the artful mind artzine

THE ARTFUL MIND

Monthly Berkshire Artzine Since 1994

November 2012

TRAVIS G. DALY

BERKSHIRE THEATRE GROUP ASSOCIATE ARTIST / THE BERKSHIRES

Photography by Sabine Vollmer von Falken

MARGUERITE BRIDE GALLERY 25

LAUREN CLARK FINE ART GALLERY FISHERMAN’S DREAM

“Want to come up and see my...?” From woodcuts to broadsides, 17 printmakers make their mark.

While there are painters, jewelers, and potters, glassblowers, fiber artists and sculptors, it’s the printmaker who stands out as a special type of artist. With the many ways of making fine-art prints, in this lively show of etchings, serigraphs, broadsides, monoprints, monotypes and woodcuts, we celebrate the printmaker.

Etchings, serigraphs, monoprints, monotypes and woodcuts and broadsides by Peter Barger, Mychael Barratt, Jo Barry, Jennifer Bowman, Christian Bozon, Nancy Charles, Jane Cooper, Abby DuBow, Julio Granda, Beki Killorin, Lorraine Klagsbrun, Channing Lefebvre, Carolyn Letvin, Kingsley Parker, Martha Pfanschmidt, Barbara Pihos, and Mitsiuo Shiraishi.

Reception for the artists will be held on Saturday, November 24, 4-6 pm.

The Lauren Clark Fine Art Gallery, 402 Park Street (Route 183), Housatonic, MA. Business hours are Thursday-Monday 11:00 to 5:30 and Sunday Noon to 4:00. Other days by appointment or by chance. For more information, call 413-274-1432. Or visit the website: LaurenClarkFineArt.com.

A solo exhibit of Marguerite Bride’s winter watercolors will be on exhibit at Gallery 25 during the month of December. The opening reception will be held on Friday, December 7 from 5-8 pm in conjunction with Pittsfield’s Frist Fridays Artswalks.

Bride has long been a lover of winter and takes particular pleasure in painting wintery scenes. “It’s hard not to find a beautiful scene to paint living in the Berkshires, and winter is particularly special. Nothing is worse than a winter without snow…I say, bring it on!”

Bride’s winter scenes have graced the covers of multiple winter magazines, holiday ornaments, even Mary Verdi’s holiday CD. And new paintings have been added to her snowy collection.

Besides the solo exhibit during December at Gallery 25, you can also see Bride’s work in a duo exhibit with Scott Taylor called “Favorite Things” in the Gallery Café at the Old Chatham Country Store in Old Chatham, NY. This exhibit features approximately 22 paintings in acrylic and watercolor by Bride and Taylor, of the scenes they love the most. Visit www.oldchathamcountrystore.com for hours and directions Bride is also participating in the Handmade Holiday Festival December 1 and 2, 10am to 5pm. This weekend fair sponsored

by Alchemy Initiative will be held at the Masonic Temple at 116 South Street in Pittsfield. What a great way to support local artists and designers AND buy gifts that are totally unique and handmade! Plenty of parking around back.

Pittsfield’s First Friday Artswalks will be continuing yearround. Be sure to stop by her studio (#5) at 311 North Street.

Marguerite Bride, 311 North Street, Pittsfield, Studio #5. Open for First Fridays Artswalks, and by appointment. Call 413-4427718, or 413-841-1659 (cell); website: www.margebride.com, email: margebride@aol.com

ARGAZZI ART

LAURA SCHIFF BEAN

Laura Schiff Bean’s paintings will be on display at Argazzi Art through December 2012.

Bean’s dresses reflect on identity as both journey and construct.

Her dynamic surfaces are endowed with the quality of flesh: sensual, raw and scared, resonating with the critical moments and turning points that indelibly mark lives. Splashes, drips and brushed slashes of white bring these apparitional dresses to life in a powerful yet subdued manner.

Some of the works include text and graffiti, referencing the human desire to render our presence tangible - to make our voices heard, to leave our individual mark in a world becoming increasingly cacophonous - the everyday distractions of smartphones, computers, media sound bites and texting.

While Bean acknowledges the ever present intrusions we all do have, she attempts to take the viewer back into themselves to find the human presence that often gets lost in the constant chatter.

Whether thinking of human presence as the elusive interior world of the subconscious, evidenced by some of the pieces with butterflies and lights, or the more material gritty visible text of graffiti, in the end, she wants the view to feel just a little bit exposed, vulnerable and naked.

Argazzi Art, 22 Millerton Road, Lakeville CT, 860-435-8222, info@argazziart.com / www.argazziart.com

Stephen Filmus Still-Lifes and Landscapes The Lenox GaLLery oF Fine arT 69 Church Street, Lenox, Ma 413-637-2276

www.stephenfilmus.com 413-528-1253 Studio - by appointment “Summertime,” oil, 30” x 24”

Reception Saturday, November 3, 4:00 - 7:00

Exhibition on View November 2, 2012 - March 4, 2013 Meet the Artist, Eric Koreman Saturday, February 9, 4:00 - 6:00 (Please RSVP) SOHN FINE ART GALLERY

6 Elm Street, Stockbridge, MA • 413-298-1025 • info@sohnfineart.com • WWW.SOHNFINEART.COM

The ArTful Mind november 2012 •1

The ArTful Mind artzine

“I never wanted to be a star. I don’t even like theattention of a birthday party.” -Joni Mitchell

november 2012

Cover photo: Travis G. Daly Photography by Sabine Vollmer von Falken ..... 12 Mad with Music Todd Mack..... 7 Jessica Wickham furniture Maker Harryet Candee .....8

Travis G. daly Berkshire Theatre Group Associate Artist Harryet Candee ..... 12

Planet Waves november Eric Francis...... 16 feng Shui Elisa Cashiola..... 18

Simply Sasha Sasha Seymour...... 18

Architecture & Arcadia Stephen Dietemann..... 19

Contributing Writers and Monthly Columnists Elisa Cashiola, Stephen Gerard Dietemann, Eric Francis, Todd Mack, Nanci Race, Sasha Seymour Photographers Jane Feldman, Meredith Heuer, Julie McCarthy Meredith McMillan, Sabine Vollmer von Falken Publisher Harryet Candee

Copy Editor

Marguerite Bride

Advertising and Graphic Design Harryet Candee

Box 985, Great Barrington, MA 01230

artfulmind@yahoo.com issuu.com/theartfulmindartzine 413-528-5628 deadline for the december :: november 10, 2012

FYI: ©Copyright laws in effect throughout The Artful Mind for logo & all graphics including text material. Copyright laws for photographers and writers throughout The Artful Mind. Permission to reprint is required in all instances. In any case the issue does not appear on the stands as planned due to unforseeable circumstances beyond our control, advertisers will be compensated on a one to one basis.

Disclaimer rights available upon request. Serving the Art community with the the intention of enhancing communication and sharing positive creativity in all aspects of our lives.

Our Art...Our Way

2 • november 2012

The arTFUL MinD

The MuSic STOre

We at The Music Store are celebrating the Berkshires’ autumnal Symphony and the beginning of our lucky 13th year of doing business in Great Barrington! We are fortunate to enjoy the most wonderful musical community around and the best customers any local store could hope for! Thank you all!!

We continue to offer some extraordinary and unusual neW instruments this year: For travelers, the incomparable Composite acoustic Cargo guitar: made of 100% carbon graphite, in one piece, this pint sized guitar offers full-sized acoustic sound and professional grade electronics for the perfect gigging and traveling instrument in an almost indestructible body - aptly called the Forever Guitar! and for the performer, try some of its bigger cousins . . . .

For Guitarists seeking unique handmade premium instruments, The Music Store offers guitars by american Luthier Dana Bourgeois and introducing Steel and classical guitars by irish LuthierJohn Beckett.

For instrumentalists in search of the unusual, The Music Store offers the unique Dr. easy’s Sonic Boxes - cigar box guitars made from recycled ingredients and vintage cigar boxes, the Serenity Bamboo Flutes - cane and walking stick flutes which are handmade in Stockbridge, Fluke and Flea Ukuleles - handmade in Sheffield, Catania Thumb Pianos, Gourd Pianos, Fishtix and Catspaws - handmade in Pennsylvania, and a host of other varied and exciting instruments for musicians of all ages and abilities. acclaimed as one of the area’s best music stores, The Music Store specializes in fine, folk and unusual musical instruments, accessories, supplies and music motif gifts. Music lovers and professional and amateur musicians alike will find an exciting array of both new and used name-brand and hand-made instruments, extraordinary folk instruments and one of the northeast’s finest selections of strings and reeds. Professional musicians seeking the finest or unusual strings or accessories are welcome to call in advance. We will make every effort to satisfy the need!

Music Store customers enjoy fine luthier handmade classical and steel string guitars as well as guitars from other fine lines including alvarez, avalon, Breedlove, Composite acoustic, Fender, Loar, Luna, rainsong, recording King and Takamine. acoustic and electric guitars from entry to professional level instruments are available. Famous named guitars and basses join less-well known brands which appeal to those seeking high quality but are on tight budgets, providing any guitarist a tempting cornucopia of playing possibilities. new and used student orchestral and band instruments are available, including violins from $159 to $3000. an extensive array of international strings and reeds provides choices for the newest student to the symphonic performer. Children’s instruments, as well as a fine line of international percussion including middle eastern and hand made african instruments along with many choices of industry standard drum heads, stands, and sticks, as well as tuners, forks and metronomes can be found as well. all new instruments are backed by The Music Store’s lifetime warranty which provides free set-up and adjustments on any new instrument sold. For repair and restoration and maintenance of fine stringed instruments - guitars, banjos, mandolins and the like - The Music Store’s repair shop offers expert luthiery at reasonable prices on instruments of all levels, as well as authorized repairs on Lowden and Takamine guitars.

Those in search of the perfect present for music lovers will find a treasure trove of gift favorites such as bumper stickers (“Driver Singing,” “Go home and Practice,” Tune it or Die” and more), tee shirts, caps, scarves, miniature musical instruments and instrument magnets, music motif mugs, socks, totes and ties.

Small bronze and metal musician statues and cuddly ‘Music Lover’ stuffed animals, lapel pins and earrings add additional possibilities to gift giving customers.

The Music Store, 87 Railroad Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, open in October Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 to 6, and on Sundays from 12 to 5. Call 413-528-2460 or email us at musicstr@bcn.net

The PrOSerPine PATh eric KOrenMAn SOhn fine ArT GAllery

The Proserpine Path, a solo exhibition of photographic work by emerging photographer, eric Korenman, is on view at Sohn Fine art Gallery november 2, 2012 – March 4, 2013. an opening reception will be held on Saturday, november 3, at Sohn Fine art Gallery from 4 – 7 pm. Meet the artist, eric Korenman, Saturday, February 9, 4 – 6 pm (please rSVP for this event). reinterpreting the myth of Proserpine (Persephone), eric Korenman metaphorically explores our present day culture of abundance and excess through hauntingly beautiful imagery.

Looking into what he considers the darker side of flowers, Korenman began this body of work by creating shadowy photographs of figures, presumably dead, trapped under thousands of blooms.

