Easthampton's Art in the Orchard to stay open until Thanksgiving

EASTHAMPTON -- The biennial juried sculpture exhibit known as Art in the Orchard, originally set to close Oct. 31, will stay open until Thanksgiving, organizers said Monday. At that point, 28 works of outdoor art, viewed by thousands of visitors, will be retrieved by their creators or released to their new owners.

A mid-October appreciation party, held under sunny skies, drew a big crowd. As artists, volunteers, benefactors, and the public mixed and mingled, Elusie Gallery curator (and Art in the Orchard co-founder) Jean-Pierre Pasche poured wine, restaurateur John Casey Douglas laid out a feast, and a trio of musicians delivered snappy standards.

Park Hill Orchard owners Alane Hartley and Russell Braen held down the fort as children ran through the farm's meadows and fed a resident flock of chickens. The orchard was open for business, with apples, cider, and other local goods on sale.

More than 50 artists submitted proposals this year, said Pasche.

Braen, Hartley and Pasche founded the site-specific, seasonal arts event in 2011. Braen and Hartley wanted their hilltop farm to play a part in the local cultural economy, and Pasche said he dreamed of creating an outdoor sculpture exhibit like the one set in meadows near his hometown in Switzerland.

The art this year ranges from traditional, figurative works in media such as metal, fired clay, bronze, and limestone to conceptual pieces constructed from plastic spools, knitted yellow caution tape, recycled bicycles, blown glass, and mirrors.

Pasche said Art in the Orchard would not be possible without a "group of doers" including board members Melissa Caldwell and Serafina Restaino, and more. He expressed gratitude to local businesses, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, volunteers, and the six-member art jury, including Burns Maxey, the city's energetic arts coordinator.

Art in the Orchard is perhaps best known for its iconic "Big Red Frame," a year-round installation which has become a popular spot for "selfies" and family portraits. The Mount Tom range, with its red cliffs and ever-shifting light, serves as the sculpture's backdrop.

The next biennial Art in the Orchard won't be until 2017.

Park Hill Orchard, now in its eighth year of production, offers 83 varieties of perennial fruit grown using sustainable growing practices.

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

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