THE ARTFUL MIND August 2013
KINUKO Y. CRAFT Contemporary Painter and Illustrator Photography by Sabine Vollmer von Falken
Monthly Berkshire Artzine
Since 1994
WATERWORKS PAINTINGS BT PAT HOGAN
4 August 17-29, 2013 CATA GALLERY 70 RAILROAD ST. GT. BARRINGTON, MA OPENING RECEPTION AUGUST 17 • 5 to 7
THE ARTFUL MIND AUGUST 2013 •1
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The ArTful Mind
CALENDAR OF ARTFUL EVENTS
museums & galleries
510 WARREN STREET GALLERY hudson, nY • 518-822-0510 recent Paintings by linda Clayton, "BeinG in The MYSTerY", Aug 2-25
ALLIUM RESTAURANT And GAllerY 42 railroad St, Gt Barrington, MA • 413-528-2118 / opentable.com Allium will feature the selected works from Berkshire-based artist Sean riley beginning Tuesday, May 21. riley will be showing a new body of work that includes paintings on panel as well as dyed-paper collages. These colorful works evoke certain qualities of fabric and use patterns that fold in upon themselves in origamilike fashions that give rise to a tension between flat and three-dimensional space. A.P.E GALLERY northampton, MA • 413-529-1895 A PriZe eVerY TiMe!Sally Curcio, Amy Johnquest, Anne laPrade Seuthe. September 6th thru 29th, 2013 BERKSHIRE ART GALLERY 80 railroad St, Gt Barrington, MA • 528-2690 www.berkshireartgallery.com 19th and early 20th Century American & european art and sculpture, contemporary artists
CATA CATA GALLERY 70 railrd. St. Gt. Barrington, MA Solo exhibit of work by Berkshire artist Pat hogan from August 15 through August 29. The public is invited to a reception August 17 from 5 to 7 pm.
FRONT STREET GALLERY front St., housatonic, MA • 413-274-6607 / 413-528-9546, or cell at 413-429-7141 housatonic Gallery for students and artists. featuring watercolors by Kate Knapp (Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm or by appointment) GALLERY 25 311 north Street, Pittsfield, Studio #9 • 413-442-7718, or 413841-1659 • margebride-paintings.com/ margebride@aol.com Solo exhibit of watercolors by Marguerite Bride entitled “Passports during the entire month of August; an opening reception will be held on friday, August 2 from 5-8 pm. (by appointment only) GOOD PURPOSE GALLERY 40 Main Street, lee, MA / www.goodpurpose.org A retrospective, showcasing John K. lawson’s recent and previous works of art will be on display til September 2.
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF AMHERST 742 Main St., Amherst, MA • 413-549-5115 Gallery: no One is home: Barcodes, Suburbia and the holocaust. Simone Alter Muri and harriet Graicerstein. Mother - daughter collaboration. Aug - Oct 25
NEUMANN FINE ART 65 Cold Water St., hillsdale, nY • www.neumannfineart.com Opening July 6th and running through September 2nd will feature two painters, Ken Young and Jeffrey l. neumann
NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM rte 183, Stockbridge, MA .8 413-298-4100 Snow White and The Seven dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic. Thru Oct 27. enjoy this mischievous and unique retelling of the classic Snow White tale by Adam Gidwitz, bestselling author of in a Glass Grimly and A Tale of dark and Grimm. Book signing to follow. Maya and Beyond:An evening with Jarvis rockwell Thursday, August 15, 5:30 p.m. ART ON MAIN THE GALLERY AT BARNBROOK REALTY 271 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA. • ruth Kolbert’s studio 413-229-0380 / rkolbert 4778@gmail.com
exhibit by ruth Kolbert, "friends, Artists and Special Places: new Paintings” from June 29 to August 29. OXBOW GALLERY 275 Pleasant Street, northampton, MA • 413-586-6300 www.oxbowgallery.org Painters Mark Soderling and liz Wilson, thru Sept. 1
R&F ENCAUSTICS 845 Ten Broeck Avenue, Kingston, nY a solo exhibition of paintings by Visiting Artist, Gregory Wright entitled, forces. This exhibition will be on view from August 3rd through September 21st, SCHANTZ GALLERIES 3 elm St, Stockbridge, MA • 413-298-3044 www.schantzgalleries.com. A destination for those seeking premier artists working in glass. (11 - 5 daily)
SYBIL PERRY The GAllerY AT KinderhOOK GrOuP 19 Main Street (route 41), Salisbury, CT Savor the Seasons,” a solo exhibition of new landscape paintings by Sybil Perry, Cornwall artist, will be on view at The Gallery at Kinderhook Group in Salisbury from August 1 to August 31. ST. FRANCIS GALLERY 1370 Pleasant St, rte 102, lee, MA • 413-717-5199 “Freedom of Expression”, June 28 - August 12. Closed Weekend of August 17; PrinT and PASTe: Aug 23-Sept 30, reception: Aug 31, 3-6pm; COlOr and line, Oct 4 - nov 18, reception: Oct 12, 3-6pm. inSPirATiOn of the SPiriT, nov 22 - Jan 6, reception dec 7, 3-6pm THE HARRISON GALLERY 39 Spring Street, Williamstown, MA Jane Bloodgood-Abrams, Aug 3 - 31
THE WELLES GALLERY @THE LENOX LIBRARY 18 Main st, lenox, MA • 413-637-2630 Art exhibit: The Art of Sol Schwartz. Over 60 paintings, drawings and artists’ proofs, thru Aug 11.
THE STERLING AND FRANCINE CLARK INSTITUTE 255 South St. Williamstown, MA 150th anniversary of edvard Munch's birth with a screening of "Munch 150," part of the "exhibition: Great Art on Screen" series.
UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM Albany, nY / www.albany.edu/museum Summer exhibitions at the university Art Museum feature Sculpture, drawing, and Video.William lamson: A Certain Slant of light / Michelle Segre: Antecedents of the Astra hamster, June 27 through September 14
music/theatre
“GLORY”, THE CIVIL WAR WORLD Pittsfield Cemetery, 203 Wahconah St., Pittsfield, MA "Glory," The Civil War World of Pittsfield is a new historic Pittsfield play by Sally filkins, author of "The Melville Trilogy." The play, presented by VOiCeS Theater Company, in collaboration with Berkshire historical Society. JACOBS PILLOW DANCE - TED SHAWN THEATRE 358 George Carter road - Becket, MA • 413-243-9919
KENDALL STUDIO THEATER Mt. holyoke College, South hadley, MA Aug 9, Aug 10, 8pm: Blind dreAMerS ensemble-created physical theatre with song, text and live music
MASS MoCA 1040 Mass MoCA Way - north Adams, MA • 413-662-2111 July 11: learn how the experience of Kidspace exhibiting artist roger Shimomura in a World War ii Japanese-American intern-
ment camp influenced his pop-art style imagery. The work and themes of this nationally recognized, prolific artist will make for a lively discussion. SALLY-JANE HEIT’S VAUDEVILLE The Guthrie Center, 2 Van deusenville rd., Great Barrington; 413-528-1955 / www.guthriecenter.org/ www.sallyjaneheit.com Sally-Jane heit will return for her 4th Annual Benefit Performance at the Guthrie Center on August 17 at 7 pm. This year she’ll bring something entirely new to the stage, or entirely old depending how you look at it: Vaudeville – A Valentine to an Old Theatre Art form TANNERY POND CONCERTS new lebanon, nY • 888-820-1696 www.tannerypondconcerts.org / info@tannerypondconcerts.org Aug 17, 8pm: Vassily Primakov, piano; natalia lavrova, piano; Sept 7, 8pm: Parnas Piano Trio; Sept 21: Brentano String Quartet
5TH ANNUAL WORDXWORD FESTIVAL Pittsfield, 10 a.m. - Midnight • wxw365.org The 5th Annual WordXWord festival takes place August 11-17, 2013 in Pittsfield. Some of the biggest names in poetry will be participating all week: Jon Sands, robbie Q Telfer, Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz and Adam falkner,among others. Go to for the daily schedule of events.
workshops
BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDENS 5 West Stockbridge road, Stockbridge, MA Botanical illustration: drawing fruits and flowers with Colored Pencil (Wednesday, Thursday and friday, August 14, 15 and 16, 10am - 4pm). Standing Stones in the Garden Stone-Carving Workshop with Karin Sprague (Thursday, August 15, 10am - 5pm)
BERKSHIRE WRITERS ROOM WORKSHOP Pittsfield, MA • 413-842-5014 / dgomez1@nycap.rr.com free workshops will be offered at the lichtenstein Center for the Arts throughout the summer.
