Daniel Chiaccio: Before It’s Gone

July 3rd – 27th

Etchings, woodcuts, watercolors, and an installation centered around themes of memory and temporary spaces by Easthampton artist Daniel Chiaccio, July 3rd to 27th

Daniel holds onto his memories through his artwork. Difficult times in his life often meant constructing new memories with themes of shelter and comfort and freedom, finding solace in temporary spaces. As a child, exploration and building things was his means of escapism — building forts in the woods for physical escape, and drawing imaginary places and worlds for mental escape. These early coping mechanisms continued into adulthood to grow into well-honed skills in woodworking and illustration, and a rich imagination. His artwork contains scenes ranging from fantastical cityscapes verging on science fiction to bucolic country cabins to snug cozy interiors. All a bit surreal, all empty of people – these spaces are for Daniel, or the viewer, to inhabit alone to find comfort and wonder.

Opening Reception: Thursday, July 11th, 5-8 pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus

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About Daniel Chiaccio:
Daniel is an artist and printmaker and maker of things. Originally trained as an illustrator, he discovered printmaking by chance and now spends much of his creative time in the print studio. He has a deep love for building and tinkering and making things – the process and working with his hands is just as satisfying as the end results of his work. When he’s not making art, Daniel works as a framer and printmaking studio monitor. He has a BFA in Illustration from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, and currently resides in Easthampton with his cat, Quimby.

Banner image: detail from Standpoint, etching with aquatint

Isaiah Gulino: Open Spaces

June 6th – 29th

Paintings by Brooklyn artist Isaiah Gulino, June 6th to 29th.

Isaiah Gulino works in oil paint and mixed media combining influences from past and present while reflecting multiple psychological meanings into a singular time and place. Within this body of distorted imagery, Gulino integrates his upbringing in the Northeastern United States with his travels to South America, establishing both personal and foreign connections to architecture, religion, and celebration. His work relays open-ended narratives through disrupted forms of reality, which place sentimental value on memories frozen in time.

Opening Reception: Friday, June 7th, 6:30-8:30pm

About Isaiah Gulino:
Gulino is interested in perception and culture, and continues to seek unity in opposition through both representational and abstract painting simultaneously. This connection appears within the landscape-based subject as well: forming an active disruption of the synthetic world by natural forces. His work questions sustainability, as architecture and figures are fragmented and disintegrating on the surface of the picture. He grew up in the farming communities of upstate New York, studied painting in New Hampshire, and now lives and works in New York City. A cumulative range of stimuli continues to drive his work in diverse directions unique to his individual perception and human experience. isaiah-gulino.com

Q&A with Isaiah

How old were you when you created your first artwork?
I think around 4-5 years old I had made some drawings and paintings that my family and teachers applauded. We were always doing crafts or pottery at summer workshops or in pre-school. I didn’t consider them “art” but it was very exciting to experiment and engage in something of purpose.

How has your style changed over the years?
My style has been pretty consistent since finishing my BFA, however it has matured in many ways. There is more emphasis on color mixing; for example neutralizing complimentary hues to find correct temperatures of shadows. This helps to place unconventional layering techniques into a conceivable space.

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
My parents have always been very creative, my Mom always shared her love for painting, pottery, and writing with me. While my Dad is a very dedicated musician. I envied that and wanted to find my own creative voice and vision.

Why did you choose your medium?
I saw a lot of my classmates at New Hampshire Institute of Art who were very fluid with oil paint, achieving effects I wasn’t able to in acrylic. Mainly luminosity, as seen in historical renaissance work and contemporary realism. The spray paint and stenciling goes back to street art which I was very attracted to as a teenager.

What inspires you?
Originally nature and finding solitude in natural environments. Alongside traditional influence from landscape painters like JMW Turner or John Constable. Although living in New York City has introduced me to more travel and culture, where I’ve found a deeper inspiration from people and connection to humanity.

