Thursday, December 20, 2012

Best Year End Gift Ever!


View, has received a large donation to its Moving Mountains campaign for debt retirement, which will allow it to retain the property at 3260 State Route 28 that housed the arts center for nearly 40 years. The restricted gift is for $365, 000 and is pledged over a five year period. The benefactors are a couple who have been long-time supporters of View, and they wish to remain anonymous.

According to Jennifer Potter Hayes, View’s Executive Director, the gift agreement allows View to retain the deed to the property and use it for mission related activities. It is hoped that by placing the property back in productive use, it will generate additional revenue for View.

The original concept for an Arts and Sciences complex on Route 28 in Old Forge included the use of the former Arts Center property in its plan. However, in early 2011, the Board of Directors of View reluctantly decided to list the property in its ongoing effort to pay down its debt. As discussions commenced with the donor in mid-2012, the Board decided not to renew its listing, but kept a For Sale by Owner sign on the property, which has now come down.

“This generous and creative gift allows View to retain this property and over time develop  it in a way that is compatible with our mission, at the same time freeing up funds to be used to pay down our mortgage,” says View Board President Helene McAleese.  “It honors the original visionaries of this project, while assuring future generations of the best and highest use of this site. We are indebted to our benefactors for their foresight,” she said.

Over the years, the donors, View Board members and staff, and community members have mentioned possible uses for all or part of this property, including a laboratory for Environmental Sciences, café and workshop space, wellness center, and senior activities center, among others. Over time, these ideas will be vetted for feasibility and compatibility with the mission of View. Community input will be welcomed.

“In the meantime,” says Potter Hayes, “we plan to spruce up the building facade and grounds in the spring, and continue to use the site for storage and overflow parking, as we contemplate the future.”

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Deck the Halls



O Tannenbaum!
The lobby of View has been beautifully decorated for the holidays. The centerpiece is this 16-foot, balsam fir.

Executive Director Jennifer Potter Hayes brought the tree to View, with help from her family. She says, “View’s Christmas tree came from the Brandreth Park.  It was cut in an area on the upper Shingle Shanty Stream near the North Pond Flowgrounds. From the place where it was loaded onto my car, I drove about 14 miles on a dirt road to the nearest paved road -- North Point Road at the north end of Raquette Lake.  Not bad for my Subaru !!!! From there I just took it slow down Rt. 28 from Deerlands to Old Forge.”

 
Ye Merry Gentlemen!

The Subaru "Sleigh"

The tree was off loaded at View by Stephen Wick, Ed Booton, Alan Saban and Norm Rannels.



Some of Santa's Helpers

View staffers Tony Thornton, Jody Pritchard, Linda Weal, and Hazel Alexis helped Stephen get it upright (while I took photos from a safe distance).





Stephen spearheaded the decorating of the tree and the lobby. We hope you get a chance to stop by and see it. There are also some beautiful decorations outside!



Happy Holidays to all!

--By Leslie Bailey, View staff

 

Wild Life Exhibit opens at View

An opening reception for the new exhibit, “The Wild Life,” will be held on Friday, Dec. 7, from 5 to 7 pm. The reception is open to the public and will have music, light fare, and libations. Antlers, tails, furs, and any wild apparel is encouraged! 

"The Wild Life" is an exhibit of artwork that puts our “wild” neighbors front and center. Animals are the focus of all the work on display. Here’s a quick overview of what you will see: Wildlife photographs by acclaimed photographer Eric Dresser, watercolor paintings of animals and nature by Jeanette Fournier, oils and watercolors by JC Parker, paintings by avid outdoorsman Bob Ripley, paintings and sculpture by Tricia Zimic, and hunting weaponry by Dan Landis, Pa., Roy Painter, Pa., John Scifres, Ind., Charles Sinclair, Texas, and Joseph Weed, Ohio.

The exhibit will be on display through April 28, 2013.

Concurrent exhibits include photographs by Don Andrews from Dec. 8 to April 28; “The Artventures of Tom Yacovella” from Dec. 8 to Jan. 13; paintings and sculptures by Michael Ringer from Jan. 19 to Feb. 24, and paintings by William Wiatr from March 2 to April 21.

And there’s more.

Tricia Zimic will give a talk on Dec. 8 at 10 am in the gallery and she will answer questions about her powerful images.

Painting and sculpture by Tricia Zimic
 
And View will host a wild night on Jan. 19, from 8 pm to midnight, with an outdoor campfire, s’mores, music, and storytelling. Fun for all ages!

