The area’s top creative minds took a bite out of the Washington St. Gallery’s recent themed exhibition, Tasty, exploring artistic interpretations of the snackable side of life.

‘Armadillo’s Picnic’ and other ‘Tasty’ snacks at the Washington St. Gallery
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By Nancy Kalajian

A busy ant farm hanging on a wall encased in a greenhouse with anteaters getting ready to make their move – this assemblage caught my eye as I strolled through the curious Tasty art exhibited in the small Washington St. Gallery, close to Union Square in Somerville.

How two tiger eyes were transformed into armadillos is a study in perseverance, love of nature and creativity. Artist Judith Winters happily shared the inspiration and techniques behind her original creation. “It was about 15-20 years ago when I got two tiger eye stones. I carved them into armadillos. When I was polishing the first one, it flew out of my hands and jerked away. I was using a flexible shaft rotary drill. The little guy got broken so I had to keep carving it until he was right but very small.”

Then, long ago, she carved the larger second stone but was afraid to polish it. “I didn’t want it to break so years later this Tasty show was a good excuse to polish it,” she continued. Filled with pride and affection, the artist even named her armadillos. “Armand is smaller than a filbert nut and Almondine is the larger one,” Judith shares as she points to each of her friends.

Photos by Nancy Kalajian

In her aptly entitled assemblage, Armadillo’s Picnic, you can easily imagine the active ants soon meeting their demise, to be devoured by the “sweet” appearing Armand and Almondine.

While a member of the Cambridge Art Association, Judith won a prize for another assemblage she created long ago. Currently a Museum Attendant at the Harvard Art Museums, artist Winters has a true fondness for nature and its offspring, and over the years has even made and sold oversized papier-mâché lemurs. One still resides in a Somerville home.

Other unique snack-related or inspired items, from a clay ruffles chips bag to 2 D renditions of ice cream were also on display at this year’s Tasty: A Group Art Show About Snacks on view for two weeks in July. “I was happy with the range of mediums and subjects for this show. I like having a ‘fun’ theme for an art show that’s open to interpretation so that people can be light with it,” exhibit Curator Maggie Cedarstrom remarked. Her own artworks, titled ruffles and meat and cheese, were also in the show.

Additional Tasty artists exhibiting in various media included Jill Comer (99 cents), 2 D ice cream-related art with Kerrie Kemperman (you took too big a bite) and Bridget Harvey (it’s melting), Marvin Smith (she’s got the juice), Marysara Naczi (death by chocolate), Scout Perry (Sandwich Times), Vanessa Marcoux (tension and discreet), Rodney Teiko Walkes (Adam and Steve), Catherine Aiello (Different Ways to Spend the Same Amount of Money) and Lee Kilpatrick’s photograph (Cheese Nip Bride).

This year’s show inspired viewers to think about snacks in a visual, esoteric and cultural manner. At the opening reception on July 19, edible art was also available for immediate consumption including a theme-related stunning carrot cake decorated by Artist Winters that featured dark jimmies (ants), walnuts (hill) and two types of plastic (non-consumable) anteaters (tamandua and giant anteater). Creamsicles, chips, and sodas were on hand, and even a unique centerpiece – a Jackson Pollack-like flattened, inspirational painted slate of candy by artist Morgan Meagher – was broken up during the reception with “a-peal” for many patrons who enjoyed and gradually digested this artistic and tasty rendition.

Artists from the Washington Street Studios also exhibited at last summer’s The Beer Show, held at the Washington Street Gallery as well as the Cutter Gallery in Arlington.

Might you have an appetite for what may be in store for next year’s theme? Sometime within the next year, the artists will get together to brainstorm ideas and announce the next theme.