January 2008

The sign on the door of the Harrison Gallery says it all: “Warm". This is not only apparent in the drastic temperature shift felt when stepping inside after walking down Spring Street in Williamstown on a cold winter day, but it also captures the nature of the gallery itself.

As I walked in, I was cordially greeted by Assistant Gallery Manager, Jillian Casey, who was kind enough to spend some time with me to talk about the gallery. She explained that the best part about working at the gallery was the “great group of artists” that she had the chance to meet and work with.

“I love introducing the public to their artwork,” she said. “All of the artists we work with are very accessible and friendly, and it’s nice to be able to connect people with them and their work.”

Opened in May, 2001, the philosophy of The Harrison Gallery is to “honor the spirit of art in all of us.” Founded by Jo Ellen Harrison, the gallery specializes in contemporary American artists, with a focus on landscapes. The works are created by traditional New England painters, American Impressionists, photographers, watercolorists and mixed media artists. The gallery's collection also includes etchings, sculpture, pottery, furniture, jewelry, scorched paper and bronze cutouts.

Each month a new show opens in the north gallery space, highlighting a large body of work by one artist or multiple artists. In February, the gallery will open a show called Still Life, which, in spite of its name, features the work of five dynamic artists. The show presents a wide variety of approaches to still life, from traditional realist florals to fabricated glass surrealist sculpture.

Jillian gave me a sneak preview of some of the artists’ work that will be in the upcoming Still Life show. One is sculptor Stephanie Chubbuck. Stephanie, an artist who creates what she refers to as ‘figurative sculpture’, uses glass and mixed media materials that take the shape of various fruits.

She explains: “I refer to these works as figurative because although they embody the shape of fruit, they possess qualities of human form through their color, surface and gesture. I am fascinated by the contradictory qualities of human capture and sexuality, such as the congenial, syrupy pain that exists within the restrictions of enticement. I establish this unsettling seduction through the arrangement of alluring surfaces and form against contradictory elements…. At first glance the impression is merely provocative, however with another second of examination, the specific psychology is revealed.”

Before reading Stephanie’s artist statement I’d never really thought of fresh fruit as an overly provocative subject, but her imagery brings the symbolism of phrases such as “forbidden fruit,” “fruit of the womb” and the “fruit of your loins” to visual fruition, as it were.

Stephanie’s fruit sculptures are produced in blown glass, which is then cold-worked to achieve the cuts and the installation of the clothing closures and other mixed media. The cuts are made with a process that the artist developed over time using diamond dental tools and a jeweler’s hand drill. This essentially sands and grinds the surface away by increments.

The color is a result of the use of powdered pigment, which is added to the layers of glass during shaping in the hot glass shop. The ultimate result is incredibly precise, realistic renditions of fruit with man-made elements so deftly placed and crafted that they look as though they could be part of the fruit as it would appear in nature.

Another artist’s work I was lucky enough to see was Nick Patten. Nick grew up in Troy, New York. His realist paintings focus on light and perspective. He says, “Much of my focus is the painting of light and dark. I am also trying to bring a quiet drama to everyday scenes.”

Nick works from photographs, often omitting objects that create clutter to facilitate a crisp, clean, composition. His haunting interiors, filled with reflective surfaces and dramatic lighting draw the viewer in for a closer look. Jillian and I speculated at what it would be like to be able to omit the objects that create clutter in our own apartments and decided that if we could hang one of Nick’s works in our living rooms perhaps it would give the illusion of an organized and polished interior. His paintings do have a way of transporting the viewer so that they feel they are part of the work.

Other artists included in the show are Stanley Bielen, Evan Wilson, and Kim Denise. Stanley Bielen’s work honors the European heritage of still life painting with high color, thick blossoms placed against dark velvety backgrounds. In contrast to this impressionist approach, painter Evan Wilson uses a technique made famous by John Singer Sargent, called “sight size” where he places the canvas beside the object, in the same light and physical scale to facilitate the realism of his rendition. Pastel artist Kim Denise, a relatively new addition to The Harrison Gallery, infuses her paintings with a deep, restorative energy. She has a keen interest in reflective light and color, and her work transforms seemingly mundane objects to something much more sacred.

My visit to the Harrison Gallery was, (pardon the pun) a fruitful one. Casual accessibility among top-notch fine art is hard to find, but the Harrison Gallery manages to pull it off. It’s a great place to stay warm and cozy during the long winters in the Berkshires. Still Life will be on view at the Harrison Gallery from Feb. 2-Feb. 29 with an opening reception with the artists on Feb. 2, from 5-7 p.m.

The Harrison Gallery, 39 Spring Street, Williamstown, is open Monday-Saturday 10-5:30 and Sunday 11-4.

Check out our galleries section for a full list of Berkshire galleries.

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.