LOUISA GOULD GALLERY

54 Main St.

Vineyard Haven, MA 02568

(508) 693.7373

www.louisagould.com

PRESS RELEASE (Martha’s Vineyard ) Please join us for an artist reception this Friday from 5 to 8 pm for 25 artists. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby Scholarship Fund.

Please come and meet these talented artists, enjoy live music and light fare while supporting children's education. Ed Jerome will be signing; "Fishing the Vineyard" from 5-6pm. Ed edited the book that features Ray Ellis's paintings. The show will run until October 15th.

The Louisa Gould Gallery is delighted to announce a group show of sporting art. In the spirit of the Vineyard and the 62nd MV Derby we celebrate the island, its natural beauty and all aspects of fish and fishing in various mediums. Artists contributing art and to the fund include: Peter Corbin, Ovid Ward, Marjorie Mason, Thaw Malin, Ray Ellis, Ed Jerome, Steve London, Janet Messineo, Lisa Vanderhoop, Washington Ledesma, Donna Blackburn, Alan Brigish, Traeger di Pietro, Sherrill Blalock, Shelia Fane, Anne Howes, Louisa Gould, Charles Giordano, Luther Kelly Hall, Brian Kirkpatrick, Dimitry, Christopher Pendergast, and Doug Henry.

Luther Kelly Hall

We are delighted to welcome “Kelly” to the Vineyard and the gallery. Kelly is well know off island for his masterful paintings.

Luther Kelly Hall grew up fishing and hunting in the mountainous region of northeastern Pennsylvania. He graduated from Wilkes University in 1970 and later completed his graduate studies at the University of Connecticut. He has also studied art at Lyme Academy College of Art and Connecticut College.

Currently a resident of Historic Coastal Mystic, Connecticut Hall has immediate access to the sources of his saltwater fly fishing subject matter. The variety and drama of weather, water, lighting conditions, the ever-present physical danger and the abundance of marine organisms and predators are never ending inspiration to him.
His salt water and fresh water fly fishing images and illustrations have been featured in sporting publications and exhibits throughout the United States, Western Europe, Canada, and Japan. The list includes: Atlantic Salmon Journal, Gray's Sporting Journal, Yale Anglers Journal, Redbone Journal, Sporting Classics Magazine, Natural New England Magazine, Fly Fisher Magazine (Japan), Pennsylvania Angler Magazine, Wilkes University Magazine, The American Museum Of Fly Fishing, Orvis- Manchester, Vermont, and Hunters.

"Fly fishing is a total experience. It is a blending of comedy, science, athletics, poetry and art," says Hall. "It takes the fisherman to beautiful places and introduces him to memorable people. Many of my richest experiences in life and many of my fondest memories in life are a by-product of a day on the water."

Dimitry Schidlovsky

Dimitry provides the original paintings of the grand slam for the derby. Prints of these orginial paintings are given to the Grand Slam winners at the Derby prize giving. Gould gallery is the only gallery to sell his original grand slam oils.

"Painting brings me closer to the beauty and the mysteries of nature. My intention is to bathe the viewer with sensations of light and to uplift their spirit. The paintings are reflections of what I observe, feel and desire to share. Skillful reactions, spontaneity, and the passion to tell a story are the key ingredients to my life as a painter."

"My draftsmanship is the vital facility that perpetuates the synthesis of my expression. The eternal ever-changing universe of light, form, time, space, and movement are points of departure that are essential to my inspiration. As a result, every line and form has a dynamic and relative purpose that culminates into a personal expression."

Dimitry's work is life affirming and sincere. His pictures are alive and engage your senses. through his use of color and masterful technique you experience energy, light. atmosphere and mood. These dynamic elements are essential parts of his compositions. When looking at his pictures you get a sense of freedom, purpose and enjoyment of the creative process. Dimitry's favorite activity is oil painting. He attributes his dexterity to excellent draftsmanship. His oil paintings include experimental expressionistic images with as adventurous attitude, which leaves a mark on the viewer.

