Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket presents its annual Winner’s Circle exhibitioncelebrating the award-winning artists of the 2023 Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival from May 16 to June 23. An opening reception will be held Thursday, May 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.
The exhibition features recipients of the Best in Show award and best in categories including mixed media, fiber art, glass art, jewelry, painting, photography, and pottery at the 2023 Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival hosted by Gallery North.
The 2023 festival judges, Tasha Boehm, Director of the Reboli Center for Art and History in Stony Brook, Julianna Kirk, a Long Island jeweler, multimedia artist, and educator, and contemporary artist Loretta Oberheim evaluated over 50 exhibitors to present the 13 available awards.
The Winner’s Circle exhibition includes artists Melanie Wulforst, Denise Aneke, Renee Brown, Jane Irvine, Flo Kemp, Joanne Liff, Susan Nagel, Lori Rosen, Paul Speh, Marlene Weinstein, Ally Liff, Dan McCarthy, and artists of the Brick Studio. These artists are all exceptional representatives of Long Island’s creative community and are an essential part of the Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival’s importance to the cultural offerings of the region.
“Gallery North is proud to celebrate their significant achievements within their respective mediums,” read the press release.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by Jefferson’s Ferry and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning. The exhibition and reception will be free and open to the public. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
Beach trash becomes community treasure when Gallery North partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, Atlantic Marine Conservancy, and Center for Environmental Education and Discovery (CEED) to sponsor beach cleanups at the Flax Pond Tidal Wetland Area, 15 Shore Drive, Old Field on Saturday, April 27, and Smith Point Beach, 1 William Floyd Parkway,Shirley on Sunday, April 28.
Each clean-up will be conducted in two shifts starting at 9 a.m. and 10:30 am each day. Atlantic Marine Conservancy will provide 50 buckets and trash pickers to volunteers on a first come, first serves basis.
The cleanups are the brainchild of artist Jack D’Ambrosio, a native of Shirley, who will upcycle gathered plastic garbage into a found object sculpture. With the presentation of repurposed refuse, he hopes to bring awareness to the ongoing dangers of plastic pollution.
“Art is a great way to spread a message and support a cause,” he said.
Primarily a printmaker, beach cleanups are just one element of D’Ambrosio’s interest in supporting communities through artistic expression. His artistry is immersed in an awareness of illuminating social issues by centering often overlooked subjects. While previous print projects have incorporated found plastic, he has never worked on a sculpture of this scale before. Such an undertaking of reinvention offers D’Ambrosio the chance to create poetic permanence out of problematic potential, an outcome that intrigues Gallery North.
“The beach cleanup is an opportunity for Gallery North to impact and beautify the community in a different way,” Executive Director Ned Puchner said. “We have never done anything like this before…beyond that, we will be helping to preserve the ecology of the area, making the waterways and beaches cleaner.”
Once the trash has been amassed, D’Ambrosio will sort it and share the loot on Gallery North’s social media. After properly disposing of the non-plastic items, he will clean the plastic articles for the sculpture, the design of which has yet to take shape.
“I am waiting to see what we find,” D’Ambrosio explained.Intended to be a permanent installation, the sculpture’s final home is also yet to be determined. “This is a project of many partners, and once plans are drawn up, I will collaborate with one of them to find a location for the piece,” he added.
A recipient of Gallery North’s 2023 Carmela Kolman Fellowship in Fine Art, in his application D’Ambrosio initially proposed the cleanup and its culmination.
“Jack shared his desire to involve the community in a beach clean up when he applied for the fellowship and that excited the committee…We were moved by the conceptual aspect of Jack’s work. His idea to use art to educate the community on stewardship interested us,” Gallery North Education Director Larissa Grass said.
At its core, the beach cleanup/sculpture exercise underscores the need for individual engagement and interpersonal cooperation to ensure the environment and art do not just survive, but thrive.
“During the pandemic, I went to the beach seeking inspiration. Instead I found garbage. This experience made me want to do something with it, since it will never, ever go away,” D’Ambrosio said. “…I really encourage people to come join us on this journey.”
