The Artful Mind March 2010

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THEODORE COLLATOS, FILM MAKER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIE MCCARTHY Berkshire Artzine Berkshire Artzine THE THE ARTFU ARTFU L L MIND MIND MA RCH 2010

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The Artful Mind March 2010

Transcript of The Artful Mind March 2010

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THEODORE COLLATOS, FILM MAKER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIE MCCARTHY

Berkshire ArtzineBerkshire Artzine

THETHE ARTFUARTFULL MINDMINDM A R C H 2 0 1 0

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103 Great Barrington RdRte 41(2 m.south of downtown)West Stockbridge, MA 01266

413-232-4646EHoffmanPottery.com

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Photography for Memorable Occasions by

JJuulliiee MMccCCaarrtthhyyPPhhoottooggrraapphheerr

Please call for an appointment 413. 298. [email protected] •www.juliewmccarthy.com

From the series “Poem Without Words”

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WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET MARCH 2010 ~ THEARTFULMIND • 1

View Of The Housatonic River 12” x 32” oil

MICHAEL FILMUS413-528-5471 www.michaelfilmus.com

NEW DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHYMYRON SCHIFFER

CASTLE STREET CAFE10 Castle Street, next to the Mahaiwe Theatre, Gt Barrington, MA

Come visit! The cafe is comfortable and the food is great!

Affordable Miniatures at~THE RED LION INN GIFT SHOP

30 Main Street, Stockbridge, MA (M-TH 10-5, SAT, 9-8, SUN, 9-5)This gift shop is one of Stockbridge’s jewels!

For more information please contact the studio at: 413-637-2659www.myronschiffer.com [email protected]

MYRON SCHIFFER, “EXISTENCIAL RUMINATIONS” ON BRICK WALL

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SCHANTZ GALLERIESc o n t e m p o r a r y g l a s s

3 Elm Street, Stockgridge, MA 01262413-298-3044 www.schantzgalleries.com

PrestonSingletary

Eagle Warrior19 x 14 x 14”

Painted CitiesGROUP SHOW

March 4 - April 11, 2010

� Carrie Haddad Gallery �

622 WARREN STREET HUDSON NEW YORK

518-828-1915

OPEN DAILY 11 - 5 PM

CLOSED TUES & WED

CARRIEHADDADGALLERY.COM

and on exhibit atCARRIE HADDAD PHOTOGRAPHS

318 Warren Street

Ida Weygandt & Elliot KaufmanMarch 11 - April 18

RICHARD BAUMAN, MULBERRY STREET

Small Works Winter Salon15 gallery artists’ work at it’s smallest

February 12 - March 22, 2010

LAUREN CLARK FINE ART402 Park Street, Housatonic, MA

413-274-1432 www.LaurenClarkFineArt.com

GEOF

FREY

MOS

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MUSEUMS & GALLERIESALBANY INTERNATIONALAIRPORTAlbany International Gallery, 3rd fl, 7am-11pm dailyMa-terial Witness, thru June 20.

A.P.E. GALLERYMAIN STREET SPACE126 Main St, Northampton, MA • www.apearts.orgJohn Gibson and Joe Smith: “30 Years”; reunion passagefor wo artists/friends. Smith a sculptor and Gibson,a painter.

BERKSHIREART GALLERY80 Railroad St, Gt Barrington, MA • 528-2690www.berkshireartgallery.com19th and early 20th Century American & European artand sculpture, contemporary artists

BERKSHIREART KITCHENCREATIVITY / CONNECTION / CHANGE400 Main St, Gt Barrington, MA • 413-717-0031www.berkshireartkitchen.comMon - Fri, 3:30-5:30, Sat 12-5, & by appt.Exhibition of mail art by Karen Arp Sandel and SuziBanks Baum, Mar - April. Opening Mar 5, 5:30, 7:30pm

BERKSHIRE GOLDAND SILVERSMITHTHE GALLERY152 Main St, Gt Barrington, MA • 528-5227John Lipkowitz, photography in Africa, through Maarch

CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY622 Warren St, Hudson, NY • 518-828-1915Painted Cities, group show, Mar 4 - April 11.

CARRIE HADDAD PHOTOGRAPHS318 Warren St, Hudson, NY • 518-828-7655Ida Weygandt & Eliot Kaufman. Reception Mar 13, 6 -8pm. Mar 1 April 18

CHURCH STREET ART GALLERY34 Church St, Lenox, MA • 637-9600Significant folk art pieces. Also works by David Eddy,Paul Graubard, Paul Jarvis and Larry Zingale.(Fri-Mon, 11am-4:30pm or by appointment)

CRIMI STUDIOLocated 2 miles from theAncram/Hudson exit of the Taconic StateParkway. • Viewing by appointment518-851-7904Paintings of rich color and form. Crimi studio in idyllic setting.

DONMULLER GALLERY40 Main St, Northampton, MA • 586-1119Beautiful American crafts, jewelry and glass, more

FRONT STREET GALLERYFront St, Housatonic, MA • 413-274-6607www.kateknappartist.com

FULTON STREET GALLERY408 Fulton St, Troy, NY • 518-274-8464Call for Entries: 32nd Photo Regional, Mar 26-May 22; Juror:Carrie Haddad; 150 mile radius of the capital region; up to 5 slidesubmissions. Details: [email protected]

GEOFFREYYOUNG GALLERY40 Railrd St, Gt Barrington, MA • [email protected] Clarke will be having a one-weekend shot, 15 Years, paint-ings, drawings, photographs and monotypes done over the pastdecade and half. The gallery will be open Fri Mar 19, 1-7pm, SatMar 20, 3-10pm...artist’s reception and live music, and Sun Mar21, 1-7pm.

GLORIAMALCOLMARNOLD FINEARTUpstairs at 69 Church St, Lenox, MA • 637-2400Realistic art that never goes out of style, artwork that evokes themood and memories of yesterday. Rotating exhibitions of scratch-board by Lois I. Ryder and oils and watercolors by Gloria MalcolmArnold. Open year round.

HOFFMAN POTTERY103 Route 41, W. Stockbridge, MA • 232-4646www.EHoffmanPottery.comPottery by by Elaine Hoffman, also Tom Lynn’s cast aluminum bluejays and ravens, Ted Keller’s mosaic mirrors, and more.

HUDSON VALLEYARTS CENTER337 Warren St, Hudson, NY • 800-456-0507Regional and nationally-known artisans

JOHN DAVIS GALLERY362 1/2 Warren St, Hudson, NY• 518-828-5907www.johndavisgallery.comClaude Carone, solo exhibit thru Mar 28

LAUREN CLARK FINEART GALLERY402 Park St, Housatonic, MA • 274-1432www.LaurenClarkFineArt.comSmall Works Salon Show thru Mar 15Fine art and contemporary crafts and framing service.(Open Wed-Mon 11-5:30, Sun Noon-4, year-round)

MARGUERITE BRIDE STUDIOwww.margebride.comCustom House and Business Portraits, “Local Color”, watercolorscenes of the Berkshires, New England and Tuscany. Original wa-tercolors and Fine Art Reproductions. Visit website for exhibitschedule

NICOLE FIACCO GALLERY336 Warren St, Hudson, NY • 518-828-5090www.nicolefiaccogallery.comJeanette Fintz: View Four, thru March 20

OXBOWGALLERY275 Pleasant St, Northampton, MAHarriet Diamond’s exhibit of sculpture and drawing The Pit, opensApril 1, reception April 9, 5-8pm. Concurrently, Gary Niswongerwill show paintings in the backroom, closing April 28, 2-5pm

PASKO FRAME & GIFT CENTER243 North St., Pittsfield, MAVariety of artists on display; also framing service

SCHANTZ GALLERIES3 Elm St, Stockbridge, MA • 413-298-3044Over 30 years of providing representation internationally recog-nized artists to exhibit their work and share their art with the world.

THE ECLIPSE MILLGALLERY243 Union St, North Adams, MA• www.eclipsemillgallery.comThe Art of A.J. Schlesinger, thru March 20

THE LENOX GALLERYOF FINEART69 Church St, Lenox, MA • 413-637-2276Featuring artists such as Stephen Filmus along withmany others including Paula Stern, Sculpture

MUSIC, THEATRE AND DANCEBERKSHIRE LYRIC CHORUSLenox Town Hall, Lenox MA • 413-499-0258 /www.berkshirelyrictheatre.orgAn Afternoon with Gilbert & Sullivan, Sun, Mar 14,3pm. The Berkshire Singers and the Blafield Children’sChorus. This is Berkshire Lyric’s annual “Kick theWin-ter Blues” concert and fundraiser. Silent auction and re-freshments follow the program. Tx $15 /child free

CLOSE ENCOUNTERSWITH MUSICThe Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center • 413-528-0100 /800-843-0778 / www.cewm.orgThe Romantic Bach, Sat, Mar 20, 6pm; Chopin and HisCircle, Sat, Apr 24, 6pm; Prague Spring - Czech Idyll,Sat, June 5, 6 @ 6pm

GOULD FARMABenefit Evening for Gould Farm • 413-528-0100/ WWW.MAHAIWE.ORG“Living with It”, by Frank La FraziaSat, Mar 13, 7:30pm at the Mahaiwe Performing ArtsCenter, 14 Castle St, Gt Barrington, MA

SHAKESPEARE & COMPANYLenox MA • 413-637-3353Theater: Les Liaisons Dangereuses, thru March 21. Cur-tain times 7pm on Fri and Sat, plus 2pm matinees everySat starting Feb 13, 2pm on Sun. 40% Berkshire Resi-dent Discount

THE EGGAlbany, NYJohn Pinette, comedian, April 17

THE MUSEUMAT BETHELWOODSBethel, Rte 17, Exit 104, NY • bethelwoodscenter.orgThe Story of the ‘60s and Woodstock. Museum located at the siteof the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

WORKSHOPS & LECTURESINKBERRYAND PAPYRI BOOKS45 Eagle St, North Adams, MA • 413-664-0775Wordplay, a monthly reading series

IS183 ART SCHOOL13 Willard Hill rd, Stockbridge, MA • 298-5252 x105Pre-school Art Playgroup, Thru Mar 12, 9:30-11am; Mon afterschool programs grades 1 - 9 thru Mar 22, 4-5pm

KATE KNAPP FRONT STREET GALLERYHousatonic, MA (next to the Corner Market)• 274-6607 www.kateknappartist.comThroughApril “ Portraits …All the people I loved to paint” 40 ormore paintings ,oils and watercolors, of men women and childrenfriends, family and members of the community, come see who’shere! through April; also ongoing painting classes Mon, Wed &Thurs 9:30am (gallery hrs: Sat & Sun 12-5, and by appt.

SABINE VOLLMER VON FALKEN PHOTOGRAPHYWORKSHOPThe Norman Rockwell MuseumRte. 183, Stockbridge, MAApril 17 at 10 am:Workshop to help amateurs navigate their digitalcamera to achieve better results. A talk called "Get More Out ofYour Digital Camera". A clinic will follow until 1 pm.

FILMIMAGES CINEMAWilliamstown, MA • 413-458-1039www.imagescinema.orgDocumentary film series, Garbage Docs, Apr 12 - 26, 7:30pm. NoImpact Man, Gargage Worrior, Marina of the Zabbaleen, discusshow garbage impacts the world around us.

MUD SEASON / MARCH.2010. / CALENDAR

LOUISE LAPLANTEHERE AND GONE: PRESENCE, ABSENCE, MEMORY, AND TIME

AMY H. CARBERRY FINE ARTS GALLERYMARCH 5- APRIL 2, 2010 RECEPTION: WED, MARCH 10, 2010 12 - 1:30PM

SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGEBUILDING 28/LOWER LEVEL, SPRINGFIELD, MA WWW.STCC.EDU/ARTS 413-755-5258

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Sam CrawfordGuitar & Bass Musician and Teacher

Harryet Candee 6

IS183From the InsideInternships

Kimberly Rawson 11

Planet WavesAstrology

Eric Francis 12

Compassionate CommunicationKaren Andrews 15

Do you Know Someone Who Is “Living with It”?Playwright and Actor Frank LaFrazia

Cindy Kelly 17

Greater Backfish RoundupBob Balogh 18

Architecture &ArcadiaStephen Dietemann 19

Theodore CollatosFilmmaker & Photographer

Nanci Race 21

PUBLISHER Harryet CandeeCOPY EDITOR Marguerite Bride

PROOFREADER: Rae A. Eastman & Debbie DavisADVERTISING AND LAYOUT DESIGN

Harryet CandeeCONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND MONTHLY COLUMNISTS

Bob Balogh, Harryet Candee, Stephen Gerard Dietemann,Rae Eastman, Eric Francis, Nanci Race, Kimberly Rawson

PHOTOGRAPHERSJulie McCarthy

Sabine Vollmer von Falken

DISTRIBUTIONR. Dadook, John Cardillo

120 PIXLEY ROAD, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA [email protected]

413-528-5628Deadline for the APRIL issue is March 15, 2010FYI: ©Copyright laws in effect throughout The Artful Mind for logo & all

graphics including text material. Copyright laws for photographers and writersthroughout The Artful Mind. Permission to reprint is required in all instances

The Artful Mind TAM into March 2010

THE ARTFUL MIND

Filmmaker / Photographer Theodore Collatos

Our Art....Our way

www.artfulmind.net

NEUMAN FINEARTACCEPTING STUDENTS

Painter and art educator Jeffrey L. Neumann is now ac-cepting students and announcing the opening of his new stu-dio and gallery on the corner of Anthony and ColdwaterStreets in the center of Hillsdale, NY. Courses will be of-fered in drawing, watercolor painting, and oil painting.Working in both oils and watercolors, Neumann has been

painting for over 30 years, however making art and teachingart has only recently become his full-time occupation. Priorto making a purposeful career change, Neumann enjoyed a25 year career in the art materials industry. He was U.S.Product Manager forArches Papers and the developer of thebrand’s first specialty paper for digital fine art printmaking.“I decided that the best way for me to make a direct pos-

itive difference in people’s lives is through teaching,” saysNeumann, who is a MACertified educator and holds a Mas-ters Degree in Visual Arts Education. With five solo exhibi-tions, awards, commissions, and work represented innumerous private, corporate and public collections, Neu-mann draws upon his broad experience to offer private les-sons to students of all levels.

The artist is represented by Hanback Gallery, Millerton,NY, Art Exchange Gallery, Santa Fe, NM and JLI Prints,Taos, NM. The gallery at Neumann Fine Art will feature aneclectic collection of work from various periods in Neu-mann’s artistic career.Neuman Fine Art - To register for classes or for more infor-mation visit: www.neumannfineart.com or call 413-246-5776.

