Local Art Residency - Scott Sorrentino

LC: Scott, we're thrilled to have your work up at the shop as we have been in touch for some time now and there's a certain sense of satisfaction seeing it all come together. Please tell us about this work that you created for the shop and what you hope our community walks away with after spending some time with it.

SS: Robert, thank you immensely. It’s rare an artist gets an opportunity to create a site-specific work - where you know you have an audience. And where folks who may not usually seek out art, but love good coffee, will see it.  I like to dream that they are my target audience… and yes, my painting is THE one that opens their minds to the fine tradition of painting forever! 

The painting is about one who struggles with irrelevance. How one is, or, why one is, obsessed with being/becoming irrelevant or relevant for that matter. Relevant or irrelevant to what, of course, is ‘fill in the blank’. The poem is mainly about a friend of mine and i growing up artists in NY. in the eighties and nineties - it may also express his fear of irrelevance.

The painting and the poem titled the same in the throes of irrelevance, i thought  to be an amusing title/image; i like the large swaying, movements that move the eye around.

These 2 ideas that we brought together at the end for the presentation at Local. The poem of the same title references lyrics from different bands that i’m currently listening to. Each line from a different song. I always love lyrics and poetry. Have you found the excerpt of the e.e. cummings poem in the piece - an excerpt from i carry your heart with me. There’s also another poem by me…called the camel. There’s a lot going on in there - I enjoyed getting into details once I had the main drawing down.

I intended to create the sense of movement.  Something of a dance move is at times what is needed for effect of the mark. The mark is very important - it comes first - before design. Design emerges naturally as you feel/plan, or not plan;) your marks. The painting in the throes is mainly comprised of marks - reactions to a previous mark in the design of the entire composition. So, it’s a lot of …make a mark…step away … come back and react to the previous mark. Choosing my materials is the space between doing and not doing something on the canvas.

The Local wall is beautiful with nothing on it so i wanted to keep that integrity - scattering pictures salon style was never an option. The intention is to create a lyrical sense of movement to complement the everyday goings on at Local Coffee.

In general, I like large paintings that can fill up a room, create an atmosphere, a presence - Cy Twomblys’ Peonies/Blossom series comes to mind. Or installations by the likes of Judy Pfaff or Jonathan Borofsky - a sort of entertainment quality.

What i hope the community can take away is a tricky question. I’m not typically an idealist so there is no right answer. Perhaps I’d like the community to walk away feeling like there was something different about the experience outside of the great coffee and friendly atmosphere. Ask themselves a question about the experience, get an impression of the experience. 

I wanted to give the community a small taste of an artist who has struggled with his imagery for over 40 years of painting. Forever unlearning, experimenting and painting like a kid again. It’s the activity of making art that’s most rewarding. In my case, through impulsive/reactionary marks, movements, pushing and pulling paint until stepping away. So, a painting is never really complete, never finished.

LC: You are a multimedia artist in that you are also a musician having played in the band BencH. What was it about your childhood that allowed you to pursue such rich, expressive opportunities?

SS: I believe we have innate tendencies toward things we love to do. I’m always drawn to music and art - yes, all kinds, no judgement. I owe every ounce of my childhood growth as an artist to my mom. Making art and music was always encouraged at our Brooklyn apartment. At about age 7 I’d raid her trimmings drawer (she was an apparel trimmings designer) and doodled and glued things like beads, buttons and ribbons onto looseleaf paper, eventually evolving to oaktag. By age 14 i had permission to have a 4-piece drum set in my high school bedroom on the 6th floor of a building in Brooklyn.

By age 16 i was playing Shine on you crazy Diamond with a keyboard and bass player in that same room!  So, encouragement to be oneself is a good start for a kid. All i wanted to do was to get home from school and into my kid cave to make art and music. And that’s just what i did. I would take the Daily News and make collages out of the headlines and photos and stick them on the wall and scrawl away. On my high school bedroom walls hung my artwork and those huge posters of rock bands that you bought at Spencer gifts - taped up with fluorescent orange and green masking tape and black light bulbs!  Irrelevant indeed.

BencH was an attempt at a street-core, industrial noise art band. 3 people grew up in a band together for 14 years so what you learn is relationship. Musically especially - we were an experimental, noise jam band - heavily influenced by Missing Foundation, Einstürzende Neubauten, Throbbing Gristle, Butthole Surfers, etc.

If you like experimental rock/jazz/industrial noise you might like to venture - find us here:

https://soundcloud.com/tom-t-hall-1

https://soundcloud.com/tom-t-hall-1/popular-tracks

https://www.youtube.com/user/benchresinvideos

LC: We talked a bit about the East Village in NYC. While I was more situated in Greenwich Village and Little Italy, the East Village always fascinated me with its 'we don't really give a fuck what you think attitude'. Some of my childhood's most memorable events happened there. Tell us what the East Village meant and means to you.

SS: The artists and musicians had to think like that - it was a self-fulfilling prophecy - failure was success… we fail over here in the east village - that’s why no one likes us and that’s ok! It was naturally transgressive. It was living art and well done at that. Remember Nick Zedd and Tommy Turner from the cinema du transgression? They were two that had that attitude you speak of but being artists they gave us what they knew how to give at the time. So it was very rock and roll.

Art and Music coincided, cohabitated - it was wonderful.

LC: You've transitioned your life to New Jersey and it's quite a swing from your childhood in Brooklyn and impressionable years in NYC. It took me a while to really accept not living in NYC anymore. (I still dont think I'm over it) How have you made the transition and maintain your core?

