Harrison Gallery co-proprietor Jo Ellen Silipo thinks the timing is right for opening their fine arts gallery on Spring Street in Williamstown, and so far the reception is proving her right.
“I think the timing’s right,†said Silipo. “We have a culturally experienced market here. And people come to visit the Clark for the “Impression†exhibit; there’s the Williams College Museum of Art’s 75th anniversary, and MASS MoCA’s hitting.
‘I’m not going back to my software job,†said Silipo, who spent 22 years in the computer field after graduating from Williams College. “People are receiving us well.â€
“We sold 37 paintings in June, and that’s without an existing client base,†she said. “And we’re beyond that in July.â€
“My partner and I are having a lot of fun,†she said. Her partner in the new enterprise, which opened at the end of May in the former Gatsby’s space at 31 Spring Street, is Laurie J. Thomsen. Silipo and Thomsen were art history majors and classmates at Williams, graduating in 1979.
The gallery’s name was chosen to commemorate Silipo’s father, David Harrison, a 1953 Williams graduate.
Silipo spent 22 years in high-tech sales and marketing, but continued collecting, yearned to return to art. Thomsen is a founding general partner for Boston-based Prism Venture Corporation. She has worked at Sotheby’s, New York, and she is an overseer at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
The Harrison’s collection focuses on landscapes from the Northeast, by emerging as well as established artists. Each month, the gallery features a themed show.
Its only one-person show is Jim Schantz, Oct. 2 - Nov. 15. The Stockbridge resident paints light-suffused landscapes, many of them South County scenes, such as magically-glowing skies above the Housatonic River.
Silipo and WCMA Curator Vivian Patterson are curating “The Curator Show,†which opens tomorrow, Aug. 2, and runs through Sept. 15.
“Laurie fell in love with Jim Schantz’s work, and found him through the Pucker Gallery on Newberry Street in Boston,†said Silipo. “His work has been very popular here.â€
The Harrison now has an arrangement with the Pucker Gallery, a business arrangement whereby the Boston firm shares its collection with the Harrison, and an informal arrangement in which Bernie and Sue Pucker act as mentors to the new gallery owners here.
“We connected with the Pucker, first of all, to get Jim Schantz,†said Silipo, “but in a more general way, to be able to provide a higher-valued level of art as we were building a new gallery. Normally it would take two or three years to represent artists the caliber of Jim Schantz and Brother Thomas.â€
A striped ceramic vessel by Thomas is prominently displayed. His work is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Victoria & Albert in London.
“It’s so beautiful,†exclaimed Silipo.
“One of my favorite things about this job is learning the character and taste of people,†she said.
The Harrison’s collection includes works by Audrey Blafield of Lenox, who studied with Robert Motherwell, and who creates luminous landscapes.
“Her subject is light,†said Silipo.
Works at the gallery can be on commission, some the gallery has purchased, and still others come from the Pucker Gallery.
“In June, 70 percent of our sales were to local residents. For July, sales were to residents and tourists, and averaged $1,000 to $3,000 on pieces,†she said.
“We have works by artists such as John Terelak, who is famous around the world, but we also have work priced from $300 to $400. Everybody should get to have art,†she said. “My son suggested our motto: ‘Bringing Art Home.’ We always have a range. We want to share our enthusiasm, but not price people out of the market.â€
Except for the Jim Schantz solo show, she said, “our shows include multiple artists. We don’t want to lock ourselves into anything the first year.â€
“We started with a wish list of artists,†she said. “Artists we ourselves collected, artists we’ve seen in other galleries, and artists who come in the door.â€
Striking and sculptural are the Zambian beer and water pots, priced from $800 up, from the Pucker Gallery. These traditional vessels — the older they are, the more intricate their designs — are prized by collectors, and have been almost completely replaced as utilitarian objects by modern and insignificant imports.
The shop also sells reproductions of antique furniture.
And Silip has arranged a seating area, or salon, which she hopes will be a comfortable gathering place.
“I hope it’s going to be a fun place in winter,†she said.
The shop includes a custom framing business. Silipo said she likes finding the proper design element for an artwork. Local artist and weaver Birgitta Fuhrmann works in the framing operation, and Williams senior Sarah Nelson is gallery assistant.
Most recently, the Harrison collaborated with the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation with a fund-raiser titled En Plein Air, in a reference to the current “Impression†exhibit at the Clark. En Plein Air raised $5,255 for the foundation, a nonprofit land trust whose mission is to preserve the New England character of Williamstown.
The Harrison and WRLF invited regional artists to come to Sheep Hill, the Rosenburg Farm now owned by the foundation, to record their impressions of the landscape. The works were shown in the gallery one evening, then auctioned off at brunch the next morning, brunch being provided by 101 North, a new restaurant.
WRLF Executive Director Leslie Reed-Evans called the event “the best possible partnership, bringing together art, nature and appreciation of the region’s cultural history.â€
For Silipo, the event, and its success, are an example of her and Thomsen’s wish to be an active, contributing part of the community.
In explaining why they chose to open their gallery in Williamstown, she said, “We want to play a role in the community that we love and where we first developed our experience with art. There is an artistic and spiritual heritage that we want to continue here in Williamstown.â€
She is delighted with the new venture, and pleased to be working in the field of art that was her first love.
“I bound out of bed in the morning,†she said. “It’s so exciting to finally have a job that I’m truly thrilled about.â€
Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday until 7 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Telephone is 458-1700; web site www.theharrisongallery.com.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.
In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.
Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.
The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.
"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."
Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.
In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.
The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.
"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.
The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.
In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.
"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
click for more
