Tag: Gloucester Committee for the Arts

Annual Day in April is Simple Yet Profound – Kids Clutching Poems…

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Catherine Ryan submits ~

unnamedQueuing and sharing. Poem in Your Pocket Day fell on April 30. The power of poetry and listening was unforgettable. Try it yourself next year—bring extra Kleenex.

Mayor Romeo-Theken encourages Gloucester students to send their original poem to the Office of the Mayor, 9 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA. She promises to read them! Students should include their name, which Gloucester school, their grade and teacher’s name.

Look for Poem in Your Pocket Day each April. It’s free and simple to participate. Carry a Poem. Share a Poem. For more information, search for Poem in Your Pocket Day (PIYP Day) Academy of American Poets (www.poets.org) or New York City’s excellent web site, http://www.NYC.gov/poem. PIYP Day started in NYC in 2002 inspired by theFavorite Poem Project established in 1997 by Robert Pinsky, former Poet Laureate of the United States. East Gloucester Elementary initiated PIYP Day in 2012 because it always celebrates literacy and arts. Students are encouraged to submit poems to the Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library’s Poetry without Paper contest.

The honorary post for the Gloucester Poet Laureate was created in 1998. There have been four poet laureates: Vincent Ferrini was the City’s first, then John Ronan, Ruthanne Collinson, and the current Poet Laureate, Peter Todd. The Committee for the Arts helps select a new Poet Laureate every four years.

Special thanks to the students; Mayor Romeo-Theken; East Gloucester Elementary school teachers and staff– especially Literacy Coach Melissa Francis; EGS PTO; poet laureate, Peter Todd, and former laureates John Ronan and Rufus Collinson. Student Cal White read Peter Todd’s poem, Friendship, for morning message. Visit Gloucester’s website for more information and to read the poems shared by the poet laureates.

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CROSSWALK ART: next two site specific Justin Desilva public art

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Cat Ryan submits-

Hi Joey

Justin Desilva’s 20 part work of art is titled, Every Picture Tells A Story. His crosswalk art enlarges and interprets HarborWalk story moment content through a combination of digital paintings that he’s printed and combined with long stretches of color field painted sky.

Here’s one by the Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free library for the Samuel Sawyer story moment #31, an abstraction of the exterior and trees.

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Acting Director Freyja Sanger with artist Justin Desilva

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This one leads to the HarborWalk story post # for Temple Ahavat Achim across the street by the YMCA.

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The dory is on Main Street. The Harborwalk story moment #24 is over on Harbor Loop.

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Public Art: Two more Justin Desilva crosswalks downtown Gloucester

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Cat Ryan submits-

Hi Joey

As a reminder, there will be 20 temporary mixed media crosswalks throughout downtown by artist, Justin Desilva (Rhode Island School of Design alumnus). Each one features different HarborWalk story moment content.  Special thanks to Ben’s Paint.

Here’s the TS Eliot work along the intersection of Washington Street and Main by Tallys. The HarborWalk Story Moment marker #2 featuring TS Eliot is further down on the path by St. Peter’s and Cape Ann Brewing.

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Comments included how the images change depending upon where and how one is looking (viewing the images through a lens, or viewfinder, from a distance, or up close).

This man thought it was fun to compare Justin’s ideas and process with Seurat and other Pointillists. The pug is unfazed by the new surface over his frequent path past Joan of Arc. The HarborWalk Joan of Arc story marker is #37. We’ll ask Justin about his ideas in another post.

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Today’s intermittent rain slowed down the process, but not the speed of the cars! (Drivers fly past Joan of Arc heading to the Boulevard).

Thanks to Phyllis Cucuru for spending time with us and supplying a barney trash bag. Feeling fortunate that Café Sicillia, Building Center and other businesses are open on Sunday as we had to make a couple of trips. Desilva was planning to complete Hammond Castle and one in tribute to the Dory (on Main Street by Café Sicillia and Short and Main).

Here’s the Hammond Castle site BEFORE looking down to the Boulevard and out to the harbor. There’s also a photo looking back in the direction of the Joan of Arc memorial.

