HV Highlights

Donna Davies Halloween Queen + Author dabbles in Pottery too!

March 2, 2016

Comments Off

I have known Donna Davies for eight years, We met when I co-created a tourism magazine and reached out to her to submit editorial content on her passion; all things Halloween and her website Hudson Valley Halloween Magazine ! Since then, she has written a handful of children’s books , co-produced Halloween parades in Dutchess County, written numerous online pieces, decorates like a mad-woman for Halloween and somewhere along the line had time for her new passion pottery!

The Beginning

When you are thinking of starting a new creative project, it sometimes takes a while to get going. There are moments when you have a vision of how you are going to do something. You even picture the successful outcome and you catch yourself doing a little happy dance while driving in the car. But guess what? Sometimes you NEVER do that great creative idea! I think many artistic people go through this and I know there are more times than I care to admit that I have personally dropped the ball or let go of why I should do something. That changed for me this year and I take comfort from friends like Donna Davies who choose to constantly grow, change and delve into a new artistic project.

POTTERY

Donna has always been artistic. She had been told you can’t support yourself on an artist’s income. But after receiving her BA Degree, she was looking for something to fulfill the needs of the right side of her brain. She took a few classes at Rhinbeck Pottery and was hooked.

Although she had limited free time, she set up a home studio and devoted her off-time to practicing her new craft. Of course, in the beginning she admits she wasn’t very good. Pottery is an art form that takes patience and practice. So she researched the possibilities, became more intrigued with the endless applications and techniques of working with clay. She says ” Ceramics is no longer your grandmother’s hobby and certainly not limited to paint your own pottery shops”.

Cape Cod Influence

Cape Cod is a mecca for pottery and Donna took workshops at Castle Hill with Chandra Debuse who is gaining quite a reputation for herself in the ceramics industry. Snow Farm in Massachusetts is another amazing place to retreat to and a couple of hours away from the Hudson Valley. A lot of her off-time is spent looking for pottery workshops on the east coast where she meets the most amazing people. She says “when she is immersed in making pottery nothing else exists”. She is now taking an online pottery course with Diana Fayt who she calls an amazing artist who transitions her drawings into clay. In the Hudson Valley she likes the classes at Art Centro and is working toward her dream trip to spend a month at Arrowmont in Tennessee.

It’s All In The Name

“I remember my first dish like it was yesterday. It was a hot summer day. I was slicing up a juicy watermelon and placed it in a dish that I made myself. The caladon color of the dish brought out the pink of the watermelon. Hence the name of my studio, Caladonna Studio. A combination of my favorite glaze and my name”. Serendipity Indeed!

Influences & Inspiration

Chandrea Debuse, Molly Hatch and Diana Fayt are her favorite potters. She loves how they blend the art of drawing and using clay as a medium to create something functional and appealing to the eye. She likes fun pottery which is functional and it carries as an inspiration for developing her own personal style which has taken her the past few years to figure out.

“I always have a sketch pad with me. After spending 13 years working as the Director of Web Marketing at The Culinary Institute of America, it’s not a surprise that food would play a role in what she creates. She is developing a line of pie plates.

Local antique shops and retro kitchen also inspire her craft. From cherry red and bright teal to kitschy advertising. Since her focus is on functional pottery, her work is starting to reflect the period of time when life was all baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet. She even uses a retro kitchen table as her glaze table.

Donna’s 3 Takeaways On Pottery

1. You can make pottery anywhere with tools you can find around your house.

2. Color….color….color! I love the multitude of colors and glaze availability.

3. I love the new friends I’ve made who have a love for clay.

To watch Donna’s progress follow her on Pinterest + Instagram

Her pottery website Celadonna Studio is under construction so check back!

Do You Have a Hudson Valley Story?

We would like to hear from you!

Contact THEHVStory With Your Inquiry!

Tailgating ARMY Football Style

September 17, 2016

Melissa Tyler

HV Highlights, Wine & Dine

Comments Off

ARMY FOOTBALL

You don’t have to live in the Hudson Valley to know about ARMY Football and tailgating on Saturday’s in the Fall. People come from upstate, down state, out of state and beyond to take in a game. Tailgating is part of the day’s festivities with people showing up by 9 am and setting up to cook, eat, relax and enjoy the game.

