Long Island Museum dedicates latest exhibit in memory of Cindy Smith

The Long Island Museum in Stony Brook has dedicated its current exhibit, Two Centuries of Long Island Women Artists, 1800-2000, to the memory of arts patroness and community activist Cindy M. Smith, a Stony Brook resident and long-time supporter of local artists.

The sign placed near the exhibit entrance reads: “This exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Cindy M. Smith, a strong advocate for the arts and historic preservation in our community.” Ms. Smith, a Smithtown native who died last month of leukemia, was a frequent visitor to the museum as well as local galleries and cultural events across Long Island.

“Cindy was a passionate advocate for the arts as well as historic preservation, and quality of life in general on the North Shore,” said Warren Strugatch, her husband. “She felt women artists faced greater obstacles to success than men, and had to work harder to achieve recognition. She would have been first on line to see the exhibition if she were still alive.”

The well-reviewed exhibition includes works by such iconic women artists as Lee Krasner and Elaine de Kooning, as well as such contemporaries as April Gornik, Audrey Flack, and Jennifer Bartlett. The exhibition continues through Sept. 4. For more information, visit www.longislandmuseum.org.