march 2019
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by Christine Lake Many people have been taught from a young age to live by “The Golden Rule”: treat others as you would want to be treated. In some cases, however, that seemingly simple directive gets mired in difficulty. When the “other” in question is incarcerated, how does that change people’s perceptions? An art exhibition at The Banana Factory this month focuses on that question and aims to create dialogue around the humanity of those in prison. The exhibition, titled “Hope in Hard Times: Prisoners’ Art for Social Justice”, opened at The Banana Factory’s Banko Gallery in South Bethlehem on March 1. It is a joint project between Art for Justice, the Moravian Church’s Eastern District and the Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem. The artwork itself is available for viewing anytime during the Banana Factory’s hours, and there are several lectures, presentations and special events planned throughout the exhibition’s run which ends on Sunday, April 7. The works in the show are all curated by Art for Justice, a non-profit organization based in Montgomery County, PA that began as a project in 1997. Co-founder and Artistic Director Ann Marie Kirk has a family history that is deeply rooted in both social justice activism and artistic ability and appreciation. In 1995, Kirk attended an art exhibit that was fundraising for the art department at a neighborhood high school featuring local artists, including some of the prisoners at then Graterford Prison (which closed in July 2018 and became SCI Phoenix). “I was really moved by the exhibition, and I bought one of the works,” Kirk remembers. “I wrote to the artist, Charles Lawson, to thank him and to tell him how meaningful the piece was to me.” Their correspondence continued following that first letter and over time they co-founded Art for Justice, an organization with a mission to support and exhibit prisoner art to promote public dialogue on ways to prevent crime, reduce levels of incarceration, bring awareness to systemic flaws in the criminal justice system, and seek solutions to eliminate injustice. Criminal justice reform is a hot topic these days, and it can lead to a lot of narrow-minded attitudes. The main focus of Art for Justice is to use art to open people’s minds. “Art brings people together and allows them to consider more possibilities,” Kirk explains. “We understand that criminal justice reform is a complex issue. It’s certainly not about sanctioning crime, but at the same time we must consider if we have a system of justice that honors all people.” The issues of wrongful conviction and the detrimental effect of mass incarceration on our communities definitely suggest that our current system of justice is not working as intended. These are problems that affect everyone, society-wide, even if it may not seem like it. “It’s hard for the average person to visit a prison and to engage with the incarcerated, to learn about needed reforms,” says Reverend Janel Rice, Pastor at Calvary Moravian Church in Allentown. During a meeting of Moravian churches along the East Coast and Ohio about two years ago, the question asked was “If God asks us to love our neighbor, who is that neighbor?” Further discussion on the topic led to a refinement of the idea to gaining an understanding of the needs of the incarcerated in questions of justice, dehumanization and the needs for reform. Art for Justice was seen
“Aspirations 2” by Daniel Gwynn. courtesy of Art for Justice
as the perfect partner because of their mission and a similar philosophy. “It’s not that we’re trying to do away with prisons,” Rice says. “But we need to work within and beyond our criminal justice system on reforms that benefit everyone. We need to bring more hope into the prison system.” In addition to the exhibition itself, there are presentations, lectures and events that tie into the Art for Justice mission and the Church’s outreach efforts. On Tuesday, March 19 at 7 PM at Prosser Auditorium on Moravian College’s campus, speaker Tyrone Werts will present the Couillard Lecture with the same title as the exhibition. Werts was convicted in 1974 of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole. He spent 37 years at Graterford before having his sentence commuted to life on parole by Governor Ed Rendell. Werts will speak about the role of education and the arts in prison and the concepts of hope, justice, legacy and change. On Sunday, March 24 from 2-4 PM at the Banana Factory, a vigil for Hope in the Criminal Justice System will be held, featuring keynote speaker Chester Hollman, Jr. who will tell the story of his son Chester Hollman III’s wrongful conviction and sentence of life without parole. The final event is First Friday on April 5 from 6-9 PM which will feature a free open house with presentations, continued on page 3
THE ART OF WELLNESS by Christine Lake As modern life gets more hectic, a new focus has come to mindfulness techniques and more natural ways of finding healing and wellness. A new event by smARTivities Showcase in downtown Easton, PA aims to foster the relationship between wellness and art. smARTivities Showcase created the Wellness Healing Arts Fair to promote services that will be offered on-site to support overall well being. Services include healing sessions, meditation exercises, herbal wellness, and therapeutic creative activities. “smARTivities is committed to providing services and art education that support creative self expression. There is a connection between making art and creative thinking that encourages individuals to freely express themselves which leads to stress relief and an overall healthy lifestyle,” expresses founder/owner April Khalil. The first smARTivities Wellness Healing Arts Fair will take place at smARTivities March 22 through March 24. ‘Lady’ Colleen Heller Alrefai, a former organizer of the Riverside Arts Festival and current marketing and events director at smARTivities Showcase, organized the event as a way to have a variety of healing arts all together in an indoor space. She has been a practitioner of energetic medicine, or what some term “alternative medicine” since the late ‘70s. A naturopath, Lady recognizes that the body has an inherent self-healing process, but that people can sometimes use a little assistance to facilitate that process. “I think all healing has a mind over matter component,” Lady says. “Positive attitude wins the race. There are so many ways the body wants to heal itself.” Once considered the realm of health nuts or “tree hugging hippies”, many of the principles of naturopathic medicine have been recently backed up by science. Creating art enhances self-esteem and helps to relieve stress by taking the mind off problems. The creation process also becomes an outlet for emotions which may otherwise remain unresolved. Studies have shown that making visual art helped patients focus on positive life experiences, and that being surrounded by visual art helped patients to experience less pain. Other forms of artistic expression, like dance and movement, work because they turn off the thinking mind and help you to remain grounded in the present moment. “Alternative healing is not a belief system, and it’s not a religion,” Lady explains. “These techniques are proven, and some have been used for centuries. We’re all educated practitioners.” Lady herself is a Certified Hypnotherapist, a Licensed Massage Therapist, a Master Herbalist, and a Reiki Master. She is the owner and founder of two healing and teaching wellness centers: 99 Steps C.A.M. Healing Center in Egypt, and Sinai Energetics Education of Distinction with call 610-258-4330 to advertise
Artist Profile page 8
Hands-on art creation will be a feature of the first smARTivities Wellness Healing Arts Fair including (clockwise from left to right) Macramé Mandalas, Mosaic Elementals, Glass Fusion, and Color Harmony Painting. images courtesy of smARTivities Showcase
branches in Cairo and Nuweiba in Egypt, New York City and Easton in the United States. She is also a visual artist who specializes in painting, and an art appreciator of all kinds. “As artists, we’re passionate about creating,” she remarks. “Helping someone to recreate their health definitely falls into that passion.”
