Tag Archives: The Millworks

Bob’s Art Blog: Elves on the Shelf & In His Service

December 12, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

Artsy “Elf on the Shelf,” aka Joan Maguire of Hershey Art Gallery and Studio

You can tell it’s that special time of year—the elf in the box is busy hatching his plan to hop out and pop up at the least expected hiding spot. That darn rascal…where to perch away from little eyes? It always poses a challenge. My bet is to hide in plain sight, anywhere but the shelf.

The “Art Elves,” a select group, handpicked by the lead elf, aka Joan Maguire of Hershey Art Gallery and Studio, manned the new shop while she vacationed in the islands before the big holiday rush. Truth be told, it was a working holiday as Joan went to paint wistful watercolors of sea creatures, beach life and sandy shores.

Her showcase gallery is a gem for local artists of renown and Joan is as generous as Santa. Sharing the spotlight, she filled the shop with an entire teapot of talent. Starting with guest appearances by Linda Benton McCloskey, painter of textured treasures in acrylics, cold wax and oil, kicked off a series of trunk shows for a post-Thanksgiving event. Linda’s works defy the laws of nature. Her multi-layered appeal of color and oil, rich and regal, her paintings range from winter scenes to far-reaching mountain vistas.

Mary Kandray Gelenser, collage fabricator of textile dreams, traffics in adorably adoptable dogs and cats stuffed for canine/feline fantasy friends, perfect for pillow-placing posthaste or just strewn about on their own. Mary K. also offers a forest of felted trees and handcrafted wool hats. In addition, she creates tantalizing, patchwork, trend-setting cross body bags. Her collage cards of flora and fauna capture the fancy of young and old alike.

Holiday gift table at the Hershey Art Gallery and Studio

Very early December found repurposed objects sculptor, Jason Lyons, showcasing his collection of whimsical tree ornaments fashioned from old spoons, forks and knives. Uniquely individual, they embrace the charm of Old World gifts that get handed down from one generation to the next. His eye-catching array of angels, snowmen, sleds, reindeer and flowers clamor for a special place on any tree. Jason took the reigns of Santa’s sleigh on the first two Saturdays of December at the gallery.

Sundays in December, an artist near and dear to my heart, my wife, Jana, will be holding all-day trunk shows stocked to the rafters with artisanal soaps, culinary salts, sage smudge bundles, handcrafted leaf and flower gift cards and grab-and-go vintage teacups filled with butterscotch candy for those last-minute gifts. The holiday season is full of star-studded appearances by the ever-elusive elves of excellence at the Hershey Art Gallery. The best part is their creative collections remain for sale at the art emporium available for purchase through Christmas Eve. Gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

By chance, if you find any of these elves out and about during the holiday season, do not be tempted to put them back on the shelf. That includes gallery owner Joan Maguire, now back from her sojourn. Just make sure you put them in that special nook away from little eyes—their delight in finding them will be equally special for the artists themselves. Rumor has it an elf is running amok at Millworks and will be through Christmas Eve or until P.D. Murray runs out of his handcrafted clay rascals! One hides in a different spot within the building each day until it is found. Happy Holidays from the elves on and off the shelf!

In His Service

“Upon This Rock” by David Hilsinger

In a profession as old as time, at least in the Biblical sense, carpentry holds a treasured place among many. The hands of a carpenter, once skilled from toil and hard work, turned to wood carving as a true art form. After decades of honing raw wood into individual iconic chisel and awl pieces, artist David Hilsinger has crafted a lasting monument called “Upon This Rock,” hewn out of English walnut from a tree stump that made the journey back to Pennsylvania in the 1970s from California. In a professional career that has spanned nearly six decades, Dave has seen and done it all. From his early days as a “roadie” for the Beach Boys to working with the legendary Phelan brothers, crafting the ornate bars of wood for the Gingerbread Man chain of restaurants in Mechanicsburg and Carlisle, “Hil” put his stamp on many local landmark watering holes and residential custom woodworking projects. The world-traveled craftsman, having been drafted into the Army in 1968, served his tour of duty and then ventured west. Berkley called to his political nature, and he ended up at Merritt College. Like the lifetime education that became a part of his fabric, the stump has been a work in progress over the course of 50 years. As a union carpenter, the projects never stopped long enough to devote the time, energy and thought to completion until the past year. A car accident in 2018 changed Dave’s life forever as he is no longer able to lift anything over 25 pounds. The desire to return to woodcarving ran deep and, by fate’s hand, it was destined to be that way.

David Hilsinger’s studio

Dave dedicated much of 2023 to work on the “Rock,” remembering his childhood as his mother was a devout Catholic and she often quoted the scripture, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” Many religious elements are carved into the rich walnut wood, taking on a life of its own in beauty and meaning. Visitors to his studio from the community are deeply moved in its simple yet powerful message. Many feel it should be in a church or museum for all to see. It is a fitting tribute to his mother and for this season of love and peace. Viewing it up close is spiritually humbling and uplifting as a tree became the focal point of salvation over 2,000 years ago.

Contact the artist, Dave Hilsinger at 717-377-5226.

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

Bob’s Art Blog: The Originals and Holiday Gallery Gift Guide

November 28, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

P.D. Murray

“The Originals” sounds like it may be a Pixar movie arriving right before the holidays, but, in truth, it is a tribute to the current trio of artists who recently unveiled their Oscar-worthy art exhibit in the Millworks lobby, right on time for First Saturday, Dec. 2. To be an original, one must truly be a “1” of a kind. To be original is to break the mold. Over the years, it has afforded me great joy to write about all the Millworks artists, past and present. They are a community that ardently supports each other, shares an unbreakable camaraderie, and celebrates one another’s successes.

Artists, scalawags three, hold a special place in my art blogs, having written about them on numerous occasions, and now is the perfect time to introduce the new kid–but hold tight for a second. The trio is synonymous with “unique.” Prolifically profane at times, prescient posturing for others, but always on point, P.D. Murray is poised for permanence in the “Painting Pantheon of Poetic Paleontology.” His library of characters is overflowing with quirks and twerks, works with perks, and even “gherks that irks” (sour pickles). Pucker up, P.D. Murray. This is your life!

