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THE MAKING OF A LEGEND Catch a screening of ‘John Monteleone: The Chisels Are Calling’ at the Cinema Arts Centre on Oct. 8. Photo from CAC
Thursday Oct. 6

Women’s EXPO

Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach presents its 22nd annual Women’s EXPO from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. A showcase and a marketplace for Long Island women entrepreneurs, the indoor event will feature over 80 exhibitors who create or distribute a variety of products, including jewelry, pottery, soaps, food and more. The indoor event is a great opportunity to support local women entrepreneurs while shopping for holiday gift giving. Free admission. Call 585-9393, ext. 296 or visit www.womensexpoli.org. 

Fall Art Crawl

Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook will host a guided exhibition tour of campus galleries from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Tour the Charles B. Wang Center, the Zuccaire Gallery, the Alloway Gallery, the Central Reading Room, and the Simons Center Gallery, visiting each for about 30 minutes. Call 632-7240.

Friday Oct. 7

Columbus Weekend Fair

The Farmingdale Fire Department, 361 Main  St., Farmingdale will hold its annual Columbus Weekend Carnival today from  5 to 11 p.m. Oct 8 and 9 from  noon to 11 p.m. and noon to 7 p.m. on Oct. 10. The event will also feature a street fair along Main Street on Oct. 8 and 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., live music and  a parade on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. For more information, call 516-249-3710.

Long Island Fall Festival

Time to celebrate the season! The Long Island Fall Festival returns to Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington for Columbus Day weekend today from 5 to 10 p.m., Oct 8 and 9 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brought to you by the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Huntington, the event will feature carnival rides, live music, beer garden, international food court and over 300 vendors on Saturday and Sunday. Free admission. Call 423-6100. 

Peking Acrobats heads to SBU

Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook welcomes the Peking Acrobats featuring The Shanghai Circus on the Main Stage at 7 p.m. Combining time-honored Chinese music and groundbreaking special effects to create an environment that mirrors the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival, The Peking Acrobats are set to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime evening of exuberant entertainment. Tickets range from $39 to $68. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.

Saturday Oct. 8

Columbus Weekend Fair

See Oct. 7 listing.

Long Island Fall Festival

See Oct. 7 listing.

Fall Fair and Car Show

St. Thomas of Canterbury Church, 29 Brooksite Drive, Smithtown will hold its annual Fall Fair and Car Show from 10 to 4 p.m. with vendors, pumpkin patch, food, basket raffles, music and a car show by the North Fork Cruisers Car Association. Rain date is Oct. 15. For more info, call 631-265-4520 to obtain an application.

Raptor Day at the Vanderbilt

Raptor Day: The Bald Eagles of Centerport will be presented at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This one-of-a-kind event will feature a live exhibit of rescued raptors, with a bald eagle, golden eagle, owls and  hawks along with activities for children, vendors, raffles and the showing throughout the day of a short movie about the Bald Eagles of Centerport. The event, which will benefit Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation will be held rain or shine in the Vanderbilt Celebration Tent. The event also will support Museum programs. Tickets are $20 adults, $10 children under 12 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Christmas in October Craft Fair

The 3rd Annual Christmas in October Village Craft Fair will be held on the grounds of the Smithtown Historical Society, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring over 100 all craft all art exhibitors, refreshments and entertainment. Rain date is Oct. 15. Call 846-1459.

Fall Craft Fair

Love crafts? New Village Recreation Center, 20 Wireless Road, Centereach will host a Fall Craft Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come in to browse or buy some of the handmade crafts made by local vendors in Brookhaven. Call 451-5307.

Second Saturdays Poetry

All Souls Church in Stony Brook continues its Second Saturdays Poetry Reading via Zoom from 11 a.m. to noon. Hosted by Suffolk County Poet Laureate Richard Bronson, the .featured poet will be Joseph Stanton. An open-reading will follow the featured poet; all are welcome to read one of their own poems.  Participants can access the program through the All Souls website https://www.allsouls-stonybrook.org/ Call 655-7798.  

