The Eclipse April 2024 As Viewed In Ohio's 100% Totality and In Beacon, Plus A Poem From Inside The Totality

The eclipse in 100% Totality in Ohio, during the 3 minutes of total coverage, when all went dark, except for the red glow down below. We could look up at the moon covering the sun 100% at this point.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth

The eclipse of April 2024 as seen from Mount Beacon.
Photo Credit: Meghan Spiro

Drove away to Ohio to experience the eclipse in 100% totality there from a farm. Which turned out to be ideal, as the wide open space allowed for us to see the red glow happening down low above the ground. View that in the video below, which was taken inside of the 3 minutes of total moon coverage, where we could safely look up without eclipse glasses on to stare directly at the moon with the sun glowing around it. We could see one sun flare in the bottom left corner, peeking out from the moon.

Was able to capture the color in an iPhone video, and tried to translate into a poem below (it’s still rough…but for timing…has been published).

The Beacon-based photographer Meghan Spiro captured the eclipse color in Beacon from a side of Mount Beacon. Her spit-screen photo is shown here.

Eclipse Poem

Total Totality

From inside the eclipse
In Total Totality
The 3 minutes of total moon coverage began.
The dome came over us.
A silver dome of protection
Shooting out of the dark light.
Touching the grass
The weightless silver holding.
Shadows gone.
Like we were all dead,
Our lives held in dark white light,
Our passions pouring into the dark depth above us.
Where are we?

“Mommy! Take a picture of the sunset! Take a picture of the sunset and send it to me!”

Sunset?
But the sun is above us.
But the sun is black.
But the set is aligned with us.
We are surrounded by a lasso of red glow.
The sun has stretched around us.
The moon has spilled over us.
Pouring out the silver light,
The dark air curling around our bones
Clutching our skin.

The crows climb the wind.
Is there wind?
All is still.

The light slipped into gray.
The ground turned silver, a mirror of the sky
The shadows inking black.
Silver all around us.

“Look up!! You can look up!!!”

White light
Shooting out of the smooth circle of the black depth.
Sends the weightless dome of protection.
Protection from what?
Protection inside.

The Howland Public Library Presents: In Eclipse - Opening April 13, 2024

Art and astronomy come together in the upcoming exhibit, In Eclipse,  at the Howland Public Library, opening on April 13th. The group show features the works of over 20 local artists inspired by the April total solar eclipse. This eclectic showcase offers a glimpse into different interpretations through drawings, paintings, and photography. From illustrations of the celestial event to metaphorical interpretations, each piece reflects the multifaceted meanings of the word eclipse.

Join the library for the opening reception on Saturday, April 13th from 5-7 PM,  featuring a special reading by writer Donna Minkowitz, as we celebrate the artistry of the eclipse in all its forms. In Eclipse will be on view until May 4th. 

Chalk Art For "Free Palestine" Message Gets Splattered With Possibly Permanent Paint - And A Reminder As To "Welcoming City" Meaning

“Free Palestine” message created by the artist Ryan Manzi, in addition to signs for Beacon, a shamrock for St. Paddy’s Day, and Scooby Do.

The irony of the permanent desecration of the brick building in order to cover up a temporary message of freedom with a layer of a bright blob of permanence is one for poets to ponder.

It is a wonder if the City of Beacon will pursue the graffiti blob maker (graffiti blobs are not art or expressions), or if they will instead pursue the chalk artists, who they are already in hot pursuit of on a regular basis, and have arrested in the past for making chalk art. An arrest that failed, since chalk is temporary, says one of the arrested artists and Beacon resident Ryan Manzi.

This article includes a video interview with Ryan as he pops up to chalk another message of freedom and justice just down the brick from the tagging signed in paint drips. Be sure to scroll down to watch/listen.

Forensic Discovery Of The Paint Over The Chalk

Ryan and his friend Steve first started chalking Beacon last Spirit of Beacon Day. His goal was to chalk spirit all over town. His work has been seen on the sidewalk outside of Towne Crier, outside of the Beacon Car Wash and the Beacon Fade and Shave, and on the big green construction fence/wall at the development site on Main Street that went bankrupt and has been standing still. That chalk space has since been covered up by another artist, in paint however, which may have come with permission, which was done for Beacon Bonfire, without a nod given to Ryan’s original chalk art that started there.

The paint covering the pro-Palestinian CHalk.
Photo Credit: Katie James Inc.

Ryan latest chalk art piece is on the building that used to be Pizza and Stuff, and is the back of Sun River Health. He chalked out FREE PALESTINE with the Palestinian flag. When this happened, ALBB was sent the photo by several people, all of whom were excited to see such expression.

Just days later, the chalk art was covered up by what seems to be splattered paint, maybe from a spray can, or a brush. Said Ryan to ALBB: “I know my chalk, and that's somebody deliberately covering it up.”

