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Artists

Celebrating Beauty and Community Through Art

June 3, 2019 by Julia Bialek

Art Around Town Creates a Strolling Art Gallery in Our Backyard

After what seemed like a week of never-ending rain, the sun came out on Friday and shone brightly on the town. On this beautiful evening, Chappaqua was packed with members of the community as they enjoyed the opening reception for the fifth installation of Art Around Town, an event hosted by the Northern Westchester Artists Guild (NWAG). Pairing artists with merchants and transforming Chappaqua into a strolling art gallery, Art Around Town gives artists the opportunity to install their work in local shops for the month of June. A vibrant celebration of art, music, and community, the opening night kick-off included receptions at the participating merchants with wine, food, and the artists to discuss their work, which is all for sale via NWAG. All over town, community-members excitedly observed the artwork and engaged with the artists, entering stores and mingling with merchants in the process.

The Art Map, featuring the artists’ locations around town.
The “Art Around Town” balloon arch, blown partially upside-down in the wind.

Between the beautiful weather, the breathtaking work of the 29 participating artists, and the live music from Jimmy Tate, it was a truly lovely evening. “Art Around Town is a great event that provides artists with an opportunity to showcase their work while bringing our community together to support our local businesses. Our merchants need and deserve our support and it was great to see so many residents doing just that,” stated Robert Greenstein, Town Supervisor.

When asked about the inspiration behind the idea for Art Around town, Peg Kafka Sackler, Co-Found of NWAG, adds: “There was a group of us trying to find something that could put Chappaqua on the map, and re-engage our community as a hub for visual arts. We are a typical small town, surrounding NYC and looking to capture some of the vibrancy that the arts can infuse into a community. This collaborative event connects the artist, the merchants, the town governance and the community members with a sense of pride and town spirit.” And for everyone in attendance, the electric spirit of the event was palpable. From Randi Childs’s beautiful photographs, to Jessie Rubin’s striking pop art which many described in awe as “happy art,” to Rhonda Hurwitz’s paintings inspired by her daughter’s jewelry line, town was saturated with art of every kind. The talent possessed by these artists is nothing short of spectacular. If you find yourself in town during the month of June, you won’t regret taking the time to walk through the stores and appreciate the artwork hanging proudly on the walls.

Rachel White, whose impressive equestrian paintings are up for display in town, shared with me the most important thing she learned from her transition from a corporate career to her art career, stating: “What I have learned from all of my experiences is that it is important to surround yourself with things that you find beautiful.” In saying this, she perfectly captured how the event transformed our town: it surrounded us with beauty. But beauty wasn’t just found in the incredible artwork. With the juxtaposition of lively conversation and silent thought, beauty could also be found in the way our town came together to appreciate art, celebrating local artists and the beautiful things they create in the process.

Photographs of some of the artwork are featured below:

Rachel White’s painting.
Jessie Rubin’s pop-art.
Sonika Gupta’s painting.
Frances Flink’s painting.
Paintings from The Art Closet.

Filed Under: New Castle News Tagged With: Art, Art Around Town, Art Gallary, Artists, Chappaqua, community, Julia Bialek, merchants, town

Ossining Jazz Festival: The Improvisor’s Art

May 31, 2019 by The Inside Press

The third annual Ossining Jazz Festival will take place on the evenings of Friday and Saturday June 8 and June 9. The event, which will feature four different musical acts performing at the Ossining Elks Lodge, is an excellent opportunity for audiences to enjoy a range of top-notch practitioners of jazz, a.k.a. America’s Great Musical Idiom and the Improvisor’s Art, in an intimate setting.

This year’s Ossining Jazz Festival features a night each of Contemporary and Latin jazz, two crowd-pleasing styles.

Ted Daniel, a renowned jazz trumpeter, Ossining native and Artistic Director of the OJF comments “Ossining has a rich musical heritage, and so it is only fitting that we showcase a spectrum of the artists and sounds that have inspired us. The only way we keep this wonderful musical art alive is by giving audiences a chance to experience it right as often as possible.” Michelle Concha Herko, Executive Director of the OJF adds “Our festival is one way of accomplishing this, and we’re pleased to back for our third year.”

