Festivals

by Buff This is a season of festivals – Hanukah and Thanksgiving, for two. Giving thanks for miracles, for friends, family, health. Rejoicing in lights as we head into the dark winter. My brother and sister-in-law are currently in Chiang Mai, Thailand. They recently participated in an annual festival of lights, called Yi Peng, which involves releasing floating lanterns into the air. The lanterns are paper with candles inside, and the hot air allows the lanterns to ascend. Your lantern also carries your hopes and wishes for the coming year. As you can see from the photo, it is a spectacular sight! The Thais also enjoy fireworks, (as do I) but this gentle sky full of tiny lights puts fireworks to shame. Another festival that was celebrated at the same time was Loi Krathong. Participants release krathongs, which are little boats of palm leaves, flowers, incense sticks and candles, into the river. They not only show respect to the river, but let feelings of bad deeds and unworthy thoughts leave them along with the boats. We should all take a lesson from these festivals. We need to show more respect for rivers and all of nature’s other glories, and more humility to own up to our bad thoughts and let them go. We need more gentle, meaningful celebrations of light in our lives, and less noise and gunpowder.

Bittersweet

A THING of beauty is a joy for ever:

Its loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness; but still will keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

From Endymion, by John Keats

Fall’s display has turned to shades of brown. The once bright leaves crackle underfoot and blow in the wind. But two delights linger on: bittersweet and winterberries. Their brilliant reds and oranges quickly draw the eye, and they have been a source of pleasure for me every year. But this has now become a “bittersweet” experience. I never knew until now that there are two varieties of bittersweet. The indigenous American variety only has berries at the tips of the vines. An invasive and far more common variety, native to eastern Asia, was introduced in the 1860s. On the invasive variety, the berries grow along the length of the vines, and the vines have a tendency to engulf and slowly kill surrounding vegetation. It’s sad to discover that such a beautiful vine is engaged in a silent war with our native flora. Purple loosestrife and teasel are two other such plants that come to mind. I think that nature has always been a force of change and evolution. Nothing is stagnant, nothing is forever, and the transport of invasive species by mankind only accelerates an eternal process already carried out by birds, animals and the elements. But however you rationalize or try to justify such a process, the visual experience is forever changed. Keats’ observation must be followed by Prospero’s rejoinder, “Tis new to thee”. By Tom

I'm my Grandson's VIP!!! by Cate

When my Grandson, Carter, asked me to come to his class to be his VIP, I was flattered. Then I began to wonder what the heck to talk about to 20 first grader's....for 45 minutes. Yikes! Carter likes to make and wear jewelry, and he even made a few glass beads with me. So I figured we would all make a simple necklace with beads I made especially for them. I made about 30 sets of 6 beads in all different colors and had lengths of colored hemp cord ready to string. The kids loved looking at all the beads and picking their favorite color. First I showed them how to string the beads on the cord.

Then the teacher, 2 helpers and my step-daughter, Chrisana, went around the classroom helping the kids with me.

Here I am helping my Grandson, Carter.

After we were done with the necklaces, I gave each child a colorful glass magnet with their name on it. Carter says that the kids are still talking about what fun it was. Here we all are at the end of the session. It was a great experience for me.

Objects Lost and Found by Robert

Just about one hundred years ago, Picasso began to incorporate unexpected new materials into his drawings, pasting them directly onto the paper.  Columns of type and newspaper headlines became abstract elements in his compositions. Capital letters in headlines were used for their shapes rather than for their original meaning.  The technique became known as Collage, from the French word “coller,” to paste.

Picasso also added areas of wallpaper, veneers, and other materials for texture and color.  Later, in his very original sculptures, pieces of wood, metals, even a toy car which could stand in for an animal’s head. Such preexisting elements came to be known as Found Objects.

Since then, it has become accepted practice to incorporate found materials into art works. Pieces of driftwood have been used in sculpture for their curved forms; fabric pieces for their colors and textures, various papers, plastics and many more. 

I find it exciting to use a wide range of found objects in my own works (sculptures and collages).  Recently discovering some old corrugated cardboard, I used it for its interesting grooves and textures.  Tiny wooden balls, ropes, seashells and parts of old clamps have found their way into some of my three-dimensional works.

This freedom to include found objects is so general that it has been used in school art classes from early grades to adult levels.  Hobbyists also choose materials from a wide variety of sources. 