Get Your Tickets to the NEXT home ARMY Football Game Here

Some start off the day cooking a breakfast sandwich on the grill.

For others, there’s nothing like a bagel.

The key ingredient is friends and family together.

So, line up the coolers…and let’s see what’s cooking!

Get Your Tickets to the NEXT home ARMY Football Game Here

Feature Story Photos By Melissa Tyler

Portrait of a Landscape Photographer

April 7, 2016

Melissa Tyler

HV Highlights

Comments Off

Mary Elliot- O’Haire Photography

Peace, Beauty and Joy….Never Knowing what she may find or see. That’s just some of the things that inspire Hudson Valley landscape photographer Mary Elliott-O’Haire. “I love the journey involved in landscape photography, the changing light and colors.” This full time nurse finds nature and the beauty of the Hudson Valley and it’s changing season very comforting and peaceful.

Inspiration

The photography brings a balance that she needs after or prior to a hectic day! Mary began her admiration of photography as a young child and received her first camera at age 8. Some of her fondest memories are sitting on her grand parents sofa, going through old photographs and being mesmerized by the photographs. She drove her grandparents crazy with questions. She wanted to know where each photo was taken and went as far as to write notes on the back of each photo. In high school, she took a photography class and got her first 35mm camera. The rest you could say is history!

A Hudson Valley native living in Westchester County as a child and in Rhinebeck the last 30 years she has come to love the Hudson River. She is in awe of the beauty of the river. The river that flows both ways, has a tide and is home to so much life and beauty. She is equally captivated by barns and all the critters that live in them, especially horses.

She calls her self a Sunrise Girl. “I love heading out into the darkness with a headlamp on my head as I hike, climb and walk the perfect destination. I love the darkness, the stillness and the silence which slowly wakes up and paints a unique portrait of the promise and beauty of a new day. “

Weddings + Anniversary + Parties

Mary keeps active in other areas in photography with weddings, engagement photos, anniversary and birthday celebrations, reunions, proms and family portraits. She is also very active with her church photographing religious ceremonies on High Holy Days as well as baptisms and funerals. One story she recalls is how a bride said having photos with her dog was important to her. The day of the wedding her dog was not present. Mary went and got the dog which was across the street from the occasion. She says “listening to details like that is what makes photographs special and unique to the couple.” Mary has photographed many weddings along the Hudson River and the Long Island Sound and has gone as far as Ohio and Michigan for destination weddings. This July she will be going to Indiana for a wedding.

She was also privileged to photograph a 150 Anniversary of a convent in Peekskill where Cardinal Dolan would be the celebrant of Mass. There were Nuns present from 26 countries. It was a beautiful Mass filled with joy and thanksgiving, followed by a lovely banquet.

The Future

Mary’s goal is to continue to be amazed by the beauty of the area and photograph it. She enjoys meeting new people and capturing special moments in their lives. Some of her work is featured in local stores and coffee shops. She is looking for more new places to display her landscape work which is available for purchase. One of Mary’s photographs will be featured on the cover of the 2016-2017 Rhinebeck Chamber of Commerce Guide. She has also donated prints to local fundraising auctions at Rhinebeck Science Foundation, Southlands Foundation and Rhinebeck/Rheinback Exchange.

You can see daily updates of her work on

Facebook + Flicker + SmugMug

She has had shows in January 2016 at the Newburgh Library, Rcan in Red Hook last winter and 8 large prints are currently hanging in Ten Broeck Commons Coffee Shop and Library.

All Photos By Mary Elliott- O’Haire Photography

Elissa Davidson Photography

March 28, 2016

Melissa Tyler

Blog, HV Highlights

Comments Off

Wedding Season is Here!

Spring has Sprung + Summer is on the way! One thing for sure is the wedding bells will be ringing! The Hudson Valley Story is featuring our 2nd Wedding Story this time with

Elissa Davidson Photography

Elissa Davidson has been photographing weddings, portraits and family events in the Hudson Valley + beyond for a dozen years. This well known area photographer has a Bachelors of Science in Art and a Masters in Art Therapy. Before she was a photographer she was a therapist working with all types of people. That is what seems to give her the ability to really get to know and understand her clients on a deeper level. She likes to make each photo session unique to each client.