--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff

Monday, November 19, 2012

More on Quilts and View’s Other Exhibits


While “Quilts Unlimited” is on display downstairs at View (see the blog post for Oct. 11), there is invitational quilt and other textile work upstairs.  Mary Knapp has several of her amazing quilts on display, like this one, called “Flying Facets.”
Here’s what she says about it:

“The original overlap of the two blocks, Flying Swallows and Facets, produces a design that is both symmetrical and asymmetrical. The large diamonds look completely different depending on the arrangement of the small, internal diamonds and triangles. Machine quilting in the ditch outlines the patches. Hand quilting throughout softens the piece. Silks and tweeds are the fabrics used in this piece.”

Also upstairs is work by a group called “8 That Create” (www.8thatcreate.com).  These shoes are a creation by Sue Bleiweiss. They are made from hand-painted silk bonded to size 6 ½ shoes by Ann Taylor.
 











And here is a series of “little black dresses” by (left to right) Jamie Fingal, Sue Bleiweiss, and Leslie Tucker Jenison.

Here’s what they say about their work.

Jamie Fingal: "My fiber artwork is made for the wall, and my philosophy about making quilts is more about having fun than about perfection. I use vibrant colors, shapes and textures to create artwork that invites the viewer in for a closer look. Being a rebel quilter, my style is eclectic, a little edgy, and sometimes whimsical."

Sue Bleiweiss: "A lot of my work revolves around how to create texture, both real and implied to a piece of cloth using dye, paint and stitching. The colors and textures in rusty, weathered surfaces fascinate me and I often use these as inspiration when I begin a new piece of work."

Leslie Tucker Jenison: "I draw inspiration from the repetitive patters, textures, and the effects of pressure in the microscopic as well as the larger world. Utilizing paint, dye, photography, and stitch, I create imagery to tell my stories on both cloth and paper."

The exhibits, both upstairs and downstairs, will close on Dec. 2. If you like classic beauty, artful whimsy, textiles and more tiles (there are mosaic tile sculptures by Shelly Hamill downstairs), shoes and more shoes (there are also glass shoe sculptures by Tina Betz downstairs), and  incredible talent, don’t miss these exhibits!
 
 

 
 
--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff

Monday, October 22, 2012

Gaetano family dedicates Grand Staircase at View



















The Charles A. Gaetano family gathered at View in Old Forge on Saturday, Oct. 13 to dedicate the grand staircase and balcony in memory of Connie Gaetano, the family matriarch, who passed away earlier this year.

View executive director Jennifer Potter Hayes welcomed the Gaetano family and friends to View and gave opening remarks. She thanked the Charles A. Gaetano Construction Company for their patience and commitment to View and the Town of Webb. She remarked on the craftsmanship that went into constructing and finishing the building, including the beautiful staircase that graces the lobby and is the centerpiece of the building.
 
“We are so proud to call this magnificent building home of the arts center in Old Forge,” she said. 
 
Potter Hayes then spoke about how the grand staircase and balcony are the centerpieces of View.

“From this staircase and balcony, visitors have views of the Noonan lobby, the courtyard, and the Mallinckrodt Garden. This staircase is the path Kinderwood children take every day on the way to their classroom. Also, yoga ladies, painters, photographers, our resident weaver, board members, staff, and visitors use these stairs. Brides have been married on this landing! And all of View’s bridal parties have used this staircase for their formal pictures. It is a beautiful design. I will think of Connie Gaetano when I go up and down, up and down, up and down these stairs every day,” she said.

Potter Hayes spoke of her memories of Connie, as the “front man” at the company’s office on Genesee Street in Utica. Connie staffed the front desk in the foyer, and “you had to pass muster with Connie to get through,” she said.  “It is fitting,” she continued, “that the family chose to dedicate the grand staircase and balcony in Connie’s memory as this may have been one of the final public projects that she worked on.”

Kerry Rogers, View board member and chair of the construction committee, also spoke. He noted, tongue in cheek, that “the path to completion [of the building] was not exactly conventional,“ a reference to the need to halt construction for a period in order to raise more funds.  Rogers also said that it was his sincere pleasure to have worked with the Gaetano team. He thanked them for their professionalism and dedication to the project. Rogers reiterated Connie’s presence at the Gaetano company and said that she will be missed.

After the remarks, Charles Gaetano and his six children gathered on the landing to cut the ribbon to the staircase and balcony, followed by the unveiling of the dedication plaque, which reads, “Grand Staircase. Given by the Charles A. Gaetano Construction Corporation in loving memory of Connie Gaetano.”


