RiverArts helps artists put out ‘live’ welcome mat
For the second straight spring, dozens of Rivertowns artists won’t be ushering the public into their workplaces on the annual RiverArts Studio Tour, which was canceled due to the pandemic.
Starting this weekend, however, RiverArts will resume Salon Sundays, through which artists will use Instagram Live to welcome viewers virtually.
The first of six Salon Sundays, on April 11 at 3 p.m., will feature Monica Carrier of Tarrytown and Jane Kang Lawrence of Sleepy Hollow, the co-owners of Peep Space, an art gallery located at 92 Central Avenue in Tarrytown.
“This is really a great way to stay connected — especially to connect the Rivertowns communities with area artists,” said Kate Ashby, RiverArts’ artistic director. “It is a lovely way to see the artists in their studios, and to learn about their inspiration and technique. As there is a Q&A segment, there will also be an opportunity to speak directly with each artist.”
Based on the French gatherings for emerging artists in the 18th century, Salon Sundays debuted in November 2019 as an in-person supplement to the Studio Tour. The last of three Salon Sundays were held in February 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic unfolded.
“Our initial events proved highly popular with the artists and the community,” said Jeff Dietz, producer of Salon Sundays. “There was a spark to it, and we just needed to find a way to continue and to continue safely.”
The remote salons will allow each artist to show their work for 30 minutes. “It will be a powerful way to interact with the artist in their own space, and to see their art up close,” Dietz added.
Dietz, a photographer who lives in Beacon, was a Tarrytown resident when he and his partner, Gabrielle Burger, came up with the idea for Salon Sundays. Burger has been the producer of the Studio Tour, and will reprise that role when the event resumes.
Over the past 12 months, Carrier and Kang Lawrence have managed to improvise, both as artists and gallery owners. Prior to Covid-19, they had bonded over their shared interests as visual artists, art teachers, and parents of daughters exactly the same age. They also shared a desire to own an artist-run gallery where they could showcase the work of other contemporary artists.
“We literally signed the lease for Peep Space on March 1, 2020,” Carrier said. ”We were blown away by what happened. But then it kind of worked out. We were able to focus on what we wanted to do with the space and as it was only the two of us here, we were able to get things done safely.
“Our first show was in June,” she recalled. “We limited the number of people who could be inside, and Jane and I would stay outside, often with people who were willing to wait. It’s been challenging this winter, but we’ve done OK, and I must say, donations have come in and that has been gratifying.”
Carrier earned her BFA at Tyler School of the Arts in Philadelphia and an MFA from CUNY’s Hunter College. She teaches art at Hackley School in Tarrytown. On her website she describes her work, mostly ink-on-paper drawings: “I move between observation, intuition, and materiality. Faces, the shifting spaces between, and chance encounters influence me. My role of artist is akin to that of a medium or translator.”
The past year impacted Carrier’s work, in which the ink “splatters and spills” over the paper. Where once she would draw with black ink, “Now it is full color, all David Hockney.”
Kang Lawrence was born in the U.S. to parents who emigrated from South Korea in 1972. She received her BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and her master’s from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. She has taught visual arts, ceramics, and visual literacy to students in New York City for over 15 years. She currently teaches at the Manhattan International High School.
The pandemic also affected her approach to her art. Her parents live on an island off the coast of South Korea. Being so far away at such a dangerous time caused her to study more closely her Korean heritage.
“For years I created works that reflected a sense of place and its architecture. Now, I have become entranced by the folk art of Korea known as ‘minhwa,’ which literally means ‘painting of the people,’” Kang Lawrence said. “The rich colors of minhwa dovetail with my palette. I started by painting tigers. They are very important in Korean culture, and not just as fierce creatures, but also as protectors or guardians, with strength and power.”
Kang Lawrence has moved on to painting cranes. She refers to these creatures of the land and sea as representing “loyalty and good health,” and said that the paintings maker her feel “at home.”
Future Salon Sundays are scheduled for May 2 and 16, June 13 and 27, and July 11. There is no fee to attend. For more info, visit riverarts.org.
