Arrangers and Artworks
William Meyerowitz, Gloucester Humoresque
Arrangement by: Cape Ann Garden Club, Christina Cunningham and Patricia Plevisani of Gloucester, MA
William Meyerowitz (1887-1981), Gloucester Humoresque, 1923. Oil on canvas. Gift of James F. and Jean Baer O’Gorman, 1985. [Accession # 2510.4]. Below.
Artwork Description: William Meyerowitz (1887-1981) parodied the 1920s Gloucester art scene in this amusing painting. The North Shore Arts Association (on the right) held juried shows and the Gloucester Society of Artists (on the left) was not juried and appears more popular. Artists depicted include: Stuart Davis (lower center with easel), Meyerowitz’s wife, artist Theresa Bernstein (seated far left), and Meyerowitz himself (painting in the foreground). The couple owned a summer home in East Gloucester and exhibited at both art associations and the exclusive Gallery-on-the-Moors.
Floral Artists’ First Impressions: Our first impression was of the color palette and casual atmosphere of the friends gathered. We wanted to capture the appearance of the hostess having gone out into her garden and placed cuttings in any jar or vase that was on hand.
2. Frank Stella, Gloucester Harbor
Arrangement by: Flowerscapes by Maureen, Maureen Duncan, Nate LaRoche, and Kathleen Newman of Essex, MA
Frank Stella, Gloucester Harbor, c. 1953-1954. Oil on shellacked cardboard mounted on canvas. Gift of the estate of Tamara Greeman, 2018. [Accession # 2018.018]. Detail above.
Artwork Description: While still a student at Phillips Academy, Frank Stella used Gloucester’s working harbor as his subject. The repetition of shapes and the flatness of the composition foreshadow the direction that this artist’s work would take in the following decades as he moved to experiment with minimalism and hard-edged painting techniques. Stella has become an important and innovative artist as well as a sculptor and printmaker.
Floral Artists’ First Impressions: Abstract oil painting – will need to study the texture and color and also to identify the background scenery.
What inspires you about your piece: What inspires us mostly about this piece is that it’s in the area in which we live, so to view such a beautiful masterpiece and recognize where the artist actually stood and painted it is such a wonderful experience.
Will your interpretation be literal: We are interpreting this painting literally.
Did you receive any unexpected help, or can you detail any misadventures, any last minute changes: None so far and not anticipating any!
Anything you’d like to share about your container: We used the containers as abstract art to represent the boats and the buildings from the painting.
Any additional thoughts you would like to share about your experience: This is our second year and we’re very honored to be able to participate with Cape Ann Blossoms and with more knowledge it makes this experience more enjoyable.
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Samuel Hershey, Ellie (Portrait of Eleanor Weber Hershey the Artist’s Wife)
Arrangement by: Helios Floral, Keelia Gardiner of Salem, MA
Samuel Hershey (1904- 1987), Ellie (Portrait of Eleanor Weber Hershey the artist’s wife) 1930. Oil on canvas. Frame made by Walfred Thulin (1871-1949), Boston, 1930. Gift of the artist, 1987. [Accession # 25431].
Artwork Description: Samuel Hershey came to Rockport in 1923, drawn by friends and its art colony. His devotion to this town would include three WPA murals for the town hall and his serving, for four years, as president of the Rockport Art Association. Hershey’s ties to Cape Ann were strengthened by his marriage to Rockport native Eleanor Weber, who is portrayed in this painting with the iconic Motif #1 in the background. It was said that the two couldn’t be separated.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: My initial thought was that she looks sad and a bit indifferent, with dark, gloomy colors. I think that the way she is positioned with lighter and brighter color gives and overall feeling of hopefulness and fondness for the subject in a rough landscape.
What inspires you about your piece: What inspires me most about the piece is the contrast of the mood once you observe it in more detail. At first glance the piece feels very somber and almost harsh, but when you take in the more minute details in the background and the way the subject is highlighted it takes on a feeling of admiration and fondness.
Will your interpretation be literal: My interpretation will most likely fall somewhere in between. I plan to highlight both the rigidity/structure of the subject, as well as the softer elements in the piece.
