No trip to Cape Ann is complete without a trip to Rocky Neck Art Colony. Just one mile from the end of Route 128, off Gloucester's East Main St., you'll find Rocky Neck Avenue. Turn right, park in the public parking lot, and prepare to discover for yourself the charm and ambience of the the oldest working art colony in the country. Snack or dine at unique restaurants that feature fine food and fabulous views, wander into the charming galleries and shops and browse, sample an ice cream cone, or simply allow the beauty of Smith Cove to mesmerize you as you watch the boats. Everything from busy lobster boats to luxury yachts and sleek sailboats comes through the cove. Rocky Neck has been luring artists to its picturesque shores for more than 150 years. These artists range from Fitz Hugh Lane, who was painting here in the 1840s, through Emile Gruppe, who made the neck his home and painted into the 1970s, as well as Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, Maurice Prendergast, Cecilia Beaux, Jane Paterson and a host of other professional and amateur artists. Gloucester's famous landmark sculpture "The Man at the Wheel", a permanent memorial to fishermen lost at sea, was created by Leonard Craske in his studio on the pier on Rocky Neck in the 1920s. Writers of the stature of Louisa May Alcott and Rudyard Kipling frequented the "Neck." Today the area is still home to many working artists and abounds with fascinating galleries. Paintings in all media are available, as well as many other specializations like batik, photography, jewelry, and quilting. Visitors are always welcome. Being on Rocky Neck is like stepping back in time, It has managed to preserve by gone unhurried way of life. The artists who make up the colony range from year round residents to those who eagerly make the trek back each summer from all over the country, and they play host to visitors from all over the world. Most of the galleries are open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Colony hosts a Gallery Walk the third weekend in June and the Beaux Arts Ball each August with inaginative costumes depending on each year's theme. On Wednesdays in July and August the artists put on free demonstrations. Each winding street reveals a new delightful surprise around every bend. Don't stop 'till you've seen it all! 150 YEARS AND COUNTING: ART AND ARTISTS ON ROCKY NECK EAST GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS |
