5th Annual AMR Artist Exhibition

by Alan Powell

The best way to describe the AMR show at the Galli-Curci Theatre is as a celebration of the end of the summer art season. AMR changed leadership in the past year and has made a roaring comeback. The organization has a new look, and this year’s show reflects that energy.

I had friends visiting from out of town, and I said, “I’m going to take you to this opening.” It offers a good cross section of what this art community is like. People come to this area for the outdoors, more space, and time to do their work. Then they discover a vibrant and growing art community.

I’m also watching my generation of Baby Boomers wind down their city jobs and thrive with more time, space, and community. At the same time, a new generation of artists—in their 30s, 40s, and even early 50s—is joining the community and taking the reins of its arts organizations.

Running these arts nonprofits can be a thankless job. Organizing the AMR Open Studio Tour and this exhibition is a bit like herding cats. Artists live all over this part of the county, and the AMR staff works to bring them together and put their portfolios online. They pull it off beautifully.

This summer’s AMR Open Studio Tour was a big success, with more sponsors than in previous years. The tour and the exhibition at the Galli-Curci Theatre also show the tremendous diversity of the group, including many younger artists.

I especially liked how the exhibition was arranged by genre, medium, and style. The people who hung the show carefully grouped artists working in similar ways. There were plein air paintings on one wall, hard-edge abstractions on another, photo manipulations elsewhere, and realistic portraits alongside funky post-pop art. It was an excellent presentation of the work.

Ex Indigo, whom I knew as Sue’s Garage, played jazz from the Great American Songbook. The musicians included Bonnie and Tom on vocals, Tim Mukherjee on keyboard, and Maggie Parent on violin. There was great food, too. This is my shout-out to AMR for a beautiful comeback.

Don Freeman’s film Tires Velvet Paws will be screened at the Galli-Curci Theatre on Saturday, September 26, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, October 3, at 5 p.m.