Our Inspiration!

The idea for The Southcoast Artists Index began with this New Bedford Standard-Times newspaper ad from the mid-1980s seeking assistance in finding information on nearly 150 individuals with the plea:

“A name, a birthday, an exhibition date… Mary Jean Blasdale would like to know more about the works of the following New Bedford artists. She can be contacted at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford.”

Mary Jean Blasdale, was the curator of the New Bedford Whaling Museum until her retirement in 2006. She published the Artists of New Bedford: A biographical dictionary (1990) during her tenure there.

The Artists Index Website Project was launched in July 2012 as a collaborative community digital archive by co-founders Ron Fortier and Jeff Wotton to document the history of the creative community of the South Coast; its artists, art institutions, and art professionals of the past and present. The Index, still under construction, will provide a reliable resource for researchers, genealogists, and educators.

We are maintaining the cultural sustainability of the South Coast while building a collective digital archive for anyone who seeks or has information to share, about an artist from the creative community of the South Coast. We’d love to hear what you’re looking for or, about any memories or information you have about an artist from the past – please let us know!

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