Town Column : West Tisbury
By Hermine Hull
Published: July 3, 2008
Summer has truly arrived with its rush of visitors, dinners, parties, art openings, concerts, something to do every night. There's still work, the garden, dinner, mail. You get the idea. It's all wonderful, but it all comes at once.
The start of the summer season for me is when Mary Beth Norton has her annual party right around the Fourth of July. Mary Beth is, to me, the Perle Mesta of West Tisbury, and I don't eat for two days just to get ready.
Next comes Janice Haynes and Jeremiah Brown's party on the actual Fourth, and we are well into the swing of the season.
West Tisbury firemen were just finishing up their Sunday morning radio and equipment check when they were called to provide mutual aid to Chilmark. There was a house fire on North Abel's Hill. Mike was on the pumper, so he didn't go into the fire, and had no definitive information - just that "there was a lot of damage."
July 5, 7 to 10 pm, is the opening reception for Rez Williams's show, 20 paintings of New Bedford fishing boats, at the new NYE Gallery, 8 Uncas Ave., Oak Bluffs (Martha's Vineyard Savings Bank is on the corner.) Rez describes the space as "huge, the kind of gallery space an artist dreams about." Kim Nye, the owner, has put some of Rez's paintings at Balance Restaurant in Oak Bluffs.
An exhibition of watercolors by Susan Convery Foltz opens July 5 from 5 to 7:30 pm at MM Stone Gallery, State Road, West Tisbury. Sharing the spotlight will be Dillon Bustin, folklorist and performer, who wrote the music on which Susan's book, "Thirty Dirty Sailors and the Little Girl Who Went a-Whaling," is based. The book was inspired by Laura Jernegan, a Vineyard girl who lived on her father's whaling ship in the 1860s.
Earlier in the day, the Martha's Vineyard Library Association hosts its Summer Reading Program Kick-off Event at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury. Bill Ross's "Face Painting and Fun" will begin at 11 am. All ages are welcome. There is a fee of $3 at the door.
There will be a special musical story time at the West Tisbury Library on Monday, July 7, at 10:30 am. Singer and storyteller Alden Phelps will be the featured guest.
Marsha Winsryg has organized another of her wonderful sales of crafts made by The African Artists' Community Development Project to benefit Zambian children. Jewelry, printed and woven fabrics, sculpture, and carved wooden serving pieces will be on display Tuesday, July 8, from 5 to 9 pm, at the West Tisbury Grange Hall. "Waging Peace in Zambia," a documentary film made by Marsha and her daughters will be shown at 6:30 and 8 pm. The film features many of the artists and their efforts on behalf of a small orphanage and the Mama Bakhita Center for Disabled Children, as well as helping individuals further their educations and start small businesses. Call Marsha at 508 693-4059 for additional information.
Bill Honey and George Hartman have just returned from a weekend at an antique engine show in Orange. Bill came home, as he often does, with a project, "a very rare Brownwell engine made in the early 1900s." It will be completely taken apart and restored, in time for our antique engine show in October.
Happy Birthday wishes to Henry Bessire, who celebrated on Saturday, June 28. The Bessires are "in residence" for the summer, busy entertaining children, grandchildren, and assorted friends.
Harriet Bernstein celebrated her birthday Sunday, July 29, with a "pink party" at Menemsha Beach. Guests were instructed to wear pink, think pink, and bring pink food. Pink, I believe, is the color that represents warmth and friendship, perfect for Harriet, who epitomizes both of those attributes. Happy Birthday, my dear.
Ann Burt was at Cronig's, stocking up for the arrival of her daughter Molly, with husband Chris Reed, and their children, Olivia and Colby. Ann had recently returned from visiting them in Sudbury, where Olivia graduated from Sudbury High School.
Conroy Apothecary has completed renovations of the former Dukes County Savings Bank, and expanded, basically doubling their space. By now, everyone will have seen the changes and, hopefully, enjoyed the celebratory party the Hershes held Monday evening for their customers. Congratulations to Tammy and Stan.
Carol Carrick will speak on July 9 at 4 pm at the West Tisbury Library about her collaboration with her late husband, Donald Carrick. Together they wrote and illustrated 36 children's books. A collection of Don's original illustrations will be on display at the library through July.
Beth Kramer, a Kripalu Certified Instructor and our library director, will lead a gentle yoga class at the library Monday mornings at 7:30 am through the month of July. Classes are free; sign up at the circulation desk.
Ted Murphy and Ann DuCharme are spending a quiet few days at the Murphy house on Music Street. Their grown children are doing their own thing back home in Cinncinnati, so Ted and Ann are here by themselves. They had just returned from Hancock Beach looking relaxed and happy when we saw them yesterday.
West Tisbury has two new residents, designer and musician Luna Pagan and her husband Phil Marion, a banking consultant and comic book artist. Mike and I met them at a dinner party last weekend. Luna and Phil are currently bunking in with Luna's parents, Karen Cullinan and Domingo Pagan, while they look for a place of their own. Anyone having a year-round rental, please email: pm@eveningalbum.com. I can't wait to introduce Phil to Paul Karasik, West Tisbury's famous comic book artist and expert.
