HAMMING IT UP
Wendy Mercier of Rocky Point recently captured this image of a blue jay in her backyard using her Canon Powershot. A frequent visitor to the bird feeder, the songbird seems to enjoy having his picture taken. ‘This guy loves the camera,’ said Mercier.
Send your Photo of the Week to [email protected].
By Michael Ardolino
The concept of pent-up demand is not restricted to buyers. Many local homeowners are ready to move up to a more desirable home or neighborhood, but when they crunch the numbers, they come up short. Often, this is because they are overlooking hidden wealth, and buying power, in the form of home equity. There is more to a home purchase than the traditional nest egg.
The basics: Let’s say a couple purchased a home with a 20 percent down payment, meaning they have a 20 percent equity stake. As they make mortgage payments, their principal decreases, and their equity — the portion of the home that they own — increases. With home price appreciation added, equity can add up much more quickly than expected.
Home price appreciation: Home prices locally have been steadily increasing at a modest rate for about five years, and the cumulative effect is now showing up in the form of increased home equity. For owners who have been in their homes for 15 to 20 years, the numbers can be surprising. According to Frank Nothaft, chief economist at Core Logic, “Homeowner equity increased by almost $871 billion over the last 12 months, the largest increase in more than three years. This increase is primarily a reflection of rising home prices, which drives up home values, leading to an increase in home equity positions and supporting consumer spending.”
The law of supply and demand: With low supply and high demand, prices will generally increase. For several years, both nationwide and locally, home inventory has been exceedingly low, while pent-up buyer demand has been very high. The resulting higher prices are boosting home equity.
Currently, our market is in effect being held hostage by low inventory. Multiple listing service stats show that in December 2017, inventory on Long Island was down by 7.1 percent over December 2016. Home equity is a solution. As more and more owners tap their equity and put their homes on the market, the constraints being placed on the market by low inventory will be lessened. As more homes are freed up for sale, more first-time buyers will enter the market, more existing owners will move up, more people will buy vacation homes and a healthy market cycle will be nourished.
Mortgage lending standards: According to research by Fannie Mae, “… if homeowners believe that large down payments are now required to purchase a home, then widespread, large underestimates of their home equity could be deterring them from applying for mortgages, selling their homes and buying different homes.”
The stringent lending standards of six to eight years ago have become much more consumer friendly. Loans with lower down payments are readily available to qualified buyers, and requirements regarding income, assets and employment are being relaxed.
If you are a potential seller who is sitting on significant home equity, it may be time to put it to work. If you are unsure as to the size of your equity position, consult a qualified real estate professional. Your equity is a valuable asset that can help you take advantage of our seller’s market while enjoying upward mobility.
Michael Ardolino is a founder and broker-owner of Realty Connect USA in Setauket.
By Heidi Sutton
Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” morning show co-host and author Brian Kilmeade stopped by the Setauket Neighborhood House on Monday night to take part in the Three Village Historical Society’s monthly lecture series. Kilmeade was there to promote his latest book, “Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America’s Destiny,” and touched on how committed our young country was during the War of 1812.
Reached the following day, Steve Healy, TVHS president, said the sold-out event “was a great success. We were fortunate to get a three-time history writer who’s been on the [New York Times] Best Seller list.” Kilmeade also spoke about his first history-focused book, “George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution.” That book “hits home with us, living in the Three Village area,” said the TVHS president.
A lengthy Q&A and book signing followed. Kilmeade also graciously posed for photos. “History is always a subject we love to discuss and talk about at the Three Village Historical Society,” stated Healy.
“Without history, we don’t understand what makes us special and why so many from around the world risk it all to live and work here,” noted Kilmeade.
Photos by Heidi Sutton
By Barbara Beltrami
For those of you who managed to get away for a midwinter vacation, chances are that if it was some place warm, the avocado figured into your diet. For those of you who remained home, chances are that right about now you’re fantasizing and dreaming about that season when you are in a warm climate and the avocado and other summery staples will figure into your daily fare.
