Read it in The Boston Courant

Make way for PIKNIK Pop-Up Shop
— By Bill Eville, November 18, 2011.
Courtesy of the Vineyard Gazette, Inc., copyright copyright 2011.

70 Charles Street has arrived

During the first week of November one of Trip Barnes’s moving trucks pulled up to an empty store on Charles street in the Beacon Hill section of Boston. For years the space had been the home of a quaint children’s clothing store, but that had recently gone out of business. Now, from out of the truck came a flotsam of items, including numerous rusty bikes, old doors and assorted oars.

“There goes the neighborhood,” someone commented.

In a way the person was right. The neighborhood was going somewhere, because someone was moving in.

That someone is Michael Hunter, owner of PikNik Art and Apparel, located on Dukes County avenue in Oak Bluffs. Mr. Hunter began PikNik 15 years ago and during that time he has transformed the store from a place to find off-beat funk for the home and yard into a full-on art gallery and design store. This year, during the quiet off-season months, he is checking out the Boston scene with a two-month pop-up store located at 70 Charles street.

He received the keys on Nov. 1 and opened three days later.

“I had some really dear friends who helped me like army ants,” he said.

The idea began last summer and along the way he faced a few hurdles but never looked back.

“The biggest thing is I didn’t stop to question anything along the way,” he said. “So when people were like, ‘Where are you going to stay? How’s it going to work?’ it never crossed my mind. I’m like, I have to eat, I eat anyway, so I’m going to be eating in Boston. I mean I’ll find someplace to live.

And so where is he staying while working in Boston?

Paintings swim with the fishes at PikNik art and apparel. Pictures Courtesy Michael Hunter

“I’m staying in Cambridge this week, and then I’m going to be in Dorchester. I’m kind of doing the Barbra Streisand thing with a big key ring back in Brooklyn in the sixties,” he said.

The space is much smaller than the Vineyard PikNik, yet it feels uncluttered and, if anything, shows off Mr. Hunter’s design skills as much as his eye for quality art and clothing. He is a master at using the ordinary or overlooked household item and by giving it a new job to do, transforming it into art.

Pendleton coats, not your grandfather’s keep-me-warm type of winter wear, think more rock star lumberjack, hang from a suspended oar and paintings are mounted on a rusted door.

“I just pulled that out of the garbage last Friday on the Vineyard,” he said.

Consider also how he hangs his leather goods.

“I didn’t know how much I could hang from the ceiling and I wanted some height and I was at the plumbing store and they always make fun of me because this is steel plumbing pipe and it’s three different nibs that go to nowhere and they’re like, what are you doing? I’m mounting a bike seven feet in the air to hang $20,000 worth of leather goods.”

Much, but not all, of the art has made the trip from the Vineyard store too, including pieces by Ann McGhee, Dan Vanlandingham and Max Decker.

“It was like Sophie’s Choice with Trippy at the last minute with the paintings,” he said. But more work is coming.

One of the added benefits of the store and experiencing Boston during the busy holiday season as opposed to the more sleepy Vineyard off-season is a chance to reinvigorate the artists he works with, Mr. Hunter said.

“People are painting for me again. I mean artists who normally go underground [during the winter]. Traeger Di Pietro did a full series of these marvelous boats. Ann McGhee just brought some new works and Carrie Mae Smith just sent some in. She’s known for this cutlery and food, she does a lot of meats and weird things; her dad was a butcher. She had a painting of steaks that a vegetarian would put in their house.”

On the day the store opened Ms. McGhee stopped by with some work. The new paintings were more seasonally inspired, pine cones and ribbons, and she worried they might not fit with the look of the store.

“They’re beautiful,” Mr. Hunter assured her. “I love these, it’s something for everyone.”

Ms. McGhee lives on the Vineyard during the summer and teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Design during the winter. She had just come from class.

“I’m teaching students today and Tuesday to see angles with plumb lines,” she commented while walking around the store admiring Mr. Hunter’s angles, created not with plumb lines but an experienced eye. A class trip might be in order, she said.

Other Vineyarders represented at the store are Emily Fischer’s goat’s milk soap and State Road Restaurant’s chocolates.

“I bought this yellow bike specifically to hold the State Road chocolates at Tuckernuck Antiques,” Mr. Hunter said.

And, of course, there are the clothes. Mr. Hunter is having fun exploring the world of winter wear, something he doesn’t usually get to do at the Vineyard store. In one corner are a stash of forearm warmers, leather with straps and soft fur underneath, might as well look good when training your falcon, and nearby a neck warmer, again leather with fur, think Genghis Khan at rest from pillaging and kicking back with a martini.

There are also holiday party dresses from New York city designer Alexander Berardi who spent his summers on the Vineyard.

As luck would have it, Mr. Hunter’s first paying customers were, coincidentally, Vineyarders. The store is located just a few blocks away from Massachusetts General Hospital. The couple had stumbled onto the store by chance while out walking in between sessions at the hospital and trying to distract themselves from a very difficult diagnosis.

The woman purchased a new pair of sunglasses, bright pink with light green shadings, the man a pair of tortoiseshell reading glasses. They looked transformed in their new eyewear, smiles overtaking a more serious countenance. But that shift had occurred even before the purchase. The store itself, and the infectious good cheer of Mr. Hunter, had been just the tonic.

PikNik Boston is located at 70 Charles street.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day through Jan. 1.

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Hill gets first Pop-Up Store
— By Ashley Fairey, November, 2011.
Courtesy of The Boston Courant, copyright 2011.

A temporary store has opened on Charles Street, an extension of a citywide trend rarely seen on Beacon hill.

PIKNIK, a clothing boutique and art gallery headquartered on Martha’s Vineyard, opened at 70 charles Street on November 1 and will stay through the end of December.

Read it in The Boston Courant

Storeowner Michael Hunter typically opens his Vineyard shop only on the weekends during the winter season, he said. By opening in Boston during the peak holiday season, he saw an opportunity to boost winter sales.

Hunter began searching for a suitable Boston location in october. When he learned that Beacon hill kids was leaving its location by the end of the year, he jumped at the chance to have a Beacon hill storefront.

“For the christmas season, it’s so Dickensian with the gas lanterns and brick streets and the holiday Stroll,” Hunter said. “it’s the perfect christmas shopping environment.”

Hunter arranged to sublet the space from Beacon hill kids, enabling the store to opt out of its lease early while guaranteeing the landlord an occupied storefront.

“It was so serendipitously perfect,” said Hunter, who repainted and stocked
the store in a matter of weeks.

Paul Elias, trustee of the Charles Street Meeting house building that houses Hunter’s shop, is pleased with the temporary arrangement.

“It creates novelty and interest on the retail level, and brings in people, which benefits other retail stores,” Elias said.

It could also aid him in securing a future tenant, Elias said. Similar to staging a condominium for sale, “I’m hoping that this is an opportunity for people to see the space all set up,” he said.

In June of 2010, The Boston Courant reported a growing trend of pop-up stores along newbury Street and throughout the South end, Fenway and Downtown crossing.

But a pop-up store on Beacon hill is “certainly new to me,” said Jim Fay, president of Street & company.

“I think it’s going to be a little rare around here, given that … there aren’t empty storefronts like there are in other parts of the city,” Fay said.

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PIKNIK goes to Beacon Hill for the Holidays
— By CK Wolfson, October 5, 2011.
Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times, Inc., copyright 2011.

PIKNIK owner Michael Hunter with some of the fashions he'll be bringing to his Beacon Hill holiday shop. Photo by CK Wolfson

For most of the Island's fine art galleries, the summer season, however rewarding, is short, drawing to a close next weekend. What to do; where to go; how to sustain the momentum and generate recognition for the Island and other exhibiting artists?

Michael Hunter of the eclectic PIKNIK Art & Apparel on Dukes County Avenue in Oak Bluffs, known for creative thinking and for taking artistic risks, has decided to push the boundaries of his gallery's season, bring a bit of the Vineyard with him, and venture to Boston.

At the suggestion of his friend and gallery helper, Elaine Dalzell, Mr. Hunter is making arrangements for a pop-up PIKNIK Gallery on Charles Street that will be open for two months, from November through the holidays. (Pop-up shops are those that are quickly set up and occupy a retail space for a short temporary period.)

"What I love about a destination spot in the summer, I loath in the winter," Mr. Hunter says. "You just don't get any foot-traffic. So it's tricky. I can't be in two places at one time, and I'm not going to leave the Vineyard. But this is to just try to be as big as I can for the sake of my artists."

He explains that he spent two days scouring the city looking for viable venues. "Boston's not like Detroit," he says. "There are not a bunch of vacant buildings there; it's a pretty vital city."

He found the perfect shop on Charles Street on Beacon Hill in a historic building. (He later discovered its owner is a seasonal Chilmark resident.) It's a former children's clothing store with windows facing the street and next to a shop based on Nantucket.

"Charles Street is like a Dickens village, particularly during the holidays," Mr. Hunter says.

He rattles off the this-and-that of his plans at the same revolutions per minute that a car travels downhill without brakes: He's doing "e-mail blasts" with support from other Island businesses; the interior will be painted (no children's store pastels for PIKNIK); Trip Barnes will pack up the vintage clutter that is scattered around his Oak Bluffs gallery – the old rusty tricycle, vintage Coke sign, metal sculptures, and "the kitschy bohemian things of the Vineyard;" and the art and fashions will be moved in.

