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The Grafton Common Art Gallery is about to close on December 15th! As a warm thank-you to all our visitors, every person who comes into the gallery on Thursday, December 14th will get a free origami ornament! Lisa Shea will be there from 3-6pm so if you come during those hours she can custom create one for you. If you come earlier 12-3 you can choose from the selection in the gallery.

It’s the perfect time for that last minute holiday shopping!

Where?
Grafton Common Art Gallery
One Grafton Common
Suite 123
Grafton, MA

It’s the building with the AppleTree Arts in it!

When?
Thursday, December 14th, 2017
noon – 6pm

Share the news!

Note that the gallery is SHUTTING DOWN as of Friday, December 15th, 2017 – be sure to come visit before then!

For more about the Grafton Common Art Gallery, visit:

Grafton Common Art Gallery

The 32nd Annual Art Festival of the Blackstone Valley Art Association was held in April 1990 at the Blackstone-Millville Regional Junior – Senior High School in Blackstone. The jurist was Lou Bonamarte.

This show featured a number of named awards rather than first / second / third. Also, I’ll note that there were NO PHOTOGRAPHS in these winners, meaning that there might have been no photographs at all in the show. The first time I’m finding any record of photography in a BVAA show is in 1992.

Arnold Banning Best of Show Award:
“Wild Flowers”, oil, Michael Graves

Alfred Demars Special Award:
“Trees”, oil, Bill Gustafson

William Boyd Special Award:
“Springtime”, oil, Inez Gornall Cloward

Bernard Corey Special Award:
“Untitled”, watercolor, Carole Rafferty

Raymond Sullivan Special Award:
“Purple Irish”, watercolor, Janice E. Moore

Doris Daniels Cox Special Award:
“Loon Sunset”, quilt, Millie Griffith

G. Arthur and Violet Small Special Award:
“Summer Field”, oil, William Heffernan

Let us know if you have any photos or notes from this event!

How would you like a hand painted pet portrait? Would it make the perfect Christmas gift for you or someone you love?

As a special THANK YOU! for anyone coming to the Grafton Art Gallery on Saturday, December 9th from 3-6pm, talented artist Betty Havens will hand paint a portrait for you *while you wait* of a pet. Her portrait will be 5×7 in size, ideal for framing. You just bring in a clear photo of your pet for her to work from. It’ll be just $10.

It’s well worth a visit!

Where?
Grafton Common Art Gallery
One Grafton Common
Suite 123
Grafton, MA

It’s the building with the AppleTree Arts in it!

When?
Saturday, December 9th, 2017
3pm – 6pm

Share the news with all your pet-loving friends!

Note that the gallery is SHUTTING DOWN as of Friday, December 15th – be sure to come visit before then!

For more about the Grafton Common Art Gallery, visit:

Grafton Common Art Gallery

Here are photos from the 2017 edition of the Claflin Hill Holiday Pops art show in Milford! The concert is SOLD OUT and is on Saturday, December 9th. Here’s the full details:

Claflin Hill Holiday Pops

A video too!

This is the two-fold brochure from the Blackstone Valley Art Association 34th Annual Art Festival, held on May 7 to May 21, 1992. It was held at the Bellingham Public Library in Bellingham, Massachusetts.

We had 5 photos in this show, so sometime between 1990 and 1992 we began having photographers in the group. For all I know we had photographers before 1990 and they went away again, but so far every show I’m finding before 1992 was photo-free.

The winners for this show were:

OILS
1st – Afternoon Light, Michael Graves
2nd – Boyhood Memories, Raymond Andreotti
3rd – Fog at Pigeon Cove – Beverly Clark
Hon Mention – Flower Pots – Nancy Nogueira

WATERCOLOR
1st – Boothbay Harbor, Maine – Carole Rafferty
2nd – ?? – Janice M.
3rd – Rainy Day Reds – Joanne Jozefowski
Hon Mention – untitled – Lissa Story
Hon Mention – The Road Home – Susan Whiterell

OTHER (I’m guessing, based on the prize listings)
1st – L’Imprimeuse lithograph – Muriel Locklin
2nd – From Here to Eternity photography – Ann Wiersma
3rd – Wine Country Oak photography – Steven Collins
Hon Mention – Zermatt, Switzerland Monotype and Etching – Muriel Locklin

Here are the images. Let me know if anybody else interprets these differently!

Other well-known names featured in this show include Inez Gornall and Linda Sinacola. Who else do you recognize here?

This Saturday 12/9 from 10am-noon, bring the family to make your own Christmas ornaments with talented artist Janet Aleid – all are welcome!

It’ll be at the Grafton Common Art Gallery in the Apple Tree Arts building.

Make your Own Ornament – Workshop Details

The gallery closes for good on Friday, December 15th so be sure to stop by this weekend and get your cards, prints, and artwork items now!

A blast from the past! Here’s the three-fold program from the Blackstone Valley Art Association’s 21st Annual Spring Show, held April 15th through April 20th, 1979. This was held at the Blackstone-Millville Regional High School in Blackstone, Massachusetts.

Mrs. Marilyn Niteson sang and played piano on Sunday afternoon. The Messengers sang on Friday evening!

There were 166 items of artwork including watercolors, oils, acrylics, pastels, graphic arts, quilts, crochet, vases, and sculptures. Note that there was NO photography at all in 1979 :).

There’s some names in here that we still recognize. Michael Graves, quite famous for his landscapes. Inez Gornall. What other names do you recognize in here? Let us know!

Click on either image to get a larger version. We have a binder with the originals if you’d like to take a look!

Come by the Grafton Common Art Gallery today 4-5pm – Bonnie Frederico demonstrates how to paint ornaments. You can see her other work, like this bluebird! Gallery’s open until 6pm tonight.

Come in before we close our doors on Fri Nov 15th!

Grafton Common Art Gallery Details

Want to learn more about how to use your camera or cellphone? Confused by the various settings of time, aperture, and so on? Want some hands-on help becoming a better photographer during this holiday season?

This free workshop will get you started! You can drop in any time and we’ll get you familiar with your camera or cellphone. All levels warmly welcomed

Where?
Grafton Common Art Gallery
One Grafton Common
Suite 123
Grafton, MA

It’s the building with the AppleTree Arts in it!

When?
Sunday, December 10th, 2017
2pm to 5pm

All are welcome! Share the news with family and friends!

The gallery is closing this FRIDAY DECEMBER 15th 2017 so be sure to get in soon for those final gifts!

For more about the Grafton Common Art Gallery, visit:

Grafton Common Art Gallery