a juried exhibition of recent work by 43 artists from 7 states.

Opening Reception: Sunday, July 14, 5-7 PM
Dates:  July 11- August 25 

Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson St., Gloucester,  MA
Gallery Hours: Thursday 12-7 PM;  Friday-Sunday, 12-5 PM

Humor in art serves many purposes – as a light moment in dark times, as a commentary to illuminate or challenge, or simply as a small treat, a bit of candy.  Employing a rich variety of media and techniques, including painting, photography, sculpture, installation and stop motion animation, these artists poke fun, elicit cheap laughs, and expose truths.  Popular culture icons, the animal kingdom, contemporary social issues, and the human condition are all fair game. Come, figure out what’s so funny, and laugh with us.

About the juror: Colleene Fesko is a Boston-based fine art and antiques appraiser and broker specializing in 19^th through 21^st century American and European paintings, prints, works on paper, and sculpture. Her experience includes serving as a consultant with Christie’s American Painting Department, and two decades at Skinner Auction of Boston.  

The public is invited to celebrate What’s So Funny at the Opening Reception on Sunday, July 14, 2024, 5-7 PM.  View the art, meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments, beverages and ever-lively conversation. 

Exhibiting Artists:

John Bassett, Jennifer Blesso, Katie Bull, Mike Cangemi, Betsy Carter, Katherine Coakley, Yhanna Coffin, Michael Costello, Debra Damon, Andrew Dixon, Cheryl Dyment, Liz Sibley Fletcher, Rebecca Flores-Mantilla, Seth Goldfine, Laura Green, Blyth Hazen, Kata Hull, Emily Lombardo, Brendan MacAllister, Andy Matlow, Judith-Grace Miller, Evan Morse, Judi Muscara-Orfanos, Greg Orfanos, R.Ellis Orrall, Sarah Marcella Parella, Christy Park, Jennifer Pinck, Jonathan Pinto, Howard Pohl, Dennis Poitras, Hans Pundt, Judy Robinson-Cox, Tom Robinson-Cox, Mia Rosenblatt Tinkjian, Lynn Sausele, Andrew Steinberg, Dana Telsrow, Suzanne Ulrich, Jake Ursino, Karen Watson, Christine Whalen-Waller, James Wickey.

Related Events:  “Laughs from the Past” Movie Night, August 3 at 8 PM, The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.

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The Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC), a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, nurtures excellence in the arts through exhibitions, workshops, residencies and vibrant cultural events for its members and the public. On picturesque Rocky Neck in Gloucester, Massachusetts, RNAC operates three exhibition  spaces, open to the public for free, The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck (6 Wonson Street); The Salted Cod Arthouse (53 Rocky Neck Ave.), a partnership gallery and café; and Cove Gallery (37 Rocky Neck Ave.), open seasonally in the former gallery of local artists Gordon and Judith Goetemann. Check the website, www.rockyneckartcolony.org, for hours, openings and special events. For more information, see the website or call 978-515-7004

Gloucester’s Culture Splash is back and bigger than ever for its fourth annual celebration, with an expanded lineup that honors the cultural vibrancy of this culturally-dense city, famed as America’s Oldest Seaport. The event series, running Thursdays July 11 through August 29, 2024, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., will feature a variety of free and discounted activities that highlight the rich artistic tapestry and maritime heritage of Gloucester, including outdoor and indoor live music, dance performances, light shows, film screenings, free museum admission, artist demos, exhibit openings, performing arts, and more!

Home to two of Essex County’s eight state-designated cultural districts, Rocky Neck and Harbortown, Gloucester offers free water shuttle service from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Culture Splash Thursdays, provided by Cape Ann Harbor Tours, connecting the two districts and making it easier for attendees to explore the full array of cultural offerings. Throughout the summer series, more than 50 cultural organizations and artists will welcome visitors and locals to “Splash” into Gloucester’s abundant cultural offerings. For the first time in 2024, we are excited to announce that new year-round entertainment venue and restaurant, The Cut, on Main Street in Gloucester’s Harbortown district, will host Culture Splash “After-Hours” with music playing  in “The Corner” of their dining room every Culture Splash Thursday starting at 8:00pm at no cover charge. While you’re there, check out their stellar line-up of musical acts and performances happening this summer and book tickets to a show!

Culture Splash is made possible thanks to grant funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, as well as support from the City of Gloucester, as part of a collaborative vision to support the city and the state’s cultural institutions, individual artists, performers, and other types of arts & culture entities. 

Gloucester’s Mayor Greg Verga commented on the series’ impact, “Gloucester’s annual Culture Splash series offers an exciting chance for residents and visitors alike to explore the incredible cultural offerings within our community. From talented local musical performances to vibrant art exhibitions, there is a lot to explore and experience. I’m delighted that we continue to support this impactful series, now in its fourth year. It attracts both locals and tourists to our lively cultural districts, bolstering our local artists, performers, small businesses, and restaurants.”

