INTERVIEW BY H. CANDEE

GJ and Jana, Old Bridge, Mostar

GJ & JANA HOFFMAN

HOUSE OF MANIDAE

INTERVIEW BY HARRYET CANDEE PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ARTISTS

Tell us all about how you and Jana journeyed from South Africa to Hudson, NY with six children and started a new life here in New York State? So interesting how you opened up a shop that partly supports the conservation of the Pangolin, a beautiful creature that walks on two feet in full clad armor similar to the anteater \ armadillo. GJ—Yes, well it is a long and convoluted tale. I have always been involved and lived in the bush and have a strong connection to animals, their plight, and man’s encroachment into their territory and domain. After losing my farm in the Caprivi Strip in Northern Namibia, I went to Cape Town, South Africa and plotted a viable path forward that would allow Jana and I to have more regular access to our six kids scattered all over the world. Having zero retail experience and a passion for the most trafficked animal in the world, I teamed up with my talented wife and her passion for textiles and design. She comes with a history of retail experience in the USA as well as in Germany. The idea of a conservation-based Southern African concept store was born… but the quandary was where to go with this idea and who to bring on board. The world was a blank canvas for this endeavor, but we wanted exposure and impact. With both of us having USA nationalities, through family, we looked at NYC. Upon arrival, after chatting to a few friends, one of them mentioned this little town called Hudson on a beautiful river removed from the noises and stresses of a big city. So, we hopped on the train and headed north. After a cursory glance around we felt we had found our locale. And the rest, as they say… is History! Jana – I would like to add on to this how I absolutely love the way we found ourselves at home here in Hudson. We both were at a point in our lives where we wanted to challenge ourselves and create a way to combine our passions and life experiences thus far, we knew we wanted to have South Africa as our second home base, but it was also important to be closer to our six kids, some who are studying and working in the US and Europe. Somehow, organically, as these things are meant to be, we were guided to this little town which we did not even knew existed. There is some type of magic in this life.

I am wondering what life was like for you and your family in South Africa? How do you find it to be different and similar here in the states? GJ – I had a very free childhood and a sound family base with cousins and extended family in RSA and neighboring countries. There was lot of open land around the property that I grew up in and we were free to roam, explore and get up to no good to our hearts content. I think that notion of freedom: Freedom of time, and space, allowed me to not feel the burden of sedentary existence and free of the fear that novelty holds over certain people. Travel in those times was not easy, and lots of thought and planning had to go into our family holidays. We had to be completely selfsufficient throughout December/January for all the family requirements from paraffin to toilet paper…. This also harvested a self-realization that independence was possible irrespective of diversity. I think the stark face of poverty and the access to normal resources required for normal life in Africa juxtaposed heavily as to the abundance in the States. As well as a sense of safety and greatly reduced levels of crime here do allow for more selfish times and an opportunity for the soul to breath. Jana – It’s hard to compare the way of living in Africa and in the USA. Africa is far more raw, its such a complex and diverse continent full of contradictions. Its hard to describe the magic of it until you live it. It definitely changed me, humbled me. Seeing township communities overcoming their hardships with so much joy really changed my perspective. Even in the darkest hours there was laughter, dancing and joy. Living in the US is wonderful in a different way for me. Here we feel safer on the whole. I can enjoy my

House of Manidae, Pangolin Pedant, Silver

evening strolls alone. I don’t have to lock my door and live behind fortified walls. It’s a privilege to have two home countries

Are you both artists in your own right? GJ – I would not say that I am an artist in the purest form, but I don’t feel that art has to pigeon hole to certain parameters to constitute art. It is in the interpretation, it is how one curates ideas and the personal spin and twist, that become the outcome is the art. I write poetry for my soul and tomes for my heart. I design jewelery and leather products and work in conjunction with African artists to create a symbiosis of thought and desires. Jana – I believe that in one way or another we as humans are all creators. It makes me feel better about myself (laugh.) But unfortunately, I can’t give myself that much credit yet. I am not an artist, I just love and enjoy art and all things creative as I have an Artful mind. I have been working on my own label UBOYA, which launched in our shop. Currently it’s a beautiful knitted mohair collection of various styles and there is a new cotton knits collection as well coming for Spring 2022.

