Last weekend the 54th annual Head of the Charles took place and people from all over the country gathered to watch the highly-anticipated and illustrious event. However, the Charles River is celebrated for many other things as well, from the scenic Charles River views to the beautiful Boston architecture that contribute to the history of the river. The Upper Gallery’s current show, Along the Charles, celebrates these elements and activities that make the Charles so iconic. Below are the artists who received awards from the Co|So Art Committee for the way they captured Boston, along the Charles.
Doron Putka, CA, Snow Melt, paper collage, 15” x 14”
First Place
Copley Master Doron Putka was born in Israel and graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Israel’s national school of art, in 1973, and later studied at Parsons, in New York. Her illustrations have appeared in New York Magazine, The New York Times, the Israeli women’s magazine At, just to name a few. In her artist statement, Doron explains how she often find it hard to decide between depicting a subject that has been closely examined versus something based of a first glance. While she is a highly-skilled realist painter she often creates beautiful paper collages such as this landscape collage, Snow Melt.
Jason Sawtelle, Charles River Ripple, oil, 55” x 43”
Second Place
Jason Sawtelle is motivated by the power of subtle details in the world around us. He has always been a realist painter but uses it as a tool, not an objective. He often enlarges a small area or alters the composition of the subject he paints to challenge the normal experience of viewing and perceiving a scene. His choice of painting large scale, stems from these ideas, as he wants his paintings to be an immersive experience for the viewer. Charles River Ripple exhibits these techniques and his desire to share something beyond an easily identifiable picture of reality.
Roger Palframan, Back Bay II, giclee on fine art paper, 40” x 32”
Third Place
Roger Palframan is a photographer from England who currently lives and works in the Boston area. As an artist, he focuses on creating images that are visually striking from the first encounter, emphasizing shape, form, and line while simultaneously revealing subtle depth, texture, and detail. He is interested in the way humans are influenced by fixed, physical structures such as, architecture. His highly visually striking photograph, Back Bay II, demonstrates these artistic goals and interests. The photograph is of the block between Dartmouth Street and Exeter Street and was taken from the top of the Prudential Center.
Along the Charles is on view November 11th. Make sure you come and see the Boston-inspired artworks before it closes!