The double bill on Friday, June 7 at the Elks Club, dedicated to hard bop or straight-ahead jazz, will feature the Rory Stuart Quartet at 7:30 PM and drummer Abe Speller and his band at 9 PM. The lineup on Saturday, June 8 includes Michael Tate and 3D Rhythm of Life at 7:30 PM and Nelson Riveros at 9 PM. Tickets are $20 for one band only, $35 for a one-night festival pass and $60 for a two-day festival pass.

The Friday night performances of the Ossining Jazz Festival are sponsored by the Cortlandt School of Performing Arts in Croton-on-Hudson, NY.

More information can be found at the festival’s website, ossiningjazzfestival.com

Filed Under: Gotta Have Arts Tagged With: Artists, Cortlandt School of Performing Arts, event jazz, fest, music, musical acts, Ossining, Ossining Elks Club, Ossining Jazz Festival

The 57th Annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show

August 29, 2018 by Inside Press

Saturday & Sunday, September 29 & September 30

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Rain or Shine

205 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504

Top Rated and Nationally Ranked in “The Top 50” Fine Art and Fine Craft Fairs, the 57th Annual

Armonk Outdoor Art Show continues its long tradition of showcasing well curated and diverse fine art.

It’s About Art …

The show features 185 juried artists from 28 states, Israel and Canada, including 38 new artists this year.

A broad range of art in every medium and price point will be on display, including painting, mixed mediums, printmaking/drawing/ pastels, sculpture, photography/digital art, wearable art, and fine crafts.

Free personal consultants, trained in fine art and home design, are available to assist visitors in selecting art that best fits their taste and decor.

… And Entertainment!

Music and “Hands-on-Art Activities” for All Ages

Family Activities Tent – Free Fun-Filled Activities under a Big-Top Tent, sponsored by:

The Harvey School- Interactive programs, appropriate for children ages 5-12.

First Five – Hands on projects, appropriate for children ages 1-5 with adult participation

And, an Engaging Alliance of Arts Organizations:

Neuberger Museum Katonah Museum of Art, Clay Arts Center, and Rye Arts Center

Food, Craft Beer and Wine – Diverse Vendors and New Additions!

Luke’s Lobster, Captain Lawrence Brewing and BBQ by Taylored Menus

Gold Sponsors: Boies Schiller Flexner, Equinox, Frank Madonna Real Estate, Northern Westchester Hospital, William Raveis, Rosen & Company, Inc., Toll Brothers, White Plains Hospital Medical & Wellness

The Art Show is sponsored by Friends of the North Castle Public Library, Inc.  

Admission price: $12, $10 for seniors or with coupon, children under 18 free.

Ample free parking on site.  Sorry, no dogs allowed.

For information, and discount coupons, visit: www.armonkoutdoorartshow.org

Facebook /armonkoutdoorartshow | Instagram @armonkoutdoorartshow

I love the Armonk Outdoor Art Show and how it supports the immediate community and welcomes all to attend from near and far. The show is a study in sheer creativity and professionalism. So come check out ‘what’s new this year’ among the works created using so many different artistic mediums. The artists themselves are always so engaging and informative. With delicious food and drink from assorted eateries (always exciting given Armonk’s wonderful dining scene, too) and activities for kids too, hosted by generous sponsors. So come one, come all for a day of appreciating art and maybe picking up something really special, too. Rain or no rain, this show will “Shine.”
– Grace Bennett

Caroline Christie
Colrain, MA
Photography
Ummarid Eitharong
Orlando, FL
Painting: Oils & Acrylics
Robert Hessler
Kingston, NY
Clay
Eugene Perry
Philadelphia, PA
Sculpture

Filed Under: Gotta Have Arts Tagged With: Armonk, Armonk Outdoor Art Show, Art, Artists, Fairs, Fine Craft Fairs, North Castle

Jacob Burns Center Creative Culture Fellowship Program: An Incubator for Emerging Filmmakers

June 1, 2018 by Evelyn Mertens

Creative Culture Director Sean Weiner with filmmakers Emily Ann Hoffman, Kerry LeVielle, Leah Galant and Reginald Altidor at the premiere of the 2018 Creative Culture films shown at the Jacob Burns Film Center. PHOTO BY LYNDA SHENKMAN

A 97-year-old Holocaust survivor belts out death metal lyrics as the camera traces her every grimace and growl.