Huckle Buckle Boys

“Beep beep!!” A P.D. Murray mainstay, “Roadrunner,” like a gust of wind whooshing by in a flash, is on his way to see Garrick Dorsett and Zack Rudy, aka The Huckle Buckle Boys. Shortened to HBB, the Boys, over the years, have dealt in outrageously outre originals, spaceships and intergalactic travel, birds wearing masks pre-COVID precognition, and, of late, niche numerological navigation. Starting with the number “6” in a series of pattern forming methodologies within their current framework, mathematicians both, Garrick and Zack, crack the code, revealing that “doubling” continues ad infinitum.

R-Lo

Brand new to the Millworks mix, hanging art on the lobby wall, is a major force to be reckoned with…Richard L. Hernandez, better known as R-Lo. The “R” is key and points to the artist’s medium of choice, charcoal. The mystical gravity that pervades charcoal drawings is the interplay of dark against light, as ancient as cave paintings and the Pyramids, the elemental pull of creation comes full cycle in studies employing charcoal. From the first mark on the paper, the work starts to evolve as the velvety tone and texture of soot swirl in a brush with imagination. The components of energy and expressive freedom join in a seesaw of give and take, striking the balance in dusk and twilight shadings. R-Lo takes the Midtown art audience, caught in a whirlwind hurricane on a wild ride, bringing them to its very center at the eye, tossing caution topsy-turvy, tumultuously escaping, coming out on the other side safe but greatly moved and enlightened. Humble and hesitant to recognize his own immense talent, R-Lo’s art bridges the temporal and the eternal, depicting mankind’s struggles of the here and now played out on a grand scale. The paper canvases are wall-sized and dramatically draw initiates new to the medium into the mainframe’s depth as the seductive smears and smudges surrender to surround the senses scintillatingly surreal. R-Lo naturally draws comparisons to the great master himself, Leonardo, both in symphonic symbolism and as a supernal being. Richard’s star will shine bright in the firmament in the years to come.

Millwork’s current show runs through Dec. 10 and sets the holiday table with this unforgettable group of “Originals.” Be sure to stop in to see them and all the other Millwork’s artists in their studios and for First Saturday. View Murray, Dorsett, Rudy and R-Lo. And while you’re at it, break the mold this holiday season and pass on the fruitcake. Try something original instead.

Art for purchase at Vivi on Verbeke

Art Gallery Gift Guide for the 12 Days of Christmas, 8 nights of Chanukah, 6 days of Kwanzaa

Art Association of Harrisburg, 21 N. Front St., 717.236.1432
Specializing in paintings, statuary and assembled objects
Contact Nate Foster, Gallery Sales Director

Carlisle Arts Learning Center, 38 W. Pomfret St., 717.249.6973
Holiday Art Market, an entire gallery devoted to gifts galore.
Contact Amanda Kistler, Giftware Guru

Pat Craig Studios and The Pond, 30-32 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle 717.245.0382
Award-winning gift and custom framing store, hand crafted jewelry, cards, socks, and fine art and prints.
Contact Pat Craig, owner

EsoArts, 317 N. Queen St., Lancaster, 717.696.2093
Artisanal crafted goods from art to jewelry to upcycled clothing and even a tattoo parlor.
Contact Andrew Silvius or Zachary Walter, owners

Hershey Art Gallery and Studio, 1077 Swatara Rd., Hershey, 717.580.1614
Specializing in watercolor paintings, repurposed metal sculptures, charcuterie boards,
Culinary salts, bath salts and botanical soaps, jewelry, fabric art, prints and cards.
Contact Joan Maguire, owner

HIVE artspace, 126 E. King St., York, 917.971.7456
Paintings, cards, tree ornaments, jewelry and gift items
Contact Susan Scofield, owner

Millworks, 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, 717.695.4888
Visit 36 artists on 3 floors, shop main floor gift boutique for art, clothing, jewelry, pottery, home goods, and stained glass
Contact Art Director Tara Chickey

Nyeusi Gallery, 1224 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, 717.421.4630
Specializing in Black art and art of the Caribbean with artwork, statuary, masks and books
Contact Art Director Steve Barber

Smith Fine Art Gallery & Custom Framing, 190 Reno Ave., New Cumberland, 717.774.4301
Specializing in fine art, featuring 30 local artists and custom framing, conservation and restoration.
Contact Debbie Smith, owner

Venture, 128 E. King St., York, 717.495.9992
Royal Square Arts District purveyor of fine gifts
Specializing in artisanal paintings, pottery, paper, felting and handbound books
Contact Susan McDaniel, owner

Village Artisans, 321 Walnut St., Boiling Springs, 717.258.3256
Gift gallery 200 nationally known artisans
Specializing in blown glass objects, pottery, jewelry and giftware
Contact P.J. Heyman, owner

Vivi on Verbeke, 258 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, 717.961.9826
Specializing in pottery, photography, paintings and handmade gift items
Contact Vivian Sterste or Jeb Boyd, owners

Photos by Jana MacGinnes

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

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: Abracadabra & Presto Change-o

September 11, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

The magician stepped out onto the stage with all attention on him under the spotlight. He tapped his wand three times on the black top hat and said loud and clear, “Abracadabra.” What took place next you can see now on the main floor at Susquehanna Art Museum in its “Transformative Craft,” an “understated powerhouse” of an exhibit for the next 30 days. If that sounds like an oxymoron, you will soon learn as to why.

“Supplication” by Jordan Bashore

For Susquehanna Art Museum’s 8^th annual juried art exhibition, 24 artists from around the country brought their exceptional skills up to the challenge with their interpretations of what transformative craft entails. In every case, each artist brought critical thinking and ingenuity to the foreground, parlaying positive change in approaching their medium and object reimagined. When the creation is no longer that of its conceptualized norm due to addition, alteration and amelioration, the completed result rises to a whole different plane and idea of beauty reflected in its new state. In other words, when is a chair more than a chair or a textile becomes a photographic keepsake? They are but two of two dozen excellent examples selected from over 500 entries nationwide juried in that made the cut for the exhibit. “Transformative Craft” is born again as a brand-new entity. The tightly compact number of selections is given free rein in the wide-open space of the museum’s ground floor as well as the DeSoto Family Vault. By intentional choice, each objet d’ art shines forth on its own, shared Executive Director Alice Anne Schwab. The narratives that accompany the art share the artist’s arrival at its finished state, critical to the viewers overall experience. The backstory lends insight to the deeper meaning of transformation.

