Tag Archives: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

February 21, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Tammy Worthy-Jones of Just Baked Cakes & Pies.

It was a short workweek for many, but the local news scene didn’t take a break. As always, we were out and about covering news and events, even as we finalized our March print magazine. In case you missed any of our coverage, we have it all summarized and linked below.

Commonwealth Monument Project got a step closer to reality this past week, as the planned statue honoring voting rights and Harrisburg history received several big checks. Read about this project, who’s funding it and when it will be unveiled in our web story.

Dauphin County awarded gaming grants to dozens of projects, including several re-development and building efforts in Harrisburg. Find out what got funded in our online news story.

EV charging stations officially debuted this past week in front of the State Museum. Find out how these stations came to be and, if you own an electric vehicle, how to use them in our online news story.

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra announced a new executive director this past week to replace retiring director Jeff Woodruff. Find out more about the central PA native who will lead the organization.

Just Baked Cakes & Pies opened recently inside of Midtown Scholar Bookstore, offering a line of baked goods, as well as breakfast and lunch items. Learn about the owner and her offerings in our online story.

Michael Doub has amassed a world-class collection of artifacts related to slavery. Find out about this Harrisburg man, what he collects and where you might be able to see some of his items by reading our magazine feature story.

Presidents’ Day was this past week, and we had the perfect accompaniment for the holiday. In his bimonthly column, our wine writer tells us which varieties have received the presidential seal of approval.

Sara Bozich has some great ideas for your weekend, including attending Friday’s 3rd in the Burg. From music to theater to special events, you’ll find something fun to do on her long list.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral will hold an unconventional special event this weekend: a silent movie with live organ music. Find out about the movie, the organist and all the event details from our February magazine story.

Tri Asian Taste has quickly garnered a following as a go-to restaurant on the West Shore. Find out about their unique offerings, with emphasis on a lesser-known Asian cuisine, from our magazine feature.

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

Musical Notes: Leap Year Listen

January 31, 2020 | by Kait Gibboney

Some of you might have noticed that this month is pretty special.

February features an extra day for leap year, adding the 29th to end the month. I re-learned recently the reason for this—the sun takes six extra hours, on top of our usual 365 days, to make a full revolution each year. So, this extra day is added every four years to realign the calendar with Earth’s period of orbital revolution.

That had me thinking about realignment in general and how to better organize myself and my routines for the coming spring. Naturally, it also had me thinking that an extra day of the month means more opportunities for music events.

One special event that caught my eye is a showing of the silent film, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” at St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Feb. 22. This collaboration with local favorites Midtown Cinema is a part of the “Music by the River” series and features conductor/music educator Peter Krasinski on the organ, providing the film with live improvisational organ. In addition, popular alt-rock group Citizen Cope is coming back to the Burg to play at Whitaker Center on Feb. 16, having just played back in July.

You’d best believe we have more music to ring in the leap year, so dive in and see what’s going on in February.

ECHOES: THE AMERICAN PINK FLOYD, 2/1, 8PM, SCOTTISH RITE, $25-30
I may have mentioned this before, but my parents raised me on classic rock and a lot of Pink Floyd, so this show sounds extra exciting to me. Echoes is a 10-musician act with a great passion for the music of the legendary band. Setting out to create the ultimate experience for fans, Echoes was built to highlight Pink Floyd’s unique vocals, harmonies and killer instrumental solos. Everything is covered, such as the vocal solo on “The Great Gig in the Sky,” the ringing clocks on “Time,” the screaming guitar on “Echoes,” and the barking dog on “Seamus.” No sound is left out, and no corners are cut. The show promises to be one heck of a live performance with recreated sound effects, video content and a light show to boot. However, the band wants to emphasize that its focus is on the quality of the music. “Light shows and videos are great, but Pink Floyd is first and foremost about music,” says the band on their Facebook page. “If the music isn’t performed well with energy and passion, no amount of lights and lasers will help.” Hear and experience that passion at the stunning Scottish Rite Cathedral.

TRAMPLED BY TURTLES, 2/21, 8PM, XL LIVE, $27.50
Bluegrass and folk have made their way back into my musical repertoire lately, and this band is perfect for someone also looking for that fix. This group, hailing from Duluth, Minn., is made up of Dave Simonett on guitar/lead vocals/harmonica, Tim Saxhaug on bass, Dave Carroll on banjo, Erik Berry on mandolin, Ryan Young on fiddle and Eamonn McLain on cello. Apart from lead vocalist Simonett, the rest of the band adds backup vocals, providing a vivid, folksy soundscape. People may know their song “Wildflowers” or “Wait So Long,” but check out their newest EP released earlier in 2019, “Sigourney Fever.” Not only is it a great album name, but the music’s pretty great too.

UNSCRIPTED JAZZ SERIES: NINA SIMONE, 2/22, 7:30PM, WHITAKER CENTER, $35-50
Whitaker Center is bringing more soul to Harrisburg with their “Unscripted Jazz Series,” meant to showcase iconic music. This iteration features the music of Nina Simone with killer vocals and instrumentalists to commemorate this musical idol. Vocalist Carol Riddick and bassist Gerald Veasley head up the ensemble for an evening of vibrant musical energy. Titled “I Got Life,” this powerful celebration explores four parts of Simone’s songbook: quest, passion, fury and hope. Messages that held true back then speak to our current generation through Simone’s passionate and hopeful lyrics, performed honestly and with great appreciation by Riddick. This moving musical show has sold out all over the country, so don’t miss it while you have the chance.

