“BMAC brings the world to us.”
Michael Abrams, Julia Jensen, and Bruce Campbell all live and make art in southern Vermont. Each of them donated work to BMAC’s September 4 online benefit auction. We chatted with them over email (the perfect social distancing medium for busy artists!) to find out what moves them to support our Museum.
BMAC: You are among the artists who have generously donated your work to BMAC's 2020 online benefit auction. What inspires you to donate to BMAC?
Abrams: BMAC offers a progressive exhibition program and has a very strong commitment to the area community, with student programs and exhibitions of social relevance.
Jensen: I agree with what Michael said. Working and living in a rural area, you can get so burrowed down in your own work that it can be a challenge to keep track of larger conversations. It takes effort to get out into the world to see what is happening. BMAC brings the world and those conversations to us. It is a great resource for the area. I really appreciate the Museum’s commitment to expanding our horizons while at the same time shining a light on relevant local issues and people.
Campbell: I think we are all grateful to have a wonderful and impactful museum like BMAC in the region—most particularly for the inspirational, educational, and social roles it plays in our community. I know I’m grateful, so supporting the Museum through donations of my artwork is something I firmly believe in and am delighted to do.
Photo credit: Sam Smalley
BMAC: What has your relationship been with BMAC over the years--as an artist, a community member, and a museum-goer?
Abrams: Since my move to Jamaica, Vermont, 12 years ago, I've met so many other creative and diverse people of this region by attending Museum events, participating in several fundraisers, and enjoying exhibitions and artists' receptions. It's been wonderful to get to know everyone involved.
Installation photo of Jensen’s paintings from Open Call NXNE
Jensen: I have been involved with the Museum since moving here about 20 years ago. I have judged the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards; exhibited as part of Open Call NXNE, the Museum’s juried exhibit; and tried to get to as many shows as possible. The Museum is a great community hub that I try to take advantage of as much as possible.
Campbell: The excellent and multi-dimensional exhibitions BMAC offers have been a constant source of inspiration for me. And when I first came to Brattleboro, the Museum’s openings, lectures, fundraisers, and parties were a great way to be introduced to and become part of the community.
BMAC: What is it like for you to live and work as an artist in southern Vermont? How are you influenced by the landscape, the pace of life, the community of artists, or other aspects of life here?
Abrams: I have slowly embraced the local natural environment as an increasingly direct influence on my work. Living in the hillsides of the West River Valley has altered my perception and appreciation of our environment, its fragility, and our place in it. Seasonal rebirth, the unique qualities of light, the weather, and the atmosphere have become part of my visual language.
Jensen: I love the seasons, the constantly changing environment and light. Just moving through the day is inspiring. It can be distracting to drive as you watch the light change on a hillside or try to memorize the color of the clouds. If I find myself stuck with work in the studio, all that is necessary is a short walk up the hill and I will undoubtedly find something that helps to move the work along. The other great resource is the breadth and depth of the artistic community. I am very happy to be living in a place surrounded by artists of all kinds.
Campbell: I moved to Brattleboro nine years ago after looking for a rural community that had robust and active engagement with the arts and artists. My studio is in an area where a number of artisans live and work—artisans who now very much influence and inspire me with their skill and creativity.
BMAC: In what ways has your work been affected by the pandemic? What do you see as the role of art during this time?
Abrams: This pandemic experience has made me appreciate the community of supportive and thoughtful people who continue to reach out to one another. For example, events like the BMAC artist talks through Zoom have been wonderful. The Museum has kept its doors open, so to speak, throughout the pandemic.
I have been all too happy to be somewhat isolated as an artist on the outskirts of a small town. Making art is often a personal experience performed alone. The enrichment comes from the sharing, and the people I've met so far connected to BMAC have done a great job facilitating that sharing.
Jensen: As artists, we are perfectly suited to life in a pandemic. Our work is internal, and the pandemic has removed many external distractions. I have been able to get more work done, which has been a real gift. I have also become aware of how crucial the work that we do is. I find myself turning to other artists for insight and survival tools. This includes work in all areas—literature, music, and performing arts. It has been fantastic to see the way artists of all sorts have responded to the crisis. It is through their work and the gift of human imagination that I have been able to make sense of this current moment. If all we had was the news and current events, I am afraid I would find myself at the bottom of a pit of despair.
Campbell: The pandemic has been an opportunity for me, a time in which I have done some of my most interesting work so far. It enabled me to slow down and reconsider various aspects of my practice. Without time constraints, I was free to explore alternate solutions to design problems and experiment in ways that I normally don’t allow myself. It was a surprisingly productive and meaningful several months for me, albeit in sad contrast to the heartbreakingly difficult circumstances so many others experienced.
BMAC’s Benefit Auction takes place on September 4, Friday, 9:45 a.m., with advance bidding open online starting Saturday, August 22.
A preview of selected items and a tutorial on how to bid online will take place via Zoom on Sunday, August 30, at 7:30 p.m.
