VENU Magazine #5 Jan/Feb 2011

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January/February_CT-NY Edition

FINE ANTIQUES AND DECORATIONS FROM THE 16TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT

Showcasing local Arts, Culture, and Style without any contrived formality.

VENÜ is published six times a year as a fresh yet discerning guide to art, culture and style throughout Connecticut and beyond. Not too artsy or too fussy, we’re thoughtfully written for the curious, the acquisitive, and those devoted to the one-of-a-kind and hard-to-find.

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We’re PRICELESS No costly cover prices here...

VENÜ is 100% free. Why? Because we think that you’d be better served if you purchased your favorite beverage and enjoyed it while reading a copy of VENÜ.

WANT IN?

Get Featured in Venü If you’re an artist with some work to exhibit, an entertainment coordinator with an event coming up, or a business with some exciting news or a new product launch get in touch. We’re eager to feature interesting content that’s sure to entertain our readers. editorial@venumagazine.com

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It’s a dirty word to some folks but it’s what ensures that every issue of Venü remains free to our loyal readers. If you understand the value of effectively marketing and promoting your business, contact us for a media kit.

1.203.333.7300 advertising@venumagazine.com

Contributors Wanted Artists, designers, photographers, writers, illustrators, etc., if you’ve got it, flaunt it!

We’re interested in hearing from all of you that have some great things to share...

... Get in touch!

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HEIDI LEWIS COLEMAN heidilewiscoleman.com

Heidi Lewis Coleman’s new collection of giclee prints merges contemporary still life images with the artist’s uniquely abstracted backgrounds. The results are fresh and engaging... and better yet, entirely affordable.

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Inside this issue: 14 events + gatherings

FCBUZZ in Stamford pg.14 Fairfield Arts Council pg.17 Silvermine Artist Guilld pg.18 CCP pg. 19

38 music

Bruce Springsteen & Keith Richards

42 music note Isaac Allen

20 artist appreciation Donald Axelroad

44 architecture Philip Johnson Glass House

24 art Unlocked: Pequot

52 intellectual property Life-Story Rights

26 portrait Elizabeth Alexander

54 business Interview with Terry Betteridge

30 motoring Kilowatt Karma

58 Fashion Carlisle Collection

34 antiques 19th Century Luxury

62 travel Culturious? pg. 62 Art of Adventure pg. 68

36 appetite Heirloom

70 film Guilford’s Staring Role 72 stage

Bridgeport Theatre Company

74 fiction

Street Smart

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Cheers!

Contributors Selam Dafla Selam Dafla is a marketing communications professional in the New Haven area specializing in social media marketing for small businesses. She currently works at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, CT (www.thekate.org) as the marketing specialist.

William Squier William Squier is EMMY Award winner who has written for television, film and the stage. He is a frequent contributor to Stamford Plus Magazine and the Tribune’s Fairfield County Weekly, where he often covers the theater scene throughout Connecticut. In this issue of Venü, he writes about the Bridgeport Theatre Company.

Matthew Sturtevant Matthew Sturtevant is a Christie’s trained appraiser specializing in American, English and European furniture, decorative arts, sculpture and Fine Art from the 16th century the present, and is a generalist in appraising household goods. Matthew has lectured extensively for Christie’s, George Washington University, and The Appraisers Association of America and taught appraisal courses at NYU appraisal studies for certification process. In this issue, he contributes two articles related to the decorative arts and fine art - Unlocked: Masterpieces of the Private Collections and “Serre Bijoux” Josef Emmanuel Zwiener.

Alex Defelice Alex co-owns a production company and record label based in New Haven, HMG Recordings. The company releases a variety of blues music, roots/americana, gospel, etc. available in stores and digitally on the web. He has also been a freelance writer for nearly twenty years. For this issue of Venü Alex has interviewed Issac Allen.

Sheryle Levine and Alan Neigher Sheryle Levine and Alan Neigher are with the law firm of Byelas and Neigher in Westport, CT. Attorney Levine is a graduate of Brandeis University and Brooklyn Law School. Attorney Neigher is a graduate of Colby College and Boston College Law School. Attorney Neigher was a member of the Connecticut Film Commission and a founding board member and president of the Fairfield Theatre Company.

Attorneys Levine and Neigher specialize in media, entertainment and intellectual property law. They represent news organizations, film and television producers, performers and artists, as well as people and entities involved in every aspect of the news, media and entertainment industries. Their informative column for Venü readers discusses, Life-Story Rights.

A brand new year has arrived, and all of us here are convinced that it’s sure to be significantly better than the last one... ... or two.

2010 was a tough year for a lot of folks out there (including us) with the economy in a tailspin and all of the complications that loom not so far behind as a result; nevertheless, in 2010 Venü Magazine was launched and since then we have published 4 issues, consistantly improving upon our standards.

So, for the New Year, as you’ll see in this issue and all those going forward we will be introducing a lot of new things, and without losing sight of the vision that brought us this far.

We’re confident that you’ll approve.

Special thanks to our advertisers, our contributors, and our loyal readers, we wish all of you a healthy, prosperous, and happy new year.

Enjoy!

J. Michael Woodside Founder, Creative Director

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VENÜ is Connecticut’s premium bimonthly magazine showcasing the arts, culture and style without any contrived formality. Written for the distinguished, the inquisitive, and those devoted to consuming and collecting with discerning taste —Venü’s superior design standard and exclusive content from leading voices associated with art, music, film, theater, fashion and more make Venü a collectible.

$29.95 for 6 issues venumagazine.com, or call us at +1.203.333.7300

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jls@juliesatinover.com ARTS/CULTURE/STYLE//MAGAZINE

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5 January/February_CT-NY Edition

founder, creative director: J. Michael Woodside

co-founder, executive director: Tracey Thomas

editors:

Amy Orzel, Ellen Ullman

senior arts editor: Philip Eliasoph

publisher:

Venü Media Company

art, design & production: Venü Media Company

contributing writers:

Tom Armstrong, Cindy Clarke, Selam Dafla, Alex Defelice, Lorenz Josef, Skeeter J. Kinley, Ryan Odinak, Amy Orzel, William Squier, Matt Sturtevant, Ellen Ullmen

business development: Shelly Harvey

legal counsel:

Alan Neigher, Sheryle Levine (Byelas & Neigher, Westport, CT)

distribution:

Thomas Cosutto, Man In Motion, LLC

on the cover:

The sculpture gallery, one of the 14 structures on Philip Johnson’s property that includes the legendary Glass House.

An asymmetrical white-brick shed with a glass roof, it was conceived as a series of interlocking rooms that step down around an open, central space. It is one of Johnson’s most original works. The walk down and around through the space allows you to focus on individual works while catching glimpses of what’s to follow. Photograph: Paul Warchol.

office:

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subscriptions:

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The small print: No responsibility can be taken for the quality and accuracy of the reproductions, as this is dependent upon the artwork and material supplied. No responsibility can be taken for typographical errors. The publishers reserve the right to refuse and edit material as presented.

All prices and specifications to advertise are subject to change without notice. The opinions in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Copyright VENÜ MAGAZINE. All rights reserved. The name VENÜ MAGAZINE is copyright protected. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without written consent from the publisher. VENÜ MAGAZINE does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. This is a bimonthly publication and we encourage the public, galleries, artists, designers, photographers, writers (calling all creatives) to submit photos, features, drawings, etc., but we assume no responsibility for failure to publish submissions.

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events + gatherings

FCBuzz In LIVE STAMFORD Where the PAlace Theatre gives voice to the City

by RYAN ODINAK

Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

W

hat do a Vaudeville house and a 21stcentury theatre have in common? Lots of variety! If we could turn back the clock to the roaring 1920s and step into the 1927 Thomas Lambdesigned Vaudeville house that is today the Palace Theatre, we might find dog acts, platespinners, actors, and comics.

Restored and reopened in 1983 for live theatre, opera, dance, concerts, and art exhibitions in the Sackler Gallery, the Palace is still delivering plenty of variety as downtown Stamford’s performance hub.

The word Vaudeville was derived from the expression voix de ville, or “voice of the city.” Today, Stamford’s performing groups provide a voice for many regional residents who perform or attend shows at the Palace, which is part of Stamford Center for the Arts (SCA). A multi-year improvement project has provided the Palace with physical improvements, and plans for the future include another lower-level venue and a learning center. The Rich Forum, the second SCA venue, is leased by NBC Universal as a television production studio. In addition to a full season of entertainment events, the Palace Theatre is also home to local voices including the Ballet School of Stamford,

Connecticut Ballet, Connecticut Grand Opera & Orchestra, Stamford Symphony, Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic, and the Namaskaar Foundation’s World on Stage programs.

The Ballet School of Stamford focuses on ballet training for students aged from three to 13 in the school’s studios housed in Stamford’s renovated Old Town Hall. A free school spring performance at the Palace Theater gives more than 11,000 children the opportunity to see ballets by worldrenowned choreographers. Connecticut Ballet also provides dance education and is the state’s professional ballet company, performing a diverse repertoire of new works, masterworks, and great story ballets. The company presents high-quality professional classical and contemporary ballet. Works like Giselle, Coppélia, The Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker all can be seen at the Palace.

The Namaskaar Foundation’s World on Stage mission is to create interest in Indian performing arts among nonIndian audiences by including music and dance presentations from other countries in its programming. Since its inception, Namaskaar has presented more than 100 plays, concerts, and workshops by eminent artists of India. It also presents the annual Festival of World Music and Dance at the Palace, with multicultural artists representing Africa, China, Ecuador, Spain, India, Ireland, and Poland.

Every great city has an orchestra and Stamford is no exception. The Stamford Symphony, led by music director Eckart Preu, is an ensemble of professional musicians from New York City and its surrounding areas. The symphony’s regular and recital season is preformed at the Palace Theatre and is complimented by performances at

Clockwise from left: Eckart Pereu Conducting the Stamford Symphony Orchestra; Young Dancers from Ballet School of Stamford; Dancers from Ballet School of Stamford

several other venues including a mini-concert series for young people at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center and a free summer pops concert in Stamford’s Columbus Park.

The Connecticut Grand Opera & Orchestra presents world-class operatic and orchestral performances featuring innovative productions and international talent at the Palace as well.

Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic cultivates the players and audiences of the future by providing opportunities to learn and perform while entertaining the community.

To compliment all the great live programming being generated in the community, the Palace opens its doors for benefits and corporate and private events. No matter what your taste, you are likely to find it offered at the Palace Theatre at some time during the year.

To find out what’s happening in Stamford and the other cities and towns of Fairfield County visit www.FCBuzz.org presented by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County. This arts and culture resource offers ticket and event information for music, theatre, visual arts, history, lectures, literature, kids and families, classes, workshops, social events and much more.

For more information contact the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County by emailing info@CulturalAllianceFC.org, or calling 203-256-2329 or visiting our Web site at www.CulturalAllianceFC.org.

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ROBERT INDIANA A Silkscreen Collaboration with Master Printer Gary Lichtenstein

Through January 22, 2011 Woodward Gallery 133 Eldridge Street, New York, NY 10002 On the Lower East Side Between Broome & Delancy 212.966.3411 woodwardgallery.net “Autumn,” ©2010 Robert Indiana, Publisher: American Image Atelier, printed by Gary Lichtenstein Editions, Silkscreen on canvas

Robert Klein Jokes for Mikey’s Way Foundation American comedian and actor Robert Klein performed for a packed house at the Westport Playhouse on Nov. 6 to benefit Mikey’s Way Foundation. The Westport-based non-profit raised $30,000 through ticket sales and a silent auction. From left to right: Peter Friedman, Mikey’s brother and board member; event coordinator Barbara Landau, mother of Mikey; Robert Klein; Les Friedman Mikey’s father and CEO of the foundation; and board member and legal counsel, Brian Friedman, Mikey’s brother. Mikey’s Way Foundation provides portable electronic games to children suffering the prolonged boredom and isolation of hospitalizations. www.mikeysway.org

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Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Bushnell February 9-10, 2011 Presented by the Connecticut Chinese Culture Association Inspired by the rich spirit of an ancient culture, Shen Yun Performing Arts brings to life classical Chinese dance and music in a gloriously colorful and exhilarating production. Featuring both Chinese and Western instruments, the Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra brings together two of the world’s greatest classical music traditions. The company performs in notable venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and Palais des Congrès de Paris.

“The choreography is phenomenal, I think it’s the best show that I ever saw.”

—Valentina Alexess, former ballerina, Moscow Ballet

“A great job bringing together the history of Chinese culture. The sound effects, the visual effects, the special effects—it’s just amazing” —Amerigo Fabbri, Dean, Yale University

For more information, please visit: shenyunperformingarts.org or ctchinese.org

Ocean Blue Memory, 60" x 60" Oil on Canvas

ELIZABETH ENDERS January 8 - February 19

Recent Work Paintings and Watercolors

diane birdsall gallery diane birdsall gallery 16

ARTS/CULTURE/STYLE//MAGAZINE

10 Lyme Street, Old Lyme CT 06371 860 434 3209 dianebirdsallgallery.com

diane birdsall gallery diane birdsall gallery

10 Lyme Stre 860 434 3209

10 Lyme Street, Old Lyme CT 06371 860 434 3209 dianebirdsallgallery.com

10 Lyme Stre 860 434 3209

Fairfield Arts Council

Photos: Regina Madwell

2010 Artist of the Year: Thomas Mezzanotte, Photographer 10/23/10 The Fairfield Arts Council’s Artist of the Year, photographic artist Thomas Mezzanotte, was celebrated Oct. 23 at the Fairfield Theater Company with a documentary film describing his life and work, followed by a reception and exhibit at the Fairfield Arts Council gallery.

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events + gatherings

Signed, Sealed & Delivered: 11/13/10 Silvermine Guild Arts Center Signed, Sealed & Delivered fundraiser had over 500 4” x 6” original works of art in all media - paintings, prints, photographs, and collages. A special sale of small works by Silvermine Guild artists, faculty and well-known friends to benefit the Silvermine’s public programs. An element of mystery adds to the fun; the artist’s signature is on the back, visible only after purchase.

(1) Silvermine Guild Artist and volunteer Florence Suerig; (2) Silvermine Guild Artist and SPECTRA committee member, Miggs Burroughs; (3) Silvermine Guild Artist Nina Bentley and grandchild; (4) Silvermine Guild Artist members Nancy Moore and Leslie Giuliani; (5) Guests Nancy and Don Welch; (6) Guests Ben Ortiz and Victor Torchia; (7) Silvermine Guild Artist members Constance Old and Bob Gregson; (8) Silvermine Guild Artist member and volunteer Karin Hillmer; (9) Guests Gary and Susie Singer

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Silvermine Artist Guild SPECTRA: 11/14/10 Silvermine Guild Arts Center is proud to celebrate the sixth SPECTRA, a national photography juried competition/exhibition. SPECTRA, a triennial exhibition, celebrates the art of photography.

