Cape Cod Museum of Art
Familial, Curated from the Permanent Collection
Jan. 18 – April 14 ~ Opening Reception February 1
60 Hope Ln.
Dennis
508-385-4477
CCMoA.org
Open Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday Noon to 4 p.m.
Admission: $10, Seniors $8, Students $7
There is so much to get excited about at the Cape Cod Museum of Art: the exhibits, the classes, the music concerts, the gift shop, even the history of the majestic building is an interesting story. “Harry Holl is the founder of the museum,” said Benton Jones, the museum’s director of art. “Harry conceived of the idea with no membership, no collections and no building in 1981; he just had a vision, ‘To preserve the art of the Cape for Cape Codders.’ Soon he and his friend Roy Freed started it with a collection of works by Harry’s father-in-law, the well-known sculptor Arnold Geissbuhler. They rented space in the Theatre Marketplace area in 1986. Then in 1987 the Davenport West Family said, ‘You can have our house,’ which was actually an estate. The only trouble was that the estate was in South Harwich! So they raised the money to move the 11 pieces in seven trucks from there to the site it’s on today.”
And what a sight it is! Jones, who has been at the museum since 2014, pointed out the cathedral ceilings in the main exhibit hall “with Tudor-style beams that were moved to the Davenport estate from England. So this is their third location! And think how old they must be!”
“This porch used to overlook Nantucket Sound,” he added. Today the porch is glassed-in and filled with sculptures and other works all with the same parameter all the works on display in the museum and in the permanent collection have.
“Every piece has a connection to the Cape or this region. The artist either worked here, lived here, studied here or the Cape is the subject matter.” The museum’s permanent collection is curated and brought out of the museum’s archives through exhibits that share a theme or an idea. This winter the exhibit is “Familial.”
“’Familial’ highlights the relationships of our regional artists through their artworks,” Jones said. Harry Holl, his father-in-law Geissbuhler and his daughter Sarah Holl are represented in one segment. Max Bohm and his granddaughter Anne Packard and great-granddaughter Cynthia Packard are another. It’s a fabulous exhibit. There’s an annual exhibit of artwork from Cape schools (K-12) called “Through Their Eyes,” now in its 20th year, coming up soon.
Currently, in another spacious room there is a wide display of the members’ works accompanied by the preliminary sketches that were done before the final artwork. Chronicle columnist Liz Perry has a painting on display here along with many artists Cape art lovers are familiar with.
The museum has something going on all the time and all year long. There are classes, video presentations on a loop in their theater/auditorium, a pottery studio, a gift shop with items from local artists and artisans, a garden filled with eye-popping sculptures and this winter on Sunday afternoons through early April they hold music concerts. And more events, exhibits and receptions than can be mentioned in this one column.
Become a member! Free admission, and discounts on classes and gift shop purchases.
