Colin Ruel’s studio is freezing — literally. The spray bottles and buckets filled with water that he uses for his acrylic paintings have turned into blocks of ice in his uninsulated, unheated studio in Chilmark.
But Mr. Ruel still heads to the studio most mornings, turns on his space heaters and gets to work.
Mr. Ruel’s description of his artistic life this time of year was part of the Vineyard Gazette’s second Tuesdays in the Newsroom event of the year, titled Artists in Winter and moderated by Gazette Editor Bill Eville.
In a wide ranging discussion with five local artists, including Mr. Ruel, his wife and business partner Nettie Kent, Althea Freeman-Miller, Micah Thanhauser and Taylor Stone, the participants talked about how they balanced creativity and making a living on the Island, the importance of building community, self-care and whether creativity thrives in the cold, quiet months or takes a much needed rest.
For Mr. Ruel, who is preparing for a show at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum in May, winter does not equal a pause in making art. For others, like Ms. Kent who creates jewelry, winter is a time for slowing down, or what she refers to as “wintering.”
“It would be great if I went into my little freezing studio and made jewelry right now,” said Ms. Kent, who owns and runs the Ruel Gallery in Menemsha with her husband. “But I have learned that I need to winter my body, my brain, my soul. I need to read books and find little patches of sunlight and not go into my studio.”
Her ideas are percolating and inspiration is plenty — but she will save that for later, she said.
“As creatives, on this Island, we don’t get to rest in the summer,” said Ms. Kent. “I really try to value that in the winter.”
For Ms. Freeman-Miller, printmaker and owner of Althea Designs in Vineyard Haven, winter is when she feels most like an artist — even if she’s not as productive with the work she will eventually sell. Through journaling in the early mornings, experimenting with shapes and colors and “the unknown,” Ms. Freeman-Miller takes the winter to care for her “inner artist.”
Her most recent project is a wood block print of a hose, which she brought to show the audience. She held up her wood carving of a twirling green hose spilling out blue water, dotted with stars. And then she took it apart.
“It’s a puzzle,” she said, popping out the sky, the sun, the water and finally the long, snaking, twirling hose. “In the winter you’re like, ‘oh, I could actually spend as much time as I wanted with this.’”
Winter is also a time to double down on community in a profession that is, by nature, solitary. Mr. Thanhauser gathers potters to help fire his wood stove-kiln at his Merry Farm Pottery in West Tisbury.
Ms. Freeman-Miller hosts weekly “sketchbook circles” for artists at her gallery, Althea Designs. A few years ago, she started the First Friday series on Vineyard Haven, building year-round community at monthly events that feature local artists, musicians and food popups.
Ms. Stone, a cut paper artist, recently took over organizing the First Friday events and the two artists also work together to lead the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District, meeting monthly with community members to discuss initiatives for art in public spaces.
“We understand that art has value economically as well as culturally,” said Ms. Stone. “If we give our artists money, or our cultural districts money, then that money will help the economy overall.”
The Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District’s December meeting focused on the closing of Island Music, and how to fill the music vacuum now that it longer anchors the scene on Main street in Vineyard Haven. The next meeting is Thursday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theatre.
In the question and answer period, the audience asked about inspiration — where it comes from, how to sustain it and what to do in the face of criticism?
Ms. Kent contrasted art on the Island with New York City, where she used to live and work with Mr. Ruel. While there is the luxury of “beautiful nature” on the Vineyard — including the landscapes that show up in her husband’s paintings — Ms. Kent said she misses the abundant art museums and galleries of the city.
“On Sunday, I rearranged and dusted off all my art books,” said Ms. Kent. “I was like, ‘hello, Agnes Martin, my old friend.’ It reawakened this joy in me, looking through those books and reacquainting myself with them.”
For Mr. Thanhauser, inspiration comes with the work. His winter is filled with heavy pottery production to get ready for the summer months, in between caring for his young children.
“You can’t reinvent the bowl,” he responded when an audience member asked if he ever gets worried about repeating himself. “But we get input from eating, and everybody eats, and everybody’s got an opinion.”
Ms. Freeman-Miller also finds inspiration in the doing, although she admitted the process can often be frustrating.
“Most of the time, it feels like you’re just battling materials,” she said. “But it does sometimes really feel like magic.”
This article appears in February 13, 2026.