Mentionables

All Time Low, Feb. 1, XL Live
Misterwives, Feb. 7, XL Live
Lovers of Music, Feb. 8, River City Blues Club
Jazz is Phish, Feb. 8, The Abbey Bar
Switch Fu, Feb. 15, Midtown Tavern
Valentine’s Day Bloodbath, Feb. 15, J.B. Lovedraft’s
Citizen Cope, Feb. 16, Whitaker Center
The Sweet Life, Feb. 22, H*MAC Stage on Herr
Knitebitch, Feb. 22, The Abbey Bar
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Feb. 22, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral
Wesley Stace: A Tribute to John Wesley Harding, Feb. 23, Note Bistro

Not-So-Silent-Movie: Renowned organist to accompany classic film at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral.

January 31, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Illustration by Ryan Spahr

Harrisburg is no stranger to classical music, boasting a symphony orchestra as well as many choral groups and bands.

But according to Alex Ashman, director of music at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, a segment is missing—the organ scene.

This month, as part of their “Music by the River” series, the cathedral is bringing in world-renowned organist Peter Krasinski to provide accompaniment to “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” a silent film from 1923.

“Something like this hasn’t happened in Harrisburg before,” Ashman said. “Harrisburg is an awesome place for a revival of organ music in the city.”

Krasinski is a conductor, organist and music educator who specializes in silent film accompaniment. His ability to craft extensive compositions to enhance the experience of watching a film has won him many awards, including recognition from the American Guild of Organists National Competition. In addition to teaching at St. Paul’s Choir School in Cambridge, Mass., and in the Harvard Organ Society, Krasinski often tours for concerts.

“It’s always been a passion,” he said. “Every single performance is unique, and it is, indeed, always improvised.”

He explained the process he goes through of researching the venue and city where he will perform, as well as the organ on which he will be playing. All of these factors, including the audience, influence his performance.

“I’m looking forward to visiting Harrisburg,” he said.

The silent film accompaniment event, Ashman pointed out, takes an audience that has just stepped into the 2020s back to the 1920s, presenting a timely reflection into history.

“The whole idea is to really immerse yourself in a culture of cinema that has slipped through the cracks,” he said.

According to the American Theatre Organ Society, in the early 20th century, when filmmaking was just introduced, theaters were grand and ornate, a far cry from our simple modern venues. Often known as the “cathedrals of motion pictures,” most theaters housed a large organ to supplement black-and-white films. However, as technology advanced, theater organs went into decline.

As organs have vanished, so too have those who can play the elaborate instrument. Ashman explained that, at the turn of the last century, organists were far easier to find, but with these musicians getting older and few young people taking their place, a shortage has resulted.

Krasinski is one of a niche group who still plays.

“Today, hardly anyone can do this,” Ashman said. “It’s strikingly interesting to have something like this.”

Most people today have rather isolated experiences with music and movies by putting on headphones or turning on a television. Krasinski sees value in communal live performances.

“People need the opportunity to be with other people and share an event,” he said. “Silent movies tend to do that in a real, personal way.”

St. Stephen’s will hold this musical celebration in collaboration with Midtown Cinema, which is providing a screen and a projector, along with refreshments, for the evening.

“It’s really special to have this collaboration between the cathedral and the cinema,” Ashman said.

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” silent film event is open to all, but is ticketed.

“I hope people realize it’s a unique opportunity,” Krasinski said. “It’s much more deep than just a concert.”

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” silent film event with organist Peter Krasinski takes place on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, 221 N. Front St., Harrisburg. To learn more and to purchase tickets, visit www.musicbytheriver.org. For more information about Peter Krasinski, visit www.krasinski.org.

Bob’s Art Blog: Art and About for 3rd in the Burg

January 20, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

“Kildalton Cross Sheep, Islay” by Carrie Wissler-Thomas, at the Riverfront Gallery

Editor’s Note: Our fine arts writer was out and about on Friday night during 3rd in the Burg. Here’s what he found.

Part I: “Scottish Landscapes” at St. Stephen’s Riverfront Gallery

Back in late summer of 2018, congregant and art enthusiast Lindsay Gottwald and a faithful few hatched the idea of a full-scale art gallery at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral. In its brief existence, the Riverfront Gallery already has made quite a name for itself in the local art community.

In September, it brought “Icons in Transformation,” contemporary religious iconography, to its cathedral walls for a three-month run as part of its national tour across the United States then back to Europe. Art, viewed out of its normal setting of a gallery or museum, becomes a brand-new experience within the cathedral’s cloister.

Following a world-class exhibit like “Icons” could prove to be a daunting task for a gallery and an artist to follow. St. Stephen’s deemed it fitting for an exhibit featuring the work of Carrie Wissler-Thomas, CEO of the Art Association of Harrisburg, who is showing her collection of oils of sacred sites from Scotland.

Wissler-Thomas’s paintings showcase the Holy Isle of Islay and other historical landmarks dating back to Neolithic days. In all, a score of sumptuous oils painted over the course of a decade from annual trips to Scotland capture an eternal beauty of well-known locales forming the Scottish countryside. Scotland’s nooks and crannies come alive in Wissler-Thomas’s power of place studies highlighting lochs, burns and tors. With a fluid continuity, they provide the perfect backdrop for textured tableaux of treasures unchanged by time.

