Tag Archives: Ted Walke

Bob’s Art Blog: May June Begin?

May 30, 2026 | by Bob MacGinnes

The merry month of May is so far done, it is just waiting for the final rinse cycle—it took so long that it’s already June!

To recap it, it may take a novella to sum it all up. 3rd in the Burg came and went on the 15th, and two days later, I turned 75, a milestone for me! My celebration usually coincides with the International Juried Art Show at the Art Association of Harrisburg, which marked its 98th edition. Awards were just presented last night, so we stopped the presses at TheBurg to include its illustrious winners. But wait…you’ll need to read through to the end as we cut to a commercial break, dim the lights. Gamut Theatre’s 33rd Annual Free Shakespeare in the Park opens June 5 with “As You Like It.”

Art included in “American Identity.” Image courtesy of Susquehanna Art Museum.

A Love Letter to The Susquehanna @ SAM

In a day and age where little of value is regarded as precious, an art exhibit like no other winds its way to the prestigious Susquehanna Art Museum. It is truly fitting as its focus features our own waterway of wonder, the Susquehanna River. “American Identity: Restoring the Susquehanna’s Artistic Legacy” is setting attendance records with one more glorious month left to view it before it closes on June 28. Collector/Curator Rob Evans and the museum’s Director of Exhibitions, Rachel O’Connor, have mounted a show that is a love letter to the Susquehanna’s beauty…one that has inspired artists for four centuries. The exhibit and its subject matter are worthy of a Ken Burns documentary. It incorporates history, geography, literature, artifacts, ephemera, and most certainly all the branches of art. This exhibit will be remembered, revered, and resonate in the years to come with people discussing its impact and beauty in hushed tones. If you only see one exhibit this year, this is the one to see.

At The Top of Her Game: A Tribute to Contrena Baltimore, President of The Civic Club of Harrisburg

When being president today can come with its own playbook, one gives pause and reverently bows their head in thanks when a civic leader rooted in faith and guidance from above lays all the credit at His feet. Contrena Baltimore, president of The Civic Club since June 2022, has served two terms and is now ready to retire.

Contrena Baltimore

During her tenure, the list of initiatives and programs Contrena instituted has created a close-knit team of leaders who have stepped up to make the Civic Club all that it once was and even more, surpassing the mission statement from its humble beginning in 1898. Contrena is quick to give praise to Dena Jangdhari, who was her right-hand aide-de-camp. Contrena shared that, “change, real change is bigger than us.” Every day presents new challenges, but together unified as one body, all can be overcome and Change with a capital C is accomplished.

Proudly, she highlighted the United Arts Council with its stellar board of consultants at the fore, artists all with a laser-sharp focus. She credits the Advisory Council for the Arts, which includes members Reina 76, James and Claire Berlus, Donovan Bailey, Maya Calderwood, Gabriela Gonzales, Kita P and Mohsen Matter. Contrena credits God for all the Civic Club’s growth, showcasing the 2nd Annual Black History in the Arts Events as well as other series illustrating the crucial role women have played during the course of the club’s storied history. She goes on to commend the contributions made by artist Shaun Rae, Rafiyqa Muhammed, and Alex Stilliker for deep and meaningful dialogues. Contrena is the first to acknowledge and thank the tremendous work provided by a “dedicated Board, the vision of our Art Council, and the unwavering support of our members and community partners.”

“To have made history in 2022 as the first African American president is not something I hold as my own, but as a moment divinely appointed. One that reminds me that sometimes we are called to turn the page, so that others may finally see themselves written into the story,” Contrena said. “I stand in awe that God would entrust me with such a calling, and even more humbled knowing that every step forward was taken hand in hand with this community. Together we have shaped more than programs…we have shaped experiences.”

Soon, the torch will be passed to Merry-Grace Majors, the incoming president. Contrena’s closing thoughts serve as a reminder that hope is at the center of it all. “I have a heart full…filled of gratitude, full of faith, and belief knowing the best is yet to come.”

Vivi’s Annual Rites of Spring

When my art journey for TheBurg began, the second blog I wrote was about potter and painter Vivi Sterste, who is as close to Mother Earth as one can get. Eight years ago, I met Vivi, who puts the V in Verbeke Street (where her shop is located), and her partner Jackson Jeb Boyd, photographer personified. In recent years, the painterly side of Vivi has graced the canvas with sure signs of spring. The gorgeous redbud trees that blossom like clockwork near one of Harrisburg’s oldest landmarks, the Broad Street Market, as well as the trees lining State Street leading to the capitol provide all the inspiration that Vivi anticipates annually.

Painting by Vivi Sterste

Recently, I lucked into viewing the video for behind-the-scenes operations of the pottery lab and studio at 258 Verbeke St., housed in the basement. Beyond the creative space, it serves as an art classroom with a potter’s wheel and kiln close at hand. Undeniably, Vivi shared, “That is where the magic happens.” An avid gardener, spring and summer hold a special meaning for her. The lure of the farm show’s weekly market calls to her from May through November, creating colorful still lifes from those treasures found in nature. Her partner Jeb is usually out on assignment, taking powerful photographs of bridges, railroads, and architecture, primarily working in black and white as the subject matter fits the choice dramatically. The beauty of B&W photography is its ability to tell a story with one shot, as the emphasis falls on shadow and light. Jeb Boyd deftly leaves his mark in every frame. Together, this couple is worth meeting and revisiting every chance you get. And now Vivi can add one more “P” to her resume for poet. The following excerpt is dedicated to Jeb of a friendship that has known no bounds for 55 years. “Blissful wakening between the layers of gray clouds…unknowingly natural sights brought on by Spring, again.”

Millworks Artist’s Menu for Spring and Summer

Emily Zebel

Meet the new artist Emily Zebel of Millworks studio #214, who is a real “straight shooter.” Her oil paintings depict everything from a boundless love of animals, the mythology of the West, Native American legend and lore, and the reverence for nature’s gifts executed to perfection with oil paints and brush. Skilled and spiritual in a way of life that once ruled the Plains. Emily’s life as an artist encompasses shape shifting, taking on the lives of her spirit animals: wolf, coyote, raven, bear and horse. Her philosophy reflects a “deep curiosity about the natural world and our place within it.” The paintings come to life, transporting the viewer to mise-en-scene in the rapturous land of campfires, sleeping under the stars, and becoming one with the wind. Each time Emily creates a painting, she inhabits the otherworldly creatures with their own tales to tell. She leaves it all on the canvas. A multidisciplinary artist, her work spans film, photography, narrative, and painting. Emily calls the Bloomsburg area home.

Moving into Millworks studio #322, Kat Dreibilbis is the cat’s meow! Self-taught, this local feline phenom is all about color, fun and story. With those three, it is hard to miss the playfulness in her watercolors or pen and ink, as well as acrylics and graphite pencils. And don’t forget the oils. Kat is also exploring the art of sculpting “as the mood takes her.” She covers a lot of ground and categorically cannot be caged in- “Black Kat Luck” is the name on her card and on the canvas. On a personal note, Kat resides in Duncannon with her husband and two mischievous cats. Feel free to cross her path at studio #322- after all, Kats have nine lives.

Kat Dreibilbis

Millworks Summer Shows

Rachelle Lowe, Judy Kelly, Richard Souders, Pat Frese, Marina Radanovic, John Davis and Kat Dreibilbis—now through June 14 on the main lobby wall. Emily Zebel, Olivia Jean, Jemar Sweets, Steve Barber, Annika Koser and Julie Iaria—June 15 through July 12.

