Naturescape Gallery at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History presents The City & The Sand by watercolor artist, Eli Portman, September 3 – October 31, 2025, during Museum open hours.
Artist Statement: “A display of watercolor paintings capturing the beauty of both the natural Cape Cod environment and the bustling Boston streets. Using detailed line work and heavy colors, I illustrate moments of 'unique' isolation that we all share. The feeling of walking alone while viewing social excitement through nighttime windows or working while others play to their contentment.
With controlled ink lines, I capture shadows and lights. Familiar angles, familiar feelings brought on by time of day or night, placement and presence in one’s environment. I manipulate the openness and tightness of visual spaces and interiors to reflect the claustrophobia of society's open space and the endless emptiness of being crowded and crushed.
With strong colors, I attract the viewer’s eyes to specific spaces within the composition, reminding them of their own perceptions of the environment, and that I, like them, find myself in there too. By capturing these scenes, I present the commonality between them and me. Though they do not know me, we are united by the sameness of the humanity we all share.”
?Eli Portman was born and raised in the Greater Boston area. He graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton with a bachelor’s degree in studio art in 2014.? Portman has created murals and custom artwork for Starbucks, Walmart, General Electric, Salem State University, the Punto Urban Art Museum, the Downtown Boston BID and the City of Boston, and displayed his work in the Fountain Street Gallery, the Selfless Art Gallery, The Torosiete Gallery, the UMass Boston Harbor Arts Gallery, the Spring Bull Gallery, and more.? He is a member of the Copley Society of Art, and regularly has his illustrations published in various media. Portman helped create the largest watercolor painting on record with a traveling Holocaust history exhibit in 2024 and was featured on the GBH Community Canvas in 2025.
Included with Museum Admission? *Dates for the exhibition are subject to minor changes and may temporarily be unavailable due to Auditorium programming. Please call ahead.
?For more information, please call the Museum at 508-896-3867 ext. 133.?
Date and Time
Tuesday Sep 9, 2025
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM EDT
September 3 – October 31, 2025, during Museum open hours.
Location
Artist Statement: “A display of watercolor paintings capturing the beauty of both the natural Cape Cod environment and the bustling Boston streets. Using detailed line work and heavy colors, I illustrate moments of 'unique' isolation that we all share. The feeling of walking alone while viewing social excitement through nighttime windows or working while others play to their contentment. ?Eli Portman was born and raised in the Greater Boston area. He graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton with a bachelor’s degree in studio art in 2014.? Portman has created murals and custom artwork for Starbucks, Walmart, General Electric, Salem State University, the Punto Urban Art Museum, the Downtown Boston BID and the City of Boston, and displayed his work in the Fountain Street Gallery, the Selfless Art Gallery, The Torosiete Gallery, the UMass Boston Harbor Arts Gallery, the Spring Bull Gallery, and more.? He is a member of the Copley Society of Art, and regularly has his illustrations published in various media. Portman helped create the largest watercolor painting on record with a traveling Holocaust history exhibit in 2024 and was featured on the GBH Community Canvas in 2025. Included with Museum Admission? *Dates for the exhibition are subject to minor changes and may temporarily be unavailable due to Auditorium programming. Please call ahead. ?For more information, please call the Museum at 508-896-3867 ext. 133.?
With controlled ink lines, I capture shadows and lights. Familiar angles, familiar feelings brought on by time of day or night, placement and presence in one’s environment. I manipulate the openness and tightness of visual spaces and interiors to reflect the claustrophobia of society's open space and the endless emptiness of being crowded and crushed.
With strong colors, I attract the viewer’s eyes to specific spaces within the composition, reminding them of their own perceptions of the environment, and that I, like them, find myself in there too. By capturing these scenes, I present the commonality between them and me. Though they do not know me, we are united by the sameness of the humanity we all share.”
Fees/Admission
Included with Museum Admission
Contact Information
Sarah Hurlock
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