Cathedral Benefit

The Cathedral School benefit held on December 13 was a huge success. Pictured here is art instructor, Susan Bircher with First Grade student, Josie Bianchi. Art from students in grades one through eight was displayed and a few pieces are still available. The remaining art will be on exhibit through Christmas. The goal of Gallery Blu is to raise $1,000.00 for the Cathedral School and we are well on our way with $700.00 raised to date.

Cathedral School Benefit Show

Gallery Blu will be hosting a student art show to benefit the Consolidated Cathedral School of Harrisburg.
The benefit is being held Sunday December 13 from 2 - 4 PM. Music will be provided by Jay Risser and Cathedral School students.
All proceeds from the sale of student art will benefit the Consolidated Cathedral School. In addition 15% of the sale of non-student art will be given to the school from sales made on that day.
Join us for fun and good cheer.

From Jim Woland

This is one of those columns that I wish I had authored. Instead it was written by my dear friend Jim Woland and is one of those reasons why the arts are alive and well in Harrisburg:

"One of my favorite things about living in Midtown is all the creative people; right up the street from me is a terrific photographer, bass player; in the same building is a guy who wrote the definitive book on Harrisburg architecture and architects, a working artist lives over on Herr St. and another up in Capitol Heights. Several years ago, those of us involved with Friends of Midtown decided to "brand" Midtown as an arts friendly area. Now we have the Stage on Herr, Midtown Scholar and Gallery Blu..... it seems some people took us seriously. We coulda been politicians, we believed our own lies.... thank goodness, they were GOOD lies.

So the area has REALLY BECOME artist friendly... performing artists are on the stages in Midtown and visual artists are on the walls of Midtown, Like the new head of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landsman says, "Art Works".

Art certainly works in Midtown. Several years ago we asked 62 artists to DO LUNCH by painting lunch boxes to help raise money for the Salvation Army and for "Loaves of Love" a program of Harris St. Church. Artists worked, created original lunch boxes and over $6,000 was raised to support the food missions of both organizations.
Christina and I are putting Art to Work once again, hoping to raise over $10,000 for the Salvation Army located in our neighborhood on Green St. During these tough economic times the line for breakfast at the Salvation Army is getting longer and longer. Artists like Mary Ludeen and Steve Wetzel and Robert Stadnycki have agreed to participate in SWEET SALVATION, 100 for $100. We'll be opening the show at Gallery Blu with at least 100 original Art Works, which will be available in silent auction for a starting bid of only $100. Feel free to bid more than that, but imagine being able to walk away with an original Bruce Johnson or Li Hidley for $100. Art Works and you and the Salvation Army Win. The show begins Friday February 12th at Gallery Blu and runs for two weeks when the bidding will end. Here's just one of the Art Works available for bid, Jennifer Kane's "Sunken Garden Gazebo" 8x8 framed, that she painted during Gallery Walk.

An Emerging Artist

Dorothea Sarteschi is emerging as an artist in the Harrisburg area. After she had her twin sons safely off to college she began painting in ernest and picks up her paint brush almost every day. She has been inspired by the paintings of Kandinsky, Picasso and Chagall and you can catch glimpses of their colors, brushstrokes and themes in her paintings.

Here in "Domesticated Woman" she speaks of the happiness found in that life. The woman's hand lovingly holds the two babies growing in her womb. She is entirely at peace with her life and herself. Can you see the 3 utensils that dangle from what looks like a marionette wire? Yes, she is the force that controls what may be called a domesticated life - she brings it to life by her careful and caring manipulation of her surroundings. She reclines comfortably on a chair in a brightly colored room - obviously a domesticated woman with good taste! I can imagine the other people living in this home to be perfectly at peace in the surroundings that she has so lovingly arranged.

Dorothea's point of view speaks to the symbolism that she creates in all of her paintings. Look for her work to be shown at Gallery Blu sometime in 2010. We anxiously await her show.

Harrisburg's First Friday event

Harrisburg galleries will be hosting their next First Friday event on November 6. The fun always starts at Arts@510 at 5:10PM. Be sure to check them out on line to see what they have in store. Other galleries usually participating in this event are ArtHouse Lounge, Sprama, Walnut Street gallery, HodgePodgery, Stage on Herr and a few more spaces in town.

Gallery Blu is featuring "From Russia With Love" with Russian born artist, Irina Yastremski showing silkscreening and collage. Marjorie Priceman will feature linoleum block prints, Mary Farr will showcase oils and acrylics and Harriet Rosenberg is adding cut paper art to this show. Opening night entertainment is provided by "The Little Paris Jazz Trio" based out of Lewisburg, PA. Our gallery opens at 7 PM for this opening night event. The show will run through Christmas.

The Painting in the Photo

The view of the gallery window in the banner across the top of my blogspot shows a painting by Joanne Landis. When I first saw this painting entitled "Woman in a Small Boat" I realized how soulfully this painting spoke to me. It is now one of my favorite works by Joanne. Take a moment to study the painting. ......... the woman is standing in a very small boat - her feet actually touch each side. How is she balancing? The stream appears to be moving swiftly carrying her along but she remains calm. Her face shows serenity and her blue clothing suggests peacefulness. Even the light blue rectangle in her heart area will suggest to you an energy or chakra area being lit. She is totally surrounded by a red outline - she is not static but rather actively participating. How does this speak of life? We may find ourself going "against the stream" or maybe allowing ourself to "go with the flow" In either situation we can remain balanced and calm feeling no fear.
PS - it is probably by no accident of display that you can see a Buddha statue sitting to the right of the painting in the corner of the window. This entire placement can give us a message of non attachment and freedom from fear if we so wish to embrace this.

Don't Miss This Event

On Tuesday October 20, Selby Doughty will be presenting a slide show and art discussion "School of Paris" at Arts@510 located at 510 Third Street, Harrisburg from 6-8PM.
Selby is an art historian and educator whose style is legendary to those who have seen her presentations. She combines a thorough understanding of art technique and history with gossipy stories about the artists' lives that make you feel as if you personally know the artist involved.
She normally presents two shows each spring and fall at Arts @ 510 and this is the first of the fall series.
It's really a don't miss evening out in a great setting.