The Marion Art Center has once again brought together works of art that could also be called works of wonder. The current exhibit, which opened on October 2 and runs through November 7, features maritime paintings, primarily watercolors, by Mike Mazer and bronze sculptures by Erik Durant. From light and air, pigments and water, earth’s metals and fire, these artists have executed narratives of the human condition albeit in very contrasting ways.
Reflecting on his long career in medicine and these past decades as a painter, Mazer quietly and gently leads the listener through what can only be described as a triumph of the spirit. From his early years in a tough neighborhood, medical school, and military service, Mazer has achieved what others can only dream of – total accomplishment.
After an extraordinary medical career that found Mazer holding the position of chief of Cardiology and chief of Nephrology at Cardinal Cushing and Goddard Memorial Hospitals, he later became an associate professor at Boston University and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. “I still read medical journals,” he recently confessed. “I had to squeeze in painting for the 30 years I was practicing medicine,” Mazer said. In 1997 he became a fulltime professional artist.
The list of museums and permanent installations featuring Mazer’s works is nothing short of impressive. From the American Society of Marine Artists to the 2019 Coos Art Museum exhibit in Oregon to the International Society of Marine Painters, Mazer’s paintings have been juried earning him 110 major awards. Most notably, Mazer pointed to his appointment to the Board of Directors of the American Artists Professional League as the first signature member elected in many decades. Only 13 of the 600 members of the AAPL have achieved signature membership. The USCG has many Mazers in their permanent collection, as does Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Experts agree that Mazer is one of US’s most esteemed realistic watercolorists.
Maritime themes are a favorite for Mazer but are not exclusive; he has done portraits, landscapes, and buildings, many commissioned pieces throughout his career. “It’s the feeling that I paint,” Mazer replied when asked what draws him to a subject matter. “It’s instinctive – I sketch first in pencil, then I paint. … When I’m taking care of a patient, I’ve got to know precisely what I need to do – 100 percent, no guessing. As a realistic painter, that precision carries through.”
One could say that being a watercolorist is as unforgiving an effort as mending a sick body. You either get it right or you don’t. Mazer gets it right. There are 30 opportunities now gracing the MAC gallery walls for you to experience the precision and awesome beauty of a Mazer watercolor.
Topping 10 pedestals positioned throughout the two gallery spaces are bronze sculptures done by Durant, known for both his commissioned and studio works. He is also a professor of Fine Art at Bristol Community College.
Durant’s commissioned pieces may be found in New Bedford home to the Fisherman’s Tribute, The Squid, and the Tom Lopes memorial statue. Soon to be unveiled at Marion’s Bicentennial Park will be the recently completed Elizabeth Taber statue.
When the Wanderer caught up with Durant he was juggling the rigors of moving house, teaching and chasing after a toddler, breathless but willing to share his artistic insights.
“I’ve had a long-standing interest in narrative. When I did the fisherman’s tribute I could relate to the human story as a father,” he shared. “I bring myself to this process, I observe the world … art is the expression of the human condition.
“There are universal concepts, family for instance, whether it’s a good family or not. … So much art in the past 30 years hasn’t been narrative. It’s enjoying a renaissance, it’s a cycle, but right now it’s on a high note.”
This quest for the narrative is why one will see mythological figures and themes in Durant’s studio work. There is also the exploration of bondage both put upon the human form by society as seen in his Prometheus statue or emoting from the body itself as in Pandora.
Sculpting in bronze is a painstaking process of first sketching from life, then, for Durant, making what he calls “clay gestures” again from life. He said that by using life models he can capture the body’s movements, surfaces, expressive elements not available from merely a photograph.
The Durant sculptures are strong, grounded pieces depicting the human form while glorious in its raw physicality; it’s also fragile in its spiritual struggles. You’ll find Pandora, who isn’t gaily receiving gifts from gods but instead with her arms and legs, seemingly keeping her from doing the very thing she’s been told not to do – open the jar. Yet at the bottom of all the evils the jar holds, there remains hope. That could be a metaphor for all we collectively have been dealing with in 2020, with hope ever-present in our thoughts.
The Mazur and Durant exhibition is sure to quench your thirst for art in unexpected and glorious ways, and gives one hope that better days are coming because art thrives.
The Marion Art Center gallery is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and by appointment on Tuesday and Wednesday. Visit marionartcenter.org.
By Marilou Newell