Dimitry is a contributing artist to Outdoor Life Magazine, American Hunter Magazine, the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. He received his education at Parsons School of Design- Applied Science Degree in Illustration and at the University of New England- Bachelors of Science in Marine Biology. He has been freelancing as a professional artist since 1983. Dimitry has developed a career, which includes fine art, illustration, graphic design, computer illustration and production, web site design, off-set printing production, photography. extensive life drawing, reportage, oil painting, intaglio lithography, portraits and teaching.
Dimitry is an Adjunct Professor of drawing- State University of New York, Farmingdale.
Dimitry is a founding member of the board of directors of the Sea Cliff Arts Council, L.I. New York.
Among some of the companies that have commissioned him for his artwork are the following magazines, newspapers and corporations: American Hunter, Audubon, Adobe, Cablevision, Forbes, Field & Stream, GEO, Harper & Row, Harvard University Press, Interactive Week, IBM, International Herald Tribune, Mitsubishi, Molecular Medicine, Nabisco, New York Times & Science Times. Newsweek, National Wildlife, Outdoor Life, Random House, Red Herring, Sound & Vision, Smithsonian, Science, Scientific American and Simon & Schuster.Dimitry's artwork appears in numerous fine art collections.

Janet Messineo

Janet is a legend in fishing circles on the island. She is an active member of the Derby Board.

I graduated from the Pennsylvania Institute of Taxidermy n 1987. I specialize in saltwater skin mounts and mount trophies for local fisherman and visitors from around the world. Along the journey to perfect my art, I have had the pleasure of doing work for Jim Belushi, Spike Lee, William Weld, Charles Ogletree, Bill Clinton and many other prominent people. Fish that I have mounted are hanging on the walls in 36 states across the nation and in China, Canada and England.

I am married and we are raising a son. In my "spare time" I am a member of the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, Former President of the M.V. Surfcasters Association and support the RFA and MSBA. I have written articles about taxidermy and sports fishing for many magazines including New England Out-of-Doors, On the water and Vineyard Style. I've had two stories published in New England Stripers, a fishing anthology in 2005.

Since 1976, I have fished from the beaches of the Vineyard stalking the illusive Striped Bass. My 30 years of fishing have been chronicled in "Reading the Water, written by Robert Post, 1988 and On the Run, by David BiBenedetto, 2003. I am also a shore fishing guide and the name of that business is Vineyard Surfcaster.

I have an unending love and immense respect for the Striped Bass. I hope this feeling shows in my artwork. Every fish that I begin with is unique in it's own way resulting in each piece being one of a kind.

The word "Taxidermy" has its origin in the Greek words taxis (to move) and derma (skin). The ancient Egyptians embalmed fish as well as humans, and sometimes placed embalmed fish in the burial vaults along with the remains of important deceased people. Attempts to preserve creatures are noted as far back as recorded history. Today, the challenge for the taxidermist is to preserve these miracles of nature in as near a lifelike form as possible. There is a special joy in working with Mother Nature's original and perfect art.

Steve London

Steve is an avid fisherman and member of the MV Derby Board.

Steve London was born in 1954 in New York City, attended Brown University and Dartmouth Medical School, and works as an anesthesiologist on Martha's Vineyard and in Maui, Hawaii.

His passion for fishing is lifelong, dating back to party-boat outings from Brooklyn with his grandfather and fishing around Long Island with family and friends. He was later introduced to the Cape and island waters, as a Family Physician in Provincetown MA. Now a resident of the Eastville area of Oak Bluffs, he is fortunate to be in close proximity to both the fishing grounds and the Hospital. As a regular MV Fishing Derby participant and 2-time Blue Ribbon winner at the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair for his smoked bluefish, Steve enjoys handling fish, and was attracted to the Japanese art of Gyotaku. He studied Gyotaku with a master printer at the Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center on Maui, and uses the 'Direct Technique' in which non-toxic ink is painted onto the fish, which is then rubbed onto natural paper of fabric, creating a one-of-a-kind exact image of the fish. Adhering strictly to the traditional form, the image is unretouched after its creation, save for the hand-painted fisheye. Since the fish remains quite edible after painting, Gyotaku combines form and function, allowing the fisherman to document the catch in the field and eat it too.

