Page 20 Thursday, April 4, 2002 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION Concrete Cathedral Paintings Artist of Challenge Viewer’s Perceptions

By MARYLOU MORANO Bellier in Paris, Galerie Brusberg in the Week Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times Berlin, Galerie Tendances in Paris, CRANFORD — One of the most Galerie Beck in Leipzig, Achim fascinating things about art is how Moeller Fine Art in New York, and experience defines perception. This Goethe House in Paris. : It’s Always is most evident in an exhibition at Continued on Page 17 CulinaryCulinary QuipsQuips A Party at Feast Catering

By MILLICENT K. BRODY for 50, combination of food, no bev- continued. “I seemed to always be Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times erages or staff, $35 per person. Other around learning things, yet, I was WESTFIELD — Presenting: passed hors d’oeuvres, and beverage never encouraged to become a chef.” Feast Catering, Lia’s Gourmet Food package are available. Taking a position with Kevan Viner, Store, 27 Elm Street, Westfield No matter the time of day or Call: (908) 654-0045 Hours: Closed Sundays. Open Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Open Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open Saturdays. Specialties: Specialty sandwiches. Charlotte Bronte Salads and Vegetables. Pasta dishes. Chicken and meat. Fish. Soups. Hors D’oeuvres. Catered cocktail and din- (1816-1855) ner parties. Catering for special By MICHELLE H. Le POIDEVIN events. Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times Cost: Dinner for two includes en- She was a quiet kind of gal, with a trees, side dishes and salad, approxi- spark of persistence, intimacy with mately: $25; Lunch: between $8 and family, a destructive penchant for $10. the melancholy, and an amazing gift FYI. Major credit cards accepted. for the written word – even though Choose a sandwich platter for your Millicent K. Brody for The Leader/The Times most of it had to be done under an office luncheon or party. Choose from evening, there is always something an esteemed British Chef, Bigmore assumed name. any of the 14 specialty sandwiches. to eat at Feast Catering Lias. Foodies honed his culinary skills at the fa- All around author Charlotte “Cathedral III,” oil on canvas, 2000, 54” x 50” by Matthias Düwel. Served with fresh fruit, they are cut entering the shop can leave in a di- mous Penny Pots Restaurant in Brontë could be found an imminent into thirds, $89.95. Cocktail party lemma. Cornwall. After graduating from col- sense of mourning. Born in Thornton, With one-half of the eatery filled lege, he headed to the kitchens in the Yorkshire, north of England, the Union County College’s Tomasulo with enormous refrigerated cases South of France, before preparing daughter of a clergyman and sister Gallery entitled “Cathedrals,”, where Pen & Ink brimming with all sorts of tasty meals in the French Alps. of fellow authors Anne and Emily, art created pre -911 produces illu- dishes, there are even more in-your- While visiting a cousin in Brontë was once described as “a sions reminiscent of post-9-11. The face platters resting above the Watchung, Bigmore met his wife-to- exhibit is by German native Matthias By Michelle H. Le Poidevin little, plain, provincial, sickly-look- counters. be on a blind date. After an exciting Düwel. ing old maid,” whose adult clothes courtship, and trip around could have fit a pre-teenaged girl. Indeed Düwel’s expressive abstract figurative paintings could be images The Big 30 And the world, the young chef After the family moved to returned to America, got Haworth, England, Brontë’s mother, of Ground Zero in the days immedi- ately after the collapse of the World Where Do I Go? his green card and after and two sisters Maria and Elizabeth Trade Center. Strangely enough, the 18 months of searching died. Left with her literary sisters By MICHELLE H. Le POIDEVIN cathedral paintings are based upon a Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times for the perfect place to Anne and Emily (who also died site in Berlin under heavy construc- open a business, took over early), and brother Branwell (who tion. There’s a chance I’ll move to Philadelphia some day, go skydiv- Feast Catering, Lias. later became an alcoholic), Brontë As similar as they may seem to the ing, re-explore the practice of yoga, learn how to make a stained Increasing the entire pictures we saw