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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 
www.galagardner.org   Visit GALA on Facebook
FEBRUARY 2014

FEBRUARY'S NEWS
GALA 2014 Spring Art Show
GALA Exploring Opportunities
GALA Members' Upcoming 2014 Events
Paula Botch's Photography on Display
Lisa Regopoulos' Upcoming Solo Show
Guy Biechele's Award
Studio 4 Potters & Gallery Exhibit
Post Road Art Center Art Show
Weave a Scarf in a Day
Braid a Rug
Alicia Drakiotes' Upcoming Art Class
GALA's Featured Artist
Len Haug's News.
The Nave Gallery.
Princeton Art Society Member Show
Sharon Arts Center's Upcoming Classes
Worcester Art Museum Upcoming Classes
Call for Poetry
Custom Canvas Stretching.
Exhibitors Needed
Art Exhibit Opportunities
Miscellaneous
Submissions
Send Us Feedback!
 [email protected]
Confirm Dates & Times
For shows/events, please contact the facility to confirm dates and times.
GALA Board Members
Kevin Bird, President
Mike Williams, Chairperson
Jeff Gallant, Treasurer
Vicki Heidorn, Secretary
Guy Biechele
Ashley Bird
Chuck Heidorn 
Welcome New Members!
Robert Osborne
Margot Parrot
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GALA 2014 Spring Art Show with Live Music! 
Opening Reception: Friday, March 21, 6-9:30 pm 
with Art Awards announced at 7:00 pm
GALA will hold a silent auction,
art raffle & artist demos. 
Judges include Jessica Roscio
Assistant Curator, Danforth Art Museum 
and Honee A. Hess 
Executive Director, Worcester Center for Crafts
Read about our distinguished judges 
 
Entry Deadline: February 14th 
 
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Gardner Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Visit their website at
GALA's Current Focus and How You Can Help
GALA is in the process of exploring opportunities to create a local Art Center. There is research, talks, sharing of ideas, and preliminary meetings and talks with local businesses and organizations to help bring an art center in the Gardner Area from an idea to a reality for all the area's artists, young and old. An art center would provide a local gathering place for workshops, classes, exhibits, and demonstrations; as well as, a place to share ideas and creativity with fellow artists. The idea of a local area art center is an excellent one, and it needs to take the next step from the idea phase to the creation phase, and that's the focus of the GALA Board at present.  
GALA could use some assistance with fund raising and grant writing to assist in making an art center a reality.  If you or someone you know would like to volunteer to assist with fund raising and/or grant writing, please let the GALA Board of Directors know via the website.  
GALA Members' Upcoming 2014 Events
We are excited to announce dates for some of our 2014 Member Events. The following are FREE to GALA members. If you haven't renewed your 2014 membership yet, please do so now and join us at the following events: 
GALA Artists Circle 
Have you been spending the winter months working on your artwork? Would you like to get some feedback on and insight into what you've created?  Please join us for coffee, tea and conversation. Please bring two pieces of your artwork to present to the group. Whether you are a novice or a master, it's always a fascinating conversation when creative minds come together to talk about color, composition, and technique.  
The Artists Circle will meet at the Heywood Memorial Library, Gardner on the following Saturday mornings from 10AM-Noon: March 1, April 5, May 3, September 6, October 4, November 1
To Register for the March 1st event, click here. 
En Plein Air with GALA
Come and join your fellow artists for painting, drawing, photography, or any portable medium that expresses your creativity in the fresh air. It will be a relaxing, informal, creative day with Joe Smith leading the group. What will you need? Anything that will help you create art outside of your studio. The hope is for a couple of hours capturing the scenery as only artists can, then convening for a gathering afterwards to gain perspective on the day's results. The group will meet on the following Saturdays (times to be announced):  June 21@ Birch Hill Wildlife Area, Royalston;  July 19 @ Joe Smith's garden, Phillipston;  August 16 @ Doanes Falls, Royalston;  September 20 in the Downtown Gardner area.
Each of the En Plein Air gatherings will be weather permitting,   Joe Smith or his designee will let participant know should a gathering need to be cancelled or postponed.  Lets all do a happy, artsy, sun-dance before each gathering!
Watch for more information on registering for the June event in the April and May Newsletters. 
 
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Paula Botch's Photography at the Heywood Hospital Center for Wound Care
Paula Botch
 
 
The visual art of Paula Botch will be available to view in the waiting room at the Heywood Hospital Center for Wound Care, February 2 - March 27. 
Paula's photographs offer a refreshing variety and playfulness. Her art is for sale by contacting the artist. If you are walking through Heywood Hospital on some medical errand or if you would like to see the exhibit, you may visit the Center for Wound Care during regular hours, Monday through Friday. 
More about Paula, go to her Artist's Statement.                  