Ray Ellis

Ray Ellis provides his legendary derby prints each year. The gallery is delighted to sell these on behalf of the Derby. In addition, we are selling “Fishing the Derby” book of Ray Ellis’s derby paintings for the Derby.

Ray Ellis has been painting for over sixty years on all seven continents. In 2004, the Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia honored the depth and breadth of Ellis' career with a major traveling exhibition titled Ray Ellis in Retrospect: A Painter's Journey. He was subsequently awarded the Salmagundi Club's Medal of Honor for lifetime achievement in the Arts.

Ellis was born in Philadelphia and attended the famed Philadelphia Museum School of Art. His first one-man show was held in 1947 at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. After serving four years in the Coast Guard during WWII, he founded his own advertising agency in New Jersey and New York, but continued to paint in his spare time. During this period he was elected to the American Watercolor Society, and his works were widely exhibited and received numerous honors.

In 1969, Ellis was able to devote all his time to painting. In 1974 he moved south to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and then to Savannah, Georgia. He later resettled on Martha's Vineyard where he maintains a home and studio.

In the early 80's, Ray Ellis and Walter Cronkite collaborated on a series of fine art books which celebrate America's coastlines: South by Southeast, North by Northeast and Westwind. Many books have been published since: The Spirit of Golf, The Road to Ballybunion, Ray Ellis' Savannah & the Lowcountry, Martha's Vineyard: An Affectionate Memoir, Coastal Images of America, Fishing the Vineyard, and Lowcountry. The catalog that accompanies the retrospective exhibition is titled Ray Ellis in Retrospect: A Painter's Journey. One of Ellis' favorite subjects is flowers and gardens. In 2005, a book of select garden paintings was published, titled Ray Ellis Paints Flowers. Ray Ellis' 15th book, By the Light of the Moon, showcases a theme that has captivated him for many years - moonlight. It is due out September 2007.

For three consecutive years beginning in 1998, Ellis was commissioned by the President to paint scenes of the White House to be reproduced as the official Christmas card.

Ellis is represented in fine galleries across the country. His works have been exhibited in U.S. Embassies in Geneva, Vienna and London. Ray Ellis paintings are in the permanent collections of the White House, museums across the country and private collections worldwide.

Peter Corbin

Peter Corbin is primarily known for sporting landscapes, merging the natural wonders and elegant drama of the sporting life with the realm of fine art. His vivid sporting scenes convey a sense of place, mood, and atmosphere in the light reflected off the water or the transmitted light through the clouds or trees revealing influences of the Hudson River School.

Corbin studied both painting and sculpture at Pomfret School, Wesleyan University where he received a B.A. with High Honors in Art, and the California College of Arts and Crafts. His greatest influences have been A.B. Frost, Ogden Pleissner and Winslow Homer.

He grew up in a home filled with fly rods, shotguns, Labrador Retrievers and the sporting art of A.B. Frost. Using his experiences as a life long angler and hunter he has traveled from The American West, British Columbia, South America, Europe, New Zealand and Africa recording portrait commissions for his clients' love of the outdoors and places they cherish. We are selling his book which showcases years of extraordinary sporting paintings.

Ovid Osborn Ward

Ovid Osborn Ward grew up in Virginia and spent summers at his grandparents' home on Martha's Vineyard. There he was fascinated by rooms filled with artifacts from around the world, brought home by one of his grandfather's many whale ships.

Inspired by this and nurturing a lifelong fascination with art and design, Mr. Ward began his career in 1968 with a Master's Degree in Industrial Design as an automotive stylist at the Chrysler Corporation. In the early seventies, he moved to San Francisco, and won a competition to redesign the Oakland waterfront. He then returned to the East Coast and worked as a marine architect for Hatteras Yachts. He moved permanently to Martha's Vineyard in 1974 and began bringing his own vision to fruition. He has since independently designed and built 24 one of a kind boats for sports fishing. He also designed and piloted the speedboat that set the outstanding record around Martha's Vineyard.

