When Bella Halsted graduated from CIE she decided to become a writer—of fiction and poetry—and to lead creative writing workshops in the Valley for a living—and did so for the following twenty years.  During this time, she also worked as newsletter editor for the American Friends’ Service Committee, the Peace Development Fund, and more recently, the Markham Nathan Fund—all organizations involved in fundraising for grassroots groups in this country.

She began taking painting classes at UMASS, and later, through the excellent art program at Greenfield Community College.  During these years of study, she continued leading workshops and began also teaching art to children and adults as well as showing her work in local galleries and open studios.  Currently she leads a small workshop that combines writing with painting, called Sketchbook Journal.

This June she will be showing her work in what she calls The Horse Show –paintings which began three years ago and steadily grew, both in number and in depth of meaning, as she sees it. She has a show in the Barnes Gallery in Leverett in June 2016.   “What began as some fairly representative painting became more and more subjective and imaginary. The show can be seen as a narrative, leading the viewer on a figurative journey towards spiritual fulfillment, with horses as subject matter—especially their eyes.”  [5-16]

Email: Bella@crocker.com