Courtesy Photo Karen O’Brien’s rendition of Jamaica Pond will be on display as part of “JP to Me 2010.”
“JP to Me 2010: From Emeralds to Jewels,” a themed exhibit organized by Jamaica Plain photographer and architect Robert Festa, will be on public display at Eliot Hall, home of the Footlight Club, 7A Eliot St., from Jan. 29 to Feb. 13.
Festa joined with Joy Cochran and Bill Shamlian of the Jamaica Plain Arts Council and Terry Boutelle of the Jamaica Plain Artists Association to present local artists with a challenge: Bring to light a “jewel” within Jamaica Plain’s portion of Boston’s beloved Emerald Necklace.
Forty artists answered the call and were randomly assigned one of five green spaces, including Franklin Park, Arnold Arboretum, Forest Hills, Jamaica Pond and Southwest Corridor Park. The resulting work ranges from painting and photography to mosaic and mixed media.
“It’s an opportunity for the artists who make Jamaica Plain their artistic home to express what they see as unique about the green spaces here,” said Festa. “The exhibit will display visions as diverse and inspired as Jamaica Plain itself.”
This is the second installation of the “JP to Me” series; the first (in early 2009) was an exhibit of 12 Jamaica Plain artists whose work reflected their personal views of JP. Organizers say they hope that the series will continue to evolve into an annual event.
Viewing hours will take place at the Footlight Club, America’s oldest community theater, during performances of Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband” [See article on p. 9] on Friday and Saturday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m.
The public is also invited to the opening reception on Feb. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Parker Room. At the reception, the JP Historical Society will show historic photographs and answer questions about the history of Jamaica Plain.
The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public; tickets to the performance can be purchased at the box office or online at Footlight.org. To learn more about the exhibit and the participating artists, see www.jptome.com. For more information, contact Festa at 818-8679 or email [email protected].
Submitted by JP to Me organizers.