Art by Andrea Finch

AAH Award Winners

The moment you have been waiting for…the envelope, please. Now for the winners of the 98th International Juried Art Show at the Art Association of Harrisburg. First place winners are Susan Benigni-Landis, Jessie Waite, Aubrey Maurer, Anni Matsick, Dana Sink and Michael Hower. Second place winners feature Zoe Shelby, Angela Tong, Harold Zabady, Greg Rohrer, Mary Eileen Carson and Michael Dugger. And Best of Show goes to Andrea Finch. Congratulations to all the winners-you are now international stars!

June Art Events:

“Birdie Told Me”

Joan Maguire is the bird on the wire overlooking Hershey Art Gallery and Gifts located at 1077 Swatara Rd. in Hershey. Having just returned from four months in Cuba she is chirping about the reopening for summer of her newly renovated gallery and studio. It will feature international art, and word is the menu of art will leave you quite satisfied with a collection fit for every grad, dad and art lover. From original paintings, prints, cards, jewelry and more, Joan has it in store!! Circle June 5, 6 and 7 on your calendar and drop in from noon to 4:30 p.m. to celebrate any occasion.

Before or after, drop in at one of our favorite Hershey restaurants for brunch or lunch all close to the Gallery. I recommend Stacks, Savory Cafe, and First Watch.

Where Do All the Artists Meet?

The 13th just may be your lucky day (in June that is). Announcing Camp Hill’s Annual PLEIN AIR art day on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stroll the Market Street Boulevard for a day of art, music, shopping, and “sipping and supping.” You, yes, you, and the entire community are invited. Meet the artists, clean their brushes, buy them an espresso-you get the “picture,” but only if you buy one. THE ART IN THE OUTDOOR’S GANG will be there. Look for Donna Barlup, Lina Ferraro, Julie Riker, Susan Benigni-Landis, Jonathan Frazier and Paul Nagle.

3rd in The Burg, June 19

A SPECIAL CELEBRATION for JUNETEENTH
Taste of Black Harrisburg Cultural Food Festival & Block Party

A special shoutout to Ted Walke whose Gallery at Second (606 N. 2nd St.) reopened for 3rd in The Burgs through the fall. Ted is the owner and proprietor of a hidden gem in Harrisburg. Gallery at 2nd is world class in its presentation and could be found in major metropolitan cities. Think San Francisco, New York City, Los Angelas and Miami. Not only is the art amazing, but Ted is also a veritable wealth of art knowledge. After shopping the gallery stop next door to enjoy great food and a drink at Men in the Kitchen.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Bob’s Art Blog: September’s Song, Off the Beaten Path

September 17, 2024 | by Bob MacGinnes

It’s that special time of year when the calendar flipped to September before we knew it, and the glorious kaleidoscope of color that lies ahead. The kids are back in school and Labor Day’s end of summer salute foretold the changing of the seasons. “September Song” sounds sweet to all the senses, “as the days become shorter and the leaves turn to flame…September, remember”…that art lies in the heart everywhere you look. The fall forecast is full of thought-provoking, awe-inspiring art. 3rd in the Burg’s bough for September breaks just days from now.

“Reconvered Pieces” by Andrea Lapioli

If you are art lovers of a certain age, you may want to start your 3rd in the Burg activities early like we do, say a midafternoon date for the State Museum at 300 North St. Its latest exhibit, new as of Gallery Walk Sunday, is the 57th edition of the annual “Art of the State” juried exhibition. In all, over $5,000 in cash prizes were awarded to a select group of statewide artists across five categories that included painting, work on paper, sculpture, craft and photography/digital media. A total of 96 works from 96 artists culled from 28 counties throughout the state were chosen from over 2,200 entries. The winners represent the cream of the crop as chosen by a group of discerning judges. Local artist Angela Lapioli took first place in the painting category. Her abstract work, titled “Recovered Pieces,” is an acrylic on canvas that garnered the Elizabethtown resident top honors. Lapioli’s paintings feature diverse approaches, moving from the abstract to more figurative styles. She employs acrylics, collage and oil, as well as cold wax. The museum closes its doors at 4:30 p.m. so give yourself a good hour to walk and view “Art of the State.” The exhibit closes Jan. 5 in the new year.

Rubicon and Mangia Qui in Harrisburg

Afterwards, an early dinner may be just the ticket. So close to the museum it lies doors away at 270-272 North St., Mangia Qui/Rubicon, an epicurean’s delight. First seating for reservations starts at 5 p.m. This Italian fine dining establishment’s reputation places it among the top of any gourmand’s list for a memorable evening of a sumptuous repast. The restaurant is enhanced throughout by art to complete the experience. Mangia Qui translates to “eat here.” While there, be sure to tell Qui Qui Musarra, Mangia Qui’s co-owner and chef, that Ted and Linda Walke of Gallery@2nd heartily recommended her establishment as the go-to place on the way to their art emporium.

Harrisburg’s hidden gem of an art address is Ted’s gallery found at 608 N. 2nd St. in a handsome, Federal-style building. The destination is referenced in Ken Frew’s book, “Building Harrisburg.” The house was built by a brick mason and his son’s way back in 1839. Owner-proprietor and artist in residence, Ted’s approach to ambiance affords two floors devoted to his ink-and-acrylic-on-wood renderings, with one for local artists on an invitational guest list. Ted is erudite and articulate especially when waxing lyrical about art. Gallery@2nd has been in operation since 2010 and is open to the public on 3rd in the Burg evenings and by appointment. Ted’s niche nouveau nonpareil “notes” navigate the lowbrow appeal of pulp comics, masterfully mixing surreal scenes with his alter ego, “Munkybear” an art animal who takes the guard rails off. It’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

“Yellow Magnolias,” fabric art by Barbara Passeri-Warfel

Noteworthy news of a grand reopening for the fall season finds Sunday, Sept. 29 marked on the calendar as Arts on the Square, located at Market Square Presbyterian Church, unveils guest artist, Barbara Passeri-Warfel. Her mixed media, fiber art and paintings provide the centerpiece for an opening afternoon reception at the church at 20 S. 2nd St., from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., upstairs in Geneva Hall. Under the leadership of art gallery director, Beth Hager, the church is excited to start its season, which will continue into the new year. Passeri-Warfel expertly weaves the tapestry of the everyday elevating it to a new level of fine art. A highlight of the show is her fabric art masterpiece, “Yellow Magnolias.” The exhibit runs through Dec. 29.

Fall officially arrives this Sunday at 8:44 a.m. Get an early start in style at anyone of the 40 galleries, museums, restaurants, clubs, bar and bistros that comprise the Harrisburg Arts District in Midtown, downtown and all around the square.

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Bob’s Art Blog: Gallery Walk #36, in the Books

September 10, 2024 | by Bob MacGinnes

An award-winning work by Andrea Finch at AAH

“Blue skies smiling at me, nothing but blue skies do I see.”

The report from the front is in on Gallery Walk #36, held on Sunday. The weather proved to be a huge factor for the event as it was sunny, breezy and felt like the first day of fall. Art was everywhere you looked, especially on all the Gallery Walkers faces (picture yourself here) with art in their eyes.

The day started at the Art Association of Harrisburg, that bastion of brilliance and boldness with bravura brushstrokes a-plenty. CEO Carrie Wissler-Thomas and director of exhibitions, Nate Foster, had stars forming a halo over their heads as they walked on cloud nine over the unveiling of the “Heroes and Heroines” exhibit. Awards were handed out from Wissler-Thomas and its board president, Travis DiNicola. Best-of-show went to Sarah Jacobs for her work, a nod to Ophelia. A standout piece of textural interplay came from Andrea Finch, which took a second prize. AAH counted a record number of visitors, topping 300.

