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#CapNYRedAlert

September 8, 2020 By wordpress

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on creative industries across the globe.

Simply put, the Capital Region creative industries are a critical sector of our economy and are crucial to our recovery.

Our local creative businesses and organizations bring vibrancy into our region.

These industries, and the creative people who make them come alive, are resilient. We will overcome. It is time to lift each other up — to support ourselves and our institutions in the darkest of times like they support us in our own dark times. Stand up in solidarity. We have an idea on how to do just that…#CapNYRedAlert

How to Participate

Register via the link toward the bottom of this page, to receive information and updates about #CapNYRedAlert.
Show your support and share your story on social media, tagging #CapNYRedAlert.
Buy a red lightbulb. You can purchase them online, here, or at a local hardware store. Please #SupportLocal!
Replace the light bulb in front of your house/business (over your front door, on your porch, etc.) with the red lightbulb and shine it bright! As we head into Daylight Savings Time, the shortened days will add even more hardship to creative businesses struggling to stay afloat, as outdoor dining and performances wind down.
Donate to not-for-profit arts organizations and artist support programs like…

Creative Impact: The Capital Region Artist Fund

Show Your Support & Spread the Word!

Scroll below to register.
Share your support by posting the #CapNYRedAlert logo on social media. Caption it something along the lines of, “Support our local creative industries #CapNYRedAlert”.
Share stories of your favorite creative businesses and tag them with #CapNYRedAlert
Tag us in your photos, FB: @upstatecreative, IG: @upstatecreative, Twitter: @upnycreative. we would love to share all of the photos and compile them.
Tag your favorite local creative businesses and organizations to let them know they have your support!

Click Here to Register Today!

Our Partners & Supporters

CapNY CoWorking Tour: Hone Coworks, Albany

August 13, 2020 By Maureen Sager

Co-working and monthly-lease office space is exploding in the Capital Region! Flexibility, socially-distant camaraderie, and services abound. Come on a sneak-peak tour of art-filled, high-tech Hone Coworks in Albany, and we’ll fill you in on all of our favorite perks.

Hone Coworks is located inside the wooded, shady Great Oaks office park in Albany. It’s close to Crossgates Mall and I-87, but it’s also near to the urban amenities — restaurants, museums, nightlife — of downtown Albany. AMPLE and easy parking is a big plus to this location.

Stylish, Decked-Out Shared Spaces

After entering through the very welcoming Lobby (seen in the photo above right), you’ll come upon the large, open Kitchen section (seen in photo to the right). The color palette is bright and sophisticated — orange, teal — and the furniture and vibe are modern and vibrant. AKA, I wish my place looked like this.

Hone Coworks is tech-ed out and touch-free throughout. You can make a custom cucumber-infused seltzer using an app! Reserve and unlock your conference rooms, make copies — all contact-free.

Hold on, I’m not done with the Kitchen deets, though. There’s Clif Bars and RxBars and fresh fruit! Microbrew coffee by Brewtus, a small batch specialty roaster in Delmar. And wait — there’s Oatly Creamer in the fridge! I know, I’m gushing, but (cue Julie Andrews) these are a few of my favorite things!

Tech-Friendly Workspaces

Now that’s we’ve covered the creamer, we’ll move on to the workspaces. Happily, you’ll find tech-friendly Meeting Rooms of all shapes, sizes and designs, which can be rented by the hour (members’ access is included in their monthly fees). There’s a hip / corporate vibe to these spots, and they’re more than able to handle six-feet-apart spacing.

Another luxe touch is the one-touch feature that turns your desk from a sitting to standing space, AND the Herman Miller office chairs that grace every workspace. Hmm, does a Henry Miller chair beat my sofa? Let me think. Yes, it does.

Artwork All Around

Floor-to-ceiling artwork and triptych by Samson Contampasis

But of all the things to love about Hone, my favorite is the artwork. The artwork that fills the halls and walls is a combination of permanent pieces by regional artists like Samson Contompasis and Lori Kochanski, as well as a rotating gallery wall curated in partnership with Albany Center Gallery.

Okay, and one last shout-out, because Hone Coworks Community Manager Sarah McDonnell set up a jar of Neutrogena make-up wipes for emergency touch-ups. “Masks really screw up your make-up,” she said. “We really try to think of everything you’ll need, and have it here.” Now that’s thinking of everything!