SABINE VOLLMER VON FALKNER PhOTOGrAPhiC WOrKShOP • 413-298-4933 www.sabinephotoart.com, info@sabinephotoart.com VieW liGhT WiTh A CriTiCAl eYe dates: September 21 and 22, 2013.
festivals / events
22ND ANNUAL STOCKBRIDGE SUMMER ARTS & CRAFT SHOW Stockbridge, MA • Stockbridge. info@stockbridgechamber.org. The Stockbridge Summer Arts and Crafts Show, now in its twenty first year, will be held August 17 and 18 on 50 Main Street,
film
IMAGES CINEMA Williamstown, MA • www.imagescinema.org Thursday, 8/8, 7pm: The Way Way Back, 9pm: The Way Way Back
FITCHBURG ART MUSEUM 25 Merriam Parkway, fitchburg, MA / www.fitchburgmuseum.org World Premier, Wed, Aug 14, 8pm: At the Sommerville Theatre in Somerville, MA.: Q and A with former fitchburg Art Museum director Peter Timms and film director emily driscoll Send in your calendar submissions by August 10th for the September issue of The Artful Mind artzine! H
THE ARTFUL MIND AUGUST 2013 •3
1370 Pleasant St, Rte. 102, Lee, MA
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The ArTful Mind
THE ARTFUL MIND
artzine
July 2013
Art speaks in many languages
THE MUSIC STORE
Kinuko Y. Craft /Contemporary Painter and illustrator Photography by Sabine Vollmer von Falken Page 14 A Drawing Tradition Eunice Agar ... 11
Planet Waves AUGUST Eric Francis ... 12 Kinuko Y. Craft Contemporary Painter and illustrator Harryet Candee ...14
The Dennis Bezanowitz Coffee House Commission Richard Britell ... 18 Simply Sasha Sasha Seymour...... 19
Architecture & Arcadia Stephen Dietemann..... 19 Contributing Writers and Monthly Columnists Eunice Agar, Richard Britell Stephen Gerard Dietemann Eric Francis, Sasha Seymour
Photographers Stephen Donaldson, Lee Everett, Jane Feldman, Sabine Vollmer von Falken, Cassandra Sohn Publisher Harryet Candee
Copy Editor
Marguerite Bride
Proofreader Amy Tanner
Advertising and Graphic Design Harryet Candee
Box 985, Great Barrington, MA 01230 artfulmind@yahoo.com issuu.com/theartfulmindartzine 413-528-5628
All submissions for September due :: August 17, 2013 (email or call)
FYI: ŠCopyright laws in effect throughout The Artful Mind for logo & all graphics including text material. Copyright laws for photographers and writers throughout The Artful Mind. Permission to reprint is required in all instances. In any case the issue does not appear on the stands as planned due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, advertisers will be compensated on a one to one basis. Disclaimer rights available upon request. Serving the Art community with the intention of enhancing communication and sharing positive creativity in all aspects of our lives.
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The Music Store offers music lovers and musicians of all ages and abilities a myriad of musical instruments, accessories and gifts that will help them join in the chorus of Berkshire living. Acclaimed as one of the area’s best music stores, The Music Store specializes in fine, folk and unusual musical instruments, accessories, supplies and music motif gifts. Music lovers and professional and amateur musicians alike will find an exciting array of both new and used name-brand and hand-made instruments, extraordinary folk instruments and one of the northeast’s finest selections of strings and reeds. Music Store customers enjoy fine luthier handmade classical guitars, the peerless irish Avalon steel string guitars, Breedlove , the Baden Pantheon uSA guitars, as well as guitars from other fine lines including Alvarez, Avalon, Composite Acoustic, fender, Prestige, dBZ, luna, recording King and Takamine. Acoustic and electric guitars from entry to professional level instruments are available. famous names including consignment guitars and basses join less-well-known brands which appeal to those seeking high quality but are on tight budgets, providing any guitarist a tempting cornucopia of playing possibilities. unusual instruments are also available, including the locally hand-made Sonic Boxes, lovely and unique Cigar Box Guitars and diddly-Bows, by our very own dr. easy. Come in and meet him! We also carry the Sheffield-made and internationally adored fluke and flea ukeleles and the peerless and lovely Stockbridge-made Serenity bamboo and walking stick flutes. new and used student orchestral and band instruments are available, including violins from $159 to $3000. An extensive array of international strings and reeds provides choices for the newest student to the symphonic performer. Children’s instruments, as well as a fine line of international percussion including Middle eastern and handmade African instruments along with many choices of industry standard drum heads, stands, and sticks, as well as tuners, forks and metronomes can be found as well. All new instruments are backed by The Music Store’s lifetime warranty which provides free set-up and adjustments on any new instrument sold. And of course expert luthiery at excellent prices, as well as authorized repairs on lowden and Takamine guitars, is provided by Sean Barry for those whose stringed instruments need repair, Those in search of the perfect present for music lovers will find a treasure trove of gift favorites such as bumper stickers (“driver Singing,� “Go home and Practice,� Tune it or die� and more), tee shirts, caps, scarves, miniature musical instruments and instrument magnets, music motif mugs, socks, totes and ties. Small bronze and metal musician statues and cuddly ‘Music lover’ stuffed animals, lapel pins and earrings add additional possibilities to gift giving customers. A proud server of the community for over eleven years, The Music Store’s warm and friendly staff are available for help in tuning, stringing or instrument repair. help in choosing tuners, capos, mutes shoulder rests and strings is as happily given as help in selecting instruments themselves. Since our mission is to support and encourage our musical community, consultation and advice are always free. Professional musicians seeking the finest or unusual strings or accessories are welcome to call in advance. We will make every effort to satisfy the need! for capos to kazoos, guiros to congas, rainsticks to rosin, bows to bodhrans, mandolins to microphones, reeds to rods, Strats to stands, local artist’s Cds and harmonicas to picture frames and music motif ornaments, instruments and more, The Music Store is the place to be. The Music Store, 87 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, MA, open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 to 5, and on Sundays from 12 to 5. Call 413-528-2460 or visit themusicstoreplus.com
KAREN J. ANDREWS dAffOdilS BY KAren J. AndreWS
inner ViSiOn STudiO
inner Vision Studio is back in business. doors will re-open on Sat, June 29, 1-5 pm and will be open a total of 5 weekends throughout the summer. Visitors are always welcome to call ahead to arrange a private studio visit. i am a watercolor painter and a photographer, and each medium enhances my ability to see what’s in front of me. Sometimes i combine them in unusual ways. i try to express the magic of the visual world, those moments of opening into the spirit underlying what is seen. “Your photographs made everyday things magical. Thank you for sharing the “real world� as seen through the lens of your camera.� - D. H. it’s such a privilege having my own gallery space, as it allows me to interact with art lovers and art buyers first hand. i can talk about what inspired me to do a particular piece, or answer any questions about technique, approach or subject matter. The best thing is that i am free to make and exhibit whatever is currently exciting to me, be it watercolor paintings, landscape photographs or abstract drawing. i’m not limited by a gallery’s dictates. i exhibit original watercolors and drawings; photographs in all sizes (4�x6� to 3’ x 4’); and giclee prints. One of my specialties is helping people select a variety of work to decorate their second home, or to bring back a souvenir of the rich, Berkshire landscape. “I’m amazed at your ability to capture, form, movement and emotion. I was absolutely stopped by your watercolors in order to allow a wave of emotions.� - J. M. i encourage you to come visit the gallery on your way to Tanglewood or whenever you are traveling through the Stockbridge area. My customers tell me that another advantage is that my prices are very affordable for the value they get. There is no gallery mark-up here. Inner Vision Studio is located just one mile north of West Stockbridge village, taking Swamp Rd, left on Cone Hill, 2nd left on Furnace Rd. We’re also on the web: innerVision-Studio.com, or call ahead for a private studio visit: 413-232-4027
ARTS ET INDUSTRIE BirdS, BuGS & BOTAnY™
it was the Age of discovery & the era of enlightenment. exploration around the world in the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries fueled a fascination with Botany, natural history & flora. emissaries fanned out across the globe gathering specimens of exotic flowers & fauna to be catalogued by preeminent naturalists & bound into grand volumes. for these great books brilliant illustrations were drawn & carved into copper plates, hand-printed & individually colored by some of the most excellent artists of all time. These magnificent original prints will be the focus of Art et industrie’s spring exhibition at the Great Barrington Train Station, entitled BirdS, BuGS & BOTAnY™. featured will be selected works from some of the greatest Botanical illustrators of the Golden Age of Botany, including early hand-colored flower engravings by Sydenham edwards for Curtis’s Botanical Magazine from the 1780’s forward, Stipple-engravings By Pierre J.f. Turpin for Chaumeton’s 1815 flore Medicale, rare contemporaneous examples by ‘The raphael of flowers’ Pierre-Joseph redouté, spectacular hand-colored orchids by John nugent fitch for robert Warner’s 1882 The Orchid Album, lavish lithographs from van houtte’s mid-19th c. flore des Serres and others. Also featured will be select original J.J. Audubon handcolored bird-prints from his 1840 Octavo edition of The Birds of America together with full-size re-creations of the original havell engravings from the rare Amsterdam edition, as well as wonderful works from Shaw & nodder’s 1790-1814 naturalist’s Miscellany, stunning engravings of shells, incredible early renderings of butterflies, moths, bees & spiders. All these & many more will be presented together with a selection of fine reproductions on Greeting Cards, Giclees & scarves at our newest location next to the Farmer’s Market at the Old Great Barrington Train Station.
