Dorchester artist gets national attention for leaving free paintings around the city
"You can kind of make someone's day without saying a word."
Don’t be surprised if you spot a stray oil painting propped up against a fence or a tree in Boston. It might be yours for the taking.
Jake Garcia, a Dorchester nursing student at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, has caught national attention for his novel hobby: He paints landscapes en plein air—i.e., outdoors—and leaves them behind for people to grab.
“What good is art if it’s in a box, in a closet? If nobody’s enjoying it, then what good is it?” Garcia said in a segment Tuesday on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.
Nursing student and artist Jake Garcia has been leaving scenic paintings on the streets of Boston with the hope of making someone’s day.@LesterHoltNBC shares his story tonight on @NBCNightlyNews at 6:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm CT (check your local station listings). pic.twitter.com/OuGMRFj3ky
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) April 27, 2021
Garcia, who only started painting five months ago, caught the attention of local media earlier this month before he was featured in the NBC segment.
“You can kind of make someone’s day without saying a word,” he said in the segment.
But it’s more than charity that motivates Garcia. It’s also a matter of convenience: He finds painting meditative, but walking home with wet canvas is really annoying, he said.
So far, Garcia has left seven paintings behind. Most were painted and left behind around South Boston, with one in East Boston— Garcia seems drawn to oceanside views over the harbor. He told Caught in Southie that he hopes to start painting all across the city in the summer.
If you want a shot at nabbing one of Garcia’s paintings, he shares hints to their locations on Twitter @JakeScapes and Instagram @jakescapes1. But you may need to hustle: many were found and claimed within half an hour.
Couldn’t believe it was there when I showed up!! Thanks so much for doing this for the community! @JakeScapes pic.twitter.com/mheXpcAKFx
— Mikey Memberships (@Mrk091) April 26, 2021
I’m at work, but I made my partner race down to the beach to grab it! Amazing, thank you @JakeScapes! pic.twitter.com/pkU1s14Px9
— Nick Backes (@Mobile_Element) April 23, 2021
Thank you, @JakeScapes!!! What a great find. It’s perfect! pic.twitter.com/6pbj0CvTnL
— Ralph A. Menzione (@TheTopShelfKid) April 18, 2021
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