---By Leslie Bailey, View staff

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Mountain Theatre Company to present Quilters at View

Mountain Theatre Company will present Quilters at 7 pm on Saturday, Oct. 20 and at 2 pm on Sunday, Oct. 21 at View. Quilters will be performed as a musical in concert featuring local actors from the community.

Scrap by scrap, piece by piece, a quilt comes together, assembled by pioneer women who sew and socialize in a unique expression of folk art. Quilters, a musical by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek, is about the lives of American pioneer women based on the book The Quilters: Women and Domestic Art by Patricia Cooper and Norma Bradley Allen.

In the American West, a pioneer woman, Sarah, and her six daughters, face frontier life. Rather than a straightforward storyline, the musical is presented as a series of short tales and tableaux matched with musical numbers, each presenting an aspect of frontier life or womanhood. The patches or blocks show girlhood, marriage, childbirth, spinsterhood, twisters, fire, illness, and death." The patches are ultimately put together to form one dramatic tableau.

Quilters stars local actors Amy Bartel, Patti Delano, Kelly Hamlin, Jennifer Potter Hayes, Connie Milligan, MaryAnn Lum Nelson, Lani Ulrich, and Stephen Wick with musical direction by Ellen Drake, vocal coaching by Connie Milligan and Judy Barker, costumes by Sue Russell, and quilts by Claire Oehler. Alan Saban is the director.

 This mosaic captures the sweep and beauty, the terror and joy, the harsh challenge and abiding rewards of frontier life. But with this there is also love, warmth, rich and lively humor, and the moving spectacle of simple human dignity and steadfastness in the face of adversity. The play pays eloquent tribute to the courage and spirit of our nation's pioneer women. Who would have thought that quilts, quilting—quilters—had so much joy and pain, laughter and tears, so much life, beauty and drama in them?

Tickets for this concert are $10 at the door the day of the show with general admission seating. For more information, call View at (315) 369-6411.

--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff

"Quilts Unlimited" opens at View

The 26th annual “Quilts Unlimited” will open at View on Saturday, Oct. 13 and run through Dec. 2. This exhibition is an annual favorite that transforms the galleries into a pleasant plethora of pattern and patchwork. Quilts are hung gallery style and entries include both traditional and eclectic quilts and wall hangings. Other exhibits that will open concurrently include quilts by Mary Knapp, mixed media fiber art by 8 That Create, mosaic tile sculpture by Shelly Hamill, and glass sculpture by Tina Betz.

The opening weekend begins with a preview reception on Friday, Oct. 12, from 5 to 7 pm, and includes music, light refreshments, and a variety of quilt-related raffles. Both on Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm, and on Sunday, from noon to 4 pm, there will be quilt-related vendors, demonstrations, and workshops at View. At 2 pm on Saturday, the Quilts Unlimited awards ceremony will begin, followed by a fat quarter drawing. Enter an 18”x22” piece of fabric (fat quarter) for a chance to win them all.

The annual Quilting Lecture and Luncheon this year with Mary Knapp begins at 10 am on Saturday. Mary will present “Uniquely You,” an interactive presentation to spark your creativity while providing insights into quilt design and technique. She will provide examples ranging from traditional to innovative; from hand work to machine work, and she will blend all of it together so that the audience can develop it into their own unique style.

Mary Knapp is a retired biology teacher who now teaches quilting and designs patterns. She has earned numerous awards in a variety of quilt shows.  Mary enjoys both piecing and appliquĂ©: machine piecing because of the sharp precision it affords and hand appliquĂ© because of the softness.  She has a new book, “Star Quilts” due to be released by C & T Publishing this fall. Learn more about Mary Knapp at maryknappquilts.wordpress.com

Vendors and Events
Dyeing to Sew will be displaying and selling hand dyed fabrics and patterns.  Sew Crazy Fabric Shop will also be on hand selling quilt related fabrics and notions.  Three members of 8 That Create will be in attendance on Saturday and Sunday.  Carol Sloan, Liz Kettle, and Jane Davila will all be demonstrating, signing their books, as well as offering workshops; Modern Day Reverse AppliquĂ© with Carol Sloan on Saturday, 3-6 pm; Stampmaking For Quilters with Jane Davila on Sunday, 9am-noon; and Fabric Collage Stories OR Embellish your Story with Liz Kettle on Sunday, 1:30-4:30 pm. Local demonstrators include Annette Eyre – appliquĂ©; Donnie Brownsey – Quilt as you Go; and Sandra White – Binding. On Sunday, Margaret Sykes will be offering a beginners quilting class, Tree Farm Throw, Sunday, 1-4pm.