FRONT STREET GALLERY red BOWl WiTh eGG PlAnTS, KATe KnAPP
KATe KnAPP
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. 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. A teacher for many years, Kate Knapp has a keen sense of each student’s artistic needs to take a step beyond. Perfect setting for setting up still lifes; lighting and space are excellent. Kate Knapp’s paintings are also on display at 510 Warren St. Gallery in hudson, nY. Please stop by to see all the many works of art by exceptional artists. Coming soon to front Street Gallery – Front Street Gallery – Front Street, Housatonic, MA. Gallery open by appointment or chance. 413-528-9546 or
NEWS!! Seeking live models for evening drawing classes... Please call for info!
413-429-7141 (cell)....
MARGUERITE BRIDE MArGueriTe Bride
WATerCOlOrS
PASSPOrTS, a solo exhibit of watercolors will continue at Gallery 25 until August 31. This show is a nostalgic watercolor journey through many of the artist’s favorite places away from the Berkshires, most requiring a passport. The paintings in this exhibit were influenced by travels to italy, Montreal, Paris, ireland, and england. in addition there will be a selection of fine art reproductions and note cards of scenes from other distant locales as well. Gallery 25 is located at 25 union Street, Pittsfield, across the street from Barrington Stage. hours are 12 noon - 5 pm Thursday - Saturday or by appointment with the artist. The gallery is usually open one hour before Barrington Stage performances during the summer for light refreshments before the show; often the artist will be present. hOuSe POrTrAiTS, a solo exhibit at the Kinderhook Group realty office at 137 north Street in Pittsfield will open September 6 and run through the entire month of September. This show will display a wide array of the different types of house portraits one can commission. The artist will be present during the reception to discuss the process and will provide handouts and information as well. Artist reception will be held on friday, September 6, 5 – 8 pm, in conjunction with Pittsfield’s first fridays Artswalk. Maps are available at all participating venues. Marguerite Bride, NUarts Studios, 311 North Street, Pittsfield, Studio #9, by appointment. Call 413-442-7718, or 413841-1659 (cell); website: margebride-paintings.com email: margebride@aol.com
PAT HOGAN PAT hOGAn
WATerWOrKS
The CATA Gallery will feature a solo exhibit of work by Berkshire artist Pat hogan from August 15 through August 29. The public is invited to a reception August 17 from 5 to 7 pm. Waterworks is a retrospective of paintings created over twenty years in the Berkshires and includes traditional watercolors and abstract acrylics. hogan finds endless inspiration and beauty in the hills, rivers and back yards of Western Massachusetts . new work, reflecting a new passion and finesse, features a collection of watercolor portraits and figures in charcoal. hogan, a veteran teacher, offers instruction on Mondays year round and occasional weekend workshops. The Monday students are painters whose experience ranges from beginner to professional. hogan is also a passionate supporter and faculty member of CATA, Community Access to the Arts. in this role, she teaches artists with disabilities from whom she learns something wonderful every day. CATA Gallery at 70 Railroad Street, Great Barrington. Artist contact: phgbma@gmail.com, pathogan.com
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SYBIL PERRY
SAVOr The SeASOnS
“Savor the Seasons,” a solo exhibition of new landscape paintings by Sybil Perry, Cornwall artist, will be on view at The Gallery at Kinderhook Group in Salisbury from August 1 to August 31. On Saturday, August 3rd from 4-6pm there will be a reception, an artist’s talk and wine and hors d’oeuvres. The public is cordially invited to attend. The exhibition features over twenty new paintings of landscapes. The artist explains, “i feel a deep personal connection to the land and the natural world, and find continual inspiration returning again and again to distant fields, woods, sparkling lake water and clouds. i want to capture the air, the light—- the particular mystery of it. i am celebrating the many seasons we are so fortunate to experience in this northwest Corner. The artist has been drawing and painting all her life but she discovered pastels only six years ago. drawing with such pure pigment is so immediately satisfying that she has given her oils away to a friend. it was the right decision. After 25 years of painting professionally, with her work included in museum, gallery, and juried exhibitions, this is the medium she’s passionate about. The Gallery at Kinderhook Group, 19 Main Street (Route 41), Salisbury, CT For hours and information, contact the Gallery at Kinderhook Group at 860-435-0700 or the artist at 860-6721434, email: sybilmperry6@att.net. To view the exhibition online, visit: www.sybilmperry.com and “New Work.”
SALLY-JANE HEIT’S VAUDEVILLE The GuThrie CenTer
Sally-Jane heit will return for her 4th Annual Benefit Performance at the Guthrie Center on August 17 at 7 pm. This year she’ll bring something entirely new to the stage, or entirely old depending how you look at it: Vaudeville – A Valentine to an Old Theatre Art form. Sally-Jane fell in love with vaudeville when, as a young child her mother would bring her to vaudeville performances performed between the movies at theatres in new York. By the time she embarked on her long career in theatre, television, and movies, vaudeville was dead. She says, “Before it was eaten alive by television, Vaudeville was the place anyone with a dream could test their wings.” Over a span of decades performing on stages and screens of every kind, Sally-Jane has gathered, written, and performed a variety of comedy sketches and songs. Originals, unfamiliar but memorable published songs, and familiar favorites are all housed in her own theatrical trunk. On August 17 she will open that trunk to pay homage to a by-gone era that birthed some of the greatest stars, songwriters, animal handlers, producers, and writers in show business, including Al Jolson, fanny Brice, Jack Benny, George Burns, and Sarah Bernhardt. in classic vaudeville tradition, the show will include a variety of acts. She’ll introduce her grandson, eli Catlin who “sings the blues channeling Muddy Waters”. her longtime friend and musical partner, uel Wade will accompany her on piano. A few other surprises will also make their way into the performance. This Vaudeville comes complete with the famous “hook”, of course only to be used at the discretion of the star. A dessert and champagne reception with the artist will follow the performance. Tickets for Vaudeville: A Valentine to an Old Theatre Art form are $25 and can be purchased by calling The Guthrie Center. The Guthrie Center, 2 Van Deusenville Rd., Great Barrington; 413-528-1955, www.guthriecenter.org. More information on Sally-Jane Heit at www.sallyjaneheit.com
The ArTful Mind AuGuST 2013 • 9
SABINE PHOTO ART
GOOD PURPOSE GALLERY TeMPTATiOn PiAnO, JOhn K. lAWSOn
JOhn K. lAWSOn
A solo exhibit, A retrospective, showcasing John K. lawson’s recent and previous works of art will be on display at Good Purpose Gallery in lee, until September 2. John K. lawson was born in Birmingham, england, in 1962 and raised mostly in the countryside until his family moved to South london when he was a young teenager. he first came to America on a student exchange program in engineering at louisiana State university in Baton rouge. There his artistic abilities were encouraged, and he returned to england two years later to concentrate on landscape painting. eventually, lawson was drawn back to the deep South, and soon became part of an underground art culture in new Orleans that included working in tattoo, T-shirt and mural designs long before these mediums became mainstream. lawson also became known for his unique drawing style and creations using discarded Mardi Gras beads. he covered mannequins, pianos, and drums with intricate bead work, including a fifty-three-foot-long bar top at the notorious artists’ haven, the Audubon hotel. Since hurricane Katrina, lawson divides his time between studios in new York City and Great Barrington. Good Purpose Gallery will also present an Artist’s Poetry reading – friday, August 30, 5:30-7:30 pm. Good Purpose Gallery, 40 Main Street, Lee, MA. Visit www.goodpurpose.org for more information. Gallery Hours: 8:30-4:30 Mon, Wed, Thurs; 9-5 Fri-Sat; 9-3 Sunday.
