On the Walls and Outside Too: Katonah Museum of Art

Study of Monterey Bay, 1918, E. Charlton Fortune[Katonah, NY] Last weekend, I went to the delightful Katonah Museum of Art to see the wonderful exhibition, All Things Bright and Beautiful California Impressionist Paintings from the Irvine Museum. I arrived in time to take an informative docent led tour through the exhibition of over 60 works created by 40 artists during the early decades of the 20th century.

The paintings depict, "lush summer gardens, tranquil picnic scenes, sweeping views of the Sierra Mountains, and sparkling seascapes glow with the vivid colors and intense light that characterizes the “Land of Sunshine." Enjoy California's rich Impressionist heritage, without having to leave Westchester, until October 5.

In the Project Gallery, Under the Radar: Leslie Lerner is currently on display. Lerner’s narrative paintings are part science fiction, part psychedelic apparition, and can be found in many museum collections throughout the country. Also on the walls until October 5.

In the Marilyn M. Simpson Sculpture Garden, and on the South Lawn are two life-size fiberglass models by sculptor Philip Grausman. Eileen and Susanna, "serve as essays on the distillation of the human figure and the potency, albeit abstracted, of nature studies." Both were sited outdoors in homage to Grausman's "sensitivity toward the organic- the flowing, pooling, undulating, burgeoning of surrounding nature- which breathes en plein air." Here are a few photographs that I was able to take, with explanation provided by the Katonah Museum of Art:

"The Legacy of Grausman's earlier imagery of awakening seeds and buds can be seen, in part, in his enlarged portrait heads, particularly when viewed in profile or from the rear. The abstracted description of Susanna's coiffure is diaphanous. One senses a bud coming into life, a seedling unfurling in the warmth of the day. Reference to the natural world and the beauty of the human form waltz effortlessly and endlessly."

"In the great white monolith Eileen, he preserves the dignity of her facial features: arched brows, diminutive nose, strong cheek bones, and emphatic jaw line. There may have been other lesser attributes, but Grausman seizes upon those which he can translate as the structure of his own creation. Against the crispness of the aforementioned details, there is an equal compassionate emphasis placed on the passages of flesh between them. In this softness there is a tenderness, even at such a scale, which suggests an inner life. "

For more information: Katonah Museum of Art 

Mike Phillips Closes Out the 2008 Summer Breeze Concert Series

If you happened upon City Hall Plaza on Saturday August 23, a few minutes too late for the start of the Mike Phillips concert, it was standing room only. With every inch of grass median space taken up by lawn chairs, and not an empty seat to be found on the plaza, the ever-diligent Recreation Department staff, brought out additional chairs to accommodate the overflow crowd.

The multigenerational audience came out in full force, to support one of Mount Vernon’s most charismatic native sons. Mike Phillips, a renowned saxophone player, has performed most prominently with Prince, as part of the New Power Generation, and has collaborated with the legendary Stevie Wonder. With two solo albums to his credit, Mike has appeared on numerous other projects with his Hidden Beach Recordings label mates. The multi-talented entertainer has been the host his own lifestyle show, "Mike's World" on BET J.

Acting Recreation Commissioner Floyd Myers thanked Donna Jackson, the Summer Breeze Concert Series’ Creative Director, for her commitment to the arts in Mount Vernon. This was Donna’s first year coordinating the fantastic 17 concert series, which included jazz, R&B, Brazilian, reggae, and classical music artists from around the globe. Whenever I had the opportunity to attend, it was always a great time, made better by seeing so many friends and neighbors!

Mike Phillips started his multi-song set by declaring his love for his hometown. The son of Jamaican immigrants, he recalled growing up on the South Side, where he had so many caring neighbors. He spoke affectionately, about his days at Mount Vernon High School, back when there were 250 students in the high school band (I remember, because we graduated in the same MVHS class). Mike also talked about how his teachers always told him to strive for the best, because they saw his tremendous potential, even before he could.