Liana Moonie, Director’s Choice exhibiting artist

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Nicholas Atlas awarded Best in Show for SPECTRA

 Photos: Robin Axness

Photos: Michele Frentrop

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  (1) Grace Shanley (left), CCP’s Founder and first Executive Director sits with a member of her clan; (2) Reviewing the Live Auction offerings; (3) Peggy Weis (second from left), Board Chair, CCP, with friends; (4) Guy Bennett, auctioneer with Anthony Kirk, Creative Director & Master Printer at CCP; (5) At the Champagne Preview, a Diane Victor original drawing in the background; (6) CCP members and staff chat during the Silent Auction. (Perry Obee, Program Associate at CCP is on the left, the other two are CCP artist/members, with Lisa Black on the right. She lives in Fairfield; (7) VENÜ in good hands

Center for Contemporary Printmaking Monothon2010: 11/20/10 Center for Contemporary Printmaking celebrated their twelfth annual Monothon.

Original prints created during the Monothon2010 were exhibited and silentauctioned at a party to benefit CCP. As always, the evening ended with the highly anticipated live auction, hosted by Guy Bennett, in which select works of art were auctioned off.

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[artist appreciation] Donald Axelroad

wri tten by Nancy Hel l e

An Artistic Odyss e y “Myths cover the full range of human emotions and offer me a channel to express visually the opposing forces of good and evil and the fear and hope that humanity is all about,” says Axleroad. “They originated with the first glimmering of civilization, have intrigued people for thousands of years, and continue to be relevant today.”

F

or award-winning artist Donald Axleroad of Stamford, the epic struggles of the heroes and tragic figures of ancient Greek mythology have long been a source of fascination. He sees a correlation between their endeavors—often ruined by the capriciousness of the gods—and the challenges of modern man, beset with war, vengeance and, ultimately, the realities of aging and Alzheimer’s disease, also forces beyond human control.

A graduate of Pratt Institute, Axleroad’s lifelong passion has been to create art. However, upon graduation, in the interest of having food and shelter he also pursued a career in advertising. His artistic talents soon led to the position of agency art director but his frustration with the high cost of hiring photographers led him to take on that challenge himself.

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Soon, the Axleroad creative package morphed into his own agency, The Food Group, which served such clients as Kraft, Heinz, Nabisco, and Grey Poupon mustard. His ad featuring a waiter serving a jar of Grey Poupon on a silver tray with great flourish, rendered in the style of Toulouse Lautrec, won many awards. During this time he also introduced new-cuisine ideas to chain restaurants, hiring chefs trained by the Culinary Institute to create innova-tive dishes using the products he was promoting. Eventually, his agency was bought by WPP, a global conglomerate that owned J.Walter Thompson, Young & Rubicam, and Ogilvy and Mather.

Retiring from the business world a few decades ago, Axleroad again devoted himself full-time to creating art. He uses the exacting medium of woodcuts to portray his personal

Minotaur in the Labyrinth with Smoke ARTS/CULTURE/STYLE//MAGAZINE

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[artist appreciation] Donald Axelroad interpretation of timeless epics.

His vision is reflected not only in his subjects, but also in the details invested in each image and the multi-layered colors. He does many variations on each print to determine the best color combination and composition.

Universal Appeal

His superbly crafted and provocative prints such as Icarus Falling from the Sun and The Minotaur Escaping the Labyrinth have won regional and national awards from the Allied Artists of America, Audubon Artists of America, The Salmagundi Club, and National Arts Club of New York.

Recently he received a Best in Show at the Greenwich Art Society’s exhibition at the Flinn Gallery, Greenwich Library, and First Prize in Printmaking at the Old Greenwich Society’s juried competition at the Bendheim Gallery of Greenwich.

Axleroad’s most recent mythical works—depicting the sorceress Circe and The Sirens who tried to lure Ulysses to their rocky island—were created especially for his show during the Ridgefield Library’s June celebration of the 100th anniversary of James Joyce’s Ulysses.

During the past two years, Axleroad has developed a body of work relating to the human condition, the realities of aging, and the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.

Works like Identity Theft portray the plight of Alzheimer’s victims who are no longer sure who they are, and Role Reversal depicts the family dilemma when parents become like children to their own offspring.

Making Art More Accessible When Axleroad has an exhibition, he doesn’t just hang his work; he likes to plan related events that engage his audience. His exhibits on the lure of mythology often feature the tale of the Minotaur and his escaping the labyrinth. Frequently he installs a 6-by-10-foot labyrinth for children to explore, manned by a

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The Sirens Try to Lure Odesseus into the Rocks

colleague wearing a Minotaur mask.

He also enjoys giving printmaking demonstrations for high school students and letting them produce their own prints. When he set up a printing press on the street outside the Blue Wave Gallery in Yonkers last summer, many passersby stopped to try their hand at printmaking.

Encouraged by the Minotaur “barker” who mentioned the exhibition and its labyrinth for children, quite a few families then stepped inside to see his show, although they probably had no intention of visiting a gallery that day.

Axleroad also plans informational events in conjunction with his exhibitions of work related to the human condition and the realities of aging. At these events, co-sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, Dr Stephen Jones, geron-tologist and director of Greenwich Hospital’s Center for Healthy Aging, gives intriguing slide presentations in which he illustrates the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the brain and discusses current research and hopes for a cure, as well as alternative ways to communicate with those suffering from memory loss. These events reinforce Axleroad’s goal “to create exhibitions that provoke issues that engage my viewers.”

Child is Father of Man

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art

Unlocked:

Masterpieces of the Private Collections

For one evening, the Pequot Library of Southport, Connecticut, was turned into a museum and an art gallery. On loan was an impressive array of fine art and sculpture for the opening evening, organized by Chair Sissy Biggers and curators Shawna Barrett and Dr. Philip Eliasoph, with the support of the Pequot Library staff. All of this was balanced by a fine selection of local artists and galleries for sale.

by Matt Sturtevant

The Old Barn, Eric Sloan

Upon entering the Gala I was greeted by a stunning and rare Andy Warhol of Farah Ashraf Pahlavi, the princess of Iran—lent by the Hall Foundation— and it only got better. Next, I saw a few Wyeths, a George Inness, a Robert Natkin, and a Ningura Napurrula. The mix of contemporary with primitive and classic art was refreshing; it shows a common thread in comparing and understanding trends and their unifying elements over time.

As I found my way to the Perkin Gallery, I was stunned to see a Roy Lichtenstein—“#38 Reflections of the Scream”—acquired from the artist upon the birth of the owner’s first child. Facing the screaming child appropriately was a haunting bronze figure by Giacometti, flanked by a winter landscape by Grandma Moses. At this point I was identifying with the baby and close to tears of joy at the amazing selection of art.

To balance that, diagonally across the room a Rodin joyously danced in the corner in front of an Archipenko. I was in heaven. In the auditorium, Barratt Fine Art, Cooley Galleries of Old Lyme, Southport Galleries, and ARC Fine Art LLC were displayed, as well as an impressive selection of the bestsellers (the artists who have been the most popular at previous community art shows). Such names include Miggs Burroughs, Elizabeth Gaynor, Jill Kelly, Jak Kovatch, Karl Soderlund, and Eve Stockton. Several of these carried red dots indicating sales. A portion of the proceeds from the art show will be used to fund programs that the library offers throughout the year.

When asked what had inspired her to transform the Gala into an extravaganza of fine art, here is what Sissy Biggers said: “I had the concept of a ‘masterpieces’ exhibition in mind for years. I just wanted to get people to support our Art Show Gala. It was an idea I had been toying with, and after 13 years, the Art Show was in need of reinvigoration.

We built the one-night-only concept in exhibiting the masterpieces to create a buzz.

The timing was right.”

Major museums would have difficulty mounting a show of this quality, so I asked her how she pulled it off.

“We live in a community that is deep with high-caliber collectors. I identified a couple of the better-known art mavens and put them in my sights. Andy Hall, the financier whose Hall Foundation contemporary art collection is one of the most important in the United States, lives within walking distance of the Pequot Library. I would not have been as proud of the installation had it not included a piece from this Foundation, but Hall was very responsive and professional. While others asked to remain anonymous, crediting the loan of the Warhol was in keeping with the mission of the Foundation.

“What surprised me was how open and accessible each collector was in showing me their pieces and helping identify which one might be best to show. It was a coup to get an email from a friend sending me in the direction of a Westport resident who lent us a Giacometti, a Rodin, and a rare Archipenko—and he included his pedestals for display!”

How did she organize the artwork?

“When it came to hanging the show, my art-consulting cohort, Shawna Barrett, and I had an idea of what we thought would work where, but when it was time to hang the works, it came together with the help of Art Delivery Trucks from New York. Frankly, when we started uncrating and unwrapping the 28 pieces, the movers thought I was a crazy woman with a wild plan—so with two hours to spare they jumped into the fray and helped me organize the pieces. Their point of view was invaluable since they are around fine art all the time. I think they were as excited as I was when we hung the Warhol and then, at the end, hung it again to get it just right.”

Siddahs, Hunt Slonem

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As for the rest of the donors….

“The small George Inness water color was lent by a longtime Southporter whose collection is the stuff of legend in our village. When I met with that gentleman he was carrying the painting under his arm. It was one of the most charming moments in building the show. The Lichtenstein belongs to a close friend of mine, and when she walked into the Perkin Gallery and saw the Screaming Baby at the end of the room, she exclaimed, ‘That piece has never looked better!’ I heard that from a couple of our lenders. I think everyone was proud to see their prized possessions being appreciated by so many.”

When asked about the show’s success, she says: “Everyone enjoyed the evening and those who missed it got wind of the excitement so I expect we could build on that momentum and do it again. I am very grateful to the Russell Agency in Southport for their support and for Chartis Insurance who also came in this year. There is no shortage of masterpieces in our community!”

ROBERT WALTSAK

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www.gearygallery.com The Silo, 24" x 20", Oil on Canvas

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PORTRAIT: ELIZABETH ALEXANDER

Poet in Residence

The first time I met inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander, I was a 20-year old, part-time college student, working at a coffee shop in downtown New Haven and she was an assistant professor at the University of Chicago. That was almost 15 years ago and, as you might imagine, much has changed since then. Elizabeth now lives in New Haven, is professor and chair of African American Studies at Yale, and is married to my uncle.

I prepared for this interview by scanning my bookshelf for copies of some of her work.

I found three of her poetry books and browsed through them with a new purpose: Body of Life, 1996, when we had just met! Antebellum Dream Book, 2001—the year my beloved grandmother passed away. American Sublime, 2005—the year I moved back to New Haven after an eightyear hiatus. I skimmed websites detailing her remarkable career. I knew that she was highly accomplished in her art and well-regarded by her colleagues, but had no more knowledge of her work. I knew she was unassuming, incredibly captivating, and intelligent, but catching weighty words like “Guggenheim” and “Pulitzer” as I studied her public profiles was overwhelming, to say the least. The task of matching her professional timeline with the parallel, more playful, jovial, and familial Lizzy was exhilarating.

“You and I met in 1996 at Taft Café,” I begin. “What brought you to New Haven that year?”

She recalls with a big smile the bits and pieces of that radiant afternoon when we met. It

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was also there that she and my uncle Ficre began their journey in love. “I had a play commissioned

by Leah Gardner who was directing graduate students at Yale School of Drama,” she answers.

“She wanted me to write a play that she would then direct as her thesis, so I wrote that play. It was a verse drama called ‘Diva Studies.’ I came to Yale for the spring ’96 semester, taught a few classes, and worked on the play.”

“Diva Studies” was written in verse, a style of drama writing less common these days, but once a highly exploited style by playwrights like Shakespeare and, long before that, the ancient Greek dramatists like Sophocles. It was Lizzy’s first play, and although it challenged her creatively, she would explain that verse drama was something she had kept at the back of her mind ever since her poetry teacher, the esteemed Derek Walcott, introduced the idea to her.

Walcott, a recipient of The Nobel Prize in Literature, was responsible for discovering the poet in her, because she was in graduate school for fiction writing. She recalls the moment the transformation began to occur. “I showed him my

actual diary—practically with lock and key—and he took a piece of paper and he thumbed through and he said, ‘Ok, this we can do something with, watch…’ and he copied out my words, but with line breaks. It had been continuous prose and he built it into a rough iambic pentameter and he built a line and said, ‘Now, you see what you’re doing is poetry. All I did was show you where the line breaks should go.’ It was a completely mindblowing moment.”

Lizzy had been teaching creative writing since graduate school at various institutions including Boston University, University of Pennsylvania, Haverford College, and Wesleyan University. By the time I met her, she was already an accomplished writer with two poetry books under her belt as well as a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts for Creative Writing Fellowship and the Chicago Humanities Institute Fellowship. Of course, these were things she never brought up in our sisterly chats that centered on shoes, boyfriends, music, food, and the arts.

When I ask her about these remarkable awards and accomplishments, she says, “It is

by Selam Dafla always a big honor when anybody wants to support what artists do because art making and poetry writing in particular is not anything that is financially valued in the society, and sometimes the work that artists do is seen as esoteric. And so, I deeply, deeply appreciate any organization that says here’s some money for you to go out and do your strange little thing.”

She says a couple of awards stood out. One of them was The George Kent Prize for Poetry, awarded to her in 1997 by her hero, Gwendolyn Brooks, who was the first black author to win the Pulitzer Prize. Says Lizzie, “I tremendously admired the way she moved in the world as an artist, the generosity with which she moved in the world, and she was—in my opinion—perhaps the great poetic genius of the 20th century. She was that original, that brilliant, that creative. To have someone who I admired and respected so profoundly award my work was the greatest honor.”

1997 was a glorious year for other reasons.

It was the summer Ficre and Lizzy got married.

My family, large and intense, is an East African potpourri of entrepreneurs and artists scarred by the rigidity of immigration, an aftermath of a grueling 30-year Ethiopian-Eritrean war. Lizzy’s family, small and quaint but equally profound: civil-rights activists and descendents of American slaves. Lizzy’s father was the first “Negro” to be elected student-body president at Harvard University and went on to become the first African American Secretary of the Army and top adviser to President Lyndon B. Johnson. Her mother, an adjunct professor of history at The George Washington University, is a highly regarded historian whose work garnered an award from the African American Historical and Genealogical Society for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution. Her brother teaches law at Seton Hall School of Law in New Jersey.

It was around this time that I first read her critically acclaimed poem, “The Venus Hottentot (1825)” from her first book, The Venus Hottentot. The poem recalled the story of the South African slave woman of Khoikhoi ethnicity, Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman, who was taken captive and spectacled around European circuses and museums because of her distinct ethnic features; the large buttocks being the main subject of ridicule. When Sarah Baartman died, her body parts were displayed in Paris’ Musee de l’Homme until 1974, but with the efforts of Nelson Mandela she was eventually laid to rest in South Africa almost 200 years after her death. The last eight lines of the first part of the poem called “CUVIER” relay the sad facts: Her genitalia will float inside a labeled pickling jar in the Musée de l’Homme on a shelf Above Broca’s brain: “The Venus Hottentot.”