I was recently in Los Angeles where movie stars are celestial, traffic is hellish and avocados seem to take top billing on every restaurant menu. Not just guacamole, but avocado salads and smoothies, tortillas, tacos and toasts, pestos, panini and pies, melts and mousses. It’s no wonder that the avocado — with 240 calories, no cholesterol, lots of fiber and vitamins and a rich creamy texture — is so popular with those health-conscious Californians.
Here are my versions of some avocado dishes I enjoyed.
Creamy Avocado Sauce
YIELD: Makes 2 to 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
½ avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ small chipotle pepper, chopped
Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
In bowl of electric food processor, puree all ingredients together until silky smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with fish, poultry, burritos, tacos, burgers or chips.
Avocado, Cheddar and Chicken Melt
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 grilled or sauteed half-pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 ripe avocados
4 whole wheat or multigrain English muffins, halved and lightly toasted
8 slices heirloom tomato
8 large thin slices cheddar cheese, about ¼-inch thick
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, scallions, parsley and cilantro. Cut the chicken breast into four even pieces, then horizontally into 8 thin slices. Peel the avocados, remove the pits and slice each one into quarters. Preheat broiler. Meanwhile, spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly onto each toasted muffin half; top with a slice of chicken, then the avocado, tomato slices and finally the cheese. Place in broiling pan and broil three inches from heat until cheese melts, about one and a half minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with Caesar salad and chips or fries.
Seafood and Avocado Salad
YIELD: Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
8 large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
1 pound cooked lobster meat, coarsely chopped
½ pound sea scallops, cooked and sliced
½ pound calamari, cooked and sliced
One celery rib, thinly sliced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
4 ripe avocados, peeled and pit removed
One head butter or Bibb lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
2 cups baby arugula
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl combine the shrimp, lobster meat, scallops, calamari, celery, olive oil, half the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slice avocados, spread out on a plate and sprinkle lightly with remaining lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Discard any extra lemon juice that collects in bottom of plate or save for another use. Line a serving plate with lettuce and arugula; place avocado slices around edges, then turn seafood mixture onto center of plate. Serve immediately with a dry white wine and a good crunchy baguette.
‘I draw inspiration from the familiar in nature. My etchings are a close inspection that reveal a whimsical character, and my landscapes portray scenes for which I feel a deep nostalgia.’
— Karen Kemp
By Irene Ruddock
A native of Long Island, artist Karen Kemp recently moved back from Boston, where she maintained a studio for 10 years. She studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and at the University of New Hampshire where she earned a degree in art history and has received numerous awards for her work in painting and etching. Her artwork is collected worldwide in private and corporate art collections. I recently had the opportunity to interview Kemp and welcome her back to the Island.
Why did you decide to move back to Long Island from city life in Boston?
There are many reasons for moving back, but one huge reason is that I wanted a home where I could have a larger studio space and a yard for gardening. And being closer to my parents was a big factor too!
What did you miss most about Long Island in the years that you were away?
I missed the open farmlands of the North Fork, the proximity of the shoreline and the marshy inlets of the Long Island. They inspire me to do more plein air painting.
I see that you were trained in Italy. What was that experience like?
It was a living fantasy! Shortly after graduating from college, I saved up enough money to live and study in Italy at a school for fresco painting, a process of painting on a freshly applied, damp surface with water-based pigments. I do few frescoes these days, but the process of layering and building up color all continue to inform my work today.
Did you study art conservation?
Yes, in Italy and also in New York City where I spent time apprenticing at a painting conservation studio from which I developed an appreciation for using archival materials.
Some have said that your landscapes in oil have a peaceful feeling to them. How would you describe them, and how are they different from other oil painters?
I try not to make an exact replication. I say that my paintings are representational, but not realistic. I attempt to evoke a calm mood, a setting or a sort of dreamscape. I am very sentimental about Long Island, and perhaps that comes out in the painting. My oil paintings are different from many painters because I paint on gessoed watercolor paper or matt board, which is easy to prepare and transport.
You also are known for your etchings, which have been described as having a whimsical charm to them. Would you explain what etching is to people who may not be familiar with that art form?
