The highly popular “Cat Art Show,” which has been known to bring out the largest number of art lovers to any opening at Beacon’s Howland Public Library, will return to the library with a gala opening on Saturday, July 8, 2023 from 5 to 7 pm. This year’s “Cat Art Show,” which will include a wide variety of cat-themed artworks, will once again be curated by its founder and local artist, Jean Noack.
According to Noack, “We not only had a great turnout at the 2017 opening, many quality pieces were purchased by attendees. And we look forward to even higher attendance and sales at this year’s show.”
The 2023 “Cat Art Show” will feature work by new and returning local artists utilizing everything from paint and canvas to cameras to something called “wet-felted” cat fur employed by Noack herself. Says Noack, “I took a week-long class on wet felting of wool at the Fletcher Farm School for the Art and Crafts in Ludlow, VT, and have applied the method to cat fur to create framed artworks.”
Another popular local artist participating in the 2023 “Cat Art Show” is Anna West of Beacon. West not only paints cats but has contributed to their welfare by holding a fundraiser in 2022 where she accepted "commissions" to paint people's cats then contributed the funds to Talk To Me About Cats of Newburgh, NY.
West, whose paintings are currently on display at the Emerge Gallery in Kingston, NY, is representative of the many active artists who make up the thriving Beacon-area arts community and whose work will celebrate our feline friends at the 2023 “Cat Art Show.”
Other artwork will be provided by Markie Baylash, Jennifer Sarah Blakeslee, Tom Conroy, Jan Dolan, Cindy Gould, Mary Fetherolf, Stephanie Fogarty, Mary Ann Glass, Susan Keiser, Mandy Kelso, Philomena Kiernan, Barbara Lipp, William A. Loeb, Peter McGivney, Jean Noack, Rosemany Braghieri Rednour, Noah Rosaler, Chris Sanders, Eleni Smolen, Anna West, Bill Winter, and Trisha Wright
Artists whose work sells will donate a portion of the sale price to an animal charity of their choice.
You all have been asking: “Is Second Saturday still going on in Beacon?” and ALBB’s answer has been: “The spirit of Second Saturday has never left. The art galleries are still having their openings. There just hasn’t been, like, a banner hanging over Main Street or something like that. But go! Go to the galleries!”
This week, the organization who originated Second Saturday in Beacon, BeaconArts, announced that Second Saturday was officially BACK. BeaconArts announced to its newsletter community: “A full calendar of events is on its way! We’re also in the process of adding more benefits for BA Membership on every level. Perks will include discounts, workshops, and exclusive member-only events.”
Beacon does not disappoint with being able to not contain itself for excitement! The Pink Unicorn has been spotted at Marion Royael Gallery with a bubble machine for Second Saturday pre-game. ALBB was lucky to have met the person behind the costume at a recent I Am Beacon mixer at Homespun this week. We know the story behind how they got their costume. They’ll need to chime in to let us know if we can share the behind-the-scenes story.
Next Event From BeaconArts
In their own words: “Our first member meet-up! This event will include a special musical performance. We encourage all members who attend to bring a non-member guest. If you’re not sure if you are still a member, please email treasurer@beaconarts.org. Renewing your membership or joining online is super easy! These meetings/gatherings will be held bi-monthly for all BeaconArts members. If you’re not a member yet, you can sign up on the spot. We’re easy, no pressure! Come check it out. This is a chance to meet like-minded artists and local businesses. Each get-together will include the latest BA news and updates, member announcements, a brief artist talk or performance, and ample time to network and grab a drink. The first round is on the house, followed by a cash bar.”
New Board Members Announced For BeaconArts
Along with the announcement for upcoming networking events, BeaconArts announced their new board member lineup:
President: Matthew Agoglia Vice-President: Damon Banks Treasurer(s): Christine Olivier, Aaron Ketry Secretary: Becky Eaton Board Members At-Large: Samantha Palmeri, Suzanne Ball, Denise Gianna, Marilyn Mitchell
I know…in the olden days, those dark days during the height of the pandemic in New York (thank you everyone for being so respectful so that we could crush the curve!) days lost their meanings. Second Saturdays used to be one of the heaviest days in Beacon. Art galleries would launch their new exhibits, shops would do discounts, restaurants may offer live music, and A Little Beacon Blog used to open pop-up shops in the space that we occupied back then on Main Street (we had sadly vacated just before the pandemic hit).
