ARTS FOCUS

Time Warner Cable Channel 23
presents a new weekly program focusing on the visual arts in Poughkeepsie and the Hudson Valley. The show is produced and hosted by artist, FRANC PALAIA

The premiere broadcast of Arts Focus was Thursday, September 7th, at 5:30pm
And repeated again at 9pm every Thursday.



“Arts Focus” is exactly what its title implies, a focus on the visual arts in the Hudson Valley. Franc will present area and regional painters, photographers, sculptors, printmakers, filmmakers, architects, craft artists, performance and video artists, designers, computer artists, folk artists as well as curators, art critics, museum directors and art dealers. The program will consist of artist interviews, in-studio presentations of original artwork and/or images from CDs and DVDs. Artists will discuss their technique, philosophy and inspirations and share interesting stories about themselves and their art-making experiences.

Franc will bring attention to special exhibitions in the area with an Arts Calendar at the end of every program. He will highlight senior and children’s art events and important activities by local arts organizations. Discussions with commercial and non-profit art groups will cover all aspects of the arts; either cultural, political, aesthetics and how they impact Dutchess county and society in general.

The first show aired in September, featured the newly appointed president of the Barrett Art Center, Roy Budnik. Roy discussed the history of Barrett and the art center’s future plans. The second guest was painter, teacher and gallerist, Betsy Jacaruso. She discussed her successful gallery and school in Red Hook and mentioned the Rhinebeck Paint-Out of Sept. 30th. Some of Betsy’s and other artists participating in the Pint-Out were presented in the TV studio and on the screen.

The second show in October focused on the lively art scene in Newburgh. The Newburgh Sculpture Project was featured as well as Garin Baker, the project manger and artist who is spearheading the very large mural, the “Tressle Project” near the waterfront. It is 200 feet long and 20 feet high and should be completed in spring 2007.

The November show was about Weekend on Main, with event co-organizer,
John Essick (along with Franc). The second guest was Harald Plochberger, artist and member of bau-beacon artist union an artists collective on Main Street, Beacon. bau was recently awarded the Dutchess County Executive Arts Award for outstanding arts organization.
Future shows will include interviews with ASK, (Art Society of Kingston), Carole Wolf of Mill Street Loft, Kathleen Murray of the Poughkeepsie Journal, Sara Pasti of BACA in Beacon, curators, Beth Wilson and Wayne Lempka, Mayor Nancy Cozean will discuss public art in Poughkeepsie, muralist Nestor Madalengoitia, Poughkepsie multi-media artist Sukran Aziz, filmmaker Ralph Arlyck, gallerist and artist, Carl Van Brunt, Maria of the Children’s Media Project and many others.

Franc Palaia is perfectly qualified to produce and present this arts program. He has 35 years as a professional exhibiting artist with over 300 group exhibitions and more than 35 regional, national and international solo shows,(10 in New York City). He has exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institute, Whitney Museum Annex, and The White House and will participate in a group show at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC in 2011. Franc’s experience in several media allows him to ask the right questions of his guests. Franc is a painter, photographer, sculptor, lamp designer, educator, sign-maker and muralist. He is also an independent curator and has organized more than a dozen exhibitions since 1982 in galleries and museums in the US and Italy. In the mid 1970s, Franc worked as a professional cable TV cameraman, street -reporter, set designer and hosted a visual arts program similar to ArtsFocus at a New Jersey Cable TV station. He has been an assistant and collaborator to several well- known artists in video, film and photography, and they include Salvador Dali, Annie Leibowitz, Roger Simon, Robert Wilson, Crash and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Franc will present two solo shows in Dec – Jan’07. One at bau-beacon artist union will feature large scale photo light boxes of his hand colored SX-70 Polaroids and a show filling the entire Haymaker Restaurant on Rt 44 will include large scale color photographs of the Hudson Valley.
The bau show opens Dec 9 and the Haymaker show opens Dec 14. For more information call 845-486-1378.

Franc has been very involved and is extremely familiar with the Poughkeepsie and Hudson Valley art scene and cultural community. He has been a founder, member and/or coordinator of the following organizations and events: ArtHop, ArtWalk, Barrett Art Center, The Gallery Shop, Friday and Weekend on Main, Poughkeepsie Mural and Public Art Projects, Art Along The Hudson, CAP (City Artist Partnership), Mill Street Loft, Dutchess County Arts Council, Vassar College Symposia, Alexander Hamilton Show, Barrett Clay Works, Art Society of Kingston, Poughkeepsie Farm Project and the Farmer’s Market. He is the recipient of two Dutchess County Executive Arts Awards in 2003 and 2006. He was named Poughkeepsian of the Year by the Poughkeepsie Beat in 2003 as a member of C.A.P. and is a member of bau (Beacon Artist Union). He is currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Barrett Art Center/Dutchess County Art Association.

ARTS FOCUS will be a forum for art and artists with art historical discussions of art trends and ideas, basically anything and everything of interest in the visual arts in the valley and beyond.

We hope you will tune in!