in the newspaper was left in the care of her father and glass lamp, go bungee jumping, menu of offerings, the and on television back in September, authoritarian religious aunt. teach arts and crafts to sick chil- chef proprietor added his While her childhood environs Düwel has actually been working on this series for over two years, and dren, visit Sicily and go parasailing own personal touch to the might have seemed oppressive, the previous owner’s recipes. Brontë children escaped to fantasy was booked for this current exhibit over Hawaii. But not today. well over a year ago. If it sounds like I’m putting off “All of our soups are worlds, they named “Angria” and “It’s an eerie coincidence that Mr. made with fresh veg- “Gondal,” which included toy sol- Düwel was already dealing with this to tomorrow what I should do to- etable stock and when- diers purchased by their father. subject matter. It could never have day, it’s because I’ve had 30 years ever appropriate, low fat Brontë attended Clergy been predicted that, in light of what of practice. In fact, most of my stock,” he said. “Our cus- Daughter’s School in Lancashire, happened in September, that his work relatives never believed they would tomers love our balsamic but transferred to Roe Head, where would have such significance,” said make it to 30, lest some cata- marinated and char- she became a teacher. She was forced Valerie Larko, Director of the Tomasulo Art Gallery. strophic occurrence stop them from grilled chicken. They to leave there because she became love our chicken depressed, separated from her fam- There does appear to be one differ- reaching the milestone. I still live ence in what was seen in the media Français, chicken ily. While learning French and Ger- like Road Runner, waiting for and what is on the walls of Tomasulo Marsala and lemon man in Brussels with her sister, Gallery. The pictures of the actual Wylie Coyote to drop the big Acme chicken. As a matter of Brontë fell in love with a married disaster are stark, cold and ugly. safe on me, while I’m trotting along fact, all of our chicken man. The oil on canvas “Cathedral” the open road. It hasn’t happened dishes are enormously The three Brontë sisters tried, un- paintings possess an ethereal beauty. yet, and probably never will. popular.” successfully, to open a school of their The enormous structures in the paint- Bigmore added, “We ings let in light and are infused with Like most people, I had a couple own, and they published a collection Beating or Accepting do not have a large cater- pink, green and yellow. of goals set up for the big 30. of their poetry, which only sold two The Dreaded 30 ing menu. I like to dis- copies. Still, determination sprung Perceptions again. We don’t ex- Unrealistic, perhaps, but I had them Millicent K. Brody for The Leader/The Times pect pictures of steel and concrete to cover what my custom- out of Charlotte’s spirit and she de- carved in tablets of marble like the 4 Commandments of “Have This From marinated mixed char-grilled ers want to serve at their parties, and cided not to abandon writing, but to be beautiful. Especially after Sep- tember 11. Because of Ground Zero, Done By 30 or Don’t Live to Tell About It.” vegetables, ($9.90 per pound), to a whenever possible, prepare their fa- pen “.” we, the viewers, must reconcile the 1- Get married. I had a chance to do that once and because I only black bean and corn salad, ($8.50 vorite dishes. I believe a catered party “,” and “” followed, beauty in Düwel’s art with the im- knew the guy a few weeks, it seemed like a bad idea. Now, I know lb.), delicious sandwich offerings menu should always include a good as she continued to publish under ages in our brains of something that it would have been. include grilled portobello mushrooms chicken dish, a cold poached or grilled the alias of Currer Bell, a pseud- was not beautiful in the least. 2- Have 2 ½ children. Without doing No. 1, this wouldn’t be with fresh mozzarella, roasted pep- salmon, a flounder or lemon sole onym which may come from her Of the significance of his “Cathe- pers, lettuce tomato and balsamic Français, as well as a variety of sea- dral” series, in the wake of the events likely for me and I’m still not sure what the “1/2” stands for. father’s curate, Arthur Bell Nicholls. vinaigrette, ($7.10), or smoked tur- sonal vegetables, salads and pastas.” of September 11, Düwel said, Much to the elder Brontë’s dismay 3- Live in another country. Now, more than ever, I’m proud to key with brie, lettuce, tomato, and From intimate dinner parties, to large and hearty disapproval, Charlotte “Within a terrible landscape, struc- be an American and I don’t want to live anywhere else. tures loom as remnants in memo- honey mustard, ($6.10). celebrations, to Christenings, gradua- married Nicholls in 1854. 