The Arts

Iconic Landscapes and Everyday Icons at Windham Fine Arts

Windham Fine Arts is excited to present an unusual, unique pairing of artists to kick off our winter season! We welcome back Kevin Cook, a well known Hudson Valley painter, and we welcome NYC painter Gail Postal, a recent addition to WFA! Both of our artists create representational works. Representing reality in a way that has deeper meaning allows us to reflect on larger meanings as we head into the holiday season. WFA curator Christine Case chose to play on the word “icon” in this show’s title because its most elemental meaning is from the Greek word for “image” or “likeness”. Both artists are “realists” in that the starting point is the depiction of something perceivable to anyone’s eye, not solely a creation of the artist’s interior eye. Kevin Cook observes and seeks to honor the beauty of our regional landscape, inspired as so many before him. Gail Postal depicts people, drawing models from life through close observation.

But while both depict the reality before their eyes, creating “likenesses,” both also suffuse their subjects with deeper meanings through the manipulation of their chosen medium. The landscape, and the figure, most generically described, becomes representative symbols of something larger. The Romantic traditions created for our country an icon of American beauty, something that symbolized to us and the rest of the world both the rugged beauty and hopeful light that itself was symbolic of the American pursuit. To quote Kevin, “Although my subjects are largely familiar local scenes, they serve merely as a framework or vehicle for expressing the spiritual truths I seek. The works are largely unpopulated, quiet, still, emphasizing an inner peace or the spirit of each place. Aspects of the work indicate inspiration, eternal life, the passage of time, and the process of nature.”

Throughout history, various cultures have created concrete images whose function was to inspire, instruct the faithful, support the sacred, ornament structures, or console the careworn. These images were called icons. Gail Postal was moved by such icons when she encountered them on a trip to Russia. As so often happens in an artist’s life, this encounter found its way into her work. Gail does not see her models as mere “subjects”—she gets to know them, their stories, and their life situations. The emotional life and integrity of these common people are what inspires Gail, and so she in turn signifies this inspiration with the settings she provides for her subjects—richly hued raiment, gold backgrounds, serene expressions.

The opening reception for Iconic Landscapes and Portraits of Everyday Icons is Saturday, December 12, from 5 to 8 pm in the gallery. The exhibition runs through January 24. Windham Fine Arts is also hosting the Sixth Annual Winter Wine Tasting and Auction to benefit the Adaptive Sports Foundation on December 26 at 6 pm. It’s an excellent cause and a wonderfully fun event—contact the gallery for details.

Windham Fine Arts is located at 5380 Main Street, Windham, NY. Gallery hours are Thursday through Monday from 12 to 5 pm, Saturday until 7 pm and also by appointment. For more information, visit www.windhamfinearts.com or call 518 734 6850.

Vassar Celebrates the Work of the Northern Renaissance’s Greatest Artist in Albrecht Dürer: Impressions of the Renaissance

Albrecht Dürer: Impressions of the Renaissance, an exhibition organized by the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College, will feature 41 works celebrating the world of Albrecht Dürer, one of the greatest artists of the Northern Renaissance. All except one of the prints will be drawn from the permanent collection of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, renowned for its Old Master print collection. The exhibition will run through Thursday, December 24.

The exhibition will illustrate the relatively new art of printmaking, in which Dürer injected “a profound pictorial flair and emphasis on original design, marking a new stage in the history of the medium,” according to exhibition curator Phagan. With his virtuosic technique and painterly eye, Phagan noted: “Dürer raised the level of engraving and woodcut to new heights that stunned his European contemporaries.”

Included in the exhibition will be 19 prints by Dürer, which feature several beautifully inked, fresh impressions by the artist from the Art Center’s Felix M. Warburg Collection of Old Master prints, given to the college in the early 1940s. Engravings by several of Dürer’s contemporaries also will be on view, including the “Little Masters” of German printmaking and Italian printmakers such as Marcantonio Raimondi.

Some of the themes, which will be illustrated within the exhibition include:

• the revival of interest in classical antiquity, with prints including Hercules at the Crossroads;

• portraits of intellectuals, including Willibald Pirckheimer, Erasmus, and Philip Melanchthon;

• writing by contemporary theological scholars, including Desiderius Erasmus and by Dürer’s neighbor and friend, Lazarus Spengler;

• and illustrations of biblical and allegorical stories, including Adam and Eve, St. Jerome in his Study, and Melencolia I.

Phagan will also pair fragmentary sculptural reliefs from the ancient classical period (also from the permanent collection) with some of the classically inspired prints. In addition, the Latin edition of the Nuremberg Chronicle, of 1493, and one other early printed book (both on loan from Special Collections, Vassar College Library) will be on view.

Phagan noted that Dürer, who made printmaking his principal medium, revolutionized it by treating his prints as fine art rather than craft. Growing up in the “bookish ferment of Nuremberg,” she noted he might even have contributed woodcuts to the Nuremberg Chronicle, published by Durer’s godfather Anton Koberger, one of the principal printer publishers in Nuremberg. The Nuremberg Chronicle became the world’s first encyclopedia of places, people, and their histories, with its hundreds of illustrations rooted in the flattened, rudimentary style of Gothic illuminated manuscripts.