To be honest, from a marketing standpoint, Second Saturday was quite a crowded day. We wondered if launching events on other Saturdays might be the way to go. We tried convincing our pop-up shop rental clients of this approach, but they would not be deterred. People wanted their Second Saturdays!
When events and shopping halted, so did the art exhibits. And so did A Little Beacon Blog’s monthly hunting for art exhibit openings that our editor, Catherine Sweet, a veteran Beaconite who moved back to her home state of CA but could not release the Art Gallery in her heart, would write up dutifully every month. However, A Little Beacon Blog’s sales decreased as our event income disappeared, and some advertisers paused (but not all! thank you advertisers!!).
Yet, there were no events, and Catherine is a mother of a young child, and she, like all parents, was drowning in no childcare, which was life back then when everything shut down and parents who worked from home could barely function. I’m not sure if we are even functioning now, come to think of it, in summer and in between camp drop-offs, college visits, and vacays.
Fast Forward To Today’s Saturday
Fast forward to today, and Beacon is bustling! Safely because you all wear your masks (you who refuse or are lying about your vaccinations…we’ll just put you to the side). And safely because businesses are able to make their own rules now, and good customers respect them (unlike those of you who are unruly, and you can just keep yourself on the train and get off at a different stop).
Art galleries seem to be inclined to have Second Saturday’s. We have not checked with the official leaders of this movement, BeaconArts, as this article went up too quickly, but they most likely have an opinion.
Here at A Little Beacon Blog, we want to continue promoting the art exhibits as best we can. In order to do that, we need to open up our advertising platform to art galleries - the same one that shops and restaurants have access to. It is a discounted subscription model that can allow for the listing of an event or marketing message each week in A Little Beacon Blog’s weekend newsletter. We want to pay Catherine the money she deserves! And we need a little extra to pay ourselves (Teslie and Katie both work here each day, and we have student loans, childcare, car payments, rent, mortgage, utility bills all the things).
As an art gallery, if you want to list your events or exciting anythings each week, you can do that in our Art Gallery Sponsor program here. If you are a business or individual who is not an artist, but wants to support each month, you can do so as well here.
If you are a location like a barber shop, who once a month or once in a blue moon hosts an artist, then please submit your event to us. A Little Beacon Blog always has a soft spot for true pop-ups. A “true” pop-up is something that pops up in a very unusual, unrelated location. Like an artist in a barber shop. Or a clothing shop in a barber shop. Both of which have happened!
In a throwback to the Bicycle Menorah, in the olden days of when sculptor Ed Benavente designed and built what became Beacon's annual nightly menorah lighting, organized by Beacon Arts, Beacon Hebrew Alliance, and the City of Beacon...Happy Hanukkah! This photo was taken in 2017, on the 7th night when the lighting was dedicated to Activists. The lights represent "a bright light into the darkness."
In New York City, Governor Cuomo has ended indoor dining for now, encouraging outdoor and takeout. Other parts of New York, including Beacon, are still able to offer some capacity of indoor dining. However, ordering takeout is crucial to these restaurants. Quinn's, for instance, announced this week that they are doing takeout only. PRO TIP: If a restaurant does takeout, but does not deliver, tell your friends to keep you on speed-text if they are ever ordering. This way, you can also call in an order, pay for it, and your friend can do a group pickup for all of you. That's what we're going to do for Quinn's. We are putting our neighbors on high-alert, that if they place an order, tell us! Because we will piggy-back on that pickup.
Shout-out to Vogel Pharmacy, who despite moving out of Beacon when their building on Main Street went up for sale (now is home to graphic design agency Beacon Digital, next door to Homespun) still reaches Beaconites by delivering to homes. They delivered before the pandemic, and continue to do so. With extra love and a personal note. Vogel's new home on 9D, near the Dollar Store, has plenty of parking, and they will even deliver to your car if you have little kids in the car.
