Back home - July in Beacon

I returned from Germany on Friday night.  I finished up my initial offering in the 10x10x10 exhibit in Ellenville, in which I'm participating, and which opened last night.  I was in Ellenville briefly for the opening there, and since I've been wading through tiny waves of jet lag, I decided to forego Beacon's Second Saturday openings.

If you also were unable to attend any of the openings, here's a bit of what we both missed last night.

 Chris Marchin

Zahra's is back with work by NUBS and Chris Machin in the Pinstripe Show.  Were not talking zoot suits or Vanessa Tellez's show describes the ethos of the the gallery at Zahra's personified by this exhibit: 

The rise of trendy hip bullshit art is rising by the second.  Lowbrow is in, so that means everyone is trying to cash in on any kind of street art or gritty conceptual trite.  We ain't gonna give you art done by a hipster that just decided the way to sell his paintings is to get in touch with his lowlife side. 

 Jonathan Allen, "Away We Go" 2009 paint and paper on paper

Go North's new exhibit of collage and mixed media paintings by Jonathan Allen called Terminal Daydream.  A reading was scheduled prior to the opening featuring writers Chris O Cook, Greg Fuchs, Joe Millar, Chris Ross and Lauren Russell.

bau has an exhibit of paintings by member Michael Gaydos called Temptation.

 Josh Jenkins

Floor One's new exhibit features the work of Josh Jenkins.

Open Space was planning for a massive caravan/happening/cook out for We Are Familia, the group exhibit that will run through Sept. 6.  The show features work by Holly Stevenson, Yoh Nagao, Peter Kienzle/Superette, Jesse Brown, Marc McAndrews, Hisham Bharoocha, Amy Rupple, Chris Yormick, Nightwood, SEEE.  Here's a rundown of the concept behind WE ARE FAMILIA.

Gallery G is showing photography by Sonya Shabinsky. 

I read on the BCN site yesterday that 400 square will be closing at the end of this month, and Hermitage has recently closed.  The guys at Go North announced in early May that they'll be closing at the end of this month as well...I'll have more on this soon.

It appears that a new shop/gallery called Dream in Plastic will be opening at the beginning of August at 177 Main St. The joint is accepting submissions for its first gallery exhibit in the space.  Analog will be on exhibit from August 8 through Sept. 7 and will feature images taken with a plastic camera.  Submission guidelines are on the blog.

Now for Something Completely different.: BEEP on 3rd Saturdays

The latest group show at bau.
I think my Second Saturday fatigue reached its apex this past weekend.
I recognize the benefit of consolidated gallery openings and similar events, but after some six years of the same month-in-month-out rythm it can feel flat in a "Time to make the donuts" kind of way. There have been small alternative rythms that have pulsed out here and there; the occasional opening on an alternative night, the occasional quiet screening at Hermitage or other venue, or staged readings that pop up. All the things that can fill out a month's worth of evenings.
This coming weekend of April 18 will add a little tweak to the habitual with BEEP, a new monthly series of events geared more toward performance, but including visual art. BEEP is an initiative of the galleries and businesses on the East End of Main St. to concentrate some activity back into their quarter. Joe's Irish Pub, Zahra's Studio, Go North, Floor One, Open Space, Zuzu'a and the Piggy Bank are as the participating venues. Yes, this is just another monthly serial event, one that can, in time, if not guarded against, can become monotonous. But it ain't that yet, and I'd hope that the creative folks behind it can keep it pulsating and evolving. I also think this could be a good way for the East end to redistinguish itself and add a particular tone to that part of the street.
The events include an opening receptions at Zahra's and Open Space, and musical performances at several of the locations, topped of with a Next Step party at the Piggy Bank starting at 10pm. It's also a fundraising event for a second incarnation of the Electric Windows project. Check the link above for details.
The photos herein are snaps from Second Saturday in April, 2009:

Bumblebee Art and Music's newly opened space..

One of Caroline Ruttle's works at Go North.

Above, folks at Open Space. Below, works by Jim Darling.


The way to Floor One.

Teresa Marra's work at Floor One.

Tina Darling's work at Open Space in elegant rhyme with some Main St. mannequins.


Through the window: Jerimiah Lawrence at Mount Beacon Fine Art.

Tomorrow's BEEP line up of events on the East end of Main St.

Second Saturday Sampler, April 11, 2009

Time is at a premium for me these days, so I've had to jam together a cursory glance at art items taking place tomorrow. There's more happening, for sure... I just can't do it all. Don't forget Dia's Community Free Day for Dutchess Co. residents and Caroline Ruttle at Go North.
bau is hosting a group exhibit that interprets the Golden Mean using line. Participating artists are: Heidi Lanino Bilezikian, Ron Debren, Janet Howard Fatta, Michael Gaydos, Carla Golberg van der Merwe, Elia Gurna, Erica Hauser, Tom Holmes Gary Jacketti, Dominico Petrillo, Linda Richichi and Lisa Zukowski.
Open Space next exhibit features the work of Jim and Tina Darling. A preview reception is happening from 6-9pm. The official opening reception with the artists in attendance and a complete installation is taking place next week, April 18 from 6-9pm.

Floor One is presenting the paintings of Beacon resident Teresa Marra. - Reception from 6-9pm.

Photography goings on in Beacon, NY - March 14, 2009

Opening this Saturday at 400 Square: Alternative Processes in a Contemporary World, a group show featuring the photography of Denise DeVore, Jennifer Konig, Kristy Reichert and Donna Francis. The artists reception will take place from 4-8pm on Saturday, March 14 and the exhibit will remain on view through April 30.
Fovea will be presenting the first installment of its 2009 projection series (this one is indoors) which will feature a selection of regional and international photojournalists, curated by Amrita Singh, exploring the theme of "History and Memory." Be sure to rsvp at 845.765.2199 to secure a seat.
Floor One Gallery will be presenting the photography of Greg Georgi. The reception is happening from 5:30-10pm.
And don't forget Adrian Eisenhower's XLIV photographs of Obama's inauguration at bau.

