This morning I discovered the art work of Jim Parker. He's an Upstate artist.

While none of his subjects seem to touch on Genesee County, I wanted to share this finding because I'm as fascinated by the style and quality of his work as I am by the subject.  

Billie and I have enjoyed what little exploration we've been able to do of New York. It's a beautiful and historic state full of charming rural scenery and buildings. 

Among Parker's favorite topics for painting are villages, landscapes and buildings from Upstate counties in the 18th and 19th centuries.  These paintings can really feed the imagination because so many of the buildings he paints are still standing, or buildings like them are still standing all over he state.

Local artist Victor Corey brings his talents to Genesee Community College's Lobby Art Gallery with "Watercolor Landscapes." The exhibit will run Oct. 15 through Dec. 1 and feature large-scale watercolor paintings that capture nature and the outdoors in beautiful detail. 

An artist's reception is scheduled from 1 to 2 p.m. when the exhibit opens next Thursday.

Corey is a Batavia native and has worked in the arts his entire life. He previously worked as a technical illustrator and has taken up painting as a hobby over the last few years. His exhibit in the Lobby Art Gallery is his first public showing and will consist of approximately 16 pieces.

His works depict landscapes, various sportsmen-themed panoramas, including fishing and hunting, as well as travel-themed pieces from his travels throughout Germany.

"We're pleased to have Victor's inaugural showing at the Lobby Art Gallery," said Heather Jones, instructor of Fine Arts. "Genesee Community College is a wonderful outlet for our community members to showcase their creative talents. Whether it's a first-time exhibitor, or a seasoned artist, Genesee welcomes an assortment of exhibitors to the gallery."

The Watercolor Landscapes Exhibit is free and open to the public. The Lobby Art Gallery is housed inside the Stuart Steiner Theatre at the Batavia Campus and is open during normal academic hours.

For further information, please contact instructor Jones at 585-343-0055 x6448, or at hsjones@genesee.edu.

Thinking ahead to the holidays, the residents of 400 Towers will attend an Art Class led by local artist Lorie Longhany.

Two projects, a wooden Christmas tree wreath and hand painted Christmas cards are on the agenda for Sat. Sept. 26.

Sponsored by the 400 Towers' Residents Council, the art class is open to all residents at 400 Towers. 

Lorie reunited with fellow LeRoyan, Lou O'Geen.  Mr. O'Geen, a talented artist in his own right, shared several drawings he did a few years ago.

Lorie Longhany and Lou O'Geen

Post WW2 pen and ink drawing by Mr. O'Geen.

(Nina Sails)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Tired but energized.
CALLIOPE: How so?
JOE: Last night after golfing with my brothers and nephew, and dinner also including my sister-in-law we watched the movie Doubt which one of my brothers had not seen.
CALLIOPE: How did you choose that movie?
JOE: Those of us who had seen it had various opinions about whether the main character, a priest, had molested a boy.
CALLIOPE: What caused the various opinions?
JOE: It was staged with clues suggesting possible guilt. One opined that he was guilty as sin, another held that he was not guilty and still another thought there were indications but not proof of guilt.
CALLIOPE: What do you draw from the experience?
JOE: A well crafted movie or novel for that matter can elicit various reactions and conclusions.
CALLIOPE: Why does that fascinate you?
JOE: Art can be a way of bringing us together to compare our views and begin to understand each other.
CALLIOPE: I agree.
JOE: I'm glad you do. That's what I want to do with my writing.
CALLIOPE: A good aim.
JOE: I'm glad we are together on this. Talk with you tomorrow.

 
(Spring Rock)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I missed you yesterday.
JOE: Sorry. I was anxious to take a peek at my new website and finally saw it yesterday morning.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: I discovered that it wouldn't do as posted. I thought I would try a quick fix and ended up spending most of the day revising it.
CALLIOPE: How does it stand now?
JOE: I'm still working on the revisions but think I have a good plan. We shall see.
CALLIOPE: Did you spend every minute working on it?
JOE: No. I went with Carol and some friends to a Michael McDonald concert last night at the Rochester International Jazz Festival.
CALLIOPE: Did you enjoy the concert?
JOE: Not in the least. It was the first time since I was eight that I so thoroughly bored and agitated by a concert.
CALLIOPE: What was that about?
JOE: I wish I understood it. Those who went with me agreed that his style was repetitious although it didn't seem to bother them like it did me. I thought he shouted everything and that all his songs sounded the same. I didn't like his rendition of the songs I recognized.
CALLIOPE: Do you think it's just a matter of taste?
JOE: I wish I knew. I don't like leaving a concert feeling the way I did last night.

