A town bursting with creativity: Easthampton Art Walk showcases local talent each month

Amid heavy humidity and unpredictable thunderstorms, storefronts and galleries in Easthampton draw foot traffic to their blissfully climate-controlled interiors, where community members enjoy refreshments, conversation, and original artwork by local talent. On a route spanning Cottage Street, Union Street, and Pleasant Street, visitors can stop in on various exhibitions during Art Walk, which currently takes place on the first Saturday of the month.

“We’re all in on the Art Walk,” said Cyndy Sperry, a member of the Oxbow Gallery, which started participating in Art Walk after moving from Northampton to Easthampton in 2022. “We’re so fortunate to have this space, with all the foot traffic and community support for the arts we have here in Easthampton.”

For the Oxbow Gallery, August’s art walk served as the opening reception for two shows which will run through Sept. 1.

Upon entering the gallery, viewers will be greeted by the eclectic “Then & Now” show, a 20th anniversary showing of member artwork from 20 years ago and now. The show displays the evolution member artists at Oxbow have undergone over the years in a variety of mediums. 

“Then & Now” is neighbored by “The Cactus Series,” a collection of paintings by Diane Harr utilizing striking color combinations and overlapping shapes to create a cohesive showing of work made up of undeniably unique parts. 

The Oxbow Gallery is accompanied on Cottage Street by Mt. Tom’s Homemade Ice Cream and Sonnet & Sparrow — two storefronts that consistently participate in Art Walk by opening their doors to community members and a rotating selection of artists. This month, Sonnet & Sparrow featured the bright and joyful work of Carmela Gravante, a first-time Art Walk participant who said she is grateful both to the event and the store’s owner, Cynthia West, for “offering me this opportunity to share my work.”

West features a different artist every month, and encourages Easthampton artists to reach out to local retailers if they’re interested in having their work displayed during Art Walk.

“Participating in Art Walk unites people who support the arts, and brings awareness to emerging artists,” said West. “It fosters community and also beautifies the street.”

That beautification was certainly evident on the first Saturday of August, when Gravante’s work provided a vibrant pop of color to a gray, overcast day. 

On Main Street, another frequent flier in the Art Walk world stands tall, its iconic towering points stretching into the sky. Within Easthampton’s Old Town Hall, CitySpace Arts Center is home to the Easthampton City Arts Gallery and Elusie Gallery at Big Red Frame. 

In the Easthampton City Arts Gallery, Riverside Industries, Inc. hosted an opening reception for a showing of artwork made by Riverside Arts program participants. The showing, titled “Regrowth,” showcases multimedia work by artists who attend Riverside’s programming, which seeks to empower individuals with disabilities. The showing will be on display throughout the month of August, and is Riverside Arts’ first official showing since the pandemic. 

Across the hall, the Elusie Gallery at Big Red Frame kicked off its latest exhibition with an artist reception during this month’s art walk. Adorning the walls of the gallery for the duration of this month are the bittersweet oil paintings of Logan Kirkpatrick’s “Emotions and Reflections” series. Depicting waterfront towns reflected in the nearly metallic surfaces of bodies of water where boats bob peacefully, Kirkpatrick’s current showing evokes a range of emotions by contrasting gray, rocky coastlines with bold, bright buildings. 

Continuing to Pleasant Street, art walkers are greeted by the historic brickwork of Easthampton’s sprawling mill buildings. Within Eastworks, several venues have been known to participate in the Art Walk festivities. This month, it was Alchemy Fiber Mill, Resilient Community Arts, and Kim Carlino who welcomed creative and curious guests into their spaces. 

Each month, the venues and artists participating in Art Walk change, but the welcoming atmosphere and imaginative spirit of the event remain the same. For information about upcoming Art Walks, including maps with venue listings, those interested can visit the Easthampton City Arts website or keep up-to-date by following their social media accounts. 

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.