Young at Art Launches Eclipse Mill Gallery Season
Featuring Work by Northern Berkshire Students
By: Charles Giuliano - Apr 25, 2009
The season of exhibitions for the artist run Eclipse Mill Gallery at 243 Union Street in North Adams, Mass. has gotten a jump start with "Young at Art" surveying work produced by students in the area's Drury, Mount Greylock and BArT school programs. The project will be on view weekends through May 10. Gallery hours are noon to 5 pm.
This is the first of what is anticipated to be an annual collaboration between the Eclipse Mill Gallery and North Adams Open Studios. It was organized by Phil Sellers who is chairing this year's North Adams Open Studios which is held in October. Sellers and his wife Gail are owners of the River Hill Pottery in the Eclipse Mill which is an artist loft complex with some 40 live work spaces.
This exhibition is the first Northern Berkshire showcase of BArT, Drury and Mount Greylock students. North Adams Open Studios has become a local institution since its founding in 2006. This High School exhibition represents an extension of both the Open Studios and Eclipse Mill Gallery mandates to support and encourage the development of young area art students and their teachers.
There was a lively turn out for the opening of the exhibition. The student artists were excited about displaying their work in a professional gallery. There was a lot of support and mentoring in the interactions of the Eclipse artists, the teachers from the several schools, and their students.
Much of the work proved to be quite remarkable as we engaged with the young artists about the various media and projects on display.
There were several, large, unstretched canvases that immediately attracted attention. For student work they seemed quite precocious with bold color, large scale, and expressive design.
We were astonished to learn that they are the result of a most unusual interaction between the wheelchair bound student, Andrew J. Schlesinger, and his teacher, Jane Ellen DeSomma of Mt. Greylock.
I inquired about their unique collaborations but was quickly corrected by DeSomma. "This is not a collaboration" she explained. "I am just the hand that applies the color and paint to the canvas. He indicates to me exactly what he wants and I follow his instructions. We have been working together for seven years now."
It was evident that Schlesinger was proud to have his work viewed by the public. There was real joy as I asked the teacher and student to pose for a picture in front of the work.
As Phil Sellers explained to me the Eclipse Gallery strives to provide opportunities for area artists of all ages and skill levels to display their work. He noted that in this difficult economy too often the education cuts occur in the arts programming. "You should never take anything away from students" Sellers said. "They are our future. These are the artists and the audiences of the next generation. The art teachers really struggle through grant writing to find materials and resources for their programs. So it is really exciting for us to provide this level of exposure to their efforts. We hope that as the word gets out there will be even wider participation next year."
It is hard to put a dollar value on such programming which is clearly worth every penny. This was richly evident when I asked Chris King to show me his work. The youngster led me to a painting displayed on its own easel on the top of a pedestal. He was also eager to relate that he is involved in a writing program through Stage 2 of the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield. It is clear that the arts are a real passion and focus for his life and long term interests.
For the occasion Crystal Hope Garrity came wearing her best spring bonnet. She seemed to much enjoy the opening festivities and was proud to discuss her efforts in photography.
Following "Young at Art" will be the Second Annual Berkshire Salon. For a modest donation of just $15 the exhibition, which opens on Memorial Day Weekend, is open to all Berkshire Artists. Last year some 70 artists participated and it is hoped that even more will take advantage of the fun event this year.
These first two exhibitions for the artist run gallery are intended to be as inclusive as possible and create a sense of the expanding Northern Berkshire creative community.
The Eclipse Mill Gallery season extends through the holidays and following "Young at Art" and "Berkshire Salon" continues with "Two Actors, Ten Painters" "Illuminati: Working with Light" "Imaged Words" "Eclipse Annual" and "Small Works." Additional information regarding the Eclipse Mill Gallery can be found at www.eclipsemillgallery.com.
This is the first of what is anticipated to be an annual collaboration between the Eclipse Mill Gallery and North Adams Open Studios. It was organized by Phil Sellers who is chairing this year's North Adams Open Studios which is held in October. Sellers and his wife Gail are owners of the River Hill Pottery in the Eclipse Mill which is an artist loft complex with some 40 live work spaces.
This exhibition is the first Northern Berkshire showcase of BArT, Drury and Mount Greylock students. North Adams Open Studios has become a local institution since its founding in 2006. This High School exhibition represents an extension of both the Open Studios and Eclipse Mill Gallery mandates to support and encourage the development of young area art students and their teachers.
There was a lively turn out for the opening of the exhibition. The student artists were excited about displaying their work in a professional gallery. There was a lot of support and mentoring in the interactions of the Eclipse artists, the teachers from the several schools, and their students.
Much of the work proved to be quite remarkable as we engaged with the young artists about the various media and projects on display.
There were several, large, unstretched canvases that immediately attracted attention. For student work they seemed quite precocious with bold color, large scale, and expressive design.
We were astonished to learn that they are the result of a most unusual interaction between the wheelchair bound student, Andrew J. Schlesinger, and his teacher, Jane Ellen DeSomma of Mt. Greylock.
I inquired about their unique collaborations but was quickly corrected by DeSomma. "This is not a collaboration" she explained. "I am just the hand that applies the color and paint to the canvas. He indicates to me exactly what he wants and I follow his instructions. We have been working together for seven years now."
It was evident that Schlesinger was proud to have his work viewed by the public. There was real joy as I asked the teacher and student to pose for a picture in front of the work.
As Phil Sellers explained to me the Eclipse Gallery strives to provide opportunities for area artists of all ages and skill levels to display their work. He noted that in this difficult economy too often the education cuts occur in the arts programming. "You should never take anything away from students" Sellers said. "They are our future. These are the artists and the audiences of the next generation. The art teachers really struggle through grant writing to find materials and resources for their programs. So it is really exciting for us to provide this level of exposure to their efforts. We hope that as the word gets out there will be even wider participation next year."
It is hard to put a dollar value on such programming which is clearly worth every penny. This was richly evident when I asked Chris King to show me his work. The youngster led me to a painting displayed on its own easel on the top of a pedestal. He was also eager to relate that he is involved in a writing program through Stage 2 of the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield. It is clear that the arts are a real passion and focus for his life and long term interests.
For the occasion Crystal Hope Garrity came wearing her best spring bonnet. She seemed to much enjoy the opening festivities and was proud to discuss her efforts in photography.
Following "Young at Art" will be the Second Annual Berkshire Salon. For a modest donation of just $15 the exhibition, which opens on Memorial Day Weekend, is open to all Berkshire Artists. Last year some 70 artists participated and it is hoped that even more will take advantage of the fun event this year.
These first two exhibitions for the artist run gallery are intended to be as inclusive as possible and create a sense of the expanding Northern Berkshire creative community.
The Eclipse Mill Gallery season extends through the holidays and following "Young at Art" and "Berkshire Salon" continues with "Two Actors, Ten Painters" "Illuminati: Working with Light" "Imaged Words" "Eclipse Annual" and "Small Works." Additional information regarding the Eclipse Mill Gallery can be found at www.eclipsemillgallery.com.