Moved by dramatic and foreboding images by painters such edward hopper and Julie heffernan, as well as by imagery from movies such as “Melancholia” and “The Fountain”, Korenman started to push the theme further. he explored the role of flowers in mythology and became intrigued by the Greek myth of Persephone (Roman: Proserpine). She was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of the harvest and wife of hades (the king of the underworld). Drawn to the myth as a metaphor for decisions we make in life today, Korenman equated the story to our culture’s insatiable attraction to beauty and nimiety, which can lead us to darker realms. in this exhibition, the faces of Korenman’s subjects are often covered with masks or flowers. Their identity is hidden, begging the viewer to question who or what is really underneath.

The mythological masked figures are photographed in opulent environments, creating a sense of wonderland-like mystery and tragic comedy. The masks in the photographs were created by artist, huckleberry Delsignore. Truckoads of fake flowers have taken over bathrooms and dens, encroaching our everyday spaces. The fakeness of the flowers enhance the idea of identity and true beauty being shunned or even killed by the falseness in our lives.

Berkshire resident, eric Korenman, holds a Ba from Dartmouth College and a MD from Cornell University. a radiologist by day, he began his professional photography career in 2004. his recent exhibitions have been at the Hudson Opera House, hudson, ny and the Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, Ma. he was a semi-finalist in the 2012 Annual International Philadelphia Print Center competition curated by Guggenheim Curator Jennifer Blessing. his editorial work includes publication in Art in America. he is represented by Sohn Fine Art Gallery in Stockbridge, Ma. Sohn Fine Art Gallery, 6 Elm Street, 1B; Stockbridge, MA. 413-298-1025; info@sohnfineart.com; www.sohnfineart.com

N O V E M B E R

museums & galleries

ArGAzzi ArT 22 Millerton rd, , rte 44, Lakeville, CT • 860-435-8222 ann e. Coulter, “one Time”, Pastels. Sept 27-nov 25; Laura Schiff Bean, thru Dec. 2012

cArrie hAddAd GAllery 622 Warren Street, hudson, ny Jane Bloodgood-abrams, harry orlyk, nanacy rutter, Stephen Brophy: november 1 - December 9.

510 WArren STreeT GAllery hudson, ny • 518-822-0510 Diana Felber featured artist in nov; iska Kenney, Dec artist featured, opening Dec 1, 2-6pm ArT eT induSTrie 420 Park St, housatonic, Ma, 2nd fl.

• 413-353-0037 reclaimed: reused: repurposed Furniture & Furnishings from Found objects BerKShire ArT GAllery 80 railroad St, Gt Barrington, Ma • 528-2690 www.berkshireartgallery.com 19th and early 20th Century american & european art and sculpture, contemporary artists

frOnT STreeT GAllery Front St., housatonic, Ma • 413-274-6607 / 413-528-9546, or cell at 413-429-7141 housatonic Gallery for students and artists. Featuring watercolors by Kate Knapp (Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm or by appointment) GOOd PurPOSe GAllery 40 Main Street, Lee, Ma. • 413- 394-5045 www.goodpurpose.org Visions of the Spectrum, Jessica Park. oPening nov 15, 69pm. also, glass blown art by hoogs and Crawford.

(Gallery hours are daily from 10am-6pm.) hudSOn VAlley ArTS cenTer 337 Warren St, hudson, ny • 800-456-0507 regional and nationally-known artisans. Classes.

JOhn dAViS GAllery 362 1/2 Warren St., hudson, new york 518-828-5907 www.johndavisgallery.com / art@johndavisgallery.com (sculpture, painting, collage and installation).

Main Galleries: Fran Shalom, Paintings; Garden: andrew Dunnill, Sculpture lAuren clArK fine ArT 402 Park St, housatonic, Ma • 274-1432 www.LaurenClarkFineart.comLauren “Want to come up and see my...?” From woodcuts to broadsides, 17 printmakers make their mark. reception for the artists will be held on Saturday, nov 24, 4-6pm (Business hours are Thursday-Mon, 11-5:30 and Sunday, 12-4)

MArGueriTe Bride STudiO www.margebride.com Solo exhibition at Gallery 25, 25 Union St, Pittsfield. opening Dec 7, 5-8pm.

A R T S

C A L E N D A R

neuMAnn fine ArT 65 Cold Water St., hillsdale, ny • www.neumannfineart.com Three Visions: h.M. Saffer, r. Goldfinger, and Jeffrey. L. neumann, inaugural group show, nov 24-Jan 26, reception nov 24, 5-8pm SAMuel dOrSKy MuSeuM Of ArT State University of new york, new Paltz • 845-257-3844 rusel Wright, The nature of Design, thru Dec 12. hours: Wednesday-Sunday: 11 am - 5 pm

SchAnTz GAllerieS 3 elm St, Stockbridge, Ma • 413-298-3044 • www.schantzgalleries.com. a destination for those seeking premier artists working in glass. (11 - 5 daily)

SOhn fine ArT GAllery & Giclee PrinTinG 6 elm Street, 1B; Stockbridge, Ma • 413-298-1025; info@sohnfineart.com; www.sohnfineart.com The Proserpine Path (eric Korenman) exhibition nov 2– March 4, 2013. reception Saturday, november 3, 4:00 – 7:00 pm. Meet the artist, eric Korenman, Saturday, February 9, 4:00 – 6:00 (Please rSVP to this event) ST. frAnciS GAllery 1370 Pleasant St, rte 102, Lee, Ma • 413-717-5199 established and emerging artist showcase.

The GAllery AT r&f 84 Ten Broeck ave, in midtown Kingston, ny • 845-331-3112 2012 invitational. This exhibition celebrates the release of encaustic Works 2012: a Biennial exhibition in Print selected

by Joanne Mattera.lery hours are Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm. .

The hArriSOn GAllery 39 Spring Street, Williamstown, Ma Jane Bloodgood-abrams, Dec 1 - Dec 31

The OxBOW GAllery 275 Pleasant St, northampton, Ma • www.oxbowgallery.com 413-586-6300 Front room: painter Barbara hadden; Scarified: new Work, 2012'. reception date: november 9, 5-8 pm. nov 1-25 (M, T 10-7 pm W-F 1-5 pm) The lenOx GAllery Of fine ArT 69 Church St, Lenox, Ma • 413-637-1253 Two floors of fine art and sculpture by known artists from the Berkshires and beyond.

The STerlinG And frAncine clArK ArT inSTiTuTe 225 South St, Williamstown, Ma • 413-458-2303 Clark remix, salon style installation, with two new interactive programs: uCurate, and uexplore, on view til 2013

music / theatre film

BerKShire MuSeuM 39 South Street (route 7), Pittsfield, Ma Bryan nash Gill: Beyond the Landscape thru May 2013.

BerKShire TheATre GrOuP Colonial Theatre, north St, Pittsfield, Ma • 413-987-4444 10/9: Matt Cusson; 11/16: arlo Guthrie; 11/28: Gaia roots.

clAVerAcK lAndinG Presbyterian Church, 4th St & Warren, hudson, ny • claveracklanding.org

nov. 17, 6pm: The Streets of Vienna, performed by Concordium, a Bard-based harmonie wind ensemble; Sat, Dec 22, 4pm annual Messiah Sing

clOSe encOunTerS WiTh MuSic Mahaiwe Performing arts Center 14 Castle St, Gt Barrington, Ma• 800-843-0778; or by emailing cewmusic@aol.com Tragicomedia: a Baroque holiday Celebration, Dec 9, 2pm.

MASS MocA 87 Marshall Street in north adams, Massachusetts.

• 413.662.2111 alsarah and the nubanotes, nov 10, emily Johnson: niicugni, nov 16

PrOcTOrS TheATre albany, ny, Mainstage a Christmas Story, Dec 14-23; Brighten Beach Memoires, Feb. 15-24; a Soldiers Play, apr 5-14; Doubt, May 31-June 9

ShAKeSPeAre & cO. 70 Kimble St, Lenox, Ma • shakespeare.org elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello, directed by Tony Simotes,featuring David Josef hansen nov 30–December 30. elayne P. Bernstein Theatre The eGG Center for Performing arts in albany, ny empire State Plaza • 518-473-1845 arlo Guthrie, nov. 17

TiMe & SPAce liMiTed 434 Columbia Street, hudson • 518-822-8448 The Met: Live in hD: otelo, The Tempest, aida, Les Troyens.

Please go on line for complete schedule and times: timeandspace.org

workshops & events

AMherST BienniAl'12 ArT in exPecTed & unexPecTed PlAceS www.amherstbiennial.com a bounty of art venues grows in amherst. Terry rooney, Chair of the Public arts Commission, has gathered unique resources of amherst: five museums, four galleries, three college campuses, and unexpected places all over town. Works of 45 artists are at over 20 sites. Go to website for details. nOrMAn rOcKWell MuSeuM 9 route 183, Stockbridge, Ma • 413-298-4100 heroes and Vilains: The Comic Book art of alex ross, nov 10-Feb 24. norman rockwell: home for the holidays, nov 16 - Jan 21.

SPencerTOWn AcAdeMy ArTS cenTer 790 State route 203 in Spencertown, new york • www.spencertownacademy.org or call 518-392-3693. handmade holiday Pop-up Shop opens on Saturday, november 24 with a festive holiday cookie contest from noon to 3:00pm and runs through December 23, Thursdays through Sundays from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

deadline for december issue is november 10, 2012 ArTfulMind@yAhOO.cOM

issuu.com/theartfulmindartzine reAd The enTire iSSue On-line!

The arTFUL MinD november 2012 •3

Lauren Clark Fine Art presents

“Want to come up and see my...?”

From woodcuts to broadsides, 17 printmakers make their mark.

Reception for the artists Saturday, November 24, 4-6 pm

402 Park Street, Housatonic, MA 413.274.1432 LaurenClarkFIneArt.com

Laura Schiff Bean paintings

through December 2012

argazzi art

22 millerton Road, Rte 44, LAkeville, CT 860.435.8222 info@argazziart.com www.argazziart.com 4 • november 2012

The arTFUL MinD

neuMAnn fine ArT Three ViSiOnS

neumann Fine art presents: Three Visions: h.M. Saffer, J.L. neumann, r. Goldfinger. neumann Fine art is expanding its business in to include work by a select group of nationally exhibiting artists. in this inaugural group show neumann is featuring three painters with three very different styles. The show runs from november 24 - January 26, 2013, with an opening reception on Saturday november 24 from 5 – 8 pm. neumann opened his business in 2009 as a studio space and gallery for his own work and is excited about the opportunity to show the work of other artists. Describing plans for the gallery, neumann says: “at this point, i don’t want to pigeonhole the gallery into specializing in any particular style of art.

My aim is to represent accomplished artists who do exceptional work.”

