JOIN US for an early summer morning to sketch or paint at The Cutting Garden in Youngsville, NY. Enjoy a few hours spent in a cultivated cutting garden during midsummer’s bounty of blooms. Before heading home, you’ll have the option to pick a “Bouquet-to-Go” from the garden.
DATES: Monday, August 14, and Monday, August 21, 10 AM to 12:30 PM EDT
GENERAL ADMISSION: $10, 2.5 hours (uninstructed), or
WORKSHOP: $20 (2 hours) 10:30 – 12:30 “Outdoor Still Life” in the “Russian Impressionist Tradition Will assemble various items –, flowers, fruits, the platter on a table If you have any items for sale to contribute we’ll announce otherwise I’ll come with props
LEARN THE BASICS of plein air sketching/painting, from composition selection to materials set up and handling working in pastels, watercolor, or oil. Bring your supplies and we’ll help you get on your way . . .
ABOUT BOUQUET-TO-GO: Pick a bouquet for your home or perhaps a still life. Purchase price based on a number of blooms, payable to The Cutting Garden.
For more information, contact: Karen Meneghin or visit our website: ZaneGreyPleinAir.com
Karen Meneghin, the founder of Zane Grey Plein Air, teaches live/online workshops and is a member of AIS (American Society of Impressionists), Lyme Art Association, and Art Students League with recent work shown at Bryan Memorial Gallery in VT and Lyme Art Association and Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club.
Summer’s here and we’re feeling the heat! Domesticities and the Cutting Garden in Youngsville, NY, presents Big Sky Productions in a performance of “Shorts & Sweets: Summer Heat,” an afternoon of suggestive jokes and short stories.
This adult-only presentation will be offered on Sunday, July 23 at 2 p.m., and will feature New York City actress and director Sharlene Hartman and Big Sky Productions’ Artistic Director Carol Montana.
Sharlene Hartman has been acting, singing, dancing, writing and directing for most of her life. It all started out in San Francisco, with a broken collarbone and a lisp. Her credits include Off Broadway, indie films, television, live industrials, nightclubs, commercials, voice acting, skit comedy and rap songs. Her heart truly belongs to the theatre, however, most recently she’s been having a love affair with film. Her latest, “Lunch With Leslie,” is currently in festivals, receiving numerous awards, including Best Actress and Best Comedy Short. She simply loves creating a character.
Actress, producer, director Carol Montana has a Master’s Degree in Dramatic Form and Structure from the University of Connecticut. She has directed over 50 plays for her company Big Sky Productions, as well as for the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop, Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Sullivan Performing Arts and Sullivan County Community College. Carol’s current area of concentration, besides “Shorts & Sweets” is Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre produced in cooperation with the Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce.
There is no charge for admission and refreshments will be served. Audience members may make a freewill offering for the Sullivan County SPCA.
New Year’s Eve, 2020
Today we celebrate the end of what has been a perfectly awful year, but at the same time a year in which so many showed their kindness, strength, resilience and ability to adapt.
So many stepped up to help those who needed it, and I suspect that some of those people didn’t know they had it in them.
Most of all, this has been a year that showcased the best in all of us, despite the madness in the world.
Let’s remember those we lost this year, and celebrate them each day.
And let’s reflect on what we learned about ourselves and others, using that knowledge to work for a better future.
And whoever thought that the word “pivot” would become so common, and so apt?
We are so grateful for your support in this past year. It’s meant the world to us both!
We’re taking a short break and will re-open on Saturday, February 1st at 11 am.
You can still shop online and schedule a pickup at the store at your convenience.
Looking forward to hindsight really being 2020!
Thanksgiving is all about the food, the company, the chance to share recipes and stories. The parade, Miracle on 34th Street, the football, the leftovers. The time to remember Thanksgivings gone by and to be grateful that the era of Tomato Aspic is over.
A time to reflect. A time to be grateful.
As Henry Van Dyke said,
“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received.
Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling.
Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”
As we head into the holidays, we want to thank you for your support over the years.
It matters that you continue to support small, local businesses.
All of the statistics support the benefits of shopping locally, ranging from the dollars kept in the local economy to the strengthening of communities.
Thank you for keeping your money where your heart lives, supporting an economy of friends and neighbors, giving strength to the place we all love and call home.
Youngsville, NY – “Betty & Me, a Prelude” will open Saturday June 1st at Domesticities in Youngsville. This very local show features pastels by Elizabeth Harms and bentwood sculpture by Kevin Gref, artists who live and work in nearby Jeffersonville. The opening reception begins at 4 pm.
Elizabeth Harms received her MFA and BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has been exhibiting her paintings and pastels for more than 30 years in various solo and group exhibitions. Solo exhibitions include New York’s Paul McCarron Gallery, Condeso/Lawler Gallery and 55 Mercer; Jersey City Museum and Jupiter Gallery in New Jersey; Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute and Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance in Narrowsburg, New York. Of her work, she says, “All of my work is truly, purely abstract or non-objective or non-representational. Many times I have been stimulated by the colors or shapes in nature. The environment is always a constant source of inspiration and can be something as simple as the light and shapes of snow on the hills in winter.”
Kevin Gref received his BFA from University of Buffalo, specializing in Sculpting. After retiring from a career as a carpenter, he returned to his artwork with the opening of his studio Jeffersonville Steamworks in 2013 where he began to experiment with steam-bent white oak, cherry, and other hardwoods. His work has appeared in group shows at the Orange County Art Society, Catskill Arts Society, and the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, was featured in the Broadway production of Harold and Maude and also is part of the private collection of actor Mark Ruffalo. Gref presently is working out of the studios of accomplished abstract painters Elizabeth Harms and Douglas Craft.
Their work will be on display through the end of June.
Join author/artists Scott Woods and Helena Pittman for a lively discussion on writing and painting on Sunday, December 2nd at 1 pm. WJFF’s Valerie Mansi will facilitate the discussion.
Helena has written and illustrated 17 books for children and her best-selling book “A Grain of Rice” has just been published in a new edition by Penguin Random House. On the origins of this book on exponential progression, Helena writes “Math was never my strength, anything but! But I worked out the transactions up to one hundred doublings of the numbers. Kids would love this, I thought. I hadn’t yet imagined the pictures the numbers would ultimately inspire me to conceptualize and draw—the book was published in black and white, its drawings in pencil. I was just taken with what the numbers did.”
Scott started his career illustrating boys’ adventure novels for Simon and Shuster, then moved on to the film business in LA, animating for Amblin’ Entertainment and DreamWorks. He spent his childhood summers in Callicoon Center and that landscape provided the inspiration for many of his later illustrations. Eventually the Catskills called him home and his recent book “We Hillfolk” describes his re-entry into country life, a real-life, grown-up boy’s adventure. He is a portrait artist and painter whose work captures the charm of each subject.
Locally Grown Flowers — We grow them, you enjoy them!
The region boasts many talented floral designers and florists who work creatively and diligently to make your wedding flowers stand out. There is another option for those of you who take a hands-on approach and/or have a strict budget. You can grow, pick and arrange your own wedding flowers, or choose some combination of the above.
If you are a gardener, your seed and bulb orders for the annuals should be completed soon. Pick varieties that will be in bloom at the time of your wedding and make sure to start the seeds at the right time. There are many easy to grow annuals that will provide gorgeous flowers; take care to select for color, height and number of days till bloom. If you have perennial gardens, note when those plants are in bloom and incorporate them or their foliage into your plan. If you don’t have a garden, you may have a gardening friend or two who would be honored to grow flowers as their wedding present to you.
Picking flowers is the easy part. Whether you pick in your own garden, a friend’s garden, or at a Pick Your Own Garden or Farm, this simple advice will help you to select the freshest, most beautiful flowers available and keep them that way.
