At this very moment we are getting ready for summer at the Jessie Edwards Gallery on Block Island and we couldn’t be more excited. After a long winter of dull weather and muted landscapes, we are moving into the season full of color thanks to the artists’ work on our walls. The joy of landscape, seascape and place shine through on the recent work by five vibrant and talented artists.
Whitney Knapp Bowditch is no stranger to Block Island and is a well-loved artist at the Gallery. Her ability to portray so much of what we love about the island is exquisite. We are captivated by her large works but her small works, mostly 5 x 7” oils on wood panel, which truly mesmerise. How she is able to fit so much depth and feeling into such a small space is breath-taking and her latest works shine. The way she captures color and light mimics what we are gifted to see here as we travel over the roads and fields. She captures the beauty of each time of day in her three works shown here: ‘Clayhead Shoreline’, ‘Moon over Fresh Pond’ and ‘Trims Pond’.
Tim Tait is a relative newcomer to the Gallery, and he has been quick to capture our hearts with his portrayal of the ordinary, and beloved, on Block Island. His use of color , form and space grabs the viewer’s attention and brings them into his simple, yet deep, images. How he views the island filters out the extraneous while he focuses our eye on the simple beauty to be found here, in this place we love. ‘Sheds’, an acrylic on linen work, captures such a quintessential scene here on the island. His acrylic on linen pieces ‘Lifeguard Chair, Town Beach’ and ‘Town Beach Umbrella’ are beautiful sinterpretations of memories most of us have from spending time here in summer.
Heidi Palmer brings us into the scenes she paints as if we are participating in them, such is their realism. These oil on canvas pieces are snapshots of our days here and they act as place markers for us. These three pieces are individual but together they paint a perfect day on Block Island. In ‘Big Sky’ the sun is out, the ocean is calm, it’s not yet too hot in the season and we have a full day to explore before being present to witness the ‘Setting Sun’ and the ‘Twilight’ that follows. A perfect day, indeed.
The one artist in this group whose work is not focused on Block Island, although he has strong ties to here, is Stephen Haley, a wonderful artist residing in Maine. What is similar with Stephen’s work, though, is how his love of nature and place are so beautifully woven into his pieces. The pastel on paper works, all 25 x 20”, represent the bounty of the season. He invites us into the verdant land where we wander paths that bring us to a sky-laden vista and to blueberry fields, a special part of the northern summer landscape. His scenes are so intricate and lovely and it truly is a joy just to be witness to them.
Kate Knapp’s use of bold color in her vibrant paintings are part of what draws us in. Another part is her subject matter. She portrays the heart and soul of days on Block Island and her triptych of the Bluffs does not disappoint. While each of these 36 x 36” oil on canvas pieces can sit separately, they were painted to be a series and we get the full depth of this summer’s day when we see them side by side. Seeing this landscape reminds us that we must get to the Bluffs, at least once, during our coveted stay on Block Island.
The Jessie Edwards Gallery, located in Old Harbor, upstairs in the iconic Post Office Building, is presently open Friday through Monday from 11 – 4pm and by appointment at other times. If the Open flags are out, we are in! We are never far away and would love to share with you more art as we head towards warmer days. Please reach us through Instagram, our website or by phone.