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The go to source for Creatives seeking Resources and Insights |
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CULTURALLY
SPEAKING
By
Cornelia Seckel
 From the performance of "Plaid Tidings: A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid" at the Capital Repertory Company, Albany, NY. |
Raymond’s
lecture, “The Artist as Seer”, at the Salmagundi Club was very
well received and generated a lively discussion. Several lectures that
he has given are available to read online at the ART TIMES website.
For
the most part, galleries had holiday group shows with the hope that people
would buy art for their friends and family. There were numerous Nutcracker
and Christmas Carol performances as well as concerts offering holiday
favorites.
Earlier
this month, I went to Albany to see Plaid Tidings: A Special Holiday
Edition of Forever Plaid, written by Stuart Ross
with musical direction by Randy Glass. Basically the story line is that the Plaids, a Doo-wop quartet of High School friends are killed in a car accident
on their way to their first big concert. They are able to return to earth
for a second time to complete unfinished business: their never-performed
Holiday Show. This is a thin story filled with familiar music, silliness
and fun. Excellent acting by Mark Perkins, Ric Ryder, Dale Sandish (who also directed the production) and Christopher
Youngsman, all with superb voices that blended delightfully. The songs
were mostly from the 50’s and included some Christmas songs. There were
several “skits”, one particularly hilarious was a rendition of the Ed
Sullivan show with Senor Wences, The Beatles, The
Rockettes, The Chipmunks, The Vienna Boys Choir,
and others. I could not stop laughing to take careful notes! Capital
Rep began as the League of Theatre Artists, Inc. in 1976, then
as the Lexington Conservatory Theatre in Greene County, NY. As
word of their success spread to the Capital District they were encouraged
to move to Albany and begin the Capital Repertory Company. This
is the 27th Season of producing professional theater, including
many regional premieres. Coming up after Plaid Tidings… will be
M. Butterfly, The Taming of the Shrew, Hank Williams: Lost Highway and
then Doubt. For dates and times: www.capitalrep.org.
 Debra Goertz (R) discussing her work at her opening at the Stricoff Gallery, Chelsea, NY |
On
route to NYC to deliver the December issue I stopped at the Renaissance
Gallery in Orangeburg, NY to see Jeanie Elizabeth Neyer’s
Human-Kind Exhibition curated by Audrey Leeds. Drawings, paintings,
pastels and collages make up this exhibition portraying various aspects
of the Holocaust. The Titles were poignant: Arrival, Exposed, Hidden
Children, Will I be Next? Last Stop, the work very accomplished. Jeanie
has shown her Holocaust paintings at various museums in this country and
at the Holocaust Education Center in Japan. She has written “A
Holocaust Portfolio” which is available at the gallery. According
to Ana Bonsanti, owner and gallery
director, Renaissance has been at the Orangeburg location for the past
6 years offering framing along with an extensive gift shop boutique and
monthly exhibitions. No web site but call them at 845-365-6008
I
stopped to see the Allied Artists of America 94th Exhibit at the National Arts Club,
NYC and what a fine exhibition it was. There were 237 paintings and for
the most part well done and engaging. Congratulations to Gold Medal
winners: Gary T. Erbe for his oil "Arrangement in Brown
and White"; Rhoda Yanow for her pastel "Street Scene"; and Dan Ostermiller for his sculpture "Chester in Repose".
•
The 54th Annual National Society of Painters in Casein &
Acrylic was at the Salmagundi Club
and the quality of work was also outstanding. What an excellent opportunity
to see so many of today’s top artists. Sorry to say I didn’t get their
award winners in time to include in this issue • While in NYC I also saw
an exhibition of new paintings by Debra Goertz at Stricoff Gallery
in Chelsea. The paintings
were done during a 2-month residency in Newfoundland and contain combinations
of that landscape with family photographs from her childhood. Debra is
teaching at Parsons New School for Design, Lyme Academy College of
fine Art and the New York Academy of Art.
 Shoppers
at the 5x7 show at the Woodstock Guild, Woodstock, NY |
I visited the Art Society of Kingston (ASK), now in their 12th year as an organization with nearly 600 members. They present not only monthly exhibitions, but offer classes and workshops in songwriting, literary arts, drumming, swing dance, and acting. ASK is housed in the former Kingston Police Training Academy on lower Broadway and the spaciousness of the building is allowing for all kinds of activities including a monthly pot luck so that artists and supporters of the arts can meet, network, or have a social evening. Just past the entryway is a gift shop with a variety of items as well as information, and from there 2 large rooms follow where Holiday Cheers, the Open Members Show of small works were hung. Sharon Vairamides won the Sheila Bloodgood Memorial Award for her watercolor Forelle Pear & Lady Apple. Congratulations Sharon! The work was varied, affordably priced (12 paintings were sold by the 2nd week of the show) and generally quite good. Currently there is one paid position, that of Vindora Wixom, Executive Director. ASK has obtained a NYSCA grant and additional donations are coming to the organization for programs, building repairs and renovations. They are hoping to expand the staff with 2 part-time people: one to take care of the building, another for communications. After telling me about the current activities, Vindora took me upstairs where a 99 seat auditorium is being built. Also upstairs will be bathrooms and a room for classes and workshops. What a great job they are doing. The hard working and dedicated board, along with Vindora, have brought this group to a fully functioning members organization that continues to grow, to prosper and support the arts of the Hudson Valley. Each month they create (with the publishing support of Kingston’s daily newspaper the, Daily Freeman) ArtWorks, a small newspaper that has some member news, show announcements and most importantly, a map and guide for galleries and art venues in Kingston. A great help during first Saturday gallery stroll. For more information go online at www.ASKforArts.org or call them at 845-338-0331. Their next exhibition opening January 5 is Engrams curated by Barbara L. Bachner with work by Martha Ellen Hughes, Renée S. Englander, Carol Pepper-Cooper and Elizabeth Winchester. Jennifer Axinn-Weiss will have work in the lounge gallery.
 Bruce Ackerman (center) recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award from the Woodstock Artists Assn Museum, Woodstock, NY (R) Leslie Rolnick, Directror |