The Artful Mind artzine April 2023 Hello Artists!

THE ARTFUL MIND

ILENE RICHARD

Photograph By Edward Acker

April 2023

The Fine Art of Printing Fine Art.

· Giclée and Photo

· Digital Reproduction of

· Photo Restoration and Repair

Playa Santa 22 — Virginia Bradley

Mary Ann Yarmosky

THE ARTFUL MIND

APRIL 2023

For all the reasons we are Artists

ILENE RICHARD

Visual Artist

INTERVIEW BY H CANDEE PHOTOGRAPHY BY EDWARD ACKER 18

LIONEL DELEVINGNE

Photojournalist / Artist

INTERVIEW BY H CANDEE 26

CHRISTINE HELLER

“Father Knows Best” A Graphic Memoir at TSL, Hudson NY

INTERVIEW BY H CANDEE 32

THE ARTFUL MIND VIRTUAL GALLERY / APRIL ...34

ASTROLOGY FOR CREATIVES

With Deanna Musgrave - APRIL 2023 43

RICHARD BRITELL | FICTION

413-441-6963 / Instagram • Facebook

maryannyarmoskyart.com

The Queen’s Dog Rex. Part 1 ...44

Publisher Harryet Candee

Copy Editor Marguerite Bride

Third Eye Jeff Bynack

Advertising and Graphic Design Harryet Candee

Contributing Writers

Richard Britell

Deanna Musgrave

Contributing Photographers

Edward Acker

Tasja Keetman

Bobby Miller

ADVERTISING RATES 413 ‐ 645 ‐ 4114

artfulmind@yahoo.com

issuu.com | Instagram

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ART GALLERY for artful minds

The Artful Mind

Box 985 Great Barrington, MA 01230

Girls Night Out Framed, Acrylic on Canvas 17”x 21”

J. DAMIANI GALLERY

8 ANTHONY STREET HILLSDALE NEW YORK

Opening Reception April 1, 5 - 8pm

Gallery Hours for April will remain flexible except for Saturday hours:11-5

www.j.damianigallery.com jdamianigallery@gmail.com

City Street, Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 inches

Beach Ladies (of Gloucester MA) Oil on canvas, 36 x 20 inches

BRUCE PANOCK

The core of my work is landscape. But it is only the beginning. I use the landscape to help me share how I see what is around me. My work incorporates my dreams, how I see the social conflict that is part of our lives today, how I see what we are doing to our earth.

Though due to my health I am relegated to the digital darkroom, I refer to the photographers and methods used in the past, whether film photography, wet plate methods, or such other methods as were used. Among the photographers who have inspired me are Anne Brigman, John Gossage, Jerry Uelsmann, Dorothea Lange, and Sally Mann. I also refer heavily to Japanese Brush Painting, and the Abstract Expressionists.

Bruce Panock - 917-287-8589 www.panockphotography.com bruce@panockphotography.com

RUBY AVER STREET ZEN

Growing up on the South Side of Chicago in the 60s was a history rich and troubled time. As a youth, playing in the streets demanded grit.

Teaching Tai Chi for the last 30 years requires a Zen state of mind. My paintings come from this quiet place yet exhibit the rich grit of my youth. Movement, shape and color dominate.

Ruby Aver - 413-854-7007 rdaver2@gmail.com, Instagram: rdaver2

ERIKA LARSKAYA

Confinement and Breakaway examine the mental state of struggle to make sense of our environment, both physical and psychological. I incorporate childlike drawing to represent nonconformity; the unadulterated state before we get confined by rules, commitment, insecurities, and other “add-ons.”

“I distress and repair parts of the painting, as we do within ourselves. The drawings of floor plans and elevations, which I use as a starting point, create a sense of enclosure, which I expand by continuing the lines outward, breaking the structural pattern. This alters the sense of confinement, breaking away from the [rigid, static] norm”.

Erika Larskaya

- https://www.erikalarskaya.art

WAKING UP TO A NEW DAY FROM BREAKAWAY SERIES MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS, 36"X48"

AFTER THE RAIN ACRYLIC ON CANVAS 18”X 24”

ABSTRACT SPRING POND, PHOTOGRAPH

Sean Hutcheon

Elevated digital

photography

and media services for the visual arts

Specializing in meeting the imaging needs of visual artists,artisans,and galleries in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, jewelry and furnishings.

Psilocybin Picnic Acrylic on canvas. 48" x 48". 2017

Erika Larskaya

"As an abstract artist, I search for ways to represent the invisible, subtle, and unexpressed. I am driven to lay out fleeting and intangible experiences on physical surfaces". —Erika Larskaya

Erika Larskaya Studio at 79 Main St. Torrington, CT www.erikalarskaya.art

Surrendering to The Ritual 36 x3 6”, mixed media on canvas

Lyn Horton

“The integrity of my work depends solely on my perceptions of any one thing at any one time for any one purpose. That I can translate a view of my world into abstract terms is a gift.”

https://www.instagram.com/lynhortonphotoart http://www.crossmackenzie.com https://lynhorton.net

First Branch Installation, 2018 Branches wrapped in faux velvet, mounted to the wall with screws, 55”h x 77.5”w x 12”d

Branch Shadows #7, 2021 Ink on rag paper, 15”h x 22.375”w

Black and White Twigs #1, 2022

Adjusted Photograph

ELEANOR LORD

Marion Grant

To see more of the Artist’s Landscapes, Still-life, Portraiture and more, please visit— www.eleanorlord.com

Studio 304 Clock Tower Artists 75 South Church Street, Pittsfield, MA • 13-446-7979 www.mariongrantart.com grants3@earthlink.net

Magnavox, mixed media on canvas, 24”x24”

SHARON GUY LUMINOUS LANDSCAPES

I am inspired by scenic areas that have beautiful light, especially early in the morning and later in the evening before dark. Once I find a place that inspires me, I visit often, and make small plein air studies, sketches and reference photos. Some of my outdoor paintings are finished works, and some will be used as studies for my studio paintings. My technique involves using a personal, expressive style, with vibrant colors and some abstraction. I look for big shapes and patterns in nature and I try not to cover them up with too many small details.

My nature art helps me feel more balanced and less stressed. There is something very healing about going out into the woods or walking barefoot on the beach. The paintings that come out of these experiences give my collectors a sense of serenity and help them remember their favorite outdoor places. I like to use my art to bring the beaches, mountains, and forests into people’s homes and offices.

Sharon Guy - sharonguyart@gmail.com https://www.sharonguyart.com

DIVA, OIL, 40” X 18”

J. DAMIANI GALLERY RETURN TO HILLSDALE

After two decades and two different gallery spaces, the J. Damiani Gallery has left Warren Street in Hudson and is returning to its roots in the new gallery which opened April 1 in a recently renovated space just behind the IGA supermarket. According to Managing Director and gallery coowner, Juliette Crill, the return to Hillsdale has been planned for a while.

“The timing for our relocation has been optimum. We were one of the early participants in the Hudson art scene. The J. Damiani gallery opened its doors in 1998. Through the years we watched Hudson become a keystone in the burgeoning Hudson Valley gallery movement, but our roots have always been in Hillsdale. This new gallery space became available, and it just felt right to make the move. We are looking forward to becoming a member of the Hillsdale creative community.”

Artist and gallery co-owner, Joan Damiani has been painting the beauty of Columbia County for over 25 years. “I love to reimagine the rich, rural landscape of our area and scenes of everyday activities of ordinary people. I look for how shadows and light interact with its environment and capture the fleeting moments that people forget to remember.”

Reviewers have referred to Damiani’s style as that of an American Realist painter. Whether it be the quiet serenity of a seascape or barn at sunset or the examination of intricate details in urban architectural scenes, Damiani elevates and creates subdued drama out of commonplace subjects.

The gallery opening was held on Saturday, April 1. Visit the website for an on-line visit to the gallery, the opening and for more information.

J. Damiani Gallery - 8 Anthony Street Hillsdale, New York. jdamianigallery@gmail.com Jdamianigallery.com

MARY ANN YARMOSKY

We long for a way to be heard from the moment we are born. For some, words suffice; for others, there needs to be a deeper form of expression.

That is how artists are born. Where one might send their message through an instrument in the form of music, another might write poetry or prose. Still, others speak in something more tangible through painting, photography, pottery, or sculpting. Words only bring us so far…art is the language of longing…a longing never fulfilled.

I have always found expression through art. At age five, I began speaking through the piano that sat waiting expectantly in our den, an instrument that brought me peace throughout the years. Later I took to creating through fashion design, dreaming up and constructing costumes for the Boston Opera Company and outfits for the fashionable elite of Newport, Rhode Island. From there, my path took many twists and turns as I lived a life as a wife, mother, caretaker, and a professional career.

When my youngest son passed away unexpectedly several years ago, my longing to be heard returned with a vengeance. Words did not suffice. There are no words to express that kind of grief and hope for what is lost. On that journey of anguish, I met other women who had or were experiencing their style of pain. I marveled at their resilience and ability to go on despite different types of loss or simply dealing with the uphill complexities of life’s challenges. I began to recover my voice through paint and a bit of canvas, but it was not just my voice. The women I create in paint are a composite of the many amazing women I have met and continue to meet. I paint their humor, joy, hidden heartbreak, and longing. These women do not exist except on canvas, and their stories are yours to imagine. Hear them.

Mary Ann Yarmosky-maryannyarmoskyart.com

“There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted.”

—Henri Matisse

SPIRIT RISING OIL ON CRADLED PANEL, 8”X 8”

RICHARD ALAN COHEN FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

I create landscape images to highlight my reverential relationship with the environment through which I walk daily. My process begins with the discovery and exploration of a subject, and then moves on to imagining what the image could become. I see landscape as an invitation to the viewer to enter imaginary worlds, ones which may suggest past or future visions, offshoots of the moment that the shutter clicked. I take natural details of streams, waterfalls, moss rocks, and decaying tree trunks and put them in new contexts building imagined landscapes and new worlds. These provide a larger perspective that emphasizes the importance of climate change to even the smallest niches within nature. I give my images an otherworldly appearance to impart distance from the ordinary reality in which these spaces are threatened by global warming and to pay them respect as places of beauty.

I use perspective and scale to magnify tree stumps into craggy cliffs and small waterfalls and streams into mountain cascades. I pause at natural wonders to make images of them to preserve their existence and enlarge their importance as records of what natural beauty can be. I wish to set apart their beauty from threats of climate change by keeping their settings pristine, their surroundings otherworldly, their scale majestic.

