Category design
Art and Science Enlighten Us in a Not-quite Total Eclipse
Without the dramatic light changes of a total eclipse, this party in Kingsley Park offered creative ways to engage with and understand the significant event above us. I was impressed with the availability of learning resources and supportive volunteers. Here are a few photos of what I glimpsed when I wasn’t peering through eclipse glasses or other devices.
The Beauty of Utility Boxes as Public Art: Samples and Plans
I have long planned and should soon include an ART OUTDOORS page for Utility Boxes as Public Art with resources about this special art form. The current post is a first step in committing to the plan.
Why are Utility Boxes Great Sites for Public Art? Six answers and several examples follow.
Art by Christos Hamawi ( Boston), Pom Poison ( Somerville, Laurie Bogdan, Karen McCarthy (Arlington), Molly Scannell ( Arlington)
WINTERACTIVE, Boston 2024: “Echoes” and “Guitar Slide,”Two Samples from Sixteen Artworks
WINTERACTIVE: A Canadian Art Experience in Downtown Boston January 17–April 14, 2024 With barely one month left for this innovative temporary display of sixteen outdoor artworks in Boston, here is my overdue post, with focus on a grand-scale whale and a giant guitar.
Remember to Look Up at Memorial Hall, Harvard University
Many concerts and other memorable events have marked my good luck of living a few blocks from Memorial Hall* for more than five decades. But this winter was the first time I walked around the whole building looking up and taking photos in wonder at the multitude of marvels. My mission had been to focus on the handsome brick designs, yet metal, stone, tile and glass all called for admiration.
*“Memorial Hall, immediately north of Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a large High Victorian Gothic building honoring Harvard men’s sacrifices in defense of the Union during the American Civil War—”a symbol of Boston’s commitment to the Unionist cause and the abolitionist movement in America.””
Double Delight and Much More in Mural Art by Jessie and Katey at Kendall Center, Cambridge
Silly to keep waiting for all construction in Kendall Plaza to stop obstructing parts of Jessie and Katey’s brilliant designs on two main entries there. September 2021 was the celebration of completion; but after four visits since then, I am deeply impressed with the vitality they add to often disrupted surroundings.
Amal, Twelve Feet Tall, Set Out from Massachusetts in September on a Two-Month Walk West across the Country
Here are moments from the one event I experienced. It forcefully conveyed the effort and impact of Amal’s many visits throughout that first day. Greg Cook’s Wonderland post is a wonderful visual document of those starting events in Boston and Cambridge. The title is Little Amal, Giant Puppet Depicting Refugee Girl, Begins Journey Across U.S. Be sure to link to that! Then for a full overview with important details, past, present, and future of Amal’s walks since 2021, delve into Walk with Amal! (maintained by The Walk Productions and Handspring Puppet Company)
Explore All Sides of Xinan Ran’s Collaborative Textile Sculptures Outside Harvard Museums of Science and Culture
Lucky to live near these three colorful sculptures swaying beneath their trees, I hope to revisit many times and stand inside for their stunning views. Now that I’ve sensed their sustaining presence, I want to quickly spread the word to anyone who has the chance to visit or connect somehow. The quotes and links here should explain enough to draw you in.
Enjoy Additions to Art Scrim* by Muideen Ogunmola and Stephanie Vecellio on Acadamy Way, Zone 3
In August, I learned of two new displays of art on fabric along fences near the intersection of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue in Allston. The series by both artists extended my own awareness of how the semi-transparent quality of scrim textile can work with the metal fence patterns as well as the natural and constructed landscape. Until I revisit and learn more, here are my recent photos and quotes from informative links.
*”ART SCRIM is a temporary outdoor gallery program that highlights local artists by turning construction fencing around Barry’s Corner into a platform for sharing art. “
Tent by Liz Shepherd and Suzanne Moseley is an Impressive, Inspiring Work of Art
As artists in residence 2023 at Mass Audubon’s Magazine Beach Nature Center in Cambridge, Liz Shepherd and Suszanne Moseley created a unique, multipurpose tent, rich in images of local plants and animals. Their focus through the traditional photographic process called cyanotype ( or blueprinting) reveals an amazing array of hues from deep blue to bright white. Explore all four sides for fascinating features of nearby nature. Discover even more when you enter and experience how sunlight shines through various fabrics. And be sure to look up and appreciate what wings can do!
Many Painters Added to Murals for Summer Solstice Celebration 2023, Harvard Museums of Science and Culture
Among the many engaging activities for all ages at the Harvard Museums’ Summer Solstice Festival 2023 was one that invited everyone to add brilliant colors to murals designed for the occasion by artist Howie Green. My arrival and photo-taking began after the artwork had already developed through several hours of turn-taking by attentive participants with brushes and chosen paint colors.
Here are a few photos that should convey the way children and adults focused on their additions to the artwork. Several people are wearing flower crowns created in another inviting activity in the spirit of the solstice on that evening of perfect weather for the occasion.
Art Outdoors 