This philosophy is reflected in the disparate nature of the work in this exhibition: h.M. Saffer, born 1942, Philadelphia, will be showing a group of small paintings mostly from his popular Farm Series and another wall of medium sized work in his neo-pointillist style; a blend of asian and Western and influences reflecting his uniquely personal vision. Saffer is represented locally by The Berkshire art Gallery, Great Barrington, Ma and by 12 other galleries in the United States and internationally. ron Goldfinger , born 1946, new york City, will be showing a selection of small plein-air oils along with the masterful and evocative still life subjects he is known for. Goldfinger is also represented by Christopher Queen Galleries of Sonoma, Ca and Banks Fine art, Dallas, Tx. Jeffrey L. neumann, born 1953, Cedar rapids, ia, paints realist oils and watercolors of the rapidly disappearing commercial landscape of the 20th Century. he is also represented by The Berkshire art Gallery, Great Barrington, Ma, art exchange Gallery in Santa Fe, nM and Jack Leustig Prints, arroyo Seco, nM. Neumann Fine Art, 65 Cold Water Street, Hillsdale, NY More info at www.neumannfineart.com

ViSiOnS On The SPecTruM ii JeSSiCa ParKer, arTiST

JeSSicA PArK

Jessica Park has become a nationally recognized artist. her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, The new yorker Magazine and on CBS’s early Show.

Jessica hillary Park was born on July 20, 1958 and lives in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She attended local public schools and received her first art instruction from John Maziarz at Mt. Greylock regional high School. apart from a few lessons from friends she is self-taught. Jessica is a mail clerk at Williams College where she has worked for 30 years.

Jessica’s paintings start with a sketch, whenever possible done at the actual scene. Later she will often refer to a photograph for more detail. her paints are acrylics; she has 64 tubes of them but she seldom uses a color as it comes from the tube. each color is mixed to a particular shade and there will often be seven or eight shades of the same color which will be applied one by one according to a diagram that she holds in her mind from the beginning. Jessica’s favorite color is mint green.

Jessica’s life and vision have been documented in The Siege and exiting nirvana, two books by her mother, Clara Claiborne Park.

Dr. anthony Gengarelly is a Professor of Museum Studies and art history at MCLa is in the process of finishing his second book about the art and life of Jessica Park, a World Transformed, that will be forthcoming in 2013. Dr. Gengarelly will be giving a lecture presentation in the Good Purpose Gallery Thursday november 15, 69 pm. on the Floor – also on exhibit, the fabulous modern glass blown art of hoogs and Crawford.

The Good Purpose Gallery, 40 Main Street, Lee, ma. Learn more by calling 413394-5045 or visiting www.goodpurpose.org

SABine PhOTO ArT

The artful Mind showcases Sabine’s work since 1994, the very beginning of the monthly Berkshire artzine. Still young at 20 something, Sabine's studio has become a brand for contemporary, unobtrusive, relaxed photography in the european style. Did you have a “Sabine” experience, yet? a master of the subtleties of lighting and the nuance of background, her eye for detail provides imagery to be treasured for a lifetime. assignments are tailored to meet her client’s needs- a remembrance for a special occasion or a logo image to create an authentic professional online presence. it is to no surprise that she is a sought-after wedding photographer, as well.

Photo art and Book Signing by appointment “WooDLanD STyLe” and “ SheLL ChiC “, published by Storey Publishing, author Marlene h. Marshall, all photography by Sabine can be purchased from your near by book stores.

Signed fine art prints are directly available through her studio.

For more info please contact Sabine Vollmer von Falken Photography Studio www.sabinephotoart.com, info@sabinephotoart.com tel. 413 298 4933. Sabine is a member of The American Society of Media Photographers asmp. The International Center of Photography ICP and the Wedding Photojournalist Association, WPJA.

The arTFUL MinD november 2012 •5

STePhen filMuS

STePhen FiLMUS, SUMMerTiMe, oiL, 30” x 24”

another summer has passed, but memories of sunny days and shared experiences still linger. These objects, a cup of tea, a slice of cake and lemons, appeal to us by their subject, but also by their form, color, and movement. They appear to float upon a river of undulating stripes - ever moving – ever changing.

Stephen Filmus is exhibiting his still-life and landscape paintings at Lenox Gallery of Fine art. Both subjects appeal to Filmus and challenge him in different ways. The still-life is designed with ordinary objects in a studied arrangement, yet conveys a sense of randomness, while in landscape paintings, a complex world must be simplified, dramatized, and composed to capture the essence of the scene. The two genres inform and enrich each other.

Stephen Filmus has lived and worked in the Berkshires of Massachusetts for many years where he has established his reputation and following. his work is in numerous collections and he has exhibited widely including David Findlay Jr. Fine art in new york and the Berkshire Museum and the norman rockwell Museum.

Filmus paints landscapes and still-lifes that reflect his artistic sensibilities, but also works on commissions for those who want paintings of a specific scene or a still-life composition. he develops an artwork that satisfies the integrity of his style while creating an image that his clients envision.

Stephen Filmus’ work can be seen at the Lenox Gallery of Fine art, 69 Church Street, Lenox, Ma. 413-637-2276 and at hi studio in Great Barrington by appointment 413-528-1253.

View the new website www.stephenfilmus.com and sign up for the email newspletter. Receive studio news and events including invitations to openings and be the first to see Stephen Filmus’ newest artwork.

CUSToM rD STooL

By BranDon PhiLLiPS For MiLeS & May FUrniTUre WorKS aT arT & inDUSTrie GaLLerie reCLaiMeD hearTPine, WenGe h:22” W:14.75” D14.75”

ArT et induSTrie GAllerie

art et industrie is pleased to announce the extension of their blockbuster inaugural exhibition, RECLAIMED. The stunningly restored 6000 SF gallery fills the entire 2nd floor of the former Waubeek Textile Mill in housatonic and features an enormous range of some 200 works by 20 regional artists, artisans & designers, all working in reclaimed materials.

The event, titled “reCLaiMeD, reUSeD, rePUrPoSeD: FUrniTUre & FUrniShinGS FroM FoUnD MaTeriaLS” was originally scheduled to run from July 21st through oct. 8th. in light of the thrilled response from the enormously enthusiastic public, as well as the wonderful support & encouragement of the featured artists, we’ve decided to extend the installation through november, and to further develop this important event with replenished new additions. art et industrie is the largest & most ambitious new exhibition venue in the region. The expansive size of the breathtaking former industrial loft has encouraged several of our world-class artists to exhibit pieces of truly heroic scale, as well as extended groupings of more traditionally-sized pieces down to the intimate & hand-held, some even wearable.

Find incredible live-edge dining & conference tables sliced from salvaged enormous trunks of wind-fallen ancient trees by hudson Valley stars Jessica Wickham & richard Johnson, spectacular Claro Walnut work as well as side-tables & benches from reclaimed old-growth lumber & steel by Dorset, VT great Dan Mosheim, stunning highdesign in super-strong, gleaming Brazilian ipe reclaimed from the Coney island Boardwalk by the famous Miles & May, & one-of-a-kind wooden wizardry from Berkshire County’s own Michael P. King, and many, many others.

Visit & view during our new autumn hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM or by appointment.

ART et INDUSTRIE, 420 Park Street, 2nd Floor, Housatonic, MA 01236.

413-353-0037 Gallerie@artetindustrie.com www.artetindustrie.com

clOSe encOunTerS WiTh MuSic TraGiCoMeDia

BArOque hOlidAy celeBrATiOn

The drama and emotion of the italian cantata takes center stage when the early-music ensemble Tragicomedia performs on Sunday, December 9, 2 pm at the Mahaiwe Performing arts Center.

“Tragicomedia: a Baroque holiday Celebration” is the second concert in the 2012–13 Close encounters with Music season. This festive performance features a soprano and bass-baritone accompanied by rarely heard Baroque instruments such as the mandolin, lirone, chitarrone and viola de gamba. The program includes 17th- and early 18th-century cantatas by George Frideric handel—whose compositions represent the pinnacle of the cantata form—as well as Barbara Strozzi, Francisco Guerau, agostino Steffani and Carlo arrigoni.

The 17th-century aesthetic style of dramatic contrast known as tragicomedia was the inspiration for the ensemble’s cofounders, musicians Stephen Stubbs and erin headley, who formed the group in 1987. Since then, Tragicomedia, under Stubbs’ direction, has explored every musical genre from lute song to fully staged Baroque opera, in repertoire ranging from Monteverdi to Bach. Many of the group’s recordings, for eMi, Virgin, hyperion, and harmonia Mundi USa , have won prestigious prizes, and the ensemble has appeared annually at the Boston early Music Festival since 1997.

Love, longing and betrayal are common subjects of the italian cantata, which moved from the church to the stage in the 17th century. “Burning sighs/Fly forth from my breast/attempting to restore my lost love,” Steffani wrote in “Tengo per infallibile,” a cantata for soprano and bass. in a more cynical mood, Strozzi took women to task for their flightiness with lyrics such as “Women never make/a true promise./So it goes, he has much more/who hopes for nothing.”

The December 9 concert features soprano Mireille asselin, bass-baritone Douglas Williams and musicians Paul o’Dette (lute), headley (viola de gamba) and Michael Sponsellor (harpsichord). For this event, Catherine Liddell will be stepping in for Stubbs on the lute.

For more information about Close Encounters with Music and its 2012–2013 concert schedule, visit www.cewm.org.

“Since the last decades of the nineteenth century revolt against the objectified world has determined the character of art and literature.”

-Paul Tillich

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Mad with Music

Giving it Back

By Todd Mack

For more than 15 years, the rev Tor Band has been rocking the Berkshires and beyond with their tasty blend of rock, blues, and americana jams. one of the hardest working bands in the region, they have built a large and loyal following throughout the tri-state area and extending from Florida to Maine as a result of constant gigging and touring. The band’s leader and founder, Tor Krautter, is the consummate Do-ityourselfer who has mastered the art of creating not just shows, but happenings. This past May, he took that art to a whole new level when he produced a re-creation of the Band’s classic concert film, The Last Waltz, live onstage at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield. adding a three piece horn section and second keyboardist to the otherwise core 4-piece rev Tor Band and inviting nearly 3 dozen local musicians to sit in as the film’s guest artists, Tor pulled off an event as rockin’ and magical as i imagine the original concert to have been. i was honored to have been included in the line up that night.

What made the night so special was not just the amazing music, but the camaraderie both on stage and off. i was amazed at how “FoD” like it was. The spontaneity, the sense of community, the coming together through music - it was like a FoDfest, but to a soundtrack instead of unscripted. Still glowing, a few days later i called Tor to see if he’d have an interest in doing it again. after a few conversations and brainstorms, we hatched an ambitious plan. We would partner to produce the show as a fundraiser for Music in Common in as many communities as we could, utilizing local musicians in each place we produced the show as the special guests, ensuring the “FoD” like vibe and creating a new and unique concert experience every time we did it. Utilizing the rev Tor Band as “The Band” would ensure high quality musicianship at every show.

Tor has a long history of giving back. he has been actively involved in the local music scene for more than 20 years and goes above and beyond the call of duty in making a difference with his music. Benefit concerts, clothing drives, food drives…you name it, he’s done it. and keeps doing it. i asked him how and why he started down this path and why he continues to give so much of himself for others with his music.

