My View of Life on the Dock
Last Friday, there was a very nice art reception at the Pleasant Street Tea Company. Here are some photos of the event.
The exhibit will be up until the end of June. You can also check their work out on line:
Rocky Delforge: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rocky-Delforge-Artist/121621697928041?sk=photos
Ben MacAdam: http://www.benmacadam.com/
Donna Therrien: http://www.inspiredhealthandhealing.com/
Art reception happening Friday night at Pleasant Street Tea Co. from 6:00 – 8:00! Local artists Ben MacAdam, Donna Therrien and Rocky Delforge are showing some great work and will be there to show it off. There was some great work going up last night – get excited… For more details click here or check out E.J.’s post from a couple days ago.
This week’s artist is a little bit older than the ones I’ve shared with you the past fewweeks. Becca’s a part of Action Inc.’s Compass Youth Program that comes to do art with us at Art Haven on Friday afternoons. She painted this beautiful imitation of Claude Monet’s Carrieres-Saint-Denis on a bottle this past Friday! She’s done lots of other beautiful work with us as well and we can’t wait to see what else she creates!
If you know of a young artist that should be featured here, email dawn.gadow@gmail.com with a picture and a little info!
Last weekend I went for a stroll in Rockport to visit some of the shops and galleries that are starting to open, now that warmer weather is here.
Among the doors that were open was that of Corey Tevan’s gallery on Bearskin Neck.
It’s worth the visit just to meet Corey, who is a very warm and interesting person. He brings a great spiritual and artistic sensitivity to his work.
Many of the paintings on display are ethereal, otherworldly cityscapes with one or two dominant, deeply saturated hues, although examples of other kinds of work are also on display – some with brilliant rainbows of color, as you can see in the background of the last photo in this post. Some of the paintings exhibited are still works in process, at varying stages – from fathomless starry skies waiting to be occupied, to cities still emerging from the blue mist of the canvas.
I ended up buying one of the smaller paintings that really caught my fancy. Maybe someday I’ll save up and buy one of the big ones… I find his work very calming and engrossing to view.
There were a few other people visiting the gallery at that time, one of whom turned out to be a very skilled magician, Dario Pittore. He dazzled us with a few tricks, including making a tree and a ladder appear out of old newspapers.
His gallery is at 60 Bearskin Neck. Stop in and check it out when you get a chance! It’s really worth it.
Just wanted to update everyone that we had a great day on Monday at Art Haven’s new space, finishing building out some walls, getting the art materials thrift store cleaned out, and Sal Russo coming through HUGE by finishing repointing the back wall of our function room!
Here’s the awesome crew from Chris Fogarty Carpentry who generously volunteered their time to put up most of the walls in the space:
And the RAYS kids helping to get the thrift store ready!
And even a couple of the TAG kids stopping by to check out the awesome new space they’ll get to use! (Can you tell their excited?)
I’ve got another picturing poetry finished work for you this week – they’re just too good not to share! Also, check out the Art Haven web site for a new session starting next week with clay monsters, graffiti, and abstract explorations! Without further ado, here is a poem about Geckos written by almost 8-year-old Navaeh:
Big green eyes
That never blink
Geckos are more mysterious
Than you think
Geckos are found
All over the world
Rainforests, deserts, mountains & lakes
Gecko’s best friend is his cousin, the snake
They climb up the ceilings
And they walk across walls
But thanks to his sticky feet
He never ever falls
Some people don’t like geckos
Some people like ducks
But in southeast Asia
They are good luck!
If you know of a young artist that should be featured here, email dawn.gadow@gmail.com with a short description and a photo of some of their work!
Josh Serrin writes-
So I’ve been getting a lot of flak lately about the number of art rocks that I have. To this date I have six: Good Harbor Beach, State Fish Pier, Niles Beach, Fishermens Wives Statue, Boulevard and Jacobs Landing. My wife has dubbed me “Rock Hog” and whenever I tell Joey that I found another one I always get the response, “ Again?” So here’s the story of each and everyone one of them.