(Fishing Nets)

JOE: Good Morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Welcome to a new week.
JOE: Thank you. You will be happy to know that I followed through on my art commitment.
CALLIOPE: I'm all ears.
JOE: I found a brief period to work on drawing and sketched a lighthouse in my handmade paper notebook.
CALLIOPE: Were you satisfied with it?
JOE: I aimed to draw not to reach perfection. I enjoyed the process and tried not to judge the outcome.
CALLIOPE: Good move. Was that it?
JOE: I enjoyed it so much that I went back later to practice painting in the style of Linda LeKinff, an artist I have liked for some time.
CALLIOPE: Did you stay with the experience here too?
JOE: I did and for a longer stretch of time. I also worked with matching colors, not an easy task at least until I get more practice.
CALLIOPE: I'm glad you're back into it. By the way, being a Greek Muse, I'm not quite sure about the translation of your blog title.
JOE: It means "Art for Art's Sake."
CALLIOPE: I thought so. On with the show.
JOE: I agree. Talk with you tomorrow.

Happy Mothers 09 fron Dan and boys.These flowers are in front of the mansion on jackson st batavia.

An Albion Campus Student Art Show will take place from April 30 through May 14.

A reception for the artists is scheduled from 5 to 6 p.m. April 30.

The show features the work of students currently enrolled in Painting 1 & 2 and Intro to Visual Art classes. It will feature a variety of mixed media.

The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For further information, please contact Allen Kidder, associate dean of the Albion Campus Center at 585-343-0055 x6548 or at arkidder@genesee.edu.

"Nocturnal Landscapes" by local artist Arthur Barnes opens May 26 at Albion Campus Center.

This Genesee Community College exhibit features new watercolors by the artist, with a reception planned for him from 5 to 6 p.m. June 4.

The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For further information, please contact Allen Kidder, associate dean of the Albion Campus Center at 585-343-0055 x6548 or at arkidder@genesee.edu.

 

Original paintings by Karen Todd will be displayed April 9-29 at Genesee Community College's Albion Campus Center.

An artist's reception is planned from 5 to 6 p.m. April 9.

Titled "Acrylic Perspectives in Color," the works will include landscapes, portraits and abstracts.

Todd is an adjunct art faculty member who teaches Drawing 1 & 2, Painting 1 & 2, Introduction to Visual Art, and 2-Dimensional Design.

Also, beginning April 30 an Albion Campus Student Art Show will take place through May 14, with a reception from 5 to 6 p.m. on April 30.

It will feature a variety of mixed media work by students currently enrolled in Karen Todd's Painting 1 & 2 and Intro to Visual Art Classes.

The art exhibits and receptions are free and open to the public. For further information, please contact Allen Kidder, associate dean of the Albion Campus Center at 585-343-0055 x6548 or at arkidder@genesee.edu.

 

Press Release:

BATAVIA, NY - The talents of many Genesee student artists take center stage with the Genesee Community College Fine Arts Student Exhibition. This exhibit will be on display in the lobby art gallery of the Stuart Steiner Theatre at the Batavia campus from February 24 until March 24, 2009. This massive exhibit features over 100 pieces of sculpture, ceramics, paintings, drawings, photography and design projects, highlighting student works (both art and non-art majors) at Genesee.

There is a wide arrangement of works of art from 10 different art classes taught by four different faculty members. Included in the exhibit are works from: Drawing I and II, Painting I and II, and Digital Photography all taught by Heather Jones; 2D Design taught by Melissa Newcomb; Ceramics I and II and 3D Design taught by Moi Dugan; and Photography taught by Robert Cooper.

