Bernard Toale Gallery
The gallery moved last year from its swank Newbury Street location to a more intimate South End setting. Toale's edginess is more than topographical however: He represents many of the city's most promising younger artists, such as Ambreen Butt, David Hilliard, and Lucy White. His is also the gallery of choice for many shows of national significance, such as last year's posthumous exhibit of photographer Francesca Woodman. Between exhibitions, Toale sponsors readings, video installations, and the occasional fashion show. And once again this year, he'll use his gallery's clout for a good cause—as chairperson for ARTcetera 2000, the biennial fine arts auction that benefits the AIDS Action Committee. 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA .
Sparrow House
The 17th and 21st centuries merge seamlessly in this part-museum, part-gallery that sits inside a Colonial-era landmark. Three times each season, Sparrow House holds free shows featuring American artists such as oil painter Marlee Brewster Brockmann and pastel artist Anne Heywood; available year-round are unique handicrafts—ceramic bowls, silver jewelry, polished wooden utensils—by contemporary American craftsmen. 42 Summer St., Plymouth, MA 2360, sparrowhouse.com.
Bernard Toale Gallery
Veteran art dealer Bernard Toale, formerly based in the Back Bay, relocated to Harrison Avenue back when SoWa was just a gleam in ambitious real estate agents eyes. Today he stands as one of the pioneers of the neighborhood's thriving arts scene. The works on display at his upscale gallery are so edgy you could shave with them. Two spare, bright white showrooms host a merry-go-round of psychedelic paintings, urban photography, graphic prints, abstract sculptures, and mixed media displays; featured artists range from international stars like Laura McPhee to rising Massachusetts talents such as Sandy Litchfield. 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 2118, .
Gallery Naga
Arthur Dion's eclectic, electric Gallery Naga has become an art lover's Newbury Street staple. Set in a neo-Gothic stone church, the gallery showcases contemporary prints, paintings, photographs, and furniture by a mix of heavy-hitting New England talent, including artist Masako Kamiya, craftsman John Eric Byers, former MassArt professor George Nick, and painter Todd McKie. 67 Newbury St., Boston, MA gallerynaga.com.
Harcus Krakow
Still the place where the country's best show. 7 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Brock and Company
Forgoing the high rents of gallery space, private dealers use their expertise to match up high-stakes buyers and sellers discreetly. Mark L. Brock is a gem; he will happily source a long-sought treasure, or get the best price on that ancestral portrait you're looking to unload. brockandco.com/index.html.
Childs Gallery
Since 1937 Childs has been a flagship of Boston's fine art market. Specializing in pre-World War II American and European paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture, Childs is where you go to find treasures ranging in importance and price from a small thing of beauty to a centerpiece of an established collection. Owner Roger Howlett's knowledge of his expansive inventory makes Childs nothing short of a museum with price tags. 169 Newbury Street, Boston, MA childsgallery.com.
LaMontagne Gallery
Photo by Jesse Burke The new South Boston, recently referred to as "SoBo" by the New York Times, may eventually earn such a sobriquet around town thanks to relative upstarts like LaMontagne Gallery. Since 2007 the gallery has introduced a wide range of contemporary artists to the Boston scene, garnering regional and national attention for its exhibitions. 555 E. 2nd St., South Boston, MA lamontagnegallery.com.
Boston Center for Adult Education
photo by Alex Lau At BCAE, you can learn everything from beadmaking to digital filmmaking. And that's just scratching the surface. In each case, you'll find a friendly atmosphere in classes taught by professionals: The burlesque course, for one, is led by dancers from Rogue Burlesque, who perform at the A.R.T.'s Oberon and other hip spots. 122 Arlington St., Boston, MA bcae.org.
Gallery Kayafas
Unsettling, luscious, provocative—fine-art photography should be all of these things. Gallery Kayafas, a loftlike space in SoWa, showcases work of precisely this sort, with a majority of artists having local ties. All credit goes to the owner, Arlette Kayafas, who has the connections and the courage to mine the incomparable talents among us. 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA gallerykayafas.com.
Robert Klein Gallery
Few Boston galleries can claim to have an international following, but this small fourth-floor boutique on Newbury Street is a big-league player. When Robert Klein founded his gallery more than 30 years ago, he was one of the first to exhibit works by Diane Arbus, Annie Leibovitz, and Sally Mann. Throughout the years, his unerring eye for photography's best has resulted in a collection that rivals any in the world. 38 Newbury St. #402, Boston, MA 2116, robertkleingallery.com.
Barbara Krakow Gallery
Photography by Bob O'Connor When the MFA has an Alex Katz retro-spective, this Newbury Street gallery has the clout to run its own Katz portraiture show at the same time. Bold, courageous, and experimental, Krakow has brought Boston the finest contemporary works in every medium since 1964. Mixed in with the big names (Sol LeWitt, Chuck Close, and Tara Donovan) are exciting newcomers poised to break out onto both the local and national scenes. 10 Newbury St #5, Boston, MA 2116, barbarakrakowgallery.com.
Robert Klein Gallery
Since 1980, owner Robert Klein has been quietly amassing fine-art photography and selling to major collectors. He carries work by the likes of Ansel Adams, Alfred Stieglitz, and Edward Weston, as well as contemporary pieces, all skillfully curated by a true connoisseur. 38 Newbury St. #402, Boston, MA 2116, robertkleingallery.com.
Barbara Krakow Gallery
Buckminster Fuller architectural prints. Richard Serra silkscreens. Works by Jenny Holzer, Bruce Nauman, Tara Donovan, and Ellsworth Kelly. Over the past 12 months, all have graced Barbara Krakow's stark white walls. That caliber of contemporary and modern art would be the envy of many museums, but this little gallery manages to pull it in and keep it coming. Bonus: With its annual exhibition that raises tens of thousands for AIDS relief, the gallery is a good citizen as well. 10 Newbury St. #5, Boston, MA 2116, barbarakrakowgallery.com.
Barbara Cole Lee + Company
Lee—a collector herself—is something of a matchmaker, pairing great pieces with the right clients. She's on first-name terms with top local galleries and artists, but will happily hit the road in search of the perfect painting or sculpture. Like all good yentas, she's as much an educator as a connection-maker, giving her customers the confidence to buy what they like while developing their art savvy. 35 Fisher Ave., Brookline, MA 2445, barbaracolelee.com.