As I have unbound myself from representing reality, I have freely expanded the time of the image far beyond the duration of one shutter click, compositing pieces of the landscape with satellite views, stars, and galaxies. A great advantage of making art is the ability to recapitulate reality. A photograph is an opportunity not to copy nature, but to allow the imagination to take one to new places.

I print my own images using archival methods to last, with technical excellence, and in limited editions to increase its value.

My work is exhibited in national and international galleries and has been acquired by noted collectors.

Richard Alan CohenRichard@richardalancohen.com www.richardalancohen.com

Instagram:

@richardalancohen

KIMBALL FARMS ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS

Kimball Farms Life Care Retirement Community is hosting the “Rock Paper Scissors” art exhibit in its beautiful Connector Gallery from March 16 – May 8, 2023.

The exhibit proudly features three granite sculptures by Binney Meigs, unique and charming scherenschnitte (paper cuts) by Pamela Dalton, and beautiful paper sculptures, some of which light up, by Preeti Kedia. Additionally, there are collage works by Ruby Aver, Scott AG, Roselle Chartock, and Karen Arp-Sandel, whose whimsical and fun display also includes a pop art dress, a clothesline full of miniature paper dresses, and robots assembled from bottle caps and found objects. Geoff Young contributes meticulous abstract colored pencil drawings, and Hideyo Okamura has seven very beautiful drawings on display, some bold and colorful, some very delicate. Patricia Frik features her unique drawings suggestive of woven metal.

As well as some collage pieces. There is even handmade paper by Alan Papscun.

About 70 people attended the Opening Reception on Sunday, March 12th, which included music from keyboardist Karin Tchougourian.

ABOUT KIMBALL FARMS AND INTEGRITUS HEALTHCARE—

Kimball Farms Life Care Continuing Care Retire-

ment Community is the only Life Care community in Western Massachusetts. Based in Lenox, Kimball Farms includes Independent Living, Assisted Living, the Life Enrichment Memory Care Program, and the Kimball Farms Nursing Care Center. Kimball Farms is owned by Integritus Healthcare, a leader among not-forprofit, post-acute care organizations in Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.kimballfarms.org

Integritus Healthcare (IHC) (www.integritushealthcare.org) is a national leader among notfor-profit, post-acute care organizations in Massachusetts. IHC operates 14 skilled nursing facilities in Berkshire County, the Pioneer Valley, the North Shore, South Shore, and Cape Cod; Kimball Farms Life Care in Lenox; Linda Manor Assisted Living in Northampton; Day Brook Village Senior Living in Holyoke; East Longmeadow Memory Care Assisted Living and HospiceCare in The Berkshires as well as Pioneer Valley Hospice & Palliative Care (Greenfield) for those with life-limiting illnesses.

The exhibit runs until May 8th. Visitors are invited to see the wide range of work any day between 8 am and 8 pm in The Connector Gallery, which joins the Independent and Assisted Living wings of Kimball Farms located at 235 Walker St, Lenox, MA 01240.

DRAWING ON PAPER BY HIDEYO OKAMURA 7X7, 26, 2022

ORIGAMI DHARNA DRESSES AND ASSEMBLAGE ROBOTS BY KAREN ARP-SANDEL SCHERENSCHNITTE BY PAMELA DALTON

GRANITE SCULPTURE BY BINNEY MEIGS CHILD'S POSE

Sally Tiska Rice

BERKSHIRE ROLLING HILLS ART Clock Tower Studio 302, 3rd floor 75 South Church St, Pittsfield, MA

(413)-446-8469

sallytiskarice@verizon.net

www.sallytiskarice.com

Ruby Aver

“Spirits of the Trees!” Acrylics, 36”

36”

“My days in the Berkshires, walking through the woods. I think back now on those fond memories and here is what came from it.”

rdaver2@gmail.com | 413-854-7007

Instagram: rdaver2.

Stamped Abstract Series #11

www.davidsondesigncompany.net

Studio appointments, please call 413-528-6945

KEITH AND MARY ORIGINAL ARTWORK FOR SALE STUDIO/GALLERY, SOUTH EGREMONT, MA

x

After the Rain, Acrylic on canvas diptych 36”x 48”

Negrita Triumph Tulips, watercolor on cold press paper

MARK MELLINGER

Practicing art for 60 years and psychoanalysis for 40, Dr. Mark Mellinger’s careers concern what can be spoken of and what transcends language. In painting, collage and constructions of wood and iron he is drawn to the physicality of materials.

Avoiding predictability of style, Mellinger explores the possibilities of matter and media. Our lives and our world are transient. We must seek meaning in truth, creativity and connectedness.

Mark V. Mellinger, Ph.D.-

71 S Church St, Pittsfield MA / 914 260-7413

MARION GRANT

Painter, educator, and art historian, Marion Grant, is also a member of the recently formed Clock Tower Artists in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Her new work in mixed media on canvas combines textural materials, hand-painted papers, and acrylic paint in abstract compositions that that explore colors, patterns, and shapes.

Grant says, “My recent pieces reflect my ongoing interest in the interplay of geometric shapes, color relationships, and embellishments such as texture and drawing. Viewed as a whole, the paintings have unity; viewed up close, every element stands on its own as a unique passage.”

Marion Grant - 413-446-7979, grants3@earthlink.net www.mariongrantart.com IG: @marion.hgrant

FRONT ST. GALLERY

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…. join us and experience something different.

Painting classes continue on Monday and Wednesday mornings 10-1:30pm at the studio and Thursday mornings out in the field. These classes are open to all...come to one or come again if it works for you. All levels and materials welcome. Private critiques available.

Classes at Front Street are for those wishing to learn, those who just want to be involved in the pure enjoyment of art, and/or those who have some experience under their belt.

Front Street, Housatonic, MA. Gallery open by appointment or chance anytime. 413-5289546 at home or 413-429-7141 (cell) www.kateknappartist.com

Ghetta Hirsch

Home Studio Visits by appointment: 413. 597. 1716

ghetta-hirsch.squarespace.com

Ghettagh@gmail.com

Rebirth Oil on Canvas 20" x 24"inches

MADAME MIRO COLLAGE AND ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 2020

ROAD TRIP, MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS, 24”X 24”

FRONT ST. GALLERY

KATE KNAPP, WATERCOLOR GOUACHE, 11” X 14”, WEST INDIES

Gallery hours: Open by chance and by appointment anytime 413. 274. 6607 (gallery) 413. 429. 7141 (cell) 413. 528. 9546 (home) www.kateknappartist.com

Front Street, Housatonic, MA

2023 THE ARTFUL MIND

Garbo Mixed media

Ruth Photo transfer

The hominess of the old-fashioned kitchen....

(After Richard Hamilton) Collage

Collette Caressed Collage

ILENE RICHARD VISUAL ARTIST

Interview by Harryet Candee Photography of Artist by Edward Acker

“Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of wearing many different hats: jewelry designer, children’s book illustrator, and painter, to name a few. With an irrepressible creative drive and a penchant for broadening my repertoire, I continue exploring exciting new artistry avenues. As a life-long student of creativity, I’m honored to have this opportunity to share some insight into my creative process and the motivations behind my work.”

Harryet Candee: Every time I walk into your art studio, Ilene, I get an immediate burst of energy. Larger-than-life paintings with brilliant color, always something new in the works, and snappy fun conversations that keep us engaged in a creative thinking mode—this is the best way I can describe our visits. You are constantly thinking up new ideas for paintings, and I wonder, what have you experienced in life that has made this a part of your personality?

Ilene Richard: I have always been creative, with an insatiable appetite for new ideas constantly bubbling around in my head. From a young age, I had an uncanny ability to observe my surroundings, escape into my little world and find inspiration from whatever touched me. It gave me fearless creativity each time I began a new project. I was never scared or constrained by convention or opinion- it was a pure injection of natural creativity into every art piece. With each brush stroke, I could feel the thrilling excitement of creating something entirely new, which could only come from within. These moments of creativity have been gratifying and keep me passionate about producing artwork even after all these years.

How do you have ideas for a painting? Do you

feel it’s part of your nature to constantly be a creator, illustrator/storyteller? “I gotta keep working,” or “I gotta get this out!” or “I got a great canvas to tackle!”… what goes through your mind? How do you move from one canvas to another?

IR: As a natural storyteller, I’m excited when I have a new idea. Therefore, setting a deadline to work around helps keep me motivated and inspired to create an entire body of work that cohesively encapsulates the story. I love being able to put together collections with all my individual pieces, as it’s like getting to share my personal creative adventures with the world. With this drive for consistency of ideas and deadlines inspiring me, I never run out of ideas!

What else have you done in your life that was similar in importance regarding careers? You have a strong fashion sensibility in your clothing and one that reflects a strong design sense in your art. IR: My strong design sense and fashion sensibility are reflected in my work. Over the years, I have developed individual personalities for all my characters by closely observing what people wear. This was especially important as a children’s book illustrator since character development was essen-

-Ilene

Richard

tial to my job. This focus on individual personalities has continued into my paintings, where I’m highly influenced by fashion trends and ensure that each character has a distinct look.

Your focus has been on capturing people’s expressions and personalities in their best light, whether in contemplation, at work, at a party, or in their everyday surroundings. What do you look for that leads you to capture the essence of the people you paint?

IR: Capturing the expressions and personalities of people in their best light is something that I take great joy in; capturing a person in a single second in time can be captivating, and I love capturing noteworthy moments that may otherwise go unnoticed. My approach, however, leans towards capturing quirky depictions of people just having fun- my goal is to showcase the person in a positive light rather than going for any traditional portraiture or posed shots. It brings out so much personality and speaks to who they are.

Your work intertwines between and in combination with fine art and graphic design. Why is it that I see this combination streaming through your work?

I Haven’t Been Everywhere But It’s On My List, Acrylic on canvas, 36” x 48” (painting of Ilene’s son.)

IR: It all began at art school, where I used my skill set to intertwine fine art and graphic design. From then on, I have consistently pushed the boundaries of art, combining voluminous elements with flat elements- creating a striking contrast that grabs attention. My artwork is easily identifiable by its bold lines and dynamic color palettes, a combination that makes an impact. Whether fine art or design-related projects, I always strive to make inspiring visuals that have depth and stand out.

You have found your niche with your art making. What great —maybe impossible vision do you see that would bring your art to the highest level of existence?

IR: I am working hard to create something extraordinary to reach the highest level of existence in my work. Pushing myself further and challenging the limits will be vital to seeing what develops. My vision for getting there is simple yet exciting; working hard to perfect my craft and pushing boundaries to capture something extraordinary I could never have imagined. Though unpredictable, I can only hope my ambition will lead me toward greatness and help guide me as I see what develops.

