Good Morning Lacquered Lifers! This week I had the opportunity to go to The George Gallery for a preview of artist Brian Coleman’s new show, which opens tonight. As a preservationist and a lover of neighborhoods, I cannot do a post on art at The George Gallery without talking about the gallery first. The beautiful sun-lit gallery space is located at 50 Bogard Street, in Elliotborough, in a nineteenth century building that at one time housed a grocery store. The high ceilings, white walls (Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White), and large storefront windows combine to create a brightness in the space that can only be described as perfect for viewing art. And in this case, Brian Coleman’s art, an artist whose pieces truly shine in a space where the light is constantly changing and allows you to appreciate the nuances of color and texture that appear in his work. It was hard to pick a favorite. For a moment I would think I had found one, and then something in the adjacent piece would catch my eye and my fancy for a while, until another piece would beckon me for a closer look. I  must have done at least five laps around the space. Another wonderful thing about The George Gallery is its owner, Anne, who is so much fun to be around and enjoy art with. Despite the fact that she is in the business of art, her enthusiasm and excitement over the pieces is contagious, and you feel her learning from and appreciating the pieces alongside you. What a treat. I think my favorite is the one on the right in this picture, titled, “Everything We Had and Did.” Anne was convinced it was because I love and respond to architecture, and this piece probably has more boxes and straight lines than any other in the show. I tend to agree with her. Plus, it is very blue – and we know how I feel about blue … And then there was this piece, “Anywhere But In Between.” The green and the blue, the straight lines, I don’t know but this might be the one too … So come to The George Gallery, TONIGHT, from 5:00-8:00 for the opening of artist Brian Coleman’s new show, “It’s All in the Wander.” What a great title for what promises to be a great show.

Perhaps after you feast your eyes on Coleman’s art, you can feast at another Bogard Street hotspot, Trattoria Lucca. And take a tip from artist Brian Coleman, who believes “It’s All in the Wander,” and stroll around Elliotborough – it’s a pretty special neighborhood.