We have "New Antiques" (...hmmm, isn't that an oxymoron, like "plastic glasses" & "found missing")?

Dear Friends: "Oxymoron" is one of my favorite words...and concepts. Two married words that contradict each other (gleefully). The most famous is "military intelligence", but a quick Google search produced my new favorite which is "Microsoft Works". Ooo, nasty (but good...). The original Greek word means "sharply dull", and then there's "deafening silence" and "real phony" and "found missing" and the well-loved "jumbo shrimp". Well, I could go on and on, but...

Back to the antiques. I have been collecting wonderful things for many years...(something you shouldn't do unless you, too, eventually want to (or have to) open a shop). Many of my lovely things have sold here at ArtsEcho, and several are not for sale, but do help make our charming little Galleria the special place it is. Here is a peek at some of the newbies:

The one on the left is a "Stick and Ball" Victorian etagere that is now housing part of our fabulous collection of scarves. The middle one is a 200 year old hand-carved English chestnut piece (that's my Irish Minstrel Harp on the top) and great designer jeans (including Michael Kors, Burberry & 7's) on the shelves. The one on the right is a Wooten desk invented by William (you guessed it) Wooten in 1870 in Indiana. Wait 'til you see the inside...it has a pull-out desk and about 60 cubbies, drawers and shelves in both the case and the doors...everything the modern businessman needed to run his office in 1870. You can see a really fancy one in West Orange at the Edison National Historic Site...(a truly amazing place and only 1/2 hour from here...you should plan a little trip if you haven't been...and not only if you have kids...you'll love it as well...)

Notice the sculptures on top of the desk? They are part of our new exhibition by superb Ecuadorian artist Manuel Velastegui. We're having the opening tomorrow (Saturday) at 5pm. All are invited! (Party time!!)

Warm regards,

Sandra and the accomplished ArtsEcho Galleria team, Zoe, Liana, Ben, Crystal, Claude and Lina.

PS: Thanks for all the interest in the "21st Century Music and On" concert (in which I am singing) dedicated to the spectacular music of Ronn Yedidia, whom many of you have heard here during the past year. The concert is at Merkin Hall on Sunday at 7:30pm. It promises to be quite an event. Tickets ($35 & $20) are available at the Kaufman Center Box Office online or at 212-501-3330.

PPS: Since so many of you lovely people have told us that you need to shop here LATE, we're planning a "Friends & Family Spring Fling Shopping Extravaganza" here on Thursday, April 29th BEGINNING at 7pm (and EVERYTHING will be 30% off and, of course, we'll have nibbles, etc...we love to party). (However, if you see a nice woman asleep on the pink couch, please whisper...it's after my bedtime.)

PPPS: Thanks to Mayor Stack and the ENTIRE Union City Council for stopping in to see ArtsEcho Galleria on Tuesday night!!!! I gave the best "elevator" speech of my life (that's when you have to say EVERYTHING between the first & fifth floor...remember "Working Girl"?) and told the Mayor and Council everything we're doing here. Very exciting!

PPPPS: We are at 3809 Park Ave, between 38th and 39th in the lovely and blooming Watertower District! You can call us at 201-617-1110. We're open M-W 11-7, Th-F 11-8 and Sat 10-6.

Creating Art with Ancient Wood, Marble and...Recycled Car Engines?

Dear Friends: One of the great joys of working here at ArtsEcho Galleria is that I get to meet fascinating people, many of whom are devoting their lives to creating art. Why are they doing this? Because they have to. I'm really not at all interested in the so-called "artists" who are in it for the fame & fortune. First of all, anyone who goes into art for fame & fortune can't be too smart and I try not to waste time on people who aren't smart (this falls into the "life is too short" category).

This week, our dear friend, Ecuadorian sub-realist artist Amado Mora (whose superb work is on permanent exhibit in our charming little Galleria and was featured in the "Art Vivo!" exhibition at the Brennan Courthouse Gallery in January...that's Amado in the photo), came in with a friend of his from Guayaquil, Ecuador, renowned sculptor Manuel Velastegui.

Velastegui is a sculptor who has exhibited throughout the world (...you all know what's coming...) and beginning this week, he will add ArtsEcho Galleria to his most impressive list! Among the many honors that he has received was First Prize for Sculpture in the Festival of the Americas and (get this...) a solo exhibit at Lincoln Center in NY (now that's impressive...)! He works in marble, metal and wood and has, for many years, reused all three materials to create new (and amazing) works of art. Doesn't that sound right up ArtsEcho's alley?

The following pieces were created from engine parts. The one on the left reminds me of the Degas statue of the 14-year-old-dancer (but really edgy). The one on the right is, of course, Don Quixote. Our Don Q is about 1 1/2 feet high, but in the Parque Lineal in Guayaquil, Manuel created a "Tribute to Don Quixote" (in honor of the 400th anniversary of the book by Cervantes) that is over 13 feet high!

