All In a Year's Work

Finishing up my last day of work for the year at Norman Rockwell Museum, I thought I would try and collect a few thoughts. 2015 has certainly had it's share of highlights. Maybe I should start backwards... 

Since Norman Rockwell was known for his Christmas-themed illustrations, the holidays are always a big time of year for us. This month I had all kinds of press contacting me, including WIRED, a lifestyle website in Brazil, and WDEL Radio's "Saturday HotSpot"—the latter showed up on my radar a year ago, when host Frank Gregory called with interest in doing a segment on the Museum for the holidays. I guess it went well, because Gregory (a self-proclaimed Rockwell fan), had me on his show not once but twice over the past month. Here is the generous segment we did on November 7, where I talked about everything from our history, holiday events, and traveling exhibitions, to our new show on illustrator Harvey Dunn (who just happened to start his career in Wilmington, Delaware, where the station is based- lucky coincidence):

"CBS Sunday Morning" also called, looking for material on Mary Doyle Keefe, the model for Rockwell's "Rosie The River" (who passed away last April). Did we have any interview footage with Keefe? Yes, one of countless interviews I have conducted with Rockwell models over the years. I sent them a portion of a video I did with Keefe back in 2002, and you can hear a portion of it included in their "Passages" segment, which aired this past Sunday. 

Fortunately, I had the chance to create a few video productions of my own for the Museum this past year. The latest was this promo for our annual fund (not too late to donate, folks):

2015 was all about trying to master our new HD camera, and Adobe Premiere Pro. Final Cut Pro still feels more intuitive for me (maybe because I have been using it for so long), so I continue to use that editing software at home. I guess it doesn't hurt to be well-versed across platforms. 

All aboard... the simple pleasures at NRM.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Sometimes I keep it "low-tech" and just pull out my iPad or Android and start filming things, like I did with a recent trip down Main Street Stockbridge, immortalized in Rockwell's "Home for Christmas" painting. You can watch my "quickie" edit here. 

A couple things to point out about that video: how lucky I was that at the end of my drive, there was a car turning down the main road with Christmas tree attached to the roof (just like in the painting!). I also liked the way this quickie synced up with the Vince Guaraldi Trio (holiday music that gets me in the spirit every year). Others seemed to agree, as the video received over 400 likes and was shared nearly 300 times on Facebook...not bad for a quick, creative exercise to promote our holiday events.

Of course, my creativity connected me in other wonderful ways this year. I had the chance to interview New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast for a video featured in our summer exhibition. It was fun to get a glimpse of her Ridgefield, Connecticut studio, and learn how she comes up with her ideas. I will also never forget our trip to New Haven to take part in an interview for WNPR. I keep thinking the trip, sprinkled with idiosyncratic moments (all mine!), might make it into one of her cartoons. I really enjoyed discussing comics (a longtime passion of mine) with this true professional...who was as nice and normal as can be.

Dear God, how many years?... JC @ NRM, Oct. 2015

I had the chance to share my love of the movies this year as well, as the Museum took me up on the idea to go "back in time" during our classic car show. Where else would I have the opportunity to run around dressed as Marty McFly, while sharing my love of Back To The Future? I would have never guessed, 15 years ago, that I would end up overseeing such an event, but here I was welcoming filmmakers and car owners connected with my favorite film series of all time, and having an absolute blast. Like the films, it is all in the details... and Rockwell's work seems to echo through that first movie, set in the 1950s- an enthusiastically-received and attended event, to be sure.

Interactive experience at NRM (and I'm not talking
about any of my digital material featured in this display)

I can't say it has always felt "Rockwellian" this past year, and there were times where I have felt a bit down (usually due to politics, and the shifting balance of creating and facilitating). On one such occasion this past month, I decided to head down to the Museum and try to take some photos. I ended up chatting with some visitors who were using one of our new interactives, and had the chance to entertain them with some stories about the Museum, Rockwell, and the many models and characters related to this world that I had gotten to know over the past decade. Their laughter and enthusiasm really changed my day, and reminded me of the reason we are working here... to share this artist's work with current and future generations. On my way out, I heard someone yell, "hey Marty!" and it turned out to be a couple who had attended our Back To The Future day, enjoyed my talks and screenings, and ended up being one of the last visitors to leave that day. I think I need to visit the front lines more often.

Peace on earth. I can't think of a better
holiday greeting...