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The ArTful Mind
The Artful Mind showcases sabine’s work since 1994, the very beginning of the monthly Berkshire Artzine. Still young at 20 something, sabine’s studio has become a brand for contemporary, unobtrusive, relaxed photography in the european style. did you have a “sabine” experience? it might be just the time for you to book your first sitting. every master of photography has a gift for seeing the world in a particular way. hers are picking the subject matters, the subtleties of lighting and the nuance of background, also her eye for detail which concludes to the result of timeless imagery. Assignments are tailored to meet her client’s needs- a remembrance for a special event of a life time or a logo image to create an authentic professional online presence. it is to no surprise that she is a sought-after documentary and editorial photographer with the talent of bringing introspective to the art of people photography. She is the interviewer, provoker and image-maker. Photographic workshops are scheduled for this late summer: VIEW LIGHT WITH A CRITICAL EYE explore the beautiful light of the Berkshires by taking a weekend photography workshop. in this workshop participants learn how natural light can create drama. designed for serious learners who are interested in improving their artistic eye. All participants are asked to bring a digital Slr camera. event dates: September 21 and 22, 2013. Photo Art and Book Signing by appointment “WOOdlAnd STYle” and “Shell ChiC”, published by Storey Publishing, author Marlene h. Marshall, all photography by sabine can be purchased from your nearby book stores. Signed fine art prints are directly available through sabine’s studio. Sabine is a member of The American Society of Media Photographers asmp. The international Center of Photography iCP and the Wedding Photojournalist Association, WPJA. For more info please contact Sabine Vollmer von Falken Photography Studio www.sabinephotoart.com, info@sabinephotoart.com, tel. 413-298-4933.
CONSCIOUS EXERCISE FOR ARTISTS ShArOn True On PilATeS APPArATuS
ShArOn True
regular exercise is an essential component of optimal health and functioning. Conscious exercise with Sharon True, owner of WholePerson Movement, takes exercise to a whole new level. in the personalized one-on-one workouts she creates in her Pilates studio she guides her clients to become masters of their own body movement. They learn to become conscious of the inner experience and process of doing an exercise, as well as of its precise outer form. Conscious exercise workouts stretch and strengthen muscles, promote concentration, reduce stress, and deepen understanding of the body. Who needs Conscious exercise? Artists whose art-making process involves doing painful repetitive movements are one group of people who can benefit from True’s Conscious exercise approach to Pilates workouts. for them, True teaches specific therapeutic exercises that promote comfort and healing, and coaches them in finding internal support and other strategies for reducing pain when creating in their art form. More broadly, Conscious exercise empowers people to make the most of the body they have. This includes individuals who currently enjoy active lifestyles, such as performers, athletes, gardeners, and those who love all the outdoor activities that the Berkshires has to offer, as well as those who want to maintain or improve their physical fitness through a challenging Pilates workout. it also includes individuals who are confronted with impediments to their enjoyment of movement, such as injury or chronic pain, stiffness, difficulties with balance and coordination, or lack of body confidence. True welcomes the opportunity to find a way to help your body function at its best, no matter what age or condition it is in now. True is a registered somatic movement therapist, certified laban movement analyst, and a certified Pilates instructor. Most recently she has completed training as a Pfilates™ (Pelvic floor Pilates) instructor to enable her to assist her clients to improve and potentially cure pelvic floor disorders such as incontinence. She has been teaching Pilates-based workouts for over 15 years, first at Canyon ranch in the Berkshires and then in her own fully-equipped Pilates studio in Great Barrington. These years of teaching, together with her commitment to continuing her own education, give clients the benefit of a vast array of experience to effectively address their goals and concerns. She is an expert partner and guide in the discovery of an exercise program that works and is a pleasure to do. Act now to start making the most of the body you have with a Conscious Exercise workout. Contact Sharon True at sharontrue@roadrunner.com or phone 413-5282465, 9 AM-9 PM.
A drAWinG TrAdiTiOn
ROBIN BLUMENTHAL
jEFFREY KRAMER
MONICA MILLER
By eunice Agar There are many extraordinary artists who have spent a lifetime doing representational drawing from the figure, and schools like the Art Student's league of new York, founded in l875, and the national Academy of design, have always had outstanding realists on their faculties. however, starting in the l950's and even earlier, representational drawing was not in fashion in avant-garde circles. There is even a story from the l980's, possibly apocryphal, that one art school eliminated drawing from it's curriculum, but a group of students persuaded a sympathetic faculty member to teach drawing after hours when the school was technically closed. Gradually, over time, the art world has become more eclectic, less doctrinaire, more interesting so that today artists working every conceivable style and medium are exhibited in major galleries and discussed in the art press. last spring the St. Francis Gallery in lee presented a group show, “Go figure,” of sixteen Berkshire County artists who use the figure for painting, drawing, photography, printmaking and sculpture done with straight realism, expressionism combining line and wash, and both geometric and painterly abstraction. Monica Miller's two six-foot life-size drawings took months to complete and contrast with rapidly developed expressive work by frances Pelligrino and Suzette Alsop, abstractions by dan Brody, and pen and ink drawings by linda BakerCimini. There was also sculpture by Paula Stern, drawings by John henry Cox. Monica Miller's drawings are on permanent exhibit. The exhibit illustrates the fact that for many artists drawing from the figure is not just a question of introductory training at the beginning of a career. it is an ongoing practice considered essential to a thorough understanding of line and form in space which can then
be applied to their work in any style or medium. Artists in Berkshire County are fortune to have available open studios where they can work independently from a model as well take formal courses as readily as in new York City. IS183 Art School of the Berkshires, located in the interlaken section of Stockbridge off route l83, has had an open studio on Monday nights from six to nine ever since it's founding in 1991. Jeffrey Kramer, who does expressive drawings combining line and color, has been a regular there for many years. The school also offers formal figure drawing courses both in interlaken and at its extension at the little red Schoolhouse in Williamstown. Berkshire Community College has a figure drawing course at its Pittsfield campus, and for many years Mario Calouri ran an open studio with a model at the lichtenstein Center for the Arts, also in Pittsfield. in South County the newly relocated Renaissance Art School at Jenifer house Commons in Great Barrington offers courses in figure drawing. in the Sheffield Library, harvey Kimmelman has set up an open studio with a model that meets on Wednesday nights from five to seven. robin Blumenthal, a regular there, does large expressive drawings that emphasize form and contour. The Opera House in hudson, nY periodically has a series of open studios on Sunday mornings. for many years Stanley Maltzman has run an open studio in the Greenville library Gallery in Greenville, nY. recently “Arts Alive,” published by the Greene County Council on the Arts in Catskill, nY., featured an article on plans for a new school for the visual arts scheduled to open this Septem-
ber at the Old Schoolhouse in harlemville near hawthorne Valley School. That too may provide a venue for an independent studio. for information, contact the Chatham Bookstore. h
The ArTful Mind AuGuST 2013 • 11
Planet Waves
Aries (March 20-April 19)
Since the last time Jupiter was in Cancer, we’ve become surrounded by a ‘national security state’, designed to defend us against enemies who don’t exist. everything about your chart suggests you consider the theme of your need to defend yourself, why you might do so, and against whom. What i see is that you’re trying to integrate some aspect of yourself you’ve been in denial of, some wild, expressive aspect of who you are that looks like it’s been buried in your psyche. You don’t need to defend yourself; i suggest you express yourself. The question is, do you feel safe enough to do that? if you don’t, the answer is not more resistance, or pushing back against anything that threatens you. The way forward involves courage. it’s closer than you think.
Taurus (April 19-May 20)
remember, it’s not really lovemaking if you fold your clothes first. As a Taurus, you have your own ways of taking risks. One involves thinking through every detail until there is no chance for spontaneity. Another involves not thinking at all. There are spaces to explore that are less frustrating and more fulfilling than these two polarities. it’s enough to know you want to do something, and ro be aware there’s a risk in everything — especially matters of the heart. Make peace with the risk factor. Then it’ll be easier to make contact with the creative factor: your ability to think on your feet in any situation. Trust that and you’ll worry less and have considerably more fun.