The clean-ups will be a rain or shine event. Pre-registration is encouraged by visiting www.gallerynorth.org. For more information, call 631-751-2676.
'Variations on a Theme 4: Pyrenees' by Terence Netter Image courtesy of Gallery North
Up next at Gallery North in Setauket is Terence Netter: Legacy of the Human Spirit, a memorial retrospective of contemporary artist, philosopher, educator and former Jesuit priest Terence Netter. Generously sponsored by Jefferson’s Ferry and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning, the exhibit will be on view from April 4 to May 12.
The collection of small, medium and large paintings and mixed media works spans Netter’s career and focuses on his lasting impact.
‘New Moon’ by Terence Netter
Netter was captivated by human consciousness and its expression through the creative process and once stated, “Art is nature reborn through the free consciousness of individuals. It is how our species creates the spiritual air we breathe called culture.”
Netter’s paintings are intrinsically tied to his work within the community. While his style evolved over time from action painting to meditative minimalism, his work continued to express his spiritual search for truth in a way that served as “seeds of contemplation” for viewers. It is this type of mindful thought that is to be cultivated in the many cultural spaces Netter pioneered. Netter serves as the inspiration for the future Terence Netter Creative Center at Gallery North, which will foster the “visual expression of that infinitely evolving human spirit,” as Netter wrote.
Raised in Bronxville, New York, Netter received his MFA from George Washington University, and exhibited nationally and internationally, including numerous solo shows at the Woodward Gallery in Manhattan and at Gallery North. He served as the founding Director of the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University, was instrumental in the creation of the Pollock-Krasner Study Center, and was President of the Board of Trustees of Gallery North.
The community is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, April 6, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a panel discussion on the artist’s impact on the Arts and his legacy within the community on Saturday, May 11 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Gallery North is located at 90 North Country Road in Setauket. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
'February Flora #30' by Scott Farrell will be on view at Gallery North through March 31. Image courtesy of Gallery North
Up next for Gallery North is Equilibrium, a selection of works by ceramicist Lori Rosen and photographer Scott Farrell, on view from February 22 to March 31 with each focusing on the interactions and relationships of a contained and constructed environment in dynamic equilibrium.
In Farrell’s work, the large glass windows of a greenhouse contain a lush indoor environment. These windows serve as a barrier, containing life and maintaining balances in temperature, humidity, and air quality. Farrell utilizes our separation from this balanced environment as a pre-existing “filter” — one that is whitewashed, streaked with condensation, or reflective — to create impressionistic and abstract compositions.
‘Stepping Stones’ by Lori Rosen
Balance is also central to Lori Rosen’s series Stepping Stones. Each reminiscent of actual stones glistening after a rain shower, her sculptures are comprised of delicately stacked harmonious compositions that appear to defy gravity. Rosen’s creative process plays with contrasting textures, luminous shapes, and bold forms, all emerging from her practice of yoga and meditation. Chance encounters unite both artists, as does the serendipity of the creative process. Rosen and Farrell seek these encounters as part of a lifelong search for balance both within themselves and the larger world around us.
The community is invited to an opening reception on Thursday, February 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. As a complement to the exhibition, Gallery North will host an ArTalk and discussion session with the artists on Thursday, March 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition, reception and ArTalk are free.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by Jefferson’s Ferry and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning.
Located at 90 North Country Road inSetauket, Gallery North is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
Above, 'Glorious Sunset' by Paul Edelson will be on view at Gallery North through Feb 18. Image courtesy of Gallery North
Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket kicks off the new year with Coalescence, a selection of works by painter Paul Jay Edelson and sculptor Arthur Bernstein, on view from January 11 to February 18.
Coalescence is a two-person exhibition featuring small and medium-scale oil paintings by Paul Jay Edelson and wood and resin sculptures by Arthur Bernstein. These two unique artists use inspiration from nature to materialize balletic compositions and abstract forms.
