An eclectic mix of Island art and golf was the central theme of the fifth annual Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard Golf Classic held at the Mink Meadows Golf Club on Sunday, Sept. 20.
The artwork of Anne Grandin, John Holladay, and David Wallis served as a perfect backdrop for the golf work of Rusty Hitchings, John Rancourt, Wendy Reagan, and Bob Reagan, team winners of the tournament with a gross score of 63. All three artists contributed their work to the raffle that followed the event, which raised a princely sum for the charity.
Mr. Wallis, a longtime fixture at the Granary Gallery, is well known for his Vineyard landscapes, including his image of the 14th hole at Farm Neck, which overlooks Sengekontacket Pond. The signed prints he provided for the Hospice raffle of another painting, “The Dunes Hole,” had some elements of the real golf hole, but with a more mystical feel to it. You could have been in Scotland as easily as on Martha’s Vineyard.
Mr. Holladay, born and bred in Iowa, got his start doing sports posters and cartoons that centered on Big Ten football. When he moved to the Vineyard many years ago, he was drawn to the seaside images in and around Menemsha, where he became known for his work in watercolor at the Louisa Gould Gallery. But cartoon figures remain a part of him. And when Donald Trump surged in the polls, Mr Holladay couldn’t resist drawing images of the Trump hair blowing in the wind as he stormed into Massachusetts shouting “Hurricane!” Mr. Holladay donated three of those cartoons, and they were a much-sought-after raffle item.
Ms. Grandin, who lives part-time on the Vineyard when she isn’t looking for images of peace around the world, has her roots in Native American spirituality. She contributed a limited print of her work “Granary,” a serene barnlike scene, which proved popular with the golfers, who are always looking for serenity in their golf game.
The foursome that did find some serenity was Lisa Mathieu, Rene Mathieu, Joe Krautkramer, and Jane Shigley. They had the best net score of 63.0. Second best net was a 63.37 by the foursome of Gil Williams, Mike Rasmussen, Peter Lemieux, and Ron Crampton.
Hospice volunteers contributed a homemade lunch and some much-needed cheer when the round was over. Seventeen Island businesses and families were tee sponsors, contributing nearly half of the gross revenue of $16,000 to the Island charity.
Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard is a free service to all Islanders, which relies on donations to meet its annual budget. For more information, call 508-693-0189, or go to hospice.vineyard.net.