Where do you work?
I work in the art industry packing, crating and shipping valuable works from the worlds top artists. Working first hand and seeing the work of painters I’ve admired my whole life has definitely pushed me to want to develop a stronger sense of professionalism. I’ve had studio spaces in different warehouses in Brooklyn, but recently I have developed a studio in my own apartment.

What is your creative process like? How do you work?
My process usually begins with drawing and getting a physical understanding of space. Most time I enjoy beginning with technical line drawings over abstract grounds or color fields and then rendering on top with oil and introducing more color. Usually selecting and prioritizing different shapes or planes at varying levels of emphasis; while leaving other areas unfinished for previous layers to peek through on the surface. Layering is important to me and my time spent doing printmaking definitely instilled a more strategic approach to painting in so many ways.

Which artists do you admire?
Childe Hassam, Eduard Vuillard, Mancini, Pasini and Sargent definitely informed my historical basis. Richard Diebenkorn has always been a favorite. While Antonio Lopez Garcia, Gerhard Richter, Jenny Saville, Dana Schutz, Adrian Ghenie and David Hockney help me bridge the gap into more contemporary painting. The list could really go on …. a lot of people reference Edward Hopper while looking at my work.

What is your favorite piece that you’ve created?
I did a piece a couple years back of a San Francisco scene that I feel like really balanced a technical understanding with more expressive marks. It seemed to be successful in capturing the psychological essence more so than the literal visual interpretation.

Any advice to young or emerging artists?
Stay diligent even when things get hopeless. Always value personal growth no matter how small; rather than comparing yourself to others or worrying about what other people think about your work. Find influence in historical works and borrow from it, rather than emulating some other artist working in the same time period as you. Remember that Individuality and uniqueness can go further than technical ability. Be true to yourself!

Banner image: detail from Nuestra Senora La Luz (Our Lady of Light), oil and spray paint on panel

 

Andrae Green: Backscatter

May 2nd – June 1st, 2019

Large-scale oil paintings by Springfield artist Andrae Green, May 2nd to June 1st.

Backscatter is a diffuse reflection due to scattering, as opposed to specular reflection as from a mirror.

Andrae’s work uses painting as an exploration to delve into the unquantifiable internalized senses which we use to perceive the world: intuition, clairvoyance, and other feelings that lie outside the physical realm. Fragility and impermanence are a constant in three-dimensional reality, and these works show those very slippages that occur due to interruptions by the metaphysical world. This speaks to our current age, where representation and reality can be interchangeable and physicality can be fleeting. History and fantasy can also be interchangeable and used to reinvent our identities. Andrae is particularly interested in how legacies of the Middle Passage and slavery can be re-imagined to fantasize alternate dimensions and multiple storylines that may not be in history books.

Opening Reception: Thursday, May 2nd, 5-8pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus.

About Andrae Green:
Andrae is a painter whose work explores the nuances of the collective consciousness that has been shaped by time, the sea, and the Middle Passage. Green was born in Kingston, Jamaica. In 2006, he was awarded a grant sponsored by the Jamaican government and the Chase Fund to obtain his MFA in Painting at the New York Academy of Art. In 2011, he was awarded a residency at the CAC Troy, NY. In 2012, he was one of two artists chosen to represent Jamaica in the Beijing Biennale. In 2013, 2015, and 2017, Green was selected as a part of the American delegation that represented the US at the Salon de Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France. His paintings have been shown in the US, Jamaica, Canada, China, and France, and are in private collections around the world. He lives and works in Springfield with his wife, artist Priya Nadkarni.

Q&A with Andrae:

How old were you when you created your first artwork?
That’s an interesting question. I started painting very late, in my twenties when I went to undergrad at the Edna Manley College of Art in Jamaica. Before that I would only draw or use colored pencils. I started drawing very early, maybe at age three. I cant remember a time when I was never drawing. I used to draw from comic books, spider man especially, this sparked my interest in the human figure.

