Month: May 2024

~ Hammond Castle Museum

6:30 pm Reception
7:00-8:00 pm Curated Readings

On the evening of Sunday, June 9th, in conjunction with our Pride month mini-exhibit Maximus to Aquarius: Gerrit Lansing and Set Magazine, opening June 7th, Hammond Castle Museum will host a reception and curated reading celebrating the legacy of Gloucester and the Museum as significant sites in the history of Queer American poetry. Throughout his remarkable life, our founder John Hays Hammond Jr. (b. 1888-d.1965) was a part of a fascinatingly diverse community of Queer individuals, which met at his architecturally unique Museum, called the city of Gloucester home, and stretched from Cape Ann across the country and beyond. In examining our Museums archive, Hammond’s correspondence with these people, among whom were some of the inventor’s closest friends and loved ones, paints a small picture of a vast network of deeply creative individuals which was the lifeblood of a fundamentally transformative period in the history of Gloucester, and America’s, cultural identity.

This Pride Month, join us in celebrating this important and often overlooked aspect of local history and culture. With readings by Mia Contilli, James Cook, Lucas Cotterman, Shaina Doberman, Jim Dunn, Caroline Harvey, Brian King, Eryn O’Sullivan, David Rich, and Malachi Rosen from works by Charles Olson, John Wieners, Robert Duncan, Gerrit Lansing, Daisy Alden, and many others, including, for the first time, newly unearthed poems by John Hays Hammond Jr. himself. Along the way, learn about these figures’ ongoing relationships—their friendships, rivalries, and romances, with one another—and their personal significance within the broader tapestry of Queer history. The evening will culminate in a reading of a unique illuminated version of Abbadia Mare, a poem written by Gerrit Lansing in the Museum’s Guest Book in 1959 about the building and personally dedicated to Hammond.

Admission: $30
Availability is limited.
Hammond Castle Museum Member savings apply.

Reserve Yours Seats Here

DIY with SFL: Flower Crowns and Boutonnieres

~ Sawyer Free Library

Whether you’re getting ready for prom or you just like flowers, enjoy this crafty program with the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, May 30 from 2:30 to 4:00 pm at the Cape Ann YMCA.

Together we’ll be making flower crowns and boutonnieres using fresh flowers. All materials will be provided. The fun event is open to students in 6th through 12th grade. You do not need to be headed to a prom to attend this program – everyone is welcome.

Space is limited, please register at sawyerfreelibrary.org to hold your spot.

For questions, contact: anakoneczny@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

Local Author Talk with Sally Goldenbaum on Thursday, May 30

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library is pleased to welcome local author Sally Goldenbaum of the best-selling Seaside Knitters mystery series inspired by Gloucester and Cape Ann on Thursday, May 30 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at 21 Main Street.

Sally will discuss the most recent installment in the series, and the next in the series releasing in November. She’ll delve into what cozy mysteries are and how they differ from other sub-genres, how and why she began writing them, and the process of writing itself.

When: Thursday, May 30 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm

Where: Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Downtown Gloucester

No registration required. For more information or questions, contact:  lsvensson@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

Second Glance Now Open for Shopping on TUESDAYS!

~ todtheopendoor

Second Glance, Thrift Store of The Open Door, has added an extra day of shopping! Starting on TUESDAY MAY 21 Second Glance will now be open for shopping Tuesday – Saturday from 9AM – 5PM at 2 Pond Road, Gloucester MA 01930.

Donation appointments can be made at FOODPANTRY.org/booknow and are available Monday – Saturday. Same-day appointments often available.

Revenue at Second Glance helps support hunger-relief programs of The Open Door. Learn more at FOODPANTRY.org

Sawyer Free Library’s Gloucester Genealogy Group: Using DNA in Family History Research

~ Sawyer Free Library

As part of its Gloucester Genealogy Group Series, the Sawyer Free Library will present “Using DNA in Family History Research” on Thursday, May 16 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

This lecture by Senior Genealogist, Melanie McComb, will introduce participants to the value and use of DNA in family history research. Basic DNA principles, types of tests, testing companies and key terminology will be introduced. Discussion includes interpreting your results and evaluating the matches found by the testing company. Organizing your results will also be covered.

Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist at American Ancestors, assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts. She continues her interest in helping younger genealogists get involved at American Ancestors by assisting with educational programs from local schools, scout groups, and universities. Her areas of expertise include Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, and military records.

This special event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

For more information or questions, email jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

Our Mondays in May Speakers Series Continues!

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Rocco Gangle, Philosophy Professor at Endicott College to Present on the Evolution of the Painted Image in Italian Renaissance Art And Its Correlation to Other Cultural Shifts.

