StyleCarrot

ARTmonday: Give and Take at Cambridge Art Association

Boston area artists Kathryn Geismar and Alexandra Sheldon delve into curating with a show called Give and Take, up now at the Cambridge Art Association and online. The exhibit features artwork by Geismar and Sheldon, as well as local artists Deborah Baskin, Margaret Scoppa, and Kim Triedman.

Here is an excerpt from Geismar’s thoughts behind the exhibition:

Collage is about sticking things together. It is also about taking things apart. Paint over, tear off, nail on: this is the give and the take.

We are five artists who find a fascination in the poetic energy of things: Colors, old surfaces, blocks of wood, expired books, rusty objects, painted newsprint, discarded ephemera. Stories are suggested and found in the meeting place where objects come together and find a new community and identity. There is a huge respect for the serendipitous and the synergy of meeting the materials in the middle.

Artists are often scavengers but collage artists are even more so. Old newspapers and packaging, tossed out window frames and disparate planks of wood on a curb become our treasures. They speak to us and invite us to collaborate. What is discarded and the overlooked by many is more than a fascination; for us it is rich and evocative source material.

Give And Take At Cambridge Art Association Abstract Artists Boston

Kathryn Geismar, A Delicate Balance

Give And Take At Cambridge Art Association Abstract Artists Boston

Deborah Baskin, You and Me

Give And Take At Cambridge Art Association Abstract Artists Boston

Alexandra Sheldon, Happy Accident 5

Give And Take At Cambridge Art Association Abstract Artists Boston

Kim Triedman, You Show Me Yours

Give And Take At Cambridge Art Association Abstract Artists Boston

Kathryn Geismar, Night Forest

Give And Take At Cambridge Art Association Abstract Artists Boston

Alexandra Sheldon, Happy Accident 7

Give And Take At Cambridge Art Association Abstract Artists Boston

Margaret Choppa, Chock a Block

Give And Take At Cambridge Art Association Abstract Artists Boston

Deborah Baskin, An Evening Chat

Like all shows of the Covid era, there will be virtual opening reception on ZOOM; this Friday, April 9, 6:30-7:30 pm. Register here.

There’s also a fun interactive ZOOM workshop, Give and Take In Action: Making Collages from Scratch; this Saturday, April 10, 10-11am. Register here.

Give and Take
April 1 – 30, 2021
Kathryn Schultz Gallery, Cambridge Art Association
25 Lowell Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Also, online.

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Frame photography, drawings, and paintings at Framebridge >
a StyleCarrot partner

Framebridge Offers Affordable Art Framing

Scheming: Canopy Bedroom Makeover by Jenn O’Brien

I wrote about this bedroom in Boxford, Massachusetts designed by Jenn O’Brien of Jenn O’Brien Interiors for Boston Globe Magazine at the end of last summer. It’s a great example of clean, transitional bedroom design that incorporates a canopy bed.

O’Brien used the Driftwood canopy bed from StyleCarrot partner Crate & Barrel which gives the room a stately feel thanks to its architectural lines. She also used it to create symmetry in the room by centering it on the window.

Since the clients wanted the bedroom to feel soothing, O’Brien employed a subdued palette, but punched it up with hits of black and sumptuous pattern underfoot. She actually painted the abstract artwork herself; I think it really makes the room!

Wood Canopy Bed Transitional Bedroom By Designer Jenn O'Brien In Massachusetts Photo by Jared Kuzia

You can pull together a similar look for a transitional bedroom with exact and similar matches to the ones used by the designer. I perused StyleCarrot partner sites to find them for you.

Transitional Bedroom Furniture Modern Canopy Bed

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12

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Shop Serena & Lily for wallpaper, lighting, bedding & more >

ARTmonday: 20 Works from the MassArt Silent Auction 2021

And again, another online only auction. I’m feeling confident that we will all fundraise for the students at Massachusetts College of Art and Design IRL next year. But in the meantime, consider participating in the MassArt Auction 2021 online at BidSquare.com from March 27 through noon, April 11. The live auction is also online at t BidSquare.com on April 10 at 8 pm.

The silent auction includes 291 pieces from alumni, students, and friends of the MassArt community. There is painting, photography, mixed media, drawings, glass, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, installations, and even the opportunity for commissions. I’ll try to do another post that concentrates on the live auction, just in case you have a big art budget this year.

There are also virtual events surrounding the auction, including “Why Art Matters in Interior Design” on April 1 at noon with the always wonderful Elizabeth Lowrey of Elkus Manfredi, who is also an auction co-chair, and Emily Santangelo of Emily Fine Art. See you there? Be sure to register.

And even if you don’t want to buy, register (it’s free) for the MassArt Silent Auction so you can see more than these 20 artworks.