Gemini (May 20-June 21)
Keep your focus on what is important to you, and how it factors into every facet of your life. i am often amazed at the extent to which people omit the importance of their own values, whether in relationships or in their work. There is a matter involving the way your parents influenced your attitude about money and your ability to act on what is most meaningful to you. Mercury sta-
JAne feldMAn
August 2013
tioning direct this past weekend looked like a revolution, where you throw off the influences of people who have no business running your life and could not care less about what you actually feel; this is a revolution driven by a discovery of your passion and the resulting drive to be free.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Many planets are focused on your sign right now, painting a scene that shows you unearthing long-denied aspects of your being. The feelings involved are encrypted on some of your deepest psychological levels. They represent things that make contemporary people most nervous — our deepest desires, fears, needs, pain we’ve denied, what we feel ashamed of. Yet these feelings are where we hold the power we so often say we want to make contact with. One aspect of your astrology is magnifying all this and making it clear what you’ve been holding onto. Another factor is an opening for a dialog with yourself: the ability to be vividly honest. Worry not what other people might think. This is not about your relationships; it’s about healing and growing into your relationship to yourself.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)
The Sun entered your sign in grand style this year, just hours before Monday’s Aquarius full Moon. Prior to that you may have felt like you were in some kind of psychic or emotional morass. Struggling or resisting does not help; i suggest you conserve your energy, find the most efficient ways to do things, then actually follow the plan. Avoid anything that seems to be taking too much effort; it’ll be easier once the Sun has ingressed your sign and the Moon reaches full phase (Monday). That means planning for modest achievements until then, taking the care to analyze your methods and your approaches and to actually notice where your energy is going, where it’s being wasted and where it’s getting results. This is extremely valuable information.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
Sometimes when i write about being clear in one’s communication, i forget how much people struggle to express themselves, and how daring it can feel. i forget how little effort some people put into listening, even when something directly impacts them. i put all this to you now. if you want to get anywhere, you must be clear with yourself, with others, and you must truly listen to what is said to you. This may require extra patience, insisting others both be clear and have patience, and willingness to know what is actually true for you and for others without going into denial. in our world that is asking a lot. But it’s not a lot if it’s the only thing standing between you and progress.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)
PhOTOGrAPhY WWW.JAnefeldMAn.COM
JAnefeldMAnPhOTO@GMAil.COM
12 • August 2013 The ArTful Mind
There is something specific on your mind. You haven’t figured out what it is yet, but it’s there, nagging you to pay attention. You’re trying to keep a secret from yourself. Yet it looks like something you dearly want to reveal — not just to yourself but to others. You seem on the verge of discovery. here’s the catch: As fast as you discover what this thing is, you might forget, or you might decide it’s too personal to consider for long, or to even consider revealing to others. Yet that does not make it less important, helpful or meaningful. i suggest the moment you discover what this is, write it down. Then read it and elaborate and make sure that you remember.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-nov. 22)
More than anything i see you struggling to have a wider perspective. if you want to do that, you need an accurate assessment of how wide your current perspective is. Since that measure is subjective, and you’re in your own mind, this is not easy to deduce.
by Eric Francis
i suggest doing some comparison-shopping. Set aside, temporarily, any tendencies toward jealousy; that just gets in the way. Then consider the viewpoints of people you know have a broader, deeper, more creative approach to life than you do. Consider people who apply more imagination than you do. notice what they’re doing and how they’re doing it — then consider your life in that style. if you feel panicky, that’s a hint you’re going in the right direction.
Sagittarius (nov. 22-dec. 22) if you’re going to explore your passion, desire or your need to surrender, choose someone who is either a match for your energy or has a lot more mojo than you do. Then, bring yourself fully into the situation. Allow yourself to participate. Set aside your usual approach-avoid routine; remember how long you’ve waited to let go of all this energy you’re holding onto. in case you’re tempted to keep holding on, ask yourself how that’s serving you — even if that ‘service’ is negative. There’s a long list of possibilities, and it would be excellent if you were really familiar with this material. There are many more reasons why you will be happier if you uncork the bottle and let yourself breathe, feel and spill over your brim.
Capricorn (dec. 22-Jan. 20) Are there enough influences in our society designed to make us paranoid? i suggest you filter them out for a while, and invest energy in people and activities that cultivate positive responses in you. use discernment, because not everyone who seems positive really is; you will be able to tell by your emotional response. Yet you may also discover just how much negativity, fear, hostility and corruption there is. What you’re faced with is a spiritual question of how you want these things to influence you. The external factors are there. Your mission is to determine how you respond to your environment and who and what you allow closer to you. discernment is the key. This will require vigilance and care, and a commitment to love and life. Aquarius (Jan. 20-feb. 19)
Old astrology books remind Aquarians to fill their urn before ladling out the water to others. This is spiritual healing 101. There is some good logic to this, including the fact that when you’re nourished, prepared and alert, you will be more helpful in the process of assisting or serving others. That is the message of your charts now. Get yourself oriented in your physical space, which seems to have undergone changes lately. Make sure you have whatever you need. Get your work organized to the level where you know what to do and when to do it. This will create boundaries to work within. Over the next few days, make sure you take plenty of time to yourself. Set aside obligations to others. Get rest and drink water.
Pisces (feb. 19-March 20) This is the boldest and most confident i’ve ever seen a Pisces chart. Therefore if you’re not feeling good, you need to make some basic adjustments. One is to set aside your fears. As a Pisces you’re more aware than anyone that all things are possible. The word confidence means ‘with faith’, and i suggest you find that within yourself. it won’t be difficult, and one success will build on another. if you’re not the outgoing type, now is the time to practice. Go to the point where you feel a little pushy or like you’re winning people over with your charm and the force of your personality. Trust that your ideas probably are the best ones in the neighborhood, and remind yourself often about all you’ve accomplished. The best is yet to come. Read Eric Francis daily at PlanetWaves.net
IS183
ART SCHOOL OF THE BERKSHIRES
SuMMer SChedule
iS183, Art School of the Berkshires, encourages eVerYOne in Berkshire County to explore their creativity with one of iS183’s weekend workshops, studio classes or, for the younger set, summer camps. from beginners interested in learning a new skill to experienced artists looking for a tune up, iS183’s variety of media- drawing, ceramics, photography, etching and painting are just a few of the options – offer something for everyone. Classes, workshops and camps are scheduled throughout July and August at both our Williamstown and Stockbridge locations. for beginning artists, iS183 offers introductory courses (also helpful for more experienced artists who need to refresh their skills) in many different media. in just a weekend, The fundamentals of drawing: A Gateway to the Creation of fine Art in Stockbridge on July 27 and 28, will give budding artists a solid foundation in this essential skill. Working on the potter’s wheel is an art form that many people find intriguing; newcomers can explore this form of ceramics with intro to Wheelworking, a two day workshop in Stockbridge on August 10 and 11. All basic wheelworking techniques will be explored in this beginning course. Techniques in Gouache Painting, a two day workshop in Williamstown on August 10 and 11, teaches beginning and intermediate students the basics of gouache and oil painting: drawing, composition and color mixing. Some workshops that iS183 offers are appropriate for all skill levels. etching and Monoprint intensive in Pittsfield provides artists of all skill levels instruction in a variety of etching techniques. iS183 has creative opportunities for children (aged 3 through high school) with summer art and theatre camps in Williamstown and Stockbridge through August 23rd. At the art camps – each either one or two weeks long - creative activity is balanced between inside and outside pursuits, all under the guidance of experienced faculty artists. Art camps are filling up fast; to register for a camp or a workshop – or for more information about any of iS183’s offerings, visit iS183’s website or call. iS183 Art School of the Berkshires is a not-for-profit community art school whose mission is to encourage people of all ages, means and skill levels to enrich their lives through handson experience in the visual arts. iS183 offers year-round programs in ceramics, painting, drawing, fiber arts, sculpture, animation, mixed media, photography, collage, jewelry and more for children, teens and adults—at locations throughout Berkshire County through collaborative partnerships with schools and other cultural organizations. Programs are offered daytime, evenings and weekends, for all levels—from the absolute beginner to the professional artist. IS183 Art School, PO Box 1400, 13 Willard Hill Road, Stockbridge Mass. Visit www.is183.org, or call 413-298-5252, ext. 100 or email amy@is183.org
ST. FRANCIS GALLERY
The wealth of the Berkshires is clearly evident in the most recent show, “expressions of freedom” which will continue into mid August. Blessed. With artists who have a strong desire to express themselves in unique ways, this collection of works are dominated by the creative endeavors of the late ernest Chase. his spirit infuses the gallery with a range of expression that enormously diverse from furniture and lamps to sculpture enclosed in cases that themselves alone are works of art. his assemblage and “primitive” creations both inspires and amuse. his paintings have depth that is both sensitive and mysterious as well as exquisite. Complimenting Chases’ wide range are works by other local established and emerging artists. denise Chandler’s photographic explorations invite the viewer to explore the world around them in unique and beautiful ways. Jim Singelis has the most powerful and emotional canvases the gallery has seen and they are halting and arresting as well as majestic. Scott Taylor’s moving expressions help carry the theme of this exhibit along with Carole hyatt’s sensitive and provocative assemblages that like his previous works and make strong statements. Bruce Mcdonald’s etching and large oils and watercolors also echo the issues of our times sharing space with a large almost sculptured canvas by leo Mazzeo’s “perseverance.” Sharon Vidal’s Polaroid manipulations and artful recreations are eagerly collected by gallery visitors. Annie laurie’s magical pastels express our connectedness and interwoven lives. And, as usual Paula Stern has added more to her collection of sculptures which have homes in Jacob’s Pillow and Shakespeare and Company. finally, Gareth Sandler’s glass, which glows with beautiful and is both functional and sculptural. All of these creations will soon be eclipsed by a new show of collage artists to begin August 23rd. These rather large selections of well-known Berkshires Artisans continues to demonstrate the wealth of talent that is hidden in the Berkshire hills. The gallery will provide many beautiful ways that collage has become a most wonderful art form and has a depth and range of expression that is amazingly creative. The St. Francis Gallery is located on Rte. 102, Pleasant St, South Lee, MA., 413-717-5199. Open Friday-Monday 11 5:30pm
The ArTful Mind AuGuST 2013 • 13
When you see your empty painting panel or blank paper surface, smooth as glass looking up at you, what are the first things that go through your mind? How do you first begin to sculpt a commission for a book cover, or poster? Kinuko: The images are already embedded there, asking me to uncover them and make them visible. My job is to figure out and search for what it is that is in there waiting to be found. i create and discard many ideas, often times involving dozens of drawings, moving pieces around till the image begins to become visible. finally at some point, after many ideas and drawings are rejected, something finally falls into place like the last piece of a jig saw puzzle. Has your training in art school been a big help to you or would you say, it has a lot more to do with a gift that you have? Kinuko: Both here in the u.S. and in Japan, art schools gave me time to adjust the perspective of my life. They gave me a chance to grow up and understand about myself.
