Arts Alive Artisans Market and Special Events
Arts Alive, Falmouth’s festive three-day celebration of the arts, takes place Friday, June 21, through Sunday, June 23, on the Falmouth Public Library Lawn, Shore Street Extension, and Peg Noonan Park. Hosted by ArtsFalmouth, the annual event is an exuberant marketplace of handcrafted wares made by artists and artisans from around the Upper Cape and an extravaganza of performances, from singer/songwriters to belly dancers, country music to rock bands, and musical theater to children’s story time. There is something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
Festivities begin Friday with Dawna Hammers at 5 PM, the Analogues at 6 PM, and the Town Dance with Sly Resolve from 7 to 9 PM. The fun continues Saturday from 10 AM to 9 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM.
Chalk drawings by veteran and budding artists will once again decorate the sidewalk in front of the library, and raffle tickets will be available for chances on winning baskets containing generous donations from local businesses. Special events include Painters on the Lawn on Saturday, children’s activities, familiar and exotic foods from the Wild Game Sausage Man, and ice cream from Perry’s Last Stand Ice Cream Truck.
Over 60 artisans and nonprofit organizations will display their wares on Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM and on Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM. There will be potters, jewelers, photographers, wood crafters, fiber artists, glass artists, and much more.
Plates and platters by Amy Eldridge of Eldridge Ceramics
Each of the potters has a distinctive style. Tessa Morgan of Flying Pig Pottery makes functional stoneware decorated using a sgraffito technique. Amy Eldridge of Eldridge Ceramics creates functional and decorative pottery inspired by the earth and the sea.
Deborah McCarty of Cove Lane Pottery offers whimsical plates for children and designs inspired by sea creatures. Hog Wild Pottery artist Susan LeBlanc Brum makes functional and decorative pottery, including yarn and berry bowls, butter keepers, utensil caddies, bird baths, and more. Corine Adams of Adams Art and Design will show her functional and decorative vessels and raku creations, inspired by the ocean.
The beauty of the Cape attracts many photographers. Joe Goodman’s photographs capture people and boats and nature, but he often turns them into painterly abstracts of light and design. Robert Manz offers fine art photography of the Cape in natural light.
Don Fleet, of Fleetwood Photography, shares images of Cape Cod—its beaches, harbors, and cranberry bogs. Jen Kano specializes in nature and wildlife photography. She will have matted prints, note cards, and finished pieces.
Prints and cards are also available from several printmakers. Sandra Faxon of Local Colors Gallery offers prints and originals of her collages and watercolors of marine life, beach scenes, and local landmarks. Matt Cooper of M. A. Cooper Design has matted and framed prints of sailboats that are meticulous in detail.
Several artisans work in glass and jewelry. Don Parkinson of Cape Glass is a glass blower who makes lampwork glass pendants, vases, and ornaments. Jennie and John Elias of Elias Studios offer multicolored handblown ornaments, vases, hummingbird feeders, tumblers, and jewelry.
Maureen Owen of CC Glass offers sea glass, candles, and decorations. Donna Andrews-Maness of Swing Lane Studio makes her own glass beads, with which she creates original necklaces, earrings, and pendants.
Lynn Abravanel and Patricia LeGrand of Scarabocchio Silversmiths make sterling silver and 14k gold-filled earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and ornaments. Laura J. Bouton of LjBjewelry uses sterling silver and natural stones in her handmade jewelry.
Helen Mancini of Unique Jewelry and Gifts makes decorative plates with beaded servers. Lucia Moon Designs offers hand-carved shell beads and jewelry made by Mercy Moon Reed and Martha Lucia Nunez. Ann Marie Matoian of Matoian Designs makes beaded necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
Ellen Barol of Big Hearted Mutt Designs uses brightly colored beads to create original designs in bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. Marilyn Rowland makes fun and festive beach-inspired jewelry using beads, metal, and paint.
Invoking the feeling of a bygone era are the tiny books and butterfly wings that carry secret messages created by Raelinda Woad at Storyteller Jewelry. Deborah MacFail creates handmade necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and lariats from gemstones, pearls, and vintage jewelry.
Hannah Reidy’s Acid Earth Shop offers nature-inspired acid-etched jewelry made of copper and brass sheet metal and wire-wrapped crystals and stones. Carlah Kramer of Cape Cod Artworks creates ocean-inspired jewelry and pen-and-ink sketches on shells.
Vickie Cartner of Funkenbeads will have handmade leather and metal necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, stone necklaces and a kids’ jewelry table. Erin Connors’s Bracelet Bash offers an opportunity for both children and adults to design and create their own one-of-a-kind bracelets.
Valerie Leri of Rising Tides Artworks is both a jewelry maker and a painter. She offers acrylic landscape and abstract paintings and painted antique silver earrings.
