Tag Archives: Utica New York

art, art exhibition, art museum, Karen Tashkovski, sculpture

Ethereal Beauty

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If you haven’t yet travelled to Munson (310 Genesee Street, Utica, NY 13502) to see Celestial Bodies, then I will say you’re welcome in advance because, well, it is that magnificent.  I trust you will love it too.

New Yorker Karen LaMonte graduated from RISD then began a journey that took her from a glass blowing workshop in New Jersey to Prague to international fame as a sculptor.  She has won numerous awards and fellowships for this impressive body of work.

She works in glass, stone, bronze – working with experts as a team to produce life-sized female forms.  The headless sculptures are exquisitely draped gowns.  Although they resemble Greek caryatids, they are incredibly modern in design – ruched halter tops, asymmetrical sleeves, the appearance of stitched seams and floral embroidery – OMG, they are spectacular.

In addition to the life-sized items, there are quarter-sized miniatures.  They are so beautifully feminine.  As I viewed the show, I imagined myself wearing these gowns because each one was a perfect #ootd.  And because they were missing someone else’s head and arms and were clearly my size, it was an effortless phenomenological vision that induced movement, dance, joy and above all, elegance.  A girl can dream….

Karen LaMonte is my new favorite artist.

Munson is open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Sunday noon – 5:00 PM.  Call (315) 797-0000 for more information.

Celestial Bodies:  Sculpture by Karen LaMonte will be on view through December 31, 2025.

fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Swifty’s

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After viewing the Norman Rockwell exhibit at Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute yesterday, Penny Santy and I had lunch down the street at Swifty’s Restaurant & Pub.

Since it was Friday, I decided to try their fish fry.

Presentation: Pub style beer-battered fish fry is always welcome! It arrived in a basket with homemade hot potato chips, coleslaw and a big helping of tartar sauce.

Taste: In the ’90s I used to love the beer-battered haddock at the Empire Brewing Company in Armory Square in Syracuse. This fish tasted exactly like it – OMG, it was so familiar and wonderful. I didn’t have many of the chips because I wasn’t that hungry and I loved that it was such a small portion of coleslaw. Everything was delish!

Restaurant Experience: We picked the restaurant because it was close to the museum and it was open. There wasn’t anyone sitting in the outdoor seating section and no one was dining in the restaurant. A handful of regulars were seated in the bar area. So – this is not often a good sign, lol, that the food would be good. But, it was around 3:30 PM, which is that in between time, between lunch and dinner. We sat inside near the front windows. It was very clean and comfortable. The waitress was extremely welcoming and friendly. It was such a positive place!

The food came rather quickly. It was an excellent restaurant experience.

Location: Swifty’s Restaurant & Pub is located at 257 Genesee Street, Utica, NY 13501. Call (315) 733-6611 for reservations and hours of operation or visit their web-site. They offer catered parties, take-out orders, live music and a children’s menu. They also have locations in Delmar, NY and Albany, New York!

Parking: We parked on the street in front of the building. It was one of those easy parking manifestations, the way it always seems to happen in movies, so that was nice. There is no parking lot.

art exhibition, art museum, illustration, Karen Tashkovski, magazine covers, oil painting

Norman

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There is an art exhibition of original paintings, posters and magazine covers representing the career of illustrator Norman Rockwell at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, 310 Genesee Street, Utica, NY 13502. This show was organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

All of the Saturday Evening Post covers are represented here! It is amazing to see them all together like this – they hold court in two of the three gallery rooms on the second floor of the museum.

I won tickets to see this show. Thank you, Sullivan Library, Chittenango, NY for this wonderful gift. And thank you, Penny, for accompanying me on this wonderful summer art excursion. So fun!

Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute is open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 AM -5:00 PM and Sunday noon-5:00 PM. They have guided tours of the exhibit – call (315) 797-0000 for more information.

P.S. They are having an arts festival through Sunday, July 17, 2022. There are outdoor events including a music stage, local art display and food trucks!