advantage. “There’s limited supply currently that we know [of], so what was grown in the state, that’s gonna make up the initial marketplace,” says Lindo. “I don’t think that there’s a vast amount of cannabis out there that’s gonna be hitting these shelves. The first 36 are gonna get product because these farmers are gonna be anxious to make money and sell their cannabis and get it on shelves.”

Martin Mills, a cannabis entrepreneur and host of Radio Woodstock’s “420 Report” thinks

that the industry has too secure a foothold in New York to be knocked off course in any major way. “I don’t have a major concern, because I think that the ball is already rolling, and it’s not going to stop,” says Mills. “The rollout for a fully licensed market in New York is going to happen. And the Hudson Valley is going to have a very strong presence in the state with its great number of cultivators, manufacturers, and inevitably, dispensaries, opening in this area. It’s just going to take more time because of these lawsuits.”

Like Gail Hepworth, he does take issue with the grounds of the lawsuit, calling the commerce clause “arcane.” Mills thinks it’s a part of a growing trend of people using federal law to paradoxically protect their interests in an industry that isn’t legal federally, with reactionary federal judges enabling them to try and hamstring the cannabis industry. He did concede that some cannabis entrepreneurs should brace themselves for more challenges to their businesses. “I think that anybody who’s a hopeful dispensary license applicant should be taking it very seriously, taking the timeline very seriously and getting all their ducks in a row right now, because the [new] applications are going to come out in 2023,” says Mills.

Stress Point

The Hudson Valley has a variety of opinions on the situation, whether it’s fair or not fair, calamitous or just annoying, or yet another example of the federal government affecting local cannabis legislation. What cannot be forgotten, is that the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) for some, held a promise of providing a safer, easier way to access cannabis. Rather than having to wait in dark parking lots for strangers to facilitate an illicit sale, a cannabis seeker could walk into storefronts and make a simple purchase, like buying groceries or clothes.

Highland resident Joshua Sebesta, 21, grew up in a household that didn’t stigmatize weed. Instead, it was just another thing that he had to wait until he was older to enjoy, like alcohol. “Obviously I use it recreationally, but I also do use it for stress relief,” says Sebesta. “After a long day of doing schoolwork or a long day of working like 12 hours, I’ll come home and smoke.”

Sebesta just wants himself, his family and his community to feel safe when they acquire cannabis, whether it be for stress relief, pain management, or fun. He can’t say that’s how he feels now after the injunction that he thinks is “absurd” was granted last month. “I’m just literally scared for my life,” he says.

There’s a variety of reasons for him to feel that way, one being that black market cannabis is not tested by regulators like legal cannabis will be once dispensaries are up and running. “You don’t know what these people who are selling you weed can put in, there’s countless stories of people smoking weed and it being laced, and them overdosing, or smoking weed and freaking out and going to a psych ward,” says Sebesta. “These are all risks that you have to deal with now that you can’t just walk into a store and be greeted with a smile and whatever kind of weed you want, knowing that is has been tested rigorously and knowing that if I smoked it, I’m not going to die.”

“A person who got arrested in Michigan on a federal charge can also disrupt our business [in New York]. The irony does not escape me.”

—Gail Hepworth, CEO of Hepworth Farms

There’s something about winter that seems to keep us on our toes more than other seasons. You’re either looking forward to it or waiting for it but if you’re a dog owner you know your pal will be by your side. We can all agree that spending some time outside, for both humans and animals, is mentally and physically beneficial. But when do the risks outweigh the benefits? A few area pet health professionals and Hudson Valley veterinarians help us know what to consider this winter when caring for our fourlegged friends.

Too Cold?

“A good rule of thumb is to use common sense. If it’s too cold for you, chances are your dog feels the same,” says Dr. Michael Berman, lead veterinarian of the Dutchess County SPCA (DCSPCA). When it comes to the cold there’s just no one right answer and just like people, some dogs fare better than others. All dogs are more vulnerable in cold temperatures and winter walks should typically be shorter, but Rhinebeck Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Julianne Porter, points out that “overall, it seems the majority of dogs enjoy the winter, at least for a few minutes!”

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, different breeds are naturally more prepared for winter weather conditions than others. Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Labrador Retrievers, and other canines with longer hair or a thicker coat of fur are built for cooler temperatures and, therefore, typically fare better physically and mentally. “Some of the shorter dogs will have trouble in high snow and some of the lean, short-haired dogs may be a little chilly. While most dogs tend to enjoy the mild temperatures of spring and autumn, they do prefer winter over summer,” says Dr. Porter. In extremely cold weather, dogs can develop frostbite and hypothermia or symptoms leading to both, and both are serious conditions. A dog suffering from frostbite will have discoloration of the extremities. “Dogs naturally have thinner tissue on their ears, tails, and paws which make these areas most susceptible to frostbite, due to decreased blood flow to these areas in cold weather,” says Dr. David Gunzburg, medical director at Hurley Veterinary Hospital. Signs of frostbite can range anywhere from swelling and redness in the early stages to white, blue, and even black.

Dog Days of Winter

SEASONAL PET HEALTH TIPS FROM LOCAL VETERINARIANS

By Abigail Gierke

Hypothermia is an extreme reaction to wet and cold weather that can present in demeanor, breathing patterns, and even gastrointestinal complications. “A very cold or wet dog will shake or shiver and can have a rapid drop in body temperature which causes lethargy and slower breathing, says Dr. Gunzburg. “Dogs don’t sweat, they pant, and so if you see your dog doing this, it could be a sign of thermal dysregulation.”

When you do call your dog in after spending some quality time outside, particularly on a cold day, take care when warming them up. “A common mistake we can make with our animals is to warm them up too quickly. “Instead of using hot water or extremely hot air to help warm your dog, you can gradually warm your dog using towels, blankets, or warm heat pads.”