In her palette, Wissler-Thomas took full advantage of the color-rich vegetation of Scotland, from the lavender-colored heather to the vibrantly irrepressible shades of gorse growing with wild abandon. Umber shades burst forth from the golden collars of the sheep, their wool mixed with specks of black-like peat in “Kildalton Cross Sheep, Islay.” Languid landscapes linger in the minds eye while the aires of ancient times lend accompaniment to a soundtrack playing in the artist’s head.

Scotland, for Wissler-Thomas, is akin to being transported to her own isle of enchantment, rich in history and meaning. She pays homage to Druidic days with her painting of sacred stones in “Callanish II, Isle of Lewes.” The upright tablets are captured right before dawn or at dusk as the sky turns ambiguous shades of marled oatmeal like flecks of tweed. Firing the imagination is a sea-swept scene in “Loch Fynne, Lowering Sky.” In tramping among the becks and rills over craggy terrain to find the perfect pitch to set her canvas aright (metaphorically speaking), Wissler-Thomas makes her annual pilgrimage worthy for those who follow.

“Callanish II, Isle of Lewes”

Wissler-Thomas paints with eyes wide open, seeing shades and sunsets, catching the sky as it changes quickly and quietly. Her canvases speak to a love that grows deeper with each year and visit—of Scotland wild and woolly and the siren call the wee shores make, beckoning her to paint those halcyon days of yore. The bucolic rural life lends itself to vagabonds and dreamers, to poets and painters. In the end, the sacred and the secular blend in their own perfect symmetry, creating a harmony found somewhere between the unfettered fields of heather and heaven.

“Scottish Landscapes” runs through Feb. 28 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral’s Riverfront Gallery, 221 N. Front St., Harrisburg.

Part II: “Shift” at Susquehanna Art Museum

Usually when you hear the phrase, “There is a glitch occurring,” it’s a bad thing. In art, that may not the case. In fact, just the opposite might be true.

At the Susquehanna Art Museum, two artists, painters both, employ and amplify technology, twisting it just so to meet their needs. A show entitled “Shift,” in the Lobby Gallery, offers distortion and drama in just the right amount. The end results are highly stylized, individualistic paintings that use technology as the backdrop to a new manner of looking at things familiar, yet different.

Tiffany Calvert’s oil paintings, layered atop digitally formatted glitch aesthetic Dutch floral still lifes, spring alive on their black backgrounds. The thickly applied textural touches of taupes and mauves, added to the flowers natural hues, pop off the canvas, creating a genre entirely its own. Alex Kanevsky’s oil-on-panel paintings distort time and its impermanence. The double-edged sword of memory and its unreliable nature, paired with how man views his meaning in a world where nothing remains constant, is a narrative purely his own.

#296, oil on digital inkjet print on canvas, by Tiffany Calvert, based on the painting, “Bouquet of Flowers in a Glass Vase” by Dutch artist P.W. Windtraken

Both artists are modern-day myth manipulators, mining the age-old dictum that art exists only within a certain framework. How does one improve upon art from centuries ago? The end result prods and provokes, which forms the foundation for a new reading. Those notions of the past, in laying a fresh perspective, are now determined detrimental in developing a solid template tempered through technology. This becomes the paradigm itself. “Shift” may change your way of thinking about art and certainly the way you look at it. Isn’t that what great art is meant to do after all?

Alex Kanevsky’s “Lulu in Madrid )Twice,” 2017

“Shift” runs through Feb. 16 at the Susquehanna Art Museum, 1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.susquehannaartmuseum.org.

Bob’s Art Blog: A Year in Art

January 6, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

The painting of more than a dozen murals was a highlight of the year in art in Harrisburg.

With one year ended and another just beginning, “end of year lists” are a common feature in publications of all ilk. “Bob’s Art Blog” for TheBurg is no exception. In a year filled with great art happenings on both sides of the Susquehanna, there were many exhibits and events to choose from. So, here is a baker’s dozen—you be the judge.

Most likely to leap tall buildings: In September, Sprocket Mural Works’ unveiling of 14 spectacular citywide murals led right into the 31st edition of the Gallery Walk art tour. As always, Gallery Walk kicked off the fall art season under the auspices of the Art Association of Harrisburg’s CEO Carrie Wissler-Thomas, who celebrated her 40th year with the AAH.

Art tackles socially relevant issues in a way that words cannot accomplish. With just one painting or photograph, the collective conscious grasps the import and deeper meaning brought to light by its focus. In a year when social debate reached its zenith, art activist Carrie Breschi, at the Carlisle Arts Learning Center, mounted a show that resonates resoundingly almost a year later. Shining a much needed spotlight on the plight of the homeless and its ever growing population, Breschi, within her context of cardboard, “Home Sweet Home, The Real Faces of Homelessness,” struck at the very core of why art exists in the first place.

Right on CALC’s heels in terms of social awareness and its call for equality, the Art Association of Harrisburg’s dual show celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City, which advanced the rights of the LGBT community. Curator Rachel O’Connor, with the blessing of Barry Loveland of the LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania, presented a history in varied mediums of the community’s struggle for acceptance and inclusion. Paired with Maria Maneos’ “Brush With The Law” initiative, highlighting the opioid crisis through art, both exhibits struck home.

