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Springtime Brings Area Galleries Out of Hibernation

By Veronica Bosley

May 2008

17^th century poet George Herbert said that “Hee that is in a towne in May loseth his spring.” I couldn’t agree more. There is no place like the rural setting of the Berkshires in the spring as the lush, green landscape for which the area is famous returns once again. In addition to the blooming flowers, singing birds and new leaves on all of the trees, the galleries that go on hiatus during the colder months are also back to enrich our cultural landscape. 

“For this project we are defining Berkshire rather broadly,” said its organizer, Charles Giuliano, a curator and critic. “That may include artists from New York state or lower Vermont. Artists are asked to deliver and pick up their works so that tends to define just how far they are willing to travel to participate in this unique opportunity.”

The intention of the Salon, in the spirit of the famous Salon des Refuses in 19th century France, is to be inclusive rather than exclusive. The idea is to get a broad indication of the kind of work being created in the Berkshires. Instead of only being presented work through the filter of a curator, this exhibit will give visitors the opportunity to see all the area has to offer and to make up their own minds about the artwork.

There is the potential for many discoveries of works by artists who haven’t had opportunities for this kind of exposure, as the area is saturated with artistic talent with seemingly too few venues to showcase it. In addition to up-and-coming talent this show will also feature some of the more established artists in the area.

The “Berkshire Salon” is representative of the eclectic nature of the mill itself. The Eclipse Mill is a former textile mill that has been converted into forty artist live/work studio loft condominiums.

The founding purpose for the development of Eclipse Mill Artist Lofts was to provide live/work spaces for the serious pursuit of creative and artistic endeavors. Residents of Eclipse Mill Artist Lofts contribute to the rapidly growing art scene in the northern Berkshires and the residents of the mill are the original founders of North Adams Open Studios.  Currently the mill houses painters, writers, photographers, sculptors, illustrators, musicians, dancers, potters, weavers, and filmmakers.

Andrew is best known for his exuberant portrayals of dancers in bronze. Also on display are sculptures from his enigmatic symbolic series. New works on paper of his luminous pastel renderings of the human figure will also be part of this exhibition. Andrew has received awards from the National Sculpture Society and his sculptures are installed in over 14 countries in public and private collections.

Jane Feldman will also be featured in a solo exhibition of her black and white photographs entitled Ubuntu, (Oneness). This dramatic series portrays dancers in different natural environments, from the deserts of New Mexico to the tropical rain forests of Puerto Rico, as well as outdoor settings here in the Berkshires. Feldman is an award-winning photojournalist and the author of several books. A photo essay version of Feldman's exhibit will appear in the June 2008 issue of Berkshire Living magazine.

Exhibits at the Lenox gallery feature both indoor and outdoor displays of sculpture including works created during Andrew’s residency at the International Guthrie Center in Ireland last September. The bronze sculptures, cast at his studio here in the Berkshires, were featured in the February 2008 issue of Berkshire Living. There is currently an outdoor exhibit of 12 of his largest works in downtown Northampton, Massachusetts.

DeVries Fine Art International will open for the 2008 season on Friday, May 16. The hours of the gallery from this date until June 23 will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m-4 p.m. The gallery is located at 62 Church Street in Lenox.

May is a busy month, as all of the galleries in the area are launching their spring/summer season. Here are a few other must-see shows and events this month:

Benjamin Levy: Erotic, on view May 1-31, at Gallery 37 in Williamstown. The public is invited to meet the artist at a wine and cheese reception on May 10, 5-7 p.m. Benjamin Levy is an internationally recognized painter, sculptor and printmaker whose work can be found in many public and private collections including the Jewish Museum in New York and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C.  This exhibition offers an overview of Levy’s Surrealist-inspired work that focuses on his persistent themes of love and companionship.

 “Art & Design: Furniture” and “Firing Partners: Sam Taylor and Dog Bar Pottery” at the Ferrin Gallery in Pittsfield.

“Art & Design : Furniture”, a group show of artist designed furniture featuring artists working with various materials to create furnishings including benches, tables, chairs and stools will be on view May 3 – June 14. On Saturday, May 3, from 4-5 p.m. there will be an artist talk at the gallery featuring artists Floyd Gompf, Miriam Kaye, Susan & Gene Flores, and Tommy Simpson who will discuss art and design in the context of studio furniture. Each artist will discuss the materials used such as recycled wood and metal, found objects, narrative content and techniques.
 
”Firing Partners: Sam Taylor and Dog Bar Pottery” will run from May 17 – June 29 and will feature the work of Hayne Bayless, Rob Logan, Tracey Logan, Michael McCarthy, and Tom White’s Photographic Documentary: Howard Korn

Carson mixes apples and oranges—literally—to create works that animate these simple fruits and gives them distinct personalities. He bestows character on his subjects with swift and joyful brushstrokes.

“I’d rather have my enthusiasm show through than be realistically accurate,” Carson says. “I exaggerate what I see and I use spontaneity to give vitality to my objects and give the viewer the sense that there’s something lively going on between the pears, oranges, apples and other objects on the canvas—a conversation perhaps or a confrontation.”

“The Art and Life of Jessica Park” at MCLA Gallery 51 in North Adams

MCLA Gallery 51 presents an exhibit containing an exceptional array of local artist Jessica Park’s paintings, drawings and early creations, as well as many photographs of this nationally recognized artist at work and other candid pictures from her artistic career. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, The New Yorker Magazine and on CBS's Early Show. All stages in the development of Jessica’s art are included, and the remarkable circumstances under which her art is created will be presented in thought provoking texts. ‘The Art and Life of Jessica Park’ will be on view from May 28 – June 22, with an opening reception on May 28 from 6-8 p.m.

Storefront Artist Project’s Annual Benefit Gala: ArtCircus DeVries

It’s not Art, it’s not a Circus - it’s an ArtCircus! An exciting evening of lively performance acts, music, dancing, festive dining, and silent and live auctions will take place beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 31 at the Howard Building, 124 Fenn Street, Pittsfield.

Tickets: $100. in advance (or $125 at the door), which also includes two beverages or cocktails per ticket. Dance Only Ticket (10 p.m. entrance) $25. For tickets call: 917-568-3712 or visit the Storefront, 124 Fenn Street, Sat & Sun, 12-5 p.m.