TAKING FLIGHT: Gericroix (Pegasus) by Wendy Klemperer sits on the grounds of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum overlooking Northport Bay. Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Museum
'Maned Wolf' by Wendy Klemperer
'Red Fox' by Wendy Klemperer
'Cerberus' by Wendy Klemperer
'Cheetah' by Wendy Klemperer
Klemperer's works in Vanderbilt's Lancaster Gallery
On Earth Day, April 22, the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport debuted Wendy Klemperer: Wrought Taxonomies, the first exhibition of outdoor sculpture at the historic summer estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt II. The show runs through April 22, 2024.
Klemperer’s sculptures — a haunting assemblage of animal forms that span imaginary, endangered, familiar, and exotic species — celebrate natural history and the nonhuman world through evocative interactions with the surrounding environment. A total of 32 outdoor sculptures are displayed throughout the property along with several ink drawings in the Lancaster Gallery inside the mansion.
Using materials salvaged from scrapyards, the artist composes ecological narratives that respond to the history and collections of Suffolk County’s first public park and museum. Her brilliant use of gestural lines captures the spectator’s attention and invites museumgoers to reflect on the relationship between an interest in animal life and the incessant push of human industry.
Made possible due to the generous support of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, Wrought Taxonomies is the inaugural exhibition in the Vanderbilt Museum’s outdoor sculpture program and the institution’s second exhibition of contemporary art focused on the relationship between culture and animals.
The Vanderbilt Museum occupies the former Gold Coast estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt II, the great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt and a pioneer of American motorsport. Located in Centerport on the north shore of Long Island, it is renowned for its extensive marine and natural history collections, Spanish revival architecture, and picturesque parklands.
“The museum is delighted that its first outdoor exhibition features the works of Wendy Klemperer, an artist renowned for her profound interest in conservation and singular interpretation of the natural world,” said Elizabeth Wayland-Morgan, Executive Director of the Vanderbilt.
“This exhibition is an ideal thematic fit – the museum has shared a similar passion for conservation and the appreciation of nature since its creation. The Vanderbilt estate, with its stunning waterfront landscape, provides a perfect setting for Klemperer’s dynamic, large-scale works. Her striking pieces offer a thought-provoking and enlightening experience for all.,” she said.
All sculptures are viewable with general admission to the Museum grounds. Educational programs and workshops associated with themes and content of Wendy Klemperer: Wrought Taxonomies will be offered throughout the exhibition. .
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum is located at 180 Little Neck Road in Centerport. Museum and planetarium hours are currently Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The planetarium also offers shows on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 and 9 p.m. For more information, call 631-854-5579 or visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
What is your favorite childhood memory? Going to the beach, strawberry picking, holidays, road trips? From April 22 to May 20, the Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Mills Pond Gallery in St. James will present Childhood Memories, an exhibit featuring 74 works from 69 artists who were asked to explore the early rituals, the rites of passage, and the innocence of early life experiences that celebrate the passionate world of childhood.
Juried by Seung Lee, the exhibit reveals that many artists integrate their life experiences into their work either consciously or unconsciously, often incorporating what they see and sense in the present with their memories.
“Memories are often the inspiration for art. Artists give life to the characters and environments of our childhood memories, recording fragments of dreams, snippets of passing time, and experiences that have shaped our lives,” said Lee.
Some works evoke happy memories with vibrant colors that portray the playfulness of childhood, while others echo personal struggles in the artist’s inner emotional world of their childhood. Visitors will see artwork in a wide array of mediums including photography, painting, drawing, sculpture and more.