In 1990, Mr. Ward turned his considerable talent and energy full time to the visual arts. Now a prolific marine artist and sculptor, his eclectic work also includes seascapes and landscapes, architectural detail, and renderings of machines of speed and beauty. Bringing his training in design and impeccable technique to bear on his work, his realistic representations are dynamic and engaging. He brings a unique perspective to each piece, never failing to delight with the surprise of an unexpected focal point or a skewed angle. His deep roots on the vineyard and love of place allows him to capture the particular colors of the Island waters, clouds, and light in his kinetic paintings. The primary medium for the body of his work is acrylic on board. Recently, in conjunction with the Martha's Vineyard Bass and Bluefish Derby, the artist painted a series of the four Derby fish, and that has been mounted by the harbor in Edgartown. Miniature reproductions in cold cast bronze are also created by the artist.ran a limited edition set of prints. In 1993, using the same techniques which brought him success in marine design, Mr. Ward sculpted the full-scale fluke of a sounding whale,

Brian Kirkpatrick – Folk Artist

"Born in 1953, the youngest of three children in the rural but art rich area of Mystic, Connecticut, I began my life. As a boy I spent most of my time outdoors fishing, hiking and horseback riding.

My neighbor was an artist, a student of Robert Brackman. We were told not to look into her studio window, but one day I did. The walls were covered with many paintings of nude men and women. That was my first introduction to the art world.

At the age of fourteen I went to work in my family's painting business working with my grandfather. He was a master at mixing paint and I quickly acquired this talent. There were no color charts, you had to mix the color to a wallpaper or fabric or maybe a sweater. We used cans of colorant carried in a wooden box. It could take hours to match a color.

It wasn't until the spring of 2003 while on a trip to Italy that my world came full circle. The city of Venice would change my life. It was like a dream, I had never seen so many colors in one place. The next day I went into an art store and bought watercolors, brushes and paper. I have never stopped painting. I feel that my love of colors and painting connected through a natural progression of experience.

Today Marco Island, Naples and the Everglades are my winter studio. Spring, summer and fall are spent painting scenes of Mystic and Martha's Vineyard. My Mystic studio is alive with all the different seasons, events and people I have painted."

A definition of folk art is a form of art originating among the common people of a nation or region usually reflecting their traditional culture, especially everyday items and occurrences depicted, produced or decorated by unschooled artists. Old Mystic artist Brian Kirkpatrick follows in the best traditions of American folk art, painting his surroundings in a fresh and vibrant way.

Kirkpatrick keeps studios in Old Mystic, on the west coast of Florida, and on Martha's Vineyard, Mass. It is in these varied locales that he finds his inspiration. An avid outdoorsman, Kirkpatrick has chronicled in his paintings the activities of countless fishermen, birds, and wildlife. Kirkpatrick is also a lover of antiques, which find their way into many charming still life paintings. He captures the charm and beauty in every day events, such as the county fair, a lobster dinner, or an old car rumbling down the street. He paints many portraits of the colorful characters that populate his haunts; characters who inevitably define a region – be they a Menemsha lobsterman emptying his pots, a town historian spinning yarns, or an old horse whisperer giving his four-hoofed friend a brushing.

Kirkpatrick is entirely self-taught. As such his paintings display the naiveté and primitive style typical of "folk art." His paintings celebrate the joy to be found in the simple things, and they can harken us back to simpler times. This is what the best folk art does. Not only does it tell a story or capture a moment in time, but it can sometimes send as back to a place remembered only in the very back of our mind. Kirkpatrick's work, typical of much folk art, challenges the viewer only as much as the viewer wants to be challenged. Taken at face vale, the scenes are simple, usually happy. But the viewer can delve deeper if he wishes; there are complex stories to be shared in many of Kirkpatrick's paintings.

In just a few short years, Brian Kirkpatrick has made an impact on the art worlds of the areas he frequents. His appointment as an Elected Member of the Mystic Art Association in 2005, and the inclusion of his works in numerous important juried regional shows attest to the influence Kirkpatrick is likely to have on the Florida and New England folk art communities in the years to come.