Checking in with Vivian Sterste-Brandler and Jackson Boyd of the Vivi on Verbeke outpost, they shared, “We had tremendous tourist traffic all day long with clients still shopping even after the closing bell rang at 5. Many new faces, collectors and young artists kept the gallery open going into overtime through 7 p.m., which was fine with us. I reckoned over 100 visitors passed through our doors for a record turnout.”

The colorful backyard at Vivi on Verbeke

Civic Club President, Contrena Baltimore and art adventuress R76 (you know you’ve arrived when the public knows who you are by a letter and number) staffed the battlements at the Overlook Mansion with visitors as the tally grew to double digits. Art vendors included Prittyfy, Witmer Wood, Toro Comics, Bootleg, Iquan Summers, Carrie Feidt, Art by Elliot, Tom Walsh and King Prolifik. Reina shared, “The Civic Club offered a variety of art experiences throughout the day. I pointed the way with guests as to the direction creativity was taking in the City of Harrisburg. My mantra ‘Artists Unite’ applies to everything I support. Art is bringing a fresh energy to our communities.”

Ted Walke (“talked the talk” and you know the rest…) at his Gallery at 2nd (608 to be exact). Ted shared, “Many visitors enjoyed ‘talking art’ and were happy to immerse themselves in the city’s art venues. I thought of myself as a ‘link’ in a chain. That is, making sure to direct visitors to both the Civic Club and the State Museum as their next stop. I would have to say that, with the turnout I saw, it was one of the most well-attended Gallery Walks in my 14 years of participation in this annual event.”

Julia Mallory of TEN OH! SIX found the day full and rich with art lovers for her very first Gallery Walk at her studio on 3^rd Street. Art friend Cody spent the entire day at the gallery and reported a strong turnout. Featured artists were Bryan “King” Prolifik and Cheryl Peoples. Julia stated, “Gallery Walk was an incredible opportunity for us to connect both with existing friends and new supporters which demonstrates the power of what is possible when art and community collide.”

When you make a list, you better check it twice! Artist Craig Bomberger of the hand-painted silk scarves soirees, had two stops to make for Gallery Walk. “Check to make sure my art is hung in the best possible light at the LGBT Center. Secondly, set up my live painting demonstration providing in-house poetic painting for the Historic Harrisburg Association, which also featured members of the AAH who displayed their work.”

Artwork by Craig Bomberger at the LGBT Center

It turned out that Mr. Bomberger got to meet a lot of Harrisburg history buffs all afternoon. In fact, Executive Director David Morrison greeted visitors to this resource repository with a warm welcome and tour of the rich history our beloved city entails. In speaking with Mr. Morrison, he related, “The Center was so busy throughout the afternoon that there was no time to take pictures. But there were plenty to be seen from archival photographs showcasing the tapestry of time since the city was founded in 1719 by John Harris.”

It was a great sign for Harrisburg artists to have the tremendous outpouring of support that was shone throughout the day with a record number of art lovers, gallery walkers, and first-time visitors to the city. A huge thanks to all on both sides of the aisle on the avenues of art and behind the counters both. Harrisburg’s creative community basked in the limelight.

When you get right down to it, is there anything more beautiful than the person to your right or left, in front or behind you…there is beauty in everyone if you take the time to look.

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Bob’s Art Blog: Nothing Pretty and Something Very Pretty

November 14, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

What if we were given the chance for a “re-do” regarding an important part of our life or a chapter of it or perhaps just one event? Would it change dramatically or a little by adding a few seconds back on the clock?

A quartet of “outside artists” from beyond the mainstream art world get that “date with destiny” at the same locale as their initial foray took place. Two years and some odd days ago, the Art Association of Harrisburg held an invitational exhibit for two lowbrow artists, Sean Arce and Ted Walke, who operate outside the expected norm. If there is one discipline that can go outside the box, it would be art. Knowing today what I may have only suspected then, art surrealists, Tina Berrier and Krissy Whiski, skew above that appellation given that their paintings float, caught in the headwinds, reaching far beyond the clouds, lost in the ether of enchantment. Berrier and Whiski comprise the other half of “Nothing Pretty,” the exhibit that opened this past Friday.The artists reception takes place this Friday for a 3^rd in the Burg featured event at the AAH.

The trick is to get from point A to point B in the show. The “A” represents Arce, clocking in at well over 20,000 followers who appreciate his art endeavors. In the lowbrow universe, Arce’s cartoon characters create contextual calamity even when they are standalone images. It allows the viewer to fill in the blanks. A digital designer, Sean operates in his own dimension. Point B is for Berrier, as in Tina, who’s following in numbers is noteworthy with her reputation as an artist of varied genres crossing time and dynasties. In her multimedia works, from paintings to assembled objects, Tina may incorporate Oaxacan artifacts to Dia de los Muertos masked figures in her paintings. Capturing tribal chieftains to cocky barnyard animals in her works, one cannot pigeonhole Berrier as her imagination shifts gears quicker than the weather changes and is just as unpredictable. That is the beauty of her art.

Yet, the real question is how far would you Walke for a Whiski? The answer lies with Ted of the Gallery at 2^nd who ‘Walkes’ this way to the AAH. From his brownstone at 608 N. 2^nd Street, it is but five blocks to the Art Association’s front door. Along the way Ted will meet his alter ego, IG handle, Munkybearhell. Don’t be alarmed by the name as this character loves to hide in the dark recesses of Ted’s subconscious mind, springing forth on the unsuspecting at any moment. Truth be told, a lovable chap, “Munky” lives in the grottoes frequented by trolls and troglodytes. Pen and ink and the kitchen sink form the link Ted takes to the brink. And Munky shape shifts with the best of them. By now, you are probably ready for a double shot of “Whiski” straight up, as in Krissy. Psychedelic pop art mistress, Ms. Whiski is a burst of sunshine and a healthy dose of what the doctor ordered for the blues. You’ll never be under the weather when viewing her art. Followers again in the 20,000 range, she matches Sean Arce “like for like,” but who is counting? Like the Rolling Stones song from the ’60s, “She’s Like a Rainbow, she comes in colors everywhere.”

Let’s face it, “social media” (Meta, Twitter, IG, est.) rules the roost or at least the people who subscribe to its presumptive status. Thankfully, I can say I only use IG as a means of following artists and dogs and inspirational messages. I need the last two to help lighten and brighten the day ahead. Regarding the social media phenomenon, one cannot deny the numbers. If you combine all four of the artist’s followers from IG alone, there would be a line reaching from 21 N. Front Street at the AAH stretching the whole way to 920 N. 3^rd St, home of The Burg. That is well over 50,000 people (you read that right) who embrace their brand of art. It’s a good thing the “Nothing Pretty” exhibit runs almost two full months through Jan. 5. It needs that long of a “run” to get all those followers in the door. Contact Ticketmaster now for once it’s sold out, it’s sold out! Just kidding. But all joking aside, the tickets 1^st to go will be for this Friday’s 3^rd in The Burg reception, no admission fee. For good measure, the Association’s curator, Rachel O’Connor, set a limbo bar standard for this show so high, I could dance under it, and I’m 72.

Something Very Pretty

Steph Holmes in her studio (Photo: Jana MacGinnes)

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, if “Nothing Pretty” exists in the art universe then “Something Very Pretty” must, as well. Just a few months ago, destiny knocked on artist Steph Holmes door or she did the knocking at 336 West Market St. in York’s downtown district. The building’s main window leads to a street view, providing the young artist with a perfect portal to the world right outside her front door. It’s realistic scene never fails to inspire, and yet Steph inhabits the natural world filled with flora and fauna through her lens filtered by a heart that’s in touch with beauty well beyond the downtown vista.

