Port Jefferson School District students and art teachers with director of music and fine arts, Michael Caravello (right). Photo courtesy PJSD
The One River School for Art and Design’s Port Jefferson Station location recently exhibited student artwork from the Port Jefferson School District’s fine arts department.
As a collaborative effort, student artwork across grades K-12 was showcased. An opening reception was held on Saturday, Jan. 7, welcoming students and families to celebrate their artistic achievements.
The school district thanked art teachers Skylar Benatar, Meghan McCarthy, Nancy Randazzo and Stacey Schuman; director of music and fine arts Michael Caravello; and the One River School’s assistant director of education, Ellen Jones, for organizing this special community event.
'Thirteen Moons: Nature Adapts and Transforms' by Anne Seelbach. Image courtesy of Gallery North
By Tara Mae
Nature’s beauty is at once defiantly delicate and stubbornly resilient. Elements Adrift, on view at Gallery North from Jan. 12 to Feb. 19, considers the alchemy and artistry of the natural world as expressed through Long Island artist Anne Seelbach’s oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings as well as mixed media pieces.
Seelbach’s first solo show at Gallery North, it consists of approximately 35 works from three different series that organically ripple outward, encompassing the serenity of the sea and the perniciously predatory impact of pollution. Elements Adrift explores the inspiration found in the environment and the toxicity inherent in careless encounters with it.
‘Thirteen Moons: Nature Adapts and Transforms’ by Anne Seelbach. Image courtesy of Gallery North
“Seelbach’s figural abstraction reflects her fascination and love of nature and interest in pointing to those elements that are polluting and deprecating it. In the past, she has tried to bring attention to that through her work,” said Gallery North’s Executive Director Ned Puchner.
Put together, each individual series transforms from island unto itself to an archipelago of artistic expression, chronicling Seelbach’s relationship with the world around her and transitioning the audience from one sequence into another.
“Some pieces are really fascinating in that they show [Seelbach] moving on…you see her moving from one series into another, and I think that is really where the excitement in her work lies. She goes from series to series and in each series, she will sort of dwell on a topic and then move on, finding new avenues to build off of,” Puchner said.
The first collection, “Troubled Waters,” follows the ebbing of natural resources as pollution flows into and interferes with sensitive ecosystems. Drawn to the seascapes of Peconic Bay off Long Beach in Sag Harbor and the Napeague Harbor at Lazy Point Beach in Amagansett, Seelbach’s work evolves to encapsulate the devolution of marine life as the disruption and detritus of humankind menaces it.
“Instead of painting traditional landscapes, I always ask the question, ‘What is happening?’ in nature, rather than painting a beautiful view,” Seelbach said. “The landscape and seascape are created by forces of nature, the change of seasons, with the rotation of the earth. This is what I try to get at.”
Dance into the Unknown, 2014, oil on canvas, 30″ x 30″ by Anne Seelbach. Image courtesy of Gallery North
The vague abstraction of her fish renderings in this series came from fact, as the pollutants were actually getting into aquatic animal reproductive systems and causing deformities.
“When I started the series the fish were more realistic. I had to find a way to represent the effects of the chemicals. So, I stylized the fish form and duplicated it to create stencils of schools of fish,” she explained.
Seelbach’s fish and other animal stencils are frequently made from repurposed and up-cycled washed up or left behind bits of metal, plastic, and netting from which she rescues the shoreline.
While nature may have been shifting and changing around her, with rightful residents being harmed by invasive interlopers, Seelbach’s relationship with it remains steadfast and symbiotic, as reflected in her “Moon Paintings” series.
These works, conjured from summer trips to Monhegan Island, Maine, illuminate the serenity she found walking along the sea cliffs, gazing at the lunar lit waters below.
“I am still interested in the edge, where land, water, and sky meet…The moon shining on the sea and in tidal pools inspired these paintings,” Seelbach said. “As the sun nurtures the growth of everything by day, I suggest that the moon nurtures creative thought, ideas and possibility at night. I get most of my ideas at night when my mind is drifting, without a particular thought.”
