Memorial Day Weekend 2023

Spring – a time of new beginnings and new work by artists at the Jessie Edwards Gallery on Block Island.

Please join us on Memorial Day weekend as we welcome our first opening of the 2023 Summer Season.

Works by artists both new to the gallery and emerging, as well as established gallery favorites we’ve come to know over the years will be on view. We invite you to take your time browsing these works either in person on the second floor of the iconic Post Office Building on Block Island or here online.

 

 

Sarah Bird’s portrayal of the everyday brings to mind the simplicity and fullness of a life observed. Her use of traditional oil painting techniques captures the intricate detail of life’s simple pleasures. In her newest work on display at the gallery, Shell Collection I and Shell Collection II, we see this in her rendition of seashells beautifully displayed in their painted shadow boxes. The viewer feels drawn to reach out to touch them, such as they are.

Whitney Knapp Bowditch beautifully captures two favorite Block Island seascapes in oil on cradled wood. These works, Crescent Beach Rainbow and Block Island Bluffs, have such movement to them, the essence of which is rendered exquisitely with broad strokes and vibrant colors. That these works are both 5”x7” makes them even more captivating to see such detail in this size.

The work of Peter M Gish is mesmerizing. His use of color and form in scenes which are familiar on Block Island evoke a sense of being part of the picture. They are both soothing and visceral. His oil on canvas painting of the Southeast Light is timeless.

We can feel the essence of summer in Kate Knapp’s Dories Cove Seascape. This oil on canvas painting showcases the artist’s love of her subject as well as expertise in how she renders her paintings. Her work is heart warming and reminds us why we love Block Island.

Carrie Megan’s new work What’s Beyond is an oil and cold wax on canvas piece which instantly soothes the viewer. We are drawn to wonder what indeed is beyond, just out of sight and over the hill along the path. Artwork that lets us ponder is in itself a gift.

Heidi Palmer’s oil on canvas paintings incorporate light, air and the meaning of time which helps to clarify our sense of place. Getting Started is a piece which offers the viewer their own experience of place and time as it is significant to them. Her paintings are personal; we can all place ourselves within the scene and that makes her work unique for everyone.

The verdant colors of Elizabeth Pannell’s oil on canvas Coast Guard Road take us on a journey over the fields and past the ponds of one of the most spectaclar landscapes on Block Island. The depth of light and shadow leaves us wondering what the day has in store – is the storm on the horizon coming or going? There is much in this painting to be experienced and enjoyed.

Please help us welcome summer and come by the gallery to visit a space which transports us all through the seasons.