Traveling exhibit features Dutch explorers, settlers

A special Quadricentennial text and graphic exhibit featuring early Dutch explorers and settlers is being shown in three Dutchess County locations today through mid-October.

The exhibit was created by the New Netherland Institute and is being presented free of charge thanks to Dutchess County Tourism and four partners in Dutchess County.

"Light on New Netherland," openstoday at the Lathrop Center in Pawling where it will stay for a week before moving on to Rhinecliff and then Beacon.

The exhibit has 14 double-sided panels with text and graphics, each panel tackles one historic topic, including Patria, Seaborne Empire, Ships and Sailing, the Atlantic World, the West India Company, New Netherland, New Amsterdam, Fort Nassau, Fort Orange and Beverwijck, Patroons, Wiltwijck, Long Island, New England, New Sweden, Schenectady, Sewant, Agriculture, Personalities (Hudson, Minuit, and Stuyvesant), the People of New Netherland, Family Life, Religion, Slavery, the Fur Trade, Relations with the Indians, Education, and the Dutch Legacy.

Robert E. Mulligan, retired history curator at the New York State Museum is the curator.

Many of the illustrations are the work of Len Tantillo, premier artist of New Netherland, and original graphics are by Chuck Gravina. Len Tantillo is an Albany artist who specializes in Hudson Valley maritime and Colonial New York art.

Flotilla to come through Dutchess County

A flotilla of Dutch ships, including the replica, Onrus, will sail the Hudson recreating Henry Hudson's trip and pass through Dutchess County Thursday, Sept. 17, between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon.
Check them out from the river bank.

Through a Photographer's Eye

Celebrating the Quadricentennial of the Hudson River, "Salute to the Hudson River: Through a Photographer's Eye,” opens Saturday, July 11 and runs through Aug. 3 at RiverWinds Gallery, 172 Main Street in Beacon. The exhibit features the photography of Robert Rodriguez, Jr., Linda T. Hubbard, Claudia Gorman, Karl LaLonde, Mike Sibilia, and Brian Tervenski.

An artists' reception takes place from 5-8 p.m. Saturday. Gallery hours are Wednesdays through Mondays, from noon to 6 p.m., and from noon to 9 p.m. on the second Saturday.

Here is more from the organizers:

The camera clicks, but it is the photographer's sense of light, depth, composition and passion that tells the story of this famous river. These six Hudson Valley artists are each unique, well-known and have their special interpretation of the Hudson.

Robert Rodriguez Jr is an award winning professional landscape photographer specializing in landscapes of the Hudson Valley. Seeking to capture the beauty, or convey the emotional qualities of a place or moment in nature, his images have elicited responses ranging from evocative, to spiritual and breathtaking. His images have appeared in numerous publications including the NY Times, and his work has been used by many non-profit organizations including the Mohonk Preserve, and Audubon Society. His photography is also featured extensively by Scenic Hudson, a non-profit organization dedicated to land and nature preservation in the Hudson Valley. In addition, he has edited and produced documentary films highlighting the natural beauty of the region. Robert is a respected educator in all aspects of photography including field work and digital editing and printing. He gives seminars in the region on a regular basis, and has been an invited speaker to industry associations.

Linda T. Hubbard is a photographer known throughout the Hudson River Valley and beyond. "I love to capture the beauty, peace and serenity of the river - its changing light and seasons. I also love to include an element of architecture, a chair, something that states how humans and the river interrelate". A tireless promoter of the arts in the Hudson Valley, Linda is also a champion for enjoying the beauty of this river and its unique characteristics.

Michael Sibilia has been practicing the art of photography for over thirty years and he brings a definite point of view to his photography of the Hudson River. "We live in a country that exists because it was rich in natural resources, discovered at a time in the world when these materials were most needed to fuel a growing civilization. Now the same resources that should be feeding us, seem to be strangling us.” Michael captures this paradox by creating images of the river and mankind.

To Claudia Gorman, “Photography is an art form that I have always enjoyed studying and creating with alternative processes such as hand coloring black and white photographs, platinum/palladium printing, and creatively working with Polaroids. Hand coloring a river photograph allows me to create an image according to my own personal perception of the river. I start by printing and toning a black and white negative, and then paint it with oils. Polaroid emulsion lifts and image transfers also enable me to expand the visual and emotional range of the original river photograph.