Dr. Kimberly Buchanan, Hopewell Animal Hospital owner and veterinarian, practices integrative and regenerative medicine for animals along with traditional medical techniques. She notes that, just like people, the change in seasons can cause changes to behavior or acting in ways inconsistent with typical behavior. “We always start our appointments with an observation period,” she says. “This deeper diagnostic can help to address underlying causes instead of just the symptoms.”

Exercise

If temperatures dip below freezing, you shouldn’t be outside for very long, but regular exercise habits and routines should not be altered all that much. “Watch the weather, but keep up normal routines,” says Dr. Buchanan. “Certain breeds are built for winter weather, but individual personalities do also matter when it comes to temperature preferences.” Dr. Porter echoes this sentiment. “Exercise depends on the breed and life stage—a border collie is going to need more exercise than a bulldog. A puppy is going to need more exercise than a senior dog—but seniors need to get out and move too! Aim for at least 30 to 45 minutes per day, but in the winter, this may need to be shortened to 10 to 15 minutes depending on the weather. In those situations, try to find a way to exercise inside if possible.”

Pasha, a two-year-old Border Collie, is at her most jubilant when racing through the snowy fields of Phoenicia. Photo by Ashleigh Lovelace

captions tk

Bard

Matt Rubiner, owner of Rubiner’s Cheesemongers and Grocers and Rubi’s Coffee and Sandwiches on Main Street.

Pressing Issues

Restaurateur Josh Irwin is heavily invested in Great Barrington—and for good reason. The owner of Cantina 229 (in nearby New Marlborough) and Mooncloud (which opened in Great Barrington three years ago) has had a front-row seat to the growing gap between those who flock to the bucolic hills for fun and relaxation versus those who call the Berkshires home.

“I’ve come to see the good, the bad, and the ugly [in town],” Irwin says. His most recent passion project, to create workforce housing, is a shining example. In what turned out to be a long and auspicious chain of events, Irwin’s idea—to purchase the 13-bedroom Windflower Inn, located in neighboring South Egremont, for service worker housing—was ultimately executed by Construct, the leading nonprofit provider of affordable housing and supportive services to residents of the southern Berkshires. The plan is to begin welcoming lodgers (via applications from employers) to the property, as soon as January.

“[This past year] was very difficult for many in our service area, and our waiting lists grew exponentially,” says Construct Development Director Leigh Davis, citing over 200 individuals currently awaiting housing. While Construct has grown over five decades to meet the needs of more than 600 families per year, it is not tackling the problem alone.

Community Development Corporation of South

Berkshire (CDCSB) is exploring a variety of ways to serve community needs. In addition to co-developing Windrush Commons, a 49-unit affordable housing complex under construction at 910 Main Street, on track for completion in spring of 2023, the nonprofit is poised to acquire its first building. In early December, CDCSB entered into a contract to purchase the Marble Block—a downtown building comprising eight apartments and six commercial spaces.

“Our motivation in acquiring this mixed-use property is to directly mitigate impacts of the prolonged economic fallout of the pandemic and luxury rental development on the local real estate market,” says Executive Director Carol Bosco Baumann. “By keeping downtown rentals economically diverse, we can slow the socioeconomic homogenization of the neighborhood.” That said, there are many pieces to the proverbial puzzle.

Jennifer Capala of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty distills the 12-month period decisively: “From a macro perspective, after a very busy year of buying and selling, real estate activity is ending the year almost exactly where it began,” she says, citing sale prices that—after spiking—have now come down, leaving inventory at historically low levels.

“The COVID frenzy has dissipated, which has cooled the ubiquitous bidding wars. And given that Great Barrington is buoyed by a second home market, buyer activity remains strong even with interest rates on the rise.”

From left:

College at Simon’s Rock Provost John Weinstein outside the provost’s house on the Simon’s Rock campus.

Bosco Baumann fears renters have borne the brunt of this frenzied real estate market, leaving many “finding it harder to find affordable housing here, and facing difficult choices about where to live and how to budget their money” as evidenced by the more than 100 applications already on file for units at Windrush Commons, which is still at least six months from completion.

Davis, who also serves as vice chair of the town Selectboard, felt compelled to take a proactive stance on addressing the town’s housing crisis. “By getting ahead of the short-term rental trend that has swept across other communities, I hoped to stem the tide of displacement of residents by STRs and help local businesses struggling to find staff,” she says. As a means of keeping neighborhoods intact, a new bylaw, which went into effect on January 1, prevents the purchase of residential homes solely for shortterm rentals—while still enabling residents to earn extra money from their properties.

Downtown Developments

Despite a proliferation of recreational marijuana dispensaries in Great Barrington (the current tally stands at seven), the town has hardly gone to pot. Home Love made a sweet addition to Railroad Street in February (just in time for Valentine’s Day) with a wide array of home decor and gifts. Following a four-decades-long stint downtown, Byzantium is slated to close its doors in January (largely due to the shift in the retail landscape to online sales).

Barrington Outfitters added a fourth floor of merchandise, dedicated to its extensive line of outdoor funrniture.   Newcomer Scout House is open for business, selling furniture, textiles and lighting and artwork, decor, and apparel, plus loads of books in a renovated Victorian home on Elm Street. And, on the final day of 2022, the Bookloft, a Stockbridge Road staple since 1974, will turn an historic page as ownership is passed to long-time employee and head book buyer Giovanni Boivin.