Ah, my first! At this point of the story I had never found one. I always saw them on GMG and thought how great it would be to have one of my own. This one, I believe, was sitting there for about an hour or two when I saw the post. I thought for sure it was already taken but it’s a minute bike ride down from my house so I figured why not try. I spotted it from the road and was so happy. I’m sure all the people walking around thought I was a quack when I jumped for joy and had a huge smile on my face. My son Jack thought it was great too (as you can see from his face).
https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2010/10/16/art-rocks-state-fish-pier-10162010/
This one was really fun. I was outside doing some yard work, checked the blog from my phone, jumped on my bike and hauled ass down to the state fish pier. I had to ride around for a bit looking for this white painted rock. I knew from the post that the rock was next to it but I wasn’t familiar with the area so I had to really look. Not only did I find an Art Rock, I figured out just how out of shape I was biking back home.
https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/art-rocks-02132011/
I remember farting around the house on this cold day, checking the blog and then jumping in my car to see if it was still there. Low and behold it was.
https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/art-rocks-may-21-2001/
I did not end up getting this rock but it was really fun to watch someone snatch it. My mother-in-law was in town and we were all out. We live right down the street from Cripple Cove and were forewarned about a pending art rock coming up around 7:30. We got back to the house at about 7:31 (yes, precise time is relevant), checked the blog while we were all still in the car and headed down. We got there, say, at 7:33 but we saw a person walking the buoy around so I figured it was gone. I decided to not get out and look. We sat in the parking lot for about 5 minutes. Someone showed up talking on their phone with a big huge GMG sticker on the back of there car, walked over to the buoy and jumped for joy when they found it. I think I remember her saying, “I found it” to the person on the phone. All along while, we were sitting in the parking lot the rock was right there! It was really great seeing someone else get one… I already have 3 by that time so I wasn’t too disappointed. I only wish I was able to get it to give to my mother-in-law though. We sat for a little while longer and people kept streaming in! In a matter of probably 5 minutes we saw about 5 cars pull up, people get out, walk over to the buoy to look for the rock and then just back into their car and leave. Joey took this to a whole new level a couple days later and videotaped people walking around his shop looking for one. I would have been there but I was in the hospital and came upon this little surprise… our daughter Katie!
This is by far my favorite rock. Not only did Paul find the PERFECT hiding place but it also looks incredible. Again, checked my phone, jumped in the car and headed to the scene. I walked around for about 10 minutes. I looked in the flowers, all along the stones, under the benches, everywhere! Art Rocks are usually at least the size of your fist so they can be spotted from afar. This art rock, though, was incredibly small and in a little crevice under the statue. You could be standing 5 feet from the statue and still wouldn’t be able to see it. I ended up walking right up to the statue, peeked on top and saw the rock.
This is the only one that I didn’t get a picture of. I remember this being a pretty cold day and I was grocery shopping with my son Jack. While in the parking lot I check my phone and saw that there was an Art Rock down at the Boulevard. I wanted to get home though. Jack was being a little fussy and needed a nap. My normal routine when I’m heading home from Stop and Shop is to head over to the bridge at GHB and then a short trip to the Back Shore and then up through Bass Rocks Golf course. We live right past the golf course so I get a nice scenic route on my way home. Well… Jack fell asleep before we hit the Back Shore so I figured why not keep going to the Boulevard. I pulled up to the tennis courts and saw Ed Collard walking around. Now, it was pretty cold outside with maybe one or two brave souls walking around so I knew right away that he got it. Ed was looking around a lot over his shoulder and doing quick loops around that area like he was waiting for someone. I just helped Ed take down the Lobster Pot tree so I figure I’d say hi and ask him if he found it (which I knew he did). With a big huge smile he said yes and that he was going to give it to the first person that showed up. Well, that was me! I said he didn’t have to but he was pretty persistent. (I think he was freezing his butt off and didn’t want to wait around for another person.) Ed has the picture of this one laying around somewhere.
Jack found the last rock. On this Sunday morning, I had to go to the Building Center. It was about 8:50 when Jack and I drove into Harbor Loop only to find out that the BC wasn’t open. Instead of leaving through the TDBank parking lot, I drove down the loop. I rarely do this but we were in no rush to go anywhere. The Art Rock was posted the previous night and I didn’t know where Solomon Jacobs Landing was. Well, if you didn’t know it was on Harbor Loop, then now you do and so do I! At this point, the rock was sitting around for over 14 hours so there is no WAY that thing is still lying around… but I figure we’d get out and walk down anyway. I wanted to show Jack the Coast Guard boats. I parked and let him out and we walked down to the benches. I spotted the rock at a good distance… and so did Jack. He was the one that actually went over and picked it up. I was planning on leaving it where it was but he didn’t. He was really excited to find a rock, let alone an Art Rock. And like all rocks that we find near the water they go back into the water and make a big splash! I couldn’t let that happen though. As soon as he made a b-line to the water I had to stop him.