“With keen curiosity and a modest formal education, Dürer interacted with leading humanists and scholars of the northern Renaissance, an exciting period when the spread of resurrected texts and classical art sparked a fashionable cultural revolution in his native Nuremberg,” remarked Phagan. Their discussions and friendships inform many of his prints, which became monuments in the history of printmaking.”

Some of the ideas Dürer illustrated in his prints stem in part from his conversations with scholars and their knowledge of ancient and contemporary literature made available in first and newly published editions, according to Phagan. For instance, she noted, he often discussed intellectual issues with his dearest friend Willibald Pirckheimer, a Nuremberg scholar and translator who studied at the Universities of Padua and Pavia and whose engraved portrait by Dürer is in the exhibition. Pirckheimer amassed a private library of classical texts and was at the center of the elite humanist circle in Nuremberg.

One of the engravings that will be featured in the exhibition is Dürer’s Hercules at the Crossroads. Based upon the tale of Prodicus, as told by Xenophon, the engraving depicts the moment when the future hero “must decide his road in life, whether to follow the difficult path of virtue or venture down the more convenient one of pleasure,” Phagan explained. “Dürer’s design in this work melded story with knowledge of contemporary Italian art, especially engravings by Mantegna, such as his Battle of the Sea Gods.”

Other influences on Dürer include knowledge of contemporary Florentine humanist sources, such as the writings of Poliziano. These may be seen in the artist’s Nemesis, or “The Large Fortune,” which will also be on view in the exhibition. “Here a formidable, severe goddess with ‘whirring wings’ walking and ‘floating in empty air’ oversees the destiny of a valley and village far below,” Phagan noted.

The fragmentary classical reliefs in the exhibition, of satyrs, winged figures, and other iconic subjects of the ancient period, vividly illustrate the classical world’s hold upon the imaginations of Dürer and his contemporaries according to Phagan. During this same era with the rise of humanism, there was a revived interest in classical motifs. Both the ideas of humanism and the classical imagery attracted Dürer, she said, and helped to propel his prints of classical gods and goddesses, sea monsters, and satyrs, as well as his portraits of scholars.

The exhibition also explores how the new theological writings stimulated Dürer and his contemporaries. These writings inspired and propelled their prints of St. Jerome, biblical figures, Satan, and Death. Indeed, Phagan remarked, there was much scholarly activity at the time on St. Jerome, by Desiderius Erasmus and by Dürer’s neighbor and friend, Lazarus Spengler, among others.

The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center is located at the entrance to the Vassar College campus in Poughkeepsie. Admission is free. The art center is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 am-5 pm; Thursday, 10 am-9 pm; and Sunday, 1-5 pm. For more information, call 845 437 5632 or visit fllac.vassar.edu.

Ulster Ballet Company Presents “A Christmas Carol” at UPAC

On Friday, December 4 through Sunday, December 6, the Ulster Ballet Company (UBC) will present its spectacular production of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic, A Christmas Carol, at the Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) in Kingston, NY. After you see Jim Carrey in the animated version of the story, come and be dazzled by another unique, original interpretation of this classic story of a man who learns the most important lessons in his life and is given a second chance to make things right! Exquisitely choreographed with stunning costumes and set designs, this production captures the hearts of audiences of all ages.

The Ulster Ballet Company is in its 32nd year of bringing area residents innovative and creative dance entertainment. UBC has grown to include the talents of many area residents, not only dancers but artists, choreographers, stage professionals, actors, writers, and publicists. The enormous amount of talent located in the Hudson Valley has made UBC a strong, highly regarded force within the dance and theatre community. The Artistic Directors of the Ulster Ballet Company are Scarlett Fiero and Quiedo Carbone.

A Christmas Carol will be performed on Friday, December 4 at 8 pm; Saturday, December 5 at 8 pm and Sunday, December 6 at 2 pm. Tickets are $19 for adults, $15 for students and senior citizens. For reservations call the UPAC box office at 845 339 6088. UPAC is located at 601 Broadway in Kingston. For more information visit www.ulsterballet.org or www.upac.org.

On Thursday, December 3 at 10 am, a special full-length performance for area students will be presented at reduced ticket prices. For information on tickets for the school performance go to www.ulsterballet.org, click on the Christmas Carol page, then click on the link or call 845 246 4316.

David Ellingsen: HIBERNUS … a winter study at Galerie BMG

Galerie BMG is pleased to host the exhibition of “Hibernus…a winter study” by Canadian photographer David Ellingsen. For this series, David collected natural plants during the final stages of their being. Chosen for their beauty of form and graphic possibilities, they represent a respect and appreciation for the worth of the latter part of the life cycle.

The Polaroid 55PN film used to capture this collection—an excellent, fine-grained, textured film, rich with organic imperfections—is also at the end of its lifespan. Due to the changing demands in photographic technology, the film was discontinued in 2008, despite its decades of peerless performance.

