Monica McAlpine: Waterscape Edges

Faneuil Library Art Gallery

407 Faneuil St. Brighton (Oak Sq.) MA

March 25 – April 25, 2015

Opening Reception with the artist & curator: Tuesday April 7th 5:30 – 7:30 pm

Unbound Visual Arts and the Friends of the Faneuil Branch/Boston Public Library are pleased to announce the opening of Monica McAlpine: Watescape Edges at the Faneuil Library Art Gallery in Brighton’s Oak Square.

This exhibition, presented by Unbound Visual Arts and the Faneuil Library and curated by Louise Bonar, includes acrylic paintings by Brighton artist Monica McAlpine that present the uneven connections of land to the adjoining colossal and powerful ocean. Monica presents two different views of waterscapes – one representational and the other non-representational or abstract. The artist’s waterscape edges explore lines, colors and shapes that link us with the equal beauty of two different approaches and remind us of many places and spaces. The intersections of the land and water can also remind us of the edges of our lives where there are many choices for living. Her brush strokes tie down a watery picture with her witty and vivid poetic words: “Spray of green waves–cooling my pale body, carving invisibly the black rocks.” “A green not of spring nor of youth. It takes us by surprise– speaks of something like a beginning.” This illusory world signals an overlapping creative process of her two arts – painting and poetry.

The exhibition opens on March 25th and runs through April 25th. A public reception with the artist and curator will be held on Tuesday April 7th, from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm. An Artist and Curator Discussion will take place on Saturday April 18th at Noon. The hours of the exhibition are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, Tuesday from Noon – 8:00 pm, Friday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. Faneuil Library Art Gallery, 419 Faneuil St., Brighton, M.| MBTA: Buses 57, 64, 501, 503 | Handicapped accessible and free wi-fi.

Monica McAlpine, Sustaining Member of Unbound Visual Arts, is a long time Brighton resident and published poet. This is her first solo exhibition. Monica turned to the fine arts – poetry as well as painting – after a forty-year career as student, teacher, and researcher in medieval studies. Currently a member of two long-running poetry workshops, she follows with fascination the overlaps in the creative processes of the two arts. Among several inspiring teachers, her principal painting mentor has been Jill Pottle. Monica’s paintings have been exhibited at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown and in a juried student salon at the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln. She was also included in Unbound’s first exhibition at the Harvard Ed Portal in Allston. In Monica words: “Line and color, they evoke a hunger, they thrill, they lead deep into meditation.”

Louise Bonar, a Founding Member of Unbound Visual Arts and published poet, is an experienced management consultant, educator and community activist. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of Allston-Brighton Community Development Corporation and the Brighton-Allston Historical Society & Heritage Museum and a former staff person for Brighton Main Streets.