Guido’s Fresh Marketplace is nearing completion of its impressive expansion, now featuring a swoon-worthy selection of imported and domestic cheese at LaGrotta (stay tuned for house-made mozzarella); a full bakery; a wide array of prepared foods from Guido’s Kitchen; and the soon-to-open Renie’s Cafe (a nod to the owners’ late mother) boasting coffee and smoothies, plus a brand-new deli and kitchen with hot bar, salad bar, and burrito bar coming in early 2023. The Marketplace Specialty Foods has opened a brand-new standalone store on Stockbridge Road (opposite its Marketplace Kitchen Table), offering heaping piles of artisanal cheeses and handmade prepared foods to go—both savory and sweet. Construction is underway upstairs at the Berkshire Food Co-op where a new retail space is slated to open early in the New Year (followed by a community space). Mama Lo’s Southern Style BBQ, a family business serving up warm and happy food for the soul, is now nestled into the Barrington Atrium on Main Street. Following a pandemic-length nap, Rubi’s Cafe is

Pam Pescosilido, longtime owner of the Bookloft, has sold the business to former employee Giovanni Boivin, who takes the reins this month.

Hudson Beckwith

Street

Valerie

artist and director of student activities at Simon’s Rock; Charlotte Beckwith; April Hoskeer, gardener; Patrizia Barbagallo, owner of Pixie Boulangerie; Oliver Antunes, chef at Cantina 229.

Kristin Coppola, dispensary support specialist at Theory Wellness; Sabine von Falken, photographer and cofounder of Lisa Vollmer Gallery; Tristan Wilson, managing director of Great Barrington Public Theater; Rie McCarthy, ceramicist and

from top left: Kristen Westerman Kanter, furniture maker at JK Custom Furniture and member of Railroad Street Collective; Mary Budzn, director of institutional advancement at Bard College at Simon’s Rock; Natalie Tyler, sculptor;

Clockwise

member of Railroad

Collective;

Fanarjian,

Center: Margaret Keller, executive director at Community Access to the Arts.

Crystal Essence

For over 35 years, Crystal Essence has been curating an extraordinary collection of Crystals, Books, Tarot & Oracle Decks, Jewelry, and Artful Gifts. It is our mission to provide tools of transformation to support your path of growth and discovery. Our Wellness Center offers intuitive readings and healing sessions as well as dynamic spiritual workshops. Our store has become an oasis of healing and serenity in the heart of the Berkshires. Come, enjoy the peaceful community that has made us a destination for spiritual seekers for decades. 39 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, MA. Crystalessence.com

TurnPark Art Space

A marble quarry turned sculpture park and contemporary art center in the heart of the Berkshires. The diverse landscape of the park incorporates hills, meadows, and a dramatic 65 ft vertical cliff drop. The grounds feature an outdoor sculpture collection, two galleries, an outdoor amphitheater, and a gift shop. 2 Moscow Road, West Stockbridge, MA. Turnpark.com.

Berkshire Art Center

Make art, buy art! Berkshire Art Center, formerly IS183 Art School, offers classes, workshops and events in-person and online via Zoom year-round for all ages. Our gallery shop features work by local artists, discounted art materials, and art books. 13 Willard Hill Road, Stockbridge, MA and 141 North Street, Pittsfield, MA. Berkshireartcenter.org.

Mad Macs

Since 1998, Mad Macs Inc. has been Berkshire County's "go-to" for Apple sales, service, and iPhone repair. Other areas of expertise include PC Sales and Service, Network Services, VOIP systems, Pro AV, and Managed IT Services for SMBs. Allendale Shopping Center, 5 Cheshire Road, Pittsfield, MA. Madmacs.com.

Blu Salon & Spa

Blu Salon & Spa is located in the heart of the Berkshires. With an amazing team of 17 we will make you feel warm and cozy in our 4,000 square foot salon and spa. Offering waxing, massage, facials, manicures and pedicures. We have a medical grade infrared dry sauna and it doesn’t stop there! We have a full service salon for everyone, men, women and children are welcome. Give us a call today and allow us to take care of all your needs. 740 Williams Street, Pittsfield, MA. blusalonspas.com

HIGH SOCIETY

Pelican Movement Fistful of Ivy (Feeding Tube Records)

Fistful of Ivy is a wondrously fitful yet deliberate experiment in the trust of art and concept. With unorthodox intent, it is birthed in memoriam of a mother and disease that robs us of memories, present attentions, and future realities. A state of mind that darts in and out with increasing urgency and momentum—a frustrating teacher of patience, of acceptance, loss, and the chaos of life’s fleeting beauty. The brainchild of New Paltz musician, songwriter, and producer Kevin S. McMahon, Fistful of Ivy is a 40-minute collage of meticulous creation combined with a leap of faith in the art of letting go. McMahon wrote the piece, taught it separately to a myriad of disparate individuals, and then pressed record. Ultimately, the belief in process and the innate instincts of a talented community results in an elaborate and breathtaking piece. Bending to the very edge of break, the psychedelic and propulsive mayhem is barely hinged and surprisingly cohesive. The nerve endings are alive and raw, searching for and artfully embracing connection. Equally deserving and demanding of one’s attention, the result is a rainbow of sweet and dark, melodic and frenetic. Teetering beats chase ever changing time signatures, welcoming and then dispossessing the serpentine instrumentation. This is a constant nourishment and deconstruction of tempo and emotion. The psychotic humanity of King Crimson dissolving in Jeff Buckley interludes only to fatally erupt in Sonic Youth crescendo and fracas. Multiple listens only garner a further appreciation of the breadth of influence and intricacy.