Elegant facts await me.

Small things in this world are mine.

Lizzy wrote this in the ’80s, right around the time multiculturalism and feminism were pre-

dominant political movements in the U.S. and in South Africa.

I ask what brought on the poem. She had noticed that all the accounts thus far were about Ms. Baartman, but nothing coming from her, “... and that was something art could do— imagine her voice.”

We chat some more about the exploitation of this poor woman and how this experience, sadly enough, continues to this day in mass media and throughout pop culture. When I ask her what the rest of the book is about, she explains that the experience of writing a poem is not really “about” anything and that while she’s interested in subject matter such as history, for example, “I’d be hard pressed to say what the book is about.”

I don’t ask what the other works are about, but know that all of her work is highly, highly praised. According to the Chicago Tribune, “Alexander is an unusual thing, a sensualist of history, a romanticist of race.” ELLE magazine described her as one who “explores tensions inherent in gender and race and expresses the ambivalence of motherhood in jazz-inflected tones.”

I revisit her fourth book of poems, American Sublime and learn it was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

I do some more research and find a video online of Lizzy reading one of her popular pieces, “Ars Poetica #100: I Believe,” which goes as follows: Poetry, I tell my students, is idiosyncratic. Poetry is where we are ourselves, (though Sterling Brown said “Every ‘I’ is a dramatic ‘I’”) digging in the clam flats for the shell that snaps, emptying the proverbial pocketbook.

Poetry is what you find in the dirt in the corner, overhear on the bus, God in the details, the only way to get from here to there.

Poetry (and now my voice is rising) is not all love, love, love, and I’m sorry the dog died.

Poetry (here I hear myself loudest) is the human voice, and are we not of interest to each other?

A few months ago, Lizzy hosted an event called A Conversation with Bill T. Jones and Elizabeth Alexander for New Haven’s International Festival of Arts and Ideas. For the event, she interviewed renowned and Tony award-winning choreographer Bill T. Jones of “Fela!” to a full house.

At some point in their conversation, Lizzy had said, “Poetry is home.” When I ask her to expand, she explains, “Poetry is where, as you struggle which each word, you struggle with very deep questions about the truth as you see it. It is about truth. It is about trying to be precise with language as a way of saying this is how I communicate with you.”

If poetry is about truth, when does it become about language? “Always, always, always.

If you didn’t attend to the language, that’s like if

you were making this coffee table and you didn’t attend to the wood,” she replies.

I asked if she thought there is such a thing as bad language. “I don’t think there is inherently bad language, but I do think there is maybe sloppy language—language used to discourage and diminish. Take the ‘n’ word. If you ban it outright, then you can never explain why it is a problematic word, but do I think it’s sloppy and lazy and ignorant? Yes. I prefer people who use language in more interesting ways.”

And what of technology and its impact on language, I ask. Lizzy tells me about a poet who asked his students to write Twitter poems.

[Twitter has 140-character limitation per post.]

“I thought that was very clever because, when we write a poem, it’s always about establishing a set of limits: Am I going to work in long lines? Am I going to write a haiku? A sonnet? You’re always thinking about the shape of what you’re doing.”

So what does she think about poetry today?

Poetry in America is at an exciting time, Lizzy says, “because of the tremendous diversity, not only of writing but now a wide range of subject matter and positions are represented in American poetry. The things that people want to write about, the poetic traditions that people are coming out of.” This belief has given her more reason to be honored when the 2009 President-elect selected her to compose a poem for the inaugural occasion. “I’m so proud and happy to be an American poet, and I love my poets so I felt like all my poet friends were there and even the poets who aren’t my friends, I felt like American poetry was up there,” she says.

She did not know immediately that she was going to write a “praise song,” or what she defines as a West African poem that is meant to praise or lift people up. And that’s what she set out to do that day. “[I wanted people] to really feel what brought us to that moment. It was one extraordinary person, Barack Obama, who captured the attention, and the interest and the work and the hearts and the souls of so many people who said we want things to be different.”

I ask her what it was like to stand in front of millions and recite original work on such a historic day. “It was so surreal. Luckily I couldn’t imagine it or get my head around it,” she says.

“People often ask me if I was nervous. I did have a bit of adrenaline, but to me the work was writing the poem and so I had done my work. It was very cold and I was worried about my lips working because we were out on stage before anything started so my face was positively numb!”

After the inauguration, Lizzie’s life changed dramatically, with a deluge of phone calls and emails, interviews, speaking engagements, fan mail, and awards, including the most recent Lifetime Achievement in Poetry award from the distinguished Anisfied-Wolf Book Prize.

In spite of everything, she remains accessible as an aunt, and she’s a dedicated wife and mother. Beyond that, she has managed to write yet another new book, Crave Radiance, New and Selected Poems, which will be published this fall.

It has already started to create buzz in the world of poetry and publishing.

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The brasserie is a casual place with daily specials and tapas where people meet for lunch, dinner or even just catch up with a friend over a glass of wine and a snack. Our menu is affordable to ensure that we will not only be a place for special occasions, but for every day dining as well.

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203.254.8094

W W W . T H E B R A S S E R I E C T. C O M

motoring

by Lorenz Josef

Kilowatt Karma Stealth Mode: Lithium-ion power only. 0-60mph = 7.9 seconds. Top Speed = 95mph (153 km/h). Sport Mode: Lithium-ion power / Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). 0-60

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Next spring, Fairfield County residents will be driving a brand new car propelled by electric motors. The Fisker Karma will be buzzing around town, and most people will not even realize it is an electric vehicle. That’s because (unlike some electric and hybrid vehicles) this car does not look nerdy. Rather, it is a luxury sports car worthy to compete with Porsche, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Bentley!

Henrik Fisker, the Danish car designer who received accolades at BMW and Aston Martin, had bigger ideas than just design. The Karma is the realization of his dream. Two and a half years ago he shared his vision with the world when he debuted a full-scale model of the Karma at international auto shows. At the recent Paris Auto Show, Fisker proudly

showed the first factory-built Karma. Interestingly, unlike other auto prototypes, the finished product that Fisker showed is true to the original design in every aspect. The Karma did not get watered down in the process of going from concept to production!

When most people hear about an electric car they think Plain Jane design, but the Karma is no econo-box. It is a four-door, high-performing bullet of an automobile, featuring great design, luxury appointments and killer technology. The major difference that sets the Fisker apart from other electric/hybrid vehicles is that it is a “plug-in” electric vehicle. Its’ wheels are driven by electric motors only. In fact, up to 50 miles a day can be achieved with as little as a 6 hour recharge from an electric outlet. The

power is stored in state-of-the-art lithiumion batteries with nano technology. These batteries have a 10-12 year/100,000 mile life, so we won’t be polluting our local land fill with them in the near future. Since most drivers do not commute more than 50 miles round trip per day, this simple recharging procedure means that the majority of Fisker drivers will never, ever burn any gas.

Now comes the fun part. If you want to drive beyond 50 miles per day, you will not need a long extension cord. On board, Fisker has a small 2.0-liter, high-efficiency, ultra low emissions gasoline engine.

Unlike typical hybrid vehicles, this engine is not connected to the wheels and is only included to efficiently drive a generator that gives the Fisker an additional 250-mile

mph = 5.9 seconds. Top Speed = 125mph (200 km/h). Range: 50 miles electric only (80km) - [100mpg (2.4L/100km) equivalent]. Total Combined Range = 300 miles (483 km).

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motoring

The interior contains animal-free leather-like materials and wood trim which only appear in much more expensive vehicles. driving range on a tank of gas. On an annualized basis, the combination of electric and gas usage can add up to an incredible 100 miles per gallon! So you have the best of both worlds, with ultra-clean electric power for most driving needs, and an extremely fuel-efficient backup to ensure that you will never be stranded.

The Greenwich-based auto dealer, Miller Motorcars, has been appointed to represent the Fisker brand. Miller’s President, Richard Koppelman said, “We’ve known Henrik Fisker since he was at Aston Martin and were always impressed with his design work. When Henrik told us about how he planned to revolutionize the luxury sports car segment, we knew we wanted to be an authorized dealer for the Karma” Miller 32

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has been in business in Connecticut for more than 30 years and is the sole dealer for virtually every sports and ultra-luxury brand in existence, including Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren and Rolls Royce.

Bailey Vanneck, Miller Motorcars’ General Manager said, “Our brands are not just for driving from point A to point B. Rather we offer an automotive lifestyle for our clients which emphasizes getting there in an exciting fashion. The Fisker Karma is a great addition to our already formidable lineup. The Karma will have performance, luxury and will contribute to cleaner environment over time”.

Speaking of performance, the Karma has two powerful electric motors with a

very commendable 400 horsepower, but with unheard-of 981 pounds feet of torque, which rivals the world’s fastest production vehicle, the Bugatti Veyron! That power allows for a very linear acceleration, able to achieve a quick 0-60 mph sprint of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 125 mph.

The exterior design is very sleek, allowing this four-door car to pose as a very sexy two-door model. Its’ beautiful 22” diameter aluminum wheels are the envy of every sports car manufacturer. The energyabsorbing chassis is also made of aluminum, and the body, of recyclable aluminum and composite materials. With the major components located between the axles à la a Formula-1 car, Fisker tells us that the handling is fantastic.

The interior contains animal-free leather-like materials and wood trim which only appear in more expensive vehicles. Incredibly, in keeping with Fisker’s “Unique Sustainable Design Philosophy”, the wood is reclaimed from LA forest fires and sunken timber from Michigan lakes! The proposed price point for all of this performance and luxury is around $90,000.

At one of the earlier auto shows in New York City, Fisker excitedly showed us that the entire roof of the show car was a solar cell. When he revealed the first factory-built car in Paris a few months ago, he announced that this would be the standard on all production cars. Therefore, you can park your Fisker outside, and if it gets too hot, the solar power will turn on the ventilation fans to keep the interior cool or it will save you from buying about 300 kilowatts a year when you plug it in.

The Fisker Karma… nerdy? No! Environmentally responsible? Yes! ARTS/CULTURE/STYLE//MAGAZINE

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antiques

19 Century Luxury th

One of the most obscure and underappreciated furniture designers of the late19th century, Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener, was completely unknown until the late 1980s—except to a few aficionados and collectors who recognized the outstanding quality and high style of his designs.

“Serre Bijoux” The piece shown is one of Joseph-Emmanual’s finest achievements and still remains in private hands, and very few (if any) pieces have found their way into public museums.

Although his works command excessively high prices at auction, he remains a fairly unknown commodity.

Born in Germany in 1849, he is recorded as having worked in Paris at 12 rue de Roquette from 1880 to 1895 and makes a noted mark for his participation in the L’Exposition Universal in 1889 by earning a gold medal. The illustrated cabinet is a pastiche of the French Rococo (Louis XV 34

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by Matt Sturtevant Style) made popular by Napoleon III interest in reviving the 18th-century styles and then adopted by the rich industrialists of the late 19th century. The cabinet is richly veneered in tulipwood, purpleheart, and rosewood, as well as other precious woods, and incased in finely chased gilt bronze so sharply cast it can cut. Even the secondary wood is finer than any veneer used in today’s cabinetry.

This piece represents the arts as a whole, incorporating painting, sculpture and cabinetry, and could be considered to be a predecessor stylistically to the Art Nouveau movement that would follow. The painting on

the central door is after Fragonard and depicts lovers in a mythical landscape that opens to reveal a similarly veneered interior behind a cartouche-shaped gilt bronze framed glazed bombe door enclosing velvet-lined display tiers and shelves for jewelry centering a tiara stand. Truly made for royalty or aspiring royalty. The crowning sculpture most probably designed by Leon Messange is representative of prosperity depicted as a seated lady draped with wealth. It was obviously made to inspire and keep inspiring its owner with the understanding of attaining riches as well as enjoying them.

appetite Hours of Operation Breakfast: Monday to Sunday from 7 am to 10 am Lunch: Monday to Friday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm Dinner: Monday to Thursday from 5:30 pm to 10 pm Friday and Saturday from 5:30 pm to 11:30 pm Brunch: Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 3 pm Heirloom Lounge: Sunday to Thursday open until 11 pm; Friday and Saturday open until midnight 1157 Chapel Street, NewHaven, CT 203.503.3919

STUDYing NEVER TASTED SO GOOD studyhotels.com/heirloom

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Heirloom is located inside the Study at Yale Hotel on Chapel Street at the heart of Yale University Campus in New Haven, Connecticut.

Heirloom utilizes the heritage growers and neighboring artisan suppliers of Connecticut and New England for Chef Carey Savona’s Farm Coastal cooking. Our kitchen showcases an ingredient-driven cuisine featuring heirloom ingredients that are redefining what it means to cook and eat in New Haven. A native of Connecticut, Savona is passionate about seasonality, independently creative, and dedicated to farm, coastal cooking. Says Savona: “I grew up around food. My dad was a great cook from a family of Italian fisherman and fishmongers, he owned a bar and tavern in Connecticut.

We shucked oysters together, cooked side-by-side and ate honest, heart-felt food.”

Taking inspiration from the New England Pantry, Heirloom forges ahead with ingredient-driven cuisine, a farm-coastal homage that highlights our current stock of farmers and provisions on our dining room chalkboard. Favorite dishes include Northeast Sea Scallops with Caramelized Spaghetti Squash, Pickled Raisins, Capers and Citrus, Warm Local Ricotta with Thyme, Truffle and Toast; Stonington Connecticut Red Shrimp, Local Bluepoint Oysters, Heirloom Connecticut Farms Beef Pastrami and Handcrafted Salumi, House Pickles & Pâté.

Heirlooms’ wine collection includes wines from Italy, Spain, France, Australia, Germany, South Africa and the United States. Our wine choices are eclectic and distinctive with a focus on value and boutique labels as well as Sustainable, Organic and Biodynamic selections.

Expansive, yet approachable our wines and wines by the glass are meant for drinking now. Heirloom’s spirits collection shines a light on small batch producers and artisan craftsmanship—with the widely recognized brands well represented. Signature cocktails feature house elixirs and infusions with attention paid to the influential New England seasons. Our beer selection is diverse and worldly with special emphasis on the neighboring suppliers and distillers of New England and the Northeast.

Heirloom and the Study are as casual as they are stylish, evoking a way of life centered on the evolving New England traditions and our relationship to campus and downtown city life. It is the neighborhood-gathering place for friends and family, as well as a destination spot for travelers and business people alike, with a studious amount of civility and graciousness. Inviting warmth and hospitality, soulful-heartfelt cooking and a commitment to honest service and value are paramount to the Heirloom experience.

