If you’re not sure what’s going on at Endicott’s 33 Commercial St campus — and how it may change your life, read this

While Vickie was complaining yesterday about people who wait until the last minute to announce their live music lineup, and then forget to tell us at gimmesound.com, which, BTW, is the ONLY complete live music listing for Gloucester & Cape Ann in ANY MEDIUM — meaning that if you’re not listed, you’re not getting the word out, which it’s your own fault ’cause it’s free … anyhow I digress.

While she was getting gimmesound up to date, I was at a meeting with Peter Jenner, who happens to be Chair of the School of Hospitality Management at Endicott College, and he invited me to a reception at their new digs at 33 Commercial St. later in the day where Endicott’s arts profs & deans were going to hobnob with people from Gloucester’s arts scene, the whole shebang being dubbed Arts Endicott meets Arts Gloucester — in a word: OUTREACH.

While I was there, I posted a live photo from the event (see here).  I met some interesting people, saw people I knew, drank wine, ate hors d’oeuvres, listened to a short, concise and interesting presentation and saw a dance performance — all very well put together.  But here’s what really struck me.  These people are truly interested in immersing themselves into Gloucester’s culture.  They see the entire city — and everyone in it — as their partners.  This is far more significant than the fact Endicott is offering degree programs in Gloucester (see this post), which is pretty big in and of itself.

So if you didn’t go last night (I almost didn’t) I recommend that you contact somebody at Endicott that is teaching in the field you work in every day and tell them what you do.  This isn’t only for people in the arts — it’s everything — literally.  Check out their website here.

As I said in this post, “Becoming a college town is likely to be the best thing that has happened to Gloucester this century.”  And I’m not exaggerating.

Direct Hit! The Dangers of Parking at The State Fish Pier

Direct Hit! The Dangers of Parking at The State Fish Pier

“Art, Rocks!”

Mary Rhinelander Has a Block Making Class and You Should Do It!

block printing168

Check out Mary’s Website here-
http://maryrhinelander.com/

Gloucester Art News From Catherine Ryan

Gloucester Art news 1: Wednesday September 26th

Gloucester is gearing up to become the first town in MA to be awarded 2 Cultural Districts. Rocky Neck Art Colony Cultural District is flying! Amazing seARTS— a committed partner for ALL the regional cultural districts–has graciously invited the volunteers hustling for a DOWNTOWN Gloucester Cultural District to give a brief update at the seARTS meeting this coming Wednesday at Sawyer Free Library, 4PM. Please stop by. (While you’re there: have a peek at the Sawyer Free Library 2012 Art Auction and see the neighborhood quilt project!) Contact: Judith Hoglander,  judith@nii.net.

Gloucester Art news 2: Tuesday, October 2nd, 7PM, City Hall

The exciting process for commissioning NEW public art for the Gloucester HarborWalk is off and running! At the direction of Mayor Carolyn Kirk and the Community Development Department, the Gloucester Committee for the Arts has been asked to plan and implement the process for selecting a work, or works, of public art to be installed that were inspired by Gloucester and the HarborWalk.

Gloucester’s Committee for the Arts is hosting a dynamic introduction session and encourages you to attend. Committee members suggest that people, “Please come a bit early to bring and pin up any image of public art that you are (or aren’t) keen for, so that we can assemble a lively backdrop for the evening’s discussions.” City Hall’s stellar murals will inspire and connect us, too.

The session is designed for artists who may be considering responding to the City’s eventual request for submissions. Come to learn about the selection process, review general guidelines, hear themes of the architect’s vision, view examples of other public art installations, and be part of the unfolding plans. This is to be public art created for our unique environment and the artist’s response to it.

You don’t have to be an artist to come. Hearing and participating in the discussions about ideas for art in the public realm are part of the pleasures of seeing commissioned projects brought to completion. This process will occur over a period of many, many months and involve visits, interactions and working in conjunction with many. The ideas and debates around art, public space, and culture add enormously to our enjoyment and our community –and are already very Gloucester . Be part of it!