LATEST NUMBERS: Beacon has 41 active COVID cases as of today. That number is not going down. East Fishkill has 133 and Poughkeepsie has 90, with Poughkeepsie City at 102. There are 390 cases awaiting address confirmation. ALBB is looking into what that means.
THE SECOND SATURDAY GUIDE Edited and Written By: Catherine Sweet
THE RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE Edited and Written By: Marilyn Perez and Katie Hellmuth Martin
Illuminance - A Fundraising Concert by The Daisy Jopling Band
Days: Friday-Sunday, December 11-13, 2020 Time: 8pm (Fri), 10pm (Sat), 2pm (Sun) Location: Zoom
From the organizers: "Benefiting The Bannerman Caste Trust & The Daisy Jopling Music Mentorship Foundation. The film will be streamed as YouTube Premieres, and we are asking you all to kindly donate on our website so we can create more magic in 2021. All donations will be split 50-50 between the Bannerman Castle Trust and the Daisy Jopling Music Mentorship Foundation."
Danskammer: Isn't It Worth Getting Right? Online Briefing
Day: Wednesday, December 16, 2020 Time: 5:30-6:30pm Location: Online - Zoom
From the organizers: "Presented by Scenic Hudson, when there’s an alternative that would offer lasting economic benefits and pose no threat to your family’s health, it makes even less sense to build a polluting, gas-fired power plant on the Town of Newburgh's waterfront. Hear about a concept for the site that would create jobs, lower taxes and support New York’s clean energy future. The experts in energy project finance and landscape architecture who developed it will explain its positive, long-term impacts to your community." Register Here >
Sallyeander Factory Pop-Up
Day: Friday & Saturday, December 11th and 12th, 2020 Time: 10am-3pm Location: 18 W. Main Street #6, Beacon, NY
Swing on by the SallyeAnder Workshop Friday or Saturday to shop their complete line of handmade, all-natural soaps, balms and more! Mask required for entry. Four (4) customers at a time. Information >
Howland Cultural Center Holiday Small Gift Show
Day: Friday to Monday, November 21 through December 23, 2020 Time: 1-5pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St, Beacon, NY
Shop Local and celebrate handmade local artists every Friday through Sunday and the Tuesday and Wednesday before Christmas Eve - December 23rd. Information >
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
Find Eat Church back at Marbled on Route 9 in Cold Spring Friday & Saturday, December 11th and 12th with their Masa Mission Revue 🌮. Follow them on Instagram @eatchurch. PS: Sometimes they have been popping up in Kingston! Watch their Instagram for announcements. Days: Friday & Saturday 4-8pm
View all dishes and full menu at eatchurch.com Information > Eat Church is an ALBB Sponsor!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
New sandwich alert at @meyersoldedutchbeacon! Butter chicken! - south Asian spice rubbed grilled chicken with their take on a tikka masala (or butter chicken) sauce, pickled onions, cucumbers and feta. This sandwich is bold and spicy! Click here to place your order online!
Delivery is possible! More > Meyers Olde Dutch is an ALBB Sponsor!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
and the Cafe at the Dia : Beacon
Doesn't this look delish? It's almost too pretty to eat....almost! You can't get let a good cheesecake sit pretty for TOO long! Homespun continues to churn out the goods! HOT TIP: Buying wine and beer from Homespun has helped their business very much. Stock up this weekend! View Menu > Homespun is an ALBB Sponsor!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
There may be some colder and wetter days on their way so we're digging this combination of @mizhattiesbbq gumbo (which we hear is a secret recipe) and a glass of chianti. Because it's 2020 and there's no rule saying we can't have the two together (yet), so eat/drink up and enjoy! Information > Hudson Valley Food Hall is an ALBB Sponsor!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Renovations are complete and holiday decorations are up at Baja 328! Baja 328 is an ALBB Sponsor!