Highlights of the show include Travis Townsend’s “The New Ship of Progress,” a craft of wood and mixed media that pays homage to the Chinese “junks.” These sea vessels were used for trading and housing as well as pirating, originating during the Han Dynasty. Townsend’s vessel is worlds apart from those of yore. He incorporates compartments and apparatus necessary for adventures of the subconscious mind. Conceptually colorful and artistically executed, “Progress” creates the means to an end that appeals to all the senses. Of local interest, Jordan Bashore of Harrisburg marries “textiles, tulle, and acorns,” according to the artist, threading a needle of continuity throughout her work in “Supplication.”

“drifted over the tide (2)” by Morgan Ford Willingham

On a smaller scale, Morgan Ford Willingham’s “drifted over the tide (2)” entails a “cyanotype with hand embroidery on found textiles.” Her skilled craft as a photographic master allows for a union of mediums shining forth in subtle nuances. The subject matter explores the relationship between mother and daughter in an incandescent image that is as haunting as it is healing. The beauty of an intimate object, both personal and universal, brings the viewer to bear on the gravitas of a parent’s love for a child.

The exhibit runs through Oct. 15. 3^rd in the Burg this Friday night provides the perfect opportunity to view the exhibit before its gone.

Robert Childs and Carrie Wissler Thomas

Presto Change-o! (To change quickly from one thing to another, used originally as a magician’s command.)

Wrapping up Gallery Walk 35 this past Sunday afternoon saw the curtain come down on what may be viewed as the best Gallery Walk ever. Thanks to its illustrious leader, Carrie Wissler Thomas, CEO of the Art Association of Harrisburg, and Rachel O’Connor, curator, both had more than a few tricks up their sleeves to pull off such a stunner! Twenty venues, hundreds of artists and hordes of gallery-goers all contributed to a memorable day of art. Curator O’Connor dialed up this year’s theme, “Art Is,” an open-ended dialogue to demonstrate all the facets of the discipline of art with no wrong answers. It is subjective by nature as everyone has their own take on the subject. Evidence was everywhere with more than just “the usual suspects” in the lineup. Museums and murals all added up to lasting memories that will carry us through to next year’s Walk.

“Floating to the Chesapeake” by Kathleen Joffrion, at AAH

Reporting From the Front Lines: Starting at the AAH for Gallery Walk kickoff at noon, the foot traffic was like an art stampede. The amazing thing, the first sale of the day was to a well-known art collector from Winchester, Va., who purchased a Marjorie Taylor painting as an investment. Art patrons also drove in from Fredrick, Md., after seeing the billboard on Route 81 advertising Gallery Walk. Word is out, (literally). Judging by the head count for the first hour at the AAH, edition #35” could be a record setter. The weather tried its best to rain on the parade and, for a while, it did. However, the day would not be deterred nor the art lover’s determination. Rainy day and all umbrellas got their workout. And there were unexpected winners.

“Night Fall on the Farm” by Josephine Alexander, at AAH

Perhaps the most appreciative audience were the ducks on Front Street traveling to the Civic Club of Harrisburg for a special group of artists that included an AAH art instructor, Carrie Feidt. By 2:30 p.m., at the halfway point of the event, the storm passed over with “nothing but blue skies from then on.” In speaking with Vivian Sterste, who marked 10 years at her Vivi on Verbeke studio along with partner Jeb Boyd, reported various artists shopping her studio during Gallery Walk, which included Victor Capecce and Craig Baumgardner, artists showing their works at the AAH. Vivi went on to say that there are “new possibilities in the infinite to be discovered.”

Segue to Chantal Eloundou at her Nyianga Store who stayed open later than the 5 p.m. closing bell as she still had customers visiting her boutique. And if that wasn’t enough, the second annual “impromptu after party” took place at Millworks. It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere. Tara Chickey, art director, revealed “the day mirrored the weather with the foot traffic’s ebb and flow dependent on Mother Nature.”

In case there is any doubt, let me assure you that two Pauls are better than one. Paul D. Murray, gonzo artist in residence, echoed Tara’s words as the rain clouds played a part behind the scenes, but when the sun came out, so did the art audience. Paul Gallo, lively and quick, (one of the seven lively artists) joined the after party, stating that “Gallery Walk brought out new faces, curiosity seekers, and a fair amount of folks enamored with art.” The other Paul, ping ponging back to Murray, referenced a painting Paul G. did a few years back depicting a sci-fi galaxy featuring a functional, not flashy, spaceship entitled, “Searching.” Yachiyo Beck took that as a cue to join in returning to Millworks after spending five hours demonstrating her painting at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church. Ms. Beck briefly announced, even with the gray skies, last year’s attendance was eclipsed at the church with visitors and onlookers. Artist Judy Kelly rejoiced that the day brought a great experience, one worthy of sharing with the world.

It is the special moments we share in life as part of a bigger picture that matter the most. When we feel connected to a likeminded group (like Judy Kelly’s visit from four college-aged girls who met on an app), which brings strangers together to share activities as simple as going for a walk. It is so obvious. Judy truly relishes the joy in the every day. Those times are remembered long after the event has taken place, put in a memory bank that grows with each passing year. Such is the stuff dreams are made of…

September Art Events
Friday, Sept. 15, 3^rd in the Burg
Saturday, Sept. 16, Hummelstown Art Festival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Photos by Jana MacGinnes

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

Bob’s Art Blog: Send in the Artists

August 15, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

Over the years I have made it my mission to cover the wide range of artists housed within Millworks’ three levels. With school starting back in a matter of weeks, I felt mid-August was the perfect time to cover a special group of creatives. Falling in line for roll call finds 10 eclectic elocutionists who speak the language of art with precise articulation and verve. Art class is now in session.

I had the good fortune of catching up with two fresh faces at Millworks during the most recent 3^rd in The Burg event. If one were to combine the finely delicate art of Georgia O’Keefe “Flowers” series, done with a modern-day flourish, you may be admiring Marjorie Taylor’s studies of the same subject matter in Studio 214. Nature serves as a major source of inspiration as she quotes Einstein, “Look deep into Nature and you will understand everything better.” Acrylics and oils on linen panels provide the impetus for her poetic paintings. Breathtaking, “Madagascar Comet Moth,” is enhanced by the addition of gold-leaf while her “Pansy” study speaks to O’Keefe’s most famous works.

