Gorey_Newsletter FINAL

EDWARD
GOREY HOUSE
NEWS!
2006 - A Year in Review
Celebrating the life and work of acclaimed
writer and artist, Edward Gorey.
Letter from the Director
What a busy and fun year it’s been! It was a year of major growth
and success for the museum, with record numbers of visitors, record sales
in our renovated gift shop, and an impressive array of local, national, and
even international publicity! Our annual Auction was a major success,
tripling our previous highest net revenue. Our “Mystery!” and “Edward
Gorey’s ‘Dracula’” exhibits were well received by our visitors, and our holdover “Gashlycrumb Tinies” scavenger hunt continues to be a great introduction to the House and Edward’s humor for children ages three to 93.
Success can be measured in many ways, but what speaks loudest are numbers. The number of visitors this year was over 6,600, a 37% increase from
2005! Also, our gift shop generated an 86% increase in sales from last year. It’s
important to remember that 2005 was a major growth and renewal year as
well, so 2006’s performance is even more impressive.
We sincerely believe that this year’s success was earned by the hard work
of all of us who devoted our time and energy to the Gorey House. It is my
pleasure to thank our many volunteers. The House literally could not be the
fun place it is for our visitors, or the success it has been, without the many
hours donated by our docents (every hour we are open), our interns and other
volunteers. They provide many hours doing everything from organizing our
annual Auction and GoreyFest and other events, to building whale stands and
mowing the lawns, and everything in between. Our volunteers, docents and
interns have a great deal of expertise and spirit, which makes every visit to the
House an enjoyable and learning experience.
This newsletter describes in detail several of our major events for 2006. I
encourage you to read about our fantastic Auction, our special whale exhibit,
our Pet Adoption days, our Dracula blood drives benefiting the Cape Cod Hospital and stories on our two major exhibits and related events.
One significant indication of our success this year is the great press coverage we have received. The Cape Cod Times and the Register have reported on a
number of our activities, and an Associated Press reporter wrote a lengthy article
that has appeared in hundreds of papers throughout the US and Canada. Publications such as Cape Cod Life to Harper’s Bazaar have mentioned the Gorey
House. WBUR and WXTK radio have done interviews with me and some of
our docents. WCVB-TV in Boston mentioned one of our Pet Adoption days.
(continued on page 6)
COPYRIGHT 2007 EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST
Dear Members and Friends of the EGH,
In this issue:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
5th Annual Auction
p. 2
Gorey Whale Trail
p. 3
Gorey Exhibits
p. 4
Gorey House
Projects
p. 5
Gorey Tidbits
p. 6
Member News
p. 7
Giving Gorey
p. 8
8 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675—(508) 362-3909—www.edwardgoreyhouse.org
EDWARD GOREY HOUSE NEWS 2006 - A YEAR IN REVIEW
Fur Flies at the 5th Annual Alphabet Auction
2
the Edward Gorey
House website, allowing
bidding to take place
prior to the auction.
There was a great deal
of interest in the 58 online items and some
rather competitive bidding. In the end 17 website bidders came out
winners.
were displayed beautifully by Barbara Breidenbach.
The live auction was
exciting and lighthearted with Rick Jones
once again stepping to
the podium as the
event’s auctioneer. He
was assisted by several
of the Gorey House vol-
The Cape Cod Times
highlighted the Goreyfest as a “Best Bet” for
that weekend. Therefore, we were not the
least surprised that over
150 guests attended the
affair, which started with
the offering of fine food,
wine, and beer, all generously donated by local
restaurants, stores, and
friends. Our guests were
able to preview the live
auction items, which
unteers as well as the
puppets of the Big &
Small Puppetworks,
some of which towered
over the audience. Each
auction item was sold for
more than its minimum
bid and the last item,
Edward’s raccoon coat,
sold for $5,200 to a major collector.
Afterwards we had
Gorey entertainment.
For the first time in the
five year history of the
PHOTO COURTESY OF EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST/PRISCILLA SMITH
T
he
5 th
Annual
Goreyfest and Alphabet Auction was held
on October 7th. According to our director, Rick
Jones, “it was a stunning
success”. The auction
tripled last year’s net
income and donations,
exceeding $26,000,
mostly due to the generosity of friends of the
Gorey House. Cape Cod
individuals, artists, cultural institutions, merchants and other community establishments,
as well as a number of
Boston organizations
donated a total of 97 silent auction lots and 13
individual items for the
live auction.
