Audrey Francis: Bird Brain, May 6-June 25, 2023

Audrey Francis, Shh, 2022, oil on canvas, 22 x 30 inches. On view in Bird Brain, May 6-June 25. Exhibition preview coming soon. Inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com

Audrey Francis: Bird Brain Saturday + Sunday 1-5pm Through June 25

Hello friends! We are thrilled to present Rhinebeck NY artist Audrey Francis’ first solo exhibition with LABspace Please join us in welcoming art historian, curator, and writer Jennifer Samet for an in-person Beer with a Painter conversation with Audrey Francis on Sunday June 4th at 2pm A selection of locally brewed craft beer will be provided for the occasion by Rare Form of Troy NY, and soft pretzels from Hillsdale’s Cook & Larder Please bring a chair or blanket and meet us in the LABspace courtyard for this fun afternoon of art, beer and conversation 🌱 Huge thanks to Jennifer, Audrey, Rare Form, and Cook & Larder! See you here soon, xo Ellen + Julie

Audrey Francis, Collateral, 2023, pastel on paper, 45.5 x 36 inches. On view in Bird Brain, May 6-June 25. Inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com

Audrey Francis: Bird Brain May 6-June 25, 2023 Beer with a Painter conversation: Jennifer Samet speaks with Audrey Francis about her work on Sunday June 4th at 2pm in the LABspace courtyard On view Saturdays + Sundays 1-5pm and by appointment through June 25

LABspace 2642 NY Route 23, Hillsdale NY 12529 Inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com

Audrey Francis, Look out, 2022, oil on canvas, 48 x 35 inches. On view in Bird Brain, May 6-June 25. Inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com

Audrey Francis writes about her work in Bird Brain: My recent oil paintings and pastels depict a range of avian themes. Although I am not a birder, my son is, and that familial connection to nature engendered, in part, my obsession with birds and their attendant metaphors and symbolisms. I often place birds as significant figures in various social, political, and feminist narratives within my work. The roles they play include silent witnesses, surrogates embodying my views on global issues, and incarnations of my desire to physically and mentally free myself from world affairs. My process, especially with oil paint, is slow and painstaking and my thoughts can often outpace the speed of my brush. Sometimes narratives can spontaneously change course in a work in progress, and I see this as an opportunity to embrace unexpected transformations and connections between themes. My work can also be observational, providing pictorial space for detailed depictions of birds and other figures, as well as investigations into color, line, form, and movement. Whether my work leans toward narrative or observation, I always incorporate fashion, pattern, and the natural world as complementary grounding elements. Throughout my career as an artist, I have endeavored to paint what I know and what moves me. My recent work about birds conveys an authentic and personal experience of contemporary life through the mediation of one of the most expressive and symbolic members of the animal world.

Audrey Francis’ diverse practice includes painting, works on paper, collage, sculpture, and textile art. Thematically her work explores a range of social factors including gender, politics of the body, sexuality, ideas of beauty, and her Latina heritage. Narrative—combined with fashion, pattern, and nature—often drives her painterly, chromatically-rich works. Francis cites outsider/folk art, modern narrative figural work, and baroque portraiture as influences. Francis’ work has been featured in over fifty exhibitions nationally, and may be found in private and corporate collections worldwide including the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in New York. Recent exhibitions include Mountain High, Valley Low and The Magic Garden, both at LABspace; Infinite Uncertainty at Opalka Gallery in Albany NY; LatinX at The Howland Cultural Center in Beacon NY; Showcase at The Moviehouse in Millerton NY; and Vista Panoramico at Ann Street Gallery in Newburgh NY, where Ellen Letcher and Julie Torres were first introduced to Audrey Francis and her work by director and exhibition curator Virginia Walsh. Francis holds an MFA in Painting from SUNY New Paltz, and a BFA in Illustration from Syracuse University. She has taught painting at SUNY New Paltz and design at Dutchess Community College. She is the recipient of various awards and honors, most recently the Research and Creative Projects Award, SUNY; The Joan Mitchell Award Nomination; and the Barrett Art Center Award. Francis has been an artist in residence at the Nantucket Island School of Design & The Arts. She is based in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Jennifer Samet is a New York City-based art historian, curator, and writer who specializes in contemporary and post-war painting. She is a Director of Eric Firestone Gallery and a member of the faculty at the New York Studio School. She is the author of the column Beer with a Painter in Hyperallergic Weekend Edition. Thank you to Taliesin Thomas for this review of Audrey Francis: Bird Brain on Chronogram. Exhibition checklist here. Inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com

LABspace is located below Hillsdale General Store and Cook & Larder Down the road from Sylvan Motor Lodge and The Alander 17 miles east of Hudson NY • 17 miles north of Millerton NY • 11 miles west of Great Barrington MA LABspace was founded and directed by artist Susan Jennings 2014-2018, and has been the curatorial project of artists Ellen Letcher and Julie Torres since April 2018.