--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff. Pictured: "White Flowers" by Rene Bracken.


Thursday, September 27, 2012

Running Colors 5K to be held in Old Forge

Get ready for the most colorful fun-filled day of the fall as View hosts a new event called “Running Colors.” The event will be held rain or shine on Saturday, October 27 in Old Forge.


Running Colors is a 5K, fun run/walk
that is focused less on speed and more on crazy color fun with friends and family. Color runners are all different ages, shapes, sizes, and speeds; so whether you are a casual morning walker or an all-star athlete, you'll have a great time.

Runners and walkers are encouraged to start out wearing white and will end covered in vibrant hues! While you run or walk the 3.1 mile course, you'll get blasted with color as you go. Every kilometer (so that’s 5 times!), runners will be blitzed with non-toxic, environmentally friendly powdered color. At the finish of the event, there will be a color throwing party followed by a public picnic. Concessions will be available, or you can pack your own picnic.

The first 100 people to register will receive a Running Colors drawstring bag filled with swag, including additional color packets to celebrate with.
Registration is $20, or $25 the day of the event, and free for children 10 and under who are accompanied by a paying adult. To register, visit www.ViewArts.org or call 315-369-6411. To see a map of the course and more details, visit www.ViewArts.org.

Check-in will begin at 9 am, with the 5K starting at 11 am. The run/walk will begin and end at the Old Forge Lakefront. The Adirondack course is a great combination of both scenic and flat.
If you think it sounds like fun, but would prefer not to run or walk, then consider volunteering. View needs volunteer color-bombers to toss colors at participants as they go, and there are several other volunteer needs for this event. To volunteer, call View at (315)-369-6411 or email info@viewarts.org
 
--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

" 'Sparkle' and 'Glow' " by Miriam Kashiwa


‘Sparkle’ and ‘Glow’
By Miriam Kashiwa, Curator
Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors

It is a special moment when one may observe a painting that seems to glow like a stained glass window; to witness a surface radiate as though physically backlit. This experience creates questions. How can this occur? Has the artist discovered a mystical alchemy that allows paint to ignite?  Does this happen in all media? Is it a property of the medium or artistic technique? Is it formula or is it choice?
 
And many more questions enter the list: what is luminosity or ‘glow’ itself? Is it seen only in the chiaroscuro of classical art -- the dramatic contrast of light and dark?  Is this common in contemporary art? Does this occur in watercolor?
 
To begin, there is a condition in the faces in ‘The Nativity’ by Italian Renaissance artist Antonio Correggio’ described as chiaroscuro,  here, termed ‘glow.’ The painting is oil based and comprised of subtle tonal components. Color is evident but not primary. One hardly sees the transition from edge to edge creating the forms. And then one notices the facial warmth as though the cheeks are breathing and the lips are about to speak.  One can feel the presence of something alive. The phenomenon of ‘luminance’ by means of modeling lights and shadow has created the appearance of a glowing third dimension.
 
There is a distinction between ‘lighted’ and luminous. When something is ‘lighted’ a beam or ray is shined upon the object. When an object is ‘luminous’ the glow is emitted from the inner regions of itself as a pearl or a day-glow wand.
 
In other cases of classical art, from illuminated  biblical pages to the magnificent frescos of Da Vinci’s fame, artists of all genres seemed to have sought luminosity particularly in oil based portraiture as Rembrandt’s, Tintoretto’s and other figural painters of centuries past.
 
The Impressionists used oil or tempera paint as their media of choice.  Are there examples of luminosity in their light-filled canvases? Or were they seeking the brightness of the out-of-doors and the sparkle of contrast?
 
Monet’s gardens and lily ponds sought engagement with light and out-door fresh sparkle  whereas Gaugin’s work  was more exotic and sultry. He used warm opaque color and in so doing evoked some of the classical notion of luminosity. His oils appeared almost pastel-like in solution.  Are palette and medium part of the condition and is individual choice a prerequisite artistic device?
 
Toulouse-Lautrec, in painting his posters of bawdy life in musical theater used shades of yellow to connote excitement and enhance contrast in his figural outlines. This art was straight-forward contrast without suggestion of glow. He produced quick, flat sketches with spare color to sell casual Parisian nightlife as ‘glowing.’
 
