Islanders carry on tradition with handcrafted whirligigs
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
Two young islanders have launched a new business to carry on the traditional folk art craft of making whirligigs.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent Allyson Machado on North Beach Street with some of her creations.

In keeping with famous Nantucket forerunners like Lincoln and Oscar Ceely, Allyson Machado and her partner David Mowles spend hours designing, cutting out, painting and assembling their original pieces and have them on sale at Nantucket Whirligigs at 19 North Beach St.

"I just think that it's another lost art from Nantucket," said Machado, 35, who is the daughter of Vaughan Machado and granddaughter of the late Manny Machado. Her grandmother, Emilia, is 93 and at Our Island Home. "You just don't see them anymore, and there are so many different choices. I really consider this art on wood, and they are collectible."

The idea for the business came about after Machado found an old mallard whirligig in her grandfather's attic. Fond memories of hearing the spinning blades outside his house when she visited as a child led Machado to show the valuable relic to Mowles, a 36-year-old caretaker and builder who moved here eight years ago and was confident that he, too, could create them. Utilizing Manny Machado's old workshop, the couple set about to make their own line, starting with a mallard and using one of Machado's grandfather's designs as a template.

Currently, they have several whirligigs, all numbered and signed, including Sankaty Light with the Nantucket Lightship, Brant Point Light with a steamship and Great Point Light with the Telegraph paddle steamer. Machado, who draws the patterns and paints the finished products, said the lighthouses are labor intensive and can require five to seven hours to complete. They also have a seahorse, a flying fish, a pink flamingo, a lobster and a mallard, and accept custom orders such as the one from a woman who wants a whirligig in the image of her Boxer dog with his ears as the spinning part. Mowles will install the whirligigs on request.

Historically, the most famous of Lincoln Ceely's whirligigs was the sailor boy. In his day, and even when his son, Oscar, took over his craft, the wooden pieces were cut by hand and could take 12 to 15 hours to complete. Although not accurate as weather forecasting instruments because they look about the same no matter which way into the wind they are pointed, whirligigs have long fascinated many because they are simply fun to watch. In terms of their accuracy, retired Nantucket builder and former whirligig maker John Gilbert once likened them them to a big rock on Bermuda called the weather stone.

"When the wind blows it rocks, and when it's raining it's wet. Whirligigs come under that heading," he said.

Machado, who taught math for five years at Nantucket High School, traded that vocation for this one and said she is encouraged that they have sold at least one of each design since the store opened July 3. They learned recently that Marine Home Center will carry five designs and Bartlett's Farm Market will carry the lighthouses.

"I've been teaching, but I always wanted to do something artistic and it has been fun to do that," she said. "It's a nice change."

Nantucket Whirligigs, on the route to Jetties Beach, carries additional items including body boards, sand toys, kites, pup tents, beach mats and umbrellas, canvas bags, hats, flip-flops, some clothes, handmade Nantucket

jewelry and nifty pocket fishing poles I