LEWIS & PINE
133 Main Street, Beacon
Inside of Lewis & Pine are a limited-edition collection of wooden wick candles, which are in handmade concrete vessels with gold, rose gold or silver foil. The vessels are meant to be reused as planters once the candle is gone (visit one of Beacon's many floral shops for plants that fit), which is great for sustainability! This weekend Lewis & Pine will also have their classic Translation Collection candles back in stock. We have on the down-low that maker Yali poured (very) small batches of all 5 of her fragrances, so there aren’t many of each available Shop Now > Lewis & Pine is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
Live Light Travel Often (LLTO)
464 Main Street, Beacon
Not gona lie...we have admired this object for a year now, and only recently learned it was a decanter and glass! Watch this video in ALBB's stories in our Sponsors Highlights for how Tamara removes the glass from the top, so that the decanter can pour wine. Or water. Perfect for making your nightstand fancy for a glass of water. A great gift idea for $75. See it in person, or Shop Now > LLTO is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
PTACEK Home
464 Main Street, Beacon
PTACEK Home and LLTO go very well together. Pictured here is shelving designed and built by PTACEK Home that would look great in the bathroom, or for exposed shelving in the kitchen. The exposed wood look is signature for PTACEK, as the designer, Tom, works with reclaimed wood. See this in person in the perma-popup that is PTACEK Home and LLTO near Beacon Realty and Beacon Bagel Shoppe. Shop Now >
BRETT'S HARDWARE
18 West Main Street, Beacon
Time or organize that shed! Or garage. Or closet! You know that stuff is spilling out of it when you open the door! Take yourself to Brett's, where you'll find these organization accessories for hanging tools, like brooms, mops, dust wands, etc. Need to know how to hang it? No problem. The experienced staff can walk you through, and even point you to the right hardware. ALBB knows first hand. We did this when replacing our own sink! Bitsy and Sean are big helps. Information > Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
What's on your wish list this year? We're coveting eyewear chains, handbags and frames from @emmanuellekhanh. Emmanuelle Kanh have been making eyewear since 1969, handcrafted in France and Japan. "At Luxe Optique our main goal (after your vision and the health of your eyes of course) is style! Our expert opticians work with you to find the perfect frame to fit your personal style." Shop Now > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS 321 Main Street, Beacon
Available at Binnacle Books is Virginia Hamilton, “The Dark Way: Stories from the Spirit World” illustrated by Lambert Davis.
A collection of supernatural folk tales, legends, and myths from cultures around the world, selected and retold by this cherished and celebrated children’s author. With beautiful and eerie illustrations by Lambert Davis.
Surprise your loved one with literature as a unique stocking stuffer. Binnacle Books is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
436 Main Street, Beacon
If these earrings don't say you're ready for a holiday party, we don't know what will! Come grab a pair at La Mére Clothing And Goods. Even better if you're having a Zoom Holiday party, no one needs to see you from the shoulders down anyway! Information > La Mere is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
BEBHAKTI YOGA CENTER
89 DeWindt St.
Help keep beBhakti Yoga Center alive! If you can, please make a small donation to keep their doors (virtual and physical) open.You can make a donation through Venmo - click here. Please also check out their online store. They have many on-demand classes, mala beads, clothing, mats and props available for sale. Perfect for holiday gifts!
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
Congratulations to Antalek & Moore who will be receiving the Henry G. Page Business of the Year Award from Abilities First, Inc. Joins them at their Community Partner's Virtual Breakfast on December 15th starting at 8AM. Read This > Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor, thank you!
TIN SHINGLE
Talking about money goes is really important! Just like losing weight or getting regular with a fitness plan, the more you talk about it, the more regular it becomes. The best holiday present you can give yourself is to make dents in your credit cards. You read a lot about spending in this newsletter, but don't feel badly if you keep your wallet close, in order to kick those cards to the curb. Read All About It >
KATIE JAMES, INC.
