Above photo: Art by Japa ‘Speed Dating’

WOODSTOCK — The weekend in Woodstock concluded with an especially vibrant Sunday evening as the Queen of Rogues Gallery hosted an opening reception for artist, illustrator and animator Japa. The event blended visual art with live music in a way that felt both intimate and celebratory, drawing a full house into the gallery for a memorable gathering of creativity.

At the center of the evening was gallery owner and curator Elizabeth Piccoli, whose energetic presence has become synonymous with the Queen of Rogues space. Piccoli has built a reputation for championing artists with distinctive voices, and Japa’s exhibition fits naturally within that vision.

Speaking during the opening, Piccoli explained that the season’s theme explores a connection between city life and the calm atmosphere of the Catskills.

“We have an opening of Japa,” Piccoli said. “He is an artist from New York City and originally from Florence. His work is very addictive of the city but also inspired by upstate, which is a nice dichotomy for him. It is very colorful, incredible pop, so we are really excited to have him here presenting his work until April 12.”

Piccoli also spoke about the gallery’s expanding role in the community, including collaborations with the Woodstock Day School that will introduce art programs for children. A youth dance initiative for ages three to five is also in development, reflecting her desire to make the gallery a multifaceted cultural space.

Later in the year she hopes to organize a sculpture exhibition featuring several artists from the region, as well as a new theatrical project that has already drawn national attention. The gallery will host the first Woodstock Short Play Festival this summer, which has received more than 200 script submissions from across the country.

All of these projects point to Piccoli’s broader vision of connecting artistic communities from the city and the Catskills. “The theme for this year is really upstate, downtown,” she said. “Bringing New York City into the connection of the upstate and also the upstate culture and calmness and serenity to New York City life.”

That idea of creative dialogue between places is echoed throughout Japa’s exhibition. The artist, who has worked extensively as an illustrator and animator, blends traditional techniques with digital tools in a way that feels both contemporary and nostalgic. His work moves fluidly between mediums, often beginning with ink drawing and colored pencil before evolving into digitally painted compositions.

One standout piece titled Speed Dating demonstrates this layered process. The illustration begins with hand drawn ink lines and colored pencil textures before being enhanced through digital painting. The result carries both the warmth of traditional illustration and the sleek visual punch of digital design.

Japa’s work has a storytelling quality that invites viewers to linger. Figures and scenes often feel suspended somewhere between realism and abstraction, with compositions that guide the eye through lively color palettes and rhythmic forms.

There is also a playful spirit in the work that recalls classic pinball back box artwork from mid twentieth century arcades. That visual heritage appears in bold shapes, dynamic movement and theatrical staging that feels both retro and freshly inventive.

Despite his long career in animation and illustration, Japa explained that it has been several years since he last presented his artwork publicly.

“I haven’t shown my art since the beginning of the pandemic,” he said. “Before that I had a show in Tribeca.” The Woodstock exhibition therefore marks a welcome return to gallery presentation.

“When Liz Piccoli invited me to have a solo show in her gallery, I was really excited,” Japa said. “Woodstock is a wonderful town full of history and incredible artistic energy and Queen of Rogues feels like a natural extension of that tradition.”

The artist also noted the historical resonance of the space itself. The gallery building once housed legendary musician Bob Dylan, adding a touch of cultural mythology to the experience of presenting work there. “The gallery draws an engaged audience that really looks at the work and wants to talk about it,” he said. “To have my work be part of that conversation means a great deal to me.”

The exhibition will conclude with a special screening event on April 12 in which Japa will present one of his animated films in the gallery. Among the works currently circulating at film festivals are the animated shorts Bugs and Altitude.

While Japa’s artwork anchored the evening visually, the reception evolved into a lively musical performance that brought the packed gallery to life.

Broadway vocalist Lisa Howard joined composer and pianist Michael Shaieb for a spirited program of classic songs from the 1960s and 1970s. Howard’s voice immediately captured the audience as the duo opened with the 1971 hit Brand New Key by Melanie Safka. The playful tune set the tone for a relaxed and joyful performance surrounded by Japa’s colorful artwork.

Soon the audience was singing along to Under the Boardwalk, the beloved pop classic originally recorded by The Drifters. The gallery echoed with voices as listeners joined the chorus, creating a moment of shared nostalgia.

Howard and Shaieb continued with a selection of familiar favorites including We’ve Only Just Begun, the signature hit made famous by The Carpenters. The gentle ballad offered a calm and reflective pause amid the lively evening. The performance also included an original composition by Shaieb titled Be Where You Are, with lyrics by Stephen Tomac. The song carried a reflective message that resonated strongly with the attentive audience.

As the music unfolded, Piccoli reflected on the rare synergy that filled the gallery.

“Sitting in the room as the curator of Japa’s work, I felt the art come to life in music,” she said. “Their quiet rhythms and meditative layers seemed to open as the soulful voice of Lisa Howard floated through the gallery, carried by the passionate piano of Michael Shaieb.”

“For a moment the boundaries between visual art and music dissolved, and the space held something rare, a shared space alive with feeling, harmony and human delight. Sweet magic.”

The atmosphere was particularly striking given the timing of the event. Sunday evenings in Woodstock often mark the end of the weekend rush as visitors begin their journeys back to the city. Locals frequently gather for the drum circle at the Tinker Street Village Green just a half block away before the town settles into a quieter rhythm. Yet on this evening the Queen of Rogues remained buzzing with energy. The gallery was filled wall to wall with art lovers, musicians and curious passersby drawn by the promise of an unusual cultural gathering.

The strong turnout reflected Piccoli’s growing reputation for presenting compelling events that merge different artistic disciplines. Her ability to bring together painters, performers and audiences in a single room continues to strengthen the creative fabric of Woodstock.

For those who attended, the evening offered a vivid reminder of the magic that can occur when visual art and live music share the same space. Surrounded by Japa’s vibrant imagery and carried by Howard’s soaring voice and Shaieb’s expressive piano, the gallery became more than an exhibition hall. For a few hours it felt like a small theater of imagination where color, sound and community moved together in harmony.

For more information see: On Facebook Queen of Rogues and Instagram @queen.of.rogues

Broadway performer Lisa Howard and composer/pianist Michael Shaieb swept the audience away with their performance. 

Japa illustrator/animator/artist at the Queen of Rogues gallery in Woodstock with gallery owner/curator Liz Piccoli.