What does a horseshoe crab have to do with Burning Man (the annual creativity event held in the Nevada desert), an Island psychologist and the lost wax technique? These are some of the bits and pieces that make up Sumner Z. Silverman.

A transplant to Vineyard Haven from Cambridge, Dr. Silverman’s passion for both his art and his work as a psychologist began more than 40 years ago. During his childhood he was always sketching and he began carving at age nine. A toy derringer and knife were his first creations.

Vineyard design doesn’t have one flavor or medium. The range in style, materials, aesthetic and use is as varied as the Island itself. But twice a week during the summer and periodically throughout the fall and spring seasons, the Vineyard Artisans Festival offers a unique opportunity to see close-up a large variety of work created by local craftspeople.

Five years after the recession hit the national economy, anecdotal reports from Island businesses say the local economy is slowly creeping back to normal. Businesses are reporting slightly improved summer seasons, with higher traffic to the Island, especially in August.

This week concludes Capt. Robert Douglas’ 50th summer skippering the Shenandoah, what amounts to the longest-running relationship between a captain and his boat he’s ever heard of.

“To my knowledge, no one has ever been tied up to the same boat, without interruption for 50 years,” he said this week on the porch outside his office in Vineyard Haven.