—Jason Broome

sound check

I’ve been listening to Jean-Phillipe Rameau’s opera “Les Indes Gallantes” and watching Bintou Dembele’s newest choreography. She recasts the ballet using street dance styles to interrupt the deeply problematic plot lines steeped in colonialist and racist tropes. The dancers reclaim their space at the end—dramatically marking the first performance of a Black female choreographer and nearly all-Black cast at the Paris Opera. As part of a collaborative online international learning unit for my piano class, my students and I are learning Greek rebetiko and laiko styles adapted for the piano. In preparation, I have been listening to “Minor of the Dawn” by Markos Vamvakaris, legendary Greek bouzouki player. I am doing a new project with Hafez Modirzadeh, an Iranian-American saxophonist who flirts in the free jazz and contemporary music worlds. His newest album, Facets, features jazz pianists Craig Taborn, Tyshawn Sorey, and Kris Davis. It is a gorgeous album.

Pianist Alex Peh is an associate professor of music at SUNY New Paltz. He will perform at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on January 21 and 22 as part of a celebration of the late Kingston composer Pauline Oliveros. Peh and Hafez Modirzadeh received a National Endowment for the Arts award and will do a residency and concert in New Paltz in spring 2024.

The Acoustic Medicine Show Back to Easy Street (Wild Turkey Records)

Laid-back Elizaville songwriter Joe Tobin is showing his roots again with Acoustic Medicine Show’s seventh long player, Back to Easy Street. The 15-song collection may have been recently cut in the Hudson Valley, but its wide-ranging sound straddles an imaginary Texas/Louisiana line from decades ago, with punchy horn charts and stinging honky-tonk guitar battling for hometown turf. The twin opening salvo of “Easy Street” and “Pull on Through” distinctly sets the tone, the first strutting with New Orleans sass; the second settling down on a steel-driven Western Swing lope. Other flavors creep in to season the stew. “Once Again” mellows things right down with warm lead guitar floating on a genteel bed of strings and oohed backing vocals straight out of the 1940s. With its melodic blend of mandolin and accordion, “Sing My Song” is more Opelousas than Gulf Coast, but spicy, in the right ways, just the same.

—Michael Eck

Marco Benevento Benevento (Royal Potato Family)

On his latest album, titled simply Benevento, Marco Benevento goes all Paul McCartney or Stevie Wonder on us as a one-man band and wizard of melody and rhythm, exploring the common ground between the ambient chill room and the hot, sweaty dance floor. Benevento’s music variously suggests the influence of 1990s jam bands, LCD Soundsystem, and Gorillaz. I hear touches of Big Audio Dynamite in “At the End or the Beginning,” with its upbeat melody and bouncy groove, and traces of the 1970s jazz-rock fusion of Joe Zawinul and Herbie Hancock elsewhere. His acoustic piano playing is a funky delight, whether it’s the bebop soloing of “The Warm Up” or the Leon Russell-like soul-rock of “Like Me.” Benevento sets his ethereal processed vocals in trippy, hook-laden arrangements, with a variety of sounds and textures popping up in a glorious 360degree aural mix. To call Benevento a “keyboardist” isn’t even the half of it—he is a consummate musician, producer, and composer, an all-around musical conceptualist, Woodstock’s answer to Brian Eno.

—Seth Rogovoy

Alex Peh

Each month here we visit with a member of the community to find out what music they’ve been digging.

Good Dream Dragon

Jacki Davis/Illustrated by Courtney Dawson

CHRISTY OTTAVIANO BOOKS, 2022, $17.99

Creator of the New York Times bestselling Ladybug Girl series, Rosendale resident Davis has a kind, clear way with a tale and a gentle, vivid imagination, and parents and kids will find Good Dream Dragon pleasant company at bedtime. The child who has trouble sleeping and goes for an epic dragon ride is assigned neither gender nor name, just the traits of courage, curiosity, and gratitude; Dawson’s illustrations are cozy, colorful, and evocative. A delightful addition to any little kid’s nightstand.

The Flowering Wand: Rewilding the Sacred Masculine

Sophie Strand

INNER TRADITIONS, 2022, $18.99

There is far more to masculinity than what fits within its current cultural straitjacket. Hudson Valley poet and writer Strand digs down to the very roots of noxious patriarchy and beneath them for treasure, unearthing “playful gods, animal-headed kings, mischievous lovers, vegetal magicians, trickster harpists, and riddling bards.” The “mythic mycelium” serves as a fresh taproot to the enchantment that was long ago lost to revision and opens fresh possibilities of liberation from our current oppositional mess.

Hopewell Junction, A Railroader’s Town: A History of Short-line Railroads in Dutchess County, NY

Bernard L. Rudberg and John M. Desmond SUNY PRESS, 2022, $29.95

The late Bernard Rudberg was president and historian emeritus of the Hopewell Depot Restoration group, and Dutchess Community College Professor Emeritus of English Desmond has consolidated his three volumes of carefully researched history into one book that’s a lively and insightful read. Rail fans will find all the nitty gritty details their hearts desire; readers who just love history will find plenty of telling observations on the wider culture of the era in the diverse chorus of primary sources.

Eden Revisited: A Novel Laszlo Z. Bito

BATUS BOOKS & THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED THEOLOGY, 2022, $26.95

Bito, who died in 2021, was a Hungarian activist, Bard graduate, scientist, and Columbia University professor who retired in his early 60s to write. Eden Revisited plops us into the drama of Genesis, finding understandably strange family dynamics and a deity who’s really no better than he should be. The story opens at the moment of Cain’s fratricide and goes on to upend this human origin tale into something infused with far more compassion and hope than the original.

For Lamb

Lesa Cline-Ransome

HOLIDAY HOUSE, 2023, $18.99

Lamb is a quiet, bookish girl growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1940s with her brilliant older brother and devoted, hardworking mom; her innocent decision to befriend a quiet, bookish white girl sets in motion a chain of unintended consequences that lead, seemingly inexorably, to horror. Cline-Ransome, a Hudson Valley resident and author of over 20 acclaimed books for young readers, leans into nuance and honesty and away from sensationalism to shed light on the plight of women trapped under white supremacy.