Etching is one of the oldest methods of printmaking dating back to the 15th century. It is a technique involving a metal surface such as zinc or copper, and an acid-biting material that “eats” or “etches” into the surface creating a design or image. To print, ink is rubbed into the etched lines, and, with paper, it is run through a press. The image is then transferred to the paper, but in the reverse form. It is much more involved, but this is a simple version.
The background of your etchings often have what is called Chine-collé? Can you tell us about that technique?
Traditionally Chine-collé was used to create a tonal background for an etching using thin tissue or rice paper. The paper and the printing of the etching are run through the press together to create the finished image. Through experimenting, I have updated the technique using origami and patterned papers to achieve a colorful background for my subjects.
Your mother is the much-admired artist Flo Kemp. How has she influenced you growing up?
My mom, master etcher that she is, taught me quite a bit about etching, and we still spend time in the studio together. I lived and breathed her work for so long, it naturally manifests itself in my work too. Mom has always encouraged and supported me along the way, providing me with etching advice and giving me business advice too.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to develop my paintings and etchings even further. In responding to your questions, I’ve learned a few things about myself that I hadn’t stepped back to consider. I realize how much I enjoy processes and techniques, and how much they inform the style of my work. These will continue to influence the evolution and progression of my art.
What galleries represent your work?
Danette Koke Fine Art in NYC, who has carried my work for almost 20 years, Radius Gallery in Montana and Ogunquit Museum in Maine. I also show yearly at the Gallery North Outdoor Show and with the Setauket Artists. You may view my work and order etchings or landscapes at www.karenkemp.com.
By Heidi Sutton
Theatre Three continues its 48th season with the heavenly musical comedy “Nunsense.” The show, which opened on the Mainstage last Saturday evening, catered to a packed house ready to sit back, relax and have some fun. And judging by the rip-roaring laughter all night, it did not disappoint.
With book, music and lyrics by Dan Goggin, the original Off-Broadway production opened in 1985 and ran for 3,672 performances, becoming the second-longest-running Off-Broadway show in history. By the time it closed 10 years later, “Nunsense” had become an international phenomenon, having been translated into over 20 languages with more than 8,000 productions worldwide.
Now the congregation has taken up residence at Theatre Three and although Catholics will most identify with this hilarious show, audiences of all faiths are sure to have their spirits lifted as well.
The Little Sisters of Hoboken are in a bit of a pickle. While 19 of the nuns are off playing Bingo, the convent’s cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, accidently poisons the remaining 52 nuns by serving them a batch of botulism-laced vichyssoise. As one nun quips, “For 52, bon appetite was also bon voyage.”
After a successful greeting-card fundraiser, 48 of the sisters are laid to rest. Thinking there is plenty of money left over, Mother Superior spends the rest of the money on a plasma TV, leaving no money to pay for the last four burials. While the remaining deceased are temporarily stored in cold storage, five of the nuns decide to stage a variety show in the Mt. Saint Helen’s School auditorium to raise the rest of the money. “We’ve just got to get those girls out of the freezer,” they lament.
Under the skillful direction of Jeffrey Sanzel, the show’s über-talented cast is given the freedom to bring out the strong personalities of their characters and have a blast doing it. At the beginning of the production, the group sings, “Though we’re on our way to heaven, we’re here to raise some hell.” Blessed with wonderful harmonic voices, great comedic timing and a seemingly inexhaustable amount of energy, they put on quite a show.
The incomparable Phyllis March plays uptight Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina who loosens up quite a bit at the end of the first act in one of the funniest scenes in the play, and Linda May is wonderful as the second-in-command Sister Mary Hubert who has higher aspirations.
TracyLynn Conner is hilarious as the wide-eyed Sister Mary Amnesia who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head. “She just a big mess,” mutters Mother Superior under her breath. Conner steals the show with her duet with a puppet in “So You Want to Be a Nun.”
Sari Feldman is Sister Robert Anne, the streetwise understudy from Brooklyn who “Just wants to be a star” and finally gets the chance to shine brightly in Act Two. Jessica Contino rounds out the cast as the sweet Sister Mary Leo who dreams of being the first nun ballerina.