Gardening page 8
continued on page 3
March 2019
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The Irregular Lydia E. Bruneo Publisher & Editor Michelle L. Corby Creative Director Contributors: Carole Heffley Christine Lake Dawn Ouellette Nixon Pam Ruch Reach us at: PO Box 85 Easton, PA 18044 610-258-4330 bruneo1776@aol.com Founded by Carole J. Heffley and James R. Hicks, Jr. 1996 Remember, support your community. Buy local.
May the luck of the Irish be with you!
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Transcending the Boundaries of Incarceration Through Art continued from page 1
artist demos and community art projects. The Banana Factory is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 9:30 PM, and Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM for viewing of the artwork. Admission to all events and the exhibition is free. Kirk notes that over the 100 times that Art for Justice has done artwork displays, attendance has been strong. “If the art didn’t really engage the viewers, none of this would be possible,” she says. “People really respond to the artwork and some will come back over and over again to view the works and to engage with organizers on a deeper level.” Rice hopes that attendees of the exhibition come away with a deeper sense of connection. “I’d like for them to get a sense that we all share a common humanity,” she states. “Out of that, hopefully, we’re motivated to care for each other outside of class or traditional boundaries or borders.” For more information on Art for Justice, visit artforjustice.org. Additional information on all events in the Hope in Hard Times series can be found at bananafactory.org/ event/7895/hope-in-hard-times-prisoners-art-for-social-justice. The Banko Gallery of The Banana Factory is located at 25 W. Third Street in Bethlehem. Call 610-3321300 for more information.
“Life in Suspension” by Charles Lawson. courtesy of Art for Justice
The Art of Wellness continued from page 1 The smARTivities Wellness Healing Arts Fair kicks off with Friday night’s “Wellness Happy Hour”. This features 20-minute seated Reiki Healing sessions with qualified, Certified Practitioners and a drink of sparkling elderberry. Reiki is a technique that uses hands off healing to transfer energy from the practitioner to the patient to encourage emotional or physical balance and healing. “The idea is, especially for skeptics, after a long week of work, come chill out, let us work on you and see how you feel,” says Lady. “If you like it come back and check out the rest of the programming over the weekend. But please come to help your body help itself.” The rest of the programming includes lectures on a variety of issues including herbalism for sinus relief and teas for allergies and a session on essential and medicinal quality oils, both by herbalist Cheryl Karcher; a session on the benefits of color for healing run by mixed-media artist and smARTivities owner April Khalil; and hands-on sessions for sinus relief through acupressure, a quick face lift technique, and Emotional Freedom Technique (which uses tapping on the body’s meridian points to help balance energy) geared toward dealing with stress, all run by Lady. There will also be 20-minute healing sessions for Reiki and acupressure points on the feet, a drumming workshop, and a workshop called Healing with Hoops featuring Sarah DeRemer of Whirled Dreams, who you can often be found performing fire hooping at various Easton functions. While there won’t be anything on fire during these workshops, DeRemer will demonstrate some basic hooping techniques and show how the rhythmic nature can help the body’s energy and create a meditative flow. (Hooping sessions are not ideal for anyone with lower back issues or injuries, however if you’re interested, please contact the organizers to see if they can accommodate you with some modifications.) There will also be some hands-on art creation by some of the regular smARTivities vendors, including: Mosaic Elementals with “Mosaic” Mary Iacavone, Macramé Mandalas with Carolyn Eppinger, Glass Fusion with Barbara Brock, Organic Therapy Clay Forms with Bill Iacovone, and Color Harmony Painting with April Khalil. Finally, there will be vendors at the event, including those selling soaps, jewelry wrapped crystals and essential oils. You’ll notice that most of the presenters and practitioners here on this list are women. Though that wasn’t intentional, it is fitting for two reasons. First, healing was considered the domain of women from ancient times through the Middle Ages until about the 13th century when universities and professional schools became established and open only to men. The second reason is that March is Women’s History Month, dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women throughout history, presenting an excellent opportunity to reflect on that history of healing and wellness throughout women’s history.
