Beacon Bits -- Wide Open

It is time to celebrate the opening of some of the cultural institutions in the Hudson Valley. It is a good reason to support the nonprofit venues with a membership, whether it is a new one or an early renewal, for the mutual benefits of showing appreciation for the arts along with the perks that are being offered to the member. One such benefit of membership is early entry before opening day for the public, as well as continued offerings for appointment times that may not be otherwise available to the public.

I had the foresight to make an appointment to go to Dia Beacon on a members-only day prior to its scheduled opening. The appreciation of the familiar exhibits, as well as a few new ones that were installed since my last visit, was the backdrop to have conversation with the staff who were back to work after four months away from their on-site schedule, and to take in the open space and light and what I found myself calling, the 'sights of silence.'

There was a contrast between a slight sense of agoraphobia when walking in the cavernous building where some exhibits had been taken down and claustrophobia if one decided to traverse the ship-like structures of Richard Serra that contain a labyrinthine like path to a center that feels narrow and deep. The both/and of the open sense of the space as well as the movement into the contained spaces felt like a metaphor for what is being endured during this pandemic: an open-ended sense of uncertainty along with a sense of being closed down and restricted. However, they are in justaposition with each other, almost in an accordion-like fashion, so that there is both an expansive movement into the unknown with the anxiety of uncertainty followed by a limited and finite movement into the here and now.

Food for thought:  An outing, an adventure, an excursion is necessary for an outlet from the ordinary day-to-day activities during this prolonged shutdown. There are benefits to making some plans to regain a sense of control, albeit an illusion, and only within a limited context, but it is exercising choice and free will. It is good to remember that freedom comes from exercising options that are diverse and close at hand, without choosing to be unsafe or reckless, and that the arts can influence our experience in extraordinary ways during these rare times.

Beacon Bits -- "Three Graces" of Beacon

 

The "Three Graces" in Greek mythology (i.e., referred to as the Charites, and also known as the Gratiae in Roman mythology) were said to be goddesses of charm, beauty, and creativity. I was reminded during the second Saturday celebration of the tenth anniversary of RiverWinds Gallery that we have our very own "Three Graces" here in Beacon: Linda T. Hubbard, Mary Ann Glass and Virginia Donovan. 

Virginia, Linda and Mary Ann (left to right)

As partners and co-owners of RiverWinds, they opened their doors at 172 Main Street, representing 12 artists in 2003, just months after DiaBeacon came to the waterfront in the renovated Nabisco factory. The gallery now shows up to 45 diverse artists who hail from the Hudson Valley. Beacon's "Three Graces" are all accomplished artists in their own right; Linda is a photographer and supporter of the arts, Mary Ann is a photographer and workshop creator, and Virginia is a painter and jewelry designer. In addition, Linda Hubbard was instrumental in founding the Beacon Arts Community Association (formerly called BACA, now known as BeaconArts), as well as Art Along the Hudson, and has been awarded several honors for her involvement and support for the arts. And Mary Ann hosted a workshop in a Tuscan villa last year and has a pictorial blog, which I follow, featuring her stunning photos that highlight the beauty of the valley.

 

 

 

Some food for thought:  Inspiration and prescience are special gifts. Being present at the right time and taking advantage of an opportunity takes intuition but the ability to succeed also takes foresight and planning. But being a visionary takes faith to move ahead and proceeds with grace. Beacon is fortunate to have had the artistic and entrepreneurial talents of these three women who wanted to connect to the artistic revival happening in Beacon and to leave their own legacy as they moved into the developmental phase of life where one looks to practice generativity. One could call them "muses" as  well --- the goddesses of inspiration for the arts. But whatever they are called, we are also being called to find the inspiration to follow our bliss, make our mark, and follow our destiny. It is great to have so many wonderful goddesses to be our role models. Thank you Linda, Mary Ann and Virginia!









Make an inspirational visit to RiverWinds Gallery the next time you stroll along Main Street

 

 





Beacon Bits -- A Full Basket

On November 1^st, I went to a lovely BeaconArts Awards event, sponsored by "BACA" and held in the Waterfall Room at The Roundhouse. It was the opportunity to look at Beacon Falls from the other side.