Although she works mostly in the Hudson Valley she has done weddings in New York City, New Jersey and Long Island. Then there are the Destination Weddings that include Philadelphia, Newport, Napa Valley and The Netherlands. She had an incredible experience photographing a couple in The Netherlands for their engagement at Keukenhoff Gardens. Her Dream Destination Wedding is to photograph a wedding in Scotland on the romantic green hillsides with a castle.

Favorite Stories

“When I work with the same family more than once, it’s amazing because they know what to expect and how I work. They trust me to create a timeline that maximizes their time with family and friends. I’ve been fortunate enough to photograph three siblings weddings in one family, as well as portraits, extended family and a newborn to the family.” She calls her work rewarding to have people come to you, in trust knowing that you’ll take care of them.

Family Portraits

Family Portraits take many forms, from maternity + newborn to yearly family portraits. Elissa enjoys seeing the same kids every year as they grow. They also become more familiar with her and the in-studio or outdoor experience. “I love seeing the couples grow into families and the families grow!”

Portraits

EID Photography does every type of portraits including the occasional head shot and some non-profit events. Most are done in a documentary lifestyle way that she has become known for. Newborn sessions in particular are not posed. They are natural moments with the baby and family.

To find out more about booking your wedding + family portraits

contact Elissa Davidson Photography

Advice For Brides

Get To Know Your Wedding Photographer. “I encourage engagement sessions so that couples I work with are familiar with my style.” Your Wedding is a long day. It’s important that the couple and the photographer are on the same page about how the day will go and create a timeline. You want the couple to enjoy their cocktail hour and reception by mingling with friends and family.

All Photos By Elissa Davidson Photography

Follow her on Facebook

Capturing Love With Caitlinn Mahar Daniels Photography

March 10, 2016

Melissa Tyler

HV Highlights

Comments Off

The Hudson Valley Story First Spring 2016 Wedding Feature

There is something wonderful about intentional moments when capturing couples and there is a whole different magic that happens when capturing the unintentional moments as well. Caitlinn Mahar-Daniels lives for both!

A traditionally trained photographer obsessed with capturing LOVE between people. She thrives off the positive energy and atmosphere she has the privilege of capturing with her lens!

Caitlinn has been photographing weddings professionally since 2011 and strictly gets her clients through word of mouth. Other happy couples tell more happy couples about their dream wedding. It’s the love that is generated from the couples she photographs that emits an energy and excitement!

Engagement Photographs

Caitlinn recommends if a couple is looking to use their engagement photographs for their “Save the Dates’ they should take that into consideration when booking their session. Engagement photographs can take place at any time while planning the wedding process. She has photographed multiple engagement sessions as much as two years before a couple walks down the isle as well as two weeks before the wedding. If a couple has time to plan, she suggests thinking about a favorite season and involving nature becomes a very important part of the process.

Advice To A Bride From A Wedding Photographer

Something that is really important is that the bride feels a connection with her photographer on an emotional as well as aesthetic level. In Caitlinn’s case many brides or grooms make an inquiry through her website. She responds by finding out basic information about the couple.

Weddings

From there either a phone conversation or a meeting is scheduled. After a meeting and the couple official books the photographer a contract is signed and a deposit is made. That’s when the scheduling and engagement photos are planned. After that, Caitlinn and the couple talk several times before the wedding day to go over a timeline and specific posed photographs. This is an important step in the process since candid’s are mainly taken during the wedding. So it is important to have conversations in advance about the directed and set up photographs.

The BIG Day is spent photographing the getting ready process and details, first look, family, bridal party, bride and groom portraits and the documentation of the wedding. The couples receive their images through an online gallery within two weeks of the wedding and a box of prints and various other materials within a month after their wedding day.

