WE LOVE the framed photographs and paintings on our walls, but we struggle with the fact that they're so formal, so disjointed from our everyday world. We think art should be incorporated into our lives in a more dynamic manner. Cambridge-based photographer Brian Beaucher shares our sentiments - which is why he launched Boston Coasters earlier this year. The company helps area artists sell their work on functional products such as mouse pads, messenger bags, and coasters. The pieces display everything from vintage ads to animal images to antique maps; our favorites are slices of Boston life: gritty T-station shots, a series of Fenway photos, and a variety of local outdoor scenes. Beaucher does a portion of the photography himself (he's been printing his work on coasters since 2004), and he's eager to expand his site - www.bostoncoasters.com - to include more artists. In fact, the whole endeavor has been so successful that Beaucher recently left his job as a software support engineer to devote himself to the business full time. Boston Coasters goods are available on Beaucher's site, where customers choose from an array of images and products on which to display them. A selection of the merchandise can also be found at local retailers including Magpie (416 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.623.3330), Brookline Booksmith (279 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617.566.6660), Newbury Comics (various locations), and Whole Foods (various locations), and Beaucher also does the rounds at local art fairs; catch him and his wares at the SoWa Holiday Market (Cathedral High School Gymnasium, 74 Union Park, Boston) on December 8 and 9.
A) Wood coasters, $5
B) Journal, $18
C) Mouse pads, $12
D) Messenger bag, $75
