Spring Mix: Varietals + Vases
Mary Barringer, Meg Beaudoin, Irja Bodén, Gene Gort, Lyn Harper, Patrick Kennedy, Amy Rosen
March 23 - April 21, 2024
Reception with the artists: Sat. Mar. 23, 2-4pm

Spring Mix features the nocamera, ultrachrome archival botanical prints of Gene Gort and a selection of vase forms by six ceramic artists - Mary Barringer, Meg Beaudoin, Irja Bodén, Lyn Harper, Patrick Kennedy and Amy Rosen.

Gene Gort is a visual artist, video producer, media programmer, and former educator who lives in Torrington, Connecticut. He received his MFA from UC San Diego and BFA from the Hartford Art School. Gene has been producing video, installation, digital media, and collaborative projects for almost forty years. He is Professor Emeritus of Integrated Media Arts, Hartford Art School, University of Hartford where he was on faculty for thirty-five years. He retired in 2020. His current work concentrates on digital image-making and collaborative multi-media performances. His interests lie in examining the ordinary or quotidian, and what it has to offer us.

"The work on exhibition is part of an ongoing investigation using a flatbed scanner, I call nocamera.com. No camera has been used in the process, hence the name. In 2000, I bought a flat-bed scanner and began experimenting, placing objects directly onto the glass and building images that way which resulted in some visual surprises.
The direct lighting, shallow depth-of-field, and peculiar sense of gravity reveals the apparatus and its workings, and is clearly a departure from traditional lens-based photography. I am often surprised by the results and often feel like the images are “gifts” or discoveries that the scanning process reveals – a way of seeing. This work allows me the satisfaction of creating something beautiful that is a result of a process that continues to reveal the things around me in ways I couldn’t achieve with simple observation."

genegort.com | nocamera.com

Ceramic artists:
Mary Barringer - marybarringer.com
Med Beaudoin - megbeaudoinceramics.com
Irja Bodén - irjaboden.com
Lyn Harper - lynharper.com
Patrick Kennedy - patrickafkennedy.com
Amy Rosen - etsy.com/shop/AmyJRosen

2nd Edition
Curated by Carole Kunstadt
Ania Gilmore, Carole Kunstadt, Kevin Kunstadt, Kerith Lisi and Chris Perry
March 23 - April 21, 2024
Reception with the artists: Sat. Mar. 23, 2-4pm

We are excited to announce this first presentation of our guest-curated exhibitions in the Back Room Gallery. 2nd Edition, guest curated by Carole Kunstadt, presents five unique transmutations by artists who transform and explore the malleability of the book form, suggesting new terrain and creating unexpected relevance and meaning. Both the content and the context of the works reshape our relationship with the book and the stories they tell in an intriguingly familiar yet previously unimagined world.

With Ania Gilmore we deftly travel through history, time and into eternity via her artist books: Library of Alexandria, Randomly John Cage and Mortal Hand. For example, Mortal Hand is an accordion-bound collection of etchings that manipulate both the words and the despair of a poem, (The Joy of Writing by Nobel Laureate, Wislawa Szymborska), which laments that writing a poem has no real power except as an act of revenge against one's own mortality.

Carole Kunstadt, dissects, stitches, weaves and layers bookplate illustrations from Guy's Elements of Astronomy (1845–65) in her Heavenly Series. The planets, orbital arcs and their phases are divorced from their intended scientific charting and when re-assembled present a new universe of lines, spheres and angles. Threads are sewn into the woven surface of fragmented images creating a dense iconography of the cosmos.

Kevin Kunstadt's photography is about “taking a duration of time and recording it in a way that becomes timeless. This process...is a sort of attempt to fold back some information about passed time (change over time) into the dough of the individual photographic image. The visual change over time, thus creates a color trace in the original image that was not there before....the variegated and figural surfaces of rock, which had lain previously flat and dormant in the direct sun, seemed to become alive thanks to this draping of liquids over time.”

Kerith Lisi's Storytelling Series re-purposes discarded and well worn book covers and spines. One finds a refuge in their densely layered and textural structures, the satisfying color fields and the salvaging of their existence and by proxy ours.

Chris Perry's book constructions Ripples elegantly invite us into an ordered, fluid, textural and structural experience. Cascading paper, layered or spouting from a stack of volumes, mimics and implies the focus on water and our environment. Reductive and additive elements find a balance in Perry's works suggestive of the balance needed on planet earth.

Carole Kunstadt - carolekunstadt.com
Ania Gilmore - aniaartstudio.com
Kevin Kunstadt - kevinkunstadt.com
Kerith Lisi - kerithlisi.com
Chris Perry - csperry.net

Deux Bleu
Simon Draper + Janice La Motta
February 17 - March 17, 2024
Reception with the artists: Sat. Feb. 17, 2-4pm

Deux Bleu - features the assemblages of Simon Draper and the paint + collage works of Janice La Motta.

