THE ARTFUL MIND THE SOURCE FOR PROMOTING the ARTS SINCE 1994 Free!
October 2016
VAN SHIELDS & PEGGY RIVERS The Berkshires, Massachusetts Photography by Edward acker
EDWARD ACKER photographer
Time flies. Get pictures.
800-508-8373
edwardackerphotography.com
NINA LIPKOWITZ iPaint on My iPad MEDITATIONS IN LIGHT &
COLOR CREATED IN LIGHT, PRINTED IN PIGMENT
OCTOBER 8 - NOVEMBER 28, 2016
ARTIST RECEPTION: SUNDAY OCTOBER 16 • 4PM-5:30PM
Roastery, Café & Gallery www.NinaLipkowitz.com nina@ninalipkowitz.com
6 Depot Street (the old train station) WEST STOCKBRIDGE, MA
GALLERY HOURS: DAILY 8AM - 4PM
Robert Forte
OCTOBER 7 — DECEMBER 19 2016 SAINT FRANCIS GALLERY ~ RTE 102, SOUTH LEE, MA Piaf Mournes Cerden, Prizefighter and Lover, with Autumn Leaves
Acrylic on Canvas
robertforte.com
36x48 inches
Beautiful Massachusetts Berkshires & Beyond
2017 Art Poster Calendars
POLITICS NOT AS USUAL
The Art and Politics of Geoffrey Moss October 15 thru Election Day
Reception for the artist Oct 15, 2016 4 - 6 pm
LAUREN CLARK FINE ART
25 Railroad St. Great Barrington, MA 413.528.0432 Lauren@LaurenClarkFineArt.com www.ClarkFineArt.com
Twelve Monthly Posters
Featuring the diverse beauty of our neighborhoods. They include Outdoor Recreation, Farming, Farm-to-Table, History and more... Available sizes: 5” x 7” and 11” x 14”
I aim to share what I see by chance or by design. that is beautiful to me. The camera allows me to do that. -Lynne M. Anstett - Photography© Imagery Art Works
Lynne M. Anstett - Photography © Imagery Art Works 860-888-3672 ImageryArtWorks@hotmail.com • Imagery Art Works Facebook Website for prints: http://www.gicleeone.com/lynne-m-anstatt
Giallo, Oil on Canvas, 72 x 54 inches
Jennifer Pazienza
jennpazienza@gmail.com http://jenniferpazienza.com/ 2 •OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
Giclee Fine Art Photographs ~ Lynne M. Anstett Choose fine art paper or canvas, framing and stretching available. 2017 Art Poster Calendar available here and other fine stores:
Williams & Sons Country Store – Stockbridge, Berkshire Museum – Pittsfield, LOCAL – Lenox, Paperdilly – Lee, Gateways Inn – Lenox, Lakeview Orchard – Lanesborough, Chester Railway Station & Museum – Chester, Water Street Books Williamstown, Sheffield Historical Society - Sheffield, Cedar Chest – Northampton, Booklink Booksellers – Northampton, Black Birch Vineyard – Southampton, The Bookstore - Lenox, Holiday Brook Farm - Dalton, Art & Chocolate - Lenox, Stockbridge Coffee and Tea - Stockbridge, Old Creamery Co-op - Cummington, Farm Country Soup - Southfield, Artisans Guild – Norfolk, CT, Salisbury General Store - Salisbury, CT
THE ARTFUL MIND ARTZINE OCTOBER 2016 Perpetual Motion
Denise B Chandler Photographer Interview by H. Candee page 14
Van Shields and Peggy Rivers
Interview by H. Candee photos by Edward Acker page 22
Wayne and Mary Jane Eline Les Troise Emme Winery
by H. Candee Photos by Sabine Vollmer von Fslken page 32 FICTION Richard Britell page40
Grandma Becky’s Recipes Laura Pian page 41
Berkshire Handmade page 42 Paintin’ the Town
Photography and Event coverage by Natalie tyler
page 64
Contributing Writers and Monthly Columnists Eunice Agar, Richard Britell, Laura Pian Photographers Edward Acker, Lee Everett, Jane Feldman Sabine Vollmer von Falken, Alison Wedd Publisher Harryet Candee
Copy Editor
Marguerite Bride
Editorial Proofreading Kris Galli Advertising and Graphic Design Harryet Candee
Mailing Address: Box 985, Great Barrington, MA 01230
artfulmind@yahoo.com 413 854 4400
ALL MATERIAL due the 5th of the month prior to publication
FYI: ©Copyright laws in effect throughout The Artful Mind for logo & all graphics including text material. Copyright laws for photographers and writers throughout The Artful Mind. Permission to reprint is required in all instances. In any case the issue does not appear on the stands as planned due to 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. We at The Artful Mind are not responsible for any copyrights of the artists, we only interview them about the art they create.
4 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
THE MUSIC STORE
As we begin to navigate the beautiful Berkshire Autumn and anticipate our business' Sixteenth Birthday, we are mindful that the benefits of shopping locally are many. And as more and more small, independent stores close we think how thankful we are for our many loyal and hugely supportive customers. We continue our support for many of our local schools' art programs and performance groups. And we are able to showcase some of the fine work that independent instrument makers and luthiers are creating ONE AT A TIME right here in Berkshire County including: - Brier Road's Guitars' gorgeous OM Acoustic Guitar made ENTIRELY from fine tonewoods sourced HERE in Berkshire County, and his extraordinary Redwood/Padauk Baritone Ukulele! - Undermountain Ukuleles' lovely A/E Flame Maple Soprano, a big voice in a small, appealing package with the pro K&K Aloha Twin preamp to amplify the loveliness! - our own Dr. Easy's Drunk Bay Cigar Box guitars, simply the most amazing bang for a box ever heard and featuring ten brand new boxes so far for 2016, - The Rowe Stick Dulcimers - strum sticks par extraordinaire, provided for sale and for donation to outreach and Veteran's programs, - the lovely Stockbridge made Serenity Bamboo Flutes and Walking Stick/Cane flutes and - Whitmer Acoustic Guitars, lovingly made one at a time in Pittsfield from fine tone woods and - Don Waite's Gadjo Guitars - gorgeous and daring for a KILLER price! The Music Store has, for fifteen and a half years, enjoyed helping the community, near and far to make music. And this is a rewarding and satisfying enterprise for us. We look forward to continuing this mission into the second half of our second decade. And, as always, we offer wonderful musical instruments and accessories at competitive pricing. But there are just some things that we like to share with you, including support for our newest music makers, and Great Deals, Raffles and New and Used Instruments for everyone. Come and join the fun . . . We welcome the lovingly Berkshire County INDIVIDUALLY (NOT factory) made: Brier Road Guitars and Ukueleles, Whitmer Guitars, Don Waite's Gadjo guitars, and Undermountain Ukuleles. Play and own an ABSOLUTE ORIGINAL! Composite Acoustic guitars (the forever guitar!) and
their peerless travel guitar, the Cargo, a favorite of our own Dr. Easy, David Reed, made of carbon graphite and impervious to most changes of temperature and humidity. You can see it often in his hands in performance locally and abroad. Guild Guitars - Light, powerful, affordable, beautiful SOLID woods, gorgeous tone! Beautiful Breedlove Guitars, including Koa, Zircote and Ebony Limited Editions and the 2015 Dealer's Choice Award Winner Oregon Concert! TERRIFIC UKULELES! 60+ DIFFERENT models: Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritone, acoustic and acoustic/electric, six string, resonator, the Maccaferri-like Makala Waterman Uke (made all of plastic for easy portability almost anywhere!) the remarkable U-Bass, and the Solid Body Uke Bass prototype by the Magic Fluke Co.! How about a Cordoba Cuatro? Or Guitarlele? Or Gypsy Kings' Ltd. Edition? Experience the haunting sound of High Spirits Native American Flutes! How about a West African Djembe? Try a 'Closeout Corner' instrument to suit almost any budget. ALVAREZ GUITARS - great tone and great value. Breedlove - beautiful, American, sustainable. And so many more brands and types, including Luthier Handmade Instruments from $150-$5000 . . . . Ever heard of Dr. Easy’s Drunk Bay Cigar Boxes? Acoustic/electric cigar box guitars, exquisitely made, which bring the past into the present with a delightful punch, acoustically AND plugged in! You can even hear them in concert if you catch Dr. Easy's act in local venues! Harmonicas, in (almost) every key (try a Suzuki Hammond ‘Mouth Organ’). Picks (exotic, too!), strings (!!), sticks and reeds Violins, Mandolins, Dulcimers, Banjos, and Banjo Ukes! Handmade and international percussion instruments! Dreamy locally made bamboo and wooden flutes and walking stick flutes! And the new Berkshire County Rowe Stick Dulcimers, easy to play and adore, the sales of which benefit Veteran's homes and outreach programs. And there is more to delight the eyes, intrigue the ears and bring warm joy to the heart! We remain your neighborhood music store, where advice and help are free and music is the universal language. Working with local luthiers and repairmen we offer stringed and band instrument repair. And we just may have something you haven’t seen before (have you heard the Electric Cigar Box Guitars?). We match (or beat) many on-line prices for the merchandise that we sell, and do so in person, for the most part cheerfully (though we reserve the right to glower a little when asked if we can ‘do better’ on the price of a pick!)! The Music Store, located at 87 Railroad Street in Great Barrington, is open Tuesdays through Sundays and by appointment. Call us at 413-528-2460, visit us on line at www.themusicstoreplus.com, on Facebook as The Music Store Plus, or shop our online Reverb store at https://reverb.com/shop/TheMusicStorePlus Happy MUSIC MAKING!
2016 A GREAT EDITORIAL LINE-UP!
THE ARTFUL MIND
Advertise your event and business with e-mail artfulmind@yahoo.com
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016
ARTFUL CALENDAR OCTOBER 2016
ART
510 WARREN STREET GALLERY 510 WARREN STREET, HUDSON, NY 518-822-0510 510warrenstreetgallery@gmail.com / 510warrenstreetgallery.com Denise B Chandler, Nature In Abstract: Reimagined Form, Scale & Gesture, Sept 30-Oct 30. Reception Oct 8, 3-6pm. Guest Artist Stewart Hitch (Friday & Saturday, 12 - 6, Sunday 12 - 5 or by app) BERKSHIRE MUSEUM 39 SOUTH ST, PITTSFIELD, MA • 413-443-7171 Living on Earth: The Work of Robert Hite, thru Oct 30
CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY 622 WARREN ST, HUDSON, NY • 518-828-1915 Abstraction: Robert C. Morgan, Jack Walls, Bruce Murphy, Joe Wheaton and Gabriel de la Portilla. Thru Oct 16.Upstairs Photo Gallery: Nude Men by David Halliday, Newbold Bohemia and Kahn & Selesnick
DEB KOFFMAN’S ARTSPACE 137 FRONT ST, HOUSATONIC, MA • 413-274-1201 Sat: 10:30-12:45 class meets. No experience in drawing necessary, just a willingness to look deeply and watch your mind. This class is conducted in silence. Adult class. $10, please & call to register. DENISE B CHANDLER FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY & PHOTO ART 413-637-2344 or 413-281-8461 (leave message) *Lenox home studio & gallery appointments available. *Exhibiting and represented by Sohn Fine Art, Lenox, MA. Exhibiting as an artist member/owner at the 510 Warren Street Gallery, Hudson DIANA FELBER GALLERY 6 HARRIS ST., WEST STOCKBRIDGE, MA • 413-854-7002 dianafelbergallery.com Robin Crofut-Brittingham, Will B. Sillin, Martina Angela Müller, Joan Marie Barber, Larry Zingale, Birgit Blyth, Marcia Powdermaker. Thru Halloween. (Open 11-6pm, closed Tues.)
FRONT STREET GALLERY 129 FRONT ST, HOUSATONIC, MA • 413-274-6607 Kate Knapp oils and watercolors exhibit thru the summer
GOOD PURPOSE GALLERY 40 MAIN STREET, LEE, MA • 413-394-5045 INFUSED WITH PASSION August 12 – September 21 (9am - 4pm every day) Richmond West Stockbridge Artists Guild Inc. (RWSAG) for the fall show, Many Hands, Multiple Methods. This exhibit includes nearly 20 artists and runs through November 1.
JOHN DAVIS GALLERY 362 1/2 WARREN ST, HUDSON, NY • 518-828-5907 art@johndavisgallery.com Leonid Lerman, Touched by Verses and Related Works
JOYCE GOLDSTEIN GALLERY 16 MAIN ST, CHATHAM, NY • 518-764-8989 / JoysGall@fairpoint.net Deborah Ellis, Sep 24-Oct 29.Opening Reception: Sat, Sept 24, 4-6:00pm 6• OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
LAUREN CLARK FINE ART 25 RAILRD. ST, GT. BARRINGTON, MA • 413-528-0432 Lauren@LaurenClarkFineArt.com www.LaurenClarkFineArt.com Richard Britell, A Study of New York Architecture will be on exhibit October 8 – 31. A reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, October 8, from 4-7 pm. Geoffrey Moss, reception Oct 15, 4-6pm
L’ATELIER BERKSHIRES 597 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS www.atelierberks.com. • 510-469-5468, natalie.tyler@atelierberks.com Contact gallery for Fall hours at 510-469-5468; natalie.tyler@atelierberks.com"Land of the Free" paintings by NYC artist Marshall Jones.Exhibition runs through October 31st. Music Event-Oxbow Road Performs at L'Atelier Berkshires on Thursday October 27th from 7-9pm
LISA VOLLMER PHOTOGRAPHY NEW STUDIO + GALLERY 325 STOCKBRIDGE ROAD, GT. BARRINGTON • 413-429-6511 / www.lisavollmer.com The Studio specializes in portrait, event, editorial and commercial photography : by appointment. The Gallery represents Sabine Vollmer von Falken, Thatcher Hullerman Cook, Carolina Palermo Schulze and Tom Zetterstrom. (Open daily from 11-4pm closed on Wednesdays) MASS MoCA NORTH ADAMS, MA Alex Da Corte: Free Roses, thru 2016.
