Category Archives: The Arts

The arts in Newburyport, MA, the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, producing work to be appreciated for its beauty and emotional power.

Old South, First Presbyterian Church

I came across this print of Old South, First Presbyterian Church on the Library of Congress online archives. I’d never seen this print before and I thought it was pretty amazing.

LCon-Old-South.jpg

Courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Reproduction Number: LC-USZ62-10021 (b&w film copy neg.)
N.W. view of the First Presbyterian Church, Newburyport, Mass

This is the entire page, and here is more of a detailed image without the writing.

LCon-Old-South-detail.jpg

Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Prints and Photographs Division
Detail, First Presbyterian Church, Newburyport, Mass

I also love the drawing of the original steeple, which was severely damaged by the hurricane of 1938, and in 1949 it was removed and capped with a 105-foot-tall cupola. (The New York Times, May 13, 2006)

LCon-Old-South-steeple.jpg

Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Prints and Photographs Division
Detail, steeple
First Presbyterian Church, Newburyport, Mass

The church hopes eventually to fully restore the steeple to its original shape. Please press here to read an earlier entry about Old South Church, and to see the comparison of what the steeple of Old South Church looks like today.

And I also love the street scene to the right of the church. The two houses in the picture, I believe still exist. As I remember it, the first house was where the famous preacher, George Whitefield lived (I have not confirmed this) when he was pastor of Old South, First Presbyterian Church in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

LCon-Old-South-street.jpg

Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Prints and Photographs Division
Detail, street scene
First Presbyterian Church, Newburyport, Mass

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Editors Note: This is a correction and clarification from an astute reader of the Newburyport Blog:

“Mary, I don’t believe George Whitefield was ever the pastor of Old South. I don’t think he ever stayed in one place long enough to become a pastor. He was a real roving evangelist.

The first house behind the church was the birthplace of William Lloyd Garrison. There is a plaque denoting that on the house.

George Whitefield was staying with the pastor in the parsonage when he died, because he was to be the guest preacher in the church the next day. The story goes that his fans surrounded the house the night before and demanded that he talk to them, so he preached from the house steps for something like six hours. He was already sick, and he didn’t survive the night.”

Holiday Photographs

Ben Laing was an early contributor to the Newburyport Blog and has always been wonderfully supportive. And I appreciate that so much. Among other things Ben is currently a photographer for the Newburyport Daily News.

Ben took a wonderful photograph which he graciously allowed the Newburyport Blog to use, and I’ve been trying to figure out how best to utilize it all this time.

With all the rain in Newburyport last night and all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, this photograph of Market Square in downtown Newburyport seems incredibly appropriate.

Night_nbpt_Laing.jpg
Benjamin Laing © 2006
Streaks
Image courtesy of Benjamin Laing Photography

Ben also took this wonderful photograph of the Firehouse Center for the Arts. Although it has been used before on the Newburyport Blog, it is also seems wonderfully appropriate for this holiday season.

firehouse-laing.jpg
Benjamin Laing © 2006
Christmas at the Firehouse
Image courtesy of Benjamin Laing Photography

Many thanks to Ben Laing and Benjamin Laing Photography.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Confessions of a Painter

Bear with me here. “Confessions of a Painter” doesn’t sound like it would have much to do with Newburyport, MA, but I’ll get around to that, I promise.

Discloser: I happen to be a painter.

Discloser: I have this “love-hate” relationship with PhotoShop.

PhotoShop (and similar commuter software applications) changed painting (Ok, that’s my opinion).

When I first discovered PhotoShop I was absolutely fascinated by it. I still am. Things that would literally take me years to do as a painter, could almost be done instantaneously in PhotoShop.

Someone, anyone could take a digital photograph, manipulate it in PhotoShop to look like a painting, print it on a canvas and sell it for a fraction of the price that I would sell my paintings for. And it would take a fraction of the time.

This in is the discouraged part of my “love-hate” relationship with PhotoShop.

And what is lost in this way of doing things, is the understanding and gradual knowledge that comes from the long and often tedious process and the creative journey of bringing a painting into existence. As well as the feeling of “power” and “intensity” that a painting transmits compared to something that is more like a “print.”

PhotoShop could also give a sense of “instant gratification.”

It feels as if “short sound bites,” “instant gratification” could become a way of life; as well as a possible identification with pop icons, or “interchangeable entities” that large corporations often provide, instead of longing for a “deeper” culture.

A hotel room in California could be identical to one in Massachusetts. Why bother to go to a different “culture” if so much of the culture could be interchangeable.

And that is why I think it is so important to take long hard looks at what is, could, might happen to Newburyport, MA. That we stay a distinct “community,” with a distinct sense of place, with a distinct “local” ambiance. That we don’t become yet one more bland, interchangeable, faceless place to be in America.