Sadly, MVHS currently has no band, no orchestra, and no concert choir. Mike decried the cuts in arts education in the public schools, and urged parents to seek out private lessons to nurture their children’s creativity. He emphasized that his exposure to the arts in school, (where he first learned about Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Miles Davis), playing in the churches of Mount Vernon, and a supportive family, led him to pursue a career in music.

Mike’s passion and conviction that evening, was not limited to his relevant social commentary. His dynamic performance was interspersed with funk tunes, an ode to the straight ahead jazz of John Coltrane, and an interlude of Prince’s “Pop Life.” He told the audience, “This is how I play jazz.” Backed by a formidable band of talented young musicians, Mike made his way through the audience on several occasions, to interact with the audience. He also played several solos, which brought many to their feet.

One of Mike’s proudest artistic achievements to date, has been his participation in the Hidden Beach Recording’s Unwrapped Series. “I like Hip-Hop, but I don’t always like the words in Hip-Hop. Here we take the words off, and add organic music. People enjoy the beat, and yet feel the music.” He even pulled out a vocoder synthesizer, which altered his voice, as he rapped alternative lyrics to the 50 Cent hit, "21 Questions."

The future continues to be bright for Mike Phillips. He is the first non-athlete to have a Nike Brand Jordan endorsement contract. Recently, he completed a tour sponsored by BMW. Currently, he continues to perform internationally, and is working on his third album, MP3.

Mike Phillips closed the set with the Frankie Beverly and Maze classic, "We Are One." At the end of the night, that could not have been a truer statement, as audience members lined up to say hello, and to thank him for coming back home again. There was no better way to end the 2008 Summer Breeze Concert Series, as the city could see a stellar return on its tremendous investment, live in concert. Mike Phillips not only entertained us, he made us realize that we are truly all in this life, together.

More from the floral archive

 From a day spent at the New York Botanical Garden.

Favorite Memories

The New York Botanical Garden. I remember it was a gorgeous day.

Artist Nathan Sawaya presents 'Architecture of the Imagination: The Lure of the LEGO Brick' in Stamford

The other week, I had a chance to check out the much talked about  'Architecture of the Imagination: The Lure of the LEGO(R) Brick' featuring Nathan Sawaya at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center.  While my flash free photographs hardly does the complexity of these intricate and incredible pieces any justice, it is a spectacular collection of works, constructed using more than one million LEGO bricks. 

About the exhibition:

 New York-based "brick artist" Nathan Sawaya has elevated LEGO(R) construction to an art form. Besides recreating objects and buildings - which he does, brilliantly - Sawaya uses the LEGO(R) brick as other artist's use canvas, stone, or clay: to express himself and to challenge viewers to interpret his creations. His amazing "Red, Yellow, and Blue" series explores emotion through the human form, reaching an artistic level not usually associated with a toy.

Whether you grew up playing with LEGO bricks (I did), or have someone in your life that is an enthusiast, it is truly worth a look-see.  Hurry, 'The Art of the Brick,' is on view only until August 17, 2008.   For more information, visit the Stamford Museum's website.

Target First Saturday @ Brooklyn Museum

One of my random photos from 08.07

Last year, I had a chance to go to the Target First Saturday's "Wave Your Hands" night at the Brooklyn Museum.  This year, the event will be on Saturday 08.02.2008 and it's free from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., but you have to get there early for tix.  The West Indian-American Day Carnival Association starts the entertainment off with a showcase of steel drums, and Carnival costumes.  Inside there are gallery talks, music/dance performances, culminating in a dance party.  Visit the Brooklyn Museum for more information.

The New Orleans Millionaire Next Door

A haven for secret millionaires? When I lived in New Orleans (above) my somewhat reclusive octogenarian neighbor, resided in a squalid, nondescript, studio apartment.  However, he did frequent the hotel restaurant next door to our apartment building daily for his meals. Upon his death, I found out that he was a multimillionaire who left his fortune ONLY to the waitresses at the hotel restaurant.  Now here's a story about another man who recently bequeathed $20 million to the New Orleans Foundation.  While John Marque was quite generous in life, few knew that he was so wealthy. There is a lot to be said for those who choose to keep a low profile. [T-P]