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The 2013 Gloucester HarborWalk Public Art Challenge was a competitive, two-stage, open process established and administered by the Committee for the Arts (CFTA) on behalf of the City of Gloucester, and at the direction of Mayor Kirk and the City’s Community Development Department under Sarah Garcia. Funding for the purchase of public art was provided through a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Seaport Advisory Council. The awards reflect discussions, community development, planning and determination to remember and work towards incorporating the creative arts broadly alongside other city efforts. Gloucester hearts art! For further information Gloucester Committee for the Arts

Have an idea? Want to get involved or volunteer? Please email friends of the HarborWalk gharborwalk@gmail.com or visit http://www.ghwalk.org

Art Update downtown: T.S. Eliot and Joan of Arc go large in Justin Desilva’s HarborWalk Public Art

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Since winning a Gloucester HarborWalk public art award, artist Justin Desilva has been busy working on maps and plans, iterations of murals, experimenting with digital printing, paint, and adhesives under varying conditions to ready his site-specific project in town this summer.

Today, Desilva’s art ideas are underfoot, literally.  Walk by the Legion and Main Street to see the first two mixed media works for his temporary public art installation, With Every Street There’s a Story. People were so positive talking with Justin as he worked. There was so much energy and great shared stories.

Over the coming weeks, there will be 20 unique and temporary, mixed media crosswalks throughout downtown. Each one will feature a HarborWalk story moment through digital art and color field painting. Desilva’s goals involve the promotion of healthier people, neighborhoods and communities.

At work on Joan of Arc

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At work on T.S.Eliot

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Want to help? Contact Friends of the HarborWalk  gharborwalk@gmail.com

The HarborWalk was designed by Cambridge Seven Associates for the City. Everyone helping envisioned public spaces being used by residents, employees and visitors in an infinite variety (some have started):  relaxing, working by the granite markers, meeting family, live radio broadcasts, dance pieces, fitness and movement classes, art classes, movie screenings, cook offs, restaurant vendor tastings, poetry readings, theater performances, roving music, family programs, playground in a box, field trips, partnering with seniors, tours of all scope, education, on and on. Have an idea? Want to get involved or volunteer? Please email friends of the HarborWalk gharborwalk@gmail.com or visit http://www.ghwalk.org

Cambridge Seven Associate’s design included the irresistible combination of nature juxtaposed with our industrial harbor.  The trees and blooms, sustainable butterfly gardens,  garden lectures and more are all directed by the uber talented, Kim Smith. For the gorgeous gardens Friends of the HarborWalk contact Kim Smith directly kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com

The 2013 Gloucester HarborWalk Public Art Challenge was a competitive, two-stage, open process established and administered by the Committee for the Arts (CFTA) on behalf of the City of Gloucester, and at the direction of Mayor Kirk and the City’s Community Development Department under Sarah Garcia. Funding for the purchase of public art was provided through a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Seaport Advisory Council. The awards reflect discussions, community development, planning and determination to remember and work towards incorporating the creative arts broadly alongside other city efforts. Gloucester hearts art! For further information Gloucester Committee for the Arts

Photos from Committee for the Arts Trails and Sails and Block Party

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey,

During two Trails and Sails weekends and the last Block Party, the Committee for the Arts (CFTA ) was pleased to participate and spread awareness about municipal art.  One event: during the block party we were at Main and Parsons, near a very busy Markouk booth (always busy at Cape Ann Farmers Market, too), fried dough and candy truck (not just kids buying!), Dress Code’s charmingly illuminated booth, and Joe Ciolino’s. What a gorgeous night! We spoke with dozens of folks including the group of twenty youth from Ocean Classroom en route from Maine to Puerto Rico with a stop in Gloucester and a night out downtown. Parsons Street public art mural by James Owen Calderwood.

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Send us your photos and we’ll add them in! gloucestercfta@gmail.com

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Enjoy photos from Saturday’s Gloucester Committee for the Arts/Block Party/Trails and Sails!