—Anne Pyburn Craig

Still Life at Eighty Abigail Thomas

GOLDEN NOTEBOOK PRESS, 2023, $20

Want to write a book? Take a look around. Describe what captures your interest, no matter how large or small. Repeat for a span of time, and soon enough your observations add up to the critical mass of a slender volume. It’s that simple, at least if you’re the writer Abigail Thomas with her latest book, Still Life at Eighty. (The book is the first release from Golden Notebook Press, a new imprint of the Woodstock bookstore.) Thomas, a renowned memoirist, adheres to the concept of telling the sometimes-harsh truth. Anecdotes in the new book often concern being elderly or, as she prefers being described, an elder. And while this may be unfashionable in a culture that renders old people invisible, it offers consolation and company for those who have rounded the corner onto the last half of life.

Thomas, at 80, shares slices of her current life in Woodstock, as well as reminiscences of her wilder youth in New York City. Dogs Sadie, Daphne, and Cooper are constants for her, providing not only amiable companionship, but some structure with which to build a daily routine. As she watches, the Bluetick Coonhound named Cooper dies, and Thomas scalds herself with guilt over not having cared for him better. Those who have had and lost pets can relate to the immense joy and sadness so integral to living with animals.

To get around, Thomas requires a cane, and she merrily lists additional found uses for the tool—to flip a light switch, shove some newspapers with loathsome headlines off the ottoman, strike the floor for emphasis, or pretend it’s a broomstick on which to fly south to confront a political boogieman. Events that signify one’s age and mortality—such as loss of bladder control—become causes for wonder and discovery. Living alone offers the liberty to smoke with impunity, leave stuff lying around at will, or dress simply for comfort.

The pandemic’s universally imposed isolation leads Thomas to hone her observations of “varmints” and bugs that find their way into her home, probably through the dog door. A highly detailed description of a dead paper wasp catalyzes a discourse on how she’d heard that someone left out colored construction paper, which some wasps used to make a multihued hive. She reveals that the stinkbug is her favorite, with its shield-shaped carapace, and it doesn’t actually smell unless it’s killed. She makes peace with an alarmingly large spider.

These sundry anecdotes are interspersed with more serious ones. Thomas has clearly endured great anguish earlier in life. A previous book, A Three Dog Life, recounts how her third husband was hit by a car in Manhattan, losing short-term memory and forcing her to live on her own. In Still Life, she tells an alarming episode: Driving in Woodstock and blinded by the early morning sun, she jerked the wheel sharply to avoid striking another car, and her car flipped. She was pulled to safety by some men who disappeared before the EMTs arrived (she guesses they were avoiding ICE), suffered few injuries although the car was totaled, and subsequently limited her driving to a short radius from her home.

Two falls in 2015 produced two broken wrists within a month. Thomas notes that, while painful and inconvenient (how to commit thoughts to paper with no functioning right hand?), it definitely was a new experience—hard to come by as a septuagenarian. A few years prior, the combination of Thomas falling, and her dog Carolina not being able to cope with the stairs, led her to move her bedroom into the sun porch on the first floor. Necessity aside, she was able to much better appreciate the foliage and fauna from her new vantage.

Thomas faces dread on occasion, arising out of seemingly nowhere, like “an eclipse.” Sustenance and its procurement become more difficult as her mobility and senses diminish; she relies a bit too much on her fallback, roast chicken, and impulsively buys a large leg of lamb which she could never eat. To many people, “living in the moment” translates to YOLO, but for Thomas, it takes on a nuanced meaning when her memory is spotty enough that it can only retain so much. Even in the face of death, when she suffers a sudden cardiac event of which she recalls nothing later on, she is cheered. If that’s dying, it ain’t so bad! We can all take some levity and philosophical perspective from Thomas as we trace her path in this varied, frankly written collection.

—Susan Yung

In Memoriam

for Lynn; for Lionel

Jagged inscribe, but word abandons word; even rare written inters in its line’s time. But who bereaved us meant us music— their stricter breathing, their touch of tomb as tones descant death, resonances unresolved in airs they rose remembering, languageless.

—Robert Charles Basner

Dry Tears

In the September morning fog caustic clouds of smoke steamed up, from the exhaust pipes of family minivans, cars stretched along the side of the road, column, similar to a playful domestic snake.

The birds became silent, stunned, a leper projectile flew in with lightning remains smoldering in the abyss, the devil cooks a proud cauldron.

The destinies of hundreds of people have been ruined, life forever broken, took away the enemy’s fluttering lives, whose souls have gone to heaven.

Blood runs like ants through the body, and saliva is not swallowed, feet get cold, language is taken away.

—Vyacheslav Konoval Kyiv, Ukraine

A stumped and elderly man sits frightened at vespers by a similarly ragged cat named Sneakers

Both are thinned out

Their sight dry and clouded Tense and breathing hard They smell used and greasy They share pillows and packaging And cigar smoke…a dim light bulb in a metal cage adds shadows and little else

Sneakers limps on three legs and a short tail And shares sardines from the man’s bowl

The man has been homeless; the cat feral, Both have whiskers, both faded white collars Their nails are long, untrimmed and dull They both growl in their own way Not at each other so much

As at all of time and place which seems to be circling…like a predator Water is another thing.

The old man prefers a bottle with a warning

The cat doesn’t mind a puddle

For neither does a bath hold prospect much less shampoo.

Do they collect old newspapers? How do they fare toward mice and men?

Cartography

I like to think of the poem between us as a road, not straight on to the horizon

and what is beyond but so curved in its distance there are too many bends

to see around. Your only choice, and the best one,

is to throw your maps away and slow down so you won’t miss

all the enchanting sights you can invent and visit along the way.

