The art galleries in Rockport [1] are concentrated in the area known as Bearskin Neck, an artists colony jutting out into the working harbor. Studios are clustered around the picturesque red fish shack known as “Motif No. 1 [2]”—held up alternately as the most painted and most photographed building in the country.
A good place to start is the Rockport Art Association (12 Main St., Rockport, 978/546-6604, www.rockportartassn.org [3]). Though not as large, Gloucester has an artists colony called Rocky Neck, which features galleries of its own.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-england/maine/midcoast/penobscot-bay/rockport-and-camden
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-england/massachusetts/eastern-massachusetts/motif-no-1
[3] http://www.rockportartassn.org