Carolyn Cole from the Massachusetts Cultural Council added, “Culture Splash is one of my favorite annual events across the state. It is a quintessential creative community experience, offering free and accessible programming, widespread community participation, and incredible artistry on full display in Gloucester’s two state-designated cultural districts. Culture Splash centers on connectivity that includes a unique transportation component. This event boosts the local economy and attracts visitors from all over the region, promoting tourism, supporting the creative economy, and making the City of Gloucester a real cultural destination.”

The planning of Gloucester’s Culture Splash series is made possible by the power of volunteer leadership from cultural entities in Harbortown and on Rocky Neck who work collaboratively for months in advance of the summer season to plan the event lineup and generate exciting things to do throughout the series. Plus, help from boots-on-the-ground volunteers who assist “Splashers” with event info, wayfinding, shuttle directions, etc. each Thursday. 

Representing the Rocky Neck cultural district, Elizabeth Carey, CEO of Rocky Neck Art Colony, highlighted the collaborative spirit of the series: “Now in its fourth year, we are pleased to continue this collaborative campaign, connecting Gloucester’s two cultural districts. We invite both visitors and residents to join us in celebrating the vibrant arts and culture of Gloucester’s harbor. Culture Splash attendees can enjoy complimentary events in both communities, conveniently connected by the free water shuttle across the harbor.”

Miranda Aisling, Head of Education at Cape Ann Museum, located in the Harbortown cultural district, emphasized the continued growth and expansion of the Culture Splash series, stating, “The Cape Ann Museum has been a proud participant of Gloucester’s Culture Splash for the past four years through free CAM Courtyard Concerts. As a member of the Harbortown Cultural District, I’ve been especially excited to see the cultural organizations in town coming together to collaborate and organize a great series of events this summer both in our district and with our partners in the Rocky Neck Cultural District. It’s a great example of how, by coordinating the amazing offerings in Gloucester, we can showcase the depth and breadth of the art and culture of the city.”

This year’s Culture Splash also introduces a new addition: Maritime Gloucester’s weekly series of marine pop-ups from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in their classroom, featuring engaging activities such as plankton safaris, creature of the week, and fish printing, all free of charge.

Immerse yourself in the unparalleled cultural richness of Gloucester. From the flourishing arts scene to the storied maritime heritage, Culture Splash 2024 promises an unforgettable experience for all.

For more information and a detailed schedule of events, visit https://discovergloucester.com/culture-splash

Rocky Neck Historic Walking Tour
Sunday, July 7  – 11AM – 12:30 PM

11 Rocky Neck Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930
(parking lot near the entrance to Rocky Neck)

Join a knowledgeable volunteer guide for a walking tour showcasing both the rich history of Rocky Neck as well as the contributions and achievements of the present community. Building on the original Rocky Neck Historic Art Trail, the tour takes visitors on a journey from the time when the native Pawtucket people lived on Rocky Neck to today. The path includes many of the diverse subjects that have enriched and continue to enrich today’s community: native inhabitants, fishermen, industry, ships, tourism, transportation, celebrations, education, entertainment, and of course, the artists. 

Tours last 1 – 1.5 hours and cover approximately .75 miles. Tours begin at the Rocky Neck Parking Lot and end at the Salted Cod Arthouse, 53 Rocky Neck Ave. Tour participants are encouraged to park in the parking lot at the entrance to Rocky Neck where a volunteer tour guide meets the group. Tours are limited to 15 people and are free for Rocky Neck Art Colony Members or $15 for nonmembers. Join RNAC at https://rockyneckartcolony.org/become-a-member/. Comfortable shoes are encouraged. Be prepared to walk on uneven terrain. 

For more info and to register:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/21604974-d1ed-4961-a228-9e8d0bf870b9

Firefly Family Fun

Sunday, July 7 from 1-3 pm
Lanesville Community Center, 
8 Vulcan Street,
Gloucester, Massachusetts, 01930

Manship Artists Residency is pleased to present Firefly Family Fun on Sunday, July 7 from 1-3 pm as part of Manship Artists Residency’s Firefly Fiesta. This program is a partnership with the Lanesville Community Center and the Virginia Lee Burton Writing Cottage. This free, family event is ideal for children ages 3-12. It includes a bug scavenger hunt, children’s book reading, the making of firefly signaling devices, and an art project. This program will take place at Lanesville Community Center, 8 Vulcan Street, Gloucester, Massachusetts, 01930. Please register at ManshipArtists.org.

• For more information and to register:ManshipArtists.org.

CONTACT:  Elizabeth Carey at rnac.director@gmail.com

5-day artmaking workshop based in the historic and creative neighborhood of Rocky Neck in Gloucester, MA.