MARGUERITE BRIDE HOME STUDIO AT 46 GLORY DRIVE, PITTSFIELD, MA • 413841-1659 or 413-442-7718 MARGEBRIDE-PAINTINGS.COM FB: MARGUERITE BRIDE WATERCOLORS Original watercolors, house portraits, commissions, fine art reproductions. Seasonal scenes always on exhibit at Crowne Plaza, Pittsfield; Studio visits by appt.
NO. SIX GALLERY 6 DEPOT ST, WEST STOCKBRIDGE, MA Nina Lipkowitz, “iPaint on My iPad”, new paintings, Oct 8 - nov 28, reception Oct 16, 4-5:30
NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM 9 GLENDALE RD, STOCKBRIDGE, MA • 413-298-4100 Rockwell and Realism in an Abstract World, thru Oct 30
SCHANTZ GALLERIES 3 ELM ST, STOCKBRIDGE, MA • 413-298-3044 schantzgalleries.com A destination for those seeking premier artists working in glass SCULPTURE NOW THE MOUNT, 2 PLUNKETT ST, LENOX, MA • 413-551-5111 / www.edithwharton.org/ SculptureNow: Remix, thru Oct 3
SOHN FINE ART GALLERY, PRINTING, FRAMING & WORKSHOPS 69 CHURCH STREET, LENOX MA • 413-551-7353 Contemporary photography by local and international artists. We also offer photographic services, archival pigment printing and framing services. ST. FRANCIS GALLERY RTE. 102, SOUTH LEE (just 2 miles east from the Red Lion
Inn) Friday thru Monday 10-5pm.
VAULT GALLERY 322 MAIN ST, GT. BARRINGTON, MA • 413-644-0221 Marilyn Kalish at work and process on view, beautiful gallery with a wonderful collection of paintings
EVENTS / WORKSHOPS
22ND ANNUAL PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL October 8, 9 & 10 at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA. One of America’s top-ranked shows of fine craft, painting and sculpture, Paradise City features 250 outstanding artists in three buildings, sensational cuisine, live music, creative activities, demonstrations, a silent art auction and an outdoor sculpture garden. www.paradisecityarts.com or 800-511-9725.
MUSIC
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH MUSIC 4 CASTLE STREET GREAT BARRINGTON MA • 518-392-6677 Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, October 15, 6 PM www.cewm.org
THEATRE
PITTSFIELD CITYJAZZ FESTIVAL Berkshire Theatre Group • 413-298-5576 6 East Street Stockbridge MA www.berkshiretheatregroup.org October 15, 2016, 7:30 PM.
CLARK ART INSTITUTE 225 SOUTH STREET WILLIAMSTOWN MA 212-572-2694 www.randomhousebooks.com/events October 8, 2016, 1- 4 PM Small Great Things tells the story of Ruth Jefferson, a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. This is the authors' most personal novel to date.
WORKSHOP
NOURISH & EMPOWER WELLNESS RETREAT FOR WOMEN November 17-20, 2016 @ Good Commons Retreat Center in Plymouth, VT Hosted by Kimberly Coleman & Padme Amy Tanner. Come dance, release limiting beliefs, and celebrate the woman you are with sacred sensuality practices that energize and rejuvenate your whole being. Website: http://kimberlycoleman.love/retreat/ Send in your events by the 5th of the month prior to publication. Welcome text files and images:
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Reach your audience! Advertise this season in THE ARTFUL MIND 413. 854. 4400 artfulmind@yahoo.com
LARRY S. FRANKEL larryfrankelphotography.com
413. 645. 3246
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 7
DIANA FELBER GALLERY FALL EXHIBITION
Continuing in October, we have another spectacular show, featuring the work of Robin Crofut-Brittingham, fresh out of university, plus abstract paintings by Martina Angela Müller, gorgeous imaginative landscapes by Joan Marie Barber, as well as exotic landscapes by Will B. Sillin. Larry Zingale will delight you with his own scenes of the Greek Isles, & sunny places. Birgit Blyth will return with her lily pad images-absolutely luscious. Marcia Powdermaker has her series of the quietest places you can imagine. There are always more surprises, so be sure to stop by. The show goes through Halloween. Diana Felber Gallery - 6 Harris St, West Stockbridge, MA. Fall Gallery Hours: Open Thursday – Monday, 11-5pm. 413-854-7002, dianafelbergallery.com, Diana@dianafelbergallery.com
"The speech we hear is an indication of that which we don't hear . . . a necessary avoidance . . . which keeps the other in place . . . one way of looking at speech is to say that it is a constant strategy to cover nakedness." -- Harold Pinter
8 • 2016 OCTOBER THE ARTFUL MIND
DENISE B CHANDLER NATURE IN ABSTRACT: REIMAGINED FORM, SCALE & GESTURE
The recent photographic work of Denise B. Chandler in an exhibition titled "Nature in Abstract: Reimagined Form, Scale & Gesture" will be on exhibit at the 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson NY from September 30 - October 30. A reception will be held on Saturday, October 8 from 3 – 6 PM. Soon after viewing the 2009 exhibition at the Clark Museum, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, titled "Dove/O'Keeffe: Circes of Influence," Chandler was moved to explore her own passion for nature in her medium of photography. Arthur Dove, acknowledged as America's first abstract painter, and Georgia O'Keeffe shared an interest in using colorful, dynamic forms to express their communion with the natural world. The Clark show focused on the mutual desire of these two iconic artists to distill the elements of nature through their own spiritual filters coaxing the viewers to see nature with a heightened awareness of its forms and designs. In this body of work, being shown for the first time in Hudson, Chandler has moved forward with the ideas generated by O'Keeffe's large-scale floral paintings adding motion and gesture. Here, she used a camera as a paintbrush capturing the grand scale, the microcosmic exploration of natural form and color. "From the moment of pre-visualizing and conceptualizing the image in camera, I envision the technical skills of post-production; how I would apply various layers of editing. Years of experimenting has taught me that I have to be discerning in what and how I photograph first." This show will awaken the viewers to the act of seeing as the work of earlier pioneers of abstraction in painting. Denise B Chandler's inspired work being shown at 510 Warren Street Gallery will change the way you view photography as a vehicle for express-
A STUDY OF NEW YORK ARCHITECTURE RICHARD BRITELL
RICHARD BRITELL, “UPPER WEST SIDE”, OIL ON WOOD, 10” X 8”
”There are modes of Realism in which the depiction of concrete detail is so concentrated - and so obsessive - that the visual result bears a distinct esthetic kinship to pictorial abstraction. Richard Britell's paintings are a particularly vivid example of this phenomenon. Mr. Britell's subject matter is drawn from the world of pre-odernist architecture. What he focuses on are brick facades, stonework structures and the elegant decorative embellishments that were once a standard feature of the gothic revival, neo-classical and other historicist styles of American urban architecture. These he depicts with a great deal of pictorial force. Only rarely, however, does the imagery in Mr. Britell's paintings offer us much in the way of social documentary - or social commentary. (The broken window that we glimpse in a brick facade in the painting called ''Bank Row, Syracuse,'' for example, is unusual.) It is the design element in this architecture that interests him - the density and regularity of its formal detail, say, or the handling of light and shadow in conception of a complex outdoor structure. Often the façade of a building is observed in the kind of close-up view that becomes, in effect, the equivalent of a geometrical abstract painting. He is particularly good at painting brickwork, stone window frames and decorated entrances. He has a very analytical eye, and he commands an impressive technique. If there is also an element of nostalgia in these paintings, it isn't particularly bothersome. After all, we all have ample reason to cherish this architecture today, and Mr. Britell's homage to it proves wholly equal to its quality.” - Hilton Kramer New York Times A Study of New York Architecture will be on exhibit October 8 – 31. A reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, October 8, from 4-7 pm. Lauren Clark Fine Art - 25 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, Massachusetts; www.LaurenClarkFineArt.com, Lauren@LaurenClarkFineArt.com, 413528-0432.
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 9
COMMISSIONED PAINTINGS MARGUERITE BRIDE
Think about this – a beautiful scene painted just for you, in exactly the size you want….could be your home, an old barn, your business, a town scene, practically anything…. but something that is very special to you. There is still time to commission this for the holidays…but do act fast. For locations near the Berkshires, Marguerite Bride will do the photo shoot herself, but if you live afar, not a problem….you take the photos and send to her. The process is straight forward….she will do a drawing for you to approve; you may make additions, deletions, you can even decide on season and time of day. It’s a delightful journey for all involved. Visit Bride’s website for more details and a portfolio of custom house portraits and other special scenes she has done. Custom work is always welcome. And a gift certificate is suitable for any special occasion… .that way the recipient has the fun of working directly with the artist. Although known primarily for her custom house portraits and watercolors of the Berkshires, Marguerite Bride’s repertoire includes far more than that. Take a look at her online portfolio for a visit to Italy, Ireland, France, Mexico, England and other far flung destinations. You will also see lighthouses from near and far (even Lake Superior), quaint New England scenes, and some fascinating moonscapes. And the most recently added “Jazz Visions” page. If you are interested in a group class or workshop in watercolor technique, be in touch with the artist. Late fall and winter classes are being formed now. Marguerite Bride – Home Studio at 46 Glory Drive, Pittsfield, Massachusetts by appointment only. Call 413-841-1659 or 413-442-7718; margebridepaintings.com; margebride@aol.com; Facebook: Marguerite Bride Watercolors.
10 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH MUSIC
Celebration of String, Piano, and Opera Virtuosos and Stars of the Chamber Music World in Concerts at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington Fall, Winter, Spring 2016-2017 2016-2017 CALENDAR Chamber Orchestra Kremlin Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Haydn, Saturday, October 15, 6 PM, Mahaiwe Performing Arts The Passion of Camille Saint-Saëns and César Franck-Cherchez la Femme! Saturday, December 3, 6 PM, Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Mid-Winter Fireside Concert -The Intimate Bach Saturday, February 18, 6PM, Saint James Place. Beethoven Journey-Early, Middle and Late Saturday, March 18, 6 PM, Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center The Art of the String Quartet Saturday, April 15, 6 PM, Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet Saturday, May 6, 6 PM, Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman-Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage Saturday, June 10, 6 PM, Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center is at 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA. Saint James Place is at 352 Main Street , Great Barrington, MA. A reception with light refreshments follows each concert. Close Encounters With Music - Post Office Box 34, Great Barrington, Mass. 01230. Mahaiwe Box Office: 413-528-0100. Email: cewmusic@aol.com CEWM: 800-843-0778, www.cewm.org
GOOD PURPOSE GALLERY
MANY HANDS, MULTIPLE METHODS
Fall is a busy season at the Good Purpose Gallery. Currently on view is the Richmond-West Stockbridge Artists’ Guild exhibition, Many Hands, Multiple Methods. The show includes nearly 20 artists and runs through November 1st. The lively and fresh work that RWSAG presents ranges from realistic to abstract, various mediums such as photographs, watercolors, oil and acrylic paintings. Here are some upcoming events to look forward to: Join us on Saturday, October 8th for a jewelry making demonstration with Sennin Esko of Mountain Spirit Jewelry. Esko’s jewelry has been on display at the Gallery since July, and has received rave reviews. The free demonstration will take place at the Gallery from 3:30 pm to 5 pm. We are proud to partner with Moments House, a Berkshire non-profit that serves as a refuge to anyone dealing with cancer. The gallery is hosting an art reception on Saturday, November 5th from 6 - 8 pm. Artists have been invited to alter a 4-inch wooden house painting brush in however their creative spirit moves them using the brush as their canvas. All proceeds benefit Moments House free programs and services. The Good Purpose Gallery will present a very special Gallery Art Auction on Saturday, November 12 at 4 pm. Partial proceeds from the auction will benefit Kidsart Productions, Inc. Our auctioneer will present a lively auction consisting of a wide range of paintings, sculptures, and photographs from current and past artists of the gallery. It is guaranteed to be a night of fun, excitement, and wonderful purchases. Auction items are available for preview beginning at 3:30 pm. Good Purpose Gallery and Spectrum Playhouse are professional venues that exist to offer students real-life training, experience and integration with the community. Both venues host professional artists and events on a regular basis throughout the year, including student events such as plays, performances, art exhibits, and more. Good Purpose Gallery - 40 Main Street, Lee, Massachusetts. The gallery is open 9am - 3pm every day. For more information on the Gallery, visit our website: Goodpurpose.org
iPAINT ON MY IPAD NINA LIPKOWITZ
LYNNE M. ANSTETT PHOTOGRAPHER ARTIST VISION
Whether I’m traveling far from my native New England, hiking, or standing in my own back yard, I’m drawn to the endless variety of beautiful things outdoors. It is a hurried world. Photography, to me, is a way of paying visual attention and tribute to what is otherwise often missed or taken for granted – the quiet dignity of buildings, the magnificence of sky, water and land, the mystery of old things, and the countless daily proofs in nature that the world is made for our eyes. I aim to share what I see, by chance or by design, that is beautiful to me. The camera allows me to do that. My work focuses on farms, environmental portraits, landscapes, structures and edibles. I like to explore beyond the traditional scenes and formats as well. I launched a project two years ago to photograph “The Massachusetts’s Berkshires and Beyond”, taking a close look at the diverse beauty of neighborhoods including outdoor recreation, art, history, farms and more. I designed an Art Poster Calendar format to bring these images to life. Look for the 2017 calendar now in artist shops, hotels, bookshops and museums throughout the Berkshires. My photography has been exhibited with the motif Cultural Pittsfield 10 x 10 Upstreet Arts Festival at the Sohn Fine Art Gallery, Lenox and Hotel on North, Pittsfield; Ethel Walker School Bell Library, Simsbury, CT; Whiting Mills - Open Studios, Winsted, CT and at The Gallery on the Green, Canton, CT, where I am juried artist member. I’ve lived in Litchfield County, CT all my life but in recent years have been residing part-time in the Berkshires. Lynne M. Anstett - Photography - Website: http://www.gicleeone.com/Lynne-Anstett-Giclee-Photography, ImageryArtWorks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynneMAnstettPhotography/, Author of: Love Bound, The Journey – Lynne’s original poetry and photography, ImageryArtWorks@hotmail.com, 860-888-3672
“iPaint on My iPad”, new paintings by Nina Lipkowitz, is a one-woman show featuring iPad paintings by Nina Lipkowitz…a colorful and whimsical body of work created in light and printed in pigment. It will be on display at No. Six Depot Roastery, Café & Gallery, from Saturday, October 8 - Monday, November 28. An artist reception will be held on Sunday, October 16, 4-5:30. “I never meant to be a painter. It just happened. I learned about form and color during my years as a sculptor and potter. I carved marble and alabaster, created clay vessels, learned what makes colors sing, and drew and drew and drew, slowly learning how lines twist and turn and dance, turning into forms, becoming sacred spaces containing endless puddles of color.” “Whether with paint, on paper or finger painting on an iPad screen, my work is always the same: an exploration of line and color, pattern and light, density and transparency. I do not have any preconceived idea of where the painting is going or what it will look like when it is finished.” Nina Lipkowitz was born and spent most of her adult life in New York City, where she earned a degree in art history and later studied almost everything offered at the Art Students League becoming a Life Member. She has been a sculptor, a potter, a painter and a yoga teacher. Today, living in Great Barrington she has found her voice painting watercolors and original, digital iPaintings, painted in light on the touch screen of her iPad, printed as limited-edition archival pigment prints, by her master printer, on fine art printer paper often hand enhanced and embellished creating a multi-medium, one of a kind, painting. Lipkowitz is a founding member of the artistowned 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson, NY and has exhibited her art in both group and one-woman shows. Her work is in private collections in North America and Europe. Please contact the artist through her website, ninalipkowitz.com, or by email at nina@ninalipkowitz.com for more information. Meet the artist at No. Six Depot for an informal lunch and Q&A on Friday, October 14 from 12:151:30 - RSVP kcarmean@gmail.com No. Six Depot Roastery, Café & Gallery - 6 Depot Street (the old train station), West Stockbridge, Mass. Gallery hours: 8:00 AM - 4 PM every day; 413-2320205; hello@sixdepot.com, sixdepot.com.
