Kathleen McKenna, Martin Weissgerber (in hat), and Tate Mitchell at the Attempted Gallery at the Brookline Arts Center.
BROOKLINE
The Brookline Arts Center's main exhibition space was packed one recent Saturday night with art, artists, and art lovers for the third annual Attempted Gallery.
The art was eye-popping, the conversation spirited, and the live jazz was hot for this one-night-only informal sale/party. It's a kind of shake-up event for artists and potential patrons to schmooze with one another, as well as view and possibly buy a piece of art.
Free food and live music by members of the excellent young Jon Fisher Quartet helped set the party atmosphere.
The yearly show is a joint effort by the Brookline Council for the Arts & Humanities and the arts center.
Gwen Ossenfort, the council's cochairwoman and director of Brookline Artists' Open Studios, describes Attempted Gallery as the "love child" of herself and the arts center's director, Susan Navarre.
"I first took over Open Studios the same year she took over at the arts center, and we sat down to try and figure out how we could bring together artists and artwork and the public using the arts center. The first party was specifically for Open Studios people. That was so successful that afterward we decided to do a party where everyone was welcome."
An open call to area artists invited each to bring one small-scale work to contribute to the evening's exhibition, with its aim to provide the artists with exposure, feedback, and contact with other artists and the public. For art lovers, the evening offers a chance to examine a wide variety of affordable art, and to talk to the artists on the spot. Works range from paintings and photographs to jewelry and mosaics.
"It's a wonderful idea," says Brookline resident Irene Belozersky, attending her first Attempted Gallery on Jan. 26 with her husband, Alex, who was also one of the participating artists. "You get to meet a lot of local people in an informal, very welcoming and homey environment. And for the artist, there's little pressure, no big application process."
For veteran pinhole photographer Martin R. Anderson, the party provides an opportunity for interaction with his colleagues. "A lot of my focus is the chance to meet other artists, since we can't go to their open studios while we're busy having our own. We get to meet each other and see each other's work." Last year, he met an artist who steered him toward an influential monotype class he is now taking.
The Attempted Gallery also attracts a lot of emerging artists. "It's a great first opportunity for people who haven't shown before to say they've participated in a gallery show," Ossenfort says. It also helps artists new to the area to get acclimated to the local art scene.
"It's one of the reasons I decided to stay in Brookline," says mixed-media artist Jenn Mason, who participated in her first Attempted Gallery last year, shortly after moving to the area from Dallas. "It's an easy way to get started and a nice way to meet other artists, to feel part of a community."
The new faces at last weekend's event included potential buyers making their first foray into the arts center. "It's exciting to see so many new people," says Navarre. "A lot will come this first time because it's a free party for the community, and people don't feel intimidated. Then they'll come back for other events here."
Ossenfort adds, "This year we had almost no publicity, mostly just e-mail which people forwarded to their friends, and you see how many people showed up. Clearly, January is a good time to do it."
For many, Attempted Gallery functions as the kickoff to the 22d annual Brookline Artists' Open Studios, which is expected to bring thousands of people through the work spaces of local artists on April 12-13.
Other related events include "Big Party," an exhibition of large-scale pieces by Open Studios participants that opened last week and runs through March 4 in Hunneman Hall, in the Public Library of Brookline's main branch, 361 Washington St.
On March 15, the arts center hosts its Art Party, the gallery preview party of select Open Studios artists, at 86 Monmouth St.
For more information about local art events, visit brooklineart.net or brooklineartscenter.com.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
