Sad news. Gloucester Daily Times obituary by Michael Cronin- Nan Webber, community theater matriarch, dead at 89. Wonderful quotes from Martin Ray.
RIP remarkable Nan Webber
Tag: Martin Ray
Cape Ann Finnish Theatre Opens
Eileen Fitzgerald and Terry Sands face off in The Betrothal the opening one act in a program of Finnish plays and scenes recreating the theatre world of the first Cape Ann Finnish immigrants this Friday May 3 at 7:30 and Sunday May 5 at 4 at the Lanesville Community Center, 8 Vulcan St., and on Saturday May 18 at 7:30 and Sunday May 19 at 4, at the Rockport Community House, 58 Broadway.
The $20 donation requested benefits the Lanesville Community Center and the Scholarship Fund Of Vasa Lodge 98, Spiran of Rockport.
Also in casts are: Karl and Heidi Pulkkinen, Anne Hyde, Martin Ray, Randy Dupps, Scott and Kierstin Hazzard, Chuck Francis, Tom Moriarty and Sarah Clark.
Show is produced by Valerie Nelson of Lanesville Community Center and directed by Sarah Clark Of Rockport Community Theatre.
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Reminder! Cape Ann Narratives of Art and other special museum events this January
From the Cape Ann Museum – Entrance to the museum is free in January for Cape Ann residents. Some programs require registering and tickets.
3PM Saturday, January 6 Quick Steps & Ballads prior GMG post
10AM- 12PM Saturday, January 13 CAM KIDS LEGO STUDIO. See prior GMG post
3PM Saturday, January 13, 2017 Cape Ann Narratives of Art in Life- A Discussion at the Cape Ann Museum
“The Cape Ann Museum is pleased to present Cape Ann Narratives of Art in Life: A Discussion on Saturday, January 13 at 3:00 p.m. This program is free for CAM members and Cape Ann residents or with Museum admission. Reservations are not required. Call (978)283-0455 x10 for more information.
Join Martin Ray and several of the artists featured in his new book Cape Ann Narratives of Art in Life. Ray’s work explores the artistic talent that local residents have brought to their occupations. Whether one is a writer or woodworker, pastor or painter, mayor or musician, Ray classifies each as an artist, and celebrates the mastery that is exhibited in his/her craft. Panelists include Anne Deneen, pastor; Nan Webber, theater director; Brian King, musician; and Stephen Bates, musician/sculptor.
During the month of January the Cape Ann Museum opens its doors to all Cape Ann residents, in an effort to encourage membership, but also to bring the greater community into closer contact with their art, history and culture. This program will do just that, shedding light on locals who take pride in their craft with unwavering commitment and dedication. Does pursuing one’s vocation make one an artist? You decide.” Image credit (book cover): Martin Ray, 2017.
10AM -12:15PM, Wednesdays, January 17-February 7, three Wednesdays– print workshop with Mary Rhinelander
Visit the museum event’s page to see the plentiful programming
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Down the lane: Fitz Henry Lane art shuffled from Gloucester Sawyer Free library to Cape Ann Museum
You may have noticed that the Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library is sporting noticebly thinned out collections, and it’s not just the books. Three Fitz Henry Lane paintings were moved across the street to the Cape Ann Museum: Gloucester Harbor (gifted to the Library by Judith M Todd); Sawyer Homestead Freshwater Cove, Gloucester; and Coasting Schooner off Boon Harbor, ME. Additionally, a portrait of Sawyer and a Bertha Menzler Payton painting are no longer on view.