Beware the “Ides of March,” as March 15 began my journey in covering 3rd in the Burg art events. In the center ring upstairs at H*MAC, boxer Charles Bootleg Feathers met fellow avant-garde artist Gary Bartlett for a bare-knuckled brawl with the last man standing having bragging rights. In the end, it was a split decision. Both artists delivered a powerful punch with knocked-out art.

Earth Day was spent with Mother Earth, Vivian Sterste, and Father Time, Jackson “Jeb” Boyd, at Vivi on Verbeke, providing the perfect antidote from a long winter. Pottery, photography, pterodactyls and more brought the promise of spring, delivered to the door at 258 Verbeke St., Harrisburg. Over at CALC, an over-the-rainbow fantasy, curated by Cathy Stone, showed interpretive works from found-object sculptor, Sharon McCullough. It resembled Paris in the spring, with a darkly rich palette from painter Arlyn Pettingell’s advanced portrait studies of Parisian vocations. In the Upstairs Gallery, instructor Thomas Oakes’s collection of art from CPARC students demonstrated that disabilities have no bearing on creativity.

In the merry month of May, my birthday surprise was opening night for the Art Association’s 91st “International Juried Art Show.” Art from all over the world filled the upstairs and down, and curator O’Connor’s delightfully dizzying delivery of central PA artists made for quite an experience.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania’s 52nd edition of “Art of the State,” curated by Amy Hammond and Carol Buck, brought varied work from 100 artists selected statewide, representing 35 counties, to center stage for a star-studded awards ceremony, kicking off its three-month run in June. Pictured: “Best Seat in the House” by Donna Barlup.

Summer in the city brought “Picasso: A Life in Prints” to the Susquehanna Art Museum, which connected its Executive Director Alice Anne Schwab to the Big Apple’s John Szoke Gallery in New York City with serendipitous style. The erudite Mr. Szoke’s talk and gallery tour was one of the highlights of the summer season. Two late summer shows, one at the Carlisle Arts Learning Center with “This Place I Call Home,” featured the poetic photography of Lori Snyder and potent pottery of Kurt Brantner, providing a serious study in art appreciation. “Eclectic Energized,” across the river at AAH, presented the perfect counterpoint with psychedelic trappings from Enola artist Andrew Brodisch, as well as York-based portraitist Rone Del Galeone’s use of bold colors and brush strokes.

St. Stephen’s Riverfront Gallery upped the ante with its fall arrival of “Icons in Transformation,” a moving and monumentally meaningful show filled with a personal side of mourning, shared with the world by artist Ludmila Pawlowska.

What constitutes great art was shown to us on an August 3rd in the Burg, starting with the Millworks’ hive of activity. Artists were abuzz gearing up for the citywide Gallery Walk. Tara Chickey, art director for the Millworks, gave us the tour of artists’ studios, enabling us to meet a coterie of creatives. Venturing further up Verbeke, we experienced an Earth Day déjà vu, running into Vivi and Jeb out on their perfect-for-people-watching bench at Vivi’s. Capping off the night with a jolt of energy, Elyse Irvis, entrepreneur extraordinaire, elaborated at her eclectic enclave, La Cultura. On hand for the evening’s festivities was artist Dillon Mitchell. In the end, “Atmosphere, Relationships and Time” created the acronym ART for another memorable 3^rd in the Burg.

Art displayed at Nyianga Store in Harrisburg.

October proved to be the busiest month on the art calendar. Paper Lion Gallery in Lemoyne opened it with a roar as owner Chuck Schulz brought an ancient Peruvian celebration in photographic splendor by Dilmar Santos to its freshly painted walls, displaying “Mamacha Carmen, The Festival of the Lady of Mt. Carmel” for its first new exhibit. Next was the celebration of American Craft Week at One Good Woman in Camp Hill with local painter’s Gail Coleman’s color-laden bursts of imagination, Toby Bouder’s wood-turned vessels in wonderfully wrought wood and Charlie Feathers’ teapot tureens in a highly creative presentation.

October’s 3rd in the Burg took us to meet Harrisburg’s newest gallery owner, Michael Hertrich, at his eponymous Hertrich Fine Art and Frame. In addition, Chantal Nga Eloundou, proprietress of her gallery/clothing and jewelry emporium, Nyianga Store, greeted us as we entered a bit of her native land, Cameroon. Closing out the 3rd, the Harrisburg Sketchers finished their run at the De Soto Gallery in the Susquehanna Art Museum. Also, Valerie Larko, artist of abandonedness, gave a tour of her paintings found off the highways and byways that she has come to know and love.

“It’s a Nice Night for a Picnic” by Peter Ydeen

November heralded a big top event, celebrating the 70th year for the Paxtang Art Association’s Annual Art Sale of over 3,000 paintings, led by ringmaster/instructor Nick Feher. Featured throughout, pop artist Michele Phillips, not of the Mamas and Papas but famous in her own right, displayed vibrantly colored and quirky character studies of people, places and animals. Over at SAM, Lauren Nye’s curation featuring Peter Ydeen’s haunting photographs of “Easton at Night” were safely locked up in the De Soto Vault with Inka Essenhigh’s “Other Worlds” showcased upstairs in the Main Gallery, which was like Dali meeting Disney. “War is Only Half the Story,” a photographic expose, rounded out the show.

