Press Release Page

Immersive Theater Crime Lab in A Historic Lower East Side Speakeasy

2011-12-11T12:54:00.001-08:00

Press Release (scroll down for images and videos)

December 10, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Artist and author, Cynthia von Buhler (née Carrozza) has been haunted by a shocking family mystery for years. Her Italian immigrant grandparents, Frank and Mary Spano, owned two speakeasies in the Bronx during Prohibition: one that masqueraded as a bakery, the other a secret nightclub. Shortly after Prohibition ended, her grandfather was shot and killed on the street in Manhattan. Her grandmother was pregnant with her mother at the time, and upon hearing the news of the murder she went into labor. Von Buhler’s grandfather’s body was laid out in one room of their small Bronx apartment while her mother was born in the room next to it.

“Nobody still living in my family knows why my grandfather was shot. When I began my search, nothing was known about the killer, his motive, or a trial. My grandmother took these secrets to her grave. And so, over the past year, I have been dusting off a complicated tale of bootlegging, mafia, infidelity, and murder set in Prohibition-era New York City.” - Cynthia von Buhler

Frances Glessner Lee established the Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard in 1936. At that time, innumerable murders went unsolved because evidence was mishandled or downright ignored. To train investigators of sudden or violent deaths (like the death of von Buhler’s grandfather) and to better assess visual evidence, Lee created the Nutshell Studies: dollhouses that students could examine from every angle. Lee created 18 dioramas complete with minute and authentic crime scene details, using only the most mysterious of actual cases as models. Using instances that were ruled out as accidents, murders, or suicides, the Nutshell Studies challenged detectives and strengthened their ability to read evidence.

Inspired by Lee’s miniature crime scene sets, von Buhler decided to create the scenes from her family mystery using her own handmade sets and dolls. Utilizing evidence from autopsy reports, police records, court documents, and interviews, she has built a dollhouse-sized speakeasy, a hospital room, a child’s bedroom, and a pre-war apartment. She also created lifelike dolls with moveable limbs to live in these sets.

Taking it to another level, von Buhler has now created an immersive theatrical experience to go along with the sets and her own investigation. The play stages these events in mobster Meyer Lansky’s former Lower East Side speakeasy. The location is elaborately set up to mirror the dollhouse sets from the book. The play’s tagline is “The speakeasy is our dollhouse and the actors are our dolls.”

“By adding actual human recreations of the characters and placing them in an interactive theater setting, I am taking Lee’s method of dollhouse crime scene investigation one step further. The story is in a constant state of flux. All of the guests at the play will interact with the actors. The actors and the audience will not be distinguishable from one another, so there will be no boundary between the audience members and the performers.” - Cynthia von Buhler

Von Buhler’s books are usually published by the likes of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Viking, and Knopf. With Speakeasy Dollhouse, she forwent publishing houses and brought the project directly to her fan base. The book and initial performances in 2011 were paid through Kickstarter, a crowd-funding site. Now, after a series of sold-out shows, the play will continue into 2012 with tickets available to the general public for performances on the first Monday of every month from February to June. “Book One: A Bloody Beginning” sold out and is in its second edition.

“Book One: A Bloody Beginning,” written from a child’s point-of-view, exposes many unanswered questions and ends with von Buhler’s declaration “But I don’t want comfort. I want the truth,” at all costs. Part of the project's intrigue for both von Buhler and the show's audiences is its ever-changing nature. Because she is still researching, the project is in a continual state of flux. Fans are encouraged to refer to www.speakeasydollhouse.com while reading the book series. Von Buhler is constantly updating the “evidence” section of the website. She has pestered Gotti crime soldiers for answers and met relatives of her grandfather’s murderer for coffee. So far she has uncovered a possible connection of her grandfather’s murder to the infamous mobster Dutch Schultz.

“One month after mysteriously setting free the man who had admitted to killing my grandfather, Hulon Capshaw, the magistrate in charge of my grandfather’s trial was accused of working for infamous mobster Dutch Schultz. Schultz was buddies with Jimmy Hines, a powerful Tammany Hall leader. Capshaw was Hines’ pawn. Former presidential candidate Thomas Dewey was the district attorney at the time and he took all of them to court. Capshaw was disbarred from practicing law, Jimmy Hines was sent to Sing-Sing prison, and Schultz was murdered by the mob a few months after my grandfather.” – Cynthia von Buhler

Speakeasy Dollhouse will be held on the first Monday of every month beginning in February 2012 from 7:30PM – 11PM

Dates & Time: Speakeasy Dollhouse will be held on the first Monday of every month beginning in February 2012 from 7:30PM – 11PM

Mon Feb 6 - Love (Valentine's Day)
Mon Mar 5 - Luck (St. Patrick's Day was the day the birth/murder actually happened)
Mon April 2 - Faith (Easter)
Mon May 7 - Beauty (Spring)
Mon June 4 - Sex (Summer)

Location: The Back Room, Norfolk St., Manhattan, 10002, 212-228-5098

Tickets: Call Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006 or order online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/214593">www.brownpapertickets.com/event/214593

$20 general admission
$25 general admission (includes an evidence booklet)
$40 general admission (includes book one and an evidence booklet)
$250 VIP table for five (includes book one and an evidence booklet)

Contact: Hannah Goldstein, hannah@cynthiavonbuhler.com, 646-221-5239

Press Photos: High-resolution press images are available for download at www.presspasspage.blogspot.com

Official Website: www.speakeasydollhouse.com

###

The printing of book one was paid for through the crowdfunding site Kickstarter. This is the video which explained the Kickstarter project:
(To obtain the video embed code click on the YouTube logo in the lower right corner of the video. This takes you to YouTube. Click on SHARE. Copy the embed code. Paste into your webpage or blog text. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)

This is the Speakeasy Dollhouse book trailer. Cynthia von Buhler created the trailer utilizing hundreds of her Speakeasy Dollhouse photographs. This video (and others) will be projected onto buildings in Manhattan in early 2012 as promotion for the project.
(To obtain the video embed code click on the YouTube logo in the lower right corner of the video. This takes you to YouTube. Click on SHARE. Copy the embed code. Paste into your webpage or blog text. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)

Speakeasy Dollhouse, The Documentary – Of Dolls & Murder, directed by Susan Marks and narrated by John Waters (Hairspray, Cry Baby), is a documentary about Francis Glessner Lee’s crime scene investigation dollhouse dioramas. Marks is currently working on a Of Dolls & Murder sequel based on Speakeasy Dollhouse.
(To obtain the video embed code click on the YouTube logo in the lower right corner of the video. This takes you to YouTube. Click on SHARE. Copy the embed code. Paste into your webpage or blog text. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)

Cynthia von Buhler has teamed up with Live Urban Walls to project Speakeasy Dollhouse animations onto buildings in lower Manhattan. Each month von Buhler will create a new animation focusing on the theme of that month’s show. The video for February is a typewritten love letter to New York City. (To obtain the video embed code click on the YouTube logo in the lower right corner of the video. This takes you to YouTube. Click on SHARE. Copy the embed code. Paste into your webpage or blog text. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)

HIGH RESOLUTION BOOK IMAGES FOR PRESS REPRODUCTION ONLY! SCROLL DOWN FOR PLAY IMAGES. ©Cynthia von Buhler 2012

Ellis Island (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
The Shooting, Scenario One (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Coroner's Office (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Grandma Faints (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Dominick Mourns (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)Coffin & Bedroom (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
The Birth (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Cynthia's Bedroom (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
The Bronx Mouse (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Cynthia Talks To Jesus (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)Frank Spano's Office (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Grandma's Gun (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
The Club (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
The Bakery (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Bootlegging (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)Frank's Office (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Tenement Building (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Infidelity (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Cynthia at Catholic School (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Cynthia Moves To New York City (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)Cynthia on The Brooklyn Bridge (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Susan Berman's Murder (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Cynthia's Therapist's Office (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)
Fear of the Subway (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Cynthia von Buhler, 2012.)