Her love affair started with the great outdoors and drawing that magical world began as a child. It led her to the moment on Sept. 1 when Steph Holmes Artist Studio opened to the public. Shy by nature, she is content to operate behind the scenes, creating treasures of birds and insects, flowers and woodland creatures, all captured on canvas with acrylic paint. A passion for “Cardinals and Orioles” sounds like a true baseball fan, but Steph’s are those that take wing in flight. The studio shelves offer clues to her personality and interests, full of beakers, vases and vessels like a young botanist looking for the quintessential specimen. A Millersville University graduate speaks to an inquisitive mind with a bachelor of arts degree on the wall lending credence to her scientific studies of the outside world. The gallery and studio are full of originals, prints, and exquisite cards suitable for framing. Her youthful looks belie her age, having spent 10 years as an art educator for Creative York. The present day finds her making a career with her art. Challenging herself to 133 days in a row “painting and creating” for at least an hour a day will take her through to the New Year. If you are lucky when you visit the studio, she may be in the window painting whatever dream comes next. Contact the artist at stephholmesartatgmail.com

November Special Art Events

A work by the Huckle Buckle Boys

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC) for “Pulled: The Art of Print Making,” featuring prints of the Huckle Buckle Boys, Garrick Dorsett and Zack Rudy and a host of others. On going through Dec. 23, upstairs gallery.

Saturday, Nov. 25, Shop Small Business Saturday, Millworks Annual Odd Ones Bizarre 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 5 to Dec. 23, “Art for the Holidays” at CALC (gifts for the season). Holiday hours Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Bob’s Art Blog: A Season of Thanks & 3rd in the Burg Preview

November 15, 2021 | by Bob MacGinnes

The Art of a Cover

After all is said and done, the very best art comes from a community of contributors, as evidenced on the latest TheBurg cover for the November issue. A classic autumnal ambiance is achieved with all the colors of the season.

TheBurg’s November cover, photo by Haley Harned

Gracing the front page, the photo has a “wow” factor, staged and shot by Haley Harned. Behind the scenes, no less than nine artists and local businesses added accessories to the mix, elevating it to a still life masterpiece. Candles light the table from Millworks Moonrise Candle Co as its art director, Tara Chickey, provided the china and napkins. Silverware from the Antique Marketplace of Lemoyne sparkles and shines. Flowers courtesy of Paper Moon Flowers find a home, as well as an artisinal mug from potter Vivian Sterste of Vivi on Verbeke. Pumpkins from Radish & Rye Food Hub, coffee from Good Brotha’s Book Cafe, apple pie from Raising the Bar and fall spices from Callicut’s Spice Co. complete the frame.

Haley Harned is an editorial and commercial photographer, as well as a “staging stylist” for numerous local magazines. Having graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2008 with a BFA, Hailey employs film and digital media to capture her subjects with aplomb. The still life frame featured on the current issue of TheBurg speaks to a level of art obtained by a trained eye turning assignment to an articulated achievement of beauty.

Season of Thanks

A new mural in Harrisburg

In the season of appreciation and thanks, it is a gift to be able to write about the beauty that surrounds us, especially that of seasonal change and the natural landscape that we oftentimes take for granted. For those who live in the city of Harrisburg, there are other special words of thanks.

Over the past five months starting at the end of May and continuing well through the fall, Spocket Mural Works graced the community with myriad marvels of murals now totaling well over 50. The new additions combine with the mix of the previous mural festivals, creating an astounding allure. As before, the thanks are many and far reaching to all who made this third festival so special and meaningful. A thank you to one and all—from the 300-plus volunteer brigade to the artistic vision of the muralists to the generosity of the corporate sponsors and the dynamic duo that founded Sprocket, Megan Caruso and Jeff Copus. The murals are living proof of their commitment to the cause by providing public art that makes a difference, opens discourse and adds beauty beyond measure.

Gallery@2nd Notes and News

It could be the title for a Quentin Tarantino film, “The Grateful Eight,” as there are eight artists in all. The number included gallery owner Ted Walke, who generously offered studio space to a select group of likeminded local artists to showcase their work rent-free, as well as fee-free when art is sold. The original trio of artists came on board when Gallery@2nd reopened in July. They included Chad Whitaker, Keegan Beinhower and Sean Arce. After the initial response to the gallery’s new presentation, more art disciples were afforded space, including Johanna Martin, Rance Shepstone, Angelica Rios and Ashley Russo, all sharing a fervent zeal for the lowbrow art zen of Ted. It’s easy to see why gratitude is part and parcel from the artists’ point of view and, yet, it cuts both ways. The proprietor was grateful to be in a position for all of this to occur after being closed for almost three years. Gallery@2nd would like its clientele to know that the 3rd in the Burg event on Friday, Nov. 19, will be the closing night for the year, with the gallery reopening sometime in April.

HBB On the Road Saturday

Art of the Huckle Buckle Boys

A Saturday road trip to Easton on I-78E will be well worth the while for a Nov. 20 date to see the Huckle Buckle Boys’ “Wondering Ox” exhibit opening and reception party at the Hemlock Art Place for a 6 p.m. kickoff. Garrick Dorsett and Zack Rudy of HBB fame will be “unifying their flow experience” in their trademark style. Located at 9 N. Second St. in downtown Easton, the just-under 100-mile adventure promises to be a night to remember. Hemlock is an alternative art gallery that promotes special events and workshops, as well as being home to avant-garde art and gifts. Newly opened in July, the gallery fosters creativity locally and throughout the state. So, it is no wonder that HBB got the invite as Hemlock is excited to unleash their latest offerings in “Wondering Ox.” Be sure to look for Socrates, just don’t share his drink.

3rd In The Burg Preview

Rug hook by Susanne Robinson

With 28 venues participating in this Friday’s 3rd in the Burg, the event now surpasses the level of pre-pandemic involvement, which is a positive sign looking ahead to close out 2021 on a high note. From restaurants to clubs to museums to galleries, all bases are covered for support of the arts and local businesses. In this season of giving, it is important whenever possible to keep local business in the foreground and shop local whenever possible.

The latest art venue, Arts on the Square, opened its upstairs gallery housed in Market Square Presbyterian Church at 20 S. 2nd St. on Nov. 7. At the initial reception, this addition to the local scene found a stellar crowd supporting the quintet of artists showcasing their works.

Acrylic art by Kara Young

One of the highlights was Susanne Robinson, fiber artist, who demonstrated the lost craft of rug hooking, which had its origins in 19th century England. With ethereal woolens from Scotland, Susanne weaves a spell of color and texture throughout her exquisite rug tapestries. In addition, a trio of painters graced the walls of the loft gallery covering acrylic works from A to Z. Lori Sweet, award-winning local artist and congregant, is “inspired by nature, mythologies, as well as universal images of the divine feminine.” Kara Young from Gettysburg believes that “art is medicine.” Her guide to create focuses on “justice, peace and faith in a world she believes needs these qualities desperately.” Gail Walden Coleman, artist of local distinction, celebrates “the human spirit and also our sense of humor.” Mother Nature informs her work, and Gail does her best to capture it in her paintings. Last but not least is photographer Kevin Long, congregant and proprietor of Long Shots Photography. He finds mindfulness through slowing down to fully appreciate the world. Photography “helps me recognize the majesty, intricacy and diversity of creations more fully.”