How do you make the selection of art and crafts to put on display in the shop? GJ-Africa, although a very large continent, is actually a very small place! Word rapidly spreads around new, raw and vibrant talent in the creative community. I have a great Aunt, Ruth Prowse, who was an internationally acclaimed artist in her own right. And, upon her death she bequeathed her home to become a school for artists and an educational facility. This is still running, and we focus on bringing raw talent from impoverished, previously disadvantaged Communities and developing their talent and giving them exposure to the Art world. I have a few of the students work in the store. I actually had the final year graphic design students create our promotional material around Pangolin awareness posters and brochures as a part of their syllabus and made it a competition, with cash prizes, and the work to be judged by their peers and educators. They were thrilled for as well as being remunerated (which students always appreciate the world over!) it also allowed them to put on their CV’s that their work was now international. Jana- The African craft and mastery of tribal arts that is cultivated in the younger generation is beyond precious form of preserving culture. Both of us feel strongly about supporting woman com munities through their crafts. The role of woman in Africa is very distinct, since she is more often the breadwinner and the one responsible for raising the family. All of our products have a beautiful story behind their creators. There is currently a project that we are working with wherein 35 amazing woman crocheting unbelievable pieces of art. Continued on next page...

Uboya, Mohair Sweater

GJ tracking the well-being of a dehorned Rhino

Or Heartworks, that as the name entails is melting our hearts away by their hand embroidered cotton stuffed animals and cushion covers. Every stich on our leather products are also made by hand with love by a talented group of woman. It is incredibly satisfying purchasing hand made products knowing that it is having a larger impact in uplifting the community and making a difference. That is our inspiration and our main goal, our driving force.

Tell me, what is the main goal as a team, being artistic developers and Pangolin conservers? GJ – That is two completely different questions, and worlds. My main goal with the artists we work with (but we are still actively seeking new talent) is to give them exposure to the world. Being at the tip of the African continent tapping into the European or US market can be extremely difficult. Not to mention extremely costly to many Africans where daily hardships curtail the options of self promotion. There is a massive creative pool that is being overlooked due to geography and economics and if I can create awareness, and appreciation of this talent, that would be my ultimate goal. The dear pangolins, in the same breath, also dramatically require promotion but for different reason. Exposure of their plight and awareness even of their existence would be my desired goal. I will address this issue further down in this interview.

What is the general chemistry and vibe you find on Warren Street in Hudson? GJ – The history and evolution of Hudson, and mainly Warren Street, fascinates me. Its eclectic heart and nature is constantly evolving like a never ending Fall. The people which it attracts add a special flavour to the street and town. Sense of freedom and acceptance is a big draw, and constant that eases the transition Jana – I remember arriving for the first time last year on Warren street and feeling absolutely enchanted. There is such a beautiful, tranquil energy with dreamy shop fronts, galleries, restaurants and coffee shops and a very inspiring community.it feels quite homely in this small charming town on the river, and I certainly feel like we are welcome here. The feedback we get from our shop visitors so far, has been fantastic and there is a sincere interest in our products and our story. I really believe that House Of Manidae is at home What’s your plan for your storefront this holiday season? Jana – Yes, we had been told about Xmas walk tradition in Hudson. It was cancelled last year, so I am itching to experience it and have our windows tell our part of it. I was thinking of transcending South African Xmas feeling in our window. There is this incredible artist near the Eastern Cape border on the gorgeous Garden Route, Daya Heller. She has a background in fine art figurative sculpture and works with the themes of cycle of life, perfect for the end of the year. She creates resin dops filled with indigenous flora, such as South Africa’s national flower, the Protea, blushing brides, fynbos, and even something as delicate as dandelions. To me its an incredibly beautiful way to share and celebrate the Awe of nature. So our window will be filled with “flowerflakes” instead of snowflakes. We might even offer some mulled wine to offset the missing of the winter in the window :)

