A Twist on the Traditional Opens in Weston

Maris Platais may paint traditional New England landscapes, but as an artist, he is anything but traditional.

When asked about an upcoming show of his at the Gallery at the First Parish Church, the artist said, "You will find my show a little bit more eclectic than others, because that's what I am."

Platais, who lives in Concord, paints traditional landscapes, mostly of the areas surrounding his Concord studio or Kennebec, Maine.

"I love landscapes simply because that's where I live – it's my environment," Platais said, "Landscapes are an interesting subject because [they are] multifaceted. The inspirational value in landscape is enormous and it's not tied down to politics or edgy philosophy." 

Sylvia Whitman, gallery chair, described Platais as a "prolific artist who does a range of traditional landscapes with an abstract twist."

"I saw one of his other exhibitions in Concord earlier this year," she said. "This will be a great exhibit."

At the age of 13, Platais emigrated from Latvia in 1949 with his parents and brother. To help pay for college, he enlisted in the Marine Corps for four years, and then completed a commercial art degree from Tufts University and The Museum School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Platais initially began his career in advertising, but later switched to pure artwork, taking an interest in acrylics on canvas.

At the First Parish Gallery, Platais will be debuting new works, some completed just months ago.

"I have known [former gallery chair] Mary Jo for a number of years," he said. "I am flattered that they suggested me for the space."

Platais' show will also be the debut for fall 2010 shows, said Mary Jo Rimes, the first director of the gallery.

"I look forward to our first exhibit this fall… with new work by Maris Platais, well-known and well-honored landscape painter," she said.

Rimes and her husband, Mel, originally founded the gallery in 1999 and officially opened on Sept. 17, 2000, with an exhibition from Bradford Washburn, a mountaineer and photographer.

While the gallery serves parishioners at First Parish, it is also a haven for artists and the general community.  In their mission, the founders of the gallery strive "to add another dimension to the spiritual fabric of our lives by exhibiting the work of visual artists who seek to contribute to a deeper understanding of the human condition," according to the gallery's website.

The Gallery at the First Parish Church is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sundays. The public is welcome to watch Platais' work go up on Friday, Sept. 17, or come to an artist reception on Sunday, Sept. 19, at 11:30 a.m.