Gloucester High & Project Adventure

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey!
I thought you might be interested in seeing this short video about Project Adventure and Gloucester High working together this year. We supported kids in their social skills and mental health, especially important in the face of COVID. Gloucester teens came to our ropes course in Beverly to climb and ride the zip line, and our staff member led them through teambuilding and social and emotional learning activities every week at GHS. We’d love to share this with the community! 

Coming up in the Arts

Posted on by James Eves

Joan Bediz Solo Show at NSAA

August 3 – 20, 2021
Artist Meet & Greet: 
Thursday, August 12, 2021, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM

North Shore Arts Association
11 Pirate’s Lane, Gloucester, MA 01930

Joan Bediz, “Sunset,” acrylic, $375 

Joan K. Bediz currently has a solo show of pastels and acrylic paintings on display at the North Shore Arts Association August 3 – 20, 2021. Come and meet the artist and experience her stunning works during the reception on Thursday, August 12, 2021, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM.  

Joan strives to look at the world with a sharp sensitivity, feeling a degree of compulsion and responsibility to put that information on canvas and paper as art. There is a quote hanging in her studio that she continues to revisit as she takes on challenges required to be a dedicated and working artist in the world today. “Nothing’s harder than being given your chance.”  Her work is represented at the North Shore Arts Association, Rockport Art Association & Museum, Cambridge Art Association, Rocky Neck Art Center, and Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod.

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 Wednesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM and Sundays 12 – 4 PM.

How’s the Water, Gullfriend?

Posted on by Nichole S.

While I’d prefer it be a beach day, I always kind of get a kick out of how happy the seagulls are to have the beach to themselves when the weather keeps everyone else at home. See them all lined up at the water’s edge?

Lucky Catch Gloucester Lobsterman

Posted on by Pat D

There are a variety of displays of Gloucester history all around town but one of the most interesting appears in the Crow’s Nest. Probably not your first stop when seeking history, but the walls are rich in Gloucester heritage displays. This Norman Rockwell print is one such example at the Crow’s Nest.

“Lucky Catch” (sometime referred to also as “Mermaid”) by Norman Rockwell appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post Aug 20 1955 and created quite a stir. The story can be found here, but the significant piece of the story for Gloucester is the 81 year old lobsterman tapped to be the model: Walter E. Marchant. Walter was born in 1873, lived and lobstered in Gloucester all his life. He died just a few years after the cover appeared.

In my search for his identity, I sought assistance from Lois at the City Archives (thanks so much Lois!). I also went over the the library as well as to Cape Ann Museum; by the time I got home an email from Lois was waiting for me. This was a link to a Boston Globe article Sept 18 1955 verifying the identity of the pictured lobsterman. The article is very interesting and I encourage you to read it through. He describes Norman Rockwell as a “nice sort of duck”. Walter travelled to Stockbridge to sit for the artist which I imagine was no small undertaking for him.

As I sought out further information about Walter, I found a very intriguing story including his redesign of the lobster pot which was apparently successful in luring the lobsters. As a young man, he participated in a rescue off the breakwater of the Schooner Nautilus in 1905 out of the life saving station at Dolliver’s Neck. This article from the Boston Herald Sept 4 1955 shows a picture and we understand why this man was chosen as a model.

It’s a classic Gloucester story commemorated in true Norman Rockwell fashion for “Lucky Catch”.

Gloucester outhouses in American paintings – Artists Edward Hopper, Stuart Davis, Mabel Dwight and more (Excerpt 1)

Posted on by Catherine

Per reader request, over the next few days I’ll be reposting mini chapter excerpts — primarily illustrations– from a longer read about the evolution of outhouses and public utilities specific to Gloucester, Massachusetts, Privy to Privy History, on Good Morning Gloucester June 6, 2021.

‘Gloucester Outhouses in American Paintings’ copied below is “Excerpt 1” (stay tuned for some more Cape Ann Museum additions); Excerpt 2 will focus on early 20th century photographs; future excerpts might highlight some of the history mentions such as the bathroom fixtures at the Crane estate; and so on.

Catherine Ryan, Aug. 2021

 

EDWARD HOPPER – gloucester outhouses

Edward Hopper included outhouses in numerous Gloucester vistas. Hopper depicted buildings and worked with watercolor and gouache long before his renowned first sell out show of Gloucester images in the 1920s.

 

Illustrations: Reminder- You can pinch and zoom to enlarge (and select “full size” image if that option shows) 

 

 

Whitney Museum estimates circa 1903

The Whitney Museum of American Art has the largest collection of Edward Hopper art. This small watercolor study the museum dates circa 1900 contains germs of his later work. There is an elusive building, or nestled buildings, front and center. Strong shadows are emphasized. Is the shed attached or not? An entrance, a ticket booth, an outhouse? Is that a circus tent flag squiggle? The pencil line beyond the vertical street light (or railroad signal) might be a train track. Further right, there’s a red dab. Perhaps another structure. The window with yellow has a barn vibe. I did think about the scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when Katherine Ross looks down from a hay loft to catch the ‘Paul Newman riding a bike for the Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head’ show.

 

early Stuart Davis – Gloucester outhouses

 

Gloucester Outhouses in American Art

Selection of Gloucester scenes with outhouses by various artists: Dennis Miller Bunker; Charles Burchfield; James Jeffrey Grant; Emil Gruppe; Max Kuehne; William Lester Stevens; Paul Bough Travis; and Louise Woodroofe. Stay tuned for more.

 

 

1938 NYC – Masterful Mabel Dwight 

MABEL DWIGHT, 1938

Leave it to Mabel Dwight for a humorous and original take, Backyard, 1938 WPA/FAP lithograph.

Below – New York City images (collection, NYPL) for comparison of the flip view. More photographs featured in Excerpt 2.

 

Music at Minglewood Harborside Thursday – Saturday 5th 6th & 7th

Posted on by Joanne

Wow…talk about a line up! Kicking it off this Thursday we got the super talented Mr. Chris Fritz-Grace from Pier Ave. Friday, Mystery Meat makes their triumphant return to Minglewood. To cap off this all star line up, Saturday, we got the one and only DJ Vito! Get here early and bring your dancing shoes

Chris Fritz – Grice with Jake Pardee Thursday 7:30 – 10:30pm

Friday – Mystery Meat 9pm

Saturday DJ Vito 9pm

25 Rogers Street.Gloucester, MA

https://www.minglewoodharborside.com/

My Buddy Mike Dekoster Picked Up A Blue Lobster That Dave Jewell Caught and Donated To Maritime Gloucester. Also Pics Of Maddie Jewell Then and Now With Blue Lobsters Caught 8 Years Apart

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Dave Brought This One In A Couple Of Days Ago-

Dave Jewell Lands Blue Lobster At Captain Joe and Sons Lobster Co Gloucester MA
Zach Jewell’s Blue Lobster Tattoo Next To the Blue Lobster
Michael Dekoster Picks Up Blue Lobster For Maritime Gloucester’s Aquarium

Dave caught another blue lobster eight years ago on October 11, 2013 here’s that post from way back then-

BLUE LOBSTER LANDED AT CAPTAIN JOE AND SONS

Posted on  by Joey Ciaramitaro

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Dave caught another blue lobster eight years ago on October 11, 2013-

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Maddie Jewell displays the lobster her daddy caught October 11, 2013.

And here’s a picture of Maddie Jewell with the blue lobster her dad caught 8 years later on August 3, 2021-