Karl LaLonde is a photographer and painter. He uses both of these talents in taking river photographs and then enhancing them, highlighting a color or a shape to bring out the uniqueness of the river. Using Photoshop techniques he plays with the light on the river, altering its mood and image.

Brian Tervenski's brings to the show charming images of people using the river for commerce and enjoyment. A Beacon resident, he is a retired English teacher. And he just loves playing with his photographs and the computer.

Image above: Robert Rodriguez Jr - Hudson River Pallettes

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome marks 50th year

Intrigued by the vintage aircraft from the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome that accompanied the Quad Flotilla as it made its way up the Hudson River last month?

The Aerodrome will celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend with music, special re-enactments on the ground and demonstrations of pioneer aircraft, including the Aerodrome’s 1909 Bleriot XI which has been flying for 100 years and is the oldest original airplane still flying in the United States.

There will also be a demonstration of Aerodrome founder Cole Palen’s original 1917 Curtiss “Jenny” JN-4D (shown above). More than 10,000 of these airplanes were built, most in a factory in Hammondsport but only two or three in the world are still flying.

The museum and grounds open at 10 a.m. with air shows on both days starting at 2 p.m. The Aerodrome has four hangars of antique airplanes and artifacts from the earliest days of aviation to explore and its two 1929 New Standard D-25 open cockpit biplanes will offer rides non-stop, except during the air shows. Directions are at the Web site.

(Photo by Don Fleming/Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome)

The Hudson River Trilogy

Ellen Kozak's work is featured from July 12 through Oct. 4 as part of The Hudson River Trilogy, a Katonah Museum of Art exhibition series celebrating the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s historic exploration of the river that bears his name. The three solo exhibitions during the year showcase contemporary artwork inspired by the Hudson River’s beauty, ecology and rich maritime history.

The Katonah Museum of Art is located at 134 Jay Street in Katonah.

Here is more about the artist from the event's release:

An artist with incredible focus and perseverance, Kozak has returned every summer to paint along the banks of the Hudson for the past 18 years, combining a tradition of plein air study with studio work, much like her 19th-century predecessors of the Hudson River School. Outside she records the visual “facts” of her subject—color, light, reflection, current, mist, and fog. While some paintings are completed on site, many are finished months or even a year later in her SoHo studio, thereby incorporating the elements of memory and time into the composition. Kozak is first and foremost a colorist, eliciting distinct moods in her paintings — the viewer can palpably sense whether a painting depicts an overcast morning or a bright summer day.

Kozak’s strength lies in her ability to translate direct observation of natural phenomena into lyrical paintings. Her paintings straddle the line between representation and abstraction. Without the reference of horizon lines, viewers are immersed in molten scenes of saturated hues and subtle movement. And yet her paintings are jewel-like, small and nearly square. Unlike traditional landscape, which tends toward horizontal orientations and vast vistas, Kozak’s format lends itself to intimate, abstract readings. While ostensibly her paintings depict the Hudson River, they are, in fact, explorations in phenomenology.

Notations on a River, a compilation of digital stills taken of the Hudson over the past two years, is Kozak’s first video work in 24 years. One image slowly dissolves into another in a hypnotic, rhythmic progression. Similar to her paintings, the images are close up views of the water’s surface; they are abstract and fluid and project a sense of topography, almost like aerial photographs. In two sequences, the early morning light transforms the water’s surface into a textured blanket of gray tonalities, while a third segment is as aquamarine as the Caribbean Sea.

Ellen Kozak is a professor of color and design at Pratt Institute.

Ahoy! Where Lies Henry Hudson?

Did you know that Henry Hudson never received a proper burial because his body was lost at sea after his crew mutinied? "Ahoy! Where Lies Henry Hudson?" an outdoor exhibition of Henry Hudson memorials designed by 16 area architects and curated by Linda Weintraub, will be on exhibit at the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony as part of the Quadricentennial celebration through Oct. 12. Hours are from dawn to dusk daily. Call 845-679-2079 for information. Byrdcliffe Arts Colony is on Upper Byrdcliffe Road in Woodstock.

