Art, Music & Architecture
Note: Safe Harbors of the Hudson is proud to host an exhibition of paintings by Leslie Bender, titled “Passionate Pairings”as inspired by her collaboration with the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra. Leslie Bender’s artwork will be on display in the Lobby at the Ritz | 107 Broadway | Newburgh, NY 12550 from September 25, 2025 through October 27, 2025. Opening Reception is on September 25, 2025 from 6 PM to 8 PM.
A short animation about polar life and love created by Camille Wainer (camillewainer.com) in collaboration with composer Sanford Bender (sanfordbender.com).
Inspired by the paper cut style of early animator Lotte Reiniger, Polar Ardor incorporates the additive techniques of woodblock stamping and Chine-collé printmaking to recreate a delicate landscape threatened by division and deterioration.The whimsical music of composer/architect Sanford Bender accompanies each stage of the polar bear’s journey through a varied composition using only two symbolic forms (the heart and the puzzle piece). Simply and subtly, Polar Ardor offers an optimistic message about the importance of collaboration and compassion in the face of an uncertain future.
Lycanthrope
Darting furtively through the mist
Cursed under lunar brightness
The valiancy of my heart
Slashed by razor teeth
Became my darkest side
Evil enclosing
My nocturnal lair
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Mud tracked prints
Find me sprawled
In the dawn of twisted sheets
Like tormented trees
Gnarled from remembering
What blackened life
Is forever gone
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
But only the music
Of wind and owls
And the crackling rain
Had abided my incessant howls
Until yet another night
When gliding clouds
Reveal another full newness of moon
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
S.R. Bender, January 8, 2011
Oh the stormy winds do blow,
with the landlubbers down below,
And the sailor-men a-climbing to the top,
To haul in the riggin’-o.
T’was Sunday night, our sails were set
We hardly cleared the land-o,
When we spied a mermaid a-swimming by,
A comb and a glass in her hand-o.
The captain plumbed with a lead and a line,
He plumbed for to reach the sand-o,
While the winds and the waves did toss and roar,
We knew we’d never see land-o.
Then three times ’round went our gallant ship,
And three times more went she,
And the mate and the cabin boy said goodbye,
As we sank in the salt, salt sea.
“Two Dancing Pigs” was improvised by playing harmonica and guitar simultaneously. Any discomfort in physically managing two instruments was alleviated through closed-eye visualization of two dancing pigs squealing with delight in each other’s company. The artwork is a detail of the pastel drawing used in my previous post, “The Listening Drum.” Looking closer allows one to see two dark pig-like shapes appear (among other creatures such as a spider, a bat, or a raven’s tail). Perhaps, rainbow colored waves are perceived as dancing while the pig duo floats and soars overhead in sea spray and thermal undulations. A colorful drawing appearing to depict a single slice in time awakens and sequentially shape-shifts to melodic rhythms of musical joy.
You can find “Two Dancing Pigs” and other pieces on Sandy Bender’s album Terrain.
