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Departments
4 EDITOR’S NOTE
15 ART SPARKS JOY
A visit to the Granary Gallery will cure what ails you.
By Susie Middleton
18 A HAVEN FOR THE ARTS
A Vineyard Haven, to be precise.
By Louisa Hufstader
20 THE VIEW
The Grass Café is Open.
From the Editor
A BITE OUT OF SUMMER
Summer starts earlier and earlier every year, doesn’t it? Or at least it seems that way on the Vineyard. June used to be pretty mellow, allowing us enough time to acclimate to summer. But now it seems like we’re jumping right into the deep end – a pool filled with activities and events. This year, the fiftieth anniversary of the release of the film Jaws will bring thousands of visitors – and a busy lineup of events – to the Island on the third weekend of June (page 5), the same weekend as Juneteenth celebrations.
One of my favorite ways to segue into summer at a gentler pace is to visit Island art galleries to see what our talented artists have been up to over the winter. Visiting the Granary Gallery is a seasonal rite for me (page 15), but so is walking around Edgartown Village, the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District (page 18), and the Arts District in Oak Bluffs.
Not surprisingly, artists are getting into the Jaws spirit, too. I saw a small wooden model of Orca at the Granary. Oak Bluffs is planning a display called Sharks in the Parks. And Vineyard Haven artists will create ongoing exhibits of Jaws art.
If you’re looking for a different kind of bite, check out Laura Haddad’s guide to al fresco drinks and nibbles around the Island (page 8). Then take a look at Molly Coogan’s summer reading picks and head for the beach. I leave it to you to decide whether or not to dip your toes in the water. (Cue the music.)
– Susie Middleton
5 JAWS
Welcome to Amity!
6 BOOKS
8 VINE AND DINE
Cocktails & Small Bites
10 Q&A
A Sense of Purpose: An Interview with Jannette Vanderhoop
EDITOR
Susie Middleton
ART DIRECTOR Jared Maciel
CONTRIBUTORS
Sissy Biggers, Molly Coogan, Mindy Dutka, Ray Ewing, Laura Holmes Haddad, Louisa Hufstader, Jeanna Shepard.
PUBLISHER
Monica Brady-Myerov
GENERAL MANAGER
Sarah Gifford
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Frederica Carpenter ads@vineyardgazette.com
AD SALES TEAM
Carrie Blair, Isabela Fernandez, Serena Ward
MARKETING & SPONSORSHIPS
Tresa Lovio-Slattery
MARKETING CONSULTANT
Kharma Finley-Wallace
AD PRODUCTION
Jane McTeigue, McKinley Sanders
Copyright 2025 by the Vineyard Gazette Media Group. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.
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Cover Photo: Board members of the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District (see page 18 for names) at the Katharine Cornell Theatre. Photo by Jeanna Shepard.
WELCOME TO AMITY!
We’re going to need a bigger calendar.
The word is out and fans are gathering. Martha’s Vineyard is expecting as many as 15,000 visitors for the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster film Jaws over the weekend of Thursday, June 19 to Monday, June 22. Opportunities abound – to meet cast members, to hear about behind-the-scenes experiences, to attend special screenings of the film, and to participate in an all-day reunion event at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. So while for Vineyarders, it may seem like we live in Amity all the time (a jump off Jaws Bridge anyone?), for movie fans a trip to the Island for this milestone is a hot ticket.
As a result, many bigger events have sold out, but that doesn’t mean we won’t all get swept up in the excitement anyway. Starting with a special Jawsthemed Martha’s Vineyard Sharks game – at The Shark Tank, of course – on Thursday evening, and going through Monday morning, when a full-scale replica of Orca’s cabin – meticulously researched and constructed by Cort Corino – is revealed at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, it will seem like we’re hearing John Williams’s Grammy and Academy award–winning Jaws theme song in our ears all weekend.
And if you think you’re seeing sharks everywhere – you are. Oak Bluffs is hosting a Sharks in the Park Public Art Display and the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District is encouraging artists to participate in creating and exhibiting Jaws-themed art during and after the celebrations. Event central will be the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, where talks and events are happening throughout the big weekend. Historian and Jaws fanatic (FIN-atic, in his words) A. Bowdoin “Bow” Van Riper will take fans on an indepth exploration of what makes Jaws a masterpiece. Conservationist and scuba diver Wendy Benchley, wife of Peter Benchley, the late author of Jaws, will speak about how the movie sparked her interest in shark protection and global marine conservation. Sunday at the museum is Reunion Day, an allday Jaws festival put on by the Vineyard Gazette in collaboration with the museum. The event will feature movie memorabilia, live performances, trivia games and meet-and-greets with Island residents who participated in the film’s production.
A highlight of the weekend is the premiere of Jaws@50: The Definitive
Inside Story, a new documentary that reveals the behind-the-scenes stories of Jaws – from malfunctioning mechanical sharks to the creative genius of the young director –and also takes a look at how the cultural phenomenon spurred ocean conservation efforts. The documentary is directed by Laurent Bouzereau, who has worked closely with Steven Spielberg for over 30 years, in collaboration with Wendy Benchley.
