Visit the article about "keeping old school crafts and handmade aliive" that went out on Facebook. https://takingthekids.com/massachusetts-schools-keeping-old-school-crafts-and-handmade-skills-alive-ea9299e7/

With incredible wit and poignancy, four Boston area artists Merill Comeau, Keith Francis, Shea Justice and Adrienne Sloane, hold the mirror up to our struggling and fractured democracy, asking us to not look away, and challenging us to live up to the founding ideals of our nation. “Art has always played a crucial role in the story of democracy, as a voice of the people, a tool of resistance, and a mirror reflecting both hope and hardship. In times of oppression, artists have dared to speak truth to power, illuminating injustice and amplifying the struggles of everyday people. Art is a lifeline to democratic ideals, keeping the balance of “rule by the people” alive and in check.” Rachel Rose Moore Artscope Review Article Artwork by Keith Francis- "The Invasion" Opening Reception by Jason Ross

We are thrilled to announce an exciting upcoming joint exhibition presented by LexArt and our neighbors at the Arlington Center for the Arts (ACA): “Between Here and There.” This multimedia show brings our two artistic communities together to celebrate the places we call home through the lens of the five senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. We are calling on Youth ages 5–15 and Adults 16+ to share work that captures what your community feels like to you. About the Theme: What does your community feel like to you? Is it the vibrant sight of fall leaves in a local park, the comforting smell of woodsmoke on a winter evening, the taste of a favorite summer town treat, or the morning sound of neighborhood birds? We invite interpretations of sensory experiences in all media. While we love art featuring Lexington and Arlington specifically, but we welcome all submissions exploring sensory themes! Selected works will be displayed at either LexArt’s Molly Nye Gallery or ACA’s Shaira Ali Gallery, creating a dual-town celebration of what makes our region an exciting place to live and create. Key Exhibition Details Exhibition Dates: January 9 – March 7, 2027 Submission Deadline: December 3, 2026 Eligibility: Artists of all ages (Youth: 5–15 | Adults: 16+) Important Dates & Locations LexArt (Molly Nye Gallery — Lexington, MA) Drop-off: January 4–5, 2027 Gallery Opens: January 9, 2027 Opening Reception: Sunday, January 10, 2027 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Arlington Center for the Arts (Shaira Ali Gallery — Arlington, MA) Drop-off: December 14–19, 2026 (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM) Gallery Opens: January 9, 2027 Opening Reception: Friday, January 29, 2027 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM How to Submit Please prepare your entry and submit before the December 3, 2026 deadline. Adults 16+ Submission Link and Youth ages 5–15 Submission Link (Youth Submission Fee Payment link) Whether you are a seasoned adult artist or a budding youth creator, we cannot wait to see how you bring the sights, sounds, and textures of your community to life.

As a volunteer you are the lifeblood of the LexArt community! The LexArt Board of Directors celebrated and thanked all of our volunteers support of our mission! This was an opportunity for the Board Members meet with with our volunteers and learn more about what sparks joy for them at LexArt. Photos by Nicole Mordecai

https://artscopemagazine.com/2026/09/op-eds-messages-to-america-at-lexart/

August 8 -30, 2026 Exhibit hours: 11-5pm Tue-Sun Reception: August 29 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm At This Moment celebrates painting in all its forms and its long-standing role in how people express themselves. The exhibition welcomes work in all painting media, as well as collage and mixed-media pieces with a strong painted element. The exhibit will be juried by Deborah Krieger, Outreach and Research Manager at Louis Stern Fine Arts. The show will be displayed in our Molly Harding Nye Gallery, an outstanding museum-style exhibition space. Cash prizes will be awarded by the juror during the opening reception. Visit the Online Gallery Here Deborah Krieger is based in Los Angeles, where she is the Outreach and Research Manager at Louis Stern Fine Arts, a historical art gallery in West Hollywood. She previously served as the Exhibit & Program Coordinator at the Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket, Rhode Island; the Curatorial Fellow at the David Winton Bell Gallery of Brown University; and the Curatorial Assistant at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, Delaware. She has an M.A. in Public Humanities from Brown University and a B.A. in Art History from Swarthmore College and is the recipient of a Fulbright Combined Grant to Vienna, Austria. Her arts writing has been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hyperallergic, Artillery Magazine, and the Artblog, among other outlets. Accepted Artists in the show

Then & Now is a juried exhibit that focuses on the collaboration of two artists that are separated by a generation. The idea is to represent how a generational age gap has influenced both artists’ works. This exhibit will showcase the inspiration in works by artists that are related, teacher and student, mentor and mentee, friends, or any other type of connection. The art should reflect why both artists can work together, or their work has inspired one another and is shown in each other’s pieces. The artwork to be displayed in this show will have a meaningful connection between the two artists’ pieces. One of the ways is by collaborating on a single piece or to show how both artists have inspired each other in their works. Juror: Christopher Alessandrini is a writer and art critic from Lexington, Massachusetts. Currently based in New York, he works as managing editor of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's online magazine, Perspectives. He is a regular contributor to Frieze magazine, and his writing on art has appeared in The New York Review of Books, The Brooklyn Rail, CURA., Interview, and elsewhere. His short story"Maverick Road" was published in Five Stories for Philip Guston (2024) Accepted Artists Opening Reception Photos taken by Jason Ross

