E. Joseph McCarthy: Homecoming

SHELBURNE FALLS -- Joe McCarthy is a local boy, very local. Growing up in Shelburne Falls he walked by the “granary” every day on his way to school. The “granary” was Wirthmore Feed & Grain, which is now the building where Salmon Falls Gallery shows the art of close to 100 local artists. Joe had a lot to do with making the building into an art space.  He remembers “In 1980 my friend and business partner Jeffery Comenitz came up with the idea of ‘Salmon Falls Marketplace.’” The Marketplace was conceived as a space for a collection of artists to make, and to sell their work. Later in 1985, Kathy Dean Kreger morphed the space into a single gallery showing the works of local artists. So, this exhibit really is a homecoming for Joe McCarthy.

Joe’s been a New England artist his whole life, sticking with essentially the same palette of yellow, red and orange, though more blues and purples have been creeping into his large abstract work lately.  Color, shape and placement have always been the driving force behind his painting. Most all the paintings are oil on canvas.

Meet the artist, Saturday, July 2nd, 4-6pm, at his reception. For directions and more information go to www.SalmonFallsGallery.com.

Photo caption: “Streetlight” Oil on Canvas 40”x40”