The premiere will be hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society in partnership with National Geographic and Amblin Documentaries on Friday night at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center. But because the event sold out, the MV Film Society is working on efforts to make additional or future screenings possible.
And even before the weekend begins (and after it is over), we’ll all have a
chance to go down memory lane and return to 1974 – by touring a special commemorative exhibit at Martha’s Vineyard Museum between May 24 and September 5. Jaws at 50: A Deeper Dive explores how the Vineyard became Amity Island – through oral histories, photographs, original art and movie props. (The movie was filmed in 1974 and released in 1975.)
Additionally, the Vineyard Gazette Media Group has published a special magazine about the film, with rarely seen photos from the archives of Islanders. You can order your copy of Jaws 50 Martha’s Vineyard: Commemorative Anniversary Edition online at vineyardgazettestore.com.
Events are still being added to the calendar, so be sure to check vineyardgazette.com/jaws/events for the latest updates and for links to buy tickets. Or scan the QR code below.
Left: In between takes during filming, Jeffrey Kramer (Deputy Hendricks) climbs onto a billboard erected as a crowd of local extras gather beneath. Top: The crew of Arcana Workshop works on a scale model of Bruce the sharkʼs head for the commemorative Jaws exhibit at the Marthaʼs Vineyard Museum.
Courtesy Andy Fligor
Courtesy Arcana Workshop
BOOK IT A Boatload of Books
BY MOLLY COOGAN
Every summer, among the crowds arriving by the boatload, there are several book authors who are seasonal residents or frequent Island visitors. Fortunately for us, this year many are landing on our shores (or right across the bay) just as their new books are hitting the shelves. There will be book signings and author events all over the Island in the coming months, so check the calendars to see when and where you might catch them.
One of the most highly anticipated novels of the season is the latest from bestselling author Martha Hall Kelly, 1. The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club (Ballantine Books, $30). The book is about two sisters on the Vineyard during World War II and is inspired by true events.
Another hot title and a very fun read is 2. The House on Buzzards Bay (Viking, $30), a thriller by Dwyer Murphy. When old college friends reunite at a beach house for a summer vacation, a sudden disappearance and a seductive stranger threaten to uncover long-held secrets.
Bunch of Grapes is looking forward to hosting the launch event on July 2 for best-selling, award-winning YA (young adult) author Tiffany D. Jackson’s first middle-grade novel, 3. Blood in the Water (Scholastic, $18.99), which has already received several starred reviews. This murder mystery set on the Vineyard thoughtfully explores the Island’s Black history and is a pageturning adventure even older readers
will enjoy.
And what’s a Vineyard summer without memorable meals shared with friends and family? 4. The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook: 100 Recipes from the Island’s Restaurants, Farmers, Fishermen & Food Artisans (Rizzoli, $45) by Julia Blanter, with a foreward by Juli Vanderhoop and photography by Jocelyn Filley, truly captures the unique and collaborative nature of the Vineyard’s food culture.
Casting a wider geographical culinary net, 5. Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine (Clarkson Potter, $35), the new cookbook from author and food historian Jessica B. Harris, winner of the James Beard Award and inductee in the Cookbook Hall of Fame, offers a full picture of the history of this country’s cuisine through essays, interviews and over 100 recipes that weave together the ingredients and traditions of Indigenous, European and African people. Both Jessica and Julia will be at the Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival August 1 and 2.
Another culinary superstar and hall of famer is Steven Raichlen, well known for his cookbooks and television shows on grilling and barbecue. His latest book, 6. Project Griddle: The Versatile Art of Grilling on a Flattop (Workman Publishing, $30), explores the history and geography of the griddle, offers practical advice on how to use a griddle and includes (80) mouthwatering recipes, too.
Finally, a timely book that explores both truth and history – and helps us to understand who we are and how we got here – comes from awardwinning Aquinnah Wampanoag journalist Joseph Lee. 7. Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity (Atria, $28.99) is a sweeping, personal
exploration of Indigenous identity and the challenges facing Indigenous people around the world. Hear the author speak about this beautiful and wise book at the Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival in August.
Remember, a beach read is any book you read on the beach, and we’re always happy to help you find the perfect one! We also have plenty of recommendations for porch, ferry and rainy-day reading as well.
“There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away.” – Emily Dickinson
Molly Coogan is co-owner of Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven.
Photo courtesy of author
Kolin Mendez photo
A Martha’s Vineyard Public Garden
A Martha’s Vineyard Public Garden
Explore the 72-acre horticultural and historical Island landmark.
Be inspired by the globally recognized plant collections.
Learn from the classes, programs and tours.