We must single out
the Gotham Book Mart
and Gallery of New
York and the Edward
Gorey Charitable Trust
for their extreme generosity. The Gotham Book
Mart donated 13 lots,
while the Charitable
Trust donated a total of
17 items for the live and
silent auctions. Most of
these items were objects
of art and jewelry owned
by Edward and the most
appreciated of them all,
one of Edward’s two raccoon coats. The other
raccoon coat is on permanent display at the
museum.
For the first time we
listed auction items on
Auction the church’s restored organ was an integral part of the show.
We chose four pieces
from the musical Amphigorey. The composer, Peter Golub, was most delighted and helpful in
providing the scores for
The Gashlycrumb Tinies,
The Deranged Cousins,
Object Lesson and The Admonitory Hippopotamus.
The star and director of the show was
Kevin McDermott, the
author of The Elephant
House. His many talents
were brilliantly displayed. In The Deranged
Cousins he was assisted
by thespians Judith Bartha, Karen Dowcett, and
Duncan Gibson. Having
two of Edward’s cousins
in the audience added to
the humor of the work.
Kevin and his supporting cast were wonderfully accompanied by Joe
Marchio on the organ.
After the entertainment our guests had
about a half an hour to
place their final bids on
the silent auction lots.
Then it came time to
check people out with
their proud winnings
and end a very successful
and entertaining event.
Judith Bartha, cochair of the Auction
Committee said “it was a
delightful evening.”
EDWARD GOREY HOUSE NEWS 2006 - AYEAR IN REVIEW
A Whale of a Gorey Tale!
his past Spring we
decided to participate
in the Cape Cod Whale
Trail event. The project
consisted of 56 fiberglass
whale sculptures displayed
all over Cape Cod and the
Islands, each one decorated by a different artist.
We chose a six foot long
sperm whale and enlisted
the collaboration of the
Rhode Island School of
Design.
Three of the School’s
art students, Natalie
Stopka, Emily Sutton, and
Jessica Pollak, lovingly
and skillfully recreated
Edward’s original artwork
commissioned for the
cover of Witches and Warlocks, Marvin Kaye’s classic anthology of supernatural fiction. The students spent many hours
capturing each careful detail and nuance of the
original work adapting it
seamlessly onto the
curved sloping surface of
the fiberglass whale. The
resulting sculpture is
spectacular!
For their tremendous
efforts the students re-
PHOTOS COURTESY OF N. STOPKA/E. SUTTONJ/J.. POLLAK/RISD
ceived college credits from
the school and gifts of appreciation from the Edward Gorey House. In addition to lending their artistic talents, Natalie,
Emily, and Jessica documented the entire project
with photographs, creating a special DVD slide
show now on display in
the museum.
The debut of the
Gorey House whale entitled “A Whale of a Gorey
Tale” took place at the
Four Points Sheraton on
May 22nd where it was
met with great enthusiasm. The whale was on
display on the Gorey
House grounds from the
end of May until the end
of December. It will be on
display again at the House
all of next season.
The Edward Gorey
House has created postcards to commemorate the
event for the gift shop. In
addition to a regular print,
we have special limited
editions of lettered and
numbered prints of the
original art work available
at the museum.
COPYRIGHT 2007 EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST
T
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EDWARD GOREY HOUSE NEWS 2006 - AYEAR IN REVIEW
Mystery!
O
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMERICAN QUILTER MAGAZINE
ur first exhibit of the 2006 season
honored Academy Awardwinning animator, director, and
writer Derek Lamb (1936-2005)
whose work brought to life the artwork of Edward Gorey on PBS’
“Mystery!”. Due to popular demand
this exhibit was extended through
July 30th. The show featured Edward’s original artwork and ephemera. Some of these items will continue
to be on display in 2007.
In addition, the House displayed,
through the end of December, the
Mystery! quilt created by Claudia Edmund. This remarkable example of
quilting art depicts Gorey’s images
from the animated introductions of
“Mystery” and received the Gingher
Award at a major national competition. Only an exceptional quilter
could describe in words what a magnificent piece of art this quilt is.
