Arts Alive, ArtsFalmouth’s annual celebration of the arts, will be held Friday, June 14, through Sunday, June 16, with more than 40 performances under two tents on the Falmouth Library Lawn and at the Peg Noonan Park bandshell, and 75 artisans and craftspeople offering a colorful array of handcrafted items along Shore Street Ext. and in Peg Noonan Park. Arts Alive celebrates Juneteenth, Pride Month, and Father’s Day.
Arts Alive begins on Friday evening, June 14, with performances by music students at Falmouth Academy, singer/songwriter Shannon Davis, and a Town Dance with the spirited rock band, Puffy Elvis.
The Artisans Market takes place Saturday, June 15, from 10 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday, June 16, from 11 AM to 5 PM. There is also an Art Tent with participatory activities for children and adults, including a puppet workshop by Dream Tale Puppets from 10 AM to 1 PM on Saturday. A dozen or more community organizations will have tents on the Library Lawn to share information about the services they provide to the community.
Arts Alive offers a fine array of artists showing watercolor, acrylic, oil, and mixed-media paintings. Amy Estes of Aestes Art has original watercolor and pastel paintings on textiles, tiles, and marble coaters. Alyssa Ruggieri of ALR Designs creates watercolor paintings, prints, greeting cards, and stickers. Susan Clayton of Cheaper than Therapy offers fused-glass paintings, while Donna Autin of Creative Canvas paints in acrylics.
Karla DeStefano of Franky and J creates mixed-media art: stationery, cards, paper pulp bowls, and hand-painted planters. Justin LaRocca Hansen paints in watercolor, offering prints and cards. Rick Yetra creates oil paintings of Cape Cod seascapes, landscapes, and historic areas. Melanie Walker paints and makes crystal mobiles. Michael Palmer of Waquoit Bay Fish Company creates colored pencil drawings of fish and sells reproductions, posters, cards, and stickers.
Photographs provide another way of seeing. Laura Puopolo of Cape Carder makes cards, framed prints, and mini meditation prints from her photographs. Christine Chepeleff of CChepeleff Photo Design has award-winning photography of Cape Cod. Jen Kano of Jen Kano Photography offers framed photographs, matted prints, cards, and books. Nancy A. Orbe of Nancy A. Orbe Photography offers matted and framed prints and cards.
A number of artists work in wood. Mike Adams of Brown Bowl Co. makes wooden bowls turned on a lathe. Michael O. Orbe of Capt. Mike’s Wood Shop makes wood products, while Ellen Lewis of EKL Designs makes wood cutting boards, boxes, and more. Michael Phipps of Strong Roots Woodworking makes wooden cutting boards, tissue boxes, game boards, and more.
Karen Teeley of Karen Teeley Creations makes wooden toys, and Jacob Freeman of Treeline Terrains, makes custom 3D wooden maps of iconic landscapes with a focus on Cape Cod. Steven Treistman creates lathe-turned decorated wooden boxes and bowls. Ed Putnam of Turning Point Woodworks makes bowls, platters, salt and pepper mills, cheese boards, and wood art.
Fiber arts creations are also popular. Martha Gruhn of Barnstable Bag Lady makes bags and totes from repurposed sails. Melissa Oliveira of Bzzyfingers makes zipper pouches, purses, keychains, reusable snack bags, book sleeves, notebooks, and more. Amy Friberg of Designs of Lilly crochets plushies, while Nicole Kodak of Destination Dress sells shawls, scarves, scrunchies, denim jackets, and ponchos. Karen Donahue of A Horse of a Different Color makes fabric and feather seahorses, horses, unicorns, and pegasuses.
Jeannie McMasters of Just Tickled makes bows, tutus, and bubblegum necklaces. Erika Hamer of Nautical Creations makes rope and cord items: sailor’s bracelets, key fobs, suet bags, and more. Donna Sutton of Ondine makes children’s sweaters and stuffies. Kathleen Bamber of Oscar Boxer Doggie Duds makes dog collars, bandanas, bowties, and more. Elaine Davis of Pleasantwood Cottage Creations makes bags and baskets from rope, while Martine Bindler-Desbiens of Craft-Tine makes paper cards, gift boxes, and wreaths.
