New York City Artist Joseph Cavalieri at work. Credit: Chris Kendig
The Long Island Museum (LIM) is pleased to announce that New York City artist and educator Joseph Cavalieri will be presenting a talk and demonstration entitled “Pop Stained Glass” on October 3 at 2 p.m. in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room.
Helen Hayes; 15 x 15 x 1 inch; Silk-screened and air brushed (kiln fired) enamels on glass, set into a steel frame with LED lights; 2019
The lecture, which will include some of his artwork that is currently on view at the LIM’s Fire & Form: New Directions in Glass exhibition, will explain the processes, highlight some of his favorite stained glass works, public art work, speak about the international art residencies he has attended. A silk screening on glass demonstration will follow the lecture.
“I’m very excited to share my work with friends, family, and the Long Island community,” said Joseph Cavalieri. “This collaboration with the Long Island Museum is a great step for my career. I’ve been working with the age old technique of painting on stained glass for about 15 years, and feel that the public easily relates to my ‘pop’ style and imagery, since it features modern designs and current personalities.”
During the last ten years Cavalieri has taught over 90 stained glass classes in 50 different domestic and international locations. He has been invited to 13 art residencies, has exhibited internationally, and has produced many private and public art commissions including a MTA Arts for Transit public art installation at the Philipse Manor Station, NY.
The program is free with museum admission. Pre-registration is required due to capacity limitations. Based upon current health determinations, the program may switch to virtual format if needed. For more information on the program and to register: Register Here
The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bill Bleyer on Sunday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. for a discusses the true story of the Culper Spy Ring that helped to win the Revolutionary War and George Washington’s earlier attempts at gathering intelligence including Nathan Hale as detailed in his newly released book “George Washington’s Long Island Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide.” (The History Press, 2021)
After the book discussion, enjoy a final opportunity to see the newly discovered Culper Spy letter while it is still on vie. The handwritten letter that is dated November 8, 1779, and is from Benjamin Tallmadge (using his alias, John Bolton) to Robert Townsend (alias, Samuel Culper Jr.) is the only known surviving letter between the two.
The program, which will take place in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room, is free with museum admission, but pre-registration is strongly recommended due to capacity limits.
Please note: Your spot will not be guaranteed until you are contacted by the education department to confirm your registration. All attendees are required to be fully vaccinated to attend this live program. Based upon current health determinations, the program may need to switch to a virtual format if needed. For more information, call 631-751-0066 or visit www.longislandmuseum.org.
Meet Big Bill Tory at the Sherwood Jayne House during Culper Spy Day. Photo from Preservation Long Island
UPDATED! This article was updated on 9/17/21 to reflect a change to the schedule of events (in bold).
By Heidi Sutton
On Saturday, Sept. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Three Village Historical Society, Tri-Spy Tours and the Long Island Museum will host a day of spy-related tours and activities for the 7th annual Culper Spy Day, named for the Culper Spy Ring founded by Benjamin Tallmadge, George Washington’s chief intelligence officer during the Revolutionary War.
The annual event is the brainchild of Margo Arceri, who first heard about George 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.
Diane Schwindt of Stirring Up History, pictured with Margo Arceri, will offer colonial cooking demonstrations during Culper Spy Day. Photo from Mari Irizarry
“Kate W. Strong, Anna Smith Strong’s great-great-granddaughter, originally told me about the Culper Spy Ring when I used to visit her with my neighbor and Strong descendant Raymond Brewster Strong III. One of her stories was about Nancy (Anna Smith Strong’s nickname) and her magic clothesline. My love of history grew from there,” she said in an interview in 2015.
Seven years ago Arceri approached the Three Village Historical Society’s President Steve Hintze and the board about conducting walking, biking and kayaking tours while sharing her knowledge of George Washington’s Long Island intelligence during the American Revolution.
Today, Arceri runs the popular Tri-Spy Tours in the Three Village area, which follows in the actual footsteps of the Culper Spy Ring. “I have to thank AMC’s miniseries Turn because 80 percent of the people who sign up for the tour do so because of that show. And now that Turn has come to Netflix it has taken this community to an entirely other level,” she said.
