Last Call for Brilliant Art

Our wonderful AUTUMN INVITATIONAL has flown right by. With just five days to go, we are determined to shine a spotlight on multiple works from each of the five talented OFF THE WALL veterans who are our 2023 invitees. We’ll start with HOLLY WYNN, a painter who has built a devoted following in our space since debuting in REEMERGE, the 2022 juried show that examined how the pandemic impacted the creatives in our community. Eighteen months, six sales and three awards later, she returns with four new works that take you inside her practice and unique point of view. “I’ve recently found myself creating representations of specific emotions and experiences, through a surreal, colorful and sometimes silly lens,” says the artist. “I’ve also enjoyed experimenting with different techniques and processes, both in oil and acrylic paint, frequently swapping preference between the two. My goal in trying new things is often to create more depth in the painting to draw the viewer in further — almost like they’re ‘in there.’” Note that all work shown here is available for purchase right now in person or online (offthewallgallery.org).

HOLLY WYNN
(in order of the portfolio shown)
“You Said You Wanted a Cake”
8 x 8
oil on canvas
250.

“I Think I’ve Outgrown This Pot”
8 x 10
oil on panel
250.

“Something’s Fishy”
8 x 10
acrylic on panel
220.

“I’m All out of Ideas”
8 x 8
acrylic on canvas
190.

Doubleheader Today

No doubt, many are going to book it out of work just a little early to make it to a screen for NLCS Game3, with its 5:07 start time. We humbly suggest you choose the big screen at DIRTY FRANK'S. And after the #heroics of Schwarber-Turner-Harper-Realmuto-Castellanos, we invite you to transition to our OFF THE WALL lineup: Masrour...Pirzio-Biroli...Plumley...Why...and Wynn with the OPENING RECEPTION of the 2023 AUTUMN INVITATIONAL. To be frank (which we always are at Frank’s), it’s ONE BIG PARTY! So doubles, double plays, punchouts and long balls, 5-8 PM. Then drawing and illustration, painting (including 3D wine box paintings), and printmaking, 7-10 PM. Drinks, conversation and curator JODY SWEITZER, who will bartend, then cede her gig to ROSE COSSABONE and host, ensure that the fun, red dots and #RedOctober pick up momentum throughout. See you tonight!

Toasting Our Award Winners

Summer is officially underway...and so is SUMMER SOLSTICE, the show, which opened last Thursday evening to acclaim, enthusiastic crowds and continuing sales! Please visit in person and also look for us to feature works from the show in our posts over the next seven weeks. We'll start at the top, as critiqued by OUR JURY. The five members of our panel — IRVING XCHEL CHAN GOMEZ, JON LAIDACKER, NATALIE HOPE MCDONALD, KAREN RODEWALD and JODY SWEITZER — elevated eight of our artists with their JURY CITATIONS. In this lofty company, HOLLY WYNN took BEST OF SHOW for her captivating take on iconic imagery, speaking both to climate change and to the artist in every season. “Living in a place with four seasons does affect my creative process,” says Holly, “particularly in the winter, when bouts of seasonal depression make it hard to put my energy and care into my art. This piece captures the isolation and loneliness that come in and leave me feeling uninspired and unsure what to do.” Please lift your glasses to Holly and her heralded colleagues:

BEST OF SHOW: Holly Wynn’s “My Own Little Iceberg” (PICTURED HERE)
SOLSTICE AWARD (from Druid Society of Dirty Frank’s): Joseph Eggleston’s “Samsara”
ULTIMATE JERSEY VIBE: Asya Livshits’ “Ocean City”
MOST SUBMERSIVE: Maryanne Buschini’s “Floating”
MOST NOSTALGIC: David Helwer’s “Gathering Eggs”
MOST SUSTAINABLE: Jennifer Barrile’s “Salem Harbor”
BIGGEST REALITY CHECK: Robin Brownfield’s “Say Goodbye”
MOST PROMISING DEBUT: Som-Mai Nguyen’s “Flood 2”