We have so much to offer in Newburyport, MA. And we are in a vortex of change, just like so many other communities in the USA. And we have choices that we can make. And I so desperately do not want to lose that sense of community that is here, that makes Newburyport such a wonderful place to visit, live, work and play.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Single-Issue Elections and Politics

I have an old friend Frank Schaeffer (the same Frank Schaeffer who, with Jerry Klima and others, helped stop the Casino at Salisbury Beach–see earlier entry) who has just written a book.

The book, is about many things, and one of the things it is about is how only focusing on one issue in an election can really mess things up.

The book is called “Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back.” (The original subtitle was “How I Helped Found the Religious Right and Ruin America”… I loved that one, but I guess it didn’t make it.)

I’ve known Frank and his wife Genie for 35 years (this dates me big time). And one of the things I like so much about Frank’s writing is his sense of humor, self-deprecation and his wonderful and often moving off-beat view of the world.

Reading the book, I had forgotten how involved Frank had been in national politics, which probably explains why he is so amazing when he gets involved in local politics. (In fact, Frank was my original political mentor in the fight to save High Street. Please press here to read that post.)

To quote from Frank Schaeffer’s book:

“…single-issue politics deforms the process and derails common sense. It facilitates the election of leaders just because they are “correct on “my issue.”

Frank is talking about national stuff, but for me, the same principal could most definitely apply on the local level.

I worry that the upcoming Newburyport elections (November 6, 2007) could for some, be “single-issue politics.” The most obvious issue that comes to mind is how a candidate stands on an override for the Newburyport Schools.

One of my concerns, is that one of the reasons that there was such a low turnout for the primary for Mayor of Newburyport, MA, was that possibly the folks that came out for the election for the spring Override for the Newburyport Schools who were for the override, might NOT have voted in the mayoral primary race. Because all the candidates said that they would not be for another spring override (i.e. it could be a none-issue).

And when it comes to the Newburyport City Council race, it appears that often the bottom line is– would or would you not be for an override in Newburyport, MA.

Single-issue elections negate the reality that running a municipality is a very complicated and interwoven proposition.

And it also appears to me that it could be a selfish way to engage in the political process. “I only vote if the issue happens to affect my life. Otherwise, I’m not interested.” (Disclaimer… Obviously this does not apply to all voters.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Ignorance is Bliss when Schmoozing About the Newburyport Blog

I feel like a dope.

When the New York art gallery expressed an interest in my artwork (see earlier entry) I thought it would be a good idea to be real upfront about being the editor of the Newburyport Blog.

(It’s amazing how attached I’ve become to this silly thing.)

Not too many artists are “connected” to a local, community, political “blog” with a large readership. How does one explain this? It is weirdly difficult.

At the art opening, this Saturday, September 8, 2007, in NYC, the gallery director (I do not know if she has read the blog or not) pointed out a gentleman who is a political cartoonist with a major newspaper.

I, in my schmooziness, schmoozed on over to the gentleman in question, and brazenly introduced myself as a political blogger. His wife turned out to be a fellow artist.

This, in retrospect, demonstrated incredible “chutzpah” on my part (vast understatement).

I chattered on (apparently I can be prone to chattering on) about the Newburyport Blog with the political cartoonist and his wife (who turned out to be lovely, lovely people.)

Their first question was, had I ever had “death threats” (no, thank goodness, may that NEVER, ever happen). They recommended, if threatened late at night, to get dressed, so if one is actual killed, one at least looks good when found.

We did talk about the, my, “being sued” thing. (See entries under “Publishing.”) This pales in comparison to the “death threat” thing.

I promised when I got home that I would “Google” the gentleman, and of course I did, being the curious human being that I am.

The “death threat” thing should have been a tip off to moi as to the distinguishedness of the political cartoonist that I was cluelessly chattering, schmoozing with. Good grief.

Turns out to be a “Pulitzer Prize” winner and recently received the “Herblock Prize.” This apparently (my Googling) is a huge award and the “Herblock Lecture” was delivered by Senator Barack Obama (more Googling) in 2005.

And I, chit chatting merrily about the Newburyport Blog. Geesh.

So if this distinguished gentleman (and believe you me there is absolutely no irony with that one) does “Google” the Newburyport Blog… “Hi.”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Municipal Information and Coupon Ads

Ok, I’ve been away.

In fact, at the moment, I feel totally out of it.

And seeing my paintings hang in a major New York gallery turned out to be way more than “nice.”

Marsh5_1_blog.jpg
(painting hanging in New York gallery… see previous post)

And so far, I haven’t been able to get any “read” yet on the mayoral debate that I missed (how shocking) last Thursday night, September 6, 2007.

I hate to say it, but my guess is that a good 87% of Newburyport, MA didn’t know that the debate was even on, or if they did, they didn’t much care.

(Is this “cynical” of moi? How awful.)

I sat next to a woman on an early bus ride into Boston.

I’m taking it that the she was from Newburyport, because she had a copy of the Newburyport Daily News. The woman opened up the Daily News and proceeded to read the coupon ads with great intent and interest.

