From his announcement:

Laura Martinez-Bianco and William Noonan team up to teach a week long Italian open-air workshop, June 27-July 4, 2010. Laura a pastelist, and William, an oil painter will offer students their choice of medium(s) as they paint and study under the Tuscan sun. This workshop is part of “Tuscany: A Journey for the Senses” an arts-vacation program organized by Joan Hill. Joan has worked with Eliana Pasquini and Silvano Mamprin of La Palazzina (a well appointed hotel-villa in southern Tuscany) to create this luxurious offering of art, food and Italian culture. La Palazzina is located in the Val D’ Orcia which is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. This historic, picturesque landscape, with its rolling hills, broad expansive valleys and its patchwork fields of sunflowers and olive groves is sure to inspire any artist as it has for centuries. This team of art and hospitality professionals have created an adventure that is complete from every angle.

These two plein air painters will share their experience and expertise with students. Five days of painting instruction will include both morning and and afternoon sessions. Students will have one-on-one, as well as group critiques. Teachers will offer demonstrations that will be specific to approaching the landscape with an open air process. Teachers will themselves work in the field, offering students the chance to work alongside them and observe their techniques. Artists working at any level, from beginner to advanced, will find this challenge both inspiring and inviting. One day will be devoted to an excursion to Florence to explore the bountiful art history that Italy has to offer.

The Palazzina itself is the other half of the equation. Guests of the villa enjoy a swimming pool, extensive gardens, and elegant welcoming rooms. Spending a week in this beautiful Tuscan villa is food for the soul; when it comes to food for the belly Eliana’s world class cuisine is the stuff that Italian memories are made of. La Palazzina, run by Silvano who is a consummate host, will see to all of the guests’ needs. The Program fee of 1,800 Euros is inclusive of seven nights lodging, breakfast, dinner and transportation (local and airport). Fee does not include airfare, excursions, lunches, and meals taken out of the villa. Painting buddies who sign up together can save 100 euros each.

Laura and William live a stone’s throw from each other straddling the Ulster and Orange county borders in Marlboro and Newburgh. Amongst other teaching credentials they have both been ongoing instructors of the Wallkill River School Landscapes on Location for many years.

The Hudson Valley has always been home for Laura and has become her primary inspiration. Working plein air enables Laura to create quickly, capturing the light and color of a specific moment. “She applies pastel with painterly realism ” comments Shawn Dell Joyce, founder of the Wallkill River School. Laura’s work is currently in private collections in the United States and Italy. Her work has been shown at The Katonah Museum of Art , The Museum of the Hudson Highlands , The James Cox Gallery at Woodstock and Varga Gallery. She is in various collections throughout Italy and Canada. She is an active member of the NYPAP Association. Laura has hosted numerous workshops in the Val D’Orcia that focus on plein air painting and she looks forward to the summer of 2010.

“While anchoring my work in realism I strive to find a balance between the abstract expressiveness that paint and canvas allow and the careful rendering of the natural world as we perceive it empirically and emotionally” notes Noonan about his own work. William is originally from Monroe, New York and after a career in publishing at The Village Voice in New York City he has returned to the Hudson Valley. He has a BFA from SUNY Purchase and has since studied at the New York Academy of Art, the Woodstock School of Art, The International School of Art-Umbria Italy, and the Art Students League of New York. He teaches privately and at the Wallkill River School in Montgomery, NY. He works primarily in oils. He exhibits in the New York Metro Area and on Cape Cod. He is in numerous private collections locally and internationally and has several pieces in the corporate collection on Nielsen and Bainbridge.

The cost of the trip is 1800€. Currently (Feb 2010), that translates to about $2,500.

For more information, please see their web site.

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If you really want to spend the summer in Italy, local puppeteers Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles are holding a pupperty workshop in northern Italy 18-27 June 2010.  Held in Morinesio in the Piedmont region, it’s also unique as it is part of the Occitan.  For more information, see their web site.

A fantastic resource exists in the form of the web site www.artscams.com.  You should absolutely spend the time and read it thoroughly and follow its numerous links for more information.

There isn’t a reason to be paranoid about the internet, but like crossing the street of a busy highway, you need to always be aware of what is in front, and behind you.

