J. Todd Galleries

Art Restoration Flourishes at J. Todd

2012-01-21T09:14:00.000-08:00

Repair, Cleaning and Conservation of Oil Paintings Protects Collectors’ Investments.

While many expansion and acquisition plans have been put on hold during the economic slowdown of the past few years, many institutions and collectors have turned instead toward refurbishing their better quality objects of art and antiques. In the Boston area, the result has been that art restorers and conservators are busier than ever.

A few better known organizations looking to protect their art investments recently have been the John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum, The Boston Public Library, The Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Massachusetts Historical Society. Several of Boston’s finest educational institutions have also followed suit in repairing and cleaning their oil paintings.

But the majority of work comes from residential collectors. Their paintings are both family heirlooms and more recent works that may have been exposed to fire, smoke, extreme heat, light, water/dampness or general neglect. The result is cracking or chips, peeling paint, mildew or staining, canvas buckling, tears, scratches or just a filmy coating of smoke or dirt from exposure to the air. Often the frames need attention as well.

Restoring oil paintings is a worthwhile endeavor. The immediate reward is a more attractive work of art, much closer to what the artist intended--not a damaged, diminished version of it. But long term, a properly restored painting will be protected from further deterioration, which will likely become more difficult (and expensive) to fix later on. And owning a family heirloom, which is likely to get passed on, comes with a responsibility to protect the investment along the way. Passing on a damaged painting is like passing on any damaged asset---maybe worse, since the recipient may not understand how (or have the financial means) to get it restored.

J. Todd Galleries of Wellesley, MA (http://www.jtodd.com/) has seen a tremendous up-tick in restoration activity. Known regionally for its fine art and conservation services, J. Todd’s Owner/Director, Robert Totaro reports a brisk business in this arena. The 30-year old company had record restoration sales in 2011. Totaro says, “We’ve had the same restorer for over 25 years. He has extensive experience, and it’s a rare occasion when we can’t bring a painting back to near-new condition. It’s a very rewarding line of work, and we love a challenge.”

J. Todd Galleries, 572 Washington St., Wellesley, MA http://www.jtodd.com/, 888-565-6554 or 781-237-3434

Karl Bronk

2011-07-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

Karl Bronk’s early fascination with fine art began while living in France and New York City, with the study of original Classical paintings in the Louvre, the MET and other museums and art galleries in Paris and Manhattan. The magic of those artists to replicate the visual world with dabs of oil paint started him on the journey of fine art painting and art school. After receiving his education as an art major at Salem State College and Montserrat College of Art, he launched his career as an art director and illustrator for Boston advertising agencies, while continuing to paint and display his work in galleries and art associations. After leaving the advertising field, he devoted his full energies to the development of a style that uniquely defines his visceral interpretation of the physical world. Exploring the Classical style of Realism Karl is following the optical naturalism tradition of such artists as Velazquez, Sorolla and Sargent, in which forms, details and colors are based on the natural world. This high representational style has been welcomed into many awards competitions and art associations.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF HIS WORK!

Featured artists for the Summer of 2011

2011-05-03T13:53:00.001-07:00

WELLESLEY, MA--(Marketwire - 04/26/11) - J. Todd Galleries is announcing the exclusive representation of two of New England's premier women artists, Julia O'Malley-Keyes and Marie Fischer, by featuring an exhibit of their original oil paintings through June 30, 2011.
Julia O'Malley-Keyes, one of America's most collected contemporary artists, is well known for classic marine painting. At just eight years old, she met her father's friend, Andrew Wyeth at his Maine studio, and was instantly inspired to become an artist herself by this American Master. O'Malley-Keyes' museum quality paintings are often action-packed and noted for their high degree of realism, vibrant colors and luminosity. Her nautical and beach artwork subjects include Newport, Camden, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard.
Marie Fischer's artwork is whimsical and more modern than O'Malley-Keyes', providing an enjoyable contrast in styles for the gallery visitor. Her figurative paintings, still life subjects, interiors and city or street scenes have a distinctive style drawn from her lifetime of travel and varied experiences, along with her technique from a blend of training methods. Her fine art paintings depict both cherished memories and moments from her earlier years when traveling and living in Thailand, the South China Seas, and New York and clearly communicate her boundless love of life

Become our FAN on Facebook!

2011-04-07T11:47:00.000-07:00

Our Facebook profile is now up. Click the image above and "LIKE" us to receive updates about what's happening at the gallery throughout the week!

Get to know J. Todd Galleries!

2011-04-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

J. Todd Galleries, founded in 1980, is one of Boston's longest established contemporary art galleries. Whether looking for traditional or modern art, art appraisal services, art restoration, corporate art or custom picture framing, or just intering things to do in Boston, J. Todd is considered one of the leading art galleries in Massachusetts. It also maintains the single largest online art gallery in New England. Searchers can view artwork by subject, location or by artist, and can see a constantly changing array of over 1,200 images online and over 4,000 in the gallery. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30 to 5:30 and from 1:00 to 5:00 on Sundays from mid-October to mid-April. Visit the website at http://www.jtodd.com/ or call 781-237-3434 for more detail.

New Arrivals: Marie Fischer

2010-04-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

Of the many great artists we represent here at J. Todd Galleries, there is one artist in particular whose new work we are always excited to see. That is because Marie Fischer continues to suprise and delight us everytime she shows up with new work. Although she is best known for her lively and whimsical figurative paintings, over the past few years we have seen the background and environment continue to take a more prominent role in her pieces. Some of the new pieces we received show an even larger divergence from what she has done in the past, the figures are still present but play a much lesser role in the pieces in favor of the still life arrangements. The sign of every great artist is a willingness to push the envelope and strive to always improve their abilities even after they have achieved success in one genre.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF MARIE FISCHER'S WORK

Wellesley Kitchen Tour: Coming in May

2010-03-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

J. Todd Galleries is excited to be the sole fine art sponsor in the upcoming Wellesley Kitchen Tour of six beautiful Wellesley homes being put on by the Wellesley Hills Junior Women's League.

