This first major gallery exhibition devoted to the full scope of the artistic career of multi-media artist William Yost (1944-2011) focuses on the diverse body of work from the 1960’s to 2011. Mr. Yost was born in Albert Lea, MN in 1944. He attended Minnesota State University receiving a Bachelor of Science and Master of Fine Arts with a concentration in painting and Art History. After graduation, Yost accepted the position of Cultural Arts Director at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he resided over the 4,400 seat Eisenhower Hall Theatre. His other responsibilities included: the internationally renowned performing arts series, the Class of 1929 Art Gallery and West Point’s poly arts agenda. Yost held this position from 1976 until his retirement in 2006.

In this retrospective exhibition, we get a unique look at the types of work in Yost’s rich and diverse oeuvre. Works from the artist’s family and private collections are brought together for the first time and will occupy the entire gallery space. Represented in the exhibition are his familiar iconic pieces such as Doppelgangers, as well as rarely seen abstracts and his last works: the Contextual Series. Gallery visitors will have an unparalleled opportunity to study the artist’s development over six decades, beginning with his early abstract and minimalist works exhibited in Minnesota (1960) before he moved to New York (1976), and concluding with his final works, the contextual paintings (2011).

The exhibition highlights a wide variety of work, representing nearly every type of work Yost made, in both technique and subject matter, including a diverse selection of paintings, sculptures, drawings and watercolours. Among these works are in-depth presentations of all his most important series ranging from the Minimalist Paintings Series (1966-2011), the celebrated Fish Series (1990’s), Sculpture and Cane and Able Series (1990-2001) the artist’s most famous, landmark pieces Doppelgangers (2001-2011), culminating with the breakthrough Contextual Paintings Series, a project which had recently occupied the artist (2008-2011).

For anyone who knew Bill, the exhibition is not to be missed, and for those gallery visitors unfamiliar with this artist’s work, this is a rare treat! One of the most intriguing aspects of the show is being able to see the diversity and variety of work Mr. Yost produced over a lifetime of practice. There is nearly every type of medium represented, from drawing to painting to sculpture to the use of photography, and in each work his style and perspective shines through. The whole focus of the show is really about sharing this wonderful talent with the community at large, showing in part, what would normally only have been seen in his studio.

Yost was a member of The League of American Theaters and Producers, the International Society of Performing Arts Administrators, a docent of the Storm King Art Center, and a past Tony voter. His honors include numerous performance awards from the United State Military Academy, a White House Commendation Award, and a Meritorious Service Award from the Department of the Army, U.S. Department of Defense. He contributed toward and guest lectured on a variety of art and theater subjects throughout The United States and Abroad. His work has been widely exhibited and is included in academic, corporate and private collections.

The exhibition is on view through Saturday, April 21, 2012. The exhibition was curated by Virginia Walsh, Director of the Ann Street Gallery. An opening reception was held on Saturday, February 25 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM.

The Ann Street Gallery is a nonprofit art gallery specializing in contemporary emerging and established artists. The gallery is located at 104 Ann Street in Newburgh, and hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 am-5:00 pm and Friday through Saturday 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

For more information regarding Bill Yost: A Retrospective and the Ann Street Gallery, contact Virginia Walsh, Director at (845) 784-1146 or

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To view photos from Opening Reception held on Saturday, February 25, please visit our flickr photo album here.

The art form of tapestry making has come a long way since the dawn of civilization, and the Ann Street Gallery’s current exhibition, “Woven Stories: Contemporary Tapestries,” shows the progression of this medium through the ages.

Virginia Walsh, director and curator of exhibits at the Ann Street Gallery, explained that tapestries have been used as far back as ancient Egypt and Greece, not just for decoration but also as storytelling devices. They were treasured for their utilitarianism — a sort of “nomadic mural,” which could easily be rolled up and transported, as well as used for insulation.

While it was an “independent art form” in its beginnings, the art of tapestry reached a creative turning point in 1515, Walsh noted, when the artist Raphael was commissioned by Pope Leo X to create a series of 10 tapestries depicting “Acts of the Apostles.”

