FINE ARTS
What are the Fine Arts, and why are they important to our culture and heritage?
In the broader sense there are Seven Fine Arts: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, Literature, Music, Theatre and Film. At the PEACH we embrace six of these arts in their traditional sense, we regard Architecture as Philosophy. For like the foundation stone in architecture, philosophy is the foundation stone to our Community. We are constantly building our structure everyday through the philosophy of our actions, words and deeds. Aristotle once said,
“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
The Fine Arts we offer throughout the year are: Dancing, Literature, Music, Painting, Film and Theatre. Sculpture, being so much broader in our community, we rest in the arms of the Skilled Arts.
Our culture is filled with endless treasures in the arts. As the greatest philosopher once said, “There’s never nothing to do here.”.
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Dancing Arts
“Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the disheveled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame.”
-William Butler Yeats
It has been said that life is the dancer, and we are the dance. In the Fine Arts, dancing is by far the largest physical expression of human expression. Alone, together or in a crowd, from head to toe in some enchanting and intended motion, we all move in a delightful conversation with our feet. Some may say we are born dancing and that we spend our lives in refinement of this dance, that we are expressing this at all times through gesture. How important and what great meaning there is in the gesture. How it reveals the state of the soul we are in at every moment. Dancing then dispatches the condition of the soul, confesses the state of mind, enlivens and moves the blood. It is the fine art of the human will.
Our Dance Teachers will teach individuals, couples and groups how to dance. The areas covered are, Ballroom Waltz, Warm-up Ballet, Baroque, Contra, Medieval, Regency, Renaissance, Tango. Victorian through Modern-1920.
Dance Schedule
Holiday Dances for Adults and Children:
Weekly Barn and Contra Dancing from St. John’s Tide through Thanksgiving. Picnic foods and stews will be served. (Excludes Festivals and Holiday Weekends).
New Year’s Eve Waltz, Late December. Full Formal Attire. Full Orchestra, Strauss, cakes, coffees, Champaign. Dances: Box Step, Foxtrot, Rumba, Waltz.
Mozart’s Masked Ball – Last Weekend in January. Classical and Baroque style costume and dress. There will also be parlor games and a treasure hunt. Dances: Allemande, Baroque, Cotillion, Contra, Minuet, Regency and Reel.
Valentine’s Dance, Mid-February, Adults only – red, white, black, gold and silver attire, live orchestra, MOR music. Caviar, cheese, potato dill crackers, petite sausage, delectable chocolate dipped desserts, coffee, fine wine. Dances: Box Step, Foxtrot, Swing, Two Step, Tango, Waltz
Sadie St. Patrick President’s Day Dance, February 29th – March 17th. Irish Americana Dance. Dance History; lessons provided prior to the event. Irish strew, corn-beef and cabbage, soda bread. Broken Conversations Competition. This Holiday is a bit confusing, for it is three in one. Every Leap Year is the Sadie Hawkins Day Dance. The other three years in St. Patrick’s President’s Day Dance. The story behind this Celebration takes three years to complete.
Year 1. Fall From Heaven – Padraig and the Pagans.
Year 2. The Great Potato Famine.
Year 3. Irish in America.
Céilí: Virginia Reel, Square Dance, Quadrille, Caledonia, Three Step Jig.
May Pole Dance – May Day. Baker’s Club Goodies, Crêpes, Artists’ Tents. Spiral Maypole Dance
Blooms-Day – June 16 – 24 – Strawberry Lilac Dance (1910/20, Lá Bloom garb), followed by the reading of Ulysses on the steps. Strawberry lemon punch, along with lilac and rose custards, will be served. Dances: Cake Walk, Castle Walk, Foxtrot, Gallop, Mazurka, Two Step, Tango., Waltz,
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History and Philosophy 
“Cogito, ergo sum.” -René Descartes
To know where you are headed, you have to know where you have been. History, Literature and Philosophy are the Trifecta, the Foundation, the Instruction Booklets to life. These Arts nourish the gift of reflection, something no other creature on earth can possess. One could argue this is why we were given the responsibility to be the stewards of the earth. On the other hand, one could say that is the silliest argument ever made, and on the other hand, it is the most and least important statement a human being can make.
Whence did I come, whither shall I go, and by what virtue?
Every month we celebrate the history of our culture.
