My View of Life on the Dock
Attleboro Arts Museum annual flower show Calls for Artists Note fees to enter.
Exhibition of Nature-themed Artwork: “Open to all original visual expressions of the natural world. All mediums.” Works can be for sale and cash prizes. Art delivered March 9th and 10th.
Emerald Necklace competition- “design and create a necklace using live or dried materials that would make landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted proud”
They also have an open call for Line – 2017 National Juried Exhibition
Food! Music! Kids buoys! Activities! Artist buoys
How cool is that? Thank you Beauport Hotel for this community support. What a gorgeous venue and fitting locale for this work! Cape Ann Reads is led by the 4 public libraries of Cape Ann. Deliberations for the first ever Cape Ann Creates for Cape Ann Reads Picture Book Contest are in process and underway!
After a year of monthly programming by the libraries and community partners, the Cape Ann Reads contest is in full swing. Cape Ann residents of all ages, students attending school on Cape Ann, and people who work on Cape Ann were invited to create part or all of a picture book for consideration to be published. A first edition printing of one of these submissions will be published in 2017, timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of a Caldecott award for the children’s book, Little House, by Virginia Lee Burton, eminent Gloucester artist, author and illustrator.
To read more about the jurors, please follow this link
Here is the link to the Cape Ann Reads website.
Opportunities to contribute or sponsor the Cape Ann Reads contest are available.
Sponsors and contributions can boost awards that the jury panels may suggest as they complete their evaluations and determine recognition options. Sponsor contribution opportunities could include prizes to artists and writers, underwriting the publishing, and any exhibitions and readings to be held after publication in all the communities.
Thank you, Beauport Hotel!
O’Maley Innovation Middle School SAILS 2nd Annual Talent show 7pm tonight!
Congratulations to the 2016 (round 7) awardees! Their final presentations were at City Council on Tuesday.
Since Gloucester voted to approve the Community Preservation Act (CPA) in 2008, the city has administered 7 rounds of funded projects throughout our community. Have a look at who you helped fund in 2016
Safe bet you might know someone assisting one of these projects. Who else helps? The volunteers on the Community Preservation Committee are fantastic: Catherine Bill Dugan, Catherine Schlichte, Henry McCarl, David Rhinelander, John Feener, Barbara Silberman, Heide Wakeman, Ellen Preston, and Scott Smith. There’s no break for this committee. From start to finish the process from an applicant’s perspective takes nearly a year. Depending upon the project, it will involve assistance from the Community Preservation Committee, City staff and various departments, City Council, City Council sub committees, and the administration. Just as one round winds down, the next year’s process and round of applicants gears up. Visit the Community Preservation Committee page on the City website to learn more about the CPA and to see prior projects.
Debbie Laurie, a Senior Project Manager in the Community Development Department who manages Grants and CPA for the City writes about the info meeting: “We want to help guide applicants through the process and answer any questions you may have before filling out an application. We can also determine if your project is actually eligible or not. Please pass the word around if you know of anyone that may be interested. “
David Cox had five older siblings. At the time of David’s graduation photograph, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Cox were residing at 853 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA. David’s mom was so beloved 2 families named their daughters after her, and 3 families named their sons after her (her maiden name ‘MacAulay’ as their middle.)
Here is a close up of the GHS photograph for his brother, Norman (“Norm”). Norm gave this print to his friend, Ken. Thankfully it made its way back to the Cox family.
Frank and Norm graduated together from Gloucester High School in 1941; Frank had to make up a missed year recovering from pneumonia. He must have been busy as he was a recognized athlete and Flicker mentions his status in “our rogues gallery”. At this time the Cox family resided at 616 Western Avenue.
We are wondering if anyone has a copy of a cadet formal photograph of the oldest brother and sibling, Frank Cox? Or a copy of the senior photo as seen in the yearbook. Both Frank and Norman were in the Army Air Corp during WWII. Frank was drafted out of the Citadel and was a bombardier flying missions out of England. Norm went to Harvard on a GI bill. After retiring from a long career at Mitre Corp, Norm worked with David at the store. At Gloucester High School, all three Cox brothers were cadets which Albert Bacheler established at the school. David won awards.
Here’s one mention from the papers that David hopes I ditch, which I’d consider however it’s worth repeating for that mention of Albert Bacheler (see Civil War coat) and the brag: “David Cox, a senior cadet from Company E, turned in a brilliant effort last night to take top honors in the 63rd annual Prize Drill and Dance in Albert W. Bacheler Drill hall of Gloucester High School.”