STEPHEN FILMUS COMMISSIONS
For me, it is joyous to feel that I have captured the essence of a special time and place through my art and have given new life to a memory that will give pleasure for years to come. The commission process is collaboration between artist and client. Whenever possible we visit the site together and discuss elements of subject, color, form and the ‘feeling’ of the scene. The next step for me is to create a detailed color sketch that reflects the client’s vision and gives them a good sense of how the finished artwork will look. At this point the commissioner can give input and suggestions as I work toward the final design. Lastly, I simply do what I know how to do – I sit at my easel and paint. Stephen Filmus is represented by J. Todd Gallery in Wellesley, MA. His work can be seen at his studio in Great Barrington by appointment. Stephen Filmus – art.sfilmus@verizon.net, 413-528-1253, www.stephenfilmus.com
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 11
JENNIFER PAZIENZA GIALLO
Curators do more than determine which works will appear in an exhibition. If we are lucky, a curator can assist us in articulating insights and meanings embedded in our work. Although always open to re-interpretation, their words can shape understanding of art practices, can motivate and inspire. That was my fortunate experience with Canadian curator, Tom Smart currently at the Peel Art Gallery Museum & Archives in Ontario, Canada. http://www.pama.peelregion.ca/en/news/index.aspx ?newsId=7e0a7364-149e-4c66-ab83-c3b5d1f9a790 Giallo, oil on canvas, 72 x 54 inches was originally a horizontal painting where at the time I worked to
make sense of myself in a new studio and its surroundings, myself in a new landscape. I first incorporated bits of interior studio imagery including chairs, windows and sills; the wood stove pipe as well as exterior landscape motifs, parts of our house and land. Suffice it to say it was not working. In utter frustration I turned the painting to its vertical position, covered the entire canvas with the gray violet the sky showed me that day. Then cleaned my brushes, told the painting I would deal with it when I returned in a few days. Locked my studio door and left for a long weekend in Becket. Upon my return, autumn had nearly dropped its entire colour. All but the last hold outs, the yellow of the birch tree branches. It was as if they waited for me. About six hours later Giallo, the Italian word for yellow, appeared as you see it here. My understanding of Giallo, how it is Giallo looks as it does, is informed by at least two fundamental things, the years I have been engaged with the Keswick Ridge landscape as a painter, one who seeks to better understand her own psychic landscape. Then in a more mundane, but absolutely essential way, Giallo is also reminiscent of the landscape quality of the glaze on a candlestick set made by noted New Brunswick ceramic artist Allan Crimmins, http://www.thepotteryshop.ca/sand/ that sits on our dining room table and illuminates our meals. Tom’s words help me understand these two insights more fully when he writes, to look at and study Pazienza’s paintings, particularly Giallo is to move beyond the singular and to grasp all of nature itself, which is the exquisite harmony of a multitude of many separate qualities and sensations. The surfaces are defined by varying densities of pigment simulating a perceptual process of close attention to detail, and the transcendence of the particular in a pulsating visual tension. The world we perceive is never finished, even the landscape that is beyond our window,
and which we look at everyday. In fact, the familiar landscape becomes even more complex the more it is experienced. It is this sensibility that informs Giallo. Pazienza’s meditations on the familiar landscape, on the landscape of her home, on the objects of her world, tell us that beyond the known, the visible, the sensate, the empathic and emotive, there is a larger dimension to perception, perhaps mystical, perhaps spiritual. Her paintings and the process that she employs to create them signify complete interaction between self and the world, the known and the intuited, the familiar and the strange, and both what is in front of us, and what we long to know. Jennifer Pazienza’s work is held in Public and Corporate Collections in the Provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Alberta and in numerous private collections throughout the US, Canada and Italy. Jennifer regularly exhibits in the Berkshire area, with shows at Good Purpose and St. Francis Galleries and most recently at the 510 Warren Street Gallery June 2016 Invitational Group Show in Hudson, NY. Jennifer is looking forward to having work in the November-December Show at the Diana Felber Gallery in West Stockbridge. Jennifer Pazienza - http://jenniferpazienza.com, jennpazienza@gmail.com
“My boyfriends back and your gonna be in trouble- hay-la! hay-la! My boyfriends back!” --From the second studio album released by the American pop girl group The Angels
12 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL
Bunnell, Mariner
COLUMBUS DAY WEEKEND
Northampton's Paradise City Arts Festival is New England’s cultural, creative, culinary and leaf-peeping destination on Columbus Day Weekend. The 22nd Annual Paradise City Arts Festival presents three days of visual art, music, demonstrations, themed exhibits, a silent auction to benefit WGBY Public Television and a landscaped garden and courtyard filled with large-scale sculpture. Founded by working artists, this event is a unique opportunity to experience an entire festival designed from an artist’s perspective. The Festival is highly competitive and showcases the work of an ever-changing selection of America’s most outstanding painters, sculptors and fine craft makers, traveling from every corner of the country. Held in three buildings and under tents, Paradise City is an experience like no other — beautiful, unique, festive and fun. Join Paradise City during American Craft Week. This award-winning event offers the chance to see the work and hear the stories of 250 extraordinary artists from 22 states, enjoy sensational cuisine by Northampton's best chefs and catch live performances by acclaimed musicians. Over 10,000 attendees visit this event held during the peak of New England’s fall foliage season. Paradise City was named the “#1 Arts Festival in America” in 2008 by AmericanStyle Magazine. Let Paradise City’s artists and makers “transport” you on a creative journey, as they incorporate wheels, wings, gears, propellers, hot-air balloons and yellow submarines, pirate ships, space ships, and so much more into this season’s themed exhibit, “Transported: Trains, Planes and Automobiles!” Don’t miss the Festival's Silent Art Auction, featuring
hundreds of beautiful and valuable pieces donated by the exhibiting artists, and 100% of the proceeds benefit WGBY Public Television for Western New England. Hamilton! Eleven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. A Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A Grammy Award. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical Hamilton has caught the theater critics — and the arts world — by storm. Get a behind-the-scenes peek at this show during the Paradise City Arts Festival. With an exclusive PBS Arts Fall Festival preview, public television station WGBY is screening an abridged version of Great Performance’s film documentary Hamilton’s America. See the WGBY screening Saturday and Sunday at 1PM under the Festival Dining Tent. Under the Festival Dining Tent enjoy international food prepared by some the region’s favorite chefs: Spoleto, India House, Sierra Grille, Pizzeria Paradiso, Amber Waves, Local Burger, The Great Wall, Mama Iguana’s and Bart’s Homemade Ice Cream. On the Soundstage, while you dine, tap your feet to the Valley Jazz Divas, Viva Quetzal and the Green Street Jazz Trio with vocalist Barbara Ween. No wonder Boston Magazine declares, “The Paradise City Arts Festival has a vibrant soul that many similar exhibitions reach for but never attain... a unique visual arts institution!” Paradise City Arts Festival, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, October 8, 9 & 10, at Northampton’s 3 County Fairgrounds, on Old Ferry Road off Rt. 9. From the Mass Pike, take exit 4 to I-91 North to Exit 19. For show information and discount admission coupons, visit www.paradisecityarts.com or call 800511-9725.
Kitchen Denkmal Lightning
Risak, handling vase
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 13
DENISE B CHANDLER PHOTOGRAPHER
Harryet Candee: Denise, you have a show opening this month at the 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson, NY. I know this is new work… can you share with us what this show is about and how it came to be? Denise Chandler: “Nature in Abstract: Reimagined Form, Scale & Gesture” is the title of my new show, and it is being shown for the first time. In 2009, I attended an exhibition at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, entitled “Dove/O’Keeffe: Circles of Influence.” I was so enthralled with the exhibit that I was moved to explore my own passion for nature with my camera. Dove and O’Keeffe coaxed the viewer to see nature with a heightened awareness of its forms and designs. In this show, I move forward with the ideas generated by O’Keeffe’s large-scale floral paintings. I use my camera as a paintbrush, capturing the grand scale, the microcosmic exploration of natural form and color. The images in this exhibit are large and bold, with intense color. They are presented in an acrylic fusion 14 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
INTERVIEW BY HARRYET
CANDEE
process that is as contemporary as the images themselves; this adds depth, crispness and complexity to the images. The exhibit will run from September 30th through October 30th. A meet-the-artist reception will be held on Saturday, October 8th at the gallery. Gallery hours are Friday and Saturday from 12 to 6 and Sunday from 12 to 5.
I have known you for a very long time, and I’m so proud of you and what you’ve accomplished as a photographer. Did you ever think you would have taken your art to this level? How did it all happen? Denise: Never once did I imagine that at this point in my life I would be creating fine art, working most days for eight to ten hours in my studio. Creating has been second nature to me since I was a young child; it is only the medium that has changed throughout my life. You ask, “How did it all happen?” Well, that’s a
really big question, and I’ll try to keep the answer to a minimum. My first introduction to creating art was when I was in 3rd or 4th grade. My father had the idea of making table-top Christmas trees with pinecones. This quickly became a family event. On weekends, my dad would take my siblings and I to Tanglewood to pick up the fallen pinecones that lined both sides of the driveway. We soaked the pinecones for weeks in water until they closed up. At that point, we molded chicken wire and pushed the cones through the holes and waited for the cones to dry and open back up. There it was—a perfectly shaped Christmas tree that we spray-painted and decorated with beads. We sold the trees for $3.00 each. It was the early 60s, and everything was reasonably priced (and we worked cheap!). That was the start of my lifelong interest in creating, long before terms like “creative process” and stores such as Michaels existed. This experience was my first introduction into the creative process… making art that took many weeks
to create, a commitment to a timeline, as well as visualizing the end product to determine if there was a market for pinecone Christmas trees. The same skillset that I learned to apply as a child, I still use today in creating art… although it has thankfully been refined. The years went by and many projects came and went, holding varying degrees of interest for me. Looking back, some were rather odd, like the year I spent painting furniture with fruits and vegetables, sticks, rocks… actually anything that wasn’t a traditional paintbrush comes to mind. Then I spent years quilting, and was 100% invested in it with both my time and my heart. Several of the walls in my home are covered with the quilts I made during those years. I still have three quilts in various stages of completion that I hope someday to get back to and finish. What kind of artist would I be if I didn’t leave projects to be resumed later on, right? I always had a camera… not an expensive camera or even a 35mm, but an automatic film camera. And I did okay with it. When the digital point-and-shoots entered the market, I started using one and was happy that I could photograph all day and not spend a dime on film or developing. I started getting more creative and comfortable experimenting, but I was limited as to how much I could do with the camera I had. I knew my son had left his DSLR while he was away at school, so I decided to check it out. Although I didn’t know it then, the day I opened that camera bag, I found a passion like I had never known before. It took me a minute to know I had no idea what to do
with the DSLR camera I was holding. This led me to IS183 and a week-long boot camp for new photographers. Before the week ended, I knew three things for sure… one, I was hooked on photography; two, this was going to be an all-encompassing interest; and three, I needed better equipment. I instinctively knew my commitment would be very strong. Therefore, I made a commitment to buy professional equipment and the best lenses Canon made. Yes, I’m a 100% Canon fan. I have never been sorry about that decision and the money spent, because in the long run, I saved money by not buying entry-level and then intermediate camera bodies and lenses. I bought where I knew I would end up. There is a constant exploration and discovery of self that needs to take place in order to project who you are through your art. What have you learned about yourself throughout this period of discovery in your life, that might be evident in your photography? Denise: What I want to express to others is dependent on the body of work I’m presenting to them. Example: Several years ago, I was exhibiting images at the Tivoli Artists Gallery in a show entitled “Erotica.” The images I chose were meant to make the viewer feel uncomfortable and/or question what they were seeing and why they were feeling what they were… as in, what do you carry in your personal baggage to make you feel as you do? The images were presented large, with no matting, so the work was right in your face… The images appeared to be male and female
Denise B Chandler Hydrangea Vase 2016
genitalia, with one image suggesting a penis penetrating a vagina… all of these images were different parts of flowers, photographed with a specialized macro lens at 5x life. People’s level of comfort with these images was extremely personal, based on their experiences. I photographed these images, and there were times even I was uncomfortable with them. I know why I felt as I did, and I assume everybody else had their own personal thoughts, based on their own life experiences. I have learned that if I want others to have a reaction to my art, then I have to be honest while creating it… without honesty the art is not successful. I currently have two major projects I’ve been working on, on and off for years, that deal with women’s issues and are very personal for me, which is why it’s taking me years to finish the projects. When you are at a loss for ideas, but really want to produce something great and move forward on your creative path, what helps you to get there? Denise: When that happens—and it does happen— I look at the art of others. And it doesn’t matter what type of art… I visit a museum, a gallery, an exhibit. I walk through a sculpture park, go to a play or concert, or I look at my many art books… anything that resets my seeing and thinking that will ultimately bring me new and fresh creativity. Another technique I apply often is to go into my archives—look at things I haven’t looked at in a long time. I find that revisiting images that I captured months or even Continued on next page... THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 15
years earlier lets me see new possibilities that I hadn’t seen when I first examined them. This is particularly helpful now that I am working more on what I call “photo art” and “alternative processing.”
