Category: Art

The News From Rocky Neck via Judy Robinson Cox

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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2012 Goetemann Artist in Residence Program Applications
Available Online

Kathy Liao
2011 Goetemann Artist in Residence, Kathy Liau describes how Rocky Neck inspired her work

Be part of the next generation of 21st century artists to build on the foundations set by Edward Hopper, Milton Avery, Nel Blaine, Winslow Homer, and many others. We are currently accepting applications for the 2012 Goetemann Artist in Residency Program at the Rocky Neck Art Colony. Three visual artists will be selected to be in residence for three one month residencies during the summer season from May to October of 2012. Rocky Neck sits like a jewel in the large fishing harbor of Gloucester, MA. With rafted fishing vessels sitting below the stacked houses of surrounding hills, it has provided the visual drama and complex beauty to draw America’s greatest artists over the last 150 years to the oldest working art colony in the United States. Residents accepted will receive a prime live-work studio both private and on a wharf right in the midst of it all. Choices for subject matter are endless. Interpretive possibilities abound. We encourage applications from artists interested in the naturalistic phenomena of this place as well as from those on the cutting edge of contemporary thought and exploration.

Click to Download 2012 Goetemann Artist in Residence Application Form

Rocky Neck Art Colony Awarded North of Boston CVB Grant

The Rocky Neck Art Colony was among eleven non-profit organizations throughout Essex County that will receive grant funds as part of the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (NBCVB) Tourism Grant Program. Just over $30,000 will be awarded. Since 1994, the NBCVB has given nearly $1 million to local non-profit organizations as a way to promote the region as a travel destination.

Among the award recipients are Chambers of Commerce from Cape Ann, Marblehead, Newburyport, Salisbury, and Salem as well as the Topsfield Fair, Maritime Gloucester (formerly the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center), the Ipswich Visitors Center, Lowell’s Boat Shop in Amesbury, and Rocky Neck Art Colony in Gloucester. Each organization is receiving funds to assist in the printing of promotional materials to help encourage visitors to choose the North of Boston region as their next vacation.

The Grant Awards will be presented during the Breakfast Program at the NBCVB’s 6th Annual Tourism Summit on Friday, February 3, 2012 at the Boston Marriott Peabody. The Tourism Summit is a day-long event with concurrent sessions and keynote speakers which discusses current trends in travel and tourism and advice on how to stretch your marketing dollars. This year, Chip Tuttle of Suffolk Downs will be speaking during the Lunch Program about the recently passed Casino Bill and what kind of effect it may have on the North of Boston community.

Any business within Essex County that is impacted by tourism is welcome to attend this event. Admission for NBCVB members is $60; Nonmember admission is $70. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.northofbostoncvb.org/conference.

<?xml:namespace prefix = pstyle="margin />The Rocky Neck Art Colony’s grant will pay 40% of the cost of producing the 2012 Rocky Neck Art Colony brochure and a full-page ad in the Cape Ann Chamber Guide. The $ amount is equal to $2734.

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Cape Ann Museum

SAT, January 21 : WINTER SHORTS
Mini Tours with Museum Docents Highlighting Their Favorites from the Collection

Back by popular demand! The WINTER SHORTS program is a day-long celebration with docents offering mini tours highlighting their favorites from the Museum’s collection. These tours are free and open to the public. Space is limited; first come, first served.

  • 10:30 a.m. Dragon Boats, Porcelains, … and Stowaways Treasures from China
  • 11:15 a.m. Contemporary Art A look at what has happened between then and now
  • 12:00 p.m. Design and How Virginia Lee Burton’s Folly Cove Designers
  • 1:30 p.m. Father and Daughter Captain Elias Davis and daughter Mary – an examination of their belongings
  • 2:15 p.m. Into the Woods A walk through decades of woodworking on Cape Ann
  • 3:00 p.m. Why Dogtown Belonged to Marsden Hartley. Hartley was passionate and possessed by Dogtown, come hear about when and why
  • 3:45 p.m. Keeping up with the Joans (of Arc) Anna Hyatt Huntington’s Joan of Arc in Gloucester and beyond

Don’t forget – the Cape Ann Museum is FREE to all Cape Ann residents through January 31. The Museum is closed to the public during the month of February.