Finally, as someone active and interested in peace action efforts, I must mention our exhibition at the United Nations, which was such a tremendous opportunity for all involved. I know I speak for the Museum when I say how honored we were to share Rockwell's work with the over 65,000 visitors, global leaders and representatives (including Pope Francis), who visited the show over the summer and early fall. Representing the Museum, coordinating the press conference at the UN, and attending the opening reception with my wife were real highlights; my counterpart at the UN was wonderful to work with, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson were both extremely supportive of the exhibition. But the biggest thrill was learning that it was my online video of Rockwell's United Nations drawing that caught the attention of UN representatives in the first place, and inspired the show (which included the video). How do you top that for outreach?

Quite a year. My 15th anniversary, in fact. It's been a long and challenging road, but I know I have made a difference at this museum, and even managed to share my own artistic talents along the way.

Related Link:

Norman Rockwell Museum website

People Person

This past month marks my fifteenth year at Norman Rockwell Museum. Originally starting as a docent, giving talks about the Norman Rockwell's life and career, I now serve as one of the Museum's chief spokespeople in my role as manager of media services. Time flies, and I can't believe how much I now know of the artist and the field of illustration.

So, as I'm often asked, what's new at the Museum? Well, our exhibition, We The Peoples: Norman Rockwell's United Nations was a big success at the United Nations Headquarters. I am particularly proud that this exhibition came out, since it is my video about Rockwell's 1953 United Nations drawing that caught the eye of the peacekeeping organization, and inspired the show to mark its 70th anniversary. Nearly 70,000 people, including important delegates, are estimated to have viewed the exhibition (which included my video) during its run.

Celebrating the "Golden Rule": Pope Francis and
United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon share a
Norman Rockwell moment at the UN.
Photo courtesy: Samir Afridi/UN

Although the exhibition officially ended on September 15, the Museum continued to loan Rockwell's drawing and Golden Rule painting, in order for the UN to share the works with visiting dignitaries. High on that list was Pope Francis, who stopped by the UN this past month during his first visit to the United States. Alerted by my UN counterpart to his planned visit earlier in the week, I was charmed when he finally sent us photos of the pontiff admiring this beautiful painting from our collection. Just the day before the Pope referenced the concept of "the golden rule" during his historic address to Congress (I like the guy!), so it seemed a fitting backdrop. Days later, President Obama was introduced to the United Nations drawing during his visit, and apparently was impressed (remarking that he would like a copy). All in all, a great way to cap off this historic opportunity for the Museum; I felt honored to have played a part.

Fearless: with Rockwell model, Marjorie Coulter, "Freedom From Fear."
Courtesy: Norman Rockwell Museum.

The concept of "we the peoples" works so perfectly with Norman Rockwell's work, as he seemed to capture the hopes and aspirations of the general public from the twentieth century to this day. Since my earliest days at the Museum, I have taken it upon myself to document the stories of those people who worked with the artist. People were the focus of Rockwell's work, and so his models played an important role. As I told the website BerkshireStyle, "he made all the models very at ease, even the young children. He was a very personable individual and was able to get the expressions he wanted."

Over the years I have captured nearly 100 videotaped interviews with Rockwell models, that now serve as an important document for the Museum's archives. I have heard many stories over the years, yet still can be surprised...as I was back in 2009 when a woman named Marjorie Coulter visited and informed us that she was one of the young children in Rockwell's Freedom From Fear, part of his iconic Four Freedoms series:

Every first Friday of the month, the Museum holds a "Meet Rockwell's Models" program, where visitors have the opportunity to meet the figures presented in his work. Marjorie joined us in September, and for October I invited a woman named Pauline Adams Grimes to share her memories.

Rewind: meeting Rockwell models, summer 2001.
Photo courtesy: Norman Rockwell Museum.

I had first met Pauline back in 2001 during a big Rockwell models reunion that we held at the Museum; that is when I started videotaping models' oral histories, yet only managed to film a few remarks of her remarks. Eight years later, I traveled out to Arlington, Vermont, with one of my colleagues to attend a model reunion being held in the town that Rockwell called home, before moving to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and finally managed to sit down with Pauline and capture her story.

Pauline and her siblings were introduced to Norman Rockwell back in the early 1950s, by folk artist/neighbor Grandma Moses, who knew that Rockwell was looking for a multi-ethnic crowd to appear in a sketch he was working on about the United Nations. The family posed for several photos in Rockwell’s Arlington studio, and Pauline ended up pictured in the bottom right of the drawing. Although traveling to the UN’s headquarters to conduct research and photograph actual delegates to appear in the illustration, Rockwell eventually put the image aside (and revisited the concept for the painting Golden Rule in 1960, which featured Pauline's brother Paul). 