“Raphael’s cartoons introduced composition and perspective, finer yarns to include up to 300 colors, all of which led to tapestries now ‘imitating’ paintings,” said Walsh. “The creative control of tapestries from then on was in the hands of the painter, not the weaver.”

Like a painting, a tapestry is born in the mind of an artist and, through the vehicle of expression, is propelled into the world, usually to make a statement or tell a story. It’s along these lines, Walsh noted, that “Woven Stories” coaxes the audience to question, “What is art?”

“Tapestry artists communicate their experiences of the world through woven art work in much the same way as any contemporary painter,” said Walsh. “Like most artists, their ideas emerge through preliminary drawings and paintings. Otherwise, these would remain sketches if not (translated) into fibers.”

“Woven Stories” exhibits the works of 20 contemporary tapestry artists from coast to coast. In scouting works, Walsh found herself wildly impressed by the physical effort required of the artists.

“The impetus of putting together an exhibit of such labor-intensive work was admiration for these artists, whose intense focus, attention to detail and commitment in making a piece of art that might take a up to a year to complete enthralled me,” said Walsh. “Such dedication to one’s art making is awe inspiring, especially at a time when we all expect ‘instant gratification’ from our smallest efforts.”

The Ann Street Gallery is pleased to present its newest exhibition Woven Stories: Contemporary Tapestries, featuring hand-woven works by a group of select artists. The Ann Street Gallery invites you to the Artist Reception on Saturday, December 10 from 6-9 pm. With this exhibition we hope to give visitors an opportunity to experience a unique style of contemporary art, stunning works by twenty artists from the across the country and Canada.

The artistry of tapestry weaving in a long and continuous one, ancient tapestry specimens can be found in the works of ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Peruvians, early European, and Native Americans. Even in our age of a twenty first century world dominated by technology, this ancient art form is thriving and just as relevant today as in past millenniums.

In Woven Stories, contemporary artist-weavers approaches to the medium are highlighted, and we see a broad range of works, each rich in imagery. Viewers will see weavings that convey challenging messages, explorations of space and form, painterly abstractions, landscapes, and portraits. These diverse tapestries also range in size, from large scale hangings to smaller sized works, three dimensional and mixed media pieces. As a group, the work is thought-provoking with each artist using their own unique visual language to address modern day issues such as gender, politics, and the environment. While the exhibition Woven Stories is only a snapshot view of current tapestry weavings, our aim in showcasing these works is to promote public awareness of the art of tapestry. We hope this exhibition encourages further interest in the medium, while raising the profile of tapestry as a mainstream art form.

Artist featured in the exhibition are:  Kate Anderson, Janet Austin. George-Ann Bowers, Barbara Burns, Betty Ferguson, Louise Halsey, Susan Iverson, Tari Kerss, Mary Kester, Lialia KuchmaSusan McGehee, Margo MacDonald, Pavlos Mayakis, John Paul Morabito, Sue Pretty, Erin M. Riley, Sarah Salin, Cameron Taylor-Brown, Betty Vera, Linda Wallace, Sherri Woodard Coffey, and Marzena Ziejka.

The exhibition is on view through Saturday, January 28, 2012. The exhibition was curated by Virginia Walsh, Director of the Ann Street Gallery.

The artist reception for the exhibit will coincide with the next guitar concert at the Ritz Theater! The Ritz Theater and La Bella Strings, in association with the Bardavon, are pleased to announce the third concert of the 2011-12 Tom Humphrey Guitar Series. On Saturday, December 10 at 8 PM, Frank Vignola’s Hot Club, is back by popular demand! In celebration of Django Reinhardt, guitar virtuoso Frank Vignola, a leading proponent of Reinhardt’s gypsy jazz style of playing, has assembled a topnotch trio for a searing tribute to one of his earliest musical influences. Frank is one of the most accomplished, multi-dimensional players walking the planet today. Monster player, composer and improviser, Frank plays proficiently in every genre, from jazz to bluegrass, and has recorded and toured with the liked of Madonna, Leon Redbone, and Ringo Starr. After last year’s 3 encores to his one standing room only performance, our audience demanded we bring Frank Vignola’s Hot Club back to the Ritz!