“i learned pretty quickly that being a musician gives you a voice and a vehicle to promote a good cause. And i’m a sucker for a good cause. i guess i have just always felt it comes with the territory. it’s important to give back when you can. i am just blessed i can do it while playing music.”

on Sunday november 11, set again to the soundtrack of the greatest concert film every made, “The Last Waltz”, Tor and the band will take the stage at the Mahaiwe Performing arts Center in Great Barrington, Ma and do what they do best - create an evening of magic and music. in keeping with the FoD-like vibe created at the show, this concert is no mere repeat performance of the Colonial Theater and will feature an almost entirely new cast of special guests including Meg hutchinson, rob Sanzone, Wanda houston, Bobby MacVeety, robby Baier, Jordan Weller, rodney Mashia, Beth rose, Kip Beacco, Berkshire Mountain rambler, Curtis Kelley, and many others. Tickets are available for $35, $25, and $15 for ages 18 & younger at the Mahaiwe box office (14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, Ma / 413.528.0100) or on their website (www.mahaiwe.org). From 5-7PM, there will be a pre-show party right next door

at Castle Street Café. Tickets are $40 and include beer, wine, and food. all profits from both events benefit Music in Common. “it’s a perfect marriage really”, Tor reflects. “Music in common is about bringing people together through the common bond of music. That is exactly what The last Waltz does. i jumped at the opportunity to partner with them on this, and the more i learn about what the organization does, the more excited i get about being involved.”

Todd Mack is a writer, musician, and producer, and owner of the Off the Beat-n-Track recording studio in Sheffield, MA. He is also the founder and executive director of Music in Common, a non-profit organization whose mission is to strengthen, empower, and educate communities through the universal language of music. Email him at todd@toddmack.net

The arTFUL MinD noVeMBer 2012 • 7

Jessica stacking logs with the forklift on a wintery February day

JeSSicA WicKhAM Furniture Maker Interview by Harryet Candee

Photographs by Meredith Heuer

Jessica, i came across your hand-crafted furniture pieces at Art en industrie, the new gallery in housatonic, MA. and could not take my eyes off the white ash trestle table with canti-levered benches - mainly because i have never seen such a perfectly smooth, natural wood surface such as this. The design of the piece, for me, all adds up to the simple conclusion that you may have intended this piece for some God and Goddess out there. it’s a magical piece that sings and boasts of how beautiful nature’s gifts can be. And…its all from a single tree from lancaster, PA. The description say it’s quartersawn with concealed double tenon joinery, can you explain this in layman’s terms? And why this particular kind of White Ash Sapwood was your choice for this piece?

Jessica Wickham: This piece, like many that we make, was inspired by the character of the material used. in this case, quartersawn white ash sapwood – a very unusual cut of a rather ordinary log. We have our own sawmill and cut each log with future furniture in mind. i happen to love white ash, a tree that is under duress right now in the northeast and in decline as a species, following in the footsteps of other species such as Chestnut, and elm.

To decode a little: “quartersawing” is a method of milling a log that yields very stable pieces – basically cutting parallel to the radius of the log. it is time-consuming and ends up wasting some of the log so it is not very economical. it is very unusual to see quartersawn wood – other than quartersawn oak, which is often used in flooring. Quartersawn white ash is not available commercially – so if you want it, you have to custom mill it.

“Sapwood” is the region of the log that is closest to the bark – the outer growth rings on the tree. it is a fascinating material, usually contrasting in color to the rest of the tree (called the “heartwood”). as the tree grows, sapwood transforms into heartwood and become denser and more bug-resistant. as it happens, white ash sapwood is very bright white, with pronounced wide growth rings. i love the way it looks. So a few years back, when we came across some large white ash logs, we decided to quartersaw them to maximize the sapwood.

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A set of three black walnut nesting stepstools, with exposed sliding dovetail joinery “Concealed double tenon joinery” refers to the joint that we used to achieve the cantilevered seat on the bench. if you notice, there is no front “leg” on the bench – all the weight on the seat is supported by the single, rear leg. There is a tremendous amount of stress placed on any chair when someone plops down to sit on it. To support this, without a front leg, we needed to use a very strong joint. “Mortise and tenon” joinery is common in furniture making – but making a “blind” double tenon is more difficult. it is a very precise, super-strong joint that is completely hidden from view! That joint will last a long, long time…

i was glancing at a book that the owner of the gallery Art en industrie had lent to me on The reflections of a Woodworker, George nakashima. What ways of working with wood do the two of you share?

Jessica: George nakashima was an extraordinary man who has influenced just about every contemporary woodworker i can think of. his parents were Japanese immigrants to the US and his family was interned in a camp in idaho at the end of WW2. he trained as an architect at MiT and worked with antonin raymond, a Frank Lloyd Wright disciple, on sites all around the world, before returning to the US to dedicate his life to furniture making. he had a philosophical approach to his work that combined aesthetics with spirituality. he bridged Japanese traditional style and technique with modernist sensibilities. his workshop was prolific – his team produced thousands of pieces – and in fact it continues today in new hope, Pa, two decades after his death. i remember reading that book you refer to (i think the title is “The Soul of the Tree”) as a teenager. My father is an architect and brought that book home one day. it is such an elegant personal statement about his process and how he FinDS the design of a piece in the idiosyncracies of the tree itself, rather than imposing an idea onto a random piece of wood. he popularized the use of traditional Japanese design elements in this country - like the use of the sinuous natural edge of the tree and the little “butterfly” or “bowtie” keys used to stabilize cracked or knotty areas of a board. nakashima was famous in his early work for sal-

vaging the “scrap” wood that was discarded by sawmills because it had “defects” in it. he celebrated the unique elements in each piece of wood — knots, figure, cracking — and made it central to his designs. This approach – of finding beauty in the imperfect — is deeply rooted in the ancient and permeating aesthetic of the Japanese tea ceremony. i think one has to be very careful when comparing anyone’s style to that of George nakashima. he was a pioneer, a product of an incredible personal history and a moment in time and a visionary aesthetic. he changed the world of woodworking – we are all little acorns that fell off of his big oak tree… i have been very inspired by his work and his writings – lets just leave it at that!

When did you start working with wood? What were your earliest pieces like?

Jessica: i grew up in an architect’s household – my dad was a partner in a firm in nyC after having worked for i.M. Pei for years – we were always “making things”. i actually studied cultural anthropology in college and travelled the world trying to figure out what i wanted to do. i supported myself with a job in the corporate world for ten years – working in technology. i ended up in Tokyo, a place that changed me profoundly. Lived there for about 5 years, i was so moved and energized by the prevalence of super high quality handmade objects in everyday life that you find in Japan. To balance my work life, i started studying the use of traditional Japanese hand tools (chisels, handplanes etc, sharpened on waterstones). i’ll never forget my first project – it was a tool box for my chisels, using hand-cut joinery – it took me a whole year to complete! Working slowly, trying to understand the mysteries behind these amazing tools. i was so energized and inspired by these tools/techniques that i ultimately quit my job and dedicated myself to the study of fine craft. Then returned to the new york area, determined to find a way to integrate these skills and sensibilities into my own craft-based business. The early pieces coming out of my studio were really studies in the idiosyncracies of the local hardwood species. it is so interesting

Drawing preliminary cut lines with chalk on a black cherry slab - to help visualize final board layout and positioning. This is the beginning of a dining room table project, usually done in the company of the client Sizing up a tree that came down near Beacon, NY - deciding where to make cross cuts in the log paying particular attention to the natural contour/shape of the log to mill your own wood, because you have the WhoLe tree to work with, warts and all. you get to know the working properties of all the different sections of a log. Keep in mind that all wooden “boards” are square sections removed from a cylinder (the log).

Most material existed in the log for 75+ years – and it likes to remember its history! Part of the fun of woodworking for me is learning how to “read the tree” and anticipate the best ways to use/combine segments of the tree.

your woodworking is museum quality. do you show in museums? Galleries? international decorators houses? directory listings of the rich and famous?

Jessica: That is very kind of you to say! all of my work is commission-based. We do many projects with interior designers and architects. i have shown in two galleries, Jordan Schlanger’s art et industrie in housatonic and also at the Culture + Commerce Project in hudson. Most of the work ends up in private residences. i’m very respectful about the privacy of my clients – but one notable client who has spoken publicly about my work in Susan Batton, the director of Dia Beacon. We made her dining room table. She has been a big supporter of my work.

let’s discuss the terms of functional versus decorative?

Where do your pieces fit?

Jessica: all of my work is designed to be used! What could be better than using a beautiful object on an everyday basis. it is an experience that more people need to have! instead of flooding our lives with disposable cheap objects, i encourage people to simplify and choose a few important ones to live with.

Working with trees. Working with nature. What laws do you abide by when you set your mind to making a new piece, that could in fact take months to complete? how do you decide the size? The shape and function of a new design?

Jessica: all of our work relates to the specific tree/log which it comes from, and the work begins when we are cutting the log at the sawmill. Deciding which face of the log to cut, and how thick

to make it, sets the fate of that material. The wood must air dry in our barn for two or more years – and sometimes it will surprise me by cracking or color shifting as it dries. That is a real joy – like taking a piece of fired pottery out of the kiln – working with the specific language of that board! each log has different grades of material in it – often there will be one dining table that comes out of the prime pieces of a log – and then there are the remnant pieces left. i have a section of my studio for “widows and orphans”, leftover pieces waiting for a use.

What is most satisfying about your work?

Jessica: i love opening up the logs – they are like gifts, i love seeing the latent material dry and up against my studio wall waiting for a use, i love the moment when we hand over a finished piece to a client. But most of all i am proud that after all the crazy hard work, my business is actually viable and succeeding!

What part of this craft do you need to have people physically helping you?

Jessica: This is not a one person business! There are many wonderful collaborators/conspirators at all stages of the work. From all the eyes/ears out there (the people who help to find the downed logs) to my amazing friend and sawyer John Woodward who cuts the wood (with the help of his young nephews) and lets me stack it in his hay barn, to my dry kiln operator up in the Catskills who finishes off the drying, to my colleague in the workshop atsushi Mitsuda an extraordinary craftsman from Japan who was trained in the use of traditional hand tools. When things get really busy, i bring in other craftsmen from the Beacon area to help out. The work is very physical and we all know our limits working with the heavy material. The forklift in the corner does its fair share too!.

Jessica, can you tell me the ways you find the wood you want to use? i mean, a lot of trees are in places that are privately owned, how do you get the tree you want?

Jessica: Logs come to me one at a time. Sometimes after a storm local landowners call to alert me about a special tree that came

down. Sometimes it is through tree service guys who come across a good one. i always have my eyes open around new construction sites. We don’t take trees down. But good ones are everywhere and for various reasons come down all the time. i think we all lose sight of the fact that we live in the remnants of what was once an aMaZinG hardwood forest. The northeastern deciduous forest is a special place – wood from this area is exported all over the world. extraordinary material literally grows across the street.

your woodwork pieces are never “out of fashion”. Why is that do you suppose?

