Fall ended quickly here at the Jessie Edwards Gallery on Block Island, as we were abruptly tossed into winter by the high winds and cold temperatures! We are now taking a breath to envision ourselves into the spring as we warm ourselves up with beautiful art and a sense of presence.
We love what we do, here in the Gallery located upstairs in the iconic Post Office Building in Old Harbor, and we wanted to take a minute to share with you some of our artists and what they are currently working on. Please join us as we take a behind the scenes look at what’s on their easels.
Whitney Knapp Bowditch is well known and well loved for her paintings of Block Island and the land and sea surrounding this place we are drawn to. One of the intriguing aspects to Whitney’s work is that she is a master at conveying sense of place in all her works, no matter the size. The vast expanse of sea and sky in ‘Under a Low Sky’ a pastel measuring 24 x 40”, is just as striking and full as the 5 x 7” oil on wood landscapes she creates. She packs so much feeling into all of them.
Carrie Megan is painting what she loves: big skies and open spaces. Her oil on canvas work fills us with the ethereal feeling of being in time and space without boundaries. Her paintings offer us pause and the reminder to be present where we are. Whether we are looking at her smaller paintings, such as ‘Show and Tell’, at 12 x 12”; or her larger ones, ‘Dark Skies’ (36 x 36”), we are invited into a place we want to explore. The three paintings we see here give us hope that spring is coming and we will be outside enjoying warmer weather again soon.
Tim Tait reminds us of the simple pleasure of just being here on Block Island, wandering around enjoying the view. He captures little snippets of places and buildings and views which are so familiar yet through his eyes we are offered a chance to look at them more deeply. His use of color is strong and perfectly matched in his painting of the beach pavilion “Town Beach Umbrella, BI, 2026”, His portrayal of the North Light is soothing and a visual treat reminding us that summer days are ahead.
Whatever your relationship with Block Island, we hope you enjoy this view into what’s on the easel for these talented artists. Please stop by to see us when our open flags are out (most weekends) or by appointment by calling (401)466-5314.