The Art Shed
2021 | Private Art Gallery, Artwork Storage and Studio, Great Barrington, MA
A private art gallery, artwork storage, and studio; many functions packed into a 1612-square-foot structure. The shape of the building is a nod to vernacular agricultural shed roof types....read more
The central feature of the gallery is a 40-foot-long fiberglass skylight that evenly provides diffused lighting as well as thermal and UV protection. The 16-foot tall north wall is sized to accommodate the artist’s larger canvases comfortably. The interior is lined with an additional layer of plywood beneath the gypsum for ease of displaying the artwork.
The narrow windows strategically placed at the corners allow a side-line view of the landscape surrounding the building. The windows frame the functions contained in the building, while the building itself brackets the artist’s practice. The artist paints on linen canvas using the frottage technique over the bark of various three species. The canvases are left on the trees for one to two years while the layers of paint are applied. The workshop (equipped with an overhead door) is used to prepare the canvases before taking them outside and stretching them when they come back. The gallery space is used to store and easily showcase the paintings or compose exhibits.
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Photography by Lisa Vollmer