Art work submitted from Drawing I and II display various pencil drawings, portraits, and negative and positive space projects. The 2D Design classes offer pieces detailing elements such as texture, balance, color, line and emphasis. Plaster, paper and cardboard sculptures adorn the gallery from the 3D design class. The glass display cases are filled with unique and intricate ceramic pieces from the Ceramics I and II classes. Rounding out the immense student exhibit is an assortment of photographs from the photography classes depicting people, places and artistic interpretations.

"We really have some talented students at Genesee," Heather Jones, instructor of Fine Arts at Genesee said. "The students have really shown the depths of their creativity and ability. This year's student exhibit is also one of largest showings we've had. Both art and non-art majors have brought their best works to be displayed."

Students involved in the Fine Arts Exhibit are: Abrianna Adler, Susan Alessi, Alyssa Almete, Janet Arney, Peter Badami, Stacie Ball, Adaline Ballord, Christina Barnes, Rebecca Batt, Corey Bennett, Philip Berggren, Sierra Biegasiewioz, Krystal Skye Brisson, Karen Bryant, Jennifer Byrgett, Justin Calmes, Emille Carducci, Hoemi Chin, Grant Claypool, Briana Coogan-Bassett, Carrie Crawford, Joan Dalba, McKenzie D'Angelo, Megan Dembinski, Alicia Derefinko, Marcus Dixon, Chris Douglas, Mary Dukes, Holly Gardner, Jessica Gates, Andy Gibbs, Heather Gleason, Erin R. Guest, Markus Hall, Brittney Helsdon, Heather Hildebrant, Nate Hillabush, Dawn Holbrook, Danielle Hoskins, Jillian Hunt, Haruka Inove, Jamila Jordan, Annalis Kaminski, Casandra Kelsey, Brittany Kessler, Gary King, Ashley Kingsley, Susan Kinney, Heather Klimeck, Weiling Lazik, Heather Magrid, Jeanette Menzie, Carl Militello, Phil Mordenga, Lori Mould, Michael Moultrup, Mariko Nomura, Julie O'Connor, Gustavo Otera, Calvin Patrick, Nicole Pierce, Megan Reckahn, Libby Rennard, Amanda Ripton, Carrie Riter, William Rupp, Ellen Saile, Lynette Schunacher, Greg Scoins, Samantha Seewaldt, Maria Seewaldt, Kaely Shepard, Gwendolen Shepard, Julie Shuaffer, Timothy Sisson, Howen Smart, Haven Smart, Aquantis Smith, Leslie Statt, Lori Stellrecht, Kelly Stone, Carolyn Stroka, Michelle Taylor, Cory Thomas, Kelsey Trybushyn, Anne Vandenbosch, Rachel Wall, Kevin Wallace, Natalie Welch, Mary Jo Whitman, Elizabeth Woodruff, Martha Zuber, and Lydia Zwierzynski.

The Fine Arts Student Exhibit is free and open to the public. For further information, please contact Heather Jones at 585-343-0055 x6448 or at hsjones@genesee.edu.

From Genesee Community College:

Genesee Community College's Albion campus center is pleased to introduce its first exhibit as a GO ART! satellite gallery, "Abundance" by Patricia Greene, from January 16 - February 26. Artist Patricia Greene is currently displaying oil paintings of local farms, markets and produce of Orleans County. A free "Meet the Artist" reception is scheduled for February 12 at 5:00 pm at the Albion campus center.

"Abundance" displays agricultural images Greene created during her year-long grant funded project through the Ripple Grant program administered by the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council. Artists residing in Genesee or Orleans Counties are eligible to apply for a grant for community-based artistic projects. The goal of the grant is to support the creative work of artists in all disciplines, while encouraging interaction between artists and community members to highlight the role of the artist as a community resource.

The oil painting exhibit features area farms' structures, as well as crops with special attention to scenes such as maple farms in the winter, historic farms and regional fruits and vegetables that are grown by these local growers. From cattle grazing to a farmer's market to picking berries, the exhibit accurately depicts the abundance and variety of foods produced in Orleans county.