"Maybe it will be good for the Vineyard," Mr. Hunter says. "The more this develops the more I feel like an ambassador for the Vineyard. I should take Chamber of Commerce flyers. I'll take all the Vineyard magazines, State Road chocolate bars, Flat Point Farm's goat milk soaps."

He says, "My artists are painting again at a time of year when they would be saying, 'Oh, how was your season?' But it's not over, and that's the big point of this whole thing. And it's the same with my apparel. I'm reordering things that I've sold out of unexpectedly, and that normally would make me a happy idiot but here winter is coming and I'm reordering. We're reenergized."

The Charles Street gallery will display Walter Montstream steel sculptures, Dan VanLandingham's abstract acrylic landscapes, Nan Bacon's glass, Alison Shaw's selected images and autographed books, Traeger di Pietro's series of abstract lobster boats, Max Decker's impressionistic landscapes, Carrie Mae Smith's series of grapes on the vine, Tom Stephens's uber cityscapes, and Anne McGhee's Fenway series.

His apparel and accessories will include Johnny Farah leather bags, Hache dresses and knitware, Alexander Berardi fashions, Byron Lars's mixed media jacket, VSP's fur collars, Tracy Watts Hats, and Stefanie Wolf jewelry.

And after a pause for breath, Mr. Hunter says, "So the worst that can happen is that I'm going to have a really great time throughout the holiday season. The best – I'm going to sell all my paintings, my clothes and all my jewelry. So there's no way I can lose."

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Martha's Vineyard Fashion Week debut event drew a crowd
— By Gwynn McAllister, April 8, 2011.
Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times, Inc., copyright 2011.

Lianna Loughman modeled an outfit from PIKNIK, styled by Michael Hunter. Photo by Susan Safford

A crowd of about 100 — most dressed to impress — were treated to a full-on fashion show on Thursday, April 7, as Martha's Vineyard Fashion Week held an awareness-raiser and fundraiser party at the new Shephard Fine ArtSpace in Oak Bluffs. Fashion Week will take place this September.

The space, which formerly housed the NYE Gallery, tucked away behind Dukes County Savings Bank on Uncas Avenue, was the scene for a gathering of Island glitterati who showed off a combination of urban and Vineyard styles to rival the spectacular fashions seen on the trendiest red carpet runway.

PIKNIK's Michael Hunter was the first to present his eclectic collection. Models, both male and female, strolled, sashayed, and even hop-scotched down the red carpet, acting out mini-scenarios that thrilled a rapt crowd seated and standing along the makeshift runway. The styles ranged from casual chic to fun and slightly outrageous with a trend towards layering and mixing plaids and other patterns.

Design by Michael Hunter, modeled by Kimberly Cartwright. Photo by Susan Safford

Saskia and David Vanderhoop wowed the crowd with a stylish salsa set between presentations, then Chrysal Parrot debuted a handful of her historically inspired, detail-rich pieces for women. Ms. Parrot, whose fashions were featured in the launch issue of the Island's Avalon Magazine last year, does custom designs and also sells off-the-rack clothes that display the same flair and lushness as her custom couturier pieces.

Representatives from Angel Flight Northeast, the beneficiaries of Thursday's event and of the multiple events planned for September, were on hand to describe the pro bono medical transportation that they provide. Pilot and spokesman Dick Sundell called the organization "the Island's best kept secret" and stressed that he hopes more people in need will be made aware of Angel Flight through the organization's collaboration with Fashion Week.

Styled by Michael Hunter, modeled by Ewell Hopkins Photo by Susan Safford

The event was hosted by M.V. Fashion Week founder Trena Morrison, and organizers Richard Skidmore, Marlene DiStefano, Basia Jaworska Silva, and Amy Love Heflin. An attractive and tasty finger food spread was presented by Michael Wooley, and hors d'oeuvres provided by V. Jaime Hamlin were passed around. Dancing to tunes by DJ Di followed the show.

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Max Decker's two worlds
— By Karla Araujo, September, 2010.
Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times, Inc., copyright 2010.

Photo Courtesy of PIKNIK Art & Apparel

West Tisbury native Max Decker is a Brooklyn-based musician and, during the summer months, a painter who shows his work at PIKNIK Fine Arts & Apparel gallery in Oak Bluffs.

His large, urban-inspired mixed media paintings have garnered a new audience for provocative, darker-themed works on the Vineyard; while, at the same time, his more classic, atmospheric landscapes have earned him comparasons to Allen Whiting — no faint praise for this 28-year-old son of Chris and Nelia Decker.

Boyish and self-effacing, Mr. Decker appears quiet and somewhat uncomfortable in the limelight. Yet his work, shown throughout the year at PIKNIK Art & Apparel in the Arts District of Oak Bluffs, has brought him significant attention.

Photo Courtesy of PIKNIK Art & Apparel

It becomes difficult to hide when your four-canvas depiction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway fetches $12,000 before the 2008 show even opens — or when, only 23, you have to work round-the-clock to keep up with the demand for the small landscape paintings you sell at the weekly Artisans Festivals in West Tisbury.

And all the while, Decker was quietly composing electronic music, just beginning to take himself seriously, and to get gigs in small bars and clubs in New York City.

It may look like he's living the dream from the outside, but inside Max Decker there are gently warring factions. Still, he seems to take his varying creative urges in stride. He paints, composes, and plays several instruments. What emerges might be pastoral landscapes or brooding, disturbing evocations of city life and its residents.

"Music and art are a similar roller coaster," he says. "Painting, especially landscape painting, is more meditative. With music, it's more manic. When it's good, it's really good, but when it's bad, it's terrible."

Describing himself as "easygoing," Mr. Decker is spare in his words. But when asked if his artistic nature is in conflict with itself, a smile lights his face. "My music and art complement one another. When I grow tired of one, I do the other. I've learned so much about creativity by doing both," he says.

Now in his fifth year with PIKNIK Art & Apparel, he and gallery owner Michael Hunter have developed a genuine trust and affection for one another. They worked together to find possible solutions for the high cost of framing the 20 to 25 images Mr. Decker plans to display in his solo show opening this weekend on September 11.

Artist/musician Max Decker in front of his 2008 four-canvas depiction of the Bronx Queens Expressway, which sold before the show opened. File photo by Susan Safford, courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times.

"Michael provides a platform for me to explore things I might not have tried," Mr. Decker says. "He suggests new directions I can take. I started this 16-panel painting as an experiment." He points to a very large work on his studio wall. "But because Michael was excited about it, I'll finish it."

Mr. Hunter nods. "Not everyone works that way. A lot of artists don't welcome or need input. I've never tried to steer Max, but I like to show his different styles of work. Having sold his large painting of the Expressway, as well as last year's opus "Wreck", a 5x7 foot sepia-toned oil painting of a 1920s train crash, shows that the market here can handle it. People have grown to expect more than pretty landscapes from Max."

"We speak as friends often," Mr. Hunter concludes. "I don't have to ask, 'How's it going?' He doesn't need to feel pressure from the outside."

Photo Courtesy of PIKNIK Art & Apparel

Because Mr. Decker focused on his music this past winter and spring, developing a body of work for the fall show at PIKNIK became something of a race to the finish. While he normally arrives on the Vineyard in early summer, his return was delayed until late July this year. Once here, he felt stymied for two weeks. "I thought I might have to quit," he admits. Chuckling, he adds, "But I think that all the time."

By the very end of August, his new body of work was lining the walls of the barn-like studio on his parents' rural property where Mr. Decker lives in summers. It's obvious that he works well under pressure. Depictions of iconic Vineyard scenes, real or imagined, convey the lush beauty of the Island, its green fields, serene ponds, and ancient trees.

Painting outdoors, as well as from digital reference photographs he shoots, and from memory, Mr. Decker views landscape as "a springboard" to other types of work. "Landscapes are just arrangements of color," he says, "the same as any painting." He admits that he found the genre inescapable. "When you grow up on the Island it's hard to avoid. I consider myself 100 years behind the modern trend in landscape painting. But last year I was 120 years behind."

He says he is learning subtlety in his landscapes, a quality he hopes to bring to his urban images. "Landscapes are like painting a whole wall of cotton. They can be so atmospheric."

He is, he insists, looking for a bridge between his two bodies of work. "My landscapes are getting more non-Vineyardish and my other stuff is getting less scary," he observes. "I'm closer to having my works merge but, in the meantime, I think they somehow reinforce one another."

As for his music, that, for now, is confined to his New York life: "I'm looking forward to getting back to it after the show opens at PIKNIK," he explains. Until then, he'll be in his studio, putting the finishing touches on his paintings, large and small, gentle and bold.

Max Decker's opening reception is Saturday, September 11,  4 to 7pm at PIKNIK Art & Apparel, 99 Dukes County Avenue, Oak Bluffs.  508-693-1366. piknikmv.com.

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At PIKNIK Art & Apparel, Penelope Weinstein's unique Objects Felt & Found jewelry. Photo by Ralph Stewart, Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

When do jewelry, clothing, or accessories rise above just being something to wear?

That's the question we sought to answer when we visited Michael Hunter, gallery owner and fashion stylist, Stina Sayre, clothing designer, Ronni Simon, and Beth McElhiney, both jewelry designers and gallery owners. All four Islanders have built reputations for showing or creating art to wear.

For the past 15 years, Mr. Hunter's PIKNIK Art & Apparel in the Oak Bluffs Arts District has been a destination for those looking for the distinctive and unusual, from Objects Felt & Found necklaces by Penelope Weinstein to Vivienne Westwood's sculptural, and fashion-forward women's apparel.