Caitlinn has photographed at numerous locations throughout the Hudson Valley + beyond. The list is too long to mention here. A few of the locations include Boscobel, The Garrison, The Links, The Thayer Hotel, Central Park Boathouse, The New York Botanical Gardens and private homes and estates just to name a few.

Adventure Weddings

Rustic, barn settings, open fields, destination adventure weddings have become very popular and Caitlinn enjoys working with couples that think outside of the box.

Two words of advice she gives is “avoid Pinterest and get your inspiration from within. Think deep within your souls and what comes from your heart and let that guide how your wedding should be”. She’s not saying to abandon tradition, but thinks it’s important for people to truly have the wedding they want to have and not the wedding the think they are supposed to have.

As an example, she and her husband were married at Blooming Hill Farm in the middle of July with 48 guests and every bit of decor came from her imagination and no where else.” Having your family and friends documented in authentic moments are what is truly important.”Other local locations she would like to shoot more at are Full Moon Resort, Ashokan Dreams, The Roadhouse, Shadow Lawn and a list of new B&B’s that have been popping up.

Dream Wedding

About 25 percent of the weddings she now photographs are destination weddings all over the country + beyond. South Africa holds a special place in her heart. She says she has a large social media following from this area and this could be in part to her husband Brian who will be coming on-board as her partner and photographer. Other destination dream locations she would like to shoot weddings at are Iceland, the Isle of Skye, New Zealand and many more. She is also interested in photographing destination elopements and documenting an elopement in Monument Valley would be the absolute dream!

A Re-branding

Caitlinn met her husband Brian in South Africa while photographing a wedding several years ago. He will now be joining forces and they are in the midst of re-branding her brand to her new last name “The Ramsdens” Brian’s mother and sister are both talented photographers in SA so although he is not classically trained in the art, it was a natural transition and he learned the ropes rather quickly. She says “it was definitely in his blood”.

All Photos By Caitlinn Mahar- Daniels

Crossing Waters: The Documentary A Jane Watson Film

March 7, 2016

Melissa Tyler

Entertainment, HV Highlights

Comments Off

Jane Watson is an independent filmmaker living in the Hudson Valley. Her passion is film-making! She loves the process of making a film. ” I love uncovering a story. I love listening to people tell me their stories. I love uncovering little details while watching the film take shape, evolve and change. I love collaborating with other artists and story tellers”.

Crossing Waters: The Documentary is a 40 minute documentary that she completed in Fall 2015 that has won several awards and is a main attraction featured at several film festivals across the country.

Poughkeepsie Immigration History

Jane began researching Poughkeepsie’s first ward a neighborhood now known as “little Italy” which lies underneath Poughkeepsie’s Walkway Over The Hudson Once her research began, it became clear that there were 60 years of history that had been forgotten or not known today by most of the community. Before the Italian immigrants arrived and began to settle in this neighborhood it had been primarily an Irish neighborhood.

Those 60 years represent a period in Poughkeepsie, as well as the country’s growing pains and conflict as America struggled with it’s first major wave of immigration. “The more I researched, the more I realized how similar the conflict of the past was exactly the same conflict of immigration today.”

She admits the film took three years to make because of a tiny budget, little resources and the amount of research that had to be done. She credits the resources of Vassar College, Marist College, FDR Library, IBM archives, NY State Archives, the Library of Congress and University of Connecticut.

After the film was completed, the process of submitting it into film festivals in the United States and Europe Began. It was a tough time because the film was competing to get accepted into film festivals where as many as 2,000 other films were submitted for each festival. The other films had budgets 10 – 12 times the budget of Crossing Waters. She was in direct competition with films that had interviews with the Taliban or a film narrated by Liam Neeson.

Awards + Film Festivals

The film with a tiny budget and no big name cast wound up doing pretty well. It won two film awards at film competitions in southern California and Atlanta. The Silver Award Spotlight Documentary Film Awards in Atlanta (December 2015) and an Award for Merit Special Mention for Technical and Artistic Capabilities Women Filmmakers IndieFest, (November 2015) La Jolla, California

To date, her film has been accepted into three film festivals and interest from some others that we can’t mention at this time. A local Hudson Valley showing at prestigious Vassar College last week was only the first local preview. There is a plan in action for a larger viewing for the Hudson Valley Community.

