By Christine Simek

The first Second Saturday of 2013 is already upon us, and with it comes another celebration of art, music and community spirit in Beacon. Offerings this week include several art openings, free admission to Dia:Beacon and a chance to go to music school.

A day of music

Beacon Music Factory (BMF), a local school that offers instrument and voice lessons for adults and children, is celebrating its first anniversary and will be hosting an open house and free event for children to mark the milestone.

Students playing the washboards during class at Beacon Music Factory. Photo courtesy BMF
Students playing the washboards during class at Beacon Music Factory (Photo courtesy BMF)

On Saturday morning at 11 a.m., BMF teachers Stephen Clair and Michael Farkas will guide visitors on a (free!) sonic excursion through Dia:Beacon. (Space is limited, so reserve spaces at diaart.org). Participating children will use the galleries and artworks as launching points for creating sonic landscapes, taking themselves and their parents on a musical exploration of the museum.

Clair, a songwriter and founder of Local 845 (a Beacon-based, live-music concert production company) is the director of BMF. He started the school last winter because he believes, “Everyone, whether they are 6 or 66, ought to have the great opportunity to have a good time playing some music. Music connects with people because it’s played with guts, passion, skills, smarts … a joie de vivre.”

For the first time, BMF will be holding classes in Cold Spring during their winter session. Two classes, Group Guitar for the People, a beginner guitar class, and an eight-week Harmonica Workshop, will be held at The Living Room, 103 Main St., beginning in mid-January. Clair is excited about broadening the reach of local musical possibilities and is thrilled to be offering classes at The Living Room, a venue that has hosted several BMF events over the past year. “When that spartan room fills with people for an evening music event, it glimmers with rock-and-roll hope,” he said.

Later in the day, BMF will host an open house at its studio space in the lower level of the First Presbyterian Church at 50 Liberty St. in Beacon. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet BMF teachers, learn about the winter schedule and sign up for classes. Refreshments will be served. The event goes from 3 to 5 p.m. and is free. For more information, including BMF’s full winter schedule, and to register online, visit beaconmusicfactory.com.

Community Free Day

Saturday is Community Free Day at Dia:Beacon, 3 Beekman St., a day when residents of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties are invited to visit the museum free of charge. Special gallery talks, collection tours and workshops are planned; visit diaart.org for details and to make reservations. The day will conclude with a community reception sponsored by the Newburgh Brewing Company in the café. Bring a driver’s license or other government-issued ID for free entry. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sustainable farming

In conjunction with its exhibit The Lexicon of Sustainability, Common Ground Farm is hosting a panel discussion exploring sustainable education and local alternative food supplies at Fovea Exhibitions, 143 Main St. Titled An Opine on Fish Growing and Foraging: Kids who recognize an eggplant and adults who can’t access affordable food, the conversation will feature panelists Tom Endres, Mike Finnegan and Kevin Ferry of Continental Organics, an aquaponics farm in New Windsor; Helanna Bratman, manager of Cornell Cooperative Extensions’s Green Teens program; and Margarethe Horlyck-Ramanovsky, MPH and adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College. 5:30 p.m., free. Reception to follow.

Art openings

Artwork from the Beacon Teen Reflections exhibit at RiverWinds Gallery.Rebecca Cohen, artist.photo courtesy of Beacon High School.
Artwork from the ‘Beacon Teen Reflections’ exhibit at RiverWinds Gallery:
Rebecca Cohen, artist
(Photo courtesy of Beacon High School)

RiverWinds Gallery, 172 Main St., presents Beacon Teen Reflections, its seventh annual show featuring the work of Beacon High School students who are participating in ceramics, photography and studio art classes. “The students’ work is excellent as always,” said Claudine Farley-Davis of the Beacon High School Art Department. All artwork is for sale. Opening reception 3 – 7 p.m., free.

School of Jellyfish, 183 Main St., is hosting Good Things Happen Here, a campaign to promote a series of Public Space Initiatives as part of the Parametric Beacon Urban Planning project. Workshop and refreshments 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., free.

Spire Studios, 45 Beekman St., presents Fluid Cats, a group show featuring the work of Nelson Conde, Russell Cusick, Nestor Madalengoitia, Basha Maryanska, Cynthia McCusker, Joe Pimentel and Ed Vermehren. Opening reception 6 – 9 p.m., free.

bau 97, 506 Main St., presents its first exhibition of 2013. Get a sneak peek at the work of the new lineup of fine artists for the 2012 season, featuring Richard Cutrona, Brett Phares, Gamble Staempfli, Gary Jacketti, Faith Adams, Carla Goldberg, Tom Holmes, Naomi Teppich, Ivan Stanford, Lisa Zukowski, Grey Zeien, Erica Leigh Caginalp, Carol Flaitz and Kirsten Lyon. Opening reception 6 – 9 p.m., free.

Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., presents a Hurricane Sandy Relief Concert to benefit the Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department in Breezy Point, Queens. Featured artists include Raquel Vidal, Carla Springer and Hope Machine, with special performances by Liam Springer, Sam Tallerico, Susan Fisher Wright, Bryce Edwards and Rupee Keil. For more information, go to carlaspringer.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. Suggested donations: $10 adults, $5 students, children 12 and under free.

Ongoing exhibits

Theo Ganz Studio, 149 Main St., presents Form and Function, a group exhibit featuring the work of several local artists. Sculptures include the figurative abstractions — with mirrors — of Sarah Haviland, chairs by Insun Kim and Margaret McDuffie, jewelry by Kit Burke-Smith, twig inlay furniture by Bo Stevens, and Japanese-inspired nesting stools by Jessica Wickham. Open Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Artwork from the Beacon Teen Reflections exhibit at RiverWinds Gallery.Alberto Mora, artist.Photo courtesy of Beacon High School.
Artwork from the ‘Beacon Teen Reflections’ exhibit at RiverWinds Gallery:
Alberto Mora, artist
(Photo courtesy of Beacon High School)

Beacon Institute Gallery, 199 Main St., presents Linda Hubbard’s As the Crow Flies, an aerial perspective of the Hudson River from Bear Mountain to Kingston through photographs captured from a helicopter. Open Saturday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

It is the last weekend to get a look at the Beacon Gingerbread Trail: Beacon’s sixth annual gingerbread-house-building bonanza. Sponsored by the Bannerman Castle Trust and the Beacon Public Space Project, entrants and prize-winning houses can be viewed in the windows of 16 storefront windows along Main Street.

Music

Max’s on Main, 246 Main St., presents Backbeat with Rudy. 9:30 p.m.

Food and spirits

Artisan Wine Shop, 180 Main St., will hold a wine tasting. 10 percent off all tasting wines. 3 – 6 p.m.

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.