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music

Photo by Ethan Russell

bruce springsteen & keith richards: looking back and looking forward Flying in the face of rock and roll tradition, two of our most venerated superstars have proceeded to grow older before our eyes without showing any signs of dying, burning out, fading away, or otherwise retiring. At the end of 2010, however, both took some time out for reflection. Bruce Springsteen revisited his sobering 1978 album Darkness on the Edge of Town with a new release that remasters the original set, includes a DVD on the making of the album, and adds a 21 track bonus disc of assorted outtakes called The Promise (aka, The Lost Sessions: Darkness on the Edge of Town), including a new track, “Save My Love.” It is a thrilling reevaluation.

Keith Richards guitarist and songwriter for the Rolling Stones, put pen to paper for a highly praised memoir, Life, in which he displays a penchant for the telling detail (all the more remarkable considering his legendary nightlife excesses). The book came out on

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the heels of his newly remastered collection of solo (and X-Pensive Winos) sides called Vintage Vinos, which includes a bonus track called “Hurricane,” previously available only in limited release.

Looking back and looking forward, both of these artists still have a lot to say to their legions of fans, as well as their children and grandchildren. For some added perspective on the situation, we went to our own ageless resident rock and roll guru, historian, and future Venü music columnist, Bruce Pollock, to see if he had anything in his vast archives he could share with us. As the author of ten books on music, he came through.

Arriving on the scene at about the same time as Springsteen, Pollock was one of the first to interview the ascendant superstar, writing about him in Rock Magazine, and reviewing his second album in the austere pages of The New York Times. Always one to

remember those who championed his cause in the beginning, Springsteen granted him a number of interviews over the years, including one from the Darkness era, which Pollock shared with the 12 million readers of Family Weekly. A decade later, with a five-part USA Today cover story assignment in his back pocket, Pollock was ushered in to see Bruce by his publicist at the Madison Square Garden Bowling Alley after a concert. “When he immediately recognized me and crushed me in a bear hug, the publicist said she knew the interview would happen soon. Which it did, at about four in the morning, after one of his marathon shows at the Meadowlands.”

The face-to-face hour Pollock shared with Keith Richards for the popular magazine he co-founded, GUITAR For the Practicing Musician, also occurred during the ‘80s, but during normal business hours. “I had a column about songwriting and Keith was eager to talk about his passion,” said Pollock.

“I found him just as eloquent as Springsteen, especially after he had a few drinks.”

Photo by Kevin Mazur

Photo by Danny Clinch

Photo by Kevin Mazur

Photo by Deborah Feingold

Pollock would adapt these two interviews, as well as 112 others, into a book called Working Musicians, modeled after Studs Terkel’s landmark oral history Working. Subtitled Defining Moments from the Road, the Studio, and the Stage, the book has been hailed by pioneering rock critic Paul Williams as “marvelous, compulsively readable. Few books about music come so close to the truth about how it really comes into existence.” In it, RIchards talked about songwriting, while Springsteen, true to form, talked about performing.

Working Musicians (Harper Entertainment), which came out in 2002 and was reissued as an eBook in 2006, might have been Pollock’s crowning achievement. But like his two aforementioned rock and roll models, he was only just hitting his stride. A year later he published The Rock Song Index (Routledge), which compiled the 7500 most important songs of the rock and roll era. Last year, By the Time We Got to Woodstock: The Great Rock Revolution of 1969 (Back-

beat Books) was hailed by the web site Pop Matters as “Panoramic and focused, scholarly yet streetwise, Pollock’s book succeeds on the depth of the author’s knowledge of the history of a seismic year in pop culture, and the energy of his perspective.”

This year he’s working on two more books, one on the influence of the Beatles, the other on the history of the 100 year old songwriter’s association, ASCAP, for which he recently interviewed his former neighbor, ASCAP member, John Mayer.

These two excerpts have been adapted from his book Working Musicians: Defining Moments from the Road, the Studio, and the Stage (Harper Collins).

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: A sense of audience I always try to keep the big lights out of my eyes or else you can lose your sense of the audience, and that’s the most important thing. There’s a certain entertainment factor happening in the audience and if you look

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music

Photo by Frank Stefanko

Photo by Annie Leibovitz

Photo by Michael Putland

past it, you’re going to miss it. Unless you can win an audience you’re in for a tough time.

That’s the most challenging thing, to play the kind of music you want to play, do the kind of shows you want to do and win people who will listen to you, win people’s ears, all kinds of people. And then be able to sustain that relationship by being responsible about it.

A lot of times I’m out there for me. I’m doing something at night that I have to do for myself. Nobody is going to demand that I play harder at night that I myself would want to play. When I come offstage I know how I played and I know how I feel. I get a feeling from playing I can never get from anything else. It’s something inside. It’s winning and losing on the inside all the time, never from the outside. It’s a quiet personal thing.

It’s funny. I go back a certain amount of time with the same guys. We can think of nights when we were sixteen, playing in this teen club and we get into all the stuff that’s come down in between. It doesn’t feel that much different. What happens inside is very much the same. I always felt free when I was young because I liked my job. I’d get up when I wanted to get up and go out and play at night. I was writing songs and just going out and playing to the people. As you become more successful the idea is to maintain that particular freedom, because you can lose it easily. When you get a little success it can confine you or it can give you more room. My ideal is just to do it better. Just to keep going at it. That’s where I think I’m most useful.

Part of the idea of rock and roll is to go on the road. When you get on the road it feels like you’ve been there forever. After five shows you cannot recollect what it was like being home. I never had a real interest in staying home. I feel most at home onstage. I always have, since I was young. There’s a very different feeling you have when you get out there, really out there, where there’s nothing

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Photo by Jo Lopez

for miles and miles around. It’s like when we play Pittsburgh; that city, when the sun’s out it still looks like it’s cloudy. Then you ride into town and see all the houses. You see all the people in their gray little houses and they come out and down to the show and it’s wild for a few hours. Then you go back to your room and you see that gray skyline and you feel like you whipped it, just for a night. For a little while you feel like you won something.

KEITH RICHARDS: A band man

I remember after “Satisfaction” got to number one--bang bang at the door. Where’s the follow up? I mean, the minute you put out a single, you had to start working your butt off on the next one, and the bigger the hit, the more pressure there was on the follow up. But it was an incredibly good school for songwriting in that you couldn’t piss around for months and months agonizing about the deeper meaning of this or that. No matter what you were doing you had to make damn sure you didn’t let up on the writing.

It made you want to search around and listen for ideas. It made you very aware of what was going on around you, because you were looking for a song. It might come in a coffee shop, or it might come on the street, or in a cab. You might hear a phrase at a bus stop.

You’re listening for it every moment, and anything could be a song and if you don’t have one, you’re up the creek without a paddle.

I never think I have to put anything down. I never care if I have it on tape or if the tape runs out and the song disappears, cause they all come back eventually. I’ve written songs and lost them and found them ten years later. Once it’s there, it’s there. I don’t have a problem with being non-prolific. That’s all psychosomatic. Music isn’t something to think about, at least initially.

Eventually it’s got to cover the spectrum, but especially with rock and roll, first it has

to hit you somewhere else. It could be the groin; it could be the heart; it could be the gut; it could be the toes. It’ll get to the brain eventually. The last thing I’m thinking about is the brain. You do enough thinking about everything else.

When we’re doing an album I come in with a handful of riffs and some songs. One or two will be fairly well defined. Others I have to wait until I get the Stones all together in the studio to find out. I can’t take it any farther by myself as a song or a structure or an idea until I’ve got their input.

If there’s no kiss of life; if everybody walks off to the toilet, then you know you’ve got to drop that one and go on to something else.

But when you just sort of pick up your guitar when the studio is virtually empty, people are telling jokes in the back room or playing dominoes and then within two or three minutes they drift back, pick up their instruments, and begin whacking away, you know they’re into it.

Rarely do I write a song by myself. Even if I actually do write it by myself, I always like to have someone around playing along with me, going, yeah yeah. I’m a band man, a group man. The important thing is to sit down with an instrument. You might spend three or four hours going through the Buddy Holly songbook, and then, out of nowhere, there’ll be a little crash, and there it goes.

All it takes is a split second. It might be an accident, a mistake that sets you off. All you’ve got to do is be receptive and recognize it when it happens, because it can come from the weirdest angles.

I work best when the sun goes down.

I’ve eaten, had a few drinks, and I’ve got some good buddies around. I love sitting around with an acoustic guitar and whacking out songs with friends and family. Somehow they never sound as good as they do that first night on the living room couch.

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music notes//_ review

by AlexbyDefelice Alex Defelice

BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN: Mr. Isaac Allen grew up in some of the most far-flung places on the planet, but now resides in Connecticut. His music is a stunning mix of old school blues with touches of jazz and rock and roll. His new CD Don’t Smoke on HMG Recordings is an exploration of the dark side and doesn’t feature some of the most upbeat lyrics, but the exploration and depth of characters makes this debut CD a true standout effort.

The songs are a throwback sound to some of the classic blues musicians like Howlin Wolf and John Lee Hooker. In modern times, however, it’s a wild cross between Tom Waits, Randy Newman (but surely not in an “I Love LA” kind of way) and Dr. John. Throw in a little of Australian singer Nick Cave and his old band the Bad Seeds and you’ve got the makings of the sounds and characters that envelop Don’t Smoke. This CD is truly haunting in many ways from the soon to be classic “Daddy’s On Death Row,” to the lead-off track “The Devil” and the nod to “Bernie Madoff.”

From spending his formative years growing up in Indonesia, specifically Borneo and Kuala Lumpur where his father worked as a doctor for an oil company, this Pennsylvanian born-singer now in his mid-20s shows a true depth and knowledge of the characters that inhabit his songs. Not all of it is about other peoples lives and their sadness and despair though, much of what comes through this release are from Allen’s own troubled experiences adjusting to life overseas and then returning to the United States. After leaving Kuala Lumpur he made his way to Singapore where he attended school for two years. Allen also went on to teach English in his late teens in Bali and to drive a motorcycle taxi moving foreigners around the island. His heart still remains in Indonesia, but listening to Don’t Smoke the true elements of American blues and jazz shine through combined with the experiences he had growing up.

Not only those life stories in the Far East, but also here in the States where Allen went through some extremely difficult troubles, but he made it through to tell the tale which is what makes up a lot of the stories on Don’t Smoke. And the Mr? So many blues players are Dr. or Reverend, that Mr. stuck when joking around in the studio while recording the album. The CD is currently available for digital download at all the usual places like ITunes and Amazon and will be available in stores this Spring. In the meantime, Mr. Isaac Allen is always working on new material and setting up some tour dates to follow.

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Bio.

Mr. Isaac Allen bursts onto the music scene without a prolific pedigree of musical institutes, conservatories or long standing associations.

Not that he didn’t get those early lessons – piano, violin, and later even opera. Though he was encouraged to take a classical direction, the organic music in his soul prevailed. Starting in elementary school, he developed a love of old blues that he has never shaken and though he can deviate far, musically from this style, it has become such a part of him that you still hear it coming through in his songs. •Isaac was born in Pennsylvania and as a child, moved with his family to Indonesia. He lived there in a city on the edge of a jungle and against the sea, on the island of Borneo. These years were very happy for him in this generous and welcoming culture. It was also a powerful influence.

He saw levels of poverty that he had not seen before. And though it could be heart wrenching, it was also spectacular – the way in which they used resources and their inventiveness to survive on so little.

Later, with moves to other parts of Asia, life became more complicated for him and by adolescence; some bad choices and difficult mistakes led him on a path, far from the idyllic years of before. He returned to the States in his teens, and though there were many attempts to right himself, the journey led to some harrowing and sometimes comical situations - and all too often – some pretty hopeless scenarios.

Many songs bring that mural of life to the table. He never stopped making songs and writing lyrics, even when his only pianos were the ones secreted out in churches when the meetings were over. Singing from that deep space within, has been the one constant in his life.

Right now he delivers blues/jazz fusion songs, whose lyrics are truly something worth pondering.

Working with Steve Klunk on bass and David Boskello on trumpet and guitar, and Sara-Joy Liebig for backup vocals, they work with a range of other talented musicians to bring his engaging and eclectic music to be heard. Completing his first album “Don’t Smoke”, Mr. Isaac Allen is currently touring in the New England/New York area.

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architecture

Photo by

nson

Eirik Joh

Photo by Eirik Johnson

Photo By Juer

gen Nogai

Julius Shulman

PHILIP JOHNSON THE GLASS HOUSE, 1949

Modernist Icon: Myths & Realities 44

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Photo by Eirik Johnson

Photo by Richard Payne

by Philip Eliasoph

Photo by Eirik Johnson

Philip Johnson’s residence, three-dimensional sketchbook, and aesthetic oasis sprawl across a 47-acre canvas/campus along Ponus Ridge Road in New Canaan. Ensconced into the sculpted landscape, the site encompasses 14 separate structures. Like Zeus wielding his thunderbolt, Johnson playfully sprinkled onto his personal Parnassus a veritable encyclopedia of architectural styles.

Often inspiring, sometimes infuriating, an escorted walking tour is always reflective of the master’s pixie-like sensibilities. A team of talented guides, well versed in the anecdotal lore of this magical refuge, opened our eyes to Johnson’s hide-and-reveal-now-you-see-it-nowyou-don’t manipulation of his guests. Do schedule a visit with high expectations, but don’t come if you’re checking off ‘complete a great house tour with preconceived ideas’ from your bucket list.

Instead of national historic sites akin to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello or Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water, the Johnson estate is like a chessboard with discrete satellite pieces and moveable parts. You can never grasp all of it at once—only fragmentary splinters are within view. And Johnson’s chuckling ghost permeates every corner and breathtaking vista.

Johnson is ever the brilliant illusionist, chameleon, and merry prankster. His experimental curiosity reminds me of Winston Churchill’s quip about Russia’s deceptive role before WWII as a “riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” When I walked the property along with the editorial staff of VENÜ on a perfectly cloudy late fall afternoon, we were able to appreciate the con-

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architecture trasts of color, texture, and natural forms mixed into Johnson’s palette.

Mycenean tholos tombs give way to a Roman loggia or Brunelleschi-inspired cupola. The painting gallery is a Fascist-era Normany bunker hiding 88 howitzers of gigantic constructions by Frank Stella and Postmodernist outliers. A labyrinth of M.C. Escher multiple levels in the sculpture pavilion is paved like the endless stairs of Santorini on steroids. Whimsical tributes to Frank Gehry, Lincoln Kirstein, or George Balanchine are oblique asides.

Erudite inside jokes in stone, glass, concrete, brick, or chain-link steel complete the canvas.

In the actual house we confront a mind-numbing moment of Modernist nirvana. The year 1949 is perfectly defined. The avatar of post-war Internationalism but pre-expressionist unorthodoxy is freeze-dried and

flash-frozen within The Glass House. After decades of knowing its design from old Kodak-style slide projections in architectural history courses, the experience of actually being there is both exhilarating and unnerving.

