Throughout my life, I’ve been curious about the people who I share public spaces with, be it on a bus, train, sidewalk or coffee shop. Rarely do I strike up a conversation to fill in the details of my impressions, instead leaving my own to serve as the backdrop for life’s great show. I’ve gotten greater insight into the lives of others through looking through images of the work that’ll be on display this July and August in the Copley Society of Art’s “Crossing Borders” national show. I’ve found myself captivated by Robert Ortiz’s “Una De Muchas” photograph of faces staring out from a commuter bus or train, Karen Israel’s “Another Passenger” pastel painting of a man on a subway train and Viktoria King’s “In the Passage,” capturing in oil a man walking down a not so wide street, his body language suggesting he is seemingly holding a package, walking in the opposing direction of an … [Read more...] about BREAKING BARRIERS: COPLEY SOCIETY OPEN CALL RESULTS IN A UNIFYING THEME
Artscope Issues
DRAWN TO WATER: NEW BEDFORD, SOUTH COAST ARTISTS WELCOME VISITORS
The South Coast has a number of self-guided studio tour options to punctuate summer weekends. The artist organized “South Coast Artists’ 19th Annual Open Studio Tour” happens on July 16 and 17 and again on August 20 and 21 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and includes over 30 artists in Westport, Dartmouth, Little Compton and Tiverton. The number of artists involved makes this arguably the largest open studio tour in the region and encompasses South Coast towns in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “The Art Drive” on August 5through 7 and running from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. is limited to Dartmouth and Westport and is a curated event. The idea of these open studio tours is for audiences to have the pleasure of a summer road trip, intermittently stopping to see art. Presented at each location will often be the equivalent of a one-person show. I particularly like that a self-guided tour can be a great … [Read more...] about DRAWN TO WATER: NEW BEDFORD, SOUTH COAST ARTISTS WELCOME VISITORS
A BOLD EXAMPLE: BELLFORGE ARTS CENTER AIMS TO BE A NATIONAL MODEL
The Bellforge Arts Center, a legacy of the past, a vision of the present, an omen for the future: “If You Build It, They Will Come.” The Cultural Alliance of Medfield (CAM) embarked on a challenging and exciting journey, using the arts as the main vehicle for this ambitious project. The results will change the landscapes of the entire Medfield community, the MetroWest Area, and beyond. Furthermore, it will serve as a national model for community building and economic prosperity efforts. Studies show that when real estate developers and art leaders ally, understanding the principles of community engagement and revitalization through the arts, there is usually a happy ending. When artists are included with urban planners, city councils and policymakers, and have a place at the table from the start of any community improvement project, it is an excellent recipe for success. This is … [Read more...] about A BOLD EXAMPLE: BELLFORGE ARTS CENTER AIMS TO BE A NATIONAL MODEL
GOOD VIBES, UNAPOLOGETIC LOVE: EVERSLEY & FRIENDS INSPIRE AT HOPKINTON ARTS
Can making art or looking at art help us to better understand our fears, challenges and have an impact on life choices? This summer, the Jamaal Eversley-curated “Eversley & Friends: Bold & Beautiful” allows us to understand the role of the arts in healing processes. As a young boy, Eversley was criticized for not coloring inside the lines. As a young adult, he became a multidisciplinary artist. His mission is to inspire others, spread love and boost people’s self-esteem. Eversley’s artwork is layered with messages of peace, empathy, compassion, friendship and cooperation. Influenced by the West Indian island of Barbados, his work presents lively and bold colors, abundant creativity, good vibes and unapologetic love – Eversley’s main brand. In elementary school, Eversley was teased and associated with “Steve Urkel,” a made-up sitcom character, the quintessence of a geek or … [Read more...] about GOOD VIBES, UNAPOLOGETIC LOVE: EVERSLEY & FRIENDS INSPIRE AT HOPKINTON ARTS
A DAY OF UNIQUE CREATIVITY: PORTLAND FINE CRAFT SHOW BELONGS ON YOUR CALENDAR
It’s summer time! Time to toss starfish back in the water. Take a backroads bike ride. Go on an ice cream tour. And check out the amazing craft fairs around New England. There’s one you don’t want to miss — in Portland, Maine. It’s only one day, so you must plan on it. On Saturday, August 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (rain or shine), drop in on the annual Portland Fine Craft Show in the Free Street Parking Lot. Admission is free. The juried show features over 100 craft artists from Maine and the Northeast area exhibiting in basketry, ceramics, decorative and wearable fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, paper, printmaking, stone and wood, as well as outreach booths featuring New England and Portland arts organizations, guilds and schools. And if you have time, check out the Portland Museum of Art, the waterfront boutiques, and specialty restaurants. It’s a fun day to … [Read more...] about A DAY OF UNIQUE CREATIVITY: PORTLAND FINE CRAFT SHOW BELONGS ON YOUR CALENDAR
DE ANGELIS; EXPLICIT IMAGERY: THE BODY IS FAIR GAME AT GARY MAROTTA FINE ART
This summer, Gary Marotta Fine Art will show four exhibitions that bring together vastly different worlds under one roof. The artwork of Cara De Angelis, which explores attention and sexual desire in the internet age; the photographs of Milton H. Greene, who captured the life of Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s; paintings by Laura Klimenchenko, abstract and ethereal works in oil and acrylic; and photography by Ruben Natal-San Miguel. Opening first is De Angelis and her study of X-rated human forms. According to her artist statement, she pulls models from anonymous images posted on the internet from people whose “hard-wired animal hunger for attention is groomed, fed, and becomes addictive.” “The behavior has always existed, but the vast amount of opportunities and easy access to an audience has not,” said De Angelis on the tendency for people to post indiscriminately on the internet. … [Read more...] about DE ANGELIS; EXPLICIT IMAGERY: THE BODY IS FAIR GAME AT GARY MAROTTA FINE ART