Vicarious Vacation -2008 "Yet far from being out of the way, Provincetown is directly in the way of
the navigator, and he is lucky who does not run afoul of it in the dark. It is
situated on one of the highways of commerce and men from all parts of the globe
touch there in the course of a year." - Henry David Thoreau
We hopped on the Fast Ferry in Boston for the 1 1/2 hour ride to the
very tip
of Cape Cod. Provincetown was our destination. The little village
that is part tourist mecca, part artist community, and part small town fishing
village. This is where the pilgrims
really landed.
We arrived at the wharf and were greeted by our driver, Peter, that took us for
the short ride to our charming Bed and Breakfast,
Admirals Landing
which
he owns with his partner Chuck. After settling in a little we walked down to
pickup our bicycles. Bikes are big in ptown for those staying there for a few
days or a week as everything is just few minutes ride from anywhere else and you
don't have to deal with parking or avoiding the many tourists on foot with a
car.
Our yearly trek there has come to be about just experiencing the ambience of the
place. There are many galleries full of new and wonderful art. The restaurants
like the Lobster Pot and the Red Inn are world class eateries. There are long
stretches of peaceful, protected beaches of the Cape Cod National Seashore .
Biking trails wind through the forest and sand dunes providing a wealth of
options for those wanting to get out and "do something" or just relaxing by the
water or visiting the attractions in town. One of the best ways to experience
Provincetown is just to be at the beach and hit your stack of
summer reading.
In the twenty plus years I have been visiting ptown it hasn't changed much.
That’s a good thing. You won't find a McDonalds or a Starbucks but, you will
find the famous Spriritus Pizza
(home of the best white pizza on earth) or the aforementioned Lobster Pot, home
to world's best fried clams and baked stuffed lobster(go ahead and order the 2
pound size!). YUM! If you get up early enough and amble down to the wharf you’ll
see the fishermen readying their boats to head out in the fog to get the day’s
catch. Later that night you can catch a
drag show at one of the cabarets or just stroll down Commercial Street with
the crowd perusing the many shops.
The galleries there are first rate. Of course there is a wide selection of Cape
Cod Art as well as remarkable new work by really amazing emerging artists.
Provincetown is home to PAAM, the
Provincetown Art Association and Museum, of which I just became a member. They
have a wonderful permanent collection and an exciting new gallery space and
facility.
We did have a thunder storm sweep through one night when we were there, which I
just love to experience. It’s nice to be someplace where they actually have
weather versus Sandy Eggo, not that I'm complaining!
We ended our trip as we started it back on the ferry (maybe a few pounds heavier
due to the lobster just dripping butter!). Perhaps that's one of the reasons
Provincetown feels a "world apart" to me. Isolated by the water out in the
distance and possessing all the spirit and life to make it seem it's own world. PJF 8/12/2008
On display from June 6th - July 6, 2008.
Reception on June 13, 2008 6-8 PM
18 x 24 Framed Archival Inkjet Print, $450
View the slide show from 2007 Considering
Provincetown - 2007
A look at the quieter side of Provincetown
and its gorgeous landscape.
The following six photographs have been accepted
into the juried show:
2008 San Diego County Fair
Exhibition of Photography.
This is an international exhibition of black and white and color photography.
Open from June 14 to July 6, 2008 Del Mar, CA.
A NEW SOLO SHOW AT:
Cafe on Park
From May 23 - July 3, 2008
Great food, a unique atmosphere and images by
Philip James Photography. Presented in this year’s show are a wide variety of images ranging from grand landscapes to macro (close-up) photography of places
as diverse as London and Cape Cod to Joshua Tree’s high desert. I hope you enjoy the show this year!
Located at 3831 Park Blvd. San Diego, 619-293-7275
Click here for a map
Affiliations: Philip is a member of the following
organizations:
Spanish Village Art Center - San Diego's largest
community of artists. Philip is an Artist Member and on the Board of
Directors. Philip's studio/gallery there is open to the public and his
fine art prints as well as hand blown art glass may be purchased there.
San Diego Art Institute, a Museum of the
Living Artist. Learn more here:
SDAI
PAMM:
The Provincetown Art Association and Museum.
With over one hundred annual events - openings, slide lectures, studio classes, members’ workshops, discussions, concerts, readings, a garden tour and two annual consignment auctions - PAAM is a great cultural center that enriches all Cape Cod and beyond.
A Bio:
Philip James Filia
was born in 1960, at the tail end of the baby boomer generation, in Connecticut on the “Other Coast”. His interest in photography was inspired in the early teens by a friend and mentor who taught him the finer points of how to take pictures and develop them in a “real” darkroom. Fascinated with the process as well as the results, Philip retained an avid interest in the field.
In 1981 Philip moved to Baton Rouge, LA where he lived for two years and worked as an electrical engineer for the local newspaper. There, he was further educated and engrossed in the photographic journalistic field. Two years later he moved to San Diego, CA where he now resides. After several “real” jobs he struck out on his own to establish
Systems IQ, a company which provides computer consulting services for small and medium sized businesses. A few years ago Philip realized his motivation to turn his love of photography into a working enterprise,
Philip James Photography.
Philip James Photography now provides a range of photographic services to agencies and individuals alike.
He is a Juried Artist Member and has recently been elected to the Board of
Directors of the Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park where he shares a
working studio in the Village, Studio 19, where hand blown art glass as well as
his photographs may be purchased. Philip James Photography also sources stock photos to
Acclaim Images, a leading stock photography company which offers high quality, limited distribution digital images and fine art prints direct from the photographer. He also provides services to companies that seek out his unique and functional style of product and event photography as well as web site design where, naturally, he incorporates his photographs.
His fine art images range in style from scenic landscape work to street and architecture. Traveling frequently provides Philip with an opportunity to photograph some of his favorite places extensively. He visits
Provincetown, out on Cape Cod yearly and loves capturing images of the colorful village, fishing boats and beaches. Recently, he visited London and Paris and has been to Hawaii’s various islands numerous times. Of late, one of Philip’s photographs, titled “Downtown”, won First Place at the 57th International Exhibition of Photography 2006
in San Diego.