M E M B E R   N E W S

Khan Studio /GMG Exhibit At The Sawyer Free Library

Good Morning Gloucester

Through January 31

See More photos

seARTS

In 2011 seARTS secured a nomination for Cape Ann/Gloucester as a Top 25 Arts Destination by AmericanStyle Magazine. Thanks to your votes, we won the #3 spot on the list for small U.S. cities.

Voting time is here again, and this year, we want to aim for the #1 spot. To achieve this distinction, we need your help in spreading the word.

We’ve created a postcard announcing this year’s voting opportunity, and we’d like to ask you to post it, along with a link to the AmericanStyle voting page, on your websites and social media pages, and send it to your friends. If you would like hard-copy postcards, just let us know and we’ll be glad to send them to you.

Please click here for a downloadable JPEG of the postcard. Here also is the link to AmericanStyle Magazine’s voting page, which can be copied and pasted on your website or social media page: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3YYDSTL.

We hope you’ll join seARTS in this initiative to raise our cultural status. We can’t do it without you! For more information contact info@searts.org or call us at 978-281-1222. Sincerely, The seARTS Board

MON, Feb 27 : seARTS Annual Meeting
Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport, 6-9 pm

Save the date! The seARTS Annual Meeting takes place Monday, February 27. We’re planning a great conversation about cultural district designation with distinguished speakers Ann Galligan and Herb Weiss. Mayor Carolyn Kirk will be there, too. Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport, 6-9 PM. More details coming soon.

CAMafterhours This Friday Night!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey! We’re having a special event at the Cape Ann Museum this Friday in an effort to attract younger members. As you know, this institution was founded by community minded individuals who recognized that Cape Ann was and is unique. This Museum belongs to our community.  It protects, preserves, and showcases our past and present. It is a place to gather, to learn, to look, to experience. It is a place to bring children to teach them about their community and its rich history. The 30s & 40s crowd are the future of the Cape Ann Museum, so we’re hoping to attract new members to help support the museum and the care of the collection. We’ll have food & drinks, live music, mixology demonstrations, scavenger hunts. We have great support from the people at Ryan & Wood, Alchemy and Latitude43. And, we’ve timed the entire event around the YMCA Friday Night Fun, so the kids can play while Mom & Dad have fun. Hope you can join us and bring all of your 30-40-something friends with you!!

Cheers, Courtney

 

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Community Stuff

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro
ART HAVEN LOBSTER TRAP TREE BUOY AUCTION!  FRIDAY JAN 27th!

Artist Buoys 2012

Buoy Auction & Art Show NEXT FRIDAY
Cruiseport Gloucester | 5:00 – 8:00pm
Family Friendly!!

Above are a few of the beautiful artist buoys you’ll see at next Friday’s auction! [In addition to the wonderful creations by the children of Cape Ann] Along with buoys this year, there will be a kids art activity, a musical performance by Charlie Biancini, and delicious food from a variety of local restaurants! Also, see a collection of works created by Art Haven students over the past year.
This year’s event is bigger and better thanks to a sponsorship from Rockport Mortgage Corporation and support from National Fish & Seafood, Cape Ann Savings Bank, and Crossfit Cape Ann. 
Order your tickets online now by going to www.mktix.com/ah or you can give us a call at 978.283.3888. Tickets are $20/family, $12/adult, or $5/student if you get them ahead of time. [$25, $15 or $5 at the door]
Can’t make it to the auction, but you’d like to make a donation online? Visit our web site to donate now. You’ll also be able to bid on select artist buoys on Good Morning Gloucester starting at the end of this week! Stay tuned to GMG and our Facebook page for more details.

Cape Ann Profiles

On the next Cape Ann Profiles show host Rich Sagall interviews Chassea Robinson, the Public Health Nurse for the city of Gloucester. They discuss the role of the public health nurse, the types of cases she is involved in, and what training is necessary for the position. They also discuss bedbugs – how they are spread, what people can do to prevent the problem and how to deal with them if you house is infested.
Cape Ann Profiles can be seen on Cape Ann TV Channel 12 on Friday, January 20 at 10:30AM and 7:00PM and on Sunday, January 22 at 2:00PM. It repeats on Friday, January 27 at 10:30AM and 7:00PM and on Sunday, January 29 at 2:00PM.
Rich Sagall is a physician and the president of NeedyMeds, a national non-profit that provides information on programs that help people unable to afford their health care costs. He also publishes Pediatrics for Parents, a children’s health newsletter.