I was fascinated by this. I never read the coupon ads. I always chuck them.

She did eventually turn from the intent reading of the coupon ads and skimmed the front page of the Newburyport Daily News.

I, her seat-mate, then asked her who she was going to vote for mayor of Newburyport, MA.

The answer was something to the effect of, “I have no idea.”

This is my guess.

The woman who I sat next to, and most of Newburyport, MA, if asked to, could not name the 5 candidates running for the corner office.

If they have noticed the signs out around Newburyport, MA, they might know a name, but have no clue about anything that mayoral “name” might be about.

If presented with the name “Moak,” they might say something like, “Yeh, that sounds familiar.” If asked to name the Newburyport City Councilors who already exist, my guess would be a response like, “We have city councilors?”

My point being that most of the electorate, unless it an issue that directly effects their lives or their pocket books, has “no clue.”

So my question is, how do those of us who are hooked on politics get people’s attention, aside from suggesting that their taxes get raised and plunking “inappropriate” building projects in their backyards?

The coupon ad thing had me thinking. Maybe that’s where to put pertinent municipal information, next to the great super-duper price of hamburger or maybe discounted socks.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Art and Blogging

People think what I do for my “day job,” being an artist is wildly exciting. Well, actually, it’s not.

And one of the reasons I enjoy blogging the Newburyport Blog is that in those long hours of sitting by myself putting down one brush stroke at a time, the happenings in Newburyport, MA give me something to think about.

And when I get “stuck” and don’t know what to paint next, I sit down and work on a post for the Newburyport Blog. And usually after working on the post for a while, I look at whatever wayward painting is giving me “trouble” at the time, and go, “Ok, I know what to do with you now.”

(If you think I talk to birdbaths (see earlier entry), just imagine the conversations I have with my own actual creations.)

So, in its own way, the Newburyport Blog has become part of my creative process. Which has been a surprise and is pretty “cool.”

And a nice thing happen to moi (as an artist, not the blogger).

A New York City realist gallery contacted me and they have taken a few of my paintings and will include them in a couple of group shows this year.

This happened a few of weeks ago.

The Gallery is:
The Sherry French Gallery
601 West 26th Street
NYC, NY 10001
212-646-8867

The first show called “Mainly Maine, Landscape Paintings from Maine and Beyond,” opened September 5th and goes through September 29, 2007.

marsh_4.jpg
Marsh 4
Mary Baker © 2007
Oil on Paper
6″ x 20″

Getting contacted by a New York gallery is nice. And seeing the artwork hanging in the heart of “Chelsea,” that has now become the heart of the art world in NYC, is nice too.

Mary Baker (professional artist’s name) Eaton
Newburyport

Art and Real Estate

It dawned on me… Yes, I know what caused yesterday’s post to percolate up into my brain. It was my brief visit to Providence, RI.

3 decades ago, in the 70’s, before it got “gussied up,” (sort of) I lived there. Living there was one of the reasons I fell in love with Newburyport, MA when I saw it for the first time 25+ years ago. In part, it reminded me of Providence, RI.

As of 1992 Providence has 7 local historic district overlay zones. Wow.

And it shows, big time.

Downtown Providence (Downtown Historic District) reminds me a little of my hometown, NYC, when Soho was getting it’s “comeuppance” or rather “up and coming.” One street would be swanky, the next street over would resemble the “Bowery,” in the old days, when it was “sketchy” (not like it is now).

I went on a hunt in downtown Providence, determined to do my own version of eating on $40 a day or less.

And I came across a place that was packed with folks. It was on the verge of the “sketchy” part of town. It turned out to have a restaurant and a bar, and the best fish tacos I ever ate for $3.35 or something. I ate a whole lot of fish tacos and also managed to sort of get the recipe.

When I started to pay attention to the place, after about my 3rd visit and a lot of fish tacos, I realized that I was hanging around, with a bunch of young artists in their 20’s and 30’s. (I guess that’s why I felt so “at home.”)

The place not only had a fun/funky restaurant and bar, but it also had an art gallery on one side, a small “black box” real live theater on the other side, and a place for great live bands on the inside.

And it turns out that there were a lot of “young’ns” from Newburyport, folks I knew and recognized.

Pretty cool.

And an awesome idea. But won’t happen in a place that’s too gentrified (that’s us now, Newburyport, MA)… It’s gotta be a place that’s kind a “sketchy,” with low cost real estate, to pull something like that off.

Made me miss Taffy’s and Cathy Ann’s. Glad we still have Angie’s. Glad to still have the “black box” theater at the Tannery.

Made me think that folks involved in the “arts” could be good for something.

And you know, since that place is so hopping, it won’t last long. Real estate brokers will move in, and all those good art folks will move on like nomads finding the next hot real estate market.

So the Republicans could be grateful for those liberal, art kids.

I sure am. And I’m dying for more of those fish tacos.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

The Arts, Rough Patches and Politics

I became a “Liberal Democrat,” real quick, when I became a single mother. (That was a couple of decades ago.)