HOW TO FIND HONE COWORKS

Address: 300 Great Oaks Blvd, Suite 300, Albany, NY 12203

Website: https://honecoworks.com/

Call: 518-250-4855

Email: hello@honecoworks.com

CapNY Creative Highlight: Steve Derrick

July 16, 2020 By wordpress

Weary, tired, brave, bruised, and raw, Steve Derrick’s paintings depict the spirit of healthcare heroes on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Derrick has painted more than 70 portraits of doctors, nurses and other workers from the Cap Region to Italy, Spain, the UK, and cities across the globe.

A resident of Clifton Park and Director of Organizational Development at digital game giant Vicarious Visions, Derrick is an artist in many senses of the word. To escape the overwhelm of the pandemic, he engaged in painting. He says, “there was so much negativity on the news. This gave me something positive to think about while sitting in quarantine.”

We sat down with Derrick at Albany Center Gallery (ACG), where he exhibited his work in a show called “Healing: Portraits of the Pandemic…” Watch the video below!

Derrick began posting his paintings on social media and they received immediate attention. This was new territory for him; he usually doesn’t show his work. He credits ACE with being the first outlet to cover his paintings. His work inspired us to begin the ACE Creatives in Quarantine Gallery, which received coverage from the Times Union. This was just the beginning of the national attention Derrick has received.

Interview with CBS News, “On the Road with Steve Hartman”

KUTV 2 in Utah aired Derrick’s story a few weeks ago. On July 17th, he was featured on CBS News “On the Road with Steve Hartman.” Watch the video below!

After including their professionals in some paintings, Albany Medical Center acknowledged and thanked him in their weekly update, after he painted several of their staff.

On July 21st, Derrick was also featured in a CNN article, which can be read here!

You can view more of his work by visiting the gallery or by following him on Facebook or Instagram.

Related Posts

CapNY Road Trip: Columbia County Waterfalls, Hikes, Art and More!

June 24, 2020 By Maureen Sager

Columbia County is home to stunning hikes, streams and waterfalls — perfect in all four seasons. Plus, there’s the thriving cultural scene, with standout sites like Olana and Art Omi, and many more venues that will reopen in 2021. This Road Trip is focused on a fantastic, full day of nature, dining, history and culture! Coming soon: a spotlight on the arts / food / shopping scene in downtown Hudson…

Walking and Hiking
Art and History
Food and Drink

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CapNY Takealong Map

Click here for a handy, downloadable Google map to help you plan and track your Columbia County visit. All of the CapNY Road Trip sites are marked and notated for your convenience.

Walking and Hiking

High Falls Conservation Area courtesy Scenic Hudson

High Falls Conservation Area, 540 Roxbury Road, Philmont, 12565. The High Falls Area is home to Columbia County’s highest waterfall – over 150 feet high! The shady, wooded trails lead you to a dramatic overlook with views of the falls. Plus, you’ll have easy access to the beautiful, babbling Agawamuck Creek. There are a total of 1.5 miles of hiking trails on the 47-acre site, as well as great fishing. Click here for a handy, downloadable map and app of this site.

Copake Falls / Taconic State Park, 253 Route 344, Copake Falls 12517. Copake Falls is part of Taconic State Park, a 14-mile range that borders on both Massachusettes and Connecticut. There are an array of hiking trails throughout the site. But the highlight is definitely the paved, creekside path to the spectacular. Bash Bish Falls. Funny enough, you’ll start the trail in New York, but Bash Bish is actually in Massachusettes, just across the state border.

Won Dharma Center, 361 NY-23, Claverack, 12513. There are 12 peaceful walking trails on the grounds of the Won Dharma Center. Some are mown paths through fields, others meander through young forests with dappled light. If you’d like, you can consult their website for simple insight into walking meditation (“Walk with no thought of ‘I’ or ‘getting somewhere.’ Be present here and now”), but there’s definitely no obligation to meditate while you’re here.

Beebe Hill and Harvey Mountain State Forests, Austerlitz, 12107. 30 miles of beautiful hiking trails link these two state forests, which include two lean-tos and a climbable fire tower. Because these forests are very large, you might want to use this handy map for easy location of parking and trail access points,

Ooms Conservation Area, 480 Rock City Road, Chatham, 12037. Explore three miles of easy trails on 180 acres of rolling grasslands. There’s a beautiful pond, pastoral landscape, Catskill mountain views, and benches and a gazebo for relaxing and birdwatching.

