Taste of RMV at Red Maple Vineyards - West Park, NY

Something really fun and cool goes on at Red Maple Vineyards on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer. Its called, “Taste of RMV”. This is a night of casual farm-to-table fare, house-made wine and ciders by the vineyard’s Madi Marshall, and house-made craft beers by Cody Lynch, all accompanied by live music and art from a couple local artists. This Wednesday, August 9th, I have the honor of being a visiting artist and will be selling my wares from 4-9pm. Reservations are taken for groups of 10 or more and the event is rain or shine. (The weather shows sunny and warm for Wednesday, so we got lucky!). I will have framed and unframed prints, small watercolor paintings, large ink drawings and pet themed canvas bags for sale. The music for this Wednesday 8/9 will be by the acoustic duo, Danny & Cher..

Red Maple Vineyards was voted Best Winery in the 2023 Chronogrammies Reader’s Choice Awards and is located at 103 Burroughs Drive in West Park, NY. Below you can see the menu for the night….looks delicious! Come stop by and enjoy some Art, music, food, drinks and good company. See you there!

Kathy and Karl LaLonde: Catskill Creative Art

Catskill Creative Art Gallery at 110 Sullivan Street, Wurtsboro NY.

Kathy and Karl LaLonde are two Hudson Valley artists who recently opened up Catskill Creative Art in Wurtsboro NY, along with their artist friend and business partner, Billie Robson. Kathy is a talented fiber artist and jewelry maker, and Karl is a painter and photographer of beautifully vibrant scenes. Recently, I’ve had the honor of displaying a selection of my drawings in the new Catskills Creative Art gallery in Wurtsboro, New York and I feel everyone needs to know about this place because there is such an array of wonderful artwork on display that all blends together uniquely and cohesively. I encourage you to make some plans to come check out the gallery and spend an afternoon in one of the sweetest art-filled villages in the area. Please enjoy reading about Kathy and Karl’s art and vision for Catskill Creatives, below.

Can you please tell us a little about your art, and yourself as an Artist? Who has been the biggest influence on your art?

Kathy LaLonde:

Art for me is a natural part of my life, like breathing, it can be both unconscious like the heart beating, we don't think about it. But then, there are times where we must be conscious of our heart and how it beats. So maybe art is my heart beat, art is a giver of life, like our heart.

The first artist I recognized was Peter Max about age 14, I was energized by his colors. I could feel his art through the intense primary colors, it's lively, entertaining and exciting. And, primary colors blend and expand the imagination; life is about expanding the imagination and getting out of the box of daily tasks.

I would say my art communicates that we have the ability to create whatever we want if we let our imagination run free. Every art project pushes the limits of the creative process, it helps us get out of our head and bring the unconscious part into a cohesive union with the conscious state.

Karl LaLonde:

Color has always been my thing. The more punch I give a piece of art, the more I like the painting or photo I am working with. I started painting and photographing in High School and never stopped. I was lucky to have the right people in my life who taught me so much about art and how to work in the field. I have had many opportunities to show my art starting even in high school. My art teachers there were a big influence on my love for art and need to create. Even my track coach taught me lot about photography.

I was with IBM for 23 years and spent that time as a TV and Art Director. I did lots of TV commercials and photography assignments with IBM, as well as ”How Too” videos. When IBM laid off 300 thousand people in 1990, I partnered with a friend and started an ad agency. There, I was Creative Director, as well as produced and directed many TV productions, making lots of revenue for their customers. I always painted as more of a hobby and sold several during my life as well as photography and commercial photography jobs.

Around 1992 , my wife Kathy and I owned a South Western art gallery in New Haven, CT. While that was going I bought a Hobby Shop in Danbury. I was showing in Connecticut as well as Beacon, New York. 

Eight years ago we sold the hobby shop, retired and moved to Bullville, New York and almost immediately Kathy and I became owners of RiverWinds Gallery in Beacon, NY, along with friend and fellow artist, Mary Ann Glass. I continued to paint and sell my photography and paintings at RiverWinds gallery. The last two years there, I started developing a new style of painting. I call it “large pointillism on steroids”, (glitter). It is lots of dots that make-up very colorful pictures. Mostly I do tree paintings and after adding glitter, my sales really took off.