It was a no brainer.

Democrats “seem to” or are “supposed to” have some empathy for those who are going through a “rough patch.”

The Harbor School for Girls is my neighbor.

People asked me, “How could you do that?”

Easy. So far (one decade later) they’ve been great neighbors. And two, I know, under different circumstances, I would have welcomed to be welcomed in a place like “that.”

I hate the phrase “but for the grace of god go I” (like what about the other folks, no “grace” for them??), but how many times have I said to myself, “but for the grace of god go I.” I can tell you a whole LOT of times I’ve said “but for the grace of god go I,” during the last 2 decades.

And, just as a btw, if we had had a Democrat for president for the last 6+ years, I bet there would be a whole lot more money for cities and towns across America for things like education and other important municipal stuff.

And we, Newburyport, MA, along with a whole lot of other cities and towns might NOT be in the fiscal crisis we are now. There might be some sort of balance between national security and making sure that while we were taking care of national security, financially, cities and towns across the USA weren’t slowly or fastly drowning.

And, Liberal Democrats seem to like the “arts” more. (I am a artist/painter) It seems as if they do NOT want to slash the budget for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

It appears that they realize that artists are good for the economy.

When artists “discover” a community and embrace it whole heartedly, miraculously other people think it’s “cool” too, and that community or place gets a “rebirth.” Witness, the Village, Soho and Chelsea in NYC (my home town), and yes, even Newburyport and now Amesbury in good old Massachusetts.

Seems artists have a good “eye” for real estate, before most of them promptly get “priced out” of the market that they created. Only to move on like nomads in search of yet other “suitable space.”

And, I like the idea of living within one’s budget and paying one’s bills on time, and not being terrifyingly in debt. (We now have a gargantuan national debt.) This is called being a “fiscal conservative.” One can be a social Democrat and a fiscal conservative. It seems as if the fiscal conservative thing has been a bit of an “enigma” to the Republican regime that is in power, at the moment. (Even some Republicans think this.)

I have no idea why I decided to blog on this topic(s) today, but I did. It’s been percolating in my brain for quite a while, so there it is.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Unaffordable Health Insurance in Massachusetts

“my mother releases a scream so loud
god pees…”

This is actually a quote from a (one person) play that my son has written. Parts of it have been performed (by him) in NYC. The whole production is about to get a “run through” in Providence R.I. (Should the whole thing get put on in NYC, you can be sure you all would know.)

Remember that 43.7% health insurance rate hike that I was whining about a while ago. Well my inclination is to “scream so loud god pees…” and it certainly gave me a real live case of the “vapors.”

There is an outstanding article in the Boston Globe, August 17, 2007, by Alice Dembner, “Older residents feel insurance law pinch, Age-based prices too high for some.” (Please press here to read the article.)

God bless Alice Dembner. I guess other folks are “screaming so loud that god pees” too.

I know, I know, it is my choice to be self-employed, to pay my own health insurance lo these many decades. But I don’t think any of the small businesses and self-employed people expected this kind of “hit.” And as the article points out:

“Older people shopping for health insurance through the state’s new initiative are discovering a sobering reality: Prices for unsubsidized plans are twice as expensive if you’re 60 than if you’re 27, making insurance unaffordable or barely affordable for many in their later years.”

The article talks about one woman living paycheck to paycheck and that health insurance is 13.6% of her income (and for some, the percentage is a whole lot higher than that, promise).

I have been wandering around Newburyport, MA talking to small business folks and self-employed folks, and the story I keep hearing over and over again is that health insurance is their biggest expense, outweighing housing costs, and their biggest worry.

And to quote the Boston Globe article on one woman’s plight, ” ‘I haven’t been on a vacation for years. Plenty of nights I have popcorn for dinner.’ ”

I don’t think she is alone by any means.

We here in Newburyport, MA have been wringing out hands, quite rightly, about how much we as tax payers pay for municipal health insurance. But, there are a lot of folks who work for the city who don’t make big bucks.

Take the “young lady” who runs the Newburyport Council on Aging, and spends hours, with no overtime, helping folks in need. My recollection is that she doesn’t get paid a whole lot of dough.

And take your friendly average librarian, who works hard, is delightful and isn’t exactly raking it in.

I wouldn’t want any of these folks to have to suddenly absorb 1,000’s of extra dollars, that they could not possibly afford.

I do not have any idea what the answer is, on a municipal level or a small business level. But I think, by all means, I may do my darnedness to continue to “scream so loud” about all this craziness that “god pees…”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Son, Shakespeare and Theatre Stuff

One of the “perks” of being the editor of the Newburyport Blog is that I get to brag brazenly about my son.

The justification of course is “education,” that a young man who went through the Newburyport Public School system could this day be doing Ok.

MY son, in NYC 10 months and in his fourth play. Yes, very proud Mom.

And the theatre company, Hipgnosis, has picked, for such a young, “hip” theater company, in today’s world, a very politically incorrect play, “The Taming of the Shrew” (by William Shakespeare).