Tell us which of your finished works of art you find the most successful and why?

IR: Capturing moments through paintings has been my passion for many years. Nothing is more fulfilling than seeing a finished piece that evokes emotion. My most successful works of art have been paintings of people I know well-my mother, “Unfinished at 94,” is an accurate depiction of beauty in her senior years, aged 97 today. I am proud to say that this painting of my mother has been accepted into many juried exhibitions over the years. Another painting that is successful in my more graphic style is “The Jazzmen”. This painting is a mixed media on canvas with vibrant color and bold black lines.

Ilene, I must admit, I see a healthy competitive streak in you. From your point of view, in what ways does a competitive nature benefit you as an artist? In many ways, we need skills like this when getting into gallery exhibits and other public platforms.

IR: A competitive streak within the art world can be a beneficial trait. It gives me a small push to try my hardest and create a successful portfolio that will grab the attention of a gallery or exhibition. Creativity thrives when there is a chal-

lenge; on the table, healthy competition is alright! I may not always get into every event I enter, but pushing myself to try to get into shows and exhibitions allows me to develop my skills further. Ultimately, a healthy dose of competitiveness within the art community will enable me to propel myself forward.

What have been the most successful ways you have marketed your work? What have you found not to work? And why? I know we have ad a really good response from The Artful Mind ads we began last year.

IR: Yes. Over the years, I have tried advertising in just about any way possible: books, magazines, Facebook, and Instagram. Despite the range of advertising options available, consistency was key. By constantly posting images and content on my Instagram and Facebook accounts, I could get my work seen by potential clients who had not seen my work before. I have also had success in marketing my work in print which would sometimes happen through a show I was in, a group using my work for their marketing, or my own ad in a magazine.

Continued on next page...

Strike a Pose Before and after images, Acrylic on canvas, 36” x 48”

Is there a common thread in how you have seen people’s reactions to your work? In what instances have they surprised you?

IR: People often look at my work with the same common thread of astonishment-they are usually wowed by the vivid imagery and colors. Multiple people commented on needing to pause for a while after taking in all of my artwork, which is hung up throughout my studio. An added bonus they weren’t expecting is their excitement when they enter the door- I can spot their eyes light up as soon as they look around the room! It’s always heartwarming to see people appreciate and be amazed by what I create. I am grateful.

The idea of the cover for this issue was a brainstorm for you, which I totally supported. With Edward Acker’s photography skills and your painterly sharp eye, you both nailed it. How do you feel about it? Tell us how this idea for the cover originated and took shape?

IR: When you visited my studio, I was taken aback by your style and flair. I loved your outfit! Commented on your shoes at first and then thought what a cool idea to paint your portrait for the cover. You obliged and let me photograph you. I knew in my heart that this would be such a great idea with your portrait and me standing next to it for the cover. I had also noticed that there hadn’t been a female artist on the cover for a long time, and I was determined to make this one really spe-

cial. My plan worked without fail-everyone knowing who you are, and now they know me by association. The result? A memorable, playful idea that allowed me to step out from the crowd and make my mark!

Constantly moving forward, I would like to know what is your essential goal as an artist in today’s world?

IR: As an artist, I want to be recognized and appreciated for my work. My goals are twofold: to have my art seen by a larger audience and to show my work in various galleries. I strive to make pieces that turn heads and put vivid images into viewers’ heads so that it stays with them long after they leave the gallery. My artwork is inspired by everyday life, culture, emotions, and events which I capture uniquely. With every piece I create, parts of me live on, even if I’m not there physically to explain it. In essence, this work is a way of expressing myself more fully and having it contribute back to the world.

Looking back on your developmental years and growing into the shoes of an artist, what did you work through that helped to make this artistic life come to fruition?

IR: My developmental years as an artist were both encouraging and frustrating. I faced a lot of rejections and critics voicing their opinions. However, I still persevered and always believed in myself.

Nothing would stop my dream of becoming the artist I wanted to become. I was always a hardworking artist, no matter what area of expertise I pursued. I attended the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, for graphic design and illustration. Later, I took courses at the Museum School in Boston and the DeCordova Museum School. A lot of hard work went into becoming the artist I am today, but it was all worth it. As a child, I spent hours drawing and attending art shows with my mother, an artist. Those early experiences helped shape me into the artist that I am.

Honing one’s skills in the art can take a lifetime to perfect. We are on a mission to learn and improve color usage, proportion, painting techniques, use of light, etc. What do you want to improve, and what do you think you are satisfied with? It’s one-on-one with oneself to find the way, and you have to be your own teacher in many ways. Thoughts?

IR: Being an artist is a hugely rewarding and fulfilling journey. There is always room for growth and improvement. Every piece of art I create allows me to take my craft to the next level, pushing me to reach higher and further than I thought possible. Even when my work seems sufficiently “good” in its initial form, I take great delight in the challenge of making it even better-both through research on other artists or taking the time to self-critique my own work. After all, when I am

Ilene looks at her mother’s finished portrait Photo by Edward Acker

blown away by new art pieces at a gallery or museum, it motivates me to hone my creative vision. Nothing is ever finished nor perfect; every canvas is a new beginning for me to become a better artist than before.

If someone wanted to follow in your footsteps towards becoming a ‘good’ artist, what would you advise them to do? What would you tell them not to do? And how would you define a good artist in today’s world?

IR: If you want to take your craft seriously and give yourself the best chance at success, then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work! Put yourself out there by entering juried art showseven if you don’t make it through the selection process, don’t be disheartened. Go to the front and use it as an opportunity to understand why your work wasn’t accepted this time. Another great way to develop is to take advantage of opportunities to get your work reviewed by reputable gallery owners or professionals. An industry experience like this could prove invaluable! On top of that, make sure not to jump the gun; learn when your work isn’t quite ready for particular situations yet, and constantly critique your work objectively. Going the extra mile can really pay off in these cases- if something needs improving, don’t just let it go- push yourself that extra bit further and ensure everything is as good as possible!

What is the artist’s market like for you? Are you seeking new places to show your work? Are you coming up with new ideas to get your art out?

IR: Being an artist is an adventure that never ceases. I’m constantly seeking new opportunities to share my art and show it to people. Though there are a few common pathways, sometimes it means thinking outside the box- like using nontraditional venues to find success. Whether it’s a gallery or juried exhibition, one of the unspoken tasks of being an artist is finding the right place to display my work. It can be a considerable challenge, but I enjoy pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and embracing the challenge enthusiastically!

Is there a learning curve needed to be understood and worked on to jump on the bandwagon in today’s art market? Like what, for example?

IR: It’s no secret that creating art can be challenging. Navigating the learning curve of putting my art out there to be judged is challenging. I have encountered people who don’t understand my work or, worse, don’t like it. But the rewards of finding even one person who appreciates my work can be worth it! There’s no harm in striving to be the best artist I can-any. Time spent honing my skills and exploring new ideas is never wasted; I’m only improving and growing in my craft! With enough determination and hard work, I can take pride in each piece I create and hopefully at-

tract new followers and clients.

What are a few of your artistic principles and creative processes that have helped you to make satisfying finished paintings? Do preliminary sketches really hold the key to the final product?

IR: I know that every artist has their own preferences and techniques, but it’s all about sketching out a thumbnail when I have an idea of what I want to do. If the concept works, then I can lay it down on the canvas, brush in hand and get those creative juices of mine flowing! Though I must admit, there’s something so special about the freeflowing process, not to mention the beautiful surprises that can be discovered along the way. It always keeps me coming back for more.

Can you react to these meaningful words: art imitates life, and life imitates art?

IR: Art has always represented real-life moments and experiences. At the same time, life is often viewed through the creative lens of an artist.

Tell us about your childhood inspirations that lead you to become an artist? Did it have anything to do with family, school, or where you grew up? Friends? Teachers? Traveling? Mentors?

IR: I would be lost in my little world of creativity, sketching, and painting for hours as a child. Watching my mother create artwork with her Continued on next page...

The Older Fisherman Acrylic on canvas, 24” x 24”

Clams and Fish Fry Acrylic on canvas, 36” x 36”

pen and ink and oils on canvas truly captivated me; it was then that I knew I wanted to pursue the same career path. What really drove me forward were the compliments from my parents, and all my classmates at school-they said I was one of the best artists! Their positive encouragement empowered me to keep pushing myself to become an even better artist. Drawing felt like second nature to me, like it was written in my stars- it never stopped being one of my deepest passions.

What were the COVID years all about for you as an artist? By the way, how did you land in the space you are now in?

IR: After the Covid scare hit close to home, I was apprehensive about returning to my studio at NuArts in Pittsfield. Not knowing exactly how we could contract the virus added to my worry. That, combined with feeling out of sorts, caused me to not create. I was stuck with a feeling of needing to be more inspired and downtrodden. During this challenging time, doing happy work didn’t feel right, considering all the bad around me. Little did I know that all it would take to urge me in the right direction was one art meeting on Zoom with an incredibly persistent leader! They told me I needed to get back in there and start creating again…and it worked!

My new studio is located at the Clock Tower in

Pittsfield. Last year another artist friend found that the building had a vacant floor and that they were looking for new tenants. They were willing to build us our spaces to speck. We thought it was a great opportunity and signed the lease. I love my new space with its three massive windows, and now that they have finally finished the whole floor, it is gorgeous.

What would you change in your life now if you had the opportunity?

IR: If I had the opportunity to go back in time, one thing I would love to do is live, have a studio, and be able to explore the vibrant art scene in NYC! I can imagine myself roaming around galleries, taking classes, and hanging out with the local artists, taking in all this incredible city has to offer. Aside from that, I appreciate my life and the fact that I was able to follow my passion all these years.

How do you break away to recharge and get fresh inspiration?

IR: I absolutely love the Berkshires when the weather is warm and sunny! There is nothing like strolling out in my backyard, surrounded by beautiful trees and greenery. These peaceful walks allow me to explore new places, spend quality time with my family and friends, clear my head, and be re-inspired. I could spend hours wandering

around, taking it all in, and enjoying the scenery. It’s definitely one of my favorite activities during the warmer months.

At the end of your day, and you go home, what do you enjoy doing?

IR: I like to relax, but unfortunately, dinner is always to be made. Occasionally my family will surprise me and prepare something before I get home. I always appreciate it when that happens.

What for you makes life a pleasure worth living?