—Robert Harlow

Seasonal Rapture

You can’t force euphoria, an apple that just falls into your hand, sweet and delicious, and so unexpected. Happy is fine; who wouldn’t settle? Elation is life changing; the thrill of seeing an owl in daylight, or a rainbow at night; a guiltless dessert offering a fruit unfamiliar; when you gaze beyond reflection and detect a gaze returned. Spring surprises; the first caw is the bud of blood; the tingling roots of Your thirsty heart, quenched joyfully by my showers.

—Viola Norlander

There is a springtime in this winter, and a choice: love the loss; set shoots

—Danielle Woerner

Dusk falls to dusk which yields only a clouded clammy darkness Dawn remains dry and silent.

An empty tin

—Jay Marshall Weiss

Windowing

Today I saw a man with a double stroller, one kid in it, and two large dogs pulling him forwards.

A moment later a father walked by with his two sons on the way to school, busy, looking at his phone, puffing on a cigarette. The brothers did not talk to each other.

One of the village Lost Souls was jaywalking, stumbling across the intersection, ignoring the traffic completely. I look at him warily.

Always wearing a blazer, says hello politely. I hesitate to start a conversation. It might never end.

A lady I know got into the bakery, says hello. I smiled and nodded in return. She leaves abruptly without her favorite dessert, no goodbye.

I spread crumbs for the birds on the sidewalk, read the news, drink coffee, bite on a cheese danish, and measure the day with the help of others.

—Ze’ev Willy Neumann

Something to Do with Your Hands

A boy is walking down the street. His bookbag is slung over one shoulder. He feels the car slow down before he turns around.

The boy wears a green and blue striped rugby shirt. He knows better than to wear his hooded sweatshirt. Though warmer, it does not suit his complexion.

The boy turns around. He cannot see inside the car. He makes his eyes big and shy.

The boy smiles. He can’t not be tall, but he pulls into himself.

The boy turns around, continues walking. The car matches his pace. The car follows the boy.

After a long block, the boy has an idea. He reaches into the bag and takes out a book. The book is a chemistry textbook.

The boy waves his chemistry textbook in the air. He thinks: they’ll know that I’m a student. The book will tell them that.

Though he’d reached into his bookbag, the boy is not killed. The car moves on.

—Wendy Stewart

For its first winter exhibition, Olana, the 19th-century home of Frederic Church, has chosen a wintry subject: “Chasing Icebergs: Art and a Disappearing Landscape.”

In 1859, Church traveled by ship to “Iceberg Alley” between Labrador and Newfoundland, painting and sketching mounds of ice. (He was the first American artist to depict this landscape.) But if you think about it, painting an iceberg isn’t easy. It’s basically a big misshapen ice cube, bending light in unpredictable directions. And how do you represent its size, without adding a tiny little person to show scale? “This idea of capturing the unpaintable shows up again and again in Frederic Church’s career,” explains Allegra Davis, associate curator at Olana. His early subarctic studies resemble the surrealist paintings of Max Ernst. For a month, Church labored with graphite, pen and ink, and gouache—while battling seasickness—to capture the singular scenery.

Not only should the iceberg look realistic, but it must also be awe-inspiring. For the final work, Church combined several smaller ice mountains into an imaginary mega-iceberg. At his studio in New York City, Church painted The Icebergs, an epic image measuring 5.4 by 9.4 feet.

Like his contemporary P. T. Barnum, Church was adept at the art of pulling in a crowd. He would show one painting at a time, with thick velvet curtains and dramatic lighting. Patrons, who each paid 25 cents, were invited to bring opera glasses to scrutinize the visionary tableau. The painting moved from city to city, like a traveling theater troupe. In his time, Church was America’s preeminent artist.

But as he unveiled The Icebergs, Church ran into bad luck. The Civil War had just begun, and the public wasn’t in the mood for exotic diversions. Showing his sympathy

for the Union side, Church retitled his painting The North After two years of touring, the picture was still unsold, so Church hightailed it to London. Because of England’s dependence on cotton to supply its textile mills, many rich art patrons supported the American South.

Church returned to the original title and added a small shipwreck, symbolizing the English Arctic expedition led by Sir John Franklin, which disappeared in 1847.

The Icebergs is, improbably, at the Dallas Museum of Art, not Olana. But this show includes a smaller iceberg canvas, Steamboat in Northern Waters, and a chromolithograph of the large painting, retouched with paint—perhaps by Church himself.

A lot has changed since 1859. Icebergs, once a symbol of majestic power, now represent fragility. “Icebergs have become a symbol of the melting Arctic and the ticking clock on the planet,” Davis observes. Four pieces by contemporary artists in the show function as a modern commentary on Church’s works. In Blue Ebb, a sculpture by Kambui Olujimi, a tiny iceberg perches precariously inside an hourglass.

On his subarctic ship, Church traveled with Anglican missionaries, who stopped off at native communities to spread the gospel. In fact, the artist received a copy of the Book of Genesis translated into Mi’kmaq, a local language. Though he later gave away this book, the curators hunted down a similar edition for this exhibit. (Everything else in “Chasing Icebergs” was taken from Olana’s permanent collection.) At Olana, contemporary artist Mark Igloliorte draws on his Inuit heritage to produce a painting with a word from the Inuktitut language superimposed on an Arctic scene. Words like “Angiggak” perfectly fit the angular outlines of icebergs.