The girls had their own unit, the ‘Girls Drill Team’ which David’s sister and athlete, Theo, won. We don’t know if there were cadet photos for the girls. Louise and Christine were David’s other siblings. David told me that there were 4 special Prize Drill and Dance galas at Gloucester High School each school year. The first was the individual drill competition. The second was the prize squad drill competition. The 3rd dance was the Officers Party. The 4th and final prom was the Sargents Party and for this one the boys wore white jacket cut aways. These scans are from the collection of David Cox. He’s speaking to Nancy Knowles Rossi in one of the photos. Who can you recognize?
What is everyone gathered around in that last photograph?
I saw two downed phone lines this morning, reported them and steered clear. I was taught those are the low ones.
Mary Sullivan and Brett Dunton, fine artists and visual arts teachers at O’Maley Innovation Middle School, Gloucester, MA, act like art is the best subject anyone could dream of teaching. It’s evident that they’ve established an inspiring collaborative approach; they work together seamlessly and dazzle the students. Their art rooms are just the way you’d dream they should look–ample rooms that look like art work is done there in a big way.
They are super resourceful and adept at re-purposing and re-inventing materials. They adhere to the ‘your trash is our treasure’ school of thought. Any donated supplies can be dropped off at room 130 before or after school.
– Yogurt cups (clean)
– Cardboard (clean)
– Wood (untreated by chemicals)
– Large paper grocery bags
– Magazines
– Hardcover books
– Yarn or string
– Fabric
– Any art supplies (crayons, colored pencils, paint, brushes, etc)
– Any kind of paint (tempera, acrylic, watercolor, latex house paint . . .)
– Posters of artwork
– Hardware (hammers, nails, screwdrivers, clamps, saws, sandpaper . . .)
– Other building supplies such as carpet, tiles, and linoleum
– Doo-dads and whatcha-ma-call-its
– Anything that could possibly be turned into art
contact: msullivan@gloucesterschools.com mcsullivan.com and bdunton@gloucesterschools.com
There’s a monumental outdoor mural behind Prince Insurance at 3 Washington Street, Gloucester, Massachusetts, that changes every year. It’s sited on private property.
Thanks to the Greeke family who own Prince Insurance and let him have at it, artist and writer Danny Diamond has expressed his ideas and showcased his can command on this same outside wall annually since 2011.
My favorite sight line is from Middle Street heading to the Captain Lester S. Wass American Legion Post 3 and the Joan of Arc sculpture by Anna Hyatt Huntington. It’s in a tight spot, and so is the kid with the green, green eyes staring back from the latest mural.
Diamond is using his talents to bring awareness to homelessness and the economy. Here’s an excerpt from his statement about 21st Century Orphans: “The windfall of green-backs that flies from my letters gives way to dingy news-print and beggars’ placards–this orphaned child’s currency. It’s rarely discussed, in our scenic little fishing town, that the homeless population has increased in Massachusetts by 40% since 2007, even as the national average was in decline. This in part due to the fact that the cost of living here in Mass is among the highest in the country; the cost of housing continues to increase now that the market has come back, and there is no relief in sight… Fifteen percent (over half a million) of our children here in the Bay state live in poverty; of the over seventeen-thousand homeless people here, thirty-eight percent are children.” – Danny Diamond, 2016
A Gloucester native, Diamond is busy with commercial art and commissions on both coasts. I had a chance to ask him more about his art and writing after I did a post about the sea monster fence he painted. He brushed off the street artist description: “I consider myself a graffiti-writer and sometimes a mural-artist, but not a “street-artist” (semantic distinction).” I asked him about Gloucester connections and if he went to the high school. Did any teachers influence him? He wrote back swiftly:
“I studied art under Jackie Underwood, who was “Jackie Kapp” at the time, as well as theatre and set-design with Krista Cowan and Kim Trigilio. I went on to earn a cum laude BA in English Lit and Creative Writing at UMass Boston, class of ’06… I spent a lot of time at Artspace on Center St. as a kid, and so Gloucester’s sub-cultural grandmaster Shep Abbott had a big effect on me by bringing punk rock and mural art into downtown. I was mentored in the world of graffiti art by the late Jed Richardson of Manhattan who was a major figure in the NYC subway-train art movement of the 1980’s; he moved to Gloucester in 2001 or so and remained here until his passing in September of ’09… ”
Diamond created a tribute chalk mural to his mentor at Minglewood Tavern. I worked in New York and saw first hand the 1980 era kings (and not so kings) of subway and club graffiti. I didn’t know Jed Richardson’s work and wondered if Diamond had an image to share for this post.
