Painting Exhibit

The Edward D. Carey Award is awarded to a watercolorist in memory of the accomplished watercolorist and teacher who wanted “people’s eyes to be opened to art.” Carey loved being a painter and a teacher and he loved the Festival because he thought it was a unique way of getting a lot of people exposed to art. His energy for making art accessible to young people and for allowing them free rein in exploring their own artistic potential were his gifts as a teacher. Carey’s enthusiastic work with the Festival of Arts began in the 1960s and continued into the 1970s, a period during which he was a Festival exhibitor and a Board Member. Carey was a high school art teacher and Program Administrator for the Arts in the Marblehead school system. The High School’s art center, which he helped plan, is named for him. The first Edward D. Carey Award, established through the efforts of his friends and family, was given during the 1979 Festival of Arts and is now awarded annually as part of the Festival’s Painting Exhibit.