Dear Beverly,
I don't understand your question, "curious to know what I am thinking" .... so here goes .. You are doing the art history of the 1980s, and have
requested materials illuminating that decade.
In addition to my contacts in the 1980s and the many friends I still keep from that time, I am presently working with "Joey L. Tomorrow" - aka Joe Fekieta -- who created and/or collaborated on many art events all through the 1980s, and created dozens of posters to promote those events. In addition to his work
and acting in productions of Shakespeare on the New Haven Green in 1985 and 1986, (Roberta Chambers was the costume designer), Joe was also the founder of the New Haven Artists' Coalition ("the Coalescence") in 1988, which I immediately joined, along with Christopher Arnott (journalist), Suzan Shutan (installation artist) , Gerry Saladyga (artist), Robert Cuneo (Magic Realist painter), Joan Jacobson Zamore (print-maker), and several others. As an active member, I was "volunteered"/appointed to act as the Coalition's Liason to the Mayor's Council on Cultural Affairs, and attend their meetings.
I was fortunate to befriend some of those M.C.C.A. members, such as Mimi (Miriam) Sommer, who worked for decades in the Yale Admissions Office and the School of Music, and passed away in April 2018, at 89.
My involvement in the arts was as an historical art theorist & essayist, arts editor in the 1970s ("The Entertainer" published in Stratford for Fairfield & New Haven Counties), a (now published) novelist, and curator at the York SQat that time. I've been involved in the New Haven art scene since 1963. I still have my Walkman cassette tapes of my 1986 interview of you on your themes of WASTE ART.
-- I was also there at the party that Nick Fertig had in his Erector SQ studio, following his art opening in the E SQ Gallery, when you took a large dessert cake and turned it into a large frosting fresco in his floor ! (Maybe some pix saved somewhere here too.) Wow!
Joe Fekieta became excited to learn of your historical project from me, and on Sunday, he enlisted me to come by and spend a couple of hours photographing his 1980s posters and other ephemera items from his large format "scrap book" folder. He asked me to forward the usable photos to you, as notable activities he created and working on in the 1980s, which I will be doing.
I don't understand your question, "curious to know what I am thinking" .... so here goes .. You are doing the art history of the 1980s, and have
requested materials illuminating that decade.
In addition to my contacts in the 1980s and the many friends I still keep from that time, I am presently working with "Joey L. Tomorrow" - aka Joe Fekieta -- who created and/or collaborated on many art events all through the 1980s, and created dozens of posters to promote those events. In addition to his work
and acting in productions of Shakespeare on the New Haven Green in 1985 and 1986, (Roberta Chambers was the costume designer), Joe was also the founder of the New Haven Artists' Coalition ("the Coalescence") in 1988, which I immediately joined, along with Christopher Arnott (journalist), Suzan Shutan (installation artist) , Gerry Saladyga (artist), Robert Cuneo (Magic Realist painter), Joan Jacobson Zamore (print-maker), and several others. As an active member, I was "volunteered"/appointed to act as the Coalition's Liason to the Mayor's Council on Cultural Affairs, and attend their meetings.
I was fortunate to befriend some of those M.C.C.A. members, such as Mimi (Miriam) Sommer, who worked for decades in the Yale Admissions Office and the School of Music, and passed away in April 2018, at 89.
My involvement in the arts was as an historical art theorist & essayist, arts editor in the 1970s ("The Entertainer" published in Stratford for Fairfield & New Haven Counties), a (now published) novelist, and curator at the York SQat that time. I've been involved in the New Haven art scene since 1963. I still have my Walkman cassette tapes of my 1986 interview of you on your themes of WASTE ART.
-- I was also there at the party that Nick Fertig had in his Erector SQ studio, following his art opening in the E SQ Gallery, when you took a large dessert cake and turned it into a large frosting fresco in his floor ! (Maybe some pix saved somewhere here too.) Wow!
Joe Fekieta became excited to learn of your historical project from me, and on Sunday, he enlisted me to come by and spend a couple of hours photographing his 1980s posters and other ephemera items from his large format "scrap book" folder. He asked me to forward the usable photos to you, as notable activities he created and working on in the 1980s, which I will be doing.
Can you please advise me of the parameters of your project, and whether you intend to include submitted photos from that decade ?
There is more than just a tip to this iceberg ! There is plenty of arts and Bohemian history of New Haven going back to the 19th century. A really COOL, sharing community, which lacks the intense competitive atmosphere of NYC ! The Beat coffee house 1945-1965 "La Gallette" on Howe Street (Franz Douzsky one Beat there, later became Head of the English Dept. at Gateway); The Exit; George & Harry's on Wall St; Hungry Charlie's (now Toad's Place); Claire's Cornercopia; Karmel Korn; Mamoon's; Koenig's Art Supply; Cutler's Records; Whitlock's Books; the Yale Co-op; Book World and La Machinetta Cafe on Chapel Street, Atticus; et cetera).
I started going to La Gallette in 1963 when I was a Junior in high school, then The Exit, and moved into Westville
here with my hippie wife and 3-year old daughter, in 1973.
Armando Erba also says he has film of his various New Haven abstract performance pieces in the 1980s, such as at the old Winery, as Prospero in the aforementioned "The Tempest" on the NH Green 85 & 86, and in the
Armando Erba also says he has film of his various New Haven abstract performance pieces in the 1980s, such as at the old Winery, as Prospero in the aforementioned "The Tempest" on the NH Green 85 & 86, and in the
"Sign Painter" with Steve Bellwood at the old Cape Codder Bar annex.In 1988, Chris Arnott produced and directed a performance at Art In Heaven Gallery, of Pablo Picasso's only written play "Desire Caught by the Tail."
Art In Heaven was run by Margaret Bodell, and the sisters Mary and Elizabeth Schiffer, until the City's Ninth Square Development plan forced the gallery to close. -- Rita Valley collaborated on many art & installation projects with Laurie Giemza, with Wasil, and with Ben Westbrock at the Erector SQ Gallery and the J S Ely House. There was also the Dada Invasion of Lighthouse Point in 1989, and the month-long Re-Dadaist Exposition at the Ely House with Chris Arnott, Chris Grey, Joey Tomorrow, Sarah Shuster, and Cathy Martin (poet). Michael Rush's theater productions,Jeff Burnett's monologue performances.
It affects my work-time to provide this info, and to write these informative long-letters that I am prone to do, so I need to know your limitations and requirements.
THANKS!
johnes
Art In Heaven was run by Margaret Bodell, and the sisters Mary and Elizabeth Schiffer, until the City's Ninth Square Development plan forced the gallery to close. -- Rita Valley collaborated on many art & installation projects with Laurie Giemza, with Wasil, and with Ben Westbrock at the Erector SQ Gallery and the J S Ely House. There was also the Dada Invasion of Lighthouse Point in 1989, and the month-long Re-Dadaist Exposition at the Ely House with Chris Arnott, Chris Grey, Joey Tomorrow, Sarah Shuster, and Cathy Martin (poet). Michael Rush's theater productions,Jeff Burnett's monologue performances.
It affects my work-time to provide this info, and to write these informative long-letters that I am prone to do, so I need to know your limitations and requirements.
THANKS!
johnes