Eggberts Farm Fresh Eggs is preparing for the winter with a new website. Owner Carrie Sabins wants to reach her customers in case there is another shutdown or if her customers need delivery because they need to isolate. Katie James, Inc. a long-time customer of Eggberts Farm Fresh Eggs via the Beacon Farmer's Market. The branding agency is building Eggberts a website in Shopify, for easy pre-orders of eggs and meat, as well as pickup and select delivery options. Do You Need A Website Too? >
July 2020 brings the return, kind of, of Second Saturday. Seven venues have in person openings, whether on windows or in very strictly spaced indoors. Clockwise from top right: Mr. Kum Kum’s Silent Killer at Clutter Gallery, one of three shows there; Mother Altar by Chie Fueki at Mother Gallery, in the windows or by appointment; My Way, Gee’s Bend quilting and abstract works at Parts & Labor; an entry in Help Feed Beacon, a fundraiser and show at Bau Gallery; and Slippage as Form, works by Edwin Torres in the storefront windows of No.3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works.
It’s Second Saturday, when in the Before Times, Beacon would throw a big party with lots of art and wine and snacks. It was really fun. But it’s been a few months since in-person things mostly closed down (thanks, corona) and we’ve focused on online exhibitions, social justice/protest art, and taking care of the general health of those close to us.
So, to be honest, the seven in-person exhibitions this week caught us at A Little Beacon Blog a little off guard. Some shows are windows-based (Mother Gallery, No.3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works); others are indoors, with strict plans and rules on capacity (Parts & Labor, Clutter, Bau, Howland Cultural Center, RiverWinds Gallery). The shows do look pretty neat, but if you plan to keep staying home (the forecast isn’t great), local galleries are offering lots of digital alternatives to explore. We've got it all covered in Beacon’s most comprehensive Art Gallery Guide.
This month’s Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide is sponsored by No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, at 469 Main Street, down toward the east end of Main Street, where you’ll find not just rotating exhibits, but cool collections of handmade books that the public is encouraged to peruse. Owner Paulette Myers-Rich has found new veins of creativity, coming up with ways to engage readers and consumers of art via her storefront windows.
While you're out and about doing Second Saturday, stop by our sponsors and support the businesses who support us! You too can become a sponsor at any time.
Dream in Plastic rebrands to Zakka Joy. Same great store, different name. You’ll find the ever-changing curated inventory from the same owner, Jenny Zuko. Photo Caption: Katie Hellmuth Martin
When you grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, pretty much all of your retail therapy dreams involved plastic. Charm necklaces, gummy bracelets, banana clips, you get the drift. And let’s be honest, plastic still is the foundation for a lot of what we buy. When Jenny Zuko opened her first shop in Brooklyn, NY, in 2007, naming it Dream in Plastic was a safe bet. Today in 2019, the name has become a liability. People dismiss the store’s contents as something they don’t want - plastic. What does a business owner do when her customers shift? She shifts with them, does a soul search, and rebrands.
Welcome Zakka Joy To Main Street - Same Great Shop, Different Name
“It straight up hurts our feelings when people sometimes dismiss us as a store full of single-use plastics and useless junk,” admitted Jenny in an email to her customers (of which I am one!). Dream in Plastic - I mean Zakka Joy - moved to Beacon in 2009, and is one of the veteran shops on Main Street, weathering many tipping points and being on the front lines of foot traffic that comes in - both legit, focused customers and wandering youth with backpacks who hover about the store, touching everything but buying nothing (why the empty backpacks?).
Dream in Plastic isn’t the only store to rebrand in Beacon. One of her neighbors, The Pandorica restaurant, went through a major rebrand when owner Shirley Hot transformed her Cup & Saucer theme to the Doctor Who show. She now attracts customers from all over the world.
According to Jenny: “Zakka (“Zah-kah”) is a Japanese word, for which there really is no English equivalent.”
In sum, Zakka means:
Seeing the beauty in something mundane.
Uncategorizable or miscellaneous things.
Everything and anything that improves your home, life and appearance.
Humble, everyday objects that bring their users great satisfaction.
Things that accompany our everyday lifestyle spaces and provide an element of decoration.
Things mixed together with great variety.
Combine this word with “Joy,” and you have that precious moment of joy. “The shop really is about is that moment of happy (ahem, ‘Joy’) you experience when you discover that one thing (or ten): a pencil that you cherish, a pair of socks with your favorite animal on them, a toy to keep you company, a hand-poured soy candle, or the perfect gift for someone,” explains Jenny.
