Silver Dollar Pottery celebrated its grand opening in Rocky Point on Aug. 16. Photo courtesy of TOB
Silver Dollar Pottery & Crafts, 569 Route 25A, Rocky Point celebrated its grand opening on Aug. 16. The event was attended by family, friends, staff, Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner, manager of Customer and Community Partnerships for PSEG Long Island Veronica Isaac, and representatives from Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio’s office and Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon’s office.
Owner Patricia Patten (seventh from left) was granted a $25,000 Main Street Revitalization Grant from PSEG Long Island to help build her business, which is designed to inspire creativity and provide a welcoming environment for artists of all levels.
Councilwoman Bonner said, “I want to wish Patricia and her staff the best of luck and say ‘thank you’ for opening Silver Dollar Pottery in Rocky Point. She has created a comfortable and creative environment where everyone is welcome to have fun and learn a new craft. Please stop by and say hello.”
“PSEG Long Island has created financial incentive opportunities to help our customers, like Patricia, realize their entrepreneurial dreams,” said Isaac. “We are proud to provide Silver Dollar Pottery with a $25,000 Main Street Revitalization grant and wish Patricia much success as she opens her lovely new pottery studio.”
The gallery, which features a collection of unique handmade items, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.to 6 p.m. Classes, which include pottery, crocheting, watercolor painting and candle making, begin the week of Sept. 9.
For more information or to register for classes, visit silverdollarpottery.com or call 631-849-2933.
Rendering of artist locations around the village for the Music Throughout the Village event. Photo courtesy Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce
Local organizations collaborate to host weekly event
By Aramis Khosronejad
This past weekend, a musical addition to the Port Jefferson community has been added to the charming local streets, Music Throughout the Village.
A collaboration between The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council and Port Jefferson Retailers Association, it is a program that will bring music to this cozy, small town.
This summer event consists of local musicians, who will have the opportunity to play for spectators at set locations. Passersby will be able to “shop and dine in our community,” according to the retailers association, while enjoying the relaxing ambiance.
The ultimate goal for this musical program is to get it “codified” so it can become a permanent fixture of the community, said Barbara Ransome, director of operations for the chamber of commerce.
The program will run every Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. from July 13 to Oct. 20. Each musician has been carefully reviewed and vetted by the arts council.
Through the coming weekends, the musicians can be heard in select locations around the village.
“There are four locations though that can, certainly, be expanded,” Ransome said. The current venues are at the intersection of Arden Street and Main Street in downtown Port Jefferson (next to the local Starbucks), as well as by the popular restaurant Salsa Salsa on Main Street, the Kate & Hale store on East Main Street and, finally, near Tiger Lily Café further down East Main.
This past weekend’s musicians, Hank Stone, Denise Romas, Faith Krinsky and Karl Blessing, were from a variety of musical genres.
“What better way than to walk through a beautiful town hearing beautiful music?” said a spokesperson from the retailers association.
To view a map of current and future concert locations and for additional information, go to the chamber of commerce and retailers association’s Instagram pages, also the respective Facebook pages.
Establishing a clear and thorough estate plan is essential for artists to maintain control over their artwork and preserve their legacy. An artist’s estate not only includes physical art, but a bundle of intellectual property rights, including copyrights. Additionally many artists have art collections that include others artists’ works as well as their own. The artist’s own art work is generally treated differently than their art collection, but both can be hard to value at death.
Generally speaking, at death one can dispose of these assets either through a Last Will and Testament or a Living Trust. With either document, an artist can specify not only who is to inherit a particular work of art, such as a family member or art gallery, but how the artwork is to be managed. For example, the artist can specify the proper storage and handling, appraisal, and insurance for the art work. Professional art appraisers and dealers can be hired to find buyers or exhibit the art to a wider audience. If doing so, it is important to set aside some estate assets to pay for the upkeep and handling of the art. If the Executor or Trustee is left to handle the art without any monetary resources, the plan will not work.
