Poughkeepsie Journal, October 5, 2007

Art With Bite

New gallery emerges with ‘Bad Dog’
By Kathleen Wereszynski Murray

Trucker, a mixed breed puppy, has beheaded a Batman figurine, gnawed through the top of a leather shoe and punctured a cell phone. When it comes to chewing, this dog does not discriminate.

Lucky for Trucker, his owner is able to find humor — and artistic value — in his exploits.

“I came in to work one day very distraught with one of my favorite pairs of shoes,” said Nadine Robbins of Rhinebeck’s Namaro Graphic Designs Inc.” (Photographer) Molly (Ahearn) said, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if we photographed them?”

The two creative women started marking in-studio-photographs of all the items Trucker had ravaged, including a pair of expensive Italian leather sandals.

“They’re beautiful still lifes on white backgrounds where the destruction is the focus,” Robbins said. “it’s a series of dog portraits without the dog.”

The result is “The Bad Dog Show,” an exhibition of 22 large artist’s proof photographs that opens tonight at Namaro Graphic Designs on the second floor of the Starr Building.

The opening party launches Mona Lisa Gallery, a virtual gallery founded by Robbins and Ahearn to sell recently made graphics, paintings, portraiture and photography.

Robbins and Ahearn believe their concept is quite contemporary: Convert the office space for a long weekend to show and sell the featured artist’s work, then move the sales online at www.gallerymonalisa.com.

“It’s a different way of looking at a gallery space,” Robbins said.

The duo also intend to offer live Internet openings that will include video feeds of artists talking about their work.

“It brings the convenience of the Web into the art world,” Ahearn said.

Keeping the gallery virtual frees up the women from the expenses of a traditional brick-and-mortar space.

“We don’t have overhead of paying rent and manning the office,” Ahearn said.

“The Bad Dog Show” party, which features free mugs of dog biscuits for the first 100 guests, is part of a culturally rich weekend in and around the Village of Rhinebeck.

A night of special events

Four other visual art openings and special events take place tonight at the new Sharada Gallery, Rhinebeck Savings Bank, Montgomery Row Second Level and RiverWinds Gallery at A.G. Edwards & Sons.

“We need people to know there’s good art to be purchased and seen in Rhinebeck,” said Benjamin Krevolin, president of the Dutchess County Arts Council.

Krevolin came up with the idea of a Friday night arts stroll, which he calls a “cultural convergence,” after learning about the “Bad Dog” opening reception.

“If they’re doing an opening and we’re doing an opening, I thought, ‘Who else can do an opening?’” Krevolin said. “If we can all be open on this Friday night, we can promote it. We’ve just increased everybody’s audience.”

The arts council will feature the work of 12 artist-members in an exhibition at Rhinebeck Savings Bank.

“The savings bank, with its gallery there, is an example of a business that knows how to show art,” Krevolin said.

The show is part of the council’s new Art on Location program, an extension of its Art in the Loft initiative at Millbrook Vineyards & Winery. The winery’s upstairs loft area features seasonal art exhibits, curated by the council, that can be viewed in conjunction with tasting room hours.

“We have been approached by a number of businesses that want to show art in their place of business,” Krevolin said. “We are developing a program whereby we match businesses with artists. The businesses agree to certain standards of exhibition. We will find quality artists if the businesses are quality exhibitors.”

More weekend events

Rhinebeck’s artistic offerings to not end this evening.

Upstate Films is screening classic movies directed by the late Ingmar Bergman now through Wednesday.

On Saturday, author/illustrator James Gurney signs his new book, “Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara,” at Oblong Books & Music and the Rhinebeck Chamber Music Society  kicks off its 2007-2008 concert season with a performance by the Grammy-nominated Imani Woodwind Quintet at The church of the Messiah.

“Rhinebeck has really been making an effort to upgrade its cultural profile, Krevolin said.