MARGUERITE BRIDEWATERCOLORS

These “quiet” months in the Berkshires are most often thebusiest time for artists who are preparing for the show sea-son, which always seems to arrive in a hurry. With plans toexhibit new and exciting material, painters view this creativeperiod with great excitement and anticipation.At least that’show watercolorist Marguerite Bride feels about it.A busy exhibit schedule is shaping up for 2010. Currently

Bride has many of her winter scenes on display in a varietylocal venues in Pittsfield: the lobby of BMC, Gallery 25 andPasko Frame and Gift Center, the public areas of the CrownePlaza, and various law offices.

The summer and fall show season will include Bride’spaintings in the following venues: the Becket Arts Centerwill host a solo show of her art June 19 – July 5. In July andAugust, she will be showing at art fairs in Lenox and Ston-ington, CT, followed by a solo exhibit at Gallery 25 in Pitts-fieldAugust 19 – September 12. In September Bride will beone third of a group show with Jeff Gardner and Scott Taylorthat will feature automobiles in one way or another.During these “quiet” months, Bride also gives watercolor

technique lessons in her studio on North Street, Pittsfield.Visit her website for more details about lessons and updatedexhibit information or contact the artist directly..And as always, commissions for house portraits are wel-

come at any time.Marguerite Bride, 311 North Street, Pittsfield, Studio #10,by appointment only. Call 413-442-7718, or 413-841-1659(cell); website: www.margebride.com, email:[email protected].

MARGUERITE BRIDE, PARIS OR PITTSFIELD, W/C

STUDIO IN HILLSDALE, NY

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“The artist who uses the least ofwhat is called imagination

will be the greatest.”

-Pierre-Auguste Renoir

JOSEPH GALLO, VIOLINIST, APPEARING WITH HIS PIANIST,MARK DONALD AT THE WALDORF-ASTORIA HOTEL IN NYC

JOSEPH GALLOVIOLINIST

After visiting the Berkshires for many years, attracted byits extraordinary beauty and quality of life, Joseph Gallo,violinist, is now residing in Williamstown. Before recentlymoving (with his wife, also violinist) to Williamstown, heenjoyed a long, successful multi-field musical career in NewYork City.

His early training was with Mischa Mischakoff,renowned concert violinist and concert master of the NBCOrchestra under Arturo Toscanini. He went on to earn hisdegree from the Juilliard School of Music, followed by fur-ther studies with concert violinist Harry Shub.He has had a broad range of performing experience, from

recording for films and jingles, to Broadway theatre, to TheAmerican Symphony, to Radio City Music Hall. He hasbacked performers such as Frank Sinatra and John Denver,has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and hasplayed for five presidents. He is founder and musical direc-tor of The Black Tie Strings and Orchestra, providing musicfor various public and social events at New York’s majorhotels and venues. He is also founder and first violinist ofThe Black Tie String Quartet – playing unique originalarrangements of music “from Broadway to Vienna.”

Mr. Gallo is now accepting a limited number of seriousviolin students. His observation of young violinists today isthat there is no shortage of technique. However, it is in theslow melodic passages where one should hear the poeticartistry, and it is there that he feels some violinists fall short.Therefore, his major focus is on beautiful, seamless sounds,encouraging expressiveness and increas-ing confidence in “delivery of music” toan audience. By demonstration and hisunique combination of teaching meth-ods, the student will soon hear the differ-ence and appreciate the value of whatMr. Gallo calls “TheArt of Left & RightHand Legato.”

You can reach Mr. Gallo at: 413-458-1984. (Joseph Gallo is also listed in theJuilliard Private Teachers Directory.)

THE PARKAVENUE DUO

BOB CRIMIGood…

hunter green…naples yellow…purple madder…cadmiumyellow…prussian blue…titanium zinc white…ultramarine

green…terra rosa…quinacridone violet… yellowochre…mars red…indigo blue…venetian red…alizarin

crimson…cadmium yellow lemon…emeraldgreen…cobalt blue…chromium oxide green…

azo red…flake white…hansa yellow…burnt umber…vermillion…manganese violet…permanent red

rubin…carbazole violet…mercadium red maroon……raw sienna…cerulean blue…Indian red deep…

vibrationsBob Crimi’s paintings can be viewed at his Studio/Gallery

by appointment… 518-851-7904

82ND ACADEMYAWARDSBERKSHIRE INTERNATIONAL

FILM FESTIVALOn Sunday, March 7th, theAcademyAwards come to the

Berkshires! Berkshire International Film Festival, BerkshireBank, and the Beacon Cinema join together to present the82nd Academy Awards Live via Satellite.The festivities kick-off at 7pm when the doors to the red

carpet open on a night of glamour and fun. The event willtake full advantage of the Beacon’s new high-tech, all-digitaltheater, broadcasting the awards live via satellite. At 8pm,the Oscars will begin with a special video address by TomSherak, President of the Academy of Motion Pictures andSciences. BIFF takes a personal interest in several of thefilms currently in the running, including documentaries,“Burma VJ” and “Food, Inc.” as well as “In The Loop” upfor Best Adapted Screenplay, all films showcased in lastyear’s festival.

The night’s festivities will include a cocktail buffet, andall will be dressed to impress in red carpet worthy attire. In-stead of simply watching from your living room, take ad-vantage of this great chance to be part of the glitz andexcitement of the biggest night in Hollywood. This incredi-ble evening of friends, fashion, and film is not to be missed.

For further information, please visit the website atwww.biffma.com.

BIFF OSCAR NIGHT

Unusual InstrumentsFine InstrumentsAccessoriesCrystal Flutes

Orchestral & Band Instruments

More than 100 guitars in stockClassical, Folk, Electric, Handmade

Something for Everyone - All levels, All budgets!

All Things Musical

Open Daily Except Mondays NOW ON ~87 RAILROAD STREET, Gt Barrington 413-528-2460

TheMusic Storeon Railroad Street

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Harryet: Sam, tell me what why you chose the guitar andbass as your prime instruments?Sam: My cousin Joe played bass and guitar while he was atMt. Everett High School. I would go to the concerts to seehim play with the jazz band. It always made an impressionon me. Joe was nice enough to lend me his bass for a abouta when I was ten or eleven years old. Eventually I got myown bass and then took lessons at school. Not long after thatI started saving for an electric guitar.

HC: How did your parents influence you in moving aheadwith music as a main focus?Sam: Both of my parents play the piano. My mother got herBMus in music education from the Hartt School, piano asher principle instrument. She is a talented player, musicteacher, and a great accompanist. My father has played thepiano practically all his life. He listened intently to guys likeVince Guaraldi and Ramsey Lewis and developed his ownvoice as an improviser and a composer from there. So muchof what is in my mind’s ear today is informed by my havinglistened to both of my parents play that baby grand in theliving room. Everything from Beethoven to Chuck Berrycame out of it at one time or another. I have to say, they haveboth been unwavering in their encouragement of my musicand I truly can’t thank them enough for it!

HC: What is a typical day in your life like?Sam: These days I’m studying music at Manhattanville Col-lege in Purchase, NY. A typical day for me consists ofclasses, ensemble rehearsals, work, homework, practicing,

and, on Wednesdays, playing a regular gig across the riverin Nyack.

HC: How do you spend your free time?Sam: When I have free time I sleep. If I don’t do it then itdoesn’t happen. When I get a break from school or a freeweekend, I’ll come home to the Berkshires to see my family,or go to Vermont to play a gig with Prana, my band inBurlington. I actually spent most of 2008 in Burlingtonplaying with Prana and other Burlington acts. I took a yearoff from school and moved up north. The skills I developedand the personal growth I experienced up there have provento be invaluable to me now. I keep in contact with the bandand play with them when I can. We are actually releasingthe first CD, “Moments” this coming month!

HC: We’re all excited and supportive for you and yourband’s success. Congrats! I wanted to know, how doesstudying philosophy relate to your music studies and play-ing?Sam: I’ve been interested in philosophy ever since I startedstudying western civilization in high school. I’m currentlyworking on a minor in moral philosophy at Manhattanville.Whenever you study the history of one major cultural tradi-tion you can’t help but run into several others with which ithas coexisted both in time and in space. For instance, this se-mester I’m taking “19th century music” as part of my musichistory requirement while at the same time I’m taking “Ni-etzsche & Kierkegaard” to fulfill part of my minor. Many ofthe composers like Mozart from the Romantic period read

the philosophy of Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. Of course,Mozart was of the Classical period, and not the Romanticperiod, but my point is simply that he has had an extraordi-nary influence in the centuries since his death on both mu-sicians and philosophers. Philosophers have always had anaffinity for music. Pythagoras is reputed to have discoveredthe mathematical ratios we use to divide the octave. Mystudy of one field aids my study of the other and vice versa.Music is my chosen field and whether we’re talking aboutperformance, history, or theory the study of philosophy hasbeen a great help. When it comes to life and career, I thinkmusic and philosophy are very helpful things to study nomatter what one chooses to do in life. They both require a lotof one’s mind and brain and thus prepare one for a great dealof life’s challenges.

HC: I am sure that your deeper concentration of study inmusic and philosophy has had an effect on your students.How is this true?Sam: There is something very fulfilling about passing onwhat I’ve learned. The various musical traditions are re-newed through the teacher/student relationship; it’s gratify-ing to be a part of that. Also, I get just as much out of a goodlesson as the student does (assuming I’ve done the jobright.)Philosophy helps in this area, too. Thomas Aquinas said

that “. . . one reaches certitude only when one hears the truthspeaking within him.” As a teacher, I can’t expect any re-sults if I try to force knowledge, skills, or talent into a stu-dent. The best I can do is to guide someone through theprocess of discovery. No matter how much sense it makes inmy own head, I have to demonstrate things in a way thatresonates within the student. Plato: Learning is merely re-membering. Practically speaking, Plato was describing thesame kind of potential knowledge thatAquinas would even-tually write about.

HC: What practical advice would you give to young andupcoming musicians?Sam: Learn to sight read well and early on. You can get gigssolely based on the fact that you are a good reader. It’s justone of those skills that gets overlooked too often, especiallywith guitarists. I’m not saying it’s the only thing to focuson, but it is a skill that I feel needs more advocates in theguitar world. I learned to read music on what has becomemy primary instrument pretty late in the game compared tothe other instrumentalists at Manhattanville. Pianists learnright away, brass and woodwinds too. The orchestral strings:same thing. There are so many great resources that will beavailable to you if you can read standard notation well. It’slike learning a language without being able to read andwrite. You can certainly do it, but you’ll be severely limitedin the long run if you ever want to explore certain avenuesor traditions with it. Music is a language, and that analogycan go as deep as you want to go with it. It gets used a lotbecause it’s true!Aside from that, listen to music as much asyou can. When you find a player whose stuff really res-onates with you, study their technique, thought process,method . . . Jon Suters, another stellar guitarist/bassist herein the Berkshires, told me that once. I had already beendoing it, but I felt almost a sense of urgency about it whenhe said it. Not dire urgency, but urgent inspiration – an im-mediate and vigorous desire to learn and expand my hori-zons as a musician.

HC: Sam, I was wondering, what direction do you think themusic world is heading to these days?Sam: I think the music world, as a whole, is always expand-ing. I think parts of it are getting narrower and less interest-ing, but other worlds within the world are growing andchanging in really attractive and remarkable ways. The busi-ness of music is changing as rapidly as the computer soft-ware developers can come up with new ways to market itand sell it, or steal it. Making a record has become a home-based operation and continues to head in that direction. Thesound quality often suffers, but many projects being donein living rooms, simply would not have been done at all justa short time ago. Changes in the economy and changes intechnology have always had real consequences, positive forsome and negative for others.As long as there are great mu-sicians making interesting music, you can count me in. Aslong as our society values music and money, it would be

SAM CRAWFORDGuitar & Bass Musician & Teacher

Interviewed by Harryet Candee

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nice to get paid for the work I do. There’s so much to talkabout with all of these topics!

HC: Is it possible that there is a musical trend going onwhere all genres of music converge? Like, Jazz with rock;classical with modern.Sam: I actually think this has been happening since each ofthose genres arrived on the scene. It’s like the evolution oflife forms; nothing happens in a vacuum and when you’rein the arts you’re in the business of sharing and expressingyourself to others. The music itself is all genetically related,so to speak. The differences between genre, I think, havemore to do with differences between cultural traditions thanwith the music proper. If I play country chicken pickin’licks with some distortion and a funky rhythm section, itcan sound like jazz-fusion. If I play Bach with the sametone settings it might sound like heavy metal or neo-clas-sical rock. Musicians have always borrowed copiouslyfrom various musical traditions. I hope we never lose thatsense of curiosity and openness.

HC: What’s new and exciting in the music industry thatmost people may not be aware of?Sam: I heard that Pat Metheny was working on a roboticorchestra to use live on a tour. I guess the robots are actu-ating real instruments based on digital information he hasprogrammed through an interface between his computerand his real guitar. I can’t even begin to imagine the tech-nical demands of a project like that! I read it in the NYTimes, so I guess anyone who read that issue knows aboutit already . . . For my own part, I’ve been using more tra-ditional methods. Of course, compared to Metheny, I’mpretty green when it comes to jazz composition and musictechnology! I’ve been without my own working computersince mine bit the dust in October. I’ve been composingwith pencil and paper and doing any internet and word pro-cessing work at the library. For what I do, the old-fashionedway is almost as fast. I’m usually just coming up with amelody and harmonizing or copying solos from records forear training.

HC: If you can pick a time period to live in, which wouldyou choose?Sam: I’m told that, in the 20th century, but before I was born,one could make a living as a jazz musician. Now, I know

jazz musicians who are making a living, but I also know andrun into so many who all say the same thing – the work justisn’t there like it used to be. That’s a nostalgic point of viewthat seems to be pretty widespread among session players inall genres. I don’t mean to avoid answering the question en-tirely, but, even having studied a bit of history, it’s hard tosay. I love sustain – sometimes I get jealous of string players(bowed strings that is) because of the sustain they canachieve by bowing back and forth with a long, slow strokeand a quick, almost unnoticeable reverse of direction at ei-ther end. It’s beautiful. I guess that’s why I love the electricguitar. You can approximate that quality, especially with avolume pedal. If I could have been a decently paid stringplayer in a time period before the electric guitar, I wouldn’t

complain. I feel pretty lucky, though, to be where I am . . .right now. Life has had its ups and downs, but I’m happyto say that I’m still here and I’m learning something newevery day! Sure things could be better, and it’s not as if I’dbe content with the present stretched into an eternity. Thatwould be a drag! Luckily time marches on and I’m tryingto do the best I can with what I’ve got.

HC: Off the top of your head, what are some memorablewords from a song that resonate for you?Sam: I love the chorus from Bruce Springsteen’s “AtlanticCity.” Of course, the sentiment gets across best with themusic backing it up. The music fills in nuances about themeaning of the text in a way that only music can.