Tell me Denise, what do you consider your main focus with your work? Denise: My main focus is to create interesting art… not pretty art. To create intuitive, abstract art. I want to make the ordinary extraordinary, and I want the viewer to see in a new way. My work has become much more conceptual over the years, which is very liberating for me. I no longer have to carry a camera with me all the time. I’ve learned the difference between photographing for work versus for fun or family life. However, there are always exceptions to the rule, and I try to stay flexible. I do enjoy photographing many events that have absolutely nothing to do with the art I exhibit, i.e. horse shows, dog shows, rural events, etc. Who was your first and most important mentor? Who helped you to feel you can masterfully work your way through this medium and come up with pretty good final results? Denise: This is the easiest question to answer… The first and most important mentor to me has been and is Cassandra Sohn, owner of Sohn Fine Art Gallery. I met Cassandra in 2010, while taking a photography class that she was teaching at IS183. At the time, I was looking to find someone I could work with privately, and she was willing to accommodate me.
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Denise B Chandler Untitled #2 2016
Cassandra came to my home weekly for two hours, and at the end of our sessions she left me with homework to have completed for our next session. She exposed me to the technical aspects of photography. She taught me to discern the difference between a good image and an exceptional image. We kept this schedule for nearly two years until she opened Sohn Fine Art in Stockbridge (the gallery moved to Lenox in 2014). In true mentor form, Cassandra has been there for me as I’ve explored this new part of myself. I am grateful for her continued friendship, encouragement and guidance. Photography is a very technical form of art. So much to study and understand! What training did you put yourself through—formal and otherwise—in order to achieve insight into photography? Denise B Chandler: With my photography mentor committed to her new gallery, I was looking for a way to continue my education in photography. It was April 2012 when I found out about Maine Media Workshops (formerly Maine Photographic Workshops); I decided I needed to check them out. Three weeks later, I had submitted my portfolio for review, and was soon accepted into the 2012 summer residency program. I rented a small house in Camden, Maine for three months, spending the summer immersed in photography. The residency program was twelve weeks long. This included eight workshop weeks with renowned photographers and four weeks with a program mentor who critiqued and kept me
focused on a final project, a ten-image portfolio. I was busier than I ever imagined, working from early morning to late evening on weekdays. Weekends were for resting and visiting with my husband and dog, who would arrive on Friday and leave on Sunday. This will perhaps sound strange, but this was the very first time in my life I had lived alone. I had gone from living with my parents to living as a married woman. By time I made the decision to move to Maine, my son was grown and I had been re-married nearly twenty years. This was a new experience and enormous challenge for me, and I loved every single minute of it. I ended up staying in Maine a few more weeks than I had planned, to take a couple more workshops. I had been there nearly four months when I finally moved back home. The intensity of the workshops I completed would equal a year, if not two years, of a college photography program. Every year since 2012, I have continued my photography education by studying with a “master,” a big hitter, in the world of photography. Sometimes those programs have been very technical; other times more about creativity or processing. I find that studying with such experienced and significant photographers offers me perspective that I am not able to achieve on my own. Have you delved into any other mediums? Do you enjoy painting, or even theatre experience, to gather ideas and experimentation? Or has it been solely through the use of the lens?
Denise: Before photography, I worked in many other mediums, many of them for years. There was pysanka (Ukrainian Easter eggs), which I created for years and still occasionally make during the Lenten season. I invested years in quilting, and made many quilts that are all around my home. I exhibited in quilt shows, I traveled the Northeast to quilt shows and I did what all quilters do… bought fabric at every show I attended! I have enough fabric stored away to make at least a dozen new quilts. And of course there was knitting, crocheting, painting, calligraphy, etc. Currently, I’m finding ways to take my photography to the next level by working with my images in other mediums such as encaustics, transfers, and textures. There is no end to the possibilities this medium is opening up to me. I’m very pleased with the results. As for the performance arts you mentioned, I enjoy theatre, and in particular Broadway shows. However, I have absolutely no talent whatsoever in theatre, dance or music. For several years, I would drive into NYC and go to an afternoon Broadway show, take a walk through Central Park, have dinner, and then take in a second show before driving back home to Lenox.
Where are you now in terms of your art, and where would you like to be down the line? Denise: I’m exactly where I want to be. I’m signed and represented by Sohn Fine Art Gallery on Church Street in Lenox. and I’m an artist/owner associate at the 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson, New York. Between the two galleries, I’m busier than I had ever planned. Up until this past February I was also a participating member of the Tivoli Artists Gallery in Tivoli, New York. Three galleries were just too much of a commitment. The travel back and forth to Tivoli took too much valuable time that I could be applying to the other two galleries. When my membership was due to expire, I let it lapse. As long as I’m able to continue creating art that pleases me first and others second, I’m exactly where I want to be.
Have you ever considered the prospect of teaching photography? Denise: Not once… I can’t even begin to imagine what that would look like. Photography is private for me. I have a small group of friends that I critique with. I open my private studio to these friends and share willingly. Other than that, I stay private with the majority of my work. To me, photography is about seeing and conveying the subject of your image to others. Last summer, a friend and I were in Maine photographing at a small dahlia farm. Our images couldn’t have been more different, even though we were at the same place at the same time, with the same natural light. We photographed what we saw differently, based on how we conceptualized our images, both while shooting and after processing. What subject matter makes you feel passionate about your work? Why? Denise: The subject matter I’m currently working on is what I’m most passionate about. I know what I’m going to create before I pick my camera up. I do not Continued on next page....
Denise B Chandler Hosmer Pond Wonderland 2016
Denise B Chandler Sheep Milking 2014
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 17
Denise B Chandler Untitled 2014
do any commercial photography, i.e. senior portraits, weddings, etc. I print and frame my own art with archival products. My art is museum-quality assembled and presented, and all of the images are limited editions, offered in various sizes.
Denise, can you tell us a little bit about your childhood, where you grew up, your family history? Denise: I am a lifelong resident of Lenox, Massachusetts. I attended Lenox public schools, graduating from Lenox Memorial High School in 1973. I have two brothers and one sister. We grew up on Walker Street near the center of town. When I was a child, stores were not open on Sunday, there were no malls, banks closed at 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and weren't open on weekends, ATMs hadn’t been invented; it was a very different time than today. I had a wonderful childhood. There were many families with children the same ages as me and my siblings, who lived in the same neighborhood. We rode bicycles around town and up to the Lenox Bird Sanctuary. We would go to Kimball’s Stable and play around the horses. We went to church every Sunday and had a big Sunday afternoon dinner, followed by Sunday drives around the county. Life was simpler, and I think I grew up in a nicer time than kids today. We didn’t have the options that are available today. We only had three television channels, and no computers; therefore we learned to read books, play games, ride bikes, ice skate, and go sledding. We spent our summer afternoons with our friends at the town beach… no18 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
body had pools then. We learned to make things by using whatever we could find, and we made up stories and acted them out for our parents on an imaginary stage. On Saturday mornings, I went to catechism, then to Aspinwall Stable for my weekly riding lesson. Then I spent the whole afternoon with my friends at the barn. I really did have a wonderful childhood in the town that has become my lifelong home.
I could photograph the other interests in my life, giving a whole new purpose to events I had been attending for years.
What was it about photography that drew you in? What made you continue on this path? Denise: The immediate gratification of digital photography, and the fact that I could create art by leaving the house, rather than being stuck behind a sewing machine or a quilting frame. I had been making quilts that could take a few years to create, or Ukrainian Easter eggs that could take a week or longer for one egg. Photography was freeing… and
How has the gallery scene been for you since you first decided to come out and show your art publicly? Denise: Wonderful, challenging, and validating. The road to gallery work is not easy, nor is it fast. I began the process by building a resume of exhibits, by responding to “Call For Entries” locally and regionally. I was fortunate to have been accepted into many shows; winning awards along the way. I submitted
I’m wondering, what buttons do you need to push in order to get your viewers to feel emotion? How do you capture an emotion through the lens? Denise: We touched on this a bit previously… For me that button is honesty. When I say honesty, I mean that I have to believe that what I’m presenting has a basis in reality. If I’m presenting one of my floral abstracts, there has to be at the very least a small bit of reality in it. If I capture a landscape and layer it with several textures and present it in an alternative process, there still has to be the vastness of a landscape, whether it be a rural or urban landscape.
Right brain, left brain—you need both to accomplish a good piece of artwork, especially with photography. Are you aware of how you put your natural skills on both sides to use? What if you lacked in the technical side of photography, but were purely creative-minded? What are the challenges here? Denise: I’m very aware of how I use my “natural skills,” as you call them. I am often in conflict with myself as I create. There is Denise who is compulsive about details, where every i must be dotted and every t crossed. That Denise is project-driven, and will work without sleep to get something done; always following the fundamentals of photography. Then there is Denise who is a free spirit and is driven to operate outside the rules of photography. For me, that is where traditional photography ends and photo art begins. I work hard to find a balance.
Denise B Chandler Housatonic River #2 2016
images to the Annual Community Arts Exhibition at Sohn Fine Art Gallery in 2012, 2013, and 2014. All three years my images won the People’s Choice Award, along with either a first or second place overall. At the end of 2014, Cassandra Sohn offered me gallery representation at Sohn Fine Art Gallery. I was extremely honored and excited. It was a great validation of the hours of study, the workshops attended and the exhibitions, which had all been worthwhile. Shortly after signing with Sohn, I joined the other two galleries I mentioned previously, and I remain as an artist/owner associate at 510 Warren Street. I have also built a studio/gallery at my home.
Does it require a good amount of people skills to get yourself out there showing your art? Has it been easy? Denise: This is one of my favorite parts of this journey. I’m very comfortable meeting new people while networking at gallery openings. I haven’t found that to be difficult; actually, just the opposite. At this point, I’m not looking to expand beyond the two galleries representing my work. I am very happy meeting new clients and artists, creating new art, and knowing that my art is bringing pleasure to those who view it and purchase it.
What are your most important and most useful tools of the trade? Was there anything you purchased mistakenly, having discovered later it was not for you? Anything you thought you’d never use that turned out to be your new best friend?
Denise: My camera and computer would be my most important and frequently-used equipment. Before I became more seasoned as a photographer, I often carried two cameras and several lenses. Fortunately, those days have passed. Now, I go out with one camera and usually two lenses, no more. While traveling, I will still pack more equipment, but only because I never know where my travels will take me. I don’t recall ever mistakenly purchasing equipment. I have consciously purchased the best equipment possible. I research my purchases thoroughly and do my best to get what I want. I have, however, purchased equipment for a project (or when I can’t pass up an opportunity) that I didn’t use immediately. But I eventually will use it and then it will be my new best friend. At least that’s what I tell my husband.
What would you tell novice photographers, as far as what to do and what not to do? Denise: Be honest. Never stop photographing. Always welcome the support and encouragement of a mentor. How has your life improved since your discovery that being behind the lens is your way of being alive and happy? Denise: I’m grateful that I get to share my view of the world with people, and that they seem to be interested in what I have to show them. It’s a dream come true.
Where does most of your support come from when beginning a new and possibly scary project? Denise: I have great family and friends, but it’s my dogs who are with me the most as I create. I can’t imagine creating art without them beside me.
Are there any issues relating to art—or types of art—that baffle you? Anything that tries your understanding? Denise: No. I like all art; it’s all important. It adds great depth to my life. Even when I’m unfamiliar with something, I enjoy learning to appreciate it.
