BARTLETT’S FARM
33 Bartlett Farm Road, Nantucket
Antique French Fine Arts
Arader Galleries
B Viz Design
July 18th - July 21st
Morning Preview: July 18th
Friday 9:00 - 10:30
Benefiting the Nantucket Historical Association
Show Hours: Friday 11 - 6
Saturday 9-6, Sunday 9-5, Monday 9-4 ANTIQUES COUNCIL
An International Organization of Antiques Dealers www.antiquescouncil.com
James Butterworth - American Antique Wicker
Callaghans of Shrewsbury
D. M. DeLaurentis Fine Antique Prints
David Brooker Fine Art
Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge, Inc.
Finnegan Gallery
J. Austin, Jeweler
Cavalier Galleries
Lawrence Jeffrey
Paul Madden Antiques
The Ann Parke Collection
Peace and Plenty Antiques
Roberto Freitas American Antiques
Roger D. Winter Ltd.
S J Shrubsole
Silver Art by D & R
Spiral Haus
Eve Stone Antiques
The Nemati Collection
Vock and Vintage
William Cook Antiques
Yew Tree House Antiques
EDITOR’S NOTE
Community. It’s a word you hear quite frequently on Nantucket, and it means different things to every one of us. But at its heart, it’s about people. The people who make Nantucket what Nantucket is, and always have. All the people. From all walks of life, all levels of wealth and all parts of the world.
When we began putting this issue of Nantucket Today together, we were discussing what its theme might be. All good pieces of written work should have a theme, right? Should it be simple, like, “Summer’s here? Enjoy the island.” Or something more geared toward history or our natural world.
Eventually, we decided to start by choosing the best work that illustrates the island as we know it in mid-summer, and hold fast to what we believe Nantucket Today should showcase: Real stories about real people. Real Nantucket.
So we did just that, and the theme revealed itself as the editing process began: Community.
Tammy King comes from a fishing family. One of six girls, her father Oscar ran a charter boat and scalloped in the winter. Her mother Joan helped him out, and the family probably spent more down time at the Anglers’ Club than anywhere else. The fishing community on Nantucket is an extended family, and Tammy has perhaps done more to bring women into its ranks than anyone else. You can read about her in Cam Gammill’s story on page 20.
The women of the Nantucket Flower Collective formed their own community. Instead of competing with each other for business they decided to join forces and share resources, growing tips and moral support. Growing flowers can sometimes be a lonely business, requiring solitary hours in the field, often at odd times of the day. But these women have found camaraderie and friendship in their collaborative effort. Read more on page 12.
The Artists Association of Nantucket has represented the island’s creative community for eight decades, supporting the work of local artists, offering a place for them to exhibit their work and hosting group shows, and encouraging the next generation since the AAN grew out of a small but vibrant arts colony in the 1920s. Read more in Anna Popnikolova’s story on page 46.
Nantucket is not some idyllic Disneyland. We have real challenges to overcome, like food and housing insecurity, a disproportionate distribution of wealth and the impending physical changes to our natural world from climate change and sea-level rise. But we’ve always looked out for and taken care of our own when the need arises.
That’s community.
Joshua H. Balling Editor
CONTENTS: JULY 2025
12 COLLECTIVE WISDOM
These women ditched competition in favor of camaraderie and cooperation in the flower business. by Sarah Roberts
20 FISHING ROYALTY
Tammy King might just be Nantucket’s best angler. by Cam Gammill
38 PATCHWORK HISTORY
Curator Jennifer Nieling explains how she pieced together the Nantucket Historical Association’s summer exhibition, “Behind the Seams.” by
Quinn Frankel
46 EIGHT DECADES OF ART
The Artists Association of Nantucket celebrates 80 years of local color. by Anna
Popnikolova
60 BEACH READING
Leave the book at home and take a closer look at what’s all around you in the sand. by Ginger Andrews
68 NANTUCKET’S WIND ARTS
Weather vanes, whirligigs and windmills. by Trey Heller
4 EDITOR’S NOTE
9 CONTRIBUTORS
80 WHO’S WHO IN REAL ESTATE
Florabundant owner Anita Stefanski among her blooms
PHOTO BY ANITA STEFANSKI
PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTISTS ASSOCIATION OF NANTUCKET
If you care about this Island and want to make a positive impact on the quality of life for people in the community, donate to The Nantucket Fund — The Community Foundation’s permanent grant making fund that provides grants to the Island’s most critical needs and initiatives.
Our goal is to raise $3 million in 2025 to ensure funding of emergency services and to answer more requests from local organizations who are on the front line assisting those in need.
The Nantucket Fund Grant Recipients from left; A Safe Place, Island Kitchen (Covid Response Fund) Photographer: Kit Noble
Na ntucket HEIDI
Published by The Inquirer and Mirror Inc. 1 Old South Road Nantucket, MA 02554 508 228-0001 nantucketmag.com
Publisher Robert Saurer rsaurer@inkym.com
Editor Joshua H. Balling jballing@inkym.com
Production & Design Peter Halik plhalik@inkym.com
Advertising Director Mary Cowell-Sharpe msharpe@inkym.com
Advertising Sales Alexandro Sforza asforza@inkym.com
Circulation Karen Orlando korlando@inkym.com
Contributing Writers & Photographers
Virginia Andrews
Quinn Frankel
Cam Gammill
Trey Heller
Willy LeMay
Anna Popnikolova
Kaie Quigley
Sarah Roberts
Anita Stefanski
Contact Us: Nantucket Today, P.O. Box 1198, Nantucket, MA 02554. Phone 508 228-0001. Fax 508 325-5089. Advertising and subscription rates online at www.nantucketmag.com
© Nantucket Media Group. 2025 All rights reserved. Nantucket Today is published six times a year by The Inquirer and Mirror Inc. Subscription information: Annual subscriptions are available in the US for $49. For customer service regarding subscriptions, call 508 228-0001, ext. 10. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part of this publication in any way is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the USA. Send address changes to: P.O. Box 1198, Nantucket, MA 02554.
CONTRIBUTORS
These are just some of the people who bring their talents to the pages of this magazine, and allow Nantucket Today to reflect genuine island life.
Anna Popnikolova won the Nantucket Book Festival’s young writers award four years in a row. She is a first-generation American, of Bulgarian roots and currently studying at Harvard.
Quinn Frankel is a Nantucket-based freelance writer originally from Los Angeles, Calif. She received her bachelor’s degree in art history from Brown University in 2020 and recently completed her master’s degree in cultural sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is an avid surfer and musician who loves to be in the ocean and play music in her spare time.
Sarah Roberts washed ashore earlier this year by way of Boston and Suffolk University. She gets to follow her passion of sharing the stories of those in her community as a staff writer at The Inquirer and Mirror. A former collegiate distance runner, she now runs to explore the island.
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Collective Wisdom
These flower-growers gave up competition for camaraderie and cooperation
Photo by Christine Burleson
Christine Burleson
STORY BY SARAH ROBERTS
The job of growing and arranging flowers can be isolating.
It means being up before dawn, working in the garden after dark while the kids sleep, constantly learning more about different blooms and changing plans based on weather or how a crop is performing. You have to trust yourself and don’t always have the advice of a co-worker to help you out.
Throw in the number of flower-growers and floral designers on the island, and you’d think it would be a breeding ground for competition.
Instead, Sally Obremski has turned it into an opportunity for collaboration.
“There’s a lot of egos attached to this work. I get it. I have an ego,” she said. “You could see all the other people doing what you’re doing on a very small island and be irritated by it, or you could say, ‘hey, let’s all just do this together and get along and work together’.”
Obremski and Abergavenny Webb founded the Nantucket Flower Collective in 2023 as a way to sell flowers wholesale with the goal of creating a sustainable alternative to importing blooms, but on the cusp of its third season, it has done much more than that.
A rising tide lifts all ships, Webb said.
“It makes so much sense. It’s so much more efficient. It’s such a small island, and there’s so much opportunity that it really made more sense to work together as growers, as opposed to having everyone doing everything separately,” she said.
The collective currently includes 13 growers: Obremski, Webb, her sister-in-law Grace, Anita Stefanski, Patty Myers, Abby Slosek, Melinda Tweeddale, Dylan and Caroline Wallace, Suzanne Knutson, Lo McShay, Amy Pallenberg, Charles and Marty McGowan and Val Monahan.
