Month: February 2017

From Paper Pods to Pea Pods: An Artist’s presentation by Lara Lepionka

~ backyardgrowersgloucester

 

lara-headshot-2016

FRESH presents Lara Lepionka, an artist and executive director of Backyard Growers, presenting From Paper Pods to Pea Pods. Lara will share the inspirational story of Backyard Growers, focusing on her journey as an artist to a nonprofit founder and the myriad connections between creating art and growing food.

$15 per person, limited tickets – Reserve your tickets here!

FRESH is a six-week exhibition, with accompanying workshops and presentations, hosted by the Rocky Neck Art Colony and Backyard Growers

This is an exciting collaboration by two inspiring non-profits—Backyard Growers, which encourages an active relationship with food and the earth, and Rocky Neck Art Colony, which encourages and promotes excellence in the arts.

In this exhibition, artists from all over New England will present works that reflect on the theme FRESH, exploring the ways in which food connects us to the earth, nourishes us, and ties us to warmth, family, friends, and memories. Join us in celebrating the new life that emerges as we leave the dark of winter for the optimism of spring! Contemporary, experimental and traditional art in all media will be on view.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Artscope Magazine, Duckworth’s Bistrot, and Short & Main

Also sponsored by:

Patty Knaggs Real Estate, Peter Dorsey: Coldwell Banker, Beverly, MA: North Shore Abode, and Neptune’s Harvest.

The Seaside Garden Club presents The Art of the Vignette

~ kwillwerth
cheryl-monroe
Cheryl Monroe

The Seaside Garden Club kicks off 2017 with The Art of the Vignette on Tuesday, February 14th at the Manchester Community Center.  Social time begins at 7 pm and the program starts promptly at 7:30 pm.   All are welcome.  Guest fee is $5.

The Art of the Vignette: A fun design presentation illustrating how to effectively use small spaces in the garden to convey a sense of drama and personal style and how to avoid common faux pas. Cheryl Monroe will teach us how to use color, design features and objects d’art to draw the eye and create fabulous vignettes that will have your visitors admiring your savior -faire.

Cheryl Monroe is one of the Seaside Garden Club’s favorite speakers.  Her entertaining style and plant knowledge make her programs memorable.  Cheryl is a self-taught gardener for 20 years, now a graduated Master Gardener specializing in clematis and garden design.  Cheryl’s portfolio of program and workshops is impressive.  A licensed adult educator, she follows the science, reading constantly and taking classes to stay current with the latest in plant research, new plant introductions and design trends.

Cheryl is a gardener who follows the motto “Pretty it up!” and strives to have beautiful pest free gardens on her 1 acre plot in central Massachusetts where she grows close to 100 clematis species and hybrids, dozens upon dozens of ornamental vines, hundreds upon hundreds of perennials , and a large variety of both deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs. Be sure to check out Cheryl’s entertaining blog (Garden in the Burrow) for more information.

The Seaside Garden Club is a fun, hands-on club that meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month (September through June) at the Manchester Community Center.  The club proudly sponsors an annual scholarship and has many community projects to beautify the surrounding areas. The membership comes from many towns in the North Shore area and beyond!  We welcome gardeners of all types from the beginner to experienced. Consider joining the club – annual dues are $25.

The club has a terrific line up of programs scheduled for this year.  March will bring us to Chapman’s Greenhouse for a spring container workshop.  In April, we have an experienced perennial grower giving us the inside scoop.  Our annual plant sale and auction is in May.  We conclude our season in June with a Pot Luck and Book Club discussion.

Get social with the Seaside Garden Club and keep up with the latest news and happenings!  We welcome your photos, questions and ideas! Join our Facebook group Seaside Garden Club Facebook Group  and follow our blog: Seaside Garden Club Blog.

One Billion Rising Event 2/14

~ Gloucester Health Department

On Tuesday, February 14th at 3 PM, the Gloucester Coalition for the Prevention of Domestic Abuse, Strong Men Don’t Bully, HAWC, the YWCA North Shore Rape Crisis Center and the Mayor’s Office invite you to join ONE BILLION RISING TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS.