IR: A life worth living has been all about enjoying the little things. I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to paint in my great studio and to be able to share it with others. Even better than that is the healthy and happy marriage I am blessed to be part of with my family. Life can always come with tough times, but having those two constants sometimes makes everything else easier. Ultimately, I could not be more grateful for the good things I’m lucky enough to have in my life- it truly is “all good”!

www.ilenerichard.com

Modern Mona Mixed media paper on canvas, 24” x 30”

The Bath Mixed media paper on canvas, 35” x 43”

ILENE RICHARD / VISUAL ARTIST

RICHARD ALAN COHEN

Fine Art Photography in Limited Editions

“Elements of the landscape used in unique ways to highlight my reverential relationship with the environment”

www.RichardAlanCohen.com

Richard@RichardAlanCohen.com

Instagram: @richardalancohen

Planet Falls-1, 24 x 48 inches

World View-6, 20 x 20 inches

Planet Falls 14, 24 x 48 inches

ROSELLE KLINE CHARTOCK

Roselle Kline Chartock is a Professor Emerita of Education and a full-time artist and writer, having previously taught on all levels for forty-five years. Her collages and mixed media typically focus on women in a variety of contexts and roles, for which she often makes use of old family photos and advertisements, as well as images from vintage magazines and postcards. More recently she has expanded her interests to include both photographing unusual scenes that she encounters on her walks and creating visual commentary on political issues.

A friend once described Chartock’s work as “elegantly irreverent.” But no matter the image, she believes that color and composition are the most significant elements in her art, though from time to time she clearly wants to convey a particular message. She says of her work, “I love when the viewer stands and contemplates a piece. They may see something entirely different from my intent, maybe something I never even thought of! That’s what I love about art: it can be so personal and subjective, which, of course, is part of its appeal.”

Roselle Kline Chartock - 413 446-0859, roselle.chartock@gmail.com

GHETTA HIRSCH

I am avoiding the cold this year and looked around my home for nature to paint. Buds and leaves are of the season, but rare are the flowers yet. Why is it so difficult to wait for spring? Perhaps because we had what I will call a “false spring” back at the end of February. Tiny heads of hyacinths and tulips were popping up and I saw all the birds fooled as well. I worried about them coming out and checking on my birdhouses in between feeding sessions then. I told them to be cautious and wait a bit.

I will paint some flowers soon but meanwhile here are the rich leaves of a begonia plant. I loved the reflection of light on the vase. This is what tempted this still life and all I had was a house plant. That subject was enough to make me wish for warmth, buds, leaves and flowers and teach me, like birds, to be patient.

The garden and our beautiful Berkshires landscapes are waiting. Snow is melting to show off colors just like my other painting “Rebirth” that you will find in the pages of this magazine.

Also, visit the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield, at 28 Renne Avenue, as I will be part of the “Unfinished” Exhibit this Spring. Visit me in my home studio to see more. Thursdays are good days but call to let me know you are coming to Williamstown.

Ghetta Hirsch - Ghettagh@gmail.com 413-597-1716, ghetta-hirsch.squarespace.com Instagram@ghettahirschpaintings

SALLY TISKA RICE

Sally Tiska Rice was born and raised in the beautiful Berkshires and lived in a rural town with her husband and pets, where she draws inspiration from her surroundings. As a young girl, she would sit with her father as he designed and drew many blueprints. This was the start of her love for art and all its forms.

Sally was employed with Crane & Co., Inc., hand-painting stationery, including demonstrations at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. She is a spine injury survivor that finds her creative nature healing. After her fourth spine surgery, she decided to become an independent artist. During painting and drawing, she feels spiritually gratified and relaxed.

A multi-media artist, Sally employs many techniques in her paintings, using acrylic, watercolors, oil paints, pastels, and mixed media pieces. She uses spontaneity to compose artwork but also creates personal commission paintings, including people, pets, homes, and churches. Her love to travel has allowed Sally to further her understanding of art in all its forms. She has visited many areas on the north coast ranging from the majestic mountains to the scenic shores. Sally has enjoyed art abroad, in Italy, Greece, Spain, Mexico, and the Caribbean. These experiences have encouraged her knowledge and appreciation of the history of art.

Her work has won awards nationally and internationally. She is a member of the Clock Tower Artists of Pittsfield, MA, The Guild of Berkshire Artists, and the Berkshire Art Association. You can find her work at the Clock Tower Business Center, 75 South Church Street, 3rd Floor, Studio 302, Pittsfield, MA, Soma’s Aroma’s, Soy Candle Shop, 81 East Street, Downtown Pittsfield, MA. Mark your calendar for the show “A Tale of Two Sallys” at the Good Purpose Gallery. This exhibit features the work of two artists, Sally Lebwohl and Sally Tiska Rice, and will be on display from May 16th to July 11th, 2023, with a reception to meet and greet the artists on Friday, June 16th, from 5 pm to 7:30 pm at 40 Main St Lee, Massachusetts. The exhibition will be open Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM and closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. The reception will occur on Friday, June 16, from 5 pm to 7:30 pm.

Sally Tiska Rice - Call to set up a Studio appointment at the Clocktower Business Center, 75 South Church St., Third Floor, Studio #302, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 413–446–8469. https://sallytiskarice.com Follow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram

HUDSON, WARREN AND 7TH, PHOTOGRAPH

"CALLING SPRING" OIL ON CANVAS 9"X12"

ADVENTURE, TEXTURED ABSTRACT ACRYLIC, 20” X 24”

nyuk-nyuk

© Andrea Feldman

BERKSHIRE DIGITAL

Since opening in 2005, Berkshire Digital has done fine art printing for artists and photographers. Giclée prints can be made in many different sizes from 5”x7” to 42” x 80” on a variety of archival paper choices. Berkshire Digital was featured in PDN magazine in an article about fine art printing. See the entire article on the BerkshireDigital.com website.

Berkshire Digital does accurate hi-res photoreproductions of paintings and illustrations that can be used for Giclée prints, books, magazines, brochures, cards and websites.

“Fred Collins couldn’t have been more professional or more enjoyable to work with. He did a beautiful job in photographing paintings carefully, efficiently, and so accurately. It’s such a great feeling to know I have these beautiful, useful files on hand anytime I need them. I wish I’d called Fred years ago.” - Ann Getsinger

We also offer restoration and repair of damaged or faded photographs. A complete overview of services offered, along with pricing, can be seen on the web at BerkshireDigital.com

The owner, Fred Collins, has been a commercial and fine art photographer for over 30 years having had studios in Boston, Stamford and the Berkshires. He offers over 25 years of experience with Photoshop, enabling retouching, restoration and enhancement to prints and digital files.

The studio is located in Mt. Washington, but drop-off and pick-up is available through Frames On Wheels, 84 Railroad Street in Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-0997 and Gilded Moon Framing, 17 John Street in Millerton, NY (518) 789-3428.

Berkshire Digital - 413 644-9663, www.BerkshireDigital.com

STEPHANIE BOYD

“I am intrigued by the sensuality and meditative nature of mark-making. The repetitive, multitudinous strokes of the nib pen reflect our lives’ many tiny, seemingly inconsequential actions. This current collection attempts to create tensions through various explorations of line and form: large solid objects versus the repetitive fine marks, seemingly heavy objects balanced on smaller forms, tiny spheres encapsulated inside layered spaces, oversized organic blooms.

These drawings invite the viewer to considerthe importance of tenuous connections, whether a protective embrace is supportive or constraining, and the tiny interactions that together create something grander.”

Boyd is a ceramic and visual artist. She studied sculptural ceramics at the Visual Art Center in Montreal, Canada, and residency in Brno, Czech Republic. Her functional and sculptural ceramics and works on paper have been exhibited locally in Williamstown and North Adams, as well as in Canada and the Czech Republic. Her work is in collections across the USA, Canada, and Europe. Boyd, originally from Canada, has made Williamstown, MA, her home for the past two decades.

Stephanie BoydInstagram: stephanieboyddraws http://www.stephanieboydworks.com

JANE HUDSON

“The circle has been a dominant form in my work. Whether as a geometric anchor or a spiritual icon, it carries many layers of meaning. Over the past few years, the circle has morphed into a sphere, becoming a surrogate entering an energy realm. There have been a few iterations of this motif, and the current exhibition explores a dynamic psychological, even astral field wherein the ‘orb’ is disrupted by shards of color. This disruption occurs in the work as it did around the election.

Personal and societal changes made me consider how our energy field is impacted. These paintings explore the shifting curve of the torus aura, affecting everything, including the Earth and the cosmos.”

Hudson, an active Northern Berkshire artist community member, has shown her work in Williamstown, North Adams, Bennington, Hillsdale, NY, Rockport, and Boston. Her work is in collections in Texas, Montana, San Francisco, New Orleans, Florida, Pittsfield, and Cape Cod.

Hudson taught Video and Graduate Studies for 32 years at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts. She also taught for two years at MCLA in Communications.

Previously she was a member of the band JEFF AND JANE with her husband, Jeff Hudson.

Jane Hudson - Instagram: @antiquergirl, http://www.janehudsonpaintings.com

CONTAINMENT, INK AND PENCIL ON PAPER, 24”X18” 2023

SPILLWAY FRICTION, ACRYLIC AND FLASH ON CANVAS, 20”X20” 2022

LIONEL DELEVINGNE

PHOTOJOURNALIST / ARTIST

“Earlier in my career as a contributor to Mother Jones, Die Zeit, and the New York Times, my work focused on the world’s realities; however, today, I’m drawn to the inherent world of my surroundings. In many ways, this shift reflects a reaction to these times of fake news and hyperreality. I must deconstruct and reconnect with core values and a renewed viewpoint. I’m drawn to the intricacies of space and light, fleeting instances, creating a minimalistic and abstract rendition of the world around me—a kind of visual Haiku.” -

Harryet Candee: In a moment of deep study, reflection, and inspiration, I found an immediate need to respond to your recent ongoing photography work I saw when looking through your XING series of photos. So, I saw this image out my window and had to respond visually to you with a shot from my iPhone. Suppose my photograph was cropped, enlarged, colorized, and taken to the next level. Would my visual response be interesting enough for you to comment on?

Lionel Delevingne: Your response touches me. It is gratifying that you are inspired by my work to help ignite your spark. In the digital age, letting the computer manipulate photographs can be fun and rewarding. However, the essence of my work is based on a very personal connection with the environment. I always say it is the eye, not the technique. At the carwash, I want to feel free to explore something that catches my eye and act in the moment. My process sometimes results in an

explosion that goes beyond the surface of reality, a place with no walls. I search for colors that don’t exist. Someplace where I find my solace.

When you were living in Paris, France, and reacted strongly to the Paris Uprising of May 68’. Going back in time, can you describe what your gut reaction was, and how did this open the pathways to becoming a visual communicator?

