06/02/10 Art dealers

BARRE – As part of the Palettes of Vermont program, the Barre Partnership has begun distributing materials – including artist palettes and industrial pallets – to locals interested in the arts.

Seems the partnership is playing a pivotal role in the Barre area's planned participation in the statewide arts project spearheaded by the Vermont Arts Council.

Matt Lash, the partnership's executive director, says local artists, community groups and members of the general public are encouraged to join in.

"The Barre Partnership is proud to involve the entire community in this initiative," says Lash, who tells us the partnership is adding a "Barre twist" to the local effort.

"In addition to working with a traditional (maple) artist palette, area participants will also have access to wooden industrial pallets – used for years in the granite sheds – to create their artwork with," says Lash. "With these relics of the stone industry, possibilities are endless: sculptures, paintings and more!"

Both the palettes and pallets are free, according to Lash, who says artists of all ages and skill levels are only responsible for furnishing the art supplies they'll need to turn them into works of art.

All area residents – including community and arts organizations, service groups, businesses, individual artists, schools and libraries – are welcome to participate. Folks interested in participating should contact Lash at 476-0267 or e-mail barpart@barrecity.org.

Palettes of Vermont is a statewide community event designed to unite people and communities through the arts. The yearlong project provides 7,000 maple palettes and more than 7,000 paper palettes to artists and communities, and encourages exhibition of finished palette art from Memorial Day through Halloween. The collective exhibition of palettes during this time promises to be the largest art show in Vermont history with venues in more than 300 cities, towns and villages across the state. However, we suspect Barre will be the only community with both pallets, and palettes, on display.