FenceART is a public art project dedicated to bringing engaging art through neighborhoods throughout Newton.
Ellen Fisher, FenceART curator, explained the project’s history. “FenceART began in 2015, as a replacement for a short-lived program called BoxART; painted electrical boxes,” Fisher said. The concept for FenceART was inspired, in part, by the “Highland Bridge Art” project, which featured banners with local artists’ work hanging on the Newton Highlands train bridge.
Each year, a jury of professional artists selects 20 works created by Newton artists through an open call for submissions. With no artist fees required, the program fosters inclusivity, encouraging artists of all economic backgrounds to participate. The only stipulation is that the works must be well-executed and appropriate for public display outdoors. This allows a diverse range of styles and media to be represented, from sculpture to fabric, photography to digital art.
The banners, printed on durable vinyl, are rotated to four public locations around Newton for approximately 12 weeks. With each cycle, five different works are displayed, and over the course of a year, all 20 selected pieces will be shown at each location. At the end of the rotation, the banners are given back to the artists, adding a personal, tangible connection to the community project.
Currently, the durable vinyls are located at the Newton Public Library, a small library building located at Watertown and Bridge Street, a private fence at Parish of the Good Shepherd on Beacon Street in Waban, and a private fence at Newton Cemetery, on Beacon Street.
FenceART’s temporariness allows people to look at the art for a short period of time and then know that it’ll be moved, allowing something new to fill the space.
FenceART artist Marcus Parsons, shared his work and said, “I’ve been happy, and felt fortunate, to have my work on view around town in the FenceART way. The quality of the reproductions onto vinyl [for outdoor display] is remarkably good, and their size suits their purpose.”
Parsons has a current art piece called “Balance,” which is being displayed by FenceART. When asked about his inspiration, Parsons said, “I like to let people see my work without the influence of verbal ideas that I could introduce.”
“My paintings arrive quite spontaneously, without preconception,” said Parsons. “To begin them, I choose a brush, texture, and color, and make a mark or two on the iPad screen. Then I look. Almost always, something about the mark comes alive in my imagination. I proceed from there, bringing the painting further to life, mostly intuitively, including with a sense of how other people may see it. I love that process, and for many years have found myself absorbed in it almost every day.”
For Parsons, it is the joy that he gets from creating the art that he enjoys; people seeing it comes second.
FenceART is an overall good opportunity for artists all around the Newton area to display their art and know that other people get to see it as they go throughout town. The next time you’re passing by the Newton Public Library, take a moment to stop and appreciate the artwork displayed on the fences.
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