HIGH RESOLUTION PLAY IMAGES FOR PRESS REPRODUCTION ONLY! THESE IMAGES ARE VERY LARGE 72 DPI JPEGS. TO CHANGE THESE TO 300 DPI: REDUCE IMAGE SIZE AND INCREASE DPI TO 300 AT THE SAME TIME.
Russell Farhang (as Frank Spano) Shot (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)
Rachel Boyadjis (as Dom Spano) and Russell Farhang (as Frank Spano) (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Esther Crotty, 2012.)
Silent James (as John Guerrieri) with Gun (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Justin Moore, 2012.)
Rachel Boyadjis (as Dom Spano) and Russell Farhang (as Frank Spano) - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Esther Crotty,2012.)Syrie Moskowitz (as Lena Doino) and Guests (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Christopher J. Brownfield, 2012)
Katelan Foisy (as Lucrezia Guerrieri) and Syrie Moskowitz (as Lena Doino) - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)
Cynthia von Buhler (as The Time Traveling Revealer of All Truth) - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)
Syrie Moskowitz (as Lena Doino) Tells A Secret (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Christopher J. Brownfield, 2012.)Jeffrey Wengrofsky (as Dr. Gonzales), Nicole Schiff (as The Doctor's Assistant) Russell Farhang (as Frank Spano) - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)Kate Black (as The Bakery Shopgirl Selling Mary Spano's Legendary Cannolis) - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)The Speakeasy Bar - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)The Audience Watches The Birth - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)Katherine Bergeron (as Mary Spano) Praying - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)Cynthia von Buhler (as The Time Traveling Revealer of Truth) Revealing A Truth - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)Brian Bateson (as Frank Spano) In His Coffin - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)The Howard Fishman Quartet - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)
The Howard Fishman Quartet - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Margee Challa, 2012.)Silent James (as John Guerreri) - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Esther Crotty, 2012.)
Silent James (as John Guerreri) With David Desrosiers (as Cousin Frankie Spano) - (To obtain this image for press reproduction click on the image for download. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image ©Esther Crotty, 2012.)

Press About Speakeasy Dollhouse

2011-12-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

“I was seduced by Cynthia von Buhler's artwork: her styles are protean but always appropriate, her eye is observant, her hand is keen. She's a wonder.” - Neil Gaiman (Coraline, Sandman, The Graveyard Book)

Television

Speakeasy Dollhouse on The Discovery Channel
Cynthia von Buhler was interviewed about the Speakeasy Dollhouse project for the popular Discovery Channel show, Oddities. Oddities assisted Von Buhler in locating obscure stage props so they would accurately match the tiny dollhouse versions.

Film

Speakeasy Dollhouse, The Documentary
Of Dolls & Murder, directed by Susan Marks and narrated by John Waters (Hairspray, Cry Baby), is a documentary about Francis Glessner Lee’s crime scene investigation dollhouse dioramas. Marks is currently working on a Of Dolls & Murder sequel based on Speakeasy Dollhouse.

Reviews

Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal
“A different artist going a separate route is Cynthia Von Buhler. She’s started a Kickstarter page for her Speakeasy Dollhouse (think The Dollhouse Murders meets Some Like It Hot meets The Godfather). It’s one of the cleverer Kickstarter pages, not least because Von Buhler’s family history makes everyone else’s sleepy in comparison. I love the models and I love that folks who contribute a little can get an Amanda Palmer song while those who contribute a lot can get a tiny version of themselves in the upcoming book.” – Elizabeth Bird, Fuse # 8, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal MORE

Gothamist
“Artist Cynthia von Buhler has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a project she's already been working on for years, and is a lifetime in the making. To sum it up, her grandfather was murdered in Manhattan before she was born, and to figure out why, she created a miniature version of all the places that played key roles during her family's life at that time. These are based off "Nutshell Studies—dollhouses that students could examine from every angle... complete with minute and authentic crime scene details" which have been used to "challenge detectives and strengthen their ability to read evidence." Her Speakeasy Dollhouse project also consists of a gorgeous book, and an immersive play, along with the handmade dolls and sets. We highly recommend you fund it so you can participate in the completed project!”- Jen Carlson, The Gothamist MORE

A few of our favorite blog reviews are below:

The Literary Bandit (theater review)
It’s true, you know.
There is a time warp hidden in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

In an alley, all it takes is one knock.

One knock on a heavy door, and a password.
And, no, I’m not going to tell you the password. If you were supposed to know it, you’d know it.

Once the password is spoken, the door opens up and you step into prohibition era New York. 1920′s jazz, velvet furniture, low lights, gin served in coffee mugs.

Welcome to the world of Speakeasy Dollhouse- created by the fantastic Cynthia von Buhler.

It’s a book. It’s a play. It’s one hell of an experience.
With funding from kickstarter Cynthia von Buhler was able to create such an immersive project. One that bled with family, memory, history, and a deep, deep love.

It’s the story of Mary and Frank Spano- her grandparents. After coming to New York from Italy they ran two speakeasies. The center piece to Speakeasy Dollhouse is Spano’s Bakery, the front for one of their hidden bars.

The graphic novel is beautifuly made. Beautifully written. Beautifully illustrated with photos of handmade dolls and sets (some of which you have to look at twice to make sure they’re not real people).
It’s the story of Cynthia von Buhler, really. Her life growing up, the decisions she’s made, and the roads she navigated to get to where (and who) she is. All with the backdrop of the murder of Frank Spano and the birth of her mother.

I’m not going to lay out the whole story for you. I could sum it all up, but it’s really something you have to enjoy for yourself. The way she tells her families history, mingling with her own life and her quest for answers immediately draws you in. It’s personal, it’s dark- it’s almost impossible to not connect with her in some way.

And the kicker to the whole thing? On Monday (that’s October 17th) was the first night of her play- an acted out version of the murder of Frank and the birth of her mother.

You knock, you speak the password, and you are welcomed into von Buhler’s history. The speakeasy perfectly mimic’s the dollhouse. Spano’s Bakery, a small apartment, a hospital.

We stood there, swooned by music and secret alcoholic drinks, chatting with ghosts from the past. Every now and then “pass-woud” would ring out to draw us further into the bygone era.

And suddenly, screaming. Spano family trouble. Possible infidelity on the part of Frank?

And we all go about our business, like everyone always does after such altercations.

And then it happens again, we all rush to the street. Gun shots! Screaming! The actors implore us for help.

Then it sinks in. We are not watching the play. We -are- the play.
No. Scratch that.
We are in the midst of Cynthia von Buhler history.

The play acted out around us, pulling us in, questioning us. “Did you see him?” “Have you seen the baby?”

There is no escape from the past. It pulls us and pushes us in the directions we need to go. It’s true with all of us. It’s true with Speakeasy Dollhouse.

Separately it’s all amazing. The book, the play, the upcoming animation. Together it’s an opus of family history, a New York love letter, an opening of the soul.

And guess what…

…it’s only part 1.

Sketchy Details (theater review)
You are in downtown NYC. You walk up to a man on a poorly lit street standing in front of a short metal gate. You whisper “cannolis” into his ear and are led down a staircase into an alleyway filled with flickering lights. You knock on the big metal door at the top of the stairs and repeat the password through a peephole. The door swings open and you’re thrust into 1920s Prohibition Era Bronx.

