The hitchhikers’ guideto the galleries

Gallery Lesson #1: Artists have a sense of humor and an ear for gossip.

Boston-based artist Annette Lemeiux, featured at the Barbara Krakow Gallery, loves to eavesdrop on other gallery-goers’ conversation. After prowling a museum and gathering the most delicious selection of quotables, she projects these intense, insightful whispers onto the canvas: “How could you not know who Jasper Johns is?” “I once knew a girl who dressed as Andy Warhol for Halloween.” “It makes me want to throw up!” Beyond providing a chuckle, her works serves to deconstruct the cliché of the inaccessible art gallery, and deflate the egos of pretentious, nose-in-the-air art scene brats. Under the influence of Lemeiux, galleries become warmer, more inviting — accessibility is granted to all lovers of art, not just serious students and collectors.

Gallery Lesson #2: Dye your hair a complicated, unacceptable shade of blue and put on your plastic rimmed glasses — we’re going a-gallery hunting!

The first gallery on our stop is the Nielsen, which currently features two esoteric, otherworldly sculptures in the main window that will steal your attention from all the surrounding chaos of Newbury Street and beckon you into this relaxed space. Stroll past impressive expressionist works and drink in the modern abstract paintings. Ready to check out the other floors? The staircase, full of creaks and moans, showcases explosive still-lifes of chickens and hens by local artist Laurel Hughes. The second floor displays more artistic adventures as well as gorgeously tiled fireplaces and a sitting area overlooking Newbury Street – an ideal spot for rest, people watching, and contemplation.

Gallery Lesson #3: Toto, we’re not in Soho anymore.

Don’t be intimidated to enter Boston’s answer to New York’s downtown art scene, the Copley Society Gallery. Though it may seem like a sterile and unwelcoming environment, this cutting-edge gallery is both a high art hothouse and a facility willing to educate in the ways of contemporary movements. The Society provides emerging artists with the opportunity to gain acceptance within the mainstream art world and gives established artists a platform to exhibit their work in Boston. The current exhibit, which presents fantastical, folk-influenced paintings and breath-taking collages, is worth the trip to this inaccessibly upscale section of Newbury Street. Check out the alternate pixie universe of artist Alijandra Vernon, whose simple still-life collages are brilliant, candy-coated delights for the imagination.

Gallery Lesson #4: Curators won’t bite. Very hard.

Barbara Krakow is a woman with a very distinct vision. Though she is a highly esteemed art dealer and a leader in Boston’s modern art scene, Krakow is dedicated to creating an atmosphere that’s informative and comfortable, whether you’re an art history scholar or a modern-art dunce.

Jeremy McDonnell, a curator at the gallery as well as a practicing artist, explains that Krakow’s mission is not to sell paintings, but “to educate people as they come in. The conceptual and minimalist art that Barbara collects is not immediately accessible. Discussing the works leads people to think about and understand the art.” The real work of art, though, is the gallery itself, located on the fifth floor of a posh office building located at 10 Newbury Street. The seemingly clean, understated architecture is a sight to marvel — upon close inspection, the space contains enough oblique angles and unexpected windows and twists and turns to put Alice’s Wonderland to shame. A visit to the Barbara Krakow Gallery is a truly transcendent experience, filled with intriguing works of art, helpful guides, and quiet surprises lurking in each corner. And be sure to ask for a peek inside Barbara’s office — the curators won’t bite. I promise.