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 August 2020
In This Issue
Welcome New 
GALA Members!

Donna Farrel
Gwendolyn Bertrand
Sahar Ghavimi
Derek Couture
Susan Burdsall
Kathy John
Henry Lambert
Gail Huntley


GALA Board of Directors

Deb Giordano  President
Nowell Francis Treasurer
Paula Botch (Secretary)
Guy Biechele  
Chuck Heidorn
Bethany Price
Susan Ellis
Christopher Guerra


GALA was organized to promote the arts as an essential component of a healthy community. We believe that artistic expression is a community's greatest legacy for future generations. GALA will increase awareness and appreciation of the arts by way of exhibits, instruction, theater productions, musical programs and provision of scholarships to students in local schools.
 
GALA 
PO Box 664 
Gardner, MA 01440
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

Newsletter Editor
Dana Armstrong

Massachusetts Cultural Council
Send Us Feedback!

[email protected]

President's Note

Hello friends,

I see that some of you are taking advantage of social distancing by painting (plein air) outside in beautiful surroundings. That's wonderful! Hope to see your work in the fall. Please continue to stay safe.

If you have not already done so, check out our virtual gallery tour. You will find it on our website homepage in the top menu bar; just look for "Virtual Tour" at www.galagardner.org. If you want to be in the virtual tour, contact me.

Our online Silent Auction is on our Facebook page and doing well. Check to see if there is something you might like. If you want to be in the auction, contact me.

We are working on getting some art classes going. It's been slow due to the fact I haven't had the time to work on it. Hopefully we will start in the fall timeframe. If you are interested in teaching a workshop, let me know.

We are still planning on opening in October and combine our "Theme" and "Small Works" exhibits together until we close for Christmas. More on that next month!

Soon, work will begin on having a new roof put on the gallery. We are excited about that.



Our flower bed at the gallery is in full bloom! Sad that we are closed and its beauty is not seen. If you want to go over there and set up an easel, be my guest.

Stay safe, happy, and creative!

Deb Giordano
GALA President
978-407-1419

 

  eventsGALA Events/Announcements
Kids Art Lessons            

Are you looking for fun, healthy activities for your family? We at GALA want to inspire you.

Private and Small Groups
Ages 6-18

We are now offering individualized creative art lessons. We offer private and small groups. We may be outside or inside the gallery. Prices for lessons vary on materials and durations. Cost includes all materials. Call now to discuss pricing and secure availability as space and times are limited.

Our Activities:
  • Drawing
  • Painting with watercolors and acrylics
  • Crafts
  • Building with magnetic tiles
  • Being creative with Legos
Practicing state recommended safety guidelines for Covid-19

GALA Gallery
135 Front St., Winchendon, MA

We Need Art Instructors!

We are looking for art instructors who would like to teach adults and children at the gallery.

We will be offering individualized private and small group lessons in different types of art media.

If you are interested, call us for more information.
[email protected]
 
Silent Art Auction          

Auctions will be controlled on GALA's Facebook page, so you will need a Facebook account to be able to bid on the art items.

Each auction will have 20 start items and will run for two weeks. Every two weeks we will start a new auction with different items. You may bid as many times as you like if someone outbids you.

If you would like to enter your work in the next auction, call to make an appointment to bring your artwork to the gallery and register. Only one artist member allowed into the gallery at a time.
  1. You must be a current member to enter artwork. You may register to be a member on our website.
  2. No fee to enter. You may enter up to five pieces of artwork.
  3. For each item, include the following information: name, email address, phone, title, media, size, and starting bid (you want to sell your artwork, so set a realistic starting bid). (Possible example: Starting bid $100. May only have one bidder for $105, You will receive $105 minus 25% to GALA. Or the winning bidder could outbid everyone for $200. You will receive $200 minus 25%. Please be aware that anything could happen in an auction.)
  4. GALA receives 25% commissions on all sold artwork.
Contact Deb at 978-407-1419 or
[email protected]
135 Front Street, Winchendon, MA
 
Take a Selfie!        

We would like to know who you are. We are updating our website with your selfies. This will help everyone to identify members at our events. Send selfie and 100 words (max) to express yourself to [email protected].
 
MemberNewsMember News & Exhibits
Alicia Drakiotes           

Alicia Drakiotes will be the featured artist at Prime Roast Coffee Company, 16 Main St, Keene, NH, August 1-30. The exhibit, titled Locally Inspired, consists of all new oil paintings with a local theme.