The brilliant script is full of hilarious puns — “How do you make holy water?” “I don’t know, how DO you make holy water?” “You boil the hell out of it!” — along with double entendres and every nun joke out there. The wonderful songs, 20 in all, are accompanied by the terrific Mt. Saint Helen’s School Band under the direction of Steve McCoy.
A nice touch is the constant audience participation, which is strictly voluntary. Before the show and intermission the nuns greet the patrons and pose for photos, and during the show the audience takes part in a quiz with a chance to win prizes. A short film by Ray Mason and Sanzel starring the five sisters of Hoboken in the second act is just the icing on the cake. From the initial Mt. Saint Helen’s cheer to the final amen, “Nunsense” is simply divine and should not be missed.
Enjoy a drink at Griswold’s Café on the lower level of the theater and take a chance at 50/50 during intermission. The theater, more specifically, the nuns will be collecting donations for Hurricane Maria on behalf of Direct Relief at the end of the night.
Sponsored by Bridgehampton National Bank, the production is dedicated to the memory of Carolyn Droscoski who passed away suddenly on Feb. 5 at the age of 61. “Our hearts and our stage will be a little emptier.” Droscoski was a constant presence at Theatre Three, appearing on the Mainstage, cabaret and children’s theater for over 40 years. According to the theater’s website, the actress appeared Off-Broadway and traveled the country in the various incarnations of “Nunsense” and is one of the few actresses to have played all five roles.
Theatre Three, located at 412 Main St. in Port Jefferson, will present “Nunsense” through March 24. The season will continue with “12 Angry Men” from April 7 to May 5 and the musical comedy “Curtains” from May 19 to June 23. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
All photos by Brian Hoerger, Theatre Three Productions Inc.
By David Dunaief, M.D.
When we refer to adverse events with medications, we usually focus on systemic consequences. However, we rarely address the fact that eyes can be adversely affected by medications. There have been several studies that illustrate this very important point.
It is vital that we recognize the symptoms of eye distress. Some of these may indicate ophthalmic emergencies. The medications studied include common therapeutics, such as bisphosphonates, aspirin, a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones and a migraine therapy. I will explain the symptoms to be cognizant of with each.
The impact of bisphosphonates
The class of drugs known as bisphosphonates is a mainstay for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Adverse news about bisphosphonates typically focuses on atypical femur fractures and osteonecrosis (death of part of the jawbone), not on an ocular effect. However, in a large retrospective study (looking at past data), oral bisphosphonates were shown to increase the risk of uveitis and scleritis, both inflammatory eye diseases, by 45 and 51 percent, respectively (1). One out of every 1,100 patients treated with the drugs suffered from uveitis, and one out of every 370 patients treated suffered from scleritis.
Why is this important? The consequences of not treating uveitis can lead to complications, such as glaucoma and cataracts. The symptoms of uveitis typically include eye redness, pain, light sensitivity, decreased vision and floaters (2).
For scleritis, the symptoms are severe pain that radiates to the face and around the orbit, with worsening in the evening and morning and with eye movements (3). Uveitis affects the iris and ciliary body (fluid inside the eye and muscles that help the eye focus), while scleritis affects the sclera, or white part of the eye.
These adverse eye events occurred only in first-time users. The authors believe the mechanism of action may involve the release of inflammatory factors by the bisphosphonates.
Aspirin yet again, maybe not?
It seems aspirin can never get a break. It has been implicated in gastrointestinal bleeds and hemorrhagic (bleeding) strokes. The European Eye Study also suggests that aspirin increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration (4). The primary effect is seen, unfortunately, with wet AMD, which is the form that leads to central vision loss. The risk of wet AMD is directly related to the frequency of aspirin use. When aspirin is used at least once a week, but not daily, the risk is increased by 30 percent.
But, this is not the complete story. The researchers found that there was no increase in wet AMD in patients over 85 years old. They also found that the potential for angina (chest pain) and cardiovascular deaths was not eliminated.
