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The Jazz Loft announces September line-up

by Press Release - August 22, 2022

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The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook has announced the following events for September 2022 :

Thurs. 9/1 The Jazz Loft Big Band at 7 p.m.

The 17 member Jazz Loft Big Band performs Big Band Swing at the 1939 World’s Fair. During the Fair famous big bands would play while dancers did the lindy hop and swing dances. Tickets: $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children, children under 5 free.

Wed. 9/7 Young at Heart : Billie Holiday Torch Songs at 1 p.m.

The Jazz Loft Trio will perform the songs made famous by Billie Holiday. Young at Heart is a monthly themed jazz concert for those that like their jazz in the afternoon. Tickets: $10

Wed. 9/7 The Jazz Loft Trio and Jam at 7 p.m. The Jazz Loft Trio performs at 7 PM followed by a jam at 8 p.m. Tickets: $10 at 7 p.m., $5 at 8 p.m.

Fri. 9/9 Aubrey Johnson Duo at 7 p.m. Aubrey Johnson is a vocalist, composer and educator who specializes in jazz, Brazilian and creative contemporary music. She is joined by pianist and composer Randy Ingram. Tickets: $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children, children 5 and under free.

Saturday 9/10 What Is JAZZ ? Living Museum Tour at 6 p.m. The Jazz Loft will help visitors understand , “What is jazz?”, through an interactive tour featuring 7 stops in the museum that tell the history of jazz. Small groupswill tour through the museum while musicians and singers will be stationed at displays in the museum that depict blues, gospel, early jazz, the big band and swing era and bebop. The tour ends in the Count Basie Garden where a Latin band will play and refreshments will be available. Tickets: $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children, children under 5 free

Wed. 9/14 The Jazz Loft Trio and Jam at 7 p.m. The Jazz Loft Trio performs at 7 p.m. followed by a jam at 8 p.m. Tickets: $10 at 7 p.m., $5 at 8 p.m.

Thurs. 9/15 Bad Little Big Band at 7 p.m. Pianist Rich Iacona leads his 15 member band in performing the music of The Great American Songbook and original music and arrangements written by band members. Tickets: $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children, children under 5 free

Wed. 9/21 to Sat. 9/24 HARBOR JAZZ FEST

Wed. 9/21 Opening Reception Jazz Loft Trio and Jam at 7 p.m. The Jazz Loft Trio performs at 7 p.m. followed by a jam at 8 p.m. Tickets: $10

Thurs. 9/22 The Interplay Jazz Orchestra at 7 p.m. The 17 member Interplay Jazz Orchestra performs original compositions and arrangements written by band members. Tickets: $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children, children under 5 free

Fri. 9/24 Harry Allen Quartet at 7 p.m. Harry Allen is a renown jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, recording artist and arranger. Tickets: $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children, children under 5 free

Sat. 9/25 Rubens De La Corte at 1 p.m. Rubens De la Corte is a Brazilian guitarist, songwriter and ethnomusicologist.

Anderson Pocket Band at 4 p.m. Trombonist Ray Anderson is known for pushing the limits of his instrument.

Nicole Zuraitis and Her All Star Band at 7 p.m. Nicole is a Grammy nominated powerhouse vocalist, winner of the 2021 American Traditions vocal competition. She is a pianist, songwriter and arranger. She is a Jazz Loft audience favorite. She will be performing on the Stony Brook Village Green as part of the Harbor Jazz Fest. This event is FREE.

Tickets: All Saturday events are free and take place on the Village Green in Stony Brook

Wed. 9/28 Jazz Loft Trio and Jam at 7 p.m. The Jazz Loft Trio performs at 7 p.m. followed by a jam at 8 p.m. Tickets: $10 at 7 p.m., $5 at 8 p.m.

Tickets are available at www.thejazzloft.org and subject to availability, on site before events. For more information, call 631-751-1895.

‘Historic Artists’s Sites of Long Island’ website launched

by Press Release - July 15, 2022

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39-Site of William Sidney Mount's The Mount House — The new website includes information about William Sidney Mount's home in Stony Brook.

The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation and grant recipient The Heckscher Museum of Art have announced the launch of the new website, Historic Artists’ Sites of Long Island (www.lihistoricartistssites.org), developed by Graphic Image Group, Inc.

