Kathy treated me to an evening at The New York State Fair.
We saw dinosaurs and godzillas of the animatronic and rock star varieties.
And I found a shiny penny. Now up to $4.08 in found money for 2024.
Monthly Archives: August 2024
Voting with Jen G.
I’ve driven past the Matilda Joslyn Gage house a gazillion times. You know how it is – you see the sign and say to yourself, one of these days I will investigate what that’s all about. It is located at 210 E. Genesee Street, Fayetteville, New York 13066.
I mean, yes, it is about abolishionist Gage, and her connection to the Underground Railroad, friendship with fellow suffragette Susan B. Anthony AND she also happened to be L. Frank Baum’s mother-in-law.
Small world.
My almost thirty year connection with Chittenango, New York and all things Oz should have brought me here sooner, No matter because today I was invited to an open house and art reception for the fabulous Jen Gandee.
Jen has created an installation of pottery and digital imagery utilizing human silhouettes representing her experience with long lines at the voting booths during the 2020 election. These figures are stenciled onto ceramic cups glazed in variations on skin color. They are also superimposed on printed documents from the Library of Congress, papers that have historical significance to our voting system.
The show was made possible through a CNY Arts Initiative grant. It will be on display until November 24, 2024. Check the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation web-site for hours of operation.
Other rooms in the house display Gage’s connection to Native American tribes in the area, women’s rights and a historically accurate parlor room, as this house was her childhood home. They’ve removed the kitchen and replaced it with a gift shop. They can also accommodate physically handicapped via a small elevator.
P.S. I loved that they served cucumber sandwiches at the event. I almost felt like I could fall through one of those Land of the Lost time doorways and find myself in 1924, but only because the rooms reminded me of the museum in that Christopher Reeve movie “Somewhere in Time” plus I’ve been falling into too many timey-wimey rabbit holes on YouTube lately.
Thank you, Jen Gandee for giving me a reason to explore this wonderful home and for being an inspiration as both artist and advocate.
Rainy Days & the Mariposa
I love it when it rains. I spent the week working on these paintings and I just finished them: a dozen encaustic butterfly paintings.
I also watched the entire series of a show called Mallorca Files. It is about police detectives working in Mallorca, Spain. The lead characters are German and British detectives.
This gave me the idea to look up how to say butterfly in different languages. I chose Spanish first (Mariposa) then German (Schmetterling) and Welsh (Gloyn) – I hope those are accurate, lol.
I also chose Macedonian and Vlashki for obvious reasons, and Italian, Greek and Japanese….
The idea for these butterflies has been fluttering about my head for quite a while. I had a breakthrough with the devices. I was going to use different items for the thorax but it just felt like I was trying too hard to be inventive. The paint brush idea feels fresh to me, like new but you can still tell that it’s me.
The amount of paintings I’ve made this summer has created a transformation in me. I feel alive and refreshed, and authentic and new. Finally.
It feels really good. I am my own butterfly.
I plan to sell/exhibit these paintings with the butterfly bracelets I made using those vintage tin butterfly pins from Estonia. Not sure when or where. Stay tuned.
If you are seeing my posts on Facebook (Karen Tashkovski-Visual Artist), can you check to make sure you “like” me and follow me? I’ve invited a number of you to do that and you actually haven’t done that yet. Thanks in advance. And while I’m asking, it would help a lot if you shared my content on your pages. Can you do that? Yessssss!
Renaissance
It’s a good day for a good day.
I went on two errands today – I received an Indian head penny in my change at the first location.
Then I found a penny at the second location! I am now up to $4.07 in found money for 2024.
Back at the studio I worked on a new series of paintings. They are 8″ x 8″ butterflies. Not finished but here is a preview.
Butterflies represent a rebirth. A renaissance. Past-present-future. It’s perfect.
Such a good day.
P.S. I will be at the gallery at AFL Studio (301 E. Seneca St., Manlius, New York) on Friday, August 23, 2024. I might pop by tomorrow if I have time.
Art & the Universe
This is the current state of affairs in my living room and dining room as I prepare for upcoming art exhibitions and sales opportunities. The seventy-two encaustic fan paintings are in search of a venue. They will eventually vacate the six foot table in the middle of my living room. Stay tuned….
NEW ART GALLERY AND MORE FROM ARTIST KAREN TASHKOVSKI
Syracuse artist Karen Tashkovski has opened an art gallery inside AFL STUDIO, a hair salon located at 301 E. Seneca Street, Manlius, New York 13104. Current hours for the salon are 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tashkovski will be available by appointment. Email her at artist@karentash.com.
The artwork currently on display and for sale is from three different decades of Tashkovski’s career: the Target paintings, 36” x 36” oil & collage (from 1997), the Talisman series, 18” x 24” oil & collage paintings (2008) and the new (2024) Arcadia series, 9” x 12” encaustic & collage paintings, as well as small heart encaustics that rest on display stands (included).
Tashkovski uses PayPal and Venmo (pending) as platforms for payment, and cash.
Karen Tashkovski will also be involved in the Cazenovia Art Trail from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on September 28th and 29th, 2024 stationed at the American Legion Hall, 26 Chenango Street, Cazenovia, New York 13035. There will be art for sale at this venue from five artists (Tashkovski included) plus food trucks in the parking lot. The Cazenovia Art Trail is a yearly event where Cazenovia-based artists open their home studios to visitors.
