ARTISTS
Nancy o’Hara
Nancy O’Hara is an abstract painter, printmaker, meditation teacher, and the author of eight books, based in Hudson, New York. Her work is born from the stunning natural surroundings of the Hudson Valley.
“Living amidst the art created by nature, I am reminded every day of how fragile and fleeting everything is. In the face of the climate and political crises we all share, I cannot forget how deeply connected we are to one another. For me, making art is an extension of my meditation practice—a universal language that helps guide viewers toward their inner world, sparking new connections and ideas. I believe that even a single brushstroke can be the beginning of change in the world.”
Nancy’s work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions in the Hudson Valley, California, New York City, and along the East Coast, and is held in numerous private collections. At this year’s festival, experience for yourself the profound resonance and call for change that her work inspires.
The E-block
Based in Rotterdam, New York, The E-Block is a four-piece R&B band that seamlessly blends the warm acoustic sensibilities of singer-songwriter music with the sleek, tight rhythms of modern R&B. Drawing inspiration from both classic and contemporary sounds, they create a timeless yet refreshingly original style. With smooth melodies infused with a touch of jazz, their music transcends generations and captivates audiences of all ages.
During Hudson Eye Festival, The E-Block will join forces with Park Theater for a special band tour program. Don’t miss the chance to experience their rich sound and vibrant energy live on stage.
Contextual Programming:
Performance by The E- Block @ Park Theater
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Futureperfect Studio
FuturePerfect is an extended reality studio based in Brooklyn, NY, and they’re all about creating immersive experiences that push the limits of what’s possible. They specialize in crafting interactive narratives that span across VR, live performance, physical installations, and game consoles. What sets them apart is how they blend cutting-edge technology and creativity to redefine digital production. Led by Founder & Executive Producer Wayne Ashley, the studio works with a team of experts skilled in Unreal Engine, virtual reality, 3D scanning, photogrammetry, motion capture, volumetric video, and animation. From the initial idea to the final execution, they guide each project to ensure it stands out in the immersive media space.
Contextual Programming:
An Evening With FuturePerfect Studio @ The Hudson Eye
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isaiah joÃo
Expressionist dancer, b-boy with Louisville’s Bamboozle Crew, and capoeira practitioner baptized under CM Xangô of Cordão de Ouro, Isaiah João moves with the weight and grace of his heritage. Each gesture is a vessel for the language of the spirit—an exploration of shape and space that carries the stories of lineage and tradition.
In June, he joined Jonah Bokaer Choreography on stage in a striking collaborative performance. Now, at the Hudson Eye Festival, Isaiah steps into the spotlight with his Carte Blanche performance—a deeply personal work that channels the pulse of his roots and the voice of his soul. Experience a performance where movement becomes memory, and the body speaks what words cannot.
Contextual Programming:
Isaiah João B Boy Dance Concert
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Rawdance
Co-founded by Wendy Rein and Ryan T. Smith, the award-winning contemporary dance company RAWdance draws inspiration from the world around them, creating site-specific performances, innovative choreography, and conceptual works that push the boundaries of dance as an art form—rooted in both San Francisco and the Hudson Valley. Their work uses dance as a bridge to explore contrasting temperaments, impulses, directions, and forces.
At this year’s Hudson Eye Festival, RAWdance will be joined on stage by Chris Black, Ouro, and BorosDance. Together, they will present movement where love and desire intersect—shaping forms and stirring emotions in ways only a live performance can reveal.
Contextual Programming:
RAWdance Pairings: An Intimate Showing of Contemporary Dance
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Mark aLLEN
Mark Allen has contributed to The New York Times, NPR's All Things Considered, The Awl, and Vice, hosted his own weekly radio show at WFMU, and performed storytelling and stand-up at Upright Citizen's Brigade NYC, Axis Theater, and 92Y Tribeca. As a journalist, he's lived for a week with a Japanese home-robot, gone bull riding, and been "cured" by an ex-gay church in front of a live audience. Mark is the director of the film Sock Job. Have you experienced his 2003 poem My Ass, that he performed live on The Robin Byrd Show in 2012? Mark once ran an experimental show at Dixon Place called Pitch!, where writers pitched ideas to editors live on stage. Mark has a popular YouTube channel where he creates parodies of ASMR/mukbang videos, as well as videos mocking his current home of Hudson, NY. Despite all this, Mark will probably be forever known as the (first) famous go go boy from the 1990's NYC nightlife scene, and in 2021 he received a GLAM Living Legend Award for his trailblazing g-string. Mark also once helped wrap a giant condom over Jesse Helms' house.
Join us for HUD TV: An Evening With Mark Allen, and experience first-hand the explosive energy of an artist who moves freely across genres and boundaries.
Contextual Programming:
HUD TV: An Evening With Mark Allen @ Circle 46 Gallery
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CECILIA WHALEN
Originally from North Carolina, Cecilia Whalen is a New York–based dancer, choreographer, and writer. She studied at the Martha Graham School and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and has performed with the Martha Graham Center, Jonah Bokaer Choreography, and the Liz Gerring Dance Company. Drawing inspiration from literature, visual art, and music, her writing has appeared in leading publications including Dance Magazine and Commonweal.
