March 2020 Issue by It's All About Arts

Issue 25 • March 2020 • Facebook.com/TalkArts

IT’S ALL ABOUT

ARTS

Supporting Local Arts and Culture

MICHAEL KERWIN

MARCH 2020 In This Issue • Michael Kerwin - art that incorporates the art of living by Janice Williams • A Creative Combo by Curt Naihersey • Poetry Compiled by Curt Naihersey Yester-Way by Michael Ball and For You, There Is by Stephen Levin • Helen Lozoraitis – Art Whisperer of Nature by Janice Williams • Terry Kitchen: New album ‘Next Time We Meet’ by award-winning folk artist reflects introspective journey by Mary Ellen Gambon • Business of Being an Artist by Suzanne Schultz • “To Do” Around Town in March by Tess McColgan • Pictorial Splender by Curt Naihersey • The Local Music Corner by Perry Persoff • Afterland Part Three: Soul Theft by Edward Morneau More........ • Centre Cuts Salon and Spa, Roslindale • Events at MIT Endicott House, Dedham • Women Artists at BNN Neighborhood Art Gallery • Artist Domenic Esposito • Artist Winifred Breines Support local artists and buy from them whenever you can! It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Black and White Trees by Janice WIlliams 10 x10 acrylic on canvas

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Michael Kerwin – art that incorporates the art of living By Janice Williams

To say that artist Michael Kerwin is devoted to art is quite the understatement. Not only does Kerwin work hard at his own art journey, he also finds time and space to promote other artists through a community outreach program he created. He showcases local artists in three locations in Somerville and Cambridge. Right now, this North Shore resident, works full time as a medical marijuana patient consultant and is finishing up his undergraduate business degree at UMass Boston. He is active but never too busy for art. While art has been an interest for Kerwin since he was a small child, it became a passion and life journey at the age of fifteen when he was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy. According to Kerwin, “My experience of daily semi-conscious, partial-complex seizures and a successful craniotomy enabled me to fall in love with the expression of what I was living as a being. Cannabis, meditation, playing sports and my love for Boston, Title-town sports were all therapeutic for my adversity”. Kerwin is self-taught and likes to paint and draw with acrylic and oil paints as well as graphite and colored pencils and at times does digital art. He works modestly out of his home at a desk in his bedroom. He says, “Life as a being is a blessing and I enjoy every moment from the hard times to the glorious days. I envision a future of modifications to my style of paintings with more spirituality but appreciate what lead me to where I am now, and I hope you do as well as you join me in my venture through life”. Kerwin admires the art of Vincent Van Gogh and they share a medical characteristic (Van Gogh also had temporal lobe epilepsy). He says his eclectic mind has interest for all artists of all mediums, especially those expressing a spiritual theme. Along with being involved in The Epilepsy Foundation of New England he is active with the RAWArtists group. RAWArtists’ website is designed to display RAW artists online and internationally. They host online profiles — exclusive to RAW artists. They are open to the public to view; however, the site profiles and perks are reserved for our hand-selected RAW artist community. RAW artists are able to (continued) It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Michael Kerwin – art that incorporates the art of living by Janice Williams (continued)

connect with other RAW artists, are invited to post photos, videos, music and promote their upcoming projects. RAW showcases are live events that feature hand-selected independent artists in all creative genres: visual art, fashion & accessory design, craft, film, tech, music, performance art, hair & makeup artistry, and photography. More at https://rawartists.com Kerwin will be participating in POSE by Privé World Wide, April 18th, 2020 at The Revere Hotel in Boston. You can contact Kerwin at: kerwin@kerwinskanvas.com See more at: Etsy, Instagram & Facebook @kerwinskanvas

It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

A CREATIVE COMBO

by Curt Naihersey

If some say that classical music and painting are dying, Shany Porras begs to differ. We met at the Mother Brook Open Studios back in December, and I was immediately floored by the free-form emotion and explosion of colors, as well as each painting’s title, reflecting her combo approach of inspiration. Many of her pieces bear the names of classical favorites (i.e., Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Ravel, etc.) yet some also include pop-rock references (i.e., Metallica, John Lennon, The Roots, Al Green, Prince, etc.) She chooses music, selecting from topics such as Greek mythology, her home country of Venezuela, or simply today’s popular or politically charged music. Each painting is unique to each musical piece, and it is clear that the selection of medium, including acrylic and water-based paints on canvas, paper, or wood panels, graphite, wax crayons, ink, and spray paint, among others, hinges on the artist’s interpretation of the abstract language of music.

p a s s i o n s s u c c e s s f u l l y, b u t n o w I understand my role as a translator and recognize it is a role I have played my entire life. As an immigrant, I am bilingual in Spanish and English and translate back and forth for my family. As an adult, I worked in the corporate world, translating information technology into standard business terms so that IT could work efficiently with the business side. Now, I develop my passion for art and music as I interpret and express one abstract language into another. It’s really quite fun and natural for me!”