In addition, Tashkovski will exhibit twenty-four encaustic & collage paintings in a show titled Bungalow at the East Syracuse Free Library, 4990 James Street, East Syracuse, New York during October and November 2024 with an art reception on Thursday, October 17, 2024 from 4:45 – 6:45 PM.
Tashkovski used a metal detector to hunt for treasure in the backyard of her one-hundred-twenty-four-year-old bungalow. She incorporated the finds into the collage element of these encaustic paintings (encaustic is a combination of oil paint and beeswax).
Karen Tashkovski is a graduate of Syracuse University (BFA in Fashion Design & Studio Art – 1985, MS in Art Education – 1993). She lives in East Syracuse, New York. For more information, find the artist on social media: Karen Tashkovski – Visual Artist on Facebook and her web-site www.karentash.com.
Fifteen Reasons
Here are fifteen reasons (excluding the magnificent Marisol collection) to take a trip to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery & Museum in Buffalo, New York:
- VINCENT VAN GOGH
2. PAUL GAUGUIN
3. PAUL CEZANNE
4. FRIDA KAHLO
5. AMEDEO MODIGLIANI
6. GIACOMO BALLA
7. GIORGIO DI CHIRICO
8. ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG
9. FRANZ KLINE
10. JASPER JOHNS
11. SALVADOR DALI
12. PABLO PICASSO
13. ROBERT MOTHERWELL
14. SUSAN ROTHENBERG
15. WILLEM DE KOONING
ISO Fish Fry – Cole’s
Yesterday my friend Joyce and I visited the Albright-Knox Gallery and Art Museum in Buffalo, New York. It was a spectacular day of viewing the amazing Marisol collection of sculptures, as well as admiring some very famous paintings that we both had studied in art history classes – from Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani and my heroes Johns and Rauschenberg! We kept saying a variation of “what is this doing here, and, I didn’t know this was here!”
On that high note, we decided to go in search of fish fry. The gallery store employee directed us to Cole’s, an Irish pub located only minutes away in the Elmwood Village neighborhood.
Presentation: Haddock is a Friday-only special here and it is prepared three different ways – beer battered (Joyce’s choice), broiled or broiled Greek-style. I chose the latter minus the tomato addition.
Taste: I have to say that this meal was the best fish dinner I have ever had. The fish was mouthwatering. I was told they broil their fish in white wine but when they do it Greek-style they use a Greek dressing marinade and add spinach and feta cheese to the fish before broiling. I am in love with these people. Too bad they are a bit over two hours away. I asked to be adopted. The waitress did relay this to the chef and kitchen staff, and she said they were delighted that I was delighted and I was very, very…sooooo delighted. <3
Joyce thought her beer-battered version rivaled the fish she had last week in London, England. Yes, that good! She chose sweet potato fries and soup as her sides.
I loved the flavor of the coleslaw with my salty friend, feta, but as per usual, I was in salt overkill with the fries. I think they were peppered as well. Next time I will ask for saltless fries with this meal.
Restaurant Experience: OMG times infinity. I highly recommend this amazing restaurant! We were seated immediately and the waitress was absolutely lovely. We shared that we were out-of-towners (Joyce is from Binghamton, New York) and were excited to be there. She welcomed us and matched our enthusiasm.
It was relatively quiet inside the restaurant with soft rock music playing. We were able to continue our conversation in between bites and oohs and ahhs over the food – mostly me, as I am the crazy fish lady, let’s make that clear.
Location: Cole’s is located at 1104 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14222, a two-minute drive from the AKG Art Museum (or a nine-minute walk).
Hours
Monday – 5pm- 12am
Tuesday – 5pm – 3am
Wednesday – 5pm- 2am
Thursday – 5pm- 2am
Friday – 11:30am – 4am
Saturday – 11:30am -4am
Sunday – 11am – 12am
Parking: We parked on the street. I didn’t see a parking lot. We were there around 3:30 PM on Friday afternoon, which is between lunch and dinner so it wasn’t a problem finding a spot.
Marisol
The Marisol exhibit at the Albright-Knox Gallery, 1285 Elmood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, is a giant WOWZA.
Marisol Escobar bequeathed the entirety of her estate to the museum. She passed away in 2016. She was an American artist by way of Venezuala.
The exhibition is a combo of substantial figurative wood sculptures and crayon drawings and watercolors that have a playful quality. The figures are family members, self-portraits, heads-of-state prominent types and plays on other artists’ works such as a derby toting umbrella man from that famous Magritte painting.
It was a dream come true. I love Marisol.
Monday, 10 am–5 pm
Tuesday, Closed
Wednesday, Closed
Thursday, 10 am–8 pm
Friday, 10 am–8 pm
Saturday, 10 am–5 pm
Sunday, 10 am–5 pm
M-B Antique Week 2024
The huge multi-vendor Madison-Bouckville Antique Week antique show is in full swing this week on Route 20. Today was a beautiful day for this shop-and-hike phenomenom. They are open every day until Sunday, August 18, 2024, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
The themes I responded to this year: horses, Americana and of course, Mr. Peanut!
Will someone please buy me this squash blossom necklace? It is perfecto!
Fan-Girl Part 6