Mr. Hunter's shop is a mélange of art, jewelry, fashion and accessories. Clothing is wearable art, he says, "...when a pair of pants isn't just a pair of pants, when a jacket is not just a jacket. It crosses into wearable art when a dress becomes an event."

Anastasia Teterichko models Miriam Haskell jewelry found at PIKNIK. Photo by Ralph Stewart, Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

Susan Oaken of West Tisbury, a painter and former photographer for Life magazine, concurs. She couldn't resist an Objects Felt & Found necklace. The one-of-a-kind, handcrafted concoctions are eye-catching mixtures of fiber and found objects — vintage puzzle and game pieces, bobbins, anything that designer Penelope Weinstein stumbles upon during her forays to antique shops and flea markets.

"As an artist, I'm drawn to it as a work of art," says Ms. Oaken. "Penelope's pieces are so interesting and have great energy and humor. I like one-of-a-kind things."

Mr. Hunter's many years in the fashion industry have sharpened his eye for the unusual. PIKNIK is brimming with wearable art, such as the vibrant resin-coated necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and purses by Brazilian designer Carlos Sobral that are practically guaranteed to provoke conversation.

PIKNIK also carries hats by Tracy Watts; chunky costume jewelry by Miriam Haskell; heirloom quality Italian leather bags, belts and accessories by Johnny Farah; and as Mr. Hunter says, "bejeweled, beflowered, and unbelievable" purses by Britain's MSL Designs.

Wearable art by Brazilian designer Carlos Sobral at PIKNIK Art & Apparel. Photo by Ralph Stewart, Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

Stina Sayre, Swedish designer of edgy, surprisingly affordable couture clothing and bags in Vineyard Haven, describes her handcrafted apparel as her "handwriting." Innovative yet classic, Ms. Sayre's signature look is becoming easier to spot and more prevalent around the Vineyard:  Fine European fabrics, raw edges, asymmetric lines, decorative stitching, and unexpected mixtures of all the aforementioned.

Her Edwardian metallic "rock 'n' roll" coat, iridescent silk velvet camisole trimmed in French silk chiffon, fleece-lined fitted aviator jacket with asymmetric zipper and fingerless fur-trimmed gloves leap across the boundary that divides ordinary fashion from the truly memorable.

"Clothing is the supporting actor in a person's life," Ms. Sayre explains. "My clothing, like an artist's work, takes weeks to develop from idea to pattern to finished piece." Her collection is available at her studio and retail boutique just across from the Black Dog Tavern on Beach Street Extension.

Jewelry designer and co-owner of The Simon Gallery, Ronni Simon shares retail space on Main Street in downtown Vineyard Haven with her husband, photographer Peter Simon. She's been handcrafting one-of-a-kind lariats, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and wedding jewelry for the past five years. Her signature pieces are intricately and delicately crocheted metal frameworks adorned with semi-precious stones and freshwater pearls.

"Wearable art is as beautiful on someone as off," Ms. Simon says. "My jewelry can be worn with tee-shirts, jeans, all the time," she says. "It doesn't have to go with anything. I design it so it can stand on its own." Unusual yet accessible, many of her pieces can also be personalized by the wearer, adaptable by knotting or turning them around to suit different moods and looks. Expanding her vision beyond what is designed for wear, she also creates fine art pieces for display on a wall.

Designer Beth McElhiney's gallery on State Road in Vineyard Haven is a showcase for her extensive line of fine jewelry. Her modern designs, all one-of-a-kind pieces, are inspired, she says, by ancient styles of metalworking. A jeweler first, she says she considers her larger pieces wearable art.

"My clients buy my bold, large-scale pieces to wear to the opera or gallery openings," she explains. "Then they move on to more everyday pieces."

Her work evolves organically, based on the materials she chooses. She dubs a recent collection "classy steampunk," paying homage to the subculture that borrows from both the antique and the futuristic. Her more traditional cuff and tribal bracelets are easily recognizable and intricately detailed. "They require a huge amount of labor," she says. An enthusiastic world travel, Ms. McElhiney borrows patterns and symbols from other cultures for use in her work in order to, as she says, "evoke memory while retaining a modern sensibility."

Art to wear, from head to toe, can be found at galleries and boutiques across the Vineyard. The only limit is your imagination and your desire to stand out from the crowd.

PIKNIK Art & Apparel, 99 Dukes County Avenue, Oak Bluffs; Stina Sayre, 13 Beach Street Extension, Vineyard Haven; Simon Gallery, 54 Main Street, Vineyard Haven; Beth McElhiney Gallery,  383 State Road, Vineyard Haven.

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Bright lights, big city: Urban Event at PIKNIK
— By Karla Araujo, August 19, 2010.
Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times, Inc., copyright 2010.

It's hard to imagine how an exhibition of urban-themed paintings can provide a breath of fresh air on Martha's Vineyard in mid-August, but gallerist Michael Hunter's annual Urban Event at Piknik Art & Apparel in Oak Bluffs does just that.

Sumner Silverman takes in scenes of urban life that filled the studio annex at Piknik. Photo by Ralph Stewart, Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

There are traffic jams and skyscrapers, rooftop vistas and pedestrians with umbrellas. There is frenzy and calm, too many people and too few, rivers, landmark buildings and signage, vibrant colors and muted tones. And as if that's not enough, there's even a monitor displaying seven short films shot in New York City. It's all under one roof as 14 artists from across the U.S. exhibit their interpretations of city life from now through September 11.

Mr. Hunter has assembled a roster of both familiar and new artists. Art enthusiasts who frequent the gallery will recognize the names of Max Decker, Traeger di Pietro, Anne McGhee, Tom Stephens and newcomer Nate Praska, while others such as Paul Norwood, Adam Thompson, and Ellen Liman return exclusively for the Urban Event.

New artists for this year's show include Mr. Praska, Sherry Blalock, Jorge Columbo, Gregory Coutinho, Sharon Florin, Brett Jackson, and Jack Ryan.

The work ranges from large-scale oils to small watercolor studies and pen-and-ink illustrations, from the abstract to the figurative. Jorge Columbo's series of seven short "Urban" films are shot with a Fuji still camera, edited specifically for Piknik, with sounds created by the artist in GarageBand. The series is available on a signed, limited edition CD.

The crowd at Piknik Art & Apparel in Oak Bluffs got the added benefit of treats from the ArtCliff's traveling diner. Photo by Ralph Stewart, Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

Now in its fourth year, the Urban Event has evolved, according to Mr. Hunter, out of "pure selfishness." Born in Manhattan, he says he began to select urban images from artists because they feel meaningful and compelling to him.

"I do the show because I think it gives people a chance to step back from their experience on the Vineyard," he says. "It allows them to see the urban landscape more clearly from a fresh perspective and to appreciate it differently."

Apparently, he's on to something. The turnout for the show's opening in conjunction with the Oak Bluffs District Art Stroll on Saturday evening, August 14, was his largest ever, and sales were brisk.

"Openings aren't really about the red dots on the wall anymore, although a number of pieces did sell," Mr. Hunter says. "They're more about people coming to see the work and enjoy the event. Many buyers come back at a quieter time to make purchase decisions."

Anne McGhee, a painter who divides her time between the Vineyard and Boston and teaches drawing and painting at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, finds Piknik's Urban Event to be an ideal showcase for her Fenway Park series of figurative oil paintings. Her work is inspired, she says, by Italian artist Piranesi, and explores the structure and infrastructure of the historic venue. While she paints other genres, the Urban Event affords her an opportunity to share her view of Fenway, its unique architecture and energy.

"I like the fact that Michael is showing atypical Vineyard work although I paint the landscape here as well," Ms. McGhee says. "I used to live in New York, and Piknik feels like a New York gallery more than what we're accustomed to on the Island."
Ellen Liman, a lifetime artist and seasonal Vineyard resident, has also found a home for her — as she puts it — "quirky figurative urban work that pushes the envelope." A resident and gallery owner in Palm Beach, Ms. Liman says she appreciates the uniqueness of Michael Hunter's vision. "I had seen the quality of work that he shows at Piknik and I feel flattered to be included."

New York City native and urban realist painter Sharon Florin is making her Island debut at the gallery this month. Her oil on canvas works depict streetscapes and the contrast of new and old, often using the reflective glass of contemporary buildings to mirror architecture of the past. A professional artist for over 30 years, Ms. Florin says she is fascinated by city life, architectural detail, and capturing older buildings before they are lost.

"My 'Reflection' paintings are more abstracted and allow me to play with forms, shapes and distortions," she explains. "I've lived in the city my whole life but I'm constantly discovering something new."

On opening night, hundreds of art patrons also discovered "something new" as they browsed through Piknik's collection of both haunting and harried representations of urban life.

It is a reminder of what many of us have left behind, as well as what many of us return to at summer's end. In its own artful way, the annual Urban Event also serves  as a subtle evocation of what we treasure most about the Vineyard.

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Escape and the Islands - How to Summer Like a Local
— By Tom Stamph, July, 2010.
The Improper Bostonian - Cape and The Islands Special, copyright 2010.

A guide to the Cape and the islands from the people who live there.

Category: Spending Spree?
PIKNIK in Oak Bluffs, 508-693-1366, piknikmv.com.
They have funky stuff, urban stuff, as well as jewelry and paintings.

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Artists debut work on-Island
— By Karla Araujo, July 15, 2010.
Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times, Inc., copyright 2010.