Grounds open sunrise to sunset year-round. Visitor Center & Plant Sales open seasonally. 795 State Road, West Tisbury | pollyhillarboretum.org | 508-693-9426
Cocktails & Small Bites
BY LAURA HOLMES HADDAD • PHOTOS BY RAY EWING
It’s officially outdoor dining season. And what better way to celebrate summer than to grab a drink and an appetizer with friends? We’ve got a roundup of enticing al fresco Island spots that are perfect for sipping and snacking.
EDGARTOWN
The Pelican Club (at Faraway Martha’s Vineyard hotel) 6 Kelly Street
508-627-6300
Open seven days(weather dependent), noon to 10 p.m., food noon to 9 p.m. farawaymarthasvineyard.com @pelicanclubmvy
Striped umbrellas are a universal sign of fun, and The Pelican Club has it in spades. This outdoor bar has ample space to gather with friends, thanks to the expansive landscaped patio with tables and banquettes and a smaller
bar with barstools meant for perching. The menu is geared to sharing, with small bites, appetizers and sushi. The drink options are endless, from craft cocktails and wine and beer to a long list of tasty mocktails (including our favorite, the grapefruit nojito).
Snack on chicken satay, tequila fired shrimp or a few rainbow rolls and enjoy the energy of an Island summer. Reservations available and encouraged.
Atlantic Fish & Chophouse
2 Main Street
508-627-7001
Open Wednesday - Monday, noon to 9 p.m.
Island Social Club open 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. atlanticmv.com @altlanticedgartown
Atlantic Fish & Chophouse looks out on Edgartown Harbor, with an old-school vibe and cocktails and food to match.
From the classic (espresso martini, spritzes) and the reserve cocktails (ristretto Negroni) to an expansive wine list, there is something for everyone. Share a few appetizers such as shrimp cocktail and a dozen Katama Bay Honeysuckle oysters, along with the sea breeze. Night owls might prefer the Atlantic’s late-night venue called the Island Social Club, with high-end drinks and bites such as beef tartare and caviar- and truffle-topped French fries, served from 10 p.m. to midnight and a live DJ on select dates.
The Hemingway Bar/Behind the Bookstore
46 Main Street
774-549-9123
Open seven days, 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (weather dependent) btbmv.com @behindthebookstore
Walking down the brick-and-tree-lined path to the Hemingway Bar is an onlyin-summer moment. And sitting on a barstool sipping a craft cocktail among the towering trees is even better. This low-key spot is a perfect stop on the
way to dinner; don’t miss the matcha martini and the cucumber Collins. (Brunch cocktails are available too.) No reservations accepted for the bar but you rarely have to wait long.
Harbor View Hotel
131 N. Water Street
877-624-7992
Open seven days, 5 to 10 p.m.; Drinks and bar bites noon to 9 p.m. at Behind the View; 5 to 9 p.m. at Bettini Bar harborviewhotel.com @bettiniedgartown, @behindtheviewmv
Drinks just taste better with a view, and Harbor View Hotel’s wide, welcoming veranda is a prime location for enjoying a summer evening in Edgartown. White rocking chairs and inviting couches dot the covered porch and the lighthouse makes a great backdrop for photos. Order from the bar bites menu at Bettini restaurant bar or the Behind the View bar and head outside. There’s nothing like an order of perfectly crisp French fries or savory pork & chive dumplings to accompany the dazzling
At The Sweet Life in Oak Bluffs, enjoy a tequila-based Menta Melon (left) and elegant small bites, such as duck liver mousse with housemade foccacia (top) and bay scallop crudo (bottom) .
gin-based golden hibiscus, the Bettini gin and tonic (a stunning take on the classic), or the flora spritz mocktail.
Winnetu Oceanside Resort
31 Dunes Road
508-627-2663
Dunes restaurant open Thursday –Tuesday, 5 to 9 p.m.; reservations highly recommended. Poolside Grill open seven days, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (through mid-Sept.) winnetu.com @thewinnetu
Facing the Atlantic Ocean, The Dunes restaurant’s second-floor wooden deck has a spectacular view and an ocean breeze, with an extensive menu for light bites, such as roasted oysters and lobster tacos. And don’t worry, heaters and blankets are available for those chilly nights. There’s a full bar and wine list but also plenty of specialty cocktails to sample, including the Winnetu sangrita and Summer on the Vineyard. If you prefer a midday meetup, grab a drink and a bite from the poolside grill. Non-hotel guests are welcome at both spots; take a water taxi (reservations required) from Edgartown to make it feel like a real getaway.
OAK BLUFFS
The Sweet Life 63 Circuit Avenue
508-696-0200
Open 5:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesday – Sunday sweetlifemv.com @sweet_life_mv
Tucked in an old Victorian home, Sweet Life is a lovely spot for an elegant cocktail. With a large, tented outdoor area, plan a drinks night, rain or shine. The cocktail list is sublime, with six types of Negronis (including the divine seaside Negroni) and the inventive, tequila-based menta melon. (There are also several delicious and unique mocktails available.) Shareable plates include local oysters, local bay scallop crudo, fluffy housemade focaccia and rich and luscious duck liver mousse. You’ll be tempted to stay for dinner for more of chef Hal Ryerson’s seasonally inspired cooking.