A Medina native, Greene traveled to farms, roadside produce stands, and farmer's markets to translate the abundance of the local landscape onto canvas. "I was able to interview local farmers about themselves and their customers," Greene said. "The project acknowledges the abundance of our region and presents it in a way that the entire community can share."

The "Meet the Artist" event is free and open to the public. The "Abundance" exhibit is also available for viewing Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm, until February 26. The Albion campus center is located at 456 West Avenue, Albion. For more information about the exhibit, please contact the Albion Campus Center 585-589-4936 or Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council at 1-800-774-7372, or visit www.goart.org.

Every morning, I spend a good hour or so perusing the local media sites, looking for the stories most relevant to the folks of Genesee County. Links to those articles are then included in our Regional Headlines section down here to the right.

Often, there's that one story that deserves more than a cursory mention. For a while now, I've wanted to pick out that one article or news clip that deserved a bit more attention and bring it to you in the full light of our central blog well.

Today is the day we start that service. We hope you enjoy it.

An article this morning in the Buffalo News tells the story of a young man from a small town on the northern shore of Lake Erie. Reporter Chairty Vogel writes the tale with a sure hand and finesse enough to make it come alive.

He burned with artistic fire. But he lived a tough life, and died at a heartbreakingly young age.

Asa Ames was, in many ways, the James Dean of American folk art.

And he lived his entire life — just 27 years — right here in Western New York, in the Town of Evans, where today his simple slab tombstone lies toppled over in a country graveyard, crumbling and neglected.

That was in 1851. Now, Ames will be honored in an exhibit at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.

Vogel truly does a tremendous job with this story, which she recognizes as much more than a tragic tale of a talented young man who died too soon. This is the story of undiscovered talent—small town talent—that Vogel so aptly describes as "hauntingly personal." Ames was working outside of the mainstream, away from the city centers in a medium—wood—that was for the most part unappreciated at the time. He is the quintessential outsider. Like Georg Büchner and Henry Darger, Ames was not understood by the insiders until long after his death. And as Vogel tells us near the end of her article, Ames remains something of enigma, even today.

I spotted this mural on Swan Street in Batavia a few days ago and was taken by the idea that it was probably painted prior to 9/11, and it's still there -- on what is otherwise a pretty run-down old building.  The mural, which consists of two panels of the New York City skyline, is signed "John Howard."

Please join myself and artist Karen Reisdorf on Monday, Nov 24th at 7:30 p.m. for an artists talk about our current exhibit "A Soldiers Anthology: Family Images from WWII and Vietnam".  You may have seen these images on view at GO ART earlier this fall, and the exhibit is now on view at the Richmond Memorial Library for the month of November.  Monday night, Karen and I will take some time--for the first time--to really talk in detail about the show and answer any questions.  Our disussion will cover  techincal aspects of creating polaroid transfers, using image transfers in mixed media, examples of the original WWII and Vietnam era photos we worked with, the artistic process of turning memories and experiences into art, and how these personal war stories have effected us as individuals. Questions are always welcome!

If you are interested in coming, please sign up at the Library (call or stop in) by NOON on Monday so we know how many to expect.

more info at www.soldiersanthology.com and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3zTC-yXuuw

From Genesee Community College:

Genesee Community College at Arcade is hosting a photography exhibit entitled "Lines Through The Lens" presented by photographer Bonita Chimes and the local chapter of VIEW FINDERS. The exhibit will open on November 2, 2008 with a reception from 4:00 - 6:00PM. The show will be on display through November 28 and is open during normal Campus Center hours (Monday through Thursday, 9:00AM - 9:00PM, and Friday, 9:00AM - 4:00 PM).

Bonita Chimes has more than 20 years of photography experience, including work with nature, photojournalism, television and commercial photography. She has been published in newspapers, magazines and books.

Since 1994, Bonita has been working on a project called "Little Towns Are Not Forgotten", which is an ongoing effort to document rural towns. She has completed five volumes to date which can be seen throughout WNY and Central California. In addition, Bonita supplied all the photographs for the guidebook "Somewhere To Go On Sunday", introducing both residents and visitors to the natural beauty of WNY and Southern Ontario.