LD: 1968 was seminal in my development. The whole world opened up. It was Spring. I was 16. I was scared and excited at once. Only later did I find my ultimate medium of expression.

One of the details of the May 68 Revolt in Paris said that French youth generally assumed they lived under a quasi-benign political dictatorship. It was an era of international “youth culture.” However, French society remained autocratic, hierarchical, and tradition-bound, especially in

Lionel Delevingne

the eyes of French youth. Did this event strike a chord, resonate and bring out a certain kind of rebellious nature inside of you that helped plant seeds for the photography you were sent out to create?

LD: Post WWII French Society was sclerosed. I saw scrawled on a wall, “Be a Realist, Demand the impossible” and “Should we kill the Teachers?” An explosion was happening—and I was in the middle of it. Streets around me were aflame. Society was rethought. Imagination was taking over. It led me to pursue teaching as, what I thought at the time, would be the best tool to help create a better world.

After this life-changing event, what happened next for you?

LD: It was a point of no return. I was a student at Ecole Normale d’Instituteurs, a stodgy bin of traditional politics with no promise of change. My

Interview by Harryet Candee Images Courtesy of the Artist

H. Candee / J. Bynack, Response Lionel Delevingne, Rendition

X-ING series 2022

X-ING series 2023

friends and I gathered in cafes in Montparnasse and restaurants in Montmartre. We talked and philosophized about the state of the western world. We dreamt of a new political structure.

What challenges and goals at this point did you begin to realize you had to see to fruition?

LD: I left school and, influenced by American movies like Easy Rider, and Woodstock (the film), among others, I decided to travel to the US to seek what the future of western civilization had in store, i.e., alternative lifestyles, solutions to the problems plaguing old Europe. I started writing and photographing and quickly appreciated more for my visual talents more than my literary skills.

One of your exhibit catalogs, which is extremely beautiful, is LIONEL DELEVINGNE: From Paris to Stockbridge, via Fukushima. Much happened in the USA for you before this, but the work and meaning behind this book is timeless, powerful, and soul-searching. The pages by this author read, “Delevingne exhibits a surreal, almost mystical connection with the natural and physical world around him…focuses his lens on the ordi-

nary but sees in it the beautiful, mapping an internal landscape and guiding the viewer to a heightened experience of their share habitat.” Can you tell us about this exhibit in Stockbridge in 2020 and your involvement with the Laurel Hill Association?

LD: The exhibit was curated by Jim Schantz of Schantz Galleries. It was a beautiful space that allowed me to display my new series in themes in grid arrangements. I was on the Board of the Laurel Hill Association, as was Jim Schantz. Hence, one of our aims with the exhibit was to raise money for Laurel Hill, which had my own goals for caring for and preserving the environment. The exhibition was a great success.

As a photojournalist, you witnessed so much mixed emotion from the people. What were you specifically looking to capture at the Mayday demonstrations against the Vietnam War?

LD: I became a photojournalist in the early seventies. My first professional (and published) work was in 1974, when I photographed environmental activism and social unrest in France. What I have always tried to capture is the courage of individ-

uals in situations that the mainstream media would not otherwise cover.

Another of your books is a pictorial essay you have done with author Steve Turner, Drylands, a Rural American Saga, 2011. What personal meaning did this book have for you, and what were your primary interests when gathering these images?

LD: I met Steve in 1975 during a labor strike in Springfield, MA. We were a unique combination of pictures and words. Our partnership followed the steps of “Let’s Praise Famous Men” by Agee and Evans. Steve had earlier published a book on Eastern WA state which I illustrated. I was subsequently invited by Nebraska Press (an academic publisher) to publish a visually driven new book in the same spirit.

While working on this book, did your childhood family values come to mind? Were you comparing at all? How did they compare?

LD: I was born and raised in Paris. My first impression of eastern WA state was sobering—flat, Continued on next page...

Manège, Paris 2016 Archival Giclée print

Minima series 2021 Aluminized print

Water series 2020 Aluminized print

To The Village Square, Seabrook NH 1976 Silver Gélatine print

Tozeur, Tunisia 1974 , Aluminized print

Bet Power, Director New Alexandria Lesbian Library, Northampton MA 1978 Aluminized print

no trees. But, with Steve, I grew to feel and experience what drove Steve’s passion for the people and the land and their resilience in their harsh environment as they pursued the American dream. I was no longer “taking photographs”; instead, I surrendered to the land, and the land gave me back the serenity that you may feel in those photographs.

When you worked for the New York Times, Business Week, and other periodicals as a photojournalist, did you always agree with what was reportedly written that went along with your photographs? When did it or did not jive with you?

LD: The text may have already been written when I was assigned stories to illustrate. While I collaborated with some editors (as in The New York Times Travel Section or Mother Jones Magazine), in other publications, I had no control over using my photos, which were sometimes manipulated. Journalism and art are not great bedfellows. That is one reason I have moved towards books and exhibits, so that I control the presentation of my work.

However! With your art making, you do not have to agree with anyone’s opinion! It is just exactly what you want it to be. And X does mark the spot! Your book, X-ING: Adventures in a car wash, was proudly handed to me by the gentleman who manages 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson, NY. I went there originally to drop off magazines.

Peggy Reeves updated me on the upcoming exhibit schedule; here we are. I find this book XING: Adventures in a car wash, so in the now and a slice of life. How would you put into words this body of work?

LD: You may call it an antidote to covid and boredom. “My Adventures at the Carwash” is more than just washing a car. Just like in WA state, my mind moves from perceiving something as mundane to eliciting its hidden beauty and spirit. It is exploring the nonsensical and making it art. As for my use of aluminum, I saw it as most fit to recreate the luminescence of the digital form.

How did you go about deciding on the artwork for this show at 510?

LD: Because of the gallery’s physical configuration, the exhibit’s format is a collage (Barnes Museum-like!)) of iconic works I’ve produced over the years. I am exhibiting many “Points de Vue” that I hope the viewers find fun.

What do you find most positive about being a member of a cooperative gallery?

LD: While, as artists, we are often seen as lone wolves, there is a genuine benefit in talking somewhat in the same language. And new friendships to be made.

The artist’s market is in an interesting state now; is there anything you have found necessary for you and other artists to be aware of?

LD: Many galleries have had difficulty surviving and have closed down. If artists don’t help themselves, who will? A collective of artists has the power—to control what is on the walls and to manage the gallery without being beholden to the vicissitudes of the art market.

The computer has become one of our most important tools— from everyday life to essential tools for art and business. How do we keep up with everything new and changing in the cyber world? Or do we simply not because we will get frustrated? Is it best to keep an in-the-moment simpler lifestyle, where we appreciate our natural environments, and create art from actual art materials? Thoughts?

LD: I hate spending time on the computer. My mind goes back to Antonioni’s movie Zabriskie Point in 1968, where consumer objects are blown up on the screen, throwing everything away, disconnecting from the grid, and reuniting with human values. But it’s too late to go back. I keep the full extent of my film technology to an iPhone and a tablet.

Are you following any influential artists these days?

LD: There is a small group of contemporary artists, all painters, who are presently important to me—for example, Ethel Hultberg. Ethel is a great artist who, at 95, creates daily. Another example is Jim Bliesner. Continued on next page...

Drylands, Adams County, WA 2011 Archibal Giclée print

Jim is an artist and activist in San Diego who takes art to the inner city to serve social justice. And, locally, Jim Schantz, whose ode to nature exudes spirituality.

Your early black-and-white photographs are striking. Can you tell us about the camera you got your hands on for this work and how it was, at the time, the best tool for the work you were producing? Were you also processing the film in a dark room?

LD: I have always known the camera does not make the picture. It is the eye. My first professional camera was a 35 mm Pentax. Until 2000 I processed and printed my black-and-white work in my darkroom. (Color was sent to a lab).

Where have you traveled to and brought home ‘eye-candy’ photos and stories you can share with us? We all love a good story of remembrance.

LD: My recent trip to Antarctica qualifies. The Gentoo penguins were most endearing. Like Sisyphus, they kept climbing the mountain on a never-ending mission. As a creature in our precarious world, I felt an affinity with them.

Have you kept a written journal through the

years? Are they being kept in a safe place?

LD: Being a photographer, I am an archivist by definition. My journal is visual and organized by themes and times. My environmental activism files are archived and available to the public in the Robert S. Cox Special Collections at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library at UMass, with a plan to transfer my entire collection in the near future.

Who do you live with at the present time?

LD: I live with my wife, Judith Wilkinson, and my chocolate lab, Suzette. And the bears, birds, bees, and red fox that just walked by!

With all that you have seen in life, what can you say you have found to be most reflective and truthrevealing about our world?

LD: It is a sobering time, and history repeats itself. I choose to live in Stockbridge, a worthy haven with its pioneering environmental history.

I like the photograph of Pete Seeger in your portfolio. He was an man from an era gone by. Did you personally know him? What iconic figure do you think has taken the place of Pete?

LD: I was introduced to Pete Seeger’s music in France. My pleasure and work took me to many

of his concerts when I moved to the US. I met him several times. He incarnated for me the good American. He was the conscience of America. The photograph was taken at the “Towards Tomorrow Fair” in Amherst, MA, about 1977/78.

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy”-Albert Camus 1952,— and your quote,“I subordinate my art to reality, because reality comes first. It’s a question of priority.” Please explain the relevance of these quotes found on your website.

LD: My sense of subordinating art to reality is based on the period before Trump and Covid. After that, my art became prime. I am looking for a new reality. I hope I find it. lioneldelevingne@gmail.com www.lioneldelevingne.com https://www.instagram.com/Lioneldelevingne

Antarctica series - 2023 Aluminized print

Pete Seeger, folk singer, Amherst MA 1977 Aluminized print

PARADISE

CITY ARTS FESTIVAL MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

It’s Springtime in Paradise! The best way to spend some of your holiday weekend is in Northampton, the cultural heart of New England, at one of America’s most spectacular fairs of fine craft, painting and sculpture. The Paradise City Arts Festival (literally) rolls out the carpet for this season’s splendidly curated collection of hundreds of artists and fine craft makers, coming from every corner of the country. It’s three great days of astounding visual arts, eye-popping design, scrumptious food and, of course, great fun!

The Festival is held inside three carpeted, airy new buildings connected by covered walkways, keeping patrons comfortable and protected, rain or shine. The 12,000 square-foot Dining Tent commands a grassy lawn surrounded by outdoor sculpture. With scores of brand-new artists, sensational food by local chefs, a craft cocktail bar and the eye-popping exhibit “With Flying Colors!”, attendees are kept entertained, enthralled and well fed all weekend long.