The expenses of being a photographer are high. Are there ways in which you cut corners or sacrifice, like not buying the latest equipment? Denise: Yes, photography is expensive; there is no way around it. The more equipment, the greater the expense. Cameras and lenses are not all created equal; there are many different price points for what appears to be the same equipment, but it’s not the same. My personal choice has been to buy my lenses, flashes and accessories from the same manufacturer as my camera. There are several companies making less expensive lenses that will mount to my Canon camera bodies; as of now I haven’t tried them. In your opinion, what in your belief system is reflected in your work? Denise: Honesty… H
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 19
ELEANOR LORD Artist
Denise B Chandler Fine Art Photography
Nature in Abstract: Pink Tulip # 1© 2016 Denise B Chandler
Reimagined Form, Scale & Gesture
eleanorlord.com
FRONT ST. GALLERY
September 30th — October 30th Reception: Saturday, October 8 • 3 - 6pm 510 WARREN STREET HUDSON, NY FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 12 - 6 SUNDAY: 12 - 5 518 - 822 - 0510 www.510warrenstreetgallery.com
510
WARREN ST GALLERY
www.denisebchandler.com info@denisebchandler.com
Stephen Filmus
STILL LIFE By KATE KNAPP
Painting classes on Monday and Wednesday mornings 10-1pm at the studio in Housatonic and Thursday mornings 10am - 1pm out in the field. Also available for private critiques. Open to all. Please come paint with us!
gallery hours: open by chance and by appointment anytime 413. 274. 6607 (gallery) 413. 429. 7141 (cell) 413. 528. 9546 (home)
20 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
COMMISSIONS Time to commission your favorite scene. art.sfilmus@verizon.net
I
413-528-1253
OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND You’re invited
OCT. 15th and 16th noon - 5:30 Featuring
SMALL WORKS
Oil Paintings and Drawings New and Old Favorites, many never shown, Some Surprises
PRICED TO SELL
Ann Getsinger Special Opportunity
For more information and directions
www.anngetsinger.com
Blue Squash oil on linen 18” x 24”
Studio will be open by appointment during November and December 2016
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 21
VAN SHIELDS
&
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM PITTSFIELD AND ART COLLECTOR
PEGGY RIVERS ART TEACHER AND VISUAL ARTIST
INTERVIEW BY HARRYET CANDEE
PHOTOGRAPHS AND COVER BY EDWARD ACKER
Harryet Candee: Van, what is your present title and position at the Berkshire Museum? Van Shields: Executive Director
What would you say is the most intriguing part of your job? Van: Working with a very creative group of people to explore ways to use our unique resources to engage the public and meet community needs. When did you start working at the museum, and what was your first job there? Van: I was hired as Executive Director in September 2011. Can you tell us about some of the challenges and
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changes the museum has gone through—ones that you’ve been involved with? Van: As with many cultural institutions in the Berkshires, the museum is challenged to build sufficient endowment to fund annual operations and support capital projects, while operating in a very competitive environment for attracting contributed and earned income. When I arrived, we faced the immediate challenge of making changes to our physical facility, and our initial fundraising was focused on supporting an upgrade to our energy and humidity controls. There was also the installation of a passenger-operated elevator, and fire suppression systems. We completed these projects in 2014. At the same time, we began to raise endowment funds, and this has become a central objective in our ongoing master
planning project, designed to renew the museum as a relevant, sustainable organization that continues to deliver high quality services. Along the way, we accelerated our community engagement and built a new suite of programs for people at every stage in their lives. Where did you grow up, Van? Van: I was raised in a military family and lived in nine different places by the time I graduated from high school. These places were centered on military bases in the American south, with the exception of my early years living in Italy, and finishing high school in Nebraska. How did you find your way to the Berkshires?
V: My first museum position was in New York City, followed by a 14-year stint as the founding executive director of a museum system in the Carolinas. When we looked for a new opportunity in 2011, I was fortunate to be engaged to lead the Berkshire Museum. I love my job because it’s the right fit for my interest in building social capital, while Peggy and I enjoy the amazing quality of life in the Berkshires.
You are also a collector of fine art. How long have you been doing this? Is collecting art a hobby, or is it for investment purposes? Van: I have always been interested in art, as well as history and nature, and I have been collecting art, artifacts and specimens since I was in elementary school. My room as a child was always full of stuff, and I now have a house and basement full of miscellaneous things picked up through the years. I was also a painter and ceramicist in my early years, so I began trading for art when I was young and started buying art in my 20s. My wife Peggy Rivers is an artist, and she collected by trading and buying as well, and together we have kept that up over our 32 years together. We collect living artists, mostly people we know, for our enjoyment through living with art. We routinely buy art made by students and emerging artists, both from Peggy’s work as a college studio art instructor, as well artists we have met in the community at large. We have a few pieces that could be considered investments, but that has never been our intention.
Van in HiS collector rooM
Has being in the museum helped to educate you in terms of buying art? Van: Not really. I started collecting years before I became a museum professional.
What has been your best buy yet? What would be the biggest mistake one could make when it comes to buying art? Van: Not sure I have a best buy, but I’m particularly fond of recent work that I’ve purchased from local photographers. My advice: buy art that you find compelling to look at, time and time again.
How important to you is the artist, when deciding to buy a piece of art? I have seen people buy art from an artist because they got to meet her or him, and got to know them a bit. Is it helpful for artist and buyer to get acquainted with each other, schmooze, go out for a drink, or perhaps even know each other as a longtime friends? Van: Friends buy art from friends, so relationships are important, but not the main driver of deciding what to buy. Do art-buying trends have any influence on who you follow and what you collect? Van: No, but I like art that “speaks of its time.”
How important, if at all, is the size of a piece? Van: Not particularly important, but we only have so much room. We have a tremendous amount of art stored.
PHotograPH by edWard
acker
What kind of art do you generally seek out? What medium do you love; what medium might you dislike, and why? Van: I don’t seek out art, it finds me. I don’t have an aversion to any media, although I have not collected digital/video work, but I do enjoy new-media work in gallery and museum settings.
Van, I’m wondering, from a personal point of view, what are the key things that come up in your mind when you are looking at a piece of art and judging it for its character and beauty? Do Peggy’s tastes agree with yours? Van: When I first encounter work, I try to avoid comparisons to other artists’ work, which isn’t easy after decades of looking at art. If art compels me to look deeper, I tend to evaluate it on how well it succeeds through the lens of the formal elements, such as color, composition, media handling, content, etc. Often I hear the voice of former art professors asking whether “the edges are activated” or other catchphrases I heard over and over again. I find beauty everywhere, and if art works for me, it’s beautiful, even though the content might be horrible. Peggy Rivers: When I look at work, I am open, and I don’t have a particular type of work I prefer over another; it’s something else that moves me. The quality I respond to is the unique essence of the artist that comes through the work. Another quality I appreciate is when a work sucks you in closer, and I feel I have Continued on next page...
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 23
Peggy in studio photograph by Edward Acker to run over to it to see if the surface quality is as aesthetically pleasing at a distance as it is close up. I do not like work that falls flat the closer you get to it. I appreciate the sensual quality of the surface. When it comes to your home and the art you want to live with, your wonderful wife has had a 50/50 say in what may appear. How do you work as a team? People have their own tastes in the arts, even if they live under one roof and love each other immensely. Peggy: I appreciate Van’s sense of design and beauty, and he has as much to say about the look of our home as I do. Van: Peggy has the final say.
I’d like to ask both of you, what does it take to be a successful artist? Van: Hard work.
Peggy Rivers Sleeper awakens Mindful Oil on Linen 48 x 72”
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Peggy: Hah, I’ll let you know when I get there! For me it’s simple… doing the work, going into the studio regularly for a set amount of time. Every part of my life is affected by this intentional act. This is all I need to feel I am a successful artist. There are other aspects of being an artist that I struggle with. I give myself a C in the business side of being an artist. Whether I like it or not these two aspects of being an artist are inextricably connected. I continue to make work but it needs to go somewhere. I continue to in-
Peggy at work
photograph by Edward Acker
vest my time and money in creating the best paintings I can, but is the work I do connecting with people or making a difference in their lives? I love the idea that I might bring joy to, or create a meaningful experience for, another human being. I make the work to please myself but I am also trying to communicate. Although my work has been collected by museums and corporations and plenty of people, I would like more people to see my work so I’m connected with them through what I do. If you are a collector of art, does that mean you are also a seller of the work you buy at some point? Van: The only art we sell is Peggy’s, although sometimes I ask her not to sell something because I love it too much.
Peggy: I have no intention of selling any of the work I have collected. I get so much pleasure from looking at the work on a daily basis, it is a part of me and a part of my environment. I suppose there may be reasons I would have to consider selling the work I’ve collected, such as… I can’t bring yet another piece into our art-crammed house without taking one out.
How important is it for each of you to be up-to-the-minute on world news and affairs; especially art news related to your collecting? Van: Our dinner party guests can confirm that I am curious to a fault, and I’m a news and information omnivore. I pay attention to museum business trends, including art-related, but generally trends don’t impact my personal collecting. I am attracted to work that speaks of its time, so my sense of that is informed by everything I take in from media. I’m also a student of human culture in various forms, and enjoy picking up on design and fashion trends before they become ubiquitous. What do the two of you do in your free time? Peggy: We are celebrating our 32nd anniversary this month, and we still enjoy being with each other as much as we did when we first connected, whether we are relaxing in the house together or working on something independently. We love yoga, nature, hiking, camping and backpacking, and are dedicated gallery and museum enthusiasts. We love traveling anywhere for any reason, which is always
Continued on next page...
Peggy Rivers dreamy 48 x 24” Oil on Canvas
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 25
Van Shields photograph by Edward Acker
a source of new information.
Van: What she said, plus fly fishing.
Do antiques fit into your world at all? Van: We have several pieces of furniture that are technically antiques, as well as decorative arts that have been handed down through the family. Our dayto-day dining room table was made in Boston in 1908. We believe in family totems, and our son will have a wonderful opportunity to decide whether our ‘keepers’ become his.
What are some of your favorite museums here and abroad? Why? Peggy: I love all of our Berkshire museums, and visit several times a year. I also appreciate how close we are to the NYC and Boston museums. We also love the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, and always visit museums when we travel. My favorite museum in the world outside of the United States is the National Gallery in London, followed by the Tate and Tate Modern, and the British Museum. Van: I would add the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and the Crane Museum of Papermaking in Dalton—and a bunch of others. We also love historic sites and parks, especially UN-
26 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
ESCO World Heritage Area sites.
Is the value of a painting affected by whether the artist is living or no longer alive? Please explain. Van: With some salient exceptions, values for art fluctuate over time whether the artists are alive or not. Obviously, the supply from a particular artist is fixed at death, although there are exceptions to that rule as well. Peggy: We like to collect the work of living artists we know, although we have a few exceptions to that rule.
What does a typical day in your life look like? How do you spend it at work? Van: Most of my day is spent communicating via talking or typing. I try to walk around the museum several times a week, to see what my teammates are up to. On average, I’m probably out of the office 15% of the time for meetings and events, etc. I also serve on several community boards and advisory groups.
Peggy: I teach college art history courses online, and currently teach studio art one day a week at BCC. I try to spend at least four hours, six days per week, in my studio.
Do you like to cook at home, or go out to restaurants to eat? Where do you like to eat these days if not at home? Van: Peggy is a fantastic cook, and I’m capable, so we eat most meals at home. I jump at the chance to grill outside because I like being outside. That said, as former restaurant owners, we enjoy restaurant experiences and regularly eat out. As Peggy says, we are food-of-any-kind people and have eclectic tastes. We especially appreciate fresh ingredients and farmto-table menus. We have experienced many, many Berkshires’ restaurants, from the Old Inn on the Green, to Mezze, The South Field Store, Alta, Chez Nous, Haven. We frequent District and Eat at Hotel on North, as well as Vongs, which is new to Pittsfield but already a winner. We also enjoy Old Forge and Freight Yard Pub and our favorite Mexican food is Tony’s Sombrero in Williamstown. Peggy, you are a painter. Where do you find inspiration for your work? Peggy: Life on planet earth inspires me. I think and worry about what I want to put out into the world. I don’t want to be a mirror for what is not right in the world, but I also don’t want to be dishonest and say everything is beautiful all the time. I do want my paintings to be life-affirming and inquisitive.
Van and Peggy photograph by Edward Acker
Peggy, I think being an art teacher is so rewarding. How is it rewarding for you? Peggy: I love to see learning occur, and it is rewarding to bring students along the art appreciation path, especially when they have had little exposure beforehand. In studio art, I get great joy from nurturing progress in art-making.
What events have taken place in the Berkshires over the years that the two of you are still talking about? Van: We are excited about the growing sense that collaboration and partnerships will be central to quality of life in the Berkshires. We also support initiatives to knit together people from different social groups, and see evidence of that in the work of 1Berkshire, which combined Berkshire Creative, Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and the Berkshire Visitors Bureau. We also see it happening through cultural institutions, and I’m proud to say Berkshire Museum is at the forefront with efforts like the Berkshire Award and our various openings and social events designed to attract participants from all over the county.
Would you ever consider opening up your own gallery?
Van: We’ve thought about that a lot, actually, but know that galleries are all-consuming enterprises. We have great respect for gallerists, but taking on a new business venture outside of our already very busy lives doesn’t seem appealing. To sustain a world of museum life and gallery life, what is lacking at this time, and needs to be reintroduced? Van: On the gallery side, we need more art buyers who appreciate living with original art.
Do you think there is anything that has not already been created by the art world? Can there be another Michelangelo hiding out somewhere, waiting to be discovered? Yes, we can guess at what’s important now by recognizing that a change has occurred and people may catch on. And there will always be new art forms, and artists who don’t know each other may start a movement from something in the air, independent from each other. But is it lasting or meaningful? Is that something you can only know with the test of time? Van: The world is so different now in terms of making art and how it is experienced. Genius happens, and there are now 7 billion people, so of course there are fantastic artists out there. At the same time, the
notion of getting discovered may be obsolete. I can’t imagine what it takes to cut through the blizzard of media noise today. It will be interesting to see if technology will create a pipeline for visual artists that is as effective as YouTube.
Regarding multi-disciplinary arts merging together to make one piece, do you think the work is then too watered down? Is it then just entertainment? Peggy: For me this is great news. When I was an undergraduate, art was divided by the various disciplines. Now the question of ‘is it a painting or sculpture’ is irrelevant; it’s just art. I think this is simpler and more straightforward.
Van: The media, tools, etc. that an artist uses to create work is just a platform for expression. It either works or it doesn’t, and even the notion of whether it works is highly subjective. I think some of the most interesting work going on today is coming from the street, rather than the studio. How do we actually keep the dignity of art at its highest level, when cartooning, videography and computer-generated art has taken center stage these days? I’m not saying these genres are not Continued on next page...