Harrier Hill Park, 6729 Rod and Gun Road, Stockport, 12534. There are two great hikes here. First, stroll down the small loop that has benches overlooking a pond and a gorgeous Catskills vista (plus a pavilion, for post-COVID gatherings). Second is the 4-mile roundtrip trail that connects to Stockport-Greenport Trail, which connects to even more hiking opportunities in the Greenport Conservation Area. This one has a ravine pass that’s a bit challenging, but totally worth it!

Art and History

Olana State Historic Site, 5720 State Route 9G, Hudson 12534. The Olana estate was home to Frederic Edwin Church, one of the major figures in the Hudson River School of landscape painting. His eclectic, Victorian / Moorish / Persian style villa has truly thrilling views of the Hudson River Valley, the Catskill Mountains and the Taconic Range — click here for some breathtaking aerial shots of the grounds (see, I wasn’t kidding!). Additionally, you’ll find walking paths to keep you busy all afternoon. Open 8:30am to sunset.

Copake Iron Works Historic District, 35 Valley View Road, Copake Falls 12517. Copake Iron Works is home to a dozen well-preserved 19th century iron works buildings and structures. There’s also a shaded, creekside, 3-mile loop trail that links the Copake Iron Works with Bash Bish Falls (see above). It’s a really nice meander, I highly recommend!

Art Omi, 1405 County Route 22, Ghent, 12075. Art Omi is a free-range art experience where 120-acres of sculptures and structures await you! You can wander through wonderful woods and gorgeous fields, or borrow one of the on-site bikes. Lucky for us, Art Omi is open every day from dawn until dusk, and admission is free. Can’t navigate the grounds on foot, or want to learn more about Art Omi? Click here for a great virtual tour.

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, 1013 Old Post Rd, Kinderhook, 12106. After Van Buren lost his second-term presidential bid, he retired to this home in his native Kinderhook. This site offers two great options. First, visit the historic home, where Van Buren entertained politicians and dignitaries until his death in 1862. Then, hike one of the two walking trails go through here: the Dutch Farming Heritage Trail and the Wayside Loop Trail. Click here for a virtual site tour!

Food and Drink

Random Harvest, 1785 State Route 23, Craryville 12521. Random Harvest is a worker-owned neighborhood market, cafe, and community space that provides food and goods sourced directly from farmers and producers. And better yet, it’s located very near Copake Falls, so make this place a must-stop after your waterfall hike.

Roe Jan Brewery, 32 Anthony Street, Hillsdale, 12529. A brand new brewery / restaurant in a very old (1851) building. You’ll love what they’ve done with the place — the setting is as special as the beer and food! Plenty of outdoor seating and a seasonal menu to match the weather.

West Taghkanic Diner, 1016 NY-82, Ancram, 12502. One of my favorite spots in the Capital Region. Picture a classic diner menu, reimagined using locally grown produce, grains, dairy and meat. And don’t just take my word for it — the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Esquire and many more agree.

More Food and Drink!

Crossroads Food Shop, 2642 Route 23, Hillsdale, 12529. Chef David Wurth arrived in Hillsdale after stints in Martha’s Vineyard and New York City, and we’re very lucky to have him here in the Capital Region. Farm-to-table, localvore dining and market. It’s casual, inspired, and terrific.

Pico de Gallo on the Hudson, 48 Riverview Street, Stuyvesant, NY 12173. Chef Moises Ortiz hails from Pueblo, Mexico, and he’s worked in many top New York City restaurants. So glad he’s settled in the Capital Region! Additionally, there’s the pretty little village of Stuyvesant. So be sure to leave yourself some time for a post-meal stroll.

Bartlett House, 2258 Route 66, Ghent, 12075. Fantastic bakery and homemade, locally sourced food, served up in a beautifully restored 1870 building with a lovely, picturesque porch. Take your lunch over to nearby Art Omi, and eat on the rolling hills, amidst the sculpture!

