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ABOUT
THE WIT GALLERY

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Located in Lenox, the heart of the Berkshire Hills, an area rich in cultural and historic treasures, The Wit Gallery is a leading venue for contemporary art. An acronym for Wonders in Time, The Wit Gallery, established in 1999, shows a diverse range of creative talent from both established and emerging artists. The work features various media, including paintings, glass, works on paper, photography, as well as  indoor and outdoor sculpture. The mission of the gallery is to delight our customers with selections of art imbued with light-heartedness and rigorous technical skill that is cutting edge and accessible for both the new and seasoned collector. 
 
Our warm and welcoming staff of curators combine their expertise and knowledge of the art providing the details of artist representation, along with impeccable gallery support services to ensure that our customers, and artists, have an enjoyable gallery experience and can buy with confidence.
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Our location on Church Street sits amidst a bevy of charming shops and restaurants. Lenox, just a quick 2 ½ hour drive from either NYC or Boston is perfect for a rejuvenating weekend visit, or a longer stay to enjoy all the Berkshires has to offer. While in town we also invite you to visit our sister store just down the street., Concepts of Art - Lenox Judaic, a premier Judaica and gift store  established in 1988.
 
Whether buying or browsing you are always welcome.
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WIT GALLERY FOUNDER: LYNDA STRAUCH

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The most unknown time in my life was upon graduation from college.  With a degree in business and economics in hand, I had many prospects, but nothing that thrilled me. Coincidentally, the graduation speaker was then-Senator Joe Biden.  It was a nice speech, ordinary except when he said, “be someone you want to be, spend your life’s work enjoying what you do.”  This resonated in my heart and made me realize I did not want to join big business.  I was creative, hardworking and in love with culture, arts and how economics played into it all.  I went straight out and bought a book called How to Open an Art Gallery. 

 

And then I did. 

 

For 22 years, the WIT Gallery has been my business and passion project. As the gallery’s owner, I’ve shown more than 1,000 artists and launched the careers of dozens more through my rigorous, but loving, mentorship program. The gallery partnered with the luxurious Canyon Ranch wellness resort to showcase artists’ work. We have been a part of Miami Art Week, which hosts the international Art Basel, since its inception in Miami Beach. I’ve brought art into a classroom in North Miami Beach, where students had never seen art up close. 

 

I’ve always believed a gallery is more than a business plan.  

So, now we’ve turned our attention to the community at large. Monika and I have launched a program called, The Art of Giving, which enables buyers and the gallery to donate a portion of the sale to charities of their choice.  Through lean times and now the most frightening pandemic ever, we will continue this tradition every year.  

WIT GALLERY DIRECTOR: MONIKA PIZZICHEMI

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Monika Pizzichemi is an artist, photographer, arts administrator and educator.  She is the Director of The Wit Gallery in Lenox, MA, co-owner of Empty Set Projects and former Director of the North St. Arts Collaborative both in Pittsfield, MA. She is a graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston where she studied photography under Abelardo Morell and performance art with artists Don Burgy and John Holland. For several years, she had facilitated and taught art-making workshops for children at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA and teaches private workshops in photography in the US and Kenya.  

 

Monika has worked as a documentary still photographer on film projects for “Architecture for Art” with architects such as Richard Meier, Mario Botta, Steven Holl and art collector Guiseppe Panza.  She also served as the Secretary and documentary photographer for “Shout Out Loud Productions”. Her latest photographic project They Dance for Rain brings her yearly to Nairobi, Kenya with action-based dance artist Stefanie Weber, a frequent collaborator.

Arts administration came to Monika naturally and was not something she actively pursued. She was first offered the position of head of the student gallery in college, and has since been given positions at various galleries throughout the years until finally landing at The Wit Gallery, where she will probably spend the rest of her life.  

 

"Sometimes I feel like Lynda and I are co-conductors of an orchestra with 50 musical directors; Each artist is as an employer to us. Our collectors add another element of responsibility; they are like the underwriters of the symphony, and we need to pay close attention to their needs. The balance between is what makes this work interesting and challenging.  I love the artists and their creations and strive to find homes for their beautiful work."

WIT GALLERY ASSISTANT: KIERSTAN HYWELL

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Kierstan Hywell obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts Management from Lasell University. While at university, she spearheaded various art projects for aspiring artists. Her goal was to create projects that would nurture and help manage the direction of each of the students talents.

 

After graduating, she moved to the Berkshires and started as an assistant at The Wit Gallery, in January of 2020. Unfortunately, two months later the gallery and the world shuttered. Kierstan presented the idea of creating an online website and creating a presence in the media world. She created marketing initiatives, prompting artists and integrating contemporary art in the fast paced social media world.

 

The gallery blossomed and online sales were being made, and when the doors opened again, she continues to market both the artists and the gallery. “Being at The Wit Gallery has been such an honor. Representing and working with artists all over the world is a gratifying experience. Each piece and artist brings something magical to our gallery making it an enchanting space.”

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