I have two photographs on display at West Newton Cinema, an art-house international and indie film movie theater. Stop by the cinema if you’re in the area or read my artist statement below, explaining what’s behind the photographs.
In Dreams Glass Portrait, Metal Print
This portrait is part of my photographic series, “Glass Portraits,” which analyzes the intricacies of personality. What we see on the outside may not be what is on the inside. Personality is complex: it can be shaped by one’s environment or deeply ingrained by our genes.
The photographs in the series are an amalgam of natural glass filters, such as vases, and portraits. Together, these components reflect the convolution of personality. Color gives way to show internal emotions. An eerie blue-green hue, commonly used in science fiction films, gives an other-worldly feel. Certain facial features are made more prominent by the use of light, color, and shadows.
The glass serves as a barrier: representing disconnectedness. Bubbles and imperfections in the glass disrupt the portrait by literally poking holes, thereby pointing out gaps or changes in character. Overall, personality has layers—just like the portraits in this series—and is malleable, like glass.
Palm Abstract, Inkjet Print
In my artwork, I like to push past reality, into another realm, so that the outcome is symbolic. Instead of showing a true representation of what I saw in the moment, I like to enhance a feeling. The palm tree leaves in this photograph represent a power struggle through bold color juxtaposition, texture, and the interplay of shapes.
Jutting out across the photograph, the leaves point you in a particular direction. However, there is tension because one’s eye is also forced to look in the opposite direction due to a palm in the background, which goes against the grain. It drips down to the ground, almost as if it were taking on the human emotion of crying.
Below are photographs from the reception, courtesy of Erik Gehring, a BCC member and former President.
The photographs are on display on the second floor of West Newton Cinema from May 6 until June 29. Take in a unique film while also enjoying a variety of photographs of places from around the world.
I have a confession: I’ve been a hoarder this year.
Negative connotations probably take hold of the psyche with the mere mention of the word “hoard.” Visions of junk pervade the mind. However, obsessively collecting possessions in pack rat fashion is not the type of hoard I mean.
I’ve been hoarding something that doesn’t take up space and is invisible. I’ve been collecting it through abstinence.
The construct I’ve been accumulating is time. I’ve taken less than one week of vacation all year.
I survived by capitalizing on long holiday weekends and traveling to nearby states. I worked from home occasionally, which felt like a holiday being in pajamas on a Tuesday.
Don’t get me wrong: I vacationed. I went to Mexico and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I spaced that trip out among the other days I used. I also took mental holidays away from the hustle of life.
I sacrificed using up my vacation time because I knew the reward of having a massive amount of vacation in the new year would be worth it.
I leave you with a staycation in North Point Park.
Sipping Kraken rum and coke, I chatted with the drag queen next to me. We were in the bowels of the Trophy Room, a bar in Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts. This historic neighborhood is known for well-preserved Victorian brownstones, restaurants, and stylish boutiques.
The room was abuzz with other models and designers like me, who were prepping for the Halloween Project Runway-style competition, “Walk the Plank: Fashion Show Party.” I was up against nine talented designers. We were battling for the best pirate-inspired garb. Our instruction was to design a costume based on our interpretation of the theme “pirate.” Three-hundred dollars was on the line.
The competition was judged by fashion blogger, Elissa Garza, of StyleWire. Elissa pens articles on “Boston adventure, fashion, and lifestyle.”
Meanwhile, the party had already started upstairs with master and commander, Max Kaplan, creator of FOMO Prescription, at the helm. His curated weekly emails detail the best events around Boston and also include events managed by him.
As I scanned the myriad of colors from the costumes in the room, my eyes landed back on the drag queen, Severity Stone, who was the MC of the fashion show. I looked through her enormous false lashes as she explained that Monday is the best night for Boston drag show viewing.
Elissa came down to wish us good luck. As she sneaked a peek at our designs, her eye caught sight of the fake pet rat that sat on my shoulder.