“I translate music into abstract paintings. To me, music is just another language that is used to communicate abstractly with the listener, conveying thought and emotions over time. I need to translate the music v i s u a l l y, m a r r y i n g t w o w a y s o f communication that have been part of my life since I was very young. I trained as a classical musician in my youth and loved performing with orchestras, all while I took art classes and learned about architecture and modern art. Once I was an adolescent, I decided to pursue art and architecture in college, even though I had applied to music performance programs as well. I didn’t know then how I could merge these two

Translation of “Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2” (F. Chopin), ! acrylic on canvas, 20” x 20”

Shany starts by studying the music she wishes to interpret to incorporate into her “music translations”. These current paintings render the language of music into abstract paintings as she remains an avid, intuitive listener. Her art is deeply influenced by Bauhaus and the American abstract painters of the 20th century, borrowing from their techniques, and applying them as needed to translate music. She is open to creative endeavors,

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seeking to work with galleries, symphony orchestras, and musical ensembles and artists. And that will surely come.

Shany exhibits in and around Boston, the B e r k s h i r e s , N e w Yo r k C i t y, a n d Connecticut, and maintains a studio in Framingham, MA. She is a member of the National Association of Women Artists ( N AWA ) , a n d t h e C a m b r i d g e A r t Association (CAA). She has also been selected as a 2020 Annex Member at Fountain Street Fine Art Boston, where she is exhibiting her music translation paintings on March 6 - 28.

For commissions or for a tour of her studio, contact her: shany@number5studios.com or visit <www.number5studios.com>

always have a list of music to go to once I am ready to paint a new series. I get ideas on music from friends, Pandora, by researching composers that were peers to those I already know about. I get ideas from attending Tanglewood or BSO concerts. Sometimes I even get suggestions from folks that follow me on Instagram or Facebook. Social media has been amazing this way!

2. Understanding your inspirational motives requires dual attention, is it difficult sometimes to make the connection? If I don’t feel a connection to the music, then I won’t attempt a visual translation. I have to stay as accurate to the music as I can. This may mean that sometimes I have to put a new series aside for a while because I’ve lost focus on the music. I recently placed apart some initial paintings on Stravinsky translations because I wasn’t sure if my mark-making and color selections were on point. I hope to get back to those at some point!

Shany @ NAWA’s Small Works Exhibit, NYC, ! February 13 2020

1. How do you perceive inspiration and creativity? Do you find enough time to bring forth the muse to work on your art? I maintain an on-going list of music in my sketchbook for future reference so that I

3. What are your beginning methods? Does your intuitive approach ever feel academic? I’ve worked hard to establish a repeatable, multi-phase process to stay productive and so that I never have an excuse not to paint. I suppose my process can be thought of as academic, although I liken it to a standard project plan with five phases (Analysis, Plan, Design/Development, Test, Rollout). I always start by studying the music. I find out as much as I can about the piece, its meaning, its place or role in history, its writer or composer, the inspiration behind the music, etc. I learn about other similar or contemporary music to compare and contrast. I read the scores and take note of phrases that inspire me visually. This helps

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me feel engaged in the beginning. At a certain point, I start to shift into visualizing and sketching, and I plan the colors and loosely establish the mood and energy. Once I have a solid plan, I begin by developing multiple paintings on board, paper, or canvas. I work on several paintings at the same time so that I can compare them with one another. At this point, some paintings start to align themselves closely with specific movements of a piece. This makes it easier for me to listen and use intuitive markmaking. I continue to listen to the music as I paint so that I “stay in the zone.” Once the paintings are convincing to me, I test them by putting them away or hanging them around my home or in the studio; I question if they speak accurately of the music to me. If they do, then I can start to share them publicly through social media, my online site, and exhibitions.

time, I am happy to meet the challenges I face with visual music translations.

5. Do you have any social message that you are trying to portray in your work? Yes, of course! Sometimes I create art purely out of emotion. Last year, I reacted to Venezuela’s presidential elections by creating “Palante, A Venezuelan Allegory of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.” In this case, I thought first about communicating the tragic downfall of Venezuelan politics and economy through symbolism that any Venezuelan could understand. I didn’t seek to translate the piece by Shostakovich, but at the time, I was listening to it a lot and saw connections between Stalin’s Russia and current-day Venezuela. That painting is a message of hope.

4. What have you done in your artistic career that precipitated an interest in your talent? Were you ever deterred from your dedicated output? My artistic career took a 20-year pause as I pursued a career in Information Security Risk. This may have been the best thing that happened to me artistically. Being away from making art consistently made me long for it, and it gave me a lot of time to mature as a person and fully understand what it is that I want to say through art. I decided a couple of years ago, that my art would be a passion project and that I would need to incorporate my love for music and my passion for abstract art. This doesn’t mean I stay pure to this resolve 100% of the time. I do dabble in creating realist, surrealist, and political art. I like the experimentation that I allow myself to create from time to time. However, at this

Translation of "Babylon" (David Gray), ! acrylic on canvas, 9”x 9”

6. Have you ever tried other approaches or variations apart from your proven style? My music translations are intended to cross-contaminate two art forms. I wish for

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both classical music and abstract painting to continue to thrive, and I want to play a role in their continuation. The more often I can share my pictures, the more people I introduce to music they may not have heard before.