KINUKO Y. CRAFT
PHOTO: SABINE VOLLMER VON FALKEN
CONTEMPORARY PAINTER &ILLUSTRATOR Interview by Harryet Candee Photographs of Kinuko by Sabine Vollmer von Falken
Harryet Candee: Who in your life was your inspiration for entering the world of fantasy and storytelling through art? Kinuko Y. Craft: i think i was born with a certain set of receptors for fondness of myth, legend, and fairy tales. The house i grew up in was filled with books of all kinds, on all sorts of subjects such as children’s stories, science, biology and mythology. There were my father’s picture books that he had when he was in grade school. There were also the children’s picture books of my older sister, and my Grandfather’s set of books about art of the world which covered both western and eastern art. As a preschooler i found all of these mesmerizing. You could say i was almost literally born into the middle of them. All of them had plates of fabulous fine art and illustrations. But early on, i was most attracted to italian renaissance work. They were intricate, complex, very enigmatic storytelling pieces. After i started school and finally learned how to read, i discovered comic books. That was my second awakening. i devoured them like some ogre with an insatiable appetite. After the comic book attack, the libraries of the schools i attended provided all i needed. i read virtually everything i could get my hands on. Books were fuel to my imagination. i think i was just really lucky to be in the right places at the right time. fortunately, no one ever attempted to change how i and my head were wired. There isn’t any one person who was an inspiration to me. however, it was homer’s iliad and Odyssey that truly ignited my imagination, setting off fireworks in my head like the 4th of July.
Are there times when you think to yourself, and wonder how you got to the place you are now with your art? What was the road like for you that you travelled on to get there? Kinuko: i’m not quite sure i know how to answer your question. i don’t have a habit of looking back to plan the future. i am just as sort-of babe in wonderland. it has simply been an experience. The person i was in the past is different from the one i am now and had different experiences. The one thing that has been a constant for me is that i am very much attracted by anything beautiful (subjectively). Painting has been my chosen method for chasing this abstract, vague and elusive thing ever since my earliest memories. Whatever 14 • August 2013 The ArTful Mind
skills i needed to realize what was in my head i picked up and tried to perfect as i went along.
How did ‘fantasy’ take precedence over other venues of art you may have experimented with? Kinuko: i like to stay in the land of dreams. The more the world becomes violent, obscene and ugly the more i need to shut it off and stay in my never-never land to keep my balance and to survive in this world.
Does your art overlap, intertwine, crisscross, mingle, whatever you would call it, with a personal religious or spiritual belief? I think it’s a blessing you can envision ideas in your head, and then get them out on which ever material you choose. Kinuko: i am a very neutral being. i am interested in and curious about many aspects of life, But i, myself flow with whatever the universe directs. Are you ever surprised how a painting/illustration turns out for you? Kinuko: no. My thoughts never stray away very far once my focus is set. But if you ask me which of my paintings is my best one, my answer will always be “My next.” How does your inner disciplinary system work in your favor? Are you easy on yourself with art making? Or are you very intense and focused on not straying from your primary goal for a piece? Kinuko: i don’t really have an inner disciplinary system. Mainly i am just obsessed with what i do.
What is your main medium you use? And paper? Kinuko: i paint on Clayboard, a glass smooth gesso board made by Ampersand. After the drawing is transferred to the surface, i lay out broad tones of color in thin watercolor washes. The surface is then covered with a thinned-out coating of Gamblin’s Galkyd to even out the surface, which then is over painted in oil colors using series 7 Windsor newton size 1 to 00 watercolor brushes. Do you ever work from photographs? Kinuko: Yes, i often hire professional artist’s models to pose for me and take photos for reference. Occasionally i will come across the fleeting being that artists call a Muse. if i am lucky, i can catch them to ask them to pose for me before they are gone forever. I find it amazing that you have collaborated with your husband and daughter on projects. Can you tell me about some of them, and what it was like to work with close family members? Kinuko: it was mainly out of convenience because they were here. i can complain, nag and beg them to see my way. My husband is a very competent graphic designer/writer who enjoyed the work and is highly supportive of mine. he and i grew up in similar worlds aesthetically--the worlds of fine-art, literature, fairytales and classic picture books. he also a stickler for accurate color reproduction and has created all of the high resolution files my work is reproduced from for many years.
Kinuko, have you always worked in color? You need to have two sets of knowledge going on: color and design. Is it easier to illustrate in black and white? Kinuko: To me, color is everything. i see things in color even when they are black and white. however i have never thought things are easier just because they are monochromatic.
Medusa FOR AFA GALLERY BY KINUKO Y. CRAFT
Do you think you make things happen because of some creative visualization techniques you may be aware of that you possess? Kinuko: i don’t think i possess anything special and magical that happens automatically. i would be ecstatic if an idea would pour out every time like turning on water
Gabriel BY KINUKO Y. CRAFT
faucet, but i have to work and think very diligently to come up with an idea. it must be an answer uniquely my own to the solution i am seeking. it’s just plain hard work.
What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen in your entire life thus far? Do you tend to draw it many times? Kinuko: it was the aurora borealis i first saw sometime in the 1970’s. lying on my back, above me was the most magnificent display of a fathomless green chiffon silk-like curtain billowing as if in a breeze. i was totally mesmerized by it and yes, i have tried to paint it from time to time.
Kinuko, can you paint us a picture of your most memorable time in your life? Perhaps, in Japan, or here, or somewhere! Kinuko: That would be in my pre-school days. i didn’t go to kindergarten because i hated the naps and the green vegetable soup. it was a time of ultimate freedom. i walked around in the forests behind my house that my family owned. i played around with my dog who was a huge Akita. i stole my sisters crayons while she was in school and drew on everything i could find. no one complained, or more likely, i just developed a habit of selective hearing.
ing do you give your students? What do you say to them before they leave you? Kinuko: That the ability to draw well as an artist is the key to everything. i would also tell them to use their own imagination.
If you were to get your Masters, or Doctorate, what would the focus be for you that you would get the most out of? Kinuko: i left the School of the Art institute of Chicago 6 months short of obtaining my master’s degree because i realized that i never wanted to teach. As a goal it seemed empty to me when all i wanted was to begin my career as an artist—if i may call it that— as many in the art world deem what i do to be a lesser form of art.
How is your workshops summarized at the end? What sort of end-
i am only here, as we all are, for a brief moment in time. i do exactly what is interesting to me and to my sensibilities as an artist. Whether what i do is art or not in some other person’s view is not really important to me. What is your most favorite part of history for you? Kinuko: The Trojan War. i would like to know what really happened--if helen and Paris really existed. Or was the invasion just for gaining the wealth of others. To answer your question, it doesn’t reflect on my art at all. Why is art history important for you, and how do you use it? Tell me how the Pre-Raphaelites or, say DaVinci influences your style? Kinuko: Truly remarkable works of art were created in the past. My interests started with the renaissance, and then gradually moved to the flemish painters, northern european art, the works of 17th century french painters, the Pre-raphaelites and the Symbolists. Then i always come back to daVinci and the eternal beauty in his work. They stimulate my creativity, and rekindle my passion to search for my own sense of beauty. What is the most mysterious and interesting subject you like to ponder upon when your brain is free to roam? Kinuko: helen of Troy—the face that launched a thousand ships.
