Location: 55 Union Street, North Adams, MA (about an hour and a half northwest of Springfield, MA, and hour and 15 minutes northeast of Albany, NY)
Hours: Mon – Sat : 10am to 7pm, Sun : 12pm – 6pm
Cost: $5 for adults, $1 for children
Parking: There is parking available both across the street from the museum and next to the museum (look for the stretch limos with the long dog painted on its side)
Highlights: Art, collectibles and other memorabilia; all dog related!
Tips:
The Museum Of Dog offers a “Dancing Dog Evening Tour” performed by “in house talent” with some tours
Admission includes an optional guided tour of the museum by a knowledgeable staff member
If you have the time, make sure to stop by MASS MOCA which is only a mile or two away from the Museum Of Dog
Fun Facts:
Daisy, the dog of the founder and owner of the Museum Of Dog David York, has a exhibit dedicated to her
The Museum Of Dog holds the distinction of being the first of its kind in The Bay State
As summer approaches, what better place too whittle away the long dog days of summer than the Museum Of Dog?
The brainchild of dog lover and frequent Massachusetts vacationer David York, The Museum Of Dog has all things dog related that any dog aficionado is sure to appreciate.
The museum, which occupies what was formerly the Quinn’s Paint & Wallpaper Co, has works of art, collectibles and an assortment of other canine related items.
Statues of dogs line the shelves and floor of the museum.
This statue is a replica of Nipper, the dog used for the old logo for RCA.
But, the museum does not just limit itself to statues of dogs. There are also books, paintings,
The prized piece of art must be the portrait of Sophie; David York’s dog who he rescued many years ago.
In keeping with their roots to the area, there is an exhibit dedicated tot eh former tenants of the building, Quinn’s Paint and Wallpaper Co.
There is also an annex to the museum. The Daisy Exhibit features some of Daisy’s “art work.”
Daisy’s work is comically best described as “totale en doge.” She certainly puts all of herself into her art!
You can see her work for yourself in the”Sophie Annex.”
The annex houses many items associated with dogs such as tennis balls. There are also flowers and other types of decor in the rooms.
There are also ads for people looking to adopt dogs and art work from some of the visitors to the museum.
The rest of the annex includes an area for visitors to contribute to an exhibit of their own. Each visitor is encouraged to write their dog’s name and his or her biggest talent. The forms are then posted on a wall in the annex. Eating, sleeping, kissing, snuggling and sleeping are some of the more popular talents posted on the forms. Hey, I’m pretty good at those things too!
Parking is plentiful at the lot across from the museum, next to the museum and at the lots on Union St. There are limos located at the two main parking areas.
Somewhat ironically, there were no dogs present at the Museum Of Dog during my visit. But, they are welcome at the museum. So, make sure to take pooch along with you when you do visit!
Wed.-Mon.: Two museum highlights tours: B6: The Robert W. Wilson Building and Buildings 4, 5, and 7 at 2pm Summer Hours (begin June 2018)
10am—6pm Sundays—Wednesdays
10am—7pm Thursdays—Saturdays
Cost:
Admission
Adults $20
Seniors / Veterans $18
Students with ID $12
Kids (6–16) $8
EBT/WIC Cardholder $2
They also offer 2 day and 3 day admission tickets
Parking: There are four parking lots in the museum parking area
This pole with mirrors on it is just one of the unusual work of art on the grounds of the museum. This work of art is part of the Totally Totem exhibit by Marko Remec that was on the grounds of the museum in 2016. Marko attached ready-made objects such as mops, brooms, safety mirrors, and rear-view mirrors to utility poles, transforming them into contemporary totems.
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. Oh, never mind, it’s just a trailer on top of a bridge.
This work of art, part of a three part art piece titled, “All Utopias Fell”, was created by Michael Oatman. The trailer, called The Shining, is a 1970’s era Airstream mobile home that Oatman bought online from a dealer in Ohio.
The worst part of the exhibit for some may be the walk along some narrow steps inside a creepy boiler house, more on that later, and then a short jaunt along a bridge to the Airstream.
““The Library of the Sun”, the decorative interior of the Airstream is the second part of the exhibit. Decorations, prints as well as a variety of other vintage and novelty items line the walls and shelves of the trailer. Many of the items inside the Airstream are humorous relics of the past. A rotary phone, a sewing machine, a workbench, books held into place with leather safety belts and even a photo of Guy Lombardo and real jars of preserved food. are just a few of the vintage memorabilia inside the mobile home.