In mid and late 1800’s, Sargent’s created watercolor sketches that pale in comparison with today’s aqueous wonders of vivid, over scale topics that range across the board. At the century’s turn, Winslow Homer’s soft edged plein air watercolors of the Adirondacks used accents in brilliant darks as though to push forms through the picture plane. In the following fifty years, Charles Burchfield’s barns, fantasies and cityscapes used darks for back-lighted form. White paper and dark ‘accents’  provided illumination for most watercolor artists  at that time but without the element of ‘glow’ we are seeing now.
 
Leading  advocates for using the paper’s white for sparkle in our own acquaintance today   are watercolorists Don Getz, Bus Romeling (dec), Frank Webb and countless others. 
 
There is alchemy at work here: Artistic Alchemy …the artist-inspired solution to design mixed with powers of graphic skill:
 
‘Glow’ requires dramatically lit forms against dominating areas of opaque, dark ground: dark to light.
"Northern Road" by David Douglass DeArmond, NWS

         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
‘Sparkle’ depends on major whites of paper contrasted with strategically placed vibrant, dark accents: light to dark.
"Last Row" by Catherine O'Neill, NWS, AWS, TWSA
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
‘Glow’ in current art is becoming more common in major abstracts and portraiture, particularly where opaque and textured media are used: pastel, egg tempera and oil impasto. Watercolorists will be challenged to find texture and opacity in their fluid and transparent medium although the ‘alchemist’ can work exception.
 
In short, then, we may observe that Sparkle or Glow depend on the juxtaposition of light and dark.  Only the artist-alchemist can modulate the design and aura to create illusion.

--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff
The catalog for the Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors contains the above essay, as well as remarks by Pat San Soucie, juror of selection, and Paul Jackson, juror of awards, and photographs of the 30 award-winning paintings (including the two above). It can be purchased at View or online at www.viewarts.org.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Watercolors open at View


The watercolor exhibit will be on display through Oct. 8

Below are remarks by Miriam Kashiwa, watercolor exhibit curator, that were delivered at the opening reception on Aug. 10, 2012.


Curator Miriam Kashiwa
                              "This year of Olympic Sports reminds us of the importance of exercise for good health.  Most would agree that we humans have more than bodies; a brain and mind directing action PLUS a free spirit.  Total health, then, would require more than physical activity: it would include exercising the spirit’s sense of beauty. 

Artists understand this idea.  They share their expressions of beauty in art forms … they partner with viewers who connect vicariously through sight… experiencing the same feelings and stories … exercising their own spirit’s sense of beauty.

Today we observe 100 outstanding watercolors from across the country:  ‘part’ of the fruit of the unlimited inspiration given by places like the Adirondack Mountains.  The exhibit shows human curiosity in concrete solution: thought captured on paper in color and feeling.

I’d like to reach back for a bit of history….

During the past ten years, The Arts Guild has enjoyed a ‘Barn Raising’….we got together and built a PLACE: an oasis against an encroaching hectic world where peace and inspiration infused by its Adirondack setting can be savored.

We now begin to ‘raise’ its walls with substance and opportunities for learning… ‘learning’: that stuff that makes life interesting…like the exhibition platform where artists may exchange thoughts and ways of expressing art; like our theater where performance informs human foibles and dreams; like music which delights and refreshes the fatigued; like studio work-space to examine our own efforts at creativity; and like our future Walkway through the mysteries of Nature’s wetlands.

As a ‘Barn Raising’ requires an army of enthusiastic volunteers, so too has our own Arts Center required the talents of scores: from those who contribute volunteering hands-on, to growing members and visitors, and to generous open purses. We thank you all for being part of the Place at VIEW. And we hope you will continue to find enjoyment and inspiration in the ‘sparkle and glow’ of this year’s Adirondacks national watercolor exhibition.  Come often and early to exercise your own spirit’s sense of beauty.

WELCOME."

--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet to bring Folk and World Music to View




The Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet will bring folk music from all over the world to View on August 16, at 7:30 pm.  Bethany met Rufus at the Knitting Factory in Manhattan, and many years later they are still reinventing traditional folk and defying the standard classification of genres.  For example, with traditional bowing, plucking and percussive bow tapping, Rufus has transformed the cello into a rock powerhouse.

Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet is comprised of Rufus Cappadocia and Bethany Yarrow (daughter of Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary), Yacouba Moumouni, and Brahim Fribgane.  Weaving many influences into their unique sound, the quartet draws from roots music traditions of America, Niger, and Morocco.  Their strength lies within the collaboration of their individual talents.  Two dancers will accompany them with interpretive dance. 

This program, beginning at 7:30 pm, will be entertaining, as well as educational, for the entire family.  Refreshments will be available for purchase.  This event is part of the New York State Presenters Network Presenters-Artist Partnership Project with support from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Tickets are $25/$20 for members, which can be purchased by calling View at 315-369-6411, or email info@ViewArts.org.

--David Weygandt, Performing Arts Intern


Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Gary Lee’s point of View


Event Coordinator Elise Carlson snapped this photo of View board member Gary Lee -- retired ranger and not-retired writer, photographer and naturalist -- as he was perusing the field above View’s parking lot earlier today, August 8. He was pulling invasive clover and planting Sweet Peas.

Gary shares his knowledge and love of the natural world by offering free guided hikes and presentations. He offers annual nature hikes in the summer to explore Ferd’s Bog, located off the Uncas Road in Eagle Bay, and the Remsen Bog. He also leads a butterfly hike around View.

The bog hikes took place in June, but the butterfly walk will take place at 10 am on Friday, August 10 at View. Gary will also give a power point presentation titled, “Wildflowers for Your Garden,” at 7 pm on Tuesday, August 14 at View.

If you are interested in birds, flowers, great photos, and wonderful stories of the outdoors, then Gary’s your guy. He’s also on good terms with the local moose. But as Gary likes to say, “That’s another story.”

--Leslie Bailey, View staff

Friday, July 20, 2012

Remembering Lorraine Stripp



Remembering Lorraine Stripp

By Shirley Lindsay,   
View Director Emerita

At the opening of the Central Adirondack Art Show at View on Thursday night, July 5, a special award was given posthumously to Lorraine Stripp for her long years of invaluable service to the Arts Center. Lorraine was awarded the title of Director Emerita by the board of directors of View as announced by its president Helene McAleese.

Following the announcement of the award, Shirley Lindsay and Mirnie Kashiwa spoke of Lorraine’s years of service to the Arts Guild nearly from the very beginning when she assisted Al and Mirnie first with the Art Show, then, as the program expanded, with the Pocket Gallery, the workshops and various musical events. In the mid 70s when the first Arts Center became a reality, she became so much more – workshop director, bookkeeper, building supervisor, and even interim director with Al Stripp’s illness. She was always available for all events, helping event chairpersons, organizing and supervising the Craft Show, the Holiday Bazaar, helping with the Antique Show, the Auction, the Watercolor Show, and so many other events.

Mirnie and Shirley spoke of things she did behind the scenes – checking the Center at all hours when the security alarm went off; helping artists to retrieve or enter their art works when the Center was not open; making goodies for participants in workshops or for intermission at programs, sweeping and cleaning the Center and even cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen. Of course, she was always very busy helping with Kinderwood as well during the school year.


Al Stripp and four of their six children (David, Mike, Susie, and Sandy) with their families were at the event Thursday night and were shown the bench with Lorraine’s name, donated in her memory by so many of her friends and colleagues. The bench sits in the front lobby of View reminding everyone of her dedicated service.

--Posted by Leslie Bailey, View staff

Friday, July 13, 2012

Family Ties


The Denio family hosted a reunion in Old Forge in May, and as part of their festivities, they spent some quality time at View tie-dying T-shirts. Here is a photo of the colorful results. If your family is looking to create some fun memories, contact Barbara Getty at View (315) 369-6411.
--Leslie Bailey, View staff

Friday, June 15, 2012

Forge Festival of Arts & Crafts


Dean White is a familiar face at the Forge Festival of Arts & Crafts


On June 30, Old Forge will welcome more than 60 venders from across five states for the annual Forge Festival of Arts and Crafts. The festival will be held on June 30th to July 1st at the North Street Recreation Center. Hours are Saturday, 9am – 5pm, and Sunday, 10am – 4pm.

While the festival is always offering new attractions, one vender will offer a familiar face: Dean White. White, a ceramic artist, has been participating in the craft festival since its inception, only missing the event once or twice during the last 40 years. He began his career after attending art school at Munson Williams School of Art and, soon after, established his retail shop, White's Pottery and Gifts, in Deansboro, N.Y. All of White's pottery is designed to be functional as well as beautiful. He will be bringing a wide variety of ceramics for sale to the festival as well a wheel for demonstrations. White has been demonstrating at the festival for the past few years. "I like to share with people what I do and how it’s done," he said.