The main difference between a Will and a Trust is that a Will must be validated through Surrogates Court in a probate proceeding. Probate takes several months, sometimes years, for the nominated Executor to be officially appointed and imbued with the authority to collect the decedent’s assets, pay off any debts, and distribute the property to the beneficiaries according to the terms of the Will.
A Living Trust, in contrast, is a separate legal entity created during one’s life to avoid the probate process. Provided the art work and intellectual property are transferred into the trust during life, the trust assets will pass free from court interference at death, avoiding the costs and delay of probate.
Avoiding probate is often appealing for artists because artwork and copyrights are particularly difficult to categorize and value in a probate petition. In addition, using a trust ensures privacy whereas a Will becomes public information when it goes through the courts.
Further, a trust created during life can have provisions regarding incapacity, ensuring that precious pieces of art are properly cared for by the successor trustee in the event the artist can no longer maintain the works. Finally, some pieces of art cannot sit for the years it may take to go through the probate process.
The main advantage of a Living Trust is that it is not subject to continuing court oversight. If someone creates a trust for their art in their Will, any changes must go through the courts. For example, any change to the trustee would require court approval. Not so if the art trust was created in a Living Trust. A Living Trust can allow the beneficiaries to remove and replace a trustee without court interference. This is particularly important in artist estates where the Trustee is a professional instead of a family member. Many famous artist’s estate were mishandled by so-called trusted advisors. Avoiding the costs of litigation is reason enough to create a trust for artwork – especially if the artist is well- known.
An experienced estate planning attorney can help create an effective strategy for the artwork in your estate, ensuring your collection ends up in the right hands after death. Artwork can simply pass outright to beneficiaries if there is no substantial resale market. But, if the artist had established sales throughout their life, creating a trust or foundation at death to hold the art is the better route. As with any estate, the goal is to minimize in- fighting. Since art is so personal and cannot be easily divided, it is even more important to bequeath your works of art in a way that does not cause conflict.
Nancy Burner, Esq. is a Partner at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. focusing her practice areas on Estate Planning and Trusts and Estates. Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. serves clients from New York City to the east end of Long Island with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, Manhattan and East Hampton.
When people look back to spring 2020, they remember how the COVID-19 pandemic shut things down. Zoom became a regular form of communication, visits to grandparents were done in a drive-thru fashion and many people anxiously awaited their stimulus checks.
While those checks from the U.S. government were sent, some people needed the money more than others.
Many people lost their jobs, their businesses and their livelihoods. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in February 2020 — just before the pandemic hit the States — unemployment was at 3.5%. Just two months later, as the virus began to spread rapidly, unemployment rates skyrocketed to nearly 15%.
But what many people might not realize is how impacted the local arts were during this time.
We as a society leaned on our first responders out in the trenches. We listened to our elected officials on the news every day hoping to hear something good. We shopped locally to help our business-owning neighbors.
However, something that we all enjoy one way or another — the arts — was shattered and not much was being done to help our local artists, performers and creators.
According to Johns Hopkins University research, as of December 2021, the percentage of job losses at nonprofit arts organizations remained more than three times worse than the average of all nonprofits.
Artists/creatives were — and remain — among the most severely affected segment of the nation’s workforce. The arts are a formidable industry in the U.S. — $919.7 billion (pre-COVID) that supported 5.2 million jobs and represented 4.3% of the nation’s economy.
And now, nearing two years since the 2020 shutdowns, artists on Long Island are voicing how it felt. Many believe that significant relief funding was not given to the arts and related nonprofits despite the impact they have on Long Island’s economy.
Think about it. How many of us love to see a show at the local theater? How many of us hang artwork from nearby artists on our walls? How many of us enjoy live music as we dine at our favorite eateries?
Those people had jobs, too.
Sometimes we forget that the people working after a typical 9-to-5 shift are working, too. What some may call a hobby is a way of life for thousands of people.
We still have a way to go, and unfortunately COVID will haunt us for a very long time in more ways than one. But the next time you’re out to dinner with a friend, drop a tip in the guitar player’s case. Splurge on a drawing from a local artist and support your neighborhood theater.