It was during one of those tours that Arceri came up with the idea of having a Culper Spy Day, a day to honor the members of Long Island’s brave Patriot spy ring who helped change the course of history and helped Washington win the Revolutionary War. After a successful five-year run, last year’s event was sideswiped by COVID-19 and was presented virtually on Facebook Live.
Meet costumed docents from Oyster Bay’s Raynham Hall on the grounds of the Three Village Historical Society. Photo by TVHS
This year the family-friendly event returns but on a smaller, more intimate scale as participants will have the opportunity to visit eight locations in Setauket, Stony Brook and Port Jefferson to learn about the patriots who risked their lives through tours, spy stories, colonial cooking demonstrations, historic letters, musical performances, and many children activities.
Escorted by Arceri, Mrs. Q of Karen Q. Patriot Tours of NYC will be on location live on social media and in costume visiting many of the locations. With the exception of the Sherwood Jayne House, all events are free.
While the Three Village Historical Society has remained closed since last January, it will reopen for the one-day event. Mari Irizarry, Outreach and Communications Manager at the Society, is ready to welcome visitors. “We miss our community. There is so much rich history, heritage and culture that is part of the Three Villages and beyond and we are excited to share it on Culper Spy Day,” she said.
Arceri’s favorite part of the day is “seeing all these organizations coming together as a whole. It really is our Revolutionary story,” she said. “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.”
Schedule of Events:
View Revolutionary War artifacts from the collection of Art Billadello at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library on Culper Spy Day.
1. THREE VILLAGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 93 North Country Road, Setauket. Located in the circa 1800 Bayles-Swezey House. Here you can take part in oudoor events including an invisible ink demonstration; Spy Stories on the TVHS Porch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.; view a patriotic quilt display and demonstration and take part in colonial crafts with the Daughters of the American Revolution Anna Smith Strong Chapter; Author’s Row: come meet authors Beverly C. Tyler, Selene Castrovilla and, Claire Bellerjeau, available for book signings; view Revolutionary War letters from Stony Brook University’s Special Collections; take part in spy games and meet costumed docents who will talk about Raynham Hall, Culper Jr. and their Culper Spy connections; and enjoy a live colonial cooking demonstration and samples with Diane Schwindt of Stirring Up History. 631-751-3730.
2. THE STUDIO AT GALLERY NORTH, 84 North Country Road, Setauket. Visit The Studio to enjoy free Revolutionary War era arts and crafts for children throughout the day. Guests will have an opportunity to create a Tin Punch ornament or a chance to create a decoder & color a quilt square. Activities will occur on the patio, just outside the Studio. 631-751-2676.
3. EMMA S. CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARY, 120 Main St., Setauket. The library (circa 1892) will present a concert featuring 18th century songs the trio Rose Tree from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the Library lawn. View Revolutionary military paraphernalia from the collection of Art Billadello in the Library’s lobby. Kids can enjoy a craft from noon to 3 p.m. 631-941-4080. Please note the previously scheduled bubble and comedy show on the lawn from 11 a.m. to noon has been canceled.
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. View the inside of the church from the vestibule and tour the cemetery with docents from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Just added! Setauket Presbyterian church next door will be offering tours of their cemetery from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. 631-941-4245.
5. 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. and noon 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.
6. 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 and see LIMarts Collaborative Art Group doing a plein air painting / sketching on the grounds that day. 631-751-0066.
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! Program runs continuously from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Masks must be worn inside. $5 per person, children under 5 free. Pre-registration is recommended at www.preservationlongisland.org.
8. 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 cottage between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and attend an unveiling with Mayor Margot Garant at 11 a.m.
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Participating organizations for the 7th annual Culper Spy Day include Tri-Spy Tours, Three Village Historical Society, Stony Brook University Special Collections, Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, The Long Island Museum, Raynham Hall, Drowned Meadow Cottage, Preservation Long Island, Gallery North, Karen Q’s Patriot Tours NYC, Anna Smith Strong Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Stirring Up History, Three Village Community Trust, and Caroline Church of Brookhaven
For more information, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org
The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook is now open on Thursdays! The announcement was made in a press release on Aug, 25. Come experience their newest exhibitions: Fire and Form: New Directions in Glass, Tiffany Glass: Painting with Color and Light, and the 8th Annual LIMarts Members’ Exhibition, Fragile (all on view August 20-December 19, 2021).