Speakeasy Dollhouse is a piece of immersive theater created by Cynthia Von Buhler. Cynthia tried to unravel the mystery behind her grandfather’s death by creating scale model environments and figures representing everyone she knew was involved in the story. The results were collected in a book of the same name. She decided to turn the story into an interactive theatrical piece where guests would be invited to commingle with actors portraying her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and the assorted Bronx locals she believed played a role in the murder.

As both a party and a piece of theater, Speakeasy Dollhouse is a success. If you’re familiar with Sleep No More, you already know how this limited engagement works. Ticket holders enter the interactive environment and are encouraged to explore the settings, talk with everyone to get information, and follow the various actors as the night unfolds. Some of the players make themselves known quite readily–Dominic, the oldest son of Mary and Frank Spano, is an uncontrollable bundle of energy trying to sneak drinks from guests and inviting you to the major settings of the story from the moment you enter. Others are more aloof, entering the show later in the night or hiding their involvement until just before their character is important to the story.

The fun of Speakeasy Dollhouse is trying to get information out of these actors. Everyone performing in the show knows when, exactly, things are going to unfold. If you ask the right series of questions or get them on the right topic, you’ll be handed an object that may be a key to a secret event. For example, while I was admiring the Spano’s bedroom filled with Catholic iconography–statues of Mary and the Pope, mass cards, crucifixes, bibles–I asked the very pregnant Mary Spano if she did the large embroidered prayer on the wall. She did not. She did, however, reach into her purse a few minutes into our conversation and hand me a set of rosary beads and asked me to pray for her soon to be born child. I obliged. In a strange way, I became a part of the story without changing the narrative of the story. I witnessed others having similar encounters with other players, such as a young woman walking around with a toe tag interrogating Frank Spano over the legality of his bakery’s special coffee.

The night runs from 7:00 to 11:30. There is an organic flow to the happenings. For the first hour (at least), everything is just a party. Dominic gives you directions to the bakery where “[his] Ma makes the best cannolis in the Bronx,” while servers in flapper dresses and suspenders take orders for the various “teas” the Spanos are offering for the night. A five piece band plays jazz standards intermixed with a gentleman or lady at an old turntable spinning grainy records from the time. You really don’t know who is or isn’t part of the story at this point as guest are encouraged to dress up for the occasion. I only began to notice the players when I saw a trio of people make a mad dash for the bootlegging closet, complaining about a spoiled batch of whiskey.

In true speakeasy fashion, nothing is served in a way that would set off the police. Cocktails are served in tea cups and coffee mugs, while bottles of beer are handed out in brown paper bags. To keep the deal with the cops, all alcohol must be consumed in the bakery or the Spano’s house/bar. Drinkers in the alley where the lone officer is on his beat will be accused of going Dutch and trying to shut the place down. Combined with the almost overwhelming attention to detail throughout the settings, Cynthia Von Buhler’s immersive piece succeeds in engaging the audience in a realistic Prohibition Era environment.
MORE

Funny Shorts(book review)
"Cynthia has stated that she doesn’t view comics in the traditional light and that her readers are “smart enough” for her to leave out action-to-action and even moment-to-moment paneling. In Speakeasy Dollhouse she jumps a step further, trusting the reader to follow the almost stream-of-consciousness flow her memories take. And it is a trust well deserved. So flawlessly do childhood memories of her grandmother flow to surrealistic visions of Jesus into her ambition to be an artist to her grandmother’s own memories of her life in a Speakeasy that one is lost in the story. But lost in that good way, as if visiting a new and unfamiliar country with a guide who knows every twist and turns of the streets- one who you have confidence will never get confused as to where they are going, befuddled as you might be the strange places and unexpected branchings off." MORE
Funny Shorts (book and theater synthesis)
Funny Shorts (theater review)

Gadabout (interview)

Fairy Tales (with a Twist!) at Portland Stage

2011-02-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

But Who Will Bell the Cats? will be presented as part of Portland Stage's Theater for Kids on April 23 at 10:30.

Once upon a time...they all lived happily ever after. Or did they? Join Theater for Kids as we explore the realm of twisted fairy tales and fractured fables. Watch our professional actors turn traditions upside down during the readings, then work on your own fairy tale reinvention during an interactive workshop!

April 2 - The Amazing Bone by William Steig
April 9 - Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson
April 23 - But Who Will Bell the Cats? by Cynthia von Buhler
April 30 - The Frog Prince Continued by Jon Scieszka

Theater workshop series starts Saturday April 2nd at 10:30 AM. Sign up your child for the whole series of 5 readings + workshops or choose your favorite, $60 for the series or $15 each. Click here for a registration form, email theaterforkids@portlandstage.org or call 207-774-1043 x117 with questions or to sign up.

Click here for Portland Stage's Theater for Kids website.

Slavs of New York: Andy Warhol's Nowhere

2011-02-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

Andy Warhol Filming photographed by Gretchen Berg. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Gretchen Berg, 2011.)
Candy Darling and Andy Warhol photographed by Anton Perich. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Anton Perich, 2011.)
Curated by Cynthia von Buhler.
Millennium Gallery
66 East 4th Street, New York, NY
Opening March 16, 2011 from 6PM – 8PM (free and open to the public)

New York City, March 16 – March 30, 2011 --The Kinofest NYC Film Festival in cooperation with the Millennium Gallery present an exhibit of photographs titled “Slavs of New York: Andy Warhol's Nowhere” curated by Cynthia von Buhler. The exhibit features photographs of Andy Warhol taken by artists Anton Perich, Gretchen Berg, and Sebastian Piras, some of which include Warhol’s “superstars” and collaborators (Candy Darling, Taylor Mead, Vincent Fremont, and Fred Hughes) and celebrities (Genevieve Waite, Keith Richards, Bianna Jagger, and Sylvestor Stallone).

When asked where he was from, Warhol usually replied that he "was from nowhere." While he may have considered this true in his mind and heart, in fact his family came from Mikova, Slovakia.

Anton Perich, born in Croatia, was a contributing photographer for Andy Warhol's INTERVIEW Magazine in the early 1970's. A selection of his photographs are now in the collection of the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, the Warhol Foundation, and the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation in New York.

Gretchen Berg, a New York City photographer and journalist, interviewed Warhol in 1966. The interview and photographs were published under the title of "Andy Warhol, My True Story." Berg’s photographs, original recordings, a vintage photocopy of the typescripts from this interview were acquired by The Andy Warhol Museum in 2007.

Sebastian Piras' work focuses primarily on photographic portraits of artists. He has photographed Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, and other artists. He directed and filmed the documentary “Taylor Mead Unleashed,” which also featured Allen Ginsberg and Quentin Crisp.

Also on display will be photos of notable Ukrainians by Kyle Cassidy (musician Vitalij Kuprij and former senator Walter Dudycz), Mikolaj Kirscke (actress Olga Kurylenko), Glenn Francis (actress Mila Kunis), Georges Baird (actress Milla Jovovich), Valeriy Davidenko (soccer player Andriy Shevchenko), Rhinowing (Gogol Bordello singer Eugene Hutz), David Shankbone (children's book author/illustrator James Warhola and actress Vera Famiga), and NASA (astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper).

The “Slavs of New York” exhibit and opening reception are presented as part of the Kinofest NYC Film Festival. Kicking off the festival week in conjunction with the exhibit opening, Kinofest NYC is screening I Am From Nowhere, a film by Georg Misch about the Warhol family home town, at 8 p.m. in the adjacent theater. Cynthia von Buhler will introduce the film. The admission to see the film is $10.

Cynthia von Buhler is an internationally exhibiting visual artist, author, and performer living in New York City. In 2007, on the twenty-year anniversary of Warhol's death, von Buhler curated the legendary exhibit entitled “Andy Warhol; In His Wake,” and created a work for it titled “The Great Warhola,” an interactive fortune-telling machine.

