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The main sanctuary of the former church will house installation space for Eric Rudd's own work.
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Outdoor artwork at the Rudd Art Museum.
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Artwork by Eric Rudd.
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Eric Rudd's artwork is waiting to be assembled in his new museum.
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Artwork by Eric Rudd.
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Another David Zaig painting, part of 'Figuring In.'
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Workers are busy preparing the museum for its series of openings.
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Much of the church's original stained glass remains.

Rudd Art Museum Ready to Open Its Doors — A Little

By Rebecca DravisiBerkshires Staff
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Berkshire artist David Zaig's portraits are part of the first exhibit, titled 'Figuring In,' at the Rudd Art Museum in North Adams, which is giving DownStreet Art visitors a sneak peek tonight.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art opened to much fanfare 15 years ago.

Next week, the Clark Art Institute will reopen with celebrations galore.

But on June 26, at the first DownStreet Art of the season, the new Rudd Art Museum opened much more quietly. And that's OK with founder Eric Rudd and museum director Keith Shaw.

"We have a 100-year plan," Rudd said Wednesday. "We intend to be around for a long, long time."

Rudd, via his Barbara and Eric Rudd Foundation, purchased the former First United Methodist Church on the corner of Main and Church streets in 2012 and has been doing renovations since to turn it into an art museum. The 20,000-square-foot space will house permanent galleries of five decades of Rudd's own work as well as two galleries that will feature work of Berkshire County artists.

At the June 26 DownStreet Art kickoff, visitors were treated to a "sneak peek" at the first of those exhibits, "Figuring In," which focuses on how a dozen selected Berkshire artists perceive the human figure.

"The museum wants to present to the public the art of the Berkshires," Shaw said Wednesday during a tour of the space, where workers buzzed with activity, setting up artwork as well as painting and doing minor repairs to the former church, which closed in 2008. "[Rudd] understands this has to be a countywide endeavor. He wants to represent the entire county."

Shaw said he doesn't think the public knows how many talented artists live in the Berkshires, and the Rudd Art Museum — RAM, for short — aims to change that by offering museum-quality regional art in one place, a "clearinghouse," so to speak.

"[Visitors] will be shocked at what artistic talent calls the Berkshires home," Shaw said. "Instead of trying to hit all of the galleries in the county, just come here."

The new Rudd Arts Museum is located in the old First United Methodist Church in North Adams.

RAM will not sell art, Shaw said, but will provide information on contacting the artists. The museum does not plan to charge admission, instead relying on sponsors like the Massachusetts Cultural Council as well as a host of small local businesses and individuals.

"I've had a plan for more than 25 years to try to preserve my work," Rudd said. "I know that in doing something credible and successful, I needed to include others and to have constant relevant activity — i.e., an art museum — with changing shows and activities that could complete globally but with a shoestring budget. 

"In North Adams, we can do for pennies what in other parts of the country would take thousands of dollars."

Rudd has gone this direction before, opening the nearby "Chapel for Humanity" in another downtown church. Its success led to the idea behind the Methodist church renovation into an art museum, which serves another important purpose, Shaw said.

"It's all about preserving what's good about New England," he said, pointing out original woodwork and pieces of arts-and-crafts furniture that had been left behind.

Visitors at the DownStreet Art kickoff were treated to a taste of the flavor of that; the remainder of the "Figuring In" exhibit will open July 11 after the Eagle Street Beach celebration — a brainchild of Rudd himself as well. The exhibits of Rudd's artwork will open in the coming weeks and months; two of his large pieces on the museum's lawn have already sparked discussion around town.

"We don't want to flood the senses of people with too much stuff," Shaw said. "[Rudd] put a lot of through and labor into this."


Tags: art center,   art gallery,   church reuse,   DownStreet Art,   downtown,   exhibit,   museum,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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