Julio Granda Retrospective Spans Two Downtown Pittsfield Galleries

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Pittsfield - Sometimes the work of one artist overflows what a single exhibition space can hold. In the case of celebrated 76-year-old artist Julio Granda, a thirty-five year resident of the Berkshires, former professor and head of the Fine Arts Department of Berkshire Community College, and mentor to dozens of other artists in the region, two gallery spaces are partnering in an innovative show highlighting work from just one decade of this prolific artist’s work. The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts gallery and the Storefront Artist Project Mainspace will both be featuring work by Julio Granda from 1980-1990, an active and vibrant period of his career where his paintings and drawings explored the expressive qualities of the line. Berkshire Eagle’s art critic Charles Bonenti wrote of Granda’s work in 1983: "we come away from Granda's work with a sense of having touched some cosmic or spiritual principle. We have been led to confront…the complexity and ambiguity that can exist in linear, spatial and color relationships..." An opening reception for the artist will be held in both exhibition spaces on Friday, August 3. The opening at the Lichtenstein Center gallery, located at 28 Renne Avenue , is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., followed by the reception at the Storefront Artist Project Mainspace, located around the corner at 124 Fenn Street , from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Both shows are open from August 1 to September 15, 2007. The opening receptions are sponsored in part by The Kinderhook Group and Sabor Restaurant: Contemporary Latin American Cuisine. Granda, a prolific artist whose career spans over several decades, is a true poet of line and space. Reminiscent of Lorca's poetry, his works take us into a different universe that denies concrete space. Seemingly simplistic, the juxtaposition of shapes and colors in his paintings and drawings is never pure abstraction but rather an animating force that gives his work dynamism and vitality. Julio Granda has been living in the Berkshires for the past 35 years after moving here from New York City. He received his Master’s of Fine Arts at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst and also studied at School of Visual Arts and the Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. He served both as Fine Arts faculty and as Chairman of the Fine Arts Department with the Berkshire Community College. Recent exhibitions include Simon's Rock College of Bard in Great Barrington, Tokonoma Gallery in Housatonic and Ute Stebich Gallery in Lenox. Gallery hours at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, where Granda’s paintings will be shown, are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 noon to 5 p.m. Public hours at the Storefront Artist Project Mainspace, where Granda’s drawings are highlighted, are Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. For more information on the Julio Grand exhibition, visit www.culturalpittsfield.com or contact the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts at 413.499.9348 or the Storefront Artist Project at 413.442.7201 and www.storefrontartist.org.
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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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