About Kinofest NYC Film Festival
Founded in 2009, Kinofest NYC is a festival committed to celebrating the art of independent cinema. Kinofest NYC seeks to educate and entertain its participants and to provide opportunities for its public to watch independent film from Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries. The festival also serves as a forum to introduce new filmmakers from these countries to American audiences and industry professionals.

Millennium Gallery is an experimental theater space that is partially funded by The Warhol Foundation. Gallery hours are Mon-Sat 7–10.30 p.m. and Sat 1–5 p.m. & by appointment.

Contact: Hannah Goldstein, hannah@drawbridge.com

Andy Warhol and Taylor Mead photographed by Anton Perich. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Anton Perich, 2011.)Genevieve Waite and Andy Warhol photographed by Anton Perich. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Anton Perich, 2011.)

Andy Warhol photographed by Anton Perich. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Anton Perich, 2011.)Andy Warhol by Sebastian Piras. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Sebastian Piras, 2011.)Vitalij Kupril by Kyle Cassidy. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Kyle Cassidy, 2011.) Walter Dudycz by Kyle Cassidy. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Kyle Cassidy, 2011.)

Cynthia von Buhler Presents an Animated Window Display & Dollhouse Diorama Workshop

2010-04-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

The book cover. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)
For Immediate Release
Contact: Hannah Goldstein, hannah@drawbridge.com or Jennifer Taber, jennifer.taber@hmhpub.com / 617-351-3671
Thanks to Carl Divito for shooting this video and placing it on YouTube.
Popular Children’s Book Author/Illustrator Cynthia von Buhler
Presents an Animated Window Display &Dollhouse Diorama Workshop at Manhattan’s Books of Wonder.

Meet Cynthia, view her book sets, make a diorama and get your books signed.

Children’s book author and illustrator Cynthia von Buhler is creating an animated window display featuring handmade sets and painted characters from her children’s book But Who Will Bell the Cats? for Books of Wonder bookstore in Manhattan. The elaborate window, featuring a life-sized princess and her cats playing with the dollhouse sets, will be on display from July 1 through August 30, 2010.

Dollhouse Diorama and Paper Doll Workshops – Free (with the purchase of a Cynthia von Buhler book from Books of Wonder)!
Sunday, July 25, 2010 from 12 NOON – 2PM.
Monday, July 26, 2010 from 12 NOON – 2PM
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 from 6PM – 8PM

Come to Books of Wonder and learn to how to make a dollhouse room from a shoebox. Cynthia von Buhler’s characters and castle rooms will be available as pre-printed full-color sheets for children to cut out and make into their own dollhouse diorama. Please bring a standard shoebox with you to the workshop. The author/illustrator will also be signing books. Characters from But Who Will Bell the Cats will make an appearance at the events and will give away free bells on ribbon for children to wear around their necks (as supplies last).

The workshop is free for anyone who purchases Cynthia von Buhler’s books, But Who Will Bell the Cats? or The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside, from Books of Wonder the day of the event(s). Space is limited. Please R.S.V.P. by emailing hannah@drawbridge.com. The events are limited to 30 children per day. Children are required to bring a shoebox and a parent or guardian to assist them. Books of Wonder, 18 West 18th Street, NY, NY, 10011, (212)989-3270, www.booksofwonder.com

To download a PDF of step-by-step details from the workshop click HERE.

Cynthia working on the book sets:Cynthia working on the sets. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)Page from the book:
(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)Detail from the book: Detail from the book. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)Detail from the window: One of the paper cat cutouts used in the diorama workshop. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)

Recent reviews from But Who Will Bell the Cats?

"My library’s secret weapon from here on in…Beautiful and haunting with the kinds of images kids will pore over." - Betsy Bird, Children's Librarian at The New York Public Library

"Destined to earn the ‘classic’ label." - Urban Baby

"this story of an indefatigable mouse should find a welcome place on the shelves of any castle...or library."- Horn Book

"Children will find a lot to discover in the details, even after repeated readings". - School Library Journal

“Young readers will pore over this one again and again." – Kirkus

A girl shows off her completed diorama.A girl with her dollhouse diorama. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)
Paper cutout characters from the workshop:
One of the paper cat cutouts used in the diorama workshop. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)
One of the paper cat cutouts used in the diorama workshop. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)>One of the paper cat cutouts used in the diorama workshop.lick on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)
But Who Will Bell the Cats? by Cynthia von Buhler

Mouse and his friend Brown Bat are tired of watching the princess’s cats enjoy the life of luxury in the banquet hall of the castle, while they languish on crumbs and sleep in smelly socks.

They are determined to get out of the basement and join the fun and frolicking. But how to get past those spoiled cats who block their every effort?

It will take ingenuity, teamwork, and quite a bit of cunning for Mouse and Bat to succeed. If they can only figure out how to bell the cats . . .

Award-winning artist Cynthia von Buhler takes the reader on a whimsical journey in this visually stunning and innovative book. But Who Will Bell the Cats? (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children) is an enchanting tale of determination, bravery, and creativity—and beautifully illustrates the rewards of the uncomplicated power of kindness.

In addition to having written this story, Cynthia von Buhler was also the painter, sculptor, interior decorator, mason, gardener, and plumber of the sets. The rooms were built by hand from wood. The stone walls were formed from plaster. The floors are handmade from inlaid wood, mother-of-pearl, and plaster. The characters were painted in oils on gessoed paper, then cut out and placed in the sets. The scenes were photographed by Cynthia with a Nikon D300. You can view photos of the sets and see the creation of the book from the beginning stages by visiting the book’s blog, www.butwhowillbellthecats.blogspot.com.Cynthia painting the castle facade.(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)

Cynthia von Buhler’s work has been compared to a trip down an ornate rabbit hole. Her award-winning art has been displayed in galleries and museums around the world, as well as in books, magazines, and newspapers. She lives in Staten Island and Connecticut with her husband, eight cats, one dog, seven doves, and an unknown number of mice below the floorboards.

And be sure to visit the book’s website at www.butwhowillbellthecats.com for crafts, games, a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of the book, downloadable posters, a lesson plan, and much more!

But Who Will Bell the Cats? • September 2009 • Ages 3–7 • 32 pages • $16.00 • Hardcover • ISBN-13/EAN: 978-0-618-99718-3

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Boston, Massachusetts • www.hmhbooks.com
Available wherever books are sold or by calling 1-800-225-3362

READ THE TIME OUT KIDS ARTICLE ABOUT THE BOOK AND WINDOW (AND SEE THEIR SLIDESHOW) HERE.

Trailer for But Who Will Bell the Cats?

2010-03-22T13:46:00.001-07:00

Click HERE to go to YouTube to watch it. Blogger seems to want to cut it off on the right.

But Who Will Be The Cats? Book By Cynthia von Buhler

2009-07-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jennifer Taber, jennifer.taber@hmhpub.com / 617-351-3671

Finally, the solution to Aesop’s age-old question: But who will bell the cats?

But Who Will Bell the Cats?
Cynthia von Buhler

Mouse and his friend Brown Bat are tired of watching the princess’s cats enjoy the life of luxury in the banquet hall of the castle, while they languish on crumbs and sleep in smelly socks.

They are determined to get out of the basement and join the fun and frolicking. But how to get past those spoiled cats who block their every effort?

It will take ingenuity, teamwork, and quite a bit of cunning for Mouse and Bat to succeed. If they can only figure out how to bell the cats . . .

Award-winning artist Cynthia von Buhler takes the reader on a whimsical journey in this visually stunning and innovative book. But Who Will Bell the Cats? (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; September 2009) is an enchanting tale of determination, bravery, and creativity—and beautifully illustrates the rewards of the uncomplicated power of kindness.

