Positive energy at former Whole Foods site

In the first few weeks of the Wellesley Community Art Project, some creative community members came forward with support, ideas and action. A new collaboration was born and has been made possible with the cooperation of Mary Butler of Haynes Management. Check out the new exhibit in the window at the site of the former Whole Foods Market.

Elizabeth Cohen

I’m a self-taught, independent studio potter living in Wellesley. Organic elements in nature such as flowers, fruits, seeds, shells and plants inform my work.

These pieces are an example of some of my newer sculptural work. They are inspired by botanical and marine life, as well as what I imagine might be a colony of "stuff" as seen under a microscope, greatly enlarged in scale. In my functional and sculptural work, I use the potter's wheel and my hands as my primary tools. The pieces in these two panels are composed of small parts, each thrown on the wheel and assembled while still pliable. The clay I use is porcelain, which has a high silica content and smooth quality. I like this clay body because it retains a sense of softness and organic sensuousness, even when fired.

 

Blue Walkway
Chelsea Sebastian

Since becoming a new mom, I spend a tremendous amount of time outdoors exploring Wellesley’s trails and parks. I find the quiet beauty of our community to be the source of my artistic inspiration. People take tediously good care of Wellesley. Shop owners and neighbors take pride in expressing beauty. Our community actively creates positive engagement. I feel very fortunate to live here and have the opportunity to contribute my art. 

My work reflects the colorful way I see life and my paintings explore the themes of nature, seascape, and international streetscape. I work with acrylics on canvas from my home studio in Wellesley. I am primarily self-taught, but credit my parents for my training, as both are accomplished artists.

When people see my work, I would like them to be drawn to the vibrant colors and to feel compelled to journey down a foreign street. Painting enables me to interact with the world differently. I pay closer attention to the life around me. I see depth, color, line, and texture. I study gestures and explore how forms relate to each other. I hope that my art becomes a source of pleasure for those who welcome it into their life. 

Think Spring
Heather McClurg

I have been involved in the Arts in one way or another throughout most of my life. As a child growing up on Cape Cod, and in early adulthood, I spent many hours studying and performing dance, piano and flute.  While studying at Tufts University I immediately got involved with a student-run dance company and became a choreographer.

My husband and I have lived with our children in Wellesley almost entirely since 1992. During the period when my children were very young I jumped at every opportunity to nurture their creative side (and mine). Often I would volunteer in the classroom for any arts/crafts projects. A few years ago the time seemed right to find a dedicated space and the time to work on creative projects. I took several painting classes and fell in love with abstract art and mixed media.

I cherish my time spent creating pieces and love to work in one of my newer, challenging mediums, encaustic painting. This winter I am also looking forward to expanding into jewelry and metal arts.

Seth Lewin

Born and raised in Brooklyn (hence the bridge photos), Georgetown Medical School in DC, have been in Mass since 1972, in Needham since 1975. Have done photography as a hobby since the early 1960s, was photo editor of my college newspaper, used to do my own B&W darkroom work, went all-digital about 12 years ago. The bulk of my photos over the past half-dozen years have been of my two granddaughters however I like to get in some pix of railroads (another hobby of mine) and landscapes (mostly around Chatham) & architectural landmarks.

I had long wanted to get into large-format work; finally bought myself a Canon IPF6350 12-color inkjet capable of printing on 24” roll stock. I use a fully color-managed workflow on my Mac using Photoshop as my editing software and a Canon EOS 5D with 24-70 and 70-200 f/2.8 L-series zoom lenses. This photo was shot hand-held on a sunny day in October; the sky actually was a very deep blue that day. The photo hasn’t been doctored in that regard.

New Watercolor exhibit at former Betsy's

There's an awesome new exhibit at 100 Central St. in cooperation with Linear Retail

The watercolors were created by artists in one of the many art classes offered by Wellesley’s Council on Aging. Classes are held at Wellesley’s Recreation Department with Art Instructor, Cecilia Sharma.

 

Sharma's watercolor workshops are designed to help student painters at all levels learn how to create meaningful art. The workshop includes painting demonstrations that teach how to create more excitement in finished works. Students enjoy individual hands-on instruction with an emphasis on developing wash, values and textures, variety of color, edges and shapes, as well as creating the illusion of light.

