Artist Bethann Shannon next to her paintings at BAC
ARTIST BETHANN SHANNON
Artist Bethann Shannon with her Frida Angel
Carpenter (& Comedian) David Deming & Photographer Ian Grey
Jillian & David at BAC
David Deming & Bethann Shannon
American Women Artists!
DOWN STREET ART in North Adams, Ma was filled with people, mostly art lovers, enjoying many art openings & live music on the streets! This is a terrific event that I highly recommend! Happens every last Thursday of the month.
Here are some photos of the gallery I am in: Berkshire Artists Colony Gallery on Eagle Street…hope you’ll come visit!
Berkshire Artists Colony Gallery ~ LOVE FINDS LOVE
I am delighted to be part of the new gallery “The Berkshire Artists Colony Gallery” on Eagle Street in North Adams, Ma.
I have 10 very colorful paintings hanging…my one eye guys, yin yang characters, Frida Kahlo in Heaven, the “LOVE” character and of course my angels!
Here’s more about the other artists & gallery…
The Berkshire Artists Colony Gallery, at 46 Eagle Street, in North Adams, MA…
The Berkshire Artists Colony Gallery represents local and regional artists and artisans including:
Brandon Graving
Jean-Noël Chazelle – Painter,
Mary Weissbrodt – Jeweler, Beadwork Artist,
Jennifer Miller – Weaver,
Ian Grey – Photographer,
Isabella Raven – Jeweler, Lampwork Glass Bead Artist,
Michael Dunn – Jeweler,
Dan Weissbrodt – Handcut Stencil Artist,
BD Handspicker – Graphic Artist,
Beth Davis – Fabric Artist…
…and ME! Bethann Shannon – Painter!
I was excited and wanted to share that info with you!
Hope you will visit! We are just a few blocks from MassMoCA!
To see more of my work … “Google Me” in Images :
Bethann Shannon
or visit: (Viewed best as “Slide Show: icon upper right)
Bethann Shannon Praying with stranger in photo booth
Photo Booth Art / Performance Art by Bethann Shannon
100 Strangers Praying
Times Square 1986
I moved from Washington, DC to New York City in 1986 with a mission to find a doll maker for an angel I had a dream about. I took a job as a cocktail waitress at the brand new Marriott Marquis Hotel on Times Square.
In those days, Times Square was quite a bit different than it is today…filled with Triple X movie houses, crowded video arcades and hundreds of poor, penniless, homeless, desperate, and some dangerous souls wondering around the surrounding streets.
After work, I often stopped at an arcade called “PLAYLAND”. I would quickly run into the photo booth inside and take random shots documenting my mood at that moment. One day I found myself praying, really praying…praying hard for help.
The photo booth was an impromptu sanctuary in the midst of a chaotic world. It was private, quiet and reminded me of a church confessional…I closed the little curtains, put a dollar in the slot and started to pray. I remember feeling deep despair that day. I needed help. I needed God to be real.
Shortly after, the picture popped out, I was struck by the beauty of the image of prayer, I decided to continue for one year as a spiritual, if not literally self reflective exercise.
There was also part of me that felt like “Here! I have actual proof that I was praying!” Perhaps I could do an experiment with God?…Will he answer my prayers?…How long does it take to have prayers answered? Or even if there really was a God to validate my prayers? I was consumed with questions about God, spirituality and prayer.
My personal struggles with Faith, God and Religion is a reoccurring theme in my life and my art work.
It was a few days into the project when I found myself thinking about other people…I started watching the people in the arcade and on the streets of Times Square….Do they pray? What do they pray for? How do they look when they pray?
It was at that moment I decided to include strangers in this series of photographs. It was very spontaneous and accidental really…not calculated or planned.
I began approaching strangers everyday for 4 months to pray with me in that photo booth…these are the results…
The Art Angel 