How has your style changed over the years?
My earlier work was very influenced by my interest in comic book illustrations and impressionist paintings. I gave myself very narrow parameters in which to play within. Now the content that I want to discourse on is broader so I need a technique which can lend itself to such.

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
I don’t think that’s easy to know. The question lends itself to make one answer in a way that is devoid of agency. Like anyone else I had artistic tendencies, and these tendencies lead me to where I am now. But I had to decide and it’s the decision that is the hardest to give into. So I’ll say this, that I made a decision to give into in my twenties.

Why did you choose your medium?
I started with acrylics in undergrad but switched to oils when I realised that all the great masters past and present have painted with it. I have never looked back.

What inspires you?
Everything. But mostly painting, movies and current events.

Where do you work?
At home.

What is your creative process like? How do you work?
I’ll tell you when I figure that one out. Sometimes I’ll have a clear picture in my head. Another time I’ll have a feeling of some thing that I need to say.

What do you like about being an artist in the valley?
Hmm. There are a lot of opportunities if you know where to look.

Which artists do you admire?
Wow thats a long list. First off, my wife Priya Green is awesome. Then it’s my teacher Vincent Disiderio. After that it’s the old masters Michelangelo, Caravaggio then it’s the contemporaries Gerhard Richter, Neo Rauch, Ruprecht Von Kaufmann, Phil Hale, and many more. The list keeps growing!

What is your favorite piece that you’ve created?
Maybe Obwa Coocoo, I did that one in 2010. Thats when I found my stride.

Any advice to young or emerging artists?
Work hard and never give up no matter what. Life always rewards hard work.

Banner image: detail from Stoning Whales – either fish or cut bait, 84×88.5″, oil on canvas, 2016

Stoning Whales - either fish or cut bait

 

Isabel Margolin: Little Stories

April 4th – 27th

Glass mosaics created via the indirect method by Amherst artist Isabel Margolin.

Isabel’s most successful designs have come to her while dreaming: “I see the mosaic completed, the colors simple and true; the pattern a perfect rhyme. The next day I embark on recreating this vision, remaining as close to the design as possible. Even with all my good intentions to remain true to my dream, on the second or third day of work all hell breaks loose and the pattern has taken a life of its own. It is as though I am having a conversation with the mosaic and I no longer solely control the design. In the end, my dream gave me the impetus to start the process, but the actual process led me to interpret my dream in an entirely new way.”

Opening Reception: Thursday, April 4th, 5-8pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus.

Meet the Artist & Mosaic Demo: Saturday, April 13th, 4:30-6:30pm – Isabel will discuss and demonstrate her mosaic process and create a piece that everyone can contribute to.

About Isabel Margolin:
Raised in beautiful northern California, Isabel currently resides in Amherst. In the spring of 2009 she took her first course in mosaics, one that focused on the indirect method, a technique that she has employed ever since. It is through a certain controlled randomness, a willingness to cede one’s expectations to gravitational forces and the power of sticky tape that she applies the indirect technique to expand the boundaries of this art form. It is a process of chance, choice, and discovery. isabelmargolinmosaics.com

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David Hyde Costello: Real Life Imaginary Friends

March 7th to 30th

A show of small watercolors featuring charming and lovable animal characters from the imagination of picture book author and illustrator David Hyde Costello. These adorable paintings appeal to all ages. Come by and find a new imaginary friend!

David explains, “My hope with each painting is to give someone a reason to smile, to lighten their burden for a moment, and, with humor, to reflect back at them the best parts of human character. It’s a lot to ask of cute cartoon animals, but I believe in them – and I hope you will, too.”

A reception will be held on Thursday, March 7th, during Amherst Arts Night Plus, 5-8pm. David will be sketching in the gallery on Saturday, March 16th, 1-3:30pm. Come by and ask him to sketch your imaginary friend!

A coloring zine featuring drawings by David will be for sale for the duration of the show.