Lady Colleen Heller Alrefai performs Reiki on a client. photo courtesy of Lady Colleen Heller Alrefai
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The smARTivities Wellness Healing Arts Fair will take place at smARTivities Showcase at 60 Centre Square, Easton on Friday March 22 from 4-8 PM and Saturday March 23 and Sunday March 24 from 10 AM to 5 PM. The healing sessions (Reiki and acupressure on feet) are $25 per 20-minute session. Hooping for Healing is $25 per 40-minute session. One lecture costs $35, a lecture-and-art-creation session combination is $55, and a Lecture pass for all three days is $75. Vendors are also still needed for each day of the Fair. More information can be found at smartivities.net. March 2019
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The David E. Rodale and Rodale Family Galleries The Baum School of Art 510 Linden Street, Allentown, PA 610-433-0032 The Annual Adult Student Exhibition thru March 14, and The Annual Children and Teen Student Exhibition March 21-April 4, reception March 31, 2-4pm. Open Monday-Thursday 9am-9pm, Friday & Saturday 9am-3pm. baumschool.org
Allentown Art Museum 31 N. 5th Street Allentown, PA 610-432-4333 Carrie Mae Weems: Strategies of Engagement thru May 5, Fresh Perspective: Modernism in Photography, 1920–1950 thru May 12, Katagami: The Japanese Stencil thru July 28, and Stephen Antonakos: The Room Chapel thru September 15. Open WednesdaySaturday 11am-4pm (3rd Thursdays till 8pm) & Sunday 12-4pm. allentownartmuseum.org The Alternative Gallery 707 N. 4th Street Allentown, Pennsylvania 610-462-3282 Tear It Down featuring Monica Salazar, Luiza Cardenuto (Nūtō Studios), Helen Sánchez Stoddard, Guerx Tamayo, Diana Castro, Gabriela Escovar & Yuliana Lopez thru March 31. Open by appt. thealternativegallery.com Alvin H. Butz Gallery ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks 101 Founders Way Bethlehem, PA 610-332-1300 Linda Dubin Garfield: Japan Series thru May 12. Open MondayWednesday 3:30-9pm, Thursday 4-11pm, Friday 4pm-12am, Saturday 11am-12am, and Sunday 12-9pm. artsquest.org/arts
Arts Community of Easton: The Susan Huxley Gallery at the Quadrant 20 N. 3rd Street, Easton, PA 484-894-6652 Celebrating Life Stories: Mixed Media Works by The Journey Home Program thru March 31. Open Tuesday-Saturday 8am-5pm & Sunday 8am-4pm. thejourneyhome.blog Banana Factory 25 W. 3rd Street, Bethlehem, PA 610-332-1300 Hope in Hard Times: Prisoners’ Art for Social Justice thru April 7, 9th Annual Hope & Healing Juried Art Show thru April 14, and Linda Dubin Garfield: Just My Type March 9-May 27. Open Monday-Friday 8am-9:30pm, Saturday & Sunday 8:30am-5pm. bananafactory.org/ events/exhibitions Bethlehem House Gallery 459 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 610-419-6262 3rd Annual Juried Show: Mixed Media thru March 30. Open Monday-Thursday 11am-7pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm & Sunday 12-7pm. bethlehemhousegallery.com
8am-10pm, Friday & Saturday 8am-5pm. northampton.edu/news/ events-calendar.htm Connexions Gallery 213 Northampton Street Easton, PA 610-250-7627 BIOHAZARD/BEING WOMAN: Women Artists in Print March 8-April 7, reception March 16, 7-10pm; artist talk March 24, 2pm. Open Monday 12-5pm, Thursday 12-7pm, Friday 12-8pm, Saturday 11am-8pm & Sunday 12-6pm. connexionsgallery.com
& The Body Politic by Katier Hovencamp thru March 29. Open Monday-Fridays 10am6pm & during programs/events. bradburysullivancenter.org/galleries
The Eagle Nest Gallery Nazareth Area High School E. Center Street, Nazareth, PA 610-759-1730 Annual Student Invitational Exhibit thru March 31, reception March 14, 6-9pm. Open MondayFriday 8am-3pm & during cultural events. hs.nazarethasd.org/en gallery-home-page
Communications Hall Northampton Community College 3835 Green Pond Road Bethlehem, PA 610-861-5300 New Work (Thesis Exhibit), by Mark Koberlein thru March 8, and Annual Patrick J. Kraus Freshman Drawing Competition March 25-April 9. Open Monday-Thursday
Easton Hospital Gallery State Theatre Center for the Arts 5th & Northampton Streets Easton, PA 800-999-STATE Easton Nights, Valley Days: Photographs by Peter Ydeen thru March 23. Open 90 minutes prior to most performances. statetheatre. org/gallery
Easton Public Market 325 Northampton Street Easton, PA info@eastonart.org Arts Community of Easton (ACE) Artists. Open Wednesday-Saturday 9am-7pm & Sunday 9am-5pm. Forks Area Art Society Cottage in the Woods 700 Zucksville Road Easton, PA 610-250-2260 Easton Area High School Exhibit thru March 31. Open Sunday 2-4pm & by appt. forksart.org Gallery at St. John’s 330 Ferry Street, Easton, PA 610-258-6119 Arts Community of Easton: Artists Without Walls & Small Works Exhibit thru April 28, Music in the Gallery: Terry Kitchen with Mara Levine March 17, 1-3pm, and ACE Studio Tour April 27-28, 12-4pm. Open Sunday 12-3pm & by appt. stjohnseaston.org/ministries/gallery Grossman Gallery Lafayette College 243 N. 3rd Street, Easton, PA 610-330-5361 Pedro Barbeito: Paintings, 19962018 thru April 13. Open TuesdayFriday 11am-5pm, Saturday 12-5pm & by appt. galleries.lafayette.edu
Lehigh University Art Galleries 420 E. Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 610-758-3615 The Teaching Museum: Selections from the Permanent Museum Collection thru May 24. Open Wednesday-Saturday 11am-5pm & Sunday 1-5pm. luag.org