Participating artists include Nari Ahn, Kirsten Angel-Lambert, Brenda L. Bechtel, Michelle Bond, Renee Caine, Al Candia, Steve Caputo, Linda Ann Catucci, Cynthia Celone, Rocco Citeno, Linda C. Clune, Jane Corrarino, Donna Corvi, Robert Crawford, Daniela Crimi, Eleanor Day, PatriciaDiGiovanni, Beria Dumankaya, JoAnne Dumas, Paul Edelson, Barry Feuerstein, Noah Hanselman, Gia Horton, John Hunt, Genesis Johnson, George Junker, MoritzKellerman, LynnKinsella, Susan Kozodoy Silkowitz, Mark Levine, Ellie Liu, Bobbie Ludwig, Caitlin Marx, Suzanne McLeod, Avrel Menkes, Jonathan Mills, Alison Mosher, Frank Musto, Monica Nask, Loretta Oberheim, Raissa Oliveira-Silva, Eileen Palmer, Paula Pelletier, Rima Potter, Kelly Powell, Linda Prentiss, Natalie Preston, Toni Raiten-D’Antonio, Jesse Ramirez, William Dunham Reed, Jairid Rossow, Irene Ruddock, Michael Sapone, Gisela Skoglund, Mike Stanko, Robert Stenzel, Christine Kane Stevens, Judy Stone, Angela Stratton, Tracy Tekverk, Terry Tramantano, Robert Tuska, Carlos Vega, Daniela Velez, Judy Vine, Mary Waka, Steve Walker, Patty Yantz and Tianzhou Zhao.
The community is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, April 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. to meet the artists and view their work.
Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James is open Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Please note the gallery will be closed on May 14. Admission to the gallery is always free. For more information, call 631-862-6575, or visit www.millspondgallery.org.
Art is a form of communication beyond words. It transcends language barriers and is accessible to those who seek to experience it. Cynthia Pascal’s creations speak through muted patterns, rich hues, softness imbued with strength. Her work tells stories of women, sometimes at rest or in repose, but always vibrantly alive.
As a celebration of art and life, Pascal’s posthumous exhibit, Cynthia Pascal: A Retrospective, at the Art League of Long Island, honors the artist who passed away in 2022 at the age of 92. On view at the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery from April 15 to 28, this showcase features 46 acrylic paintings and six clay sculptures from the late artist. It is an act of love; a tribute from a daughter to her mother in collaboration with the Art League.
‘Abstract of Women in Pink and Blue’ by Cynthia Pascal
“My son brought Cynthia to the Art League and showed her work to the curator, which resulted in booking the show — one last highlight of her life. After she passed, it was in my head to still do the exhibit. I also thought, that for my mom, there was no other way to honor her than to talk about her surrounded by her work,” said her daughter Jeanne Gambardella.
Pascal’s palette and art projects a subtle warmth, even innate safety, whether the female subjects stare assuredly and directly from the canvas, gaze at something only they see, or relax with eyes closed. The lines of the women may be soft but their presence is strong.
“I believe that this exhibit covers all styles, but Pascal particularly leans towards abstract impressionism: figures are flattened with colorful brushstrokes and bright colors. She celebrates the world that she knew: her art focuses on women, friendships, relationships, their roles in society. It is full of life and energy,” said Susan Peragallo, coordinator and curator of the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery.
A prodigious painter up until the very last months of her life, Pascal, who was a resident of Plainview, pursued both a personal and practical interest in interpersonal dynamics and emotions. She studied painting at Old Westbury College as well as the New School for Social Research in New York City, but was a licensed psychotherapist by profession and maintained a practice out of her home for more than 4 decades.
“I think she innately had a very emotional IQ and got the degree so she could use it. She was really socially, emotionally smart…[and] provided a safe place for everyone who talked to her,” Gambardella said.
This sense of security is evident in the self-assuredness of her subjects and the apparent ease with which they occupy space. That innate serenity can transcend to the audience and perhaps emanated from Pascal herself. She never lost her appreciation of beauty nor ability to create art, even as dementia dominated other aspects of her life during her last years.
‘Two Girls Sitting’ by Cynthia Pascal
“We would talk about [her art]. Cynthia could still talk about the work and the process. We had that language until the end. My mother was painting at the highest level,” Gambardella said. “I thought her work would show deterioration, but her painting was still there. It was the one thing that she still had, in addition to her family. She could access painting, and it was a means by which to express herself.”
As her characters commune in the paintings, Pascal was able to communicate through and about art, although words might otherwise fail her. Her art, which includes pastels in addition to different paints and clay sculptures, is an ongoing dialogue that allows connections to continue to develop.