“Well now, ev’rything dies, baby, that’s a factBut maybe ev’rything that dies someday comes back

Put your makeup on, fix your hair up prettyAnd meet me tonight in atlantic city”

HC: What’s cool for you these days?Sam: Check out Robben Ford’s “Life Song.” Also, if youhaven’t been out to hear Steve Ide play, do it! Those guyssay it better with their guitar playing than I can here withthe written word. They have distinct personalities on theinstrument, but there’s something they have in commonthat I think is just the coolest thing going!

HC: What is crucial for you at this time to focus on?Sam: Right now I’m focusing on school and working onmy craft as a musician. I’m always learning about theworld and how to live in it and how to live up to my own ex-pectations. Generally speaking that’s what I’m up to. I’velearned so much since I started and there’s so much to do upahead. I’ve done some recordings that I like, played somegigs that I thought went really well. I’m proud of those, butthere are always things I would change upon listening back(sometimes, I want to change just about everything!). It’s aprocess, and I suppose I’m proud to be a part of it.

To contact Sam Crawford, please call The Music Storeat: 413-528-2460. �

Violin TeacherLeading multi-field violinist (NYC)is now accepting serious studentsin Williamstown.

Special emphasison seamless, beautifulsound and expressiveperformance techniques.

For information,please contactJoseph Gallo at:(413) 458-1984

(Juilliard graduate, listed in theirPrivate Teachers Directory.)

Sam Crawford, Great Barrington

“Music is an outburst of the soul.”-Frederick Delius

Page 12: The Artful Mind March 2010

8 THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010

MYRON SCHIFFERPHOTOGRAPHER

Prior to moving to the Berkshires in the late sixties, Schifferwas getting established in New York City as a piano teacher,accompanist for auditions, and hanging around the fringes ofjazz. Also fascinated with photography since childhood, he fi-nally took classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology to learnmore about composition, lighting and fashion window displaywhile continuing to pursue music as his vocation.Now that he’s entered his ninth decade he has chosen to ful-

fill his earlier hopes of doing something with photography. Thisyear he’s been busy exhibiting his work at galleries, frameshops, a retirement community and in the North Adams Open

Studios show.Starting Dec 19th he’s showing his new can-

vas prints on the dining room walls of one of thesmartest restaurants in the Berkshires, CastleStreet Cafe, next to the Mahaiwe Theater inGreat Barrington.Schiffer continues to work on his new photog-

raphy website, www.myronschiffer.com whichis growing fast and seems to be attracting moreattention each month. He never dreamed thatturning 80 would be so exciting.

Myron Schiffer, 413-637-2659, myronschif-fer.com, [email protected]

MICHAEL FILMUSThe Housatonic River flows past small towns and farms as

it finds it’s way through the rolling hills of the Berkshires. Asit reaches the Sheffield flats the river begins to widen and slowdown as it passes under a covered bridge. In Filmus’ painting,“View of the Housatonic River” we see a quiet stretch of thisbeautiful waterway.

Michael Filmus has painted the Berkshire landscape formany years. He has exhibited his work in one-man shows atthe Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield and at theWelles Gallery inLenox. In New York he has been represented by Hirschl &Adler Galleries and David Findlay Jr., FineArt. Filmus’worksare in numerous private and public collections including theArtInstitute of Chicago and the Butler Institute of American Art.

Michael Filmus may be contacted in the Berkshires at 413-528-5471 or through his website www.michaelfilmus.com

IDAWEYGANDT, HOUSEKEEPING

CARRIE HADDADPHOTOGRAPHSWALKING HOME

Carrie Haddad Photographs presents Walking Home, anexhibition of photographs by Ida Weygandt, which will beon view fromMarch 11 throughApril 18.Also featured willbe work by Elliot Kaufman and Kelly Shimoda. This isKaufman and Shimoda’s first exhibit with the gallery. Therewill be an opening reception for the artists on Saturday,March 13, from 6 pm to 8 pm.In the large format photographs presented in this exhibit,

IdaWeygandt uses the landscape to expand on her themes ofinterior world aligning with exterior, of the interconnectionbetween nature and self and the concept of home. “My inter-action with the landscape has always been very strong,”Weygandt says. “I am always absorbing the elements aroundme.”Elliot Kaufman’s photographs on the passage of time en-

compass many of the same aspects as his architectural pho-tography. Specifically the observation of light and how theenvironment, whether built or natural, is altered by themovement of light. When photographing buildings, Kauf-man has always been captivated by the drama of the sun’s ef-fect on each shot. He anticipates exactly what the sun will dowhen it reaches a certain angle and how it will affect and in-form his photograph. Kaufman estimates he has spent a greatmany hours of his professional life on these calculations andon capturing the certain effect or quality of light particularto that moment.

Kelly Shimoda’s photographic series, I guess you don’twant to talk to me anymore, is a documentation of mobilephone text messages by and to people she has encountered– both those familiar to her and strangers. The 8 x 10 inchimages provide the viewer an intimate look at this form ofcommunication that is fleeting by design and rarely seen byanyone other than the original author or intended recipient.

Carrie Haddad Photographs, 318 Warren Street, Hud-son, NY. Gallery hours: 11 am to 5pm Thursday throughMonday. For more information call the gallery at 518-828-7655. More information about the gallery and exhibitscan be found online at carriehaddadphotographs.com

THE LENOX GALLERY

69 Church Street, Lenox, MA 01201 • (413) 637-2276over twenty-five artists • on two levels open year round - call for hours

O F F I N E A R T

paint ings • drawings • watercolor • sculpture • mixed media works • pastels • portrai t commissions

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VIEW OF THE HOUSATONIC RIVER, 12” X 32”, OIL

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Page 13: The Artful Mind March 2010

MARCH 2010 THE ARTFUL MIND • 9

SABINE PHOTOARTWhether it’s a radiant bride, a playful dad, family gathering,

or a tree house, Sabine Vollmer von Falken is in rapport withher subject. In the European photographic tradition, her true tal-ent and interest lays in photographing real people and locations.The results are natural and direct, capturing the emotion of themoment or the mood of the environment.

Sabine specializes in young children at play and creating aphotographic record of their growth. A master of the subtletiesof lighting and the nuance of background, her eye for detail pro-vides photos to be treasured for a lifetime. It is to no surprisethat she is a sought-after wedding photographer, as well.Sabine’s photo studio and gallery is located in Glendale, Mas-

sachusetts. She captures portraits there or on location. Eachphoto is tailored to meet her client’s needs—a black-and-whiteremembrance for a special occasion or a logo image to create anauthentic online presence.

Her photographs have been published in a variety of maga-zines and books. Her latest book Woodland Chic will be pub-lished by Storey Publishing in 2010, author Marlene H.Marshall. Other volumes include Full of Grace: A Journeythrough the History of Childhood, Making Bits & Pieces Mo-saics and Shell Chic.

She will appear at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stock-bridge, MAonApril 17 at 10 am - 11am “Get More Out of YourDigital Camera”. A clinic will follow until 1 pm. Photo enthu-siasts are welcome. Her photographic work can be seen at Lau-ren Clark FineArts, Housatonic, MAuntil March 22, in a groupshow called “Small Works Winter Salon”.Amember of theAmerican Society of Media Photographers,

the International Center of Photography ICP and the WeddingPhotojournalist Association WPJA, Sabine offers workshops ather studio for professionals and amateur photographers.

Sabine Vollmer von Falken, 20 Glendale Road, Glendale,MA, 413-298-4933; www.sabinephotoart.com /[email protected]

BERKSHIRE DIGITALAs Berkshire Digital begins its fourth year of operation, it is

celebrating the gallery openings of three local artists, twopainters and one photographer, for whom it made all of the Gi-clée prints hanging in the shows. Capable of producing archival,museum quality prints on a variety of surfaces up to 42x96inches, BD also offers complete photography services to captureartwork of any medium.To further help artists, BD offers graphic design capabilities,

to create show announcements, posters and collateral materials.In addition to its printing services, Berkshire Digital also

provides Photoshop™ tutoring and consulting for people whowant to get a better understanding of the digital workflow fromcamera to computer to printer in their workspace as well asmanage and manipulate their own images.

The owner, Fred Collins, has been a photographer for 30years with studios in Boston and the metro New York area. Fif-teen years ago, he began working with Photoshop™ and grad-ually added extensive retouching capabilities to help with hisclients needs. His commercial work for corporations has takenhim around the world. His wife Alison owns The Iris Gallery,above Pearls, in Great Barrington. Berkshire Digital: 413-644-9663, www.BerkshireDigital.com

BERKSHIREART KITCHENThe Berkshire Art Kitchen will kick off its spring season

with a series of events organized by artists KarenArp-Sandeland Suzi Banks Baum. In conjunction with Women’s His-tory Month and aimed to celebrate women artists, the eventsfocus on the daily-ness of art and the challenges of jugglingmothering and creativity. The series will include an exhibi-tion, artist talk, workshop and movie screening.Opening on March 5th 2010 will be Fe-Mail: An Exhibi-

tion of Mail Art by Karen Arp-Sandel and SuziBanks Baum. The exhibition features the inspirational“Postal Discourse” between Baum andArp-Sandel, consist-ing of over seventy-five mixed media postcards sent throughthe US Postal Service over a period of three years. The ex-hibition will run throughApril 30 and will be complimentedwith a series of events related to “The Daily-Ness of Art”mantra to which the two locally based artists subscribe.A public opening reception will be held on Friday, March

5th from 5:30- 7:30 pm. Meet the artists and read theirmail! The event is free and open to the public.Join KarenArp-Sandel and Suzi Banks Baum onWednes-

day March 31 at 7:00 pm for an intimate gallery talk aboutthe quiet radical act of collage “snail mail” communicationin the face of a fast paced electronic-tech world. The Fe-Mail artists will narrate a personal tour of the “front and backstories” encoded in 1,000 days of visual collaboration.

With the Fe-Mail exhibition as a backdrop, Karen Arp-Sandel and Suzi Banks Baum will teach The Daily-ness ofArt, a daylong experiential workshop to inspire participantswith easy tips about making collage art on a daily basis usingeveryday ideas and materials. No muss no fuss! TheWork-shop runs from 9:30 - 4:30 on Saturday April 10th. Theworkshop is open to 16 participants. The cost is $ 80, whichincludes $5 materials fee and the evening program.

The workshop culminates with an inspirational eveningmovie and discussion from 7:00 – 9:00 pm on SaturdayApril10th of “Who Does She Think She Is?”, a moving documen-tary about women artists who navigate the balancing act be-tween motherhood and artistic expression.The screening, which is open to the community for a dona-tion of $10 to support BAK, premieres “Who Does SheThink She Is?” by Pamela Tanner Boll and Nancy Kennedy.The movie chronicles the lives of 5 working artists who aremothers. It explores the barriers to the creative process andhow art ultimately transforms women’s lives and thosearound them. The discussion will be facilitated by three ex-hibiting artist-mothers KarenArp-Sandel, Suzi Banks Baumand BAK founder, Gabrielle Senza. Learn more about themovie at www.whodoesshethinksheis.net.All events will be held at the BerkshireArt Kitchen,. The

Berkshire Art Kitchen was founded in 2009 by artistGabrielle Senza as an alternative venue for creativity, con-nection and change. Part gallery and part art salon, the Berk-shire Art Kitchen is known for its high-quality exhibitionsand handcrafted gifts, intimate house-concerts and film-screenings, as well as an exceptional collection of one-of-a-kind Artists’ Books.

Berkshire Art Kitchen, 400 Main Street, Great Barrington,MA is open Friday - Sun 12:00 – 5:00 pm, and most week-days by chance or appointment. For more information,visit www.BerkshireArtKitchen.com or call 413-717-0031.

Hidden Pond Bed& Breakfast43 Deer Drive

Claverack, New York518-828-2939

www.hiddenpondbandb.com

Located in mid-Columbia County,on a rise in a clearing surrounded bytrees, Hidden Pond provides a serene

environment in a beautiful rural settingjust five short miles from

Hudson, New YorkMailing Address:

PO Box 332Hudson, New York 12534

“All those mirrors keep pulling you back.You keep on seeing yourself-

thousands of you.”-Deanne Bergsma

MAILART BY KAREN ARP-SANDEL

Page 14: The Artful Mind March 2010

10 • THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

TEAPOT BY ELAINE HOFFMAN FRONT ST. GALLERYPainting Classes are held Monday and Wednesday from

9:30 to 1 pm at the gallery/studio. Thursday class is planned,from 9:30 - 1 pm at different locations, and to be announcedweekly. The cost is $30 per class and it is for beginners to ad-vanced, all mediums are welcome.

Remember during difficult times the best investment issomething that uplifts the spirit. There is no greater gift than awonderful painting. Please come pick one out and make everyday of your life richer. Ongoing large selection of still life andBerkshire landscapes. All work sold at “recession concession”prices. Time payments accepted by appointment or chance.

The Front St. Gallery was established fifteen years ago byseven local artists; Kate Knapp was one of the original founders.Designed as a cooperative showing many Berkshire artists’work, today it is not only a gallery but primarily Kate Knapp’sstudio. The space is obviously a working studio with many racksfilled with canvases new and old, offering a great choice to any-one interested in looking. Kate has been studying art for 40years. Her paintings are found in collections all over the country.

Front St. Gallery is a beautiful and intriguing space locatednext to the Corner Market looking out at the mountains andpassing trains. The paintings hanging on the walls are filled withcolor and light reflecting Kate’s training in the impressionistschool. There are portraits, still life’s and landscapes done in oiland watercolor. Wonderful paintings of the rivers, farms andflowers found in the Berkshires are inspiring. There are also vi-brant seascapes painted on Block Island, RI., where Kate has ahome and loves to paint. The key word here is “loves”. Thesepaintings are filled with an intense joy and passion for life. Thewild rapids of the river, old farm trucks parked in a field withcows and waves breaking on rocks and shore are painted withgreat feeling. Prices are negotiable.

Front St. Gallery, Housatonic, MA. 413-274 6607,www.kateknappartist.com and 413-528-9546 /413-429-7141

EYE ON BOTSWANAPHOTOGRAPHS

BY JOHN LIPKOWITZArtist’s Eye on Botswana: Intimate Encounters With South-

ernAfricanWildlife, a photo exhibit by John Lipkowitz, will beon display at the Gallery at The Berkshire Gold and Silversmith,in Great Barrington, MAduring February and March.An artistsopening reception will be held on Saturday, February 6 from 6-8 p.m.“In October 2009 my wife and I were privileged to participate

in a safari to Botswana. After flying to Maun (gateway to thenorth) from Johannesburg in South Africa, it was bush planesand helicopters as we spent 15 days in and around the OkavangoDelta, with a couple of days further south in the Kalahari Desertproper. Although almost all of Botswana is technically withinthe Kalahari, the Okavango Delta, fed from the rainforests ofAngola during the otherwise dry season and the rains during thewet season, rivers, streams and wetlands course through theDelta area thereby creating many different habitats for thewildlife.We divided our time among five camps, from very sim-ple at Camp Kalahari, to luxurious elegance at Mombo Camp.Our stays varied from two to four nights, with two game driveseach day.”

