Java Joy

“Walking around with a cell phone and coffee is very American,” says South End–based painter Susan Jane Belton. “It’s a badge of importance.” With that sentiment in mind, the self-described java addict — an instructor at Tufts and the MFA School — ­created her oil-on-panel series of to-go cups, taking inspiration from logos as well as the juxtaposition of thoughtful, lasting images and disposable objects. “It’s an old-fashioned, painted portrait of something we throw away. But it’s also about appreciating amazing design,” she says. $1,000 – $1,200, Howard Yezerski Gallery, 460 Harrison Ave., Boston, 617-262-0550, howardyezerskigallery.com.