14th Colony artists create fund for Housatonic’s artgarage

FALLS VILLAGE — The 14th Colony artists’ collective has formed a fund that will make annual donations to various art organizations and Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s artgarage received its first award, of $100.The 14th Colony is an organization of artists in the Tri-state area of New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Its name was derived from the unique character of the region; it was said historically that the towns in these three corners of the state functioned like a 14th Colony, separate from the 13 original American colonies. The14th Colony fund was created in honor of Bill Flood, who donated space in his Millerton building (formerly home to the David Gavin hair salon) for the 14th Colony to set up an exhibition.“The award was created to honor his generosity,” said Diane Schapira, who is an adult art mentor at the artgarage and is a member of the 14th Colony.The artgarage is a free after-school art program that allows students access to the space and materials they need to work on projects that aren’t included in the regular school art curriculum. Adult artists from the community work with the students.“The students can use any materials we have at no cost, and if we don’t have something they need, we go out and get it,” Schapira said.The artgarage will use the donation to purchase materials and to help pay some of the artists who mentor the students.