‘Open Form’ by Arthur Bernstein will be on view at Gallery North through Feb 18. Image courtesy of Gallery North
Edelson’s alla prima paintings condense nebulous liminal atmospheres formed where land, sea and sky meet. He captures these protean seascapes through expressive marks that allude to the initial subject, often the shores of Long Island, while simultaneously exploring abstract moments of color and texture.
The graceful abstract sculptures of Arthur Bernstein allude to solidified fluid movements and organic forms, which are often informed by the wood itself. The works are primarily carved from black walnut, which is native to Long Island and sourced locally. Bernstein’s attention to the balance of negative space, combined with the gently curving forms, create engaging structures for viewers to navigate.
The community is invited to an opening reception on Thursday, January 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. As a complement to the exhibition, Gallery North will host a Meet & Greet and wine tasting with the artists for Gallery North members on Thursday, February 1 from 6 to 8 p.m.. The exhibition and reception will all be free and open to the public.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by Jefferson’s Ferry and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
In perfect timing with the season, Gallery North in Setauket presents its annual group exhibition of small original works for holiday giving, Deck the Halls, from Nov. 16 to Dec. 22.
Enjoy artwork by over 50 local and regional artists in a range of media, including painting, printmaking, works on paper, sculpture, glassware, and more. The exhibition offers an excellent opportunity to support local artists, and features a diverse selection of affordable, exciting, original artworks for everyone on your list and is generously sponsored by WFC Architects and Jefferson’s Ferry.
In addition, Gallery North also features a large assortment of artisan-created jewelry, handmade crafts, and decorations within the Shop at Gallery North, as well as clothing and artist-made greeting cards produced in the Studio at Gallery North. They also offer the gift of an art class or workshop to an aspiring artist, child, or adult.
As a complement to the exhibition, Gallery North will host a Holiday Gift Bazaar, a special holiday gift market inside the Gallery and the Studio on Dec. 9 from noon to 7 p.m.
The purpose of the Holiday Gift Bazaar is to provide the community with an alternative to holiday shopping in malls and shopping centers. The event will offer an excellent opportunity to support local artists and businesses, complete with warm beverages and treats from LevelUp Kitchen.
Holiday shoppers will find a diverse selection of affordable, exciting, original paintings, prints, photography, ceramics, pottery, woodwork, glassware, artisan created jewelry, handmade crafts, decorations, and clothing — perfect gifts for everyone on your list.
‘Tis the season to shop local!
Located at 90 North Country Road inSetauket, Gallery North is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
Up next for GalleryNorth, 90 North Country Road, Setauket is a unique exhibit titled Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals: New Work by Kelynn Z. Alder, on view from October 5 to November 12.
Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals is Kelynn Z. Alder’s first solo exhibition at GalleryNorth. It features paintings, monoprints, and drawings that all reference Alder’s Mexican cultural heritage. Many of the paintings are from the artist’s personal experiences in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico during the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities in Chamula, a town run entirely by the Tzotzil speaking Maya. In Chamula, as in most of Mexico, festivities and religious practices are a merging of ancient Indigenous rites, rituals and beliefs, meshed with Catholicism.
By Kelynn Z. Alder
“Día de los Muertos is a celebration of both the living and the dead,” Alder states, “And the underlying theme of this work has much to do with the cycle of life and death — My reaching back to my ancestors… My rising consciousness of my own mortality… The continuation once I’m gone and become myself an ancestor.”
Blending the styles of the Mexican muralists and the impressionists, each painting in Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals evokes the artist’s ancestral searching, yearnings, experiences, emotions and opinions — while encouraging others to reflect upon their own ancestry and personal journeys. Alder’s prints feature the artist’s personal interpretation of La Lotería – a traditional Mexican board game as well as an inspirational templet commonly used by many artists.
The daughter of an immigrant, Alder skillfully weaves the rudimentary pictures of La Loteria into Indigenous, political and religious iconography to create a complex arrangement of memory, political commentary, and symbolism. Indeed, through vivid paintings of Chiapas and the bold imagery of La Loteria, Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals transports us to Alder’s inner visual world, while also offering important messages confronting the migrant crisis between the Mexican and U.S. border.
