74 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • MAY 10, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
buzz
Local Queens photographer to exhibit
new art prints at the LIC Arts Open
BY JENNA BAGCAL
City, all of which can be found in the LIC
photography aft er he took photography
jbagcal@qns.com/@jenna_bagcal
Arts Open 2018 online booklet: https://
classes in college and “was sold forever.”
issuu.com/licartsopen/docs/licao_2018_
Since then, he has been a photographer
Celebrate local arts and culture in Long
no_bleed_pages_9c1e95f63178a1.
for over 20 years, and regularly exhibits
Island City this month at the 8th Annual
In all, 80 artists will be showing their
his work in galleries across Long Island
LIC Arts Open, a weeklong arts festival
work during the launch party at Plaxall
City and Brooklyn. It is Sahos’ second
that was started by the event’s executive
Gallery, including Th eo Sahos, a local
year showing his photographs at the LIC
director Richard Mazda and sculptor and
photographer who will be debuting two
Open Arts Festival.
mosaicist, Karen Dimit in 2011.
new art prints for LIC Arts Open attendees
Th ough the subjects of his photos vary,
In addition to seeing the art of hundreds
to enjoy. Th e prints, which are digitally
Sahos said that photographing musicians
of talented, local creators, LIC Arts Open
manipulated depictions of Sahos’ original
presents a bigger challenge than taking
attendees can also participate in several
photography, show unknown subway
photos of things that are not moving. He
cultural activities and events, including
musicians performing in train stations.
added that it is interesting to try and capture
music performances and a silent auction.
Th e fi rst of the two works is called
the atmosphere and environment of
Th e kickoff to the festival begins on May 16
“Rush Hour,” which Sahos said is something
musicians into a picture.
at the LIC Arts Open Spring Festival Launch
“we all go through every day” while
Sahos’ prints and the work of hundreds
Party and Group Exhibition, in partnership
taking public transportation. Th e second
of other artists will be on view from May
with the group Long Island City Artists. Th e
print is called “Crazy Train,” named for
16 to 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. Th e festival will
celebration will be at 5-25 46th Ave. at the
the 1980 Ozzy Osbourne song from his
also have Open Studio Days on May 19
www.eventbrite.com/e/lic-arts-openlaunch
Plaxall Gallery in Long Island City.
debut album “Blizzard of Ozz.” Sahos said
and 20. During this time, a number of galleries
party-and-group-exhibition-tickets
On subsequent nights of the festival,
that the title of the song “fi t the mood” of
around LIC will open their doors to
other exhibitions and performances will
the moment he captured.
the public from noon to 6 p.m. Tickets for
take place at locations across Long Island
Th e native Astoria resident got into
this free event are on Eventbrite at https://
45541447696 and more information
on the festival can be found on licopenarts.
com.
Photo courtesy of LIC Arts Open
Logo for the 8th annual LIC Arts Open
Celebrate the great outdoors on two wheels
with Pedal for Parks in Astoria this weekend
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com/@jenna_bagcal
Spring is upon us, and what better way
to celebrate the season than with a bicycle
ride through some of Astoria’s parks?
Th e Friends of Astoria Heights will be
hosting their second annual Pedal for
Parks event on Saturday, May 12, from
10:15 to 11 a.m. Following the bike ride,
attendees will also be able to participate
in a Learn to Ride event, where they will
receive information and giveaways. Event
organizers suggest the bike ride for children
older than 7 years old and adults.
During this family-friendly event, participants
and ancillary police escorts from
the 114th Precinct will take a six-mile ride
that starts off in Astoria Heights Park and
ends at Paul Raimonda Park.
Th e Friends of Astoria Heights was
founded in 2013 by a group of parents
and neighborhood volunteers to promote
a positive message of having “safe, family
outings that encourage physical activity
and building appreciation of our local
green spaces and their sustainability.”
According to the NYC Parks website,
Astoria Heights Park is slated to reopen
this month following a year-and-a-half
reconstruction project that began in
November 2016. Th e $5.2 million project
was funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio,
Borough President Melinda Katz and the
City Council as part of the Community
Parks Initiative (CPI). Parks in this initiative
were chosen by the mayor to receive
funding to “transform park space with
community input.”
In addition to this event, the group is
also known for hosting many community
projects, including park cleanups, art
installations, book swaps, a library book
drop location, a compost drop off and
various performances. Th eir eff orts have
earned them the Golden Trowel Award as
well as the Mayoral Service Award.
Th e event has garnered the support of
a number of elected offi cials and organizations,
including Councilman Costa
Constantinides, GreeNYC, DOT, Parks
Department, Transportation Alternatives,
Bike NYC, Make Queens Safer, Coalition
for Transportation Safety, Th e Friends
of Raimonda Park, Essential Water and
Dunkin’ Donuts.
“We are blessed to have many safe
routes for kids and families to enjoy biking
in Queens,” said Make Queens Safer
co-founder Cristina Furlong. “Th ere’s no
better way to grow cycling than by joining
on the Pedal to Parks ride and connecting
families with great destinations by bike.
Pedal to Parks is one of a growing number
of annual events that celebrate our
neighborhoods and build community at
the same time.”
Participants are advised to meet at
Astoria Heights Playground, located at
45th Street and 30th Road, at 9:45 a.m.
More details and information for registration
for this free event can be found at
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pedal-forparks
hosted-by-the-friends-of-astoriaheights
park-tickets-44617642570. You
can also contact Lynn Kennedy of the
Friends of Astoria Heights at 646-512-
0680 or lynnakennedy@outlook.com.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
This weekend, the Friends of Astoria Heights Park will celebrate their second annual Pedal for Parks
event
/@jenna_bagcal
/classes
/lic-arts-open-launch-Plaxall
/lic-arts-open-launch-Plaxall
/lic-arts-open-launch-Plaxall
/com
/@jenna_bagcal
/pedal-for-parks-hosted-by-the-friends-of-astoria-heights-park-tickets-44617642570
/pedal-for-parks-hosted-by-the-friends-of-astoria-heights-park-tickets-44617642570
/pedal-for-parks-hosted-by-the-friends-of-astoria-heights-park-tickets-44617642570
/pedal-for-parks-hosted-by-the-friends-of-astoria-heights-park-tickets-44617642570
/pedal-for-parks-hosted-by-the-friends-of-astoria-heights-park-tickets-44617642570
link