My View of Life on the Dock
To Whom It May Concern:
Gloucester’s Downtown Harbortown cultural district meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at Gloucester’s Endicott College Campus has been canceled and will be re-scheduled at a later time. Thank you for the continued support.
Sincerely,
Office of the Gloucester Mayor
Innovation in Gloucester
Long Beach can be a surf spot on Saturdays year round; yesterday was dotted.
Meg Montagnino Jarrett introduced the movie, Manchester by the Sea, from the Cabot stage in Beverly, MA, this past Thursday evening, the first public screening in Massachusetts. Members of the audience worked on the film, and dignitaries such as Senator Bruce Tarr and Mayor Romeo Theken were invited. Montagnino Jarrett is a local film producer who worked on behalf of the MA Film office to bring these kinds of projects to the area and is the official liaison for Rockport and Gloucester. Manchester by the Sea is directed by Kenneth Lonergan who appears in a biting scene.
I didn’t recognize this as being such a typical Massachusetts or even an American story. I registered quality and pathos– a modern day Greek tragedy so thoughtfully sculpted it will be understood across the globe, whether you’ve set one foot in this state or not.
You can however walk right home: the sense of place is rendered as carefully as an artist can, as much– or more –than the characters and script. Impressions of the gray and brown landscape long shots were so right. I thought about winter scenes by local artists, like Stoddard’s murals at Sawyer Free Public Library. Residents can tally scenes, wardrobe, and dialogue filled with local references to Cape Ann communities: the harbor, Ten Pound Island, Rose Marine, Seatronics, local New England homes, the ‘Edward Hopper’ Herrick Court staircase, Richdale mart, property alongside East Gloucester elementary, signs along Highway 128, Manchester Essex school, Willow Rest, hockey scenes and Viking posters. Don’t worry, unless you are the talented location scouts celebrating at this premiere– which they were, Cabot has a bar and snacks–audiences won’t find each and every recognition flicker with just one screening. There were far too many, and oft times veiled. Besides, if you possess a beating heart you will be squeezing your friend, looking away, or grabbing Kleenex at least a couple of times.
Manchester by the Sea is a beautiful and searing movie.
The film is a meditation on grief, love, and life. You’ll find flaws. That’s subjective and feels real, too. It’s meticulously crafted and directed. Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler and Michelle Williams are vivid; all of the cast and crew will be impacted by having been a part of the movie. The movie will fuel your eyes and perspective while you watch, and hover around your thoughts and conversations days later. Walking away from the theater, I said American cinema verite. My mind wandered to more mood and art: crisp short stories; poetry; two films, House of Sand and Fog and In the Bedroom, not direct comparisons but as other powerful clutch ups. On the drive home we shared family stories and discussed edges of tragedy. Life and art can be devastating.
I made a mental list of movies that made me crumple beyond the pale. This one wasn’t exactly that for me, thankfully, as the lights came up quickly! But it was memorable as all get out, and as art. Are there movies that have made you cry, yet you’d watch them again; or sad movies you haven’t forgotten? I think this might be one for many viewers.
Part II: more on the making of the film, locally
Room&Board focuses on local and American made modern design and art. They create custom and exclusive pieces with select partners like Lee Industries, Pedleton Woolen Mills, and Pablo Pardo Lighting. Congratulations to Juni and Jane. Founder John Gabbert selected Juni’s work from Jane Deering’s west coast gallery. You can view and visit more work by Juni Van Dyke currently showing in downtown Gloucester, MA.
Solo exhibition of paintings, drawings, and prints at Jane Deering Gallery, 19 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA, through December 17th.
Don’t miss Anna Vojtech‘s special program for Cape Ann Reads from Sawyer Free children’s services. “Informative and casual master class about how to work with publishers and what do to for preparing and sending your children’s books to publishers.”
Fleece blankets, just in case. Made us feel:
Continue reading “Fall fire pit at Beauport Hotel: Wish you were here type of day”
Intersection of Thatcher and Witham Streets, behind Good Harbor Beach, next door to the construction site of the former Olivia’s/Amelia’s property.