In July, the month of Julius, we start with the Greeks and slide naturally into Rome during the month of Augustus. From there we move towards late Rome into September and the lives of the early Christians, pushing through to the Medieval era. In October, we cross the English Channel and explore the stories of the Druids and Celts. November finds us breaking bread and giving thanks. As we make our way into the darkness we look for a spark that will carry us on the path into Advent, as we travel the light grows ever brighter until it shines upon a door that opens to mystical and magical worlds. We are greeted by the faces of Janus who lifts the veil of time that has fallen into the spirit memory of myths and legends, fables and imagination, and the twilight of the Gods. When we return, fresh and renewed, a new birth gives hope, a Renaissance. This takes us down the path and to the threshold of Mars, past Reformation directly into Enlightenment. By April, we have set our foot upon the land, Aphrilis, where ever she steps seeds take root. We are then met by Maia the great mother of peace and beauty. She tells the tales of Struggle, of Labor and of Revolutions, the rising and casting of the seas of change, the building and destruction of great cities and societies. In this stead we find ourselves entangled by Juno, protector of the state, we have arrived in our time, disembarked in Modernity. Yet, we know ahead calling, calling, always calling is the future and into the future we bring with us all the lessons of our past and the richness of our inheritance.
Each month we have speakers and guests who touch on the history we are currently celebrating. Included are historical topics and biography of the philosophers and great thinkers of that period. What was it like to live during that time, what were the norms of society, their customs, foods, dress, their beliefs and social structures? We hope also to understand what part of the Western past our ancestors brought with them and then gasp a bit at the consciousness they experienced, for anyone riding to-and-fro in a cart to get around would have a difficult time understanding a rocket ship to the moon in our time, so too for us to understand their mindset and consciousness will one day be the struggle of a person living in the year 3000 trying to understand or experience ours.
These lectures and the series of lectures are like the story tellers of old, before daily papers and the 24-hour cable news it was people who went from village to village talking and singing about what once happened in far away distant places we now call our past.
We invite Guest Speakers from all over the world who are experts in their field of study and people who have dedicated their lives to uncovering our history from a variety of perspectives and points of view.
Before each lecture there is always music reflective of the time. Club Members who are oft’ dressed in the fashion and spirit of the time greet you at the door and usher you to your seat. Special consumable delights are also available, offered by the Baking Club, who focus on what would have been delectably delicious at any particular time and in any particular place.
Finally, there will also be books for sale by our Guest Speaker and a few recommended authors on the topics of Western History, Philosophy and Literature.
Lecture Schedule
Spring Lectures: From The Restoration to Modernity. The History of Work: Fine, Practical and Skilled Arts. Labor and The History of Economic, Future Economics and Worker Relationships. The Healing Of Raphael and The Ushering in of Spring. Three-Fold Social Order – The Faustian Bargain and the Full Life.
Summer Lectures: American Resolution, French Revolution, The Olympics, Greco-Roman Theatre, The Roman Circus, Caesars & Empires, Late Rome through Early Christianity. First Harvest, Canning & Drying. Nature’s Zenith. The Judgement of Uriel and The Exaltation of Summer.
Autumn Lectures: Druids & Celts, The Dark Ages, Martinmas, Thanksgiving, Advent & The Early Saints. Mid to Late Harvest. From Darkness To Light, The Significance of Michaelmas and The Vigilance of Autumn.
Winter Lectures: The Light of The World, Great Mysteries and The Lifting of The Veil. From the Gothic Through The Renaissance. The Wisdom of Gabriel and The Quiet of Winter. February Farm Conference: Bio-Dynamic Farming, Animal Husbandry, Butterfly & Bee-Keeping, Perma-Forestry, Land Restoration.
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Musical Arts
“Music is what tell us that the human being is greater than we know.” ― Napoléon Bonaparte
From a mother’s lullaby, to the Pan Flute and Lyre, to the Base Clarinet and Soprano Saxophone, the evolution of western music has been one of the most beautiful developments in the history of the western world. We open our doors to the people who have dedicated their lives to understanding and playing the ancient instruments from Greece to the Folk Art of Bluegrass, and to those dedicated musicians who enjoy the fundamental periods of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Impressionist composers. We invite them to coordinate with our Theatre Arts productions, express themselves during individual concerts, to create the atmosphere in our café and tearoom and take full advantage of our facilities as a place to practice their art and play in any corner or spaces we offer.
At the PEACH, we have both indoor and outdoor concerts for the members and the broader community to enjoy throughout the year. From September through June: Sight Reading is offered every Tuesday, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, for winds, brass and percussion. All intermediate level musicians and up are welcomed. Monday is Orchestra, 7:30PM – 9:30PM. All intermediate level musicians and up are welcomed. Open Choir meets Thursday, 7PM – 9PM.
