Arts Lecture Series Kicks Off Monday in Mamaroneck

MAMARONECK, NY - A new lecture series sponsored by the Village of Mamaroneck Arts Council will kick off with dancer-choreographer Megan Williams speaking this month and abstract artist Henry Mandell appearing in June.

The series, “Conversations with Artists and Performers,” is a continuation of the Arts Council’s new Arts Live initiative. Organized by Arts Council members Jackie Meier and Joycemarie Washburn, it starts with Williams’ talk at 7 p.m., May 23 in the community room of the Mamaroneck Public Library at 136 Prospect Ave., Mamaroneck.

Mandell’s talk will take place June 20. Subsequent talks – each about 90 minutes long – will take place in the fall. The talks are free and open to all, organizers said.

The Arts Council announced the new Arts Live initiative recently at the unveiling of two artworks by Ernest Shaw, the first public sculptures in the village.

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“This series will bring fascinating lectures to our community from highly talented artists,” said Solange De Santis, Arts Council chair. “We are lucky to have such a rich arts scene here in Mamaroneck and the surrounding area. It makes perfect sense to tap our creative professionals who are renowned in a wide range of fields and are eager to share their stories, expertise and advice with us, their neighbors.”

“We are grateful to the artists taking part in the series,” Meier said. “We know that audience members will find these first lectures by Ms. Williams and Mr. Mandell engaging and informative, and we ask people to keep an eye out for future talks in the months to come.”

Williams, whose career has spanned three decades, will talk about the life of a professional dancer. Trained at The Juilliard School, she danced with the Mark Morris Dance Group for more than 10 years. She also taught in the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase College for a decade. In 2015, she received a Master of Fine Arts in dance from Sarah Lawrence College. She continues to teach and perform.

Mandell is known for his abstract paintings, including works using inkjets on aluminum or canvas. Many of his works – including a large-scale mural on permanent display at the Columbia Museum of Art in South Carolina – incorporate text, which is transformed “into complex patterns from the outlines of the words,” as Mandell explains on his website. “Using stories, raw data or poetry as a starting point and working by hand, the shapes of the letters are re-purposed with digital tools.”