Gallery Openings and Events

With the warming weather and the longer days, the thought of spending the evening gathered about art with some wine, cheese and a few good friends thrown in seems like just the thing to do.

Slowly but surely, the art galleries of the Island that stay open all winter are extending their hours, and those that close up every year are beginning to open their doors. There are some very exciting things on tap for the entire summer, art-wise. Two new galleries have opened over the winter: The Night Heron Gallery on Main Street in Vineyard Haven is an artists' cooperative featuring the work of 10 Island artists; has taken over what used to be the Nye Gallery on Uncas Avenue in Oak Bluffs.

We plan to keep you up to date as we go along through July and August, but here's some of the things we're looking forward to in late May and into June.

in Oak Bluffs is full of festivities this summer to celebrate their 15th anniversary, and June is no exception. In the Virginia Weston Besse Gallery, the Art of Jewelry show will run from May 29 through June 15, with an opening reception on May 29 from 4 to 6 p.m. The Founders and Patrons of Featherstone Show runs from June 19 through June 29, with an opening reception on June 19 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Pebble Gallery Shows will feature The Art of Vision–A Day in the Life of a Makeup Artist by Patrice from May 26 to May 29, with an opening reception on Thursday, May 26, from 4 to 6 p.m. And don't miss the "June Jubilee" Hospice Collaboration Art Show in the Pebble Gallery on June 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. Any piece of art in the Pebble Gallery will cost a mere $100, and all proceeds go directly to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard and Featherstone Center for the Arts.

Finally, Featherstone will be hosting a Solstice Celebration of Music and Poetry from 5 to 9 pm on June 21.

in the Arts District of Oak Bluffs features work of its 28 artists all summer long, with a bit of special attention given to a different artist every week. Its opening reception takes place on Saturday, May 28, from 4 to 7 p.m., at which time artist Angus Wilson will be featured.

Kenneth Pillsworth, Jeff Hoerle and  Jhenn Watts are the first artists featured this summer at in West Tisbury. Officially open since May 1, the  artist reception for this first show will take place on June 26, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Just down the road at the in West Tisbury, the first artist reception will take place on June 19 from 5 to 7 p.m., and will kick off its first show of the summer featuring Carol Maguire, Ellen McCluskey, Heidi Lang Parrinello and Wendy Lichtensteiger. Also, as part of the gallery's new "Talent Tuesday" series, Carol Magurie will be doing a painting demonstration on Tuesday, June 21 in the gallery courtyard.

The in Vineyard Haven will feature four artists from June 24 to July 3. Marie-Louis Rouff and Heather Blume will be in the Main Gallery and Rose Abrahamson and Phil Lichtenhan will be in the Upper Gallery.

in Edgartown will exhibit its Permanent Collection in the Long Gallery and Group Shows in the Vytlacil, Sanford and Chapin Galleries through June 26. Steve London will be featured in the Long Gallery and Ovid Ward in the Vytlacil Gallery beginning on June 26.

celebrates its 11th year in Edgartown this summer, and is starting the season with the show Layered Approach, featuring the works of Eric Abrecht, Rebecca Kinkead, and Jonathan Ralston. There will be an opening reception on May 28 from 6 to 8 p.m.

July and August are sure to bring many more art openings and events, including a July 3 book signing and party for "Be Love Now," a spiritual memoir written by Ram Dass and his devotee Rameshwar Das, at the in Vineyard Haven. Stay tuned to Patch for the latest updates.