In addition to having written this story, Cynthia von Buhler was also the painter, sculptor, interior decorator, mason, gardener, and plumber of the sets. The rooms were built by hand from wood. The stone walls were formed from plaster. The floors are handmade from inlaid wood, mother-of-pearl, and plaster. The characters were painted in oils on gessoed paper, then cut out and placed in the sets. The scenes were photographed by Cynthia with a Nikon D300. You can view photos of the sets and see the creation of the book from the beginning stages by visiting the book’s blog, www.butwhowillbellthecats.blogspot.com, which Cynthia used to communicate with her editor and Web designer as she was creating the final product.

(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Eric Antoniou, 2009.)
Cynthia von Buhler’s work has been compared to a trip down an ornate rabbit hole. Her award-winning art has been displayed in galleries and museums around the world, as well as in books, magazines, and newspapers. She lives in Staten Island and Connecticut with her husband, eight cats, one dog, seven doves, and an unknown number of mice below the floorboards. The MiniArtMuseum at The Nassau County Museum of Art in New York will be featuring the miniature sets and characters from But Who Will Bell the Cats? and The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside in a solo exhibition from September 20, 2009 through January 3, 2010. Visit nassaumuseum.org/teeridder. For the exhibit press release click HERE. You can visit Cynthia’s website at www.cynthiavonbuhler.com.

And be sure to visit the book’s website at www.butwhowillbellthecats.com
for crafts, games, a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of the book, downloadable posters, a lesson plan, and much more!

You can also follow our clever friend Mouse on twitter!
twitter.com/BellYourCat

But Who Will Bell the Cats? • September 2009 • Ages 3–7 • 32 pages • $16.00 • Hardcover •
ISBN-13/EAN: 978-0-618-99718-3

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Boston, Massachusetts • www.hmhbooks.com
Available wherever books are sold or by calling 1-800-225-3362

It’s an upstairs-downstairs scenario carried through in every way, the spreads frequently split in two horizontally to show the contrast. The typeface is appropriate to the location, heavy and bright in the Princess’s rooms, while thin and pale in the mouse’s quarters. The action is richly illustrated in profusely detailed multimedia collage, framed in ornate gilt, which again emphasizes the differences in the lifestyles of the characters. The upstairs scenes glow in lavish, bright gold tones, and the downstairs scenes are dark and gloomy. Young readers will pore over this one again and again". - Kirkus Reviews

This story of an indefatigable mouse should find a welcome place on the shelves of any castle...or library. - Horn Book

(This image is not low-res. Go HERE to view the press release for this book. 300 DPI jpegs download for press reproduction are also there.)
Also by Cynthia von Buhler
The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside
ISBN-10: 0-618-56314-8
$16.00
HIGH-RESOLUTION PRESS IMAGES from BUT WHO WILL BELL THE CAT?:
(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)

(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)

(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)

(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)

(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)

Enchanted World of Dollhouse Castle Created by Children’s Book Author and Illustrator Cynthia von Buhler

2009-07-08T21:26:00.001-07:00

(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)
For Immediate Release - July 4, 2009

NASSAU COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART

Enchanted World of Dollhouse Castle Created by Children’s Book Author and Illustrator Cynthia von Buhler

In NCMA’s MiniArtMuseum for Children - September 20, 2009 through January 3, 2010

Come to the Party!
Book Signing and Exhibition Party on Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 2 pm
Free with Museum Admission, All Welcome

Nassau County Museum of Art’s (NCMA) MiniArtMuseum for Children takes on the fascination of a dollhouse castle with Cynthia von Buhler’s But Who Will Bell The Cats?, opening on September 7 and remaining on view through January 3. The exhibition is based on von Buhler’s new book of the same name which debuts in September. In But Who Will Bell The Cats? the famed author/illustrator creates an enchanted upstairs/downstairs world to show her viewers and readers the rewards of determination, bravery, and creativity—and remind them of the uncomplicated power of kindness.

Children and their families are invited to a party on Sunday, Oct 4 (at 2 pm) to celebrate the publication of the book and the opening of the exhibition. Von Buhler will be on hand to sign copies of her book (available for purchase at the museum book store). No reservations are needed for the party and there is no fee beyond museum admission. For further information about the book, log onto www.butwhowillbellthecats.com.

There will also be a Dollhouse Diorama and Paper Doll Workshop on Saturday, November 4, 2009, at 2 PM.
Come learn to how to make a dollhouse room from a shoe box. Cynthia von Buhler’s characters and castle rooms will be available as pre-printed full-color sheets for children to cut out and make into their own dollhouse diorama. Please bring a standard shoe box with you to the workshop. The author/illustrator will also be signing books which are for sale in the museum store. One lucky child at the event will win a handmade belled cat collar.
Fee: $10 per child includes all the supplies (except for the standard shoebox each child needs to bring), please R.S.V.P. to the museum by calling (516) 484-9337 X26, this event is limited to 25 children.

In addition to having written and illustrated the story, von Buhler was the painter, sculptor, interior decorator, mason, gardener, and plumber of the sets. The rooms were built by hand from wood. The stone walls were formed from plaster. The floors are handmade from inlaid wood, mother-of-pearl and plaster. The characters were painted in oils on gessoed paper, then cut out and placed in the sets. (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)
Cynthia von Buhler’s work has been compared to a trip down an ornate rabbit hole. She is an internationally known and award-winning artist whose three-dimensional works have been displayed in galleries and museums around the world, and in books, magazines, and newspapers. She shares her home with her husband, eight cats, one dog, seven doves, and an unknown number of mice living below the floorboards. Her book, The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside, was the inspiration for a previous exhibition at the MiniArtMuseum. The book and its characters will be featured in the exhibition opening on September 20.

The MiniArtMuseum is open Tuesday-Sunday, 12-4:30 pm.

Nassau County Museum of Art is located at One Museum Drive (just off Northern Boulevard, Route 25A, two traffic lights west of Glen Cove Rd.) in Roslyn Harbor. Hours for the main museum building, the Arnold & Joan Saltzman Fine Art Building, are 11 am to 4:45 pm Tuesday through Sunday. Docent-led tours of the main gallery exhibitions are offered each day at 2 pm. On Sunday afternoons the museum offers supervised art activities for children and their families and family tours of the exhibitions. Exhibition tours and Family Sundays at the Museum are free with museum admission. Admission to the main building is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and $4 for children; it includes admission to the MiniArtsMuseum for Children; The MiniArtMuseum is open 12-4:30 pm Tuesday through Sunday; admission to just the MiniArtMuseum is $5 adults, $4 seniors, students and children ages 4-12. Members are always admitted free. There is a $2 parking fee on weekends (members free). The Museum Shop in the main building and the gift shop in the MiniArtMuseum are open all museum hours.

Call (516) 484-9337 for current exhibitions, events, days/times and directions or log onto nassaumuseum.org.

Nassau County Museum of Art is chartered and accredited under the laws of New York State as a not-for-profit private educational institution and museum. It is operated by a privately elected board of trustees which is responsible for its governance. The museum is funded through income derived from admissions, parking, membership, special events and private and corporate donations as well as federal and state grants.

####6/2009

Media/Photo Contact: Doris Meadows, (516) 609-9696, dorismeadows@optonline.net
Public Information: Nassau County Museum of Art, (516) 484-9337, nassaumuseum.org

(Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copyright: Cynthia von Buhler, 2009.)