This study was large and retrospective in design, and it included fundoscopic (retinal) pictures, making the results more reliable. The authors recommend that AMD patients not use aspirin for primary prevention, meaning without current cardiovascular disease. However, aspirin use for secondary prevention — for those with heart disease or a previous stroke — the benefits of the medication outweigh the risks.
In fact, the Physician Health Study, a randomized controlled study published in 2001, found that aspirin may even reduce the risk of AMD (5). In yet another study, the Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), aspirin seemed to have a protective effect when it came to AMD (6). Therefore, please do not stop taking aspirin if you have cardiovascular disease since the results, at best, are mixed when it comes to AMD.
However, what is more relevant is that aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of vascular mortality by 15 percent, stroke by 25 percent and overall mortality by 10 percent (7). While the jury is still out on the effect of aspirin on AMD, there is the ASPREE-AMD study that was started in 2017 to help answer the question of low-dose aspirin’s, 100 mg daily, impact on AMD risk.
The role of antibiotics: fluoroquinolones in retinal detachment
Fluoroquinolones may have toxic effects on the synthesis of collagen and on connective tissue, potentially resulting in retinal detachments and Achilles tendon rupture. This is a common class of antibiotics used to treat acute diseases, such as urinary tract infections and upper respiratory infections.
In an epidemiologic study, these drugs were shown to increase the risk of retinal detachment by 4.5 times (8). Common fluoroquinolones include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin) and gatifloxacin (Tequin). Although it sounds like an impressive number, it’s not a common occurrence. It takes the treatment of 2,500 patients before one patient is harmed. Also, this was only noticed in current users, not in recent or past users. However, it is a serious condition.
Retinal detachment is an ophthalmic emergency, and patients need to be evaluated by an ophthalmologist urgently to avoid irreparable damage and vision loss. Retinal detachments are treatable with surgery. Best results are seen within 24 hours of symptoms, which include many floaters, bright flashes of light in the periphery and a curtain over the visual field (9). Fortunately, retinal detachments usually only affect one eye.
Migraine medication
Topiramate (Topomax) is a drug used to treat and prevent migraines. In a case-control (with disease vs. without disease) study, topiramate increased the risk of glaucoma in current users by 23 percent. The risk more than doubled to 54 percent in first-time users (10). The mechanism of action may be related to the fact that topiramate increases the risk of intraocular pressure.
It is important to be aware that medications not only have systemic side effects, but ocular ones as well. Many of these medications cause adverse effects that require consultation with an ophthalmologist, especially with aspirin, since the cardiovascular benefits seem to outweigh any negative impacts on AMD with people who have cardiovascular disease. If you have ocular symptoms related to medications, contact your physician immediately.
References:
(1) CMAJ. 2012 May 15;184(8):E431-434. (2) www.mayoclinic.org. (3) www.uptodate.com. (4) Ophthalmology. 2012;119:112-118. (5) Arch Ophthalmol. 2001;119:143-149. (6) Medscape.com. (7) Lancet. 2009;373:1849-1860. (8) JAMA. 2012;307:1414-1419. (9) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. (10) Am J Ophthalmol. 2012 May;153(5):827-830.
Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.
By Bob Lipinski
There has been much praise directed at the 2016 vintage in Burgundy, France, from many well-known and respected writers and critics. The vintage was definitely quality over quantity due to lower yields in the vineyards because of frost.
One thing that stood out was the abundance of spicy berries and fruit in both the whites and especially the reds. The wines are fresh, fruity and well balanced with good (not high) levels of acidity and less oak aging. The red wines have abundant flavors of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, spices, citrus and stone fruits. White wines are aromatic, clean, crisp and loaded with peach, pears, hints of oak, butter and citrus.
Although both the reds and whites can be cellared for several years, they are delicious right now. Of the many wines I sampled there were quite a few that really stood out and are worth finding. There were too many fine wines to comment on each.
