PRESS RELEASE (MARTHA’S VINEYARD) The Louisa Gould Gallery is pleased to present Colors of Summer with new works by Gallery artists, Ryan Black, Suzanne Hill, and Mary Parkman. The show presents realist oil paintings of Vineyard landscapes, floral expressions of island gardens and saggar fired ceramics in shades of the sea. The public is invited for the opening artist reception on Saturday, June 27, from 5 to 7pm. Meet Black, Hill, and Parkman, view sixty new works of art, and enjoy refreshments & light fare.

Mary Parkman

In Colors of Summer, Mary Parkman presents a collection of paintings inspired by the distinctive light of Martha’s Vineyard and the vibrant rhythms of the season. From luminous florals to evocative coastal scenes and expressive abstractions, her work explores the interplay of color, atmosphere, and memory. Through layered surfaces and intuitive mark-making, Parkman captures the glow, movement, and fleeting beauty of summer, creating paintings that feel both deeply observed and emotionally resonant.

My floral paintings consider the same elements as when painting an abstract painting. I put paint on the canvas and push and pull with the paint: addressing value, color, shape and mark making until I achieve a balance and sense of space that feels complete. Though making a “representational” painting, it is not just about the hydrangeas or peonies—but a more complicated balance of what I see and feel within.   

Mary Parkman graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Fine Arts. She continued her study of art—primarily with Abstract Expressionists—at the New York Studio School in Manhattan and the International School of Art in Umbria, Italy.

Ryan Black

This recent group of paintings are the latest in an ongoing project, started 5 years ago, with the intention of finding joyful, pleasing subjects and leaning into bright and vibrant colors to spark inspiration and enjoyment. For years, I had painted moody, atmospheric scenes of nocturnes and cityscapes, which I still love, but I needed to get out of my comfort zone and find a new muse. So, I leaned into my love of Martha's Vineyard and found the spark I needed. This particular grouping has a special meaning to me, because I worked out compositions from sketches, notes and photo references from the summer and fall, and I was able to have the warm Martha's Vineyard sunshine on my easel all through the brutally cold winter.  

Ryan Black started in figurative work and commissioned portraits, but for the last decade, he has been mostly associated with paintings of atmospheric cityscapes and landscapes. He credits most of his art education and influences to Boston School painter Brian Roach and Maine Impressionist (and his uncle) Paul Black. 

Suzanne Hill

“ Landscapes and seascapes have always inspired me. I grew up not far from the ocean and spent my summers on Cape Cod. In this body of work I endeavor to evoke the sometimes soft, sometimes vibrant colors of the summer coast. With the blues and greens, grays and whites of the land and sea, my work encompasses the many moods of the New England shoreline."

Suzanne Hill has been working in clay for over 40 years. After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design, she went on to study with some of the most renowned ceramic artists in the country at Alfred College of Ceramics, earning a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramic Art. Since then, she has taught ceramic art in colleges, schools, and camps and worked as an independent potter in New York City, at the Corcoran Museum in Washington, DC, and presently in Concord, MA. She is currently an adjunct professor at Notre Dame University.

The gallery is delighted to showcase these amazing artists and their newest creations in celebration of summer in all its colors. The show is on exhibit from June 25 to July 31.

The gallery is open daily 11-5pm and by private appointment. Call 917 327.9229 for any questions. The Louisa Gould Gallery is located in the center of the port town of Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard. Visit www.louisagould.com