The 11th Wellesley Kitchen Tour is Saturday, May 15, 2010, from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Come take a peek into 6 beautiful Wellesley homes and their kitchens! We hope to see you there!

Tickets will be available for purchase at Roche Bros (Linden Street in Wellesley) and at Jarvis Appliance (Route 9 in Wellesley) begining on May 1, 2010. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Visit their website for more information on the tour and how to purchase tickets.

About the Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club

The WHJWC is a volunteer organization dedicated to community service. Four fundraisers: the Wellesley Phone Book, the Wellesley Marketplace Craft Festival, Luminary Night and the Wellesley Kitchen Tour, provide scholarships for Wellesley students and support many area charitable organizations. In 2008-2009, $115,000 was awarded to 55 students in amounts ranging from $750-$6,000 with an average award of $1,800. Another $96,000 was donated to 52 agencies.

New Arrivals 3/3/2010

2010-03-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

clockwise from top left: William Ternes, Janis Sanders, John Terelak, Alexandra Sheldon

Stop by the gallery to see new paintings by William Ternes, Janis Sanders, John Terelak, Alexandra Sheldon and more of our artist! Of the hundreds of submissions we receive every month we try our hardest to bring you only the best artists, working in a variety of mediums and styles. New arrivals in the gallery include John Terelak's and William Ternes' traditional impressionistic paintings of New England, Janis Sanders' brightly colored transitional paintings of Cape Cod beach shacks and Sheldon's vibrant Abstract collages!

Alexandra Sheldon

2010-02-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

"Indian Rug" by Alexandra Sheldon. Mixed Media. 10" x 10"

We are very pleased to be representing the beautiful abstract work by collage artist and painter Alexandra Sheldon. She began as a landscape and still life painter. In 1998 she was asked to teach a collage course for an instructor who had become ill. Collage opened up a world of experimentation and joyful fun to her. Alexandra specializes in teaching collage workshops all over New England. Her work could be catorgorized as "painterly collage". She aspires to making art that is spontaneous and intuitive.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE OF HER WORK

Robert Cardinal

2010-02-05T13:19:00.001-08:00

"Two Boats" by Robert Cardinal. Oil on Cavas. 20" x 24"

Robert Cardinal, originally from Montreal, has been living in New England, in the midst of the landscapes he loves to paint, for most of the past fifty years. In the late 1950's, he left Canada and moved to Greenwich Village. From there, he followed fellow artists on their spring pilgrimage to New England. He was trained to paint at La Grande Chaumiere Art School in Paris.Cardinal has always been fascinated with art history and those who painted before him in the Realist and Impressionist schools. Some of his favorites being Goya, and the more contemporary, Maxfield Parrish and Edward Hopper, whose influence is predominently evident in Cardinal's painting. Cardinal looks for harmony between nature and what is man-made. He searches for simple scenes: isolated beaches, lighthouses, lonely Cape homes. He stresses color, light and mood in an effort to acheive a moment in time. Usually he paints at sunrise or sunset- when the light offers him the drama and mood he is looking for. These times offer striking combinations of color- although closely related in value, they are bold and vibrant, and even somewhat shocking in hues. He often returns to the same subject over and over, as they never appear quite the same twice.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF ROBERT'S WORK

Robert Cipriani

2009-06-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

"I still haven't found what i'm looking for" was the title of the solo show by Robert Cipriani at the Cape Cod Museum of Art which just closed. Many of the pieces that were featured in that show are now available to see and purchase at J. Todd Galleries! We will have these works as well as numerous other paintings by Cipriani, an artist whose work is constantly evolving in new and exciting ways. Few artists can work so proficiently in multiple styles, but Cipriani is equally comfortable painting beach grasses as he is painting beautiful abstractions.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW SOME OF HIS WORK

Here is a little of what the artist has to say about his work and process:

"Expressionism is the most natural form of painting for me as there are no boundaries to my imagination and curiosity, just a process of discovering and expressing new ways to look at life and at creativity. I usually do find what I’m looking for, then start searching all over again."

to read more visit: http://www.jtodd.com/shownews.asp?newsid=52

New Artists + New Works!

2009-02-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

Its a fact that the number of galleries in New England is shrinking. As one of the largest and most established galleries in the Boston area, we have been receiving an increasing number of submissions by ARTISTS seeking representation in our gallery. It is our commitment at J. Todd to provide our customers with only the most talented of these artists, whom each make a unique addition to the gallery. A few of the most recent additions to our roster of great artists include: John Terelak, Sam Vokey, Julia O'Malley-Keyes, Janis Sanders and Roderick O'Flaherty.

"Gloucester Boatyard" by John Terelak30" x 40". Oil on Canvas

BLOG RE-OPENED

2009-02-19T10:51:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile but this blog is officially back in action! I plan to update at lease once a month so check back frequently for features on our many Artists and Upcoming Events. As always you can browse a large portion of our inventory online @ www.jtodd.com.

2006-12-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

Five new artists have been added to the gallery this month. The work of Ronald Tinney, Michael McGovern, Ray Crane, Steve Kennedy and Michael Tupek have all arrived and are now hanging in the gallery, and will soon be added to our website at www.jtodd.com. All five artists are New Englanders, representing both the North Shore and the South Shore of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. The imagery is diverse and depicts everything from still life to coastal scenes, marine subjects, snowy mountain subjects, and a variety of New England landscapes and street scenes. Check the website or call toll free at 888-565-6554 for additional information.