Charles F. Giordano

Charles F. Giordano's work reflects a love of the outdoors. His is a broad canvas in which man and nature play harmonious and complementary roles. This is evident in his series of "Game Fish," where he strictly adheres to the biologic integrity of his subjects while also capturing their luminescence, beauty and spirit.

A graduate in Fine Art Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology and an avid outdoorsman, Giordano comes from a family where art has always been a significant part of his family life. His father is a professor emeritus in art education at Syracuse University. His mother, an accomplished watercolorist, worked with the Yupik community for many years and was a member of the Alaskan state Arts Council.

"Art is the profoundest way to explore the world," says Giordano. "By contemplating a subject as you make a piece, subtle truths become evident that are hidden to the casual observer. Patterns emerge, similarities suggest themselves, and you discover connections you never knew existed. The most amazing connection of all, and one which is too often ignored, is the link between humans and their own natural habitat."

Nature has been a recurring theme throughout Giordano's career. His childhood and youth spent in the wilds of Alaska, and his later years among the shores and hills of West Tisbury, on Martha's Vineyard, left a lasting impression. This is evident in his series of Native American headdress portraits, where the human subjects are composed entirely of feathers, actually merging with nature. His majestic larger-than-life portraits of farm animals show a reverence for the complicated balance of agricultural coexistence.

Giordano declares: "If what you are interacting with sensitizes you in some way, or makes you aware of something you previously weren't, then it has performed its artistic role. And if a little fun creeps in ... there's no harm in that. I believe this is true whether it be a traditional piece of artwork, found object, or catching a fish. Art is literally everywhere. The trick is to be sensitive enough to recognize it."

Thaw Malin

"Whenever possible, I work en plein air, out in the countryside. I paint that special view which speaks to me. Who knows, it may no longer exist after the next new house is built." Mr. Malin is most comfortable spending sunrise or sunset hours painting the drama of the light out on location. Once back in the studio, he often enjoys creating larger oils from these outdoor landscapes or seascapes.

Malin does many paintings on commission: your house, your boat, or your favorite view.

Doug Henry

New Hampshire artist Doug Henry's decorative art blends the beauty of natural wood with a distinctive painting style, enhancing the charm of his creative perspective.

His art is cut from a wood panel, painted and then distressed giving it an antiqued vintage appearance. His subject matter includes nature, rural architecture, animals and early modes of transportation. Doug draws his artistic inspiration from artists like Edward Hopper, Eric Sloane, the Wyeths and most recently his influence comes from Vermont artist Warren Kimble.

Doug grew up with art watching his father work as a graphic designer in his home studio. Attending Paier College Art, he majored in illustration. For over 25 years Doug's illustrations have appeared in advertising, on book jackets and in magazines. His clients have included Barrons, Random House, Scribners, Federal Express and Visa.

In 2000, Doug began to transition to fine art. Gallery on the Green in Woodstock, Vermont gave him his first solo show. His work has been shown at galleries in Williamsburg, Virginia, New York City and currently at the Artist Guild in Manchester, Vermont.

Doug lives in Hanover, New Hampshire with his wife Robin and their two boys, where he creates from his home studio.

Ann Howes

“A work of art should speak to the viewer. It should transmit a feeling as well as visual stimulation. Capturing nature with watercolors in some of the ‘forgotten corners’ around me satisfies my own inner convictions. Appreciating nature to its fullest, I paint the feelings as well as the visual sensations elicited by a massive land/seascape or a tiny flower. In this way I can pass on to others the imprint these wonders have made on me.

Ann Howes is a member of and serves on the Board of Directors of the Martha’s Vineyard Art Association, which operates the Old Sculpin Gallery in Edgartown, MA. Ann exhibits her watercolors through the Old Sculpin Gallery each summer season and also exhibits with the Vineyard Artisans at the summer Artisans Festivals at the George Hall on Sundays, and the various Festivals at the Agricultural Society Hall.

