The Vineyard Gazette – Martha’s Vineyard News

The all-island art exhibit returned to the Tabernacle on Monday, continuing a decades-old tradition that draws local artists from across the island.

Artists have exhibited in a wide range of visual media including photography, painting, mixed media and pastel. Pieces entering the show hung from a fence surrounding the Tabernacle – sheltered from the day’s light drizzle – while many performers offered postcards and prints of their work from small booths on the grounds of camping.

The art exhibition highlights the ingenuity of local artists: seaweed from local beaches became the main material for a series of collages by Kathy Poehler, and photographer Liz Dolan-Durkee transformed the smallest details of the cottages Camp Ground gingerbread into vibrant, geometric, almost abstract elements. observations.

For many artists, the All-Island Art Show is an annual tradition and a staple of the summer. Painter Warren Gaines, who has co-exhibited with his wife Deborah Gaines for more than a decade, told the Gazette the exhibit was his annual opportunity to showcase his work on the island. Usually he only exhibits at the Chilmark Crafts Fair and Flea Market.

First place ($50) and second place ($25) prizes were awarded in each of the 11 competition categories. Among the winners was painter and photographer Elizabeth Luce, whose portrait of a long-haired cow won first prize for mixed media. She said the show is really a social tradition.

“The show is great because you get to see and meet people,” Ms. Luce said. She added that since sales go directly to exhibitors, the show is “very supportive of local artists”.

Cindy Christian exhibits her works. — Ray Ewing

Painter Ned Reade, who sits on the committee organizing the exhibition, told the Gazette that he has exhibited his work for more than 40 years.

“It’s fun to see all the other artists and friends that I wouldn’t see if they weren’t walking around,” Mr Reade said. He added that after so many decades of experience, there is not much the organizing committee has to do. Usually they debrief right after the show and figure out what can be improved next time around, he said.

“But after all these years, we pretty much figured out how to make it work,” Mr Reade said.

More pictures.