Guests visited artist studios while sampling a variety of dishes from local restaurants. The benefit also coincided with ArtsWestchester’s current exhibit, Placemaking: Re-Envisioning White Plains, which features public art proposals from 26 artists for the city’s downtown area. The exhibit will be on display until July 13th. Visit artswestchester.org for more information.

Recently transFORM’s design duo Jill Fleischman and Stacey Cowen designed a beautiful home office for one of their older clients. Though retired, the client is still highly active and involved in his community. To prepare for the years to come he requested a home office be built on the first floor of his home.

Positioned in front of large windows overlooking his property, the desk was manufactured in our sunset melamine and features brushed chrome handles. Grommets were placed on the desk so electrical cords can be run through them making it safer for the client to maneuver around his office. File drawers were also incorporated into the design for him to keep his papers in order.

To view other offices transFORM has designed, manufactured, and installed, please visit transformhome.com/custom-home-offices/

This years exhibiting students from the PAVE 2 Visual Arts class with instructor Alexi Rutsch Brock are: Amanda Appreku, Mariana Bernardini, Davina Bisaria, Yael Brown, Craig Collins, Daniel DaSilva, Ania Dunlap, Khadija Horton, Kayla James, Kristen Kaufman, Jacky Lemus, Selena Lozano, Nancy Mejia, Lelo Mnisi, Jennifer Orozco, Alyssa Sacco, Selin Selman, Abi Wacha, Amanda Wellstood, Chad Williams.

About the PAVE Program

Paving the way for our future Performing and Visual Artists by: Preparing the talented students to meet the demands necessary for their success, both academically and professionally, and by providing them with a broader knowledge, scope, insight, & balance in a comprehensive program of creative & artistic works.  Acknowledging their heritage in the New Rochelle community through a curriculum which reflects and expresses this diversity.  Viewing themselves as an integral part of the creative process. Empowering them to become leaders in the arts by developing their creativity, theatricalism, self-esteem, respect, mind and body, and their role as artists.  Upon successfully completing 5 units of credit, students will receive a PAVE seal on their High School Diploma and fulfill the State Education Department requirement for a Fine Arts sequence.

About transFORM Gallery

transFORM Gallery, founded in 2009, is the unique combination of a traditional showroom for transFORM’s custom-designed storage systems and a contemporary art gallery hosting many diverse exhibitions a year.  The 3,000-square-foot former industrial space contains furnished room settings that help visitors reimagine their home.  The art adds sophistication to home offices, becomes the centerpieces for conference and coffee tables, and embellishes closets and entertainment centers.  transFORM Art Curator, Kara O’Neill, “There are so many talented and creative people out there that really add to what we do. When artwork is combined with our custom cabinetry, there’s a whole synergistic effect that’s created.”

Since its opening, transFORM Gallery has collaborated with local artists and community arts organizations to support the advancement of the arts.  Gallery co-owner, Andreas Mesis, “This is a wonderful opportunity for us. We have a space that supports imagination and innovation, and through that, the community at large.”

transFORM Gallery invites you to a new experience of art and interior design. For more information, visit transformgallery.com, call 914.500.1000, email info@transformgallery.com, or visit us at 20 Jones St New Rochelle, NY 10801, Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm and Saturday 10 am-4 pm.

transFORM Gallery’s Earth Day exhibit focuses on how discarded materials are transformed into artwork. The international roster of artists use recycled and discarded materials including newspaper and magazines, screws, nuts, door knobs, corrugated metal siding, tools, mail and fabrics including ties and discarded clothing.

The goal of Green Drinks is pretty simple: good times shared among people working in, or interested in, environmental and sustainability issues.  Green Drinks Westchester is part of the international Green Drinks network – an informal, volunteer-managed social networking group built around a common interest in the natural environment.