“Edward Gorey’s Dracula” Exhibit
E
4
dward Gorey’s Dracula
exhibit opened on August
nd
2 and ran through December
17th. Our most recent show
included wonderful artwork of
Edward’s, used in the creation
of the Tony Award winning
hit play that ran on Broadway
for three years in the late
1970’s. The exhibit included
Gorey’s original pen and ink
drawings of set and costume
designs, rare production photographs, and memorabilia.
Some of the feature items on
display were four notebooks
Edward used in the creation of
the sets and costumes, artwork
from an unfinished book, Ed-
ward Gorey’s Dracula,
and the original drawings from the spectacularly intricate “Dracula
Toy Theatre”. Pages of
Edward’s
Dracula
sketch books have been
reproduced and displayed in four albums.
Dracula, the Broadway hit, was nominated
for five Tony’s and
awarded two, one for
Best Costume Design,
and the other for Most
Innovative Production
of a Revival.
Several Dracula related items are available
COPYRIGHT 2007 EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST
EDWARD GOREY HOUSE NEWS 2006 - A YEAR IN REVIEW
I
f you read the August
26th issue of the Cape
Cod Times you would
have encountered the
following: “Edward
Gorey's macabre and
generous spirit lives on
across Route 6A from
the former home of the
famous artist on Strawberry Lane. Blood
flowed freely yesterday
while fanged attendants
wearing Dracula capes
brought a touch of the
theatrical to a unique
event.”
On August 25th and
th
26 the blood was truly
flowing.
The First
Dracula Blood Drive, so
named after the featured
exhibit at the Gorey
House, was a great success with over 70 donors. The staff of C-Lab
of Cape Cod Hospital
dressed in capes and
fangs to add spirit to the
occasion. Each donor
got a fake neck bite as
well as a free pass to
the Edward Gorey
House.
Prompted by the
success of the first
blood drive, a second
one, co-sponsored again
by C-Lab was held on
October 26th. with 30
donors giving blood.
On the 30th of October
and additional 14 donors gave blood at Cape
Cod Hospital.
The Gorey House Gets Involved
E
COPYRIGHT 20067 EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST
Dracula Blood Drives: a Frightening Success!
All of the blood
collected will be used at
Cape Cod Hospital,
which makes these
drives that much more
meaningful.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF BOSTON
dward’s will provided that the income from
his estate fund, in perpetuity, organizations
involved in the care and welfare of animals. We at
the Gorey House make every attempt to follow his
wishes and as a result we have been involved in
numerous events over the past year - all of which
have been very successful and a positive experience for everyone involved.
The Gorey House hosted two Pet Adoption
Days in conjunction with the Animal Rescue
League of Boston
and also participated in its 1st Annual
Howl-OWeen Street Fair
in Boston’s South
End. The adoption days on June 24th and September 17th proved to be an
enjoyable time for both man and beast, with several pets finding new homes
in the welcoming arms of Gorey fans and visitors. The street fair on October
29th allowed us to bring the magic of Gorey up north to the big city and attendees were delighted to see our booth as part of the street fair festivities.
This year Edward Gorey provided the inspiration for the décor of New
York City Central Park Conservancy’s annual Halloween Ball fund-raising
dinner. Over 550 attendees dressed in costume arrived to find the Rumsey
Playfield adorned with a sinister black and white forest scene, inspired by
Edward’s eerie illustrations. The Gorey House donated 600 copies of The
Other Statue with a commemorative bookplate inscribed “Compliments of the
PHOTO COURTESY OF CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY Edward Gorey House and The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust.
5
EDWARD GOREY HOUSE NEWS 2006 - A YEAR IN REVIEW
Letter from the Director
(continued from page 1)
This publicity has certainly generated a great response, as our visitors mentioned the articles or stories that
brought them to the House. We are, of course, very grateful for all the stories and reviews.
Our major exhibit in 2007 will be The Doubtful Guest, honoring the 50th anniversary of the publication
of one of Edward’s most popular works.
Let me express my gratitude to all who continue to support the Edward Gorey House: our members,
donors, the one-time (and repeat!) visitors, the Highland Street Foundation, the Edward Gorey Charitable
Trust, the Gotham Book Mart, and our many friends.