Here are some of their tips:

• Be skeptical…
  
• Never ship your artwork to someone without making sure the payment has cleared.
• Don’t deal with persons who insist it is “urgent” or those who claim that they need the item in a hurry (perhaps for a gift).
• Perform due diligence if a gallery wants to exhibit your work, or a company wants to license your art.
• Beware of vanity galleries and publishers who charge artists to have their work included in a publication.
• Don’t forward hoax emails.

The list is far more extensive, so please take a good long read.

PELHAM ART CENTER presents a juried exhibition entitled, “Birthday!” In simultaneous celebration of the Art Center’s 25th anniversary at its present location on Fifth Avenue in Pelham, NY (Westchester) and the 40th anniversary of its first event as the Pelham Art Happening, artists are invited to submit artwork to be considered for exhibition in a group show on the theme of birthday. All media are eligible. Entry fee: $20.00. A $1,000 cash Juror’s Prize will be awarded. This exhibit and award are made possible with generous support from McClellan Sotheby’s International Realty of Pelham. The deadline is 5 February.

For more information, please see their web site.

The Arts Map is an interactive worldwide map of artists, studios, arts organizations, museums and more. It allows users to search by medium, location, educational opportunities, type of organization, etc.  Clickable map markers provide detailed information about artists, their work, their studios, art galleries, museums, art schools, and art organizations.  Most markers also contain an image and a link to a web site or blog with more information on the artist.

Currently it is in beta release, so check it out and see it for yourself.

Geared towards not-for-profit leaders, volunteers and especially development staff, these events are designed to be mid-day lunch breaks to fit into your already busy calendar.

To see their proposed list, check out this PDF.

If you are responsible for fundraising in your organization, or actively a part of the process, you should look into joining the AFP.  There are few resources as valuable then sharing ideas among your peers.

This year Hudson Valley Life magazine is looking to highlight artists in the region. If you think you have a story to tell that would be of interest to our readers please send Terrie Goldstein, the publisher, a 100 word write-up of why we should do a story on you and your work. Also include your name, the type of art you produce, the best phone number to reach you and a web address (if you have one.) Email the information to publisher@excitingread.com. For more information about Hudson Valley Life visit us at hvlife.com.

We’ve mentioned this fantastic group before, for their fall meeting.  This Monday they are holding their January event in the city, with a great lineup of speakers discussing summer programs, the cultural data project and a number of other topics to get yourself ready for 2010.

Co-Hosted by the New York State Presenters Network

and the Presenting Program of the New York State Council on the Arts

Monday, January 11th, 6 PM — 7:30 PM

New York City Center – Studio 5

130 W. 56 Street, between 6^th & 7^th Avenues

Stage Door Entrance

On the Schedule….

New York State Presenters Network Updates on Regional Tour, Summer Meeting, NY Touring Roster

Meet and Greet with fellow presenters, members of service organizations and NYS-based touring artists

– Also, while you’re probably thinking going into midtown Manhattan right at rush hour may not be the best idea, the blocks around that area are only $14-15 for the evening, which is a great price.  While we love public transportation into the city, if a few people go together you can easily split the toll and parking and have it less then $10 a person.  And think how valuable it will be for your organization – registration for the event is free…

The W.A.L. invites all artists to attend free weekly art sessions to paint, draw and more from your own set-up or photos on Tuesday mornings from 9:30a-12:30p beginning Tuesday, January 5^th, 2010, at the Greenwood Lake Public Library at 79 Waterstone Road, Greenwood Lake, New York.

Also, Warwick Art League is looking for you to become a member.  It’s only $25 a year, and $35 for a family membership.

For info, call W.A.L. member Sylvia Levy at (845) 544-3056 or visit their web site.

Our new address:

Arts in Orange
15 Main St
Pine Bush, NY  12566

Mailing address:

P.O. Box 1145
Pine Bush, NY 12566

Stop by and say hello if you are in the area -

From their web site:

SlowArt Productions presents the group thematic exhibition, Digital Art Extravaganza. The exhibition will be held at the Limner Gallery from April 1 – 24, 2010 and is open to all artists working in any aspect of computer digital print media. This exhibition will include all aspects of digital art. Computer generated art, computer altered photography and collage and digital photography will all be considered. All computer printing formats are eligible.

In addition to being a part of the show, three artists from Digital Art Extravaganza will be featured in the upcoming Direct Art Volume #17, Fall 2010 issue. One artist will be selected for a two page spread in the magazine and two artists will be selected for a single page spread.