“I was not familiar with her work before she approached us, and I was really thrilled to become acquainted with it. Her work is exciting, it is vivacious. She was around for a long time and I am delighted to have her work up on our walls,” Peragallo said.
Gambardella estimates that Pascal had about 10 shows in her life but was in a constant state of creation. She painted 20 pieces between 2018 and 2022, and most of the 46 works included in Retrospective were made in the past 10 years.
“I really truly feel joy when I look at her work. It is interesting — over the years, her work reflected her growth as an artist and where she was in life. When she was going through a divorce, I can see it reflected. I derive more pleasure in the joy, color, and strength of the women my mother depicted,” Gambardella said, adding that organizing the exhibit and arranging the remembrance were cathartic exercises as she grieved and adjusted to her new normal, having been her mother’s primary caregiver.
“Organizing this has absolutely been a labor of love for the last 5 months and beneficial to me in handling her passing, working on something to show who she was, her life’s work,” Gambardella said. “I kind of immersed myself in this project. It was a lot going through her decline and death with her, so this was healing. I am her supreme fan; my house has always been filled with her work.”
‘Dance Siesta’ by Cynthia Pascal
Now others will be able to surround themselves with Pascal’s art, and during the opening reception, envelop themselves in an environment resplendent with Pascal’s greatest joys including a soundtrack of her favorite classical music by Antonio Vivaldi, jazz interludes provided by a pianist hired for the evening, the easel she used for more than 60 years, and her favorite hat in her favorite color — pink.
“I am creating an atmosphere that I know she would love. After she died, people were calling about service details, and we instead decided to have a memorial at the gallery. Everyone in my family was in on it,” Gambardella said. “My mom and I were very close, this was the right thing to do…art and painting were her passions in life.”
The Art League of Long Island, 107 E. Deer Park Rd, Dix Hills presents the retrospective exhibit of Cynthia Pascal in the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery from April 15 to 28 with an opening reception on April 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. A celebratory remembrance introduction will be held from 6 to 6:30 p.m., followed by light refreshments. For more information, visit www.artleagueli.org or call 631-462-5400.
'Shadow's Delight' by Ron Becker will be on view at the Mills Pond Gallery through April 1.
Image courtesy of STAC
'Little Bay; by Robert Walkam. Image courtesy of STAC
'Egret' by Robert Tuska. Image courtesy of STAC
'Sunburst Peeking Out From Corners' by Kyle Blumenthal
'Nature' by Joyce Greenbaum. Image courtesy of STAC
Join the artists for a reception on March 4 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Mills Pond Gallery highlights the talents of 72 of its artists with its annual Member Artist Showcase exhibit of original fine art for sale from March 4 to April 1.
Exhibiting artists, who hail from 41 communities across Long Island as well as New York City, New Jersey, North Carolinaand Maryland, were able to select the work that they wish to display, affording them the opportunity to show public audiences a work that may be new, or something they created experimenting with a new medium or a work they love but have never had an opportunity to exhibit anywhere.
Works were created using a wide variety of mediums including acrylic, bronze, charcoal, etching, graphite, mixed media sculpture,oil, origami, pastel, photography and watercolor.
Participating artists include Marsha Abrams, Ross Barbera, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, Karen Bennett, Kyle Blumenthal, Daniel C. Boyer, Joyce Bressler, Renee Caine, Linda Ann Catucci, Karen Celella, Carol Ceraso, Lou Charnon-Deutsch, RoccoCiteno, Donna Corvi, Teresa Cromwell, Julie Doczi, Jacqueline DuBarry, JoAnne Dumas, Karin Dutra, Paul Edelson, Deidre Elzer-Lento, Ellen Ferrigno, Modern Fossils, Vivian Gattuso, Joyce Greenbaum, Francesca Guddemi, Michael Hennessey, David Herman, Gia Horton, George Junker, James Kelson, Lynn Kinsella, Myungja Anna Koh, Susan Kozodoy Silkowitz, Paul Mele, Fred Mendelsohn, Patricia Morrison, Karen George Mortimore, Roni Murillo, Annette Napolitano, Gail Neuman, Diane Oliva, Eileen WPalmer, Sean Pollock, Catherine Rezin, Robert Roehrig, Oscar Santiago, Lori Scarlatos, Anita Schnirman, Joan Schwartzman, Kenneth Schwartzman, Hillary Serota Needle, Kathee Shaff Kelson, Stephen Shannon, Gisela Skoglund, Sílvia Soares Boyer, Lynn Staiano, Mike Stanko, Madeline Stare, Angela Stratton, Mark Strodl, Robert Tuska, Nicholas Valentino, Mary Ann Vetter, Pamela Waldroup, Steve Walker, Robert Wallkam, Don Weber, M. Ellen Winter, Patricia Yantz and Theodora Zavala.
