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CapNY Video: Four Questions with Artist Takeyce Walter

July 28, 2020 By Maureen Sager

Fall Marsh, by Takeyce Walter

Landscape painter Takeyce Walter lives in Round Lake in Saratoga County, where she has an art studio in sight of the marsh and lake. But don’t let the timeless serenity of her landscapes fool you, because Takeyce knows how to hustle. First off, she is one of the region’s most successful painters and instructors. Second, she’s a mom to three children, with two young ones at home. Third, she works a full-time job as a video producer. Yes, you read that right.

ACE asked Takeyce about how she balances her work and art, whether she had black female artist role models, and more. Plus, watch her in action, as she creates a wonderful pastel landscape in the video, below.

Image courtesy North Country Public Radio.

Connect with Takeyce Walter:

Website: TakeyceArt.com

Instagram: @takeycewalter


Related Posts

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  • CapNY Video: Four Questions with Artist Takeyce Walter
  • CapNY Creative Highlight: Steve Derrick

Cap Region Creatives: Marilyn McCabe

May 19, 2020 By wordpress

Marilyn is a published poet, living in Saratoga Springs. Her main creative outlet is poetry, sometimes making videos that blend her words with images and sound. She offers writing workshops in conjunction with the Hyde Collection and writes book reviews for the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

In this interview, Marilyn offers insight on what it means to be “an individual and largely unknown poet” during these unique times.

How did poetry become your main creative medium?

I have tried just about everything else — fiction, essay, plays — but it’s poetry that stuck. As an editor, it’s part of my make-up to get to the point and be concise. I love rhythm and silence, both of which are essential to the craft. Poetry suits me.

Marilyn, you’ve recently published an Award-Winning Chapbook, Being Many Seeds. Congratulations! What has that experience been like?

Ordinarily I’d throw it a little book party, do some readings and open mics. But I’m reliant now on the virtual networking. I’ve got an extensive email list of friends and acquaintances, as well as Facebook posts both to my own page and group pages such as NY Writers’ Compendium, and I also have a blog.

I created a video project using poems in the collection, so I can use this as a book trailer. I may also record myself reading a few of the poems. People enjoy poets reading their work aloud; it offers insight that words on the page may not. I enjoy readings, but I don’t enjoy the schlepping around. I often spend more in gas than I can recoup in books sales, so I confess I don’t wildly miss the reading shuffle. But I do miss the interaction with listeners and other poetry fans.

Do you feel like your creativity has been flourishing or diminished by being in isolation due to the quarantine?

My life has not changed all that much under quarantine. I do miss seeing my friends, casually stopping somewhere to meet up, and particularly I miss the library — but my creative work continues in its usual fits and starts. My “practice” is haphazard anyway, and I’m fairly distractible at the best of times.

How have you seen the creative community band together during this time?

It’s amazing to see how arts organizations are sharing information and creating new platforms. Virtual readings, gallery tours, fundraising for artist relief funds, virtual concerts — the outpouring has been tremendous. I think people around the world are grateful, and are perhaps newly aware of how art feeds us.

I enjoy ACE’s profiles. The Hyde Collection has invited local artists to post work. Jacob’s Pillow has brought dance to my computer screen, and innumerable other ways in which the arts have gone viral… If anything, the proliferation of arts online has made it a bit more difficult for a largely unknown poet like me to get “heard.”

Are there any specific resources/tools, etc. you’ve been using regularly that you can share with our readers?

Several Facebook groups of women writers, such as Binders Full of Women and Non-binary Poets, help me find publishing opportunities and discover new writers. The members have been great cheerleaders for each other, which is so encouraging. New York Foundation for the Arts has tons of resources on its webpage about funding and opportunities. The Adirondack Center for Writing has been great in engaging the already isolated community of writers across the Adirondack region. The Creative Writers Opportunities blog is regularly updated with calls for work from literary magazines, etc.

Are you thinking about ways that you’ll change the way you create/do business in the future due to this experience?

I’ll reach out more globally both in terms of promoting my own work and engaging with the work of others. The online world is small, and it’s rich to reach across geographic, cultural, and national boundaries. Ironically, social distancing has spurred me to bring the world closer.

Any last words of positivity for our readers?

