An Exhibit of Local Art

Westwood residents and art fanatics gathered at the for “The Art of Thomas Dunlay,” an exhibit displaying the works of Westwood’s own world-renowned painter.

For more than 30 years, Dunlay has brought the scenes of the Boston and New England area to life on canvas. His father introduced painting to him as a child, and he continued to pursue a career in art at The Boston School, which later led to studies with Robert Douglas Hunter in Boston and Provincetown, and later with Hunter’s own teacher, R.H. Ives Gammell during the summers in Williamstown from 1973 to 1979.

Dunlay is now the current president of the Guild of Boston Artists, and his accomplishments throughout his career have earned him national recognition.

Many of Dunlay’s paintings feature landscapes, cityscapes, winter scenes, and nautical themes. 

One painting on display Sunday, The View of the Ritz was one of several that express his interest in architecture and city views.

“This is very characteristic of my Boston work, and it’s one of the types of pictures that I’m best known for,” said Dunlay. “It’s part of a group of pictures that I’ve been doing for probably 30 years. The thing that interests me about this particularly is the Park Street Church; it’s a grand building. All of this is very interesting to paint in terms of the daylight effect that exists, and also the artificial light.”

Painting is Dunlay’s passion, and he said feels very fortunate to have so much freedom in his craft.

“I’ve just been really blessed that I’ve been able to paint what I want to paint, whatever way I want to paint," he said. "For 30 years there’s been a great market that’s existed. I’ve had wonderful clients, customers and patrons.”

When it comes to beginning a painting, there are necessary elements needed to create a successfully interesting work of art.

“The thing about painting a picture is that you have to be attracted to the scene," he said. "One real critical component of making a painting that has to be successfully achieved is the rectangle, square, or whatever shape you’re going to use. You have to fill it in an interesting way, with the lights and darks to create a design that draws you into the subject.”

In order to find the most interesting and visually pleasing design, Dunlay uses a method called view-finding.

“You take two right angles, put them together and look out in nature, and you adjust it so that within that rectangle it creates the lines, the lights, darks and masses necessary to create an interesting pattern," he said. "It’s all about patterning and design.”

The patterning and design is such an important, but subtle, aspect of the art, as it gives paintings depth and deeper meaning.

“Whenever you look at a picture, if you like it, and there’s something that draws you into it beyond the subject matter, then more than likely it has good elements of design," Dunlay said.