Simon Draper was born in Abergavenny, Wales. He grew up in the UK and Germany and came to NYC in 1982 attending Cooper Union. He worked with Aeropress doing etching for artist's editions and spent many years in art services and NYC galleries. He worked with Simon Doonan at Barney's doing window displays; founded Anglie Crating, Inc. working with private collectors and interior designers. In 2007 he created Habitat for Artists, a collective project that uses the idea of the artist's studio as a catalyst for mutual engagement between artists and communities. He moved to Cold Spring, NY with his late wife, Marnie Hillsley, and son Aiden in 2017. Moved to California. Gardened during the Covid years. Returned to NY in 2022. Took a new studio in High Falls and opened Art Bites Gallery in 2023 with Janice La Motta.

Making something out of nothing, for the most part, has a negative connotation (a mountain out of a molehill).

When it comes to my choice of materials, I love the utility, the commonplace and discarded. Material is abundant. We have the luxury of throwing away all sorts of materials - one use and gone. This work is my making some things out of, for the most part, nothing.

www.simoncpdraper.com


Janice La Motta is a visual artist with an over forty-year career as a studio artist and arts administrator. She has worked as an artistic director at various arts nonprofits in CT and she served as curator at the New Britain Museum of American Art for 5 1/2 years prior to opening her own contemporary fine arts gallery which she ran successfully for 18 years. In 2015 she moved to the mid-Hudson Valley to take the position as executive director of a small arts organization and museum. Since 2020 she has devoted her time to her studio practice and also serving as the program director for a new home sharing initiative of Family of Woodstock. She has exhibited her work in numerous group and solo exhibitions across the country. She is the proud mother of a 28 year old daughter, Phoebe. She maintains a studio in High Falls, NY. In 2023 she opened Art Bites Gallery with Simon Draper.

This new work grew out of some simple shifts in my studio practice. I stopped using oil paint in favor of using house paint, which I found equally effective in my work. In fact, I became a bit obsessed with the particular palette of blues that I was working with. At the same time, I indulged a latent interest in food packaging boxes. The unfolded shapes became the starting point for the collages. Working with simple materials seemed to allow greater freedom.

I also returned to a smaller scale. Being in this intimate space allows for a particular attention to detail that I find completely engaging. This work is as much about the compelling desire to find the right arrangement of color and form that is both satisfying and surprising, as it is about the simple pleasure of working with humble materials.

janicelamotta.com

CURIOUS ARIAS
Irja Bodén + Eduardo Cure
January 13 - February 11, 2024
Reception with the artists: Sat. Jan. 13, 2-4pm

Curious Arias features the ceramic sculptures of Swedish born artist Irja Bodén and the photographs of Columbian born artist Eduardo Cure. The exhibition brings together two approaches to time, locale and consequence. Underlying these narrative-based abstractions are references to place, family and the domestic.

Irja Bodén's (b. 1960, Kiruna, Sweden) sculptures combine stacked or nested ceramic forms embossed with imprints visible beneath a thick glaze. The work begins on the wheel, where she transforms clay into a narrative-based abstract sculpture.

"I began my ceramic series To Dress a Ptarmigan in 2018. It refers to the destruction and relocation of my hometown, Kiruna, Sweden, caused by mining faults beneath the city. Located above the Arctic Circle, Kiruna is the name for the ptarmigan bird by the Sami inhabitants. The work's title parallels dressing a bird for a meal, which requires careful dismembering and reassembling and the piece-by-piece relocation of the city. The series evokes a deep connection with the land and contains Passage, Aurora, Ferrum, Oracle, and the Earth Shell Series. The work's narrative also nods to the northern landscape of long winters, the arctic flowers, vibrant summer light, the polar night with its deep luminous night sky, and the midwinter hues of soft pastel colors."

Bodén earned a B.F.A. from SUNY Potsdam and a B.A. from Lund University, Sweden. Solo exhibitions include the Al Held Foundation, Smallbany Gallery, and Ely Center of Contemporary Art. In 2023, Bodén had her second solo exhibition, Constellations, at Amos Eno Gallery. Bodén has participated in various group exhibitions, such as the Hyde Collection, Glens Falls, NY; LabSpace, Hillsdale, NY; Roxbury Arts Group, Roxbury, NY; and Lake George Arts Project, Lake George, NY. Bodén has also been awarded residencies, grants, and fellowships, including Byrdcliffe Artist Residency, Studios at MASS MoCA, the Berkshire Taconic Foundation, and the NYSCA Public Art Fellowship. Bodén lives in Ghent, NY, where she maintains an active studio practice.

