Harrison Gallery finds timing right for opening in Williamstown

Print Story | Email Story
Harrison Gallery co-proprietor Jo Ellen Silipo thinks the timing is right for opening their fine arts gallery on Spring Street in Williamstown, and so far the reception is proving her right. “I think the timing’s right,” said Silipo. “We have a culturally experienced market here. And people come to visit the Clark for the “Impression” exhibit; there’s the Williams College Museum of Art’s 75th anniversary, and MASS MoCA’s hitting. ‘I’m not going back to my software job,” said Silipo, who spent 22 years in the computer field after graduating from Williams College. “People are receiving us well.” “We sold 37 paintings in June, and that’s without an existing client base,” she said. “And we’re beyond that in July.” “My partner and I are having a lot of fun,” she said. Her partner in the new enterprise, which opened at the end of May in the former Gatsby’s space at 31 Spring Street, is Laurie J. Thomsen. Silipo and Thomsen were art history majors and classmates at Williams, graduating in 1979. The gallery’s name was chosen to commemorate Silipo’s father, David Harrison, a 1953 Williams graduate. Silipo spent 22 years in high-tech sales and marketing, but continued collecting, yearned to return to art. Thomsen is a founding general partner for Boston-based Prism Venture Corporation. She has worked at Sotheby’s, New York, and she is an overseer at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The Harrison’s collection focuses on landscapes from the Northeast, by emerging as well as established artists. Each month, the gallery features a themed show. Its only one-person show is Jim Schantz, Oct. 2 - Nov. 15. The Stockbridge resident paints light-suffused landscapes, many of them South County scenes, such as magically-glowing skies above the Housatonic River. Silipo and WCMA Curator Vivian Patterson are curating “The Curator Show,” which opens tomorrow, Aug. 2, and runs through Sept. 15. “Laurie fell in love with Jim Schantz’s work, and found him through the Pucker Gallery on Newberry Street in Boston,” said Silipo. “His work has been very popular here.” The Harrison now has an arrangement with the Pucker Gallery, a business arrangement whereby the Boston firm shares its collection with the Harrison, and an informal arrangement in which Bernie and Sue Pucker act as mentors to the new gallery owners here. “We connected with the Pucker, first of all, to get Jim Schantz,” said Silipo, “but in a more general way, to be able to provide a higher-valued level of art as we were building a new gallery. Normally it would take two or three years to represent artists the caliber of Jim Schantz and Brother Thomas.” A striped ceramic vessel by Thomas is prominently displayed. His work is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Victoria & Albert in London. “It’s so beautiful,” exclaimed Silipo. “One of my favorite things about this job is learning the character and taste of people,” she said. The Harrison’s collection includes works by Audrey Blafield of Lenox, who studied with Robert Motherwell, and who creates luminous landscapes. “Her subject is light,” said Silipo. Works at the gallery can be on commission, some the gallery has purchased, and still others come from the Pucker Gallery. “In June, 70 percent of our sales were to local residents. For July, sales were to residents and tourists, and averaged $1,000 to $3,000 on pieces,” she said. “We have works by artists such as John Terelak, who is famous around the world, but we also have work priced from $300 to $400. Everybody should get to have art,” she said. “My son suggested our motto: ‘Bringing Art Home.’ We always have a range. We want to share our enthusiasm, but not price people out of the market.” Except for the Jim Schantz solo show, she said, “our shows include multiple artists. We don’t want to lock ourselves into anything the first year.” “We started with a wish list of artists,” she said. “Artists we ourselves collected, artists we’ve seen in other galleries, and artists who come in the door.” Striking and sculptural are the Zambian beer and water pots, priced from $800 up, from the Pucker Gallery. These traditional vessels — the older they are, the more intricate their designs — are prized by collectors, and have been almost completely replaced as utilitarian objects by modern and insignificant imports. The shop also sells reproductions of antique furniture. And Silip has arranged a seating area, or salon, which she hopes will be a comfortable gathering place. “I hope it’s going to be a fun place in winter,” she said. The shop includes a custom framing business. Silipo said she likes finding the proper design element for an artwork. Local artist and weaver Birgitta Fuhrmann works in the framing operation, and Williams senior Sarah Nelson is gallery assistant. Most recently, the Harrison collaborated with the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation with a fund-raiser titled En Plein Air, in a reference to the current “Impression” exhibit at the Clark. En Plein Air raised $5,255 for the foundation, a nonprofit land trust whose mission is to preserve the New England character of Williamstown. The Harrison and WRLF invited regional artists to come to Sheep Hill, the Rosenburg Farm now owned by the foundation, to record their impressions of the landscape. The works were shown in the gallery one evening, then auctioned off at brunch the next morning, brunch being provided by 101 North, a new restaurant. WRLF Executive Director Leslie Reed-Evans called the event “the best possible partnership, bringing together art, nature and appreciation of the region’s cultural history.” For Silipo, the event, and its success, are an example of her and Thomsen’s wish to be an active, contributing part of the community. In explaining why they chose to open their gallery in Williamstown, she said, “We want to play a role in the community that we love and where we first developed our experience with art. There is an artistic and spiritual heritage that we want to continue here in Williamstown.” She is delighted with the new venture, and pleased to be working in the field of art that was her first love. “I bound out of bed in the morning,” she said. “It’s so exciting to finally have a job that I’m truly thrilled about.” Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday until 7 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Telephone is 458-1700; web site www.theharrisongallery.com.
Share
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

 

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.)  The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.  

 

 

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

 

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few.  All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

 

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house.  New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house.  New paver patio in the back yard.

 

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

 

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

 

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

 

 

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

 

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

 

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

 

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

 

What do the current owners love about this home?

 

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

 

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

 

 

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

 

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.  

 

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

 

 

 

 

View Full Story

More North Adams Stories

Business
image description

New Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

Business
Business
image description

North Adams Jewelry Store Has New Owner

Business
Community News
image description

North Adams Water Safe to Drink

Community News
Community News
image description

North Adams Lifts Boil Water Order for Most of City

Community News
Community News
image description

Clarksburg Average Tax Bill Up 4%

Community News
Community News
image description

Brown Street Bridge Reopens in North Adams

Community News
Latest Stories
Previous Next

What's Trending?