At close range we can appreciate mundane details of outdated appliances and classic mid-century Modernist furniture. Note the Mies Barcelona chairs and couch with well-worn leather. It doesn’t matter if the date is 1929 or 2012; they have withstood the test of time.

The actual view from inside is unsurpassable. It’s like finally climbing to the top of the Duomo of Florence for the first time and seeing the 360-degree panorama of Tuscany you knew from countless postcards.

As the sun sets to the west over to the Arcadian hills of Stamford, click your ruby-slipper heels twice and say, “There’s no place like home.”

INTERVIEW: CHRIS WOLFE NICHOLS, architect and guide at The Glass House and VENÜ senior arts editor Philip Eliasoph reflect on Philip Johnson’s Connecticut residence, its place in architectural history, and conservation needs for this mid-century modernist masterpiece.

Philip Eliasoph: We know that Philip Johnson was a giant among the masters of 20th century architecture such as Le Corbusier, Mies Van Der Rohe, and even Frank Lloyd Wright. What in your estimation is the most unique aspect of The Glass House as an example of International Style design and what would be its most distinguishing characteristics?

Christine Wolfe Nichols: The International Style in this country was defined by Philip Johnson and Henry Russell Hitchcock by their 1932 exhibition at MoMA: “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition.” Here, and with their accompanying book, the two men put forward the tenants for this style: 1) an expression of volume as opposed to mass, which often resulted in a radical simplification of form; 2) balance instead of symmetry, and 3) the rejection of ornament based of the adoption of glass, steel and concrete as the main materials used in expressing post World War technological developments. I would say that the most unique aspect of the Glass House, then, would be in its purity. It is simply a box with plate glass walls between thin I-columns of steel, a plaster ceiling and a brick floor in a herringbone pattern. There is one door in the center of each façade (which act as the only operable “windows” for the entire building) thereby creating a very straight-

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forward plan and design scheme. Once you move inside the building, however, it is masterfully organized asymmetrically within the one room volume with a brick cylinder (which houses the bathroom inside and a fireplace facing the living room area outside), anchoring the entire floor plan.

There are no full floor-to-ceiling partitions (the bedroom has one bank of five foot high cabinetry that allows you to see through the glass walls beyond, and the kitchen is defined by low, counter-height cabinetry) so that the overall feeling is one of release to the varying landscapes outside the entire building. I have never been in a building which so completely satisfies the needs of shelter while allowing the spirit to soar.

To me, the most distinguishing characteristic is that while it is so obviously a “modern” home even by today’s standards, it is so like a Greek temple. Vincent Scully pointed this out in his teachings and essays.

Unlike its predecessor the Farnsworth House

by Mies Van Der Rohe in Plano, Illinois, Philip Johnson’s Glass House sits on the ground on a brick plinth and it’s regularly-spaced, black steel columns and reflective glass panels melt into the landscape. The roof system is framed into taller-than-need be steel joists to create a heavier “cornice” detail that allows us to feel its weight so that is solidly sits on its dramatic promontory site.

Photo by Richard Payne

Photo by Carol Highsmith

lar designs. The large expanses of glass of course made the houses harder to heat, but most modern houses aren’t made completely of glass and steel.”

Photo by Eirik Johnson

In the Post WWII era architects were responding to the shift from a war-based economy to the new single-family homes of America’s suburbs. But the “show” houses created by Johnson, Breuer, or Gropius were far too sophisticated, impractical and expensive. They were really not meant to reflect contemporary “good living” standards of Bauhaus design which meant “practical.” Not many folks out there in the sprawling suburbs could put their families into an aesthetically pure glass box. Did Johnson ever think about building practical homes for middle class families in the USA? To answer this question, I would defer to my fellow lead guide and writer, Gwen

North Reiss. Here’s how she fielded your question:

“None of the modern houses in New Canaan were built purely as show houses. The architects all built homes for themselves and their families and hoped that they would win other commissions once people saw these designs. Johnson always said he designed the Glass House for himself--it was the perfect weekend house for him. Many of the other New Canaan Houses are quite comfortable and practical. Some were expensive; some were not. Many of John Johansen and John Black Lee’s houses were done inexpensively and with experimental materials and modu-

That’s very useful; do you have a personal ‘take’ on this experimental houses While Philip Johnson had an interest in designing “for the masses,” most of his clients were wealthy and had a certain level of sophistication to even consider hiring him. Their properties were increasingly spectacular (especially after the Glass House in 1949) and his designs always incorporated the site for viewing and “nature/natural” appreciation. Even though the square footage for his homes was often modest, they often borrowed space from the outside or used the expansive views as a canvas. If anyone ever asked him to design a glass house for them, his first response was [paraphrase], “tell me about your land.” He often stated, “I’m really a landscape architect,” and also said, “I’m a better landscape architect than I am an architect…. To me, it’s one art.”

Let’s discuss The Glass House specifically.

How much time did Mr. Johnson actually spend “living” in the house? Was it more of an idea project than a functional space to eat, sleep and work? If it was not very “liveable—“ then why is it so admired?

It is very important to understand that when Philip Johnson built his famous Glass House, he designed and built the Brick or Guest House at the same time; both buildings are considered one complete composition.

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architecture

Photo by Richard Payne

a snow storm with the wind blowing, because you felt like you were in a “celestial elevator” moving up into the direction of the falling snowflakes. During the summer months with no air conditioning, he would have all of the doors open to get the refreshing crossventilation (a design consideration older than Vitruvius) and bugs would fly in and bounce against the glass panes, and leaves and the odd creature would come inside as well. In some cases, he would pick up the phone and call his caretaker for assistance with the scurrying critters and birds.

Photo By Juergen Nogai Julius Shulman

Photo By Dean Kaufman

During the three-year period of time from 1946 when he purchased the original five acres of the site until 1949 when he completed the constructions, he came up with many different design ideas. Through the conceptual design of these schemes, he split his ideas into the more open, “public” space of the Glass House and the more closed, “private” space of the Brick or Guest House. The Brick House (after some changes made in 1953) has a personal library, a large bathroom clad in marble, a storage room and sub-grade mechanical room, and a guest bedroom that acts almost as a sensory-deprivation chamber with it’s movable panels that could block out all exterior light.

So, when Mr. Johnson needed to get a good night’s sleep, take a nap, have privacy, take a long shower or store away his things, he would use the Brick House in addition to the Glass House. The Brick House also houses all of the mechanical systems for the Glass House which run through an underground conduit to the Glass House, thereby allowing the Glass House to be as open and unobstructed as it is. The two buildings are mutually supportive, and make living in the “Glass House composition” very livable.

Philip Johnson spent weekends there throughout the year, and he always had a nice apartment in New York City during the week. The whole point of the Glass House was to immerse himself in nature during the weekends, which he did for over 56 years.

He had a caretaker on site at all times (which helped with the trespassing issues!) and over time, he purchased contiguous properties to create the 47-acre property that the Glass House site is today. On these additional lots, he built the Library Study (1980) for architectural work and reading; the Painting Gallery (1965) and Sculpture Gallery (1970) for his art collection that he created with his partner, David Whitney; as well as other structures, follies and renovated vernacular buildings to assist with various personal and

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How do you think this structure would be viewed in the context of contemporary ecofriendly demands for LEED certified homes that are more sustainable as a necessity?

Again, in order to answer this question, you must consider the Brick House as part of the original “Glass House” composition. I will try to answer this in two parts: the Glass and Brick House as they were built in 1949, and the composition as it works today after Mr. Johnson passed away in 2005 and various upkeep improvements were made (in parentheses).

In terms of positive, eco-friendly design: 1) the original Glass (1,728 square feet = living area) and Brick House (988 square feet) buildings were relatively modest in size; not building an overly large house is the best place to start for resource stewardship.

entertaining functions. When he was working less and less in New York City, he spent more time at the Glass House site, and it eventually became his primary residence.

He called the whole site his “diary of an eccentric architect” because this was his place to experiment with design and building, to have fun and enjoy himself.

How do you imagine Mr. Johnson living in the space or entertaining his guests with these “comfort” level issues? Considering its massive heat loss through its glass surfaces, can you tell us what it was like to visit the house on the coldest days of winter and on the hottest days of summer?

Knowing that the Glass House site incorporates 47 acres with 14 structures (some of which are air-conditioned) to assist with Philip Johnson’s various needs, the “comfort level” demands on the Glass House building itself and the Brick House were alleviated over time. But before the additional properties were added, even though he preferred to have smaller, intimate groups of friends over, he often used his promontory and outdoor spaces for entertaining. On cold winter days, his friends often described that he would crank up the radiant floor heating (so high, that you would have to keep your shoes on or wear two pairs of socks!) and have a fire roaring in the fireplace. One of my favorite images that he described [paraphrase] was being at the Glass House during

2) the siting of the Glass House under seven or eight large specimen (deciduous) trees shield it from the hot sun during the summer, but allow the sun to come through in the winter.

3) the heating system for the Glass House is radiant floor heating (supplemented with a working fireplace), which is excellent in that radiant heat is efficient in heating the occupants directly instead of using energy to control the larger environment.

4) for the glass walls, there are tracks on the eastern, southern and western elevations on which to hang panels to block the sun from direct solar heat gain, and abundant daylight means less use of artificial lighting.

5) the door placements at the center of each elevation allow for maximum cross-ventilation, bringing in fresh, cooler air during the summer months.

6) the bathroom(s) and kitchen are small is size and use (mostly) natural materials.

7) all of the stone walls on the property are built from local stone from the site.

8) if the Glass House were built today, most of the materials would be either abundant (sand for the glass and crushed material for the brick) or mostly highly recycled (steel).

Photo By Paul Warchol

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architecture

Photo By Juergen Nogai Julius Shulman

9) even though this is not about LEEDcertification specifically but definitely ecofriendly issues, having a direct connection to nature and the landscape would promote well-being, and in general, a happier, healthier existence. (Please note the Brick House renovation is being designed and considered for LEED certification.)

The negatives of the original Glass House composition: 1) the large sheets of single-pane (1/4” plate) glass have no treatments (which were not available in 1949) to make them energy efficient. (These have been replaced more recently with 3/8” tempered glass, which has a small/modest insulation value, and probably a Glass House built today would incorporate insulated, double-paned glass (?!) with heat-saving, clear coatings.

2) there is no overhang for the roof system (eave detail) to block the sun during the summer, but allow for the lower, winter sun to hit the glass.

3) the radiant floor heating system and all mechanical systems come from the subgrade Brick House mechanical room, which is about 120’ feet away. Originally, there was a tunnel of about 2’x4’ with conduit running through it, but having to travel a distance (even though it remains about 55 degrees) is less efficient than using a more local source.

(In 2006, the old tunnel was abandoned

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and a new conduit was dug between the two buildings and Pex Tubing with about 4” of insulation was added to the new conduit. Also, the boiler was replaced with a new, energy-efficient Vissemann oil boiler, and the water is heated with an updated electrical heater.)

4) the fireplace/flue detail is not efficiently designed (but Philip Johnson added a glass heat screen in 1949).

5) the steel framing of the I-columns and the window frames have no thermal break and so directly transmit the cold inside the house, and the heat outside the house (Today, this would be a tricky design issue, because today’s mullion designs with insulators and glass stops are large and unsightly.)

6) as Philip Johnson said himself [paraphrase], it’s not a very practical building.

Yale architectural historian Vincent Scully noted that the Glass House was for many decades a gathering place for many of the great creative minds of the modern world— he even called it “the most sustained cultural salon that the United States has ever seen.” Why do you think it was such a magnet for these great thinkers and how does that tradition continue in the work of the Glass House Foundation today?

The Glass House became a very famous place because Philip Johnson and David Whitney were such interesting, intelligent, amazingly generous and powerful people.

Not only did they create a setting for experiencing architecture, art, conversation and taking physical and intellectual risk by testing one’s boundaries between safety and danger (thereby encouraging people to think outside of their comfort zones and actually learn and grow), they had a lot of fun and enjoyed themselves. Philip Johnson in particular loved being in the spotlight (and it didn’t hurt that he could in the meantime elevate his social prestige) and was extremely generous with his intellect, time and money. But most of all, they created a place that was safe for their friends and fellow creators to relax and enjoy themselves, even if the stakes were sometimes pretty high. When Frank Stella visited the site last year, he said that [paraphrase] no one ever came to the Glass House to talk business; that they came out there to drink and enjoy themselves. That is not an easy task when you consider bringing together some of the most creative and competitive thinkers of our time.

In terms of the programs that the Glass House sponsors, they are outlined on our Philip Johnson Glass House website under “Programs” at the top of the page. These include Glass House Conversations; Design Literacy Retreat; Glass House Oral History Project; Modern Home Project and Survey; and Modern Views. This NTHP site is very vital, indeed!

Thanks for your time and valuable insights into a living work of art that only continues to grow in its significance and historical uniqueness over the decades.

Photo By Juergen Nogai Julius Shulman

Background: CHRISTINE WOLFE NICHOLS “I graduated from Yale College (1984) and majored in architecture.

In1982 before declaring my major, I had the luck to hear Philip Johnson give a lecture and was invited for drinks with him and some graduate students afterwards. There we sat in the Old Heidelberg bar, watching Mr. Johnson down three martinis in a row—without skipping a beat!—while he kept asking the then Dean of the Yale School of Architecture, Cesar Pelli, if the students had understood his lecture. A graduate student leaned over to me and said, “How does it feel to be sitting across the table from God?” and I remember thinking that I didn’t think that God would drink like that, nor need to be so reassured about his lecture. What impressed me the most was how earnestly Mr. Johnson needed to know if his lecture resonated with the students.

After college, I worked for James Volney Righter, Architects in Boston, and then for I. M. Pei and Partners on the Louvre project in Paris.

Then I went back to Yale for my Master’s in Architecture (1989) under Tom Beeby. I worked for Shope, Reno, Wharton and Associates in Greenwich, Ct. and then DiBiase Filkoff Architects in Bedford, New Work before starting a family and running my own residential architecture firm.

This is my third year as a guide at the Philip Johnson Glass House.”

Philip Eliasoph, Ph.D. is Professor of Art History at Fairfield University and a Commissioner on the Connecticut Commission for Culture & Tourism.

His interest in modern architecture began in graduate school when he did some of the first published research in the United States on the Bolshevik avantgarde architect, Konstanin Melnikov. Even before the famous 1929 Barcelona showcase featuring Mies van der Rohe, Melnikov’s entry for the Paris Exhibition of Art Decoratif in 1925 stole the show with its dynamic design celebrating the newly realized U.S.S.R’.s entry onto the world stage.