SS: For me, the core is maintained by knowing that it exists and most importantly, respected. That it needs food and attention just like a living being - creativity in nature.

Without art and music i am imprisoned. Honor thyself.

As far as the transition? I had built a house in upstate NY while in the band BencH - at first it was a rustic 1 room cabin with an outhouse. It soon became a house on 13 acres with an art studio and 16 track recording studio. So, I already made up my mind that the city was not where I will always be. I had all my toys in one place, it was heaven.

LC: What are you working on now and what can we expect to see from you in the near future?

SS: I’m working on a house in upstate NJ and just about completed the art studio. I have several ideas for another polyptych that is in sketch phase. It will be different than the Throes - they always are. Picture making always seem to get to where it need be.. most times without the throes of anything! 

Thanks again Robert! and look forward to another go at that great, rust-colored wall @Local.

LC: What is your favorite coffee or tea beverage?

SS: Cappuccino molto caldo per favore!

Reach out directly to Scott for any inquiries @ 973.873.4258

Local Art Residency - Janette Afsharian

LC: Janette, we first connected more than a year ago when the concept of showing your work at Local was first discussed. What I remember from that call is that we were on the phone for more than an hour (which is a rarity these days) and it was the most honest and enjoyable conversation I had in a long time. You have this pure form of communicating that both made me laugh but also made me feel better about some of my own thoughts. Have you always been this forthcoming in your dialogue?

JA: We totally clicked. Our phone conversation was great. But seeing you in action at Local it’s pretty obvious you have a talent for making people feel comfortable. It may be one of those, “it ain't me, it’s you” type of things. However, you are right that I’m pretty candid. I have a tendency to lead with letting people know I’m not on 100% footing on many things. I’ve been joking around lately saying that in a job interview when asked what are some of my weaknesses I’d say, “I’m wrong a lot of time.” Thankfully, I’m self-employeed. Also, I’m super cool until I totally panic. I like to tell people I’m the person that you’ll have to shake and slap a few times when things get in a high stress situation. Even though I like to lead with my mess, at times, I do have my crap together (sort of) but I like to connect with people on the interesting and funny stuff... the struggle that’s where I relate.

LC: I love this approach because I can tell immediately when either a person, a brand OR anything else for that matter tries to be or do something that they do not have the experience or right to express. Think this is part of the beauty of growing up in NYC... most of us can immediately sense authenticity or lack of it. How did your childhood and/or formidable years contribute to you being so real?

JA: That is 100% why when I moved to New York City 25+ years ago, I knew I had found home. I grew up with two cultures that strongly believe in manners over truth. The Iranian culture (my dad) and Texans (my mom) have may subtle mannerism which always left me wondering what was the truth. In New York if they like you knew it, if they wanted you to get the fuck out of the way, you knew it. I loved it!

LC: OK so I was setting you up with questions number 1 + 2...tell me how this honesty translates into your craft and expressing yourself in your art?

JA: Honestly, I have no idea. I think I’m trying to work out something in all these lines but I’m not sure. I paint in my attic listening to music. It’s meditative for the most but part but I do get frustrated at times because I can’t draw a perfect cat or deer or something like that but then I just move back on to my abstract line drawings. I try to balance the colors and find depth and balance as I draw each line with yard sticks. I try to perfect some things and destroy others as a progress. I think about my family, friends, kids, my past, crazy times, marketing art, and grand ideas of being an artist as a grow old. I'm really simply painting because I have always wanted to but also always found a reason not to until now. I’m just doing it.

LC: Tell us about this work you chose to share -

JA: Right now, I have a total of what I think of as four collections of work. The first, are in a minimalism style and fall into the Gerhard Ricther area (people say). I love these but some may I think they are too simple. Surprisingly these are ones I get the most purchase requests for on Instagram. I haven’t been able to part with them yet. Next, is the plaid series. These are the most fun to paint and look pretty cool in person but I didn’t think they are complex enough. The third, are leaning into cubism. I don’t have enough of them for a collection plus I just sold one of these yesterday so I have even less now. The forth, Linear Motion, is what I selected to exhibit because they are what I’ve been experimenting with most lately. I think they capture where I’m at with my painting at the moment. A combination of all of the other collection trying to fit into one space and be seen.

LC: I can tell you how much I appreciate it as it just seems so timely right this very moment. There is so much going on right now...so many distractions..so many directions but it is ultimately up to each of us to make sense of all of it. Also, these paths/lines can be quite chaotic but if you step back and breathe, they can also be quite beautiful based on your interpretation. I've gotten more comfortable with this concept as of late. In my best Wendy Williams voice, how you doin' (through all of this)?

JA: I think the painting capture how I’m doing. The lines are stationary yet there is a lot motion.

LC: Alrighty then...I know you are quite busy so I'll save the rest of my questions for when I see you next. But before you go, critical inquiry - what is your favorite coffee or tea beverage?

JA: Black coffee in the US. Black tea in Iran.

Learn more about Janette here and find her on Instagram @janetteafsharian.art

Local Art Residency - Lauren Vroegindewey

We met each other some time ago and even before learning of your incredible dedication to your craft, I immediately felt the spark that indicates for me that you are one very special individual. So where do we start? Hmmmmmmm....ok let’s start with early years. Where did you grow up and how did you get to the Garden State?

It is such a joy to live in a community where the arts are highly valued. I first thank you and the Local team for always facilitating an atmosphere of warmth and love and for this opportunity to exhibit my work. I started in Sonora, California located in the foothills of Sierra Nevada close to the Yosemite National Park. I loved being close to the caves, lakes, and being present with nature. I moved to the Garden State, close to Warwick, NY after fleeing my father where my grandmother and uncle raised me along with my siblings. As I got older, I moved around quite a bit, living in different states, traveling; but found myself circling back to New Jersey now based in Montclair. I love this gem of a place. People look out for one another just as the local bike shop here saves discarded tires and bike scraps for me, knowing I can use them in future installations or set designs.