An opening reception will be held Saturday, October 7, from 5 to 7 p.m.
By Kelynn Z. Alder
As a complement to the exhibition, GalleryNorth will present a multi-site, guided tour in collaboration with the Long Island Museum on Sunday, October 15, from noon to 3 p.m. The collaborative event will include guided tours of Alder’s exhibition, Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals, and SOMOS/We Are: Latinx Artists of Long Island, an exhibition guest curated by Alder at the Long Island Museum.
GalleryNorth’s portion of the event will include a printmaking demonstration with Alder and Lorena Salcedo Watson, followed by a tour of Alder’s solo exhibition. GalleryNorth will also host an ArTalk with Alder and Lyn Pentecost, former Director and Co-Founder of the Lower Eastside Girls Club on Saturday, November 4 at 3 p.m.
The exhibition, reception, and ArTalk will all be free and open to the public. Information on registering for the guided tour and print demonstration can be found at gallerynorth.org.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by bld Architecture, Jefferson’s Ferry, and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning. The exhibition, reception, and ArTalk will all be free and open to the public. Information on registering for the guided tour and print demonstration can be found at gallerynorth.org. For more information, call 631-751-2676.
Mark your calendars! Culper Spy Day returns on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.(rain date is Sept. 10). Presented by the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) and Tri-Spy Tours in collaboration with more than 30 local historical and cultural organizations, the day will feature activities related to the Culper Spy Ring which was founded by Benjamin Tallmadge, George Washington’s chief intelligence officer during the Revolutionary War.
Now in its 9th year, the annual event is the brainchild of Margo Arceri, who first heard about Washington’s Setauket spies (including her favorite spy Anna Smith Strong) from her Strong’s Neck neighbor and local historian, Kate W. Strong, in the early 1970s.
“My love of history grew from there,” said Arceri who today runs Tri-Spy Tours offering walking, bike and kayak tours of the Setauket area. “Everywhere you turn in the Three Villages you are looking at an artifact, and as the historical society believes, the community is our museum and I would really love to put that on the forefront of people’s minds. History is constantly evolving and new information is being discovered everyday. We don’t know what is waiting to be unearthed next and that fills me with excitement.”
Participants will have the opportunity to visit 9 locations in Setauket, Stony Brook and Port Jefferson (see list below) to learn about Long Island’s brave Patriot spy ring. Admission to all locations, with the exception of the Sherwood-Jayne House tour and the Spies! exhibit tour at the TVHS, is free.
“Guests at Culper Spy Day can expect to learn about American Revolutionary history in their own backyard. The hometown heroes who risked their lives and turned the tide of the war lived here on Long Island, working with George Washington right under the noses of their British neighbors. Through re-enactors, storytellers, demonstrations, and self-guided and docent-led tours, visitors at Culper Spy Day will enjoy information and inspiration at all of our historic sites,” said Mari Irizarry, Director at the TVHS.
According to Irizarry, several new exciting events have been added to the roster this year. “We’re proud to host George Washington, Martha Washington and their Squire in his field tent / oval office on the grounds of the historical society; we have partnered with Preservation Long Island to create a deluxe scavenger hunt across all sites for excited clue seekers to learn along the way; and Drowned Meadow Cottage Museum will present their new exhibit, Privateers: Pirates with Permission with guided tours, privateers re-enacting the plundering of the Roe family and colonial-themed storytelling for children.”
Colonial cooking demonstrations by Diane Schwindt from the Ketcham Inn will feature an authentic recipe from Mary Floyd Tallmadge, who was the wife of Benjamin Tallmadge and daughter to William Floyd, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Visitors may sample the food and take home the recipe.
In addition, The Long Island Museum will have the recently discovered Culper Spy letter on display throughout the day. “The handwritten letter dated November 8, 1779 from Benjamin Tallmadge (using his alias, John Bolton) to Robert Townsend (alias, Samuel Culper Jr.) is the only known surviving letter between the two,” said Arceri.
