Media Advisory: May 1, 2019
Inquiries: jackie@capeanndesigns.com 978-283-8333 or info@capeannartisans.com
Cape Ann Artisans Spring Tour
An Inside Look at Creating on Cape Ann
The Cape Ann Artisans are preparing to welcome hundreds of visitors and community members to their studios for the Spring Open Studios Tour – Saturday and Sunday, June 1-2 during the hours 10AM-5PM. There will be 15 unique studios locations and 17 artists sharing works from across the fine art and craft spectrum – pottery, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, mosaics, prints, textiles, and jewelry, and accessories created in diverse materials – clay, glass, silk, metals, fibers, yarns, sea glass and more.
The Artisans, who have been juried into this tour over time, are among the most established makers on Cape Ann and are active throughout the arts community. But this is a unique opportunity to go directly into the artists’ sphere, see the tools of their artistic genre, and hear their stories. The tour is self-guided and takes place in Gloucester and Rockport and all studio locations and details are found on the printed brochures available in April and online throughout the year at www.capeannartisans.com.
The members of this group maintain high standards for themselves and taking a look at the activities of some of the members – just in this past year – demonstrates how each is continually raising the bar for their work and their recognition outside of Cape Ann. Cynthia Curtis, Rob Diebboll, Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco, Pamela Stratton, and Beth Williams have raised the bar for themselves and the group at large with their activities regionally and nationally as detailed in their “From the Studio” blogs. The Artisans are also pleased to welcome its newest member, Deb Schradieck, a watercolor and oil painter, who now makes Rockport her full time home base. In Deb’s recent blog post, she highlights the newest lineup of work inspired by the beautiful “front doors” of Rockport homes.
Here are some highlights from artists who have shared their off-season journeys.
Cynthia Curtis, ceramic artist, hit all the big numbers this year! It’s her 25th year in business, and 15th year on the Cape Ann Artisans Tour – after starting in Beverly at the Barn Workshop and Ocumulgee Pottery – Rockport has been her home base. Quite appropriately, she was invited to be part of the Museum of Fine Arts “Art in Bloom” exhibit and sale – a highly coveted spot – just one of twelve invited artists in an event that attracts and audience of over 20,000 visitors each Spring.
Pamela Stratton, mosaic artist, has taken her mosaics to new levels – all the way down to the smallest output, she is now making exquisite mosaic jewelry. At the same time, she has raised the bar entering and being juried into the American Mosaic Society’s Annual Conference with her piece “Concentric” which was celebrated in Nashville, TN this past April. Pam has also added 3D mosaics to her next wave of work – having hosted a class at her studio over the winter.
Rob Diebboll, oil painter, has added Cambridge Art Association, a solo show at the Sawyer Free Library, and an invitation to show at the Jessica Hagen Fine Art Gallery in Newport, RI to his list of game changers in the past year. These showings have generated many new commissions and exposure throughout the region.
Beth Williams, glass and bead maker, was accepted as one of a select group of presenters at the prestigious International Society of Glass Beadmakers annual conference in Las Vegas this past March. Beth took on an entirely new technique using colored pencils combined with a rekindling of her metalwork in order to fully engage the more senior members and newer members of the society in raising the bar for their work. She had 90% of the attendees at her talk and received overwhelming feedback about how she inspired the other artists at the show.
Together with the Wearable Art Group she founded in 2006, Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco, sea glass jeweler, designed and hosted a Spring Wearable Art Fashion Marketplace event as part of Massachusetts Art Week this past April. Fellow Artisans Marcie Rae and Beth Williams were among the exhibitors. Jacqueline continually refers back to her interest in fashion and “accessorizing” as her inspiration to move her creativity from the closet to the studio making her one-of-a-kind sea glass hair accessories and jewelry.
Both individually and as a group, the Artisans have worked hard to maintain a prestigious spot on the artistic map on Cape Ann. The Tour itself becomes a motivator to re-think, re-tool, and reach out to share the process and the work with the community that has inspired it! As an organization, the Artisans are members of the Cape Ann Chamber, seARTS, the North of Boston CVB, American Craft Week, and Discover Gloucester. CAA has also enjoyed sponsorship from many local business partners who can be found on the brochure.
The 2019 Cape Ann Artisans include these artists with several sharing studios:
- David Archibald
- Cynthia Curtis
- Rob Diebboll *
- Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco
- Deborah Gonet
- Andy Matlow
- Anni Melançon
- Sinikka Nogelo *
- Marcie Rae
- Margaret Rack
- Mi Robertson
- Deb Schradieck
- Pam Stratton
- Twin Lights Studio: Erin O’Sullivan & Scott Place
- Beth Williams
- Sara Wright
* Sinikka Nogelo is temporarily sharing space at Rob Diebboll’s studio.
Here’s a re-cap:
What: The Cape Ann Artisans open studio, self-guided tour of 15 studios
Where: Gloucester and Rockport, MA.
When: June 1-2. Save the date – Fall Tour: October 12-14. All Days: 10-5
Special Events: Check website for updates or join email list at www.capeannartisans.com