For more information contact [email protected]
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ArtShowsandExhibits
Shows & Exhibits
Harvest    
Gallery Sitka, Shirley, MA



Art Opening
Friday, August 7, 6 PM
Saturday, August 8, 10 AM
(Bookmark Fridays at 6 PM during August for online chats with the artists in this show.)
https://gallerysitka.com/harvest/

"Harvest" is our late summer early fall show. This time of year is a blessing and something to celebrate! We have asked artists to respond to this theme! This show will be launched online during the week of August 5th. August 7 and 8, we will be online for opening remarks. This show is primarily women from the North Central MA Women's Caucus for Art as well as one of the New Hampshire WCA groups. We opened it up to other women we know who are fine artists. We are very very very honored to have the 3 judges above who will choose which artworks and artists are included in this show: Pat Gericke (NYC), Jennifer Okumura (Boston), and Elizabeth Whelan (Martha's Vineyard). Please join us during the month of August for online events related to this show.

Contact Gallery Sitka with Questions:
Phone: 978.425.6290
[email protected]

Pedestal Take Over Photo Project     
Turners Falls, MA

The Pedestal Take Over Project at Spinner Park in Turners Falls features 40 photographs of local women holding tools of their trade or other personal symbols while posing on an empty pedestal at the park. The original Spinner Statue, installed in 1985 in honor of the women who worked in the mills, is temporarily removed from the pedestal while the park is being reconstructed. The photo project was made by Nina Rossi of Nina's Nook, with support from RiverCulture, and is installed on construction fencing around the park. It will remain until the work is completed in October.

View the Pedestal Take Over photo project on Fourth Street in Turners Falls, or online at ninasnook.com.

Gravity/Levity    
ArtsWorcester, Worcester, MA



Through August 16, 2020

We are thrilled to welcome you back to the galleries for Gravity/Levity: A Juried Members' Exhibition, our first exhibition entirely dedicated to sculptural works.

About this exhibition

Investigate notions of physical forces through Gravity/Levity, a juried exhibition of three-dimensional artwork, and the first all-sculpture show at ArtsWorcester. Lisa Crossman, Curator of American Art and Arts of the Americas at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, selected twenty-nine sculptures by twenty-five artists that capture approaches to weight and weightlessness.

Gravity/Levity will run through Sunday, August 16, 2020. This exhibition will be on view in the East and West Galleries, as well as on our website. We have also expanded the ways our audience can engage with our exhibitions. Read further to learn more.
 
Changes to our hours and policies

What do I need to know before my visit? We will enthusiastically welcome ten visitors at a time. If we have more than ten, you will be asked to wait briefly outside until another visitor leaves. Hand-sanitizing, mask-wearing, and facility protocols meet or exceed the requirements of the Commonwealth.

When are gallery hours? ArtsWorcester main galleries will be open Thursdays through Sundays, 12:00 to 5:00 PM, beginning Thursday, July 9.

Can I view this exhibition online? Yes! Images of individual artworks and gallery views will be available on our website and social media feeds. As this exhibition progresses, artist talks and additional virtual programming will bring you even closer to featured artists and their work.

49th Annual MWCC Student Art Exhibition   
Mount Wachusett Community College, Gardner, MA

Student work from foundation and advanced art courses

View the online exhibition

Each spring MWCC hosts an Exhibition of Student Art Work from the foundation and advanced art courses.

The art faculty are so proud of all of the student work in this exhibit and the students' success with remote distance learning; overcoming many challenges and obstacles this semester. Students also photographed their work, with whatever resources available, to make this exhibit possible. Due to the pandemic, the clay work was unable to be fired or glazed, but it is still included in the exhibit. Many of the students' paintings and drawings that are still hanging in the upper gallery at the college, would  have  also been included in this exhibit.

For more information contact Joyce Miller at 978.630.9221 or [email protected]
Art Department Facebook Page
Art Department Website

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ArtClasses
Classes & Instruction
Colored Pencil Class with Carolyn Todd                       
Fitchburg State University, Fitchburg, MA

The Colored Pencil Zoom class will be for five classes beginning on September 24 from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm on Thursdays. Classes usually fill quickly. The class is limited to 10 students. Supply list will be available before the first class through the ALFA (Adult Learning in the Fitchburg Area) office.

Fall Registration and class information online will be posted before September.

Fitchburg State University
Phone 978.665.3706

For information, email Dani Langdon at [email protected]
  
MAAA 2020 Workshops                     
Monadnock Area Artists Association, Keene, NH

Capturing the Light in Pastel
Rita Kirkman
October 31, Nov. 1 & 2, 2020, 9:00 - 4:00
Stone Arch Village Community Room, 835 Court Street, Keene, NH

Rita's classic Pastel Workshop focuses on painting small and often to rapidly improve your skills and expand your knowledge. Learn to capture light and loosen up with Rita's innovative under-painting technique. Instruction emphasizes composition and techniques for a small format (8x10), value and temperature control, how to creatively interpret your photos and how to stay productive with your art within a busy lifestyle. Grow your grasp of values, temperature, color and composition in a relaxed and fun atmosphere! For beginner to advanced.

