Robert John Cook

The Art of Spiritual Gifts

2009-07-18T08:41:00.001-04:00

You are invited to be part of the following project http://www.theartofspiritualgifts.wordpress.com/:
Following the success of our Salon Des Refuses Show show earlier this year at the Cape Cod Museum, Of Art, we've been asked for a repeat. Here's the response, our new show, titled 'The Art Of Spiritual Gifts, will be held on February 4, 2010, 5:30 – 7:30 pm at the museum. The concept for our show is for each of the selected artists to describe the Spiritual Gifts they have received and what/how they have used those Spiritual Gifts in their art. Each artist will write a chapter for a collaborative book that we will publish and have available for sale during the night of the show. The artist's respective chapter will be 'illustrated' with the art chosen by the artist to represent their Spiritual Gift. The representation will be displayed on the artist's easel during the show. In additon, just to add a twist to the show, Also, a ten minute videography film showcasing the collaborative process will be shown the night of the show in the museum's screening room. Contact Robert John Cook at MayflowerStudio@aol.com or call (508) 367-5571 for further info.
As an example, here's a draft of Robert John Cook's contribution to our collaborative book.

Spiritual Gifts
by Robert John Cook

The first time Santa Fe summoned me was in 1979. I flew from Boston to Albuquerque, then hopped a lift with Michael Andryc from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. I was a twenty four years old, experience with flying would come later in life. Peering through the small window the clouds were large, vivid white, and reminded me of cotton candy. Their size was as big as mountains. The plane would dart through one cloud, then exit another. Over and over we seemed to be playing hide and seek inside the field of Nature’s randomly scattered cotton balls.
I reached inside my carry-on bag, a knapsack which played host to my art supplies; charcoal pencils, paper, pens, and colored markers, and a few of my favorite pastels. I withdrew my sketch book. Santa Fe would become home to my art, this flight was the first step, the awkwardness of uncertainty seductively crept in, I reached for my colored pencils to ward it off. I drew a rough draft of a piece of future sculpture; a shape reminiscent of an inverted drop of water, a wave found in paisley, coming to a point at the bottom with an egg shaped contoured flow atop, the shape brought Casper the Ghost to mind. In the same form I drew a similar shape, perhaps one-quarter it's size, about mid-section to my original sketch, and turned it ninety degrees. The two forms now looked like Madonna holding her baby. I choose my brightest pencils and with a myriad of colors brought the sketch to life. A flight attendant interrupted my artistic trance, "You must be going to Santa Fe," she said. "That is beautiful," she added.
Santa Fe is a state of mind for artists as much as it is a destination for art collectors. I wasn't aware of this until several weeks after arriving. As my East Coat hurriedness was replaced with the softer pace one might find on a Carribean island, I adjusted and languished in the easy going style that is Santa Fe. And it was in that easiness that while camping up near Taos I recognized for the first time a soft voice that would become my spiritual journey. It would come to me much later in life that the Madonna and child I sketched that day on the plane was in fact my spirts, and the child she held; my spiritual birth.
Twenty years after Santa Fe, and far too many memories and miles in between, I lived in New Hampshire. I had now become a marathon runner and health nut, each day in the gym for no less than two hours. Part of my energize routine was to take my Yellow Lab and Golden Retriever for a hike in the mountains in my back yard. The winter trail was covered with icy sports, and the crack from my weight echoed in the still forest. My dogs ran up ahead, playfully, which as I write makes me smile, having lost both years ago the memory is a fond gift. In the quietness my attention was drawn to a shift in the wind at the top of a pine tree. The rustling branches seemed out of place in the otherwise quiet woods. I looked to the top of a tree and the explanation for the gentle push of wind amongst the limbs was simple; the gentle touch of my spirits caressed my cheek with the stroke a lover might use. I sensed my father, and his parents that day, but there were also others, many others, all of whom I did not know. All of whom though invited me to discover who they where, and invitation to appreciate them and welcome them into my spiritual life.
I spent the next five years researching my family history, the icon for my quest to discover who my spiritual ancestors were appeared in the sketch of Madonna and child I did twenty years previously en route to Santa Fe. The same icon I connected with while camping near Taos under the desert stars. When running through the woods your mind will be thinking two or three steps ahead of where your foot will land as one avoids rocks and slippery roots. The flight as one glides above the trail is a rush of quick physical decisions that frees the mind, creating an eagerness to go faster, and quicker, especially if the sun bringing the beautifully green leaves to life, and the air is as dry as the mountain is clean. In that quietness where my mind could think ahead, in the future where my next step would take place, I conjured thoughts of my icon of Madonna with child and went to work researching what would become my fourth book, my family history.
From the moment the wind stirred the branches atop the pine that day, I spent almost five years after researching my genealogy. I didn’t know what I was searching for, but I continued to look nonetheless, I believed something was there, just not sure what it was, nor how to find it. I visited each limb of my family tree, painstakingly spending hours combing through old birth records and marriage licences, and any other documentation to track down a path that would hopefully fill in the missing description of my family history. The further I went back the harder it became confirming who was related too who, where they were from, let along who they were and what life they had lived. But I searched nonetheless, recording all.
At the end of three years into my research I received a phone call from an unknown relative in Canada. Lorraine Gabriel introduced herself as my many times removed cousin, or something like that. Lorraine and I were related through my father's mother, a stern Irish woman with a no-nonsense approach that scared children, or at least she scarred me when I was child. After her introduction Lorraine put to me, "I heard you're working on our family history, did Aunt Millie ever mention anything to you about us being related to a famous Indian?"
Upon hearing Lorraine’s question my thoughts shifted to slow motion. I could see myself standing beside this stern Irish woman. My grandmother holding my hand and leaning over me, "Listen," she said as she shook my hand, rattling my entire body. "I have something important to tell you." I hadn’t thought of that moment in at least forty years, probably blocked it out from fear. Lorraine brought me back to that day, the famous Indian was the clue I was searching for. I went to work investigating my grandmother's lineage. Later that year my documented research supported my eleven generations ago grandfather as Iyannough (pronounced Hyanno), a local Cape Cod Indian that the village of Hyannis is named after.
Iyannough's marriage to my grandfather William Brewster's daughter, Patience, led unearthing my spiritual forefathers. I'm not a very religious person, so I'm not sure if my spiritual devotion genetically transcends from William Brewster being the Pilgrim founder. It's possible that the same religious devotion that led Brewster to defy the King Of England and through exile lead his Mayflower gathering of followers to Plimoth became the same type of devotion I used in pursuing my understanding and appreciation for my spirituality. I went to work and learned all I could, devouring books and spending hours researching as I looked beneath each rock for clues.
I hold a belief that my best paintings are the paintings that I don't control. My best work are the projects that I follow and not direct. When I apply paint to my pallette knife and see where the journey takes me I synchronize with a magic moment that connects me to the canvas, a place where my fingers hold a light. I then step back and feel that wonderful surge of, "Wow, I created that." It only happens with my best paintings, or perhaps with my best guitar playing, but when it happens there is a spiritual connection that took place that it both magical and unearthly. I called these moments Spiritual Gifts.
If blood is the river that breeds life, than Nature is the river that carries our spiritual gifts. The canal that carries the flow of spiritual gifts rests on our ability to raise our antenna so we may receive Nature's signals, which is easy for few, and sadly non-existent for many. When I began practicing Buddhist meditation I often thought the concept of reincarnation hinged on whether one did or didn't receive Nature's signals, with a 'come back and try it again' approach if one had missed out in their current lifetime. The more I researched and understood my forefathers the more signals I picked up. My antenna was now in full force, each day I would receive a spiritual gift.
Some spiritual gifts can be as simple as recognizing a beautiful moment during the day when the sunshine hits a flower and the beauty is so overwhelming that it seems the world just stopped spinning. Other spiritual gifts can be more complicated, but with practice having the antenna up makes receiving and recognizing our gifts easier and easier. The complicated spiritual gifts are those that are only appreciated when the myriad of dots can be connected and path figured out regarding how something so beautiful came to be in our life.
I purchased an amplifier when I recognized I like the sound my acoustic guitar can make when plugged in. In my cluttered studio the amplifier reverberated and produced a limited sound. I decided to play elsewhere, in a place more suitable to electric sound. I experimented with a pub in Hyannis (the roots of my spiritual forefather Iyannough). Each Wednesday night at 7:00 I would plug in for a couple of hours. In the luxurious wood of the simple pub my guitar would come to life, I soon gathered a band. At the end of a spiritually based song a young woman whose antenna was obviously receiving signals approached the makeshift stage. "You might appreciate this group", she said as she handed me a scribbled piece of paper. I stuck the paper in my shirt pocket and weeks later visited the website she recommended.
The like-minded community I was introduced to by this stranger handing me a scribbled website on a napkin was a gift. The once a month gathering shared by this beautiful group of spiritual brothers and sisters is truly a spiritual gift. Carl Jung believed in Synchronicity as the description for Spiritual Gifts, some might call them Coincidences. In either case when one event leads to another, and beauty is created through the connection, the question becomes how did this happen. When that question is asked it's time to appreciate the Spiritual Gift that our spiritual forefathers have given us.
I mention the story of the young woman handing me the scribble paper because the long list of odd synchronicity events that have ensued since that night on stage have been odd 'coincidences'. The beautiful friendships, and moments of incredible piece during the healing sessions during our group gatherings are very powerful, and sustaining. The intervention by my spiritual forefathers in providing these spiritual gifts is for me the purpose of life itself. I have discovered that measuring one's self-worth based on the dollar amount in a bank account, or number of material possessions, is pale in comparison to the self-worth registered by the appreciated accumulation of our spiritual gifts.
My sailboat, "Into The Mystic", was made for crossing oceans. When I sail far from land there sometimes comes a breeze which with caress my face with the same intention as the day my cheek was gently touched when I initially recognized my spiritual birth flowing in the breeze amidst the branches atop that pine tree. The spiritual gift of being on the water and connecting with my forefathers is a place I was meant to be, at that moment, it is, as Jung put it, a synchronic event. It is the gift that comes with an understanding of Nature, the home to our spirits. All things in Nature were meant to be, it's our glorious search to understand Nature that can bring us such tremendous joy if our antenna is up.
I mention the story about my sailboat ‘Into the Mystic’ because of the synchronized way my sailboat came to me. For many years I couldn't afford a larger sailboat, in it's place I would make the annual springtime expedition to Newport, Rhode island, for the Sailboat Show. I fell in love one year with certainly not the best boat at the show, but a boat nonetheless perfect for my sailing interests. After the show I asked two close friends of mine which boat they thought was the best at that year's show. They both replied with the exact same boat that had piqued my interest, odd since there were hundreds of sailboats that year to choose from. Several weeks later I was visiting a friend for the weekend, while they ran to the store I stayed and kept an eye on the stove. On the coffee table was the newspaper. I scanned the Classifieds, the items marked Boats For Sale. Listed was the sister boat to the very sailboat I had previously seen at the sailboat show. I dialed the number and when I asked where the boat was located the directions provided where three doors down the street. Coincidence?
My love for the boat led the owner to appreciate my passion in caring for ‘Into The Mystic’. The owner’s generosity provided a payment plan and before long I took ownership of ‘Into The Mystic’. The spiritual gift regarding how ‘Into The Mystic’ came to me is recorded in my appreciation for the obvious; when our heart and mind are trustful of our ability to find tranquility in simplicity we can be at peace with yourself. The collective release of ego-based want and it's replacement with gratitude-based joy is by itself a spiritual gift. And within that gift is the place were friendships built on care and trust reside.
Understanding the Spirit of Aloha was a gift presented to me that describes the importance of friendships built on care and truth, and appreciation of the spirituality that brought the two together. When I entered the antique shop in Hawaii I was at first skeptical of the elderly man behind the counter. His shop was overrun with what I thought might be better described as rambling collection of junk as opposed to the described Antique Shop sign hanging over the entrance. Cluttered with stacks amongst a maze of narrow walkways was a glass covered display case, a carved ivory Whale's Tale caught my attention. The necklace pendant was as smooth and fulled with curves as it was beautiful.
"It was carved many many years by a sailor sailing from Alaska to Hawaii while whaling," The shopkeeper aid. His native Hawaiian smile led credibly to this description. He removed the piece of art from beneath the display case glass and handed it to me. I recognized the spiritual gift when he handed it to me and said, "It carries the spirit of Aloha with it."
I gave him a puzzled look as to what he meant by it carrying the spirit of Aloha with it. He replied, "Aloha is a combination of two words" he said. "The first word ‘Alo’ means a presence, and the second word ‘ha’ means breath. Put them together and Aloha means ‘the presence of breath, or ‘the breathe of life’. When you greet someone you hug and exchange the breathe of life. The spirit of Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect." I was now very interested. He explained that according to the old kahunas (priests), being able to live the Spirit of Aloha was a way of reaching self-perfection and realization for our own body and soul. Aloha is sending and receiving that positive energy. The ancient Hawaiian priests believed Aloha was the direction of living in harmony. When you live the Spirit of Aloha you create positive feelings and thoughts, which are never gone. They exist in space, multiply and spread over to others.
The Spirit of Aloha and it’s inspiration is even embedded in Hawaiian law. Its main purpose is to serve as a reminder to us to treat people with deep care and respect, just like the ancient priests taught. Definition of Aloha Spirit State Law [§5-7.5] "Aloha Spirit." (a) "Aloha Spirit" is the coordination of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others. In the contemplation and presence of the life force, "Aloha," the following unuhi laula loa may be used: "Akahai," meaning kindness, to be expressed with tenderness; "Lokahi," meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony; "Oluolu," meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness; "Haahaa," meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty; "Ahonui," meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance.
When I learned that "Aloha" means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return, I drew on my thought that the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. I then bought the carved ivory Whale's Tale from the elderly antique shop owner, carved many many years ago by a sailor sailing from Alaska to Hawaii while whaling. I have worn the necklace everyday since. I mention this story as a spiritual gift, just as the elderly shop owner said, the necklace carries the Spirit of Aloha with it.
The Spirit of Aloha, to me, is a powerful force by itself that can attract significant spiritual gifts. When my beautiful son, Benjamin, was sixteen he came from high school one day extremely excited. I could see that ‘Dad, I’ve got a great idea’ look on his face. He threw his bookbag down with a smile, "My friend just his driver’s license and his Mom is letting us take her car to the Mall." My spiritual gift antenna kicked in and from somewhere came a feeling of fear. I said he couldn’t go. Benjamin flipped out and it was the first, and only, time he ever swore at me. I held my ground, and then Benjamin called his friends and told his two friends to go to the Mall without him.