Madagascar Comet Moth by Marjorie Taylor

Stained glass by Carrie Shusta

Carrie Shusta of Millworks 322 likes to pick up the pieces as in the stained glass she creates working her magic like a kaleidoscope rotated to perfection, where creativity meets assemblage. Borrowing from “old school inspiration like the Arts and Craft Movement of the ‘60s (like the 1860s).” Carrie bends the rules and pushes the natural boundaries of stained glass to its edge employing the Tiffany Method of “copper foiling.” Shusta is fascinated by the possibilities of what can be within the medium.

Art of the Earth in Studio 102 finds Kate Gambini, a potter with a predilection for surface decoration, adapting her style to build hand slabs or work at the wheel. It is in the combination of textural technique and illustration that make her works stand apart. Rachelle Lowe, a ceramic sculptor, shares the studio in tandem with Kate, finding a common ground in ceramics. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her resume draws on atypical crafting works of art, bridging her love as an entomologist with the fine art of sculpting. Her creations embody an abiding love of nature, specifically her fascination with insects. This passion started as a child, developing into an artistically successful pursuit. Fine Art by Angela Lapioli is for all lovers of nature. Her paintings breathe and live in a portal between this world and the next. Her work has been featured in the atrium of WITF. Angela is a graduate of Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and has already left her mark as an illustrator, graphic designer and art director. If you appreciate dreamy renderings of the natural world, her paintings may gently awaken you in Studio 214.

April Henbest’s outpost, number 216, is reminiscent of a modern-day “Little House on the Prairie” general store, in that it showcases T-shirts, linens for the home, fanciful cards, all displayed on eye-catching hooks and stands as part of her Tiny Homestead Studio. Breezy and light, its charm lies in its simplicity. Pat Frese of Studio 216 is an enamellist of the highest order, sharing space with fellow compatriot, Averill Shepps. Inspired by the world around her, Pat marries finely ground glass to metal in a kiln at high temperatures. Her work has been featured at the Enamellist Society Exhibition in 2022.

Jessica Cavey of Circe, Studio 213, creates one-of-a-kind pieces as a fiber artist and herbalist. Her “brand” name stems from Greek mythology, referring to a woman of knowledge and power who is rarely recognized for those attributes. Ms. Cavey is ready to change that thinking. Her work is artistically refined in clothing and accessories. Jennifer Skerpon is a unique jeweler who offers permanent adornments in high carat gold, sterling silver and gold-filled, all with links that are welded closed in lieu of a clasp. Found in Studio 212, Jennifer is ecologically conscious, working with only recycled precious metals. In addition, the lapidary elements employed are “in the rough” from ethical sources, then cut, shaped, and polished by the artist. A rare artisan, Jennifer creates jewelry that speaks to the soul, attracting clients of similar tastes.

Charcoal study by Richard Lopez-Hernandez

Perhaps the newest addition to the fray is Richard L. Hernandez (RLO), planting his flag firmly in Studio 215. Specializing in charcoal studies as his medium gives him the latitude to operate in two worlds simultaneously, moving between “shadow and substance,” finding the gray areas not defined by light or dark, comfortable in twilight’s tantalizing thrills. Subjects swirl in surreal seductions, only to segue toward artistic abstraction. RLO deftly demonstrates divergent dreams as the curtain comes down on the drama that unfolds before our eyes.

Over the years, Millworks has turned out a stalwart class of “graduates” that include Amie Bantz, Meg Caruso, Lauren Castillo, Kelly McGee Curran, Mary Gelenser, Jason Lyons and Joan McGuire, just to name a few, as well as Stash Collective. These artists cut their teeth at Millworks before moving on to solo and group enterprises. Half of the early adaptors who believed in the power of art at Millworks have remained steadfast, continuing to thrive under its art director, Tara Chickey. Tara rotates the artists through an annual calendar, with each one contributing to a major show twice a year featured in the downstairs lobby. She shared “that the process brings out the very best in all of them.” I would be remiss not to tip my hat to the original 16 (of 33) led by Tara with her husband, Caleb Byron Smith. They are an art power couple. Apparently, art and marriage go hand in hand, judging by the creative duos of Richard and Marsha Souders, Joelle and Justin Arawjo of Fennec Design, and Robert McCloskey and Linda Benton McCloskey. Independents from the very start include Ann Benton Yeager, John Davis, Yachiyo Beck, Paul Vasiliades, Judy Kelly, Tina Berrier, Julie Iaria and Tami Bitner.

Millworks studio boards (photo: Tara Chickey)

All the above are noted, as well as other current Millwork’s artists I have covered over the past five years that are still roosting in Millworks loft. Beyond the art itself, there is an underlying sense of community connected by more than paintings, photographs and pottery. The thread of continuity speaks to camaraderie where artists share and support, critique and commiserate, all done with a bond of unbreakable bonhomie. Even the “graduates” share a wistfulness about their days at 340 Verbeke.

I could write about the group of artists I’ve covered over the years at Millworks in nine chapters up until today. Pamela Black, Elaine Elledge, Rebecca Adey of Mod Sew, Paul and Alexander Zemaitis of Moonrise Candle, P.D. Murray, Paul Gallo, Phil Wells, Reina R76 Wooden, Kristen Fava of Rexmake, Zack Rudy and Garrick Dorsett of The Hucklebuckle Boys, all have made for great copy as well as those “originals,” the sweet 16. For the moment, time and space does not allow that luxury, and it appears I am now up to date for the fall semester. The artists’ “in/out boards” near the entrance provide up-to-date info as to who is in each studio. With all due respect and reverence for the legacy of modern-day composer, the late Stephen Sondheim, I borrowed a few words from his classic, “Send in the Clowns.” Me paraphrasing Sondheim’s words, (no need to) “send in the artists…they’re already here.”

August Special Events

3^rd in the Burg: LGBT Center of Central PA presents “A Home of Our Own” (soft launch) at their new headquarters, 1323 N. Front St., 5 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 19, Sprocket Mural Works & Parliament Arts Organization present York Mural Fest, Royal Square Arts District, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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

Bob’s Art Blog: Millworks Fireworks

June 30, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

Arriving now at Millworks.