The person covering up the chalk used a paint-like substance, than ran down the building in drips. “It's literally spray paint. The running streaks are spray paint. In other words, LITERAL graffiti.” Recently, Ryan and his painting partner Steve have been arrested for their chalk art. Ryan says a call was made by someone who saw them chalking. Ultimately, charges were lifted because chalk is temporary. Ryan’s preferred brand of chalk is Crayola from local boutique Zakka Joy.

THe shamrock, left untouched by the Free Palestine cover-upper. The rain has already begun to wash away the chalk naturally.

Upon the discovery of his chalk work being covered in paint, Ryan took to being a forensic artist to figure out what happened. Ryan pointed out the drips. Another paint stroke on a brick looked like a deliberate stroke, versus spray paint. Additionally, he noted, his other chalk art of a shamrock, Scooby Do, or the words BEACON were not covered up or deleted by the paint.

“It shows clear and deliberate hatred and bigotry,” Ryan told ALBB. It is not known if Beacon Police will pursue the permanent paint thrower, or only focus on the chalk artist because he is always out on Main Street and is recognizable by most people who live here. Ryan is easy pray for the Beacon Police to come and get.

April Article from the Poughkeepsie Journal

As Ryan popped up to chalk a new message, a person walking by said “I like it,” and another said “Looks awesome!” Some Beacon elementary school kids walking by raised their fists in solidarity.

A white man also approached, eager to take a picture. ALBB wasn’t sure if he was taking a picture for evidence against the chalk art, as he mentioned not liking trash on the ground, saying nothing about Palestinians, but he stood by nonetheless to chat while Ryan finished his work. A Black man approached next, fist bumping Ryan, the two of whom later discussed Ryan’s latest nail polish.

In the video interview with Ryan, he mentions a Poughkeepsie Journal article, which reported on the time in 2017 when Beacon signed a resolution declaring itself a “Welcoming, Safe and Inclusive City.” Ryan had this to say, in 2024, about where the City is now: “Please remind them of their own doings, and then tell me where it doesn't add up, because its nothing new, thanks 🫶🏽💯”

Revisiting The “Welcoming, Safe and Inclusive City” That Beacon Resolved Itself To Be in April 2017

Ryan is not the only one who recalls Beacon’s resolution during the time of Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban, where Beacon and other cities sought to send signals to the federal government and all community members that it did not discriminate based on race or religion.

Palestinian Beacon business owner Kamel Jamal also mentioned this passage during his speech at City Council Meeting in 2024, urging City Council to pass a Ceasefire Resolution, demanding an end to the death and destruction going on in Palestine at the hands of Israel, with aid and support by the United States Government, and several of its local leaders at the state and municipal levels.

This time, in response, Mayor Kyriacou has been trying to “correct” the 2017 recollections of Beacon citizens. During the 2024 night of the passage of the ceasefire resolution by the mostly reluctant City Council Meeting (where Paloma Wake was the lone Councilmember steadily urging that the issue get recognized and pass), Mayor Lee “reminded” the community that he wrote the “Welcoming, Safe and Inclusive City” resolution, and stressed that its purpose was for police directive.

The city was divided then, and remains so. The Poughkeepsie Journal article that Ryan referenced captured the essence of the time. The article quotes below reflect the time, but read the full article here:

Published on April 4, 2017:
“In the City of Beacon, city officials and employees cannot interrogate or arrest someone based on their citizenship status, and will not help enforce federal immigration law.

“Those provisions are among several aspects of a resolution declaring Beacon a “welcome, safe and inclusive city” and designed to help individuals living in the U.S. without legal permission. But while the resolution was passed by the city council by a unanimous vote, the language used in the resolution was meticulously debated, and it proved divisive among area residents who attended Monday's meeting.

“Of 23 residents who spoke during two public comment sessions, 13 supported the resolution and 10 opposed it. Many in attendance wore red or blue to signify their stance on the issue.”

The article continued, describing the resistance to the wording and relevance of the resolution. Relevance is something Mayor Lee Kyriacou continues to push for today, in order to avoid discussion of these sorts of things, which center around racism, Islamaracism and bigotry. He mentioned wanting relevance again during last evening’s City Council Meeting, when he was discussing proper forum and decorum at City Council Meetings and topics taken up.

Back to the 2017 article. It further highlighted an effort by then City Councilmember, Ali T. Muhammad, who is currently participating in protests and ceasefire resolution pushes as a citizen, to include the word “sanctuary,” but received pushback by other councilmembers. As background, the term “sanctuary city” was punished by Trump when he put federal restrictions on funding for such cities:

“While not in name, the resolution offers many of the same protections as designated sanctuary cities. The resolution itself makes no reference to the term ‘sanctuary city,’ and a motion by Ali Muhammad, 4th ward council member, to add the term to the resolution name failed, 4-2.

"Peggy Ross, 1st ward council member, argued that the term ‘sanctuary city’ implied that Beacon would provide food or shelter in some way, which the resolution does not call for. Muhammad, however, said that choosing not to use the term "whitewashed" the resolution.

