RESS RELEASE (Martha’s Vineyard) Louisa Gould Gallery is very pleased to announce our exhibit “ Summer Celebration: Salon of Gallery Artists ” in celebration of our 10 ^th Season Anniversary featuring new works by Paul Beebe, Kate Huntington, Ellen Liman, Anthony Benton Gude, John Holladay, Ann Leggett and Louisa Gould. The exhibit opens on August 2 and runs through August 15. The opening cocktail party and celebration will take place on Friday, August 3 from 5 – 8 pm. Please stop by the opening to meet the artists, to enjoy light refreshments and to celebrate with us.

This show celebrates our 10 ^th season here in Vineyard Haven. The gallery welcomes back Paul, Kate, Ellen, Anthony and John who have shown here repeatedly, welcomes Ann Leggett as a new artist and features new works by Louisa. All of these artists offer images that reflect the beauty, grace and splendor found here on this incredible island and well as images that remind us of our fondest memories of summer.

Best known as a maritime painter, Paul Beebe has masterfully created oil paintings on canvas of schooners and sailing ships in tumultuous seas. In addition, he also paints watercolors of historic vessles under sail and power. Paul paints dramatic skies with intense, deep tones or with touches of brightness in the clouds, which are balanced by the rich colors and sense of movement in the water. His attention to detail especially seen in the sails and riggings on the ships and in the finely executed waves as seen in the image, Race to Market, truly makes this a striking work as are his other paintings. One can understand and appreciate his knowledge of maritime history, schooners and whaling ships of these Island waters.

Once again, Kate Huntington has emphasized a particular element of the Vineyard. This year, Kate has highlighted the long unkempt grasses in her assortment of brightly colored and light filled oil paintings. As Kate states, “t hey are so full of gesture and personality as a result of being manicured by Mother Nature. It has been energizing working with the endless variations of greens set against the beautiful landscapes that are the beaches and cliffs of, in this case, Oak Bluffs and Gay Head. And as my usual, I’ve included the little flickers of color that represent beach lovers and th eir gear for added excitement. These canvases will surely delight all viewers and art lovers!

Longtime summer resident of Chilmark, Ellen Liman has focused her new series of beach scenes on people as they relax and read at the beach. Ellen’s works, both on paper and canvas, are inspired by the outdoors and natural beauty especially visible here on the Vineyard. Ellen has painted here on the Island for well over twenty years and as she describes, she wanted to capture an image of everyday life and the simple pleasures of summer. Her works display a light touch, carefree spirit and sense of calmness.

As a full-time resident, Anthony Benton Gude has a strong body of new work that clearly harkens to his late grandfather and well known artist and muralist, Thomas Hart Benton. One of Anthony’s new paintings, Putting up the Hay , reflects qualities of his grandfather’s work – capturing everyday scenes of life, displaying a naturalist style, and depicting rural scenes. As Anthony describes his work, “ my latest body of work reflects the scenes and seasons of the past ten months here on the island. As spring turned to summer I was lucky enough to pass by the Keith Farm while they were putting up the first cutting of hay. I have painted this landscape several times, but as this painting shows, whether from a change of season or the daily activities of the people who work the land, there is always more inspiration that can be discovered.”

Vineyard Haven resident and teacher, John Holladay has created a number of exquisitely rendered watercolors depicting some of our favorite images from Vineyard Haven, Chilmark and Menemsha. As John mentions, “I decided to take a step back and spend more time on a show of watercolors. My subject matter this year is also traditional and I had fun finding images that were interesting to me and that may have been skipped over by others.” John’s depiction of an American flag on a stately home on Franklin Street in the watercolor, Franklin Street , and the signature stone wall in the small watercolor, Chilmark, reminds each of us of the simply beautiful snippets of life here. John’s incredible use of color, light and detail make each of these watercolors a pleasure to view.

As an addition to this show, Ann Leggett, a longtime friend of the Vineyard, has a wide array of images, both on paper and on canvas. From the New York area, Ann has visited here often and is fond of the rich history found here. Best known as a portrait artist, Ann also depicts fine quality still life images. Her series of lobsters as watercolors and in oil are painstakingly detailed. Ann’s still lives also include a plate of smelts and a Vineyard favorite, Quahogs. Like the other gallery artists in this show, Ann depicts images of everyday life as seen here.

Gallery owner and artist, Louisa Gould is thrilled to be part of this 10 ^th season anniversary show and to be celebrating 10 years in Vineyard Haven. In Louisa’s new paintings and photographs, she returns to the sea since she has already spent a lot of time sailing and shooting regattas this summer (America's Cup, TP'52 & Vineyard Cup). As Louisa states “my soul is again deeply connected to the beautiful waters surrounding the Vineyard. I have chosen to paint and print mostly wooden boats that grace our waters. I hope these works will capture the viewer’s imagination, their sense of adventure and touch their soul. I am forever drawn to the light reflecting on the water, hull and sails, and the sense of motion of a handmade craft cutting through the water and wind on your face." Louisa has been shooting Vineyard regattas since 2000, she created a series of maritime paintings in 2008, published “Wooden Boats of Martha’s Vineyard” in 2007, which has since sold out and most importantly, Louisa owns and sails an Alden, a wooden boat that was built on the Vineyard 31 years ago.

We look forward to seeing you on Friday, August 3 from 5 – 8 pm at the opening of “ Summer Salon of Gallery Artists .” The Louisa Gould Gallery is located at 54 Main Street in Vineyard Haven. For more information, please call 508-693-7373 or visit our website at www.louisagouldgallery.com.