Kathy and I are living over near the Catskill Mountains in the small town of Bullville, NY. We live next to a big pond where we enjoy watching different birds and other wildlife go about their colorful lives. We love it here. I use my garage that faces the pond as my painting studio. It’s heated in the winter and I have the greatest atmosphere to create my paintings.

Can you let us know what led you all to opening Catskill Creative in Wurtsboro NY? 

Kathy LaLonde:

Catskill Creative Art gallery came to be with the need and desire to share our creativity, it's great to hear the response from people when they come into the gallery. We have a very diverse group of artists showing work here that blend well together, I'd say because we all share in our need and desire to express ourselves more fully. 

Karl and I are business partners with our artist friend, Billie Robson. We can be found on facebook at Catskill Creative Art and will advertise our events and town events regularly.  We will be having pop up shows outdoors through the summer into the fall. There will be an art crawl sometime this summer as well.

Wurtsboro, NY, has lots to offer as a day trip. It’s a small and cute little village, walkable with very good restaurants, a coffee cafe and the Crystal Connection is next door to us for those minerals lovers!  Additionally, there is the Wurtsboro historic hiking trail, the D&H canal, the Basha Kill marsh for bird watchers, and the Basha Kill vineyard & winery.  

Any artist interested in Catskill Creative’s pop up show events this year can contact Kathy at:  kathylalonde344@gmail.com 

Many of Karl’s and Kathy’s artworks are on display the the Catskill Creatives gallery at 110 Sullivan Street in Wurtsboro NY. I highly recommend stopping by on a sunny day to enjoy the array of artwork for sale as well as the many shops on Sullivan Street. Please check out their facebook page to keep up to date with events, such as the Full Moon drum circle on July 3rd from 7-9pm.

Compass Wellness PLLC's Artist Series - Colorful Pet Portraits

Recently, I received some really wonderful news! My artwork was accepted as part of the Compass Wellness PLLC Artist Series. This Artist Open Call was and still is, advertised on Instagram on the Compass Wellness PLLC page. Click the image below to be taken to the post and learn more about how to apply.

Compass Wellness is an outpatient office located in Poughkeepsie, NY, which provides different therapeutic services to its clients. As per their website, “Our focus is to help individuals heal and find balance and overall well-being. We support our clients through managing current concerns, building skills to strengthen abilities to effectively manage symptoms, and apply these skills to multiple areas of their lives.” It seems to me that part of the whole therapeutic experience is being surrounded by beautiful artwork that adorns the office space walls and is created by local Hudson Valley artists.

I jumped at the opportunity to apply and am so happy to have been selected to have my artwork displayed from 5/26/23 to 8/26/23. Below are photos of my Giclée prints exhibit which is displayed in their patient waiting room, followed by images of each individual watercolor artwork. Click the images to be taken to my art shop! (A Giclée print is a high quality art reproduction which allows the Artist to create limited edition prints of original artworks.)

Frenchie the French Bulldog, 8”x10”, watercolor painting. Also available as giclée prints.

Miss Siamese Kitty - 8”x10”, watercolor painting. Also available as giclée prints.

Mister Maine Coon - 8”x10”, watercolor painting. Also available as giclée prints.

Goldie the Golden Retriever - 8”x10”, watercolor painting. Also available as giclée prints.

Rainbow German Shepherd - original is 5”x5”, watercolor painting. Also available as 8”x8” giclée prints.

Teal Pug - original is 5”x5”, watercolor painting. Also available as 8”x8” giclée prints.

Purple Poodle - original is 5”x5” watercolor painting. Also available as 8”x8” giclée prints.

Magenta Leonberger - original is 5”x5” watercolor painting. Also available as 8”x8” giclée prints.

Thanks for reading! Please join my newsletter below to stay up to date with all my future announcements.

What I love most and like the least about Artist Open Calls

Over the last 20 years of my art career, I have applied for and submitted work for review in a couple dozen Artist Open Calls. I’ve noticed that whenever I need a bit of encouragement or inspiration, I will surf the many online sites, such as Arts Mid-Hudson, for juried exhibition open calls. Usually, there will be a theme such as abstract art, nature art, still-life or art focused on the human form. The theme can be anything, the sky is the limit. Sometimes the prize will be monetary, or it is based around exposure where the winners will be featured in a physical exhibition, an online exhibit or even a print magazine. The goal for me is to just get my art ‘out there’ into the world before other people’s eyes. I’m always on the hunt for opportunity and possibility.

