honeyjones
On Valentine's Day weekend, we were fortunate to host several performances by local musician Richie Smith who paid homage to Myra's artwork in his Color Room. Scroll down for a description of the event along with images and video.
Myra Wilson
Written by Mark David Wilson
son of Myra Wilson
Myra Wilson was born in the Chicago suburbs.
In the late 1940s or early 1950s she and her husband moved to Manhasset, NY.
She started painting in the mid-1960s. She had been reading and studying books on contemporary art. One day while buying art supplies in a store, another customer brought one of her paintings into the store and Myra and this other lady started talking. This woman had been studying art in the basement of a home of a local college art teacher. Myra joined this other lady and began taking art lessons with this teacher as well.
During the summer months, the Wilsons spent time at their vacation condo on Westhampton Beach on Long Island, NY. Myra had at least one, possibly several, art shows for the other residents of the condo, in which she sold many of her paintings to other residents.
In the spring of 1975, Myra and her husband and their son moved to Concord, Massachusetts. She continued to paint. She often would invite people on her street and their friends over to the house to look at the artwork. Occasionally she would sell something.
Myra Wilson died in 1988 from a stroke.
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30 x 36 textured color-block fade composition, acrylic on canvas
Myra Wilson embarked on an artistic journey which began in mid-life and lasted throughout her final years on this earth. She experimented in abstracted form and color and expressionist styles inspired by contemporary 20th century masters as her own artistic vision and voice emerged.
From portraits that inspire an immediate emotional response to pristine abstract expressionist compositions and geo-abstracted studies to zoomorphic and brutalist design and more, Myra's collection is uniquely vibrant and vast, and offers us an innocent kiss or baby's breath of nostalgia.
It has been a journey for me as well, as gallerist, to attempt to know Myra through her art and be swept back in time from my own perspective in the process of documenting and presenting her art.
Thank you, Myra.
-Julie
honeyjones
Daydreamer, 19 x 24 acrylic on paper on board
Myra's work has been lovingly stored by her son Mark David Wilson, who has offered a few of Myra's works for sale to the public over the last several years. This is the first time since she exhibited her works for friends and neighbors that a significant and catalogued grouping of Myra's work has been presented to the general public.
On introductory view at honeyjones through February 13, 2022 (but remaining as part of the "permanent" gallery collection) this showing aims to highlight the specific styles to which Myra was drawn and in which she blossomed. It is by no means an exhaustive showing, as many more works are waiting to be uncovered.
Portraits
acrylic and paper and canvas, most unframed or unstretched
Framing and mounting options available upon request.
Abstract Expressionist Compositions
Geometric Studies and Minimalistic Forms
Graphic, Dichromatic, Zoomorphic Compositions
Richie Smith's Color Room
Can you see sounds? Can you hear colors? In Richie Smith's Color Room, the deeply personal experience of synesthesia is brought into real life in a dazzling display. This multimedia experience uses live guitar playing that controls color-changing lights all around the room. Every chord, key, and harmony has its own unique color palette and changes as each note moves. As the room fills with each vivid hue from the work, your favorite paintings are turned into music in real time and your favorite songs become lush colorscapes.
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Richie Smith is a Boston-based guitarist and composer whose music combines everything from jazz to rock, from contemporary classical to experimental music to make for an event to remember. Through technical virtuosity, creative effects, and exciting arrangements, Richie keeps listeners on the edge of their seats.
In addition to his solo music, he is the baritone guitarist of folk rock band Holystone. He frequently collaborates with drummer Zak King and Eric Klaxton of the Soggy Po’ Boys.