The museum is now open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
COVID safety protocols remain in effect; physical distancing will be required and all visitors must wear face masks while indoors. The LIM follows CDC-prescribed cleaning protocols for all buildings. Tickets are available at the History Museum entrance; pre-registration is not required.
For more information, call 631-751-0066 or visit www.longislandmuseum.org.
The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook will host a Community Summer Picnic on Thursday, Aug. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. Join them on the beautiful grounds of the LIM for a picnic with your family and a concert by Gathering Time. Bring your blankets, chairs, and picnic baskets to enjoy the sounds of Gathering Time on the lawn outside of the Carriage Museum. This event is free, but first come / first accommodated due to crowd restrictions. For more information, call 631-751-0066 or visit www.longislandmuseum.org.
A view of the grounds of the Long Island Museum from the Art Museum on the hill.
By Tara Mae
The Long Island Museum (LIM) in Stony Brook unveils three exciting new exhibitions — Tiffany Glass: Painting with Color and Light, Fire & Form: New Directions in Glass and the 8th annual LIMarts Members’ Exhibition, Fragile — this Friday, Aug. 20. All three will be on view through Dec. 19.
Art exhibit, Fragile, showcases work of LIMarts members
Long Island Museum’s Visitor Center and History Museum
Peace may be found in both the practice and presence of art. Fragile explores how art enriches our lives, particularly during times of stress and strife. On display in the recently renovated Cowles Gallery in the History Museum and Visitors Center (pictured on the right), the show features works by 92 members of LIMarts, both amateur and professional, working in different formats and mediums including sculpture, printmaking, oil painting, watercolor, etc.
“LIMarts is a collaborative arts group designed for artists dedicated to creating a new forum within our cultural community,” said Neil Watson, Executive Director of the LIM. “The group offers space for the exhibition and sale of artwork, varied programming events, lectures and opportunities for social gathering with other artists and the public.”
All LIMarts members were invited to submit one piece for the exhibit, which enables the museum to introduce or amplify the art of local artists to its audience.Although a few of the artists have works already in the museum’s permanent collection, the art included in Fragile is being exhibited for the first time.
Thanks to a sponsorship by Maryellen and Michael Lubinsky, the museum was able to waive its normal commission; all proceeds from art sales will go directly to the artists.
There were no confines put on the artists’ interpretations of the theme, but they were constrained by space; each participant’s work had to fit on 12″ x 12″canvas boards. This restriction enabled creative solutions and unique results.
“When everybody’s work is the same size, it distills a different type of beauty…they are all on the same panel and figuring it out,” said Joshua Ruff, Deputy Director of the LIM and the show’s curator. “The diversity of approaches and how the exhibit was interpreted are amazing: fragile, as an idea, departure point, and concept.”
During the past 19 months, emotional and physical fragility have been ideas arguably at the forefront of the collective conscience. Most of the submissions were created during this time frame, and these ideas are recurring subjects, especially as they relate to the delicate nature of both the environment and human condition. Yet fragile does not equal weak, and the exhibit is also a testament to how fragility can be infused with fortitude.
“This is not an exhibition of 92 different ways of suffering; rather it shows there is an inner reserve of strength in all of us. You can be vulnerable but have other positive qualities of strength. I think some of the artists were trying to say that you can be fragile but be strong or have a fragile environment that produces great beauty and great strength,” said Ruff.
Certain artists chose to explore the intersection of fragility and vulnerability by experimenting with new painting styles or artistic techniques. “Some artists were trying new things and you can be vulnerable when you are trying new things,” Ruff explained. “It’s really impressive to see how many ways people approached the subject and how many different points of view and perspectives you see.”
Tiffany Glass:Painting with Color and Light
Wisteria Library Lamp, ca. 1901, Tiffany Studios, NYC
Organized by the Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass in Queens, Tiffany Glass: Painting with Color and Light will be the first exhibition of its kind at the LIM. This compelling exhibition will include five windows, twenty lamps, and several displays showing how Louis C. Tiffany’s lamps were assembled, and how collectors today can distinguish between authentic lamps and forgeries.
