bau 15 opening

Christopher Staples: Beyond Me
Opening Reception

...it was a beautiful night. bau member Christopher Staples turned the artist collective's exhibition space into a very attractive site with her art installation. The opening at bau again was a highlight of Beacon's Second Saturday celebration...

photos harald plochberger 2006

Christopher Staples

Beyond Me, a one-man show of mixed media work and
collaborations by Christopher Staples opens at bau -
beacon artist union - this month and reminds us that
every object and image exists on many levels. A large scale
black and white photograph of raindrops ("Rhythm of
Rain") show patterns and light and suggest deeper meanings.
Colorful monoprints ("Cosmic String", "Glimpses") combine
with collage to depict layers of thought, image and
perception. A row of long, narrow transparent plastic
strips with images printed in black ("Streams of
Consciousness") is at once eclectic, fragmented and
dramatic. A rusted bedspring is covered by translucent
fabric squares with mysterious photographs and writing
that juxtapose images, thoughts and objects ("Magic
Dreams").

"My art conveys an evocative experience of the world of
meaning and perception through juxtapositions and layers
of images, objects and text," says Staples. "Images layer
with our thought and perception and give transcendent
power to ordinary moments. These are the moments I try
to capture and describe.

"Collaborating with other artists for this show is yet
another juxtaposition of perceptions and ideas -- a merging
of viewpoints to create something dynamic and new. It's an
alchemic process that fits the title of the show."

For some of the work, Staples collaborated with invited
artists Tom Holmes, Sharon Nakazato and musician Neil
Alexander. With Pennsylvania artist Tom Holmes, she
built a rustic chair, while Brewster artist Sharon Nakazato
added calligraphy and objects for rusted headboard
"Evidence of Dreams". Neil Alexander created the sound
for a video collaboration. And from Connecticut, guest artist Augustine
Della Vecchia sculpted a wooden piece.

Staples also collaborated with her seven fellow bau
members. "Christopher asked each of us to work on top
of a piece of art that she gave us, and the resulting
pieces reflect each artist's view layered over hers," reveals
bau artist Harald Plochberger.

Christopher Staples is an energetic and passionate
artist who works in a wide range of media, including
photography, collage, assemblage, painting and printing. Staples is a
new member of bau for 2006, whose work is also shown at
The Artery in Milford, PA. A resident of Carmel, she
serves on the gallery committee of the Putnam Arts
Council and recently completed a three-year term on the grants
review panel for local arts grants through the New York
State Council on the Arts. She holds a B.F.A., Magna Cum
Laude from Hartford Art School, University of Hartford.

Marcy B. Freedman

An Artist Can Write and Read, too

On Sunday, March 12 at 6pm,
Marcy B. Freedman will switch gears.
This visual artist (and art historian),
will be at bau/beacon artist union)
not as an exhibiting artist.
Rather, she will be there
to read her writing.
Specifically, she will read
from a collection known as

A Jewess Knows a Jewish Nose: Stories about Stereotypes.
by Marcy B. Freedman

A sweet old pitbull with a bit of a temper.
A little white girl in love with a tall, handsome black man.
A group of ill-mannered, penny-pinching, obnoxious senior citizens.
An arrogant and annoying fool who doubts that beautiful women can be smart.

These are some of the characters who appear in the short stories of Marcy B. Freedman. The author has used this array of diverse protagonists to explore the complex issues surrounding racial, ethnic and gender stereotypes, among others. She has stated that her primary goal is to write as honestly as possible, ignoring political correctness and facing up to hard truths. Although there is an element of humor in many of her tales, Ms. Freedman’s works are intended to provoke thought about serious human conundrums.
Marcy B. Freedman is an artist and art historian. She has exhibited her work in more than 175 exhibitions around the country. She has been an instructor at local colleges, a guest speaker at local museums, and a curator of exhibitions for a variety of galleries and alternative spaces. For many years, she has used snippets of text in her collages and photographic compositions. For the last three years, she has been writing the scripts for her video projects and performance pieces. Now, she has decided to let her words stand on their own in short stories and essays.

bau is honored and glad to welcome back again Marcy B. Freedman for this unique event in the bau exhibition space in Beacon. Ms. Freedman gave an intriguing presentation of her video projects last summer at bau in collaboration with Gene Panczenko.