Harlem valley — Having children is not a prerequisite to serving on one’s local Board of Education (BOE) — but taking an interest in how one’s tax dollars are spent, how one’s community functions as a whole, how the local housing market is valued and how area children are educated, is. That’s why school districts throughout the Harlem Valley are hoping responsible adults, whether parents or not, are seriously considering running in the Tuesday, May 21, BOE elections.“Boards of Education in public schools are one of the few ways that citizens and taxpayers can take a direct role in one of the most important community endeavors, and that’s the education of the next generation,” said Pine Plains Central School District Superintendent of Schools Linda Kaumeyer. “Service on the board is one of the most important, if not the most important, way that community participation in the matters of the school district can be achieved.”James Gratto, superintendent of schools at the North East (Webutuck) Central School District, agreed.“I think it’s our local voice,” he said. “That’s what our education system is based on, local control and local decision making. We have a very effective Board of Education. It’s really student-centered decisions that our board has made, and if somebody is a parent of a student in the district they should consider being involved.”But Gratto concedes that not everyone can manage to do so.“People who have kids in school are very busy, and it’s very difficult to come to meetings,” he said. “We do get people here sometimes, which is good, and the board and I are always interested in hearing what their needs are. It helps when the community comes out.”Millbrook Central School District Superintendent of Schools Philip D’Angelo echoed Gratto’s sentiment.“I think it’s very important [for the public to participate],” he said, “because the school board is the voice of the community and the way it’s set up in New York state is the school board runs the district. I, being superintendent, make recommendations to the board, but I do not have the power to hire and fire. The board takes all actions — they represent the needs and desires of the community.”All three districts, Pine Plains, Webutuck and Millbrook, have seats up for election this spring. In Pine Plains Heather Boucher’s and Fred “Chip” Couse’s terms expire this year. In Webutuck Joanne Boyd’s and William McGhee’s terms expire. In Millbrook Joseph Forte’s and Craig Wolff’s terms expire.Petitions with a minimum of 25 signatures of qualified district voters must be submitted to the district office by Monday, April 22, at 5 p.m. in order to be placed on the ballot. According to the New York State School Board Association’s law book, candidates must meet the following qualifications:• “Must be able to read and write;• Must be a qualified voter of the district; that is, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age or older, and not adjudged to be an incompetent;• A convicted felon is barred from running for a seat on a school board if his or her maximum prison sentence has not expired or if he or she has not been pardoned or discharged from parole;• Must be and have been a resident (but need not be a taxpayer) of the district for one continuous and uninterrupted period of at least one year;• May not have been removed from any school district office within the preceding year;• May not reside with another member of the same school board as a member of the same family;• May not be a current employee of the school board;• May not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office.”Those who serve on school boards volunteer to do so, and do not get compensated. D’Angelo said that makes their service even more impressive.“It’s ironic that here is such a huge job with a huge impact on students and here they are volunteering their time, because they’re not paid,” he said. “It’s not easy sometimes, their decisions are not the most popular. My hat goes off to them because they’re not getting paid, and still have to go to church, the grocery store, sporting events and interact with the community. And they’re parents too.“It’s a wonderful job, and it’s a highly responsible job,” he added. “They’re running a school district, which is a multi-million dollar business, but what’s different is it’s about students, not products. Our product is our children, so it’s a unique place. Schools are very unique places.”Once the candidates are registered, only half of the work is done. The next challenge is to get district residents out to the polls. Gratto said that getting voters out on Election Day is pivotal to creating a dialogue between a community and its Board of Education and ultimately to a school board’s success.“It’s critical to vote,” he said. “It really helps us to know where we stand and to know if we need to move in a different direction. It gives people a voice.”For more information about running for the Board of Education in Pine Plains call 518-398-7181 or go to www.ppcds.org. For more information about running for the Board of Education in Webutuck call 845-373-4100 or go to www.webutuckschools.org. For more information about running for the Board of Education in Millbrook call 845-677-4200 or go to www.millbrookcsd.org.