Fitz Henry Lane, A Rough Sea
Arrangement by: Cape Ann Artisans, Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco and Deborah Gonet of Gloucester, MA
Fitz Henry Lane (1804-1865), A Rough Sea, 1854. Oil on canvas. Gift of Alfred Mansfield Brooks and Ruth Steele Brooks, 1927. [Accession # 807]. Detail above.
Artwork Description: Commissioned by Gloucester ship captain Obadiah Woodbury, the ship in this painting has weathered a storm and the sun is now breaking out. The work serves as a reassurance that the anchor and the lines have held, the ship is intact, and that all is well.
Floral Artists’ First Impressions: We had a few ideas when initially viewing the painting together and verbally walked through them. Taking advantage of our individual strengths our final design shifted from our initial ideas.
What inspires you about your piece: Colors, motion, angle of the ship and the lines of the masts. What might exist under the water and the use of recycled materials; some directly from the ocean floor!
Anything you’d like to share about your container: The base is a sand mix similar to cement, historic sea glass and pottery shards and bottlenecks all collected by the designer. Durable for outdoor use as a sculpture or garden stone.
Any additional thoughts you would like to share about your experience: It is a challenge to create a floral design without actual flowers while adhering to extreme limitations of materials allowed in the gallery. We really enjoyed the self-imposed challenge of using so much recycled material.
Artistic components: Flora created starting from the bottlenecks, painted parchment paper, polyethylene and silk flower stems all of which are recycled.
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Fitz Henry Lane, Somes Sound, Mount Desert Island, Maine Arrangement by: Cape Ann Artisans, Rebecca Nagle, Sinikka Nogelo and Melody Phaneuf of Gloucester, MA
Fitz Henry Lane (1804-1865), Somes Sound, Mount Desert Island, Maine, c. 1850s. Oil on canvas. Gift of Alfred Mansfield Brooks and Ruth Steele Brooks, 1947. [Accession #1191].
Artwork Description: Somes Sound, on Mt. Desert Island, is a fjord-like inlet upon which Lane sailed with his friend Joseph Stevens, Jr. on numerous occasions while making many drawings to use as a basis for his paintings. It is thought, however, that this painting was another collaboration of Lane and his student Mary Blood Mellen.
Floral Artists’ First Impressions: It was a total transformation from our original thoughts. Exciting to see the exploration of materials amongst the three of us pull together.
What inspires you about your piece: The transcendent quality of the artistic decisions FH Lane made.
Will your interpretation be literal: No, it will be inventive, but based on observations of the painting.
Did you receive any unexpected help, or can you detail any misadventures, any last minute changes: A few happy accidents while trying to construct floral elements that rhymed with elements and principles we observed in the painting. A major change was that we completely changed the orientation of the wood element from horizontal to vertical. Rather than the bases, as originally conceived, it became a component of the vessel.
Anything you’d like to share about your container: It was inspired by the sea and the land surrounding it, constructed with wood and clay elements that echoed components of the painting.
Any additional thoughts you would like to share about your experience: The collaborative effort made for a surprising outcome.
Artistic Components: The flowers were handmade using some natural components, wire, paper, paint and various found materials.
Fitz Henry Lane, Coffin’s Beach at Sunrise Arrangement by: Cape Ann Artisans, Beth Williams of Gloucester and Pam Stratton of Rockport, MA
Fitz Henry Lane (1804-1865), Coffin’s Beach at Sunrise, c. 1862. Oil on canvas. Gift of Fredrick Friend Low (1872-1952) through his niece Martha F. Low, 1977. [Accession # 2150].
Artwork Description: This location at the westernmost end of Wingaersheek Beach was largely undeveloped during Lane’s lifetime. The painting, while having a large sky and a detailed foreground typical of Lane, is thought to be a collaboration with his student Mary Blood Mellen, who may have added additional details uncharacteristic of her teacher.
Floral Artists’ First Impressions: Serene beach scene, beautiful sunrise sky...different from most other FHL paintings in the gallery, which is one of the main reasons we liked that painting for this year’s project.
