Hope for the Future

Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

One of the most memorable events for me this past year was taking part in the People's Climate March in New York City on September 21. The largest climate march in history, an estimated 400,000 people took to the streets to show concern and support for measures to combat the threat of a changing climate. 

In addition to the good will, there was an incredible amount of creativity on display. Enjoy the slideshow (below) of some of my photos from this historic day, which I was proud to take part in. 

Related Links:

"2014 Brought Lasting Action on Climate Change Policy," NPR, December 30, 2014

Remembering The Father of Video Games

Photo of Ralph Baer in his Manchester, NH, home,October 2011. 
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

I was sorry to hear about the recent passing of Ralph H. Baer (1922-2014). Considered "the father of video games," Baer held over 150 patents in the U.S. alone, and was responsible for the creation of such early games as Ping-Pong in the 1960s; and Odyssey, the first home video game console, in the 1970s.

As someone who was obsessed with video games in middle school/early high school, I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to travel to Manchester, New Hampshire in October 2011, to meet Baer and conduct a videotaped interview in his home/studio for Norman Rockwell Museum (where he had been an art donor). Then 89 years old, Baer seemed as active as ever, still tinkering in his studio and trying out new ideas. He was also quite generous with his time, offering a quite thorough interview and explanation of his early experiments in television engineering, which lead to the idea of interactive video gaming. Here is a quick edit I created yesterday of some of the footage: 

Yes, that's Baer trying out Simon, which he also created. I remember being quite taken with that musical toy as a kid, and it's pretty wild to realize that this pioneering engineer also advanced the electronic toy and greeting card industry—I enjoyed having the opportunity to literally see his creativity at work during our meeting. 

Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Five decades later, video games are a billion dollar industry (today it's my pre-teen nephew hooked on such games as Minecraft). It's nice that Baer had the opportunity to see just how far his ideas had come; it was an honor for me to spend some time getting to know him.

Related Links:

"Video game designer Ralph Baer invented your childhood," Washington Post, December 8, 2014

"Portrait of a Game-Changer," my 2011 article for Norman Rockwell Museum

Holiday Special

This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of the Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas weekend, inspired by Norman Rockwell's beloved holiday portrait of the town where he lived and worked, coincidentally, for 25 years. Stockbridge is also home to Norman Rockwell Museum, so the holidays are always a busy time for us as well. 

Welcome to Main Street- Photo courtesy Time Warner Cable News

One of the highlights of the town's annual festivities is a recreation of Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas, which is part of our permanent collection. The Museum receives it's fair share of press requests connected to the event, and last Friday was especially busy throughout the day--I found myself taking part in a photo shoot in the town's historic Red Lion Inn for Italian National Geographic, and conducted a video interview about the celebration for Albany's Time Warner Cable News. I'm anxious to see the shots from the talented photographer, but you can already watch the TV interview (which has been airing this weekend) here. A nice change of pace from all the depressing national news lately.

Related Links:

"Stockbridge Main St. Turning into Rockwell's Christmas Painting," Time Warner Cable News, December 5, 2014

Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce

Norman Rockwell Museum

I Can't Breathe

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Humanity not brutality: joining the Albany, NY protest over NYC grand jury decision 
regarding the death of Eric Garner. December 4, 2014. Photo by Sarah Clowe.

Creativity on Display

Still from "AHA! A House for Arts" segment on NRM.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for WMHT Educational Telecommunications.

Tonight is the debut of my
latest segment for WMHT-TV's new arts show, AHA! A House for Arts. The video takes a look at Norman Rockwell Museum (you could say I had a little inside knowledge), utilizing footage I filmed onsite this past summer/fall with the Museum's new Sony HD camera (extra footage will be used for a planned Museum promo video as well).

This production was not without it's challenges, since I was still figuring out how to operate the camera and coordinate it with my editing software... talk about learning on the job! I have to thank the thorough Sony Pro Video tech support, as well as several of my contacts in the video/film business (you know who you are), who helped me troubleshoot until I got it right. The segment airs tonight at 7:30 p.m. on WMHT, and will be rebroadcast this Sunday, November 16, at noon (those outside of the area can watch it online here).