Tell us more about growing up and what your interests were? GJ— Freedom of movement and access to raw nature and the dangers inherent in that, as well as the strange comfort in that, ironically! Nothing quite like walking up on a herd of elephants drinking from a water hole and just observing their interactions and social dynamics for as long as they grace you with their majestic presence. Being charged on foot by a lioness whose cubs you stumbled upon by accident! Surprising a curious leopard as you exit your kitchen door at night to take out the trash. When visiting my grandfather as a kid, we used to stay in separate wooden cottages scattered over his property and the elephants would come at night and try to get at the fruits in season. This would often entail them trying to push over the trees to get at the fruits – we would just lie there hoping that the trees would not come crashing through the roof and had an elaborate intercom system to sooth and communicate with, even back then…. Jana – I grew up in the former Yugoslavia very different from GJ’s upbringing. Mostar, my birth city with a famous Old Bridge from the 16th Century was my happy home. My memories are connected to sweet gatherings on open plazas, driving to the beaches, visiting my Grandfather’s tobacco farm, playing hide and seek in the gardens filled with the smells of cherry blossoms, stealing neighbours figs, sneaking out at night to listen to the street musicians playing harmonica on the stone steps. As a young adult at the phase of self discovery my country fell apart and we found ourselves in a horrible war which lasted five long years. Over 140,000 people lost their lives. I was lucky surviving two years under constant bombing until we escaped to Vienna, where I got refugee status. Today, when I think back to those times, I feel so grateful for the way I was able to grow up. I have the memories of my Mostar bridge before it was destroyed, and the park next to my school before it turned into a graveyard. I was one of the lucky ones..

How did you first get involved in the conservation for the Pangolin? How has the organizations involved so far? Are you pleased with how it is been unfolding? GJ – The Pangolin is an animal I encountered for the first time in the early 1990s in Northern Botswana and had never heard of it before. I made a few enquiries at that time and locals and even guides had never seen such an animal. I then searched, on every occasion that presented but was not successful for many years. I just felt an incredible bond with this animal and wanted to know as much as possible. There was no research into pangolins at that time so information and data was an open, and closed, book. When the rhino became the face of conservation and big money was thrown at protecting this beautiful animal with 24hr guards with AK-47’s in order to ensure survival of the species. Poachers were cutting off their horns to get the Keratin in them (which is the same substance constituting hair, fingernails and horn) This process now carried a risk to the poaches who then realized that the docile, solitary pangolin scales are made of keratin also and there was no competition nor threat in just picking this animal up and placing it in a sack! Of the four species in Africa, the Temmincks Ground Pangolin has the largest biomass and therefore more lucrative to poach and found in my area of the bush (if you go north to Gabon the Pangolins there are arboreal therefore smaller with less scale weight and less lucrative) This became an unheralded assault on the pangolin while the world turned its back as there was little knowledge and very few sighting from tourists on safari, so little interest. I felt we had to try a different approach to protecting the pangolin (and other wildlife) from the poachers mainly living in proximity to the game corridors and parks. By creating value in the animal and by showing sustainability of income and lifestyle for the locals in protecting, not destroying. If the animals are wiped out, tourists won’t come. Employments will dry up, clinics will not be stocked with supplies. Shift from now return to long term sustainability. We have just started a Phinda Conservation initiative that gives a six month Comprehensive Conservation, Research and Monitoring Program to local people to educate them and to take this knowledge of conservation back to their villages. They get a diploma and employment in the lodges upon completion. Things are looking very good right now but this will take time. But I am excited for the future although the threat is still a very real one and we can not take our foot off the gas…

Is there a danger to those involved, hands-on, in the actual jungle? Aside from poachers, what else would cause to be on guard while working with Pangolins? GJ –There are a lot of dangers while working and living in the bush. Understand that Pangolins are nocturnal creatures at most of this work has to take place at night where we all become vulnerable and the element of surprise is not on our side. Basically, we fall in line as part of the food chain to predators. Be it a lion and leopard or hyena,

Pangolin Conservation “andBeyondPhinda”

they don’t distinguish and are not picky eaters! But a Bull elephant in musth is far mor dangerous than any other animal as their testosterone levels can spike up to 60% of their normal levels and are highly aggressive and completely unpredictable. And then there is what we call “Black Death” this refers to elderly bull Cape Buffaloes separated from the herd due to age and no longer dominant, they have a real chip on their shoulder and an extreme disdain for whoever encounters them! Bearing in mind that most of this work is done on foot and not shielded by the luxury of a vehicle, things can go wrong very quickly. Vehicles emit noise and diesel smoke that can be heard, and smelt, many kilometers away this allowing the animal that you are tracking to escape easily. So it becomes a chess game in these needed interactions to monitor the progress and weighing of the pangolins that have been reintroduced to the bush.