Fall Harvest Festival 

Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, 178 Oxhead Road, Centereach will hold its annual Fall Harvest Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy vendors, bouncy houses, tractor ride, food trucks, farm stand and more! Fun for the whole family. Free admission. Rain date is Oct. 9. Call 774-1556 or visit www.hobbsfarm.info.

World  Street Fair

The Turkish American United Coalition, Inc. and the Farmingville Hills Chamber of Commerce, Inc. hosts the 1st annual World Street Fair  at 1075 Portion Road in Farmingville from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. With over 200 international vendors selling a variety of crafts, toys, jewelry, clothing, accessories and more, attendees will be exposed to various international cultures. Free admission. Call 317-1738.

Riverhead Country Fair

Celebrate the agricultural heritage of Riverhead at the 46th annual Riverhead Country Fair in historic Downtown Riverhead from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Take time to enjoy the works of original artists, agricultural and homemaking displays and competitions, entertainers, local merchants, food, amusement rides, petting zoo, business expositions and displays, vendors and more. Call 727-1215 or visit www.riverheadcountryfair.com.

Theatre Three fundraiser

Join Theatre Three in honoring Executive Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel at Danfords  On the Sound, 25 East Broadway, Port Jefferson from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Enjoy cocktails, dinner, dancing and live entertainment. $150 per person. For tickets, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Dave Matthews tribute concert

JoyRide: A Dave Matthews Celebration will return to perform at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport from 7 to 10 p.m. JoyRide’s seven musicians recreate the experience of a live Dave Matthews Band (DMB) show, complete with violin and horns. Tickets: $30 in advance at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org; $40 at the door. BYO chair and picnic. Doors open at 6 p.m. Call 854-5579.

Sunday Oct. 9

Columbus Weekend Fair

See Oct. 7 listing.

Long Island Fall Festival

See Oct. 7 listing.

Old Time Baseball Game

Come cheer on the Atlantic Base Ball Club on the grounds of the Smithtown Historical Society, 211 E. Main St.., Smithtown at 11 a.m. A re-creation of the Brooklyn Atlantics, the team plays a historically accurate interpretation of the 19th century game of “base ball.” Call 265-6768 for more information.

Studebaker Car Show

The Studebaker Driver’s Club (Long Island Chapter) will show classic automotive designs in a car shows at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Cars will be displayed on the estate grounds with a spectacular view of Northport Bay. Visitors pay only general Museum admission of $10 adults, $9 seniors and students, and $7 children ages 12 and under. Call 854-5579.

Northport ArtWalk

The Northport Arts Coalition will host an ArtWalk, a free, self-guided tour of the Village of Northport to view artworks from established and emerging artists in diverse locations around the village and its picturesque harbor, from 1 to 5 p.m. Adding to the festive atmosphere will be musical performances by local performers. Visit www.northportarts.org.

Monday Oct. 10

Columbus Weekend Fair

See Oct. 7 listing.

Long Island Fall Festival

See Oct. 7 listing.

Tuesday Oct. 11

Coming Out Day 

Celebrate National Coming Out Day this year with Stony Brook Medicine at the Suffolk County Farm & Education Center, 350 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank from 4 to 7 p.m with wagon rides, pumpkin picking, crafts, face painting, costume contest, dance party, food trucks and more. Free admission. Call 852-4600.

Historical Society Lecture

The Smithtown Historical Society continues its Fall lecture series at the Frank Brush Barn, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown with a presentation titled “A Second Helping: Whining and Dining on Long Island” with Tom Schaudel, a prolific chef with over two dozen restaurants. Coffee and dessert by Osteria Umbra will be served. Free but registration is required by visiting www.eventbrite.com.

Wednesday Oct. 12

Mark Twain Show

Celebrate St. James presents a Mark Twain Show incorporating the writings of Mark Twain, performed by personator Rob Alvey, at the St. James Community Cultural Arts Center, 176 2nd St., St. James at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25, $20 seniors at www.celebratestjames.org. Call 984-0201.