From the 19th century to present times, Long Island has held a special place in the creative imagination. From native landscape and genre painters William Sidney Mount and his family to modernist transplants like Arthur Dove and Helen Torr and the abstract expressionists who clustered on the East End, artists working in various styles and media, from traditional to experimental, have found common ground here.

The new website includes information about the Dove/Torr Cottage in Centerport

“Long Island has a proud place in American art history. Offering exceptional light and air, along with inspirational vistas, artists have always flocked here to live and work. This website links the studios and homes of some of America’s greatest artists over centuries. It offers a historic view into another aspect of our region’s rich creative and cultural heritage,” said Kathryn M. Curran, Executive Director of The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation in describing the importance of these locations, “I strongly urge you to explore these places and support the stewards who are dedicated to their oversight and promote their legacy.”

The website is an online guide to discover the living and working environments of some of America’s most influential artists. Visitors to the site can explore these homes and studios, experience the surroundings that inspired the artists, and gain insights into their creative processes. Many of these locations are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Locations on the website include the Arthur Dove and Helen Torr Cottage in Centerport — The Heckscher Museum of Art; Arts Center at Duck Creek (artist John Little) in East Hampton; D’Amico Institute (The Art Barge) (artists Victor D’Amico and Mabel Birckhead D’Amico) in Amagansett; Dan Flavin Art Institute at Dia Bridgehampton; and the Elaine de Kooning House in East Hampton; and the Leiber Museum (designer Judith Leiber and artist Gerson Leiber) in East Hampton.

It also includes information about the LongHouse Reserve (artist Jack Lenor Larsen) in East Hampton; Pollock-Krasner House (Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner), East Hampton — Stony Brook University; Thomas and Mary Nimmo Moran Studio in East Hampton; Watermill Center (artist Robert Wilson) in Water Mill and the Hawkins/Mount House in Stony Brook, home of William Sidney Mount — Long Island Museum.

The Long Island Museum welcomes two new sculptures

by Heidi Sutton - July 14, 2022

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By Heidi Sutton

They say two heads are better than one. How about two really BIG heads?

Two sculptures by artist Philip Grausman were unveiled on the grounds of the Long Island Museum (LIM) in Stony Brook last week. Grausman’s “Eileen,” 1993-1996, fiberglass, 10 feet high by 7.5 feet wide by 9 feet deep; and “Victoria,” 1999-2000, fiberglass, 14 feet high by 6.5 feet wide by 7.5 feet deep, will call the LIM home for a two year loan.

“The museum is thrilled to be able to bring fresh new art to our grounds, something for our visitors to enjoy and also something new to take in by the thousands of people who drive by our campus daily on Route 25A. Philip Grausman was prioritized as a great American figurative sculptor that we have wanted to work with for years, so we are so pleased to make this dream a reality. Budco Enterprises, Inc., from Hauppauge, donated their expertise and talent and did an amazing job installing these pieces,” said Long Island Museum’s Deputy Director Joshua Ruff.

‘Eileen’ by Philip Grausman will be on view at the Long Island Museum through July 2024. Photo by Heidi Sutton

Grausman’s earliest sculptures represented germinating buds and seeds, and this eventually led him to explore the underlying structure and form of the human head. A student of José Mariano de Creeft, a renowned sculptor of female heads and figurative forms, he trained at the Art Students League of New York and received his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan.

Grausman has participated in over 80 solo and group exhibitions at prestigious venues throughout the world and his work is included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, CT.

His artist statement reads, “Since the early 1980’s, I have completed a number of monumentally scaled sculptures inspired from portrait heads originally modeled from life. These large-scaled heads are not portraits in a conventional sense. Rather, I view them as landscapes, an association expressed through a shared sense of scale. Fiberglass allows me to create and exhibit on a large scale. The whiteness of the forms appeals to me and suggests a drawing experience where the white page is transformed by line and contour. Creating each portrait sculpture is like sight-reading an unfamiliar musical score. It is the hidden geometry and interlocking volumes that inspire me.”

You can visit these impressive sculptures and others on the museum’s sprawling 9-acre campus at 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www. longislandmuseum.org.

Long Island Museum awarded grant from Alzheimer’s Foundation of America

by Press Release - July 6, 2022

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The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) has awarded the Long Island Museum a $6,000 grant to support the Museum’s “In the Moment” program, a free program designed to creatively engage those living with dementia-related illnesses and their care partners.

