Eclipse Mill Gallery

After 6500 miles and 33 days, we returned home ! We had traveled through more than ten states, visited many museums and other cultural sites. We saw America's natural wonders, spent lovely days with old friends and met many interesting people along the way. Please follow us through our journey via photos and entries in my diary.

With seven additional visual art destinations over last year’s offerings and 11 new galleries, this year’s DownStreet Art initiative â€" organized by the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) â€" not only will increase in scope and size; its installations will highlight communities from around the world.

It was a busy weekend of vernissages in the Berkshires. On Friday night the Eclipse Mill Gallery presented sculpture by Len Poliandro, and paintings by Dawn Nelson. On Saturday Jeff Hudson opened a show of his landscapes at Hudson's an antiques store and gallery in Williamstown. On Friday, save the date, Greylock Arts in Adams will open a new exhibition.

Two years ago the Williamstown sculptor, Len Poliandro, showed his work for the first time in the annual Berkshire Salon that launches the season for the Eclipse Mill Gallery. On Friday, April 16 he opens a two person show with the painter Dawn Nelson that has been curated by the artist Julie Seitel. He discussed the work and what this exhibition means to him.

For the second year Jane Ellen DeSomma of Greylock High School and Phoebe Pepper of Drury High School have organized an exhibition of student work in painting, drawing and sculpture. It is a part of the mandate for community outreach by the Eclipse Mill Gallery in the artist work/ residence loft building in North Adams. According to curator, Phil Sellers, "These are works by the next generation of fellow artists." The work remains on view weekends through April 11.

For the past five weeks the 20 -year-old artist with disabilities, A.J. Schlesinger, has been a guest in the Eclipse Mill studio of Rick Harlow. With his Tracker and former teacher, Jane Ellen DeSomma, they have created ten new paintings. They will be among the 30 works included in a one man show at the Eclipse Mill Gallery through March 20.

In article after article since John Barrett III lost a tough Mayor's race in North Adams the Berkshire Eagle has shed crocodile tears over his unanticipated defeat. To say the Eagle blew its coverage is an understatement. Now columnist Alan Chartock wades in on why he loves "Big John" who was "done in" by a "few disgruntled self styled arts types."

The Fifth Annual North Adams Open Studios will occur on the weekend of October 17 and 18. During the Columbus Day weekend there was a preview of the anticipated mayhem with opening of the Eclipse Annual and Studio 21 South. Organizer Phil Sellers is upbeat about the city wide event.

The theatrical lighting designer, Julie Seitel, has curated the exhiition "Illuminati" at the Eclipse Mill Gallery in North Adams, Mass. The switched on theme includes the light artists: Brian Jewett, Marjorie Minkin, John Powell and Richard Harrington as well as Seitel's pieces. It is one of the best shows of the Berkshire summer season.

Julie Seitel, a theatrical lighting designer, while working on a show at Williams College began to rethink some of the "practicals" as works of art. She has asked the artists; Richard Harrington, Brian Jewett, Marjorie Minkin and John Powell to join her in a light themed exhibition "Illuminati" which opens at the Eclipse Mill Gallery on July 31.

When Mass MoCA opened a decade ago artists migrated to North Adams attracted by large, cheap loft spaces. For the second season that growing arts community is trying to revitalize the business district through a city wide project known as DownStreet. Artists hope that their commitment and sweat equity will start to pay off.

As part of the Tenth Anniversary celebrations the artist, Richard Criddle, who has been in charge of installations and fabrication for Mass MoCA gave a power point presentation of some of his most interesting and challenging collaborations with artists. The slide lecture was followed by a guided tour of the museum's efficient workshops. But Criddle's dog Winston had the day off.

June is bustin' out all over, and our resident performing arts organizations are pulling out all the stops as the season approaches. Once again we provide our handy guide to upcoming Berkshire events.

Julie Seitel, a lighting designer for the Williams College Theatre Department did a fabulous job curating and installing the Second Annual Berkshire Salon. The survey of work by 55 artists launches the season for the North Adams based Eclipse Mill Gallery.

Last year MCLA and the City of North Adams combined to turn vacant downtown stores into the seasonal galleries called Down Street. The programming has been expanded to include 27 museums and galleries. The fun begins on Memorial Day Weekend with the Berkshire Salon at the Eclipse Mill Gallery and the 10th Anniversary Ball at Mass MoCA. Let the games begin.

Here's your weekly guide to the top events happening in and around the Berkshires with more than a dozen exciting and fascinating offerings for you to choose from.

Over a Beer and Burger we learned a lot about the artist, Phil Sellers, who with his wife Gail runs River Hill Pottery in the Eclipse Mill. This year he is chairing the annual North Adams Open Studios slated for October 17 and 18.

The annual season of exhibitions for the artist run Eclipse Mill Gallery in North Adams, Mass. has gotten a jump start with "Young at Art" a survey of work produced by Drury, Mt. Greylock, and BArT students. This leadoff project co presented with North Adams Open Studios will be followed by the second annual Berkshire Salon on the Memorial Day weekend.

The Second Annual Berkshire Salon, a non juried invitation for all Berkshire based artists to participate launches the season for the Eclipse Mill Gallery in North Adams Mass. The 2008 Berkshire Salon was a great success and it is anticipated that even more artists will participate this year.

As the final exhibition of the season the Eclipse Mill Gallery in North Adams features Small Works and Sale. It is an opportunity for more personal gift giving while supporting local artists.

The beginning of winter is marked by theatre, music and dance throughout the world, but perhaps nowhere is it more heartfelt than here in the Berkshires. This Thanksgiving let us give thanks to our arts community and then get out and enjoy their offerings. Your guide awaits.

On a gorgeous fall weekend, October 17 through 19, hundreds of visitors and familiies made the round of the annual North Adams Open Studios. The event this year was bigger and better.

A broad range of work by 27 artists is on view in the Eclipse Annual Exhibition. The annual Open Studios event will occur during the run of the show from October 17 through October 19.

On short notice the North Adams based Flown Home Band performed a concert at the Eclipse Mill Gallery. Despite the limited lead time there was a nice turn out for the launch of a series of concerts live at the Eclipse.

This exhibition presents the work of eight artists who are dead serious about the issues they deal with but with an enormous sense of humor. With this project it is quite alright to have a few laughs.