Rockwell model Pauline Adams Grimes
exploring NRM's archives, Oct. 2015.
Photo: Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell
Museum. All rights reserved.

Prior to the opening of We The Peoples, I tried to contact Pauline to let her know about the exhibition. I wasn't sure if she ever received my phone or post card, until I finally heard back from her at the end of the summer; she was thrilled to learn about the show and the existence of the drawing, and ended up visiting the UN with her family to view the original illustration for the first time (and meeting the UN's Deputy Secretary-General); "It was beautiful," she later remarked. "More than I ever dreamed it would be."

This aspect of my job has been one of my favorites: seeing the joy that Rockwell's work creates for people, and being able to help facilitate that and even introduce to new audiences. The fall is our busiest season, and as I helped greet the dozens of tour buses that arrived daily to view the vibrant art and foliage, I couldn't help but remember my start giving gallery talks at the Museum over a decade ago. 

One of my newest tasks is being appointed editor-in-chief of our members' magazine (who says print is dead?), and so I continue to play an important role at the Museum, through my knowledge, creativity, and own passion for the arts. If only my father, an admirer of Rockwell's work and artist in his own right, could see me now.

Related Links:

"Norman Rockwell's Models" (interview), BerkshireStyle, September 2, 2015

"Model UN/NRM" (written by JC), September 2015, Norman Rockwell Museum website

"Honoring The Golden Rule" (written by JC/videos edited by JC), September 2015, Norman Rockwell Museum website

Capturing the Spirit of the Capital Region

Egyptian art... by way of the Albany Institute collection.
Photo: Jeremy Clowe. ©Albany Institute of History & Art.

As if there wasn't enough to do around the Capital Region this weekend (LarkFest, Lake George Jazz Festival, apple picking!), this afternoon the Albany Institute of History & Art will be presenting a family day with an area theme (their new exhibit, "Capital Region in 50 Objects" opens today). Check out the program listing on their website (with photo taken by yours truly)... sounds like a fun afternoon! They'll be presenting scavenger hunts in the galleries, art in the studio (inspired by Iroquois History and Culture), face painting, traditional Native American storytelling, and a Nipper Look-Alike Contest (I'm trying to get our pup to master that cocked head pose). The event is free with regular museum admission.

AIHA is a great museum—be sure check out their sculpture galleries, and current 3D photography exhibition. Here are some promo photos I took recently of their equally impressive education program (what fine instructors!):

Learn more: www.albanyinstitute.org

Exhibitionist

A reminder that you can see examples of my exhibition video work for Norman Rockwell Museum at both the museum in Stockbridge, MA (Roz Chast: Cartoon Memoirs), and at the United Nations Visitors Centre in New York City (We The Peoples: Norman Rockwell's United Nations). 

I have been getting some nice compliments on both, and this week The New York Times has recommended the Roz Chast exhibition (and video!) in their "What to Do This Weekend" section. Enjoy... whatever your plans!

Toon-ing in with Roz Chast at Norman Rockwell Museum, July 2015. 
Photo: Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Pitch Perfect

Left to right: Sherm Safford, Norman Rockwell's
original "Rookie," ready for his close-up with
CBS correspondent Lee Cowan, during visit
to Norman Rockwell Museum, May 15, 2014.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell
Museum. All rights reserved.

Last week producers from CBS News visited Norman Rockwell Museum to film a segment I coordinated and originally pitched (no pun intended) regarding Norman Rockwell's 1957 painting, The Rookie (Red Sox Locker Room). You can read more about the origins of the shoot in this extensive Berkshire Eagle article, which I was interviewed for.

This Thursday, May 22, watch CBS Evening News to view the segment, which will include interviews with the painting's original model, Sherm Safford, and tours of the Museum's galleries, archives, and Rockwell's Stockbridge studio, located on our grounds. 

I will write more about the show, the Christie's auction of the painting (to be held on the same day), and my continued efforts as a spokesperson for the Museum. As they say, keep your eye on the ball... and watch this space!

Related Links:

CBS Evening News website

"Rockwell's 'The Rookie' to be featured on CBS News," Berkshire Eagle, May 19, 2014

Local Roots Rock!