Benjamin’s two friends died that day on their way to the Mall in a car accident, they lost control with excessive speed. Benjamin’s appreciation and deep respect for my decision that day remains joyfully between us, nine years later. The spiritual gift that we shared that day is a special bond, a bond delivered through the synchronicity of Aloha.
When my younger died and two weeks later my house was hit by lightening I couldn’t find a spiritual gift no matter how hard I looked. Two years later however I was bored at an outdoor art show and decided to quietly sit on a nearby park bench and practice my guitar for a performance later that night. A husband and wife approached my art display and I overheard her say, "I really like this art." The man said, "I really like the guitar playing." I got up off the bench and introduced myself. To break the ice and get a conversation started I always ask prospective clients two questions, where they are from, and what type of work they do? It turns out Bil Lane was from Los Angeles, visiting Cape Cod on vacation with his wife. His job is Jackson Browne’s personal Recording Engineer, every time Jackson is at home and picks up his guitar Bil Lane records it, just in case a gem is there. Several months later I received an email from Bill Lane, he returned to LA and had started listening to my weekly podcast on iTunes. He wrote an email to me and filled me with compliments that to this day still make my head buzz. I agreed to a commission painting for Bil and he sent me a photo of a rusted pipe he wanted painted.
I listened to nothing but Jackson Browne songs the entirety of time I spent working on that painting. Each time I worked on the painting the spiritual gift of recalling the adolescence I had shared many years ago with my brother would appear – those many moments as teenagers and our shared interest in listening to the lyrics and searching for wisdom in Jackson’s mystical songs. It had been years since my brother and I had played Jackson Browne’s records and listened to the beautifully crafted words.
Many times while painting that piece I drew the breathe of gratitude for the spiritual gift that was allowing me to connect and reminisce with my brother as we painted together. Meeting Bil Lane and doing a painting for him that when complete I would mail to Jackson’s home studio made the synchronized event that some might call our meeting a Coincidence, but the spiritual gift showed me something. I learned the importance of my art: Each piece of art I produce is the result of appreciation for the spiritual gift that delivered the opportunity to create. The spiritual gifts that Aloha brings to me, if my antenna is up and I’m receiving signals, is the same energy that I embed in each piece of art I create. My art is what I have done with the spiritual gifts that have been given to me, each and every day.

Televison Show Starts Next Week

2009-06-05T21:20:00.003-04:00

This week's art radio show is about Volunteering and Art. If you'd like to hear it from your computer simply go to: www.RobertJohnCook.libsyn.com

If you'd rather hear the iTunes podcast on your iPod, the name of the show on iTunes is "Robert John Cook's Art". The iTunes cost is free. Download avialable at http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podcasts/69387

For those who like blogs instead of listening here's the text:

LOCAL ARTIST ROBERT JOHN COOK LAUNCHES “HELP THE VET CAMPAIGN”
New Television Show Joins Volunteer Artists With Veterans

The purpose of introducing veterans to art while supporting the Cape’s art community has lead Congressman Delahunt to release the following statement, “I want to applaud the efforts of Robert John Cook and all of the veterans’ organizations and artists’ groups who are participating in this new and exciting initiative. I look forward to working with our veterans in the coming months as this project unfolds.”

Planned to air in June of this year, renowned Cape Cod artist Robert John Cook will be hosting a weekly television show on Channel 17 in Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich, and Chatham. The purpose of Cook's television show, titled 'Welcome Home', is to launch the Artists & Veterans Project, a volunteer program which will unite local Artists with 28,000 Veterans living on Cape Cod.

The purpose of the Artists & Veterans Project is for the artist to voluntarily provide the veteran free art lessons, workshops, and training in the veteran's choice of art. The artists will vary from the visual arts, to musicians, and writers, and every artist in between, virtually anyone whose interest involves creativity. One of the key goals of 'Welcome Home' is to help artists promote their own work and in the end help connect them with new audiences who will hopefully want to support and patronize their creative work, while providing veterans with enhanced appreciation of the arts. According to Cook, All of us are artists, in one form or another. Whether it's with a paint brush, cooking spatula, or a guitar with a few chords. We are asking those with a creative skill to step forward, volunteer, and share with those in need.

The program is also designed to increase veterans' ability to connect in groups with other community members , and to pursue creative interests that assist in stress and mood management. Speaking from the Department of Veterans Affairs Hyannis Vet Center, Team Leader Bonnie McIntosh states, “Many veterans struggle with life-long stress reactions from their military experiences. Oftentimes, there are no words to express these experiences in normal conversation. The creative arts provide a ‘voice’ to express these struggles that is powerful and therapeutic. Also, helping veterans develop interest in hobbies and activities is important for successful readjustment to civilian life.”

The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod (AFCC) is pleased to serve as the online information source for veterans and artists interested in this initiative, said Margaret Van Sciver, President of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. We expect to receive information from the Artists & Veterans Project beginning on Monday, June 22, 2009. Thereafter, we will post their updated information on our web site regarding their lessons, workshops and training on an ongoing basis.

Cook's weekly television show, 'Welcome Home', will spotlight participating artists through on-air interviews. Additionally, a segment of 'Welcome Home' will address the important work being done by artist advocates, both statewide and on the Cape, in addressing four specific areas: 1) The need for networks and/or mechanisms for sharing best business and marketing practices for artists, 2) Artist-friendly legislative and tax changes, such as work-for-hire and artists rights legislation, and tax incentives, 3) Increasing availability/affordability of spaces for artists, and 4) Promotion of state’s artists and of the significance and importance of art in general. “Massachusetts has the fourth-highest number of artists as a percentage of the total workforce,” says Anita Walker, executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. “Individual artists are the backbone of our state’s creative economy.”

For further info contact Cook at MayflowerStudio@aol.com, or call (508) 367-5571.

Why We Should Thank A Veteran

2009-05-01T18:59:00.000-04:00

I need to start off this week’s show by clearly saying this show is different from others. I decided to do this show out of emotion, which is unusual, so you might not hear things you want to hear, but I’m going to say them anyway. But first I need to tell you a story that has influenced me. I know a retired Doctor whose only brother many years ago went off to fight in World War II. The brother died in the war, leaving his then fourteen year old an only child. Six months after losing his brother the fourteen year old boy then lost his mother to disease. Right after losing his mother, the boys father died in freak, but suspicious accident. At age 14 this now orphaned boy went to live with his only relative, a aunt. In his loneliness and sadness the boy turned inward miraculously found answers to the questions in his school books. He had decided to put himself through medical school, which he did. After becoming a medical doctor he spent 40 years in a Veterans Administration hospital taking care of soldiers. He is now retired and in his eighties.

I grew up with the WWII generation as my teachers. I grew up in a generation where parents were those that had endured WWII. They are an unselfish generation that gave when tyranny threatened America’s existence as a nation. They gave unselfishly.

My son is 25 years old, and my daughter is 23 years old. My children are of the generation that has been called upon to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan. As preface to what I am about to tell you, I need to set the stage by mentioning to you that I do not believe in war, any war. I am opposed to war, all wars, period. I simply don’t support the idea that we should be engaged in wars. I mention this because although I don’t believe in war I do very much believe in the generation that my children belong to.

When my children were very young we lived in several states. I have gone to hundreds of their school events, cub scouts, girl scouts, sporting events, all the myriad events parents tote their children to. During all these events I have seen the children of their generation become the young men and woman that are today our country’s soldiers and veterans. Although I don’t believe in the wars they are fighting I do believe in these young people. I have watched this generation first hand with my children since they were born. They may be adults today, but I can still look into their eyes and see the child I recall from not too many years back.

My children didn’t have to go to war because we don’t have a draft. And we don’t have a draft because of the young men and women who have unselfishly volunteered. Our recent President, right or wrong, make the decision to send our country into war. It is extremely unselfish that these young people volunteered to answer their country’s call into action. Simply put, if these young people didn’t answer the call when their country asked them to, my children could have been drafted and gone off to war. As a parent, and one totally opposed to war, I am not sure how I would have handled that. To be frank, my gratitude toward these young men and women is clear; from my perspective it could very well have been that if my children had to have gone off to war they may not have returned. In this regard the young men and women that answered the call by volunteering saved the life of my children. My gratitude is heartfelt to say the least.

The reason I am so opposed to war is the incredible destruction it leaves in it’s wake. The soldiers that return home will have lost the look in their eyes I remembered them having as children. And this is true for the opposite side as well. All of us lose. But when our children return home it is in my mind that our job is to care for them with the same passion a doctor spending forty years in a VA hospital might have. I believe whether we believe in the war, or not, it doesn’t matter. We might not believe in the call to serve that our President issued, but these veterans answered the call proudly, unselfishly.

My forefathers came over on the Mayflower, and some of my relatives were Native Americans before the Pilgrims got here. My passion for my country is deep. Throughout our history our heritage has been continuously shaped by those who unselfishly answer a call to duty. Make no misunderstanding, I am not proud of our wars, but I am proud we have young men and women amongst us who will unequivocally give of themselves to our country in such a way. I love my country very much, and I am proud of my family’s history, but I am in awe of the amazing love one must have to give everything of themself to their country, think of that level of patriotism.

I’ve been getting a lot of email from folks regarding the Artists & Veterans project I’m working on. For those not up to speed with the project I’ll spell it out for you. Starting next month I will begin hosting a weekly television show. The purpose of the television show is to launch the Artists & Veterans Project, a volunteer program aimed at uniting local Artists with the 28,000 Veterans living on Cape Cod.

The purpose of the Artists & Veterans Project is for the artist to voluntarily provide the veteran free art lessons, workshops, and training in the veteran's choice of art. The artists will vary from the visual arts, to musicians, and writers, and every artist in between, virtually anyone whose interest involves creativity. One of the key goals is to help artists promote their own work and in the end help connect them with new audiences who will hopefully want to support and patronize their creative work. In my mind, all of us are artists in one form or another. Whether it's with a paint brush, cooking spatula, or a guitar with a few chords. I am working with our local Veterans Affairs’ office and the VA’s wonderful Team Leader Bonnie McIntosh. We are asking those with a creative skill to step forward, volunteer, and share with those in need.

The focal point where the artist and veteran meet is on a website hosted by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. And all of you know my passion for that great non-profit group. The important web page on the Arts Foundation website contains all the information the veteran needs to review and sign up for the artists’s workshop.

