bostonzest

Category: Arts

  • 2017 Concerts in the Courtyard at the Boston Public Library

    Once again the Boston Public Library comes through with free entertainment for those of us who take advantage of the endless ways this Boston resource serves the public. The Concerts in the Courtyard series for 2017 begins today and will continue through August 30th.

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    Here's what the folks at the BPL have told us about this season:

    "The Courtyard of the Central Library in Copley Square, one of Boston's most beautiful spaces, is filled with music during free, one-hour concerts throughout the summer.  

    Can't sneak away from the office for our noon performances? We will be streaming the Friday concerts live on our Facebook page."

    Concerts are held on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and on Fridays at 12:30 p.m. All the concerts are free.

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    June schedule:

    Area 9 Quartet, Friday, June 2, 12:30 p.m. Area 9 Quartet is a Boston-based ensemble dedicated to exploring the rich, diverse, and ever-growing chamber music repertoire for saxophone.

    Marco Mares, Wednesday, June 7, 6 p.m. Marco Mares is a singer-songwriter from Mexico City who showcased his fresh and honest pop sound in his debut album Para Ella (2014). Marco’s interactive performances highlight fun, funky pop mixed with romantic Spanish lyrics.

    Boston Philharmonic, Friday, June 9, 12:30 p.m. Join members of the Boston Philharmonic as they perform chamber and quartet music, taking their passion out of the concert hall to the public as part of their education and community outreach program, Crescendo!

    Francesca Crowley, Wednesday, June 14, 6 p.m. Francesca’s influences include songwriters such as Stevie Nicks, Norah Jones, and Joni Mitchell, and she strives to create new and different music inspired by her life.

    Project STEP, Friday, June 16, 12:30 p.m. Project STEP (String Training and Education Program) recognizes that certain racial and ethnic minorities are vastly underrepresented in classical music. Their mission is to address this imbalance by identifying musically talented children from underrepresented Boston and surrounding communities and providing them with comprehensive music and string instrument instruction.

    Maro Maro, Wednesday, June 21, 6 p.m. Maro Maro is a singer-songwriter, pianist, and guitarist from Lisbon, Portugal.

    Francisco Roldán, Friday, June 23, 12:30 p.m. Colombian-born guitarist Francisco Roldán plays solo and chamber music nationally and internationally. Roldán presents a concert of lyrical, rhythmic, and sensual music by Central and South American composers on the classical guitar.

    Aliya Cycon Project, Wednesday, June 28, 6 p.m. Aliya Cycon Project (ACP) blends Aliya Cycon’s soulful compositions with characteristics of traditional Arabic music to create an unforgettable East-meets-West experience.

    Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO) Intensive Community Program (ICP), Friday, June 30, 12:30 p.m. The Intensive Community Program is a rigorous instrument training program that brings quality classical music instruction to underrepresented communities.

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    July and August schedule:

    • Brandon Diaz, Wednesday, July 5, 6 p.m. 
    • NorthStar Duo, Friday, July 7, 12:30 p.m.
    • Samuel Batista, Wednesday, July 12, 6 p.m. 
    • Amaryllis Chamber Ensemble, Friday, July 14, 12:30 p.m.
    • Niu Raza, Wednesday, July 19, 6 p.m.
    • Joel LaRue Smith, Friday, July 21, 12:30 p.m.
    • BEARD, Wednesday, July 26, 6 p.m. 
    • Properly Unprepared, Friday, July 28, 12:30 p.m.
    • Harshitha Krishnan, Wednesday, August 2, 6 p.m.
    • Kenn Morr Band, Friday, August 4, 12:30 p.m.
    • Sleeping Lion, Wednesday, August 9, 6 p.m.
    • Boston Philharmonic, Friday, August 11, 12:30 p.m.
    • Venezuelan Project, Wednesday, August 16, 6 p.m. 
    • Night Tree, Friday, August 18, 12:30 p.m.
    • Abby Carey, Wednesday, August 23, 6 p.m.
    • Boston Lyric Opera, Friday, August 25, 12:30 p.m.
    • Amber Olivia Kiner, Wednesday, August 30, 6 p.m.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2008-2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Penelope Jencks Sculpture in Boston and Provincetown

    We have recently returned from a trip to Provincetown where I realized that my morning walks in both that town, at the tip of Cape Cod, and Boston pass by a sculpture by Penelope Jencks.

