Calls for Artists: The Big Draw + WOMS 2010

First, The Big Draw: a fundraising drawing extravaganza for the Beacon Open Studios 2010.  The Big Draw will be a drawing marathon, party and live auction.  A handful of exquisite corpse drawings created by notable Beaconites will be auctioned off and a broad wide selection of 6"x8" 2D works will be available for $40 each.  Artists will be on hand drawing throughout the evening.
Deadline for submitting 6"x8" works for thee event is May 23.  Artists whose 6x8's are sold will  receive 50% ($20) of the purchase price.
Artists will also be on hand creating drawings throughout the evening.  If you are interested in drawing during the event, or submitting a piece, check out the submission info & form  
This event is not restricted to Beacon artists.  Anyone from anywhere are invited to submit work.

Remember, Beacon Open Studios is taking place on Sept. 25 & 26.  Artists interested in participating can sign up for the low low price of $20 until June 5th at which point the fee will rise.
I can tell you that both members of the maykr household will be participating this year...since one of us will have just finished her MFA, and last year's installment was so successful.

Next, Windows on Main St is coming back for its sixth year.

Deadline for project proposal submissions is July 1.  As I understand it Ty Marshal has handed over his share of the reigns to Katy Peace, but  Melissa Tatge is still involved in the inner workings.  The exhibit will be taking place from August 14 to September 11.

On Today:

The NYC hub of ecoartspace is hosting an opening reception today called Down to Earth. Simon Draper and Todd Sargood, E Odin Cathcart, Jeff Bailey and Cathy Lebowitz will be representing the Habitat for Artists in the exhibit. The reception is taking place tonight from 6-8pm at 53 Mercer St down in the city.

Of course, Walkway over the Hudson opening events are scheduled today in Poughkeepsie.  There's a live feed on the website. the parade is scheduled to happen at 1:30.  Given the weather today, I hope there's plenty of non slip tape up there on the floor... It's a long way down.

Open Space will be presenting the comedy stylings of Beacon's own Sam Anderson and a lecture by David Rees called "How to Win The Lottery"  The hilarity will be happening from 8 to 9:30 tonight.

Finally, don't forget the screening today of Art21's "Compassion" at 2pm at the Beacon Community Center at 23 W Center St.

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.

Images from June 13, 2009

The scene outside of the open house at Metal Concepts.

Grace Knowlton's big metal balls @ Metal Concepts.

On June 13, I returned to Beacon from the opening up at SUNY New Paltz.  First stop was the open house at Hermann Roggeman's Metal Concepts.  I then went went over - very briefly - Go North for Jaanika Peerna's opening.  The gallery was majorly packed, hot and stuffy, so I stepped in, snapped a couple quick shots and headed outside.  I'll return to check out the show in the next week or two.

Wall installation of Jaanika Peerna at Go North.

  

He's not part of the exhibition.

Gallery G as Ewok village.

From Go North, where I met up with my BLP (Bavarian Life Partner), we went over to Gallery G to explore the limitless pull of parental devotion.  Jesse Lebwohl-Steiner's proposal to his mom must have sounded like this: "OK Mom, I'm going to videotape myself shaving off all the hair on my body, then I want you to bathe me in milk, after you've massaged some egg yolks, and someone is going to videotape the whole thing." Such is the basis of Milk Bath, a work that invokes the Pieta while exploring the relationship between parent and child and the symbolic life of food.   The second video, Watermelon, again utilizes the physical character of a food to stand in for an emotional state and to illustrate that human compulsions and over indulgences are universal; the object toward which those excesses are directed is of marginal import.   Jesse is a foodie, and to see that food is such a central component of these two works is no surprise, nor is it the result of an unexplored choice of a prop. 

Jesse Lebwohl-Steiner x2 at Gallery G.

Watermelon Love.

An array of Jesse's polaroids in the exhibit Reflections and Cycles.

Above and below:  Collage, inside and outside of Open Space.

We then ducked in to Open Space briefly...here too, I didn't get to see the show, but did enjoy a rousing conversation on successful and insufferable artists as employers.

Some works inside the gallery at Spire.

The view outside the Pack and Paddle cum gallery space.

The next several images depict the exhibit of paintings by Todd Sargood and sculptures by Christopher Manning. in the former Pack and Paddle store.  The space is reminiscent of the old Collaborative Concepts space...but more raw.  It'd be a great space for ongoing exhibits.  It's for rent....$1800/month for somewhere between 2-3000 sq ft.

Collage opens at Open Space on June 13, 2009

Collage, a group exhibit featuring work by Patrick Winfield, Mr Kiji, John Cason and Rick Price is opening on Saturday, June 13 at Open Space. An artists reception will be held on the 13th from 6 to 9pm.

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.

Open Space Beacon presents Cut It Out, curated by Mike Perry, March 14

Open Space is coming back on March 14 from a February hiatus with a group exhibit called Cut It Out curated by Mike Perry. The exhibit will run through April 5. Opening reception will be held from 6-9 on March 14. Open Space has also recently announced that prints and zines from its Limited Run 2 exhibit will soon be available for purchase through their online store....stay tuned for that.

