SBAA Members' Winning Entries at the Arts Affair, Marina Bay in Quincy, August 4th & 5th, 2018. Congratulations to all of our winners!
Photos by Judith Sweeney



GOING INTO EXILE
Painting by Dan McCole
Inspired by a short story by
Irish Writer - Liam O’Flaherty
(1886 – 1984)




The painting … ‘Going into Exile’ was inspired by the Liam O’Flaherty short story, “Going into Exile”. (My apologies to Liam for lifting his title but it is offered with great respect. and I couldn’t think of a better title.)
Going into Exile’ is set at almost any time in the last half of the 1800s and the early 1900s. Two eldest children … of Pat and Mrs. Feeney … are leaving their village on the small island of Inverara … off the Galway coast on the first step of their emigration to America.
O’Flaherty’s story, as beautifully as it is written, is a sad tale repeated throughout the years … around the Globe in other small villages … in other countries … by other families. Not enough work for the young to make a living wage and work toward future opportunities … as well as too many children for parents to feed.
In his story O’Flaherty describes a festive all-night party held for the youngsters Michael and Mary on the eve of their leaving for America. Back in that day … the costly fares and the long arduous boat trips literally turned the decision to emigrate into an ‘exile’. The all-night party is sometimes referred to as an ‘American Wake’.
The event was filled with music and dance, singing and laughter … all the night and well into the daybreak ... organized by the family to offset and disguise the heartbreak of the two youngsters and the family … who will never to see each other again.
O’Flaherty weaves the feelings of the parents, young Mary and Michael, their siblings, the young friends and local villagers, all they have ever known in their short lives … as they were about to leave.
Mrs. Feeney busied herself at the stove making sure that there was plenty … forcing her emotions away.
Throughout the night Pat Feeney would laugh and shout and encourage the music, the singing and the laughter … but at times he would step out the kitchen door and stand back against the gable wall staring off into the dark skies for many moments. Then give a swipe at his eyes and head back to the party.
And when dawn broke the villagers leave to begin their morning chores and to allow the family to these few moments alone. Pat called the children together around their hearth and assigned the daily chores, excluding Mary and Michael.
At that moment … being excluded from family chores … their emigration … their exile … had begun.

At last somebody said: “It’s broad daylight.” And immediately everybody looked out and said, “So it is, and may God be praised.” The morning light was sneaking over the cregs and the stars were growing dim. Cocks crew, blackbirds carolled , a dog let loose from a cabin by an early riser chased madly after an imaginary robber, barking as if his tail was on fire.”
The people said goodbye and went to their homes to see to the morning’s work.
All the family gathered in the kitchen. There were eight of them … the father and mother and six children. Tea was made and they sat about drinking it and eating raisin cake.
"Later, in the bedroom the son and daughter, on their knees, clung to their mother, who held their heads between her hands and rained kisses ravenously. The two children were sobbing freely.
Then the father came into the room. He coughed and said in a weak voice that was so strange to him, as he touched his son, “Come now, it is time.”
Mary and Michael got to their feet. The father sprinkled them with holy water and they crossed themselves. Then, without looking at their mother, who lay in the chair with her hands clasped on her lap, looking at the ground in a silent tearless stupor, they left the room. Each hurriedly kissed little Thomas, and then, hand in hand, they left the house. As Michael was going out the door he picked up a piece of loose whitewash from the wall and put it in his pocket.
Nobody spoke in the cabin for a long time. Then the mother rose and came into the kitchen. She looked at the hearth, as if she was looking for something she had lost. Then she threw her hands into the air and ran out into the yard.
“Come back she screamed; come back to me.”She looked wildly down the road. But there was nobody in sight. Nobody replied.
Two old women led her back in to the kitchen. There is nothing that time will not cure,” said one “Yes time and patience,” said the other.
____________________________
Again I apologize to O’Flaherty if I butchered the edited excerpts of his story in any unconstructive way.
The painting was also inspired by a scene from the movie, ‘Ryan’s Daughter’ … and through many moments spent during my own youth listening to the conversations at the kitchen table in South Boston.
In 1924 my parents left their home and families and friends in Donegal, Ireland and came to America as immigrants with three children. Others were born here (including me) until there were eight. My parents loved America with its great opportunities but when the aunts and uncles and friends from Donegal came to visit they would talk of ‘Home’ with the soft nodding of the heads followed by long stretches of silence … and their faraway staring.
            ‘Home' …….… their people .......... and their 'Exile’

_____________________________________________________________
         Hope to see you all at Quincy, Marina Bay, for the Annual Art Show. 10 to 5 Saturday and Noon to 5 Sunday. I'll be painting there, on the scene, each day ... the weather and the Almighty permitting.

