“Art is a way of life in many ways for the family,” Michele Ortlip says. “My generation, the generation before me, the generation before them my grandfather’s father was an artist, my great uncle, my two aunts everybody.” It goes without saying that, included in the generation before her is Michele’s father, Paul Ortlip, the shining star of the family’s serious crop of artistic talent. The fourth generation of Ortlips, under custody of their father, grew up in a Fort Lee, N.J., home overlooking the Manhattan skyline.

It is a pleasure this season to see an exhibition of paintings in which the subject is a serious exploration of an artist’s personal landscape. The show of paintings by Sherrill Blalock opening tonight with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Louisa Gould Gallery is such an exhibition. Appropriately named Cabinet of Curiosities, the paintings represent a complex psychological story of the artist’s view of the world.

A large format, hardcover coffee table edition of the book Secret Spaces, Martha’s Vineyard Beyond the Landmarks, has been featured this past week at the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International trade show in Las Vegas by the book’s manufacturer, GraphiStudios.

The book showcases a collection of Vineyard images by former Martha’s Vineyard resident and Gazette contributing photographer Michael Zide, with text by Island writers and artists.

Jewelers Design for Men

At Saturday’s Dukes County avenue arts district stroll from 4 to 7 p.m. the Men’s Jewelry Collective will be displaying a preview of a much larger group show to take place in August at Pik-Nik in Oak Bluffs. The show will feature mostly local artisans who have turned the tables on their work and interpreted it for the men’s jewelry market — including Rick Hamilton, Beth McElhinney, Paul D’Olympia and Michele Ratte.

Island artists Jenifer Strachan and Steve Lohman will open the doors to their West Tisbury studios Tuesday August 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. This couple’s artwork, created from the unusual mediums of wire and broken shards, has become instantly recognizable and much loved by residents and visitors alike.

Steve Lohman has been a local fixture in the Vineyard art scene for over 25 years. He is internationally known for his lyrical steel and wire sculptures and whimsical carved wooden furniture; with recent projects in Barcelona, New York and California.

Dragonfly Gallery opens its 13th season with its annual flower art show.

The opening reception for the flower art show will be held on Saturday, May 10, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Dragonfly Gallery, 91 Dukes County avenue, located in the Dukes County arts district of Oak Bluffs. The show runs from May 8 through May 18.

The artist reception for Jain Tarnower will be held on Saturday, July 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Dragonfly Gallery, 91 Dukes County avenue in Oak Bluffs. The show runs from July 23 through August 3.

Ms. Tarnower has brought the almost-forgotten genre of oil portraiture to new heights with animal portraits ranging from miniature paintings to engaging eight-foot canvases. This classical American style has placed Ms. Tarnower in the forefront of this unique venue.

The Louisa Gould Gallery is holding its first abstract art show of Vineyard artists, featuring Marjorie Mason, Ed Cohen, Jules Worthington, Roberta Gross, Margo Ouellette and Ovid Ward. Now hanging, the show runs until Sept. 12.

East Meets West: Recent Work by Peg Thayer opens at the Pebble Gallery at Featherstone Center for the Arts tomorrow, Saturday, June 28, with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Influenced by her studies in East-West psychology, Peg Thayer’s practice of painting reveals her spiritual connection with nature.

This show brings images from the Southwest, California, and Hawaii together with those from the Vineyard.

The show runs daily 1 to 4 p.m. through Saturday, July 5, at the gallery on Barnes Road near the blinker in Oak Bluffs.

Lori, Jonas and Rabbi Joshua Plaut are hosting two special summer art happenings featuring a new photography show entitled Sparks of Splendor: Portraits of Jewish Women From East to West. Exhibition and artist’s receptions occur on Sunday, August 3 and Sunday August 10, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in West Tisbury.