Cape Ann Light

I am hard at work on the text for the North Shore Arts Association’s The Past & The Present exhibition book and I’ve come across an interesting dilemma. In the latter part of the 19th century Cape Ann became a haven for artists and was one of the most dynamic and creative art colonies in America. It all began with Fitz Henry Lane in the early 1800's and includes distinguished artists such as Cecilia Beaux, Frederick Mulhaupt, Aldro Hibbard, Bernsteing & Meyerowitz, Eric Hudson, the Beal brothers, John Sloan and Sturat Davis.

The focus of the exhibition is the brotherhood of artists that transcends time and distance and this has given rise to a question on my part did so many artists come here because of the natural beauty of Cape Ann or did they come here because so many others came here? One of the things I know is that artists of all discipline need the support and encouragement of their fellow artists and when a group of artists find a place to work in there is a considerable draw to others.

Of course Cape Ann itself is so beautiful that those first painters who came here were sufficiently impressed that they wanted to stay. There is the stunning landscape and the working harbors but even more than those things there is the quality of light which is just inescapable. There are evenings when the light is so lusciously thick and lustrous that it seems to become an entity unto itself — as though you could touch it. When it is like that it seems that everything it touches becomes fascinating.

Last winter I met Mark out at Rocky Neck to take some photographs of him aboard his boat, Black Sheep. It was the dead of winter and the sun went down by 4 but we met a little after 3 and had to work fast in order to get the images I needed while the light was low and at the right angle to make everything lush and gorgeous. I dug those photos out as I worked on the article and, looking at them, I knew that it was the light that brought artists here. They stayed because of each other. And here, after all these generations, we still come here because of the light and stay because of each other.

I was going to write more but decided I want to add a few photos of Cape Ann light and will save the rest of this discussion for another time.

FISHING BOATS WAITING OUT THE WINTER
SUNLIGHT ON THE TUNA TAILS NAILED TO A FISHING SHACK
SWANS BESIDE AN OLD ROWBOAT ON ROCKY NECK

Thanks for reading..................