Vineyard Folk : Creative People and Unexpected Places of Marthas Vineyard

http://www.renaud-bray.com

http://www.renaud-bray.com

The true soul of Martha’s Vineyard, captured through the eyes of the unique and beloved artisans who live there Vineyard Folk leads us on an intimate journey into the lives and inspirational places of some of the many talented artists who have always helped make up the larger community of Martha’s Vineyard. The island, located just seven miles off the coast of Cape Cod, has a long history as geographic muse. Lilian Hellman and William Styron wrote overlooking the Vineyard Haven harbor, and Thomas Hart Benton—whose influence is still felt in island painters today—depicted the stone walls and winding roads of what is known as “up-island” more than a hundred years ago. Now, a new generation continues to build on these creative legacies, inspired by the island’s diaphanous light, endless beaches, historic towns, and rolling fields and vistas. Vineyard Folk features painters, potters, poets, musicians, writers, and actors and the unique ways they work, live, and play here. From Tiffany Vanderhoop’s hand-beaded earrings based on original Wampanoag designs, to Julie Taymor’s works inspired by the nature around her to Micah Thanhauser’s pottery made from the island’s natural clay and Allen Whiting’s pastoral scenes of his farm, each page is filled with island treasures. Above all, Vineyard Folk is a love letter to a remarkable island community, an homage to those who came before, and a testament to the current challenges of living on a resort island where the weather can be fierce and the housing scarce. With personal interviews and stunning photography, it is a collage of creativity, resilience, and hope. Come celebrate the artistic island folk of the Vineyard, captured at a golden moment of time that might not last forever.