 

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Lisa Regopoulos' Upcoming Solo Show
Waterfall by Lisa Regopoulos
Lisa Regopoulos will be having a Solo Show entitled, "Pastels - Color, Light and Motion" at the Townsend Public Library, 12 Dudley Road, Townsend, MA, which will be open to the public beginning February 19th. A Closing Reception is scheduled March 30th, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. This show will be compilation of original pastels, Giclee prints, and note cards from her garden/floral series, night scenes, seascapes and will feature her new series of Waterfalls! Save the date, stop by and see the show, listen to live music by violinist, Dawn Gardetto and enjoy some refreshments. Attend her Closing Reception and automatically be entered into a raffle for a limited edition Giclee print.
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Guy Biechele's Award 
Island View by Guy Biechele
Guy Biechele has won the First Place Award at the Annual Autumn Area Art Exhibit at the JaffreyCivic Center for his award for his photograph "View from the Star Island Hotel". It is an infrared
photograph taken with a fisheye lens, from the porch of the hotel on Star Island, NH.
The Annual Autumn Area Art Exhibit was held at the Jaffrey Civic Center from November 22 - December 21, 2013.
More of his infrared photography can be seen on my web site at: http://www.guybiechele.com/galleries/Infrared-Photography/index.htm 
 
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Studio 4 Potters & Gallery Exhibit



Studio 4 Potters & Gallery "Creations in Clay" will be featured at Mount Wachusett Community College's East Wing Gallery from  February 3rd- Mar 7th. The show is curated by Joyce MIller. The potters displaying selections of their works are: Marion Lyon, Steve Landry, John Bennard and Fe Fandreyer
Visit their Facebook page to see more on Studio $ Potters & Gallery.

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Post Road Art Center Art Show
Post Road Art Center by SWeber done with a smartphone


Post Road Art Center's upcoming art show is "Seasons."
The show runs from March 6th though the 26th. 
The drop-off is during business hours, February 20th through 27th.  The opening reception is March 6th, 5:30-8:00 pm. 
The show will be judged by David Glaser of the Harvard Art Museums.
Follow this link for the registration form.


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Weave a Scarf in a Day
Weave a Scarf in a Day at Petersham Art Center
"Weave a Scarf in a Day," a class taught by textile artist Jennifer Baum, will be held at the Petersham Art Center on Sunday, February 23, from 11AM to 5PM. Participants will learn how to create a beautiful artwork scarf and leave by the end of the day with their own heirloom chenille scarf to treasure.
Beginners and experienced weavers alike are welcome. Ms. Baum has over 12 years of experience in the art of weaving and has had her work chosen for juried exhibits. She will guide the class through the process of choosing yarn, deciding on patterns and colors, and finally how to weave the scarf itself.
The cost for the class is $27.50 for members and for nonmembers. There is a $35 materials fee for chenille yarn. A loom will be provided for each participant to use. People should bring their own brown bag lunch. Call the Petersham Art Center to register or to get more information at 978-724-3415. 
 
Braid a Rug!
Rug Braiding Class with Alice Zanga
The Petersham Art Center welcomes acclaimed textile artist, Alice Zanga, to return with her popular rug braiding class for six consecutive evenings, from February 5th through March 12th, from 6:30 to 8:30PM. The class will take place in the Davis Room of the Unitarian church in Petersham to give room to expand for the classwork. Everyone is welcome to participate, from beginner to expert, to enjoy the fun and challenge of creating their own masterpiece.
The cost of the class for six sessions is $50 for members and $65 for nonmembers. Classes dates are February 5th, 12th, 19th, February 26th, and March 5th and March 12th.
Call the Petersham Art Center at 978-724-3415 for information or to register. The Art Center is a non-profit center promoting fine art and craft in the region and is located at 8 North Street, off Rt. 32, in Petersham. The Unitarian Church, where the classes will be held, is located on the Town Common, Main Street, Petersham. For more information on the Petersham Art Center, follow the Facebook link in the previous article.
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Alicia Drakiotes' Upcoming Art Class at Sharon Arts Center
COMING APRIL 1st to Sharon Arts Center:
Creating a Series: BUILDING YOUR CREATIVITY
(formerly Out of the Rut)
As artists, we all dream of special projects. "Creating a Series"
reminds us that we need more than one work of art to explore an idea
or technique. In this discussion-based and critique-oriented class,
students will identify their artistic longings, formulate realistic
goals for a series of paintings or drawings which express these
longings and push their creativity to a new level.These goals will be
accomplished in a supportive group environment. All members of this
class will complete at least five pieces outside of class. Students
who need studio time are welcome to create during class. All levels
and all media are welcome. Prerequisite: Some drawing and painting
                                          skills. Limit: 12          To register go to Sharon Arts Center.
 
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GALA's Featured Artist
My Sweet Lady


GALA's featured artist beginning January 1st will be Paula J. Botch. You can read her artist's statement and see her amazing photography on the GALA website.
 
