Colored cotton canvas at BES
Meg Musgrove 
Photo by Bryant Musgrove

Colored cotton canvas at BES

Painter and printmaker Meg Musgrove will be showcasing a selection of her color studies on raw cotton canvas at BES on Main Street in Millerton, starting with an opening reception on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 5 to 8 p.m. 

With meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to quality, every piece is made with the utmost care, from the selection of the water-based inks and 100% cotton fabrics to the construction and finishing. 

Born in Los Angeles, Musgrove exhibited widely under her maiden name, Berk. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from New York University in 2001, and in 2008, she graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. 

Her work, which was narrative and personal in nature, shifted when she started a family. Musgrove explained, “When I had kids, I stopped painting so much and turned to printmaking as a way to keep my practice going.” After working for a time doing surface design for wallpaper companies, Musgrove started her own textile company (megmusgrove.com). She clarified, “Freelance just stopped being fun.”

More recently, Musgrove reignited a passion for painting by exploring color. This experimentation has led to the wall hangings, which Erica Recto, owner of BES, saw and immediately wanted to show in her shop. Musgrove emphasized: “Erica, apart from being a great person, comes to people whose work she loves and whose practice she’s interested in and puts a lot of trust in them to bring their best work to the shop. She has put a lot of trust in me in terms of what I want to bring to the shop and in doing this show. That means a lot.”

In BES’s introduction to the show, Recto writes that the work “emphasizes intuition and joy while avoiding pattern and resolution.” When asked about this idea as it relates to her process, Musgrove shared: “I always try to stop before they’re finished. There’s an uneasy feeling, and that makes it more accessible to people.” 

Her inclination to leave a touch of ambiguity invites viewers to engage with her work, she said: “Things that are too well resolved don’t leave any space for people to get into them.”

Musgrove is continuing her exploration of textiles and is excited about a journey that is leading her to find better, more sustainable materials. She said, “There’s this blurred line between the commercial textiles and my studio work, which is uncomfortable but good.” 

As she finds her way back to her narrative work, creating new stories through the intersection of her two distinct bodies of work, she mused: “They’re coming together. It’s working itself out.”

Latest News

Check-in at Bulk Trash Day
Photo by John Coston

Mickey Stringer of of North East, left, checks in with Chris Virtuoso, volunteering on Saturday, May 12 at the Old Town Garage on South Center Street as a Climate Smart Task Force member. Stringer’s loaded pickup was part of a long line of vehicles along South Center as residents used the opportunity to dispose of air conditioners, mattresses, lumber, and other bulk items. Town Supervisor Christopher Kennan said he didn’t recall seeing such a long line of vehicles in past years.

Webutuck names top-ranked grads

Webutuck valedictorian Olivia Lopane Wickwire

Photo provided

AMENIA — Well-positioned to move into her college years, Olivia Lopane Wickwire, 17, of Millerton has earned top ranking as Valedictorian of the Webutuck High School Class of 2025. Her devotion to a well-rounded school experience began with her enrollment in Webutuck’s pre-K program.

“It means a lot being valedictorian, especially being best friends with your salutatorian,” Olivia said during an interview on Thursday, April 3. Her friend, Gissel Oros, had been named Salutatorian.

Keep ReadingShow less
Opening soon in Millerton

Greychurch on Main Street expects to begin Caffeine Academy creative classes by September.

Photo by Christine Bates

MILLERTON — The Village of Millerton is on the move.

Two weeks ago Tallow, “Real Food, Real Fast” opened in the long vacant McDonald’s, and Mad Rose Gallery expanded next door to 3-5 Main Street to a larger gallery with arts classes and community space for performances and lectures upstairs. The newly painted Greychurch is a reminder that there’s still more to come.

Keep ReadingShow less
Millbrook airs school budget, propositions ahead of  May 20 vote

Elm Drive Elementary School in Millbrook.

Archive photo

MILLBROOK — Preparing for the village-wide vote on the proposed 2025-26 school budget scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, the Millbrook Central School District held a public hearing on Tuesday, May 6, to review the budget and hear residents’ comments.

The CSD proposed 2025-26 budget to be voted upon as Proposition 1, showed total expenditures of $35,649,651, an increase of $1,074,576 (3.11%) over the current year.

Keep ReadingShow less