“I feel like we’ve created a space for a community that we didn’t expect. That wasn’t our vision,” Obrems-
Photo by Kaie Quigley
Abergavenny Webb and Sally Obremski
“It’s mentally and intellectually stimulating, and you have to get to know each crop and each flower, and then at the end you also have this, like, artistic, creative aspect of it too.”
ki said. “We were like, we’re going to sell flowers; and then florists who would never meet in any other setting came together and had this exchange and now there’s an actual space for community that didn’t exist before.”
“A lot of people who are coming toward the collective are coming for that community aspect of it,” Webb said. “Growing flowers can be lonely. We all love being outside, but you’re working alone for hours.”
Being part of a collective can take some of that loneliness away. It provides florists with a team. It allows them to be supported and offer support, whether it’s by sharing a tip on what has helped liven up their tulip patch or offering space in their walk-in cooler.
“There’s ego but there’s also fear and vulnerability,” Webb said. “If there’s something you care about and are investing in, and that’s your own personal business, it’s hard sometimes to share the hard parts of it if you don’t want to be seen as a failure. Then sometimes it’s hard to share the hard-earned
successes.”
Growing flowers also offers endless learning opportunities.
“It’s mentally and intellectually stimulating, and you have to get to know each crop and each flower, and then at the end you also have this, like, artistic, creative aspect of it too,” Webb said. “You get to know a flower, you know what it needs, but it doesn’t need you all the time. It’s something that I feel like a lot of people dip their toes in and then just get pulled into.”
While the camaraderie the collective has created is a welcome addition to the project, Obremski and Webb are still focusing on their core mission: getting local growers to provide an alternative to importing flowers.
Christine Burleson of Sea Holly Studio and Stacey Perry from Parties and Petals buy from the collective, share its passion and have worked with Obremski and Webb since long before the Nantucket Flower Collective was born.
“I had been cutting from Sally before the
Abergavenny Webb
Photo by Kaie Quigley
Photo by Carla Eberly
“You get to know a flower, you know what it needs, but it doesn’t need you all the time. It’s something that I feel like a lot of people dip their toes in and then just get pulled into.”
collective started,” Perry said. “I tried to buy as much local as possible.”
“One of my proudest moments as a florist was the first big wedding I did that was 100 percent local. That filled me with pride, because I looked around and I saw just like all these incredible women that were a part of it like Sally, Aber, all the growers, my team, myself, just the fact that we all did this,” Burleson said.
Since the wedding business is so large on Nantucket, allowing islanders to capitalize on its revenue and support the local floral economy is particularly important, Burleson said.
“There’s so much money being exchanged for these massive weddings, and it’s like, if we can keep that money in our locals’ pockets, why not? These are my friends and my neighbors, and I just want to support them, and they’re supporting me,” Burleson said.
There are benefits to importing. It’s often cheaper, brides can have flowers that aren’t in season, and they are preserved, which helps achieve perfection and longevity.
But for Burleson, perfection isn’t necessarily the goal. She lets nature show her what the options are.
“I have a pretty huge wedding this weekend. I think we’re doing, like, 45 to 50 centerpieces. None of them are going to look the same and that’s the way I like it. I’m not the type of florist who needs everything to match,” Burleson said this spring. “I definitely feel more inspired by what’s growing and what’s in season.”
Sally and Kai Obremski and Abergavenny Webb at The Gaslight.
Photo by Lizza Obremski
Burleson hopes to eventually contribute to the collective as a grower after spending some time expanding her business.
“We just always talked about it, and I watched it. I watched Sally build this entire thing and it’s become more and more fun for me to be a florist on Nantucket, the more that they keep doing what they’re doing,” she said.
Flowers on Chestnut is another major buyer from the collective.
In the off-season, Webb and Obremski have a walkin cooler where their buyers can pick up their flowers, and during the summer they host market days for their wholesalers at The Gaslight on North Union Street where florists can pick up their orders and shop for additional flowers.
The summer market days provide Obremski and Webb an opportunity to reflect on their hard work.
“I think my favorite part of our job is at the end of a market day, we’re like, ‘oh, my God, it’s working’,” Obremski said. “This idea, we had this dream and this vision a very long time ago, and it’s working.”
Getting their clients to understand the difference between a local bloom and an imported one is a relatively simple task.
“You hold a local flower and you hold a flower from somewhere else, and the turgidity, the freshness, the scent, you can just tell that it hasn’t been beaten up in a box and flown overnight,” Webb said.
“You see people having to handle flowers with gloves on because there’s so many chemicals,” Obremski added. “It’s not the same flower.”
Stefanski, who runs Florabundant, has been growing for the collective since the beginning. She is starting to notice a difference in the floral trends on the island.
“What we are growing is a lot more popular than it used to be. Everybody used to like these perfect roses and hydrangeas, chemical flowers, and now it’s a lot
more natural,” she said.
Grace Webb, Abergavenny’s sister-in-law and head grower at Flowerstone Farm, also appreciates not having to grow a little bit of everything. Being part of a team of growers gives each of them a chance to focus on their favorites.
“I love that at my fingertips, I have multiple growers I can ask questions to and collaborate with because Anita, she is like the zinnia queen and I was just saying to Aber today, I don’t want to grow zinnias because Anita is so good at them,” Grace said.
That doesn’t mean, however, that Grace would ever be discouraged from dabbling in zinnias.
“We’re able to see what everybody’s growing and our own product. But then if it’s like, oh, I think I do want to grow zinnias, you don’t feel competition. You just feel empowered,” she said.
The Nantucket Flower Collective offers “DIY Buckets” for sale to the public. On its website, customers can choose the color scheme they want and receive a bucket of 75 stems they can arrange themselves.
“I’m pretty proud of our group of growers. We speak to other flower collectives across the country and they are going to be like, HR issues, here, no one knows HR. Our growers have been really wonderful to each other and to us, and understanding and supportive,” Webb said.
The is particularly helpful, because many of the collective’s growers, aside from Stefanski and Myers, are relatively new to the scene.
“They just started doing this within the last five years, and we’re asking them to call in the availability of their crops two weeks in advance and that’s really hard,” Obremski said. “I mean, a lot of practice, and everyone’s willing to try.”
A recent graduate of Suffolk University, Sarah Roberts is a staff writer at The Inquirer and Mirror, Nantucket’s newspaper since 1821.
Photo by Kaie Quigley
Sandbar at Jetties Beach offers the quintessential Nantucket beachfront experience with open-air dining, a fresh raw bar, delicious burgers, seafood, and cocktails—all with stunning views of Nantucket Sound. Enjoy the perfect summer day with us at Sandbar.
Next to Sandbar’s restaurant, our beach and retail shop offers beach equipment rentals, toys, sunscreen, and Sandbar apparel. Stop by to see what we have for your day at the beach.
Follow us on social media and join our e-newsletter to learn more about these difficult topics and how you can be part of the change.
In the last five years, A Safe Place has seen a 95% increase in services for domestic violence and a 55% increase in services for sexual assault
acksafeplace or A Safe Place Nantucket
Prevention is the heart of our mission
Prevention education is central to our mission. Our public and private school classroom programs are developed using age-appropriate information and skil building. The material is also reinforced through cr projects during our ongoing collaborations with the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club and via a featured speaker at Nantucket High School. Collectively, these initiatives aim to help youth build and foster healthy personal relationships while encouraging them to become mature peer and community advocates for relationships based on equality, non-violence, and respect.
Education Inspires Change
In response to this increasing demand for services, A Safe Place has been conducting a quiet $10 million CAPITAL CAMPAIGN to purchase our first permanent home. Over 70% has been raised.
Programs
Domestic Violence
Rape Crisis
Trauma Therapy
Child Witness to Violence
Supervised Visitation
Services
Now we are reaching out to YOU, the entire community, to help us reach our goal.
24-Hour Hotline
Online Chat
Supportive Counseling
Trauma Therapy
Medical Accompaniment
Police & Legal Advocacy
Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship:
Intensity
Possessiveness
Deflecting Responsibility
Manipulation
Isolation
Signs of
Sabotage
Belittling
Family Court Legal Services
Assistance
Support Groups for Adolescent & Adult Survivors
Child Witness to Violence
Counseling
Therapeutic Sports & Social
Skills Groups for Youth
Provision of Basic Needs
Items & Financial Assistance
Immigration Support
Transportation Assistance
Housing Search Assistance
From Left: Scott Akins, Jennifer Frazee, Frejae Burrows, Darko Druzetic and Rachel Devine.