Ten artists made their debut at the Oak Bluffs Arts District Stroll this past Saturday. Piknik Art and Apparel's "First Time Artists on the Island" show opened with the eclectic works of nine artists from as far afield as Paris, while Dragonfly Fine Arts Gallery introduced the large canvases of a new abstract artist from Woodstock, N.Y.

One of the arts exhibiting on the Island for the first time is Michael Miller, showing his work at Piknik Fine Art and Apparel. Some of Mr. Miller's pieces are being translated into stained glass and displayed in New York City. Photo by Susan Safford, Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

The work of Dragonfly's newest artist, Jenny Nelson, will remain featured throughout the season along with that of the gallery's core artists.

Ms. Nelson works in a light palette of blues, greens, and warm grays. Her abstract oils, typically done in a series of 10 to 12 paintings, reflect a sense of balance and energy, at once serene without becoming complacent.

Mr. McKillop, co-owner of Dragonfly with his wife Susan, admits to being immediately drawn to Ms. Nelson's work. "Even non-abstract lovers have been taken by it," he says, adding his commitment to introducing new artists. "It's important to keep it fresh," he says.

For the next four weeks, Piknik's studio annex will display the works of Jean-Pierre Ceytaire, Walter Montstream, Gloria Gaddis, Julia Nelson-Gal, Caroline Hurley, Frances McGuire, Michael Miler, Nate Praska, and Ken Rabin.

Julia Nelson-Gal in front of her work in the studio annex at PikNik Nik. Photo by Susan Safford, Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

The artists range in age from their 20s to their 60s, and their work provides a stimulating glimpse into the possibilities of today's contemporary art scene.
Gloria Gaddis' abstract figurative work distills the human condition in deceptively simple forms while Michael Miller's surfing-inspired paintings provide a colorful, youthful homage to the sea and its board-riding aficianados.

Julia Nelson-Gal's intriguing mixed-media works combine archival imagery with an overlay of modern whimsy.

Caroline Hurley's lighthearted "Beach Laundry" series explores the joy of summer by the sea using color and composition, while Frances McGuire's bold depictions of the Oak Bluffs sea wall and the imagined Ocean Holiday motel serve as memory pieces for summers gone by.

PIKNIK introduces the figure studies of painter Gloria Gaddis. Photo by Susan Safford, Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

Representing Paris along with Mr. Ceytaire, Mr. Rabin's mixed-media collages blend fragments of photos, fabric, text, and maps to create compelling new compositions.
Mr. Rabin, who has lived in France for the past 20 years, says, "Aside from my activities in a metropolis like Paris, I've regularly enjoyed living and exhibiting in regional settings. The Vineyard allows for more intimate relations between viewer, exhibition space, galeriste, and artist."

Finally, Mr. Praska's old world take on Portland's very contemporary urban landscape provides a muted, moody evocation of the city's universal everyday moments.
Michael Hunter, owner of Piknik, says, "I'm excited about the 'Primo Tempere Show' because it represents a stone soup of the best artists I've encountered in the last couple of years. Each one has his or her own thing, from Jean-Pierre Ceytaire's uniquely sensual paintings to Walter Montstream's brilliant mixed-metals sculptures and towering totems." The show will hang until Saturday, August 14, when the gallery's annual Urban Show opens.

Ms. Hurley, who attended the opening, commented on Vineyard art goers saying, "People here seem to gravitate toward art. I've been part of shows in New York and L.A., but people on the Island ask insightful questions and seem really interested in artists."

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Scrap Metal, Seascapes, Sewing In the Slammer: Stroll Has it All
— By Peter Brannen, July 9, 2010.
Courtesy of the Vineyard Gazette, Inc., copyright 2010.

Dukes County avenue spaces will be the place to be. This Saturday marks the fifth annual Art Stroll in the ever-expanding arts district in Oak Bluffs. The evening promises to be as eclectic as the tenants of the district, with traditional seascapes displayed adjacent to steampunk mechanical dinosaurs. The diversity of work represents the growing vocabulary of art on the Vineyard, which has found its fullest expression in this bohemian corner tucked away on Dukes County avenue.

For Dragonfly Fine Arts Gallery owner and painter Don McKillop the evening is all about increasing Island awareness of the burgeoning community of artists and galleries that has sprouted up there over the years.

“A number of people when they come in, we ask, ‘Is this your first time?’ and they say ‘Yeah,’ and then when we ask if they’re new to the Vineyard they say, ‘No, we’ve lived here for 30 years and never knew this was here.’”

Mr. McKillop, who bought the studio two years ago with his wife, Susan Davy — who is herself a photographer — has about 25 artists on display in a constantly rotating collection, spanning all styles and mediums, from Morgan Madison’s Mondrian-like, multi-layered fused glassworks to Island favorite Adam Thompson’s spare and striking depictions of local vehicles. Also on offer are Peter Batchelder, whose evocative twilight-soaked barns are instantly recognizable, and local truck driver Traeger diPietro, whose maritime tableaus evoke an abstracted Winslow Homer, among many more.

From 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday the gallery opens its doors and invites Island jazz keyboardist John Alaimo to accompany the increasingly popular stroll, a night of art, food and socializing.

Just up the road from Mr. McKillop is Michael Hunter’s PikNik Art and Apparel.
“I don’t know where Michael finds his stuff,” says Mr. McKillop, “It’s always funky. He draws the crowds.”

For Saturday’s event Mr. Hunter has prepared a show of nine artists, all of whom will be showing their art for the first time on the Island. Mr. Hunter has dubbed the show “Primo Tempere Pictoris in Insula” (Latin for “First Time Artists on the Island”) to reflect this fact.

“The whole ‘new artists thing’ is a little patronizing in my mind, because they’re really not new artists, even though they might be new to here, so that was my point with the title.”

Among Mr. Hunter’s diverse collection are the photorealistic canvases of Frances McGuire’s Oak Bluffs sea wall; a scene at once extremely familiar to locals but rendered with a singular attention, producing an abandoned and disorienting effect.
“It’s a really gorgeous contemporary take on something that’s so mundane but that she just makes come to life,” says Mr. Hunter. “It’s so iconic, everybody knows that shot. “

Equally striking are the totem poles and dinosaurs composed entirely of spare mechanical parts and scrap metal of Walter Monstream, which tower next to PikNik; or the psychedelic surfing-inspired works of Michael Miller, five of which have been purchased by the MTA of Manhattan to be converted into 15 foot murals on the A line to JFK. Mr. Hunter emphasized the difficulty in bringing together such an eclectic show.

“A big part of a show like this is the planning which takes the better part of a year,” he said. “People might not realize that. You’re dealing with nine different souls and their personal private work, so there’s building that relationship and that trust, and then there’s the physically getting all the work here.” (As of Wednesday two of Mr. Hunter’s paintings were held up in customs from France).
“The work that Michael does and the work I do — we’re trying to stretch the definition of what is considered art on the Vineyard,” said Angel Quinonez of Amity Ink, which sits just across from Dragonfly, shares a building with Stephanie Wolf Jewelry Design and is adjacent to the Alison Shaw Gallery, in the heart of the district.

Mr. Quinonez is primarily a tattoo artist, but the walls of his shop are lined with an impressive collection of paintings, photographs, metalworks and, perhaps most interestingly, needlepoint, which he plans to display on Saturday.

The needlepoint is that of Ray Materson, a Michigan native who spent 15 years in prison for drug-related crimes. While in prison he recalled the enjoyment he derived practicing needlepoint with his grandmother when he was a child and began bartering cigarettes for tube socks which he would unravel and use as thread. Using a needle he bribed from a guard Mr. Materson began to sew, both the idyllic scenes of his childhood along with horrific representations of drug abuse and prison life. The tiny works, which need to be seen to be believed, are marvels of miniature. Highlights include a reproduction of an Ozzie Smith baseball card and a sepia-toned photograph from a grandfather’s photo album.

“He documented his whole life story in needlepoint! From jail!” said Mr. Quinonez, who is friends with Mr. Materson. “This is thread from socks, okay?” he says, indicating the lettering on Ozzie Smith’s jersey. ““Look at the detail right there. Are you nuts?”

Mr. Quinonez is a painter himself, not only of skin but also of the more traditional easel and canvas variety. His series of purple and blue quahaug paintings seem destined to become an iconic Island print.

“The old ladies walk in to see the art, then they see the tattoo needle and go ‘Ah!’ I have to go, ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to tattoo you for free.’”
“It’s like a version of wampum for your house,” said Stephanie Wolf of Stephanie Wolf Jewelry Design. “If you can’t wear jewelry in your living room, you can put Angel’s clam paintings on your wall. Aren’t they gorgeous?”

Ms. Wolf will be displaying her jewelry at the art stroll on Saturday as well. Inspired by the ocean, Ms. Wolf’s work uses recycled glass as well as tile mosaics. Even though her jewelry has been worn by Gwen Ifill on a broadcast of the Newshour on PBS, the art stroll has been one of the best ways for her to get her work seen by the public.

With Alison Shaw opening her new show, Dock, next door, a typically arresting collection of photographs of that old Island mainstay, and Tom Dunlop signing copies with her of their new book, Schooner, for the stroll on Saturday, Dukes County avenue will be the epicenter of the Martha’s Vineyard art world, if it isn’t already permanently.

“Everyone’s got something different to offer and it becomes a real party,” said Mr. McKillop. “It’s really a social event. There’s so many people it’s hard to see the art sometimes.”