The North & South Dakotas... waking things up in Saratoga!
Photos by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Things are starting to wake up around here after a long, harsh winter. This afternoon we had brunch and delicious crepes at a fine little cafe here in town (Tesoros), and made it to the Spectrum, our favorite movie theater, to catch the charming Grand Budapest Hotel (highly recommended!). To top that off, we said hi to Moses and soaked in the sun with a stroll around Albany's Washington Park. This weekend it sure has been nice to keep it local.  

To reinforce this theme, last evening we headed out to Saratoga Springs to catch a local band called The North & South Dakotas. We first heard the band on one of WEXT's live in-studio performances, and were quite impressed—the Dakotas have a lively Appalachian, bluegrass/roots-rock sound, with infectious tunes to match ("Troubles of Mine" is one of my early favorites). Last night's concert, held at the Putnam Den, was a CD release party for their newest album, Honey.

True blue: Zack Hay, founding member
of The North & South Dakotas.

And how sweet it was... the venue was inviting (with pool tables, atmospheric lighting, and a bouncer who looked like CeeLo), and the sound quality was good. Even before the show, lead singer Zack Hay made a point of introducing himself to me and Sarah, and by the time the band took the stage, it was evident that he had a pleasant stage presence and manner with the rest of the crowd. Eventually the venue felt like a right old hootenanny, with the audience tearing up the dance floor—as I expected, the band knew how to start a party.

Hailing from Saratoga, the North & South Dakotas were created in 2011 by Hay, guitarist Mark Retajczyk, and bassist Colin Hunt. According to their website, the band's harmony-rich sound "pays homage to the spirit of old-time American music, mountain folk traditions, and the golden age of the singer-songwriter." Their music developed further with the addition of Mike Graves (who seemed to be having a ball behind the drums last night), and Nayt Patenaude, who really sweetens the mix with his exceptional skill at playing mandolin and dobro.

Nayt Patenaude- music to our ears!

An older gentleman, who was to the side of us filming last night's show, turned out to be Patenaude's father, and we enjoyed learning a little more about the band's history, and his son's musicality (it really was a treat to hear him play). I'm really finding myself drawn to roots music lately, and feel so lucky that we have a band like the Dakotas in the area—we will definitely check them out again.

I have to say that things are looking up for "the 518"—I'm becoming more aware of the many talented artists and musicians in the area (thanks in part to WEXT, which is dedicated to playing local music), and there are exciting new venues popping up like the Low Beat (formerly Valentine's), which just held their grand opening in an area we have more than a passing fondness for (Albany's Central Avenue). 

Locally grown!

So the term "locally grown" continues to mark quality... it should be exciting to see what else comes to life in the months ahead.

Related Links:

The North & South Dakotas website

"Valentine's Music Hall finds new home, new name," WTEN-TV, April 4, 2014

*Special thanks to Zack Hay for letting me photograph the gig—we had a blast!

Encore

With Diego Garcia this past November at a WEXT-
sponsored show in Albany (yes, he made "OurExit!").
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Sarah and I just learned that the guest DJ spot we recorded for Exit 97.7 WEXT over the summer will be rebroadcast this upcoming Monday, December 23, at 11 p.m. ET. We stumbled upon this news by hearing our promo air on the station a couple times during the last 24 hours... a bit of a surprise, but a nice compliment and way to end the year! 

WEXT's weekly "My Exit" program allows listeners to host an hour of their favorite music— this was my second time hosting, and Sarah and I used this occasion to celebrate our one year anniversary. It was good fun. 

We're lucky to have a non-commercial station like WEXT in the area. They produce several ongoing specialty shows, focusing on local music, Latin rock, classic soul, and so on... earlier this year they broadcast a retrospective I produced that looked at the 30 year career of Norwegian band A-ha, and this past week they have been counting down a list of the "top 500 bands of all-time"— for the most part I appreciate their choices (I even submitted a few picks of my own to them before hand). The station is currently in the midst of their year-end fund drive— to make a donation, learn more about their programming, or stream our show next week, visit exit977.org

Dia de Los Muertos

Today Norman Rockwell Museum is presenting its annual walking tour of the Stockbridge Cemetery, burial site of such town luminaries as The Sedgwick Family, Elizabeth Freeman, and Norman Rockwell. The tour kicks off at 5 p.m., with a cider and donut reception outside of the town's clock tower (site of Rockwell's 1971 Springtime in Stockbridge painting).