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center The Fine Art Galleries 522 W. Maple Street Allentown, PA 610-347-9988 Dead Fracturing Gender: Beauty Cedar Crest College Theatre Samuels Theatre/Tompkins College Center 100 College Drive Allentown, PA 610-606-4608 Why We Have A Body March 21-24. cedarcrest.edu/academics/ performing_arts/events.shtm
Moravian College Theatre Arena Theater Haupert Union Building 1200 Main Street Bethlehem, PA 610-861-1489 Truth//Delusion March 14-17. moravian.edu/theatre
Muhlenberg College Theatre 2400 Chew Street Allentown, PA 484-664-3333 O War March 28-31. muhlenberg. edu/main/academics/theatre-dance
Civic Theatre of Allentown 527 N. 19th Street Allentown, PA 610-432-8943 Buyer & Cellar March 15-24, and The Lion King, JR April 4-7. civictheatre.com
Bucks County Playhouse 70 S. Main Street, New Hope, PA 215-862-2121 The Skivvies March 8, The Music of Simon & Garfunkel March 9, The Torch Bearers March 13, Irish Music Festival March 15-16, Legends of Country March 21-23, and One Funny Mother March 28-30. bcptheater. org
Buck Hall Lafayette College 219 N. 3rd Street, Easton, PA 610-330-3311 Theatre Dept.: She Kills Monsters thru March 9. williamscenter.lafayette.edu
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Country Gate Theatre 114 Greenwich Street Belvidere, NJ 908-475-1104 Mamma Mia! March 16-24. countrygate.org Crowded Kitchen Players Allentown, PA 610-395-7176 Unspeakable March 22-31 at Charles A. Brown Historic Ice House, 56 River St., Bethlehem. ckplayers.com Easton Theatre Co-op Easton, PA 610-216-5151 Broadway Cabaret March 23 at Forks UCC, 4500 Sullivan Tr., Easton (ticket info: jacob.e.allen@ gmail.com/610-533-9108). eastontheatrecoop.org
March 2019
DeSales University Act 1 LaBuda Center 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 610-282-3192 Dance Ensemble Concert March 16-17, The Princess King March 19-April 16, and 19th Annual Film Festival March 23. desales.edu/act1
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Ronald K. De Long Gallery Penn State Lehigh Valley 2809 Saucon Valley Road, Center Valley, PA 610-285-5261 Fiber Deconstructed: Alison Bessesdotter, Jill Odegaard, Barbara Schulman thru March 24. Open Monday-Thursday 11am-5pm, Friday 11am-3pm & Saturday 10am-2pm. lehighvalley.psu.edu/ ronald-k-de-long-gallery
Hunterdon Art Museum 7 Lower Center Street Clinton, NJ 908-735-8415 Ruth Marshall: Knitting the Endangered thru April 28, Kay Kenny: A Poetic Tribute to the Rural Night thru April 28, and Young Artists Showcase thru June 2. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am5pm. hunterdonartmuseum.org IF Museum/Academy 107 N. 4th Street Easton, PA 610-258-0777 Keiko Kamma And Taisuke Morishita: Time, and Sasha Meret: Meta-Mythical Fusions thru March 31. Open by appt. facebook.com/IFMuseumAcademy Liberty Bell Museum Gallery 622 Hamilton Street Allentown, PA 610-435-4232 Allentown Through the Camera’s Eye thru March 30. Open MondaySaturday 12-4pm (3rd Thursdays 12-8pm) & 2nd Sunday of the month 12-4pm. libertybellmuseum.org Martin Art Gallery Baker Center for the Arts Muhlenberg College 2400 Chew Street Allentown, PA 484-664-3467 Leslie Tucker: Devotionals thru March 24, artist talk March 13, 5-6pm, and Liz Whitney Quisgard: Imaginary Architecture thru May 30. Open Tuesday-Saturday 12-8pm. muhlenberg.edu/main/aboutus/gallery
ME-Art Studio 22 S. 3rd Street, 2nd floor Easton, PA 908-319-4864 Gallery and working studio of Beverly Murbach-Erhardt featuring watercolors, acrylics and art cards. Open Friday-Saturday 11am-4pm. me-artstudio.com Museum of Ethnography 22 S. 3rd Street, 2nd floor Easton, PA 908-798-0805 Tolerant No Longer (6-minute film) thru September 30. Open Tuesday & Friday 11am-4pm, Saturday 11am2pm & by appt. maryaclarity.com National Museum of Industrial History 602 E. 2nd Street Bethlehem, PA 610-694-6644 Don’t Touch that Dial! 100 Years of Radio thru November 3. Open Wednesday-Sunday 10am-5pm. nmih.org
Nurture Nature Center 518 Northampton Street Easton, PA 610-253-4432 Seasons: a photographic journey by Sharon Mendelson, and Nature Reimagined: Mixed media works by Charissa Baker thru April 3. Open Wednesday 12-4pm, Thursday 6-9pm, Saturday 12-4pm & by appt. nurturenaturecenter.org Payne Gallery Moravian College 346 Main Street Bethlehem, PA 610-861-1491 Ivan Sigal March 14-April 14. Open Tuesday-Sunday 12-4pm. moravian.edu/art/payne-gallery Ronald K. De Long Gallery Penn State Lehigh Valley 2809 Saucon Valley Road Center Valley, PA 610-285-5261 Fiber Deconstructed: Alison Bessesdotter, Jill Odegaard, Barbara Schulman thru March 24.
Open Monday-Thursday 11am5pm, Friday 11am-3pm & Saturday 10am-2pm. lehighvalley.psu.edu/ ronald-k-de-long-gallery Rotunda Gallery at City Hall 10 E. Church Street Bethlehem, PA 610-398-1451 360 Degrees of Inspiration: Paintings by Beverly MurbachErhardt thru March 19, and Bethlehem Area School District Middle/High School Students Exhibition March 24-May2, reception March 24, 2-4pm. Open Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. bfac-lv.org Schmidtberger Fine Art Gallery 10 Bridge Street, Suite 7 Frenchtown, NJ 908-268-1700 Wild Ciphers: New Work by Sean Mount thru March 31. Open FridaySunday 12-5pm. sfagallery.com
Nazareth Center for the Arts 30 Belvidere Street Nazareth, PA 610-614-0404 Drawing A Line In Adverse Times: Works by Richard Begbie, Joseph Chapuk, Isadore LaDuca, Maryann Riker, Marya & Bruce Lindabury March 7-30, reception March 10, 2-4pm. Open Thursday 6-8pm, Saturday 10am-12pm & by appt.
