The Ruel Gallery in Menemsha is now open Thursday through Sunday.
For many years artist Kara Taylor’s gallery was located on Main street in Vineyard Haven. But this past summer she needed to find a new place to show her work. At first she focused on finding another spot in Vineyard Haven. A deal was almost made and then collapsed at the last minute. She widened her gaze to include up-Island, which would mean her gallery would have to be a destination spot rather than a place people might encounter on a casual stroll through town. Added pressure, of course, but over the years Ms.
On Sunday Featherstone Center for the Arts celebrated Lucy Vincent Beach with its own art reception. The party marked the opening of an exhibit that runs through May 8.
The show came into being after artist Linda Ziegler surveyed the damage done to the beach by Hurricane Sandy and wanted to find a way to honor what has long been a favorite Vineyard destination.
Enjoy the crisp August weather outdoors or stay indoors and visit one of the many art galleries on the Island? Thanks to Vineyard Gardens’ Gallery in the Garden events, held each Friday evening in August, the decision became a simple one: do both.
Art and nature are more closely tied than ever at the Gay Head Gallery on State Road in Aquinnah. A current show features art across a variety of mediums with special goals — to relay the beauty of the natural world and contribute to conservation efforts. A dozen artists have work on exhibit for sale, and anywhere from 10 per cent to 100 per cent of the proceeds from sales will benefit the Vineyard Conservation Society and the Moshup Trail Project.
A deep connection with the senses is synonymous with artists, those tactile beings who crave materials in their hands. The resting of a paintbrush in the palm of a painter, the click of a shutter in the hands of a photographer, the composition of a scene, the satisfaction of capturing the perfect Vineyard light.
November is an unusual time to open an art gallery on Martha’s Vineyard. The summer crowds, with their disposable incomes and endless leisure time, have been replaced by the year-round residents with their bills and 40-hour work weeks. And in this economic climate, with art markets large and small starting to feel the trickle-down effect from the crisis on Wall Street, artists and dealers alike might find themselves seeking shelter from the storm with other pursuits, or even abandoning ship all together.