The public is invited to an opening reception Saturday, March 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. to meet the exhibiting artists and view their work.
Mills Pond Gallery is located at 660 Route 25A in Saint James. Hours of operation are Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.
On January 29, the Asian American Association of Greater Stony Brook (AAAGSB), in collaboration with the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Advisory Board (AANHPI), hosted an event to celebrate the Lunar New Year at Brookhaven Town Hall which included a Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rabbit-themed art show. During the event, the artists were presented with Certificates of Congratulations those whose artwork received special recognition.
The event was attended by Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Councilman Neil Foley and Town Clerk Kevin LaValle.
“The Town of Brookhaven was happy to host a Lunar New Year Celebration for the year of the rabbit. I want to thank the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Advisory Board (AANHPI) for their hard work in putting this celebration together. Brookhaven Town is a mosaic of many ethnic and cultural groups and the AANHPI is one of the fastest growing in Brookhaven Town that adds to our diversity. We look forward to having this celebration every year,” said Supervisor Ed Romaine.
“It was very meaningful to host this exciting event at Town Hall. The rabbit is often associated with growth and creativity, and it reminds me of how our local Asian community has grown in size and in creative confidence along with this event. We started the Lunar New Year event two years ago online, and it has grown and moved each year since then into bigger and better venues. I especially want to encourage our artists to keep up their important work in moving people’s hearts and minds in ways that the printed or spoken words cannot do. I would also like to thank the Asian American Association of Greater Stony Brook (AAAGSB,) the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Advisory Board (AANHPI) as well as my staff for working so hard to pull this event together,” said Councilmember Kornreich.
Councilmember Foley said, “The Asian-American and Pacific Islander community is one of the fastest growing in the region and the Lunar New Year exhibit at Town Hall was a great example of their contribution to our local art and culture. Brookhaven Town is a great melting pot, and everybody plays a role in making it a better place to live. I congratulate and thank the Asian American Association of Greater Stony Brook, and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Advisory Board for bringing this exhibit to Town Hall.
“This Lunar New Year celebration was one of the first events I had the opportunity to attend as the Brookhaven Town Clerk. I was impressed by the creativity and passion that the artists showed through their artwork, and I was glad to see it displayed here in Brookhaven Town Hall. Congratulations to all of the award recipients and thank you to the Asian American Association of Greater Stony Brook, the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Advisory Board, and my colleague, Councilmember Kornreich, for hosting this event,” added Town Clerk Kevin LaValle.
The Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Gallery held an opening reception for its latest exhibit, Flora & Fauna: Allegories of Nature, on Feb. 10. Juror Liz Fusco invited artists to submit artwork exploring the broad, interpretive scope of the connection and relationship to nature while encompassing the specific focus on flora and fauna. All media were welcome.