In other Norman Rockwell Museum news, we have just opened a new exhibition on the art of illustrator/historical artist, Mort Künstler, with an opening event planned for this Saturday, November 15 (with artist in attendance). Meanwhile, in Rome, Italy, the Museum's traveling exhibition, American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell has opened at the Fondiazone Arte Musei Roma--this European debut seems fitting, as Rockwell paid several trips to Rome after his youngest son Peter moved to the city.

Peter Rockwell still lives in Rome (where he works as a sculptor), and was able to attend this week's opening at the Fondiazone, along with our Museum Director. A few years back I actually created a video about his own artwork (for NRM's 2009 exhibition, The Fantastical Faces of Peter Rockwell). Sadly, the interview was not conducted in Italy (instead, outside of Boston), however I was quite happy with the results (Peter seemed pleased as well, remarking that "you are really very good at doing videos"). I have to thank my production assistants and a supportive supervisor, who helped me chip away at that one: 

Related Links (updated 9/13):

AHA! A House for Arts episode featuring Norman Rockwell Museum

"Norman Rockwell Celebrates a Century of Norman Rockwell Exhibitions with European Debut," Norman Rockwell Museum press release

House for Arts

Hi there, long time no blog... I'm back with the news that this Wednesday, November 12, I have a new segment that will be airing on WMHT-TV's weekly arts show, AHA! A House for Arts. Produced for WMHT Educational Telecommunications, the segment looks at the history and mission of Norman Rockwell Museum, and this time out I  researched, interviewed, filmed, and edited the entire piece. Of course I had a certain level of knowledge and expertise to bring to the table about the subject (since the Museum is my full-time employer); nevertheless, it was still a challenge... and I'm happy with the results and education it provided. 

Albany Barn promo / courtesy www.albanybarn.org

This past week I made some promising new connections in the Albany, New York arts community, in the areas of both film and theater. One of the highlights was a visit to the Albany Barn, a unique creative arts incubator and community arts center in the city's Arbor Hill region. I had heard good things about this grassroots organization, offering studios, community, and affordable housing for area artists, and was impressed with both the space and artwork on display. During our visit, my theater friend and I happened upon the opening night of A Steady Rain, a drama that is being produced by Creative License, a new theater group in the area—we decided to stick around. Written by playwright Keith Huff, the show is essentially a duologue, with the two actors playing long-time friends and fellow cops presenting alternating monologues, as if under police interrogation. Even though the acoustics of the stage made it hard to hear at times, I thought the actors, Aaron Holbritter and Ian LaChance, did a fine job and kept my attention (I recognized LaChance from Schenectady Civic Players' recent production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, where he delivered an equally commanding performance as Dr. John Watson). The striking, minimalist set caught my interest immediately upon entering the venue: just a couple of chairs framed by purple-hued window sills, which cast a moody, rain-soaked tone. We also had a chance to speak with the show's director, Casey Polomaine, before and after the show—I appreciated meeting another talented, creative individual in the area, as I further explore the Capital Region's arts scene (the play is on view at Albany Barn through November 15).

While we're on a theatrical note, one of my last segments for AHA! was a look at Albany's long-running equity playhouse, Capital Repertory Theater. For some reason, not all the transitions in my edit translated successfully to the final segment, which aired on the program last June; so here is a look at the version that I intended (pre-color and audio correction):

AHA! A House for Arts airs Wednesdays on WMHT-TV at 7:30 p.m. And for me, creatively speaking, the show goes on...

Related Links:

AHA! A House for Arts, WMHT-TV

www.albanybarn.org

"'Steady Rain' a gripping cop tale," Albany Times Union, November 7, 2014

Bonus Round

Members of the "Jeopardy!" Clue Crew reading clues about 
Norman Rockwell at Norman Rockwell Museum, December 2013. 
Photos by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum.
All rights reserved.

