arts – Page 11 – Salem Main Streets

Sounds of Stravinsky’s “Spring” in Salem

History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, SMS News 2 Responses »

Sep 242015

When first performed at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in 1913, the avant-garde nature of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” caused a sensation and reportedly near-riot in the audience. New local organization Salem Classical is bringing this work to Salem on Sept 26th to Old Town Hall in a slightly different format through the Cambridge-based Composer Focus concert series.

Salem Classical is intended to become the home of classical music located in the heart of the pedestrian zone of historic downtown Salem with the Old Town Hall as its principal venue. Created to establish a musical home for local and touring musicians, it is designed to provide a constant source of classical music to the residents of Salem and the thousands of visitors to the city.

The brainchild of Richard Guérin, the vision of Salem Classical “is to remove the boundary between the public and performers, bringing some of the greatest music ever composed to Salem. Audiences are invited to frequent concerts as a complement to the overall cultural experience in the city of Salem that includes dozens of award-winning restaurants, shops, and museums.”

Salem Main Streets, Creative Salem, and the City of Salem have partnered with Salem Classical to bring this project to fruition. “We have a cultural scene that’s constantly evolving in Salem, but classical music, especially chamber music, really doesn’t have the presence in the downtown that it should,” says Salem Main Streets Executive Director Kylie Sullivan. “Richard came to us with this idea for a classical music series that would be high-quality and innovative, but accessible in every sense of the word – content, location, ticket price – and it just seemed like a no-brainer that this needed to happen. And with a beautiful asset like Old Town Hall, it’s such a natural fit.”

This Salem Classical performance, “Composer Focus: Stravinsky at Old Town Hall,” will feature chamber music transcriptions of Stravinsky’s revolutionary “The Rite of Spring” (a Salem premiere) and his neoclassical “Pulcinella”. Also included will be shorter solo and chamber works, and commentary by Composer Focus founder Nick Dinnerstein.

This presentation of the Composer Focus concert program includes:

Salem premiere of the four-hand piano version of The Rite of Spring performed by Paul Jacobs and Yilin You
Suite italienne for violin and piano from Pulcinella
Three Pieces for String Quartet with violinists Angel Valchinov and Li-Mei Liang, violist Chen Lin and cellist Nick Dinnerstein
Elegy for solo viola performed by Chen Lin
Tango for solo piano performed by Paul Jacobs

Composer Focus is a classical concert series, specializing in 20th and 21st century chamber music for piano and strings. The series introduces local audiences to some of the most original and accomplished composers of our time through vibrant performances in Cambridge and in towns throughout New England. Each concert explores the music of a single classical composer and consists of major as well as rarely performed works in a variety of instrumental combinations. For more information please visit www.composerfocusconcerts.com.

For tickets go to this link. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for seniors and students. The performance begins at 7:30pm at Old Town Hall which is located at 32 Derby Square.

Salem has welcomed Jazz, Steampunk, and other forms of music— time for classical, wouldn’t you think?

Handcrafted Movement Shines at Witch City Wicks on Artists’ Row

Salem Event, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Sep 142015

“I definitely feel that the hand-crafted movement is expanding and redefining views on what being creative and artistic can be. These days it’s not strictly putting a paint brush to canvas.”

Liz Frazier, speaks from experience as the owner and candle maker of Witch City Wicks, currently located at 24 New Derby Street in Salem’s Artists’ Row.

Witch City Wicks is an independent and thriving small business based out of Salem, Massachusetts, “the Witch City”, and thus comes the name. Each candle is hand-poured in small batches using domestically-grown soy wax, lead free all-cotton wicks, fine fragrance oils, and creatively inspired packaging.

“For anyone curious about the process behind creating our products, we’ll also be creating/working on location” points out Frazier. “You’ll get a unique opportunity to see how things get made. ”

Interesting approach…. why go that extra mile?

Frazier says, “Since we’re working and creating our products on site in Artists’ Row, it seems logical that people be able to watch and chat with us during the process.”

“And, every Thursday we offer kids activities from 4-6 pm in conjunction with the Farmers’ Market. The activities vary week to week, but we try to put out some sidewalk chalk, hula hoops, games & bubbles, and people might find different creative activities.”

Community interaction was certainly one of the appeals of taking part in the City’s creative business program on Artists’ Row.

She explains “The programming for Artists’ Row this year was intriguing because it’s showcasing creative businesses, people who hand-craft their products to sell. Hand-crafted items have become a huge element for the creative economy in recent years and it was exciting that Artists’ Row was bringing makers to Salem this year. Being able to start out in this kind of venue is giving us great experience in what it would be like to run our own storefronts, if that’s what we decide to do in the future.”

