The Art Of The Book

 

Geoffrey Dorfman's biography of painter Milton Resnick (1917-2004)

I only met Milton Resnick once, and that was at a gallery opening so we didn't have much time to talk, I was impressed though by his eloquence.  Now,  I have just finished reading Geoff Dorfman's new book on Resnick and once again I am impressed by this account!  I knew Geoff Dorfman because we were both students at The Cooper Union in the early 1970s, and even then I  was aware that Dorfman had struck up a  friendship with Milton Resnick.  Around Resnick were many artist types who either taught classes at Cooper Union or were in gallery shows that I would frequent - this was at the very beginning of  the SoHo era (1970-1990 )!

What is really wonderful about Dorfman's writing is that he captures the sounds and atmosphere of New York City and the art world as it opens its doors to a wave of abstraction from the 1950s onward.  You can get a picture of that from just looking at the photo ( see above ) on the cover of this book, which I highly recommend!  Take the time to read the story and you will have a strong feeling about the genesis of a kind of liberation in the art world in New York City.

Catalog for Vincent Joseph at The Trumansburg Conservatory

In my most recent blog post I wrote about an art show that we saw in Trumansburg, New York, and I neglected to say that this is a two person show, with my friend Gillian Pederson-Krag and Vincent Joseph ( see above ).  Vincent Joseph also published a nice catalog which has images included in this two person show as well as an interesting essay about: Mysticism and Formalism: "the Feeling of Seeing".  This is a kind of personal philosophy from the painter's point of view, an artist's statement that tries to dig deep into the kind of mind involved in the act of painting a picture...certainly not the first time someone who has tried to characterize this activity for themselves and others! I think you will enjoy Vincent Joseph in his artwork and in his writing - it will give you something to think about!

My writing this week has a lot to do with books as you can see..which brings me to the Rochester Public Library!  On this subject we have a Wonderful! Show! Now thru December 31, 2026 at the Anthony Mascioli Gallery in the Central Library, 115 South Avenue, Rochester, New York.  Here is a copy of the catalog for the  15th Annual Juried International Exhibit - "Art of the Book & Paper".  Don't miss this show!

Creative Masterpiece - The Art of the Book & Paper show - on now at The Central Library, Rochester, New York

As an artist I have been involved with creating books all my life!  I got started as a little kid and I made a scroll that was almost a hundred feet long - it was done with crayon pencils and  the story I told was how roads are built and why.  Later, when  I was a student I watched my father ( who worked at home ) illustrate his famous "Birds of the World", which was published by Golden Press. 

 The Singer family had an amazing show two years ago in the Mascioli Gallery in the Central Library, which I curated called: "Our Nature", maybe you had a chance to see it...as a family we had the opportunity to publish over 50 books!

I bring all of this up because I am thrilled to see this juried show that is now open to the public, and it features almost a hundred different artists and their creative output - this is taking artist books to a new level.

The work included in this juried show has sculptural elements, has design and typography, printmaking and so much more.  Some books are carved out while others could be part of a fashion display...

Bonnie Kuhr of Petaluma, CA with her "Ode to Edvard Munch"

Sue Chandak of Seneca Falls, NY with her "Always Strong"

I know many of the artists in this show like Sue Leopard, who won an award for her artist book "Love in the Age of Covid", and there are  also works in this show by people who worked for the Central Library like Kristin Spath, and Corinne Clar with her "Dandelion Explosion".

The "Best of Show" award went to Todd Thyberg of Minneapolis, MN for his work called: "Pathogenesis".  In the catalog for this show he writes that 'The books 42 pages are die cut hexagons that fit together in unlimited configurations...." His media for this winner includes Letterpress, 3D sculpted and printed resin, acrylic and oil paint.  Not your usual book materials!

Todd Thyberg with his "Best of Show" called: "Pathogenesis"

When you go to the show at The Central Library you will see 98 different artists represented from five different countries, so this is really an international show with a great future!  

98 Artists in this Juried International Show of Book Arts

 

Way To Go

Lake Cayuga, Sunday, October 18, 2026

Gorgeous day for the Finger Lakes, and off we go!  It may seem far-fetched, but we are on the road to see an exhibition by our friend Gillian Pederson-Krag.  When we first met, she was teaching in the School of Art & Architecture at Cornell University.  The amazing thing is - that was 53 years ago and she is still an active artist today!