Whites
•J.J. Vincent NV Crémant de Bourgogne (100 percent chardonnay)
•J.J. Vincent Bourgogne Blanc
•J.J. Vincent Pouilly-Fuissé Marie-Antoinette
•Jacques Prieur Meursault Clos de Mazeray
Reds
•Domaine Dominique Gallois Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, Petits Cazetiers
•Domaine Dominique Gallois Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, La Combe aux Moines
•Domaine Dominique Gallois Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
•Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, Clos de la Maréchale
•Domaine Lignier-Michelot Bourgogne Red (pinot noir)
•Domaine Lignier-Michelot Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes
•Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey-Saint-Denis en la Rue de Vergy
•Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Faconnières
•Domaine Lignier-Michelot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
•Jean-Luc & Eric Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Symphonie
•Jean-Luc & Eric Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes
•Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey
•Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Murgers
•Jacques Prieur Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru
•Jacques Prieur Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
•Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Château
•Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St-Jacques
•Armand Rousseau Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes Grand Cru
•Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
•Domaine Parent Corton Les Renardes Grand Cru
Cheese accompaniment
Although many people love eating cheese while drinking wine, it’s a rarity to find any cheese at serious wine tastings or judgings. The alkalinity of the cheese neutralizes the acidity of the wine, obscuring its sensory characteristics. Several of my favorite French cheeses from Burgundy may be a little difficult to find, but the search is worth it.
Charolais: A soft texture, cylindrical or flat drum-shaped (with concave sides) goat’s (or goat and cow’s) milk cheese made in Charolles, Burgundy. It is generally eaten fresh; however, it does age well.
Lormes: A semisoft cheese with a bluish-gray exterior and a delicate and pleasant taste, which is made in Burgundy. It is made into truncated cones when made from goat’s milk and flat disks when made from cow’s milk.
Soumaintrain: A semisoft, wheel-shaped, cow’s milk cheese made in Burgundy. Soumaintrain has a shiny-orange exterior, a yellow interior and is quite pungent smelling with a creamy taste.
Bob Lipinski, a local author, has written 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need to Know About Gin, Vodka, Rum & Tequila” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He conducts training seminars on wine, spirits and food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].
‘My great and absorbing passion is the love of beauty. Beautiful things give me pleasure. As fine art is the application of the principle of aesthetics or beauty, painting has especially appealed to me as an outlet.’
— Jane Peterson interview with The Garden Magazine, 1922
By Heidi Sutton
After a brief hiatus in January, the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook opens its 2018 season with a new traveling exhibition featuring the works of artist Jane Peterson. Titled Jane Peterson: At Home and Abroad, it was organized by the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Conneticut, and was initially on view there from November 2107 to January of this year. The show, which opened last weekend in the Art Museum on the hill, will run through April 22 and will be accompanied by a number of gallery tours, workshops and other public programs.
Jane Peterson was a modernist painter whose artistic journey provided a vital link between the impressionist and expressionist art movements in the United States. Born in Elgin, Illinois, in 1876, her love of art led her to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and after graduation she studied oil and watercolor painting at the Art Students League in New York City. Peterson went on to have a formidable and successful career as an award-winning artist and was featured in more than 80 solo exhibitions until her death in 1965 at the age of 88. Today her artwork can be found all over the country in various museums, galleries, institutions and in the hands of private collectors.
For those of you who have never heard of Jane Peterson you are not alone. But her artwork is so extraordinary that the public deserves to be enlightened and that is precisely why this show was created, according to its curator, Cynthia Roznoy of the Mattatuck Museum.
“From the time of her one-person show in Boston in 1909 Peterson exhibited frequently right through the 1950s when she is already in her 70s,” said Roznoy during a recent phone interview. “During the high point of her career from the teens through the 30s she had multiple exhibitions a year. By the 1950s she had one exhibition per year, but that was still a great accomplishment for a woman painter at the turn of the century.”
According to Roznoy, the idea to create a solo exhibit on Jane Peterson occurred rather serendipitously. While visiting the Liros Gallery in Blue Hill, Maine, in 2013, the director of the Mattatuck Museum, Robert Burns, was immediately drawn to two paintings by Peterson. Intrigued, he purchased one of the works, “Tiger Lilies,” and upon returning to the museum asked Roznoy if she had ever heard of this artist. She had not and after some quick research “we decided it was time to do a show and bring her back to public recognition,” said the curator.
