Tarrytown's Jay Albrecht Among 'Fish Tales' Artists

Over the course of eight years, Peekskill gallery owner and artist  collected pieces of deteriorated former manufacturing plants from the banks of the Hudson River in Peekskill. While he collected he researched the history and learned how manufacturing allowed the area to prosper but affected the river's health.  

Years later and Morel’s collection of centuries-old metal has found the perfect home. He was chosen by ArtsWestchester to turn his collection into a sculpture to be used in its Fish Tales Around Westchester exhibit, which explores the ecological history of the Hudson River and calls the public to take action on its health.

Morel created a two ton steel tree sculpture that utilizes the metal pieces he collected and represents the “human physical interaction with the river,” he said.

"My purpose is in letting the public know that by taking on anything given to us by nature…it is extremely important to respect it, and that rather than compromising the livelihood, it is best for us to improve and make it better, rather than what happened to the Hudson river,” Morel said.

Morel has incorporated potbelly stoves, tools used for ice harvesting in the 1700s, remnants of former manufacturing plants on the river and symbols that represent the industries that once thrived in the area, into his sculpture.

"While these products were beneficial to man, their creation was often harmful to rivers," Morel said.

The tree sculpture took about five months to create and is made of steel, cast iron, bronze, copper and aluminum.

Morel also incorporated a piece that represents a human limb holding a rivet from the World Trade Center. The 911 memento symbolizes "mankind embracing structure, it’s the appreciation and respect we need to pay to our planet. After all, we can only create from what it gives," Morel writes in his artist statement. 

Morel’s impressive tree is installed amongst 20 other artists’ work that creates a fantasy sea environment. Among them is Tarrytown's Jay Albrecht, both a two- and three-dimensional artist with training in mechanical engineering and ceramics, who for this show designed a mobile and a "stabile." The lightness and fluidity of his work seem to go hand in hand with his background as a poet (he gives regular readings around the county with Poetry Caravan). 

Of his method and materials, Albrecht writes, "My abstract designs utilize crescents, S-shapes, angled geometric forms suggesting stars, ocean life, stars and such. The collages, sculpture, mobiles, and stabiles are made variously of holographic film, textiles, Styrofoam, metals, plastics, ceramics, and yarn, often painted in acrylics."

If you've missed the mobiles, sculpture, and collages Albrecht has shown nearby at venues including Ossining and Pleasantville libraries, Cabrini in Dobbs Ferry, and Greenburgh Town Hall, then here is your chance to see him at this special, and interactive, ArtsWestchester event.

As part of the show, guests will be encouraged to participate in art-making and role-playing workshops. ArtsWestchester hopes Fish Tales Around Westchester will engage and educated children and families about the environmental science of the area’s waterways. The opening is June 7 at 6 p.m. and the exhibit is open until Aug. 11.

All of the involved artists made their work entirely from from recycled and repurposed materials harvested from the Lower New York’s waterways. The works create an artistic narrative that will help guests to explore the Hudson River’s abundant past and better understand mankind’s impact on our ecosystem. The exhibition is created in collaboration with nonprofit R.A.R.E. (Rare Animals Really Endangered).

Many of the participating Westchester-based teaching artists will contribute to ArtsWestchester Exhibition Workshops series on Saturdays throughout June and July, which includes a series of seven family workshops, discussion forums, and lecture series. Visit _ArtsWestchester_ for more. 
 
Other Fish Tales Around Westchester Artists: 

Haifa Bint-Kadi
Beth DeWit
Ann Ladd
Jude Ferencz
Audrey Hawkins
David Licata
Bill Martin
Joe Mullins
Eddie Peña
Todd and Laura Rawson
Dominick Santise
Tova Snyder
Eileen Stodut
Julia Sverchuk
Celeste Ting
Evan Turk

ArtsWestchester gallery is located at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, From June 8 – August 11, 2012, Gallery Hours: Tues-Sat, 12-5pm ● Opening Reception: June 7, 6-8:30pm. For more information: www.artsw.org/fishtales

Workshops: Kids and their families can learn about the Hudson River and Long Island Sound as they take part in art-making and role playing activities. Join us for special workshops on June 9, June 23, July 7 and July 21. Come in any Saturday and make your own FishTales Fish Bowl!