4- Be successful in a creative job. In no other job have I been “Wander in for cake and coffee, a tions and holiday gatherings, the staff In a life plagued by tragic deaths riam, the searchers and excavators perform rituals of mourning. We are allowed to be more spontaneously creative and involved in more fresh bread from Brooklyn, a light at Feast Catering Lia’s, is able to cater of her relatives and unsuccessful ven- as them, seeking out meaning within challenging tasks than where I am right now. lunch, or ‘take-away’ dinner,” said to your every need. tures, Brontë managed to compose an obliterated terrain.” Pat Croce recently penned a thought-provoking article for my proprietor Stephen Bigmore, who “We have a steady and loyal clien- volumes filled with classic stories, Düwel, who has been listed as a came to Westfield, as he puts it, tele,” added Bigmore. “Our aim is to reflecting a life much like her own. member of the faculty at Parsons favorite newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, entitled, “You Only Die Once.” He asks the reader to consider the legacy of their lives ‘from-all-over-the-world.’” expand our catering operation.” During her first year of marriage, School of Design at the New School Trained in Great Britain and the Everyone is welcome to stop by and she caught pneumonia while preg- University in New York City, has thus far and to compose their own tribute or obituary, since none of South of France, Bigmore’s family discuss their celebration with Stephen. held solo exhibitions at Galerie J.C. nant and died at the age of 39. us will ever really get that opportunity. owned a small hotel in the southern They are even welcome to relax with a “Whether it is on the obituary page or in the hearts and minds of part of England known as Cornwall. cup of coffee and one of his specialty your community, consider how you would be remembered if you “My mother ran the kitchen,” he sandwiches or salads. left the world today,” wrote Croce. I thought about this for a second, realizing that over the past 30 years, I’ve meant different things to various people whose paths I’ve crossed. However, I like to indulge myself in the thought that if I had to create my own homage to me, it would go a little something like this: “Michelle H. Le Poidevin: “Loved with all of her heart, Pondered with all of her mind, should have gone skydiving.” E-mail the A&E Editor, Michelle Le Poidevin, at [email protected] Arbor Concert to Honor Westfield Foundation WESTFIELD – On Sunday, Quartet, Brentano String Quar- April 21, Arbor Chamber Music tet, Zephryos Wind Quartet, Clas- will honor the Westfield Founda- sical and Klezmer clarinetist tion with an Ovation Award, which David Krakauer, violinists Lucy is given annually to an organiza- Stoltzman and Maria Bachmann, tion demonstrating on-going com- as well as guitarist Christopher mitment and support to the arts. Kenniff. The Foundation has helped This year, the Foundation is make the Arbor’s educational funding the Arbor’s production outreach and concert series pos- of “L’Histoire du Soldat” at The sible. The Mentoring Program, Presbyterian Church in Westfield in which Arbor musicians work on Sunday, April 21, and at closely with talented instrumen- Westfield High School on Mon- tal students at Westfield High day, April 22. The Award cer- School, is also aided by the sup- emony will be held one half-hour port of the Foundation. before the April 21 concert at CLEVER QUILTERS…Paula Pearl of Fanwood and her daughter, Ali Pearl, display a wall hanging crafted by children during an after-school program in Students have had the oppor- 3:30 p.m. Fanwood. This piece, as well as many others, will be exhibited during the annual tunity to be exposed to and work For more information, please quilt show, “Sharing the Quilts,” sponsored by The Harvest Quilters of Central with the St. Lawrence String call (908) 232-1116. New Jersey, on Saturday, April 27, at the United Methodist Church, 1441 Springfield Avenue, New Providence, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK