My View of Life on the Dock
What a fabulous idea and experience directed by Zach O’Brien– a graphic artist, Rockport High School art teacher, and Hive gallery curator!
Cape Ann Regional Portfolio Night is Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at the Hive Pleasant Street, Gloucester from 6:30pm -8:30pm.
Great Gloucester Daily Times article by Joann Mackenzie amazing list of colleges participating and sending representatives.
Jack o’lantern traditions. There’s this – our annual amateur foray
and then this public art tableau that we stop for each year, just past 370 Main Street, Gloucester (before the Crow’s Nest heading into downtown Gloucester)
Oh, fruit loved of boyhood! the old days recalling,
When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!
When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin,
Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!
When we laughed round the corn-heap, with hearts all in tune,
Our chair a broad pumpkin,—our lantern the moon,
Telling tales of the fairy who travelled like steam,
In a pumpkin-shell coach, with two rats for her team!
Motif Monday, on a Sunday, another gorgeous month in Gloucester. Natural homes and architecture in October from where I was standing.
Reminder about the Massachusetts Cultural Council 2016 Mayor’s Arts Challenge in the Gloucester Daily Times Talk of the Times by All Hands On Deck (love that)
You can use your smartphone to watch it on the YouTube channel–you know you’re there when you can see the ‘thumb’s-up’ icon beneath the video window.
Beautiful fall morning. I like how the sand fills in the boardwalk come October
You have until 5pm to see these 2 group shows at North Shore Arts Association that are closing today. Downstairs is filled with vistas so dear to local artists they’ve selected these works over others for the Icons of Cape Ann exhibition. Stop by and enjoy their selections. Do your ideas about the theme, emotions and vistas gel with theirs? 114 pieces make their case and they include ones that will stop you in your tracks.Upstairs is devoted entirely to watercolor and is at times mesmerizing. The installation includes juror feedback on the display labels and a peek into process for artists considering juried competitions. The New England Watercolor Society website has listed this year’s winners along with each artist and the work that was accepted for the Biennial, established in 1988. You really have to go in person to linger and closely observe this art. A few to look out for: Evelyn Dunphy, William Perry, Stephen Holland, June Webster, Joey Grant, Rance Jones, Michael Maron, Richard Hanson, Robert J O’Brien, and Kristin Stashenko. Also local artists including: Suzanne Brailey, Paul George, Marion Hall, Marilyn Swift, Carole Loiacono,and Charles Shurcliff.
Three meetings with some items in common were held at the same time this past Wednesday, October 26, 2016: the standing School Committee meeting (including updates on new building) which include members Mayor Romeo Theken and Councilor Favazza; the Housing Building/Production Plan Public Forum #2 at City Hall which includes Councilor Lundberg; and a Forum to Focus on Building in the City held at the Magnolia library and community center with 3 Councilors LeBlanc, Orlando and Nolan.
Cape Ann TV filmed the first two. (I will add them into the post.)
School Committee Meeting
“We’re on a path right now.” “Nobody said we can’t pay.” “We’re in Phase II of a 3-phase plan. We may need to convince the community to vote for a debt exclusion to pay for it.”
The MSBA toured East Gloucester Elementary School earlier in the week to corroborate the condition related to the School Committee Statement of Interest to consolidate East Gloucester Elementary and Veterans Memorial. The School Committee relayed that the community is united in expressing a need for new schools, moving forward and not changing course. The MSBA ascertains the community’s readiness and ability to pay. Gloucester is still in the running for MSBA aid. The pool of applicants was whittled down to 30 from 89 and sometime December or January, Gloucester will learn if MSBA accepts the plan, rejects it or places it on hold. “Up, down, maybe the plan is for the East Gloucester/Veterans only.”
Housing Production Forum at City Hall (I’ll add links to the presentation and feedback from the Magnolia forum):
Announcing Loren Doucette’s 2014 new space at 1 Center Street
Juni Van Dyke’s show at Jane Deering Gallery 19 Pleasant Street Gloucester MA opens Saturday October 29 5-7PM and continues through December 2017. I think Juni’s art transposes her passions and delights into works of sumptuous color and significance. They are beautiful, moving and resonant with her life experiences.
Jane Deering Gallery is located within the 1842 home built for Capt. Harvey Coffin MacKay and Sally (Somes) MacKay. They were married in 1816. The building is one of many distinctive assets within Gloucester’s Central Historic District. There aren’t many wood structures dating from this time because of fires.