A few weeks ago I headed over to the cemetery, in an attempt to take some "spirited" photos for inclusion in a Halloween events commercial being produced by the Greater Springfield Visitors Bureau and CBS-3 Springfield. It was a bright, late summer day, but my intent was to get some shots that verged on the "scary" and "sinister." Here are a few of the more successful shots:

Camera: Canon EOS 60D, mostly manual setting/non-flash.

All photos by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum.

©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Fright-Filled Links:

"ZombieFest TV spot," CBS-3 Springfield

"Luminaries" (photos by JC), Norman Rockwell Museum Facebook

"Exploring The Stockbridge Cemetery," Norman Rockwell Museum blog (written by JC)

airborne!

inside/out in the Berkshires... Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.
All rights reserve.

The week ended on a high note in the Berkshires... the Google Art Talk was a big success (so far, over 600 worldwide viewers), and there's already talk about the Museum getting involved with another one. For those who missed it, you can watch the archived talk (and even see a few minutes of me and my hastily tidied office at the beginning... lol) on YouTube.

Yesterday I spent part of the afternoon running around the Stockbridge Cemetery, taking photos for an upcoming TV commercial showing Halloween-themed events happening in Western Massachusetts. Sort of a bold way to spend Friday the 13th(!), but I came out alright... and so did the photos. Actually, I think I managed several rather eerie shots, which is what they were looking for (the Springfield visitor bureau representative sure was enthusiastic about the results). I'll see about sharing them at a later date.

Photo from "Dancers Among Us" by Jordan Matter.
©2012 Jordan Matter. All rights reserved.

Turning from the dead to the living, I thought I would take a moment to talk about a great photography book that is out right now called Dancers Among Us. Photographer Jordan Matter has taken some delightful photographs of dancers taking flight in everyday situations, and this collection is really a fun and inspiring collection for any coffee table (dance lover or not). The subheading for the book reads: "A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday."

Joie de vivre: Jordan Matter speaks in Blake's Barn,
Jacob's Pillow, August 23, 2013. Photo by Jeremy Clowe.
All rights reserved.

A few weeks ago, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in the Berkshires invited Mr. Matter to speak about his work and sign copies of his book in their Blake's Barn space (donated, in fact, by dancer Marge Champion, whose late son Blake had performed at the festival). A fan of his work, I decided to go check out the talk, and had the pleasure of chatting with Matter afterwards (my dancing wife and I now own an autographed copy of the book). I really enjoyed hearing his stories about getting involved with the project, some of the adventures/challenges along the way, and how he approaches his craft. It turns out that the affable photographer does little in the way of pre-planning the shoots, preferring to let the dancer and location inspire him on the spot. To me this seems like a perfect solution to overcoming intimidation or getting too hung up on the details of a work. His next project will be a book looking at athletes in similar situations.

The Festival posts many of these "Pillow Talks," but I have not seen the lecture posted yet. I did find this fun clip of Matter working on a shoot up in the forests surrounding Jacob's Pillow itself (you get a sense for his outgoing personality here as well):

Meeting Matter at Jacob's Pillow, August 2013.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

After the talk we stayed around to watch a dance performance at the venue's Inside/Out stage, where dancers literally perform against the beautiful countryside of the Berkshires. I started taking a few non-flash photos, but was asked to refrain by the Pillow staff... understandable, as they have it all very well-documented (photographers, videographers, etc.). I have documenting dance in the past... I'll have to see if I can find some of my work as I start to organize my old files here in the Electric City. 


Of course, I have also always loved dancing (indeed, Sarah used that quote that he dances "like no one is watching" to describe me at our wedding). The spirit of Matter's work reminds me that we should definitely look into taking some more classes soon. So on this Yom Kippur weekend I say "L'chaim!"

Related Links:

www.jordanmatter.com

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival

Spokesmanship

"Hey girl..." doing my best Ryan Gosling
to impress you. Photo by Ben Garver
for The Berkshire Eagle. All rights reserved.

Ok, it must be pretty evident by now that in addition to writing/video producing, one of my main duties at Norman Rockwell Museum is spokespersoning (Not a word? Should be). Honestly, it's something like performing... and storytelling. I am proud of what I have accomplished in this regard over the past decade, and today comes my second appearance in The Wall Street Journal. 

