Artist Alison Convery celebrated her 90th birthday sans the big bash. Instead, she rang in the milestone with a retrospective of her artwork at the Old Sculpin Gallery. Though the show ran through early August, folks can still check out some of her work in the members’ room.
“I would never have done this show without Susan [Alison’s daughter, Susan Convery]. She’s my organizer,” she said.
“I asked her what she wanted for her birthday,” Susan said. “And this was what she picked. She didn’t want a big party.”
Though Convery is a member of the Old Sculpin Gallery, retrospectives aren’t commonplace. “This is unusual, but the other artists didn’t seem to mind,” the artist said. “We picked some of the paintings in our house, and a few from my daughter’s collection.” The paintings in the show reflect varying styles that Convery has experimented with over the years, including paintings done in what might be referred to as golk or “Grandma Moses” style: “I’d have to clear my mind to do Grandma Moses style. Now I analyze everything.”
If we’re lucky, we get to dip our toe into a variety of creative endeavors throughout our lifetime. Due to physical changes in our bodies as we age, we may also have to make some creative adjustments based on these shifts. What might feel like a setback, however, can actually push us to try new mediums. “I notice now that my hands hurt more. I can’t handle the brush for any long period of time,” Convery said. “Whatever your life is like, by the time you’re 90, there are challenges, but art has gotten me through all of it,” she said.
Convery’s art opening was well-attended. “We had a good crowd,” she said. “One thing that was really nice was that several people came up to me and said, ‘I can’t believe you’re 90!’ Most of the time I don’t feel 90.”
“What does 90 feel like, anyway?” Susan asked.
“Exactly,” Susan and I replied simultaneously.
“It was really nice. I saw a few people I hadn’t seen in a while, and got the opportunity to chat with them,” Convery said. “There were quite a few fellow artists at the opening saying, ‘Good for you! I didn’t know this or that about you. I didn’t know you painted in that style at one time.’ It was fun putting it together as a timeline.”
Looking at early creative work is always illuminating. It’s so interesting to see the creative shifts, experimentation, and growth over time. As a young woman, Convery attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design. “I loved it. It wasn’t a sleepover school, and I was still living in Wellesley then, so I would go on the bus with my portfolio. As an artist, you have a lot of supplies to carry — your paint, your easels, your brushes,” Convery said. “I didn’t drive, so that’s how I would get around. Eventually, I found friends who drove. It was great fun. It was while I was there that I first came to the Island.”
In 1956, Convery married Leo Convery, whom she met on-Island. “I came here in 1954 just for the summer with a friend. We were waitressing at the Harborside. It was very nice. They expected a lot of their waitresses,” Convery shared. “I wasn’t a very good waitress, and my husband loves to tell the story about how on my second day there, his dad told him, ‘That girl isn’t a very good waitress,’ and he said, ‘Well, don’t fire her, because I’m going to marry her.’ I met Leo in ’54, he graduated in ’56, and we got married six days after, and moved permanently to the Island.”
The Converys went on to have three children, Betsi Convery Luce, Susan Convery, and Leo Convery Jr. Betsi Luce is owner and photographer of Bark Furtography, Leo Jr. is an electrician, and Susan is a retired art teacher who currently leads workshops, teaches privately from her home studio, and publishes an inspiring monthly newsletter for artists.
Some of Convery’s other accomplishments include writing and illustrating a book called “The Child’s Guide to Martha’s Vineyard” in 1970. She’s been a member of the Martha’s Vineyard Art Association (MVAA) since 1960, and served on the board for more than 40 years. She is also trustee emeritus of the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, where she served since its founding in 1975.
She also opened several businesses. “One was called Aunties Attic. It was an antique store. I started that with five ladies from the Vineyard,” she said. “The next place we opened up was called Past & Presents. It’s still open, but I’ve been out of the business since 2000. It was so much fun. We used to travel to Europe to buy for the store. Antiques and art were a good combination. I have a great appreciation for beauty and craftsmanship.”
For many artists, creating art is like breathing. Looking around Convery’s lovely home, filled with her and other artists’ work, I asked if she had any new creative projects coming up. “Well, right now we’re doing some cleaning out,” she said. “I have a lot to go through.”
“I think for any artist, you reach a point when you’re asking, ‘What do I do with the art?’ Susan added. “After the family picks out what they want, what do you do with what’s left?”
“Yes, so, right now I’m focused on whittling things down and moving my studio into the dining room. I also should take classes on how to use the computer better … right now I’m a bit of a blank slate,” Convery laughed.
“Well, you still have your shell collection. You said you wanted to do something with those,” Susan said.
“Yes! That’s true,” Convery responded. “The shells! I definitely want to do something with those.”
A new medium to be explored.
