REFLECTIONS IN THE SHELL by THOMAS FERRARO photography by JOSHUA MCKERROW
Photo courtesy of Eric Roberge
W
hen Eric Roberge describes his life as an artist in a changing Annapolis the last half-century, one can hear his passion, struggles and satisfaction. “When I was a kid, there were few, if any, galleries [in Annapolis],” he recalls. “But there’s been an explosion of them. They provide Roberge and other artists with nearly two dozen places to show and sell their paintings, photos, sculptures, and crafts. With the popularity of galleries, Roberge says he saw more bars and restaurants begin to display local art and feature live music and help give rise to the emergence of street art festivals, drawing crowds upwards of several thousand. “A festival on the City Dock in 1970,” he says, “that’s where I sold my very first piece—a painting on a recycled acoustic ceiling tile of three Revolutionary War-era
people, one carrying a 13-star flag, a fife, and a drum. I sold it for $25, I think.” The ascent of the arts changed the face of downtown Annapolis, says Roberge, pleasing some locals but angering others who saw their favorite grocery, hardware, and clothing stores replaced by eating and drinking establishments. “Annapolis went from having a normal downtown that served the people who live and work here to a downtown that caters mostly to tourists who want to go to restaurants and bars,” he says. Emblematic of the change, he explains, is that an area of the Annapolis City Dock, where oyster and crab workboats long reigned, is now lined with multimillion-dollar yachts and called “Ego Alley.” He also references the upscaling of the nearby Market House, which opened in 1858.
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