Could Mr. Shakespeare consider moi, a female blogger with an occasional strong, uncooperative opinion, a “shrew?” Goodness, who knows? Maybe.

Taming_shrew.jpg
Hipgnosis Theatre
William Shakespeare
Taming of the Shrew

How did the Hipgnosis Theatre Company go about reconciling what could easily have been done in 1950, no problem, in the year of political correctness, 2007– the solution, a combination of Shakespeare and vaudeville. What can I say, I loved it.

A wonderful romp and what I considered a tongue in cheek approach to the “taming” part (which would be considered “spousal abuse” today) by the hubby and the “compliance” part by Kate, the “tamed shrew.” Plus, by the end of the play, there was no doubt about it, it was real obvious, that they were real, real “hot” for each other. Sizzle.

For goodness sakes, Shakespeare, if he were around today, would be right. It’s not until real, real recently, that women have gotten the privilege of speaking up about stuff (for which this female blogger and painter is most grateful, good grief) without being labeled a “shrew” or whatever nifty label equivalent. (Not that that doesn’t still happen on occasion today.)

We’ve had millenniums, not just centuries of women not being able to have a “say.” And it is this blogger’s humble opinion, that it’s not just in previous millenniums, centuries, decades that men like to have their women good looking, and to shut up and be quiet, and for goodness sakes do and say what you are told to say and do.

But in today’s world, my goodness, there are equivalents. Take the “trophy wife” with a lousy pre-nup:

Darling the sky is purple.

Yes, dearest, the sky is purple. And now can I have my Mercedes-Benz?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Literary Festival and Preservation Week

The second annual Newburyport Literary Festival (April 27-29, 2007) appeared to be a huge hit this weekend.

The seaside city of Newburyport, MA was full of folks, getting out of their cars with purpose and intent, heading off to hear some 70 writers at various locations across the historic city of Newburyport, MA.

Pretty amazing for only the 2nd annual Newburyport Literary Festival.

And starting this weekend there will be another festival of sorts. The Newburyport Preservation Trust is having its first annual Preservation Week starting Saturday, May 5th through May 12, 2007.

Good for the Newburyport Preservation Trust.

The Newburyport Preservation Trust has blossomed this year due to the efforts, in great part (there are others) to Sarah White, Steve Rudolph as well as Karen Battles.

From what I understand there will be posters telling all about the preservation celebration around town. Be sure to be on the lookout.

Preservation Week opens at 10AM at the old jail on Auburn Street, beside the Newburyport Bartlet Mall. Our very own Bill Steelman will be making the opening remarks.

And, as I think I’ve said before on the Newburyport Blog, Bill Steelman is one of Newburyport’s unsung heroes.

I first got to know Mr. Steelman when I was involved in the fight to save High Street. At that time he was working for the Massachusetts Historical Commission. I can absolutely guarantee you that we would have a strip-mall for High Street if it wasn’t for Mr. Steelman’s knowledge, involvement and expertise.

Bill Steelman has never been one to seek the limelight, so I couldn’t be more please that folks would have a chance to get to know this gentleman, who has a wealth of knowledge, in fact I often refer to him as a walking encyclopedia of knowledge, during Newburyport Preservation Week.

For a complete calendar of events, please check out the Newburyport Preservation Trust’s website, or go directly to the “Events” page of the Newburyport Preservation Trust.

We as a community are enormously lucky to have people step up to the plate– for the Literary Festival and also for Preservation Week. A big “thank you” to all.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Floods, Damage and Safety

Floods. Damage to local businesses and homes. Fear for school safety. Tragedy and the power of Mother Nature put so many things in perspective.

When I get all in a bother about something, I ask myself, “How important is it really?” And when compared to severe tide surges and school tragedy, the answer often is, “it’s really not as important as it seemed a little while ago.”

And then I make myself a gratitude list (Pollyanna that I may be) and that really puts things in perspective.

What am I grateful for concerning Newburyport, MA? The people that live and work here (whether I agree with them on civic issues or not). The great beauty of this place and the historic parts of it, whether they are large or small, important or less important. (And a whole lot of personal gratefulness as well).

And I’m looking forward to what I call my “sanity walk,” where I walk around Newburyport, MA and meet and talk to all sorts of folks. Amble around our astoundingly beautiful neighborhoods, wander down to the mouth of the Merrimac River. And today I’ll listen for the surf again. Yesterday I could hear it all the way from the South End of Newburyport, MA.

And when I come back from my walk, I’ll sit down with a cup of tea and take another look at the paintings on my studio wall, and hopefully know which painting to work on next.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Reasons to Move to Newburyport, MA

When I moved here in 1981 (I was 29… Oh, to be 29 again…) it didn’t take much of a gander at Newburyport, MA to know that if “excellent” schools were at the top of my list of “must haves,” that Newburyport, MA was not the place to move to.

