Tisbury celebrates the arts

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Main Street in Vineyard Haven will be all about the arts on Sunday, July 29. — File photo by Ralph Stewart

On Sunday, July 29, the Tisbury Business Association (TBA) hosts Celebrate the Arts, Vineyard Haven! from 4 to 7 pm. The celebration is meant to encourage people to stroll through Vineyard Haven and acquaint themselves with the local arts. Many galleries and stores in the downtown area will be open later than usual for the event.

“We are trying to highlight all of the art that Vineyard Haven has to offer: visual art, literary art, performing arts, culinary arts, and music,” said Dawn Braash, president of the TBA and owner of the Bunch of Grapes bookstore.

Ms. Braash said that harpist Nathaniel Horwitz will perform outside her store. Bunch of Grapes will hold a Celebrate the Literary Arts signing with authors Tanner Colby, Molly Bang, Kate Feiffer, Susie Middleton, Tom Dunlop, Nicole Galland, and Alison Shaw.

Louisa Gould of Louisa Gould Photography & Gallery said, “We are treating this event as if it were an art opening.” They will serve wine, punch, and light fare. Some featured artists will be on hand to answer customers’ questions. Additionally, the gallery will promote a special fundraiser featuring photographs titled Life, Nature and Hope in Africa curated by Barbara Case Senchak. The proceeds benefit Nets for Life, a nonprofit that purchases malaria prevention mosquito nets.

Nancy Shaw Cramer said that the Shaw Cramer Gallery will have light refreshments. Artist Leslie Baker will demonstrate her painting styles. Ms. Cramer will give a wandering discussion of handbuilt functional and sculptural clay pieces.

The Night Heron Gallery also plans to serve refreshments and have as many artists as possible on hand to greet customers. Kathleen Tackabury said all items at the gallery are “hand made on Martha Vineyard. We have both crafts and fine arts.”

Kerry Quinlan-Potter of the store The Collection said she will offer extended hours, special discounts, and a prize-winning raffle. “We want to keep Vineyard Haven’s unique businesses going,” she said, after she mentioned that the event is part of the Tisbury Business Association’s “Buy Local” campaign.” If people don’t come to our galleries, our stores, our restaurants, then we will die off. We want to prevent that.”

The TBA will hold the same event again on August 12, also from 4 to 7 pm.