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Gallery Strolling on Dukes County Avenue
— By Karla Araujo, July 8, 2010.
Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times, Inc., copyright 2010.

This Saturday, July 10, from 4 to 7 pm, you can walk a block and gain an entirely new perspective on what's happening in the world of art on Martha's Vineyard. The Arts District Stroll on Dukes County Avenue in Oak Bluffs offers art patrons an opportunity to view the diverse works of seven galleries and studios and more than 50 individual artists.

Now in its fourth year, the Stroll is scheduled twice this summer: July 10 and August 14, rain or shine. It's a chance for the resident galleries and artists to unveil new works in a celebratory atmosphere, replete with live music and refreshments.
"It's less about the red dot craze and more about an opportunity for people to gain awareness of the neighborhood. The Stroll attracts people who are really interested in the diversity of art," says Michael Hunter, owner of PIKNIK Fine Art & Apparel, an eclectic showcase for emerging and established artists.

Artists and gallery owners collaborate in order to welcome both new and existing customers to the Arts District. From award-winning photographer Alison Shaw's restored firehouse gallery to the fascinating jumble of sophisticated abstract art, high-end apparel, and wearable art jewelry at PIKNIK, the Arts District  seems to offer something for everyone. Paintings, pastels, mixed media, photography, jewelry, sculpture, designer fashions and accessories for men and women, custom tattoos, and home accessories are on display, often with their creators present.
Last year, the theme was color at the Alison Shaw Gallery. Each participating business creates an individual event on premises, indoors and out, some with live music, a deejay, wine or catered food.

Alison Shaw will open her new show, Dock, featuring new and favorite images of traditional wooden boat building and shorelines. She and author Tom Dunlop will sign copies of their new book, "Schooner: Building a Wooden Boat on Martha's Vineyard," published in May by Island publisher Vineyard Stories.

Alison Shaw Gallery co-owner Sue Dawson sees the Stroll as an opportunity to "put on our best." She and Ms. Shaw laugh as they recall the line that stretched down the street during a book launch in July 2007. "That kind of set the tone for the Stroll," Ms. Dawson says.

Michael Hunter, owner of PIKNIK, will open his new show, "First Time Artists on the Island," a collection of works by eight artists, all of whom are new to the Island. Four men and four women from Paris to San Francisco will be featured with work ranging from Old-World-inspired cityscapes with a contemporary edge to hip surfing-inspired paintings by a Brooklyn surfer/art/academic.

Don McKillop, co-owner of Dragonfly Gallery, plans to display a broad selection of works from among the 23 artists he represents, including six new artists this season. The inviting gallery, once a grocery store for the nearby Campgrounds, features such popular artists as Traeger diPietro, Adam Thompson, and Jenny Nelson. Artist Karen English and her "Spiral Art with a Heart" will be displayed outside the gallery.

A relative newcomer to the Arts District scene, tattoo artist and painter/metalworker Angel Quinonez operates a custom tattoo studio and small fine art gallery. Although the gallery is small, he rotates in new works regularly and features Nancy Malone Clarke's intriguing jewelry made from vintage buttons and found objects, as well as Michelle Merchant's eye-catching jewelry crafted from blown glass. He is particularly proud of the needlepoint miniatures created by former addict and convict, Ray Materson, whose work has shown in the Louvre in France.

For Mr. Quinonez, who divides his time between Oak Bluffs and Providence, the show theme is, "What is art?" He explains many of the pieces displayed — paintings, photography, sculpture, metal work and jewelry — will challenge the viewer. "I want to open people's eyes to what is art," Mr. Quinonez says. "I refuse to fit the mold."

Fans of unique jewelry won't want to miss Stefanie Wolf's creations with colorful glass tiles, recycled glass and sterling. Her Trilogy Collection features handmade glass tiles from the Czech Republic in vibrant greens, reds, blues, and ambers.
"My work is inspired by the Island, the ocean, and my life in this environment," Ms. Wolf explains. She hopes the visitors will be impressed with a new collection of recycled, stamped pieces she'll display in a tent just outside her studio.

Lucinda Sheldon's kiln-fired enamel jewelry is full of color and whimsy — beadwork and enameled mermaids, angels and dragonflies are all part of her artwork. Now in her 15th year, Ms. Sheldon's studio and courtyard at 11 Vineyard Avenue, also features artisan Jeri Dantzig's vivid fused glass, Nancy Noble Gardner's signature photographs of flowers, and Belden K. Radcliffe's tiles and original artwork. Visitors will get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the enamelist's process.

Bananas, whose main store is in West Tisbury, will feature an array of unique clothing and accessories at 93 Dukes County Avenue, the former location of the Red Mannequin.

The Arts District Strolls, Saturday, July 10 and Saturday, August 14, from 4 to 7pm, rain or shine, on Dukes County Avenue in Oak Bluffs.

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How can people judge how the art will look in their homes?
— June 24, 2010.
Court

Michael Hunter of PIKNIK Art & Apparel. Photo by Michael Hunter.

esy of The Martha's Vineyard Times, Inc., copyright 2010.

Michael Hunter, owner, PIKNIK Art and Apparel: I offer two different environments: the rather austere studio annex, and the inside gallery where the art is displayed among clothing, accessories, and art-to-wear-jewelry. Intermixing art with other things shows people how it will look in a living space so they can discern what speaks to them. Of course, I'm willing to make house calls, and provide a 48-hour test trial for the larger pieces.

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PikNik: Are You Ready for the City?
— By Amanda Williams, August 14, 2009.
Courtesy of the Vineyard Gazette, Inc., copyright 2009.

Saturday night at PikNik and beats are spinning from a deejay’s turntables, blaring outside the bounds of the gallery’s backlot. A crowd in their taste-maker threads, eating from the retro the ArtCliff Diner truck, is gathered in small town Oak Bluffs to see cityscapes. The scene at PikNik’s Urban Show demonstrated the transience of the urban mindset, its ability to be transplanted even to a mostly rural Island.
It’s the second year for PikNik’s urban show. The roster of a dozen artists includes eight Vineyarders, gallery owner Michael Hunter is proud to say: Traeger di Pietro, Paul Norwood, Ellen Liman, Sherry Blalock, Gregory Coutinho, Max Decker, Adam Thompson, Anne McGhee, Tom Stephens, Alison Light, Gaston Valin and Nicholas DiFonzo. The intention, Mr. Hunter says, is to allow these artists, many of whom show primarily landscapes, to explore new subjects.

Michael Hunter hangs the Urban Show “like in a salon,” he says. With a sense of humor, practicality and respect for the art of hanging art, he weaves outdoor and indoor elements. The palate of the art, canvas size, and other elements inform his placements. There’s the green of a tree on which he consistently hangs di Pietro’s work, the cream background against which the primary colors of McGhee’s Fenway series pop, the reflective surface behind Light’s abstract cityscapes bursting with rich turquoise and tomatoes, the charcoal grey against which one of Thompson’s crisp New York scenes hangs, and the white which features Valin’s Matisse pastoral-inspired cityscapes.

The newly added annex section of the gallery displays work by Sherry Blalock. The playful works challenge viewers to see small snippets of city life. One shows a destroyed New York city poster board, with several layers of grimy, water-damaged paper and the familiar NYC subway font. Hung just above the subway piece is a popular piece: a glimpse of good luck charm animals in a Chinatown store window. Only feet away is Blalock’s depiction of three wrapped plants in the light of a nearby street lamp. “Who would’ve thought that . . . would be the subject of such a hauntingly beautiful oil painting?” wonders Mr. Hunter.

Gregory Couhtino’s milky realist depictions of New York city display a palate rich in city grayness. Hunter praised Couhtino, a native Vineyarder, for his acute eye.

Outside, a massive di Pietro piece is propped against the gallery building, a Tom Stephens abstract cityscape is placed on an easel, and Valin’s earthy cityscapes line the billboard.

In the middle of the gallery is a wrenching triptych by Nicholas DiFonzo, a tribute to musician Elliot Smith, who died in 2003 from a drug overdose. Mr. Hunter now displays the work on tracks, the three canvases supporting one another as a pyramid. “It was an eleventh hour decision on my part,” Hunter said, of his move to bring the piece out of his gallery’s storage.

Three standout small India ink etchings by Max Decker are actually billed as the 11th Hour Cityscapes, as they were completed with only hours to spare before the show was hung.

Mr. Hunter hopes to encourage the artist to do more of the ink etchings for Decker’s solo show, which opens August 29 and will wrap up the summer season at PikNik (PikNikMV.com).

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Galleries: Abstract & Urban at PIKNIK
— By Karla Araujo, July 23, 2009. Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

Island artist Michele Ratté uses glass beads, Turkish bells, beach rocks, and other objects to create these fabric assemblages.

Michael Hunter, owner of PIKNIK Art & Apparel in the Oak Bluffs Arts District, insists he didn't set out to shake up the Vineyard. "My shows are self-indulgent," he says, almost apologetically. "They're just an extension of me.

I have a passion for the abstract and non-representational world." This summer, others who share Mr. Hunter's taste for the untraditional should make a concerted effort to stop by the smorgasbord of a fine art gallery, clothing, and accessories boutique he has created at 99 Dukes County Avenue in Oak Bluffs. For the past 14 years, he has lured customers with his extraordinary sense of whimsy, nostalgia, and cutting edge style. Last summer, demonstrating his ability to push the envelope in the Vineyard art scene, Mr. Hunter launched two new themed shows: The Abstract Event and The Urban Show. Both were resounding successes, he says.