Trumansburg Conservatory, Trumansburg, New York

We have a chance to chat with Gillian and see her exhibition which is part of a Fall Invitational at the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts.  Gillian published a beautiful catalog of her recent paintings for this show and from our perspective the art is terrific!  The last time we saw Gillian and her art was at The Village Gallery in Caledonia, and that was years ago!

Gillian Pederson-Krag oil painting of Corciano Landscape, 2026

Gillian is a master of still life and landscape, both of which are on view in this exhibition.  She has a  delicate touch and a great feeling for atmosphere.  One of the strongest statements in this show is a little trio of paintings that  grab the eye and mind because the subject is the fiery tragedy that happened last year in California.

Gillian also has a number of her etchings in this same show, and she  is one of the artists that I write about in my new book for the Print Club of Rochester.  Gillian was a guest artist and made the presentation print in the year 2000.  Her landscape etching you will see below:

Gillian made this etching for The Print Club of Rochester, in 2000

Gillian had a studio space when she was teaching at Cornell University.  I remember seeing her still life paintings and being impressed by her work.  In the present show in Trumansburg, New York, she has a number of recent still life works , some of which were not for sale, because she may want to go back and work on them!

Gillian Pederson-Krag oil painting on canvas

Turning our attention back to Rochester, we have to cheer for autumn colors and we  can say that C is for Congratulations!  This goes out to Kathy Clem and her associate Michelle Garrett for mounting a big opening exhibition to engage a wide community of artists in our area.  We went to the opening and looking around at the works from 60+ artists - many of the names were new to me.  It is a rare occurrence to have a new space to showcase art, and the Museo de Arte certainly sets out in the right direction.

The opening was well attended, and Kathy and Michelle have done really well.

C is for Community, and C is also for Collectable!

The majority of the art on view at this new space in Building D-1, 3495 Winton Place, was submitted to the Museo de Arte as part of an effort to engage new people who may not have had a chance to show the public their work in the past.  I know that CITY Newspaper ran a very nice article about this new Museo in their Fall Arts Preview.  I did see a painting by Michelle Cardulla, who published Lake Affect Magazine for years.  She has brought so much enthusiasm for the arts to Rochester, so it was great to see one of her own works..

Michelle Cardulla's "Latin Drums"

I look forward to curating a show at Museo de Arte next year, and I have already begun to prepare for this opportunity.  Having a new space like the Museo de Arte is very uplifting!  If you haven't been there yet, look them up.... I think that they have something for everyone!

Opening show at Museo de Arte

Thank you Kathy Clem and Michelle Garrett!

 

 

Wanderlust Part 3 Finale

 

Our rooftop lunch moment at SOMA, October 2026

Our family now has a new address at 25 Water Street (SOMA ) in Manhattan, and we just had to drive down to see the new digs.  Remarkable change has taken place since we last were in lower Manhattan! So many new buildings, and all around the financial district, where the streets are narrow, it looks like every building has scaffolding up at street level and beyond - looking up to the new renovations that are taking shape.  What has happened ( maybe because of Covid ) is that older office buildings are being converted into living space.  What we weren't ready for is that the soundscape is so loud - with helicopters taking off and landing in big noise, and echoes down the streets!

Just Look UP at the new buildings everywhere

Back in the 1980s when we were living in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the World Trade Center which you could easily see out our kitchen window, was part of our world.  My wife, Anna, was hired at The World Trade Center to establish The Big Kitchen,  and right from the start it was a lot of work to make this a respectable place for a meal.  I remember that there was a company called Beard Glaser Wolf Ltd. ( that was James Beard the great chef, Milton Glaser the artist and designer, and Burton Wolf a food entrepreneur and they were hired as lead inspirations for this new venue.

Big Kitchen had Giant Letters of introduction

Below ground level there was a active kitchen that was really huge where all the meals were prepared for the building, and on the top floor we went to see "Windows on the World" - the best restaurant with the best view!!!  My wife and I then went onto other jobs and we later moved upstate so I could teach at R.I.T.