Photo by Erin Gleeson Studio, NYC

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intellectual property

Written by: Sheryle Levine and Alan Neigher Byelas & Neigher, Westport, CT

Life-story rights. AKA, Life-rights consent agreements.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed against film producers shooting unauthorized biographies, critical documentaries, or fictionalized versions of individuals. While most of these lawsuits fail—primarily because of common law and First Amendment protections—these suits still get filed.

Accordingly, financing sources, completion bond and insurance companies will insist that the producer obtain life-story rights (also known as life-rights consent agreements).

Typically, the subject of the film will grant two essential types of rights:

1. The traditional grant-of-life-story rights,

which include the right to portray that person’s life, or part of it; the right to modify or fictionalize that person’s story; copyright or license rights to use accounts of that person’s life story; and the right to use pseudonyms for persons portrayed in the life story; and,

2.

Waiver or release rights regarding other potential claims. These provide that the subject will not sue the filmmaker for defamation; invasion of privacy; infringement of the right of publicity; infringement of trademark or copyright; infliction of emotional distress; and the catchall “any claims or causes of actions arising from the grant of rights,” which generally extends to a third party suing the subject and/or the producer.

The major points a filmmaker’s counsel worries about in a life-story-consent agreement include the following: Timing No producer should wait until pre-production (and certainly not until production or post-production) before obtaining the grant of rights. To do so puts the story’s subject in a strong position to block the film’s release by refusing to sign a consent form without demanding an exorbitant price. Accordingly,

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few financing sources will release any production funds without having the life rights consents nailed down.

Scope of the Rights Granted The counsel for the producer will seek the broadest grant of rights obtainable from the subject. These would include the right to portray the subject’s life in whole, or in part; the right to fictionalize or modify the life story; and the right to use pseudonyms for certain people portrayed in the story. From the producer’s viewpoint, the scope of rights should include the entire world, in perpetuity (or as close to forever as one can get). It should also include all media now known or which may in the future be discovered. The scope of language for new media (especially including newer handheld devices) now takes up nearly a page of any rights agreement, and exhaustively lists every conceivable audiovisual and merchandising use of the life story. The story subject may wish to reserve book (print and electronic) and dramatic rights, which generally is not a stumbling block for the producer.

Consultation Rights Most subjects enter a life-rights deal believing they can control the way he or she is portrayed. At the outset, the producer will try to disabuse the subject of that notion.

Once pre-production has begun, no producer or director wants to be subjected to the changing whim or sensibilities of the lifestory subject. From the producer’s vantage point, the subject should have no more than the right to consult on the creative elements. Granting greater power to a subject

will make it much harder to obtain financing for the project.

Payment Generally a story subject will receive a flat fee for the life-story rights. The amount will depend on the prominence of and demand for that person’s story. For an unknown subject, the price could be very low (hundreds or a few thousand dollars); an established celebrity will of course demand and receive much more.

Representations from the Subject The producer must be assured that the grantor is the sole owner of the life story and, obviously, has not granted rights to anyone else (which happens more frequently than you would expect). Further, the subject must warrant that the copyright registration is up to date and accurate; that no other rights will be violated by the subject’s grant of these rights; the grantor will not interfere with the producer’s exercise of the grant of rights; and that the subject will indemnify the producer for any misrepresentation or breach of the warranties given.

These are some, but certainly not all, of the concerns a production attorney will have when a client presents a fiction or non-fiction biographical film project.

It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of obtaining, without exception or qualification, a clean chain of title in the life story rights of any individual being portrayed in the project whose persona is not being fictionalized.

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business

I N T E RV I E W

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b y

T R AC E Y

T H O M A S

I was excited about interviewing Terry Betteridge for Ven端. After all he is an icon in the jewelry scene from Greenwich to Palm Beach to Vail, Colorado, revered as much for his im peccable knowledge of the industry and the products he carries in his stores especial y those amazing time pieces he talks about with such pride and reverence on the radio as he is for his indefatigable, and always personal, customer service philosophy. It ranks right up there with the old world values of the craftsmen who painstakingly and meticulously create the wearable, ultimately priceless, works of art he carries at Betteridge Jewelers..

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business

erry begins our conversation with a story and he engages me right away.

He tells me about an in-store training session he held for his employees that very morning, one of a regular regimen of internal meetings that keep all 43 members of his staff up to date and on the mark with the strict brand requirements of the lines they represent, including Cartier, Rolex and Patek Philippe to name drop just a few. Today’s training focused on a new German watch company that had selected Betteridge Jewelers as one of only a dozen dealers in the United States to sell their A. Lagne & Sohne watch.

“This is an unbelievably well made watch, made by a manufacturer well worth its salt. When they finish making these watches, they test them to a critical standard that few other watch companies would even want to do. The watchmaker who puts the watch together has to then take it apart and reassemble it a second time to prove that it is both repeatable and repairable and that it can be restored if need be. Nobody does this, but these Germans do and the result is that they have made a fabulous watch.”

Like Terry, his employees are wellversed in the ways of the business. Mostly everyone ran their own stores. Simon Teakle ran Christie’s jewelry for 10 years. Mike Manjos ran a chain of 56 stores before he joined Betteridge. Eve Tarullo and Scott La Du managed their own shops. Randy Lapointe ran Tiffany’s diamond buying department for years and Andrew Handschin came from the very fashionable watch company, Panerai, which, according to Terry, makes one of the hottest, coolest big watches a man could have, ones specifically made for underwater

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demolition teams and discovered by Sly Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, a tough watch for tough men!

But for all the decades of hands-on knowledge and sales expertise that everyone at Betteridge has, it’s learning about all the intricacies about each of their products – and the stories behind them – that makes everyone look forward to these internal meetings as much as Terry himself does.

In fact, the more I talked with Terry Betteridge, the more I realized that selling jewelry was only a means to an end for this fifth generation jeweler. For it’s the stories of the watches, the rings, the necklaces, the brooches, the stickpins, along with his own private collections of antique treasures and family heirlooms, that drive his passion and fuel his enthusiasm for the business. It’s in his blood, I discover. This love for beauty and tradition transcends time and generations, a legacy having been handed down to him by his great grandfather’s father, a silver smith from Sheffield, England, back in the 1700s. His granddad founded the first Betteridge stores on two of the most prestigious corners in New York City in 1897 – on Fifth Avenue and on 45th Street in the Flat Iron Building – laying the foundation for a thriving business that proudly carries the family name and resolutely stands behind it and every product it sells.

“My granddad used to run his tie on every piece of jewelry looking for snags.

His search for perfection reflected his commitment to make sure our customers received the very best there was.”

Do not confuse price with value here, for as Terry explains, jewelry is personal, sentimental and is intrinsically valuable.

You need not spend a great deal of money to purchase the perfect thing. But what you need to do is find out what has meaning for the person the jewelry is going to.

“A fun part of this business is the notion that you can take something that is a block out of the ground and give it great meaning, partly through the people who fashioned it and cut it into a beautiful stone, and then through all the history of the jewelers who have crafted it into something that is comfortable to wear, durable and beautiful.

All of that is distilled into a tiny little pack-

“My granddad used to run his tie on every piece of jewelry looking for snags. His search for perfection reflected his commitment to make sure our customers received the very best there was.” age… then comes the love of somebody who thinks of someone special, spends the money on it, and then presents it… it is really a fabulous thing.”

I agree with Terry as he candidly says that we all have received gifts that are meaningless to us. An outdoorsy type, he admits that he is a hard person to buy for because he has “a lot of stuff,” but he always needs to know what time it is.

“I have to be on time. I need a great watch that is incredibly visible because I don’t sleep much and always like to know what time it is. My watch has to glow. I make coffee on camping trips when it is still dark.

I also do a lot of mundane stuff… like working on tractors and banging on engine manifolds. So my watch can’t be delicate.

I run everyday, then it has to go in the shower with me. You have to know these things about the people you buy jewelry or watches for. I would appreciate something that is very durable and accurate like the A. Lagne & Sohne watch I told you about earlier. Another guy might want something more fashionable that might be very French in design, or one that is very Madison Avenue and dapper might be more his thing, so it kind of depends on what appeals to him.

That is what you need to figure out.”

“A demure little woman might be uncomfortable with a big diamond, so maybe you get a tiny green diamond that means a great deal to you both. That said, we have a customer who is barely 5 feet tall who won’t wear anything under 20 carats; she is a ball of fire and has the energy, personality – and the resources – to pull it off. Other women would be happy with a large citrine or aquamarine that is just as beautiful and flamboyant, but doesn’t cost a great deal of money and that might be the perfect thing. One of my favorite customers was a crone of an old lady who would come in with her chauffeur, who was equally old, and ask for me. One time, she grabbed her ancient neck and said ‘do you have any pearls big enough to cover this old neck?’ Then she bought a $100,000 string of pearls like someone else might buy a pack of gum. You need to know these things about people so they will be happy with their jewelry.”

During our interview, I learned that Terry has a farm in northwestern Connecticut where he likes to run, shoot his bow and arrow, and his guns, and tinker with those old farm machines. This image is now coalesced with descriptions, humble ones, of the col-

lections he has nurtured over his life in the jewelry business.

“My dad was a pack rat so I have inherited a little bit of everything and a little bit of knowledge on a lot of it. He collected tiny silver. I like English silver and have chamber sticks all over the place. I have a shotgun collection that I shoot all the time. My stickpin collection is one of the best in the world.

There are hundreds, some by Tiffany and Cartier, they are great makers, some are sapphires, green diamonds, white diamonds, demantoid garnet and Egyptian revival, that’s the deep end of collecting.”

He used to collect Incan and preColumbia jewelry and told me that he had some of the best there ever was. He traded his climbing equipment many years ago for pieces while climbing in the Andes. He has a couple 21,000 footers under his belt from when he was a kid, not many people can say that. These are fascinating things to know about a man who lives his life amidst beauty that takes your breath away and who is surrounded by people whose stories make a visit to Betteridge Jewelers the closest thing to living the good life through his jewelry as there is… and making some wonderful friends along the way.

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fashion

by Cindy Clarke

Investment Dressing Comes Out of the Closet

wise spending has never been more in fashion, especially when it comes to investing in your wardrobe

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If you’ve ever wondered how so many women around Fairfield County continue to dress to the nines with clothes that you haven’t once seen in the your local retail store, we’re about to let a well-kept fashion secret out of the closet. Meet Noelle Ward, wardrobe consultant extraordinaire and one of the Carlisle Collection’s top-selling sales associates.

Chances are, she may have dressed the head-turning women you’ve admired from afar from her own private showroom—a byappointment-only dream boutique—where you not only get to model outfits that make you look and feel like a million dollars, you get to play model yourself as Noelle helps you pull together pieces that coordinate perfectly with each other and probably work with a good number of clothes you already own.

A brand in herself, Ward—a fit, petite mother of three school-age children— defines this type of personalized shopping experience as investment dressing, which is when a woman thoughtfully selects her wardrobe based on quality, value, and its ability to complement what she already has in her closet.

“Investment dressing includes building wardrobe columns or groupings of clothes that can be mixed and matched and worn together effortlessly,” says Ward. “The columns are based on a color scheme with styles and great fabrics that work well together. Once you’ve built the foundation for this column, you can expand it with statement pieces, like

jackets, tops, skirts, and pants that keep the column versatile and fresh.”

That may sound easier said than done for today’s budget-conscious, time-challenged woman but Noelle, a one-time department store manager in ready-to-wear at Lord and Taylor and buyer for The Limited companies, knows how to guide and advise with the best of them, without pushing her clients into purchases that don’t make sense.

“I get to know each of my clients before I recommend a look for them,” she says. “I take into consideration their taste, size requirements, silhouette, coloring, lifestyle, and pocketbook. I am not in the business to just make a sale. I want my clients to look and feel their best when they are wearing clothes I help them with,” she explains, adding that she keeps a record of their purchases so that she can recommend new pieces every season that will help grow her client’s wardrobe investments.

Ward’s clients come to her via word of mouth and personal referrals, a networking resource she has built up during the last 20 years. Through her, they have privileged access to six exclusive seasonal trunk shows, including two VIP shows for the launch of the Collections’ Spring and Fall fashion shows.

Ward is one of only 20 consultants in the nation to offer her clients an advance peek at the latest designer styles during shows that run concurrently with the runways! Clients have the luxury of enjoying these private viewings in Ward’s studio in the Stamford/New Canaan area, in an over-the-top New York City penthouse, or on ultra-chic Greenwich Avenue in a beautiful boutique in Greenwich. In stark contrast to the traditional retail setting, the trunk-show concept ensures the ultimate privacy and a very personalized shopping experience. The showroom experience is open only by private appointment. Alterations are complimentary and delivery is made right to the client’s door.

The closest thing to playing dress up and parading around in the comfort of your living room wearing outfits that made you feel like a princess, a movie star, or even a superwoman hero, shopping in Carlisle’s elegant salons is akin to having free rein in a top designer’s walk-in closet. And here’s where it gets even better. You get to try on the newest fashions with the knowledgeable advice of a crackerjack personal assistant who is impressively familiar with all the pieces, the combinations, and the colors that go together. The cost for this VIP shopping spree is surprisingly reasonable. According to Ward, you can make your desired statement and get multiple looks—a pair of black gabardine trousers, crisp white blouse, black pencil skirt, a great sweater, and a fabulous jacket or “topper,” for about $1,600. It helps to remember that you’ll be able to wear, mix, and match these items for years to come, thanks to the high-quality workmanship and fabric of each piece.

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The Carlisle Collection is the design powerhouse behind an exclusive brand of private-label women’s fashions luxuriously crafted by former Christian Dior protégé William D. Rondina, today the chief executive officer and chairman of the New York-based Connaught Group that owns the company.

His hands-on design expertise and eye for meticulous detailing and evolutionary style have positioned the company as the premier women’s direct-sales clothing manufacturer and has attracted the luminaries of the fashion industry. Think pure Italian and Japanese silks, cottons and woolens from England and Scotland, finely woven from the same sumptuous threads demanded by the icons of high couture, and in colors deliciously blended with hues and palates that tend to grace fashion-week runways and not the aisles of your local stores. There are just two labels in the company’s product portfolio, the more outfit-focused Carlisle Collection, created to fit a more shapely woman, and its sister line, Per Se, known for its knockout, slim-lined individual pieces, fashion-forward separates that compliment the wearer and the entire ensemble. Both collections are made to work with each other, in style and color, and while measured on different fit models, are easily worn by women of all figures.

The lines keep pace with the runways but never cross the line into faddish trends.

The Carlisle Collection, a combination of the classic quality of a Mercedes Benz and the driving force of a BMW, is unique in its ability to cater to classic tastes and modern styling.

These are not clothes you are apt to discard or banish to the far reaches of your closet after one season. Ward’s clients are loyal to their clothes and wear them proudly year in and year out.