Created in 2011, this innovative program takes individuals living with dementia and their care partners on guided tours of the museum’s collection of art, historical objects, and seasonal exhibits. Additionally, the program offers hands-on art workshops which afford opportunities for creative expression, with all needed materials provided for free.

All programs are led by museum educators and designed to be cognitively stimulating. Programming is currently offered virtually through Zoom and as a hybrid, in-person/virtual option. Since its inception, the program served more than 3,200 individuals, according to the Museum.

“This AFA grant has allowed us to purchase a 75” Vibe Smartboard Pro to use as we return to in-person programming,” said Lisa Unander, Director of Education at the Long Island Museum. “We are building upon the lessons we learned through remote engagement and bringing the most successful aspects of these virtual programs to enhance our gallery sessions. Specifically, we have seen how powerful short video clips are as a way to engage and bring themes to life. With this grant, we won’t have to lose techniques we now heavily rely on, but instead will be able to incorporate these tools to create even more memorable multi-sensory moments together.

“Art can be a powerful tool to enhance quality of life for individuals living with a dementia-related illness and their caregivers. It stimulates the mind and creates opportunities for self-expression and socialization,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and chief executive officer. “We are proud to support the Long Island Museum in delivering this impactful program to Long Islanders affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.”

‘Making’ a comeback: Maker Faire LI returns to Port Jeff village

by Raymond Janis - June 20, 2022

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After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Maker Faire Long Island returned to Port Jefferson village on Saturday, June 11, at the Village Center.

Maker Faire LI is an annual festival held by the Long Island Explorium, a science and engineering museum based in Port Jeff. Its purpose is to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education by way of innovations and crafts of people throughout the region and country.

Angeline Judex, executive director of the Explorium, discussed the surprising success of the event after its two-year pause. “We’re really happy with this event,” she said. “It has turned out really well — much better than we actually expected.”

Proceeds from the event will support the Explorium’s various educational programs. The goal of these programs is to enliven STEM through activities that are engaging and fun. Judex said the Explorium hopes to inspire young people and nourish a lifelong pursuit of STEM.

“It’s really important for children to be inspired and excited about STEM at an early age,” Judex said, adding, “We focus on enriching and inspiring children from K-6 so that they get excited about STEM because this is the future.” She added, “We want to support the next generation of leaders and scientists who are going to be inspired to solve some of the challenges in the environments we live in.”

Hundreds of makers gathered at Harborfront Park to showcase their own unique contributions to the field. Sejal Mehra, one of the presenters at the festival, displayed what she has coined “engineering art.” Her works integrate aspects of collage, engineering and sustainability studies under a common discipline.

“I create ‘engineering art,’ which is made from recycling old computer and electronic parts or plastic that would have otherwise ended up in the trash to show the beauty of STEM,” she said. “I’m on a mission to change the face of STEM through art.”

Makers such as Mehra offer the necessary guidance for young people to pursue STEM. Through their example of creativity and ingenuity, young people are challenged to change the world themselves.

“I think it’s really important to have programs like this one to help inspire young minds into a lifelong pursuit of STEM because you never know when or how something is going to spark their love for STEM,” Mehra said. “It is also great for young minds to be inspired by young adults like myself because we were just in their shoes and can help motivate them to pursue STEM. Without programs like this, the amount of exposure to the field and its vast possibilities and intersections would not be possible.”

Mehra’s artwork is currently for sale and can be purchased through her website or by contacting her via email or Instagram.

Joining Judex was a group of public officials who offered their support for the museum in its mission to educate the next generation of scientists and engineers. New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), a geologist by profession, spoke of the importance of Maker Faire in encouraging young minds to tackle the impending challenges of environmental degradation.

“The purpose of bringing us all together is to enhance this community, to imagine possibilities for all of the people who live here and visit here, and to use our imagination just a little bit,” he said. “One of the things that’s very important is the narrative and theme that are interwoven around protecting the environment. We’re situated here in beautiful Port Jefferson on the edge of the harbor, and it is a beautiful place to remember the importance of sustainability.”

Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) was also present for the event. She thanked the Explorium for providing these services and enriching the community.