Back in New York City in 2001 it was a monumental TRAGEDY!

World Trade Center Memorial Site, October 2026

On this trip to New York City we decided that now in 2026 we needed to visit the site like so many other Americans have done to honor the 25th Anniversary of such destruction and death.  All I can say is that the falling water and the memorial signs with people's names engraved is magical, and I fully understand why there were so many people to honor those who have passed.

We spent time there, and then walked west to get a better view of the harbor.  From the west side of the Battery you can see Jersey City, and in the distance is The Statue of Liberty.  New York City is still a WOW!  

Battery Park City view

A wonderful day in Lower Manhattan

Wanderlust: Part 2

 

My studio building on Union Street, in Brooklyn, New York

In the early 1980s my art studio was in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York.  I rented two floors in a loft building owned by Kendall Shaw, a painter and teacher whose artwork I admired.  This was a large studio space though it had no natural light, except when you opened the front door at street level.  My upstairs neighbor had moved out and a couple of new artists moved in and boy, what an impact they had!  Their names were new to me - Allyson and Alex Grey, and as I learned a lot about them, I eventually wrote a story featuring their work intended for Arts Magazine ( but was never published! ) Arts Magazine has since gone out of business...

Now I knew that Allyson and Alex have started to branch out and create a space to show their art in a more permanent way - setting up a kind of museum which attracts a lot of visitors.  When we drove down from Albany on this trip we decided to stop in to see Entheon, and it is near DIA Beacon, a different and much larger space for modern art.  I was thinking about DIA Beacon because I knew that there is now a show about the art of Tehching Hsieh, another neighbor in my studio building in Brooklyn ( but that is a whole other story! )

Recent paintings by Allyson Grey

Allyson Grey makes abstract paintings with a bright color palette, often with a grid of squares, and she is very precise.  Recent work incudes a set of new letters she invents. Some of these letters are actually set into the floor like tiles!

Alex Grey is a painter with his emphasis on the human form.  I learned after they moved into their studio that Alex practiced a kind of medical illustration, anatomy was in his sight and he used it with authority! The couple were also into performance art, and I was interested in that too, so we made a friendship that has had a lasting effect. These two artists now have a long and lasting career, their art has a deep meaning and it is fascinating to see what they have accomplished.  

Alex Grey created a series of paintings in Brooklyn that he showcases in the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors at Entheon

Alex Grey, Acrylic on linen 1986: detail of a large panorama called: "Theologue"

The Union of Human & Divine Consciousness

Weaving the Fabric of Space & Time in which

the Self & its Surroundings are Embedded

You can follow the development of the Grey's art almost like you are reading their autobiography.  They have a little shop where you can find books about their artwork, and we even bought a few things for our own home. This stop on our Wanderlust tour was so exciting, to be able to catch up and see so many interesting works of art.  Bravo!

There is a room set up with a whole exhibit of Alex Grey's self portraits so you can really see examples of his development and read about details of his story.  In this portraiture you really get to the depth of what he is looking for, and this one below even has a photo of his daughter, Zena Grey!

Alex Grey self portrait from 1988

A kind of Tantric sculptural work on view at CoSM

We spent hours looking over the pieces of art on display.  How lucky that we had time with the art and then before we left for Manhattan, we found out that Allyson and Alex were actually on the campus, so we had to give them both a hug!

From left to right: Allyson Grey, Alex Grey, Alan Singer, Anna Sears

Wanderlust. Personified. Part One

 

The Ghost Army 

from

The National WW ll  Museum

now in Albany, New York

This week we dash off to the Big Apple, and we have good reasons - we want to see our family in their new home called SOMA ( which stands for South Manhattan! ).  On our long trip to downtown, we made two stops, both were wonderful and full of surprises!

In Albany, New York, we stopped into the New York State Museum which is holding a historical exhibition that tells a story of The Ghost Army of World War ll.  The Ghost Army was a secret battalion which included many artists who created deceptions on the battlefields of Europe, and helped save many lives to win the war.  In the spring of 2024, The Ghost Army was given an award for their service to our country: the troops received the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C.!