This past June, she delivered a striking collaborative performance with Jonah Bokaer Choreography. Now, she returns to the stage in the Hudson Valley with a solo work. In The Erie Canal Project: 200 Years On The Erie Canal, Cecilia will interpret the waterways through her own lens, infusing the Martha Graham style with her unique movement language. Experience her performance live at Henry Hudson Riverfront Park.
Contextual Programming:
Cecilia Whalen Dance
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Cansu Peker
Originally from Turkey, Cansu Peker is a Hudson, New York–based writer and curator specializing in digital art. She is the founder of Digital Arts Blog, an online platform dedicated to supporting artists and promoting diversity in the digital art world, and has been active on international stages.
Cansu has spoken at major events such as NFT.NYC 2025, and in 2024 she moderated the panel The Future of Color. She has contributed articles on AI art trends to Forbes and served as a judge for The Lumen Prize in Literature & Poetry.
As a curator, she organized the 2023 virtual exhibition We’ve Been Dreaming About a Magical Jungle and co-curated Women of the World at NFT.NYC 2022, featuring more than 130 women-identifying NFT artists from around the globe.
Through her writing, curating, and advocacy, Cansu fosters meaningful conversations around digital art and amplifies diverse creative voices. On the final day of this year’s festival, experience her digital curation live in Hudson.
Contextual Programming:
Spotlight: Digital Art Exhibition curated by Cansu Peker
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Raymond Pinto
A multidisciplinary artist, researcher, and writer, Raymond centers their work on improvisation and visualization through embodied techniques. A graduate of The Juilliard School and New York University, they reconnected with Jonah Bokaer to embark on a collaborative exploration of “purpose” and the ways in which dance can present possibilities for liberation.
In June, during a performance with Jonah Bokaer Choreography, their work revealed moments where “form” was freed from meridians flowing through poles—navigating fluidly between dynamic states of being in search of freedom. At this year’s Hudson Eye Festival, Raymond will present a solo performance that embraces an even more poetic sensibility. Witness first-hand how their dance takes shape through the language of embodiment.
Contextual Programming:
Raymond Pinto: VALENCE
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RICH VOLO
aka
trixie starr
After moving to the City of Hudson in 2006, Rich Volo’s alter ego, Trixie Starr, was born. In 2008, Trixie teamed up with DJ Gio to launch the dance party Trixie’s Whorehouse, igniting Hudson’s nightlife. In 2010, she decided it was time for the city’s very first Pride Parade, opening a new chapter for diversity and inclusion in the community. Since then, Trixie Starr has organized ten Pride Weekends, featuring parades, festivals, and dozens of community events, becoming one of Hudson’s most beloved cultural icons.
At this year’s Hudson Eye Festival, Trixie brings the celebration back with Hudson Tea Dance in collaboration with the festival, alongside an LGBTQIA+ Gathering at Henry Hudson Riverfront Park. Come join us for an afternoon of dancing, music, and pure festival energy.
You can buy cookies, from “Trixie’s Oven” at the Hudson Farmers’ Market on Saturdays 9am-1pm. Trixie's latest project is TrixiesList.com, a community event calendar. Rich "Trixie" Volo will be representing the City of Hudson's 4th Ward as Councilmember.
Photo Credit: David McIntyre
Contextual Programming:
Hudson Tea Dance @ The Half Moon
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Sondra Loring
Sondra Loring is a queer witch and interdisciplinary artist whose work is rooted in a spirit of play and a deep care for community. Moving fluidly between somatic practices, yoga, meditation, science, poetry, farming, and dance, she lives at Feathertail Farm, a small shared garden, where she continues to weave body, mind, and art into a unified practice.
At this year’s Hudson Eye Festival, Sondra brings people together through yoga and dance. Alongside members of her Sadhana Center for Yoga & Meditation, she will present AfroFuture Dance—an artistic voyage based in yoga through the world of inkBoat. Step into this extraordinary and immersive journey, and experience it live on stage.
Contextual Programming:
AfroFuture Dance - "inkBoat"
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Time & Space Limited / TSL
For over 50 years, Linda Mussmann has been crafting texts for the stage, connecting words to audiences in profound and unexpected ways. Her latest work, SAID & DONE, is a meditation woven from poetry, politics, and memory. Some words stand alone as pure sound, others spark endless associations, and some lead the audience down intriguing, unexpected paths.
Linda’s longtime muse and collaborator, Claudia Bruce, blurs the boundaries between director, writer, and performer, bringing a unique approach they have honed together over the past five decades. Together, they weave text, movement, and image with light and shadow to create a visionary stage landscape. Joining them is Charlotte Stickles, whose 18 years of training in both classical and contemporary dance bring a rich physical and vocal presence, adding a distinctive dimension to the performance.
Mussmann, Bruce, and Stickles merge elements of text, light, and movement to create a work inspired by Mussmann’s reflections—ranging from politics and poetry to memory, icons, and philosophical questions. Their collaboration comes to life in the art film Avoidance & Peculiar 2025, premiering at Time & Space Limited. Reserve your tickets now and don’t miss this extraordinary theater performance.
www.timeandspace.org
Contextual Programming:
”What Next? (2025)” @ TSL
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