“I am pleased to be here to support Maker Faire Long Island once again, to support the Explorium, and encourage children and our residents to explore, to innovate, to use their imagination and encourage ingenuity,” she said. “Thank you for all you do to encourage that in children right here in our own backyard.”

Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) recognized Judex for the work she put into making this annual tradition successful once again and for championing STEM and motivating young people.

“I want to thank you not only for the work you did to bring this event together, but for the work you do all year long to create a fun place for kids to do science, to teach kids, to make it accessible to everybody, to bring science to places where maybe it isn’t, and to find new places to suddenly discover science,” the councilmember said.

Kathianne Snaden, Village of Port Jefferson deputy mayor, thanked the many entities that helped make this event possible once again.

“To all of the volunteers, to all of the makers, to the attendees, to our code department, our parks department and our highway department, without all of you coming together to make an event like this happen, we just couldn’t do it,” she said. “To the Explorium for providing cutting-edge technology, programming and hands-on learning for our children, it is just unmatched in this area.”

Village trustee Rebecca Kassay and her husband volunteered as traffic guards during the event. She called it “a pleasure directing parking.”

“As my husband and I stand and direct parking, we look at the children leaving this event and I asked them, ‘What have you made today?’” the trustee said. “Their faces light up and they show me something they’ve made, whether it’s a magnet, whether it’s a whirligig, whether it’s lip balm.” She continued, “It is so important to empower these young people with the gift of demystifying what is in the world around them.”

Englebright concluded the remarks with an anecdote. When the assemblyman was just 14 years old, his science teacher at the time recommended he attend a junior curator program at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. His decision to heed that advice would reshape the course of his life.

“I became a junior curator and it changed my life,” he said. “The Explorium, this children’s museum, I believe is going to change an awful lot of young people’s lives. Now here I am — with white hair — some years later, and I can tell you of the importance of your programs and the worthiness of everything that you do.”

Pal-O-Mine revives Sensory Garden at Vanderbilt Museum

by Press Release - June 16, 2022

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Vanderbilt Sensory Garden — Spring planting in the Vanderbilt Museum's Sensory Garden Photo courtesy of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian

Four years ago, Kimm Schmidt and Lauren Ferris of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian in Islandia, working with young adults with disabilities, created the Sensory Garden near the entrance to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium in Centerport. They return each spring to replant, and this year their work was made possible by a generous gift from a private donor.

On a bright, recent spring morning, Schmidt and Ferris worked to revive the garden with a half-dozen adults with special needs in their twenties and thirties.

“We plant things that awaken the senses,” Schmidt said. The garden has more than two dozen herbs, including sage, mint, rosemary, basil, anise hyssop, chamomile, yarrow, citronella, rainbow Swiss chard, chives, lemon balm, strawberries, and five-leaf akebia, a vine with chocolate-scented flowers.

In 2018, Operations Supervisor Jim Munson invited a small group of local gardeners and landscape designers to refresh various gardens around the Vanderbilt Mansion. Schmidt and Ferris responded.

J-STEP team members from Pal-O-Mine in front of the replanted sensory garden at the entrance to the Vanderbilt Planetarium.

“The idea of the Sensory Garden came to mind immediately,” Ferris said. “It is a place that not only looks beautiful, but also has benefits the public can use and learn from.” Ferris, who had recently earned a Certificate in Horticultural Therapy from the New York Botanical Garden, said she thought a sensory garden would be an excellent feature for visitors of all abilities.

“Plants that awaken the senses are a wonderful tool to use in so many ways,” Schmidt said. “They spark conversations, jog people’s memories, and can be very calming.”

“I loved the concept and wanted it to have a prime spot with lots of traffic,” Munson said. “I just knew the front of the Planetarium was the perfect location, accessible to all.”

Lisa Gatti, who founded Pal-O-Mine Equestrian in 1995 as a therapeutic horseback riding program for individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable populations, liked the idea immediately. Pal-O-Mine decided to make the design and installation of the garden part of its J-STEP (Job Security Through Equine Partnership) program. Each week, Pal-O-Mine serves 350 people, in their various programs ranging in age from 3 and up. Schmidt and Ferris are J-STEP job coaches.

“We use horticulture skills at J-STEP to teach vocational skills necessary to secure and maintain a job,” Ferris said. “Some students go on to work at nurseries, and others have jobs at local retail stores.

