VISUAL ARTS

SOMERVILLE, MA – Jill Comer’s mixed media sculptures explore the themes of clumsiness and the everyday. Using elements such as concrete and wood, Comer highlights the often clunky and overwhelming challenges posed by routine objects and activities. “To me, sculpture is like prop-making for the everyday—little things to hold and ponder—objects that bring us back to a less complicated moment.” Expanding upon a longtime hobby—the ukulele—Comer also exhibits several different stringed instruments created with different objects, further illustrating the Frankenstinian nature that characterizes our day-to-day. The Somerville band, Cargo Cult, of which Comer is a part, will be playing at the opening reception. This unique group of musical enthusiasts is composed of artists, home-brew masters, and new parents who play eclectic covers. The Washington Street Art Center houses Gallery 321; hosts studio space for more than twenty visual artists; and presents exhibitions, concerts, film series, and other art initiatives. The Center participates in Somerville Open Studios each May and an annual open studios and craft fair in December. The Washington Street Art Center is located between Union Square and Beacon Street; a five-minute walk from Union Square and a ten-minute walk from Harvard Square (two blocks from Beacon Street). The Center is near, or on, the following bus routes: 83, 85, 86, 87, 91, and CT2. Parking is free and ample.