What characteristics do you enjoy specifically about the Pangolin? Do you miss being around them since I believe they are illegal to have as pets in the states? Or, maybe you do a lot of travelling back and forth? GJ – Oh that’s a hard one. I think discovery is the most enjoyable part of working with Pangolins. Science still know so little about them and we are forced to play catch up. We don’t really know their lifespan, gestation period, mating choices, their range. (We actually for the first time got a few shots from a trail camera placed in an abandoned warthog burrow in KwaZulu Natal 4 months ago showing the father returning to check on his pup – previously we did not know if any interactions took place after mating.) We know that they are 85 million years old, the world’s only scaled mammal. They breastfeed and keep their offspring referred to as pups (ironically they are more closely genetically related to cats and dogs, than armadillos – hence pup!) the pup (of which only one offspring per Pango has been witnessed in Africa) move around on the mother’s back for up to two years, and when threatened she curls up inside and into a ball, making both impenetrable to any animal or threat – except for man! They consume up to 72 Million ants/termites per year, per animal. And if you think that 1 million animals have been poached over the last 6 year, you can only imagine the ecological spill over from that… A Pangolin can never ever be a pet! They are so difficult and fussy and are imContinued on next page...

Cheetah Sideboard ; Oak

possible to supplementary feed as well. They like the ants and termites from the territorial areas that they were born in. they get a taste from the tannins in the soil that effect the taste of the ants. So the problem we face is when we manage to recover and save a Pango from the wildlife trade we place them in an undisclosed location in South Africa, but that animal may have been poached in Zambia/ Namibia or any surrounding country and they then will not feed where they have ben relocated to. So we have to weigh them nightly to see if they are feeding and if not, make another plan. In order to monitor them and check on their well being we place tracking devices on them (they have to weigh 7kg so that these devices will not impede on their movement and lifestyle). But the problem comes when leopards and lions play with them, and their claws often remove these devices, so we often end up finding the trackers but losing the animal, very frustrating. We are in constant contact with our team at @beyond Phinda and monitor all progress (we were absolutely delighted to hear that our team spotted a young, untagged Pangolin in the reserve last month and we believe that is the first Pango pup birthed in 80 years in KwaZulu Natal) We have just moved to the USA so our hands on involvement has been drastically curtailed due to geography, but will return for two months annually to keep on top of things.

Tell us about some of the artists and their work that you have showing in the shop? GJ- We work mainly with young up and coming artists with dynamic interpretations of contemporary African art. A couple of names to really look out for, and we have a few of their pieces would be: South African Lindo Zwane, Mozambican Sizwe Khoza, Sefiso Temba, Nigerian Yomi Momoh, Izak Stephanus Fourie and Malawian Jethro Longwe. We represent more, but these are the ones to watch – in my humble opinion!

How do you think the world is now turning for us? What are some of your philosophies on life now that we are heading into 2022? GJ – I think this pandemic has had some beneficial spinoffs despite the horrific loss of life that has affected so many people throughout the world. I feel through lock down and isolation we have been forced to introspect a lot more than we have done in the past. Also the opportunity to appreciate friends and family a lot more due to forced isolation. Access to food and entertainment has now a greater value. (we went through a severe lockdown in Africa with the army deployed with rifles and armored vehicles on every street and underpass. We could only go once a week to resupply food/medicine and could only go to the supermarket closest to you. Police and army checked your home address on your drivers license at road blocks to enforce this. The ocean was off limits as well as the mountain and forests. And the threat of arrest for breaking these rules was very real.) So base appreciation has grown in me and my family for things, and places, we had previously taken for granted. Jana – As GJ mentioned, the SA response to COVID was very strict and as such everyone did their best to keep themselves and their communities safe. Moving here and being able to get vaccinated, we both felt such privilege and relief. Generally speaking, I believe that we all have a part to play in the greater collective. Kindness is the greatest strength and an empathetic approach towards ourselves, our fellow humans, the animals, our oceans and our forests is key. It really is a very simple way to make all of our lives better. What are your New Year’s plans and New Year’s resolutions? GJ – I am not good at New Year’s resolutions as, historically, they never seem to see February!! But on the whole I am just going to carry on with my passion and endeavour to create awareness, support our super artisans doing all the hand work on African soils and immerse myself in my new surroundings and culture. Jana – I do use the first of the calendar year to “start over” and I have had some success in the past with my New Year’s resolutions. This year the list is particularly long and includes the standard; I want to strengthen my Yoga practice, daily journaling, making lists (as I desperately need to work on my organizational skills! I have used up all of my charm and excuses when excusing all missed appointments and forgetting birthdays of dearest people. GJ is also no longer as fond in helping me look for my lost car keys and glasses!) I will definitely eat no sugar in 2022. Or so I hope! As for House Of Manidae, we will be travelling in January back to South Africa to see our family, to curate some more Art, and to work with our production teams in developing our new signature products. As well visiting the conservation centre and to see what further support they may need. And as it’s summer in South Africa, we will enjoy the beach, while our shop on Warren Street, and our home above it will be going through snowstorms and major renovations. Our building tends to be leaning more and more towards City Hall next door (oops!) we are in the process of straightening it up. As a Heritage building, we’re