Music Schedule
July
American Revolutions: Fife and Drum Corps, American Folk Singers, Banjo Cat and Fiddle d Dee, Concert Band Traditional Americana music. Bring a blanket, wine, crackers and cheese. Homemade Ice Cream, Italian Ice or Gelato will be available at the Co-Op or tearoom. Americana Fireworks
Bastille Day: Accordion, Concertina, French Folk Singers, Banjo Cat and Fiddle, Beltzar Domingo and his Strolling Guitar, Uri Kai and his Hurdy-gurdy.
Greek Olympics, 3rd Saturday in July. Greco-Roman Theatre with Traditional Instruments, 4th Weekend in July or 1st weekend in August. – Aulos, Cornu, Lyre, Cymbala, Tympanum, Reeds.
August
The Assumption of the Virgin. August 14th – Vestal Singer, Chapel, Garden, Forest.
Ferragosto, August 15th. Concert Band on the patio, Italian Melodies, Family Picnic, Italian Ice.
September
Medieval Harvest Dinner and Play: Hunting Horn, Bugal, Trumpets, French Horns, Saqueboute, Hurdy-gurdy. Also check the Café and Tearoom for guest musicians.
October
Afternoon and Evening Playing Schedule: Pianist, Elliot Gieseking, Beltzar Domingo and his Strolling Guitar. Also check the Café and Tearoom for guests musicians
November
Afternoon and Evening Playing Schedule: Pianist, Elliot Gieseking, Beltzar Domingo and his Strolling Guitar. Also check the Café and Tearoom for guests musicians.
December
Advent: Pianist, Elliot Gieseking, Beltzar Domingo and his Strolling Guitar, Uri Kai and his Hurdy-gurdy during fair and Oberufer Play. Also check the Café and Tearoom for guests musicians and holiday Music.
Christmas Plays: Pianist, Elliot Gieseking.
New Year’s Eve Ball: String Orchestra.
January
Sunday Afternoon at 2: Wind Ensembles and Sting Chamber Performances (check schedule).
Afternoon and Evening Playing Schedule: Pianist, Elliot Gieseking, Beltzar Domingo and his Strolling Guitar. Also check the Café and Tearoom for guests musicians.
Mozart’s Masked Ball: Wind and Chamber Music.
February
Renaissance Theatre: The Scottish Play.
Couple’s Valentine’s Day Dance: DJ, MOR. Uri Kai and his Hurdy-gurdy.
March
Sadie St Patrick’s President’s Day Dance: Banjo Cat and Fiddle and the Irish Shakers.
April
Afternoon and Evening Playing Schedule: Pianist, Elliot Gieseking, Beltzar Domingo and his Strolling Guitar. Also check the Café and Tearoom for guests musicians.
May
May Day: Banjo Cat and Fiddle.
Afternoon and Evening Playing Schedule: Pianist, Elliot Gieseking, Beltzar Domingo and his Strolling Guitar. Also check the Café and Tearoom for guests musicians.
June
Strawberry Lilac Dance: Ragtime and Victorian Style Music, Pianist, Elliot Gieseking.
Shakespeare On The Terrace: A Midsummer’s Night Dream.
Afternoon and Evening Playing Schedule: Pianist, Elliot Gieseking, Beltzar Domingo and his Strolling Guitar. Also check the Café and Tearoom for guests musicians.
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Painting Arts
“Good artists copy; great artists steal.” -Pablo Picasso
The History of Western Art has traveled a long and arduous path. Painting is indeed the truest expression of a lie. The talent requires great skill, divine wisdom, a conversation with a muse or the revelation and the secrets of the soul. Some believe the zenith and last authentic painting ended with the realists. Others blame the camera and the scientific age for the Impressionist. Salvador Dalí said that he was the last great living artist. Regardless, what an incredible and long and evolving cultural history we have when it comes to the dedication and discipline of this particular finest of arts.
Anyone can paint. It’s really build into our culture. How this ability is drawn out is a different matter. This is why we offer so many styles and materials: oil, plant watercolors, tempera, gouache, pastels, affresco, and encaustic. Each season, we focus on certain sets and disciplines. Each genre has its own temperament and applied skill is built up over time, and like everything else in the arts practice, practice, practice. If you’re a seasoned painter or never picked up a brush, there is a calling for you in this art.