Graphic recognition for The Ghost Army of WWll

Artwork by Arthur Singer, a member of The Ghost Army

Originally, the Ghost Army was enlisted to provide camouflage but their assignment grew into a whole theatre, including placing fake tanks and howitzers in fields and putting on a real show including broadcasts and sounds of battle to distract the enemy.  

At the New York State Museum in Albany, the Ghost Army show extends thru December 27, 2026.  We learned a lot about this piece of history.  My father, Arthur Singer was a member of The Ghost Army, and in this exhibition there are some of his watercolors and drawings, including some made along the beaches of Normandy.  How he had the presence of mind ( and body! ) during the war to create these scenes happening right before him, and getting it down on paper is beyond me!

Inflatable tanks were made as props in this real world war

Most of the artwork that is presented in this show comes from a collection maintained by The World War ll Museum headquartered in New Orleans.  The Singer family donated artworks for this special collection and this show has been traveling around the country.  There were several well known artists in this battalion who went on to world fame including Ellsworth Kelly and the fashion designer Bill Blass.  In this present exhibition there are some video interviews with some of the surviving soldiers, and that is  worth your time to go and see the show.

While we were in Albany, we took a look at a major group of paintings and sculptures that visitors can see up close on the grand concourse.  The amazing thing is that this is all presented in an underground hall that looks like it is a half mile long!  As the accompanying booklet proclaims, "this was conceived in the early 1960s by then Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who believed in the transformative power of art".

My wife, Anna, in the Grand Concourse

The artists who received commissions to create these large works made the whole experience of walking down this well lit hallway an amazing experience.  Most of these artists were at their peak in the 1960s and 1970s, so we are talking about grand abstraction, not representational art.  You can find many big names on view in this space.

An assemblage by Lee Bontecou

Sculpture and paintings on view down a long hallway.

The works are all large like this complex sculpture!

Al Loving is an African American artist on view here with this geometric painting

This was our first stop along the route to NYC.  In part two of this story ( soon to follow ) we stop in to see the Entheon, which is part of the COSM enterprise that is dedicated to  Alex and Allyson Grey, some old friends of ours who create a wide range of art from performance to transcendental artworks!  So stay tuned!....

In Fine Form

 

Jim Mott presents a retrospective of his paintings

at

Anderson Alley, Fourth Floor, Rochester, N.Y.

I never know what to expect when I go out to see exhibitions... My expectations for a First Friday round of wonderful exhibitions was rewarded this month with a visit to Rochester Contemporary Art Center, and the Anderson Alley studio shows, making the trip all worthwhile,  The first stop on my itinerary was on the fourth floor of Anderson Alley to see the paintings by Jim Mott.  I have been following Jim's work for years and in this particular show, Jim presents a kind of retrospective, with a few surprises!

One surprise is a large drawing ( in charcoal? or conte crayon? ) of a bridge, and Jim mentions that the work had been created from memory...and I thought that he must have a photographic recall of the places he visits!

Jim Mott presented quartets at The Oxford Gallery months ago...

At Anderson Alley, Jim Mott presented a new quartet ( four panels joined together ) and he described his visit to facilities operated as detention centers for ICE.  I would say that this is an effort to bring to our attention some of the effects of our current political climate.  Just what can a visual artist do to capture our attention for a meaningful engagement?

Jim Mott paints on the spot

Some of Jim's older work was also on display, especially. from his travels around our country. Over the years he has produced a kind of visual diary of stops he has made across America, and these works have a remarkable clarity and care taken as he painted at each place on his trek.  For some of his trips it really has been a kind of lottery!  He digs right in with his paints in an acute sense of purpose, with wonderful results. I also understand that Jim will have a future showing at Rochester Contemporary Art Center.

Sally Wood Winslow paints with Encaustics

Speaking of RoCo, there is a big group exhibition in the main gallery worth your attention.  The show is "Fire and Form" and it is all about artists and their work with encaustic paints.  Encaustic is a wax based medium that has real depth and vitality.  The thing with encaustic paints is that they have a translucency which is really attractive.  For the artist, once the paints have been heated on a hot plate the paints can be applied with a brush.  Encaustic is a process which allows the artist to really dig into the surface of the paint and also create layers that glow.  Here in Rochester we have a number of artists working in this medium, so check it out!