The registration fee for this 3 day workshop is $275 for members and $300 for non-members

Registration will begin in the next few months. Please contact [email protected] to be put on a waiting list for a form.

Monadnock Area Artists Association
monadnockareaartists.org
  
Painting Dramatic Light & Luminosity                      
Plymouth Center for the Arts, Plymouth, MA

The New England Watercolor Society presents
A Workshop with Paul Jackson


Painting Dramatic Light & Luminosity

When: October 29-31, 2020 
9am-4pm, Thursday through Saturday 
Where: Plymouth Center for the Arts (PCA), 
11 North Street, Plymouth, MA

Info: Wendy Hale, NEWS president [email protected] 

Watercolor is the ideal medium for interpreting and expressing the complex subtleties of light. Its transparency makes it uniquely suited to convey luminous surfaces and veils of atmosphere. With it you can create pale washes as well as dark, powerful and moody images. It is a lovely and fluid language in which to express any idea or image. Paul's focus for this three-day workshop will be to guide you through a painting from beginning to end, as you paint together a stunning image of dramatic light and luminosity.

A prolific artist and ambitious world traveler, Paul Jackson is one of today's most versatile and visible contemporary watercolorists.

The workshop will be limited to 20 participants.
Tuition for the 3 day workshop is $450 for NEWS or PCA members, $525 for non-members.
A $225 deposit holds your space, Full payment by August 28, 2020.
 
 
  
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Call for Artists!  
Fitchburg Cultural Alliance, Fitchburg, MA

The FCA is calling all creatives in our region to submit an educational video for us to use on our Facebook page and our YouTube channel. Videos should be 1-4 minutes long, acceptable for all audiences and ages, and should offer tips and training in the field of your expertise.

Learn more!


Open for Submissions: 2020 North American Open Juried Exhibition 
Plymouth Center for the Arts, Plymouth, MA

Hosted by Plymouth Center for the Arts
November 1 - December 5, 2020
Over $10,000 in Awards

 
Juror of Selection and Awards - Paul Jackson, AWS, NWS, MWC

Honored by the American Watercolor Society with signature membership at the age of 30, Jackson discovered his passion for watercolor at Mississippi State University in 1985. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Missouri in 1992, and has since been relentless in pursuit of his creative dreams, receiving top honors in national and international competitions, contributing his art to a vast library of magazines and books and sharing his creative influence to all corners of the earth.

Plymouth Center for the Arts
11 North Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
Call to Artists: Art in the City
Presented by Family Health Center of Worcester, MA

Postponed Until Friday, October 2, 2020

Family Health Center of Worcester is pleased to invite artists to participate in our 22nd annual Art in the City fundraising gala. Art in the City raises funds to directly support critical health services for over 35,000 low-income, culturally diverse individuals cared for by Family Health Center. Dozens of local artists donate original works of art which are available for auction at the gala. Art in the City's silent art auction is the pinnacle of the event. This year, we hope you will consider joining our family of artists by donating an original piece of your artwork.

For 47 years, Family Health Center has been providing comprehensive medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, and social services in Greater Worcester and South Worcester County regardless of patients' ability to pay. Your donation will help us achieve our vision of compassionate, quality care where every person matters.

Art in the City will be held on Friday, October 2, 2020 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Washburn Hall at Mechanics Hall in downtown Worcester. Donating artists are invited to attend the gala as our guest for the evening. We will feature your artwork in an online gallery of donated works at www.ArtintheCity.org. The website and event program book will also include your artist statement and a link to your website or online gallery.

You may submit the Call to Artists form online. We hope you will participate in Art in the City. If you have any questions, please contact Development Associate, Lindsay MacPhail, at 508-860-7951. Your talent helps create a healthier community and we appreciate your support.

Lindsay MacPhail
Development Associate
Family Health Center of Worcester, Inc.
26 Queen Street
Worcester, MA 01610

Telephone: 508-860-7951
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.fhcw.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyHealthCenterofWorcester
 
The Little Gallery at Town Hall
Westminster, MA

Westminster now has a public art gallery open for showings by Westminster artists. "The Little Gallery at Town Hall" is now accepting applications from artists or artist groups who would like to exhibit 2-D work for a month-long show. For more information, visit the Town of Westminster website.

"The Little Gallery at Town Hall" is sponsored by the Westminster Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
 
Amherst Town Hall Gallery
Amherst Public Art Commission, Amherst, MA

The Amherst Public Art Commission invites area artists or groups of artists to submit work for consideration for exhibition in the Amherst Town Hall Gallery in 2020-2021 (July 2020-June 2021.) Both established and emerging artists are encouraged to apply. Exhibitions are on display for two months, and artists are asked to participate in the monthly Amherst Arts Night Plus (first Thursday of the month) during their show.