BEFORE AND AFTER
Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library installation views- BEFORE (Lanes installed) / AFTER (Lanes removed)
You can click on the photos to read captions. The photo pair below show Lane Coasting Schooner replaced with a painting from the Addision Gilbert Hospital collection, a portrait of Sawyer and his wife
Library vs Museum
Lane painting installation views comparing Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library vs Cape Ann Museum
More photos from both collections
Cape Ann Museum is just across the street and it’s the world’s most vital Lane collection. Still, I wish the paintings could remain at the library. I lament my industry’s inability, all of us, actually– to find a way to make stewardship affordable for repositories just like this one. I’ve been thinking about the pros and cons of making copies for the library. When access to originals is difficult or impossible, copies can be a boon. For example the Madonna atop Our Lady of Good Voyage is a replica. The original is held at the Cape Ann Museum and affords close observation that was impossible from the street. The copy preserves the impact of the site. Two dimensional poster reproductions and painted copies are rarely more. Mostly, I advocate for originals. Here, original art was replaced with original art.
The gifts were for the library and Gloucester, in varying degrees of partnership with the library since Sawyer’s private endowment upon his death in 1889. The provenance paperwork for the Lanes can be deciphered differently depending upon context.
The Lanes leaving the library made me think about the James Prendergast Library collection deaccession, for operating funds and a new vision, rather than a relocation just across a city square. That library is located in Jamestown New York. The board consigned 44 paintings to two auction houses for November 2017 sales. The update is that several works did not find purchasers, failing to meet presale estimates. The board rejected lowball offers following the public sales, and the art remains with the auction houses to be sold in future to-be-determined sales. The New York Attorney General office denied a purchase offer that would have held the art in Jamestown, ruling instead for public auction. A makerspace was crafted from three extant rooms where a children’s computer coding Scratch class was offered at the time of the sales. Jamestown had cut annual funding for its library by $300,000. (see prior GMG posts November 20 2017 and auction results)
I was hoping the Lanes might be featured prominently and safely with any interior buildout proposals at Sawyer Free library, like this installation at the Currier (which was a temporary build out for a museum exhibition), and the library’s other works. The Matz gallery is pretty perfect for changing exhibits of local artists.
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TRMENDOUS TURNOUT AT THE GLOUCESTER HOUSE FOR “THE INNVER VOICE AND THE OUTER WORLD”
“There is a great need for veterans and the families of veterans to tell their own stories to audiences who are receptive and willing to listen.” Dorothy Nelson, from the book’s introduction.
Today’s book launch of The Inner Voice and the Outer World was a resounding success. The book is a compilation of writings by veterans and their families from the Gloucester Writer’s Center “Cape Ann Veterans Writing Workshop” (2013 -2017), which was taught by the book’s editor, Dorothy Nelson. Many of the contributors were at the event to read excerpts of their poems and stories and to sign books. Shaped by the author’s experiences in 20th and 21st century wars, the stories shared were deeply moving. Readers and audience were in many instances moved to tears.
Virginia Frontiero McKinnon
The Gloucester House was packed, so much so, that Lenny opened up the adjoining second function room to accommodate the overflow of people.
Best wishes and congratulations to the Writer’s Center, Ms. Nelson, and the contributors for sharing the stories of our local veterans and their loved ones.
The contributors are:
ALMA HART
JAMES GRIGG
HEATHER DUPONT
EDWARD KAZNOCHA
STAN FEENER
SUSAN FREY
FRANCIS J. SULLIVAN
MARTIN RAY
MARC LEVY
MELVIN P. OLSON
MARIA LANE
MARY CONNELLY
VIRGINIA FRONTIERO MCKINNON
CONNIE CONDON
LINDA NILES NX
TOM SAROFEEN
CHARLES STEINER
To purchase The Inner Voice and the Outer World, mail a check to the Gloucester Writers Center at 126 East Main Street, Gloucester MA 01930. Please make the check to the Gloucester Writers Center and at the bottom of the envelope write: re: Veterans Book. The book costs $15.00. plus mailing. 