The concert will be held in the Ritz Theater Lobby at 107 Broadway in Newburgh. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through TicketWeb at (866) 468-7619, www.ticketweb.com, via our website at www.ritztheaternewburgh.org, or by calling the Ritz Theater Box Office at (845) 784-1199. All tickets are general admission and include a reception with the musicians immediately following the concert. Seating is limited.

The Ann Street Gallery is a nonprofit art gallery specializing in contemporary emerging and established artists. The gallery is located at 104 Ann Street in Newburgh, and hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 am-5:00 pm and Friday through Saturday 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

For more information regarding Woven Stories and the Ann Street Gallery, contact Virginia Walsh, Director at (845) 784-1146 or

This new exhibition highlights a thematic grouping of sixteen visual artists whose work demonstrates the enduring interest and diversity of figural art, showcasing an array of stylistic approaches to the subject. The human form has endured as a powerful theme throughout the long history of art. Since prehistory different cultures and time periods have painted, drawn, and carved images of the human form applying to these the values and beliefs of their own age. Prehistoric caves entomb our earliest known figurative drawings and paintings. Ancient Egyptians carved the rigid human forms into their hieroglyphics, while archaic Greek and Roman sculptors, as well as artists of the Renaissance, created works of art that glorified the human body. As societies evolved, so did the ways artists investigate and interpret the human form. Not only does figurative art act as a direct means to address the human condition and make connections, but especially for these sixteen contemporary artists, it remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration.

The works in the Human Form: An Enduring Inspiration exhibition features artists drawn from across the country, bringing together exemplary works of paper, videos, photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures, collage and embroidered fabrics bound by their shared theme and inspired by the human form. These representations offer the viewer an opportunity to compare and contrast works of different styles and mediums, while experiencing an encompassing range of possibilities. There are the classical nudes, illusionistic portraits that express powerful emotions, drawings that explore identity and sculptures focusing on social issues, as well as, embroidered narratives of personal histories. In short, what these works reveal is the artists’ inspirational use of the human form emphasizing its versatile capacity to capture the diversity and complexity of the contemporary human experience.

Artist featured: Gulgun Aliriza, Andrea Cote, Rebecca Darlington, Kaya Deckelbaum, Marsha Gregory, Erica Harris, Joetta Maue, Meridith McNeal, Theresa Pfarr, Jacquelyn Schiffman, Jackie Skrzynski, Tracy Stuckey, Catherine Welshman, Mallory Wetherell, Jeremy Willis and John Yost.

The exhibition was curated by Virginia Walsh, Director of the Ann Street Gallery. The Ann Street Gallery is a nonprofit gallery located in the City of Newburgh specializing in contemporary emerging and established artists. The gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am-5pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-5pm. For more information regarding Human Form: An Enduring Inspiration and the Ann Street Gallery, contact Virginia Walsh at (845) 784-1146 or visit www.annstreetgallery.org.

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image above: Theresa Pfarr, Mad About You, oil on canvas

The Ann Street Gallery Presents

On Sunday, October 23, 2011 from 2-4 pm, the Ann Street Gallery will hold its 3rd Annual High Tea, a fundraising event which will benefit the gallery’s programming.

Enjoy the afternoon tasting a fine selection of teas from Harney & Sons, assorted sandwiches and desserts, while listening to live chamber music. A silent auction will also be held.

The cost of the tea party is $40 per person and we request that you kindly RSVP as there is limited seating.

In addition to silent auction items available to bid on (all proceeds benefit Ann Street Gallery programming), there will be a raffle for a wonderful gift basket graciously donated by Harney & Sons. The basket includes Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea, African Autum Tea, Pomegranate Oolong Tea, Old Fashioned English Toffee, Shortbread, a Decorative Journal, and Teapot.

The Ann Street Gallery is a nonprofit art gallery specializing in contemporary emerging and established artists. The award-winning gallery’s mission is to provide quality exhibition programs that encourage a greater public understanding and appreciation of contemporary art across cultures and between generations. The gallery is located at 104 Ann Street in Newburgh, and hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am-5 pm, and Friday through Saturday 11 am-5 pm.

For more information on and reservations for the tea party, contact Virginia Walsh, Director, at (845) 784-1146 or email or visit www.annstreetgallery.org.