The third and final part of the exhibit is “Codex Solis” which is a a solar panel project that Oatman has worked to create with the museum for the past 3 years. The solar panels Every task light and video screen on the Airstream is powered by the solar panels according to Oatman. According to their website, roughly 25% of MASS MoCA’s energy is produced on-site through solar panels on these roofs
The views from the exhibit are stunning.
The work of art is inspired by vintage era pulp aeronauts such as Buck Rogers, Tom Swift, and Tom Corbett: Space Cadet, as well as the works of Giotto, Jules Verne, NASA, and Chris Marker’s 1962 film La Jetée. Slightly larger than my apartment, The Shining does seem like it could be a little cramped for most people.
These cans were strategically placed to form some artistic displays.
“All Those Vanished Engines” is an audio and visual exhibit by Stephen Vitiello. Inspired by a commissioned text by novelist Paul Park, the exhibit uses both sound and visual arts to entertain its viewers.
The Boiler House was commissioned by Sprague Electric Company in 1947. It was preserved by the museum as a relic of the great industrial age of carbon. There are three boiler hoppers, coal hoppers, steam fittings and ash disposal conveyors. Especially after viewing the solar panels on the roofs of some of the buildings, it is a reminder of how far we have come in our technology. I couldn’t help but think Freddy Krueger was lurking around one of the corners.
There are a lot of strange works of art on th emuseum grounds. I’m not sure what these are supposed to be.
Remind me to never bring my camera to MASS MoCA. There is so much more art to share from this museum. But, I may be taking a break from posting the art from this haven for art lovers.
I have some other interesting photos from places and events I have visited recently. So, I am taking a short break from my MASS MoCA posts. But, I will resume my MASS MoCA series after I post some photos of winter in New England!
Wed.-Mon.: Two museum highlights tours: B6: The Robert W. Wilson Building and Buildings 4, 5, and 7 at 2pm Summer Hours (begin June 2018)
10am—6pm Sundays—Wednesdays
10am—7pm Thursdays—Saturdays
Cost:
Admission
Adults $20
Seniors / Veterans $18
Students with ID $12
Kids (6–16) $8
EBT/WIC Cardholder $2
They also offer 2 day and 3 day admission tickets
Parking: There are four parking lots in the museum parking area
One of the featured artists at MASS MoCA is artist, musician, composer, film producer and entertainer Laurie Anderson. All of the art posted below was made by Laurie with charcoal. These drawings feature dog Lollabelle and visions of the Tibetan afterlife as her inspirations.
Many of the exhibits at MASS MoCA have a social, political or other type of message. This exhibit showcased some of the different aspects of the criminal justice system. The scanner like devices in the pink and blue lights had text that looked like police chatter on it. Along the walls are fingerprints taken from people who have been arrested and reports that have been blocked out.
The exhibit also included a collection of documents from prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and some of the other holding facilities overseas. Many of them, but not all were blacked out. Some were entirely blacked out. What struck me is how some things, like how an inmate injured himself or some other traumatic event, were explained so matter of fact.
This mural has the lyrics to the Graham Koxon song, “Fame And Fortune” in it.
Resist the temptation to sit on this bench created by Jenny Holzer.
Thank you for stopping by and checking out part IV of my blog post series on the art at MASS MoCA. Believe it or not, yes, there’s more. Part V of my series will include some of the outdoor art and some very interesting art from some unusual places at the museum. Stay tuned.
Wed.-Mon.: Two museum highlights tours: B6: The Robert W. Wilson Building and Buildings 4, 5, and 7 at 2pm Summer Hours (begin June 2018)
10am—6pm Sundays—Wednesdays
10am—7pm Thursdays—Saturdays
Cost:
Admission
Adults $20
Seniors / Veterans $18
Students with ID $12
Kids (6–16) $8
EBT/WIC Cardholder $2
They also offer 2 day and 3 day admission tickets
Parking: There are four parking lots in the museum parking area
As I was looking through my photos from last year, I came across some photos I took at MASS MoCA last summer. Since there are so many photos of many different exhibits, I am planning on posting my photos in several parts. I hope you enjoy this trip through the many art works and creative exhibits at this very unique museum.
Once the site of a factory building complex, MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) is now home to a variety of art from a variety of artists and styles.
Formerly the Arnold Print Building which operated there from 1860 to 1942 and the Sprague Electric Company, MASS MoCA consists of several buildings, some of which are connected by bridges and walk ways.