At the beginning of the show I mentioned I needed to start off this week’s show by clearly saying this show is different from others. That I had decided to do this show out of emotion, which is unusual, and that you might not hear things you want to hear, but I was going to say them anyway. Well, I believe in the Artist & Veterans project, for me personally I feel obligated to give back to those that have given so unselfishly. And it’s not about the war, it’s about giving to those who gave. In fact, whether one side in a war is right and the other side is wrong doesn’t matter, what matters is that on both sides of the war young men and woman answered the call that came from their beloved countries. Both sides gave unselfishly. In my mind it’s the obligation of each side to respect, honor, and assist their soldiers as they return home.

With that said, for those that sent me an email suggesting the veterans knew what they were getting into when they volunteered for duty, and that we wouldn’t have had a war if they didn’t volunteer: Take the energy that you put into those types of thoughts and put that energy to good use down at your Town Hall - every town in America is currently looking for volunteers in a number of capacities.

And to those who have sent me an email regarding artists shouldn’t be working with veterans because artists aren’t professional counselors. The purpose of our project isn’t to provide therapy, it’s to provide art lessons. If you could stop looking for something to criticize you might have been able to see our purpose.

Lastly, and I’m going to have to get on my soapbox for this one, but it’s time we drop the attitudes. First, let’s start with those that cut me off and try to drive me off the road because I have an Obama sticker on my car. I can’t tell if you’re mad because a democrat is in office, or you’re mad because a black man is in office, but either way the sticker isn’t coming off, so drop the attitude.

And from my fellow Democrats that think the Republican’s are entirely wrong, drop the attitude. And Conservatives that think telling others what they should and shouldn’t be doing with their lives, drop the attitude. As a matter of fact, there is a lot of us that need to drop the attitudes and recognize that we live in the greatest country in the world, and we need to be grateful for that. How about turning your attitude into gratitude?

If you think coping an attitude because you believe your side is right and their side is wrong we as a country aren’t going to get anywhere. It’s time we stop the attitudes and turn that energy into volunteering. Take a look around you, we all have beautiful homes filled with lots of stuff, and we eat better than any other population in the world. What more do we want? We have more than enough now. It’s time we recognize how good we have it and give something back. It’s time we get off the couch, turn off the television, and give something to our society. Give the gift that keeps on giving -- volunteer without an attitude!

2009-04-27T06:38:00.000-04:00

Importance Of Support

The other day I was at an open jam music gathering - a bunch of people sitting around playing music together. I’ve been to many of these music gatherings where musicians sit in a circle, someone picks a song, throws out the key they’re playing in, and everyone jumps in. It’s always a great deal of fun. Usually, to keep things somewhat organized, there will be a leader of the circle, someone who will pick who will be doing which song and when.

During one gathering a young man joined the circle, to which the leader responded that the young man only play what he knows. The leader’s lack of support, or lack of encouragement quickly deteriorated the young man’s enthusiasm. So, what was gained by the leader’s lack of support of the young man’s music. Better yet, what was the gain from criticizing the young man’s playing ability?

In this case, I’ve heard the young man’s music – he’s talented. He may not know all the songs (who does?), but his contribution to the music is always crowd pleasing. And isn’t pleasing the crowd the whole point to the music?

A list of questions comes from this example of how we support, or how we sometimes don’t support the art of others. In Ireland, where traditional sessions are the cornerstone of every local pub, the music is taken quite seriously and the rule of thumb is "If you don’t know the tune stay away from it." The ‘rule’ in this case isn’t to deter the novice player from playing, just the opposite, the rule is to ensure experience players are playing with equal players. But Ireland is unique in traditional sessions, the music is very defined to a specific style – it’s not an open jam circle where musicians sit in a circle, someone picks a song, throws out the key they’re playing in, and everyone jumps in.

I cite the difference in the Irish rule of "If you don’t know the tune stay away from it" versus the open jam criticism from the leader to the young man. I mention the difference because there is an amazing difference between an organized Irish traditional session versus an open jam where musicians sit in a circle, someone picks a song, throws out the key they’re playing in, and everyone jumps in. The difference is that in the open jam the foundation of any good noise that might come from the circle rests in the circles ability to enjoy themselves. The foundation of enjoying one’s music, or more specifically, the foundation for enjoying one’s art, rests in one’s ability to be comfortable in their surroundings. To be comfortable one must be encouraged, supported.

The leader’s negative comment to the young man was discouraging and put the young man in an uncomfortable surrounding. The young man lost his ability to be comfortable in his surroundings. And as I watched this unfold, I was astounded that personally I viewed the young man’s skills as a musician to actually be greater than some others playing in the same circle. In this example the leader had now provided a negative criticism in front of the circle which dampened the circle’s joy of producing music. So, what was gained?

Was the leader’s objective to produce superior music worth criticizing the young man’s skills as a musician? Or, would the leader have gotten a better sound from the young man if he had encouraged the young man rather than negatively comment? I believe if the choice is to either invite someone into a circle or ask them to leave for the sake of ‘improving quality’, keeping the invitation is more important. It boils down to priorities, inviting an artist to perform their art, in this case the art being music, is much more important than the quality of the art. Our objective, in my mind, is to support, support, and support. Encouragement, in my mind, is much more important than the quality of sound coming from a open jam band at a crowded drinking pub.

I also believe that each artist, or musician, will gravitate to their own level of comfort. By this I mean the young man felt comfortable in joining the circle, which says to me he obviously felt comfortable with playing when he could. He might not have mastered every key, but the young man probably would have played when he could, and learned when other’s played in keys he hadn’t mastered yet. So, what would the harm have been? Close to zero from my perspective. But, what would have ben gained?

Comparing the Irish traditional sessions to Africa’s version of traditional sessions is night and day. In Africa singing is encouraged and supported. There are no rules. In Africa from a young age children are encouraged to sing, to listen and mimic, join in when they are comfortable. In Africa the children do not live in fear of singing inappropriately. How beautiful is that level of encouragement. Just think if we in our society allowed young artists and musicians to perform without criticism – only encouragement!

One hundred and eighty degrees is the other side of this coin, the artist or musician’s ability to develop a thick skin when it comes to criticism. When the leader told the young man to play only the tunes he knew the young man had a choice; to either absorb the negative comment and let it get to him, or deflect the negative comment and let it roll on by. This is a choice every artist has to struggle with. To every artist comments and criticism will come in every direction imaginable, it’s the responsibility of the artist to examine the criticism, but to not let the criticism alter the artist’s direction. In the case of the leader criticizing the young man’s music skills, the young man packed up his instrument and walked out, but he didn’t walk out in a huff – I could see it on his face. The young man, from my perspective, or at least my personal knowledge of the young man led me to believe his musical talents were in fact better than most of the musician’s that were in the circle. But that wasn’t the importance of the young man’s positive perspective. I am willing to bet the young man view the leader’s negative criticism with an eye toward "Wait a minute, we’re a bunch of locals sitting a musical circle – it’s not like we’re professional musicians that were just invited by the Beatles to join them at the Abbey Road studio to record a new album. Perspective is everything!

This week’s plugs:
Acrylic Technique: Abstract Painting for Beginners Cotuit Center for the Arts www.cotuitcenterforthearts.orgTuesdays from 1:00pm to 3:00pm April 28 to May 30, 4 sessions AGES/LEVELS: Adult, 16+; All levels Instructor: Christina JacobiAcrylics are one of the most versatile mediums for artists today. Join us as we brush, drip, pour, texturize, flow, and drag paints to create unusual effects. Classes will cover basic vocabulary, types of paints and mediums, choices for supports, and other relevant information. We’ll experiment with additional techniques including stamping, plastic wrap texturing, natural objects and additives. This is a fun class, great for beginners, where unexpected results can lead each painter in new directions. For further information on the artist and to view samples of her work, please visit:http://ArtworksByChristina.wordpress.com

Tripping Lily at Red Top on May 2nd, pre-tour show to kickoff May 8-18 tour. http://redtopartistretreat.shutterfly.com/

Artist's Advocacy Community

2009-04-06T17:35:00.000-04:00

What do you think of this idea: The Artist’s Advocacy Community

The Artist’s Advocacy Community is a non-profit designed to promote the artist and the artist’s work. The AAC is a highly professional group with an impeccable name amongst the art-based public, media, affinity groups, and museum quality galleries. The promotion of the artist and the artist’s work is accomplished through the AAC’s mission to manage Laurel Labdon’s brainchild “The Artists & Veterans Project”. The Artists & Veterans Project is a volunteer program aimed at uniting artists with veterans of the Iraq and Afghan wars. The purpose of the Artists & Veterans Project is for the artist to voluntarily provide the veteran art lessons, workshops, and training in their choice of art. To answer the age old question of ‘As an Artist what’s in it for me?”: In return for their volunteer efforts the artist will be given membership into The Artist’s Advocacy Community. For the artist, AAC membership provides various promotions in the sale of their work.

The Artist’s Advocacy Community removes the artist’s isolation as an “independent business owner” and places the artist in a like-minded atmosphere that directly addresses the artists need for assistance in promoting the sale of their art. Promotion of the artist’s work is accomplished in several ways. First, the greatest resource in promoting an artist’s work is professional use of the media. The AAC utilizes a weekly television show to expose the artist through an on-air interviewing process. Second, as a member of AAC, the artist is juried into extremely innovative high-end art shows which catch the local media’s attention, such as the recent Salon Des Refuses art show held at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. Important to the artist also is the exposure the artist receives by being part of the important work supported by the Artists & Veterans Project. Additionally, the AAC facilitates the artist’s need regarding taking action through advocacy and support concerning important art-related issues, such as Health Insurance. The AAC also offers a selection of various professional marketing materials for the artist to choose from, such as a video of the artist’s work and a studio interview of the artist, brochures, web site design, and portfolio management.

In return for the artist’s efforts in volunteering as teacher and mentor in the Artists & Veterans Project, the Artist’s Advocacy Community promotes it’s artist members work through ACC’s weekly television show, the high-end art shows, and showcases the artist through professional media attention.

The Artist’s Advocacy Community contains a small staff which manages the Artists & Veterans Project, weekly television show, and high-end art shows. Funding for the AAC is provided through grants for the Artists & Veterans Project, the weekly television show, the non-profit art shows, and the artist-related advocacy and activism work.

The Artist’s Advocacy Community is headquartered on Cape Cod, and was founded in 2009 by Robert John Cook.

2009-03-27T08:43:00.000-04:00

Salon des Refusés Cape Cod at Cape Cod Museum of Art

Ten accomplished Cape Cod artists will participate in the very first Salon des Refusés Cape Cod at the Cape Cod Museum of Art’s One Night Stand Thursday, April 2, 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Inspired by the original 1863 Salon des Refusés in Paris that was formed by artists rejected by the official Paris Salon, the Cape Cod version in 2009 will deal with the same issue – visibility. The 2009 Salon was initiated by Cape Cod artists Elaine Cohen and Robert John Cook.

Participating artists are: Elaine Cohen, mixed media collage; Robert John Cook, painting; Tessa Marie D’Agostino, pen and ink drawing; Mary Doering. photographic collage; Jay Elliott, photography; Coco Larrain, painting; Washington Ledesma, painting; Jackie Reeves, painting; Cristina Reverdy, painting; and Sally Harvey, painting.

Each artist will be on hand to exhibit a representative work as well as their portfolio. To that end, every gallery owner, collector and art-lover from Provincetown to Boston is invited to attend the Salon des Refusés Cape Cod. The evening is hosted by Laurel Labdon with entertainment by Christine Rathbun, and music by the DUNKLORDZS.

The common thread that binds this diverse group of emerging and more established artists is the quality of excitement, passion and deep emotion they pour into their work. For more information on the artists and links to their websites, please visit www.thesalondesrefusescapecod@wordpress.com

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The Artist & The Intern performing live at

Buckie's Coffehouse, Rt 28, Dennisport
Friday April 3, 6:30 - 9:00

Robert John Cook & Billy Hutchinson will perform a variety of acoustic songs, of which a CD will be released that evening. http://www.buckiesbiscotti.com/index.html

Is Our Art As Good As We Think?

