Painter Todd Stone Kicks Off ‘Artists Among Us’ Residency Program at SteelStacks

Bucks County Painter to Showcase Works Documenting Rebirth of the World Trade Center After 9/11

Internationally renowned painter Todd Stone will present “Downtown Rising – Studies in Resilience,” his series of works documenting the 9/11 tragedy in New York City and the ensuing rebirth of the World Trade Center, during his residency at SteelStacks through Oct. 12. The paintings will be on display in the Alvin H. Butz Gallery, located on the second floor of the ArtsQuest Center, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem.

Stone’s residency is the first in ArtsQuest’s new “Artists Among Us” residency series designed to showcase the acclaimed artists living and working in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding region. In addition to the exhibition of his work, the residency will include a free gallery talk by Stone, as well as two screenings of “Witness Downtown Rising Renga,” the documentary film that chronicles the experience of when a group of celebrated poets were invited to Stone’s studio on the 48th floor of the new 7 World Trade Center on the 10^th Anniversary of the 9/11 attack to respond to the tragedy in verse.

As an artist living and working in New York City in 2001, Stone saw first-hand the tragic events that took place in Manhattan on Sept. 11 of that year. Following the initial shock and devastation, he returned to what he knew best, picking up his paintbrushes and documenting on canvas the terrible changes and the massive hole in the New York City skyline.  For 13 years, Stone followed and captured the rebuilding process in downtown Manhattan, and starting in November 2013 he began painting from his new studio, located on the 67^th floor of the new 4 World Trade Center. The studio was made possible thanks to the support of the developers, Silverstein Properties.

Stone says he hopes that the body of work that comprises “Downtown Rising – Studies in Resilience” serves as a tribute to the human spirit and our capacity to rebuild and move on, even in the face of terrible tragedy.

“What I hope my work will be is the celebration of the dignity of work,” says Stone, now a resident of Bucks County. “The one thing that everyone had in common that died in the city that day is that they were all going to work. I have done my work in that spirit of trying to do it honorably and trying to make my pictures as beautiful as I can in memory of those people.”

An acclaimed artist who has worked and exhibited his art around the globe, Stone says the history of Bethlehem in some ways parallels what happened in New York City in the decade following 9/11. While his artwork has appeared in galleries, museums, public and private collections across the United States, he’s extremely honored to be showcasing it in Bethlehem, a city that’s faced challenges of its own.

“Bethlehem has gone through a similar trauma in that Bethlehem Steel seemed at one time like it would never go out of business,” Stone says.  “It was as rock steady as the World Trade Center, and when it disappeared it gutted Bethlehem. I feel a connection to the resilience and our spirit to rebuild, and that’s why I am so happy that this work is coming to SteelStacks.”

ArtsQuest Senior Vice President of Programming Patrick Brogan says Stone is the perfect artist to kick off Artists Among Us, which will feature other well-known artists in the coming months such as Marvel Comics and DC Comics Illustrator Scott Hanna, renowned designer and past “Project Runway” participant Pamela Ptak and Melba Tolliver, the first African-American to anchor a national network news program.

“Todd Stone is a brilliant, world-renowned artist making his home right here in our backyard,” Brogan says. “His work with ‘Downtown Rising’ in New York City echoes the triumphant resurrection of the old Bethlehem Steel site. The diversity of his program is truly exciting. He’ll be spending time at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, giving an artist talk Sept. 15 on work from throughout his career, and bringing in New York City poets from the Bowery Arts & Sciences’ Bowery Poetry Club as one of our first spoken-word poetry offerings here at SteelStacks. We’re absolutely thrilled to launch this exciting, new series with such a dynamic artist.”

As part of Stone’s residency, the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas will twice screen “Witness Downtown Rising Renga,” which highlights the unique collaboration between Stone and slam master poet and Bowery Poetry Club founder Bob Holman.  On Sept. 28, 4 p.m., the public is invited to a “Witness Downtown Rising Renga” screening featuring a poetry reading and talk by Bowery Poetry Club poets including Holman, Nikhil Melnechuk, Quincy Troupe, Margret Porter Troupe and Tahani Salah. Cost is $10 and tickets are on sale now at 610-332-3378 or www.artsquest.org.

For more information on the Todd Stone residency and Artists Among Us, please visit www.artsquest.org/artistamongus/.   For more info on Witness Downtown Rising Renga, see www.facebook.com/witnessdowntownrisingrenga.