7. Do you feel successful or do you struggle to been seen? What’s next? I feel successful in that I can be creative every day. I get to pursue my passion, and I seek to share my paintings as frequently as I can. Like everyone else, I do have periods when I don’t feel successful as an artist because my intent is not realized in my painting. It doesn’t bother me. I believe the roller-coaster is part of the creative process. Failure and achievement are both parts of success. In the short term, I have art exhibited at Fountain Street Fine Art, the NAWA Gallery (NYC), Project B

G a l l e r y, and online at Number5Studios.com. I am working to establish long-term relationships with commercial and non-commercial galleries and to build partnerships with musicians and orchestras. This is slow and steady work!

8. Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring artists? Where do I begin? I love to share what I’ve learned to hopefully save someone from wasting time, the most valuable asset. For now, I would say to be honest with yourself about why you want to create art and what you want to say with your art. Once you have this clarity and can produce highquality art (art you feel good about), you can and should proceed with designing your art career. The world needs more artists.

Translation No. 1 of "Les Folies d'Espagne" (M. Marais), ! mixed media on canvas, 48” w X 30” h

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YESTER-WAYS I almost pass many sketches on this or that wall. Just now, push-pinned in every room. portraits on wide, off-white sheets appear,

I hold no velvet bag filled with lovers I have pushed away (or who have quit me). You and I can not claim failed marriage; then we might be done forever.

What is love’s expiry date? Its best-if-used-by date? A shattered bond does not dim nor erase what was. We were kind to us. Thus, our long-ago joys ever remain…in a Hawking space-time, where and when what was still is.

Am I inconstant and unchaste if I notice portraits of others, as well as yours? While not the one, you remain one. Your face and the others’ present to me. I sigh for anyone who does not see sketches.

Of course, we had our moments… Nights surely, morning frolics too, and café afternoons with sweet—then bitter— G&Ts over tiny white tables right on 7th Avenue. While M20 buses and peds passed, we shared anticipation, the soon of mind, word and hand.

If you wonder do I keep feelings for you, if I still think well of us, know the yesses. The ideal of us lives and loves. You can only murder love doggedly.

Our thousand feats are a crumbled book of us. I do not and cannot know you in this moment. Yet sketched and etched, we are deeply rutted and strongly rutty in our shared past.

! Ever-you ever-us. !

- Michael Ball

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FOR YOU, THERE IS There is a poet in your life  trying to describe the essence of the universe, crystallizing the sublime in the fewest words. There is a singer in your life  trying to find the astral pitch  perfecting the sound of the cosmic symphony There is a dancer in your life  trying to tango with the wind,  breathing love into each night’s spinning dream. There is a painter in your life  trying to render the luminous spectrum of light, imagining the real, more real than sight. There is a man in your life  trying to stop the chronicles of time, taming the incessant urge to search. Trying to be enough. - Steven Levin

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Helen Lozoraitis – Art Whisperer of Nature by Janice Williams

Birds, Butterflies, Bees and Trees.......... A recent exhibit at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton, MA introduced me to an inspiring and multi-talented artist, Helen Lozoraitis. A longtime resident of Cambridge, MA and now relocated to Wareham, Lozoraitis is an extreme observer and lover of all things nature. The beginning paragraph of her artist statement describes her passions well: “My artwork enables me to express my appreciation for our fellow species as well as deep concern about their welfare in the face of the environmental destruction caused by humans. My collages act as small-scale shrines to these elegant beings so different from us and yet so closely connected. I celebrate their existence with my art and hope that others will join me”. Lozoraitis is active in several environmental organizations including Mass Audubon, the Wareham Land Trust, and local climate change groups. In Nov. 2019. She was in the top selection of artists for the Sierra Club project - Art and the Green New Deal Digital Showcase. A hi-tech employee for many years that included working at IBM, Lozoraitis now prefers computer software work in the nonprofit sector. The pursuit of art is her life balance and joy. She doesn’t travel a lot, but when she does, she loves to take photos that get incorporated so beautifully into her art. Her most memorable trip was to her ancestor’s land of Lithuania in 2014. There she took many photos that she still weaves into her art from time to time. While essentially self-taught, Lozoraitis has gone to Snow Farm in Williamsburg, MA almost every year since 2009, to study with a long-time teacher (continued) It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Robin in the Woods, 2019 12x12 wood panel

