Author: dawntheresa

I am a writer and children's art supporter who has found a home in Gloucester, MA. I grew up in central Pennsylvania, but never felt as rooted there as I already do after my first three years here. At this point in my life I write to discover more about the mystical attraction of Cape Ann and the people here, as well as to share with the world the stories of those, young and old, who meld together here with the beautiful landscape to create a picture perfect life.

My Nana and her Lighthouses

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If there’s one thing I learned from my great grandmother, it’s the importance of being a hostess—welcoming people into your home and making them feel warm, loved and taken care of. But if you asked me for two things my Nana taught me in the 23 years I had with her, the second would be to never let a lighthouse go unappreciated.

Lighthouse and moon She loved lighthouses and had them everywhere – sweatshirts with lighthouses on them, calendars, magnets on the fridge. She loved to go driving around just to visit lighthouses in New England. Lighthouses like the one I get to walk by every day on my way to work. As I get ready to go say my good-byes at Nana Lyman’s memorial on Monday, I decided to take a little tour of Gloucester’s lighthouses and appreciate the beauty around us every day – just wanted to share a little bit of it.

Artwork by the Compass Youth Program

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Compass artwork

Click on the picture to see a slideshow of artwork by the kids in the Compass Youth Program, run by Action Inc. If you don’t know about the Compass program, it’s a great alternative day school, night school and GED program to help all students get a high school degree – They’re doing great work and the kids are some of the most creative people I know!

These pieces were done by the day school program and were part of an art show at Cruiseport Gloucester last week – really cool and interesting stuff they came up with.

Triumphant clay student and her Greek Amphora

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Madison, triumphant with her finished greek amphora
Madison, triumphant with her finished Greek Amphora!

Madison made this Greek Amphora as a part of the Ancient Archaeology class at Art Haven 🙂 Throughout the session they learned about ancient cultures through the ceramic vessels those cultures built and left behind!

New Jason Burroughs painting at Pleasant Street Tea Co.

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Jazzy Cityscape at Pleasant Street Tea Co.

New Jason Burroughs painting at Pleasant Street Tea Company!

Artists After Hours at the Community Cinema

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I went to a great new event last night at the Cape Ann Community Cinema for Artists After Hours… I know, it sounds a bit mysterious. And if that makes you want to go, by all means keep thinking it’s extremely mysterious.

In reality, though, a great group of local visual artists, musicians, and writers organized by Nonie Brady and Rokhaya Waring gathered to watch a great film about Charles and Ray Eames – the architect and the painter.

Eames Image

Now, I didn’t really know anything about these two before going to the movie, but afterward I felt ignorant for that. Turns out they not only designed one of the most prolific chair designs in our current society, they also made a film to show America to the Soviet Russians during the Cold War, solved the PR problems of the computer when it first came out, and made all kinds of other fun and fantastic contributions to society.

It was a lot of fun to gather together with other artists and then discuss the film with them a little bit afterward. Looking forward to the next event, February 27th. Word on the street is it’ll be a showing of Waste Land, about Vik Muniz, a creator of giant portraits of garbage pickers in Brazil made out of the garbage itself. He then sold these portraits with the proceeds going to the pickers themselves. Should make for some good discussion!

Buoy auction slideshow

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Hiding in the buoy box
Art Haven crew hiding in the buoy box

Click on the picture above to see a slideshow from the Art Haven buoy auction on Friday night!

Swagga Sweats donation at the Art Haven Buoy Auction

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Swagga Sweats presents their donation to Art haven at the Buoy Auction
Photo by Muffy White

Another great moment from the Art Haven buoy auction on Friday night! The business management class at Gloucester High School, under the direction of Kathy O’Reilly, started a company this fall in which they sold Gloucester pride sweatshirts and even sold stock in their company. They pay all of the typical expenses of a company, and when they dissolved their company at the end of the semester, they voted to give all the money to Art Haven!!  Here’s a picture of the awesome sweatshirts they made and sold:

Swagga Sweatshirt
Photo by Muffy White

What a great way for kids to learn about the basics of business and giving back to your community at the same time. Love it!

Iona’s first art show!

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Iona and her chair

There are lots more pictures from the Art Haven buoy auction coming soon, but this is definitely one of the best: Iona didn’t know her chair was going to be in the art show and when Aja showed it to her she got this grin on her face and said, “It’s my first art show!!” Can’t beat seeing a proud kid standing next to their artwork…

Pop-up fish buoy and a sneak preview at some others… BUOY AUCTION TONIGHT!

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Fish buoy by Kelsey Marr
Fish buoy by Kelsey Marr

Today’s featured buoy (by request) is the pop-up fish buoy by Kelsey Marr! Bidding starts at $20 in the comments section, send us an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) to confirm.