December’s gifts came in small and big packages. One Good Woman’s original owners kicked off the month arriving back in town as Joe O’Connor, Poet Lariat, “roped” in a standing-room-only audience to hear his readings from his newly published book, “Why Poetry?” Joe and Holly were back for a one night only, closing out their fall book tour in their beloved Camp Hill.

The big red bow of a present waited to be untied at the State Museum of Pennsylvania as a gift to be treasured with its exhibit on muralist Violet Oakley’s preparatory sketches for her art depicted inside the state Capitol. As Midtown entered the new “Roaring 20’s,” the year-end icing on the cake was like an art salon of Paris in the 1920s with an open house by “Bootleg” Charlie Feathers and Reina “R76” Wooden, showcasing new works and admired by local luminaries and art lovers.

In the end, it was a memorable year and, judging by the exceptional works displayed, it is safe to say the art scene in central Pennsylvania is vibrantly alive and well.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

September 27, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

A rendering for a proposed new building on Market Street in Harrisburg

A sleepy summer quickly transitioned to a busy fall around Harrisburg–news-wise, that it. This past week gave us everything from major construction proposals to Farm Show news to new wrinkles in the battle over the city’s sewer system. If you missed anything, you can read it all right here.

3^rd Street corridor project marches on in Harrisburg, as construction wraps up in the heart of Midtown. Click here to read about the timeline and when streets may be closed.

Capital Region Water extended the comment period by almost a month over its proposed stormwater fee. Also, CRW will give a presentation to City Council next month on the proposal. Find out the details here.

Environmental Integrity Project responded to a letter to the editor in TheBurg by Capital Region Water. Read CRW’s original letter then check out the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit’s response.

Harrisburg announced it will interview four companies that have expressed interest in buying the city’s water/sewer system. This then led to a heated exchange between the mayor and City Council. Learn the latest by reading our stories.

Harristown and Select Capital are teaming up to bring a new office building to downtown Harrisburg. Where and what will it be? Read our story for all the details.

Homeless encampment near the Mulberry Street Bridge must disband by Sunday, and long-time residents are unsure where to go next. Our feature story offers a glimpse into a community that most people didn’t even know was there.

Iconography is an ancient art form, and we have a great example of modern icon art right here in Harrisburg. TheBurg’s fine arts columnist tells us about an exhibit at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral.

Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority got some surprise news this week, as the chairman stepped down. The ICA, which is tasked with approving a five-year financial plan for Harrisburg, is down to four voting members. Find out what happened.

Next Step Performance is on the move, relocating from its 3^rd Street studio to larger space at the 1500 Condominiums. Get all the details by reading our feature story from the September issue.

PA Farm Show announced its theme for the 2020 event this week. With only 100 days to go until the January start, let the countdown begin.

Sara Bozich is ready for another warm weekend in the Harrisburg area. Scan over her long list of events then get out and do something fun.

Seven Bridges Development wants to build mixed-use and higher-density projects in the MarketPlace neighborhood near the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg. First, though, the company is trying to get the area re-zoned. Check out our story to find out what they’re doing and what may be coming.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!

Bob’s Art Blog: “Icons” during 3rd in the Burg

September 23, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

What do you get when you combine an “Iconic” art exhibit on a grand scale?

In bygone days, pilgrimages were made as a way of life, generally of a religious nature in their origin and purpose. Two landmark exhibits, mere miles apart, share that commonality.

One exhibit, “Icons in Transformation” currently resides at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral as part of an ongoing world tour, while the other, “Mamacha Carmen: The Festival of the Lady of Mount Carmel,” is opening for its first public exhibition at the Paper Lion Gallery in Lemoyne.

Both are blockbusters in the sense of the power of art. “Icons” was the focus of Fridays’ 3rd in the Burg, and that exhibit continues through Nov. 3. “Mamacha Carmen” opens at the Paper Gallery in Lemoyne this Saturday, Sept. 28.

There is no more powerful emotion than grief. Love may come close, and there will be those who argue that love is the most all-encompassing emotion. Grief often consumes love in its wake. As it is because of love, grief is so overwhelmingly powerful.

Ludmila Pawlowska worked through her grief after the untimely loss of her mother. She embraced painting contemporary icons, which became a cathartic experience, lifting her out of loss and filling her with a purpose for the rest of her life. Pawlowska, through that grief, found a clarity of vision. The passion for her art transcended her grief, and this passion is her gift to the people far and wide who have experienced “Icons.”

For now, the collection at the Riverfront Gallery (St. Stephen’s) completely envelops the sanctuary as paintings permeate the cathedral’s walls, are prayerfully placed on pedestals, and hang suspended in silence from the ceiling. Surrounded in serenity, the exhibit’s icons inhabit a realm somewhere between Earth and heaven, both of this world and the next.

There is something ever so humbling about entering a place of worship. The experience puts one in touch with the spirituality of life and its greater meeting. Perhaps it’s that presence of place and how we fit into the meaning of the cosmos. It is in realizing that what we do that connects us as vital to the world around us. The sheer size and scope of the works are breathtaking, and the subject matter is inspiring.

Pawlowska’s works of contemporary religious icons focus on the eyes, riveting and revealing both at the same time.

William Shakespeare wrote, “The eyes are the windows of the soul.” The paintings are radiantly revelatory in their range as timeless questions take on a deeper meaning and, within the context of the setting, posit life as a theme of transformation. Born in Russia and a child of the gulag, she was discovered in her youth as a prodigy in art. She advanced through the art schools and ended her studies with advanced classes in Moscow. As an adult today, she lives in Sweden, albeit when she is able to stay in one place as her exhibit travels the world.