CAC Open Mic Night

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Avenue, Huntington, joins with the Folk Music Society of Huntington in presenting the NorthShore Original Open Mic (NOOM) three Wednesday nights each month in the Cinema’s Sky Room, kicking off tonight at 7 p.m. with sign-up beginning at 6:30 p.m. Free. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Thursday Oct. 13

Author Talk

Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main St., Setauket will present Stories Light and Dark: An Evening of Jewish Noir from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Join author Kenneth Wishnia and other contributors for a spirited discussion of the diverse themes in the Jewish Noir II anthology. Copies of the book will be available for sale at the event, plus a bonus story collection offered free with each purchase. To register, please call 941-4080. See more on page B23.

Vanderbilt lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will host a presentation titled “Becoming Wild” at 7 p.m. Ecologist and author Carl Safina will speak on the dynamics of animal intelligence and the cultural lives of animals based on his years of field research and from his acclaimed 2020 book Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace. Tickets are $10 per person at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org. 

Film

‘In Search of Balance’

Four Harbors Audubon Society continues its Friday Movie Night series with a screening of In Search of Balance on Oct. 7 at the Smihtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This inspiring film follows renowned physician, Dr. Daphne Miller, as she seeks answers on how we’ve gone so far off track, health-wise, and how we can climb back to healthy living by reconnecting to the very thing that gives us life: each other, nature, the living planet and the ecosystem. Free. Call 766-3075 or 360-2480, ext. 232 to register.

John Monteleone documentary

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will screen John Monteleone: The Chisels Are Calling, a mesmerizing portrait of one of the world’s greatest instrument builders, on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. This feature-length documentary looks beyond the technical aspects of lutherie and examines the life, passion, talent and unique approach John Monteleone takes to his art. With John Monteleone and filmmaker Trevor Laurence in person and featuring a live Monteleone guitar demonstration by guitarist Steve Salerno. Tickets are $20. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

‘The Cave of Adullam’

The Port Jefferson Documentary Series continues with a screening of The Cave of Adullam at Theatre Three, 412 Main St. Port Jefferson on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. which focuses on martial arts sensei Jason Wilson and his efforts to help often-troubled black youths from Detroit at the Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy that he founded in 2008. Followed by a Q&A with Director Laura Checkoway. Tickets are $10 at www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com or at the door. 

Theater

‘Guys and Dolls’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson kicks off its 52nd season with Guys and Dolls from Sept. 17 to Oct. 22. Considered the perfect musical of Broadway’s Golden Age, this delightful romp gambles in luck and love from Times Square to Havana. High rollers and low characters from Damon Runyon’s mythical New York are joyously presented in Frank Loesser’s bold and brassy score, featuring “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” An award-winning classic for the entire family! Tickets are $35 adults, $28 senior and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘Mystic Pizza’

Up next at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is the new musical comedy, Mystic Pizza, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 30. Based on the classic 1988 movie starring Julia Roberts, Mystic Pizza charts the lives and loves of three unforgettable waitresses in the harbor town of Mystic, CT. Add in some of the best pop songs of the ‘80s and ‘90s such as “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Addicted To Love,” “Small Town,” “Hold On,” and “Take My Breath Away,” and you have all the ingredients for a romantic comedy–with the works! Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘The Lightning Thief’

The Smithtown Performing Arts Center presents The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical  from Sept. 30 to Oct. 29. As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly-discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus’s master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and come to terms with the father who abandoned him. Adapted from the best-selling book by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score, The Lightning Thief is an action-packed mythical adventure “worthy of the gods” Tickets are $40, $35 seniors, $25 students. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org. 

All numbers are in (631) area code unless noted.

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Photo from Wang Center

Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook will host a Bonsai Workshop in the Skylight Gallery on Wednesday, Oct. 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. Titled The Art of Bonsai, the workshop will be led by Robert Mahler of the Long Island Bonsai Society. Learn how to prune, shape, maintainand repot bonsai trees. This event is free  but registration is required by visiting www.stonybrook.edu or by calling 631-632-6353.