Sky Lines, 2017 15x18

Helen Lozoraitis – Art Whisperer of Nature by Janice Williams (continued)

and friend, Cambridge artist Alexandra Sheldon. According to Lozoraitis, “Snow Farm is a wonderful place, like an art camp for adults, that never fails to renew my creativity and inspire new work”. In the past, she was part of a Boston area artists’ critique group as well as Arlington Center for the Arts, Marion Art Center, and Cambridge Art Association. Lozoraitis started out as a fiber/sewing/quilting artist. She learned sewing from her mom as a young child. Early in her art career she created photo fabric items for an artists’ cooperative in Cambridge - Sign of the Dove. After over five years at that, she discovered paper/mixed media and never looked back. She has also experimented with assemblage, printmaking, and bookmaking. Lozoraitis works out of her home in Wareham on her creative magic but her inspiration is all outdoors - “I love the expansive landscapes and sanctuaries of the South Coast and all of New England”. When asked about other artists who have influenced her she says, David Hockney plus a number of local artists that she follows, in areas from book arts to quilting/ fiber to collage including Bonnie Mineo, Sharon McCartney and Laura Davidson. Learn more about Helen Lozoraitis at: https://www.kitchensyncstudio.com Contact: art@kitchensyncstudio.com

Sanctuary, 2017 17x14 Mountain Scenes, 2017 20x18

It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Terry Kitchen: New album ‘Next Time We Meet’

by award-winning folk artist reflects introspective journey By Mary Ellen Gambon

Terry Kitchen’s musical career has come full circle. The New Jersey native traveled to Boston with his longtime friend and bandmate, Bill Kuhlman, in pursuit of a dream - to become stars in the 1980s rock scene. “Back in 1981, I was playing in a rock band in Ohio,” Kitchen said. “We were writing our own songs, but there was no place to play original music. In Ohio, people would expect to hear just what was on the jukebox.” Kitchen had a broader vision for his sound, so when he heard that Boston rockers, The Cars, opened up a studio for new bands to record their music, he and Kuhlman decided to make the move east, with their band, Loose Ties. “We had a great weekend visiting and just decided to stay,” he said. As for the band’s name, Kitchen credited Kuhlman with the decision. “We were talking about all of the different elements coming together, and Bill said, ‘What about Loose Ties?’ It seemed to make sense.” Loose Ties had some marginal success up until 1988. “We released our last vinyl album and released a couple of videos for it, one of which was called ‘Last Time,” Kitchen said. “It got played on MTV exactly once.” The band also was in the WBCN Rumble in 1986. This was the “battle of the bands” for Boston’s major rock station at the time. “We got our butts kicked by a punk band called Gang Green, who sprayed beer on all the audience,” he said with a laugh. While that career didn’t work out the way he planned, Kitchen realized his style and songwriting prowess were better suited to folk music. “Even back in the Loose Ties days, I was writing songs that were more intimate,” Kitchen said. “So I would go and play at the Nameless Coffeehouse as a solo artist.” As bandmates started getting married and having kids, it was a natural progression for Kitchen to spread his wings. “You seem to get a better level of attention,” Kitchen said. “People are really listening to the songs.” It is important to reflect on Kuhlman’s influence on Kitchen, because Kitchen’s latest album, “next time we meet,” is dedicated to his friend, who passed away from cancer in 2018. (continued) It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Terry Kitchen: New album ‘Next Time We Meet’ by award-winning folk artist reflects introspective journey by Mary Ellen Gambon (continued) “A lot of the album is me thinking about him,” Kitchen said. “It’s my way of trying to work things out. Some people might keep a diary or argue with friends. I argue with myself by writing songs.” While the new CD is a tribute to his friend, and the title track reflects their relationship, each song is its own personal exploration, told in its own voice. “A lot of songs that I write are not necessarily autobiographical,” Kitchen said. “But I try to write them in a personal way so that it sounds like somebody’s just telling me their story.” One example is “White Lung,” which talks about a worker in a nail salon being chronically exposed to chemicals. “The cumulative total of those health effects is called ‘white lung,’” he explained. “If you say black lung, you know about a coal miner inhaling the coal dust. But we also need to let people know about these other conditions that people who work in nail salons are exposed to.” “I find it’s more effective to tell it from a character’s point of view as a story,” Kitchen said. “It’s an easier way for people to hear it.” With his 12th solo CD, Kitchen said he has seen his music gain more perspective. One of his favorite tracks is “Last Sand Castle Standing,” which is written from the point of view of a seagull. Jackie Damsky contributes the violin, which adds a poignant grace to the theme. “Even though lyrically it’s a little bit more obscure, musically I really like it,” he said. “It reminds me of The Left Banke and The Beach Boys.” Kitchen said he likes to think it is his friend, looking at life down below. “I try to write music that touches a common chord,” Kitchen said. “A lot of what I’m attracted to are maybe underdogs, or people who are a little bit out of place.” For example, “How Many Horses” asks how many times he must climb back upon the horse after falling off. “The answer of course is, at least one more horse. At least one more time.” While his friend’s death was painful, Kitchen said he found some solace in the fact that Kuhlman “got to know how appreciated he was” before he passed. “We even did a Loose Ties reunion show, which was a lot of fun,” Kitchen said. “So we got to be gracious in a very hard situation.” “The song ‘Next Time We Meet’ is really about how we as humans – we’re not geared to being able to accept that we’re just given one chance at life,” Kitchen explained. “We just can’t really believe that this is it, because we feel so strongly about this.” (continued) It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Terry Kitchen: New album ‘Next Time We Meet’ by award-winning folk artist reflects introspective journey by Mary Ellen Gambon (continued) As a songwriter, Kitchen’s goal is to write songs that will outlast him. “I don’t have any children, so in a sense, the songs are my children,” he said. “I want them to go on and to be still relevant going forward.” In addition to his own songs, Kitchen covers a song by one of his biggest influences, the Beatles, called “Norwegian Wood.” “I saw the movie ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ and even then, I knew that they wrote their own songs,” Kitchen said. “I started writing songs in fifth grade. Because I knew that they did it, I wanted to do my best to write my own songs as well.” Another influence during his time in the 80s rock scene was the Boston band ‘Til Tuesday, which had the smash hit “Voices Carry.” Others were Push Push and the Berlin Airlift. Kitchen wrote a novel about his experiences playing with Loose Ties called Next Big Thing. Kitchen’s music over the past 25 years has connected with a broad audience. He has appeared in 20 states, including Texas, California and Alaska, and has also toured Canada. Kitchen has appeared in a number of folk festivals, such as Falcon Ridge, the South Florida Folk Festival, VT Solarfest, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. As a songwriter, Kitchen also has received accolades. His songs have won the Mid-Atlantic and USA song contests and been runner-up in the John Lennon song contest. His music has been recorded by artists including Barbara Kessler, Mara Levine, Rebecca Lynch, Andrew Dunn, and Janet Feld. Kitchen is the coordinator of the NSAI Boston workshop and currently is teaching a class called “Arranging for Songwriting” at the Brookline Adult and Community Education Center. For more information, go here: https://www.campusce.net/ brookline/course/course.aspx?C=4782&pc=1&mc=63&sc=0. Kitchen, who lives in Roslindale, said he is very excited about his upcoming concert at The Square Root on Fri., May 29. It will feature some of the accompanying artists who contributed their talents to “next time we meet.” In addition, Kitchen’s music is available on Spotify, iTunes and YouTube. Loose Ties’ music was recently re-released digitally. For more information, visit www.terrykitchen.com. Upcoming tour dates include:

Sat. March 7, 2020 7:30P to 10:00P Somerville Songwriter Sessions at the Armory Cafe 191 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA with Mara Levine & Janet Feld Sat. March 21 2020, 7:00P to 10:00P RISA Songwriter Showcase at Brooklyn Coffee & Tea House 209 Douglas Ave., Providence, RI with Kim Moberg, Crowe’s Pasture Thu. April 2, 2020 7:30P to 10:00P Main Streets Cafe 42 Main St., Concord, MA with special guest Rebecca Lynch It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Fri. April 3, 2020 7:00P to 10:00P Hopkinton Center for the Arts 98 Hayden Rowe St., Hopkinton, MA First Friday Open Mic featured artist Fri, May 29, 2020 8:00P to 11:00P Next Time We Meet CD Release Concert at The Square Root 2 Corinth Street, Roslindale, MA With special guests.

Business of Being an Artist PORTFOLIOS

By Suzanne Schultz, CEO Canvas Fine Arts The next time you are tempted to take out your phone and show your art to a gallerist, curator or potential collector, stop and take pause. It might feel good in the moment, but it is not the best way to present you or your art in the best light. Having a professional portfolio is the best way get attention with your art. What are the key elements in a professional portfolio? • Good quality photograph images of your work • A mission statement – what is your motivation, passion and individual style • A bio and CV – a list of credentials with dates around art – schooling, classes, workshops, exhibitions, art groups, residencies or teaching • Include any press or testimonials • Include clear contact info and social media tags (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) Your portfolio can be printed and carried in a folder or in a PDF format for easy emailing. If you cannot create it yourself, consider hiring someone so that it has a professional look. So, the next time you want to pull out that phone, think about sending that portfolio instead, you will ultimately find more success. Suzanne can be reached at suzanne@canvasfinearts.com

