‘Forced Perspective’ art exhibit to open Jan. 19

FALLS VILLAGE — For its first art exhibit of 2018, the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village will present “Forced Perspective” by Berkshire artist Michelle Iglesias.

This selection of her vivid large-scale photorealistic paintings takes the viewer from macro to micro, from a stampede of elephants to a close-up of a ladybug. The exhibit will open with a reception for the artist on Friday, Jan. 19, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Forced Perspective will be on display through Feb. 17. This event is free and open to the public. For more information call the library at 860-824-7424 or visit huntlibrary.org. The artist’s work can be seen at miglesiasart.com.

Iglesias is a self-taught artist who first took to painting for its therapeutic values after being diagnosed with cancer. Her passion and perseverance has led her to become a nationally recognized award-winning artist, art instructor, and the successful business owner of Berkshire Paint and Sip. She continues to encourage and foster creativity in her students and others inspired by her art.

Iglesias’ paintings are influenced by family connections, nature, and travel. Consisting of the tumultuous dimensions that nature offers, portraits with personalities, and engaging exotic landscape compositions, her canvases invite viewer involvement and have been described as insightful, symbolic, and clarifying. She conveys the vision of nature’s grandeur to produce artwork that is expressive, of the highest quality, and will grab the viewer’s interest and attention. Her painting Queen Angelfish is a perfect example of this.

A Berkshire-area native, Iglesias was born in 1972 in Blandford, Mass.. and resides in Dalton, Mass. She entered into the art scene in 2002 when she opened Piece of My Art Gallery and Frame Shop in Westfield, Mass. Two years after opening the gallery she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 31 which led her to pick up her own paint brush for the first time, discovering the therapeutic value of creating art.

Since then she has been showing her work regularly in group and solo exhibitions and her work is included in a variety of private collections. Currently she is an art instructor and owner of Berkshire Paint and Sip, Pittsfield, Mass.

To learn more about the library show, go to huntlibrary.org or call 860-824-7424.

Contributed photo For its first art exhibit of 2018, the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village will present Forced Perspective by Berkshire artist Michelle Iglesias.

For its first art exhibit of 2018, the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village will present Forced Perspective by Berkshire artist Michelle Iglesias.