Tag Archives: Grange Hall Cultural Center

The Light And The Dark Of It

Before I begin, the Grange Hall Cultural Center is hosting an in-person exhibition called DWELL. Sixteen artists’ responses to living during a pandemic will be on view, including my piece “Cocooned #2”. Visit by appointment from September 24 – October 24 (see contact info below). COVID precautions will be in place (no more than 5 people in the gallery at any time). If you’re in the area, please plan to visit — and don’t forget your mask!

Dwell poster

Now, for the “light”…

On our recent stay-cation, we visited a spot that has been on my list for years but, for whatever reason, I hadn’t been to yet. As long as it isn’t pouring rain, just about any day – in any season – would be a great time to go check out this gem. The beautiful, sunny September morning of our visit was perfect.

Please go to the Bundy Modern’s website for lovely pictures of the gallery in all seasons

The Bundy Modern of Waitsfield, VT was built in 1962 in a lush natural setting with mountain views. The structure itself, designed by Harvard GSD architect Harlow Carpenter, is a wonderful example of the Bauhaus style and is an unusual treasure for central Vermont.

Zeus ©1966 Paul Aschenbach, Sorten Steel, 20 feet. The lighting of my photo was so bad that the best and only way to show this striking sculpture was to convert the photo to black and white. Even though it was unintentional, I think the contrast between the hard sculpture and the trees and sky in the background make for an interesting duality that wasn’t immediately apparent in the color version.

Conceived as an art and sculpture gallery, it presents a unique intersection between the modern and contemporary artwork that is displayed within the building and on the grounds, and what is “an unusually pure example of modern architecture”.* The natural surroundings play as strong a role as the art and the building that sit within them, making for a truly exceptional visual experience.

Triforms ©1965 Fred Pallini, Steel, 96 inches. What I loved most about this piece is that it seemed that it was made of textile rather than steel. There is a lightness (almost pillow-like) and a visual tactile quality to this sculpture that I find very appealing.

Current owners, Wendell and June Anderson, are doing a marvelous job as stewards of Carpenter’s vision while bringing exciting contemporary art to our area. Put a visit on your list, if you haven’t already.

And now for the “dark”…

To date, the COVID houses I’ve been making have skewed toward the optimistic in my search to find and express a sense of hope and positivity in the midst of this pandemic. But as the months have worn on, I haven’t been able to ignore the bleaker aspects of these times.

My latest two pieces lean toward this darker direction. I don’t consider myself a political artist, but there is catharsis in creating a fuller picture of what is happening now and in striving for empathy.

Swirl of Fire, alternate view

Perhaps a sense of fellowship / camaraderie / community is the best and most hopeful of what we have to offer each other. With that in mind, I came across two sources of interviews that have brought some light to my reading, and perhaps they will for you as well.

#artinthetimeofcovid – MetroFrame Blog Conversations with artists regarding how they are navigating their practices during COVID
Pat Lowry Collins’ Aging and the Creative Process (click the menu bar to access the interviews)

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And finally, a story:

I got to know Walter at the Vermont Studio Center a couple of years ago when our studios were across the hall from each other. He doesn’t live close, but close enough that we manage to get together from time to time. Obviously that stopped with the virus.

When I asked for a selfie for my project, Walter sent a couple. But this one, with his dog Pepper, whom he had lost unexpectedly this summer, captured an endearing moment that anyone who has a pooch in their life will recognize immediately.

*quoted from the Bundy Modern website

Technical Trenches

If only my days were just drawing and stitching!

This past week I have spent way too much time on the phone with my server, trying to get things straightened around so that I can once again set up automatic delivery of my weekly blog posts to your inboxes. Let’s just say it hasn’t been fun, and I surely hope that with perseverance I’ll get it figured out one way or another. I guess the upside is that I’m learning digital technicalities that I never bargained on…although it’s all very superficial and, frankly, there are ways I’d much rather spend my time.

Scott ©2019 Elizabeth Fram, 18 x 23 inches, Graphite and colored pencil on paper. Love this paper – Canson Edition. It has both a rough and a smooth side to choose from. This is the smooth side. It takes varying pressures of line beautifully and erases cleanly. It also picks up color easily.

In the meantime, these images will give you a taste of what I’ve been doing both textile and drawing-wise. It goes without saying that I’ve been grateful for any and all work that gets me away from the computer!

Making progress on this latest…

On the brighter side, consider a visit to the The Grange Hall Cultural Center this month to see their new exhibit Body Beautiful which runs through October 12th. Two of my life drawings are included — a first for me since I haven’t shown any of them publicly yet, except here at Eye of the Needle.

And finally, because it’s always a treat to be inspired by the natural world, take a look at @pottersarms on Instagram for photos of such color and lyricism that they will at times take your breath away. Keep scrolling for her magnificent photos of flowers, both alive and dead.

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I’m looking forward to heading to The Netherlands soon to finally see the 2019 Textile Biennial at the Rijswijk Museum. It’s been a long wait. I was overjoyed to learn that both Alone Together and Respite will be remaining in that part of the world with their new owners!

Road Trip

If you haven’t had an opportunity to travel through the Atlantic Provinces of Canada, add them to your destination list.

Last week we carved a fun & relaxing loop by driving up to Quebec City, skirting the top of Maine, then descending to bisect New Brunswick while making our way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. We hopped onto the ferry in Yarmouth for the last leg, bringing us back to the US via Portland, Maine.

It was a week of beautiful scenery, non-existent traffic, and delicious farm-to-table food and microbrews accented with abundant fresh seafood — all fused with local civic appreciation for the arts, walking trails and lovely gardens at every stop.

Opportunities to draw have become a treasured part of vacationing for me, my sketchbooks being the most enduring and powerful of souvenirs.

It was a happy discovery to notice that Canadians don’t seem to be surgically connected to their cellphones as is so ubiquitous here. I feel like we hardly ever saw anyone walking and talking or texting, and restaurants seemed to be virtually mobile-free.

While it made sketching people a bit more challenging, it was lovely not to have the same bend of the neck and hand placement on each and every subject, not to mention avoiding being a captive third party in a conversation you want no part of.

In addition to the omnipresent public art that Canadians apparently and appropriately feel is an important investment in their quality of life, we caught several wonderful exhibitions that I will share next week; I hope you’ll return to read about them.

On A Different Note______________________________________________________________________________

My piece “Dichotomy” will be showing on home turf through the end of November in the upcoming exhibit Fabric of Our Lives at the Grange Hall Cultural Center here in Waterbury Center. The opening is Sunday, October 1 from 3-5pm. I would love to see you there!

Fabric of our lives postcard

If you are local, keep your eyes and ears peeled for future offerings at The Grange. Our community is very lucky to have a creative venue that offers something for everyone: theater, music, exhibitions, workshops, yoga classes, etc.

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And finally, I just discovered the 10 Minute Writer’s Workshop podcast. The name says it all, each episode is a short and sweet glimpse into the process of a wide variety of well-known writers. The ideas are valuable for writers and readers alike. You can find it on iTunes.