I previously asked about nature vs. nurture relative to your work. Provided how much depth and storytelling is in your work - do you know how you arrived at this medium? 

Oh yes, arguably the oldest controversial debates by psychologists or even when elucidated by Prospero in The Tempest. There are a multitude of forces where I don’t feel there’s an easy way to disentangle the two. They are not inconsistent; but rather complementary to each other. Often working intuitively drawing inspiration from my past and the environment around me, the subject matter and theme of each body of work determines the materials and the forms of the work. During research new areas of interest arise where my creative impulses lead to the next body of work resulting in the manifestation of my emotional expression.

 A running joke was that I came out of the womb painting imagery with my own shit. As a kid, art and storytelling was a way of escape from family dysfunction. One piece I held onto was from the age of five where I had my sister pose in our jungle-like backyard and incorporated pieces of nature into the piece. Growing up with very little, I was consistently creating with discarded objects or materials accessible. That element of being resourceful has carried over into my current art practice as a way to remind the public how much waste is generated by humans. I don’t like to limit myself to one medium as I’ll add another element, but keep the energy running through it. Further, my work is a product of interdisciplinary collaboration involving various mediums as I believe they all relate to each other when exploring notions of sustainability and vulnerability, pieces of my personal ethos.

Your work has some powerful messages and arguably some controversial themes but yet I never feel like it’s pedantic or your dictating a POV. How do you achieve this so effortlessly?

I attempt to empathize with the human experience; parsing the relationship between organisms and bodily structures and what it might mean to bridge the gap between the natural and manmade. I tap into the language around the human psyche as my work explores perhaps taboo topics, asks questions, evokes emotion, and provokes a psychological response in the viewer. I want viewers to question the choices we make daily. I think the questions can find their own answers and offer solutions, rather than tackling an extremist point of view.

Please share an overview of the work you graciously shared here at Local.

My work can be seen as a narrative of personal trauma and the trauma of the earth due to human intervention. There is a deep pain that is attached with being misunderstood, forgotten, and taken advantage of, and a sense of jarring awareness when we are stripped of our personhood or our identity. This could also be true of the very place we call home; our ecosystems. I am an advocate for using recycled materials, at times using up-cycled trash in my art to raise awareness of pollution and the human mark on the environment. My work encourages giving a voice to those who are often unheard and how the fragmentation of the mind can be pieced back together.

The Unspoken Series emerged out of a performance piece while in Scotland where I positioned myself in a discarded bathtub reciting poetry filled with dirt sourced from various landmarks, pomegranates, and the ‘five senses’ which were 3-D printed using biodegradable materials. These are stills from the performance turned into waterless lithography prints. The performance piece entitled, The Dirt Still Remains, tells the story of a traumatic event where the five senses were taken as the fruit is marked and heavily bruised. Through the process of cleansing they are slowly being returned; however the damage never fully goes away. There’s something so empowering and healing when using my body as a tool for an endurance performance. I am interested in the psychological aspect of training the body and mind to leave a state of comfort and complacency. I find it to be a  freeing experience as within my performances there’s a recurring theme of spontaneity.  

Begin to Heal emerged from my Five Senses Series originally drawn and printed in 2019. In 2020, I revisited this work and hand printed the drawings on homemade paper using abaca and gambi fiber. Begin to Heal suggests the potential for inner healing in the midst of social isolation due to COVID-19.

Blended Catastrophe, Breathless, and Reflection are prints of original oil paintings adhered to up-cycled wood panels reflecting upon our environmental crisis; bringing awareness and empowerment in order to minimize the carbon, plastic, and trash footprint and make strides to become more sustainable.

Your creative gifts are shared visually and audibly - but they also are applied to your professional career. Can you tell us what Art Therapy means to you?

It’s facilitating an environment to foster emotional, mental well being, and healing. People have been relying on the arts to communicate, express themselves, and heal for thousands of years. Art is a way of therapy where I am processing things I struggle to verbalize, perhaps a form of communication between my unconscious and conscious mind so working with adults with severe brain trauma I feel as though has aided in the continuation of my own healing. There’s something magical that happens when we broaden our perspective and jump over the hurdles of imposed discrimination, seeing human for human. The possibilities are endless in how art can create a safe space for growth, change, and inner healing.

 Before my uncle's death, a father figure in my life, he suffered from a traumatic brain injury. My fondness memory with him was excursions to the maple trees and making homemade syrup together. This experience in nature was the first time I related human trauma to the earth’s trauma. Perhaps this is why I’m so captivated and drawn to the work I do.

Learn more about Lauren here:

Website: www.laurenvroegindewey.com

Email: laurenvroegindewey@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laur.vroegs/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauren.vroegindewey/

Local Artist Residency - Mike Ferrari

Mike, thanks so much for sharing your work with us and the Local community. The response on your format has been super-positive. When did you first think about this particular platform?

Hey Rob.  First off, thanks for the opportunity to show my art at Local!   After graduating Art School in 2001, I moved back home and set up an art studio in my parents’ basement.  I was constantly experimenting with my art and exploring different types of surfaces to paint on beyond traditional canvases.  After painting on wood and other found objects, I came across an old box of vinyl records that my parents had stored away, so I looked through them and found one that was probably not worth listening to ever again and thought, “why not?”  Trying to stay true to the medium, I painted a classic portrait of Billie Holiday with the big white flower in her hair and that’s where it began.

