Day Twelve

2013 May 8-11 Berkshires MA 072In the comfort of a two bedroom condo in the Berkshire Mountains in MA, we spent the entire day toasting our toes on the deck in the Spring MA sunshine.  With no internet available we had to find other pleasures . . . and we did – mostly relaxing and reading.

2013 May 5-7 Berkshires-NY-VT 073While some of us napped, I took a walk (unfortunately, I neglected to bring my camera) down to Highway 102 and enjoyed a little babbling brook that ran into a full grown river, the Housatonic, and found St. Francis Gallery along the way.    I walked farther on, but was so intrigued that on my return, I had to make a visit inside.  The owner was a talkative gentleman who was so excited to entertain a visitor from Seattle!  He shared that he bought the small church a year ago.  It had stood empty since it closure in 2005 and now was enjoying a new life as his little art gallery.  This was a tiny little church, mind you, which had to have been no more than 6 to 10 pews deep.  Its new owner kept all the “aura” of the parish church as he established his little art gallery, because “art is very spiritual, too,” he assured me.  Walking through the small space he introduced me, through their work, to some of the local artists.  One woman, in her nineties, painted with the flare of Henri Matisse. Another man, in his nineties, painted beautiful landscapes on location!  A young woman provided a wall of cartoon drawings depicting the trials of her life and relationships.  And, I also admired the six stained glass windows, left from the church days, which portrayed the life and charisms of St. Francis and St. Clare. The window sills held the altar candelabra and the altar flower stands had been repurposed to hold a guest book and a beautiful sculpture.  Yes, there is no doubt about it, art – any art – is very spiritual and also filled with grace.

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