In the winter and spring we focus on watercolor, in summer and fall oil painting. In-between we work with other mediums for different projects, this is when we introduce tempera, affresco, gouache, pastels and encaustic painting materials. We use these other materials and method once people have a feel for painting with watercolor and oil. There are very distinct differences in skill, time and labor, but there’s no hurry. Some have asked why we do not include acrylic painting. It is not that we look down our noses at acrylics, but the medium didn’t come into being until the 1940s, and we stop at the 1920s. This does not mean we forbid acrylic painting, on the contrary, some people are allergic or sensitive to oils it is a wonderful alternative as are the newer water based oils. What we are trying to achieve here is to allow our members to get an authentic feel of the materials that were used by our ancestors so that we can pass these mediums down and preserve this part of our culture. Most of the paints are plant and mineral based, and we will go through the process of making our own pigments. If you ever struggled with chemistry, this is a wonderful way to enjoy the science. You’d be surprised at the gifts that come out of the natural world, not to mention painting using pigments with water from rivers and lakes, One of the most enjoyable parts of painting is to lose all sense of time. Some find painting to be a meditative process, while others find it to be a thrill with each stroke of the brush. I have never met a person who did not find a calling in one area or another working with this Fine Art.
Hilma af Klint Art Building
Painting Schedule
Spring: Watercolor, Pastels
Summer: Oil, Gouache
Autumn: Oil, Alfresco
Winter: Watercolor, Encaustic, Decorative
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Photography and Film
“Life is like a camera, focus on what’s important, capture the good times, develop from negatives and if things don’t work out take another shot.” -anonymous
In the Photography and Film Club, we work with several methods in this visual arts. The old box camera that we construct ourselves. A standard Pentax B&W, which the film is developed in our dark room, and we offer for purposes of the newsletter digital, using it for utilitarian needs only. Fine works produces by members will be matted, framed and placed in the Photo & Lotte Gallery. The Photography club will meet bi-monthly to talk about their prints and share tips and tricks in the dark room.
Aside from the combustion engine, the development of the camera and the projector are the height of technology for the time. Though we touch on the basics and development of moving pictures, it is a very extensive and expensive process to do today what Louis Le Prince and Thomas Edison actually created in the late 1800s. We have decided to jump into the future and have chosen to use the Super 8 mm camera as a learning and teaching tool. In the Film Club, the focus is to understand the history of film making. There are the skilled mechanical aspects, but the areas of concentration in this genre are story telling, settings and lighting. Budding film makes knows what they want to create and part of the Film Club is attending premieres and offering support, but the focus in general is to understand composition, depth of field, value through lighting, ambiance and editing, the skills needed to create an actual film.
The Second part of the Film Club is to watch the works of other filmmakers on the big screen, to learn and discuss the techniques with other like minds. From silent films, early talkies, artistic and experimental works, to the great and grand epics. These are just some wonderful jewels and a legacy handed down to us from our predecessors.
The Film Club will also take part in the Friday Evening Movies and Saturday Matinée. From great opera performances and historical films on the topic of Western Civilization, Art House, Experimental and Film Noir will be presented in the theater hall. Each film will be presented with a brief history and short lecture by our resident film scholar. Popcorn, Hansen Sodas and bottled water will be available.
Film & Photography Schedule
Spring: Build A Box. 1840 Basics Film Development, History of Photography. Friday Night and Saturday Film Matinée.
Summer: The 8 mm, Studio Time. French Film Festival.
Autumn: Pentax B&W, Advance Film Development. Friday Night and Saturday Film Matinee, Film Festival.
Winter: Digital & Computer, Basics in Digital Photography. Friday Night and Saturday Film Matinée.
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Theatre Arts
Plays will be coordinated with the monthly calendar. We hope to acquire a solid repertoire of works that reflect a particular period in our heritage and history that offers the greatest meaning, capturing the cultural atmosphere and transporting the actors and audience back in time. Our goal is to invite experts in the area of the theatre arts for each period, thus remaining true to the simplicity and authenticity of the theatrical art form.
In Theatre, there is a story and speaking parts, but all the arts are tied into the theatre. Music creates the atmosphere, the sewing, mending and design of the costumes, the visual arts that create of the stage sets, dancing as an interlude or part of the plat, and of course lighting. This sets up the three walls of the theatre, the audience sits behind the 4th yet on occasion they are invited in. Some play at the PEACH are performed every year while others are cycled through, the seasons and series, Some plays are written by members of the Writer’s Club or those involved in the Theatre Club. There are occasional workshops given by invited guests and productions from outside our community.
Theatre Schedule
Spring: St Patrick (3 years cycle), Ulysses On The Steps.
Summer: Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, The French Revolution; a Play, Greco-Roman Theatre, Roman Circus.
Autumn: St George And The Dragon, Children’s Fairy Tale & Puppet Theatre.
Winter: Oberufer, Chaucer to Shakespeare, Theatre Workshops.
List of Plays
39 Steps – Buchan
Pygmalion – Shaw
Devil and Daniel Webster – Benet
Picture of Dorian Gray – Wilde
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Living Pan-European and American Cultural and Heritage Community Center
Old Links
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EMAIL: peachcommunity yahoo.com
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quicklinks
PEACH COMMUNITY 