 Lots of discussion, notably surrounding what musicians and bands you decided to paint and post. How did you ultimately land on this mix for Local?

I just really like all kinds of music.  I’m always listening to music while painting.  In one session I can easily go from Wu Tang to Fiona Apple to Metallica.  I can honestly say that 99% of the artists that I choose to paint are artists whose music I like...or at least appreciate.  I also try to give the viewers a little of everything in hopes of sparking a positive music memory or feeling.  It’s always great seeing people really engage with the work and pick out their favorites, both artistically and musically.  I hope with this diverse collection of 48 records up at Local there is something for everyone.

As we're in the shop all day, I am constantly looking at the albums and reengaging with so many of these artists. Of particular interest is Dolly Parton. Her voice in 'Jolene' is arguably one of the most passionate, in and out of country music. Have to ask, how did you come to paint her?

She was one of the more recent ones I painted.  Dolly is a legend in so many ways and seems to be coming back around in pop culture.  She is one of those artists like Bob Marley or the Beatles that just transcends her genre.  I dare anyone to say anything negative about Dolly.  It doesn’t matter what style of music that you prefer, if someone puts on ‘Jolene’ those 3 minutes or so are going to take you somewhere special.

Curious - have you connected with any of these musicians through your art?

Not yet.  I’ve created several personal vinyl paintings for friends who are musicians and I’ve had a few local musicians reach out, but I’m yet to get the invite to Saint Tropez on Jay-Z and Beyonce’s yacht...fingers crossed for this summer!

Many people have asked, so I'll put it out to you here - what albums did you paint over for this project? 

They are all painted on first press copies of the Beatles’ White Album… No, just kidding.  People often ask me if the artists painted on the records match the music on it, and the answer is no – I would never paint on a vinyl record I would want to listen to.  I’ve acquired a large collection of old records from various places like garage sales and friends have given me old stacks that they didn’t want anymore.  There used to be a great music store in Hoboken called Tunes.  When I lived there, I would go all the time to look through the old clearance records.  I would pick up a bunch of vinyl for like 25-50 cents apiece.  It’s a different kind of crate digging.  I always wondered what the cashiers were thinking as they scanned my random collection of classical baroque, some obscure jazz, and Norwegian death metal.  As long as the vinyl is in good condition and not scratched up, I’ll use it...unless I end up keeping it for my personal collection.

Luckily, I preserved all of my albums from childhood as well as my parent's collection. I love that moment when the needle hits the vinyl and a crackling is audible, almost like that moment when starting a fire. Can we safely assume that you have albums to listen to as well? What do you love about this music format?

It’s a magical moment indeed.  My parents had a decent record collection from the 70s and early 80s and we always listen to music in our house growing up.  My brother and I had a small, typical 80’s kid collection like Michael Jackson, Weird Al, Beastie Boys, Culture Club, the Breakin’ Soundtrack, and other randomly acquired finds.  Most of those records are still part of my current collection of “listening” vinyls.  Though the format has changed many times over throughout the years, music has always been a big part of my life.  There is always great music flowing through my house, unless my kids take control of the music.  Obviously, vinyl has come back around within the past few years and it’s great to see people of all ages really embracing the medium.  With everything these days being digital and right at your fingertips, it’s nice to have a tangible alternative and a collection that is uniquely yours.  Being able to put a record on the turntable, drop the needle, and hear all the pops and crackles is just so much more of a personal experience than scanning Spotify and pressing play (disclaimer: I also love Spotify and think it’s an amazingly wonderful platform that I use almost daily).

I was so happy to learn that you are an art teacher provided our particular interest in this discipline. Thank you for everything you do! What is the most rewarding aspect of this path that you have chosen? Any singular moments that put you over the moon?

There have been so many great moments teaching art over the years. I have had the pleasure of working with some very talented students and am grateful to have played a part in their artistic journey.  It’s always nice to reconnect with past students that have graduated who tell me that they still remember specific moments from my class.  Whether it’s specifically about art or just a positive memory.  I don’t expect all of them to become artists but if they can at least come away with a positive experience and a slightly stronger appreciation for art, then I’m happy.  

Please tell us about any current projects you're working on, either connected to the albums or perhaps something new?

Well, the album art seems to be an ongoing project that started in my parents’ basement and continues in my current Montclair basement, and will probably never end.  I have an ever-growing backlog of artists that I want to take on.  In addition to the records, I’m always busy working on something, whether it’s paintings, drawings, collages, etc.  I have a few shows coming up in and around the Montclair area this spring and summer and I’m always on the lookout for different opportunities to show my work and connect to people.

Learn more about Mike here

Visit Mike’s IG here

Darin Wacs is Back with 'More Cute'

Created specifically with Local's magnet wall in mind, this series of plasma cut, autobody-painted, metal sculptures are analogous to magnets on a refrigerator door – well, a giant refrigerator.

Working directly on and with the metal, from drawing and outlining each playful shape, then plasma-cutting each figure, the forms produce their unique characteristics, accentuated by the perfectly smooth enamel paint colliding against the jagged and rough plasma cut edges.

Asked about the project's name, Darin replied, "The name of this project comes from a conversation I had with a friend who was a designer at Sanrio. One day her boss looked at her work and replied MORE CUTE!  And, who doesn't want 'more cute'?"

 This is Darin's second site-specific project for Local.

See Darin’s first Local installation from 2017 here

| darinwacs.com | instagram @wacswork | twitter @darinwacs |

A Local Collab - Local X Kayla: 36

This installation is the product of imagination and inspiration and answering a simple question, ‘What if...?’