Jessica: you can’t really do much better than the design found in the natural world. i take it as my challenge to discover what is best about a piece of wood and then to try hard to stay out of the way! There is an important moment in the design of a piece where you have to make decisions about what to remove – it is always excruciating and always a place where i rely heavily on intuition. hard to explain but that is really the moment when the piece emerges.

how important is the color and texture when designing a new piece? What goes into the deciding of the color of the wood?

Jessica: We don’t use stain on our work. it is all the natural color of the wood! i work with the palette of the local hardwoods that i find – Black Walnut, Cherry, White ash, red elm, Black Locust, White oak, etc. The colors and textures of the woods are so beautiful and full of energy – staining or bleaching often “kills” the surface of the material in my opinion.

does the antique world in woodwork interest or inspire you at all?

Jessica: i love looking at the craftsmanship and technique used in different eras. all of the techniques and tools that we use have evolved through a long history. it is also fascinating to me to try

Continued on next page....

The arTFUL MinD noVeMBer 2012 •9

JeSSicA WicKhAM

that gets re-cycled – either the sawdust that i give away to friends/neighbors for mulching or the firewood scraps or the little bits and pieces that become cutting boards and candle holders etc!

There is one section of the studio (called the library because it looks like bookshelves) where we stash little pieces that we can’t bear to burn as firewood – it’s a bit of a problem because the piles get large!! The woodworkers dilemma…

to figure out the “story” of a piece – the dings and patina that furniture acquires with use. i do not live with antiques in my home though – i’m a modernist!

lets discuss techniques and the actual hands-on time. is it your hands and physical strength that makes a piece from start to finish?

Jessica: a typical dining table has about 100 hours of work in it. atsushi and i work together on each one through the various stages of wood selection, roughing, joinery and finishing. Typically pieces will be in the studio for 8-10 weeks.

describe the tools you favor using, and what makes them special for you?

Jessica: Well, we are unusual in that we pretty much specialize in the use of SoLiD wood.

Most cabinetmakers/furniture makers rely on man-made material (laminated boards, veneer grade plywood etc) because it is stable, dependable and available.

Because we work with thick wood, our shop is full of big machines required to process solid wood. i have a number of machines that are 30+ years old – of the kind that are not made any more!

Hand planing a slab using a Japanese hand plane

Without a doubt though, the most important tools in our shop are the hand tools from Japan. These are the “go-to” implements that we use when ready to do detail/fine work on a piece. They really are magical implements!

What experience can you share that you will never forget that has to do with trees and nature, and the relationship you made with trees?

Jessica: There are so many. But taking down a diseased tree at my family’s house — a big one that i grew up with – and then processing it and building furniture out of it has to rate right up there.

My parents have always tapped the sugar maples on their property and made maple syrup. i think that relationship to the tree had an impact on me when i was a little person!

What elements in our world have you combined with your pieces, that work well together, or are on opposite ends of the spectrum, experimental, or just never normally combined?

Jessica: We did a great outdoor bench with three big chunks of amazing bluestone that was chiseled out to accept some quartersawn black locust.

Wonderful “wabi-sabi” juxtaposition. does your work show any european influences? it may be obvious about the Japanese influence, but what about for the rest of the world?

Jessica: The Scandinavian furniture makers are a big influence. no one makes better chairs than hans Wegner.

Japanese hand tools on the workbench midstream through a butterfly inlay to stabilize a crack on a black walnut slab

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What part of the tree are you not able to use, and how do you recycle, or, what do you do with parts that you don’t want to waste, but do not have an immediate use for?

Jessica: Typically, we use the lowest section of the trunk (called the “butt” log) and the second section of the trunk (called the “prime” log).

These are the biggest, most stable sections. The upper branches are very difficult to dry – they tend to warp badly and crack a lot. Think about it – they were up there in the sky for decades, blowing around in the wind! They usually have a lot of stress in them. Those parts usually go to the firewood guy or the wood chipper. in the studio, we have plenty of wood waste

Why do you find Art en industrie gallery a good place to have your work on display?

Jessica: Jordan’s gallery is a spectacular setting – a lovingly renovated postindustrial space. Very authentic and grand. i’m just so happy to be there with all the light and air. i love the fact that it is in housatonic. Many years ago, my sister worked at Jacob’s Pillow and had an apartment in housatonic – i spent many weekends there after coming up to see dance performances. a special spot.

i was wondering what your home looked like, and, how you spend your free time.

Jessica: Well, the last ten years of my life have really been shaped by this pursuit of furniture making. i grew up in nyC and had the usual roster of interests in the arts, fine food, travel, film… it has been so fascinating to FoCUS and stick with pursuing one vein. Like going down a rabbit hole. My life is much simpler than it used to be – i live out in the country, in a house designed by my Dad – and my days are spent in the studio in Beacon. The work is perpetual, there is always something to do. i love being close to nature and the seasons. and it has been a real treat to become part of the landscape in Beacon – the depth of the creative community there is quite astounding. i still break away from time to time to go for an exquisite Japanese meal in new york or to see gallery shows. i love the city, with all its cosmopolitan textures and complexity, but can’t be doing the work that i do with all those distractions! how easy is it for someone to ask you to commission a piece after they see it at the Art en industrie Gallery? What kind of process takes place?

Jessica: There are many ways to approach commissioning a new piece. But i strongly recommend visiting the studio in Beacon to select the material that speaks to you. Selecting a species, length, thickness, character of the wood… its all easiest when you can see the wood! We keep the pieces of each tree together in a pile – called a “sequenced flitch”. From there, i create shop drawings and finish samples and once everything is approved, we start fabrication! i love the collaboration that happens when someone comes to the studio and “picks out a tree” to work with. it is so interesting to see the project through the eyes of someone who will live with the piece. Many, many design details have come out of the conversation that happens.

Where do you see yourself going with your craft in the next five years? i’m planning to do this work for as long as i am physically able! hopefully for the next 25 years… each piece is its own adventure and i just want to keep my hands on the wood! wickham solid wood studio 578 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508 917.797.9247 www.jessicawickham.com Art et Industrie Gallerie, 420 Park St., Housatonic, MA, www.artetindustrie.com / gallerie@artetindustrie.com / 413353-0037, 11-6pm, Wednesday through Sunday & by appointment.

KaTe KnaPP BLaCK WaTerCoLor on 22x30 arChe hoT PreSSeD PaPer

frOnT STreeT GAllery

neW OilS plus BlAcK And WhiTe drAWinGS And PAinTinGS Pastels, oils, acrylics and watercolors…..abstract and representational…..landscapes, still lifes and portraits….a unique variety of painting technique and styles….you will be transported to another world and see things in a way you never have before….please come join us and experience something different.

Painting classes continue on Mon Wed mornings 101:30pm at the studio and Thursday mornings out in the field and are open to all...come to one or come again if it works for you...all levels and materials welcome...

Classes at Front Street for those wishing to learn and those who just want to be involved in the pure enjoyment of art and who have some experience under their belt. Perfect for those seeking fresh insight into watercolors, and other mediums.

Kate Knapp has been teaching for many years, and has a keen sense of each student’s artistic needs to take a step beyond! Perfect setting for setting up still lifes. Lighting and space is excellent. Peak in to see!

Kate Knapp’s paintings are also on display at 510 Warren St. Gallery in hudson, ny. Please stop by to see all the many works of art by exceptional artists.

Front Street Gallery – Front Street, Housatonic, MA. Gallery now open by appointment or chance...if you call my home phone 413-528-9546 or cell 413-429-7141. I can meet you there very quickly...I lookforward to seeing you!

AMherST BienniAl’12 ArT in exPecTed & unexPecTed PlAceS

a bounty of art venues grows in amherst. Terry rooney, Chair of the Public arts Commission, has gathered unique resources of amherst: five museums, four galleries, three college campuses, and unexpected places all over town. Works of 45 artists are at over 20 sites.

The second amherst Biennial presents some of the finest artwork created in the Pioneer Valley during the last two years. in the face of the closing of many galleries, this ambitious display of art throughout the town provides new and unexpected places to view art —- changing the paradigm of how artists’ work is presented to the public.

When rooney, first approached town officials and businesses two years ago with the idea for a Biennial, she would have been happy to be offered a few storefronts. instead, 14 sites, including two farms, an abandoned school, and several storefronts accommodated the works of 44 artists. Local and national press took note. Many people who never set foot in art galleries or museums were delighted to stumble upon the artwork. in addition to new venues, this Biennial includes performance pieces like an artist carrying a huge blank canvas 8’x6’ on his back journeying all over town; an installation and performance at the Mead art Museum; rabbit sculptures in the park, emily Dickinson’s poems on house constructions at hampshire College.

Amherst Biennial - For more go to the website www.amherstbiennial.com

diAnA felBer JOy Of liVinG STiLL-LiFe By Diana FeLBer

an exhibition of paintings by Diana Felber with nudes in oil and flowers in watercolor will be featured in november at the 510 Warren Street Gallery, hudson, n.y. having recently “beaten” a medical condition, Diana is overjoyed at being alive and well again. This joy is reflected in her new work displayed at the gallery.

In addition to Diana’s work, other artists exhibiting are: Will Clark, Joan Giummo, Iska Kenney, Kate Knapp, John Lipkowitz, Nina Lipklowitz, Jeannine Schoeffer, Eleanor Lord, Hannah Mandel, Peggy Reeves, Linda Clayton, and Doris Simon. Also showing is furniture by Joel Marks and Mill River Studio Antique Prints and Posters.

510 Warren Street Gallery, Hudson, NY - Gallery hours: Fri & Sat 12-6pm, Sun 12-5pm, or by appointment; 510warrenstgallery.com 518-822-0510.

510 MeMBerS inCLUDe: WiLL CLarK LinDa CLayTon’ Diana FeLBer Joan GiUMMo iSKa Kenney KaTe KnaPP John LiPKoWiTZ nina LiPKoWiTZ eLeanor LorD hannah ManDeL PeGGy reeVeS Jeannine SChoeFFer DoriS SiMon MUSeUM QUaLiTy FUrniTUre By JoeL MarK anTiQUe PrinTS & PoSTerS FroM MiLL riVer STUDio

The arTFUL MinD noVeMBer 2012 • 11

What were some of the shows you have successfully put on in the Berkshires? Any one your favorite?

Travis: i just wrapped up a production of Oliver! at the Colonial Theatre this past September. it was a really special experience being able to tell this story with such a wide variety of cast members from the local community. They all worked together towards the same goal- they were a great ensemble.

Previous to oliver!, i directed The Wizard of Oz, Into the Woods and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.did you

Appreciative students applauding at Pinocchio

TrAViS G. dAly

Berkshire Theatre Group associate artist Interview by Harryet Candee

Photography by Sabine Vollmer von Falken harryet: i think you are a master dream weaver in theater productions in the Berkshires. Tell me, what are the keys to your success?

Travis G. Daly: We spend a lot of time preparing and organizing a show. We do countless spread sheets and master calendars that help us prepare the administrative side of a show. at the same time i start meeting with the designers very early on so that i can visualize and get a sense of the world that we are creating. My job with the designers is to make sure all of there ideas fit into the same concept and the same picture. i make sure that we have talented and creative people who are willing to work hard and help execute a project. To do this, communication is key. This year we put all of our documents on the website Dropbox. Dropbox is a data sharing website. We were able to create folders containing all of our show information that everyone could see at all times. i also put a diagram in each page of my script that has an overhead view of the set. i do this so that i can pre-block the show. i don’t always stick to the blocking, but i at least have a starting point for everything when i go into rehearsal.