The event also marks the launch of the Three Village Historical Society’s brand new 1776 Augmented Reality app through the generous donation of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.
If you don’t have time to visit all the locations, Arceri recommends visiting the Sherwood Jayne Farm and the Drowned Meadow Cottage as they are not open to the public very frequently “so it is a treat to step back in time and visit these sites” as well as the Caroline Church of Brookhaven and the Setauket Presbyterian Church and their historical cemeteries.
Arceri is looking forward to welcoming new visitors to Culper Spy Day. “Last year was such a huge success — we had over 1100 people visit ‘Culper Country’ and we expect to have those numbers grow as more and more of the mainstream are getting Culper fever,” she said. “Setauket has really become a tourist destination and Culper Spy Day is certainly a highlight for these visitors as they are able to see many of the sites and visit with many of the organizations that make up our Revolutionary story.”
Irizarry agrees and is committed to continuing this event for years to come.
“At the Three Village Historical Society, our mission is to preserve our shared history. The Culper Spy Ring is an essential part of how we won the Revolutionary War and became a country — that’s a history we can ALL share! Culper Spy Day is a celebration like no other, and we love seeing history come to life year after year. As more sites and organizations get involved, this incredible event gets better and better.”
The 9th annual Culper Spy Day is made possible by the generous support of Heritage Spy Ring Golf Club. For more information, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.culperspyday.com
Visit the grave of Culper Spy Abraham Woodhull in the Setauket Presbyterian Church cemetery. Photo by Heidi Sutton
PARTICIPATING LOCATIONS:
1. THREE VILLAGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 93 North Country Road, Setauket. Located in the circa 1800 Bayles-Swezey House. Here you can take part in outdoor events from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. including “building” a timber frame house with Abraham Woodhull; children’s story hour; colonial crafts; an invisible ink demonstration;; Culper Spy-themed authors and book signings; Anna Smith Strong’s famed clothesline, a colonial cooking demonstration; 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fusiliers in America) and Huntington Militia encampment; and much more. Docent led tours of the Spies! exhibit will be held every 30 minutes at $10 per person. Food trucks will be on site. 631-751-3730.
2. SETAUKET NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE, 95 Main St., Setauket. The original part of the house, where the central chimney is located, was built in the early 1700s. In 1820 it was moved to its present location from its original site on Setauket (Conscience) Bay by Dr. John Elderkin. The building has served as an inn, and has housed a general store, post office, bank and a Franklin Library. Docents will give tours of the historic home from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 631-751-6208.
3. PATRIOTS ROCK HISTORIC SITE, Main Street, Setauket (across from the Setauket Post Office). This glacial erratic boulder is said to be the location of the Battle of Setauket on Aug. 22, 1777. Stop here between 10 a.m. and2 p.m. to meet representatives from the Three Village Community Trust who will discuss the importance of Patriots Rock and its local and environmental history. 631-689-0225.
4. CAROLINE CHURCH AND CEMETERY, 1 Dyke Road, Setauket. Built in 1729, this timber frame building has maintained its Colonial appearance. Now an Episcopal church, during the Revolutionary War the Caroline Church was Anglican and a Colonial extension of the Church of England. The graveyard contains the remains of six Patriot soldiers as well as soldiers from World War I and II.The inside of the church will be open for guided tours from noon to 4 p.m. and tour the cemetery your leisure with a docent present for questions.631-941-4245.