"Opponents challenged that the resolution was not a matter for the city council.

"‘What sort of benefit does this resolution have to protect our citizens or our police officers?’ asked Joe Galbo, of Beacon."

A Reminder Of The Legal Implications Of Beacon’s 2017 Welcoming, Inclusive and Safe City Resolution:

As reported in the Poughkeepsie Journal: "Under the resolution, city officials and employees cannot ‘stop, question, interrogate, investigate or arrest’ someone based on their immigration or citizenship status or a civil immigration warrant, administrative warrant or an immigration detainer.

"Officials and employees cannot inquire about an individual's immigration or citizenship status unless necessary to investigate a criminal activity by that individual, nor can they engage in the enforcement of federal immigration law, the resolution said."

50 Beacon Jewish Voters and Kids Dedicate Hanukka’s 8th Night To Demand Call For Ceasefire From Pat Ryan

The weeks after October 7, 2023 have been confusing and ever-changing. The feelings of which remain daily. Locally in Beacon, everyone wanted to protect their neighbor - Jewish, Muslim - Arab - to ensure their safety. Protests started in the name of Palestine, led by some Jewish and Palestinian community leaders, like this one in October outside of Congressman Pat Ryan’s office, and this one after the Thanksgiving “ceasefire pause,” also outside of Pat Ryan’s office. The Congressman has yet to call for a ceasefire or give any acknowledgement of the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians, and targeted of others (like journalists).

In response to Pat Ryan’s silence, more Beaconites in the Jewish community began to mobilize, resulting in a ceasefire lighting of the menorah on the 8th and final night of Hanukkah outside of Pat Ryan’s office in Newburgh Thursday evening.

At first, an artsy Ceasefire Menorah sign emerged on social media. The adhesive bling and glitter tape placed at odd angles indicated this was a sign made by children in sincerity, trying to stop the bombing. This is classic Beacon style, for those who were in Beacon during the days of the bicycle sculpture menorah.

Said one participant about the genesis of the organizing: “A local group of Beacon Jews are upset by what is happening in Gaza, and want Pat Ryan to act to stop it.”

Kids from Beacon, Cold Spring and possibly elsewhere wrote on cards their reasons for why they were there and wanted the bombing to stop. Said one Beacon kid: “I support ceasefire because too many people have died.” Said one kid from Cold Spring: “I support ceasefire because what is happening is horrible.”

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Said a voter from Beacon: “I support ceasefire because my Jewish values demand it!”

The cards were taped to Pat Ryan’s office window. Cards have been taped to his windows after other protests. Removing them and having them reappear must feel like the scene in Harry Potter when the owls keep delivering the message, despite the messages getting thrown away.

The artist Mimi Fortunato, who describes herself as an artist/educator disrupting systemic racism that perpetuates educational, environmental, economic inequities, painted a cape that she wore to the evening.

3 Artistic Groups Honored By Orange County Arts Council Including Ralf M’Vore

Orange County NY Arts Council is thrilled to announce the 2023 OC Art Awards to be presented at the Art Affair, with this year’s whimsical theme, “Wonderland.” The event will take place on Saturday, November 18 from 6 - 10 p.m., at Villa Venezia, 2257 Goshen Tpke, Middletown, NY 10941. 

The 2023 Art Affair Wonderland Honorees will be celebrated for their achievements and contributions to Orange County’s diverse artistic community. This year’s honorees are renowned visionaries: Ted Doering & Jean Lara, Ralph M’Vore, and Wickham Works with special recognition to Melissa Shaw-Smith. 

• Ted Doering & Jean Lara are visionaries in the world of business and community enrichment with decades-long record of supporting art and cultural initiatives throughout our region. Ted Doering founded Umbra of Newburgh in 2011, becoming the first turnkey soundstage production facility in the Hudson Valley and founded V-Twin Manufacturing, Ted Cycle Shed, The Motorcyclepedia Museum and the Velocipede Museum, all located in Newburgh. Ted and Lara have been long-time advocates for Newburgh, having aided City Hall’s revitalization efforts and making opportunities to bring added jobs and revenue to the city in thanks for its embracing of the motorcycle community. Ted and Jean will be honored for their continuous contribution to the progress and sustainability of arts and creative practice in Orange County. ⁠

• Ralph M’Vore is a lifelong resident, multi-talented entrepreneur, and social creative powerhouse in the City of Newburgh. For over two decades, Ralph has been beloved by his community and known for his talent, positive attitude, and willingness to educate and serve. Artistically, Ralph is a Recording Artist, Songwriter, Music Producer, Choreographer, Composer, Director, and Producer. His leadership includes being the Founder/Artistic⁠ Director of MVORE INC. ⁠Ralph is Safe Harbors of the Hudson’s first performing Artist-in-Residence for 2023 and curated a week-long series of arts, education, and community enrichment programming focused on the needs of the City of Newburgh’s artist community. MVORE INC has performed as a previous featured artist at the OC Arts Council’s Art Affair, the Black Renaissance Festival, Soul Under The Stars, and Newburgh Illuminated Fashion Show Stage on Safe Harbors Green.

