50th Anniversary Test Page
Our Golden Hours: An Immersive Art Installation at the Historic Vincent House
Our Golden Hours, by artists Candice Smith Corby and William Pettit, transforms the Vincent House into a living artwork. Featuring objects spanning from the 1600s to the present, the immersive installation explores American life across centuries in a vibrant, family-friendly experience for history buffs, art lovers, and curious visitors alike.
Behind the Scenes at Our Golden Hours
After many months of meticulous planning, creative collaboration, and artistic dedication, Our Golden Hours has finally opened its doors at the Vincent House Museum, one of Martha’s Vineyard’s oldest and most cherished historic homes. This immersive installation is the result of a unique transatlantic partnership between two talented artists: Candice Smith Corby, working from her studio in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and William Pettit, managing his international studies program near Rome, Italy.
Bridging continents and time zones, their collaboration involved numerous trips across the Atlantic and countless drives down from Cape Cod, all woven together by a shared passion for history, family, and the rhythms of everyday life. Despite their demanding professional lives—Candice balancing teaching, studio work, and research, and William overseeing his academic program in Italy—they poured their hearts into creating a space that brings to life twelve generations of Island domesticity.
William’s portraits, painted in Italy, are layered with personal and historical significance, capturing faces and moments that echo the house’s centuries-long story. Meanwhile, Candice’s installations around the house harmonize historic objects, vintage textiles, and intimate artifacts, such as antique dishes crafted by local ceramicist Jennifer Langhammer, to create an atmosphere that feels both authentic and deeply inviting.
“Quote from the Artists”
Adding to the installation’s warm and welcoming atmosphere, historian Norah Van Riper is on site every Tuesday during Edgartown Village Market days. Norah offers visitors rich context about the Island’s history and the Vincent House’s place within it, weaving stories that deepen the connection between the art, the house, and Martha’s Vineyard’s vibrant heritage.
One of the installation’s most delightful interactive features is the gold-embellished phone room, where visitors can pick up a vintage rotary phone and dial their childhood phone number. This nostalgic experience invites a moment of personal reflection, bridging past and present in a way that’s both playful and poignant—capturing the essence of memory threaded through the exhibition.
The installation’s setting—the Vincent House itself—is a vital character in this story. Built in the late 17th century and relocated to downtown Edgartown in 1977, the house has witnessed the evolution of Martha’s Vineyard from a Native American homeland through colonial times and into the modern era. The exhibition layers these histories with artistic interpretation, making the house feel alive and resonant with memory.
Our Golden Hours is presented as part of the Vineyard Preservation Trust’s 50th “golden anniversary” celebration—a milestone that honors five decades of dedication to preserving the Island’s architectural and cultural heritage. Just as the Trust has nurtured the stewardship of historic places like the Vincent House, this installation invites visitors to reflect on the golden moments in everyday life—the simple, precious hours when family, community, and history intersect.
Visitors have responded enthusiastically, particularly during market days, when families, locals, and tourists alike gather to experience the installation’s engaging blend of history and playfulness. Children delight in pressing a glowing golden button that triggers a hauntingly reimagined Jimi Hendrix–style rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, while others discover carefully tucked-away lighthouse paintings or try their hand at a vintage game of Yahtzee set against a backdrop of early 20th-century family photographs.
This interaction between the past and present invites visitors to reflect on the nature of home, family, and the passage of time—while offering something for everyone: history buffs uncover the layers of Island life across centuries; art lovers appreciate the nuanced contemporary works; and families find moments of shared discovery and joy.
Our Golden Hours is more than an exhibition—it’s an invitation to step into the gentle pulse of daily life on Martha’s Vineyard across generations. Whether you’re a lifelong Islander or a curious traveler, this installation offers a space to connect, imagine, and contribute your own stories to the ongoing tapestry of community and memory.
We’re grateful for the warm welcome Our Golden Hours has received so far, and we look forward to welcoming many more visitors throughout the summer and beyond.
The Sound of the Vineyard
The Sound of the Vineyard is a FREE lively, local music series every Wednesday starting July 9th on the front porch of the Grange, celebrating the Vineyard Preservation Trust’s 50th anniversary. BYO chair! Picnic and drinks are welcome. A la carte food and beverages will be for sale.
“I was having a conversation with Julie Hatt about The Taste of the Vineyard, and we thought, ok, cool, we get to sample all our culinary talent, how about a sample of the island’s musical talent. For a small island, we are jam-packed with so much great musical talent across an impressive range of genres. The “Sound of the Vineyard” celebrates just that – from blues, jazz, folk, singer-songwriter, and rock. It’s a chance to sample our local musical talent at one of the most iconic vineyard buildings and gathering spaces on the island – The Grange Hall.”
– Mike Benjamin, Musician, Co-Organizer.