12 november 2012 The arTFUL MinD

Who are your core group of people?

Travis: i spend a lot of time preparing with our Musical Director, Choreographer, and design team. in my most recent project, i collaborated with Musical Director Carlton Maaia ii, choreographer Kathy Jo Grover, and set designer Gennie neuman. i also had a couple great associates; robert adler and Caroline Sprague who helped me organize everything that had to do with directing and stage management. We do countless spreadsheets and master calendars that help us prepare the administrative logistics of a show. at the same time i started meeting with Gennie neuman very early on so that i could visualize and get a sense of the world that we are creating. My job with the designers and artists is to make sure all of our ideas fit into the same concept and world of the play.

Photo: Sabine Vollmer von Falken

learn directing theatre productions at Bcc in Pittsfield when you attended as a college student, or was it from hands-on training as you went along?

Travis: i think i’ve learned all i know about theatre directly and indirectly over the course of my entire life. i’ve probably developed the most as an artist and theatre director over the last nine years working for Berkshire Theatre Group. a few years ago i was able to be the assistant to the director for Vivian Matalon, who has directed on Broadway. i was first able to observe him on a play, called Souvenir, which was work shopped at BTG before it went to Broadway. The next summer i was able to watch him revisit Morning’s At Seven. he originally won the Tony for Best Direction in the 1980s for Morning’s At Seven. it was eyeopening to observe how he would prepare a production and run rehearsals.

When you were young, growing up in the Berkshires, dalton, MA, what influences allured you into performing arts?

Travis: i love movies. When i was in elementary, Middle and high School i would rent seven movies for seven dollars every weekend. i would watch the old classics such as The Godfather and Rocky and newer movies, at the time, like Good Will Hunting. i would watch them over and over taking notes on story boarding, characters, plot, everything. i am currently 29 years old.

What is it about Good Will Hunting that you find interesting?

Travis: i think Good Will Hunting is a movie about re-evaluating and reflecting on current and past relationships. The protagonist,

Will hunting, struggles a lot with himself in the film, but his struggles are all ones that speak to the human condition. everyone can identify with him. i think my favorite movie is Field of Dreams. it is about a father and his son trying to have one final catch.

As a child, did you conjure up scenes in your mind; create stories using your imagination while you were playing baseball or some other kids’ activity?

Travis: Sure, i think that we would role-play stories and scenes from well-known baseball games. We would watch the way a certain pitcher would throw a baseball or how he had his batting stance and re-create that. Then we would imagine it was the bottom of the ninth with two outs and play the situation out.

Were family members, friends, teachers supportive when they saw you were interested in pursuing a career in the performing arts?

Travis: My family has always been very supportive and given me a lot of freedom while doing theatre. i think one of the most important things in life is having good mentors. i have had many over the years.

From my days as a high school student at Wahconah regional in Dalton i would observe the way the director, Tom Towne, would put a show together. as a student at Berkshire Community College i would watch the way directors allen Kennedy and Sam Slack would work with actors. i’ve collaborated many shows recently with actor/director, ralph Petillo. i’ve observed how his passion for the arts can inspire. Finally, at Berkshire Theatre Group, i was able to assist and co-direct numerous shows with e. Gray Simons iii. he taught me how to work with all different types of people. i work closely with my colleague, allison rachelle Bayles who is the administrative Director of education for the Berkshire Theatre Group. her organization and attention to detail is incredible. Finally, working with BTG artistic Director- Kate Maguire over the last nine years, i have been able to see first hand how she organizes and blends the artistic and administrative sides of theatre. These mentors taught me so much about plays, storytelling and life. i am eternally grateful for all of their generosity.

Cast of Pinocchio include (not in order) Courtney Wood, Lily Christie, Cody Miller and Jacob Gold (Jacob photo below) Photo: Sabine Vollmer von Falken

myself that there are no short cuts in anything that you do and that it will always take work. i choose to work as hard as i can and do whatever it takes to make the show successful.

Are you musically talented?

Travis: i direct musicals, but that is about it. i love to collaborate with the Music Director, choreographer and actors while working on a show. however, you will not see me performing on stage or in the orchestra pit. recently i have collaborated a lot with

What was your first theater acting experience?

Travis: The first play i was ever in was a production of Jeffrey at Berkshire Community College. in that show i played a pre-operative transsexual lesbian named angelique. i shaved my legs, painted my nails, wore high heels and a skirt. not only was it the first time performing in front of an audience, but also i had to go outside my comfort zone and fully become a character that was very different than me. it was quite the experience!

can you tell me a little about BTf and your school theater connection, and how they relate to each other?

Travis: We serve over 10,000 school children a year. We offer in-school playwriting residencies, after-school acting programs and summer acting camps. We also have a children’s touring show that we bring around the county. every year, we do community productions such as Oliver! and a Christmas Carol, which we perform at the Colonial Theatre. My passion is working in the schools teaching kids playwriting and acting because it becomes so much more than that.

They develop confidence, respect, perseverance, character, responsibility and teamwork that they will continue to use for the rest of their lives.

Berkshire Theatre Group is definitely in more schools now then when i was a student. i think we are in close to 17 schools in-school and afterschool during the year. Plus the touring, educational show reaches even more students in Central Massachusetts, albany, and even Connecticut.”

Where do you find most of the challenges?

Travis: There is always a lot of self-reflection. am i working as hard as i can all the time? am i being disciplined with my time and decisions? am i eating healthy and taking proper care of myself? That is where all of the conflict comes from.

how did you maneuver your way from acting into directing?

Travis: i always wanted to be a director. i acted initially as a way to be involved in shows. i would watch and analyze how What are you in the midst of doing right these directors would run their rehearsals now?

Jacob Gold, in Pinocchio, and also helped Travis in Oliver! photo: Sabine Vollmer von Falken and talk to actors. i had the right mentors Travis: after i wrapped up production on who knew my interests and helped give me Oliver! i went right into directing our Berkshire directing training and experience that i needed. i think i learned e. Gray Simons iii, Carlton Maaia ii, ralph Petillo and Kathy Jo Theatre Group Plays! touring production of Pinocchio. The show different tricks from all of them as i went along. The shows i Grover. i think it’s important to have a core group of artists who will tour around from october through May. all in all, we will have grown the most from are probably the shows i have directed you trust, but at the same time it is nice to shake it up sometimes perform about fifty shows throughout Berkshire County. The cast on my own. i directed a production of A Mummy’s Tale and Other and work with new people. and crew are five post college actors and stage managers who Stories from the Great Beyond with college students a few years also teach with our schools program. ago with the Berkshire Theatre Group. i had a great group of acWhat was it that proved to you that it was a good thing to tors who were open to all the possibilities and it definitively made stick with directing? do you work with an assistant director? how does he/she asfor a confidence booster.

Travis: i really enjoy collaborating with all different types of peosist you?

Was it big transition for you to go from acting into directing?

Travis: i think it’s always hard to get initial directing experience and jobs. i’m not sure if there was really a leap. i always remind

ple. in the shows i have been able to work on i have done just that. i have been fortunate over the past nine years to have directed over 100 short and full-length plays with Berkshire Theatre Group.

Travis: This past summer i had a couple of assistants; robert

Continued on next page...

The arTFUL MinD november 2012 • 13

TrAViS G. dAly

What is your best advice to aspiring young performing artists?

Travis: Take whatever role is ever offered to you. Try to get as much experience as you can. Don’t be afraid to take positive risks and make mistakes.

during auditions, what do you look for? is it difficult to turn down young children? it must be a hard part of your job.

Travis: Do they have “it” for the role. i try to be honest and kind when i deal with everyone and that includes telling them “no” sometimes. it is probably the hardest part of my job. We try to limit saying “no” to kids.

Travis, what advice can you give to people on how to give a successful audition? can you offer any tips?

Travis: i think they should select something that they feel comfortable with and that best showcases their talent. also, if you go to an audition and need to hand over a head shot make sure that it is up to date and looks like you.

Travis G. Daly

photo: Sabine Vollmer von Falken

What made Oliver! such a special experience for you? What attracted you to the story of Oliver?

Travis: What made Oliver! so special was that we had over 200 community members working together as actors, technicians and designers. it was wonderful having a very talented group of adults and kids in the show. everyone was there for the same reason: to put on a great show. They had respect for each other from the very beginning. ...i am always attracted to the stories that have darker, edgier themes.

Any ideas what is planned for next year? Oliver! was such a great success.

Travis: i’m not sure what next summer’s show will be. after the new year i’m sure i’ll have a meeting with Kate Maguire, artistic Director to talk about the possibilities. She always puts in endless hours to decide on the best shows for this community.

have you ever thought of getting into film directing or producing? That’s a whole ‘nother basket of apples!… but, any glimmer of a desire to do that? Why? Travis: i used to want to be a film director. if someone offered me something to direct and it felt right for me i would do it. That isn’t very important to me right now. Being a part of this community takes precedence.

What time period in history would you love to live in?

Travis: i think it would be wild to live in the roaring ‘20s. i love the music and clothing.

Would you consider directing The Great Gatsby at some point?

Travis: yes i would love too!!! i cannot wait for Baz Luhrman’s production to come out around Christmas time.

adler, Caroline Sprague and Christina Lothrop who helped a great deal. i was able to identify their skill sets and delegate certain responsibilities to them so that i could focus on the bigger picture while putting Oliver! together. at the same time there were also things that they did very well that may have been a weakness for me. i try to be honest with myself on areas i need to improve or need help with. We were able to work as a strong ensemble covering those areas together.

What is a focus for you with our communities in the Berkshires that is related to theatre work for you?

Travis: i created a sports and theatre camp for the Southern Berkshire regional School District that ran last summer. We will be running a few of those camps next summer in august. i really enjoy working with at-risk youth and would love to run an organization that could help them. it wouldn’t necessarily have to be in the theatre world. My main focus with this community is to help inspire and develop the next generation. There are a lot of

14 • november 2012 The arTFUL MinD

Oliver! photograph by Meredith McMillan

great things that they can end up doing outside of the theatre world.

from your point of view, how does one get noticed in the Berkshires in order to help build their career in acting and theater?

Travis: i think it can be very difficult. To be completely honest, you have to have talent. even then it is an ultra-competitive world. i think you need to be honest with your priorities and decide if you want do this as a profession or as a hobby. if you want to make a career out of it you also have to be very persistent including working for free or for very little money until you can break through. you can never give up. With that said, there are always more opportunities in Chicago and new york. The best parts about going away to college are the relationships and networks you can create.

for you, what is the real magic about theatre that separates it from any other form of art?

Travis: Getting a story ready to share with an audience. Kate Maguire always speaks about finding the truth that lies in the human heart. That is something i always think about while working on a project.

As a teacher, Travis, what is your most often spoken words of wisdom to kids?

