For Immediate Release
March 26, 2021
By Nancy DuVergne Smith | Newton Art Association co-president
A new haircut can be exciting, but at Salon Artist in Newton, clients get more than a fresh look. They get a fresh look at artwork, a rotating exhibition that changes every three months. Paintings by Chestnut Hill resident Mark Chadbourne, the current artist, will be on view through May 1.
Christopher Kezik, owner of Salon Artist, opened his Langley Road shop in 2019 after working in top Boston-area salons and publishing his hair stylings in magazines. The art on the walls underscores his own professional commitment to creativity and provides a lively gallery that draws the interest of his clients.
“The art fills my salon with changing decor and keeps an exciting environment for my business,” Kezik says. “My clients are always delighted to see something new every time they come back to the salon.”
Kezik, who has loved making art himself since childhood, chose his profession as a hairdresser to continue to practice artistic expression and still create consistent revenue. As he developed his career, he realized how hard it is for artists to sell their work. “I chose the name for my business, Salon Artist, to represent the artist in me and it gives an opportunity for all artists.”
How does he choose his artists? The most important aspect is how the art makes him feel and, often, he acts on referrals.
“When I speak with my clients about the art exhibited, I like to ask them if they know anyone that may be interested? For instance, Mark Chadbourne was a referral of James Varnum, a client of mine, an artist himself, and Newton Art Association leader. The excitement in the way that James spoke of Mark’s artwork promoted me to reach out to him,” Kezik says.
“When Mark and I met, he brought a piece with him that was beautiful in color and I loved his geometric design. Mark’s art is clean and well executed. I felt that my clients would love his work as much as I do.”
Chadbourne began his hard-edged, geometric style while earning an BA in Fine Arts at Syracuse University. After a career in the financial industry, he retired four years ago and relaunched his artistic pursuits.
“I have always been interested in architecture and am drawn to a clean and lean industrial design aesthetic,” Chadbourne says. “I work to establish an edgy sense of order portrayed by lines, hard edges, and geometric compositions. With a disciplined approach and methodology, I aim to capture the exuberance of interacting various shaded colors, scales, patterns, and volumes all within a defined geometric structure and design.”
When it came time to choose paintings for Salon Artist, Chadbourne began with a work that helped relaunch his painting career. “I chose Construction Blues in particular because this is one of the first paintings I did when I started painting again and joined the Newton Art Association (NAA). I submitted it to the NAA show at the Betty Meyer Gallery in Auburndale, MA. At the reception, I was shocked and thrilled to receive honorable mention for this painting.”
Since then, Chadbourne has shown his work in Newton Art Association shows as well as exhibitions hosted by the Concord Art and the Cambridge Art Associations but, he says, the Salon Artist opportunity is special.
“I am really honored and pleased to have this opportunity to exhibit my paintings at Salon Artist,” Chadbourne says. “This is the first time I have been able to display 13 of my paintings in one beautiful, light-filled space. Due to Christopher’s support of artists, this exhibit is allowing me to reach a new and much wider audience.”
The Salon Artist terms are more generous to artists that most galleries. Artists receive 100 percent of the sale price and do not pay rent. “So far I’ve had six artists sell their work and plan on continuing to do this as a way to give back to the public,” Kezik says.
To learn more, visit websites of Salon Artist, Mark Chadbourne, and the Newton Art Association.