• Wickham Works was founded in 2016 to connect and develop the nascent Warwick arts scene. Over the years, the organization has led the community by producing workshops, maker markets, festivals, and parades, designed to support artists and makers in and around Orange County. Wickham Works focuses their efforts on providing human connection through art to the community, while bolstering the arts economy in Orange County. At the heart of Wickham Works serves Melissa Shaw-Smith, who has nurtured the vision of an inclusive, vibrant, and creative community. Starting from a simple workshop, it has grown into the leading arts organization responsible for organizing and supporting hundreds of events reaching thousands of people in the Warwick Community. Melissa and all the artists, volunteers, and organizers at Wickham Works will be honored for their critical role in bringing together the arts in our county.

All proceeds from The Art Affair: Wonderland directly support programs and cultural events such as Hudson Valley Creative Impact, The Student Arts Showcase, Arts Outreach initiatives, and Community Arts Grants. The OCNY Arts Council is only able to provide these programs and cultural events with your generosity.

This event SOLD OUT last year. Tickets are now on sale for The Art Affair: Wonderland. Individual tickets start at $205, and a group 4-pack is available for $800. In addition, there is a Sponsor An Artist ticket which will allow an artist from the community to attend the event free of charge. Orange County NY Arts Council members will receive a ten percent discount. Email info@ocartscouncil for member discount code. Tickets are available at Eventbrite and on the website here >

Sponsorship packages and volunteering opportunities are also available. Please email info@ocartscouncil.org for more information or visit www.ocartscouncil.org for more information. 

About the Orange County Arts Council (OCAC):

The Orange County Arts Council is a private, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to meeting the growing need for local arts advocacy and serving as a county-wide arts resource. A diverse Board of Directors made up of community leaders, business leaders, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists oversees the Orange County Arts Council. Many of OCAC programs are designed and implemented by volunteers serving on various committees.

Orange County Arts Council supports and empowers artists, fosters diverse forms of expression and promotes access to the arts through educational programs, cultural events, public projects and participation that is integral to the economic development and collective well-being of our community. To learn more, visit: https://ocartscouncil.org/ or call 845-202-0140. 

Chalk Art Popping Up Around Town - Latest For Spirit Of Beacon Day Before Rain Came

Chalk Art outside of the Towne Cryer.

Chalk Art for the Spirit of Beacon Day, outside of the Post Office.

Before the petunias came down, signalling an end to summer, chalk art began popping up. Sometimes portraits and sometimes messages and expressions. The photo above was chalk art outside the Towne Cryer. The chalk artist revealed himself to be Ryan Manzi, a well known man around town with a deep talent in visual art. He and his friend Steve Stanton have been chalking it up, and dedicated some inspiration to Spirit of Beacon Day, creating designs outside of the Post Office before the rain washed it away.

Perhaps they will chalk again for the newly moved rain date of Spirit of Beacon - October 1, 2023.

Poem: "Double Red Light Broken :: A Morning Of Kid Drop-off On Repeat, Until..."

With this poem, ALBB is opening to poetry submissions from others on any subject matter. Submit via our Contact Us page.

Double Red Light Broken

Second Day of Middle School

A gaggle of kids swarmed on their bikes
around the opposing double line of cars going to and from drop-off.
Eyes on the road!
Both hands on wheel.
Because these kids own the road and swerve into and over a crosswalk or a grasswalk at whim.
Will we ever get the 5 minutes to school?
All these kids peddling everywhere,
calling to each other,
covered in a world of their soft padded headphones.

Drop-off reached.
Pull into the first lane!!
I can’t - there are cones in that lane.
I have to stay in the second lane.
Noooooo!!!
Pull over!! Let us out!!
I can’t - the teachers say pull all the way forward. They say don’t lane cross or pass cars. They say be patient.
Noooooo!!!!!
Let us out!!
Pick us up at 3:40!!
3:40? Side eye.
Yeah. I mean 2:40. Wink and a smile.
Empty. Exhale.

Driving back the 5 minutes to the next child who is still in bed.
The car radio on.
Songs suggest lost love too early in the morning.
The DJ reads the morning headlines.
A reprieve from the music.

Driving away, finally noticing the faces in the oncoming cars, still aching to reach drop-off on time.
Laughing faces.
Straight faces.
Survival faces.
We’re all just piles of mush in our morning cars. In the 8am hour of the day.
Grateful to be here.
But in the same loop.
Seeing the same tree.
The same stop light.
Stopped.
No turn on red.
Inching forward.
Someone turns right.
The next end of summer love song comes on.
We move up a car length.