Toguna Beaded Cabinet; Oak Zenzi Mirror ; African Mahogany

doing it with the utmost TLC to preserve it beautiful façade and structure. Hopefully next year we will have greatly renovated the home, which is so important to both of us. We can’t wait to invite our friends and family from overseas to visit us.

Can you tell us a story that you find to be an important memoir in your life that we can learn from? GJ – I think one of the biggest tangible stories I can relate to is the impact of how responsible giving and helping can change lives and those around them. Through my 17 years of work and involvement with The African Foundation who do incredible work and the mantra they follow is nurturing, restoring and protecting our natural wild systems, by empowering the communities that are the custodians of these systems. By partnering with communities, governments and the private sector. They seek to achieve a symbiotic balance between land, wildlife and people. Under this umbrella is an educational quotient that provides scholarships to students located in or around game reserves that are by their nature remote and proper education facilities far away. But as part of the deal, these fortunate and studious students have to give back to their communities upon graduation, this is called in Ukubuyisela in Zulu (giving back) this is one example: About 12 years ago we had a student that graduated as a geologist and returned to his rural village. He had noticed an age old problem of their traditional mud huts got washed away on an annual basis when the first rains came. Every year when the sun came out again the villages (mostly elderly folk) would have to walk to the river and start the laborious task of collecting fresh mud and replastering the wall of their huts. He then took a soil sample from the river bank and had it analyzed in a laboratory to note the content. To his amazement he realized that there was zero Kaolinite (a layered silicate mineral) instrumental in binding clay and by smearing the external surface creates an impermeable water barrier. He then went about sampling mud in different nearby locations until he found a Kaolinite rich deposit on a riverbank 8 kilometers away. We organized transport and hauled sufficient amounts of this clay to redo their houses. The houses that still stand complete, and proud, to this day…….. To date my family and my contribution has seen over 300 students obtain full bursaries for their education through to CLEFT Program (Communities Living Educational Trust) Jana – We, as with most people, have so many stories to tell. Maybe I will share one story that represents what often happened to me and looking back, I realized I learned something out of every hard and difficult situation life presented to me. I mentioned being a refugee in Vienna. There was also the time when I gave birth to my first born. I could not speak the language, I was 22 years old and not really knowing what was going on and being in such pain and agony for over 24 hours. I could not understand what the doctors and nurses wanted me to do. I did not understand anything they were saying. That was one of the most traumatic experiences I have had. And after that, I did not have to tell myself twice that I was going to apply myself and make sure I would get a grasp of the German language. I don’t think that had there been a translator in the delivery room, I would have had such determination and the urge to be able to speak a new language… How can we be in touch with you and follow you and your art and conservation? GJ – The best would be to come visit us in our shop! We are open to discuss anything and will field any questions you have. Further answers can be found on our website and information about the organizations we work in conjunction with can be found on the links available. houseofmanidae.com Jana – Yes, please visit us if you are close by and able. We will be making strides to have an online store next year, but the best experience for me is to always be able to connect personally. See and feel the energy of the place, touch and enjoy with all your senses. My hope is that we are creating a space where our visitors feel they are stepping in and taking a virtual tour of Africa and it’s delights. Our new container is arriving this month and will contain, among other goods, the most exclusive Afro centric contemporary pieces of furniture among so many beautiful artisanal creations. It’s basically functional Art, each of them handmade and unique, its definitely worth taking a look at our novel twist on furniture, sculpted, hand-hewn, dramatic and commanding of space in any room and timeless. Also give us a follow @houseofmanidae I am more than happy to DM for any questions you might have.. And we will leave you until we meet you with a quote by B. Jackman: “Africa changes you forever, like no where on Earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the Same.”