Bonita is the founder of VIEW FINDERS, a group of professional and amateur photographers with chapters in WNY and Sacramento California. The group participates in photography tours and will be traveling to Alaska and Norway to hone their skills while having fun. Bonita conducts photography workshops, both on tours and locally.

The Arcade Campus Center of Genesee Community College is located at 25 Edward Street in Arcade, NY. For more information, or if you are interested in having a show at the Arcade Campus Center during 2009, please stop by or call 585-492-5265.

From GCC:

Pick up a pencil. Start with a line. See where it takes you. This is both an invitation, and the instructional challenge offered by local artist Diana ("Di-Di") Martin, who is leading a three-week, three-part drawing series at the Medina Campus Center intended for artists of all persuasions and levels of experience. From the novice to more experienced artist, the program will travel the road of the artistic masters while taking side trips for experimental techniques that provide creative freedom and flexibility to explore and expand individual skill and interest in drawing.

Among the topics Ms. Martin will introduce are: proportion; gesture drawing; composition principles; positive/negative space; Chiaroscuro; color; drawing what is seen versus drawing what the mind sees; visible ideas; and exploring the masters. Each class includes a demonstration as well as hands-on projects with plenty of assistance from the instructor. The artistic media choices include ebony pencils, or pastels, watercolors, or color pencils provided by the participants.

Part I of the three-part, three-week session starts Monday, November 17, and continues on Wednesday, and Friday, November 19 and 21. Part II is scheduled Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, December 1, 3, and 5, and Part III is Monday, Wednesday and Friday, December 8, 10, 12. All classes run from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. Each weekly part is just $10, or $30 for the entire program. Participants may register for one, two or all three parts. Advanced registration is requested, but not necessary.

Diana Martin is a local artist who spent a good part of the past two decades doing commissioned artwork, including a series of 36 baseball cards for Chicle Fantasy Company that was featured in Sports Illustrated. She teaches drawing and painting both privately and through organizations such as the Keenan Arts Center and GCC. Diana's studio, "The Drawing Room" is located at 936 Gwinn Street, just a short stroll from the Medina Campus Center.

Through her interest in taking computer classes from Genesee, a serendipitous arrangement of also teaching drawing developed. "There is such a wonderful group of people at the Medina Campus Center and the atmosphere is so positive that I am happy to be offering drawing classes and helping people with their own way of seeing the world," Diana said. "Sharing a vision of the world is a fantastic learning and growing experience for everyone."

For further information, or to pre-register, call the Medina Campus Center at 585-798-1688.

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with Anne Barone who told me how her husband, City Councilman Sam Barone, has always wanted to know what happened with the "naked lady statue" that used to be in Austin Park. Wouldn't that be an interesting story to tell, she mused.

Such was the genesis of The Batavian's newest series: Mysteries of Genesee County's History. It has one goal: Search out the lost memories and forgotten stories from our county and find out what happened.

In order to find some answers to our first mystery—the naked lady statue that went missing from Austin Park—I recruited Batavia's City Historian Larry Barnes to sleuth about. Larry filed the following report this morning:

A couple weeks ago, I received a call from Philip Anselmo of TheBatavian who wondered if I knew what had become of the “naked lady” in Austin Park.  The “naked lady,” Anselmo explained, was a statue that Councilman Sam Barone remembered seeing in his youth but then disappeared from the Park.  I didn’t have an answer initially, but with some detective work I have discovered that the “naked lady” has gone to Cincinnati.

The “naked lady” of Barone’s recollections is a life-sized bronze statue of a pubescent female holding aloft a bowl designed to hold water from which birds can drink.  In fact, the statue includes a bird flitting by the arm of the young girl.  The girl herself is not actually naked, but her garment is so thin that her anatomical features including navel and nipples are fully revealed.

The statue is the creation of an internationally renowned artist, Bessie Potter Vonnoh.  It was given to the City in 1931 for placement in Austin Park by Frances Washburn, wife of the County Judge, Edward Washburn.  It was intended to be part of a bird sanctuary in the Park.  An identical figure is part of a fountain group in Central Park in New York City.

