Arts and Culture

The Spring Island Trust Nature and Arts Program was started in 1992 by Betsy Chaffin. An artist herself, Betsy recognized that Spring Island offers a unique setting that would inspire visiting artists. The program invites regional, national, and international artists to Spring Island for a limited stay, typically up to one week. The Trust furnishes housing (usually a simple two bedroom cottage), meals (at either of Island's two dining facilities), studio space at the Art Barn, and use of the facilities for golf, fishing, fitness, tennis, etc.

In turn, the artist usually presents a program (workshop, performance, or lecture) and is asked to donate to the Spring Island Collection a lasting gift (painting, sculpture, manuscript, unpublished recording, etc.) that is commensurate with the hospitality. Candidates are selected annually by the Trust's Nature and Arts Committee (resident arts advocates and professionals) on the basis of their artistic achievement and ability to interact with the community.

The Nature and Arts Committee has many exciting programs scheduled for 2009-2010.

Visiting artists on the schedule include those working in oil paints (Ellen Granter), portraiture (Ann Polan), and abstract oil painting (Brian Rutenberg), abstract painting and landscape design (Randy Shull). There will be workshops on photography (Ben Ham, Tom Blagden), watercolor (Lynda Potter), ceramics (Lana Wilson), drawing and color (Charles Brindley), egg tempera (Patricia Miranda), jewelry (Kate Rothra Fleming), and oil painting (Connie Winters). The third Showcase of Spring Island Artists is scheduled for April 2010.

There will be two lecture series: a music appreciation series of great piano composers with Dr. Arthur Tollefson, and Civil War from the perspectives of both the North and the South by Maj. Stephen Bacon. We also have plans for a second panel discussion on the economy, featuring Spring Island members.

Our performing arts events include seven dinner concerts (Havana Son, and Pam Philips in the fall).

We are offering a high definition broadcast of three operas during the winter, with the first being the 2008 Met production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. There will also be a number of one-hour films on artists from Rembrandt to Mary Cassatt to Chuck Close.