Monson is on my mind…and in my heart.
:Heroes come and go yet remain ever in our hearts and minds.
Ideas. Collaboration. Eager public. Bring it on...
Success is measured in many ways. I felt success reading the thrill in their faces and 'I got it' from Hampden County residents...and beyond. They came. They viewed. They conversed. WOW!
Allow me now to introduce fascination with the process. Our Floyd Gallery's Ms. Pat Crutchfield volunteered to curate her 2nd Annual (let's introduce Annual here and now!) Social Justice photo exhibit. Pat kept her eyes on the goal from what she felt in her heart and soul. Months and months she focused and created...and voila.
The Monson Arts Council invited is for the 4th year in a row (maybe it's time to call it Annual? Dunno...) to exhibit in their Monson House of Art, an 11 room Victorian house. We are honored. Those volunteers are the best arts council in the land. Teamwork! Thank you!
John Willis, the North Dakota Water Protectors photographer, exhibited 21 of his artwork soon to be published in his newest book (Nov, 2019) Mni Wiconi. "The call from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to resist the Dakota Access Pipeline was a call for humanity to recognize that our natural world is not an endless resource to be stripped without consequences for our actions."_John Willis. The Floyd Gallery pledges to remain in solidarity with John and his efforts.
Whose the band you ask? They are none other than Prone to Mischief. 11 musicians drove for their 2nd annual pilgrimage to Monson...and rocked the house. They performed for 90 minutes and I wanted to hug each one...(the instruments were in the way)...so I sincerely shook their hands and looked deep into their eyes...and soul. They are right up their with my fav The Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Really!
Much appreciation to the wonderful exhibiting photographers:
- Pat Crutchfield (14 large scale artwork of Celebrate Springfield Live)
- Richard Bulda (11 large scale artwork of Fresh Paint Springfield)
- Greg Saulmon (two roomfuls of blues...err...his 'Birds in Holyoke" series)
- and the juried contest artwork by our many talented photographers. Applause...
Thank you all who visited, new visitors, faithful we'll follow you to the ends of the earth visitors, and dear friends. Hugs to all...my heroes!
P.S. There were...ready for this...also, on exhibit were 11 Reservation watercolor paintings, loaned to us by John Willis, created by current Native American artists on historic ledger paper, one from 1914!
About the Author: Robert Floyd is a naturalist, photojournalist, photo gallery creative director. ..and so appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, leading field trips, from late morning to early evening, in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Canada. Follow him here and on FACEBOOK: Robert Floyd Gallery/Learning Center. You'll be glad you did.