Witch City Wicks was founded in 2010 by Frazier, a former professional graphic designer, who desired to elevate creative expression from a digital medium to something more tactile.

Mainly selling through her online shop, Etsy, and in person at various markets, the result has been a diverse range of classic and alternatively-themed collections of quality, long-lasting candles, that also enhance home decor.

But, in a city full of artists, what does she feel sets her and her store’s contents apart from others?

“To my knowledge there aren’t many other candle makers in Salem, so I think that is high on the list of what sets me, specifically, apart from other artists. The current lineup of artists at Artists’ Row differ from traditional artists in that while we’re still creative in nature, we produce affordable products for purchase. Not everyone can afford a $400-800 original painting, but a reasonably priced, hand-crafted item is a bit more tangible and someone gets to take home something that an artist created.”

Speaking of home, what’s the best way to enjoy your soy candle at home?

“When you light your candle for the first time, make sure the wick is about 1/4″ high. Soy candle wax has a memory of sorts, and will burn best and smell strongest if you establish a good melt pool straight off the bat.”

“Upon first lighting, please leave it going for between 2-3 hours,” she adds. “This will also help prevent the wax from ‘tunneling.’ But, soy candles should never remain lit for longer than 2-3 hours at a stretch, and always let them cool completely before relighting. Once the wax has burned down to about 1/2″, please discontinue use.”

She advises, “You don’t want to scorch the furniture or risk cracking the glass! Store your candles in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.”

You can check out the Witch City Wicks instagram feed for product photos.

The season at Artists’ Row runs from May through November.

Salem MA is a Great First Date Option

Uncategorized No Responses »

Aug 212015

We just tweeted a silly little item, and then thought more about it.

Where do you take a #FirstDate to impress him/her? Salem MA. Just look at what is happening all day Saturday http://ow.ly/RdxnU @DestSalem

Salem MA really is a great place for a first date (and 2nd, and 3rd, etc).

There are over 30 activities and events listed on the Destination Salem Calendar alone for Saturday, 8/22/15. Over 30 just for Saturday!!!

That is important, because according to a number of websites, keeping busy and keeping the conversation going to build trust and familiarity are important on a first date.

Only 24% of people (surveyed at topdatingtips.com) said that they trust someone they’re out with on a first date! Communication and learning about the other person can ease anxieties.

What about the simple dinner and a movie? Prevailing thought is that the idea is not only unoriginal, it can get pretty expensive these days, be stressful and uncomfortable for both sides, especially in a fancy restaurant; then you go to a movie and don’t interact because you don’t know the other person’s “movie viewing” habits (do they like to chat during the film, make one-liners, focus strictly on the movie, etc).

According to the Art of Charm website:

“Instead of just taking the woman out to dinner, take her on an activity date. Ease the pressure of having to maintain constant stimulating conversation by doing something fun. That way you can shift your focus to an outside activity and let conversation arise more naturally.”

That applies to whether your date is female or male.

And that brings us back to Salem MA and over 30 things to do on Saturday August 22, 2015 (see the snippet above). Let Salem MA be your wing man.

Oh and what if the first date is on Sunday? There are just as many activities. We are here for you!

PEM/PM Explores Pivotal Period of Hollywood, The 1930s

History, Salem Event No Responses »

Aug 172015

While today’s rapid-fire technological advances are changing film-making with consumer interactive platforms such as Periscope, there was a time in the history of Hollywood film-making that was just as exciting & tumultuous. And that was the 1930s, which is the subject of the next PEM/PM, Aug. 20, 6-9pm at the Peabody Essex Museum.

Inspired by PEM’s exhibition American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood, the evening celebrates film and Benton’s artistic relationship with the motion picture industry.

It was “The Golden Age of Hollywood” and according to AMC’s Filmsite.org website “The 30s was also the decade of the sound and color revolutions and the advance of the ‘talkies’, and the further development of film genres (gangster films, musicals, newspaper-reporting films, historical biopics, social-realism films, lighthearted screwball comedies, westerns and horror to name a few).”

Silent stars who dominated the screens faded away unable to transition to scripts that required more acting skills, to be replaced by new stars on the horizon, such as Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, John Wayne, Clark Gable and Shirley Temple.

The growing importance & interest in the film industry to consumers spurred innovation. The first daily newspaper for the film industry, The Hollywood Reporter, had its debut in 1930. The world’s first drive-in theatre opened in Camden, N.J. in June, 1933 .