MASS MoCA has both permanent exhibits (or at least semi permanent exhibits) as well as many temporary exhibits.
Decorated walls are a constant theme at the museum. One of the permanent exhibits on display at the museum are these walls with stylized designs on them.
This work of art by Barbara Takenaga called Nebraska (2015)is composed of acrylic on digitally printed wallpaper. The wallpaper was translated from her handcrafted easel work. The 120 foot mural represents the open plain of Nebraska, Takenaga’s home state. The design is meant to represent the corn and stars that are evident on an evening in her home state. The work of art is meant to show the “blue hour” when the earth and sky begin to merge.
On the second floor of the museum, there are several walls with different designs painted on them.
The following art is part of Sol Lewitt’s A Wall Drawing Retro-spective exhibit.
This exhibit comprises 105 of LeWitt’s large-scale wall drawings, spanning the artist’s career from 1969 to 2007. These works of art take up nearly an acre of specially built interior walls that have been installed, per LeWitt’s own specification. They span over three stories of a historic mill building situated at the heart of MASS MoCA’s campus. The 27,000-square-foot structure, known as Building #7, has been fully restored for the exhibition by Bruner/Cott & Associates architects.
“Wall Drawing 439” – May, 1985, asymmetrical pyramid with color ink washes superimposed. Color ink wash.
“Wall Drawing 527” – April, 1987, two flat-topped pyramids with color ink washes superimposed. Color ink wash.
From left to right: “Wall Drawing 583H” : rectangles with color ink washes superimposed. Each is bordered by a 10-inch band with color ink washes superimposed, a 1/2 inch white band and a 4 inch black band – color ink wash, December, 1988
Center: “Wall Drawing 584 H”: squares, divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts. Within each part, color ink washes superimposed. The squares are bordered by a 1/2 inch white band and a 4 inch black band – color ink wash, January, 1989
Right: “Wall Drawing 583F”” rectangles, with color ink washes superimposed. Each is bordered by a 10 inch band with color ink washes superimposed, a 1/2 inch white band and a 4 inch black band – color ink wash, December, 1988
In the far right corner of this display by itself is “Wall Drawing 725” – On a blue wall, a black square within a white border. India ink, color ink wash, gouache. April, 1993.
“Wall Drawing 343 A-F”: On a black wall, nine geometric figures (including right triangle, cross, X) in squares. The backgrounds are filled in solid white.
December 1980
White crayon on black wall
“Wall Drawing 340”
Six-part drawing. The wall is divided horizontally and vertically into six equal parts. 1st part: On red, blue horizontal parallel lines, and in the center, a circle within which are yellow vertical parallel lines; 2nd part: On yellow, red horizontal parallel lines, and in the center, a square within which are blue vertical parallel lines; 3rd part: On blue, yellow horizontal parallel lines, and in the center, a triangle within which are red vertical parallel lines; 4th part: On red, yellow horizontal parallel lines, and in the center, a rectangle within which are blue vertical parallel lines; 5th part: On yellow, blue horizontal parallel lines, and in the center, a trapezoid within which are red vertical parallel lines; 6th part: On blue, red horizontal parallel lines, and in the center, a parallelogram within which are yellow vertical parallel lines. The horizontal lines do not enter the figures.
July 1980
Red, yellow, blue crayon on red, yellow and blue wall
“Wall Drawing 335”:
On four black walls, white vertical parallel lines, and in the center of the walls, eight geometric figures (including cross, X) within which are white horizontal parallel lines. The vertical lines do not enter the figures.
May 1980
White crayon on black wall
I found myself mesmerized by these works of art. It seemed like the colors and shapes were busy, as if staring at some of them too long can give you a headache. Yet, I couldn’t stop looking at them. Some of them, especially the lines on the wall with the circles and rectangles on the grey wall seemed to change shapes and direction based on which direction you looked at it from.
“Wall Drawing 681C”: a wall divided vertically into four equal squares separated and bordered by black bands. Within each square bands in one of four bands in one of four directions each with color ink superimposed. Color ink wash, August, 1993
“Wall Drawing 414”
Drawing Series IV (A) with India ink washes. (24 Drawings.)
March 1984
India ink wash
“Wall Drawing 391”
Two-part drawing. The two walls are each divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts. First wall: 12-inch (30 cm) bands of lines in four directions, one direction in each part, drawn in black India ink. Second wall: Same, but with four colors drawn in India ink and color ink washes.