Botswana, is an actual working democracy in Africa, with apopulation of only 1.6 million and relative wealth from dia-monds and tourism. Not long after independence (as a BritishProtectorate, not Colony), in 1966, the government made thedecision to promote limited upscale eco-tourism, based on na-tional reserves and private, limited lease, concessions. The resultis vast landscapes with limited, small camps, no crowds, andreal opportunities to get close to the wildlife. “The photographsin this exhibit are some of my favorites. “

The Gallery at The BerkshireGold and Silversmith, 152 MainStreet, Great Barrington, MA.Gallery hours: The gallery is openTuesday-Saturday, 10:30-6.

HOFFMAN POTTERYAlthough there is still snow on the ground, it is springtime

at Hoffman Pottery. The shelves of the workingstudio/gallery of potter-in- residence Elaine Hoffman areconstantly filled with exciting pieces guaranteed to chaseaway the winter doldrums.

Hoffman is always creating new, decorative, and func-tional pieces. She uses brightly colored glazes overlaid withdelicate lines that accentuate the shape of her pots. She says.“It’s all about positive energy- the kind that individuals wantto bring into their homes.” Hoffman has a vast array of func-tional ware; dinnerware, desk and kitchen ware, bathroomware, and more, all of which is lead free, microwaveable,and dishwasher proof.

Hoffman also features frogs and turtles (that love to livein the garden and to then come in by the fireplace in winter),mosaic mirror frames, and large vessels by Ted Keller ofMaine.

For further information call or to see examples of Hoff-man’s work and to get on her mailing list for the scoop on fu-ture sales and special events, visit her website.

Elaine Hoffman Pottery, 103 Great Barrington Rd/Rt. 41(2 miles south of downtown), West Stockbridge, MA; 413-232-4646, www.EHoffmanPottery.com.

Adorable 100% cotton outfits

Soft SoledLeatherFootwear

“Great Baby Gifts!”

Page 15: The Artful Mind March 2010

IS183

Art Schoolof the

Berkshires

MARCH 2010~ THE ARTFUL MIND • 11

By Kimberly Rawson

At IS183 Art School (IS183) in Interlaken, a year-round community art school for peopleof all ages and levels of artistic ability, high-school and college-aged students interested in arteducation careers have gained invaluable practical experience as teaching assistant internsduring the school’s summer Young Artist Program.

Lucie Castaldo, now a sophomore at Mount Holyoke College, was an IS183 student priorto her internship last year. This year she will return as IS183’s summer camps coordinator.“My IS183 internship was a wonderful experience for me and it has solidified my desire tobe an art teacher,” she says.

Castaldo adds, “Working with IS183 students is the most energizing and rewarding expe-rience one can have. Having worked in a number of art classrooms in different public schools,I know how hard it is sometimes for a student to explore their ideas freely and create uniqueprojects. Too often students are given rigid assignments that result in nearly identical worksof art. At IS183, students are able to take risks and experiment with the wide range of art ma-terials available to them and they can make almost anything they can dream up. As a child,I was a student at IS183 in the 7- to 10- year-old art classes and I know that my experiencethere contributed to the creative, art-loving person I am today.”

Luke Shalan learned skills as an IS183 intern that helped him find a job. “I started my in-ternship at IS183 at the beginning of my senior year of high school year. I worked with BenEvans, the studio manager at IS183, and helped him with different aspects of studio mainte-nance, such as cleaning, mixing glazes and firings, in exchange for lessons in how to slip-cast.These skills enabled me to acquire a job with Michele O’Hana, a local artist who makes slip-cast pottery. Without my experience as an intern at IS183, I would not have had the skillsneeded for this job. I’m now attending an art school and because of my internship I am con-sidering a minor in ceramics or sculpture.”

According to ceramicist Michele O’Hana (who is also one of IS183’s board members), froman employer’s perspective, “Luke came to my studio and I didn’t have to teach him anything.IS183’s Ben Evans taught him so well that I can set Luke to any task here and he is excellentat every one of them. I would tell any young artist and those interested in art education to headstraight to IS183 for an internship if you’re interested in learning!”

How to apply for an internship ....Teaching assistant intern positions for IS183’s Summer Young Artist Program are still avail-able for the 2010 season, which runs June 28 to August 20, on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to4:30 p.m. Two- to eight-week-internships are available for students ages 15 and above. Pref-erence is given to college students and those considering an art education career.

For more information or to apply for an internship, send a brief statement summarizing interestin being a part of IS183’s Young Artist program, along with a resume outlining academicfocus, employment, and volunteer activities to Hope Sullivan, Executive Director, [email protected] or by mail to IS183 Art School, PO Box 1400, Stockbridge, MA 01262.

“I usually was the first to arrive at IS183 because I liked having time to set up for the teacherand not be rushed. I also did early drop off on some days.When the teacher arrived, we wouldgo over the schedule for the day together and then I would gather the supplies needed. Duringclass time with the teacher and in the ceramics studio, I would circulate the room and help stu-dents. The class of 11- to 14-year-olds I assisted was a collage class involving advanced col-lage techniques that some students needed one-on-one attention for.

“We would then break for ceramics where I would again assist students as needed duringproject time and organize clean-up time. During lunch I usually sat with my students and atewith them. When everyone finished eating, we played cards or another group game. Once aweek, the students went to Chesterwood. I would get there early on those days and wait in theparking lot for all the students to arrive.We would then head as a group up to the building andstart their projects. I would again supervise them during lunch.At the end of the day I was usu-ally in charge of late pick- up and made sure all of the students were picked up.

“As a teaching assistant for the seven- to 10-year-old class, an average day was very similarto that of the older kids, but the younger students required more attention. For one class, I ledactivities for half the class, while the other half was working with the teacher.After any of theclasses I would clean up and often prepare projects for the next day. Sometimes I made flyersto give out to the parents to remind them of events or materials that were needed. I also setup work for the student show at the end of each week and for the show at the end of the sum-mer. I looked forward to coming in every day and didn’t want to leave when the day wasover!”

New this year, IS183@BCD! Week-long, half-day art camps for three and four year oldshave been added to this summers’ curriculum. With faculty artists Kim Waterman andSenta Reis, our youngest artists will enjoy a sensational exploration of sight, sound, touch,and taste!

From the Inside:Art School Interns

Find Inspiration andCareer Paths

Lucie Castaldo: ADay in the Life of an Intern....

“Hollywood can’t contain a great talent,because even the best films aren’t

enough to nurture that kind of talent.”-Kim Stanley

LUCIE CASTALDO, INTERN, CENTER TOP ROW

Page 16: The Artful Mind March 2010

12 THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010

MMaarrcchh 22001100 bbyy EErriicc FFrraanncciiss

The mighty equinox is about to arrive, introducing what promises to be the springtime of ourlives. Feel the vibrations. What we go through in the spring of 2010 will shake society, and openthe minds of many — at least for a moment. Yet you have the ability to make this a threshold,not a temporary awakening. Whether you free your mind or free your ass does not matter: onewill follow the other dependably. The important thing is to not cling to the past, cling to yourselfor for that matter, cling to anyone.

Aries (March 20-April 19)You’re not the goodie-goodie you like people to think you are; this, despite how you flaunt your

wild side. Though you would probably never own up to that contradiction, it’s time to worry lessabout your image and more about how being authentic draws authentic people toward you. I sug-gest you admit to your chaos, your passion, your craving for freedom. I suggest you admit to thetrue fact that your attractions follow no special logic, no rules, and in the end, know no bounds.You could spend a lot of time worrying about why you have tried to pretend otherwise; you couldwonder why you’re caught in the structure that you’re in. Or you can simply be free.

Taurus (April 19-May 20)You have an active imagination; it’s so active, you rarely give yourself a chance to step out. Yes,

Taurus is the sign most often associated with physicality and grounding and all of that, but latelyyou seem more in your head than usual. You seem to be searching and dreaming and exploring inthere. That’s fine, as long as you take some of what’s in your head, and put some of that pancakebatter onto the griddle. True enough, you don’t have to. You can keep stirring it in your mixingbowl. You can keep adding sugar. But as long as you do that, you’re always going to have batterand you’re never going to have hotcakes.

Gemini (May 20-June 21)Don’t expect your social experiences to follow a plan, or even your vaguest notions of what

you thought you wanted. I would propose that you will figure out what you want in a series of ex-periments, at the end of which you will have given up on a few old friends and made some brilliantcontacts with some new friends. This is the time to desire new people, places and experiences. Infact, it’s time for them to desire you right back. I would say if you don’t want attention, don’t leavethe house, but not even that will work. Remember this attention parlays into your workplace or pro-fessional activities. You will be rewarded for good work, so keep your focus.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)You cannot control the outcome of events, and you don’t want to. What you can do is pay at-

tention to the flow and skate along with the game. And it looks like a fast game, for sure, wherethe rules change. Mars finally stationing direct is likely to improve your attitude about money, aslong as you remember to invest it in what has lasting value, or in what fits a long-term plan. Youfeel like you have a lot of mojo, which remains true as long as you apply every molecule andphoton of it consciously. There is a direct relationship between awareness and power, and at thisopportune moment I suggest you add some ambition. Not a lot, just enough.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23)You’re about to get a surge of energy — though I suggest you go for the slow burn. Keep your

flame blue and clean and just the right temperature. In other words: plan for the long run. Mars isabout to station direct in the first degree of your sign; then over the next 10 weeks it will work itsway clear across Leo, touching the natal Sun of everyone born under your sign. Through the longMars retrograde, you’ve done a fine job reinventing yourself. I suggest you stretch gently into thisnew concept of who you are, rather than inflating like an airbag. You’ll be tempted; yet the long-term outlook says that if you pace yourself, the very best is yet to come.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22)You now know the truth about a health situation that has long troubled you, taxing your peace

of mind in a way that you’ve let on to only a few people in your life. Though you prefer to betruthful, you were correct in not spreading your anxiety, mainly because you knew it would comeback to you. Now that your worst fears have been proven unfounded, you can spread somethingelse, which is your unmitigated vitality. And that will come back to you, just like anything else youbroadcast. In the next six months, this echo effect is only going to intensify, and you’ll need to beclear what is yours and what is not.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23)This is not the time to seek stability in your relationships — it’s time for something better. This

theme repeats over and over this spring, any way you shuffle, slice or dice the planets. You needto trust the stability within yourself. Most people seek structure on the outside, and give their re-lationships a too-difficult job. The difference, in the end, is about maturity; when your life movesas fast as it’s going to move, and becomes as unpredictable as it’s going to become, you need toknow where your center is, and you need to know how to get there fast. Then you will be able toplay fast and loose, something that is unusual for you, but which you’ve craved for a long time.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)It may be driving you half-mad that a partner can’t home in on their sense of identity. But then,

you’ve been wavering on a commitment for many weeks, and this commitment has a lot to dowith who you are; or rather, with acknowledging who you are. There is more to this commitmentthan meets the eye, because of the depth of the understanding involved. In a sense, you’re makingan agreement with yourself about the role that you deserve in the world; which in turn is a reflectionof how powerful you are willing to believe you are. True, over the past few months you’ve givenyourself many reasons to doubt, but in truth you’ve discovered just as many to have confidence.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22)Few astrologers would advise someone born under your sign to take a little extra risk, fearing

what you might do. However, I’m aware the extent to which you have put the restraints on yourselfin recent months, and have retreated far from your usual swashbuckling self. Here is the key: re-spond to your feelings and not your mind. Start from where you feel safe. That is a feeling you canactually trust. From that space of safety, take a step; then when that works out, take another step.You may, along the way, feel the impulse to leap in feet first, and I wouldn’t want to stop you; justmake sure you’re absolutely willing, with no hint of hesitancy.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 200It’s time to make some fast, bold professional moves; primarily this is the time to make sure you’reas visible as possible. If you stay where people can see you, you’ll increase the chances of successsignificantly: success as you define it. I have an idea what that is: the privilege of expressing theperson you actually are in your professional life. Capricorn is often accused of being ambitious: Isee the matter differently, as a quest for authenticity that brings you through many incarnations ofyour career and your role in the world. In actual fact, you must try again and again till you find theplace not where you fit, but where you are free to exist.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)In astrology there are, occasionally, before and after moments. That is the easiest way to understand,or to even see, the meaning of how the planets move. You have now arrived at an ‘after’ moment:after a very long spell of the need for clarity, coexisting with yourself in a kind of misunderstanding.You have resolved something, or perhaps you’ve just observed something, but it goes so deep intowho you are that it seems to reach across all your lifetimes. In any event, however you choose tothink of it, you have turned one page of your life and embarked on a whole new volume of exis-tence. The territory changes fast from here: take careful, conscious steps and always notice whereyou are, and whom you’re with.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)Know good times when you’re in them — and you are. These are not the kind of good times thatmelt into the background of history, forgotten because of their comfort. Rather, this is a momentthat stands out rather than stands back, and which you may consciously, willingly and lovinglyuse to enter a new phase of your life. I trust that you feel a certain energetic relief, the ability torelax and the growing sense not that you have enough, but that you are enough. Keep that feeling,and remember the idea, if you lose contact with the inner orientation. It is fair to say that everythingis about to change — in ways you would have wished for, if you could have ever predicted whatwas possible.

~Read Eric Francis daily at PlanetWaves.net

Page 17: The Artful Mind March 2010

Ancient Quantum Healing“THE LUMINOUS ENERGY FIELD CONTAINS A TEMPLATE

OF HOW WE LIVE, AGE, HEAL AND MIGHT DIE.”-Dr. Alberto Viloldo

Masterʼs of Education, Certified by Healing theLight Body School of the Four Winds Society

to practice Luminous Healing & EnergyMedicine. Macrobiotic counseling is

also available when appropriate.

