A bronze fertility idol on a marble base stood at the entrance to the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury this weekend, greeting visitors to the Family Planning Art Show. The piece is about a foot tall and was created by Jay Lagemann.
Mr. Lagemann, along with over 80 Island artists, was taking part in the annual event to help raise money for the organization. Artists donate at least 50 per cent of the sale price to the organization, and some choose to donate higher percentages. The art show began with a reception on Thursday night, and continued through Sunday.
Late Saturday afternoon, board president Sarah Monast showed a visitor around the hall, checking out a watercolor by Ruth Adams featuring a bucolic seascape with sheep, sailboats, a farmhouse and a cheery sun.
Ms. Monast said this year most of the funds raised would go to pay off the building’s mortgage, which has been the focus of the board for three years.
“This year we’re going to do it,” she said, before turning her attention back to the art on display.
Pastel paintings by Debra M. Gaines and Warren V. Gaines showed familiar Island sights from East Chop to the shack by Lagoon Pond. Dreamy black and white photos of hazy seascapes by Jim O’Connor hung near brightly colored fish painted in sharp relief by Alejandro Carreno. Flying fish, false albacore, tuna and marlin in psychedelic colors were on display.
Pieces by Jack Yuen depicted a walrus and a whale in street art style hanging next to understated paintings by Kanta Lipsky of shady cafes and a rhododendron. And underneath a photograph by Claire Ganz of a ferry boat getting ready for boarding were the words: In 2015 Family Planning had 1,421 visits.
But not all of the art was on canvas. There was a basket made of horseshoe crabs by Barbara Stelle and pillows by Sylvie Farrington and tables by Andrew Jahnes. Sarah Moore’s inked flowers made of delicate scribbles hung in a tower, while floral arrangements by Morrice Florist dotted different tables.
On one table, flowers made of colorful condoms sat next to pamphlets about vasectomy reimbursements and a list of the types of birth control available at the clinic. It was a very different sort of bouquet, one which combined artistic whimsy and the mission of the organization, adjectives that could also be used to describe the art show as a whole, which has marked the beginning of the summer season for 27 years.
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