Norman Rockwell Museum is back as a category on TV's Jeopardy! this Thursday, October 9th. This marks the third time we have appeared on the show in recent months, utilizing footage shot at the Museum last December. The outreach certainly paid off... if I do say so myself—you can read more about it in my blog post from last April.

On a related note, I read some Jeopardy-style clues myself recently: As Schools Match Wits, a long-running high school TV game show, stopped by the Museum to film some clues about the subject of Norman Rockwell, and I was asked to read the clues. I put on my best "Alex Trebek," which was fun. Produced by Westfield State University and airing on Springfield's WGBY-TV, the show is entering its 54th season... quite impressive. When I hear about an air-date, I'll let you know... or, as they say, check your local listings.

www.jeopardy.com

Keep on Dancing

Marge Champion dances with Norton Owen,
Director of Preservation, Jacob's Pillow,
at Norman Rockwell Museum's June 2013
gala. Photo by Jeremy Clowe for
Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Happy Birthday to dance legend, Marge Champion— still the fairest of them all at age 95!

I had the great fortune of meeting this Astaire Award-winner a year ago, in connection with Norman Rockwell Museum's exhibition, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic. At age 14, Marge served as a live model for the lead character in Walt Disney's first feature-length, animated feature, which was something of a risk for the animator at the time. Her expressive moments can be seen in the groundbreaking film, as well as subsequent Disney animated features (Pinocchio, Fantasia), however her fairytale was just beginning—she went on to a highly successful career as a dancer/performer, appearing on stage and screen, including a popular series of movie musicals with then-husband Gower Champion in the 1950s.

In April of 2013, I visited Marge at her apartment in New York City, to conduct an interview for the Museum about her showbiz experiences. Needless to say, it was a great pleasure, and this past June I received "honorable mention" from the New England Museum Association Publications Competition Awards as one of the designers responsible for the marketing/pr materials for the exhibition, which included an edit of the video. The true honor, however, was being able to get to know this inspiring artist, with an age-defying spirit: "keep on dancing" is her advice... and I am taking note: watch for my moves in this fun promo video that my Museum colleagues and I took part in for Berkshire Visitors Bureau:

Related Links:

"Dancing on Air," blog post, June 17, 2013

"Fairest of Them All," blog post, April 7, 2013

Pushing The Envelope

It's all about the chemistry... Courtesy AMC.

Speaking of award ceremonies, I caught a very quick glimpse of the Emmys last night. Despite the irony of other TV award shows being nominated, they are right when they call this a "golden age" of television... "slow-burning, deeply satisfying pleasures" as The Atlantic put it. I too find myself more satisfied with what is being produced on the small over big screen lately (with the exception of Richard Linklater's new film, Boyhood, which was great for similar reasons). 

Today I learned that Breaking Bad won big at last night's ceremony... and rightfully so. The series, writers, lead actor (Bryan Cranston), supporting actress (Anna Gunn), and supporting actor (Aaron Paul) certainly deserved one last bow, following their brilliant run. Also deserving, The Colbert Report for Variety Series (I cross my fingers that the host will be as good when he makes the move to The Late Show). While I wait for the final season of the consistently captivating Mad Men, I hear there are plenty of other good shows to binge on... but I'm not sure I will ever see anything as thoroughly well-produced as Breaking Bad again. Here's hoping.

Related Link:

"Breaking Bad's Hard-Earned, Heartwarming Emmys Win," The Atlantic, August 26, 2014

"Emmys 2014 Winners List," Indiewire, August 25, 2014

#Trending!