Please wear RED and bring pots, pans, and other noisemakers to rise together and demand a change!

For more information, please contact Kelley Ries, Public Health Nurse, at 978-325-5266.

Meals on Wheels Valentines Breakfast this Friday!

~ trixy546

2017-valentines-day-flyer-01

 

SeniorCare Inc. will hold its annual Valentine’s Day Breakfast Fundraiser Breakfast at The Gloucester House, located 63 Rogers Street in downtown Gloucester on Friday, February 10, 2017, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.  Tickets are $12 per person and include a buffet breakfast. Tickets are available online at www.seniorcareinc.org or may be purchased at the door. Proceeds from the breakfast will benefit SeniorCare’s Meals on Wheels program.  For information about the breakfast or to become a sponsor, contact Paula Curley at 978-281-1750 x-560 or paula.curley@seniorcareinc.org.

meals_on_wheels_logo_horiz-01

Jeffrey Bolster and “The Mortal Sea”

~ Cape Ann Museum

Saturday, February 18 at 2:00 p.m. at the Cape Ann Museum

Join author and Professor of History at the University of New Hampshire, Jeffrey Bolster, for a discussion of his book The Mortal Sea: Fishing the Atlantic in the Age of Sail (Harvard University Press, 2012).

Cost is $5 for Museum members / $10 nonmembers (includes Museum admission). Registration required; please call (978)283-0455 x10 or register online at Eventbrite. For more information email info@capeannmuseum.org.

Jeff Bolster

Licensed for many years by the U.S. Coast Guard as “Master of Motor, Steam, and Auxiliary Sail Vessels of not-more-than-200-tons upon All Oceans,” Bolster continues to mess about in boats. He earned his undergraduate degree at Trinity College, his MA from Brown University, and his PhD from Johns Hopkins University. He lives with his wife Molly in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and when not in Plymouth they can likely be found sailing their Valiant 40, Chanticleer, to the Caribbean.

‘Leven & Sorellanza Valentine’s Concert

~ chasnaz

leven-sorellanza-poster-for-feb-11-2017-concert-at-the-gloucester-meetinghouse

WHAT TO EXPECT:  ‘Leven and Sorellanza performed in concert together for the first time at the Gloucester Meetinghouse in February 2015 and return this year with the Valentine’s Day theme.  They began their debut by flying a long banner over the audience as they produced ethereal sounds that set a magical tone to the whole evening.

The varied repertoire of these talented women and their evident exuberance for singing a cappella was hugely entertaining as well as moving for the audience with playful solos, duets and rhythmic gymnastics adding spice to their superbly blended ensembles.  Prepare to relax, laugh, remember, and allow the theme of love to permeate your soul with music sung from the heart. 

WHAT’S SPECIAL? Two Cape Ann a cappella  women’s vocal ensembles raise their voices in songs of Love…and Home…and Love…and Work…and Love…and Life…and Love…and Strength…and Love…and Peace…and Love some more…

WHEN:  Saturday, February 11th 2017, 7:30pm

WHERE:  The historic 1806 Gloucester Meetinghouse (home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church), corner of Church & Middle Street, with accessible side entrance at 10 Church Street.

COST:  Free admission.  Voluntary donations gratefully accepted for the two womens’ ensembles and the Meetinghouse Preservation Fund.

leven-portrait-2017

‘Leven is an enduring ensemble of Cape Ann womens’ voices founded in 1991 inthe eleventh month, at 1111 Washington St., under the leavening influence of Dawn Pratsonand ten similarly enlightened ladies.

Various combinations of ‘Leven singers have continued to bring powerful, poignant and eclectic a cappella repertoire to Cape Ann audiences for the past 26 years.  In this Valentine season they sing songs for the love of “home” – whether keeping the home fires burning, departing for far off places, or returning back home again.