Primarily painted on paper rather than on canvas, the “Moon Paintings” are imbued with deep blues and other hues that convey the depth of the setting’s nighttime repose. Yet, in these works, the moon is both a light and power source, rejuvenating sea, sky, and artist.
In fact “Earth: The Elements,” the third series to be highlighted in the exhibit, was a concept that came to Seelbach as she sat on the cliffside rocks and boulders.
Earth: mercury (Vermillion), 2020, acrylic and reflective paint on linen, 30″x36″, relates to the planet Mercury by Anne Seelbach. Image courtesy of Gallery North
“They made me ask ‘What is the Earth?’ And immediately I thought of the elements. Thinking about each individual element, what it was and a bit of its history, I realized that many were acknowledged thousands of years ago, by the scientists of that time, the alchemists and philosophers,” Seelbach said.
Breaking down these otherwise immovable objects into their most basic essence, Seelbach sought to honor the individuals of the past who had understood better than to take them at face value. So, within some of these paintings, she includes the alchemical symbol of the historical elements and the periodic table designation.
Each element Seelbach selects is thoroughly, albeit abstractly, examined and expressed. Similar to the other two series, “Elements” inner complexity and vitality is amplified by Seelbach’s color palette and painting style. Rich, earthy tones and texture add dimension and definition to the paintings.
“I was really drawn to the raw energy of them, dark and muddy in certain places,” Puchner said. “In all of her art, there is a kind of an endless search for beauty in nature. Even in the study of the earth’s elements, at root is her trying to explore the minerals and elements that exist within the nature that she brings into her artwork.”
Seelbach’s art is an outlet for her observations, an investigation of the inquiries raised by striving to be attuned to the world around her. At its core, her art seeks to explore and observe rather than obfuscate.
“I paint what is. I see landscape as formed by the forces of nature, the seasons, the rotation of the planet. The question I ask sitting on the beach or a rock is ‘What is happening?’ What are the forces of nature that underly what I am looking at?” she said.
Patrons are invited to make their own discoveries about nature through Elements Adrift. An opening reception will be held tonight, Jan. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. As a complement to the exhibition, Gallery North will present a lecture on the marine ecology of New York’s waterways by Patricia Woodruff from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University on Jan. 20 at 6 pm. Gallery North will also host an ArTalk with Anne Seelbach on Feb. 4 at 3 p.m.
Located at 90 North Country Road, Setauket, Gallery North is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www. gallerynorth.org.
When a once bustling home has languished into landscape, what lingers in the places where people once lived? Dreams of Decay: Shining a Light on Abandoned Places, a photography exhibit by Bryan Sansivero at the Huntington Public Library, 338 Main St., Huntington from Jan. 6 to Feb. 3, 2023, explores what remains and what may be reclaimed.
Self-portrait of photographer Bryan Sansivero in front of the ‘Witch House’
Consisting of approximately 30 color photographs, ranging in size from 6”x4” to 20”x30,” the exhibit is Sansivero’s first solo show and chronicles his travels through Europe and North America, showcasing homes and other habitations that have been given up to the ravages of time.
“I have always been interested in abandoned spaces, old architecture,” Sansivero, who grew up in Huntington, said. “I am a very curious person; if something is abandoned and the door is open, I am going in to photograph it. I have seen hundreds of houses; I just photograph the ones that make you go ‘Oh my gosh,’ like the things left behind.”
Reflecting his ties to the community, some of the settings may be familiar to visitors, such as a Huntington mansion, a Commack farmhouse, and Bogheid, a historic estate in Glen Cove.
These deserted structures, frequently abandoned due to inheritance issues and disputes, are time capsules to places and people of the past. In Sansivero’s photos, among the light and shadows, the audience finds hints as to when comfort became careworn: crumbling wallpaper, disowned toys, tintype photographs, artifacts of age.