Zakka (thing) + Joy (the feeling when you discover the thing) = Zakka Joy
You’ll notice similarities in the old and new in the new logo. Still a cute shape in the name (originally a little cloud, and now an emoji-type smiley face). Where Dream in Plastic was in all lowercase, Zakka Joy’s logo stands big and bold in all caps.
What Will You Find Inside of Zakka Joy?
The smiley face from the logo grows inside on the wall. Photo Credit: Zakka Joy
Regulars of the shop know Jenny to have an ever-changing collection of inventory, from walls of cameras to walls of socks. In recent years, her collection of paper stationery and kitchen goods has grown. There is not an official stationery store in Beacon. There used to be - down on Jenny’s end of town - but that store closed long ago. (I still have several very pretty file boxes I purchased from that shop!)
While not a full-blown stationery store, Jenny’s addiction to paper is very much alive right now, with her large collection of journals, planners, and party decorations. Her art supply collection is growing as well, with charcoal pencils, funky erasers, highlighters that smell like strawberries and peaches, and some of the best rolling pens you have ever used. Impress your friends or even the ladies at the DMV with a pink pen carried in your purse (like I did!). It’s real easy and cheap retail therapy.
Inside, you’ll still find the pusheens you love, and collection of stuffed animal keychains. You will definitely find stickers and figures from the famous artist (who now lives in Beacon!) Tara McPherson.
It’s Real - The Instagram Has Changed
The name on the storefront has changed, and the handle in your Instagram has changed from Dream in Plastic to @zakkajoyny. Don’t worry, if you already followed Dream in Plastic, you don’t need to do a thing to follow the new shop online. If you don’t follow, why not? Hop to it for frequent doses of joy.
There’s a party to celebrate the name change on Second Saturday, August 10, 2019 from 6 to 9 pm. Remember when the shop used to have artist display on Second Saturday? Now the store itself is on display. Go give Jenny a high-five for all the work she has done to recreate her shop, which is always recreating anyway.
Happy Second Saturday for May 2019! New shows are opening all around Beacon. Some of them include, clockwise from top right: Martin D. Fowler at Big Mouth Coffee Roasters; the Rain Taxi Review of Books at Photo Book Works; Alessandro Keegan at Mother Gallery; and Meghan Spiro at Hudson Beach Glass.
Happy Second Saturday, people of Beacon! It’s time once again to head out into that fresh late-spring air, and see some art. Consider it a warm-up for your tour of Beacon Open Studios, opening (studios) next weekend! Get all the details in our Art Gallery Guide.
Second Saturday. Beacon, NY. April 13, 2019. Be there! Clockwise from top right: Jenn Bot at Clutter Gallery; John Sabraw at Beacon Institute for River and Estuaries; Margot Kingon at Catalyst Gallery; Carla Goldberg at bau; Joshua Spivack at Artifact Beacon.
Happy Second Saturday, people of Beacon!
Bask in this glorious warming weather with a saunter around Beacon (with your raincoat on - ladies can pick one up in Darryl’s Clothing Boutique), checking out exhibits that have been extended and the new openings. Consider this a warmup for the Super Mega Gallery Stroll you’re going to do next month with Beacon Open Studios, which A Little Beacon Blog is a proud sponsor of. We’ve got it all covered in Beacon's most comprehensive Art Gallery Guide.
Last Call on Several Shows
You’re almost out of time to see Working OverTime, at No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, so head on down there before it’s taken off the walls.
Karl LaLonde’s Hue Tint Shade is sticking around RiverWinds Gallery for another couple of weeks.
New exhibitions are open at Catalyst Gallery, Hudson Beach Glass, Clutter, Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, bau, Artifact, and the MR Yard at Marion Royael Gallery (out back).
See what your friends, neighbors, and their kids are up to with Beacon Central School District’s annual show at the Howland Library, and the Artist Member show at the Howland Cultural Center. All details in the Art Guide!
Thank You Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide Sponsor
Our Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide is sponsored by No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, at 469 Main Street, down toward the east end of Main Street near Story Screen Beacon’s movie theater, where you’ll find not just rotating exhibits, but cool collections of handmade books that the public is encouraged to peruse.
