Saturday, January 8, 2011

Exploring JH Artist at 93


Visited with Jackson Heights Artist Laura M. Schiavina and she shared her work for this "exploring..." slideshow: an incredible, inspiring, smidgen of her prolific life's work. It all began with a fashion course and an industrious talent for drawing and designing blouses which evolved into painting for over 60 years and still creating new works on a daily basis today.
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Laura M. Schiavina has lived in Jackson Heights since 1951. Included in the Who’s Who of American Art, her award winning work has been collected and exhibited nationally and internationally, including exhibitions at the Islip Art Museum, NY; Sumner Museum, Washington D.C.; DuPont Gallery, Washington, D.C.; Citicorp Gallery, LIC; Eleftherias Park Art Center, Athens, Greece; National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, NY; New York City College of Technology, CUNY; and Ringel Gallery at Purdue University, IN. One of the first female members of the Salmagundi Club, Laura was chosen by Cynthia Maris Dantzic for her book “100 New York Painters,” published in 2006.

Laura is member of N.A.W.A, National League of American Pen Women, National Art League, Jackson Heights Art Club, Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, and Audubon Artists. Laura came to New York in 1944 from Springfield, MA to become a fashion illustrator, completing evening courses at the Traphagen School of Fashion, while working in business. Deciding to continue in business, she studied fine art weekends, evenings and vacations from the late 1950's through 1980 with artists including Will Barnet, Carl Molno, Joseph Caine and Paul Puzinas.

Plans are in place to showcase Laura's beautiful paintings in Jackson Heights very soon!





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NYTimes visits with Espresso 77 owners:
Afzal Hossain and Julie Nymann
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start 2011 off right...
#1 check out:

TOP TEN MISTAKES in Behavior Change and how you can fix 'em!





Friday, December 24, 2010

NEW Year NEW Jackson Heights

HOPE reigns in the New Year!

the Bright Lights on houses and shops make everything seem so alive and HOPEful...we have so much going on in the New Year in our own backyard featuring music, art and film...PLUS endeavors by our elected officials to make Jackson Heights prosper and grow!

Vote HERE to help 78th Street playstreet win the
"2010 Streetsies" Award - your voice is heard and just one click away. Thank You CB3 and Councilmember Danny Dromm and State Senator Jose Peralta for making this happen for the kids of all ages last summer - with our limited park space, we HOPE to make it open again in 2011.

and Don and Katha Cato are keeping HOPE alive for all our visual artists in the 'hood with the Queens World Film Festival - which will be 4 days of films and fun right here on 82nd Street in March -featuring local and international entries...send in your submission NOW via Without a Box- and www.queensworldfilmfestival.com


AND the Jackson Rep Theatre is hosting a local CONCERT SERIES at PS 69 and other Theatrical events - you won't even have to spend money on the subway...MORE to come with dates and performances which we HOPE will showcase all the talent here in Queens!

PLUS! a year end gift
COME OUT FOR A Pre-New Year Celebration and
new ART opening

NOVO
LOUNGE (78-23 37th ave)
THURSDAY DEC 30th
6-9pm
2 for 1 drink specials to thank everyone who has been so supportive through the year and with HOPE and wishes for a healthy - happy - better - NEW YEAR!

See you on the avenue!
Celeste

Thursday, December 9, 2010

FREE WHISKY & other Holiday events


Whisky (the movie!)

by Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll

Winner of the Sundance NHK Award and the "Un Certain Regard" Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, Whisky tells the story of Jacobo, the 60 year old owner of a sock factory in Montevideo, Uruguay, whose younger and more successful estranged brother is r
eturning from Brazil after twenty years on the occasion of the matzeveh of their mother. Desperate to prove his life has added up to something, Jacobo asks Marta, an employee at his factory, to pose as his wife.

Monday, December 13, 2010
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Jewish Center of Jackson Heights
37-06 77th Street (corner 77th Street and 37th Avenue)

Admission: is FREE
Note: the film is in Spanish with English subtitles.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS
from NOVO LOUNGE and ART SPACE.

Richard and Edwin are asking their patrons and neighbors to please come to their FUNDRAISER Holiday Dance Party complete with DJ - raffles - surprise guests on FRIDAY, DEC 17th ...beginning at 8pm!

We know this is trying times for everyone and especially for NOVO... they love Jackson Heights and want to continue to serve great food, host art openings and music events and provide that cozy meeting place for friends and family!

NOVO needs a helping hand this month in regard to a business situation - and so if you can come and join in the festivities, $40 at the door * will include 2 drinks and delicious appetizers raffles- special guests - and a holiday dance extravaganza!
* you will also receive a coupon for $10 off a dinner in january!

See you on the avenue!
Celeste

Monday, November 29, 2010

FREE in Jackson Heights MUSIC-FILMS-and Giving Thanks!

FOUND OUT LOTS OF STUFF HAPPENING RIGHT HERE - under our noses
Free! in Jackson Heights this weekend!
why go anywhere else ? plus the Clean Jackson Heights program is in full swing - so please shop locally and THANK the 40 + store owners for keeping JH Clean!