However, for your entertainment, I also bring you a great assortment of artist buoys to check out 🙂 If you’d like to put a bid in on any of these, you’re more than welcome to in the comments section, just make sure to send us an email also (arthaveninfo@gmail.com). And the online bidding ends at 4:00 today. THEN, you come to the auction from 5:00-8:00 at Cruiseport!

Also, keep in mind that there will be live music, lots of local food, tons of beautiful kids buoys, childrens activities and, in case you haven’t heard… A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FROM ART HAVEN ABOUT AWESOME PLANS FOR THE YEARS TO COME!!

TOMORROW is it… Check out the awesome fishing lure by Karen Conant!

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Fishing Lure buoy by Karen Conant
Fishing Lure buoy by Karen Conant

For those of you familiar with The Hive or Crossfit Cape Ann, this style may look familiar 🙂 Created for Art Haven by Karen Conant, one of the wonderful super-involved folks of the Cape Ann community! Again, the rules:

-If you like a buoy you see, bidding starts at $20, and you can just bid in the comments section below the post, HOWEVER

-Your bid doesn’t become official until you send Art Haven an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) saying you’re serious and letting us know how to get in contact with you.

-Finally, if you’re the highest bidder on the blog, that makes your bid the starting bid at the auction. We’ll be in touch about your max bid if you can’t make it to the auction.

If you’ve got any questions, leave ’em in the comments section. Also, check out the artist buoys on Art Haven’s Facebook page and tell us if there are particular buoys you’d like to see go up here. And remember, your money is helping more kids on Cape Ann have access to crazy fun art activities 🙂

Finally, for your enjoyment, the organizing process…

Bid now on Deb Clarke’s Madonna and Child buoy – Only two days until the auction event!

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Madonna and Child buoy by Debbie Clarke
Madonna and Child buoy by Debbie Clarke

After much painstaking work and a couple set backs, you may have already seen Deb Clarke’s buoy on the blog yesterday! It came out AWESOME and today you have the chance to bid on it in case you can’t make it to Art Haven’s big buoy auction event on Friday night…

All the buoys from this year’s lobster trap tree will be auctioned off THIS Friday, the 27th at Cruiseport Gloucester, including the ones featured here. But you can put your bids in now to get your name in the hat. Again, the details:

-If you like a buoy you see, bidding starts at $20, and you can just bid in the comments section below the post, HOWEVER

-Your bid doesn’t become official until you send Art Haven an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) saying you’re serious and letting us know how to get in contact with you.

-Finally, if you’re the highest bidder on the blog, that makes your bid the starting bid at the auction. We’ll be in touch about your max bid if you can’t make it to the auction.

If you’ve got any questions, leave ’em in the comments section. Also, check out the artist buoys on Art Haven’s Facebook page and tell us if there are particular buoys you’d like to see go up here. And remember, your money is helping more kids on Cape Ann have access to crazy fun art activities 🙂  Happy bidding!

Bruce Herman buoy honoring Joe Garland

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Bruce Herman buoy honoring Joe Garland
Bruce Herman buoy honoring Joe Garland
Bruce Herman buoy honoring Joe Garland

Today’s buoy is a very special one painted by Gloucester painter Bruce Herman in honor of Joe Garland. Not much else to say about it other than thank you to Bruce for this beautiful piece of artwork!

This is the fifth in a series of buoys that are being auctioned off to benefit Art Haven. All the buoys from this year’s lobster trap tree will be auctioned off next Friday, the 27th at Cruiseport Gloucester, including the ones featured here. But you can put your bids in now to get your name in the hat. Again, the details:

-If you like a buoy you see, bidding starts at $20, and you can just bid in the comments section below the post, HOWEVER

-Your bid doesn’t become official until you send Art Haven an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) saying you’re serious and letting us know how to get in contact with you.

-Finally, if you’re the highest bidder on the blog, that makes your bid the starting bid at the auction. We’ll be in touch about your max bid if you can’t make it to the auction.

If you’ve got any questions, leave ’em in the comments section. Also, check out the artist buoys on Art Haven’s Facebook page and tell us if there are particular buoys you’d like to see go up here. And remember, your money is helping more kids on Cape Ann have access to crazy fun art activities 🙂  Happy bidding!

Buoy #4 – The Jason Burroughs fish

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Jason Burroughs Fish Buoy
Creative Fish by Jason Burroughs

If you haven’t seen any of Jason Burroughs’ work (mostly creative underwater scenes and Gloucester landmarks), you gotta get down to the Teen Artist Guild gallery at 180B Main Street – definitely worth a look. As you bid, here’s a nice flashback interview with Jason from the summer of 2010 about some of his work:

If you don’t know what’s going on, we’re in the middle of a series of buoys that are being auctioned off to benefit Art Haven. All the buoys from this year’s lobster trap tree will be auctioned off next Friday, the 27th at Cruiseport Gloucester, including the ones featured here. But you can put your bids in now to get your name in the hat. Again, the details:

-If you like a buoy you see, bidding starts at $20, and you can just bid in the comments section below the post, HOWEVER

-Your bid doesn’t become official until you send Art Haven an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) saying you’re serious and letting us know how to get in contact with you.