If you’re interested in learning more about 1930’s Hollywood, the AMC site is extensive.

As far as the evening’s activities during PEM/PM, highlights will include art making with film negatives, a photo booth equipped to bring out everyone’s inner movie star, a food tasting with popcorn from Salem’s favorite E.W. Hobbs and a cocktail tasting and talk with author and mixologist Warren Bobrow.

In the Atrium, you will find hot Jazz and swing tunes by the Carubia Brass Bands featuring Jim Fryer.

In conjunction with PEM’s summer film series, Benton and the Big Screen, guests can watch the film adaptation of Nathanael West’s critically acclaimed novel about 1930s Hollywood, The Day of the Locust (Rated R, 144 minutes). Film expert Michael Dow will introduce the film and join a discussion following the film with PEM lead interpreter Emily Fry and curator Sarah Chasse

For those of you who haven’t yet seen American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood, this is the time to experience the exhibit which explores how the motion picture industry influenced and ignited Benton’s creative imagination. Melding Old Master European painting traditions with Hollywood’s cinematic and production techniques, Benton reinvented 20th-century American narratives and captivated the public with his signature brand of visual storytelling.

PEM’s exhibition, the first retrospective of Benton’s art in 25 years, gathers more than 100 works, including the artist’s paintings, murals, drawings, prints and illustrated books. The exhibition, which closes Sept. 7, pairs curated clips from Hollywood movies with Benton’s art from the 1920s through the 1960s to take visitors on a journey through America’s myths and into its national character.

PEM’s evening parties — with music and dance performances, food tastings, lectures and art-making stations have become a monthly tradition since being initiated in the summer of 2011. Free admission for members and Salem residents (with ID), while nonmembers pay $10 at the door. There is always a cash bar and a special small plates menu available from the Hawthorne Hotel.

For more information, call 866‐745‐1876 or visit PEM at www.pem.org .

Artists’ Row: Diane Hoffman, Hand Printed Textiles

New Businesses, Workshops 1 Response »

Aug 092015

“The creative process is something where you sometimes limit yourself— but other times you let it grow. You have to let it do things that seem a little uncomfortable to find something new.”

Words and thought process from Diane Hoffman, owner of Diane Hoffman Textile Shop on Artists’ Row.

But make no mistake about it, she is in control of that entire creative process. Design, printing, and sewing.

Diane Hoffman Textiles is a one-woman textile business. All products are hand printed and made by hand with locally sourced and recycled material. Silkscreen and stamp printed woven (cotton and recycled feedbags) materials are sewn into tote bags, clutches and chic duffels. — many with interior designs! It’s that extra step which makes her work special and not easily comparable to items at department stores.

“If you want your cat on a bag, I can do it for you,” Diane explains. “I can turn orders around quickly because I am not ordering from far away places.”

She’s been here for three months focusing on hand printed textiles and knits, featuring rescued pets and farm animals from New England.

She tries to bring past and present together. She shows us a toile, (Toile de jouy is a fabric originated in France in the 1760s. The original patterns usually depicted pastoral scenes). It has a donkey within the pattern but she added a larger version donkey to bring it to the forefront as part of her creative process to find something new.

“The more things I can add, the more connections I can make between the ideal world and the real world, will help keep up the idea of rescue animals and farm animal that are in need of a lot of upkeep to raise. We need to bring this to the public’s attention so as to not let animals become something we humans use but not respect.”

Her current project on t-shirts and bags is doing road dogs and cats. If nothing else, Salem has plenty of cats, and you can’t go a day without crossing paths with several people walking their dogs.

“I am doing one right now of Slinky. He is a little dog that wears a pirate’s hat.”

Also in keeping with her thoughts about doing “things that seem a little uncomfortable to find something new,” she holds community print demo sessions on Thurs 4-6pm.

“We try to get people to come & do artwork. And I think the work they do is quite good.” But the materials are the interesting element. An upcoming session will use not paint but powdered graphite (which has an oily feel) and stencils.

Her unit is #24 New Derby Street. Asked why did she want to open shop on Artists’ Row, Diane responds…

“I love this community. Very lively. Greats arts community. Salem is very aware of its past, but also very progressive. And the Farmers’ Market is here. All these parts. The idea is that you get inspiration from other artists, there is so much energy here on Artists’ Row.”

A good portion of it provided by Diane.

Silk screens to put ink on canvas, fabrics with a vintage feel, bold images on material like the type used for hats of old-time train engineers. These and more are what you’ll find at Diane Hoffman Textiles, open daily 11am-6pm (except Monday) and open until 7pm on Thursday. For more info, go to her website.

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