The fair was great fun, and too fast, like summer now slipping away. Some of the ribbon winners at the fair include Grey Barn and Farm for potatoes (blue), Doug Liman for green apples (red), Susan Whiting for blueberries (red), Heather Goff for a ceramic dish (blue) and ceramic relief/tile (blue), Sasha Wlodyka for an elegant necklace (blue), Josh and Lindsey Scott for their Dorper lambs (blue and red). I know I missed many others. Best in Show went to Mill and Mason’s Brad Tucker and Liz Ragone, who live in West Tisbury, and whose work is represented at the Chilmark Gallery next door to Chilmark Tavern. They did a beautiful wood table that appears as if filled with water and Island stones, but is actually resin. Despite opening day being full, it was easy to see the displays, the fiber tent, and the animals without crowds. Even getting to finally try and enjoy Frankie’s Flatbreads Baja Shroom, ready to eat in five minutes from ordering. Did you get a chance to watch the Amity Island Archers? If not, you missed North Tabor Farm’s Rebecca Miller horseback riding and hitting her target, a gong, besides all the other wonderful archers and riders. One fair entry that never made it was Nancy Aronie’s piece with a Ruth Bader Ginsburg figure, having missed the entry deadline. Sometimes life gets in the way, but we’re happy to share it with you.
I made it to Built on Stilts three times, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing my neighbor Charlotte Scott perform with her best friend Clementine Zeender in a piece they choreographed together, besides the Stiltshop group pieces they both performed in. It’s always a pleasure getting to see Scott Crawford, Pathways Arts co-director, perform, this year with Naomi Goldberg Haas, solo, and with a group in Abby Bender’s “Whitewash.” Kudos to all the wonderful dancers who participated.
At last Sunday’s Featherstone Center for the Arts Potters Bowl, Heather Goff’s offerings were among the first bowls to be snapped up by the hungry crowd, which had already been in line well before the 4 pm start. Honestly the best chowder I’ve had all summer, thanks to MV Chowder Co. A most delicious and affordable event, just gets better every year.
I loved that Tricia Bennett, Patti Rossi, and Ken Iscol pulled off their Top Secret Larsen’s 50th Anniversary Flash Mob celebration at 7 am on Monday, August 19.
Artist Margaret Emerson contributed a painting representing vanadium, element 23 on the periodic table, for the “Inseparable: Science and Art” show at Featherstone, opening Sunday, August 26, from 4 to 6 pm, with a 5 pm fashion show by Stina Sayre.
Sculptor Jay Lagemann had so much fun he’s having another Sculpture Garden Party on Saturday, August 24, from 5 to 7 pm at 18 Wequobsque Road. Feel free to bring family and friends.
Sig Van Raan reports the spirit of Tony Horwitz was definitely with everyone following the beautiful memorial service held Friday at the Whaling Church. Van Raan, representing Chilmark Softball, gave a moving speech. Some of Horwitz’s friends who’d come for the memorial also attended Sunday’s games, including Cal Hoffman and his wife, Victoria Leacock, both writers, who came with their son, Harry. Cal and Harry joined the second game, where Harry, perhaps 9 or 10, impressed all with his catching skills. Another old friend of Tony’s also played. There were the usual sometimes hilarious episodes of fielding and running miscues. One new player, after hitting the ball, fell and slid, thus was reminded that you slide going into home plate, not leaving it. Hans Solmssen’s team beat Larry Weiss’s team 15-5 in the first game. Joel Blier and a slew of other pitchers beat Larry Weiss’s team 6-1 in the second game. Joel Greenburg’s great hitting and fielding demonstrated his valuable skills. Elijah Feiner again played a superlative game of hitting and fielding — he really hustles.The August 25 game will feature the annual awards ceremony plus a brunch spread for all players. It was heard that the commissioners had a secret meeting on Nomans Island to vote on the six awards.
CCC tennis clinics for all ages continue through August 29. Call 508-645-9484 for more info.
The last M.V. Film Festival film plays in Chilmark at the CCC on Wednesday, August 28, at 8 pm, with dinner and music beginning at 6:30 pm. The last film of the summer is “Ask Dr. Ruth” at the MVPAC on August 31. Check the schedule and buy tickets at tmvff.org.
The Chilmark Flea Markets are ongoing on Wednesdays and Saturdays through Sept. 7, from 9 am to 2 pm at 142 North Rd. More info at bit.ly/ChilmarkFlea.
Naomi Goldberg Haas takes her Movement Speaks dance workshop to the West Tisbury library on Friday, August 23 at 1:30pm.
It’s time for the Yard’s own Art on the Vine: Island-Grown Dancers to perform on Thursday, August 22, and Saturday, August 24, from 7 to 8:30 pm. Beginner Tap from 9 to 11am on Wednesday, August 28, is the last Creators Series class of the summer. Yoga classes run through Sept. 1. Get performance tickets and info at dancetheyard.org.
“The Wild World of Jacqueline Baer” opens at Kara Taylor Gallery, Sunday, August 25, 5 to 7pm.
The Chilmark Public Library hosts a Lego Free Build on Wednesday, August 28, at noon. Join filmmakers Ken Wentworth and Liz Withim on Wednesday, August 28, from 5 to 6 pm for a presentation about “Follow the Journey: The North Atlantic Whale Documentary,” a feature-length documentary currently in production that chronicles endangered North Atlantic right whales on their epic journey from their calving grounds off the coast of Georgia and Florida to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada, woven with the stories of researchers, rescuers, artists, and advocates who illuminate the state of these mysterious behemoths’ existence, and uncover challenges that face the species along the way. Stories and Songs with Rizwan continues on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10:30 am. Artist Malcolm Brown’s “Color + Water,” a collection of fine art oceanscapes that transform familiar scenes from Chilmark and around the world into abstractions of color, geometry, and pattern printed large-scale that feel both bold and surreal, opens Saturday, August 24, from 3 to 4:30 pm. You can see the show through Sept. 13. Read a poem aloud for our Local Poetry Audio Archive, participate by contacting adult programming coordinator Marlan Sigelman at 508-645-3360 or emailing msigelman@clamsnet.org to make an appointment for recording.
Have a great week.
