Art Proves Successful Lure
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Whichever explanation you prefer, the end result was blue skies and sun breaking through the gloom that had been threatening rain all day. And they were shining down on Main Street just in time for the launch of DownStreet Art.
While it couldn't compete with Thursday nights of old, when throngs of pedestrians would cover the sidewalks, there were people downtown. And they were going in and out storefronts and gathering in groups to chat.
The attraction was art — seven new gallery openings and a host of related activities and store openings in and around Main, Holden and Eagle streets. It might also have been the chance to stroll Main Street on a pleasant evening and catch up with old friends and meet the artists within their midst.
"This is just really a great idea," said artist Joel Rudnick, who discovered his own work had become a part of Rockwell's "Maya III," a stepped pyramid covered in action figures. Rudnick had done figure modeling years back, including work on some of Marvel's X-Men characters. He found a rubbery Magneto and Nightcrawler tucked amongst the thousands of toys.
"I just got a little thrill out of all of it," he laughed. "I'm just glad someone could use them."Jessica Conzo, program coordinator for the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, was marking off visitors to "Maya III" at 73 Main St. It was at 400 about two-thirds of the way through the evening.
"It's just amazing. Everyone's really coming out," she said, adding that local businesses had wanted to be involved, even the new Shear Madness hair salon. "They were one of the first that asked about it."
DownStreet Art's goal was to provide a platform for local as well as outside artists to show their works and create an attraction to lure residents and tourists alike to the downtown area. Some 18 venues, ranging from the North Adams Museum of Science and History to Eric Rudd's Chapel for Humanity to four new temporary galleries in the city center, are marked on a map and brochure available various shops and restaurants.
"I think in general things went swimmingly," said painter Karen Kane at the North Adams Cooperative Gallery at 107 Main St. "I got quite a few comments on my pieces and other pieces ... all positive."
There was young and old, newcomers and natives, artists and non-artists mingling Thursday evening.
Artist Jaye Fox, showing her work at the cooperative gallery, said she was rather surprised at who showed up — people she didn't realize lived in North Adams. There were "a lot of unique visitors ... people who were unexpected."
Kathy Keeser of Northern Berkshire Community Coalition said she saw a real cross-section of people, a good thing since that's one of the goals of the art collaboration — bringing diverse people together.
Visitors at the cooperative gallery had a chance to leave their names and comments in a guest book at the entrance. It was, they wrote, "Full of life," "very nice" and "Wonderful."Eloise and Frank Stevens of North Adams were late getting to Main Street and trying to hit all the spots before they closed. The couple said they really liked what they had seen so far.
"We love it," said Eloise Stevens. "It's exciting, and we get to go out and see everyone."