Hunterdon Hills Playhouse 88 Route 173 West, Hampton, NJ 800-447-7313 The Mahoney Brothers: California Dreaming March 5-9, Irish Cabaret March 14-17, and Take Me Away March 20-April 30. hhplayhouse.com
Northampton Community College Theatre 3835 Green Pond Road Bethlehem, PA 610-861-5524 Hand to God April 11-14. nccsummertheatre.org Pennsylvania Playhouse 390 Illick’s Mill Road Bethlehem, PA 610-865-6665 Steel Magnolias April 5-20. paplayhouse.org
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SmARTivities Showcase 60 Centre Square, Easton, PA 484-544-3954 Various artists on display and working studios. Open TuesdaySaturday 10am-6pm & Sunday 125pm. smARTivities.net
Williams Center Gallery Lafayette College 317 Hamilton Street, Easton, PA 610-330-5361 Čedomir Vasić: Mutable Images, Shifting Visions thru April 22. Open Monday-Friday 11am-5pm (Thursday till 8pm), Saturday & Sunday 12-5pm, and performance nights 7:30-9:30pm. galleries.lafayette.edu/category/exhibitions
Williams Center for the Arts Lafayette College 317 Hamilton Street, Easton, PA 610-330-5009 Gwilym Simcock March 6, Kodo March 13, Patricia Kopatchinskaja March 29, and Dreamers’ Circus April 2. williamscenter.lafayette.edu
MunOpCo Music Theatre Scottish Rite Cathedral 1533 Hamilton Street Allentown, PA 610-437-2441 A Chorus Line March 16-24. munopco.org
Sigal Museum Northampton Historical & Genealogical Society 342 Northampton Street Easton, PA 610-253-1222 Sign Language: Protest, Passion, and Politics, Photographs of Ed Eckstein thru April 28, and The Cat’s Meow: Lehigh Valley in the Age of Art Deco & the Roaring Twenties thru July 29. Open Wednesday-Saturday 10am-4pm (Fourth Fridays till 9pm) & Sunday 12-4pm. sigalmuseum.org
Zoellner Arts Center Lehigh University 420 E. Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 610-758-2787 x0 The Henry Ford Innovation Nation Live! March 8, Murphy’s Celtic Legacy March 13, Russian National Ballet Theatre: Don Quixote March 17, LU Choral Arts: 150th Anniversary Celebration March 29-30, OnStage Cabaret: Danny Green Trio March 31, and Dept. of Theatre: Spring Awakening April 4-13. zoellner.cas2.lehigh.edu
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Pines Dinner Theatre 448 N. 17th Street Allentown, PA 610-433-2333 I Do! I Do! thru March 24, and Second Chances: The Thrift Shop Musical April 5-May 12. pinesdinnertheatre.com Star of the Day St. John’s Fellowship Theatre 139 N. 4th Street, Emmaus, PA 484-809-9228 Spring Feast in the Great Hall March 29-30, and Godspell April 4-13. staroftheday.org Touchstone Theatre 321 E. 4th Street Bethlehem, PA 610-867-1689 Sakura April 11-14. touchstone.org
State Theatre Center for the Arts 453 Northampton Street, Easton, PA 800-999-STATE Rhythm of Dance March 7, The Fab Faux March 9, The Red Hot Chili Pipers March 14, Finding Neverland March 20-21, Live in Central Park Revisited: Simon & Garfunkel Tribute March 23, Scotty McCreery with Special Guest Fairground Saints March 24, One Night of Queen April 4, and Blackberry Smoke April 5. statetheatre.org
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with Dawn Ouellette Nixon
Behind the scenes with costume designer Amy Roth The Lehigh Valley is home for the eminently successful costume designer Amy Roth. Roth lives in her beloved home in Easton, a house she had long admired while driving to visit her Aunt in Bangor, famed costume designer Ann Roth. Over the years, Roth spent many treasured visits with her Aunt, who has been a great influence on her. “She taught me a lot of things I didn’t know that I needed to know,” says Roth. “She has inspired me in so many ways. She is unlike anyone you ever met. She formed a lot of who I am and pushed me.” While Roth’s Aunt certainly influenced her, it is Amy herself whose passion drove her own success. While a student at the University of Arizona, she worked as a field producer for a filmmaker who was making a movie in the dessert. She loved the experience and swiftly left school to work on his next movie. “I wanted to get to work,” she recalls. Having worked on countless successful films and television shows, Roth remembers many directors and actors fondly. She remains friends with Matthew Broderick, who she worked with on Biloxi Blues. She calls the film’s director, Mike Nichols, “incredible.” She also names working with filmmaker Gus Van Zandt as one of her favorite experiences. “We made a simple film called Last Days,” she says. “Gus is a true artist. When you work under a true artist, there is so much magic.” Amy Roth was the costume designer for Motherless Brooklyn. Pictured here are Willem Dafoe and Edward Norton on location. The film is set for release November 2019. photo courtesy of Amy Roth
The film was especially memorable for Roth because she met her soon to be husband on set, where he was a location manager. Roth has also designed costumes for Ridley Scott, the Coen Brothers, the television series Madam Secretary, the 2016 film Indignation and too many more projects to mention. She especially loves working on historical dramas. “That’s where I live and breathe,” she says. Costume design has been not just her life’s work but also a true love. “It’s been very rewarding,” she remarks. Motherless Brooklyn starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton and Willem Dafoe is the latest project to feature Roth as costume designer. The film, set in 1950s New York, is set to be released November of this year. “I love to overcome challenges and work with the directors and actors to tell the story, to make a beautiful film.”
At left is Téa Leoni on the set of the series Madam Secretary for which Amy Roth provides costume design. At right Téa Leoni and Amy Roth enjoy some time away from work. photos courtesy of Amy Roth
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IRREGULAR BOOKSELF
with Carole J. Heffley, International Correspondent writing from “Like it’s another country” … North Carolina Can it already be MARCH? The winter weather may be willing to lift itself up from the ice and snow and shake off the cold as Punxsutawney Phil has augured. Only time will tell. I, for one, am looking forward to the green growing things and gentle breezes of Spring. So, Happy Spring, everyone! And happy reading with these prize-winning books by female authors . . . Celebrate Women’s History Month! ****NINE PERFECT STRANGERS by Liane Moriarty, Flatiron Books, NYC ©2018, 464 pgs., hardcover The librarian told me that statewide 443 people had this book on reserve!! But because our Book Club is affiliated with the library, I was able to receive my copy in a week. Other members of the Club who had their copy earlier had called me with rave reviews about it. I could hardly wait to get my hands on it. Good thing I got it as I did a day before ice storm #2 hit our little area of NC, the “Old North” State. Nine Perfect Strangers made the daylight hours pass quickly as we were marooned in our house while ice fell from the sky and I read way into the night with the aid of battery operated lamps and our trusty propane fireplace which kept me from freezing to death. Ms. Moriarty has created a host of interesting characters in “NPS” who keep the reader interested page after page as they each take up their own chapters to move the novel forward. The author has poured personality plus into each one; some likable, some so-so, and some downright UN-likable, and that goes for the director of the Spa to which they have all come for a “10-day Cleanse”, and her employees. This is a big book but the stories behind the characters keep the reader interested as each one has his or her own reason for being at the “unique and unusual” spa for R&R which includes no electronic devices and no outside foods. There is also the “Noble Silence” during which there is to be no talking, not even between married couples. Ms. Moriarty ties all the loose ends together by the end of the book. She gives an epilogue for most of the attendees and management of the spa where the daily “smoothies” turn out to be anything but smooth. Nine Perfect Strangers is a great romp and I bet that none of the 443 people on the wait list will be disappointed in this book.
