Studio visits Tom Moody, Ken Butler, and Jeff Tolbert

 above: Jeff Tolbert paintings and delights

 Ken Butler: Playing my Dane, couch on more or less awesome axes

Tom Moody: painted box and prints

Glafira Rosales

Dealer Is Arraigned on Charges Related to Sale of Disputed Masterpieces

By COLIN MOYNIHAN

An art dealer from Long Island pleaded not guilty Friday in Manhattan to charges that she laundered money and evaded taxes as part of a scheme in which prosecutors contend she sold dozens of fake paintings that she told customers had been created by some of the most famous artists of the 20th century.
The dealer, Glafira Rosales, who has been held without bail since her arrest in May, entered a federal courtroom in Lower Manhattan handcuffed and dressed in a blue prison smock. She uttered only the words “not guilty” in a low voice when asked about the charges by Judge Katherine Polk Failla in Federal District Court.
On Wednesday, federal officials in Manhattan announced that Ms. Rosales had been indicted on seven counts of wire fraud, money laundering, filing false tax returns and failing to report foreign bank accounts. Prosecutors said that from 1994 to 2009 Ms. Rosales sold two prominent Manhattan galleries more than 60 works that she said were by artists like Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, but the authorities say were, in fact, forgeries.
According to the indictment, Ms. Rosales laundered the proceeds of those sales by transferring money through foreign bank accounts, then hid the income generated by the scheme by filing false tax returns and failing to inform the United States government of the existence of the foreign accounts.
The government says Ms. Rosales received more than $33 million for the works and failed to declare at least $12.5 million of it as income.

Art and Fraud

U.S. stops sale of Picasso painting valued at $11.5 million

By Carol Cratty, CNN Senior Producer

updated 8:42 PM EDT, Mon June 24, 2013

The private sale of "Compotier et tasse," a 1909 work by Pablo Picasso, was halted by the U.S. government.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Picasso's "Compotier et tasse," valued at $11.5 million, was for sale in New York
• The U.S. stopped its sale at the request of the Italian government
• The would-be seller is accused of bilking the city of Naples of $44 million in tax revenue

Washington (CNN) -- The United States obtained a restraining order Monday to block the sale of a painting by Pablo Picasso valued at an estimated $11.5 million at the request of the Italian government, the Justice Department announced.

The case involves a 1909 work by Picasso known as "Compotier et tasse" which had been offered for private sale in New York.

Photos: 10 paintings worth millions

British Museum acquires Picasso etchings

American officials obtained a restraining order blocking any sale and preventing the painting from being moved after Italian authorities asked for help in connection to the prosecution of Gabriella Amati. She and her late husband, Angelo Maj, were charged by Italian prosecutors with embezzlement and fraud.

The couple allegedly worked with an official for the city of Naples and embezzled approximately $44 million of the city's tax revenues, according to Italian court documents.

The Picasso was not stolen but was purchased with money that Amati and her husband allegedly obtained through criminal activity, said a U.S. law enforcement official.

Agents working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement located and recovered the painting in New York, where it was being offered for sale, on May 21.

"Restraining this valuable artwork is an effort to help recover some of the estimated $44 million that this couple stole from the tax-paying citizens of Naples," ICE Director John Morton said in a written statement.

Fundraiser Goodbye Blue Monday

GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY ANNOUNCES 2 DAYS OF MUSIC TO KICK OFF  FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN AND CELEBRATE THE INFLUENCE OF THE BUSHWICK VENUE



On Saturday February 9 and Sunday February 10, Goodbye Blue Monday will celebrate its 8th anniversary and kick off an Indie Go Go Campaign to raise money for essential improvements that the business can not presently afford.

Since opening in February of 2005, GBM has maintained an open-booking policy with bands and artists inside and outside of New York, providing a critical step in the development of many artists.

The needs of the venue at the end of 2012 called for quick action by Steve Trimboli, the founder of Goodbye Blue Monday. Asking for help of friends close to the venue, it was decided that an Indie Go Go campaign and a 2 day musical kickoff would be the best way to raise the needed funds. Bushwick neighbor and musician Ray Rizzo is organizing the 2 days of music that will help draw attention to the campaign. At press time, the list of artists scheduled to appear include:

Saturday

Martin Bisi - experimental rocker and iconic New York recording engineer/producer (Dresden Dolls, John Zorn, Bill Laswell, Sonic Youth)  
Thomas Bartlett - solo artist (Doveman) producer (Glen Hansard, Trixie Whitley, Julia Stone) and sideman (Martha Wainwright, Anthony and The Johnsons)
Alana Amram - country-tinged songstress and long-time neighbor
Oren Bloedow - solo artist, co-leader of Elysian Fields, and sideman (Wayne Horowitz, Dr. John, Lounge Lizards)
Sam Cohen - guitarist, singer and composer, leader of Yellowbirds, formerly of Apollo Sunshine 
Ben Miller - american rock and avant guitarist
Mesiko - psychedelic folk smack rock by Ray Rizzo, Raquel Bell, and David Marshall
Frogbelly and Symphony - a band made of UK and Brooklyn musicians currently recording with Martin Bisi, with Liz Hanley of Emmanuel and The Fear and Thomas LaBioda
Joe Crow Ryan - anti-folk genius and co-host of Goodbye Blue Monday's Tuesday Teacup Open Mic
James Sera - acoustic guitar, instrumental psychedelic improvisationalist (it sounds like a word to me!)

Sunday

Corn Mo - Corn Mo is a hero to all of us. He sings, plays accordion, and rocks the house.
Lady Rizo - grammy-winnng international and downtown NYC chanteuse and performer
Mindtroll - avant pop straight from the waters of the Gowanus Canal
NuSonics - NYC rockers w/ close ties to Scrap Bar history
A.C. Haley - eclectic, two-year weekly residency bass-playing brunch entertainer at Goodbye Blue Monday and choir singer elsewhere
MORE TBA!!!!

Music will begin at 3pm on both days and go long into the evening. There will be no cover but the hat will be passed A LOT and donation stations will be set up at the venue for people to contribute directly to the campaign. More artists will be announced in the coming days.

Goodbye Blue Monday
1087 Broadway in Bushwick
equidistance between the Myrtle and Kosciuszko stops on the J Train (also M train to Myrtle)

For information about Goodbye Blue Monday and it's fundraising campaign contact Kate Vandever at katelyn.vandever@gmail.com

For information about the music on Feb. 9 and 10 contact Ray Rizzo at raskizzo@gmail.com

Not sure about anything or everything? send it here -  hello@goodbye-blue-monday.com