Opening Reception: Friday, April 27 7-9p

Featuring artwork by: Ashley Hope, Elizabeth Insogna, Anne Polashenski, Greg Thielker

Curated by Katerina Lanfranco

Ashley Hope uses laser-etched CCTV images burned into maple wood to capture and immortalize the last traces of missing human figures. The reductive process of burning the wood away reinforces the theme of presence and absence, ultimately creating a tangible marker of loss. Her decorative hand additions to the sometimes glitched camera images draw from the early Christian/Byzantine artistic tradition of using geometric patterns to represent an unknowable higher power, and materials like gold leaf to indicate a spiritual or otherworldly presence.

Elizabeth Insogna works through iconography of Goddess reverence and ideas of the Divine Feminine to highlight a Queer perspective in the dialogue of female power. Her work straddles the world of ancient spirituality and contemporary body politics. Insogna’s devotional ceramic cauldrons reference scrying - an ancient form of divination, are paired with colorful abstract and symbolic figurative paintings to evoke a history of ritual practice.

Anne Polashenski mines her family’s Polish immigrant history to uncover an autobiographical connection that comprises both feelings of American identity and otherness. Through a range of media including gouache and C-printing, her artwork collages traditional patterns - a sort of camouflage - with domestic, grotesque, and alien imagery with an emphasis on blending in and survival. In these works, Polashenski attempts to understand and recreate historical connections that were not present in her childhood as her grandparents strove towards American assimilation.

Gregory Thielker’s work is shaped by the arbitrary nature of territory and memory. In these paintings from his series Unmeasured, his hyper-realistic transcription of physical sites centers on the border between Mexico and the US, offering a critical and contemplative glance at border politics. His use of actual dirt from the sites he visits as paint pigment enforces the solidity and permanence of these places and connection to the images he makes. The nation state border is defined by a wall built in various parts, protruding like a sculptural artifact from the landscape, and that continues to be an object of political division.

Trestle Gallery

http://www.trestlegallery.org/upcoming/

Opening Reception: Friday, March 9th, 7-9p

On view through: April 18th

Panel Discussion Tuesday, April 18th, 7p

Bonnie Collura, Alex Ebstein, Fabienne Lasserre, Adia Millett

Bonnie Collura is known for her multi-dimensional, multi-media sculptures that freeze a collage of references mid-(de)materialization. This exhibition focuses on her most recent textile work that repurposes fabric from prior experimentation to create On Target, an intricate, large-scale quilt draped over a dress form. In her video, Spillover, abstraction and figuration merge.

Alex Ebstein’s recent practice concentrates on the painting and collaging of yoga mats. While her relationship to yoga is fraught with personal struggle, the material is ripe with bodily associations that run the gamut from health and peace to shame and impossible ideals. Playing with the palette and stereotypes of fitness culture, Ebstein is able to discuss imperfection and impermanence.

Fabienne Lasserre’s work is colorful and physical. Larger-than-life paintings and lens-like, vinyl and steel constructions appear to have freed themselves from the wall. They beckon to be examined from all sides and approached as you would another person. While championing ambiguity, the pieces are powerful, poised, and self-aware.

Adia Millett’s quilts speak to the process of deconstructing and rebuilding. She defies the rectilinear, ornamental expectations of traditional quilts in favor of complicated narratives and varied cultural iconography--from African textiles to fabrics taken from her own wardrobe. She constructs, repairs, and memorializes, ultimately asking the viewer to imagine the piece as a person with a story to tell.

Coinciding with the exhibition, Trestle is pleased to host the discussion “Dissolving Borders in the Art World” with The Remix co-founders, Heather Bhandari, Courtney Colman, and Steven Sergiovanni on Tuesday, April 17, at 7pm. Along with audience participants, they will discuss the changes they’ve seen in the art world over the last decade.

850 3rd ave, Suite 411

Brooklyn, NY 11232

http://www.trestlegallery.org/upcoming/

http://www.narsfoundation.org/upcoming/2016/2/5/threaded-archetypes

On View: February 5 – March 14

Opening Reception: Friday, February 5, 6-8pm

Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday: 12-5pm and by appointment

The New York Art Residency & Studios (NARS) Foundation is delighted to present over, under, through, an annual fall exhibition bringing together and highlighting the work of the multidisciplinary artists working at J&M Studios. Featuring twenty-one artists working across two spaces in Sunset Park and utilizing myriad materials from paint to textiles, string, and mixed media, this exhibition is an annual celebration of a diverse artist community.  Through divergent pathways, the exhibiting artists have traveled over, under, through to find a place for their art to converge in Sunset Park. This exhibition is presented in collaboration with J&M Studios.

Niamul Bari / Rachel Bernstein / Sasha Cohen / Liz Collins / Ana Delgado / Maria-Gracia Donoso / Gregory Forstner / Nathan Brad Hall / Noel Harnden / Cynthia Hartling / Griselda Healy / Aaron Hillebrand / Ellen Coleman Izzo / Eric Johnston / Kristina Lee / Anatoly Mikhailov / Alexis Myre / Mason Saltarrelli / Clintel Steed / Brian Stinemetz / Lindsay Hanna Taylor

NARS Foundation 201 46^th Street, 4^th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11220

The Emerging Curator Program offers an opportunity for an individual to organize a conceptually cohesive and innovative group show at the NARS Foundation Gallery, a unique gallery surrounded by artist studios. The aim of the program is to encourage new dialogue and to create a platform for emerging curators and artists to experiment and exchange ideas. The curator is provided with exhibition space and administrative support, including the assistance of an experienced staff curator.  No prior curatorial experience is necessary, and two-person collaborations are welcome.

Please review the Application Guidelines and accompanying gallery map completely prior to beginning your online application. Applications must be submitted by March 3, 2015.  A non-refundable application fee of $10 (US) is required with each application. For additional information or questions, please contact info@narsfoundation.org

Visit: http://narsfoundation.org/NARS_EmCurGui.php to apply!

We were sent this report courtesy of Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights. Folks from Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights and Flatbush have confirmed the same thing going on in their hoods.

Several weeks ago we had an early evening door-to-door visit form 3rd party reps from IDT Energy wanting to explain and "help us" save money on our Con Edison and National Grid bills by allowing IDT Energy to be the supplier. They explained that they were already technically the supplier and that by "going direct" we'd shave $20+ dollars off each of our bills each month. The slick presentation by the trio sounded good...too good to be true.

Update: If you want to contact CCGH about the issue, send an email [info (at) ccgreenwoodhts.com].

During the discussion, the main presenter asked to see a copy of our Con Ed bill to specifically point out (and circle, which he did) the charges that would disappear if IDT Energy was selected by us as the alternative provider. What we saw, but did not dawn on us until later, was that one of the "helpers" was copying down all of our Con Ed information. After seeing him do this, we inquired why they need our info? Since we "did not need to sign up today if we wished not to," they had our info to mail us more information on IDT Energy. We concluded the conversation that we'd goto to IDT Energy's website for more info, await something in the mail and make our own educated decision at a later date. We did finally receive more info in the mail from IDT Energy. Information that WE HAD ENROLLED WITH IDT ENERGY and our service would be transferred in November. Seems we're not the only community.

Needless to say a very unhappy me just got off the phone with IDT Energy finding out that I had "signed up" to transfer my Con Ed supplier to IDT Energy. Not only did I not sign anything, the scumbag rep forged my signature. The rep I spoke to was not surprised in the least (troubling) and removed us from their service and filed a complaint against the rep (who's # I got). While we feel very angry (and slightly gullible), we wanted to find out if others in the area have had the same problem, alert you if these gentlemen visited you and warn folks to not even give these guys the time of day if they hit your area. We remember the sub-contractor working for Midtown Promotions located in the Bronx. We're doing research on-line and have already come across this scam and that company's name (I wish we had kept their card!). But, IDT is subcontracting this out, thus they are the end culprit!

Sunset Park BID sponsors weapon buyback program

Renee Giordano, executive director of the Sunset Park BID, said merchants hope the gun buyback event will help curb violence. Eagle file photo by Paula Katinas

By Paula Katinas

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The Sunset Park Business Improvement District (BID) is urging anyone in the neighborhood who has an illegal gun to surrender it to authorities. To entice gun owners reluctant to give up their weapons, the BID is sweetening the pot by offer bank cards worth up to $200.

