Cape Ann Artisans Announce Summer Mini-Tour August 14th
Join us on Mass Tax Free Weekend
A select group of Cape Ann Artisans will participate in a special summer Mini-Tour and open their studios to the public for one day, Saturday, August 14th. All but one studio (see list below) will open from 9AM-4PM. The tour is self-guided, free and open to the public, and includes nine unique locations around Gloucester and Rockport. The Mini-Tour breaks down into various genres with distinct styles for each artisan – three studios that focus on a wide array of ceramic arts, three distinct jewelry artists, two painters – covering oils and mixed media, and one mosaic artist. You can pre-meet the artists by watching their one-minute cameo videos that can be found on the Cape Ann Artisans website. The tour coincides with Massachusetts Tax Free Weekend. Any retail items up to $2,500 that are bought in Massachusetts for personal use qualify for exemption.
This special mini-tour is easy to follow from Grant Circle at the end of 128 one can head the back way around Cape Ann through Riverdale and Lanesville to Rockport and then hop off to East Gloucester, lunch downtown and a visit to two downtown studios across the way from each other – Beth Williams and Chloe Leigh. Another great route would be to get an early start, beat the heat, have breakfast in downtown Gloucester and start your tour there. Either way, visitors will get to enjoy the best of Cape Ann.
The newest artisan on the tour this year is Sallie Strand, an abstract painter located on historic Rocky Neck. Sallie is a contemporary abstract painter working in both oil and acrylic. Her work takes on a life of its own as she weaves complicated references to history and emotion into each layer. Some are infused with movement and energy while others are quiet and contemplative. In 2020, Chloe Leigh, a jeweler with a studio in downtown Gloucester also joined the group, but this is her first year on the tour. Her studio is adjacent to the Charles Fine Art Gallery. Chloe continues to expand her 18K jewelry line. She has personally sourced beautiful freshwater pearls and will be creating a new pearl jewelry line inspired by the ocean landscape of Cape Ann but with a contemporary fresh approach to pearl jewelry.
Just on the other side of Pleasant Street, in an inviting courtyard, long time Artisan Beth Williams welcomes wearable art lovers to her studio. Beth derives much of her inspiration from the flora around us – particularly rich this summer. Beth has captured the intense colors and textures of our favorite flowers in every one of her pieces.
Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco, Sea Glass Wearable Art, is pleased to share the “Line in the Sand” collection featuring sea glass and leather combinations. It’s also been a fabulous year to explore new ways to wear your hair and she is pleased to share hundreds of unique hair accessories and ideas on how to wear your long hair. Pam Stratton has happily resumed her mosaic classes and has been teaching students to combine smalti and slate among her many unique combinations of materials.
Visitors are encouraged to pick up a Cape Ann Chamber Map to assist in their visit to the studios which are marked with a magenta flag on the map of Cape Ann and the inset. The Artisans are listed in an order that follows the geography and neighborhoods of Gloucester and Rockport.
- Jacqueline Ganim DeFalco – Sea Glass Jeweler (Riverdale, Gloucester)
- Deb Gonet – Painting – Mixed Media (Lanesville, Gloucester)
- *David Archibald – Ceramic Arts – Porcelain & Stoneware (Plum Cove, Gloucester) Special hours 10AM-5PM.
- Cynthia Curtis – Ceramic Arts – Stoneware (Pigeon Cove, Rockport)
- Pam Stratton – Mosaics and Mixed Media (Downtown, Rockport)
- Twin Lights Studio| Scott Place and Erin O’Sullivan – Ceramic Arts (Rte 127A, Rockport)
- Sallie Strand – Painting- Abstract Oil Paintings (Rocky Neck, E. Gloucester)
- Chloe Leigh – Fine Jeweler (Downtown, Gloucester)
- Beth Williams – Contemporary Handmade Glass Beads & Jewelry (Downtown, Gloucester)
2021 Brochures are available at all the major tourism outlets including the Cape Ann Chamber and North of Boston CVB locations. An electronic map of the Mini-Tour is also downloadable from Cape Ann Artisans. Covid safety will be voluntary by visitors and artists will comply with practices on an individual basis.
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What: The 2021 Summer Mini-Tour
Cost: Free and Open to the Public
Where: Gloucester and Rockport, MA.
When: Saturday, August 14th 9-4PM except Plum Cove Studio/David Archibald will open 10-5.
Contact: info@capeannartisans.com or leave a message with Cynthia Curtis 978-546-6186