With the absence of conventional subjects, the homes and their inanimate inhabitants become the sitters for portraits of ruin and reclamation. Sansivero’s photographs take patrons on a transAtlantic tour of everything from cottages to chateaus, in local, national, and international locations.
“I want some kind of story to be in my photos, almost like you’re reading a novel. People tell me that they see so many stories in my photographs. Sometimes I can research the families that lived there, people may want to know the background, etc., but I think not knowing may be better so you form your own opinions; an intentional mystery,” he added.
‘American Flag Piano’ by Bryan Sansivero
The inherent intrigue of abandoned places is what first drew Sansivero to them. As a college student studying film, his senior thesis was a short documentary shot at the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center, now the site of Nissequogue River State Park. Then, while visiting family in Pennsylvania, the open door of an abandoned home lured him inside. The rest, as they say, is history.
“When I found that house in Pennsylvania with everything left behind — an old suit in the closet, an old piano, old photographs — it was like a movie set, or the entry into another time period,” Sansivero said.
It ignited a passion that led Sansivero to sojourn in search of forgotten or abandoned places. Through online and in-person networking, he makes contacts both here and abroad who connect him with deserted houses and institutions.
This system has created a sprawling body of thousands of images, selections of which he shares with the public. Using Instagram as an interactive catalog for many of his images, Sansivero, who also does editorial and portrait photography, published a photo book in 2021 about his trips through the United States titled American Decay: Inside America’s Forgotten Homes. A follow-up, sharing images from his journeys through Europe, is currently in development.
Dreams of Decay is a crossroads of his travels; while some of the images in the exhibit have been featured on Instagram or in his book, others will be making their public debut. The resulting exhibit will highlight Sansivero’s most popular photos as well as his personal favorites.
“I am really excited to showcase them,” he said. “I cannot wait to see the reactions from people, particularly strangers, and get some input and insight…see how they are responding, especially to the new work. It is amazing to have my very first show in my hometown.”
‘Dollhouse’ by Bryan Sansivero
Brittany Bowen, the Art Gallery and Display Cases Coordinator for Huntington Public Library, first reached out to Sansivero a few years ago after she discovered his photography while researching local artists online.
“…I was so taken with his work that I reached out to him immediately. I was very excited when he enthusiastically accepted my invitation to exhibit here. I tend to gravitate toward art and photography that captures mystery and intrigue. Bryan finds beauty in the unconventional, and I appreciate that. I think others will, too,” she said.
The public is invited to an opening reception on Jan. 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. Viewing hours are Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m; and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information on the exhibit, call 631-427-5165. To learn more about Bryan Sansivero’s work, visit www.bryansansivero.com.
Smithtown Township Arts Council has announced that the works of artist Muriel Musarra will be on view at Apple Bank of Smithtown, 91 Route 111, Smithtown from Dec. 9 to Feb. 2, 2023. The art exhibit, part of the Arts Council’s Outreach Gallery Program, may be viewed during regular banking hours Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m; and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., said the press release.
Muriel Musarra always enjoyed art and museums. Once she moved to the Three Village area over 50 years ago, she fell in love with the local landscape. “Being surrounded by this beautiful, picturesque area inspired me to learn to paint.” Muriel’s artist journey began in an adult art class at Ward Melville High School. She continued to study art, taking classes at Suffolk County Community College and Stony Brook University and art workshops at many local Art Museums and galleries across Long Island.
“I enjoy painting outdoors to capture the light and shadows of the scene. I especially enjoy painting water views for the wonderful reflections!”
Muriel paints in watercolor, oil, acrylic and gouache. Her award-winning works have been exhibited widely in exhibitions across Long Island including Wet Paints Studio Group, Setauket Artists Exhibitions, Gallery North, and South Bay Art Association, among many others.
“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.
Looking for that perfect holiday gift? The Smithtown Township Arts Council’s annual Fine Art for the Holidays exhibit and marketplace kicks off at the Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James on Dec. 4 and runs through Dec. 18.