Who: Aspiring artists entering grades 6-8
Where: The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester
When: Monday, August 12 through Friday, August 16, 2024, 9 AM – 12 PM
Contact: RNAC.programs@gmail.com, 978-515-7004
Cost: $100 (a generous subsidy from a donor, along with help from the Gloucester Cultural Council, enables us to keep the fee low)
To Register: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/1bd7a133-ea60-45b3-995c-ef95fc75037e

Each day, the workshop will be taught by a different working Rocky Neck Artist:

• Loren Doucette – pastels
• Vanessa Michalek – oils
• Amy Kerr – colored pencils
• Erin O’Sullivan-Place – ceramics
• AJ Jarret – comics

Rocky Neck Art Colony, the oldest art community in America, is proud to offer emerging artists entering grades 6-8 a very special one-week summer workshop, August 12 – 16, 9 AM – Noon.

For more than 150 years, this place has inspired artists to make their mark in history here on the rocky shores of Cape Ann. Now, young artists will have a chance to follow in the footsteps of artists such as Edward Hopper and Nell Blaine, as they immerse themselves in this exciting five-day art adventure! The wharves, marine railways, historic paint manufactory, parks, and beaches of Rocky Neck will serve as inspiration for this exploration in creativity.

Young artists will enjoy classes in painting, pastels, colored pencils, comics, and ceramics with practicing Rocky Neck artists who bring a depth of knowledge and passion for artistic expression to their work. Our professional artist instructors will mentor students and encourage them to use each medium in a personal, meaningful, and expressive way.

Our small workshop group will enable participants to receive individual attention in a relaxed, fun, and welcoming space where experimentation in the art-making process is emphasized. New skills will be developed, new friendships will be formed, and young artists will build the confidence to create and share their art-making experience in the world. Let the Rocky Neck Art Colony inspire students to make their mark!

Workshop Leader: Leslie Heffron is a practicing artist, art educator, and registered nurse. Most recently, she managed the MGH Revere Youth Zone, an afterschool program and summer camp. Ms. Heffron has exhibited her work throughout the United States and currently shows her work at the Salted Cod Arthouse on Rocky Neck. The working waterfront at Pigeon Cove harbor is the inspiration for her most recent paintings, drawings, and videos. Leslie considers ages 11-14 the magic years, so she developed the workshop for students entering grades 6, 7, and 8.

Artist Instructors: Vanessa Michalak, Loren Doucette, Amy Kerr, AJ Jerrett, and Erin O’Sullivan Place.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1agXRbUZWgEJAEqlj2waQJPi__oEX3jll

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The Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC), a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, nurtures excellence in the arts through exhibitions, workshops, residencies and vibrant cultural events for its members and the public. On picturesque Rocky Neck in Gloucester, Massachusetts, RNAC operates three exhibition spaces, open to the public for free, The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck (6 Wonson Street); The Salted Cod Arthouse (53 Rocky Neck Ave.), a partnership gallery and café; and Cove Gallery (37 Rocky Neck Ave.), open seasonally in the former gallery of local artists Gordon and Judith Goetemann. Check the website, www.rockyneckartcolony.org, for hours, openings and special events. For more information, see the website or call 978-515-7004

Opening Reception: Thursday, June 20, 4-7 PM
Artists Talk:  Thursday, July 11, 5-6 PM
Exhibition Dates: June 20 – July 14, 2024

Cove Gallery
37 Rocky Neck Ave., Gloucester, MA
Gallery Open: Sunday-Monday noon-5 PM; Thursday through Saturday noon -7 PM

Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC) proudly presents GROUNDING at Cove Gallery (37 Rocky Neck Avenue), showcasing the work of Kathleen Gerdon Archer, Amanda Bittner, Paige Farrell, Jeffrey Marshall, and Vanessa Michalak. 

These artists ground their work in direct engagement with their physical and psychological landscape. Each is drawn to, and inspired by, the natural beauty in which they create, either adjacent to the sea, or tucked into woods of quietude. Together these artists suggest a variety of interactions with the world, and how artists communicate with the self, and their surroundings. It is in this coexistence between artist and the environment where art is created. In the space between tension and beauty.  

Kathleen Gerdon Archer builds and photographs frozen ice-forms which resemble the geologic strata of the earth. Filled with personal memorabilia, she photographs them as they melt creating abstract portraits that question our sense of time and memory.

Amanda Bittner is a plein air artist who paints quiet moments of temporality and ecological complexity within the local woodlands of the North Shore. Each painting requires endurance to withstand the natural elements of the forest for an extended period of time, and a sustained observational focus to interpret the subject as honestly as the material allows. 

