C&T Publications 50 States of Art - 2015 | Page 16

Jerri Moon Cantone – Rhode Island “Herring gulls that dot the sky, blue waves that paint the rocks, water rich with Neptune’s life, the boats that line the docks. I see the lighthouse flickering to help the sailors see. There’s a place for everyone: Rhode Island’s It for Me.” Jerri is an up and coming photographer located in Johnston, Rhode Island. She specializes in Fine Art Photography and Portrait Photography. Jerri has been featured in publications which include, Providence Business News, Off-Track Thoroughbreads, IHeartRhody.com, and Getty Images. While balancing a full-time job and her self-made business, Jerri Moon Cantone Photography, Jerri is also a member of The Rhode Island Small Business Advisory Council and The Photographic Society of Rhode Island. Recently, she has published a book filled with her creative masterpieces of art and will continue to photograph the architecture, nature, and people around her. Website: http://www.jerrimoon.com/ Here is my piece. It is called Beavertail at Sunset. The Beavertail Lighthouse, located in Jamestown, RI, on the southernmost point of Conanicut Island, was built in 1856. Long before the lighthouse was built the local Native Americans would light fires made of pitch in order to warn sailors away from the dangerous and rocky shoreline. In 1705 a watch house was constructed here, a beacon was put in place in 1712, and in 1749 a wooden tower was built here, where a fire acted as the warning light. When this structure burned down four years later a stone one replaced it. In 1179 the British destroyed t he lighthouse and the shore stood in darkness for four years. Jamestown was incorporated as a town in 1678, with a population of 150. As of 2014 that population is now at 5420. In 1657 Benedict Arnold was one of the original purchasers of Conanicut Island, along with ninety-nine other men. That same year he also became the governor of the Rhode Island Colony. Jamestown has a rich and fascinating history, with a number of interesting historic sites, such as the old Jamestown Windmill, built in 1787. Also of interests are the Conanicut Battery, the Jamestown Museum, the Town Hall, Library and the old Conanicut Friends Meetinghouse. Jamestown is home to the Jamestown Classic, the largest bicycle road race in Rhode Island. On October 12 th they celebrated 40 years of hosting this event. 11