Growing Up To Brush
October 1 – November 5
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 1, 4-6 pm
Lyceum: October 22, 2 pm
On Saturday, October 1, Catskills Folk Connection will open its first exhibit of folk art in the Walt Meade Gallery of the Roxbury Arts Center, 5025 Vega Mountain Road in Roxbury with a reception from 4 – 6 pm. Called “Growing Up To Brush” it will feature the paintings of two local artists depicting the Catskills landscape in their paintings from the past half century. Nellie Bly Ballard of Roxbury was active in the decades before her death in 1972 portraying familiar local scenes that record the working agricultural landscape, often in the form of farm and village portraits. Don Strausser of Westkill painted local and imagined scenes not only on canvas, but also on slate, tools, household objects, and shelf fungus, while pursuing a parallel artistic career as lead guitarist in Hilt Kelly’s Sidekicks, the well-known square dance band. Together the works gathered in this exhibit interpret the Catskills landscape as it began to change from intense agricultural activity toward its present forested state.
“Growing Up To Brush” will be on display at the Roxbury Arts Center from October 1 through November 5, the Walt Meade Gallery is open Tuesday- Saturday, 9 am- 3 pm. Meet Mr. Strausser at the opening reception 4 – 6 pm on Saturday, October 1. There will also be a talk about folk art and the natural environment on Saturday, October 22 at 2 pm, given by prominent folklorist, Varick Chittenden.