Chandra Ping and Lauren Sansaricq
share 2008 Henriette Reiss Award
by George Riley

Alumna Chandra Ping and senior Lauren Sansaricq shared the spotlight as this year's recipients of the 16th-annual Henriette Reiss Award for Artistic Endeavor. They each received a $1,000 check at the arts celebration held on Saturday May 24th at the Basilica Industria in Hudson.

A 2003 Hawthorne Valley graduate, Chandra Ping has worked with painting, glass art, and leather work. Her glass art has evolved from stained glass panels to original jewelry created from self-made glass beads. “I first learned this technique from local artist Linda Hartka,” comments Chandra, and I’ve enjoyed building on those skills by exploring how the different glasses react with and relate to each other. Most recently I’ve worked on a series that integrates both painting and glass work, creating two-dimensional “mannequins” that are adorned with glass bead necklaces.”

What is most interesting, and most challenging, about Chandra’s art is that it needs to be woven into a life that includes two other jobs. Chandra plans to complete her Associates Degree in Fine Arts, while continuing her self-directed path of exploring new directions of artistic work. This path she’s chosen demands a great deal of self-discipline and perseverance. The Henriette Reiss Award will allow Chandra to invest in the materials to further her artistic ideas. More than that, this award recognizes the value of the essential task Chandra has taken up, to integrate her art and life.

Also a painter, Lauren Sansaricq is a member of the 2008 senior class at Hawthorne Valley. In addition to her artistic work at the school, she has been working with local master landscape artist Thomas Locker. She says that beyond the techniques of painting, she has been learning to observe light and color in Nature. “From what Mr. Locker has taught me, I find I see the world in a new way,” Lauren explains.. When I’m in nature, I feel inspiration for scenes I would love to paint.”

Lauren has been accepted at the Grand Central Academy of Art in Manhattan, which accepts only fifteen students each year. “I wholeheartedly want to attend the Academy, not because of its fame but because the students receive a classical artistic training similar to what the old masters received. I’m fully aware that the curriculum is rigorous and difficult, yet I’m excited at the prospect of learning about the things I’m most passionate about—drawing and painting.” The Henriette Reiss Award will help Lauren in her dedicated pursuit of this training.

The annual Henriette Reiss arts festivals have taken the artistic process itself as their theme, and this year's attendees were given a delightful treat when Walking the Dog Theater's adult and after-school improvisation groups teamed up to explore the art of spontaneous imagination. The actors “performed” scenes and sketches based on improvisational games and audience suggestions, sharing their unplanned discoveries with an interactive audience. The Basilica was festively decked out for this event, which also featured art exhibits by both recipients, as well as by Emily Hassel, a previous Reiss Award winner, who exhibited a preview glimpse of part of her one-person show held at the Basilica in June. This exceptional event finished with still one more treat: a reception of delicious food catered by Fiona DeRis.

The Henriette Reiss Award is presented annually to a student or graduate of HVS to further their education in the arts.

About the Henriette Reiss Award

The Henriette Reiss Award for furthering education in the arts is presented annually to a student or graduate of the Hawthorne Valley School. The award was created through the generosity of Elizabeth Hughes Papas, to honor the work and spirit of Henriette Reiss (1889-1992), artist and teacher.

Born in England and raised in Switzerland, Henriette Reiss studied at art schools in Liverpool, Basel, and Munich and in 1914 followed her husband, the artist Winold Reiss, to New York, where she soon established her own career as textile and graphic designer, teacher, and artist. Read more... Central to her life and work was the insight that art is crucial to individual and social development, a view also inherent in Waldorf education. Recognition of these facts moved Elizabeth Papas of Philmont, New York, who had been a friend of the Reiss family since 1938 and had cared for Henriette in her later years, to establish an award at the Hawthorne Valley School that would honor an exceptional woman's life and work by helping aspiring young people further their educations in the arts.

The award is administered by the Henriette Reiss Award Committee. Current committee members are Pamela Dalton, Ted Pugh, Renate Reiss, George Riley, Fern Sloan and Laura Summer. The endowment started by Elizabeth Papas continues to grow, and the income realized from the fund helps to underwrite the annual award. Contributions to the fund are tax-deductible and may be sent to The Henriette Reiss Award, Hawthorne Valley School, 330 Route 21C, Ghent, New York 12075.

How to Apply

The Award is made annually, and the amount awarded is a minimum of $1,000. Alumni and seniors of the Hawthorne Valley School are invited to apply. Applications must be received by March 30, 2009. Applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision in mid-April. The Award will be presented on May 23rd, 2009.

Download the 2009 Henriette Reiss Award Guidelines (PDF).

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Past Award Celebrations

15th Henriette Reiss Award
May 26, 2007 at the Ghent Playhouse in Ghent, NY

Emily Bolevice, HVS Class of 2000, was the recipient of the 15th-annual Henriette Reiss Award. She received a $1,500 check at the arts celebration held on Saturday, May 26th, at the Ghent Playhouse. Emily is a photography student at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and one of her current projects explores the relationships between the natural and human-made worlds. Emily states, “I’ve always been amazed by the natural world and how it responds to humanity, development, industry and pollution.” She described these photographs, a number of which were on exhibit at the event, as “observations of the beauty of the juxtaposition of organic matter and manmade material.” The award was presented by 2005 Award winner Matthew Müller, who spoke movingly about the impact receiving this award has had on his life, influencing him to change schools and pursue a path of writing.

