Bringing a new artistic style to Belmont Hill through her striking acrylic paintings, the Landau Gallery showcased the work of local artist Mary Hanlon from October 3 to November 21. Hanlon, who currently resides in Melrose, creates beautiful landscapes through what she describes as impressionistic realism, painting boldly and colorfully. “The paint is acrylic and very thick; she paints in a very aggressive manner,” explained Mr. Duarte. “Boys on campus often pointed out that the paintings weren’t delicate and that they had never seen paintings like that.” A crucial goal of the gallery is broadening student horizons through different art forms, and Hanlon, through her vibrant landscapes, demonstrates the emotional sense of still art, creating masterpieces without extreme precision and intricacy, introducing another art form to Belmont Hill.
In terms of preparing the gallery, finding artists is no easy task either. Not only must you pitch your gallery space, but you also have to be involved in local art communities. Two methods for this are social media and libraries, as it is easy to reach out and view art on those platforms. Mr. Duarte was able to find Mary Hanlon through Facebook before reaching out and agreeing on a deal. He remarked, “Running a gallery is no different than any other business; it’s a lot of emails, a lot of communicating with people to try to sell your gallery space to them, to have them come visit, and then have them commit.” What set Hanlon apart from others was her local connection and unique acrylic style, leading to her two-month-long exhibit.
Now that the Mary Hanlon exhibition has concluded, the gallery will undergo a period of restoration. Due to the constant art shows, the gallery walls are often in need of repair. Therefore, for the next few weeks, the walls will remain bare.
The Landau gallery plays a vital role in Belmont Hill, bringing an outside perspective to the community. The next show will take place in January, featuring student work from various art classes.
