Page 33 - BusinessWest July 7, 2021

“Every artist in here has a story behind why they make the art they make, why it’s important to them,” Rechtschaffen told BusinessWest. “I can point to any one of them and tell you the backstory, and it just adds to why someone would connect with a piece and then decide to take it home.”
Stories like Susan Roylance, a long- time woodworker who, one day, carved a face and wasn’t sure what to do
with it. She put it aside, but then got inspired by it, and started working in both wood and felt to sculpt whimsi- cal characters. “I feel like every one of those sculptures is a children’s book waiting to happen,” Rechtschaffen said.
Or Dana Volungis, who worked for 24 years for Yankee Candle, got laid off during the pandemic, and started painting ... only 10 months ago; her oceanside landscapes and other work belie that short gestation period. “Ten months!” Rechtschaffen said. “I didn’t even realize that when she submitted her application.”
Or Ruth Levine, who makes metal clay jewelry, but set it aside for a time to focus on being a par- ent and grandparent. “Now here she is,” Rechtschaffen said. “She was so
“Right from the start, they felt they were buying into something that was bigger than just their small space. It’s the connection, it’s the lifeline, it’s learning new things that are going to enhance their business.”
empowered when she was setting her space up, saying, ‘I remember how
this feels; this is great.’ She said to me, ‘if you hadn’t opened this gallery, this stuff would still be in my garage.’ I said, ‘you just validated everything for me, because I’m so glad this is not in your garage.’”
Visitors to the gallery, then, aren’t just seeing art, Lopes said. They’re con- necting with history — the history of the area and the people who create art here — and maybe take a piece of that history home.
Animal Attraction
To add a bit of childlike fun to the gallery, Rechtschaffen commissioned Ivy Mabius, a close friend of Jones
and a mural artist, to create a jungle- themed bathroom, complete with large, colorfully painted sculptures of an elephant and a giraffe. “Already, kids who see it don’t want to leave. It’s such an attraction. Kids — and adults — are going to want to come and use the bathroom.”
The general store that adjoins the gallery also features a unique bath- room — this one with one-sided glass, so users have a full view of the sidewalk and parking lot outside. But eclectic bathrooms aren’t the only connection between the two spaces. Rechtschaffen can see a time when artists who have displayed in the gallery find a space in the store to sell their crafts.
Again, it comes back to making con- nections and offering a wide range of exposure to local art. The front table can also be used as a co-working space, or just a spot to hang out, she added.
Gallery
Continued on page 37
Ivy Mabius designed a whimsical, jungle- themed bathroom at the gallery.
NEED A VACATION FROM YOUR HOME OFFICE?
Escape to
VENTURE X HOLYOKE
www.venturex.com/holyoke (413) 252-9500
Located at the crossroads of I-90 & I-91 Holyoke Mall Access Rd.
Your furnished PRIVATE OFFICE is waiting for you!
Call for a tour today!
With concierge business services, you’ll love working here!
(413) 252-9500 • venturex.com/holyoke
EDUCATION
JULY 7, 2021 33
Staff Photo
BusinessWest