Fishing Royalty Tammy King might be Nantucket’s best angler
STORY BY CAM GAMMILL PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAMMY KING
The most obvious storyline is that fishing and the ocean have always provided us ample bounty. While farming helped sustain the Wampanoag people, it was the ocean that truly provided the original inhabitants of this island. Continuing, the settlers would have never stayed here had it not been for the regular availability of food.
Eventually, the ocean, near and far, through whaling, transformed Nantucket forever. In our current history, fishing has been a driver of tourism and more importantly a deep connection to our past.
Similarly, the women of Nantucket have been the soul of our rich community, dating back to the values of the Wampanoags, but evident through Mary Starbuck promoting Quaker culture and Maria Mitchell, who discovered a comet from the roof of Pacific Bank and the first female astronomy professor at Vassar University in the 1800s.
The storyline continues with the wives of the whalers who stayed home and helped run the community, as personified by Petticoat Row, the stretch of stores along Centre Street run by women. Today, women are still leading our community and that in my opinion is where the magic continues.
It’s a stretch to introduce two major pieces of Nantucket history and then try to tie it to today’s world, but that is where my brain went when I wanted to introduce someone who I think is a true leader in this community and someone who I want my three girls to look up to.
Tammy King is remarkable in so many ways. In my opinion, she is the best angler on Nantucket right now.
It’s easy to conclude that Tammy was born to fish and that walking the beaches all night in search of the elusive striper is deep in her blood.
The magic of Nantucket is deep. We feel it in the cobblestoned streets, we feel it on the moors and most definitely we feel it in our community. The people are what make Nantucket, Nantucket. The fishing community has always been part of the heartbeat of this island.
It’s easy to conclude that Tammy was born to fish and that walking the beaches all night in search of the elusive striper is deep in her blood. She found fishing expeditions with her family profoundly happy moments. When her dad would catch a fish, she remembers the emotion that he would express.
That emotion was infectious and would draw her closer and closer to him. These are the moments that had their greatest impact on Tammy and the reason why she loves fishing so much. It is also why she has she has passed the passion on to her daughter Makalia.
Fishing, much like any activity, will grab you for life when it is introduced in the right manner. Whether you are taught by a parent, a sibling or a friend, the trajectory toward a love affair comes from knowledge and a positive energy being passed on.
This is why having such a passionate fishing community has been so incredible on Nantucket. Our youth continue to inherit this passion from the generations of anglers who are eager to share their knowledge. It feels like every year younger anglers are out-fishing the elder statesmen and guess what, the old guys and gals love it.
Speaking of passing on knowledge, Tammy is an ambassador for St. Croix, one of the major fishing-rod brands in the country. This relationship has given her the opportunity to travel across the country fishing and representing the brand at fishing expos.
It must be gratifying to have a young daughter at a show walk up and see Tammy personifying fishing.
Locally, Tammy has been an incredible proponent for women and fishing. She started a six-week women’s-only clinic and teaches everything from knot tying to fishing
Striped Bass
Fishing, much like any activity, will grab you for life when it is introduced in the right manner. Whether you are taught by a parent, a sibling or a friend, the trajectory toward a love affair comes from knowledge and a positive energy being passed on.
“Fishing isn’t about the fishing, it’s about how you feel when you are fishing. Listen to the birds, to the silence, the waves lapping. You have camaraderie and conversations. You have community. Fishing is much bigger than the fish.”
technique and reading the water. She has had more than 20 students who have gone on to find their own passion in this sport that is also a lifestyle.
Tammy sees the number of women fishing every year increasing. While we have had natural barriers in the past to the introduction of the sport to young girls, we have had more parents every year bring their daughters fishing.
These girls continue to feel more included and respected, as they should be. As the father of three girls, I want them to have every opportunity imaginable and selfishly, if they enjoy fishing with me, we’ll experience more of our lives together.
In catching up with Tammy recently, she left me with a nugget that will forever change the way I look at the sport I love.
“Fishing isn’t about the fishing, it’s about how you feel when you are fishing,” she said. “Listen to the birds, to the silence, the waves lapping. You have camaraderie and conversations. You have community. Fishing is much bigger than the fish.”
Her point of view on fishing is not unique, but her ability to express it is. Tammy is a leader in our community and I am grateful to learn from her every opportunity that I can. She is passing on what she has learned and an integral part of the beautiful history of fishing on Nantucket.
Cam Gammill, the co-owner of Bill Fisher Tackle, writes the weekly “Fish Finder” column in The Inquirer and Mirror from Memorial Day through Columbus Day and is a frequent contributor to Nantucket Today.
Bluefish
The Perfect Nantucket Beach Day:
Powered by Local Favorites
BY NICOLE VAWTER
There is something magical about a Nantucket summer. The salt-kissed breeze, sun-warmed sand and the sound of crashing waves.
Marine Home Center
offers everything you need for a beautiful and functional beach day.
But what makes a beach day on the island feel truly special? The thoughtful touches, the ones from local businesses that not only elevate the beach experience but connect with the community.
From beach picnic essentials to alternative beach transportation that helps preserve the island’s beauty, they are sure to make your day by the sea unforgettable.
Gear Up in Style: Marine Home Center
Before you even hit the sand, make your first stop at Marine Home Center on Orange Street, where beach-day essentials meet Nantucketready style. Marine offers everything you need for a beautiful and functional beach day, from YETI Roadie coolers and Telescope Casual beach chairs to beach bags, towels and sun-shielding umbrellas.
Cook’s Café is located downtown for beachfriendly fueling. Try the Mermaid Magic which offers a refreshing mix of ginger, spinach, honey and apple.
For beach-goers who love to cook, the Weber Traveler Grill is a portable option perfect for a beach barbecue. For comfort and convenience, you’ll also find picnic blankets, acrylic drinkware and must-haves like sunscreen and insect repellent, because a great beach day should be easy and stress-free.
Since opening its doors in 1973, Marine Home Center has expanded across a five-acre property, offering everything from compost and tools to home furnishings and environmentally-friendly appliances. The company’s guiding principle is simple and heartfelt: “We treat our customers like partners.”
Fuel the Day and Leave the Keys: Cook’s Café, Cook’s Cycles and More Nantucket
Swing by Cook’s Café downtown for beach-friendly fueling. New to the menu this summer is the Chicken Cobb Wrap: crisp, creamy and easy to eat on the go or on the sand. Smoothie-lovers can sip on the signature Chilly Monkey (a peanut butter and banana blend that drinks like a dessert) or try the Mermaid Magic which offers a refreshing mix of ginger, spinach, honey and apple.
Next door, Cook’s Cycles offers a car-free way to get to beach. Its electric bikes and scooters make it easy to skip the summer parking scramble, and for Inquirer and Mirror readers, there’s an extra perk: $10 off any electric bike rental. “Riding a bike to the beach with a fresh wrap is good for the body and good for the soul,” says the
Experience more of what makes Nantucket special. Leave the car behind and explore the island with convenient transportation options that let you soak in every moment.
That spirit of easy mobility is exactly what More Nantucket, the public campaign of nonprofit ReMain Nantucket, aims to inspire. Its “Leave the Keys Please” initiative encourages visitors to explore the island by foot, bike or bus, reducing traffic congestion and supporting a more sustainable way to get around. Since 2008, ReMain has supported a range of forward-thinking projects like solar energy initiatives. By biking to the beach instead of driving, you are not just avoiding traffic, you are helping preserve the very environment you came to enjoy.
Cruise the Coastline While Keeping it Clean: Island Bike
There’s a reason Nantucket boasts a high Walk Score® - the island is best explored on foot. Stroll through historic streets, immerse yourself in the Cultural District and uncover world-class shops and restaurants.