The best of art and science has come out of active use of our imaginations, out of joyous play. Let’s use some of this wonderful quiet to dance around with wild abandon, figuratively and literally.

Marilyn is the winner of the Grayson Books Poetry Chapbook Contest: Being Many Seeds. She has two full-length collections of poems — Glass Factory, and Perpetual Motion — and another chapbook, Rugged Means of Grace. Her themes include science, spirit, memory and identity, and how people connect to each other and the earth.

Connect with Marilyn!

Website
Facebook
Vimeo
Email

Creatives in Quarantine: Hassan Eminyawi

April 29, 2020 By wordpress

Meet Hassan Eminyawi, Owner of Urban Aftermath Books, an online book business with a warehouse in Menands and a physical shop in the City of Albany. ACE asked him about life and business during the COVID crisis,

What’s your quarantine workspace like, and is it working for you?

My workspaces are really extensions of me and my thought processes. The Bookshop is super eclectic/organic with beautiful copies of the classics, curated artworks, and other items that align with my design aesthetic. The warehouse on the other hand is literally organized chaos. We have 30,000 items in stock with each item having been carefully reviewed, graded, listed for sale, and safely filed away for purchase. This setup is working, though one thing I think would bring this business to another level is integrating the shop and warehouse into one space.

How are you coping with this new reality?

It has been difficult to stay optimistic. Our physical bookshop is currently closed. Sales are down across the board and I’d been sadly resigned to falling behind & giving up… But then again, I am reminded of one of the greatest rules of small business ownership: Innovate or Perish. So I’m doing what I can to increase online sales and offer new ways to allow people to shop our physical storefront virtually.

Have you started adapting and/or innovating your business model to operate under these conditions?

Definitely. We have refocused much of our attention to online sales and are offering customers a “literal window shopping” experience at our shop. Simply put…every item in our window is $5 and every item can be purchased remotely and picked up at the shop or shipped to your home. The display currently has an array of good books, vinyl, and vintage toys for sale, though we intend to change the selection weekly.

How have you seen the local creative community band together to support one another?

I have seen plenty of evidence of unity though I really am concerned how certain businesses (including my own) will pull through this. Many small businesses are owned by passionate people who have sacrificed a great deal to open up and do operate on a month to month basis.

Are you thinking about ways that you’ll change the way you do business in the future?

Of course, I have always attempted to incorporate the Japanese word “kaizen” into my business philosophy. Kaizen means “change for better” or continuous improvement. I intend on consolidating the business to become more agile and light footed. I am taking a serious look at our spatial footprint and hope to be able to buy a building to house both aspects of the business. Processes that can be moved to the virtual realm will be while we expand our sales channels and further develop/promote our social media presence.

Do you see any long term changes to the way people work coming out of this situation?

I believe there is going to be widespread acceptance of a work from home / remote work culture. People who own small businesses that survive are much more likely to downsize physical storefronts and continue to operate on a more virtual/grab and go/take-out/delivery basis.

Hassan, is there a piece of positivity you’d like to leave with our readers?

Small businesses are inherently unique and care tremendously about the community they reside in. I believe that given the right, internal adjustments and a healthy response from the government, many businesses will come back stronger and more versatile than ever before. This is a time for creatives to do what they do best… And for strategic planning regarding future steps.

Connect with Hassan

Instagram: @capital_books
Facebook: @webuybooks
Email: urbanaftermath@gmail.com

Creatives in Quarantine: Margaret Hall & Yvonne Perry

April 22, 2020 By wordpress

Creatives in Quarantine is a segment that highlights creative professionals across the Capital Region during this period of isolation due to COVID-19. We have developed some questions that will allow our community to share experiences and learn from one another during this time.

Meet Margaret Hall (left), Associate Artistic Director of Capital Repertory Theatre (theREP) and Yvonne Perry (right), Capital Region Resident Creative & Associate Artist at theREP

Margaret & Yvonne, please introduce yourselves…What have you been up to during quarantine?

