Up a the sloping hill behind the Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs, an audience of music lovers gathers each week for Musical Mondays.
The season began on June 23 with BlueSwitch, and on June 30 Jodie Treloar Sampson and her band held court during a misty evening. Adults made themselves comfortable on striped lawn chairs and beach towels while enjoying picnic diners, as children ran about on the lawn, playing tag.
Featherstone has been offering Musical Mondays for 29 years, even before the Featherstone Center was transformed into an art studio. Kevin Keady and Frank Creney helped build the outdoor wooden stage on which the concerts take place.
“Musical Mondays was what put Featherstone on the map at first,” said Ann Smith, executive director of Featherstone since 2010.
Ms. Smith was enjoying the music as she sat on the porch of one of the buildings across from the Francine Kelly Gallery, named after her mother, who had been the executive director of Featherstone for seven years.
“This is such a glorious campus and the hill acts as a natural amphitheater,” she said. “This is a very family-oriented space, where people can dance and express their joy.”
Proceeds from the evenings help the musicians as well as the art center.
“Featherstone is a place that supports Island artists of all kinds — authors, writers, and musicians,” said Ms. Smith. “I like to say that there is something for everyone here, you find something to do and tap into your inner creativity.”
As the evening progressed and darkness settled in, the music appeared to be floating over through the trees that surround the natural amphitheater.
“It is peaceful here,” Ms. Smith said. “You inhale and exhale with the music. There is a kind of joy and peace being in nature, watching the sunset or the fog roll in on evenings.”
Musical Monday continue through August 22. On July 7, Jon Zeeman and Joanne Cassidy take the stage.
Visit featherstoneart.org.
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