I was pleasantly surprised that my husband Andrew’s artwork SHINING LIGHT is featured in an article in Cleveland’s Canvas Magazine. The article by Becky Raspe is about the exhibition CONVERGE, an exhibition by the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve celebrating the legacy and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in the visual arts in the Northeast Ohio region. The exhibition is the largest in AAWR’s history with 71 artists and over 140 artworks at 5 venues. Click here for info and programing about the exhibition on the Artists Archives website. Click here to read the online article.
SHINING LIGHT is from a photo by my husband Andrew Reach he took of me at the entrance to the Christopher Street subway station in Greenwich Village NYC in 1984. We lived in Greenwich Village on Charles Street in the 1980’s.
Andrew Reach’s artwork SHINING LIGHT on page 16 of the 2021 fall issue of Canvas magazine about the exhibition CONVERGE
Here’s Andrew’s artist statement about the piece:
“The photograph in SHINING LIGHT in which I overlaid color, forms and texture, is of my husband Bruce Baumwoll. The photograph was taken by me in 1984 at the entrance to the Christopher Street subway station in Greenwich Village, New York. We were living in Greenwich Village and I was studying architecture at Pratt and taking photography classes there as well. Shining Light is a visual love letter. The light above Bruce’s head softly illuminates him like a halo, a metaphorical angel, while my “whimsies” move towards him, attracted to his beautiful essence. SHINING LIGHT speaks to the simple universal notion of the deep love and commitment of two men spending a life together and the homage one man pays to the other he loves so deeply.“
Cover of fall 2021 edition of Canvas Magazine. “Artists of CONVERGE” detail, by Melissa Bloom (2021). Acrylic on wood, 71 5 x 5 inch panels, cropped. Courtesy of Artists Archives of the Western Reserve.
Open spread of pages 16 and 17. Page 17 (on right) showing self portraits by transgender Artist Max Markwald.
SHINING LIGHT is being shown at the LGBTQ Center of Greater Cleveland. There will be a reception at the center for the CONVERGE exhibition Sept. 17, 2021 – 6:30 – 8:30pm.
I would have never imagined that my blog BaumwollArchives.com and my little films would have reached an audience over 1 million. I also hoped it to be a place for my husband Andrew Reach (andrewreach.com) and his art to be remembered when we are gone. We will be together 40 years. When I started, I never thought that my work would go all around the world and so many of you sharing your thoughts and love. I hope you enjoy my little films. I want to thank all of you who have looked at my work and enjoyed it for what it is, a moment in time to just let go.
Bruce Baumwoll,
Baumwoll Archives started as a labor of love. The idea came to me when my husband Andrew Reach and I went to hear Scott Ligon, author of the book “Digital Art Revolution”, and professor and head of the digital art department at Cleveland Institute of art. Andrew was personally invited to hear the lecture. As I sat there with Andrew and listened to Scott speak, I became more intrigued with what he was saying. He was telling the audience that we live in a new age, an age where everything is becoming accessible to all through digital technology and the internet. Through his presentation he showed us the power of giving back what we have by sharing and giving it away and by doing so, will be amazed at what will come back to you. Instead of hoarding anything, release it and let it be free to live on, way beyond the life we are living today. Before this digital age, most things were lost. That’s why so many of us are now being able to reconnect with the family histories we lost because of the ease of research through the internet with genealogy. When the lecture was over, and Andrew and I were talking with Scott and his wife, I let Scott know that he inspired me and I was going to go home and try to allow myself to let go of all that I was holding on to.
And so I began
Memories Of Edgemere Far Rockaway – The Photographs by Murray Cooper “New York, New York” performed by Frank Sinatra
This video features the Kodachrome Photographs by the late Murray Cooper, loaned to Baumwoll Archive through the Library of Barbara Cooper. The beginning montage of black and white photographs are by an unknown photographer. The iconic black & white aerial photo is of the boardwalk at Edgemere on July 4, 1957 by Margaret Bourke-White.
The subject of the photos are of life at the Bungalow Colony at Beach 38th Street and a wonderful portrait of life on the Boardwalk and on the beach between 1957 and 1961. Through his photographs, he weaves us a world of families leaving the hot city, mostly from the Bronx, to have a wonderful life during the summer at the bungalow colony, from their evening gatherings, to all the families sitting on the porches talking, to the utterly amazing boardwalk photographs. He captures his beloved Pearl, his family and extended family and other returning families who came to the same Bungalow Colony every summer.
As I mentioned before on my blog, Beach 38th Street holds a very special place to me personally, and one of the things that was lost to me were photographs of the street and the house. Through an unbelievable chain of events all of us will get to enjoy these amazing photographs of a time and place and a way of life that has slipped away. With my world being all on Beach 38th Street with my grandparents owning and running one of the big summer homes, in many of his photographs he captures the home. It is the large brown house right off the Boardwalk. These are the first pictures I’ve seen of the house since I was a boy.
Large Brown house , Home to Nathan and Eva BaumwollLarge Brown house , Home to Nathan and Eva Baumwoll
Large Brown house , Home to Nathan and Eva Baumwoll
Murray Cooper considered himself an amateur photographer, using a professional quality 35 mm camera and Kodachrome film. But the quality of the pictures speak otherwise. His photographs in the end will be compared with the great photographs of New York. Murray never got to see where his photographs will get to travel in today’s world. The internet will take these pictures everywhere.
I wish to Thank Barbara Cooper for sharing her father’s photographs with us.
