by Claire Fern
HARDWICK -The face of Main Street, Hardwick, suddenly looks inviting. At first glance, it’s hard to tell exactly why it looks different. Thanks to Clifford Jackman and a group of local artists, each formerly empty store has an art exhibit. The artists works are hung beautifully and each store features the work of a different group of artists.
The stores look unified and colorful with no empty black hole to stop the flow from one space to another. The other store fronts suddenly look better and the entire block sparkles. The banner in Benny’s window looks brighter, Racette’s clothing looks more elegant, the Buffalo Mountain Co-op looks more inviting, and all the stores are suddenly more attractive. The exhibits provoke the curiosity of many passers by who form small groups to discuss what they see.
Art is powerful. Certainly an important life force. Jackman, who recently purchased the empty Hill Block, has filled the vacant stores on Main Street with professional quality art. The exhibit was organized and hung in little more than a week’s time. The art work is arranged and mounted in a professional manner. The space is cleverly designed so the art work can be viewed through the windows. Smaller pieces are in front and larger pieces further back.
The response to Jackman’s call for art work points out some important facts. Artists need a space to hang work so it can be seen. The art community is always responsive to a need to upgrade the visual environment that surrounds us. While the Vermont landscape that enfolds us is magnificent, the main street is often neglected and a sharp contrast to the beauty of the vistas and views around our countryside. We should call on our artist friends and community more often to help solve problems.
The theme of the exhibits in the Hill Block stores are called, “Pretty Vacant.’ » The former bookstore space and the old Renaissance Café theme is “For Rent, ” thus calling attention to the vacancies and to a way of improving the negative affect of va- cant stores and bare walls. The connection of each individual piece to the theme is not always evident, but the overall effect certainly says it.
Tamar Thorne and Todd Graham share a space in one storefront. The work is titled, “Sticks and Stones. 39 Thorne has put together what she calls, “Mobiles, ‘ which is sculpture that moves in space. She uses sticks, wood and string to de- vise large vertical constructions with designs within designs. The pieces that use string to connect the shapes are more effective than those that use metal chain. The organic drawings by Graham are an interesting and effective back drop to the sculpture yet hang in the space on their own as well.
The large iron work by James Teucher is somewhat crowded in its space. Those pieces would look wonderful in the Art Park (but, of course, we do have to worry about vandalism). “Final Portage,” by David Moses, is an installation that has the feeling of a farewell. Piper Strong’s metal sculpture of a woman is solid and forceful. She could have eliminated the mask and bone that detract from the strength of the pure metal figure.
Angus Munro’s untitled piece of glass and mixed media is intriguing. The large, clear cast glass has a castle made of sand and stone, captured inside the glass. The piece looks different at every angle and warrants more than one viewing. Dot Kibbee and Gloria Morrisette have delightful primitive and colorful paintings in a window. Marie LaPre Grabon has two strong drawings, one pastel and one charcoal. Jill Waxman’s Bargello Weaving are like paintings and are skillfully crafted.
Jerome Lipani’s wood and metal found object sculpture, “What Have We Lost,” makes a powerful statement as does Terry Barrett’s oil painting “The Road Home.”
Space doesn’t permit me to mention all the artists, but there are many more works of art on view in all the stores. The quality of the art, work is impressive. Everyone who had some part in mounting this exhibit is to be commended. A special “Thank You” goes to all the artists who contributed their work to make our lives more pleasant as we stroll down Main Street, Hardwick.
Support the local artists who have transformed those empty stores. If you haven’t seen the transformation yet, come into Hardwick and see for yourself. ART IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL! Encourage any- one who wants to open a business in Hardwick to discuss their plans with community members and the Select Board.
Hardwick Gazette, 1997
