THREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS COMING THIS MONTH
The Hermitage Artist Retreat is very pleased to announce three programs to be held on Manasota Key in the month of February. They include programs by musicians, writers and visual artists. Each is different and unique.
“There is always a wide range of artistry at the Hermitage,” remarked Bruce E. Rodgers, executive director. “AND it’s always rewarding to be able to share the artists’ work with the community. These three unique programs are representative of the interesting mix we have come to appreciate, expect and enjoy.”
Beginning on Friday, February 12th, 2015 Greenfield Prize winner in Music, Percussionist/Composer Bobby Previte and Performer/Writer Andrea Kleine will talk about their past and present work, as well as how, as married artists, they do or do not influence each other’s work. The program will take place in the Palm House located just south of the historic Hermitage campus, 6630 Manasota Key Road, beginning at 5:00 pm. Bobby Previte is a composer, drummer and bandleader. He moved to New York City in 1979 and became involved with the downtown music scene, which has come to be known as contemporary-classical. A series of albums recorded in the late ’80s established him as one of the relatively few drummers who were also composers of significance. Leading a plethora of diverse ensembles, he has performed at festivals and clubs worldwide, and has collaborated with some of the leading lights in and beyond the world of music – from master composer John Adams to rock icon Tom Waits to legendary filmmaker Robert Altman. Andrea Kleine’s first novel Calf, was described by Publisher’s Weekly this way, “Dread stalks every page, and the result is unsettling, scary, and often brilliant. For readers looking for a sharp, twisted narrative, this is a keeper.” The story is based on real-life events from Kleine’s past. She writes fiction, plays, performance works, and occasional criticism on art. She is a five-time MacDowell Colony fellow, a Montalvo Arts Center literary fellow, and a New York Foundation for the Arts fellow. The program is free but reservations are requested and can be made by calling 941-475-2098, ext. 8.
On Monday, February 15 at noon, writer Jim Heynen will give a reading and lead a discussion at the Manasota Beach Club, 7660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood. The luncheon program is entitled Spinoff from the Truth, which Heynen describes as a reading and discussion of how his short tales start with memoires but transform into fiction. Heynen writes poetry, novels, nonfiction, and short fiction. He has been featured on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered”. He is best known for his short short stories about “the boys,” and his many works include The Boys’ House: New and Selected Stories and Standing Naked: New and Selected Poems. The cost for lunch is $22. Reservations can be made by calling 941-474-2614.
The next day, Tuesday, February 16, marks the first day of an exhibit by Hermitage Fellow Michael Wyshock in the Palm House Gallery, 6630 Manasota Key Road, Englewood. Wyshock’s work features fractured color in still and moving compositions. Among many past awards for his work are a Pollock Krasner Award, Ringling Tower Award, Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Award, Vermont Studio Center Full Fellowship, Louisiana Arts Council Award and the Florida Sate University Distinguished Alumni Award. This exhibit will be on display Monday through Friday from 10:00 – 4:00, (except holidays) until August 31. Admission is free. Reservations are not required.
“Being able to exhibit work by Hermitage fellows is an exciting new option for us, now that we have set up our offices in the Palm House,” explained Rodgers. “We will change the artwork from time to time and the public is welcome to stop by during the day and enjoy whatever is on display. We hope this is the beginning of a new and popular exhibit space.”
The Hermitage is a not-for-profit artist retreat located at 6660 Manasota Key Road in Englewood, FL. It invites accomplished painters, sculptors, writers, playwrights, poets, composers and other artists from all over the world for residencies on its beachfront historic campus. Artists are asked to contribute two services to the community during their stay and as a result, Hermitage artists touch thousands of Gulf Coast community residents with unique and inspiring programs each year. All Hermitage community programs are partially sponsored by the Women’s Exchange and the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. In addition, the Hermitage awards and administers the prestigious Greenfield Prize, an annual $30,000 commission for a new work of art, rotating among three disciplines: visual art, music and drama. The Hermitage also partners with the Aspen Music Festival and School to award the annual Hermitage Prize to a composition student during the Festival. For more information about The Hermitage Artist Retreat, call 941-475-2098 or visit the website at www.HermitageArtistRetreat.org.
