Hiding in Plain Sight

Light and Dark at Thompson

James Foritano

“Charlie Nevad — Light and Dark” is the first exhibition of four on this theme, so fertile and painterly, to occupy the lively walls of the Cambridge School of Weston’s Thompson Gallery.

For such a complicated place name, it’s an easy and quick place to find. This Cantabridgian literally scooted down Route 128 South to Exit 27B, then took a quick left onto West Street and, going straight for a bit, was soon at a sign declaring me in Cambridge at Weston — never mind the paradox. In fact, navigating a paradox is perhaps the best way to find yourself at home with Charlie Nevad’s particular genius.

The first level of paradox is that Nevad, a long-time teacher as well as painter, tells us exactly what he’s going to do and then does exactly that.

Let me list a couple of sentences from the first paragraph of Charlie Nevad’s “Artist’s Statement,” for skeptical readers who disbelieve that any artist can both preserve the mystery of his craft and, at the same time, speak plainly about that mystery: “There is great subtlety in the values of light that, if followed, relieves the artist from concentrating on the object. Following this idea releases many intangible thoughts and feelings onto the canvas. This subtlety allows the viewer to create his or her own ideas as they study the canvas.”

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