The Last Living Room Exhibit for 2012

The Living Room Gallery in Stroudsburg, PA held their final Artists’ Reception for 2012 on Saturday December 1st. To those who have attended the gallery’s previous events, it was no surprise to find a great number of people gathered to partake of it. The Artists’ Receptions at The Living Room Gallery has gained a well deserved reputation for the excitement they instill in all art lovers who seek inspiration from the thought provoking work they display and the joyous atmosphere filled with conversations and wonderful entertainment. The December’s exhibition featured the work of photographers Kyle Kuczma and Martelle alongside the paintings of Kayla O'Connor and Abigail Braman. The evening’s festivities also included a performance of juggling and magic presented by Chris Ruggiero and his One Man Variety Show, music by Ajax Rasputin's Leviathan Variety Hour, and a Holiday Mistletoe Kissing Booth. It was quite a night.

As with all previous receptions, the art and photographic work proved to be outstanding and gave whose who attended the event a great deal to focus their attention upon. The deceptively simplistic images created by Kayla O'Connor reflected those created by primitive cultures whose thin veil between themselves and the spiritual realm was considerably more perceivable than it is by the average person in our more sophisticated existence. Ms. O'Connor’s work encourages us to re-measure this cloth so we can embrace the mystery of both worlds.

The macabre renderings of Abigail Braman leads the viewer on a path which moves beyond the realms of our perceptions of life and death to a new understanding of both concepts. This understanding may lead some to realize there are no distinguishing aspects between the two as they are merely differentiating sides of a coin to be paired with another to be placed upon our eyes when we enter our ultimate awareness. Both Ms. O'Connor and Ms. Braman entreats the viewer to explore the subconscious which creates his/her realities.

The work of Kyle Kuczma allows the viewer to rediscover the familiar through the portraits and scenes he captures through his classical photographic approach to the craft. While all of the images are easily recognized as what they depict, their significance are accentuated simply by their appearance upon the wall. This demonstrates what film director François Truffaut once said about film’s ability to elevate the most common of human experiences by simply placing it upon a screen upon which an audience can see it afresh and contemplate its meaning as well as the meanings hidden in their lives.

The photographic scenes captured by Martelle not only depicts what is familiar but also offers a commentary upon his subjects through an expressionistic approach. The shadow and compositions along with other extraneous elements such as hand prints upon the images offers suggestions there is more to what is seen than what we can see with our eyes. To find it, we must begin to see through our eyes and allow our insights of our internal seer to discover their essence. Once we do so,  we find within ourselves the discoveries that are waiting to be found.

As mentioned earlier, a great deal of entertainment was scheduled to delight the gathering. This was presented after the exhibition’s organizer Shane Izykowski took the stage in order to welcomed everyone and share news about the endeavors The Living Room Gallery will embark upon throughout the year 2013. These included placing the work artists who share their talents in the gallery in other venues throughout the town as well as supporting other galleries and art related projects in the artistic community.

This support was emphasized by the appearance upon the stage of Andrea Robbins Rimberg who (among many other things) is the president of The Pocono Arts Council, The Art and Photography Director of The Forwardian Arts Society Literary and Arts magazine, “Forwardian,” and owner of the Backstreet Studio Gallery located in Stroudsburg, PA. She shared news about an endeavor to revolutionized the local creative population by creating a new art district in the town. This was met with great excitement among the artists and art lovers present as it’s potential to enhance the creativity not easily seen within the area to be more pronounced.

As the effects of learning of the goals The Living Room Gallery hopes to accomplish in 2013 and the potentials of the new Art District began to absorb into the souls of those who were taught of them, Chris Ruggiero and his One Man Variety Show took the stage. The audience was moved from smiles and laughter to amazement and wonder as the feats of balance (aka Juggling) and magic touched the room. As fantastic Mr. Ruggiero’s performance was, the true appreciation of his skills were discovered in the eyes of those who were witness of it. This was especially evident by a small girl whose face reflected all that was taking place and her expression reminded us of the balance between childhood and adulthood we must embrace in order to be whole and created a magic beyond what was being demonstrated.