I just recently submitted an application put out by Emerge Gallery which is based around Abstract art. Here is the link to the open call so you can see what its all about or if you’d like to submit your work as well. The top thing I love most about this process is that there is usually a lengthy and thought provoking application to fill out which forces me to put into words the ideas I have surrounding my art. I’m sure other Artists may agree with me when I say that sometimes you just make art to make art. It is a largely subconscious process for me and I don’t often use the erasure on my pencil, I go with the flow and see what happens. Once the line has begun on the paper, we will find out where it ends up once the page is filled to my satisfaction. It’s a meditative sort of practice actually. Generally speaking, if I’m not making a portrait for someone else where they specify what they want and instead I’m just making art for the sake of making art, I don’t have the end result in mind when I start out. So it’s really good for me to sit down and think it through. This particular open call asks for an Artist Biography, an Artist Statement and for each image there’s a requirement for you to go into more detail about the inspiration and process. I started out knowing that I wanted to submit for review 3 drawings I’ve recently completed, which are based around the concept of curtains separating the 3rd dimension where we all live, and breathe, from the “other side”. When I sat down to fill out the form, I had to really consider these drawings and define what I am actually doing and what message I am trying to convey. I didn’t realize I had some really deep thoughts about this “curtain” between realms until I wrote about it in words. If it weren’t for the open call requirements, I probably wouldn’t have contemplated it to this extent. Below is what I submitted for my Artist Biography and Artist Statement, as well as the images that I submitted along with the description I put for each one.

Artist Biography:

Emily Marchesiello is a graduate of the Masters of Fine Arts program at Queens College CUNY. She is a visual artist from New York who specializes in fine point line drawing and watercolor painting. Emily derives her inspiration from the natural world and the fantasy realm.  The process of intentional mark making is a meditation - each line and dot is a physical manifestation of thought, while at the same time a product of mindless release. Emily loves to use vibrant hues and pattern to convey joy, freedom and endless possibility.
Emily lives with her family in the Hudson Valley region of New York.

Artist Statement:

I am submitting the following three mixed media marker drawings which illustrate what I imagine the curtain between realms may look like.  The first is titled “Candy”, (12”x9”), the second is titled “Mossy” (12”x9”) and the third is titled “Strawberry Blond”, (12”x9”).  All three drawings have been made using oil paint marker and alcohol ink markers on mixed media paper.  

First I start with the wet oil paint lines beginning in one central spot, flowing out towards the edge of the paper.  I repeat this gesture until I have a sort of whimsical and psychedelic pattern forming which to me, resembles the curtain between realms. The strong opaque line created with the oil paint marker when paired with the more translucent alcohol ink markers helps to illustrate the firm yet penetrable border between the “here” and the “there”. Once I’ve created that curtain, I choose colors which contrast with the skeleton of this curtain, and fill in the voided spaces.  The alcohol ink markers create a boundary that is solid, yet see-through.  Much like our reality, you can be one foot in the third dimension, and one foot in the higher planes.  If we tune in to these possibilities, the curtain will open and we can step through.

I am very much influenced by the artwork of Alex Grey. I have had the great honor of meeting Alex and his wife Allyson numerous times at the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors when it was in New York City, and now at the center in my neighboring town of Wappingers Falls, NY.  I am inspired by his ecstatic use of line and color, as well as his signature metaphysical subject matter.  Alex Grey has influenced me to think beyond the obvious and consider all possibilities.

Describe the process and inspiration:

This drawing titled “Candy”, is but one idea of what the curtain between the physical and otherworldly realms may look like. You might discover this curtain while out in the middle of a deep lake on a cloudless day, meditating in the silence that can only be found on a rowboat directly in the center of that body of water.  The opaque blue oil paint marker lines begin in the top left and fan out to the edges in a repeated fashion.  These lines make up the firm folds of the curtain and evoke a sense of movement.  The alcohol ink markers are chosen in candy-like colors to bring in a sense of wonder and joy for what lies beyond this setting.  Things take on a different hue when you look beyond your immediate surroundings into the mysterious other side.

Describe the process and inspiration:

This drawing titled, “Mossy”, is a depiction of what the curtain between realms may look like when discovered in the damp woods on a warm summer morning.  The opaque green lines were made using oil paint marker and begin at the top center of the paper and fan out to the sides and bottom in a repeating style.  Earthy tones of orange and green were used via alcohol ink markers, to fill in the spots between the striations to create a textured barrier between the physical realm and the next layer of reality.