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 27
I often wonder how to bridge the gap between south county and north county communities. There is such a divide. But with new galleries and restaurants, and the museum’s future plans exploding, do you think Pittsfield has the chance to develop into a great art scene and find its way to working with surrounding communities? Van: From the sheer number of venues and a from a combined-audience point of view, Pittsfield is likely the second-place leader behind Lenox/Tanglewood, as an arts and culture destination in the Berkshires. Berkshire Museum, Hancock Shaker Village, Arrowhead, Colonial Theater and Barrington Stage are headliners, and we have several cultural events presented through the city’s Office of Cultural Development and other venues such as Shire City Sanctuary, Word X Word, 10X10, Shakespeare in the Park, etc. And new ones pop up every year. Pittsfield already has a great arts and culture scene, and it’s only getting better. What can supporters, volunteers and visitors do to help the museum to thrive and continue to have great exhibits year-round? Van: If people engage in the experiences we provide, the rest will follow. Peggy, for you, a good marriage is when: Peggy: It’s complicated, and never a dull moment. Van explains.... Photograph by Edward Acker
art, just wondering whether you feel they are testing the waters, maybe making it a little harder to fit art into one specific venue, as in the past. It must be extremely hard to sell such works to collectors, and possibly it’s all directed towards the general public, and the entertainment, film and television industries. Peggy: I see this as progress. When new art forms emerged in the past, it probably didn’t fit into the categories that came before. But you can see how they logically progressed out of what came before. V: Things only have the dignity we ascribe to them. People were worried that photography would make painting irrelevant. Instead photography ushered in new thinking about about how to use paint, which led to successive waves of ‘isms’ that have contributed mightily to our humanity. Van, respectfully taking a look at other forms of art such as theatre and music, what do you lean towards, enjoy, or even get involved with? Van: I’m a culture omnivore and believe all forms of artistic expression are valuable to frame our humanity, but my personal interest tends to visual arts and music.
What is the Berkshire Museum’s oldest and/or most popular item today? Van: Our visitor studies indicate that people are as interested in our historical, material culture, and our natural history specimens and living collections in the aquarium, as they are in the art. Oldest and most popular—our Egyptian mummy Pahat is likely the winner. Among my personal favorite objects, is 28 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
Matthew Henson’s fur suit he wore in polar expeditions with Robert Peary. He was the first African American polar explorer and played an important role with Peary in reaching the North Pole. There are so many interpretive threads you can pull through that suit, from African American history, to our ability to adapt to harsh environments, to climate change. And we have it because the Museum’s founder, Zenas Crane, sponsored Peary’s expeditions, which is another thread in the story. Van, how do your interests in history, natural science and art all intersect within the Berkshire Museum? V: We are the only museum in the Berkshires with collections spanning art, history, and natural science so…
The building is beautiful. The Berkshire Museum has serious roots here in the Berkshires. Can you enlighten us on who was responsible for its existence? Some history behind this great public blessing, please? Van: In 1902, Zenas Crane, a member of the third generation of papermakers in the Crane family, wrote a letter to his lawyer saying he intended to build a museum, centrally located in Pittsfield so it would be accessible to people in the Berkshires, containing objects related to art, history and natural history for the benefit of the public. Exactly one year later to the day, the Berkshire Museum opened. As with many late 19th to early 20th century industrialists, Crane was also a philanthropist who used his wealth to do good.
Along the same lines, where do you think North Adams is going in its artistic and cultural development? Would it present competition for Pittsfield, or be a great addition and benefit? Peggy: More is more.
Being so close to election time, how does politics affect the artists market? Van: The election cycle was very good for Shepard Fairey in 2008. The health of the economy impacts the art market more than anything else, in my experience. Peggy, please tell us about your own art work. Peggy: The idea of a big electrical-chemical soup sloshing around our brains that weaves together neurons through discharges between synapses, that ultimately create impulses that manifest specific movements... that produce a painting, never ceases to amaze me. At one point in my career I sought to create a single perfect painting that had “everything” in it. Now I understand that the act of working what you know into a painting creates something you don’t know. In other words, my answers create questions. If successful, the viewer responds with “tell me more.” So, there is always the next level. Maybe seeking perfection is perfect enough? I am not sure about that, but I am sure that making art is an adventure and a blast. What new universes will be born in paintings as a result of showing up in my studio? Literally anything can happen if I pay attention and stay open to act on those electrical-chemical discharges that go into the paint and, like a virus, infect the viewer to ask for more. After all, don’t you find the best paintings are ones that your eyes return to, time after time? What are your artistic challenges and goals with your art: technique, style, venue, subject…
Van and Peggy on porch with dogs Photograph by Edward Acker
etcetera…. Peggy: In my most recent work, the Demarcation series, I have refined the intricate look I have long wanted to exploit, that moves the viewer’s eye from passage to passage searching for more surprises. This effect is not something that happens quickly, but when it works it is very satisfying, even though I can spend a half a year getting there. I do enjoy seeing what my brain will come up with. The time thing can be an issue, as it’s hard to feel good about myself if I can only make a few paintings in a year. For this reason, I have other experimental paintings that I continuously develop that are less time consuming and they eventually lead me to the next body of work. My overarching goal is to make work that is unique, honest and generally life affirming even if it begs important questions such as “So You Think You’re in Control” from the Demarcation series. Almost all of the work I have done is about living on planet earth at the time painted, and the things in my life I’m obsessed with, such as the reason for the line in my current series. As for venues, with a desire for people to see may work, I would show most anywhere and my work has been in Museum shows, galleries, and corporate and business spaces throughout my career. I had two galleries representing me in the Carolinas for twelve years. I withdrew when I moved to the Berkshires, and currently have no representation. It would be great to have someone representing my work, it just hasn’t happened yet and, I’ll admit,
that is partly because I don’t work at the business of art. I’m still going to paint no matter what. The biggest issue I have is with myself, I am exceedingly good at promoting others work but not so great at promoting my own.
If we can have one major mailing list, and the people to pass on the word of timely events and happenings, do you think that would do enough to bridge our communities closer together? Peggy: I think the key to bridging our communities is people spending time together with other people socially and certainly art openings, festivals, special events, etc. make that possible. We already receive information about ‘things’ going on from so many eblasts and mailings from organizations all over the Berkshires; I can’t help but think several mailing lists have effectively cross-pollinated Berkshire audiences. My suspicion is a comprehensive events calendar would be useful but, then again, maybe it would be overwhelming for individuals looking to connect their interests with specific kinds of events that might be lost in the plethora of what various organizations have to offer. On the other hand, no one could complain there is not enough to do, although I think if you are paying attention, you already know that there is always plenty to do here in the Berkshires. What have you specifically learned, and discovered that would be endearing and important for
you to share with us? From an artist point of view, or from any point of view you wish to come through on. Peggy: I have learned that I discover more about myself through the process of making work. Usually that part of the process is pretty surprising and I’m not sure I would be as self-reflective if not for being a maker. In a weird way I become more of myself through the process of making work. So the work is meaningful to me in this way, and I have benefitted from this aspect of being and artist and doing the kind of work I make. Another aspect of making art I find interesting is when the work goes out into the public domain, the work takes on a life of it’s own, in that viewers may see the content I intend them to see, but most often they read it based on their own life experience. I think the world needs more creative outlets. I think creativity can relieve some personal suffering. I also believe through practicing creativity we, collectively will solve the big issues we are facing. ...thank you, both!
H
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 29
STEPHANIE ANDERSON WATERCOLOR PAINTING CLASS
Beginning Wednesday, September 14 from 1 - 4pm, award-winning illustrator and painter Stephanie Anderson will host a weekly class out of her Great Barrington studio. The focus is to help students with prior painting experience advance to a new level with their work, through in-class exercises and self-directed projects. Using positive support and discussion, both as a group and individually with Anderson, students are encouraged in their exploration of watercolor techniques to further their love for the medium. The class is $600 for 10 weeks, and for more information please contact 518 577 2009 or stephanie.austin.anderson@gmail.com. To learn more about Anderson and her work, visit www.stephanieandersonart.com, featuring her still life paintings, drawings, and other media along with her illustration and commissioned work. See also the May 2016 edition of the The Artful Mind for an in-depth interview with Anderson. Please call or email to view available work for purchase or to commission new work, including family portraits, wedding and birth announcements.
30 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
CREATIVE TRANSITIONS EILEEN MAHONEY
Creative Transitions, is an expressive arts practice that helps individuals and groups tap into their own innate creativity by exploring different art media, giving voice to their desires, longings and wishes. Upcoming fall programs include: Artist's Way- September 21 - December 21, a 12 week process to clear any blocks and reframe old beliefs, enabling you to move forward to create, claim and "voice" your own creative expression- whatever your chosen medium. Based on Julia Cameron's Artist's Way. Creativity Unstuck, at St. Francis Gallery, Rt. 102, Lee, Ma., is an exhibition of expressive arts students work.Their work reflects their process of reclaiming their voice, gaining confidence in their own craft and developing their willingness to show up- in their work, in the gallery and in life. Art in the Adirondacks- September 9 - 11: a weekend for women to relax into their creative selves at a 100 + year old “camp” in the Adirondacks at Big Moose Lake (the fire boy starts the fire in your cabin every morning!). Materials provided. Just bring yourself! Mindful Art and the Art of Mindfulness- An exploration of being present to oneself and one's art as a way to be more fully present if life. Dates TBD. Mindfulness for Recovery - a 6 week group for those recovering from addictions. Participants will learn mindfulness meditation and art as skillful tools to continue recovery, develop resilience and meet life's challenges. Date TDB Expressive Arts is predicated on the belief that each individual is creative and that their creativity is a doorway into each person's spirit that can become a path to resilience and joy in everyday life. The focus is on process, not producing a finished piece. NO ART EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY: JUST AN OPEN MIND. All groups will be facilitated by Eileen Mahoney, MA, Expressive Arts Therapist and Coach. Eileen combines her practice of Mindfulness and Sufism with Expressive Arts to serve adults and adolescents who are at a point of change in their lives; those who want to tap into their creativity and may be stuck in some way; or those who may have experienced trauma, addiction, loss & grief. Creative Transitions - For more information, call Eileen at 413- 441-4258 or email: creativetransitionsberkshires@gmail.com
ELIXIR
GREAT BARRINGTON
Autumn is my favorite season.The crisp air,the colors of course,and actually, I am one of those people who enjoys even the stark cold grayness when all of he leaves are gone. That said,it is also my favorite season, because it marks the beginning of what I consider to be,soup season! Winter squash in abundance,local onions, so many herbs waiting to be harvested,the kale and collards getting sweeter with the cooler weather. With this autumn inspiration, ELIXIR will be offering not only our usual 3 choices of soup… miso,veggie puree, and hearty, to enjoy in our cozy atmosphere,but we will also be offering quart mason jars of soup ready for you to bring home to warm up with in your own space. In addition to soups,we will also have our delicious hummus,black bean dip and other prepared foods for you to bring home. By the end of October,look for our new, ELIXIR’S Whistling Kettle tea blend line, as well as other loose teas and herbs for sale,and a jelly cupboard full of specialty items including organic body care products,tea accouterment,herbal,tea,and holistic healthcare books, and many other surprises! Come to ELIXIR for the daily tea ritual,alone with a good book,with friends to catch up,or to meet other tea drinkers! “Meanwhile,let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow brightening the bamboos,the fountains are bubbling with delight,the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle. Let us dream of evanescence and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things” Okakura Kakuzo (From the Book Of Tea) Looking forward to seeing you soon! With many blessings, NancyLee chef/owner of ELIXIR Organic Gourmet Vegan Fare With An International Flair!
LARRY S. FRANKEL
FINE LINE MULTIMEDIA LIVE PERFORMANCE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO
Fine Line Multimedia provides single or multi-camera video of music, dance and theater performances. Services include: scripting and storyboard art, videography with professional high definition cameras, high quality audio recording, sensitive lighting design and creative editing with the latest non-linear editing system. For the past 45 years Fine Line Multimedia has provided audio/video performance production for The Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, Berkshire Performing Arts Center, National Music Foundation, Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, United Way of the Berkshires, Arlo Guthrie, Rising Son Records, Bobby Sweet, World Moja, Phil Woods, Grace Kelly, Heather Fisch, Opera Nouveau, Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company and many more. Fine Line was established in 1970 by Lee Everett in Lenox, Massachusetts. Everett came to the Berkshires after studying Advertising Design and Visual Communications at Pratt Institute and working for years as an Art Director in New York. He taught Art in local schools and began a full-service multimedia studio in Lenox specializing in the Performing and Visual Arts and other business and industry. With Photography, Graphic Design, Advertising, Marketing, Audio/Video Production, Website, Social Network Creation and Administration together under one roof, Fine Line can satisfy the artistic communications and promotional needs of a wide range of clients. Please look at some examples from our portfolios of work on our website and use the contact information on the site to get further information, to see more samples, photographs or video reels, for professional and client references or for a free project consultation. Fine Line Multimedia - 66 Church Street, Lenox, MA; www.finelinelenox.com Contact: Lee Everett, 413-637-2020, everett@berkshire.rr.com
FRONT STREET GALLERY 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. 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. Perfect if you are seeking fresh insight into watercolors, and other mediums. 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. Peek in to see! Front Street Gallery – Front Street, Housatonic, MA. Gallery open by appointment or chance anytime. 413-528-9546 at home or 413-429-7141 (cell).
Larry S. Frankel is a fine arts photographer specializing in landscapes and cityscapes. He has always be interested in the photograph and its relationship with truth and time. Does a photograph portray truth? Can an image expand itself into a different dimension of time and space rather then be based upon the fraction of time it took to create it? What are the underlying differences between painting and photography? Larry uses various techniques dealing with these ideas to alter landscapes and cityscapes in to imagery that represent a new reality. His images have been widely exhibited and he has several pieces in the permanent collection of the Hebrew Union College Museum. In addition several of his written articles and photographs are published. He has also served as an artist in residence for photography at the Hudson River Museum. He received his B.S. from Boston University and his Masters of Arts in Photography from New York University/International Center for Photography. Please visit his web site, larryfrankelphotography.com to view his imagery.
