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Issue date: 2/7/08 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Holly Huffstutler MCLA student Mary Dominichelli

Media Credit: Holly Huffstutler Artist Bart Niswonger with his cabinet

The pieces that debuted at Gallery 51 last Thursday were not the type of artworks usually displayed there. A cactus made of garden hose, a gorgeous red leather bag, three vibrant quilts and a variety of other pieces by mostly regional artists make up "Handmade: A Look at Contemporary Crafts," the new exhibit.


The fact that the pieces aren't the norm for the gallery is actually the reason for the exhibit. Gallery manager Sean Riley knew of many fine craftspeople, like exhibit co-organizers Brian Jewett and Alicia Zaludova, whose work didn't fit the mold of the "fine art" that usually is shown there. The "Handmade" exhibit was established to show them off and perhaps attract a new audience to the gallery.


It was a successful attempt. Of the 160 people who attended the opening reception, many were first time visitors. The reception also prompted some business. Several pieces of Jais jewelry were sold. The abstract trinkets are one of the few by artists outside of New England and according to Jonathan Secor, Director of Special Programs at MCLA, the Roman jewelry was sold within MCLA staff.


Former MCLA, Williams and Southern Vermont College professor and Pownal resident Ray Bub showed some strangely shaped and "so-called functional" teapots. He assured, "I can make a perfectly nice round teapot." However, his current works are clearly much more fun judging by their wacky shapes and the obvious pleasure he took in describing their creation, as with the green spiny teapot that he "twisted like a snake" before it was fired. Two of Bub's former students, Ann Brauer and Jackie Abrams, also had work exhibited.


Some of the crafts seen are more emotional than might be expected, considering that the word "craft" generally brings to mind woven baskets. The exhibit has those too, made by Jackie Abrams. Ann Clark Gerrity's masks are more obvious displays of emotion because of their human faces. The sorrow of her "Alzheimer's Agony" mask, with grimacing closed eyes and crumbling forehead contrasts well with the humor of "Don't Push Me." It sits in the gallery's outside display case with a small golden hand pushing out of its forehead.


A striking piece of furniture dominates a wall near the gallery entrance: Studio Cochineal's impressive black and white striped cabinet with purple indented polka dots. Its designer Bart Niswonger knows this award winning piece attracts attention and shows it often. He was taken by surprise, however, at a recent design show when the Benjamin Moore Color Forecaster people were very interested. "So you could make black and white and purple spotted paint?" he assumed out loud, amused.


Other artisans featured at the event, which will run until February 24, are Judith Hoyt who works in found metal , weaver Mary Lou Dewitt, Elizabeth White Schulze, Jan Bopp, Californian basket weaver Nadine Spier, Greg Winterhalter, and furniture makers Chris Bowman and Peter Crellin.

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