CAM Talk: Joseph Solman – A Leader of Expressionism in the Early 20th Century Who Never Stopped Finding Pattern, Poetry, and Drama in “the Subject,” by Heather Atwood
Date and Time
Saturday May 9, 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT
Saturday, May 9, 2026
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location
Janet & William Ellery James Center, CAM Green
13 Poplar Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
Fees/Admission
CAM Members $5, Non-Members $10.
Registration Required. Parking is first come, first served and carpooling is encouraged.
Description
Due to limited parking, a shuttle from an additional lot will be available and details will be sent closer to the day of the talk.?
As the Cape Ann Museum opens its newly renovated space with an exhibition of Milton Avery, Adolph Gottlieb, and Mark Rothko, it’s worth remembering their New York friend and colleague Joseph Solman, a fellow leader of 20th-century American Expressionism with similarly strong ties to Cape Ann. In 1935, Solman, Rothko, and Gottlieb were all members of “The Ten,” a group that challenged New York museums’ resistance to European Expressionism. While Rothko and Gottlieb later shifted toward Abstraction, Solman spent his life creating Modernist works celebrated nationwide. Join Heather Atwood for a screening of her Color of Light video on Solman, followed by a conversation with the artist’s son, Emmy Award–winning journalist Paul Solman.
This lecture is presented in conjunction with the museum’s upcoming exhibition, Avery, Gottlieb, & Rothko: By the Sea, offering context and insight into the artists and themes in the exhibit. For more information about upcoming lectures for the exhibition, please visit the Events Calendar.
Heather Atwood has been examining Cape Ann Art and culture for years, writing for The Gloucester Times, Edible Boston, and North Shore Magazine, among others. Today, she is a host and producer for 1623 Studios, Cape Ann’s community access media station. Her work has been the recipient of a Mass Creator’s Award, three awards from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Communications, and a Davey Award. Her video series, The Color of Light, explores the lives and work of Cape Ann artists from the 19th century to present. The full series can be found on the 1623 Studios Youtube Channel under The Color of Light.
Paul Solman is an American journalist focused on economics, business, and politics since the early 1970s. He has been the business and economics correspondent for the PBS NewsHour since 1985, with occasional forays into art reporting. His work has been recognized with eight Emmys, five Peabodys, a Loeb award, and a James Beard award for media.
