Sandywoods Showcases Resident Artists at New Gallery

Sandywoods Farms, the small residential community located off Bulgarmarsh Road in northeast Tiverton, has cookie-cutter houses lining the streets, kids playing in the yards and neighbors gathering on their lawns. 

The unique, artistic community offers its residents the quiet seclusion that some need to pursue their talent, and last Saturday, May 21, opened their arts gallery and on-site shops to a rousing crowd of residents, artists and guests.

The Sandywoods Gallery featured all artists, who are also residents. The artwork ranges from traditional oil paintings to quilting to blown glass. The community itself includes traditional artists, photographers, musicians, writers, chefs and agriculturalists.

“The concept of our community is based on arts and agriculture,” said Nancy Walker, the treasurer of Sandywoods Gallery. “Part of the main plan was always to have a gallery.”

The gallery is run by 13 co-op members who are all residents of the community. All are equal partners and most have artwork hanging in the gallery. The goal of the gallery is to exhibit the work of the residents of the community, promote the interests of the artists and provide the general public with an educational artistic outlet.

“This is our first show to introduce the co-op members,” said Marika van Vessem, who served as the debut show coordinator. The gallery is a communal effort that has been in the planning phase for many months. “We all live here, but we didn’t know each other before this,” added van Vessem.

David Seibert is another member of the co-op who also has work hanging in the gallery. A veteran artist, Seibert discussed some of the challenges that come with opening a gallery with strangers. “A lot of planning went into it, a lot of meetings,” said Seibert. “It was tough at times.”

“We built the gallery from scratch," he said. "We designed the walls and had a lot of items donated.”

One of the stand-out pieces is the gallery sign itself. Local resident Matt Smith painted the sign.

Harmony Winters is a member of the Sandywoods community whose work is being featured at the new gallery. Winters is a glass-blower who creates unique vessels and jewelry. The glass is hand-blown and all her jewelry pieces are made with sterling silver.

“Glass is always fluid so the jewelry pieces are more flexible than you think,”  Winters said.

Maria Susi uses cloth and fabric to create unique quilts. Sewing has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

“My mother was a seamstress all her life. It’s tough to sew. It stuck with me,” said Susi. “I found a whole new world. The possibilities are endless.”

She uses different patterns to create exceptional fabric items, including quilts, table runners and tote bags.

Painter Jessica Dubois explained how Sandywoods has brought her full circle.

“I grew up here on Bulgarmarsh Road. When I heard about the Sandywoods community I applied immediately,” said Dubois. Back in her home territory, Dubois paints images that tell a story. Each of her paintings has a quirky element. “My paintings tell a story and it’s up to the viewer to figure it out.”

“The thing that makes the Sandywood Gallery special is that we all sincerely put ourselves out there," she said. "Not everyone creates art for the same reason. This is my dream.”

The Sandywoods community plans to add a space for musicians next door to the new art gallery.

The Sandywoods Gallery is now open. Hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. Please visit www.sandywoodsfarms.org for more information about the gallery and the entire Sandywoods community.