Describe the process and inspiration:

This drawing titled, “Strawberry Blond”, is a depiction of what the curtain between realms may look like inside a mother’s womb. A child will discover this curtain when they are entering the “belly portal”, moving from the cosmos through into the earthly plane into his or her mother’s belly.  The opaque red lines were created through the use of oil paint marker, and begin at the top right section of the drawing and fan out in all directions.  The use of yellow and 2 varieties of pink alcohol ink markers fill in the spaces between the red curtain fibers.  The yellow specifically symbolizes the beams of inspiration coming from the heavens and melding in with the pinks which are more connected to the body and this side of the curtain.

The thing I like least about this whole process is that in a way, you’re placing a lot of control into someone else’s hands. You are risking your sense of self-worth as an artist when you offer up your creation for critique, acceptance or denial. This process insists that you become a confident individual with a strong sense of self when it comes to your art. There is a sting of disappointment when you’re not selected. It’s like that feeling of being picked last for the team as a kid. But on the other hand there is a feeling of elation and pride if you are selected. It’s a temporary high and then you’re off looking for the next inspiring juried open call. There is also the waiting….oh, the waiting….. to hear back with the results. I hate the waiting! :-P The key is to submit and then forget about it. Put it in a boat and let it float. So be it! Que sera sera. That whole thing!

All in all, it’s 100% worth it to spend the time submitting to an artist open call. It keeps me motivated, working on my art and driven to succeed. I wish you the best of luck in all your artistic endeavors!

Do plants have souls?

Do plants have souls? To me, the answer is yes. Plants have a plant’s soul which is different than a human’s but just as meaningful. My son Matthieu and I have fun conversations about things like this often and I’m always telling him that my mind is wide open and that really anything is possible because no one has all the answers. For some reason, we humans as a whole, are pretty narcissistic to imagine that we are the only sentient creatures in the wide universe. To think, that any other being is merely a mindless organism thriving or struggling to get by, is crazy to me. There’s some judgement around this topic making my ideas seem a bit floaty. Frankly, I think the opposite is true and that the energy and intelligence that resides in plants, specifically, is far more intelligent and advanced than we can imagine. I feel it’s us humans who are simpleminded. Whenever we are driving in the car I love to look at the beautiful trees that line the highway. It’s so beautiful up here in the Hudson Valley, you can get lost in thought gazing at the trees. When driving down to Long Island to visit family, the view becomes less and less lush, as the buildings take over the skyline and the trees are less and less pronounced. I think about the utter patience and determination to live that these trees have on the side of the filthy road breathing in disgusting fumes all day, everyday. They still grow and stretch out into the sky, despite being chopped into weird shapes to accommodate power lines and buildings. It’s like they grow and continue to be beautiful because they have patience for us and are waiting till we figure it all out. Same for the ones that grow in our yard, they bloom, watch, and listen, in the way that nature does knowing their kind came before and will come after. The houseplants in my home are a part of the family actually. They need their vitamins and weekly watering to thrive while they give off positive energy and subtly support the family. My kitchen and living room are full of them. They’re luscious and green, some with flowers. When we buy a new one, Matthieu and I say “Welcome to the family!”. As little buds pop open I whisper in its face, '‘Great job! Keep up the good work!” :-P No shame here! Because, in my strong opinion, these plants are conscious and they hear us energetically and they appreciate love and respect. This is why I love to draw plants and use them as the subject matter in my still-life compositions. I love the changes they go through from day to day and the intricacies that can be found in one leaf or blossom. Plants are an endless source of inspiration for me and I thank them for sharing their innate creativity with me!

Anywho, the very lovely Mother’s Day gift from my husband was a gift card to my favorite plant nursery, Salbellico’s, and so I got to thinking about what plants we will buy and all the rest! What are your thoughts? Am I alone in this line of thinking?

Colorful Pet portraits at the Crafted Kup in Poughkeepsie, NY

Hi, all! Im excited to share a bit of news. For the months of May and June, a selection of my colorful and quirky pet portraits will be hanging and up for sale at the Crafted Kup in Poughkeepsie, New York. This is a super cute cafe right near Vassar College that serves delish coffee and pastries. Alongside my work is art created by my fellow RiverWinds Gallery artists. Go stop by to have a look and a cuppa!