The Louisa Gould Gallery was one of the few to have stayed open steadily during the pandemic — when allowable, and with strict safety guidelines in place. Over the past year, Gould managed to host a number of in-person as well as online shows. Now the veteran gallery is kicking off the summer season in style with brand-new work by dozens of her returning artists, as well as the introduction of two painters new to the gallery.
One of the two, Leonard Mizerek, has the distinction of being a fellow with the ASMA (American Society of Marine Artists), and is one of the most well-respected and collected of this country’s maritime artists.
“As someone who has always had a passion for maritime art, I’m thrilled to be representing an artist of this stature,” says Gould, who notes that she has been following Mizerek’s work ever since her days participating in the America’s Cup — both as a sailor and as a photographer.
The Westport, Conn., and New York City–based painter has earned numerous honors throughout his highly successful career, including awards from the National Arts Club and the Salmagundi Club in New York, the Coos Art Museum in Washington State, and artist in residency status with Museum Yvonne Jean-Haffen in Dinan, France, on three separate occasions. His paintings have been featured in more than 50 exhibits — both as a solo artist and as a participant in galleries and museums all over the country, and his work has been included in a number of publications, including “Painting Ships, Shores, & the Sea,” a book showcasing America’s top marine artists by North Light Books.
On his website, Mizerek writes, “I prefer maritime subjects mostly because I enjoy the way water reflects the sky, the coast, and the weather. It mirrors the shapes of objects on its surface and intensifies their light. I paint outdoors to capture the light firsthand and bring out all the color and luminosity.”
The awardwinning artist has ties to the Vineyard, having vacationed here for many years. He previously showed work on Island at the Edgartown Art Gallery and the Christina Gallery. Mizerek, who often paints en plein air, is known for his colorful, luminous seascapes and expressive brushwork. Among the dozen or so meticulously rendered paintings that will be on view at the Louisa Gould Gallery throughout the summer are some very specific to the Island, including one of a full-masted sailboat tilting into the wind off East Chop, and a lovely, serene image of the Edgartown lighthouse and the path leading down to it from the Harbor View Hotel.
An artist with a very different vision, Susan Evans, has joined the Louisa Gould Gallery, after showing her work on Nantucket for many years. The British painter is known for her ethereal oil paintings inspired by walks in England in all types of weather. Focusing on dramatic skies and cloud patterns, Evans creates mood-evoking, partially abstract images that pack an emotional punch similar to that you might feel when a particularly sensational sky stops you dead in your tracks. Evans manages the impressive feat of truly capturing the majesty and impact that only nature in her many forms can provide.
Evan has had solo art exhibitions in Holland and the U.K., as well as the U.S., and has taken part in many group shows internationally. Her work has been collected by institutions throughout the world, including Exeter College in Oxford, the Peterborough Museum, and Live Wire in California.
While the work of either of the aforementioned artists is enough to merit a visit to Gould’s gallery, there is so much more on offer as of Memorial Day weekend. The “Summer Kick-Off Show” features the work of eight artists. Currently on view are more than 50 new paintings ranging from realism to abstraction, and representing some of Gould’s most popular artists — Christie Scheele, Nick Paciorek, Deborah Colter, Paul Beebe, John Holladay, Larry Johnston, Peter Batchelder, and Pepe Conley. Some highlights include a colorful triptych titled “Tidal Pools Blue Horizon” by Scheele, two striking semiphotorealist paintings of rowboats by Conley, and new work by Beebe and Johnston, both of whom are ASMA members.
The Louisa Gould Gallery, 54 Main St., Vineyard Haven, is open daily from 11 am to 5 pm. Visitors can also arrange for private viewing times. The “Summer Kick-Off Show” will hang through July 1. Work by Leonard Mizerek and Susan Evans will be on display all summer and beyond, on a rotating basis.