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Art is in Full Bloom at MCLA Gallery 51
By Veronica Bosley
April 2008
Amidst the lingering snowstorms of the winter season it may not have seemed like springtime has officially arrived in Berkshire County. I personally can't wait to see new leaves on the trees outside of my windows and walk out the door donning my favorite pair of flip-flops. During the time between when the calendar says it's spring and the weather actually begins to warm up, you can experience the season in some of the area's galleries that are celebrating springtime with vibrant, colorful shows that prominently feature Mother Nature herself.
One such show is “Bloom” on view at MCLA Gallery 51 through April 20, 2008. Despite the seemingly upbeat title of the show, it features more than the typical flora and fauna one usually associates with spring. 
The show's description reads: “Bloom explores the concepts of renewal and revitalization, including cycles of growth and decay, and the rise and fall of places, things or ideas.” The exhibit features work in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, video and handmade books.
“Bloom” was curated by students in the Museum Studies course at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. The course is part of MCLA’s new Arts Management Program. The students, under the guidance of Lauren O'Neal, professor of arts management at MCLA, and Sean Riley, MCLA Gallery 51's gallery manager, have put together a spectacular show that features work ranging from wonderfully kitschy to sublime. The show is incredibly professional and well-conceived; a testament to the dedication of arts management students, faculty and staff at the college.
Nicole Letourneux a class of 2010 arts management major at MCLA said, “I had a fantastic time working on the show and I am absolutely thrilled with how wonderful it came out. It was a perfect experience for me because when I graduate, I hope to have my own art gallery some day. Putting together the show showed me how much work needed to be done in order to accomplish such a great event.”
The museum studies class created the exhibit from start to finish, with committees working on each aspect of the show. After placing a call to all artists for works about themes of creation and destruction, the class received an overwhelming number of works—more than 500 pieces.
Even though many submissions came from the New England region, a surprising number of works were sent from across the country and even from around the world. From the piles of astonishing work, the class chose 24 artists to exhibit their work in the gallery.
“Overall the quality of work we got was extremely high—we could almost do another exhibit! The process ended up being more about having the pieces work together in the context of this specific gallery and community. We ended up with a pile of work not selected that we will pass along to Sean for consideration in future exhibits. We were all impressed with the quality and diversity of the selections,” commented Lauren O’Neal.
All artists in the show have their own interpretation of the show's theme and some focus more on “growth” and others on “decay.” One work that literally explores the concept of growth is a site-specific living artwork of wheat grass and leafy greens in the front window of the gallery, designed by Sean Riley, who is a North Adams -based artist.
The trays of plants, installed so that visitors can watch the growth of the roots, will be watered and tended daily. In 7-12 days, grass and greens will be ready for harvest. After harvest, trays can be replaced with new seeds and the process can be repeated.
Artist Tara Giannini, from Brooklyn, NY, offers one interpretation of the theme of “Bloom.” Her work provides a lush and sometimes freakish twist on concepts of life and decay, and “explores the implications, limitations and individual perceptions of taste, beauty and excess in both art and culture.” The work featured in “Bloom” integrates taxidermied animals and dried and artificial flowers.
“My favorite experience was unpacking the artwork” explained Halli Chamberlain `09. “It is amazing to actually get to touch the artwork and try to figure out where it works within the gallery.”
The 24 participating artists include: Megan Berner (Iowa), Merill Comeau, Mary Felton, Steve Novick, and Sean Riley (Massachusetts), Carolyn Garcia (Oregon), Tara Giannini, Noah Kalina, Aaron Krach, Matt Krubach, and Patrick Perry (New York), Jennie Thwing (New Jersey), Austin Heitzman (Pennsylvania), Jennifer Hines and Katharine L. Redford (Illinois), Trish Igo & Jill O'Brien and George Lorio (Texas), Jaime Kennedy (Ohio), Joan Lovell (Vermont), Jeffery Mann and Bennett Morris (Maine), Barbara Miner (Ohio), Mikel Robinson (North Carolina), Eric Hongisto and Christopher Robbins (Serbia). Biographies for all of the artists can be found here.
Along with the visual art on display in the gallery, the “Bloom” curatorial team is developing related programming and events to accompany the exhibit:
On April 9, 2008 at 7 pm, The Moving Community, a project by dancer and MCLA student Isabelle Holmes `08, and Dancers Unite will come together for an evening of dance, music, art and discussion.
Local dancers will present several works and works-in-progress, including Phoenix, with music composed by Ryo Noda, choreography by Emily Schreiner and Isabelle Holmes, and performed by Steven Bodner, Emily Schreiner and Isabelle Holmes. A work-in-progress by Kat Gurley will be performed by Gurley, Kareem Khubchandani, and Holmes. These performances, part of The Moving Community, are supported in part by a grant from the local Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire, which receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Performances will be followed by a meeting and discussion of the Dancers Unite networking group, started by Holmes and Kareem Khubchandani, assistant director of the Multicultural Center at Williams College. Dancers, artists, musicians and other interested in working on creative collaborations are encouraged to attend.
MCLA Gallery 51 is the result of a unique collaboration between area business and community leaders, the City of North Adams and MCLA. Located at 51 Main Street, Gallery 51 is operated by MCLA and features the works of international, national and local artists, including MCLA faculty and students. The gallery is open seven days a week, 10 -6. For more information please call: 413-664-8718 or visit: www.mcla.edu/Gallery51
Other galleries to visit this month:
Works by three artists who express their connection to the natural world through photographs, etchings and ceramics will be on exhibition at the Harrison Gallery from April 5 – 30. In 2006, the New Visions exhibition at the Gallery won second place in the prestigious Best Show in a Commercial Gallery, New England category awarded by the International Association of Art Critics. The Harrison Gallery is located at 39 Spring Street, Williamstown. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5:30pm and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
This exhibit, on view from April 12-May 3 features the work of three artists who teach at Williams College. The show will present paintings and sculpture. The exhibit continues the Storefront’s initiative, started last year, of exhibiting the work of local art faculty. Opening Reception: Tuesday, April 15, 6-8 p.m. Storefront Artist Project is located at124 Fenn Street Pittsfield. Hours: Saturday & Sunday, 12-5 p.m.
On view April 12-May 10, 2008, a Group Show in All Media of Artwork by Young, Emerging and Artists New to the Area. Ferrin Gallery is located at 437 North Street, Pittsfield. Call 413-442-1622 for hours.
About Veronica Bosley
Veronica Bosley holds a bachelor of arts degree in Art History from Mount Holyoke College and is currently program coordinator for the Massachusetts College of Liberal Art's Berkshire Cultural Resource Center. A native of the Berkshires who has worked in the area art scene for several years, Veronica is excited by the growth of the creative economy and cultural community in the region. She lives in the first apartment house built in the city of North Adams, which she shares with her fiancé, Tyler, and two cats, Veronicat and Station. Veronica can be contacted at: bvbgalleries@gmail.com.