The Village Portrait Project

jongoldmanprojects j@goldmanarts.com 978.505.5796

THE PROPOSAL:

- Documenting a Village

“I am interested in acts of community-building through a creative process that embraces a new public Art,” says media artist Jon Goldman.

Since 2012, media artist Jon Goldman has embarked on a project to digitally paint portraits of as many of the people from the village that he lives in.

Woods Hole, Massachusetts in the Southwestern most corner of Cape Cod, long been known throughout the world as a major center for marine science.

But the people who live and work in this small former fishing village make up a glimpse into small town America.

Goldman who has is both a fine art painter and an artist who works with technology.

“I have been drawing with computers since I bought my first Macintosh in 1984 to write my thesis at MIT.”says Goldman from his studio.

Goldman digitally paints in his Studio.

Rob “Rooster” Fricke is a former acoustical engineer now runs Nobska Farms specializing in peppers

Alison Kline Development Officer, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Brian Switzer Teacher, Stage director, Sailor.

Glennway Fripp Musician, Composer

Thomas Renshaw Builder/Preservationsit, Commmunity Historian, Musician

Elias Lieberman Rabbi, Musician

Doug Rugh Landscape Painter, Portraitist, Musician

Jenny Junker Artist, Painter, Teacher, Horticulturalist

Stephan Junker Broadcaster, Author, Musician, Community Organizer, Builder

John Kanwisher Physiologist, Teacher, Inventor, Author

Mary Grauerholz Writer, Publisher

Tessa Lineaweaver Potter, Artist, Illustrator

Nicole Goldman Designer, Entrepreneur

Jake Fricke Engineer, Scalloper

Peter Fielding Rowell BMW Mechanic, builder

Mark Chester Photographer, Author.

Doug Shepro Master Crafstmen, Horticulturalist/Farmer, Musician

Flannery Rogers Anthropologist

Rob “Rooster” Fricke Acoustical engineer, Pepper Farmer

Don Parkinson Photographer

Rachel Switzer Fabric Artisan, Potter

Roger Day Producer, Arts Patron, Cultural Organizer

Sven Atema Artist, Sculptor, Animator

Jack Dacy Dock builder

Simon Miner Sailor, Musician,Teacher, Scientist

Wendy Kindersley Event Producer, Woods Hole Research Center

Stephania Murphy Associate Director of Communications, Woods Hole Oceanographic Instritution

Toby Lineaweaver Psychologist specializing in At Risk Youth

Timothy Lineaweaver Psychologist

Tom Chase Roofer, former biochemist.

Ed Brakeman Managing Director, Bain Capital, Entrepreneurial Mentor

Redwood Wright Hydrographer, Author

Daniel Cojanu Cinematographer, Filmmaker, Photographer

Ruben Davis Flight Systems Engineer , Entrepreneur, Farmer

Pamela Brunelle Woods Hole Post Office

Doug Woodcock Woods Hole Market

Alexander Hartford Woods Hole Market

John Vose Caretaker, Diver, Mooring Engineer

Emelia Deforce Microbiologist, Research Associate, Woods Hole Oceanographic Instittution

Ann Densmore Caretaker, Horticulturalist, Animal husbandry

Sam Densmore Knife maker, Bicycle Manufacturer, Artist

Norm Farr Engineer, Physical Oceanographer, Woods Hole Oceanographic Instittution, Sailor

Ann Farr Nurse, Psychotherapist

Judy Laster Environmental Lawyer, Founder, Woods Hole Film Festival

J.C. Bouvier Managing Editor for International Fund for Animal Welfare, filmmaker

Peter Ochs Master Builder, Luthier, Musician, Sailor

Beth Josephson Data Management, Pelagic mammal counter, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration

Chip Schultz Engineer, Dock Builder

Ben Zuck Crane Operator, Dock builder

Susan Shup Artist, Performance Artist, Video Artist, Designer

Claude Franginoul Oceanographer, Professor, Tennis Player, Art Collector

William Mackey Attorney

Winnie Mackey Board Member, Woods Hole Foundation

George Cadwalader Founder Penikese Island School, Author, Lobsterman

Karen Colburn Quilter, Artisan

Rob Robinson Carpenter

Vicky Young Falmouth Parking Warden

Meg Fitzelle Caretaker, Master Gardener

Rachel Greenfield Arts Administrator, Circumnavigator (sailboat), Teacher

Bill Rogers Captain, Master boat builder

Craigo Carlson Landscaper, Rock Guitarist

Sala Steinbach Nurse, Midwife

Mary Dodge Barista

Chris Guilde Chef, Fisherman

Alan Steinbach Emergency Room Physician

Jon Goldman has been called a “digital renaissance man” by the Boston Globe primarily because as a media artist, his work encompasses many forms with a unique ability to accomplish all well.

Trained as a theatrical director, a designer, a painter and a sculptor both in the U.S. and in the U.K. he worked off-Broadway as an associate producer at the South Street Theatre helping produce the Stravinsky ballet “Pulchinella Suite” for puppets , Eugene O’Neill’s one act “Hughie” and Tennessee William’s “Portrait of a Madonna”.

Moving from New York to Philadelphia, Goldman attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Following that he earned his Masters at MITʼs Center For Advanced Visual Studies in the 1980’s studying under the German artist, Otto Piene and specializing in sculpture that performed.

In the mid 1980’s together with his wife, Nicole Goldman, as an artist-in-residence at the Boston Center for the Arts Jon started an art and design company, GoldmanArts. For twenty years they built large-scale inflatable sculptures, costumes, and branded products for the museum, the entertainment industry and the mass market. His work is in the permanent collection of The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Museum of Design and other major collections and has been exhibited throughout the U.S., Japan, Korea and Hong Kong.

Since licensing off much of GoldmanArts at the turn of the millennium, Jon has returned to his roots in directing and has produced documentaries and short form animations for organization such as Al Jazeera International, WGBHLAB BOSTON, and the Discovery Channel.

jongoldmanprojects | 12sidneystreet | woodsholema 02543 | j@goldmanarts.com | 978.505.5796

For Al Jazeera He produced “WILMAʼS WARNING” about the Katrina/RITA storm surge and its role in high toxicity in the gulf region.

THE VILLAGE PORTRAIT PROJECT (VPP) is a continuation of Goldman’s digital painting that he began when it was first possible at MIT. “I want to be working with modern tools to help shed light on the visual meaning of ‘community,’”says the artist.

His event-based short film OCCUPY SANTA, Goldman designed a community-building event distributing his mass marketed inflatable Santa Claus costumes. The joyous event brought young and old, strangers and friends to don the inflatable suits for a community gathering in the middle of winter raising serious questions both by the sixty participants and the Artist about the symbology of the seasonal icon.

Called “transformative”, “provocative”, “joyous” and “hilarious” by the participants Goldman saw an exicting new direction.

“I began to ask: ‘what does a “Village” look like beyond what appears on the street? ’” This has led to the ambitious Village Portrait Project where Goldman paints the people of Woods Hole, Massachusetts beginning with those captured in this book.

“As an artist I believe in honesty. Not just in the faithfulness to subject, media and context but to time as well.

The Technology /Art nexus has always existed, but only when we are listening or watching for it does it allow us an opportunity to humanize the technology; whether in the caves at Lascaux, DaVinci’s studio or today on the internet. I have always believed in creating a kind of alchemy where magic can be a part of real life.”

OCCUPY SANTA & recent film work: https://vimeo.com/thoughtballloonmedia jongoldmanprojects | 12sidneystreet | woodsholema 02543 | j@goldmanarts.com | 978.505.5796

jongoldmanprojects j@goldmanarts.com 978.505.5796