Do I even have to remind you?

Of course you know that Art Walk is this weekend. And you also know that SoWa Sundays kicks off with a special 2 day event Saturday and Sunday!

Everything you need to know is right here:

SoWa Sundays info
SoWa Art Walk info
SoWa Open Market info
SoWa Antiques Market info
SoWa Produce Market info
Free Parking Map
Neighborhood Map

and here’s a pretty picture…

check back for updates each Sunday :)

May First Friday (bring your umbrella)

Here’s what’s new on Thayer Street for the shows opening Friday, May 1st.

I’m a big fan of the pieces at Walker Contemporary- they’re almost optical illusions and it took me a minute to figure out exactly what I was looking at. The show at the Boston Sculptors Gallery is great! I love Beth Galston’s jellyfish-like installation and Lorey Bonante’s bow-tie sculptures, which look more like pterodactyls than clothing. Very anthropomorphic!

More on Megachurches…

Joe Johnson’s show, Mega Churches, (over at Gallery Kayafas on Thayer Street) is getting some attention. Here’s The stark beauty of empty megachurches; an article by Michael Paulson who writes Articles of Faith over at boston.com. And here’s the e-version of the print article from the Boston Globe; A Vegas-style staging of the scripture by Cate McQuaid to which Michael Paulson was responding. An edit at the bottom of Paulson’s article includes a response from Arlette Kayafas and an excerpt from Joe Johnson’s artist statement.

Here’s one of my favorite Joe Johnson- Mega Churches pieces:

Unfortunately, the above image doesn’t even begin to do this photograph justice.

Arlette Kayafas of Gallery Kayafas explains that this is a shot of the carpeting in a megachurch which was converted from a hotel. Which brings me to the real issue here: Why do hotels always pick out the most hideous carpeting and wallpaper?

If you’re in Boston, get over to Gallery Kayafas to check out the show (these are really large photos- better in person), otherwise check out the Gallery Kayafas website to see more of Joe Johnson’s work. I encourage you all to contribute your thoughts to the comments section after Michael Paulson article- that’s what the internet is for!

Michael Costello is EVERYWHERE.

So, last week I went to visit Michael Costello in his studio at 35 Wareham Street (in the South End). He told me to come by at noon because he had a model. Someone very familiar looking held the door for me on my way in and I thought to myself, “I don’t know you, you don’t know me, but I’ve definitely seen you naked…” Little known fact about those of us who went to art school: We are CONSTANTLY seeing people on the street whose private parts we have stared at for hours and either drawn, painted or sculpted. Or all three.

Like when I ran into a particularly chatty model on the commuter rail one time at the beginning of my hour and a half ride home, and of course he recognized me.

Back on subject- Here are some New and Awesome oil paintings (*and one work in progress, top left) from Michael Costello:

**Please note that Michael Costello did NOT oil paint a black box and the word “censor” with 3 exclamation points on the painting in the top right. That was me. Using the Photoshop. The actual painting depicts a man’s private area, and at least for now, this blog wants to maintain its PG rating.

I freaking love that piece on the bottom. So good.

So, I left Michael’s studio and went back to work and a little while later I went to Fast Frame on East Berkeley to talk to the manager. When I walked in there was a couple picking up a framed piece, and the man was really excited telling the manager that they bought the piece from Gallery XIV (used to be on Thayer Street) and they can’t wait to get it home, yada yada. Then he says “You gotta check out this guy’s website! Go to google, yep… now type in Michael Costello…”

WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME MICHAEL COSTELLO?!