Ecotones and Transition Zones

"Hudson Valley Artists 2009: Ecotones and Transition Zones," will be on view until Sept. 6 in the Alice and Horace Chandler Gallery and North Gallery at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at the State University of New York at New Paltz. It is the first in a series of five major art exhibitions in the museum’s Art & The River project extending through December 2009, which coincides with the Quad.
Organized by museum curator Brian Wallace, Ecotones and Transition Zones will feature artwork, performances, gallery talks and other activities from 24 area artists who connect global issues such as sustainability, ecological awareness and bioethics to the Hudson River Valley landscape.
Featured artist and artist groups include:
· Michael Asbill, Accord
· Robert Capozzi, New Paltz
· Robert Capozzi / Lorrie Fredette / Dylan McManus / Laura Moriarty / Jill Parisi (New Paltz / West Camp / New Paltz / Kingston / High Falls)
· Ryder Cooley, Chatham
· Dick Crenson, Pleasant Valley
· Simon Draper / Habitat for Artists, Cold Spring
· Dana Duke, Roscoe
· Beth Humphrey, Saugerties
· Heather Hutchison, Saugerties
· Tanya Marcuse, Barrytown
· Susan Miiller, Sparrowbush
· Wayne Montecalvo, Kingston
· Itty Neuhaus, Fishkill
· Franc Palaia, Poughkeepsie
· J. Gilbert Plantinga, New Paltz
· Emily Puthoff, Kingston
· Jill Reynolds, Beacon
· Ryan Roa, Newburgh
· Camilo Rojas, Millerton
· Thomas Sarrantonio, Rosendale
· Ida Weygandt, Germantown

Here is more from the event's press release:

“In selecting the artists in the show,” said Wallace, “I wanted to play off the emphasis of art in and of the region and to show that there is an emphasis on the environment in historical styles of art such as Hudson River School painting as well as in the art being produced by the artists among us now. “
Wallace added that New Paltz is an ecotone, a place where overlapping natural and social ecologies – the river and the mountains, the cosmopolitan and the rural – exist in fragile tension. “These artists work in their own mini-environments and there is a great diversity among them even as they take from and share ideas with other artists.”
One component of the exhibition, Habitat for Artists, will offer temporary studio space and a collaborative exhibition project in repurposed structures in several locations in New Paltz. There will also be a benefit concert for Habitat for Artists and ecoartspace with Dar Williams and Nick Panasevich at 7 p.m. in McKenna Theatre on June 27 (tickets are $35 for front row and $25 for all other seats); a fishing trip and Wallkill River talk with artist Michael Asbill at 5 p.m. on June 28; and two evenings of gallery talks followed by artist performances: on July 23 beginning at 5:30 p.m., four exhibiting artists will discuss their work, and at 7 p.m., exhibiting artists Ryan Roa and Darren Jones will present their "Jones and Roa Expedition" project; on August 20, beginning at 5:30 p.m., four other exhibiting artists will discuss their work, and at 7 p.m., exhibiting artist Ryder Cooley will present her "Singing Tree" performance.

Suggested admission to museum is $5. A variety of public educational activities associated with the Art & The River project are planned throughout the summer and fall, including artist and curator lectures, docent-guided tours, school programs, field trips, readings, and musical events. For event details, reservations, accessibility, or directions, visit www.newpaltz.edu/museum or call (845) 257-3844.

Windows on Poughkeepsie will be auctioned

"Windows on Poughkeepsie," an exhibit by local artist Michael Asbill that has been featured at the Poughkeepsie Railroad Station since 2006, contains 84 images, which change, depending on the angle, from an old Poughkeepsie photo or drawing to a modern one of roughly the same subject. The art work, now at Locust Grove, will be auctioned later this year. More info is here.

Fireboat rides, light show & fireworks at Poughkeepsie waterfront

Celebrate Independence Day & the Quad on the Hudson River with a ride aboard a historic fireboat, then listen to a live band at Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie. Dutchess County Tourism will offer hour-long cruises on the John J. Harvey, on Friday and Saturday, July 3 and 4. (The band plays on Saturday only.)