Nomans 15 Island Inn Road
508-338-2474
Open Thursday – Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; nomansmv.com
@nomansmv
If a very cool backyard is your preferred vibe, meet your friends at Nomans. With picnic tables and Adirondack chairs, this low-key spot is a perfect place to sip a pint of beer while playing a round of cornhole or Jenga. The cocktail menu features house rums (The jungle bird is a must-try) as well as a long list of draft beer and wine. Share an order of the gooey queso and chips or chewy Bavarian baked pretzel with cheese dipping sauce and sit back and soak up summer. Dogs are welcome.
Lookout Tavern
8 Seaview Avenue
508-896-9844
Open seven days, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. lookoutmv.com @lookouttavernmv
A local favorite, Lookout Tavern is known for their excellent sushi (a perennial Best of the Vineyard winner) and award-winning lobster rolls. The entire restaurant is nearly all outdoors and overlooking Nantucket Sound, so it’s a great way to wait for your friends arriving at the Oak Bluffs ferry dock. The Lookout has a full bar and an extensive specialty drink list that includes the beloved Lookout rum punch. There are drink and appetizer specials Monday – Friday, 3:30 to 5:50 p.m. This is a no-reservation spot so be prepared to wait!
Nancy’s
29 Lake Avenue
508-693-0006
Open seven days; Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
@nancysrestaurant_mv nancysrestaurant.com
The always-buzzing Nancy’s is a summer staple in Oak Bluffs. The best seats are upstairs where you can look over the Oak Bluffs Harbor while having a drink. Nancy’s is famous for their dirty banana (a mudslide with a banana) and their margarita. Or you can opt for a pint of Buddha Pale Ale. Add some snacks – a platter of chowder fries, fresh sushi or a Mediterranean sampler plate – and call
it a day. They don’t take reservations but there is ample seating.
VINEYARD HAVEN
El Barco 16 Union Street
Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 3 to 8 p.m.; Friday – Sunday: noon to 8 p.m. elbarcomv.com @elbarcomv
A few blocks from the Vineyard Haven ferry terminal sits El Barco, a casual open-air spot made for summer. With plenty of shareable food plates (such as the addictive chips & queso, crunchy fried calamari and savory elote), the only decision left after securing a barstool is which drink to choose. The frozen margarita is a musttry, but the spicy el diablo cocktail is not to be missed. Dos Equis on tap is a no-brainer. There are also plenty of non-alcoholic choices, including Mexican Coke® and four flavors of the Mexican soda Jarritos.
Garde East 52 Beach Road
508-687-9926
Open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m.; brunch served Friday – Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; cocktails served Friday – Sunday, 3 to 5 p.m.; extended hours beginning mid-June (check website) gardeeast.com @gardeeast
For a vacation feel right on the Vineyard Haven Harbor, meet for a bite and a cocktail at Garde East. Sample your way through their “docktails” menu on the comfortable couches in the courtyard, from a stool on the upper deck or with your toes in the sand of their private beach. Sip a glass of rosé (or one of dozens of wines on their extensive menu), a beach bellini or a classic martini, and share a platter of oysters, tuna poke or pommes frites. Sit back and watch the boats go by.
Laura Holmes Haddad is a former cookbook editor and regular contributor to the Vine.
In Oak Bluffs, Nomans (top) has a cool backyard vibe and a cocktail menu that highlights house-made rum. Grab a frozen margarita at El Barco in Vineyard Haven.
A Sense of Purpose
An interview with Jannette Vanderhoop
BY SISSY BIGGERS • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD
On a recent sunny afternoon, I made my way from Oak Bluffs to Aquinnah, traveling blissfully with little traffic in the quiet early season past greening fields, scattered boulders and glimpses of the distant coastline. I was on my way to meet Jannette Vanderhoop at her airy, slope-roofed home in tribal housing. Inside, one of her long, furry felines stretched out beside her. It felt like the perfect setting to talk about place, purpose and what it means to grow within — and give back to — a close-knit community.
Many Islanders know Jannette for her distinctive Island Naturals
jewelry, which she sold for 17 years at the Vineyard Artisan Festivals at the Grange Hall. But in recent years, she’s been in what she calls a “growth spurt,” stepping into deeper roles within the Wampanoag Tribe [of Gay Head, Aquinnah] and the Island at large. From directing the Tribe’s summer Turtle Program during her college years to serving on the board of the Aquinnah Cultural Center, from teaching yoga to starting a gardening business, and now holding seats on both the Tribal Council and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, Jannette brings an energy, a strong sense of purpose and
a passion for being part of something bigger.
Q. Your last name, Vanderhoop, is deeply associated with the Wampanoag community and some of the earliest families in Aquinnah. Can you share the history or provenance of this beautiful name and what it means to you personally?
