"100 Hours" Artist Scott Zieher
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| "100 Hours" artist Scott Zieher |
Been There, Done That, Can't Wait To Do It Again
Zieher's gallery, which is co-owned and directed with Andrea Smith, hosted a "Collage Party" exhibit during the summer. The exhibit was preceded by a gathering of artists who created art much the same as will be done during a five-day MCLA [Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts] Gallery 51 prequel to a Jan. 30 "100 Hours In The Woodshed" exhibit.
Zieher and "100 Hours" co-organizer and artist Danny O share a 20-year kinship that has included informal creative artist gatherings in Boston and at O's city-based home, Zieher said during a Jan. 11 midday telephone interview.
The Boston ventures were terrific fun but the Berkshires-based endeavors are even more desirable, Zieher said.
"We've gotten together with old friends and kind of turned [O's] home into a studio," Zieher said. "And out in the Berkshires, we can sequester ourselves. For me, it's like a total retreat. And there's an open-door policy, [O] is always happy to have me up."
New Energy, Competitive Spirit
The upcoming event should deliver a cavalcade of artists, mediums, and attitudes to the host gallery, he noted.
"It really will be great," Zieher said. "It's nothing really new to get a bunch of people together and crank out art. But the energy is always new, and the energy can be good, or not."
Zieher said that he's read several previous artists profiles as they appeared at iberkshires.com and noticed references to a likely artist-generated competitive spirit. Competition will likely be a part of the process, he said.
"From experience - the articles bring up this competitive edge and I saw this happen immediately here [at ZieherSmith Gallery]," he said. "That competitive nature came out in droves here. I mean, some people had never shown in a New York gallery and here we are in the heart of Chelsea [an arts-inspired neighborhood of Manhattan]. There were people who went right to work as soon as they walked in the door."
Wisconsin Roots
Zieher was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin and earned a bachelors degree in English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He subsequently earned a masters in fine arts for writing at New York City's Columbia University and an American Arts Course certificate from Sotheby's Institute of Art in New York City.
He and Smith opened the ZieherSmith gallery in March 2003 as a venue for international contemporary artists. Zieher is a published poet whose work has appeared in numerous publications and on-line venues including Knock and LAB magazines. Zieher has written feature articles and reviews for publications including ArtReview magazine and NY Arts magazine.
As Prepared As Possible
Zieher has lived in the New York City area for the past 15 years. He is looking forward to the gallery event and the opportunity to connect with the artists.
"I feel very comfortable in the Berkshires; it feels like home," Zieher said.
Several previously profiled artists have said that they would make a decision about what they plan to create when the "100 Hours" event commences.
Zieher said he isn't quite so daring.
"I'm going to be as prepared as possible," he said. "I've been mentally preparing."
A public reception for the artists is planned for 5:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at the MCLA Gallery 51.
The public may also watch artists work from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. beginning Jan. 26 - Jan. 28, and during Jan. 29 10 a.m.- 8 p.m..
A gallery-hosted reception is scheduled to kick off the Jan. 30 exhibit. The reception is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at 9 p.m..
Information about the exhibit is available by calling 413-664-8718 0r visiting a www.mcla.edu/Gallery51 Internet web site.
