Bob’s Art Blog: The Wild West (Shore)

January 12, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

Part 1: “Untamed Color at CALC”

There is a distinct difference between fine art and fun art—exactly three letters (“i,” “e” and “u”). “I” is for imagination, “e” is for energy, and “u” is for you—audience appreciation.

Carlisle Art Learning Center (CALC) provided all three at opening night festivities this past Friday. The G.B. Stuart Gallery downstairs presented 33 works by local artists who passed muster for entry into the juried show, “On Thin Ice.” Meanwhile, the Upstairs Gallery addressed a social issue tackled by art anthropologist Carrie Breschi and a cadre of art colleagues.

The title for this blog sounds like it might be an ad for L’Oreal but it’s not—it tackles a more serious subject. “What I have, they used to call the blues,” crooned Karen Carpenter back in 1971.

It occurs every year at the time of the winter solstice around Dec. 21, when the sun does not rise above the horizon. Sounds ominous, right? In reality, it affects about 10 million Americans annually, myself among them. The culprit is Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as SAD. For millennials affected with SAD, picture the normally bright, sunny, smiling emoji looking pale and wan. I use both adjectives to make a point. With one spin of the color spectrum at “Untamed Color,” not only does its color return to that golden hue, but it is flashing a big thumbs up.

Breschi, co-founder of the organization and education center/gallery, has hand-selected an aggregate of artists—Allen, Oakes, Reed, Rook and Stone. This CALC consortium sounds like a crack team of lawyers but, in truth, they are SAD-busters. Breschi and team know full well that the bleak days of winter take their toll on the human psyche. “Untamed Color” is truly a call to arms for an optic approach to mood brightening. The artists have created an installation in which color runs riot in an interactive gallery designed to chase Ol’ Man Winter out for good.

The “Untamed Colors” arcade of art features Cathy Stone’s “Paint-ULUM,” a whirligig push and paint pinioned by a paintbrush tripod, so that patrons can create their own radial rhombus (pictured). Supervised on opening night by Lanik Minaya, the ever-spinning mechanism never tired, indefatigably illustrious, taking on a life of its own. Artist Aron Rook took the high road to fantasy with her fine art, “Allegro,” an acrylic-on-wood panel in sumptuous shades of sherbet (it made me wistful for flora and fauna in a sauna). Somehow she agreed. We must be from the same school of fish.

Thomas Oakes’ “Time to Play,” a multi-colored playground, incorporated spinning wheels, movable magnets and an interactive galaxy designed for fun. All were created from found objects, including cast-off storage bin baskets. Deb Allen’s “Wild Spots” has a polka-dotted pup (think of a playful Dalmatian whose pigmentation portrays every color imaginable), capturing your heart as a plush toy personified. She was joined by Breschi making “Joie’ de Vivre” streamers splendid of paint-dripped splatters. Breschi continued her art in a colorful corner with multiple casts of her hands holding a rainbow of sponge balls in “Carpe Diem,” urging others to seize the day and chase the blues away. Carol Reed’s “Random Acts” integrates mellow yellow and outrageous orange with singing suns and lit lanterns, as well as an orange-netted divan for sitting on and sipping an Orange Crush.

CALC’s exhibiting artists for “Untamed Color”

If all of that doesn’t work somehow, in extreme cases, perhaps broad-spectrum light therapy is needed to allow the skin to produce vitamin D, since this vitamin deficiency triggers cases of SAD. As for me, I have now graduated from light therapy to “write therapy,” and it seems to be working.

“Untamed Color” runs through Feb. 1, with a special interactive “Make, Shake and Take Day” on Jan. 25, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., free to the public, and children especially are invited to participate in this color extravaganza. For more information, visit www.carlislearts.org.

Part II: (The After Party at) Metropolis: “A Wintry Mix 5”

Pulling up outside Metropolis Collective, an art crowd had filtered out the front lobby’s door, taking a break from the music while, inside, the buzz was heady with art that had escaped from the walls. Twenty artists, exploring the limits of normalcy, pushed that notion off the ledge in this latest exhibit.