The arts helped us during the pandemic. We found solace in other people’s creations. Now it’s time to pay back the artists and show them how much they are needed, wanted and loved.
Thomas Manuel inside The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook. Photo by Julianne Mosher
The Long Island Arts Alliance is asking artists, performers and creators to share their stories amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lauren Wagner, executive director of LIAA, said that over the last two years, the group has been asking creatives to share the experiences pre-pandemic and onward in hopes that new legislation will be created to further help the art and culture sector locally.
“The percentage of job losses in the arts is three times worse than other nonprofit organizations,” she said.
LIAA serves as an alliance of and for the region’s not-for-profit arts, cultural and arts education organizations.LIAA promotes awareness of and participation in Long Island’s world-class arts and cultural institutions in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Formed in 2003, LIAA offers leadership and diverse support services to arts organizations, serves as an advocate for arts education in our schools and collaborates on strategies for economic development and community revitalization.
An advocate for artists, painters, sculptors, dancers, performers and musicians, Wagner added that when things were shut down two years ago, LIAA decided it wanted to reach out to its community to find out how people were handling the stressful changes.
That’s when LIAA came up with surveys to give a platform for creators to explain what’s going on in their lives.
“The surveys are to poll everyone’s status,” Wagner said. “Then, we use those numbers to go back to our new legislators and say, ‘Hey, this is what’s going on and we need help.’”
Most recently, a 2022 update has been posted to the LIAA website. This is the third survey to make its way around the arts community.
The survey states, “As COVID-19 extends into 2022, it is important to secure updated information about the continuing impact of the pandemic on the creative sector and creative workers. The information you provide is critical to advocacy efforts for the arts and culture sector across Long Island.”
Wagner said the more creatives who participate, the better.
“Artists/creatives were — and remain — among the most severely affected segment of the nation’s workforce,” she said. “The arts are a formidable industry in the U.S. — $919.7 billion (pre-COVID) that supported 5.2 million jobs and represented 4.3% of the nation’s economy.”
She added that they have not seen significant relief funding earmarked for the arts from the local government despite the impact the sector has on the local economy.
“The American Rescue Plan provided $385,003,440 to Nassau County, $286,812,434 to Suffolk County, and an additional $170 million to our local townships,” she said.
But when it comes to the higher levels of government, Wagner said that things often get “skewed” because of the Island’s proximity to New York City.
“I hate to say compete with the city, but we do,” she said. “We’re a great economic driver on Long Island and we get forgotten about.”
She said the surveys could “paint a real picture of what it’s like to be an artist on Long Island.”
The artists
Patty Eljaiek. Photo from Patty Eljaiek
Patty Eljaiek, a visual artist from Huntington Station, said that many people might not realize the impact art has on the community — especially financially.
“I think it’s part of the perception that art is not a business,” she said. “Art is a business.”
Elijaiek added that if an artist is looking to share their expertise with the world, they are, in fact, a business.
“Art has been something that people appreciate but they don’t know how to put value to it,” she said.
Wagner agreed. She said that early on during the pandemic, people looked to the arts for solace.
“Artists are second responders,” she said. “First responders save lives, but artists put everything back together.”
Alex Alexander, a musician in Rocky Point, said that people who work in the arts — such as being a working musician — don’t have the typical 9-to-5 routine.
“You can plan with a 9-to-5,” he said. “I can’t plan my life as other people would.”
And Tom Manuel, executive director of The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook and a musician himself, said that his venue was shut down for 15 months throughout the pandemic, but still continued to serve its community with outdoor shows despite the lack of revenue coming in.
Manuel said that while big industries were being saved by the federal government, the nonprofit sector was “left out” and they had to look to their sponsors to help save them.
“We were really blessed in that we had a lot of our donors and sponsors step up and say, ‘Hey, we know that you’re closed, but we’re going to still give our sponsorship and don’t worry about programming, just stay open,’” he said.