Dan McCole



The kids Art Classes at the Laboure Center were a great success!

Thank you to East Boston Savings Bank for making them possible!

Photos by Judith Sweeney

Congratulations to member Deb Putnam for winning 2nd place with her painting "Out of the Blue" in the Annual Juried Arts Festival at Massasoit Community College in Canton Mass., May 20, 2018

Congratulations to member  Judith Sweeney for receiving an honorable mention for her photograph "Waiting for Breakfast" in the Annual Juried Arts Festival at Massasoit Community College in Canton Mass. , May 20, 2018

May SBAA Monthly Meeting

Guest artist and member

Peter Golemme performs at the South Boston Arts Association May Monthly Meeting,

Saturday May 12, 2018



video courtesy Deb Putnam

Photo courtesy Joanne McDevitt

Show your support for

the Arts in South Boston!


SBAA Mugs now available!

only $10


Available on our website or at the

Arts around the Corner Gallery,

317 E street in South Boston

The South Boston Arts Association

would like to thank

East Boston Savings Bank

for their generous grant,

which has made the

Children's Art Classes at the Laboure Center possible.

April SBAA Monthly Meeting

SBAA Member, Southie Artist and BFD Fire Chief Tommy Cherry gave us a compelling painting demo at our monthly meeting, Saturday, April 14.

He demonstrated his process and techniques with a quick Boston Harbor Tall Ships painting.


Photos by Joanne McDevitt

March SBAA Monthly Meeting
Saturday March 10, 10 am at Laboure Center, 
Special guest artists Tom and Patricia Steiner presented some of their paintings
and discussed inspiration, technique, materials, and ideas.
Photos by Joanne McDevitt

Below Feb 10 SBAA monthly meeting with Glenn and Janice Williams.
Photos by Joanne McDevitt
Thank you to guest artist Dorothy Morris at our meeting on January 20. Dorothy read from her amazing book of poetry, "A Thousand Miles" and displayed her wonderful artwork. 
Congratulations
2017 Gingerbread House Contest Winners

First Place (pictured)
Maddy Bonnanzio
Second Place
Gina Provencher
Third Place
Olivia and Andrew Arana

Sponsored by Dedham Savings Bank
and South Boston Arts Association
 

Packed room at the  SB Library Kids Gingerbread Build. Thank you to all.

See more photos

Thank you for all who joined us for
Social at the Arts Around the Corner Gallery

SBAA Board member Dorothy Morris was a guest on Boston Neighborhood Network News to discuss the poetry event on this Saturday at the SB Library 1:30-3:30. See video here

Congratulations to SBAA Member Tom Steiner. 1st prize for "Wellfleet Beekeepers" at Creative Art Center's Member Show-Chatham.
l.
 

South Boston Arts Association (SBAA) youth art classes at former Edison Plant, 776 Summer Street, South Boston. Over 20 youth from the community (including youth from the South Boston Neighborhood House  and South Boston Health Center) are participating at no cost, compliments of the SBAA. Special thanks to Ralph Cox along with Greg Bialecki of Redgate/Hilco, the developers of the property for supporting art in the neighborhood. Also in photo is Judith Sweeney, SBAA Board Treasurer. Photo credit: SBAA board member Joanne McDevitt.
More Photos
Member Dorothy Morris was a guest on 
"It's All About Arts" television program on Monday July 10 to discuss her book of poems "A Thousand Miles" and her paintings. Watch video
Member Patricia Steiner shown here at the reception for a group exhibit she was chosen for at Medicine Wheel. Located at 110 K Street, 2nd floor, South Boston. Through August 18th.

