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continued from pg 11...Stone Ridge, which effectively cut off access to the gallery for months.“Last year, mostly, I was an actress. Worked on a new musical basedon Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, at Goodspeed Musicals (EastHaddon, CT) working with Broadway director Graciela Daniele, and(modern dance troupe) Pilobulus. That was a real high, working withthe brilliant song team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul; they’re very youngand on fire!” Denny played James’ evil aunt Sponge. In the meantime, herImprov Nation has stayed busy as well, fueled partially by a recent artistin-residencyat SUNY Ulster, and with upcoming summer performancesin Rhinebeck and Maverick Concerts (Woodstock) planned.But right now, it’s about the art, the gallery. “So, I’ve been making aliving for—I don’t know, 30 years—as an actress, when I decided to havea gallery, which is because of my other creative passion for art. I neverthought: oh, I know what I’m doing. I’m not professing to be anythingI’m not. But, I wanted the gallery to reflect me, which I think is quirky,unusual. That’s the kind of art I wanted to show.”And so she does. Denny has long been a champion of Hudson Valleyartist Chris Hawkins—featured in the reopening show—even helpinghim make a sale to her good friend Lily Tomlin. “He’s just a completeoriginal visionary, I’m crazy about his work; it’s very whimsical. If Icould paint, I would do what Chris does!” Great technique, with realhumor, “also kind of subversive and edgy.” Here is the artist’s statement:“In (the) new paintings the dialogue is visceral manipulation of personalicons; the composites ape dream in the gardens of law and religion.Although the characters may be uncertain, they are incisive as villainsagainst tampered knowledge. As the soils are tilled, in innocence theylook for mercy in values and essentials.”“Then there’s Fawn Potash, a really interesting artist, who takes a lotof things from the connection she finds between nature and humananatomy.” Indeed, the Catskill-based photographer/artist, who is alsoan instructor at the school of Visual Arts as well as Visual Art Directorat the Greene County Council on the Arts, readily embraces the naturalTom LegnonFawn Potash, DandelionsDenny Dillon12 | rollmagazine.com