On Monday June 1st I went on the East Cambridge Public Art Tour sponsored by Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center as part of their BoomTown Festival. Here is a link to the interactive East Cambridge Public Art Tour Map. We met at CMAC located at 41 Second Street for the tour which lasted about forty five minutes.

The first stop on our stroll was at the East Cambridge garage at the corner of Second and Spring Streets. Spanning the pedestrian entrance is "East Cambridge-1852" by George Greenamyer. The painted steel piece depicts scenes of the area in the 1800's. There is the glass, porcelain, and furniture works along with workers, owners and their respective dwellings. You can still see Millionaire’s Row and typical East Cambridge workers’ cottages in the neighborhood.

Then we went to Centanni Way Park to see “Garden Sculptures” by artist and blacksmith William Wainwright is the brightly reflective mobile at the head of Lechmere Canal near the mini playground. I have enjoyed the rainbow flashes of this for years.

Close by, beneath the gazebo opposite the mall entrance is “Beach Fragments” by David Phillips. These six bronze “medallions” depict aspects of nature and culture in the context of a day at the beach.

Around on the other side of the canal by the big willow tree is "Faces of East Cambridge" by James Tyler. I remember hearing when the sculpture went up that certain neighborhood notables complained that they were not on the pillar. Mr. Tyler is said to have stalked the area with a camera looking for a diversity of everyday mugs to immortalize. Tyler is also responsible for the portrait sculptures in Davis Square.

The British are Coming! The British are Coming! Under the Land Boulevard bridge on the up-river side of the canal is David Judelson’s pair of painted steel panel murals representing the landing of British troops near here on the night of Paul Revere’s famous ride. It looks like a little maintenance is due here.

Up the Charles past the Sonesta and Charlesgate Yacht Club to Front Park. “Gate House” by Lloyd Hamrol stands at the convergence of the paths to the riverfront. This grouping of three steel peaked roof house shapes frames views of the Longfellow Bridge and Beacon Hill, the Charles River, and the harbor (use your imagination here).

The last stop before returning to CMAC was Charles Park which fills a triangle bounded by Charles Street, Land Boulevard, and the Lotus building. This little park is one of my favorite places in Cambridge. I always include it when showing friends around my neighborhood. This shady green patch is the home of a wonderful group of bronze sculptures and bas reliefs by local artist Nancy Webb. Set into the granite entry pillars and curbstones and the iron gate you will find small sculptures of bees, beetles, earwigs, grasshoppers, and all sorts of flowers. Something about seeing these always improves my mood. The Artist has her studio at 11 Miller Street in Somerville (next to the Star Market on Beacon Street) and you can visit during the Open Studio event every spring.

The tour will be held again Wednesdays June 3 & 10 at 1:00 PM, Friday June 5 at 4:00PM and Monday June 8 at 4:00PM.

Check out the CMAC web site for more events of the BoomTown Festival which runs through June 11, 2009.