How much is that piggy in the window?

The real question is, "How much does it weigh?" Answer: about 260 lbs. While it isn't a completely solid structure (though, it is nearly so), it was carved from a single hunk of pine.

Brand new to the gallery is artist Jamie Townsend, of Springfield, VT. Currently we are exhibiting four fantastically colorful and fairly sizable wooden sculptures, two of which are animal forms and two, human-like abstractions. Jamie uses a chainsaw to sculpt but the second part of the process, the embellishment, is a laborous endeavor using oil paints over an acrylic base.

According to Jamie, "I bring the fluid chaos and variety of our everyday world into focus, gradually allowing the viewer to search for a source and make connections. I tend to use childlike characters and colors as well as line work and shapes, challenging positive and negative space. With this style, I am bridging the gap between the playful (imagery and colors) and the systematic (layering drawing/patterns)." He cites two of his influences as architect Gaudi and artist Hundertwasser.

Primarily a painter/illustrator, these three-dimensional pieces mark the start of an exciting new body of work for Jamie. In just a few weeks since his debut, the PIG is already a gallery favorite...and a bargain at $2400. (It's really big)

-cw

(Paintings shown with PIG are by Norm Thomas)

Guess Who Has Ed Carson's Still Life Paintings?

After a nearly year-long absence, North Adams artist Ed Carson has returned more than a dozen of his much admired and collected still life compositions in oil, to the NAACO Gallery. These small gems (at 9" x 12" for most, framed to 10" x 13") are lush, vibrant and glossy interpretations of fruit, desserts, even everday objects. He has self-published several books, including one that is solely devoted to the subject, "Ten Years of Still Life Painting".

Within the gallery, Ed has shown a diverse body of work over the last year, most of which were a big departure from these still life paintings, including abstract portraits and gestural, expressionist works with irridescent paints. Almost all of these paintings are much larger in size (at 30" x 40") and were painted in acrylics. Currently, we are exhibiting his latest work based on the landscape of Sheep Hill and area surrounding The Clark Art Institute. Also abstract interpretations, these large canvases are lively expressions of the Berkshire Hills.

Take a look at Ed's portfolio page to see the work of this wonderfully diverse artist. We also carry Ed's other art monographs: "Landscape Paintings", "Train People II" and "Body Parts".

-cw

New Art at Porches Inn

The Challenge: Two artists needed to create new, original art for the lobby of the Porches Inn at MassMoca.

The Players: Artists Franco Pellegrino and Tony Conner rose to the challenge and created eight beautiful works that work cohesively in both theme and palette.

At first glance, one might think that the bold acrylic paintings of Franco Pellegrino and the soft watercolors of Tony Conner may not work so well together. Over the last eighteen months, Franco is known to have exhibited large, iconic images such as birds and cows but also landscape elements such as trees, in the gallery. His palette is varied, but always clean and vivid. Tony paints subjects more traditionally and his watercolor paintings of the MA/VT landscape and architectural subjects are rendered more precisely and with an often realistic palette.

Franco and Tony were given only broad parameters. Both artists have taken a big leap with this challenge and his own work and have succeeded brilliantly, if I do say so myself! Franco chose to pursue a palette and style of painting that he terms "electric". This new work has proven to be immensely popular with viewers within the few short months he has been painting them. Trees dominate his themes lately, but he still manages to create a cow or two-but now they are "electric" in golds, blues and turquoise. Tony's leap went farther still. He created several long, horiziontal landscapes entitled, "The Berkshire Series" but unlike any of his work the gallery has exhibited prior, these are loose, abstract, gestural representations, employing a more colorful and less realistic palette.

To view these wonderful new works, make a visit to the Porches Inn (Reception Lobby) or view these paintings along with their full gallery portfolios on our web site: NAACO Gallery

BRAVO! -cw

The Porches Inn at MassMoca is located at 231 River Street in downtown North Adams.

Postcards: Fabric Collage by Colleen Williams

A series of travel narratives created from bits of fabric, thread and fabric paint, by Colleen Williams, is on exhibit at "EPOCH at Melbourne Place" throughout the month of December.

