The New York Optimist
© MMIX, The New York Optimist. All Rights Reserved. The New York Optimist & www.thenewyorkoptimist.com is a registered trademark
of The New York Optimist.  The New York Optimist is a registered service mark of Thenewyorkoptimist.com. The New York Optimist logo
and original photos are a registered trademark of The New York Optimist  . All other photos are property of the advertiser. And are
rightfully protected under their copyright protections.
Facebook
Twitter
Stumble
You Tube
Digg It
SHARE
Kyle Valentini
Last Thursday night I was invited to film  an art opening
called
Combining Grace, a group art show in tribute
to the Gilda Radner Foundation  of all female artists
at The Station Gallery in Tribeca.
I took the R Train into the city bypassing the N express
over the Manhattan Bridge to get off at a local stop so i
could stroll through the neighborhood as I so often do
when I'm downtown. Tribeca never ceases to amaze me
and for that matter any part of Manhattan has the same
effect on me. Its larger than life and leads my mind to
dreaming, one of my  favorite past times.
Walking down Franklin street I began to get that
uncomfortable feeling in the air of way to much humidity
When the summer rolls around i start an intense workout
regimen of biking push ups and situps and once my
metabolism kicks into high gear i start shedding all the
weight i put on over the previous winter months.
During this time I am usually invited to many art openings
and of course many gallery's in the city choose to keep
the air conditioning on low saving on electric bills which I
could never understand based on the idea that the reason
one holds an opening is to sell paintings and to sell
paintings or anything for that matter a buyer must be
made to feel comfortable.  --------  
..But enough about the business and ethics of owning a
successful gallery and let me get on to the reason I am
writing this story.  GREAT ART!!!
Now not every show you go to is going to have that right
combination of art and atmosphere but once in a while
you can stumble upon an event with all the right ingredients,
cool people, great art, beautiful women and men (both
spiritually and physically) and a comfortable room
temperature ;--) .
The Combining Grace exhibit (A Fund Raiser for The Gilda
Radner Foundation)  at The
Station Gallery Last Thursday
had all of these and more.
Cu rated by Jennifer Contini
Enderby, Tichera Niyego, and Natalie Meek the show
included  art works by Sara Conca, Alix Martin,
Genevieve White, Susan Olmetti, Chris Kalouche, Julie
Staub, Aissata Pinto da Costa, Amber Maida, Michel
Keck, Sonia Semone, Lisa Strazza, Kyle Valentini, Dawn
Sweitzer, Maria Pavlovska, Carmen and Jennifer Contini
Enderby.
 I am not a critic, but if I was, which I will never be,
I would say the art had a truth to it, a reality that usually
comes from sheer passion and belief in what one is doing.
Almost every piece resonated with energy and color and the
combination of these two things usually results in a good
mood
for me every time.
Sara Conca Candy Striper
Red Blush, Desert Woman, and Candy Striper all three
exhibited at Combining Grace in Station Gallery
Jennifer Contini Enderby left vertical and Michel Keck right horizontal
Jennifer Contini Enderby
Finally to quote Jennifer Contini Enderby The Center of
Grace and undoubtedly the key point to this exhibition
was Genevieve White a performance artist and model
who astonished the crowd by painting herself in total
silence while everybody just stood there with an amazed
look on their faces. It seemed like every new color she
brushed onto her body was like a new skin constantly
changing like a chameleon right before my eyes. Using
five primary colors Genevieve created an atmosphere
and brought all of us along with her.
I found myself being drawn in to this scene as i was
filming it capturing it from every angle possible.
It was both erotic and sensual while maintaining a
concentrated playfulness that seemed to control the room.
I have painted nude body's before and seen others paint
nudes many times but this was completely different. She
was the artist and the model, The Painter and The
Painting.  Thank you for putting this show together
Jennifer I am sure Gilda was looking down smiling from
the heavens above.          
  
Combining Grace A Tribute to the Gilda Radner foundation Female Group
exhibition reviewed by Jason Chase