An Honorable Mention was awarded to Drew Wagner, class of 2007 for her works of poetry, and she recited one of her poems at the event.

The annual Henriette Reiss arts festivals have taken the artistic process itself as their theme, and this year's attendees were given a delightful treat when David Anderson and Ashley Mayne of Walking the Dog Theater brilliantly performed the first act of The Owl and the Pussycat, a witty and hilarious Broadway play about two radically opposite personalities thrown together. Following this performance, the two actors and the director, Ted Pugh, who was also the event’s Master of Ceremonies, discussed some of the challenges encountered in staging this play, and demonstrated some of the exercises they undertook to prepare for its realization.

This exceptional afternoon finished with still one more marvelous treat: a reception of delicious food and enjoyable conversations in the warm sunshine.

Pictured to the right are Emily and Matthew Müller at the celebration.

14th Henriette Reiss Award
May 27, 2006 at the Spencertown Academy

Seamus Maynard, HVS class of 1999, is the recipient of the 2006 Award. He was honored at the 14th-annual arts celebration held Saturday, May 27th, at the Spencertown Academy.

Ted Pugh was master of ceremonies, and the audience was treated to a sparkling and dynamic performance by the celebrated husband-and-wife team Lincoln Mayorga (pianist, arranger, conductor) and Sherry Bauer-Mayorga (vocalist, songwriter, pianist, and folk-song collector) of their program, American Snapshots: Two Hundred Years of the American Spirit In Song. They concluded their presentation by demonstrating, with consummate flair and expertise, how they would go about arranging the accompaniment and pacing of a song that they had not previously performed (in this case, Waiting for the Robert E. Lee.) The entire performance, including this window into the creative process, was a feast from beginning to end. (More about them at www.lincolnmayorga.com and www.sheribmayorga.com.)

Although an intense schedule at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he is a student, prevented him from being physically present, a giant photographic likeness of Seamus commanded the stage as the award was presented by Emily Hassell (the 2004 winner) to Seamus' mother, Patrice Maynard.

Vignettes of Seamus's school days at Hawthorne Valley were shared, along with the text of a letter written last fall from London, describing what it felt like to stand on the stage of the Globe Theater and speak a line of Shakespeare. Through his eloquent words, the audience could identify with Seamus's passion for, and devotion to, his art, even though he was physically far away. A reception, creatively catered by HVS alumna Rebecca Hartka (the first HRA recipient), followed the performance and award presentation, allowing attendees to socialize and view the exhibition of works by past award recipients and by area artists.

Matthew Müller accepted the award at an arts celebration, featuring the dance piece "StillMoving: From Concept To Performance, The Art of Making Dances", by HVS alumna Ashley Hartka (1989). The performance was followed by a brief talk and question and answer period, giving an inside look at the art of making dances. A full house responded enthusiastically.

Ashley received degrees in dance and in women's studies in 1995 from SUNY Purchase, and earned her Master of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Colorado in Boulder in 2005. Her career has included performing, teaching, choreography and photography. Her work has been described as energetic and elegant, moving with tender gestures...and athletic abandon. In 2005 she was recognized for best choreographed and performed work at the American College Dance Festival.

1999 winner Gabriel Giles presented the honors, and Matthew accepted with moving remarks and a poem he had written for the occasion. The event concluded with an enjoyable reception in the stageworks Gallery, where beautiful works by area artists were on display.

2006 • Seamus Maynard is continuing his studies at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He was one of 24 students selected from 2,500 applicants. After graduating from Hawthorne Valley in 1999, and inspired by his senior class production of Les Miserables directed by Eric Müller, he began studying the art of acting with John McManus. He also took part in the Shakespeare Alive! intensive training program and performed with the Actors' Ensemble. He spent the 2004/2005 academic year studying speech and drama In England with Christopher Garvie at the Artemis school. Through this work, he realized that acting was the profession he wanted to pursue.

2005 • Matthew Müller graduated magna cum laude from Emerson College, Boston, in 2007, where he majored in creative writing and literature. He was awarded an honorable mention for fiction in Emerson’s 2007 Senior Writing Competition. In 2005 and 2006 he was awarded the Pellegrini Merit Scholarship, as well as the Zacharis Merit Scholarship in 2006. He has recently completed a book-length narrative poem and is working on new pieces of fiction. He is taking a year off to write and perhaps do a residency before going on to graduate school.

