Congratulations to six local artists who have been awarded $9,000 from the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts to create site-specific projects based on Cape Ann ’s literary history. seARTS co-jurors – Susan Erony and Henry Ferrini were extremely pleased with the applicant pool which embraced the subject matter with enthusiasm. All but one project are using work of Vincent Ferrini –though in very different ways – evidence of his tremendous and lasting impact on the community. Each artist will show their work in collaboration with a local business. Some artists have already engaged a business partner but there are several still searching for the right match for their project. seARTS welcomes inquiries from interested business collaborators in any of the projects below that indicate partner/location to be determined. Business partners must be in downtown Gloucester or on the waterfront. The projects will be presented at an opening reception in October.
The recipients and partners are as follows:
Mark Teiwes, ( Beverly ): – Partner – Captain Joe & Sons, E. Gloucester . Multimedia project on State Fish Pier
Mark will present a series of exterior diptychs combining documentary portraits of harbor-side workers inspired by Vincent Ferrini’s poem, At the Brink. Teiwes will focus on the strength, struggle and dignity of workers. The diptychs will be on exterior walls of fish pier businesses. An online audio slide show component will consist of the subjects of the portraits reading At the Brink. Mark has also offered to run a community photo workshop on night photography and environmental portraits.
Willie Alexander, ( Gloucester ) – Partner on Main Street to be determined
Willie will produce a recorded singing of Ferrini’s poems over minimal musical accompaniment to be inserted into a soundtrack to be played on Main Street . There will be a live performance at the opening.
Susan Frey and Reverend Richard Emmanuel: ( Gloucester ) – Partner – Building Center- Gloucester
Susan and Rev. Emmanual will design and construct a Steele, an upright monument with text, using Ferrini’s poem, This House. They will be using scrap wood from the lumber yard and the sculpture will be in the corner of the parking lot near the Visitor’s booth. The sculpture will be 8x8x18’.
Martin Ray: ( Gloucester ) Building Center and other location to be determined.
Martin will create granite portraits of Olson and Ferrini on the grounds of the FHL house. The installation includes two foot tall granite carved “beach pebbles” inlaid with bronze and copper. These will be accompanied by bronze plaques with biographical and interpretive text.
Emily Sinagra: ( Gloucester ) – Partner and location to be determined
Emily will develop a theatrical performance based on The Wharf Rat’s Tale by R. Barry Fisher to be performed in nontraditional spaces. The story is about life on the waterfront during the Depression. The ensemble piece will continue beyond grant period. Emily would like to use local youth as the actors.
Ian McColl: ( Gloucester ) Dogtown Books windows and other locations to be determined.
Ian will produce a Shadow play production of Ferrini’s Telling of the North Star with expanded visual imagery and an original score. The opening performance will be in the window of Dogtown Books, visible and audible from the street.
The Partner with an Artist Program has evolved over the last 3 years with increasing interest and new thinking from artist applicants. This year, sixteen proposals were judged on quality and clarity of the project idea; inclusion of relevant literary texts in the conception or manifestation of the project; innovative adaptation/expansion of the artists’ work to meet the criteria of the grant; a willingness and ability to be site-specific in the project proposal; and merit of previous work.
The Partner with an Artist (PWA) program is funded by seARTS and through grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council John and Abigail Adams Art Program and the Boston Foundation Bruce J. Anderson Fund. For more information about seARTS, contact Sara Young, Executive Director ed@searts.org or visit www.searts.org .
Good Morning Gloucester 