Electric Blue Yonder's MicroPARTY at Conkling Hall
WAMC The Roundtable interview w/ Electric Blue Yonder
Artist kicks off ‘Around the Apple Tree’ project
The Daily Gazette: September 20, 2020
Photographer: Photo provided by M. Story
Artist Susan Story stands by the apple tree she'll be basing her project on. Inset: Her first sketch of the tree.
From artist Susan Story’s perspective, trees are like dancers with slowly changing poses.
That’s especially true of a certain sweeping apple tree on the historic Samuel Jenkins property in Rensselaerville, not far from her home. With its winding limbs and gnarled trunk, the artist has been drawn to the apple tree for many years.
As the number of orchards in Albany County has risen in recent years, Story began seeing the tree as not only artistic inspiration, but also as an important natural resource that bolsters the local economy.
“I started combining what it is doing for our communities up here with enjoying the beauty of the tree itself and how important it is. Everybody loves an apple tree when it’s blooming, don’t they? They love to go apple picking in the fall,” Story said.
In what she’s calling an “Around the Apple Tree” project, she’s creating a life-size version of her favorite apple tree using interlocking wood panels and oil/pigment sticks. Altogether, the piece will be more than 12 feet by 12 feet, and she hopes it will draw attention to the many benefits apple trees provide to communities.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Albany County had 32 orchards in 2017, compared with 11 in 2012. Story’s project reflects that growth as well as the number of industries that have grown with it, like the hard-cider industry.
It’s part of the reason she plans to create a smaller tree, coming in at 8 feet tall, that community members can paint and complete. Both trees will be displayed at Conkling Hall in Rensselaerville this fall.
National movement grips rural Rensselaerville as more than 100 march for racial equity
The Altamonte Enterprise: Thursday, June 18, 2020 - 17:09
Photo: The Enterprise — Michael Koff: Hébert Joseph, who chairs Rensselaerville’s Democratic party, right, marches with a sign that reads “Hate has no home here."
RENSSELAERVILLE — Nearly three weeks after George Floyd, a black man, died as a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds despite his pleas that he couldn’t breathe, Rensselaerville became one of hundreds of municipalities across the country that have seen protests or other anti-racist demonstrations.
Over 100 Turn Out for March for Racial Justice
Thank you for all the positive support you provided and for the wonderful turnout yesterday at the march for racial justice. Our community may be small, but yesterday it spoke volumes! Thank you Chris Hicken, for sharing your video with us.