For those unable to attend or who have questions, visit www.ghwalk.org or email gharborwalk@gmail.com (subject line public art)

Opening Night of Community and Identity

Last Saturday was the official opening of the “Community and Identity” show at the Rocky Neck Cultural center.  It’s quite a nice show, and well worth the visit!

The opening was very well attended, and the food – provided by curator Rocky Delforge’s mother – was absolutely amazing.  She could take up catering professionally, in my opinion.

But, back to the show itself.  A variety of artists are showing works related to the theme of the show, with a wide variety of approaches and media.  Give yourself time to contemplate them!  Community participation is also encouraged: there is a wooden lattice cube in the center of the room with cards inviting visitors to write or draw reactions to the exhibit or to questions and ideas on the front of the card.

Many of the artists were present, so I snapped photos of them with their work:

Curator/artist Rocky Delforge
Leon Doucette
Corinne Grant
John Swayze
Danny Diamond
John Sarkin. (I had autofocus on, and the camera went crazy trying to decide which face to focus on…)

The most beautiful thing at the show, though, was this little baby.  She was looking around at the art with the expression of a connoisseur as her mother carried her from place to place:

The Rocky Neck Cultural Center is easy to locate. It’s at 6 Wonson Street, and is quite distinctive:

It is in easy walking distance from the parking lot at the beginning of Rocky Neck – from which vantage point I took this panorama:

– Fr. Matthew Green

Christopher Wood’s paintings at Addison Gilbert Hospital

In the course of my ministry as a priest, it’s not uncommon that I go to the hospital to visit the sick and the dying.  Along the wall of the lobby of Addison Gilbert hospital, on the way to the elevator, there is usually a display of art.  I hardly ever stop to look, but I was really struck by Christopher Wood’s current display of abstract watercolor paintings.

To me, it seems somehow odd to go visit a hospital in order to see art, but at the very least, I recommend stopping to see the paintings if you are at the hospital for any reason at all.  Or maybe you can stop in to see the paintings, and pretend you are on your way to visit a sick relative or get some x-rays done…

He describes his work thus, on an explanatory panel next to the paintings:

“My work is organic, bold, gritty, sensual, and completely inspired by my mad scientist tendencies. I paint ferociously; this creates real energy within the piece.  My painting style and its looseness makes watercolor and optimal medium for me.  I paint wet on wet, this allows the colors to mix themselves on the paper, and allows little experiments/accidents to be created within the piece.”

Besides being an artist who has worked in various media, he has a Masters in Conservation Biology.  Check out his website…

 

Community and Identity at the Rocky Neck Cultural Center

The Rocky Neck Art Colony is pleased to present Community and Identity, a group show at the Cultural Center on Rocky Neck (9 Wonson St., Gloucester, MA) curated by Cape Ann artist and RNAC member Rocky Delforge. The opening reception is tonight from 5 to 8 PM. Click on the image below to see it full-sized.

Jeff Cluett new art

Joey these are se photos of se recent artwork and lifestyle photography that I have produced since leaving rocky neck. The mural is 56/12 feet long and was a collaborative project(although I had some of the largest hand) done in Lowell ma. When I had a gallery/ studio space out there. The bmx jump was photographed by myself with my iPhone. Feel free to use as many or as few of the photos you would like. I appreciate  you coverage in the first place and it was nice to see you at The Farm the other day. Keep in touch homie your a real ass cat. -Jeffrey Cluett

 

Here is the interview with Jeff last summer on Madfish Wharf-

Elizabeth Gauthier Gallery

During the block party, I discovered that a new gallery has opened on Main Street!  The sign isn’t up yet, but it showcases the work (in several different artistic media) of Elizabeth Gauthier – hence, the name “Gauthier Gallery.”

The gallery mostly contains her own work, but also some work by her sister.  Besides oil and acrylic paintings, she paints custom t-shirts!