Conveniently located on Old South Road, away from downtown traffic and parking headaches, Island Bike offers direct access to the island’s bike path system, making it easy to cruise out to Surfside, Dionis or Madaket without ever touching your car keys. Family-owned and operated by Lee Van Hoven and her husband Jay, who bring over 40 years of experience in the bike industry, Island Bike has been a trusted local resource for nearly three decades. Its fleet includes comfort, hybrid and tandem bicycles, as well as standout electric options like the seven-speed Townie Go e-bike, a classic beach cruiser
See Nantucket up close and at your own pace. With more than 35 miles of dedicated bike paths, flat terrain perfect for riding and plenty of bike rental options - including e-bikes for longer journeysyou’ll discover what makes the island so beautiful and unique.
is conveniently located on Old South Road, away from downtown traffic and parking headaches. The fleet includes comfort, hybrid and tandem bicycles, as well as standout electric options like the seven-speed Townie Go e-bike.
Leave the driving to us and enjoy a relaxing ride. Hop on the free WAVE bus, with routes covering the island from end to end and departures at every half hour. Or, choose a courtesy shuttle or an educational tour.
Ready to explore Nantucket car-free?
Visit MoreNantucket.com for free apps, helpful tips, and resources to make getting around easy and enjoyable.
Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm
is a must-visit, nestled on 200 acres of scenic south shore farmland, a perfect stop for assembling a picnic for your day by the sea.
perfect for a relaxed ride with a little extra power. Every rental includes free delivery and pickup, making it effortless to gear up and go. Island Bike also stocks kids’ bikes, helmets and locks, and its fullservice repair shop will keep you riding safely all season long.
Picture-Perfect Picnic: Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm
If you are assembling a picnic for your day by the sea, Bartlett’s is a must-visit. Nestled on 200 acres of scenic south shore farmland, Bartlett’s grows much of the fresh produce sold in its on-site market, from its famously sweet corn and juicy tomatoes to vibrant greens, herbs and more.
The market is also stocked with highquality pantry staples, cooking essentials, fresh dairy, meats, cookies and regionally produced small-batch items. Many of the offerings are organic and thoughtfully sourced, making it easy to shop with intention.
Stop by the farm kitchen for a wide range of freshly-prepared meals ideal for tossing into your beach cooler. This summer’s standouts include the Turkey Avocado BLT and the Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich, while the Southwestern Veggie Wrap delivers a flavorful plant-forward option.
To accompany your beach picnic, the market also stocks sunblock, extra chairs, paddle sets and even picnic blankets, making Bartlett’s a true onestop shop. Your farm experience does not end at checkout. Take a break from the beach o enjoy one of its Pick-Your-Own Tours. Explore blooming fields, gather fresh vegetables and flowers and enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at Nantucket’s oldest and largest family-owned farm.
It’s a Shore Thing
Offering personalized beach towels, monogrammed drinkware, kitchenware and charming beach accessories, including SCOUT bags to make that beach trip easy.
BIKE RENTALS, SALES & REPAIRS
Owner Jay Van Hoven has over 30 years experience in the bike industry. Stop in and let Jay and his staff help you with all your
The Stylish Touch: It’s a Shore Thing
No beach day is complete without a breezy, throw-on layer and It’s a Shore Thing has the perfect piece for your summer wardrobe. Its cozy Nantucket sweatshirts are a must for those cool coastal evenings, offering the perfect blend of style and comfort after a sun-soaked day. Whether you are layering up for a sunset walk or wrapping up after a swim, a sweatshirt from this charming Main Street boutique adds the ideal finishing touch to your beach ensemble. Opened in 2007, It’s a Shore Thing has become a go-to destination for both visitors and locals looking to bring a bit of island style into not only their wardrobe but also their home. It specializes in U.S. made items, with offerings ranging from personalized beach towels, monogrammed drinkware and islandinspired jewelry to kitchenware, coastal home goods and charming beach accessories. Whether you are in search of a stylish cover-up, a hostess gift or that one final detail for your beach picnic setup, It’s a Shore Thing adds just the right dose of island charm.
Stock Up and Recharge:
Hatch’s and Mid Island Auto Wash
Before or after your beach excursion, a quick stop at Hatch’s on Orange Street can check off more boxes than you would expect. Hatch’s is far more than a liquor store. It is a mini beach-prep headquarters offering a curated seasonal selection of beach chairs, coolers, towels, portable grills and other essentials perfect for a last-minute seaside setup. Whether you forgot your folding chair or need a bottle of chilled rosé for sunset, Hatch’s has you covered. After a full beach day, your car deserves a refresh too, and Hatch’s partner Mid Island Auto Wash on Sparks Avenue is the island’s go-to for clean vehicles. Designed with beachgoers in mind, most of its signature washes include an underbody rinse perfect for removing corrosive saltwater and sand. It also offers high-powered vacuums and a self-service car-wash bay, ideal for clearing out sandy seats and sticky coolers. This summer, Mid Island Auto Wash is making it even easier to keep your car clean with three
exclusive seasonal specials:
Hatch’s is far more than a liquor store. It is a mini beach-prep headquarters offering a curated seasonal selection of beach chairs, coolers, towels and portable grills perfect for a last-minute seaside setup.
• Seniors receive 25 percent off any wash every weekday from 8-11 a.m.
• A free vacuum with the purchase of either a Beachcomber or Nantucket Wash Fridays from 8-11 a.m.
• Begin your week fresh with 50 percent off any wash Mondays from 8-11 a.m.
With eco-conscious upgrades like smart-soap technology, soft-cloth washing and water-reclamation systems, Mid Island Auto Wash offers an efficient, environmentally-friendly clean that is both thorough and gentle on your vehicle.
Unwind at the Water’s Edge: Sandbar
After working up an appetite in the sun, relax at Sandbar at Jetties Beach. This laid-back open-air bar and restaurant sits right on the sand, allowing diners to enjoy bites and sips with an unbeatable view. Serving lunch and dinner seasonally from mid-May through October, it is the perfect spot for icecold cocktails, seafood classics like raw oysters and burgers or a casual clambake, all with a sweeping view of Nantucket Sound.
With picnic-style seating right on the beach, family-friendly vibes and pet-welcoming areas, Sandbar offers a carefree, communal atmosphere. It is accessible by car, bike or even the free WAVE bus, making it an ideal destination for rounding out your beach day.
As the sun lingers longer and the island hums with life, a Nantucket beach day becomes more than a seasonal outing. It’s a cherished ritual. Whether you are packing a locallysourced picnic, pedaling along serene bike paths or toasting the evening at your favorite waterside spot, every small detail adds to a summer story worth remembering. With the help of these Nantucket businesses, your day by the sea becomes a celebration of the island’s character, community and coastal charm.
Experience more of what makes Nantucket special. Leave the car behind and explore the island with convenient transportation options that let you soak in every moment.
There’s a reason Nantucket boasts a high Walk Score® - the island is best explored on foot. Stroll through historic streets, immerse yourself in the Cultural District and uncover world-class shops and restaurants.
See Nantucket up close and at your own pace. With more than 35 miles of dedicated bike paths, flat terrain perfect for riding and plenty of bike rental options - including e-bikes for longer journeysyou’ll discover what makes the island so beautiful and unique.
Leave the driving to us and enjoy a relaxing ride. Hop on the free WAVE bus, with routes covering the island from end to end and departures at every half hour. Or, choose a courtesy shuttle or an educational tour.
Ready to explore Nantucket car-free? Visit MoreNantucket.com for free apps, helpful tips, and resources to make getting around easy and enjoyable.
Nothing Compares
52
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Patchwork History
STORY BY QUINN FRANKEL
by
Photo
Willy LeMay
Jennifer Nieling’s love affair with textiles and crafts – and her curiosity about their histories – extends back to her childhood in the twin cities area of Minnesota.
“I first come to the subject as a maker,” Nieling said. “My mom sews, both my grandmas sew, so I grew up around that and my mom taught me how to sew very young. I really took to it, and it quickly became more than a hobby to me. I started sewing and crocheting my own clothes and learning about all these different textile techniques.”
For her island curatorial debut, Nieling is wowing Nantucketers with “Behind the Seams” – a summer exhibition at the Nantucket Historical Association that explores the island’s rich textile history and the socio-cultural meanings delicately stitched into the material that define Nantucket fashion and culture.
Her relationship with the NHA is also one which is long standing, emerging out of an internship with the organization she took after completing her graduate studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2015 during which she began spearheading a multi-year inventory project.
Since then, Nieling has built a robust and successful career centered around her devotion to and interest in textiles and material culture.