Closing Sunday April 30: BODY HIGH, Dee Shapiro, MASS MoMA

Pauline Decarmo, THE HAPPY FRIENDS I, 2023, acrylic on wood, 8 x 8 inches, on view in BODY HIGH through April 30. Full exhibition checklist here, inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com.

Dee Shapiro, West Village, 2009, oil on board, 3 x 10 inches + frame, on view in Dee Shapiro: Peripheral Visions through April 30. Full exhibition checklist here, inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com.

Final 2 weekends for Dee Shapiro: Peripheral Visions + BODY HIGH at LABspace AND for MASS MoMA at TurnPark Art Space in West Stockbridge MA

Hello friends! It’s going to be a beautiful spring weekend and there are only 2 WEEKENDS LEFT to see 3 shows that we have poured our hearts into— Dee Shapiro: Peripheral Visions + BODY HIGH are on view Saturdays + Sundays 1-5pm through April 30 at LABspace Please join us for a Closing Celebration next Sunday April 30th, 1-5pm!

MASS MoMA: Artists of the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley is on view at TurnPark Art Space through April 30. Inquiries: info@turnpark.com. Full exhibition checklist here. Click image for a quick video peek of the exhibition, courtesy MASS MoMA artist Seth Koen.

ALSO CLOSING on Sunday April 30th is MASS MoMA: Artists of the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley at TurnPark Art Space, featuring: Yura Adams, Reed Anderson, Susannah Auferoth, Richard Britell, Donnabelle Casis, Brantner Deatley, Shoshana Deatley, Carol Diehl, Katharine Dufault, Grigori Fateyev, Jacob Fossum, Jared Gelormino, Sean Greene, GUZMAN, Brece Honeycutt, Wayne Hopkins, Jane Hudson, Susan Jennings, Philip Knoll, Seth Koen, Ellie Kreischer, Zohar Lazar, Sharon Ligorner, Sue Muskat, Cassi Namoda, Barbara Neulinger, Sara Farrell Okamura, Hideyo Okamura, Mark Olshansky, Kristen Palazzo, Ron Ronan, Alexander Ross, Karin Schaefer, Katy Schneider, Katia Santibañez, Julie Shapiro, James Siena, Shira Toren, Cathy Wysocki, and Geoffrey Young   Run to see this showcase of 40 artists living and working in Western Mass, before it disappears! Meet up with some of the artists on Closing Day, Sunday April 30th 3-5pm for an informal goodbye This exhibition is curated by LABspace, and coordinated by Michelle Kaplan and Jared Gelormino of TurnPark Art Space Huge thank you to all of the artists, and to Michelle Kaplan, Jared Gelormino, and TurnPark Art Space ❤️ — MASS MoMA: Artists of the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley On view Saturdays and Sundays 1-5pm through April 30 Informal gathering on Closing Day, Sunday April 30th, 3-5pm Gatehouse Gallery TurnPark Art Space 2 Moscow Road West Stockbridge MA

On view at LABspace Saturdays + Sundays 1-5pm through April 30 Closing Celebration next Sunday April 30th, 1-5pm Gallery One— BODY HIGH group exhibition featuring Pauline Decarmo, Lois Dickson, Jacob Fossum, Zohar Lazar, Rebecca Litt, Kelsey Renko, Julia Schwartz, Olivia Tawzer, and Michael Van Winkle Gallery Two— Dee Shapiro: Peripheral Visions solo exhibition

LABspace 2642 NY Route 23, Hillsdale NY 12529 Inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com Click here to read Taliesin Thomas’s review of BODY HIGH and Dee Shapiro: Peripheral Visions in the April 2023 Chronogram

Located below Hillsdale General Store and Cook & Larder 17 miles east of Hudson NY 17 miles north of Millerton NY 11 miles west of Great Barrington MA

LABspace was founded and directed by artist Susan Jennings 2014-2018, and has been the curatorial project of artists Ellen Letcher and Julie Torres since April 2018.

Meet Dee Shapiro + MASS MoMA! Saturday April 1st

Meet Dee Shapiro for her solo exhibition Peripheral Visions this Saturday April 1st, 2-6pm at LABspace! Photo of Dee with her work courtesy Stanley Shapiro. Full exhibition checklist here, inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com.