The Silent Art Auction benefits the International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI). They provide free English classes for new arrivals from all over the world so they can utilize their skills in this country and successfully integrate into the local community.

Paradise City keeps its visitors’ hands, eyes and brains busy. Stephen Procter of Brattleboro, Vermont is an acclaimed teacher, and his demonstrations of throwing enormous ceramic vessels is something to see! Alan and Rosemary Bennett, known for their life-sized, realistic renditions of fish and sea creatures, lead very popular clay sculpture workshops for children (and the young at heart). Plus, the changing installations and large-scale sculpture along the Sculpture Promenade are catnip for kids, Instagram heaven and full of fantastic decorating ideas for the attendees’ own gardens.

Paradise City Arts Festival, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 27, 28 & 29, at Northampton’s 3 County Fairgrounds, on Old Ferry Road off Rt. 9. For complete show and travel information, advance online tickets and discount admission coupons, visit www.paradisecityarts.com

SEAN HUTCHEON PHOTOGRAPHY

I’m a fine art and product photographer based in the Hudson Valley and New York City, NY.

My imagery stems from a background in filmmaking, writing, and music. I got my start in early 2000 and have numerous awards for my short films, and my photography has been showcased in numerous group and solo shows throughout the years.

In 2005, I relocated from Bucks County, PA, to NYC, where I have thrived in the photo industry as a product and on-figure photographer for numerous clients such as Amazon Fashion, Tumi Luggage, New York and Company, Bloomingdales, Macy’s, Target, Ralph Lauren, Fairway Markets and Labucq.

At the end of 2021, I started a new venture as a fine art and furniture photographer who has shot a variety of mediums for Christie’s in NYC, Stair Galleries, and Naga Antiques in Hudson, NY.

In my spare time, I enjoy working on photography, playing guitar, spending time at my house with my partner, and going on hikes with my Border Collie.

Please contact me directly for projects or to inquire about purchasing my work.

Sean Hutcheon - sean.hutcheon@gmail.com

LODIZA LEPORE

Change has a chance if a new thought can enter the mind, even for the briefest moment. Through this work, Lodiza aims to capture that surreal moment that slips between everything hard to catch, fleeting details and moments of absurdity, to deconstruct the American ‘fog’ and other fairy tales by exposing a critical view of the actual state of things, to reveal the true nature of human life stripped of pretenses that hide authentic feelings of loneliness, isolation & insecurity.

Inspired by the notion that every split second is unique, she observes humans being human. She remains an observer, not a participant.

Joan Didion remarked that “we tell ourselves stories in order to live.” Lodiza is interested in the reality behind the stories and the gap between reality and the story. Her images tend to depict stark contrasts between different things in the same image or between what is depicted in the image and the “conventional wisdom”—the story we tell ourselves. That often results in what many people call surreal. She calls it real.

This photographic vision has been featured on book covers and in several publications, including B & W, The Photo Review, Shots, Creative Quarterly, Pastiche, AdBusters, The Hand, The Progressive, Street Photography Magazine, and shown in US galleries from coast to coast, including European venues.

Lodiza LePore - lodiza@comcast.net

https://www.lodizalepore.com/

LARGE CERAMIC VESSEL BY STEPHEN PROCTER

CHRISTINE HELLER

Interview by Harryet Candee

Images Courtesy of Artist

“This is the story of one little girl growing up in America in a seemingly perfect family. Under the appearance of normalcy and order, a father wielded power over every family member through his expressions of rage, control, and predatory sexual behavior. For decades she internalized them to the detriment of her self-esteem and agency. She understood that her father’s distorted projections had nothing to do with her.

Harryet Candee: Despite the seriousness of this body of work you have created, it is very eye-appealing and draws you in to read and examine the design, color, and messages you put forth. Much of your topics revolve around similar heart-felt issues that affect us all, be they whispered or loudly expressed amongst each other to understand and find solutions. There is much to say about family abuse, and you have taken this opportunity to share your story. Tell us about your ideas that took you from concept to completion and, in what ways were you emotionally affected when you saw it hung on the walls at TSL?

Christine Heller: I have dealt with my family issues for decades in my work via various media. I want to break thru the silence, anger, and depression to uncover the secrets of my family’s dysfunction.

Seeing the work installed at TSL Gallery and the large 4’ x 5’ prints (made from my 11” x 14” originals) on the walls was thrilling. The assembled prints tell my story. I feel relieved because I took three years to summon the courage to get my collages out of a drawer to show them publicly.

Viewers reminisce about their upbringing and childhood experiences when viewing this exhibit. Returning to our childhood can be a mix of good and bad memories, whether we experienced similar ones to yours or others. It could be life-changing for some when they get that “click” from what you have brought to the surface. What are some of your expectations and reactions people might have that you would expect or would feel good about?

CH: I felt shame about the work because I was afraid people would think I was an ungrateful daughter or judge me for my father’s behavior. I revealed my small collages to a few friends, and although some reacted positively, others didn’t comment. A social worker friend told me not to show them without a therapist present because people would be triggered.

But the infuriating overthrow of Roe vs. Wade by the Supreme Court gave me the courage to come out with my work. I want to be in solidarity with other women and girls. The events I disclose in my work are experienced by women every day. The response to the work at the TSL Gallery has been surprising and deeply satisfying. Both

women and men say they appreciate the fresh, open way I have told my story. They value my honesty, understand the colors, and are amused by the birds’ snarky, truthful banter. They tell me their stories-heartfelt, sincere reminiscences, even some that have been hidden for a long time.

You have done extensive work on the history of suffragettes, immigrants, children, dance, and times of war and upheaval. Are you an activist through your art? What initiated this focus and direction?

CH: I am an activist; I focus on issues that I find morally reprehensible, such as the plight of children in the Iraq War and the Syrian refugee crisis. In 2005, when I saw a photo of a young American woman soldier who had lost a leg in the Iraq War, I thought it could be my daughter. I immediately began an America Comes Home installation, with limp, life-sized cloth figures, like shrouds, secured at 5’ along a 100’ wall at Emma Willard School in Troy, NY. The figures represented dead and wounded Americans who came home from the war.

I gathered photos for that installation and found

“FATHER KNOWS BEST,” A GRAPHIC MEMOIR EXHIBITION, TSL, HUDSON, NY

Who Was the Crisco Kid 2021 Printed vinyl, 4’ x 5’

1” x 1” photos of dead Iraqi children. The Bush Administration would not allow Americans to see the flag-draped coffins of dead Americans coming home from the Iraq War or pictures of dead Iraqis, especially Iraqi children. But I found small, lowresolution photos of Iraqi children on obscure websites. In 2006, I used those photos for an installation called In Our Name: Iraqi Children in War, exhibited at the Daniel Performing Arts Center at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, MA, and at the Hudson Opera House in Hudson, NY. I made eight 6’ x 6’ drawings on a scrim of the children’s faces and two 3’ x 40’ friezes of children holding hands, gradually disappearing over the length of the friezes. Many people who came to that show cried as they entered the space surrounded by the 6’ x 6’ drawings of Iraqi children’s faces, as they realized the devastating truth of those dead children.

In 2016, I painted a 10’ x 40’ mural, A Story of Their Own: Refugees in Crisis, for the MartinMullen Gallery at SUNY Oneonta, Oneonta, NY, depicting the plight of Syrian refugees. In that mural, drawings of individuals’ faces informed us that the shadow figures were not shadows at all. Those silhouettes represented fleeing Syrians, each with a story of their own.

I am also inspired to make art about causes I feel passionate about. When Hilary Clinton ran for president, I wanted to find the women who paved the way for her candidacy. The origins of

women’s rights in America began with the suffragists, including white, black, and native Americans, who worked for 70 years to get the vote for women. The history of the women’s suffrage movement shows the tough choices that had to be made, the setbacks over the seven decades-long battle, and the backlash to women voting. The ratification of the 19th Amendment to grant women the vote passed by one vote in Tennessee, the final state of ¾ of the 50 United States required for ratification. To honor those who fought so hard for women’s suffrage, I created a limited edition portfolio, Women Vote !, which pairs lithographic prints of fifteen suffragists, including three women of color, with brief biographical texts printed in letterpress. The first 9 of the edition of 10 portfolios have been purchased by book collections at the New York Public Library, Vassar College, Smith College, Johns Hopkins University, George Mason University, University of Delaware, Denison University, Carlton College and,, Princeton University’s Graphic Arts Collection.

There is something extraordinary about all of the work that you have created over the years. There are signs of hope shining through the eyes of those you have portrayed. Looking at your work retrospectively, what would you say was most profound for you in its creation and execution, and why?

CH: The process of making art is always mysterious and exciting. The unconscious search for

form and meaning is engaging, like finding a vein to mine. The process allows me to fly above and beyond my will, my determined, opinionated, conscious mind that carries all the criticism collected from many sources, including my critical voice.

I understand you are also an educator. Can you tell us what you have taught and what age groups you have reached? What did you teach? What did you learn from your students in return?

CH: I love teaching adolescents and college students. I am inspired by their openness and enthusiasm, which energizes me when I return to my studio.

Visual communication is one of the best ways for people to understand the ways of humans, good and bad. Do you thoroughly enjoy your work and feel the need to keep pursuing what you have done, or do you want to pick up a different form of self-expression at some point?

CH: I am a visual artist – I will always be making art. It is essential. Being an artist is crucial for my survival.

“Father Knows Best’, on view until April 23, 2023 at Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia St, Hudson, NY, 518-822-8100, fyi@timeandspace.org

King in his House 2022 Printed vinyl, 6'x8'

THE ARTFUL MIND

VIRTUAL GALLERY 4.2023

MARY ANN YARMOSKY

“It’s up to you to decide who my ladies are and what they are thinking. They only came to me with the first stroke of a brush and a little paint. I don’t know their stories or where they hale from. I only know that they now exist, and some will love them, and some will not. Such is the life of a woman.”

-Mary Ann Yarmosky

Mary Ann Yarmosky: 413-441-6963

myarmosky@comcast.net • Face Book Instagram maryannyarmoskyart.com

Acrylic on Canvas, 11” x 14”

Up On The Roof Acrylic on canvas, 16” x 20”

The Jazz Singer Acrylic on canvas, 16”x 20”

Salome’s Daughters,Ink

and pastel, 12”x19”

Recline and Comfort, , Ink on paper, 12”x17”

Busk, Ink and wash on paper, 13”x18”

MARK MELLINGER

Mark Mellinger : 914-260-7413

The Clock Tower Business Center, 3rd floor, 75 South Church St, Pittsfield, MA

markmellinger680@gmail.com

Surveillance, Acrylic and collage on board. 24"x 24-1/2" 2023

Anomaly, Acrylic on canvas., 20" x 20" 2023

Each image is part of a limited edition. There are several sizes available. Each piece is priced according to size. Images are unframed and printed on Hahnemuhle archival papers.