Random Roundup

• Beacon Art Supply will be hosting a closing party on Wednesday, Feb 11 from 6-8pm. Details are at beaconite.ning.com. A silent auction will be held for a selection of items, and there are deals a plenty on the remaining inventory, as the party will mark the beginning of 60% markdowns on art supplies an remaining items from Burlock.
• Erica Hauser is opening up shop again at 469 Main. From Feb 9-14, you can stop into the Valentine Cupcake shop for handmade goodies, edible and not- for that special cupcake in your life. The approximate hours for the shop are: Feb 9-13, 2-6 pm. Feb 14, 1-8 pm.
• Daniel Weise of Open Space has been named one of the Greater Souther Dutchess Chamber of Commerce's Top Under 40 for 2009 as part of the organization's 4th Annual Shaker Awards. We're not talking about this kind of Shaker. The Shaker awards recognize folks under the age of 40 who are committed to shaping the region in a positive manner. A reception for which will be held on March 9th.
  
• Be sure to stop into Van Brunt Gallery to chew a bit of gum. Steve Rossi is casting other people's ABC gum as part of the endeavors taking place at the HFA Goes Inside at the Gallery.
  
• Harry Shearer's Silent Echo Chamber on view through today at the Aldrich Art Museum in Ridgefield CT was included as a feature on CNN last week. The piece was also featured on a segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation program in January.
• Via the Artful Manager, a compilation of content on the renewed debate of Federal funding of arts an culture vis a vis the economic stimulus plan.
• Because I'm lazy and I usually have more than enough on my plate already, I can't always hunt down new information, and things fall away from my attention. The Ann Street Gallery in Newburgh represents such an instance. The website for the gallery points to a static business card type placeholder with location and phone number, and emails from the gallery have either stopped coming to me, or they've been swallowed by my spam filter. But I've found a better portal through which to get news of the gallery which is the gallery's parent organization, safe-harbors.org Currently, the gallery is showing Art Brut, an exhibit of work by Bob Justin, Bill Marlieb, Dickie Peterson, Matt Sesow, Susan Ward and William Yost.
• In a similar vein, for anyone who's been frustrated in learning too late about upcoming art related lectures and events at Vassar, the college has a new online calendar that should prove more effective (definitely not perfect, but it's an improvement).
• Last week when I posted info on the Newburgh Art Supply, I neglected to include information on the store's custom picture framing services provided by Eric Jarmann. Jarmann's presence at the art supply store is by appointment only, so contact him at 845 238 7640 or by email at eric[dot]jarmann[at]gmail[dot]com.
• Ty Marshal of Floor One Gallery posits the concept of an arts covenant.
  
• Finally, it's becoming exceedingly evident that Facebook is reaching a critical mass here in our fair community, potentially causing ideological rifts between those who FB and those who FB not. Evidence of the sweeping phenomena could be found in a conversation had this weekend between five unnamed artists regarding the true implications of getting poked and the most effective way to evade the attention of a possible grade school stalker emerging from the fog of one's past.
  Below is a glimpse into Facebook's ethos transposed into real life. (I found it on Peter Iannarelli's profile.)

Live Stream from Floor One Gallery

This is a test. Ok, it is 8:43 in Denver, and in my mailbox was a link to Ustream feed of Floor One Gallery. That is what your are watching right now, in case your interested. I've been able to embed the feed here in this post. Very cool.

Live TV : Ustream

Images from Second Saturday Sept 13

Part of the crowd at Van Brunt with Richard Butler's lazy eyed diver looking on.

Despite all that was going on, we did not make it to many places on Saturday. We started out at Go North for the group show on abstraction. I've come to understand why any future framers contracted to frame any of Robert Brush's works on paper might want to wear rubber gloves. The selection of the 10 artists in the exhibit was divvied up between the three gallery partners, and it wasn't until all the work arrived that any of them knew what the show was going to look like. Given that randomness, the work is pretty cohesive.

We then stopped in to Van Brunt for the Hudson Valley invitational. I actually didn't make it all the way back to see the third room. I was expecting a show much more densely installed than it is, which is good given the 30 some artists included in the show.
Works by Eleanor White, left, and Gabe Brown on the right.
Folks, including the artist, gathered around Jaanika Peerna's video work at Van Brunt.
Greg Slick and Angelika Rinnhofer flank a painting by Ryan Magyar at Go North.
Abstract Endeavors at Go North.
A sample of the Peace Pals exhibit of postcards lining Main Street's storefront windows.

Milling about outside Van Brunt, we heard of a new apartment gallery that was opening that night. The new joint is called Floor One Gallery. It's located in a cool live/work space at 17 East Main St.- just on the farside of the creek from Main St. Ty Marshall and Derek Bryant recently opened moved to Beacon. It's the kind of DIY, maximizing resources kind of effort that I really respond to. The spirit was good as was the food. Floor One will be open on 2nd Saturdays and by appointment at other times. The joint has a myspace page now with a more extensive website coming soon.

The living room, dining room, kitchen/gallery, Floor One.

Ty Marshall's work at Floor One.
A funny response to Tacita Dean's Merce Cunningham performs STILLNESS (in three movements) to John Cage’s composition 4'33? with Trevor Carlson, New York City, 28 April 2007 which was on view at Dia:Beacon until just recently.
A stunning discovery through the telescope in the back yard of Floor One.

There were so many other things going on on Saturday, but we just didn't make it.....we did catch a glimpse of the Film Flam on the way home, and the long awaited opening of the wine bar next to the old Feel Design space.