Channeling the Arts
Fort Point Channel, the vibrant neighborhood southeast of downtown Boston, boasts one of New England’s oldest and largest artist communities. Once an important waterfront industrial area, its historic warehouses now house more than 300 artists, galleries and art-related businesses, as well as New England’s first live work artist co-op. Meet three of the area’s most talented visionaries.
Ian Kennelly
Ian Kennelly
How much attention would you give to a paper cup tossed aside on a city sidewalk? Not much — unless you’re Ian Kennelly. The prosaic and often grimy ele ments of urban life — a construction site, a discarded paper cup, a building in disre pair — inspire Kennelly to create his large, lush oil paintings. “I approach subjects that are typically ignored and seldom seen as beautiful,” he says. “I am finding and expos ing the grace in the brute.”
Kennelly also uses LEGO pieces to create sculptures and wearable art, and he’s considered one of the premier artists portraying Fenway Park and the Red Sox. His "Home Opener" collection of paintings and drawings, including Baseball Diamond, a close-up, black-and-white drawing of base balls placed in a diamond shape, is inspired by his love of the game. “I try to capture the fan’s perspective,” he says. One look at this collection and we can almost hear the ball hitting the Green Monster. iankennelly.com
Jacob Higginbottom
As a watercolorist and practicing architect, Higginbottom is drawn to rich colors in nature and the interplay of artificial and natural materials. “I’m inter ested in exploring the fine and shifting boundary that separates art and science,” he says.
His deeply saturated paintings, which have been exhibited throughout New England for more than a decade, have been compared to the great John Singer Sargent’s watercolor paintings. Higginbot tom’s "Earth" series showcases his fluid use of color; the works not only capture specific landscapes — such as a copse of trees under a gold-lit sky — but evoke a strong sense of place. He credits early family trips to national parks and a year of touring cities in France for his inspiration. “Visiting these natural wonders opened my eyes to rich earth colors, shapes, natural forces and patterns,” he says. jacobhigginbottom.com
Elisa Hamilton
Hamilton’s "Homes capes" collection depicts everyday objects — a kitchen table, a pair of chairs or a counter lined with jars. The mixed media artist uses brushes, crayons and pens to create colorful images on canvas or paper that have an innate vitality. “Layer ing many different media within a single piece of art allows for a spontaneity that delights me,” says Hamilton.
Hamilton hopes her art will encourage viewers to approach their familiar places with renewed awareness. “I’m inspired by our ordinary moments — eating breakfast, making the bed, putting away the dishes — and hope to capture that wonderful ordinariness.” elisahhamilton.com
Art Walk This Way
Visitors get the chance to meet Fort Point artists during the twice a-year Open Studios, when more than 70 artists — from painters and photographers to jewelers, ceramicists and textile artists — welcome the public into their studios and gallery spaces. The next one takes place Oct. 14-16. fortpointarts.org
For Sale By Artist
The Fort Point Artists Community store features the work of more than 50 area artists (including those above). Opening receptions are held the second Thursday of each month from 5 to 7pm. 12 Farnsworth St; 617-423-1100; fortpointarts.org
Reader Comments
- Thanks for the wonderful article on Fort Point artists! Just for the record, our October 14-16 Open Studios features more than 150 studios open.
(Posted on 11 Sep 2011)