All of his pieces are hand-thrown on a pottery wheel, one piece at a time. White creates his own glazes, each formulated so that they are all food-safe and contain no lead. All of his pottery is ovenproof, as well as dishwasher- and microwave-safe. White, a long time summer resident of the area, has a group of loyal supporters who purchase his work at the festival every year, looking to add to their collections.

"My parents used to have a camp on First Lake, so I was aware of the arts center when I originally got involved," said White. He is a firm supporter of View.  "This craft fair represents the art center. It's important to support the local arts and to let the public know this craft festival exists," he said.

White emphasizes the benefit of a juried craft fair, like this one. "When I started in the 70's and 80's you could depend on the artist to make 100% of the items." Now, says White, many vendors often buy foreign products and re-sell them at festivals. "Thankfully, this fair is juried so that doesn't happen," he said. “The public really does appreciate it when they come to an arts and craft festival and there is real quality."

All 60 venders at the Forge Festival are selected to ensure high quality merchandise and a wide variety of products. Venders will be offering everything from woodworking and paintings to quilts and candles. Maple syrup, jam, popcorn and old fashion fudge will also be some of the delicious treats available at this year's Forge Festival of Arts and Crafts. Enjoy music, concessions provided by Walt’s Dinner, and cold beer and wine. A  Chinese raffle will feature unique items donated from select festival vendors. Tickets will be sold for $1 each or 10 for $5.

Families are encouraged to join in on the fun! Children 12 and under are free, and there will be interactive activities including face painting and pillow case tie dying. There is a $5 admission at the door for adults, good for both days. There is also free parking.  The craft Fair supports View, the arts center in Old Forge.


Visit www.ViewArts.org for a coupon for $1 off admission and a list of participating vendors. For more information, please call View at (315) 369-6411. For further information about Dean White, visit his website at http://www.whitespottery.com .

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

View readies for Bryden installation

View is undergoing a transformation as its parking lot island is re-designed in preparation for a permanent outdoor sculpture installation by artist Lewis Bryden.

The sculpture, titled “Nature as Muse,” is a life-size, cast bronze figure of a girl with her hand reaching up to a bird. The statue will reside next to a small reflecting pool surrounded by lawn. The island will also have shade trees and evergreens, benches, boulders, and a walkway.

“Nature is the inspiration for art, and the sculpture personifies this with the young girl making contact with a wild bird,” says Bryden. “More than most sculptures, this work is about nature, and so it seemed important to surround it with a natural setting.“

The entire installation is a gift to View from Lewis and Betsy Bryden, to commemorate the lives of Betsy’s grandparents, Elizabeth Elliot and Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr., who were longtime summer residents of Old Forge and avid art collectors. Betsy’s grandmother introduced her to Miriam Kashiwa, founder of the arts center that is now called View, more than 50 years ago.

“Our hope is that people will feel inspired by the statue and the setting, and that they will reflect on art and nature,” say Betsy and Lewis. “We envision children playing around the shallow pool while parents pass time on the nearby benches.”

The process of casting bronze is thousands of years old, says Bryden, who has been a professional artist for 30 years, most of them as a painter. “I chose the lost wax method, in which the finished clay sculpture is remolded in wax, coated with ceramic material, and then poured with molten bronze. Everywhere the wax was, the bronze now takes its place,” he said.

As part of the process, Bryden created a maquette, or small scale model of the sculpture. “It helps the artist and others to visualize the sculpture and to identify problems early,” he said. He also did a portrait study as an exercise to explore the character of the young girl.

The maquette and portrait study for “Nature as Muse” are currently on display at View. The portrait has been donated to View’s permanent collection, and the maquette will be raffled to raise money for View.  

The sculpture installation will be completed by early July. A dedication will take place at View’s annual gala on July 6 and then will be open to the public starting Saturday, July 7.

-- Leslie Bailey, View Staff

Monday, May 14, 2012

You Could Win This Painting!


 
“Plum, Pear, Quince, and Cherries,”
By Patricia Tribastone

Artist Patricia Tribastone has donated this pastel painting, titled “Plum, Pear, Quince, and Cherries,” to be raffled off to benefit View. Tickets are $10 each, or three for $20, and can be purchased at View.

The drawing will be held at the end of the Northeast National Pastel Exhibition, which closes on June 30.

