It's been a productive winter. I dove right in to painting after the boating season ended and produced close to one painting every week. Armed with plenty of my own photos, I started with the yellow dories and some nice reflections. With my inventory building, I started thinking about getting some additional gallery space lined up. My first lucky break was running into Mona Fahery at the Pier 7 Christmas Party. She offered me space in her office at the Rocky Neck Accommodations! I'm looking forward to setting that up as a gallery soon. That will be a permanent gallery location for me all summer. The address is 43 Rocky Neck Ave. in Gloucester.
Next, I saw an opportunity on the Good Morning Gloucester blog for guest artists at the Khan Studio on Rocky Neck. I emailed the owner, EJ Lefavour, who gave me a three-week spot. A few weeks later, Peter and I drove to Gloucester for a friend's 50th birthday party. It was a balmy day in February, so we decided to go to Rocky Neck and see if we could find the Khan Studio. The Neck shuts down for the winter. The galleries and restaurants are deserted. We parked and wandered down the dock. A woman appeared, and we asked her if she knew which gallery was the Khan Studio. It turned out to be EJ herself! We chatted like old friends and she showed us her way cool gallery. It seemed so serendipitous-but the best was yet to come. We said good-bye to EJ, and I got my camera and walked down to the water to see if I could get any good shots. Peter noticed a big ripple in the middle of the cove and began staring to see what might have caused it. Incredibly, it was a whale! We could hardly believe it. Keep in mind, Smith Cove is the very inner harbor of Gloucester. It is not that deep and the tide was going out. We ran to find EJ, who was still there, in the parking lot talking to a friend. She grabbed her camera. We all watched in amazement as the whale circled the cove. EJ later published her photos on GMG. Someone from the New England Aquarium read the blog and identified it as a Right Whale-very unusual. The entire experience was surreal. EJ later emailed me some interesting literature on the symbolism of whales. I am happy to say that I believe very much in what I read: that whales symbolize inner peace and strength, a new beginning, the flowing of the creative process. Wow. Sometimes the Universe really does point out the Way. I see good things happening on Rocky Neck this summer!
Bass Rocks Art Loan Program: Spring 2015
For the second year in a row, my work was chosen for the SeArts Bass Rocks Art Loan Program. That's me on the right holding my watercolor of Eastern Point Light. This year they accepted three of my watercolors.In addition to the one I am holding, they have "Low Light at Lane's Cove" and "Winter Motif".
Eastern Point Light
Last Light at Lane’s Cove
Winter Motif
Last year they accepted two, and one, "Gannett", was sold during the exhibit to a couple from Rockport.
Bass Rocks Country Club is located on Beach Road in East Gloucester and features a gorgeous golf course with ocean views and tennis courts. The artwork is hung in their clubhouse dining room which in addition to accommodating club members is used for social functions throughout the year. The art hangs for one full year and is for sale. A percentage of each sale goes to support SeArts Gloucester (The Society for the Enrichment of the Arts). I am happy to be a member.
The Opening Reception will be held on May 28 from 6:00-8:00 pm. Reservations can be made on the SeArts website.