Paige Farrell works in three artistic mediums; clay, wine and words. Working with clay, with its beautiful unpredictability, allows her to work in a deeply introspective and fluid space, a respite of sorts from the heady rigors of writing, and the multi-faceted rhythms of her work with wine. Each creative process brings a grounding, a sense of grace and awe, much as nature offers us, if we are willing, but for momentary pause.

Jeffrey Marshall makes his painting and drawings from on-site, primarily among the ever-changing landscape of fishing gear and construction debris assembled around the fishing wharf where his studio is based. His commitment to observational work allows him to unearth the complex movements, details, and stories that come from the extended study of a particular area. 

Vanessa Michalak presents paintings derived from both direct observation in plein air and works loosely based on photographic reference. Though the process of creating paintings in both camps is distinctively different, each reflects a deep appreciation and respect for nature. Michalak’s adventurous spirit, which has led her up mountain peaks and along rocky coastlines, is displayed on canvas through exuberant, bold brushwork

The public is invited to celebrate the creativity of the artists at the Opening Reception on Thursday, June 20, from 4-7 PM. Artists’ talks are scheduled for Thursday, July 11 from 5-6pm where they will discuss their work.

Exhibiting Artists: Amanda Bittner, Paige Farrell, Kathleen Gerdon Archer, Jeffrey Marshall, Vanessa Michalak

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RNAC acknowledges the generosity of Mark Goetemann who has donated the use of the former home and gallery space of his late parents Gordon and Judith Goetemann to honor their legacy as artists, as inveterate supporters of artistic excellence, and to carry on their commitment to keeping Rocky Neck a haven for artists and art lovers. 

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The Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC), a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, nurtures excellence in the arts through exhibitions, workshops, residencies, historical tours, and vibrant cultural events for its members and the public. On picturesque Rocky Neck in Gloucester, Massachusetts, RNAC operates three exhibition spaces, open to the public for free, The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck (6 Wonson Street); The Salted Cod Arthouse (53 Rocky Neck Ave.), a partnership gallery and café; and Cove Gallery (37 Rocky Neck Ave.), open seasonally.. Check the website, www.rockyneckartcolony.org, for hours, openings and special events. For more information, see the website or call 978-515-7004

North Shore Arts Association is partnering with Art Haven & Cape Ann Plein Air! Participate in a FREE plein air painting event on SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2024, from 10 AM – 3 PM at Gloucester’s North Shore Arts Association, 11 Pirates Lane, Gloucester, MA 01930, (978) 283-1857, www.nsarts.org.

Whether you’re a seasoned plein air painter or just starting out, this is a fantastic opportunity to capture the stunning scenery of Cape Ann and paint with fellow artists. And the Kids Plein Air Event is an outstanding way to mingle the generations of artists in our area!

For more information and to register in advance, please visit the link below:

Paint-Out on the Rocks! – North Shore Arts of Gloucester (nsarts.org)

Opening Reception June 18, 2024

The Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (seARTS) proudly announces its seventeenth anniversary of partnership with the Bass Rocks Golf Club for the Annual seARTS Art on the Rocks Program. This year’s show presents over 60 works by 33 artists from Cape Ann and beyond, at its opening reception on Tuesday, June 18. The opening provides a chance for seARTS members, along with the public, to enjoy superb art in an elegant club setting overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  

The program is a year-round exhibition, showing and selling the work. The fresh and bold work of the 2024 show balances a body of returning artists with new.  

Among the newly enrolled artists (from Cape Ann unless otherwise indicated) are Thomas Bentley, Elizabeth Bish, Bruce Fieldman, Jennifer Pinck and Sallie Strand. 

Returning to the show from previous years are, (all from Cape Ann unless otherwise indicated) John Abisamra, Andrew Anderson-Bell (Ipswich), Joan Bediz, Ted Bidwell, Heidi Caswell-Zander, Matt Cegelis, Geoffrey Teale Chalmers (Boston), Katherine Coakley, Anne Cowman, Melissa Cox, Jeff Crawford, Rob Diebboll, Christine Gauthier-Kelley, Ann Guyer, Olga Hayes, Helen Kamins, Ken King, Jim Kociuba (Beverly), Kirk Larsen, Nancy LeGendre, Charles McCarthy (Beverly), Crissie Murphy (Marlborough), Susan Oleksiw (Beverly), Judy Robinson-Cox, Debbie Shirley (West Boxford), Marilyn Swift, Juni Van Dyke, Marny Williams and Heidi Caswell Zander.

We are also featuring an on-line catalog of the art works available for sale, for those unable to attend the reception. The catalog can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/AR2024CAT

Award honors will be announced at the event. 

We are thrilled to unveil an unprecedented event at the reception. We’ll featured demos and talks from not one, but two guest artists from the worlds of dance and visual art: Sarah Slifer Swift, award-winning dancer, teacher and choreographer and Director of MAGMA Studios, and Jim Kociuba, award and grant winning painter and art instructor.