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 31
WAYNE & MARY JANE ELINE
Les Trois Emme
INTERVIEW BY HARRYET CANDEE
PHOTOGRAPHS BY SABINE VOLLMER VON FALKEN
Harryet Candee: Establishing a winery in New Marlborough is quiet an amazing feat on your part. Whatever got you to start Les Trois Emme? Wayne Eline: How we got the winery started was by accident. It wasn’t something we always wanted to do. We learned the art of drinking wine, and after that, any alcohol we consumed was consumed in a different way. We then visited a lot of different wineries, read a lot of books and got seriously interested in wine. After I retired from education in ‘99, we decided we were going to grow some grapes in the backyard and make some wine in the basement. And… it got out of control.
The grounds are beautiful, and the vines and cultivated land really bring out the best in the Berkshire landscape. Was New Marlborough a specific destination because the earth was good for growing grapes? 32 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
VINEYARD IN NEW MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS
Wayne: We bought this land in 1971, then built a house in ’73 and moved in. This land was never thought of as farmland; it was a pasture for many years under the previous owners. Many people ask us why we chose this land for a winery, and the answer is… we did not choose it. We just owned the land, and one thing led to another.
Honestly, how difficult is it to maintain the beautiful grounds of this winery? Wayne: It takes a powerful amount of work to maintain the outside. It did not happen over night, nor in the first year. It took thirteen to fourteen years to accomplish. In 2002, the vineyard was put in with 125 vines—a very small amount. Today we’ve progressed to over a thousand vines. This is not a good place to grow grapes, so what we grow is a French-American hybrid. This kind of vine has a short growing season, as opposed to vinifera (a common grape vine, a species of Vitis, native to Mediterranean region, central Europe and southwestern Asia), the fancier wines that take up to 190 days to develop. Ours take 30-140 days to cultivate.
What are your favorites, of the wines that you offer? Wayne: Our favorite wines depend on what food are we eating and what we like to go with it. Mary Jane’s favorite wines at the moment are the Shiraz-Cabernet and the Cayuga. We also like our Old Vine Zinfandel, Cayuga, Port, Splash, and the pumpkin wine. When are you open to the public? Wayne: We are open to the public from the end of April until the weekend before Christmas. We do tastings to sell our wine. It’s a chance for people to find out about each kind of wine we offer, and it also happens to be the principle part of conducting business in the wine industry.
Is it fun to work on this as a couple? Wayne: It is fun to do the winery as a couple, because both of us have always been goal setters, and this gives us another opportunity to do just that. Mary Jane’s responsibilities include running the tasting room, and all that goes with that. She also has a great palate for tasting wine and deciding whether a wine meets our expectations, and she knows what we need to do to make it
Still life of wine and glasses at les troise emme and choice grapes
Photographs by Sabine Vollmer von Falken
good. She is responsible for label design as well. I’m also responsible for trying to make the wine taste good, and for deciding what takes place in the environment around here—and making this a beautiful place.
I remember an episode of the old TV show, I Love Lucy. Lucy was in Italy, and found herself stomping around with a group of Italian women in a huge barrel full of grapes, which, after a lot of stomping, turned into juice—the wine juice. How true-to-life is this? Wayne: In terms of what Lucy did, of course that was nothing but a part of the Hollywood picture. But they actually did that hundreds of years ago. Today we have very expensive equipment, including our press, which is governed by a computer, and that’s what’s taken the place of Lucy!
Have you traveled abroad in order to What must you start unravel the secrets of good winemakwith first, in order ing? to make a good wine? Wayne: We have traveled to other counWayne: In making tries, but not to unravel the secrets of good winemaking. You really need to good wine, the first read the books and take university thing you must start courses. We did that at UC Davis in Calout with are good grapes. Since many of ifornia. We bought tapes and took tests One variation of Label design by provided through the course. These were the grapes come out of Mary Jane Eline used on wine bottles some of the ways we learned as much as we California, we work with a could. We also hired a winemaker, Wayne Stitzer, middleman who we have a lot who had at the time 27-28 years of winemaking expeof faith in, and who gets us the best rience, and he taught us an awful lot. So after many grapes possible. years, this combination is why we’re where we are at What are the most unpredictable things you come this time, with the kind of wines we have. across when making wine? Continued on next page...
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 33
tools of the trade Wayne tests his product Photographs by Sabine Vollmer von Falken
Wayne: The most unpredictable part of winemaking is the whole thing. There are a whole lot of things that can go wrong, and there are things that can be corrected. But in the beginning, if you have a good grape, you’ve got a good chance; if you’ve got a bad grape, you have no chance of making a good wine. So it all starts out like the artist with a good canvas to paint on—we have to have a good grape.
Ahhh. and your palette would be your tongue. I’m interested in learning more about the history of winemaking. Aside from the university courses, did you end up studying any of this history on your own in order to feel confident in joining this worldly and timeless art? Wayne: Yes. The history of winemaking goes back at least 4,000 years, and according to the history books, it all happened by accident. Someone had let grapes sit and ferment on their own, and they ended up with this nice liquid that seemed to be very enjoyable to drink. From there began the ways of building it. Obviously over the past 200 years a lot of science has been worked in. Do you have a staff on hand to help with the winemaking? Wayne: We’ve had different people work with us over the past 14 years, helping us to go through the entire process of making wines, bottling wines and selling wines. We had our own salesperson at one time; now we rely on distributers to sell our wines to the stores.
34 • OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
How was the summer? Did you have a good crop? Wayne: This summer was particularly good for growing grapes, because we had a lot of hot, dry weather, and grapes are able to get through this pretty well. The younger vines don’t, but the older ones that are four and five years old can get through the summer without a lot of rain.
Barrels of wine The vineyard, once a pasture Photographs by Sabine Vollmer von Falken
What are some of the rewards you reap from being a winemaster? Wayne: The rewards are drinking the wines and having people tell you they’re good, and just having the doors open and having people come in. People ask me what I get out of it… it’s a great introduction to many wonderful people.
When are you an artisan at making wines? Wayne: The artistic part of making wine actually happens in the aging process, and that generally happens in the barrels. You have to know how to use the barrels properly, and that really takes a little art. The science of it is at the very beginning, with ingredients like yeast to make the wine come out right. If you understand that, you follow the rules, you don’t make mistakes—you’re in good shape.
When does winemaking become a real challenge? Wayne: Probably when you put it in the barrel and when you take it out. After that, making sure it has the right numbers for the acidity that’s involved: the sugar. Another issue is whether it’s malic acid or lactic acid. If you are going to blend two or more wines, you need to be able to do that in a way that perfects the taste and gives you the best result—a good wine that is going to last a long time. Tell us about your seasonal pumpkin wine, called Stingy Jack?
Wayne: Stingy Jack Pumpkin Wine is usually a dinner wine. It’s meant to be used with the holiday season main course, with cream soups. It has a very subtle pumpkin flavor. The aroma of the pumpkin pie spices is on the spicy side, but it is not totally dry. It is not sweet in any capacity.
Are you often on a crusade of creating new wines? I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a crusade of making new wines, because that takes an awful lot of work. We are constantly tasting other wineries’ wines, liking them and saying maybe we should make a wine like that, and so you work at that. So in a sense, that is a crusade.
Continued on next page...
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 35
the art of wine tasting Fermenting tanks
Photographs by Sabine Vollmer von Falken
By the time you’ve reached the point of buying the grapes, you know which way you’re headed. So you don’t make turns once you’ve started the trip. If you’re going to make a new wine, you’re going to make it and stay with it until you get what you want.
Where do you sell your wines? Wayne: We sell our wines in Massachusetts. We have a distributer that works throughout the state. We have a lot of local retail stores that call us, like Barrington Plaza Package, Nejaime’s in Stockbridge and Lenox, stores in Dalton, Otis and in Connecticut. We do go to certain fairs and conferences, such as the Boston Wine Expo, although it’s very expensive.
There is Port, and there is Champagne. Why can’t you use these names on your labels? Wayne: It’s an interesting story how Ports came about. Port wines have 16 to 20% alcohol. You cannot use the term Port anymore on a non-Portuguese wine. Portugal has fought to use the word Port, like the French fought to use the term Champagne. We love the Port that we make. It’s a ruby red Port called Entourage. It’s a very good after-dinner drink.
36 •OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
What makes a wine sweet to the taste? Wayne: The winemaker makes the wine sweet, because after they’ve burned all the grapes and sugar to make the alcohol, they have to add a certain amount of sugar to bring back the sweetness. In terms of ice wine (German: Eiswein, dessert wine made from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine), it has so much sugar in it that you stop the fermentation process after you get the end percentage of alcohol, and the remaining sugar is what causes you to have a sweet wine.
Do you think wine is healthy to drink? Wayne: Is wine healthy? In life, it’s all about not going to extremes. If you drink wine to excess, no. But certainly red wine has the chemistry to help people overcome certain kinds of sicknesses. Everything should be taken in moderation. I’ve been saying that for years… and it’s true. What are some of your goals and ambitions when it comes to your winery? Wayne: I want my business to be a working business that can produce a living. My goal is to make sure we’re successful enough so that someone, like maybe my children, can make a living off of it.
Please recommend a few wines that would work well at a gallery opening? Wayne: Old Vine Zinfandel, Shiraz, my Port (called Entourage), and Cayuga White—perfect wines for any gathering, event or gallery opening. Les Trois Emme, hoted by Wayne and Mary Jane Eline, is located at 8 Knight Road, New Marlborough, Massachusetts. Please stop by and visit. 413-528-1015
H
POLITICS NOT AS USUAL THE ART AND POLITICS OF GEOFFREY MOSS
This contentious election season is like no other in memory. Media pundits are in a feeding frenzy, never at a loss for words, unlike political satirist, Geoffrey Moss whose conceptual images are now a word-free gallery exhibit. The Art and Politics of Geoffrey Moss will run October 15 through the election at Lauren Clark Fine Art with a reception for the Artist, Saturday, October 15, 4-6pm. Recognized as a pioneer, Moss was the first to be nationally syndicated sans captions. Of his provocative graphic metaphors he says, “I want my readers relying on their intellect, unencumbered by traditional distracting captions and speak bubbles; to be as emotionally speechless as I when confronted with the body politic in our visually dependent world.” Early on, Moss was an art restorer at The Metropolitan Museum while free-lancing for the New York Time’s Op-ed pages. During the Watergate investigation he contacted the Washington Post. At that time no captionless art had appeared on their editorial pages. Stan Hinden, Op-ed page editor, aware of his graphics, suggested Moss present “a few concepts”. The artist presented 25 sketches anticipating headline events rather than reacting to a particular editorial assignment. His graphic “columns” began being published in the Washington Post, documenting all things political. Moss’s early days at the Post were celebrated in a special Nixon Resignation Issue; some printed as fullpage works. His Watergate series received a Pulitzer nomination followed by The Art and Politics of Geoffrey Moss, forwarded by Dan Rather. He became a founding member of The Washington Post Writers Group, a contract lasting 23 years. Creators Syndicate now represents MOSSPRINTS, and nominated the feature for a Pulitzer covering his 9/11 series. Moss’s political works have been exhibited world wide including the Centre Pompidou, Kennedy Center, National Press Club, and Newseum. He has been an NPR essayist, a panelist at the National Holocaust Museum and MIT. He has taught conceptual thinking at Parsons/The New School and Pratt. Museum commissions include a conceptual drawing of Norman Rockwell’s studio for the celebration of Rockwell’s 100th Birthday, and for Martin Luther King’s centennial, a painting, “Bus with White Walls”, travelled to seven major museums including The Smithsonian Institution. Says Moss of his work, “Fortunately, I get to throw stones as well as paint them.” Lauren Clark Fine Art - 25 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. 413-528-0432.
LAND OF THE FREE
PAINTINGS BY MARSHALL JONES
L’Atelier Berkshires Art Gallery presents LAND OF THE FREE, paintings by New York City artist Marshall Jones. Jones’ recent series explores the role of imagery in the collective unconscious. His paintings tell stories based on our shared understanding of iconic imagery. Jones’ paintings challenge our understanding of archetypal modern day images that shape our world, crafting our desires, needs and prejudices. These narratives inspire us to question our own views and our contemporary American identity. Exhibition runs until October 31. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Marshall Jones moved to New York City to study at the Art Students League. Like many of his artistic predecessors there, Jones found technical concepts and skills that give a strong voice within his work. His paintings are photorealistic, capturing a moment in time, with an edge. Jones’ artwork has exhibited nationwide and he has won numerous awards and recognition for his paintings. Discover fresh and innovative contemporary art at L'Atelier Berkshires Art Gallery and Studio. Unique paintings, sculpture and furniture by a variety of artists are on exhibition in a historic Great Barrington building. Glass sculpture classes offered in the sculpture studio. Sculpture casting and mold making services are available for artists and designers. OXBOW ROAD performs at L’Atelier Berkshires October 27, 7-9pm. Musicians Deborah McDowell and Kiki Dufault perform music from their newest CD, SWEETHEART. L’Atelier Berkshires Art Gallery 597 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230. Natalie Tyler, 510-469-5468, natalie.tyler@atelierberks.com www.atelierberks.com.
