It’s hard to believe another summer has come and gone and it has been a busy one at the Jessie Edwards Gallery, with artist’s exhibits throughout June, July and August. It was wonderful to see so many people, many familiar faces but also many new ones, take time to wander into our space and browse the walls and shelves as we shared some beautiful and remarkable art. As we head into September and the beautiful fall period here on the island, we invite you to feel the last vestiges of summer in this selection of eight paintings which can be viewed at the Gallery or here online. Please join us, as the days get shorter and cooler, to remember all the joy and beauty summer held.
The deep colors and hues in Elizabeth Pannell’s work (18 x 24”oil on canvas), which capture a true sense of autumn on Block Island, can be seen, and felt, in ‘North Light’ an oil on canvas work showcasing the north end’s Sachem Pond and granite light house. It is a mesmerizing scene which draws the viewer towards the water and beyond to the beacon on the far shore.
There is little better than heading to the beach on a perfect autumn day to find solitude and space and room to breathe. Heidi Palmer’s ‘Setting Up’ (12 x 18” oil on canvas) is the perfect reminder of what it feels like to claim a beach space as your own. Everything is assembled for this welcomed time to yourself, set up on a favorite spot with an unbeatable view.
Daniel Berdala may be from Barcelona, Spain but his paintings of sea and sky could be of anywhere. In ‘A Look that Lasts’ (18 x 18” oil on canvas) we find ourselves with a solitary figure on what looks like a wind-swept headland. The turbulent weather is breathtaking and if we have ever wandered the fields on Block Island in a showy late summer storm, this painting will immediately remind of us of how it felt to be out in the elements.
Summertime is full of visitors and seasonal people coming to the island, making it their own and enjoying everything it has to offer. As summer gives way to the fall, visitor numbers drop and summer folk pack up their houses and head off for their mainland lives. Wandering around the island, we see houses that look almost abandoned and are reminded of times past and times yet to come. Tim Tait’s simple yet provocative portrayal of houses left alone can be seen in ‘Fence and House’ (16 x 20” acrylic on linen). The late summer colors and light invite us to explore this yard, set above a cliff, overlooking the vast sea beyond.
Whitney Knapp Bowditch portrays Block Island with such a love and felt sense of place, in all the seasons. ‘Scotch Dunes’ (8.25 x 11.25 oil on paper) brings us to a favorite place of summer people and year-round folks alike: the dunes at Scotch Beach, looking south towards town. The deepening colors of the sky, sea and sand remind us to pack an extra layer for our beach walks at this time of year.
Please come up to the Gallery to visit and peruse and perhaps bring home a feeling of summer with one of our beautiful pieces. The Jessie Edwards Gallery can be found upstairs in the iconic Post Office Building in Old Harbor. Our hours are Thurs – Monday 11am – 4pm and at other times by appointment.