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Martin Ray’s new book! Cape Ann Narratives of Art in Life
Cape Ann Narratives of Art in Life, by Martin Ray
December 4, 2017 at Trident Gallery
“The book will be offered for sale at $30.00 during a SIGNING PARTY at Trident Gallery, 189 Main Street, Gloucester, 3:00-5:00 Sunday afternoon December 10. At 4:00 I will give remarks of acknowledgement to the profilees and to the team which coalesced to grace the printed book with elegance. I hope to see you there.” – Martin Ray
January 13, 2018 Cape Ann Museum reception and panel
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The Bookstore of Gloucester and local artists for Deborah Cramer’s Narrow Edge talk at Sawyer Free Library
Fans, friends, colleagues, and teachers enjoyed a free public program at Sawyer Free Library to hear more about the making of the Narrow Edge by Deborah Cramer. The talk was sponsored by the library, Kestrel, The Gloucester Writers Center, and Eastern Point Lit House (Deborah will be leading one of the upcoming book discussions at Duckworth’s). It was a treat to hear more about the long friendship and collaboration of Deborah Cramer and Susan Quateman (learn more about Susan’s art here) Patty Hanlon’s Cedar Tree Gallery at Walker Creek Furniture in Essex held the inaugural exhibit for this series.
Cramer read quotes from her book that also inspired Janet Essley’s art; Quateman, Essley and works by Michael DiGiorgio and George Textor were exhibited at the Matz Gallery in the Library. Martin Ray’s sculpture seen to the right and behind Deborah during her talk is part of the library’s art collection.
“Unbeknownst to most people horseshoe crab blood safeguards human health.”
Avery from The Bookstore of Gloucester helped with the crush at book signing time.
Heidi Wakeman, a Gloucester O’Maley teacher, was excited to visit with her first grade teacher, and Barbara Kelley who we learned accompanied Cramer on a research trip for The Narrow Edge.
More scenes from this wonderful evening
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May Stevens: green pond Gloucester
I shot this photo on October 3rd. I was thinking about artists and the color green; mostly the essential May Stevens (American artist, exquisite painter, writer, activist) and some Gerhard Richter (German artist); natural abstraction and reflections. I thought about the blue on the ducks after reading a November 3 post from Martin Ray’s enjoyable blog Notes from Halibut Point: Birds of the Quarry, 3- The Mallard
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Chickity Check It!- Floating From Martin Ray
Check out Martin Ray’s recent posting “Floating”, at http://halibutpointnotes.blogspot.com
Martin
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Notes from Halibut Point
Check out Martin Ray’s thoughtful and beautifully written new blog “Notes from Halibut Point.” Thank you Mac for sharing about Martin’s writing!
Martin, my only comment is, how do we subscribe?
Excerpt from Martin’s first post:
Greetings far, wide, and especially locally, as this is a limitless local adventure.
Discovery requires reporting. Reporting demands discovery. Such an energy spiral propels the toddler and the scientist to share his novelties. I am an aspiring investigator, bent on extending my curiosity in partnership with you.
I anticipate discoveries of things that are and things that might be, relative to Halibut Point, a jutting in the Massachusetts coast near my Gloucester home. These will be things of the past, present and future, known tangibly or otherwise.
From Halibut Point you can look north to Mount Agamenticus in Maine or west to the unusual spectacle of ocean sunsets over the East Coast. Many visitors bring optical scopes to bring distant sights closer. Being on the tip of the continent, on the edge of rock and sky, it also nudges introspection as when the optical device is reversed to make close things tiny.
Halibut Point is actually across the Town Line in Rockport. Much of it is now a State Park or held by The Trustees of Reservations, which means that you too can walk there to savor interesting encounters, internal or external. It is an uncommonly stimulating place.
Though our acquaintance has been long I formed this declaration of investigation just a year ago. I wanted to give compass to my retirement from the profession of landscape gardener. These researches would be purposeful, outdoorsy, an easy ride on the bike I didn’t own yet. I would be able to enjoy Nature without having to offer improvements or other types of intervention. I imagined pursuing an inventory of all its features, animal, mineral and vegetable. Continue reading “Notes from Halibut Point”
Good Morning Gloucester 