Featherstone, the island's only year-round non-profit arts center, celebrates 10 very fruitful years of bringing art, in a myriad of forms, to island audiences and participants.

The Martha's Vineyard Artistic Outlet
With gallery shows, workshops, art camps, evenings of music and film, and fundraising events, Featherstone has been the living beating heart of the Vineyard art scene for a decade now. Starting out in 1980 as Meetinghouse of Martha's Vineyard, with a mission to sponsor and encourage community involvement in the arts, Meetinghouse found a home, and a name, when the center, in partnership with the MV Landbank Association, acquired the farm in May 1996. Meetinghouse changed its name to Featherstone in 2002.

Watched over by a pair of cows and a horse, the six acre parcel devoted to the Arts Center, maintains the feel of a working farm. Situated among unspoiled woods and meadows, the center's six buildings house studios, show space and offices. The farmhouse has been converted into a gallery and office space, the main barn, once used as stable for horses, has been transformed into a lofty artist's studio for photography, printmaking and weaving. A tool barn was reinvented as a workshop for woodworking, stained glass and metalwork. What was once the stable for breed mares and their foals is now the Pottery Studio. On the grounds is an outdoor, wood-fired kiln.

Budding artists/artisans/musicians can explore a diversity of crafts through the Center's many workshops led by professionals in a variety of artistic fields. Along with drawing, painting and photography classes, Featherstone's adult offerings include tapestry and stained glass, poetry and music classes.

Art For Kids and Teens
Art camps replace the popular Saturday pre school and Saturday arts classes once summer arrives. Preschoolers to preteens can participate daily (M-F mornings) in art related activities geared to the particular camp's age range. After school programs in photography, pottery and poetry are offered free to teens.

Outdoor Entertainment
Musical Mondays will continue this summer from June through August, spotlighting local musicians in a bucolic outdoor setting. The end of the summer jazz bash should once again be a popular outing for all ages. The Wednesday science fiction/fantasy film series commences its fourth season.

Featherstone will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a big birthday bash on Saturday September 2nd in a lighted tent under the stars featuring popular jazz singer songstress Shawnn Monteiro and her popular sidemen, Alvin Terry, Tim Ingles and John Harrison. The day-long fundraiser/celebration will feature artist's demonstrations, musical programs, activities for children, refreshments and more. Activities include:

• Watch artists at work on the grounds and in the studios
• Listen to musicians play on our outdoor performance stage
• Bid on attic treasures
• Participate in a silent auction of work by artists and students along with special gift items
• Savor hot dogs from the grill and ice cream
• Appreciate dancers from The Yard
• Visit Ellen McCluskey's pastel exhibition in the gallery
• Visit Earth's Elders exhibit in The Pebble - the exhibit is photos and stories of people who have lived to be 110.
• Balloons, kites, family art activities, puppets, Coco the Clown

Visit the Featherstone website for up-to-date calendar listings & workshop information
or email featherstone@featherstonearts.org

Featherstone Center for the Arts
P.O. Box 1145
Oak Bluffs, MA 02557
508-693-1850