Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Pittsfield.For the past few years, Pittsfield has become accustomed to downtown crowds in the warm months during its monthly 3rd Thursdays street festivals, and now the city hopes to to spark similar enthusiasm for its monthly ArtsWalk, held on the first Friday of each month. Last Friday, July 6, more than 30 gallery spaces participated in the third ArtsWalk of 2012, with work on display everywhere imaginable, from restaurants and bars to retail storefronts to the warren of second-floor studios at 311 North Street, known as Art On No, were many artists happily welcomed visitors into their workspace. Traditional galleries, including that of Leslie Ferrin (above, left, with Tara Polansky and exhibiting artist Annie Bissett) also participated. The next ArtsWalk is slated for August 3.
Craig D'Ooge, who works at the Library of Congress, with Cathy Deely, board chair of Berkshire Creative; artist Michael Allen Lowe and Eugenie Sills.
Elinor Cherin with ceramist Sam Taylor, showing off his shot cups at Ferrin Gallery; photographer Bill Wright with his wife Carrie and their son Pilot on an ArtStroll.
Musician Eamonn Barry with Alchemy Initiative'sJessica Conzo at the Mad Macs gallery on Union Street; artist and jeweler Jess Fitzgerald with potter and IS183 ceramics instructor Ben Evans at Art on No.
Photographer Gregory Cherin with artist Douglas Paisley, whose Lichtenstein Center show The Confidence Man is part of Pittsfield's Call Me Melville summer arts festival; Megan Whilden, Pittsfield's director of cultural development, with Margaret Cherin, exhibitions curator and college archivist at Bard College at Simon's Rock.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