What inspires you about your piece: The sky was our starting point, and the way the colors blend from one to the next and set off the clouds, beach and rocks. Even though the foreground landscape is somewhat subdued in the painting, we decided to use it to create the floral focus of the sculpture and then used the colors in the sky and flowers to create the arc of glass slices to mimic the sweep of the sky.
Will your interpretation be literal: Colorwise, yes. Otherwise, not really....
Did you receive any unexpected help, or can you detail any misadventures, any last minute changes: The cholla cactus skeleton was surprisingly difficult to drill, align and attach to the base. Pam had some help from her contractor with the drilling part. We still have some minor adjustments and additions to make.
Anything you’d like to share about your container: Cactus skeletons are really tough! The texture is so cool and a fun addition to our piece.
Any additional thoughts you would like to share about your experience: It’s been fun to collaborate on this project again, and a real pleasure to work together.
Artistic Components: The flowers and leaves are all handmade flameworked glass. Other materials are: archival tissue paper and reed for the “sail”, glass canes (cut cross-sections), cholla cactus skeleton, granite pebbles, sand and wood plank base.
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Charles Hopkinson, Claude Lorraine Glass
Arrangement by: Gordon Florist and Greenhouses, Leandro Gomes and Cindy Gordon of Ipswich, MA
Charles S. Hopkinson (1869-1962), Claude Lorraine Glass c. 1909. Oil on canvas. On loan from the artist’s family.
Artwork Description: Charles Sydney Hopkinson (1869-1962) painted his sister-inlaw Harriot Sumner Curtis on a terrace of the family summer home at Sharksmouth, Manchester-by-the-Sea. The portrait was considered experimental; critics cited “daring color values,” particularly the greens, and the unusual downward facing pose of the sitter. A renowned Boston-based portraitist, Hopkinson inserted a clever device—his own reflection in the glass of the French doors. The title of the painting refers to a 17th century reflective device used by painters. Here the French doors play that role.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: Peaceful – and I love the lighting!
Fresnel Lighthouse Lens
Arrangement by: Danvers Garden Club, Nancy Walke of Danvers, MA
Fresnel Lighthouse Lens, First Order, L. Sautter & Sons, Paris, France, (c.1860), On permanent loan to the Cape Ann Museum from the United States Coast Guard.
Artwork Description: A monumental piece of industrial art, this lens was in the south tower of the twin lighthouses on Thacher Island, a dangerous location for mariners off Rockport. The technology was invented in the early 1800s by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel. The precisely manufactured prism lenses concentrate and magnify light from a single source into a strong beam that projects horizontally. On a good night, Thacher’s lights could be seen for 22 miles, an enormous improvement in visibility over earlier apparatus.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: I am very, very, very excited. This is my third year participating – year one: painting, year two: sculpture, year three: an artifact. Wow, I will be stretched! I see sculpture, design, function, and a paint-like quality in the reflection of light. ROYGBIV – I feel permission to use all the colors of the spectrum in juxtaposition of industrial material and beautiful flower material. I am so thrilled!
What inspires you about your piece: The design, the changing light, the color spectrum. Juxtaposition of industrial innovation and artistic illumination. Lighting the way.
Will your interpretation be literal: The container evokes the materials of the structure with metal, glass, and a functional use. The design is a floral interpretation of ROYGBIV which heartens back to my junior high school science class and learning about the light spectrum.
Anything you want to share about your container: The search was like a treasure hunt. I was guided by the shape, materials, and design of the original piece. So, it was lighting my way on this design journey.
Any additional thoughts you would like to add about your experience: I was struck by how this lens is a beacon light. Sending a signal of safe harbor in stormy seas and the rainbow is a symbol of hope and also in society today a symbol of inclusivity.
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Sam R. Novello and Friends, Painted Oars
Arrangement by: Reading Garden Club, Rosemarie Rose of Reading, MA
Sam R. Novello (1918-1993) and Friends, Painted Oars, 1957-1972. Gift of Geoffrey H. Richon, 1989. [Accession # 2671].