For information or to schedule a session pleasecall: 413-446-5712Nixsa M. Mills

231 Hartsville NM Rd., New Marlborough, MA

SHARON TRUE, M.A., C.M.A., R.M.T.Somatic Movement Therapist and

Certified Pilates Instructor WholePerson Movement Mat Classes

Mondays 6:30 - 7:30 PMKinesphere Studio • 66 Main St, Lee, MA

Tuesdays 5:00 - 6:00 PMKilpatrick Athletic Center, Simonʼs Rock College

84 Alford Rd, Gt. Barrington, MAWholePerson Movement Private Sessions

Personal training in a quiet country setting featuring theReformer and other Pilates-designed apparatus

All WholePerson Movement Classes:• Increase strength and flexibility• Improve posture, balance, breathing, body awareness• Improve comfort, ease, grace in moving• Reduce lower back and other chronic pain• Reduce risk of re-injury from sports or occupation

Call for more information 413.528.2465

HELPFUL GO-TO’S

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET MARCH 2010 THE ARTFUL MIND •13

......VViissiitt:: www.artfulmind.net

Micro TheatreAuditions for 2010 repertory castAll ages, All Levels of expereince

To schedule an appointment:413-442-2223 or [email protected]

Micro Theatre(dedicated to experimental theatre)

311 North Street, Pittsfield, MA

Page 18: The Artful Mind March 2010

14 • THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010

RomancingtheImage

Graphic Design for all your

advertising needs

Designing for Berkshire people for over 20 years

413 . 528 . 5628

“I get asked to shows—women’s shows, black shows—but I won’t be bought until I’m asked to be in shows

without race and gender adjectives in the title.”

-Maren Hassinger

Creative design for advertising, logos, brochures, package design, posters and cards from start to press.

M & A and SVA Graduate, BFA Portfolio avaiable upon request

IS183 ART SCHOOLSUMMER INTERNSHIPS

IS183 Art School is now accepting applications for teach-ing assistant intern positions for its Summer Young ArtistProgram, which runs June 28 to August 20, on weekdaysfrom 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Two- to eight-week-internshipsare available for students ages 15 and above.

An IS183 internship is a high quality, practical work ex-perience for students interested in an art education career.According to IS183 Director Hope Sullivan, “Many of ourinterns attended 1S183 as children and return each summerto gain valuable work experience that helps them with theirown educational careers and future professional opportuni-ties.”Lucie Castaldo, now a sophomore at Mount Holyoke Col-

lege, was an IS183 student, prior to her internship last year.This year she will return as IS183’s summer camps coordi-nator. “My IS183 internship was a wonderful experience forme and it has solidified my desire to be an art teacher,” shesaid.Luke Shalan learned skills as an intern that helped him to

find a job. “I started my internship at IS183 at the beginningof my senior year of high school year. I worked with BenEvans, the studio manager at IS183, and helped him withdifferent aspects of studio maintenance, such as cleaning,mixing glazes and firings, in exchange for lessons in how toslip-cast. These skills enabled me to acquire a job withMichele O’Hana, a local potter who makes slip-cast pottery.Without my experience as an intern at IS183, I would nothave had the skills needed for this job. I’m now attending anart school and because of my internship at IS183 I am con-sidering a minor in ceramics or sculpture.”Preference is given to college students and those consid-

ering an art education career. Applicants should be pursuingart as a major or supplementary course of study and be ableto demonstrate some experience working with children, asthey will interact with students ages three through 15, par-ents, staff, faculty and fellow interns. Interns will receive astipend of $100 per week for their work, as well as the op-portunity to audit one evening or weekend adult class duringthe summer. In addition, interns currently enrolled in collegemay be eligible to receive academic credit.

To apply, candidates should send a brief statement sum-marizing interest in being a part of IS183’s Young Artistprogram, along with a resume outlining academic focus,employment, and volunteer activities to Hope Sullivan, Ex-ecutive Director, at [email protected] or by mail to IS183Art School, PO Box 1400, Stockbridge, MA 01262.

ERIN BURCH, PTBODYWHISPEREROLD INJURIES NEVER DIE

Old Injuries never die. I have had this experience in myown body, as well as observing it in countless others. I usedto work in an outpatient clinic and people would come to mewith neck pain. As part of the history and intake process, Iwould inquire if there had been any neck trauma (car acci-dent, fall, etc). It was evident by the visible distortion intheir neck that something; some force had disrupted it. Aftermuch questioning, it finally dawned on them that in fact,they were in a car accident…. “but that was 20 years ago!”

The assumption is that once the acute phase of pain of atrauma has passed, the problem has been resolved, and per-haps in a small percentage of cases, that may be true. How-ever, in my experience and observation this has not been thecase. When the small bones of the neck, for example areshifted out of their original position, by the forces from anaccident or fall, this creates an unnatural “fit” between thejoints therein. The body works amazingly hard to protect usfrom pain and so goes immediately into compensation. Thiscompensation works subtly throughout the body, taking a lit-tle from here and a little from there, until it can no longeraccommodate the distortion. In the meantime, inflammationcontinues at the original site. This process can take a coupleof decades for the body to run out of the available “slack”,and pain may resurface at the original area or at some otherlocation.

This all may seem like bad news indeed. However, thegood news is, that armed with this information, awareness,and connection to one’s body, as well as intelligent interven-tion, a great deal of pain can be understood, relieved and po-tentially avoided.

Erin can be reached at 413-528-1623, cell: 201-787-7293

WHOLE PERSON MOVEMENT

What Does It Take? What does it take to overcome yourresistance and do what needs to be done to look and feel yourbest?

Is it that awful photo of you someone took at a wedding?Or at a beach? Is it getting together with a friend to exerciseso you really do it? Is it signing up for a yoga class, joininga gym, or meeting a personal trainer, so that you make a fi-nancial investment that you’d hate to waste? Perhaps it’s see-ing an old friend who’s made a commitment to health, andyou like the results your friend is getting and want some foryourself!Regular exercise gives you the most ‘bang for your buck’

for your health investment dollar. It can help you spend lesstime and money in the health care system because exerciseimproves your cardiovascular system, your strength and mo-bility, your mood, your brain function, and more. It can be assimple as walking your dog every day, or as ambitious astraining for marathons. The key is to find what motivatesyou personally to exercise, and to set up a structure so thatit can work in your life.Sharon True of WholePerson Movement is a certified Pi-

lates trainer and a somatic movement therapist. She under-stands how challenging it can be to make exercise a regularpart of life: “There have been times in my life when I’ve hadto do a lot of computer work, or my family has needed me,or I’ve been working on some project or another, and exer-cise has taken a back seat for awhile without my even real-izing it. Then I start noticing aches and pains and stiffness,and I’m irritable all the time. I start to worry about myselfand think I need to call doctors. Then I remember. Aha!When was the last time I really worked out? As soon as I getback to exercise I feel better. It helps my body to be a homeI like to live in.”True has two locations for her holistic approach to Pilates

and therapeutic movement. Since 1998 she has had a Pilatesstudio for one-on-one personal training on her property inGreat Barrington that overlooks a small stream and somewoods. This tranquil setting promotes relaxation and innerfocus, so that after a workout her clients feel refreshed andenergized rather than spent. In 2009 she opened a practice atKinesphere Studio, 66 Main Street in Lee. At that larger lo-cation she is able to offer Pilates mat classes and private orduet Reformer workouts. (Reformers are exercise machinesinvented by Joseph Pilates). At both locations, she createscustomized programs for each of her clients, taking into con-sideration what their goals are, and what is truly motivatingto them. And especially, she serves as a support for “doingwhat needs to be done.”

For more information about WholePerson Movementclasses, workshops, and personal training please call Sharon True at 413-528-2465, Mon-Sat 9 AM to 9PM, or email: [email protected]

Page 19: The Artful Mind March 2010

MARCH 2010 THE ARTFUL MIND • 15

RECREATING OURSELVES“We are living ‘neath the great big dipperWe are washed by the very same rain

We are swimming in the stream together,Some in power and some in pain

We can worship this ground we walk on,Cherishing the beings that we live beside

Loving spirits will live foreverWe’re all swimming to the other side”

- Pat Humphries, “Swimming to the Other Side”

Expressing yourself through an art form can be a deeply gratifying, profoundly healing,transformative, and joyful experience. At this time in the world, it seems as if we are beingcalled upon to perform the ultimate act of creativity: that of reinventing ourselves, both per-sonally and collectively. In the midst of the great shifts that are happening worldwide, it ap-pears as if a higher level of consciousness is required of us, an evolution of our capabilities.During the times I have had the experience of being fully alive as a creative being, I havecome to realize that making art is just one small component of my creativity. As challengingas it can be, it is also exhilarating to experience my feelings; to feel completely connected tomy inner source and to be aware of what nourishes me individually while maintaining anawareness of the needs of the larger community of which I am a part. I am beginning to feelmore at home at the edge of the unknown, safe in the knowledge of having developed the toolswhich enable me to travel skillfully into uncharted territory.

Two sets of tools I have found that enhance this journey are Compassionate/NonviolentCommunication (NVC) and a technique called Focusing. NVC, which has been developedover the past 30 years by Marshall Rosenberg and his colleagues, is a synthesis of some ofthe best communication techniques, conflict resolution practices and spiritual principles everdevised. During the same time-period, Eugene Gendlin created Focusing, an inner dialoguingprocess, which helps one move forward organically while staying connected to the whole. Inaddition to providing invaluable techniques for navigating relationships, the enduring gifts ofthese two processes are the creation of new pathways between the heart and the mind. Byfollowing our hearts we allow ourselves to be guided in new directions that might better servesociety. Both of these methods offer step-by-step processes that are enjoyable and simple tolearn.

Few would argue that we are in a time of enormous and rapid upheaval — so many ofour familiar structures, traditions, institutions, beliefs, and behaviors seem to be breakingdown. Even the weather is behaving differently! It is possible that the only thing we can besure of is more change. Thus, it is imperative that we find ways to not just navigate throughthe turmoil but to actively participate in the creation of what we want changed.

The philosophy underlying NVC focuses on the ways in which our culture of domination(power-over) has distorted our views of each other and ourselves. It has helped me understandwhere, why and how things have gone so awry. The practice of NVC does this by making usaware of the way we speak and listen to others and teaches us to replace evaluations andjudgments with clear observations. The “violence” in Nonviolent Communication refers to theway in which our language, by disconnecting us from our hearts, has allowed us to objectifyeach other and ourselves. When I am in a violent, or heart-disconnected mode, I am essen-tially in a survival mode. I must fight or flee. I must make sure I get my share, even if it’s atyour expense; and it’s not safe to feel too much. The institutions we have created out of thismentality are just a natural extension of this life-alienated viewpoint.

Although I don’t claim to know exactly where we are all headed, what seems to be devel-oping has something to do with an emphasis on the more feminine energies — the relational,the heart centered, the village mentality, sharing, intimacy, and taking care of others. Theshift from surviving to thriving may entail the dissolution of some of our conventions and so-cietal structures, which have limited and separated us in the past. I envision the creation ofa different relationship between work and money, which may help us unleash more of our per-sonal and collective human resources. Processes like NVC and Focusing can become invalu-able tools for helping us communicate with each other as we make these shifts and re-envisionthe world.

Sometimes at the beginning of a creative process, there is confusion, destruction and chaos.Eventually we may arrive at the point of rearrangement. However, it’s easy to get stuck at thispoint because we are unable to tolerate the chaos or the unknown. Using the skills of Focus-ing, we can follow the inner signals of our bodies and minds to see what this whole “mess”feels like, and see if there is something that we can do to move forward. Sometimes the oldmaterials and structures are no longer “right,” – they don’t fit anymore. So, we remove themand wait and trust that new ideas will form in this newly created space.

Part of what I think we’re moving towards is connecting to a Collective Heart: not myneed vs. your need, but what will serve all of our needs. With NVC I have learned what I needfor my well-being and nurturance and have found ways of communicating that to others. To-gether we can find strategies for meeting the needs that we have in common. One of the amaz-ing revelations of NVC is the realization that we are not that different from one another, andthat there are certain things all human beings need for their sustenance. Without these things,we do not thrive.

Because NVC was designed to help us navigate the tricky places of conflict and disagree-ment with more ease and awareness, it increases the possibility for creating functional and joy-ful workplaces, families and communities. NVC, which is in essence a new language, istypically learned in a community. The language shifts it teaches, as well as the empathy it in-vokes, demonstrate to people a new kind of “juice” that can feed and energize them. As ourplanet shifts from using fossil fuels to more natural sources of energy such as sun and wind,it seems as if our human energy source is also shifting from the adrenalin rush of fight-or-flight to the heart-powered fuel we get from living authentically, in close community with oth-ers.

In viewing the immensity of the difficulties we are now facing, it may look like we aretrying to change the unchangeable. One of the most insidious of our guiding principles is thatof “rugged individualism,” one of the cornerstones of the American belief system. We havebeen brought up to believe that we have to do it alone, which pits people against each other.Whole institutions have been built upon that fallacy. It colors our current politics, and mostimportantly, it makes the concept of community and the common good suspect. I suspect thatthe real issue is our limited view of our selves, and the way our domination-oriented societyhas systematically taught us to be disconnected from our own bodies and feelings; our needsand hearts; nature and Spirit; and most importantly each other.

In changing any seemingly intractable situation, we will encounter all manner of internaland external opposing beliefs, stuck energies, habitual patterns and rigid institutions, all ofwhich may be nothing more than the collective sum of this outdated paradigm. One of mymost hopeful thoughts is that sometimes the tiniest quarter-turn of a screw can alter the mo-tions of an entire machine. I truly believe that the practices of NVC, Focusing and other self-connecting modalities offer some of the most accessible avenues of personal and globaltransformation.

“On this journey through thoughts and feelingsBinding intuition my head my heartI am gathering the tools togetherI’m preparing to do my part”

- Verse, “Swimming to the Other Side”

Karen Andrews offers her unique blend of Process Coaching for creative individualsusing NVC, Focusing and other self-liberating modalities. She offers one-on-one sessionsand organizes group trainings in NVC. Karen exhibits photography and watercolors at herhome-based gallery, Inner Vision Studio in West Stockbridge, and online at www.InnerVi-sion-Studio.com. She can be reached at: 413-232-4027 or [email protected]

Compassionate CommunicationTHE NEXT STEP

Page 20: The Artful Mind March 2010

16 MARCH 2010 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

DON MULLER GALLERYFor the third year in a row, the Don Muller Gallery has been

named one of the Top Ten Retailers of American Craft in NorthAmerica by Niche Magazine, one of the highest marks of dis-tinction in the American craft industry.

More than 18,000 craft artists from the United States andCanada are polled each year and nominate over 700 galleries,retail stores, and museum shops. Criteria for selection include: treating artists with courtesy and respect; paying ontime; promoting and marketing American crafts; giving backtime and energy to the craft community; mentoring emergingartists; and maintaining an inventory that is at least 85% Amer-ican craft.Don Muller Gallery was honored to be named among the top

galleries in the United States, and is particularly proud toachieve such an award for owning and operating a business indowntown, Northampton, Massachusetts, for over 25 years.Being one of the top 10 galleries in the nation is a real tributeto past and present employees and all of the artists that havebeen represented through the years.