None Of Us Are Free , Until All Of Us Are Free, To Be Who We Truly Are
I still find it rather hard to believe That my little films have reached and audience of over 1,000,000. I am a very very late bloomer. I hope you enjoy my new little film.
I hope you enjoy my new little film.
None Of Us Are Free Until All Of Us Are Free To Be Who We Are Truly Are
I keep pushing myself . In this one I have add my voice at the beginning I still find it rather hard to believe That my little films have reached and audience of over 1,000,000. I am a very very late bloomer. I hope you enjoy my new little film. Be Who You Are, There’s No One In The World Like You Bruce Baumwoll
To the few who feel I go too fast, this is a little moving picture. This is why I move the photographs at the speed I do. If you want to study a photograph, stop the film. This is a moment in time meant for you to relax and go for the ride. You see what you see and you feel what you feel. Its a little movie trying to take you somewhere else. Relax and let me take you there. To really get anywhere one must let go. Remember you can see all YouTube videos on your TV . Which makes them so much larger to be able to see. Bruce Baumwoll
Wikipedia Handsome Devil is a 2016 Irish comedy-drama film directed by John Butler.[2] It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.[3] It centres around an ostracised teenager (Fionn O’Shea) at an elite, rugby-obsessed, all-boys boarding school in Ireland modelled on Castleknock and Blackrock, whose new roommate (Nicholas Galitzine) is the school’s new rugby star-player.[4][5] The two form an unlikely friendship until it is tested by those around them.[6] The film features themes of homosexuality, while examining hypocrisy and snobbery in the Irish private school system. Handsome Devil received critical acclaim, winning the award for Best Irish Feature of 2017 from the Dublin Film Critics’ Circle;[7] four nominations at the 2018 Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Awards,[8] including Best Feature Film; and the Best Single Drama Award at the annual Celtic Media Festival in 2018.[9] Plot The film is set at an elite rugby-obsessed all boys boarding school in Ireland modelled on Castleknock and Blackrock, and is seen through the eyes of Ned, an ostracised student at the school.[10][11] He seems to be the only student there who does not enjoy rugby. A new student arrives at the school, Conor, who is Ned’s roommate and a star rugby player. Though the two are initially wary of each other, they soon form a close friendship, with a particular interest in music. The new English teacher, Mr. Sherry, also arrives at the school, who, though stern, is encouraging towards Ned and Conor. It is revealed throughout the film that the school generally encourages homophobic behaviour, particularly by the students and the rugby coach, Pascal. During a night out celebrating with the rugby team, Conor sees Mr. Sherry with his male partner at a gay club and understands that he is homosexual. At the same time, Ned realises that Conor himself is gay after seeing him in the same gay club. Pascal sees the two of them talking with each other and becomes worried that Mr. Sherry’s influence will have a negative effect on Conor, his most valuable player. Ned and Conor decide to perform a musical piece at the local elementary school’s variety show, at the encouragement of Mr. Sherry. Pascal encourages Weasel to ask his cousin (who attends the same school Conor did) the reason behind Connor getting into fights. He discovers that Conor was kicked out of his former school for repeatedly getting into fights with those who discovered that he was gay, and uses it as blackmail, insinuating that if he does not pick different friends, his secret will be revealed. As a result, Conor does not turn up to the variety show performance, much to Ned’s dismay. Ned turns up to an event with the rugby team, where Conor shoves him away in front of the entire team. Angry and frustrated, Ned outs Conor in front of the entire school during a rugby rally. A remorseful Ned is suspended and Conor runs away. As the final match approaches, Conor is still missing. Ned knows where to find him and brings him back to the stadium, where they convince Pascal that he can still be gay and a good rugby player, and that Conor is not ashamed of his sexuality, despite that being the case in the past. Although Pascal resists, the team stands by Conor, ultimately forcing Pascal to concede. The team eventually wins the final of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup while Mr. Sherry comes out to the school dean at the game. Ned returns to the school and wins the English writing competition using the story of his friendship with Conor which he names “Handsome Devil.”
SHINING LIGHT by Andrew Reach, 2007 uv cured inkjet on acrylic, 24″w x 36″h
This artwork is one of two of Andrew’s artworks selected to be in the exhibition. Titled SHINING LIGHT, it’s from a photograph he took of me at the entrance to the Christopher Street subway station in 1984. It will be shown at the LGBTQ Center of Greater Cleveland in the Gordon Square Arts District which is one of 3 other venues for the exhibition.
Andrew describes the artwork as follows: “Shining Light is a visual love letter. The light above Bruce’s head softly illuminates him like a halo, while my “whimsies” surround him, attracted to his beautiful essence. SHINING LIGHT speaks to the simple universal notion of the deep love and commitment of two men spending a life together and the homage one man pays to the other he loves so deeply.”
ASTERISCUS I, 2021 uv cured inkjet on cnc cut acrylic, 48″h x 43″w
This is the other artwork selected for the exhibition. It will be shown at another venue, Metrohealth Hospital.
Andrew’s art is already represented at the center as he was commissioned during the buildings construction to do a permanent installation in the “Lounge” off of the main entrance (see photo below)
Me in front of Andrew’s commissioned artwork “Fifty Three Rhombuses” at the LGBTQ Center of Greater Cleveland, uv cured inkjet on cnc cut composite aluminum.
From the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve’s website:
“This August, the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve presents CONVERGE, a massive visual art exhibition held in partnership with the LGBTQ Center of Greater Cleveland, Lake Erie College, and Cleveland MetroHealth. Shown across 4 venues, CONVERGE brings together the diverse stories of the LGBTQ community, including the historically underrepresented voices of women, transgender people, and people of color.”
