Visual Art in Western MA:
February Openings, Closings & Calls for Art

Heath Seniors Painting Exhibit
Heath Free Public Library
Currently on view

The Heath Seniors Painting Exhibit at the Heath Free Public Library will feature more than twenty paintings. These beautiful works of art were created by senior Heath residents this past fall during Open Art Studio sessions in the Heath Senior Center. Both the display and the opening Artists’ Reception offer a unique opportunity to connect across generations. Each senior artist brings rich history and experience to their art, providing a platform for the development of community relationships and learning through storytelling. This creates a mutually beneficial experience, helping children strengthen their sense of place through the building of intergenerational relationships. Heath Free Public Library. 413-337-4934. 1 East Main Street, Heath, MA. (FREE)

Berkshire Now: Peter Gordon
Berkshire Museum
On view through February 21, 2016

This solo show of collages and paintings by Peter Gordon offers a powerful reminder of how our use of natural resources, goods, and services impact the environment. Using a contrast of natural and man-made elements, Berkshire Now: Peter Gordon at the Berkshire Museum emphasizes the fragility of the ecosystem in the context of modern society. In vivid collages, Gordon uses clippings of prices, sales slogans, and real estate offerings as the backdrops for animals, out of place in their now unfamiliar territory. Gordon hopes that his work will encourage viewers to make and promote environmentally conscious decisions in their daily lives. The exhibit is on display now through February 21, 2016 at the Berkshire Museum. 413-443-7171. 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA. (FREE W/ADMISSION)

Jan Ruby-Crystal
Hope & Feathers Framing and Gallery
On view through February 27, 2016

This exhibition of paintings and handmade paper considers themes of life and decomposition as viewed through close visual studies. Jan Ruby-Crystal at Hope & Feathers Gallery displays thoughtful paintings of fruits and vegetables as they decompose, exploring how their patterns and shape changes through the process. The artist offers a transformative perspective as she shows how the decayed pulp can be converted into handmade paper. As the artist notes, “A new beauty arising from their end.” Hope & Feathers Framing and Gallery. 413-835-0197. 319 Main Street, Amherst, MA. (FREE)

Standing on Her Shoulders: Trailblazing Women in Western MA
Borgia Gallery at Elms College
January 29, 2016 through February 23, 2016

The exhibit, Standing on Her Shoulders: Trailblazing Women in Western Massachusetts at Elms College, will feature portraits commissioned by the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts in celebration of the fund’s 15th anniversary to honor the achievements of 16 women in their 70s, 80s, 90s and 100s. The display highlights the contributions of women from all four counties in Western Massachusetts. In recognition of their impact, these beautiful portraits by Robert Charles Photography have been exhibited in locations across the state, including the Hall of Flags in the Massachusetts State House. Viewers have an opportunity to learn about how these fascinating women have influenced the larger community, providing inspiration and hope for women of all generations. The exhibit will run from January 26, 2016 through February 23, 2016. The gallery is located in the Dooley Center at Elms College. 413-594-2761. 291 Springfield Street, Chicopee, MA. (FREE)

7 Mysteries and Signs: Tintypes in the Digital Age
Nina’s Nook
February 4, 2016 through March 12, 2016

17 Mysteries and Signs: Tintypes in the Digital Age at Nina’s Nook will feature the art of Ruth West, an internationally recognized artist who has been working with digital art, particularly digital collage, flash interactivity, and web design, for the last 30 years. Ruth’s art pieces touch the non-verbal part that comes with seeing, as each piece hovers on the edge of a full story. Linear time is suspended by mysterious, dreamlike elements that offer glimpses of a story just out of reach. Through the use of technology, West presents a modern series that captures the eerie ‘otherworld’ feeling often present in centuries-old photographs. Printed on aluminum in intimate sizes, each piece highlights West’s fascination for showing only part of a story. The art evokes curiosity and mystery, as subjects often have their backs turned to the viewer or exist only in shadow. Locations are unearthly and words and signs appear as the focus of some pieces, surreal in their format.  The exhibit is on display from February 4, 2016 through March 12, 2016 at Nina’s Nook. 413-834-8800. 125A Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA. (FREE)

Both Sides Now: Lexa and Dan Walsh
Williams College Museum of Art
February 12, 2016 through September 25, 2016