Board members at The Jazz Loft began raising money themselves for other artists who were struggling, raising nearly $20,000 worth of assistance.
But the pain and struggle were still there as they helped their peers.
“The statistics show of all the things that could close and not reopen, the most unlikely place to reopen after being shuttered is a performing arts venue,” he said. “That’s the data.”
Manuel said that jazz is all about improvisation — which is what musicians did — and to work through the blues.
“I think that one of the beautiful things that did come out of the pandemic is people realized how important the arts were to them,” he said. “I think there was a reconnection that was established, which is a beautiful thing.”
The Brick Clay Studio & Gallery, 2 Flowerfield, St. James will present a Fall Outdoor Pottery and Craft Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All participants are local artists presenting unique and original works. The Gallery Shop will be open to browse the handmade pottery made on the premises. Please join them in reconnecting with the artist community. Admission is free. For more information, visitwww.thebrickstudio.org or call 833-THE-BRICK.
Port Jefferson artist Jennifer Hannaford, right, along with Linda Alfin, left, revitalized the Dickens Festival mural present in front of Chandler Square just off Main Street. Photo from Hannaford
It’s a scene straight out of a Charles Dickens novel, and has been displayed every holiday season for years.
Featuring buildings covered in snow, a big decorated tree and a sign that welcomes visitors to the annual Dickens Festival in the Village of Port Jefferson, the mural was starting to look a bit worn, according to local business leaders.
“The cutout is pretty old,” said Barbara Ransome, director of operations for the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. “Businesses were saying it was looking tired and asking if anything could be done.”
With the intention to clean up the painting and make it as good as new, Ransome asked two local artists to give the decade-old mural a facelift.
Linda Alfin and Jennifer Hannaford have been spending a good part of this past year decorating different spaces throughout the village.
It started when Ransome and chamber president, Mary Joy Pipe, recruited the artists over the summer to decorate a set of electrical boxes and turn them into aquatic scenes in an attempt to beautify downtown.
“I’ve always understood that art can be powerfully transformative for a community, but engaging in this process has been fun because I get to see the change,” Hannaford said. “People also feel like their village is being cared for and, in turn, so are they.”
Since then, the pair has done several murals together throughout the village.
“Linda is one of the most efficient painters I have ever seen,” Hannaford said. “I cannot say enough about her work ethic. I hope more folks take advantage of the fact that they have this kind of service and talent in their own town. I have learned a great deal from her this year.”
And the work didn’t stop for the artists come earlier this month. Alfin said that when Ransome called last minute asking if they could “freshen up” the scene, the two artists jumped on it.
“The very next day we brought the mural back to life,” Alfin said. “Everyone walking by as we were painting was thanking us for repainting the mural.”
It took just two hours on Dec. 1 to make it vibrant, while the compliments and gratitude from residents touched the Port Jefferson muralist.
“A woman came up to us and was so happy to see us sprucing it up,” Alfin said.
While the Dickens Festival was canceled this year due to the COVID crisis, the snowmen in the scene can now greet visitors with a new smile, reminding them of what can hopefully be celebrated normally again next year.
“I’m so happy to be able to help my town look more inviting and festive with all the murals we did so far throughout the village,” Alfin said.
Diane Walker and village Mayor Margot Garant cut the ribbon on the new shop. Photo by Kyle Barr
Shoppers look through the artists’ wares opening day at the Shelf at East Main. Photo by Kyle Barr
Shoppers look through the artists’ wares opening day at the Shelf at East Main. Photo by Kyle Barr
Shoppers look through the artists’ wares opening day at the Shelf at East Main. Photo by Kyle Barr
Kid plays with bubbles outside The Shelf at East Main. Photo by Kyle Barr
The Shelf at East Main officially opened its doors April 19 and welcomed an array of local artists, who all said they were happy for the rare opportunity to show off their work.
The new consignment-style shop is similar to the typical art gallery, since artists show their work and give a percentage of sales to The Shelf.But, Diane Walker, the new store owner, said that her operation is different, because it’s intended to be more encouraging to local artists.