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    In Ptown, I pass Dune Woman relaxing on the front lawn of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM.)

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    In Boston it's her bronze & granite sculpture of Samuel Eliot Morison that attracts my camera (especially in the fall) as I walk the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. 

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    If you like one piece by a certain artist, do some research and see what else they've done and where it's located. You might find that you can fit a visit with another piece of their art into an upcoming summer trip.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Keep Watch on Our Public Art – John Glover Sword Repair – BostonZest
    Getting Us Outside: Another Way Dogs Are Good for Us

  • Penelope Jencks Sculpture in Boston and Provincetown

    We have recently returned from a trip to Provincetown where I realized that my morning walks in both that town, at the tip of Cape Cod, and Boston pass by a sculpture by Penelope Jencks.

    IMG_2852

    In Ptown, I pass Dune Woman relaxing on the front lawn of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM.)

    IMG_2855

    In Boston it's her bronze & granite sculpture of Samuel Eliot Morison that attracts my camera (especially in the fall) as I walk the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. 

    6a00e54fc42bb88834019b00dd6d17970c-800wi6a00e54fc42bb888340154370f93a1970c-800wi6a00e54fc42bb888340154370f92ef970c-800wi

    If you like one piece by a certain artist, do some research and see what else they've done and where it's located. You might find that you can fit a visit with another piece of their art into an upcoming summer trip.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Keep Watch on Our Public Art – John Glover Sword Repair – BostonZest
    Getting Us Outside: Another Way Dogs Are Good for Us

  • Where Would You Find These Neatly Folded Hands?

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    Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston.

    Here are some hints:

    • The hands are on a statue of a woman that was created by a woman.
    • The statue is of a Quaker and was created by a Quaker.
    • It is located next to a famous building. 
    • It was installed in 1959.

    Ready? Click through for the answer.

    (more…)

  • Where Would You Find These Neatly Folded Hands?

    CHE_0289 copy

    Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston.

    Here are some hints:

    • The hands are on a statue of a woman that was created by a woman.
    • The statue is of a Quaker and was created by a Quaker.
    • It is located next to a famous building. 
    • It was installed in 1959.

    Ready? Click through for the answer.

    (more…)

  • Keep Watch on Our Public Art – John Glover Sword Repair

    Last week Penny noticed John Glover's sword moving in the wind. 

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    Using a camera to take a closer look, we could see that the sword was slipping from its hilt. We sent the photo to the person at the Friends of the Public Garden who could check it and arrange a repair if needed. (Here is the contact page.)

    Of course, this contact only works for the three parks where the sculpture is in the care of this organization. For artwork in other parts of the city, you should report your concerns to Boston 311.

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    Thanks to the many people who have donated to the Henry Lee Conservation Fund through the Friends. The public art on the Boston Common, Boston Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall have a very dedicated Collections Manager in Sara Hutt. 

    She had the conservators from Daedalus, Inc. out working on a repair quickly. Here they were assessing the damage, photographing it, and checking in with other members of the team to decide how to approach the restoration.

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    And, here is the restored sword in its proper position.

    Related Post:

    Celebrate Patriot John Glover on His Birthday

     

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Who Are the Men Depicted in These Profiles on Boston's Statue of Alexander Hamilton? – BostonZest
    Boston Common Off-Leash Area on the Move! – BostonZest
    A Weekend for Reflection – BostonZest

  • Keep Watch on Our Public Art – John Glover Sword Repair

    Last week Penny noticed John Glover's sword moving in the wind. 

    IMG_2388.CR2

    Using a camera to take a closer look, we could see that the sword was slipping from its hilt. We sent the photo to the person at the Friends of the Public Garden who could check it and arrange a repair if needed. (Here is the contact page.)

    Of course, this contact only works for the three parks where the sculpture is in the care of this organization. For artwork in other parts of the city, you should report your concerns to Boston 311.

