Finishing up this week’s column with a sore arm: Thanks, Downtown Island Vaccine Clinic at MVRHS, for keeping me a bit more protected from the newest strains of COVID-19 and the flu. Last year I missed my chance before coming down with the flu the old-fashioned way … which I wouldn’t recommend if you can help it.
Hibernation crawls closer, as the last red leaves have officially fallen from Pat Gregory’s tree in front of EduComp. But strolling through Polly Hill Arboretum after our rainy weather, there is fresh growth around as well: Little purple flowers still pop out of the ground, and winter hazels are preparing buds for their own upcoming moment to shine. While this time of year can feel like everything is slowing or coming to a pause, it helps to notice the things that still keep truckin’ along too.
Local art shows seem to be opening left and right across the Island these days! While in Vineyard Haven, the M.V. Made pop-up continues at Lani Beach Club, the Louisa Gould Gallery has also begun its annual “Small Works Show” along with fresh new drop-offs and some fall favorites to explore. Also opening is the World Market Holiday Shop, inside the Capawock Theater through Christmas Eve. (And just out of town, Featherstone’s annual “Holiday Gift Show” has begun, with more than 100 local artists dropping off items for sale, now through Dec. 16.)
In other art news, Washington Ledesma is showing in the Feldman Family Art Space in the M.V. Film Center lobby, through Nov. 29. In celebration of his rather impressive 85th birthday last week, a reception will be held on Sunday, Nov. 15, from 1 to 3 pm.
Something you may not know about me: I love a good anime — from classic movies like “Ghost in the Shell,” more recent blockbusters like “Your Name,” and of course the famous Studio Ghibli movies by renowned Hayao Miyazaki. Whenever a local theater makes a point of showing something niche for us anime lovers, I always try to make a point of saying: If you want these things to keep being shown, first you have to show up yourself! So here is me using my expanded platform: The M.V. Playhouse will be showing “Howl’s Moving Castle” on Monday, Nov. 16, starting at 6 pm. This movie is one of my very favorites, and I encourage anyone who wants more anime and anime-adjacent movies to be shown to come view this gem on Monday night. Tickets are “pay-what-you-can,” so donate what feels comfortable to you, but don’t let cost prohibit your enjoying the show, because at the end of the day, it is butts in seats that show those organizing these types of events that this is something our community wants.
Head over to the V.H. library Tuesday to Saturday to view the newly installed bas-relief mural by local artist Margot Datz in the children’s room. With that, our new library is yet another step closer to “finished.”
Do you have an upcoming birthday, event, or just something you want shared in a future Tisbury column? Email me at tisburycolumnist@gmail.com with your own stories of our town or upcoming events you’d like to see spotlighted here.