The City had great plans for Austin Park.  A design developed by landscape architect Harold Olmsted included a band shell, pool, tennis courts, playing field, playground, comfort station, winding paths, and elaborate landscaping.  Most of this never materialized; and by the 1960s, Austin Park had fallen into a state of deterioration hastened by recurring vandalism. It was about this time that the “naked lady” was rescued from an uncertain fate.

The statue’s rescuer was Rowena Atwater, the daughter of donor Frances Washburn.  Mrs. Washburn was now dead; and Mrs. Atwater took the statue home to her garden.  That garden was next to the white house on East Main Street now owned by GCASA.  The statue remained in its new haven until the death of Rowena Atwater.

In 1996, the adult children of Mrs. Atwater, Edward, James and Julian Atwater, donated the “naked lady” to the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester.  The Gallery placed the statue in the Fountain Court, located inside the main entrance to the Gallery.  Ordinarily, if you were to visit the Gallery, you could see the statue of Sam Barone’s memory standing in the left rear corner.

Today, however, the “naked lady” of Austin Park is on tour.  Currently, she is visiting the Cincinnati Art Museum.  So, you’ll have to travel some distance if you want an up close and personal view.  I can’t resist saying that this is what happens when a community doesn’t honor its cultural treasures.  The “naked lady” has gone the way of the Cary Mansion, the Richmond Mansion, and other wonders that once distinguished our fair city.  At least she hasn’t landed in a landfill.

Be sure to check back in a few weeks for our next Mystery of Genesee County's History.

Photo courtesy of the Memorial Art Gallery Web site.

Anyone heading to the opening reception for A Soldier's Anthology tonight will recognize much that unites the two artists: in their medium (polaroid manipulations), in their themes (reinterpreting the past), and in their subject matter (war). Yet what electrifies the artworks and makes them so much more than what any war photos hung on a wall could hope to be is their difference. In their opposition not their unity, the works speak what is most important about themselves.

Artist Karen Reisdorf grew up understanding that you did not talk about the war. Her father did not tell stories about his time in Vietnam. Her grandmother did not talk about it. Wartime photographs, letters, medals and memorabilia were sequestered in a box in the attic, where all such discussion, too, seemed shuttered in the dark. Its contents were not known, aside from a fleeting childhood glimpse, until last year. That discovery was—and it should not be hard to comprehend—a revelation.

"In a way," says Karen, "it was like bringing back this old wound."

One year after that revelation, several of those photos and the content of those letters have been transformed by the daughter who had longed to not only know her father's story but to share it. (In a video we produced last month, you can see how Karen went about transferring the images onto glass plates to produce the light boxes on display at the exhibit.)

Her father, Anthony J. Reisdorf, was 19 years old when he was drafted into the Army and sent to Vietnam in October, 1966. He fought in the Tet Offensive as part of the Lightning Bolt 4th Battalion, based out of Tay Ninh. He was shot and wounded on December 13, 1967. He wrote a letter home detailing the path of the bullet, which pierced his back and his gear, including several packets of Kool-Aid. Upon returning to the United States in October 1968, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. He never spoke of any of it. He was no hero, he insisted, for walking through enemy fire with a comrade-in-arms slung over his shoulder. Anyone else would have done it, and far more did more, he would say. Such abnegation was never enough to shake a daughter's faith in the heroism of her father.

Karen resituates his history in Vietnam, transposing images—photographs of her father in the Vietnamese jungle, the bullet that pierced his flesh, the letters he wrote home to his family—and in this way telling the stories she was never told by piecing together fragments of forgotten experience. Karen calls the light boxes "spaces of time captured in a moment." As such, they are beyond time. They are mythic, sacred as well as profane. They are an homage. No photographs of the light boxes can reproduce their illumined fragility—each one a testament to how profound and everlasting a fleeting moment can become. So you will not see any photographs of them on the site. You will simply have to go to the show.

Opposite Karen's light boxes, Becky LeFevre has displayed a series of thirteen works of polaroid transfers made of her grandfather's photos taken during World War II. One of these is comprised of a single image. It depicts a pair of hands, grizzled with age, thumbing through a stack of photographs. Hands and photographs both belong to Becky's grandfather, Stephen J. Novak, now 96 years old. He is perusing and likely reminiscing.