The collection has been viewed across European museums as well as cathedrals in the United States. It has played to over 100,000 visitors in Brussels and 70,000 in Dublin, Ireland.

Pawlowska’s style is sweeping at times in its bold use of color incorporating vibrant blue and gilt resplendent in producing pronounced poetry with paint. Her art is a love letter to the past and tradition rendered in a modern 21st century take on 16th century Old World style. Her exhibit entails 136 works, 17 of which cling to the traditional representation of egg tempera technique. Pawlowska’s works use disproportionate measures in their focus as, time and again, the eyes are accentuated, becoming the main focal point. Her interpretations incorporate varied materials (burlap, metal, stone, copper and granite on wood panels). Her color palette reveals that “blue is the color of the sky, red is the symbol of life, gold is the divine light…the light eternal. No matter what technique and colors I use, I still want to go after the eternal, meaningful aspects of painting.”

If paintings could talk, hers would be listening instead to the world around them. The artist stated, “The people do not choose the icons, the icons choose them.”

Placed behind a pedestal is a multimedia collage of fabric folded in such a way that it looks like vines reaching up to the eyes, separated by a metal hasp—in this representation all attention is drawn to the eyes of the portrait. The color red is used effectively in a minimalistic way, as is a vibrant blue giving the effect of a blood spatter reaching to the eyes.

Pawlowska’s works at times focus on the atrocities of war, featuring spent bullet casings that stand out in bas relief, making a two-dimensional work not only thought-provoking but chilling, with a broken cross at the center and the title, “I Hate War.” As a whole, Pawlowska’s “Icons” puts a modern spin on an ancient form of art. They are transcendent as they provide a tether to mankind’s temporal state here on Earth. Connections to beyond the here and now are solely individualistic and carried within the viewers framework of reference.

Pawlowska’s paintings speak to the silent communique between a daughter and her mother, and that may well be her greatest work of all. Through her reverie, a greater hand came into play, guiding her every step of the way, lighting the path not only for herself but for all those that would see her works of art.

Art can sustain us in time of sorrow. Art can lift us out of the darkness and towards the light. Art can give us hope and imbue us with a sense of peace. Art has the power to transform lives. Amen.

“Icons in Transformation” runs through Nov. 3 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, 221 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Click this link for more information. Pictured above: “Your Face I Am Looking For” and “I Hate War”

“Mamacha Carmen” opens on Sept. 28 at the Paper Lion Gallery, 1217 Hummel Ave., Lemoyne. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

You Never Give Me Your Money: In Harrisburg, art is a tough sell. So, it gets paired with food, drink, music.

August 31, 2018 | by Maddie Crocenzi

Harrisburg Art Association

On Sept. 9, people will fill the streets of Harrisburg across 22 different venues for the city’s 30th annual Gallery Walk.

Paintings, photographs and more will line the walls, but there is one thing you might notice along your long art journey. Hardly any of those art-filled walls will be at traditional galleries.

Harrisburg, unlike, say, Lancaster, has few standalone galleries, and it’s about to lose one of its last as Gallery@Second soon will end its regular exhibit schedule, at least for awhile. Another dedicated gallery, 3rd Street Studio, shut down a few months ago after its building sold.

The quirky thing—there’s plenty of art (and plenty of artists) in Harrisburg. It’s just that the art usually is supported by other, more profitable businesses, be they restaurants (Millworks, Suba, Café 1500, Fresa), cafés (Little Amps, Capital Joe, Yellow Bird) or bars and music venues (Zeroday Brewing Co., HMAC).

The problem: People in Harrisburg love to look at art, but they don’t often buy it, said Carrie Wissler-Thomas, president of the Art Association of Harrisburg.

“It’s very, very difficult for a gallery to exist if all it does is show art,” she said.

That was the case for Ted Walke who owns Gallery@Second. He bought the downtown building and then opened his gallery in May 2010, while juggling a full-time job.

“Most people can’t look at the dollar signs or they get depressed,” Walke said.

People in the community were all easygoing and generous, he added. However, it wasn’t sufficient to bring in enough money. Without a staff, Walke had just four or five weekends free over the past eight years, he said. So, he will close down after the current exhibit ends, take a breather and assess what to do going forward.

He doesn’t envision the building being anything but a gallery, but he wants to direct it toward more contemporary work if and when it does re-open. In the meantime, he’s considering a few pop-up exhibits throughout 2019.

Labor of Love

Gallery Walk is an excellent way to assess the art situation in the city.

Almost none of the locations on the tour are standalone galleries. Instead, destinations along the walk include places such as Penn National Insurance, Salem United Church of Christ and City House Bed & Breakfast.

The Millworks is a good example of a mixed-use space. With art separated from the bar and restaurant, people can opt to go just for dinner or only for the art. Then there are the many people who come for dinner and find their way to the artists’ studios.

That dream of foot traffic is what drew Tara Chickey to the role of art director at the Millworks. She opened a gallery in Harrisburg in 2003 with a friend and closed it around 2011, when her labor of love became a burden and the money didn’t flow through.

“I think it’s hard to make it in a space that is designed for a very small percentage of people,” Chickey said of her former gallery.

