BY SYBILLE C. DENNINGER
Our lovely hometown of Gloucester is the site of one of the oldest artist colonies located on Rocky Neck, where you can still find quaint art studios and galleries today. For 150 years artists such as Fitz Henry Lane, Emile Gruppe, Childe Hassam, Milton Avery, Cecilia Beaux, John Sloan, Stuart Davis, Frank Duveneck and many others came to Cape Ann to paint, sculpt and even teach art classes while summering here.
Also located in Gloucester, downtown on Pleasant Street, is the very interesting and impressive Cape Ann Museum, which is dedicated to showcasing local artists' paintings and sculptures as well as other artifacts related to our rich fishing history. It is absolutely worth a visit.
On the second Saturday of every month entry is free for families with school-aged children. Visitors are invited to join the Museum staff along with special presenters in the Children’s Activity Center, where they can participate in art, history and cultural activities.
This Saturday, March 14, the Cape Ann Museum's Family Fun Day features the following presentation:
A Studio of Her Own: Women Artists on Cape Ann.
Please see the links below for additional information.
Art is all around us as everyone frequently passes the huge statue of Joan of Arc by Anna Hyatt Huntington, or the newer Fishermen's Wives Memorial by Morgan Fields-Pike on the Boulevard, not to mention the famous "Men at the Wheel" statue. Any child growing up on Cape Ann should learn about our amazing history of arts and artists. It is almost as important as knowing how to swim for anyone living so close to the ocean. Wo knows, maybe your daughter will turn out to be a future woman artist!
Below is a fabulous "Glosta Lobsta" painted by local artist Jeff Weaver which my former boss, who is involved with the Cape Ann Museum, displays along with his awesome collection of Cape Ann artists.