CFA Gallery 460 Harrision Avenue Suite 21C Boston MA 02118 canvasfinearts.com It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

ess’s March To-Do List Do Something Artful Today

Art Battle Boston Monday, March 2nd Doors at 7:00pm, Paint at 8:00pm Mighty Squirrel Brewery, 411 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, MA 02452 Watch the paint fly before your eyes and help vote to determine the winner as artists battle the clock and each other in 3 fast-paced rounds. All artwork will also be available for auction during the evening! If you’re interested in participating as one of the featured artists in Art Battle Boston shows -- you can apply online at artbattle.com/artists.Visit their website for more info about the show: https://artbattle.com/events/ab2052-boston-march-2-2020/ The Annex at Fountain Street Gallery Wednesday, March 4th through Sunday, March 29th Opening Reception Friday, March 6th from 6:00-8:00pm Fountain Street Gallery, 460C Harrison Avenue, Suite 2, Boston, MA 02118 In March, The Fountain Street Gallery in the SoWa Art + Design District of Boston will open their Annex exhibition series offering a unique view into the experience of the everyday. Through painting and printmaking, artists Amanda Hill, Shany Porras. and Anne Russell bring their distinct perspectives to the human experience by exploring our relationships to commonplace objects, forms, and music. Learn more on the Fountain Street Gallery’s website: https://www.fsfaboston.com/annex-march-2020 Do

Drinking and Drawing with Brain Arts Organization Wednesday, March 4th 5:30-8:30pm Zone 3 located at 267 Western Avenue, Boston, MA 02134

This is the last of Zone 3’s weekly Drinking and Drawing Wednesdays, and this one is hosted by Brain Arts Organization. Zone 3 is a Harvard-sparked initiative to further activate and energize Western Ave. with creative programs, events and retail. The hub of Zone 3 activity is currently at this location in Allston. Formerly a dry cleaning facility and an auto body garage, these buildings have recently been transformed through Harvard-led efforts. In December 2015, the front building reopened as a flexible space for hosting rotating programs and events. Experience this activated space over a drink and a doodle! This particular event is 21+ and FREE -- RSVP is required. Learn more and sign up to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/drinking-drawing-with-brain-arts-organization-tickets-77022537483 Read more about Zone 3, current pop-ups there, and Harvard’s work to activate this space on their website: http://www.zone3westernave.com/

ABOUT Tess McColgan

Tess McColgan has been working for Roslindale Village Main Street as their Program Manager since April 2018. In this role, she plans community events, uses marketing to promote local businesses, and supports the projects of volunteer-led committees. Coming from a large family full of artists & musicians, she’s always had an enthusiasm for local art, and in October 2018, Tess started as Glenn William’s co-host for the It’s All About Arts TV show until its final episode in June 2019. In her free time, she continues to seek out local art, learns new crafts, explores museums, practices yoga & gets out in nature as often as possible. Tess Photo: Bruce Spero Photography at brucespero.smugmug.com It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Tess’s March To-Do List (continued)

Do Something Artful Today

First 2020 Roslindale Porch Fest Meeting -Committee Seeks New Volunteers Tuesday, March 10th 6:00-7:30pm The Square Root, 2 Corinth Street, Roslindale, MA 02131 The Roslindale Arts Alliance is seeking new steering committee members and volunteers for Roslindale Porch Fest in 2020. After five successful annual events, they’re looking for interested and enthusiastic folks to work with them to bring new energy and ensure that this great community-wide event continues to bring Roslindale residents & businesses, performers, and audiences together to enjoy great music, comedy, poetry and whatever else they can add into the mix. In addition to looking for new committee members, they’re looking for people with experience in graphics and form design, app development, and community outreach. Join the Roslindale Porch Fest team at The Square Root on Tuesday, March 10th from 6:00-7:30pm for the first 2020 Roslindale Porch Fest Meeting to learn more about getting involved. Read more about Roslindale Porch Fest on the Roslindale Arts Alliance’s website: http://www.roslindalearts.org/porchfest/ Spring Paradise City Arts Festival Friday, March 20th through Sunday, March 22nd Royal Plaza Trade Center, 181 Royal Plaza Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752

175 curated exhibitors from across the country will gather at Paradise City’s Spring Arts Festival! Artists sell a range of items from home decor and art to sculptures, jewelry, and unique fine crafted gifts. The event space includes two cafe’s -- one of which hosts live music each day of the festival from 12:00-4:00pm. The weekend will also include a wood lathe and spindle turning demonstration from exhibitor Steven Wiseman. Don’t miss out on gathering with this art-centric community! Learn more, see event hours, and buy tickets ahead of time online: https://festivals.paradisecityarts.com/shows/marlborough-march-show

Spring Concert Music Series: Thread Ensemble Saturday, March 28th at 8:00pm Menino Arts Center (“the MAC”), 26 Central Avenue, Hyde Park, MA The Spring Concert Series is back at the Menino Arts Center! First up this year is the Thread Ensemble. A modern-classical convergence of three unique voices: Abigale Reisman and Rachel Panitch on violins, and Andria Nicodemou on vibraphone and percussion. They surprise and delight listeners by involving them directly in the creative process. Through its series of varied interactive events, Thread Ensemble adapts to each unique audience and environment with original music created in the moment, as well as prepared compositions. They have performed at Arnold Arboretum, Boston Children’s Museum, and the Outside the Box Festival. They also have been chosen to represent New England Conservatory’s Contemporary Improvisation Department in a number of settings including a storytelling residency at Bridge Boston Charter School. In 2019, the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation brought Thread’s production of “Win Win Situation” to the Faneromeni19 Festival in Nicosia, Cyprus. Thread Ensemble curates the connection between listeners’ lived experiences and improvised music. Enjoy their beautiful sound at this free concert and stay tuned for updates on more concerts as a part of this spring series. Read more about Thread Ensemble on their website: http://www.threadensemble.com/ www.roslindale.net