Mid-show, it was my turn to model my costume. I emerged from behind the curtain and walked to Severity’s reading of my description of my character and costume:
Beware the pirate Alison, known as the Rat Queen, whose curious appellation derives from the feral companion who sits upon her shoulder. His name be Squeaky.
She uses the golden rope that hangs from her black leather belt to wrestle down her prey. Remnants of her last meal devoured on the shores of Africa proudly plume from her leather hat.
Her white ruffled blouse is cinched by a black baldric and fashionably accented by amber jewels that were commandeered during her recent privateering voyage to the Baltic Sea.
The Rat Queen is as dangerous on land as on sea. In need of a sword, she ransacked an ancient house in Sandwich on Cape Cod Bay and discovered a shoe rack from which she built her deadly sword. In the dusty attic she found a fringed red scarf which she courageously transformed into a skirt to gird her loins. A tattered and worn scarf illustrates the rugged glory of the fashionable pirate queen.
Beware, her reputation precedes her: if ye be caught stealing a coin from her hat, know that the Rat Queen shall let loose her boon companion, Squeaky, who shall wreak havoc upon thee.
As I strutted down the runway, event photographer, Chorale Miles, whose photographs you see here, flashed away.
In the end, it was the detail of my costume and the crowds’ cheers that allowed me to take home the prize.
The Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts is eighty miles long and flows through twenty-three communities. It is recognized around the country for it’s fantastic Independence Day celebration at the Hatch Shell, which features the Boston Pop’s concert and a fireworks display.
There are several ways to explore this beautiful river. Below is a list of twenty-one activities to try when visiting the Charles River. Whether you are living in the city or are traveling from afar, this list can help you discover fantastic views of the city. A monthly list of events follows to aid in planning for upcoming events.
Evening Sets in Over Boston
21 Activities To Try On The Charles
1) Running
2) Rowing
3) Cycling
4) Slacklining
5) Group Exercise Classes (Free Zumba, CrossFit, yoga, and running)
Peering from Behind a Weeping Willow
6) Kayaking
7) Sailing
8) Boating
9) Duck Tour
10) Stand Up Paddling (SUP)
Boston Sunset
11) Dragon Boat
12) Gondola Tour
13) Lounging on the Docks
14) Picnic
15) Ice Cream Stroll
Lily pads on the Esplanade
16) Roller Blading
17) Skateboarding
18) Skulling
19) Festival-going
20) Swimming (At own risk! For the first time in over fifty years public swimming was permitted in 2013.)
21) Hatch Shell Concert
Sunset From Cambridge
List of Events By Month
April
Earth Day: Charles River Cleanup
Charles River Watershed Association’s Run of the Charles
Recreation Sundays (Memorial Drive closes the road for recreation.)
May
March of Dimes March for Babies
Esplanade 5k Dash
Recreation Sundays
Lying on the Esplanade
June
Charles River Annual Swim
Hong Kong Boston Dragon Boat Festival
AIDS Walk & 5K Run
Children’s Hospital Walk
Recreation Sundays
Dragon Boat Festival
July
Fourth of July Concert
WBZ Free Friday Flicks
Earthfest
Free Zumba
Recreation Sundays
Free Sunset Yoga
Free CrossFit
Free Run Club
City Lights Reflecting on the River
August
Recreation Sundays
Sailing
September
Boston Heart Walk
Recreation Sundays
MIT Sailing Pavilion
October
Head of the Charles
5k Walk for Diabetes
Breast Cancer Walk
Recreation Sundays
Walk for Hunger
Towers along Memorial Drive
November
Recreation Sundays
The Charles River has a plethora of fun activities to take advantage of, especially in warmer months. Whatever your favorite activity, use this guide to try something new, such as joining a walk for a good cause or slacklining on the esplanade. If there is an activity or event I missed, please comment below!
Celebrities, musicians, and presidents’ vacation on an island off the coast of Massachusetts, only accessible by boat and air. Among the long list of well known vacationers are President Obama, the Clintons, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Diane Sawyer, and Ted Danson. The late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ted Kennedy, and Walter Cronkite all had ties to the Vineyard as well.