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 7th, 5-8pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus.
Meet the Artist: Saturday, March 16th, 1-3:30pm – David will be sketching in the gallery.

About David Hyde Costello:
David is the author and illustrator of HERE THEY COME, I CAN HELP, LITTLE PIG JOINS THE BAND, and LITTLE PIG SAVES THE SHIP. He is the illustrator of A CROW OF HIS OWN by Megan Down Lambert. He created the cover illustration for SHELLY AND THE SECRET UNIVERSE, a book which exists only in the Wes Anderson film Moonrise Kingdom. With a background in theater as well as visual arts, David has painted scenery for plays and motion pictures including Amistad, Spider-man (2002), The Fighter, and The Heat. In his own studio, David’s work is divided between children’s books and the design and construction of puppets. He is also a ukulele player, “self-taught through the productive use of procrastination.” David lives in Amherst.

Robert Dow: Who Knew?

January 24th to March 2nd

Recent large-scale pastels by Amherst artist Robert Dow.

Opening Reception: Thursday, February 7th, 5-8pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus.

8th Annual Small Works Show

December 5, 2018 – January 12, 2019

The 8th Annual Small Works Show is here! Featuring over 250 works by local artists — all 6×6″ or 5×7″. From paintings to photographs, illustrations to assemblages and more, the show features works in wide variety of mediums. All cash-and-carry!

Please join us on Thursday, December 7th, during Amherst Arts Night Plus, 5-8pm, for the opening reception and our Holiday Pie Party. Celebrate art and the season and join us for pie and spiced cider, and hang out with some fabulous local artists!

Please join us on Thursday, January 3rd, during Amherst Arts Night Plus, 5-8pm, for reception and art raffle. Join us for a chance to win one of the small works, winner’s choice!

Raffle details: you can fill out a free raffle ticket now at the shop, until January 3rd. One ticket per person. Drawing will happen around 7pm, you must be present to win.

Some stats: 260 pieces submitted from 173 artists; mostly local/valley artists, plus some from CT, NH, and NY, and one from Minnesota! 166 pieces in the first hang! We got at least one piece up from nearly everyone who submitted. As work sells, we’ll add new pieces.

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If Water Could Speak: Amanda Barrow, Janine Norton, Lynn Sisler

November 1st – 29th

Amanda Barrow, Janine Norton, and Lynn Sisler reflect and respond to the current status and state of the waterways in our environment, with a focus on conservation. Responding to the premise “If Water Could Speak”, each artist has shaped her individual vision using her choice of medium: painting, photography, and monotype printing.

Barrow, Norton, and Sisler will share the experience, thoughts, and process of making the works during a panel discussion in the gallery on Saturday, November 10th, 4-5:15pm. The event is free and open to the community. The artists intend to motivate the audience with a concrete call-to-action, inspiring and sending the them back out into the world with hope and visions of beauty.

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 1st, 5-8pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus.

Panel Discussion: Saturday, November 10th, 4-5:15pm

The panel discussion event is funded by the Amherst Local Cultural Council and the Mass Cultural Council.

About the artists:

Amanda Barrow has been a professional visual artist since 1986. She has received numerous fellowships, including: a Fulbright research grant, and Mass Cultural and Local Cultural Council awards. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally and has presented countless artist talks. Amanda’s work presents a broad range of abstractions that utilize nature, architecture, and the human body as primary sources of inspiration. www.amandabarrow.net

Janine Norton has been a photographer since 1984. She studied at Art Center College of Design in CA, and was a partner of Hing/Norton NYC, serving corporate clients for national advertising campaigns. She has taught, guest lectured, and exhibited her images in solo and group shows regionally since 2002. www.janinenorton.com

Lynn Sisler is a painter who works predominantly in layers of mixed media, which gives a spiritual and historical feel to her visual stories featuring unusual animals. She completed a BFA in painting and a minor in Art History from Northern Illinois University in 1991, and has exhibited her work in multiple group shows and solo exhibitions nationally since 1988. Currently, Lynn works as a professional freelance artist and art educator for children. www.lynnsisler.com

