We are remaining closed til further notice to help facilitate social distancing. Check back here for updates. Jerry Novesky’s exhibition will be in August hopefully.
(East) Coastal: Photographs by Jerry Novesky
Venue: Amity Gallery in Amity, NY
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 4, from 5 – 7 pm
Exhibit: Month of April, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 – 4 pm
(East) Coastal reflects more than 15 years of travel up and down the Atlantic Coast from Key West to Nova Scotia. The photos in this exhibit focus on major elements of the very special coastal environment. Where sea and land and sky meet, things seem to be just a bit more intense, more beautiful, more powerful.
Co-founder (with his wife, Janet Crawshaw) and former editor-in-chief of The Valley Table magazine, Jerry Novesky grew up in Middletown and earned a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing (poetry) from Ohio University. He has published dozens of articles and photographs in diverse publications ranging from Darkroom Photography and The American Fly Fisher to Audubon Action and American Health, and has edited more than two dozen books on natural history, outdoor recreation and Hudson Valley history.
PechaKucha #13
PechaKucha nights are fun, informal gatherings where people share their stories and passions in a concise format.
Saturday, April 18, 2020 at 8 pm – 9:30 pm
PechaKucha Nights are fun, informal gatherings where people share their stories and passions in a concise format. The presenter talks along with 20 images that are each projected for 20 seconds. the talk lasts 51/2 minutes. PechaKucha started in Japan and is not in more than 1000 cities around the world.
Suggested Donation – $5
All past PechaKucha presentations can be found on the PechaKucha Warwick website, https://www.pechakucha.org/cities/warwick
Participants
In the Outback
In 1972, Keith Stewart lived for four months in a gorge in Australia’s remote Northern Territory. “ With no humans around, I became chummy with a large monitor lizard who I named Cedric. Most days Cedric came to my camp to spend time with me and eat fish.”
Where’s the Moose?
Hiking to waterfalls in New Hampshire and searching for moose, Linda Marchisio and her daughter learn that finding a moose was not the most important quest after all.
Those Were the Days: Coming of Age with Motorcycles
Everyone goes through a crazy, mysterious “coming-of-age” period of life. Ken Karnas revisits his own late 1960s coming-of-age that he navigated, mostly, on two wheels.
Teen Years in Westchester
In the second chapter of her graphic memoir, Pat Foxx faces life in a new school, family dynamics and a glimpse into the future.
Adaptability
Anne Hanson shares thirteen images depicting a Toothbrush adapting to various conditions.
Natives, invasive and wild foraging
Ever wondered what’s the deal with native species, and aren’t some non-native species okay to keep around? And what about poking around in the forests for wild foods?
Ilonka Karasz – Modernist Pioneer
There will be an opening reception for Ilonka Karasz’ artwork at the Albert Wisner Library in Warwick, NY on Sunday, March 8 from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm. Paul Kane will give a short talk about her life and work at 1:30.
In the early years of the last century, a fresh breeze from Europe blew through the world of art and design – a movement called “Modernism”. It was the time of Wiener Werkstätte design in furniture, colorful and original textiles, and astonishing interior decoration. Ilonka Karasz was part of this movement.
Born in Hungary in 1896, she was the daughter of a silversmith and grew up surrounded by the vibrant and colorful designs of Hungarian peasant art. She attended the Royal School of Arts and Crafts in Budapest, one of the first women to be admitted. She emigrated to the United States in 1913 and settled in Greenwich Village, then a lively center of the arts. In Greenwich village she felt free from the Old World prejudice that women could not compete with men in art, and quickly established herself as an artist of unique ability, diversity and energy. She worked with other European emigres to help establish the Modern movement in America, with an emphasis on the applied arts. They founded Modern art schools, published magazines, held important exhibits and established ties to manufacturers. Ilonka often found herself the only woman in these worlds, but moved on a par with the men, working in and winning reknown in a wide variety of fields, including textile, furniture, ceramics, silver, wallpaper and interior design, as well as magazine and book illustration. She was a well-known designer of covers for “The New Yorker” magazine, designing 186 covers over five decades.
Ilonka Karasz Photo Gallery from the show of her work at the Amity Gallery last year.
Throughout the many decades of her career, she was able to find a new and fresh expression for her art, experimenting with new materials and methods, and adapting to the changing times. This could be attributed partly to the fact that she had, from her earliest years, a deep appreciation of Nature, and a wish to
understand its laws. In her article “Inspiration” she wrote: “It is in us that God meets with Nature and yesterday parts from tomorrow. There is no other place to look for inspiration except in this unique place that man has within himself, where nature and all new possibilities exist.”
She was the wife of Willem Nyland, the founder of the Chardavogne Group in Warwick, NY, and lived here in the last years of her life. This exhibit at the Warwick Public library, which will open on Sunday March 8, 2020 and end on April 15, will give an overview of her career. There will be an opening reception from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the Library’s Board room, with a talk given at 1:30 by Paul Kane.