This past weekend, the film premiered at The Chicago Irish Film Festival where it got fantastic reviews from fellow filmmakers.

Saturday, March 17th Jane will attend PENN State for the College Town Film Festival which is organized in Burbank, California and will travel to different college campuses. PENN State is just the first stop. Later this year, her first European festival will be at the Northern Wales International Film Festival.

Immigration

Jane says “the documentary deals with history. History does not tend to be as popular today…people are more interested in realty TV shows than history. But, she is quick to point out how strategically the film has a tie to America’s history and today’s current conflict of immigration. Including the similarities between Donald Trump and fear mongers of the past.”

Jane Watson is a graduate of NYU’S prestigious film school. She has worked in advertising for a division of Saatchi & Saatchi, the Writers Guild of America, production and post production in film and television. Her passion for documentary storytelling and photojournalism was developed while working as a newspaper photographer in New York City covering civil rights movements, police actions and the political life of the city.

She is currently developing several new projects including looking for a script of what she would like to call her dream project to make a smart, scary, thriller. “American women haven’t really broken into this genre. I’d like to bust open the boy’s club and work in this area”.

Jeffrey Anzevino Photographing + Music + Sailing on the Hudson

March 5, 2016

Melissa Tyler

HV Highlights

Comments Off

You know your doing something right when people tell you they LOVE what your doing. They want to be #THEHVStory. Well, this past week, we have been inundated with kind words and all kinds of requests! So we thank you for that!

Jeffrey Anzevino is doing what he loves. For the last 25 years he has worked for Scenic Hudson as the Director of Land Use Advocacy. But, there’s a back story to every story and that is what always intrigues us. That is the Essence of #THEHVstory.

A Father’s Influence

You see, Jeffrey has been what he likes to call a “water rat” his whole life. His father taught him to love the Hudson River. He took him sailing on the Hudson when he was a kid in the 1960s. He moved away with family when he was a teenager, but never forgot those days on the river. After 20 years of living from coast to coast, he returned and found a much cleaner river, The Hudson River was the river of his youth and the river he fell in love with!

Hudson Valley Here I come!

Returning to Highland in 1991, with a pick-up truck, a camera, a guitar, a sailboat and his cat, he quickly found the boat ramp at Poughkeepsie. He learned the River that Flows Both Ways – Muhheakantuck; and that the wind was fickle and the tide was both predictable and incessant. “Currents can be your friend or your enemy and, as in life, it’s best not to try to fool Mother Nature”.

The Calendars

He became good at sailing a 14 foot wind-powered craft in all conditions. From March to November, day and night the river was his domain. Most of all, he loved sailing under the abandoned Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge and encountering an array of commercial river traffic. This is where we always like to point out the serendipity of the story.

You see, Jeff’s favorite subjects to photograph was the abandoned Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge now known as Walkway Over the Hudson , and the commercial boats that travel the Hudson. He spent his time honing his technique, sailing into position, aiming his camera under the boom, steadying the tiller with his knee and making photographs. Soon he had quite a collection. He sells these photographs and produces calendars of the commercial boats he loves. The tugboats are the most popular among captains, crew and family members as well as maritime transportation companies.

Tug-Spotting

Back in 2000, Jeff bought a larger boat and changed from film to digital cameras. That’s when Tug-Spotting became an obsession! He attributes sophisticated tracking equipment and junior high math to predict when tugboats will arrive at any given location! He also likes to bike ride on the Walkway Over the Hudson for photos.

In the winter, he likes to wake up before sunrise and wait on freezing bridges to capture powerful tugs and barges crashing through the ice. During Summer, he dashes out to rendezvous with tugs out at the channel for wide angle up close and personal encounters. Follow his Hudson River and Tugboat photos on Facebook

Let the river Do The Talking

in 1994, as a Geographic major at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Jeffrey was a DJ at a college radio station. He took a course called Country Music in America and listened to the public radio station. He decided to express himself through music and bought a Dobro which is a wood-bodied single cone resonator guitar. Jeff was invited out onto the abandoned Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge with his band-mates to record the soundtrack for Dick Crensn’s documentary “Sittin On Top Of The World”. Soon after that, he wrote “The Hudson River Song” as a tribute to Pete Seeger, the Sloop Clearwater and everyone who works to restore the Hudson River and give it back to the people.

