What are Paintings For?
New Paintings by Mary Thérèse Wright and Ellen Cone Maddrey

118 Elliot Open Gallery Hours: Gallery Walks, Thursdays 3 to 6 pm, during 118 Elliot events, and by appointment

Painters Mary Thérèse Wright and  Ellen Cone Maddrey are exhibiting their recent work at 118 Elliot during September and October. The artists are both moving towards more abstract painting; instead of leading the viewer towards a particular object, scene, or story, the works are open to interpretation and narrative based on each viewer’s experience. 

The theme, What are Paintings For?, emerged from the artists’ discussions as painters and viewers of art themselves. They were interested in the New York Times series, encouraging readers to look at a work of art for ten minutes straight. The goals were to reclaim attention span and stillness, enhance visual literacy, and approach challenging work through slow, personal engagement. 

Although art has always been a foundation of being human, many people are becoming separated from the ability to take in art as a deeply personal, spirit affirming experience. What is the place of art, and painting in particular, in our fast-paced, surface-skimming, digital lives? Maddrey and Wright invite the exhibit viewers to lose themselves for even a brief moment in a painting, noticing what draws them in and what images, feelings and memories appear. It is acknowledged that these paintings will not move everyone, but the world is full of works of art waiting to transport the viewer with their mystery.

The exploration of this question of What are Paintings For? will continue with a talk by and discussion with Felicity Ratté, Associate Professor of Art History, Emerson College, on September 17 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm, at 118 Elliot.

118 Elliot  is a collaborative environment for the creative arts and education, hosting film showings, gallery exhibitions, musical performances, workshops of all kinds, conferences, and physical culture classes. 

Untitled 
Oil, graphite, charcoal on paper, 29.5 x 39.5 inches 
2026
Mary Thérèse Wright





Blue Sweep 
Oil on paper, 10 x 36 inches
2026
Ellen Cone Maddrey