A collaboration from the mind of one of Montclair’s most creative and talented and your favorite coffee shop – we took to imagine what creative ventures could be developed in a shop where customers could temporarily (because of environmental factors) not join each other to sit and enjoy their coffee. ‘What if’ we utilized these chairs for another purpose?

Well, these chairs are now part of the installation ‘36’

This installation features a unique bespoke image on each of  the 36 chair legs, each design inspired and tied to that respective number – 1 through 36.

Find below each number, applied to each chair leg, and the design that it inspired:

1.

Correlation coefficients. Used to measure the strength of relationship between two variables. A CC of 1 indicates a strong positive relationship, as shown through a line with data points which would be measured as having a CC near 1.

2.

Abstract depiction of a binary star, a stellar system which has two stars circling around a center of mass.

3.

First triangular number (number that can form a triangle). Shown through a triangular pattern.

4.

Sticker shows the common 2D depiction of the four dimensions.

5.

The number 5 in Persian looks similar to an upside down heart. This is distorted to form a pattern.

6.

Number six can be formed by the sum of its factors (1+2+3). Shown through fractions.

7.

The seven wavelengths of light.

8.

The eight planets and the route of every satellite/spacecraft which we have used to explore.

9.

Cats have nine lives!

10.

The smallest number where its status of what is called a ‘friendly number’ is unknown. A friendly number (represented by a smiley face) is ‘Two or more natural numbers with a common abundancy index, the ratio between the sum of divisors of a number and the number itself. Two numbers with the same "abundancy" form a friendly pair’

11.

The number for the Jack card, and the fourth Sophie Germain prime (a SG prime is when the number p AND 2p + 1 are both primes) . Germain is depicted as a jack.

12.

The twelve lunar cycles.

13.

Depiction of a bell number as a flower. An ordered bell number is the number of weak orderings on a set of elements- not that I know what that means.

14.

There are 14 Bravais Lattices, which are depicted. A Bravais lattice is “infinite array of discrete points generated by a set of discrete translation operations described in three-dimensional space”.

15.

The second hexagonal number. Has 15 points.

16.

A base to the power is the same as the power to the base: 2^4 = 4^2 = 16.

17.

Total number of Brodmann areas, which has to do with the senses.

18.

The number 18 in Morse code.

19.

Centered hexagonal number repetition.

20.

Twenty circles of lunations in the Metonic cycle.

21.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s birthday is November 21st, 1985. We ❤️ Carly Rae. Call Me Maybe?

22.

Maximum number of sections created when you cut a circle with six lines (Lazy Caterer’s Sequence)

23.

Birthday Party Probability- number of people where there is a 50% chance two people share a birthday.

24.

Kissing number (greatest number of non-overlapping unit spheres that can be arranged to touch a common unit sphere), in fourth dimensional space.

25.

Octagonal number.

26.

Shows sporadic groups, which is one of twenty-six groups in classification of finite simple groups.

27.

27% of the universe is dark matter.

28.

There are 28 convex uniform honeycombs.

29.

Number of days in February during a leap year.

30.

Forms a square pyramidal.

31.

Messier object M31 is the Andromeda Galaxy.

32.

Freezing temperature of water in Fahrenheit.

33.

ASCII code for exclamation point.

34.

M36 is the constellation Perseus, famous for killing Medusa.

35.

Number of combinations of six squares.

36.

The number of degrees of each angle in a pentagram, and the ASCII code for $.

About the artist

Kayla Weaver is a senior at Montclair High School and a person with many passions and pursuits. Her top three may just be art, science and coffee.

Somehow, all three of these passions came together in one very interesting and inspiring project, hatched in collaboration with Local.

Local Talk Series: Q+A with Graphic Designer and Artist Tracey Diamond

Tracey, so happy to have your work up at Local. I knew you were a talented graphic designer but didn’t know there was this beautiful art for art’s sake side to you. What discipline came first?

Thank you Robert! The fine arts side definitely came first, but I didn't know to call it that at the time. I remember growing up doodling on the brown paper bags the schools made cover our textbooks with, and trying to recreate the art school drawing application ad in the weekly TV Guides. I think that's where it all started, or at least my first memories of it. In college, I studied Advertising and Graphic Design which is what eventually brought me to having my own Graphic Design/Branding business today, but there were many years in between that I focused more on fine arts, photography and writing. I would hike or sit outside and images or storylines would come to me, so I'd always have to get it down on paper (or canvas) as soon as possible. That is where my dreams would always take me and still do - writing and illustrating would be the ultimate joy in the every day career world for myself. That and also learning how to animate what is constantly playing in my mind when I am drawing, writing or painting.

There’s quite a variety of work on display. Tell us why you selected these particular pieces to share?

It's been over 20 years since I have really had my work on display, at least like this type of showing. So to be honest it was hard to select one style only to show since I was so excited to be stepping back into this world again! I also wasn't sure which style or styles would be what people enjoyed so I wanted to put it all out there (in a hopefully non-chaotic way!) and see what would happen.

You work across a few different artistic tools. How did you arrive at this particular mix?

There is the side of me that loves to paint and those images/styles would come from taking photos of nature scenes that pop out to me with colors and textures. These puzzle piece shapes and textures were all I'd see and that is how I came to create the "puzzle peace" style in my work (naming it after the sense of calm it would create in me when creating and how others said they felt in looking at the finished pieces). In time I developed a similar series to the gouache and acrylics but using ink or Sharpie markers instead - more portable and a different type of color pop result.