irjaboden.com


Eduardo Cure's abstract photographs unveil the exploration of the domestic through two distinct bodies of work: Augurio and Pyrolysis. Evoking the essence of home life, Augurio draws inspiration from the art of tasseomancy practiced by the artist’s grandmother during his upbringing in Colombia. Derived from his grandmother’s daily practice of divination using tobacco, tea and coffee, Augurio is rooted in the rich cultural practices of the Caribbean region of Colombia and the Lebanese household where Cure was raised. The celestial body-like abstractions beckon introspection and sacred fantasy. In stark contrast, Pyrolysis is grounded in the empirical; delving into the transformative realms of energy and materiality conjuring images of paintings created by fire. Together, the work engages the domestic as a creative locus; intertwining cultural and personal narratives within the intimate confines of home.

eduardocure.com


To view all of the works in this exhibition please see the entries for Irja Bodén and Eduardo Cure in the portfolio section of this website.

"Fahoo fores, dahoo dores..." Holiday Group Exhibition
Exhibition dates: Dec. 9, 2023 - Jan. 7, 2024
Opening Reception with the artists: Sat. Dec. 9th, 2-4pm
-The gallery will remain open late on the 9th to coincide with the High Falls tree-lighting festivities just outside our doors.

We welcome the holiday season with our exhibition, "Fahoo fores, dahoo dores..." The exhibition takes its title from the song sung by the Whos of Whoville in the delightful holiday film classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The group exhibition will feature works by sixteen artist and include a selection of paintings, works on paper, ceramics, mixed media sculpture and photography of stylistic and thematic range.

The exhibition will include works by the following artists:

Meg Beaudoin
Irja Boden
Lisa Breznak
Susan Spencer Crowe
Eduardo Cure
Simon Draper
Elizabeth Gourlay
Gene Gort
David Halliday
Marnie Hillsley
Beth Humphrey
Carole Kunstadt
Janice La Motta
Peter McCaffrey
Jessica Poser
Lyn Harper

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Please note holiday hours as posted on our home page

RINGHORN CERAMAGE: Mary Barringer + David Hornung
Oct. 28 - Nov. 26, 2023
Reception with the artists: Sat. Oct. 28, 2-4pm
Art Bites @ 8 Second Street, High Falls, NY

RINGHORN CERAMAGE features the handbuilt ceramic work of Mary Barringer and the painted paper collages of David Hornung. The exhibition counterpoints the strong connection to form and shape that informs each of their work.

Mary Barringer's ceramic works are functional and sculptural. Sometimes these two applications merge into a singular object, such as her sushi platters that live as comfortably as wall sculptures and functional tableware. Her work elicits a sense of history through her surface treatments of mark-making, slip and glaze applications and through forms that appear reminiscent and primitive.

Mary Barringer is a graduate of Bennington College and has been a practicing studio artist since 1973. She has taught extensively at universities and art centers that include Ohio University, the University of Nebraska, and the Penland School of Crafts. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at venues that include the Mint Museum, North Carolina; the Currier Museum of Art, New Hampshire; and the World Ceramic Expo, Korea. From 2003 to 2014 she served as editor of the Studio Potter journal. Mary lives and works in western Massachusetts.

"I have worked in clay for more than forty-five years, making both pottery and sculpture. The material suits my nature: it is both exacting and surprising, demanding both craft and an openness to unexpected results"

www.marybarringer.com


David Hornung's painted paper collages are improvisational compositions that integrate abstract and pictorial elements. His shapes are lyrical, quirky, ambiguous, descriptive and suggestive. His alluring color sense permeates all of his work. Represented in this exhibition will be collages that range in size from 9 x 6 inches to 18 inches square.

David Hornung is a painter and educator. He has a long career teaching painting, drawing, and color at numerous art schools and universities including Indiana University; Parsons; Pratt; Skidmore College; Brooklyn College; the Rhode Island School of Design; and Adelphi University. His book, Colour: A Workshop for Artists and Designers was published in 2012 and serves as reference for color instruction and has been translated into five languages. His work has been widely exhibited in the United States and the United Kingdom. David lives and works in Ulster County, NY.

Color, as always, is central to my work...

www.davidhornung.com

To view all of the works in this exhibition please see the entries for Mary Barringer and David Hornung in the portfolio section of this site.

Rhapsody Butternut
June 17 - July 9, 2023

A group exhibition of works by
Simon Draper
Gene Gort
Marnie Hillsley
Chere Krakovsky
Janice La Motta
Peter McCaffrey
Thomas Sarrantonio

Also featuring
Flora Danica (1761-1883) copper plate botanical etchings
Svenska Faglar (c. 1920) color lithographic bird prints
& Garden miscellany

Works from this exhibition are available for viewing post-exhibition. Please inquire.