Is that cool or what?  Here is the artist with some of her work:

During our conversation, she mentioned that she plans on teaching as well as doing her own paintings.   As I mentioned before, her sign isn’t up yet, but the gallery is actually on Main Street in Gloucester, between Sal’s Barber Shop and the Compass Rose tattoo place (right in the middle of the photo below):

Fr. Matthew Green

 

 

 

 

Schooner Festival 2011 with John Nesta

Schooner Festival 2011 with Artist John Nesta

Check Out The Bad Ass New Fish Sign Outside Jon Sarkin’s Fish City Studios

Glosta being Glosta Baby.  You Can’t Fake The Funk!

http://jsarkin.com/

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Fish designed By chris williams and jon sarkin

Help Create a Scene in Rockport!

Rockport is an awesome, beautiful place, but some of us who live here would like to shake things up a little bit. So we’re throwing an art party of sorts on August 18th right in downtown Rockport. And to truly make this a community event, I set up a project page on Kickstarter. I’ve been really out of it lately, having a baby and trying to stay awake during daylight hours, so putting this together on Kickstarter took some more mental prowess than I expected, but I figured it out eventually (hats off to GMG contributor E.J. who funded her book project with your support through Kickstarter!). Anyway if you’re one of the Cape Ann locals or visitors who want to see art happen in spontaneous ways in dowtown Rockport, check out the Art Exchange project to see if it’s something you can support. We are funding this event with a goal of $500 and so far we have $50 raised, which is exciting! Feel free to email me (Sarah) at artnowrockport@gmail.com or therovinghome@gmail.com with any questions about the project or the event itself. And just click the image to find out more:

click the image for project information

Camilla MacFadyen Announces "Stock The Tank" Printing Workshop at Maritime Gloucester

Click below for video-

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Quarry Dance From Kathy Chapman

“Quarry Dance” was performed by members of the New York City dance troupe, Dusan Tynek Dance Theatre, at Rockport’s waterfront Halibut Point State Park on this steamy Friday afternoon.

QuarryDance

Photo © Kathy Chapman 2012

http://www.kathychapman.com

Flatrocks Gallery and Business Plan

Great news!

Here are a couple of pics of our new gallery, and the way we plan to make money to pay for it.

The sign is getting plenty of laughs around Lanesville. So far we’ve made $1.05, but somebody stole the dollar.

Greg Gibson

july 30djuly 30c

Art Party at “The Annie” – paintings by Sheila Lavelle

Yesterday evening there was an art party at The Annie for the opening of a show of beautiful paintings by Sheila Lavelle.  The artist was present, as was Henry Allen (founder of The Annie).

Artist Sheila Lavelle (second from right) with Henry Allen (far left) and guests

Her paintings are tranquil and calming, most of them suggestive of beach and sea skylines.

Overview of some of the new art on display

The art was accompanied by dishes of delectable appetizers, presented with artistic flair…

…including faux “candles” glowing in origami boxes!

The art will be on display all month. Several of the paintings sold while I was there, so get down to see them soon if you want to buy one of these beauties!

If you can’t make it, you can also view and buy her art on line.

Fr. Matthew Green

Ben Macadam’s paintings at Alchemy

At the grand opening for “The Hive”, I found my self seated next to Ben Macadam, one of our up-and-coming Gloucester artists. He mentioned that he has work on display at Alchemy (3 Duncan Street) for a little while yet (until August 5, I believe?).  Since someone recently gave me a gift card for Alchemy’s, I trotted on down there for lunch on Sunday and snapped some photos.

 

 

These are not all the paintings, of course – you need to go down to see them yourself!

As I ate snapped photos and ate my delicious “native corn bisque” soup, I was entertained by great bluegrass music! It turns out that it was Flynn Cohen and a guest musician; Cohen plays there every Sunday with other musicians that he invites.

Fr. Matthew Green