In a Woodstock Café by Rick Pantell.
With the big openings set for the Woodstock Artists Association and Museum next weekend, and a host of artists and art aficionados headed for the City this Thursday through Sunday to see what’s up, globally, at the mass of art fairs happening from the river east into Brooklyn and Queens, it seems a perfect time to take a gander at some of the stalwart pieces up around town…as well as a quieter, more contemplative long look at what’s up in some of our galleries for the next month or so.
Here are a few highlights to stop by, arranged in a directional way but certainly not complete, given they were based on my own recent perambulations (with a five year old in tow).
The Woodstock School of Art, located out Route 212 near the Saugerties border, will be showing its first Student Show of the year for one last weekend before their long-awaited retrospective for Carolyn Haeberlin opens. Always a great exhibit of beautiful prints, drawings and paintings that reflect the classic professionalism of the institution’s talented faculty, be sure and look for individual themes and stylistic flourishes.
Vivo Fine Art, located next to Cucina with opening hours later than most art venues in town (often tied to those of the restaurant), has a permanent selection of artists up for now, including painted furniture by Erica Danielle Franz, folk pieces by Calline Welles and Jill Allyn Stafford, plus some of the most exciting etched glass work seen anywhere by psychedelic art legend Isaac Abrams.
At the Fletcher Gallery, it’s Harriet Tannin month, with the late artist’s woven photographs and other pieces, augmented by some of the estate work the gallery specializes in in its light-filled upstairs space on Mill Hill Road.
Woodstock Framing Gallery, located across the street and not far from yummies-filled Maria’s Bazaar, is showing works by the great watercolorist and oil painter Richard Segalman, a master of light, texture and memory (plus a real boon this time of year, when his beach pieces work so well to counter all that’s around us). Plus some great Robert Ohnigian collage pieces that feel, themselves, like watercolors.
Sidetrip up Rock City Road and, up past the Colony Café, one finds the always-welcoming and work-filled Lotus Fine Arts, which in addition to showcasing the painted glass pieces of owner Jamie Barthel and jewelry by Serena VanRensselaer, includes a wide mix of paintings by Barbara Green, Clinton Deckert, Kathleen McGuinness, M’Lou Sorrin, Joyce Washor, F.E. Green, Fran Beallor and Damon Tommlino…as well as gift items and a framing shop.
Back down the street towards the Village Green, Photosensualis is an oasis of fine black and white photography when open on weekends this year. And gearing up for the next of their film screenings next Saturday, March 13.
Heading into town, Oriole 9’s latest show, of cracking fine work from hot (and prolific) outsider Scott Ackerman, plus Julie Besancon, deserves a long look before the next show here slides in next week. Bet you can’t do that without ordering something!
At the Woodstock Artists Association & Museum, the Harriet Tannin show that Fletcher’s exhibit is an offshoot, continues for another month…but should be seen to get a good sense of all that made this artist click. Also showing, and fun, is a series of colorful pieces by the always-enthusiastic Meyer Lieberman, plus a fantastically rich group show of new works juried by the great Gillian Jagger. And don’t forget downstairs, where smaller works, and art by local students, is on view…
The Center for Photography at Woodstock, a bit further down Tinker Street, has its annual Made in Woodstock V (MIW V) collection of works created by recent participants of the Center’s residency program for artists of color working in the photographic arts up through the month. And it’s way cool.
Across the street, at the Bearsville Graphics Studio Gallery, Rick Pantell and Karen Whitman’s stunning print work is on view, and for sale, along with a revolving selection of carefully curated works by their many friends in the medium. A truly special place.
Stroll a bit now, up Tinker Street, until you come upon the can’t-be-missed Varga Gallery, next to Upstate Films, where there’ll be a mysteriously-wild Pick Up Party all weekend as artists get their works off the wall in time for the gallery’s next show and any work not picked up by noon on Saturday, March 5 will be sold to whoever makes the best offer. Crazy, huh? But bound to be fun…
For more gallery fun, head up Route 212 towards Phoenicia and keep your eyes open for Elena Zang Gallery on the left in Shady. Wondering where all the top artists living in the area show? This is it…and whatever Elena has up on the walls by her stable of A-listers, from Mary Frank and Donald Elder to Stella Chasteen and Marielle Bisson, will be spectacular, and eclectic.
Finally, don’t forget to stop by and catch the last weekend of the spectacular Japanese print exhibit up at James Cox Gallery, out in Willow beyond the turn off where the farm sanctuary flourishes. This is great work, and a fine rural gallery that’s always welcoming…and ready to share its collected treasures with stoppers-by.
Beyond, there’s Phoenicia’s Art Upstairs and Cabane Galleries. But that’s another story.
And don’t forget the surprises around town, from the great Anton Refrigier collage piece over the counter at Woodstock Meats to the Anton Fig gracing the bar at Gypsy Wolf, the great historic collections in the courtroom behind Village Hall on Tinker Street, or in the town meeting room up at the Comeau Property, as well as the many Jo Cantine pieces at The Bear.
It goes on and on, this art all around Woodstock. Checked out the library’s collection lately…and I mean looked at it closely? Fabulous!
Even Woodstock’s banks and garages have art, as well as our real estate offices and all local restaurants. And most businesses.
Take advantage of the slowness this weekend to see how much of it all you can see in one swoop.
It’s worth it. As are you…++
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