The Banana Factory

Bethlehem, PA

(All the video footage we took that night, WHICH WAS AMAZING, HAS BEEN LOST, DUE TO TECHNOLOGY...EVIL TECHNOLOGY)

So instead I present to you photos...a different format.

Here is the story: While on Spring Break I went art show hopping, from gallery to gallery, but nothing was anything like the BANANA FACTORY.  A not so hidden gem in the area, which I got completely schooled on by half of the town (upstanding citizens that know their stuff/history). My accomplices Candice and Christian on this mission.

Event: The Red Show
Basically the resident artists open their doors of their rented spaces to showcase what art they have been up to. Its like a gathering of artists and curious people. Its called the red show because the hallway walls are red, simple, but too much fun.

(All Photos were taken by Candice Semente, an OUTSTANDING lady that happened to bring her iPhone and started taking photos in between eating all the shrimp and drinking all the wine.)

Never have I encountered such a welcoming group of artists that just wanted to talk about their work with the rest of their community.

Rigo Peralta "Dancing Thru de Metal"

Rigo Peralta "De frente al futuro"

Heather Sincavage

Heather Sincavage

Heather Sincavage "Resonance"

Heather Sincavage

Rick Holt "No Title"

Rick Holt "Guarded Innocence"

Adriano Farinella

Adriano Farinella

Adriano Farinella

The studio of Nessa Grainger

William G Middleton + James Harmon + Dr. Weinstein 

On the Artists

I overheard a conversation that the contemporary artist Heather Sincavage was having about her obsession with hair and how she likes to incorporate it into her pieces. She then laid on her couch and we I got to interview her on her works.

I first saw Adriano Farinella standing in the corner of the room observing everyone while sipping on wine. I later met him that night through Heather Sincavage, he is a second floor resident artist at the Banana Factory. We adventured to his studio on the ghostly third floor. He sat comfortably on his brown leather grand chair talking about how the clouds are actually emotions and are envisioned. 

Next door to Heather is photographer R.W. Holt, who went to Ethiopia and took photographs of the natives.

Artist Nessa Grainger supplied the floor with amazing shrimp.

Dominican born artist Rigo Peralta standing at well above 6 foot tall looked down at me when I asked what music he was playing. I was in adjacent studio when I heard the sound of Spanish music being played from an LP. The new building that ARTSQUEST is building will have Peralta's painting Dancing Thru de Metal as one of its centerpieces. Once a steel town and now an art town, Peralta really captured Bethlehem.

A very interesting piece that I really enjoyed comes from William J Middleton + James Harmon + Dr. Weinstein.Using neon pieces to capture human anatomy is ultra cool. The nervous system and the ear piece were especially amazing, NEON ART I LOVE NOW.

Thank You Banana Factory