The Hudson River Song by Jeffrey Anzevino

Today, the Hudson River is cleaner. The abandoned bridge is now Walkway Over the Hudson, a fabulous park. Music and Photography are deeply ingrained in Jeff ‘s spirit and it gives him great pleasure to use both to convey his perceptive and love of the Hudson River.

Exhibit

Jeffrey Anzevino’s photographs as well as some of his original songs written in celebration of the Hudson River will be featured at Underground Coffee & Ales in Highland. The exhibit is called “The Hudson River: Images & Music” and the opening reception is Sunday, March 13th from 2-4pm. The Music will be performed by Jeff’s band Rich Hines & The Hillbilly Drifters a bluesy bluegrass band.

Jeff will also donate the sale of a 20×30 canvas print “Mother Shop & Spawn” to Hudson River Sloop Clearwater’s “Float the Boat” program and will donate a 20×20 canvas print to Walkway as a silent auction item.

Jeffrey Anzevino – A Hudson Valley Photographer, Songwriter and Founder of the Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association.

Do You Have a Hudson Valley Story?

We would like to hear from you!

Contact THEHVStory With Your Inquiry!

Mark Woods: Landscapes + Sunrises & More

March 2, 2016

Melissa Tyler

HV Highlights

Comments Off

We love when people contact us through our website to tell us about their Hudson Valley Story!

Tell Us Your Hudson Valley Story!

Mark Woods is an amateur photographer that likes taking photos of landscapes, sunrises and maritime subjects. Photography is pretty much a hobby to him, but he has been taking photographs for about fifteen years.

Mark is a retired truck driver who traveled up and down the east coast. Although he traveled a lot during this period he did not take photographs of his travels. He also had a route closer to home in the New York city area but with 30-40 stops per day, photography just didn’t fit in.

Sunrises

Capturing sunrises in the Hudson Valley is what interests him today. The Hudson Valley has opened his eyes to many natural wonders which he didn’t appreciate living in the city. Living in Brooklyn, he says “when you step outside your house you can only see across the street”. He moved to the area in 1985 and never looked back. He loves the Hudson Valley panorama’s. He enjoys photography because it gives him the ability to capture an instant in time that is visually pleasing and he can share with the world.

Army CIA Connection

Mark Woods also served in the US Army for 32 years where he did many things. He ran a 19,000 line item mobile warehouse of spare parts which he could put 75% of anywhere in the world in 24 hours. The rest of the week he ran a ration breakdown distributing food to 16,000 soldiers for 45 kitchens on maneuvers. He also was the logistician for mechanize infantry Battalion of about 800 soldiers and equipment, getting everything they needed; where they needed it, when they got there. During retirement he attended the Culinary Institute of America and studied general culinary arts and admits he enjoys making people food they enjoy and makes a mean carrot cake.

Exhibits

Mark has exhibited his photos at Barnes & Nobel, The Newburgh Library and a few local town hall offices. His work can also be viewed on Smugmug and Facebook. His photos can also be found on the Hudson River Pilots Association and Tugboat Information

Do You Have a Hudson Valley Story?

We would like to hear from you!Contact THEHVStory With Your Inquiry!

Tim Hetrick: Tugboats + Mohonk & More! A Hudson Valley Photographer

February 20, 2016

Melissa Tyler

Blog, HV Highlights

Comments Off

Two years ago, Tim Hetrick got his dream job as the Superintendent of Parks and Grounds at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz. But, that’s not where I met him. I met Tim through a wonderful photo I saw on his Twitter of a tugboat. Then we talked, and he told me about his photos on Flicker and of course he’s on Facebook

Photography has always been a interest and contributed to his career. During an internship in 1999, at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in New Jersey he was required to take photos for a power point presentation. He took photos with film; a rarity for the times, but it was that undertaking that propelled him to dive further into photography. Given his profession, he is mostly outdoors and surrounded by natural beauty.

