Vol. II, No. 3: 1. This Month: Art on Main, An Artists' Co-Op Comes to Bristol

Art on Main
An Artists' Co-Op Comes to Bristol ...
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Wall hangings, paintings, pottery, glass-
work, sculpture and much more await the
visitors of Art on Main

It's one of Murphy's classic laws: Things always take longer. But what Murphy's Law doesn't tell you is the corollary ... that enough patience and perseverance can pay off in the long run. That's what the Bristol Friends of the Arts discovered, much to their pleasure, when they finally opened Art On Main -- the new artists' co-op gallery which had been in planning for the past two years. But it wasn't only the Bristol Friends of the Arts who were pleased. ...

At the grand opening last month, Art on Main -- located on Main Street behind Deerleap Books -- delighted a good crowd with displays of the works of no less than eighty artists and craftspeople from the DownStreet neighborhood and elsewhere in Vermont and New England. And, as even the most casual visitor to Art on Main will discover, there're not only a lot of artists on display, but a lot of quality work, as well.

As one might expect, there are paintings and photography, ceramics and glass, textiles and wood, and more. And as you would expect from a juried selection, all of it is absolutely worth viewing. But part of the joy of visiting Art on Main is what that 'more' entails. ...

Some things old, and some things new ...
Take, for example, the traditional crafts of Keith or Frances Hall. Keith's element is wood. So, you'll find an umbrella-like stand filled with Keith's canes, long dapper ones and heftier weights with large burl handles and in-lays. Or take a gander at his burl snail, a solid little piece that brings together the best of found-art and handcraft. Frances, on the other hand, works in a different folk tradition, with exquisitely hand-painted goose eggs and apple-head dolls to her credit. The latter were so realistic that, when we got back with our photos, we spent 20 minutes trying to figure out who had gotten into one of the pictures inadvertently, only to realize that it was one of Frances's dolls!

You'll also find an assortment of stained glass, including work from Biffie Gallant at a Touch of Glass over in Warren. And among her work is a series of stained glass kaleidoscopes, with spin-wheels beyond the prisms. {You've got to pick one up and point it at any of the ample lighting. The display is marvelous.} And then there are the boxed assemblages of Karla Van Vliet, Madonnas with doves or flowers or stars. Or take the fine carved earrings of Kenneth Klingler. Fashioned as birds' feathers, including those of endangered species, the pieces are so intricate and life-like that one patron worried he would get in trouble with environmental protection. And if animal life is your fancy, you might also want to take a look at the jewelry of Mimi McGee, who wraps a bit of silver magic around hand-cast stones she makes ... from molds of vertebrae and other animal bones.
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With friends like these ...
When we weren't busy framing the photos for our shoot or just looking in awe at some of what's to be found there, we spent most of our time at Art on Main talking with their congenial manager, Jan Fead. ... An artist herself, Jan is managing the gallery with the help of volunteers from the Bristol Friends of the Arts [BFA] and some of the artists whose works are on display. She noted that artists whose works are on display have the option of volunteering 5 hours each month at Art on Main in exchange for a lower commission share.

... When we asked Jan what her medium was, she ran off a litany of things -- "pastels, water colors, oils ... basically, anything that stands still."

Jan noted that the gallery will not only be displaying work, but running workshops and hosting art-related meetings for local groups, as well. She explained that all of the proceeds from the gallery will be rolled back into the effort to maintain and expand the facilities and programs.

The gallery will be open through January, then, at which point a core group of the 75-plus member BFA will assess the prospects and try to make some long-term plans.

Jan is obviously enthusiastic about the gallery. ... She told us about the long and hard work of the BFA.

Up to this point, Bristol Friends of the Arts has been successful in promoting the arts through scholarships, help with string instrument rentals, extra funds for concerts and music in the schools, donations of art materials to Bristol Rec, a Five Town Arts Directory, and, as they note in their own literature, "a certain amount of lobbying on the part of the arts." But Art on Main is by far the most ambitious endeavor they've taken on to date.

When we asked Jan how things were going so far, she was encouraged by the community's response so far. "At our opening," she explained. "People came in waves." And since then, there's been a fairly steady stream of visitors." Indeed, while we were there, to a person, everyone who came through the door exclaimed out loud their reactions: "This is delightful." ... "I'm surprised. I didn't expect this." ... "This is great!"

Whether because you want to support local arts and artists, or simply because you love fine arts and crafts, you really ought to visit Art on Main. ...

And if you'd like just a small sample of what you'll find there, we invite you to visit this month's showing of works from Art on Main at the DownStreet Gallery. ...

Contact Information
Art on Main 25C Main Street {Behind Deerleap Books} Bristol, VT 05443 {802} 453-5245 Website: http://www.artonmain.net	Bristol Friends of the Arts Meetings: 4th Monday of each month Where: Deerleap Books Time: 7:00 p.m. WebPg.: http://www.bristolrec.org/bfa

If you know of any artists or craftsmen/-women whose work you think deserves attention, don't hesitate to let us know. Simply e-mail us at

And just in case you were wondering, self-promotion is acceptable. ...
The e-mail should contain your name, address, and a phone number where we can reach you, as well as some brief background about the art or craft. If you are recommending that we cover someone else's work, you should ask that person for permission, then also include his or her name, address, and phone number.