All artists represented share a similar point of view, advancing the idea that art makes its own rules. It was opening night for “A Wintry Mix 5” at Metropolis in Mechanicsburg. A major draw was the appearance and art of local legends, Zack Rudy and Garrick Dorsett, aka the Huckle Buckle Boys (HBB). Call their brand outsider art, raw art, marginal art, whatever—it is truly their own. When art spills out of the imagination onto the canvas and it is unlike anything else seen before, it doesn’t need a copyright because the works themselves are truly identifiable, as are the artists’ fingerprints—no two alike. Rudy and Dorsett fit that category, and their art is categorically channeled: chaotic and calm at the same time. Their paintings portray portals to vistas vast and varied.

“Just a Bird Being a Bird” by Zack Rudy and Garrick Dorsett (The Huckle Buckle Boys)

The team of owner Richard Reilly and gallery director Hannah Dobek divided and conquered with Reilly, a rock-and-roller himself, overseeing the stage of rock-e-teers, while Dobek did double-duty as hostess and artist-in-residence. They have assembled an army of auteurs loaded with their own arsenal of art. Without Dobek’s influence holding sway at Metropolis, the underpinnings of multiple mediums (music, art, entertainment) may break loose from their moorings and create a murky miasma that runs pell-mell over the streets of Mechanicsburg.

Dorsett and Rudy enlisted early on in the concept of their art armory, unleashing their own brand of subversive subterranean art for the collective. In the latest show, “A Wintry Mix,” they demonstrate a force that even the “Star Wars” storm troopers can’t repel. Dobek co-opts a milieu darkly Lynchian with her subtly subversive studies of the seamy underbelly of a Main Street America that has gone looking for itself in the rearview mirror. Evening highlights were HBB’s, “Just A Bird Being a Bird,” Nicole Dube’s “The Red Mistake” (a doppelganger of Bonnie Parker from Bonnie and Clyde fame dressed with a red beret) and Mark May’s “Boxed.” Reilly was ever-present as the evening’s entertainment hit overdrive and high-energy rock pulsed from the rear stage, set on a cavernous causeway, allowing Johnny 5 and The Flyin’ Helos to land their band, which experienced liftoff all night long.

“The Red Mistake” by Nicole Dube

Metropolis is a city unto itself, where characters come and go, passing through the turnstiles of time, some more comfortable climbing up walls as paintings and some just as onlookers to a scene from a movie that is playing in their minds. For an insider’s view to outsider art, check out the vibe at Metropolis. You just might expand your mind and your mien.

“A Wintry Mix” runs through Feb. 21 at Metropolis Collective, 17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.metropoliscollective.com.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

January 10, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Newly hatched chicks strut their fluff at the PA Farm Show.

It was almost like the holidays never happened, as everyone settled back into their old routines this past week. Here at TheBurg, we had five full days of news reporting, and, boy, are we tired. In case a Farm Show food coma caused you to miss any of our coverage, we have it all recapped right here.

Art had a good year in Harrisburg in 2019. So says our fine arts writer in his look back at the past 12 months. Take a blast into the recent past with his year-in-review blog.

Capital Region Water soon will have a new home, as the water/sewer authority has bought an office building on Front Street in Uptown Harrisburg. Find out the details of their move and what that may mean for customers from our online story.

Harrisburg swore into office three returning City Council members, as well as the city treasurer. Afterwards, council held a reorganization meeting to elect a president, who indicated her priorities for the next two years. Our online news story has all the details.

Harrisburg police held their annual swearing in and promotion ceremony this past week at Whitaker Center. We got a first look at the newest recruits, in addition to the many veterans taking on more senior posts. Get glimpse at the pomp and the circumstance in our news story.

Midtown Cinema passed an important milestone on its way to a major improvement project. Our story tells what happened and offers an updated timeline for the construction.

