SOWA First Friday @ 450 Harrison Ave.

***FreePlus Rating: 10/10***
Interesting visuals plus free food and wine always get a 10 in my book.

This past Friday I went over to the South End for SOWA First Friday where galleries and studios are open to the public for free from 5-9 pm. SOWA, for those who don't know, is Boston's attempt at making the industrial area south of Washington Street in the South End a hip and edgy place by using an acronym similar to SOHO in New York. This area is also home to many artists and galleries and 450 Harrison Avenue is by far the largest, holding 15 galleries and 50 artist studios.

Held on the first Friday of each month, the event is completely free with the exception of $5 for parking, unless you can find street parking which is difficult in this residential permit area. Most artists even offer free food and wine to their visitors in the hopes that they are potential buyers. Surprisingly, most of the pieces are affordable with prices ranging from $30-$40 for smaller mementos to hundreds and several thousands of dollars for wall size paintings. Some artists have even implemented "recession pricing".

As I walked through the rooms, I quickly realized that each artist has a distinct style and most often they specialized in just one thing. As the saying goes, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", so you may not like everything you see. However, I suggest you go with open eyes and an open mind, and there will be enough material to leave you thinking.
Above are images of some unique pieces from among the four floors of artwork I wandered through:

• Gregory Thielker' paintings of view from car while driving through rain: http://www.gregorythielker.com
• B. Glee Lucas' view from a traveler's window: http://www.bgleelucas.com
• John Borchard's mist photos: http://www.johnborchard.com

SOWA First Friday Information: http://www.sowaartistsguild.com/calendar.html
All events are free unless noted otherwise. The next event is on April 3rd from 5-9 pm.

Upcoming Event: SOWA ArtWalk - Sat & Sun May 16-17
http://www.sowaartwalk.com/

Other Cities with First Friday Art Gallery Walks:
Denver - http://www.artdistrictonsantafe.com/calendar.php
Hawaii - http://www.firstfridayhawaii.com/
Las Vegas - http://www.firstfriday-lasvegas.org/
Philadelphia - http://www.phillyartgalleries.com/philadelphia-first-friday.htm
Phoenix - http://www.artlinkphoenix.com/
Raleigh - http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/firstfriday/index.htm
Tallahassee - http://www.firstfridaytallahassee.com/

Tips: Wear comfortable shoes. I went after work in not the most comfortable boots.