The gallery has also announced the launch of their new website. The site features the work of many artists in jewelry,glass, wood, fiber, and more; it includes a tour of the gallery, adescription of their services, and an introduction to the gallerystaff. The site was produced by Positronic, a web development company based in Northampton.

Don Muller Gallery, 40 Main St, Northampton, MA, 413-586-1119, www.donmullergallery.com Open Mon–Wed, 10-5:30, Thurs–Sat, 10–9, Sunday 12-5pm.

“Now matter how old you get, if you can keep the desire tobe creative, you’re keeping the man-child alive.”

-John Cassavetes

SCHANTZ GALLERIESSchantz Galleries in Stockbridge is committed to the con-

tinuation of over 30 years of providing representation inter-nationally recognized glass artists to exhibit their work andshare their art with the world.

This is a hidden gem of a gallery, a destination for glasscollectors and enthusiasts near and far. Open seven days,visitors to the gallery will be delighted to find inspired sculp-tures and installations by Maestro Lino Tagliapietra of Mu-rano Italy; and the recently installed spectacular SilveredJade and Sapphire Chandelier by Dale Chihuly. Represent-ing over 40 of the world’s foremost living artists exhibited ontwo floors, visitors are privy to experience the very pinnacleof contemporary art glass right here in New England.

Throughout the years, the popularity of glass has grownimmensely—nurtured by Schantz and several other dedi-cated gallerists and collectors—and the gallery has becomean international destination for contemporary glass enthusi-asts. You really owe it to yourself to stop by and experiencethis art form.

Schantz Galleries, 3 Elm Street, Stockbridge, MA Winterhours are 11am – 5pm. 413-298-3044;www.schantzgalleries.com

HARRIET DIAMONDTHE PIT

Harriet Diamond’s exhibition of sculpture and draw-ing, “The Pit”, opens on April 1 at the Oxbow Gallery inNorthampton. The opening reception is on Friday, April 9from 5-8pm. Concurrently, Gary Niswonger will showpaintings in the backroom and will hold a closing on Sun-day, April 28 from 2-5pm.

The main piece in the show, “The Pit”, is an elaboratesculpture much like a very large, open diorama. About thepiece Harriet Diamond says, “For the last year and a half Ihave been working on “The Pit” and, sadly, the subject isstill war. In the sculpture soldiers are depicted endlesslyspiraling downward. Warplanes drone overhead. It’s sim-ple and to the point. We are always at war. Why? How canwe get out of this? It is sobering to still be making thiskind of work after 9 years, but it is uplifting to engagewith this problem. We may not solve it in our lifetime, butcertainly we need to focus our energies on stopping war.”

Harriet Diamond’s depictions of the common soldierscaught up in the events of war animate and humanize herpieces. The contexts of her scenes juxtaposed to her gentlycomic figures emphasize the haplessness of the soldiers.By turns the soldiers appear proud, triumphant, startled,suffering, and even dead. A panoply of human emotions isdisplayed across their faces. With humor, caring and witHarriet Diamond places all of us in her scenes.

Harriet Diamond uses many types of materials inbuilding her scenes such as paint, wood, styrofoam, clay,and tinfoil. She retains faith that her viewers will see whatshe sees in her materials. For example, a series of triangu-lar tinfoil pieces resolve themselves simply into a group ofairplanes. She reaches for whatever skills are at hand;sculpture, drawing and painting, to tell the story. And thisurgency reverberates throughout her work. Harriet Dia-mond has shown throughout New England and in New

York City.Gary Niswonger will show paintings in the

backroom at the Oxbow from April 1-25. Nis-wonger is a Professor of Art at Smith College haspainted from the landscape for 25 years. He haspainted landscape in Western Massachusetts, Ari-zona, Northern California and the South ofFrance. His work has been shown locally and re-gionally. The works in this exhibition are small,direct, immediate responses to being in the mo-ment in a specific place. Of particular interest tothe artist in this set of works is mirroring thechanges of light and color of natural world asweather and time of day of day dictate.

About his work he says, “Painting is choos-ing—all sorts of choices—some are subtle or ele-gant, others are flat-footed. My paintings are notafraid to be clumsy. They come from being in themaking. Standing out in the air, trying to keep upwith the moving elements, confronting color’stransiency—that’s it, that’s painting for me.”

Oxbow Gallery, 275 Pleasant St, Northampton.

HARRIET DIAMOND, THE PIT

DAN DAILY, SURE, 23” X 12” X 9”, BLOWN GLASS

Page 21: The Artful Mind March 2010

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010 • 17

By Cindy Kelly

Before it was comfortable to speak out about mental illness and its devastating effects onfamilies, FRANK LA FRAZIA was performing his one-man show, “Living with It”. Theperformance chronicles Frank’s life as a teenager caring for his mother, who suffered frombipolar disorder as well as type II diabetes. In this poignant and bittersweet one-hour perform-ance, La Frazia revisits his life between the ages of 13 and 18 when he became his mother’scaregiver, negotiating an obstacle course of hospital admissions and medical problems, aswell as his own coming of age. With limited contact from his father, and a sister who fled toanother city, Frank was left shouldering the responsibility for both his mother’s well-being andhis own. Frank laughingly describes himself as ‘the special kid’ at Holy Cross Catholic School,the one child to receive counseling in the early 80’s.What “Frankie” understood was that if Mom did not takeher pills, something bad would happen; sadly, a frequentoccurrence. Vacillating between a life of cooked mealsand the natural role of a child, and a totally chaotic en-vironment, he was forced to learn early to manage some of his mother’s very destructive be-haviors. A turning point for Frank occured at the age of sixteen when he gave himselfpermission to take back his life, proclaiming to his mother that he “will not always be here.”He credits his survival to maintaining close friendships, immersing himself in the creativearts, and allowing himself to engage in his own life.

La Frazia can be considered a forerunner to the national anti-stigma campaign recentlylaunched by celebrities such as Glen Close and Ron Howard. He created “Living with It” tohelp raise awareness and to open public dialogue, particularly for teens and family membersfacing the mental health crisis of a family member (as he had been forced to do on his own).In the style of Spalding Grey, John Leguizamo and Eric Bogosian, this both stirring and hu-morous piece features La Frazia portraying multiple characters from his Italian Catholic back-ground, as well as the cool, distant doctors that the family encounters. La Frazia skillfullybrings his characters to life, dancing between his mother, Suzie, who entertains imaginaryguests on the sofa; Terry, his lesbian sister who takes him to his first rock concert; and theirendearing Uncle Tony who sells televisions and comes to the rescue on many occasions.

“Mental illness” was not part of this family’s vocabulary. His mother’s illness was nevernamed in any way; La Frazia was shamed into silence. Yet somehow, he made it through tobecome the resilient, compassionate adult who today readily gives back to the community ofindividuals touched by challenging childhoods. Today, La Frazia sits on the board of directorsfor the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Berkshire County. He urges familiesto contact their local NAMI organization for help and support. It is just one more way thatFrank feels he can be of service and help to others; he hopes that people will begin to sharestories about mental illness, just as they share stories about cancer or asthma. He hopes to helpdispel some of the myths that were so painful to him as a child. Frank wants his audience toknow that people with mental illness are capable of living without the disease consumingthem. His story is clearly about a son who loves his mother; even as a child, he understoodthat she was not the illness.

In the summer of 1990, Suzie was hospitalized three times and the family was finallyforced to deal with the seriousness of her situation. Faced with the prospect of long-term treat-ment, the fear of being away from her son scared her into taking more responsibility, and thefamily rallied. They began to spend more time with her, realizing that social isolation as wellas a lack of goals and structure were contributing to her illness. The family’s combined efforts

did succeed in keeping Suzie out of the hospital, and eventually helped her to reintegrate intosociety. They took her shopping and rewarded her progress as she built up years of success-fully remaining on her medications.

By day, La Frazia is the Director of the Playwright Mentoring Project (PMP) at BarringtonStage Company. The PMP is a theater project in which at-risk youths use acting and playwrit-ing as a catalyst to address a staggering array of issues and challenges that these young peopleface during the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood. Many live in foster homes,in single parent families or in families struggling to support themselves financially. Teensmeet once a week after school for a two-hour session with a team of artists who guide themthrough playwriting, storytelling and conflict resolution exercises. The workshop culminatesin performances at Barrington Stage Company and in other regional schools.

Frank is also a member of The Royal Berkshire Improvisational Troupe (RBIT), an im-provisational comedy group that was founded in 2001 by actress Alexia Trainor. The grouphas delighted audiences throughout Western Massachusetts with their own brand of comedicmayhem. Their venues have included Barrington Stage Company, The Triplex Theater inGreat Barrington and the ever so popular Dotties in Pittsfield.

“Living with It” will be presented at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Saturday,March 13th at 7:30 p.m. All proceeds from the performance will benefit Gould Farm and itsprograms. Founded in 1913, Gould Farm is the first residential therapeutic treatment com-munity of its kind in the nation dedicated to helping adults with mental illness begin to regainand rebuild their lives through community participation, meaningful work and clinical super-vision. Located on 650-acre working farm in Monterey, MA. the Farm offers guests the op-portunity to become working members of a self-sustaining community. Frank’s decision tocollaborate with Gould Farm was sealed after a visit to the Farm: “If we’d known about aplace like Gould Farm, my mother might still be alive today. People need to know that thereis support and hope out there for the individuals and their families facing mental illness.”

“Living with It” will be performed at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Saturday,March 13th at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, please call the Mahaiwe at 413-528-0100, or visit www.mahaiwe.org. Tickets start at $20.

Do you know someone

who is ““Living with It?””

A PROFILE OF PLAYWRIGHT AND ACTOR FRANK LA FRAZIA

Page 22: The Artful Mind March 2010

Date In Historyby Bob Balogh

On this date in history, Slapdash, Massachusetts, population888, had exactly two selectmen on the Board of Selectmen.Which spelled trouble because Slapdash was built to be a three-selectmen town.

The selectmen were Mr. Lutz, Ms. Mungle and an emptychair. The chair was a hard-backed, mahogany chair, right therein the meeting room on the second floor of the Slapdash townhall. The chair was officially occupied for years by JerichoThorne, a downright upright public servant. People actually casttheir votes for Jericho Thorne. When election day came around,the results showed 297 votes for Jericho Thorne and one voteeach for the other candidates. No mystery that those two votescame from Lutz and Mungle, who pulled their own levers in thevoting booth.

And, okay, there was something a little peculiar about thepopular selectman, Jericho Thorne. He was the byproduct of amixed marriage. His mom was a nice, old-fashioned Slapdashbeauty and his daddy was a Monument Mountain porcupine.Which meant Jericho Thorne stood out in a crowd. His pudgybody was subject to the heavy growth of bristly hair that he kepttrimmed and plucked in all the right places. So, with propergrooming, he looked vaguely like Jerry Garcia.

Jericho Thorne had incredible self-discipline that kept himfrom instinctively climbing trees and eating grass and cloversand scurrying down to the river to snack on yellow water lilies.But he had difficulty controlling his craving for salt. It’s a por-cupine thing, you might not understand.

So, once he was installed on the Slapdash Board of Select-men, Jericho Thorne was permitted to have salt licks hooked upat strategic spots in the town hall and around the community.Big deal. Salt licks for a genuinely good guy, who happened tobe half man, half porcupine. He even had one in his office overat the Slapdash Pain Center, where Jericho Thorne ran a suc-cessful acupuncture business. Low overhead. Never ran shortof homegrown, organic needles.

Well, selectmen Lutz and Mungle conducted an executivesession and conveniently forgot to invite Jericho Thorne. In abackroom on the second floor of the Slapdash town hall, Mr.Lutz and Ms. Mungle conspired to eliminate their colleague.

They were uncomfortable with his porcupine bloodline and theyhated how much he was admired by the townspeople. So theydecided to confiscate all of the salt licks and as many salt prod-ucts as they could grab up and down the streets of Slapdash,Massachusetts.Door to door these selectmen went, flashing their selectmen’s

credentials in the faces of gullible citizens and demanding anyand all household salt products.

When Jericho Thorne left his acupuncture office for lunch,Lutz and Mungle slipped in to seize Jericho’s personal block ofsodium chloride. Then the selectmen issued a hastily scribbledresolution banning incoming shipments of salt licks or anythingsalty.

Now Jericho Thorne’s routine fell out of phase. He neededregular fixes of salt, in keeping with the tastes of his prickly ro-dent relatives who came before him.

But his little salt lick stations around town were missing. Hesearched and scrambled and could not find what he was lookingfor, which tangled up his thoughts and put a hurly burly in hishead and sent him spiraling into delirium.Jericho Thorne, half man, half porcupine, spasmodic without

the salt, reverted to a four-legged posture and ran wild acrossRoute 183, down the bank of the Housatonic River and he van-ished in the timberland of Monument Mountain.

The unbridled glee shared by selectmen Lutz and Mungleover dumping Jericho Thorne lasted only until the next Board ofSelectmen meeting. Five hundred Slapdash townsfolk showedup, each one holding high a salt lick and demanding the returnof their beloved quilled neighbor, wherever he might be, to theempty chair at the selectmen’s table.

The protest was loud. It was loud and angry and it coagulatedand oozed. Lutz and Mungle, hearts in their mouths, blood run-ning cold, could not breathe.

“I’m calling the cops,” yelled Lutz at the mob.“We’re already here,” shouted a Slapdash police officer in the

middle of the crowd, proudly holding a protest salt lick.Now the demonstrators started a chant. “Jericho, Jericho, Jeri-cho…”

The gathering had morphed into something far beyond thelimits of anything Lutz and Mungle were willing to weasel theirway through. So, they left their Board of Selectmen seats anddisappeared through the back door of the meeting room.Together they dashed for the staircase. But in their haste, Lutzand Mungle lost their footing and went tumbling, tumbling,

tumbling down. The angry mob spilled out into hallway andstood at the top of the stairs looking down at the fallen repro-bates. They held their salt licks high and continued chanting onbehalf of the missing selectman, half man, half porcupine. “Jeri-cho, Jericho, Jericho…”The salt was heavy in the Slapdash evening air and it wafted

out of the municipal building and into the dark. A swirling, saltyaroma was picked up by a cool breeze through the streets andout of town, along the river and up into the forest. A smell of saltcalling to all porcupines and half porcupines. A thrill to the ol-factory senses of Jericho Thorne, who before the night was over,could no longer contain himself.

He leaped out of the Monument Mountain underbrush andrushed back to Slapdash. Back to a hero’s welcome. And to anew leadership position created just for him. Civil Administra-tor. No more Lutz and Mungle or any kind of selectman config-uration.Oh sure, there were a few eyebrows raised at Jericho Thorne’s

homecoming. Yes, the Slapdash citizenry were introduced toJericho’s newfound love interest, whom he met in the wilds,who happened to be a shy little female hedgehog. But everyoneagreed there have been worse consequences after getting lost inthe woods.