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Textile designer Justine Valla sits in her father’s chair, which she painted, alongside her husband, illustrator and muralist Victor Valla, in their Atelier Valla studio.
“I was always drawing as a child,” Justine recalled. Victor dreamed of illustrating magazine covers like those of the “Saturday Evening Post.”
Victor studied design and illustration at Rochester Institute of Technology, then received a fellowship to study painting and printmaking at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaigne. He graduated in 1967. The following year, he received a grant from the Tiffany Foundation to study printmaking in Paris at Atelier 17, an experimental graphic arts workshop founded in 1927.
“What a great experience that was!” he recalled.
Returning home after the Paris uprisings of 1968, he discovered that the magazine covers he’d hoped to paint had largely given way to photography. His agent suggested trying record covers, which he pursued along with illustration and graphic design.
He also began teaching at Kean University in New Jersey.
“Kean had a wonderful graphic design and illustration department. I loved teaching Graphic Design, even though I never thought I would.”
He later taught at Syracuse University and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.
In the late 1980s, he decided to stop teaching and concentrate on his own art. He moved to Falls Village, to a house on the corner of Minor and Prospect Streets.
“I used to call the studio ‘Minor Prospects Atelier,’” he said.
He continued working in illustration and graphic design, creating book covers for stories by H.P. Lovecraft and other authors, along with magazine covers, logos, advertising and murals.
Justine and Victor Valla in their studio with a painting of Victor’s,”Jonah and the Whale.” Robin Roraback
His local commissions include the green and gold Noble Horizons signage and wall murals for the Stockbridge Inn, the Spa at Norwich Inn, Orchards Hotel in Williamstown and the David M. Hunt Library’s children’s section.
Justine grew up in the Bronx and studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduating, she took on whatever work she could find, including designing toys and novelty items for Russ Berrie. But her true calling was textile design.
She moved to Los Angeles to pursue that calling, where she learned silkscreen printing from 1960s design icon Corita Kent.
“I was in her program at Immaculate Heart College. All fabric design at that time was silk screen. My first job in textile design was in L.A., creating wallpaper for Bob Mitchell Design.”
Justine returned to New York City, where the advent of computers required her to learn new design techniques. She enrolled at Parsons School of Design, studying Photoshop, Illustrator, Lectra U4ia and Kaledo.
Around this time, she met Victor online and moved to Falls Village.
A recruiter found her a job in Arkansas at Dillard’s, a department store chain operating in 30 states and known for its exclusive designer collections.
“They had the best equipment I’d ever seen,” she said.
She became a senior computer-aided design designer there, designing fabric and preparing purchased designs for production.
The Vallas left Falls Village for Little Rock.
“It was a big move,” she said. “It was a different culture, but Little Rock was very progressive.”
The originally planned to stay in Arkansas for five years but ended up remaining for nearly 10.
Then Justine was hit by a car. She suffered injuries to her leg and head and required four years of rehabilitation.
“I lost the ability to paint after the accident. I struggled to paint again.”
The Vallas returned to Connecticut, this time settling in Salisbury, where they’ve lived since 2013.
After leaving Dillard’s, Justine had planned to sell her work through Printsource in New York City, an international showcase for surface and textile design. But after the accident, she no longer had the mobility or energy to travel back and forth to the city.
Instead, she began selling her work locally at craft shows, including clothing, hand-printed tea towels and floorcloths.
She is currently working on selling her collection of textile designs.
In December, Justine will have a show of her tea-themed watercolors at the NorthEast-Millerton Library.
Victor recently exhibited “The American West: A Pictural History” at the NorthEast-Millerton Library. The series, created in the early 1990s, was part of a commission from the Postal Commemorative Society for which he completed 100 paintings in two years.
He hopes to place the series in a museum and has created books from its images, complete with text. Over the years, he has designed many other books that are ready for publication, including “Looking In, Looking Out,” a cosmic view of the universe.