Cynthia von Buhler: Show & Tell Solo Exhibit at The Staten Island Museum, New York City

2007-04-02T00:33:00.000-07:00

Show & Tell Painting: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kamillah Hanks
Coordinator – Special Projects
Staten Island Museum
75 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY 10301
Voice: (718) 727-1135 ext. 117
Fax: (718) 273-5683
Email: khanks@statenislandmuseum.org
Web Site: www.statenislandmuseum.org

Purify Painting: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
(Staten Island, New York – March 2007) – On Friday, April 27, the Staten Island Museum will unveil Cynthia von Buhler: Show & Tell. The exhibit will run from April 26, 2007 – September 23, 2007 (Extended due to popular demand). The surreal three-dimensional works blend Renaissance inspired portraiture and messianic figures with natural objects. Cynthia von Buhler’s enigmatic paintings impart their meaning through symbol, design, and narrative. In von Buhler’s art, butterflies, snakes, birds, and plants are set into cages, boxes, and peepholes to serve as metaphors for the human condition. The layered gouache paintings and their sculptural, performance, and audio accoutrements are at once poignant and mischievous. Show and Tell is akin to a trip down an ornate rabbit hole.

Cynthia von Buhler states: “I am a story teller who enjoys revealing the hidden. We all have our outward stories of who we are, how we make our living, what we wear, how we want to be perceived - but what truly interests me are the stories we normally choose not to tell.” Her work focuses on three-dimensional using objects such as insects, fruit, or frog skeletons dangle provocatively in shadowy recesses. Live and taxidermy birds can be found seated in cages within the pieces, demonstrating trapped emotions. Ms. Von Buhler raises pet doves and all of the taxidermy doves in her work have died of natural causes.

The exhibit will include sculpted characters and press proofs from von Buhler’s recent children’s book, The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside. The children’s book was released by Houghton Mifflin in September 2006. The book was chosen as “Teacher’s Pick-Best Books of 2006” by Parent & Child and a “Children’s Pick, Winter 2006/2007” by Book Sense.

Cynthia von Buhler is an internationally exhibiting visual artist, illustrator and author living in New York City. Her work has appeared as the cover feature of New York Arts, New York’s Gallery Guide, Communication Arts, Step by Step Graphics, The Boston Globe, The Boston Phoenix, and many other publications. Art & Antiques named Ms. Von Buhler as “one of the top contemporary surrealists” in 2006.

Ms. von Buhler has won the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the Society of Illustrators Los Angeles, and the Gold Medal from the Visual Club. Her work has been published frequently in the Society of Illustrators Annual, Communications Arts Illustration Annual, and American Illustration, each of which feature the best and most cutting-edge illustration in the country.
Miss Ann Thrope Painting: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)

Upcoming Related Events:

September 23, 2007:Closing Reception will take place on Sunday, September 23rd at 2PM.

August 11, 2007: Cynthia von Buhler Artist’s Talk will be held on Saturday, August 11th at 1:00 p.m. Von Buhler’s Renaissance inspired portraits hold hidden secrets, butterflies, snakes, and birds---while cages and peepholes serve as mischievous metaphors. The Artist’s Talk is part of the Artists/Ideas Series: Supported by JP Morgan Chase. Free with museum admission.

August 25, 2007: The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside Family Workshop and Book Signing with Artist and author Cynthia von Buhler will be held on Saturday, August 25th at 2:00 p.m. Participants will meet the artist and find out how she created her new book with dollhouse charm and a message about patience and giving. A cat figurine workshop for children is included in the program. Admission is $5 per child. Admission is free for children under 12. Copies of the book will be available for sale at this event.
Fidelio Painting: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)

General Museum Information

For now 125 years, the Staten Island Museum (Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences) has been fostering and sustaining scientific and cultural heritage on Staten Island. Founded in 1881, New York City's only general interest museum explores the arts, natural science, and local history through permanent and changing exhibitions and welcomes over 65,000 adults and school children to a comprehensive array of programs.

The Museum’s History Archives & Library is open to the public by appointment and houses a large collection of Staten Island related materials, including 55,000 photos, 6,600 postcards, 3,100 maps, and 15,000 books. Photographic reproduction and research services are available for those who are unable to visit.

The Museum Store offers a selection of New York City and Staten Island related souvenirs, postcards, books and maps. Look out for magnets and mugs featuring the Staten Island Ferry.

Permanent installations include Above the Molding, a selection of unique paintings of New York Harbor and the Staten Island Ferry; The Lenape: The First Staten Islanders, featuring arrowheads and artifacts dating back to ca. 10,000 B.C.; prized specimens from the Museum’s vast insect collection at the Wall of Insects; and the Fluorescent Mineral Room, a glow-in-the-dark display of minerals. And since October 2005 we celebrate one of New York City’s icons in The Staten Island Ferry: The First 100 Years.

Changing exhibitions include the presentation of both established and emerging regional artists, in depth exploration of natural history such as the geology and biodiversity of Staten Island, and periodic displays based on compelling subjects of local history.

Museum Building
75 Stuyvesant Place
Hours:
Sunday – Friday 12:00pm - 5:00pm;
Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm;
Admission: Adults: $2; Children, Students, Seniors: $1; Children under 12: free
The museum building is wheelchair accessible.

Maestro Sartori Wants A Bit Of Glory Painting: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Intimate Letters Painting: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
MVCIMXCVI Painting: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Show & Tell Photograph: Self-Portrait by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)

Installation Views

Above: Installation View. Photograph: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007) Above: Installation View. Photograph: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Above: Installation View. Photograph: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Above: Installation View. Photograph: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Above: Installation View. Photograph: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Above: Installation View. Photograph: Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)

The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside: Based on a True Story Image Downloads (Scroll down for the press release)

2007-04-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Author self-portrait doll, The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)

Installation Views

Installation view, The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Installation view, The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)
Installation view, The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside by Cynthia von Buhler (Click on the image for a 300 DPI jpeg download for press reproduction. Drag the larger image to your desktop to download. Image copywrite: Cynthia von Buhler, 2007)

Andy Warhol: In His Wake

2007-01-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

RETURN TO THE CARROZZINI VON BUHLER GALLERY PAGECollage of art from Warhol: In His Wake by Cynthia von Buhler
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2007

"I'd like to be reincarnated as a diamond on Elizabeth Taylor's finger."
- Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol: In His Wake

To be on view from February 22, 2007 – April 12, 2007 (EXTENDED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND)

Closing reception: Thursday, April 12, 2007, 6-10PM; Readings 6PM - 7:30PM

NEW YORK, NY — On the twenty-year anniversary of Warhol’s death, The Carrozzini von Buhler Gallery presents Andy Warhol: In His Wake, a group exhibition of works by four well-known celebrity artists from Warhol's Factory: Ultra Violet, Taylor Mead, Billy Name, and Ivy Nicholson. Also featured will be Anton Perich, William John Kennedy, and Steve Joester, three artists who documented Warhol, as well as seven artists who have been influenced by him including: Amy Cohen Banker, Cynthia von Buhler, Pamela Martin, William Tisdale, Molly Weingart, and Gary Azon. Andy Warhol: In His Wake will feature paintings, sculptures, projections, and photography by exhibiting artists.

The Carrozzini von Buhler Gallery will be transformed to look like Warhol's infamous Silver Factory with glittering silver walls, disco balls, silver pillow balloons, and aluminum foil drapes. The closing reception will be held on Thursday, April 12th, from 6pm to 10pm and will feature Five Minutes of Fame; readings each 5 minutes in length, starting promptly at 6pm. Five Minutes of Fame is curated by Dorothy F. August. Readers include: Dorothy F. August, Patricia Corragon, Greg Fuchs, Ron Kolm, Bill Kushner, Taylor Mead, Thad Rutkowski, Jackie Sheeler, Larissa Shmailo, Hal Sirowitz, Star Black, and Carol Wierzbicki. Andy Warhol: In His Wake is curated by Cynthia von Buhler, Amy Cohen Banker, and Kevin Kushel. The exhibition will be on view through April12, 2007.

