Artists transform four more Wellesley electrical boxes

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Don’t be shocked if you notice an increase in art around Wellesley. Four local artists have taken paintbrushes in hand to beautify electrical boxes in town, following the successful makeover last spring of three other formerly drab, now glamorous, infrastructure necessities.

The Wellesley Public Art Committee spearheaded the logistics of the project, and funding was provided through Wellesley’s Local Cultural Council (a branch of Massachusetts Cultural Council); the Community Fund for Wellesley; and also by property manager Federal Realty for the box in Linden Square. Artists have recently put the the last of the paint on the community pride project.

Here’s a look at Wellesley’s newest enhanced electrical boxes:

ARTIST: Alexander Golob, whose other works in town include murals in Linden Square
LOCATION: In front of St. John school on Washington Street
CONCEPT: Everyday life in Wellesley in serene and welcoming blues.

Wellesley electrical box — “In this project I found myself gravitating toward intricate craft work,” Golob says. “Maximalism can be overwhelming but here I’m trying to show it as really refreshing, with the blue and white as a breath of fresh air. I want people to see their experiences represented here, creating a monument to home and comfort during a time when we all feel a little discomfited.”

Wellesley electrical box art — The box is covered with poetry, thoughts, and photographs crowd-sourced by local community members who submitted entries to Golob themed on how Wellesley is home to them. The Swellesley family was honored to have our poem accepted for inclusion as part of the project, our first group effort at artistic expression. I got the credit on the box, but just know that Bob Brown and Duncan Brown were full members of Team Poetry.

ARTIST: Qiuyuhong Lu, originally from Shanghai, is studying at Boston University, pursuing a dual degree in Painting and Psychology
LOCATION: Crest Road and Linden Street
CONCEPT: Beautiful Wellesley Town Hall gets a soft-focus treatment, with lush sunset colors.

crest electrical box — We already know that Town Hall can’t take a bad picture. Thanks to Qiuyuhong Lu, we now know that it looks even more lovely in the hands of a skilled artist. She says she’ll be back in town soon to take care of a few finishing touches.

ARTIST: Julie Vari-Nikolewski
LOCATION: Linden Square
CONCEPT: Contemporary, abstract work, exploration of color and shapes.

linden square electrical box side — We love the way the shapes wrap right around the edges of the electrical box, inviting viewers to take in the painting from all vantage points.

ARTIST: Carolyn Mackin, who when she’s not painting outside on the edge of Wellesley Square, works from a light-filled studio on the third floor of her home built in 1898.
LOCATION: Central Street and Weston Road
CONCEPT: A reminder that we don’t have to travel far distances to have a transformative experience. We can find excitement and adventure within our local community, and even within ourselves. We just need to dig deep and be open.

There was a little drama with Carolyn’s project, culminating in a directive from the Wellesley Public Art Committee to paint over her finished work and try again. It seems her original go at the project strayed too far from what Mackin outlined in her application. The Committee said she deviated too much from her proposal in terms of scale, and that the finished work must be amended to match her submission.

Here’s the latest iteration of her work, a dreamy mystical world. Mackin says the work is finished, and the Committee has granted its final approval.

Here’s what the Committee gave the thumbs-down to:

« November 2020 »