Caring for the garden teaches proper work habits, personal and domestic maintenance, as well as interpersonal communication and social skills.

The J-STEP Team also maintains the gardens at Pal-O-Mine’s 13 acres in Islandia, Long Island. “Each student has a personal garden and decides which vegetables they want to plant,” “They keep records and research planting times and the needs of each plant.” The students maintain other gardens on the site, including pollinator and cutting gardens, and a medieval knot garden, a formal design planted with herbs and aromatic plants. J-STEP offers other programs including photography, cooking, and crafting.

J-STEP students who installed this year’s Vanderbilt plantings talked about the experience.

Meredith said, “Being part of the of the planning and planting for the garden calms me down. I see with my hands, and it feels bumpy and smells good.” Rebecca said, “It feels great to plant the Sensory Garden for people to enjoy.” Tim added, “I love working in the garden and I love the view.”

The group will return throughout the growing season to prune and clean the garden and do a clean-up in the fall.

For Schmidt, who recently joined the Vanderbilt as a museum educator, the attraction of designing and maintaining gardens is captured in a favorite quote from naturalist John Muir: “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium is located at 180 Little Neck Road in Centerport. Visit vanderbiltmuseum.org for more information.

TVHS joins Blue Star Museums initiative this summer

by Press Release - May 27, 2022

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The Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket has announced it will join museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to currently-serving U.S. military personnel and their families this summer. The program will run now through Labor Day, Sept. 5.

Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and museums across America.

“Museums educate and inspire, cause us to wonder and imagine, dream and remember,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “By participating in the Blue Star Museums program, the Three Village Historical Society is offering military personnel and their families an opportunity to feel connected to the Three Village community and to explore the world through the power of arts, culture and design, contributing to each person being able to live an artful life.”

For more information, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.

Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor awarded $5,000 from NYSCA and MANY partnership grants

by Press Release - May 26, 2022

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245131131_250471847091120_5757289005271544154_n — Photo from Facebook

The Whaling Museum and Education Center is awarded $5,000 from The Museum Association of New York (MANY) in partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

The Museum Association of New York (MANY) in partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) awarded a total of $500,981 to 102 grantees to assist New York museums with capacity building.

“We thank NYSCA for this partnership and this opportunity to rapidly distribute much-needed funding to New York’s museums,” said Erika Sanger, Executive Director, MANY.

“The wonder of our whaling past continues to capture the public’s imagination. At the same time, many people are unaware of how our country’s maritime industries provided the greatest source of employment to African Americans in the 19th century. There are estimates that between one-quarter and one-third of all American whaling crews were people of color. To illuminate our region’s cultural heritage, we will apply our Partnership Grant Award to strengthen our museum’s commitment to grow engagement through equitable representation in our exhibitions and the stories we share. We are thankful to NYSCA and MANY for choosing to help our museum accomplish this goal for the Long Island community, ” said Nomi Dayan, Executive Director, The Whaling Museum & Education Center.

This grant partnership with NYSCA was developed in direct response to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Partners for Public Good (PPG) study “Market Analysis and Opportunity Assessment of Museum Capacity Building Programs” report published in March 2021.

Capacity Building grants were awarded in amounts up to and including $5,000 to help museums respond to pandemic-related challenges, build financial stability, strengthen board and community engagement, update technology, support leadership, and change systems to address diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and justice. Awards were made to museums of all budget sizes and disciplines.

The Whaling Museum & Education Center will use the grant funds in advancing the Museum’s capacity to develop, install, and evaluate the special exhibition and public programming project, Black Whalers (working title). The project explores the deep significance of whaling in African American history, a topic largely unknown to the general public. Black Whalers (working title). will benefit lifelong learners by preserving our democratic culture, renewing cultural heritage, deepening cross-cultural understanding, expanding empathy and tolerance, and contributing to strengthened cultural identity by fostering a shared vision for the Long Island community in a post-covid world.

“The arts and culture sector is facing a multi-year recovery process after two years of unimaginable challenges,” said Mara Manus, Executive Director, NYSCA. “We are grateful to MANY for their stewardship of this opportunity that will ensure New York State museums continue to grow and thrive. We send our congratulations to all grantees on their awards.”