5. SETAUKET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND CEMETERY, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket. The previous church (1714–1811) was a part of British fortifications during 1777. The fort was under the command of Loyalist commander Col. Richard Hewlett. The present building dates from 1812. Come tour the interior of the church from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and then tour the cemetery with the grave of Abraham Woodhull ofWashington’s spy ring at your leisure. 631-941-4271
6. EMMA S. CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARY, 120 Main St., Setauket. The library (circa 1892)will display Revolutionary War soldiers’ equipment in the lobby, enjoy live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and kids can enjoy an outdoor craft from noon to 3 p.m. 631-941-4080
7. SHERWOOD-JAYNE HOUSE, 55 Old Post Road, East Setauket. Originally built around 1730 as a lean-to saltbox dwelling, the house and farm were maintained as an operational farmstead for over 150 years by members of the Jayne family.Visit with Big Bill the Tory aka William Jayne III, who will explain the noble intentions and virtuosities of King George III and tells you the TRUTH about Washington’s pesky band of renegade spies! Tours run continuously from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. $5 per person. 631-692-4664
8. THE LONG ISLAND MUSEUM, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook. The museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate with permanent and changing exhibitions on American history and art, along with the finest collection of horse-drawn carriages in the country, some of which belonged to Revolutionary War heroes. Visit the History Museum between noon and 5 p.m. to view the newly uncovered Culper Spy Ring letter by Benjamin Tallmadge to Robert Townsend. Tour the museum’s galleries and grounds for free. 631-751-0066
9. DROWNED MEADOW COTTAGE MUSEUM, corner of West Broadway and Barnum Avenue, Port Jefferson. The Revolutionary War-era Roe House was originally constructed circa 1755 and Phillips Roe, a member of the Culper Spy Ring along with his brother Nathaniel and cousin Austin, was known to have lived there.Visit the Revolutionary War-era Roe House between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. with a new exhibit, Privateers: Pirates with Permission, tours, privateers re-enacting the plundering of the Roe family and colonial-themed storytelling for children. 631-473-4724
* Please note: Public restrooms are located in the Setauket Neighborhood House and Emma S. Clark Memorial Library.
'COVID Driveway Quince' by Bruce Lieberman. Image courtesy of Gallery North
By Tara Mae
It is an art form to recognize one’s daily surroundings as fecund food for thought despite their familiarity. Gallery North’s new exhibit, Poetic Visions: Recent Works by Bruce Lieberman, explores the eponymous artist’s appreciation and perception of his own backyard as he cultivates its curated wildness. On view from Aug. 24 to Oct. 1, the show will feature approximately 35 of Lieberman’s oil paintings. While canvas sizes vary, the world within them is universally expansive.
‘Yellow Thirst’ by Bruce Lieberman Image courtesy of Gallery North
“The paintings are vivid, luscious, gardenscapes spanning summer through winter, when it is more bleak. Even then, he still pulls out colors and textures in the browns and other, more muted, [tones] that he paints,” said Gallery North’s Curator Kate Schwarting.
Immersing the audience in a verdantly vivacious, incrementally abstract atmosphere, these renderings inspired by his Water Mill property are rooted in realism, yet blossom with imagination.
“This is a presentation of paintings that blur the line between representation and abstraction. It also presents a painter who is very far along in his career trying to move into something new and push boundaries of his artistic practice. [Lieberman] revels in color and gets others excited about the interaction between color and form,” Gallery North’s Executive Director Ned Puchner said.
Poetic Visions, Lieberman’s fifth solo show at Gallery North amid many group exhibitions, is the latest harvest of a long, fruitful relationship. Making their public debut, the paintings invite viewers to seek the serenity of soulful solitude.
For Lieberman, these works reflect an introspection born out of necessity: they were primarily started during the COVID-19 lockdown, when he ceased teaching painting and figure drawing as an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University.
‘Crape Myrtle Pool’ by Bruce Lieberman. Image courtesy of Gallery North
Informally referred to as the “COVID Driveway Series” by Lieberman, the paintings reference a time when circumstances encouraged him to find novelty in the known as he navigated the unprecedented pandemic.“It has become rather a cliché to speak about how ‘COVID made me do it.’ Or how one’s COVID experience framed and affected their work.’ But…it sort of did. It gave me an excuse to cut my ties with everything. I stopped teaching, stopped going out, stopped going to openings, stopped going to New York,” Lieberman said in an email. “[My wife and I] canceled everything! It, the COVID experience, removed guilt from the decision…For us, we were lucky to have the ability—the luxury—to withdraw from the world.”
