COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Art Museum brings the imaginative design, consummate draftsmanship and dreamy visions of the renowned M.C. Escher to the region with the exhibition, “M.C. Escher: Infinite Variations,” on view May 27 through September 4. This monumental show from the private collection of Paul and Belinda Firos of Athens, Greece spans Escher’s entire career, from his training in Haarlem, his Italian period, to his final years in the Netherlands. Visitors will see nearly every iconic image he produced.
“This exhibition has attracted record crowds in cities across the country and Fenimore is pleased to share it with everyone in Upstate New York throughout the summer,” said Dr. Paul S. D’Ambrosio, Fenimore Art Museum president and chief executive officer. “Escher’s work is complex yet easy to enjoy. Even if you are familiar with him, you will certainly find plenty of new and inspiring work in this impressive collection.”
RICHFIELD SPRINGS—A rummage sale will take place on Friday, May 19 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Church of Christ Uniting, 22 Church Street, including a bag sale from 4-6 p.m. Two large rooms will be filled with clothes for men, women, children, and infants, as well as housewares, books, toys and much more—all at affordable prices. This annual fundraiser is coordinated by the Christian Fellowship and Service Guild. For more information, visit www.rschurchofchristuniting.com or call (315) 858-1553.
Latin Dance Band ‘Ola Fresca’ Set To Perform
COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Concert Series, celebrating its 53rd season, presents Latin dance band Ola Fresca at The Otesaga Resort Hotel on Friday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. Ola Fresca is an eight-piece band featuring tropical Latin roots dance music that bridges several genres of “the Cuban sound,” blending Cuban son, cha-cha, and mambo with salsa, timba, and Afro-Cuban funk.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT—12:30-2 p.m. Join Director of Exhibitions Chris Rossi for a behind-the-scenes tour to learn about putting together an exhibit. Includes lunch and a walking tour of areas typically inaccessible to visitors. Cost, $30/non-member. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1400 or visit fenimoreartmuseum.org
“Blackberry Pickers Sharing,” 2022, Ashley Norwood Cooper. Oil on panel. On view through May 14 at Fenimore Art Museum. (Photo courtesy of Fenimore Art Museum)
Internationally famed artist and Cooperstown resident Ashley Norwood Cooper visited the Fenimore Art Museum on April 26 to walk visitors through her exhibition, “Swarm.” The visit was part of the museum’s “Food for Thought” series of events, each of which features lunch and a lecture or tour by artists and museum employees. “Swarm” is a product of the pandemic, a culmination of Cooper’s interest in swarming shapes like bees, butterflies and even ghost rabbits. She is known for her eye-popping colors and strong, exuberant brushstrokes depicting quiet, often tongue-in-cheek domestic scenes.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT—12:30-2 p.m. Join artist Ashley Norwood Cooper for a special lunch followed by a tour of her exhibit, “Swarm: Works by Ashley Norwood Cooper,” which explores the creative lives of women, the awkwardness of family relationships and the schizophrenic role of the artist-mother-wife teacher. Cost, $30/non-member. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1400 or visit fenimoreartmuseum.org
Molinaro To Request Funding for Oneonta Sewer Project
ONEONTA—Each year, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee entertains community development funding requests for the upcoming appropriations bill. Congressman Marc Molinaro (R-NY 19) announced on Monday, April 17 that he will request $41 million in federal funds for community projects in the 19th district, $4.2 million of which is intended for the Town of Oneonta’s West Main Street Water and Sewer Extension Project. The town plans to install 7,000 linear feet of sewer and water lines, along with their associated laterals, meters, and hookups. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY 21) submitted her requests earlier this year. They include a $1.5 million proposal to build a new firehouse in the Village of Richfield Springs.