Another way to adorn oneself is with henna body art at JoAnn Whittemore’s Cape Cod Henna. You can also have your face—or your children’s faces—painted by Superhero Face Painting. Or indulge yourself when you get home with handmade soaps, scrubs, facemasks, hair and beard oils, and other beauty products from Liz Martin at Cape Coop Farm. The Fussy Goose Studio, run by Stephanie Pina, offers handcrafted all-natural soy candles, soaps, and lip balms.
For a lasting souvenir of the weekend, head over to One Way, Inc., where Jason Carrier will create a caricature of you or a loved one. Or, try the Photo Booth, where VIEW Photography offers fun and creative photos of you and your family and friends.
Fiber arts and leathercraft abound at Arts Alive. Bella Blue Art Studio’s Diane Berard sells handcrafted leather bracelets, earrings, and small leather accessories. Susan Hersey of Herseys Handbags offers handmade quilted purses and accessories, including pouches, keychains, wristlets, eyeglass cases, and tote bags. Linda Jones of Yarn Over crochets cowls and scarves.
Nancy Sawyer at Tidal Effects makes screen-printed clothing, while Melissa Oliveira at Bzzyfingers makes fabric baby bibs, burp cloths, reusable snack bags, lip balm keychains, wristlets, and zipper pouches. Natasha Nolan of Mama Hen offers handmade clothing in sizes newborn to XXL adult.
Wayne Sorel of The Black Leash weaves leather leashes, collars, and harnesses for dogs, and Erika Hamer at Nautical Creations knots nautical rope for sailor’s bracelets, keyrings, napkin rings, pet accessories, and more. Senarts offers ethnic and African-inspired accessories made with leather, metal, beads, fabric, and wood.
Fashion for Empowerment offers scarves, wraps, and shawls made by women’s artisan cooperatives around the world. Stephen Oliver of Make it Right! creates graphic designs that promote world peace and silkscreens them onto t-shirts and sweatshirts.
Fiber artist Darcie Enea of Gratitude Juice creates macramé wall hangings and plant hangings, and small macramé items, such as keychains. Cape Cod Cutlery’s Frederic Carpenter makes oyster knives and other kitchen cutlery.
Several artists work with wood, paper, and materials found in nature.
Colleen Corson of Arts of Palm will have fish sculptures she creates from palm leaves and other natural materials, as well as painted floor cloths. Martine Bindler-Desbiens of Craft-Tine is a paper crafter, adorning intricate, small gift boxes with paper animals, stars, and marine creatures. William Brown from Pine Island Studio creates living art with his geometric style ceramic planters.
Linda and Nick Barbadoro of Serenity Bamboo Flutes create bamboo flutes, walking sticks, and walking stick flutes that actually can be played.
Naomi Keeling, of Shoreline Designs, creates framed seascapes using shells and glass. Robin Pierson of Reflections by Robin is a resin artist who creates decorative mirror and window art.
Emma Publicover and Donna Austin of Custom Sign Design create wood and canvas signs, wood animals and objects, and small tables. Rich and Amy Ennis of Woodwork by Bee sell wooden flags, while The Silkworm Florist’s Andy Greenhalgh creates garden and nautical décor.
There will be edible items as well. Beachouse Baking Company’s Laura Bailey has baking mixes for all tastes and diets, including vegan, gluten- and sugar-free. Melissa Rioux of DÁFNI Greek Gourmet offers handcrafted Greek extra virgin olive oils, olives, herbs, and teas.
Several nonprofit organizations will be on hand. The Falmouth Art Center will offer information on its art exhibits and classes. The College Light Opera Company (CLOC) will provide information on its summer musical theater schedule; CLOC will also perform an excerpt from an upcoming play in the Performance Tent on Sunday.
People for Cats will sell T-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, hats, and bags to help fund the organization. The Woods Hole Film Festival will have information on their summer film festival and year-round events.
Highfield Hall and Gardens and the Falmouth Chorale will have information on upcoming events and ways to get involved. Habitat for Humanity will sell raffle tickets for a handcrafted wooden kayak.
ArtsFalmouth will have information on Arts Alive and ArtsFalmouth and will sell soft drinks and water, raffle tickets, and ArtsFalmouth t-shirts and tote bags.
Arts Alive is sponsored in part by the Cape Cod 5 Foundation, The Enterprise, the Falmouth Road Race, the Falmouth Village Association, Martha’s Vineyard Bank, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Rand Atlantic Cape Cod Realty, Taylor Rental, Turning Pointe Dance Studio, and the Woods Hole Foundation, Inc.
For more information on vendors and performances at Arts Alive, visit ArtsFalmouth.org.
Notes on The Arts 