Between the relentless sunlight of a Western Massachusetts’ summer day and the inevitable pouring of the unexpected outlash of Mother Nature, are days filled with hiking, kayaking, swimming and an endless bounty of art institutions and galleries to visit. There could easily be three or four incarnations of this article, and there would still be more art venues on the roster. And being situated so close to Vermont and New York, Western Massachusetts is a perfect jumping off spot for even more exploration. This grouping is relatively centralized, and this time of year seems to call for mostly energetic and celebratory works, a reflection of the generosity of the scope of the surrounding area.
Shelburne Falls is well known for its Bridge of Flowers, among other attractions, and is a very highly recommended town for tourists. Situated in Franklin County on the Mohawk Trail, parallel with natural phenomena such as the Glacial Holes and the Deerfield River, is a nexus of a downtown area offering galleries and eating establishments. Here is the home of the Shelburne Arts Cooperative, an expansive collection of unusual and carefully curated art and craft offerings from mostly local artists. Featured on the walls presently is the work of Nina Rossi, layered “mindscapes” of digital photography with embellishments of crystals and rhinestones. The frames are an extension of the surface work, and incorporate additional materials, such as wood, and natural elements. The works are painstakingly done, each rhinestone hand placed and glued in distinct patterns, complimenting the basic composition suggested by the photographic skeleton. The artist also offers ceramic wall pieces. In “Hungry Ghost,” Rossi incorporates textiles into the ceramic base. The piece reads as cellular, microscopic representation of separation, with the forms magnetizing, to attempt a Pangea-like continent; this motion, which is not motion, creates a tension on the surface. The crackling of the glaze enhances the suggestion of earth-like matter. In the shop proper, the artist also has gorgeous renditions of her favorite animal, the under-appreciated slug, done in both silver and felt. Rossi is the undisputed champion of this animal.