Artwork Description: These brightly painted oars were the brainchild of Gloucester fisherman Sam Novello (1918-1993). He wanted to honor the Italian-American fishing fleet in Gloucester with a distinctive color scheme and design for each fishing vessel. The children of the Sicilian neighborhood called The Fort helped create almost 70 oars between 1957-1972. Longer than ordinary oars, these were used on seine boats, which were hefty rowing boats used to set nets (seines). The painted oars were carried proudly during the annual St. Peter’s fiesta procession in June.
Edward H. Potthast, Portrait
of a Fisherman
Arrangement by: Rockport Garden Club, Eileen Saunders and Kerry O’Donnell of Rockport, MA
Edward H. Potthast, Portrait of a Fisherman, c. 1900. Oil on canvas. Gift of Marietta Lynch, given in memory of Margaret Farrell Lynch, 1999. [Accession # 1999.70].
Artwork Description: Edward Potthast’s paintings which were filled with sunshine and bright color became the works for which he was best known. Until he was 39 years old, Potthast earned his living as a lithographer. The purchase of one of his paintings by the Cincinnati Museum of Art encouraged him to abandon that for a career as a fine artist. By 1908, he had a studio in New York City, where he filled his canvases with Central Park and beach scenes as well as Cape Ann landscapes and people.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: We were disappointed that it was not a landscape. However, we will do our best for our fisherman.
What inspires you about your piece: Different textures, especially his beard! His hat may be reflected in the container we choose. We will try to reflect a nautical theme.
Will your interpretation be literal: No, not literal but we will try to incorporate colors and textures that are in the painting.
Anything you’d like to share about your container: Our container is black like the fisherman’s hat and is shaped like a boat.
Brad Story, Aeroflora
Arrangement by: POSY Florals Flower Farm, Britt Decker and Kellie Dodd of Peabody, MA
Brad Story, Aeroflora, 2017. Wood, epoxy, fiberglass, acrylic paint. Gift of the artist, 2022. [Accession # 2022.96]. Detail below.
Artwork Description: A native of Essex, Brad Story returned to his hometown after college to become the 7th generation to work in his family’s shipbuilding business that began in the 1660s. After nearly 30 years, however, he turned to his childhood dream of designing and building three-dimensional works of art that combine his love of airplanes, birds, and shipbuilding, as well as love of nature by using wood accompanied by fiberglass to give an ethereal look to his works. This flowery craft is a perfect example of his ingenuity.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: What luck to be paired with a piece so perfect for POSY! Tulips are one of the largest crops that POSY specializes in, and we will have a beautiful, bountiful harvest to choose from. Admittedly, I also feel a bit intimidated, as the sculpture is suspended in midair. I think it will be a challenge to make sure that the arrangement and the sculpture feel connected despite their physical distance. That being said, I absolutely love the whimsy of the piece, and I’m looking forward to some creative problem solving!
What inspires you about your piece: I love the movement of this piece. The pitch and roll of the plane are very effective at bringing the aircraft right into the room. The soft and earthy palette is right up my alley. I want to mirror those colors in my arrangement to demonstrate the relationship between the two.
Will your interpretation be literal: I’m hoping that my interpretation will be more suggestive. I intend to use loops of miscanthus to reference the lines and movement of the wings and of course tulips- lots of tulips! I do have a backup plan in the event that there’s not enough miscanthus on the farm this early in the season, and that is to make a swirling armature with Midollino, which is both a sustainable and artistic mechanic for florists. If I go this route, it may be a more literal interpretation. I’m looking to sustainable mechanics queen, Hitomi Gilliam, for inspiration in this department.
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Harrison Cady, Essex Shipyard
Arrangement by: Hamilton Wenham Garden Club, Pat Fleming of Beverly, MA
Harrison Cady (1877-1970), Essex Shipyard, c. 1930s. Oil on board. The James Collection, promised gift of Janet & William Ellery James to the Cape Ann Musuem. Detail above.