Come join transFORM Gallery and Green Drinks Westchester for wine, hors d’oeuvres and great conversation. Please invite others who would like to be part of this growing community

To RSVP visit:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6461631915#

For more information visit:

http://www.facebook.com/greendrinkswestchester

Reflecting on their formative years and beyond, authors Vicki Addesso, Susan Hodara, Joan Potter, and Lori Toppel grapple with the circumstances that shaped their mothers’ lives, thus deepening their understanding of their relationships with their mothers and the love they shared.  The book ultimately inspires women to reexamine the relationships they have or had with their mothers – and those they have with their daughters – and view them in a different and more accepting light.

About the Authors

Vicki Addesso began writing memoir in 1998 and is working on a collection of short stories. Her work has been published by Damselfly Press.

Susan Hodara is a journalist, memoirist, and teacher. Her short memoirs have appeared in a variety of literary journals and anthologies; one was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her articles are published in the New York Times, Communication Arts, and other publications. She has taught memoir writing since 2003.

Joan Potter is a writer and teacher whose work has been published in magazines, newspapers, literary journals, and anthologies. Her most recent book is African American Firsts: Famous, Little-Known and Unsung Triumphs of Blacks in America (Kensington, 2009).

Lori Toppel’s novel, Three Children (Summit Books, 1992), was nominated for the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award. Her stories and essays have appeared in such journals as Antioch Review and Del Sol Review.

The authors all live and work in Westchester County, NY.

Here are 10 tips for getting your closet ready for spring:

1. You wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time. If you have too many items you’re not wearing, have a mini-fashion show with your trusted friends who will tell you the truth about how you look in each outfit. Create 3 piles – one to keep, one to donate, one to toss.

2. Rearrange your closet so your winter clothes are in the corners and your spring/summer clothes are in the center.

3. Organize clothes by color and season. You can even get creative and organize shirts from sleeveless to long sleeves.

4. Hang pants on top and shirts on the bottom.

5. To keep socks in order, install dividers in your drawer to separate various colors and patterns.

6. Invest in a folding stepping stool. It’s convenient to store and easy to find when needed.

7. Space bags are good for reducing the size of bulky winter clothes and maximizing your space.

8. Go green and use paper towel tubes to keep your long boots standing upright for next fall.

9. Repurpose a paper towel holder for bangles and bracelets.

10. Just because you don’t like something anymore doesn’t mean someone else won’t like it. Host a swap party with your friends and trade clothes, jewellery, purses, and accessories.

This year’s 3-day conference in Edison, NJ gave attendees the opportunity to learn about industry trends, marketing opportunities, and management techniques. They were also able to view new product lines from various suppliers and manufacturers.

On the last day of the convention, the attendees visited transFORM’s main office in New Rochelle, NY. Our operations manager Russ Conn spoke about the company and the various service areas we cover within New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. After his presentation, guests toured our showroom, office, and factory with owners Stuart and Andreas, and witnessed the company’s collaborative culture firsthand.

Later in the day, the conference attendees visited Hafele’s Manhattan showroom for the unveiling of the displays transFORM designed, manufactured, and installed for them to showcase their hardware.

For more information about the Cabinets & Closets Conference & Expo, visit cabinetsandclosetexpo.com.

Many of the Spring 2013 Ready-to-Wear collections included elements of brass and bronze. Designers like Michael Kors and Alexander McQueen have created handbags with brass hardware, and more designers are following suit. For the past few years most of our customers selected chrome finishes for their hardware, but recently I have noticed a subtle shift to brass.

It’s interesting to see the resurgence of brass. This finish has a traditional appeal and is a great contrast to the contemporary feel of polished chrome in seasons past.

Our designers work with you one-on-one to learn how you use your space. We then provide the optimal solution for you in a style that matches your home. Whether it be traditional, transitional or contemporary, we ensure the finished piece is an extension of you. Our closets are available in laminate and real wood with a wide selection of decorative hardware. Once you approve your design, we can install your solution in a matter of weeks.