"A new Boston snow scene by Michel Delacroix"
This visit to a cooler season represents just one of several artists' works you'll encounter at Axelle's summer show.
One artist has a local connection. All vie for your attention.
I'm the kind of person who can be easily put-off when visiting some galleries, but find Axelle very inviting. Whether you come as an expert or novice, to buy or just browse, you'll find a friendly and knowledgeable staff.
A truly "refreshing" way to experience art you'd expect to see at a museum.
For more about the artists featured at Axelle Fine Arts, here's what Penny had to say in a recent feature for The Independent Newspaper Group:
Axelle Fine Arts – Museum Quality Art with a Warm Welcome
By Penny Cherubino
An open door and a warm welcome greet visitors to Axelle Fine Arts at 91 Newbury Street. The art on display is of museum-quality. The staff is knowledgeable and ready to chat about the artwork and artists. But, gallery Director, Mitch Plotkin stresses that his staff is also sensitive to art lovers who would rather wander around and enjoy the works at their own pace.
The first Axelle Gallery opened 19 years ago in the SOHO section of New York City. Five years ago they opened their Boston gallery.
Three Artists for the Summer
Axelle's summer show features three of their artists. One has a neighborhood connection. Goxwa attended Emerson College and worked as a waitress at the Harvest restaurant in Cambridge during her college years. Her first exhibit was at the restaurant.
Today, her haunting portraits, luminous still lifes, and glowing landscapes are sought after by collectors here in the neighborhood and around the world. More than half of the paintings marked "sold" in the gallery will be delivered within a five block radius when this show is taken down.
Laurent Dauptain, a French artist known for his self-portraits, is also featured. When he moves into other genres he also captivates. The gallery describes his landscapes and cityscapes as, "...reminiscent of Hopper, yet Dauptain takes greater liberties with brush stroke to infuse a sense of movement in the painting that can be linked to impressionism."
Cityscapes are also a reason to go and see the work of the third artist, Patrick Pietropoli. His use of a limited color palette concentrates your attention on the details of the buildings and figures he presents. Two of Pietropoli's Boston cityscapes reside in a home on Commonwealth Avenue.
Sculpture is a Recent Addition
Axelle recently added the work of sculptor, Jivko, to the collection. "I personally just love sculpture. I think having the sculpture in the gallery also enhances the paintings. It gives one a better idea of how the paintings look in the home with three dimensional objects," Plotkin explained. Jivko is well known in Paris but with Axelle his work is being shown for the first time in the United States. Like all the Axelle artists, the gallery is his exclusive representative here.
Seasonal Selling
There is a seasonality to selling art. Plotkin explained that in the summer more of his sales are made to international tourists. "Many of the local people are away for the summer. I find it interesting; we're shipping paintings all over the world. In the fall, in October, the locals are back in." The group show they hold in the summer months allows visitors to Boston an opportunity to see more of the type of art the gallery represents.
Working with a Gallery
Galleries like Axelle build their reputations on service. They do far more for their clients and collectors than sell art. Naturally, they alert their regular customers when a new work might fit into a private collection.
They take paintings to homes, on approval, to allow the customer to see how the work will look in the setting. Once a painting is sold, "We do installation, I often wind up rearranging their other artwork," Plotkin said.
This is a gallery where browsers are treated as well as buyers. At Axelle, you'll learn about a very finely curated collection of artists who fit within a particular vision. Stop by on your next stroll down Newbury Street. Meet the staff and get to know the artists of Axelle Fine Arts.
There's always more to learn about the good things in life. Here are a couple of primers on Art.
Details:
Axelle Fine Arts, 91 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116, 617.450.0700
www.axelle.com ( map )
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Courtesy of Axelle Fine Arts