TRAFFIC REPORT

There is a traffic quarantine in effect for vehicles going in orout of the village of Backfish, Massachusetts. Constructioncrews have begun a year-long project that involves tearing upthe three-mile stretch of Backfish Boulevard that connectsRoute 7 to the village. After the road demolition is completed,work will begin on a huge conveyor belt to take the place of theroad.

The plan, approved unanimously by the Backfish town fa-thers, is to totally eliminate vehicular traffic in Backfish, Mas-sachusetts. The plan came about through the diligent research ofa committee of select townspeople who discovered that so manycars either parked or moving around the village all the time iscausing the village to sink below the level of the HousatonicRiver, which gently runs though Backfish, Massachusetts.

The committee, Select Mortals Understanding Greatness(SMUG), is made up of five of the most influential townspeoplewho have demonstrated in the past that they know what is bestfor Backfish, Massachusetts.When the three-mile long conveyor belt is fully operational,

village residents will be allowed to park their cars for a small an-nual fee on the grounds of Joey Flabbergast’s Alcohol Tobacco& Firearms Store, right there at the junction of Route 7 andBackfish Boulevard. Then they will simply hop on the conveyorbelt and leave the driving to smart technology.

ON THE REBOUND

On the reboundthinking long-range,crackling with persistence and resolve,sharpening up with spit and polish,reaching for the skywith old-time New York arrogance.Smiles for smiles,talk of love,tasting recovery:ten thousand more days of cultural phenomenon,one blistering kick in the ass after another.

18 THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010

THE GALLERY AT THE GOLD AND SILVERSMITH152 Main St, Great Barrington (next to Eagle Shoe and Boot)

413 • 528 • 0013 (Tues - Sat 10:30-6 pm)

The Gallery at

The Berkshire Gold and Silversmith

EYE on Botswana:Intimate Encounter withSouthern African Wildlife

Photographs byJohn Lipkowitz

THROUGH MARCH

Greater Backfish Roundup

Page 23: The Artful Mind March 2010

The Architecture of WarStephen Dietemann

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue with no end insight. President Obama’s approach to foreign policy, and es-pecially war, seems eerily and disturbingly similar to that of ourlast ‘war president’ George W. Bush. So much for the NobelPeace Prize..I recently read Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. I had been stronglyencouraged to read this book – it was published in 1992 – by myfamily for many years. I should have listened to them; it is a re-markable book. Quinn provides a critique of how we – he callsus the ‘Takers’ – have lived since the dawn of the agriculturalrevolution about ten thousand years ago. He compares our ap-proach – and war plays no small part in the way we live – withthat of those increasingly rare groups he call the “Leavers’. TheLeavers do just that: they leave the earth as they found it, ‘un-conquered’ and none the worse for wear. It is with this book inmind that I reprint a column I wrote in 2002. The best I can sayabout the fact that little has changed except for the worse, sincethen is that Daniel Quinn’s book offers a glimmer of hope thatif we can understand the fallacies that fuel the way we – the Tak-ers – live and the destruction intrinsic to our way of life, wecan change – and perhaps even survive. Looking honestly atwhy we are fighting these two wars right now is a good start.

We are a nation at war but here the signs of this war are eerilyabsent. In fact it is an emptiness - the now almost fully exca-vated pit at the base of what was the site of the World Trade tow-ers - that remains the most poignant sign of this war. Theabsence of war’s effects and consequences appears to be an in-creasing trend, at least in my lifetime. While my grandparentsdescribed the presence of World War II in the United States -shielded lights, ration coupons, posters warning of the dangersof casual comments to strangers, the bunkers along the coastsand the diversion of civilian materials to the requirements ofwar - I remember the signs of Vietnam most vividly as a contin-uous series of images - burning jungle, angry students, confused/sad/terrified/resigned soldiers and peasants - on the television.The many other wars we have involved ourselves in since mybirth in 1953, including Panama, Chile, Nicaragua, Haiti, theBalkans - the list is long - were virtually invisible here. War inthe United States has for some time been most conspicuous byits absence. Much of the rest of the world, however, is replete with tangiblesigns of war. In their intriguing book, The Architecture of War,

Keith Mallory and Arvid Ottar, present such evidence. Theystart the book with the following fact: “In the first half of (thetwentieth) century almost astronomical sums were spent on waror the preparation for war. A large portion of this money was ex-pended on military construction - on programmes which cov-ered every conceivable aspect of building.” The Maginot Line,the West Wall, submarine pens at Bruges, the ‘Moir’ pill-box allremain as reminders of war. Less obvious, but no less horrificare the POW camps and the concentration camps where in ad-dition to the murder of so many people, the slave labor neces-sary for the smooth running of the Germany and Japan warmachines were kept.

I have seen some of these places discussed by Mallory andOttar and visited others like them. It is difficult for me to imag-ine that anyone could walk through such places and even thoughmost are long abandoned, not feel a chill. Each is a repositoryof loss and fear, of death and illusion, of terror and hopelessness,the intangible architecture of war contained within the actual ar-chitecture of war. History records the ‘winners’ and ‘losers’and provides a summary of events but this information remainsan abstraction. The power of the architectural remnants of waris their ability to convey the actual experience of war. Theseplaces vibrate at a frequency human beings cannot ignore ormake abstract. I suspect the same is true of a visit to the remainsof a B-52 in a jungle in southeast Asia, a scuttled submarine inRussia or a sniper’s perch in Serbia.

Perhaps the great sin of the twentieth century was the ab-straction of individual suffering. Statisticians and politicianshave been permitted to seize and pervert the moral ground, tocreate terms like ‘collateral damage’ and ‘friendly fire’. I havewritten in the past of the horrible abstraction of effort and intentrequired by the Nazis and their sympathizers to construct a placelike Aushwitz and it is difficult to imagine anyone using an an-tiseptic term like ‘collateral damage’ in a place like that; it isequally difficult to imagine such euphemistic terminology insidea trench at Verdun, a bunker at Normandy, or a bomb shelterbelow Strasbourg. Those who experienced the most horrible as-pects of war seldom advance abstract notions of war.

The excavated pit in lower Manhattan will soon be an officetower again and we are once again embarked upon a war that isdesigned to leave as few traces of itself as possible upon each ofus here. Of course minimizing damage to yourself while max-imizing damage to your enemy has always been the intent ofwar, but this new, invisible architecture of war leaves me ex-

tremely uncomfortable. This is especially true when, as is in-creasingly the case, the ‘official’ definition of patriotism trumpsall further discussion of ‘empire’ as well as causes, ends, ormethods. Perhaps Aristotle was right when he noted that onlythe dead shall know the absence of war, but the price of warmust never be minimized, or worse, ignored. The architectureof war makes that clear.

~ Stephen Dietemann TAM / March, 2010

[email protected] THE ARTFUL MIND FEBRUARY 2010 • 19

Architecture & Arcadia

Regional Italian Dinner Series $30 Prix Fixe

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Nights

Page 24: The Artful Mind March 2010

“It is difficult to stop in time because one gets carried away.

But I have that strength; it is the only strength I have.”

-Claude Monet

LAUREN CLARK FINE ARTSMALLWORKS WINTER SALON

The list is long:the short story

haikua curio cabinetwallet photos

jewelsa glass menageriepuppies & kittensbaby vegetables

“Small Works Winter Salon”, a group show featuringgallery artists’ work at its smallest, will be on display at Lau-ren Clark fine Art February 12-March 22, 2010.There has always been a fascination and interest in small

things, whether on their own or in relation to their largercounterparts. They can be precious, delicate and dear andperhaps even vulnerable.In small works of art there is a satisfying completeness to

their essence without being a grand masterpiece, magnumopus or towering monument. The works in this show bringthe viewer in to relate and interpret. Or maybe just to gaze atand appreciate. “This show is such a pleasure for me to pres-ent! I was so inspired by the work”, from the colorful newbarn series by Geoffrey Moss and the playful little still lifesand “animal” portraits by Ann Getsinger to the tiny black,white and color photographs by Sabine Vollmer von Falkenand the amazing grid of watercolor cutouts by Stephanie An-dersen.Also on view are Irmari Nacht’s unusual photo collage as-

semblages, Peter Dellert’s mixed media works which includetiny squares of leaves, musical notation, onion skins andwasps nests, etchings by Jo Barry, mylar transfermonotype/paintings by Carolyn Letvin, paintings on metalby Carol Gingles and Richard Britell (“but oh so differentfrom each others’”), abstract and figurative paintings byFranco Pelligrino, and about a dozen other artists from theBerkshires and beyond.

“Oh, and about that inspired part...you should see how Ihave painted the gallery this time to display all this wonder-ful art!” And in this time of corporate downsizing and shrink-ing budgets what better time to celebrate the small, theeconomical, and maybe the hand-held.

Lauren Clark Fine Art, 402 Park Street (Rte. 183), inthe heart of Housatonic. For directions to the gallery orfor more information call 413-274-1432 or visit the web-site at www.LaurenClarkFineArt.com

MICRO THEATRE PRESENTS

LOST AND FOUNDMicro Theatre presents “Lost and Found”, a theatrical

event of satire, farce and absurdity. Written and producedby Bob Balogh, “Lost and Found” features Bob Balogh,Michael Hitchcock, and Becky Sterpka and takes place Sun-day afternoons at 3 p.m. on March 21, 28 and April 11 and18 at the Micro Theatre in Pittsfield. Suggested donation is$10.

Micro Theatre serves the community as a performancevenue for experimental theatre productions, acoustic musicshows, standup comedy and poetry readings. The space is alsoavailable for rehearsals and auditions. The 30-seat, black boxtheatre is conveniently located in downtown Pittsfield at 311North Street and is affiliated with the ArtOnNo collaborative. Artistic Director Bob Balogh managed Sidney Armus’ The-

atre 22 in NYC from 1996-2002. Bob is a member of the boardof directors at CTSB-TV in Lee; his radio program is broadcaston WBCR-LP in Great Barrington and on WPKN in Bridge-port, CT.

Among the original, experimental presentations scheduledfor 2010 at Micro Theatre are “Lost and Found” and “Nixon inLove.”Auditions for the repertory cast are ongoing. All ages and all

levels of experience are welcome to make an appointment.Micro Theatre, 311 North Street, Pittsfield, MA; 413-

442-2223, 413-212-7180; microtheatre@hotmail.

THE MUSIC STOREAs we await the start of the Berkshires’ Spring Sym-

phony, we at the Music Store are enjoying the last of oursecond Winter in our new location, at the end of the Rail-road Street extension in Great Barrington. Acclaimed asone of the area’s best music stores, The Music Store spe-cializes in fine, folk and unusual musical instruments, ac-cessories, supplies and music motif gifts. The Music Store offers music lovers and musicians of allages and abilities a myriad of musical merchandise thatwill help them illuminate the longest winter night and en-liven the shortest day. Music lovers and professional andamateur musicians alike will find an exciting array of bothnew and used name-brand and hand-made instruments, ex-traordinary folk instruments and one of the Northeast’sfinest selections of strings and reeds.

Music Store customers enjoy fine luthier handmadeclassical guitars, the peerless Irish Avalon steel string gui-tars, the brand new Baden Pantheon USA guitars as wellas the handmade Badens including the USA HandmadeBourgeois/Pantheon Baden and guitars from other finelines including Avalon, Rainsong and Takamine, as well asAlvarez, and Luna and from designers including GregBennett. Acoustic and electric guitars from entry to pro-fessional level instruments are available. Famous namesincluding consignment Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch andFender guitars and basses join less-well known brandswhich appeal to those seeking high quality but are on tightbudgets, providing any guitarist a tempting cornucopia ofplaying possibilities. A wide variety of Ukuleles (includ-ing the Connecticut made Flues and Fleas) join banjos,mandolins and dulcimers as well.

Unusual instruments are also available, including theConnecticut-made Fluke and Flea Ukeleles and the peer-less and lovely Stockbridge-made Serenity bamboo andwalking stick flutes. New and used student orchestral andband instruments are available, including violins from$159 to $3000. An extensive array of international stringsand reeds provides choices for the newest student to thesymphony performer. Children’s instruments, as well as afine line of international percussion including middle east-ern and hand made African instruments along with manychoices of industry standard drums, stands, heads andsticks, as well as tuners, forks and metronomes can befound as well. All new instruments are backed by The Music Store’s

lifetime warranty which provides free set-up and adjust-ments on any new instrument sold. For repair and restora-tion and maintenance of fine stringed instruments -guitars, banjos, mandolins and the like - The MusicStore’s repair shop offers expert luthiery at reasonableprices on instruments of all levels, as well as authorizedrepairs on Warwick Basses, and Lowden and Takamineguitars.

Those in search of the perfect present for music loverswill find a treasure trove of gift favorites such as bumperstickers (“Driver Singing,” “Go Home and Practice,” Tuneit or Die” and more), tee shirts, caps, scarves, miniaturemusical instruments and instrument magnets, nightshirts,music motif mugs, socks, totes and ties. Small bronze andmetal musician statues and cuddly ‘Music Lover’ stuffedanimals, whistle pops and earrings add additional possibil-ities to gift giving customers.

The Music Store is the place to be. For a magical,musical experience, visit The Music Store at 87 RailroadStreet in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, open Tuesdaysthrough Saturdays from 10 to 6, and on Sundays from 12to 5. Call 413-528-2460 or email us at [email protected] look for us on Facebook at The Music Store Plus forspecial tips and events! We at The Music Store wish youpeace and harmony throughout 2010.

NOTE about February Cover artist:John Lipkowitz:

Credit for cover shot goes to Nina Lipkowitz.She also did the one inside of John in front of

the building in India.The photograph of John with the lens in hand

was shot by Matt Ross

20 • THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010

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WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010 • 21Continued on next page....

Interviewed & written by Nanci RaceCover shot by Julie McCarthy

I met Theodore Collatos in Richmond, Massachusetts. Mak-ing a film in Pittsfield was a natural choice for Ted. He spentmany happy summers in Richmond in the 18th century housethat was owned by his mother and step-father. While listeningto him I watched him transform from a somewhat hesitantyoung person into someone who is passionate about his work.I became curious about Ted’s reason for becoming a film-maker after attending various photography schools inChicago, Boston, and Germany. He tells me that photographywas limiting but that making films was something he felt itwould be too overwhelming. Unlike photography, film has sev-eral elements beyond the pictures such as sound, acting, edit-ing, and the business itself. But it’s easy to see that the fun Tedhas making his films outweighs his fear.We spoke about his documentaries and narratives including

his newest film. “Tom Collins” (working title) is a narrativeabout a local man named Sean (Matt Shaw) who gets releasedfrom prison and reunites with his brothers. Ant (Tony Shaw)is a petty thief with a heart of gold. John (Sean Van Duesen)is an Iraq war vet who has post-traumatic stress disorder. Thestory is an intimate look at today’s youth living in Pittsfieldand their relationship with the past glory days of the GeneralElectric factory. Because Ted collaborated with Solar SystemStudios the film was shot on the RED ONE camera technolo-gies. The RED ONE is the pinnacle of top of the line high per-formance digital cinema and has unmatched image quality.

