Step into Donna's World
If you walk west on Main Street (Rt 28) toward Post Office Square, you will come to a
long driveway marked by red welcome mats and a life-sized bear dressed for the
season. Here at 500 Main Street, you will find a hidden world that perfectly captures the
spirit of Harwich Port. Knock on the door and meet Donna Idman Tavano, a long-time
resident whose life story mirrors the artistic evolution of Harwich Port.
A Family with Deep Harwich Roots
Donna has lived in Harwich for over 50 years. Her parents ran the beloved Moby Dick
Motel on Rt. 28 in Harwich Port — in the 1960-70’s when families returned to the same
motels year after year. In the early 70s, she remembers “after Labor Day everyone left
the Cape, you could stand in the middle of Rt. 28 for 20 minutes and not one car would
come by.” Donna married Frank, a Harwich local she met at Dave’s Garage in South
Harwich, and together they raised five boys, moving between four homes in Harwich.
Less than a decade ago, the couple retired, she from the Harwich Police Department,
and he, from Barnstable County Facilities. They were ready to slow down a bit and
dreamed of living closer to town — somewhere with a “little city village feel” where they
could walk to everything. Thanks to a bold idea from their youngest son Justin
(Chatham’s Fire Chief), they found the perfect spot: a historic 1850s house that once
belonged to the Lilley's, a family known for their photography business and deep roots
in Harwich Port. Donna, Frank, and Justin’s family repurposed the home’s adjoining
photography studio into a true family compound with generations living in separate
wings a few steps apart.
Building Community One Conversation at a Time
Donna’s story does not stop at family. Retirement was her chance to dive headfirst into
her lifelong love of art. What started as crafting for her family blossomed into a tiny,
tucked-away gift shop, open, according to Donna “by appointment or chance…even in
February, if you make your way down our driveway, I’ll turn the lights on for you.” The
very definition of old Cape Cod charm.
Initially, the shop was only open during the Wednesday evening of the Harwich Port
Stroll. It eventually evolved into a year–round endeavor. Donna aptly named her
studio/shop ‘Eclectsia’ – a play on the word ‘eclectic.’ Inside, visitors find a surprising
world: mosaics made from broken pottery and local shells, wool-sculpted animals, metal
artwork, and paintings in multiple mediums. Visitors often think the shop features myriad
artists — but it is all Donna.
The shop has never been about heavy foot traffic. Instead, it is about connection.
Visitors become friends; purchases come with a story. Donna’s easygoing warmth
invites people to slow down, chat, and leave with a piece of Harwich Port spirit tucked
under their arm. According to Donna, “Art is how you meet people, building community
one conversation at a time.”
Many folks are Creative – Donna is an ‘Idea Merchant.’
Beyond her shop, Donna is deeply woven into Cape life: a member of the Crafty Chics
of Chatham, a longtime Harwich Artists Guild board member, and a choir member and
handbell ringer at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Orleans, where she carries on the
tradition of hammered aluminum art — a skill passed down from some of Cape Cod’s
earliest artisans. Donna is also a ’Hooker’ with the Cranberry Rug Hookers. Somehow,
in the middle of it all, she has been writing a monthly Cape Cod Chronicle column,
“Hearth to Hearth,” for over 30 years — chronicling small-town life with humor, heart,
and a deep respect for the connections that tie a community together.
Donna lives across the street from Doane Park, where every Monday, from July through
Labor Day, the Guild of Harwich Artists sells their paintings and crafts at ‘Art-in-the-
Park,’ you will find her face painting there. Or you might find her painted miniature
ornaments along with over 200 others during the Christmas Stroll at the Guild’s Art
Gallery “in the alley” at 551 Main Street---the proceeds split between two Harwich
children’s charities.
Today, when visitors find their way down Donna’s driveway, they are not just finding a
charming shop. They are walking into a living story — of family, creativity, and a Harwich
Port that still feels a little bit like the Cape of yesterday, lovingly carried forward into today.