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The team celebrates their win after Sunday's game. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The Seawolves used a gritty performance to secure their first-ever CAA win on Oct. 2 as they knocked off William & Mary in a five-set thriller. Stony Brook was paced by the trio of Leoni Kunz, Abby Campbell, and Kali Moore who all finished the match with 15 or more kills.

After capturing the first two sets, the Seawolves dropped the next two as the Tribe forced a deciding fifth set. Stony Brook overpowered William & Mary in the deciding set behind Kunz and Moore who tallied two kills apiece en route to a 15-8 win in the frame.

 The Seawolves left Williamsburg, Va. with a spilt after falling in straight sets yesterday afternoon to the Tribe. Stony Brook bounced back on Sunday to pick up its first-ever win against William & Mary by the final set scores of 25-21, 26-24, 22-25, 14-25, 15-8.

With the win, the Seawolves improve to a perfect 4-0 in matches that go five sets this season. Prior to today’s five-set thriller, Stony Brook knocked off Fordham (Aug. 28 at home), Georgetown (Sep. 3 at home), and Seton Hall (Sep. 11 on a neutral court) in five sets. Today’s victory was the Seawolves’ first road win in five sets since September 7, 2019, when they defeated Georgetown.

 “I couldn’t be prouder of the fight in our group. Coming back and working our way out of a poor performance yesterday is tough on short turnaround and being able to grit this out after some mid-match stress is huge. We definitely still had some moments we weren’t executing great and I think feeling that struggle and being able to grit out a W is something we needed to feel,” said head coach Kristin Belzung.

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Photo courtesy of Netflix

Join Stony Brook Medicine for a free screening of the Oscar-nominated film “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution” followed by a panel discussion via Zoom or in person at Stony Brook University Hospital, Health Sciences Tower, Level 3, Lecture Hall 6, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook on Thursday, Oct. 6 from 4 to 7:30 p.m.

WHAT:

In October, the U.S. Department of Labor increases awareness of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present. To recognize NDEAM, Stony Brook Medicine is holding a free film screening and panel discussion of the Sundance Film Festival winning documentary “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution.” The film shows how a summer camp experience in the 1970s shaped the disabilities rights movement. Led by Maria Hensley-Spera, LCSWR, Outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Stony Brook Medicine, a paraplegic herself, the event promises to be an engaging, informative, and enlightening evening. Following the screening, the esteemed group of panelists will discuss the film and the lives of people with disabilities today. Participants can attend in person or virtually via zoom.

FILM DESCRIPTION:

In the early 70s, teenagers with disabilities faced a future shaped by isolation, discrimination and institutionalization. Camp Jened, a ramshackle camp “for the handicapped” (a term no longer used) in the Catskills, NY, exploded those confines. Jened was their freewheeling Utopia, a place where campers experienced liberation and full inclusion as human beings. Their bonds endured as many migrated West to Berkeley, California — a hotbed of activism where friends from Camp Jened realized that disruption, civil disobedience, and political participation could change the future for millions. And did.

MODERATOR:

  • Elizabeth Bojsza, MFA, Alda-certified facilitator at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science®, Assistant Professor of Practice & program head for the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Communicating Science at the School of Communication and Journalism, Stony Brook University

PANELISTS:

  • Judith E. Heumann, Lifelong advocate and leader of disability rights movement, teacher & author

  • Michelle Nario-Redmond, PhD, Author & Professor of Psychology & Biomedical Humanities, Hiram College

  • Jeanie Waters, Paralympian wheelchair sports athlete and civil rights attorney

  • Brooke Ellison, PhD, MPP, Science, healthcare policy & ethics expert, author & Associate Professor, Stony Brook University

  • Jacob Greene, BFA, Graphic Designer of socks for autism awareness & recent graduate of New York Institute of Technolog

    To learn more visit, https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/disabilitymovement.

    Register to attend in person here.

