Lately, I have been following a very artistic art consultant on twitter called Liz Devlin.
Here is what her website says about her: “Since launching FLUX. in 2008, I have provided an online resource for local artists and Arts enthusiasts in the Boston area, and beyond. Through weekly event coverage, artist interviews, Open Studios recaps, and educational posts, the site enables readers to feel informed, engaged in, and connected to the pulse of Boston Arts.”
Here’s the part that floors me: “My 9-5 is in the corporate world as a Financial Analyst.” Gosh, how can she possibly have time for it all?
She continues, “My downtime, in-between times and restless nights are spent actively pursuing and supporting creative endeavors.”
A reason to follow her on twitter is that she keeps up on everything in the Boston arts scene for you. You can also check out weekly lists of events — with commentary — at her website. For example, here.
I especially like the nostalgic, off-kilter look of this piece in the current Montserrat exhibit.
Art: Andrew Houle’s “Leaving East Gloucester.”
Montserrat College of Art Galleries, 23 Essex St., Beverly, Mass., through February 14
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
I’m an artist as well. This painting is incredible. I feel like I’m right there.
It has an emotional aspect to it. It makes me think of a Charles Burchfield, not because of the way it looks so much but because of the choice of scene and the feelings that emerge. I’m not an artist, but I’m fascinated by the contrast of sharp lines and vagueness and the effect that has.
You can tell that the image has so much more going on behind the scenes. I have a painting that I created several years ago of a dilapidated house with a couch outside up against the front of it. People look at it and say why is there a couch out in front of it? Then I would reply, The person who lived in the house suffered with terrible emotional issues. He lived alone in that ramshackle house where he placed plaster casts of religious figures in all of the upstairs windows. He was later removed from the house. And believe it or not that house still stands exactly the way he had left it. However, the couch is gone, which now gives my painting a whole new significance because I had only painted a small portion of the house with the couch and that was it. It kind of blows me away now.
Lovely. I agree that a lot is going on behind the Houle painting. The strong light on the tops of a few buildings and the deep shadows elsewhere are saying something.