A. I am proud of the name. The first was Adrian Vanderhoop, a Dutch Suriname sailor [who arrived on the Vineayrd] in the 1700s. So probably not a white man. He married Justina Jeffers [a Wampanoag] here. On the Vineyard everyone says, oh, you’re tribal, but everywhere else they say, oh, you’re Dutch! I was born and raised on the Island. A lot of people don’t understand that not all of our members live on the
Vineyard. We’re all over the country –all over the world.
Q. You live in tribal housing now. Can you tell me about the early days of this community?
A. Tribal housing opened in 1995 and I was a teenager when we moved up here, having done the Vineyard shuffle between different rental properties. I had never taken a bus! There were lots of kids running around the neighborhood and climbing up the big dirt hill, I remember, when they were building the community center. I don’t think kids do that anymore – slogging around mud puddles.
Q. You were born before the Tribe received federal recognition in 1987. How did that timing shape your experience growing up in
the Wampanoag community, and what differences have you seen in the sense of identity and connection among kids who came up after you?
A. The kids who came up after me and lived from the beginning in tribal housing have a real sense of community. Before recognition, everything was a little ad hoc. My mom would drop me at the town hall for beading and dance classes. It wasn’t as organized before the community center [was built]. And then I wound up directing the summer Turtle Program [a camp for tribal youth] there during my college years.
Q. What did that experience mean to you?
A. I had these kids from when they were five to like 12 years old. I think of them as my kids even though I’m not that much older than them. I remember one of the now grown-up kids asked me once what it means to me to be tribal. I think it’s a sense of social responsibility and an obligation to give back or even to just be present or participate. A lot of people are longing for it and missing being a part of things. People want ceremony. They want fun, to create or to be educated in something that is cultural in nature, spiritual and social.
Q. Did that sense of responsibility and the desire to give back motivate you to run for Tribal Council? How have your first months been?
A. My role there is not just, like, political. I want our people to feel like they’re invested in the Tribe because they enjoy it, that it’s not just a chore — it’s a part of who you are. I think people crave that on the Vineyard specifically; it’s not just a tribal thing. Here we know each other; we feel obligated to each other. Well, the first meeting was six hours and I swear, this one white hair popped out during my very first Tribal Council meeting — it’s my Tribal Council white hair! It really did, I’m not kidding. Actually, it’s been really great. I am learning a lot and I’m glad to be a part of the team.
Q. And as if the Tribal Council responsibility is not enough, you were a write-in candidate from Aquinnah for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission this past fall.
A. There was nobody running for the open Aquinnah spot, so it wasn’t as competitive as the other towns,
and it was an opportunity. It’s been really interesting. I’m learning about construction and zoning bylaws. I’m starting to speak up. I am interested in creating housing, seeing more cultural tourism. I like fixing old things and seeing old, dilapidated buildings repurposed.
Q. You’ve got all of these community responsibilities in addition to your thriving NV Gardens business.
A. Yes, an N and a V. It can often be mistaken for MV. My partner and I thought it was so clever. She is Nina Violet and I am “Netty” Vanderhoop. She left and now I’m the one N.V.
Q. Do you have a gardening philosophy or a special approach or style?
A. First of all, I see a lot of landscapers who are frantic and stressed out. I’m really good at time management. I keep an obsessive schedule, and I don’t want to take on more than I can do, so most of my clients are up here. It’s all
organic, fine gardening.
Q. Where are you selling your Island Naturals jewelry now?
A. I did the Vineyard Artisans Festival at the Grange Hall for like 17 years, but it was beginning to feel like a factory –just pumping out things. What I really like to do is make my signature, one-ofa-kind necklaces in bone, wood, shell, stone leather and feathers. I use beach wampum, but I don’t cut and shape the shells. I just drill the shell so it’s much more organic and chunky. I sell at Bowen’s Arrow at the Cliffs and at Rinpo on Main street in Vineyard Haven.
Q. You’re certainly in crunch time now, so what is the moment you are looking forward to this summer?
A. Last year I had some really awesome beach days with my girlfriends. I’ll go fishing and go to trivia nights. I also look forward to iced coffee season. When the big work is done, we just drive around with iced coffee and water, weeding, spraying and deadheading. I also hope
to continue the walking tour I piloted last summer at the Aquinnah Cultural Center. People can just show up. I think I’ll be doing it on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. I share four stories including those of Moshup, Epenow, and the wreck of the City of Columbus. It’s easy and fun and I hope that somebody will take it and do it!
Q. I know many of us who live down-Island wish we could get up here to enjoy the beauty of Aquinnah more often. What’s your favorite time of year?
A. It’s a specific moment in the fall after a workday when the sun goes down early. We’re done at three and it’s very peaceful, and there’s this feeling of contentment. In the fall, it doesn’t matter what you got done because it will be there tomorrow. It’s my favorite time of year.
Sissy Biggers is the Q&A columnist for The Vine and a contributor to Martha’s Vineyard Magazine.
