The Annual BERKS COUNTY ART™ Show will be held at Greshville Antiques and Fine Art on Sunday, October 3 through Sunday, October 10, 2010.   Promoting the works by Berks County artists from 1850-1940, it’s the only show of its kind.  This show is held for only eight days, with 2,500-3,000 art enthusiasts attending.

Kurt and Valerie Malmberg, of Greshville Antiques and Fine Art, have specialized in the school of Berks County artists for over 25 years.  Their research and documentation piloted a national interest in this regional art and led to the publication of several articles and books. They are considered the leading authorities and appraisers of BERKS COUNTY ART™, assisting auction houses, institutions, appraisers, and collectors in evaluating and purchasing this rediscovered regional art.  Their continuing effort to document BERKS COUNTY ART™ across the country affirms their commitment to the local heritage of Berks County.

Featured in this year’s show will be approximately 125 museum quality paintings.  Oil paintings, watercolors, and prints will be exhibited at this show, with all works available for purchase and guaranteed as represented.

Included will be several works by Ben Austrian (1870-1921), Berks County’s most noted artist.  These will include tonal landscapes and his famous renderings of chicks.  Ben Austrian gained national recognition in the early 1900’s as the originator of the Bon Ami chick logo, a single chick and broken egg shell with the phrase - “Hasn’t scratched yet”.  In the years prior to his death, his painting style changed.  Austrian started producing tonal landscapes, several of which are included in this year’s show.  These portrayals of the local landscape were well executed with the use of diffused light, resulting in a soft atmospheric effect.   

Christopher H. Shearer (1846-1926) was the most prolific of the artists of Berks County.  His long life span and subsequent painting career afforded him the opportunity to produce a strong body of work, both in Berks County and in Europe.  This year's selection includes a number of particularly delightful European scenes, along with several picturesque landscapes of the Berks County countryside.

John Heyl Raser (1824-1901) was revered for his beautiful landscapes and still lifes, strong in detail and realistic composition.  He traveled and studied throughout France, Germany, and Italy, and exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.  Several of the paintings in this year's show document the countryside of 19th century Berks County, including stunning renditions of the Union Canal, Moselem Furnace, and a panoramic view of Reading, PA.  

Other works of interest include accomplished works by Eugene Reeser, Frederick Spang, Francis Devlan, Victor Shearer, and others.  With over 125 paintings on exhibit, this is only a sampling of what will be available for purchase.

The Annual BERKS COUNTY ART™ Show will be on display at Greshville Antiques and Fine Art, located on Route 562, near Boyertown, PA, Sunday, October 3 through Sunday, October 10.  The gallery is located in an 18th century stone barn that was renovated several years ago by Kurt and Valerie Malmberg.  Along with their collection of  BERKS COUNTY ART™, the Malmbergs also specialize in 19th and 20th century American and European art, and quality American clocks and furniture.  The Malmbergs are members of several local and national antique and historical organizations, and participate in local lectures, shows, and charity appraisal days.

For more information on The Annual BERKS COUNTY ART™ Show, please contact Valerie Malmberg at (610) 367-0076 or at www.greshvilleantiques.com.

Special Show Hours:
Sunday, October 3  Noon-7 p.m.
Monday, October 4 through Saturday, October 9   10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday, October 10  Noon-5 p.m.