The exhibit features more than 65 original works created by the Setauket Artists. Exhibiting artists include Ross Barbera, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, Sheila Breck, Joyce Bressler, Renee Caine, Al Candia, Gail L. Chase, Anthony Davis, Julie Doczi, Margaret Governale, William Graf, Flo Kemp, John Mansueto, Celeste Mauro, Jane McGraw-Teubner, Eleanor Tyndall Meier, Frederic Mendelsohn, Muriel Mussara, Paula Pelletier, Joan Rockwell, Robert Roehrig, Irene Ruddock, Oscar Santiago, Carole Link Scinta, Barbara Jeanne Siegel, Angela Stratton, Marlene Weinstein and Patricia Yantz.
An opening reception will be held on Dec. 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. to meet the exhibiting artists, view their work and have the opportunity to purchase affordable, one-of-a-kind, original fine art for friends or loved ones while supporting the creation and sale of locally produced fine art.
Gallery hours are Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 pm. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.
Dr. Alfred J. Cossari of Village Eye Care, 311 Barnum Ave., Port Jefferson will host a Holiday Art Show & Fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4 from noon to 4 p.m. Drop in during the 26th annual Port Jefferson Charles Dickens Festival to view an exhibitby award winning artist Angela Stratton (www.strattongallery.com) with over 45 pieces of artwork including landscapes and florals for sale. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Children’s Eye Care Foundation. For more information, call 631-928-6400.
Revisiting 5+1 at the Zuccaire Gallery with works by (left to right) Vivian Browne, Daniel LaRue Johnson, Adger Cowans (slide show), Jack Whitten and Melvin Edwards (foreground).
'Carnival of Autumn Leaves' by Alma Thomas
'Hawk's Return' by William T. Williams
'Untitled' by Howardena Pindell
The Staller Center’s Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery recently opened a new exhibition entitled Revisiting 5+1, developed in conjunction with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s current feature exhibition, Frank Bowling’s Americas.
Examining a critical moment at the junction of abstract art, racial and gender politics, and student activism at Stony Brook University, Revisiting 5+1 is a reflection on the historic 1969 exhibition of abstract art 5+1, presenting works by the original artists, alongside a new selection of major works by Black women working in abstraction.
Revisiting 5+1 features work by the six artists in the 1969 exhibition (curated by and including artist Frank Bowling) each of whom created vivid experimental abstract paintings and sculptures. Alongside Bowling, the show presents major work by Melvin Edwards, Daniel LaRue Johnson, Al Loving, Jack Whitten, and William T. Williams, showcasing their early practices of the 1960s and ‘70s. In collaboration with Distinguished Professor of Art Howardena Pindell, Revisiting 5+1 adds a related yet distinct group of six Black women artists, who were also trailblazers in abstraction. Alongside Pindell, the exhibition features works by Vivian Browne, Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Betye Saar, Alma Thomas, and Mildred Thompson, including a never before shown 1971 film by Saar.
Photographs of the 1969 exhibition by Adger Cowans and Tina Tranter and original archival research present new findings on 5+1, while university records and photographs provide contextual history of the concurrent Black Student Movement taking place on campus. The 1969 exhibition coincided with the first semester of courses in a new Black Studies Program, created in response to student activism.
Revisiting 5+1 provides new insight into the significance of the dynamic university context, demonstrating the important history of university-based exhibitions organized by Black artists. At a time when Black artists working in abstraction encountered barriers in both the White mainstream art world, which valued works in abstraction but not those by Black artists, and the Black Arts Movement, which rejected abstract art as apolitical, university galleries provided a unique platform outside the confines of the mainstream art world for engaging with ongoing debates around the relation between art and racial politics.
The accompanying catalog includes archival photographs of 5+1 by Adger Cowans and from the Frank Bowling Archive, four scholarly essays, and profiles of artists included in the exhibition, an interview with Howardena Pindell, as well as a tribute to Pindell’s achievements by Lowery Stokes Sims.