Partnership Grants for Capacity Building are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum unveils latest exhibit

by Press Release - May 14, 2022

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Vanderbilt-Mansion-Photo-by-Patrick-Keefee---Courtesy-of-Suffolk-County-Vanderbilt-Museum-2-_2432201a-ea2a-9dd8-ec67b6e46990720e — Photo by Patrick Keeffe

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport recently debuted Related Searches, the first solo museum exhibition by New York artist Christopher Tennant.

Tennant’s artwork—a mix of avian and aquatic dioramas and vitrines, handmade lamps, and collected specimens—reimagines natural history as an extension of commodity culture and the decorative arts. His brilliantly illuminated cases combine antique taxidermy with discarded consumer products to provide a stark visual representation of the beauty and terror of an ecology altered by human industry and the algorithmic marketplace.

Related Searches is on view in the Lancaster Room, a newly renovated gallery space in the mansion, through June 30.

For more information, call 631-854-5579 or visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

The Long Island Museum announces retirement of Executive Director Neil Watson

by Press Release - May 11, 2022

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unnamed-5 — Executive Director of the Long Island Museum, Neil Watson (center) with his successors, Joshua Ruff (left) and Sarah Abruzzi (right) on the grounds of the LIM in front of the sculpture by Hans Van de Bovenkamp, “Montauk Sun & Moon,” 1986. Photo by Kristin Cuomo

Deputy Directors Sarah Abruzzi and Joshua Ruff named as successors

The Long Island Museum (LIM) in Stony Brook a Smithsonian affiliate dedicated to American history and art with a Long Island connection, announced May 5 that Executive Director, Neil Watson, will retire in October of 2022. During his nine years of dedicated leadership to the LIM, Watson introduced visitors to award winning exhibitions and educational programs, increased Museum membership, and enhanced musical programs. Along with Watson’s retirement, the LIM’s Board of Trustees also announced that the LIM’s current Deputy Directors, Sarah Abruzzi and Joshua Ruff will succeed Watson as Co-Executive Directors of the LIM.

“Neil Watson’s contributions to the Long Island Museum have been beyond measure,” said Thomas M. Sullivan, the LIM’s Board of Trustees Chair. “His leadership and vision transformed the Museum into a more dynamic and representative reflection of our history and art. By assembling a fantastic group of talented people who shared his vision for how the museum serves the community, it is without question that Neil Watson had a transformative impact on the Long Island Museum.”

Since 2013, under Watson’s distinguished leadership, the LIM reopened the History Museum, initiated a new outdoor sculpture program and partnered with local organizations, such as the Sunday Street singer/songwriter series and North Shore Pro Musica, to bring a chamber music series to the community. During Watson’s tenure, the Museum’s annual operating budget has grown to nearly 3 million dollars and the Museum’s Endowment funds have doubled to over 40 million dollars. He also created a new level of membership to enhance and support the rich artistic talent on Long Island, entitled LIMarts: A Collaborative Arts Group, which currently has over 125 active artist members and offers the opportunity and space for the exhibition and sale of artwork.

“Retirement is never an easy decision, but it is even more difficult when you love what you do,” said Watson. “Here at LIM we are all dedicated to the idea that a museum can tell stories about who we are, through art, craft, history, music, and film. I could not be prouder of our accomplishments over the past nine years. Part of a director’s job is to imagine the future, and I felt strongly that we had two people in place who had the vision to take on the dual leadership model. Creative solutions make for creative outcomes, and the LIM culture is about trust, respect, and innovative thinking. I’m thankful to the Board, who were open to implementing a different model of museum leadership. I have the utmost confidence that Sarah and Joshua will bring their enthusiasm and expertise to guide the Museum into the next phase. As I take my exit, I can only thank them, the Board of Trustees, the gifted staff, and the community for giving me the most fulfilling years of my career.”

Sarah Abruzzi is an accomplished executive and fundraising professional with over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Throughout her career, she has worked in all aspects of museum operations, including education, interpretation, collections management, volunteer coordination, fundraising, finance, HR, communications, and government relations.

