NEWS
Posted on Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 12:10 am
PRINTS BY MARTY KLEIN IN CITY HALL GALLERY
ECA+ artist Marty Klein exhibits a collection of his naturalist-inspired prints at the City Hall Gallery from September 12 through December 12, 2012. An opening reception will be on October 3 from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Klein will be the first exhibitor in the newly renovated city gallery.
Klein grows and forages plants, flowers, and vegetables. He then transforms his findings with his flat bead scanner, then color correction and editing. A pioneer in the art of scanography, Klein is well aware that his finished prints falls somewhere between naturalist illustrations and photography. Many times the scan that appears on his screen, ready for editing, is as much of a surprise to Klein’s eyes as a photographer’s in a darkroom. When he prepares his image on the scanner’s bed, it captures the image from below. Finally, saturated colors and abstracted arrangements permeate all of the work to form a journey in nature, color and form.
“My experience as a photographer, blacksmith, naturalist, gardener, and forager informs and inspires my art. I strive to portray nature's essences, forms, patterns and colors, the familiar and the less-seen details,” tells Klein.
Klein has exhibited his work extensively throughout the Pioneer Valley including a recent show at Hosmer Gallery in the Forbes Library and an exhibition at the Lederle Science and Engineering library at UMass, Amherst. He currently has another exhibit at Provisions in Northampton. His work has been recognized in various publications including Mushroom: The Journal and featured on catalog covers by the Boston Architectural College, Landscape Institute. He holds a Masters’ in regional planning from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Klein serves on the Board of directors of the Pascommuck Trust an organization that “promotes the restoration, conservation, wise development and use of natural resources in and around Easthampton”—15% of any sales will be donated to Pascommuck Conservation Trust's current fund drive, ‘Save Open Space in Our Neighborhoods’. Klein’s prints are on fine art rag paper, using archival inks, by Evolv Fine Art Printing and framing by Eastmont Custom Framing.
The City Hall Gallery is a newly renovated hallway space where hundreds of people pass by monthly. Easthampton City Arts+ will feature artists in the space every three months.
The use of the Municipal building’s first floor hallway space as an official gallery was originally suggested by Easthampton's City Clerk Barbara LaBombard.
“I felt the municipal building hallway would be a perfect spot for a gallery since so many residents walk by on a daily basis. It will be a wonderful addition to our building and will introduce local artists to an audience which might not normally have the time or opportunity to visit an outside gallery,” explains LaBombard.
The City Hall gallery will give artists another outlet to exhibit in Easthampton and connect city employees and community members with the arts community. ECA+ also manages the ECA+ Gallery in the Old Town Hall and the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce Gallery.
This exhibit is free and open to the public. The hall gallery, located in the Municipal Building at 50 Payson Avenue on the 1st floor, Easthampton, MA. The gallery is open Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