That image is enough to signal the profound difference between the stories of the two men—father and grandfather—and the works of the two artists. I'll say it again, it is through their opposition that these disparate works are transformed into a whole that is volatilized through its differences. This is why we can speak of this as one exhibit and not two. Set as they are side by side, literally facing each other across a room, the two halves force a dialogue that says what neither could say on its own.

Becky can relate the circumstance and often even name the individuals that appear in the photographs taken by her grandfather. Each can tell a story in full relief with a concrete past, present and future. We can follow its inhabitants through the vicissitudes of their personal histories. On the other hand, Karen tells us that her father, when shown his photographs from Vietnam, could not or would not begin to relate their details. The particulars are mired in obscurity, a darkness forced upon them through repression. They are not what could be remembered. They are what had to be forgot.

In heartfelt sincerity, Becky's grandfather has told his family that the war was the best time of his life, however much that may have perplexed them. Stephen J. Novak enlisted in the military on May 9, 1942, because... well... because all of his friends were in the war. That's pretty much how he explains it, says Becky. He was 30 years old, and so intent on becoming a soldier at all costs that he persisted despite rejections by several branches of the military, until he was accepted by the Army. He was sent to the south Pacific with the 90th Bombardment Group—the "best damned heavy bomb group in the world," they were later dubbed—as an aerial photographer and gunner. He sent photographs and stories back home to his reporter friends in New Jersey detailing his visits with the natives—he was sure they were cannibals—in New Guinea or relating whatever other adventure he found in Australia or the Philippines.

Becky poured through boxes of thousands of such photographs and chose about a dozen to serve as the raw material for the exhibit. She discovered in the process of making the polaroid transfers a symbolic act that mirrored the transfer of the photographs through the generations.

"I wanted to do something to make it more personal to me, something that I created," she says. "I wanted to create images based on his work. It's my version of his story, not so much the stories themselves."

As for her grandfather's statement that the war was the best time of his life, she understands that as meaning "the most impactful," she says.

"It was the best not because it was the most enjoyable, but because it was the most meaningful."

Meaning is what this show is all about. Whatever else they are, these images are concretions of meaning: several senses sedimented and folded into what Karen calls spaces of time. Through juxtaposition and through the manipulation and deconstruction of the image, meanings are birthed multiple. Each image was once a photograph—of something, of someone. Something was once there that became something else, something different, someone else's space of time. There are so many eyes caught in the glass, where we can never forget that the image, too, is caught. Eyes looking out, eyes looking in and through, eyes looking back, shaping each image—too many eyes for any image not to vibrate with the lives and histories and interpretations read into every gesture and landscape.

Sam Beckett once wrote: "The only fertile research is excavatory, immersive, a contraction of the spirit, a descent. The artist is active, but negatively ... drawn in to the core of the eddy."

We can only ever hope to be drawn into the core of the eddy, where everyone else was already drawn before us, where they await us. Thank you, Karen and Becky, for drawing us in.

Artists Becky LeFevre and Karen Reisdorf welcome the public to the opening reception of their exhibit, A Soldier's Anthology: Family Images from WWII and Vietnam, tonight. Folks are encouraged to come by, meet the artists, scope the works and munch hors d'oeuvres from 7:00 to 9:00pm at the GO ART! cultural center at the corner of East Main and Bank streets.

A week ago today, I took a walk down Main Street to get a picture of the gargantuan American flag slung across a downtown facade in honor of the victims of 9/11. On that walk, I came across the phrase: "Obama said I could be his princess (aka hall monitor) ♡Britt" scrawled in bright-colored chalk across the sidewalk. A little further on were more such curious phrases in pink, purple and yellow chalk.

Had anyone else seen these odd scribblings? Does anyone know what they mean? Is it art or politics or neither? What are we to make of the juxtaposition of the phrase: "Vote Obama he's going to Barak-n-Roll" with: "Hey there Delilah what's it like in New York City....."? There is a will at work here. What is it's intent?