From now through August 5, abstract art enthusiasts will find an arresting and varied mix of work from nine accomplished artists during the gallery's second annual event. And, from August 8 through 26, the gallery will host the second annual Urban Show, featuring nine artists' nods to metropolitan living and cityscape.

Gallery goers mingled at the group show of abstract works at PIKNIK Art & Apparel during Saturday's Arts District Stroll. Photo by Lynn Christoffers

This past Friday, the evening before the opening of the abstract show, Mr. Hunter surveyed the partially transformed gallery walls, running his fingers through abundant silver hair and scratching his beard thoughtfully. "The works speak to one another," he explained. "I start out with a blueprint of how I think the exhibit will hang and then it takes on a life of its own." Less than 24 hours before guests were scheduled to arrive, he planned to refresh the paint on exhibition panels and the gallery floor, hang the remaining pieces, and create a method to suspend Michele Ratté's luminous fabric sculptures.

Deejay Di, one of the Island's sought-after disc jockeys, had received her play list for the following evening, works from contemporary classical composer Philip Glass and experimental musician Laurie Anderson, chosen specifically by Mr. Hunter to complement the evening's theme. Calla lilies from a farm in Western Massachusetts were handpicked and hand-delivered by the grower. "Don't worry," Mr. Hunter assured me with a blend of confidence and resignation at the long night ahead, "It'll all come together."

Mixed media works on paper by Mercedes Nuñez. Photo courtesy of PIKNIK

By 5:15 pm on Saturday, July 18, the Arts District was alive with pedestrians popping in and out of neighborhood galleries. Women in flowing skirts and men in linen shirts sipped chardonnay as they absorbed the work and the energy of the opening. A crowd estimated "in the hundreds," according to a pleased Mr. Hunter, milled around PIKNIK's grounds, gallery, and boutique, sipping wine and exclaiming over Michele Ratté's fabric constructions that hung from the rafters and Barbara DuRant's moody, earth-toned oil paintings. Characterized by Mr. Hunter as a gathering of "more serious collectors," couples strolled, jotted down notes, and compared reactions to the array of carefully selected works. Mr. Hunter held court, warmly greeting friends, newcomers, and repeat customers, ushering them toward the sky-lit gallery that sits behind the property's main building.

Russell Sharon's vivid, large-scale landscape stands as a striking, iconic welcome near the gallery's entrance. Inside, Tom Stephens's heavily layered and complex oil and acrylic works are fascinating, vibrant and memorable - a testament, according to Mr. Hunter, to the unique talent and technique required to create a successful abstract work. Mercedes Nuñez displays an intensely personal point of view with mixed media collage on paper - works that invite the eye with a strong graphic presence and challenge the viewer to interpret.

Barbara DuRant's earth-toned oil paintings. Photo courtesy of PIKNIK

Vineyard representational landscape painter Marjorie Mason "takes a refreshing vacation," says Mr. Hunter, in creating her soothing Tea Lane and Chilmark series of geometric abstracts, a surprise to many Vineyard art patrons who are unaware of her highly refined abstract work.

In contrast, Barbara DuRant's oils in warm browns, golds, greys, and reds are arresting and dramatic, often conveying a sense of urgency and conflict. Abraham Brewster's contortions of the human form are surreal, somewhat disturbing, yet compelling. In counterpoint are the shimmering gold-laced fabric constructions by Island artist Michele Ratté, which employ glass beads, Turkish bells, beach rocks and other objects. Children and adults stand together in quiet awe of the three-dimensional assemblages Mr. Hunter aptly describes as "defying description."

Beatricia Sagar's mixed media collages on canvas are provocative yet peaceful, marrying strips of color, texture, and typography to create 14- by 60-inch totems, pieces that can stand alone or hang as a triptych.

Finally, Max Decker, the Island's wunderkind who has found a home at PIKNIK and a nurturing mentor in Mr. Hunter, contributed a sculpture - a plaster casting - that reflects his process toward creating a larger, more finished work.

The upcoming Urban Show, featuring artists Paul Norwood, Tom Stephens, Max Decker, Gaston Valin, Gregory Coutinhno, Anne McGhee, Traeger Di Pietro, Adam Thompson, and Sherry Blalock promises to provide a dynamic, near-end-of-summer bridge back to the real world for Vineyard visitors and residents alike.

PIKNIK Art & Apparel: Abstract Event through August 5. Urban Show, August 8-26 in conjunction with Arts District Stroll.

Karla Araujo is a regular contributor to The Times.

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Michael Hunter Brings His Eclectic Style Sense to PIKNIK
From Fine Art to Fine Pickles, and Everything in Between
Scene & Seen (An eclectic Mix of Vineyard People and Happenings)
Vineyard Style, Summer 2009

Michael Hunter Brings His Eclectic Style Sense to PIKNIK
From Fine Art to Fine Pickles, and Everything in Between

Even before reaching the entrance of the converted old house where the shop makes its home, visitors to PIKNIK Art & Apparel on Dukes County Avenue in the Oak Bluffs Arts District, know they are about to discover the unusual. For 13 years, New York City stylist Michael Hunter has operated his eclectic art, jewelry and clothing boutique at the end of a driveway that currently displays old stoves from the 1930s boiling over with flowers, vintage ice chests, and a spouting water fountain that was once a Maytag washing machine.

Once inside, the visitor is drawn in multiple directions toward a varied array of merchandise that includes art, clothing, jewelry, accessories, and pickles.

Pickles?

"I sell two varieties of pickles, regular and spicy." Michael said. "But the pickles I found at Murray's in New York, packed in beautiful graphic jar and with a delightful taste are particularly popular. I sell four cases of pickles a week."

With Michael at the helm, PIKNIK has had a series of incarnations, beginning as an antique store whose focus evolved into art. Within a few years, Michael added clothing, jewelry, glassware and pottery to his inventory.

Among this season's must have items, Michael counts pieces from the current line of Vivienne Westwood apparel, a unique porkpie hat for men from Tracy Watts, and statement pieces from a collection of Miriam Haskell jewelry called "Sea Gypsies." The shop boasts a selection from the final line of leather goods from Morgan's Gray's, an order made available when Henry Bendel cancelled their purchase when Morgan Gray's succumbed to the recession. And, when Michael was recovering from a foot injury, he sued his post-surgicl period to discover a line of translucent canes in four colors (his was yellow) that are now part of his inventory.

Michael, an accomplished New York City fashion stylist who splits his time between SoHo and Oak Bluffs, is the force that drives PIKNIK. His fashion sense ensures that PIKNIK features clothing and accessories that are timeless items that can be used forever. As curator, purchaser and proprietor of PIKNIK, it is his job as well as his joy to buy and sell the ecletic array of treasures that fill his shop.

"Only about six percent of what I sell is vintage," he said. "The products I seek tend to be new creations with a vintage charm."

If you visit PIKNIK and feel it's one of the coolest places to shop on the Vineyard, you're in good company. Yankee Magazine recently gave PIKNIK its prestigious Editors' Choice award for the best mix of fashion, art, and function in its 2009 Yankee Travel Guide.

Recently PIKNIK has created a website (www.piknikmv.com) where purchases can also be made, although the key goal of the website is to highlight the work of the artists whose work is featured there.

The Art Shows
Outside, a pathway leads to the Studio Annex, a remodeled barn, where Michael features the work of new artists and presents seasonal art shows with an island focus as well as urban chic!

Upcoming shows for the Summer 2009 season includes a solo show featuring the work of Max Decker from June 20–July 15; an Abstract Show, July 18–August 5, featuring the work of Beatricia Sagar, Mercedes Nuñez, Barbara DuRant, Marjorie Mason, Tom Stephens, Max Decker, Russell Sharon, Abraham Brewster, and Michele Ratté; the Urban Show from August 8– August 26, featuring Paul Norwood, Tom Stephens, Max Decker, Gaston Valin, Gregory Coutinho, Anne McGhee, Sherry Blalock, Adam Thompson, Traeger Di Pietro, Nicholas DiFonzo and Alison Light; and Max Decker's "Fusion Show", beginning August 29 which is open ended, lasting late into the season. All shows begin on Saturdays with an opening reception from 4–7 pm.

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Max Decker – Dividing his time
Profile by Julia Rappaport – Vineyard Style, Summer 2009

6x9" Oil on Board.

On the surface, Island painter Max Decker appears to be living the dream.

He splits his time between New York in winter and West Tisbury during the long summers that stretch into the golden days of September. His sweeping Vineyard Landscapes and daring abstract paintings have developed a loyal following. At only 26, he's nailed a steady gig at Michael Hunter's PIKNIK gallery and boutique in Oak Bluffs that pushes the boundaries of what Vineyard art can be. His paintings bring in enough money so Decker can live off his art alone. Sounds dreamy and downright difficult in these times.

But Decker doesn't quite see things that way. "I'm just plodding along," he said recently from his Brooklyn apartment. "It's just that there's nothing else I'd rather be doing."

Max Decker grew up off New Lane in West Tisbury, in a house built by his parents, Chris who owns The Tisbury Printer in Vineyard Haven, and Nelia, a librarian at the West Tisbury Library. Decker attended the West Tisbury elementary school and the charter school before enrolling at the Putney School in Vermont in the tenth grade. "I was needing to get off the Vineyard," Decker said. "Putney is a kind of artist oriented place, and they hand responsibility to kids in a way that you don't get in public school. It was something like, 'There's a tree that's fallen down. Here's a chainsaw. Go cut it up.' So it becomes, a question of how I'm going to figure how to do this on my own."