A young red-haired woman, arms riddled with bug bites, slyly challenges her tiny tormentor.

A Haitian-American teen finds nowhere to hide when he is forced to confront a parent about hugely uncomfortable truths.

These are among the moments captured on screen by eight emerging filmmakers, all participants in the Jacob Burns Film Center’s (JBFC) Creative Culture Fellowship program that premiered its 2018 roster of films on April 5. Launched in 2016 to, ostensibly, fill “a gap in support of filmmakers in the Hudson Valley,” it offers an abundance of support and resources to a new generation of Spielbergs, Spike Lees and Sofia Coppolas.

The Selection Process

Applicants to Creative Culture submit a reel with three work samples, an artists’ statement and a short film proposal. Once accepted, each fellow receives mentorship, studio space, production equipment and networking opportunities plus a stipend to fund, wholly or in part, a short film; the program helps each fellow secure independent funding for a second work.

This year, the genres range from magical realism to mixed media to poetic documentary to a claymation ballet. As Creative Culture Director Sean Weiner notes, the intent is to “select filmmakers making wildly different types” of films. He adds, “By selecting the strongest projects we end up with a diverse group.”

Sean Weiner: Creative Culture Director

Weiner is, in fact, the secret sauce behind the program’s success. Beyond his official designation as director and mentor, an unofficial dubbing could be, as fellow Emily Ann Hoffman says, “super-human.”

Weiner’s own journey began with a penchant for acting and visual arts that evolved into filmmaking, an art form that “scratched both itches.” A Cinema Studies graduate of SUNY Purchase with an MFA from Hunter College, he has taught documentary filmmaking to incarcerated persons through the Westchester Department of Corrections and helped that population discover that they are more than “what everybody says they are.”

At the Burns, Weiner formerly ran the high school program, Creators Co-op, and a one-on-one fellowship program.

Accolades All Around for Weiner and the Program

Leah Galant, a fellow, credits Weiner who “harnesses our vision and helps us execute it” and the artists who bring “talent, passion and drive.”

Reginald Altidor, a fellow, says, “Sean is the type of person every filmmaker needs by their side – to motivate them, to push them, to make them think from a different perspective to achieve different reactions from your audience which you wouldn’t have been able to attain on your own.”

What’s next for Creative Culture? Weiner hopes to have a database of talent in the film community including cinematographers, musicians, sound designers, and other film crew members become more interactive and connected.

The successes are mounting. Films produced through the program have gotten into 37 festivals including the prestigious Sundance and SXSW (South by Southwest). Several fellows are already working on feature-length films.

What does the future hold for the emerging filmmakers? Envelope please…


Portrait of the Artists

Emily Ann Hoffman of Bedford has had her films accepted at several festivals internationally and nationwide.

Emily Ann Hoffman, creator of “Bug Bites,” Bedford. Hoffman studied illustration at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) where she discovered animation which “sparked film for me.” It allowed her “to tell a story,” and add humor to the mix.

While at RISD, she created The Emily and Ariel Show with another Creative Culture fellow, Ariel Noltimier Strauss, which was accepted into several festivals including LA, New Orleans, and Tricky Women (in Austria). The experience “helped me understand the indie film world.”

Her first Creative Culture film, a claymation film, Nevada, got into the highly competitive Sundance 2018. Funding her second film, “Bug Bites,” helped her understand the process of securing money through crowdfunding and grants. A Sundance Ignite Fellow in 2017, she is currently a screenwriting mentee with Sundance’s Feature Film program.


Leah Galant of Cortlandt Manor introduced her film at the Creative Culture premiere in April.

Leah Galant, creator of “Death Metal Grandma,” Cortlandt Manor. Galant was named one of Variety’s “110 Students to Watch in Film and Media,” while majoring in documentary film production at Ithaca College.

She was looking for a job as an usher at the JBFC when she learned about Creative Culture. “This was a project I really wanted to do – it was a perfect time in my life for this to happen,” she says.

Galant was a Sundance Ignite Fellow in 2017 and another of her short films, “Kitty and Ellen,” also about Holocaust survivors, screened at DOC NYC 2017. “Death Metal Grandma” premiered at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and will screen at Hot Docs Canadian Documentary Festival.


