Your Local Art Gallery

& Third Space

Artists represent a swath of mediums, styles, and influences

bringing their unique inspirations to our local community to enjoy.

A ten-foot gathering table makes space for classes and intimate conversation. Or easy sharing of art supplies while crafting and creating together.

All the work in the Gallery is 100% local, meaning your money goes right to artists creating in and across the Valley!

CURRENT ARTISTS

Rachael Brooke Goren

Amherst, MA

Hope is fundamental to Rachael Brooke Goren’s creations; hope that we can make a better world and that something broken can be transformed into something beautiful, valuable, and meaningful. Rachael is inspired by the whimsical and magical, nature, social justice and politics, humor, things that sparkle, yard sales, and music. Rachael’s work is currently on display and sold internationally at museums, retail shops, synagogues, and galleries. During the 2020 election, Rachael had media appearances in the Boston Globe, Judaica In the Spotlight, Architectural Digest, and MSNBC.

Camille Tahar

Belchertown, MA

Camille creates unique, individual pieces of jewelry using a combination of botanicals and resin. She forages or grows all the plants she uses. After allowing them to dry, Camille applies epoxy and UV resin to freeze nature in time. Camille created PickNature in 2020 and with the pandemic, it quickly became a full-time occupation. Now she always has a good excuse to walk around in the woods, bogs, fields, and mountains.

Keith Lewis

Holyoke, MA

Dearest Art,

It's me, Keith, Keith Lewis. You remember me - I'm that little kid growing up in Boston, MA that used to love to color things in everything. That middle school kid that loved woodshop. Those rebellious days as a graffiti artist. You've always been there, even when I ignored you in times of despair, your therapeutic value gave me air. Your monetary value has fed me. Now I have the distinct opportunity to honor you by placing you in a place where you deserve to be next to great works of art just like you.

Thank you for always being there for me, I Love you.

Sincerely,
Keith Lewis

Liz Armstrong

Shutesbury, MA

Liz Armstrong rescues, restores and sometimes repurposes found items to be useful and beautiful for the next hundred years. The bulk of her art and artistry with woodworking appears on furniture rescues. She pulls her inspiration from cultures, textiles, nature and the works of other amazing furniture artists.

Shiva Delnavaz

Amherst, MA

Woman. Life. Freedom.

Shiva is almost entirely self-taught due to social restrictions that penetrated the family and banned her from academically and professionally pursuing art in her country, Iran. As a result, Shiva started her profession as a Doctor of Pharmacy there in 2013 but never stopped loving and thinking about and exploring art. Immigration to the US in 2019 opened a door for Shiva to freely dedicate her free time to her passion. Shiva’s art is inspired by the rich ancient literature, pure mystical feelings, and rightful social and political movements of her people and all people around the world.

Lee Gray

Bernardston, MA

“I was raised on the family farm. As a traditional large family with frequent relatives as guests, I was often outdoors exploring with cousins and siblings. We would go to many hidden places where we usually would get into trouble or just have a lot of fun. Exploring the Frog Pond, Hanging from the Apple Trees, and Getting the Cows Drunk. Playing in the Brook and Making Dams in the Summer. Collecting Sap from the Maple Trees in the Spring and More. Most of my work is a reflection of the things that my cousins and I did in our adventures.” ~Lee

Barbara Ballou

Monson, MA

Barbara is a self-taught polymer clay artist. Her pieces have a delicate vintage feel.

A firm believer in using what’s on hand, she takes textures and design ideas from unusual places - like her kids’ toys or pressed flowers from her garden - to create uniquely beautiful and detailed jewelry. Her work is ever evolving as she continues to experiment with different techniques and finding joy in the art of playing with clay.

Janice C. Alden

Warwick, MA

Janice has been a maker of many things throughout her life, but beading is her passion. Each piece of jewelry is handstitched bead by bead. She enjoys the process of choosing different shapes and colors and combinations, creating ombre effects, three-dimensional shapes and embellishing them.

John Krifka

Amherst, MA

John earned a professional architecture degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1972, moved to New York City in 1975, and attended the Art Students League through 1980. Since fully relocating to western Massachusetts in 2006, he has maintained a studio in Amherst. An important part of his current Gallery originates from his drawings – simple sketches first, carrying line through a developing image. “Painting can only capture a concept of the real, regardless of how exacting or not the final picture might be.” ~John

David A. Dickinson

Leeds, MA

Having retired from 40 years in education and boarding school life just prior to the Covid pandemic, David was thrilled to have the luxury to spend his days devoting serious focus and experimentation in his drawn and/or painted imagery. After completing a large portrait commission of a retired Head of School for Deerfield Academy, David produced a series of mixed media compositions of Western Massachusetts rivers near his home entitled "QUARANTINE ART". Hoping to create a quiet, more contemplative image - void of people - it was his way of weathering the paranoia and "outrage fatigue" during the first year of the pandemic.