How did that happen?
Red light remains.
The same house with the same fence that got built last spring.
The same ditch. The same red white and blue painted stairs with the initials. Bless that person of the initials who is probably dead.
Inching forward again.
Why are we moving? It’s a red light. No turn on red.
Headlines on the radio begin and end.
Music starts.
The day won’t begin until email is opened. Don’t check email. You’re driving. Stay out of reality a little longer.

The cars move forward again.
The light is still red. No turn on red.
Honking begins.
Pulling us out of that morning trance that asks: “Where am I? Why am I still here?”
Passing the track now. Am going to run across the track later. After drop-off. The entire city is my track. And I can’t get off it.
The cars move forward.
Why? The light is still red!

Oh. The light is broken.
Cars are turning up ahead.
Out of order.
In the intersection.
Where the child on the bike was hit 3 springs ago.
“I thought she already passed me,” said the driver who hit her. Was she blind?
Red light remains.
Honking picks up.
I’m 5th in line so it’s not my fault.
The light is really broken.
It’s been red the whole time.

We must strike out.
Into the green light of the crossing cars.
Morning trance of self-pity gone.
Survival mode now.

Next kid drop-off is on the bike.
1st grader likes to ride his red bicycle.
And so we we ride.
My tires are flat.
Both of them.
I ride on rims.
Hello crossing guard! Nice to see you!
How’s your day?
Better now that I’ve seen you!

We make it to school no problem.
He parks his red bike.
Takes off his helmet.
Straightens his backpack.
A mom in a pink short terrycloth bathrobe walks the entire length of the drop-off with a cup of coffee. This is not a costume. This is just how she came.

Perfect.

Artwork Deadline September 1 For Beacon Bus Shelters From BeaconArts

BeaconArts is the group behind the changing art on the bus shelters in Beacon, and the time has come to change the art again. After a recent round of fundraising which included a benefit concert, BeaconArts raised the funds needed to refresh the artwork on 5 bus shelters located throughout the city.

Artwork needs to be submitted by Friday, September 1st via this link. Submissions need to be from BeaconArts members (you can join here - membership starts at $100/year).

Artists will be asked to submit digital files that will be printed on vinyl and displayed on the shelter panels.

Submission guidelines:

• All applicants must be BeaconArts members.

• BeaconArts is looking for artwork that has a strong graphic quality and can be viewed from a distance.

• The final artwork will consist of two 50" w x 60" h panels.

• The artwork selected should fit within the proportions of the bus shelter panels

• Submissions must be jpg files, 1000 x 1200 pixels at 72dpi

• If selected, artwork must be delivered as high resolution files, 50 x 60 inches at 300 dpi

Vinyl printing and installation are provided by BeaconArts at no charge to the artist.

Beacon Open Studios Is This Weekend - Studios Open To Public - Now Includes Film and Music

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The time has finally arrived for Beacon Open Studios, one of the best ways to explore all over Beacon because you have 44 different excuses of where you can go. That’s right. If you liked the City Wide Yard Sale, you will love Beacon Open Studios, which offers 44 different locations - some residential - for you to see inside the minds of artists you may never have heard of before.

All in all, there are 60 visual artists participating within the locations, for this 15th year of Beacon Open Studios. Film and music opportunities are also incorporated into this year’s festivities. Artist studios and group shows at local galleries will be open 12-6 pm Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23. This is your only weekend to experience it, so get a plan.

The Opening Reception on Friday, July 21, 6-9pm is at 4 Hanna Lane, Beacon, NY, with live music by Aubrey Haddard at 8 pm. This event is free to the public.

As a ticketed event, there is a collection of screenings featuring short films and videos by local artists and filmmakers, which happens on Saturday and Sunday, featuring Story Screen and Beacon Film Society showcasing at the Yard and the KuBe Art Center. See schedule for Music and for Film for all the details. Have this map open on your phone for more artists and locations.

Map The Studios - Head Out

Find the artists on the map at BeaconOpenStudios.com. You can’t go everywhere, so this will involve tough choices in your limited time. Or, maybe if you plot it out right, you could hit everywhere!

If we had to make a priority based on time and what are the most rare locations you can get into, ALBB would make this our path. In no particular order. But we’d make the list and then see where our wheels or feet took us:

Ethan Cohen Gallery (aka Old Beacon High School)

211 Fishkill Avenue
Normally not open to the public, unless for art exhibits or those getting a barber cut from Lucky Longo. Featured in the Beacon Free Press this week was Allison Walker for her letterpress.

PopMart Beacon Art Center

45 Beekman Street (near the MTA train station)
This has a special vibe, where a few artists have their studios. You can feel the creations in here. Normally, this is an out-of-the-way-spot, so Beacon Open Studios is a good excuse to go down there.

Rick Rogers

15 East Main Street (behind Trax at 1 East Main - that’s a good combo)
This studio is located near the Fishkill Creek. Like, you’ll feel the vibrations of the rushing water. Requires stairs. Inside, you may see works in progress, or finished pieces. If you’ve walked over that bridge near The Roundhouse, then you have passed this studio many times. Now is a great chance to venture down the stairs to explore inside.

