The Island outliers
Bob Avakian • Wendy Mills • Dan Lemaitre • Cary Hazlegrove
About the Exhibition
An outlier is a person or thing away from or detached from the main body or system.
There's nothing quite like Island living, experiencing a place separated from the everyday hustle and bustle of life, surrounded by the ocean, and offering a sense of peace and serenity not found on the mainland. Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard provide some of the most lavish backdrops for photographers, artists, and coastal admirers, luring thousands of visitors each year to glimpse its unparalleled tranquility, unique character, and salty fresh air.
Our Island Outliers show highlights four island residents - Bob Avakian of Martha's Vineyard and Cary Hazlegrove, Dan Lemaitre, and Wendy Mills of Nantucket. As true Islanders, they've dedicated their photographic careers to capturing the essence of the islands they inhabit and the beauty that draws so many people to their shores. Whether detailing the still lives of the tiny pieces that define the island's natural beauty or capturing the sweeping landscapes and seascapes that show the light and power of its coastlines and untouched beaches or the energy of its roaring seas, these photographers show the inner pulse of these two famous islands and offer us all a chance to experience their charm.
With this unique and collaborative collection, we invite you to enjoy a glimpse into the Island life and get to know four very different photographers and how they view the islands they call home.
Wendy Mills
Wendy Mills is lucky to say the Nantucket is her home. Originally from the snowy area of Syracuse, NY, she has found her way to Nantucket during those fun college years and never left. Mills is inspired by the world around her. Those magic moments when the sun hits the ocean just right, the moodiness of the changing seasons, a silly grin on a child’s face. Photography on Nantucket offers the time and space for nature to unfurl, families to dig their feet in the sand and connections to be captured. Other things like architecture, food, and great designs of any sort are inspirational.
Biography
Collection
Bob Avakian
Biography
Bob Avakian and his wife Gail visited Martha’s Vineyard for the summer in 1973 and it has been home ever since. He is a fine art photographer whose home is on an island and his love of buildings as well as the nighttime hours has led his work to evolve as an exploration of the solitude of the night and the rural habitat.
He has been the recipient of numerous awards. Most notably he is a Photolucida Critical Mass top 50 Photographer. Both Dodho Magazine and Vineyard Style magazine have published reviews of his work and he has been featured on the popular photo site Peta Pixel as well as numerous photo blogs. He night photography has received numerous awards in photo competitions both local and international. His work is in the collections Boston Athenaeum, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital’s permanent art collection, the Danforth Art Museum and other notable institutions.
"I photograph the landscape during the twilight hours and at night. Using long exposures to capture my surroundings and create an image different from what the eye perceives. Directing my attention to convey the quiet and solitude of the night, I believe, I am able to experience the moment with a different vision. I believe that these resulting images are from a moment suspended between night and day. I venture out in search of scenes that contain unusual light or other mysterious quality, where the light is in perfect balance with land, sea and sky. Since the night sets the stage, I never know where I will wind up.”
On Martha’s Vineyard, Bob’s images can be seen at Granary Gallery in West Tisbury.
Collection
Cary Hazlgrove
BIOGRAPHY
I moved to Nantucket in the spring of 1978 from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Nantucket has been my home and central to my work for more than forty years.
STATEMENT
I have photographed the Nantucket landscape since 1978. Living on Nantucket has had a profound influence on my life and work. Being surrounded by the island’s unimaginable beauty has fed my life with endless, rich subject matter. Nantucket is part of who I am.
In 2017 I began bringing Nantucket inside. I collected things I found in the landscape or I sifted through friend’s odd collections of gathered treasures. By choosing to shoot this way - single, close up images of objects that I have found or have been given - I am trying to give relevance to the small things that collectively make Nantucket.
Nantucket island is a sandbar adrift in the North Atlantic Ocean. The ocean cradles Nantucket and its moods and whims effect our day to day lives. I photograph the ocean from the shore as I have deep respect and fear of this enormously complex body of water. I look at it longingly and try to capture the mystery that helps me confront my unease.
Collection
Dan lemaitre
BIOGRAPHY
Dan LeMaitre is a professional Photographer born and raised on Nantucket Island. Growing up on Nantucket, constantly surrounded by the North Atlantic, Dan developed a close relationship with the ocean. He picked up his first camera at fourteen, an old film camera he found lying dormant in the attic of his childhood home. As he got older, his eye developed. He began to travel, and his obsession with surfing and photography pushed him to distant shores. Over the past few years, Dan has lived in Australia, California, The North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, Indonesia, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and the Baja Peninsula.
A decade later, Dan has found success in his passion. He is a seasoned photographer with years of experience shooting all facets of commercial photography. In late summer of 2017 he opened his first gallery space in Nantucket, showcasing limited edition prints of his favorite photographs created at home and throughput his travels.
Collection
Interactive Tour
