Hopkinton’s newest art gallery, housed on one level of the Bates building, will be making a name for itself in December.
The House of Art, run by Ruth Chevion, opened earlier this year. This month, it will highlight three artists over the course of the month.
Currently on display is holiday pieces by Barb Diaz of Hopkinton. The reception was held last week and will be up through Sunday.
“Cards and prints are flying out of the gallery,” Chevion said. There will be additional hours to view the scenes for Starry, Starry Weekend on Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The next exhibit will be ten sculptures by Rachel Montroy of Hopkinton titled “The Beauty Within.”
“Rachel Montroy’s work took my breath away when I first saw it,” Chevion said. “I’m telling you right now: Do not miss this show.”
It will only be on display for two weeks before heading to other locations across the country. Montroy’s exhibit will be on display from Dec. 13 to 22. A reception will be held Dec. 13 from 4 to 7 p.m.
“My sculptures are personal meditations on the beauty of natural forms and their growth, physically and metaphorically,” Montroy wrote in her artist statement. “The pieces in this show are hybrids of flowers, seeds, marine life, fruit, succulents and more, all combined in a way intending to provoke contemplation.”
The sculptures combine ceramics with felt sometimes unrecognizable shapes, sometimes evocative of natural creation.
“Rachel’s work hits right at what I’m specifically looking for in art,” Chevion said. “It’s not a still life, and it’s not a landscape. It’s not portrait, and it’s not even abstract. It’s something I call Queer But Strangely Beautiful, or QBSB. I feel the need to see things of this nature, things that are quirky, off the grid, bizarrish, onto-the-next in some way.”
The second show, ca lled “The Road,” will be of paintings by London-based artist Emilie Fischer Field. It will open Dec. 27 and run through February.
“That show combines fully bloomed surreal weirdness with masterly painting technique,” Chevion said.
“It also hits the mark of QBSB and high-quality professional artwork.”
Chevion previously had a studio in her home and shown in group shows. A few years ago, she and Laurette Carroll had a show called “Two Women Painting” with about 50 pieces of art each that showcased their full ranges as artists that was very successful, Chevion said. When the Bates Building became available to rent, Chevion said she saw an opportunity to mount solo shows for artists who were ready to see their work presented as a whole.
“In my heart, I hoped to find someone really great. I know there are many good artists in our area, but is there anyone great?” Chevion said of the upcoming shows. “That’s the amazing part of this adventure: I think I have found not one but two artists who are great, and each one agreed to a show at the gallery.”