by Becca Chase
Oh Boy, what a night! Rafi Hopkins and Jesse Galkowski (two-thirds of the Northeast-based sibling group Oh Boy Thanks), playing on guitar and various electronic contraptions, offered up some ear candy with a selection from their forthcoming debut album and other music from outer and inner space. Meanwhile, Jesse treated us to some exquisitely torquing torso tableaux.

Double the Devon! Sue Riddle (above) and Anne Shields Hopkins created these portraits of Devon Kelley-Yurdin ‘going for it’ with their ukulele.

The multi-talented Devon Kelley-Yurdin, of Portland Maine (and beloved past EAC employee), posed with and played their ukulele and sang along to Best Coast’s “Up All Night” and other wistful indie ballads. (See set list below.) Devon will be talking about their art during Anne’s In the Studio kaffeeklatsch on December 11.

EAC’s Island Institute Fellow Mark Macey sent along a video “The Self Encounters the Self” with three screens going simultaneously—a serene continuous shot of a mountainous island on top; a central scene of a ritualistic setup featuring ducks and other props, and with Mark doing a yoga-like flow; and on bottom a closeup of hands constantly moving. The video was accompanied by a repeating loop of provocative meditations (“Are you your body? Are you your mind? Are you your clothes?”….)

“The Self Encounters the Self” by Sue Riddle. “A rather literal translation of Mark’s video piece,” noted Sue. “But now with more goose!”

Anne Shields Hopkins struck a grotesque pose, a closeup of their hands prying open their mouth to expose teeth and tongue, and Duane Ingalls accompanied them. In addition to Duane’s always inventive and edgy musical interlude, he did a haunting recitation of Amy Lowell’s sonnet “A Blockhead”—“Before me lies a mass of shapeless days/ Unseparated atoms, and I must/ Sort them apart and live them….”.

Heidi Reidell shares her piece “The Grotesque,” inspired by Anne and Duane’s segment.

And that was just the models! The art that was created was just as diverse, eclectic, and inspiring. The artists tuned in from various points in Maine and also Wilmington DE, Normal IL, Minnesota, and Toronto, ON. Check out the screenshots at https://www.patreon.com/posts/november-draw-44423684?utm_medium=post_notification_email&utm_source=post_link&utm_campaign=patron_engagement.

Join us on January 22 for camaraderie, surprises, and inspiration at the next Draw-a-Thon salon.

What and whom will A.S.H. think of next? Dum-de-dum-dum

Becca Chase