Chris Ruggiero and his One Man Variety Show is well known for its ability to present a high energy blend of juggling and magic. An average performance included juggling on unicycles, impossible predictions, and a whole lot of audience participation. His next performance is scheduled to take place at The Shawnee Playhouse in Shawnee on Delaware, PA running from December 28th to the 30th. Please contact  The Shawnee Playhouse for more information. You can learn more about Chris Ruggiero and his One Man Variety Show by exploring his Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/onemanvariety.

Chris Ruggiero and his One Man Variety Show was soon followed by Ajax Rasputin's Leviathan Variety Hour whose band rocked the room with its electrifying riffs and powerful vocals which simultaneously soothed and excited all who heard them. They played with a wild abandonment which was echoed within the crowd as they moved and danced to the rhythms that penetrated their beings. The performance could be best described by the words expressed by one person who partook of the experience which are, “Hot damn.”

The performance given by Ajax Rasputin's Leviathan Variety Hour was followed by raffle with pieces created and donated to The Living Room by the featured artists as a prize to those who participated. The funds gained went toward the continuing endeavors of The Living Room which offers artists and art lovers an opportunity to share their mutual love for the arts as presented in this inspiring venue. The raffle was followed by the spectacle created by those who entered the Holiday Mistletoe Kissing Booth for which a photo to be shared on Facebook could be taken for a fee and an additional print of it can be gained for an additional fee. Again, all funds benefited The Living Room.

There are many things which can be mentioned that would reflect the atmosphere of The Living Room and what makes the venue a joyous place to explore art in all its dimensions. However, this environment had never been before so epitomized than during the introduction of the Holiday Mistletoe Kissing Booth. Photographs of the escapades can be found in Shane Izykowski’s “December's Living Room Opening- Kissing Booth” gallery at www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200222759476051.197050.1364313687&type=3 but the pictures can only give an inkling to the great sense of joy the experience gave those who participated. Unfortunately, you won’t find my image among them as I was too shy to partake.

Although this was the last Reception for 2012, it was not met with the farewells one would associate with a sense of finality. Instead, there was much appreciative reflection on the experiences gained since the venue first opened and the eager anticipation to what the new year of 2013 will bring. And, if 2012 proves to be any indication for what one can expect, the future is filled with wonderful things for the venue and all who venture into it. You’ll be able to find more photograph taken during the final artists’ reception for 2012 in The Living Room 2012 Gallery Part 2 at www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151242474950421.513481.636000420&type=3.

The current Exhibition featuring the work of Martelle, Kayla O'Connor, Abigail Braman, and Kyle Kuczma will continue until December 30th. Their January exhibition will be group show titled, “For the Love of the Art” featuring the work of area artists who are currently being invited to share their talents in any media or subject they choose. The Artists’ Reception for the “For the Love of the Art” exhibit will take place Saturday January 5th with the exhibition itself continuing until January 30th. The drop off date is Friday January 4th.

In addition to their exhibitions, The Living Room presents a weekly Open Mic Nites occurs every Sunday Evening beginning at 6pm which Musicians, Poets, Writers, and anyone who would like to share their talents with an eagerly accepting audience are welcomed to participate. There is also a featured band scheduled each week that enhances the enjoyment of the event. You can learn more about The Living Room Open Mic Nite Series at it’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/OpenMicAtTheLivingRoom?ref=ts&fref=ts.

The Living Room opened in April of 2012 and is located on Main Street in Stroudsburg, PA next to The Sherman Theater who owns the building. The Art Gallery is organized by members of The Living Room Art  community who include Shane Izykowski, Martelle Jones, Elisa Byrne, Tom LeFevre, Darlene Farris Labar, Sarah Bouma, Toby Sabatine, and Billy Mack. Please Explore The Living Room Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Living-Room/123978921059378 for more information about the venue, what it offers to the community, and how to participate and become involved with the art related work it does.