The form and function of the painted image changed drastically during the 15th-century Italian Renaissance. From the late medieval paintings of Giotto to works of Renaissance painters like Botticelli and da Vinci, one feels as though stepping from an old world into a new one. What were the sources of this transformation of image and world? How was this transformation related to other cultural shifts such as the rise of humanism, a burgeoning secular society, and the scientific revolution? This presentation examines the religious, philosophical, and scientific backgrounds to the changes of the image in Italian Renaissance painting, in particular the development of linear perspective techniques, and connects this visual revolution in painting to its accompanying spiritual, cultural, and scientific revolutions.

This Speaker’s Series includes the following presentations:

Learn More & Reserve Your Seats Here

Help the Sawyer Free Library by Sharing Your Stories!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Did you hear the news? The Sawyer Free Library has been named a finalist for the prestigious 2024 National Medial for Museum and Library Service by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)!!

This prestigious award honors institutions for their extraordinary public service and remarkable community contributions. Congratulations to all 30 finalists! The winners will be announced later this month.

But first we need the community’s help!  The Library would greatly appreciate it if you would show the IMLS how the Sawyer Free Library has made a difference in their lives. Or what is your favorite memory or experiences from your visits to Sawyer Free Library? Please share these memories and thoughts on your social media (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter). Feel free to include photos and videos too. And be sure to tag @US_IMLS and @SawyerFreeLibrary with the hashtags #ShareYourStory #IMLSmedals 

The Library is trying to get as many people as possible to help share their stories by THIS FRIDAY, May 19! If you have any questions, please call the Library at 978-325-5500. In advance, thank you everyone for your help! We appreciate you!

Calling all local Teens and Tweens! Sawyer Free Library hosting Teen Advisory Board Open House

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library is excited to be hosting an Open House for its new Teen Advisory Board on Monday, May 13 from 5:00 to 6:00 pm at Cape Ann Lanes located at 53 Gloucester Avenue.

All local teens and tweens are welcome to join the Sawyer Free Library Teen Advisory Board and help lead their library! This is the kick-off event, but in the future participants can expect: 

* A monthly meeting with volunteer hours available

* Planning fun events

* Preparing for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Teen Zone

So come, bring a friend and learn more! No registration required.

Questions? Contact Annalise Nakoneczny at anakoneczny@sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500

‘FINDING ARMENIA,’ a film by Nubar Alexanian

~ chasnaz

On Saturday, May 18th at 3:00pm the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation will present the premiere North Shore screening of ‘Finding Armenia’ by noted Gloucester resident, documentary photographer and filmmaker Nubar Alexanian in the sanctuary of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church.

The program will include remarks with an audience Q&A with the filmmaker.  After the screening, a reception with the artist will be held in the Church’s historical room for those who may want to support the completion of the film project as donors.

An intimate portrayal of one man’s search for his Armenian identity, Nubar Alexanian’s ‘Finding Armenia’ not only provides a vital history lesson for those unfamiliar with the Armenian Genocide, but also challenges its viewers to grapple with the profound questions that influence all of our identities. What does the healing of inter-generational trauma look like? What does it mean to regain control of our ancestral narratives? How can these narratives be reconciled with a hostile world? And what responsibility do we have to painful histories, even when they are not our own?

Tickets ($13.50 General, under 12 free) are available at the door and in advance online, with more information, at www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

The Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church is located on the green at 50 Middle Street, at the corner with Church Street.  Note: the green is closed for renovation but the main entrance is open. Please seek parking on the street and in lots nearby. A side entrance with an elevator is located at 10 Church Street.

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ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Nubar Alexanian is an acclaimed photojournalist and filmmaker who, for the past 50 years, has worked for magazines in the U.S & Europe including Life Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Fortune, Geo, Time & Newsweek, National Geographic and many others. He’s also produced & directed long and short form videos for organizations and companies such as Bose Corporation, The Conversation Project, MTV and others. Nubar has six books in print, including JAZZ with Wynton Marsalis and Nonfiction Photographs with filmmaker Errol Morris.

Since October 2012 he has been working on a feature documentary film which deals with the powerful legacy of the Armenian genocide and the ways that a century of silence and denial has shaped him and his family. His production company, Walker Creek Media, LLC was created in 2006 and produces short documentary films for non-profit organizations. He is President of the Board of Directors at Atlantic Public Media, Woods Hole, MA and formerly Board Chair at Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives, Inc.

Solo exhibitions of his work include the Walker Art Center, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Burden Gallery; the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, the LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph and Clark University with prints in private and public museum collections internationally.