Pick early or late in the day: The best time to pick flowers is early in the day when their stems are full of water and their sugar content is higher. Second best time is early evening.
Select for freshness: Flowers such as peonies and roses should be picked when the bud is just beginning to open and is starting to show color. Spiked flowers such as foxglove or gladiolus should be picked when the bottom three or four buds are in bloom. Delphinium and lupin should be picked when most of the spike is in bloom. Flowers such as zinnias, daisies, sunflowers and dahlias should be picked when they are fully open, but before they develop any pollen (a circle of yellow).
Use a clean bucket and sharp, clean flower shears: Cut the stem cleanly and at an angle so that there is more area for water uptake. Don’t mash the stem as you would if picking by hand, you will damage the stem and it will not be able to take up water. Place directly into a bucket filled with warm but never hot water, minimizing the possibility of air pockets in the stem. It is best to strip the bottom leaves before placing the flower into the bucket. Dirt can get into the water, blocking the stems and bacteria can begin to grow.
Bring friends and family: The time you or your friends and family spend picking and arranging flowers becomes an event within the entire wedding experience. Members of the wedding party and friends will spend time together catching up or getting to know each other as they work their way through the garden.
Look around the yard: Garden foliage such as ivy, fern, and hosta can add depth and interest to your arrangements. Look for wildflowers such as Queen Anne’s lace to help provide filler. Avoid plants such as ragweed which aggravate allergies.
Let the flowers “rest” a while before arranging: Store in a cool, dark place for several hours or overnight to help “condition” the flowers. Re-cut the stems, remove any remaining leaves that will be below water level and place in a clean bucket with fresh warm but not hot water. Some flowers need special treatment. If they have a soft stem and a heavy flower head, such as a tulip, wrap loosely in paper to prevent drooping. Woody stems should have an additional vertical cut to aid in water uptake. We don’t advocate the use of any floral preservative because the flowers are truly fresh and the use of clean water, vases and shears will ensure their freshness throughout the event. Treat the flowers as you would your most delicate guest – keep them well watered, shaded and cool.
Many brides are lucky to have friends or family who are accomplished flower arrangers and who gladly volunteer to help. While making wedding plans, include a plan for the number of arrangements you want and where they will be placed. Is there something special at your venue that will be made even more so with flowers? Make sure that you have vases, ribbon, and other supplies on hand. Vases should be clean, and there should be ample working space. Consider how the arrangements will be transported. Plan well in advance, be flexible and enjoy the added participation of family and friends.
If you want to start a collection, there are plenty of things out there which are still reasonably priced. No matter what you are interested in, you can still build a nice collection. Be selective and buy the best you can find. It’s the hunt that matters.
Use your imagination. Don’t be put off if something isn’t perfect. If you want planters for your porch or garden, old enamelware or a washtub can provide a great look, and if well used, might already provide drainage! If you want flowering vines in your garden, an old farm tool which isn’t museum quality or has just outlived its useful life might be the perfect prop. Planning a big party? No one will notice the chip in a vase when it’s filled with flowers. And you won’t be that upset if someone accidentally breaks it.
Don’t be intimidated by the word “antique”. Your price range doesn’t matter. Whether it’s an original Duncan Phyfe piece of furniture or a Holt Howard condiment set it celebrates our history and culture and can tell us a little bit about where we come from. An old nut chopper can introduce you to the history of industrial design. An old tool to a skill almost lost. In this disposable culture, finding and actually using old things can teach us values we’ve almost forgotten.
If you like it, buy it because if it’s as good as you think it is, it won’t be there the next time you come around.
But most of all, have fun and look for something that makes you happy.
It’s pretty simple, really. We wanted a way to combine our appreciation for old things, our admiration for fine craft, our belief in a fair and equitable global marketplace and our love for growing things. An 1870’s building housing a shop carrying the things we love combined with a garden on a main drag was just the ticket.