If a really good school system was at the top of my list, I would have considered moving to places like Hamilton, Wenham or Wellesley, wealthy suburban communities.

But I didn’t want to live in a “wealthy suburban” community. I wanted to live in this wonderful small seacoast city, that was actually a city, not a suburb. That was a short drive from miles of gorgeous beach along the Atlantic Ocean. And that had an historic quality that was just downright captivating. And I thought it was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen.

And I still think that today.

And this was before Maudslay or the Tannery ever existed.

Many of my friends and acquaintances home schooled (home schooling was very big back then) and many took advantage of the many first rate private schools in the area on all grade levels. I never expected the Newburyport public schools to be “excellent.”

When the bambino arrived I thought long and hard about my options. And I made a very conscious choice to choose Newburyport’s public schools.

An “excellent” education was not at the top of my list. “Life lessons” were. And I decided that life lessons for my child would be best learned in the Newburyport Public Schools, which I rated anywhere from a C+ to a B+. Certainly not an A+ or even an A-.

And I also felt that Newburyport as a community had so much to offer (which is one of the reasons why I chose it) from the Pioneer League, to the Newburyport Art Association, to Theater in the Open etc. etc. etc., that whatever deficiencies the Newburyport school system might have, the City of Newburyport offered a wealth of tangible and intangible gifts that would last in my son’s soul far longer than what he might find in a traditional educational system.

In my mind, the many assets that Newburyport has to offer contributed to my son’s acquisition of knowledge.

And I found my to my surprise that this was confirmed in an article linked to by the “yesfornewburyport.org” website, “Buyers will pay a premium to live near top schools.” (April 11, 2007).

“School, what is it good for? When it comes to home prices, school matters. Buyers will pay a premium to live near top schools.”
By Sarah Max, senior writer

“Not true everywhere

Of course, not everyone has school on the brain.

According to an NAR (National Association of Realtors) survey of buyers in 2003, 25 percent of buyers in the suburbs cited schools as an important factor in their buying decision. But in urban areas, only 12 percent of buyers ranked schools high on their list of priorities. Shopping, recreation and entertainment proved more important. In resort areas, meanwhile, only 8 percent of buyers ranked schools high on their list.

“There are only two places we have found school values going out the window,” said Bainbridge. One is beach property and the other is what he calls “historically preserved areas,” urban areas that are being redeveloped.”
CNN/Money, August 30, 2004

So it is quite possible that historic preservation and gorgeous beaches might be part of the reason that Newburyport, MA has become so desirable. And that the Newburyport school system could be part of a larger equation.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Landscapes and Open Space, Historic Assets

Ok, what’s the point of having the Newburyport Blog if I can’t “hype” what I do every now and then. Seems like it should be one of the “perks” of blogging the Newburyport Blog along with “frogs” (Are the frogs a “perk?” I’m not sure if I would exactly describe the frogs as a “perk.” Maybe something else.)

Anyway, when I’m not blogging, I’m painting. And the Newburyport Blog has actually influenced what I paint. I’ve been blogging so much about Open Space in Newburyport, MA, that I’ve actually started to go back and do paintings (or I guess technically they could be called “landscapes”) of the “Open Space” in Newburyport that I love so much.

One of the things that I couldn’t believe when I first “discovered” Newburyport, MA and moved here in 1981 was the combination of pasture or untouched farm land and a gorgeous historic small historic seaport city, right on the mouth of the Merrimac River and the Atlantic Ocean.

And I’ve always loved driving up Route 95 and seeing that expanse of Open Space and then driving down historic High Street.

And I’ve always loved going down Scotland Road and seeing all that beautiful pasture.

As I’ve blogged the Newburyport Blog, low these almost 14 months, I’ve learned more than I ever imagined how hard all kinds of people are fighting to preserve that wonderful balance between Open Space and our architectural historic assets. And it has been so engrained in my own “hard drive” that I did a painting of that area along Scotland Road that the City of Newburyport has been fighting so hard for to preserve as Open Space.

I’m very grateful to all those folks who fight so hard to preserve our historic assets, whether they are historic open space or historic architectural resources.

pasture_Vsm.jpg
“The Pasture”
Oil on Paper, 5.5″ x 22″
2007 © Mary Baker (that’s my painting name)

More of the “Open Space” landscapes can be found at Mary Baker Art.

Thank you for indulging me in my “hype” and my “perk.”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, George Washington Statue

Way back a year ago, January 27, 2006, I wrote this as part of a post for the Newburyport Political Blog:

“Todd Woodworth, one of Newburyport’s beloved local historians, told me a fascinating story. Now, because Todd Woodworth told it to me, I believe it is true. (I’ll admit, I haven’t double and triple checked it with Todd.)

Todd Woodworth told me a story about the statue of George Washington that is at the Newburyport Mall (which for those of you who have never been to Newburyport, is on historic High Street above Newburyport’s historic downtown.)

