A kicking First Friday at Anderson Arts Building

Peter Scahill blends skills with the spirit of the circus and stage with contemporary humor [Photo: Karina Banda] April Fool’s Day, 2016

Before being rudely ejected by Flash in the Pan for absconding with his juggling clubs, it was reunion night at the Anderson Arts Building. With a mime for good measure.

First stop was the Rochester Military Society of Rochester. You’ve seen Chuck Baylis put me in a WWI uniform and a cannon. He has also christened the U.S.S. Langley. And Chuck displayed a fascinating exhibit of Trench Art including a box made by a German P.O.W at Cobb’s Hill.

Pittsford Cannon near the Canal Path [Photo: Chuck Baylis]

Chuck Baylis

One of Chuck’s new projects is a Vietnam War Memorial exhibit including the original plaque with Tim O’Brien’s lines from the The Things They Carried and the original pedestal honoring Don Holleder from the Veteran’s Memorial Walk in Highland Park

Tease: our next project involves a famous sword, a turn-of-the-twentieth century uniform and another cannon.

Photo: one of Anna’s misguided Lunatics, April Fool’s Day, 2016

Next I dropped by Anna Overmoyers of Luna Gallery who you know from “The Futility of Knowing Oneself.”

Anna forced me to pose with figurines she is now making, including attaching one to my head. She’s a Lunatic!

By chance, that very day Anna had made a “call for art” for her coming “Midsummer’s nights dream” happening at the Gallery.” If you don’t want a metal donkey stuck on your head, best to answer that call.

Karina and Judy with Judy’s latest creations.

Tease: Luna will be soon sharing a project done from the other side of the Earth.

Next was Judy Gohringer who gave us a warm antidote for the winter doldrums.

There by chance was Karina Banda, aka the Saint of WordPress. A senior at the University of Rochester, Karina was the original designer and installer of Talker of the Town! And what magnificent work she has done.

As the Saint of WordPress, amongst other calamities, Karina nursed me through the Great Terror when I temporarily lost three weeks of pictures and almost my mind.

Tease: before she graduates, Karina will be featured in a Talker exclusive.

“Lynn, I don’t (gulp) know (err) what you’re talking about?” [Photo: Lynne Feldman] 2/5/16

From there it was Lynne Feldman’s place which was a chapter in our calamitous scavenger hunt for Rochester Reads. As always on display were Lynne’s sumptuous collage homages.

See link for details on “Wrap Yourself in Art” 4/1/16

Tonight Lynne appeared draped only in her art (not really). Lynne’s latest project is Wrap Yourself in Art: blankets soft, warm and distinctly beautiful.

Moving upward, next was Gallery 4 – 8. Gallery 4 – 8 is a new gallery created by Richard Margolis to show the work of Rochester’s emerging artists and now displaying the photography of Krit Upra.

Only having communicated electronically, I had not before met Krit. And a pleasure to hear him in person describe the subtle choices of color that went into each image.

Note the critical use of celery sticks to advance our aesthetic explications [Photo: Hillary Bosy, RIT student]

I also learned more about what motivated Krit towards photography as a profession. When in boarding school in the U.S. (Krit is from Thailand) Krit played soccer on the varsity team until tearing his ligament. Still wanting to be around the team, he took photographs of games and practices. The principal liked Krit’s soccer images so much he suggested he be the school photographer. Then doing actual photography for the first time, Krit found his life passion.

Photo: Karina Banda, April Fool’s Day, 2016

Tease: Krit is right now combing through his facebook pages to locate his very first photo — then to be added here.

Photo: Karina Banda, April Fool’s Day, 2016

The next encounter was not so jolly. A strutting, April Fool’s jester on his high horse was stalking outside Gallery 4 -8. Fearing for Karina’s safety, I rushed the overgrown villain — that flash in the pan — and seized his juggling cubs! Alas, the final result was not completely in my favor.

My ego and bruises were soothed when along came Andrea Whitcomb, the mime who had been performing throughout the evening. Andrea was unable to say no to a kiss. And neither was I.

One artist was missing in my sentimental journey, Robert Marx. In January, I had met Robert at his Black Bird Press studio. Although nationally renowned, Robert is entirely unpretentious and open.

We talked about the piece on which he was working. I explained I would like to display it in the magazine if he liked. Robert would, but it was still unfinished after many years of on and off again work.

Robert Marx’s unfinished painting, January 2016

We then discussed how Robert knows when a work is finished. An instinct seems to come over him. One day he wakes up — feeling perhaps sublime or perhaps mundane — and he knows. It’s done!

So I came back in a couple of months. Robert sighed, not done. Tonight I thought was perhaps the night. But, alas, Lynne informed that just a day or so ago Robert had decided to set up his studio in his home. So he wasn’t there.

Tease: we intend one to day find Robert in his home studio and report back with the story. It’s done!