Kyle Kubik, Walker’s son and an artist himself, said people were coming in at the last hour to get their work on display.
“There’s no out of pocket expense to them, and it’s up to us, and them, to promote the venue,” Kubik said.
Walker, a 25-year resident of Mount Sinai, opened the shop to try and give those artists the opportunity to really flesh out their passions in a noncompetitive space, something that gives local artists a leg up in an often cutthroat field.
Now that The Shelf is open, here’s a small helping of some of the artists who have their stuff on display. All had a similar frame of mind, saying that there are very few spaces like the Shelf where they can display their work without an upfront cost or upfront judgment.
The Shelf at East Main, located at 218 E. Main St., Port Jefferson, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Walker said she expects she will soon start to open up the store for events outside regular hours. More information is available at www.visittheshelf.com.
Kyle Kubik
Walker’s son and an artist specializes in making video game and other pop culture inspired shirts and paraphernalia. He often ran the convention scenes and art shows from Long Island to New York City, and his mother saw the hustle that went into promoting one’s work as an artist. Kubik called it a gamble when one traveled to such events.
A customer holds one of Kyle Kubik’s shirts. Photo by Kyle Barr
“There’s a lot of competition out there, and there’s a high barrier to entry,” he said. “In my experience with conventions, I’ve walked out of events with a few thousand dollars in your pocket. I’ve walked out of events where I’m a thousand short, because I had to travel somewhere. Because of that hot and cold aspect, that’s what’s difficult for artists.”
He added that in some cases, even with quality work, some people simply don’t believe their work is good enough to be on display.
“We have macramé, we have knitted pieces,” he said. “You could put it up and be in a huge pool of people, or you can be in a local place with people in your community.”
Crystal Wyllie speaks to a shopper. Photo by Kyle Barr
Wyllie, a Setauket resident, has been doing ceramic pottery since her college days, and opened up her own small workshop in her parent’s garage. She first learned about The Shelf from her aunt, the owner of Cardinal Realty in Port Jefferson, just next door to the new shop.
“There aren’t many places where local artists can show their work in a noncompetitive atmosphere,” Wyllie said. “And I think it’s incredible to see what our community is capable of creating.”
To find more of Wyllie’s work, visit: @crystalmariepottery on Instagram or her website at www.crystalmariepottery.com.
Paul Cammarata
One of Paul Cammarata’s photos. Photo by Kyle Barr
Cammarata is a local photographer, taking his inspiration from the idyllic sights of Port Jefferson, nearby Stony Brook and beyond. His photographs feature alluring destinations, images of classic cars, still lives and nature.
A graphic designer by trade, Cammarata got back into photography in the last few years after being convinced by a friend and watercolor artist.
“Galleries can cost an artist a fortune — or you don’t get the right exposure sometimes,” he said. “Hopefully with the way [Walker] worked it out it’s a win-win for everybody.”
Tracey Elizabeth holding her painting. Photo by Kyle Barr
Elizabeth’s day job is photography, but she said her true passion is painting.
To her, the new store is an opportunity not just for her, but for the community of small-town artists who are still looking to break out. It also gives the chance for the local community to see the creativity of their community.
“I live in Port Jeff, so I like that [Walker’s] using local artists,” she said. “It’s helping local artists, and it being a small town it really needs those small-town artists to be represented.”
Motisi works in graphic design, producing designs for shirts, album covers and more. He started doing freelance work out of college, and recently he started creating spray-painted stencil portraits and selling them on Etsy. He has portraits of characters from Rocky Balboa to The Dude from “The Big Lebowski.” Now his images sit in person inside The Shelf in Port Jefferson. He said many art shows and conventions can be hard to work with.
“Usually those people are very standoffish — they usually want you to jump through hoops, but these people were just so ready to have people involved,” Motisi said. “These places are in short supply.”