Norman Rockwell Museum is included in a feature about historic sites/museums utilizing new media/technology to attract new audiences; I was interviewed at length last week about our digital initiatives, and they use a quote in today's paper about our new exhibition, Norman Rockwell: Happily Ever After. This new experiment involves visitors using their smartphones or tablets to access content available through QR codes placed near the paintings. In addition to Rockwell's reference photos, the model videos mentioned in the article were created by me—some are quite old... recorded not long after I started at the Museum in 2001. As you may know, I have been involved with other technological initiatives during my time at the Museum, including exhibition videos, an interactive timeline and Google Art Project, but this is the first effort involving gallery material accessible by portable devices. Anyway, it's a cool idea... we'll see how it pans out. It's also interesting to read about the technological efforts and concerns from other venues listed in the article. On top of that, they use one of my photos on the newspaper's front page (reproduced here)!

Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Of course I wish I had more time to create videos, but there is something rewarding about acting as a spokesperson... makes all those public speaking classes pay off. It's also interesting to see how often I am misquoted or my name is misspelled/mispronounced (eh, that's "Clowe," rhymes with "the show")... you have to let it roll off your back, I guess... ultimately, it is all about promoting the venue and work. 

On that note, here is another interview I gave to The Berkshire Eagle a few weeks back for an article about low-cost opportunities at the area's cultural organizations. Perhaps the best quote in the article comes from my wife's cousin Vicki, who has been a long-time member of the Museum (I actually met her years before meeting Sarah!): "I've been to other museums in different states and countries, and a lot of them are stuffy. The Norman Rockwell Museum isn't like that -- everyone is friendly. They take a personal interest in you." 

Well-said.

Grab a chair! Representing the Museum and Norman Rockwell in the
artist's studio. Photo by Ben Garver for The Berkshire Eagle.
All rights reserved.

Related Links:

"Historic Sites Welcome Kids Who Love to Text," The Wall Street Journal, August 1, 2013

"Norman Rockwell Museum: Where 'everybody is friendly," Berkshire Eagle, June 25, 2013

High Fidelity

Back in Rochester for my birthday weekend. I had a great time yesterday catching up with friends and family... even a lobster dinner and bonfire in the mix! Year is off to a good start.

Today I enjoyed an early morning jog around town, and was home in time to listen to the rebroadcast of our My Exit show over breakfast. Thanks for the nice comments for those who listened in. Here is what we played for our anniversary playlist:

Dancing on air... photo by John Whipple for Jeremy and
Sarah Clowe. All rights reserved.

-"Strange Effect" live- Diego Garcia, "iTunes Live from Soho" EP

-"Under My Thumb"- The Rolling Stones- "Forty Licks" 

-"Lips Like Sugar"- Echo & The Bunnymen- "Ballyhoo: The Best of Echo & The Bunnymen"

-"There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"- The Smiths, "The Queen Is Dead"

-"You Can't Hurry Love"- Stray Cats, "Runaway Boys: A Retrospective '81-'92"

-"Cry To Me"- Solomon Burke, "Ultimate Dirty Dancing"

-"Get Up Offa That Thing"- James Brown, "20 All Time Greatest Hits!"

-"Say Hey (I Love You)"- Michael Franti and Spearhead, "All Rebel Rockers"

-"Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key"- Billy Bragg & Wilco, "Mermaid Avenue"

-"In My Life"- The Beatles, "Rubber Soul"

-"Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall"- Coldplay, "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" single

-"Analogue" (live)- A-ha, "Ending On a High Note"

-"Scarlet Begonias"- Grateful Dead, "From the Mars Hotel"

-"I Found You"- Alabama Shakes, "Boys & Girls"

I would love to do more radio... I miss the days when I had a regular show here in Rochester on WBER-- I have been listening to the station since I have been home, and recognize a few of the DJs. 

If you're in the Capital Region this weekend and up at the crack of dawn, you can catch me on Radio Disney Albany's "Backyard Show" this Sunday, July 28, at 6 a.m. I am the featured guest, talking about the Snow White exhibition and other happenings at Norman Rockwell Museum. You might be able to stream it online as well.

I have also heard that a recorded interview I gave to WGBH radio has been making the rounds during NPR stations' broadcasting of Tanglewood concerts. Again, talking about the Museum and our summer lineup.

Who knows... maybe my radio days are just getting started again...

