North Adams - The illuminated, cream-colored walls of Main Street's Gallery 51 appeared almost alive with color, form, fantasy, and sharp social commentary inked out in black-and-white during a March 2 "North Adams Illustrators" opening reception.
The exhibit features the work of Howard Cruse, Emily Daunis and John Shamburger. During its' first opening hour, the exhibit lured about 70 people to the gallery. Cruse, Daunis, and Shamburger mixed and mingled with reception guests.
Just Cruse-in'Cruse's work has been published frequently in many magazines. His graphic novel "Stuck Rubber Baby" has been translated to several languages and was named one of "The Best 100 Comics of the Century" by the Comics Journal. His resume includes work for the Birmingham, Al. -based "Birmingham Post-Herald" as writer/artist of a "Tops and Bottom" daily cartoon. He is the founding editor of "Gay Comix," which appeared as an underground comic in 1980.
Cruse was a cartooning instructor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City from 1996 to 1998, and he plans to teach a cartooning course at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts during the fall 2006 semester.
Cruse, a Birmingham native, and his partner Ed Sedarbaum came to North Adams from New York City in 2003. Both are pleased with the move, Cruse said.
"It's a comfortable area," he said. "Eddie and I really like the mountains. This was a big change for a Southern boy, but so was New York."
The "North Adams experience" has been more positive on several fronts that the "New York City experience," Cruse said.
"The New York experience is one of not getting stuff into a gallery for one thing," Cruse said.
A growing city artist population is beginning to connect and communicate, Cruse said.
"The artists community is getting to know each other, and that's good."
While there are those involved in the fine art world who snub cartooning as an art form, most people embrace the expression, Cruse said.
"Cartooning has long been considered an arts 'step-child,' by those in the fine art world" he said. "I've been 'cartooning' one way or another since I was six years old; cartooning is irresistible. It's just fun and everyone feels that they are welcomed in."
Cruse said that for many years, he "shied away" from color because most pigments weren't suited for use in a small apartment. He has brought color to his work, and said that much of his color is done using a photo shop computer program. Computer technology has helped cartoonists in several ways, Cruse said.
"It's nice to be able to use the programs, to enlarge things, to be able to get in there like a little ant and touch things up," he said.
And the Internet has allowed artists to leave the big cities and live and work in less congested, chaotic regions.
"We are enjoying the quieter pace up here and it's possible because of the Internet," Cruse said. "Otherwise, it would be foolish to be so far from the center of publishing. [The Internet] is very empowering; I was a little suspicious at first. I thought it was less human, but it has turned out to be very empowering."
The Daunis Factor
E-mail, PDF files, and other Internet features have proven helpful to Daunis' Northern Berkshire-based career as well, she said.
"The Internet makes it possible to live anywhere," she said. "Why live in a crowded city when you don't have to?"
Daunis most recent illustration appears on the cover of "Essential Manners For Couples," a book written by Peter Post, a grandson of the etiquette authority Emily Post.
Her Gallery 51 exhibit includes large, colored drawings of parts of North Adams as well as drawings of women in various settings. Her work appeared to draw enormous interest and Daunis was surrounded by reception guests during most of the event.
"Illustration is typically not shown in a gallery," Daunis said. "I'm excited to be in the show here with Howard and John, especially because they are actually quite famous."
Daunis moved to the city from New York City to manage Papyri Books for her parents Michael and Lois Daunis. The couple purchased the Main Street book shop from former owner Karen Kane. Her parents plan to return to the area in the future, and her father, who spent his youth in Pittsfield, is especially eager to return to his roots, she said.
"The town is picking up steam and we'd like to help it along," Daunis said. "We work in the downtown and we want to be part of the downtown. It's all so beautiful. We'd really love to be able to stay."
Emily Daunis grew up in Belchertown, Mass., and majored in illustration at the Art Institute of Boston. She has created a series of illustrations based on impressions of the city.
Shamburger Finds "The Kid In Me"
John Shamburger's gallery pieces include large, colored artwork that reflect his passion for the surreal.
"This is based on the fantasy game and these particular pieces take on a surreal tone," he said. "I've always been drawn to science fiction and comic books. To me, it's the ultimate of imagination and it keeps me in touch with the kid in me. I try to put a realistic spin on whatever nonsense my mind creates."
