Art Along the Hudson - 2011 Kickoff Event

Paramount Theater, Peekskill May 27 - July 10, 2011

More than 250 Supporters of the Arts Attend
8th Annual Art Along the Hudson Celebration Launch from Peekskill

Now in its eighth year, Art Along the Hudson celebrates the arts in ten artistically-focused communities on the Hudson River, including Peekskill, Garrison/Cold Spring, Newburgh, Beacon, Poughkeepsie, New Paltz, Rhinebeck/Red Hook, Kingston, Hudson, and Woodstock. Art Along the Hudson is also promoting six Hudson Valley Studio Tours this year in Peekskill, Beacon, Rhinebeck, Saugerties (Ulster County) and ArtEast and ArtStudio Views (Dutchess County), offering art lovers great opportunities to meet the many artists living and working in the Hudson Valley.

This year's reception included refreshments, live musical performance, and an art show in the Upper Gallery of the Paramount, featuring nearly 40 representative paintings, photographs and mixed media art created by Hudson Valley artists. To see this amazing artwork click here

Peekskill, NY - More than 250 supporters of the arts flocked to Peekskill last night from as far away as Kingston and Hudson, NY to attend the 8th Annual Art Along the Hudson kick-off reception, held in Peekskill for the first time ever.  Under the 2011 theme “10 Communities, 10 Celebrations,” representatives from all ten communities addressed the crowd, speaking about the importance of the arts, their economic impact on their respective communities and the on-going need to support the arts.

The reception, hosted at the Paramount Center for the Arts, included wine and refreshments from 12 Grapes; an art show in the Paramount’s Upper Gallery featuring nearly 40 representative paintings, photographs and mixed media art created by Hudson Valley artists; presentations from each of the ten communities about what makes their arts community special; and a closing performance by Peekskill singer Alexis Cole and pianist Scott Arcangel, lead vocalist and musical director, respectively, of the West Point Jazz Knights.

Attendees all received Art Along the Hudson canvas bags containing information about the 10 communities and the new Art Along the Hudson Brochure.

Foster, Linda Hubbard, Chair of Art Along the Hudson, and Benjamin Krevolin, President of the Dutchess County Arts Council welcomed visiting dignitaries, government officials, business leaders, principals from art organizations, artists and art enthusiasts.

The Upstairs Gallery at the Paramount have artwork from the art communities and the studio tours: click here for the full show of the artwork

Jeffrey Cella (center) - founder of Art Along the Hudson Facebook group that has over 600 members!

City of Peekskill's Bill Powers and Mayor Mary Foster head into the theater for the event's program...

Patricia Braja of the Paramount Theater welcomed everyone.

Host - Mayor of Peekskill - Mary Foster

“Peekskill was honored to serve as the host city for this year’s annual kick-off event for Art Along the Hudson at our historic Paramount Center for the Arts.  This gave us the opportunity to showcase our amazing downtown offerings including food, entertainment, and the arts. Our long-established artist district is the gateway for people to explore the artist communities, events, and celebrations offered throughout the Hudson Valley and we are thrilled to be one of the ten communities that proudly demonstrates support for the arts,” said Peekskill Mayor Mary F. Foster.

“We were so delighted to hear that Peekskill wanted to host our 2011 kick-off event.  The leadership that Peekskill Mayor Mary Foster shows for the artist community here in her hometown resonates through out the Hudson River Valley.  Peekskill should be commended for blending the best of art, entertainment and business into a memorable downtown experience,” said Linda Hubbard, chair of Art Along the Hudson.

Each Community had an opportunity to talk about their art:

Meredith Robson - City Administrator of Beacon

Carinda Swan - Diector of the Garrison Art Center

Karen Davis - Hudson, NY

Meaghan Gallagher - Arts Society of Kingston

Richard Heyl de Ortiz - Historic Huguenot Society, New Paltz

Marge Bell - City of Newburgh

Patrick Montgomery - speaking for the Mayor of Poughkeepsie

Kari Feuer - artist representing Rhinebeck / Red Hook

Carl VanBrunt - representing Woodstock - and one of the original founders of Art Along the Hudson

Linda T. Hubbard - Chair or Art Along the Hudson.

Special thanks to Emily Flynn of Kingston for designing the brochure and all the print ads for Art Along the Hudson.

Linda presented one of her Hudson Valley photographs to Chris Marra, City of Peekskill, for his incredible efforts on behalf of the arts in Peekskill and for spear heading this year’s kickoff.   “Thank you Chris for organizing tonight’s incredible event and for all the many hours you have devoted to the arts community.”

Benjamin Krevolin was awarded a beautiful Hudson Beach Glass platter.  “Benjamin, thank you for supporting and guiding Art Along the Hudson for eight years.  We appreciate your commitment to this effort from day one and throughout the years as we have grown from just four communities to 10 plus Hudson Valley Studio Tours.” 

Sara Pasti won two tickets to see Peter Frampton at the Paramount.

The evening closed with lovely entertainment by Alexis Cole and Scott Arcangel. Alexis Cole is the lead vocalist for the West Point Jazz Knights, the U.S. Army’s Big Band and Scott Arcangel plays keyboards for the band.

Art Along the Hudson celebrates the arts in ten artistically-focused communities on the Hudson River, including Peekskill, Garrison/Cold Spring, Newburgh, Beacon, Poughkeepsie, New Paltz, Rhinebeck/Red Hook, Kingston, Hudson, and Woodstock..  Art Along the Hudson is also promoting three Hudson Valley Studio Tours this year, offering art lovers great opportunities to meet the many artists living and working in the Hudson Valley.

Members of the Art Along the Hudson team

The reception was sponsored by Entergy Corporation, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, Crafts at Rhinebeck, Ulster County Savings Bank, and the Dutchess County Arts Council.

To see the artwork on display at the Upper Gallery in the Paramount Theater click here

Photographs by Mary Ann Glass