Pastel Demonstration: Tomorrow Copley Society of Boston

On the Cusp Jeanne Rosier Smith (Image Detail)

The Copley Society of Art Gallery on Newbury Street is one of my favorite Back Bay Galleries. It offers a peaceful respite from the craziness that can envelop that section of Newbury Street, especially in the summer tourist season. There are two main galleries, as well as the somewhat secret "red room", which right now is hosting Nancy Colella’s summer solo exhibition Beach Peeks. (How I wish to Co|So, as it's affectionately called, would install a bench or a couple of seats to settle into while you admire the art!)

In reality, Co|So is more than just a gallery. It's actually the oldest (1879!) non-profit art association in the United States. Today, it has more than 500 artist members, from students to nationally-recognized artists, representing every just about every style of art, from traditional and academic realists to contemporary and abstract painters, photographers, and sculptors.

Tomorrow is a great time to get acquainted or reacquainted with the Copley Society of Art. From 1 to 3 p.m., Artist Jeanne Rosier Smith will give a demonstration on how to paint a wave in pastel. (Her pastel On the Cusp, shown above, won fourth place in in the Co|So's Summer Members' Show: New England Perceived, juried by Fuller Craft Museum Director Jonathan L. Fairbanks.) To see more of her work, click here.

The Copley Society
158 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116
copleysociety.org

A Garden Spot in Copley Square

St. Francis Garden, Trinity Church  ©Lynn Schweikart

On my way home from a meeting, I paused for a few moments to savor one of my favorite peaceful places: the St. Francis Garden at Trinity Church.

I sat on the low stone wall at the garden's edge and watched the sparrows cavorting in the birdbath -- lots of chattering and splashing! The garden itself is a dazzling display of green and white. The roses are in bloom, the hostas and hydrangeas, in full bud, are getting ready to join the show.

This tiny oasis is planted and lovingly cared for by members of the congregation and the church's facilities staff. It's been regularly honored in the city's annual garden contest.

A few moments of quiet refreshment: listening to the fountain, delighting in the gentle breeze, and the coolness of the granite beneath me.