While you're out and about doing Second Saturday, stop by our sponsors and support the businesses who support us! You too can become a sponsor at any time.
SOME OF THE ART GALLERY OPENINGS IN BEACON, NY, FOR MARCH 2019. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: IN THE GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS AT MOTHER ART GALLERY; STILL STILL MOVING AT THE HOWLAND CULTURAL CENTER; NANCY DREW-INSPIRED GROUP SHOW AT THE HOWLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY; OVER HERE , DUTCHESS COUNTY’S WORLD WAR I STORIES AT BEACON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND WORKING OVERTIME AT PHOTO BOOK WORKS.
Happy Second Saturday, Beacon!
We know you’ll be kicking off festive spring with the annual Parade of Green, but after that - then what? Galleries, my friend. Gallery openings galore: at regular spots like Dia, Catalyst, the library (Nancy Drew art show - what?) and No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, but also at once-in-a-while spots like the Beacon Historical Society and an art pop-up at the Beahive in the historic Telephone Building. Check A Little Beacon Blog’s Second Saturday Guide for start times, pictures, and descriptions of the exhibits opening in Beacon.
This month’s Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide is sponsored by No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, at 469 Main Street, down toward the east end of Main Street near the Beacon Movie Theater, where you’ll find not just rotating exhibits, but cool collections of handmade books that the public is encouraged to peruse.
Happy Second Saturday, folks! This mid-October weekend is jam-packed with gallery openings (and one closing 😥) as well as so many non-art events. The common theme? Community. Head out to the galleries. (Our Guide gives an overview of each exhibition or screening we track down.) Talk with your neighbors, visitors, or the artists. Buy their work if you're in a position to - get a jump on holiday gifting, maybe? Then head out again on Sunday, with the Car Show on Main Street and the Pumpkin Festival at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park. Get the artsy-tartsy scoop here in our Art Gallery Guide, and read about all of the amazing non-artsy things in our Event Guide.
At No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, revisit Melissa McGill's starry Bannerman Castle installation and read writer Sam Anderson's reflections, in Reverse Punctuation Constellations.
Brief descriptions in our Gallery Guide can't possibly do justice to all of the artists exhibiting around town, so you really should check them out yourself. If you're inclined, report back and let us know what you loved seeing. Comment here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or Twitter. We'd love to hear from you.
It's bittersweet that this month's opening at Matteawan Gallery reflects on the passage of time: Eleanor White's It's About Time will be Matteawan Gallery's final show. Karlyn Benson opened Matteawan Gallery in March 2013 in a small space further east on Main Street near the mountain.
It was a pretty common sight to see familiar faces packed into the gallery and congregating on the sidewalk outside, discussing everything from new puppies (hi, Jack!) to the featured artist who used math and dots to make really neat art that I couldn't wait to share with my math teacher-Renaissance man dad. I (I = Second Saturday writer Catherine, not bloggista extraordinaire Katie) am a total art newbie, and don't always "get" the fancy/important work, but Karlyn's gallery always had pieces by new (to me), interesting artists. Who remembers the baseball card guy?
Matteawan will be missed, but keep your eyes peeled for Karlyn's name: "I plan to curate exhibitions under the name Matteawan Projects and to write about art in the Hudson Valley," she says. (Her first article is already up at Chronogram!)
September's Opening: Eleanor White's It's About Time
Eleanor White returns to Matteawan Gallery with It's About Time. In her second solo show at the gallery, Eleanor explores the passing of time in sculpture and drawings. Natural materials, including hair, dandelion fluff, wood ash, and eggshells break out of their place in the daily background to figure prominently as materials, reminding viewers of fragility and the cyclic nature of ... nature. According to gallery owner Karlyn Benson, "White takes ordinary objects and makes them into something wonderful, captivating, and strange, thereby showing the potential of everything around us to change over time."
This exhibit runs through Sunday, October 7, 2018.
Second Saturday, August 11! Art Happenings In Beacon Include, Clockwise From Top Right, Colus At Clutter Gallery; Chantelle Norton At Matteawan Gallery; Chris Sanders at Hudson Beach Glass; Diane Christi At The Howland Cultural Center; Eileen Sackman At Bau.