    Or join via zoom by registering at this link.

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Idle Hour, the mansion and estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt (1849-1920), which became Dowling College in 1968 Vanderbilt Museum Archives photo
Gift is Significant Part of Dowling College’s Special Collection

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum has received the largest donation of archival materials since its inception in 1950. The gift, donated by the Friends of Connetquot River State Park Preserve, includes materials from the former Dowling College and Vanderbilt Historical Society collections, comprising photographs, maps, and written correspondence. The donation marks a significant moment in the broader historical community’s efforts to preserve and promote the heritage of the region.

This donation will aid researchers and historians in forming an understanding of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century Long Island, and it will greatly augment the kinds of programming that can be offered by the Vanderbilt, Suffolk County’s first museum and public park.

Paul Rubery, Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Vanderbilt Museum, and Janet Soley, President of the Friends of Connetquot, worked alongside New York State and Suffolk County officials to determine the best way to preserve the content of these archives for future generations. They established that, because the VanderbiltMuseum aims to interpret the totality of the Vanderbilt family’s contributions to the development of Long Island, Centerport would be the ideal resting place for the wide-ranging collections.

All items donated by the Friends of Connetquot are now being processed and digitized by staff at the Vanderbilt Museum. These measures put to rest what some once regarded as the uncertain fate and future of a vast collection of historical materials assembled in Oakdale by local historians and academic archivists.

Dowling College Materials

Dowling College was established in 1968 at Idle Hour, the former mansionand 900-acre estate built in 1900 for William Kissam Vanderbilt (1849-1920). Vanderbilt was the father of William K. Vanderbilt II (1878-1944), who created the Eagle’s Nest estate, home of the Suffolk County VanderbiltMuseum.

Dowling College’s paper records were in jeopardy when the school ceased operations in 2016. Nearly a year later, its administrative and collegiate archives were transferred to Adelphi College, the college’s former parent institution. This arrangement spoke to Adelphi’s mission and directly benefited the wide network of Dowling alumni in the region. However, certain items were not covered in the original agreement between Adelphi and RSR Consulting, LLC—the company charged with liquidating assets in the bankruptcy proceedings—and those materials were folded into the listing placed up for bankruptcy auction.

The bankruptcy sale of Dowling’s assets was complicated by false starts and unrealized transactions. After the initial deal with Princeton Educational Center failed to transpire, Mercury International, LLC, acquired the property in 2017 for $26.1 million. During Mercury’s ownership, a representative from that company offered boxed materials in good condition to the Friends of Connetquot. For Mercury, the campus property and outbuildings were the primary concern, not the papers still left in many areas of the campus. Mercury ceased ownership of the property in December 2021, when the Chinese state-owned enterprise China Orient Asset Management purchased a majority stake in their parent company for $42 million.

The items given to the Friends of Connetquot—and now, through their donation, to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum—include the Muriel Vanderbilt, National Dairy, and Peace Haven collections.

Additional Material

Additional sections of the archives donated by Friends of Connetquot were acquired by that organization at auction. The Friends of Connetquot is dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and history of the 3,473-acre State Park Preserve, with the legacy of the South Side Sportsmen’s Club as their primary focus. The Sportsmen’s Club was among the elite social clubs of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century, claiming presidents and titans of business among its membership.

Below are brief descriptions of the collections donated to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum by the Friends of Connetquot River State Park Preserve. To increase access to public history and stimulate interest in Long Island’s heritage, the Vanderbilt Museum will make them available online in the coming months.

Muriel Vanderbilt Collection: Muriel Vanderbilt was the daughter of William Kissam Vanderbilt II and Virginia Graham Fair. She was an American socialite and an accomplished breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.

The Muriel Vanderbilt collection contains personal photographs and other materials that she donated to Dowling College in 1970. Some collection highlights include wedding and engagement photographs, in which Muriel wears the bridal veil of Marie Antoinette; extensive documentation of horse stables and rodeos; images of family members; and architectural photography of breathtaking estates.