April 1983
India ink and color ink wash
I especially liked how the walls were displayed throughout the room. The aisles between the walls made for good photo opportunities.
Across from “Wall Drawing 414” was the color version of the same work of art
“Wall Drawing 413”
Drawing Series IV (A) with color ink washes. (24 drawings.)
March 1984
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 692”
Continuous forms with color ink washes superimposed.
October 1991
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 610”
Isometric figure with color ink washes superimposed.
June 1989
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 422”
The room (or wall) is divided vertically into fifteen parts. All one-, two-, three-, and four-part combinations of four colors, using color ink washes.
November 1984
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 614”
Rectangles formed by 3-inch (8 cm) wide India ink bands, meeting at right angles.
July 1989
India ink
“Wall Drawing 684A”
Squares bordered and divided horizontally and vertically into four equal squares, each with bands in one of four directions.
June 1999
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 630” & “Wall Drawing 631”
“Wall Drawing 630”
A wall is divided horizontally into two equal parts. Top: alternating horizontal black and white 8-inch (20 cm) bands. Bottom: alternating vertical black and white 8-inch (20 cm) bands.
January 1990
India ink
“Wall Drawing 631”
A wall is divided into two equal parts by a line drawn from corner to corner. Left: alternating diagonal black and white 8-inch (20 cm) bands from the lower left. Right: alternating diagonal black and white 8-inch (20 cm) bands from the upper right.
January 1990
India ink
“Wall Drawing 766”
Twenty-one isometric cubes of varying sizes, each with color ink washes superimposed.
September 1994
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 415D”
Double Drawing. Right: Isometric Figure (Cube) with progressively darker graduations of gray on each of three planes; Left: Isometric figure with red, yellow, and blue superimposed progressively on each of the three planes. The background is gray.
March 1993
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 522D” (to the right in the photo)
Tilted forms with color ink washes superimposed.
December 1987
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 793B”
Irregular wavy color bands.
January 1996
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 792”
Black rectangles and squares.
June 1995
Dispersion paint
“Wall Drawing 579”
Three concentric arches. The outside one is blue; the middle red; and the inside one is yellow.
November 1988
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 766”
Twenty-one isometric cubes of varying sizes, each with color ink washes superimposed.
September 1994
Color ink wash
“Wall Drawing 386”
Stars with three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine points, drawn with a light tone India ink wash inside, an India ink wash outside, separated by a 6-inch (15 cm) white band.
January 1983
India ink wash
Based on the museum’s website, there appears to be many more walls with Lewitt’s work on them in the building, many of which seem to have been added since my visit.
Cosmic Latte is an exhibit designed by famed artist Seymour Finch. The 350 lights are meant to represent a constellation. The name Cosmic Latte refers to the official name given to the color of our universe. A 2009 study of the light emitted by 200,000 galaxies proved the light of our universe is more of a beige color than the blue color it is usually described. The spacing of the fixtures is meant to model the atomic of powdered pigments that Finch used to emulate the specific Cosmic Latte color. He used the following colors to achieve this Cosmic Latte hue: titanium white, Mars Yellow, chrome yellow and cadium red.
The fixtures are arranged in a similar pattern to that of the Milky Way as it is observed in the Northern Hemisphere in March. The undulating swathe of the lights relates to the nearby Hoosic River which is visible through the windows.
Art is everywhere at MASS MoCA. These benches with cubby hole storage were located just outside of Kidland, where the Cavernous display was located.
During my visit, there was a special, temporary exhibit on display for children. Inspired by the Hoosac Tunnel which, in 1974, was built to be part of a rail system that connects Albany NY to Boston, MA, Cavernous: The Inner Life of Courage is an interactive work of art in which visitors can walk inside and play inside. The exhibit is meant to teach visitors what it takes to be courageous and persevere in the face of mountain-sized obstacles. Visitors are invited to play in a tunnel-like structure built specifically for the museum. Designs and words are written on the floors and walls. There are also cushioned seating for children to sit on inside the work of art. Good luck getting the kiddies to leave!
Children and other visitors were encouraged to leave little notes in the cavern.
The tunnel system that was built was meant to be a metaphor for courage.
This exhibit was part of the Kidspace area of the museum.
This is part one of a multiple series post. I am not sure how many posts will be involved in the MASS MoCA serries. But, stayed tuned for more creative works of art!