Artwork Description: Harrison Cady is best known for his Peter Rabbit comic strip which he wrote and illustrated for 28 years. It was based on Thornton Burgess’ Peter Cottontail stories, a collaboration with that author that lasted 50 years. Cady devoted more and more time after he married to painting various locations in Rockport where he spent his summers. This painting, while realistic, also shows his whimsical style, though certainly the activities shown therein were absolutely necessary for shipbuilding.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: There is no dominance in this painting, so I was looking towards the laborers and how they felt.
White inspires you about your piece: There is much work to be done by the laborers on this autumn day. Hard physical labor with some showing exhaustion. I was intrigued by the small child near the tree with the small wagon.
Will your interpretation be literal: Not literal.
Did you receive any unexpected help, or can you detail any misadventures, any last minute changes: I changed my container from a ceramic vessel to the frond. The warm tones of the frond related to the picture.
Anything you’d like to share about your container: It is a dried frond.
Celia Eldridge, Field, Marble Road
Arrangement by: Farm and Son, Jeffrey Pratt of Newburyport, MA
Celia Eldridge, Field, Marble Road, 1974-75. Oil on canvas. Gift of Catherine Bayliss, 2021. [Accession # 2021.66]. Detail above.
Artwork Description: It’s easy to imagine wind swishing through field grass in this abstract, multi-panel oil. Brush strokes are slanted and swirled to suggest the wind’s effect and the predominately tawny palette mimics dry vegetation. The site is the Marble Road Conservation Area in East Gloucester, adjacent to High Popples Road. Celia Eldridge (b. 1938) studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. She has been living and working in Gloucester since the 1970s and has taught both privately and at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: My first impression was the size of the gigantic piece of artwork! Field, Marble Road was only one of two pieces on that floor of the Museum, and it definitely was an eye catcher! Being that it is so large it was only assumed that my design would also have to be something of size and of course hopefully an eye catcher!
What inspires you about your piece: COLOR!! Being that this painting is solely told by color I was instantly attracted to it for that reason! Color theory is something I most gravitate towards when designing flowers. I find harmony in my own designs by finding a palette of colors that complement each other and then throwing it off with an unsuspecting color or texture!
Will your interpretation be literal: I think my interpretation will best be taken literally to the extent of the colors used with the painting and the size of the artwork. Designing sizable flowers where someone can have an immersive experience is one of my favorite opportunities!
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Judith Goetemann, Marshland II
Arrangement by: Essex County Horticultural Organization, John Archer of Danvers, MA
Judith Goetemann (1935-2019), Marshland II, 2011. Batik on silk. Gift of the artist, 2012. [Accession # 2012.51.2]. Detail below.
Artwork Description: Looking like a painting or even a photograph, this scene of exquisitely detailed water plants and a butterfly is actually a Batik design on fabric. Batik is a “resist” technique in which wax is painstakingly applied to portions of an image leaving other areas of cloth free to accept dye. A fourth generation Gloucester native, Judith Goetemann was nationally recognized for her dyed and painted fabrics. She had a long career in the Rocky Neck Art Colony with artist husband Gordon Goetemann.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: I love this piece but it’s not what might work for a traditional arrangement of roses or carnations. Looking to use a mix of ferns and grasses, and New Zealand flax. The butterfly will be the statement!
Zygmund Jankowski, Hopper House on Prospect Street, Gloucester
Arrangement by: Luna Moss, Amy Sadler of Essex, MA
Zygmund Jankowski (1925-2009), Hopper House on Prospect Street, Gloucester, c. 1990s. Oil on paper. Gift of Myra Hall, 2023. [Accession # 2023.16].
Artwork Description: In the 1970s, Zygmund Jankowski left his commercial art studio in South Bend, Indiana, and moved to Gloucester, where he dedicated the remainder of his life to his art. His early paintings from the 1960s are characterized by a subdued palette of predominantly earth tones. Once he moved East, his works featured Impressionistic, Expressionistic compositions and vibrant colors, as shown in this painting of a home in central Gloucester which Edward Hopper first made famous.