In 2011, you’ll find Carlisle Collection devotees mixing and matching animal prints, fractured geometric designs, nautical styles, and French- inspired looks, from military stripes to polka dots, with their basic black pants or skirts. Colors are moving into splashes of colors versus the somber themes worn during the last couple of seasons, with aqua, kiss red, iris, cricket green, ballet pink, pacific blue, and soleil yellow making their debut. In terms of silhouette, the “jacket that grew” is coming into vogue with longer, leaner styles a la trench coats. Pants will be tapered and slim or wide and high on the waist. City dresses, the bare shoulder, architectural details, and relaxed, fluid looks will be in, all taking their rightful place next to the timeless classics that hang in the closets of Carlisle shoppers.

Made to fit women sizes 0 –18, including x-small to xx-large, you don’t have to be a model to wear clothes from the Carlisle Collection. But if you’re like so many of the women in Fairfield and Westchester Counties who have discovered the secrets of investment dressing, you’ll definitely feel like one.

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For an Internet fashion show, visit www.carlislecollection. com or www.persecollection.com. For more information or to schedule a personal shopping experience with Noelle Ward, please call 203-329-3399.

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travel

are you culturious?

Picture yourself relaxing in Italy. You’re strolling through the cobbled back alleys of Florence, stopping to visit a friendly art-restoration specialist who details the process of bringing a 17th-century painting back to life. Or you’re sampling

the delicious Tuscan specialties offered at local street market stalls, laughing with the vendors as you try out some of the Italian phrases you picked up earlier in the day.

Or you’re cycling along the medieval walls of the hilltop village of Lucca, working up an appetite you’ll satisfy later with pasta made with your own hands, complemented with a hearty sauce crafted from local ingredients, and washed down with a delicious Sangiovese from a local winery.

No, you’re not an ex-pat, slowly discovering the hidden charms of Tuscany.

And no, you’re not staying with a local who’s happy to share the region’s culture.

You’re experiencing a group tour—make that a “guided travel experience”—from the Culturious collection of trips offered by the

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Norwalk-based travel company Tauck.

A “guided travel experience?” For Jeremy Palmer, a managing director at Tauck and the leader of the team that developed the new Culturious trips, explaining the difference between a traditional group tour and a Culturious experience is a two-step process.

First, and because Tauck still offers more than 50 premium-quality tour itineraries in its lineup, he’s quick to point out the benefits of the company’s more traditional products.

“Our classic Tauck itineraries do a fantastic job of showcasing the culture of a destination, while indulging our guests with superior service, incredible food, and fourand five-star hotels,” says Palmer. “These trips are incredibly popular—more than half our travelers each year are returning Tauck

written by Tom Armstrong

guests—but we needed to also evolve an alternative approach that would help us expand beyond our regular clientele and reach younger travelers.”

More specifically, according to Palmer, the Culturious trips (there will be eight different itineraries offered in 2011) are designed to appeal to boomer-aged travelers. “We do a great job serving the senior market with our classic Tauck Trips, and our Tauck Bridges family trips (launched in 2003) are fantastic for parents with young kids,” Palmer says.

“With the introduction of Culturious, we’re now able to provide great travel experiences for the huge number of boomer-aged travel-

ers that lie between those groups.”

So how are the Culturious trips different? “For starters,” says Palmer, “the Culturious trips have a lot more active elements, which might include kayaking, cycling, or hiking, and they’re designed to nudge people out of their comfort zones a bit… to get them into the destination and really experience the food, the traditions, the culture, the language. A Culturious trip isn’t a passive experience; it’s a more participatory, immersive, ‘roll-up-your-sleevesand-dive-in’ experience.”

Another key difference, according to Palmer, is group size. Culturious trips are ARTS/CULTURE/STYLE//MAGAZINE

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Culturious Trips For 2011 Tuscany & Cinque Terre (Italy) 8 days, from $3,490 per person, double occupancy, plus air Venice & the Vento (Italy) 8 days, from $3,990 per person, double occupancy, plus air Provence (France) 8 days, from $3,490 per person, double occupancy, plus air Paris & the Loire Valley (France) 8 days, from $3,990 per person, double occupancy, plus air Four Corners (southwestern USA) 8 days, from $3,690 per person, double occupancy, plus air Yellowstone & the Tetons (western USA) 8 days, from $3,590 per person, double occupancy, plus air Costa Rica 8 days, from $2,680 per person, double occupancy, plus air South Africa & Namibia 12 days, from $4,590 per person, double occupancy, plus air

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smaller, with an average of just 20 guests, and they use smaller vans that can easily navigate the narrow streets found in historic small towns and villages. Culturious trips are also more regionally focused, covering a smaller geographic footprint in greater depth and detail. And they average eight days in length (many of Tauck’s classic trips are longer), reflecting the fact that the typical Culturious traveler is still in the workforce and probably constrained by limited vacation time.

The Culturious (from “culturally curious”) trips also benefit from the personal insights of local experts, from the art-restoration specialist in Florence, to a survivor of apartheid in South Africa’s Langa Township, to a Navajo guide in the Colorado Plateau’s Monument Valley. And with their smaller group size, Culturious trips can feature accommodations in smaller boutique hotel properties that reflect local charm and culture.

After piloting the new approach in 2009, Tauck officially launched the Culturious portfolio with four itineraries in 2010. After selling out completely this year, Tauck is doubling the number of itineraries to eight

for 2010, and boosting the number of departures (the number of dates each trip operates) for the coming year. The success of Culturious has even attracted the attention of a local group that recognizes and promotes excellence among Connecticut businesses; the CQIA (Connecticut Quality Improvement Awards) recently honored the Culturious launch with its Innovation Prize, based on criteria established for the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

According to Palmer, the success of Culturious is just the latest in a long line of Tauck innovations. “Our company was founded by Arthur Tauck, Sr., in 1925. He was a traveling salesman who actually pioneered guided motorcoach tours when he brought six paying customers along on one of his sales trips through New England.”

The company has innovated continually since then, evolving and adapting its products to reflect—and often anticipate—changes in how people prefer to travel. “Today we have nearly 100 trips in 65 countries on all seven continents, including land journeys, smallship cruises, and riverboat cruises,” says Palmer. “Culturious is our latest innovation, but it certainly won’t be our last.”

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travel

the art of adventure D I S CO V E R IE S

O F

A N

IN S P I R E D

by Amy Orzel

T R A V ELE R

Left: Downtown Key West Right: The Ancient Spanish Monastery.

Unexpected adventures in far-flung places transformed Amy Orzel into a passionate, curious traveler. They also inspired a love of photography. She’s currently planning her first trip to the Pacific Northwest, and dreams of exploring Bali, Singapore, and Tokyo in 2011.

Florida’s Hidden Gems Surprises – from quirky to inspiring – await in the Sunshine State

Two years ago, my husband and I moved to Florida on little more than a whim. Granted, a great job opportunity had transpired for him, but we were also lured by daydreams of endless sunshine and afternoons spent lounging on the beach. So we packed up our life in Chicago, thrilled that we no longer had to suffer through endless winters and afternoons spent huddled around the fireplace.

A few months later, we realized that we had made a mistake.

We were bored.

While we treasured our newfound opportunities for relaxation, lying on the beach weekend after weekend quickly became too much of a good thing.

So we set out to discover just what lay beyond the palm-fringed stretch of white sand that represented all we knew of our new home.

Fortunately for us, southeastern Florida ended up being full of hidden gems, from the surprisingly lovely to the endearingly offbeat.

I’ve compiled a list of my favorite discoveries, just in case you, too, find yourself yearning for a change of scenery on your next vacation.

The quirky Keys The drive from Miami to Key West makes for the classic road trip. The Overseas Highway stretches above glittering expanses of blue water, and each island in between proudly expresses a unique personality.

VENÜ’s regular travel column brings you lifestyles, destinations, and off-the-beaten path inspirations from around the globe.

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Alabama Jack’s, on Key Largo, is the perfect spot to fuel up on lunch before setting out. It’s an openair diner where bikers, old-timers, fishermen, and adventurous roadtrippers toss back beer and fresh

place as genuinely joyful as the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservancy. This large greenhouse near the southernmost point of the island shelters an impeccably maintained, sunlit tropical garden.

It’s always fascinating to watch newcomers step into this enchanted place. Without fail, every face undergoes the same quick series of transformations: from preoccupation to stunned disbelief, and then from wonder to childlike joy. Soft classical music intermingles with the twittering of brilliantly colored songbirds. Dozens of butterflies dance in the air while tiny quails peck through flowerbeds. Children freeze, giggling, when a butterfly comes to rest on their shoulders.

A brick path winds its way through the greenhouse, and one could easily walk from beginning to end in two minutes. But most take at least half an hour to linger in this sweet, lovely spot.

Fortunately for us, southeastern Florida ended up being full of hidden gems, from the surprisingly lovely to the endearingly offbeat. crab cakes while a honky-tonk band rocks the house on weekends. Once you make it to Key West, Mallory Square is still the best place to watch a gorgeous sunset. It may not be totally off the beaten path, but it’s fun to share the view with a colorful group of street performers and quirky locals.

The happiest place on earth Sorry, Disney… but in all my travels (including multiple trips to Disney World), I’ve never experienced a

Ancient Spanish Monastery In 1925, William Randolph Hearst purchased a seven-hundred-yearold cloisters in Segovia, Spain, and had the pieces shipped to North Miami. When his fortunes crumbled, so did plans to reassemble the ancient monastery. Years later, the project was finally accomplished.

Now it’s hard to believe that this quiet, almost otherworldly place hasn’t always stood in Florida. Lush tropical vines partially obscure the gothic arches, and hidden statues

and fountains create a peaceful European atmosphere. It’s the perfect spot to take a break from flashy Ocean Drive in South Beach.

Schnebly’s Tropical Winery & Roy’s Fruit Stand Homestead, Florida, is the farming capital of southern Florida. This little town is surrounded by acres of tropical fruit farms, botanical nurseries, and orchid growers.

Schnebly’s Tropical Winery is basically in the middle of nowhere, which makes its’ airy, modern tasting room and professionally landscaped botanical garden all the more surprising. But it’s an ideal off-thebeaten-path destination. For a few dollars, one can easily spend all afternoon tasting exotic wines, from avocado to passion fruit. Nearby, Roy’s Fruit Stand is a quirky Florida institution where you can buy every topical fruit imaginable, indulge in frozen treats, and feed bananas to the feisty goats that inhabit the petting zoo next door.

Sunrise at Blowing Rocks Nature Preserve Sculptural limestone outcroppings have created a dramatic coastline on Jupiter Island, about half an hour north of Palm Beach. A path through lush sea grapes leads to this oftendeserted stretch of beach, where the surf breaks through natural openings in the limestone and creates showy plumes of water. It’s one of the best places in Florida to appreciate nature’s beauty.

Left: Sunlit surf crashes on the limestone rock formations at Blowing Rocks. Above: Roy’s Fruit Stand.

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film

by Ellen Ullman

Guilford’s Starring Role Is there any town green quite as picturesque as Guilford’s? If you’ve ever been there, you’ve probably commented on its quintessential postcard-like quality. You may have even thought to yourself, ‘This perfect little town square should be immortalized.’

Well guess what? A Guilford filmmaker has gone ahead and done just that.

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You most likely recognize Paul Marcarelli’s face from hundreds of TV commercials—particularly one for a mobile-phone provider—but this Connecticut native is just as comfortable behind the camera as he is in front of it.

Originally from North Haven, Marcarelli’s the guy who spent his high school years running around with a video camera and working on local-access cable shows. He’s a founding member of the nonprofit theater company Mobius Group and has been writing screenplays for a long time.

It’s no surprise to anyone who knows Marcarelli that in 2008 he co-founded a film-production company with Molly Pearson. Table Ten Films—named for his favorite table at a restaurant in Greenwich Village—produces small, timely, relevant films on a shoe string, says Marcarelli.

Its first project is a film called The Green, which is about a transplanted Manhattan gay couple that battles small-town suspicion and homophobia when one of them is wrongly accused of inappropriate behavior with a teenage male student. Marcarelli, who wrote the film, says it is about how people in a close community treat one another when living in a generalized atmosphere of fear.

“I thought it was timely with its issues of being a gay couple,” says Pearson. “Throughout the year-and-a-half we made the film, the gay marriage debate was front and center.

Independent films need to land at the right time culturally to find an audience.”

Before they could even begin filming, the two had to decide where to do so. The story centers on a fictional shoreline Connecticut town, and they discussed shooting somewhere else and calling it Connecticut, but “we didn’t think that was possible,” says Pearson, who grew up in West Hartford. “When you say Connecticut to people outside of the state, they get a one-dimensional idea of people going out on yachts,” she says. “That was not my experience, nor was it Paul’s. We come from families with roots in Connecticut and we wanted to show that reality.”

Julia Ormond

Jason Butler Harner

Cheyenne Jackson

“No place I’ve been reminds me of coastal Connecticut,” says Marcarelli. “It’s hard to describe how you feel when you step into a place you just know is home to you. I don’t get that anywhere else.”

After some back and forth, they decided to film in Guilford. “The Guilford Green has always interested me as the starting point for community,” says Marcarelli. “It’s really important to have a civic center where people can bump into each other and find out what’s going on. The Green inspired a lot of the themes in the film.”

Marcarelli, who owns a house in Guilford and an apartment in Brooklyn, says that Connecticut offered great tax incentives that were vital for his small budget. “I wanted to spend money in a community I live in,” he says. “The town and the state were amazing. The businesses, the churches, the homeowners, the police—everyone stepped up to help.”

In fact, 200 people auditioned during an open call, and nearly 120 people from the area played background roles.

A Hamden High School graduate had a supporting role and a Guilford realtor who is also an actor played a small role.

The film stars Illeana Douglas (a native of Haddam), along with Jason Butler Harner, Cheyenne Jackson, Julia Ormond, and Karen Young.

Since they wrapped filming earlier this fall, the two are now deep into postproduction and will start sending their finished product to festivals in the spring. To find out more, visit www.tabletenfilms.com.

“No place I’ve been reminds me of coastal Connecticut,” says Marcarelli. “It’s hard to describe how you feel when you step into a place you just know is home to you. I don’t get that anywhere else.”

Marcarelli’s Local Haunts Whitfield’s on Guilford Green.

“I’m a huge fan; I’m ‘Norm’ there. The seasonal menu is incredible, the staff is great, and the wine list is fantastic.”

Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market.

“It’s a wonderful market. I live for the Macoun apples and blueberries.”

The Little Stone House.

“Idyllic setting, world-class lunches and sandwiches. It’s open seasonally and there’s live music at night sometimes.

Most magnificent lobster roll I’ve ever had—including the whole coast of Maine.”

Madison Art Cinema.

“I go at least once a week and see whatever is playing.”

