september 2014 uc newsletter

8/11/2019 September 2014 UC Newsletter

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Proudly Presented by the University Club of Albany Foundation

Tres magnique!

-Monica Mahafey

We are proud to announce that local artist,Ken Ragsdale, will be exhibiting his work at

the club as part of our new Artist in ResidenceProgram.

Ken has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pacific NorthwestCollege of Art in Portland Oregon and a Master of Fine

Arts from the University at Albany. He is currently a lec-turer in the Arts Department of the School of Humanities

RPI and has

taught at theSage College ofAlbany, the Col-lege of Saint Rose, Middlebury College, the University at Albanyand the Art Institute of Portland. His work, derived from personalmemories, is process driven, focused on narrative, and involves amixture of many artistic disciplines: drawing, painting, sculpture,

paper-craft, theatre lighting, and photography. 1

Born in Washington state, and havinglived in 14 different locations sincebirth, he was greatly affected by the

ideas of impermanence and ephemer-ality, especially in relation to the ac-cumulation of memories. Through hiswork he explores both the physicalspace of places he remembers fromhis childhood as well as the figurativespace of his memory.2

I am interested in the atmosphere of tensionand anticipation generated by open space andlarge scale, he says, and by ambiguousforms in incongruous places.

What I think I remember is in a constantstate of flux, the organization and arrange-ment of particulars controlled and altered byevery new experience, to the point whereeven the mundane can be reformed intothe epic.

Continued on page 2

Some samples of Kens work:

Above: THE CORPS OF

DISCOVERY II / Mixed

Media on Paper, 2008; at

right : THE STATELINEHOUSE / Graphite,

Ink, Bristol Paper,

Gator Board and

Poplar, 2005

University

at Albany

Museum

THE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD / Archival

ink-jet print from photo of fabricated papersculpture / #1 from edition of 5/2014

Artists Ken Ragsdale, pictured above left, and

Michael Oatman installing An Armory Show

at the Opalka Gallery August-December, 2013

(photo by Michael P. Farrell Times Union)


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Ragsdale continued from page 1

All of my work is made with the in-tention to examine what remains ofthe actual, reveal the process of altera-

tion, and explore the possibilities ofthe fantastic.

Kens exhibition at the UniversityClub will open on Friday, September5th with a specialMeet the Artist Re-ception from 6-8 p.m. with light horsdoeuvres and cash/sign bar through-out the evening.

"I am very excited to be Artist in Res-idence at the University Club, saysKen. I am certainly aware of the stat-ure of the club and its lengthy rela-tionship and many contributions to thesocial history of Albany. The art thatthe club holds in its permanent collec-tion is historically significant, andagain represents so much of what isimportant and unique about the Capi-tal Region. It is quite a humbling ex-perience to be asked to be a part of allthat the Club represents, and I lookforward to what I hope will be a longand fruitful collaboration."

The exhibition will include piecesfrom the artists collection as well asworks from several private collectionsthat have not been shown before in a

public exhibition.

We hope you will join us and showyour support of the arts. Please callthe Club at 518-463-1151 to let usknow if you plan to stop by. Makeplans to stay for dinner and music inthe Grille Room afterward. JeffStrange will be with us from 8-10p.m. that night.

1Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Depart-ment of the Arts, http://www.arts.rpi.edu

2 Caitlyn Ottinger, The Middlebury Cam-pus, April 2006

Its September...so you know whatthat means...its half-way to St. Pat-

ricks Day!

And we must trulyhave the luck of theIrish because JeffStrange will be backin the Grille Room onFriday, September 5th

from 8-10 p.m. to help us celebrate.

Jeff is a founding member the Irishfolk band Donnybrook Fair and long-time member of The Newports. He isknown for his on-stage patter and en-ergetic performances of an eclecticvariety of Irish, rock and original mu-sic.

Jeff puts on a great show so be sure tocall the Front Desk at 518-463-1151 ifyou plan to be there. Seating is lim-ited and based on a first come, firstserve basis, UNLESS we hear fromyou ahead of time. We can only savetables for those with reservations.

The performance is free as part of theUniversity Club Foundations partici-pation in 1st Friday. Since 2006, 1stFriday has drawn thousands of artlovers from in and around the Capitalregion to the city of Albany throughits monthly celebration of arts andculture on the 1st Friday of everymonth. Administered by the UpstateArtists Guild, 1st Friday aims to intro-duce a wider audience to the uniquevitality of the artists and venues ofAlbany and to promote interest in thearts by making them accessible, there-by strengthening the arts communityin Albany.

Why not make an evening of it?Check out the art opening between 6-8 p.m., then head down to the GrilleRoom for music and dinner.

When we become more fully awarethat our success is due in large meas-ure to the loyalty, helpfulness, andencouragement we have received

from others, our desire grows to passon similar gifts.

Wilferd A. Peterson

Please join us for a very specialluncheon on Wednesday, September17th at 12 noon as we celebrate someof the University Club's longest-tenured members:

Charlie Pitt (1957)

Hon. David Duncan (1964)

Donald Meserve (1965)Rev. Carl Urban (1965)Hal Williams (1969)Gene Hallock (1970)Dick Andrews (1972)Paul Veillette (1974)Harold Rubin (1975)Eugene Tobey (1975)Tony Esposito (1975)Jim Sheppard (1976)Bill Ross (1977)Peg Monahan (1978)Bruce Venter (1979)Ed Wutzer (1979)Lois Wilson (1983)Jane Graham (1984)Vito Grasso (1984)

We are honored to pay tribute to theseindividuals who, for more than threedecades, have supported the legacy ofthe University Club of Albany.

In addition to our guests of honor,New York State Senator Neil Breslin,who once served on the Board of Di-rectors, will also join us to share hismemories of the Club.

The cost is $25 per person (no chargeto honorees), includes a deliciousserved lunch and lots of great memo-ries! Please RSVP by calling the clubat 518-463-1151.


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Wine Tasting, Buffet and Wine Pull

The days are slowly growing shorter,the temperature is getting cooler andthe leaves are beginning to showtheir colors; and, even though itmeans the long, lazy days of summerare over, it is a beautiful (and deli-cious) time in the northeast. Help uscelebrate the season at our 3rd Annu-

al Uncork Autumn fundraiser for theUniversity Club Foundation.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with atasting featuring autumn-inspiredwines presented by Board memberMark Brogna, owner of Capital Wine& Spirits. While you enjoy the tast-ing stop by the raffle table for yourchance to win seasonal prizes andfine wines ($5 per ticket). And tryyour luck at the Wine Pull - $20 per

pull- all bottles valued at or above

that amount. Choose white or red,but other than that its a surprise!

The Harvest Buffet begins at 7 p.m.

Butternut Squash & Ginger SoupRosemary Roasted Game Hen

Sliced Beef TenderloinSweet Potato Encrusted SalmonGarlic & Parmesan Fingerlings

Seasonal Vegetables

$30 per person (includes tasting, din-ner, tax & service charge; beveragesadditional). $50 for dinner and WinePull ticket. Reservations are neces-sary. Phone 518-463-1151 or onlineat www.uclubevents.blogspot.com.

Note: This event may not be chargedto your University Club account.

Payment by cash, check or PayPalaccepted.

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Welcome new members!

The Membership Committee wouldlike to take this opportunity to wel-come the following new members tothe University Club family:

Charles F. Seifert, Ph.D.

D. Spencer Carter, Jr.

Dr. Seifert has a Ph.D. in Organiza-tional Studies from the University atAlbany, an M.B.A. in Finance fromSage Graduate School, and a B.A. inEconomics from the University atBuffalo. He is the Dean for theSchool of Business at Siena College.His application for membership was

sponsored by Nate Maloney andMeredith Helgerson.

Mr. Carter is a graduate of the Fash-ion Institute of Technology and is theFounder and President at The CarterCompany & Development Group

LLC. He was sponsored by HaroldRubin and Colleen Ryan.

Drawing from influences that rangefrom the country blues of Hank Wil-liams and Ray Charles to the swampyrhythms and deep gospel soul soundsof Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mother-Judge, aka Caroline Isachsen, blendsinfluences of jazz, blues, country,bluegrass and folk to bring a uniqueAmericana music experience alive.Add sublime vocals and a deep song-book of originals and youve got ashow to remember.

The performance is free. Ala cartedinner 5-9 p.m. Reservations re-quired. Call the club at 463-1151.

We will also have a bourbon tastingthat night...stay tuned for details!

Save the Date! The University Club of AlbanyFoundation, Historic Albany, the Society of Archi-tectural Historians and the Preservation League areteaming up to bring Pulitzer Prize-winning authorAlison Lurie to the Club for a special Meet the Au-thor reception on Monday, October 20th.

A critic once remarked that Pulitzer Prize-winningnovelist Alison Lurie writes so simply that a cat or a

dog can understand her. It was meant as a compliment and taken assuch. In her new book, The Language of Houses: How BuildingsSpeak to Us, she turns her lucid gaze on a subject baffling to many ofus: architecture. -Simon Worrall, National Geographic, August 17,2014.

The Language of Houses offers readers plenty about the way we cre-ate meaning and send messages, as well as the way that we receivemessages through design. There is much more going on than wereconsciously aware of, Lurie says. Buildings offer us a tremendousamount of information. According to Lurie, that information allows usto be in control of our own lives when we trust our intuition and ourresponses to what were seeing. Angela Palm, Booktrib.com, AlisonLurie decodes the messages that buildings send in The Language ofHouses, 08/22/2014.


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Officers: Colleen Ryan, PresidentNate Maloney, Vice PresidentTim Varney, SecretaryMatt Badalucco, TreasurerWarren Abriel, Past President

Directors: Mark BrognaRob CruddenMeredith HelgersonJeffrey HillDavid Hochfelder

Geoffrey HoderathAmy Hines-KramerKen McCauleyFrank Nemeth

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

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Club Closed

September 1

Club ClosedLabor Day

2 Lunch

Yoga 4:15 pm

3 Lunch 4 Lunch 5 Lunch & Dinner

Artist Reception 6 pm

Jeff Strange in Grille8-10 PM

6

Club Closed

7

Club Closed

8 Lunch

Yoga Noon

9 Lunch

Yoga 4:15 pm

10 Lunch 11 Lunch 12 Lunch & Dinner 13

Club Closed

14

Club Closed

15 Lunch

Yoga Noon

16 Lunch

Yoga 4:15 pm

17 Lunch

Homecoming

Luncheon 12 noon

18 Lunch 19 Lunch & Dinner

.

20

Club Closed

21

Club Closed

22 Lunch & Dinner

Yoga NoonBowling 7 pm

23 Lunch & Dinner

Yoga 4:15 pmBowling 7 pm

24 Lunch 25 Lunch 26 Lunch

Uncork Autumn6:00 p.m.

27

Club Closed

28

Club Closed

29 Lunch & Dinner

Yoga NoonBowling 7 pm

30 Lunch & Dinner

Yoga 4:15 pmBowling 7 pm

OCTOBER 1

Lunch

2 Lunch 3 Lunch & Dinner 4

Club Closed

september 2014 uc newsletter

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