Paulette Myers-Rich at the No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works

469 Main Street
Paulette and her partner converted this storefront into their live-work space. Letterpress lovers will enjoy this space. Whatever you find inside that is on display for Beacon Open Studios, will most likely be something rare.

Yangzi Huang

86 Old Glenham Road
Basically, we are recommending this studio because it is on Old Glenham Road. Going there will introduce you to the Glenham area of town, which is very far off the beaten path and requires a car. Exploring art this way definitely exposes you to different types of art you didn’t realize you were looking for.

There are so many more locations to see. Check out the map here, and plot your destinations.

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Cat Art Show Opens In Howland Public Library For Another Puuuuurfectly Promising Experience

The highly popular “Cat Art Show,” which has been known to bring out the largest number of art lovers to any opening at Beacon’s Howland Public Library, will return to the library with a gala opening on Saturday, July 8, 2023 from 5 to 7 pm. This year’s “Cat Art Show,” which will include a wide variety of cat-themed artworks, will once again be curated by its founder and local artist, Jean Noack.

According to Noack, “We not only had a great turnout at the 2017 opening, many quality pieces were purchased by attendees. And we look forward to even higher attendance and sales at this year’s show.”

The 2023 “Cat Art Show” will feature work by new and returning local artists utilizing everything from paint and canvas to cameras to something called “wet-felted” cat fur employed by Noack herself. Says Noack, “I took a week-long class on wet felting of wool at the Fletcher Farm School for the Art and Crafts in Ludlow, VT, and have applied the method to cat fur to create framed artworks.”

Another popular local artist participating in the 2023 “Cat Art Show” is Anna West of Beacon. West not only paints cats but has contributed to their welfare by holding a fundraiser in 2022 where she accepted "commissions" to paint people's cats then contributed the funds to Talk To Me About Cats of Newburgh, NY.

West, whose paintings are currently on display at the Emerge Gallery in Kingston, NY, is representative of the many active artists who make up the thriving Beacon-area arts community and whose work will celebrate our feline friends at the 2023 “Cat Art Show.”

Other artwork will be provided by Markie Baylash, Jennifer Sarah Blakeslee, Tom Conroy, Jan Dolan, Cindy Gould, Mary Fetherolf, Stephanie Fogarty, Mary Ann Glass, Susan Keiser, Mandy Kelso, Philomena Kiernan, Barbara Lipp, William A. Loeb, Peter McGivney, Jean Noack, Rosemany Braghieri Rednour, Noah Rosaler, Chris Sanders, Eleni Smolen, Anna West, Bill Winter, and Trisha Wright

Artists whose work sells will donate a portion of the sale price to an animal charity of their choice.

BeaconArts To Host Fundraiser For Bus Shelter Art Project: A Benefit Concert

BeaconArts is excited to announce the Bus Shelter Art Project Fundraiser: A Benefit Concert on Wednesday, June 21, 7-10pm, at Dogwood Bar, located at 47 E Main Street, Beacon, NY. The event will include a night of music, raffle prizes, and drink specials.

The Bus Shelter Art Project was initiated in 2017 in partnership with the city of Beacon to install and maintain artwork at five Beacon bus shelters. This effort coincided with the new branding of the Beacon Free Loop bus in 2018. Since the pandemic, the artwork, which was meant to be changed regularly, is in great need of renewal and repair. BeaconArts is asking for sponsors and donors to help with the cost of installing five new artworks for the shelters. The goal is to raise $5,000. This will enable BeaconArts to change the artwork every two years. Artwork will be chosen by committee, and all active artist members of BeaconArts will be eligible to submit their art.

Dogwood Bar, a longstanding community hub in Beacon, has generously offered to host the fundraiser. Ticket holders can expect discounted drinks at the bar, the opportunity to win raffle prizes donated by local businesses, and a line up of amazing musicians including: Creative Strings Improvisers Ensemble, a fiscally sponsored project of BeaconArts; Tony DePaolo, featuring Gwen Laster, Peter O’Brien, and Damon Banks; Paul Byrne & The Bleeders; Mimi Sun Longo; Marsh King’s Daughter, featuring Emily Hague, Jon Slackman, Rafi, and Sekaya; and other special guests.

Tickets are limited and should be purchased in advance at https://gofund.me/8c63126c. Ticket prices start at $25, with additional sponsorship levels of up to $1000. All proceeds will go directly to the Bus Shelter Art Project. BeaconArts is grateful for any and all support of this project.

Celebrate summer solstice with BeaconArts! A fun night of good music and friends, for a great community cause! 

Contact info: Matthew Agoglia, BeaconArts President
matthew@beaconarts.org

New Art Show :: Parisa Karami, "Cinema Scenes" At The Hudson Valley Food Hall

“I paint to help me to remember and help me to forget.”