Above, the stage at Peace Haven, one of the uses of the Idle Hour estate before it became Dowling College. Vanderbilt Museum Archives photo

Peace Haven Cult: The collection associated with the Peace Haven Cult is among the most unique archives on Long Island. In 1937, a group called the Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians purchased William Kissam Vanderbilt’s Idle Hour and renamed it “Peace Haven.” Founded by James Bernard Schafer, a doctor from North Dakota, the Master Metaphysicians integrated behaviorist psychology, Christian spiritualism, and mediative techniques to achieve certain personal goals. The cult caught the attention of the international press during the custody proceedings over “Baby Jean.”

“Baby Jean” was central to the cult’s ambitions. The Master Metaphysicians informally adopted “Baby Jean” from her mother, a local waitress, and placed her at the center of a grand metaphysical experiment. Schafer maintained that he could give the child eternal life with an exclusively plant-based diet and protection from negative stimuli. The Master Metaphysicians returned “Baby Jean” to her birth parents after less than a year, and her mother eventually filed a legal suit against the cult.

National Dairy Collection: After serving as the headquarters for the Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians, the Idle Hour estate was acquired by National Dairy Research Labs. National Dairy, which would eventually become Kraft Foods, purchased the estate’s mansion, carriage house, and twenty-three acres of land in 1947. The collection features photographs of the interior and exterior of the buildings at the time of sale, extensive documentation of the newly created research laboratories, and some press materials.

Bronco Charlie’s Collection: Bronco Charlie’s was a family restaurant located in Oakdale. Its owner, “Bronco” Charlie Miller, was a revered storyteller who claimed that he was the youngest ever rider on the Pony Express. Although many of his stories were undoubtedly fanciful, his tremendous life was chronicled in a range of print media. Highlights from the Bronco Charlie Collection include plates, menus, photographs, and correspondence.

Artists’ Colony Collection: Founded in 1926 on the grounds of the William Kissam Vanderbilt I’s summer estate, the Idle Hour Artists’ Colony was inspired by other prominent cultural communities like Yaddo, McDowell, and the Barbizon. Lucy Thompson, a socialite and the wife of a wealthy oil merchant from Texas, purchased the property and renovated its stables and outbuildings to accommodate a theater, restaurant, and artist studios. Highlights from the Artists’ Colony Collection include a map of the colony, real estate listings from the 1920s, and a watercolor from one of the original artists.

 

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Artist Scott Schneider. Photo by Joseph Peragallo

Sometimes art can be used as a way to raise awareness about issues that affect us in our daily lives. Such is the case with the Art League of Long Island’s latest exhibit, Time’s Running Out: An iPhonography and 3D(isaster) Sculpture Exhibition, which presents a body of digital photographic artwork and trash sculpture highlighting the contrast between nature’s beauty and the environmental pollution and decay found throughout the country, including on Long Island’s roadways, parks, and beaches. 

‘Not A Jellyfish’ by Scott Schneider

Created by Scott Schneider of Toxic/Nature Studios®, the eye-opening show will be on view in the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery from Oct. 1 to 28. 

“Toxic/Nature Studios® features environmental photography that celebrates the majesty of nature and laments its demise, in small moments. Using close-up macro techniques, the photographs express my appreciation for and concern about the environment,” said Schneider. “As we become increasingly distracted by our devices, we tend to overlook small disasters beneath our feet. Likewise, we can fail to notice the beautiful moments present in nature. Beauty can also be found in the rust, decay, and textures of everyday objects.”

Schneider chose to take all photos by  iPhone, “thereby leveraging the power of technology to observe rather than to distract,” he said. The artist then created archival, digital pigment prints using environmentally friendly inks on bamboo paper, which is highly sustainable.

In addition to photographs, the exhibit will also feature a series of sculptural pieces Schneider calls 3D(isasters). “This thought-provoking artwork is designed to challenge the viewer to make sense of the quantity of litter displayed in a #finditfillit container,” he explained.