Apparently after completing the statue of George Washington, the artist was so upset with the people of Newburyport that he put his own name below the statue on the marble pedestal instead of George Washington’s name.

According to my conversation with Todd, it took the Newburyport Historical Commission 50 years to get the City of Newburyport to change the name from the artist and put George Washington’s name below the statue instead.”

Many readers of the Newburyport Political Blog thought that this was a fascinating story, but that it was probably an “urban legend.”

In my experience, Todd Woodworth was never one to make things up (especially historic things up).

And low and behold in the Newburyport Archival Center at the Newburyport Public Library (the Newburyport Archival Center is also online on the city’s website- really amazing stuff) there is an old photograph of the statue of George Washington (I do not know what year it is.)

Georg-Wash-Stat.n.LB.jpg
Statue of George Washington
Courtesy of the Newburyport Archival Center
at the Newburyport Public Library

One of the interesting things about this photo is that it looks like the statue is connected to the promenade of the Bartlet Mall, just the way (I believe) the promenade was originally designed. (There is now a small strip of roadway separating the statue of George Washington and the rest of the Bartlet Mall.)

And in “zooming in” on the name below the statue of George Washington at the Bartlet Mall, this is what I saw.

G.-Wash.-label.-n.LB.jpg
The inscription below
the statue of George Washington.
Courtesy of the Newburyport Archival Center
at the Newburyport Public Library

Not the name of (George) “Washington” folks. It looks to me to be something like, “Presented by Daniel I. Tenney.”

I wanted to run over and tell Todd Woodworth what I had found. But of course Todd would have known all about the Newburyport Public Library Photo Archives and for that matter ever other photo archive in the city of Newburyport and the surrounding areas.

But Todd Woodworth would never have said that. Instead he would have just smiled and had that wonderful Todd Woodworth “twinkle” in his warm and very wise eyes.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Firehouse Center for the Arts

One of the things that has always concerned me is that downtown Newburyport, MA is NOT a Local Historic District. Local Historic District–major protection for our historic assets.

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Inn Street looking towards Market Square
Downtown Newburyport, MA
Mary Baker Eaton © 2007

All the work has been done by the Newburyport Historical Commission. It is just a matter of the Newburyport City Council giving it an OK. Why the Newburyport City Council has never done this, well this is Newburyport, MA and we seem to be allergic to Local Historic Districts. (We hope that this is about to change with the first possible ever, my goodness, Fruit Street Local Historic District, which is in the works. It needs a majority of votes by the Newburyport City Council to become a reality. So, if you care about protecting Newburyport’s historic assets and the Fruit Street Local Historic District in particular, please call your Newburyport City Councilor ASAP.)

One of the buildings that I believe is protected is the Firehouse Center for the Arts.

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The Firehouse Center for the Arts
Downtown Newburyport, MA
A Newburyport preservation success story!
Mary Baker Eaton © 2007

The Firehouse Center for the Arts was originally built as a market house and lyceum by the citizens of Newburyport in 1823. The structure, located in Newburyport’s Market Square, served as the Central Fire Station from the mid 1800s until 1980.

A combination of public and private efforts restored the building, which reopened in 1991. (And I’ve always wanted to put this on the Newburyport Political Blog because I am so proud of it) The Firehouse Center and Schwartz/Silver Architects, Inc. won an “Honor Award For Architecture” from The American Institute of Architects.”

(The information on the Firehouse was taken from the website of the Firehouse Center for the Arts.)

I’ve always thought that the Firehouse is an amazing example of historic preservation in Newburyport, MA, a real Newburyport preservation success story. And I for one am very happy that it exists.

Ben Laing took this gorgeous picture of the Firehouse and has graciously allowed the Newburyport Political Blog to use it.

firehouse-laing.jpg
Benjamin Laing © 2005
Image courtesy of Benjamin Laing Photography

The Firehouse Center for the Arts
A Newburyport Preservation Success Story!

Many thanks to Benjamin Laing Photography.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s note: I have found the image of Inn Street used on the Web a great deal. It is copyrighted by Mary Baker Eaton and cannot be used without her permission.)

Newburyport, Public School Importance

Alas alack, my computer crashed, it’s come back from computer hospital, hopefully, whatever ailed it, it will aspire to keep it and other stuff at bay.

Ah, and yes, I high-tailed it to New York City, the place of my birth (no I’m not a native of Newburyport, anyone who has heard me lapse into a New Yawk ackcent knows I’m not a borner.)

I went to see my son, most favorite son, open first time ever, just out of college in an off (off) Broadway production of Shakespeare no less. The romantic prince in “The Winter’s Tale.”

The prince falls in love with a lowly shepherdess, who turns out happily, to be a true princess and “alls well that ends well.” Luckily for my son’s handsomest character.

(Now this “alls well that ends well” business — only in Shakespeare, only with an amazing amount of faith, complete oblivion, or an ability to be totally out of touch with reality. In my youth of course I would have an answer to that question right away. In my middle age, I have no clue.)