Travis: i think i probably say a lot of things depending on the age group, personalities and group dynamic. i try not to prepare a lot of speeches and just let them know how i feel moment to moment. i talk about respect, personal responsibility, and discipline a lot.

What is one of your favorite and most useful quote?

Travis: Probably this: “Behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances”. That is what it really comes down to. i heard that quote from a student who graduated from yale a few years ago. also, i love the nike cliché “Just do it”. it is really that simple.

Stay tuned for more magic!

Thank you, Travis! g

ShArOn True WhOlePerSOn PilATeS cOnSciOuS exerciSe

regular exercise is an essential component of optimal health and functioning. Conscious exercise with Sharon True, owner of WholePerson Movement, takes exercise to a whole new level. in the personalized one-on-one workouts she creates in her Pilates studio she guides her clients to become masters of their own body movement. They learn to become conscious of the inner experience and process of doing an exercise, as well as of its precise outer form. Conscious exercise workouts stretch and strengthen muscles, promote concentration, reduce stress, and deepen understanding of the body.

True has recently completed training in a variant of Pilates called Pfilates (pronounced Filates) which focuses on conditioning the muscles of the pelvic floor. Pfilates helps with problems of incontinence, organ prolapse, weakness as a result of abdominal surgery and more. it is an excellent addition to the regular Pilates workout focus on working from the inside out. it can also be learned on its own as a home program.

True is a registered somatic movement therapist, certified Laban movement analyst, and a certified Pilates and Pfilates instructor. She has been teaching Pilates-based workouts for over 15 years, first at Canyon ranch in the Berkshires and then in her own fully-equipped Pilates studio in Great Barrington.

These years of teaching, together with her commitment to continuing her own education, give clients the benefit of a vast array of experience to effectively address their goals and concerns. She is an expert partner and guide in the discovery of an exercise program that works and is a pleasure to do.

Call to learn more about Pfilates, now a component of Conscious Exercise workouts with Sharon True. Contact her at sharontrue@roadrunner.com, or phone 413-528-2465, 9 AM-9 PM.

ST. frAnciS GAllery

iSKA Kenney

neW GAllery in lee, MA

iSKa Kenney, aUTUMn, PaSTeL

510 WArren STreeT GAllery

The featured artist for December is iska Kenney. an opening reception will be held on Saturday, December 1, from 2 – 6 pm.

The Gallery will be open until 8pm, whilst hudson is celebrating “Winter Walk”. iska Kenney was born in Poland, grew up in austria, and for many years has been a resident of the Berkshires. iska paints mainly in pastels, her works reflect the moods of the seasons. other artists currently on show: Will Clark, Joan Giummo, iska Kenney, Kate Knapp, John Lipkowitz, nina Lipkowitz, eleanor Lord, hannah Mandel, Peggy reeves, Linda Clayton, and Doris Simon. also, furniture by Joel Marks and Mill river Studio antique Prints and Posters.

510 Warren Street Gallery, Hudson, NY - Gallery hours: Fri & Sat 12-6pm, Sun 12-5pm, or by appointment; 510warrenstgallery.com; 518-822-0510.

510 MeMBerS inCLUDe: WiLL CLarK LinDa CLayTon’ Diana FeLBer Joan GiUMMo iSKa Kenney KaTe KnaPP John LiPKoWiTZ nina LiPKoWiTZ eLeanor LorD hannah ManDeL PeGGy reeVeS Jeannine SChoeFFer DoriS SiMon MUSeUM QUaLiTy FUrniTUre By JoeL MarK anTiQUe PrinTS & PoSTerS FroM MiLL riVer STUDio

a new gallery representing both the established and the emerging artist, St. Francis is a unique space for enjoying the works by many local artists—both known and unknown.

The gallery is the former St Francis Chapel, and it captures the spirit of art….a setting with truly wonderful light and energy.

True to its name sake, St. Francis, the gallery, supports the SaWa – aWa- foundation which partners with energetic and creative Kenyans – working on their own to provide needed aid and care for those in their country who struggle. These partnerships use the proceeds from the sale of art to ship supplies to Kenya via container and coordinate local people to journey there – joining up to work side by side in these productive ventures. art is an essential ingredient to life, even in the slums of nairobi where health, hunger, and shelter seem to be the most pressing issues. art work with the children has become a regular part of this outreach because of the energy, joy and creativity it sustains for all.

St. Francis Gallery, 1370 Pleasant St., Route 102, Lee, MA. Gallery hours: Fri – Mon 11- 5:30. 413-717-5199.

CLASS SCHEDULE Mon-Fri 8:30 - 9;45am - Uma M-W-F 10:00 - 11:15am - Uma Tues. 6:00 - 7:15pm - Uma

Thurs. 6:00 - 7:15pm ... Jenna O’Brien Sat. 10:00 - 11:15am ... Jenna O’Brien

413.528.YOGA (9642) www.528yoga.com 274 Main Street, Great Barrington Located in back of Main St., adjacent to the Triplex Theater

CLASS FEES ...

$15.00 per Class $120.00 for a 10 class card (good for 8 weeks)

$75.00 month unlimited (Uma only)

Owner - Uma McNeill

Elisa Cashiola Placement Designer

Specializing in the Art of Feng Shui and Color Elisacashiola@gmail.com

413.717.5559 (text only - deaf) www.elisacashiola.com

The arTFUL MinD november 2012 • 15

Planet Waves November 2012

This month opens up a new mini-era of astrology, characterized by three super-interesting and potentially world-changing events. The first is that Mercury stations retrograde on Election Day — the first time it’s ever done so on the day of a presidential election. Mercury will be retrograde from Nov. 6 through Nov. 26. Next is a total solar eclipse in Scorpio on Nov. 13. That’s new, at least going back nine or so years. All eclipses are moments of celestial speedup. This event will stir up all kinds of deep, inner secrets, desires and emotions. Take the ride with awareness.Finally, there is a Mars-Pluto conjunction timed with the Gemini Full Moon of Nov. 28. This is quite a combination; you may find yourself saying to others things you never, ever dreamed you would say.

Aries (March 20-April 19)

it’s been written that a clever person learns from his or her own mistakes, and that a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others. you need to do both. you also need to learn from your successes, though to do that, you’re going to need to remember what they are. a beneficial exercise would be to bear in mind everything that you said you wouldn’t do again, and notice when you’re going in that direction. you’re approaching the point of a key decision that you could reverse; however, you will carry this one forward. yet before you get there, you will get a series of ‘advisories’ from within yourself, and from your environment.

Pay attention; this will be useful information in advance, though not in retrospect.

Taurus (April 19-May 20)

you may feel that the circumstances of a relationship are now decidedly outside of your control, though if that’s true, i suggest that you pay close attention to the ways you really do have influence over your life. The most significant of these is to make decisions, in a conscious and ongoing way. To make decisions, you need a basis for doing so, and that basis would be: does this help me, or does it hurt me? if you see things in such elemental terms, it will be easier to decide. if you notice that something both helps and hurts you, it would count for the latter — since what is helpful is actually helpful, doing no damage at all.Confusion around this is precisely the trouble that so many people strugglewith. you don’t have to.

Gemini (May 20-June 21)

Before you declare a crisis or go into survival mode, consider the various factors of your situation carefully. you need to do this from four points of view, in order to get the whole story. The things to consider the most carefully are your goals — that is, what you want. if you persist with that, you’re likely to discover that these are more specific than you thought at first. Putting them into language and perhaps documenting some as sketches or photos will demonstrate that. Before you go into survival mode, consider how well you’ve survived up until now. That’s an indication that you need a lot higher, more interesting and in sum, more beautiful goal than merely keepin’ on keepin’ on.

cancer (June 21-July 22)

Who do you say you love, and why? i suggest for a while, you put a moratorium on the use of that word, since it may be at the root of the biggest misunderstanding in human history. rather, stick to trust, and make sure you have a tangible basis for that notion. once someone violates your trust, even a little, it’s time for a discussion and for reconsideration. in that discussion, it’s essential that you listen, then speak your truth, and then listen again — in that order. While you’re at it, listen to yourself, and make any decision you make mostly on the basis of what you have said rather than what anyone else has said. you know your own truth, and it’s time you listened.

leo (July 22-Aug. 23) This is one of the most significant times of your life for putting down roots, going deep into yourfeelings and making peace with the past. yes, all of the above in one series of events, which has been underway for a month or so already. The transits youexperience this month are not a passing phase or trend. They’re what i callthreshold events, which take you from one place to another. you may be feeling like you’re living with an unusual sense of vulnerability and transparency (even by your standards). it’s clear that you’re likely to encounter certain feelings or facts from your past that are not pleasant, but these moments present anopportunity to be vividly clear with yourself about who you are and what you want — and the emotional pitch you want to set for your family.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) The best thing you can do is figure out the way your emotions are influencing your mind, and until you do that, avoid making important decisions. i suggest you focus on small decisions, to get the hang of making them, in what may seem like a new and unreliable psychic environment. imagine you’re having a dream, but you’re not sure thatyou’re really dreaming. you decide to do a series of tests to see whether various actions you take get a predictable result. as you ride the aspects of the next month, including Mercury retrograde touching some of the most sensitive angles of your chart, keep doing those little tests of what is true for you. if you proceed with caution, listen carefully and refrain from pushing yourself, you’ll learn everything you need to make a series of brilliant decisions in the near future.

libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)

Questions about the ways you value yourself, and express that value to yourself, are about to reach a new depth. if you haven’t read one of my self-esteem rants (or even if you have), i will state again that this is the biggest problem on the planet, and you’re now in a position to address that problem in a constructive way. you may have one of those moments (or a series of them) where you think: good gods, what would I have done, if only I placed a higher value on myself? If I respected myselfmore? i have news for you: there is still time. opportunities to treat yourself correctly abound, and in truth, this is a journey you’ve already committed to. as a starting point, just make sure that you choose people who treat you with love and respect.