Meet Dee Shapiro at her solo exhibition Peripheral Visions + check out our group show of contemporary figure painting, BODY HIGH 2-6PM THIS SATURDAY APRIL 1ST at LABspace And see you 3-5pm Saturday for MASS MoMAat TurnPark Art Space! Details below ⬇️

Hello friends, You are invited to meet the extraordinary DEE SHAPIRO this Saturday April 1st, 2-6pm on the occasion of her solo exhibition Peripheral Visionsat LABspace!  Dee will give you a tour of her 50 exquisite cityscape and landscape paintings spanning 2000-2010, which were recently reviewed in Chronogram by Taliesin Thomas, along with our group show BODY HIGH. Link here and below Dee can’t wait to see you on Saturday ❤️ Thank you Dee! — Meet Dee Shapiro at LABspace THIS SATURDAY APRIL 1ST, 2-6PM LABspace 2642 NY Route 23, Hillsdale NY 12529 17 miles east of Hudson NY 17 miles north of Millerton NY 11 miles west of Great Barrington MA Dee Shapiro: Peripheral Visions  + BODY HIGH group show Saturdays + Sundays 1-5pm through April 30

Installation of MASS MoMA in progress! Opening Reception this Saturday April 1st, 3-5pm at TurnPark Art Space. Left to right: Reed Anderson, Sara Farrell Okamura, Cassi Namoda (top), Jacob Fossum, Karin Schaefer, Sean Greene.

If you are near the Berkshires this weekend, please join us at TurnPark Art Space for the Opening Reception of MASS MoMA on Saturday April 1st from 3-5pm! MASS MoMA: Artists of the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley Featuring: Yura Adams, Reed Anderson, Susannah Auferoth, Richard Britell, Donnabelle Casis, Brantner Deatley, Shoshana Deatley, Carol Diehl, Katharine Dufault, Grigori Fateyev, Jacob Fossum, Jared Gelormino, Sean Greene, GUZMAN, Brece Honeycutt, Wayne Hopkins, Jane Hudson, Susan Jennings, Philip Knoll, Seth Koen, Ellie Kreischer, Zohar Lazar, Sharon Ligorner, Sue Muskat, Cassi Namoda, Barbara Neulinger, Sara Farrell Okamura, Hideyo Okamura, Mark Olshansky, Kristen Palazzo, Ron Ronan, Alexander Ross, Karin Schaefer, Katy Schneider, Katia Santibañez, Julie Shapiro, James Siena, Shira Toren, Cathy Wysocki, and Geoffrey Young  We so look forward to sharing with you this showcase of 40 artists living and working in the area  This exhibition is curated by LABspace and coordinated by Michelle Kaplan and Jared Gelormino of TurnPark Art Space We are thrilled to welcome you to this pre-season exhibition kicking off 7 years of exceptional programming at TurnPark Art Space in West Stockbridge MA Huge thank you to all of the artists, Michelle Kaplan, and Jared Gelormino See you Saturday!  XO Ellen + Julie — MASS MoMA: Artists of the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley  OPENING RECEPTION THIS SATURDAY APRIL 1ST, 3-5PM at TurnPark Art Space On view Saturdays and Sundays 1-5pm through April 30 Gatehouse Gallery TurnPark Art Space 2 Moscow Road West Stockbridge MA Facebook Invite

Thank you Taliesin Thomas for your insightful review of Dee Shapiro: Peripheral Visions and BODY HIGHin Chronogram’s April 2023 issue! Click image to view, and watch for the April issue in print. Inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com. Photos courtesy Hans Soderquist.

On view at LABspace Saturdays + Sundays 1-5pm through April 30: Gallery One BODY HIGH group exhibition featuring Pauline Decarmo, Lois Dickson, Jacob Fossum, Zohar Lazar, Rebecca Litt, Kelsey Renko, Julia Schwartz, Olivia Tawzer, and Michael Van Winkle Gallery Two Dee Shapiro: Peripheral Visions solo exhibition Meet Dee Shapiro This Saturday April 1st, 2-6pm

LABspace 2642 NY Route 23, Hillsdale NY 12529 Inquiries: julielabspace@gmail.com

Located below Hillsdale General Store and Cook & Larder 17 miles east of Hudson NY  17 miles north of Millerton NY  11 miles west of Great Barrington MA

LABspace was founded and directed by artist Susan Jennings 2014-2018, and has been the curatorial project of artists Ellen Letcher and Julie Torres since April 2018.