It may have been the quietest week of the new year, due to the first school winter break, but that did not dampen the spirits of Gregory Marshall, whose second show of paintings is hanging at Santander Bank on South Road through March 27. His simple Island Home series is beautifully mounted on wood, and two were sold at his opening on Friday night. It was a treat to enjoy Chilmark Chocolates and Greg’s colorful paintings. If you are interested in purchasing Greg’s work, contact H. Tilton at 508-693-2908. Aquinnah resident Diane Ackerman filmed an interview segment with Greg to air on MVTV, so check their schedule on channels 13, 14, and 15, and learn about producing your own show, at mvtv.org.
Saturday evening after 7 pm, it was a challenge to park near Pathways Projects at Chilmark Tavern. Every space was taken: at the Chilmark Store lot, in front of the Verizon building, and along the drive to Chilmark School, and the post office lot was almost full. An evening of music opened with a set that featured Juana Camillieri and included Phil DaRosa, Neill Howell, Atzic Marquez and David Stanwood, Matt Stamos and Alex Karalekas, and Isaac Taylor. The house was packed, and more seats were brought in to accommodate the crowd as they continued to arrive through the evening. It always amazes me when I attend an event and barely recognize anyone in the room. Do all those people live in Chilmark?
Local charter school student Isabella Morais has created a much-needed Teen Art Cafe at Featherstone Center for the Arts. The cafe will open its doors for the first time this week, and be open Wednesdays and Thursdays 2 – 6 pm, Fridays 2 – 8 pm, and Saturdays 10 am – 6 pm. For a complete list of offerings, schedule, and more information, please visit teenartcafe.squarespace.com. Great for teens seeking studio space in a supportive environment.
Roberta Kirn, leader of the Community Chorus and founder of the Song Project, has invited Judi Dohnaghy Vinar to the Island to work with kids in the schools, and she is offering the public a Voice Workshop, “Sing On!,” a master class for singers who wish to “free their voice, discover steps to improve technique, improvisational skills, and performance practices.” Class is Tuesday, March 10, 7–9 pm in the Chorus Room of the MVRHS Performing Arts Center. Contact Robertakirn@hotmail.com for more information.
Another exciting offering is through a new partnership between Northeastern University and ACE MV; their first series of classes is dedicated to “Sustainability: Addressing the Challenges.” Five prominent professors from Northeastern University will travel to the Island to lead two-hour sessions on Saturdays from 1 pm to 3 pm, beginning March 14 with Associate Professor Dr. John Grabowski, who will present “From Food Webs to Fisheries: The Interdependence of Socioeconomics & Ecology in the Gulf of Maine.” These classes are accessible to all; they are half-price for high school students, there’s a 10 percent discount for educators and seniors, and scholarships are available. Register online now, since class size is limited, at acemv.org for these and all ACE MV spring classes. For scholarship applications, questions, and to sign up for luncheon discussions with the professors for this series, call Lynn Ditchfield at ACE MV at 508-693-9222, voicemail 774-310-1131, or email lynn@acemv.org.
And to all the families that have enjoyed a respite from shoveling, welcome home and back to school.
