Piling Face

Belfast, ME, We were in Belfast Maine and I saw this piling that someone had carved a face into. It looks like someone would have to do the carving during low tide.

A close-up of the face.

Housatonic Art League Summer Show 2011 at Dewey Hall

Sheffield, MA - I saw a sign for a FREE Art Show so I stopped in.

The art show is in Dewey Memorial Hall 91 Main Street (Rte. 7) Sheffield, MA. The juried show is open from June 30 - July 31, 2011. Hours are Daily 10am - 5pm, Fridays open until 6pm, Sundays 1pm - 5pm. There is also a Member show August 4 - September 5.

These are Free shows open to the public.

A note about the hall. It was built in 1887 to honor Orville Dewey who was born in Sheffield in 1794. He was a Unitarian Minister who preached in Boston, New Bedford, and New York. When he retired to his farm in Sheffield he founded the Sheffield Friendly Union Library Association. When he died, his family raised $10,000 to build the hall in his honor.

Frank and Joel at Sandisfield Arts Center

Sandisfield, MA - I saw these signs along the road, they are reminisent of the old Burma Shave signs. They are advertising the performance of Frank and Joel Brown at the Sandisfield Art Center. All I know about them is Joel plays the Guitar and Frank plays the Clarinet and they play swing era music. If you click on the link below and look in past performances there is a better description of Frank and Joel. Speaking of Burma Shave, I remember a "Burma Shave like ditty in Mad Magazine when I was a kid(many years ago), Beer Cans along the roadside...are litter people say...but at night...they shine so bright...to safely guide the way...Burma Shave. Well, as my mother used to say, "Why can't you remember your studies that well?"


This is the Sandisfield Art Center. In 1839 it was built as a Baptist Meeting House and remaind that way for 83 years and then became the only known rural Orthodox synagogue on record in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for another 75 years. In 1995 a group of people got together to save the building and turned it into a non-profit performing arts center. Read more about it and future and past performers here Sandisfield Arts Center

It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rock Art

Burlington, VT - Along the Burlington Bikeway is this beach with all this rock art. Here are a few examples.


Passion!


Peace and Love


Rock Arches


A whole series of rock art.


Rock Machine


Stacks


Tiled Rock

Gyotaku - Fish Prints

Gyotaku is the art of fish printing, originally done to record the size of their catch. You don't have all the way to Japan to get print of a fish; now you can get a print of a native Vermont fish on a shirt for all to see at Emile A. Gruppe Gallery at Jericho Settlers Farm,



The shirts are made by Brian Swisher and Gretchen Alexander with fish caught in Vermont. Most of the prints are made with Bluegill, Pumpkinseed,Perch, or Crappie. The fish are washed, eyes plucked out, and fins pinned out. The fish are then coated with a thin layer of heat set fabric paint.



The shirt is laid on the fish and rubbed to transfer the paint. The fish is re-inked between printings. Then the "chop" (traditional Japanese signature) is stamped that reads "water", "art", and "life". Then the paint is set with an iron.



Information: Pamphlet on table

Roadside Frog

Cornwall Bridge, CT - Someone painted this rocck to look like a frog. I remember seeing this "frog" years ago so it must be a landmark by now.

Roadside Art

In my travels I have passed art work on the side of the road. Here are a few examples.


Whale Tails



Shiny Wheel



The Metal Curtain

ART ON THE FARMINGTON

While kayaking on the Farmington River I saw this art work display.

ARTOMAT

Northampton, MA - I spied this vending machine in front of a store in Northampton MA; sorry I did not get the name of the store. This machine dispenses small pieces of art instead of cigarettes...cool.

Thanks to MJ who let me know that this machine is in the lobby of "Faces" 175 Main St. Northampton.

MJ also gave me the website for the Art-o-Mat