‘Leven members: Sue Bonior, Pat Maloney Brown, Caroline Haines, Anne Hyde, Kristina Martin, and Sheryl Reed

sorellanza-portrait-2017

Sorellanza is a women’s a cappella group based on Cape Ann and directed by Rockport resident, Patti Pike.  Founded in 2006, Sorellanza draws enthusiastic audiences with varied and upbeat repertoire.  For this concert many songs are a blend of old and new: ancient lyrics set to modern music, a blend of Rumi text with Psalms, and homage to our grandmothers.

Their eclectic repertoire includes a love song from West Side Story, a Lullaby from Billy Joel, an honoring of the One, and some just plain fun songs.  Songs from the Heart is a unifying theme that includes them all.

Sorellanza members:

Patti Pike – choral director, Karen Koerth, Jen Fuller, Peggy Duff, Jenny Sonia, Andrea Coates-Vinson, Kate Stevens, Ruth Maassen, Jane Woodman, Kathy Eckles, Marianne Thompson, Caitlin Cannon, Nancy Goodman

Gloucester Civil War Coat Preservation Plan Wins Statewide Recognition, Grant Money

~ Chris Sicuranza ~ 2 Comments

GLOUCESTER, Mass., Feb. 1, 2017 – Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken and Committee of the Arts Board Member Catherine Ryan announced that Gloucester has been awarded a statewide grant of $6,620 from the Massachusetts State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) to help with conservation and historical education for a Civil War uniform coat.

“I’m proud of our city volunteers, students and residents who came together to help raise awareness of this American artifact that has history to our country and to our local community,” said Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken. “With this SHRAB grant, as well as Awesome Gloucester and online fundraising monies, the education and heritage will live on for years to come.”

photo

The SHRAB program is an extension of grants awarded by the Massachusetts Sesquicentennial Commission of the American Civil War with supporting services from the Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin and Massachusetts Archives Department, which features a rigorous and competitive qualifying process. The program reviewed hundreds of applications across the Commonwealth, but the ten-page application overview designed by two young activists, Charles King and George King, was “enthusiastically” selected by Commonwealth Archivist Dr. John Warner and his committee.

Both Charles and George King joined Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken and Director of Communications and Constituent Services Christopher Sicuranza in late January for a conference call with Archivist Dr. Warner to reveal the grant award, which was the culmination of months of work for advocacy and awareness for the conservation project. In addition to the monies provided by the SHRAB program, Charles and George led efforts across Gloucester to raise awareness through local media and manage fundraisers through online sites and the Awesome Gloucester program.

img_0697
Charles and George high-fived upon hearing the approval of their grant proposal from Commonwealth Archivist Dr. Warner in Mayor Sefatia Romeo-Theken’s office.

Plans to create an innovative and attractive display case are currently being developed, but a special emphasis on mobility was factored into the funding request so that the artifact can be easily transported to other museums, including the aim of bringing the feature at a Smithsonian National Museum as part of a regional or national ambassador program.

About Civil War Coat

Over 80 years ago, the Civil War coat was installed in the then new Gloucester High School through Albert W. Bacheler who fought in the Civil War and later served as principal of Gloucester High from in 1884-1914, using the coat in his lessons. Years later, a former student , noted businessman and philanthropist, Roger Babson, donated an enshrinement memorial at the school to help preserve the coat, but over the years the coat’s condition became fragile. One parent, Kim Minnaugh, asked Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken to assist with recovery efforts, which gained assistance, support and financing through various offices including Chief Administrative Officer Jim Destino, City Archivist Sarah Dunlop, Veterans Affairs Director Adam Curcuru, Sawyer Free Library Assistant Valerie Marino, Catherine Ryan and The Committee for the Arts, Massachusetts Historical Commission Director of Preservation Planning Michael Steinitz, Superintendent Dr. Richard Safier, Principal Cook Gloucester High School, and Allison Cousins and Principal Lucey at O’Maley Innovation Middle School.