Fall Marlborough • Directors’ Picks

The Paradise City Arts Festival in Marlborough, Massachusetts showcases 175 of the “best-of-the-best” of America’s most exciting independent artists, designers and master craft makers. Many remarkable artists were selected to exhibit here for the very first time this November. 

The brand-new exhibitors in this show selected for the Directors’ Picks feature four intriguing new artists from near and far, all of whom deserve recognition for their accomplishments. Meet a milliner from California, a mixed-media artist of abstract resin paintings from North Carolina, a recent BFA graduate from Massachusetts who brings together ceramics, metal and leather in her jewelry, and a Florida artist who combines striking geometric structures with found objects. They all look forward to exhibiting in Marlborough, October 12, 13 & 14, at the Royal Plaza Trade Center.

Anita Costello’s work reflects Bauhaus principles of simplicity and functionality, blending art and technology with sustainability. With a degree in apparel design and training in graphic design, Costello’s dual expertise sharpens her eye for proportion and aesthetics.

Costello’s company, Biita, epitomizes her commitment to earth-friendly materials and sustainable practices. For her Spring/Summer collections, she utilizes bamboo, while her Fall/Winter collections feature OEKO-TEX certified fabrics that meet stringent environmental and health standards. Her zero-waste knitwear employs innovative one-piece construction technology, ensuring minimal waste. Additionally, her popular Hobo Bag is crafted from biodegradable eco-leather made from the Nopal cactus, a sustainable material harvested without harming the plant. Inspired by everyday observations and the practical needs of women, Costello’s designs are a refreshing blend of minimalism and practicality.

Growing up, Jeremy Schilling loved drawing cartoons and comics, which sparked his interest in creating stories and his fascination with the human form. This Rhode Island based painter earned his BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and has been a full-time artist since 2016.

Schilling’s work was part of a month-long display at Providence’s Waterfire Arts Center in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo Moon landing. The series of paintings entitled The Overview Effect focuses on astronauts and space. Using oil paint, watercolors, and mixed media, he creates powerful images that explore the isolation of space travel, the feeling of homesickness, and the acceptance of change. Schilling examines how a space suit acts as a barrier between a person and their environment, adding a unique emotional depth to his work.

Beverly Ramsay moved to Massachusetts after spending decades in California. During her school years, she found solace in creating paper dolls from torn pages of her textbooks, an early sign of her creative spirit. It wasn’t until her forties that she was diagnosed with dyslexia, explaining her disinterest in traditional academic subjects.

Ramsay tears handmade paper — no longer textbooks — to craft collages and sculptures that celebrate international cultural heritage. Drawing on her Cape Verdean background, she beautifully conveys the richness and diversity of women from different walks of life. Now at 81 years old, Ramsay proudly reflects on her accomplishments and her artistic journey.  She has created thousands of unique pieces which have been shown around the world. Her art continues to offer a global message, highlighting the universal experiences of women and families.

Hughes Bosca is a 20 plus year collaboration of two friends and unique individuals, Mary Hughes and Caro-Gray Bosca. Each brings their own fierce perspective as well as a distinct shared aesthetic. Together they are a creative force, fabricating energetic, colorful and delightfully quirky works of art that are personal and engaging. Endlessly inspired by everyday life, details on buildings, garden delights, flea market finds and as equally, fancy gems, each piece starts with a drawing. Generations of sketches refine the design, then the piece is fabricated, using old-school workmanship – real goldsmithing. The work flirts with a balance of rough and delicate, ancient and contemporary.

Both Mary Hughes and Caro-Gray Bosca are nationally recognized goldsmiths whose individual work has been honored by inclusion in museums and private estates across the country. Their inspired collaboration brings you a collection far more exciting than either imagined alone. They write, “We design, make, and sell beautiful wearable objects with timeless appeal. To us, jewelry is very personal. When a person buys a piece, it says something about the wearer. Often something they couldn’t say with their own words!”