Second Saturday Dec 13: a few images

I know this is part of Flying Swine's performance of Savage in Limbo at Chill, but for a split second I thought I was about to witness a new candidate for my When Santa Attacks ! series.



pearldaddy is showing there ceramics and multimedia tapestries of Marlene Parillo.

Above and below: Limited Run 2 at Open Space.

Artist Joy Garnett posted a video of Ben Neill's performance on Newsgrist

Ben Neill working his mutantrumpet....If you were wondering what that thing was he was blowing in, there's an image of the instrument and a brief description on his website.

On for the weekend

A new exhibit opens today at the Howland Cultural Center. “Changing Expressions” - a celebration of Latino-American Artists is a group show featuring many local artists. The opening is happening today from 3-5pm.

Tonight at 7pm, Open Space will host a reading and book signing by left-wing political cartoonist and Beacon local David Rees. Note that this event is not suitable for children.

Tomorrow in Peekskill: HVCCA is hosting a free arts day. Admission to the museum is free all day from 12-6pm. Here's what's planned for the day:
2:00pm: Docent Tour of ORIGINS exhibition led by HVCCA President / Co-Founder Dr. Livia Straus.
3:00pm: Special music performance by the Westchester Symphonic Winds clarinet and saxophone quartets.
4:00pm: Gallery talk with HVCCA’S 2008 Artist-in-Residence Karen Sargsyan.
Also at 4pm, a ceremony will be held at which the museum will receive at $20,000 grant from Consulate General of the Netherlands New York (CGNY) for the Public Tile Program.
About the program:

The Public Tile Project is an arts and education initiative that unites the
students of the Hudson Valley with their Dutch heritage. The project
incorporates over 1500 individual tiles/artwork created by students from over 30
schools etc commemorating historic events, persons, geographical history, flora
and fauna of the region in the style of Dutch Delft tile painting. When fully
installed throughout Peekskill, the tiles will become a permanent marker along a
1 1/2 mile historic trail beginning at the Museum and ending at the river. The
final installment of the tiles will culminate with a ceremony during the Dutch
Quadricentennial Saturday, September 12th, 2009.

Out in the world

A couple local folks are in exhibits in the wider world coming to an end this weekend.
In Boston, at Lanoue Fine Art, Emil Alzamora's exhibit called Superluminous is coming to a close on December 7. You can check out a video interview with Emil at Globatron.org
Globatron also recently posted an interview with Dan Weise of Open Space.
One half of the creative team Kahn and Selesnick, Nicholas Kahn lives in Cold Spring. The duo's exhibit Eisbergfreistadt is on view at the Carl Hammer Gallery in Chicago through Saturday, December 6.

On for this weekend.

I'm coming out my cave, having been thoroughly engaged with a heavy workload for the last couple of weeks... so I have a little catching up to do on several fronts.

Anyway, here are a few things on tap for this weekend.
It was announced yesterday that due to the forecast for rain today (which has yet to appear here in Beacon), the COTA event in New Paltz has been rescheduled for tomorrow, Sept 28.

There are two events tonight:
Hermitage is hosting the opening of Mario Lemos: "Aura of Invincibility." (here's a personal aside. As fate would have it, just this week I've taken on the habit of pronouncing the word invincible with a lisp, rendering it invinthible. This cracks me up.)There will be an opening reception tonight from 6-9 pm.

Open Space is hosting Outre Autre - 2 hours of DJ music and 2 hours of videos by Joey Daytona. Below is some footage from the project. The event will run from 6-10pm


Tomorrow, weather permitting, the Spirit of Beacon Day Parade will be happening. This year, Artists at Large which, in the past brought us the Hudson River School Fish heads, and the Tools with legs has teamed up with students from one of the Beacon Community Center's programs, illustrating large scale renditions based on the kids drawings of what they want to be when they grow up.

A few images, Second Saturday, Aug 9, 2008

Here are a few images from Second Saturday. After what was a very hopping day, the evening seemed a bit quiet to me, although to be sure many people were in attendance at Fovea's outdoor screening. the busy day with WOMS activities, I was spent after the WOMS activities earlier in the day, so we didn't make it very many places. We first stopped into Fovea for to sample all things China.

The work of Justin Guariglia at Fovea.

I was under the impression that Go North was having a reception for the opening of Pete Crotty's exhibit. The show did open that night, and visitors were treated to visions of the world through Pete Crotty's eyes, but the reception is scheduled for this coming Saturday, the 16. We found the artist across the street, minding the beverages at Van Brunt for the opening of the Women of New Orleans exhibit.

The Listening station at Go North, above. The gregarious madman, below.
Stage 2 of Karen Brummund's temporal Windows on Main St. installation next door to Go North.

At Van Brunt Gallery

Above & below: Gaetane michaux and Sighn at Open Space.

A final drive by snapshot of the audience gathered for Fovea's monthly screening.