Hidden at the end of a narrow, unassuming alley at 145 Water Street in Stonington Borough lies the studio and gallery of Marine Artist Russ Kramer. Inside the studio by the water, located directly behind Grand & Water Anitiques, you can catch Russ working on his latest projects and chat with him about his process.
Although his career as a marine artist only began in 2002, Russ knew this is what he was meant to do since he was 15. Previously, Russ worked in the newspaper business as an artist, art director, senior editor and design consultant.
Recently, Russ, his wife, Laura, and four-year old son, Jack, moved to Stonington from Florida. What better place to be a marine artist than Stonington? History plays a huge role in Russ’ paintings, and being in the heart of one the oldest whaling ports, and so close to Mystic Seaport provides him with endless resources.
“It’s a journey,” Russ says about his process. “I go on voyages with my paintings. I research the history, learn a lot about the people and imagine what they must have been thinking. I feel like I’m sailing on these great boats in history,” he says. “My goal is to take viewers on this voyage with me.”
Russ is represented by the Mystic Maritime Gallery and the J. Russell Jinishian Gallery in Fairfield.
From September 30 through November 12, Russ will be exhibiting his newest painting at the 29th Annual International Marine Art Exhibit at the Mystic Maritime Gallery.
Russ enjoys giving talks and presentations to yacht clubs or other interested groups of people about yachting history and his painting process. To contact Russ, call 860.535.9373, email russ@russkramer.com, or visit www.russkramer.com.
Clubgoers were dressed to the nines in their hottest black and white attire for P. Diddy’s Black & White Extravaganza at Shrine Nightclub in the MGM Grand at Foxwoods on Friday, September 5th. People flocked from Boston, New York, and beyond to party like celebs with celebs at the colossal Farewell to Summer Bash. P.Diddy kept the dance party going full force, pumping up the crowd from the balcony overlooking the dance floor.
Mohegan Sun scored a major hat trick with Cheap Trick, Heart and Journey, who collectively rocked the house in the Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday night, August 17. I was jammin’ out to 70’s rock hits all night long.
Cheap Trick was the first to perform, setting the mood in their cowboy hats with smash hits “I Want You to Want Me,” and “Surrender.” They rocked out with an interesting selection of guitars including one shaped like a person, and another five-guitars-in-one. “These guys are the gods of rock n’ roll,” said Journey drummer, Deen Castronovo, after Cheap Trick announced his August 17 birthday.
Next up was Heart, opening with their pigtailed keyboardist illuminated in blue, playing solo while sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson took the stage to perform their first song, “Wild Child.” They also performed “Magic Man,” “These Dreams,” and “Barracuda,” with an encore of Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California,” and their classic, “Crazy on You.”
Finally, Journey was up at bat. I have to admit, it was a little weird seeing a tiny Filipino guy, Arnel Pineda, as the lead singer for Journey. They found him on You Tube, which is even funnier, but man, his vocals are a dead ringer for former Journey lead singer, Steve Perry. 40 years old and bursting with spunk and energy, Arnel fits right in with the rest of the Journey crew.
Journey played “Change for the Better,” and “After All These Years” off their newest album, “Revelation”, during their 23-song set list. They kept us singing along all night with favorites like “Wheel in the Sky,” “Lights,” and “Open Arms.” Even I, self-proclaimed worst singer in the world, couldn’t help singing along and butchering “Faithfully,” and “Don’t Stop Believing.”
Journey ended the flashback evening with an upbeat delivery of “Any Way You Want It.” Needless to say, I left the Arena and continued to sing along with Journey the entire way home. Luckily, no one else was in the car.
The aroma of incense filled the MGM Grand Theater during 67-year-old legend, Bob Dylan, and his band’s concert on Friday, August 15. Die hard Dylan fans flocked to MGM Grand at Foxwoods to get their fix, stepping into a 40-year time warp upon entering the theater.
Psychedelic lighting and a giant compass rose on the floor set the scene for Bob and his band, who played some unexpected selections that night. They opened with “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat.” With a musical history like Bob’s, set list possibilities are endless. This set list variation included “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” “Chimes of Freedom,” “I Believe in You,” “Just Like a Woman,” a crowd favorite, “ ‘Til I Fell in Love With You,” a personal favorite, and “Thunder On The Mountain.” For the encore, fans begged and pleaded for “Spirit on the Water,” but instead, Bob gave us his classic, “Like a Rolling Stone,” and ended with the song Jimi Hendrix made famous, “All Along the Watchtower.”
Bob’s multi-talented band, since 2005, consists of Stu Kimball on guitar, Donnie Herron on the pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar, electric mandolin, banjo, and fiddle, Denny Freeman on the guitar and slide guitar, Tony Garnier on the bass guitar and standup bass, and George Receli on the drums. “Old Bob’s voice doesn’t get any better, but his band sure does,” says Trevor Wilson, of Putnam, who sat next to me during the show. “Dylan is the best songwriter that ever lived.”
In April 2008, Dylan was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for his “profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.
In the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods on Thursday night, August 7, Kanye West delivered a sci-fi themed performance complete with endless smoke, off-the-hook special effects and an extravagant light show. Kanye’s Glow in the Dark Tour performance opened with Gnarles Barkley, and ended with a theater full of screaming fans.
There’s no doubt about it, Kanye is a born performer. Accompanied only by surreal lighting and smoke rising around his silhouette, Kanye was able to keep fans out of their seats throughout the performance. “Throw your hands up in the air,” shouted Kanye, during “It All Falls Down.” Everyone did. Fists were pumping all night long.
Other chart topping hits performed by Kanye included “Gold Digger,” “Jesus Walks,” “Hey Mama,” and “Diamonds.”
As if the show wasn’t over-the-top enough, leaving the theater, we were handed samples of Kanye’s newly released book, “Thank You and You’re Welcome”, co-written by J. Sakiya Sandifer. “Thank You and You’re Welcome” is a chock full of advice from Kanye and includes a heartfelt dedication to his mama.
Hidden at the end of a narrow, unassuming alley at 145 Water Street in Stonington Borough lies the studio and gallery of Marine Artist Russ Kramer. Inside the studio by the water, located directly behind Grand & Water Anitiques, you can catch Russ working on his latest projects and chat with him about his process.