Art of Life, Art for Life a special exhibit honoring LexArt member and life-long Lexingtonian Wilda Ward on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Over 40 artists join Wilda exhibiting works celebrating the enduring relationship between art and life, drawing inspiration from themes that embody Wilda’s passionate engagement with creativity and community. Themes include: • The creation of art as a means to remain youthful, vibrant, and actively engaged with the world and those around us. • The sharing of art as a communal experience, fostering connection and understanding among individuals and groups. • Integrating art and craft into daily living as a source of enrichment and inspiration. Opening Reception/ Wilda's Birthday Celebratiion by Jason Ross

The Lexington Arts and Crafts society will receive $1 for each $2.50 reusable Community Bag sold throughout the month of August 2026 at your designated Stop & Shop location(s): Lexington Stop & Shop 36 Bedford Street, Lexington MA

Congratulations Phil! Need a little inspiration - read Phil's latest two articles found on Fine Woodworking's website: https://www.finewoodworking.com/2026/06/25/7-habits-of-highly-effective-woodworkers-2 https://www.finewoodworking.com/2026/06/02/the-key-to-getting-ahead-is-getting-started

The Chinese Painting Guild is pleased to present Spirit of the East, an exhibition of member works at the Betty Meyers Gallery, located within the Untied Parish of Auburndale. Running from June 6 through July 7, the show primarily features artists who have studied under the celebrated Chinese brush painter and teacher, Qingxiong Ma. Please join us for the Opening Reception on Saturday, June 6 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm to celebrate these beautiful works. 64 Hancock St, Auburndale, MA 02466 Monday-Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm https://www.chinesepaintingguild.com/events.html

Featuring artwork from the Communications, Art and Design Department at Middlesex Community College, this exhibition showcases the faculty’s ongoing work as practicing professional artists. Representing a range of disciplines, the collection reflects the depth of technical mastery and creative vision sustained through their dedicated studio practices and continued contributions to the contemporary art field. Artwork: Angela Alés_ Garden Of Eve Exhibiting Artists: Tracey Erskine Courtney Wilson Sally Dion Tim Palin Erick Maldonado Daniel Lloyd-Miller Jen Bauer Angela Ales Yary Livan John Kondra Jeff Caplan Francois-Xavier De Costerd

At the prestigious Ward World Championship held this past April in Ocean City, Maryland, Dircks’ sculpture, “Fireworks,” earned a Second Best in World award. The sculpture features male and female goldfinches interacting on a coneflower plan. This triumph is a point of pride for the local arts community, particularly at LexArt, where Dircks has honed his craft in birdcarving classes with instructor Jane Layton for the past three years. He has also expanded his expertise through personal instruction from master carvers Floyd Scholz of Vermont and Josh Guge of Illinois. Dircks’ artistic philosophy goes beyond merely replicating a bird’s physical appearance; he strives to capture its unique essence, character, motion, and attitude, all while seamlessly integrating the subject into an authentic habitat. Achieving this level of realism requires mastering a staggering array of disciplines. His process blends woodcarving, metalwork, soldering, welding, pyrography (for fine feather detailing), embossing, epoxy sculpting, painting, and even furniture woodworking to create the bases for his birds. It is a diverse skillset that Dircks continuously refines. “Each of my birds is a learning experience and a journey into the unknown,” Dircks shared. “I come out the other side with more knowledge and understanding of the vast array of tools at my disposal. I enjoy challenging myself with each bird to try new techniques, poses and structural problem solving. It keeps my brain sharp and my creativity juiced”. Already an award-winning portrait artist, illustrator, and designer, Dircks discovered birdcarving in his early 60s and never looked back. The craft perfectly marries his lifelong fascination with birds—especially songbirds—with his extensive background in painting, sculpting, and woodworking. He credits his portraiture expertise for his ability to bring such vibrant, lifelike character to his avian subjects. His rapid ascent in the carving world has been notable. Within just a few years of starting, he was turning heads at regional and national competitions with his action-filled pieces. Today, his growing acclaim in this highly specialized art form has led to a steady stream of commission work. This busy schedule runs alongside the intensive time he dedicates to his competition pieces, each of which can demand a month or more of meticulous labor to complete. The Ward World Championship is widely recognized as the largest and most prestigious birdcarving competition on the globe. Celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, the April event draws elite carvers from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Visitors to the Roland E. Powell Convention Center can view roughly 1,200 wildfowl carvings representing over 150 species, a testament to the incredible global talent on display. Learn more about Dave and his birdcarvings at https://davedircks.com/

On display now at the Peabody Essex Museum - Thru June 7, 2026 https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/edmonia-lewis-said-in-stone Learn more about this brave young female.......