Month: January 2011

Did You Know (En Plein Air)

Posted on by God's Morning
photo of painter Chris Coyne painting Annisquam Village En Plein air on a very cold January day
Photo by E.J. Lefavour
Painter Caleb Stone capturing Annisquam Village En Plein Air on a cold January afternoon
Photo by E.J. Lefavour

That en plein air is a French expression which means “in the open air”, and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors?
Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school and Impressionism. The popularity of painting en plein air increased in the 1870s with the introduction of paints in tubes.  Previously, each painter made their own paints by grinding and mixing dry pigment powders with linseed oil.  It was during this period that the “Box Easel”, typically known as the French Easel, was invented. It is uncertain who developed it first, but these highly portable easels, with telescopic legs and built-in paint box and palette, made treks into the forest and up the hillsides less onerous. Still made today, they remain a popular choice even for home use since they fold up to the size of a brief case and thus are easy to store. One popular version is named the Jullian easel, designed by Roger Jullian, a French prisoner of war during World War II, who devoted himself to designing and later manufacturing the perfect sketch box easel.
While walking around Annisquam the day after the storm, I encountered these two artists painting en plein air, and it was a very chilly plein air at that. Each was painting their view of the Village from opposite sides of the end of Leonard Street. Chris Coyne (first picture), really impressed me by having included me in his painting by the time I reached the top of the rise where they were set up. Chris has a gallery at 37 Bearskin Neck, called Chris Coyne Fine Art www.coynefineart.com. The second artist is Caleb Stone of Ipswich. Caleb’s website is http://calebstoneart.com. Both are very accomplished artists, and it was nice to meet them and impressive to watch them work in the bitter cold with no gloves on.  Personally, I’m a wimpy studio painter and you’d never catch me outside painting in the cold like that.  These guys are hardcore.

From Wikipedia and The Fox Chase

E.J. Lefavour

www.khanstudiointernational.com

Chickity Check It! Feathered Friends From Kim Smith

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Black-capped Chicadee and Cardinal hungry at the feeder during blizzard

Kim Smith writes-

Dear Gardening Friends,

During inclement weather, particularly when it is blizzarding, please don’t forget to knock the snow off, and clear the base around, your feeders. This afternoon while working on a drawing and looking out onto the snowy backyard scene I observed a half dozen species of our feathered friends searching for food at the bird feeders and in the fruit-bearing shrubs. The fearless Black-capped Chicadees, with cheery birdsong chic-a-dee-dee-dee, have their amusing habit of darting in for a seed and skedaddling away as quick as can be to crack it open against a firm surface. Particularly sweet was a cardinal pair. They took turns at the feeder; while one was eating, the other was always close by and at the ready with a warning cry.

A question from one of my dear readers:

Dear Kim, Last summer a male cardinal sang his heart out every day from the tree tops around our house. I thought he must be calling for a mate, but I never saw him with a female at all. Then the most curious thing happened: he began to perch on either my or my husband’s side mirror on our cars. He would peck away at the mirror and flap his wings. It was then that I concluded that he was desperate for a mate. This fall and winter, a male and female have appeared. There is a male (maybe the same one) that has started perching on my car mirror again. Since it is December/January, and if it is the same cardinal who now has a mate, it may have nothing to do with trying to find a mate. If you have any ideas, let me know.

Kim’s answer at her blog here

Terry Del Percio Art Exhibit at Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester, MA

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

January 12, 2011

New Art Exhibit at Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester, MA

Artist Terry Del Percio-Piemonte displays a sampling of her abstract paintings along with a few whimsical animals and flowers in a colorful exhibit of watercolor and mixed media at the Sawyer Free Library on Dale Avenue in Gloucester. Visit the library to see a change of pace from boats and the sea, with uplifting colors providing an antidote to the gray and stormy skies of winter. With colors that force you to take notice, some of the paintings just make you smile and some encourage you to think about life. On display now through January 30. Call the library for hours at (978) 281-9763.

Contact:

Terry Del Percio-Piemonte

terryellen@comcast.net

978.281.1188 home & studio

Fish, Interrupted by Terry Del Percio-Piemonte

terry2

Sweet Osmosis by Terry Del Percio-Piemonte

terry

Innocence by Terry Del Percio-Piemonte

giraffe

Yesterday’s post for the 365 Project

Posted on by Sharon

This project gets me to think more creatively. This shot was ok out of the camera, but when I switched it to b&w and played with the settings in Photoshop, the design created by the pier and reflection became the eye’s focus rather than the color.

Chickity Check It! Myopia Sled Dog Races Central- Hamilton Wenham Patch

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Sled Dog Central We’re Going Today!

image

If you thought I was psychotic about bringing you the best of Gloucester the guy from Hamilton Wenham Patch makes me look downright disinterested, lol.

Robert Gates should be running a newspaper for sure.

