The Cape Ann Artisans will once again be opening their studios to the public for the 38th Annual Spring Tour Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6. The tour is self-guided and includes 14 unique studios and 15 artisans covering a wide range of media: ceramic arts, painting, jewelry, mixed media, quilting, mosaics, weaving, and more.
In 2021, the Artisans welcome new artisan Sallie Strand, an abstract painter located on historic Rocky Neck. In 2020, Chloe Leigh, a jeweler with a studio in downtown Gloucester, also joined the group, but this will be her first year participating in the tour.
Sallie Strand’s newly completed studio on Rocky Neck will be home to her collection of acrylic abstract expressionist works. Strand’s collection also includes oil paintings available for viewing separately in another location. Her creative talents are many and include a former life as a pastry chef. Chloe Leigh has enhanced her handcrafted, eco-friendly fine jewelry collection with new works: hand carved, custom statement and engagement rings.
The Artisans are already feeling the rush of the return to experiencing the arts in person. Cynthia Curtis reports that folks have been eager to take a class or do Independent Study with open studio time. Curtis has also added the Sabi Line of “imperfect” pottery to her collection. Sabi, the art of imperfection, reflects the imperfect time we all felt in 2020.
Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco of Sea Glass Wearable Art has recently completed two successful live events—the Line in the Sand Exhibit in Gloucester and a Sea Glass Expo in New Hampshire. Her new collection features sea glass and leather pendants and she has done a video series on “how to wear your hair” as long hair returned over the past year.
Outside the tour itself, artisans are continually pursuing ways to enhance their skills and expand their creative footprint. Pam Stratton, mosaic artist, was recently accepted into NOWA, the National Association of Women in the Arts, and has just completed a show in Marblehead. Stratton has continued to beautify her garden with her mosaic art. She has transformed a tree that had been nearly destroyed in a lightning storm while adding Koi fish to her pond and abstract sculpture atop a new granite pillar in the yard.
Rob Diebboll has been creating new beach scenes with his signature figures, dogs, and birds, and planning an exhibit in Newport this August. Deb Schradieck was recently a featured artist in an exhibit at the Beauport Hotel and has been commissioned to paint a portrait of the hotel. Marcie Rae has been focused on the technique of “chasing” to enhance her jewelry designs. In chasing, a design is created on metal by hammering small punches into the metal and creating an indentation or outline. Details on all these pursuits and more can be found on the “From the Studio” blog on the Cape Ann Artisans website.
The spring tour is self-guided with 14 individual stops to visit with 15 artisans. Visitors are encouraged to pick up a Cape Ann Chamber Map and align it with the Cape Ann Artisans brochure to follow the tour route. The Artisans are listed in an order that follows the geography of Gloucester and Rockport.
1. Jacqueline Ganim DeFalco – Sea Glass Jeweler
2. Deb Gonet – Painting: Mixed Media
3. David Archibald – Ceramic Arts: Porcelain & Stoneware
4. Linda Hogan – Quilter
5. Sara Wright – Fiber Arts: Handwoven & Knit Accessories
6. Cynthia Curtis – Ceramic Arts: Stoneware
7. Pam Stratton – Mosaics
8. Twin Lights Studio| Scott Place and Erin O’Sullivan – Ceramic Arts
9. Deb Schradieck – Painting: Oil & Watercolor
10. Rob Diebboll – Painting: Oil & Watercolors
11. Sallie Strand – Painting: Abstract
12. Sinikka Nogelo – Painting & Sculpture: Experimental Arts
13. Chloe Leigh – Fine Jeweler
14. Marcie Rae – Fine Jeweler
The 2021 brochure is available at all major tourism outlets including the Cape Ann Chamber and North of Boston CVB locations. The Artisans will also continue their partnership with Discover Gloucester. In an effort to become more sustainable, the Artisans have decreased the size of the brochure by 50% and have eliminated the paper map in favor of a collaboration with the Cape Ann Chamber. The Artisans have been assigned a number on the Chamber’s Cape Ann Tourism Map where the tour can be followed according to the numbers in the brochure. You’ll also find many other key points of interest around Cape Ann. Seek out the Chamber map when picking up the CAA brochure as they will be used in concert. An electronic map of just the CAA Tour is also downloadable from the Cape Ann Artisans’ website.
The Cape Ann Artisans continue to ask visitors to comply with Massachusetts COVID regulations: wearing of masks indoors, practicing of social distancing, and use of hand sanitizer which will be available at each studio.
To get a taste of the tour, check out this short video with cameos of each of the Artisans. For more information, head to capeannartisans.com.