Driftwood Flower Box
Beautiful beaches, restaurants, and nature trails line the island. Locally made artisan goods are sold at outdoor flea markets. Farm fresh eggs and local produce can be found at road-side stands. Combined, the six towns that make up Martha’s Vineyard have a lot to offer.
Dog Boarding
Originally populated by the Wampanoag American Indian tribe, the Vineyard is now known as an affluent summer destination. Martha’s Vineyard was the name given to a small island south of the main island in 1602 by English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold. Later, the main island took the name Martha’s Vineyard. Martha is thought to have been Gosnold’s mother-in-law or his second child.
Great Rock Bight
English settlers joined the Wampanoag tribe in populating the island when Thomas Mayhew purchased the island from English “owners”, along with neighboring Nantucket and the Elizabeth Islands. Mayhew honored the native’s land rights and therefore they were friendly with one another.
Martha’s Vineyard is made up of six towns; Tisbury (which includes Vineyard Haven and West Chop), West Tisbury, Oak Bluffs (incuding East Chop), Edgartown (inducing islands Chappaquidick, or “Chappy”, and Katama), Chilmark (including Menemsha), and Aquinnah (where the Wampanoag tribe is located).
Menemsha
Each town has a unique offering. In Oak Bluffs, where the Flying Horses Carousel is located, children can try their chance at receiving a free ride if they catch the brass ring.
Another notable feature of Oak Bluffs is the community of multicolored gingerbread cottages. The best time to enjoy the cottages is on Grand Illumination Night, when all the gingerbread houses decorate with colorful Chinese and Japanese lanterns and bands play at the Tabernacle.
Lantern in my Aunt’s garden, which reminds me of Illumination Night.
My favorite activity in Aquinnah is to walk along Moshup Beach and admire the dramatic red, orange, white, and beige clay cliffs. There is also a lighthouse to explore, fantastic views, and tribal stores.
In Chilmark, as you pass by mailboxes bearing names like “Chillhead,” you eventually find the cozy fishing village of Menemsha, where you can walk out on the jetty and take in a sunset. Chilmark also has Great Rock Bight, a preserve you can hike to get to a rocky beach with rock sculptures.
If you need a break from the beach, check out locally made goods at the flea market, which provide such treasures as sea glass necklaces or framed photographs of the island.
In the largest town, Edgartown, you can catch some waves at Katama/South Beach or do some shopping downtown.
Explore and you shall find…
Sometimes, though, it is the seclusion that makes the vineyard special. Tucked away, down a dirt road in the middle of the woods, I find my aunt and uncle’s house. Here, I can peacefully lie in a hammock, wander through their exquisite garden, or walk the back trails by a horse farm and admire a tiny pond most vacationers will never see. I can rummage through old records in their basement then dance to them in the kitchen while preparing a meal of island-grown produce.
Yes, please.Among the Trees
On this particular morning, I woke up and decided to wander out the front door with a bowl to pick berries to add to my breakfast. As I approach the blackberry briar, I hear some rustling to my right. I look up to see a deer bounding from the blueberry patch into the forest.
Blueberries, blackberries, and huckleberries from the yard.Focusing on which berries to pick prior to a deer bounding past.
After collecting berries, I sit on the deck with my coffee, breakfast spread, and a good book.
Fresh Picked From the Front Yard
There is so much more to share about the vineyard, but for now, I leave you with a list of some of my favorite beaches:
1. Best beach/pond combination (so you can have the juxtaposition of wild ocean and calm pond water): Long Point Wildlife Refuge, West Tisbury
Long Point Wildlife Refuge
2. Best social scene/off roading beach: Katama/South Beach, Edgartown
3. Best hiking beach: Great Rock Bight, Chilmark
4. Most scenic beach: Moshup Beach, Aquinnah
Clay Cliffs at Moshup Beach in AquinnahMulti-colored clay along Moshup Beach
5. Best Private/Most obscure rock creation beach: Lucy Vincent, Chilmark
Lucy Vincent – Chilmark resident only beach
Interesting Rock formations on Lucy Vincent
6. Best boardwalk run/bike then jump in ocean off a bridge beach: Joseph Sylvia State Beach, Oak Bluffs
7. Best lobster dinner while watching sunset beach: Menemsha Town Beach
Salty delight: my palate experiences a fresh liquid consistency that satisfies my weekend seafaring mindset. A burst of flavor comes from horseradish and cocktail sauce, which only accentuates the taste of the oyster.