The exhibition features some of the most celebrated of Tiffany’s works. Chosen for their masterful rendering of nature in flowers or landscape scenes, they exemplify the rich and varied glass palette, sensitive color selection, and intricacy of design that was characteristic of Tiffany’s leaded-glass objects. This exhibition also highlights some of the key figures at Tiffany Studios who made essential contributions to the artistry of the windows and lamps— chemist Arthur J. Nash and designers Agnes Northrop and Clara Driscoll.
Fire & Form: New Directions in Glass
Acesa (Ascend), 2019; by Toots Zynsky; Heller Gallery, NYC
Fire & Form: New Directions in Glass , organized by the Long Island Museum, will feature nearly 50 works from nine contemporary artists, all reinforcing that glass is a sculptural material of near-infinite artistic and narrative possibilities. The artists included in this exhibition represent some of the most renowned names in American contemporary glass: Joseph Cavalieri, Deborah Czeresko, Trefny Dix, Bengt Hokanson, Beth Lipman, Judith Schaechter, Andy Stenerson, Marianne Weil, and Toots Zynsky. These exceptional artists all demonstrate a variety of approaches, methods, and inspirational starting points. Fire & Form will inhabit more than 2,500 square feet in LIM’s History Museum and Visitor’s Center and willbe accompanied by a richly illustrated 30-page catalogue that will be printed as a takeaway for visitors.
“Fire & Form and Tiffany Glass are two of the biggest and most beautiful exhibitions we have ever mounted here,” says Joshua Ruff, Deputy Director the LIM and one of the curators of Fire & Form. “The comparison between Tiffany’s approach with some of the striking other work people will see— modern stained glass, blown glass, and cast glass — will really give people some perspective on how versatile a medium it really is.
IF YOU GO
The Long Island Museum is located at 1200 Route 25A in Stony Brook. It is open Thursday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors (62 and older), $5 for students (including college students with IDs), $3.50 for people with disabilities (personal care assistants admitted for free), and free for children under the age of six. For more information about the above exhibits or orther programs at the LIM, call 631-751-0066 or visit longislandmuseum.org.
As it prepares for its new exhibitions in the Art Museum and History Museum, The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook will offer free admission to its state of the art Carriage Museum, which includes eight renovated galleries that tell the story of transportation before the automobile, from Aug. 6 to 8 and Aug. 13 to 15 from noon to 5 p.m.
Three new exhibitions will open on Aug. 20 and run through Dec. 19:
Fire and Form: New Directions in Glass
Tiffany Glass: Painting with Color and Light
8th Annual LIMarts Members’ Exhibition, Fragile
For more information about admission, exhibitions and programs visit:longislandmuseum.org
Robert Roehrig is a Setauket artist who has been active in the local art world for many years. He is primarily a landscape painter who has exhibited his oil paintings through his membership in several art organizations, winning awards and accolades along the way. The current vice president of the Setauket Artists, he enjoys spending time with his wife Joan, children and grandchildren, singing with the Harbormen Barbershop Chorus, and playing paddleball with his friends.
Were you interested in art as a child?
I always loved to draw. An important early influence was an artist named John Nagy, who had a TV show in the 1950’s that provided lessons on how to draw. I found it fascinating, so my parents bought his instruction book for me. In it, the artist showed you, step by step, how to complete a picture. I still remember the pictures: a railroad train with smoke billowing, a boy wearing a sombrero, etc.I happily finished every one.
Could you tell me about your journey as an artist?
I took art courses in high school and at Hofstra University, and throughout the years, I continued to draw and paint with watercolor. When I retired from teaching, I decided to try something I hadn’t done since high school – oil painting. I soon found the versatility and rich colors of the oil medium to my liking. I loved the process of creating an oil painting — choosing the scene, forming the composition, mixing the colors, applying the paint, making adjustments and viewing the final piece.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I enjoy painting Long Island landscapes and seascapes, as well as scenes from countries my wife and I visit while on vacation. In my paintings, I try to capture the beauty of the natural world. Interesting boats or buildings also attract my attention and I often choose subjects that highlight the contrast between sun and shadow. While traveling, I’m always on the lookout for a potential painting. The completed paintings help to rekindle some wonderful memories.
