91 COWLS ROAD NORTH AMHERST, MA

YOUR LOCAL ART GALLERY

25+ ARTISTS

Artists represent a swath of mediums, styles, and influences

bringing their unique inspirations to our local community to enjoy.

GATHER

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

LOCAL IMPACT

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

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EVENT BOOKING

Come host your next event with us! Fill out our booking form below and we will set up time to discuss your activity!

BOOK NOW!

CURRENT ARTISTS

JERRY T. EIDE

Wendell, MA

After spending more than 40 years in the Architectural Preservation trade, Jerry is devoting most of his time exploring woodturning. For the last year, Jerry has enjoyed focusing his attention on creating practical and artistic objects using wood collected from his property in Wendell or brought to him from friends around this valley. His knowledge and use of decorative profiles and historic style edge beading have elevated the look and design of useful bowls and containers. The distorted pattern of the burls provides endless delight in the variation of the colors and grains from the different species of wood, making each art piece a treasure to own or gift.

RACHEL PALMER

Amherst, MA

Rachel Palmer has been enthusiastically making jewelry since she was 15 years old. After taking a break in college, she picked it back up and has been joyfully creating beaded jewelry ever since while also raising 4 children. Rachel’s current creations incorporate natural patterns from wildlife, primarily snakes, into the beaded designs.

MICHAELA SCHWARTZ

Holyoke, MA

Michaela’s journey into art began as a child with a deep love for arts and crafts, but it wasn’t until 2020 that she started to consider herself an artist. Self-taught in polymer clay artistry, Michaela has honed her craft through workshops and community learning. Experimentation with colors, textures, and joyful patterns plays a central role in her creative process. Michaela loves seeing her earrings out in the wild as she aims to bring joy to everyone who wears earrings!

DIANA KRAUTH

Leeds, MA

Diana’s first foray into ceramics was in the mid 1970’s at a wonderful studio in an old amusement park, Glen Echo, outside of Washington DC. After a couple years of intensive ceramic work/study, life became "complicated.” Dedicating the following years to family and running a bookstore and day spa, Diana has returned to getting her elbows deep in mud again. Her exhibit at The Local Art Gallery highlights her current aesthetic preferences of incorporating twigs and branches found in either the woods around her home or Cape Cod.

JACKIE GALLO

South Hadley, MA

The artwork of Jacqueline Gelfuso Gallo explores the interconnectivity of the natural world, the spiritual world, and the human world by combining traditional and modern techniques of image-making. Inspired by ancient folklore, New England heritage, and the branching, growing, layered gifts of the Earth, she strives to stimulate curiosity and inspire a deeper connection to the natural beauty and wonder around us.

Tree Tarot specific:
The Tree Tarot is an in-progress concept tarot deck that Jackie is currently developing. The imagery incorporates her love of trees, as well as the ancient symbolism and significance of the selected species as it relates to each card. Her dream is to send a percentage of the profits to organizations that directly benefit forests and encourage deeper education, appreciation, and protection of forests for generations to come.

CAMILLE TAHAR

Belchertown, MA

In response to the pandemic, Camille began PickNature in 2020 and creating her jewelry quickly became a full-time occupation. Camille uses epoxy and UV resin to freeze nature in time - foraging or growing and then drying everything she uses while carefully respecting nature. Camille does not hurt any insect or plant for her art. She researches plants conservation status and leaves rare ones alone.

GRETCHEN HOLESOVSKY

Belchertown, MA

Gretchen Holesovsky is a self-taught artist who has been painting and drawing since childhood. Gretchen was introduced to watercolor in her twenties and fell in love with the medium. Over the years, Gretchen has earned memberships into many elite watercolor societies and has earned many awards, and has been published in Splash 10. Now retired, Gretchen pursues new endeavors in multimedia, acrylic, rock painting and many other creative muses.

