COVER STORY VAUGHAN OLIVER: WALKING BACKWARDS LUNDER ARTS CENTER, LESLEY UNIVERSITY 1801 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE CAMBRIDGE, MA SEPTEMBER 5 - OCTOBER 22 by Lisa Mikulski There is a good amount of graphic design work that reveals itself as being quite pedestrian. And then there is the work that elevates the field and serves to inspire not only the design community, but the target audience — the consumer — as well. The work of legendary designer Vaughan Oliver reminds me why I love graphic design: it’s wizardry. Elegant and message-honored, Oliver’s work is known for its emotional and ethereal quality. His influence has inspired not only graphic designers, but also fashion designers, advertising creatives, music journalists and film directors. Vaughan Oliver has enjoyed a 35-year career as an art director, designer and typographer. He built his reputation on … [Read more...] about WALK OF LIFE: VAUGHAN OLIVER AT LESLEY
Issue Articles
GETTING NOTICED: FRAONE’S TIPS FOR ARTISTS
by Gina Fraone As a longtime art consultant and gallery director, I see on a daily basis how tough it is for visual artists to navigate the strange, seemingly impenetrable “art world biz.” It can be so frustratingly difficult just to get your work “seen” by the right people who can help sell your work to private collectors and museums. I have worked in the art gallery business for 16 years now and have witnessed firsthand the struggle for so many artists to get discovered. Seven of those years were spent working in New York City, where I saw how things can happen a lot more quickly for artists than in smaller cities. Surviving in a wildly expensive city like New York is no easy feat, but being in such close proximity to such a dense art scene can certainly accelerate your career in a way that’s hardly possible in a smaller city like Boston. In New York, there is always … [Read more...] about GETTING NOTICED: FRAONE’S TIPS FOR ARTISTS
Outdoor Sculpture Takes Over Olmstead Firm-Designed Grounds in Newton Mass
By Paul Angiolillo If the site is appealing, I’ll travel almost anywhere to show my outdoor sculptures (okay, a modest stipend doesn’t hurt). But it’s a boon when the place is closer to home. I was pleased, then, to be selected to participate in a temporary exhibit (through Labor Day) on the grounds around City Hall in Newton Mass., just a couple of miles from my home and studio. If you’re in the area, it’s worth a visit. (It’s right on Commonwealth Ave., a.k.a., the Boston Marathon route into the city, and just across from main library.) The grounds themselves might qualify as environmental art. Designed by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted, the 10-acre parcel of land, which completely surrounds the city hall and war memorial building, comprises a sweeping lawn, a tree-lined pond, two stone bridges and many other small green spaces and copses. It would make a great setting for any … [Read more...] about Outdoor Sculpture Takes Over Olmstead Firm-Designed Grounds in Newton Mass
SUMMER SCULPTURE SHOWCASE
by Tom Soboleski Eye-catching sculpture allures, causing us to pause, linger, and dither as we contemplate what it’s trying to say to us. It can be transformative, with both the object and its environs enhanced by its juxtaposition to its surroundings. Imagine strolling through an array of landscape sculptures blended seamlessly onto bucolic grounds flanked by a placid river, and you just may be transformed. The venue is the “Summer Sculpture Showcase” on Gil Boro’s Sculpture Grounds in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Situated halfway between Boston and New York, the Showcase features 21 works by 18 sculptors set on Boro’s four-and-a-half-acre estate in the heart of Old Lyme’s historic village. Interspersed among more than 100 sculptures that are always displayed on the park-like grounds, the exhibit opened on the warm, sun-splashed evening of June 10 and will be in place through … [Read more...] about SUMMER SCULPTURE SHOWCASE
SURPRISES IN STORE: MAINE’S CONTEMPORARY JEWEL
by Eric Taubert From the beating heart of York Village, one of the first permanent settlements in Maine, quiet Lindsay Road wends down a scenic half-mile toward the York River. It is on the banks of this landmark tidal stream where art collectors with a bent for exploration and adventurous discovery will be richly rewarded with a very welcome surprise. The George Marshall Store Gallery immediately commands your attention as you turn the corner and begin traveling parallel with the river. This historic building on the waterfront is painted bright yellow with black shutters and shouts proud patriotism with a flagpole mounted to the doorframe with Old Glory dancing on the gentle, salty breeze. Just above the door a weathered and smudged sign reads “G.A. Marshall’s Old Line Store - Est. 1867 - Groceries - Coal - Wood.” Although you’d almost never know it, you’ve just … [Read more...] about SURPRISES IN STORE: MAINE’S CONTEMPORARY JEWEL
DONNA DODSON’S MAKING CONNECTIONS
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Bevan Weissman at Artisan’s Asylum in Somerville. I wanted to learn more about maker- spaces in general and specifically to find out about Bevan’s current projects with his colleagues at New American Public Art. Weissman made the point that makerspaces are ideal workshops for making public art. There are no walls, and that leads to a shared flow of ideas. The space is permeable, and most importantly, the members share resources. In contrast, most individual artist studios have redundant capabilities and therefore tools sit idle and needlessly take up space. Makerspaces commonly provide access to software, wood and metal shops, state-of-the-art 3D printing and laser cutting, and the latest fabrication techniques. For an individual artist, the cost to purchase all of these resources would be prohibitive. Some maker-spaces also provide the … [Read more...] about DONNA DODSON’S MAKING CONNECTIONS