Gallery Night in Chatham Part 2

As usual, my ambition fell short of my reality. I did make it to the new Cove Gallery ( well worth it ) but by the time I got to the other end of town Narrowland and Odells were closed.

What struck me at the end of the day was how many amazing people I met in those 2 hours; Michael, a photographer, Christine, a poet, Debby, an art teacher and artist, Cindy a photographer and gallery owner, and Roberto, a film maker and producer.

The vibrancy of Chatham's art scene reminds me of Park City, Utah. We lived there for 3 months in the winter. Park City may have been one of the original towns to do the weekly gallery stroll. The town has one long main street like Chatham and is filled with phenomenal galleries. It is also home to Sundance Film Festival and every week the library features one of the films from the year before. There is always something to do in Park City as I know there is on the Cape. This will be my first fall as a year round resident so I have much to learn. Please feel free to send me an email if you have any hot tips. ( I know posting a comment is a pain but those are always welcome as well ) robin.litwin@comcast.net

Gallery Night in Chatham Part 1

Last Wednesday I made my way into Chatham for the weekly Wednesday Gallery Stroll. Chatham is a small town with an amazing number of galleries. I knew the photographer Michael Kahn, a featured artist at The Focus Gallery, was going to be there so that was my first stop. Focus Gallery is in what used to be the old High Wheeler Square; Fire Signs Jewelry and Susie Nickerson's Health Food Store used to be there. If that doesn't ring a bell, it's behind Carmines Pizza and Dunkin Donuts.

Focus Gallery is devoted solely to the fine art of photography. The space is open and airy and the photographs are stunning. Michael Kahn's work is shot with a 2 1/4 square Hasselblad camera, he still shoots film and he prints his own work; all impressive to me given the size of his prints. What I loved most were the 5 small prints he brought in just before I left. They may have been original proofs, probably 5 x 5 and they were printed on what used to be my favorite paper, portriga rapid made by Agfa. I loved that paper; it's warmth and luminance and it's yummy browns. It's been years since you could get that paper and I remember stocking up on as much as I could afford when I heard of it's impending demise. The photos were wrapped up so I didn't get a close look at them but I could tell they were exquisite gems. I will make my way into town again for a closer look before some lucky collector buys them as a set.

Boo's morning

Boo's hawk

Boo's windmill

Go fish

Ocean's Pull

Today I went out to North Beach Island in Chatham with friends who have a camp there. It was one of those changeable Cape days; the kind that keeps you guessing.....foggy haze rolls in one minute, burns off the next, then diamond glints as the sun begins to lower a bit. In a word, magic. As we walked out to the " new cut " I noticed a sweet low tide pool that called to me. There were a few people frolicking in the waves and the bobbing looked too good to pass up. I tried to entice my friend into the water but she passed. Venturing out into the water; I jumped the waves, floated, and bobbed blissfully. Luckily I never went further than my chest. Suddenly I realized the undertow was significant With every step I made in it was pulling me out. I realized the undertow was more than I bargained for. Luckily I was able to touch, dig in and brace myself against the tide. The force of the ocean pulling me out was alarming. I am a strong swimmer but I knew I needed to dig my feet in and head toward shore with all I had in me. When I got through the scary zone I told my friend about my "moment of terror". She had been caught in a rip tide at age 18 and knew what I was talking about. This was my second scare of the summer and it made me wonder, is the ocean getting stronger or am I getting weaker? I think wisdom is prevailing.