the cottages

The Orleans Market Square located between Rte. 6A and Old Colony Way in downtown Orleans houses the Artist Cottages .

The Cottages host a variety of Cape Cod Inspired Artists whose many mediums of Art bring beauty to their cottages. We feature Photography, Potters, Fabric Art, Home Décor, Painters, Mixed Media and Jewelers. Each artist is juried for their work and exceed the standards of Cape Cod Shoppers.

Upon arrival you will Stroll through the “Pretty Gate”, walk up the shell path to the delightful 8 cottages to meet the Artists. Artists are on property each day we are open, ask them questions and let them share their love of their art with you. This is a great place to shop local for the extraordinary. Whether you are buying for yourself, your home, a thank you or special gift to somebody, this is the place to find the unique.

While here step on over to the ”Copper Umbrella Water Fountain”. You can sit and relax to the soothing sound of the water as it pours over the Umbrella and onto the perfectly placed river stones below.

If you come by bike, use the “Fish Bike Rack” to park and lock your bike, sit and have lunch from The Hot Chocolate Sparrow or The Food Truck at the picnic table and play a game of Chess on our “Giant Chess Board”.

Of course, the Biggest of all the art on the property is the Building Size Mural, just across the parking lot. This Mural depicts the “Yesterday-Year Railroad Station”. This was done as a tribute to the 100-year anniversary of the Train that came into Orleans.

Saturdays bring the Orleans Farmers Market to the Square. The offerings are all grown by local farmers and runs from 9 am until 1.

Many Artists offer “Demonstrations” of their work or have “make your own” art or scheduled classes.

Children and families encouraged to come by and shop, play, have picnic or just enjoy the lovely surrounding of our Town of Orleans.

Photo by Allie Richards

Floral Installation by Meryl gartside and kate formichella

Meryl Gartside of Blue Lobster Farm and Kate Formichella of Flora Chella Design visited the cottages in the Fall of 2021, using our Fish Bike Rack by Syd Ahlstrom for their 5th annual end-of-season floral installation.

"The Flower gods smiled upon us on Saturday while Kate and I flowered the fish bike rack at the Artist Cottages for our 5th annual end-of-season floral installation. Sandwiched between days of wind and rain, the sun came out and so did our amazing Cape Cod community. It was heartwarming to hear how appreciative folks were about our work. The Farmers' Marker was hopping, there were artists in costume, hot apple cider and live music too! We met some great people and appreciate everyone who stopped by!" - Meryl Gartside of Blue Lobster Farm.

“WELCOME TO OUR WORLD” BY ANGELA ROSE

Providing a sense of arrival for the Artist Cottages, you will find a beautiful, whimsical Gate, made by Angela Rose, in collaboration with La Vita Bella Garden Design. The installation is titled: Welcome to our World. The gate is steel flanked by displays of green and lavender plantings and fanciful metal wands.

Angela makes sculpture, often large in scale, inspired by an abiding love of the land and the delight that comes from walking in nature. “My mission,” she says, “is to bring the uplifting and restorative aspects of time spent in nature and creativity, into the mix of daily life and social space.” Concentrating in Public Art since 1990, Angela also focuses on creating “a sense of arrival” by combining sculpture components with plants for residences, businesses and artspaces in the landscapes of Boston and Cape Cod, and in the Sonoran desert of Tucson, Arizona.

“michaels Brolly” by Michael Marrinan

IT'S RAINING ART IN ORLEANS Massachusetts… Artist Michael Marrinan of Marrinan Galleries in Eastham has designed and built a Copper Umbrella Water Fountain in Orleans MA.

Michael approached property owner Todd Thayer with an idea he had been pondering. On a rainy spring day several years earlier Michael had watched a lady walk across the street protected by a big black umbrella, with the rain dripping down the sides Michael's idea of the Copper Umbrella was born. Though he had the idea and the artist renderings he was not sure where the best place for it would be. Michael rented one of the Artist Cottages in Orleans in 2015 there he found a home for his Copper Umbrella. When Todd and Michael reviewed the drawings and discussed the design, it was decided the idea would to come to life at the Artist Cottages on Old Colony Way. Todd commissioned Michael to move forward with the engineering of this piece, which was a challenge admittedly. After many months we are pleased to announce that the Copper Umbrella is on the Artist Cottage Property this summer. This Charming Umbrella is a full 8 ft. tall, with the Shaft alone weighing 350lbs of Solid Stainless Steel and Brass cut to perfection to replicate the Umbrella Shaft. The Canopy is made of 150 lbs. of Copper bent in multiple directions to reflect the perfect shape of the Umbrella Canopy.

This exceptional piece of art will be enjoyed by residents and visitors for many years and the Artist Cottages will have a wonderfully unique piece of Original Art designed and built by Local Artist Michael Marrinan.

There you can enjoy the beauty of the peace of the cottages and the relax to the tranquil sounds of water as it flows over the umbrella and disappears into the pond below.

“Fish Bike Rack” by Syd Ahlstrom

In October of 2015 Local Artist Syd Ahlstrom was commissioned to design and build a bike rack that was both artistic and functional. Syd designed and built a Bike Rack in the shape of a Fish. It suits the entire design of the area and it’s beautiful. The bike rack was installed at the Artist Cottages on Old Colony Way June 4th and is ready to use. Come see the wonderful Creativity being displayed by the many mediums of Art at the Artist Cottages. Syd Ahlstrom’s studio is located at 21 Lots Hollow Road, Orleans

Orleans Depot, by Kathy Nora and Dan Joy

This fabulous Mural depicts the view of the Orleans Train Depot and surrounding area in 1915 and was painted by 2 local artists: Kathy Nora and Dan Joy.

Kathy lives on Cape Cod and on a small island in the Dodecanese, Greece - - both places, she says, offering a lifetime’s worth of subjects. For the past 10 years the subjects of her work have primarily been influenced by what is grown in the earth. Her paintings are primarily oil on canvas…so, she says, “the Mural was a bit of a departure.”