No Shave November finally concluded last week, with Harrisburg police scraping off two months worth of fuzz. Find out why they hung up their razors for eight weeks from our online story. Hint: It was for a good cause.

PA Farm Show has many attractions, but we chose to write about chickens this week. The chick hatchery is always a highlight of the show, and this year was no exception. So, we paid it a visit for our online story.

Qualified Opportunity Zones were touted as a new way to drive investment into poorer communities, including those in Harrisburg. Our January feature story takes a hard look to see if anything has developed.

Queen’s BBQ & Southern Cuisine isn’t technically open for business yet, but they are welcoming people who want to sample their food. Find out the details of what the owners plan to do in our most-read story of the week.

Salvation Army last year moved into a brand-new and much larger facility near the Harrisburg city line. Our magazine feature explains why the move was made and takes a peek into the new building.

Sara Bozich is gearing up for the final days of the 2020 PA Farm Show. But she says there’s plenty to do this weekend around Harrisburg even if you never step foot into grand exposition space. Check out her weekly list of events and activities here.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events delivered right to your email inbox? If not, subscribe here!

Expect slower traffic, delays due to Mulberry Street Bridge work

January 10, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

This map shows where traffic will be affected this week due to bridge work.

Traffic will slow down later this week at the busy intersection of Cameron and Mulberry streets in Harrisburg, as the state Department of Transportation undertakes façade work on the Mulberry Street Bridge.

According to PennDOT, a crew needs to remove concrete from beneath the arch spanning Cameron Street and from the top of the bridge piers along 10th Street westbound, as well as the two-way ramp from Mulberry Street to Cameron Street.

A recent bridge inspection showed that some sections of the concrete façade were loosening, necessitating the removal of a small section of the concrete.

“Although the concrete is not in danger of falling, the department is removing it as a precautionary measure,” according to a statement from PennDOT. “The removal of this concrete will not adversely impact the condition of the bridge.”

A crane will be used to access the work sites from the Mulberry Street Bridge, PennDOT said.

As a result, Mulberry Street will be reduced to a single lane, and Cameron Street will be reduced to single lanes in both directions from Tuesday, Jan. 14, to Thursday, Jan. 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Also, left turns from Cameron Street northbound onto 10th Street westbound will be prohibited during work hours.

Flaggers will be used to provide traffic control, stated PennDOT.

Farm Show Notes: Chicks, ready for their close up

January 9, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Hatchlings scamper around the chick display at the PA Farm Show.

If you’re mourning the loss of a PA Farm Show favorite—the duckling slide exhibit—don’t worry. There are some new yellow, feathery babies to ‘ooh’ and ‘aww’ at.

At the new Bell & Evans display, you can learn about the company and its products, while also seeing for yourself their chick hatching process.

“The chicks are really the star here,” Executive Vice President Margo Sechler said. “But it’s good to see consumers get excited about quality products.”

Bell and Evans is a local, family-owned company based in Fredericksburg (Lebanon County) that focuses on creating organic and antibiotic free products by using humane treatment towards their chickens throughout the entire process. This includes their work in the hatchery, at the near 150 family-owned Bell & Evans farms and all the way to the consumer’s table.

“We’ve always tried to be the pioneer and the leader in the industry,” Sechler said.

She explained that, as far as they know, they are the first company in the world with an organic hatchery. This means the eggs are not injected with antibiotics and the chicks have access to feed and water as soon as they are born rather than waiting a few days, as is common practice among other companies.

“You need to have a healthy environment that’s stress free,” Sechler said.

In the Bell & Evans Farm Show display, visitors can see the three-step process of the eggs resting in the incubator, the chicks hatching and the newborns toddling around and feeding. While visitors get a glimpse into the process, they are seeing only a fraction of it. Bell & Evans hatches over 1 million chicks each week.

“It’s adorable, I love it,” said Emily Myers of Reading. “We [Myers and her husband] want to have a farm someday, and it’s important to see the whole process.”