These small compositions were first created as "sketches" to express a feeling of experiencing a place or a moment in time, while remembering her travels. Having sewn from an early age, Colleen begins each construction by blocking out the composition with color fabric swatches--usually solids--in cotton/cotton blend fabrics. Colleen then applies pattern and pictorial elements to the composition by using fabric paint and self-designed stencils (cut from mylar) to complete the story.

The final step is to sew together and embellish with colored thread. The threads are used to add contrast in certain areas and to emphasize some of the stitching lines. Colleen states, "In an effort to add a bit of randomness and spontaneity, bits of colored ribbon are thrown down onto the collage and glued into place. As in everyday life and in traveling, the random acts are something that we must accept as occurring. I just allow it to happen."

Colleen primarily works in porcelain clay and her sculptural vessels and line of "Local Texture" jewelry are always on display at NAACO Gallery.

EPOCH at Melbourne Place

140 Melbourne RD (out by the airport)

Pittsfiled, MA 01201

413.499.1992

Open to the public: 9 am - 4 pm

Want a piece of history?

The story of "American Love", by Robert Kend

(subtitled "How it is that we have this for sale at the gallery.")

In the mid to late 1960's, a young entrepreneur named David Kend from New York, established a small company on Long Island called Paperweights, Inc. The concept was simple: a small square piece of Italian marble with a custom enameled logo on a round or square metal plate. Sold through the New York Times to Fortune 500 companies, the giveaways were popular at trade shows, events and as corporate awards.

David approached executives at American Express in the 1970's with an idea to market "modern art" to cardholders. He met with various artists of the day, including Peter Max, to explore the idea. There were always little inserts with special offers for gold card members and (he) was convinced there was a market. David eventually contacted and hired Robert Indiana to do "American Love".

Based on the very popular "LOVE" postage stamp of his own design, Indiana changed the colors to red, white and blue and signed off on the new enameled process on a large metal plate.

As far as I know, very few of these "American Love" metal plates survive; perhaps only the 5 or 6 he brought back with him on the plane from Japan where they were made. None were ever sold through American Express. All have remained in the Kend family since then unless he (Kend) gave a few away to friends or sent a proof to Mr. Indiana.

Interested? Call the gallery...413.664.4003

New Show: "Complementary Contrast: Works By Joshua Primmer & Katie Richardson

"Complementary Contrast" is now open and it's awesome!

Artists Joshua Primmer of Bennington, VT and Katie Richardson of Belchertown, MA, have combined their talents to showcase their work separately and as it relates to each other's.

Joshua uses cone 10 stoneware to create both functional and sculptural pieces which have a streamlined, architectural form but with an organic surface. He brought in four birdbaths which haven't before been shown in a gallery setting....they are wonderful.

Katie creates sculptural works using metal, both sheet and wire, and combines glass bulb-forms to express themes of protection and enclosure. Also making its debut is a line of PMC/fine silver jewelry which are miniature versions of her sculptures. They are precious representations of pieces hanging on the gallery walls.

In two groupings, the artists created work which relates in both form and concept: All Seeing Eyes and Flange. I hope that you get the chance to see this special exhibition-it runs through November 29th. For a sneak preview of the exhibit online, CLICK HERE.

North Adams Open Studios

For several years now, North Adams' artists have opened up their studios and hearts each third weekend in October to give the public a peek at what's going on within their studios. If you have attended one of these events, you'll know that it can be addictive. You have the opportunity to freely move about the studios, art spaces and galleries without the pressure that a one-on-one visit may bring. NAACO Gallery is featuring new work by several of the artists who have studios open this weekend as well as several North Adams' own, who do not. For more info: http://www.northadamsopenstudios.com

This is a rare treat and really shouldn't be missed! So, come on by, pick up a map and enjoy the galleries along Main Street; enjoy the local cuisine and hang around for a special performance at MASS MoCA's Hunter Center on Saturday evening, featuring Alec Baldwin discussing the works of Billy Wilder.

We have candy corn!