For Immediate
Release
Contacts:
Liana Hawes,
Hawes Group
(212) 242-2275 or (917) 912-7484
liana@hawesgroup.com
Care Partners
Thrift Wins Atlantic Avenue Holiday Window Design
3rd Year in a Row!
Windows and Shopkeeper to Appear on National TV
Brooklyn, N.Y. - December 13, 2004 - The Atlantic Avenue Local
Development Corporation (AALDC) is pleased to announce the winners
of the Atlantic Avenue 2004 Holiday Window Design Competition:
CARE PARTNERS THRIFT at 475 Atlantic Avenue captured 1st
Place for the third straight year. The window entitled, "12
Days of Christmas a la Monty Python" was designed by Pauline Skehal
and Bob Walsh. 2nd Prize went to Downtown Atlantic Restaurant
& Bakery at 364 Atlantic for "Gingerbread Land" a stunning
village made of gingerbread, spun sugar and candies, designed
by pastry chef Fran Sippel. Tying for 3rd place was antiques
and collectibles shop In Days of Olde (355-57 Atlantic
Avenue; proprietor: Charles Wolfson) with art gallery/framer,
Lewis Gallery (525 Atlantic Avenue; proprietor: Gwen Lewis.)
Holiday windows will be on display at various retailers on Atlantic
from Hicks Street to Fourth Avenue through the end of 2004. The
award is given to Avenue merchants for their aesthetic contribution
to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Downtown
Brooklyn and Boreum Hill.
Winners were announced on December 1, at the annual Atlantic
Avenue Annual Holiday Tree Lighting, presided over by councilman
David Yassky. The chorus of P.S. 8 in Brooklyn Heights performed
holiday songs as did the choir of P.S. 261 in Boerum Hill. At
the event, students took a collection of warm winter clothes and
donated them to the Coalition for the Homeless. The tree will
remain up well into January at the Belarusian Church, corner of
Bond Street and Atlantic Avenue.
A number of windows participating in The Atlantic Avenue Holiday
Window Design Competition will be featured on the popular TV show
"Jane's New York" starring host Jane Hanson who visited the Avenue
with her production to interview window designers and shoot footage.
The holiday episode of "Jane's New York" will broadcast Saturday,
December 18 at 7PM on WNBC and fed to NBC affiliate stations nationwide.
The Atlantic Avenue windows were among those featured along with
major retailers on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue and Times Square.
See details at: http://www.wnbc.com/janesny/3948083/detail.html
"Visual merchandising is a crucial retail skill and Atlantic Avenue's
got some of the most talented window designers in all of New York
city," said Sue Wolfe, LDC Holiday Committee Chair. "The LDC encourages
everyone to visit Atlantic Avenue while these windows are on display
to see what a treasure trove of local shops we have right here
on the Avenue. Great eye candy..bring the kids too!" Wolfe added.
Judging the
competition on November 30 was a team of Brooklyn-based artists
and art experts: Deborah Kass, Jane Walentas, Kathleen Gilrain,
Patricia Cronin, Jean Raveau-Violette. The team was selected based
on their artistic merit, diligence and accomplishments in the
fine, visual arts. Judges assess individual store windows based
on: original creative concept; use of materials; display technique;
merchandising acumen; execution on a holiday theme and eye catching
appeal for pedestrians.
ABOUT THE JUDGES
Deborah Kass is a fine artist who has exhibited nationally
and internationally and is in the collections of the Museum of
Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, and the
Jewish Museum. She has received grants from the National Endowment
of the Arts, the New York State Council of the Arts and Art Matters,
Inc. Patricia Cronin is Associate Professor of Art and
Deputy Chairperson of the M.F.A. Program at Brooklyn College.
Her paintings and sculptures have been exhibited nationally and
internationally including Yale University Art Gallery, Brooklyn
Museum, and Alessandra Bonomo Gallery in Rome. Her acclaimed "Memorial
To A Marriage" sculpture is permanently on view in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Jane Walentas is an art director, antique restorer, designer and
active member of the DUMBO neighborhood community. She has held
numerous Art Director positions on major consumer brands. Ms.
Walentas is currently restoring the antique Philadelphia Toboggan
Company Carousel #61, the first carousel to be placed on the National
Register of Histroic Places. Kathleen Gilrain is the Executive
Director of Smack-Mellon studios, a non-profit arts organization
for underrepresented artists to create, explore and exhibit their
creative ideas. Ms. Gilrain launched the studio's Artist Studio
Program in response to the crisis in availability of affordable
workspace for artists living and working in New York City. Since
joining the organization she has expanded the exhibition program,
affording more opportunities for artists and curators to present
their work. In 1985, Jean Raveau-Violette began creating
Brooklyn window displays. Three years later, he was designing
and building sets for the theater, movies, trade shows and fashion
shows. He has continued to extend his design work by creating
unique store and restaurant interiors. Raveau-Violette lives and
works in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn.
*Editors
please note: On Thursdays through December 24, 2004 many Atlantic
Avenue merchants will have late night holiday shopping hours until
9:00 pm
About the
Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation (LDC)
The LDC is
a Section 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization committed to the
economic development of the Atlantic Avenue area from Fourth Avenue
to the East River waterfront in Brooklyn, New York. The Atlantic
Avenue Master Plan was sponsored by the Atlantic Avenue Leadership
Conference, a collaboration of 50 local community groups and businesses
including the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation. For
information, please call 718-875-8993 or email atlanticave@atlanticave.org.