Falmouth, E. Falmouth, Wareham, Bridgewater, E. Bridgewater, Marstons Mills, Mashpee, Yarmouth, Harwich, Nantucket
Juneteenth JuneteentH
JUNE 19, 2025 - 5 TO 6 PM
JUNETEENTH: legacy and promise Martha’s Vineyard Museum
Celebrate Juneteenth with a thought-provoking panel conversation hosted by the Vineyard Gazette and the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. This year’s topic: What is the history and future of the Juneteenth holiday?
JUNE 22, 2025 - 12 TO 2 PM GOSPEL BRUNCH Edgartown Yacht Club
Join us for the annual Juneteenth Gospel Brunch with a live Gospel band. This is a ticketed event. All are welcome.
Jeanna Shepard
Ray Ewing
Photo by Gil Jacobs
Interior Design by Rentschler & Co. Interiors, Photos by Lara Fort’e
Art Sparks Joy
This just in: A visit to the Granary Gallery will cure what ails you.
BY SUSIE MIDDLETON • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD
Right around the time the lilacs on Old County Road in West Tisbury begin to bloom, my car starts behaving erratically. It wants to steer itself into the parking lot of the Granary Gallery when really it should be taking me to the grocery store. It happens every year after a long, gray winter – I need a boost of color, I need a fresh outlook, I need my brain to smile. I need to go grazing at the Granary.
Apparently, I’m not the only one.
“I can’t tell you how happy it makes
me when people come back for the summer and tell me the first thing they did when they got off the boat was head to the Granary,” Chris Morse, owner of the Granary Gallery said recently. It didn’t surprise me to hear that. In a world that’s constantly shifting, there’s something solid and reassuring about the rustic red barn itself. Inside, the staff is always friendly – never intimidating; a welcoming vibe in an art gallery can never be underrated. Even kids with ice cream cones are
Itʼs serious art, but thereʼs always an air of playfulness at the Granary Gallery. Top: A Jay Lagemann sculpture of a speeding bicyclist arranged in front of Steve Millsʼ oil painting of Mad Marthaʼs - with bicycles propped outside. Right: A color story of greens and umbers. Left: The late Ella Tulinʼs sculptures and Tim Laursenʼs Osprey outside the main entrance.
welcome, Chris said.
But what I feel most when I walk in the gallery is joy. What I feel when I leave is enriched. It’s a bit like being on a childhood field trip to the cool museum, but nothing’s behind a wall of plate glass, and there’s no one dictating how you should think of a particular piece of art. What you experience is exciting layers of color and texture and shape – different mediums side by side, but always working in sync.
The careful curation that the Granary staff works hard to achieve is designed to suggest how the art might feel in your home – alongside a stack of books, on a pine table spread with African textiles, next to a leather chair, over a mantel piece, even hanging outside in a courtyard. There is a
playful air to so many displays. In one, a Jay Lagemann sculpture of a speeding bicyclist stands in front of a large Steve Mills canvas of Mad Martha’s at night with two bicycles propped up on the street outside the store.
In another vignette, objects arranged on a table – a green necklace of large African trading beads made from recycled glass, an aged pair of binoculars with a subtle verdigris coloring, an old wooden vase and the lime green of a baseball cap draw out the many shades of green, umber and gold in Mary Sipp Green’s oil painting, Cattle Barn
In a sense, the gallery is accessorizing the art for sale with objects that anchor them. Chris will occasionally go to the famous Brimfield Antique Flea Market, which takes place three times a year in
Brimfield, Mass., to poke around for pieces that he might not necessarily sell in the gallery but that help to create an aesthetic. And, of course, some of those finds are for sale too; I have a small collection of old purple glass bottles thanks to the Granary.
While the gallery is well-known, not just on the Vineyard, but around the country and internationally, for representing distinguished painters, sculptors and photographers – and for connecting collectors to the works of famed deceased artists including Thomas Hart Benton and Alfred Eisenstaedt – it supports emerging artists as well, many of whom work in surprising mediums that add richness and occasional whimsy to the gallery’s rooms, inside and out.
The three artists who will be featured in the first show of the season (opening Friday, June 27, 4 to 6 p.m.) are wonderful examples of this. In addition to painting, Steve Datz creates sculptures from found objects, designed to lure the viewer into stories of their own making. Equally stimulating are Nancy Slonim Aronie’s mixed media works that are almost like three-dimensional poems. Each features ephemera cleverly arranged in plexiglass with just enough (usually ironic) words to get you thinking. And Marthe Rowen’s drawings in moleskin notebooks are truly captivating. One scene, sketched in archival ink while standing in one place and turning 360 degrees, can stretch over 128 pages.
Clockwise from left: The Granary’s Lina Racaniello stands beneath Terry Crimmen’s Life Ring MV; painter Kenneth Vincent arrives with two new works; Daryl Royster Alexander’s art includes a portrait of the Vineyard’s Nancy Michael, mixed media work (Offering to the Mother God), and paintings from her series on enslaved people taking flight.
