Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/21
In Pictures: Sinkholes around the world
In Pictures: What happened to the green revolution in Iran?
In Pictures: Facing the devastation of the Oklahoma tornadoes
In Pictures: Sandy: Chronicle of an unrelenting storm
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/20
In Pictures: Weather extremes 2013
In Pictures: The Israeli separation barrier: A West Bank wall
In Pictures: Derby Day devotees, Kenyan style
Once home to playwright Tennessee Williams and artist Jackson Pollock, Provincetown, Massachusetts, located on the tip of Cape Cod, is the oldest continuous art community in the US. Small, historical artists’ shacks along the Cape Cod National Seashore's famous dunes are rented out weekly through a lottery. Access to the dunes is carefully restricted to avoid erosion, making these shacks the perfect isolated spot to create. Ann Hermes/Staff
The tiny town draws scores of sun- and art-seeking tourists. The eclectic blend of famous creative types and tourists caused writer Norman Mailer to dub Provincetown ‘the Wild West of the East.’ A big part of Provincetown’s attraction comes from the tolerant attitude of its residents, a legacy from the days of sailors and rum-runners. Ann Hermes/Staff
Steven Taylor (l.) and Sean Boyce paint on the streets of Provincetown. Locals describe the town, without too much exaggeration, as “three miles long and two streets wide.” Carolyn Bubel/The Christian Science Monitor
The ferry from Boston is full of daytrippers and weekenders as it pulls into MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown. The peninsula’s remoteness and the difficulty getting here add to its mystique. Ann Hermes/Staff
Tourists and locals disembark the ferry. Cars are unnecessary because most of the 60 galleries, 170 restaurants and cafes, and dozens of inns, bed and breakfasts, and hotels are within walking distance.
Tourists and residents walk past the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. When the bohemians of Greenwich Village began summering here to escape the heat of New York City in the early 20th century, they were drawn to the isolation and freedom they found here. Their presence, and that of those who followed, ensured a place for Provincetown in the history of American culture. Ann Hermes/Staff
Flowers are in bloom in Provincetown. The much-celebrated summer light that first brought painter and teacher Charles Hawthorne here in the 1890s must also be good for flowers. Ann Hermes/Staff
The Julie Heller East Art Gallery is one of the many galleries in town. “A magical confluence” is how Vivian Bullaudy, director of exhibitions at the Hollis Taggart Galleries in New York, describes the vibrant Provincetown arts colony. Ann Hermes/Staff
Artist John Dowd in his home studio. A certain gentrification has occurred in Provincetown, as more people with money seek to live here. “Artists now have three jobs. It’s expensive to have a
Town Hall art curator, Stephen Borkowski sits in the recently restored Town Hall auditorium. Townsfolk have been known to open their homes to artist friends for extended stays. Mr. Borkowski hosts a friend, whom he calls his “artist in residence” for 10-day stints. “He knows he’s always welcome,” says Borkowski, “After the visit, he leaves me a portrait.”
Paul Wisotzky creates wheel thrown pottery in Blue Gallery, a venue to showcase craft artists, as onlookers gather outside the window. Today, the town also plays host to battalions of summer tourists, gallerygoers, sun worshipers, bicyclists, and real estate agents. Carolyn Bubel /The Christian Science Monitor
James Purtle (l.), Ruckus (c.) and Hope Zimmerman (r.) work outside Iron Phoenix Studios. Carolyn Bubel /The Christian Science Monitor
Iron Phoenix studios showcases fine art from regional artists. Carolyn Bubel /The Christian Science Monitor
Will Connor (l.) and Sherman Clarke (r.) peruse the art at the Julie Heller Gallery. The town has supported many industries over the centuries, legal and not, including piracy, bootlegging, fishing, whaling, and salt production. But the production of plays, novels, and paintings has been by far the most important factor in shaping the town. Ann Hermes/Staff
Provincetown also serves as gateway to the 500-mile-long Cape Cod National Seashore, which is celebrating its 50th year as a park. Carolyn Bubel /The Christian Science Monitor
'The natural beauty that drew writers to solitude also has a flip side in the social aspects found in town. In a few short blocks you can rub shoulders with fellow beings, grab a good meal, see a movie, or hear a concert. But at the end of the day, you can walk away from everything and find a profound and utter stillness' writes Christian Science Monitor correspondent April Austin. Carolyn Bubel /The Christian Science Monitor
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/21
In Pictures: Sinkholes around the world
In Pictures: What happened to the green revolution in Iran?
In Pictures: Facing the devastation of the Oklahoma tornadoes
In Pictures: Sandy: Chronicle of an unrelenting storm
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/20
In Pictures: Weather extremes 2013
In Pictures: The Israeli separation barrier: A West Bank wall
In Pictures: Derby Day devotees, Kenyan style
Aleppo was once the economic heart of Syria, with factories ringing the city. But war destruction and a lack of electricity and materials has caused most of them to shut down.
In opposition-controlled Aleppo, once the economic heart of Syria, few businesses have survived the war, which has reduced entire neighborhoods to rubble amid fighting, scud missile attacks, airstrikes, and artillery bombardment.
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