Aries: The Sun enters your sign at 5:58 P.M. on March 20 thus kicking off the Spring Equinox, first day of Spring and the Astrological New Year. No pressure but be punctual, don’t forget anything, and most of all, look tidy! This applies to your horoscope all month long as well. First impressions are everything in love, business and in court. Others are basing judgments on your aesthetic, is it fair? No, but it’s what counts right now. Taurus: Spring’s here! Time to look ahead to warmer days shedding layers. Maintain gym routines, stick to digest and go through all the feel good motions. Book secret spa days, get a new hairstyle, try a different wardrobe. Keeping ahead of the curve is your mission, if you freely accept it. However, should you not, laziness could be you’re undoing. Cozy, sleepy days of winter are behind us; get up, keep up and start moving. Gemini: Don’t get stuck between seasons or decisions. Though you’re Astrological twins, physically there’s only one of you. One of you can only be at one place at one time! And there’s no time like the present to stop procrastinating what has been put off all winter. You and I know what those things are; I won’t tell, but your stars do expect you to get on with it already. Cancer: Watching for absolute signs of Spring are all around you, flowers and trees are budding, suns shinning a bit stronger and so are you Dear Prudence, so won’t ya come out to play? Step outside, get fresh air, take short walks, see new things. Life is a banquet and some poor suckers are starving. Eat and drink up every moment possible.
*****AT THE WATER’S EDGE by Sara Gruen, Spiegel & Grau, NY ©2015, 416 pgs., paperback If I had more stars to rate this book, it would get them all. Sara Gruen first took my heart with Water For Elephants (later a movie which was not as good as the book) and has utterly destroyed my heart with At The Water’s Edge. Each page in this novel is a delight with “stage-setting” and dialogue that is perfect. The book opens with a suicide by drowning in Scotland in 1942, during WWII, and switches to Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, at a society New Year’s Eve party among the rich and famous on December 31, 1944. Ensuing chapters take the reader through the rest of the war and an improbable search for the Loch Ness Monster. Our heroine, Madeline (Maddie) Hyde and her husband, Ellis, along with their fabulously wealthy friend, Hank, all of whom are in their early 20s, cross the Atlantic with a supply convoy. Their presence on the freighter is illegal but Hank’s bribes have secured them passage and puts them in a navel battle when one of the convoy ships is struck by a German U-boat and sunk. The event leaves Maddie with a fright that turns the trio’s complaints of the freighter’s awful “accommodations” into the reality of war and its consequences. While Maddie learns the lesson quickly, her husband and Hank never do as they complain about everything lacking in the highlands of WWII Scotland. From the food to blackout curtains to the expectations of being waited on hand and foot as they are accustomed, the young men are ill tempered, spoiled and regrettably snobbish, which the local Scots are not taking to at all. The language is out of The Great Gatsby at times and only serves to heighten the plot. Enter the enigmatic Captain Angus Grant, who seems to be only the proprietor of the “rustic” inn where the characters are staying due to lack of rooms for rent as soldiers are billeted everywhere possible. Ms. Gruen allows the reader to hear the Scottish brogue, feel the chilly damp air of Scotland, and the fears of WWII as news of dead soldiers from the village trickles in one by one. This is a tale readers will long remember. Romance, intrigue, mystery, and a bit of Celtic magic will enthrall and delight in At The Water’s Edge.
Leo: The Sun, your guiding star, is making his way back towards warmer days; allergies might also be making a come back too. That old adage, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb applies to you too. Early in the month if your roar is worse than you’re bite don’t forget to apologize and make up for it later. When you’re in a good mood, everyone’s in a good mood!
*****THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM by Marie Benedict, Sourcebooks Landmark, USA ©2019, 272 pgs., hardcover The dialogue inserted by the author and shifting events for readability make this book a novel rather than a biography. Our heroine here is the beautiful actress Hedy Lamarr, whose real name was Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, an Austrian born Jew. The setting is 1930’s Austria and opens with Hedy at age 19 and the acclaimed star of a play in Vienna about the long-ago Empress Marie. But these are dangerous times. Adolph Hitler is a rising star, too, in neighboring Germany and there are accounts of Jews being stripped of their rights as citizens…and worse. This story follows the real life of the actress who gained major acclaim during the early 1940s as a movie “pin-up” girl. She moved with ease among the greats of the time in Hollywood but carried with her the secret of her Jewishness as America was only slightly more welcoming to Jews than Europe. I found this book fascinating and was held captive by its story. The drumbeat of the coming holocaust is heard plainly in the background. The story kept me engrossed as it moved from Hedy’s escape from her abusive husband, the fabulously wealthy arms dealer Fritz Mandl, and early years in America. No empty-headed starlet, Hedy Lamarr had a deep interest in science and, with a partner, composer George Antheil, invented a missile guidance system that the Navy rejected as “unworkable” and “too heavy”. The basis of Hedy Lamarr’s invention is used in our cell phones today! The only criticism I have is that the book ends abruptly after America’s entry into WWII and there is nothing about Hedy Lamarr’s later life. Author Marie Benedict is well known for her previous two novels: The Other Einstein (which Cousin Stephanie’s Easton book club read and gives a 5-star rating) and Carnegie’s Maid. Ms. Benedict is at work on a new novel Darling Clementine based on the life of Clementine Churchill due out later this year or early 2020.