And yet nothing is ever chaotic at the Granary. I can gaze at an 88” x 122” canvas – The Promised Land by Bo Bartlett – on a huge sliding barn door in one room and transition easily into a small room where the first thing that catches my eye is a tabletop recreation of the fishing vessel Orca (of Jaws fame) by Roger Sylva.
While they make it look easy, the Granary elves work hard to create this flow, and I don’t think they ever sleep. I know because I was at the gallery twice recently – once with my pal, photographer Jeanna Shepard, who teamed up with me to document a moment in time at the Granary – and again two days later, when artwork had already shifted around. No doubt there had been sales in the interim too. (I forgot this wasn’t my personal museum – ha!) While Jeanna and I were there, artist and Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School art teacher Kenneth Vincent came in the
front door carrying two new paintings – to replace two that had sold in the previous few weeks.
What I came back to look at again was the work of Daryl Royster Alexander, particularly an evocative painting of Nancy Michael, a Vineyarder born to an enslaved person in the 1700s who became well known for her blessings and curses upon sailors. As a bonus, I got a preview of some new work David Wallis is creating, inspired by his garden. From bold nasturtiums to effervescent echinacea, these are exciting paintings to look forward to seeing in person later in the summer.
Once again, I left the Granary feeling uplifted.
Or as Chris described it, “There’s a levity to this place. The people –the artists – to be surrounded by all their beautiful work…it’s a wonderful retreat of happiness.”
Susie Middleton is editor of The Vine.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
The Granary Gallery will kick off the season with a show featuring these three artists on Friday, June 27, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Marthe Rowen’s Drawing in Place notebooks
Top: Exploring color - Steve Mills’ Pool Party, Kenneth Vincent’s Chatting with Alan Look and Steve Datz’s Looking Up cover the blues. Bottom: Mirror in the courtyard.
Nancy Slonim Aronie’s May All Beings Live with Ease
Steve Datz’s Brushes 4
A Haven for the Arts
A Vineyard Haven, to be precise.
BY LOUISA HUFSTADER • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD
The Island’s principal ferry port and busiest year-round community is also home to a flourishing arts scene that’s once again gearing up for a lively summer.
Local artists, led by members of the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District, are planning a Jaws-themed art show that will open at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum June 22 and then move to other locations in town.
First Friday Vineyard Haven, a free celebration for all ages with live music, food trucks and a street market, resumes June 6 and continues monthly through October 3.
The two-part First Friday festival begins with an outdoor art market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Beach street extension at Five Corners, then moves
to Owen Park from 5 to 11 p.m. for live music, food, art vendors and a silent disco on the beach.
Island artist Althea Freeman-Miller, who owns Althea Gallery on Beach Road, and musician Andy Herr cofounded the First Friday series in 2016, inspired by similar events they’d each seen on the mainland.
During the pandemic, they kept the series going with socially-distanced gatherings, even putting musicians on a barge to entertain from offshore.
Post-Covid, First Friday has become a popular event that draws visitors from other Island towns as well as tourists. It’s co-sponsored by the Vineyard Haven Business Association, representing downtown retailers, and the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District, which
was established in 2014.
“The cultural district is a designation created by the state [for] a specific geographic area,” Andy said during an interview with The Vine at his recording studio in the Stone Bank complex off Union street — more or less in the middle of the cultural district, which stretches north to include the Vineyard Haven library and Owen Park and west to encompass the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse and the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center.
To the south and east, the district covers the cluster of art galleries on Beach Road; neighboring Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway, where wooden boats are built by hand with traditional tools and techniques; and the Martha’s Vineyard Museum on
Lagoon Pond Road.
Island fashion designer Angela Sison’s Conrado boutique, which just moved from the Stone Bank building to a more prominent Union street location, represents yet another aspect of Vineyard Haven creativity.
“It’s a cultural district with all of the culture included,” Andy said. “It’s pretty diverse.”
In late 2023, Andy and Althea joined forces with other working artists and volunteers to relaunch the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District as a fully-fledged, tax-exempt nonprofit with the ability to both raise funds and distribute grants.
Althea now serves as president of the district board, with former Martha’s Vineyard Museum executive
The Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District board includes (left to right): Andy Herr, Wil Sideman, Elaine Barse, Althea Freeman-Miller, Taylor Stone, Amy Benford, Rachel Baumrin, Amy Ryan, Elysha Sideman, and JP Hitesman. Missing from photo: Phil Wallis.
director Phil Wallis as vice president.
Like Althea, the other board members also are full-time artists: Elysha Roberts, a member of the Workshop Gallery collective on Beach Road, is treasurer and Taylor Stone, who works with cut paper, is clerk.
Taylor also handles the district’s public relations, speaking with town officials and networking with local business owners to plan events and activities.
This month, she’ll be looking for Vineyard Haven shops and galleries willing to show art from the Jaws exhibition after it appears at the museum.