Bruce Panock: 917-287-8589 www.panockphotography.com bruce@panockphotography.com

Ruby Aver 413 854 7007

rdaver2@gmail.com

Instagram and Facebook

Wind Sweeps the Plum Blossoms no. 3 Acrylic on canvas 18” x 24”

Wind Sweeps the Plum Blossoms no. 2 Acrylic on canvas 18” x 24”

PRIMAVERA

“... And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”

Lodiza LePorelodiza@comcast.net

https://www.lodizalepore.com/

YEAR OF THE RABBIT 1

YEAR OF THE RABBIT II

MARY DAVIDSON

Mary Davidson has been painting regularly for the last 16 years. Davidson’s paintings are a twodimensional decorative visualization of line, color, design, shape, patterns, and stamping. As you begin to study the paintings, you will find that the foreground and background tend to merge with overlaid patterns. “I love the intense complexity and ambiguity of space and dimension.”. The effect can be startling: the longer you look at the piece, the more you see.

Davidson’s New Hat series consists of 70 paintings. “I start with a basic drawing, building with color and shape, coming to life with gesture and flow. As the title suggests, the hats are important, and the millinery designs emerge. There is much joy in their creation, and my passion for playful designs is reinforced by their bright colors, linear rhythms, and patterns leading our eyes around and through the painting. My newest series is even more abstract, with an even stronger emphasis on design. I do like to use stamping, along with painting, because I love the result. When I finish with a painting, I adhere the canvas with mat gel to gator board, creating a nice tight surface. My paintings are always framed.”

Mary Davidson - PO Box 697, South Egremont, Massachusetts; 413-528-6945 / 413-7172332;

mdavidsongio@aol.com

marydavidson83155@gmail.com www.davidsondesigncompany.net

THE MAGIC FLUKE

The Magic Fluke Company designs and builds innovative musical instruments in the Berkshires. Dedicated to our community using locally sourced materials whenever possible, our agents are engineered with modern methods and materials for quality sound, playability, and legendary durability.

In addition to our renowned Fluke, Flea, and Firefly ukuleles and banjos, we offer four or fivestring acoustic/electric travel fiddle, mandolin, and five-string banjo. Customized top printing and laser engraving and repairs of most stringed instruments are available. We’ve recently added experienced violinist Nora Carvalho for violin setups, repairs, and lessons. Local jazz guitarist Michael Junkins is also on staff for all expert guitar setups and repair.

The Magic Fluke - 413-229-8536 - Factory and showroom on Rt. 7, Sheffield. Hours: M-F, 9 to 4:30, or call for an appointment.

MOLLIE KELLOGG CREATIVE

You are magick!

Creative Sorceress Mollie Kellogg conjures a magical world through fine art, film, music, and dance. Her award-winning Incognito Witch Project celebrates hidden magick.

Mollie’s art has sold internationally, and she’s presented her “inner magick” message at events in New York, California, and Arizona. Kellogg’s music videos, with characters inspired by her paintings, have screened at festivals in U.S. and abroad.

Mollie’s studio is in her home in Dalton, MA. She has recently participated in the WOW “Wild Ornery Women” invitational in Ware, MA, and has shown in various venues in Pittsfield and West Stockbridge.

See Mollie’s work at Art on Main Gallery, 38 Main St, West Stockbridge, MA, July 14 - 24, 2023. A reception will be on Saturday, July 15. Mollie Kellogg - www.molliekellogg.com

artist@molliekellogg.com

facebook.com/Artwork.MollieKellogg

MY NEW HAT SERIES #5

"Chocolate! This is a word that evokes indescribable ecstasies. Is there a man, a woman or a child who has not desired it, who has not devoured it, and who the next moment has not dreamed of devouring it again?"

- Elaine Gonzales

LONNY JARRETT

My initial memory of awakening to the creative impulse was hearing the first chord of the Beatle’s, Hard Day’s Night when I was six years old. At that moment I knew something big was happening and I had to get on board! I began studying at the Guitar Workshop, the first guitar school in America. I’ve performed music most of my life and currently play jazz fusion with my band Redshift.

My interest in photography blossomed as an electron-microscopist publishing neuro- and molecular- biological research out of UMASS/Amherst and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx in my early 20s.

As a life-long meditator, martial artist, musician, and photographer everything I engage with comes from the same unified intention toward engendering the true, the good, and the beautiful. In my landscape and nature photography I endeavor to capture the light that seeps through everything.

Lonny Jarrett -

Community: Nourishingdestiny.com

Books: Spiritpathpress.com

Art: Berkshirescenicphotography.com

Teaching: Lonnyjarrett.com

CAROLYN NEWBERGER DANCE!

“On many summer evenings you will find me, sketchbook on lap and pen in hand, in the front row of a darkened theater at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, Massachusetts. As the performance unfolds, my hand flies across the paper, tracing the arch of a dancer’s back, the tension and release of a pas de deux, or the collective energy of an ensemble. My husband Eli sits beside me, taking notes. Together we turn these images and observations into dance reviews in The Berkshire Edge, a publication of news, arts and ideas in Western Massachusetts.”

Dance is a sampling of these drawings, impelled and inspired by the passion and artistry of some of the best dancers, choreographers, and musicians in the world today.

Watercolor painting, mixed media and collage, and a practice of drawing from life form the body of Carolyn Newberger’s work, with an emphasis on human connections and experience.

An avid and award-winning artist in her youth, Carolyn returned to art after an academic career in psychology at Harvard Medical School. Her work has received numerous awards, including from the Danforth Museum of Art, the Cambridge Art Association, Watercolor Magazine, and the New England Watercolor Society, of which she is a signature member. She is represented by Galatea Fine Art in Boston, and in the Berkshires by the Artful Mind and FutureLab(s) galleries.

A resident of Lenox, Massachusetts, many of Carolyn’s performance drawings and plein air paintings accompany reviews and essays in “The Berkshire Edge”.

See the exhibit, DANCE, at the Galatea Fine Art at 460B Harrison Ave., Boston, April 7-30. A First Friday Reception will be on April 7, 6-8 pm. Carolyn Newberger - 617-877-5672 www.carolynnewberger.com cnewberger@me.com

MARGUERITE BRIDE COMMISSIONS

Is there a special occasion in your future? A family wedding perhaps? A special anniversary?

A commissioned painting of the wedding venue is a treasured gift. Here in the Berkshires we have so many stunning sites for weddings, from rustic farm settings to glorious mansions and everything in between. This is a gift that will last a lifetime. Here is an unusual guest book idea…some people have the painting done ahead of time and have guests sign the mat at the reception. Visit the page on my website (under “Commissions”) to see many examples. I love painting cherished memories. A custom watercolor painting of a wedding venue, a home or other special location is always a treasured gift for any occasion.

After not doing so for over 2 years due to covid, I’m welcoming students back into my funky basement studio, teaching the tricks of the trade. I teach three types of classes to very small groups of adults (4 at a time). Typically each “session” meets once a week for about 2 hours for 6 weeks. The types of sessions include:

Absolute Beginner – for those who are brand new to watercolors. This is the class where it is ok if you have never picked up a wc brush before.

Beginner – for those who are “somewhat” comfortable with watercolor painting, have done so a little in the past and know some basic techniques listed above, but need more direction to gain confidence. Students who have completed Absolute Beginner classes go right into this one.

Advanced Beginner/Intermediate – I continue to demo techniques as needed/requested and work with each of you individually in applying various techniques to your own projects.

I am starting to schedule summer classes. Check out the Lessons page on my website. Be in touch with me soon and I will send you all the details (email is best). These classes fill up very quickly.

Marguerite Bride – Home Studio in Pittsfield, Massachusetts by appointment only. Call 413841-1659 or 413-442-7718;

margebride-paintings.com

margebride@aol.com

Facebook: Marguerite Bride Watercolors

“Since I was seventeen I thought I might be a star. I'd think about all my heroes, Charlie Parker, Jimi Hendrix... I had a romantic feeling about how these people became famous.”

— Jean-Michel Basquiat

ASTROLOGY FOR CREATORS

April 2023

Find Your Creative Flow while Saturn is in Pisces

Deanna Musgrave

Last month, I wrote about how Saturn’s journey in and out of Pisces would start on March 7-8th for about three years and that this would bring a serious tone and restriction within some areas of the arts, drugs, and spirituality. As a quick recap: the planet Saturn is associated with teachers/mentors, creating structures, karmic lessons, restriction, saying “no,” getting serious, and growing up, whereas Pisces (symbolized by two fish in a cosmic sea) is a fluid and dreamy sign associated with the arts, fantasy, spirituality, the transcendental, drugs, alcohol, visions, the sea, and the cosmos. With Saturn coming into the sign of Pisces, it will bring that energy of getting serious and restricting certain Pisces elements of life. I wish to revisit Saturn in Pisces again by speaking about how to use it to your advantage as a creator but also put readers’ minds at ease that Saturn isn’t going to take the lovable parts of Pisces away. While some fear the effects of Saturn, many seasoned astrologers love how this planet creates quality, validity, and legitimacy through its discernment of harder lessons.

A concerning response I saw online to Saturn in Pisces was some artists expressing anxiety that there would be a loss of creative flow with Pisces energy for three years, and I would like to ease these artists’ concerns. For one thing, creative flow isn’t only ruled by Pisces. We have also already been in Saturn in Pisces’ pre-shadow period for quite some time, which means we would already be seeing and feeling its influence. Just because Saturn is coming into Pisces doesn’t mean you won’t be able to access its uniquely magical, dreamy, and creative energy. So, if you see your art as being an expression of Pisces energy, I want you to take a deep sigh of relief right now as you read this and know it isn’t going to vanish. Don’t worry; you don’t have to change unless you feel guided under Saturn’s influence.