This week I learned that Norman Rockwell Museum has been chosen as one of the finalists for a Berkshire Trendsetter Award in the area of "Public Relations"—it's been a busy year, so it's really nice to be recognized by the collaborative 1Berkshires for my efforts on behalf of the Museum! We were nominated "for efforts associated with their 45th anniversary celebration, which involved utilizing their in-house public relations staff to connect with local, national, and international media, and secured coverage in/on the NYTimes, Wall Street Journal, Jeopardy, CBS News, and others." Winners will be announced during a special awards ceremony to be held (in the Berkshires, of course) on Tuesday, September 9.

Speaking of managing the media, this summer has kept me on my toes. We have had some special visitors stop by, including a stop from the celebrity participants of Kiehl's LifeRide to support HIV/AIDS charities. Last Sunday it felt like HOG heaven, as over a dozen gleaming motorcycles descended on the Museum, en route during their nationwide tour. I didn't really recognize any of the celebrities, but several of my friends were jealous that Katee Sackhoff, an actress from the new Battlestar Galactica, was along for the ride. You can view some of my photos from the event here.

Even more satisfying for me that day: a visit from a veteran producer from ABC News, who had helped us with an update of some of our video production equipment. Along with my friend David, who sits on the Museum's National Council and has a background in the TV business, we walked around to look at the Museum's galleries and figure out any additional lighting or production considerations for a new promotional video for the Museum, which I am working on. It was quite helpful, and these two gentleman have been so supportive. I have been doing some filming around campus with our new Sony PMW-100 camera, and loving the results.

I mentioned in a previous post that I have been doing some freelance work for WMHT, the Albany, NY, PBS-TV station's new show, AHA! A House for Arts. The producers have asked me to create a segment on the Museum, and it's proven to be a bit challenging—in addition to trying to squeeze in the time to film, among other obligations, it is also a little daunting... since I am also the press manager, and want to show the Museum in the best light. I will keep you posted.

More immediately, the Museum has been featured on a number of TV news programs in the last week, including New England Cable News, which featured us on a segment broadcast live from Stockbridge (the Museum's town); WRGB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Schenectady (where my Mom used to sing); and Albany's Time Warner Cable News, which interviewed me last week regarding a generous grant the Museum just received from the George Lucas Family Foundation, to support our educational efforts (in addition to being one of the greatest storytellers of our time, the Star Wars creator is also an avid collector of original Norman Rockwell art). If you are a Time Warner Cable subscriber, you can watch the interview here.

#TripleSelfie! with radio host, Garrison Keillor.
June 2014.

Speaking of other celebrities, who meant a lot to our families over the years: Garrison Keillor, the host of the long-running radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, paid a visit to the Museum last June, following a taping of his show at nearby Tanglewood. It was a pleasure to meet Keillor, who I remember my father enjoying so much back in the day. I took some photos during his tour of our galleries, and my wife and I did manage to have him sign one of our books (Love Me, one of my favorites) and chat with him a little bit about the anniversary of his show, which just celebrated 40 years (he stressed that it was a "celebration," not an anniversary!). The noted humorist was just as charming as you would imagine.



Today continued to be busy with visits from reporters from The Boston Globe and Albany Times Union, so there never seems to be a dull moment at the Museum, which continues to celebrate its 45th anniversary. 

Anyway, the weekend is here and I look forward to some R&R... although exciting, a welcome change of pace from all the PR!

Laughing...Until It Hurts

Learning about Robin William's death yesterday was unnerving... to say the least. I was already feeling down, trying to figure out an ongoing challenge at work, and here was news that this actor/comedian, who seemed to have the best job and opportunities, had taken his own life. They say that laughter is the best medicine, so how to reconcile the fact that this comedic genius, who brought a smile to so many faces over the years, had been suffering? 

Good Night, Robin:
Promo photo from Touchstone Pictures'
"Good Morning, Vietnam," 1987

Of course I knew about Williams' past troubles with substance abuse; I am familiar with the darker demons that many artistic individuals struggle with. It's just one of those moments that makes you think about the bigger picture—echoing words from A.O. Scott's appraisal in today's New York Times, Williams was one of those gifted entertainers "we sometimes took for granted or allowed ourselves to tire of."  Someone who, regrettably, we always thought we'd have around.

