Art21 preview screenings in Beacon, NY: Oct 3 & 10 at the BCC and Oct 6 at the Beahive.

"Compassion" will be screened on Oct 3 at 2pm at the Beacon Community Center, and on Oct 6 at 8pm at the Beahive.

Art21, the Peabody Award winning series of documentaries on art and artists in the 21st Century is coming 'round again for its fifth season in October.

Since 1997, each Art21 season features a handful of themed hour-long episodes that present segments on three or four artists, in their own words, describing the nature their work and the issues behind it.

This season's 4 episodes are organized around the the four themes of Compassion, Fantasy, Transformation and Systems.

Over the years, the scope of Art21 has developed and amazing set of educational material and programs around the documentaries.  As the featured artists respond to and incorporate various political, social and personal issues into their work, The material has the position of demonstrating how to use art as a tool for their student's comprehension in all other subjects.  Additionally, the Art21 blog features a rotation of invited guest bloggers to chronicle aspects of the artworld most significant to them.  Daniel Fuller , a former Beacon resident, who is now the Senior Program Specialist at the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative was one of the  guest bloggers over the Summer.

An initiative that has grown over the past two seasons Art21's program of Access Events where the program teams up with institutions and groups internationally to host preview screenings and events to accompany the series on PBS.

Several screenings are planned in the Hudson Valley including Newburgh, New Paltz and Kingston.

I have scheduled Preview screenings of Episode 1 (Compassion) on Oct 3 at 2pm and Episode 2 (Fantasy) on Oct 10 at 4pm both at the Beacon Community Center at 23 W Center St.

The Beacon Art Salon and the Beahive will be screening Episode 1 on Oct 6 at 8pm. 

Episode 1 "Compassion" highlights the work of Carrie Mae Weems, Doris Salcedo and William Kentridge.

Episode 2 "Fantasy" features Cao Fei, Florian Maier-Aichen, Jeff Koons and Mary Heilmann.

Beacon has a rare distinction for a city of its size as it has had ties to many of the artists who have been highlighted in the documentaries over the years through the presence in town of Dia, Minetta Brook, Tallix and the Beacon Cultural Foundation.  In the case of the episodes we'll be screening at the BCC,  Jeff Koons who's in episode 2 had many of his highly polished steel sculptures fabricated in Beacon at Tallix.  The Beacon Cultural Project brought Carrie Mae Weems, of episode 1, to Beacon for an exhibit at the Beacon Project Space in 2002 and supported a project by her that was conceived as a series of interviews in a Main St storefront called the Record Shop, and concluded, in 2005, in an exhibit for the BCF in the Library Gallery of Bulldog Studios called Sited for the Record.

"Fantasy" will be screened on Oct 10 at 4pm at the Beacon Community Center.

This event is part of Art21 Access ‘09, a celebration of contemporary art and Season 5 of Art:21-Art in the Twenty-First Century sponsored by Art21. Art21 Access 09 is held at over 300 museums, schools, libraries, art spaces, and community centers and is organized in collaboration with Americans for the Arts’ National Arts and Humanities Month. Visit art21.org for more information.

August 15, 2009 Fill your plate for two good causes: The 3rd Annual Taste of Beacon & The Clearwater Wine & Chocolate Sail

Beacon will be hosting two separate tasteful events benefitting two worthwhile organizations in town next Saturday.

I've mentioned in the past that I'm a board member of the Beacon Community Center, and the BCC is the beneficiary for proceeds from the 3rd Annual Taste of Beacon which will be taking place on the 15th fromm 1 to 4 pm in the parking lot of the Piggy Bank at 446 Main St.  The Taste of Beacon will bring together several of Beacon's eateries and resident chefs in one place for your sampling pleasure.  

Taste of Beacon Partner restaurants include:  Beacon Bagel, The Piggy Bank, Homespun, Max's on Main, Cheesecake Annie's, Ambrosia (Jamaican Spice), Cup and Saucer Tea Room, Mr. Diaz's Kebabs, Home Cooking New York - Jennifer Clair, Poppy's, Common Ground Farm, Pleasant Ridge II, Sukothai, Zora Dora's, Zuzu's

Tickets for Taste of Beacon :  $25 for individuals, $40 for admission for two. 

Children under 12 are free.

For information on the event and how to buy tickets, email tasteofbeacon@beaconcommunitycenter.org or call 845-831-6180.  Updated information can also be found at the T.O.B. facebook event page

(While you're there, consider becoming a fan of BCC to stay apprised of upcoming events and programs.)

Now the kicker:  I'll be giving away one admission-for-two ticket (a $40 value, mind you.) 

Here's how it works:  Just send me an email at info@maykr.com with TOB Ticket Giveaway in the subject line before 8pm on Wednesday, August 12.  The winner's name will be picked at random from my Stepmom's Grandfather Herb's hat and announced on that same evening.  

So get those emails in....It should go without saying, but I'm saying it anyway, only enter if you know that you can and will attend Taste of Beacon.  And, if you don't win, we'd still love to see you there.  It's for a good cause, ya know.  Finally, if you want to buy tickets, you can also email me and I'll hook you up.
Please note:  Taste of Beacon is taking place from 1-4pm, not 1-6 as previously advertised.

Whew!

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As if that wasn't enough indulgement for a good cause, The Sloop Clearwater will be hosting a Wine and Chocolate Tasting Sail from 6-9pm on, also on Aug 15.  All proceeds from the sail will benefit Clearwater's envronmental education and advocacy work.

The Clearwater will sail out of the Beacon Ferry Dock, Red Flynn Drive.

Tickets:  $75 for adults, $25 for children under 12 (I think that because consume less wine) Just kidding. JUST KIDDING! I can assure you children aboard will not be served wine. But, they will be treated to the traditional jazz stylings of the Perry Beekman Trio.

Partition Street Wine Shop and Lucky Chocolates, both of Saugerties will be serving up the evening's fare.

Call Catherine at Clearwater - 845.454.7673 x107 to make reservations.  

Sounds to me like you could live one heck of a gourmand's fantasy by taking in both of these great events.

Spirit of Beacon Day 2008 pictures: Beacon Artists At Large and Beacon's youth sample the future.

Talk about a super soaker. The Spirit of Beacon Parade went off as planned with uncertain weather looming last Sunday.
Here are some images from the Beacon Artists At Large parade entry. As part of a spontaneous collaboration with the Beacon Community Center, some students on one of the Center's afterschool programs drew depictions of what they want to be when they grow up. These drawings were then adapted into a large parade friendly format.

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George Mansfield's contractor in the foreground.
The getting soaked at about the midway point.

I'm not sure of the true identity of this masked marcher. Perhaps I've seen him before?

Who doesn't want to be a ninja.
Chris Ancliff with the dance teacher.

Dan Spitzer and his kinetic monster - a worthy aspiration

Taking a post-parade rest.

Senior-eye-tis @ Muddy Cup

I caught a bit of the riveting City Council Meeting on Channel 22 last night. From Sara Pasti's report at the meeting, I learned that there will be a reception tomorrow at Beacon's Muddy Cup for an exhibit of artwork created by some of Beacon's Senior Citizens. I can't find any info posted anywhere, but It seems that Jennifer Kurtz, who leads the Senior art education program at the Beacon Community Center, and artist Kirsten Kucer are involved with putting the show together.
I'm planning on running over and checking it out.