Jewelry is always well-represented at Arts Alive. Judy LaCava of Cape Cod Octopus’s Garden makes sea glass and shell jewelry, and Carole Ellis of Carole’s Jewelry Design creates jewelry from quahog shells, sea glass, and resin. Lily Matthews of Creativity by Lily makes jewelry with a youthful appeal, and Gillian Eaton of Gillian Inspired Designs handcrafts gemstone jewelry.
Nina Colón of Incandescent Gems makes necklaces, earrings, and more. Carol Joannidi and Dana Hunt of Little Cat Metals make jewelry of recycled American silver and gold, precious and semi-precious stones. Laura Jane Bouton of LjBjewelry and Andrea Tuse of Stones and Metal both work in sterling silver. Lee McNeaney of My Creations makes watches with straps of semiprecious stones and sterling silver. Robin Paris of Paris & Company makes coastal jewelry, sea glass and seashell nightlights, suncatchers and more.
Lynn Abravanel and Patricia LeGrand of Scarabocchio handcraft sterling silver and gold-filled jewelry, while Julie Williams-Tinkham of Spēks of Glass makes sea glass jewelry and home décor. Alice Starkweather of Starkweather Designs handcrafts sustainable jewelry, while Donna Andrews-Maness creates jewelry using her own handmade glass beads. Jennifer Nickerson of Washershore makes pendants, earrings, golf markers, cocktail charms, and ornaments.
Home décor items are also popular. Heather Pelland of Candles and More by Heather makes gel and soy candles, pie candles, and more. Scott Cooper of Scott Cooper Creations offers jewelry, art, and home décor items. John and Jennie Elias of Elias Studios Glass make hand-blown ornaments, tumblers, hummingbird feeders, and ring holders. Maryanne Spence handcrafts Nordic-style gnomes, while Haileigh Nutthall and Deb Nutthall of Harley’s Handmade have tumblers, keychains, pet accessories, and more.
Sharon Keating of Heavenly Light Crystal Creations fashions crystal suncatchers. Sally Langlais of Petals and Seashells preserves dried flowers in resin containers. William Brown of Pine Island Maker Studio makes cast concrete geometric and pop culture planters and macrame. Leonard Sandler of Sandler Crafts makes mixed-media shadow boxes, while Rachel Anderson of Shining Sea Farm Falmouth sells nautical home décor.
Andy Greenhalgh of the Silkworm Florist creates upcycled garden and nautical décor. Naomi Keeling of Shoreline Designs makes framed seascapes, resin wall hangings, and glass and wood ornaments, all with local shells, sand, and sea glass. Thomas P. Rodger of TR Plaques makes custom plaques and T-shirts. Helen Mancini of Unique Jewelry and Gifts sells unusual plates with beaded serving utensils, platters, cheese boards, jewelry, and more. Jillian Buck of Warm Delights Crafts handcrafts beeswax candles.
Pottery is another Arts Alive favorite. Amy Eldridge makes artfully decorated pottery, and Darcie Enea of Gratitude Juice makes functional ceramics, while Susan LeBlanc Brum of Hog Wild Pottery makes farm-to-table pottery. Denise Montoya of Denise Montoya Potter crafts ornaments, spoon rests, plates, bowls, and trays, while Anju Rajani of Anju Rajani Ceramics handcrafts functional pottery.
In addition, visitors will find Katie Buehlmann of BFF Kitchen selling dry rugs, seasonings, hot honey, and more. JoAnn Whittemore of Cape Cod Henna provides henna body art and accessories. Liz Martin of The Cape Coop Farm sells homemade soaps, sugar scrubs, body butters, and more. Kaley Eldridge of Seapoint Trade offers bath essentials, laser engraving, and leatherworking.
People for Cats will offer cat-themed clothing and other goods to support their mission, and the Woods Hole Film Festival sells festival swag to help support the WHFF.
Esther Ann Price of Honoring Tommy with Love offers cookbooks and mugs with sales benefiting Tommy’s Place.
For more information, visit artsfalmouth.org/arts-alive-2024/
Notes on The Arts 