It was at Putney that Decker first threw himself into the word of art, taking classes in painting, sculpture and stone carving. After graduating in 2002, Decker attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston where he was free to fully indulge his artistic side. He plunged into painting, with a little help from longtime Island artist and Museum School professor, Don Sibley.

"I used to do a lot of what you would call 'narrative paintings." Decker said. "There were a lot of scenes, a lot of interiors and people. There'd always be some sort of story playing out." In class one day, Sibley came behind him. "He looked over my shoulder and said. 'Ok, here's your scene. Now I want you to a paint what's going on over here.' And he pointed to the air next to the canvas. It was really simple, but I think a profound way to say, work on what's going on between the lines a little bit."

Sibley was not the only Vineyard artist to influence Decker. Look at any of the young artist's landscape paintings. In the calm colors, the expansive views and the ominous clouds are hints of West Tisbury painter Allen Whiting. "Growing up and seeing the other guys who were doing it, and getting encouragement from other painters like Allen down the street from us, really had an impact. I was always going to openings," Decker said. "You just do a bit every day and keep working at it. That's one of the main things I got from him."

In college, Decker began developing two very distinct painting styles: a Vineyard style, and what he now refers to as a New York style. "It's a bipolar, kind of dual-sided thing," he said. The Vineyard style is all landscapes – beautiful, serene, and recognizable to Island residents and tourists alike. "Sepiessa Point is just right down the street from my house, and it's one of my favorite places to paint," Decker said. "I'll be doing something in the studio, and if the light looks nice, I can just drive down there and be there in five minutes."

The New York style is frenetic, large scale and abstract – multimedia pieces that include the artist's own sculpture and photography. "The Vineyard work is less stressful," Decker said. "Just applying paint to the surface is very therapeutic. My focus tends to be on the process and not necessarily the final result. With the New York work, the process is just awful. It's agonizing sometimes," he continued. "It's more of a roller coaster. You're not sure if it's good or it's bad. But I like the work in the end, usually."

While still in college, Decker decided to try his hand as a professional artist. He got a booth at the Artisan's Fair in West Tisbury, stocked it with a bunch of small paintings and hoped someone might take notice. "I kind of threw myself into it not knowing what would happen," Decker said. "And people just bought them out. I would sell something like 15 or 20 paintings in an afternoon and get all psyched, but then I'd realize I'd have to go do the same thing the next week, and I'd have to finish another 20 paintings."

One of the people who noticed was Michael Hunter. "Max and I first met at the Artisan's Fair, and I bought five of his paintings on the spot," said Hunter, a former New York City fashion stylist who opened PIKNIK 13 years ago. "I loved his work from the get-go. He had his own voice and was obviously inspired." At the time Hunter was looking to bring more art into his Arts District boutique and offered Decker a chance to show his work.

48x72" Oil on Canvas.

In the beginning, Decker only showed his landscapes. But last summer, in a multiple artist show, Decker showed one of his New York pieces – a huge, stark and stunning painting of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway's underbelly. "A lot of Michael's clients are from New York, and he's always into pushing the idea of getting a little edgy with the stuff I enjoy doing here and bridging that gap," Decker Said. The piece which Hunter posted on PIKNIK's website in advance, sold before the show opened. At $12,000, it was Decker's highest sell yet. "It was kind of a watershed," said Hunter. Besides selling at a hefty price, it proved to both of us that we don't have to limit ourselves to what kind of works."

This year, Decker will show more of his abstract work at PIKNIK, first at a multiple artist Abstract Show on July 18 through August 5, and then at an Urban Show on August 8 through August 26. His landscapes will be on display June 20 through July 15 in a solo show, and on August 29 both of his styles will be on view in a solo fusion show.

With four upcoming shows, Decker needs to hit the canvas. This winter, he took a break from painting. He played keyboard, bass and cello in a duo and started making musical instruments.

"The nature of painting for me is such an up-and-down thing that any success is almost instantly tempered by a disastrous moment," he said. "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that you wake up and think you never want to paint again. But then there's something just good enough that makes you come back and beat yourself up all over again."

With the break behind him, Decker is ready to get back to that good stuff. "I've got to dive right back into landscape," he said. "When I get to the Vineyard, it's pretty much just nonstop painting. But that's kind of the way I like it."

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Yankee Magazine
BEST MIX OF FASHION, ART, AND FUNCTION:
PIKNIK ART & APPAREL, Oak Bluffs
Editors' Choice – Yankee Travel Guide (2009)

Edgy European clothing for men and women is juxtaposed with home goods here on Martha's Vineyard: Think festively colored modern Bauer stoneware and radical reinterpretations of iconic English china patterns, plus contemporary paintings and sculpture. A selective collection of vintage housewares occupies the breezeway behind the house; the barn hosts rotating art shows with an island focus.

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Galleries: The Business of Art
— By Karla Araujo, October 23, 2008. Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times.
Photo by CK Wolfson

Emerging artist Max Decker of West Tisbury and New York has found this balance in his relationship with Michael Hunter, owner of PIKNIK Art & Apparel in the Arts District of Oak Bluffs. At 26, Mr. Decker is a Vineyard native and a graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He is one of Martha's Vineyard's younger artists, but one who has attracted a great deal of buzz.

Michael Hunter, owner of PIKNIK Art & Apparel in Oak Bluffs, makes a point of displaying the work of emerging artists.

Mr. Hunter, the enthusiastic force behind PIKNIK, a boutique and gallery featuring an eclectic and high-end array of contemporary art, decorative accessories, jewelry and clothing, spotted Mr. Decker's exhibit at the Vineyard Artisans Festival several years ago and recruited him. "I enjoy showing the work of younger or emerging artists," he says. He is unmistakably proud of Mr. Decker's work and clearly an aggressive advocate of his talent.

Mr. Decker credits Mr. Hunter with enabling him to paint fewer but higher quality works. "I used to generate a ton of paintings to keep up with demand at the Artisans Festival," he says. "Now I can paint more carefully. Michael has helped me figure out a direction without imposing."

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UNIQUE BOUTIQUES – Cape Cod Life
— By C.K. Wolfson, August 2008

It's getting harder and harder these days to find shops that set themselves apart from the run-of-the-mall selection.

Even before reaching the entrance of the converted old house, visitors to Pik-Nik on Dukes County Avenue in the Oak Bluffs Arts District, know they are about to discover the unusual. There are clues all along the short driveway leading to the shop's parking lot: a pedestal sink that growns marigolds, the antique popcorn machine filled with crockery, a spouting water fountain that was once an old Maytag. THe pathway to the back entrance is embedded with bits and pieces of ceramics and bordered with spray-painted tricycles and sculpture.

"Expect anything," Michael Hunter says of his eclectic shop.

"Expect anything," owner Michael Hunter tosses out, as he lounges on a chair in front of a display of McClure's pickels in glass jars, next to striking, framed black and white photographs, behind Javier Marin's enormous bronze bust. Pony-tailed, barefoot, managing to make scruffy look handsome, HUnter, who earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Ithaca College, spends the off-season as a New Your City-based fashion stylist who creates "aesthetic details" or settings for print ads, dispalys, and photo shoots. A former New York actor and occasional model, who as a teenager was hired to answer film start Claire Trevor's fan mail, he once worked as the assistant manager of Kenneth Cole's anchor store along with actress Mary Louise Parker ("We used to crank up the music and dance in the windows," he recalls). He describes his boutique gallery as "fine art apparel, fine collectibles, and oddities."

Bryan Ferry's Roxy music plays in the background as visitors go treasure hunting among the artful kitsch: Wedgewood china, Pendleton blankets, jewelry designed by Penelope from found objects, antiques, handbags, retro looking china decorated with urban graphics, and imported eyewear. Walking through what once was the first floor of a modest house, one hardly knows where to look first. It is a banquet for the eyes. Forms are dressed with Vivienne Westwood's meticulously designed clothing. ("I love seeing women in their 60s come in and rediscover ther waists," Hunter quips.) There is a glass case filled with jeweler Miriam Haskell's extravagant clusters of beaded, asymmetrclal necklaces.

"I got in a rut a few summers ago—trapped in my own creation," Hunter says, smiling. "People keep telling me what they expect of me in no uncertain terms. But it's givining yourself permission, and letting go, that is the essence of creative energy."

A couple of years ago, Hunter opened the Studio Annex, a remodeled garage behind the shop, where in seaon he presents art shows and features the work of new artists. "I've done very well selling dead artists' work, he says. "The big challenge was discovering living artists. It's a wonderful pursuit of the art I connect with personally."

And his eye is unerring. Prominently featured are popular paintings by
Max Decker, a young artist who grew up on the island and who, with Hunter's mentoring, now earns his living as an artist in New York City.

Hunter has additional plans to expand. He talks about using the courtyard and gardens as a forum for live entertainment.

"I want people to come in, walk around and," he pauses, "laugh—find something they can connect to, and enrich their lives whether it's with a painting, a hat, or a jar of amazing pickles."

