Visiting East Gloucester galleries in the summer is like attending an art fair outdoors. Walk gorgeous surroundings and enjoy the great thrill and fun of seeing and purchasing works by established and emerging artists. Here’s a mini gallery guide for July, and a reminder that it doesn’t list every exhibit. Just a sampling. Also note special events happening today and tomorrow: TODAY at Gallery 53, 1-3pm: Working with precious metal clay Trish Conant artist demonstration. TONIGHT Grand Fatilla concert at the Cultural Center. TOMORROW  evening, Sunday, artist talk by Hilary Harrison about her exhibition on view at the Cultural Center.

North Shore Arts Association

150 works from Artists Members through July 30th, the second exhibition in 2016, fill the first and second floors. Two more exhibits are on view. On the first floor, past the reception desk, many many generous artists donated their art–each painting on the same size slate matrix, recovered from the Paint Factory. They comprise a special silent auction closing July 30, 2016. “100% of the proceeds from the Paint Factory Painted Slate Fundraising Silent Auction  will benefit the restoration efforts of both North Shore Arts Association and Ocean Alliance of Gloucester.” Visit the NSAA gallery to enjoy them and to place your bid. You can also contact NSAA directly at 978.283.1857.

ALL of them can be viewed on line. 

Art by new NSAA members, like a Lanes Cove print by James Oliver, are in the farthest room and not to be missed.

GALLERY 53

The current exhibit at Gallery 53 features prints by Coco Berkman. Some of Mary Rhinelander’s prints are on view, various media. (I bought an impression of Mary’s blueberries for a gift, but I kept it!) It’s a great chance to see different mediums in action. I worked with a couple of artists that created reduction linocuts, Coco’s method. They called it  ‘suicide block’ due to its risk. She makes it look easy. (You can see a reduction linocut by Don Gorvett in the collection at Cape Ann Museum.)

 

ROCKY NECK CULTURAL CENTER

Hilary Harrison: Sacred Nature. Reflection and reverie in her installation of sculpture and ink jet photography (printed by the artist on nice matte Hahnemule paper.) I’d recommend ending with this exhibit if you are seeing several in one day.

 STEPHEN LAPIERRE

Survey from several decades and bodies of work –a retrospective expression of the life around him, wherever he’s lived. There are 200+ paintings on view (as much as the entire NSAA two floor building!) Versatile and original painter. Read Gail McCarthy’s story in the Gloucester Daily Times

 

SIDE STREET GALLERY