Reginald Altidor of New Rochelle introduced his film at the Creative Culture premiere in April.

Reginald (“Reggie”) Altidor, “Do Not Disturb,” New Rochelle. Altidor started writing stories at eight and filmed comedy skits inspired by Dave Chappelle while in middle school. “It was the baby steps of filming,” he says.

A class in filmmaking at Westchester Community College matured his interest; he received a B.A. in film production from Brooklyn College.

Altidor praises Creative Culture for working with persons from “different backgrounds coming together for a common goal.” As each film was different it took away the competitiveness that sometimes occurs in film school. “We worked collectively, in a group,” he says.

Altidor’s first Creative Culture film was “The Jux.” He currently has three short films in post-production and is working on a feature film and freelances as a writer, director and actor.

Filed Under: Gotta Have Arts Tagged With: Artists, creative, Creative Culture Fellowship Program, Emerging Filmmakers, film, Filmmaking, Jacob Burns Film Center

‘Holidays Around Town,’ December 1-3, to Celebrate Art, Music…and Community!

October 19, 2017 by Inside Press

The Traditional New Castle Festivities will also include a New ‘Salon Style’ Artist Showcase

By Grace Bennett

What happens when three wonderful organizations in town team up to help New Castle residents and merchants alike enjoy the holiday season with artist appreciation and good cheer? You receive ‘Holidays Around Town’… and its priceless gift of community bonding.  Sprinkle in some joy to the world, Chappaqua style, and it will be a weekend to cherish and remember forever.

The Chappaqua Orchestra Concert and Tree Lighting at the Greeley House are a time-honored tradition in New Castle that take place the first weekend in December. This year, however: “We’re kicking things up a notch,” confirmed Leslie Weissman, co-founder with Peg Kafka-Sackler of The Northern Westchester Artists Guild (NWAG), a not for profit consortium of some 75 area artists. NWAG took the initiative to spearhead Holidays Around Town and the plans are as follows:

  • The festivities begin Friday, December 1, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m at the New Castle Historical Society (aka Horace Greeley House) concurrent with the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce’s annual Wine Around Town. Merchants up and down King Street and Greeley Avenue will open their doors and graciously greet guests offering wine and spirits and assorted bites and treats.  
  • On Saturday, December 2, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m, NWAG will again be hosting the art show at the Greeley House. Enjoy holiday selections and classical music performed by the celebrated Chappaqua Orchestra at the Bell School. Following the concert, join neighbors and friends on a stroll over to the town’s beloved annual tree lighting at the Greeley House, where you will be greeted with libations an fine art inside!
  • Finally, on Sunday, December 3, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and the newest offering during this traditional New Castle weekend, is a ‘salon style’ event showcasing 18 NWAG artists plus a holiday party with snacks inside the Greeley House hosted by the staff and volunteers of the New Castle Historical Society. Each artist of NWAG will be ‘taking over a room,’ offering visitors a chance to meet  with the artist, ask questions, and of course view his/her works ranging from large scale paintings, photographic prints, sculpture to watercolor and wearable art. Art will be for sale too. “We love when our artists sell a work,” said Weissman. “It’s very satisfying for all of us.” “We have so many talented artists, and some have never shown their work,” added Kafka-Sackler. “It’s a great feeling of accomplishment to show and, in particular, when someone wants to make a purchase.”

Weissman and Kafka-Sackler said their motivation for producing the weekend go well beyond any dollar sales. They emphasized the unique role art can play in bringing a community together. Kafka-Sackler described a universal  “feeling of civility” art creates. “It creates a wonderful environment for neighbors and friends to mingle,” she said.  Weissman described a “calming effect” too. “It’s Art for Good.”

To keep abreast of the plans for Holidays Around Town and for news of other NWAG events, please visit www.nwartistsguild.org.

 Grace Bennett is the Publisher and Editor of the Inside Press, and hopes to partake in the festivities.

 

Filed Under: New Castle News Tagged With: Art for Good, Artists, Bell School, Chappaqua Orchestra, community, Holiday Activities, New Castle Historical Society, Northern Westchester Artists Guild, NWAG, Salon Style Event, Town of New Castle, tree lighting, Wine Around Town

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