Reflecting on his career, Victor said, “It’s about doing what you love”.
Justine agreed.
To see, purchase or commission work, contact Justine at justinevalla@gmail.com or Victor at victorvalla@comcast.net, or call 860-596-4282.
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Jane Herold’s beautifully simple dinnerware.
Cornwall ceramicist Jane Herold explained that there’s quite a lot of enthusiasm for Clay Way among the region’s ceramic artists.
“We all need work space, which is hard to find or afford in urban areas. The wood-fire crowd needs lots of wood and outdoor space. This area is great because it’s rural enough for us, but has a wonderfully enthusiastic and supportive population of pottery [patrons].”
While many of the artists are returning from previous years, the loose collection of unofficial organizers likes to keep the event manageable for the public, limiting the number of artists and studios each year. A direct drive from the southernmost point at Ann Heywood’s studio in Wingdale to Herold’s big barn in Cornwall is under 40 minutes. But if you want to catch it all, plan for a full day’s worth of art exploration along some of the most beautiful roads in New England.
Starting at its northernmost point, Herold’s studio will host Matin Malikzada of Afghanistan, whose polished, modern interpretations of traditional forms are instantly recognizable. They’ll be joined by wood-fired ceramicists Steve Johnson, with his raw, organic forms, and Harry Levenstein, whose works relate closely to Johnson’s while making even more direct references to nature.
Herold herself creates work that is both beautiful and utilitarian. Her prolific output of objects is intended to be used by everyday people as part of their daily lives.
Moving south is Todd Piker of Cornwall Bridge Pottery. Piker has been making pots in his giant wood-fired kiln since 1971. The kiln looks more like an ancient blast furnace than something designed to transform clay into ceramics, but over the years, he’s mastered its intricacies and produces an impressive amount of fine work.
A ceramic vase by Kathleen Heidemann.Provided
Piker will host Sanah Peterson, who works at Cornwall Bridge Pottery and draws inspiration from both her time with Piker and her time traveling the globe as a child. They’ll be joined by Stephanie Haines, whose vibrant, eye-catching work features underglaze illustrations of birds, fruit and the bounty of nature.
Further along in Warren, Jessica Dubin’s pieces will be on display at the studio of Christine Owen. Both artists seem to appreciate the chaos and unpredictable nature of clay but find ways to refine it all using their own unique methods.
Heading east to Washington, Conn., Will Talbot’s creates intricate work while allowing for the unpredictable nature of clay to play a role. His studio will house Tom Knox and his wide variety of textures and forms, as well as New York City-based Alex Lebedev, who lets music and the nature of improvisation guide his work.
There will be two studios participating in South Kent. Alison Palmner, whose page on the Clay Way website states she “strives to achieve a lighthearted meld of human forms, animals and the vessel.” Her studio will host Ben Eberle, who trained under the guidance of legendary potter Toshiko Takaezu; James Guggina, whose intricate work can appear both deliberate and whimsical; and Paula Shalan, who blends rough, unrefined surfaces with polished precision in individual pieces.
Joy Brown’s delightful ceramic sculptures.Provided
Nearby is Joy Brown, whose work have become a staple of the area, with her figurative sculptures dotting the Northwest Corner. Brown’s studio will also feature Bonnie Levine, who taps into the beauty of chaos and destruction in her work, and Brendan Moore, whose more utilitarian forms are perfect for everyday use.
Finally, the tour crosses the border into Wingdale, New York, where the studios of Drew Montgomery, Ann Heywood and Amy Brenner will host Jackie Sedlock, Lynn Behrendt,and Kathleen Heidemann.
Brenner creates some of the most colorful and vibrant pieces on the tour, while Behrendt’s work is among the most studied and precise. Heywood creates carefully considered, intuitive forms, while Heidemann moves from simple minimalism to intricate textures. Montgomery and Sedlock both find new ways of playing with traditional forms, producing delightfully distinctive pieces.
To learn more about the artists and download a map of participating studios, visit clayway.net
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