Pat DeLuca has a larger work with encaustic mediums at 

RoCo

This week I was at the opening of a major exhibition presented in the University Gallery at the Vignelli Center of Rochester Institute of Technology.  This new exhibition presents 50 years of prints and sculpture by Tarrant Clements who graduated from R.I.T. with her concentration on ceramics.  I was really looking forward to this event, especially because Tarrant was being interviewed by Wendy Marks who recently retired from being the Director of the gallery.  It took years to plan this show as there are over 80 works of art dating back to the early 1970s up to the present.

Wendy Marks ( left ) interviews Tarrant Clements

at

R.I.T. University Gallery

I think that the work that Tarrant Clements has on exhibit is only a fraction of what she has produced

over these many years, but it is a good introduction to her vision and her sense of form and composition. I am a big fan of this show, and it was nice to be back at R.I.T. since I have spent so much time there when I was teaching.  Tarrant explores a lot of territory in her sculptures and her prints.  It really is engrossing to look at the forms she has created.

Tarrant Clements and her sculpture

Tarrant Clements at The R.I.T. University Gallery

One thing I want to mention is that the art that Tarrant has created is very evocative, but she does not give each work a title - she does not want to limit what people take away from the show, or the effect that a title may give to a work of art. She wants it to be an open experience, and I recommend that you go there and see the work for yourself!

,

Sun Flowers

 

"Edward Steichen And The Garden"

at 

The George Eastman House

thru September 6, 2026

Up from Brooklyn, New York, my brother, Paul Singer, stopped in for a summer visit, and we went out on a sunny day to The George Eastman House, and then later to The Memorial Art Gallery.  Paul is a graphic designer and artist, so we like to go and see what is on view in the museums.  I grew up in a family of artists and we are always curious about visual culture, and  this week in Rochester, there are many reasons to go out and see the exhibitions.

In my early years working in the arts, I was very involved as a botanical artist, so naturally I wanted to see the show now at The George Eastman House featuring "Edward Steichen And The Garden".  Paul and I were both surprised to see paintings made by the American photographer, Edward Steichen, and we were really in awe of the work he did as a gardener who went way beyond the norm and developed award winning varieties of Delphiniums - beautiful tall flowers that were once presented at The Museum of Modern Art!  ( See photo above ).

Edward Steichen's wall size mural paintings

Steichen made important photos and he was recognized for his work as a photographer but we did not know that it was his work as a photographer that supported his love of the garden.  Edward Steichen was an American, but he also spent a lot of time in Europe, cultivating friendships with artists like Auguste Rodin who he photographed, and the sculptor Brancusi.  Now, in this show at The George Eastman House, you get to see many photos made by Steichen, and also paintings by him including the ones above - mural size pieces made early in his career.

Photo by Edward Steichen "Sun Flower"

To say that this show was a revelation would be a real understatement.  We never knew this side of this photographer's life, and we are grateful to the curators who gathered these works together for this exhibition, Thank You!

"Edward Steichen And The Garden"

at The George Eastman House

When we left the Steichen exhibition we drove over to The Memorial Art Gallery for a while and saw some wonderful things including a selection of prints by my friend and colleague Kumi Korf of Ithaca, New York.  She has a set of prints now on display, and I was surprised to see them because she usually lets me know about her exhibitions!

Print by Kumi Korf at The Memorial Art Gallery

Kumi Korf and I both attended Cornell University to complete graduate studies there, and I have always admired her work.  Paul and I walked into the sculpture show of John Rhoden called "Determined To Be".

Paul Singer at the entrance of "Determined To Be"

This is my second visit to John Rhoden's sculpture show and I am glad that I had the time to share this experience with my brother.  There are so many pieces in this show that I had the time to look at sculpture that I missed the first time.  I am glad that The Memorial Art Gallery brought all of this artwork for this audience!  Also, I enjoyed to once again see the  videos of the Garth Fagan dancers in juxtaposition with the sculptures.

John Rhoden's Sculpture with video of Garth Fagan Dancers

  

John Rhoden's sculpture of a head in the 1940s

at

The Memorial Art Gallery thru to August 23, 2026