Not only does Bell & Evans let you see the beginning steps of the farming process, but they have plenty of the end result to taste at the Farm Show, as well. In the food court, they are serving their classic chicken tenders along with a new item, Parmesan-breaded chicken meatballs. All of their food items are organic.

“There is a big demand for organic,” Sechler said. “People are asking such great questions. They want to know where their food comes from.”

Their chicken products can be found all across the country in Whole Foods, Wegmans and Giant Food Stores.

The Bell & Evans PA Farm Show display is located behind the food court in the Expo Hall. For more information or to take the Bell & Evans virtual tour, visit www.bellandevans.com.

In ceremony, Harrisburg announces promotions, swears in police officers

January 9, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse and police Commissioner Thomas Carter swear in new officers at Thursday’s ceremony.

You might say it’s the year of the police officer in Harrisburg.

The 2020 budget will increase pay for many officers, and, on Thursday, 28 officers were sworn in or promoted.

“It is an exciting time to become a Harrisburg police officer,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “The city is on the right track and it is a very, very exciting day.”

In a ceremony at Whitaker Center, 10 young officers with a wide range of experience and skill were sworn into the city’s Police Bureau. A few received education at local and state schools including HACC and Penn State University. Others have experience working as emergency medical technicians or serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“It’s a very diverse group,” Papenfuse said. “We really are getting the very brightest and the very best.”

Many of the new officers will begin their six-month education at the Police Academy at HACC on Monday. After graduation, they will undergo in-house training and field training with the bureau.

“I’m excited, nervous, but excited,” new officer Jarrod Haar said. “I have been trying to do this for a while.”

Eighteen officers were promoted within the bureau. Two were sworn in as captains, four became lieutenants, six became sergeants and six were promoted to corporals.

With each step up in the bureau, “the burden only gets heavier,” Police Commissioner Thomas Carter said.

Six officers were recognized for their retirement, including a police dog, Officer Beau.

Promotions were announced for the following officers:

Capt. Dennis Sorensen
Capt. Terry Wealand
Lt. Todd Abromitis Sr.
Lt. James T. Galkowski
Lt. Thomas McGarrity
Lt. Russell Winder Jr.
Sgt. Quinten Kennedy
Sgt. Robert Minnier
Sgt. Brian Henry
Sgt. Marc McNaughton
Sgt. Robert Minnier
Sgt. Robert Yost
Cpl. Antwyn Chatman
Cpl. Teresa Covey
Cpl. Derek Fenton
Cpl. Joseph Marshall
Cpl. Matthew Nordstrom
Cpl. Matthew Novchich

The following new police officers were sworn in:

Joshua C. Cook
Andrew J. Dick
Aida Eminagic
Jarrod Haar
Jenelle L. Keppley
Michael D. Klock
Brendan J. Kovach
Austin Snyder
Jeffrey H. Teeter
Sethton A. Wiest

The following recent retirees were honored for their long service with the Harrisburg Police Bureau:

Sgt. Delon Henry (20 years of service)
Cpl. Christopher Delozier (22 years of service)
Officer Amy Bright (28 years of service)
Officer Shawn Donofrio (22 years of service)
Officer Angela Hohman (28 years of service)
Officer Peter Rivera (27 years of service)
K9 Officer Beau (6 years of service)

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

January 9, 2020 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

Have you made it to the Farm Show yet? I’ll be spending much of my day at the Culinary Connection, one of my favorite parts of the show. Don’t forget, we have your tips on what to eat and drink while you’re there! In the market for a new doc? Or, looking for some cool new services (like IV Infusion Therapy, medical massage, acupuncture)? My wonderful doctor, The Burick Center for Health & Wellness, is hosting an Open House. Bring a friend and check it out! Otherwise, Andy is out of town almost the whole weekend, so we’ll be low-key. Probably market-bound at some point. Popcorn. That kind of thing.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Midtown Cinema renovation passes muster with Harrisburg’s historic review panel

January 7, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Artist’s rendering of Midtown Cinema’s proposed new exterior

Midtown Cinema is a step closer to a major makeover, as the city’s historic review board has given the project its blessing.