Also, Pine Street Presbyterian, located at 310 N. 3rd St., and St. Stephen’s Riverfront Gallery, found at 221 N. Front St., offer up art throughout the church and in gallery spaces. Be sure to view “De-Colonizing Christ,” now in its last month through Dec. 19 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral.

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Bob’s Art Blog: Nothing Pretty

October 25, 2021 | by Bob MacGinnes

Part I — “Nothing Pretty” A surreal revisionist “Western” art exhibit

Take One: “All quiet on the set. ACTION!”

Renegades all, the four gunslingers rode into town on steeds snorting fire, seeking a corral that might, just might, be able to contain their own brand of art. Theirs is a movement that started out west in the late 1960s in the territory known today as Los Angeles, borne out of a culture found only in the underground strata of comics, punk music, graffiti, hot rods and everything but the kitchen sink. An amalgamation of art meeting street culture colliding head on at the intersection of imagination and immolation. Those roots establish the genre known as lowbrow art, a surrealism stampede.

Artwork by Ted Walke

The Art Association of Harrisburg (AAH) is excited to share this exhibit that opened Friday and runs through Nov. 24. Visitors to the gallery may be surprised by this latest offering in a setting that has built its reputation on classicism in its representation of art.

Carrie Wissler-Thomas, CEO and sheriff of the AAH, called to deputize her gallery curator, Rachel O’Connor, who mounted this guns-blazing show. It’s a brave new world as “Nothing Pretty’s” desperadoes demonstrate in their visual redefining of the parameters for open-ended art. If they can dream it, draw it or paint it, it helps to establish their brand of surrealism run wild. And that is the whole point of lowbrow art. It appeals to an audience looking for a “beyond the norm experience” in a gallery setting. It takes thinking way outside the box and lets the inner child take over as the imagination runs wild on both sides of the aisle.

It helps to have a sense of humor, as do these art outlaws. They are led by Ted Walke, owner/proprietor of Gallery@2nd, whose calling card in pen and ink depicts human forms that sometimes border on the fine line of what one would recognize as human—something you don’t want to run into in a dark alley. Walke’s “characters” are poster children for the adage, “beauty lies in the eye of the beholder,” faces and images only a mother could love.

Artwork by Krissy Whiski

Joining Ted in his impish imagination and dry humor is Tina Berrier, whose paintings occupy a space all their own and are instantly recognizable. Employing mixed media allows her to bridge street art to a painterly point of view considering “life, death and the theme of temporality.”

Sean Arce, a featured artist of Gallery@2nd along with Ted, draws from his imagination by illustrating creatures of all sizes and shapes. Using digital formatting and two-dimensional media, Arce creates organisms, otherworldly original. Last but not least, with a western surname if ever there was one, when this artist sidles up to the saloon’s bar, “Whiski, Krissy.” Like a passage from Stephen King’s “Gunslinger” series, “The Dark Tower,” Whiski’s art “paints the spaces that exist between dreams, death and delusions,” states the artist, who uses themes as “fringe science, hallucinations and fairy tales as inspiration.” This is an exhibit that begs to be seen.

“Nothing Pretty” plays exclusively in the main gallery at the AAH through Nov. 24.

Part II — Market Places Market Faces at Doggie Delights

“Give a dog a bone,” a line from a child’s nursery rhyme, could easily be the catchphrase for Doggie Delights at the Broad Street Market and the flagship store at the West Shore Farmer’s Market in Lemoyne. The front man, or in this case, the face at the Broad Street Market location is Aubrey McNaughton. now in her sixth month with the dog snack and treat purveyor.

Brielle Glumac and Aubrey McNaughton

Aubrey is a cheerleader for Doggie Delights and everything market-related. She loves educating owners who have concerns regarding pups with sensitive tummies who may have to go without goodies, as Doggie Delights offers “gentle on the stomach,” handmade biscuits and soft chews for older dogs. They hand-cut and hand-dip all the baked goods for our four-legged friends with all natural, fresh ingredients and no preservatives added with all other treats being sourced from U.S. companies.

Donnie and Kelly Farner are the heart and soul of the company with daughter Brielle Glumac playing a vital role able to work both sides of the river. The company had a setback when their barn suffered a major fire in January, which housed the inventory and equipment used in their business. Through the generosity of customers and friends with a GoFundMe fundraiser, a sizeable amount was raised to help offset their drastic loss. Rebounding for 10 months now, the Farners are happy to announce the opening of a new outpost at The Fresh Market at Town Square in Hershey later this fall. Brielle will be managing the new location.

Meanwhile, the Broad Street Market is in good stead as Aubrey is the person you see Thursday through Saturday. A dog lover since she was a little girl, she now owns a cane corso mastiff. “Baby Tonka” weighs 110 pounds and loves the long-lasting Yak chew. Aubrey takes great joy in greeting the customers at 3rd and Verbeke market weekly. During the summer season, both Aubrey and her protege-helper-daughter assisted her at the stand. Their smiles for miles brought a steadily growing clientele.

So, if you need a special birthday cake for the diva dog in your life, they offer customized peanut butter cakes with yogurt icing or “pup cakes” cupcakes. In addition, they have natural chews, snacks and smoked bones. Aubrey and Brielle will ensure they are downright dog-delicious, no matter which Doggie Delight you visit.

Part III — Calling Art in the Wild Adventurers

This special announcement goes out to “budding” artists. Learn to create landscape art from AITW award-winning instructors Saturday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon with $20 registration fee for the workshop (all materials provided). Bring a friend and learn together in a preparatory class for spring 2022 of the 10th edition of “Art in the Wild.” Visit https://dauphincountyparksandrecreation.ticketleap.com/art-in-the-wild-workshop2021/

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Bob’s Art Blog: All the World’s a Stage

September 27, 2021 | by Bob MacGinnes

Act I: “Dramatis Personae” at Carlisle Arts Learning Center

When the curtain goes up, we have come to realize life is not a dress rehearsal. We present a different face to the world each day after the makeup is applied and the “costume” is assumed, for the part we play is but a fleeting moment.

Thus spoke the omniscient narrator in the voiceover for the production, “Dramatis Personae,” a one-woman show photographed, mounted and directed by Carlisle photographer Nicole Dube. For this behind-the-scenes look at the duality within us all, Dube mined the psychological theory of Erving Goffman’s dramaturgy. The theory regards the schism of the private face and the one that is presented to the world being radically different. “Dramatis Personae,” the Latin phrase translates to “reveal,” we are all “persons of the play.”

A diptych from Nicole Dube’s “Dramatis Personae” (and below)

Nicole’s influence for “Dramatis” was Annie Leibovitz’s “Showgirls,” featuring portraits of Las Vegas showgirls, behind the scenes, in and out of costume. The dramatic difference sans makeup was truly revealing. Dube shared that the most challenging aspect of her project “was rounding up the players to participate in the photographic journey.”

Over the course of six months, she put out a call for participants through Instagram, word-of-mouth and collaborators used in the past. In the end, 45 “hearty” answered, from heroes to villains, mermaids to monsters, royalty to re-enactors and drag queens to Disney characters. The gallery/art center doubled as a studio at times, and Dube “developed” a give-and -take relationship with the “sitters” before, during and after their photo shoots.