I'm also a huge animation lover and have many stories I've written with playful characters illustrated out. So while those particulars are not on display, I did want to display that side of illustration that bubbles up at times too. Sometimes it's cartoony, sometimes more sketch illustration. It's whatever comes into my mind based on what I am seeing in person or in my mind calling out to be drawn.

You spend quite a bit of time on the computer for work. How cathartic (or not) is it to work with your hands to create and develop your art?

I grew up in a time where the creative arts were being taught mostly off the computer.... my college classes of color theory, typography, graphics were filled with spray mount and x-acto knives and rubber cement erasers. That is all still heaven to me. There is nothing like that feeling of doing things by hand and having paint/ink stained fingers. It's like the artist's tattoo - that washes out eventually but you carry it around like a badge of honor. "Yes, I am an artist." May sound funny but it brings such a smile to my face and heart to look down and see my hands stained and materials spread on the table. The same is with taking photos, creating murals, fabric art, wire sculpture, anything creative that I am doing. If it's a hands-on project, I am all in.

Is there a particular message you aim for your work to communicate?

That's an interesting question. When I started this, it was only for myself - it was something I'd doodle on napkins while waiting tables in and after college. I'd zone out while listening to music and draw random shapes depending on what the sounds brought up for me. It was a relaxing way to spend time and just be in the moment. People started to respond to it and with that I suppose grew this hope that people would see the playfulness of what the shapes started to become.... I would find this random shapes were actually images of people or animals, without event planning it. And then my artwork took off in a whole new direction and people really ressponded to that. They would point out images within the images they'd find. It was as if they were finding their own stories inside this visual story before them. It's really amazing. So I suppose I hope that people enjoy what I have created and get lost in the magic for a little while of imagination

What has living in Montclair meant for you in how you approach your craft?

One of the reasons why I chose Montclair as the town to move my kids and I to was because of the support of the arts - for myself and for my kids to embrace the love of their own arts passions. Montclair is filled with so many creative people that having the space to have those conversations sharing the ways we see the world has made it easier to open my time and world back up to something that was on hold for too long. In recent years I have done projects here and there as a result. A few years back I was hired to illustrate Jay Blakesberg's book Hippie Chick with my funky doodle style creations. Total pinch me full circle moment of being a person who would draw random inked artwork in a sketch book at Dead shows to years later creating those same styles to be printed alongside Jay's incredible photos he took at shows along his own creative journey. As people began to see my artwork, I was asked to participate in the newly created Cedar Grove Artwalk where 20 local artists were given street banners to create our own expressions of what Cedar Grove has to offer. Last year, their inaugural year, I illustrated two views of Mills Reservation in my Sharpies Puzzle Peaces style. This year I painted two versions of the same view of mini flowers that scatter the landscape. The banner experiences were so incredible and would never have happened if i hadn't moved to Montclair. It opened myself up to wanting to rework my time, for sure, to have art be more a part of my world like it was once before.

You are very involved with the genesis of MDW (Montclair Design Week). what is your hope for this program?

I was a part of the MDW pioneer group on the arts side of creating graphics and the website in the first, developing year. In being involved, my hope was to be a part of opening people's minds to see things differently. That design is everywhere and it doesn't always mean that Design = Art. Design can be how a program is structured for a classroom, how paint moves across a canvas, how a business is structured for success, how flavors are blended in meal...design is everywhere and is about how we creatively express ourselves. This year my role has shifted a bit to more of the backend needs, but the hope is still the same while seeing what the new volunteers are bringing to the development the second time around.

Is there a current art project that you have on the works?

Yes actually! From having this experience here at Local I was asked to participate in an upcoming Live Painting project in collaboration with photographer Armando "OUTthere" Diaz which was a total suprise and I excited to try that for the first time. I was also commissioned for some pieces based off of what visitors have seen hanging in the space here which I am still smiling from. So that is super exciting too! Outside of that, I am going to look for new spaces to show my work and hopefully make my way into the publishing world with books or albums (ok, I'm an 80s kid, so band related art) or animation. That's all been a huge dream of mine for a long time and feels like it's time to get back to making it happen.

What is your favorite coffee or tea beverage?

Oh boy - so I am a big lover of a Dirty Chai Latte, especially when I have a lot of work to get through. And on the tea side, I once discovered the loose tea combination of Hibiscus, Rosehips and Camomile and nothing beats it. One sip instantly transports me back to a peaceful place of drawing inspiration since that is what I would always have next to me while my sketchbook was out.

Learn more about Tracey on her website here

Local Talk - Q+A with Global Street Photographer Alan Holzman

What formal photography training, if any, have you had?

My parents gave me my first camera when I was 5 years old after I had my tonsils removed.  When I was in high school my dad and I built a darkroom in the cellar giving us a great opportunity to share the mutual passion of photography.   College, grad school and family had me place any serious photography on the back burner for many years.  About 5 years ago when I lost a job I really loved, in a school for emotionally disturbed kids, (I eventually earned a PhD in Clinical Social Work) I decided to turn back to photography.  Street photography helped me integrate my interest in connecting with people and and my love of making photos.  I feel I always develop a relationship with someone I photograph even it the connection only lasts a few seconds.

I'm pretty much self taught.  I attend many lectures  on photography and have been involved in B & H's Event Space Portfolio Development program for several years.  This has helped me develop my skills considerably and also facilitated my acceptance into 3 group shows at Soho Photo Gallery in New York.  In addition, I've taken a few street photography workshops.

What camera/ cameras are your go-to for this particular discipline? 