Ann holds signature membership in many watercolors organizations, regional and national, including American Watercolor Society (AWS), National Watercolor Society (NWS), Philadelphia Water Color Society (PWCS), Pennsylvania Water Color Society (PWS), Transparent Watercolor Society of America (TWSA), and the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club in New York City.

Ann’s honors include being Holiday Card Artist for the Philadelphia American Cancer Society in 2000. She was honored by her alma mater, Centenary College, with their Distinguished Alumni Award in 2002 for her contribution to the arts.

After summering on Martha’s Vineyard all her life, Ann became a year-round resident in 2002. She continues to exhibit her watercolors across the United States, as well as in the local artisans shows on MV.

Marjorie Mason

Marjorie Mason was born in New York City in 1955 and grew up in Palm Beach, Florida and on Cape Cod. For 23 years Mason’s paintings have depicted the changing light and seasons of the Martha’s Vineyard landscape. Her work flows with the genuine grace of the living seashore as only the monotype process can uniquely capture. Mason discovered monotype at Rhode Island School of Design where she majored in Illustration. After obtaining her BFA in 1981 she went on to New York City where her monotypes where well received by an elite corporate market. There she studied with Master printmakers Cheryl Pelavin and Kathy Caraccio. After moving to the Vineyard permanently in 1987, Mason focused more on the demands of private collectors and Island galleries. She has continued her formal education studying with Island artists John Di Mestico and the late Lois Mailou Jones who was a dear friend. She has also studied with Provincetown impressionist Lois Griffle and Monhegan artist Don Stone.

Mason has exhibited her work in one-woman shows on Martha’s Vineyard and New York City and is displayed internationally in many private and corporate collections.

" I am constantly asked about the monotype process and why I choose it as my main form of expression. This lesser known printmaking technique gives painters a way to create a permanent oil painting on untreated paper. There is no other way to do this. The result is a unique image with the richness characteristic of oil paint and the delicacy one associates with watercolor. The white of the paper works with the paint translucence to achieve this. As the name implies, there can only be one painting produced this way which is fine by me. Monotype is a painting done in one sitting because the print must be pulled while the paint is wet. I love the spontaneity of this process and also the mystery. One never really knows how the print will come out and there are many beautiful discoveries. To me, the process works like nature itself and echoes my love of the land and seascapes I seek"

Lisa Vanderhoop

Lisa Vanderhoop is a painter and photographer, specializing in wildlife
images. Her educational background is in biology from the College of
Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University. She worked in
science research and then went on to work in science/nature documentary
filmmaking as a writer, researcher, sound recordist and associate producer.
She has worked on films for National Geographic, Audubon, the Nature Series,
ABC, the New England Aquarium and other PBS productions. Her father is an
artist, she is a self-taught artist and she concentrates her work on the
amazing wildlife here on the Vineyard, particularly marine life. She lives a
very marine oriented life; when she's not painting her and her husband, a
well known fishing charter captain here on the island, commercially fish for
scallops during the winter months and fish for striped bass during the
summer season.

Art show gets in the Derby spirit

By Pat Waring - September 13, 2007

There's something fishy going on at the Louisa Gould gallery in Vineyard Haven this week and it's a good thing. Friday evening's opening reception for her newest group show drew almost as many anglers as the Derby weigh-in station and produced more fish than the average trip to Wasque might.

Raising funds for the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Scholarship Fund, the show brings together some two dozen artists showing at least 65 pieces of work, all with a fish or fishing theme.

Though one might not expect to see artists and fishermen mingling in a glitzy gallery, Friday's party showed the mix to be very harmonious. In fact, a good number of the artists represented here are avid fishermen themselves.

Longtime Derby president Ed Jerome got the evening off to a promising start, signing copies of "Fishing the Vineyard" (Compass Publishing, 2000, $30), which features splendid paintings by Ray Ellis. Edited by Mr. Jerome, the book offers some dozen stories by Island fishing buffs which range from moving memoir to little-known history.

"I'm impressed with Louisa's efforts to pull this together," said Mr. Jerome gratefully as he visited with guests later.