A paradigmatic Renaissance woman, her work spans the realms of costume mounter, academic, researcher, archivist, exhibition consultant and curator, having taught costume history at Drexel University and worked with big-name museums like the Smithsonian, Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco.
In 2020, Nieling founded her company JLN Costume Mounting and began work as a freelancer offering costume exhibition and collections services to museums, collections and design firms.
Though Nieling brings an impressive portfolio of successes in textiles and museum work to the NHA this summer, her career path has not always been clear. Prior to pursuing her master’s degree in fashion and textile studies at FIT – a degree which took a layered approach to understanding and working with textiles from historical,
Madras pants from the 1960s. Photo by Amanda Amaral
theoretical and practical perspectives, Nieling received a Bachelor’s degree in French and Linguistics from Boston University.
“As an undergraduate, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do career-wise. I never stopped sewing, and I thought about being a designer. I worked briefly sewing costumes at a theater in Boston. I’d studied abroad in France and taught English there, and, while abroad, I saw some fashion exhibitions that really opened my eyes to wanting to do something with clothing and textiles that also held onto the academic side and theories of meaning-making,” Nieling said.
Far from being relegated to a past life, Nieling’s background in linguistics continues to inform her approach to textile studies, curation and costume mounting.
“The way I think is very much tied to linguistics and how it challenges you to understand how things are being communicated and to consider the systems of meaning – like language – that affect how ideas and things get presented and understood,” Nieling said.
Questions of meaning-making and communication are continuously affecting Nieling’s decisions as a costume mounter.
“Costume mounting isn’t just about preservation and working with archival materials. With costume mounting, you need to know your fashion history to know what an item of clothing is supposed to look like. There
is a historical accuracy that needs to be there. If you’re mounting a dress from the 1850s, it needs to have the proper hoop-skirt beneath it, it can’t just fall flat,” Nieling said.
“At the same time, costume mounting also involves making interpretive choices about representation. You have to ask, for example, if you want an item to represent the person who wore it and to have a mannequin be fully dressed with a hat and gloves in a way that paints the whole picture of them. Or maybe you want the design of a given piece to be foregrounded, in which case you might do an invisible mount where the body falls away and the focus really becomes on the object itself.”
Certain objects in “Behind the Seams” are mounted in manners that nod to the island’s time-honored legacy of craftsmanship.
“We have a bodice in the show that we have displayed partly open so that viewers can see the inside and actually see the stitching and have the opportunity to consider the difference between hand-stitching and machine stitching, since much of Nantucket’s textile history is tied to handcraft,” Nieling said.
Nieling was first introduced to costume mounting in a class she took for her master’s at FIT. Costume mounting came to serve as a practice that brought both her academic interests and tactile experience in textiles together.
“Costume mounting really became the niche that made
Above: A wool flag emblazoned with a blue sperm whale from the 1920s designed by Mary Augusta Wilson. Right: A chain-stitch treadle sewing machine, circa 1900
Photos by Amanda Amaral
“The process of choosing objects for ‘Behind the Seams’ really began with the inventory. I was then in the privileged position of being able to be the one looking through everything in the collection, opening boxes, seeing what was in there and creating a catalogue of these items that detailed what they are made out of, what techniques were used, what the fibers are, and physical descriptions of these pieces.”
sense for me,” Nieling said. “It married hands-on, physical conservation work with the interpretive curatorial work I’m interested in.”
Costume mounting in particular presents interpretive challenges for curators and mounters like Nieling that stray from other art objects.
“When you’re hanging a painting on a wall, you might be thinking about the background, the color, the light, and what relationships you want it to cultivate with the things around it. But with costumes, because you’re putting it on a body, there are so many more choices to be made and things to consider: the visibility of the mannequin – and the story that advances – being one of them,” Nieling said. “One thing I love about clothing and textiles is their relatability. Everyone wears clothing and is drawn to it, and that they really can tell any kind of story.”
Courtesy of Nantucket Historical Association Wedding dresses worn by Amelia Sanford in 1870 and Patricia Anathan in 1971.
In “Behind the Seams,” Nieling explores the stories and meanings held in the NHA’s textile collection as both costume mounter and curator, a union that marks the first in her career. She had sole discretion in choosing what objects would be in the show and how they would be mounted.
As an intern at the NHA, Nieling began developing an intimate knowledge of its objects and textiles collections by spearheading an inventory project that would span the
course of many years.
“The process of choosing objects for ‘Behind the Seams’ really began with the inventory,” Nieling said. “The NHA received an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant – an organization that has sadly very recently been disbanded – but that grant is what made this project happen. I was then in the privileged position of being able to be the one looking through everything in the collection, opening boxes, seeing what was in there and creating a catalogue of these items that detailed what they are made out of, what techniques were used, what the fibers are and physical descriptions of these pieces.”
“We then began looking at records of who donated a piece and why it was kept in order to understand its significance. The question of where a piece came from became even more interesting, to see what was made on the island and what wasn’t. Because of Nantucket’s storied whaling history, we came across tons of pieces that were imported and brought from elsewhere. The NHA’s collection contains lots of international Chinese silk shawls and Chinese fans from the mid-19th century.”
Throughout this process, Nieling kept a keen eye on what kinds of stories the objects were telling.
“I think object-based research is really important, and
because I have this training in fashion and textiles studies, I know how to look at a piece and understand what it can tell us. With quilts, for example, you can date them by looking at the printed textiles and seeing whether they were block printed or roller printed, which in and of itself tells an important story of how technologies are changing over time
Curator Jennifer Nieling mounts a wedding dress worn by Amelia Sanford in 1870.
and affecting how things look and are made,” Nieling said.
“Through this object-based research, themes across the NHA’s collection started to emerge that were centered around where objects were from, what they were made out of what they say about the people on this island, what communities were being represented, what do we see in terms of the shift in the island’s identity from the whaling era to modern times of the 20th century.”
After letting her discoveries simmer, Nieling returned to her inventory project at the NHA just over a year ago to cultivate what would become “Behind the Seams.”
“As I returned to the NHA’s collection, I figured out that all these themes could be placed beneath the umbrella terms of ‘making’ and ‘meaning.’ These became core interpretive tenants that were central to the show. We also have a theme of sustainability throughout, because you look at these historic garments and you can see that certain pieces were made out of things that had previously been a different garment, or quilts that were using older quilts to make the backs of the new ones. There’s an immense prevalence of the re-use of textiles in order to make items last as long as they can and be re-used as much as they can,” Nieling said.
Nieling’s affinity for the NHA’s collection rests in the diverse bounty of stories its objects and textiles reveal.
“I love the variety of the NHA’s collection,” Nieling said, “but the other special thing about working with the NHA is that, as a smaller institution, you really get to go deeper as a curator and speak to the true breadth of stories that their collection holds.”
The NHA’s collection has also offered a play-
Photo by Amanda Amaral
“I love the variety of the NHA’s collection, but the other special thing about working with the NHA is that, as a smaller institution, you really get to go deeper as a curator and speak to the true breadth of stories that their collection holds.”
ground for Nieling to explore and develop further research into her personal proclivity for 20th century design: in particular, the early history of Nantucket Looms, founded in 1968.
Nieling herself has published articles on the early history of the Looms.
“In terms of design history, I think the 1960s is fascinating. It was serendipitous that, at the tail-end of the inventory project, Julie Beinecke-Stackpole, whose mother Marianne Beinecke co-founded the Looms and headed the Jared Coffin House project, wanted to donate this large collection of materials related to the Jared Coffin House, the early history of Nantucket Looms and the cloth company of Nantucket, all from the mid-to-late 1960s. I got to go up to Maine and survey her collection, and bring back the items that fit in our collection for our catalog,” Nieling said.
On these trips, she found pleasure in connecting the dots between the island and the mainland that themselves reveal the porousness of Nantucket’s history beyond borders.
Outside of her recent curatorial debut, Nieling’s craft today is focused on honing her costume-mounting business and further navigating the niche that has been dear to her since her graduate studies at FIT.
“As I’ve evolved in my career, I often try and go back to the place where it all started for me, and to my personal connection to costume and textiles,” she said.
Nieling’s work with the NHA is representative of her deep commitment to making the histories and narratives behind objects visible to a broader public.