Exhibition Hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturday from 2PM – 6PM. Subway: A, C, E, or L to 14th Street at 8th Ave. Free and open to the public. The gallery will be closed on Saturday, April 7th due to Passover and Easter holidays.

View Gothamist's review HERE.
View Chelsea Now's review HERE.
View NY Cool's review HERE.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Taylor Mead still lives in New York and continues to write and perform poetry. His most recent film role was in Coffee and Cigarettes, directed by Jim Jarmusch. Mead's drawings were exhibited in the 2006 Whitney Biennial. Actor-writer Taylor Mead, "the funniest guy around," according to Jack Kerouac, is best known for his comic roles in such films as Ron Rice's The Flower Thief (1960), Bob Downey's Babo 73 (1964), and Andy Warhol's Lonesome Cowboys (1968). Mead continues to regularly perform and read poetry at The Bowery Poetry Club. His latest book of poems is called A Simple Country Girl. He was the subject of a documentary called Excavating Taylor Mead, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2005. The film shows him engaging in his nightly habit of feeding stray cats in an East Village cemetery after bar-hopping, and features a cameo by Jim Jarmusch, in which Jarmusch explains that once, when Mead went to Europe, he enlisted Jarmusch's brother to feed the cemetery cats in Mead's absence. Mead appeared in the final segment of Jarmusch's 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes. He has been "a beloved icon of the downtown New York art scene since the 60s."

Ultra Violet continues to exhibit her art in France and the U.S. She opened an art studio in Nice in 1990, creating a movement called "L'Ultratique," publishing two manifestos in the early 1990's. Her work was included in the Audart exhibition commemorating the tenth anniversary of Warhol's death. In August - October 2004 she had an exhibit at the Washington County Museum of Fine Art and in December 2004 - January 2005 she exhibited at the Gallerie Ferrero in Nice.
She is represented by Stux Gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City and her book, Famous For Fifteen Minutes has been translated in seventeen languages. Find out more about Ultra Violet HERE.

Billy Name was the resident photographer at Warhol’s factory and was responsible for much of the Factory’s silver interior. His most recent screen appearance was in Andy Warhol - A Documentary Film (2006) directed by Ric Burns. Other recent films he has appeared in include Andy Warhol: The Complete Picture (2002) and the documentary on mail artist Ray Johnson, How to Draw a Bunny, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002 and was released on DVD in September 2004. In March 2004 he was one of the speakers at the ATOA artists panel on Ray Johnson in New York. His work has been exhibited at The Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum, The Guggenheim, Bilbao, The Centre Pompidou, and The Andy Warhol Museum. His Warhol-era work has been collected in two books, Billy Name: Stills from the Warhol Films (Prestel, 1994) and All Tomorrow's Parties (d.a.p.1997). Name lived in a back studio at Warhols’ Factory at 231 East 47th Street and he continues to live in New York. Find out more about Billy Name HERE.

Ivy Nicholson is mother to twins - Gunther Ethan Palmer and actress Penelope Palmer. Their father is John Palmer, who is often credited with the idea for the film, Empire, and also went on to direct/write the non-Warhol film, Ciao Manhattan. Ivy's son Gunther was a child model and teen actor in Paris and the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band, Mandrake, before going on to become the vocalist and percussionist in the band Stagefright. Ivy occasionally performed with her son's band in the late nineties. During November 2004 she returned to New York temporarily to direct a film - The Dead Life. She is currently creating films in New York City.

Anton Perich is an inventor, painter, photographer, video artist and Night Magazine publisher. In the early Seventies he was a contributing photographer for Warhol’s Interview Magazine. He was born in Croatia, and in 1970 he moved to NYC. In the late Sixties he was in Paris active in the Lettrist Movement. In 1973 he created the first Underground Show on Manhattan Cable TV. In 1977 he invented and built the Electric Painting Machine, an early predecessor of inkjet technology. Perich is an early pioneer of Digital Art. In 1978 he started publishing Night.
Find out more about Anton Perich HERE.

William John Kennedy photographed Andy Warhol at The Factory and on-location beginning in 1964. Robert Indiana introduced Kennedy to Warhol after showing him photographs Kennedy took of him. Warhol invited Kennedy to The Factory to shoot him and his work where he eagerly acted out the creative scenes devised by Kennedy. Kennedy’s Warhol archives were forgotten and placed in storage at his New York City studio where they remained for many years while Kennedy achieved great success in the New York City advertising agency arena. Kennedy’s historic collection of Warhol photographs were recently brought out of storage and were exhibited at a Miami Art gallery for the very first time in 2004. Kennedy attended the Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts. The Warhol archives is just a segment of Kennedy’s extensive photographic archive. Kennedy lives in Miami, Florida and continues to shoot for his fine art collection.
Find out more about William John KennedyHERE.

Steve Joester is a British-born rock photographer and mixed media artist, currently living and working in New York City. Joester is known for his photos of rock icons such as Mick Jagger and Sting, and also caught Andy Warhol on film with Rob Halford of Judas Priest. He translates these images into Warhol inspired Pop Art collages. In November of 2005 and 2006, Joester exhibited his work in a private show at the former Andy Warhol Factory located at 860 Broadway. Joester's photographs have been featured in numerous publications including Rolling Stone, Interview, Cream, and Cosmopolitan. Joester has worked with every major record label and created album sleeves and posters for musicians including Bob Marley, Ginger Baker, and Be Bop Delux. Currently, Steve Joester is working on a group of paintings for a solo exhibition at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in April of 2007 and Mr. MusicHead Rock Art Gallery, Hollywood, CA in May 2007. For more information on Steve Joester and Rock Icons including limited-edition Giclee prints, please visit www.stevejoester.com, email Find out more about Steve JoesterHERE or call 347.463.9023.

Amy Cohen Banker has been around the New York and international art scene for over twenty years. Her most recent acting work is in Ivy Nicholson's "The Dead Life" which also includes her daughter Meredith Banker as another character. Banker currently has an exhibit at Janos Gat Gallery in New York City titled Amy Banker NOW and will be in a group exhibit, curated by Faith Ringgold, at Adelphi University. Her recent video, "Relicts" derived from her past installations and flash animation, was inspired by critical experiences from her life from 2001 to 2006 and is a tribute to her late daughter Allison Jane Banker and her late art dealer Monique Goldstrom. Amy also worked with Ultra Violet on a Delaware County Museum exhibition. Banker admires Warhol's strong use of portrait as landscape, his Involvement with repetition and current events as subject matter.
Find out more about Amy Cohen BankerHERE.

Cynthia von Buhler is an internationally exhibiting visual artist, illustrator, children's book author, and performer living in New York City. Von Buhler uses traditional as well as unconventional media: painting, sculpture, performance, video projection, installation, living fauna, collage, photography, human detritus, and electronic audio. In March 2006, Art & Antiques named von Buhler as "one of the top contemporary surrealists", however, she has also been linked to the Fluxus movement. Von Buhler's illustrations have appeared in more than a thousand magazines, books, publications, billboards, and CDs. Howard Stern owns a portrait of himself painted by von Buhler, while Jann Wenner, the publisher of Rolling Stone, bought von Buhler’s portraits of Madonna and Jimi Hendrix, both of which were featured in his magazine. Von Buhler's work is also in hundreds of private and public collections all over the world. Von Buhler’s upcoming solo exhibit, Flora, Fauna, and Flame, will be held at The Staten Island Museum of Arts & Science from April – June 2007.
Find out more about Cynthia von Buhler HERE

Pamela Martin is the owner of a fabulous vintage textile collection, which inspires her artwork. She lives and works in New York City and the Catskills.