I feel like I grew up right alongside Robin Williams' career. I remember his debut as the alien Mork (from Ork), first on Happy Days and then in the series Mork & Mindy. It was hard to ignore his manic energy... his zany, "all things go" style. His comedy specials made us think he was "fearless."

Later, it was interesting to see this intensity displayed on the big screen—in both successful comedic and dramatic roles. Some of my favorites include Good Morning, Vietnam (1987); Awakenings (1990); Aladdin (1992); Good Will Hunting (1997); the remarkable One Hour Photo (2002); and, of course, Dead Poet's Society (1989), where he playing the unconventional teacher, standing on his desk, inspiring his students to "seize the day."

Photo courtesy Ellen Mazzer. Los Angeles, CA, August 2014.

Sometimes he could be a bit much, but you can't say he never "went for it" as a performer (even in media interviews). Having done my own share of improvisational acting, I admired and recognized his rare talent—I don't recall watching any of his performances thinking, oh that's Robin WIlliams the comedian doing "Teddy Roosevelt" or a doctor, or what have you. He was a comforting presence on the screen (almost like a family friend), and still delivering the goods after all these years. It's heartbreaking to think that there will be no more.


On a human level, it's hard to hear about another individual who battled and lost out to depression. For the sensitive soul, it can seem especially challenging to find people to relate to and ask for support... if you are reading this and feel that way, I urge you to reach out anyway... to friends, family, acquaintances, or professionals. Life is hard, and I have felt that darkness... we all have at one time or another.

Related Links:

"Robin Williams, an Improvisational Genius, Forever Present in the Moment," New York Times, August 11, 2014

"Remembering Robin Williams," WTF with Marc Maron Podcast, August 11, 2014

U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK

Shoot the Moon

AP Photo/NASA/Neil Armstrong

Today marks the 45th anniversary of Apollo 11's moon landing, which took place on July 20, 1969. Born exactly a year later, I grew up during a time when many of NASA's space race achievements had already been realized, but I think my generation has always had stars in our eyes... dreaming about what a trip to space might feel like never gets old.

Last month I had a chance to speak with one of the men aboard that historic Apollo mission: Buzz Aldrin was the second man to ever walk on the moon, following the first steps of fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong, who passed away in 2012. Aldrin and I had a rather lengthy phone conversation in June to discuss a potential project that would commemorate the anniversary—it was, of course, fascinating to hear about history from one of the men who made it. Lately, the pioneer has been encouraging further space exploration, including the idea of a permanent human presence on Mars (which he wrote about earlier this month). 

So, I'll keep you posted on any further developments about our possible collaboration (who knows, maybe I'll be blogging from the red planet at some point). In the meantime, here is a short clip from the video I created for Norman Rockwell Museum's 2013/2014 exhibition, Wendell Minor's America. In the clip, Minor talks about his work with Aldrin, illustrating the astronaut's two picture books, Reaching for the Moon (2005) and Look to the Stars (2009)—these two books are great for us "children" who weren't around to witness man's first steps on the moon, but surely benefitted from it. 

Related Links:

http://buzzaldrin.com

http://www.minorart.com

All That Jazz

Happy weekend. Just a few odds and ends to share here on this sleepy Saturday morning.

Yesterday, The Springfield Republican printed a lengthy interview I conducted about Norman Rockwell's Stockbridge studio, which is located on the grounds of Norman Rockwell Museum, and right outside my office window. As I mention in the article, having Rockwell's original workspace "is an extraordinary gift to understanding the artist’s process and literally being transported back in time to the space where he created some of his most iconic works,” You can read more here.

A peek at the beautifully-designed Hopper exhibition.
Photo by JC for NRM. All rights reserved.