Below are some videos of the work involved in creating some of the art at MASS MoCA
Location: Noel Field Athletic Complex on Route 8, North Adams, MA (310 State Street, North Adams, MA)
Hours: open daily sunrise to sunset
Parking: There is a small parking area next to the skate park
Highlights: skate park with ramps, stairs and rails for cyclists and skate boarders
You never know what you’ll find if you just keep your eyes open. While driving home from MASS MOCA (blog posts from there will be posted very soon), I came across this newly constructed bike and skate park.
The recently opened UNITY Skate Board And BMX Park (the ribbon cutting ceremony was July 1) is a great place for kids and adults of all ages to come together and show off some of their skating chops.
UNITY (an acronym for the United, Neighboring, Interdependent, Trusted Youth) has several rails, steps and ramps for bicyclists and skateboarders to use. The park also has some decor that are tributes to famous landmarks in the area.
There park has two structures that are dedicated to two separate landmarks of northwestern Massachusetts. The hole in the box in the first photo is a symbol of the Hoosac Tunnel and the grey ball in the second photo is a symbol of the memorial on Mount Greylock, the highest point of Massachusetts.
The park has lots of space for all of the skaters and bicyclists to attempt their stunts.
It was good to see people from all backgrounds, skill levels and ages using the park.
Below is a video of the skaters at the park. As you can see, it attracts a good crowd.
Today’s featured website is Rye Airfield. Rye Airfield in Rye, NH, is considered New England’s premiere skate park.
Tucked behind the busy streets of North Adams in an otherwise nondescript office building complex stands a museum highlighting the hidden history of the North Adams area. It was truly a hidden surprise. Just be aware if you do visit, you have to walk a short distance into the commercial space area to find the museum. In fact, the museum/visitor center is so hidden that I accidentally walked into some office building in the front of the parking lot. The man working there was understanding and said it “happens all of the time” and he promptly gave us the directions to the museum which he must have memorized backwards and forwards by now.
More of a visitor center than an actual museum (and certainly not a park), the Heritage State Park museum chronicles the history and development of the Hoosac Tunnel, a 4.75 active railroad that runs through the Hoosac Range, a mountainous region of Vermont as well as other historical events of the area.
Much of the visitor center is dedicated to the Hoosac Tunnel which was built 1851 and 1875 (and you thought construction projects took a long time these days). The museum had many. exhibits on display that range from what the area looked like before the construction began to documenting what was involved in the construction of the tunnel. As an fyi, the lighting was very dim and I think they frown upon using your flash. So, some of the photos came out a little dark.
The museum also has some of the tools, equipment and vehicles used to create the tunnel and transport goods.
One hundred and ninety five people were killed during the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel which has added to its lore. The section of the visitor center that deals with the mining history of the area, with its dim lighting adds to this spooky history. There are also examples of rocks that prevalent in the area where the Hoosac Tunnel was built and had to be blasted or removed during the construction of the tunnel.
There is one section pf the visitor center that befuddled me a bit. Apparently, there have been reported UFO and alien sightings in the area. Apparently, Western Massachusetts and the Berkshires are a hot bed for extraterrestrial activity. However, many of the documents and exhibits had to deal with Area 51 in Roswell, New Mexico. I know. My sentiments exactly.
The last section of the visitor center has travel guides, books and exhibits with information about the area.
As I walked to my car from the visitor center, I noticed Prada, a 5 year old Siberian and wolf mix, being walked near the Heritage State Park. She was nice enough to pose for a few photos for me.
The bridges of Western Massachusetts are not just the ones you see on the roadways. But, don’t let the name fool you. The Natural Bridge State Park has so much more to offer.
Before you reach the natural bridge, a brook greets you at the entrance.
Formed through series of continental collisions, erosion and the meltwaters caused by the Ice Age, the natural marble bridge is the only one of its kind in North America.
Deep crevices and chasms were carved through the years of erosion and warming and cooling.
The only marble bridge in North America, the natural bridge in North Adams is located just off the The Mohawk Trail.
Adding to the beauty of the natural bridge, the park has a waterfall.
The Natural Bridge State Park also has impressive views of the bridge and the park it overlooks.
There are many flowers, trees, rocks, bridges (a bridge on a bridge of all things) and even David’s Bench that give the Natural Bridge State Park a special charm.
During our travels, we met Sasha.
Just as you think you’ve seen all the Natural Bridge State Park has to offer there is a small park area atop the walking bridge. Statues and other structures made from the materials mined from the one time quarry rest along the top of the lofty bridge. It capped off a perfect visit.
New England Nomad 