Gloucester Block Party is making some “best of” and “top” event lists. Here are a couple of nice mentions:

http://www.topeventsusa.com/state-events-massachusetts.html

http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/992709/top-8-summer-block-parties-in-the-us

The Essex National Heritage Commission is the organization that ran the fantastic Trails and Sails weekends (34 towns, and hundreds of FREE events!) Don’t miss it next year!

Semi-finalist Group Exhibit Reception at the Sawyer Free Library

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Georges and Charles Ryan ©Kim Smith 2013

George and Charles Ryan, Catherine and Cliff’s twin nine-year old sons, are avid GMG readers. They particularly enjoyed the Steak Bomb Challenge posts!

Mayor Kirk HarborWalk Exhibit ©Kim Smith 2013Friday’s reception for the Semi-finalist Group Exhibit, hosted by the Sawyer Free Library and Carol Gray, was well attended and beautifully organized by Catherine Ryan. The wonderfully appetizing and tasty hors d’ourves, dips, crostini, and fruits and cheeses were provided by Matthew Beach of Beach Gourmet

Carol gray ©Kim Smith 2013 copyCarol Gray, Sawyer Free Library Director

Thank you Mayor Kirk, Carol, Catherine, and the Gloucester Committee for the Arts for the exhibit, which is interesting and very informative to see all the semi-finalists responses to the public call to art. The exhibit is up and running through July 30th at the Matz Gallery of the Sawyer Free Library. Click HERE for the Library’s summer hours.

Bartek Konieczny Family ©Kim Smith 2013Finalist Bartek Konieczny and Family

Catherine Ryan ©Kim Smith 2013Catherine Ryan

Sean and Juni Van Dyke ©Kim Smith 2013 copy

Semi-finalist Juni Van Dyke and Her Son Sean

Justin DeSilva ©Kim Smith 2013 copyFinalist Justin DeSilva

Jame Calderwood ©Kim Smith 2013 copyFinalist James Calderwood

Konieczny daughters ©Kim Smith 2013Bartek Konieczny Daughter’s

Konieczny ©Kim Smith 2013Konieczny -2 ©Kim Smith 2013.

George, Catherine, Charles Ryan ©Kim Smith 2013 copyGeorge, Catherine, and Charles Ryan

CFTA hosts introduction meeting with Gloucester arts group and Gloucester ‘s new Community Development Director Tom Daniel

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Catherine Ryan submits-

Hi Joey,

Tom Daniel is the Community Development Director for the City of Gloucester . His work is focused on continuing to support the vibrancy of Gloucester with its diverse economy and numerous amenities.

Since the arts are such an important component of Gloucester and community development, on April 4, 2013, the Gloucester Committee for the Arts hosted an open introduction meeting with Tom Daniel for a lunchtime meet and greet. Committee for the Arts Chair, Judith Hoglander, felt that this meeting would provide us with an opportunity to get to know Tom, and for him to better understand the importance of arts in Gloucester . It was wonderful!  Many who attended wore more than one hat,  so to speak, and have been engaged in several volunteer activities around town for many years. We are a lucky community. Among the folks present were artist Beth Williams, Cape Ann Artisans; Director of Cape Ann Museum Ronda Faloon; Ruth Mordecai, Artist and Director Goetemann Residency Program Director; Brenda Malloy, artist and Rocky Neck Art Colony; Jo Ann Castano, Arts Gloucester; Matthew Swift, Trident Gallery (to open soon on Main St.); Anne Robinson, seARTS and Cape Ann TV; Suzanne Gilbert, North Shore Arts Association; Susan Erony, artist, educator, Gloucester Writer’s Center; Marty Morgan, artist; Carol Gray, Director Sawyer Free; and members of the Committee for the Arts- Judith Hoglander, Dale Brown, Marcia Hart, Catherine Ryan and new member and artist Sinikka Nogelo.

We are so grateful that Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Library offered the Friend’s Room space for this gathering. We learned that Tom is originally from central MA, and that he loves arts and culture, and how both are conduits to broadly experiencing our community. He shared examples of his advocacy for the arts throughout his career with examples from Minneapolis , MN , and most recently Salem , MA . We look forward to more discussions.