Margaret: I’m the Associate Artistic Director of Capital Repertory Theatre (theREP), part of the Proctors Collaborative (which also includes, Proctors Theatre in Schenectady and UPH – Universal Preservation Hall – in Saratoga Springs). I have worked at theREP for 8 years now. I do a wide variety of things, including directing touring productions and directing a mainstage once a year. Two years ago, I directed a World Premiere Production with Yvonne, Red Maple. Last year, our organization began connecting with some of our talented and beloved artists to create a category of Associate Artists for theRep. Yvonne is one of them. Outside of being in productions, they often help us with a variety of different things from being on our reading committee for our young playwright contest, to currently, in quarantine times, creating the Got a Minute video series, which provides tips for actors to keep honing their craft while we are all in quarantine.

Yvonne: I’m an Associate Artist for theREP and have had the pleasure of being in 7-8 main stage shows, my first one being in 2007. My relationship with theREP started before that, when I moved back to Albany to get my Masters Degree and start a family 20 years ago. I’m basically a go-to person when they need me to do anything. I love that they’re Albany’s premiere professional theater company. I’m a Chair of the Liaison for Actor’s Equity – the national union for professional theater artists. I’m also an adjunct professor at multiple local colleges. The Got a Minute series is a fun challenge for me. This quarantine has been interesting because theater is a big chunk of what I do during regular times. Theater is community based and what sets theater apart from all other acting work is that it demands a live audience. The quarantine has been a particular challenge for my colleagues and me. A lot of my friends are out of work right now, but we’re finding ways to keep ourselves viable.

Let’s talk about the local creative community, how you’ve adapted for your community and how you’ve seen people come together during these times.

Margaret: TheREP is part of the Proctors Collaborative, which consists of multiple organizations under one umbrella. We’re quite versed in working with our collaborative partners. Working as a collective in this very moment is interesting. We talk to a variety of different organizations and see what they’re doing, how they’re handling this, and how we might be able to work together.  We’re trying to figure out more ways to engage with other arts and non-arts organizations in this time of strangeness. We turn to people like Yvonne who are great vocal champions for us, to remind people we are here, we are working to figure out what it means to be a live theater in a time when you can’t be live together. We are slowly but steadily developing different kinds of content and figuring out ways we can engage with our greater community.

Yvonne: I love the idea of doing these videos and sharing them with a broader audience. If you’re not a colleague of mine or one of my students, you typically don’t have access to the information I’m sharing in the videos. Can you go online or read a book and find the information? Probably, but the fact that we are part of this tight knit community and people know our faces and can get an inside scoop on the internet as to what it is what we do when you’re not seeing us acting, is invaluable. I think people are getting a kick out of that. If they’re interested in the process of a performer, this is great information. They’re getting this insight for free. I love that it’s just little nuggets of behind the scenes and ‘this is how we do what we do.’

Do you feel like you’ve been able to connect to a new audience with this new content?

Margaret: The School of Performing Arts, which spans all of the Proctor’s Collaborative organizations, has a huge following of youth in the Capital Region that are interested in musical theater, radio, film, TV, and the entertainment world in general, so in a time like this where they’re all home, these videos are a great way to keep them energized and think about where they want to go on their artistic journey. It’s a free resource, which right now is so essential and crucial for so many.

Yvonne: When I was young, I felt weird because I wanted to go into the theater business and I didn’t know anybody who did it. I didn’t have many resources to learn more about it. Things are different now. There’s a lot of info online. I really love the community component of this series. I love the fact we’re giving these videos to people across the Capital Region who know theREP and appreciate that we are still here and still vibrant. We are part of THIS Capital Region community and you’re getting content from local people you know. It’s kind of cool.

This video series was born out of the limitations of the quarantine…Do you see this type of engagement on social media continuing even after things go back to “normal?”

Margaret: Yes, absolutely. I’ve been watching Lauren Gunderson, playwright, on her new online series of free playwriting workshops. One of the things she said was that this is a place and time for us to be visionaries. We’re adapting to deal with this, but how can we excel at it? How can we use this experience and rise as artists always do in times of difficulty, pain and human experience? Essentially, how do we take this and make the lemonade out of the lemons? Once we figure it all out, I do think new online content from theatrical artistic creatives is going to be something that stays.