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Len Haug's News

Len Haug's paper mosaic painting titled "
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail" (right) created in 2013 was only one of 12 entries out of 301 works of art entered by 155 artists to be awarded a cash or gift certificate prize at the Attleboro Art Museum Members' Exhibition Reception held on Saturday, December 14th. The Exhibition runs through January 31 st. 
The juror, Kathleen Hancock, is the Gallery Director of the Grimshaw-Gudewicz Art Gallery in Fall River, MA. The Attleboro Art Museum is located at 86 Park Street in downtown Attleboro.

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The Nave Gallery Love Shack Exhibit
heart image courtesy of sweber


On February 14th, The Nave Gallery Annex in Somerville will open their exhibition, Love Shack.  The exhibition runs through March 1st and will feature artists exploring themes related specifically to Valentine's Day and/or more broadly, love.  The exhibit will be juried by Bill Kouwenhoven.  The gallery is located at Chester Street, Somerville, MA.
 
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Princeton Art Society Member Show
PAS member Sid Solomon is having a large show at the Sprinkler Factory Gallery in Worcester, MA.  "Sid Solomon, The First 80 Years" will be on display at 38 Harlow Street, Worcester from 
February 1 to 28, 2014. The many faces of Dr. Sid will be revealed in over 100 artworks--oils, pastels, watercolors, drawings, sculpture, lightboxes and sumi-e paintings. The show will be open for viewing on Saturdays from 1 to 4 pm, or by appointment. The opening reception at the gallery is on Friday, February 7 from 6 to 9 pm (snow date Saturday, February 8 from 6-9 pm). This exhibit is made possible by the Worcester Arts Council, a local Cultural Council supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information, visit the Sprinkler Factory Gallery
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Sharon Arts Center's Upcoming Classes and Workshops 
Sharon Arts Center's Winter/Spring 2014 Catalog of Workshops and Classes is available on their website to review or download. 
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Worcester Art Museum Upcoming Classes
Visit Worcester Art Museum's Calendar of upcoming events, exhibits and classes.  WAM has a wide variety of classes for adult or children, from novice to advanced.  They even offer classes online!  Check out their calendar and events, perhaps there is something to interest you or someone you know.  WAM is located at 55 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA. 
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Call for Poetry
Attention Poets! 
The Gardner News is looking for poetry submissions from area writers for potential publication in their Monday editions.  It could be a great opportunity to showcase your talents.
For consideration, please submit your works via e-mail to [email protected]
or mail them to The Gardner News
Attn: Dan Kittredge
309 Central Street
Gardner, MA 0144
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Custom Canvas Stretching
image courtesy of winnond/freedigitalphotos.net



Doreen LaScola would like to offer services for stretching custom sized canvases.
You supply the materials, and she will do the work! Please call 978-297-3427 for a labor-only quote and to arrange an appointment.


Levi Heywood Memorial Library Exhibitors Needed
The Library is always looking for exhibitors to show their work in the Art Gallery there.
If you are interested in exhibiting as an individual or a group,
please see the guidelines and other pertinent information at
Levi Heywood Memorial Library.
You can contact Kathleen D. Leslie, Director of the Levi Heywood Memorial Library
in Gardner at 978-632-5298, or email her at [email protected].
 
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Art Exhibit Opportunities
Heywood Hospital Wound Care Center: contact Vicki Heidorn by email or phone. Email address is [email protected] and her phone is 978-630-2340.
The Townsend Meeting Hall Art Gallery: contact Alice Struthers by email at [email protected] or call her at 978-597-2057.
Workers' Credit Union offers the opportunity for a small display of artwork at the bank at 171 Main St., Gardner, MA. For more info, contact Monica Whitehouse at 978-632-9207.

More Shows, Classes, Exhibits, Resources, Etc... 
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

Art-Support
This 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.
Check out the website for additional information and explore the multiple links to other resources for artists.

River's Edge Art Alliance
The Arts Alliance has quarterly exhibits at the Hudson Town Hall, so if you are interested in a solo exhibit of your work, contact Lyn Johnson at (978) 562-1646 or email her at [email protected]

Websites of Interest to 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
Newsletter Submissions
Have news about awards, shows, events, classes, or new gallery representation?
Have an article you would like to submit?
Please send it "
publication ready
,
" as we need to minimize the need for editing, 
to Sue Weber at [email protected] or the GALA mailing address..
If able, please include a digital image to include in the newsletter.  
The image should be no larger than 300 MB for easier publication.
Submission deadline is the 21st of each month to be included in 
the newsletter sent out on the 1st.
Inclusion of items/announcements is always at the discretion of GALA,
and inclusion of submissions from non-members is limited to
information deemed to be of benefit to GALA members.
 
All Star Award
2012 Winner
GALA won Constant Contact's All Star Award 4 years in a row (2008-2012) 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 it's efforts to put out an informational, entertaining newsletter every month to inform it's members of recent, current and future art news.