[Ferrin Gallery] Dish & Dine: Jason Houston + MaryAnne Davis

DISH & DINE @ Ferrin Gallery The first in a series of evening dinners in the gallery pairing local food with local artists. DINE with THE MARKET featuring a menu from locally grown produce DISH served on dinnerware by MARY ANNE DAVIS. CONVERSATION with JASON HOUSTON on contemporary photography, documentary, and personal perspectives. 6:30 - 9:00 Dinner at FERRIN GALLERY Saturday, February 20th $35, limit 40 guests. BYOB. Reservations required. Call (413) 442-1622 to pay by phone. The evening includes a viewing of new work from Houston's farm series, a visual presentation and dinner conversation with JASON HOUSTON based on contemporary photography, documentary, and personal perspectives. Link to FerrinGallery.com for preview of new work by Houston & Davis ONVIEW: JASON HOUSTON JASON HOUSTON: Family of Mine Solo exhibition of large scale photographs that explore the sometimes tense dichotomies that define American family life. The show features eleven large scale prints of moments captured at Houston's family get-togethers between 2002 and 2007. The images, although intimate and personal, are poignant reflections of relationships, traditions, values and family dynamics that are universally identifiable. On view through February 27, 2010 Jason Houston, an independent documentary photographer, focuses on social and environmental issues across the country and around the world. He has photographed the small family farms throughout the Berkshire region for over a decade and traveled to over a dozen countries documenting community-based conservation in the developing world. His environmental portraits, landscapes, and elemental details focus the viewer on the global issues and processes that define how we live on this planet. Houston is a frequent contributor to Berkshire Living Magazine and serves as the photo editor of Orion Magazine. photo caption: Jason Houston, Street Market, Wenzhou, China. 2009 Link to FerrinGallery.com for Jason Houston's web portfolio DISH: MaryAnne Davis MARYANNE DAVIS from nearby Chatham, NY makes functional porcelain dishware intended for daily use. "Art and life come together at a table. Using handmade dishes to set a table provides the opportunity to express private creativity: ephemeral and memorable. The social fabric, the relationships built one meal at a time becomes the real art and the meal has an energy of a higher order. Conversation is magic, bringing each individual at the table into a personal bond." photo caption: MaryAnne Davis, Naked Porcelain, Dinnerware Link to FerrinGallery.com for MaryAnne Davis's web portfolio DINE THE MARKET a new neighborhood corner store, creates a dinner based on the range of products carried at the store. MENU: Equinox Farms mixed greens w/ balsamic vinaigrette Seasonal Root vegetable puree Woodstock Farms mustard-rubbed roast pork loin Seasonal grilled local vegetables Homemade mini-cupcakes, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert SUBSCRIBE: Art Events in The Berkshires DIRECT YOUR eNEWS FROM FERRIN GALLERY Going Green in 2010. Less Printing, More News. Our regular eNews introduces new artists, announces dinners, artist talks and events of interest to artists, collectors and professionals. Help us get you the eNews you want by sorting out your interests on our Contact page. photo caption: MaryAnne Davis, Bobolink, platter, 14", porcelain Click HERE to link to FerrinGallery.com CONTACT FOLLOW: Ferrin Gallery on Facebook FERRIN GALLERY on Facebook posts information on gallery events, artist news, photos and links to articles on topics of interest. Our "fan" page is a great place to share comments and network with the art community. Latest post: Should this be the opening image for the NCECA talk "Red Dots - Selling Out?" SOLD Phillips de Pury, February 12, 2010 $180000 - "the value of “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn” has today exceeded that of the once-prized urn itself)" Ai WeiWei Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn Triptych: black and white photograph. Each: 148 × 121 cm (58 1/4 × 47 5/8 in). Estimate:£70,000 - £90,000 Winning bid:£95,000Premium: (17.6%)£20,250 Price with premium:£115,250... 115,250 British pounds = 180,435.4 U.S. dollars Check back for more on NCECA in Philadelphia soon. Become a FerrinGallery Facebook Fan