Setting up an easel at the furthest point of his property line and painting whatever he saw in all directions, Lieberman experimented with different points of view, paint techniques, and previously untapped styles of brushstrokes.
Such interior creativity born of outside chaos is evidenced in the precise details and less defined boundaries of Lieberman’s paintings. Using the landscape as his muse results in a sort of inherent optimism; even as trees appear bare, traces of green can be found — the promise of fertile rebirth.
“My garden has become a big giant motif — a living still life with endless variations…my Giverny,” Lieberman said.
Almost impressionistic brushstrokes illustrate different types of foliage and lighting as well as rich bright colors for the plants, beautiful blue reflections on fencing, and similar nuances, according to Schwarting.
“Bordering on abstraction, it is a very identifiable scene, but areas of canvas draw you in and almost become an abstract moment on the canvas. It happens very organically, a natural process of him exploring the medium through his paintings. There is an amazing juxtaposition of abstract, painterly brush marks, with drips of the paint. I love how you can have both in one place,” she added.
A singular entity containing multitudes is a recurrent theme in the art of Lieberman, who began his career in the figurative art world of New York City.
Traces of the genre are apparent in elements of Poetic Visions. Representative objects contrast and complement the somewhat subjective wonderland Lieberman’s paintings project, revealed to onlookers by the revelations of his paintbrush.
“He developed a sort of a new vision of his home during [lockdown] and it came through daily examination of his surroundings. When you look at something long enough, you begin to see it differently and start to think about the larger meaning behind the growth of a flower, the changing of a season, or how light can illuminate colors,” Puchner said.
Lieberman’s contemplative examination was a three year study that he now strives to share and shed. Like most acts of creation, the process of producing the paintings was a labor of love; Poetic Visions is a culmination of Lieberman’s efforts as he looks towards the next endeavor.
“I worked hard, I worked for three years on these paintings. So I care about them. I look forward to getting them on the wall and looked at. An added bonus — [having] my studio clean so I can move on to the next thing. Trying to make great paintings is always the goal,” he said.
Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket invites the community to an opening reception for Poetic Visions on Thursday, Aug. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. and a free ArTalk with Lieberman on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 3 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 2023 Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
By Julianne Mosher
On June 17 and 18, visitors from across Long Island headed to Old Field Farm in Setauket for Gallery North’s 19th annual Wet Paint Festival, a fun-filled weekend to not only admire local artists practicing their craft en plein air, but to see the excitement of a derby. According to Sally Lynch, owner and farm operator, the festival couldn’t have come during a better weekend.
The 2023 Seaside Hunter Derby took place on June 18 on the campus and as the riders competed, over 40 artists took to their canvases to paint and sketch the local scenery and content.
“All the horse people are thrilled to see their horses painted,” said Lynch. “There’s a reason why the horse remains a constant subject of the arts.”
She added that the day before, the farm hosted vintage riders (ones who ride side saddle) in full old-school costume who also modeled for the artists on-site.
The two-day festival also featured nature walks courtesy of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, live music by Tom Killourhy and the Keenan Zach Trio, plein air art tours with Jim Molloy and Nancy Bueti-Randall, a history tour with Margo Arceri of Tri-Spy Tours and an animal presentation by Sweetbriar Nature Center.
The event was sponsored by bld Architecture, Jefferson’s Ferry and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning.
All of the artwork created at the festival will be on display at the Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook on July 5 through August 27. The public is invited to an opening reception on July 21 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
“My love of history grew from there,” said Arceri who today runs Tri-Spy Tours offering walking, bike and kayak tours of the Setauket area. “Everywhere you turn in the Three Villages you are looking at an artifact, and as the historical society believes, the community is our museum and I would really love to put that on the forefront of people’s minds. History is constantly evolving and new information is being discovered everyday. We don’t know what is waiting to be unearthed next and that fills me with excitement.”
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