Nearby, Janet Messineo whose unique taxidermy art ranges from delicate minnow jewelry to sculptural assemblages of glistening fish who look like they just leaped out of the sea to grace your coffee table, praised Mr. Jerome's work. "We can't let him go, there'll never be another Ed Jerome," she said, citing his skill in coordinating the 35-member volunteer Derby committee of which she is a member.

Ms. Gould floated through the crowd greeting visitors and artists. She said that all proceeds from sales of "Fishing the Vineyard" and Ray Ellis prints will go to the Derby scholarship fund. Artists will donate a portion of their sales to the fund and Ms. Gould will also contribute a percentage of the gallery's income from the exhibit.

"It's almost been organic," she said happily about the growth of the exhibit. After inviting "a handful" of artists to submit work, she heard from many more who were eager to participate. The result is walls lined with art in a fascinating variety of styles and mediums, capturing the spirit of fishing and the Derby in myriad ways.

Ms. Gould whose forte and passion is shooting pictures of boats, last year became the official Derby photographer. "I discovered that fishermen are as avid about their sport as yachting people are," she said.

After spending "30 out of 35" nights at the weigh-in, Ms. Gould got to know Derby organizers and competitors well, and came up with the idea for an exhibit.

More than two-thirds of the expansive gallery space is dedicated to the show, from realistic scenes of fishermen lining beaches and jetties, casting into the surf, heading out in boats, or hauling in a big one, to decorative and fanciful depictions of fish, fishermen, and even tackle.

Exemplifying the tone are Dimitry Schidlovsky's arresting paintings in the Grand Slam series commissioned by the Derby. The newest, "Faithful Blue," shows a gleaming bluefish battling against the line above a glistening ocean.

Time stands still and a low sun molds the sand with shadows in Ovid Ward's serene painting of fishermen lining a State Beach jetty as seagulls stand at attention. Beneath, two oils by Donna Blackburn convey an entirely different feeling, intense and energized, as fishermen venture into crashing surf.

In another mood altogether, Charlie Giordano offers four elegantly framed prints of individual fish, each one spare, delicately detailed, and with only a hint of color. And Brian Kirkpatrick uses a cartoon-like style and bright primary palette to portray "Uncle Bobby" (Bob Flanders) out fishing in his little blue boat, and a bouquet of lures as tempting and bright as lollipops for bluefish.

Alan Brigish shows four Derby-related photographs among his larger body of work, including an atmospheric study of busy fishermen in Menemsha seen against a lemon yellow sky, and a man with his rod as a magnificent dawn gilds the Edgartown horizon.

Favorite fishing haunts are shown at dawn, at dusk, and even in the eerie dead of night as in Traeger diPietro's painting of a fisherman alone and afloat under a bright moon, the clouds scudding past.

Leslie S. Smith, a charter captain and former Derby president, is showing pastel seascapes, and one piece specifically for the exhibit, a bonito chasing a hook underwater.

Anne Howes picks several shore locations for her fishermen, and drenches them with subtle light. And how many elusive fish lurk beneath Lanny McDowell's churning waves? Luther Kelly Hall paints his fishermen on the distinctive rocks of the Connecticut shoreline where he lives. One avid angler still pursues his catch though blasted by rain and surf, and several fishermen take to the high seas in radiant light.

There's plenty of wit and whimsy in this show too: Sheila Fane's bright prints of fish on handmade paper, Washington Ledesma's huge fish with tiny sculpted scales and lots of personality and his Gold Fish Sculpture, ornate as an ancient icon. Sherrill Blalock's stripers in "Jail House Rock" have that "let me outta here" look in their eyes, and Lisa Vanderhoop titles her print of a fish lunging for the plug "Bass Candy."

Patrons began drifting out promptly, the sailors mindful of the Moffett Race start the next morning, which Ms. Gould herself would be photographing. The fishermen, likely re-inspired by the art, went home to dream and scheme about what beach they would be on for the Derby's opening barely 24 hours away.

The show continues until the Derby ends on October 15.

Louisa Gould Gallery, 54 Main St., Vineyard Haven. For more information, call 508-693-7373 or visit louisagould.com.

©TheMartha'sVineyardTimes2007.Printed with Permission.