Speaking of visiting another time, the Museum's new exhibition, The Unknown Hopper: Edward Hopper as Illustrator is an interesting show, showcasing a little-known aspect of the realist master's career; truth be told, Hopper despised the time he spent working in illustration—contrast that with a young Norman Rockwell, who was just starting his career around the same time (early 20th century), and always aspired to follow in the footsteps of such visual storytellers as Howard Pyle and J.C. Leyendecker. I appreciate that the Museum is not shying away from these facts, as the contrast is an interesting note to share, as I pitch the story to members of the press. This past December both artists set records at auction for American painters, showing how their art endures in popularity a century later.

Now that's an entrance! Photo courtesy B. Docktor Photography.
All rights reserved.

For the opening of the exhibit and to celebrate our 45th anniversary, the Museum presented a gala party, which was quite successful. The theme of the party was the "Roaring '20s," and many of us dressed the part. I have to say, Sarah made a lovely flapper, and I enjoyed playing my best Jay Gatsby, as I hopped around the party, photographing and engaging the various guests.; we even made the "society pages," as our photos made it on to two fun, Berkshire culture sites. You can view some of my own photos on the Museum's Facebook page.

Puttin' on the ritz! Photo courtesy Amy Krzanik. All rights reserved.

The 1920s are a fascinating era, full of change and new ideas for society—I watched a couple fine documentaries earlier this month to research the styles of the period, and it raised my interest to learn more about how American culture transitioned from World War I to a more modern age (and right before the big crash!). After the gala, the wife and I decided to finally check out a real-life speakeasy that we had heard about in Albany—the directions were to leave a reservation on their website, which was followed up by a phone call from their staff to confirm; we arrived at the appointed hour to a mysterious, red-lit entrance and after identifying ourselves, were buzzed in by a bearded man who seemed transported from the era! The interior decorations and wait staff furthered the vintage feel, and I have to say the Prohibition-era drinks seemed all the sweeter. We attracted several approving smiles as we found our way to our table, and settled in to enjoy a three-piece jazz combo. It was a wonderful way to cap off the evening. 

Lee @ night. Photo by JC. All rights reseved.

Speaking jazz, I heard good things about the rest of the Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend—my documentary on George Shearing was aired once again following the June 6 concert by members of Shearing's original Quintet, and both members of the audience and band were amused by the anecdotes captured by the jazz pianist's wife, Ellie Shearing (many inquired about buying copies of the video). Copacetic, as they say... and certainly nice to bring home a little extra bacon.

Related Links:

"Studio exhibit showcases Norman Rockwell's studio," Springfield Republican, June 19, 2014

"Norman Rockwell Museum Toasts To Two Masters" (photos by Amy Krzanik), Rural Intelligence

"Norman Rockwell Museum 45th Anniversary Gala" (photos by B. Docktor), Berkshire Style

"Norman Rockwell Museum's 45th Anniversary Gala" (photos by JC and Walt Engels), Norman Rockwell Museum Facebook page

"The Unknown Hopper: Edward Hopper as Illustrator" (exhibition photos by JC), Norman Rockwell Museum Facebook page

Coming Up For Air

Last month was incredibly busy, but certainly rewarding in a creative sense. In addition to finalizing the edit for the Berkshire Gateway Jazz video, May also marked my official return to working in broadcast television.

WMHT-TV's new weekly arts show... yes, I like the name!

WMHT, our local PBS affiliate, is airing a new show titled AHA! A House for the Arts, which I learned about this past winter. Intrigued, I reached out to the station to see if they needed any assistance with the production... I was in luck! My first work for the weekly arts program can be seen this Wednesday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m. You can watch a preview here.

I have had a nice relationship with WMHT Educational Telecommunications over the years, starting with their former arts show, InSight (which used to air my exhibition videos for Norman Rockwell Museum in their entirety), to my recent DJ stints with their roots rock radio station, WEXT—it seems fitting that a company that encouraged me to produce a two-hour radio special on the band A-ha, would go on to offer me a forum for further creativity on their TV arts show, also titled AHA (I was not involved in the naming of the show, though... honest!). Also nice is the fact that this new show is hosted by our friend, Katie Gorham, the WEXT DJ who helped me with both my A-ha and MyExit programs for the station.

