Marianne Lynch, a Belmont resident and former district attorney, has opened the Hawthorn Gallery in Cushing Square, Belmont, featuring local artists such as Tree Heckler, Diana Young, Sophie Lucas, Moira Lynch, and Adele Travisano. The gallery, located at 436 Common Street, offers a range of works from coastal seascapes to embroidered canvases, and aims to create a welcoming community space with baked goods from a nearby shop to encourage young visitors to linger.
The Hawthorn Gallery matters because it provides a new platform for emerging and local artists in the Boston area, fostering mentorship and connections between generations. Lynch's personal mission to teach people how to buy art and support artists financially, including those who struggle to make ends meet, addresses broader challenges in the art market and strengthens the local cultural ecosystem.