Related Posts

Cap Region Creatives in Quarantine Gallery

April 28, 2020 By wordpress

We’ve organized the Creatives in Quarantine Gallery as a scrolling experience, so that it feels a bit like you’re strolling a physical gallery; you can stop to admire the details and notations that catch your eye, and move on to admire the next piece that interests you. We hope this provides a moment of refuge for all who visit. Inspiration and vision are as contagious as the virus, so in that spirit, let’s celebrate these creations of our fellow locals!

If you would like to submit your work, please email Gabby Fisher, ACE Digital Manager.

Submitted by Laura McDonald, Owner of Blue Peregrine Salon

Click here to watch Laura’s TikTok video, turning into Kurt Cobain.

Laura says, “I have always been an artist and usually work with oils. In the past few years I became increasingly interested in makeup as a medium but could only really use it around Halloween. I’ve decided during this quarantine, that everyday is Halloween. It started with a happy hour Zoom. I wanted to make my friends laugh so I surprised every one and showed up on the call in one of my markups . It was genuine laughter that we all needed. After that I stared to try different people and characters and post it on my social media page just to get some other people to laugh. It ended up being very therapeutic for me for my friends as well as myself.”

Submitted by Marta Parotte

Submitted by Anthony Richichi / Kayla Albano

Anthony is a gallery curator, painter and illustrator out of Glens Falls (IG). He says, “I have been working on a “virtual social-distance collab” with local illustrator/graphic designer Kayla Albano, emailing back and forth linework and building them into final pieces.” Kayla is a professional graphic designer, photographer and SUNY New Paltz graduate out of Queensbury (IG).

Submitted by Rebecca Zeh, of Saratoga Arts

Dip or No Dip, An Awesome Question, mixed media collage…Rebecca says, “My husband and I have been in quarantine together the whole time, both working from home. One night we decided to make collages as a fun creative activity we can do together. It was a lot of fun and a great use for magazines and old calendars laying around. This type of intuitive art project is very cathartic!”

New Years Day, Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve, acrylic on canvas. Rebecca says, “This painting was the first piece I started and finished in quarantine. This is a scene from a New Years Day walk at Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve. The color palette and mood of the scene very much reflect my state of mind during this time. Moody, but also hopeful with the light peaking through the clouds. It’s a great metaphor for the ups and downs I’ve been feeling and I’m sure a lot of people have been feeling.”

Rebecca is a fine artist who grew up just outside of Saratoga Springs, NY in Greenfield Center. In 2012 she received her BFA with a concentration in drawing from Pratt Institute. She has had a passion for the arts since a very young age and has exhibited her work in several businesses and art galleries in the Capital Region as well as some during her time at school in New York City. She currently works as the Exhibitions Coordinator at Saratoga Arts, a not-for-profit arts organization whose mission is to make the arts accessible to all.

Submitted by Carl Strock

From Carl: “I’m a retired newspaper columnist (Daily Gazette, Schenectady), living in Saratoga, longtime amateur photographer, who has filled much of my time taking pictures during this difficult period, mostly on daily hikes with my wife in local nature preserves, but also occasionally of the deserted streets of Saratoga at night.”

Levine Nature Preserve. Carl says, “To preserve my equilibrium in this unbalanced time I have been hiking local nature preserves, along with my wife, and taking photos along the way, then, in some cases, editing them to give them an old-time faded look and a comforting feel of antiquity.”

Submitted by Margo Singer

From Margo, “These are a few of the photos that I was planning for a show {that was planned for April but cancelled due to the crisis}, from my recent vacation to the Caribbean. I was extremely lucky to be on vacation in early March, as I returned on March 11th and I was ordered to “work from home” starting the very next day. My vacation was planned over a year ago and included visiting St. Thomas and Puerto Rico, where these photographs are taken. I often wonder how the lovely people I met in the places are faring now during the pandemic. I hope they are well and surviving, given the fact that these two communities rely heavily on tourism, especially from the cruise industry….I personally find that bright colors put me in the middle for awaiting Spring locally.”

Submitted by Annemarie Baldauf

Annemarie created this art via 3D printer.

Submitted by Elissa Kane

Submitted by Chelsea Fisher, @chrlseafishr

Chelsea has been home writing poetry, painting, and creating these collages from her own books, photos, and writing pieces. On the top right, you’ll see “I painted my nails purple in hopes you’d stay,” a piece she created “at 12am when sleep wasn’t in sight and my body ached with heartache.” On the bottom right, you’ll see the cover of her latest poetry zine, a series of poems to help everyone experience a little bit of poetry and art during quarantine. You can read it here.