2004 • Emily Hilton Hassell lives in Ghent, New York where she continues to work in sculpture, mixed media paintings, and children's book illustration. She has participated in artistic endeavors in Ireland and Guatemala. Her work has been in 13 collective expositions and 4 solo shows, and she has sold work through numerous private dealers and to collectors directly. She is presently starting a Co-op Gallery with 10 local artists in Hudson, NY, which will be opening in the next few months on Warren Street. emily.hilton.arts@gmail.com

2004 • Ben Dalton completed his first year of studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, with emphasis on bookbinding and printmaking. He is continuing his artwork and writing/bookmaking while taking time off from school to travel and work on political projects. rraskal@hotmail.com

2003 • LeeLee Core is attending Marymount College in Manhattan where she is taking art-major, poetry, and theatre classes. She continues to paint on her own. Tara Shumer-Decker will graduate from Hampshire College in May of 2007 with a project in figure sculpture and a theoretical work on art and subjectivity. While at Hampshire she has studied painting, sculpture, and illustration as part of a liberal arts program, also enrolling in classes at Smith and Mt. Holyoke as part of the five-college consortium in the Pioneer Valley. In 2006, Tara was on exchange at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland where she immersed herself in Irish literature and philosophy. She feels these studies have given her a deeper appreciation of history, culture, and various representations of the life experience of others Sabrina Tranchita is a fiber artist creating wearable and ornamental pieces using fiber from her llamas, alpacas, and sheep. Her time is spent working on her farm and in her studio.

2002 • Emily Klavun received a B.A. cum laude in music from Skidmore College and is a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, a two-year, full-time program. She has performed in Into the Woods, The Neighborhood Playhouse Showcase 2003, The Amanda Play, and most recently in My Fair Lady in New York City. In the summer of 2003 she taught acting and wrote and directed two musicals for the Barrington Stage Company's KidsAct children's theater program in Sheffield, Mass. Previous experience includes the roles of Irene in Crazy for You and Gloria in Mame, Diva Night concerts at Triarts at The Sharon Playhouse in Sharon, Connecticut, leading roles in national children's theater tours, and singing in La Traviata, Rigoletto, Cinderella, and The Music Shop at The Lake George Opera Festival in upstate New York. She has also appeared in various independent films and is part of an actor's group in New York City where she lives.

2001 • Vanessa Kobran graduated cum laude from the theater program at York University in Toronto in 2006 and is actively pursuing her career as an actress. She has performed in several productions in Toronto. Most recently she played the lead character in The Last Night of Ballyhoo at the Leah Posluns Theatre. Vanessa is looking forward to her marriage in May and will have to miss the award ceremony because she'll be on her honeymoon! vanessakobran@gmail.com

2000 • Linda Kaufman graduated from Mount Holyoke College with honors in 2004. After extensive travel, she has been working primarily in the movie industry in New York City where she is living full-time. She has worked on several films, initially in production and now as a make-up specialist. Her goal is to work in film editing. lindasux33@hotmail.com

1999 • Gabriel Giles graduated from Columbia University in May 2006 with a B.S. and an M.S. in Civil Engineering. In 2003 he completed a B.A. in violin performance at Oberlin College and Conservatory, where he studied with Kyung Sun Lee and Andrew Jennings. In addition to his violin studies at Oberlin, Gabriel took pre-engineering courses and operated the wastewater treatment facility at the Adam J. Lewis Center for Environmental Studies. As a violinist he has performed at the Aspen, Musicorda, Colorado College, and Bowdoin summer music festivals. In 2005 Gabriel received a Guggenheim Fellowship to complete his graduate studies at Columbia University. He is currently working as a water/wastewater engineer for Metcalf & Eddy in New York City and continues to play violin in chamber groups and orchestras. www.gabrielgiles.com

1998 • Tiffany Fredericks is a graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston where she was commended for her unusually fine detail-rendering skills. Now a resident of Bristol, R.I., she offers custom pet portraiture and works on her collection of sculpture and jewelry, sold in select shops and on-line.

1997 • Simone Chezar graduated from Bard College with a B.A. in Shakespearean literature in 2001, writing her thesis on Ophelia and Cleopatra. While at Bard she also played in chamber groups and took classes in drawing and etching. Simone went on to get a BSN from the University of Massachusetts in 2004. After working for more than a year as an RN on an acute-care kidney transplant unit at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass., she moved to San Diego, Calif., where she currently works as a pediatric oncology nurse. Simone continues to play the violin for pleasure. chezarsimone@hotmail.com

1996 • Claire Roberts is teaching Music Theory and Ear Training (Gehörbildung) at the Bern University of the Arts (Hochschule der Künste in Bern, Switzerland) and at the Staatliche Musikhochschule in Freiburg, Germany. After obtaining a diploma in sculpture she received a degree in piano and music education as well as a diploma in Ear Training at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg. This summer she will be completing a degree in the teaching of English literature to German-speaking students. claireroberts@web.de

1995 • Martin Young began studies in architecture at Syracuse University before enlisting in the U.S. Army. Stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., he was sent to Iraq in July 2006. After returning to the U.S., he left the army in October 2007 and is living in Fayetteville, N.C., with his wife, Ann. Martin is currently working at Fort Bragg as a civilian helicopter mechanic for DS2, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin. He is about half-way through the MBA program he began while stationed In Iraq and is still hoping to continue his architectural studies. themartinus@yahoo.com