Catherine Ryan Explores The Latest Exhibits At The PEM

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey,

We are so lucky to have the Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester , MA . The North Shore is also fortunate to have the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem . There are several memorable exhibits overlapping right now at PEM; I would recommend going for longer immersion without kids, but they’re all kid friendly.  In order to share more shows with my children, we decided the best approach was to divvy up separate exhibits with mini visits to the kids’ Discovery Center . The Discovery Center ’s current home is temporarily pushed back further into the museum as they re-design its formal space. It’s sort of a “best of” right now, cycling through favorites from past installations. A wall sign encourages sending in any ideas we may have. We can’t wait to see what they do. One benefit from the move was my sons’ discovery of glass art on exhibit just beyond the delineation of where they usually turn off to the kids’ wing.

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Here’s the rundown:

  • You have until April 2013  to visit MIDNIGHT to the BOOM: PAINTING IN INDIA AFTER INDEPENDENCEworks from the Chester and Davida Herwitz Collection

A “wow”, cross-generation response to so many selections in this exhibit, including the Gieve Patels and Sudhir Patwardhan’s Town

  • You have until May 27 2013 to visit  FreePort [No.006]: Nick Cave

The visionary FreePort exhibits are curated by Trevor Smith who is helping the Gloucester Committee for the Arts as part of the final juror selection panel for the HarborWalk Public Art Challenge

The new Soundsuits for Nick Cave’s installation are intricate and lush, joyous and serious, and SO MUCH BIGGER IN PERSON.  My sons—they’re 8– stopped short from the encounter and there was mention of Star Wars and limericks. If it weren’t for one suit entirely covered in buttons they would have lingered. They selected favorites, read the wall label, skipped the headphones, and whooshed right along a curved wall of custom wall paper design After the continuous sounds and sights of Cave’s film installation. They sat through twice; it’s a lot to take in.  One of my sons dubbed his favorite Soundsuits from the film: “Mr. Spotty Square Head” and his second “Chewbacca”. I noticed later that neither of his choices showed masks or faces. In the dark and finding a seat, my other son immediately recited:

My father’s name is Sasquatch

My mother’s name is Yeti

They often feast on frozen fish

But I prefer spaghetti

  • You have until July 7, 2013 to visit Golden Light Selections from the Van Otterloo Collection

They enjoyed the Golden Light exhibit because of its elaborate touch- screen kiosk for Isaack Koedijck Barber’sSurgeon Tending a Peasant’s Foot. (“It’s RIGHT HERE, um look HERE at the painting itself, not the kiosk!) Spend time too with Maria Schalcken’s self portrait, ca.1650. We always make it in this wing because of the Norman Rockwell lucky boy painting, and the monumental ship models–which we visit whenever we come. I was lucky to know Philip Reisman, and film and write about him back in 1984.

One of his Gloucester fishing industry paintings is tucked in this same wing; make sure to have a look.
The Cape Ann Museum has a fantastic Reisman hanging in their archives room.

  • You have until October 2013 to visit FreePort [No.005]: Michael Linn

Thanks to the creative mind of Michael Linn, my sons found anchors and stags, crowns and fish. We journeyed back and forth many collections, scale, spaces and time, enjoying many eureka moments which for them felt like real life I SPY. This also offered me a chance to see the poetry and light of the Bosworth exhibit. LAST CHANCE: you have only till March 31, 2013 to see Natural Histories: Barbara Bosworth’s photography show

Here are some snaps from FreePort [No. 005]: Michael Linn, Peabody Essex Museum

 These two FreePort exhibits have a fun balance and flip experience: you’re stationary for the freewheeling movement that is the Nick Cave exhibit; while the quiet, delicate and inanimate objects for FreePort [No.005] make you move throughout different levels, rooms and halls.

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Public Art Call

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Step One: Go to www.ghwalk.org and click on “A Public Call for Art” to see PDF link for the complete and full Call.