Wondrous Winter
An afternoon of readings to honor and celebrate the wonders of winter.
Poetry, Prose and Imagery to warm the winter soul
Saturday, December 14, 2 pm
An afternoon of readings to honor and celebrate the wonders of winter. Donna Spector, Mary Makofske and Will Nixon are well established writers and poets who reside in the Hudson Valley area. Ms. Bettina Covo is a newcomer to the writing scene who hails from NYC.
The event will consist of a selection of winter poems and excerpts from Ms. Covo’s A Winter’s Tale. Ms. Covo will provide appropriate atmospheric music as background and may offer a few musical surprises. George J. Nicholson writes, “For over 20 years, composer, author, producer Bettina Covo and I have shared something of a similar creative simpatico. The projects we have collaborated on are of an eclectic mix, but all have one thing in common – our creative spirits inform one another in archetypal space. It’s no surprise we share a deep appreciation for ancient mythology and the lore of indigenous peoples and places of atmospheric wonder.“
The event should last about 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours with ample time to mingle with the writers, purchase merchandise and sign books.
WOW…5 Years!
The Amity Gallery, first opened in June 2014, is celebrating five years of art exhibits, music, poetry and performances.
A Celebratory Exhibit in December
The Amity Gallery, first opened in June 2014, is celebrating five years of art exhibits, music, poetry and performances. Our December Exhibit, (Dec. 7 – Dec. 22) “Wow..Five Years!” showcases many of the artists that have previously exhibited. The opening reception will be Saturday, December 14th, 5 pm-7 pm. The Amity Gallery, located at 110 Newport Bridge Rd. Warwick, NY, is open weekends from 1-4 pm.
Located in the hamlet of Amity in Warwick, the Amity Gallery has been a venue for over 50 visual artists, musicians, poets, actors and story tellers. The Gallery also hosts PechaKucha Nights, which are fun, informal gatherings where people share their stories and passions in a concise format.
Rich in history, the Gallery and the adjacent building have housed a roadhouse for travelers, school classrooms, a bakery and artists workshops. Since the early 60’s the buildings have been owned by the Chardavogne Group also known as Institute for Religious Development. The Chardavogne Group was founded by Dr. Willem Nyland and follows the spiritual teaching of G. I. Gurdjieff.
Becoming Human-Songs of Observation, realization and transformation
Don’t miss Becoming Human at the Amity Gallery, Saturday, December 21, 2019
Doors open at 7 pm. Music starts at 7:30 pm
Becoming Human is four people (Marji Zintz on vocals, guitar, and percussion; Jim Kunkel on guitars; Mickey Kopchak on bass and vocals; and Ron Wilson on percussion) who have been making lots of music for lots of years and are coming together now for this special, artful, moving, evocative project.
Vocalist/percussionist Marji Zintz fronts the group, which performs music composed by guitarist Jim Kunkel and bassist Mickey Kopchack. They explore and inhabit many genres across the musical spectrum, from folk to jazz, modal to avant-garde, spiritual to classical to Brazilian. They honor the space and each other’s unique “voice,” creating and holding a fertile ground for conversation, interplay, improvisation, and emotion.
Marji brings a long and diverse performance resume, working in myriad settings since the 1970s as a vocalist and guitarist. She has performed in voice/double bass duets with such notable players as Mike Richmond, Jay Anderson, Josef Pelletier, and Vin Warner. She also worked in a progressive jazz-based ensemble that included Erik Lawrence on reeds and Jim Kunkel on guitar, often using her voice as one of the horns. She has worked in collaboration with improvisational vocalists Victoria Christgau and Shula Ruth Weinstein in a mostly a capella recording and performance project called Sister Sound, and has arranged, recorded, and performed with many other innovative musical projects over the years as well as performing as a soloist. She teaches guitar and coaches voice and harmony in the Hudson Valley.
Versatile guitarist Jim Kunkel has composed music for independent films and documentaries such as the Aspects of the Arts series profiling poet Dan Masterson and artist Frederick Franck. As leader and sideman, he has performed and recorded since the late seventies, including a quintet that performed many of how own innovative compositions. Jim has a long list of people who have studied with him over the years and have gone on to enjoy a successful music career.
Mickey Kopchak has been playing bass professionally since the age of 10. Known not only for his sensitivity and presence, Mickey expands the sonic assignment of the bass by tastefully employing a multitude of interesting effects, creating rich and expansive soundscapes, as well as reaching emotional depths. Because of his versatility, expertise, and dedication to excellence, he is widely sought after and has performed and recorded with jazz and pop artists throughout the northeast.
Ron Wilson’s varied resume reflects his wide range of musical abilities. He has graced the stage with a lengthy list of accomplished artists (Mitch Ryder, Mick Jones, Mark Lindsay, Badfinger, Dee Dee Ramone, Gary US Bonds, and the Guy Lombardo Band to name but a few). Ron is currently working as musical director for Lou Christie. Some of his other credits include performances with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra, the K-Rock WXRK Christmas Show and several Off-Broadway productions.