WRITERS SALON—7:30 p.m. Stop by for open mic followed by a presentation/reading this month by featured author, Oneonta mystery writer Lesley Diehl. Free, open to the public. Community Arts Network of Oneonta, Wilber Mansion, 11 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 432-2070 or visit canoneonta.org
SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED—Artists are invited to apply to show your work during the annual “Art By The Lake” Festival. Painters, photographers, sculptors and more are invited to apply to set up a stand to display your work, sell your pieces, and do artist demonstrations. Deadline to apply is May 31. Presented by Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1400 or visit fenimoreartmuseum.org
HAUDENOSAUNEE STORIES—6:30 p.m. Join Perry Ground of the Turtle Clan to hear stories from the longhouses of the Haudenosaunee (The Iroquois Confederacy). Hear the traditional legends that teach about the beliefs, customs and history of the Haudenosaunee as Ground brings the stories to life with his interactive approach. Listeners of all ages will find this presentation captivating and educational. $12/non-member. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1400 or visit fenimoreartmuseum.org/
TAX PREP—6-8 p.m. Time’s up! File your taxes with the aid of the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Hartwick College accounting students certified by the IRS, with their professor, will be available to provide one-on-one assistance in preparing individual tax returns. Either in person or online. Held at the Golisago Hall, 2nd Floor, Hartwick College, Oneonta. (607) 431-4338 or visit facebook.com/ofoinc/
NEW HARTFORD—The Utica and Mohawk Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will meet on Friday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church on the corners of French and Burrstone roads. Chapter President Harry Lenz will conduct the business portion of the meeting, including reports on the annual banquet, New York Central 6721, the Adirondack Railroad and the Schuyler Street Switch Tower, among other topics. After the break, Vice President Bradford Paulson will show the DVD “Juiced,” about the last three interurban freight haulers in the U.S. The meeting is open to anyone who enjoys railroads, railroad history, trolleys, interurban operations and electric railroading in general. For more information, call (315) 275-1223 or e-mail bpaulson909@msn.com.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT—12:30 p.m. Join Associate Curator Ann Cannon for a lunch followed by a tour of the special exhibit, “Imprinted: The American Painter-Etcher Movement” which sought to re-establish public appreciation for etching and counter the popular view that engraving was solely a way to make affordable reproductions of artwork. Cost, $30/non-member. The Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1400 or visit fenimoreartmuseum.org
BLOOD DRIVE—10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Save up to three lives with the American Red Cross. Levine Center, A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, 1 Norton Avenue, Oneonta. Register at redcrossblood.org
DINE FOR A CAUSE—11 a.m. Eat out at the restaurants of Otsego county and a percentage of the proceeds will go to raise awareness & support to local non-profit, Helios Care. This week dine at J&D’s Wagon Wheel, 4918 State Highway 28, Cooperstown. (607) 432-6773 or visit facebook.com/helioscarehospice
Pitcher Randy Johnson chats with members of the public during the opening reception for his solo photography show at the Fenimore Art Museum. (Photo by Maureen Culbert)
By WRILEY NELSON COOPERSTOWN
Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson visited the Fenimore Art Museum on Thursday, March 30 to open his first solo photography exhibition. “Randy Johnson: Storytelling in Photographs” features about 30 prints from Johnson’s trips across East Africa.
Johnson is best known for his exceptionally long and successful pitching career, but photography is his passion. He began taking photos in high school and studied photojournalism at the University of Southern California. Although he was unable to pursue this hobby during his hectic years in the minor leagues and with the Montreal Expos, he returned to it as soon as he could.
“Things went well [with the Expos] in 1988. The next year, things didn’t go so well. I got sent back down and then I got traded to Seattle,” Johnson told “The Freeman’s Journal.” “That’s when I started picking up the camera again. I still have photos I took just walking around Seattle with a camera. They’re some of my favorites.”
SUGARING OFF—8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy a full pancake breakfast in the morning then contemporary, historic demonstrations of maple sugar production. Admission, $10/adult. The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1450 or visit https://www.farmersmuseum.org/events/
BENEFIT BREAKFAST—8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All are invited to the Cabin Fever Breakfast, featuring eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes with real maple syrup, biscuits and sausage gravy—the works! Includes a 50/50 drawing, a lottery to win $100 in scratch-off lottery tickets and a basket raffle. Support the Laurens Fire Department, 34 Main Street, Laurens. (607) 433-2906 or visit facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064565867355
The first-ever solo photography exhibition by Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson, featuring images captured during his trek across Africa, begins on April 1 at Fenimore Art Museum. (Photo by Randy Johnson)
COOPERSTOWN Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson will share his 40-year passion for photography in his first-ever solo exhibition at Fenimore Art Museum beginning April 1, 2023. “Randy Johnson: Storytelling with Photographs” features an array of images captured by Johnson during his treks across Africa. The work includes intimate shots of the people he engaged with and the abundance of wildlife he encountered. Johnson’s accompanying written account partners with the vibrant imagery, weaving together a visually appealing grand tour of the continent.
“I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel the world and capture rare moments,” said Johnson. “All of my photos tell a story, but none of these are more meaningful than the ones I was able to collect during my time in Africa.
The images reflect my experiences with the people and wildlife there.”
EXHIBIT TOUR—2 p.m. Hop online to explore the “Thaw Collection of American Indian Art” with Assistant Curator Julia Madore. Followed by a Q&A session. Free, donation of $10 appreciated. Held on Zoom only by Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. (607) 547-1400 or visit fenimoreartmuseum.org
Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum at the annual recognition event held on Wednesday, December 21. Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the Board of Directors of The Farmers’ Museum, presented the awards and Dr. Paul S. D’Ambrosio, president and CEO of the two institutions, presided. A 35-year award was presented to Bob Thompson. Patrick MacGregor received a 30-year award and 25-year awards were given to Meg Preston and Chris Rossi. Kevin Gray and Pete Wiswell received 20-year awards, and 15-year awards were presented to Christine Olsen, Walter Ashley, Mark Simonson, Joelle LaChance, and Todd Kenyon. Lynne Mebust accepted a 10-year award. Pictured above, standing from left, are: Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the Board of Directors of The Farmers’ Museum; Christine Olsen, registrar; Lynne Mebust, museum teacher; Walter Ashley, interpreter; Kevin Gray, manager of arts education; Mark Simonson, interpreter; Paul D’Ambrosio, president and CEO; and Todd Kenyon, director of marketing and communications. Seated: Meg Preston, agriculture events coordinator; Bob Thompson, associate director of agriculture facilities; Patrick MacGregor, manager of interpretation; and Chris Rossi, director of exhibitions. Not in attendance: Pete Wiswell, superintendent of building services, and Joelle LaChance, interpreter.
