Author: Sheila Berry

BFAC tonight

Sheila Berry November 21, 2011
Just a reminder – Rick hosts BFAC modeling sessions on Monday nights at his Medford MA studio. If he’s not busy on a painting project, he sketches as well. Lately, he’s experimenting with enhancing the ballpoint pen sketches. Hope you enjoy them, Sheila

Plenty..for the holiday season

Sheila Berry November 20, 2011
“Hadassah” is up at 13Forest Gallery in their 4th Annual “PLENTY” exhibition of selected regional artists. If you’re in the Boston area, we hope you’ll join us at the Holiday party 12/15— Special holiday price – $500 Contact marc@13FOREST.com   781-641-3333

Hadassah, 11″ x 14″, graphite and oil on gessoed panel, Framed 16″ x 19″

National Figures Globe review

Sheila Berry October 21, 2011
Curated by Rick Berry and Damon Lehrer, NATIONAL FIGURES opened with a packed reception at William Scott Gallery, Boston, this month.
“This show has some pieces that buzz with smart composition and emotional truth… Cate McQuaid wrote about NATIONAL FIGURES in her Oct 18th, Boston Globe.com review “Dreams, the bizarre, a gaze.” …Look out for Paul Goodnight’s electric “Movement,” a drawing that conveys swinging, gyrating dance as much as it does the dancer. Anne Harris’s pieces are always pristine and creepy, like her “Untitled Blonde,” a woman with golden teary eyes beneath a spray of blunt-cut curls. Isaac White’s “Woman in Room” is made with brusque slashes of paint that splinter into one another. Figure works like White’s and Harris’s remind us of how hard it can be to be human.”
Open Wed– Sat, 12-5 pm  Free Parking from Albany St.   On view until October 29th, we hope you’ll visit and add your comments!
[Show picture list]

Painting Demo Extravaganza last Saturday

Sheila Berry September 29, 2011
“Rick Berry did four paintings throughout the afternoon in his unplanned improv method — scribbling with the paint and lifting highlights until he found direction in the act of painting. Rick, as usual, was as inspiring as a speaker as he was a painter.”       Irene Gallo writing about ART OUT LOUD 7  at Museum of American Illustration, Sept 24, 2011. See full story and photos at TOR about this Benefit for Student Scholarships sponsored by Society of Illustrators. Click facebook button on right for photos of Rick painting, courtesy of Melannie Montenegro, Album – Sept 24, 2011

ArtsFuse review of IT FIGURES

Sheila Berry September 27, 2011

Emotion, Time and Eros in the work of Damon Lehrer and Rick Berry

Review by Grace Dan Mazur in today’s The Arts Fuse : Culture of New England

Comparing Rick Berry’s expressionist paintings with Damon Lehrer’s exquisitely rendered, classical, and contemplative work made me wonder about the expressionist style in general. By this I mean that artistic terrain where the passions, vehemence, or ferocity of the artist so colors the work as to form a powerful but distorting more… This show brilliantly contrasts two artists, Damon Lehrer and Rick Berry, and the wildly different ways they approach figurative painting. (For the questions that the artists have for each other see Damon Lehrer’s interview of Rick Berry.) It Figures. At the William Scott Gallery, 450 Harrison Avenue, #65, Boston, MA. Until September 30  

Open All This Month – come visit!

Sheila Berry September 12, 2011
IT FIGURES: Damon Lehrer and Rick Berry opened this weekend and was a great success. A lovely cool September evening in Boston – hundreds of people walking about SoWa Art District touring the open galleries during this festive monthly event. The Willam Scott Gallery was packed for 3 hours. Didn’t have a camera but some pictures by friends (Robert Wiener, Scott Bakal) near closing when crowd had thinned enough to see some more art. Thanks to everyone who came by Friday – you made it such an enjoyable evening. If you’re in the Boston area, we hope you’ll have a chance to stop by. Open through Sept 3oth. William Scott Gallery, 450 Harrison Ave hours: Wed – Sat 12-5 and Sun 12-4. (617)542-4040 Parking accessed by Albany St./ Silver line along Washington St. or longer walk from Broadway Station, Red Line or Back Bay Commuter Rail  

It Figures Exhibition – Opening Friday at William Scott Gallery, SoWa

Sheila Berry September 8, 2011
Rick is finishing up packaging paintings for delivery today  – open truck, pouring rain, busy making custom vault-like packaging… IT FIGURES: Damon Lehrer and Rick Berry opens tomorrow, Sept. 9, 6-9pm   William Scott Gallery, Boston. Check gallery hours if you’ll be in Boston anytime between now and Halloween because immediately following IT FIGURES, Damon and Rick have work in (as well as curated) October’s group exhibition to open at William Scott Gallery on Oct 7th. Rick’s previewing some work from his newest series at IT FIGURES, along with other great paintings. Amanda Palmer fans will be interested to see Rick’s 7ft portrait of her as gender bending MC in last summer’s A.R.T. production of Cabaret – On loan from collector. Hope you can stop by! “No Metal Men” oil on prepared cotton ragboard, 20x32in “Gregor” oil on prepared cotton ragboard, 20x32in.  

Frogs!

Sheila Berry August 20, 2011
interior
Night Music (June 2012)
Rick Berry cover and “Miss June” in recently released Dellas Graphics calendar, art directed by Illustration Department Head at NHIA , Jim Burke. “Frogfolio” has a long history of award winning interpretations of, well, frogs. Distinguished artists/illustrators, invited by Burke, contribute each year for this large format (18″ x 24″) eclectic visual treat.
frogfolio cover
Astaire – Frogfolio Cover and March 2012

Phil Hale comments on Rick Berry influence

Sheila Berry August 19, 2011
Great interview with figurative painter, Phil Hale in AFEK+ED. — “a place where students, professionals, freelancers, and artists can get their daily dose of inspiration from the full spectrum of creativity” “Phil Hale, for those who don’t yet know, is an American figurative painter who now lives and works in London UK. Phil has done some major works for Stephen King, RayGun, Playboy, Spectrum and many other renowned publications worldwide. His award winning portraits are in London’s National Portrait Gallery. In 2008 he was commissioned to paint the official portrait of former prime minister of England, Tony Blair for the House of Commons… Here at AFEKTED we wanted to learn about what inspires Phil Hale”