—Sparrow

Icecapades

“CHASING ICEBERGS: ART AND A DISAPPEARING LANDSCAPE”

Through March 26 at Olana State Historic Site Olana.org

The Icebergs, C. Risdon, ink on paper, 1863 Courtesy of Olana State Historic Site; New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Evelynn Glennie

January 14-15. Believe it or not, Polar Prize-winning percussionist Evelynn Glennie has been deaf since age 12. “My career and my life have been about listening in the deepest possible sense,” says Glennie, who plays these two shows at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. “Losing my hearing meant learning how to listen differently, to discover features of sound I hadn’t realized existed. Losing my hearing made me a better listener.” Her own listeners include such collaborators as Mark Knopfler, Bela Fleck, Bobby McFerrin, Steve Hackett, Fred Frith, Underworld, and Björk, on whose 1996 album Telegram she plays. (The Berkshire Bach Ensemble visits January 1; Branford Marsalis blows by January 27.) January 14 at 7:30pm; January 15 at 3pm. See website for ticket prices. Troy. Troymusichall.org

Garcia Peoples

January 14. Given the popularity of the Grateful Dead bootleg tape nights that have recently featured on the venue’s calendar, Dead-inspired New Jersey psychedelic band Garcia Peoples should find a sufficiently primed audience when they take the long, strange trip back to Tubby’s this month. “The sheer power of Garcia Peoples is stunning to behold onstage and on bootlegs, especially when the sextet locks into a heavy groove that never lets up,” says Relix magazine’s Rudi Greenberg in a recent review of Dodging Dues, the group’s sixth album. (Matthew O’Neill, Lea Thomas, and Ryan Jewell play January 20; Truth Club and Jelly Kelly jam January 27.) 7pm. $15. Kingston.

Tubbyskingston.com

Chris Spedding

January 19. Guitar great Chris Spedding had been booked to appear last July at Colony with his frequent musical partner, the rockabilly singer Robert Gordon. Sadly, Gordon’s declining health due to acute myeloid leukemia saw the date cancelled and he passed just months later. Besides Gordon, the legendary Spedding has made numerous excellent solo records and performed with acts ranging from Brian Eno to the Sex Pistols, Bryan Ferry, Elton John, Roxy Music, John Cale, Joan Armatrading, Nina Hagen, and the Vibrators. This evening also features the intended rhythm section of drummer Anton Figg and bassist Tony Garnier and includes a tribute to Gordon. (Robert Burke Warren’s Bowie Bash is back January 14; Indigo Sparke and Aaron Dessner appear January 21.) 7pm. $30. Woodstock.

Colonywoodstock.com

Jazz is Dead

January 26. As the prjoect’s name indicates, Jazz is Dead does interpretations of classic Grateful Dead songs with jazz influences. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the acclaimed all-star instrumental ensemble, which includes founding bassist Alphonso Johnson, will be joined by guitarist Steve Kimock (who played with Johnson in the post-Jerry Garcia Dead offshoot the Other Ones), drummer Pete Lavezzoli, and guitarist Bobby Lee Rodgers will all alight on Tarrytown Music Hall for this enticing engagement. The program also marks the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s Wake of The Flood and will feature that album in its entirety in addition to other beloved selections. 8pm. $44-$64. Tarrytown.

Tarrytownmusichall.org

Lotus

January 27. There’s certainly no shortage of jamfriendly concerts in the Hudson Valley this month, as the above dates by Garcia Peoples and Jazz is Dead—as well as this Empire Live event by Lotus—will indicate. Based between Philadelphia and Denver, the mainly electronic Lotus fuse rock with funk, jazz, dance music, prog rock, and post rock and describe their music as “jamtronica.” The five-piece outfit accompanies their improv-heavy live appearances with an ambitious, ultra-trippy light show and recently released their well-received 13th studio album, Bloom & Recede. (Edict, Wisdom & War, Hard Target, Wrong Move, Cold Kiss, and Deadweight mosh it up at Empire Underground January 15.) 7pm. $32. Albany.

Empirelivealbany.com

Adam Ezra Group

January 27. Like so many other acts did during the COVID lockdown, Boston-birthed folk rockers the Adam Ezra Group found a shared sense of solace with their fans via livestream shows—but their leader really took to it. “The people who watch every night, they’re tuning in for me, but they’re also tuning in for each other,” says Ezra, who has gone live online daily since March 2020. “They’re tuning in for comfort and compassion and connection, but maybe also a sense of normalcy and grounding during this time that seems to be shaking the very foundations of who we’ve always thought we were.” With Sirsy. (Faded Rose materializes January 22; Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez rock February 3.) 8pm. $28-$45. Pawling.

Darylshouseclub.com

Lake, Cate Pasquarelli, glass cloche, plaster, clay, resin, natural materials, artificial grasses, plastic, acrylic and enamel paints, 13" x 12", 2022 Pasquerelli's sculptures are part of the group exhibition "No Misery Can Tell, No Word of Farewell," at Wassaic Project through March 18.

GEMINI (May 20–June 21)

For the duration of January, Mars, the planet of individuation and self-assertion, is sluggish in your sign and in the midst of a transition.

Instead of seeing lots of green lights this month, it might feel like the world is asking you to yield. How do you feel about this? How important is it to demonstrate who you are by way of unrelenting cleverness and movement?

Can you still feel your sense of self in stillness, receptivity, and contemplation? Try it out. This is a great time to hone your sense of self through your feelings and your bodily sensations.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

When you know, you know. And this month, you’re going to find something out about yourself beyond a shadow of a doubt. It will likely be triggered by a piece of communication from someone close to you. When they communicate this pivotal piece of intel, it might feel like your waves have finally reached a shore. There are indications in your chart of a kind of relationship enclosure. Is it an embrace, a bond, a definition, or restriction? Know that commitments to others can sometimes free us up to be more of ourselves. Accept nothing less at this full moon.

LEO (July 22–August 23)

Who knows what’s lurking in your blind spot, your subconscious, or in the spaces that are so private and tucked away that you just plain forgot about? You’re about to catch a glimpse of some of these gremlins. You might even find a key that unlocks a door to a secret passage leading to buried emotional treasure. These clues may come to you in dreams, divinations, or meditations, but don’t rule out finding valuable information in more obvious places and ordinary circumstances. You could just as easily have an epiphany in the hypnotherapist’s chair, as you would in the dentist’s.

