Copley Society of Art
158 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116 / 617-536-5049
Tues - Sat 11 - 6, Sun - Mon 12 - 5
“Here and Abroad” October 19 - November 25
“Holiday Small Works 2006” November 9 - December 23
In this era of makeovers, we can excuse the Copley Society of Art for renaming itself the oh so au courante moniker of Co/So. Luckily for us, the society’s tastes are firmly anchored in the traditions of representational art that have been its general focus since its inception in 1877. ptatlarge says “luckily” not out of antipathy for non-representational forms of art but out of relief for not having to rent a headset to comprehend the artwork assembled on the walls of this intimate two level gallery on Newbury Street.
The upper gallery’s juried exhibition - “Here and Abroad”- is easy on the eyes and the lower gallery’s “Holiday Small Works 2006” is easy on the pocket book. Around 200 of the society’s 550 members submitted work for “Here and Abroad.” The jury chose 18 pieces representing 16 members whose work they believed best captured the theme: “Display a strong sense of place and, with their vividness, are able to transport the viewer to destinations far and wide.”
All the pieces succeed technically. The piece that earned the ptatlarge prize was Carol Monacelli’s Petit fer a Cheval, an oil painting, (40”h x 30”w). The slightly subdued palette, the postures of the two waiters in mid-conversation, the distinct European grounding of the tavern, are vivid. One can almost hear the clatter of plates, clinking of glasses, the shreds of conversation, and spot that one couple at the table in the corner who’ve provoked such pensive speculation from the two garcons. If the limit on your credit card is $10,000, exercise your plastic and take the painting home.
The annual “Holiday Small Works 2006”is a wild west of small pieces. Traditional, representational, whimsical, and abstract images in the usual mediums are mounted chock a block on the walls of the lower level. Every Co/So member could submit three pieces to this non-juried show and boy, did they ever. Scores of them are mounted on the walls and hundreds of them are piled in a small mountain in the gallery’s corner floor. The prices here aren’t scary and range from $100 to $600.
Most pieces are small enough to carry out the door under your arm. “This is a “cash and carry business” says the gallerista, as she wraps a piece for a customer. It’s a unique opportunity to score a little gem for that wall in the hallway or space in the house you’ve been wanting to gussy up.
See the collection of all 18 oils, watercolors, pastels, and photos at http://www.copleysociety.org/Here_and_Abroad_06_online.htm
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