A unique Cape Ann Museum exhibit: Youths learned about renowned sculptor and created own renditions, on view April 16 to June 12, 2022
Sculpting Self is an inventive program that had eighth graders learning about the renowned work of Cape Ann sculptor Walker Hancock (1901-1998) while creating their own sculptures for an exhibit that will pair the student and master works together. They will be on view at the Museum, 27 Pleasant St., in Gloucester from April 16 to June 12, 2022.
The program was inspired by Hancock’s Basketball Series. Over 15 years from 1961 to 1977, the sculptor made sculptures inspired by watching the Gloucester High School varsity basketball team practice.
During the 2021-2022 school year, Cape Ann Museum Education Manager Miranda Aisling visited three area schools with classes of eighth graders twice to talk about Hancock’s work and to teach the students how to create their own wire armature and then cover it in clay. Each student was asked to portray themselves doing their favorite activity from reading to dancing to listening to music to playing video games. The sculptures capture the interest of eighth graders from Manchester-Essex Middle School, Rockport Middle School, and Gloucester’s O’Maley Middle School.
Beginning in 2020-2021, the Museum sought to bring together community members across Cape Ann for its annual Community Art Exhibition. The unique initiative provides an opportunity to celebrate student artwork alongside the Museum’s collection, creating a juxtaposition of emerging and established artists’ works. Last year, the exhibition was Quilted Together, featuring more than 637 self-portraits drawn by area residents of all ages during the pandemic.
There is lots going on at the Sawyer Free Library during April Vacation for kids and families of all ages to enjoy! Swing by to check it all out!
Saturday, April 16, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Science Saturday with Marisa – Join Children’s Librarian Marisa for a morning of family fun of exploring facts and science topics through sensory play, stories, music and movement. Great for families and children of all ages. No registration needed.
Tuesday, April 19, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Make It: Muppet Edition for Middle Schoolers –Great for kids in grades 4-8! Design and create your very own Muppet Puppet. Register Here!
Thursday, April 21, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Cape Ann Symphony Family Concertand Reading – Musical adaptation of Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton. Great for families and children of all ages. No registration needed.
Thursday, April 21, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Candy Bar Trivia Night for Middle Schoolers – Great for kids grades 4-8. How fast can you hit your buzzer? How many candy bars can you win? Join us for a night of trivia at the Library. Register Here!
Saturday, April 23, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Introduction to Vernal Pools – Join Rick Roth and Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team for an introduction to vernal pools and all the amazing critters that call them home! Drop in and see what he brings and learn about vernal pools. Great for families and children of all ages. No registration needed.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to mark your calendars for Glo Con 22‘ on Saturday, April 30th from 10am – 3pm! The Sawyer Free Library’s first-ever Comic-Con is a free, all-ages event celebrating comics and graphic novels, as art, as literature, and as a part of pop culture! It will bring together fans, young and old, and creators for a jam-packed day of special guests, workshops, live programs, games, photo ops, food trucks, and much fun. Costumes are encouraged! Registration only for workshops required.
For more information on these or all the great things going on at the Library visit: SawyerFreeLibrary.com or call 978.325-5500! aw
Next in the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library‘s educational series Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementia will be Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s with Alzheimer’s Association MA/NH Chapter on Saturday, April 9 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
The program explores common warning signs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias that cause memory, thinking, and behavior problems that interfere with daily living. The Alzheimer’s Association® developed the new 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s education program to help people recognize common signs of the disease and know what to watch for in themselves and others.
The free one-hour program:
Explores typical age-related changes.
Describes common signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Offers tips on how to approach someone about memory concerns.
Explains the importance of early detection and benefits of diagnosis.
Details possible tests and assessments for the diagnostic process.
Identifies helpful Alzheimer’s Association resources.
The presentation will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. The event is free and open to all to attend.
At 1:00 pm,Patrick Doud will give a presentation at the Cape Ann Museum at its Downtown Campus, located at 27 Pleasant Street, in conjunction with Cape Ann Modern on the paintings of Thorpe Feidt.
Created over more than half a century to date, Thorpe Feidt’s vast, unified body of work is discussed by poet and novelist Patrick Doud. Drawing on multivalent influences including poetry, jazz, fiction and alchemical intuition/lore, Feidt’s praxis results in numinously powerful paintings in which oppositional forces birth new energies.
Then at 2:30 pm, head to Sawyer Free Library, located at 2 Dale Avenue, for an afternoon of readings by local poets Nadine Boughton, the author of the recently self-published book “In the Lap of the Night,” Jay Featherstone, the author of “Glass,” and Jim Dunn to celebrate the start of National Poetry Month.
Join the Sawyer Free Library Children’s Services on this Saturday morning, March 26 from 11 a.m. to noon for some soapy fun! Kulina Folk Art Creative will be helping kids, with adult participation, make their own duckie soapy creation using glycerin-based soap adding colors, glitter and scents.