 

I felt a bit like Alice peering through the looking glass as I looked across the room into the twinkling street lights and back lighting against the rushing falls. The event space is grand in stature; as I entered and walked down the industrial staircase into the depth of what was once a factory with its remnant beams and bricks, it felt magical as transformed space from its humble working class beginnings into a chic, upscale, visually appealing party space. My only hope is that the acoustics are improved so that the banter of the gathered crowd doesn’t reverberate off the sleek glass and steel design; despite the protestation of the owner-general contractor, it appears that the signal to noise ratio needs tweaking for those who suffer from auditory distractions. It would be an easy fix. (Feeling inspired by my first taste of the Roundhouse, I went back to the restaurant Swift a week later, and found the quiet ambiance and food to be comforting and very appealing.)





Back to the purpose of the early November-evening event: to celebrate 10 years of BeaconArts (formerly known as BACA) by honoring Susan Sayre Batton, representing the Dia Beacon Museum; Margery Groten, representing the Long Dock Beacon project for Scenic Hudson; and Thom Joyce, local musician/entrepreneur and one of the founders of Second Saturday Beacon. The actual awards that were gifted to the honorees were blown glass masterpieces from our local Hudson Beach Glass and were presented by John Gilvey, Katy & Buddy Behney (owners of Mountain Tops, another Beacon ‘power couple’) and Jennifer Mackiewicz, respectively.

Welcoming remarks by Linda T. Hubbard, President of BeaconArts and owner of Riverwinds, highlighted the history of the 10 year old organization whose membership include those invested in the cultural and economic viability of Beacon – artists, shops, restaurants, galleries, and individuals who support the arts. The crowd attested to the heterogeneity of its membership. There were even three mayors present – two from the past (Clara Lou Gould and Steve Gold) – and our current mayor, Randy Casale, who made the announcement that a trolley would begin a route from the Dia and train station up to Main Street on a part-time basis; an announcement that was well-received by attendees. Bob McAlpine, owner of The Roundhouse, also spoke about the renaissance and forward movement of continued construction of a transformed Beacon that many have envisioned for more than the last 10 years and acknowledged the support of Rhinebeck Savings Bank.

 

This was a celebration that marked progress and heralded further positive change on the horizon. Everyone in attendance seemed pleased with being a part of the community, in small or big ways, with or without awards. After all, that is how the work really gets done. People keep showing up and little by little, like the incessant drip of water on the stone, all the rough edges get smoothed away. Awards or not, Beacon’s diamond in the rough appeal to so many individuals who keep moving into the community has all the evidence of multiple facets that are emerging and shining ever so brightly.

 

At the end of the evening, two baskets of donated gifts from Beacon’s brightest and best were raffled off; I had a winning number and won the second basket to my delight! It’s the second time I’ve won a raffle at a Beacon fundraiser in less than a year. Seems like my luck is changing and it’s a good time to take a chance on Beacon; the odds are in favor of more good things to come.

 

Some food for thought: I once heard a Yiddish saying, which translated says, ‘change your location, change your luck.’ It seems like this has been true for me. Beacon has been good luck for me. I was also reminded after the event when thinking of this good fortune that I was told by my mother that she would 'win something big' for me before she died. Amazing at it seems, I think she delivered; thanks mom.....rest in peace.

List of Vendor Donations for My Best of Beacon Basket #2

Thanks to everyone for your generosity!

Dia Beacon

Riverwinds Gallery

Gourmetibles

Mtn. Tops

Tas Kafe

Theo Ganz Studio

Artisan Wine Shop

Dream in Plastic

Fabrication

reclaimed

Brother’s Trattoria

M Shanghai Band

 

 

 

 

Beacon Bits -- Only the Best

I just finished a two-week "stay-cation" in the Hudson Valley. I don't think there is a more perfect time of the year to experience the variation of weather conditions that are invigorating as the leaves go through their medley of colorful changes. I had the full gamut from frost to fog to the finest and clearest of days that suggested the need for a morning wrap, which unfolded during the day as the clouds marked the advancing time to an earlier sunset and need to bundle up once again. But what better time of year than this to have some freedom and lots of choice for a variety of events that are as plentiful as the multitude of apples for the munching. (Oddly enough, to the day of our early snowstorm this time last year, the weather is once again on my mind as I chose to post this blog today while taking an extended vacation day in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy.)