Jon Crispin: American Demographics

October 4th to 27th

This is the first time these hand-colored silver gelatin prints by acclaimed Pelham photographer Jon Crispin have been exhibited. The photographs date from the mid-1970s to the early-90s, and were published in the 1980-90s in the now-defunct American Demographics Magazine (a monthly magazine about marketing and consumer trends). Most of the images were shot in the US, some in Europe — rather than working on assignment, photographs from Jon’s extensive personal archive were selected to illustrate stories in the magazine. The 11″x14″ prints were meticulously hand-colored by artist Robby Aceto, making them one-of-a-kind works of art, and unique modern examples of the almost-disappeared craft of hand coloring.

Opening Reception: Thursday, October 4th, 5-8pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus.
Gallery talk with Jon: Saturday, October 20th, 4:30-7pm.

A selection of pieces from the show can be purchased in our online shop.

About Jon Crispin:
Jon has been working as a photographer since 1974, dividing his time between freelance assignments and documentary projects. Freelance work includes national publications, higher education, and non-profits. His documentary projects include exhibitions and publications concerning social and rural topics in New York State: 19th-century state insane asylums, state prisons, rural living conditions, county fairground architecture, agriculture, and food and nutrition programs for the needy. In the past few years, he has photographed over 300 plywood panels that had lined the Fulton Street area overlooking Ground Zero at the site of the World Trade Center (and over 100 panels from Liberty Island). Jon is perhaps best known for the “Willard Suitcases” project – a poignant documentation of suitcases left behind by patients at the Willard Asylum in upstate NY. His photographs have been exhibited extensively in museums and galleries in the US and abroad. joncrispinposts.com

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Natalie & Sue Kassirer: The Heart & The Harrows

September 6th to 28th

Mother and daughter Sue and Natalie Kassirer are showing their work together for the first time. They work in disparate mediums: Sue a sculptor in clay and Natalie a pen and ink artist with a background in illustration, but they share a common thread in the representation of emotion through earth-based imagery. The Heart and The Harrows speaks to both the passion and the pain involved in the creation of their art — these emotions either drive the message a piece seeks to convey, or feature as the subject of the work itself.

Of her work, Natalie says: “Representational imagery to illuminates my own personal stories, in combination with a labor-intensive and meditative stippling technique as a way to steep myself in whatever it is I aim to convey.”

For Sue, motherhood is a strong influence on how she views the current state of politics and the enviroment. “While I retreat to nature for solace and take great inspiration from the expansiveness of it, I fear for it. My fear can be seen in my subject matter, and in sharp bristling hardware contrasted with the soft colorings of smoked clay.”

Opening Reception: Thursday, September 6th, 5-8pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus.

About Natalie Kassirer:
Natalie is an illustrator and fine artist specializing in intricate pen-and-ink stippled drawings. The wild landscape of Western Massachusetts inspires her work, which deals with a deep reverence for the natural world and its ability to turn death into new life, often influenced by a love of pop culture and music. Natalie received her BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School Of Design in 2015. She is an avid nester and collector of everything from bones to stones to house plants, and spends her free time exploring the hills of Western Mass or loitering in coffee shops. 

About Sue Kassirer:
Sue has been creating sculpture and installation art for over 30 years. She most often works with clay but likes to mix things up and make time for theater projects and site works. Lately her work has become edgier due to environmental threats and fractious politics. She loves the inspiration she gets from the streams and rocks tucked away in the hills and fields of the Pioneer Valley. She earned a BFA in Sculpture from UMass in 1981 and has exhibited her work in the Boston area since the early ’90s. She has owned and run a teaching studio for 18 years and is a member of the New England Sculptor’s Association and a co-founder of the outdoor art show “Art Grows Here,” which runs annually each summer in Hamilton and Wenham, MA.