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Step Two: Artists who want to apply, keep the complete CALL on hand.Head over to www.callforentry.org to fill in the application

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Announcing opening CALL for 2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk Public Art Challenge budgets $47,000

Joey, artists, big news! Gloucester Committee for the Arts is pleased to be announcing the opening CALL for the 2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk Public Art Challenge

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City of Gloucester, Massachusetts , USA,

2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk – Public Art Challenge

$47,000

Open to artist/s and/or artist team(s) nationally.

Deadline: February 8, 2013

Open to all media; artists working in all creative art forms

Budget: $47,000

The Gloucester Committee for the Arts, on behalf of the City of Gloucester, MA, is seeking professional artist/s and/or artist team(s) for 3 new public art commissions. Artists are asked to submit proposals to design, create and complete new public art work in downtown Gloucester for our 2012 designed HarborWalk. The total project budget is $47,000 which will be distributed as follows:  $20,000 for one (1) permanent project; two (2) additional prizes will be awarded totaling $27,000, at least one of which must be temporary. The minimum project budget is $7500.   Note: this is a two-stage process requesting concepts and full proposal to select a short list of semi-finalists.  We are delighted to announce that the panel for selection of the 3 finalists will include, among others, these distinguished jurors:

Andrée Bober, Landmarks Director, The University of Texas , Austin , TX

http://landmarks.utexas.edu/

Trevor Smith, Curator of Contemporary Art, Peabody Essex Museum , Salem , MA http://www.pem.org/

Peter Sollogub/Chris Muskopf, Architects, Cambridge Seven Associates, MA. http://www.c7a.com/

Visit http://ghwalk.org to view/download the complete Call.

From there, artists wanting to apply will submit their entry in digital format through CaFE™ at www.callforentry.org Artists will create a profile page on the CaFE site and upload artwork images and input artwork details. There is no fee to apply, nor to create a profile on CaFE. Following successful set up, all interested applicants will be granted full access to our detailed application; simply click on “Apply to Calls” and click on “Gloucester HarborWalk Public Art Challenge”. Your account information and images will be saved for your convenience and easy access when applying to future calls using CaFE.

Announcing opening CALL for 2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk Public Art Challenge budgets $47,000

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Joey, artists, big news! Gloucester Committee for the Arts is pleased to be announcing the opening CALL for the 2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk Public Art Challenge

1101-Gloucester_HarborWalk-004

City of Gloucester, Massachusetts , USA,

2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk – Public Art Challenge

$47,000

Open to artist/s and/or artist team(s) nationally.

Deadline: February 8, 2013

Open to all media; artists working in all creative art forms

Budget: $47,000

The Gloucester Committee for the Arts, on behalf of the City of Gloucester, MA, is seeking professional artist/s and/or artist team(s) for 3 new public art commissions. Artists are asked to submit proposals to design, create and complete new public art work in downtown Gloucester for our 2012 designed HarborWalk. The total project budget is $47,000 which will be distributed as follows:  $20,000 for one (1) permanent project; two (2) additional prizes will be awarded totaling $27,000, at least one of which must be temporary. The minimum project budget is $7500.   Note: this is a two-stage process requesting concepts and full proposal to select a short list of semi-finalists.  We are delighted to announce that the panel for selection of the 3 finalists will include, among others, these distinguished jurors:

Andrée Bober, Landmarks Director, The University of Texas , Austin , TX

http://landmarks.utexas.edu/

Trevor Smith, Curator of Contemporary Art, Peabody Essex Museum , Salem , MA http://www.pem.org/

Peter Sollogub/Chris Muskopf, Architects, Cambridge Seven Associates, MA. http://www.c7a.com/

Visit http://ghwalk.org to view/download the complete Call.

From there, artists wanting to apply will submit their entry in digital format through CaFE™ at www.callforentry.org Artists will create a profile page on the CaFE site and upload artwork images and input artwork details. There is no fee to apply, nor to create a profile on CaFE. Following successful set up, all interested applicants will be granted full access to our detailed application; simply click on “Apply to Calls” and click on “Gloucester HarborWalk Public Art Challenge”. Your account information and images will be saved for your convenience and easy access when applying to future calls using CaFE.