Members of the group Setauket Artists donated works to be hung in a new wing at Mather Hospital. Photo by Alex Petroski
Dr. Shug-Hong Young of Mather Hospital and Irene Ruddock, president of Setauket Artists, with one of Ruddock's works donated to the hospital. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Laurence Johnston. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Jim Molloy. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Jane McGraw Teubner. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Anne Katz. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Robert Roehrig. Photo by Alex Petroski
Lois Reboli with painting by her husband, the late Joseph Reboli. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Patricia Yantz. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Flo Kemp. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Irene Ruddock. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Julie Doczi. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Renee Caine. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Laura Westlake. Photo by Alex Petroski
Artist Eleanor Meier. Photo by Alex Petroski
Being a hospital patient for any length of time is not likely an experience that engenders tranquility or inner peace for most, but local artists and hospital staff are doing their best to change that.
The 3 North Patient Care Unit at Port Jefferson’s John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, a newly constructed intermediate care unit on the third floor, is now furnished with paintings from artists who donated their work to be displayed for and enjoyed by patients and staff.
The hospital hosted a reception to thank the artists, including Irene Ruddock, president of Setauket Artists, who played a leadership role in getting the idea off the ground.
“The art installation endeavor was the inspiration of Dr. Shug-Hong Young, a cardiologist at Mather Hospital, who purchased one of my paintings which he donated to the hospital’s newest wing,” Ruddock said.
She said Young then took the idea to Mather president, Kenneth Roberts, who liked the concept and requested works featuring Long Island waterways and boats be displayed.
“This is actually a wonderful opportunity and a wonderful meeting of community members and artists with their local community hospital resource,” Roberts said. “We put a brand new wing on with private rooms with computers in the rooms so we don’t have all of the [computers on wheels] or [workstations on wheels] out in the hallways, so nothing is crowded. So we have this brand new nursing station with beautiful finishes, but the one thing we didn’t have was artwork.”
Ruddock was tasked with selecting paintings from her group’s members that fit the bill.
“I chose art that would add to the beauty of the already beautiful space, create a peaceful, serene environment that might provide a sense of spiritual healing,” she said. “I wanted paintings that touch people’s hearts and souls — ones that were memorable and draw you right into the painting.”
Young explained why he donated Ruddock’s initial painting, and why he thought it would brighten up the wing.
“It came to me that if we could bring all of these local artists [works] to the hospital, because many of the artworks reflect local scenes — the beach, the port, the pond — that would make patients feel they are not isolated, they are still connected to the beautiful environment,” he said.
Emily Emma, nurse manager for 3 North who recently transferred to the position, said she asked colleagues in her unit if there was anything she could do to elevate their work and the care they provide to patients, and a common theme emerged in the answers.
“Most of them had said, ‘We would really like some artwork on the walls,’” Emma said. “Patients can’t get enough of them. It’s really a nice peaceful journey to get through their progression of health.”
Jim Molloy, a Miller Place-based artist, was among those who donated a piece to the hospital that he called “Turning Tides.”
“I think that’s what art is about — it’s about brightening up someone’s day,” Molloy said. “If somebody can look at a piece of art and kind of escape for a while, then that makes me feel good, it makes them feel good — it’s perfect.”
Ruddock thanked Roberts, Young and Emma for their efforts in bringing the idea to fruition, as well as Mather employees Nancy Uzo, vice president of public affairs, and Laura Juliano, director of annual giving. Juliano said artist Renée Caine also provided invaluable help during the planning and installation phases of the idea. Caine donated one of her own works.
“By far, the most rewarding aspect of the project was the reaction of the patients, caregivers and staff to the paintings,” Ruddock said. “One staff member said of Michael Kutzing’s painting of a sailing vessel, ‘I mentally take a ride on the boat every day on the Long Island Sound to breathe in the air.’”
The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor invites local artists and artisans (bakers, carvers, knitters, quilters, potters, candlemakers, woodworkers, weavers, etc.) to showcase their old world skills and talents at the museum’s annual SeaFaire celebration on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is an opportunity to share and sell works of art. There is no charge if demonstrations are provided. Questions? Call Liz at 367-3418.