I try to use film cameras as often as possible, however, I shoot with digital cameras as well.  My film cameras include a Yashica twin lens reflex, a Leica rangefinder and a Hasselblad.  Digitally I mostly use my Fujiflim x100t and my pocketable Ricoh GR II.

There was a brief time when I was an aspiring photographer working on a studio in NYC and at the time, I recall the need to ‘get the shot’. Time, expense, film cost all contributed to this need. As film has moved to digital with time, expense and cost all but becoming a non-factor - are we better or worse for capturing that special shot?

I think "getting the shot" is more dependent upon the photographer than the gear.  Digital allows more flexibility and less cost no doubt, however, I find that film slows me down and forces me to pay more attention to subject matter.  I also enjoy the process of developing film.

Images of people are very personal with the subject generally wanting to be viewed through a certain view. Who gets to decide on that view when you’re photographing someone?

When I photograph people on the street there is a combination of the subject's response and my timing.  Many of my street images, especially in India, are actually street portraits, where I ask a subject for permission and then they get to pose as they wish.  I often ask them not to smile but the rest is up to them.  I choose when to click the shutter.

We have galleries, museums and other venues like Local that aim to share artistic work with a public viewing audience. What is your favorite and/ or recommended channel for experiencing your work? 

I like seeing my images printed and hanging on a wall.  Physical images are very dear to me.  Whether in my home or a gallery or at Local, I much prefer a real, tangible photograph to a digital image on a screen.  With that said, I also find that sites like Instagram allow our work to reach a bigger audience.

What has been the most enlightening image you’ve ever captured - either at that moment of releasing the shutter or evaluating images afterwards?

I don't have one "most enlightening image."  However, photographs in which I've been able to capture emotion have the greatest impact on me.

What has been the most difficult shot to capture and why? 
You ask about the most difficult image I've ever captured. I don't have just one, but a few years ago I did a project in which I made street portraits of New York City police officers.  Initially, I was very intimidated.  Approaching  officers and asking them to pose was, at first,  quite stressful.  After some time I became more comfortable and had a really enjoyed talking with and photographing the officers of NYPD.

What do you hope comes of the public viewing your work?

I hope that people who come to Local and see my images are moved by the wonderful subjects that have become faces that I will forever remember.

What projects do you have coming up? 

Currently I'm working on a project about myself.  I'm scheduled for knee replacement surgery on January 30 and I'm attempting to document the entire process (not the surgery itself) from pre surgical visits to post surgical recovery.  

What is your favorite coffee or tea beverage? 

Favorite coffee/tea:  I love a good cup of strong black coffee.  Also, Local makes a drink (I forget the name) with cayenne pepper that I really enjoy.  I'm also a big tea drinker.

ps. the drink is ‘Funktado’ :)

IG: @alanholzmanphoto

Inquiries: adhphd@gmail.com , Mobile: 973.985.1739

Local Talk - Q+A with Local West Coast Artist Dolores Lusitana

We're so thrilled to have you post at the shop and thank you for being so accommodating in shipping the images!  West Coast images in an East Coast space brings me happiness as we're all California dreamin' to some degree. How do you think about one coast vs. the other from an artistic perspective? 

I was first drawn to photography while living in New York City from 1981-1997. I’ve always thought of the city as a people laboratory - everyone combating the pressures of city life, the weather, the fierce professional competition, yet somehow all interdependent in those struggles. There’s an underlying humanity that I don’t experience in the same way on the west coast. California offers a more idealized lifestyle; grand, expansive landscapes, lots of sunshine with a cultural slant towards leisure. They’re completely different ways of life. Despite being a native Californian and grateful for the relative ease here (sans the earthquakes and fires..) I’ve always felt more at home on the east coast, more alive and inspired. Perhaps ironically, I think now of New York as a periodic B12 shot, my place for ideas and inspiration, and California the place where I can hunker down without distraction and get the work done.

Your prints, 'A deeper look at the Venice Beach Canals' provides us with a glimpse into a special place in southern California. Why did you select this area as your focus? 

I’d stopped shooting for a time and started my business, Situation Book. I was spending a lot of time behind the computer, and starting to feel a little hollow for abandoning my own creativity. The Venice Beach Canals were within walking distance from my home and I decided to take my camera for an outing - shooting for the first time in a couple of years. I had no objectives, no real intention of making images, I just let myself walk and shoot anything and everything that caught my eye. I found the reflections in the canal waters really beautiful and started making photographs - mostly figurative images, watery reversals of the many white bridges that intersect the walkways, the towering palm trees, the people walking by. They appeared like impressionistic watercolors and it made me happy to be outside in that quiet little enclave of peace and nature hidden inside Silicon Beach. I liked those images enough to continue going back.  

It wasn’t until I starting noticing the full-frame abstractions on my computer screen that the WATERCOLORS project began. I saw things that I hadn’t in my viewfinder, and discovered that by shooting more instinctually I was creating work I found more interesting. That’s when I began to see my photographs more like abstract paintings - and I focused on that approach going forward.

Do you often work with reflections or was this approach inspired by the environment?

I’ve always been more fascinated with people in social situations, how they each inhabit a given space together, than abstract or landscape driven photography. This work came out of my need to reconnect with the natural world and not think too much. What I saw in the water was just an unexpected gift.

The reflections on the Canals are created by wind and tides and ambient light, so you never really know what you’re going to encounter, and that reinforced my inability to control the situation. The source of all the reflections are inherently the same since they’re from the homes, buildings, gardens that line the walkways. But, they’re constantly morphing in shape and color given environmental factors. The lesson for me was to stay open. There was one day when the wind was so high that I thought nothing was achievable. But that day ended up yielding a number of interesting frames, including the image I call WINGS which is at LOCAL now.