The Millworks, on the other hand, caters to a large population of visitors. Chickey said there’s also not the intimidation factor of walking into a white-walled gallery. People can come to eat dinner and simply wander in and out of the artists’ studios.

Another unique art space in Harrisburg is located not in a bar or restaurant, but in a church.

Riverfront Gallery at St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Front Street opened in August under the direction of Community Coordinator Lindsay Gottwald.

Gottwald started attending the church last summer around the time of Gallery Walk 2017. The opening hallway of the church was already set up to hang artwork, and she felt that the empty walls were a wasted opportunity. Around the same time, the church’s outreach committee sold a piece of art and talked about adding more.

For Gottwald and St. Stephen’s, it’s not about the money. Twenty percent of the proceeds from sold art go to different community organizations, such as Downtown Daily Bread and the Joshua Group. The other 80 percent goes to the artists.

Gottwald hopes the art at St. Stephen’s will help connect the community with the church. Instead of sales, she just wants people to walk in.

“We just want to be a little bit more part of the neighborhood,” she said.

A Gem

Walke, Wissler-Thomas and Chickey all agree that one solution to the problem would be connectivity. Gallery Walk is spread out widely, from Shipoke to Midtown to Wildwood Park, making it more of a driving tour than a walking tour.

Using Lancaster as a model, Wissler-Thomas would like to see more retail space, including galleries centralized in one location. Lately, she’s noticed an upsurge of interest in art in the community, especially among young people.

Chickey said that’s one of the nice things about places such as the Millworks.

Patrons who are interested in art get to talk to the artists and learn the story behind what’s hanging on their walls or sitting on their shelves. She’s still fascinated by how many people walk through the doors of the space and get excited to wander around and see the art.

“I think people are starting to see Harrisburg for the gem that it is, but it always has been,” she said.

Gallery Walk 2018 will take place on Sunday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., in many locations around Harrisburg. For more information, including a list of venues, visit www.artassocofhbg.com.

Peace, Love & Pooches: It’s a doggie (and kitty) love-in at Woofstock.

August 29, 2014 | by Amy Worden

Last month, America celebrated the 45^th anniversary of the iconic music fest known as Woodstock. This month, Harrisburg marks the 10^th anniversary of its own end-of-summer festival of peace and love—with canines, that is.

From its soggy start in 2004, when a few hundred hardy folk and their dogs braved a chilly, rain-swept day by the Susquehanna River, Woofstock has grown into one of Pennsylvania’s premier pet events.

This year, expect droves of people and their furry friends to head to Riverfront Park along Front Street on Sept. 28 to celebrate our animal companions.

“This is a big festival for people and dogs,” said Zella Anderson, founder and president of Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance (CPAA)—and she’s not exaggerating.

Adoption Option

My four-legged gal pal Olivia and I made our first Woofstock trip last year. It was snout-to-tail crowded, throngs of happy pet people and dogs of all shapes and sizes.

This year, there will be about 100 vendors peddling every kind of dog toy and treat imaginable along with veterinarians, groomers and doggie day care facilities.

But the primary focus of the event is pet adoption. With tens of thousands of cats and dogs euthanized in Pennsylvania’s shelters each year, animal advocates hope to sell potential adopters on giving unwanted pets a second chance at a happy life.

“It’s a great day for adoptables,” said Anderson. “We have rescues and shelters come out and promote adoption and urge people not to buy from pet stores or puppy mills.”

Some 40 rescues and shelters will have booths this year, including breed-specific rescues and others that help find homes for disabled dogs, seniors and puppy mill survivors.

One of them, A Tail To Tell in Lancaster County, plucks some of the most horribly abused and neglected dogs from Pennsylvania’s puppy mills. The group has had a booth at Woofstock since the beginning, but often comes only with before and after pictures of the dogs they have for adoption.

“Some have been so emotionally damaged we can’t bring them,” said founder Cindy Myers, who has been rescuing breeding dogs and puppies that are too old or too sick to sell for more than a decade.

She credits Woofstock with helping her group shed light on the horrors of the puppy mill industry. Every year, at least one or two dogs that might have spent their lives confined to small cages find new homes as a result of Woofstock, she said.

This year, a Tail to Tell plans to bring several happy, 7-month-old puppies and a senior dog that, Myers said, is un-phased by almost everything,

Woofstock also is designed to spread the message of spay/neuter throughout the region. Proceeds from the event go toward CPAA’s low-cost and no-cost spay/neuter programs, including the memorably named “De-Sex in the City,” which offers low cost spay/neuters to residents of Dauphin, York, Perry and Cumberland counties.

Packed with Pooches

Organizers had to reduce the number of vendors this year because Riverfront Park simply got crowded to the point where visitors could not reach the booths for the people and dogs, Anderson said. But there still will be something for everyone, and you don’t have to have a dog to enjoy the festivities.

There will be a doggie ice cream social, canine makeovers and $5 nail trims, along with a pet costume contest and caricaturist who can create a souvenir of the event with you and your furry BFF.

Time for your pet’s annual vaccinations? Woofstock’s got you covered with an afternoon clinic providing low-cost vaccines for rabies and other contagious diseases, as well as flea and tick treatment and microchipping for your cat or dog. (Registration is not required but some paperwork is. See website for details.)