‘Dead See’ by Scott Schneider

Schneider hopes the exhibit will inspire others to notice the world around them and to take action to preserve its natural beauty. “We can’t do this while plugged in and tuned out,” he said. 

“That’s why I ask viewers to unplug, look around, and get the small picture. By turning off our blinders of technology, and noticing the small detail of a piece of litter, a fallen petal, or an interesting bit of rust, we can then look up and notice the big picture, which is that the world needs our help.”

The community is invited to an opening reception on Oct. 1  from 1 to 3 p.m. Viewing hours through Oct. 28 are Tuesdays and  Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The Art League is located at 107 East Deer Park Road in Dix Hills. For more information call 631-462-5400 or visit www.artleagueli.org.

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Renee Fondacaro

The Reboli Center’s October Artisan of the Month is Renee Fondacaro: candlemaker and founder of Old Field Apothecary. Fondacaro founded the company in 2020, with the goal of creating beautiful, clean, naturally scented candles and home accessories.

Old Field Apothecary candle

An artisan and registered nurse with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from SUNY Oneonta and a Nursing degree from Syracuse University, Fondacaro creates natural, handmade products with ingredients sourced sustainably. As a two-time cancer survivor, this aspect of her business is very important to her.

“Our mission at Old Field Apothecary is to create hand poured, small batch candles, wax melts and home accessories with captivating scents, beautiful minimalist designs, and the best ingredients.  All products are made from a luxurious vegan wax blend made of natural coconut and apricot. Coconut and apricot waxes are gluten free, toxin free, paraben free, phthalate free, and come from renewable sources. The entire blend utilizes only FDA approved waxes,” said Fondacaro.  In addition, all candles have a crackling wooden wick and each candle is wicked, poured and labeled by hand.

Lois Reboli, a founder of the Reboli Center, said, “Renee has had a pop-up store at the Center in the past and it is wonderful that she is the Artisan for October. With the holidays just around the corner, this is an excellent opportunity for residents to shop for their homes, as well as for gifts for family and friends.”

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

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Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

“We can safely assume that one of the greatest threats to existence on the planet is distancing from the natural world.”

Karen Lloyd’s collection Abundance: Nature in Recovery (Bloomsbury Publishing) asks us to “bend closer” in viewing the planet. She wants the reader to see “the holes humans have created” during this current geological age (the Anthropocene). She uses her observations to “work out what [she’s] not been looking at but should have seen.” The book balances a healthy wonder with the perception of the losses incurred during the modern era and the destruction caused by human beings’ willful intent or, at the very least, ignorance.

In fourteen intriguing essays, she addresses a host of issues. She concedes that often problems are “hyperobjects”— concepts, ideas, and things that are so vast as to evade intellectual and emotional grasp. These include the biosphere, climate breakdown, evolution, capitalism, and politics. What makes her writing exceptional is that while she acknowledges this limitation, it has not stopped her from exploring them with insight and depth, offering both simple and breathtaking awareness.

The book is unique in its point of view. It is not a traditional dissection of environmental issues. Instead, it is a mosaic of thoughts and experiences. Lloyd focuses on the ecological but draws on art, photography, poetry, history, and personal anecdotes to build her case. Hers is an unusual, affecting, and effective approach. Her language is vivid and rich, even dealing with the depletion of the landscape and the entanglement resulting from modern encroachment. But, always, her anthem is that the natural world should be the center of our existence.

Her consideration of wildlife drives much of Abundance. She regards animals both as they are and in an anthropomorphized stage. When describing eight American brown pelicans rescued from an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, she sees, “the disposition of the pelicans is that of a Pieta, although without the central protagonist.” For Lloyd, the “act to save birds and other species from ruination caused by humans is not only a profound sense of engagement with our imagination but illustrates that human agency is also the dynamic of repair.”

She cites a range of examples of organizations repairing the damage, like the Wolves in the Netherlands Project, which is about coexistence. Here, Lloyd brings up the issue of doing as opposed to “we can talk about anything as long as we don’t have to live with it.” She details her scrutiny of birds and beavers and the many impacts of the “man-made mess.” Each account, whether pastoral or harrowing, is a visceral reminder to witness: “At what point did it begin to form, this void inside us that caused us to forget how to see?”