Thanks to our Councilmember Daniel Dromm for this initiative and Andrew Ronan for pulling it all together... to see stores listing: Clean Jackson Heights


below are more links - so you can click and get more info and come to the events:

Films at the JH LIbrary on Saturday DEC 4th - FREE... time TBD
presented by QMAD, Queens Media Arts Development, is a non-for profit cultural organization co-founded and presently under the direction of New -media artist, Hector Canonge and his ongoing FRAMING AIDS initiative since 2005.
PIANO CONCERT with SUNNY KNABLE
via the Jackson Heights Concert Series on SUNDAY DEC 5th - FREE
JH Jewish Center at 77th St /37th Ave - 4 pm
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OPEN CALL TO FILMMAKERS
from everywhere and anywhere

March Forth!
will launch a festival of features, shorts and kid film fun at the JACKSON THEATRE on 82nd Street -
MARCH 3-6 in 2011

maybe one of them will be yours...

find out more about submissions:
Without a Box - Facebook - Twitter

Please visit for more information:
queensworldfilmfestival.com
All roads lead to Queens...
The new destination for filmmakers.

See you on the avenue! Celeste

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Family of Inspiration


NOVO ART OPENING this THURSDAY November 18th
FEATURES talented J.H. MOTHER and DAUGHTER ...

Raised in Jackson Heights, CAITLIN GILBRIDE
received a BS in Art Education and a BFA in Printmaking from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Caitlin began working mainly in oil paint, however her interest shifted to the use of printmaking techniques and incorporating thread into them
Caitlin continues to reside and create work in Jackson Heights and hopes to become an art teacher, just like her mother:

MICHELE GILBRIDE
who was born in Jackson Heights but grew up on the north shore of Long Island.
Some of her favorite childhood memories were coming back to Jackson Heights for visits to her aunt's studio, where she learned how to draw and paint. Michele received a BFA in painting from Pratt and a MSAE from Queens College.


Michele explores the light in Cape Cod while Caitlin experiments with printmaking, monotypes and collage elements in her work.

Come meet and greet this month's artists Michele and Caitlin
NOVEMBER 18th from 5-9!
NOVO is on 37th ave between 78 & 79th Streets
Happy Hour serves up some specials from 4-7pm too
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ANOTHER LIFELONG resident - our Councilman, Daniel Dromm, has launched "CLEAN Jackson Heights!" imploring all our local businesses to commit to beautifying their stores and making sure their storefront and street are maintained. Visit www.cleanjacksonheights.com for more info.
Awards and certificates will be given to the businesses that are participating in DECEMBER to THANK THEM for the role they play in attracting and serving the neighborhood and beyond - you can show your appreciation too by shopping locally this holiday season!

here also was a recent study about how LOVE for a community helps its ECONOMIC GROWTH:
Residents' Emotional Attachment to Community May Boost Local Economy, Study Finds According to a Knight Foundation-funded study of twenty-six U.S. cities, regions with the highest levels of resident attachment also had the highest GDP growth rate over time....

It's all about LOVE in Jackson Heights!
see you on the avenue,Celeste

Saturday, October 30, 2010

BOO-TEE - FULL!

HAPPY 21st HALLOWEEN PARADE sponsored by the JHBG, which began with a seed and bloomed into a safe and renowned event with candy distributed to over 3000 local children.


OCTOBER ends on a clear and sunny note but the wind carries a slight chill...
inspiring jack o'lanterns are everywhere...
and painter Carla Lobmier continues to showcase her fantastic paintings in the AUTUMN window of Ultima Florals
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PLUS please visit and see the haunting art at NOVO...
Jeff Terzi 's photographs (above) reveal a texture and a palette that
pop, making everyday scenes come alive. Sara Armstrong creates these dreamy, nuanced panels that draw you in to get a closer look.


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Espresso 77 is highlighting the works of
local artist Nitin Mukul .

Artists of Jackson Heights are emerging! What they have to offer are works that are thoughtful, sophisticated and worldly.

We also say THANKs! to all the people in the neighborhood that appreciate the arts and come out to hear the music, stop by the openings and support the businesses ... working together to highlight all the talent and diversity
in our community.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

FRESH OCTOBER ...


...Blown sideways into neighborhood arts and music.

NEW ART OPENING AT NOVO features captured everyday images like "Hear Me Out" (left) by Photographer Luisa Pineda aka lulusolei, (on FB.)


I selected some of my own favorite works for this month including a collage "Cassette Preservation" =>

Shows have been in place since February 2010 and the local
artists featured have been appreciated by the patrons and crowds that pop in for $5MOJITOS...plus their delicious food cooked up fresh...

LIVE ENSEMBLES... Bethany Wild & Friends has been in place on "Thursday Night Lounge" and Jim Hershhorn Trio on "Monday Night Jazz"

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ESPRESSO 77 always has something BREWING with music, an artists salon, book signings or just fantastic coffee and treats, stop by for schedule.

..............................................................................................................
Popped by CROSSING ART in Flushing for the new QCA Board induction, presented by Borough President Helen Marshall, and hosted by members of the QUEENS COUNCIL ON THE ARTS

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Ari Laura Kreith
is teaming up with Councilmember Danny Dromm
SATURDAY OCT 9
ARI is teaming up with Councilmember Danny Dromm to celebrate the "Clean Jackson Heights" awards initiative

EVENT TIME: 2:30 pm -4pm
LOCATION: 37-32 75th St


"Come be part of Theatre 167's first Street Theatre Event!!! In support of City Councilmember Daniel Dromm's Clean Jackson Heights Intitative, we're turning Jackson Heights into living theatre for an hour.


Come join us, dressed in your finest, Sat. Oct 9 from 2:30-4 pm....for Food, FUN and lots of surprises"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ari plus the cast and crew of
167 Tongues
are heading to
QUEENS THEATRE IN THE PARK!