ROBERT FORTE
ROBERT FORTE, FLOOD WATERS, OIL ON CANVAS, 36" X 36"
Robert Forte's paintings continue to explore themes and ideas drawn from experiences in his life and in the world around him. The canvas used as a vehicle of expression as opposed to representation provides Forte with the excitement that makes painting an ongoing adventure and a source of limitless possibilities. Artists that have become increasingly inspirational are the great expressionists Soutine and Schiele and contemporaries such as Kitaj and Doig. There has always been an element of spontaneity in Forte's work, but this has become more necessary to achieve the expression that he seeks. Although oils have made up the bulk of his work, Forte is finding that acrylics, employed without extenders, provide an immediacy that is challenging and intriguing. What initially might seem to be an undesirable effect can be captured and used to redirect the painting and open up previously unforeseen possibilities. Forte has just completed his first group show at Atlantic Gallery in New York City. In 2017, Forte is scheduled to have a solo show in Chelsea, and also will be in a second group show there. Robert will be exhibiting his work in a group show at the St. Francis Gallery October 7 through December 19, with a reception for the artists October 22, 3 to 6pm. The gallery is located on rte 102, South Lee, MA. Robert’s website: www.robertforte.com
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 37
38 •OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
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THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 39
THE SNARE OF THE FOWLER FROM “NO CURE FOR THE MEDIEVAL MIND” PART II
RICHARD BRITELL
Amid all of the confusion, Otis’ eyes fastened on a darkened corner in which he made out the form of his friend, and he was greatly relieved to see him. The rooster was a bird, and so Otis imagined that he would be able to completely explain their predicament. In this he was partly correct. From listening to the conversation of the birds in the cages the rooster understood that they were in the clutches of a fowler. The fact that he himself was not in any cage and was free to roam about the floor of the wagon clearly indicated that his fate would be the same as all other roosters. He was most likely to be used for dinner. The rooster was stoic about his presumed fate, as any bird would be. His greatest concern was for Otis, for what did a fowler want with a dog? Obviously a dog could be sold, but the rooster thought otherwise. He thought about their skit, where they engaged in a cock and dogfight, and he had a feeling that something of the sort was in store for Otis. He explained all there was to explain about the birds in the cages and how as a rule they were sold as pets. He also ex-
plained how most likely he would be running about without his head in a few hours. But the rooster said not a single word about dogfights. When evening came the fowler made dinner of three of his many pigeons, and gave hardly a look at the rooster. Of course roosters had other uses he knew, but any other fate seemed too unlikely under the circumstances. When the fowler was in the back of the wagon picking out the pigeons for dinner, he also had a look in on Otis, untied him and then felt his fur all over in a friendly way. It was an examination. The Fowler was looking for scars, evidence of deadly fights, and the signs of broken and healed bones. He found nothing. Otis’ skin and fur were as pristine and as healthy as any lap dog in the care of a wealthy old lady. There were no bite marks on his neck at all. The Fowler, like the rooster, drew all the wrong conclusions from these observations. Late that evening, as the birds in their cages began falling asleep one by one, Otis and the rooster began to hear peculiar sounds outside of their wagon. It was a sound similar to a carnival, or a drunken wedding reception being held off in the woods. Otis and the rooster knew the source of the sounds they were listening to. It was a series of dog fights, conducted not a great distance away, but only a hundred yards into the woods, and attended by about forty men, and a few woman also. With his superior hearing, Otis listened to these sounds in a different way. Certainly he could hear the spectators and their screams of encouragement to the contestants, but also it was possible for him to distinguish the actual sounds of the fight itself. Embedded in all of that noise he could hear also the sudden flick of a tail, the twitch of an ear, and the rapid anxious breathing of the dogs in the few seconds before they attacked each other in a fury. Screwing up his ears to a greater focus he could detect the sound of the heartbeats of the two contestants, even during the thick of the fight. Otis listened to the dogs fighting with a certain detachment mixed with curiosity, but it was not so with the rooster. The poor rooster went from one anxiety attack to another, pacing about the back of the wagon in extreme distress, and yet all along trying to somehow conceal his anxiety from Otis. Finally the Rooster could stand it no longer and he said, “Otis, do you know what it is that is going on out there?” “From the sound of it,” replied Otis, “right now a small bulldog had a German shepherd by the fur of his neck and is slowly tightening his grip little by little. The shepherd
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40 •OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
will probably be dead in about two or three minutes unless the owners of the dogs disrupt the fight. As for the bulldog, his front left leg is broken in two places but he is not aware of it yet because he is so involved in the struggle to kill the shepherd. The last thing he wants to do is kill that shepherd since outside of the pit they are quite good friends. The bulldog does not know his leg is broken because he has not had any of his feet on the ground for two minutes as he is hanging from his advisory’s neck and his paws do not reach the ground. The Shepherd has tried three times to pull his neck free of the bulldog’s grip, but has not succeeded. Now I am waiting to see if the shepherd will manage to do the only thing that will save his life. He has to bang that little bulldog so hard against the metal wall of the pit that the wind will be knocked out of him and he will have to open his jaws sufficiently to get enough air.” How you ask, along with the rooster, could Otis know all the details of the dog fight when he couldn’t see it at all. Like the rooster, you must imagine that Otis is making all of it up on the spur of the moment. The truth is that a wolf’s ears are like a telephoto lens. A telephoto lens can show you just an eyebrow from a distance, but at the same time you can’t see the chin because the rest of the face is outside the frame of the picture. Such is the mechanism of the ear of the wolf. He can focus his hearing on a tiny area, and in that area hear every detail of the sound that is emanating from that specific zone. And if to the side by one foot there is a brass band playing, none of the sound of that band will make it into the ears of Otis. The Fowler had paid close attention to their performances before he kidnapped the two of them, and he had no intention of eating a talented mime for dinner, or subjecting a dog playwright to the fangs of a mastiff and so, after several nights of suspense, the rooster was placed in a large cage and taken out to the dog-fighting arena. About an hour later Otis arrived. He was not on a leash, and not in a cage. He accompanied the Fowler in the same way as any handsome extremely obedient well-trained dog would, and it goes without saying that all of the ladies in attendance made much of him and wanted to pet him and feed him treats. Otis walked up to the various killer dogs in their cages and exhibited only a certain curiosity and unabashed friendliness. The gladiator fighting dogs, accustomed by years of bravado, reacted with an inner confusion that they were not able to completely conceal. They backed away even though they knew very well they had nothing to fear. Entirely protected by their cages, Otis had no way to attack them. But, try as they might they could not get their thoughts in order and come to grips with a situation they had never experienced before. For the gladiator dogs, the worst part of it was that it was obvious to them that Otis meant them no harm, and would never dream of being aggressive. But let’s be fair to those gladiator dogs. Otis knew he was terrifying them, but he pretended not to realize it. The truth was however, that he would not have ever harmed a hair of their heads if he could only avoid it. After waiting many hours in anxious anticipation the rooster had the door of his little cage opened and he was dumped head first into the dog fighting ring. He was alone in a pit about four feet deep, and about twelve feet in diameter. The pit, being round offered no corner to back into and its walls were made up of rectangular plates of iron. The audience looked on in anticipation, but no rival rooster appeared. Instead Otis was unhooked from his leash, and pushed into the pit. It was late in the evening, many contests had been fought, and blood and dirt soiled the floor of the little arena. About fifteen seconds went by during which time the two friends thought over what they would now have to do. ~ Richard Britell
Grandma Becky’s Recipes by Laura Pian
Stuffed Cabbage (Holishkes)
The onset of the cooler weather and shorter days always brings to mind that holiday time is upon us. In my childhood home, we observed Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New year; a time to wish for another year of life’s blessings, good health, and prosperity; a time for renewal. With that in mind, I’d like to mention some recent family blessings. Grandma Becky’s great-granddaughter Meredith and husband Jonathan welcomed their second beautiful baby boy, Ari Beau. Ari is Becky’s great, great grandson! Also, congratulations to another of Becky’s great-granddaughters Jodi, on her marriage to Barry. Wishing them and their families all a big mazel tov! My earliest and most prominent memories of Rosh Hashanah are of our extended family coming together at one of our homes in a celebratory feast. Grandma’s homemade challah would be prepared in advance. While helping out with the food, the adults would kibitz (talk/joke together) and laugh, while my cousins and I played around (and under) our own “kid’s table”. Naturally, you’d find Grandma Becky in the kitchen preparing the holiday meal that we were all incredibly anticipating. This was her greatest pleasure of all, to feed the gantse mishpokhe (whole family). Traditionally, and before any main dishes were served, we’d dip apple slices into honey to symbolize a sweet year to come. Amongst many of Becky’s holiday dishes, one of my favorites was her very own stuffed cabbage (holishkes). When the platter was placed on our kid’s table, we’d push to grab one, usually with our hands. They’d be gone in an instant. On this platter were perfectly wrapped cabbage balls, filled with tender chopped beef and rice, topped with a perfectly seasoned sweet and sour sauce. Here was the perfect comfort food rolled into a leaf of cabbage! Grandma would magically prepare these little balls of wonder, and today I’d like to share them with you.
Preparing the cabbage leaves: Core the cabbage and separate into leaves. Place the leaves in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes. Drain and cool the leaves until they can be easily handled. Dry them with paper towels.
Filling: 2 pounds ground beef 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 large eggs 1/3 cup ketchup 1/2 cup uncooked rice 1 small onion, finely chopped
Sauce: 1 35-ounce can chopped tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste Salt and pepper 2 large onions, sliced 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley 1/2 cup ketchup 1 lemon, juiced (1 lemon if needed later) 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup raisins (optional) 1 tablespoon oil
Directions:
In a large bowl (using hands), mix the ground beef, salt, pepper, eggs, rice, ketchup, and chopped onion; set aside. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat filling on each cabbage leaf. Tuck the ends in on each side and roll up. Place the rolls with the open side down, in a rectangular, oven-proof casserole dish. To prepare the sauce, cook onions with oil in a saucepan for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, chopped fresh parsley, ketchup, the juice of one lemon, brown sugar, and optional raisins. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes, covered. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour and a half, and then uncover for an additional half hour, adding water if too dry. Sample the sauce, add juice of another lemon all over if it tastes too sweet. Transfer the stuffed cabbage rolls onto a serving platter, spoon the sauce over the tops. Sprinkle some fresh parsley to garnish. Esn Gezunt! (Eat well)
Wishing you and your families very a happy and healthy Rosh Hashanah. L'Shanah Tovah (Good Year).
THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 41
BERKSHIRE HANDMADE
Innovation. Craftsmanship. Craft. Music. The Berkshires is known for and has ALL of it. Most of us agree that using locally sourced materials beats importing. We LOVE the idea of supporting local craftspeople before overseas mass-production. We like the idea of HANDMADE instruments, expertly and lovingly designed and made right here in Berkshire County. Local craftspeople are building guitars, ukuleles, ‘strum stick dulcimers,’ bamboo flutes and walking stick flutes, cigar box guitars and ‘canjos’ and we area fortunate to represent some of this wonderful collection! And so, The Music Store is proud to present it’s Homegrown Musical Masterworks, extraordinary instruments made locally and often using locally sourced materials as well!
FIGURE MAPLE CONCERT UKULELE by Brad Simon’s Undermountain Ukulele Company Chapter III
The act of making things has been a lifelong passion for fine woodworker, luthier, ukulele maker and founder of Undermountain Ukuleles, Brad Simon, who over the years has studied glassmaking, pottery and woodworking, among other fine crafts. He tells us that moving to the Berkshires finally provided him the opportunity (and the space) to "build a workshop and bring together my interests in woodworking and the ukulele by designing and building my own. Hence, the Undermountain Ukulele Co. was born!" 42 •OCTOBER 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND
-by Claudia d’Alessandro
Brad says that he has been "been fortunate to further develop my skills as a luthier studying with Scott Hausmann at the Whetstone School of Lutherie in Vermont, Robbie O’Brien of O’Brien Guitars in Colorado, and Charles Fox at the American School of Lutherie in Oregon. I am exited to be embarking on an intensive guitar making training with Sergei de Jonge in Canada. Although I began my work as a luthier with a focus on custom ukuleles of all sizes, I am now also building acoustic guitars. All of my instruments are individually handcrafted in my climate-controlled workshop in Sheffield, Massachusetts. My fine tone woods are sourced from all over the world—from exotics such as Hawaiian Koa to local tone woods from a purveyor right here in Sheffield. My chosen finish is the hand-applied French polish technique. For me, the French polish is a meditative (though sometimes challenging) process which many consider to be unmatched for its tonal properties and beauty. Unlike some other finishes, it’s also non-toxic to work with and safe for the environment.” Pictured here is a gorgeous all maple Concert
sized Undermountain Ukulele, currently for sale at The Music Store, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Brad’s choice of maple so highly figured that we can almost FEEL its shimmer, radiates the beauty and care of its origins, honed by its maker. Its tone is sweet and clear, with fine balance and a laudable voice for a young instrument. We are thrilled, as always, to be able to represent this fine example of some of the best of Berkshire handmade instruments! Finally, some of us have a special instrument in our mind that has yet to be built. For ukulele players with such dreams, Brad adds that although he occasionally has instruments for sale through his authorized dealers, including The Music Store, he would like to let potential customers know that they can also work with The Music Store to commission a custom instrument crafted to their specifications. Stay tuned for next month’s: Don Waite Gadjo Guitars, for the Gypsy in all of us.
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Paintin’ The Town
photographs & event covered by Natalie Tyler
Thomas Hayes, Helga Kaiser, Tjasa Sprague, Archduke Dr. Geza von Habsburg, Elizabeth and Immaculata von Habsburg, Peter Sprague
Archduke Dr. Geza von Habsburg
Gerald Appelstein, Claudia Perles, Lorraine Becker, Arthur Appelstein
Lucille Landa: “Nothing succeeds like excess.” -Oscar Wild
Natalie Tyler
Rex Alan Hearn, Kathleen O’Shaughnessy Hearn
Joe Goodwin, Harryet Candee, Van Shields
Andrew DeVries and Patricia Purdy
Matthew Appelstein, Arthur Appelstein, Tim Boome
Gala evening, Fabergé and the Russian Silver Age at Ventfort Hall, Mansion and Gilded Age Museum, Lenox, Ma.....September 17, 2016 THE ARTFUL MIND OCTOBER 2016 • 43