The street side awning quietly announces an umbrella of art, food and brewery. Watch your step, please. Going up to the rooftop 3^rd floor where you will find pyrotechnics of all sorts…cherry bombs, sparklers, Roman candle, and bottle rockets. Studio #318, a shared space for three and #323, mirroring the same, are artists havens where numbers and letters play vital roles. Millworks has fireworks of its own in the likes of the ever-incendiary Huckle Buckle Boys (HBB) and R76 and P.D. Murray. You will meet these explosive artists who create art all year round.

Bette Davis, yes, those eyes, once stated “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.” Soon, you will learn “eyes” are a recurrent theme in the artists’ body of work. Buckling in is a safety measure well applied when on the rollercoaster that Garrick Dorsett and Zack Rudy man in their amusement park of characters colliding in their zany funhouse.

Artwork from the Huckle Buckle Boys

Zack and Garrick are intense artists, radical in every sense of the word but as laid back as a Sunday morning, philosophically. They operate in a world completely of their own making. So, to be invited to their inner sanctum is a rare treat. Alice in Wonderland had nothing on this duo. Just ask Neo, “the red or the blue.”

To try to capture their art is akin to catching lightning in a bottle. Characters stemming from two fevered imaginations spring forth, creating a narrative that begs description. But rather than pigeonhole meaning, they leave the script wide open to interpretation. In creating mixed mediums on canvas, a new body of work is born out of their fomenting minds. HBB speaks to “new layers, drips, stabs and general experimentation” in sun-washed, colorful tones that would look snappy drying on a clothesline, except their subjects don’t wear clothes. Garrick went on to share that this is “a period of time to step back and check each other’s work, developing characters organically.”

Their latest offerings revolve around the integer “six,” which holds a questionable math quandary. The paintings focus on #’s 6, 12, and 24…are you beginning to see a pattern here? This new spate of surrealist tableaux reverts to a time when creatures crawled out of the ocean and walked on all fours, full of eyes far more than is necessary to see while begging to be seen. These specimens are desperately seeking classification under genus species. Where did you get those eyes? Jeepers creepers, where did those peepers come from? Just another secret, the HBB’s hold close inside, dating back to the mystery of 822. And as for letters, both Garrick Dorsett and Zachary Rudy have a number of R’s in their names. Looking forward to the next chapter of numbers 48 and 96 and of course 192 ad infinitum.

Art of Reina “R76” Wooden

When all one needs is a letter and a number as identifiers, it is a good indication that the persona is larger than life. Such is the case for R76, aka Reina Wooden, Harrisburg native, Howard University graduate and self-taught artist. Bombastic on all counts, from her bubbly, over-the-top personality to her fervent belief that art can and does change the world, she is a force to be reckoned with. Reina is an art activist, doing her part to help mankind become colorblind. It is my belief that, when that occurs, the platforms of art, sports, music, dance and positive dialog will eradicate all barriers blocking peace and harmony. She is a high-flying performer who never uses a safety net, trusting her own instincts from her days at university. This human dynamo wants more than anything to try to set the record straight.

As an African American, Venezuelan artist, Ms. Wooden is a revisionist historian with her works shifting the paradigm to reflect a spotlight illuminating the brutal eradication of marginalized histories in the African diaspora. She achieves this presciently with her thought-provoking tributes of Crowns for Kings and Queens for those who gave their lives through no choice of their own, as slaves, a theme revisited time and again in her oeuvre. Her series, “faces with Xs for eyes,” further advances the notion of a people who are not seen as human beings, merely a face among many. It is through her paintings that Reina focuses her lens on the tropes of racism, confronting the wrongs of the past, replacing those ills with symbols of royalty and power. The artist states, “the struggle is the canvas and the brush, the success.”

“No Longer Afraid” by P.D. Murray

The “IRs” of P.D. Murray point to “Irascible,” “Irreverent,” “Irrefutable,” just to list a few. Most of what follows is true. Looking at Bohemian artist, Paul D. Murray, a seafaring scalawag may come to mind. Paul’s eyes, gimlet for certain, are heightened by his trademark eyewear, which enhances his facial anatomy that looks at the world with a vision that is always 20/20, especially in 20/23. His visions often hallucinatory, high on life, often appear left of center always in keeping with his pure sense of self (awareness, reliance, perpetuating, you get the “picture”) and on the off chance you don’t, Paul will spell it out for you in his titles, captions, comments, etc., that adorn the encyclopedic range of ideas presented in his paintings. The artist personified, he is “irascible” proudly, “irreverent” by his very nature in a child-like way, and most certainly irrefutable,” a true force of nature. Old school art cred permeates his very being, a child of the ’60s born, the journey on his road to find out fortunately finding its way to the central PA art scene, landing in Millworks Studio #323. He holds court there on most weekends regaling visitors viewing the “master at work,” my appellation for him and engaging friends in his painterly patois dispensing thoughts on a variety of subjects. Knowledgeable and worldly as in one who lives life, Paul is perhaps a national treasure, or at least a local one. Think of Aristotle or Plato and the gallery of wisdom seekers surrounding them for a fraction of wisdom and insight. It is like those acolytes thirsting for knowledge delivered tongue in chic from P.D., always with a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor. The best part of all, no hidden agenda, what you see is what you get.

Commissioned works are a part of the show. Just ask him, brush always at the ready. Skyrocketing up the charts is a brand-new collaboration with the HBBs, guaranteed to turn heads and multiple sets of eyes. Murray’s latest offerings hanging on the wall at Millworks feature a massive work titled, “No Longer Afraid,” a repeated proclamation chanted aloud, reminiscent of What about Bob’s “baby steps.” Lastly, on P.D.’s summer itinerary… hang gliding over Ibiza, safari in Kenya, and waterskiing through the Everglades.

“Not only is painting cheaper than therapy, but it never asks me how I’m feeling,” P.D. says. “Usually, it tells me.”

