sounding the river

Friday, August 3, 2012


Shawn Stevens photo by Keith Emerling

Melville, Mumbet and Mohicans to benefit Elizabeth Freeman Center

August 18, 2012 at 3:00pm
Created and narrated by singer songwriter JoAnne Spies in collaboration with Mari Andrejco and Nathan Smith.
Herman Melville's Arrowhead
780 Holmes Road
mobydick.org

(413) 442-1793
Suggested admission $5 - $10 to benefit the Elizabeth Freeman Center

What are the connections between these illustrious Berkshire residents? This interactive community event and performance celebrates Melville, Mumbet and the first people of the Berkshires with songs, stories and poems. The audience enters a living timeline with surprising guests like Emily Dickinson. Performers include Mari Andrejco, Ann-Elizabeth Barnes, Jana Laiz, Nathan Smith, Jennifer Reis, Rosemary Starace, Mohican musician and storyteller Shawn Stevens, Sean Vernon and special guests.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

click here ~> Sea Chanties in Moby Dick movie

Monday, June 11, 2012

Moby Dick Fortune Cards

I'm thrilled to have my multi-media collage of Moby Dick fortune cards at two galleries. Come ask me to tell your fortune. I always carry a spare deck!

Moby Dick Fortune Cards is at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts

Art Opening Friday, August 17th.

5pm - 7pm

The Bookstore in Lenox

11 Housatonic Street Lenox, MA
(413) 637 3390

Kindle-ing: artists reflect on the changing nature of books

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

UpCoMinG!


"Ain't we all a slave?" Ishmael chapter 1, Moby Dick

Thursday, May 24, 2012


Moby Dick characters c 2012 JoAnne Spies collage 22x30

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Moby Dick cards are ready

I created card-sized portraits of the characters
in Moby Dick to make fortune cards with quotes
from each character. I'm looking forward to using
the cards in music and songwriting games at my summer
teaching sessions at Becket Arts Camp and the Berkshire Athenaeum.

When making the copies I could see the pictures
would make an interesting painting lined up side by side
in five rows.

Here's a peek at one batch of the cards above.

I invited Lenox, MA artist Paul Graubard to make some
of his folksy characters to add to my deck.
We each agreed that making a painting of these miniature characters
would be a good idea. His spin on my concept
is hanging at Ferrin Gallery. My painting will be
at an upcoming show at the Book Store in Lenox, MA
curated by Jim Youngerman.

cd cover JoAnne Spies; oil on paper

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

                                                       from "Fedallah's Fortunes"
                                                               J. Spies