January/ February 2012
Masterpieces of Italian Portraiture by Jörg Iwan;
Raleigh on Film; DeVillez Speaks Out; *Behrens on Music;**Trevens on Clive Barnes Foundation*; Bethune on Theatre; Steiner Potpourri of Reviews ; Seckel on Cultural Scene; Steiner Peeks & Piques; Seckel in Puerto Rico;
Calendar of Events; Opportunity Listings

Travel and Culture: Puerto Rico

By Cornelia Seckel

Rebecca Kelly,s Snow Variations
Woodstock Arts Fair Committee members in Puerto Rico. (L to R) Ann Silverman, Cornelia Seckel, Myra Schwartz, Ruth Beyl, Betsy Oden, Elaine Jaffe

…We stayed in Isabela, located in the north-western region of the island where the annual precipitation is around 62.8 inches, and average temperature is 84.7°F. (ask me if I’m ready to return). For most of our time we walked the beach, ate typical Puerto Rican food, did some shopping and exploring. One day several of the women happened upon Aguadilla and we understood that it was a catholic holiday (beginning of Advent perhaps) and festivities included Santa coming to town and a truck that had a snow making machine shooting snow out amongst the thousands of people that lined the streets. They had a great time and were treated to local culture..… (See essay)

Dance: Labors for Loves Lost —The Clive Barnes Foundation

By Francine L. Trevens

Rebecca Kelly,s Snow Variations

…When Clive Barnes died in 2008, his widow, Valerie Taylor Barnes (former Sadler’s Wells/Royal Ballet Dancer), dedicated the years following to establishing a foundation in his honor. This year, The Clive Barnes Foundation celebrated its second year of awards to outstanding new talents in the fields of drama and dance, both of which Clive covered so assiduously as a theater/dance critic of great dedication, integrity and insight.… (See essay)

Photo of Valerie Taylor-Barnes, soloist, dancing with Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in “The Three Cornered Hat" photo by John Graham.

Culturally Speaking

By Cornelia Seckel

Garlic Farmer at the Saugerties Garlic Festival

Some of the 81 newly elected members of the National Association of Women Artists

… In November, 81 newly elected members of the National Association of Women Artists (est. 1889) were inducted into the organization at a general meeting held at the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC. Currently, more than 800 artist members are located in 42 of the 50 States with members working in a variety of mediums within the visual arts. The heads of the various committees spoke and new members were then able to sign up for specific volunteer work for the organization. … (See Essay)

Film: Monsters

By Henry P. Raleigh

Monsters drawing by Henry P. Raleigh

There are plenty of people still around who will tell you that the 1950’s was the last good decade before everything started going downhill. OK, there was a cold war and a hot war but save for the participants in these affairs they could be pretty much ignored by a country happy enough to be living in that good decade. And it was a particularly good time to be a post-atomic mutated monster. You might say the decade was the movie Golden Age of such beings. It began inauspiciously in 1952 with a George Pal production “When Worlds Collide” but really gathers steam with “The Thing From Another World” in that same year. ……(See essay)

Peeks & Piques: Treasures

By Raymond J. Steiner

… As far as I’m concerned, I’ve already seen one of Liz Taylor’s real treasures up close and personal, one given to her by Mike Todd in the form of their daughter Liza Todd Tivey. Liza, more precious than any piece of stone or metal and equally as beautiful as is her mother, stands at the opposite pole of “celebrity” as does Liz, content to live quietly and creatively on her upstate New York farm, confident in herself, in her talent, and in her choice of jealously guarding her privacy.……(See essay)

Review: Gesichter der Renaissance - Faces of the Renaissance— Masterpieces of Italian Portraiture

By Jörg Iwan

………tickets, which saved us an incalculable waiting period. The exhibition is a cooperation between the Bode Museum in Berlin and the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, and it unites for the first time unique masterpieces of (mainly) Italian portraiture of the Renaissance era from both locations, Berlin and New York. Therefore, after closing down over here on November 20, the majority of the exhibit will travel to the Metropolitan Museum, which is going to show them from December 19, 2011 to March 18, 2012
The collection gathered for both above-mentioned events comprises paintings, drawings, sculptures and portrait medals, which for several reasons were very popular in the 15th century at Italian courts. (see essay)
Antonio del Pollaiuolo Portrait of a Young Woman, c 1465/70 Milan, Museo Poldi Pezzoli © Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan

Review: A Holiday Potpourri: Janet Rickus at Henoch;
Lauren Sansaricq at Hawthorne;
Drawings from the Louvre at The Morgan

By Raymond J. Steiner

REPRESENTATIONAL ART IS alive — and more, it seems, than well! A trip to the Big Apple the day before Thanksgiving brought me a cornucopia of goodies that far surpassed the feast of turkey and trimmin’s set before me on the following day. If you are an aficionado of classical art — as am I — then you will be well rewarded by dropping in on any of the following exhibits during “the season” ……(See essay)

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (Montauban 1780 - 1867 Paris)
Portrait of Louis-François Bertin