Shamburger has earned two degrees in Scenography, which is the study of painting theatrical scenery. He has created illustrations for magazines, book covers, and posters. His more "mainstream" work benefits from computer technology, he said.
"Most of the work I do in illustration is more for marketing purposes and a lot of it is computer-generated," he said.
Shamburgers's Gallery 51 exhibit hosts all hand-drawn illustrations, he said.
"My paintings lean toward illustration with technique as well as subject matter," he said.
Shamburger has created a book cover for a book written by "up and coming" horror writer Scott Nicholson, he said.
Shamburger's wife Dawn Shamburger said that her husband does have favorite illustrators, among them, Michael Whelan, whose illustrations are included in author Stephen King's "Dark Tower" book series.
The exhibit has proven a genuine treat for Shamburger, he said.
"This is so exciting for me, to be able to show my work," he said. "Art is something I've always done and the marketing hasn't always been my strong point."
"And the exhibit shows the community what John does," said Dawn Shamburger.
Shamburger spent his childhood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and admitted that even though he is a native of the Deep South, the weather there did not agree with him.
"I've acclimated here very well," he said. "I've never been drawn to the heat. Rarely, very rarely, down in Louisiana, we'd get a little snow, and that was a big deal, a huge deal. I have to say I love it here. The mountains, the snow; everything is so beautiful."
The North Adams Illustrators exhibit will continue to April 23. Gallery 51 is open Thurs.-Sun., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m..
Additional information about Howard Cruse may be acquired at a www.howardcruse.com Internet website. The site has a link to Cruse's blog.
Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 802-823-9367.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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State Fire Marshal: 'Fall Back' Into Safety
STOW, Mass. —State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts are reminding residents to replace the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and replace outdated alarms when they change their clocks this weekend.
"Smoke and CO alarms can save your life and protect the people you care for, but only if they're working properly," said State Fire Marshal Davine. "As we 'fall back' this weekend, please take a few minutes to check the manufacturing date on the back of your alarms, replace them if they're outdated, and put fresh alkaline batteries in the alarms that use them."
"Smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years," said Brockton Fire Chief Brian Nardelli, who serves as president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts. "Carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced according to the manufacturer's instructions – usually 5, 7, or 10 years, depending on the make and model."
A 2015 update to the State Fire Code requires that replacement smoke alarms in most Massachusetts homes have sealed, 10-year batteries. Now, more than 10 years later, many alarms purchased to comply with the update are at or near the end of their useful lifespans.
State Fire Marshal Davine and Chief Nardelli offered these tips for anyone replacing out-of-date single-station smoke alarms. Following these guidelines will reduce the risk of a disabled or outdated alarm failing to alert residents:
Choose photoelectric alarms from a well-known, national brand
Look for the mark of an independent testing lab like UL or Intertek/ETL
Select alarms with a sealed, long-life battery and a "hush" feature"
Alarms that meet UL Standard 217, 8th edition or later, use the latest multi-criteria technology to reduce nuisance alarms caused by cooking smoke
If your alarms are less than 10 years old and take alkaline batteries, then put in fresh batteries to be sure you're protected all winter long. And remember to test your smoke and CO alarms once a month to be sure they're working properly.
Fire and CO Hazards Rise During Heating Season
In an average year, about 54 percent of Massachusetts residential fire deaths take place between November and March, State Fire Marshal Davine said, with home heating equipment being the second-leading cause of house fires in 2025. Carbon monoxide incidents start even earlier as residents start turning up the heat for the first time since summer.
"Carbon monoxide is a leading cause of accidental poisoning, and heating equipment is the main source of carbon monoxide at home," Chief Nardelli said. "We can't see, smell, or taste carbon monoxide. Working CO alarms on every level of your home are the only way to detect this invisible killer."
Massachusetts firefighters encountered carbon monoxide hazards at about 5,000 calls last year, State Fire Marshal Davine said.
Create & Practice a Home Escape Plan
"Changes to building construction and furnishings mean we have less time to escape a fire at home than ever before," said State Fire Marshal Davine. "You could have just three minutes to get out safely."
"Working smoke alarms and a practiced home escape plan are among the most fundamental and important tools for surviving a fire," said Chief Nardelli. "Be sure everyone in the home knows what to do and where to go when the alarm sounds, including young children, older adults, and persons with disabilities."
Fire officials recommend planning two ways out of the building, the apartment, and each room if possible. Be sure to select a family meeting spot a safe distance from the building.
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