Distillery Opens Studio

Working on that molasses smell

By JOHN BARERA

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Located along the former harbor line of Boston, the Distillery was the perfect place to unload molasses. These days, it holds three art galleries and nearly 140 artists. Since they can't get cheap Caribbean sticky (or dock a ship near the building), they no longer make the rum but can sip on it in their converted artist studios. The artists have been a force in the Southie landmark since '82. Essentially, they have converted the building into a creative adult's permanent summer camp.

"It still has the old distillery feel. There's a lot of character in this place," said Scott Chasse, who has been there for seven years and now heads the Open Studios and Distillery Gallery. "It's a trip to walk around, especially if it's your first visit," he said. They even have a co-op style garden out in the back. "Seems like a lot of people that I meet have been to the Distillery at some point ... especially to parties years ago," Chasse said. As the doors open throughout this enormous building, each artist's unique space is exposed and it becomes clear there are a lot talented individuals under this roof. One such artist is named Wilson Parry. 'He bounced around Central America before deciding to move to Barcelona, where he started picking up the paintbrush. These days his paintings are highly polished glimpses into altered realities, connecting pop culture and sexuality. "Visual seduction" is how he describes his combination of fashion, television, rave culture and '60s psychedelics. Attention rich dude who owns a hip restaurant: Throw some paper at this guy.

Jessica Hess is another painter who's honing her craft. Her highly realistic paintings depict post-industrial sites in decay, street corners and other urban scenes. Hess has the ability to bring out a sublime beauty that often goes unnoticed. After painting the historic mills of Providence and Pawtucket, R.I., she now travels frequently around the country in search of more subject matter for her impressive and growing body of work.

"Crazy-dense" is the way Corey Corcoran describes his mixed media artwork, mixing ugly with beautiful, brash with delicate. When Corcoran is not pulling pieces of cardboard from the trash at Dunkin' Donuts to make artwork, he is exploring many other ways to seek creative inspiration. "I collect strangers' old photo albums and often use these as inspiration for the narratives in the work," he says. "I love the Distillery building because it has tons of character—very homey, lots of strange smells and sounds, great views of Southie and a really vibrant arts community."

Complementing that community are the galleries Proof and Distillery, screen printers Two Trick Pony and Rope-a-Dope Collaborative, alongside artists working in all media. The art sale and silent auction are this Saturday, but you might be better off getting lost in the cavernous studios and labyrinthine passageways and wonder how they manage to pay their rent.

DISTILLERY OPEN STUDIOS AND ART SALE

SATURDAY 6.7.08

THE DISTILLERY

516 EAST 2nd ST.

SOUTH BOSTON

NOON-7PM/FREE

978.270.1904

DISTILLERYBOSTON.COM