The Rocky Neck Art Colony

I was tickled pink ( as my father used to say)
when I came across the picture below. It is the door 
to my mother's art gallery 
which is now open for summer business.

The door is featured on the blog of an enthusiastic writer by the name of Joey C. 
He created Good Morning Gloucester and with that the Gloucester Door Series. 
He points out that a door has a story and can reveal much about the people who live behind 

it and on a wider whole....the community itself. I think he is on to something. 

Joey writes...

"You can tell a lot about a community by the door on its buildings. 

The door on Alma McLaughlin's Gallery is one that holds 
many parallels with the city we love, Gloucester. It's both worn 
and beautiful with many layers of paint much like the layers of character 
that is the fabric of our city. This is a door that has seen it all 
and beams bright and beautiful. "

Painting by Alma McLaughlin

If you are not familiar with Gloucester, it is a seaport, 

north of Boston, in Massachusetts, along the East Coast of the USA. 

I grew up in a neighbouring town and like Joey, share a love for Cape Ann. 

Rocky Neck Art Colony

My mother's gallery is tucked away in Smith Cove, home to the Rocky Neck Art Colony. 

The history of this colony dates back 150 years or more. It has attracted painters, poets and 

visionaries with it's gentle tidal waves and scenic beauty. It is one of the oldest working 

art colonies in America. Not only has it inspired a host of well known American artists 

including Fitz Henry Lane, Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer it has also been a place 

of inspiration for writers including Louisa May Alcott and Rudyard Kipling. I was last 

there in 2009 and I have to say, not much has changed since I ran along the 

sidewalks 45 years ago. ( I was around 5 years old back then, give or take a few ).

Painting by Alma McLaughlin

My mother has spent the last 25 years as part of this community. I wrote about
my mother's love of painting, here. I was lucky enough to enjoy the peaceful serenity 
of this artist haven when I was a young girl. I have fond memories of family boat rides 
into Smith Cove, docking at the local boat yard, my Dad waiting patiently 
while we ran to the local penny candy store for our special treat of the day.

My father's passion, his Chris Craft boat.

I loved that penny candy store! I would fill my little brown paper bag to the brim 

with sticky, squiggly, yummy penny candy. Along the way, I would stop and linger

over a garden, loving created with soft blue sea glass, drift wood and sea shells 

collected from the local beach. I remember wind chimes hanging from branches overhead,

each one a tribute to it's creator. With these images tucked away in my mind, we would

run back to the boat and make our way home along the shore line of Cape Ann.

Some memories never fade, I am so thankful to have this one.

A snippet of sea glass and sea shells from my collection.

Painting by Alma McLaughlin

If you visit Rocky Neck today, you will find all things bright and beautiful.

Some things are much the same as they were all those years ago.

I love that it has held on to it's identity. May it continue to do so for many years.

If you make your way to Rocky Neck Art Colony this summer,

be sure to stop in to the Alma McLaughlin Gallery with the blue door 

and tell Alma...Jeanne sent you. :) 

Alma's Art & Antiques (Mom)

More on Rocky Neck Art Colony....

      Book, here

     Brochure and Map, here

     Rocky Neck Historic Art Trail, here

PS...

a few years from now, who knows....

you may find me there too :)

Photos and information about the Rocky Neck Art Colony located here.

Blue Door image from Good Morning Gloucester, here.

All other images~me.