Cape Ann Shakespeare Troupe is awarding a $500 scholarship

The Cape Ann Shakespeare Troupe is awarding a $500 scholarship to a graduating senior from a Cape Ann high school who is planning to pursue further study in the performing arts. Applicants should contact Ray Jenness, CAST President at PO Box 85 in Rockport or online at rayjay045@comcast.net.

Please help us get out the word on this.

Banks of Cape Ann Promotional Campaign – Promoting Essex, Ma

The Essex Merchants Group, in conjunction with the Essex Division of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce its first Banks of Cape Ann Promotional Campaign. In the spirit of small-town business and the keeping it local philosophy, the Essex Merchants Group approached local banks to become involved in an ongoing campaign focused on the revitalization of the Essex business community. With the understanding that a small impact can radiate throughout a town and region, a number of Cape Ann banks have made significant donations toward the refocusing on Essex as a historic, cultural, and naturally beautiful destination for tourism and commerce.

Essex, MA has just received a once in a century face-lift with newly paved roads, wide user friendly sidewalks, pocket parks to be enjoyed by all and free ample parking along the main streets and in a spacious down town parking lot.

Essex is well known for its tradition of seafood, antiques, recreation, natural beauty and shipbuilding. Now, Essex is continuing to highlight its character with unique art and antique galleries, museums, outdoor recreation, fine and casual dining, and the continued recognition of its proud shipbuilding heritage and natural beauty. The village also hosts a vast number of local festivals, music concerts and community events throughout the year. There’s always something happening in Essex.

BANKS OF CAPE ANN CAMPAIGN SHOWS REAL SUCCESS

Cape Ann Savings Bank has signed on to be the platinum sponsor in the campaign, with the First National Bank of Ipswich, Rockport National Bank and BankGloucester following at the gold level. The Merchants Group will be reaching out to other Cape Ann banks for inclusion as well. Please support the banks that are supporting our communities on Cape Ann. The money donated by these local banks will solely be used by the Merchants Group to promote Essex after the long disruption caused by intense road reconstruction.

With the end of the three-year long project, a revitalized spirit has indeed come to Essex as exemplified by the Merchants Group’s Mums Festival. This Fall Mums adorned nearly one hundred business, town and residential spaces along the main roads. The return of the Essex Pride Award and Essex Pride Dance, where four Essex citizens were honored for their service to the community, also exemplified the spirit of Essex.

The Essex Merchants Group would like to thank all the Cape Ann Banks for their financial support and all the local folks who work to improve the quality of life in Essex. We are looking forward to the new year and Celebrate Essex 2012 .

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The Old Freeman House

Posted on by Sharon
Old Freeman House, Gloucester, 1928 Alice M. Curtis/©Fredrik D. Bodin
The Davis-Freeman house, built in 1709 on 17 acres, is a first period colonial house located at 302 Essex Avenue (Route 133). It’s named after owner Charles Freeman, a descendant of eighteenth century Gloucester slaves. For many years the house served as a tavern on one of the two roads into Gloucester before 1950. From the late 1930’s to the early 1950’s, the Freeman house was the Stage Coach Inn, a restaurant serving lunch, tea, and dinner: “In this old tavern – one of the earliest – you’ll enjoy our hospitality and delicious food in an atmosphere of the old stage coach days.” The photograph below shows owner Harriet Johnson in the doorway of the house. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Freeman house is owned by Wellspring House, a Cape Ann organization assisting families and individuals to become financially self-sufficient.
Harriet Johnson, 1928 Alice M. Curtis/©Fredrik D. Bodin

Printed from the original 5×7 inch film negatives in my darkroom. Image #A8557-063 (house), and A8557-061 (Harriet)
Fred
Fredrik D. Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

Open Air Art Exhibit Panorama- Fifth Ave Playa Del Carmen

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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When we were planning the first Downtown Gloucester Block Parties one of the original ideas was to allow local artist to set up and display/sell their art. We had a few artists come down but not nearly what I thought we would have. The reason given was that it was a real PITA to set up and break down the artwork.