Mikey Bernet Cutting

Amherst, MA

Mikey’s background is in art history and studio art and has received a bachelor’s degree in material culture. She also completed the Decorative Arts Program at Christie, Manson & Woods (London, UK). Mikey’s favorite part of painting is the process itself - creating layers upon layers in both oil and cold wax and then digging back into the painting to reveal the colors that are no longer on the surface. Mikey is currently on the board of The Amherst Historical Society and works in cataloging.

Beth Crawford

Haydenville, MA

Beth uses concrete, stone, reclaimed metal, and sandblasted glass to create wall sculptures. Concrete starts as a simple product available at any hardware store and, by adding water, magically becomes any shape that contains it. She is intrigued by the varied colors and textures of schist stone that is quarried in the Berkshire hills and likes to recycle leftover bits into her sculptures which can be hung outdoors in a protected place such as a front porch or under the eaves of your house.

Emily Miah Stewart

Amherst, MA

Twenty years ago, Emily began to create memory maps of daily life. Her maps are made of cloth, an intimate and familiar material, that she transforms using dye, bleach, gelli-plate printing, collage, and embroidery. Currently an elementary art teacher in both Erving and Pelham, Emily’s work has been exhibited nationally and has been published in American Craft, FiberArts, and Embroidery Magazine.

Suzanne DiSessa

Westfield, MA

Suzanne is a Massachusetts-based self-taught artist painting in oils. When seeking calm and peace she turns to nature and her paints. Almost without exception her work is inspired by experiences in the landscape, and by objects from nature. Suzanne finds refuge in the blue dome of the sky, a flowing river, or the habit of a tree bending to the light. She enjoys painting from life by setting up her own still lifes in her home studio, painting landscapes en plein air, and also from reference photos she captures while traveling.

Laura Geryk

Chicopee, MA

Wycinanki (pronounced vee-chee-nan-kee) the Polish word for papercutting, is a traditional Polish folk art from the 19th and early 20th century. Laura Geryk first learned to make wycinanki as a teenager from an elderly relative from Poland who was visiting the United States. Laura uses traditional methods of creating the papercuts: hand drawing her own patterns, hand cutting the paper with scissors, and assembling them with tweezers and glue. She tends to focus on the wycinanki from from the Lowicz region, which focuses on layers of brightly colored paper, arranged symmetrically, with themes from nature, especially flowers and animals.

Elizabeth H. Johnson

Granby, MA

Elizabeth’s artistic journey began in the early 1980s. Upon recommendation from her mother, she began taking classes and has studied with Virginia Kuniholm, Susan Tilton-Picora, and Mary Ann Wordsworth. Living on a farm all of her life gave Elizabeth an opportunity to draw ideas from the surrounding scenery. She hopes that when people look at her work, they receive a feeling of peace and calm from the images.

Judy Vazquez

Northampton, MA

Judy Vazquez is a mosaic artist who lives in Northampton and spends a portion of the year on Anna Maria Island. Her inspiration comes from spending time on Anna Maria Island and hiking in nature in the northeast. She sees her art as a tool to transcend and bring peace to the observer while stirring the imagination. She creates mosaic mirrors, mandalas, nature scenes, stepping stones for indoor and outdoor sacred spaces, and unique rings.

Christina Giebner

West Springfield, MA

One-of-a-kind semi-precious gemstones and metals are the foundation of this limited edition jewelry line. All work is designed and fabricated in Christina’s Western Mass. studio and is created with the utmost regard for quality and authenticity. Organic, delicate and singular - Hallies Comet Fine jewelry is the perfect alchemy of color, design and spirit bringing bliss and beauty to your life.

Michele Diamond

Hadley, MA

After 40 years of creating pencil and pastel portraits, Michele has begun to follow a long-held desire to “let loose” and paint abstract. For the past year, she has been excited to use abstract acrylic pours. Michele enjoys the freedom and exhilaration she feels when watching the painting emerge. Currently, several of her pieces are done with crumpled clear wrap, balloons, straws, a hair dryer, and even a spoon. Michele hopes you will find her artwork colorful if not interesting.

Norm Vexler

Amherst, MA

Norm has been involved with underwater photography for the past 36 years. His extensive travels around the world have taken him to some of the most remote and beautiful locations on the planet including Micronesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Indonesia and Thailand. His love for the ocean is reflected in his art as a photographer and his images capture the essence of the incredible natural beauty found in this amazing underwater environment.

Roy Johnson

Amherst, Ma

Growing up in a family culture of building and repairing anything, Roy Johnson feels most at home in his workshop. The founder of Knoxwood Studios, he enjoys creating tables, bowls, trays, and an assortment of wood related artwork from native lumber that is typically collected from backyards, either harvested or salvaged from storm damage.

Fabio Deponte

Petersham, MA

Born near Trieste, Italy, Fabio and his family immigrated to the U.S. in 1956. He studied art in Boston and began his art career in the commercial art field as art director and designer. Eventually, Fabio’s need to paint and love of art took him to illustration and, finally, to open White Pickets Studio with his life partner and artist, Sara. He has been making and exploring his art for over 30 years in a variety of mediums.

