Phoebe Legere (Abenaki/Cajun) is a multidisciplinary artist whose paintings of Binghamton area landscapes and Native American subjects will be on view at the Bundy Museum of Art through August 7. The Bundy Museum of Art is located at 127-129 Main Street, in Binghamton. Phone: 607- 772-9179. Website: bundymuseum.org Legere is a versatile painter who works in oils, acrylic, mixed media, resin and egg tempera, creating semi-abstract works inspired by her passion for anatomy and landscape. “Phoebe Legere is a virtuoso. Legere’s line is meticulous, incisive, sensuous, and vibrant. Her works are politically engaged and inspire conversations about women’s issues, diversity, inclusiveness, cultural equity, Native American issues, respect for the environment, and the volatility of consciousness.” – Linda Nochlin Legere’s paintings are deeply contemporary; each painting is a comment on the validity of handmade painting in a world where we are increasingly dominated by machines. “Machine-made, mechanistic art and music have colonized and occupied our minds. The only cure, the only way to restore the health of the Human Soul, is to return to the well spring of all human endeavor: Art and Music,” according to Legere. Visit phoebelegereart.com to learn more. Legere’s music has been compared to “Edith Piaf, Jerry Lee Lewis and Maria Callas” (NY Times) and Frank Zappa (Billboard). Studs Terkel, during a radio broadcast profile of Phoebe on National Public Radio said it best: “She is an American Original.” Legere studied music at Juilliard and painting at Vassar College. Some of Phoebe Legere’s noteworthy milestones include the following: -Legere is a grant recipient of a New York State Council of the Arts award for her musical about the Native American Holocaust of New England, “Queen of New England” -Legere received a Pulitzer Prize nomination for her musical epic poem about Water issues, “The Waterclown” - She is an Acker Award recipient for her musical “Hello, Madame President” about the first African American female president of the U.S. -David Bowie chose Phoebe Legere for the support act spot on his National Tour -Legere has appeared on NBC, CBS, ABC, HBO, NPR, PBS -The 2022 “Best of Manhattan” Entertainment Award was presented to Legere -Legere co-starred on Nickelodeon’s “Naked Brothers Band” -Legere scored and starred in the most popular cult movie of all time- “Toxic Avenger’ -As the Creator, Executive Producer, Featured Performer, Host, Writer, and Set Designer, Legere’s educational children’s TV show, “The Color Wheel” has been viewed by tens of thousands -Legere can be seen playing & singing in “Ghostbusters 2” and can be seen on the “Golden Anniversary Ghostbusters Collectors” DVD -Legere has collaborated with friends and colleagues considered to be the most creative people of our time: Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Johnny Depp, Hunter Thompson, Allen Ginsberg and Billy Joel to name a few… -Legere has written, produced and performed on 17 albums of original songs.
Proceeds from sales of her paintings & music go to fund the Foundation for the New American Art, a nonprofit that brings free art and music to at-risk children of low-income communities. “After the financial crisis of 2008 they eliminated art & music to children in most NYC public schools. I believe free access to art & music is every child’s birthright. That’s why I founded the Let Every Child Sing Chorus, Paintbrushes Not Guns and Music Teachers Without Borders which offers free art & music lessons to underserved children,” says executive director Legere. Legere’s charity was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Grant for their important work bringing cultural equity to communities and recently received a New York Community Trust grant to carry on the Foundation’s work in arts education.
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