The takeaway, a commonality shared by most, was a certain level of discomfort and apprehension in the “before” shot. But once “in costume,” they came to life in their choice of characterization, fully embracing their stage persona. At the heart of it all, Dube chips away at the notion of the male gaze versus the female gaze as historically women have been viewed as objects and not as people. In sharp contrast, the “after” portrays the identity of the face one hopes to project on the stage as they imagine their adoptive roles. The artist/photographer shared that her favorite part of the project lay in the twilight moments “capturing the vulnerability, the insecurity and the glimpse into the psyches of the sitters” as they laid bare their souls. Truth be told, we are all sitters before and after. Presented in diptych format, the “before” picture is in black and white while the “after” is in color. In sharp contrast, the “after” reveals the inner self-identity, ready for the stage called life. The final presentation was a collaborative effort between Nicole and CALC curator, Cathy Stone.

Perhaps Shakespeare wrote it best, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances. And one man in his time, plays many parts.” (“As You Like It,” Act II, scene 7.) And as for the director, Nicole Dube, it is time to take a bow.

“Dramatis Personae” runs through Oct. 23 in the upstairs gallery at CALC, 38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle. For more information, visit their website.

Act II: The Further Adventures of Peabody and Sherman in the Plein Air

Peabody and Sherman here in the “Wayback Machine” (aka WABAC):

“Mr. Peabody, what are the hats the people are wearing, and what are in the little suitcases?”

“Sherman, those black little felt hats are called berets, and those little suitcases are referred to as a pochode box, better known as a portable easel to paint in the plein air. In case you haven’t guessed by now, Sherman, we are in Paris at the beginning of the Barbizon School in 1830. Plein air painting became the rage to capture beauty as it truly is—landscapes like never seen before, so close you can touch nature in the great outdoors.”

Paul Flury at his easel in Negley Park

Borrowing a page from history, almost 200 years ago, we find ourselves surrounded by a coterie of painters with easels a-right at work in the open air, capturing modern life. The Barbizon School advanced the notion that natural light is the best light to paint in—it allowed the artist to capture the emotional and sensory dimensions of a particular landscape at a particular moment in time. The portability of plein air painting emerged to become a revolutionary step forward in art. The Impressionist painters by the 1870s put their own stamp on it as plein air demonstrated a group committed to the craft of painting outdoors, no matter the obstacles. This movement of painting spread from Europe to the United States, with salons springing up in Cos Cob in Connecticut and even Taos in New Mexico.

Now Sherman, press the forward button on the WABAC, and set the year to 2021 as we are headed to Negley Park in Lemoyne. Arriving on July 24, a Saturday morning, Sherman asked Mr. Peabody, “Why here?” Sherman, if you use your powers of observation at the scene playing out before our eyes, you will find the answer to your question and more. That auspicious morning at Negley Park revealed a small group of artists with easels popped and poised to paint secluded in a perfect pocket of poetic charm facing the Susquehanna River. The artists assembled joined instructor Paul Flury, leading the class for this plein air exercise in capturing the scene before them, which evolved over the course of three hours.

This proved to be a regular occurrence as this small enclave meets twice a month, weather permitting, with locales changing on a regular basis. Paul collected this band of merry painters for their take on the west side of the river’s vista. He started out at the Art Association of Harrisburg 10 years ago when he instructed the “Landscape Plein Air” class. “To study the environment around you in real time to apply what one sees in nature” forms the basis of this style of painting, he shared.

Judging by the landscapes that evolved over the course of those few hours until the clock struck noon, theirs was a painterly persuasion that had been at their craft for some time. A true passion came through in the work, mostly untitled at that point, in the process as some varied from the rough-sketched stage to an in-focus dramatic study of the view in living color.

Kelly Charlesworth’s oil-on-panel painting, well underway, was titled on the spot by her own admission, “Morning at Negley Park.” Ann Bayne, an artist from Camp Hill, shared her rendition, “Glitzy Morning,” as the day, especially in those morning hours, was brilliant with sun shining through the trees. Both Cheryl Peters, whose work was in acrylic, and Lina Ferrara’s oil painting were untitled at that juncture. Instructor Flury’s painting was also in an unnamed state. All five artists viewed the same scene, yet their paintings were beautifully unique in their interpretive representation.

Sherman, I need you to hit the dial one last time to August 1970 as Quiksilver Messenger Service is telling us to “Have Another Hit of Fresh Air” in the morning.” Breathe deep.

To reach Paul Flury, email him at [email protected].

October Art Calendar: Dates to Note

Saturday, Oct. 2

Metropolis Collective plein air paintings of Paul Nagle, master in fine arts in photography and painting, opening reception 7 to 11p.m. Show runs through Nov 30.
Millworks First Saturday meet the artists in their studios

Saturday, Oct. 9

Odd Ones Fall Bizarre Part I on the lots at 3rd and Verbeke streets, 11a.m. to 5p.m.
Susquehanna Art Museum opening of exhibit, “Four Seasons and Seven Vices: Old Masters Prints in Series.” Also opening that day at SAM is “Tradition Interrupted.”

Friday, Oct. 15

3rd in the Burg

Friday, Oct. 22

Art Association of Harrisburg, “Nothing Pretty” opening reception 5 to 8 p.m. with artists Krissi Whiski, Sean Arce, Tina Berrier and Ted Walke
Susquehanna Art Museum exhibit opening “Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You” by visual artist Irvin Rodriguez

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Bob’s Art Blog: The Art of Vegetables & 3rd in The Burg preview

July 12, 2021 | by Bob MacGinnes

The beauty of art can be found just about anywhere we look.

Art is a tangible commodity normally found in museums, galleries, restaurants, public spaces and even on buildings. It can be viewed from a distance or up close and personal. There is also art that is found outside of mainstream thinking—an idea whose time has come. Art lies in the mind like beauty itself, in the eye of the beholder.

During the pandemic, the big outing for many may have been a weekly trip to the grocery store. It became our “date go-to” as everything else was closed down due to restrictions. I felt a true sense of euphoria when gazing upon rows and rows of fresh vegetables at places like Karns, Radish & Rye Food Hub and local farm stands such as Veg Out. Colorfully wild in their assortment, ever changing with the seasons, vegetables hold the unique ability to lift spirits, provide inspiration in the kitchen and can even produce smiles.

So, it is really with a debt of gratitude to the farmers, growers, merchants and, most of all, to the master gardener for helping so many during this difficult time. Vegetables, as a contained community, sometimes get the short end of appreciation, at least historically from me. Truth be told, I’m a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. Except when I am in the grocery store, then vegetables are my mood enhancer. As a whole, the compendium of colors buoyantly lifts me to the clouds and, to see them arranged on the shelves artfully, gives my life a deeper meaning. The presentation proffered either clicks or it doesn’t. But, when it does, it is like gazing upon a masterpiece of art—a prize painting, a sensuous sculpture, a well-turned bowl, a thing of beauty. And like John Keats eloquently wrote in “Endymion,” “a thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

Vegetables and their artistic attributes are an affair of the heart, with an ever-growing appreciation of the bounty that gives us so much in return. They incorporate color in every shade and tone, and their consumption is good for what ails us.

It all started earlier this year when we ventured to Karns Quality Foods on Jonestown Road. It was there that I became smitten. Entering the vegetable aisle, my heart skipped a “beet.” My eyes traveled from artichokes to asparagus, broccoli to Brussels spouts, cabbages to carrots, corn to celery, parsnips to potatoes, radishes to rutabagas, salad greens to spinach, tomatoes to turnips, and, I am sure, a grocery list of others I have overlooked.

A vegetable display at Karns

The artful presentation of freshly scrubbed vegetables lent a pristine purity, looking like they belonged as a still life masterpiece in a museum rather than a grocery store. Chris Nelson, the produce manager and a 12-year veteran at Karns, shared that the layout “stems” from a floor plan devised by him and associates Daniel Jacobs, assistant produce manager, and Christine Comley, head of floral display, in its final rendering. The Karns produce team in its entirety is comprised of 18 associates, each contributing their share to the overall display.