“Behind the Seams: Clothing and Textiles on Nantucket” is open through 2, 2025 in the McCausland Gallery at the Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St.
by
Quinn Frankel is a freelance writer originally from Los Angeles, Calif. She writes regularly for The Inquirer and Mirror and Nantucket Today.
Photo
Willy LeMay
RENOVATION IN TOWN
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FISHERS LANDING
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DISCOVER YOUR DREAM RETREAT IN DIONIS!
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Mary O’Donnell, Office Manager
Erikka Perkins, Rental Manager
Yesenia Valer, Office Assistant
The AAN celebrates 80 years of local color
STORY BY ANNA POPNIKOLOVA
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARTISTS ASSOCIATION OF NANTUCKET
Courtesy of Julija Mostykanova
“One winter, years ago, I saw an ad in the paper advertising classes, and I started taking them, and it all began from there.”
– Julija Mostykanova
When Bobby Frazier got involved with the Artists Association of Nantucket, he was a janitor.
“I was you know, cleaning the toilets and mopping the floors, etcetera, at the Macy Warehouse where we were. That was 1972. And then I became an artist,” he said.
Frazier has worn many hats over the years. He was president from 1999-2004, and is now the artistic director. He has curated countless exhibitions from present-day work at the AAN’s former gallery on Washington Street, which was recently sold to help fund the purchase of a new gallery on Federal Street, to exhibitions in its leased gallery space on Straight Wharf – affectionately known as the “Big Gallery.”
His biggest love throughout the years, though, through painting and poetry, became the study and curation of art history.
“I am just enamored by art history and of course, Nantucket’s my focus. I really like to see the evolution of the art here, the changes. I’m an art historian. I may be an amateur one, but I’m pretty good at Nantucket art,” he said.
He was inspired to write a book, “Born From a Hurricane,” a retrospective account of 75 years of Artists Association history from 1945 to 2020. Now, five years later, the AAN is gearing up to celebrate its 80th anniversary with a summer of events, and the renovation of its new gallery at 8 Federal Street.
Before the AAN was founded in 1945, an art colony, started by Florence Lang’s conversion
Artists Association of Nantucket member artist Julija Mostykanova in front of some of her abstract works.
From Left: AAN president Louis Davidson, Elizabeth Saltonstall, guest auctioneer Bea Lillie, Chamber of Commerce president Alan Stapleton and AAN Secretary Liz Schaeffler at the annual artist-patron auction in the early 1960s.
of wharf shacks to artist studios, blossomed in the 1920s. Lang opened the first art gallery on the island, the Easy Street Gallery. In 1920, Frank Swift Chase arrived. Chase was a painter and teacher who artists traveled to Nantucket to study with. The Nantucket art colony was born of these artist who arrived to learn from Chase, live in Lang’s waterfront cottage studios and exhibit their work in the Easy Street Gallery.
The following decade, Maud Stumm founded the Sidewalk Art Show, the oldest outdoor art exhibition in the country, which has grown to include three shows a season, and is now about to celebrate its 95th anniversary.
In 1945 the art colony transformed the empty Thomas Macy Warehouse on Straight Wharf into the Kenneth Taylor Galleries. That year, the Artists Association was formed. Over time, the AAN moved from location to location, hosting classes in its former Little Gallery space and then purchasing and renovating a property on Amelia Drive in 2015 into its Visual Arts Center, where it now offers a variety of classes from ceramics to printmaking to comic art for kids.
In 1997, the AAN purchased the Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery at 19 Washington St., which it sold this year to move to a larger space with more foot traffic at 8 Federal St.
“After 30 years of being in that space, it seemed time to once again move to an new one. Our number of artists has expanded dramatically. We just needed a bigger space with more visibility, and it seemed fitting with the 80th to do that,” said Laurie Champion, board president of the AAN.
The AAN now has more than 100 active artist members, and with growing classes and interest, it needed a new gallery space to accommodate all its members, and to support their work as fully as possible.
Champion, who has been volunteering at the organization for 40 years, has watched the artistic community at the AAN grow and blossom. The most rewarding thing for her, she said, is helping artists make a living on Nantucket. Gallery exposure, she said, plays a huge role.
“We’re no longer just a small workshop. We’re a big workshop, a big visual arts center that teaches
“We’re no longer just a small workshop. We’re a big workshop, a big visual arts center that teaches classes every day, all year-round. We’re going to attract more attention, and be able to help our artists survive on Nantucket, because believe me, it’s not easy.”
– Laurie Champion
classes every day, all year-round. We now have a gallery that’s going to showcase this work in a much better way. We’re going to attract more attention, and be able to help our artists survive on Nantucket, because believe me,” she said, “it’s not easy.”
As a volunteer and not an artist herself, witnessing success stories makes her work feel meaningful.
“I can’t go out and cure cancer, and if I worked every day for 40 years, I still wouldn’t be able to, but if I worked every day for the AAN, I can make the lives of our artists a whole lot better,” Champion said.
One of those success stories is Julija Mostykanova. Mostykanova came to Nantucket for the first time in 2001 through a work and travel program from Ukraine, and decided to stay. She took her first class at the Artists Association two years later.
“One winter, years ago, I saw an ad in the paper advertising for classes, and I started taking them, and it all began from there,” she said.
After taking the class, Mostykanova decided to participate in an art show, where she sold her first piece.
It was a painting of her dog that went for $200.
She said the feeling was unbelievable. She took more classes, sold more paintings and has been able to support herself painting full-time for the last 14 years, even though she never had any training outside of AAN classes.
Frazier will be showcasing the AAN’s 80 years of success stories in his upcoming permanent collection show, “Watermarked,” through early August, with a reception July 25.
The AAN now has more than 1,700 pieces in its permanent collection, said Tracey Sears, the current executive director, and she is excited to have Frazier curating the permanent collection, which he has been doing since 2005.
“We have a fairly large collection of contemporary Nantucket art starting in about 1920 on. The Nantucket Historical Association collection does not focus on contemporary art, but an important part of our legacy is preserving the island’s art history, because we are an art colony, much like Provincetown, Woodstock, Rockport,” Frazier said.
“I use pieces from the past, some pieces that are
Right: Sidewalk Art Show founder Maud Stumm and her assistant Rae Carpenter at the show in 1931. Below: The AAN’s annual gala at the Great Harbor Yacht Club.
– Greg Hill
“Nantucket is one of the most incredible places to paint. We’ve traveled the world and Nantucket is beautiful to paint. You have the water, the beaches, the architecture.”
by present artists, but mostly out of our 80 years of history, and I tell the story by using the art.”
At the end of the permanent collection show, the AAN will host a permanent collection dinner, during which they will honor Nantucket artist Greg Hill, of G.S. Hill Galleries, with a lifetime achievement award for the time he has spent with the AAN.
Coincidentally, he turns 80 this summer alongside the Artists Association.
“I can’t believe I’m saying I’m 80,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t feel like I’m 80. We moved over here in 1979. First thing I did was join the AAN. That was my first involvement in 1979. I can’t believe it has been 46 years now.”
Hill was exhibiting at a show in Maui in 1977, paintings of whaling ships from New Bedford and Nantucket, when a Nantucketer on vacation approached him and asked if he’d like to bring his work to show on the island.
Over the years, he and his wife Judi have traveled to over 80 countries, but he has always been most artistically inspired by Nantucket.
“Nantucket is one of the most incredible places to paint. We’ve traveled the world and Nantucket is beautiful to paint. You have the water, the beaches, the architecture,” he said.
The Hills now own their own gallery, but he still loves to be involved with the Artists Association, contributing work to shows and volunteering at exhibits, because building community with other artists is a special opportunity, he said.
“The art scene on Nantucket went through various stages, and I think we’re going through yet another stage now, which is kind of ‘the expansion’.”
– Bobby Frazier
“It’s fun to get together with the other artists, (and) it’s so important to have an association like this that’s been around for 80 years. I can’t believe that they’re honoring me. It’s beyond belief, really, I was just dumbfounded. My wife got a little teary. It means so much. I feel very fortunate to be here, for one thing, and belong to the Artists Association,” he said.
The leadership at the Artists Association is celebrating the expansion on Federal Street as another step toward cultivating appreciation for the arts on the island. It is also an opportunity to bring all their members’ work together in one space, and to make space for new members to join.