— Parisa Karami

Beaconite Parisa Karami is the newest artist hanging in the Hudson Valley Food Hall. This show “Cinema Scenes: Paintings 2012-2022” features paintings of scenes from films. Parisa’s exhibit is on view until mid-late July, and the paintings are for sale. Meanwhile, A Little Beacon Blog interviewed Parisa to learn more about where she is coming from with her art:

ALBB: Why scenes from film?
"I had originally studied film in undergraduate - so it was natural for me to paint scenes from films by my favorite filmmakers when I was trying to figure out my painting style. I think storyboarding and mise en scene in film are very similar to painting in many ways. Some of the filmmakers who created these scenes originally are Tarkovsky, Fassbinder, Fellini, Antonioni. The paintings are are mixed media, approximately 9x12.

“I believe, as Louise Bourgeois stated, ‘art is the guarantee of sanity.’ In order for individuals to maintain their psychic well being in these accelerated times, it is urgent to get to the root of their personal stories.”

— Parisa Karami

ALBB: What inspires you?
"Through a process of gleaning and foraging, I paint to help me to remember and help me to forget. I paint in a naive outsider style. I work in watercolor, acrylics and oil paints. My background in film lends to the storyboarding style. I believe, as Louise Bourgeois stated, 'art is the guarantee of sanity.' In order for individuals to maintain their psychic well being in these accelerated times, it is urgent to get to the root of their personal stories. In conjunction with the personal and collective psyche, I am interested in exploring issues of exile, abandoned areas and timeless spaces."

Parisa Karami was born in 1976 in Tehran and emigrated to a Mojave Desert mining town to flee the Iranian Revolution. By the mid 1980’s the desert town was abandoned (due to the toxic environment created by the mining) she was then relocated to the San Joaquin Valley. These early events continue to influence her work. Parisa moved to New York City in 2002. She holds undergraduate degrees in Film and Anthropology and received a Master’s Degree from the New School for Social Research. She worked at AIGA for three years and the United Nations for five years before becoming a full time painter and craftsperson. Selected works can be purchased on Saatchi Art and Etsy. More recent works can be seen on media outlets such as Mc Sweeney’s, Northwest Review, Pleiades, Florida Review’s Aquifer, The Belladonna, New Orleans Review, Drunk Monkeys, The Indianapolis Review, Michigan Quarterly Review’s Mixtape and elsewhere. Parisa lives in The Hudson Valley with her family.

Hudson Valley Food Hall is located at 288 Main Street, Beacon NY 12508.

Orange County Arts Council OCAC Announced $25k For Artists

Call For Artists and Community Arts Grants

Orange County NY Arts Council announces two locally-funded opportunities representing $25,000 of available grant awards to go directly to artists in Orange County. The 2023 Community Arts Grants and the Art Affair 2023 Call for Artists are both locally funded opportunities created specifically with the needs of the local arts community in mind. Individual artists and arts organizations are encouraged to apply for both opportunities. Applications can be found under “Grants” in the “Resources” tab found here or through OCAC’s links on social media platforms.

Since 2017, the Community Arts Grants have provided funding to local artists through a generous contribution of the Wesley-Kruger Family Foundation. Applications for $1,000 grants are now being accepted through June 15. All artists and arts organizations living in or serving Orange County, NY are encouraged to apply. This will be the last year of this program in its current form, as an updated Community Arts Program will be announced later this year.

The Orange County Arts Council fundraiser, the Art Affair, sold out the 2022 presentation which featured over 50 artists presenting and performing their work during the black-tie suggested, creative attire required, evening. The Art Affair is designed to showcase Orange County's art scene by creating an immersive event where guests can interact and experience art in many forms through installations and performances while enjoying curated food and themed beverages. Submissions for this year’s theme, Wonderland, are now being accepted and will be presented in November. Artists can receive up to $3,000 in funding for participation in this event by applying by June 15th.

Additional information:

Both applications will close June 15, 2023 at 11:59pm.

Community Arts Grants

• Applicants MUST read the guidelines prior to submitting. Guidelines linked here.

• Deadline:  June 15th 2023 11:59pm

• The Community Arts Grants will be administered by the Orange County Arts Council (the “Arts Council”) and funded through individual donations made to the Arts Council from donors and sponsors, including a generous gift from the Wesley-Krueger Family Foundation. The work of the Arts Council is made possible in part by generous support of Orange County, NY and the New York State Council on the Arts.

Art Affair 2023 Call for Artists

• Selected projects will be integrated into the evening's experience as designed by the OCAC Executive Director, the Gala Chair, and Gala Committee Members. Artists maintain all rights to their work and give Orange County Arts Council permission to use photo, audio, and video recordings of the work for promotional purposes.

• Projects will be presented at the Art Affair, Saturday, November 18th, 2023 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

• All applicants must reside in Orange County NY or show significant participation in the Orange County Arts Community outside this opportunity.

• The Art Affair serves as its major fundraiser and provides exposure to the general public to artists and their work throughout Orange County. The Gala strives to elevate and bring together art and business and public.