Leslie Bailey, View staff

Monday, May 7, 2012

“View”ing Art Elsewhere


Art students from the Town of Webb School traveled to Williamstown, Mass. with art teacher Robert Fountain and View staffers Barb Getty and Leslie Bailey to view the artwork at The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute and the Williams College Museum of Art on Thursday, May 3. We were greeted on arrival by Robert and Barbara Hadden, who provided us with a delicious lunch and an overview of what to expect at the Clark.

We then broke into two groups, each with a docent, for an hour-long guided tour, followed by some time on our own to explore and revisit our favorite pieces. The list of artists on display there involves some serious name dropping: Renoir, Degas, Monet, Picasso, Remington, Sargent, Cassatt, Winslow Homer, Toulouse-Lautrec, and many others.

We then headed over to the Williams College Museum of Art to see their current exhibits. The above photo was taken outside the museum where there were several intriguing sculptures of eyes by American artist Louise Bourgeois. We couldn’t resist them!

It was certainly an inspiring day. We all learned a tremendous amount about art and how museums function, as well as what kinds of jobs/careers exist in the art field.

--Leslie Bailey, View staff

Friday, April 20, 2012

“Spurt” by Melinda McDaniel

“Spurt,” created by Melinda McDaniel in 2009, is currently on display at View as part of the "Paper Anniversary" exhibit. It is an intriguing piece because it changes over time. The strips of paper gradually fall, but the piece can be turned around and re-hung so the drooping process can start all over again.

Here’s what it looked like when it was first hung in early March 2012.


Here’s what it looks like on April 20, 2012.


I asked Melinda if she would like to comment on the piece for this blog post. Here’s what she said.

“The weight of the paper will shift depending on which wire the work is hung from. I like for the paper to be sticking out from the panel, but over time, the weight of the paper pulls it to hang downward. When the opposite wire is used, it gives the paper a chance to hang in the opposite direction, and in this process the paper sticks straight out, but only for a short amount of time.

“The explanation above contributes to the name of the piece -- I felt the strips of paper appeared to be spurting out from the panel.

“I made the work in reference to the piece Accession II by Eva Hesse. The Detroit Institute of Art has an excellent feature on this piece:
http://www.dia.org/object-info/aeebe5e6-e1a7-47f5-8da7-82320e0ecb2e.aspx.

“ ‘Spurt’ is made with unprocessed color photo paper. The paper is pulled directly from its protective light-tight bag into white light -- something you would normally never do with this type of paper (to photographers, this would be instantly ruining the paper). This web link leads to images of the work on my website:
http://melindamcdaniel.com/Spurt.html
“The first two images, where the paper appears blue in color, were taken in 2009 when the work was first created. The last image, where the paper appears to be a light tan color was made in 2012 and shows the shift in color the paper has had due to exposure to light over time. When you look at the back of the panel, you can still see the blue color of the paper and this is because the back of the panel rarely gets exposed to light.” 

 Spurt reminds me of a big gentle, scrub brush or a giant shredder in progress. It tickles my fancy, but I have so far resisted the urge to touch it. Touching is not allowed, by the way. I think another View viewer may have been inspired by “Spurt.” These strips were created and hung above the Creation Stations in the “Rock, Paper, Scissors” exhibit.



Come view, create, and vote for your favorite entry in the “Rock, Paper, Scissors” exhibit. The winner gets a prize! The exhibit closes on May 6.

--Leslie Bailey, View staff

Friday, March 23, 2012

One, Two, Three...Shoot!


Who hasn’t played the game “Rock, Paper, Scissors”?  You know, when you’re too lazy to get off the couch to let the dog out (or back in, or out again), you turn to your couch-mate and say, “I’ll shoot you for it.” One, two, three…shoot: paper covers rock, rock dulls scissors, and scissors cut paper. Loser lets the dog out.

“Rock, Paper, Scissors” is also the theme exhibit currently on display at View, in conjunction with “Paper Anniversary,” an invitational exhibit of paper art, and “Solar Botany,” paintings by Bert Leighton  in the Eco Gallery. The theme exhibit is an open show of visual and written work. This sculpture by Kim Dittrich is called "Totem." In the background, you can see two of the paintings in the show.


This year, there are also three creation stations for viewers to add their own interpretations of the theme to the exhibit.


Created works are displayed on bulletin boards in the gallery. Come be inspired at View. You won’t believe what some artists can do with paper, or how much creativity can be generated from a simple game. Add your creativity to the mix. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite entry in the theme exhibit. The winner gets a prize!
--Leslie Bailey, View staff