Good Harbor New years Day Plunge Video From Tony Sapienza

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Joey,

Still more New Year’s Day highlights — this time a video of the plunge, produced by Sean Reardon of North Andover, a fan of the Blue Shutters Dips (his mom, Kim, was the Dip in the pink swimsuit). As news of this event has spread among friends (it as just highlighted in our Blue Shutters newsletter) a bunch more are promising to sign up for next year. Why wait ’til January — how about a Saint Pats plunge or an Easter Day Dunk? We may do a morning-after splash after our Chili Cookoff on February 12. It may not be a beach in the Carribean, but we think more and more folks are realizing Good Harbor in the winter definitely doesn’t suck! But those shots from the tropics sure look great.

– Tony from the Blue Shutters Beachside Inn

Bill O’Connor Storm Break Photo

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hey Joe, I shot this one today when there was a break in the storm for about 5 minutes. The end of the breakwater is just to the right of the center of the photo, Eastern Point on left hand side. Thanks,

Topside Grill Closing for The Season

Posted on by Joanne

Friday night entertainment ~The Bandits ~ Dan and AnnMarie

Hey everyone,

I wanted to say thank you for a great season here at the Topside Grill! We had a tremendous spring,summer, and fall this past year, and it would not have been that good if not for our terrific regular customers such as yourselves. Please join us for our last night this Saturday the 15th starting at 7:30pm as we have our customer appreciation night. We will have a buffet and some giveaways throughout the evening. We hope to see you there!!

Thanks,

Doug Silva
General Manager
Topside Grill
50 Rogers St.
Gloucester, MA
(978) 281-1399
www.topsidegrill.com

Did you Know (Willows of Annisquam)

Posted on by God's Morning

Painting of the Willows of Annisquam aka Willows at Riverdale and Annisquam Willows
Painting by E.J. Lefavour

That sometime in the 1840’s there was a need for a road to be built on a bit of land, which was almost a swamp.  Horses and oxen would sink in the mud and mire.  At that time, the city did not provide roads, so the neighbors decided to build their own.  They used stone from the local quarries for the paving; however, the land was too unstable to support stone.  Discouraged by their failed efforts, one of the men suggested setting out willow trees, which easily reproduce from cuttings and were known for their rapid growth – the idea being that their roots, remarkable for their toughness, magnitude, length and tenacity of life, would meet across the road and make a foundation, thus reinforcing the road.  From the swamp, they cut some willow switches.  After gathering a good number of them, the men stuck the slender branches into the ground on each side of the roadway.  These branches sprouted and thrived and their roots held the roadbed firm.  In time, these willows, with their green and lovely plumes, became a Cape Ann landmark.

This painting was done from an old black and white photo of the Willows of Annisquam in winter at the suggestion of an older neighbor who remembers and loved the Willows.  She also loaned me the Anne Kelly Lane book about the Willows.  They were located on the stretch of Washington Street near where the Willow Rest and Riverdale Post Office are now, and most disappeared after a blight killed them off in the 1950’s, although if you look, you will still see a few along the roadside.

Going Thru the Willows

Two men planted twigs

On a road nearby the sea,

One by one they sprouted up

And grew into a tree

Love sought their shade at evening

And there breathed its early vows

And old and young alike

Would stroll beneath their boughs

Cape Ann loved the dangling plumes

Of the willows on the shore

But “going thru the willows”

Is now just a bit of lore?

 

(edited excerpts from “The Willows of Cape Ann” by Anne Kelly Lane)

E.J. Lefavour

www.khanstudiointernational.com

Quote of The Week From Greg Bover

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

January 12, 2011
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
Anais Nin (1903-1977)
Born in France to artistic parents of Cuban descent, Nin spent her entire life plumbing the depths of her own psyche and recording her explorations in detailed journals. From the thirties through the fifties, with literary luminaries Henry Miller, Lawrence Durrell, Gore Vidal and others, she defined the open bohemian lifestyle. While perhaps best known for her female erotica, Delta of Venus and Little Birds, her seven volume Diary of Anais Nin contains extensive self study. "We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are."
Greg Bover

http://www.goodmorninggloucester.com

Community Plots At Burnhams Field

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Coming
soon to Burnham’s Field: Fresh tomatoes and cucumbers?
Would
you like to grow your own cucumbers or tomatoes but don’t have a sunny spot to
do it? Burnham’s Field is the largest green space in central Gloucester.
A community garden at Burnham’s Field would allow Gloucester residents to
grow fresh, healthy vegetables or flowers of their choice and save money
on their shopping bills. Gardeners will be able to have their own plots and
share growing tips with other gardeners.
Plans
are now underway. The garden could open this spring if enough people are
interested. Plots will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
If
you are interested in having a plot in the Burnham’s Field community garden,
please contact me at jmcelhenny@gmail.com
John
McElhenny
Gloucester
John McElhenny is a member of the
City of Gloucester’s Open Space and Recreation Committee