Over 130 artists submitted work of which 47 artists and pieces were accepted. Participating artists include Sal Agnello, Georgia Ardito, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, John Benevento, Joyce Bressler, Zintis Buzermanis, Jane Cairns Irvine, Kristin Calderone, Galina Carroll, Dorothy Chanin, Anne Cognato, Tobi Cohen, Donna Corvi, Caryn Coville, Victoria Field, Kaitlin Gardella, Arlene Gernon, Andrea M Gordon, Gabriella Grama, Brian Grandfield, Kathleen J Graves, Jan Guarino, Tara Hlaing, Mark Holmquist, Philip Jordan, Ralph Laudano, Michelle Lesser, Christophe Lima, Jeanette Martone, Celeste Mauro, Eileen Novack, Jairo A. Ortiz Cc, Howie Pohl, Denis Ponsot, Susan Ryan, Michael Sansone, Gianne Shin, James Slezak, Ginger Sosnowski, Nicholas Striga, Joanna Szczurkowska, Mary Jane Tenerelli, Steven Vando, Jo Wadler and Nancy Wernersbach.
“It was really a pleasure and an honor for me to be the juror for this exhibit, especially given the fact that flowers and nature are what inspires me in my own personal art. There were so many wonderful submissions with diverse interpretations of flora and fauna. All of the artwork was wonderful, even the ones not chosen for the exhibit,” said Fusco.
“The task of choosing a ‘Best in Show’ and ‘Honorable Mentions’ was a difficult one, considering the talent. Art is very subjective as we all know and what draws us to a work of art is so personal. Ultimately, the pieces I chose were the ones that were drawing me back to look at again and again, whether it was the color, the drama or the composition. Each one called out to me for prolonged observation and investigation. Reading the artists’ statements, as well, gave me context to the artwork which also helped me in my decisions,” she added.
Best in Show went to “Lotus” by Arlene Gernon, and “Ailanthus Webworm” by Dorothy Chanin, “I See You” by Jeanette Martone, “Bloom” by Gianne Shin and “Pink Peony” by Joanna Szczurkowska received Honorable Mentions.
“Flora & Fauna: Allegories of Nature is not your typical landscape and wildlife show. This jury exhibition taps into the layers of symbolism used by Baroque, Renaissance, Romantic, Contemporary and Modern artists throughout the course of art history,” explained Kieran Johnson, Executive Director, of the Huntington Arts Council.
“We are proud to see so many mediums convey the allegorical nature of the natural world. Come see this wonderful and deep exhibition at our Main Street Gallery soon.”
The Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Gallery, 213 Main Street, Huntington presents Flora & Fauna: Allegories of Nature through March 11. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-271-8423 or visit www.huntingtonarts.org.
Artist Hulbert Waldroup with his painting, The Life and Legend of Pyrrhus Concer, at the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor
By Tara Mae
Serving in one of the 19th century’s most profitable and perilous industries, Black mariners risked their lives, livelihoods, and liberty in the pursuit of a meager but available wage. The Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor’s new two year special exhibition, From Sea to Shining Sea: Whalers of the African Diaspora, examines the too-frequently ignored Black heritage and contributions to the whaling industry.
Guest curated by Dr. Georgette Grier-Key, Executive Director of Eastville Community Historical Society in Southampton, the exhibit opened on Feb. 15 and will run through 2024.
“This exhibit is focused on expanding and expounding on stories of Black mariners in maritime history and sharing the untold/under-told stories of whalers of African descent and whalers of color in our whaling history,” said Gina Van Bell, Assistant Director of the Whaling Museum.
From Sea to Shining Sea exhibit at the Whaling Museum
The exhibit casts the African American whalers for what they were: main characters in their own lives, who took up whaling as a means of survival and, in many cases, transformed it into a stepping stone for other successes.
“We want people to understand the vastness of their lives, which is sometimes missed,” Dr. Grier-Key said. “We really wanted to focus on that, just going a little bit deeper and not stopping at the surface of BIPOC whalers and their lives, probing what they were able to do and what it meant in the context of the times. We want to offer more of a world view, a holistic look at whalers and their lives.”
Like a ship’s crew comprised of many individual roles, this exhibit consists of items from the museum’s own archives as well as items on loan from 10 different historical organizations. It honors the artistic pull the sea has had on creators throughout the centuries by incorporating art inspired by the water and maritime culture.
Awash with primary source documents, artifacts, and artwork, the interactive display explores what life was like at sea and ashore for non-white mariners while contextualizing the greater experience of people of color who in lived in coastal areas during the 1800s.