It’s all part of a gun buyback program set to take place on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Beit El Maqdis Islamic Center at 6206 Sixth Ave., from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Residents can surrender guns – no questions asked – and receive bank cards.

Under the rules of the buyback, different types of firearms will yield different prices. Operable handguns and assault weapons will fetch bank cards worth $200, while residents turning in ordinary rifles, shotguns and other firearms will receive $20 bank cards.

The bank cards are redeemable for cash at an ATM machine or usable as a debit card.

The Sunset Park gun buyback event is being organized with the cooperation of Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes, who has sponsored similar gun surrender events all over the borough since 2008, and the 72nd Police Precinct.

Renee Giordano, executive director of the Sunset Park BID, said business leaders are concerned about public safety and decided to offer to buy back weapons to make streets safer for merchants and for shoppers.”It is hoped that getting guns off of our streets will cut back on the violence in our city,” she said in an email announcing the Oct. 26 event.

“This is most likely the first time a business improvement distict has sponsored a gun buyback program,” Giordano said. “Several BID businesses, concerned with the safety of their customers, have donated money toward this program too,” she said.

Hynes and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly are expected to be at the mosque that day, but the exact time of their visit has not been set.

The goal of the gun buyback program is to remove illegal, functioning guns from the streets of Brooklyn by offering a $200 cash reward for each eligible weapon surrendered, according to the DA’s website.

“The success of this program goes a long way towards reducing violent crime in Brooklyn. Each gun that is taken off the streets could lead to one less robbery,” Hynes said.

The DA said many of the gun buyback events have taken place in churches and other religious institutions, and with good reason. “To overcome the fact that some people are intimidated when it comes to turning guns in to a police precinct, we got the churches and clergy involved,” Hynes said.

The initiative was launched in 2008. Over 2,000 guns have been collected over the past five years, according to the DA’s website.

Guns must be placed in a plastic or paper bag or a box. If transporting the gun by car, the gun must be transported in the trunk of the car.

The Sunset Park BID, which represents property owners, merchants and residents along Fifth Avenue between 38th and 64th streets, has had a history of outside-the-box thinking.

In May, the BID began an ambitious project to provide free WiFi to the area. The system will work on Smartphones, iPads, laptops and other devices.

For more information on the gun buyback program, call the Sunset Park BID at 718-439-7767 or the 72nd Precinct at 718-965-6311.

http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/sunset-park-bid-sponsors-weapon-buyback-program-2013-10-18-163000

Opening Party

Join the artists the evening before Open Studios for a sneak peek and celebration of their new works Friday, September 20, 2013 from 6:00PM-9:00PM.

Participating Artists:

Studio Artists

Roxanne Bohana, Dorothea Buschell, Betty Hart, Griselda M. Healy, Aaron Hillebrand, Kunio Iizuka, Ellen Coleman Izzo, Anatoly Mikhailov, Tempest NeuCollins, Marcie Paper, Mason Saltarrelli, Kathi Wattson

NARS Residency Artists

REICHRICHTER (Rebekka Reich/Marcus Vila Richter), Yefeng Wang

The New York Art Residency and Studios (NARS) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization committed to supporting artists and curators on an international level as well engaging the local community in Brooklyn and the Greater New York area. NARS provides an array of creative support services and professional development opportunities for emerging and mid-career artists through short-term integrated residency programs, affordable long-term studio spaces, progressive exhibition programs, and engaging public programs. These services operate in conjunction with our education and community outreach initiatives. Our mission is to present diverse platforms on which to nurture creative inspiration and innovative cross-pollination of ideas.

Attached files

Kings County Fermentation Group at Freddy's Bar this Sunday evening, August 25, from from 7 to 9PM.

Have a conversation about fermentation over a cold libation. KCFG meets every fourth Sunday at Freddy's Bar in Greenwood Heights. Bring your goods for a tasting and or just join in conversation. If your looking for a spare scoby or kefir grains or need some advise join our KCFG newsletter to set up and echange. To join and RSVP go to:

http://www.kcfgnyc.org/

Cheers,

Tony Limuaco

KCFG organizer