(no subject)

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

I have some naive questions. I've heard that Davis Square and Somerville in general are big artist communities. I'm still new.

How many of you members here are artists?
Are there collective artist studios and guilds in Somerville?
Are there galleries anywhere?
Is there a scene that I am somehow missing? I would like to check it out and compare it to what I've seen at SOWA at Harrison Ave.
Are there mostly young artists or is there a lot of diversity as to age and experience?
Are there websites you know of that I can be diverted to if you don't feel like answering all these questions?

And this is a random question for everyone:

What do you think of the Boston art scene, or the Boston music scene?

The reason I ask is because I have been disappointed with both. I'm a visual artist and all my roommates are in a band. I've seen a lot of bars with music venues and a few art venues and I've been pretty disappointed with both. My guess is that artists have to struggle here to really stick their necks out. I went to open studios at 450 Harrison Ave and the surrounding galleries for the first time on Friday and was so completely disappointed. I didn't know what I was expecting. Newbury Street has nice galleries, but they seem very safe, pretty, and family-friendly. I am curious about Somerville. I've heard that there are a LOT of artists here. I want to know what you all think of Boston, and also what you think of Somerville.

Comments

[georgy.livejournal.com]

I am not an artist, but here are some resources for you:

http://www.artsomerville.org/ - umbrella organization, website lists lots of area resources, galleries, groups etc.

http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/ - Somerville Arts Council, city organization, organizes Somerville Open Studios every May which is a HUGE deal, and ArtBeat every July.
http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/programs/
http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/resources/

http://www.artsomerville.org/calendar/month.php - a not entirely complete local arts calendar

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I really don't think of Davis as the art community - Union has a much bigger artistic side to it (at least, based on my experience - others may disagree). There are two artist's communities right outside of Union (on Joy Street and on Fitchburg Street), and while I've only seen the art at Brickbottom (I used to live there), I can say that there was a great variety of styles, ages and subjects. You might want to check it out sometime when there's open studios.

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

also, there's http://www.brickbottomartists.com (the Brickbottom gallery and artists community)

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

I sort of wonder what your basis of comparison is. My sense is that there aren't a ton of galleries in Somerville, but a huge number of people doing art in their own spaces. Most of the hung/displayed art I see right around Davis is in coffee houses and restaurants. One exception is the Nave Gallery (http://www.artsomerville.org/nave/nave_info.html) and there are a few others. The Open Studios and ArtBeat events give newcomers a chance to connect with the arts community and get on mailing lists, etc. so you can find out more about openings and events the rest of the year.

The Boston music scene is very vibrant--at least in rock and related genres--and some of the venues are in Somerville, or just over the line in Cambridge. I'm thinking of the Abbey Lounge in Inman Square, PA's Lounge in Union, the Skybar between Union and Porter, and Toad right in Porter. It's true there's not much in Davis, except for The Burren, which focuses on a different kind of music, mostly Irish and Old Time, from what I've seen. Oh, and Johnny D's, of course, but again, they're not a rock club. But compared with other cities I've lived in (New York, San Francisco) the local music scene here seems quite robust.

[gookalockgeek.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about the art scene, but I've been absolutely thrilled with the music scene since I moved here 2.5 years ago. I now work in the music industry, manage a band on the side, and sing live back-up and studio vocals. My husband has a small recording studio, plays drums for a local band, and is constantly being courted by other local groups. We've busted our asses, but we've been rewarded in kind.

We have also attended and/or played more live shows in the last 2 years than in the previous 23.

We came from the Philadelphia area (and I was in Detroit before that) and it just doesn't compare. The amount of opportunity and ambition to be found here has been a wonderful surprise to both of us.

[nowalmart.livejournal.com]

I agree on the amazing music scene in the Boston area.

Another club worth mentioning is Club Passim, in Harvard Square, for folk music.

There is a lack of a goth club in the area, it would seem, however.

To the original poster: I would check out some of the flyers from Berklee for information on a wide range of music being played in the Boston area.

[ron_newman]

Ditto to all of the above. One minor correction -- Somerville Open Studios is no longer organized by the Arts Council; it is now an independent organization.

If you want to hear about every art event that happens in Somerville or involves a Somerville artist, get on the Somerville Arts Council mailing list.

[ron_newman]

Washington Street Art Center, near Union Square

[ron_newman]

here's the Somerville Open Studios website. This year's event will be May 5 and 6. The web site still has a lot of information up from last year's event, so you can see all the different locations where local artists live, work, and exhibit.

(By the way, what did you find disappointing about the SoWa event?)

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I can't even remember anything about it except it was utterly ghastly.

For visual arts, I think JP wins for the Boston area.