VIRGO (August 23–September 23)

How does your love take shape in the world?

You’re about to find out from your peers, community, and your audience. The women in your life may have a lot to offer in the form of feedback, critique, or nourishment. You now have something to show for every idea and inspiration that gives you joy. Take your feedback graciously, it’s meant to turn your passion into more enduring forms of love. Mercury, your ruling planet, is involved in this month’s full moon. A first step in giving your love a form could be giving it a name.

LIBRA (September 23–October 23)

A deep dive into your past, your heritage, or lineage could see you emerging with clues regarding your place in the world. This could provide deep emotional satisfaction and a sense of belonging to a larger family or maybe even a different one. On a smaller scale, you’re also learning how your early-life/parental conditioning has helped or hindered your ability to feel safe enough to feel. What parts of your history could be rewritten or reinterpreted so you feel secure enough to let yourself be seen? Can you tell the difference between protecting your privacy and shutting people out?

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SCORPIO (October 23–November 22)

How are the structures of your daily life—your schedules, routines, correspondences, and daily contacts, contributing to your overarching narrative? Do the two have anything to do with each other? Are the bedrocks of your certainty providing support for expanding your mind or message? Is certainty starting to feel small? You have the opportunity to retool some movements and exchanges this month for the sake of discovery. Feeling connected to a larger story or larger family requires some changes in habitual ways of thinking, seeing, and ordering your days. It’s time for a mental detour and physical rerouting.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 22)

Whatever’s pulling on your purse strings is also pulling on your heart strings. This could describe a classic head-versus-heart dilemma…with a financial/material twist. You may be tempted to give it all away because you want to feel closer, or you may want to keep it all for yourself in an attempt to feel secure. It doesn’t really matter what “it” even is, because whatever “it” is, it’s just a bargaining chip in the settling of emotional accounts. Who’s in debt to whom? And, what is it that’s really owed? Or, maybe it really is just about money.

CAPRICORN (December 22–January 20)

You’re in the home stretch of a 15-year process of restructuring, transformation, and healing. You’ve purged a lot of excess and may be coming across more clearly to others. However, you’re not quite done receiving input and lessons from your most important relationships, and you might even feel your need for partnership growing. Soften. Let that happen. A boundary is different than a wall. This month sees you redrawing some boundaries to accommodate the needs of others. You can do this and still be true to yourself. Caring for and receiving care from others IS self-care.

AQUARIUS (January 20–February 19)

The sun’s entrance into Aquarius on the 20th followed by the new moon in Aquarius on the 21st symbolizes a new cycle! It’s time to set intentions about how you want to walk through this world and who you want to walk with. The planetary ruler of this new moon, Saturn, is conjunct Venus, also in Aquarius at this time. A conjunction is, basically, new moon energy. This suggests an extra fertile time for making changes in how you present yourself. This could be aesthetic or energetic. I also think you’ll be reconsidering how the people you associate with reflect your self-image.

PISCES (February 20–March 19)

Even though the beneficent Jupiter has left your sign for Aries, there’s no need to fret (too much). This just means that life’s gifts are going to be transferred to your bank accounts, reservoirs of self-esteem, or other personal resources. What will you do with your extra abilities, confidence, and influence? It looks like your peers, colleagues, and/ or subscribers are asking this question. It looks like they’re waiting for your next heart-felt expression. As an image, this looks like a collection of wellresourced midwives helping you through your next labor of love.

Living on the Edge

In his 2019 book, Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos, M. Mitchell Waldrop describes an intriguing phenomenon. As more elements are added to a system, its complexity multiplies. Until, at some point, it moves beyond complexity and enters a region termed “the edge of chaos” where a new entity emerges that is both greater than the sum of its parts and fundamentally different from them.

Photographer David Ricci’s first book, Edge (Fall Line Press), is a collection of images from over 30 years exploring the visual density and unexpected beauty embedded in abandoned spaces. “The complexity of the composition is not meant to be an end in itself,” Ricci says, “but rather a vehicle to reveal a surprising elegance that emerges from commonplace subject matter.”

Ricci took a cross-country trip in the late 1970s in which he learned how to use his Nikon 35mm by shooting landscapes in national parks. An initial interest in shooting patterns in landscape and architectural subjects led to a fascination with repeated motifs. “I became concerned with adding a sense of pattern and rhythm in the photographs,” says Ricci. “Doing more and more of that, and the images became more and more complex. I eventually started pushing the envelope of correct composition: how much could I fit into the frame?”

Quite a bit, in fact. The image above, Lawnmower, shot in a Catskill junkyard, is so overstuffed with details that it takes a minute to comprehend the scale—is it monumental or miniature? Ricci’s photos of empty amusement parks, overgrown parks, crumbling buildings, and shorelines covered

in lattices of seaweed require close examination to contextualize, but not to enjoy. As Tim Davis, associate professor of photography at Bard College, writes in his essay accompanying the volume: “The book reads like a really fun party, from the awkward, sober, conventional opening greetings—‘Can I get you something to drink?’—to the wet slurry of 2am unzipperings. All the while, we watch the pictures grow bolder, more ambitious, more willing to fail, until they finally succumb to chaos.”

Ricci’s photographs will be exhibited as part of a group show at Bernay Fine Art in Great Barrington this spring. Edge by David Ricci is available at bookstores in Berkshire County, Oblong Books in Rhinebeck and Millerton, and at Falllinepress.com. Portfolio: Davidricci.net.

—Brian K. Mahoney

Lawnmower, David Ricci, 2003

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