2009-02-01T17:43:00.001-05:00

The written blog for this week’s radio show is pretty slim. I have Carpal Tunnel and the wrist of my dominant hand is sore as heck.
Thanks to everyone for all the emails and phone calls regarding last week’s show on the Inauguration.
And thanks for all the interest in the story behind Laura’s Rock. For an update, I spoke with the machine shop on Friday. I pick the rock up tomorrow.
About four maybe five shows back we did a radio show on the closing of my studio on Pearl Street in downtown Hyannis. If you remember over the many broadcasts I have often spoken of the Pearl Street art colony where my studio was. From it’s inception I have loved the idea behind Pearl Street – taking an old run down neighborhood in downtown Hyannis and transforming it into a thriving art destination. As a matter of fact the reason for this very broadcast grew out of my excitement for this art colony under new construction. And I love Hyannis, it’s named after my eleven generations ago grandfather and I have a deep passion to see this newly conceived art colony take place. It didn’t take long for the expansion of Pearl Street to be seen as a good business investment by local merchants. Some had the vision to see that the artists of the Pearl Street art colony where going to revitalize a run down section of town and they wanted to be part of it. And God bless them for their interest. Not long after we opened the doors to our working studio did other doors begin to open all around us. Old buildings were remodeled and soon galleries began to open. The concept of transforming Pearl Street into an important art destination had all the ingredients for success. Pearl Street became the new envy of the art community, many other artists wished they were involved, but space was limited. Not enough supply and too much demand put Pearl Street on the map and from it interest grew all over the Cape. Pearl Street became known as the cool place.
Eventually the wonderful woman who worked for the town, the woman whose efforts brought Pearl Street together left her position with the town. Her departure came at the same time a new gallery, a flagship for Pearl Street was opening up. The idea behind the gallery was a coop style whereby various artists would consign their art. It was intended that as many as two dozen artists would participate in this coop gallery. At that time I was invited to join, and I did for one day, then I quit. The problem I saw was that with such a mixture of artists the strong possibility was that there would be wide range of varying degrees within the art. Some good and some bad. The mixed bag of amateur verus professional art concerned me, so I dropped out.
It’s a very good thing I dropped out when I did. The coop gallery was being infiltrated with management form a local art association.. The art association moving in to manage the new coop from my perspective was an accident waiting to happen. Last month the accident finally occurred and the gallery closed for obvious reasons.
From the closing of the coop gallery, and my prediction coming true, came animosity. I say animosity because the closing of any business is painful, and if you’re an artist it’s two fold. First there’s the economic impact of negative cash flow, and the second pain, perhaps the more painful, is the professional insult that you failed as an artist. You can’t have a radio show, or podcast, like this and not be truthful. And it’s not each word that’s going to make friends. And so it was from my truthfulness in the identifying problems with the Pearl Street gallery and predicting it’s closure that annoyed several of those impacted. I mention this because it’s from the pain from one particular artist, a person who I know, that tried to send me an anonymous letter expressing their pain in the form of negative comments. They summarized their letter with what they were trying to throw out as an insult but is actually a good topic for this week’s show: "Is our art as good what we think it is?"
Last night I was at the celebration for the grand opening of the Living Arts Institute new building on Route 6A in Brewster, which I suggest everyone check out. There was an art demonstration by a very nice woman who happen to a therapy counselor. At the end of her art demonstration she asked those who had participated what they thought. Maybe because she was an counselor they all replied relative to their emotions of what the process meant to them, or maybe they responded that why because it was important to them. But I took note that their replies answered the question: "Is our art as good as what we think it is?"
The intent of art is to communicate. Whether it’s a song, a poem, or the enjoyment of cooking while preparing a special meal. It’s all communication, we are trying to express ourselves, and in the process, be appreciated for what we have to say. Our art then becomes worth what we think it is if we believe it effectively communicates what we want to say. Far too often it’s fear of saying what we believe, and being criticized, or misunderstood, that inhibits us and makes us fearful to be expressive. If you’re an artist and afraid of saying what you feel then your art will not be worthwhile – it won’t be good. Good art is worthwhile art. Good art is art you produced that speaks a voice the viewer can interpolate. There isn’t right art nor wrong art, only good art or worthless art. I haven’t seen too much worthless art, but I have seen art that as a viewer I couldn’t interpolate, which is o’k – not all art is meant to be interpolated by all people. And if your art isn’t as good as what you think it is, in other words, if you don’t believe in the value of your art then you can’t respect yourself as an artist, whether you are a visual artist, poet, or master chef.
The easier we provide the viewer an understanding of the story behind the art - the reason why we have something to communicate – the better our art is. For example, Van Gogh went his entire life without ever selling a painting. It wasn’t until his sister-in-law exposed the letters between Vincent and his brother that the story behind his paintings came to life. It was when his story became told that value was added to the paintings and when it became easy for the viewer to interpolate his paintings that Vincent’s work became valuable and consider "good".
So, when asked in this anonymous letter sent by an annoyed artist friend from the now closed Pearl Street Gallery, "Is my art as good as I think it is?" I answer yes.
And now for an update on my new studio. First I want to say thanks to all of you who has showed so much interest. Thanks for your support! I went gallery hopping with my favorite museum lover last week – my wonderful daughter Jessi. We strolled the galleries of Newbury Street in Boston. It was inspirational relative to my new studio in two regards. First, I have yearned for a long time to become a member of the Copley Society of Artists. I have revered them for a long time and have always, fearfully, held their collection of juried artists in a special light. When my daughter and I visited the Copley Society member gallery for the first time my daughter commented that my art was better then what she had seen their, and she added that my art is more appropriately priced (meaning the art their was priced unprofessionally low). I was appreciate of my daughter’s complement, so we left and went next door to the Boston Artist Guild. I was blown away with what I had seen. In particular was a piece by Pamela Pindell of Nantucket – a breathtaking impression of a townhouse at dusk during a snow storm. Mesmerizing.
I came back to my studio after the gallery stroll on Newbury Street with my daughter with a different perspective on my current studio space. Until spring hits Cape Cod I’m limited with building my new studio. In the interim I have set up shop in a small studio in an unused room on the second floor of my home. I came home from Boston and sat in my interim studio for a few minutes. I put my iPod on and just sat. Looking at my supplies, my easel, and half finished paintings sticking out of a box. I then smiled.

Plugs
Friday, February 6, from 5-7 pm. "Lives, Real and Imagined." Rebecca Ann Lane and Rika Henderson, paintings. In the Board Room. And an exhibit of book illustrations, also by Rebecca Ann Lane, in the Vault. Exhibits runs from February 4-15.

Event: Tripping Lily @ The Wellfleet Library
"Tea And Music Featuring Tripping Lily"
What: Performance
Host: Sponsored by The Friends of the Wellfleet Libraries
Start Time: Saturday, February 7 at 3:00pm
End Time: Saturday, February 7 at 4:30pm
Where: Wellfleet Library

My view at the Inauguration

2009-01-23T13:52:00.000-05:00

Hello my beautiful friends. This week my heart is overjoyed with love. And just now as I sit down at my compuet to write this week’s blog I turn on my iPod and guess what song starets, David Crosby and Graham Nash doing "My Country Tis of Thee." Let Freedom Ring, gotta love it. I went to the Inauguration and got home yesterday. I am filled with a love for my country, something I’m having trouble articulating to you, but I’ll give it my best. But first I need to preface my experience at the Inauguration with a short story regarding Things Happen For A Reason.
Last summer I was doing an art show when a husband and wife came by. Laura and I got talking and a comment was made about my Hawaiian Whale’s Tail necklace, the very one I wear daily as an endorsement of my pursuit to follow the spirit of Aloha. The conversation turned to a little rock Laura had found and wanted to turn into a necklace. I briefly mentioned when drilling through such a small rock that too much pressure, or too little speed of the drill will crack it. By the end of the conversation I volunteered to drill the rock for her, and then mail it to her three thousand miles away.
Only in the spirit of Aloha could such a simple task of drilling a small rock turn into a beautiful story. I brought the rock into my studio and tried drilling as I have done so many times before on similar projects. It was like this little rock however was made out of titanium – it would have nothing to do with being drilled. Over the next several months I tried different drills and different bits, but the rock remained resistant. I put the little rock on my desk and as I did my daily work I would sometimes contemplate what to do with this little rock. Laura was growing concerned she might never see the rock, and I was growing dismayed with letting her down. The positive atmosphere as prescribed by the spirit of Aloha was absent. The positive energy was gone and I felt bad. I found myself being forced to think. It was here that I discovered this little rock was bringing me, in the spirit of Aloha, the gift of searching for an understanding. I sent Laura the following email:
Hi Laura,
I've been adding good karma to your little rock. Seems this little gem is an attention seeker. Because you have been so wonderfully patient I was trying to surprise you at Christmas with the final product. But, your little rock has been putting up a struggle -- I think it's trying to ensure the highest quality of craftsmanship. I have tried drilling, even tried special drills, but your little rock is resistant. So, I have taken your precious stone with a mind of it's own to a machine shop with special equipment. I tired to get them to drill the hole before Christmas so I could send it to you, but the machine shop couldn't do it in time. They told me it should be ready by tomorrow. I will then add a thin black leather necklace, waxed, so it will never break. The small clasp will be silver. And then it gets shipped to you.
On a side note: I visit Hawaii during the winter. The god Pele has a rule that no rocks are to leave the island without spiritual respect, or bad luck will follow the owner. I believe your little rock made me aware that Pele's rule is to the honored and that this is the reason your little gem asked for a respectful departure from the island of Cape Cod. I will be sending your little rock with peace and well wishes, which is what I think it's wanted all along -- it just needed to give me the time to figure it out. Your little rock is to be cherished for sure -- what a beauty!
Happy New Year to you and your nice husband.
Robert
The beautiful story, the exchange of Aloha, came in Laura’s reply:It's funny because when I gave you the rock, my husband assumed I would never see it again (he's the skeptic of our pair). I disagreed. I believed and trusted you would return it to me. I was touched that you even offered to help me, and I wanted to risk and allow myself to trust and receive your generosity. I'm relieved to know she'll be back with me soon. I'm feeling bad you have to say goodbye to your tiny friend and source of inspiration.
My rock sounds a little like me...we both like good craftsmanship and have been faced with some deep loneliness--wanting to be paid attention to, and known. I've had a rough fall emotionally and this rock, especially now, means even more to me. I can relate to it, and it to me. I found it on the beach during a very special week for me professionally and emotionally, so it carries those meanings with it from the Cape.
Thank you for honoring Pele's rule and respecting this whole process. I can see why that is important and I'm lucky to have been a part of this process. I can't wait to see this little specimen. You've taken such loving care with it. She will be worn with gratitude. Given the challenges of drilling it, I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to wear it without your generosity and commitment. It means so much more to be able to wear it and carry it with me in that way.
This has been a nice lesson for me in being patient and in trusting. I'm smiling and I'm touched. There are so many people in this world you can't trust and who don't come through, its been a gift to be reminded there are still trustworthy people out there--even "strangers".
Things Happen For A Reason wouldn’t have taken place between Laura and I, and we wouldn’t have exchanged a wonderful understanding, if it wasn’t for the search for meaning between us that the little rock brought us. Patience, and having our eyes and heart open and searching for meaning can bring us so many wonderful gifts. This is odd, but the expensive radio in my car broke about two days before I left for the Inauguration. Not enough time to fix it, so I loaded my iPod with new songs. A few hours into driving I tired the iPod (which I really didn't want to use while driving, but...) When I tired the iPod there were zero songs on it. It seems I didn't have a playlist selected when I synchronized. All this means I drove from Cape Cod to Washington (ten hours) and back (another ten hours) without a single sound. But, things happen for a reason...
I’ve been talking for a while about going to the Inauguration, and many of you know that over the winter I’ve been working on my latest book, which I said I would complete before the Inauguration, and that the book would end with me driving over the bridge as I leave the Cape for the Inauguration. Things Happen For A Reason, I didn’t finish the book - which was disappointing. I have developed Carpel Tunnel from too much writing, so I had to stop typing. But with Things Happening For A reason, I searched and found the meaning as to why I had to stop typing. The book wasn’t suppose to be about me completing the final chapter as I drove over the bridge – my driving over the bridge was the beginning of the book, not the end. The book is to begin with me driving over the bridge, and the book isn’t about life on Cape Cod during the beautiful winter. The book is about the journey I take as I devote my efforts to working help Obama bring the beautiful change his leadership has so inspired me to follow.
The radio breaking and the iPod not taking a download seemed to have brought me to place to think while driving all those many miles. The eve of the Inauguration, as I drove to Washington, the traffic became heavier and heavier. I stopped for gas on the New Jersey Turnpike and the attendant was smiling up a storm./ he said all the traffic that night was [people heading to Washington for the Inauguration. I couldn’t believe how many cars there were. The gas station attendant was genuinely happy, which at the time I thought was just his character. I arrived in Washington at midnight, in four hours the subway train into the city would begin transporting us to the Inauguration. As I waited in the parking lot thousands and thousands of people began to show up over the next four hours. Half a dozen helicopters flew over head. I was seven miles outside of the city, at only over of many train stops. All over the area thousands and thousands of people were making a pilgrimage to our National Mall for the Inauguration.
The fact that two million people were converging in one place is significant enough, bu the fact that each of the two million people were so incredibly happy was beyond description. Sometime sit seems, especially these days, that a majority of us are walking around depressed, for good reason given all we face right now, but not that the early morning of the Inauguration. Everyone was happy, and peaceful, and filled with a harmony that brought the best of spirits out. It took five hours to board the train and travel four subway stops. The thousands of us sang God Bless America, and Happy Birthday, anything to pass the time in the 19 degree cold. The train was packed, but we didn’t care about the discomfort, there was too much goodwill.
I stood in front of the Washington Monument, as far as I could see, in every direction, was a sea of people. And people were from all over the world, and there were people there who came form places where they own nothing, have no money, but some sold whatever they had to sell to buy a plane ticket and be there. This was their moment to show the world they support Obama and that change is coming. Two million beautiful people.
I’m not sure the television captured it, but when Yo Yo Ma and his quartet played Simple Gifts the beautiful cello delivered a moment where the crowd was overwhelmed with finding a special moment where in the tranquility of the peaceful tune the release of past ugliness seemingly vanished. The song seemed to close the door behind us as we entered a new place of hope and change. The crowd was completely silent as each of absorbed the arrival of what we came to the Inauguration for – the chance to feel the birth of our brotherly love. I am fifty two years old and thought I’d seen everything, compared to the birth fo my two children, that moment of being in that crowd and feeling that depth of love amongst us was one of the most beautiful moments in my life. I only wish I could find the words to articulate it for you, but it’s indescribable. That moment and the beautiful faces of two million people smiling all at the same time has changed me as a member of mankind. My heart has been transformed, and I love my country and the members of the world that were there during the Inauguration that brought me that moment.
And on the National Mall, amongst the World War II memorial, and the Vietnam Wall memorial, and the Washing Monument and Lincoln memorial, on the sacred ground where Martin Luther King Jr spoke, we stood. There was a feeling each of the two million paid a private homage to be standing on such ground – who was here before us, being part of such history. We knew this was special and we loved each other for sharing the moment together. Incredible.
It took me five hours to go into Washington and forty five minutes to leave. I made my way back to my car for the drive home. The radio breaking and the iPod not taking a download seemed to have brought me to place to think while driving all those many miles, and driving home to me beloved Cape Cod where my forefather’s dream of America being the place Obama wants to deliver. Things happen for a reason, I believe they do, and having that level of silence and opportunity to appreciate what just happened to me as I stood with two million people delivered me the chance to witness the reason for things happening as they did.
I have since my two adult child were born forever told them I would deeply appreciate all gifts (birthdays, Christmas, etc) be handmade. And most of the time they have always given me handmade gifts. Last month my daughter bound an incredibly beautiful book for my Christmas gift (she's an artist and a poet, a young hippie). It's a blank page journal type book, very very beautiful. I've been reluctant to start writing in it, because I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. And here is another reason why I believe things happen for a reason; If the radio and iPod had worked I wouldn't have had the time to think and have it dawn onto me that I will use her beautiful gift to capture the poems I will write about Obama's presidency and the breathtaking changes as he brings our country to a better place. I will use my new book to hand write my poetry dedicated to Obama's goodwill as I experience it. I'll start with the Inauguration.
Now here’s the best part of the Inauguration, I went with my beautiful son, Benjamin. A beautiful person, filled with the type of heart that is open and receptive to what we shared together. As a father to be in that place with my son is a gift that bonds us, a gift benjamin will carry with him forever. The smile that we felt with two million others we be etched in benjamin’s heart forever, and as a father I am incredibly grateful to see my child hold so much happiness and a reminder of how people mankind is capable of being.
I love my country, and I love those members of the world that appreciate peace, kindness, and the desire to work together in making our world a better place.
PLUGS
Anna Galland, national field director for MoveOn.org. will talk on "Organizing for Change: Challenge and Opportunities" at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at the Yarmouth Friends Meetinghouse, 58 North Main Street, South Yarmouth. The event is co-sponsored by the American Friends service committee of Southeastern New England, a Quaker-based organization for peace and social justice. Donations will be gratefully accepted. Further information:Lee M. Hamilton 508-398-2333, or email lhamilton@capecod.net