Walker Hancock, Triton
Arrangement by: Generous Gardeners, Leslie Pope and Mary Ethel Stack of Gloucester, MA
Walker Hancock (1901-1998), Triton, 1983. Bronze. Gift of Laura Stephanio Kerr, 2022. Funding for conservation of this work was provided by Arthur N. Ryan’s bequest to the Cape Ann Museum. [Accession #2022.02].
Artwork Description: Triton was the mythical son of Poseidon, God of the Sea. The fishtailed boy is blowing a conch shell, which was said to control the sea’s movement. The large original was cast in plaster for the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair. The bronze Triton fountain at the Cape Ann Museum is one of approximately 12 smaller castings, including one near the entrance to Stage Fort Park. Walker Hancock was a renowned 20th century American figurative sculptor who lived and worked in Lanesville.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: We were delighted to receive one of Walker Hancock’s Tritons, especially since Generous Gardeners has a Triton sculpture at our garden in honor of Betty Smith, a longtime community activist, preservationist and gardener. Walker Hancock’s range of work is amazing from busts of Robert Frost to the commanding World War II Memorial at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. I also met Walker Hancock when our high school art teacher, Howard Curtis, invited him to our class 50 years ago!
What inspires you about your piece: The Triton inspires Generous Gardeners at work in the gardens on Stacy Boulevard as well as visitors and frequent walkers. It is the visual highlight at the western end of the Boulevard.
Will your interpretation be literal: The design will have a slight touch of the literal Triton, with a triton shell for arranging, a bronze holder, and smooth stones from the sea.
Did you receive any unexpected help, or can you detail any misadventures, any last minute changes: We experimented with two shells. Once filled with oasis and flowers, our large shell was too heavy for our display stand, thus the dish and stones.
Anything you’d like to share about your container: We were so fortunate to have a large triton shell so appropriate for this arrangement.
Floral components: Will be much easier to update this after we see what is available at the flower market. Currently we are thinking of greens, grasses, and flowers (sea holly) to evoke the feeling of the sea along with red roses or tulips to represent the red flowers that surround “our” Triton at the Betty Smith Garden.
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Lawrence Fane, Folly Cove
Arrangement by: Newburyport Horticultural Society, Janet Nuttle Collett and Carole Gura of Newburyport, MA
Lawrence Fane (1933-2008), Folly Cove, 1985. Wood. Gift of Dimitri Fane, 2023. [Accession # 2023.7]. Detail below.
Artwork Description: A sculptor known for his use of steel, bronze, concrete, wood, and other materials to create Expressionistic forms, Lawrence Fane modeled his work on the drawings of the Italian Renaissance artist and engineer Taccola. After studying at the Boston Museum School, Fane apprenticed with sculptor George Demetrios. This brought him to Gloucester in the summers where local landscapes, and especially its granite quarries, provided much of his inspiration.
Floral Artist’s First Impressions: My first impression was that I had never done a design based on a sculpture, especially one as abstract as this one.
What inspires you about your piece: I was inspired by the mass, the rhythm (asymmetrical thrust) and the monochromatic theme of the piece.
Will your interpretation be literal: It will be literal in the sense that it is a creative line design, similar to the sculpture.
Did you receive any unexpected help, or can you detail any misadventures, any last minute changes: I found that the large Aspidistra leaves were a challenge to curl.
Anything you’d like to share about your container: I think the container is perfect as it is wood and imitates the weight and color of the sculpture.
Any additional thoughts you would like to share about your experience: I found this project to be challenging and it caused me to think “outside of the box.” I used the willow branches to pierce the massing of greens and Protea and create a diagonal statement. This project challenged my creativity and for that, I am very grateful.
Floral components: Aspidistra leaves, tropical TI leaves, tree fern, natural palm spears, curly willow branches and Protea
18. Morgan Faulds Pike, The Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Memorial
Arrangement by: Isabella Natti of Gloucester, MA
Morgan Faulds Pike, The Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Memorial, 1999-2001. Plaster. Collection of the artist. Detail above.
