CELEBRATING 45 YEARS

“Art will never be able to exist without nature.” ~ Pierre Bonnard

“…To the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself. “ ~ William Blake

Artists and craftspeople have always been drawn to Block Island, an oasis that inspires creativity and eludes much of the insanity of the mainland.  How to support all that Island talent and creativity? Enter, Nancy Walker Greenaway.

After a honeymoon on BI in 1970, Nancy, a teacher-poet, and her husband Malcolm, a professor-photographer, decided to move to the island in 1974. At the Block Island School, Nancy’s degrees in English, dramatic arts and education served her well. She wrote a grant proposal for a one-year federal grant to fund a Community Education Program. One outcome of that project was the Block Island Arts & Crafts Guild. Nancy’s innate talent to gather people for a cause came to the fore. Sam Bird, blacksmith and designer of the original BIACG logo, couldn’t praise Nancy enough. Sam describes Nancy as “the original genius, the sparkplug” and the ultimate ”herder of cats” (this might not sound like a compliment but trust me…it is.)   

The Guild's artistic diversity was impressive: watercolorist, Kate Cornbrooks; woodworker, Dr Charles Cornbrook; artist, Madeline Marcotte; jeweler, Peter Gibbons.  And the workshops were also varied: batiking with Jessie Edwards; stained glass with Beverly Sniffen; quilting with Micki McCabe; and basketweaving with Joan Mallick. In the summer of 1981, over 50 participants attended the NFP artisan’s outlet. 

Fast forward to 2026 and several of the founders or their memories are still on the Island.

Nancy Greenaway, serving as a Medical Center Board Member, later led a hugely successful fundraising project to build the Medical Center in the late ‘80s. She was President of the BIACG Board for years and now devotes her time to poetry. A poetry award has been established at the Block Island School in her honor. Her work has been featured in local, regional, and national journals. On Block Island, by Nancy and artist Josie Merck, was published in 2017.

In 1996, Jessie Edwards opened the renowned Jessie Edwards Gallery specializing in contemporary American paintings, photographs and woodcuts.

Malcolm Greenaway published a book, Block Island, Rhode Island’s Jewel, and has a gallery of his now famous photography on Water Street.

Sam Bird, now an architect, visits BI when he can.  Living downwind of the Ironworks was not conducive to family life, but the Island remains integral to his family’s well-being.

Royal Bruce Montgomery owned and edited the Block Island Times from 1999-06. He passed away in 2018 at age 78. His whimsical, but sharp editorial cartoons and generous spirit are sorely missed.

The BIACG now focuses on six seasonal fairs, held from June to October on the Historical Society grounds. Artisans include a watercolorist, photographer, woodworker, knitter, sewist, jeweler. ALISA BERRY is the president, with a dedicated crew pitching in. The Guild now has a website, blockislandguild.com, to serve as a go-to source for all visitors to the island, with a hope that it will also help connect the community of artists and artisans on Block Island.

Have you been part of the Guild? We would love to hear from you. Send us your memories for our archives and a feature on the website.