Featured item: Jeff Weaver Painting Lesson + French Picnic

For many Gloucester residents, Jeff Weaver needs no introduction. He is famous for his paintings and murals that depict Gloucester's fishing history and its enduring beauty. His works hang private collections and public spaces, and his murals are known throughout the city.

For our Auction for the Arts, he has agreed to give a private painting lesson to an adult, to be followed by a wonderful picnic of French bread, cheeses, and fruit.

Don't miss this rare chance to learn from an icon of the Gloucester art community!

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Featured item: Private Tour of Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House

Historic New England has donated a three-hour private tour of Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House on Eastern Point. This remarkable home is a National Historic Landmark, and is described by the organization on its web site:

"Beauport, the summer home of interior designer Henry Davis Sleeper, captivates the imagination not only because of its dramatic location but because of its wit. Filled with room after room of delightful objects meant to astonish and amuse, Beauport is an intellectual fun house originally designed almost a century ago to entertain such luminaries as European art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner, Harvard economics professor A. Piatt Andrew, heiress Caroline Sinkler, and Okakura Kakuzo, curator of Asian art at the Museum of Fine Arts and author of “The Book of Tea.”"

Beauport is a gem.

Also included is a 1-year household membership to Historic New England, which owns and maintains the property. This membership allows free access to dozens of their properties.

This item has a value of $175.

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Featured item: "Spring Saltmarsh" by Memory Layne

This is "Spring Saltmarsh", a beautiful acrylic-on-wood painting by local artist Memory Layne.

It's hard to tell from this photo, but it is quite large; approximately 5 feet wide, and 8.5" tall. It's also hard to tell from this photo just how beautiful the colors are.

This piece was generously donated by the artist herself. The estimated value is $375.

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Featured item: Private Movie Party at the Cape Ann Community Cinema

Rob Newton is the founder, managing director, projectionist, and popcorn-popper of the Cape Ann Community Cinema, located on Main Street above the St. Peter's Club and Mystery Train.

Rob is emphasizing the "Community" in "Community Cinema" by offering for auction a private movie party for up to 50 guests at the cinema, on a date to be agreed upon after the auction.

The cinema is a wonderful place to see a movie. It features both the best in technology (digital projection, multi-channel surround sound) and comfort (super-comfortable sofas). Read more about it (and see a photo of the theater) in this Boston Globe article.

Rob normally shows the best independent and foreign-language features. But for your private party, you get to pick the movie. The Cinema's variety of movie snacks will be availble for purchase by the winner and guests.

The estimated value for this item is $300.

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Featured Item: Original Folly Cove Designers Print "Home Port"

This is an original block print from the Folly Cove Designers, a group founded by Virginia Lee Burton, the beloved author of such classics as Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, Katy and the Big Snow, and The Little House. Production of these textiles ceased in 1968, when Burton died.

The design is "Home Port" by Louise Kenyon, circa 1949, showing a sequence from bottom to top of fish, sailing ships, sailors, dancing girls, and a Main Street. It measures approximately 21" by 17".

It is block printed onto cotton. It has been archivally framed, invisibly sewn onto linen backing, and framed with UV-protected plexiglass. This is the definition of "museum-quality framing".

This item will be part of the live auction, and its estimated value is from $500 to $600.

This print was generously donated by East Gloucester resident Andrew Spindler, owner of Andrew Spindler Antiques in Essex, MA. He has several original Folly Cove prints on display at his shop on Main Street.

List of Auction Items

List of donors