Summer doesn’t officially begin until June 21 but, it seems like it’s been summer here on the island for some time. We have already begun welcoming tens of thousands of visitors to the island every week who come here to enjoy our beaches, great food, outdoor activities and of course, our great weather.

Our cover this month is a painting titled “Beach Time with Timmy” by local artist Robert Peterson (see above for original version). It’s part of a new series of original paintings by Peterson that features Timmy Turtle. Besides the originals, he also offers prints available on paper and canvas as well as tiles, pillows and mugs.

Peterson’s works have adorned our covers over two dozen times since 2010. He is truly a gifted artist who masterfully captures the island environment in brilliant, vivid colors and precise detail, emanating a relaxing comfort that has become his trademark.

His combination studio/gallery, Vacation on Canvas, is located at 2204 Postoffice in downtown Galveston. You can find more details about Peterson and his gallery in our Galveston Galleries feature on page 56 in this issue.

I’d like to encourage everyone who does get out to enjoy the island to share their favorite images of Galveston with us so we can share with our readers and social media followers. If you are interested, please read our Your Shot section details on page 63 of this issue to find out where to submit your favorite images.

Stay safe and enjoy the Island!