National Park Service advances plans to relocate Chequamegon Point Light Tower
(Apostle Islands National Lakeshore News Release) BAYFIELD, Wis. — Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has awarded a...
Reaching for the stars: Bayfield gallery sponsors Starry Skies Initiative
December 8, 2025
For Dale and Mary Whittaker, the inspiration to become major sponsors of our Starry Skies Initiative came from above, literally.
“We lived for seven years in a small cabin on Madeline Island,” they said recently. “Most nights were silent except for wind, water, and wildlife — and above us, a sky full of stars. Those dark, quiet nights kept us grounded, reminded us of our place in a much bigger story and sparked so much of our creativity.
Preserving the night sky is both a conservation effort and a creative one — it protects a source of awe that humans have looked to for inspiration for generations. Partnering with Friends of the Apostle Islands gives us the chance to help protect something that has shaped us personally and continues to shape this community.”
Dale and Mary Whittaker
Island Gateway Gallery
The couple’s recently renovated Island Gateway Gallery (23 N. 2nd Street in Bayfield) will become the exhibit hub during the upcoming Dark Sky Star Bright Festival January 17 – 25. Along with Mary’s soulful stitching and quilting and Dale’s watercolor paintings, the exhibit will feature photographs, paintings, jewelry, textile art, books, and more all inspired by the starry skies of the Apostle Islands and Lake Superior.
Supporting Bayfield’s first Dark Sky festival, they say, lines up perfectly with what Island Gateway stands for: creativity, community, and a deep sense of place.
“Launching Island Gateway with the Dark Skies Festival feels exactly right for who we are and what we hope to offer,” they said. “Island Gateway blends a professional gallery with a hands-on creative retreat, and the night sky is the perfect theme to bring those ideas together. The sky inspires artists, makers, quilters, photographers — anyone who’s ever looked up and felt something shift inside.”
A sampling of works to be displayed
Milky Way Photography by Travis Novitsky
Northern lights over ice and water by Carol Toepke
Northern lights over Little Sand Bay by Gerri Whitley
Milky Way over Sand Island lighthouse by Mark Weller
Northern lights photography by Michael Van Valkenburg
Dark Skies: Rare Phenomena in America’s Public Lands book by Jeffrey Pfaller
Silverwaves Aurora Necklace
As artists, both Dale and Mary know how much inspiration comes from the natural world. As community members, they want others — including the many people who’ve never seen the Milky Way or northern lights — to experience that same sense of wonder. “Our hope is that this partnership with the Starry Skies Initiative of Friends of the Apostle Islands encourages people to recognize the night sky as a shared cultural asset. Preserving it keeps us connected to something bigger and keeps the spark of creativity alive for everyone who walks through our doors at Island Gateway.” And for all of those who look up at the beautiful night skies of the Apostle Islands that their generosity and artistry will help preserve.
The Dark Sky Star Bright exhibit is free and will be open from 1pm to 4pm daily from Saturday, January 17th through Thursday, January 22nd. For a full schedule of events included in our Dark Sky Star Bright Festival, click here.
Share this article…
You may also like…
read more
“Once in a lifetime” letters from Outer Island
Volunteering for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore can create once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Cynthia Howk spent...
Annual Friends cruise celebrates Apostle Islands and people who love this special place
When you're among Friends, visiting one of the Apostle Islands becomes even more meaningful. Dozens of supporters of...