The property is legally described as Assessors Map 184, Lots #5 and #9, also known as 70-74 Thatcher Road. Property information from a quick on line search:
Failed 2012 CPA bid has background on the property and a description of habitat and wildlife birds etc
(2014) Excerpt from Friends of Good Harbor:“… Brierneck Realty LLC has begun construction on twelve condominiums on property at 70-74 Thatcher Road at the corner of Witham Street. The new owners are Paul St. Hilaire and Robert Messina, who purchased the fully permitted property from James Griffoni and partners. The construction of condominiums at the edge of Good Harbor salt marsh was fought in court by the City of Gloucester on behalf of the Zoning Appeals Board. The property owners had received a comprehensive permit from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Housing Appeals Committee based upon the inclusion of 25% affordable units under Chapter 40B and won final approval from the Supreme Judicial Court in 2011. The Gloucester Building Department granted a final permit in the spring of 2014. The Friends of Good Harbor held a purchase and sale agreement with the owners in 2013 with the intention of restoring the property to salt marsh, however the agreement expired and the original owners were unwilling to sign a renewal. The new owners expect to build the condominiums in stages, with the first cluster now under construction and targeted for completion in 2015. Representatives of FOGH have met with the new owners about their plans for construction as well as design and landscaping details. In addition, conversation is taking place with respect to coordinating the early-stage planning of a Thatcher Road walkway, for which the new owners have offered their cooperation. Planning for the construction of six condominiums across Witham Street is also underway with other owners on the Thatcher Road site of Olivia’s Restaurant (formerly Amelia’s). The property has been rezoned for residential construction…”
2016 prospectus “Introducing Brier Neck Shores at Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester’s Newest water view condos. Located directly across the street from Good Harbor Beach you’ll experience calming salty air as you enjoy expansive Gloucester scenery from every window…townhomes are delightfully modern with stainless steel appliances, recessed lighting and hardwood flooring throughout. Open concept design is perfect for entertaining guests or peacefully enjoy your own company. Enjoy all that this exclusive area offers while being close proximity to scenic Rockport, the Rockport Country Club, spectacular local cuisine and easy access to 128.” They’d be close to Gloucester’s 18 hole Bass Rocks Golf Club, established 1899
All I can say is don’t miss it next year! Several new establishments joined this fantastic annual fundraiser for the Cape Ann YMCA held at Cruiseport, 6 Rowe Square, Gloucester, MA. All photographs from November 10, 2016.
PASSPORTS RESTAURANT GLOUCESTER
PIGEON COVE TAVERN @ Emerson Inn by the Sea
On a crisp and clear fall day the visibility is back to the Boston skyline. Note the beach stroller on the lower right to help with scale. My sons asked what happens to it now (and what happened to it)?
Across to Lookout Hill
Looking back to Gloucester
Close to the beach. What are the next steps?
(photos Cape Ann Veterans Services)
This past week Cape Ann Veterans Services brought copies of the children’s picture book, Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood, and super volunteer readers, into our local Kindergarten, first and second grades to read aloud in the classes. Copies of the book were gifted to the classroom libraries. Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood ©2012 is by Valerie Pfundstein with illustrations by Aaron Anderson and foreword by John Vigiano Sr., a Marine Veteran and retired FDNY Captain, who honors his sons’ memories (both lost on 9/11) by volunteering his time and resources to Gold Star families and wounded heroes.
Volunteer readers at East Gloucester School: Members of the US Coast Guard Station, Gloucester, Navy/Veteran/Gloucester Police Department Officer Kevin Hicks and marine Corps Veteran Michael S. Grossi who read to his son’s class.
Volunteer readers at West Parish: members of the the US Coast Guard Station Gloucester; David Parisi Air Force Veteran who read to his daughter’s class; Marine Corps Veteran/State Trooper Tim Sova who read to his daughter’s clas; Coast Guard and Marine Veteran/deputy harbor master Chad Johnson; Vietnam War Marine Veteran Brian O’Connor; Army Veteran Anthony Trupiano who recently returned home; Ray Towns Army Veteran/commander of Gloucester Amvets; and Korean War Veteran Melvin Olson .
Volunteer readers at Plum Cove: Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans Services Francisco Urena, Marine Veteran; Trina Parisi-O’Donnell, Air Force Veteran whose son attends Plum Cove; Police Officer Brendan Chipperini and Vionette Vee Chipperini Army Veterans; Gloucester Sea Cadet Commander Robert Pallazolla Air Force Veteran; Police Officer Chris Frates Coast Guard Veteran; Richard J Cavanaugh, Army Veteran; and Devan Smith and Mike Pillelli of US Coast Guard Station, Gloucester
Adam Curcuru telling Pauline Bresnahan and Anita Coullard Dziedziek about the book last month.
Delicious food and drink and fundraiser for the YMCA! More photos coming of all the amazing restaurants and businesses. Come on down to Cruiseport (clam chowder from them)! Oh mY, the Cevice from Passports Restaurant! The bruschetta from Tonno!…
Here’s Beauport 1606
This location was the former site of a restaurant and parking lot (Olivia’s and Amelia’s before). The first photograph was taken just over a year ago, October 4, 2015. I wasn’t setting out to document the new construction; the nocturne grabbed me. Flash forward a year; the new build is progressing. 78 Thatcher.
Applicants have until December 15th to upload a book submission,
Shout out to local artists John Bassett, Bonnie Sylvester and Alexia Parker. Last week we reached out to local media including the Gloucester Daily Times, Cape Ann Beacon, Cape Ann Chamber newsletter, This Week on Rocky Neck and Good Morning Gloucester to help us broadcast the contest and/or seeking volunteer artists. Artists (and writers!) generously stepped forward with intriguing and generous offers! Scroll down to read more about three of the artist volunteers that responded to this recent public appeal. At this time we have more volunteers than requests. Amazing and inspiring!