The works render a variety of outdoor scenes. What outdoor scenes inspire you the most?

  

Muriel Thorn

Dorothy Malloy

Robert Stueart

Harold Ottobrini

Iris Gleason

Joan Hale

Donna Buckley

Carole Wiley

Peggy O'Connor

Anna Sperrazza

Art Instructor, Cecilia Sharma

Local art fills vacant Wellesley storefronts

http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/business/x2128795977/Local-art-fills-vacant-Wellesley-storefronts#axzz1f1MnTUE9

Three-Dimensional Design at former Neena's

This installation features the work of Wellesley College students exploring sculpture and 3-D design with Visiting Assistant Professor, Andy Mowbray.

Altering the size and scale of an everyday object by making it larger or smaller changes how we perceive it, how it functions or doesn’t, and how we relate to it in the physical world. We can categorize objects into different groups of scale, such as small hand held objects, figurative or human sized objects, monumental objects and architectural sized objects. The way we relate to objects obviously changes depending on their scale and size. 

Elena Bowen '13

Emily Darling '12

Ashira Eve Gendelman '13

Nicholas Monje '13

Chiara  Montinola '13

Xinhong Qiu '14

Rebecca  Spilecki '14

Allison Stocks '13

Hannah  Van der Eb '14

This exhibit is made possible by Linear Retail

Under Construction at former Neena's

The vacant windows at the former Neena's (93 Central Street) went "under construction" on November 8, 2011 with the cooperation of property owner Linear Retail and community artists. The artists are Wellesley College students who are studying three-dimensional design with Visiting Assistant Professor, Andy Mowbray. More photos and information about the exhibit are coming soon!

Joyful Cow Installation at former Betsy's

On November 1, 2011 seven acrylic paintings were installed in the vacant windows at the former Betsy's (100 Central Street). The paintings were done by 9-12 year old students taking Painting & Drawing class at the Wellesley Recreation Department.

This collaboration was made possible with the cooperation of property owner Linear Retail, student artists, instructor D'Ann Hansen and community volunteers. Diana Podaski of Linear Retail was on-site for the installation.
 

The subject was inspired by the work of German artist, Franz Marc. His painting, Yellow Cow, done 100 years ago is his most joyous animal painting. Marc's work was characterized by the use of exuberant color and often depicted powerful emotional states.

Franz Marc, Yellow Cow, 1911

Students were asked to study Marc's work and do their own interpretation. 

Viewers are asked "Where would your joyful cow be?"

Prehistoricow

Emma Goldenthal

Age 12

Space Cow

Sarah Manse

Age 12

Candy Cow

Ryan Sciera

Age 10

Nowhere

Becca Manse

Age 12

Gertrude

Julia Clapham

Age 12

The Really Moist Hamburger

Charlotte Clapham

Age 12

Ferdinad

Tess Goldenthal

Age 9

Instructor D'Ann Hansen (center) with volunteers Hera McManus (left) and Laura Fragasso (right)

Exhibit from Wellesley College at former Rugged Bear (34 Central Street)

This exhibit is made possible by Retail property owner Edens & Avant along with the support of the artists, Kelley Tialiou, Curatorial Assistant and Tour Coordinator, Davis Museum and Phyllis McGibbon, Professor of Studio Art and co-director of the Architecture program at Wellesley College.

The dresses were designed by Wellesley College students, inspired by the work of contemporary Ghanaian artist El Anatsui, who is best known for his sculptural pieces made of discarded metal bottle tops.

Viewers are asked "What meaning might the materials selected by these designers hold?"

THE DAVIS DESIGN CONTEST

The Davis Design Contest features the work of Wellesley student designers responding to the exhibition, El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote To You About Africa, on view at the Davis from March 30 to June 26, 2011.

Anatsui often draws inspiration from the traditional kente cloth of the Akan peoples of West Africa. In turn, Anatsui’s cloth-like works inspired our designers to create garments.

Like Anatusi, these designers have reused old materials— from computer parts to advertisements and bridal gowns— in surprising ways.