[mizufae.livejournal.com]

i'm an aspiring just out of college artist wannabe working a crappy retail job; my only life goal i've ever felt strongly about is being able to make a living off of my art, and the prospect of getting that portfolio out there and speaking to gallery owners and dealers is utterly daunting. i don't have a car, and some of my work is very large, and i am a very small woman. i have no real idea where these artist communities are or who i should be shmoozing with to get my stuff up on any walls. i used to live around backbay, and there i had it pretty much figured out, it was just extremely daunting and i knew i would have to be successful somewhere else before backbay. and now that i'm here, in what i thought was a groovy artistic community, i find that it's actually union square, where i never go and from where i never have an opportunity to talk to anyone.

suffice it to say, i am scared frozen and wish to god i could make a friend/partner who was knowledgeable enough about the scene to get us an in. with my amazing charm and wit, i'm sure i could pull off something after that first push, right?
sigh.

[ron_newman]

Your best bet might be to go to an art opening at Brickbottom or Nave or the Somerville Museum and just talk to folks. Between these three places, some event is happening every few weeks.

Or phone up the Somerville Arts Council and ask to talk to Lauren or Rachel. Tell them I sent you.

[amethystmoon.livejournal.com]

I'm an artist, though I've been really lazy about trying to get into the art scene here. As such, I dont' know of any groups to get involved in, but there are some studios and galleries to check out:

- Mixit Print Studio www.mixitprint.com, plus other painting studios in the building, which is off the bike path very shortly past the Brook's
- the Nave Gallery - in a church near Tufts, http://calendar.boston.com/venues/show/18094
- Willoughby and Baltic Fine Arts is a small gallery converted from a garage, right in the square. They have a marionette theater setup, in addition to showcasing technology/science-influenced art http://willoughbybaltic.squarespace.com/, http://wbztv.cityvoter.com/details.aspx?p=5536&img=46839

The open studios also tend to list a bunch of independent artists who work out of their homes in the area.

There are also a number of businesses in the area which feature local artists' work on the walls (quality, as it tends to with that kind of showing, is widely varied). Among them: Starbucks (Davis Square), Diesel (Davis Square), Mr. Crepe (Davis Square), Renee's Cafe (between Teele and Davis Squares), Salon Cu (Ball Square), True Grounds (Ball Square).

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

Closest thing to goth night was Wednesdays at Man Ray, not sure where it's moved now....

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

I've been to a number of openings at the Washington Street Art Center (http://www.washingtonst.org) (in Union Square, of course) and found that, even if you don't know anyone, the people are pretty friendly and the question, "Are you an artist?" comes up sooner or later. Then you begin seeing the same people at the openings, making connections, etc. I don't know if it's like that at other studios and galleries but it seems like just showing up and saying hello goes a long way. Good luck!

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

I'm an artist- there are *lots* of artists in Somerville and lots of studio buildings tucked away here and there. There are few galleries here though- rents are high - but that's true of the entire Boston area. It means that it's pretty tough for alternative or artist run spaces to survive. Studio space is relatively cheap in Somerville however. I guess if there isn't the kind of art scene you want then you can try to start something with your friends/peers.

(fwiw - I'm in a group show that is coming up in 2 weeks at the Nave Gallery: http://www.artsomerville.org/nave/2007/vessel.html
http://www.roypardi.com/)

[lena-a-mermaid.livejournal.com]

http://www.outoftheblueartgallery.com/ (http://www.outoftheblueartgallery.com/)

[ron_newman]

somehow we've all forgotten to mention the grandaddy of all Somerville artist buildings, the Vernon Street Studios. They're only open to the general public during Somerville Open Studios in May, but perhaps you can get to know some of these folks before then.

[gothic-ham.livejournal.com]

Right now Crypt is at Toast Lounge in Union Square on Wednesday nights, but I don't know if it's considered a real successor to ManRay. Only other goth night I know of beside that is Ceremony at An Tua Nua near Fenway.

Oh - and since no one's mentioned it - Miracle 5, which is a local art group, just had a new opening at Rhys gallery (http://www.rhysgallery.com/ArtistDetail.php?id=34). They painted the power box on Highland (the block past the Brooks pharmacy).

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

I'm going to risk unpopularity and try to be honest. I'm 25 and crawling towards my BFA after 3.5 years at Massart, after 2 extra years of art-focused undergrad elsewhere and 2 years of being a freelance artist. I've dedicated my whole life to honing my drawing skills and I have high expectations because I really don't get out much, except to museums where it is pretty much guaranteed that most of the art is either brilliant or important. I thought that 90% or more of what I saw at SOWA was lazy.. and bad.. and it made me depressed. I felt like I could dissect almost all of it and determine just how little work and thought had been put in, and it was strange to see it in a context of distinction. Both galleries and studios. There, I said it! I'm going to get in trouble. Maybe I'm just naive.

It's not that I think my work is good or deserving or ready to be "out there", but I really did want to see some good, innovative art coming out of Boston so that I would want to squeeze into that scene, I guess.

I'll definitely check out Somerville next though. Since I live here and not in Boston, I wanted to see what other residents think of this scene. Thank you for the link and the info!

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for all the info, everyone! I'll start checking stuff out.

[autumnsshadow.livejournal.com]

last wednesday was Crypt's last night at Toast.