Folk Music: On Tuesday, Jan 27, we'll meet right across the street at the South
Yarmouth Public Library, same time, 7-8:30PM.
"13th Annual Musical Instrument Demonstration" on Saturday, January 31 at 10:30am. Dinah Mellin says, "If you are around on the weekend of January 31st please come with a young friend and enjoy the visual as well as aural wonders all clustered together for you to experience!
and FREE".
Event: 13th Annual Musical Instrument Demonstration
"inspire your children and grandchildren to become musicians"
What: Performance
Host: Allegretto Outreach and The Friends of Snow Library
Start Time: Saturday, January 31 at 10:30am
End Time: Saturday, January 31 at 12:00pm
Where: Snow Library

The Living Arts Institute's (LAI's) new facility, 3811 Main Street, Route 6A, Brewster, MA
(across from Clayworks), This is the first bulletin of many to come so stay tuned. Our Open House was a great success. Thank you for attending. We will be having another community gathering on Saturday 4:00 - 8:30PM January 31 - this one a bit different!

The Spirit of Aloha in Beautiful Stories

2009-01-16T08:46:00.002-05:00

Welcome to this week’s art show. With the inauguration one week away I am focused on how beautiful and exciting it is to see history be made right in front of us. Yes, it’s historical that we have elected a black man for president, but for me the more historical significance is how as a nation we have decided through our voting process to change the course of America. I firmly believe we are now pointed in the direction of original forefathers wanted to be pointed in. I am so proud of our country. It’s for this reason that the theme for this week’s show is beautiful stories.

The preface to the beautiful stories I’m going to share with you this week and their relationship to art stems from my belief in the spirit of Aloha. I have been asked numerous times as to why the voicemail to my studio phone welcomes you with an Aloha greeting, and I’ve been asked numerous times as to why I wear a Hawaiian Whale’s Tail necklace. The ancient belief behind the Hawaiian Whale’s Tail necklace is that it will bring the wearer wisdom, but for me the Hawaiian Whale’s Tail necklace, and the reason why I wear it everyday, is to remind myself of the Aloha spirit that I so very dearly believe in.

The reason I love the Aloha spirit comes from the very word itself, the word Aloha is a combination of ‘Alo’ meaning presence, the front, or the face. "Alo" is the presence of ‘us’ as we greet one another. The second half of the word Aloha is ‘ha", which means breath. So it is that Aloha, when we met and say the word Aloha that we are in essence exchanging breathes between us, welcoming each other with the literal meaning of aloha as "the presence of breath" or "the breath of life." We are giving each other the ability to breath and live. Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect.

Another question I get regarding my voicemail message is why I close out my message by saying Mahalo. Mahalo, similar to Aloha is a combination of words which is in actuality a blessing. The first part of the divine blessing Mahalo is ‘Ma" which means ‘In’, the second syllable is ‘Ha’, meaning breath, and ‘’Alo’ meaning the presence of us. Combine the three syllables of the blessing Mahalo and it translates into "May you be in Divine Breath." So, if you put Aloha and Mahalo together you have the presence of Divine Breath as an invocation and Mahalo as a Divine blessing. Both are acknowledgments of the Divinity that dwells within us. And this is the basis for the Aloha spirit, the giving of life and gratitude to each other. But Aloha is also a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. The deep meaning of Aloha starts by teaching ourselves to love our own beings first and afterwards to spread the love to others. According to the old Hawaiian priests, the ancient kahunas, being able to live the Spirit of Aloha is a way of reaching the realization for our own body and soul. Following the spirit of Aloha is to send and receive a positive energy. The Aloha spirit is to live in harmony. When you live the Spirit of Aloha, you create positive feelings and thoughts, which are never gone. They exist in space, multiply and spread over to others. Aloha" is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation. "Aloha" means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return. "Aloha" is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. And so it is my friends that at the end of each Radio Show I close out with saying to each of you, Peace & Love. I say it in the spirit of Aloha.

I mentioned earlier that the preface to this week’s topic of beautiful stories was first an understanding of the Aloha spirit. The reason understanding the spirit of the Aloha comes before mentioning a couple of beautiful stories to you is that each story has the spirit of aloha woven between the words.

Here’s what happened last week, a beautiful story that I don’t think would have happened if it wasn’t for the spirit of Aloha. First, I have to ask, how’s all this relate to art? All art, or at least art I create, has a story behind it – a purpose. Living in the spirit of Aloha means your eyes and heart are open to receive stories as they unfold. So it is that the story I’m about to tell you started a long time ago after I got an amplifier for my acoustic guitar. I tried playing my guitar through the amplifier in my home, but the small rooms in my home just couldn’t let the amplifier sing. I needed a larger room to play in. Down the street my from my studio in Hyannis a pub advertised an Open Mic. I thought I’d sign up, plug in the amp, and try it out. I walked into the pub around three o’clock in the afternoon the day of the Open Mic. I signed up for the 7:00 spot that evening. After I signed up I turned to exit. At three in the afternnon the pub was empty, except for two young guitarists named George and Bobby who were playing their electric guitars. Both of them were just barely out of high school. They sounded very good, and in the spirit of Aloha I complimented them.

When I returned later that evening to play, the two young guitarists, George and Bobby, were sitting at the table directly in front of the stage. I started to play a few very simple chords, and I noticed they were musically following the rhythm. I asked them if they could ‘hear’ the melody. They nodded so I invited them on the stage to accompany me. It was like we had played together for one hundred and fifty years. My rhythmic acoustic guitar being amplified, and their electric guitars were a perfect match.
The next week I returned, and again they accompanied me, only this time, in the true spirt of Aloha, their friend a drummer joined us. The week after that their friend the bass player joined us. It wasn’t long before the word spread and each week different musicians, all very talented showed up and played. One night a young man came in with a digital recorder under his arm and set up shop. He was going to record our music and sell us a CD of it for $5. It was then that only the spirit of Aloha could provide, that the band took a break. On stage was George and I, we were both interested in playing rather than taking a break. I should mention here that George is the unique type of teenager that wears his troubles on his sunken shoulders. His confidence and self-esteem seemed to be a half step behind his easy going manner. I put three simple chords together and played them softly and George went to work producing a beautiful lead guitar over the chords. You could hear a pin drop amongst the crowd. It sounded great, the type of music a parent would be proud of. It was captured on CD, but George didn’t have $5 so, in the spirit of Aloha, I bought it for him. I told him I’d buy it, but that he’d have to give it to his mother, which he did.

As time progressed George went to the local community college, which didn’t go well for him. He just wasn’t interested, which his grades reflected. Then one night this past week as I was setting up my amplifier to play, George said to me, "I came by to play guitars with you tonight and say goodbye." I was confused. He said, "You’ve inspired me to go to school for music. I’m leaving for North Carolina in the morning."

George was so proud of himself. It turned out his passion for music, and perhaps the CD his mother heard, demonstrated George’s potential to raise his head and smile. I could plainly see that George found his purpose through his music, his passion had unlocked his confidence, self-esteem, and motivation. In the spirit of Aloha we had exchanged a divine blessing, and in the spirt of Mahola we were grateful for the exchange.

When George arrived at school he sent me an email it read: Thanks for the support. Like I said I’ll take that with me, I’m gonna need it. I’ll be back in March from the 7th to the 15th, and then again sometime in May for a couple of months. I look forward to the future jams. peace - George

The story of George and it’s creation from the spirit of Aloha relates to art. It’s within each painting, poem or song that each of us, I believe, have the ability to exercise our own gift of Aloha. During the hours, or days, that it may take to produce a piece of art we have time to think and contemplate. It’s what we think of that comes out in our art. It’s what we think of that will be placed in front of the observer. They will be seeing our thoughts and emotions. I believe that if we live within the spirt of Aloha our thoughts and emotions will be positive and giving. Our translatation of these thoughts and emotions will be represented in our work. I believe it’s our daily interactions with those around us, friend or stranger, and what we give each, that will come out in what we produce, whether it’s a painting, poem, or song. It’s all a direct reflection of Aloha.

Inspiring George to find a place of comfort for his purpose as a musician for me was a beautiful story. A story I probably would not have recognized if it wasn’t for my interest in opening my mind and heart to the spirit of Aloha and Mahalo. But sometimes the spirit of Aloha can be soft spoken, barely detectable.

