Pittsfield Artist Joan Palano Ciolfi Featured at Berkshire Museum

Highlawn by Joan Ciolfi

Highlawn by Joan Ciolfi

(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – An exhibition of new and recent paintings by Pittsfield artist Joan Palano Ciolfi will be on view at the new BerkshireNow gallery space at the Berkshire Museum from Friday, June 5 through August 30, 2015. Ciolfi’s paintings are expressive oils infused with energy and texture. Her work is vibrant and atmospheric and is often inspired by her Berkshire surroundings.

Trained in fine arts, graphics, and textile design, Ciolfi has explored the use of various mediums. Her brilliant use of simple images and powerful interplay of light convey stillness and breathtaking beauty. Currently she uses a technique of oil sticks, paints and brushes on canvas or board to create paintings that express and share her passion for color.

Ciolfi has had solo exhibits in Cambridge and Lenox, and has shown her work in galleries and group exhibits throughout New England and New York. Her work has been published nationally and collected throughout the United States. Ciolfi started her art and design career at Berkshire Community College and holds a BFA in visual design from UMass Dartmouth.

“Painting allows me to share my passion for color, which is essential to my imagery,” says Ciolfi. “My work focuses on light, texture, and composition to create both abstract and realistic images of dramatic landscapes, open skies, and intricate objects found all around us.” Ciolfi’s BerkshireNow show features recent works, all completed in the last two years. The abstract landscapes are based on Berkshire views, with trees and clouds interpreted with layers of texture in saturated, deep colors. The abstract paintings are an explosion of energy, mimicking, in some cases, swooping loops of expressive handwriting.

Awakening by Joan Ciolfi

Awakening by Joan Ciolfi

BerkshireNow features four exhibits each year ranging from solo artists to group shows. The BerkshireNow gallery is a high traffic, high visibility space located adjacent to the front lobby outside of Spark!Lab. Outfitting the nine-hundred-square-foot gallery space for the new exhibition series was made possible in part by a grant from the Pittsfield Cultural Council.

BerkshireNow is designed to showcase the work of artists living in the Berkshires. Selection is by invitation from the Museum, based on alignment with the Museum’s mission and existing exhibitions programming. Artists eligible for BerkshireNow exhibits include, but are not limited to, those working in experimental, 2D, 3D and new media, craft, photographers, and graphic design. BerkshireNow exhibits will include solo and group shows curated by the Museum, as well as group shows organized by art organizations.

The BerkshireNow gallery is open during regular Museum hours. In addition, Berkshire Museum is part of Pittsfield’s monthly First Fridays Artswalk events, when admission to the BerkshireNow gallery will be free to the public, from 5 to 8 p.m., on June 5, July 3, and August 7.

Located in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at 39 South St., the Berkshire Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $13 adult, $6 child; Museum members and children age 3 and under enjoy free admission. For more information, visit Berkshire Museum or call 413.443.7171.

In association with the Smithsonian since 2013, Berkshire Museum is part of a select group of museums, cultural, educational, and arts organizations that share the Smithsonian’s resources with the nation. Established by Zenas Crane in 1903, Berkshire Museum integrates art, history, and natural science in a wide range of programs and exhibitions that inspire educational connections between the disciplines. Immortal Present: Art and East Asia is on view May 23 through September 7, 2015. Objectify: A Look into the Permanent Collection is currently on view. Little Cinema is open year-round. Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation, Worlds in Miniature, Aquarium, and other exhibits are ongoing.

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