How does your fantasy artwork connect with science fiction? Kinuko: fantasy and Science fiction are very close and sometimes intertwine. They are both imagined places and beings, set in a different place and time.
When you are standing for the first time in front of a new class, about to give a workshop, how do you start? What is your introduction like? Kinuko: i don’t really think about it. i’ve done quite a few lectures on my work, but haven’t really given a workshop—or maybe just forgot that i did. Mahlon (who is also my business partner) usually puts together a presentation in Keynote for me. i just show up and do an impromptu show and tell, then answer questions.
KinuKO Y CrAfT PhOTO: SABine VOllMer VOn fAlKen
CInderella BY KINUKO Y. CRAFT
How well we love our animals. Kinuko, do you find that you and your dog have a strong communication with each other? How might that be possible? What are your thoughts on the anima l world, and how do you relate to them when it comes to illustrating a book cover for, say The Black Swan, or, Bear, Wolfe and Mouse? What is most important to observe? Kinuko: i sometimes think that other species understand what i am looking for better. My paintings function as a diary for me. i paint my plants and creatures into the painting i have been working on at the time. The love i have for my German Shepherd Wolfgang is
Continued on next page...
The ArTful Mind AuGuST 2013 • 15
KinuKO Y. CrAfT / COnTeMPOrArY PAinTer & illuSTrATOr
The Bell at Sealey Head
Thomas the Rhymer
AND
Divided Crown BY KINUKO Y. CRAFT
are uniquely your own. What was your most favorite project, and, upcoming for you – what will you be looking forward to with your art? Kinuko: My most favorite project will always my next one. i have been working on Beauty and the Beast for harperCollins since last year—a contract i took many years ago. i have 7 paintings left and so far each has taken about a month and a half or more due to their
Grail of Summer Stars BY KINUKO Y. CRAFT
identical to the love i have for my husband Mahlon. They are responsible for my psychological wellbeing and allow me to have an undisturbed relationship with my work. But my need for Wolfgang is more primordial. i feel i must have him to be a complete being and to fill a need for constant communication through him to another species to walk my way through this life. There is this need in me to be to be connected the entire the natural world—with other species, plants and animals and he helps with that.
Who are your favorite creatures that are filled with good energy? Kinuko: My favorite things filled with good energy are plants and animals.
What is the illustration market like these days for those exiting college and beginning to do the pound the pavement with portfolio mode? Do you have any advice?
16 • August 2013 The ArTful Mind
AND
Kinuko: no matter what tools artists end up using, they should be able to draw well because it is the gateway to being able to express an idea visually. Good ideas and the ability to express them two dimensionally on paper or in digital form are the essential tools to be an artist. however, they are also the only tools an artist can’t buy at an art supply store. The market for illustration as i used to know it barely exists. But i also believe that as one door closes for one kind of skill set, another door will open for those whose skills are appropriate for it. Does it really all start in your mind’s eye, Kinuko? Or does it start with a pencil and paper and whatever magically comes out? Kinuko: nothing happens magically. everyone must be inventive and creative. Good ideas, the ability to express them visually and sound judgment are also essential tools. And make sure your ideas
iSSuu.COM / ArTfulMind@YAhOO.COM
Baba Yaga and Vasalisa the Brave BY KINUKO Y. CRAFT
complexity. it has to be finished by June 1st of next year (or sooner Mahlon says before we run out of money) however, i feel that i must say that i am the luckiest and happiest person in the world. i have had enormous enjoyment and high expectations for this project. it takes me away from our troubled world to a place i can live in at least until its’ done next year. What i will be doing after that is hard to say, but AfA Gallery in new York City has offered me a show whenever i have created enough new work for one. There is also another book project waiting for me if i wish to complete it. Thank you, Kinuko!
The ArTful Mind AuGuST 2013 • 17
The Dennis Bezanowitz Coffee House Commission
An excerpt from the blog, “No Cure for the Medieval Mind” by Richard Britell
The entire time we were talking about dr. Buboni’s childhood, the cleaning lady who called herself Aunt Jemima, the night staff person at the hospital, was listening intently to the conversation. i was surprised at this. it seemed to me that a cleaning lady from some third world country would have little interest in art or art history but i was wrong. “Tell me Professor Buboni dear,” Aunt Jemima said, “what ever happened to the boy who could draw donald duck, did he become a great artist when he grew up, and go to work for disney land?” “far from it,” said Buboni. “The boy who could draw donald duck did go on to become an artist when he grew up, but we all knew things would not turn out well for him back in grade school. The problem with him was that he had no appreciation of his talent. his name was dennis Bezanowitz.” even though dennis could draw all the disney characters with
his eyes shut, his great ambition in life was to be a professional baseball player. Specifically, he wanted to be a pitcher for the Yankees. for him this was not just a daydream, but something he worked at with great determination. dennis set up a target on the chain link fence at the border of our playing field, and all summer long the sound of his baseball hitting the fence over and over would ring out from morning until night, as he practiced his pitching, in anticipation of getting into the big leagues. But things did not go well for him. The year we went on to high school, he tried out for the school’s baseball team, but the coach rejected him. Practicing more and with greater determination was not an option, because that was all he ever did anyway. for several weeks dennis was rather depressed, but then one night he broke into the coach’s house and trashed all the furniture, and spray painted things on the walls while the coach was out having dinner. When the coach came home he found dennis in the middle of an epileptic seizure. The coach did not press charges, but dennis had to spend a few weeks under observation in a hospital. The combination of his rejection from the team and the epilepsy resulted in dennis giving up any desire to be a pitcher for the Yankees. he drifted through high school without any purpose except that he was constantly requested to do artwork for various high school events, since he was the only one among us who could draw. dennis did the decorations for the prom; he did all the lettering for diplomas, and every year he had to create countless posters and advertisements with images and lettering for various campaigns when the students ran for office to the student council or for class president. in his senior year he discovered the painting “Christina’s World,” by Andrew Wyeth and this transformed his life. not since his days throwing baseballs at the playground fence and dreaming of being a pitcher for the Yankees was he so motivated. he went to the art supply store and purchased his first triple-0 paint brush, and twelve different shades of brown paint. in his last year of high school he began to do highly detailed watercolors of birds, and it became his specialty. he would spend many hours putting in all the tiny lines of the feathers, and sometimes these watercolors were purchased by hunting magazines, and used in their advertisements. i went off to college, and he started working days at a fast food restaurant. it was 1962, a different world and time. i was at nYu as a liberal arts major and i often went to shows at the galleries. Out in the street were ban-the-bomb protesters, in Penn Central ragged men held up signs telling us the end of the world was coming, Kennedy was president, Warhol was showing his soup can paintings, Kline and Pollock were famous and dead already, but when i went back home for vacation, everything was unchanged as if set in stone. everything was the same in my hometown in 1962, except for
SHARON TRUE, M.A., C.M.A., R.S.M.T.
Somatic Movement Therapist and Certified Pilates and PfilatesTM (Pelvic Floor Pilates) Instructor
one thing: somebody was planning to open a coffee shop downtown. it would be our first. We all felt this was very important but we did not know exactly why. everyone back from college that new Year was anxious for it to open so we could go there and order our first espresso. it was necessary to have an old sweatshirt. One had to be reading certain sorts of books. The Catcher In The Rye would not do in 1962, and we were not interested in Lord Of The Flies either. What was necessary was Andre Gide, or Camus. When i went to the coffee shop the first time i was reading The Stranger. The coffee shop was in a space i knew well, a big cellar room that formerly had been a barbershop, but the barber had died a year before. everything was painted black and white, including the furniture. The owner of the coffee shop was anxious to complete his interior decoration with some paintings, and sat down with my brother and i and asked if we knew any local artists who would like to do some commissions. What the coffee shop owner wanted was some large abstract paintings that would look like the works of franz Kline he had seen in a museum somewhere. he though this could be done very cheaply, as he had some black and white paint left over from painting the coffee shop, and there were also some large pieces of masonite left over from replacing the floor. Thirty-five dollars a picture was what he had in mind. Both my brother and i immediately suggested dennis Bezanowitz, the boy who could draw donald duck so well, to do the job. even though dennis was concentrating on portraits of birds and animals, we could think of no one else, because he was the only one in our graduating class who had been interested in art. i knew all about those big abstract paintings since i was going to school in new York back then, so i got a book out of the library, i think the title was The Meaning Of Modern Art, and went to pay a visit to dennis and see if he would do the painting commission. The boy who could draw donald duck was still living with his parents that winter of 1962, and his room had been made into a small studio. he had a hand made easel next to a table covered with paints and brushes, and on a canvas was a half-finished painting of a mallard duck. i had never seen a work in progress before, and was struck by its odd appearance. The top of the picture was complete down to the very finest detail, and the bottom of the canvas was blank except for a few indistinct pencil lines. The brown tones of the feathers looked perfect but the green band on the neck was the wrong green, and had been scrubbed out and was being repainted. in front of the painting was a gigantic magnifying glass on a pivot, through which the details were magnified and distorted. dennis immediately started to apologize for the green on the mallard’s neck saying, “i can’t get the green right, i have rubbed it out over and over again, i am going to try sap green next, the thalo is too acid.” On the walls of his studio room were numerous posters all of the work of Andrew Wyeth; i began to have an uneasy feeling about the commission.
