Great Barrington — To add color and flair to downtown Great Barrington during the Main Street Reconstruction Project this spring and summer, dozens of pieces of student artwork are now mounted in merchant display windows. It’s the I DIG GB Art Show.
The idea for the show was conceived by Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Executive Director Beryl Jolly and organized by Monument Mountain Regional High School visual arts teacher Neel Weber.
The artwork was created by students from Monument Mountain Regional High School, Monument Valley Regional Middle School, and Muddy Brook Regional Elementary School.
“From the three schools, we have 60 pieces from 55 students,” writes Weber. “In addition to the artwork on Main Street, there is also artwork at Fuel Coffeeshop.”
“We worked closely with Neel Weber at the High School who coordinated efforts with the other art teachers at Muddy Brook, Monument Valley and Monument Mountain so that we could celebrate youth art work throughout downtown Great Barrington during this construction period on Main Street,” Jolly said. ”The merchants have been very supportive and there are student pieces up at numerous store fronts.
“Fuel Coffeeshop is also highlighting high school student art work at this time, so there’s a great synergy. Great incentive for families and residents to visit Main Street this week and next.”
The exhibit at Fuel, Weber explained, “is showing a collection of work by juniors and seniors from Monument Mountain High School. Most of the students created this work in their Portfolio class. In Portfolio, each student starts out with a focus/concentration that his
or her work will be created around. This jumping off point helps create ideas that a student can grow and expand upon, creating a diverse group of works ranging in all different mediums. When a student grows their ideas like this it helps to create a more developed sense of art including, style, composition, and range of material. Since everyone has their own personal focus, the class shows a wide variety of art.
“The variety of arts also brings all different kinds of students together. This grows a community that, each week , discusses process, techniques, and each other’s artwork — what is working, and what is not. The community of people and immense amount of unique artwork that comes out of the program is what makes the class so special.”
Go take a look. Fuel is located at 286 Main St. And admire the work in Main Street windows.