    IMG_2409.CR2

    Thanks to the many people who have donated to the Henry Lee Conservation Fund through the Friends. The public art on the Boston Common, Boston Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall have a very dedicated Collections Manager in Sara Hutt. 

    She had the conservators from Daedalus, Inc. out working on a repair quickly. Here they were assessing the damage, photographing it, and checking in with other members of the team to decide how to approach the restoration.

    IMG_2414.CR2

    And, here is the restored sword in its proper position.

    Related Post:

    Celebrate Patriot John Glover on His Birthday

     

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Who Are the Men Depicted in These Profiles on Boston's Statue of Alexander Hamilton? – BostonZest
    Boston Common Off-Leash Area on the Move! – BostonZest
    A Weekend for Reflection – BostonZest

  • Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey at the MFA!

    Our Monday Post, "No Way for Ducklings" reminded us to tell you about the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) current exhibition "Make Way for Ducklings The Art of Robert McCloskey."

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    The MFA says:

    "With art from Make Way for Ducklings at its center, the retrospective presents more than 50 works, including studies for other books written and illustrated by McCloskey: Lentil (1940), Homer Price (1943) and Centerburg Tales (1951), which recall his youth in rural Ohio, and popular Maine tales including Blueberries for Sal (1948) and Time of Wonder (1957). Works are drawn primarily from the rich, but rarely exhibited holdings of the May Massee Collection at Emporia State University in Kansas.

    "An exhibition highlight is the miniature bronze model for Nancy Schön’s Make Way for Ducklings sculpture, commissioned for the Boston Public Garden in 1985. As well as celebrating McCloskey’s achievements as author-illustrator, the retrospective also includes a selection of his independent work connecting him to prominent American painters such as Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper."

    Sounds like a good reason for a visit to the MFA!

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey at the MFA!

    Our Monday Post, "No Way for Ducklings" reminded us to tell you about the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) current exhibition "Make Way for Ducklings The Art of Robert McCloskey."

    Screen Shot 2017-03-06 at Monday, March 6, 20178.41.58 AM

    The MFA says:

    "With art from Make Way for Ducklings at its center, the retrospective presents more than 50 works, including studies for other books written and illustrated by McCloskey: Lentil (1940), Homer Price (1943) and Centerburg Tales (1951), which recall his youth in rural Ohio, and popular Maine tales including Blueberries for Sal (1948) and Time of Wonder (1957). Works are drawn primarily from the rich, but rarely exhibited holdings of the May Massee Collection at Emporia State University in Kansas.

    "An exhibition highlight is the miniature bronze model for Nancy Schön’s Make Way for Ducklings sculpture, commissioned for the Boston Public Garden in 1985. As well as celebrating McCloskey’s achievements as author-illustrator, the retrospective also includes a selection of his independent work connecting him to prominent American painters such as Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper."

    Sounds like a good reason for a visit to the MFA!

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Who Are the Men Depicted in These Profiles on Boston’s Statue of Alexander Hamilton?

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    You may have walked by the statue of Alexander Hamilton on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall dozens of times. Did you ever wonder who the three men are in the bas-relief profile on the base? 

    According to the Smithsonian Museum's database of outdoor sculpture, they are (from right to left) George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.

    Here are a few tidbits you may not know about this statue of Alexander Hamilton.

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    • This sculpture has been located between Arlington and Berkeley Streets on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall since 1865. 
    • It's one of the few surviving works by Dr. William Rimmer, whose father claimed to be Louis XVII, heir to the French throne. 
    • In the book, A Guide to Public Art in Greater Boston, Marty Carlock says Rimmer's interest in anatomy led him to a career in medicine which he practiced for a few years. Rimmer became a full-time sculptor at age forty-five.

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    • This is the only sculpture carved from stone on the Mall. Since Rimmer was self-taught, he used his own technique to create it. According to Public Art Boston, this technique makes the sculpture "particularly fragile and difficult to maintain."
    • The Friends of the Public Garden have taken on the responsibility for restoring and then providing annual maintenance of the artwork in The Boston Common, Boston Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
    • To help The Friends pay for this work, you can contribute to the Henry Lee Conservation Fund.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2008-2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

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