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ceramics

Pottery by Russel Spillmann

For the month of September, the Reboli Center for Art and History in Stony Brook Village is showcasing the incredible work of ceramist Russel Spillmann.

Spillmann has worked in ceramics for more than 50 years, during which time he has participated in many fine craft shows and exhibited at numerous galleries. His work is included in many corporate, private, and public collections. As a former resident of the Three Village area, he is thrilled to be the Reboli Center’s September Artisan. Lois Reboli, president and a founder of The Center said, “Russel’s ceramics are just amazing and the colors so magnificent that we are pleased to have an affiliation with him.”

Pottery by Russel Spillmann

“I work with porcelain for its purity and translucence. It allows one to look into and through the pot, not merely at it. Through my work, I attempt to resolve function and beauty into a presence; for it is through presence that beauty suspends the soul in timelessness, and it is here the soul expands to sense more than itself,” said Spillmann.

The artist has fond memories of growing up in the area, riding his bike past what is now the Reboli Center and going to the local beaches, where a parade of porpoises would entertain the onlookers. He relocated to upstate New York where he earned his Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Cortland. There he became interested in ceramics as he was inspired by his teacher, John Jessiman, who was instrumental in getting him accepted into the School of Ceramics at Alfred University. At Alfred, he had the opportunity to study under the esteemed pottery teachers, Val Cushing and Daniel Rogers. 

The Reboli Center for Art and History is located at 64 Main Street in Stony Brook. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call 631-751-7707.

 

Ceramic pieces by Julia Vogelle

The Reboli Center’s August Artisan is ceramic artist Julia Vogelle.

A ceramic piece by Julia Vogelle

Julia Vogelle is a multi-faceted artist who creates a wide range of ceramics, sculpture, drawings and paintings, as well as jewelry. She has a Master’s in Fine Art /Education from C.W. Post University and a Bachelor’s in Fine Art from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.  Raised on Long Island, she  lives in Miller Place and taught art to students in k-12 for 32 years in the Miller Place school district.

Vogelle is one of the founders of the Brick Clay Studio in St. James and currently the President. The studio was established in 2017 and offers pottery classes and a gallery.

“As most of my work is in clay, I begin with slabs and then incorporate wheel work. I decorate slabs with lace and stamped patterns. In addition, I like to draw either directly into the clay surface or with oxides and glazes,” said Vogelle. She notes that all platters and pottery are dinnerware and dishwasher safe.

A ceramic piece by Julia Vogelle

“I’m very honored to be recognized as the August Artisan of the month at the Reboli Center. Being a resident and lifelong artist on the North Shore of Long Island, I have very strong ties to the community. While I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting Joe Reboli, my husband Michael Vogelle interviewed Joe for the program “Working Artists,” she said.

Lois Reboli, president and one of the founders of The Reboli Center said, “Julia’s work is truly amazing and her being our August Artisan of the Month will certainly compliment the work on display at the Center.”

The Reboli Center is located at 64 Main Street in Stony Brook, and is open Tuesday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call 631-751-7707 or visit www.rebolicenter.org.

Miller Place art teacher Julia Vogelle helped form The Brick Studio and Gallery nonprofit. Photo from Julia Vogelle

Who better to bring vibrancy and revitalization to downtown Rocky Point than a group of local artists? With the support of elected officials, a new nonprofit organization is leading the charge to help enrich, educate and electrify the Rocky Point community and surrounding areas.

The Brick Studio and Gallery is an art collective of more than 20 local artists and instructors with aspirations to grow and develop into a full-fledged community studio and hub.

Spearheaded by Miller Place High School art teacher Julia Vogelle and professional ceramicist Justine Moody, the group blossomed around the time Stony Brook University’s Craft Center and ceramics studio closed for renovations in January 2016, leaving potters and artists without a space to do what they love.

Pottery making will be offered at The Brick Studio and Gallery. Photo from Julia Vogelle

Vogelle and Moody, who shared dreams of opening up a cooperative to bring art back into the community, met in the wake of the Craft Center shutdown and enlisted the help of the “homeless” artists to form the organization.

Since then, the project has grown, culminating in a Kickstarter campaign with an ambitious goal of $18,000 to turn a dream into a reality. With 120 backers, their goal has already been exceeded, raising a total of $18,150.

The money will cover the start-up costs to find a location and equip and supply the studio with 14 pottery wheels, two electric kilns, kiln shelves, clay, glazes and ceramic tools. According to the fundraiser page, the studio “has the potential to begin a renaissance in historic Rocky Point, with other artists and artisans joining in bringing life to other empty buildings” and plans to open in early spring.

“My vision is to have this cultural center energize and bring all the money back into the hamlet,” Vogelle said. “Rocky Point has a lot to offer. People 16 and up can come; we’d have services for students, seniors, veterans and anyone who would like to work. I want to look at Broadway in Rocky Point as ‘artist’s row.’”

In addition to pottery, glass and jewelry making, the studio will be a venue for documentary showings, live poetry, trivia nights and  live music.

Moody expanded on the grand vision.

“I think it’s going to become a destination place … I don’t know that Rocky Point has one, and there are a lot of towns here with a tremendous group of creatives who don’t really have a place to call their own,” Moody said.

She’s hoping it could be a place to attract locals during the summer to take lessons, and others from outside the community on Friday nights, saying she envisions big events on weekends and other pop-up events throughout the year.

Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) believes The Brick has the potential to be a tourist attraction that could boost Rocky Point’s foot traffic and revenue — much-needed since the state built the bypass, which encourages traffic to go around the area, hitting downtown businesses especially hard.

“There are a lot of towns here with a tremendous group of creatives who don’t really have a place to call their own.”

— Justine Moody

“So many of our residents come in from the Long Island Expressway, from Sunrise Highway, and they look to go east from the North Fork, and my hope is that maybe they’ll turn left and go west to experience what Rocky Point and Shoreham have to offer,” Anker said. “There are so many high-level artists that live in the area and this will hopefully give them a way to stay local and promote their craft to the public.”

Anker has been involved in North Shore revitalization plans since 2011, participating with the Rails to Trails project and the clean-up of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, and said that art is not just trendy.

“We underestimate how important art is, it needs to be cultivated,” she said. “It’s part of our culture and it has an educational component. It will definitely benefit downtown Rocky Point.”

Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point), who contributed $100 to the art collective’s Kickstarter campaign, said she’s so excited about the studio and points to Vogelle and Moody’s hard work and dedication.

“They’re very dedicated and committed and they’re not looking for somebody else to solve their problem … grass isn’t growing under feet at all and it’s hard not to pay attention to that,” Bonner said.

As a 30-year Rocky Point resident, the councilwoman is hopeful that the artists can bring people back to downtown Rocky Point and trigger change.

Vogelle feels the same, stating that she believed that the art can bring value to homes and surrounding businesses.

“If you put art into a community, people want to move in,” she said. “If you put music in town, people want to gather around and enjoy it. A cultural center like this always connects with schools in the district and it will also help people realize there’s so much culture that’s hidden. And anyone can get hooked on ceramics — the elderly, veterans, teens. Once you touch mud, you never go back.”