I could see that point, but as we walked the street yesterday we saw some big pieces selling.

Have I said before that I’m a huge fan of this place? Because if I haven’t, let me tell you, it’s great. Super friendly people in all of the services, great beaches, FANTASTIC restaurants, very very safe, cool architecture, I’d come back in a heartbeat.

Dog Bar Breakwater

Posted on by Sharon
Dog Bar Breakwater, circa 1906 (note lack of rip rap on the ocean side on right) Alice M. Curtis/©Fredrik D. Bodin
Dog Bar Breakwater extends nearly half a mile from the tip of Eastern Point across the entrance to Gloucester Harbor. It not only shelters the harbor, but also covers the treacherous Dog Bar Reef, for which it is named. Construction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began in 1894 and continued until December 1905. The foundation of the structure is granite rubble taken from Cape Ann quarries, and is capped by 12 ton granite blocks supplied by the Cheves Granite Company of Rockport. A total of 231,760 tons of granite were used to build the breakwater. A small tower lighthouse marks it’s outermost extremity.
Ledge Hill Trail, Ravenswood, 1919 Alice M. Curtis/©Fredrik D. Bodin
Eastern Point Light and Dog Bar Breakwater are located at the end of Eastern Point Boulevard, The adjoining  parking lot and breakwater are part of Massachusetts Audubon’s 51 acre Eastern Point Wildlife Sanctuary –http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Eastern_Point/index.php
Fred
Fredrik D. Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

Leon Poindexter Installs helm on Eleanor Photos From Kathy Chapman

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Gloucester Marine Railways

Master Shipwright Leon Poindexter installs the helm on the Tea Party Ship Eleanor, with help from carpenter and boat builder Matt Billey.

http://www.kathychapman.com

MattChrisLeonEleanor

Leslie Heffron Dancing Sea Star Buoy Colored Pencil Drawing

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Leslie Writes-

Thank you!  I’m an artist so after I read the blog for the first time I did a colored pencil drawing and have been working on a series called "Love Letters to Gloucester"  ever since.  This drawing is called, "Dancing Sea Star Buoy" and it’s based on a buoy I found washed up on Niles Beach.  Leslie

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WBUR’s Radio Boston 01930 Story Contest- Get On It!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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Hi Joey,
I’m an avid reader of GMG (I discovered the site when I came back to live in my childhood home in Manchester – when I’m feeling particularly Gloucester-centric, I say I live in West Magnolia) and wanted to let you know that the WBUR show Radio Boston has a contest where people write stories about certain zip codes and 01930 is up for this week. The stories are due on Monday, but maybe you or some of the other writers who read GMG would be interested in entering.
Here are the details: http://www.wbur.org/2011/08/05/zip-code-stories-faq
http://radioboston.wbur.org/2012/01/05/zip-code-stories-elyssa-east-on-gloucester
-Allison Sigrist

FAQ

1. How does this work?
Each month, Radio Boston will pick four ZIP codes in Greater Boston. Listeners are then invited to submit their original short stories and essays, which must take place in one of the four ZIP codes.

2. How long can my story be?
It should be no more than 500 words.

3. Must it be fiction?
We are accepting fiction and non-fiction.

4. Do I have to live in one of the ZIP codes?
No, your story simply has to take place in one of them.

5. Which ZIP codes are highlighted this month?
For the month of December, we’re featuring: 01930 (Gloucester), 02301 (Brockton), 02482(Wellesley) and 02131 (Roslindale).

6. When is this month’s deadline?
All stories for this round must be submitted by 10pm EST on Monday, January 9th.

7. Why ZIP codes?
This project is about place. We want you to tell us about your communities, and breaking down the Boston-area by ZIP code allows us to go deeper into specific towns, neighborhoods and villages. The ultimate goal: transport the reader through your writing.

