FITCHBURG — The Fitchburg Art Museum (FAM) is focusing on its community this summer with new exhibitions that showcase the work of local artists.

From June 26 through September 5, the museum will host its 85th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft. The exhibit showcases and awards paintings, photographs, and sculptures from artists and crafters in the area.

FAM’s Assistant Curator Marjorie Rawle says this exhibition, which highlights the solidarity of the local art scene, could not have come at a better time.

“After more than a year of isolation and disappointment, I think the 85th Regional Exhibition is a beacon of collectivity and hope,” Rawle said. “The show is, of course, about the incredible artwork being made in our region, but it is also about continuing traditions, coming together with your neighbors and celebrating a uniquely creative community.”

The 85th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft is accompanied by another exhibit titled, Nathan Clark Bentley: Waiting for the Night, which also runs from June 26 to September 5, and features the work of Nathan Clark Bentley, who won the 84th Regional Exhibition in 2019. 

“During the pandemic, Bentley spent time reflecting on the thrills and regrets of his past,” said Vanessa De Zorzi, the museum’s marketing manager, in a press release. “His new paintings are dreamlike narratives that combine memory and fantasy and include images and symbols from American youth culture that reference popular music, consumer products, stereotypical gender roles and various familiar addictions.”

Another exhibit of interest this summer features the work of Cambridge-based artist Valerie Imparato. Valerie Imparato: Interwoven explores the complexities of being a Black woman. 

According to De Zorzi, “Her embroidered canvases represent Black women without the identifying features of their hairstyles and skin color. By substituting a colorful patchwork and adding symbolic features, Imparato challenges how Black women are often defined by others. She also reflects on their roles within the family, and societal expectations placed upon them.”

To learn more about what the FAM has in store this summer, please visit: https://fitchburgartmuseum.org/exhibitions/.