Gallery Naga
There's always something that catches our eye at this contemporary gallery inside the Back Bay's Church of the Covenant. Now celebrating its 40th year, Naga prefers to showcase work by locals, such as Peter Vanderwarker's stunning landscape photography and Gerry Bergstein's mixed-media agglomerations on panels. The other thing the artists all have in common? They hit the sweet spot of challenging the mind while creating images that you can immerse yourself in for years. 67 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, gallerynaga.com.
<p>"Everyone who walks in here goes, 'Wow!'" says general manager Kate Fergusson. And—self-interest notwithstanding—she's not overstating the case. Just one month shy of a year old, the Artful Hand, in Copley Place, has been quietly wowing people ever since it opened last September.</p> <p>The magic begins at the entrance: large windows reveal a peaceful, almost ethereal environment filled with softly lighted gallerylike displays of top-quality contemporary American crafts. The store does not carry folksy handmade items such as rag rugs, stenciled stools, and macramé plant hangers. What it does carry—delicate hand-painted silk scarves, hand-blown glass sculptures dancing with color, jewelry, whimsical ceramic dishware, and baskets—shimmers with sophistication.</p> <p>Merchandise such as this would seem to fetch astronomical prices. But not all of it does. In fact, buyers Joe Porcari and Terry Weschler make a point of stocking items that appeal to all budgets.</p> <p>"Other countries tend to be more aware and supportive of their crafts people than we are here," says Fergusson. "In the United States, more people are just now beginning to realize that much of American craftwork is really important."</p> <p>And the Artful Hand is a worthy vehicle for that message.</p>
Stux Galleries
The Bilzerian of the art community. We especially like the commitment to local artists even when they don't sell. 36 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Clark Gallery
Particularly effective in getting people to notice and buy local work. Lincoln Station, Lincoln, MA .
Harcus Krakow
Still the place where the country's best show. 7 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Bernard Toale Gallery
The burgeoning SOWA (South of Washington) district is now a must-see destination, thanks in no small part to Bernie Toale. Toale's gallery has been a showcase for everything from the sculpture of Roxy Paine to the intricate, layered drawings of ICA Artist Prize-winner Ambreen Butt to the portraits of photographer David Hilliard. The gallery's Boston Drawing Project also provides a much-needed home for other local artists and for worthy smaller projects that might otherwise be overlooked. 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA .
Boston Center for Adult Education
At BCAE, you can learn everything from beadmaking to digital filmmaking. And that's just scratching the surface. In each case, you'll find a friendly atmosphere in classes taught by professionals: The burlesque course, for one, is led by dancers from Rogue Burlesque, who perform at the A.R.T.'s Oberon and other hip spots. 122 Arlington St., Boston, MA bcae.org.
Robert Klein Gallery
Few Boston galleries can claim to have an international following, but this small fourth-floor boutique on Newbury Street is a big-league player. When Robert Klein founded his gallery more than 30 years ago, he was one of the first to exhibit works by Diane Arbus, Annie Leibovitz, and Sally Mann. Throughout the years, his unerring eye for photography's best has resulted in a collection that rivals any in the world. 38 Newbury St. #402, Boston, MA 2116, robertkleingallery.com.
The Space Gallery
Because it is a nonprofit, the Space has the courage to harbor exhibits it doesn't need to sell. Visitors, therefore, get an artist's conception unshackled. 107 South Street, Boston, MA .
Vose Galleries
Vose has been in the same family for five generations, for more than a century and a half. It has a right to be snooty but isn't. The owners will enthusiastically show you an $85,000 painting even if you look as though you couldn't afford its frame. 238 Newbury Street, Boston, MA .
DTR Modern
Lost among the sea of galleries that line Newbury Street? Find yourself (and that very special piece you’ve been searching for) at DTR Modern, the longtime purveyor of stunning contemporary artwork in Boston and beyond. With the biggest names in modern art — Takashi Murakami and Jeff Koons — displayed alongside newer faves like Clara Hallencreutz and Nelson de la Nuez, this is the perfect spot for hard-core collectors and dabblers alike. 167 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, dtrmodern.com.
DTR Modern
Expect to find exceptional works by modern masters along with emerging and mid-career artists at this seasoned gallery on Newbury Street, which also has locations on Nantucket and in Washington, DC, New York City, and Palm Beach. Hunt Slonem’s iconic bunny paintings are always on display, and other notable pieces usually include those by lauded contemporary artists Alex Katz and Keith Haring. If you’re on the hunt for a Warhol or even a rare creation by Paul Gauguin, the highly knowledgeable staff has the means to hunt one down for you. 167 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, dtrmodern.com.
Petrova Chocolates
When the pandemic sidelined her pastry gig at the Back Bay’s iconic Uni, Betty Petrova didn’t sit on her couch eating bonbons; instead, she took to the kitchen to start making them. Handpainted with colorful, glossy brushstrokes of cocoa butter, the bite-size works of art quickly caught the eye of fans — so much so that now she’s focused full time on crafting delicate Valrhona chocolate shells generously filled with exquisite, inventive flavors like honey elderflower, rose pistachio, and rosemary caramel, many using ingredients plucked from local gardens. petrovachocolates.com.
Juniko
This Hanover workout center is less a gym and more a lifestyle dojo. Named for Japan’s "Twelve Lakes" and cofounded by jujitsu world champ Daniel Gracie, Juniko takes a fitness-academy approach to wellness, offering adult- and child-level formats to suburbanites investing in their whole family’s health. Held in a sleek studio, the classes—including Brazilian jujitsu and aerial yoga—feel more like performance art than exercise. But you’ll still want to reward yourself with a visit to the on-site juice bar for kale smoothies, avocado toast, and take-home cleanses. 1376 Washington St., Hanover, MA 02339, juniko.com.
NETA
Shopping at NETA’s Brookline outpost is as far from buying pot off your cousin’s dog walker in a 7-Eleven parking lot as you can get. The vast selection of buds, pre-rolled joints, vape pens, and gummies is housed behind wood-trimmed glass cases in a historical bank complete with a well-styled mini lounge to wait in. And unlike in dubious parking-lot rendezvous, you can be sure that whatever you buy, the product will be top-tier, thanks to NETA’s state-of-the-art indoor cultivation center in Franklin. 160 Washington St., Brookline, MA netacare.org.