Roslindale Villlage Main Street was established in 1985 as one of the first urban Main Street Programs in the

nation, with the help of then City Councilor Thomas M. Menino and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Today, Roslindale Village is a thriving commercial hub, with free public wifi in Adams Park, and a fabulous Farmers Market. And, there are now 20 Main Street Districts in the City of Boston. We are proud to have been the first one! It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Sometimes pictures are worth way more than a thousand words…

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DIANE DODGE: “Are the Stars Out Tonight?”

Diane Dodge studied for years at The School Of Hard Knocks, mercifully receiving a PHD. She resides in a two hundred year old house in Weymouth and when not working as a prep cook, plants things, cranks out drawings, comic books, photography collage, original quilts, and fine hand embroidery for your enjoyment and edification. >> On Instagram @diane_dodge _______________________________________________________________________!

IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS Magazine

March 2020

Sometimes pictures are worth way more than a thousand words…

JOAN PROUDMAN:

! ! “Let’s Sail to Shambala” !

Joan Proudman is a photomontage artist and graphic designer living in rural Maine. A former dancer, her work recalls characters on stage. Recurring themes such as mystery and longing are woven into whimsical, metaphorical and even paradoxical narratives.

Proudman's work represents a hidden, inner world that infuses ordinary images and their relationships with symbolic meaning. >> Joan has been perfecting photo-editing and manipulation for twelve years and has exhibited in the the U.S. and abroad. Her work has been featured on book covers, CDs, manuals, magazines, and in online journals. Elegant posters, postcards, business cards and logos are also part of Joan's portfolio. Commissions and graphic design work is available upon request.

Please contact the artist at joanproudman@gmail.com for more information or visit her on Instagram and Facebook.

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IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS Magazine

March 2020

The Local Music Corner

by Perry Persoff

Well, what a largely pleasant February we had. It’s usually the worst weather month of the year in Boston. But that’s three consecutive mostly pleasant Februaries we’ve had. We’ll see if March is pleasant to us. March is the month of rebirth, new beginnings, and - at least for most of the world, it seems - the eventual return of warmth. We’re talking about the return of Spring! Even if March as the month of Spring is often symbolic at best here in New England, that does seem to help us psychologically to pull through the winter.

************ Musically, March is the next step of re-birth for Ward Hayden & The Outliers. The former Girls Guns & Glory released an EP under their new name in December of 2018, called Can’t Judge a Book. That title is made clever by the fact that five of the six songs are - you guessed it - covers. Their early February show at Atwood’s Tavern in Cambridge was also a CD release show for a double live album, called Live Bootleg Vol. 1. They are truly an excellent and rousingly fun band live, so they should release a live album. Maybe they will have one or more live documents when all is said and done. >> But in March, their re-birth as Ward Hayden & The Outliers continues, as they are slated to go into the studio to begin recording their first full length (studio) album under that name.

************ From out of the west comes this news. West of Boston that is, as in the Northampton region. It’s not just for their name that The Winterpills make me think

of Winter. Specifically, their song “Pretty Girls” just sounds like a crystalline, hauntingly beautiful wintry landscape. Who knows if the songwriter and band members had that in mind. But it has that effect on me. All this to say that Winterpills frontman and chief songwriter Phillip B. Price has released his second solo album since 2004, Bone Almanac. He first went into the studio to record this in 2018. Phillip plays all the instruments on the album. Congratulations and best of luck to him also on the birth of his son…which may have been part of the muse for this project. ************ Mark Erelli’s new album Blindsided is due out on March 27th. You can already get the title track as a single from his website, MarkErelli.com (the video for the song is also available now). If you want to contribute to his album release campaign, he has numerous limited edition packages as well as a special pre-tour album release concert on March 4th. Again, you can find them and more information at Mark’s website. >> Mark is also promising his biggest tour ever. Comprised of headlining shows with full band, plus opening slots for Marc Cohn, Della Mae, and Lori McKenna, Mark will spend most of the Spring on the road. The tour will begin March 20th in Michigan. That will be a Marc Cohn show. The first Erelli headline show will be in Nashville April 16th (come on Nashville promotion big wigs, pick Mark Erelli up). Then its off to Northern Europe with Della Mae before returning to the States for some headlining shows, including The Parlor Room in Northampton and Club Passim in early May. If you miss those, he’ll hit the Cotuit Center for the Arts later that month. The tour will end in late

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It’s All About Arts Magazine

March 2020

May with a couple of Lori McKenna shows in Texas.

