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Health & Fitness

Post Road Art Center – A Facelift At 20

Post Road Art Center, Marlborough's purple landmark turns 20

The purple house at 1 Boston Post Road East (Route 20) with the Mona Lisa front door is an iconic landmark in Marlborough. This is the Post Road Art Center which at 20 years of age needed a little facelift – the building that is, not Mona, she after all is timeless! Upon celebrating 20 years in business, owner Randi Isaacson deemed it time for minor renovations and a little expansion.

Isaacson noticed the house in back in 1990 when she was living in Marlborough and drove by every day on her way to work.  She thought it would make a great picture frame store cum gallery/art supply/gift store. She loved working in a framing shop, so it made sense to open her own.

As for the color of the house, many people probably ask why purple and why paint Mona Lisa larger than life on the door? Said Isaacson, “At the time it was different and catchy. It’s a busy corner and I wanted people to notice us. Artist Bruce Collins was working for me at the time and suggested Mona Lisa.  Who knew it would be such a hit!  It was a great idea and he has been back to embellish once and hopefully he will be back to do it again sometime!”

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The side porch (former art supply area) was recently torn down and in its place a new larger gallery area is in the final stages of being built much to the delight of local art lovers. The space created above the extension is going to be a new studio for Isaacson herself, which means we will be seeing more work from her, she confirms. Isaacson is a certified picture framer and an artist who works in acrylic, Caran d’Ache crayons, pastel, mixed media and encaustics.

Isaacson has documented the whole renovation process with photos and video posted on Facebook. View the demolition and construction progress.

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Over the 20 years of its existence Post Road Art Center has hosted numerous exhibitions, a few of which are documented on the web site’s gallery page and has faithfully served the artistic needs of Marlborough and the area all these years.

So what plans for the next 20 years? Isaacson confirms “We will continue to support the local arts scene by having shows and finding great deals on art supplies and custom framing to pass on to the community.  The new space will allow us to offer more great seminars and workshops without being so crowded.  Hopefully we will inspire and encourage the next generation of artists.”

Meanwhile the new Gallery space is scheduled to be opened in the first week of October.  There will be an opening reception on October 6 for a group show of local artists with the theme of “Landscapes”.  If for some reason there is a delay, the opening will be the 13.

Here’s wishing Randi Isaacson and her team at Post Road Art Center many more years of continued success and service to art professionals and art lovers.

 

 

 

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