The North Shore’s cities and towns may seem familiar to people who’ve lived here for years, but they take on new personalities when viewed through a different lens. Suddenly, tourist-packed streets and shops transform into places where families stroll with their dogs in the evenings, kids walk home from school, and neighbors have block parties and cultural events. Here, we explore some of those familiar—and not-so-familiar—neighborhoods that make the fabric of the North Shore so rich and beautiful.
Rocky Neck, GLOUCESTER
Wandering through Gloucester’s Rocky Neck neighborhood is a little like taking a stroll through art history. You might see Marsden Hartley’s former studio or places where Winslow Homer and Edward Hopper spent time on their plein-air works. That artistic tradition continues today with the Rocky Neck Art Colony, one of the oldest continuously operating art colonies in the United States, where dozens of artists live and work.
“It’s just a stunning landscape, first of all,” says Courtney Richardson, director of the Rocky Neck Art Colony. “The sparkling ocean surrounds it.”
It’s no wonder that the unique light and landscape has been inspiring artists for years. “When you’re there you can always see art,” Richardson says.
And you’ll always see artists, too, whether in their galleries or out working in the landscape. You might bump into painter and mixed media artist Brenda Malloy of IMAGINE Gallery and Studio or painter Stephen LaPierre outside working on a plein-air piece.
Although it’s a seasonally driven place, it’s still very much a neighborhood that’s shaped by the landscape and history, with people and families who live there full time, year-round. In addition to the artistic community, Rocky Neck also boasts a maritime community. The Gloucester Marine Railways shipyard serves Gloucester’s fishing fleet from the end of Rocky Neck, and the nonprofit whale research and conservation organization Ocean Alliance operates research programs and artistic partnerships with the district.