************ Veteran New England singer/songwriter Terry Kitchen’s recent album Next Time We Meet walks the line from the personal to the universal. The album cover shows Terry standing with his friend and bandmate Bill Kuhlman when they were teenagers. Bill passed away from cancer in 2018. Celebrating and reflecting on that friendship was an inspiration for the album. Terry will be playing live all over the region in some of March, April, May, June, and July. March dates include March 7th at Somerville’s Arts at the Armory and March 21st at the Brooklyn Coffee & Tea House in Providence, Rhode Island.

and style than that of Mile Twelve. Nothing wrong with being versatile…just be authentic.

************ Let’s hope it’s an early Spring this year. But if it’s not, getting out to see some live local music is a great way to stay active and warm. See you out at the clubs!

************ Apologies for having had a brain cramp for last month’s article on an important matter. Somehow I had forgotten to mention the 35th annual Joe Val Bluegrass Festival at the Sheraton Framingham over Valentine’s Day weekend, Feb 14-16. As usual, there were workshops and performances. And as usual, the performers ranged from bright local talent to big name headliners (Dan Tyminski). Among the bright local lights were The Tinder Sweethearts, who made an appearance on Jon Gersh’s Dixie Bee Line show on WUMB the Saturday night before Joe Val weekend; Pretty Saro, who recently released their debut full length album Racing Back To You (working with Sam Margolis of the band Comanchero). And Mile Twelve, who continue touring together even as their own Evan Murphy released a solo EP last December. These are all hot young bluegrass bands of eye rolling talent at a young age. One note about Mile Twelve’s Evan Murphy: that new solo EP of his has a totally different sound

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It’s All About Arts Magazine

March 2020

Winifred Breines

Winifred Breines’ watercolor paintings are delicious renderings of what I call “Farmers Market” delights. Tomatoes, apples, oranges, pumpkins and pears gracefully interact with pottery and various containers. Fruits and vegetables come alive, dripping with visual sweetness. Breines says, “There is something about round fruits in light, especially vibrant colors such as orange and red—combined with blues, usually found in ceramics and backgrounds—that represent a promise: of the pleasures of food, kitchens, meals, community and peacefulness. Watercolors are part of that promise. I paint using a transparent palette and technique”.

For over twenty-five years, Breines, a native of Long Island, NY was a Professor

of Sociology and Women’s Studies at Northeastern University in Boston. Since her retirement she has been painting and honing her amazing talent. Breines recently had a solo show at Canvas Fine Arts Gallery in SoWa and was part of an exhibit at Guild of Boston Artists, Newbury Street. More at: www.winfredbreines.com w.breines@northeastern.edu

It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

DOMENIC ESPOSITO Unconditional Material: Acrylic on canvas and Bronze Size: 86 x 48 x 12 inches

“It is often easier to believe in what we want than to question and accept the truth. We have an unconditional, nearsighted, and unbalanced love for family and friends. I learned for myself how proximity to a troubling situation, like a family member suffering from substance abuse, can shield the truth. I only saw the perfect painting in the frame of our family, before needing to confront the life size, heavy bronze presence of the person I love. Addiction is a disease that affects the family. It is a disease that always leaves families questioning if they are going the right thing. One has to step back to gain a clearer picture of the facts to help those we love”. More at: domenicesposito.com

Photo by John Hurley

It’s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

WOMEN ARTISTS’ WORK

Art Exhibit at BNN Neighborhood Art Gallery March/April 2020 BNN Media Center 3025 Washington Street Egleston Square, Boston, MA 02119 Reception with artists Thursday March 5 from 6-7:30pm. Open to the public. Please join us!

bnnmedia.org 617-708-3200

Participating Artists: • Gail Bos • Gloria Carrigg • Janet Cormier • Deta Galloway • Mary Harvey During the month of March, we give a little extra attention to all of the amazing accomplishments of strong, determined women. Since 1987, the United States has formally recognized March as National Women’s History Month. Every woman has a story to tell and gifts to share with the world. My Grandmother Sadie - Mixed Media by Janet Cormier Curated by It’s All About Arts - itsallaboutarts.com

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All About Arts Magazine March 2020

Jane Austen Afternoon Tea

03.07.20

Celebrate your favorite author for a delightful afternoon tea at our lovely turn-of-the-century estate. Invite all your friends for a wonderful day, as "one cannot have too large a party."

Craft Brew Festival

04.26.20

The day will include beer tastings from local breweries, culinary offerings, corn hole challenge and live music on our expansive 25 acre estate.

Celebrate Mom Garden Lunch

05.09.20 Enjoy a wonderful day of celebrating mom at our gorgeous mansion estate. Garden & greenhouse tours of our Frederick Law Olmsted-designed grounds, followed by a delightful luncheon served on the terrace!

Garden Tour Luncheon 06.16.20 Come experience the beauty of 25 acres of Frederick Law Olmsted-designed gardens, on our historic estate. Come for a tour and a wonderful garden luncheon. Sure to be a delightful day!

Advance Registration Required - mitendicotthouse.org/themed-events