Millworks is located at 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

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

Bob’s Art Blog: Lyons and Tigers and Bears, Oh My

May 22, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

The memorable refrain, “Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!” chanted by Dorothy, the Tin Man and Scarecrow on the road to Oz served as a means of summoning courage when the three encountered the Cowardly Lion. They created an unbreakable bond of trust and friendship undertaking the adventure of a lifetime. Unlike Dorothy and friends, I am not following the Yellow Brick Road but other avenues leading me to “Lyons, tigers and bears.” Getting to meet artists and write about their talents is one of the best parts of my job.

Sculptor Jason Lyons

Recently at Hershey Art Gallery and Studios grand opening, I had the good fortune to meet reclaimed objects sculptor, Jason Lyons. Jason is not your typical sculptor working in clay but is a specialized artist working with found objects, repurposing them in creations purely his own. He’s unique in the sense that he incorporates items of the everyday (silver tableware, car parts, kitchen utensils and tchotchkes) that capture the imagination, knowing that together they will complete the puzzle.

His range of ideas is wide open, with objects used determining the final product. What may be a silver spoon at face value takes on a new life when repurposed under the alchemist’s hands, part mad scientist, part sheer genius. This sorcerer’s apprentice casts a spell on the commonplace. Equipment, tools, hardware, et al, turn base metal into silver and gold. Jason Lyons could easily be the Wizard himself as his sculptures become jewels worthy of the Emerald City. It is in the ever-diverse combinations of placement where the end result takes on a luster of beauty personified, elevating material items into exceptional art. The proof is in the pudding or, at the very least, the spoon to eat it with.

The artist shares, “Ideas grow from a single reclaimed object consisting of primarily wood or metal that create the ‘foundation of its repurpose’… Sensing exactly what a certain item is to become just by its very shape, material and innate energy, sculptures literally grow from that humble beginning. In the end, the results become organic figures found in nature.”

A sculpture by Jason Lyons

Sculptors are a rare breed, much like the beasts of the wild. Reclaimed, untamed and meant to exist outside of captivity, no cage or fence should limit creativity as its roar is central to its very being. Modest to a fault, Jason creates out of the need to create. It has been in his blood since boyhood, stemming from “junking journeys” with his dad. In his expanded repertoire, one can find articulated flowers, a duck, herons, snowman ornaments and a resplendent rooster that has much to crow about. For Jason, nothing is lost as all are found for an exact reason. Equating that to the human condition at times throughout our lives, we may feel that sense of not knowing exactly what comes next. In realizing we all have a purpose in life, it’s where we fit in that matters most. Jason Lyons knows that truth better than most. His work can be viewed at Brain Vessel in Mechanicsburg, Perry County Council of the Arts in Newport and at Joan Maguire’s recently opened Hershey Art Gallery and Studio. Contact Jason at JasonlyonsArts@gmail.com, JasonlyonsArts.com or 717.810.9876

Eso Arts images by Amie Bantz

Tigers are a special breed of cat that symbolize grace, cunning and independence. All of these attributes could apply to artist, Amie Bantz. Having lived her life as an art educator in Carlisle, a special liaison for Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, artist in residence at Millworks and as an art activist for the AAPI community, Amie is making her mark wherever she goes. In her 30 years, now new to the city of Lancaster, Aimee pulled up stakes from her beloved Midtown connection at Millworks in Harrisburg to conquer a whole new world in what could very well be the art capital of central PA. Lancaster is an artist’s dream with galleries everywhere in the downtown area. On my last visit to write about the art scene there, I counted 30 galleries, museums and storefronts dedicated to the myriad manifest of meaningful art. With an accomplished resume worthy of accolades and more, Amie is making her presence known by her work ethos and her paintings. Subtle yet savvy marketing is a hallmark of her approach with IG posts, videos and personal references like the actual storyboards of “Lunch Box Moments,” a one-woman show that has traveled from Carlisle to State College over the past two years. They are all central to the narrative she embraces. As a socially conscious the member of Asian American and Pacific Island community, Amie is making a difference raising awareness that uniqueness in cultures is to be embraced. As an exceptional artist for years at Millworks, Amie’s reputation preceded her as an art influencer, going a long way in establishing her presence in the Red Rose City. She unveiled new paintings as part of a tribute to AAPI Cultural Awareness exhibit at Eso Arts for their Heritage Month, which opened May 5 for a weekend show. Amie shared it was OK to “let the cat out of the bag” with some updates. She is busier than usual as the art director for a New York/Lancaster-based educational consortium. In addition, a new studio in Lititz is sparking her art with upcoming events scheduled for Lancaster in August and one in Boston in November. You can contact Amie at amiebantz@gmail.com or her website amiebantz.com or Instagram@amiebantz.

Bears may very well populate the rural surroundings of Landisburg, where woodworker Kevin Witmer, calls home. Bears symbolize strength, courage, nobility and patience. Like the sapling planted as a child that grows into a towering tree by adulthood, a vocation of passion sprung forth from a love of whittling wood as a boy. Witmer found his calling early on in his love of the forest. I met the craftsman during last autumn’s Odd Ones Bizarre on the rooftop patio at Millworks, displaying his wares. As the space was limited, the presentation consisted of exquisitely inlaid fauna captured in wood…almost like amber encases natural objects like fossils rarified and beautiful. These small square slabs of wood embody the mission Witmer “brings to the table” with every project he takes on, always careful to use “live edged pieces whenever possible.” It is his way of honoring trees and even more so the forest of tomorrow.

Woodwork by Kevin Witmer

It is astounding to learn that Witmer has only been at this craft for two years as his skills are categorically consummate in a class by themselves, in part due to the heart and passion of working with the wood in its flawed state. His conscious effort to highlight the flaws speaks to an artist of the highest realm in understanding that life’s imperfections give wood or individuals their greatest characteristic…uniqueness. Kevin embraces clients’ requests for a commissioned piece when they possess a special tree or piece of wood to be transformed into utilitarian pieces like tables, benches, cabinets and shelving. Then the tree lives on in another form, experiencing rebirth as a new body of art. In creating the client’s dream and seeing their vision come true under his hands and heart, the circle is complete. Contact Kevin at witmerwoodcraft@gmail.com and IG witmerwoodcraft.