So, now you might be asking yourself what I do with all of these rocks… I have them on display around my house. There are two in our entry way, my favorite sits alongside family pictures on a shelf in our living room and three are downstairs on my office desk which I look at every day.
So that’s the story of the Rock Hog by the Rock Hog, I guess. I can’t say I’ll never find another one but I do know that I’ll never take from the same place twice. I really value each and every rock that I find (if you haven’t noticed yet). I feel so lucky to have one, let alone six. Paul, you should know that every time you leave one of these rocks that you are not only making someone’s day but giving that person a memory that will last a lifetime. Thank you for everything that you’ve done.
No, Jonah getting swallowed by the big fish. Who knows, though; maybe the two denizens of the deep were related…
Another of the wonderful sea-themed windows in St. John’s Episcopal Church.
-Fr. Matthew Green
Just wanted to thank the tremendous group of volunteer contractors that came and helped to start putting walls up at 11 Pleasant Street with us on Saturday! Check out the slideshow to see pictures of Kevin Hansery, Ron Nilsson, Aaron Noble, Tad Cunningham, and Patti Seitz doing some tremendous work. Interior walls up and ready for plumbing!
Also, thanks to Dunkin Donuts and Braga Management for some delicious donuts and coffee that made the day even more enjoyable and to Building Center for the beautiful lumber!
Some great folks from the Cape Ann TimeBank came down to Art Haven yesterday to paint some beautiful bowls for Open Door’s Empty Bowl fundraiser coming up on May 10th!
Pictures coming tomorrow, but if you’ve got some time and construction skills you can still come down and help until about 3:00 today!
Check out this video if you wanna know what’s going on…
Maritime Gloucester days are full, but there’s still space for Mother’s Day Printmaking, paper flower bouquets, Harry Potter Day and Empty Bowl Making! Call (978) 283-3888 or emailing arthaveninfo@gmail.com
Art Haven can use some help this Saturday framing out their new space on Pleasant Street! If you’ve got construction experience and some free time, grab your tools and come on down – it’s sure to be a good time. Work will start at 9am, but feel free to come down whenever you can and help out. For more info about what’s going on, check out this interview with Dave Brooks, founder and visionary 🙂
If you haven’t heard, there’s going to be a great art opening at The Annie tonight with a group of fantastic young artists from around town! Watch the video below for more details, check out the Facebook page, or just show up sometime this evening to take it all in. Doors open at 4:00!
This week’s young artist is Leon, shown above as a part of Art Haven’s summer programs. Leon has done everything from clay to mermaid robot building, but most notably created an incredible squirrel painting and poem! In Picturing Poetry with Aja Heussi, he created a poem about the intricacies of squirrel life:
Squirrels eating nuts
in a hole in a tree.
Squirrels bushy butts
and a squirrel sees a bee.
Squirrels are crazy
Squirrels are fat
Squirrels are rambunctious
They’ve caused trouble in the past
Squirrels are mammals
Squirrels have sharp claws
They can’t see when they’re babies
When they have little paws
I love squirrels
I love them a lot
They are so funny!
But when they bite, they’re not.
-Leon Calvo
If you know of a young artist that should be featured here, email dawn.gadow@gmail.com with a short description and a photo of some of their work!
I was just walking down Pleasant Street this morning and realizing how AWESOME it’s going to be once all the work that’s currently happening there is finished. Just think about it! Between the Johnstone & Schlichte building being re-done, the great new entrance and windows on Pleasant Street Tea Co. and, my [extremely biased] personal favorite, the old office supply store becoming an incredibly creative community space, Pleasant Street is really gonna be rockin! Some photos of the works in progress for your enjoyment:
The demonstration was fascinating. Debbie’s creative process is very free and spontaneous – which works, I think, because she has developed great skill and has lots of talent! She described how the some of materials she uses often change over time through interaction with each other and with the environment, so on-going change is a part of the artwork. You can see some of the results hanging on the wall behind her. Really beautiful work!
Incidentally, these photos were all taken with my iPhone, many of them using some cool lenses I bought. As you can see, the lenses aren’t “transparent”, in the sense that they cause some distorsion, but it’s an interesting effect. I’ll post about that later for anyone interested in exploring iPhonography…
Good Morning Gloucester 