(Video by Barry Pugatch)

 

On Sunday, April 25th, over 80 artists from the Copley Society of art (Co|So) set up their easels to paint in some of Boston’s most treasured spots. The focus of Fresh Paint 2010 is the green spaces surrounding Boston.  Copley artists were found in and around the Emerald Necklace, the Back Bay Fens, the Esplanade, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the Boston Public Garden, Jamaica Pond, Arnold Arboretum, and the Boston Common. This is the 22nd year Co|So holds its major fundraising event: Fresh Paint.

Artists bring their newly painted works back to the gallery by the end of the day and, for two weeks, the art is displayed and silent bids are taken at Co|So’s Newbury Street gallery. On Saturday, May 8th, the gallery hosts the “A Splash of Green” Gala, an evening of cocktails, hor d’oeuvres, live jazz, and auctions of the “fresh” works.  Two Copley artists are honored at the gala: Zsuzsanna Szegedi (www.zsuzsanna.com) is the 2010 Fresh Paint award-winner and Sean Farrell (www.artistseanfarrell.com) is honored with the John Singleton Copley award.

Many art organizations now hold similar auctions but Co|So’s was one of the first, starting in 1988. The event brings in funds to support innovative exhibitions of emerging and established artists, lectures, scholarships, residencies, and outreach programs. Fresh Paint is the gallery’s biggest and most important fundraiser, as Co|So does not receive funding from local, state, or federal sources. This year several groups of students have been invited to participate in Fresh Paint, including the South End Settlement House and Urban Improv.  This select group of students will participate in Co|So sponsored painting lessons, gallery tours and their own Paint Day leading up to the Fresh Paint Exhibition.

Click here to view artwork created on Sunday, April 25 for Fresh Paint 2010