“Where the Wild Things Grow” by Bob MacGinnes

Birthday News: On a personal note, I turned 72 last week and find I am busier in retirement than ever before. I’m the concierge at Ralph Lauren in Hershey two days a week, coach high school baseball, create art from the wild (indoor land art), and write an art blog and column. The best part is that I get to hang out with a cool group of artists that starts with my family. My photographer for TheBurg, my dear wife, Jana, son Beau and daughter Aubrey, “Art in the Wild” artists, my actress daughter-in-law, Kaila, as well as granddaughters Estella, age 8, an entrepreneur with her handmade clay bead bracelet business, and Adelina, a mixed-media artist at 20 months of age. Plus, all the great artists in central PA I’ve met over the past five years. Life is rich and full, and I am the luckiest man in the world.

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

Bob’s Art Blog: Sweethearts & Folkies

February 7, 2023 | by Bob MacGinnes

Sweethearts of the Rodeo Round Up Folk Art

With Valentine’s Day a mere week away, I want you to meet a group of folk artists I refer to as “The Sweethearts of the Rodeo.” What on earth could a fabric collage creator, a rug hooker, a scrimshander and an assemblage architect have in common? You’ll need to keep reading to learn the secrets they share.

European immigrants to America incorporated Old World traditions of artistic expression and applied them in their new culture of the 13 colonies. Folk art in America had found its roots. The progenitors of the movement created works of utilitarian and ornamental design. Pottery, textiles and statuary were the main branches of folk art with painting, rug hooking and even the art of reliquary scrimshaw carving, part of the varied mediums of the genre. Locally, there’s a small community of dedicated artists keeping those traditions alive. All are well respected in their fields as categorically their works represent the best of what is being offered to their specific form.

Art collage by Mary Kandray Gelenser (photo: Jana MacGinnes)

“Textile themestress,” Mary Kandray Gelenser of Millworks Studio 319 is always on the hunt for rare, precious and beautiful fabrics to create her captivating collages. She has a love affair, enamored of the role fabric plays, in the history of person, place and time. Through dedicated research in tracking down their roots, she finds a never-ending adventure of sourcing methods and materials. It is what she does with them that solve the whodunits in her signature style of panache and poetry, rolled into one. Inspired by vintage textiles, Mary’s collages are layer upon layer, with each frame working towards its final resolution. Taken as individual tales, they share a visual and emotional connection by the threads that stitch them into a unified whole. Even a moth becomes a constant collage co-conspirator as it undergoes metamorphosis, beauty unfettered, with nature’s noteworthy news. Every finished Gelenser “original” becomes a bestseller as her “novel” approach arrives apart, allowing an algorithm spun from color and texture to develop dramatically. She brings chapter and verse to her highly imaginative renderings of modern-day folk art. Her lexicon is purely her own. “Rescued clothing, stabilizing fabric stitching and padding, scraps, odd belts, lace from trim” all play a vital role in her art collages, according to the artist. Gelenser is a featured artist at the Millworks for 3rd in the Burg this month and her exhibit runs through March 12. Contact at maryrtk@yahoo.com and IG: marykandraygelenserart.

Fabric art by Susanne Robinson (photo: Jana MacGinnes)

It’s next to impossible to pull the wool over the eyes of rug hooker extraordinaire, Susanne Robinson of Arts on the Square at Market Square Presbyterian Church. Her journey with the medium began a few years back at Fort Hunter when the Woolwrights Rug Hooking Guild from Lancaster (no relation to the Lollipop Guild) was demonstrating their craft and, from that point on, she was hooked. Robinson is a fiber artist in a class by herself, using techniques that found their origins in 19th-century England. With ethereal woolens from Scotland, she weaves a spell of beauty and beyond in her tapestry wall hangings. If a picture is truly worth a thousand words, then her works speak volumes in each and every tapestry she creates. Susanne shared detailed knowledge of form and function with “patterns printed on a variety of backings most often done on linen, frames become essential as the needlelike strips hold the pattern in place. Hooks with wooden handles vary in size dependent on the size of the strips of wool. Wool is the very best material to use once washed and dried prior to hooking. It lends itself to dying with lush results in color and shades. The last necessary item is a cutter with blade.” Wool tapestries took their rightful place as a vital means of self-expression, capturing a narrative with one woven image. They are highly prized and collectible today among folk art lovers. For more info, refer to the periodical: ATHA.

Scrimshaw art by Roni Dietrich

One of the oldest living examples of folk art stateside and across the Atlantic can be found in the maritime practice of scrimshaw. The form harkens back to whalers carving pictures into ivory and whalebone. It’s a pastime dating to at least 1745. The art form evolved to become fine art and, today, collectors value the finely detailed beauty that scrimshanders create. “Yipee-ki-yay!” and “a whaling we will go” are all too familiar to folk artist cowgirl, Roni Dietrich, who is at home on a horse or on the open water, accustomed to sailing after decades of marriage to retired Navy seaman, Mark. Both are volunteers at the therapeutic riding academy of CATRA in Grantville. When engaged in carving and etching on knives, whalebone or ivory, Dietrich channels the whaling days of yore, following the elevated beauty of the past as a devoted practitioner of scrimshaw. The intricate etching may take months to complete with commissioned works being her forte. As a purist in that realm, she is a scrimshander of renown, written up in books including a Tom Clancy novel and art periodicals. At her craft for decades, her work has been featured at Brain Vessel in Mechanicsburg and two galleries in New England, where the medium is king. Roni’s camaraderie with other artists of her ilk subscribe to the adage, “Scrimshanders: 300 years behind the times.” And on a more serious note, she strongly feels that, “Everyone is born an artist no matter what they create.” Roni’s work can be found on IG at Wildhorsestudio9.