Also on both nights, come at dusk to see the first-ever attempts to project a laser light display on the powerful wall of water sprayed by the JJ Harvey. Dutchess Tourism says this type of display has never been done before, but Dutchess County's Quadricentennial Committee has found a lighting specialist who's confident enough to take the plunge.

The boat tours leave from the Poughkeepsie Pier at Waryas Park on Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. & 6 p.m. Rides are first come, first served, with a limited number of passengers on board for each tour. There is no charge for the cruises but donations to Dutchess County Tourism are suggested.

The Michael Dell Orchestra will perform at Waryas from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, the 4th of July. Following Saturday's laser show, the City of Poughkeepsie will sponsor a fireworks display to honor the birthday of the United States of America. After the fireworks, look for more laser lights, in an experiment to synchronize the lights to music.

Here are more details from Dutchess Tourism:

Built in 1931, MV John J. Harvey, at 130 ft and 268 net tons, is among the most powerful fireboats ever in service. She has five 600 HP diesel engines, and has the capacity to pump 18,000 gallons of water a minute. Her pumps are powerful; enough so that when she and the George Washington Bridge were both brand new, she shot water over the bridge's roadway.

She was retired by the New York City Fire Department in 1994, but on September 11, 2001, she answered her nation's call when she fought the fires resulting from the terrorist strikes at the World Trade Center. First the crew evacuated some 150 people, and then tied up nearby to provide pumping capacity since hydrants were not working. She and her crew stayed on duty for 3 days, fighting fires for more than 80 hours. The JJ Harvey was bought at auction by her current owners in 1999, restored and placed on The National Register of Historic Places in June 2000.

There are no advance reservations for these tours. Note to women, do not wear high heels! Children ages 12 and under must wear a life preserver at all times while on the boat. Make sure your family takes advantage of this unique opportunity to explore Dutchess County’s wonderful assets, our rich history and natural scenic beauty.

Dutchess County Tourism hosts the JJ Harvey as it docks in Poughkeepsie. Sponsors are Central Hudson Gas & Electric Company, Poughkeepsie Journal, City of Poughkeepsie and the County of Dutchess. All proceeds will be applied to promoting tourism in Dutchess County. Dutchess County Tourism is a division of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation and is funded by the County of Dutchess. Visit www.Dutchess400.com for information.

If you cannot read the poster (above), click on it to make it larger.

'Windows on Poughkeepsie' is moving

Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers took just over an hour on Tuesday to remove “Windows on Poughkeepsie,” an exhibit by local artist Michael Asbill that has hung at the Poughkeepsie train station since 2006. Don't worry -- it's being reinstalled in another part of town until the individual panels are auctioned off to benefit Walkway Over the Hudson, The Dutchess County Arts Council and Locust Grove. You can read more about it in this Poughkeepsie Journal article.

Life Along the River: Hudson Valley images

View beautiful images of the Hudson River (like this one!) by Poughkeepsie Journal photographer Lee Ferris through July 30 at the Hyde Park Library Annex. For more information, please call 845-229-7791.

More River Day Flotilla images

It's nice to see that more folks have added great new photos to this collection of River Day Flotilla images. That amphicar on the Rondout is interesting ...

The images are online here at the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Hudson's riverfront festival on Saturday

The celebrations at the Henry Hudson Riverfront Park in Hudson continue all summer, including this Saturday with a Summer Solstice Celebration presented by the Columbia County Council on the Arts. A crafts fair takes place starting at 11 a.m., with a children's parade down Columbia Street at 3 p.m. A concert of traditional Andean music and dance with Yarina will be held from 5-8 p.m. It all takes place rain or shine under a tent at Riverfront Park.

Other upcoming events include the July 25-26 Namesake Celebration with tours of the Half Moon, concerts, and fireworks and light show and the August 2 Henry Hudson Quadathlon.

You can see all the events on the image attached here -- click on it to make it larger -- or visit www.cityofhudson.org.