AHA! features stories of artists and creative institutions, both locally and across the country. A celebration of all things creative, the show highlights everything from drawing and painting, sculpture, photography, literature, poetry, film, sculpture, digital, and the performing arts. 

My first assignment was to edit a segment, appropriately enough, on theater—Capital Repertory Theatre has been entertaining audiences in the Capital Region for over 30 years as a member of the prestigious League of Resident Theatres; it produces shows with an authentic connection to the community through outreach and performances in their beautiful 286-seat performance space in downtown Albany (we have seen a handful of shows, and have been most impressed).

Everything's coming up roses... hopefully!
Thanks to Cap Rep + photographer Joe Schuyler
for these beautiful "Gypsy" production stills which helped
with my segment, and made me all the more intrigued
to see more shows at the Albany theater!
Courtesy Capital Repertory Theatre. All rights reserved.
www.capitalrep.org

Working with previously shot footage was a nice change of pace, but a challenge since Equity rules prevented the crew from filming any rehearsals or performances of shows (at the time they were running the musical, Gypsy). I decided to bolster the interviews (with cast members and the theater's Producing Artistic Director, Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill) with some "performance"-style music, and fun production stills and commercials that were kindly provided by the theater. I think it came together well—clocking in at a little over 4 minutes, the segment took over 20 hours to produce... but I had a great time, and truly was in my element during the days that I devoted fully to figuring out the production challenge for this and the jazz video—for the uninitiated, editing is like a "high-tech jigsaw puzzle," and the reward is producing a final, compelling piece of visual storytelling—it's an art in itself. 

This first project was not without glitches and uncertainties, but I think I'll save any thoughts about that for a subsequent post. For now, let me savor this AHA! moment, and hope that there are more to come in the months ahead.

Related Links:

"AHA! A House for the Arts" website

Tribute To a Jazz Knight

Ellie Shearing (center) and members of Berkshire Gateway Jazz
during a May 2014 interview regarding her husband, Sir George
Shearing. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

This weekend marks the third annual Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend, to be held in my former town of Lee, Massachusetts. This year's festival, which runs from Thursday, June 5 through Saturday, June 7, will include a tribute to the late jazz pianist, Sir George Shearing.

Last March I was hired by Berkshire Gateway Preservation Inc. to travel to New York City, and film an interview with Shearing's widow, Ellie Shearing, in the beautiful apartment the couple shared near the City's Central Park/Museum Mile. The completed video, with Ms. Shearing recalling her famous husband's life and career (in front of his grand, Bösendorfer piano), will kick off this weekend's festival, with a free screening at the Lee Library, starting at 6 p.m. (the video will also be airing on CTSB-TV).

"The sounds of Shearing": behind the scenes.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights
reserved.

I enjoyed putting this latest music documentary together. It was interesting to learn about Shearing, who triumphed over the odds (and blindness) to become one of the most influential piano players in the world of jazz, with a distinct style that became known as the "Shearing Sound." I had a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the Shearings' home/ recording studio, and heard stories of the many jazz greats who connected with the pianist over the years. It turned out that he and Ellie used to live part-time in Lee, Massachusetts, so this weekend's events seem especially fitting. 

Friday's concert, to be held at the newly restored First Congregational Church in Lee, will feature The Sounds of Shearing, a tribute band to the jazz legend, with members of George Shearing's original Quintet. Proceeds from the concert will help benefit the efforts of the Berkshire Gateway Preservation. For more information about the festival and how to purchase tickets, visit the Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend website.

Related Links (updated June 6):

"Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend: Shearing ensemble honors a master," Berkshire Eagle, June 6, 2014

"Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend tribute to George Shearing to open summer music scene," Berkshire Eagle, May 27, 2014

www.georgeshearing.net

Home Run!