I am in a town that was originally named “Port Aux Huitres,” or Oyster Port.
Oysters were collected by my friend at 3pm and on our plate by 7pm. It was nice to know, for once, how fresh my seafood was.
Atop a cliff at Lecount Hollow Beach, also referred to as Maguire’s Landing.
Port Aux Huitres is now called Wellfleet, which either comes from “Whale Fleet”, a nod to the prominence of whaling during the time of renaming, or, as others dispute, it refers to a popular English brand of oysters.
Indeed, Wellfleet has a history of many names. Upon being settled in the 1650’s and encompassing more land, including, Eastham, it was called “Billingsgate”, after a fish market in East London.
In my blog post, Montréal; a dual post on Burlington,Vermont and Montreal, I mention French explorer Samuel de Champlain for whom Lake Champlain is named. Champlain also discovered Wellfleet in 1606. It wasn’t settled until the 1650’s.
Hiking the Bay side of Wellfleet
This coastal town is nestled in the hook, or “elbow” of Massachusetts. Wellfleet is home to fishermen, artists, and frequented by some well-known leftist intellectuals, such as Noam Chomsky; “father of modern linguistics” and political commentator, and Howard Zinn; historian and author of A People’s History of the United States of America.
Some young locals I’ve met over the years who live in Wellfleet year round make their living in the summer months and travel to exotic coastal locales in the winter, where they can keep the beach days alive and continue surfing in hot weather. When summer arrives here, droves of day-trippers and vacationers flock.
Sand Art
Wellfleet is roughly 70% preserved land, half of which is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, which was created by President John F. Kennedy to protect ponds, woods, and beachfront. The town is not only home to ocean, but several ponds. Beachgoers have their choice of calm or active water.
The shore stretches on for miles and has dramatic cliffs and bluffs. Low tide can be fun with tide pools available to discover aquatic life. Wave size varies by beach, even though they are along the same coast, with some better for surfing and others for calm swimming.
Cahoon Hollow Beach is dramatic in scenery, with a steep drop from the parking lot to the beach. This is the party beach of Wellfleet, with a young crowd playing water sports and volleyball. Completing your beach experience is The Beachcomber, a restaurant and bar, were you can grab a cocktail and relax at the raw bar after your swim. If you are staying in town, you can take in live music at night.
Down the road is White Crest Beach, which is less crowded and one of the best for surfing. It is also the only town-owned beach where hang gliding is allowed.
Still, further down the road lies a beach with a steep walk to the sand. LeCount Hollow, also known as Maguire’s Landing. This beach is less crowded than Cahoon Hollow, but is gorgeous, and has an ice cream truck for those who want to enjoy a sweet treat.
Shoe collection of beachgoers at LeCount’s
If you’re looking for beautiful National Seashore beaches, Nauset and Marconi are nearby. Marconi Beach, in South Wellfleet, was named after Guglielmo Marconi, the Italian inventor, who, in 1903, carried out the first trans-Atlantic wireless transmission between the United States and England. The first call sign was “CC” for Cape Cod.
Snap Shot:
Known for: Oysters
Best Activity: Beach
Buy local catches/Enjoy ice cream at: Mac’s Seafood
Best Nightlife: The Beachcomber
If you’re in the mood for reading more on Noam Chomsky at a local haunt in Wellfleet (i.e the town dump), check out the article below, written by Lydia Millet and published in the Columbia Journal.
I have two photographs on display at West Newton Cinema, an art-house international and indie film movie theater. Stop by the cinema if you’re in the area or read my artist statement below, explaining what’s behind the photographs.
Travels With Alison 