The story of one such Black man, Pyrrhus Concer, inspired local artist and Southampton gallery owner Hulbert Waldroup, whose oil on canvas painting The Life and Legend of Pyrrhus Concer (2022), is included in the show. This circular painting, reminiscent of the shape of a porthole, depicts in vibrant colors the nautical scope of Concer’s life, framed in repurposed boat wood rescued from a salvage yard.
A formerly enslaved Southampton man of African descent, Concer became a sailor after he was freed in 1832 (slavery in New York formerly ended in 1827.) He sailed aboard the whaling ship Manhattan, the first American ship to visit Tokyo, Japan, where he was greeted with wonder, being the first Black man many of the Japanese had ever seen.
“It was painted purely out of love and respect for Concer,” Waldroup said. Drawn to the stories of Black cowboys and whalers, who have traditionally been erased from popular lore, Waldroup was intrigued by Concer, whose career as a whaler enabled him to establish himself as a businessman and philanthropist on the shore.
Whaling and other maritime endeavors were often precursors for the precarious promise of more stable lives away from the water, but such pursuits were fraught.
Part of the Sea to Shining Sea: Whalers of the African Diaspora exhibit at the Museum.
“The first Black Americans who were treated as ‘citizens,’ in a way, were sailors. During the nineteenth century, working as a merchant seaman or whaler was one of the few occupations which offered free Black people a relative level of independence and self-sufficiency, along with the opportunity to travel the world with a Seaman’s Protection Certificate,” said Executive Director of the Whaling Museum Nomi Dayan.
From circa 1796-1940, American mariners carried this document as proof as citizenship. It was particularly vital to Black sailors, as they were not defined as citizens under the law until the ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868.
African Americans took very big risks for mitigated reward when they sailed with whaling ships. When docking in harbors of the South, for example, they were subject to being jailed or captured and sold into slavery.
From Sea to Shining Sea features receipts for the imprisonment and release of Alfred Gall, an African American crew member on the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Company’s Tuscarora, whose captain had to bail him out of jail. His crime? Being a free Black man in a Southern port.
Yet despite the marine and manmade dangers, whaling was considered to be a viable, even comparably steady trade. The sea offered a sort of freedom to men who might not find it on land as long as the voyage did not kill them.
“Whaling employed the most diversified workforce among all other occupations at the time. Many whalers of color who endured hard work, poor pay, awful living conditions, and serious danger, chose to work at sea because work options on land were limited,” Dayan said. “African American whalers who faced work discrimination on land were more likely than other racial groups to continue whaling.”
Whaling records indicate that rank prevailed over the color of one’s skin. Recruiters did not record race, just complexion, which was a subjective categorization. Herman Melville, the white author of Moby Dick was even listed as “dark.”
Light-skinned African American sailors had more opportunity for advancement. And while Black whalers did encounter barriers to advancing their ranks and were relegated to service-based positions, they usually earned the same rate of pay as other men of the same rank.
“On these voyages, your life and your counterpart’s life depended on how well you did you job. So in that way, you were equal in the sense of doing the work … tough, backbreaking work that was dangerous — you could lose your life but could achieve financial success,” Dr. Grier-Key said.
This made whaling unique to other industries. Whaling could provide a sort of networking opportunity for the African Americans and other people of color. Ancillary jobs associated with the sea were also available to them, such as being caulkers and coopers. Wives of BIPOC whalers might be seamstresses for the captains’ wives.
Such a utilization of community building is a trait understood by the team behind this exhibit, for whom From Sea to Shining Sea is a labor of love and longevity, part of the Whaling Museum’s ongoing efforts to share the whaling tales generally omitted from the history books.
Dr. Grier-Key and Dayan served together on the board for the Museum Association of New York, and Dr. Grier-Key knew of Waldroup through her work in the Southampton community. Together with Van Bell, they coordinated an exhibit that the stories of BIPOC whalers are no longer submerged in the murky annals of time.