These projects are also informed by the artists’ lives and individual contexts, just as Anatsui’s work is deeply concerned with Africa’s history, challenges, and peoples. Each designer describes her work in her own words through the label that accompanies her design.

People voted for their favorite design in the contest by visiting the ballot box at the information desk. The top three designers were announced and awarded at the end of April 2011.

The Davis Design Contest was conceived during the Fall 2010 Museum Issues Seminar at Wellesley College, taught by Prof. Lisa Fischman, Ruth Gordon Shapiro ’37 Director of the Davis Museum.

It has been brought to fruition through the efforts of á la mode, Wellesley’s premiere fashion organization; Hey, Madeline, Wellesley’s only fashion magazine; the SCOOP, Wellesley’s sustainability co-operative; with major support of the Davis; the sponsorship of the Student Organization Funding Committee and the Committee on Lectures and Cultural Events; and, of course, the student designers.  

Marjorie Cantine ’13
Contest Coordinator

Far right

Katherine Scafuri ’11          

Untitled

plexiglass and vellum scraps from architectural modeling projects, fabric

The organic, flexible nature of draping informs the design. The waves of the draping are punctured by the stiff plexi-glass to form a living dynamism in tribute to El Anatsui's aesthetic. 

Far Right

Pooja Reddy ’14       

Polarity          

plastic bags, recycled paper, used tablecloths, curtains, and belts         

The tight "bondage" bodice and the loose "freedom" grasslands skirt are juxtaposed to show a struggle between Western influence and African tradition.   

Middle

Nancy H. Welsh ’12  

Untitled          

recycled t-shirt and paper, table tents, glue, elastic

My goal was to create a sculptural garment that allowed the table tents, which are folded cards used to advertise campus events, to articulate themselves. The garment plays with the traditional draping of kente cloth and uses specific table tents to make a statement on gender politics.

Laura Salazar Altobelli ’12  

I wish the mannequin would move

used stockings, red string, copper wire, plexi-glass (originally from a construction site)

Mission: to explore the form of the body, interpreting it as an architectural site model.

In developing the representation of garment, the human body stimulates powerful inquiries in movement and stasis that may be articulated through the structural flexibility of material, its opacity and refraction.

Constance M. Yee ’11

The Things We Bought

jersey, used cigarettes, cardboard boxes, soda bottles, plastic bags, newspaper, and food wrappers

A hand-sewn triangulation of consumer culture, environment, and self-hood.

Far Left

Tricia Lu ’14

le trésor

aluminum cans, fabric from old clothing

El Anatsui’s metallic tapestries and his use of Adrinkra symbols in his artwork inspired this dress. I created this dress from aluminum cans, incorporating the Adrinka symbol “Aya,” which represents endurance and resourcefulness, characteristics of sustainability.

Abigail G. Hansen ’11

Media Machine Queen

recycled fashion newspapers, society pages, tabloids; garbage bags; PVA glue

One day you're on top of the world. The next, you find yourself at the bottom of a trash heap. Who are you? You are a celebrity who has been both built up and discarded by the almighty Media Machine. You have seen your face light up the magazine covers of every newsstand in the city, but you have also seen your face get rained on, stomped on by muddy galoshes and sucked down the gutter. If you’re a celebrity whose fame is perhaps slightly past its shelf life or even built on nothing but garbage in the first place, the trick is to look good as you rot. Then perhaps no one will notice your stench as you decay into yesterday's news.

Far Left

Elle Wibisono ’13

Batik Baru 

aluminum candle holders, food wrappers, soda cans, soda caps, hot wax, dye, fabric (cotton and silk), sequins 

This dress was made with the traditional Indonesian batik process, which uses hot wax and dye to create color and patterns on cloth. The rebirth and redefinition of batik by using recycled materials is a bold proof of my statement: Traditional is not at all primitive.

Far Right

Rebecca Ely ’13

thrifted shirts and found objects

Sustainability should be practical, affordable, and fun; so should fashion.  Here stands the fusion of possible and potential.

A resident artist volunteer helps load at the Davis Museum, Wellesley College