Volunteers are needed, if you are interested in volunteering for this event (to assist with set-up, clean-up and other duties), please contact June Henley at (845) 562-6940 ext. 110 or

Harney & Sons Fine Teas
5723 Route 22
Millerton, NY 12546

phone:
888.427.6398

Follow this link to a complete online photo gallery of this exhibtion on Flickr!

In this exhibition, twenty-four contemporary artists from across the country come together and offer an expansive vision of the contemporary ceramic scene. Breaking Boundaries provides a survey of ceramic works highlighting an impressive array of ceramic artists, from young emerging talents to established artists whose work is on the cutting edge of contemporary art. On display in the exhibition are varied selections of challenging works ranging from small whimsical utilitarian vessels, large sculptural pieces to site-specific installations.

As a medium, ceramic art has an ancient and rich history of cultural expression and utility. There is also something fascinating about the primitiveness of clay and its versatile creative process. Perhaps the attraction is its timelessness, or just a medium itself that seems to resound within all of us as human beings. For contemporary artists the potential of clay for expressing aesthetic ideas is enormous, varied and ever expanding. The artist work in Breaking Boundaries reflects new and exciting responses to the medium while exploiting its malleability, which makes for an infinite range of artistic expression and interpretations.

In particular, this exhibition calls attention to the existing prejudices surrounding the medium and challenges those to take a broader view of its possibilities, while elevating an awareness of contemporary ceramic arts. Works showcased offer ceramic enthusiasts new talent to explore. For visitors, it is an opportunity to directly connect to the visceral tactility and joy of objects made in clay. In Breaking Boundaries, viewers can explore the creativity of contemporary ceramic artists who extend the possibilities of working with clay and unconventional materials while breaking through the boundaries imposed by the art establishment.

Artist featured in the exhibition are: Dylan Beck, Ruth Borgenicht, Maureen Burns-Bowie, Bryan Czibesz, Carole Epp, Raymond W. Gonzalez, Doug Herren, Priscilla Hollingsworth, Liz Howe, Roxanne Jackson, Calder Kamin, Debbie Kupinsky, Julie Malen, Kate Missett, Wendy Olson, Vince Palacios, Gabriel Parque, Jesse Ring, Benjamin Schulman, John Williams, Alyssa Wood, Jennifer Woodin, Jindra Viková and Matthew Ziemke.

The exhibition is on view through Saturday, September 24.

The Ann Street Gallery is a nonprofit art gallery specializing in contemporary emerging and established artists. The gallery is located at 104 Ann Street in Newburgh, and hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 am-5:00 pm and Friday through Saturday 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

For more information regarding Breaking Boundaries and the Ann Street Gallery, contact Virginia Walsh, Director at (845) 784-1146 or www.annstreetgallery.org

Join Safe Harbors of the Hudson on Saturday, June 11 at 6 p.m. for Celebrating Five Years: 5th Annual Gala Celebration. This year, through an Asian theme, Safe Harbors is celebrating five years of transforming lives and building communities through housing and the arts in the City of Newburgh.

The honorees for this year’s gala are Dr. William Richards, president of SUNY Orange and Kevin D. White, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newburgh.

The event will be catered by F.E.A.S.T. Caterers and held in the historic Green Room inside The Cornerstone Residence in Newburgh. A cocktail hour will be held in the Ritz Theater Lobby at 107 Broadway. Dinner and dancing will follow.

Tickets to the event are $125 per person. All proceeds benefit Safe Harbors of the Hudson and its ongoing mission of transforming lives and building communities through housing and the arts. For more information or to reserve a ticket, contact June Henley at 562-6940 ext. 110, jhenley@safe-harbors.org, or visit www.safe-harbors.org.

The Ann Street Gallery in Newburgh, which specializes in contemporary emerging and established artists, has opened its newest exhibition.

“Frame of Reference: Dioramas in the 21st Century” will run through July 9. Gallery hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This exhibition highlights a group of 13 artists who explore the theme of self-created worlds of dioramas, while addressing a variety of contemporary concerns, including psychological and social issues, natural environments and virtual realities. Artists featured in the exhibition are Jessica Bottalico, Darlene Charneco, Lisa Dahl, Lisa di Donato, Jennifer Hunold, Misako Inaoka, Katerina Lanfranco, Elizabeth Livingston, Jason Paradis, Margaret Roleke, Jonah Samson, Justin Shull and Rachel Vaters-Carr.