Details of the Evening: 

Date: Tuesday, June 18

5:30-6:30 PM: Cocktails (cash bar) with potluck finger foods 
6:30-6:45 PM: seARTS business meeting
6:45-7:15 PM: Sarah Slifer Swift: dance demo and talk
7:15-8:15 PM: Jim Kociuba: art demo and talk on his creative process and techniques

Location: Bass Rocks Golf Club, 34 Beach Road, Gloucester, MA, (978)-283-1866 

Please RSVP by emailing allinfo@searts.org
Event is Free & Open to the Public 
Hearty Appetizers & Cash Bar 

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seARTS Cape Ann, a registered 501(c)3 is a coalition of artists, art lovers, cultural institutions, businesses, and municipal organizations, all working together to improve the economic base for the arts and the larger Cape Ann community. http://www.searts.org.

DATE: Monday, August 12-Friday, August 16 9AM-12PM 

PLACE: Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson St., Gloucester, MA

Young artists will enjoy five classes in painting, pastels, colored pencils, comics, and ceramics. The classes will be taught by professional Rocky Neck artists who bring a depth of knowledge and passion for artistic expression to their work. Our small workshop group will enable students to receive individual attention in a relaxed, FUN, and welcoming space!  For more details, visit our website:

Here is a direct link to the sign-up site:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/1bd7a133-ea60-45b3-995c-ef95fc75037e

Contact: RNACprograms@gmail.com

                (978) 515-7004

D’wharf Art:  

77 Rocky Neck Avenue unit #4 
Hours:  
Friday – Sunday 12-5.  Thursday 12-7 and by appointment: 508-380-9630
Opening Reception:  
Thursday June 20, 5-7

A new contemporary art gallery is opening its doors on Madfish Wharf!   D’Wharf is a small, yet inviting space, exhibiting fresh and intriguing art by established artists particularly inspired by the beauty and essence of Cape Ann.

Curated by Anne Gilson, a painter and a new resident of Gloucester and member of the RNAC, the exhibit also features works by Claire Bean, Donna Caselden, Pam Courtleigh, Bredt Handy, Juliet Lockwood, Carolyn Plourde, and Dawn Southworth.

The gallery will have its first official opening reception Thursday June 20th, 5-7.  All are welcome to mingle and enjoy refreshments with the artists in one of the most beautiful and dynamic areas in Gloucester.  

General hours will be 12-7 Thursday; 12-5 Friday-Sunday and will be available by appointment as well. 

With all of the changes on Rocky Neck over the years, it’s exciting to see a new surge of cultural vitality.  D’Wharf, along with neighboring art studios, restaurants, and galleries, is delighted to be a part of it. 

The Volker Goetze Quartet, featuring musicians Volker Goetze, world renowned Sri Lankan drummer Uthpala Eroshan, Oran Etkin, and Alexis Cuadrado, will return to Manship Artists Residency for a performance entitled, Musical Crossroads on June 15. The new musical compositions were born at the Manship Artists Residency in 2023. 

The work transforms ancient Sri Lankan folk tales inspired by Kandyan traditional dances into a contemporary context. They highlight stories of reincarnation, sacrifice, and selfless devotion. Each musician brings his own richly informed cultural intelligence to the group’s sound. A gorgeous experiment in cross-cultural collaboration, Musical Crossroads brings together the traditions of Jazz and Kandyan percussion to create a new musical vision.

The Volker Goetze Quartet is a recipient of a 2023 grant from Chamber Music America’s Artistic Projects program, funded through the generosity of The Howard Gilman Foundation. The performance and residency are supported by The Prometheus Circle of the Manship Artists Residency and Ken Kinna. 

This special performance will take place Saturday, June 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. It is a fundraiser for Manship Artists Residency. Tickets are $75/person. To register please go to the Manship Artists Residency website at ManshipArtists.org. 

ABOUT the VOLKER GOETZE QUARTET

Volker Goetze is an artist, composer, and trumpeter. In 2023 he united bassist Jonathan Toscano, Sri Lankan drummer Uthpala Eroshan, and clarinetist Oran Etkin to compose the globally focused Musical Crossroads at Manship Artists Residency. Their work consists of arrangements of traditional melodies and original compositions by Volker Goetze. This June, Volker Goetze, Uthpala Eroshan, and Oran Etkin will return to Manship Artists Residency with composer, producer, bandleader, bassist and educator Alexis Cuadrado to perform their new compositions. www.volkergoetze.com/quartet 

ABOUT the MANSHIP ARTISTS RESIDENCY 

The site of the Manship Artists Residency was once the summer retreat of Paul Manship, the sculptor of the Prometheus Fountain at Rockefeller Center. Many of the same opportunities and qualities that attracted Manship to Cape Ann are available to those who come here seeking solitude or community in this restorative landscape. Manship Artists Residency gives artists and the creative spirit time and space to flourish for the benefit of our community by welcoming artists and thought leaders from around the world to work in these serene surroundings steps away from the scenic northeast coast of New England. Our residents magnify the social capital and the cultural value of Cape Ann, and our innovative programming contributes to the health and vitality of our community and beyond. ManshipArtists.org

Workshops and Events featuring the
• Distinguished Artist/Teacher Sarah McEneaney
• Environmental/Installation Artist in Residence Caroline Bagenal
• Gloucester Invitational Artist Loren Doucette.

