The art scene in Dorchester received an infusion of new and interesting talent from the neighborhood put on display Saturday night at the ‘Change’ show hosted in Ashmont’s The Local Hand store.

With an emphasis on artists with “strong connections” to Dorchester, co-curators Franklin Marvel and Cat Armistead worked with shop owner Michaela Flatley to unearth some of the newest artistic talent from the neighborhood – many with stories as pleasant as the art they create.

There’s Dominique Chouteau, who started her art career working at home during the pandemic and occasionally staring out the window of her Melville Park home at the gas tank at Malibu. It was an exercise that brought out a series of fantasy-like pen and ink drawings dubbed ‘Dorchester Stories.’

Then there are the twins Wilson and Elson Fortes, who grew up in Dorchester and honed their drawing skills doodling ‘Dragon Ball Z’ cartoon characters on the tables at Madison Park High School when they were bored. That was an exercise that gave birth to creative careers in graphic design and a notable side hustle as painters.

Not to leave out Alejandra Spruill, who grew up in Roxbury and Dorchester and invested a lot of her time as a young person in art programs and then majored in film at Emerson College, only to choose to be an attorney as an adult. Now, she has dedicated the year to getting back to her artistic roots.

“Sometimes the law is really sad, really sad, but my pictures make me happy,” she said, pointing out her photography on the wall last Saturday. “I always kept shooting through law school…I said in 2024 that I was going to make it my mission to get myself out there as an artist.”

And that’s what she and 21 other artists with those strong Dorchester connections did on Saturday in a packed store on the ground floor of The Carruth building. “I think this is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping we would do here,” said Flatley, who opened her doors in May 2023. “It fulfills all the reasons I wanted to open this business.”

She noted that for the last 10 months, her store has been promoting locally made products and gifts but highlighting one artist at a time with solo shows. ‘Change’ was the first multi-artist show hosted by The Local Hand, and Flatley said it was also the largest event they’ve had to date. She realizes there needs to be more of this kind of energy.

“You don’t know what you’re missing until you do something different,” she remarked as the crowds grew on Saturday. “The thing that occurs to me is that I want to do more group exhibitions and not so many solo shows…This is dynamic and exciting and allows artists to talk to other artists while showing their work to the public. You don’t have that dynamic with a solo show.”

Marvel and Armistead said they received a Massachusetts Cultural Council grant to put on the show at The Local Hand, and that allowed them to rent out the space and provide a stipend for all 22 emerging artists. It also allowed them to feature something with unique energy in Dorchester.

“We went after this grant because we really wanted to give artists an opportunity to show their work where maybe they don’t have that opportunity where it isn’t a pay to play situation,” said Armistead, noting that 100 percent of sales will go back to the artists.

“We wanted to really focus on emerging artists here with connections to Dorchester because it’s underrepresented for shows like this and allows artists to get an opportunity,” said Marvel. “We are finding so many in the neighborhood.”

Both said it’s also important for the public to come by the store before ‘Change’ ends on Sun., June 2, which is Dorchester Day.
“We need more people to come look at the art and purchase the art and see what Michaela is doing here,” he said. “We need to keep this alive.”

Added Elson Fortes, “Now is a really good time in Boston for this because you’re seeing more work and many more artists.”

Twin brothers and painters Wilson and Elson Fortes both have work on display in ‘Change’ at The Local Hand shop in Ashmont.

Molly Flanagan, Yari Dudley, Artist Alejandra Spruill, and Caswell Ellis.

‘Change’ show curators Franklin Marvel and Cat Armistead with Local Hand storeowner Michaela Flatley on Saturday night, April 13. Seth Daniel photos