A photo of a footbridge from Medford Square crossing the Mystic River is part of the "Crossing the River" exhibit at 13FOREST Gallery.
As many people head to the gym and ditch their vices next month to make good on their New Year's resolutions, 13FOREST Gallery in Medford will be undergoing some transformation of its own.
The fine arts gallery, which serves more than 100 local artists, is preparing to relocate under the same name to a new space at 167A Massachusetts Ave. in East Arlington by early February.
Medford resident Marc Gurton is sad to say farewell to the former shoe repair shop, where the gallery has been housed for a year. "But on the other hand, we're moving to a bigger space and we're bringing all the artists with us," he said. "The new location is also just across the river, so it won't be that drastic of a change."
In order to give Medford Square a proper goodbye, Gurton organized the gallery's last show with that notion in mind. "Crossing the River," the gallery's last multiartist show before traveling to the other side of the Mystic River, will be open until next weekend when the space officially shuts its doors.
The plan to relocate was implemented after the lease ran out and Gurton decided, "Arlington will be more receptive to a gallery like ours. We'll get better traffic and more visibility there," he said. While Gurton said the gallery's business has been steady, the space in Medford is on an inconspicuous side street in an area void of other art and cultural establishments.
"I expect the gallery to do very well in Arlington. A lot of artists are optimistic about the change," said Medford resident Lisa Tang Liu,a participating artist and the Gurton's predecessor before handing over the gallery's reins.
"The new location is right on Mass. Ave., one block away from a cluster of gift shops and restaurants," she said. "And there's nothing quite like Marc's place around."
The theme for the show was inspired by a phototransfer collage by Arlington resident Deb Hickey called "Into the Mystic," which depicts "a view of the Mystic anyone who knows this area would be familiar with," Gurton said. Gurton interpreted the image as both a literal and metaphorical representation of the gallery's experience.
"The idea is you can always transform yourself," said Gurton. "You can always do something new and stretch yourself."
And neither Gurton or 13FOREST is a stranger to transformation. Gurton took over the gallery after a serendipitous brush with founder Tang Liu, who ran Pigmentia Studio and Gallery.
After 20 years as a corporate accountant, Gurton had taken some time off to travel. While looking for a new job, he accepted a part-time gig as an accountant to look over the gallery's books. Before long, the finances were in order and Tang Liu had convinced Gurton to take over the gallery. He changed the name to 13FOREST Gallery and began networking.
Art and accounting are two disciplines that normally are not strung together in the same sentence. But Gurton disproved that notion.
"Everyone thinks accounting is so boring, but I think there's an elegance to it. Accounting is about the details and it's about balance. I think the same is true for a beautiful thing. Art is all about composition and structure," said Gurton, who earned his degree in accounting from Boston University.
Along with developing an artistic eye, Gurton also found a knack for sales and establishing relationships with artists and customers. He is also a photographer in the show.
He said the gallery's mission will remain the same wherever it is located, which is to provide the community and local artists with beautiful art created locally.
Other artists participating in the exhibition in addition to Hickey, Tang Liu, and Gurton, include David Colombo, Jim Jackson, Karla Quattrocchi, Lisa Sears, and Adele Travisano. In addition to fine art on display, many items will be offered for sale at reduced prices, Gurton said.
Tang Liu, like Gurton, relates to the show's theme because she recently stopped her career as a successful wedding photographer to focus on her work, which includes fine art photography and documentary photography.
"I try to please myself as an artist now. I'm not as interested in producing work to sell or an image everyone would like. It's my own art, my own expression," she said. "I really think that we're all crossing another boundary moving to Arlington, too."
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