16 • november 2012 The arTFUL MinD

by Eric Francis

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) This is the month when you finally get clear about what you think, and how you think — and discover that the only logical step is to do something about it. There are several connection points that i can describe clearly. one is connecting with your passion. your charts are all about drive, which seems to shift one day from something abstract (spiritual comes to mind) to something more like four-wheel-drive. you are the driver, and you are sitting on considerable power. yet to make the best use of it, you must blend it with equal parts pleasure, and regard for the greatest good for all concerned. When in doubt, that must be your default position; you’re now involved in something that’s a lot bigger than you are, and you must remember that.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) how far do you want to go, and how fast? you seem to be going at the speed of sound, at least, though traveling faster than someone’s voice can carry makes it difficult for information tocatch up with you. you also seem committed to a certain point of view, though you can be sure this viewpoint could use verification, particularly given the recent discovery that you were either deceived about something, or deceiving yourself. you’re trying to figure out whether this was a misunderstanding of some kind, which is part of the fog that has rolled in lately. i suggest you be more attentive to your own motives and ‘subconscious’ choices, because you’re responsible for them in any event.

capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) are you learning from your mistakes? That’s probably the most relevant question anyone can ask themselves, on our particular planet. (on other planets where creativity is emphasized over survival, it’s a less pressing issue — but we have a lot of learning to dohere.) i suggest you start with the mistake you seem to make the most often. i have a hint that it involves who you choose to love, and moreover, why you choose to love them. The aspect of ‘why’ is more significant than ‘who’, since the ‘who’ changes but the ‘why’ does not — or at least, not lately. Basically what it looks like you’re doing is taking your deepest doubts about yourself and dramatizing them in a relationship. These doubts could have better use, forexample, in a healing context.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

What you may have said recently about your talents or professional abilities may be coming home to roost. it’s essential that you tidy up the loose ends on anything that might not have been fully true, particularly regarding a goal that you expressed without fully thinking it through. you may, however, feel that doing so would compromise your authority in some way. in fact, the veracity of your words, stated intentions and their alignment with your emotions is the very basis of your authority. you are in a phase of your life where there is absolutely no wiggle room for the truth, as in none at all. Something is either true or it’s not, and you need a high standard.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) you seem to be working out a paradox between who you are professionally and who you are ‘as a person’. The solution to the paradox is that you’re the same in any case. This shifts the question to why you feel like there is, or should be, a difference — which is a different topic. if you proceed from the basis of sameness, the way forward will be a lot more obvious. also, you seem poised to connect with the passion that is behind the choices you make, particularly regarding what to pursue as a goal. Though you may go through a few possibilities before figuring this out, in fact you are driven by the desire to help others, though that has a few layers of motivation as well. as long as you keep asking sincere questions, you will not be deceived.

Read Eric Francis daily at PlanetWaves.net

The arTFUL MinD noVeMBer 2012 • 17

Gratitude and Abundance

fenG Shui

Elisa Cashiola

The Thanksgiving Day holiday is not just about great food and football games and the infamous Black Friday. it is about gathering, spending time with family and close friends, and being in a state of gratitude for sharing the abundance of food and time with others.

it is best to have a round or oval dining room table, rather than a rectangular or square table, and make sure no one is crowded in a corner or uncomfortably seated at the table.

The holiday began back in 1624, to symbolize the fall harvest – a time of fasting and prayer for the food that was harvested. as it became more popular, fun games and dining were added into the mix, and therefore has become one of our favorite holidays of the year.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to focus on family and abundance (wealth) and you can implement placement design in your dining room and kitchen, as well as the living room or den for those football games and time with family! you do not have to limit yourself to those rooms in your house – you can carve out time outdoors by the firepit with a hot mug of cider or cocoa if weather permits!

To create a harmonious environment among family members and friends, follow these placement design recommendations to ensure peaceful and fun times together on Thanksgiving Day!

Clean out your hall closet ahead of time and get it organized to free up extra space for those coats, purses, boots, gloves, and hats, especially if you are expecting a large group over to your house. This goes the same for your bedroom, in case you need to put additional coats away! Close all doors to rooms that you do not want people lurking around in, with the exception of bathrooms, or make sure people know where the bathrooms are visibly located.

Simply Sasha

Get those bathrooms sparkling clean with a orange cleaner or a fragrance-free cleaner! Many people nowadays, especially children, are particularly sensitive to harsh cleaning smells. Burn a soy-free candle with a fragrance that is not overpowering - Dr. Meyer’s candles have a soft, pleasing aroma to them. Make sure there is plenty of soap and toilet paper and have bright orange or yellow hand towels to be used for drying hands. add flowers or a healthy plant to vitalize the bathroom, since it will be used quite often on this day!

Sweep away any leaves from your front door entrance as well as any decks and sidewalks, where people will frequently walk outside.

Tablecloths and napkins should be warmly and brightly colored! avoid white if possible, since it is of the metal element and invites coldness. Plus, if there’s red wine and cranberry sauce, you do not want to get stains on anything white! There is enough of the metal element on the table from the silverware. reds, purples, yellows, oranges, greens, and light browns, as well as ivory make the best colors to use. Be sure to have a balance of the 5 elements on the table through glasses (water), silverware (metal), candles (fire), plates and bowls (earth), and table and chairs as well as any flowers (wood). include a prayer of gratitude before eating. a simple “thank you” for everyone around you will cultivate peace and abundance in you. arrange your living room so that everyone faces each other, rather than the TV, to stimulate conversation among your guests.

Bring out a board game and cards for fun! This should be a day to socialize with people and limit time on the internet, TV, and cell phones, as much as possible. it’s also good energy and a nice break from our technogizmos!

Most of all, have a relaxing and fun attitude about this holiday! enjoy your time with family and friends on this special day, and i thank you for your readership this year. you are welcome to email me at elisacashiola@gmail.com if you have any questions or to say hello and leave a comment!

by Sasha Seymour

Sasha and Tom’s Vegetable Medley!

it was in the middle of September of this year that this recipe was born (she’s a Virgo!). it had been cold and rainy for a few days, and i was int he mood for warmth and comfort. As i was walking through the produce section of the grocery store, it hit me: rOOT VeGeTABleS! Although i felt it was a little early in the season, i bought a bunch of veggies (listed below) and created this simple dish. Tom enjoyed it so much that he began creating his own version, and it is now his favorite appetizer to bring to gatherings. it is a beautiful side dish, or you can throw in some tofu and make an entire meal. it’s up to you!

Peace, love and Mojo!

-3 Parsnips, cut into chunks -1 bag of baby Carrots, halved -1 Sweet Onion, sliced -1 Turnip, cut into chunks -4 to 5 Cloves of Garlic, sliced -3 Leeks, sliced -1/2 cup Brown Sugar, more to sprinkle -Olive Oil to coat, more added to avoid drying PREHEAT OVEN 400 degrees

Toss all of the ingredients together in a glass casserole dish Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes Check for dryness, and sprinkle on more brown sugar Bake for 20 or so more minutes, or until the onion caramelizes ENJOY!

18 • november 2012 The ArTful Mind

Architecture & Arcadia Stephen Gerard dietemann

THE PLAYFUL, CONTEMPORARY HOUSE First things first: let’s discuss briefly what I mean by a ‘contemporary house’ before we talk about what constitutes a ‘playful’ contemporary house. The dictionary on my laptop notes that ‘contemporary’ is synonymous with ‘modern’, ‘up to date’ and ‘current’. Of course, the definition for contemporary is necessarily a moving target: current is always, well, current, and the old current is no longer current. Got that? Well, go back and review Einstein’s theory of relativity; I hope it applies here somehow.

Actually, it is not just a matter of time. It is obvious to anyone looking around out there that most of the houses being built now (currently) are attempting to duplicate to lesser or greater degree some style that probably hasn’t been ‘current’ in several hundred years. And while style isn’t everything it is indicative of a way of thinking that generally permeates the whole design. Medieval facades shield medieval plans. Louis the 19th facades conceal Louis the 19th plans. You get the picture. And, yes, I am well aware that there was no Louis the 19th – the head came off that train (sorry) with Louis the 16th and family – but it is the best term I have developed to describe what is happening in Dallas, Texas – and, sadly, pretty much everywhere else these days: enormous, multi-roofed, cloyingly detailed monster houses with two, three and even four car garages. Aside from the obvious reflection of profound economic insecurity – who is going to take care of me if not me in my castle? — it is a puzzling phenomenon, this obsession with an imagined and imaginary past.

Perhaps Americans are today truly so ungrounded that any stylistic grounding will suffice; the truth seems to be that like so much of our culture we are moving forward while staring steadfastly backwards. Politically our leaders on the right clamor for the good ol’ days of the original ‘Robber Barons’ when living was easy, provided you were white, male, Protestant, wealthy and ruthless. You know: the good ol’ days of ‘Jim Crow’, vote-less women, vast poverty and rotten meat. Hey, Marilyn and Elvis live!

Interestingly, this effect doesn’t often appear in other arena.

No one is clamoring for a model ‘T’, even one with a new engine and brakes. Okay, just in case that does happen I ask for your forgiveness in advance. The point is that we accept radio, television, computers, blackberries, cell phones along with the state

of the art plumbing and electrical systems. I am also not holding my breath waiting for a single lover of the ‘colonial experience’ to take me up on my suggestion that if they really wanted that experience, they should remove the indoor plumbing and electricity from their proposed houses (or existing ones!).

Yet, try to suggest that they clad their homes in something other than wood clapboard or better yet, trade in that plan which resembles a warren for an open, airy plan that actually brings in the light and connects with the world outside, and you speak heresy. Folks, the number of attacks by hostile natives, angry Frenchmen or crazed bears has fallen off substantially in recent years – it’s safe to come out of the forts.

It is also worth noting that such mindless nostalgia is also very much at odds with the mindset of those who developed the styles originally. Take the ‘colonial style’. When these houses were ‘current’ – the eighteenth and nineteenth century – they were nothing if not practical structures. Here in the Berkshires there are still many elegant examples of this style, many of which were built by the region’s farmers. Anyone who knows anything about farmers – not ‘agribusiness farmers’ by the way, since they are really just corporations that work in the dirt – knows that they are nothing if not practical. It is a business not known for unnecessary flourish. When they built they wanted to build no more space than they needed, use the nearest, effective and least expensive materials available and do nothing to increase the required maintenance. I believe it is safe to say that if they were building today they would wonder why anyone would want to build a dark, expensive, excessively large house that ensures plenty of maintenance. No, they would have considered their needs carefully and built just what they needed. Moreover they would probably have used metal siding and roofing, big windows in the areas where light was needed and smaller ones where not.

They would have tucked the house into the earth and used any spare land around the house for a private garden. And that, folks, would be a contemporary house. Add unexpected elements such as whimsical color and materials, unanticipated views and alignments inside and out, open ceilings and interior / exterior integration and then you have a playful, contemporary house.

The Swiss engineer Robert Maillart is well known for his bridge design done during the 1920s and 1930s. He understood

the reluctance of people to embrace their own aesthetic; to be, in short, contemporary. He wrote about his own elegant concrete bridge designs, but his words speak volumes about the problem of nostalgia in general: “The engineers should then free himself from the forms dictated by the traditions of the older building materials...�

It is certainly a good place to start. h

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2012 • 19

“Let us proclaim that the sidewalk can climb up your table, that your head can cross the street, and that at the same time your household lamp can suspend between one house and another the immense spiderweb of its dusty rays.”

-Umberto Boccioni

FRONT STREET GALLERY

510 Warren ST., hUDSon, ny 518-822-0510 www.510warrenstreetgallery.com

noVeMBer FEATURED arTiST diAnA felBer JOy Of liVinG 510 Members include: WiLL CLarK LinDa CLayTon Diana FeLBer Joan GiUMMo iSKa Kenney KaTe KnaPP John LiPKoWiTZ nina LiPKoWiTZ eLeanor LorD hannah ManDeL Jeannine SChoeFFer PeGGy reeVeS DoriS SiMon MUSeUM QUaLiTy FUrniTUre By JoeL MarK anTiQUe PrinTS & PoSTerS FroM MiLL riVer STUDio

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20 • november 2012 The arTFUL MinD

Kate Knapp, My Garden in Late August, 36x36"

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