Ron is known for his musical creativity and professionalism. We love him because he loves what he does.
PechaKucha #12
Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 8 pm – 9:30 pm
PechaKucha Nights are fun, informal gatherings where people share their stories and passions in a concise format.
Participants
Jenna Field – What is Pilates?
Jenna Field is a fitness enthusiast and instructor notes that perhaps you are not in great shape, and haven’t exercised in ages, yet would like to strengthen your mind and body, Pilates might be the answer.
Richard Hull- Secret African Masks for Life’s Sake
Richard Hull tells of his half century encounter with the Mystery and Magic of masks and their significance to their users in Africa and abroad. His talk is based on his more than 50 years of collecting and analyzing traditional masks and their uses in African secret societies.
Claire Gilliam- Dissolving into Abstraction (with copper and silver)
Finding a way to connect her longtime love of darkroom printing with a newer passion for printmaking, Claire Gilliam shares her latest body of work “Lifelines”, revealing a journey into line and abstraction she didn’t expect.
Karen Martis-Wilderness Survival
Karen Martis notes that our ancestors lived closer to the earth. What did they know and what can we learn from them? How can we experience this natural connection?
Kathryn Nieves-Artificial Intelligence: Fear of the Unknown
Love it or hate it, artificial intelligence is all around us. It’s developed into more tools and platforms than we realize. Is this technology something to fear or something to embrace? Kathryn Nieves’ talk will dive into the advantages of artificial intelligence and its real-life advantages and applications.
Loren Talbot-Homecoming: My Constant Return to Food and Photography
Loren Talbot is an artist, photo editor, poet, wife and mother. She studied photography at Marlboro College, Urban Planning at Pratt Institute, and has worked in Northern Italian restaurants. She regrettably killed hundreds of lobsters in Maine, and catered in Manhattan and Vermont. Her DNA is made up of one strand of food and another strand of art. When she’s not editing world news, she can be found in her kitchen making a delicious mess.
Loren explores the intersection of food and photography throughout her life.
PechaKucha Website
The Amity Gallery presented the first of a series of PechaKucha evenings in March 2017. Started over a decade ago, PechaKucha nights are informal and fun gatherings where people get together to share their enthusiasms, ideas, and thoughts. The PechaKucha format consists of 20 images displayed for 20 seconds while the presenter describes and explains them.
Take a look at all the previous PechaKucha presentations we made in Warwick .
https://www.pechakucha.com/events/warwick-vol-12
PechaKucha is Japanese for chit chat. It is the world’s fastest growing story telling platform used by millions around the globe. Learn more about PechaKucha.
Rick Savage plays Miles Davis
with Mark Minchello on piano and Lew Scott on bass
Sunday November 10, 4 pm
Suggested Donation $15
Rick Savage will be playing at the Amity Gallery on November 10 at 4 pm
Educated at world renowned music school Indiana University, composer / producer / engineer, videographer Rick Savage has lived and worked in & around New York City for the past 30 years. He continues to be in demand as a performing & recording trumpet player, making guest solo appearances on the CD projects of many NY area artists.
The video below is a swingin’ tune from the Hudson Valley Jazz Fest featuring Rick Savage trumpet, Don Braden sax, Eliot Zigmund drums, Zen Zadravec piano, & David Kingsnorth bass.
A performance of “Black Coffee” by the Rick Savage Jazz 4Tet from the 2011 Warwick Valley (NY) Jazz Fest featuring Luci Yeghiazaryan • vocals, Rick Savage • trumpet, Eliot Zigmund • drums, Zen Zadravec • piano, David Kingsnorth • bass
Claire Gilliam – Life Lines
I began the series Life Lines two or three years ago, after coming into the possession of recent MRI scans of my brain.
I began the series Life Lines two or three years ago, after coming into the possession of recent MRI scans of my brain. The scans, which I spent hours pouring over, both fascinated and horrified me. Even though I’d always known the seriousness of it, I was suddenly confronted with visual evidence of the long ago but significant brain injury I’d sustained as a baby. A large dark mass on the left hemisphere still declaring loudly, after 40 years, my narrow escape. Around the same time, I also experienced a difficult and continuous period of profound familial loss.
Both these episodes left me thinking about the body in a very different way than I had before: I became interested in the biology and physiology of our bodies and the seemingly cruel, capricious way a body can behave, vacillating between strength and fragility. I began to make drawings from the MRIs, at first visually recording the brain itself, to understand how its structure and pathways form to activate the circumstances of the individual being we become. As the series has developed, the imagery has dissolved into abstraction, capturing something more existential.
Please join me for the opening reception on Saturday, November 2 from 5.00-7.00pm (the Amity Gallery will be open to visitors from 1 pm)
The Gallery is open every weekend from 1.00-4.00 pm.