Perhaps you’ve seen him on “The View,” now Woofstock is your chance to chat with celebrity pet expert Harrison Forbes, who will be on hand to answer your most pressing behavior or training questions. Also attending will be bloodhound teams showing off their tracking skills and agility dogs.

And organizers did not forget pet moms and dads. Got a leash-puller who has just about yanked your shoulder out of the socket? Is your back sore from lifting your 80-pound Labradoodle? HACC massage students will be on hand for free shoulder and neck therapy.

There’s always live music (the event is going all acoustic this year) and plenty of people food; new vendors include makers of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and specialty burritos.

But, most of all, it’s a great day to interact with fellow animal-lovers, spread the love of pets and perhaps learn something new about your own dog or animals in general.

My most memorable Woofstock moment happened quite serendipitously as we were heading out after a long day last year. We were walking past the beautiful St. Stephens Episcopal Cathedral just as the blessing of the pets was getting underway. Olivia and I took a little detour and moseyed in with the other pet owners. One man’s Rottweiler had parked himself right next to his owner sitting on the pew.

One by one, the dogs and their owners made their way to the altar. Rev. Churchill Pinder dipped down on one knee, gently laid his hand on each dog’s forehead and blessed them. There were a few short prayers, soul soothing music and hymns (“All Things Bright and Beautiful”), and we all headed back into the sunlit afternoon feeling refreshed and, well, blessed.

And, good news, Rev. Pinder says the church will be hosting the blessing again this year at 1 p.m.

Get the Most Out of Woofstock

So, you and your pet plan to rock Woofstock? Here are a few pointers to help make peace (not war) amidst the crowd.

First, leave the retractable leash at home.

If you’ve ever been caught in one, you know these types of leashes can pose hazards to humans and pets. They also are a top reason dogs flee because, if you drop the leash, that noisy plastic handle clanking behind can send them scampering away in fear. Anderson says if their volunteers see folks with retractable leashes, they will ask that they remove them and will provide them with a regular leash.

If you have a dog-aggressive or people-aggressive dog, leave them at home. There are plenty of dogs to pet at the event. Surprisingly, despite the crowds, there have been very few incidents.

Hydrate and be careful to keep paws off the hot pavement. There will be plenty of dog watering stations throughout the event, and there’s help if you need it. Last year, a dog collapsed from heat exhaustion and was quickly whisked by golf cart to be seen by the attending veterinarian, Anderson said.

Arrive early. That way, you can take time to browse the booths and meet all the dogs. In the afternoon, the crowds can be intense.

CPAA Woofstock is Sept. 28, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Riverfront Park, Harrisburg. Free admission. Dogs not required. Volunteers are still needed, particularly with set up and staffing booths. Please drop a line to Zella Anderson at [email protected] if you are interested. More information is at www.cpaawoofstock.com.

Beautiful Music, Beautiful Space: “Music by the River” set to debut at St. Stephen’s.

February 28, 2014 | by Brigette Barto

Screenshot 2014-02-28 08.41.49 Market Square, Italian Lake, HSO Summer—Harrisburg doesn’t lack for high-quality music series, some seasonal, some year-round.

Adding to the riches: This month, Maestro T. Herbert Dimmock will launch the “Music by the River” series at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, where he serves as organist and choir director.

“We anticipate a good variety of artists, some local, some out of town,” said Dimmock, who is eager to bring his ideas and talents to music-lovers in the Harrisburg area, his home for the past year.

In 1988, Dimmock founded the Bach Choir of Baltimore, which performs the first Sunday of the month in Christ Lutheran Church in the Inner Harbor. In fact, before moving to this area, he started and directed many musical groups in Baltimore, where he also served as organist/choir director at various churches.

The Music by the River series—its named inspired by St. Stephen’s picturesque location across the street from the Susquehanna—has been a part of Dimmock’s vision for some time.

“It’s a time-honored tradition that I wanted to bring to Harrisburg,” he said. “This is a way for people to experience performances that they might not otherwise get the chance to.”

The cathedral’s high ceilings and colorful, stained glass windows offer a setting designed to set the mood for the music and enhance the audience’s listening pleasure.

“This church is rich with both beauty and history,” Dimmock said.

The inaugural concert will take place on March 16, as the Langley Air Force Woodwind Ensemble plays selections from its vast repertoire, ranging from Renaissance to contemporary.

Then, on April 5, the Bach Choir of Baltimore, under the baton of Maestro Dimmock, will present Johann Sebastian Bach’s dramatic “St. John Passion.” The concert, which requires tickets, will feature a co-mingling of voices true to the original 18^th-century arrangement, with professional orchestral accompaniment and Baroque soloists.

While Harrisburg has a long tradition of music culture, Dimmock believes this series can offer the city something new.

“We are looking for things that consistently have a spiritual element,” he said. “This series is unique in the way that it brings that to our city.”

Moreover, Music by the River offers a combination of substance, beauty and affordability.

“Good music appeals to us beyond words,” Dimmock said. “Ninety percent of these concerts will be free. When you bring high-caliber talent like this at such a low price, why would you not want to attend?”

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral is located at 221 N. Front St., Harrisburg. www.ststep.org.

“Music by the River” Series Upcoming Concerts

Langley Air Force Woodwind Ensemble March 16, 4 p.m.

“St. John Passion,” Bach Choir of Baltimore April 5, 7 p.m.

ARTSFEST Organ Marathon, Herbert Dimmock, organist May 24-26, noon-6 p.m.

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