And for all those wonderful teachers all through the Newburyport Public School system who would say to my son, “remember me when…(you get to the Oscars, you get to Broadway, you get to whatever…) you can go see him in his role as the handsome love-interest.

He has been embraced by The Hipgnosis Theatre Company. (“Hip” meaning, “hip” as in slang “hip.” “Gnosis” meaning “journey towards enlightenment through self-knowledge and personal exploration.” So nice to have “depth” in a superficial world.) Website and ticket information: www.hipgnosistheatre.org.

The play and its amazing talented cast, director and crew, runs from November 2-November 19 at the Access Theatre 380 Broadway, NYC. Run, do not walk. And tickets are actually reasonable, even by Newburyport standards.

So all of those parents who despair about the Newburyport Public School system, here is a young man who manage “toot suit” (that’s mangled French for “right away”) to land an off (off) Broadway role with a very cool company.

And please don’t say to me “Oh, but it was so much different when YOUR child was in school. ” Well frankly, my child was one of those “sacrifice children,” the ones who scrunched into the Middle School during those very important High School years so that others might have the delight of the spanking new sparkling High School facility. So don’t “complain to me Argentina.”

And herein lies my unending point, that it is NOT the facility that is of greatest importance (although nice), but the PEOPLE who guide, teach, exhort within.

My son’s many guardian angles at the Newburyport High School helped make this ongoing, going event, eventful. And for them I am deeply grateful.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Price of Doing Business

It’s my understanding that unless you are someone like Gram’s Ice Cream (and oh, how so many of us love Gram’s Ice Cream) on State Street in Newburyport, MA, or an eatery on the “main drag,” that festivals and yes, even Yankee Homecoming can be very hard on our local businesses.

In the Newburyport Daily News on August 1, 2006 the Firehouse Center for the Arts basically talks about the fact that they “essentially have to shut down” for the nine days of Yankee Homecoming. Not good for business. And my impression is that the Firehouse is far from alone.

When I peek in stores downtown during these events, the local businesses appear to me to be woefully empty. The local clientele seems to stay home, far away from the maddening crowd. So poof, those customers are gone. And our visitors seem to be intent on buying food or merchandise from folks on the street, they do not seem intent on wandering into our various and sundry local establishments.

It’s my recollection that even the sidewalk sales sometimes can be somewhat of a burden. Extra help is often needed and it is my impression that merchants are often lucky if they are able to break even.

Over the years I’ve gotten to like Yankee Homecoming. I even look forward to it. (I used to moan and want to leave town.) But the celebration does take its toll, so one can hardly blame the Firehouse when they wanted to take advantage of their terrific view of the waterfront stage. It seemed like a good idea to me (no I did not go.)

The fact that our small seaport city has such a remarkable theatre, one would hope, would create a sense of pride. And what a lovely bookend that theater is to the waterfront itself. And its very existence, for me, adds to the whole experience of going to the waterfront concerts, even being down at the waterfront itself.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Yankee City Theater Project

I always love it when art and politics mix. I received this press release from the theater company Independent Submarine. And because it is so apt to subject matter of the Newburyport Political Blog, I am passing it on to the blog’s readers

(Mary Eaton, Editor of the Newburyport Political Blog)

========================================

Newburyport, The Yankee City Theater Project
Newburyport Mass 1956-2006
Searching For The Soul Of The City
A Documentary Theater Production
At The Firehouse Center For The Arts
May 25-28, 2006

Independent Submarine and The Firehouse Center For The Arts are proud
to announce an original documentary theater piece, “The Yankee City Theater Project.” The YCTP is a multi-media documentary theatre piece chronicling the changes that have swept through the city of Newburyport, Massachusetts in the last 50 years.

Through interviews with over fifty Newburyport residents (including former mayor Byron Matthews; local business owner Sue Little; journalist Bill Plante; poet Christopher Michael; and many others) from all walks of life, Gregory Moss, Stephen Haley, Myron Moss, Maureen Daley and Dylan Fuller have generated an important, illuminating and entertaining piece of oral history.

The Yankee City Theater Project traces the historical arc from the initial highly contested reconstruction of Newburyport in the late 60’s to our current debate over land development and use of the waterfront. The play shows Newburyport once again on the edge of a major change.

The play, which features a mix of live actors and video-taped interviews, also tells the story of life on Newburyport’s streets, documenting the slow change from the rougher, more eccentric city of the 70s and 80s into the upscale bedroom community Newburyport is becoming. Newburyport’s heroes and eccentrics, now gone, are remembered and revisited.

May 25-28 2006
The Firehouse Center For The Arts,
Market Square, Newburyport, MA
Thursday – Saturday at 8 PM; Sunday at 5 PM.
Tickets are $14, $12 for students and seniors.
For tickets, call the Firehouse Box Office at 978-462-7336 or
purchase them online at www.firehouse.org.

www.independentsubmarine.com
Greg Moss: gsm@independentsubmarine.com