On Monday night, the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board (HARB) unanimously approved plans by owner Lift Development for a substantial renovation of the arthouse theater’s façade.

“We’re very pleased with this result,” said Lift Development principal John Tierney, following the vote.

Tierney said that he expects work to begin next month following the cinema’s annual Academy Awards gala. Construction is expected to take about four months, concluding with the opening of the Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival in June.

The façade will feature a mostly glass exterior topped by a new marquee and new fiber cement board panels. On the east side, a trellis will extend the building’s footprint, with picnic tables underneath for outside seating.

Originally, the trellis was expected to be a mix of metal and wood. However, on Monday, Tierney said that it may be exclusively wood due to higher-than-expected price quotes for the metal component.

The 1940-era building was originally a grocery store and later housed a blood plasma center. It opened as Midtown Cinema in 2001.

HARB had no quibble with the modern-style design, and the city does not consider the building to contribute to the historic nature of the district, according to Frank Grumbine, Harrisburg’s historic preservation specialist and archivist.

“Overall, this project makes [the building] a higher overall quality,” said HARB member Jeremiah Chamberlin.

Several members, though, requested preservation of the existing mid-century-style sign that reads, “Reily. Midtown Center.”

Architect Rich Gribble of Camp Hill-based ByDesign Consultants said that they had a plan for the sign.

“We’d like to take that sign and put it into the new lobby, as opposed to installing it outside, since it’s technically not the name of the cinema,” he said.

Tierney later said that, as part of the renovation, they plan to remove the drop ceiling, opening up the lobby closer to the roofline, which would create enough space to hang the large sign inside.

The cinema plans to remain open during the renovation, though construction work may limit the availability of all three screens and could affect show times.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

Capital Region Water selects Uptown office building for new headquarters

January 7, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Capital Region Water plans to relocate to this building in Uptown Harrisburg over the summer.

Capital Region Water is heading Uptown, with plans to consolidate its staff in a newly purchased office building on Front Street.

CEO Charlotte Katzenmoyer said on Tuesday that the municipal water/sewer authority has purchased a two-story building at 3003 N. Front St. in Harrisburg, the former home of Quandel Construction Group.

“CRW has been tossing around this option for awhile,” she said. “We did feel for a long time that a long-term lease was not a prudent financial option for us.”

According to Dauphin County property records, CRW last month paid $4.4 million for the 37,632-square-foot building, which includes about 70 parking spaces.

Katzenmoyer said that, with its current lease expiring, the CRW board felt that it didn’t make fiscal sense to continue leasing space in its downtown office building on the 200-block of Locust Street. CRW’s predecessor, the Harrisburg Authority, moved into that building in 2009.

“The most cost-effective option for us long-term was purchasing a building,” she said. “We started looking for buildings that fit our needs in terms of space and cost, as well as accessibility for our customers.”

In addition to 35 administrative personnel now located downtown, CRW will move its 15-person customer service staff to the new Front Street location. Customer service is currently located at CRW’s facility at 100 Pine Dr., on the border with Susquehanna Township.

CRW expects to make the move in “mid or late summer,” once the first-floor customer service center is built out, Katzenmoyer said. She added that the rest of the 11-year-old building is in “excellent shape,” needing only some fresh carpet and new paint.

In scouting a new location, parking was an important consideration, she said, as CRW now pays for its staff to park downtown. CRW also wanted its customer service center to be more accessible to transit, so that people could reach their office by bus.

“As we were looking for buildings, it seemed like this was a perfect fit for us,” she said.

For more information about Capital Region Water, visit www.capitalregionwater.com.

Have a Taste: Queen’s BBQ opens but, for now, samples only

January 7, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Queen’s BBQ owners Anya and Titus Queen

For months, folks strolling down N. 3^rdStreet in Harrisburg have been tempted by a sign: “Coming Soon: Queen’s BBQ.”