Member Deb Putnam was the Featured Artist for the June 17 edition of Boston City Paper. See more of Deb's work at her website

On June 7, the community met at the Tynan School to see a presentation on the proposed development of the L Street Edison Plant. SBAA has been working hard to advocate for arts and culture space at the development.
Here is an excerpt from a report about the project:
"The project design has been shaped by a robust community engagement process and guided by hundreds of comments and recommendations by South Boston neighbors. It will bring new energy to the previously inaccessible site by providing a vibrant mix of uses , new public amenities, new "Arts and Industry" space for local artists, artisans and makers, and flexible outdoor public spaces. It will function to integrate and connect the South Boston Neighborhood, serving as a transition point between the industrial uses to the north and east, and the residential areas to the south".
We need your support to make sure that arts remains a strong element in this development. Call SBAA President Dan McCole 617 464-4237 if you can help with this project.

Photo Credit SBAA member Harry Brett

Congratulations to SBAA Member Patricia Steiner. She is the featured

artist in the 5/20/17 issue of the

Boston City Paper.

Read bio article from paper.


Thank you to all who attended our Hearty Arty Party on May 3 at CAPO Restaurant. We appreciate the support of our members and the community for a very successful evening. Special thanks for Eveline Johnson for taking great photos of the evening.
View more photos here.
Special  thanks to sponsors Mike Foley, Fred Gordon (Distillery Artists Building), Fred Melchin and CAPO Restaurant.

"The Clydesdales on Broadway" a watercolor by Dan McCole, President of the South Boston Arts Association. Read about the adventures of this painting.

SBAA Member Dorothy E. Morris to exhibit in group show, "For the Love of Flowers" at the BNN Neighborhood Art Gallery during March and April 2017. Art Reception on Monday March 6 from 5:30-7 pm. Details.

Congratulations
DOROTHY E. MORRIS
 NEW POETRY VOLUME
“A THOUSAND MILES”
Thank You
Demo by Thomas R. Dunlay on Jan. 23
Renowned International Artist
Visit his website
Photo by Harry Brett
Our general meeting for April (Monday evening April 10) will be held at the Edison site on L Street and our guest speakers will be Developer Attorney Bill Coyne and two other representatives from the Hilco - Redgate site firm. A two-story yellow brick building is located on L Street  nearer the Boston side of the Edison site will be the meeting location. Some parking on the site could be available. More on that later ... and will be included with explicit directions for the meeting. 
So have your questions ready. This will be a great opportunity.  [email protected]
SBAA Members Patricia Steiner and Tom Steiner on exhibit the South Boston Library through February, 2016
SBAA Member William Frew featured in the Boston City Paper. His painting "Early Snow South Boston" was the cover image for December 24, 2016.
Annual Event - More Photos
SBAA members helped kids create gingerbread houses at the South Boston Library on Monday Dec.19, 2016.
Watch Video of Event
Dan McCole, President of SBAA showing off the winner of the business category (Dedham Savings Bank) of the SBAA Annual Gingerbread House Competition as a fundraiser for Toys for Tots. More photos 

Pictured:
SBAA Members welcome visitors to the Arts Around the Corner Gallery during the South Boston Holiday Stroll. Shop the gallery for unique and beautiful gifts.

Watch "It's All About Arts" Show featuring SBAA artists here!
SBAA President Dan McCole and SBAA Member Paul Christian (shown above) at BNN Neighborhood Art Gallery reception on Nov. 7. Dan and Paul were guests on "It's All About Arts" TV program that evening as well. Exhibit is ongoing and open to the public through end of December.  More about exhibit - click here.

The South Boston Arts Association was created with the intention of pursuing, supporting & promoting the arts in South Boston.


The Association is made up of members from all forms of the arts, including painting, sculpture, photography, writing, poetry, music,

dance, and theater,

just to mention a few.


The SBAA is open to all.

Being an artist is not required to become a member. All who have

an interest in art and community are

welcome to join. 


Please join us at our

monthly meetings for some coffee, conversation & art and bring a friend!

See calendar for

dates and locations.

Show your support

for the Arts in

South Boston!


SBAA Mugs

now available!


only $10

plus $7.50 shipping

or purchase at

the Arts Around the Corner Gallery!

Buy art from local artists at our Arts Around the Corner Gallery located at 317 E. Street in South Boston
Click here for more info.

Thank You to our Sponsors
Massport

CALENDAR

Please support an arts and cultural space at the
Edison Plant development
for our community.
Call Dan McCole to find out how you can help. 617 464-4237
Please take our brief survey to see how we can better serve the arts and culture community of South Boston. Click Here

Find Unique Gifts at our
Arts Around the Corner Gallery  at 317 E. Street
in South Boston.
Click here for more info

FOLLOW US!