Radish & Rye’s owners, Dusty and Julia James, put their stamp of approval on everything within its four walls of freshness at its1308 N. 3rd St. outpost, offering heirloom vegetables of every variety, artisinal breads and farm-to-table meats and cheeses. On the day we visited, store associates were busy merchandising the shop, and we were greeted with open arms and infectious smiles by the shopkeepers. They both shared with us that the presentation is a team effort, with all lending a hand in completing the visual array at Radish & Rye—“All for one and one for all,” much like the musketeers of Dumas novels. We swash-buckled our way through a wide selection of vegetables throughout the store as well as a battalion of veggies we held captive in our bags. (Pictured: A display at Radish & Rye)

Veg Out, the new kid on the block at the Broad Street Market, with its owner and front woman, Melissa Barrick whose mission is to provide locally grown vegetables, herbs and plants, goes one step farther by selling plants to grow in your own garden to patrons in the brick building. Boasting a dozen varieties of tomatoes, eight types of peppers, squash and seasonal fruits, she will have pumpkins, Christmas trees and lavender wreaths to join her regular repertoire as seasons come to pass. Veg Out is part of the Farmers Market Nutrition Program and even anticipates being part of the SNAP by this winter. (Pictured: The Veg Out stand at the Broad Street Market)

In 1967, the Beach Boys penned a paean to “Vegetables” which simply stated, “I love you most of all, my favorite vegetable.” This off-the-wall, musically diverse song featured none other than Paul McCartney chomping celery throughout the two minutes of musical mayhem. As for me, my romance with romaine will continue as I stroll the aisles of vegetables far and wide. For now “lettuce” keep this secret between us.

Images by Jana MacGinnes

3rd in the Burg, Friday, July 16 (Before, During and After)

Celebrate early before the evening unfolds at Midstate Distillery, opening at 4 p.m. with a flight of spirits to share with friends before going out on the town. From its 1817 N. Cameron St. location, it’s minutes away from the evening’s main attractions. Just halfway through the month finds July’s 3rd in the Burg featuring two events that vie for top billing on the marquee. It’s a flip of the coin as to which one is the hot ticket ending this workweek, with distinct audiences for art appreciation.

It very well may be an overflow crowd at the Art Association of Harrisburg due to its longstanding reputation and the 93rd Annual Juried Art Exhibition. However, there is plenty of space to mingle and be seen. Almost 17 months to the day, this Friday celebrates the first art exhibit reception in the garden at the AAH, located at 21 North Front St. The event unfolds at the dot of 5 p.m. for this traditional blockbuster that features some of the best art from around the country. CEO Carrie Wissler-Thomas and curator Rachel O’Connor have pulled out all the stops for this meet-and-greet celebration. Robert Eichinger of Cumberland Financial Group will be the reception host for the evening. Artist-musician Jonathan Frazier will bring music in its many forms to punctuate the great art within the gallery till 8 p.m. Artists worldwide were eligible to digitally enter the exhibit, which runs through Sept. 2.

The front of the postcard for the Art Association’s “International Juried Show”

An equal amount of fanfare and cause for celebration marks the return and reopening of Gallery@2nd for the first time in ages, starting this Friday night and for every 3rd in the Burg thereafter. A huge Harrisburg welcome back to Ted and Linda Walke, gallery owners. The Gallery@2nd features on-site artists, Sean Arce, Keegan Beinhower, Chad Whitaker and owner Ted. Gallery@2nd offers a unique perspective on art, taking its outside-the-mainstream thinking from its freewheeling proprietor. The presentation at the gallery is representative of what art unrestrained resembles, appealing to likeminded individuals and artists. The quartet comprises artists who break from the rank-and-file consortium and march to their own anthem of art abstractedness. The avant-garde ensemble of patrons, whose appreciation starts at the door and ends with the last call for art at evening’s close, may be queuing up in line as the ink is drying on this blog. It will be open to the public from 6 to 9 p.m. Drop by and say “hi” to this eclectic group of artists and owners at 608 N. 2nd St.

The exterior of Gallery@Second

After, venture out to (I already gave you a clue up above) the Vegetable Hunter at 614 N. 2nd St., open until 9 p.m. to take your favorite date for more art on the walls. A cozy table awaits with a menu that offers a vegan’s dream with a small-batch craft brewery, offering plant-based ingredients for its inspired beers. With small plates, bowls and tacos, it is a cool vibe “vistro,” offering vegetables galore even in dessert form. How can you go wrong? If you are traveling to or from the west shore, check out their newest location at 46 W. High St. in the heart of downtown Carlisle, which closes at 9 p.m. The Vegetable Hunters owners, John and Kristin Messner-Baker, have set the table with a summer banquet of healthy vegan and kosher fare to eat, drink and enjoy. The restaurant officially opened on July 1 to the public.

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Bob’s Art Blog: Out of Town and Midtown Art

March 6, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

Borrowing the line from W.P. Kinsella’s book, Shoeless Joe (Jackson) and the film version aka (Field of Dreams), “If you build it, he will come,” also applies to other fields of endeavor like art.

The artist and art visionary Brice Brown of Milton, Pa., and New York City adopted that same philosophy when he opened the Milton Art Bank (MAB) in May 2017. More than just a gallery or a museum, MAB is also a destination for dreamers that operates out of a converted bank building in Milton’s historic downtown.

Offering art in all its forms, MAB cuts a broad swath across multiple disciplines, including paintings, sculpture, dance, performance art, music, installations and even historical surveys as part of its repertoire. Brown is a firm believer in the ethos that, if you build it, they will come.

He’s now casting a bigger net to lure the fish from surrounding ponds. Milton finds itself strategically close to State College (70 miles), Harrisburg (50 miles) and neighboring Lewisburg just five miles away.

Northumberland County lends its country charm to a cosmopolitan collective that recently unveiled a monumental show, “Black/White,” curated by Brown and running through April 30. Visiting the Art Bank on a Thursday afternoon, we were given a guided tour by Sabrina Wilson, director, and her assistant, Ben Stieler.

“Black/White” sounds like either/or but also finds a partner in the mix of the two in the gray areas of shadow and substance. The exhibit explores the yin and yang of “binary opposition,” covering an epochal transit of time from 1400 BCE to 2019, a span of almost 3,500 years. The exhibit explodes the myth that black and white are mutually exclusive entities (a dichotomy in terms) as in the end their attraction and repulsion co-exist in perfect harmony. It’s counter-intuitive to think of one without the other. It is like night without day; good in the absence of evil; and light without dark. The pantheon of artists represented reads like a “who’s who” of A-list artists, both past and present. The allure of the show draws its mystique from the stellar cast including Man Ray, Pablo Picasso and Henri de Toulouse-Latrec. Among the two dozen-plus rounding out this compendium of creatives are modern-day artists Willem de Kooning, who adds a jolt of color to the mix. Robert Mapplethorpe, Edward Hopper, Grant Wood and Jasper Johns round out the quartet.

Art critic Lance Esplund lights the way in prose, framing the works in illuminating terms. From a curatorial perspective, Brown has created a tour de force show with “Black/White.” The ebb and flow of polar opposites and the commingling of the two create a rhythm purely its own. The walk through time is unrivaled for riveting attention to the works.The exhibit is enhanced by the spacious layout and open floor format, allowing the art to breathe and stand alone or as part of a continuous thread, weaving its way into the conscience of its audience. All art mediums are represented and given their due. Photography, paintings, sculptures, ceramics and textiles combine to create a powerful visual and provide a master class in art appreciation. Highlights of the show include Piero Fornasetti’s ink-on-paper titled “Wallpaper” from 1955. Jim Dines collective ensemble of six lithographs entitled “Crash” are large and bold portrayed in black ink.