Sunday, August 4 at 2:00 PM
Distinguished Artist/Teacher Talk with Sarah McEneaney,
Cape Ann Museum 
27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA

Monday, August 5 – Thursday, August 8, 10AM – 2PM
Artist Workshop with Sarah McEneaney,
Montserrat College of Art 
35 Essex Street, Beverly, MA
Paid workshop, advanced signup required
Intensive Workshop Registration via Zeffy

Wednesday, September 11, 7PM
Environmental Installation Artist Talk with Caroline Bagenal,
The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck 
6 Wonson Street, Gloucester

Wednesday, October 1, time to be determined
Environmental Installation Closing Talk with Caroline Bagenal,
Ocean Alliance 
32 Horton Street, Gloucester

Thursday, October 10, 7 PM
Gloucester Invitational Artist Opening Talk with Loren Doucette,
The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck 
6 Wonson Street, Gloucester

Sunday, November 3, 1 – 3 PM
Gloucester Invitational Artist Closing Studio Viewing and Informal Talk with Loren Doucette,
Cripple Cove Studios
97 East Main Street, Gloucester

All Talks Free and Open to the Public

The Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC) announces an exciting slate of public events featuring awardees of the 20^th annual Goetemann Artist Residency program: Sarah McEneaney as the Distinguished Artist/Teacher in Residence, Caroline Bagenal as the Environmental Installation Artist, and Loren Doucette as the Gloucester Invitational Artist.

About The Distinguished Artist/Teacher in Residence: 

Sarah McEneaney’s paintings are autobiographical narratives.  She makes detailed and highly colored paintings of personal events, from the mundane to the horrific. She records the daily life of an artist actively engaged in the world. The scenes, moments and details are as carefully selected and edited as the formal decisions of color, line and perspective.

Her workshop will focus on developing the independent visual voice of each student through one-on-one critiques, group discussions of work, and technical guidance.  Students can expect a lively environment of experimentation and imagery drawn from a variety of sources. 

She will give a talk on August 4 at 2:00 PM, to be held in the Cape Ann Museum, 27 Pleasant St. in Gloucester.

The Workshop will be held at Montserrat College in Beverly, Monday, August 5 through Thursday, August 8 from 10 AM to 2 PM 

For more information and to register for the workshop, visit: WORKSHOP LINK GOES HERE. Space is limited.

About the Environmental Installation Artist:

Caroline Bagenal was born in Scotland and lives in Newburyport, MA, and Cumbria in the UK. She has an MFA in Painting and an MA in Modern Art History, Theory and Criticism from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work has been shown widely in both the UK and the USA including The Maritime Museum in Liverpool and OIA Gallery, New York. Her work has been reviewed in Boston Art Review, Sculpture Magazine, The Boston Globe, Art New England, Artscope and other publications and is included in both private and corporate collections. She has received numerous awards and artists residencies, most recently in 2023 at Cove Park, Scotland. She was an Associate Professor at Montserrat College of Art for twenty-five years.

In August 2021, Caroline fell off her bike and broke both arms and her jaw. Swimming outdoors became an important part of her recovery and the origin of a new body of work. She made her first swimming sculptures from recycled nets, and then larger swimming sculptures from recycled woven plastic, bubble wrap and other materials that float.

For the Goetemann Residency, her intent is to continue the swimming sculpture project, taking it in new directions. She is planning to make a film using drones to better convey the idea of the swimmer as part of a vast ocean environment. Her father was a marine biologist, and she plans to use some of his research in this project as a homage to him. Bagenal will present two Public Artist Talks: 

Introductory opening talk:  Wednesday, September 11, 7-8:30 PM at The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck

Closing presentation and Q&A: Tuesday, October 1, time, tbd at Ocean Alliance,  

For more information, visit https://rockyneckartcolony.org/2024-goetemann-artist-residency/

About the Gloucester Invitational Artist:

Loren Doucette lives in Gloucester, MA working as a full-time painter. Her work has shown in solo and group exhibitions since 2006. She received a BFA in Drawing and Painting in 2013 from Montserrat College of Art where she participated in Montserrat’s study-abroad program in Italy. It was there that landscape painting became a stabilizing force in her work. Using Oil, Acrylic, Pastel and Gouache, her work includes architectural landscapes unique to Gloucester’s harbor, vibrant floral paintings, emotional figurative work and abstractions that come from the bones of all three subjects.