 

I sampled the annual Woodstock Film Festival at the Upstate Films in Rhinebeck with a viewing of the documentary Chasing Ice, which provides the visual evidence of climate change with James Balog's time-lapse photographs; they convincingly capture the dwindling size of glaciers (EIS.) A picture is worth a thousand words. See it to believe it.

I attended the Friends of Boscobel Applefest on a glorious Sunday afternoon under a tent on the lawn of this historical landmark in Cold Spring. Enchanting. Despite the bee sting.



 

I went to the Francis Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie for the first time and know that it will be the first of many visits; next time I will take the 2pm tour led by a docent who is an art history major at the school. What an amazing valley treasure!

I made a quick stop at the Apple Pie Bakery at the CIA in Hyde Park and spent a leisurely half-day at the famous Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck. Yum :)

I didn't make it to Manitoga, home of designer Russell Wright, because of the flooding deluge of rain on the scheduled day of the hike-tour. (Oddly, it's the second time I didn't make the tour; last year it was canceled by the October snowstorm! Beware 10/29 when making plans for next year!!) But the rainy day was the perfect opportunity to go to the Dia Museum in Beacon for a walk in and around the large installation sculptures housed in the renovated Nabisco box factory; a space with north facing clerestory windows that made the most dreary day bearable with the presence of its inner light and the diffuse autumnal colors through the opaque glass windows to the south, east and west.

In between these wonderful outings and catching up with errands and house projects, other enjoyable local events on Main Street in Beacon included an author's event at BIRE where Trudie Grace, curator at the Putnam Historical Museum, presented a slide talk about the history of Cold Spring (Images of America: Around Cold Spring, www.arcadiapublishing.com) and two wine tastings at the Artisan Wine Shop: Wines of the Loire Valley (10/7/12) and Wines of Spain (10/21/12.)

 

 

I've already described the classes that CIA grads Tim Buzinski and Mei Ying So host at their specialty wine shop in a previous blog (see 4/6/12 posting), but the joy of watching this

 

 

Beacon "power couple" at work is worth mentioning repeatedly.  Both classes allowed their expertise to shine: Tim and Mei had just visited vintners in the Loire Valley, so we saw their personal slide show for a visual representation of the olfactory and gustatory pleasures at hand.

 

 



We learned about Sancerre and Vouvray (my favorite), cabernet franc and Muscadet. We sampled and commented and tasted an array of complementary goat cheeses, a marriage made in the Loire valley, and longed for more as we were assured that these wines are particularly appropriate for the autumnal weather and fare.

 

The encore event took us to Spain where we found out about Tim's passion (yes, above and beyond his usual enthusiasm) for Spanish regional wines including sherry, rioja, malvasia and  regional delights from Galicia, Andalucia and the Canary Islands. I sensed something special was going to happen when the usual six glasses for tasting had multiplied to nine, along with exquisitely paired tapas; the nine glasses were a lot to handle for an evening, but with bottles to go, they will be there for further enjoyment with "big food", friends and family. (I must admit I was too busy to take photos at this tasting.)

 

I especially appreciate Mei's 'behind the scenes' touches that make the presentation and organization of materials for personalized tasting notes a treasure to keep for future reference.  While the tastings book-ended my vacation, the good news is that there are two more to come: Wines for Holiday Meals (11/10/12) and Sparkling Wines from Champagne to Prosecco (12/5) with food pairings; bound to be true gifts of the season.

 

Some Food for Thought:

While I was driving along our local roads, such as 9D, from Breakneck down to Bear Mountain on weekends during the month of October, I couldn't help but think -- when or if Indian Point melts down -- I really hope it's not during the height of the annual autumnal pilgrimage of leaf peeping, mountain climbing, apple and pumpkin picking and oompah-pahing during Octoberfest. We would surely go up in a blaze of glory.  www.closeindianpoint.org