DAN MCCOLE

By KATHLEE CLEVELAND

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Part of Boston's charm lies in our ability to leave the tall, shiny buildings behind in one turn onto cobblestone streets and enter a smoky pub, where the walls resonate with the voices of a hundred men from a hundred years before you. Just as permanent as the historic buildings are Boston's lifelong residents, who will gladly tell you about their insurmountable affection for our dear city. Dan McCole is one of these men, and his paintings have taken the place of storytelling, in the best way possible.

Born and raised in Southie, he became fascinated by the "district look" of the city. "I like the idea of the present and then the past against the present," he says. "It's like salt and pepper. There's something pleasing about that representation."

McCole also connects through his own memories and impressions. "I want to be as realistic as possible without it becoming a photograph, so I try to let the mind fill in the rest," he says. "Painting is a conversation. It's a message to someone. I just want a conversation with somebody."

His new exhibition will invoke more than conversation, especially with McCole's recent interest in portraiture, inspired by an exhausted street performer who caught McCole's eye. "He was sitting there with a wild hat on his head and beads in front of him with a bucket of cash, so tired, beat for the day." McCole quickly snapped photos, returned to his studio and placed the lyrics to "Street of Dreams" in the background.

He provides an insight into what we overlook: the strangely quotidian, the unusually mundane, the crumbling beautiful building among the blindingly new and modern perceptiveness in an Old-World style.

[Dan McCole. Thu 11.19.09-Wed 12.30.09. The Distillery Gallery, 516 E. 2nd St., First Flr., South Boston. 978.270.1904. Opening reception Thu 11.19.09, 6pm-9pm/free. Mon-Sat/9am-5pm. gallery.distilleryboston.com, danmccole.com]