Mark O'Connor to debut Quad Quartet

Grammy Award-winning violinist and composer Mark O'Connor returns to Riverspace in Nyack tomorrow for the local debut of a string quartet commissioned to celebrate the Hudson River Quadricentennial.

String Quartet No. 3 is called "Old Time." Like "Appalachia Waltz" - his best-known solo violin work, which he performed at Riverspace in 2007 - and the six-movement "American Symphony," the new piece paints a sweeping musical picture. You can read more in this article.

17 Perspectives of the Hudson River exhibit

The Albany Institute of History & Art will host a special exhibition of contemporary paintings, Different at Every Turn: Contemporary Painters of the Hudson River, featuring the work of 17 artists, each revealing a personal connection with a different aspect of the river, from July 3-Aug. 23. Artists include Robert Berlind, Creighton, Simon Gaon, Heidi Gluck, Susanna Heller, Bill Hochhausen, Yvonne Jacquette, Herbert Katzman, Ellen Kozak, Diana Kurz, Cynthia Mailman, Peter McCaffrey, Bill Murphy, Thomas Nelson, Susan Pyzow, Sylvia Sleigh, and Sidney Tillim.

To commemorate the Quad, the exhibit will also appear at locations such as the Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York, the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and the United States Military Academy at West Point. At the Albany Institute, the exhibition will be hung in the museum’s Rice House Gallery.
 
The exhibit, according to its release:

conveys 17 distinct viewpoints of a single entity — from remembrances of September 11 to scenic natural vistas that speak to the intrusion of civilization on the river’s environs, rendered in styles as varied as abstraction and realism. The exhibition, according to its curator, Virginia Creighton, “gives us a diverse array of visual images, each a small event of illumination revealing different imaginative realities of the river. These works remind us that the Hudson River is a constantly changing and inspiring force.”

Enjoy Fishkill's historic & scenic sights from bike

The Fishkill Historical Society will sponsor a bike tour of "Olde Fishkill" on Sunday, June 21 with three different bicycle tours for three different skill levels. Each tour incorporates historic sites along the way. The family tour covers 0.6 miles of even terrain and visits 8 historic sites within the Village of Fishkill. This tour can also be easily walked. The medium tour covers 4 miles, with some hills and even terrain, and visits 15 historic sites in the Village and Town of Fishkill. The extended tour covers 24 miles, with some challenging hills, and visits 26 historic sites. This goes through the Village and Town of Fishkill as well as parts of Beacon. Sites will have receivers to briefly share information about the site.

A community picnic will follow at Van Wyck Homestead from 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Registration for the event begins at noon, and is free; donations are gratefully accepted.

Registration for the family and medium tours is at Van Wyck (Village) Hall, 1095 Main St. in Fishkill, and the extended tour registration is at Van Wyck Homestead, 504 Rt. 9 in Fishkill. Maps can be picked up at Town and Village Hall in Fishkill prior to the event, and at the registration locations the day of the event. Visit www.soundearth.com/BikeTour for more details.

Festival to mark Clearwater's 40th anniversary

This coming weekend - June 20-21 - Hudson River Sloop Clearwater will celebrate its 40th anniversary during its annual festival at Croton Point Park in Westchester. Dozens of bands and musicians, including founder Pete Seeger, are expected to perform while attendees enjoy food, vendors, crafts, warm breezes off the river and majestic views of its western shore. Read all about Clearwater and its anniversary in this article.

Flotilla schedule

Here is the latest River Day flotilla and land events schedule, from the state Quad commission. The state River Day Web site also carries updates.


JUNE 12 (Friday)-remain in Catskill/Hudson/Athens area for school groups until noon.
Arrival and cannon welcome in Castleton at 4 pm for special final night dinner, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome antique plane fly-overs and fireworks sponsored by Coeymans Marine Terminal.
Overnight for flagships-Clearwater, Launch 5 and Naval Militia at Castleton Boat Club, Half Moon, Harvey, and Cleveland, at Coeymans Marine Terminal/Brick Yard. Onrust will visit both locations.