“Our slogan is, ‘We’re going to need a bigger gallery,’” Taylor told The Vine The Jaws show is the cultural district’s first-ever call for artworks, she said, and artists will have wide leeway to interpret the theme. “It’s ‘Jaws and the Artist’s Perspective,’” Taylor said.
Vineyard Haven artists have their eye on other firsts as well: Andy said he hopes the cultural district will be able to take over the job of booking the Katharine Cornell Theatre, which is owned by the town of Tisbury.
“It doesn’t seem like an appropriate responsibility for the town, and they have an administrative bottleneck,” he said. The district similarly could take on the job of approving busker applications from street musicians, which currently falls to the select
board, Andy said.
The Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District receives some funding from the state and also raises money through sponsorships and events like a recent First Friday fund-raiser at the Portuguese American Club in Oak Bluffs.
Tisbury voters recently approved taking $14,000 from the town’s open space reserve fund for the district to create “plein aire podiums,” a set of outdoor art-making stations where passers-by can get creative; the locations and logistics are still being finalized. And Andy told The Vine he hopes a future warrant article will lead to some Tisbury funding for First Friday, as well.
“We get no money from the town to put on a free event for the town, [while] there are other cultural districts in the state that get tens of thousands of dollars from their towns to put on events like this,” he said.
While the group works towards more integration with the town, in the meantime it’s full speed ahead for the summer of 2025.
For more about First Friday Vineyard Haven, visit firstfridayvh.com.
The Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District’s new website, with map and links, is at vhhcd.org.
Louisa Hufstader is senior writer for the Vineyard Gazette.
The cultural district extends from Main street out to the Vineyard Haven Public Library, and covers the Marthaʼs Vineyard Playhouse and the Marthaʼs Vineyard Hebrew Center.
To the east, the cultural district covers the cluster of art galleries on Beach Road, neighboring Benjamin & Gannon Marine Railway and the Marthaʼs Vineyard Museum.
The Grass Café is Open
When it’s time to get out on pasture, animals at Slough Farm are so excited that they act like foodies discovering a new Vineyard restaurant.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MINDY DUTKA
As spring segues into summer on Martha’s Vineyard, everything seems to speed up – there’s a palpable energy – and suddenly we’re all eyes and ears about what’s new and exciting. The animals at Slough Farm in Edgartown are no exception. The cows, horses, sheep, chickens and dogs don’t tiptoe into the season; they burst onto the scene like they’ve been waiting for the curtain to rise all year.
And in many ways, they have.
“Everybody gets pushy in the spring,” said Christian Walkis, Slough’s farm manager, with a grin. The animals are antsy after months of mud and hay
and holding patterns. The cows plow through electric fences in search of greener pastures, literally.
“We chased the cows around for an hour and a half last night,” Christian added. “They just kept walking through the electric line. They’re done waiting.”
The shift is visceral. The horses have a bounce in their step. The sheep, especially the lambs, bop and chase each other in the evenings like kids at recess. Chickens scratch the first grass furiously, looking for insect snacks.
Julie Scott, Slough Farm’s executive director, put it perfectly: “They’re
foodie tourists. Every day when a new pasture opens, they rush in like they’re trying a new restaurant. They don’t just start eating, but they sample everything. It’s like, ‘Has this spot reopened for the season?’”
And, yes, there’s drama too. One particularly curious lamb slipped through a gate this spring and wandered off, only to be found the next morning perched on a neighbor’s front porch. “She just sat there all night, pooped on the porch and waited,” Christian laughed.
Then there are the roosters, otherwise known as the frat boys.
They’re always posturing, always performing, always protecting the hens – loudly.
But the seasonal symphony isn’t just noise; it’s movement, harmony, purpose.
“By summer, everything comes together,” Julie said. “All the animals are out, each grazing different parts of the pasture, adding different nutrients to the soil. The chickens follow a few days behind the cows, and it becomes a full ballet with a live orchestra. The work of winter – the feeding, mucking, hauling – gets you to this moment.”
Even the farm dogs have their
summer personas. Pete, the tireless border collie, lives to work so much he once herded himself all the way to the Cape Pogue Light on Chappaquiddick.
Raisin, the scrappy sidekick, prefers hunting rats and chasing geese – skills at which he’s proficient. Together they keep the place moving, sometimes faster than the humans would like.
Of course, not every moment is picturesque. In early summer, the pastures haven’t fully come in yet.
“Everything around the animals is
getting beautiful,” Julie said, “but their area is still a mess from winter. They’re just waiting like kids stuck inside during recess.”
But soon enough, the wait is over. The animals spill out into the fields. The tourists arrive. The flowers bloom. And Slough Farm becomes its summer self – a living performance of nature, routine and joy.
Mindy Dutka is a photographer, dog advocate, and founder of dogsimeet.com.
Whereʼs the grass? Discerning cows want to know. Chickens? Itʼs all about the insects. One thingʼs for sure — getting back on pasture is a thrill for all the animals at Slough Farm.
Ray Ewing