Artwork Description: Morgan Faulds Pike is probably best known for this work –a 12-foot high bronze with a granite base of a fisherman’s wife awaiting the return of her husband and the children’s father. Along with Leonard Craske’s Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial (“Man at the Wheel”), the two waterfront sculptures are some of the city’s most iconic attractions. It was Pike’s previous work as a skilled woodcarver at C.B. Fisk, a renowned pipe organ builder in Gloucester, that allowed her artistic interests to coalesce.
What inspires you about your piece: The flow of the piece.
Will your interpretation be literal: No, but it’s inspired by both the plaster cast and the full size sculpture on the Boulevard.
Did you receive any unexpected help or can you detail any misadventures, any last minute changes: Finding the perfect materials can be challenging, but making do with what you can find is part of the fun.
Anything you want to share about your container: The container is inspired by the granite pedestal the full-size sculpture is on.
Any additional thoughts you would like to add about your experience: It was really cool to meet the artist.
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McClellan, Midgard Serpent
Arrangement by: Sage Floral Studio, Beth Genovese and Gina Russo of Gloucester, MA
20. Lee Kingman Natti, Cotillion
Arrangement by: Danvers Garden Club, Stacy Giggie of Danvers, MA
Lee Kingman Natti (1919-2020), Napkin Printed with “Cotillion”, Mid-20th century. Ink on linen (placemat). Gift of Mary Jane Olney, 2013. [Accession # 2013.22.2].
Artwork Description: At the age of 24, Lee Kingman Natti began work as an assistant to the editor at Houghton Mifflin Company. Soon the publishing company sent her to take art classes from George Demetrios at his studio in Lanesville. There, she met and later married Robert Natti, and settled in Lanesville herself. Soon after, she took Virginia Lee Burton Demetrios’ design course and became one of the most productive printmaker members of Folly Cove Designers. This popular design highlights Natti’s printmaking skill as well as her admiration for natural beauty.
Anything you want to share about your container: My container is inspired by the block printing process.
James McClellan (1910-2005), Midgard Serpent, 1967. Teak, paint, and gold leaf. Gift of the artist, 2000. [Accession # 2000.33]. Detail above.
Artwork Description: Coiled and ready to strike, the Midgard Serpent is a teak wood carving by James McClellan. The body appears ready to move, and the fire breathing mouth is caught in mid flame. The gold stripe and black banding are reminiscent of a real snake. A Massachusetts native, James McClellan studied under Cape Ann artists Charles Hopkinson and George Demetrios, eventually becoming Demetrios’ studio assistant. In Norse mythology, the evil Midgard Serpent was so large it could encircle the earth and grasp its own tail.
Floral Artists’ First Impressions: After seeing the wood Sea Serpent sculpture, we envisioned our piece to reflect a storm at sea and including driftwood.
What inspires you about your piece: The movement of the Sea Serpent and the Viking history behind it. 19.
Doris Elizabeth Prouty, Lanes Cove
Arrangement by: North Shore Garden Club, Catharine Ebling of Wenham, MA and Helen Glaenzer of Manchester, MA
Doris Elizabeth Prouty (1947-2020), Lanes Cove. Hand Appliqué, Embroidery, Cotton Cloth. 2017. Cape Ann Museum Collection. Gift of the Prouty Family, 2022. [Accession # 2022.93.1]. Detail opposite.
Artwork Description: Viewers will recognize Lane’s Cove with the shaded colors of the granite breakwater, ripples on the sea, and repetitive puffy clouds. This skillfully appliquéd quilt was created by Doris Elizabeth Prouty. A self-taught AfricanAmerican quilter, she lived in Lanesville with her family for over 40 years. Over the decades, Prouty created more and more complex quilts exploring themes of social and climate justice, feminism, family, her neighborhood, and Black history. Her work was exhibited at the Janet and William Ellery James Center at CAM Green in 2022.
Floral Artists’ First Impressions: We admire the texture, rhythm, colors and composition of the artwork - we are excited and will have fun brainstorming!
What inspires you about your piece: We love the subject of the piece, too, and have since paid a visit to scenic Lane’s Cove for on-site inspiration!
