Goetemann Artist Residency

Established in 2005 by renowned artist and teacher Gordon Goetemann, the Goetemann Artist Residency brings distinguished artists to Rocky Neck to share their creative practice with the community.

An abstract painting with shades of blue, black, gray, and beige, featuring broad, expressive brushstrokes and layered textures.

Painting by Talya Baharal: Blue Reflection #1, 2019

2026 Goetemann Artist Residents

Residency News + Updates

Calendar
"Breaking the Ruts" Artist workshop with Kat Masella
Aug 10
Workshop, Goetemann Artist Residency
"Breaking the Ruts" Artist workshop with Kat Masella
Workshop, Goetemann Artist Residency

Register for this 4-day artist workshop with Kat Masella, the 2026 Goetemann Distinguished Artist/Teacher.

Workshop, Goetemann Artist Residency

The Programs

The Goetemann Artist Residency supports artists at different stages of their careers through three distinct programs, each designed to foster creative exchange and public engagement.

  • Founded in 2007 by Ruth Mordecai, this invitational residency brings an established artist-teacher to Rocky Neck for one week. Selected by the residency committee, the artist receives an honorarium and housing. The residency opens with a public presentation at the Cape Ann Museum, followed by a multi-day workshop at Montserrat College of Art open to the community.

  • Started in 2015 by Rocky Neck artist Ruth Mordecai, this award recognizes a talented Gloucester artist with a month-long residency and stipend. The artist gives an opening talk at the start of the residency, opens their studio to the public throughout the month, and concludes with an informal closing talk at their studio.

  • Launched in 2017 by artist and former Rocky Neck Art Colony President Kathleen Gerdon-Archer, this program is offered in partnership with Ocean Alliance. Artists, selected by jury, work outdoors or in Ocean Alliance's research library for one month. The residency includes housing, a stipend, an opening talk at the Cultural Center, and a closing talk at Ocean Alliance.

Three images showcase various forms of abstract art. The first is a painting with bold black and brown strokes on a pink and purple background. The second is a sculptural installation made of elongated wooden pieces draped with paint-splattered paper strips, standing upright. The third image displays a gallery wall with mixed-media abstract artworks, including colorful painted pieces, with some resembling stylized figures or shapes.

The Goetemann Artist Residents Archive

Since 2005, the Goetemann Artist Residency has supported dozens of talented artists. Browse our archive to see their work and read about their experiences at Rocky Neck.

View Residency Archive

A Legacy of Creative Exchange

An elderly man with a beard and white hair sitting on a beige couch, holding a colorful greeting card and smiling. The room has a window with a view of houses outside, a painting of a seascape on the wall, and multiple computer monitors in the background.

The Goetemann Artist Residency was founded in 2005 by renowned artist, teacher, and Rocky Neck resident Gordon Goetemann, to support artists who live and work in Gloucester. Together with his wife, artist Judith Steele Goetemann, they envisioned a program that would invite artists to share their creative practice with the Rocky Neck Art Colony and the broader community.

Originally called the Artist Residency Program, it was renamed in Gordon's honor in 2010. Today, the residency offers three distinct annual programs, each designed to foster creative dialogue, mentorship, and public engagement.