Opening Reception: October 19th from 4-7 PM

Touch Art Gallery is pleased to present new works by internationally recognized Artist, Brian Xavier.  Listed Fine-Artist, Brian Xavier will be showing abstract oil paintings. These paintings are a combination of symbolic representation dissolved within a abstracted two dimensional design. Full of color and texture, these compositions will mesmerize you. Even more exciting will be the exhibit of a new style of Contemporary Art that Xavier has pioneered. These works of art are sculptures of a whole new kind. In the world of art, uniqueness is key. The art world is always looking for something new, and these Sculptures are just that, one of a kind! The compositions are called “Puzzle Wall Sculptures”. The aesthetic value of puzzle pieces was discovered accidentally by the artist one night in the studio, gazing at an old sentimental puzzle that was part of fond childhood memories.

Growing up, Xavier, and his late father George Xavier, built the family puzzle of Da Vinci’s painting “the Last Supper” several times. This puzzle was very important to Xavier, and was part of his childhood. As an adult, the puzzle was accidentally ruined during a move. Pieces were missing. The puzzle was so sentimental He never threw the ruined puzzle in the trash, he hung onto the puzzle with missing pieces for many years. Today Xavier is primarily an oil painter, but one night he grabbed a handful of those same puzzle pieces with one hand, and a hand full of paint with the other hand, and mixed them together. Puzzle Art was born. Puzzles are mysterious on their own. A puzzle piece is made to belong in a designated space, and no piece is the same. Thousands of pieces conforming together to become the image it was intended to become. The different shapes, sizes, and color patterns make the possibilities endless. Xavier brings the pieces back together in a non-conforming way, while creating an entirely new image, a work of Art.

Xavier was born into a lower middle-class family in Providence, Rhode Island on March 16th,1972. He discovered his passion for art as a child, winning his first award at age 11, from the State of Rhode Island. Xavier attended workshops at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) from age 12 through his teens. Home life was difficult, enduring dysfunction from his mothers failed challenges with severe mental illness. Xavier dropped out of high school, and left home at age 17. The very next day, he purchased pencils and a drawing pad. He was then living independently on his own from that point, and Art remained a significant part of his life.

At age 19, Xavier began to explore the possibilities of Art with different mediums, and platforms. As an adult, he earned his GED, and a degree in Fine Arts from the Community College of Rhode Island. He received His first commissioned project from ESPN Sports in 1995. At age 23, Xavier designed, and painted a television set for the first X-Games. His artwork was broadcasted from Newport, Rhode Island on live television for the ESPN sporting event.. He has gained invaluable experience through various mediums and projects over the years, but fine art is his forte. He has been working with oils on canvas for some time now, utilizing a palette knife, at times a brush, and more than often his fingers as his tools of application.

Now most recently, Xavier started creating with a material barely explored for its aesthetic possibilities, puzzles! This is now an on going body of sculptures, called “Puzzle Wall Sculptures. These sculptures are on canvas, built to be hung on a wall. Most works are created one piece at a time. Once again, these sculptures are very unique, there is nothing else like it. Xavier’s oil paintings, and puzzle sculptures are an extension of himself. He aims to bring joy to others with his work, and to stimulate the mind, body, and soul.

Xavier adds to his catalogue of artwork on a daily basis. His growing reputation for his artwork has been gaining attention from collectors, and galleries throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. Today, Xavier is a Listed- Artist, also named a “A Master of Contemporary Art”, by Art Tour International Magazine (2013).  Art Tour International is based in New York, and Florence Italy, giving Xavier international recognition as a Master of Fine, Contemporary Art. Xavier is also an illustrator, and children’s author. As well as a proud supporter of NAMI, (National Alliance for Mental Illness). He aspires to someday create an art development organization, which will allow growing artists the chance to discover their style, hone their craft, and share their work with the community.

The opening reception is Saturday, October 19th. from 4pm until 7pm. Touch Gallery, 281 Concord Ave., Cambridge Massachusetts. The artwork will be on display from October 14th. through November 4th. 2013. 617-547-0017.