Culture And Relaxation During Busy Holiday Season

Between the bustle of Thanksgiving visiting and the rush of holiday shopping, two multitalented artists invite you to take an afternoon off and enjoy &#8220Note For Note: Music and Poetry” with Mary Kelly and Dan Guarino.
Presented by the Rockaway Artists Alliance as part of its popular Gallery Sitters Events series, &#8220Note For Note” takes place on Saturday, December 2 at 2 p.m. in sTudio 6 (building T-6) of the Rockaway Center for the Arts (RoCA) at Fort Tilden. Admission is absolutely free.
Two popular performers, Mary Kelly and Dan Guarino recently won a warm welcome at the opening reception for the RAA’s new Gifted exhibition, now running through December 10. Both are also represented by artwork in the show.
Mary Kelly, an evocative painter, held the audience with clear voiced renditions of new ballads, old Irish songs and music from around the world, even taking a stab at Russian. Often noted as a fine a cappella singer, Ms. Kelly also had the crowd singing, clapping along and even dancing when she rolled out her most infectious guitar playing and rousing vocals for &#8220La Bamba.”
Dan Guarino, a photographer, not only performed his lively original poetry, but also played and sang a variety of songs ranging from a strong voiced, unaccompanied &#8220Somebody Loves Me” by George Gershwin to a mix of originals, instrumental and otherwise, which featured a blend of pop, rock, and ethnic folk music. His singing and guitar playing also inspired an impromptu dance performance from a member of the audience, with whom he good naturedly shared the stage.
&#8220The Gifted” exhibition itself highlights the work of seventeen different artists using watercolor, oil paint, acrylic, film and digital photography, stoneware, wood, wire, words and endless creativity to carve a picture of the world around them. Carefully selected from a large number of submitted works, it has been noted as a show of unusual variety and vibrancy.
Gallery hours are Saturday noon to 4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. and by appointment.