The process does not involve traditional soap making techniques, so there is no lye exposure.
Registration is required. Space is limited. The event is for children ages 5 and up (with one caregiver per child). Each child under the age of 10 must have a caregiver present to help them with the project. No exceptions will be made.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, theSawyer Free Library, this Saturday, March 26 from 2:00 – 4:00p.m. is pleased to present “Forgotten Women.” Local historians Lise Breen and Wayne Soini will discuss the lives of three courageous women who history needs to be shared. Nancy Hanks Lincoln, mother of President Abraham Lincoln, as well as two women enslaved on Cape Ann, Kate Negro and Violet. Join us and learn about these “Forgotten Women” who helped to shape our nation.
This event has been organized and sponsored by the Library’s Gloucester Lyceum.
Date: Saturday, March 26, 2022
Time: 2:00-4:00pm
Location: Main Floor, Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester
Registration is not required. For more information visit, SawyerFreeLibrary.org or call 978-325-5555.
The photo exhibit juxtaposes Wallace’s portraits of individuals living with dementia with a photo of the subject at a younger age and a brief narrative of who they are as people.
The goal of this body of work is to de-stigmatize those living with dementia, use empathy as a means for connection and understanding, and tell a more complete story of those living with the disease and its effect on their families and loved ones.
Trained as a journalist, Wallace has been a portrait photographer and storyteller for two decades and has a deeply personal connection with dementia.
As his website outlines, his approach is to depict the whole story to give viewers the courage to act in ways large and small. He believes the artist must not be afraid to show not only the fear, loss, and despair, but also the love, connection, dignity, and powerful humanity that always remain—in the subjects, care-partners, families, and communities. According to Wallace, this is the path to evolve the narrative and have a positive social change.
This is the first event in the Library’s five-part free educational series on dementia and healthy cognitive aging, Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementia.
All are welcome to attend. Registration is not required, although face masks are mandatory for those attending. For more information about the event or other Sawyer Free Library offerings, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.
The five- part free educational series on dementia and healthy cognitive aging kicks off in February
Beginning in February, the Gloucester Lyceum and the Sawyer Free Library, is kicking off an educational series on dementia and healthy cognitive aging. Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementia will feature local experts in the field of cognitive aging who will explore current dementia research, discuss methods of keeping your brain healthy, and ways to understand better and support people experiencing and caring for those with the disease.
“We hope that this important series, which is free and open for all to attend, will help to foster community conversation and support around dementia and this burgeoning health crisis,” said Sawyer Free Library Director Jenny Benedict.
The five-part series will take through May at the Sawyer Free Library located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. All events are free and open to all to attend. SeniorCare, Inc. will have trained volunteers on hand to share resources and answer questions following each event.
Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementia presented by the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library
Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementiaschedule includes:
Saturday, February 5, 2:00 pm: Photographer Joe Wallace speaks on his series, “The Day After Yesterday: Portraits of Dementia”
Joe Wallace will speak about his powerful photo exhibit “Day After Yesterday: Portraits of Dementia” on display in the Library’s Matz Gallery through February.
The exhibit juxtaposes Wallace’s portraits of individuals living with dementia with younger photographs of the subjects and a brief narrative of who they are as people. This body of work aims to de-stigmatize those living with dementia, use empathy as a means for connection and understanding, and tell a complete story of those living with the disease and its effect on their families and loved ones. Trained as a journalist, Joe Wallace has been a portrait photographer and storyteller for twenty years. Like many, Joe has a deeply personal connection with dementia.
Thursday, March 10, 5:30-7:00 pm: Steps to Managing Memory, Alzheimer’s Disease, & Dementia with Dr. Andrew Budson
Based on his award-winning book, Dr. Andrew Budson will explain how individuals can distinguish changes in memory due to Alzheimer’s versus normal aging, what medications, diets, and exercise regimes can help, and the best habits, strategies, and memory aids to use, in seven simple steps. He will also discuss his newest book, including how caregivers can manage issues with memory, language, vision, behavior, driving, incontinence, sleep, and more.
Andrew E. Budson, M.D. is Chief of Cognitive & Behavioral Neurology, Associate Chief of Staff for Education, and Director of the Center for Translational Cognitive Neuroscience at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System, Associate Director for Research at the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, and Lecturer in Neurology at Harvard Medical School. He is also the Medical Director of the Boston Center for Memory, located in Newton, Massachusetts.
Saturday, April 9, 2:00-3:00 pm: Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s with Alzheimer’s Association MA/NH Chapter
Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause memory, thinking, and behavior changes that interfere with daily living. Learn about common warning signs of Alzheimer’s and what symptoms to look for in yourself and others, as well as tips for approaching someone who is experiencing changes in their memory, the benefit of early detection and diagnosis, and more.
