Cape Ann Museum hosts virtual lecture series

BOSTON, MASS. (April 2021) – To highlight the work of local contemporary sculptors, painters, and artists, the Cape Ann Museum will host a series of monthly virtual lectures from April 29 through June 11. Topics range from showcasing the work of Gloucester’s Don Gorvett in his new studio and his contribution to the Museum’s current exhibition, CAM (Re) Connects; conversations with sculptors Chris Williams and Ken Hruby, both of whom have works in the Museum’s courtyard; and plein air painting with Loren Doucette.

“With our virtual lecture series, we wanted to pivot and focus on the living artists who call Cape Ann their home, carrying on this area’s tradition as a destination for painters, sculptors, writers, poets, and all kinds of artists who are inspired by the beauty and history of this special place,” said Museum Director Oliver Barker. “With the virtual format, we can reach a much wider audience, and we welcome everyone to join us.” The lectures are free to members and $10 for non-members.

Here are the details:

From the Studio to the Gallery with Don Gorvett

Thursday, April 29 at 11:00 am

Pre-register on zoom

Free for members, $10 for non-members

Explore two sides of the art world during this virtual lecture with Gloucester-based artist, Don Gorvett. The event will start with a recorded video tour of Gorvett’s new studio at the Beacon Marine Basin in Gloucester. Gorvett will then be streamed live from the Cape Ann Museum’s current exhibition, CAM (Re)Connects, which features three of his prints. The double-sided printing block used to create The Galleon Mayflower II in Dry Dock and Tarr and Wonson Manufactory is also currently on display.

Gorvett’s immediate surroundings, the seaside, and harbors are fundamental to his work and are much influenced by a romantic passion for history, drama, and music. His considerable skills as a draughtsman and his thorough understanding of the medium of printmaking are paramount features of his bold, graphic style and the somewhat abstract nature of his imagery. In this virtual lecture, hear directly from the artist about his process, his inspiration, and the career that he has built from both.

Conversations with Contemporary Sculptors with Chris Williams and Ken Hruby

Saturday, May 22 at 1:00 pm

Pre-register on zoom

Free for members, $10 for non-members

Join Cape Ann sculptors Chris Williams and Ken Hruby during this virtual lecture live-streamed from the Cape Ann Museum Courtyard. Chris Williams, who works and lives in Essex, created the Gloucester Sea Serpent specifically for CAM in 2019 to honor Ronda Faloon, who served as executive director for 13 years. In addition, he has created pieces for Logan International Airport, Kendall Square in Cambridge, and Salem State University, among others.

Ken Hruby’s sculpture Uneasy Crown, Uneasy Chair, Uneasy Piece has been at CAM since 2008 when it was installed in memory of past Museum president Harold Bell. His work has been shown in numerous group and solo shows on the east coast and is included in several private and public collections, including the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago. The two Cape Ann artists will discuss their pieces on display, their processes, and their current work.

Contemporary Plein Air with Loren Doucette

Friday, June 11 at 1:00 pm

Pre-register on zoom

Free for members, $10 for non-members

As a peninsula known for its light, waters, and granite, Cape Ann has attracted plein air painters since the form began. In this virtual lecture, Cape Ann Artist Loren Doucette will talk about how contemporary artists like herself both draw inspiration and diverge from this tradition. These painters, while still working from observation, synthesize the information seen on the landscape through poetic expression rather than interpreting it realistically.

Starting with works in the Museum’s collection, including traditional plein air paintings by Aldro Hibbard and more interpretive paintings by Marsden Hartley and Nell Blaine, Doucette will discuss the difference between traditional plein air painting and some of the painters, past and present, that express a more abstracted version of the landscape. This virtual lecture will highlight the stories of artists who, with a freedom deeply rooted in experimentation and innovation, depart from traditional plein air painting to create a vision uniquely their own.