Thank you! H

BOBBY MILLER

PHOTOGRAPHER

My teacher, master photographer Lisette Model, taught me that the secret behind a great portrait is the relationship between the photographer and his subject and the artistic capture of the moment. In my studio in Great Barrington, I do hair, make-up, styling, lighting and photography, thereby creating a finished portrait that tells a story even in its simplicity. I believe in incorporating both the classic tools of the camera and newer technologies like Photoshop. In that way my portraits correct the small flaws that nature has bestowed on us. I create images that show us not only as who we are but who we can be as well. So, if you feel daring and inspired to have a portrait that defines you at your very best, I encourage you to come sit before my camera.

Bobby Miller Studio, 22 Elm St, Gt Barrington 508-237-9585. By Appointment Only.

LINES AND SHAPES OF GRASSES

BRUCE PANOCK

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

I have been a student of photography for more than 20 years, though most intently for the last five years. I am primarily a landscape photographer. Recently my photographic voice has migrated to the creation of work with reference to other art forms, notably encaustic painting and ancient Chinese and Japanese brush painting and woodblock art. My intention is to create with viewer a moment of pause and reflection; a moment to digest the image and find their own story in the art. 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 bruce@panockphotography.com

Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colours flowers, so does art colour life. ― John Lubbock

MARGUERITE BRIDE

WINTER IN WATERCOLOR

Winter is my favorite season to capture in a watercolor. Snow seems to turn everything into a magical winter wonderland. That is not to say I don’t love painting the other seasons….I just love winter the most. Often winter house portraits turn into holiday cards….plus, with your painting you will receive a cd with the image so you can be quite creative with your cards. I always welcome your house and or business portraits, depicting any season. A gift certificate allows the recipient to work directly with the artist…and this is always a fun and personal project. Be sure to visit “the Art of…” Gallery on Housatonic Street in Lenox to see a new selection of my original winter paintings. Please consider shopping local this holiday season. Why worry about your gifts being stuck outside a port somewhere when you can support your own local artists and artisans right here in the Berkshires. We all thank you. Marguerite Bride – Home Studio at 46 Glory Drive, Pittsfield, Massachusetts by appointment only. Call 413-841-1659 or 413-442-7718; margebride-paintings.com; margebride@aol.com; Facebook: Marguerite Bride Watercolors.

WHAT THE HELL. 2017, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS. 60" X 48” MARK MELLINGER

ABSURDIST ARTIST STATEMENT

My work explores the interconnectedness of Bauhausian sensibilities and Trobriand Island chants. With influences as diverse as Noble Sissle and Shemp Howard, new insights are created from both mundane and transcendant dialogues. Ever since I was a child I have been disturbed by the essential ephemerality of space/time. What starts out as circumlocutory vision soon becomes corrupted into a hegemony of greed, leaving only a sense of ennui and little chance of a new paradigm. As spatial miasmas become transformed through emergent Unabhängigkeitserklärungen, the viewer is left with a catafalque for the prognostication of our future. markmellinger680@gmail.com

SELF PORTRAIT CAROLYN NEWBERGER

PORTRAITURE Carolyn Newberger’s award winning portraits capture not only likeness, but also the intensity and personality of her subjects through the alchemy of pen, paint, paper, heart, and mind. Although she primarily works from life in venues such as concert halls, lecture rooms, across dining room tables and in the studio, several of her most vibrant portraits are from cherished photographs. To view more of her work, or for contact details about commissions or purchases, please visit her website. Carolyn Newberger www.carolynnewberger.com, (617) 877-5672 or cnewberger@me.com.

KATE KNAPP 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