by Brian Goslow Nearly 50 years ago, the Worcester Art Museum hosted “Light and Motion,” a groundbreaking exhibition in which the participating “new kineticists” turned to “light and movement to produce a new sensibility.” This summer, just as those artists used the latest “electrical elements, lenses, Polaroid filters … and other non-traditional media” to modernize its viewers’ senses, Shih Chieh Huang’s “Reusable Universes” reinvents the possibilities of what a gallery space — and museum experience — can be. It only takes a peek inside WAM’s darkened (for this exhibition) Contemporary Gallery to be drawn into a multisensory visual experience not unlike a Disney ride through a new world. And while the collection of seven mesmerizing kinetic sculptures may have features viewers will automatically attribute to being similar to sea creatures, that’s more your imagination at … [Read more...] about WORCESTER ELECTRIFIED: HUANG MOVES THE IMAGINATION

by Laura Shabott “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.“ — Henry David Thoreau Budd Hopkins (1931-2011) was a highly complex, remarkable artist. His unique vision, a melding of abstract expressionism and hardedge abstraction, will be on view in two upcoming shows at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, curated by daughter Grace Hopkins, and at Berta Walker Gallery Provincetown. Both exhibits will bring the viewer from the artist’s earlier years creating abstract expressionist works, through his collage-based hard-edge period, to the guardians and altars, and finally, to Hopkins’ return to action painting with his series of “Dancing Guardians.” Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Hopkins was struck with polio at the age of two during … [Read more...] about HOPKINS COMES FULL CIRCLE: AWESOME ABSTRACTION IN PTOWN

by James Foritano I have to admit that my awakening to literature didn’t arrive through the genius of Theodor Seuss Geisel — known the world over by his pen name Dr. Seuss — but through the “Dick and Jane” elementary school reading series, a post-World War II depiction of the traditional two parents, two children and their beloved dog, “Spot.” A series that remained firmly staid, suburban and tame — in both word and picture. Fortunately, I fell in love with my first-grade teacher, Miss Edmunds — and she, I’m sure, with me. So, when I first felt rather than simply spelled out the banal sentences “Look at Spot. Look at Spot run.” I raised my eyes to Miss Edmunds, fell in love all over again, and have been running with “Spot” ever since. Those few paragraphs are my towering testament to the place of Miss Edmunds in my life both in and out of books. To read more, pick up … [Read more...] about SEUSS ON THE LOOSE: HOMAGE TO A STORYTELLER

by Flavia Cigliano Walking into the Three Stones Gallery on a late spring afternoon in the village of West Concord was a pleasure. Full of light and airy, with a high ceiling, the space provided excellent viewing for the artwork on display. Artist/owner Jennifer M. Johnston established the gallery three years ago with the goal of focusing on regional artists. “It was really good timing. Everything came together. A sparkling vitality has infused the center of West Concord,” Johnston said. These days, the village is bustling with new restaurants and specialty shops. The gallery represents 10 artists working in different mediums, with exhibits generally showing the works of two to four artists on a rotating basis. Johnston selects artists based on several criteria. The quality of art is paramount, but she also looks for artists whose work is complementary yet varied in its … [Read more...] about CREATIVE TRIFECTA: TRANSFORMATION AT THREE STONES

by Marguerite Serkin A regional exhibit of juried works may suggest a circumspect, homogenous collection. Such is far from the case in the collection on view through the Biennial Regional Juror’s Choice Exhibition at the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery in Keene. Drawing upon a large pool of local talent, the myriad pieces included in the exhibition cross multiple media, and reflect studied, deliberate applications that are both refreshingly current and historically germane. Chosen from over 100 submissions, only works originating within a 60-mile radius of Keene were considered. The strict geographical requirement was offset by a broader metaphorical interpretation of place, in addition to more literal depictions of craggy hills and the architectural landmarks of downtown. “The intimate geographic scope of the biennial helped to shape my approach in selecting works,” … [Read more...] about CONSIDERING PLACE: JUROR’S CHOICE AT KEENE

by Suzanne Volmer “Art for Survival,” a portrait exhibition of paintings by Daniel Maffia, opens on August 19 at Harmon Gallery in Wellfleet. The artist makes narratives that rely on appropriation or remix as a method for sourcing content. He includes recognizable images from pop culture and film noir, as well as familiar art historical references reframed or re-contextualized to define the character of the present. All of Maffia’s paintings at Harmon Gallery, which were painted over the last two years, function as social commentary. They are important as as markers for reflection. A resident of Hingham, Mass. and southern France, Maffia was born and raised in France; he then worked for years in New York as a very competent illustrative painter. He became well known for having created many cover portraits for Time and Rolling Stone magazines, and he has deftly created some … [Read more...] about WILL TO SURVIVE: DANIEL MAFFIA IN WELLFLEET