The distinctive building now known as the Old Sculpin Gallery, home of the Martha's Vineyard Art Association, has served many purposes, known several owners, and fulfilled many dreams. By all accounts it is over 240 years old. It was moved to its present location by Dr. Daniel Fisher after serving as a sail loft on the wharf. Dr. Fisher had a whale oil factory on that spot, but moved the building across the road to be used as a grain store. Later, machinery for grinding flour and grain was installed and these products were sold to the ships that sailed from Edgartown Harbor and across the world. Manuel Swartz Roberts, who had recently gone from house building to boat building, bought the structure in 1904.

Manuel, who was affectionately known as the "old sculpin," a type of worthless fish caught in the waters off of Martha's Vineyard, built cat boats. They were beamy, seaworthy sailboats, much valued then and now. These highly prized boats are still to be found around Edgartown. (The Historical Society has one in its collection,) The boat builder worked for 50 years in the old grain store, wearing a deep swath in the four-inch thick, 24 inch-wide floor boards as he moved back and forth sanding and scraping the wood for his sturdy boats. The swath can still be seen today in the main gallery of the Art Association.

The distinctive tower of the building was added in 1913. Manuel called it a cupula and explained it was for the store of sails and gear. He continued to build boats until 1954 when he sold the building to the Martha's Vineyard Art Association. The "old sculpin" explained he had just "run out."

The Art Association has been in existence since 1934 when Ruth Mead and her friends began painting together in a shack across from Manuel's shop on the harbor. The Hurricane of 1938 damaged their gallery and they moved into the John Coffin house on North Water Street for two years while it was being repaired. In the 1950's, the shack became too small for the growing group of artists. Manuel made them an offer to purchase his building, which seemed like a perfect deal, but Ruth Mead admitted at the time that she had no idea where they would raise the $15,000 to buy the shop.

Early on, however, Ruth and her friends proved to be resourceful fund raisers. The artists contributed work to be auctioned, and $1,400 went into the Purchase fund. Friends and members contributed money and a movie of the conquest of Everest was shown to benefit the cause. Thus began the tradition of fund raisers to benefit the building and the Art Association, the oldest art organization on Martha's Vineyard. The Martha's Vineyard Art Association was incorporated in 1954 and bought the building that became the Old Sculpin Gallery. Many Edgartornians worked tirelessly on the project. Ruth Mead was the heart of the Association from its beginning but Ruth Vietor, Virginia Berresford, and Caroline Tuthill also contributed greatly to the effort. At the first meeting of its incorporation, the members announced that the Art Association was for the benefit of the community. "to increase facilities for art education, create interest in the arts, foster appreciation of the arts, make an art center for the whole island, establish a permanent collection, and preserve an old landmark." Ruth Mead was elected President and Henry B. Hough became Vice President.

Programs of cultural worth featuring prominent Vineyard personalities were begun early on for the enrichment of the community and for the benefit of the Art Association and its building (the newly purchased shop needed an indoor staircase, toilet facilities and new shingles.) Over the years, artists, folk singers, movie stars, magicians, and news makers gave lectures to ever larger audiences. Among those who have appeared are James Reston, Vance Packard, Elizabeth Post, Ruth Gordon, Ray Ellis, Mike Wallace, Thomas Hart Benton, David McCullough, Alfred Eisenstaedt, and Walter Cronkite. Lectures were first held in the upstairs loft, then shifted over to the rectory at the Federated Church and finally to the large hall of the Old Whaling Church. With the assistance of Ira and Beatrice Freeman, writers for the New York Times, these Monday nights became an enormous success. As a result of these lectures, the Art Association has been able to maintain the Old Sculpin building and to award scholarships to talented art students that are graduating from the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School and going on to study art.

While the enrichment of the artistic community has always been its goal, selling art has never been the main source of its income. In 1954, to raise funds to buy the building, a Chapin piece sold for $12, a Mary Coles' for $16, and a painting of the Yacht Club for $75. While the price of paintings has gone up, the need to raise funds is still very important. The building remains the keeper of the artists' work, a center for art classes, and the showcase for the permanent collection. (Until this exhibit, the permanent collection has never before been shown as an entire collection.) The building is the heart of the Association and its maintenance is taken very seriously. The Board' of the Martha's Vineyard Art Association continues the proud tradition set by the original artists of' the 1950's: to encourage and maintain an atmosphere of cultural enrichment and artistic growth for the good of its members and the island as well.