“One of the most endearing things to me, one night in January I was driving down Amelia, and I see the lights on and realize there’s a lot of people building community, being creative – you know what the winter is like here, and to see so many people being so joyful at the Artists Association makes me so happy that I can contribute what I can,” Sears said.
Frazier said continuing the educational aspect of the Visual Arts Center and embracing the arts further on island will teach the next generation of Nantucketers to value all the arts even more.
“The art scene on Nantucket went through various stages, and I think we’re going through yet another stage now, which is kind of ‘the expansion’. It’s not just fine arts, where our expertise is, but the book festival, the film festival, classical music and the theaters are quite healthy here, as far as live theater goes. I just think that the arts on Nantucket are in a very healthy condition and we’ll get more so
The Artists Association of Nantucket’s Sidewalk Art Show is the oldest continuously operating art exhibition in the country.
as the community gets behind them and the people who are involved remain involved,” he said.
The Visual Arts Center offers classes in every season, for all age ranges in painting, ceramics, printmaking and more. It offers free classes for students intermittently and scholarships on tuition.
In addition to classes sessions and the permanent collection exhibit, the AAN hosted its annual Plein Air Festival in June, their July, August, and September Sidewalk Art shows, its annual Wet Paint Weekend and fundraising gala, and an open house at the Visual Arts Center in September, where community members will be invited to hands-on free activities and art demonstrations. Throughout the summer, it will also host art talks by visiting artists on Amelia Drive and in the new space on Federal Street.
“Every day, what we do hopefully brings a little color into somebody’s life. You see the world through other people’s eyes, and they’re so creative and expressive. I’ve been there for a long time, and I’m excited about the AAN’s new home. It’s going to be wonderful.”
– Laurie Champion
Anna Popnikolova is a former summer staff writer at The Inquirer and Mirror and a regular contributor to Nantucket Today.
Photo by Kaie Quigley
Nantucket Jewelry
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but Nantucket jewelry designers hold a special place in our hearts. The island has always been known to spark creativity, and our jewelers are no exception. Their collections span from high-karat gold to the unique use of semi-precious and precious gemstones, to sterling castings from actual scallop shells found on our beaches. Nantucket’s boutiques have something for every taste and the search for that next special piece can be an extremely rewarding journey.
SEAMAN SCHEPPS
New York’s Fine Jeweler Since 1904. Womens Jewelry, Men’s Cufflinks, Home Objects. All pieces signed and numbered. 47 Main St. (508) 325-5806 seamanschepps.com
Boat Link Bracelet Turquoise set in 18K Yellow Gold
Bodrum Bracelet Large, 18K Yellow Gold
Disc Earrings Turquoise and fluted 18K Yellow Gold
Silhouette Earrings Turquoise and 18K Yellow Gold
KATHERINE GROVER FINE JEWELRY
Each piece custom made in handcrafted 24K Gold for everyday luxury. All jewelry can be made in 18K.
Available on island at Sylvia Antiques, 15 Main St. (646) 896-4013 katherinegroverfinejewelry.com
Nantucket Bracelet length 71/2’’ - 11/8’’ wide 24K Yellow Gold
Venetian Bracelet length 73/8’’ - 11/16’’ wide 24K Yellow Gold
Pagoda Bracelet length 71/2’’ - 11/8’’ wide 24K Yellow Gold
HEIDI WEDDENDORF
Sterling Silver Barnacle Scallop Shell
Also available at Erica Wilson and Nantucket Artist’s Association. Follow me @heidiweddendorf on Instagram and Facebook (774) 236-9064 HeidiWeddendorf.com
Jane Taylor’s Color Candy Ear Drops Semi-Precious Stones set in 14K Gold 5 Washington Street (next to the compass!) (508) 680-3518 annapjay.com
PAGEO JEWELERS, NANTUCKET
Pageo Jewelers Celebrates 30 Years on Nantucket. To mark our 30th anniversary, we’re celebrating with a nod to one of our most beloved icons the original Golden Basket by Glenaan Robbins, as seen in Sirens. Special order only, sold exclusively in our Nantucket location or online.
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Nantucket Heart Shape
Golden Basket Pendant
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Basket Base 3/4” W x 1/2” H
Nantucket Scrimshaw
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Lid opens to reveal signature miniature penny Available in 5 sizes, prices will vary
SUSAN LISTER LOCKE
Susan Lister Locke designs for all of life’s beautiful moments – the big and small, the ordinary and extraordinary. Each deserves an element of elevated expression that can be both worn and cherished.
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Australian Opal Link Bracelet
A showstopper of design and elegance, this Australian Opal Link Bracelet, in 18K Gold is accentuated with Paraiba Tourmalines, Aquamarines, Indicolite, Blue Sapphires, and Emeralds. Price Upon Request.
Extraordinary Green Tourmaline and Aquamarine Earrings set in 18K Gold
Very Rare Cabochon Navette Cut Paraiba Tourmaline Surrounded by Diamonds set in 18K Gold
“Sea Star” and “Star and Sea” Earrings set with Bright Blue Sapphires 18K Gold
Nantucket Excellence
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Beach Reading
STORY BY GINGER ANDREWS
Inquirer and Mirror Photo
Beach books are notably light entertainment. But the best “beach book” might be the beach itself.
How do you read a beach?
Everyone knows what a beach is, yet each beach has its own personality, changeable and quirky as any soap opera, constantly moving. And each beach has a story to tell.
Wind and water are constantly sorting material, moving sand up and down, back and forth. The winter ocean rips the covers open, showing past chapters, layer by layer, as successive calm years let vegetation grow for a time, before dunes covered them again.
Nantucket’s sand was delivered by glaciers, a shining mix of white quartz and feldspar. Where a purple streak appears, it’s a heavier mix of rose quartz, almondine and pyrope garnet, mixed with black hematite, taking more energy for wind and wave to move.
Nantucket is blessed with an unusual amount of natural, undeveloped beach. The south shore faces the open Atlantic, the north shore the quieter sound. The harbors protect shallows and marshes. Each side of the island is a dynamic ecosystem in itself.
The dominant dune plant is beach grass, Amophila brevigulata. It slows the wind, collecting the sand it depends on for growth. Its deep roots reach the water table, acting as anchors. Years of deposition turn last year’s leaves into nutrients for this year’s growth. It enables beaches, fronted by the long fetch of the north Atlantic, or hammered by nor’easters, to retreat when winter sculpts the shore.
On the back side of the dunes, wind-blown sand buries whatever grew before: bayberry, brambles, pines or cedars. But it shelters beach plants too: sturdy beach roses, Rosa rugosa, brought from Japan, successful because of salt tolerance. Beach pea and seaside goldenrod find a footing. Monarch butterflies migrate past in the fall. Ants labor, cleaning up debris. Voles call it home. Snowy owls
Deep in the swash are mole crabs, blunt but quick swimmers, able to dive too fast to see in the semi-liquid sand. Growing up to an inch, they are eaten by flounder, bluefish and other sport fish.
and northern harriers hunt them, gliding moth-like above their trails.
Rolling dunes form the barrier beaches that protect our saltwater-facing fresh-water ponds, covering common reeds and cattail roots. Where they roll over salt marshes, glasswort, salicornia, picks up the slack. Life there ranges from large – Blue Herons – to small: salt-marsh moths.
The highest wrack line shows the limit of winter storms. One denizen of the upper beach on the ocean side is the ghost crab. In 2013, a shorebird monitor discovered some of their burrows at Smith’s Point. Well-known in the 1800s, they had not been seen here since the 1940s. Coming out only at night and sensitive to the least sound, burrows and tracks are
our best clues to their presence. Their long hiatus was possibly the result of increased beach driving, which compacts the sand and kills the fauna in it. Ghost crabs are evidence of a healthy beach.
Moving down toward the ocean, more recent wrack lines show in lines of seaweed. Here, sand “fleas” also known as Atlantic sand-hoppers, jump and skitter where drying seaweed gives them cover and food. They do not bite. They are called “fleas” due to their jumping ability. Sometimes black flies take cover in the wrack, however, and they bite. Shorebirds like semipalmated plovers comb the wrack for these protein-packed invertebrates. While it might seem odd to find an American goldfinch, grackle or flycatcher like the eastern kingbird
Barnacles, smooth periwinkle
there, hoppers – and flies – are full of nutrition.