MUSIC and MORE 2013 Festival Coming up in August
Private, Conscious Exercise Workouts for all ages and abilities featuring fully-equipped Pilates studio in a quiet, country setting in Great Barrington
Aug. 24 The Daedalus Quartet. Min-Young Kim and Matilda Kaul, violins; Jessica Thompson, viola; Thomas Kraines, cello, perform string quartets by Schulhoff, Beethoven, Schubert and Smetana. $25; $20 for NMVA members. Reserve tickets at tickets@newmarlborough.org, or (413) 229-2785.
sharontrue@roadrunner.com 413.528.2465
Music and More, founded and directed by Harold Lewin and sponsored by the New Marlborough Village Association, is marking its 22nd year as a late-summer destination for world-class chamber music, jazz, theatrical and literary events in historic New Marlborough. Performances are on Saturdays at 4:30 p.m., from Aug. 3 through Oct. 5. For Music and More event information visit musicandmoreberkshires.org. To join NMVA, visit newmarlborough.org, or call 413.229-2785
Pilates and Pfilates™ classes offered at Kilpatrick Athletic Center (KAC) at Simon’s Rock College and other locations Contact Sharon for current schedule
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Aug. 31 “Shall We Gather at the River?” A sampling of Connecticut Yankee composer Charles Ives’ rich repertoire of vocal and instrumental works. Deborah Rentz-Moore, mezzo soprano; Donald Berman, piano; Daniel Stepner, violin. Pre-concert Talk at 3:30 p.m. $25; $20 for NMVA members. Reserve tickets at tickets@newmarlborough.org, or (413) 229-2785. rington. $25; $20 for NMVA members. Reserve tickets at tickets@newmarlborough.org (413) 229-2785.
The Architecture of Understanding
When i was 12 years old my family moved from Big flats, new York, to Sao Paulo, Brazil. it is a big understatement to say that this was a seismic shift for me. upstate new York was familiar, economically balanced, puritan, traditional American and, if i had to associate a color with it, it would be gray. Sao Paulo was loud, boisterous, rich and poor, life and death, sexual at its core, truly multi-cultural (before that term was in the common parlance) and if i had to associate a color with it is would be crimson red. it is worth recalling that at that time change was occurring throughout the world: the end of colonial empires and the emergence of newly liberated nations, the emergence of a global economy, the dread of sudden nuclear annihilation, and, of course, the British invasion. it would be difficult to come of age to a better sound track, but to have all this happening at the same time was a bit of overload. economically, we were also suddenly rich, at least by the upstate new York standards we had previously known. living with us on our ‘compound’ in the suburbs of Sao Paulo (by the way: Sao Paulo was already a gigantic city in 1965, and is now more populous than new York City and its environs) were a chauffer and a maid, and our ‘gardens’ were tended by a gardener frequently. What was immediately evident, even to a boy of 12, was the large economic gap between the rich and the poor everywhere in Brazil. i had never seen people literally living in boxes on the street, and the sight confused and disturbed me greatly. The bodies of people killed in traffic accidents were sometimes were left by the side of the road until claimed. Often these bodies were the center of Voodoo ceremonies; that was certainly uncommon in upstate new York. i said i could see the wealth gap,
Architecture & Arcadia Stephen Gerard Dietemann
but it took one day after school with a bunch of friends to truly understand what it meant. The American School we attended was at the top of a small hill surrounded by jungle and it was quite far from the city. One day after school about eight of us, all boys, decided to stay for the late bus. That gave us time to hang around and eat ice cream, two of our favorite activities. This time, however, we decided en masse to check out the area outside the school grounds. We walked to the end of the surrounding playgrounds and then a bit further until we came to a cliff. far below were the tops of the ubiquitous palm trees which created a thick cover over the ground below. We didn’t want to attempt the descent so, as boys are wont to do, we decided to throw stones over the cliff to see who could throw the farthest. After a few stones were hurled, we thought we heard sound from below, muffled screams, angry and frightened. Amazingly, this didn’t stop us from continuing to throw. Suddenly, and apparently coming out of nowhere, we were surrounded by native boys with weapons including sling shots and sticks. We were frightened; despite our still shaky Portuguese, we slowly understood that these boys, and their families, lived in the jungle below. for our part, it was impossible to imagine anyone living in such a place. i later learned that many of the country’s poor lived in mud huts, without electricity or running water. it was not uncommon for children to choke to death from a tape worm coming up through their mouths or adults from expanding neck goiters. eventually one of us was shot – not seriously — by one of the boy with a sling shot and we all ran for the nearby safety of the American School. We decided to come back the next week with our own weapons – our father’s pistols – but that, thank-
fully, never happened. i can’t speak for the other boys there at the time, but i learned at that moment that the world was much more complex — and inequitable — than i could have imagined the year before. it is a extremely useful lesson. if more of us were to learn it, perhaps the impulse to war would be tempered and the understanding that there are consequences to any violence – physical, economic — would be finally understood. Substitute high tech bombs for the stones we threw as boys into the jungle below in 1965 and perhaps we would understand better why some in the world ‘hate’ us. ~Stephen Gerard Dietemann Architect AiA
Berkshire Jewish Film Festival
PITTSFIELD – Congregation Knesset Israel’s 27th Annual Berkshire Jewish Film Festival through August 19. All films are shown at Duffin Theater, Lenox Memorial High School, 197 East St. in Lenox, MA.
Aug. 12, 4pm: The First Fagin (Australia, 2012) Aug. 12, 8pm: *The Gatekeeper (Israel, 2012) Aug. 19, 4pm: *Hanna Arendt (Germany, 2012) Aug. 19, 8pm: When Comedy Went To School (USA, 2013) (*SUBTITLES)
The Berkshire Jewish Film Festival is supported in part by a grant from The Jewish Arts and Culture Initiative of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and Greylock Federal Credit Union. For more information, call (413) 445-4872.
Simply Sasha
Keeping it Green and Local
by Sasha Seymour
A good friend of ours Rich Ciotola, is a local farmer whose vegetables are naturally grown right here in the Berkshires (his friends call him Farmer Rich*). We decided that we wanted to purchase vegetables directly from him (talk about farm to table!) because we knew they would be of the highest quality. I started researching different recipes that would compliment all these colorful wonderful veggies, and I wanted to share this one with all of you Artfully Minded folks! Keep this dish in the fridge, and eat it with carrots or chips for a light meal or a snack. It is sure to be a family fav! We feel pretty lucky to live in an area where we are able to buy local produce from a friend, and to know that it was grown with Love. Thank you Farmer Rich! 1 16 oz. tub of low fat cottage cheese 1 cup of chopped tomatoes Red, orange and yellow peppers, chopped to make one cup 3 large scallions 2 cloves minced garlic 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped 1/4 chopped fresh cilantro 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp cumin salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. experiment with different vegetables! have fun and enjoy!
*farmer rich’s vegetables are naturally grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. rich is located at Pumpkin hollow farm and at foggy river farm, and he can be contacted by phone at 413-717-1735 or via email at foggyriverfarmveg@gmail.com! The ArTful Mind AuGuST 2013 •19
FRONT STREET GALLERY
Kate Knapp, Garden Bench, 36 x 36”
July begins a new show - Recent Works by Kate Knapp, opening July 13, 10 – 6pm. Painting Classes on Monday and Wednesday mornings 10 - 1pm at the Studio and Thursday mornings 10am - 1pm out in the field. Open to all. 413-274-6607 413-429-7141 (cell) 413-528-9546 Gallery Hours: Saturday and Sunday 12-5 or by appointment FRONT STREET, downtown HOUSATONIC, MA
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