As a vehicle for artistic expression, the diorama provides contemporary artists with the perfect platform for taking into account real-life conditions by deftly intertwining elements of the authentic and the imagined into constructed environments, silent captured scenes, which are frozen in a moment of time.

For more information, contact Virginia Walsh, director, at 784-1146 or vwalsh@annstreetgallery.org or visit annstreetgallery.org.

This exhibition highlights a group of thirteen artists who explore the theme of self-created worlds of dioramas, while addressing a variety of contemporary concerns, including psychological and social issues, natural environments and virtual realities. The works in the exhibition are diverse in size and medium, such as tiny matchbox situations, room-sized installations, embroideries, paintings, video, architectural and ecological sculptural models and psychologically charged photographic studies of miniature environments.

Many of us are captivated by the magical charm of dioramas and there seems to be an innate human desire to recreate our surroundings, especially those that transform the landscape of life into parallel or miniature environments. As children or hobbyists of any age, we love playing with a favorite dollhouse or creating miniature action-packed toy soldier battles. Historically, we can see this same fascination beginning with ancient cultures, such as the small scale environmental models found in ancient Egyptian tombs, or the elaborate Medieval Christmas crèches, right through to 1822 when Louis Daguerre coined the word “diorama” in reference to the his new type of theatrical entertainment, only to reappear again as our present day virtual reality games.

As a vehicle for artistic expression, the diorama provides contemporary artists with the perfect platform for taking into account real life conditions by deftly intertwining elements of the authentic and the imagined into constructed environments, silent captured scenes which are frozen in a moment of time.

Artists featured in the exhibition are Jessica Bottalico, Darlene Charneco, Lisa Dahl, Lisa di Donato, Jennifer Hunold, Misako Inaoka, Katerina Lanfranco, Elizabeth Livingston, Jason Paradis, Margaret Roleke, Jonah Samson, Justin Shull and Rachel Vaters-Carr.

The exhibition is on view through Saturday, July 30.

The Ann Street Gallery is a nonprofit art gallery specializing in contemporary emerging and established artists. The gallery is located at 104 Ann Street in Newburgh, and hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 am-5:00 pm and Friday through Saturday 11:00 am-5:00 pm.

For more information regarding Frame of Reference and the Ann Street Gallery, contact Virginia Walsh, Director at (845) 784-1146 or . You can view the entire exhibition on our Flickr photostream, click here.

Please visit our YouTube page (click here) to view a video of the artists reception on June 4, 2011 or download the video (click here)  for the exhibition Frame of Reference: Dioramas in the 21st Century

The Ann Street Gallery is delighted to present their newest exhibition, Frame of Reference: Dioramas in the 21st Century, with an artist reception on Saturday, June 4 from 6 to 9 p.m.

This exhibition highlights a group of thirteen artists who explore the theme of self-created worlds of dioramas, while addressing a variety of contemporary concerns, including psychological and social issues, natural environments and virtual realities. The works in the exhibition are diverse in size and medium, such as tiny matchbox situations, room-sized installations, embroideries, paintings, video, architectural and ecological sculptural models and psychologically charged photographic studies of miniature environments.

Artists featured in the exhibition are Jessica Bottalico, Darlene Charneco, Lisa Dahl, Lisa di Donato, Jennifer Hunold, Misako Inaoka, Katerina Lanfranco, Elizabeth Livingston, Jason Paradis, Margaret Roleke, Jonah Samson, Justin Shull and Rachel Vaters-Carr.

The exhibition is on view through Saturday, July 9.

The Ann Street Gallery is a nonprofit art gallery specializing in contemporary emerging and established artists. The gallery is located at 104 Ann Street in Newburgh, and hours are Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. and Friday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information regarding Frame of Reference and the Ann Street Gallery contact Virginia Walsh, Director at (845) 784-1146 or vwalsh@annstreetgallery.org. You can also visit www.annstreetgallery.org.