Will your interpretation be literal: Our interpretation will not be entirely literal... rather, we would like our design to reflect the artwork, by including some elements of the colors, textures, rhythm and lines of the artwork.
Anything you’d like to share about your container: The colored glass cylinders evoke the deep blue of the sea. The aspidistra leaves lining the vases suggest the motion of the ocean currents.
Any additional thoughts you would like to share about your experience: We have collaborated many times as a designing pair in judged Flower Shows - and, as is our custom, we did our “homework”, looking to other designers and photos from books, websites, etc. for creative stimulation and ideas, as well as working out various iterations of our design in advance. This is our first experience with “Blossoms”, or anything like it, and we hope not our last!
Floral components: Hydrangea, Erygium Blue Sea Holly, Green Ball Dianthus, Pussy Willow, Black Pussy Willow, Aspidistra elatior
22. John Raimondi, Dance of the Cranes
Arrangement by: ROBBERSDAUGHTER, Maia Mattson of Gloucester, MA
John Raimondi, Dance of the Cranes, 1987. Bronze. Gift of the Charles R. Wood Foundation, 2010. [Accession # 2010.48].
Artwork Description: In the Sculpture Park across from the Museum, the bronze Dance of the Cranes suggests long bodies and outstretched wings of sandhill cranes in a mating dance. A Massachusetts native, John Raimondi attended Massachusetts College of Art where he began making monumental sculptures. Raimondi built skillful scale models as a youth and later full-sized hot rod autos which taught him scale and movement. He has created over 100 monumental sculptures worldwide. With ties to Rockport, Raimondi now lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
What inspires you about your piece: The freedom!
Floral components: Locally foraged plant material.
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Thank you to our Cape Ann Blossoms Sponsors*
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors for generously supporting Cape Ann Blossoms Weekend. Your contributions have helped us raise crucial funds that will allow us to continue to showcase our exhibitions and expand our programming and educational offerings! In addition, thank you to the many talented volunteers, floral artists and designers who have dedicated their time and expertise in making Cape Ann Blossoms a success.
Thank you to Cape Ann Museum docents, Gail Anderson and Leslie Beatty for providing the artwork descriptions in the Cape Ann Blossoms Program Guide.
Cape Ann Blossoms Sponsors
Dahlia Sponsors
Rose and Greg Beecher
Tom Janis and Joe Weglarz
Myranda O’Bara and Jay Somers
Ranunculus Sponsors
Jackie and J.J. Bell
Jennifer and Tom Eddy
Ann and John Hall
Michelle and John Morris
Rose Sponsors
Anonymous
Pat and Glenn Alto
Jill and Stephen Bell
Jean and William Bellissimo
Rebecca and Eric Bornstein
Pamela Bynum and Henry Ferrara
Abigail Carroll and John M. Ellis
Sarah and Gibson Carey
Katherine and Peter Coakley
Ann and Henry Cook
Lindsay Pearce Cowan and Chad Cowan
Diana Keller Fernandez and Ricardo Fernandez
Nina and Stephen Goodick
Lindsay and Garth Greimann
Debbie and Jack Henning
Caroline and Thomas Hovey
Cara and J. Britton Hutchins
Midori and Jonathan Iannacone
Pamela and Robert Irwin
Courtney and Mark Kagan
Rose Sponsors cont.
Christine Kinney and Bill Siderewicz
Sandra and Peter Lawrence
Monica Lawton and Ray Crane
Stephen Lindo
Karen and Jake Maslow
Eileen and Joseph Mueller
Susanna Natti and Alan Willsky
Beth and Jon Payson
Susan and Sam Philbrick
Elaine Quinn
Deborah Quirk-Timmer
Andrée Robert and Tom Burger
Diane and Michael Slezak
Susan and Stanley Trotman
Thi Linh and Peter Wernau
Margaret and Chip Ziering
Peony Sponsors
Jan and John Bell
Mollie Byrnes
Tracey and Jeffrey Gould
Susan D. Hall
Rebecca Popell
Hinda Simon
Anne-Seymour St. John and W. Albert Ellis