Plugs
Quincy Jones has started a petition to ask President-Elect Obama to appointa Secretary of the Arts. While many other countries have had Ministers ofArt or Culture for centuries, The United States has never created such aposition. We in the arts need this and the country needs the arts--now morethan ever. Please take a moment to sign this important petition and thenpass it on to your friends and colleagues. www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html
I saw a press conference the other day. Colin Powell was describing a great idea. Colin Powell was announcing that President-elect Obama believes that we, as Americans, have a responsibility to help our communities and fellow citizens. In summoning a new spirit of service, Collin Powell was calling on us to make an enduring commitment to our neighborhoods. Colin Powell, on behalf of President-elect Obama that each of us, very American volunteer two hours per week. He described a web site where you plug in your zip code and up comes a listing of places in need of volunteers. I checked it out and this weekend six people and I are painting a children’s shelter in Hyannis. The web site to sing up for Let's Renew America Together is http://usaservice.org/

My Christmas Card For You

2008-12-17T12:33:00.000-05:00

Hello my friends. Hope all is well with everyone. I want to start off with something of a repeat of a show we did a few weeks back. The show was about gratitude, and being grateful. I received a lot of emails on that show. Many of you expressed how the show made you think about your own gratefulness. And I also have spoken quite a bit about how I draw incredible motivation from the continuous support that all of you provide me. It’s funny but I never thought about the complete circle that supporting each other can bring until this week.
You guys have heard me talk about Bil Lane, Jackson Browne’s Recording Engineer. I met Bil at an art show I was doing in Hyannis this past summer. About a month after we met, long after Bil had returned to Los Angeles and returned to his work at Jackson Browne’s recording studio, I received an email from Bil. Bil was providing me accolades for my radio show on iTunes. He told me he found me to be an interesting artist. I was blown away. Here was a guy who was hanging out with people like Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley, and a slew of other very famous and talented musicians and amongst all these people Bil found me interesting. The support from Bil meant a lot to me, still does.
After I completed Bil’s painting, we became friends. I continue to draw incredible strength from his first email, the same way I draw incredible strength from the support each of you provide. And this week I discovered through Bil Lane another gift. I will read to you the email he send me this morning. Here is what Bil said to me: quote "Since I met you, I've thought more about inspiration and where it comes from and what it all means than I have in a long time. I've worked on the technical side for a long time, and my artistic side maybe suffers a little for it, but you've helped me realize that my artistic side needs to have it's voice heard as well. So thank you for that.", end quote.
Blew me away!
And that’s the topic for this weeks show. You and I, we are giving each other support, and that to me is what we should do. The purpose for the artist and the person appreciating the art is nothing more than support. We can’t pretend to love all art, nor all forms of art, but our job should be to love all aspects regarding the creativity behind the art. No matter what the artist, musician, writer, or poet, is working at, and no matter what they are producing, our job should be to stand behind them and support their endeavor. I have heard from many of you that you like the positive feel to this radio show, and that is what the relationship between the artist and the observer should be, support. All art is a reflection of the artist’s desire to express a creative urge. And creative urges aren’t right nor wrong, they are simply the artist delving inside themselves and extracting something that they hope will translate their expression. The support we give is simply our endorsement of their creativity.
Too often observers feel the need to critique what they like or don’t like. Millions of people absolutely love the singer Madonna’s music. I am not a big fan of Madonna’s music, but I am a huge fan of Madonna’s creativity. To me Madonna is the perfect example of a person who will stand up and create the way she likes to create. The music might not be for everybody, but Madonna doesn’t let the critics distract her. She simple creates and creates and creates. Look at how many Madonna wannabee’s flood the market these days. And how many times have each of us opted out of a project because that little hamster wheel of fear in between our ears might stand spinning. Some might argue that Madonna gets paid enough money that she can afford to create the way she wants to create, but long before Madonna made money she began creating, and she wasn’t paid for it. On the contrary, she lived in almost homeless conditions when she first hit New York, but she stuck with her creative passion and over time the money came. I don’t know Madonna so I can’t say for sure, but I’m willing to bet that there is a side to Madonna that creates because the desire is there, with or without the money. In my mind Madonna’s devotion to her creativity is an inspiration.
Bil Lane said "Since I met you, I've thought more about inspiration and where it comes from and what it all means than I have in a long time." I’m reading Bil’s quote to you because I never knew that me, Robert John Cook, held the possibility of inspiring someone. I am of course obviously flattered by Bil tremendous compliment, but Bil’s words are exactly how I feel about each of you. I love this time of year, especially in between Thanksgiving and the New year. It’s a time to reflect over the last year, and a time to contemplate the year before us. I can reflect over the last year and consider all the wonderful moments I have shared with you individually. I can see your face standing before, maybe at an art show, a reception, or some other event. The memory of that moment gives me inspiration and your support makes me feel confident in my work.
I also liked Bil Lane’s statement "I've worked on the technical side for a long time, and my artistic side maybe suffers a little for it, but you've helped me realize that my artistic side needs to have it's voice heard as well." There’s a lot contained in this one sentence. The focus Bill placed on the needs of his artistic voice being heard is important. Each of us are many titles; a worker, a spouse, a boyfriend, girlfriend, father, mother, brother, sister, artist, writer, musician, etc. There are many titles of each side of who we are and the roles we have responsibilities with. Each one of our roles have needs. Some roles may be more important than others, and some needs a higher priority than others. But the role each of us have to create as an artist is important. I believe if we don’t create we don’t allow our minds the opportunity to express our emotions. I’m not a mental health expert, but it seems to be if our minds are inhibited from processing our emotions then we become detached from being able to sort our emotions. From my perspective, honing our skills in managing our emotions is tantamount to being content as a person, being at ease with ourselves.
This year I was going to create a Christmas card and mail it to you. I drafted several designs and last night it came to me; This years card won’t be a card at all. I’ve decided instead of sending each of you a Christmas card I would instead give you a Christmas song during this radio show. So, last night I got my guitar out and wrote a song for you. Pretty simple song, but it comes from the heart, so I’m happy with it.
Before I leave you with your Christmas song I need to give two quick plugs:
Our friend Lee Bartell has her shop in Provincetown for sale. The store once called "I Used To Be A Tree" is located directly across the street from the Provincetown Library, shares a wall with Now Voyager Books, and is a block and a half from the center of town. There's an office at the back, with a window on the Bay! It’s 550 sq. ft. Lee is asking $350K, $300 now, and $10K/yr for 5 yrs. If you’re interested Lee’s telephone is 508-487-5900.
Last plug. Elaine Cohen and I met on last Sunday and discussed The Salon Des Refuses of Cape Cod. The details are coming together quickly. The Salon des Refusés of Cape Cod is a showcase exhibit, an annual art show with a reception promising a bit of a twist. The art show is titled "The Salon des Refusés", french for "Exhibition of Rejects". It stems from an 1863 exhibition of the then newly formed Impressionist’s work that were rejected by the jury of the official Paris Salon – that art was too new, no one had ever seen it before – it didn’t follow the "rules"!. The artists gathered as a group and declared their very own show: The Salon des Refusés of 1863 exhibited the important Impressionistic works the Paris Salon had rejected. Some of these jury-rejects went on to become very famous paintings, such as Édouard Manet’s Luncheon on the Grass, and James McNeill Whistler’s Girl in White.
The Salon des Refusés of Cape Cods of Cape Cod reception and one night exhibit will take place on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at the Cape Cod Museum of Art on Route 6A in Dennis. The first annual The Salon des Refusés exhibit promises to be a flamboyant and colorful reception that is unique and dramatic — the type of reception the press will find interesting and innovate — something to put the artists of The Salon des Refusés on the map, something the public will notice. As was the case in 1863, the audience for our reception are gallery owners. From across Cape Cod, the intention of the exhibit is to introduce gallery owners to local artists and our art. Instead of the artists of The Salon des Refusés bringing their portfolio to the gallery owners, we’ll be bringing the gallery owners to our portfolio.
The exhibit of the Salon des Refusés will be intriguing and intelligent. Only it won’t be the usual stuff an artist might throw in the trunk of their car to show a gallery owner, instead it’s the real art the artists have produced that they consider truly representative of their talent — sometimes the art being unpredictable! The purpose of the Salon des Refusés is to let the gallery owners see the real side of our art and not the stuff we’re trying to use to impress them with for gallery admission.
I’ve been receiving questions regarding who will be the artists? The original 1863 Salon des Refusés was to showcase new art. The intent was to generate interest amongst the gallery owners. Our purpose is the same. Because our audience will be prominent gallery owners the museum has criteria for artists being entered into our show: 1) We are limited to ten artists with two pieces of new art each, 2) The artist must have a professional portfolio suitable for immediate gallery owner review, 3) A strong desire to show their new art work to a gallery owner during the show, 4) Each artist must have their portfolio and new art work reviewed by Elaine Cohen and myself for show entrance. Please visit our website, thesalondesrefuses.wordpress.com, or sent me an email at MayflowerStudio@aol.com if you have any questions.

Sometimes
Sometimes things go around,
and around they seem to go,
just when I think I’ve got it figured out,
sometimes things seem to change,
sometimes when you least expect it.
And sometimes the wind blows in a different direction,
we can’t see it coming up from behind,
sometimes the ones we love we leave behind,
and sometimes it’s us they leave behind.
Those that aren’t here this Christmas,
set them a place at your table,
and when you give your Christmas grace,
invite them into your Christmas,
the way they invited you into their heart.
You will know your will in the smoke,
once you light that Christmas candle,
keep your eye on their smoke.
© 2008 Robert John Cook

