sculpture | Beckie Kravetz

Human Sundial in “Reflections” exhibition in Cummington

bkss — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 01:22:42 +0000

Beckie’s sculpture “Time to Reflect: A Human Sundial Telling Time and Local History”, will be on display from July 2 – October 31 on Main Street in Cummington, MA.

The work is part of a juried temporary exhibition titled “Reflections”, which is part of the initiative to launch a Massachusetts Cultural District along Main Street in Cummington. The installation is a “Human Sundial”, in which the shadow of a person standing on an in-ground date path (keyed to a specific latitude and longitude) points to vertical hour markers set on an ellipse around the date path. Beckie’s piece is set on the lawn of the Kingman Tavern Museum, the museum of the Historical Commission of Cummington. Each hour marker tells an episode of Cummington history, using ceramic sculpture and signage. The installation also includes ceramic and wooden tiles created in community workshops. The piece is planned as an ongoing public art installation with both artist and community input adding to the work over the course of several years.

For more images of Time to Reflect, visit the Public Art page.

Iris Wooed by Zephyrus at the Norman Rockwell Museum

bkss — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 15:51:33 +0000

Beckie’s sculpture, Iris Wooed by Zephyrus, is part of the Land of Enchantment outdoor sculpture exhibition at the Norman Rockwell Museum . The sculpture was awarded the judge’s prize for Most Inventive.

Here is Beckie’s Artist Statement about the piece:

My vision as a sculptor draws inspiration from theater and opera, where I have been a mask and puppet maker and designed wigs and makeup for over 30 years. Myths and fairytales are a core part of the theatrical canon, and the creation of imaginary places, characters, and creatures is the essence of that world. While my work as a visual artist focuses on capturing real human emotion, the power of myth and fairytale to illuminate aspects of the human condition often inspires my choice of subjects to sculpt. Emerging from the pandemic year, I wanted to create a work that embodied renewal and hope. The wooing of Iris, goddess of the rainbow by Zephyrus, god of the gentle spring wind, offers a metaphor for entering a time of reconnection and regeneration.

Museum Hours are Thursday – Monday: 10am-5pm and Tuesday: noon – 7pm. The museum is closed on Wednesday. The outdoor exhibition is open to the public at no cost.

The exhibition runs until October 31

Sculpture in progress for upcoming exhibition at the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge MA

bkss — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 19:00:31 +0000

Beckie’s sculpture, “Iris Wooed by Zephyrus” has been selected for exhibition at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge Massachusetts. The sculpture will be included in “Land of Enchantment“, an outdoor exhibition on display from July 10 through October 31, 2021.

“Overwhelmed” selected for Springfield Museum exhibition

bkss — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 15:48:50 +0000

Beckie’s sculpture “Overwhelmed: The Artist in Quarantine Cleans Out Her Office” has been selected for exhibition at the Springfield Museum– This Is Us: Regional Portraiture Today. The exhibition runs February 6–May 2, 2021

Below is the statement about the work that was included with the submission.

Like so many others in quarantine, I dove into some long neglected household projects to focus pandemic anxiety and try to make good use of the enforced time at home. In an early burst of energy, I cleared multiple years of outdated tax files from the attic, but then I had an office (and a closet, and the studio floor) full of boxes of tax papers that needed to be shredded. The papers were a mental and physical burden. Their presence taunted me, and the chaos of the papers and boxes became a metaphor for the cluttered weight of my anxious thoughts. As a mask maker in this year of masking, I should have been bursting with ideas, but I was finding it hard to summon the energy for creative studio time. At last, a creative breakthrough arrived– why not turn this overwhelming burden of office work into a self-portrait of what it felt like to be in the middle of this time in history. Once I envisioned the sculpture, shredding the papers wasn’t taking me away from work, it WAS my work. The creation of the portrait became a fun (and productive) outlet for pandemic angst.

39″ x 36″ x 36″

neoprene mask rubber with acrylic, chicken wire, shredded paper and plastic garbage bag

Hampshire Gazette highlights “Unique/United” public art project

bkss — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 19:46:34 +0000

The Daily Hampshire Gazette featured Beckie’s work-in-progress public art installation in their piece on Easthampton, MA annual Winterfest event. The full article can be found here.

The installation will be on display at the gallery until February 26th, then will be presented at Art in the Orchard Alumni Invitation at Park Hill Orchard, Easthampton, MA in August-November 2020.

The community is invited to contribute self portraits to the installation.

The Winterfest portrait painting workshop was supported in part by a grant from the Easthampton Cultural Council.

Exhibition of masks and sculpture in Easthampton, MA February 2020

bkss — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:35:30 +0000

Concealed/Revealed, a solo exhibition of masks and sculpture by Beckie Kravetz, and a public art project that invites community contributions.

The MAP Gallery @ Eastworks 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton, MA 01027

The MAP Gallery is at the Marketplace entrance. Walk through the front doors of that entrance (its the one in the middle) and the gallery is straight ahead.

Hours: Wed and Sat 11:30-4:30 through Feb 26th.

NEPR feature on Beckie’s work

bkss — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 13:23:02 +0000

Jill Kaufman, Arts and Culture reporter for New England Public Radio, produced a wonderful piece about Beckie’s work as a sculptor and opera makeup artist. The piece was recorded during a live opera makeup demo that took place at the Barn Gallery in Lenox, MA last summer during the run on Beckie’s solo exhibition. Live stream and photos are online at NEPR.net.

“Talk to Me” in Art New England Magazine

bkss — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 17:20:15 +0000

Sarah Baker, editor of Art New England Magazine, spent the day with Beckie in her studio while she was creating “Talk to Me”. Sarah’s preview appears in the current issue of the magazine. Click here to read the article.

Opening reception for “Talk to Me” at the Barn Gallery

bkss — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 15:57:12 +0000

Opening reception for solo sculpture exhibition at the Barn Gallery at Stonover Farm in Lenox, MA. Wednesday, July 17th, 5-7 PM.

The exhibition runs until August 22nd. For information please visit https://www.stonoverfarm.com/the-barn-gallery

“Talk to Me”: contemporary figurative sculpture at the Barn Gallery, Lenox, MA.

bkss — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:56:49 +0000

The studio is filling up with new work for Beckie’s upcoming solo exhibition at The Barn Gallery at Stonover Farm in Lenox, MA. The exhibition, “Talk to Me” will include new work in ceramic and mixed media. The exhibition runs from July 3- August 22nd. Gallery is open daily, 11-3. Please call in advance of your visit. (413) 212-3894