HEATH — Artwork featuring mediums ranging from the basics of paint and pen all the way to more exotic materials like glass or even spices fill the Heath Community Hall this week as the town holds its fifth annual Heath Arts Exhibition.
After a pandemic hiatus, more than 20 artists are featured this week, revealing a burgeoning arts community in the small town of 700 people.
Jean Gran, one of the exhibition’s organizers, said it is a “true community” event that draws in artists of all ages and skill levels. She noted the art is not being judged because that might discourage someone from sharing their art.
“It’s especially nice because everyone is welcome,” Gran said. “It’s the center of town and brings the community together.”
Gran said it is “certainly a beloved event” and inspires artists, such as herself, to create art to share with everyone.
“It gives us a goal to work toward,” she said, “to create pieces to share with the community.”
Artists of all ages are featured at the exhibition. Sofia Mason, 12, created a piece she titled “botanical expressions” out of pressed leaves, which earned her a first-place prize at the Heath Fair in August. Various different colors and shapes of leaves were arranged and pressed in a way that they created faces or animals.
“It’s just fun to see all the colors and see what you can make out of leaves,” Mason said. “I’m glad to see (other people enjoy her art).”
She said art is just something she likes “to do on the side” and her passion comes from seeing how colors and shapes can come together to create something else.
“I love how they’re all colorful,” she said about the leaves on her artwork. “I guess that’s why I love all art.”
On the other end of the age spectrum, 86-year-old Don Dekker displayed three pieces featuring painted forests. He said he never tried his hand at art until five years ago and it’s now something he does every Monday with a group.
“I enjoy doing this,” Dekker said. “When I started out I wasn’t very good at all and now it’s not bad … I think there’s a bit of art in everybody.”
Dekker said the Heath Arts Exhibition is an inspiration to him because it showcases what other people are working on and he was shocked to find such a vibrant art community in such a rural town.
“It’s amazing a little town like this has so much talent,” Dekker said. “When I come here I’m always impressed by the work people in Heath do.”
Harry Hallman, who helped organize the original exhibition six years ago, said the event is for the town, by the residents of Heath.
“My concept is it’s for Heath,” Hallman said. “Everyone has a substantial relationship to Heath.”
Hallman said he’s shocked every year to see such a high turnout of artists, but he thinks the event is a great way for people to see what is happening up in the hill town.
“It lets everybody know what is available here,” he said. “It’s a great way to know the community.”
Hallman noted there’s a good mixture of talent at the show.
Frederick Burrington, a seventh-generation Heath resident and artist, said he is “blown away” by the art his neighbors create. He added he is inspired by the works of his fellow artists.
“It’s a meeting of the minds, see what they’re doing and what they’re trying,” Burrington said. “This is a really good, little show.”
One of Burrington’s pieces, a painting entitled “Stones,” features a stone wall near Burnt Hill Farm. The wall takes the foreground of the photo while orange and yellow grass meets the horizon behind it. He highlighted the shades of yellow and orange, which people don’t usually associate with grass, as one of his favorite parts of the painting.
“I like to find things that don’t fit the actual (color),” He explained. “It’s this wonderful quilt.”
He said art is a great way to connect with the world around us and he is glad to see so many other residents are willing to share their work.
“It’s easy to get caught in your head and walk past something inspirational,” Burrington said. “Art allows us to catch up with ourselves and see how we’re connected.”
The Heath Arts Exhibition is open all Labor Day week at the Heath Community Hall at 1 East Main St.; Tuesday through Friday it is open from 4 to 6 p.m. each afternoon and it is open from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 11.
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081