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Hob Knob-ing around Martha's Vineyard, Exploring the Island www.edgeboston.com
— By Jason Salzenstein

I was introduced to PIK-NIK, a seasonal ’I want everything in it’ boutique, and have officially dubbed it the best shop for EDGE readers on the island. The owner is a well-known stylist and brilliant buyer, who also happens to be quite easy on the eyes. He’s assembled a well-edited collection of this season’s must-haves, alongside vintage pieces and various other items you won’t be able to live without. I found everything from denim that’s only available in one other location, to fabulous retro-inspired vases, to a yak-yarn cap that’s apparently everything in LA, to the best pickles I’ve had in my life. (Yes, pickles!)

This store should definitely top your list of stops- just be sure to call ahead to make sure that they’re open. PIK-NIK :: 99 Dukes County Ave, Oak Bluffs ::
508-693-1366

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Strolling Down the Island’s Arty Avenues
— By Julia Rappaport (excerpted), Tuesday, August 5, 2008.
Courtesy of the Vineyard Gazette, Inc., copyright 2008

The Vineyard in August: ample time to amble, more than enough moments to mosey, and reasons aplenty to roam and rove. But when it comes to art, there is only one way to take it in and that is to stroll. “It’s like an arts block party with people just mingling in the warmest, friendliest way you could imagine,” said Judy Hartford, owner of the Red Mannequin, a boutique clothing store on Dukes County avenue, smack in the center of the Oak Bluffs arts district.

This week, art lovers, families and Vineyard visitors looking for an introduction to the summer social scene will have two opportunities to stroll the Island’s visual art offerings. First on Thursday, Edgartown galleries will open their doors from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be live music, fantastic art and wine to wash it all down. Then on Saturday, the Oak Bluffs arts district — a neighborhood of clothing boutiques, quirky stores and unique art galleries with photographs, paintings and artistic jewelry — will welcome the crowds from 4 to 7 p.m. As in Edgartown, there will be music, beverages and food both sweet and savory.

Over in Oak Bluffs, the stroll is truly a pedestrian fiesta. Cars struggle to make it down the short few blocks between Tony’s Market and the beginning of the Camp Grounds. Women flounce down the street in skirts and sun dresses and it’s jackets, though rarely a tie, for the men. Wine — or plastic champagne flutes filled with bubbly Prosecco and limoncello — flows like water and live jazz spills out onto the streets. It is one giant cocktail party.

The Oak Bluffs strolls began last year, after the district formed a formal organization to promote their area. “We are all very independent, but we are all there with art in mind,” said Holly Alaimo, owner of the Dragonfly Gallery on the corner of Dukes County and Vineyard avenues. Mrs. Alaimo, who has openings every two weeks all summer long and has been in business for 14 years, was a driving force behind starting the strolls.

She said the strolls have been particularly important this summer. “It’s important that businesses, in this difficult economic time, have an extra incentive to bring people to the store,” she said. “And I think the stores are just doing fine. We’re all feeling good about the summer and we think the strolls are a big part of the reason why.” In turn, Mrs. Alaimo thinks the galleries and the strolls are giving an extra little boost to the rest of Oak Bluffs. “It’s like having a little event for our town. People come to the stroll, because it starts at four, then they go out to dinner in our town, they go to the movie theatre in our town, they go out on Circuit avenue and get an ice cream in our town. Our little area has provided a lot of business for the town.”

The stroll also provides gallery owners with an excuse to go above and beyond the routine art opening. “We have openings, as does the Dragonfly, every two weeks, but for us, the stroll just ramps it up a lot,” said Sue Dawson, owner of the Alison Shaw Gallery. “It gives us an opportunity to really put a lot of effort into the opening and put a splash in it.” This summer, the gallery, which features the photographs of Alison Shaw, has hosted color-themed exhibits. Two weeks ago was the Black and White Show; this week highlights the color blue. The photography features the themed color, and the back wall is painted that shade. Refreshments also are color-coordinated. “We are coming up with blue-themed drinks and food,” said Ms. Dawson, who laid out Oreos for the last opening.

At the end of the street, Michael Hunter, owner of PIKNIK, is getting ready for the show he spent the past year planning: the Urban Show. The exhibit will feature seven Island artists and their renderings of New York and Boston and deejay Di will be spinning 1950s vintage vanguard jazz. “Oh, it’s going to be a great night,” Mr. Hunter said. “We kind of pull out the stops with these strolls, realizing we do two per summer, one in July and one in August, and realizing we’re attracting a different crowd. It is one of our high holy days,” he laughed.

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Galleries: Gallery Owner Mentors Vineyard Artist
— By Samantha McCoy, July 10, 2008. Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times

Michael Hunter has a gift for artfully combining paintings, designer hats, Oregon wool blankets, jewelry, pickles, and vintage china into one small space, as demonstrated in his unique Oak Bluffs art gallery and boutique, PIKNIK Art and Apparel.

"Everything I have is the best example of what I can pull together," Mr. Hunter states simply.

Max Decker at work in his West Tisbury studio. Photo by Jon Ollwerther

He met 26-year-old West Tisbury native Max Decker four years ago at an artisans fair. Impressed with the young painter's conspicuous talent, he immediately purchased five of Mr. Decker's paintings for himself.

In PIKNIK's main gallery, Mr. Decker's paintings hang on a wall adjacent to a display of candles and across from an ornate jewelry case. "In here, I like to mix the art with objects," Mr. Hunter explains. "It's a reminder that art interacts with your environment."

"Fire Lane, State Forest," oil on canvas. Photo courtesy of Max Decker.

This Saturday, PIKNIK will open a two-week show in the gallery's studio featuring the paintings of Max Decker.

The artist gained attention over the past few years for his richly layered and evocative Vineyard landscapes. While predominately modest in scale, they boast vast appeal: realist principles combined with impressionist characteristics that enhance the raw beauty of the subjects.

Despite his accomplishments and the almost instant recognition given his paintings, Mr. Decker remains determinedly modest. He began, he says, "barely scratching out landscape paintings," after converting a small barn behind the home of his parents, Chris and Nelia Decker, into a studio.

The young artist's work has maintained a presence in the space of PIKNIK gallery for the past two seasons. Mr. Hunter says that he is honored to represent the artist. "He could have shown anywhere on the Island," he says.

Outside, a pathway leads to the fine arts studio that will cater exclusively to Mr. Decker's landscapes beginning July 10. Mr. Hunter explains the smaller gallery is a "cleaner space to view the art, intended to highlight art for art's sake."

Mr. Decker paints in his Brooklyn apartment, where he moved two years ago after graduating from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. There, he explores a completely different style of work from his popular Vineyard landscapes: large murals approach abstraction as they explore the juxtaposition of humans and industry in a means that suggests collage.

He admits it's hard to get back into painting landscapes when he returns to West Tisbury for the summer. "I'm scrambling trying to figure out how to do it again," he says. The wall of his studio suggests differently: More than a dozen small landscape paintings hang in an array of subtle atmospheric colors.

It is easy to associate with paintings that speak so vividly of an Island locale while boasting coral skies and light green clouds.

"His work gets more finely tuned each season," Mr. Hunter observes, "I attribute it to him letting himself work in other realms [of painting] and then bringing back new facets to his landscapes."
Fire Lane, State Forest

Mr. Decker admits that despite its difficulties, he enjoys the "schizophrenic lifestyle" of switching back and forth between painting genres and adds, "The paintings influence each other more and more as I get better jumping between the two. It's interesting putting it all together."

He continues, "I have to have some connection to the places that catch my eye." Once inspired, he returns and sketches shapes, filling them in with paint. He tries to avoid adhering to a predetermined vision, instead allowing the painting to reveal itself. After returning to his studio, the artist touches up the paintings, occasionally introducing a completely new palette to them in order to keep himself intrigued.

Though Decker finds his paintings are, he says, "never as good as you want them to be," his audience seems to believe differently. Mr. Hunter has already scheduled a second Max Decker show for August 23, because he usually sells out of everything from the first show: an impressive accomplishment for an artist who has just begun to make his mark on the art world.

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Working the great outdoors
— By Brooks Robards (excerpted), September 20, 2007.
Courtesy of The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Browsers at Pik-Nik saw their reflections and artwork on the mirrored wall. Photo by Ralph Stewart.

Eighteen artists have brought their work together for a plein-air exhibit at three galleries in Oak Bluffs. The show runs through Friday, Sept. 21, at Dragonfly Gallery, Periwinkle Studio, and Pik-Nik Gallery.

Each gallery features work from one location that the participating artists were asked to paint. At Dragonfly, the subject is the Edgartown lighthouse, while at Periwinkle, it is Menemsha Harbor, and at Pik-Nik, the Tisbury Waterworks. None of the paintings could be larger than 12 by 16 inches in order to accommodate the available gallery space.

In addition, each artist could submit one larger painting, up to 24 by 30 inches, done at Philbin Beach, Owen Park, Lucy Vincent Beach or a location chosen by the artist. All the work had to be started after Sept. 1.

Popularized in the 19th century by the Barbizon School and Impressionist painters like Monet and Renoir, plein-air painting means working outdoors in available light rather than in a studio or from photographs. Plein-air painting continues to have a strong following, but organizing it as a planned activity culminating in a show is unusual.

At Michael Hunter's Pik-Nik Gallery, the subject is the Tisbury Waterworks, which overlooks Lake Tashmoo. Many of the artists steered away from depicting the building itself, concentrating on the water and foliage instead. Ms. Mason chose a palette of autumn colors for her rendition, where the water, full of reflections, stretches out as smooth as a pond. Ms. Mercier uses pinks and blues to compose a similar, reflection-bound scene that is strikingly different in mood.

Brooks Robards is a contributing writer to The Times.

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