Jane Peterson: At Home and Abroad brings 85 of Peterson’s incredible paintings together for the first time in over 45 years along with photographs and archives that provide a glimpse into her personal life. An enormous undertaking, the process took two years to complete and included the collaboration of over 30 museums including Hofstra University Museum in Hempstead, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Brooklyn Museum as well as many galleries and private collectors nationwide.
While researching Peterson, Roznoy was most impressed by how evolutionary and versatile she was as an artist. “What I learned about her is her scope of technique,” she said. “I always admire an artist who evolves — who doesn’t do the same sort of paintings all the time … [Peterson] never stopped learning and she loved to study and to learn from other artists and also she always enjoyed expanding her repertoire … her style, her subject matter, her interests all changed as she developed, professionally and personally.”
The decision to turn the show into a traveling exhibit was an easy one for the curator. “There were a couple of reasons. The first one was our perceived notion that she was an artist who deserved to be better known and one way to do that was to travel it. Another one was after 45 years this is the first retrospective exhibition and it is the first museum exhibition and we felt other museums would be interested in doing so. Once we started talking to other institutions, everyone said ‘Great idea! Why didn’t we think of this before?’ So it was like tapping into that zeitgeist where everyone says yes, time to do it, and we were the ones to get it started,” said Roznoy.
Entering the art museum at the LIM, a lovely portrait of Peterson by Elsie Southwick Clark beckons you to explore the life and art of this American master. Divided into several sections, the exhibit explores Peterson’s early years; her travels to Europe as well as Egypt and Turkey; her home cities of New York, Palm Beach and Glouchester, Massachusetts; portraits of women; her floral still lifes; and the grand gardens of Laurelton Hall, Louis C. Tiffany’s Oyster Bay estate. The Long Island Museum contributed Peterson’s “Tiffany’s Garden” to the show. Preferring to work in oil, watercolor, gouache and charcoal, the artist often combined a few of the mediums together to create colorful, vibrant scenes.
As a whole, Roznoy is personally most impressed with Peterson’s Glouchester street scenes. “I think they are the most enchanting works in the exhibition. They’re just beautifully painted, with very intricate composition.” She also enjoyed investigating the Tiffany garden paintings. “The link was very interesting to me because of Tiffany [and] the fact that he would invite artists to Laurelton Hall and Peterson was one of the artists who painted the gardens.”
“It’s just a great exhibit. We are very thrilled to have it,” said Joshua Ruff, curator at the Long Island Museum during a recent tour. “She’s not a name but boy she was good,” he gushed. “It’s always exciting to do a [solo] exhibition about an artist [that people are not familiar with].” Roznoy agreed, saying “It is every curator’s wish to find an underknown artist and to bring them to public attention and there is that whole scholarly pursuit that is so satisfying.”
An accompanying catalog, written by Roznoy and Arlene Katz Nichols with an introduction by J. Jonathan Joseph and a foreword from Burns, is available for sale in the LIM gift shop or at www.mattmuseum.org. After April 22 the exhibit will travel to the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, South Carolina, from May 13 to July 22 and then head upstate to The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls from Aug. 5 to Oct. 14.
Roznoy hopes visitors to the exhibit will see Jane Peterson as a conduit to modernism in the early 20th century, gather enjoyment of her work and also experience “a sense of satisfaction in seeing a woman in the early 20th century succeed.”
The Long Island Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate, is located at 1200 Route 25A in Stony Brook. The museum is open Thursday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students, children under 6 free. For more information, call 631-751-0066 or visit www.longislandmuseum.org.
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
Gerard Romano of Port Jefferson Station took this surreal shot of Crystal Brook Hollow Road as it snakes south along Mount Sinai Harbor on Jan. 11. He writes, ‘Low lighting required a handheld exposure of only 1/30sec. Walking along the road this day proved to be too much of an adventure as you can see the normally narrow shoulder was snow covered, and the occasional car passed too close for comfort. We wisely retreated back to our car.’
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