McKay’s name is on the 1821 First Fire Club list, established in 1766, appointed to Engine No. Two. Members agreed to 14 Articles: “to be helpful to each other in case of fire; 2, each member to provide two good leather buckets and two strong bags of not less than three bushels capacity, the fine for non-compliance being 12-1/2 cents; 3, to meet annually, also quarterly, with a fine of 12-1/2 cents for non-attendance; 4, a committee of two to inspect each other’s premises and inspect all fire apparatus quarterly; 5, a moderator and clerk to be elected; 6, prescribe the duties of the clerk; 7, to expel members absent from four quarterly meetings and refusing to pay the fines and assessments; 8, to pay for buckets or bags lost at any fire; 9, each member to pay 50 cents for a printed copy of the articles; 10, a secret watch-word for the society, the fine for divulging the same being 40 cents; 11, a fine of 12-1/2 cents for buckets or bags being out of their proper places; 12, fines and assessments to be paid to the Clerk; 12, a three-fourths vote necessary for admission, etc.; 14, a quarterly assessment of 25 cents to meet ordinary expenses.” See The Gloucester Fire Department: its history and work from 1793 to 1893 by John J Somes, ©1892
In 2014, a trunk filled with archival material attributed to Captain MacKay including papers about the ship Parthian fetched $900 (est. $150-200) at online auction site, Invaluable, for The Gallery at Knotty Pine in West Swanzey, NH.
“I, Harvey C. Mackay do solemnly, sincerely, and truly swear, that the within REPORT and LIST, subscribed with my name and now delivered by me to the Collector of the district of BOSTON AND CHARLESTOWN, contains, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the names, age, sex and occupation of all the passengers, together with the name of the country to which they severally belong, and that of which they intend to become inhabitants, which were on board the London Packet whereof I am at present master, at the time of her sailing from the port of London or which have at any time since been taken on board the said vessel. And I do likewise swear, that all matters whatsoever in said report and list expressed, are, to the best of my knowledge and belief, just and true. SO HELP ME GOD. (Signed) Harvey Mackay, MASTER. Sworn to before me, this twenty-fifth day of April 1827, (signed) J. W., Dy. COLLECTOR.” See the (short) Passenger list on board the packet Ship London from England to Boston, Massachusetts on 25 April 1827
A fishing schooner built in Essex in 1866 was named for ‘intrepid Capt Harvey C Mackay (1786-1869). From Out of Gloucester, http://www.downtosea.com: On December 24, 1879: The Sch. ‘Harvey C. Mackay’ Given Up as Lost: The Schooner Harvey C. Mackay, for whose safety fears have been entertained, and for whose coming back to port anxious ears have long been waiting, has been given up as lost by her owners, and she must be added, with her crew of hardy men, to the list of lost fishermen. She left port…
New Jane Deering Gallery opens in Gloucester
Krakow’s Gothic masterpiece- the Veit Stoss altar (ca.1480)!
Great article by Andrea Holbrook: Poland to Honor Fisherman for Saving Treasure
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland will present Curtis Dagley with a Bene Merito Medal, Thursday, October 27 at 2PM in City Hall. “Mr Dagley is honored for his participation in returning to Poland cultural treasures robbed by Germans during WWII; and also in recognition of the imprisonment he suffered at the hands of the Communist authorities of Poland.”
There are a few local writers who would welcome help from local artists to complete their book submission into Cape Ann Creates for Cape Ann Reads Children’s Picture Book Contest! Please email capeannreads2016@gmail.com
For more information about registration and the guidelines, see this dynamite flyer designed by Valerie Marino at Sawyer Free Library. Thanks to Cape Ann Chamber At-A-Glance weekly newsletter and Rocky Neck’s This Week on Rocky Neck- Art Opportunities for helping to get the word out!
Pauline Bresnahan forwards the Cape Ann Veterans Services list. “Please share, boxes will be shipped overseas to arrive in time for the Holidays.” When my kids were at East Gloucester awesome Mrs. Pierce organized for this collection, helping kids understand the significance and giving them an opportunity to be helpful and give back.
In case you missed the one day art show for the Phyllis A Marine Assoc good cause, here’s a link to their current fundraising campaign. The photographs indicate some of the participating artists–look for their work!
more than one hour at a time and always smiling
Thanks Lisa Smith! Here is the direct link to Dave’s film of the October 18th Joint Meeting of the City Council & School Committee:
http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01896&video=292415
Next school committee meeting is October 26.
Register for Cape Ann Reads by November 15, 2016. It’s easy! Applicants are signing up.
Visit the Cape Ann Libraries and the Cape Ann Reads website. Huge shout out and great feedback for Amanda Cook, the Gloucester Writers Center, for leading a monthly writers group at Sawyer Free for Cape Ann Reads which concluded yesterday.
Cape Ann Cinema & Stage bar will be open
Mayor Romeo Theken announced that the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) Mayor’s Arts Challenge videos are ready to view. Which cities and towns entered? The MCC uploaded short videos from Boston, Easthampton, Fitchburg, Gloucester, Newburyport, North Adams, Pittsfield, Salem, and Springfield for the MCC’s 2016 Mayors Arts Challenge. The last challenge was in 2010. After November 1st – videos from 3 cities with the most “thumbs-up” are sent to the MCC selection panel, so click the thumbs up to help!
Announcing the 2016 Massachusetts Mayors’ Arts Challenge
Scenes from last night’s meeting at Veterans Memorial Elementary School forum, less than 50 attendees. Continue reading “School consolidation meeting at Veterans; School Committee and City Council meet tonight at O’Maley; housing plan forum October 26”