Sagittarius: RUN! Literally run, jug, jot whatever gets your blood pumping. If you can’t or don’t wish to run, fine. Do what ever it is you do to get energy up and motivated. Spring is here, join the rest of life waking up from hibernation and don’t be left behind. You’ll hate yourself later if the competition beats you to it. Whatever it is.
TRASH BIN GOODIE: Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, Volume 232 - #4 (1997) ****THE ESCAPE ARTIST by Diane Chamberlain, Diane Chamberlain Books ©2018, 338 pgs., paperback Author Diane Chamberlain is no stranger to the bestseller lists with titles such as Summer’s Child, Secret Lives and Reflection. The Escape Artist was first published in 1997 with lukewarm reviews. Subsequently, Reader’s Digest Condensed Books picked up the novel and gave it another burst of flame; then it was re-released in paperback in 2018. This book has been around!! Most people felt that the ending was rushed and unsatisfying while others questioned the entire premise for the story. This is especially true when looking at the story from today’s technological lens. I found it interesting, if a bit far-fetched. When Susanna Miller loses custody of her son to her wealthy ex-husband and his new wife, she runs from everyone and everything she has known to keep her son by her side. Susanna seeks out a new identity and to make a new home for her son somewhere safe…but is any place safe enough? I found that this condensed version of the book was a pleasing read complete with an enduring romance and a thrilling mystery. Someone has planted bombs around Susanna’s new town, killing seemingly innocent people at random, but Susanna finds the killer’s “Hit List” when she purchases a used computer from a store. But who is it and what is the motivation for the murders? You’ll never guess the answers to this whodunit while Susanna fights to keep her previous identity secret and her son safe. Enjoyable, despite the bumpy ending!
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March 2019
Virgo: One step forward and two steps back might become an awkward dance for a few weeks but the more you resist the worse the dance moves look to others. Decorum, dignity and above all, self-respect must be maintained. Revenge is not a good move and if someone or a situation seems corrupt; it will sort itself out in the end. Just watch. Libra: The Spring has arrived, love will begin circulating in the air, and Spring Fever might just hit you pretty hard this season. So do what you do best and keep the love moving. Flirt, smile and work your mojo on everyone around you. Nothing wrong with a little ego boost to set the warmer days on the right track. Scorpio: Surprise others and keep them guessing why you’re so happy! A special star alignment happens to remove blocks for you and open doors without any effort on your end. Perfect opportunities too good too be true confront you. Overanalyzing should be avoided. Trust your intuition instead and just go with what ever Fate sends your way.
Capricorn: Taking early vacations someplace warm to get a head start on warmer days is an excellent idea. Getting some early starts on vitamins D and K could be the answer to finalizing some winter blues. If far away getaways aren’t possible then a quick jump into a tanning bed could also give a healthy boost. Keep spirits light; in order to do so, it’s light that you need! Aquarius: Seasons change, feelings change and directions change. Loyalty is your golden gift but don’t let it get distorted if you’re evolving and need to reconsider your oaths and paths. Get some fresh air, get some sun on your face, reconnect with nature, turn off your devices and turn back on to real life. Play hooky and hide for 2 days even, you’ll come back ready to go with focus and direction. Pisces: Step back for a moment, just a brief moment. Catch your breath, take an extra nap. Life will become very busy and hectic as Spring continues. Make sure to give yourself moments of Zen, solitude and hide under the covers. Friends, family, work and life are about to take you on a wild ride. Preparedness is the answer. Buckle up buttercup!
The Irregular
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ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS
Peche B: From Jamaica to Brooklyn to Easton... Celebrating the Black American Woman by Dawn Ouellette Nixon
dressmaker. I wasn’t interested in dress-making or fashion at first, however. My interest piqued in fashion when I came to the United States. I decided I wanted to go to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York . . . become an artist and fashion designer. I had my own line of clothing in Brooklyn for about 20 years on Flatbush Avenue, of wearable art.
Peche Brown is a Jamaican born master fabric artist who chooses to live and work in Easton, Pennsylvania. Peche B’s beautiful, brightly colored fabric art portrays pioneering black women, including Michelle Obama, Rosa Parks, Janelle Monae, Sojourner Truth, Maya Angelou and more. We sat down with Peche B in her studio inside smARTivities Showcase in downtown Easton, PA to learn more about her art, what inspires her, and why she chose Easton as her home.
Tell me about your art work. When I came to Easton, because it is such a slower pace, I decided it wasn’t feasible to do fashion design and decided to concentrate on art. I have an ETSY shop, ARTISTPECHE, [or www.ArtistPecheB.com].
How did you hear of Easton? I am Jamaican born. I’m from Kingston and I migrated to Brooklyn. I came here to Easton about 15 years ago in search of cheaper living. I had a friend who bought a house in Easton, and she told me about places I could buy inexpensively here. She told others about Easton too and they told others and it was a great migration that is still happening today. It’s a quaint, artistic, little town with a great story. Were you always interested in art, were you always creative? I did a lot of drawing when I was a kid. I was 6 years old, running around the house sketching things. My family is very creative too. My brother is a very famous reggae musician in Jamaica, Dwight Pinkney. He took me to the studio when I was younger. I met Bob Marley before he had locks. My mother was a
Peche B in her studio at smARTivities Showcase in downtown Easton, PA. photo by Dawn Ouellette Nixon
I’ve been creating a lot of fiber art, portraits on fabric. I am on Etsy, Instagram, Facebook and exhibit locally and in New York. I also want to show in DC in the coming year. I have shown my quilts at the Allentown Art Museum, Sigal Museum, Connexions Gallery, and State Theatre Center for the Arts. I am at SmARTivities now and I’m enjoying it. I want to spread awareness of what African American art is. I grew up with a lot of creativity in Jamaica. The influence is still there, my work is very colorful, the island is awash with color and vibrance, vitality. I think it translates into my work. My work is
happy, for the most part. Everything I know I teach. I give classes and workshops on how to create fabric art. It all happens here at SmARTivities. Art, sewing, jewelry making, I teach it all, to children and adults. What inspires your work?