ANITA WALLING

Leeds, MA

Anita’s life-long connection with nature evolved into finding supportive environments for working with her hands in clay, connecting with nature on many different levels, and deepening her spiritual journey. Anita’s greatest desire is to share with others the joy she receives from beauty of art, nature, and connection with the unseen. Prayer Pots are one-of-a-kind porcelain vessels that Anita fills with love and positive intentions to inspire and empower you. Combining the most ancient of clay techniques, pinching, with the refinement of porcelain and live leaves, she creates clay objects that hold the energy of aliveness, compassion, and possibility.

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 times, Jennifer's work always reflects her love of the outdoors, nature, the abstract, and occasionally the absurd! Jennifer intends for her work to evoke questions of ‘where?’, ‘how?’, and ‘what?’.
The source material for Jennifer's Cyanotypes, an alternative photographic process, is drawn from her archive of 30+ years of traditional photography or from materials whose shapes are appealing to her.

SHANNON HARTFORD

Hadley, MA

Shannon is a self-taught photographer who combines aspects of energy healing through art. Each piece is representative of personal exploration and creative expression. The goal of this collection of work is healing for both the photographer and those who find themselves energetically drawn towards each piece.

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.

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 Gallery is a flexible exhibit space within the Local Art Gallery featuring rotating installations that may be curated by the Gallery Team, guest curators, neighbors, or local business owners. If you have an idea for an exhibit, please fill out the application form below.

Currently Featuring

Expressions of Color, Light, and Texture

by Gretchen Holesovsky

The Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery is excited to welcome Belchertown artist, Gretchen Holesovsky, to The Front Window Gallery for the month of February.

The watercolor paintings in Expressions of Color, Light, and Texture showcase Gretchen’s love of capturing how light affect a subject’s texture and its position in its surroundings. While she is always inspired by and loves to paint nature scenes, architecture and window displays have also been favored subjects through the years. Gretchen thrives on the challenge of recreating inspired scenes that also excite her creative spirit. Visitors will be moved by Gretchen’s mastery of watercolor that is showcased in this exhibit.

Gretchen Holesovsky was introduced to watercolor in her twenties. Over time she has earned memberships into many watercolor societies winning prestigious awards along the way. She has also been published in Splash 10 which is a juried best of the year watercolor collection. Her repertoire conveys her love of nature, texture, light, and many other muses that inspire her. She uses various kinds of techniques to bring her images to life which creates visual interest in her painting such as layering of color to create color intensity, razor blades for texture, salt, sponges, and any tool that will create a desired look. Her study of color theory has helped bring an understanding to her paintings which convey visual interest and life to her subject matter. Color, composition, and light are the trifecta she applies in creating her pieces. Gretchen currently teaches beginner and intermediate watercolor classes sharing her life long knowledge in the medium with others.

Exhibit runs from Friday, January 31 - Wednesday, February 26.

All works are available for immediate purchase.

Gretchen Holesovsky's Website

Apply to Exhibit in The Front Window Gallery

The Front Window Galler

Winter Art Classes & More in Amherst, MA!

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.

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

Join us at our Artist Social and Critique on the 2nd Thursday of every month from 6 - 8pm.
Artists of all abilities and mediums are welcome to bring 1-2 pieces of artwork or images of artwork for peer critique. This is not art school! Help us create a safe community space by providing constructive and supportive feedback. Let's boost each other up and encourage our artistic growth.

Hosted by The Local Art Gallery Team.
Free.
Ages 14+ with adult accompaniment.

See Classes & Events

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Vending Information

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Past Markets Gallery

HOLIDAY ARTS MARKET

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.

We can special order!

Looking for something in particular? In bulk? Let us quote your next project or studio re-stock!

91 COWLS ROAD NORTH AMHERST, MA

YOUR LOCAL ART GALLERY

CURRENT ARTISTS

HOW IT WORKS...

YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR SUCCESS!

THE FRONT WINDOW GALLERY

Winter Art Classes & More in Amherst, MA!

Over 1000+ Art Supplies...

We can special order!

The Mill District
General Store

Hours & Location

LOCAL ART
GALLERY

Learn More...