Hooray for found objects!

You Never Know. . .

by Hank

Several years ago I was asked to show my woodcrafts along with five other craft artists at the Catskill Art Society when they were in Hurleyville,  NY. The show was low-key and if I remember correctly, I sold two or three pieces.

Several months later I received a phone call from a women asking me to create and  install a decorative wood plaque in a new retail store in NYC. Of course I did the installation and was paid very well for it.

When I asked her how she heard of me she told me she saw my work at the CAS craft show, and contacted the  curator to find me

.

A few weeks ago I showed my work along with the other members of The Catskill Artists Gallery at Port Jervis, NY at a street fair. The show was well attended, but had very few sales. In the afternoon a woman approached me and asked me if I was interested in doing an industrial sculpture for a local business. 

I met with them a week ago to talk the project over and to give them an idea of the cost.  Time will tell if get the commission.

I am one of those people who learns by doing -- the more I show my work, the more I learn.  You can never tell where commissioned work will come from.

 

"Threads" at the Cutting Garden, Youngsville, NY

by Buff

I will be part of a fiber art show at the Cutting Garden/Domesticities on Route 52 in Youngsville, NY.  The opening reception is on Saturday, October 26 from 4-6 p.m. and the show will run through November 24.  There will be six artists represented, four of whom have connections with CAG. 

When we had the gallery open on Main Street in Liberty, Helena Claire Pittman was a charter member and Jane Blake and Leslie Shaw Zadoian were consignors.  I don’t know Wilfredo Aponte or Lisa Maria Hermanson, but I look forward to meeting them and seeing their beautiful works in person. 

The artists are:

Wilfredo Aponte, who has been sewing since he was a young boy; with his gift for color and shape, he creates jewel-like wall hangings and kites that dance.

Jane Blake paints on silk, creating works exploding with saturated color, often inspired by her love of gardening.  Her work is as luminous as stained glass. 

Lisa Marie Hermanson is a collagist who explores textures of all kinds.  Her blue cross-stitch embroidered works, suggesting movement and light, will be featured in this show.

Helena Claire Pittman is a painter who noticed the possibilities in her paint rags.  She fell in love with them, and started quilting them into works in their own right.

Leslie Shaw Zadoian assembles her monumental works using cloth, hardware, found objects, and paint.  In this show, she is exhibiting her assemblages of fabric and thread, which are no less amazing. 

And me?   I usually create large, bold, colorful collaged fabric wall hangings, but for this show, I’m going to have some smaller works --  just as bold and bright, but fitting my ideas into a smaller scale.  I’ll also be showing my collaged placemats in an array of bright prints.   

Fiber art is often regarded as “craft.”  Sewing, quilting – women’s work.  It is slowly gaining recognition as real art, and it is wonderful that Anne Hart at the Cutting Garden is sponsoring a fiber art show. 

For those of you who don’t know, the Cutting Garden is literally a garden, where, in season, you can buy flowers or vegetables, directly off the plant.  You can’t get any fresher than that!  The store, Domesticities, is filled with antiques, vintage collectibles, fair trade items, and work by local artisans.  There’s also a barn crammed with goodies. Check them out at www.thecuttinggarden.org  or call 845-482-3333 for further information.  And come to the show!



"Amazon" by Leslie Shaw Zadoian



"Celestial Carpet" by Lisa Marie Hermanson



"Vessel I" by Buff McAllister





"The Cave" by Jane Blake

 



"House" by Wilfredo Aponte

 

Autumn

By Tom

I am thoroughly enjoying autumn’s change of seasons.  I doubt that the wildflowers are any better or worse than other years, but I’m noticing and enjoying them more than usual. The abundant asters splash our roadsides with whites and purples.  The trees are turning nicely and adding yellows, reds and browns to the mix of colors.  This preponderance of color drastically changes its weight as a compositional element in my photographs. It changes my thought process and also gives me a sense of urgency, because the colors will peak, then gradually fade into the browns and whites of winter.  

Next weekend, the Catskill Artists Gallery will participate in 41^st Annual Fall Festival in Sugar Loaf, NY.  It is a three day event, October 12, 13 and 14, from 10am to 6pm.  The festival is a perfect destination for a fall foliage expedition, and a wonderful opportunity to find unique holiday gifts.  Come see us!