Glostoberfest
A New Exhibit and Reception at Local Colors
Local Colors Artists' Cooperative, now in its 27th year on Main St, is celebrating art, autumn and Cape Ann with an Oktoberfest flair and a new exhibit with reception. The exhibit begins October 1 through October 22. The kickoff of this celebration is a reception at Local Colors, 121 Main St. in Gloucester on Saturday, October1 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The public is invited and light refreshments will be served.
This year's theme, GLOSTOBERFEST, a play on the traditional Bavarian Oktoberfest with its cultural and beer festivities "combines the celebration of art, the change in seasons, Cape Ann, and the Spirit of the Oktoberfest" says Jim Sousa, photographer, who originated the idea. "It brings a festive atmosphere to the expression of new work by the 20 Local Colors' artists." Jim designed a 20 x 48 inch canvas wrapped photograph that combines several images creating a whimsical Gloucester evening skyline with the silhouetting various beer steins with local buildings.
"It's fun to bring into the community ideas from other cultures and make them our own" says Kathy Bucholska, a mixed media artist and jewelry designer. Kathy created a mixed media piece using beer caps from the Cape Ann brewery as it "melds local beer with a German Oktoberfest flair."
In the last 12 months or so, Local Colors Artists' Cooperative was fortunate to welcome several new members as well as a few returning members:
Sydney Smith, a recent member submitted pastel and acrylic images that depict fall and the harvest. She says she focused on "small paintings of fruit and the landscape as the colors change into oranges, reds, and brown.” Sue Ingram, a new member, submitted a painting of Good Harbor Beach which she considers "one of the most popular and beautiful beaches in Gloucester."
Two other new members, David Anastasi and Marion Raynor, submitted some very unique pieces. Dave, a photographer is visually exploring the parallels between beer and fish through macro-photography and Marion, a painter, inspired by the beautiful interior of Cape Ann, painted three watercolors meant to be hung together entitled Cape Ann Woods.
Pat Tosches, a former member who recently returned, went outside her usual pottery medium and painted a rare blue lobster on canvas paying homage to "Gloucester, home of the ubiquitous lobster - yet if you are lucky you will catch a rare one," she notes. Christine Garrigan, a tie-dye artist and another returning member, submitted a colorful child's dress saying she "drew her inspiration from the ocean, the change of seasons, and the beautiful sunsets we enjoy here in Gloucester." Her designs are festive and bright.
Meanwhile, Donna Amero, the only remaining founding member, plans to make a stained glass lamp in autumnal colors and a glass Buried Treasure creation housing locally found "treasures." Pat Doherty, a painter, submitted a magnificent Gloucester September sky painting noting "the fall skies here are so dramatic and beautiful. I love painting them."
Darren Taylor, a woodworker, made a bar with stools and other accessories which lends a festive Glostoberfest feeling. He reclaimed the cypress wood he used from the water tower of the building originally known as the Good Harbor Fillet built back in 1917. The former location is now the home of the new Beauport Hotel. Virginia Townsend, a potter, designed beer steins (a nice complement to Darren's bar) with the "Man at the Wheel" motif as the theme brings to mind "being with friends and drinking local brewed beer."
"For the theme, I thought of autumn using trees as inspiration" says Ann Schlecht, jeweler. "I made amber flow earrings (tree resin) with sterling silver wire, 'leaf peeper' necklace with copper and brass handcrafted leaves, and a copper/sterling vintage leaf with a freshwater pearl acorn." Sally Seamans, aka Tin Can Sally, made bracelets out of many new and vintage beer cans " in recognition of Oktoberfest, the world's largest 16-day beer festival - attended by over 6 million people."
Other members displaying work for the Glostoberfest event are Bob Kulchuk and Jim Trudeau for their wheel thrown pottery, Bonnie Gray for her oil paintings, David Katz for his creative photography, Ian Commissiong for his fiber art and fish skin framed pieces and Joe Higgins for his Gyotaku fish prints. The work expected is as varied as the current 20 members and their unique art.
For special events as this, the artists are encouraged to create works outside their usual medium to allow for growth and expansion of their creative talents. All the work for this event is displayed on the featured wall and in the front windows of the gallery.
The current hours are 10am to 6pm, Sunday through Thursday and 10am to 8pm on Friday and Saturday and beginning Oct 2, the hours are 10am to 6pm.. The members will be identified with name tags and look forward to greeting the public at the October 1 reception.
