Business Notebook: Innovative music and temporary tattoos

Warwick - Musical performers Bob Grawl and his wife, Pip Klein, also known as “The Gravikord Ensemble,” are familiar figures to Warwick residents. That’s generally because they often play at public events such as Springfest, the opening of the Farmers’ Market, Applefest and so forth. But, according to Klein, until you’ve heard them perform on stage or indoors, you cannot fully appreciate the beauty of their music and the captivating harp like sound of Grawl’s innovative instrument, the Gravikord. “Bob’s lyrical music and his Gravikord are creating a new harp tradition in America,” said Klein, who accompanies her husband on flute. “It’s intoxicatingly upbeat and joyful with rhythms that refused to be pinned down in any way.” The Gravikord is an electric double harp with 24 strings. The stainless steel instrument, first built out of bamboo, was inspired by the kora, a West African folk harp. The music appeals to all audiences. To book “The Gravikord Ensemble, order your own custom built Gravikord or receive more information call 651-2447. You can also listen to a sample of the music played by Bob Grawl and Pip Klein on their Web site (www.members.aol.com/gravikord). The ‘Henna Girl’ Removing ordinary tattoos can cost thousands of dollars. However, according to Michelle Dawson, founder of Henna Body Art by Michelle, the tattoos she creates are not only fun, safe and beautiful but they are temporary. Painting with henna or mehndi is an art form steeped in centuries of tradition throughout India, Africa and the Middle East. The natural, vegetable-based dye, however, will only stain the skin for a few weeks. Dawson has been practicing henna body art for over seven years and she is currently working on a book about the rich history of this art form. After studying art in college she began a career as a photographer, traveling from state to state to work at various festivals. It was in Dallas, however, that someone offered her a job as a henna artist. She discovered that she had a natural talent for the craft and soon earned a national reputation for her artistry. “I hand paint each design,” she said, “and I can paint anything that anyone wants.” Dawson, who lives in the local area with her four-year old daughter, frequently appears at festivals and other events throughout the country. However, her target audience is mostly women living in Orange County. “I do private sessions and parties and I can travel to the home of anyone interested in the art of henna,” she said. “I paint the brides to be, the sweet 16 year old, teens, and even the pregnant mom to be.” Dawson hopes to one day open a studio in Warwick but until then, she can be contacted at 782-3263. Nice gesture Warwick’s Keene Publishing/Moo Press recently donated 3000 copies of the firm’s first book, “Woodbyrne: The Fallen Forest,” to Operation USA for use at clinics in the Katrina area. The clinics will use the book as an enticement for children due for checkups and vaccines. “I would also like to thank Janice and Jack Hubert at Carriage House Storage for their gracious accommodations during this shipment,” said publisher Diane Keene. “They were certainly good neighbors.” And for the manual work of hand carting the books, Keene gave all the credit to her son Dave. “He’s almost 16 and a good kid all around,” she said. Networking This coming Tuesday, Jan. 10, the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce will introduce power networking sessions for business during a buffet breakfast. The event, sponsored by Walden Savings Bank, will be held from 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. at The Village Grille in Florida, NY. The power networking breakfast is just the first in a series of structured networking activities. For more information call the Chamber office at 986-2720.