RELATED PROGRAMS:
Black History: Whaleboat Chat
Join the special edition of a Whaleboat Chat highlighting the Whalers of the African Diaspora exhibition on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at noon. Gather around the star of the museum’s collection, the whaleboat, and listen as a staff member shares the tale of the dangerous Nantucket Sleighride and the brave whalers. Free with admission. No reservations necessary.
Black History: Build-A-Boat Workshop
Drop by the Museum any time on Feb. 21 and Feb. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. to learn about African American whalers who designed, built and worked on whaling ships in the 19th century and then imagine, design and create unique wooden vessel models out of a variety of materials in this open-ended workshop. Entry: Admission + $10 participant.
Beyond the Book
Join the Whaling Museum’s new book club! Read Whaling Captains of Color by Skip Finley at home andgo on new adventures through history. Then meet at the museum on Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m. to dive deeper into the story through connections with the Museum’s collection. Adults only. $15 per participant. Registration required.
The Whaling Museum, 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor is open Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the winter months, and Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the summer. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for seniors; $6 for children ages 4-17; free for children three years old and younger; and free for members. For more information, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org or call 631-367-3418.
Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, a private, not for profit organization providing a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing for children and adults with disabilities, has announced that it will holding an art show and auction on Thursday, May 4 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at its facilities located at 829 Old Nichols Road in Islandia. The Stable Spirits Art Show and Auction Fundraiser will feature the artwork of local artists of all ages and art mediums and styles. In addition to the art show and auction, the event will include a selection of wines from local vineyards paired with smallbites by Sommelier Jun Xi Chen, assisted by restaurant professionals and fellow Culinary Institute of America graduate, Megan Henne. Event ticket prices are $60.
“We are very excited to give local artists an opportunity to show their work, while also helping Pal-O-Mine raise funds for our new 2,000 square foot educational center, which will expand our on-site therapy and vocational services,” said Pal-O-Mine founder and CEO Lisa Gatti. Under the guidance of Splashes of Hope artists, attendees will also participate in an interactive mural process creating art to hang in the new center.
For artists interested in participating, they can submit three to five pieces by completing a submission form and emailing images of their artwork. The deadline for all submissions is March 15. Artists will be notified of acceptance by email on March 17. Artists must agree to donate 20% of each sale made at the event to Pal-O-Mine and donate one piece of art to Pal-O-Mine for use in future fundraisers.
Accepted artists will drop off their work at Pal-O-Mine on Tuesday, May 2 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Each artist will have space in one of Pal-O-Mine’s barn stalls to display their art. Tables and professional lighting will be provided for artists’ use during the event.Artists must bring any additional display materials they require (e.g., tablecloths, easels, display boards, etc.). Each pieces should be priced between $200-$500.The art pick-up date is Friday, May 5 from 9 a.m. to noon. To access the submission form, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2teQWHilkRlAq1YgV8iDzlUpN-KK8jZAGh7Btrq-edxuqzQ/viewform
Smithtown Township Arts Council has announced that the works of Three Village artist Patricia Yantz will be on view February 13 – April 14 at Apple Bank of Smithtown, 91 Route 111, Smithtown. The exhibition, part of the Arts Council’s Outreach Gallery Program, may be viewed during regular banking hours of Monday – Thursday 9 am – 4 pm; Friday 9 am – 6 pm; Saturday 9 am – 1 pm.
Artist Patricia Yantz is known for her beautiful acrylic and pastel landscape paintings. A former secondary art teacher at Sachem School District, Patty feels strongly about art as a communication tool. “Imagination is the beginning of creating. This creativity engages the mind and enables alternative ways of thinking and seeing. With so much emphasis today on critical thinking, creating art makes one think not only critically, but analytically, which is often overlooked in today’s world. Art is a bridge where artists can, through their paintings, communicate universally to reach people around the world.”
“Nature is the underlying theme of all my work, with a major inspiration being the Long Island landscape. I have been fortunate to have lived on Long Island my entire life…first, growing up on the North Shore in Nassau County and now as an adult living in Suffolk County. The tidal wetlands of the North Shore have been an endless source of inspiration to me. The constant changing colors of the day along with the rising/falling tides always create unique views. The winding waterways, always adding a sense of depth which reminds me to put things in perspective and awakens memories of my youth at the same time…this speaks to me when I am there, my special places which give me a sense of self.”