[Ferrin Gallery] FOCUS: Studio Pottery

STUDIO CERAMICS @ Ferrin Gallery For 30 years, Ferrin Gallery has specialized in American ceramics and studio pottery. This category covers a wide range of material. From utilitarian objects for daily use to contemporary decorative arts for collecting, we always offer a large selection, specially chosen by the artists from their various kiln firings throughout the year. ONVIEW at the gallery or ONLINE 24/7, the gallery offers a curated collection of both established and up and coming studio potters from around the country and the region . Our "buy now" and "shopping cart" allows for immediate purchase using "paypal." Or call 413.442.1622 during business hours for a "virtual tour" and conversation. Click Here for Link to FERRIN GALLERY for Studio Pottery NEW WORK by Michael McCarthy MICHAEL MCCARTHY is a local potter arriving in the Berkshires ten years ago to apprentice with Mark Shapiro and presently working in the resident studios at Project Art in Cummington. His functional pottery concentrates on simple, reserved forms fired in his newly completed wood kiln to produce rich, natural surfaces. Intending his work to be used, McCarthy is focusing this spring on tableware and will be one of our featured "Dish" makers this summer in the Dish & Dine series that pairs local food with local artists presented on locally made dishes. Image caption: Casserole, 2009, woodfired porcelain, 7 x 11 inches Click Here to Link to MICHAEL MCCARTHY on FerrinGallery.com NEW WORK by Lorna Meaden LORNA MEADEN of Durango, CO is one of our mid career potters who creates refined forms for elaborate patterning on woodfired porcelain. Her newly arrived series include a great selection of pouring and drinking vessels include watering cans, flasks, pitchers and great cups. Image caption: Grey Pitcher, 2009, soda fired porcelain, 13 x 8 x 7 inches Click Here to Link to LORNA MEADEN on FerrinGallery.com NEW WORK by Christine Knox CHRISTY KNOX is one of our Hilltown potters who makes handmade functional pottery covered with embossed patterns derived from nature. With over 20 years of work in ceramics, Christy continues to grow and refine her well known designs. Image caption: Large Vase, 2009, ceramic, 13 inches Click Here to Link to CHRISTY KNOX on FerrinGallery.com DISH & DINE: Jason Houston, Mary Anne Davis, The Market Pairing local food with local artists. The first in a series of evening dinners in the gallery pairing local food with local artists. In conjunction with Jason Houston's solo show of photography, Family of Mine, the gallery teams up with THE MARKET, for a dinner using locally grown produce served on dinnerware by MARY ANNE DAVIS. The evening starts with a reception for Houston's new work from his Farm & Food series @ The Market, our newest neighbor on Upper North Street, followed by dinner at the gallery and a visual presentation and conversation with JASON HOUSTON based on contemporary photography, documentary, and personal perspectives. Saturday, February 20th, Reception @ The Market 5:30 - 6:30pm Dinner @ Ferrin Gallery 6:30-9:00pm $35, limit 40 guests. BYOB. Reservations required: (413) 442-1622 Image caption: Indian Line Farm, Christoph, photograph Click Here to Link to DISH&DINE on FerrinGallery.com ONVIEW: Jason Houston @ The Market JASON HOUSTON Photography: Food and Farm Ten new images taken at green markets and organic farms. Opens February 20 - May 2010 @ The Market, 391 North Street Reception: 5:30 - 6:30 Jason Houston, an independent documentary photographer, focuses on social and environmental issues across the country and around the world. He has photographed the small family farms throughout the Berkshire region for over a decade and traveled to over a dozen countries documenting community-based conservation in the developing world. His environmental portraits, landscapes, and elemental details focus the viewer on the global issues and processes that define how we live on this planet. Houston is a frequent contributor to Berkshire Living Magazine and serves as the photo editor of Orion Magazine. Image caption: Street Market, Wenzhou, China. 2009, photograph, 24 x 36 inches Click Here to Link to JASON HOUSTON on FerrinGallery.com TO SUBSCRIBE TO eNEWS FOCUS: STUDIO POTTERY Our monthly eNews FOCUS:STUDIO POTTERY introduces new artists, announces dinners, artist talks and events of interest to artists, collectors and professionals. Help us get you the eNews you want by sorting out your interests on our CONTACT page. ---------------------------------------

[FERRIN GALLERY] Artist Focus: Jason Houston

JASON HOUSTON Berkshire resident, Jason Houston has photographed farms and farmers for nearly a decade. In 2007 Houston's Farm series was featured in "Locally Grown", a group show on the subject of Local Agriculture and Harvest at the Ferrin Gallery in conjunction with "Locally Thrown". Images from this series are currently on view at various locations. Photo Caption: Jason Houston, Untitled (Rich), 20" x 30", Unmounted digital c-prints , 2006 Click here for Ferringallery.com and Jason Houston ONVIEW @ Stonover Farm FARM Painting, Photography and Sculpture By appointment through October 31 Stonover Farm 169 Under Mountian Road Lenox, MA 01240 413.637.3344 FARMER Photographic series by Jason Houston I’ve been photographing farms and farmers in the Berkshires where I live for nearly a decade. I started this project because I believed that food and where it comes from and how it’s made is one the most urgent, universally important issues our world faces today. And the more time I’ve spent on this work, the more I have come to believe that we really are also in serious trouble: Issues of personal health and global hunger, the instability of an oil-dependant economy, terrorism and increasing agricultural trade surpluses, the lack of knowledge around genetic engineering, the loss of traditional knowledge and regional varieties in our crops, the ethical treatment of animals and the impact on our environment…are all part of the dynamic we participate in each and every day, every time we eat. Proponents of industrial agriculture will insist we are too far-gone and must buy into technological solutions. But in a growing number of communities around the world farmers on small, independently owned, and community focused farms are helping local economies grow and sustainable agriculture take hold. They represent real alternatives and I photograph them to help raise the critical conversations we need to be having about where our food comes from and the sustainability and vitality of that system. -Jason Houston, 2007 Photo Caption: Jason Houston, Moon in the Pond Farm, Rich, 2007, Photograph Click here for link to Stonover Farm Jason Houston: Ongoing Exhibitions Ongoing: Farm prints at Rubi's on Main Street in Great Barrington, MA Farm prints at The Red Devon, Bangall, NY Family of Mine Opens Nov 6th Nov 5-Dec 12 RayKo Photo Center Gallery, San Francisco, CA "The Un-Natural Nature of Food" (online group show) Fraction Magazine Photo Caption: Jason Houston, Fourth of July 2005 (2), Archival digital c-print, 30x40, edition of 3. Click here for link to ferringallery.com and Jason Houston Jason Houston: Recent Publications Dying Beautifully - Photographs by Jason Houston, words by Billie Best The story of one man's beautiful death and how dying consciously can change everything. Click here for link to dyingbeautifully.org Jason Houston: Recent Publications People of the Forest - Photographs by Jason Houston, Stories by William DeBuys A commentary about deforestation and destroying Orangutan habitats. Click here for link to rareconservation.org