Took the Brookline Town Hall exhibit down this afternoon. Thanks for hosting, Town of Brookline!

I didn't have my phone on me during the opening (no pockets!), so didn't get any photos from the actual opening, but here are some photos of before/after! We were in the Brookline Tab as the #2 thing to do in Brookline this weekend. Not bad! Also including my statement below. Thanks to all who attended and came out to support local Brookline artists!


Artist Statement from Exhibition
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The drawings and paintings collected here speak to the vulnerability, hope, energy, and rituals found in everyday family life, especially in young families. In most of my compositions, the parents are off to the side, or in the background, guiding the children, sheltering them, reading the paper, making sure everything is well. They are not the center of attention, and not engaging in anything exciting.

As I get older, I find myself relating more to the parents than the children in my drawings and paintings, even though I’ve only ever played the role of the latter. I think about how my parents did this for my brother and I when we were children, after years of shabby apartments and piecing together their rent. They bought a house near a park. They bought us new shoes every year that we wore on walks to the park. They bundled us up in hats and snow pants and pulled us on sleds. They brought home books from the library so they could read to us every night. There is a lot of selflessness there, to raise a child into an adult, but the children must figure out where to go from there. Meanwhile, the children I draw are playing, exploring, and being comforted. Drawing the parent/child dynamic allows me to meditate on the different roles that we play throughout childhood and into adulthood and parenthood.

Exciting news! I've been invited to share some of my paintings and drawings at Brookline Town Hall! We installed work yesterday afternoon and the opening is next Friday, February 9 from 5-7 PM. My work is in Room 111, the first room to the right at the entrance. Work by fellow Brookline residents are also on view, including portraits by Doron Putka, found object compositions by Martin Anderson, and a variety of work by young artist Bailey O'Brien. Feel free to stop by the opening next Friday or swing by in the coming weeks to check it out!

The kick off was a huge success! We had tons of people come through to tour the artwork in the space, meet the artists, and hang out. We also went through several giant platters of sushi and trays of macarons within the first hour.

Tuesday's Open Open Mic Night was amazing (as usual) and the Story Slam on Wednesday was full of all kinds of tales revolving around the theme of "risk". On Thursday, I did some demos of how to make paint from raw materials and chatted with some very interesting folks about painting approaches at the Venture Cafe: Creative Industries Night. The following evening, we all teamed up to give tours of the artwork at 50 Milk Street during the launch of the Fab Cafe on the ground floor. Overall, it was a fantastic week! Now, time for sleep.

Congrats to everyone who collaborated on Art Week! Can't wait for next year!

On Thursday, May 4, from 5:30-7:30, I will be holding a demo table at the Venture Cafe: Creative Industries event. Below is a description of what I'll be sharing with attendees. You can RSVP here.

Demo Table: Making Paint from Raw Materials
Ever wonder where paint comes from? Join a classically trained painter for demos on how to produce and use oil paint, watercolors, and mediums using raw materials, traditional tools, and techniques that began centuries ago. Producing paint at home saves money, gives the artist more control over the properties of the paint used during the creative process, and forges a stronger bond between artist and materials.

The opening reception of the 2013 Roberson Regional Art Exhibition was this past Sunday.  There were tons of people and it was really hot upstairs because the AC was having trouble adjusting to the heat wave, but it was still a fun opening and I saw a lot of wonderful, supportive, and creative people.  I took a few photos of work from other artists and included my favorites below.  The show is up until October 27, and the museum is open weekends 12-5pm, Wed & Thurs 12-5pm, and Fri 12-9pm. Admission is $6 for students/seniors, and $8 for adults.

We also stopped by the planetarium and the staff showed us a program that projects what the constellations might look like in tens of thousands of years.  And we got to hold a meteoroid!

Another exhibition is on the horizon, this time at the Roberson Museum and Science Center in Binghamton, NY. Both Water's Edge (2013) and Mother and Daughter in Chapel (2012) will be on loan to the museum from July 14 to October 27, 2013.  The show is being curated by John Brunelli, director and curator of Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts in Binghamton, NY. Anthony Brunelli has been a huge inspiration of mine since I was a young painter and Roberson visitor, and I can still remember my mom pointing out one of his paintings of Binghamton and explaining that it wasn't a panoramic photo but a painting.  I was a teenager at the time and figured she had to be mistaken.  Anyway, it goes without saying that Anthony and John have a world of art experience under the belts and I am very excited to be part of a Roberson show curated by the Brunelli Gallery Director.  I can't wait to go to the opening in July.  And maybe the Lost Dog Café. Mmmmmm..... Geisha cheesecake rolls...

This past weekend, I took a few days off from paintings to visit with my parents and friends, and to go see Alfred senior shows on Saturday.  Saw some really tremendous work.  All the fresh artwork got me revved and ready to get crackin on this guy!

Received news today that the Artists' Cooperative Gallery of Westerly accepted my painting Day at the Park in their 20th Annual Regional Art Exhibition, this year juried by Ann Woolsey, Deputy Director of the RISD Museum.  The opening reception is tomorrow, May 1st from 5-8pm, during the First Wednesday Night Art Stroll in Westerly and Pawcatuck.  The show runs through the month of May and ends Sunday, June 2nd.  If you happen to be in the area during that time, they are open Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm, and Sundays 1-5pm.

You can read more about the show and the gallery here.

Here are a few pictures from last month's library show
Photos courtesy of Ed Dunscombe (thanks dad!)