In her words: 

“My work is a search, an asking, a prayer. Even though the subjects are sometimes recognizable as landscape, flowers or figures, it is about recalibration, remembering, revisiting, reconstruction and discovery. I mainly use three mediums: oil, acrylic and pastel. I use oil for it’s heaviness; the messy squishing and sloshing takes me to more unruly places than acrylic can.  I use acrylic on the other hand for it’s vibrancy. It’s quick drying qualities allow me to draw into the work in between paint layers. Finally, pastel is where I draw and construct from flowers and landscape with overlying abstraction and color experimentation.

Within all these mediums, I am searching for a new discovery to unfold both in the materials and spiritual content.”

Loren will give a talk about her work and career at The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck on Thursday, October 10 at 7PM and will welcome people into her Cripple Cove Studio for a closing talk and viewing on Sunday, November 3 from 1-3PM.

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The Rocky Neck Art Colony, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, nurtures excellence in the arts through exhibitions, workshops, residencies and vibrant cultural events for its members and the public. Long renowned for its luminous light, this harbor and coastal location has been a magnet for some of the most revered realist painters in US art such as Edward Hopper and Emil Gruppe and has also been a catalyst for the progressive ideas of Stuart Davis, Marsden Hartley, Theresa Bernstein, Milton Avery and Nell Blaine, among others. Today, Rocky Neck continues to attract artists and art lovers to a thriving, creative community. www.rockyneckartcolony.org. Telephone: 978-515-7004.

The fine art galleries of Rockport are launching a new series of events this summer, the Rockport 2nd Saturday Art Walks. Beginning June 8, participating galleries throughout downtown Rockport will be welcoming art lovers from 5 to 8pm each 2nd Saturday of the month, with refreshments, new artwork, and fresh exhibits.

Spearheaded by Gallery Montanaro and Rusty & Ingrid Screenprints, a committee of gallery owners are organizing the events and have received an enthusiastic response from additional galleries wishing to participate. Ashley Montanaro comments, “Rockport has a thriving art community with an extraordinary number of galleries in easy walking distance to one another. We’re excited about the opportunity to enhance the art destination experience of Rockport with the launching of our 2nd Saturdays Art Walk.”

A wide range of artwork, including painting, printmaking, photography, pottery, and sculpture, will be on view. In addition, the Rockport Art Association & Museum will be extending their normal hours to 8pm for the Art Walk evenings, offering rotating exhibits of artist members and selections from their historic museum collection.

The event’s website, www.rockportartists.com , has an interactive map where visitors can find information about and the locations of each of the participating art galleries.

Manship Artists Residency is pleased to announce The Quarry Project: Photographs by Tsar Fedorsky, which opens at the Manship Artists Residency on Friday, June 7 and runs through July 7. The Quarry Project is a continuation of Manship Artist Tsar Fedorsky’s twenty-year practice investigating the properties of black-and-white photography and how it creates abstraction from realism. Begun in 2016, the more recent quarry photographs are a study of duality and tension. They comprise a deep exploration of the familiarity of place, the quarries near Fedorsky’s home in Gloucester. 

Fedorsky explains the meaning behind her work, “ [The photographs] straddle a space between truth and fiction, between the exterior and interior, between fact and dream…We think we are looking up, yet we are really looking down. We think we see the sky, but instead we see the water. What appears to be a mountain, is actually a rock. With the pandemic, war, the dire effects of climate change, and a dangerous political theater — meaning is breaking down, language has lost its meaning, and we are left in a perpetual state of questioning. The Quarry Projectembraces this confusion, allows for projection and the possibility that a negative space can be beautiful.”

Tsar first worked with Manship Artists Residency in 2020. She collaborated with Marc Zegans, a California-based poet. Due to the pandemic, Zegans was unable to be physically present for the residency so their work revolved around the concepts of presence and absence. Fedorsky captured glimpses of an imagined “ghost” poet in the Manship home. Their collaboration resulted in a limited-edition photo book titled Ghost Book, published in 2024 by Kite String Press. Samantha C. Harvey, a professor of English at Boise State in Boise, Idaho, and a self-proclaimed fan of “creaky old houses,” wrote the foreword for the book. Copies of the book will be available for sale at Fedorsky’s opening reception.

Tsar Fedorsky is a photographer based in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Her photographs have been exhibited and published nationally and worldwide. Fedorsky holds an MFA in Photography from the University of Hartford in Connecticut and a BA from Amherst College in Massachusetts. She received a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship for Creative Arts in Photography in 2018, was a Critical Mass Finalist in 2015 and 2017, and received an Artist Fellowship Grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council in 2015. Fedorsky traveled to Brazil as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar in 2023-24. 