William Tisdale was a prolific and respected printmaker living and working in Boston, MA. Tisdale died of an AIDS-related illness in the 1990’s.

Gary Azon is an award winning writer and photographer whose photos have
appeared in The London Times, GQ and, Vanity Fair. He's currently an art
columnist for NIGHT magazine and has shown photography at numerous NYC
galleries such as Foster Goldstrom.

Molly Weingart is an urban studies major at Columbia with a specialization in visual arts. She is doing research on memorials while studying printmaking with Kiki Smith, Valerie Hammond, and Sarah Sze.

ABOUT THE CURATORS

Kevin Kushel is a veteran picture professional with more than 20 years of experience as an agency and collection director bringing together professional picture and consumer purchasers with a global variety of image sources. Kushel currently distributes content consisting of everything from nature to entertainment and successfully markets imagery and assignments through his photo agency OvoWorks, Inc. Kushel has curated exhibits at The National Press Club (Washington, D.C.), the Galleries at the Shoreham and Gershwin Hotel(s), C.B.G.B.'s and others. www.ovoworks.smugmug.com

Cynthia von Buhler is reluctant to call herself a curator. Instead she sees herself as artist who after finding a certain level of success for her own art has decided to help other artists. CVB Space began as a studio space for artists but in 2003 von Buhler decided to make a portion of the loft available to other artists as well. In 2004 she teamed up with Stefania Carrozzini, who now curates the majority of exhibits at the space. This isn't the first time von Buhler has shared her studio space. In Boston, she made the second floor of her large Victorian house/studio into Dietrich von Buhler Gallery. This gallery was for experimental installation artists and received curatorial visits from The Whitney Museum, The MIT Visual List Center, and many other galleries and museums. In 2000, von Buhler organized an art and performance event titled "Royally Fucked" which incorporated performance pieces by Karen Finley, Nicole Blackman, and others with a visual art exhibit. These were held simultaneously at The Institute of Contemporary Art, The Paradise Rock Club, and The Dietrich von Buhler Gallery. She has also released award-winning AIDS benefit exhibits and compilation art/music CDs on her own label, Castle von Buhler Records.

Amy Cohen Banker is a member of The Feminist Art Project/Rutgers and WAAND (Women's Art Archives National Directory). Banker is a member of the Exhibition Committee and the Chair of the Nawa (National Association of Women Artists) gallery. She has worked for the MOMA, The Whitney Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in art education and development. She taught art to the blind and to foreign (Japanese) clients as well as emerging artists. She curated at The Loren Ellis Art for Healing Gallery as well as at CVB Space and NAWA.

Dorothy F. August is an award winning poet and editor who has published three collections of poems. She's won two NYFA fellowships and recently completed her fourth volume of poetry titled "Drinking Alaska".

The Carrozzini von Buher Gallery / CVB Space is a 5000 square foot art studio, art gallery, film/photo location, and event space in Manhattan's Meatpacking district. It is owned and directed by artist Cynthia von Buhler. Stefania Carrozzini is the director of International Exhibition Project at The Carrozini von Buhler Gallery. Carrozzini has been an art critic since 1994 as well as the founder and director of the International branch D’Ars, which brings European art to the The United States and American art to Europe. Carrozzini lives and works in Milan and New York City.

The Carrozini von Buhler Gallery is located at 407 West 13th Street, between 9th Ave. & Washington St. Subway: A, C, E, or L to 14th Street at 8th Ave. Exhibitions hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturday from 2PM – 6PM. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 646.336.8387, visit www.cvbspace.com, or email cvbspace@drawbridge.com.

CONTACT:
Cynthia von Buhler / (cell) 646-221-5239 / hannah@drawbridge.com

Andy Warhol by William John Kennedy, photograph

The Great Warhola by Cynthia von Buhler, detail, mixed media fortune teller machine

Andy Warhol by Anton Perich, machine painting

Andy Warhol by Billy Name, photograph

The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside: Based on a True Story

2007-01-19T16:58:00.000-08:00

September 10, 2006
For Immediate Release
Contact: Karen Walsh, 617-351-3647, Houghton Mifflin, karen_walsh@hmco.com

The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside: Based on a True Story
Written and illustrated by Cynthia von Buhler

On a cold winter day a cat appears on the porch of an old Victorian house. The girl who lives there feels sorry for the snow-covered creature and gives him warm milk. The next day she gives him tuna, and the next day a catnip mouse, and so on and so on, until eventually the porch is as cozy as the house. One day, much to her surprise, the cat finally answers her invitation inside with an invitation to her. The “house-that-Jack-built” structure and repetition of this story will appeal to young readers, who will also delight in following the construction of the cat’s new home. This tale of friendship and trust, of patience and love, is based on a true story. While living in Boston, in a large purple Victorian house, von Buhler befriended a stray cat, whom she named Olympus after the Greek mountain. She repeatedly invited him inside, but he didn’t budge from the porch. So she went to the mountain, so to speak, and over the course of four years, fed him, nursed him, and built him his own (heated) purple and green house.

Creating the set for the book was a family affair—von Buhler’s father adapted her childhood dollhouse (which he had built by hand); her mother sewed the curtains, and her sister, a fashion designer, created the clothing. Von Buhler created all the characters using Sculpey clay. They were baked in an oven until hardened, then decorated with paint. She created a 3D set, and everything was then photographed with a Haselblad camera using a variety of lenses and colored gel filters, creating a fantastical world of cottony snow, comfortable chairs, and hidden delights.

Committed to reaching out to her audience in non-traditional ways, von Buhler has created an art exhibit based on the sculptures and sets used for the book that also incorporates a children’s cat sculpture workshop . The exhibit opens first at CVB Space in Manhattan on September 28th, and will then go on to tour children’s museums nationwide. For more information, please visit www.comeinsidekitty.com, which also includes step-by-step “make a kitty” instructions, a feature on how the house and set were created, an author’s blog, and more. Von Buhler is also currently producing a flash music animation, set to her original music (including her own vocals), which will feature the book’s characters and set. This animation, Come Inside Kitty can be viewed on YouTube.

Cynthia von Buhler is an internationally known and award-winning artist. Her artwork has been displayed in galleries and museums around the world, on CD covers, and in books, magazines, and newspapers. Four illustrations from the book have already been chosen to appear in the prestigious art book American Illustration in November 2006. The book was chosen as Teacher's Pick - Best Books of 2006 by Parent & Child magazine and a Winter 2006/2007 by Book Sense. They Called Her Molly Pitcher, written by Anne Rockwell and illustrated by von Buhler, was chosen as one of the New York Public Library’s Top 100 Picture Books of the Year.

Von Buhler has rescued and placed more than twenty-five cats into loving homes, and plans to donate a portion of her royalties from the sale of this book to City Critters, a New York City animal rescue organization. The book also contains valuable and practical information for those who find stray cats. City Critters has been at all of von Buhler’s New York City cat sculpture workshops and art openings and many animals have been adopted at these events. She currently lives in a castle on Staten Island, with a host of pets, including six doves, thirty goldfish, two rats, a small dog (adopted recently from City Critters), her husband, Russell, and, of course, seven cats.

The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside is a loving tribute to feline companionship, sure to warm human and kitty hearts, because cat company is worth waiting for. Available wherever books are sold or by contacting Houghton Mifflin Customer Service at 1-800-225-3362.

September 2006, Picture Book
Ages 2–5
PreK–K
40 pages
$16.00
ISBN 10 0-618-56314-8
ISBN 13/EAN 978-0-618-56314-2