Artist Invite

New Bedford Open Studios is extending an invitation to artists of Martha’s Vineyard to participate in the 2011 open studios event. Island artists may join over 100 visual artists, galleries and museums showcasing their work to the public during the first weekend of October. Vineyard artists can be placed in one of the artist-mill-buildings for that weekend, or create an exhibition in a space organizers will help you find. Performing artists, filmmakers, musicians are also encouraged to participate.

Author Winslow Myers will present Living Beyond War, sharing his beliefs and commitment to end war, on Sunday, May 22, at 5 p.m. at the Unitarian-Universalist Society Chapel at 238 Main street in Vineyard Haven.

The organization called Beyond War has been working for 25 years to change thinking about war. During the Cold War, teams of high level scientists from the then Soviet Union and the U.S. wrote a book together about the dangers of accidental nuclear war.

On Sunday, May 22 at 10:30 a.m., the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center will present Howard Frazin’s oratorio, The Voice of Isaac, as a retelling of the Abraham and Isaac story, from Isaac’s perspective.

Big Picnic, All Invited

On Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, from noon to 4 p.m., everyone on the Vineyard is invited to the Annual Memorial Day Picnic at the Tashmoo Spring Pumping Station located on West Spring street in Vineyard Haven.

Formerly known as the old Tisbury Water Works, the Tashmoo Spring Pumping Station is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, and is currently undergoing an extensive restoration process.

On the Prowl at Felix Neck

If it flies it will be there. If it crawls, scampers or hoots it will be there. If it be of wing, claw, fang, or suction-cupped feet it will be there. And you should be, too.

And where is there? The Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, that’s where.

It’s the annual wildlife celebration and it takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the wildlife refuge in Edgartown off of Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road.

In the end, it came down to a shoe box full of microcassettes, 75 interviews, two years of research and a lifetime of listening to Let It Be, Déjà Vu, Bridge Over Troubled Water and Sweet Baby James.

Alcoholics Anonymous

Information: 508-627-7084.

All meetings are nonsmoking.

Sunday, 6:45 a.m., open discussion meeting, First Baptist Church, William street, Vineyard Haven.

Sunday, 10 a.m., open discussion, State Beach, first bridge, Oak Bluffs, (weather permitting).

Sunday, 11 a.m., open discussion meeting at the Council on Aging on Wamsutta avenue in Oak Bluffs.

Sunday, 7 p.m., grapevine meeting at old Oak Bluffs School, School street, Oak Bluffs.

Debra Monk knows a thing or two about accomplishments. Ms. Monk is a star of film, television and theatre. She has a list of credits that if written on the body would march up one arm, down the other, include both legs and most probably the person standing next to her. She has appeared in films as diverse as Quiz Show, Fearless, The Bridges of Madison County and had theatre roles in Chicago, Redwood Curtain and Curtains, to name but a few. On television she has played the ex-Mrs. Andy Sipowitz in NYPD Blue, been a mom to T.R. Knight on Grey’s Anatomy and Rose Byrne in Damages. She has been nominated for numerous Tony awards, winning for Redwood Curtain, won an Obie, a Drama Desk Award, the list goes on and on.

Gallery Opening

Treehouse Studios is now open Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment. Paintings by Claudio Gasparini, an Italian artist and summer resident, are currently being featured. Also available are many other paintings as well as various antiques and collectibles.

Treehouse Studios is located at 472 State road in West Tisbury. For information, call 508-693-6645.

The gallery will be open daily throughout the season beginning Memorial Day weekend.

Great Scot at Dragonfly

Dragonfly Fine Arts Gallery is beginning its 17th Anniversary Season with 28 new and returning artists, including a broad selection of work in various media.

Voted best of the Vineyard in 2010, 2009. 2007 and 2005, the Dragonfly Gallery opening reception is from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 28. The first featured exhibit will include work from Scottish born Angus Wilson now living in California. His work focuses on bold and colorful still life oil paintings.