“A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.” ~Leopold Stokowski
Week before last, my town, the Village of Peninsula, population 602, was filled with the sound of music: the music of 18 different musicians during Music on the Porches, the music of the train whistle of The Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 Berkshire No. 765 steam engine during the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s Steam in the Valley , and the music of artists letting their spirits soar as they painted their impressions of this Valley called Cuyahoga during the Peninsula’s Third Annual Plein Air Competition.
We were lucky to host 2 sessions of live music in the Gallery. Kent, Ohio’s Crane Willow Lake, an acoustic indie folk trio, and 11 year old blues guitarists, Paul Kolbus and Mark Ray. Take a look at some sights of the day.
As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And take a look at My Town Monday to see what others have to say about the places they call home.
Painters are an intrepid bunch. Rain—lots of rain, doesn’t seem to be deterring them from participating the the 2011 Peninsula Plein Air Competition. Take a look at what I’m seeing out my window:
The Plein Air Competition will continue throughout the weekend. Tomorrow, Music on the Porches will fill the Village with the sound of music. The Village of Peninsula, population 602, is a vibrant place. As always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video with sound! must be worth at least 1001. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad has been celebrating the steam engine. Take a look at what we’ve been seeing and hearing.
For years, artists have tried to capture the beauty of the crooked river that is called Cuyahoga. Painters, photographers and artists with sketch pads are regular sights in this Valley.
On Saturday, September 24, 2011, a group of regional artists will converge on the Village, canvases, easels and paints in hand. They will be participants in the second annual Plein Aire competition that is sponsored by Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce. En plein air is a French expression meaning “in the open air.” It is used to describe the act of painting outdoors. Plein air painting has it’s roots in 19th century Europe. The invention of tubes that contained pigments made painting portable, and the introduction of the steam engine gave painters a way to travel for their art.
For more information on the Plein Air competition, visit here.
And, as always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. Wander on over to My Town Monday to see what others have to say about the places they call home.
It’s been quite a week in my town, the Village of Peninsula, population 602. Torrential rain brought flooding again, and prolonged heat followed that. I don’t have much to say this day; my brain feels somewhat like mush. Take a look at what I saw out my window this week.
After a hiatus for track replacement, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is back on track, running from Peninsula south, to Akron and back. Riders and bikers are delighted to be able to ride the train once again in the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
And here is a look at last year’s Peninsula Python Parade:
Take a minute and leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. I’ll enter your name in a drawing to win the story of the python that panicked Peninsula.
And take a look at our newsletter. Let me know what you think.
On Saturday, July 16, the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, will once again celebrate the python that, in the summer of 1944, terrorized this little town.
So the story goes like this: back in the summer of 1944, the Cole Brothers Circus came through Bath Township, which is a short distance from the Village of Peninsula. There was an accident in the local cemetery, and two large snakes escaped. One was found dead, and the other disappeared—for a short while.
Farmer Clarence Mitchell was tending his corn field. He reported that his dogs were mighty nervous for a couple of days; then they refused to go near his field. Mr. Mitchell looked up and said that he saw the biggest snake he had ever seen, sliding along the ground in plain site. Local historian Randy Bergdorf, of the Peninsula Library and Historical Society writes:
Multiple sightings of the serpent were reported during that summer of 1944; the mayor organized the local Civil Defense organization into posses. Folks with loaded guns responded to reports of the wayward snake. The then director of the Cleveland Zoo, Fletcher Reynolds, pleaded for the life of the snake. He asked that anyone finding the reptile stay calm and phone him with the snake’s location, so he could come and take him alive. Locals came up with plans to capture the snake, from box traps, to clotheslines and sticks, to music.
By this time radio newscasters, and reporters from the United and Associated Presses were regularly reporting on the escapades of the snake that had become the Peninsula Python. The story was reported in Stars and Stripes, the newspaper that was sent to American troops abroad during WWII. Letters from soldiers came into the Village’s post office. Robert Bordner, a reporter from the old Cleveland Press was one of those who wrote about the snake. In November, 1945, one of his stories was published in the Atlantic Monthly.
Sightings of the reptile decreased; some folks wondered if the entire story was a hoax concocted by Bordner. Those who saw the snake stand by their stories.
For the past several years, we’ve had a festival to commemorate the rascally reptile. Python imagery abounds throughout the Village, with merchants, residents and visitors joining in the festivities. We have lots of things scheduled, and a parade, with a people powered python. Take a look at last year’s parade, and if you’re going to be in our neck of the woods on July, 16, come down to the Village. You won’t regret it.
As always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And take a look at My Town Monday, to see what others have to say about the places they call home.
Turning points. Things in our lives that change our paths. Moments that change how we see the world. As artists, those moments manifest in our work. The repetition can be meditative, and through it refinement occurs.
The craftsmen whose work is in our Turning Points show, have been working on their craft and on their lives for some time. There is a maturity in their work, from the forms to the finishes. We are pleased to share these dynamic new pieces.
If you are in our area, please join us for light refreshments on Saturday, June 25th, from 4-7 pm, and meet some of the artists as we celebrate Art in the Valley. The show will continue throughout the summer, with new pieces being added from time to time. You can see more art across the street at the Peninsula Art Academy. The artist’s reception for Visions of the Valley will be happening simultaneously.
As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
This Valley, this beautiful valley, along the river called Cuyahoga has long been the home of dreamers, artists and other independent thinkers. Early settlers came here with little more than a few possessions and a dream. They carved out a life along the river, working with their hands and hearts, manifesting their vision.
As artists, we craft our visions, using paint, paper, clay, fiber, metal or a mixture. We take a leap of faith, sharing our vision with the world. Visions of the Valley is an exploration of how each of 17 local and regional artists sees the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley. We invite you to join us at the Peninsula Art Academy, across the street from our Elements Gallery, in the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602.
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