While much of the push to make Ellenville over through the arts may be motivated by economic revitalization and the potential selling of real estate, Sigunick is adamant that the arts won’t simply be used as a means to an end. This means creating art events that appeal to everyone, from civic leaders and business owners to the artists themselves, all while trying to improve the quality of life of the average Ellenville villager. This improvement, however, isn’t entirely quantifiable, leading to some hesitation and cynicism on the parts of residents and artists alike. However, all those in attendance on July 15 were enthusiastic about all they saw and the potential the current activities of EA3 holds for their village’s future.
This year’s “10x10x10” looks to improve on the formula that was crafted last year, an event loosely based on a similar undertaking in Pittsfield, MA, called the Storefront Artist Project, in which artists were given empty storefronts to create art and use as open studios that the public could view The goal was to attract tourists and more art-centric businesses, a strategy which, according to Pittsfield’s Director of Cultural Development Megan Whilden, has helped transform the city into a hotspot for the region’s arts.
“10x10x10” is similar in that it gives 10 selected artists from 10 nearby areas the opportunity to install displays of their work in storefronts, both occupied and empty. If you ask some of the village’s residents about last year, this opportunity may have been taken too far in some cases. One display, by sculptor Huma Bhabha, was removed by the artist from Cohen’s Bakery amid complaints of indecency. (The uproar seemed overblown given the sculpture’s desexed anatomy—a genderless mannequin posterior perched on a mushroom shape atop a wooden base—and Cohen’s owner Bill Tochterman’s support of the piece.) Performance artist Eeo Stubblefield created a visceral display featuring her protest of the war in Iraq, a topic that consumed her every waking hour, and inspired local filmmaker John Hazard to create a short documentary, No Time for Beauty: Eeo’s Choice, screened at the June 24 Arts Council meeting at Ellenville’s Shadowland Theater. Stubblefield’s performance piece included hundreds of graphic images of maimed Iraqis, predominantly children, representational straw effigies of civilian casualties, and a parade of women, including Stubblefield herself, dressed in burqas and singing songs of protest. While Stubblefield’s piece didn’t cause any outright controversy as Bhabha’s piece did, it added some much needed life to Ellenville’s barren streets, suddenly abuzz with activity and talk.
This year Sigunick is hoping to recapture much of the life of last year’s event with less of the concerned whispering. Part of the criteria for this year’s display stipulates that each artist be in some way actively involved with their communities, like Peekskill Arts Council Member Jo-Ann Brody and co-curator of Beacon’s Go North Gallery Karlos Carcamo, whose piece features upside-down, dilapidated dollhouses suspended over empty bullet casings. The piece draws attention to how buildings and homes can become neglected, completely turning the way we view them on its head.
The village has also had its first takers for artist loft space this past June; Russ and Monica Dansky, owners of a fabric dying business called Colorworks, took advantage of the rezoned space behind R.J. Realty. Fed up with trying to run their business in Middletown, the Cragsmoor couple decided that Ellenville had a great opportunity waiting for them in regards to low rent and location.
Businesses that don’t focus on the arts also stand to gain if the revitalization initiative succeeds. “It’s been a positive experience because it brings new faces around,” says Ray Matthews, owner of Matthews Pharmacy. “It brings new faces on the street, who see my store, and some of them come in. Has it generated any new revenue for me? Probably not,” he says, adding the hopeful “yet.”
Shadowland Theatre’s Artistic Director Brendan Burke says, “The arts are economic stimulus,” referring to how the arts can act as a magnet for tourists and other businesses to set up shop. He would know—the Shadowland is one of Ellenville’s most important artistic successes, bringing up to 750 people each weekend and producing plays such as this summer’s “Natural History,” featuring Tony award winner Michele Pawk. “Would Aroma Thyme even have been opened if the Shadowland didn’t exist?” he asks, alluding to Ellenville’s other attraction for out-of-towners, the Aroma Thyme Bistro right down the street from the theater.