Background

More Serendipity! Tim’s hometown of Rocky Ridge, Ohio is just a few miles from Lake Erie. He was always drawn to water sources and got his passion for the water from his father who was in the Navy. Almost from birth, he began exposing him to tugboats and Coast Guard boats. As a family they spent a great deal of time on his father’s boat fishing. Always passing various vessels and being in constant awe of them. It was not just their tremendous size or prowess but rather so many questions that their passing compelled him to think about: where were they going, where did they come from, what size crew was on boat, what was their purpose.

Five Favorite Things To Photograph

Family, Commercial Boats, Agriculture, Plants and Landscape are his five favorite subjects.

He finds there is hidden beauty in each boat. whether a construction boat and the ripples it makes in the water of the surroundings in which it is passing by. His love of tugboats is seen on his flicker portfolio and social media pages. Tim acknowledges how tugboats help to shape America and tries to take photos in interesting areas that add to a unique back drop that can be industrial in appearance to mountains where it is taken. He also finds the color schemes to be eye-catching along with the subject matter they are towing.

Agriculture

Born and raised in Rocky Ridge, Ohio, a rural community near Lake Erie and surrounded by agriculture on a continual basis. He has a personal interest in both people and equipment that work tirelessly to provide our Nation and others with the food that we eat. He’s quick to point out ” When one photographs agriculture, they are in essence capturing the backbone of our Country – as there is no industry more important to us than farming”.

Black & White

Tim is naturally drawn to black & white photography. When the correct light, mood and subject matter all align. He cannot resist capturing the subject matter. He admits, he always takes black and white from the view finder and never converts it from color. He likes to see it as black and white when he takes the photo. Photography is a hobby and not a profession. A family man and father of two young boys his time is devoted to work as well as coaching his sons baseball and soccer teams. When he has the opportunity, he takes his camera along on a hike when he’s able to get away from the hustle and bustle and reconnect with nature. He also has been very lucky! Fox News New York and Sony have used his photographs in their newscasts and marketing.

Dream Project

Capturing the industrial history of the Hudson Valley is his dream project. Abandoned factories that are being razed for new development. Some of these industrial complexes occurred during the industrial revolution or just after and significantly changed the way of life in the United States helping to propel us into an industrial powerhouse. I would love to capture the remaining structures that exist within the Hudson Valley so they are preserved for generations to come.

Be sure to follow Tim Hetrick Photography on his social media platforms. He is planning an exhibit soon! In the meantime, you can reach out to him directly if you are interested in purchasing a photo through his social media platforms and some of his photos will also be available to purchase in early spring at Dedrick’s Pharmacy and Gifts in New Paltz.

Girls Night Out Hula Hooping

February 16, 2016

Melissa Tyler

Blog, Events, HV Highlights

Comments Off

Hoop for a better Tomorrow is having an event at Hyde Park Roller Magic, Monday, February 29th from 6-7:30pm. To learn more about the event and sign up click Hula Hoop Dance Girls Night Out! If you sign up before February 22nd it’s $20.00 otherwise it’s $25.00 at the door the evening of the event. This event upon request, is for girls and ladies of all ages. So ladies, call your friends or bring your kids because it’s a way to have some fun and beat your cabin fever!

“Hula Hoop Dancing” also known as Hooping is a combination of dancing and hula hooping, where the dancer rotates the hoop on all parts of their body, not just the waist like with traditional hula hooping. The above event will also teach how to do many on and off body hoop moves and how to transition them together into a dance sequence.

Ashley Gannon is a certified hula hoop instructor and founder of Hoop for a Better Tomorrow. She first saw hooping at Mountain Jam an annual event at Hunter Mountain in 2009. Feeling inspired and mesmerized, she taught herself how to hula hoop by watching YouTube videos. Friends started asking her to teach them! That’s where everything came full circle, you could say!

Her passion was fueled by her love for breaking down the tricks and teaching them. It all came very natural to her. That’s when friends told her “you must do this for a living” and “you have to teach hoop classes”. So hoop away is what she did and became certified in 2013.