Robert John Cook's radio show

2008-12-09T09:33:00.000-05:00

I attended the other day a lecture on an artist whose work I have found absolutely incredible for a long time. Al Kochka, the Curator and Director of the Geissbuhler Project at the Cape Cod Museum of Art gave the lecture. Al’s talk was amazing, filled with detail and passion. The artist’s name is Arnold Geissbuhler. He was born in my beloved Switzerland in 1897. Just after World War I, then in his early twenties, Arnold Geissbuhler followed his art and moved from Switzerland to Paris. Paris at the time was the center for everything art, especially sculpture, following Rodin no less!
Rodin had an assistant by the name of Bourdelle, and Bourdelle’s assistant was Arnold Geissbuhler. A young woman working in Rodin’s library at the time, translating Rodin’s catalogs would later become Arnold Geissbuhler’s wife. And they would eventually leave Paris for her home on Cape Cod. I mention Arnold Geissbuhler this week because his work ethnic is nothing short of miraculous. And you have to have ask yourself why? Why is it that an artist is driven to produce, some artist being driven far beyond anything one might call normal.
Many have heard me talk about the influence Harry Holl has had on my art, and how I developed by voice as an artist from Harry. Harry Holl is the son-in-law of Arnold Geissbuhler. So it was an genuine interest that I absorbed everything Al Kochka said about Geissbuhler. The one theme I could see that ran concurrent between Geissbuhler and Holl was that they both shared a strong work ethic. The amount of art each of them generated is astounding. I mention this because there are times when I find myself withdrawn from my work, perhaps I’m distracted by other efforts that need my attention, or perhaps my creativity needs time to be thought though. I don’t understand the reason for my stagnation, but it’s there. I feel at times I’m letting myself down, and wonder if Geissbuhler or Holl ever had times when they weren’t working like mad men. Or, did they work like mad men because they knew the other was watching? Geissbuhler and Holl lived within a distance of measurable yards for the bulk of their life. Their studios were on the same property, they saw each other every day, saw what the other was working on, I can only assume they measured their productivity by comparing their efforts to the others.
I don’t share a studio with anyone, and I don’t have a mutual reference point like Geissbuhler or Holl had. So how do I know I’m being productive enough? And is the quantity of productivity related to the quality of my art. I think it is. Artists that produce art that can stand the measure of time have been able to do so because they are prolific at their dedication. They produced mass quantities of work, from which select pieces carried on their name into the history books. Artists such as them are constantly drawing, sketching, designing a new painting or sculpture. Their craft as an artist is continuously being exercised. Their dedication as an artist then becomes directly proportionate to their recognition.
So why is it Geissbuhler would spend day in day out slaving away in his studio? It’s on record that he was always working. The number of pieces he produced is testimony to his efforts. The shear quantity of his work, let alone the incredible quality, is astounding. His drive as an artist makes my drive as an artist feel tiny and weak in comparison. Should I be concerned?
Yes, if we don’t measure ourselves by some standard we drift. I look at Holl and Geissbuhler as the productive artists I strive to someday be. To build a catalog of work several pieces may someday be chosen from I have to work hard. This motivates me, and to think if I work hard perhaps someday I might be able to produce a piece equal to a Geissbuhler, or Holl, is the carrot at the end of a long stick I have passion to chase. So, it’s with the thought of these two incredibly driven artists that my own mind is consumed with ideas and thoughts. The joy of art is the rush when you apply a touch of paint, or sculpt with that one stroke that makes the piece important. The feeling of ‘wow, I made that’ doesn’t come with every piece of course, but when it does happen the rush is euphoric.
If you’ve ever run through the woods you will have experienced that as you’re running you’re constantly looking three or four steps ahead to see where your foot is going to land. The experience of seemingly floating as you run three or four steps ahead of yourself is no different from the rush of running through ideas for art. There are times when ideas come to me at three or four steps ahead of me, they come quickly and I capture them and play with them in that euphoric moment of rush.
I’ve been getting that euphoric feeling of rush lately. It’s winter time here on Cape Cod now. It’s nineteen degrees outside as I write this, yesterday snow blew in off the water and covered the desolate beaches. All the tourists are gone and the Cape has returned to being Mayberry. Like creatures that come out only when it’s safe to do so, I’ve been meeting my friends once at various gatherings. There are gatherings for art, some for writing, and many for music. The Cape is alive with these gatherings of friends, which is why the Cape during the winter comes to life for me. I love the winter on the Cape, it’s a time for productivity. It’s time to get to work and share your winter projects with your friends. It’s time to meet that at the gatherings and describe your latest ventures. And by the end of gathering, as I’m driving home through the cold or snow, or freezing rain I am enjoying that euphoric rush that hard work delivers. I then feel equal to Geissbuhler or Holl. My work ethic and productivity are in high gear.
So, what winter projects have me so excited? I’ve been hard at work contemplating the design for my new studio. I’m going to build my new studio out of Found Objects. By itself the studio will be a work of my art, a giant sculpture I can stand up in and paint.
And, as typical for the winter, the room outside of the desk I use to write on is home to a fireplace that burns for most of the winter. I’ll sit at my desk and finish the novel I’ve started about one winter on Cape Cod. The book will conclude on the day the one thing Cape Codders like myself dread; going over the bridge and driving ‘Off Cape" to attend the inauguration January 20. My book is a novel, most of it complete, that will end on January 20.
And, music, the most important part of winter on Cape Cod. My friends Jeff and Janni are busy organizing their House Concerts. Everybody seems to be putting their shows together, at the Open Mic, or some coffee shop or gathering here or there. And everywhere I go I see my friends, these artists, whether it’s the visual arts, writing, or music, running three or four steps ahead of themselves. Each of them caught up in their own euphoric rush. The musician never has more than arms reach away their musical instrument. No matter how cold it is, nor no matter where they travel to, their violin, guitar, or mandolin is right by their side. And my writer friends, they are never without their pen and notebook. And the painters and sculptors, I run into them at the museum or galleries, or see them at gatherings. Their new projects are underway and they are smiling. This winter is going to deliver their best work, you can just see it on their faces. The artists, writers, and musicians, all my friends are filled with productive work. I can gaze into the beautiful flames of the fireplace and wonder if it’s winter on cape Cod that Geissbuhler and Holl used as their motivation to be productive. The answer is gone by way of history, but I think they did, which motivates me to shift my gaze from the fireplace back to the computer so I can work on my new novel and discover what it’s like to run three or four steps ahead of myself.
Within one of those euphoric moments of rush last week I briefly described the idea for a reception with a bit of a twist. The art show would being titled "The Salon des Refusés", which is French for "exhibition of rejects". It stems from an 1863 exhibition of works that were rejected by the jury of the official Paris Salon. The Salon des Refusés of 1863 exhibited the works the Paris Salon had rejected. Some of these jury-rejects went on to become very famous paintings, such as Édouard Manet's Luncheon on the Grass, and James McNeill Whistler's Girl in White.
An amazing set of circumstances and coincidences, matched with running three or four steps ahead of my own thinking, has lead the suggestion for this show to a place at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. My friend Elaine Cohen and I discussed it with the museum this past week. The Salon des Refusés of Cape Cod is scheduled for 5:30 - 7:30 on Thursday, April 2, 2009. I've set up a quick website -- needs work, but it will get us started. Here's the link:
http://thesalondesrefuses.wordpress.com/
The first annual The Salon des Refusés exhibit promises to be a flamboyant and colorful reception that is unique and dramatic — the type of reception the press will find interesting and innovate — something to put the artists of The Salon des Refusés on the map, something the public will stand up and notice. As was the case in 1863, the audience for our reception are gallery owners. From across Cape Cod, the intention of the exhibit is to introduce gallery owners to local artists and our art. Instead of the artists of The Salon des Refusés bringing their portfolio to the gallery owners, we’ll be bringing the gallery owners to our portfolio.
The exhibit of the Salon des Refusés will be intriguing and intelligent. Only it won’t be the usual stuff an artist might throw in the trunk of their car to show a gallery owner, instead it’s the real art the artists have produced that they consider truly representative of their talent — sometimes the art being unpredictable! The purpose of the Salon des Refusés is to let the gallery owners see the real side of our art and not the stuff we’re trying to use to impress them with for gallery admission.
The grand entrance of the show will be beautiful art models flamboyantly decorated and joyfully parading across the expansive museum floor. They will be parading as if on the streets of Paris in the early morning after a wonderful late night of incredible reveling.
I’ve received feedback from several artists regarding who will be the artists of the Salon des Refusés. The original 1863 Salon des Refusés was to showcase new art. The intent was to generate interest amongst the gallery owners. Our purpose is the same. Because our audience will be prominent gallery owners the Cape Cod museum has criteria for artists being entered into our show: 1) We are limited to ten artists with two pieces of new art each, 2) The artist must have a professional portfolio suitable for immediate gallery owner review, 3) A strong desire to show their new art work to a gallery owner during the show, 4) Each artist must have their portfolio and new art work reviewed by Elaine Cohen and myself for show entrance.
Plugs:
You guys know I’m a big fan of my friends with the band Tripping Lily. This Friday, December 12 Monica Rizzio and Friends are hosting a musical event at Buckie’s Coffee House on Route 28 in Dennis that sounds too good to miss. If you’re not familiar with how to get to Buckies there number is (508) 398-9700. Buckie’s is a small place with limited seating, I suggest you get there early, maybe 6:30 or so that night, the show starts at 7:00.
Also, on the same night Monica’s show is The Sarah Burrill Band at Joe's Bar and Grill up in Wellfleet on Friday December 12th at 10:00. I had the pleasure of hearing Sarah play at a private gathering last week. Wow, what incredible talent!
This may not fall under the heading of being as plug, but I very much believe what you give out comes back to you. I mention this because I received a beautiful gift from Bil Lane that I want to share with you. Bil is Jackson Browne’s Recording Engineer which many of you have heard me talk about many times. Bil’s generosity and continuously reaching out to shore up our friendship speaks for the type of wonderful person Bil is. I say this, because if you ever look at a CD and see the studio name of Groovemasters, or Bil Lane Recording Engineer by it. Bil has sent me CD’s that he has been the engineer on, and each of them is incredible.
I end each show with a wish from me to each one of regarding Peace and Love. After last week’s controversial show the response back was wonderful regarding the building of new studio. The ideas, suggestions, well wishes are wonderful. You guys are way too kind. It’s no wonder I truly do love all of you. Your are the coolest of the cool.