Glass sculptor, artist John Bassett www.basglas.com, was the first to reach out with a generous and flexible offer. His website links to pages of glorious works.
His offer was quickly followed by Bonnie Sylvester’s thoughtful reasoning: “As an artist and early childhood educator, I would love to add my name to the mix of local volunteer artists that writers may consider. I think it will be a lot of fun to work this way.” Sylvester works in a wide range of material including mixed media, acrylic, and watercolor. “I believe exceptional picture books are a marriage of story and picture. It’s so important to see the creativity in the author’s vision.” She has a master’s degree in early education and is a docent at Cape Ann Museum.
Alexia Parker wanted to volunteer after she was urged by a couple of her friends and fans: “I had couple of friends and coworkers who saw it in the Gloucester Daily Times and contacted me. I grew up in Essex…I also work…in Essex. As far as my art goes, I have just recently been exploring avenues to get my name out there a little. Illustrating childrens’ books has been a dream of mine since I was a child, so I thought this could be a fun way to try it out.” She included this stunning collage as an example.
There will be a second jury panel made up of children. If you know a Cape Ann K-5th grader who likes to read or be read to, and would be excited to be part of the kids jury panel, let your library know! Names will be pulled out of a hat. For more information contact Capeannreads2016@gmail.com.
Cape Ann Reads children’s picture book contest is open to Cape Ann residents of ALL ages, students attending school on Cape Ann and people who work on Cape Ann. One winning book will be published by Cape Ann Reads in 2017, a first-edition printing prize valued up to $10,000. Additional honors will be announced.
The 4 Cape Ann libraries and many regional partners have coordinated a calendar of wonderful events throughout 2016. Additional sponsors and support are sought and welcome! After the registration deadline, the contest organizers will announce additional specific prize categories.
From where I was standing in Gloucester neighborhoods, here are several homes (and one gallery) with cut out shutters; beginning with the green shutters seen on the Beauport, Sleeper-McCann house, one of Gloucester’s two National Historic Landmarks, and a Historic New England property.
Beyond shutters: beginning with “Lookout Hill”, estate built by Natalie and John Hays Hammond, Sr :
American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isle of Shoals at the Peabody Essex Museum is one of the best exhibitions I saw this year. Go. You will come nearly as close as any observer can to feeling the rapturous meeting of an artist’s take with the shimmering world.
Hassam’s paintings don’t reproduce well in books, or photography. They need to be addressed– sized up, walked towards. Inhaled.
This approach is beneficial even if you study just one. But my, what luxury seeing so many in one place at one time. Again and again, the show brought forth connections and insight.”Funny, I hadn’t seen that before,” I found myself thinking, “Artists Howard Hodgkin and Lucian Freud are coming to mind.”
The exhibition features more than 40 Hassam oil paintings and watercolors of the eastern seaboard dating from the late 1880s to 1912–an Isle of Shoals painting reunion, with secrets revealed.
The Peabody Essex Museum and the North Carolina Museum of Art co-organized and partnered with marine scientists at Shoals Marine Laboratory, Cornell University, and the University of New Hampshire. Their new research examined all the sites on the island, and Hassam’s painting process. I liked the research, the pacing of the installation, and the thoughtful viewshed. Besides the two museums, loans came from near and mostly far such as: private collections from coast to coast (which I’d never see); the Portland Museum of Art; Kemper Art Museum at Washington University in St. Louis; Yale (Sinclair Lewis gifted that one to Yale!); Wichita Art Museum; Toledo Museum of Art; Smith; Smithsonian; and the National Gallery of Art.
Basically all painting is abstraction: I relished the chance to study so many in one spot.
I was not a fan of the piped in sound, nor all the wall paint choices as my senses were already acutely challenged by observation. My disdain for the canned ambient sound was so distracting, I had to take a break. On my second visit, the scent of coconut wafted out the entrance. My goodness, have they piped in fake scent like a boutique hotel or experiential attraction, too? They hadn’t. It was my overreaction in the wake of another visitor’s adornment, a lingering fragrance, perhaps sunscreen on a summer day.
Tucked away within the Hassam exhibit was a good photo installation of Alexandra de Steiguer’s work as the Isles winter keeper– for 19 years! For anyone who wondered more about life as a keeper after reading The Light Between Oceans, de Steiguer wrote about her real experiences here, http://connected.pem.org/alone-on-an-island/. It’s beautiful!
More photos of the Hassam installation at the Peabody Essex Museum:
“During his first summers on Appledore, Hassam stayed near to the places favored by his close friend, Celia Thaxter (1834-1894).”
http://celiathaxtergarden.com/