So, we are proudly presenting an exhibition of sculptures of Velastegui beginning this coming week. (We will, of course, have an opening party (date to be announced) to which you are all invited...we don't do anything here without a party...actually, the whole place is a party!)

Speaking of Lincoln Center, next Sunday is the concert "21st Century Music & On", in which I am performing three songs by composer Ronn Yedidia (you did know that I have not always been chained to this computer...I performed for many years...actually, my first professional performance was at the age of 3...during the TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION! I continued performing through Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and that guy who can't pronounce the word "nuclear"). The concert is on April 18th, at 7:30pm at Merkin Concert Hall, one block north of Lincoln Center. More on this soon.

Lest you think I've forgotten our boutique goodies, here are some of the delicious things we have here at ArtsEcho Galleria to (hopefully) tempt you all!

These photos were taken this week by my adorable, very charming, tall, funny & talented husband, Ben (who is trying to get me to use fewer exuberant adjectives in these weekly emails, but he may not mind these...).

Warm regards from Sandra and the hard-working and creative ArtsEcho Galleria team, Zoe, Liana, Crystal, Ben, Claude and Lina.

PS: We are at 3809 Park Ave & at 201 617 1110. We are also at www.artsechogalleria.com! Our website is up and running and great!

PPS: Speaking of bargains, don't forget tomorrow is 30% off bags and accessories! Monday is 20% off everything you buy...Tuesday is 30% off our jewelry collection, Wednesday is 40% off any ONE item, Thursday is buy one get one half off on clothing and Friday...I forgot(but I know it's good!)

PPPS: Volunteers! Thanks to the wonderful folk who responded to my request. Please keep calling me (201-617-1110) to give us a few weekly hours of your time and get that great "funny money" (as well as a wonderful volunteer feeling...we are an official US non-profit organization). Many thanks!

Friendship, Community, Being Human, & Why We Need One Another

Dear Friends:

Here at ArtsEcho Galleria, I'm always thinking about human connections...why we are who we are and what we really (really...) need from one another, and what makes us happy. I'm sure it's not diamonds and fancy cars (or those ridiculous $4000 designer handbags...) (actually, I would love to have some of those ridiculous $4000 designer handbags here at ArtEcho, but only if I could buy gently used ones for $40. Well, if anyone has some $3850 bags lying around, bring them in...we're not snobs.) I think what makes us happy is other people...that's it...other people who share our values, our emotions and our humor (in other words, our lives) and validate what we think of ourselves while acknowledging the things we do (whew...I'm waxing philosophical ...well, better that than the floor.)

I have met many wonderful people here since opening our charming little shop and had the privilege of peeking into the lives of people doing amazing things. I will be writing about some of these friends and neighbors in upcoming emails (with your permission, of course...don't get worried.)

Our next big program, the "Sustainable Couture Fashion Show" is slated for Saturday, May 15, and we have several wonderful designers working on pieces using our collection of superb existing fabric. So many of you commented on the dress by Ji Young Song that was in last week's email, that I wanted to show you the new piece that arrived this week. Ji Young is creating a line of one-of-a-kind couture, handmade dresses; for this line she is incorporating her signature weaving which you can see throughout this dress. Here it is, the second in the collection, made from several leathers, suede and plaid raw silk; her design is based on a rose. I, for one, have never seen anything like it, and I am so delighted that ArtsEcho has been a catalyst in creating incredible work like this. Here's Ji Young Song and her art:

We have a date for the "Watertower District Festival" that will launch the "Watertower District Association" (about which you'll be hearing much more). July 10...a Saturday...we'll have music, artwork, fashion, food from our culinary neighbors, a wealth of friends and community in this special place, and lots of fun!

Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the holiday and the weather,

Sandra and the terrific ArtsEcho Galleria team, Zoe, Ben, Crystal, Karina, Liana, Arianna and Lina (wow, that's a mouthful or maybe a handful, since I'm typing this)...

PS: Not all of the special friends in our life are necessarily human...here is Guy with the famous 10 inch heel shoes...and there he is making eyes at Raquelle with Duda Penteado's colorful canvasses in the background.

PPS: Speaking of not human...here is our new non-human friend, Martha, at the piano (she was named for Martha Argerich, the Argentine pianist, considered by many to be the greatest pianist in the world)...yes, that's Guy enjoying the music...

PPPS: We're at 3809 Park Ave, across from the Weehawken Pathmark parking lot. You can reach us at 201-617 1110.

PPPPS: We have something on sale every day!!! Tomorrow our great bags and accessories are 30% off!!!! Oh, and please forward this email to a friend.

PPPPPS: 'night, Gracie.