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Written by William Squier

Photos courtesy of M. A. Beaulieu Photography

Bridgeport’s Newest Theater

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B

ridgeport Theater Company (BTC) was formed last summer by local artists intent on providing Bridgeport with “quality, accessible and affordable theatre… for the community, by the community.” The company’s presence at the Playhouse marks a return, of sorts, to the venue’s roots.

Playhouse on the Green began in 1954 as a community theater called the Polka Dot Playhouse, located first in Stratford (in a building that literally had wooden polka dots nailed to the exterior) and then in a converted beer garden at Bridgeport’s seaside amusement park, Pleasure Beach. By the mid-’90s, however, Pleasure Beach had fallen into disrepair. The desire to relocate the theater became a necessity when, in 1996, arsonists set fire to the bridge that was the major route to the park’s peninsula from the mainland.

Eventually, the theater reopened as the Playhouse on the Green in a former bank

building on McLevy Green in downtown Bridgeport. At first, the Playhouse attempted to use the move to also shift from amateur to professional productions. But the venue’s 228 seats remained largely unfilled for the next eight seasons, despite starring local celebrities like married actors Keir Dullea and Mia Dillon. After a succession of producing artistic directors, the Playhouse’s board of directors hired Matt Schicker in 2008 to head up the transition back to its earlier successful status as a community theater.

“The Playhouse venue doesn’t have enough seats to support professional productions,” explains Schicker, who has since moved on to consulting with commercial producers and regional theaters on the development of new musicals and co-producing the Broadway-bound musical Yank.

During his tenure, Schicker mounted nine shows, including two wildly successful stagings of The Rocky Horror Show, using actors, directors, and musicians from Fairfield County. “It took a little while for the local talent to fully realize that the organization was no longer producing shows featuring only union actors,” he says. “These shows proved that there was plenty of terrific acting, singing, dancing, design, and technical talent in the area.”

One of the talented locals to walk through the door was BTC’s artistic director, Eli Newsom. He and his wife, actress Christy McIntosh, were delighted to discover the theater a few blocks from their home when they moved to Bridgeport two years ago.

The couple first became involved with the Playhouse by producing a staging of The

The lights that border the marquee over the entrance to Bridgeport’s Playhouse on the Green have been burning a little brighter this season. That’s because a new acting company has been added to the theater’s roster of presenters.

Joining the plays and musicals that are produced in-house and their resident youth theater group, the Park City Players, is the newly created Bridgeport Theatre Company.

Wiz for Schicker, and then Newsom starred in a co-production of The Full Monty.

Newsom felt especially at home at the Playhouse because it reminded him of San Francisco’s Ray of Light Theater, a Californiabased community theater that specializes in mounting contemporary musicals where he had served as artistic director for a year.

“It was very similar is size, aim, and scope,” Newsom explains. And the Playhouse proved to be the perfect space for BTC, which he decided to found after Schicker’s departure with his wife, Christy, and several other area artists that he met through Playhouse productions.

Things have moved quickly for BTC since then. The company is at the mid-point of its inaugural season, which Newsom says was chosen with very specific objectives. “We tried to select shows that mainstream audiences would recognize— ones that were both critically and artistically satisfying—to get as many people as possible into the theater,” he says. “That’s how we feel you can best get to know us.”

But, the four plays and musicals were also picked with as much thought about who would be on stage as in the audience.

Rent, which kicked the season off last October, had a lot of roles for twenty-somethings. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which followed in December, provided a contrast to the first production by showcasing a large cast of child actors. BTC’s next production, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Doubt, was chosen to attract those that Newsom describes as “the heavy-hitters from the acting pool in Fairfield County.”

Newsom is directing the play, which opens in March, and then the schedule will conclude with the musical Seussical. “Part of it was to experiment, to try a little of each type of show to see what worked.”

Newsom reports that audience response to the initial outings has been uniformly encouraging. And he adds that BTC’s first year has already provided him with a personal highlight. It occurred when the company sang “Seasons of Love” from the score for Rent during a midterm political rally headlined by former President Bill Clinton. “I got to shake his hand and take a picture with him,” Newsom says. “It was amazing!” No doubt, and surely the first of many amazing moments to come from Bridgeport’s newest theater company.

Top: The cast of BTC’s production of Rent perform Seasons of Love. Above: Richard Cummings leads the cast of Rent in La Vie Boheme. Bottom: Richard Cummings and Frank J. Respo in Rent.

Company

fiction

t e e r t S Smar t

by Skeeter J. Kinley

He was in front of a dusty blue-green Outreach van parked at the Post Office, the right tire up on the curb. His voice was strong, energetic, as he herded kids into the van when I walked by.

“Getting in?” He looked in my direction.

He motioned toward the van. I turned away.

So new to the streets, I thought only of my next meal, my next chance, and all he had was a van full of street kids who were as dirty and hungry as I was.

I slouched over to the stoop of the closed barbershop, sat, and watched him drive away.

I was sucking my third pack of honey when he came back. He glanced at me through the dark tint of the passenger window before parking a few feet from me.

Before I had the strength to stand, he was sitting next to me, his red puffy jacket brushing up against my arm. I grabbed my knapsack, and then I saw the brown paper bag. I was inching away from him when he opened the bag and offered me a sandwich in a Baggie.

“Do you like turkey?” His voice was soft but confident. “You know, if you want a place to sleep tonight, we have a teen shelter not far from here. Still a few beds available. “ I glared at him. He looked at the cop car driving by.

“There are a lot of kids there. Like you, you know, they’ve lost their way.” He was close, his blue eyes inviting me.

Enough. I stood, crumbs falling to the sidewalk.

“Please, just take this.” He held out a card, white and stiff. I snatched it from his hand and crushed the stiffness without even looking at it.

I dropped it to the ground so he could see.

It was three days before I saw him again.

I didn’t recognize him in a black Sunday suit, white shirt with a dark green and gold striped

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tie, standing there outside the church shaking people’s hands.

He recognized me though. I suppose I was easy to recognize. I was wearing one sneaker, better than nothing; on the other foot, one crusty sock, almost nothing. When he looked at me, my eyes slid to the ground, cigarette butts, a crinkled Egg McMuffin wrapper in the wind.

It wasn’t until he spoke that I realized who he was. “I, umm, didn’t catch your name the first time, we met. I’m Pastor John, but the kids call me PJ.”

My feet shuffled backward.

“Come on, just your name.” A smile in his voice. His eyes touching mine.

“Lily.” My voice cracked from not having been used in weeks. That croaky feeling in my throat surprised me, not remembering the last time I’d said anything. I stopped and balanced my socked-foot on my sneaker. Staring at the sidewalk, I concentrated on not tipping over.

The church people fell silent; I felt their eyes on me. My ears got hot, and I put the sock-foot back on the ground. Time to go.

He turned back toward the church people.

“This is my friend, Lily,” he said loudly.

Turning back to me, he extended his hand, “We have some juice and cookies inside.”

A squat well-fed man with a graying beard said, “John, why don’t you go take care of that?” His voice was low, pompous.

PJ extended his hand further to me. I shifted my weight away from him, then, walked past him into the church, aching for cookies, for food. As I walked down the stone steps into the basement, I swore to myself that no matter what, I was never, never coming back here.

At the bottom of the stairs, I smelled perfume in the doorway, then I saw pink, lavender,

blue, yellow, a room full of ladies in church garb... laughing and chatting,.

When I stepped through the door, quiet.

I turned to leave and walked smack into PJ’s chest. The green-gold tie, soft against my face, a whiff of musk, and an arm reached out to steady me, low around my waist. I backed up quickly.

He chuckled.

“The cookies are over here.” He pointed toward an entire counter of cookies and coffee cakes; my mouth watered.

I took two chocolate chip cookies, one directly to my mouth, then the other, and was reaching for what looked like blueberry cake when he came up next to me like a friendly shadow, not saying anything, the musk smell with him.

As my teeth crushed the chocolate chips, a woman in bright yellow brought me a cup of apple juice; another lady started putting more cookies into a plastic bag. I stuffed the soft cake in my mouth even before I finished swallowing the cookies. Flashes of blueberries and sugar flew past my tongue. Both dirty hands reached for the slices of yellow cake and the oatmeal cookies that were hanging from the edge of the plastic platter. My stomach was a vacuum, sucking in as much food as it could.

The woman with the juice stepped away from me without saying anything. I saw the Pastor whisper something to her. I hated him.

And them.

I turned to leave before they could see the humiliation I felt rising hot in my cheeks. My fists clenched at my sides, still sticky from the cake crumbs.

I felt the silence as I stumbled toward the steps.

“Wait,” PJ called, “Take these.” He held

out the plastic bag with more cookies. I snatched it out of his hand and held it to my chest as I took the steps two by two. Escape.

“Come back soon,” PJ yelled after me as I pushed past the bearded fat man still idling on the steps.

I dashed into the street, hiding the big Ziploc full of cookies inside my sweatshirt.

My socked foot banged the ground as I ran, sending a chill up my leg. No traffic on a cold Sunday evening.

The day died earlier than the day before; night loomed over me as I moved from one alleyway to another, seeing nothing but padlocked gates. Where could I hide for the night? I clutched the bag closer, my only asset.

Wandering from the light of one streetlight to another, I let myself fade into the darkness every few steps.

Up ahead, I saw her. She was just a body, slumped on the curb, knees tucked under her chin, white-blonde hair spilling down, covering her face.

Alive? Sick?

As I got closer to her, I heard her whispering, keeping herself company, cocooned in the giant folds of a green camouflage army jacket, the label, JOHNSON, hanging off. She looked up as I passed, pale eyes peeking out from her blondness, her fingernails, painted blue, held a fat Sharpie.

We locked eyes. Her voice was childish.

“What comes after ‘...and to the republic for which it stands’?” she asked. I stared at her. She continued, “You know, don’t you?” I noticed that she wasn’t slumped or sick, but leaning over, writing on her pants with the Sharpie. Her eyes, a vague blue and her skin was so fair, she was almost see-through.

Still clutching my cookies, I croaked, “’One nation, under God, indivisible…’”

“Oh, yeah,” she smiled, and nodded, her little hand moving again. As the black lettering passed her knee, her printing got smaller. The tiny hand with blue nails reached up to scratch her face and left an oval black smudge on her left cheek. Then she looked up at me, expectant, hand in mid-air, waiting.

My memory snapped to second grade, my week as flag girl in front of the class, the leader: “…with liberty and justice for all.’” “ Yeah, yeah, I figured you’d know. You look like

the school type.” I looked down at my ripped muddy pants, my one sneaker; I started to back away from this crazy transparent girl.

“Hey, it wasn’t an insult. Are those cookies?” Her eyes found the bag that had slipped below my sweatshirt.

I nodded. As she looked on, I slowly opened the bag.

I counted the cookies with my fingers— 18— before looking back at her. I handed her one. She took it gently, then nibbled at the edge as she finished scrawling the word, “all” in little black letters. “You’re new here. I saw you the other day in the park. You can’t sleep there, you know, the cops are everywhere.” I almost smiled.

Why did I trust her? She was so ghosty, so colorless. “So, where do you sleep?”

I asked, my voice still a breathy rasp. She glanced quickly across the street; her eyes flitted to a chain link fence between broken bricks. I followed her eyes, shaking my head again. “It’s locked,” I wondered if I would go crazy, too, if I didn’t get off the street.

But she grabbed my hand and led me to the alley I had just passed. Between the old bank building and a graffiti-covered garage, she pulled the heavy gate, stretching the chain, squeezing under the padlock without dropping my hand.

As I sideways-ed in behind her, I snagged my jeans, a sharp metal piece scraping against my skin, a hole on my hip opened, blood soaking through the edges. She pulled me along, past the dumpsters and the stacked cardboard boxes. As we walked, a rat scrambled across my sock foot.

Little ratty feet made my guts jump. I hopped on my shoe foot.

At the end of the alley, she moved a cardboard flap to reveal an empty box. “Here,” she whispered and slid into the box, drawing me down with her. I felt a burst of warm air pouring into the box, melting the chill on my skin. Before I could ask she mumbled, “Laundromat vent.”

Sitting knee to knee, I wanted to wipe the Sharpie stain off her cheek, which was somehow marring her, but the air from the vent caressed my face. Drowsy, I closed my eyes remembering the soft floral comforter at the foster home smelling like dryer sheets.

We were still holding hands as sleep was sneaking close.

Trying to stay awake, I pulled my hand away from her. She looked up, hurt. Her see-through

eyes reached out to me. It was late August when I ran from Menlo’s, from the foster home, and I had been fine on my own.

I wanted to tell her to leave me alone. I wanted to run but my legs wouldn’t move. The scrape on my hip burned as I clutched my knees.

Sitting together, our legs touching, she looked at the bag I was still clutching to my chest. I handed her another one. More nibbling around the edges.

The warm, sweet dryer air continued, and, for the first time in two weeks, I let myself understand the decision I had made when I fled the Menlo’s:No more new jeans. No more ceramic bowls of cereal served with patterned pitchers of milk. No tap dancing lessons, which I thought I hated until now. No more table manners and clean-smelling sheets. No more Mrs. Menlo giving me cough medicine and Tylenol when I was coughing so hard I could barely breathe. No more Mr. Menlo bringing a cheesecake home from work with him for a “special dessert treat.”

But then, no more preLaw Justin, home from Georgetown, touching, grunting, wet.

I cried until my stomach hurt as she ran her hand down my grimy hair whispering, “It’s OK” over and over again. Her gentleness made me cry harder, and I hated her. She had no right.

I crunched myself smaller and smaller trying to crawl inside myself, but her soothing voice, the soothing motion of her hand kept me with her, sitting underneath a dryer vent in a cardboard box feeling the smarting pain on my hip.

I awoke to a dog barking in the distance; a high, round moon peered through the cracks in the top of the box. See-Through Girl lay next to me, her pink mouth open, her breathing steady and rhythmic; the moonlight showed a blue vein in her forehead. The vent blowing down on us made the collar of the army jacket flap against her face, and little twirls of whitish hair danced around. She was smiling.

The cookies bag was next to me, untouched. I shoved it between her arms before I crawled out of our cardboard room.

Sitting beneath the moon, my eyes scratchy and swollen, I fingered the oozy cut on my hip and then the hole in my sock, and whispered, “It’s OK,” to myself. I stroked my hand down my hair and tried to believe it. But it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t her.

Skeeter J. Kinley is the pen name for a New York Social Services caseworker. “Skeeter” bases her fiction closely on a world she was forced to know very well. Raised by abusive parents in an extreme religious cult, she was nearly starved to death to prove devotion to the Living God. As a result, she was then taken away from her parents and placed into the foster care system. After several sexually and physically abusive situations, Skeeter ran away to live, a homeless teenager, on the streets of New York City. Although she has left that life behind her, through her writing, Skeeter hopes to give a voice to these forgotten children. This story is adapted from her novel manuscript Dirty Mornings.

ARTS/CULTURE/STYLE//MAGAZINE

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