Old Sculpin’s 70th celebration

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For the past four years, the historic Old Sculpin Gallery in Edgartown has been hosting a special event celebrating catboats, and the storied history of the Martha’s Vineyard Art Association. This year the association will pull out all the stops with a weeklong celebration in honor of the gallery’s 70th anniversary. The celebration, titled “From Carpentry to Artistry: Seven Decades of Member Art and the Story of Manuel Swartz Roberts,” will feature art exhibits, talks, parties, and more.

Old Sculpin’s 70th Birthday Bash will culminate on Sunday, July 21, featuring live music, refreshments, and an exhibit of artwork from members both current and those dating back to the early days of the gallery.

The centerpiece of the festivities will be the fourth annual Catboat Parade of Sail on Saturday, July 20. “The catboat parade has become a cherished community event that has steadily grown over the past four years,” says Brooke Barletta, the director of the gallery and the Art Association. “This year will be bigger and better than ever with some special surprises folks won’t want to miss.”

Catboat festivities will kick off with a reception called “Catboats, Captains and Coffee.” Guests can mingle with Catboat captains and enjoy the art exhibit. Following the race, the gallery will host a family Ice Cream Social from 1 to 2 pm. There will be numerous other events throughout the week.

The choice of catboats as a theme was a natural one for the Old Sculpin celebration. The gallery is housed in a distinctive building featuring a tall shingled tower, which was constructed in 1840 as a whale-oil factory. From 1900 to 1954, the structure served as a boatbuilding shed owned and operated by Manuel Swartz Robert, who specialized in catboat construction. A catboat is a small boat with a single sail located far forward in the bow of its shallow-draft hull.

Although catboats were the dominant inshore boat on the New England coast from the mid-1850s to the early 1900s, they are not very common today. However, there are devotees of the classic style who will be traveling from all over to participate in the race.

Manuel Swartz Roberts was a colorful local character well-known around Edgartown, and a close friend of many of the artists who lived and painted on the Island in his day, including many who gained national recognition, like Ruth Appeldoorn Mead, who was the Art Association’s founding partner.

Upon his retirement, Roberts sold the building at a nominal fee to the association, making it the first nonprofit gallery on Martha’s Vineyard.

“This weekend’s celebrations and exhibit are a nod to Manuel Swartz Roberts’ craftsmanship, vision, and dedication to community,” says Barletta. “We are so grateful that he agreed to sell his building to us 70 years ago. It is an honor and privilege for us to carry on his legacy, while nurturing and growing a community of gifted and celebrated Island artists.”

Catboats 2024! schedule of events

Saturday, July 20
10 am: Catboats, Captains and Coffee at Old Sculpin Gallery.
Refreshments provided by Catboat Coffee Co. and Morning Glory Farm.
Noon: Catboat Parade of Sail at Memorial Wharf.
1 – 3 pm: Manuel Swartz Roberts Cup Race, Edgartown Outer Harbor.
1 – 2 pm: Ice Cream Social at Old Sculpin Gallery.
Provided by Mad Martha’s.

Sunday, July 21
5 – 7 pm: 70th Birthday Celebration at Old Sculpin Gallery.
Edgartown Park and Ride at the Triangle provides a free shuttle every 20 minutes to Church Street, next to the Old Whaling Church.

For more information, go to oldsculpingallery.org, or the gallery, 58 Dock St., across from the Chappy Ferry.