Well, it sounds a bit like selling ice cream to the Eskimos? As we all know, it’s the Nor’easters that churn up all the great sea glass. But instead, I drove up to Portland, Maine through a crazy storm to sell my sea glass jewelry and hair accessories on Commercial Street at the Maine Pottery Co. on Sunday. I went with no expectations as I knew that many travel plans were canceled, cruise ships were delayed or diverted, and airline passengers were stranded.
What I found was a pleasant surprise! Indeed, there were plenty of hardy travelers seeking “retail therapy” and looking for cozy, inviting places to linger and ride out the storm. Rather than sit and finish the work I brought with me, I met wonderful people from all over the country. From memory, I can say that there were folks from California, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Caroline, Tennessee, and of course nearby Massachusetts and New Hampshire. A particularly memorable moment was meeting a woman who bought a barrette at the Cape Ann Museum during the Hopper show a few years back, saw online that I would be in Portland (her home) and came to find another one! I was so impressed at what a melting pot Portland has become for travelers seeking a northeastern experience!
I had to write this up because it was one of the most unexpected and enjoyable experiences working with a shop as the “visiting artist.” Kudos to my friends at Maine Pottery Co. for their fabulous attitude and the beautiful selection of work and great location on Commercial Street. Together, we made a lot of people happy on what could have been a gloomy and forgettable day!
Save the date – Saturday, August 8th for this fun, one day open studio with about half of the Cape Ann Artisans plus special guest, Cynthia Curtis. It will be a fun day to come out mid-summer, see studios, meet the artists and save on sales tax up to $2500.00 in value.
Tell us about how you got into this business & why (your passion)? Also, a little about the history of the shop?
Alexanders is the only true pottery shop in Rockport. When I took over the business, the first thing I did was edit the collections and in particular the gifts and accessories to bring Alexanders back to the way it started – with a more pottery centric focus.
the pieces and hear about the artists.
What would you love to see change in the world of shopping? 
The TideKeepers Project is a public art initiative created to reconnect people with the ocean, the tides, and the natural rhythms of the coastline through permanent tide interactive sculptures installed throughout Cape Ann. Each sculpture is envisioned as a unique guardian of its location, designed to interact directly with the movement of the tide and the surrounding environment.
covered again by the rising water, almost as if the ocean itself was breathing life into the sculpture. That vision naturally led me to the larger idea behind The TideKeepers Project: that each coastal town deserves its own guardian connected to the sea, its stories, and its identity.
What is the current state of the sculpture in the artistic process?
How can people get involved and what kind of help is needed?