Yvonne: I don’t know if we would’ve ever realized the opportunities that were there if we were just going about our regular everyday lives, business as usual. There is going to be plenty of good information that comes out of this. I loved what Margaret said, this is what creatives do in times of crisis; they find other ways to be creative. It’s historically accurate. Artists find ways to do their art as a reflection of the times that they are living in. My Master’s is in Theater History, I’m fascinated by the idea of how people entertain themselves as a reflection of the culture in any given time and place. This period will lead to a monumental change in how a lot of artists approach their work. We will go back to doing what we do best, but this will be another tool we’ll have in our toolbox now.

Any words of positivity you’d like to leave our readers with?

Margaret: Within our organization, we’ve described this period as an intermission. The idea that we’re all on a global pause is going to continue to result in some vibrant art and culture, which is both brilliant and sad when you think about the circumstance we’re in and the thousands of people who won’t be able to partake in it because they lost their lives to the virus. I also think it is going to help in relieving the feeling that theater is “elitist.” I think we might be discovering ways we can share theater more with people who can’t get through our physical doors when those doors open again, and reach people who don’t know theater even exists.

Yvonne: I want people in this area to remember that theREP is still here. We’re still working hard, we’re providing content in new and creatives way. We’ll be back. 100%. We will be back. In a fabulous new space. There are so many exciting things to look forward to.

Get in touch!

theREP:
Website: www.capitalrep.org
Facebook: @capitalrep
Instagram: @therepny

Margaret:
Email: mhall@capitalrep.org 
Facebook: @margaretehalldirector

Yvonne:
Website: www.yvonneperry.com
Email: yvonneperryh@gmail.com
Facebook: @yvonneperry
Instagram: @yvonneperryh

Resources and Information for Creatives During the COVID-19 Crisis

March 24, 2020 By wordpress

We have put together a list of articles and resources for the benefit of our local creatives. We will continue updating this list as we find new useful information. Stay awesome!

To All You Creatives, My Inbox Is Open! A note from Maureen Sager, Executive Director of ACE

Financial Relief Resources:

  • NYS Unemployment Information*
  • The CARES Act – Business Assistance (effective 3/27)
  • Financial Relief for Artists (3/18*)
  • SBA Disaster Loan Information for Small Business and Not-for-Profits*
  • NYS Health Foundation Resources for Not-for-Profits and Community-Based Organizations*
  • How Freelancers Can Claim Paid Sick Leave During This Crisis (3/23)
  • NYS Guidelines for Paid Family Leave*
  • Greene County Artists Emergency Fund (4/7)
  • Financial Help for Freelancers and Self-Employed Workers (4/8)
  • Artist Relief, $5,000 grant
  • The Creative Impact Capital Region Artist Fund, $100 for artists

*=continuously updated

Creatives Building Community

  • Albany Center Gallery Launches an Artist Support Group
  • Creatives in Music and Film Developing Online Socialization Networks
  • Local Business Leaders Coming Together to help Unemployed Restaurant Workers

Digital Tools for Artists to Work Remotely

Creative Diversions & Other Resources:

  • Freelancer Resources
  • Free Mental Health Hotline for New Yorkers: 1-844-863-9314
  • A Breath of Fresh Air
  • 2500 Museums You Can Visit Virtually
  • Where to Watch Live Virtual Concerts
  • Cafe Lena Offering Free Music “Stay Home Sessions”
  • How to Protect Your Mental Health
  • Emotional Benefits of Journaling
  • How to Survive Isolation with Your Partner, Kids, and Yourself
  • Five Recipes that Prove Beans are the MVP of the Pantry
  • That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief
  • How Bad Times Bring Out The Best in People
  • Avoid These Traps When Negotiating in a Crisis
  • Buy Produce and Support Local Farmers

Cap Region Creatives in Quarantine:

Creatives in Quarantine is a new segment that highlights creative professionals across the Capital Region during this period of isolation due to COVID-19. We believe that inspiration and vision are as contagious as the virus, so in that spirit, read on! If you’d like to be featured on our blog and/or social media pages, please email Gabby!

  • Konrad Odhiambo (3/24)
  • David Reali (3/31)
  • Kirsten Voege (4/7)
  • Richard Lin (4/15)
  • Margaret Hall & Yvonne Perry (4/22)
  • Hassan Eminyawi (4/29)
  • Creatives in Quarantine Gallery

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