STAC is grateful to Apple Bank for its continued support of culture in our communities. We are so happy to feature the talents of Long Island artists in this space!,” said the press release.
One of the most generous gifts of an artist is the ability to translate private inspiration into communal offering so that viewers experience, rather than simply assess, art.
The latest exhibit at the Mills Pond Gallery in St. James, Winners Showcase, features six local artists associated with the Smithtown Township Arts Council (STAC) who employ their craft as a means of communication with the world around them, enabling patrons to appreciate the simple intricacies of both everyday existence and the natural world.
On display from Jan. 28 to Feb. 24, the exhibition presents approximately 55 pieces in multiple styles by Rhoda Gordon of Port Jefferson Station, Paul Mele of Island Park, Renee Caine of Holtsville, Karin Dutra of Port Jefferson, Catherine Rezin of Nesconset, and Angela Stratton of Selden, all of whom have shown at the gallery before.
Gordon, Dutra, and Mele were winning artists from the 2022 Winners Showcase while Caine, Rezin, and Stratton were winning artists from the 2022 exhibit Long Island Landscape: From Awe to Action.
“I love the Winners Showcase, as it is an opportunity to see a larger body of work from each artist. It is so interesting to sometimes discover that even in works of different mediums or color palettes, a common thread connects all their work either in technique or their creative voice and what they are trying to say in their work,” said Allison J. Cruz, Executive Director at the Mills Pond Gallery.
More than entertainment and aesthetics, art is an intimate conversation between creator and consumer. Featuring works in oil, acrylic, and pastel as well as photography and mixed media works in pastel and watercolor, pastel and ink, and watercolor and gouache, this exhibit is a dialogue in which the artists speak through their work.
What they choose to say is at their discretion. WinnersShowcase has no particular theme and, once invited to participate, artists submit any pieces they choose, demonstrating a range of perspectives and portfolios.
“Even artists who I am familiar with will sometimes surprise me in a Winners show with a style or subject that I had no idea they pursued,” Cruz added.
Divergent in style and substance, these works include abstract townscapes, reflective portraits, contemplative still life, tranquil nature scenes, and evocative photography. Not bound by an overarching topic, the art is uniquely personal and unflinchingly universal. It encompasses the whimsical and wondrous, the pastoral and pensive.
Paul Mele’s photography series Confinement,chronicling his grueling years’ long recovery from a car accident, explores dark, seemingly abandoned spaces that nonetheless offer a hint of relief, from a door ajar or a window that permits stubbornly optimistic sunlight to stream inside.
“I kind of feel my work balances between a positive and negative, light and dark. I tend to be drawn to images that are more dark, but there is a lighter overtone in my work,” said photographer Paul Mele. “This is the most personal thing I have ever done.”
Hope is perhaps the component that appears in each print and on every canvas throughout the show: hope for a brighter future, hope to be understood. In subdued tones and vivacious palettes, realistic renderings and abstract observations, this ambition transcends from artists to audiences.
Sharing art is an inherently brave act, making one vulnerable to public consumption while seeking understanding from those who observe and perhaps, admire. “It is nice when people see your work, relate to it, and appreciate it for it is,” Mele said.
Catherine Rezin, a multi-genre artist, shares this sentiment, and views art as a means to forge a benevolent connection.
“In general, I want to portray the positive feeling I have of the subject to my viewer,” she said.
Through strokes of watercolor and gouache paints, this attitude is revealed in her vibrant vistas, lush landscape, and affectionate portraits alike. She began exhibiting her art three years ago, after retiring from her career as a commercial artist.
“I am now enjoying creating art for the love of it,” she added.
Such passion is evident throughout Winners Showcase, a celebration of the courage of creation and ecstasy of expression.
The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, Jan. 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. to meet the exhibiting artists and view their work.
Mills Pond Gallery is located at 660 Route 25A, Saint James. Hours of operation are Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from noon to 4 p.m.
For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.
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