I’m inspired by the black experience. I’m inspired by the African diaspora, by my culture. I still consider myself an island woman, even though I am an American citizen. My work really describes the suffering of woman and the joys of woman. We go through so much, we bear the brunt of society’s pain and joys. We carry it—the world—as women. I try to celebrate that in my art. Have you felt discriminated against as a woman?
A selection of Peche B’s art quilts featuring (from left to right) Billie Holiday, Maya Angelou and Janelle Monáe.
I haven’t really felt that. I try to stay in my niche and I sell my work where I can sell my work. I love my Etsy shop. Diverse people from all over the world can buy my art, and I’m not discriminated against in that realm. I think my art is collectible for the demographic that wants that type of work. There is a niche for it, because I’m not competing on the grander scale, I don’t feel discrimination. Whoever wants that type of work will seek it out. It’s black art. It’s African American art. It’s women’s art.
GARDENING
What’s New in Garden Plants this year? by Pam Ruch As longtime gardeners we learn to take claims about new plant varieties with a grain of salt. It’s all about marketing, we think, as we hungrily page through the pictures of gorgeous NEW flowers and scrumptious NEW tomatoes in catalogs, marker in hand. But then, we think … maybe, just maybe, High Mowing Seed’s new butternut squash is in fact earlier and better storing than Honeynut. Maybe Burpee’s new golden cherry tomatoes really do grow on long, gorgeous tresses. Maybe Jimi’s poppies truly are breathtaking. Well, there’s only one way to find out, we decide, as, ever hopeful, we click through our orders. It’s so very easy to succumb to the free shipping and 25% offers … and spring is just around the corner. And seeds are so, so promising! And the choices are so fun! Once again, sunny optimism and the anticipation of a colorful, productive garden have won out over our suspicions that the new varieties may not be so very different than our old favorites. Some things are so predictable. Despite being a next new thing skeptic, I maintain that it’s a good thing to be able to put cynicism aside and try out something new every year. Here are a few of the new varieties that have caught my fancy this year: Highlights from last summer’s Penn State trial gardens in Landisville: •
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Orange SilverWave’ Melon, so beautiful! photo courtesy of All-American Selections, all-americaselections.org
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Annual Vinca (Catharanthus) Soiree® Ka-wa-i-i is nothing like the annual vincas you have grown before. The petals are delicate, making the overall look of the plant more casual, less “in your face”. This proves (once again) that I should never say that I “don’t like” a plant. Sooner or later something will shift—usually in my mind but occasionally in the plant—and I will eat my words. Purple Flash Ornamental Pepper is not a new variety. But how it was used at the trial gardens was news to me! Who knew that this was a common “banker” plant for thrips? What is a banker plant? A plant that attracts and then disposes of a problem. The pollen of ornamental pepper plants is a food source for a fierce predator of thrips, the minute pirate bug. Solar Tower™ Sweet Potato Vine climbs up, rather than clambers down. This is a big deal to those of us who use this plant in containers. Useful as a clambering vine might be, the ability to climb gives it a whole new functionality. Truffula™ Pink globe amaranth (Gomphrena) is a shrunken version of 4-foot tall ‘Fireworks’
Truffula™ Pink globe amaranth will have a place in my garden this year. photo by Pam Ruch
gomphrena. Though I love tall exuberant plants, ‘Fireworks’ was too enthusiastic for practical use. I look forward to using this new 2-foot gomphrena (still much more of a presence than most available varieties) in the gaps in my perennial border. Mariachi™ Sombrero Helenium is a sneezeweed of more practical proportions than the 3- to 5-foot native species. The advantage of a 2-foot sneezeweed is that it won’t splay. And I expect the single flowers will still attract plenty of pollinators. And, by the way, it will not make you sneeze.
As for vegetable varieties, a few of the new AAS (All America Selections) look worth a try: •
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‘Just Sweet’ Pepper is small—they call it a snacking pepper—with “deliciously sweet” 3-inch fruits with “nice thick walls” that scored well on consumer taste tests. The plants are vigorous but strong enough that they don’t need to be staked. Hopefully, you’ll see this in the Nurture Nature Center Urban Recycle Garden this summer. ‘Chef’s Choice Black’ tomato is a beefsteak-type hybrid tomato with a dark green/brown/black hue. Plants are vigorous and disease resistant, and produce prolific yields of flavorful 8-ounce fruits. Dark tomatoes, in general, are known for their complex, rich flavors and slightly higher acidity. ‘Mountain Rouge’ tomato, a beautiful pink hybrid in the “Mountain” series is a large beefsteak, weighing up to 14 ounces with a great tomato taste. It was bred for late blight resistance, as well as other resistances. Hybrids have an advantage over big tasty heirlooms like ‘Brandywine’ when the weather turns uncooperative, as it did last summer. ‘Orange SilverWave’ melon is certainly new and different. Bred in Korea, these sweet, beautiful 5” oval melons have green-streaked white rinds, and grow on vigorous vines. It’s best to grow the vines on a trellis for better disease control. And Brûlée Butternut, that new, early squash from High Mowing Seed, is a prolific producer of stout, smallish fruits, up to 1 pound. It’s bred by Cornell, and definitely worth a try!
My seed orders are in. Spring is calling. Bring it on! The new annual vinca series, Soiree® Ka-wa-i-i series, is available in pink, white, and purple. photo by Pam Ruch
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The Irregular
‘Purple Flash’ pepper attracts minute pirate bugs, which eat thrips! photo by Pam Ruch
Horticulturist and writer Pam Ruch, caretaker of the Nurture Nature Center Urban Recycle Garden, tends gardens in the Lehigh Valley and beyond. Visit nurturenaturecenter.org for details about NNC’s upcoming garden workshops.
March 2019
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