Still further down, where wet sand is licked by the waves, the real fun begins. This dynamic area, subject to both drying and inundation, is known as the swash zone. Waves pound air into the sand and fill burrows with salt water.
The swash is home to a wide range of creatures: small crabs, larval clams, nereid and polychaete worms, food for fish and shorebirds. Largest are horseshoe crabs. On the quieter sound and harbor beaches, they swim up on new and full moon high tides to mate and lay their eggs, hidden from aquatic predators. At about 450 million years old – and they look it – they are one of the greatest survivors from past epochs.
But their sheer numbers made them ripe for exploitation. First used as bait, the discovery that lysate from their blood detects gram-negative bacteria made them suddenly important to the medical industry, putting further stress on the population. Shorebirds like red knots depend on their eggs to fuel a 2,000-mile migration. So, they might be one of the elders most worthy of respect.
Deep in the swash are mole crabs, blunt but quick swimmers, able to dive too fast to see in the semi-liquid sand. Growing up to an inch, they are eaten by flounder, bluefish and other sport fish. Larger shorebirds such as whimbrel or American oystercatchers like them, too. Some people eat them, although the amount of labor for such small
Mole Crab
Courtesy of Ginger Andrews
reward may not be worth it to most.
Next, measured in millimeters and hardly visible to the naked eye, are amphipods and copepods. These are tiny shrimp-like creatures, either vertically or laterally compressed in form. Sanderlings suck them up, probing the backwash as they run back and forth, never getting caught by an advancing wave. Piping plovers depend on them, as do ruddy turnstones, short-billed dowitchers and other shorebirds.
Copepods live in most waters. They are crustaceans, and therefore not kosher, but useful. Often used to clean aquariums, they eat phytoplankton, the microscopic, photosynthesizing algae that are one of the earliest life forms. Known as the meiofauna, cyanobacteria and single-celled organisms slip through water, too small to disturb sand. But they are the foundation of life, making our atmosphere and supporting the food web.
Some copepods create bioluminescence in water or sand. In a dense accumulation, a night swim can be like bathing in green fire. Walking kicks up sparks of cold light. Some jellyfish also eat them, making their otherwise transparent internal organs visible.
A natural beach is full of life, seen and unseen. Each observation turns another page, updated at every tide. With time and leisure, it’s a good read.
Virginia “Ginger” Andrews writes the “Island Bird Sightings” column for The Inquirer and Mirror and is a frequent contributor to Nantucket Today.
Inquirer and Mirror Photo Rosa rugosa
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Nantucket’s
STORY BY TREY HELLER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
Nantucket is a windswept island. On a gusty summer day, you can find grasslands of little bluestem swaying in the breeze and sailboats cruising through the harbor on helpful gales. Wind powers the beauty of our landscape.
wind arts
But today, wind power of another kind is a topic of intense debate. A slew of offshore wind farms have faced a firestorm of public scrutiny, prompting concerns that the turbines pose ecological risks to ocean wildlife and economic risks to Nantucket’s heritage tourism.
It is poetic that Nantucket is at the head of a national conversation about wind power. Its history is so intertwined with this natural force. It is wind that carried whaling vessels deep into the azure and enriched Nantucket’s early families. Back on shore, it’s wind that spurred inspiration for a variety of folk crafts and constructions.
I thought that now, in the midst of this tempest of controversy, it might be a good time to simply appreciate the Nantucket wind arts that rely on an ocean breeze for their full effect. After all, no one is at war with wind itself, so hopefully the following selections can improve its image on the island.
Weathervanes
An American folk art staple, weathervanes sit atop buildings not only as anemometric tools (measuring wind direction), but also as public sculptures. On Nantucket, these decorative instruments often take the shape of sea creatures like whales, fish and mermaids.
Historically, weathervanes have topped all sorts of buildings on Nantucket, from schoolhouses to hotels to churches to private residences. One black-painted sperm whale weathervane in the Nantucket Historical Association’s collection reveals how, sometimes, these artworks would be transferred from building to building.
Originally positioned atop a boat-building and carpentry workshop in the early 19th century, it was removed in the 1860s after complaints that it creaked too loudly. It was then moved to a cooper’s shop next door – but that building was demolished soon after. From there, it landed atop a private residence on Milk Street, where it spun until the family donated the piece to the NHA.
Though seemingly simple, weathervanes require excellent craftsmanship and an implicit understanding of physics. In order to point toward the prevailing wind, a weathervane’s front end must be heavy, with a lighter and broader back end that catches the wind. This requires a very calculated use of materials. On Nantucket, the bulk of the object
What may come as some surprise is that the “Old Mill” was actually one of four mills that once stood on the Popsquatchet Hills.
was made from pine board, though there is at least one example of a weathervane made from whalebone, which was styled as a harpoon.
Whirligigs
Unlike weathervanes, whirligigs are powered by wind through a propeller mechanism, and are explicitly decorative rather than functional. Some of the more popular and reoccurring whirligig designs in the 19th and early 20th centuries on Nantucket were carved figures with two rotating paddles, including the “Sailor Boy,” “Dewey Boy” and “Happy Jack.”
William H. Chase, born in 1850, was one of the earliest and most prominent makers of these objects. From his shop on Old North Wharf, and later from his home on West Chester Street, he created a wide selection of wind toys that delighted those on the island. He was an accomplished craftsman beyond whirligigs. Some of his model boats eventually made it into the Smithsonian.
Other whittlers include Charles F. Ray, who is thought to have originated the “Sailor Boy” style and Lincoln Ceely, who had a shop on Vestal Street. Ceely’s apprentice Aletha Macy also created whirligigs, though she was better known for her whale boards.
Windmills
Long before rows of wind turbines were poking out of the Atlantic, Nantucketers were harvesting wind power on land. These were functional mills for grinding corn, but they were also architectural elements that required a specialized understanding of construction and design.
The only remaining mill on the island is the iconic Old Mill, which is currently undergoing a comprehensive restoration, including structural repairs and reshingling. Built in 1746 by a Nantucket sailor, it’s a three-floored smock mill – meaning its cap alone rotates to face the wind. As artful as it is effective, the doors, shutters, sail supports, and tailpole are all painted a pastoral cottage red. Though currently removed for restoration work, there are typically four fabric sails which catch the wind.
What may come as some surprise is that the Old Mill was actually one of four mills that once stood on the Popsquatchet Hills. The first of these mills, built in 1722 and eventually named Barnabas Bunker’s Mill, had a particularly interesting lifespan. It was constructed by a man named Frederick Macy, who claimed the design was revealed to him in a dream.
The mill’s end was something more out of a nightmare. It exploded to smithereens. The town purchased the mill after the Great Fire of 1846 in order to test building demolitions for fire containment. Gunpowder was loaded into the base of the mill and ignited with a
Four smock-type windmills atop the Popsquatchet Hills.
Nantucket’s wind-related art and design traditions are a testament to the historic influence of one of nature’s strongest impacts on our island. Artists, craftspeople, and builders created out of a desire to interface with this invisible force in a more tangible way.
fuse. Giddy schoolchildren, who had been given the day off to view the spectacle, looked on in awe. The experiment was a success. There was limited burning debris that would spread a fire. But Barnabas Bunker’s Mill was lost.
Nantucket’s wind-related art and design traditions are a testament to the historic influence of one of nature’s strongest impacts on our island. Artists, craftspeople and builders created out of a desire to interface with this invisible force in a more tangible way.
In a twist of tragic irony, it is this very force which has given so much to the island that will one day be its undoing. During powerful storms, high winds pull sand away from our beaches and drive water toward the shore, which erodes the beach and the dunes. In some ways, that makes these art traditions all the more poetic – made here, on this island in the middle of the ocean, for a short time, catching the wind.
Trey Heller is an architecture writer based in New York City and a longtime Nantucket visitor.
From Top: A whalebone weathervane, a wooden whale weathervane and a Sailor Boy whirligig by William H. Chase.
Whirligig carver William Chase, seated on Old North Wharf.
Your Guide to Dining Out
Check out these featured restaurants from the 2024 Nantucket Restaurant Guide, considered “The Bible of Where to Eat” on Nantucket by visitors and islanders alike. Published by The Inquirer and Mirror.
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