How have these images provided you with a deeper understanding and appreciation of this landscape? 

I think good landscape photography is incredibly difficult. Taking a photo of a sunset is relatively easy, but in most cases I believe the viewer is reacting to the splendor of nature rather than the artistry of the photographer. To capture how a landscape makes the artist feel, to imbue the absolute beauty of nature with an individual human emotion, that’s not easy. At least not for me. The appreciation and understanding I’ve gleaned from this work is more about the origins of perception - how and why we all see things differently. I perceive very distinct scenes or images within these photos - rather than strictly water reflections. Other people often see very different things - which makes me happy.  I try and leave them open to interpretation - and encourage people to reposition them vertically and horizontally to their liking.

As a self-taught artist, what can you tell other individuals who would like to pursue an artistic endeavor OR career?

I do believe that everyone should have some kind of creative pursuit - no matter what it is - something that can never be mastered but always improved upon and made more and more your own. You learn a tremendous amount about yourself in the process, and it will always provide you with something to work at, hopefully share with others, and get joy from. I hope I’m still working at something creative when I’m old and blind.

If I can offer any advice (and I’m not sure that I or any other artist is really qualified) it’s that we all experience the world differently, uniquely - and that’s what you want your art to reflect. And I believe that can only be achieved by process, time, and personal honesty, not strictly technical savvy. Craft - as applied to digital photography - can be crucial to expanding your visual vocabulary, but if you don’t dig into your own creative process it can override your vision. I try not to seek validation from others, which is hard. I look for something that speaks to me, perhaps even for me, and keep at it. If I’m really onto something, and keep at it, it will evolve. And hopefully it will eventually start to disappoint me. That discomfort is the challenge you need to move forward. I like to think of this period as “growing pains” - both in the creative process and in life in general.

What other artists within or outside your primary discipline do you look to for inspiration?

In my earliest days my photographic muses were people like Helen Levitt, Louis Faurer, Robert Frank, Bruce Davidson, Bresson…the usual street art suspects. Later, I discovered the magic of color documentary when I found a book by William Albert Allard in a bookshop in NYC near Houston. Blew my mind. I then sought out the work of the great National Geographic shooters:, Sam Abell, James Nachtwey, Gerd Ludwig, Eugene Richards, Alex Webb. Now I’m more drawn to the artists, mostly painters, of an earlier time. The European Impressionists and Beat Contemporaries. Odilon Redon always take my breath away.  As does Erik Satie.  And kids. Watch for how little children see the world - and look for that perspective.

What's next? What other projects are you currently working on?

Right now I’m focused mostly on getting this work out into the world a bit more. I’ve really just started showing it.

I’ve also started playing around with some light abstractions taken from the windows of my mother’s bedroom. She’s 92 now, and sleeps a great deal; her room is often dark but for the light creeping through the windows. It’s a tricky subject, but it feels like there’s something there.  Maybe not.  We’ll see.

Any other thoughts to share?

There is beauty all around us in every day things. Spend some quiet time in nature; it can nourish you in ways that nothing else can.  And, thank you for this opportunity. I hope your customers find some pleasure in the work.

Thank you!

See more of Dolores’ work at https://www.doloreslusitana.com/about/

Local Talk - Q+A with artist Cathy LeCleire

We're so thrilled to have you post at the shop - both as a friend and accomplished artist. At what age did you first know that you had the interest and desire to take your thoughts and create something?

I’m probably showing my age but the first time I realized that art could be anything you wanted it to be was going to the World’s Fair in Queens and seeing Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup cans and Claus Oldenburg’s huge fan made out of vinyl. I really felt I could be an artist too.

What were the first projects that you worked on?

I’m not sure of my first project because there are probably so many. I’m a printmaker so that means I work in multiples. I first went to college and studied Political Science and went back to Art School after I graduated. I feel my first projects tended to be political in nature. Printmaking has always had a political background because it was always about protest and bringing information to the masses.

How did you take this interest and apply to greater learnings at the educational level?

I have always enjoyed teaching and found I was good at it. Educational institutions are the greatest place for pollination and stimulation. I find my students are my greatest inspiration and I hope my mentoring and encouragement leads to greater creativity of ideas.

So, you now teach  printmaking and book art techniques  at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Given that the world has become more and more digital - how has your craft evolved?

Printmaking is always evolving and taking on contemporary mediums. We embrace the digital age with dot screens, filmmaking, zines, etc. Students are always looking for the printed word as social media. They print large editions many times that are mass-produced and can have an immediate response. I think many printmakers are at the forefront of the digital age but also enjoy traditional methods such as etching, lithography and screenprinting.

As a teacher, what is the most interesting thing you have learned from your students?

It took me a while to trust my students and allow them to make mistakes. I once received the best evaluation from a student. She said I did too much for the student and I should let them fail because failing is the best way of learning. So now I always say “have fun and make mistakes!”

Please tell us about the work you have so graciously offered here at Local - Endangered Species.

I have recently been interested in the dangers of plastic and the fact that it cannot decompose. By using it as a printing surface I created a mural of animals that I feel are in danger of disappearing. With the use of contemporary, unmistakable and repeated images combined with global awareness, I have created statements of the ecological consequences in our daily lives.

What's next? What other projects are you currently working on?

I shouldn’t say but I’m back to political art in these dangerous times. I’ve been making sashes like what the suffragettes wore in pink with slogans for issues such as gun control, women’s rights, me too movement, etc. And as with printmaking they are controversial!

Learn more about Cathy here