But another aspect of what I like about Boston is that there are many amateurs who participate in the arts scene. I enjoy witnessing their work. There are tons of choirs, chamber music groups, dance companies and orchestras consisting of artists who pursue their craft while holding other full-time jobs. There are many photographers, sculptors and painters as well.

Perhaps "amateur" is an insulting word to describe them, since they've often gone to the best conservatories, art schools and universities to cultivate their skills.

For whatever reason, however, they earn their living doing something else. They usually perform for free or take only token donations, so it's obvious that my going to their concerts will hardly help them pay their rent. However, I try to show them my support by being present in the audience.

It's true that part of this is because I want to be a "good citizen" and I want to acknowledge the efforts of persons who pursue art out of sheer love ... but more than that, I go because I enjoy it.

My advisor's wife, Idahlia, studied art history as a graduate student and has been painting seriously for decades. Nowadays, she has been curating small exhibits for the Gallery of Social/Political Art in downtown Boston. The gallery doesn't have its own permanent space - it rents a room from a church for its exhibits - and it doesn't even charge admission, but it has about three shows a year.

I have had the privilege of going to the opening reception of a few of the shows that Idahlia has helped organize. Today I went to an exhibition entitled, "War, Peace and Justice." About 10 artists were featured.

Most of the visitors seemed to be the friends and families of the artists and the whole reception had a very homey feel. For instance, many items on the refreshment table were obviously homemade. Over years of attending amateur arts events, I have come to expect this. Indeed, I have come to enjoy it.

There is something to be said for the warm interaction between artists and the visitors that one sees at this sort of event. My guess is that aspiring (or failed) professional artists do not find solace in the unconditional praise of friends and family members, but as an attendee, I like witnessing that kind of warm support.

Like most people, I enjoy amateur and professional performances in different ways: I am a harsh judge of restaurant food, but at a friend's home, I appreciate hospitality more than any fancy dish; I look for perfect artistry at Symphony Hall, but a warm group atmosphere when watching my friends play chamber music in a church.

Idahlia still paints and she has four paintings in the exhibit that I saw today. What I like most about her work is that it conveys her love for people. She always paints pictures of masses of people, often faceless, but nevertheless moving together as a whole. Given the name of the gallery, it is no big surprise that Idahlia is a very liberal and socially conscious woman.

She exhibits an almost girlish enthusiasm and curiosity toward the world that I find very appealing, especially considering that she was born before the war and has two grown children. I feel this warmth in her painting.

Perhaps the famous paintings hanging on the walls of the Museum of Fine Arts speak for themselves without any live interaction between the artists and visitors. But the wonderful thing about local exhibits is that visitors can really connect the character of the artist with the artwork itself. Perhaps personal knowledge of the artist should not matter in one's judgment of a work. But that is a great part of what I look for when I go to small local events.

ST

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