I also thought about the owners who turned over their wall for Diamond’s art. I learned that the building is owned by Peter Greeke who founded Prince Insurance. Aha! A creative family that understood and allows Danny Diamond the use of a large wall to practice and express his art. The Prince Insurance company is on Washington Street between Middle and Main and directly across from the Legion. It is a second generation family business that has specialized in personal insurance for more than 35 years. It’s now co-owned by sisters, Melissa Moseley and Wendy Prendergast. A third sister, fashion designer Jennifer Greeke, operates Harpy Fashion out of the back office. The Prince Insurance storefront stands out with such original picture window displays.These windows are an entire family affair. Melissa doesn’t remember a time before the windows. Their mother creates them; Jen has made clothing, sculpted papier-mâché creatures and mermaids. “Of course because of the community we live in, over time artistic customers and friends joined in…like Richard Harding and the built boat. They’re just a lot of fun.” Prince Insurance has a beautiful new website.
I hoped Danny Diamond had a record of his devoted wall mural project, which he obliterates and repaints every year. He did. Photographs below are from Diamond or his website, www.skribblefish.com. His Instagram is @pyse117. I added one showing a work in progress he is completing for a new restaurant opening in Salem in February and other local commissions.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, owns 20 incredible and deliberate states from John Wilson’s monumental etching of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The final state was printed in an edition of 50 in 2002. The 2002 print was based on a smaller Wilson drawing of Dr. King, a 1985 preparatory study for a bronze statue installed in the Rotunda of the US Capital in 1986. Wilson created other portraits of Dr. King including a monumental 8 feet tall bronze that was installed in Buffalo’s Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Its maquette went to the Butler Institute of American Art.
To make the etchings currently on view at the MFA, Wilson collaborated with master printer and artist Jim Stroud. Stroud is the founder and owner of Center Street Studio, named for its address in… Gloucester. Center Street Studio opened and operated from 1 Center Street from 1984 to 1986 before moving to Boston. I co-curated an exhibition Civil Progress in American Art which featured John Wilson in 1986.
– Catherine Ryan
Direct and zoomable link to the “New Libraries of Massachusetts” excellent poster (PDF), created by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) and covering projects completed up to 2012. Many are historic combos and a few bypass parking compliance (Boston Public Library).
Late last night, Ray Lamont filed a story for the Gloucester Daily Times about January 11 library building meeting.
I’ll add links to the Q&A from last week and last night if they’re available. Identifying an architect of the preliminary plans and building architect are part of filing intent. And the FAQ spells out: Eligibility: …Applicants must have local approval to apply for, accept, and expend grant funds as well as approval for the proposed preliminary design.
See more information about the Massachusetts Public Library Building Program in the video they produced, and Sawyer Free showed last week at the corporators meeting.
127 people and staff filing in- there’s plenty of room come on down!
Sawyer Free Building Committee is meeting at 4pm January 11, 2017 to discuss schematic design, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC grant opportunities), and ready another presentation. At 6:30pm they’ll give a second public presentation with the building team. (Today’s Gloucester Daily Times article by Ray Lamont has more information: Commish Questions: Library board presenting proposal at community forum Wednesday night) Below are photographs from the January 4th meeting for coporators and other invited guests. The library’s building committee and the new building team gave a presentation and fielded comments and questions. Attendees expressed both support and dismay. Like the schools, it’s a big topic. There are similarities: seeking a matching state grant, steep building compliance requirements, same project manager as West Parish and architects as West Parish. Questions and concerns can be directed to a communications consultant engaged by the library who will help to connect you with answers. There was a scrumptious catering spread from Willow Rest. I liked the artisan flatbread school of fish display. Melissa and the Willow Rest team are so creative.
The current North Shore Magazine gives a shout out to Beverly Library for being rather library-ish, “unlike a lot of libraries, it’s quiet.” Plus more interior photographs of the Boston Public Library.
Balancing and balance
Prior post: Proposed building plans. Plus universal access, consolidated archives and digitization
I’m looking forward to seeing work by artist and dealer, Ken Riaf, showing Saturdays and Sundays at Jane Deering Gallery, 19 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, just across the street from his own Law and Water Gallery, 18A Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA.
Cape Ann Museum and the Hive are on the same block, and then there’s Trident Gallery and Cape Ann Art Haven just a skip away at the intersection of Main Street and Pleasant. The Hive has just announced their new winter classes: Foundations of Drawing class Wednesdays; Watercolor Studio: Basics of Watercolor Painting class on Tuesdays; Painting Studio all levels class on Wednesday evenings; and Ceramic Studio with Ruth Worrall on Thursdays. Register for the Hive’s upcoming classes here.
The awarded project “Walking Cinema: Museum of the Hidden City” is headed by Michael Epstein, Untravel Media. You can see more about their work at www.walkingcinema.org including the one that is part of the Gloucester HarborWalk designed by Cambridge Seven Associates, and earned a 2013 Gold Muse Award from the American Alliance of Museums. Epstein also produced an audible original podcast, “Pen and Place”. Congratulations!
To see the National Endowment for the Humanities complete list of grant recipients across Massachusetts and the country: NEH announces $16 million in awards for 290 projects