What techniques do you consider most important to obtaining your artistic vision?
As a realist painter of land and sea, it took years of practice to gain some competence. I found that brush control and the ability to blend colors is critical. For instance, to achieve the soft look of clouds or reflections in a lake, I lay in colors with a medium brush and then very gently, in even strokes, blend the colors with a large, very soft brush. If necessary, I can go back later and add a little more definition.
Are there present-day artists whom you admire and learn from?
I admire and learn from many of my fellow artists. The exciting thing about art is that every artist has a differenttechnique so visiting an exhibition is a learning experience. In terms of the larger art world, I always loved the paintings of Edward Hopper, Andrew Wyeth and Winslow Homer, and, more recently, Joseph Reboli.
You have won many distinguished awards. Can you list some of them?
I was chosen as the Honored Artist in the 2016 Setauket Artist Exhibition where I won the Award of Distinction for my painting, “Late Afternoon, Brooklyn.” At the Mills Pond Gallery in 2018, I was selected to be part of the Winner’s Circle, winning first place for my painting, “Off Duty.”
I was especially honored to be “Artist of the Month” at Long Island Museum Arts in Stony Brook (LIMarts) in 2018 where I was asked to exhibit my works in their gallery. And finally, I was awarded first place in the juried North Shore Art Guild’s exhibition Perspectives of Long Island, for my painting, “Still Afloat.” Each award I have won has brought me much satisfaction.
What advice would you give to other artists?
I would advise them to improve their skills by continuing to paint since you learn by doing and experimenting. I would encourage them to stick with a painting since sometimes the unexpected happens and the painting that didn’t start out so well ends up being a nice surprise.
Where are you presently exhibiting?
From May 16 to June 6 I will be exhibiting with the Setauket Artists at the Deepwells Mansion in St. James. You may also see my painting of West Meadow Beach at the North Shore Art Guild Gallery in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express in Centereach through June 13. Visit my website at rhroehrig.com.
Artist Daniel Pollera at work on his easel on ‘Clearing Skies’
Join the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook for a captivating live Zoom conversation with Long Island artist Daniel Pollera, a painter who has built a successful career capturing the coastal environments and architecture he knows intimately with great, soulful precision, on Sunday, April 11 at 2 p.m.
Pollera has work in the collections of the Parrish Art Museum, Guild Hall, and the Long Island Museum. He regularly shows his oil paintings in several East End Long Island galleries and at Sorelle Gallery, in Connecticut. He has had decades of national success in publishing and distributing prints of his work with Fairfield Art Publishing, LLC. Most recently, his painting The Goodwin Bay House (2017) is a featured work displayed in LIM’s Twin Peeks exhibition.
Speaking live from his studio, Pollera will talk with LIM’s Chief Curator and Deputy Director Joshua Ruff about his techniques, materials, and his process of creation
Looking at a painting is like a window to another time — the world is frozen, just as the artist remembers it. But of course, nothing stays the same in real life, and the scenes depicted in paintings will often change as well.
With this in mind, Joshua Ruff of the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook had an interesting idea: What if they tried to return to the scenes in some of the museum’s paintings to see what they look like now?
The Mount House in Stony Brook as it stands today.
The result is Twin Peeks: Scenes Seen Twice, Paintings and Photographs, an exhibit of works from the museum’s permanent collection laid side-by-side with recent photos of their locales. The unique show opens in the Art Museum’s Main Gallery on March 19.
Pursuing this idea was the beginning of a months-long adventure for Ruff, Deputy Director, Director of Collections and Interpretations at the LIM and curator for the exhibit. After choosing more than 60 paintings to include in the show, including artwork from the museum’s coveted William Sidney Mount collection, he had to figure out what — or where — the artists were painting.
The Mount House by William Sidney Mount, 1854
“Artists didn’t leave behind GPS coordinates for their work,” he joked. “There are so many scenes in our collection that are real places, but it’s not always conveyed in the title exactly where it is. Landscapes can change dramatically. We wanted to try to get as close as we could to the vantage point of the original painting, while thinking about how artists tell a story of place.”