Related Link:

"My Exit: Jeremy and Sarah Clowe," All Over Albany, July 22, 2013

State of Mind

You bet your sweet ascot I'm back on stage! 
With actress Amy Lane in SCP's production of Alan 
Ayckbourn's "Woman in Mind." Photo by Tom Killips.
Courtesy and ©Schenectady Civic Players.

Sorry for the lack of posts here lately... I have been too busy preparing for my upcoming play, Woman in Mind, with Schenectady Civic Players. We actually open this Friday, March 15, with an 8 p.m. performance, followed by shows throughout the week and next (final performance is on March 24). If you haven't ordered tickets yet, you can do so on the theater's website.

Working on this play has been quite the process. My character, Andy, is very much "in the head" (to play on words) and there are a couple tricky scenes that I have been learning how to pull off convincingly. Luckily I am working with a great cast and talented production staff. We have all been busy with tech and dress rehearsals over the last few days, which has made for an even more intense schedule.

Before I moved out to the Hudson Valley and Berkshires, I was working at a couple equity theaters in Rochester, New York. I must say that Schenectady Civic Players is every bit as professional from what I have experienced so far. 

Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.

Although technically a community theater, SCP has been around since 1928, operating out of Schenectady's historic Stockade district. The theater is actually a former mid-19th century Masonic temple, so it has a lot of character and plenty of resources (including a vast collection of costumes and props). Now in its 85th season, the theater has produced nearly 450 plays— from recent Broadway hits to classics to avant-garde— I have seen a couple of these shows and have been impressed with the results.

So I'm quite excited about my return to the stage! I am scheduled to appear with the cast and director on WAMC Radio's The Roundtable this Friday to discuss the show— it should be a fun preview to our opening night! You can listen in to the Albany NPR station's segment around 10:30 a.m. on their website.

Ok, it's off to fuss around with tying an ascot for tonight's dress rehearsal... as they say, "the Show" must go on! 

Related Links (updated 3/14/13):

Schenectady Civic Players website

"A 'Mind' of her own," Albany Times Union, March 13, 2013

It's The End of the World As We Know It, and I Feel Fine...

New Year's Eve, 2011. Welcome to my blogosphere! Ok, this is fairly new territory for me. I used to keep a journal as an effort to sort out my thoughts and loosen up my creativity, but in recent years I haven't really made the time. Well, one of my new year's resolutions is to get back to that... but don't worry, I won't be sharing all of my innermost feelings here (although that could be interesting)!

The real reason for this blog is about moving forward-- the new year will be a big one for me, as I am getting married to my longtime girl (the lovely Sarah) and looking forward to new opportunities-- both personally and professionally.

On that note, I'm just finishing up a "stay-cation" away from my full-time job at the Norman Rockwell Museum, where I manage the press department. I know what you're thinking... how did I end up doing that? Well, it's actually not as far a stretch as you might think. I did study illustration back in college, but the real reason I ended up at the Museum was curiosity.

My father, who passed away when I was a teenager, was a big fan of Norman Rockwell's work. When I moved to the Hudson Valley over ten years ago, I stumbled upon the nearby cultural mecca of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, and, in turn, the Rockwell Museum. I thought it might be a kick to learn more about the artist, and learn a little more about my father's interests as a result. In addition to interning in New York City at a video post-production company, I also began working at the Museum as a docent, giving talks about Rockwell's work and such, which was a fun outlet for my performing side. Before long I was also offered a full-time job in the Museum's communications department, which was intended to utilize my background in video production and other forms of creativity.

And so, several years later I now manage the press department, and have created several videos for the Museum's exhibitions, promotions, and archives. I have been proud about what I have accomplished during my unexpected tenure in Stockbridge. One of the highlights of 2011 for me was being asked to lecture at The George Eastman House in my hometown of Rochester, NY, about my experience interviewing Norman Rockwell's models. Over the years I have actually produced a pretty extensive collection of oral histories with people Rockwell used to help bring his paintings to life. This has offered me a rather unique insight into an artist's creative process, and I can't help but think that my Dad would have been amazed to learn about my experiences.

I'll try and talk more about this work at a later date, but here's an edited podcast, containing audio (and some of the visuals I used) from my lecture at the Eastman House from last August. Certainly one of  my fondest memories of 2011:



Oops, my fiancee is reminding me of the other highlight from this past year-- getting engaged! True dat. :) I hope to also use this blog to document the equally creative steps leading up to the BIG DAY!

They say that 2012 will be the "end of the world," but for me it's just the beginning. HAPPY NEW YEAR!