Engagement is the cornerstone and foundation, urging people to let their children experience the natural world and not through a screen. She recounts her adventures with a contrast of hard facts and beautiful metaphors, frank observations, and lyrical expression. As indicated, Lloyd highlights the human need for comparison. “To make allegiances between images and ideas. To render the metaphysical, the supra-human in form and word.” Thus, vultures look like Lawrence Olivier got up as Richard the third. Lapwings sport Robin Hood caps. A black-winged stilt summons the image of Audrey Hepburn. A pair of hoopoes flare like Incan gods. Her frustration with misinformation reveals a wit that tips towards gallows humor as in the discussion of Mr. Beaver in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, followed by hilarious but pointed imaginary discussion between beavers fleeing their home.

Enjoying a plate of olives on a beautiful Friday night, she wants to forget the danger new olive plantations represent to the bird population because of the drying of the land. She learns that wind turbines designed to fight climate change pose are a threat to the avian population. “… Electricity is progress, and green energy is more progress still. Even though there will always be a cost, I’ve chosen to be more upfront with myself about this. I still want electricity. I still want to eat olives.”

She is unusual and unusually brave in her honesty and continues to unpack the big questions. Whether meditating on the extinction of a species in our time, analyzing agribusiness, or pondering predator control, she never loses sight of the contradictions and complexities. There is raw bravery in both her awe and exasperation.

Ultimately, it comes down to this: “Consider the situation from all sides. Keep hold of the bigger picture. Tune out the interference and the white noise. Tune in to the ways and means in which the landscape communicates. Pay attention to what it needs to perform its work efficiently.” Lloyd’s thoughts, hopes, and perspectives are complicated. But they are a valuable reminder to open our eyes and minds to the world we have … while we still have it.

Pick up a copy online at www.Amazon.com or www.BarnesandNoble.comm.

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Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook welcomes the Peking Acrobats featuring The Shanghai Circus on the Main Stage on Friday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. Combining time-honored Chinese music and groundbreaking special effects to create an environment that mirrors the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival, The Peking Acrobats are set to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime evening of exuberant entertainment. Fun for the whole family! Tickets range from $39 to $68. To order, call 632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.

REVIEWS

“If daring and dexterity turn you on, this is a show that will probably twist you around in your seat. It’s amazing and exciting!”

~ New York Post
“All 26 members of this troupe are amazing athletes with grace and charisma in addition to their razor-sharp precision-everything entertainment should be!”

~ Dance Insider
“Amazing! Zounds! The vocabulary of exclamation seeks expression as the medium of awed and surprised reaction to the wondrous feats of THE PEKING ACROBATS! In their graceful efforts, these brightly costumed tumblers, acrobats, cyclists, jugglers, and clever clowns provide 90 minutes of family fun that infuses springtime in New York with an extra measure of joy.”

~ New York Times
“Tumblers, contortionists, jugglers…OH MY! The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra wrapped up its Pops series with a show of dazzling athleticism and jaw-dropping beauty Friday night, courtesy of world-renowned PEKING ACROBATS! ”

~ Winnipeg Free Press, Canada
“…At no time have we seen anything like the Peking Acrobats. Feats of clowning, dexterity, grace, strength and coordination rippled from the stage in a series of pleasurable waves. One was left waterlogged in wonder.”

~ Chicago Tribune
“…’A’ is for acrobats and astounding, amusing, audacious and accomplished, accurate and attractive and admirable, all of which describe, though not completely, The Peking Acrobats.”

~ Variety
“…Nearly everything The Peking Acrobats did last night was amazing – and stunning and breathtaking and WOW!”

~ Seattle Times
“…The Peking Acrobats regularly passed from the seemingly impossible to the virtually unbelievable.”

~ Los Angeles Times
 

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