Artist Mary Frongillo loves to play and employs play to understand the world around her.

Frongillo is the first featured lobby artist of the year at Greenfield Community Television (GCTV), located at 393 Main St., with her solo show, “Shapes in Space,” on display until March 29.

Her work showcases large pieces of woven, crocheted, and sewn yarn and fabrics transformed into three-dimensional brightly colored sculptures that physically project from the wall, compelling viewers to interact with the playful images before them. Created over the past two years, the work is Frongillo’s meditation on space.

“It seems to me that space is filled with movements that have substance. What is space? Is it really an invisible thing all around us? It has to be more than that,” Frongillo remarked, describing the exhibited show. “The show is about exploring what space is and how we live in it and why we need it.”

She described the exploration she underwent to create the show as akin to observing a slinky or a lightsaber. She was intrigued by the movements of objects, including herself, and the volume generated by such movements.

Frongillo’s artistic practice for this show, as with all her works, originates from a childlike curiosity.

As a child, she delighted in freestyling, wonder, and creating novel combinations of things. In her youth, while painting was discouraged, she learned sewing and other fiber crafts by following strict patterns and techniques.

Upon leaving home, she finally was able to paint, as long as it was not under her family's supervision. Consequently, she began creating art and channeling her childlike wonder through her work without formal training.

She describes her approach to art making as “play,” emphasizing that play grants individuals the freedom to experiment with various materials or colors without concern for the outcome.

“Once I was permitted to color outside the lines, why return to them? The child I was in the past, who knew how to play, is the same one doing it now,” she said. “My approach to art has remained unchanged since the beginning.”

Now in her senior years, she continues to produce art at a rapid pace, experimenting with materials. While her body may no longer cooperate as readily as it once did, she persists in creating, albeit at a slower pace. “But I don't have to rush it. It’s all about the process for me,” Frongillo added.

Frongillo described her work as “mixed media.” While she is highly adept with textiles and frequently returns to them, much of her other work not on display at the show often incorporates paper in unexpected ways.

She also has a deep appreciation for art, particularly abstract and contemporary pieces. Lacking formal training, she cannot be easily categorized into a specific genre or skill set; instead, her art is inspired by much of what she encounters.

Though she is not Indigenous, Frongillo lived for nearly a decade on a reservation in Canada, where she facilitated community support groups and learned beading and other art practices. She often finds inspiration in her time there, as well as in other artistic experiences.

Working independently on all her pieces, Frongillo is committed to studio art. While her art may be unconventional, she prefers to have all her materials with her, providing a framework within which to explore.

She noted that from the current exhibition, she learned how to utilize space, which she has since incorporated into her other work. Previously focused on texture, she had created dozens of pieces before these, adding concepts to her artistic toolbox.

“My work is 90% about making it and 10% about showing it. You can choose to buy it but that’s not the point. It’s to have fun and try different things, to see where my thoughts take me and how that fits with my hands and how I can understand myself better,” she said.

A video describing the current exhibition and her show from two years ago is available on the GCTV YouTube channel. A closing reception for the exhibition, featuring an artist talk, will be held during the Greenfield Arts Walk on March 29.