-Finally, if you’re the highest bidder on the blog, that makes your bid the starting bid at the auction. We’ll be in touch about your max bid if you can’t make it to the auction.

If you’ve got any questions, leave ’em in the comments section. Also, check out the artist buoys on Art Haven’s Facebook page and tell us if there are particular buoys you’d like to see go up here. And remember, your money is helping more kids on Cape Ann have access to crazy fun art activities 🙂  Happy bidding!

Buoy #3 – EJ’s Eastern Point Lighthouse

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Lighthouse buoy by Ejay Kahn
Eastern Point Lighthouse Buoy by EJ Lefavour

This buoy was generously created for Art Haven by GMG’s own Ejay Lefavour, renowned owner of the Ejay Kahn gallery on Rocky Neck! Start your bidding!

If you don’t know what’s going on, we’re in the middle of a series of buoys that are being auctioned off to benefit Art Haven. All the buoys from this year’s lobster trap tree will be auctioned off next Friday, the 27th at Cruiseport Gloucester, including the ones featured here. But you can put your bids in now to get your name in the hat. Again, the details:

-If you like a buoy you see, bidding starts at $20, and you can just bid in the comments section below the post, HOWEVER

-Your bid doesn’t become official until you send Art Haven an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) saying you’re serious and letting us know how to get in contact with you.

-Finally, if you’re the highest bidder on the blog, that makes your bid the starting bid at the auction. We’ll be in touch about your max bid if you can’t make it to the auction.

If you’ve got any questions, leave ’em in the comments section. Also, check out the artist buoys on Art Haven’s Facebook page and tell us if there are particular buoys you’d like to see go up here. And remember, your money is helping more kids on Cape Ann have access to crazy fun art activities 🙂  Happy bidding!

Buoy #2 up for bids!

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Octopus and Turtle buoy by Janelle Downey
Underwater Scene by Janelle Downey

In case you missed it yesterday, we’re starting the bidding on some of our artist buoys here over the next week so you get a preview of some of the great stuff you can see if you come to Cruiseport next week!

All the buoys from this year’s lobster trap tree will be auctioned off next Friday, the 27th at Cruiseport Gloucester as a fundraiser for Art Haven, including the ones featured here. But you can put your bids in now to get your name in the hat. Again, the details:

-If you like a buoy you see, bidding starts at $20, and you can just bid in the comments section below the post, HOWEVER

-Your bid doesn’t become official until you send Art Haven an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) saying you’re serious and letting us know how to get in contact with you.

-Finally, if you’re the highest bidder on the blog, that makes your bid the starting bid at the auction. We’ll be in touch about your max bid if you can’t make it to the auction.

If you’ve got any questions, leave ’em in the comments section. Also, check out the artist buoys on Art Haven’s Facebook page and tell us if there are particular buoys you’d like to see go up here. And remember, your money is helping more kids on Cape Ann have access to crazy fun art activities 🙂  Happy bidding!

Let the bidding begin!

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Blinged out GMG buoy
The blinged out GMG buoy by Sista Felicia!

Not sure if you’re going to be able to make it to Art Haven’s buoy auction on the 27th? Or just so excited that you want to start bidding now? Here’s your chance!

Hopefully you saw this beautiful buoy hanging on the Lobster Trap Tree this holiday season and we’re giving you a chance now to bid on this and 7 other buoys painted by local artists, which you’ll see posted over the next 7 days.

If you didn’t know, all the buoys that adorned this year’s beautiful tree (featured in the NYTimes, in case you missed it…) will be auctioned off next Friday, the 27th at Cruiseport Gloucester as a fundraiser for Art Haven, including the ones featured here. But you can put your bids in now to get your name in the hat. So here’s the deets:

-If you like a buoy you see, bidding starts at $20, and you can just bid in the comments section below the post, HOWEVER

-Your bid doesn’t become official until you send Art Haven an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) saying you’re serious and letting us know how to get in contact with you.

-Finally, if you’re the highest bidder on the blog, that makes your bid the starting bid at the auction. We’ll be in touch about your max bid if you can’t make it to the auction.

If you’ve got any questions, leave ’em in the comments section. And in the meantime, check out all the artist buoys on Art Haven’s Facebook page and tell us if there are particular buoys you’d like to see go up here. And remember, your money is helping more kids on Cape Ann have access to crazy fun art activities 🙂  Happy bidding!