Art Show #21

2008-11-30T10:27:00.000-05:00

The Business Of Art
I was at a pub last night and a man who works with the town hall approached me. He said, "What are you artists doing over on Pearl Street?"
He explained to me that the behind the scenes business development of our art colony that business type stuff that as an artist isn’t within the realm of my day to day thoughts. It made me wonder that maybe I should consider the business side of art.
Over the many broadcasts I have often spoken of the Pearl Street art colony where my studio is. From it’s inception I have loved the idea behind Pearl Street – taking an old run down neighborhood in downtown Hyannis and transforming it into a thriving art destination. As a matter of fact the reason for this very broadcast grew out of my excitement for this art colony under new construction. And I love Hyannis, it’s named after my eleven generations ago grandfather and I have a deep passion to see this newly conceived art colony take place. Many of you haven’t been to Hyannis, and maybe really don’t fully understand Pearl Street. Within arms reach of where the packed ferries venture to cross the twenty five miles of the Nantucket sound to reach Nantucket, or Martha’s Vineyard is Hyannis. In some regards it’s a small seaport with a village perched at the top of the hill. Main Street in Hyannis is a mixture of restaurants and shops, and like most tourist dependent resorts the names on the shops change as frequently as the tourists.
During the summer the traffic around Hyannis and is constantly stop and go. To the tourists it looks like Hyannis is a metropolis, but if you’re a local it doesn’t take long to get to all the other locals. As one of my friends put it as she formed her index finger and thumb into the shape of a small circle, "The Cape is the size of a quarter." In the middle of Main Street where tourists gather by the bus load is the famous John F Kennedy Museum. Tourists hurdle in front of the statue with the museum placard in the background and photo op’s are exploited. A distance measurable in yards, just beyond the JFK Museum, the next street up on the left is Pearl Street. It runs in the direction toward the ferry launch. On a hot summer morning, especially in the early morning, the wonderful smell from the ocean finds it’s way up Pearl Street. Sometimes the air feels like it’s delivering the history of all that has taken place before, it’s as if the wonderful air is laden with the past Hyannis seems to so wonderfully cling to.
When the Pearl Street art colony came to life due to the incredible generosity of people like Pat Cursio and Shirley Blair Flynn, their vision was to create a place for artists to nurture their growth. The gift of a 1938 house and small barn bequeathed from Shirley to the Town to be used as working studios created the foundation for a multitude of wonderful artistic expressions. When the renovations to the former house where completed by the town, six of us moved in and started painting. The art that has been turned out of there to me is astonishing. As a group each of us have motivated the other to be pushed, to struggle, to be part os something very positive. This is the premise by which I thought a verbal journal of what’s taking place on Pearl Street needs to be preserved. The very reason for this radio show, this podcast, was to record the history of Pearl Street as it became a well known art destination on Cape Cod. This was the reason iTunes decided to carry the broadcast you are listening to.
It didn’t take long for the expansion of Pearl Street to be seen as a good business investment by local merchants. Some had the vision to see that the artists of the Pearl Street art colony where going to revitalize a run down section of town and they wanted to be part of it. And God bless them for their interest. Not long after we opened the doors to our working studio did other doors begin to open all around us. Old buildings were remodeled and soon galleries began to open. The concept of transforming Pearl Street into an important art destination had all the ingredients for success. The woman managing all these efforts for the Town had the outstanding skill of being able to see into the future what Pearl Street should be and worked hard to put the plan in place. She did a great job at motivating others and keeping us on track for the greater good. Enthusiasm became mixed into our paints as those of us as artists worked in excitement. Pearl Street became the new envy of the art community, many other artists wished they were involved, but space was limited. Not enough supply and too much demand put Pearl Street on the map and from it interest grew all over the Cape. Pearl Street became known as the cool place.
Eventually the wonderful woman who worked for the town, the woman whose efforts brought Pearl Street together left her position with the town. Her departure came at the same time a new gallery, a flagship for Pearl Street was opening up. The idea behind the gallery was a coop style whereby various artists would consign their art. It was intended that as many as two dozen artists would participate in this coop gallery. At that time I was invited to join, and I did for one day, then I quit. The problem I saw was that with such a mixture of artists the strong possibility was that there would be wide range of varying degrees within the art. Some good and some bad. The mixed bag of amateur verus professional art concerned me, so I dropped out. Another reason for my decision to drop out of the coop gallery at that time dovetails into this week’s topic: The Business Of Art.
It’s a very good thing I dropped out when I did. The coop gallery was being infiltrated with management form a local art association.. The art association moving in to manage the new coop from my perspective was an accident waiting to happen. The problem with using a local art association to run a gallery was that in no time whatsoever the word will get out and the gallery will be known as the art association’s gallery. My concern was that my name, the business of my art, would be dragged into the business of the art associations. I’m not slamming the art association, but they have a nitch in the world of art as a business for marketing low end amature art, for which there is a market, just not one I want to sell my art in, nor be affiliated with.
Within a very short period of time the new coop gallery became known as the place for amateurs to sell their art, which is sad because that wasn’t the case. Many very talented artists were in the new coop, but because the art association’s name was recognized by the public as amateurish art the new gallery was dragged through the mud. At this same time the wonderful woman who had spearheaded the development of Pearl Street left her position with the town, her no longer working for the Town meant a replacement would have to be hired.
The town decided to promote a person who I think was an assistant clerk. The title for the position being Arts and Culture Coordinator. A person with zero experience in the arts and zero experience in coordinating culture was given the job. The woman took over and within moments after starting her job she fired the warning shot across the bow of us artists; she was in town to take charge. She asked if she could introduce herself during one of our art shows, we agreed and in she walked with her clip board, ready to assign decisions to each of the artists who now ‘worked for her". She went right to work with the first question being, " Why do you have art hung on the walls?" I couldn’t believe the question, I thought she was joking. She then shook her head, "I don’t know if you can hang art on the walls. I’ll have to get a legal opinion on that. " Out she went, straight out the door to the town’s attorney office. My disbelief I can’t can describe.
From that moment things went downhill. As one of the other artists, a friend and colleague put it, "she speaks from both sides of her mouth." Trust evaporated. Too often she had two versions of the truth, one truth which fit something she made up, and the other truth being what she thought you might want to hear. When we asked her questions she would become defensive, her annoyance would build, and she’d reply, "You’re trying to spin my words, that’s why I can’t answer your questions." Her role as Arts ands Culture Coordinator destroyed the moral and created so much conflict our studios became a place of depressing negativism. Most of us shined away form going into our respective studios for fear it would bring us down. What was once a thriving place to be creative was now a dark place where negative distrust dwelled.
So it was when at the pub last night and this man who works with the town hall approached me and said, "What are you artists doing over on Pearl Street?, I replied, "I think the town has messed up on this one." The coop gallery is in trouble he told me, and from my own view, our studio is also in trouble. I say the town has messed up because the vision that once provided promise and direction is now gone, in it’s place is that narrow thinking of treating artists as employees and directing them as if we sit in cubicle awaiting direction from the boss. The town has left this poor woman all alone, she’s trying to do a job she doesn’t understand, and as she herself said it’s her role to make policy as she fits. She even went on to say that her predecessor didn’t document anything therefore she’ll has to make and implement all new policy regarding how she will handle our professions as artists. It’s scary to think an unqualified person is now going to walk in manage your career path.
The business of art is a delicate balance. Selling art has been a struggle for artists since day one. Artists are artists and the challenge of selling art is typically not within the realm as to why they became an artist in the first place. Overcoming the fear to produce art is one thing, to overcome the fear of explaining why someone should buy their art is a whole new matter. It took the brave personality of Picasso to say, "My art is art (and therefore worthy of the price) because I said so." Most artist’s don’t have the courage to stand up and direct the public this way. This is where on Pearl Street the coop gallery and studio space need an Arts ands Culture Coordinator to work with us and for us. Instead though the town let a woman who initially blazed the trail go, and in her wake promoted a woman whose intention was getting a promotion into a job. I question her capability.
I have received over the many broadcasts many wonderful emails and phone calls from you guys complimenting my optimism. I’m very optimistic that Pearl Street will survive, maybe in a different form from what it once was, and I strongly believe art in Hyannis will thrive and that someday Hyannis will be known as the art destination second only to beautiful Provincetown. The challenge I believe is that hiring a person with no experience in coordinating the arts and culture with neither art nor culture as a background, but rather only interested in getting a promotion, severely limits vision.
So what’s the answer? There’s a great push in our country right now to call on each of us to volunteer. In this regard, unless the town is capable of hiring that one in a million person who can really walk in and instil that sense of vision that motivates the development of a project as big as Pearl Street they should put together a board of advisors. The initiative behind the board of advisors would be to get the Pearl Street art colony unified in one common objective. Right now the Pearl Street art colony consists of a coop gallery, a private gallery, an ice cream shop, a coffee shop, an artist in residence, a working art studio , and a barn for teaching art and holding art shows. If the town orchestrated a Board Of Advisors to develop and overall plan to carve out the Pearl Street art colony mission with clarity it would send a positive signal to the public. A signal from which the public, I believe, would consider the Pearl Street art colony as a serious and professional place for art. If you recall a few broadcasts back I mentioned meeting an art professor at a local college. The professor asked if I was involved with the coop gallery on Pearl Street. I said, "No.", to which he professor replied, "Yeah, it’s too bad amateurs have taken over the coop gallery."
It’s not until people like this art professor are able to endorse and support the activity on Pearl Street that Pearl Street will be able to shine as Cape Cod’s serious place for professional art.
I recommend the Board Of Advisors be made up of a hand few of Hyannis Main Street business owners, professional artists, a town representative, and a member from the Main Street Business Improvement and Development Board, and the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. The purpose of the Board Of Advisors would be to draft a document outlining one common plan for success for the entirety of the Pearl Street art colony.
Many of you have heard me say over the many shows that I am a spiritual person, and I strongly believe all things have a reason for being. I don’t view the decline of the enthusiasm on Pearl Street as anything other than a signal; it’s time for me to move on into the next chapter of my art. I say this because the business of art means as an artist I must be cautious with my affiliations as an artist. I can’t afford to have my name dragged down as the town carries Pearl Street through the mud. I can’t afford to have a man at the pub ask me questions as to my involvement in an art initiative that is failing. I can’t afford to have an art professor thinking I’m connected to a group of amateurs incapable of effectively marketing their art. The business of art means I have to make business decisions if my name is to survive as a reputable and serious artist. The business of art means it’s time for me to vacate Pearl Street. But don’t despair my friends, my optimism is shining through. When one door closes ten other doors open, and if you’re spiritual like me they will close and open for good reason. I don’t know exactly what the future will hold in terms of my next studio, but my eyes and heart are wide open and we’ll see where the next adventure lands my pallette knife. In the interim I am smiling.
Onto another topic, now here’s a good idea, my friend and colleague Elaine Cohen has come up with a great idea for an exhibit, with a reception promising a bit of a twist. The art show would be titled "The Salon des Refusés", which is French for "exhibition of rejects". It stems from an 1863 exhibition of works that were rejected by the jury of the official Paris Salon. The Salon des Refusés of 1863 exhibited the works the Paris Salon had rejected. Some of these jury-rejects went on to become very famous paintings, such as Édouard Manet's Luncheon on the Grass, and James McNeill Whistler's Girl in White. Any artists out there that are interetsed in exhibiting in such a show are welcomed to contact me at MayflowerStudio@aol.com

The Art of Robert John Cook

2008-05-24T08:31:00.007-04:00

ROBERT JOHN COOK
http://www.robertjohncook.wordpress.com/

Mayflower Studio
PO Box 2518
Hyannis, MA 02601

MayflowerStudio@aol.com
508.367.5571

www.MayflowerStudio.wordpress.com

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Robert John Cook graduated at the top of his class from a local community college in 1978 with an Associate of Arts, and later the University of New Orleans. His deep passion since childhood for the visual arts led Robert to study painting and sculpture of renowned artist Michael Andryc at Andryc’s studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1981, 1994, and 2000. Robert continued his studies in painting through the influence of Larry Horowitz, and the sculpture of Harry Holl at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. It was through studying these two masters Robert learned how to listen to his own voice and enjoy his own very unique style.

Robert John Cook has been honored with juried shows, and juried membership into premier guilds. He currently serves, or has served, on the Board Of Directors of the Cape Cod Arts Association, Nauset Painters Guild, Cape Cod Celtic Society, and the Yarmouth Art Guild. He is a member of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, the Cape Cod Museum of Art, and Chairman of the Yarmouth Historical Commission. To enhance the community of artists, Robert founded 'All Artists Cape Cod', hosting open monthly conversati ons on topics of interest to all disciplines of artists on Cape Cod.

A descendant of five Pilgrims, including William Brewster, Robert John Cook captures his amazing art in a sort-after series of unique drawings, paintings, and sculpture that meaningful traverse his ancestral heritage. Respective of his forefather Pilgrims, Robert draws with pen & ink, paints with a palette knife, and uniquely captures sculpture in clay, bronze, wood, and found objects. Always imaginative, Robert John Cook began his art during childhood and has remained a serious artist ever since. Robert works daily at his Mayflower Studio located in downtown Hyannis.

ARTIST'S STATEMENT
"All of my work is original and inspired by my imagination. I am in love with the opportunity to create, to make something from nothing. The thrill of creative accomplishment consumes me, whether it's my art, music, or writing. To create has been my life-long passion, I believe to enjoy leaving our mark is the most important aspect of life -- this purpose drives me to draw my pen & inks, paint with my palette knife, and bury my fingers deep into my sculpture. And there is no better place to enjoy this level of excitement than Cape Cod. I am energized to create in the same area that my Pilgrim forefathers did."

PROFESSIONAL AFFLIATIONS & SHOWS
· Cape Cod Art Association
· Cape Cod Museum Of Art
· Nauset Painters Guild
· Yarmouth Art Guild
· Arts Foundation of Cape Cod
· All Cape Cod Perspectus Exhibit
· Cape Cod Cultural Center Exhibit

IN THE RECENT NEWS
- Cape Week Magazine, "Robert John Cook Art Display" -- May, 2008
- Cape Cod Times, "Robert John Cook Art" -- May 25, 2008
- Barnstable Patriot, "Waterfront Shanties Earn Their Keep" -- May 30, 2008

CLASSES
- July 23, Hyannis: Guyer Barn , Corner of South Street and Pearl Street, 508.367.5571. Teaching "Oil Painting with a Palette Knife", 9:00-12:00
- July23, Hyannis: Guyer Barn , Corner of South Street and Pearl Street, 508.367.5571. Teaching "Scrimshaw", 1:30-4:30

VENUES
- The DHC Gallery, Hyannis; Sculpture
- Cafe Redesign, Hyannis; Oil Paintings
- Harbor Your Arts Shanty; Oil Paintigs & Drawings

SHOW LISTINGS
JUNE
11 -13, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
16 - 17, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
17, Centerville: Arts Foundation Of Cape Cod, "All Artists Cape Cod", 6:00-7:30
18 - 21, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
22, Yarmouth Port: Yarmouth Art Guild, Route 6A, on the Lawn near Bank of America and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, 10:00 - 5:00
23 -24, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
25 - 27, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
28, Dennis: Bass River Park (Rt 28 Bridge), Saturday, 28, 11:00 - 4:00
30, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571

JULY
1, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
1, Centerville: Arts Foundation Of Cape Cod, "All Artists Cape Cod", 6:00-7:30
2 - 3, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
3, Hyannis: Art Walk, Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 5:00 - 8:00
4 - 5, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
6, Yarmouth Port: Yarmouth Art Guild, Route 6A, on the Lawn near Bank of America and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank
7, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
8, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
9 - 10, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
11, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
12, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
13, Yarmouth Port: Yarmouth Art Guild, Route 6A, on the Lawn near Bank of America and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, 10:00 - 5:00
14, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
15, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
16, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
17 - 18, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
20, Yarmouth Port: Yarmouth Art Guild, Route 6A, on the Lawn near Bank of America and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, 10:00 - 5:00
21, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
22, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
23, Hyannis: Guyer Barn , Corner of South Street and Pearl Street, 508.367.5571. Teaching "Oil Painting with a Palette Knife", 9:00-12:00
23, Hyannis: Guyer Barn , Corner of South Street and Pearl Street, 508.367.5571. Teaching "Scrimshaw", 1:30-4:30
Wednesday, 23, 9:00-12:00
24 - 27, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
28, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
29, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
30, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
31, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00

AUGUST
1, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
3, Hyannis: The Garden Party, 50 Pearl Street, 11:00- 9:00
4, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
5, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
5, Centerville: Arts Foundation Of Cape Cod, "All Artists Cape Cod", 6:00-7:30
6 - 9, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
10, Yarmouth Port: Yarmouth Art Guild, Route 6A, on the Lawn near Bank of America and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, 10:00 - 5:00
11, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
12, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
13 - 16, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
17, Yarmouth Port: Yarmouth Art Guild, Route 6A, on the Lawn near Bank of America and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, 10:00 - 5:00
18, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
19, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
20, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
21 24, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
25, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
26, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
27, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
28 - 30, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
31, Yarmouth Port: Yarmouth Art Guild, Route 6A, on the Lawn near Bank of America and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank, 10:00 - 5:00

SEPTEMBER
1, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
2, Orleans: Nauset Painters Guild, Colony Way Park, Depot Square, across from Chocolate Sparrow, 9:00-5:00
2, Centerville: Arts Foundation Of Cape Cod, "All Artists Cape Cod", 6:00-7:30
3, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
4, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-5:00
4, Hyannis: Art Walk, Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 5:00 - 8:00
5 - 7, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
8 - 10, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
11 - 12, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
15 - 16, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
17 - 19, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00
22 - 23, Hyannis: Mayflower Studio Gallery Exhibit, 50 Pearl Street, 508.367.5571
24 - 26, Hyannis: Artist' Shanties, Ocean St. Ferry Launch, 11:00-7:00