Happy Second Saturday, people of Beacon! Dodge raindrops and thunder, and get to the galleries to see fantastic art - in new openings and continuing shows. We've got it all covered in Beacon's most comprehensive Art Gallery Guide.
It may be stormy, but it's still the dog days of summer. Consider this a friendly reminder that leisure time is fleeting, and we should make the most of the long days while we still have them. Several shows around town are spotlighting animals in art. At Hudson Beach Glass, you'll find Chris Sanders' four- and eight-legged friends, and at bau, Eileen Sackman's endangered critters. This is the second-to-last weekend to see Zoology at Matteawan Gallery - don't miss the incredible diversity of art that rivals the diversity of the animal kingdom itself! Check the Guide for details on all of these and every other show.
Big thanks to BeaconArts, the masterminds and promotional powerhouses behind Second Saturday and so many Beacon events! And thanks to the sponsors of A Little Beacon Blog, whose support allows us to produce the content we bring to you. Stop in to support them while you're out and about doing Second Saturday!
Happy Second Saturday, Beacon and fans of Beacon! Fall is in the air - schools are back in session, leaves are crunching, and there's just something invigorating about all of it. Make like the kids this weekend and work on expanding your horizons: Seeing a variety of art is a most excellent way to learn new things. Check in with nature at Theo Ganz, Catalyst and Matteawan, or find your softer side at Clutter. Practice civic engagement with two interactive art projects at the Howland Library. It's the final weekend for two exhibitions (Cathouse FUNeral and Beacon Institute)that blend history and art in very different ways. Don't miss out!
As always, a huge, big thanks to BeaconArts (BACA) for the tireless efforts promoting Saturday. And another huge, big thanks to A Little Beacon Blog's advertising partners, without whom this production would be exceptionally difficult. Please support the businesses who support us!
Happy Second Saturday, Beacon and fans of Beacon! Don't let the threat of some showers keep you inside. There's art galore happening around town: An artist/gallery owner Russ Cusick will be performing classic TV theme songs *inside a TV* at another gallery, Marion Royael, Beacon seniors exhibit paintings at the library, and colorful critters take over a West End space!
As always, a huge, big thanks to BeaconArts (BACA) for the tireless efforts promoting Saturday. And another huge, big thanks to A Little Beacon Blog's advertising partners, without whom this production would be exceptionally difficult. Please support the businesses who support us!
The Shambhala Yoga Center has been a staple in Beacon for almost 10 years under the ownership and guidance of Shannon Brandt. Shannon decided earlier this year that it was time for a change. She passed the reins of owning and managing the studio over to fellow local yogini Karla McGuire, owner of Live Your Life Gear. Shannon will still be teaching at Shambhala, but wants to focus on her healing work and working with private clients at the center.
Karla comes to Shambhala with a new energy, lots of ideas, and new services for the community. The first thing you'll notice is the name change: from Shambhala Yoga Center to Shambhala Wellness Center. In addition to yoga classes with the regular teaching staff, there will be additional healing services like Reiki, Ajna Light Therapy, and other holistic therapies. Shambhala is now more than just a yoga studio.
This Second Saturday offers a chance for you to check out the new and improved Shambhala Wellness Center, featuring brand new floors, a fresh coat of paint, and beautiful tapestries on the wall to enjoy. You will also find beautiful yoga gear, accessories, props, and healing products for sale. If “Live Your Life Gear” sounds familiar, you may have seen its colorful Namaste Bus in the area and at various festivals.
Starting at noon this Second Saturday, when you stop by Shambhala, you can sample free kombucha (Mon Cheri is my personal fave), have mini psychic and tarot readings, crystal healings, and Thai head massage, and enjoy live dance performances, shopping and grand opening specials. You can sign up for new student packages until the end of August: $25 for one week of unlimited classes, or $89 for one month unlimited.
Support for this publication comes in part from these businesses. We have highlighted what makes them special on their own dedicated pages. Want your business listed here? See the "Sponsor Spotlight" or "Event Promotion" option in our Advertising Page.
A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
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