“Black/White” is the sum of all its parts, shining a new light on black and its absence of visible light, while white is the all encompassing presence of light. Together, they form a symbiotic relationship that provides the best of both worlds. Apart, they provide the space between, like songwriter Dave Matthews wrote, “We’re strange allies, with warring hearts, what a wild eyed beast you be, the space between.” That is the very essence of the love/hate relationship which is its flip side. Then, too are “the wicked lies they tell each other.”

“Black White” promotes the push/pull; attraction/repulsion theme to its desired end. Somewhere, somehow, they find a common ground shading the gray areas with that space between. Sometimes in rare instances a shout, but more often, a whisper…like Matthews concluded, somewhere “between the head and heart.”

“Black/White” runs through April 30 at Milton Art Bank, 23 S. Front Street, Milton. Hours are Thursday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m., free to the public. For more information, visit their website.

Pictured above:
“Untitled,” oil on newspaper, by Willem de Kooning
“Wallpaper,” by Piero Fornasetti, 1955

Part II Midtown Art Events/Spring Ahead

Susquehanna Art Museum at the Marty: Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Negro League Baseball
Opening day for Major League Baseball is still a month away, but baseball purists can get their fix early at SAM with the 100th anniversary tribute to the Negro National Baseball League in its “Separate and Unequaled” artistic trip down memory lane. It includes a nod to Harrisburg’s own Giants that operated as part of the Eastern Colored League from 1924 to 1927. The exhibit opens this weekend at SAM. Play ball!

Susquehanna Art Museum is located at 1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg.

Millworks/Deja Vu?
It’s that time of the month again. Before you set the clock ahead Saturday night, celebrate the early arrival of spring with the Millworks “First Saturday” on March 7 from 2 to 5 p.m. for an afternoon of art, food and drink at the restaurant and gallery. Meet the artists on hand and see what’s “cooking” for spring in the gallery and in the kitchen.

The Millworks is located at 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg.

Walke this way at Zeroday
A sneak preview for a 3rd in the Burg event on March 20 may get you to walk this way… A one man show from Ted Walke of Gallery on Second can be found at Zeroday Brewing Co. Breakout the 3-D glasses on hand at the brewpub to view anaglyphs in filtered form, typically red and cyan. Who knew “shades” of the 1950s would return? Perhaps Zeroday will be showing “The Creature From the Black Lagoon” in its 3-D format.

Zeroday Brewing Co. is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg.

Bob’s Art Blog: Hearts for Art

February 22, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

“Women Warriors” from “Bootleg Meets R76” at the Art Association of Harrisburg

February is the month designated for lovers or for those who love the idea of it.

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but for those still feeling its euphoric bliss, the latest show at the Art Association of Harrisburg (AAH) may extend that feeling until St. Patrick’s Day rolls around. Anyone who knows me has come to realize that I wear my (H)Art on my sleeve and have for four decades, as that is my wife’s maiden name.

Art couples are a happening that comes with the territory. Think of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg. Locally, Harrisburg boasts a number of artistic unions like Vivian Sterste and Jeb Boyd of Vivi on Verbeke and Caleb Smith and Tara Chickey of the Millworks. And don’t forget the Walkes from Gallery@2nd.

The latest pairing of Charlie “Bootleg” Feathers and Reina “R76” Wooden has already created an artistic avalanche of energetic endeavors. They ended 2019 with a sneak preview party at Charlie’s home studio to kick off the decade of the new “Roaring 20s.” Those fortunate enough to be there were wowed by what two highly creative consorts combined to create in catapulting crystalline clarity into focus.

The current AAH show opened on Friday with Feathers’ “Jumper” (pictured) greeting guests in the foyer with an exuberant smile on his face. Jumper, being an eight-foot-tall papier mache’ zebra, set the stage for the night ahead. The audience at the 3rd in the Burg opening not only got to see firsthand the outpouring of creativity from Feathers/Wooden, but also to experience “Hear Me?” a show by deaf artists across the state of Pennsylvania. Both shows command attention on the merits of talent alone.

The senses of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell are all essential to living life and are something we often take for granted.

Deaf artists from every corner of the state are featured in “Hear Me?” co-curated by Arielle Mabsoute, a deaf artist, and Linda Price, arts activist and an artist in her own right. One of the thought-provoking and timely works is titled, “Deaf President Now,” featuring a quartet of young candidates up to the challenge. In all, 40-plus works round out the show, sending a clear message that all should hear—that a disability does not hamper or inhibit talent, but can actually enhance it as creativity comes from within. That is what truly makes an artist gifted, the heart committed to making art.

Rachel O’Connor, curator, designed the layout for the dual show and smartly balanced the downstairs “Hear Me?” in its intentional tone in allowing the deaf artists’ works to stand collectively apart, creating a dynamic social dialogue without uttering a sound. Mabsoute and Price smartly juxtaposed pure, unfiltered art from Pennsylvania’s School for the Deaf students next to adult interpretations. The mix is magical. The jolts of joy make for quite an experience for viewers young and old.

One of the adults at the show’s vanguard is artist Sheri Youens-Un, who works in wood—two dimensional with layered pieces fitting together like a puzzle and hand-stained to suit the atmosphere of the creation. “Deaf President Now” is offered in earth tones, a subtle reminder that climate change and the loss of the world’s natural resources should be on every candidate’s mind.

Left to their own devices in the upstairs galleries, the always-fascinating Charlie and Reina plotted out a plan that demonstrated they were at “Sixes and Sevens” in the best sort of way. To quote one of my favorite Burg writers, Sara Bozich, everyone in attendance at AAH got their “hair did”—curled, straightened and curled again. Individually, Charlie and Reina were already artists working well outside the box, but, together, they created a celebration fit for Mardi Gras (Feb. 25). The only thing missing was the line of dancers outside Front Street. The “krewe” that queued were out in full regalia, trumpeting this Carnival king and queen.

“The Blue Chair Installations” had a room all to themselves. Feathers’ on-going commentary depicts various branches of mental health awareness, bringing them to the foreground where they rightfully belong. They play a pivotal role for an artist attuned to the internal struggles that mankind faces over the course of a lifetime. A book lies flat on a table in the room, but the pages come alive in a tribute past and present, with an impactful message in drawings and words.

In similar fashion, Wooden’s abstract expressionistic painting addresses the Me Too movement with a ferocity, unrelenting in the notion that womankind must be treated as equal and with the respect that every human being deserves. Another room is devoted to “Women Warriors,” which speaks volumes, prescient and powerful in its scope. Borrowing Teddy Roosevelt’s “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” the collection is complete in photographs and battle gear. Battle axes, torpedo night sticks and an oversized baseball bat “club” that would make Fred Flintstone envious are all hung with aplomb.

Both shows exemplify the fundamental notion in finding source material for inspiration. It can be found through struggle, loss and self-reflection. Both groups of creatives inherently grasp the essence of what the world could be. If we truly have evolved as a species, then we need to embrace our differences and find a common language through art, be it spoken or signed.

Pictured above: “Me Too Mannequin,” Wooden/Feathers

“Bootleg Meets R76” and “Hear Me?” run through March 26 at the Art Association of Harrisburg, 21 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.artassocofhbg.com.

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