Sculpture by Charlie Feathers (photo: Jana MacGinnes)

Every rodeo needs at least one buckaroo. Bridging the tropes of folk-art assemblage in employing a modernity of found objects for a more sophisticated interpretation, Charlie Feathers straddles both eras in the collections he manifests. Part fevered dream, part scientific imaginings, always prescient in their completed state, the statuary of artist Feathers finds its home in outdoor garden installations and to pride of place in collectors’ homes. Incorporating elements of 19th-century weather charms and whirligigs, he builds amalgamations from his subconscious state of mind. Feathers pays homage to the iconic “Winged Victory” that resides in the Louvre in Paris with his “always reclaimed collages created from castoff parts and found objects” in a timely tribute to the Grecian statue. He employs brass and copper combined to create a sense of wonder in his barnyard rooster rendering, ruling the grounds suitable for any outdoor space. The 18-inch “squawker” sits atop a solid brass cylindrical canister, solid and sturdy, to become a stationary sentinel watching over its designated dais. Many of his inventions reside well connected to the landscape, otherworldly, once one enters the gated gracefulness found at the garden of the Art Association of Harrisburg. All of the other artists’ installations found outside of AAH speak to a group well familiar with the geography of setting the stage for the works found in the gallery. Feather’s extensive range of art mediums can be viewed at H*MAC, Facebook:CharlesFeathers, and IG:featherscharles

Folk art is alive and well in central Pennsylvania for Valentines 2023. This modern-day ensemble of “romancers” are truly “Sweethearts of the Rodeo.” Their aesthetic and approaches may be different, but they share the commonality of “storytellers” weaving a narrative form through their art.

Art Events for February

Civic Club of Harrisburg: “Rise Up: Honoring African-American Trailblazers.” 3rd in the Burg, Feb. 17. Art.Food.Vendors. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

New Cumberland Collective: Julia Mallory with Art in the Stacks, Feb. 1 to 28 at the New Cumberland Public Library

The Millworks: Featured artists are Kelly Curran, Mary Gelenser, Caleb Smith, Tami Bitner and Ann Benton Yeager.

Susquehanna Art Museum:
“Layered Artifacts” runs Feb. 8 to May 7
“Intent/Content: Celebrating Women Artists” runs Feb. 11 to May 21
“Valery Sutherland: Paintings” runs Feb. 22 to June 18

Art Association of Harrisburg: “Reinterpretations” (invitational exhibit) features the works of James Equality Brooks, James Gallagher, John Guarnera and Joseph Mayernik

Carlisle Arts Learning Center: “Green Energy Annual Members Exhibit,” runs Feb. 10 to March 11

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

Additional Harrisburg projects slated to receive state redevelopment funds

November 1, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

The Harrisburg Senators play at FNB Field.

Three more Harrisburg projects will receive state redevelopment grants, as the commonwealth today announced additional award recipients.

Leading off the list, the city will receive $6 million for upgrades to FNB Field, the city-owned stadium that hosts the Harrisburg Senators minor league baseball team.

According to the application, work will include new field lighting, renovation of locker rooms, a new home team clubhouse, expansion of the existing boardwalk and scoreboard replacement. This would be the first significant upgrade to the stadium in about 15 years, when the city embarked on a two-phase project.

The grant fully funds the city’s request of $6 million for the project under the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), a matching grant, reimbursement program that helps fund the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects.

The two other projects announced today are:

Harrisburg University, $1.75 million, to construct new facilities for applied research, education and workforce development focused on emerging technology sectors in food, agriculture and environmental science. These facilities will house the HU Center for Advanced Agriculture and Sustainability, featuring education and workforce development programs alongside industry-oriented applied research and technical innovation.
Pennsylvania STEAM Academy Rooftop Playground, $1.5 million, to transform a portion of the rooftop of its Midtown Academic Building at 1500 N. 3rd St. into a rooftop playground to provide an indoor play area for its elementary and middle school students. A canopy of solar panels will provide filtered light and generate solar energy to partially power the school building.

“I am thrilled to announce these RACP grants that will benefit the region,” said state Rep. Patty Kim, who represents Harrisburg. “Such significant funding means we can continue to invest in Dauphin County, which also means investing in everyone who lives here.”

Last week, the commonwealth announced the first group of RACP award recipients in Harrisburg. These projects included:

$3 million to Reily GreenWorks for the development of a 155-unit apartment building with neighborhood-oriented retail on the ground floor at a proposed project at 320 Reily St.
$1.5 million to Harrisburg Events Center to complete extensive renovations at the King Mansion at 2201 N. Front St.
$2.75 million to Harristown Enterprises for the renovation of the Harristown Agriculture Building, a proposed project at 221-223 Market St.
$ 1.6 million to Millworks Historic Campus Preservation for the rehabilitation of 1321 N. 4th St., the planned site of the relocated Millworks Brewery.

Several other projects in Harrisburg applied for funds, but did not receive grants in this round. The commonwealth sometimes announces a second round of RACP funding later in the year or early the following year.

Click here to download a spreadsheet to see all the projects that applied for and received grants in this funding round.

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

State grants to help fund four development projects in Harrisburg

October 27, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

A state grant will go towards the rehabilitation of the future Millworks Brewery (pictured).

Four Harrisburg projects will receive nearly $8.9 million in funding, as the state announced the first round of redevelopment grants for 2022.

Late on Wednesday, the commonwealth announced which projects would receive funding through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), a matching grant program that helps fund the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects.

In Harrisburg city, the following four projects were funded:

$3 million to Reily GreenWorks for the development of a 155-unit apartment building with neighborhood-oriented retail on the ground floor at a proposed project at 320 Reily St. This project has already received zoning board approval and, in 2019, received an initial RACP grant of $2 million.
$1.5 million to Harrisburg Events Center to complete extensive renovations at the King Mansion at 2201 N. Front St., including the replacement of windows and doors, replacement of roof, conversion of third floor into a hospitality suite, and the renovation of the basement to include a kitchen, distribution office, and meeting space.
$2.75 million to Harristown Enterprises for the renovation of the Harristown Agriculture Building, a proposed project at 221-223 Market St. This project entails substantial interior demolition and abatement of hazardous materials used in older building construction, as well as core and shell construction.
$ 1.6 million to Millworks Historic Campus Preservation for the rehabilitation of 1321 N. 4th St., the planned site of the relocated Millworks Brewery. Earlier this year, the Harrisburg Zoning Hearing board gave approvals to the project, located across Sayford Street from the existing Millworks restaurant and art space.

“This funding is incredibly important for Harrisburg’s growth,” state Rep. Patty Kim, in a statement. “I am happy to see these projects get the funding they need to break ground.”

Numerous other projects in Harrisburg applied for funds, but did not receive grants in this round. The commonwealth sometimes announces a second round of RACP funding later in the year or early the following year.

Click here to download a spreadsheet to see all the projects that applied for and received grants in this funding round.

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

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like