Bellows Falls Open Studios, Memorial Day Weekend May 29 and 30, 2010
Visitors to Bellows Falls 3rd Annual Open Studio Memorial Day Weekend, May 29 and 30 will have the opportunity to visit with over fifteen artists and artisans as they stroll around stroll around the downtown square.
Download the poster. (PDF)
"We're organizing a local effort in conjunction with this highly successful Vermont State Craft event to draw attention to the unique range of aritsts working in Bellows Falls" said Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP). founding director, Robert McBride. "We've spent over a decade integrating artists and the arts in the organic revitalization of downtown Bellows Falls, we are proud of the integral role artists play and thank the artists for consistently sharing their talents with the community."
If you are not familiar with downtown Bellows Falls start at the Project 9 pace located at 9 Canal Street in the Exner Block, a building that was renovated ten years ago in order to provide ten affordable live/work spaces and six retail spaces with a focus on the arts . Brochures including maps and listings of local eateries and businesses will be available. Look for yellow balloons and placards that mark the venues. There is plenty of all-day parking down by the railroad station and a pleasant two block walk into the downtown square.
The Exner Block on Canal Street, a unique building circa 1905, note the pressed tin exterior. Is home to ten artist's residents, the Project 9 Space. Artist exhibiting at the Exner Block are Barrie Elliott, Julia Jandrisits, Anne Y, Shawna Ingbar, *and *Jacque Fabrizi. Impoprted African woven textiles by *Amie Walter *and hand painted glassworks by *Kathy Tretler *in her new shop, Dellamano Glassworks add to the charm of this historic building.
In the the old firehouse, directly across the street from VT Pretzel and Coyote Moon visit with artists Robert McBride and Phyllis Rosser. McBride, an abstract painter is the founding director of RAMP. Phyllis Rosser, painter and sculptor is particularly inspired by wood that she collects from the Connecticut River and creates amazing wall sculptures.
Works on Paper and Maplewings on the ground floor of the municipal building a brick building (circa 1927) gives the downtown Square the feeling of being in an Italian hill town and also houses the recently renovated Bellows Falls Opera House.
Works on Paper opened over a year ago.* Carolyn Frisa* specializes in the conservation of drawings, watercolors, prints, historic documents, posters, maps, paper ephemera, blueprints and other architectural plans, and historic wallpaper. She is also experienced in treating parchment and vellum as well as three-dimensional paper artifacts such as fans and globes. She has spent the last ten years conserving a wide range of artistic and historic works on paper. Previous projects include the conservation of Audubon's Birds of America, prints by Alexander Calder, Henri Matisse, and Gustave Baumann, a collection of letters by Abraham Lincoln, and early American watercolors and portraits. Works on paper is exhibiting the work of *Helen O'Donnell. *Amongst Helen's many inspirations gardening which by working with her hands in the earth, witnessing the seasonal life cycles of her environment has inspired her in the shapes and forms that each plant takes, as it pokes its head from the wet cold spring earth to the dried and faded seed head bending in the fall wind. Her fascination with these changes in form, come across in the movement and energy of her broad shapes and scratchy lines that make up her imagery.
As you continue around The Square, you will pass Chris Glennon's antiques store, Halladay's, Village Square Booksellers and don't miss the large historic mural across from the Hula Cat at south end of town and also the historic petroglyphs along the Great Falls of the Connecticut River. Ask in Village Square booksellers they will be able to direct you.
Chris Sherwin's Glassworks and Rita Gilbride textile/fabric artist are located at 33 Bridge Street, along with woolfm community radio station, a short two block walk from The Square and over the oldest chartered canal in the United States (1792). Ms Gilbride comments on her work, " I look for signs in the work that give meaning to my experience of living every day. Fibers, fabrics, papers, threads are dyed, woven or constructed with the pulse of repetition and filled with color, texture or pattern. A visual language is presented for interpretation and Chris gives regular demonstrations of his glass blowing that mesmerizes young and old alike.
You will not be disappointed with your visit to Bellows FalI Park your car once and have the opportunity to visit, eat, and shop. Experience a real mainstreet that has evolved since its 18^th century roots: canal, railroad and paper making, A downtown brochure with a map and listings of stores will be available at the Exner Block, 7 Canal Street when you arrive. The Exner Block shops and Project Space 9 are wheelchair accessible. For information call RAMP _802-463-3252 or email: ramp@sover.net _ _www.ramp-vt.org _.
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