DownStreet Art 2014 has begun! We had a wonderful time at last night’s opening of What’s Your Mantra ! Thank you to the over 400 people who came by to celebrate with us! We had a great night printing, chatting, and getting to know all of you!   Our latest monthly mantra card features a quotation from Walt Disney: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”.

During the opening, Jonas taught our visitors how to use the press to add the silver bird to their card.   The exhibition features a station for visitors to write out their own mantra onto these fingerprint woodblock prints. This station will be here for the duration of the exhibit – so stop by and add your mantra if you couldn’t make it last night!

We also gained a lot of new additions to our collection of mantra post-it’s that have been on display in our window and in the gallery. These will all be documented and made into a book, so, again, please tell us your mantra and leave your mark on this exhibition!

Finally, last night was also the start of two new interactive installations that will become a part of Paper Dresses, opening on September 25. “Permission Slip” asks that you contribute to our dress form (clothed in a slip) the things you need permission to leave or to do to go forward. “Let Go” requests that you write down what you need to let go—a grudge, regret, bad habit, etc. Contribute it all. The different statements will become part of a performance piece and paper dress.

Many thanks to Gallery Manager Melanie Mowinski, interns Nicole and Jonas, and volunteer Kate, as well as MCLA, the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, and DownStreet Art for making this event possible – and thanks again to all of our fabulous visitors! We hope to see you all again as we continue our experiments throughout the summer!