From a Newspaper Clipping…

The idea for The Southcoast Artists Index was inspired by 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, the curator of the New Bedford Whaling Museum until her retirement in 2006, went on to publish the Artists of New Bedford: A biographical dictionary (1990).

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 creative community of the South Coast; its artists, art institutions, and art professionals of the past and present.

The Artists Index invites practicing artists with direct or indirect ties to the South Coast’s creative community and individuals who have information on an artist from the area’s past to please contact us.

Jeff and Ron invite researchers, genealogists, educators, or anyone who seeks or has information to share about an artist who has passed. Ron says, “Please let us know! We’d love to hear about any memories or information you have about an artist from the past!”

Listen to our podcasts here.