Open Studio: NCPR's monthly arts roundup

Our monthly arts round-up Open Studio is on the road, broadcasting live from Keene Central School in Keene Valley, NY. Fiddler John Kirk and guitarist Trish Miller play traditional and original music, Chase Twichell shares poetry and conversation, and more.

Earlier this year, Indian Lake residents banded together to save their historic theater in the middle of town. It’s re-opening this weekend. It could have been just another casualty of the North Country’s declining population and struggling economy. But a summer schedule of movies is planned, and it’s hoped the theater will once again be the center of Indian Lake’s artistic, cultural and community life. Todd Moe spoke with Colleen Doyle, the new director of the theater, as she took a break from some touch-up work on the theater’s stage.

This month on Open Studio, NCPR's monthly arts celebration: in March, residents in Indian Lake banded together to save their historic theater. They're re-opening the venue this weekend. We talk with the theater's new director, and with a Quebec artist who goes to great lengths for just the right stone. David Nichols and Spare Change join us live in the studio for bluegrass music and conversation.

Getting the right material is just one of many challenges in making art. Sometimes that takes more effort than usual! For two years now, Ottawa Correspondent Lucy Martin has found the Inuit Artists' Shop "Arts Alive" event a great way to meet artists from across the Canadian Arctic. The day of courtyard demonstrations lets the public see how the art is made and satisfy curiosity about life and art in the far north. Here's stone carver Mattiusi Iyaituk in a conversation with a visitor from British Columbia, at last April's event.

Michael Czarnecki is a rare animal—a poet who makes a full-time living through his art. From his home base in the Finger Lakes, he spends many days each year on the road, reading his work and conducting workshops. His company, Foothills Publishing, has brought forward the work of countless other poets in more than twenty years of collections and anthologies. He will be in the North Country next week, holding workshops and readings in Canton and Tupper Lake. Dale Hobson talked with him by phone to see how he does it all.

Michael Czarnecki will be at the Canton Free Library on Tuesday. As part of the Brown Bag Luncheon series, he will conduct a Palm of the Hand Memoir Writing Workshop at noon, followed at 7 pm by a reading of his Travel Works poetry and non fiction. On Wednesday at 7 pm, he will be at the Goff-Nelson Library in Tupper Lake for a reading of his travel writing, followed the next day at 7 pm by a Palm of the Hand workshop.

On Open Studio, NCPR's monthly arts program, we focus on life as a full-time artist and making ends meet. We talk with poet and publisher Michael Czarnecki, hear spring haiku from youngsters in Canton, and join singer/songwriter Roy Hurd, live in the studio for music and conversation.

Earlier this month the Heuvelton Central School Art Club held its fourth annual Wearable Art Show. It was a fashion program that featured clothing from found or recycled materials. Trophies were awarded for “most original”, “best use of materials” and “most sophisticated”. Heuvelton art teacher Sally Hartman and some of her students told Todd Moe they worked for weeks on their fashion creations. Styrofoam packing peanuts, plastic shopping bags, soda bottles and tin can lids were transformed into dresses, shirts, pants and jewelry. This was an opportunity to make something wonderful from things that are left over or thrown away.

Going Green—a Colton artist talks about inspiration & the outdoors, watercolorist Pamela Meacher & the natural world, recycled poems, rock with Ten Cent Green.

Giving Voice goes green this month on the theme of "Repair, Reuse, Recycle." We repair to the Readers & Writers archive from April 2006 to reuse a poem by Dale Hobson about recycling old poems into new ones: "Editing Old Poems is Like a Cuban Taxi."

Green, recycle, reuse, and the environment are themes in tonight’s show. Canadian artist Pamela Meacher got her start in the arts studying dance as a young girl. The long-time painter and nature enthusiast was an exhibitor at the Canada Blooms garden show in Toronto last spring. She’s studied ceramics in Montreal, oil painting in Ottawa and life studies in Toronto. She spent years creating large oil canvases before switching to the delicate botanically-styled native flora she’s so well-known for. She told Ottawa correspondent Lucy Martin her latest journey into the publishing world has been very worthwhile.