This exhibition honors Howardena Pindell’s four decades of working with art students at Stony Brook University on the occasion of her retirement from teaching. The artistic excellence and social activism that mark her own career have also informed her teaching, setting an example for students and faculty alike. Colleague Katy Siegel says of Pindell’s tenure, “The university has been extraordinarily fortunate to have Howardena’s brilliant presence over the years; she has brought in peers including Maren Hassinger and Kay WalkingStick, and taught generations of younger artists like Athena LaTocha with extraordinary generosity.” After the current academic year, Pindell will become a Toll Professor, leaving full-time teaching but remaining a student mentor.
The original 5+1 artists include Frank Bowling, Melvin Edwards, Daniel LaRue Johnson, Al Loving, Jack Whitten, and William T. Williams. Revisiting 5+1 also presents the work of Vivian Browne, Adger Cowans, Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Howardena Pindell, Betye Saar, Alma Thomas, and Mildred Thompson.
Revisiting 5+1 is curated by Stony Brook University Art History PhD candidates Elise Armani, Amy Kahng, and Gabriella Shypula in consultation with Distinguished Professor of Art Howardena Pindell and under the guidance of Katy Siegel, Distinguished Professor and Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw Endowed Chair in Modern American Art, and Karen Levitov, Director and Curator of the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery. The exhibition is supported by a grant from Stony Brook University’s Office of the President. Additional support is provided by a Humanities New York grant. A generous donation is provided by Hauser & Wirth Gallery, with additional funding from Garth Greenan Gallery, New York. Support is also provided by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Stony Brook University College of Arts and Sciences, Humanities Institute of Stony Brook, Art Department, and Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. The Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery’s 2022–2023 schedule is supported by a generous grant from the Paul W. Zuccaire Foundation.
Revisiting 5+1 is presented in partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in conjunction with the exhibition Frank Bowling’s Americas, on view at the MFA Boston from October 22, 2022 – April 9, 2023, and traveling to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art from May 13 – September 10, 2023. A digital component and display case are presented in collaboration with the MFA Boston and the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Please check back for the digital component.
On November 14, the North Shore Art Guild opened their Winter Showcase exhibit on the second-floor mezzanine at Brookhaven Town Hall. The exhibit can be seen Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., now until December 28. Brookhaven Town Hall is located at 1 Independence Hill in Farmingville. All the art on exhibit is for sale. Pictured left to right are Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine; Town Historian, Barbara Russell and Brookhaven Town Councilman Dan Panico.
North Shore Art Guild is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation designed to assist artists at all levels and within all disciplines. It is their goal to develop a strong visual arts presence while using our talent as a force to better our community. Their mission is to promote arts and advancement in all areas of artistic endeavors. The Guild encourages exposure and growth through exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations and helpful “critiquing” given by seasoned artists. They invite all artists whatever level or medium, to join, learn and grow with the North Shore Art Guild. For more information about the North Shore Art Guild or to join, please visit the website at www.NorthShoreArtGuild.org.
'Winter's Warmth' by John Mansueto will be on view through Dec. 23.
‘Tis the season! Gallery North in Setauket kicks off the holidays with Deck the Halls, its annual group exhibition of small original works for holiday giving, on view from Nov. 17 to Dec. 23.
Enjoy artworks by over 50 local and regional artists in a range of media, including painting, printmaking, works on paper, sculpture, glassware, and more. The exhibition offers an excellent opportunity to support local artists, and features a diverse selection of affordable, exciting, original artworks for everyone on your list.
“11×14 Collage” by Tom Brydelsky will be part of the Deck the Halls exhibit.
In addition, Gallery North also features a large assortment of artisan-created jewelry, handmade crafts, and decorations within the Shop at Gallery North, as well as clothing and artist-made greeting cards produced in the Studio at Gallery North. They also offer the gift of an art class or workshop to an aspiring artist, child, or adult.