This technology has been used in many TV shows including“Night at the Museum” and “ER.” The cinematographer istwo-time Emmy winner Thomas Lowe.

Although Ted is an award-winning, international film-maker at first I thought he was somewhat idealistic because ofhis ideas about society and what it should be. After talking tohim for a few minutes I realized that he’s realistic. When hefinished explaining his views I understood that he has no illu-sions about what it takes to make and produce his films, whichhave garnered worldwide acclaim by winning numerousawards in the United States and in Europe. Ted’s work isthought-provoking; initiating dialogue that questions the sta-tus quo. At the conclusion of the interview he gave me a copyof his documentary, “Move.” a film about Deeply RootedDance Theater, an African American dance group. It rein-forced my view that Ted is someone whose empathy helps un-cover the profound feelings of people who have real lives,loves, and losses. His meticulous filming and editing of theshow impacted the way I looked at and thought about the per-sonal struggles the members of the dance troupe might have.He was able to elicit details about the tragedy that almost de-stroyed the dance company when several members died fromthe ravages of AIDs, overcoming Kevin Iega Jeff’s reluctanceto be interviewed.

Nanci Race: Tell me how you developed your interest in film-ing people despite beginning your career as a photographer.How did you push past the fear of becoming a filmmaker?Theodore Collatos: I discovered that people are interesting when

you film them. You grab a moment and it's a subjective view soit has a certain type of surrealism but it’s about a real person hav-ing real emotions. A documentary is about life. I meet people andif they interest me I shoot some footage and it always turns outgreat. Although I’ve had several exhibits and my photos have beenin various publications I grew frustrated with photography so Iwent into film. In the beginning my films were more experimental.They slowly progressed to “Tom Collins,” which has some exper-imental elements but it's really a drama, a story about people andcharacter as opposed to experimental, which is more about im-ages, emotion, and ideas and is more oriented toward visual arts.When I finish a documentary I immediately want to do a narrativeand vice versa. Since childhood I've had a sensibility where I candraw, I can paint but I feel that I can do anything within themedium of film; a cheesy commercial or a horror film, a drama,or a documentary.

NR: You primarily film documentaries and narratives. Whydo both? Does it get confusing switching from one to theother?TC: No. Those two processes inform each other; dealing with ac-tors as opposed to shooting and not speaking, because they're aninverted process. In a documentary you find the story in the edit-ing process. With a narrative it's the opposite. You're making thestory. As time goes by they both become better. In a documentaryit's all about respecting the subject; like in an interview letting theperson talk and getting him or her comfortable to talk and lettingit go and there it is. It's the same with directing actors or non-ac-tors. It's almost therapeutic. You create a level where they are safe

FILMMAKER & PHOTOGRAPHERTHEODORE COLLATOS

Theodore Collatos, Thomas Lowe, Rick Roucoulet & Matt Shaw

Photograph of Andrea by T. Collatos

Photograph “Man Sleeps”, by T. Collatos

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THEODORE COLLATOS

22 • THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

and comfortable. It's satisfying emotionally and physically. Themore films you do the more options you give people to watch. It'sa different experience, like shooting "Move" for five years andtrying to reconcile all these different ideas, making it visually in-teresting and making it flow and have a point by editing for morehours than I shot. However, “Tom Collins” is more like the classic70s movies that are more socially dynamic presenting people asthey are, rough around the edges or not. It’s more culturally rele-vant than a genre picture would be right now. Everything now isgenre pictures, a spectacle; distracting culture. With “Tom Collins”I wanted it to resonate with those genre movies like "Fat City,""The Last Picture Show," or even a Herzog aesthetic.

NR: Tell me more about Deeply Rooted Theater’s documen-tary, “Move.”TC: That documentary took five years to make. Oftentimes doc-umentaries take longer to make because they are harder to edit.With a narrative a lot of the time it involves telling the story. Youtell it three times, you write it, you shoot it, you edit it. With adocumentary it's about finding the story so it's an inverted process.Their head choreographer is Kevin Iega Jeff, who is a major figurein African American dance. Gary Abbott is his associate artistic di-rector. I formed a relationship with the whole company. I thoughtthis was a great opportunity to tell their story, which is uplifting,inspirational, and is a hard story too.

Kevin Iega Jeff started his company when he was 18. It was

called Jubilation and they were a phenomenon. In thattime period, the 80s, there was a real interest in them.They went out into the world and became an interna-tionally recognized company. But by the end of the 80sall the key men had died, which obviously impactedhim. So Jeff took a little break for a period of time. Ju-bilation was all about African American ideas and danceand identity and establishing a foundation for AfricanAmericans. By then it was the 90s and things hadchanged. He created a mixed dance company in the tra-dition of African American dance. The media and theAfrican American community in Chicago was upset that

there were white people in the company. But that was part of hisconflict at that time. So he walked away from that job and createdDeeply Rooted. I feel that this documentary is a lot about what'sin politics now; the progression in race relations and topics. Jeffobviously respects history but his ideas are about how we are herenow and as a culture, as America, where are we going? It alsotouches on gay issues but not the generic drumbeat either. It'sabout the characters living real lives with their feet on the groundthat you don't see in documentaries. Documentaries are often gen-der based; whoever is making it already knows what it is and isjust making that happen. This is more organic; asking people ques-tions about their lives. The people are different ages and it's abroad perspective on all those issues that surfaced in the 90s. It'sa totally different take on African American issues, gay issues,multiculturalism, and that's what turned me on about it.

NR: How do you decide who or what you want to do a docu-mentary about? For example why did you decide to talk toKevin Iega Jeff and his dance company?TC: They're chosen because they spark something. For instance Iknow and really respect Kevin Iega Jeff. He's a character, he'scharismatic, and he’s where I want ideas to be so he's going to bea great subject. You have to be instinctual with art. Trust your filmand go at it full force like a linebacker or something. Just do it. Ihave a timeline and my timeline is my life; what am I going to get

done in my life? I feel like I'm already behind because of oppor-tunity, the venue, financial concerns and so forth. Looking back atthe 90s, people were making films for a hundred thousand dollarsand that was the lowest budget. They had clear vision and themovies had character but they cost about a hundred thousand dol-lars. How did that happen? Now it's streamlined almost back towhere we were in the 50s. You're either born into it or you're partof the machine. The irony is that we have all these tools like thisvideo camera but who's going to see it, someone clicking aroundon the Internet at 12 o'clock at night? That's not a cultural dia-logue.

NR: Earlier when you refer to experimental do you mean likeyour film "The Chosen One?" I understand that was very con-troversial. What was the concept of the film and was it con-troversial because of the religious connotations?TC: "The Chosen One” was a lot about what was going on at thetime and is still going on today; religion versus government versusscience. It's in the style of an underground horror film. I held afree screening at the Cove Bowling Lanes in Great Barrington,Massachusetts. It was kind of like a midnight movie. In the 70sthey had a lot of alternative spaces where people could show films;bowling alleys, even art houses, which barely exist now. So, Ithought it would be really cool to put on a free show for the com-munity and have a good time. We expected a huge turnout so weneeded chairs. We went to many local places to get folding chairsand eventually we went to a church. They agreed to give us some,but when they found out the name of the movie someone called theCove to ask that the screening be shut down. Luckily the Covemanagement decided to have the show anyway.

NR: Other than the name which could signify religious entitiesdid anyone give you any specific objections they had to thefilm?TC: The point of the name of the movie was a satire because of theidea of one person being "the chosen one" or the leader of every-one and not just in the religious sense. The leader in the movie is

Theodore Collatos shot by Julie McCarthy

Members of MOVE, dance group still

Pigeon Hug, photograph, Theodore Collatos Todd and Stephanie, photograph, Theodore Collatos

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THEODORE COLLATOS

WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010 • 23

a crazed doctor. His heart is in the right place, trying to forwardscience, but his methods are barbaric because it was in the 1900s.I was interested in early surgery and early surgical drawings. Peo-ple would actually donate their pain for science. Now we have op-erations like heart surgery but the early heart surgery operationsweren't very sophisticated or accomplished. The film was aboutmyth and images, and archetypes. It wasn't supposed to be viewedin the literal sense.

NR: What was your initial feeling when you heard there wasa group of people trying to shut down your film?TC: It just reiterated the tone of the country at the time where youcan't say anything. I made this little movie for nothing. I didn'thave a place to screen it, I threw a free screening and some peoplehad a problem with that. It was just a little bit ridiculous. So I did-n't really take it seriously.

NR: Do you think it was the tone of the country or the tone ofthe town? Great Barrington is a very small town that eventhough it's very progressive in many ways and very cultural,it still has a lot of fairly strict ideas of what most people deemacceptable.TC: I think most of this area is kind of provincial and that can beinteresting. There are a lot of dynamics at work in the Berkshiresthat are culturally. . .You can't even really nail it down there are somany strands of people. But after that whole controversy I realizedthere were about four or five churches within a block.

NR: Were you influenced by anyone in particular when youbegan filmmaking?TC: I can rattle off dozens of directors I studied really hard but atthis point I have the tools to make the films and it's more about liv-

ing life and getting a character, which developsinto an idea, then potentially meeting a person whocan play that character and then making a movie.

NR: Do you act in your own movies?TC: On occasion. I did in "The Chosen One." I'mnot that kind of director where I have to be in themovies. I'm more visual and about cinematogra-phy and visual dynamics then potentially acting inthe film. But I did in "The Chosen One" because itwas a fun movie. It's not supposed to be a highdrama.

NR: I understand that you and Carolina Mon-nerat, your wife, work together quite often.

TC: Yes, she helps me produce the films and she has acted in sev-eral of them. She produced our documentary “Move.” She dealsbetter with putting pieces together and fund raising, which is vitalto this business. It's hard to do everything alone. I'm more the artis-tic director of our company and she manages the promotional as-pect getting us known in the world. She takes care of all the publicrelations, which is probably more important than the film in thisday and age.

NR: What is the biggest issue you face in getting a film made?TC: It's all very hard. There's no venue. People say the Internet;it's great. So now people are expecting filmmakers to make a filmfor free. Even at this level it takes hundreds of thousands of dollarsand people want us to put it on the Internet for free for people towatch. There's a cultural shift that's not resolved yet. A lot of it iscorporate controlled. I can barely get a film made anddirectors in the 70s just walked out of film school and made mil-lion dollar movies. The whole culture is slowing down. We needto jump forward and I don't see that happening in the next 20years.

NR: Do you think that your films help open viewer’s eyes be-cause the documentaries or narratives are all about people,their intelligence, and because they are very emotional, whichmakes everything else a non-issue?TC: I'm not trying to make a politically correct film all the time."Move" just happens to be a very inspiring subject. But I've pickedother subjects that are chaotic and almost frightening to watch.At the same time film needs to do that. It needs to have a point ofview. It can't be for everyone. Everyone needs to come to "it" andunderstand why it exists in the culture, art, politics, all of that can'tbe streamlined like Coca Cola. It has to engage a dialogue to make

people think, to move people forward. Otherwise it's just a slicklittle book. I have my thoughts and opinions but my movies rep-resent aesthetic ideas and characters that exist. Through the 90s,it was all about agenda documentaries. In the 60s and 70s therewas a movement called direct cinema. That's when you take animage and let the character speak for himself and it's subjective.It is what it is and that's more powerful than interviewing someoneabout something that they are ready to talk about.

NR: How do you get people to care? What are you doing toget “Move” out there to the public?TC: You have to pay someone. So you have to raise money frompeople that do care. In March we're having a benefit at the BeaconCinema in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. We'll show "Move" andhopefully raise money to get a sound mix. From there hopefullywe can get a publicist. You have to engage in the machine or noone is going to see it. You don't just send a tape in the mail toSouth by Southwest or Cannes Film Festival or Sundance and ex-pect someone to watch it. You have to get a publicist who says,"Hey, watch this film." Then the programmer watches it. It's allpolitical. It's hard to get out there.

NR: If it’s so difficult for you why keep doing it? Why makethe films and push yourself to get money to make them andget noticed?TC: My main concern is doing it. As I said I have a life timelineso if I don't make films now I never will and then where am I?Even if I make one that's bad that's more valid then not doing it.You can spend your whole life looking for money or you can justscratch it together and make a film.

Theodore Collatos photography is available for purchase atthe Great Exchange, 18 Main Street, West Stockbridge, MA 413-232-9828. There will be a benefit screening of Move on April12th at 7:30pm at The Beacon Cinema with Mayor Ruberto at-tending. The Beacon is located at 57 North Street, Pittsfield, MA01201, 413- 358-4780. The Chosen One can be purchased atBest Buy, Target, Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Trailerscan be viewed at www.myspace.com/movemovie and www.my-space.com/filmthechosenone Other films including Dog Showcan be viewed at www.myspace.com/theodorecollatos and willbe screened at the Boston Cinema Census film festival in Har-vard Square at the Brattle Theater in Boston, MA on March 6th,2010.

Matt Shaw- jail, film still, Pittsfield, MA

Theodore Collatos calls this Metallica, still, Pittsfield, MA

William Victor, film still, Pittsfield, MA

MOVE, Winston, film stillTheodore and Thomas Lowe

Page 28: The Artful Mind March 2010

24 • THE ARTFUL MIND MARCH 2010 WWW.ARTFULMIND.NET

KATE KNAPP

FRONT ST. GALLERYHousatonic Mass.

“ Portraits …All the people I loved to paint” 40 or more paintings, oils and watercolors, of men, women and children, friends, family and members of the community.

Come see who’s here! Through April… Winter hours: By appointment or chance

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday studio open for classes 9:30 am -1pm New students welcome

413-274-6607 • 413-429-7141 • 413-528-9546

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Jaz in Kimono, 24x20 Martin

Please visit Lew at his studio / house in Monterey, MA. See his many oils, watercolors and

drawings done over 40 years

For appointment 413-528-6785

Lewis Scheffey

Lewis Scheffey, Blue Trees (cropped version)

Eye on Botswana:Intimate Encounters with Southern African Wildlife

Photographs by John LipkowitzFebruary and March, 2010

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Tuesday-Saturday 10:30 - 6:00 pm 413-528-0013