Saturday, May 7, 2:00 pm: Presentation by Dementia Friends
Dementia Friends is a global movement changing how people think, act, and talk about dementia. By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects people, each of us can make a difference for people touched by dementia. The presentation will share five key messages about dementia and a bit about what it’s like to live with dementia to help community members understand dementia and the small things they can do to make a difference for people living with dementia.
Saturday, May 21, 2:00 pm: Book Talk with author Siobhan McDonald on her picture book Hilda’s Story: New Bedford, Massachusettsan interactive read-aloud designed for entertainment, understanding, comfort, and connection with people living with dementia.
Artist, teacher and author, Siobhan McDonald is passionate about helping seniors with memory loss to connect with loved ones and caregivers through conversation and sharing their personal stories. Learn how providing visual arts workshops to seniors with memory challenges inspired her interactive book Hilda’s Story: New Bedford, Massachusetts.
All presentations are free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Face masks are mandatory for those attending. For more information about the event or other Sawyer Free Library offerings, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.
After close to four decades, there is likely no book contained in the Sawyer Free Library unfamiliar to long-time library assistant John Prybot.
This month, John Pyrbot will retire after working for 35 years at the Sawyer Free Library. Through eight library directors and so many changes in the Library, John has remained a constant and reassuring presence, busy reshelving stacks with the latest titles, helping young and old alike find a book or an answer, and chatting with patrons most of whom he knows by name.
“I have always tried my very best to serve our library patrons. That’s been my overriding and unwavering goal, as well as the Sawyer Free Library itself as an institution,” said John Prybot about his long tenure at the Library. “My life in Gloucester revolves around the Library. It is the true cornerstone of the community. I believe that libraries are precious resources to be treasured and promoted and used to the fullest extent.”
Growing up in Gloucester, John loved to hang out at the Sawyer Free Library. He was there so much that in high school he got a job as a page, responsible for putting books back in their proper locations. After graduating from Gloucester High School in 1964, he spent a decade in the Peace Corps in Guatemala. This life-defining experience offered him a new lens through which to see the world and the importance of community service. With that passion, he returned to his hometown and re-joined the staff of the Sawyer Free Library, beginning his long and rewarding tenure of public service in Gloucester.
“When I started in the Peace Corps, I was told, “What you give to these people will be nothing compared to what you receive from everyone.” The way that people accumulate respect in Guatemala is to contribute to their community. It was an incredible and eye-opening experience,” shared Prybot. “This is the reason why when I returned, I chose to work at the Library. I recognized it as an essential institution that serves the public as a critical source for information and knowledge.”
Along with being a friendly and familiar face at the front desk, John’s time at the Library provided an invaluable wealth of knowledge and experience, benefiting both the Library and its patrons. Over the years, John has worked in circulation, managed the request lists, repaired books, processed and prepared new books for the Library’s collection, archived and organized historical resources, and much more.
With his fluency in Spanish and knowing how it feels to be a stranger in a new country, John has also been instrumental to countless newcomers to Gloucester from across the globe, connecting them to services and resources, as well as helping them to adjust to their new environment.
“John is such a beloved fixture at the Sawyer Free Library and in the community—everyone knows who he is,” said Library DirectorJenny Benedict. “All of us at Sawyer Free Library are grateful for his dedication to our Library and our City. We wish him all the best for his well-deserved retirement.”
“I have had the great pleasure to know and work with John for close to ten years,” said Beth Pocock, the Library’s Assistant Director. “His care and consideration of people’s needs in all that he does inspires all of us to do the best we can each and every day. John has just a wonderful heart, and we will miss him very much at the Library.”
When asked what he will miss most in his retirement, John shared, “Interacting with the patrons, I will miss the people and helping them. I really enjoy it and like being a part of it all.”
In his retirement, Prybot will continue his tireless work on a historical recovery project which involves making archival materials from the Central American archives available to people in their communities in Guatemala. His long-range plan is to move back to Guatemala, actively work on-site, and spend time with his eight godchildren and their families. But, for now, John will stay in Gloucester and utilize the resources that he knows so well, in a space he loves, the Sawyer Free Library.
John Prybot retires from Sawyer Free Library after 35 years of service to Gloucester community.
As a part of Gloucester’s So Salty celebration, the Sawyer Free Library invites you to learn more about Salt Island. This Saturday, January 22 at 2 pm join researcher Mary Ellen Lepionka for a virtual presentation on the history of Salt Island. After, Jayne & Andy Knott of Save Salt Island and Denton Crews of Friends of Good Harbor Beach will present on recent efforts to preserve this area.
Click HERE to register for your Zoom Link or contact Julie Travers at jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org for more information.
Cape Ann Community 