As a complement to the exhibition, Gallery North will host a Holiday Gift Bazaar, a series of three, special holiday gift markets inside the Gallery each Saturday in December (Dec. 3, 10 and 17) from noon to 7 p.m. to provide the community with an alternative to holiday shopping in malls and shopping centers.
The Holiday Gift Bazaar will offer an excellent opportunity to support local artists and businesses, complete with warm beverages from LevelUp Kitchen. Holiday shoppers will find a diverse selection of affordable, exciting, original paintings, prints, photography, ceramics, pottery, woodwork, glassware, artisan created jewelry, handmade crafts, decorations, and clothing – perfect gifts for everyone on your list.
Deck the Halls is generously sponsored by WFC Architects, Jefferson’s Ferry, bld Architecture, and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning.
Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
The spookiest month of the year signals the return of the Huntington Arts Council’s annual student exhibit, Nightmare on Main Street, a Halloween-inspired juried art exhibit for Nassau and Suffolk County students in grades 6 to 12. This year’s show runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 15.
‘The Hollow’ by Bennett Vitagliano
“Our Nightmare on Main Street student exhibit is now in its 11th year! This exhibit continues to be one of our most popular, both for the students and the overall community,” said HAC’s Executive Director Kieran Johnson. “The submissions spanned across Long Island with both public and private school students from 21 districts participating in the call. Congratulations to all of the students who submitted to this show.”
Guest juror Lauren LaBella, co-owner of The Gallery @ in Huntington, invited participants to broaden their artistic interpretation of the Halloween inspired exhibition by referencing the Plague Doctor during the Bubonic Plague “which became a momento mori, a symbol for one’s last earthly moments, as this was usually the last thing a person would see before meeting their death. The long beak of the mask was filled with herbs and spices that were believed to filter out the ‘bad spirit,’ protecting the wearer from those he was visiting; the long, waxy coat and hat protecting their skin and clothes underneath. A long staff was used to make contact with the bodies without having to touch them directly. … Similarly, Halloween is a once-a-year opportunity to disguise yourself or be unknown, and to celebrate the darker parts of life. In the medium of your choice, show us how you interpret these concepts.”
“Just under 200 pieces from 145 artists were submitted this year to Nightmare on Main Street,” said Sarah J. McCann, HAC’s Gallery & Operations Director.
‘The Hidden Place’ by Gianna Purpura
“One of the highest submissions in the history of the show, the work does not disappoint. Our juror has chosen 41 pieces to be featured in the Main Street Gallery and on our website. In recognition of the dedication and enthusiasm the students have shown for this call to artists, we have decided to expand the online gallery to include a special section so that all of the artists’ work that was submitted can be shared with the community,” she said.
Exhibiting artists include Maya Almaliah, Meggie Baxter, Lilah Black, Colby Burns, JoselineCanales-lazo, Scout Chen, Elaine Ching, JazminCorrujedo, Victoria Czoch, Sophia Dolinsky, Madeline Dombrow, Gilana Etame, Sally Feliciano, DJ Fusco, Michael Gallagher, Mary Getzoni, Emma Gutierrez, KellyHalversen, Alexandra Hugel, Molly Lebolt, Sophia Lin, Isabella Mascetti, Liza McPherson, SamanthaMedley, Finn Monte, Natalie Parrott, Gianna Purpura, Sivan Pyle, Elliot Rosenblatt, Zayed Sattaur, Grace Schoonmaker, Nicole Schrock, Jasmine Sedra, Jack Semelsberger, Alexa Shafy, Juliana Silva, Peyton Silvestri, Charlotte Tsekerides, Bennett Vitagliano, Warren Wei and Kerry Yeung.
“We pride ourselves in working hard to be inclusive with our call to artists and all of our programs. Our gallery is open to all and we certainly encourage you to stop in to see the exhibit and visit our website regularly to learn more about the work that we are doing for the community,” added Johnson.
The Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Galley, 213 Main Street, Huntington is open Tuesdays to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-271-8423 or visit www.huntingtonarts.org.
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