The exhibition opening and artist’s reception will take place Friday, June 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Gallery hours will be 1:00 – 4:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays through July 7 with the exception of June 15 and 16 when the gallery will be closed. Visitors can register to attend on the home page of the Manship Artists Residency website at ManshipArtists.org. 

ABOUT the MANSHIP ARTISTS RESIDENCY 

The site of the Manship Artists Residency was once the summer retreat of Paul Manship, the sculptor of the Prometheus Fountain at Rockefeller Center. Many of the same opportunities and qualities that attracted Manship to Cape Ann are available to those who come here seeking solitude or community in this restorative landscape. Manship Artists Residency gives artists and the creative spirit time and space to flourish for the benefit of our community by welcoming artists and thought leaders from around the world to work in these serene surroundings steps away from the scenic northeast coast of New England. Our residents magnify the social capital and the cultural value of Cape Ann, and our innovative programming contributes to the health and vitality of our community and beyond. ManshipArtists.org

At the edge of Gloucester Harbor stands the Salted Cod Arthouse & Wine Bar, its pressed-steel shingles gleaming in the sunlight, a beacon of artistry and community. Once a warehouse for salting cod, this historic building pulses with a novel life, thanks to the partnership with the Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC).

In 2021, Tom Aurelio and Matthew Moynahan, fueled by a desire to revitalize Rocky Neck, embarked on a mission to create a year-round hub for creativity. With a tiny kitchen tucked under the stairs and a vision to showcase local talent, they transformed the space into a convivial haven for art enthusiasts and casual visitors alike.

The heart of this venture lies in its collaboration with RNAC artists. Rather than curating the gallery themselves, Aurelio and Moynahan entrusted the bright space to RNAC, allowing a collection of approximately 30 local artists to shine. Each year, a jury selects works based on criteria like creativity, technical skill, and marketability, ensuring a diverse array of artistry graces the walls.

From paintings and ceramics to jewelry and textiles, the gallery features a kaleidoscope of mediums, showcasing the rich tapestry of Rocky Neck’s artistic community. And at the long brass bar, crafted by local artisan Chris Williams, patrons savor not only visual art but also artisanal beverages.

The Salted Cod takes pride in its curated selection of wines, a testament to Aurelio’s passion for Italian varietals and unique finds. Visitors can explore unfamiliar territories with the help of tasting glasses, encouraged to sample and discover new favorites. And to complement these libations, the menu has expanded to include an array of delectable offerings, from house-made flatbreads to tantalizing desserts.

As the Arthouse prepares to unveil its 2024 collection, the partnership with RNAC continues to flourish. Beginning this June, visitors to The Salted Cod will have a chance to meet an artist seven days a week, deepening their connection to the local creative scene. 

With each glass poured and artwork admired, the Salted Cod remains a steadfast supporter of Rocky Neck’s artistic heritage, embodying the spirit of community and collaboration.  Discover the 2024 artists at Salted Cod and join us in celebrating the vibrant talent of Rocky Neck!

#SaltedCodArtists 53 Rocky Neck, Gloucester, 978-282-0917, saltedcodarthouse.com

#RockyNeckArtColony, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, 978-515-7004, rockyneckartcolony.com

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The Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC), a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, nurtures excellence in the arts through exhibitions, workshops, residencies and vibrant cultural events for its members and the public. On picturesque Rocky Neck in Gloucester, Massachusetts, RNAC operates three exhibition spaces, open to the public for free, The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck (6 Wonson Street); The Salted Cod Arthouse (53 Rocky Neck Ave.), a partnership gallery and café; and Cove Gallery (37 Rocky Neck Ave.), open seasonally in the former gallery of local artists Gordon and Judith Goetemann. Check the website, www.rockyneckartcolony.org, for hours, openings and special events. For more information, see the website or call 978-515-7004

There are two weeks left to apply for North Shore Arts Association’s 3rd annual regional juried show Exhibit New England 2024! The show will run from June 29 – July 27, 2024, with over $7,000 in Awards. This OPEN CALL applies to all artists in the New England area. The DEADLINE to apply is May 25 by 11:59 PM. To apply please check out the link below:

https://client.smarterentry.com/nsarts

Juried for selection and awards by Chris Williams and Masako Kamiya. SAVE THE DATE! Join us for the reception & Awards Ceremony, featuring live music, food, and celebration on June 30 from 1 – 3 PM! Free and open to the public.

North Shore Arts Association is located at 11 Pirate’s Lane, Gloucester, MA 01930. For more information about events please call (978) 283-1857 or email arts@nsarts.org. Visiting hours are Monday – Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM and Sundays 12 – 4 PM.