In simple terms, the subjects were chosen to match the medium, to question how we overlook the beauty and value in what has aged. The resulting photographs, created in-studio, hand-processed in the darkroom, solarized during the development process and printed to archival, museum exhibition standards, achieve the same level of beauty and elegance as their subjects.

David’s fine art photographs have appeared in numerous solo and group exhibitions and have received awards and prizes from a variety of organizations including the International Photography Awards in Los Angeles, Black & White Magazine in San Francisco, PX3 in Paris and Applied Arts in Toronto.

“Hibernus….a winter study” will be on display from December 4, 2009 through January 11, 2010. Galerie BMG is located at 12 Tannery Brook Road in Woodstock. Winter gallery hours are Friday 12-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm, Monday 12-5 pm or other times by appointment. For more information, please call 845 679 0027.

Shandaken Gift & Artist Studio Tour December 5 & 6

Still searching for that uniquely personal gift? From trinkets to treasures, be sure to include the Shandaken Gift & Art Studio Tour on your December 5 and 6 shopping itinerary. (Shandaken is home to Belleayre Mountain ski area and just down the road from Hunter.) Pick up a free tour map at any of these shops and galleries: Tender Land Home, The Arts Upstairs, 60 Main, Cabane Studios, Nest Egg, Wren’s Nest, Threads of Time, Cher Laughlin Home Design, Skin Flower, and Mystery Spot in the hamlet of Phoenicia, Barneche and Hot Stuff Blown Glass on Route 214 in Chichester, Blue Barn on Route 28, or in Pine Hill at Cloudspinners and the Community Center.

The tour highlights colorful shops offering fine craftwork and art galleries in the area, and gives you the opportunity to visit the homes and studios of artists from Mt. Tremper to Belleayre. Unique jewelry, hand-painted clothing for children and adults, blown glass, lovingly restored furniture, distinctive Catskill Mountain lamps made from beautifully-grained split logs, one-of-a-kind home decor items such as pillows from antique textiles, books, offbeat memorabilia from the 50’s and 60’s, antiques and fine art are all right here in our quaint hamlets or up country roads. Even give a gift of body art! Artists and craftspeople include Christie Scheele, Patricia Charnay, Dave Channon, Judith Singer, Anique Taylor, Andrea Cabane, Ralph Persons, Richard Treitner, Heiki Krebs, Rita Schwab, JeriLynn Babroff, Bennett Wine, Chip Gallagher, Lucy Lasky, Wendy Grossman, Sunday Dawne-Marie, Laura Levine and more.

Lunch or dine on brick-oven pizza or fine cuisine, explore byway views of mountains and rushing streams, enjoy the crisp invigorating air. Enjoy a day in the country, and support the local economy by giving fine art and crafts made right here in New York.

For more information, go online to www.ShandakenArt.com or call 845 688 2977.

Special Holiday in the Village Open House Concert: Strawberry Hill Fiddlers

This year, on Sunday December 6, the Saugerties Pro Musica special “Holiday in the Village” Open House Concert features the Strawberry Hill Fiddlers. The concert, titled: “Strings in a Winter Wonderland”, features seasonal music and poetry performed by young Hudson Valley string musicians. We are guaranteed an energetic and rollicking good time. The musical selections have yet to be announced, but a collection of traditional songs from all eras will be performed. This will put you in the Holiday spirit for sure!

For the next concert after the Strawberry Hill Fiddlers, Saugerties Pro Musica opens 2010 with a January 17 concert by the Vinca String Quartet. Later performances will include jazz pianist Lee Shaw, organist Gregory D’Agostino, the Palisades Virtuosi Trio and other brilliant musicians through next May. For a full calendar of concerts visit www.saugertiespromusica.org or call 845 246 5021.

All concerts are on Sunday at 3 pm. Saugerties Pro Musica sponsors the concerts held at the Saugerties United Methodist Church on the corner of Washington Avenue & Post Street in Saugerties. Admission prices are adults $12, aeniors $10, and students with ID are always FREE!

Out of Hand, a Fine Crafts Exhibit at the Roxbury Arts Group

Over fifty of the finest regional fine-arts craftspeople will be included in Out of Hand, a crafts show presented by The Roxbury Arts Group. The exhibit runs through December 19 in both the Old Bank and Walt Meade Galleries. Just in time for the holidays, all work will be for sale and available to take away at the time of purchase.

Nat Thomas and Jill Cline searched, reviewed and selected the craftspeople represented in this show. Cline says, “Our goal in putting this exhibit together was to be uncompromising about the caliber of the work.” There will be works crafted from wood, glass, paper, silver and more. Among the craftspeople represented are Allen Barbieri and Mary Certoma, Richard Connell, Jean Duffy, Rusty Dorr, Enid Cytryn, Sandy Valk, Theresa May-O’Brien, Martha Guthrie, Elizabeth Niellds, Barbara Mellon Kolb, Rachel Pollen and many many more.

The Walt Meade Gallery is at 5025 Vega Mt. Rd. in Roxbury. The Old Bank Gallery is at 53484 St. Rte. 30 in Roxbury. The galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm or by appointment. For more information, call 607 326 7908.