Presented in The Garden Room, 103 Main Street, High Falls, NY
(behind The Last Bite Market & Cafe)
Hours: Saturdays + Sundays, noon-4pm

Habitat for Artists is pleased to collaborate with the Hortus Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in Stone Ridge, NY this summer. Artists-in-residence will create projects in the 6 x 6 foot shed on the grounds of Hortus, constructed using Eastern White Pines felled on the property. Residencies are one-day events that take place from 1-5pm. www.hortusgardens.org/art-in-the-garden/

7/22 - Marielena Ferrer
I look to nature for analogies to help me understand human relations and to experiment with new social paradigms and models. My current research focuses on poison ivy as a metaphor for the socially excluded and for exploring possibilities to make art with it.

For my Hortus Arboretum HFA participation, I propose spending a day gathering poison ivy and extracting its sap while engaging in conversations with the public about the plant, lacquer art, and how labor is valued.

7/29 - Janice La Motta
A Modern Herbarium
Walking the grounds I'd like to record the naturalized plant specimens of Hortus with the thought of creating a contemporary herbarium that leaves the plants intact but that uses observation and interpretation to record in journal fashion the species of plants on the property. The herbarium may take various forms and incorporate various methods of recording - ie: drawing, digital referencing, cyanotype processes,etc. The act of walking the property, discovery, observation and then working within the Hortus landscape will all inform the journal's creation.

8/5 - Emilie Houssart
(The DIRT Project)
The DIRT Project will be in residence at the Habitat for Artists studio at Hortus Arboretum on August 5th. Emilie Houssart will create an interactive DIRT installation for play and conversation based around the following question: why should we care about dirt? Come and join the project!

8/19 - Simon Draper
CHUTNEY with DRAPER
Small batch canning, with a variety of herbs and spices and tried recipes to see what NEW fruits might find themselves as preserve on YOUR plate with a good Cheese and fine bread.

I grew up collecting various fruits and vegetables from our garden, and making preserves from the bruised , the over abundant and had a enough of ...

This was always a production, the family got together in the late summer months to put down...bottle/can veg and fruits.

Years later I find myself missing this activity but wanting to approach it in a more creative way. What if we made small batches
that takes 45 mins from fruit to bottle, and if needed amend the recipe? AND have others discover the ease and fun of an age old kitchen practice.

We‘ll see what is available to put down in July, in the knowledge that Hortus has some unusual and not the usual plants on hand...that might have fruit to preserve!!

8/26 - Lisa Breznak
Using common materials of wire, foil, and paint, I will use the gardens’ botanical imagery to inspire, refresh, and play to expand my ideas, moving into new directions and new work.

Referencing nature, architecture, costume, and body language, I make abstracted forms to show that beauty, thought, humor, creativity, and significance are not mutually exclusive. www.lisabreznak.com

Alexis Elton
Viktorsha Uliyanova
Jessie Darling
Mariah Day ... dates to be announced

Art Bites is pleased to present two artist residencies this summer with artists Chere Krakovsky and Lisa Breznak. Each artist invites you to participate in their process during their two-day residencies. Come for as little or as long as you wish. How much? How little? The space to create. The residencies will be presented in two locations - at Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, 76 Mill Road, Stone Ridge, NY and at the Garden Room, behind The Last Bite Cafe & Market, 103 Main St/Route 213, High Falls, NY.

Sat. July 8, 2023 at Art Bites Garden Room
Sun. July 9, 2023 at Art Bites Garden Room
Lisa Breznak
Everyday Making

Using common materials of wire, foil, and paint, I will use the gardens’ botanical imagery to inspire, refresh, and play to expand my ideas, moving into new directions and new work.

Referencing nature, architecture, costume, and body language, I make abstracted forms to show that beauty, thought, humor, creativity, and significance are not mutually exclusive.

www.lisabreznak.com

Sat. July 15, 2023 at Art Bites Garden Room
please note change in location for this date

Sun. July 16, 2023 at Art Bites Garden Room
Chere Krakovsky
The Art of Conversation / Is Conversation Art?

For as long as we’ve been around as humans, as wandering bands of nomads or cave dwellers, we have sat together and shared experiences. We’ve painted images on rock walls, recounted dreams and visions, told stories of the day and generally felt comforted to be in the world together.
I believe we can change the world if we start listening to one another again.

- Wheatley, Margaret J. Turning to One another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future. 1st ed. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2002. All great change starts with a conversation. This is a guide to facing the difficult conversation together.

A kitchen table is set up for tea in the space. It is an invitation to explore traditional everyday experiences in unexpected places, where conversation itself can become the work of art. The table/stage brings us together where the private and public meet. We all become performers, educators and storytellers creating community in our time together. Tea will be served, and the table set, and strangers welcomed creating our own temporary location for home. Feel free to bring a project or task you would like to complete as we sit around the table in conversation.

www.cherekrakovskyart.com