Abruzzi grew up in Port Jefferson and remembers with great fondness her childhood visits to the LIM with her family. She first worked at the LIM in the late 2000s before spending eight years outside of the museum field serving as the lead fundraiser for Dr. Richard Leakey’s Kenya-based human origins research project at Stony Brook University. Abruzzi jumped at the chance to return to the LIM in 2017 as Director of Major Gifts and Special Projects. Abruzzi’s amiable management style and thoughtful approach to leadership paved the way for her promotion to Deputy Director/Director of Advancement & External Affairs in February 2019. Additionally, she previously served as Director of Raynham Hall Museum in Oyster Bay, and The Three Village Historical Society in Setauket.

Entering his 25th year at the LIM, including the last three as a Deputy Director and the last nine as the Director of Collections & Interpretation, managing both the Curatorial and Education departments, Joshua Ruff has a proven track record of strong leadership, excellence, and versatility as well as years of expertise in all facets of museum operations.

A lifelong resident of New York State, he is a graduate of Syracuse University with BAs in Broadcast Journalism and in History, and Stony Brook University with a MA in History. After curating or co-curating nearly 70 exhibitions of a variety of scale and scope and many publications, Ruff is a recognized scholar of Long Island art and history, two crucial components of the Museum’s mission. In addition to co-authoring several books and exhibition catalogs, his articles have appeared in publications including the Magazine Antiques; American Art Review; New York Archives Magazine; and American History magazine. Beyond his work at the Long Island Museum, Ruff has served in a variety of service capacities for outside organizations, including as Grant Reviewer for NYSCA’s Museum Program (2015-2018) and as an incoming member of the Board of Directors for the Museum Association of New York (2022-2025).

“Neil Watson has been such a dynamic and collaborative leader for this museum, and we have learned and gained so much from him. We will miss him,” said Joshua Ruff, Deputy Director and Director of Collections & Interpretation at the LIM. “Sarah and I are thankful to the Board for this leadership opportunity and we are really excited for this new chapter. We’ll work hard with all our talented colleagues to take the LIM to new and exciting achievements,” Ruff continued.

“Neil’s humility and humor have helped shape the LIM into the treasured community resource it is today,” said Sarah Abruzzi, Deputy Director and Director of Advancement & External Affairs. “Josh and I are honored to be a special part of Neil’s legacy and look forward to continuing his tradition of honest, inclusive, and transparent leadership in service of the Museum, our colleagues, and the community we all care so deeply about.”

The new organizational structure builds upon the strong and collaborative work environment that Watson cultivated at the LIM during his tenure. Over the past several years, the three have worked closely with the rest of the LIM’s talented Senior Staff to create a culture of equability and opportunity among the entire LIM staff of 39 people. Watson’s visionary plan of streamlining LIM’s work flow into two main areas will take place in October with Ruff responsible for Collections and Programming, and Abruzzi responsible for Operations.

“I can’t stress enough how supportive and instrumental Neil was to the expansion of the LIM’s Education Department,” said Lisa Unander, Director of Education at the Long Island Museum since 2013 and at the Museum for the past 16 years.

“His unique non-hierarchical and highly creative approach can be credited for how the LIM has been able to push the boundaries of our programs and become the even more inclusive community centered organization it is today. It won’t be the same without him, but he has instilled a welcoming, positive and vibrant workplace culture that I know Sarah and Joshua will continue to build upon as they continue the museum’s mission,” Unander continued.

Exhibitions during Watson’s career at the LIM include the groundbreaking Long Road to Freedom: Surviving Slavery on Long Island, the first major museum project to examine slavery from a Long Island regional historical perspective, Walt Whitman’s Arcadia: Long Island Through the Eyes of a Poet & Painters to mark the American bard’s 200th Birthday, and Fire & Form: New Directions in Glass, a visually striking exhibition featuring more than 50 works from nine contemporary artists.

Watson is known for his community engagement and charismatic style, and while serving as the Executive Director of the Katonah Museum of Art for nearly eight years, he also served on the Board of the Katonah Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Board of Arts Westchester, and as a museum panelist for the New York State Council for the Arts (NYSCA). Prior to joining the LIM, Watson was the former Chief Curator of the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington and the former Curator of Contemporary Art at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FL.

About the Long Island Museum

Located at 1200 Route 25A in Stony Brook, the Long Island Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate dedicated to enhancing the lives of adults and children with an understanding of Long Island’s rich history and diverse cultures. Regular museum hours are Thursday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $5 for students 6 -17 and college students with I.D. Children under six are admitted for free. For more information visit longislandmuseum.org.

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