The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, MA 01930 – June 1 at 2:00PM
Date: Sunday, June 1
Time: 2:00PM-3:30PM
Admission: Free and open to the public (donations to RNAC is encouraged)
Gloucester, MA — Rocky Neck Art Colony is pleased to present a special performance by artist and musician Stephen Bates on
Sunday, June 1 at 2:00 PM. This multidisciplinary event will feature Bates’ original paintings alongside live musical compositions, performed by the artist himself on clarinet, flute, and bass clarinet.
Bates has created four evocative paintings for this performance—three inspired by powerful stories from the Old Testament, and a fourth interpreting William Blake’s visionary poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Each artwork is accompanied by an original piece of music composed by Bates, exploring the emotional and thematic depth of the subjects.
With a distinguished career as a clarinetist in the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra for 36 years (1973–2009), Bates has long pursued a parallel passion for the visual arts. Since moving to Manchester, he has taught silk painting in Gloucester for over a decade, continuing to explore the interplay between music and visual expression.
In this interactive presentation, Bates invites the audience to reflect on and discuss the underlying themes of each artwork after hearing its corresponding musical piece. The stories depicted include Eve’s acceptance of the forbidden fruit, God’s promise to Noah, the worship of the golden calf, and a bold artistic and musical response to Blake’s Marriage of Heaven and Hell.
This event promises to be a rich, thought-provoking experience where music, art, and dialogue converge. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with Stephen Bates’ unique vision at the intersection of creativity and conversation.
For more information, visit www.rockyneckartcolony.org
Good Morning Gloucester 