Tom Grady’s ‘Private Myths’ Opens At Worcester’s Foster Gallery

Friday, October 11, 2013

One of Grady's visions takes in the distant form of the Higgins Armory in Worcester.

Worcester fine artist Tom Grady has brought the most personal vistas to his latest work, and will open "Private Myths: Drawing from the Subconscious" this weekend at Worcester's Foster Gallery.

The show will open with a reception on Friday, October 11, from 6-8pm. In general, The Foster Gallery is open by appointment only. Schedule an appointment to view its works, here.

Private Myths

Private Myths explores the imagery of dreams through the medium of pen and ink, computer graphics and digital projection. Narratives and symbolic motifs can arise from the unconscious mind while dreaming, and these events generate symbols every night of our lives. Current cultural situations such as natural disasters, conflicts, and globalization make their way into the dreams' personal narrative.

Grady mined the landscape of his subconscious in just that way. "The images are scavenged from personal dreams creating narratives and allegories relating to current cultural events," Grady told GoLocal. He counts among his influences Francisco Goya's collection of prints and William Blake's symbolist imagery.

Grady currently teaches at Assumption College as a Visiting Professor of Studio Art and also at the Worcester Art Museum. He received his BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and his MFA in Visual Arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University.

His paintings and drawings have exhibited in various galleries throughout New England, including the Copley Society of Art in Boston. Also known as a portrait artist, his show, "101 Portraits: A Lifetime at a Glance," exhibited in 2012 at the Sprinkler Factory Gallery in Worcester.

The Foster Gallery

Grady's exhibit dovetails neatly with the mission of Worcester's Foster Gallery, which is dedicated to working with both established and emerging contemporary figurative artists from around the country, with a focus on making available works that become “documents of process”.

According to the gallery, documents of process include drawings, sketches and other works that are used as resource in the development of larger and completed pieces. The gallery also emphasizes its role as an entry point for young collectors to obtain fine art that is not typically available. It also serves to encourage artists to pursue improvement and study "without the weight of producing large scale finished works."

To engage an audience with its artists, Foster Gallery posts podcasts with its exhibiting artists. Hear what Grady has to say about his work, here.

The Foster Gallery, 51 Union Street, Suite 208, Worcester, MA. http://thefostergallery.com/