Marker Logo
THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Grand Isle in Grand Isle County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)
 

The Arts in the Islands/Les Arts dans les îles

 
 
The Arts in the Islands/Les Arts dans les îles Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Steve Stoessel, April 10, 2022
1. The Arts in the Islands/Les Arts dans les îles Marker
Inscription.
(English, left to right)
Riding through the bucolic Lake Champlain Islands most people might not believe that Grand Isle County has a vibrant arts scene. Painters, photographers, musicians, crafters, and many other types of artists call this place home. The Islands are home to Shakespeare performances, Lipizzan stallion shows, choral performances, and an arts academy. Performances range from professional musicians giving concerts to locals showing off their abilities at talent shows. Maybe it's the stunning summertime scenery, or possibly the long winters that leads creative people to produce art here. Regardless, the arts are woven into the fabric of this small community.

Inspiration for Marches
The great American composer and U.S. Marine Band d John Philip Sousa was known to vacation in the Lake Champlain Islands. A prolific artist - in addition to his 137 marches and hundreds of other musical arrangements, Sousa wrote three novels and an autobiography - he must have taken inspiration from the Island's beauty in his work.

This property was a dairy farm for decades. Since 2010, Grand Isle ArtWorks has operated a gallery and café in the farmhouse. All the artwork in the gallery has been created by Vermont artists. Mediums of the artwork vary from pottery and glass to fiber arts and
Paid Advertisement
Click or scan to see
this page online
watercolors. Much of the artwork reflects the gorgeous landscapes that are unique to Grand Isle and the state of Vermont.

Elizabeth Fisk Looms
Elizabeth Fisk found a use for the old looms stored in attics and barns throughout Grand Isle County. She organized local women into a business weaving rag rugs, using these looms made obsolete by the Industrial Revolution's mass production of fabrics. Her passion for weaving and a keen business sense led Fisk to developing a process for beautifully designed and intricately woven bedspreads tablecloths and tapestries.

(Français, de gauche à droite)
Au mitan du décor pastoral des Îles du lac Champlain, certains ne croiraient pas que la scène artistique est très vibrante dans le comté de Grand Isle. Des peintres, des photographes, et plusieurs autres artistes y trouvent refuge. Les îles présentent des performances théâtrales de Shakespeare, des spectacles équestres d'étalons lipizzans, des chorales et on y retrouve aussi une académie des arts. Des musiciens professionnels ou amateurs offrent des concerts aux résidents des îles tout au long de la saison estivale. Il se peut que les paysages spectaculaires de la région ou les hivers trop longs soient à blâmer pour la créativité ambiante car en toute fin les arts sont ancrés dans la fabrique sociale de cette communauté.

L'inspiration
The Arts in the Islands/Les Arts dans les îles Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Steve Stoessel, April 10, 2022
2. The Arts in the Islands/Les Arts dans les îles Marker
derrière les marches musicales

Le grand compositeur américain et directeur de la U.S. Marine Band Mr. John Philip Souza passait ses vacances dans le du lac Champlain. Artiste prolifique, il composa plus de 137 marches musicales et plusieurs autres arrangements harinonieux. Il écrivit aussi trois romans et une autobiographie s'inspirant probablement du décor qui l'entourait.

Cette propriété fut une une ferme laitière pour plusieurs décennies. Depuis 2010, la Grand Isle Art Works offre aux visiteurs une galerie et un café dans ce bâtiment. Toutes les œuvres d'art ont été créés par des artistes du Vermont. Vous y trouverez de la poterie, des tissus, du verre et des aquarelles reflétant les paysages du comté de Grand Isle et de l’état de Vermont.

Métiers à tisser Elizabeth Fisk
Elizabeth Fisk trouva une façon d'utiliser les métiers à tisser découverts dans le grenier des granges du comté de Grand Isle et rendus obsolètes par la surproduction produite par la révolution industrielle. Nourrit par sa passion du tissage et son sens des affaires, elle s'entoura de femmes de la région et développa des procédés qui créèrent de merveilleuses nappes de tables, des tapisseries et des couvertures de lit magnifiquement conçues.
 
Erected by Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership.
 
Topics. This historical
Paid Advertisement
marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 2010.
 
Location. 44° 43.975′ N, 73° 17.493′ W. Marker is in Grand Isle, Vermont, in Grand Isle County. It is on U.S. 2 0.6 miles south of Griswold Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Grand Isle VT 05458, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Vermont’s Champlain Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Hyde Log Cabin (approx. half a mile away); Grand Isle Schoolhouse #4 (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named The Hyde Log Cabin (approx. half a mile away); Woolsey Mansion (approx. 4.9 miles away in New York); Fort Izard (approx. 5.1 miles away in New York); Addoms - Hagar Burial Ground (approx. 5.2 miles away in New York); John Addoms (approx. 5.4 miles away in New York); Macdonough Farm (approx. 5.7 miles away in New York). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Isle.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on April 25, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2022, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. This page has been viewed 207 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on April 21, 2022, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.
m=196087

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisement
Jul. 3, 2026