Now, the wait is over—sort of.

The doors are open but only for sampling. It will be at least a month before the last touches and inspections are complete at the barbecue and soul food restaurant.

“This is what we love to do,” said Titus Queen, who operates the snug eatery with his wife, Anya. “We love to help people. We love to feed people.”

If you have a good memory, you may recall that Queen’s was open for a hot minute in 2018 only to close quickly due to a dispute involving their sublease. For awhile, the couple then managed the nearby Subway sandwich shop at the corner of N. 3^rd and Forster streets, which has now closed.

The Queens now are putting all their efforts into getting locals hooked on their pulled pork, ribs, brisket, soups and mac and cheese as they prepare to open for good.

“Everything was stripped inside, so we had to replace and replenish everything,” said Titus, who worked for Applebee’s for a decade and as a baker in the state Capitol.

They did much of the work themselves, and other improvements were made from donations or traded for food, said Anya.

The couple is now eating away at the final $1,000 or so that they need to raise before they can officially open. So, the Queens hope you’ll stop by, sample their food and make a donation for the cause.

“The community has been very good to us so far,” Anya said. “We’re excited to get to a point where we’re finally open, and you can buy our food.”

Queen’s BBQ & Southern Cuisine is located at 912 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. They’re open Tuesday through Friday and Sunday.

Update: Queen’s now has officially opened. For more information, visit their website.

Lunch After Subway

If you’re a state worker lamenting the passing of the Subway franchise at N. 3^rd and Forster streets, you’re in luck. There are several great (um, much better), locally owned alternatives within a block or two for your sub needs.

Aleco’s, 714 N. 3^rd St.: Known for the pizza, but also has terrific sandwiches, soups and, my personal favorite, the big salad.

Jackson House, 1004 N. 6^th St.: They may boast the best burger in town, but they also have huge and delicious subs.

Keystone Restaurant, 1000 N. 3^rd St.: Known for their breakfast fare, but don’t overlook their many other options, including tasty and affordable sandwiches.

Old Town Deli: 512 N. 3^rd St.: I’m a big fan of their wraps, but they can turn almost any sandwich into a sub.

Roxy’s Cafe, 274 North St.: All the diner staples you could want.

Harrisburg council members, treasurer sworn in; Williams re-elected council president

January 6, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg City Council held a brief reorganization meeting on Monday.

Three City Council members and the city treasurer were sworn into office on Monday, as Harrisburg kicked off its next two-year legislative term.

At a city hall ceremony, District Justice Sonya McKnight administered the oath of office to returning council members Westburn Majors, Dave Madsen and Danielle Bowers and to Treasurer Dan Miller.

The swearing-in followed brief comments by Mayor Eric Papenfuse, praising each office-holder.

“These individuals, who I know personally, I believe represent the best of Harrisburg,” he said.

The officials, all Democrats, were elected in November to four-year terms following primary victories in May. Majors, Madsen and Miller all were re-elected, while Bowers won her first election following appointment to council.

A council reorganization followed, with members re-electing Wanda Williams as City Council president by a 5-2 vote, with council members Danielle Bowers and Shamaine Daniels voting against the nomination. Councilman Ben Allatt was unanimously re-elected vice president of the seven-member body.

“This is a responsibility I do not take lightly, and I promise to represent this body with the utmost transparency as we move forward,” Williams said.

Following the meeting, Williams said that her priorities for the year included enhancing economic development and ensuring that the city remained financially stable.

“I want to make sure that we remain on the same financial road to recovery,” she said.

The city starts the year with a $120 million budget, after running a budget surplus in 2019 for a seventh straight year. The new budget includes a pay boost for many city police officers and a plan to accelerate some debt payments. It also funds several capital projects during 2020.

The following pictures are from Monday’s swearing in ceremony:

Dan Miller

Danielle Bowers

Dave Madsen

Westburn Majors

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Happy Weekend!

What are you doing this weekend?

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