In my recent past I was president of the arts non profit, Arts Wayland for 5 years and helped start the W Gallery in Wayland, Mass. In those 5 wonderful years I met many of artists and my life was greatly enriched for it. Those friends are the Gold of friends in the sing song "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold."
I now have new 'silver' friends. In fact, one is named Angelo Silver and has a sprightly imagination that makes every visit to the studio a new adventure. He is reinventing the lights. Sometimes I have to ask for the old boring lights to be put back on but his experiments have brought joy and surprise to the old Burberry store.
There is 'Impeccable Scoop', or Alex Borgella. I have to stop myself sometimes as I start typing 'impossible', which he is not. Perhaps because 'impeccable' is a new standard that I need to get used to. Alex's work is a challenge and a delight for me - politics, social justice, religious commentary run through with a wild abandon. I daydream about tagging things now. How would my take on graffiti look? His freedom in creating has been a real inspiration.
Another silvery sprite of a friend is Amy Steinmetz and her husband Howie. They were the among the first people I met when I came in to look at the space for a studio. Her color collages were stunning to me. Full of joy. I watch her work steadily and constantly when she can. Like the other studio artists who have full time jobs, time in the studio is very special.
Tall, lanky, and often barefoot, San Francisco émigré, Kevin Baldwin brings an intellectual component to our group. His drawings are inspired by his music, and are full of exacting, beautiful detail.
And finally, for now, is Miguel Calderon, whose work is mysterious and engaging, And, whose neighboring studio to mine gives me a view of his deep friendships with people who nurture his art making. Visitors from the mall stop at his studio and really look - especially at the large painting of a chimp. One visitor called it "Monkey Don" as it has a confident but somewhat sinister appearance.
Art creates alchemy as I find these silver acquaintances taking on a golden glow.
Image credit: Mona Lisa by Impeccable Scoop
PS We call ourselves Artists Natick Mall and created a website to communicate.
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