Various hanging media including painting, photography, drawing, printmaking, pastels, mixed media, fiber and illustration will be considered.

Submission requirements: Completed application, artist statement and/or resume, and 5 digital images. A $20 entry fee is payable upon acceptance to exhibit. Applications must be received no later than January 19, 2020. Artists will be notified of the jury's decision by February 9, 2020

Applications may be completed online

Please send questions to Amy at [email protected]
 
The Art Exhibit Committee
Athol Public Library
Athol Public Library
The Art Exhibit Committee of the Athol Public Library invites area artists to submit work for consideration for exhibition in the library's conference room.

The committee will review work for one person shows on an ongoing basis.

Various hanging media including painting, drawing, printmaking, illustration, photography, textiles and mixed media are eligible.

Application forms with submission requirements are available at the library circulation desk and online at:  www.athollibrary.org and
http://tinyurl.com/ptswy4v

For more information please or call Heidi at 879-248-9995 or email: [email protected]
 
 
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Resources 
Resources for Artists
The Fitchburg Cultural Alliance

Go to our website to sign up for our newsletter and check out our calendar of events in the North Central region.

A vibrant force advancing arts and culture in the Fitchburg community and in the North Central Massachusetts region.

www.fitchburgculturalalliance.org

Art Support & Other

Art Support is a website dedicated to providing support and resources for artists of all types.

The following is just a small list of support provided to artists: Organizations Helping Visual Artists, US Government Art Organizations, State Agencies and Art Commissions, Non Governmental Art Organizations, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Laws Regarding Visual Arts, Artist Consultants, Grants for Artists & Grant Assistance, Artist Health Insurance, and many other legal support and resources for Massachusetts artists.

________________

Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) and check out the MCC blog ArtSake

The Painter's Keys where you can subscribe to twice weekly letters from artist Robert Genn.

Visit the Arts Marketing Project website for info, ideas, tools and training on marketing art.

Princeton Arts Society Blog

Mini Grants for Professional Development are available through NewVue Communities. More information.

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Opportunities 
Exhibit & Other Opportunities for Artists & Musicians
(Ongoing)
Exhibit Opportunities
Heywood Hospital Wound Care Center  Gardner, MA   (GALA Sponsored Venue)
Contact Vicki Heidorn a [email protected]  or 978-630-2340

Contact Alice Struthers a[email protected]  or 978-597-2057

The Arts Alliance has quarterly exhibits at the Hudson Town Hall, so if you are interested in a solo exhibit of your work, contact Danielle Moskowitz at (978) 562-1646 or [email protected].
 
Falmouth Artists Guild  Falmouth, MA

Post Road Art Center   Marlborough, MA
 
The Library is always looking for exhibitors to show their work in the Art Gallery. If you are interested in exhibiting as an individual or a group, please contact the Library Director, Kathleen D. Leslie at 978-632-5298 or  [email protected] 
 
Workers' Credit Union   Gardner, MA
The bank offers the opportunity for a small display of artwork at the 171 Main St. branch in Gardner. For more info, contact Monica Whitehouse at 978-632-9207.

Art & Music Instruction Opportunity
The  West Boylston Arts Foundation (WBAF) is always looking for artists, crafters, or musicians that would like to offer workshops or classes. 

Donating a portion of the course fee to the WBAF to support school arts & music would be most welcome. 

If interested, please contact  Mark Baldi (508) 767-2803 - work  (508) 835-6489 - home

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More Exhibits & Classes
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We Need Your Help! 
(Ongoing)
There are many ways to volunteer! Please email  [email protected]  to express your interest in helping out with our organization.

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NewsletterSubmissions Newsletter Submissions
Have news about exhibits, awards, events, classes, call for artists
or other art info?
Please send your news "publication ready" to  [email protected] . See  previous newsletters   for example formats and the type of info to provide.  We strongly recommend that you include a digital image related to the news  as well as your website address & links to any venues.  Image filenames should include the name of the artist and the work.  Please post your press releases online whenever possible and submit a link.  

 

Submission deadline is the 23rd of each month 
for publication on the 1st of the following month.

Inclusion of items/announcements is always at the discretion of GALA, but inclusion of submissions from non-members is limited to information deemed to be of benefit to
GALA members.

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award All Star Award
GALA has achieved Constant Contact's All Star Award for 10 years in a row (2009-2018) for demonstrating best practices in the use of email marketing.

Award winners were selected from over 500,000 organizations in recognition for setting the standard of being a responsible, engaged, professional, and successful online marketer.

GALA continues its efforts to put out an informational, entertaining newsletter every month to inform its members of recent, current and future art news.
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