JUNE 13 (Saturday)-depart Castleton at 11am. Parade by Schodack Park (www.schodack.org/quadri/HFCindex.htm) and Town of Bethlehem.
Arrival at 12:30 for Final Cannon Welcome and day-long celebrations
including Yankee Doodle Band at the Albany Yacht Club, Crailo State
Historic Site (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/sites/info.asp?siteID=7)
sponsored Dutch exhibits and cuisine, Blessing of the Fleet at Albany
Yacht Club with local clergy including Dutch Reform minister and Native
American representative. Keith Pray Big Band will perform, BBQ style
foods, and tours of the Clearwater Sloop all at the Riverfront Park in
Rensselaer. The Half Moon will be in Albany, and Onrust in Rensselaer.


River Day Underway and Docking Schedule
(if no dock is indicated, none are needed as of 6/5/09)

*Ships listed in configuration order-Captains to follow ship listed
before your listing.
*Distance between ships will be 100 yards.
*Flotilla speed is 5 knots. If a ship must fall behind for any reason,
the flotilla will remain at 5 knots.

June 12, 12 to 4PM, Catskill/Athens/Hudson to Castleton (total 4 hours
underway)
Half Moon-Coeymans Marine Terminal
Clearwater -Castleton Boat Club
Onrust-Castleton Boat Club after visiting Coeymans Marine Terminal
John J Harvey-Coeymans Marine Terminal
Governor Cleveland Tug-Coeymans Marine Terminal
Naval Militia-Castleton Boat Club
Riverkeeper-Castleton Boat Club
Launch 5-Castleton Boat Club

June 13, 11AM to 12:30PM, Castleton to Rensselaer (total 1.5 hours
underway)
Half Moon-Albany
Clearwater-Rensselaer Park
Onrust-Albany Yacht Club
John J Harvey-Dutch Apple Cruises dock
Governor Cleveland Tug-Dutch Apple Cruises dock
Naval Militia-Albany Yacht Club
Riverkeeper-Rensselaer Park

Discover birds of the Hudson River

A free Hudson River shore bird walk linked to Quad celebrations will take place in Hyde Park Saturday morning. More info in this Poughkeepsie Journal story ...

Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival

Following all the River Days flotilla excitement ... the Beacon Sloop Club’s annual Strawberry Festival takes place, rain or shine, from 12-5pm Sunday June 14 at Riverfront Park in Beacon (very close to the Metro North Beacon Train Station).

Here is the club's message:

Our guests will hear live music and enjoy the best shortcake you have ever imagined --- locally grown strawberries made with home-made biscuits topped with real whipped cream --- while surrounded on three sides by the glorious Hudson River. There will be many treats such as strawberry smoothies, freshly made chocolate covered strawberries and other great foods. Many vendors will be on hand selling food and crafts, and a farmers’ market will offer freshly baked breads, vegetables and many other local items. Tanks of live fish and other river life will be on exhibition along with displays of local river history and environment. An area is also available with activities and musical performances for children throughout the festival.
For information on being a food or crafts vendor or booking an activist or environmental table please call 845-463-4660 or visit beaconsloopclub.org for an application.
The Woody Guthrie will be taking guests on free sails from the Beacon Harbor. The public may sign up for a free afternoon sail to experience the beauty, power and grandeur of the Hudson. Guests may sign up at the Beacon Sloop Club booth for one of the five free sails during the afternoon. Seating is limited so be sure to arrive early and sign up at the Beacon sloop Club table.
The music will be sublime with folksinger/activist Pete Seeger, Dan Einbender & His Kids, Melissa Ortquist & Karen Brooks, Dave King, Spook Handy, Driscoll & Smith, Howland Wolves, Cecilia St. King.
Admission is free to Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival. For additional festival info: (845) 831-6962, (845) 496-5617, www.beaconsloopclub.org
The Beacon Sloop Club is all volunteer and a non-profit organization. The BSC Strawberry Festival raises money for the public sailing program on the Woody Guthrie and other environmental education programs. There is never a charge for sailing aboard the Woody. The BSC meets the first Friday of each month at the clubhouse in Beacon, right on the river near the Metro-North train station, for a potluck dinner, business meeting and music. The public is always welcome.