8. How do I submit my story?
There are a few ways. Since we’re a radio station and an audio literary magazine, our favorite way for you to submit is by sending us a recording of yourself reading your story out loud. You can do this using Broadcastr, a social-media platform for location-based stories. Visit the Broadcastr website or use their iPhone and Android apps. Please make sure you tag your story “ZipCodeStories.”

You can also submit your story online here.

Or send it via snail mail to:

WBUR
Attn: Zip Code Stories/Radio Boston
890 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd Fl
Boston, MA 02215

9. What happens once I submit?
A panel of readers from The Drum and WBUR will read each essay and pick one winner.  This winner will be featured on air as well as online at wbur.org and The Drum.

10. I have more questions.
Please contact us via email: zipcode@wbur.org

11. Are there limits to what I can say in my story?
Yes. We will not feature material that is crude, obscene or hateful.

GMG contributors at the Matz gallery (Sawyer Free Library)

Posted on by Matthew Green

Not to toot our own horn, but I want to share a couple of photos of the exhibit of photos, painting, pottery, and origami by GoodMorningGloucester contributors!  The exhibit started on New Years Day and runs through the month of January.

A panoramic overview of the exhibit

It was hard to take this panorama, because it required a series of photos, and the library is (thankfully) a busy place, with lots of people walking in and out!

Closeup of some of the non-photographic work

Stop in to see the work closer up for yourself!  The library is located across the street from City Hall.   Directions and hours (and more, of course!) are available on the library website.

New Sculpture Garden

Posted on by Matthew Green

Where the old Moose lodge used to be…

Panorama from multiple photos, stitched with the excellent free and open-source program “Hugin”.

Civil War monument

Posted on by Matthew Green
It seems like she's looking longingly at that chimney (or whatever it is) on Central Grammar, which is more ornate and higher up...

Origami sea life

Posted on by Matthew Green

Guess who got a book on origami sea creatures for Christmas? Appropriate for someone living in a fishing port. I got folding right away.

Blue shark, designed by John Montroll, folded by me from 10" kami.
"Venus's comb" murex shell, designed by Robert Lang, folded by me from 10" kami.

These are both “first tries” for me with these models; I hope to do them better justice later using more specialized paper and wet-folding techniques.

The book, “Sea Creatures in Origami” by Robert Land and John Montroll, is one of two books on this topic by these authors. Lang and Montroll are master origami designers and have published many books, so the models are great and the diagrams are very clear – and they include some informative notes on species represented.

The Historic American Sneakboat

Posted on by Sharon
Sneakboat and Decoys, Plum Island, circa 1885 Anonymous/©Fredrik D. Bodin
 
Basic Sneak Boat
The sneakboat is a type of duck hunting boat, dating from the early 1800’s, that was, and still is used throughout the United States in one form or another (sneak, sneak box, sculling boat, float boat, and coffin boat). This low-profile camouflaged boat allowed the hunter to lie down at water level amoung his decoys, maneuver quietly by wiggling a paddle out the stern transom, and lure flying ducks to seemingly safe waters. When the birds descend, he hunter sits up and fires away with a shotgun. Sneakboats proved to be deadly for ducks in the days of “market hunting,” when one could make a decent living killing waterfowl. The Rodigrass clan migrated to Plum Island from Nova Scotia in the late 1800’s to commercially harvest ducks, clams, and fish. They were notable both as hunters and as guides.
Nathan Rodigrass, Plum Island, circa 1885 Anonymous/©Fredrik D. Bodin
The Rodigrass Camp, circa 1900 Anonymous/©Fredrik D. Bodin
Built in 1882, the Rodigrass Camp stood on Plum Island until 1989, when it was torn down. The Rodigrass clan later became stewards of the National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island, protecting the animals they once hunted. I’ve met people in Gloucester who are familiar with or hunt with sneak boats. However, not many of us have seen a sneak boat, and neither have the ducks.
Fred

On the third day of Christmas, I saw THREE ships…

Posted on by Matthew Green

…come sailing in, on my Christmas tree!

Remember, it’s still Christmas until January 6th (you know, the 12 Days of Christmas…). I didn’t get three French hens, but at the suggestion of several people after my earlier post, I added a third ship to my tree.  (On the left is an origami snowflake folded from a hexagon.)