Victorian Vignette
The Cakewalk: A dancefull of curves and resistance
The irony of the phrase is that the dance itself was no cakewalk.
Arts & Culture
Sound Waves
Maddie Hogan
Maddie Hogan has felt her calling since childhood, with her earliest memories of singing Disney Princess songs, hitting the notes with uncanny accuracy, and demonstrating that her musical talent was obvious from the start—as well as her belief that dreams come true.
The Islander
Dustin Piccolo
“You can get ice cream anywhere. We want Fine Fellows to be an experience.”
Artisans Corner
Koko Lafferty: Collecting Cape May
What’s the expression? When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, when life gives Koko Lafferty seashells, she makes jewelry.
Artist in Residence
Joel Adas
In this painting, the reflection of a house or cottage interlocks with a phantom boat.
Antiquing Around Town
Fiestaware: The colors that endure
You didn’t have to grow up in the 1950s to remember this colorful earthenware.
Victorian Vignette
Adolphe Sax and his invention: the saxophone
As the musical era of vaudeville and jazz evolved into the early 20th century, the saxophone came to America and took its place in big-band jazz music and as a solo instrument.
Sound Waves
Jazz Night at the Chalfonte Hotel
Carrying on the legacy of jazz nights at the Merion Inn, these Chalfonte gatherings ensure that jazz remains a vital part of Cape May’s cultural fabric.
The Islander
Ross Hammer and Lauren Cavallo
Interview with Ross Hammer and Lauren Cavallo: Entrepreneurs & business owners
Artisans Corner
Beverly Chernaik
For Beverly Chernaik, who splits her time between her homes in Maryland and North Cape May, mosaics have become her absolute favorite creative outlet.
Artist in Residence
Mary Lippincott
“I love making people happy with portraits of their pets. I strive for realism in my artwork.”
Antiquing Around Town
Hurricane Lamps
Thousands of years ago, lamps were made of pottery, carved shells, and other materials. They contained oil derived from animal fat or plants. A fiber, linen, or papyrus wick floated in the oil, providing longer periods of light. In 1780 Aime Argand developed an oil lamp that contained a wick […]
Victorian Vignette
Tattoos: Modern Expression & Ancient Art
“A sailor without a tattoo is like a ship without grog: not seaworthy.” -Samuel O’Reilly, tattooist, 1854–1909 For millennia, humans have tattooed their bodies to express their individuality, chronicling loves, losses, beliefs, victories, affiliations, hopes, and dreams. The oldest human discovered—5,300 years old— had 60 tattoos, and his contemporaries, from […]
Sound Waves
Geno White
An artist that epitomizes the term local legend, whose name is within six degrees of separation from not just any musician in the area but many of the greatest rock & roll guitarists of all time: meet Geno White—or get to know him a bit better. From Silence to Sound […]
The Islander
Jack Wright
Sitting by the fireplace in Exit Zero Filling Station to talk with Jack Wright was indeed an interview long overdue. I am one of many who have admired the work and contributions he has made to Cape May in the 23 years he has called it his home. Born in […]
Artisans Corner
Kate McKiernan
When was the last time you wanted something but didn’t buy it because you couldn’t afford it? And how many of us who might raise their hand in the affirmative here would decide to just make that thing instead? Kate McKiernan would. “I first started making jewelry in college, as […]
Artist in Residence
Doug Axmann
Rainbow LakeMixed media with watercolor and gouache paints on watercolor paper18” x 24” “I painted this by using a wet-on-wet technique. To begin with, literally pouring the paints onto the paper and then working in the details as the painting started drying. Once completely dried, I was able to paint […]
Antiquing Around Town
American Brilliant Cut Glass
Although American Brilliant cut glass had its heyday from the 1870s to the early 1900s, there has been a resurgence of collectors acquiring a few antique pieces for use in the home. It might be due to shows like Downton Abbey or The Gilded Age that shined a spotlight on […]
Victorian Vignette
The Great Arctic Outbreak of February 1899
From February 11 to February 14, 1899, Cape May, Wildwood, the state of New Jersey, the rest of the continental United States—and Cuba—suffered through what came to be called The Great Valentine’s Day Blizzard of 1899 and the Great Arctic Outbreak of February 1899, among other names. According to the […]
Sound Waves
Toni Teschner
They say a mother’s voice is the first one we hear, and in many cases, her taste in music is our very first impression of rhythm and song. For Toni Teschner, her mother’s record collection acted as an early guide to music, offering direction for where it would bring her […]
The Islander
Phil Courtney
Phil Courtney has been making art his whole life. These days, in his third-floor studio of his West Cape May house, he works on his own, having retired from painting and mounting billboards after more than 25 years. He has described his job as “Working on location at heights of […]
Artist in Residence
Lisa Crugnola
Northern Cardinalcolored pencil9” x 12” “Light layers of color build to achieve this vibrant finished portrait of a Northern Cardinal.” Follow Lisa on Instagram @portraits.pets.and.people
Victorian Vignette
Victorian Christmas Gifts
Christmas gift-giving for Victorians was not entirely different from today’s holiday gift-giving — it was easily the most exciting part of celebrating Christmas, certainly for children, but also for adults. What Victorian ladies and gentlemen and children gave to each other at Christmas has changed a lot since the late […]
Artisans Corner
Corinne Rietheimer
We first met Corinne Rietheimer back in our Spring issue of 2015, when we profiled her and her company, Shore Soaps, (along with other local soap makers) in the feature, “Soap Story.” This was a scant two years into Corinne’s soapmaking. Now she has her own little empire. Back then, […]