Both Sides Now: Lexa and Dan Walsh at Williams College Museum of Art is a first-time creative collaboration by sibling artists Lexa and Dan Walsh. Dan, a minimalist abstract painter, and Lexa, a socially engaged artist, come together to merge their practices around a shared interest in spectacle, perception, and encounters among object and people. Featuring a series of interactive sculptural stations – nodding to Rome’s Circus Maximus – this exhibit encourages new investigations and responses to WCMA’s collection. In another gallery, each artist addressed their different theories of contemporary art though a series of oversized stitch samplers featuring the artists’ ongoing, and at times, contentious, call-and-response dialogue.  Williams College Museum of Art. 15 Lawrence Hall Drive, Williamstown, MA. (FREE)

Richard Nonas: The Man in the Empty Space
MASS MoCA
Beginning February 13, 2016

Richard Nonas is an artist whose body of work has the ability to alter our sense of space, time, landscape and architecture. His totemic sculptures are made from earthy and industrial materials that include wooden railroad ties, granite curbstones, massive boulders, and thick steel plates. Each sculpture re-imagines space and terrain all over the world while maintaining its timeless character. In this display, Richard Nonas: The Man in the Empty Space at MASS MoCA, the artist’s quietly powerful sculpture will occupy and transform Building 5, the museum’s signature gallery, which is nearly a football field in length. Nonas will create a major new work specifically designed for the trussed, window-lined space. The exhibit will give visitors an opportunity to experience the way geometric forms can both command and alter their environment, and at the same time retain an intimate human scale. MASS MoCA. 413-662-2111. 1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA. (FREE W/ADMISSION)

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CALL FOR ART

CALL FOR ARTISTS/LOCAL EXHIBIT
Community 6×6” Art Exhibit and Sale. Community members are invited to submit 1 or 2 pieces of original wall art for the exhibit, which will be held February 6-29 at the Sawmill River Arts Gallery. This is an open show and the first 100 artists to submit work will be featured. Artwork must be dropped off no later than the February 1st deadline. This is a great opportunity for local artists of all skill levels to showcase and sell their work within their own community. The exhibit is sponsored by the Turners Falls RiverCulture and will be held in the SawMill River Arts Gallery, 413-367-2885. 440 Greenfield Road, Montague Center, MA. ($)

YOUTH ARTISTS WANTED/WATERFOWL CONTEST
Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp Contest. The Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) program links the study of wetlands and waterfowl conservation with the creation of original artwork. Students from kindergarten through grade 12, regardless of whether they attend public, private, or home-school, can submit original artwork for this contest. After learning about the habitat requirements of various kinds of ducks and geese, students then express their knowledge of the beauty, diversity, and interdependence of these species artistically, through painting or drawing. The contest offers a unique opportunity for young nature enthusiasts and artists to participate in a statewide competition. All entries must be received by February 15, 2016. The Junior Duck Stamp Contest is presented by The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. 508-389-6310. OPEN TO ALL K-12 STUDENTS. (FREE)

ARTISTS WANTED/ART EXHIBIT
Contemporary Art at Historic Northampton. Historic Northampton is a destination for art and history lovers alike. Artists are being asked to submit work that draws upon or has been inspired by objects from the museum’s permanent collection. Submissions may be for solo or group shows, and two and three dimensional work in all mediums will be considered. Deadline for submissions is March 15, 2016. The exhibition is presented by Historic Northampton, in collaboration with The Northampton Center for the Arts and A.P.E. and will be displayed at Historic Northampton. 413-584-6011. 46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA. (FREE)

SCHOOL ART CONTEST/FIFTH GRADE
Arbor Day Poster Contest. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has just announced the theme of their 2016 Arbor Day Poster Contest: “Trees Grow with Us and for Us.” Fifth grade classes from both public and private schools across the state are asked to participate by having students create posters during a school poster contest. The winning poster from each school can then be submitted to the agency for review. Each year, over 1,500 Massachusetts fifth graders participate in the Arbor Day poster contest. First place prizes include a tree planting ceremony at the winner’s school, a certificate for art and science supplies, and more. There will also be awards for Second, Third, and Honorable Mention winners. The DRC Commissioner highlights the fact that “trees reduce energy consumption, purify air and water, reduce noise pollution, beautify communities, and provide habitats for wildlife.” The Arbor Day Poster Contest 2016 was designed to instill the value of trees within today’s youth while increasing their understanding of trees and the role trees play in their community and in the world around them.

See more being featured on our
Visual Art Bulletin Board!