One of the greatest misunderstandings about astrology is that it dictates fate or controls people’s behavior. It can compel people into certain behaviors, just as the rain moves people to use umbrellas. In my opinion, it can become controlling to people who are unaware that they are being influenced by the planets, just as people are unaware that most television advertising is a hypnotic suggestion. We don’t like to think that we can be programmed in a way that robots or computers are, but it can be quite similar. It is awareness and connectedness to our consciousness that gives us back our free will to transcend hypnotic suggestions in the media or the influences of planetary energies. When reflecting on the degree of control that the planets have in our lives, I come back to a quote by the 20th-century philosopher and spiritual teacher George Ivanovich Gurdjieff:

“Everything living on the Earth, people, animal’s plants, is food for the moon…All movements, actions, and manifestations of people, animals, and plants depend upon the moon and are controlled by the moon…The mechanical part of our life depends upon the moon and is subject to the moon. If we develop in ourselves consciousness and will and subject our mechanical life and all our mechanical manifestations to them, we shall escape from the power of the moon.”

One of the reasons I like to be hyperaware of astrology is that I can consciously choose if I want to be “food for the moon” and if I want to go on certain planetary rides. I also like to consider how to use planetary energies to my advantage. It also allows me to be aware of how other (often unconscious) people are being influenced by planetary energy and to have compassion for how they are behaving. There have been times in my life when I felt overwhelmingly pulled towards a particular choice/behavior, but I knew the planets were influencing this desire. I said “no” to it day after day until the planetary aspect passed. (The planets can test us!) Knowing astrology helps me to see what could be influencing my desires, and if it is trying to pull me somewhere that is not in alignment, I know the length of time that the compulsion might last. That said, my personal philosophy is to work with the flow of the planets as if I am directing my kayak down a river by riding with the current for better speed and ease. While I like to think that humans can transcend the illusionary matrix of this reality and, as an example, walk with ease against the planetary current of that river, I spoke of; I suspect that this level of consciousness takes many lifetimes to nurture and, in the meantime, it is simply easier to work with the elements of this dimension (the planetary energies being one of those).

I see Saturn in Pisces playing out in the art world. There will be an energetic focus on artwork that integrates the opposites of Saturn (restrictions, boundaries, or getting serious) around what Pisces is (fantastical, dreamy, fluid, or spiritual). In my last column, I used the example of Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” as a piece that touched on the Satur-

nian seriousness of the devastation of war within fantastical abstraction. This doesn’t mean that Saturn in Pisces-flavoured artwork will be the only work out there being exhibited, but there might be more frequency and attention toward works of that nature. If I was a curator, I might be considering these elements in my selections of artworks for the next three years, keeping in mind that there is a lot of creative flexibility with Saturn in Pisces themes. As a curator or artist, I might even try to push the boundaries of what concepts like “restriction” or “fluid” means.

This transit could be an invitation to integrate Saturn into Pisces within your practice (the key word here being invitation!) This is the theoretical position I place myself in when thinking of astrology: as an invitation to get to know myself more profoundly and bring balance into my experience. Saturn in Pisces could invite you to consider how “restriction” and “getting serious” could assist your creativity. This seems like a paradox, given that Saturn is all about building structure and setting limits while Pisces is fluid and diffused, but this is one of the best creative opportunities! Artists are problem solvers, and Saturn in Pisces is one of the best riddles!

What would your creative work be like if you were to restrict an element such as colors or detail? Try a monochromatic artwork and see what it reveals about your process. This same concept can be applied to music, writing, or dance by restricting the elements of those art forms.

—Explore the word “restriction” as a concept. What does that word evoke for you? How could you create an image, music, poem, or dance that pushes the viewer to reconsider what that word means or to see it in a new light?

—If you don’t want to let go of the dreamy, spiritual, and fluid aspects of your work that align with Pisces or Neptune, consider how you might add some structure (Saturn).

—What does it mean for you to “get serious” or “grow up” in your creative practice?

—What “serious” topics call to your heart that you could communicate in your art form?

—Do you have a Saturnian figure in your life, such as a teacher or mentor, that could assist you in your creative practice right now?

As a concluding remark, I want to remind creatives how powerful you are in solving puzzles, riddles, and problems. I am confident that you can use Saturn in Pisces energy to use it to your advantage to open your creativity.

Deanna Musgrave is an artist, energy worker, channel, astrologer, and hypnotherapist. You can contact her through her websites at:

www.deannamusgrave.com

www.artisthehealer.com

The Queen's Dog Rex PART 1

The Queen had a little dog named Rex. Rex was usually a good dog, and he had only a few rules he had to obey. One rule was that he was not allowed off the 12x12 red carpet that was under the Queen’s throne. Sometimes, however, Rex became interested in something elsewhere, perhaps a butterfly outside the window, or a bug on the hall floor. If this happened, he would run off the carpet, presumably towards whatever it was that had interested him. At this point the Queen would make a clicking sound with her tongue, and Rex, hearing the click sound, would run right back to the throne and sit quietly.

The Queen loved to go and visit her art museum. It was her own museum, she picked out the pictures, and her soldiers guarded it. The museum had lots of different paintings by many different artists, but she couldn’t help but favor the dog portraits painted by T. Slocum Benderschmidt, who was famous for dog portraits.

And so Rex loved the Queen, the Queen loved Rex, and that little dog was never scolded or shouted at, and he was friendly with everyone. Rex loved to go with the Queen to the art museum, the room of the dog paintings was his favorite room, but he was not that interested in the flower paintings, or the portraits of the famous men. He was patient when the Queen examined, for the thousandth time, the miniatures of insects and butterflies, some painted so perfectly that visitors thought they were the real things.

Then there was the room full of paintings of lions and tigers. Rex did not like the room with the lions, and you could not get him to go in there except on a leash, and even then you would have had to drag him in, his four legs perfectly stiff, even dragging the rug along with him. If Rex was not on the leash, then he would run in the opposite direction, going into the naked ladies room, the room with the suits of armor, and even the room of the modern sculpture.

On this particular day Rex became lost in the Egyptian mummy department, and could not find his way back to the room the Queen was in. Being lost in the museum did not upset little Rex, because he had been lost there many times before, and after a while one of the guards, or even one of the visitors would always find him and bring him back to the Queen. Usually the Queen would just click her tongue when Rex was missing, and he would come running, but this time, he was too far away.

Everyone was anxious to return Rex to the Queen because they would be awarded with a

gold coin for their trouble. As a matter of fact, often dogs that were similar in appearance to Rex were brought to the queen by accident, in anticipation of the reward of the gold coin, but it was easy to spot the difference because one of his back paws was a curious dark brown color. People bringing wrong dogs to the Queen were often rewarded with a silver coin for their trouble.

This day was different however, because no one happened to find him, so he simply decided to go home by himself to the Palace. It was a hot day, and the museum doors were wide open, nobody noticed him exit the museum and head toward the palace. Or what he thought was the palace… Now it must be mentioned that there is something very odd about this museum. The architect who designed it decided to make it perfectly square. It was probably the only symmetrical building anywhere, excluding the pyramids. Since it was symmetrical, each side had an entrance in the center, and all the entrances were exactly identical. The Queen had suggested to the architect that he put some ornament over each entrance, but the architect refused the Queen’s request, even daring to raise his voice and throw his pencil down on the drafting table in consternation, but the Queen did not call him a blockhead or anything like that, she just shook her head and said something under her breath that nobody heard.

It is a curious fact that architects, artists, and composers of music can argue with a Queen, and even sometimes say something rude. They are the only ones afforded this privilege, along with idiots, fools, and simpletons.

Anyway, little Rex, when he went out of the entrance and headed home, thought he was going out the front entrance, when in fact he was going out the back entrance. There was no way for poor little Rex to tell the difference, so he trotted to the sidewalk none the wiser. Once he was out on the sidewalk, he turned left when he should have turned right. He had no idea he was going the wrong direction! Both the castle and the museum were in the expensive part of the city, and so all the houses looked similar, even so, like most dogs Rex was nearsighted, and so the various houses looked all the same to him. If he noticed something strange about the trees, mailboxes, and bushes, he was unable to put his paw on it. Eventually he came to a bridge over a river, of course he knew he had to cross a bridge on the way home, however he was confused when he stopped to examine the bridge railing, because it was black, instead of dark green as he remembered. Why was it a different color, did the painters come and paint it while I was in the museum, he wondered? Then suddenly he realized something didn’t smell right. As a matter of fact, everything all along the way did not smell as it was meant to, so he came to the only conclusion possible; he must be dreaming.

He could remember other times he had strange dreams. Once he had a dream that he was a horse, and another time he dreamed he was the Queen, and the Queen was a little dog. In that dream, he woke up suddenly, because the queen had turned from a dog into a cat, and that was obviously impossible. Like in his previous dreams, he knew what to do. He walked off the bridge, found a tree,

curled up in the shade, and fell asleep, certain that when he woke up he would be back home again and ready for breakfast.

Rex woke up in the morning because his alarm went off. He had a clock in his head and the clock had 3 settings, breakfast, lunch and dinner. There was also an alarm that went off at half past each of those settings. So, he woke up at half past breakfast, and was very surprised to find that he was still in the middle of the same dream, but being a highly educated dog, he soon realized he was not in a dream after all, but was lost, as lost as a dog belonging to royalty could be.

Even so, he was not the least bit scared because by now the Queen’s entire army would be out searching for him, not to mention the townspeople who knew that there was a reward for his return. All he had to do was wait.

Far away, back in the Palace, the queen, worried about Rex, kept making her clicking sound, and out in the town the various people were walking around also making the sound just like a bunch of chickens, but Rex could not be found.

It just so happened that the entire day went by and Rex came across no people, and no people came across him. He got further and further away from the town, out into the part of the countryside where all the farms were. The only time he had been out in the country was in the Queen’s carriage, and he would poke his nose out the window and examine all the interesting smells in the air. Having traveled in the countryside before, he expected he would be able to find some lunch very easily and he was quite correct.

The first person he came across was a young girl working in a vegetable garden in the front of her house. Her name, I happen to know, was Sarah, but I do not know how old she was. She did know how to add and subtract, but she did not know how to divide. Also, she could do multiplication to 4 times 4 but could not yet do 5 times 5, so you can figure out her age for yourself.

She was a blond child whose mother had put her hair up in pigtails. She was dressed in overalls. Rex went up to her and poked his nose into her forehead, because she was kneeling in the garden planting radishes. She felt a very cold spot in the middle of her head, and looked up suddenly.

Rex took two steps back and then two steps forward, then he took another two steps forward and back. If you are familiar with dog language then you know that this is translated into English as “I want to play.” The child who knew addition, but did not know dog language, guessed the meaning, and so she knocked Rex over into the dirt of the garden. Rex jumped up anxious to be knocked over again; he also ran around in three circles and then licked Sarah’s face all over. In this way the two became friends. When Sarah went into the house for lunch Rex went along with her. And so it came to pass, the Rex, who was the Queen's beloved dog, became the property of a farm girl for a period of time.

—Richard Britell