Sara Deponte

Petersham, MA

An honors graduate of Parsons School of Design, NYC, Sara’s work is found in galleries as well as private collections. She has been involved in the art field for 35 years as art director, designer, and illustrator. Sara is now concentrating on fine art as a watercolor painter working out of White Pickets Studio in Petersham, MA. Well known for her animal and people story-portraits, she has combined her love of animals with her years of experience in commercial and fine art.

Christine Pellerin

Montague, MA

Although Christine has a degree in engineering, her passion has always been art and design. She is a fiber artist who felts merino wool, silk, and other specialty fibers to fashion warm, comfortable scarves and clothing. During the pandemic in 2020, Christine took a series of online classes to learn how to needle felt animals, and she currently creates portraits on commission under the name AnimalSoul. She works from photographs to create a lifelike image but also strives to capture that spark of personality in each of her portraits.

Jennifer Ablard

Northampton, MA

Jennifer has been seeing the world through a camera her entire adult life. While she has focused on different subjects at different phases of life, Jennifer’s work always reflects her love of the outdoors, nature, and the abstract found in everyday life. Lately she’s been creating cyanotypes; an alternative photographic process. The source photographs are drawn from Jennifer’s significant body of work, and she enjoys seeing old work in a new light.

List of Former Gallery Artists

HOW IT WORKS...

1. Rent space monthly at $20 per linear foot

(Side to side -2.5' Minimum)

2. Sell your work and keep 80%.

3. The other 20% of your sales goes back into the gallery for events, marketing you as an artist and other artist-forward opportunities.

Your success is our success!

Artists are reviewed and selected by a community panel on a quarterly basis. We welcome painting/drawing, digital, ceramics, mixed media, fiber/leather, photography, jewelry, sculpture, metal/wood, more!

Gallery Artist Application

the Front Window Gallery

The front window is a gallery within a gallery. Featuring installations curated by the Gallery team, guest curators, neighbors, local business owners, and other unlikely curators. Stop by every few months to check out the new show in the Front Window Gallery as well as new local artists in the main gallery.

Currently Featuring

Dr. Shirley Jackson Whitaker - Amherst, MA

Dr. Whitaker is the seventh child of Eddie and Charlie Mae Jackson (both deceased) from Waycross, Georgia.

Dr. Whitaker attended Clark Atlanta University completing a BS degree in Biology with honors. After Clark, she attended Yale University School of Medicine-Department of Public Health. She attended Emory University School of Medicine, obtaining her medical degree in 1979. After completing her fellowship, she and her husband moved to Western MA.

Dr. Whitaker has woven her love of art into all aspects of her life. She was the art protégé of one of American's leading artists, the late Leonard Baskin, who taught her printmaking process of etching.

Her art is in the Smithsonian Library of Congress, Getty Research Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Virginia, Wellesley College, Boston Athenaeum, Smith College, private art galleries, and more.

Because of her interest and concerns about the over 4,000 African Americans who were lynched, Dr. Whitaker produced the first ever funeral service, Ashes to Ashes, April 29-30, 2016, to celebrate and remember these lives. This service has been made into a film of the same name which was considered for an Academy Award and featured in The New Yorker magazine in 2021.

Dr. Whitaker practices Nephrology in western Massachusetts and works to make contributions to her community. She lives in Amherst, Mass with her husband.

Dr. Shirley Jackson Whitaker's Website

Apply to Exhibit in The Front Window Gallery

SUMMER Art Classes & More in Amherst, MA!

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Make the Gallery your Sunday spot with Sunday Art Space!

9 AM - 12 PM

The Gallery table is open for you to sit and create. Bring your supplies from home, or grab new items from our terrific art section.

1 PM - 3 PM

The Gallery hosts a different artist, leading an activity or just holding space for your creative exploration.

Enjoy a complimentary cupcake from Carefree Cakery in the afternoon. Help Alysia Bryant refine her recipes in preparation for her bakery's opening in The Mill District.

The space is welcoming of all ages; kids under 14 must have an adult in the area.

No purchase necessary...however, art supplies are 10% off ALL DAY SUNDAYS

See Classes & Events

Over 1000+ Art Supplies...

are available in The Mill District General Store's art supply section. We are constantly looking for new products to help you create. Let us know about art supply products you may like to see in our store below.

What are you looking for?

Adrift by Heidi E. Y. Stemple

Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
Sun 9am-4pm

THE MILL DISTRICT

Your Local Art Gallery

CURRENT ARTISTS

HOW IT WORKS...

Your success is our success!

the Front Window Gallery

SUMMER Art Classes & More in Amherst, MA!

Over 1000+ Art Supplies...

are available in The Mill District General Store's art supply section. We are constantly looking for new products to help you create. Let us know about art supply products you may like to see in our store below.

The Mill District
General Store

Hours & Location

Local Art Gallery

Learn More...

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