Using maps from the approximate time period of each piece, Google’s street view feature and some research savvy, Ruff set out with his family and a camera to get the job done. It was far from easy, though — some of the locations are now on private property, inaccessible or unidentifiable. Other abstract or impressionist pieces can offer a vague sense of place without the details required to pinpoint it. Still, he did the best he could.
“We have several examples of historical photographs of certain locations, but more than 90 percent of the photographs were speculative on our part. In some cases, we may not ever be able to crack the code of where the actual spot was,” Ruff explained.
In some cases, he had to enlist the help of some friends. The museum’s conservator, Alexander Katlan, lives part-time in New England and was able to take photos to accompany two paintings by William Trost Richards. And some of the staff at the Freeport Memorial Public Library took to the water to find a match for Charles Henry Miller’s 1885 painting, “Freeport Oyster Houses.”
The site of the Setauket Rubber Factory today at the corner of Route 25A and South Jersey Avenue.
“The oyster industry thrived in Freeport in the 1800s, and our library archives include many photographs from that time, so I knew exactly where we needed to go,” said librarian Regina Feeney.
To get the right angle for the photo, the team would need a boat. They talked with the owner of a Freeport marina in search of a way to get down the Freeport River, and were ultimately connected with bayman Danny Miller. It was a chilly November day when they set sail, but armed with old maps and a sense of humor, they got the job done. The photo was taken by Jason Velarde.
The Setauket Rubber Factory by Edward Lange;
“I really enjoy now-and-then exhibits because it gives people perspective about how things have changed over time,” Feeney said. “We were happy to make a contribution, and it was fun getting out of the building and enjoying some time on the water together. We had quite the adventure.”
The exhibit is evenly divided among geographic areas, with one third focusing on the East End, one third on the middle Island, and one third on Nassau County, New York City and New England. The paintings feature a range of medium as well, from watercolor to oil and acrylic, and span in time from the 1830s through the 1970s.
“Seeing this collection of paintings really drives home the sense of how the area has evolved — some of the subjects, like the Setauket rubber factory, are gone now. Other areas that were quiet and natural are more developed now. I hope it will be enjoyable for people of all ages to reflect on the past and consider what the future will hold,” Ruff said.
In conjunction with Twin Peeks the Victoria Costigan Gallery in the Art Museum will be home to “Artists Abroad,” a mini exhibit focused on travel and foreign landscapes.
The museum’s collection includes a small, yet compelling group of works by artists who traveled abroad between the 1860s and 1960s. American artists have always been drawn to European art and landscapes. They visited museums and copied famous works of art, and roamed cities and the countryside to paint and sketch scenes of daily life and picturesque views. Sketches in ink and watercolor quickly documented form and color, with some becoming inspiration for future works in oil.
“Generally when we do an exhibit, the focus is on America or on Long Island. But the works in this exhibit were created abroad and don’t get as many opportunities for exhibition,” said curator Jonathan Olly. “You’ll get to see things you wouldn’t usually get to see here, from the Italian countryside to an Azorian mountain or Cannes as seen from the harbor — it shifts the lens to other places and perspectives.”
“Both of these exhibits are about travel in a time where we haven’t really been able to travel — we’re all a little tired of being inside, and this celebrates the joy of going outside and exploring in a safe way,” said Ruff.
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The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook presents Twin Peeks: Scenes Seen Twice, Paintings and Photographs and Artists Abroad when the museum reopens for the season March 19. The exhibits run through Aug. 1. Visitors are also welcome to explore the Carriage Museum; however the History Museum will remain closed.
Hours are Friday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Physical distancing will be required and masks are mandatory. The LIM follows CDC-prescribed cleaning protocols for all buildings. Admission is $10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students, children under six free. Tickets are available at the Carriage Museum entrance, credit cards only please; pre-registration is not required. For more information, visit longislandmuseum.org.
After the book discussion, enjoy a final opportunity to see the newly discovered Culper Spy letter while it is still on vie. The handwritten letter that is dated November 8, 1779, and is from Benjamin Tallmadge (using his alias, John Bolton) to Robert Townsend (alias, Samuel Culper Jr.) is the only known surviving letter between the two.
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