September 7th – 30th, 2017

“Why do you paint? For exactly the same reason I breathe.”

A selection of sketches, drawings, and paintings by E.E. Cummings (1894-1962).

It is not generally well-known that the poet E.E. Cummings was also a visual artist, who experimented with art as he did with words. He devoted as much time to drawing and painting as he did to poetry, and considered himself equally an artist and a poet. Cummings said art was his “twin obsession“; painting and writing were daily routine, both necessary means of expression. He published sketches and drawings and exhibited paintings early in his career, but ultimately withdrew from the New York art scene in the early 1930s. Art became a private pursuit as his writing increased in popularity and his reputation as a poet was firmly established. His art reflects some of the more modern and boundary-pushing art trends of the time, especially post-impressionism and fauvism, and the influence of artists like Cézanne and Matisse can be clearly seen in much of his work.

This exhibit is a selection of Cummings’ artworks curated to show a range of his artistic experiments. Most have not been shown publicly; most were probably not intended to be seen by the public.

The pieces in this show are from the collection of Ken Lopez of Hadley, MA. All works are for sale. A portion of the proceeds from sales at this show will benefit Reader to Reader, Inc., a nonprofit literacy organization.

An opening reception will be held Thursday, September 7th, 5-8pm, during Amherst Arts Night Plus.

Saturday, September 16th, 5:30-7:30pm: “Flash Poetry, Spoken Word, and EE Cummings” – a special event in conjunction with the Amherst Poetry Festival, featuring readings of Cummings’ poems, poems inspired by Cummings artworks, and poetry mad-libs! Readers will include local poets Dara Wier, Lori Desrosiers, Paul Richmond, and more! Organized and emcee’d by Alison Murchie, local writer and creator of the popular monthly “Unbuttoned” spoken word evenings in Easthampton. Event starts at 5:30pm, readings begin at 6pm.

Hope & Feathers Framing and Gallery hosts Secret Garden, paintings by Amherst artist Ali Moshiri, from June 1 through July 1.

Oil paintings created between 2010 to 2017, represent various interpretations of nature and the natural world.

Moshiri’s work is based on observations from nature, primarily landscape. His work over the past fifteen years, while still based on these observations, has veered toward abstraction, though he does not see it as such. Moshiri explains: “The ultimate result is that of the paint and the painted surface, in an attempt to capture its own nature with only minor hints or references to anything external to the painting.”  His continued experiments in the expression and abstraction of nature ensure his work is always fresh and vibrant.

An opening reception will be held on Thursday, June 1st, in conjunction with Amherst Arts Night Out, from 5 pm to 8 pm.

About Ali Moshiri:
Born in Iran, Ali Moshiri was educated in England and the US, returning to his native country for medical school. After his residency in Cincinnati, he worked at the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge where he met his mentor, Leo Garel, who had been the artist-in-residence and a pioneer in art psychotherapy. After a period of painting on his own, he sought guidance and instruction from Garel, developing a relationship that lasted until Garel’s death in 1999. Moshiri and his family live in Amherst. ww.alimoshiri.com

Image: detail from “spring garden coral red“, oil on linen, 31×31”, by Ali Moshiri

How old were you when you created your first artwork?
10 years old when I started oil painting.

How has your style changed over the years?
Moved slowly in 1990’s to abstracted depictions of nature. I go back and forth in different series from pure abstractions to ones with references to the natural elements.

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
1983. When I went to my teacher to buy a painting for my first house. “$800”. Hell I can do that. Very quickly I became aware that I could not and thus began my serious attempt to try.

Why did you choose your medium?
After several years of larger gouache paintings I moved to oils that I was always drawn to. Love the lushness and the versatility.

What inspires you?
The utter thrill of getting to the point in the painting when IT begins to tell you what to do, and paint and I can abandon most of the initial intent.

Where do you work?
Studio at home. This allows me pop in for minutes to hours.

What is your creative process like? How do you work?
A tempo, color or an effect in nature that I then paint in different ways in my head and come up with a direction that usually leads to a series of 2-20+ paintings.

What do you like about being an artist in the valley?
Surrounded by great nature and other artists.

Which artists do you admire?
Pierre Bonnard, Vuillard, Diebenkorn, Arshile Gorky, Rothko, Howard Hodgkin.

What is your favorite piece that you’ve created?
Maybe the world without us is the real poem: on the opening page of my website: www.alimoshiri.com

April 6 – May 27

Strength. Inner or physical. Actual or symbolic. What does strength mean to you?

Thirty-four photographers answer this question in the 2nd Biennial Juried Photography Show. Juried for First, Second, and Third place awards by three nationally recognized photography experts: Stephen Petegorsky, Stacy Waldman, and Frank Ward. Cast your vote by paper ballot for the People’s Choice Award!

Camryn Adams
Alexa Briggs
Greg Brown
Leah Caldieri
Joanna Chattman
Jim Gambaro
Hope Gray
Meredith Jones
Melissa Karoutas
Bernie Kubiak
Sara Lechner
Linda Leighton
Julius Lester
Marilyn London-Ewing
Sara Lyons
Arthur Mange
Conrad Marvin
Mara Meagher
Ian Moraino
Jodi Nicholas
Diane Norman
Chris Page
Julian Parker-Burns
Paul Pereira
Tom Pitta
Darren Port
B.Z. Reily
Dave Rothstein
Anja Schutz
Lita Sorensen
Paul Specht
Jill Toler
Sloan Tomlinson
Lori Whalen