Submissions requested:

• Live Performance. Not to exceed 10 minutes in length. Dance, Theatre, Performance Art, Music, Readings, etc.

• Art displays and installations. Our venue is large and we wish to fill the space with art. Submissions may include: practical builds (stage, drink bar, check-in table), internal or external installations or displays, immersive experience moments, AV installations, etc.

About the Orange County Arts Council (OCAC):

The Orange County Arts Council is a private, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to meeting the growing need for local arts advocacy and serving as a county-wide arts resource. A diverse Board of Directors made up of community leaders, business leaders, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists oversees the Orange County Arts Council. Many of OCAC programs are designed and implemented by volunteers serving on various committees.

Orange County Arts Council supports and empowers artists, fosters diverse forms of expression and promotes access to the arts through educational programs, cultural events, public projects and participation that is integral to the economic development and collective well-being of our community. To learn more, click here or call 845-202-0140. 

Look Up! New Lamppost Streetside Art Exhibit In Wappingers Falls

Look up! A new streetside art exhibit has popped up in Wappingers Falls. The artwork of several artists from around the Hudson Valley has been printed onto banners, and mounted onto lampposts.

With a theme highlighting the artist themselves, individuals were asked to submit a piece that best reflects their work, style and aesthetic.

“The Hudson Valley is filled with an abundance of talent and the goal of the Community Streetside Artist Exhibit is to showcase the creative diversity of these artists throughout the Village of Wappingers Falls via lamp post banners” say the organizers, Courtney Kolb of Wappingers Rises, and the artist Sarah Davida of Nixie Sparrow.

On Thursday, April 13, 2023 Wappingers Rises will be holding a reception to highlight artists and their artwork at River Valley Arts Center from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (9 S Mesier Ave, Wappingers Falls). There will be a champagne toast sponsored by Coupe Champagne at 6:30 PM.

This event will be open to the public, free of charge with food and drink available for purchase by local restaurants.

Sponsors of this outdoor art include:

Graceland Tattoo, Keely Sheehan Design, Wappingers Falls Business and Professional Association, Inc., Coupe Champagne, Garay-Michaud Team, River Valley Arts Center, Sam’s Realty, Helen Piteo Interiors, Treybich Law, Orsi + Co, Wappingers Falls Hydroelectric, Center for Physical Therapy and The UPS Store of Wappingers Space, Place, Storage, UHAUL, Falls Woodsmith and Sarah Davida.

Artists In This Streetside Exhibit Include:

Adam Lauricella
Alexa Spaddy
Alex Grey
Allison Frost
Allison Lahikainen
Allyson Grey
Alyssa Follansbee
Andrew Cook
Anna West
Brad Parsons
Brian C. Zickafoose
C-MOR
Cerise Kacensky
Chris Ams
Christina Kokiasmenos Cindy LaColla Corrinne Sternberg CoSM
Destiny Arianna
Elizabeth Castagna
Erica Hauser
Gerardo Castro
Hilary Astrid
Jane Wu
Jessica Nash
John Breiner
Keely Sheehan
Kim Dei Dolori
Lala Montoya Heredia Laura Golben
Laura Holmes McCarthy Lindsay Loforte
Margot Kingon
Marieken Cochius
Mark Darnobid
Nicole Morris
Nigel Clair
Pamela Herbst
Paola Bari
Paul Caicedo
Sarah Davida
Sean McCarthy
Taylor McLeod

BeaconArt's Piano Themed "Keys To The City" Needs Volunteers for Fall 2023

It’s been since 2018 since piano notes twinkled from alleyways, gardens and front lawns during BeaconArts’ city-wide installation, “Keys To The City,” a fiscally sponsored project of BeaconArts. The interactive installation is going to happen again in the Fall of 2023, and they need volunteers to help make it happen.

To refresh our memories, “Keys to To The City” is a collection of decorated pianos placed in outdoor spaces throughout the city. People can sit and play at them whenever the mood inspires them.

Writer Izdihar Dabashi captured the mood in the fall of 2018. The last time the pianos were played, she wrote: “Auburn leaves danced in the wind, wisps of hair and tangles of scarves flit about in the cool weather. Softly, Adele’s voice weaves into the moment creating an ambiance that is undoubtedly autumn in New York. As if singing ‘Hello’ to myself isn’t dramatic enough, the universe seems to encourage my bout of melodrama, as evidenced by the several pianos adorning Main Street. I was tempted to ignore the peculiar sights and continue to sonder, but the tinkling sounds of the pianos rang through the air and lured me to their sights.” Read her full article here, and see pictures of the pianos past.

BeaconArts has put out the call for volunteers. They are looking for volunteers to help with project management and piano logistics. People who are interested are instructed to contact Ian Murdoch here.

People with a variety of skills who want to install and monitor pianos during their weeks on display are encouraged to inquire. Even if you are not super technically handy, there might be something you can do, if this is a volunteer opportunity that matches your desires.