In closing, let me convey to you a sense of fiscal reality as it concerns the Gorey House. By charter we
must function as a self-sustaining non-profit organization. As great a year as 2006 was, we must raise even
more money in 2007 through memberships and donations. Our admission fees are very nominal and we receive only a percentage of the total sales in our gift shop. The annual auction is our one major fundraising
event of the year and provides a great source of income. However, the revenues that pay the bills come from
membership fees and generous donations. Therefore, I ask you, if you are receiving this newsletter and
are not a member, or if your membership has expired, please turn to page seven and fill out the membership form, or check the renewal box (and consider a higher level, if you can). And to our members,
please stay with us forever.
We all wish you and your family a very happy and healthy 2007.
Sincerely yours,
Special Thanks to:
Rick Jones
Director/Curator
Judith and Tom Bartha, Frank Adams, Shayna Landis, Duncan Gibson, Karen Billard, Rachel Carrier, Caitlin Cali, Barbara Breidenbach, Natalie Stopka RISD, Emily Sutton RISD, Jessica Pollak RISD,
Petter Bennet, Esq., Claudia Edmonds and all the docents: Judith Bartha, Janet Breidenbach, Sally Chaison, Jackson Davidow, Pat Dolan, Jane Gallagher, Duncan Gibson, Nanci Konick, Ann Long, MJ
McCarthy, Ken Morton, Skee Morton, Betty Neitz, Carol Oliver, Helen Pond and Sandy Shelton
On a Sad Note
R.I.P.
COPYRIGHT 2007 EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST
Alice, one of Edward’s two surviving cats has recently died. Alice
lived with a good friend of Edward’s, Evelyn Ramalhete, in New Bedford. Evelyn is a generous supporter and Friend for Life of the Gorey
House. Thomas, Alice and Jane were siblings. Jane, the last of the
three still living in Falmouth is 18 years old.
The Gorey House Wish List
The Edward Gorey House is in need of additional docents and general volunteers for next season.
We are also in need of a licensed electrician to help with some wiring. The House needs to move into the
21st Century by upgrading a solo computer to a three or four station network. Any monetary donation
or assistance in acquiring a wireless network would be very welcome. Please contact us if you can help.
6
EDWARD GOREY HOUSE MEMBER NEWS
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust
The Highland Street Foundation
Gotham Book Mart and Gallery Inc
Lawrence and Elizabeth Perera
Connie Massey Dulaney
John Pull
Larry Rakow (Wonder Shirts)
Harcourt Inc
Betsy Palmer
Neil Ringler DDS
John and Trish LaFleur
Evelyn Ramalhete
Glen Emil (Goreyography)
Dade Thieriot
Lori Larson
Sally White
MJ McCarthy
Helen Pond
Steven Swain
Membership Form
Please choose your membership level:
Student
Senior Citizen
Individual
Family
Donor
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$20
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$50
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$500+
Please fill out the following:
Name(s):_____________________________
Address:_____________________________
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City:________________________________
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To pay by check: Enclose your check with this completed form. Please make checks payable to Edward
Gorey House
Type of card (circle one):
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COPYRIGHT 2007 EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST
Membership benefits include:
•
•
•
•
•
One year free admission
Invitations to exhibition previews and special events
10% discount in the Edward Gorey House
Shop and webstore—20% discount for Patron level and above
Subscription to the Edward Gorey House
Newsletter
An exclusive Edward Gorey House membership pin (changes annually)
Expiration date:____________________________
Signature:_________________________________
You can also use your credit card to become a member online! www.edwardgoreyhouse.org
Detach this form and mail to:
Edward Gorey House
8 Strawberry Lane
Attn: Membership Processing
7
GIVING THE GIFT OF GOREY
COPYRIGHT 2007 EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST
Browse www.GoreyStore.com and pick up a gift for everyone
you know! Even the most avid Gorey fans will be pleased with a
slew of new books, calendars, and prints. Keep in mind that a
portion of each Gorey item purchased will go to animal welfare
organizations like the Animal Rescue League of Boston. Here is
just a sampling of new items
you can purchase at our
online shop.
COPYRIGHT 2007 EDWARD GOREY CHARITABLE TRUST
8 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675—(508) 362-3909—www.edwardgoreyhouse.org
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