Ashley loves how hooping makes her feel empowered, strong, confident and loving everything about herself. It helped her discover the true meaning of self=love and become the person she was meant to be! She also loves doing the same for other women. Hooping allows them the space and time to delve into self-love, practice, have fun with friends and meet new ones. It teaches love by moving their bodies again. This is not boring exercise, but fun and exciting, plus everyone feels welcome! All ages, all sizes and no experience necessary.

Who Loves to Hoop

Women in their 50’s are HFABT biggest clients. They come from Dutchess, Orange, Ulster and even Columbia County. Classes are also offered at Arlington High School Continuing Education with women 22-62. The next 8-week session runs April 20th – June 8th. The cost is $96 and you can register on Arlington High School

HFABT also offers workshops and birthday parties that have included children as young as 5. This is a great idea for kids birthday parties as she taught a 45 minute hoop class for twenty 4 to 5 year olds and the kids stayed engaged and excited the whole time.

Did You Know?

You can burn up to 600 calories an hour and gain strength and tone every muscle in your body; especially your core. Similar benefits are found to an acupressure message and detoxifying your body by creating movement on your lymph system. It’s a moving meditation that helps to de-stress and clear the mind, connect the mind, body and spirit and allows you to achieve a “flow” state of mind and body.

You don’t need to be able to hoop with your child’s hoop. They are not meant for you! HFABT makes hand-crafted adult size hula hoops with a larger diameter and weight so they move much slower, making it easier for you to hoop with! Ashley designs hoops for all sizes and all ages and notes the T-shirts are coming soon!

You don’t need to be skinny, young, athletic of have rhythm to hula hoop. Ashley has taught women of all ages and sizes how to hoop and almost all are able to successfully waist hoop with her during the first class!

History of Hula Hooping

Hoops of willow, rattan grapevines and stiff grass date back to 500 BC in Egypt where children hooped as a form of exercise. Hoops were popular as a form of recreation and religious ceremonies in Great Britain dating back to the 14th century.

The term “hula hoop” comes from British sailors who had seen hula dancers in the Hawaiian Islands. Native American Indians dating back to the 1400’s hoop danced as a form of storytelling.

During the late 1950’s hooping became popular and traced to Australia where children twirled hoops made out of bamboo. When demand for production could not be met, Toltoys made plastic hoops and sold 400,00 in 1957. Wham-O sold over 100 million hoops in 1959. There is even a reference to it in Billy Joel’s song “We Didn’t Start The Fire”

Today

Children still love them to play and exercise and adults use stronger heavier hoops for fitness and fun! contests and classes are being offered across the country!

Photos by Melissa Tyler. Fashions by The Groovy Blueberry Clothing Company, New Paltz.

HV Highlights

The Beginning

POTTERY

Cape Cod Influence

It’s All In The Name

Influences & Inspiration

Donna’s 3 Takeaways On Pottery

Do You Have a Hudson Valley Story?

Some start off the day cooking a breakfast sandwich on the grill.

For others, there’s nothing like a bagel.

The key ingredient is friends and family together.

So, line up the coolers…and let’s see what’s cooking!

Feature Story Photos By Melissa Tyler

Mary Elliot- O’Haire Photography

Wedding Season is Here!

Favorite Stories

Family Portraits

Portraits

Advice For Brides

The Hudson Valley Story First Spring 2016 Wedding Feature

Engagement Photographs

Advice To A Bride From A Wedding Photographer

Weddings

Adventure Weddings

Dream Wedding

A Re-branding

Poughkeepsie Immigration History

Awards + Film Festivals

Immigration

A Father’s Influence

Hudson Valley Here I come!

The Calendars

Tug-Spotting

Let the river Do The Talking

The Hudson River Song by Jeffrey Anzevino

Exhibit

Do You Have a Hudson Valley Story?

Tell Us Your Hudson Valley Story!

Sunrises

Army CIA Connection

Exhibits

Do You Have a Hudson Valley Story?

Background

Five Favorite Things To Photograph

Agriculture

Black & White

Dream Project

Who Loves to Hoop

Did You Know?

History of Hula Hooping

Today

Subscribe to our mailing list