I kicked off the Memorial Day weekend in grand style last Thursday, by tuning in to the CBS Evening News to catch their segment on Norman Rockwell's 1957 painting, "The Rookie," which I pitched and coordinated for Norman Rockwell Museum. Just in time for Christie's auction of the painting, which sold for $22.5 million that morning, the CBS segment was nicely produced, and original "Rookie" model, Sherm Safford was the perfect spokesman. You can view the clip below, and on the CBS News website:

As expected, last week kept me busy with press regarding Norman Rockwell's work at auction, and I fielded numerous calls from news outlets looking for perspective on the artist's enduring popularity; I thought journalist Karen Brown summed up this particular moment quite nicely in a segment for New England Public Radio, for which I was interviewed. Another news story I helped facilitate appeared in last Saturday's New York Times, including comments from our Museum's director. 

As I pointed out to The Berkshire Eagle in their May 16th article about the CBS Evening News segment, even though Norman Rockwell Museum did not own these recents works on the auction block, being consulted for these high-profile stories is "fortunate for us because it reminds people about what was so special about his [Rockwell's] work, and the fact that they can come here to see original artwork and learn more."

Interviewing Sherm Safford, Norman Rockwell's "Rookie," in the
Flower City. Photo by Sarah Clowe. ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Keeping this in mind, I contacted some of the press in my own hometown of Rochester, New York, before heading there for the long, holiday weekend—I figured that they might be interested in knowing that Mr. Safford has been a long-time resident of the area. WROC-TV, Rochester's CBS affiliate, took the bait, and visited Safford and me in the former Rockwell model's home the day after the auction. The station, which I used to work at back in the late '90s as an editor/camera man, filmed interviews about Rockwell's legacy with both me and Safford, and I brought along several props (the artist's reference photos for the painting, "Rookie" products from our Museum store) to help bring the story to life visually. The segment is scheduled to run next Tuesday, June 3, on the station's newscast (more details soon).

After we were finished with the WROC interview, I sat down with Mr. Safford myself, and conducted a videotaped interview for the Museum's archives. This fulfilled a goal we set during our first meeting at Rochester's George Eastman House back in August 7, 2011, when I interviewed Safford during my lecture about Norman Rockwell's models, and the number of videotaped oral histories I have conducted with them for the Museum over the years. It was fun to capture Safford's emotions the day after the heady auction and experience of viewing himself on national TV news the night before. You can listen to our original 2011 Eastman House interview here:

  

The rest of the Memorial Day weekend was spent catching up with family and friends, and making it to two magnificent Rochester landmarks: Highland Park, site of the Lilac Festival (we were just in time to witness the lilacs in full bloom), and the Memorial Art Gallery. The art museum was featuring an exhibit on Henri Matisse as printmaker, in addition to its gem of a permanent collection (which includes everything from Egyptian artifacts, classical paintings and sculpture, to modern art); we were also lucky to catch a lecture on the Hudson River School and plein air painting, provided by the curator of Olana, the historic home of Frederic Edwin Church, in Hudson, New York— it's funny that we traveled out to Rochester for a talk about art created in our area of the state, but it was informative for both me and Sarah (we have painted onsite at Olana ourselves in the past).

Home grown: lilacs in bloom at Highland Park, Rochester, NY, 
May 2014. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

This week I'm back in the Capital Region/Berkshires, tackling press and preparing for Norman Rockwell Museum's upcoming exhibition on the illustration art of Edward Hopper (opening on June 7). Outside of work, I'm finishing up a couple independent video productions... trying to race against the clock. Indeed, taking a few minutes to write here feels like a welcome "seventh inning stretch."

Related Links:

"How Norman Rockwell drafted his 'Rookie,'" CBS Evening News, May 22, 2014

"Rockwell's 'The Rookie' to be featured on CBS News," Berkshire Eagle, May 16, 2014

"Rockwell Paintings Bring Windfalls - On Two Different Scales," New England Public Radio, May 22, 2014