Submitted by Jeff Wigman

From Jeff, “I have been busy in the studio each day, keeping in touch with the outside world through art. Nighttime has been a prevalent theme lately. Be safe everyone.”

Submitted by Jean Krueger

Jean has an on-going series of small ink drawings called ‘Daily Cat.” Here are a few samples.

Submitted by Mary Francis Millet

Embroidered piece on vintage linen, “Wash Your Hands.”

Submitted by Michelle Vara

Intimacy Without Proximity_Oil on canvas.

Michelle wrote a blog post entitled “Crazy Time of Change”, where you can find more new work.

Submitted by Maria DeAngelo, @artyladymsd

Submitted by Helen Murphy

Submitted by Jade Warrick, @trashkid_art

Jade has been at home, working alongside her birds, and creating throughout the quarantine. She painted the mural (on the top right) as part of an initiative by Albany Center Gallery to express the community’s gratitude and support for its healthcare workers and offer messages of hope throughout the crisis.

Submitted by Jeanne Finley, J-Fin Photography

Jeanne says, “I’m a writer-turned-photographer who loves to photograph people, in the street or at home or in a rally or demonstration. It’s difficult now to do that, so instead I’m focusing on the natural world, the beauty that we often overlook in our daily “normal” activity. In late March I went to Ann Lee Pond and Shaker Site in Colonie, my favorite peaceful place, and found these.

Submitted by Phyllis Brown

Phyllis is a retired art teacher retired art teacher from North Warren Central School in Chestertown. Phyllis says, “During this period of pandemic isolation, I have been inspired by artists like Matisse, who made his beautiful, colorful, and whimsical cutouts while, and despite being bedridden, and Laurel Burch, whose joyful and vibrant artwork graces scarves and tote bags and jewelry and such. Burch suffered from a brittle bone disease and lived her life in terrible pain, and yet despite the pain, created such hopeful artwork. Keeping their work in mind, I bought myself flowers during a pre-dawn trip to the grocery store and have been painting them using acrylics. Hopefully when the last of the purchased flowers has gone, there will be flowers in my yard to use for further inspiration.”

Submitted by Steve Derrick, Director of Organizational Development for Vicarious Visions / Activision Blizzard Studios

Steve created these drawings and gauche paintings of “COVID-19 medical staff eyes.” Many local response workers have reached out to him to be their subjects, and now people all over the country and UK are contacting him regarding this powerful artwork. Click here for more.

Submitted by Paul Fahey, Vice President of Overit Media

Paul says “Unfortunately, it took a pandemic for me to find the time to paint again. Although it certainly wasn’t hard to find time these past few weeks. I’m a little rusty, but here it is. I chose a cold, quiet scene to capture some of what I’ve been feeling during this time. And it’s the view from my home office that I’ve been staring at for weeks. I was a fine art major at SUNY New Paltz but spent most of my career in marketing and PR strategy. I just remembered how much I enjoyed painting and am already at work on my second this month. Now I just need to make the time to keep painting after all of this is over.”

Submitted by Richard Deon, Visual/Graphic Artist

Richard has submitted these two pieces of work from his TRIBUTE series. 1. Baby-Face, acrylic on carved, shaped plywood, metal frame, 26 in. 2. Chinese Doctor on Pie Chart, acrylic on carved, shaped plywood, metal frame, 26 in. Richard says, “The pandemic chopped a publication design project off the production schedule and left me with enough time to extend my Tribute portrait series. I was inspired by the uniform size portraits in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.”

Submission by Marilyn McCabe, Author

Marilyn is a poet based in Saratoga Springs with a new book out, Being Many Seeds. She’s done a video-poem with excerpts of the book which you can watch here. The cover photo of the book was taken by Hudson Valley playwright and photographer Nina Shengold as part of her ongoing project of documenting her life near the Ashokan Reservoir.

Submitted by Carolyn Huston

Carolyn says, “I wanted to share a video of my son reading my 12th picture book about children with autism. This one is unique because he helped select all of the photos that went it in and also helped with the wording. It was released in early March an we had hoped to promote it throughout April, Autism Awareness month. That did not happen. As April is wrapping up, I wanted to share it with you.”

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