More than 60 people packed the gallery of Bea Ortiz in the Commons Building on Main Street in Margaretville Sunday, July 20, to see an interdisciplinary display of art as it was being created. Seven professional artists in both performance and visual arts combined their talents with those of amateurs in “The Vessel,” billed as a “living artwork shaped by collective gesture.” The showcase was created over a five-day period starting Thursday, July 17 and closing Monday, July 21.

On Sunday, participating artists Bea Ortiz along with Ilona Kohlova, Alan Powell, Gloria McLean, Michael Suchorsky, Cris Ortiz, Marshall Coid and Barbara Siesel, pulled out all the stops to create a mesmerizing performance of music and dance as they were immersed in film projection with pieces of visual artwork dancing from the ceiling. Coid on violin and Siesel on flute opened with an original piece they had composed for the event before Suchorsky added drums and McLean danced. Throughout the spontaneous performances, video by Kohlova and Powell provided an interface for the sound, images and motion.

When the five day creation began, dozens of blank canvasses hung from the ceiling in Ortiz’s gallery waiting for budding artists to wander in and use them. Visitors were invited to grab the canvas of their choice, sit down in the gallery and create an original artwork. There was no fee to participate and participants could choose their medium from all sorts of provided materials including oils, acrylics, water colors, ink markers and collage materials. Ortiz and Kohlova were on hand to assist as needed but visitors were encourage to explore artistically without any purpose or goal in mind; with no judgment calls at the end. The completed works were hung back up on and left to dry throughout the weekend.

The only themes for the weekend were creativity and spontaneity. For the professionals, it was an opportunity to step out of their routines and to create new work in collaboration with others. For the amateurs, the chance to see their work as part of a professional installation and performance piece was a rare chance to feel immersed in the world of art.

The event was a lead into the AMR Open Studio Tour scheduled for this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 25 through 27. The weekend is once a year opportunity to see the working studios of artists who usually create in private solitude then show their work in commercial studios and galleries. Powell, who specializes in digital media, photography, printmaking and video will be among the artists opening studios for the AMR tour. The Flesichmanns home and studio he shares with his wife Lesly A. Powell is on Main Street in Flesichmanns and will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for each of the three days of the AMR event. More information on the tour is available at amropenstudios.org Printed maps showing locations for all of the studios open are available at local shops and galleries.