In 2016 and 2017, Alison was scouting around for a new project. She realized she had been going to the same beaches over and over, and started investigating the places in-between. She taped a Land Bank map of the island at the top of the studio stairs. When she got a good shot, she‘d tape a tiny print to the map. With each new image, there was a daily reminder to get back onto the beach and shoot.
Alison‘s Land Bank map of Martha‘s Vineyard
”In retrospect, seeing the island in new ways is not limited to the subjects I choose to shoot, but how I choose to shoot it.“ She went on google maps in satellite view, and examined the perimeter of the island, picking out large rocks and lone docks. She studied tide charts, and kept track of sunrise and sunset times and phases of the moon.
Stonewall Beach 2017
Big Pier, West Chop 2017
”Over the past six months of shooting, I‘ve often arrived home long after dark, with my sneakers full of sand and my tripod in need of a hose-down. I‘ve discovered places that I never knew existed. And I‘ve been out there for magical moments of light and weather I would have otherwise missed.”
When we showed the Shoreline series at Alison Shaw Gallery and the Granary Gallery, Sue made new maps for display, inspired by Alison’s taped-up map upstairs in the studio.
The ”official“ map of Alison‘s Shoreline series
In a few of the images for this series, there were boats just off the shore. It’s a perfect segue to another of Alison‘s passions. She has always loved, and photographed, all things boats…